海角大神

The speed and breadth of sanctions have stunned Russia and stirred self-congratulation in the West. Yet big questions remain about what the financial squeeze will achieve, and about unintended consequences.

Oil tides have changed. Gulf states鈥� reluctance to help out on the Ukraine crisis is an indicator of a major shift in strategic thought tilting toward Russia and away from their longtime ally, the U.S.

Baseball was already struggling before players and owners recently reached an impasse.聽How the negotiations are handled could bring needed changes 鈥� or affect baseball鈥檚 viability long term.聽

Applying solutions first requires recognition of the problem. In our progress roundup, poor air quality in Serbia鈥檚 capital led to its university developing a photobioreactor for a city street. And in Rwanda, we have an example of Africa鈥檚 blossoming disability sector.

In our increasingly digital world, technology serves as a gateway to new skills and social opportunities. This octogenarian app developer is making sure fellow seniors aren鈥檛 left behind.聽

To some security experts, Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine marks a new era of aggression by authoritarian rulers, especially against neighboring democracies. Just as noteworthy is how those democracies are responding.

Take the heroic resistance of Ukrainians. Their inspiring defense of their young democracy may help 鈥渆mpower [other] populations to speak up in dissent from such authoritarian efforts,鈥� Avril Haines, director of U.S. national intelligence, told Congress this week.

In three democracies long threatened by bullying neighbors 鈥� South Korea, Taiwan, and Iraq 鈥� the invasion has been closely watched to see how much Ukrainians unite around a shared identity based on civic values. Also closely eyed is support of Ukraine by the United States and Europe. That Western resolve, says CIA Director William Burns, helps demonstrate 鈥渢he resilience of democracies at a time when there鈥檚 been lots of speculation about them not being so strong.鈥�

In South Korea, which has enjoyed a thriving democracy for more than three decades, a presidential election took place March 9 amid renewed ballistic missile launches by North Korea. During the campaign, candidate Yoon Suk-yeol cited Ukraine鈥檚 strength against Russia and the need for South Koreans to do the same with North Korea. Mr. Yoon won the election.

In Iraq, an election last October resulted in a victory for a coalition of three parties across religious and ethnic lines 鈥� and all in opposition to Iran鈥檚 support of violent militias inside Iraq. The coalition leader, Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, promises a 鈥渘ational majority government,鈥� a signal to Shiite-dominated Iran not to meddle in its neighbor. Mr. Sadr is still struggling to form a government.

For Taiwan, the Russian invasion sparked a renewed commitment to its democracy as an underlying defense against threats by China to take the island nation by force. 鈥淭he determination of Ukrainians has moved the world, making Taiwanese feel the same,鈥� said President聽Tsai聽Ing-wen.

As democracy took root in Taiwan during the 1990s, its citizens began to create a national identity separate from the mainland. More than 60% of the island鈥檚 23 million people identify as solely Taiwanese, based on a 2021 poll. China has attempted to 鈥渨eaken confidence鈥� in Taiwan鈥檚 elected leaders, says Ms. Haines. In 2014, however, student protests in Taiwan, known as the Sunflower revolution, further cemented democracy and led to a distancing of trade ties with China.聽

What鈥檚 at stake in Ukraine, says the CIA鈥檚 Mr. Burns, is 鈥渁n incredibly important rule in international order that big countries don鈥檛 get to swallow up small countries just because they can.鈥� The example of Ukrainians defending their democracy may just help other democracies keep that rule in place.