Military
Ukrainian Greek Catholics lament lack of support by Vatican amid war with Russia
Pope Francis recently praised Russian historical figures in a speech to Russian youth. To members of Ukraine’s Greek Catholic community, these comments were deemed "painful" amid the ongoing war with Russia, and put a spotlight on their needs and concerns.
Victims of Guatemalan military seek justice for war crimes
‘We don’t have this past anymore’: Ukrainian artist revives Kyiv’s prewar soundscape
Reported death of Wagner Group leader 'strengthens Putin's hold on power,' analyst says
In Kyrgyzstan, a fight to keep alive the memory of a century-old rebellion against Russia
New Russian high school history textbook blames West for war in Ukraine
This coming school year, high school students in Russia will receive new history textbooks. They offer a rewritten rendition of Russian history that reflects the Kremlin’s narrative about the war in Ukraine. The textbooks are part of a wider effort by the state to tighten control over the flow of information.
US Amb to UN: ‘We’re hopeful’ the Black Sea Grain Initiative can be revived
Since Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July, its troops have been attacking Ukraine’s ports, destroying 220,000 metric tons of grain in the past week alone. But US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the grain deal could be brought back to life.
Flooding from Ukraine’s ‘Hero River’ may be a silver lining of war
In order to prevent Russian troops from advancing toward Kyiv, Ukrainian forces destroyed a dam on the Irpin River early on in the war. The flooding, as it turned out, created new wetland areas. Some conservationists hope to see the wetlands stay. Even residents whose cellars remain flooded are glad the water came and the Russian troops did not.
Colombia starts ceasefire with nation's oldest rebel group
A six-month ceasefire between the Colombian government and the rebel group known as the National Liberation Army began this month. Support for the truce, and ongoing peace talks, could depend on whether the group ceases attacks on civilians that include kidnappings and extortion.
‘Iron harvest:’ A Belgian team unearths unexploded ammunition from WWI
Shells, bombs and hand grenades are still found across Belgium on a daily basis. Every year, a special unit removes over 150 metric tons of unexploded ordnance.
Farmland off-limits in Ukraine due to mines
Ukraine is now considered the most heavily mined country in the world. Nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed or injured by landmines and unexploded ordnances since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. And about a third of the country needs to be cleared of these explosives. Much of that land is farmland.
Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan lead to humanitarian crisis
Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh are seeing shortages in basic necessities and are calling on the US and EU to step in.
A coalition of Ukrainians is documenting environmental crimes
The Ukrainian government is doing an unusually thorough job of documenting environmental damages being caused by Russian attacks. Their primary goal, according to the Ministry of the Environment, is to eventually win compensation for these damages.
A team of journalists are on a mission to count Russian casualties
Getting accurate casualty numbers in Russia’s war against Ukraine has been very difficult. Now, a team of Russian journalists and researchers are doing the grueling work of counting Russian casualties on their own, using some unusual methods.
Calls for UK to welcome Sudanese refugees the same way as Ukrainians
After the war started in Ukraine last year, the UK created several programs to welcome Ukrainian refugees. British families received stipends to welcome them into their homes, and the Ukrainians had special status to live and work in Britain. But Sudanese refugees fleeing the civil war do not have a quick, legal path to enter the UK, even if they have family there.