The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the biggest performing arts festival in the world, and it has catapulted the work of some artists to the West End, Broadway and television. But the road to the festival is also littered with stories of career-ending performances, mental health distress and financial ruin.

Andriy Danylko’s onstage persona is Verka Serduchka — a middle-aged woman who works as a railroad sleeping car attendant — who became one of the biggest celebrities in Ukraine in the early ’90s. Today, Danylko uses her to represent Ukraine on the world stage.

Winning gold at the Olympic Games is a huge accomplishment. But athletes are received in various different ways upon returning to their home countries, with some even being showered with gifts and cash. But others question if financial rewards are appropriate.

Violence against doctors, nurses and medical staff in hospitals is a persistent problem in India. The World’s host Marco Werman speaks with Dr. Rimy Dey in New Delhi about the latest assault of a female doctor that has sparked widespread protest.

Across Latvia, farmers are planting sunflowers as part of an effort to raise money for Ukraine. The idea is to attract people to take selfies with the flowers, and donate to Ukraine. The funds will then go to the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv, hit by a Russian strike last month.