Europe

Poland, Latvia and Lithuania all share a border with Belarus — and tensions are running high in all three countries, as Russia and Belarus ramp up accustomed military drills. DW’s Lisa Louis reports from the Lithuanian border.

Protesters took to the streets of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the first anti-government protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. Ukraine has long struggled with corruption, and it’s been a significant barrier to joining the EU. The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Andrii Borovyk, head of the corruption watchdog Transparency International Ukraine, who joined from Kyiv.

Coordinated bombings tore through London’s transport network 20 years ago, killing 52 people and injuring hundreds. In the years since, British security services say they’ve become far better equipped to detect and prevent such attacks. But the nature of the threat is more complex than ever.

Cases of the recently identified Covid-19 variant NB 1.8.1. are rising. Some have dubbed the variant “razor blade throat” for one of its notably painful symptoms. The World Health Organization says it’s monitoring the variant. The World’s Marco Werman spoke to Michael Mina, an epidemiologist and immunologist based in Boston.

“Flow” is an animated film from Latvia, with no dialogue, about a cat. Despite its modest budget, and coming from a small independent studio, it’s already won a Golden Globe and is generating serious Oscar buzz. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports that this passion project is finding a worldwide audience and is resonating because of its universal message.