How to help Ukrainians; the NATO treaty that matters now; the cost of war, in photos

Biden's pick for the Supreme Court defies stereotypes [View this email online]( [Best of NPR]( February 27, 2022 This week, we looked at [how to help Ukraine]( photos that show the [brutal cost of war]( and the part of the NATO treaty that [could lead to a wider war](. Plus, NPR's Scott Simon has a few recommendations. --------------------------------------------------------------- Scott’s Weekly Weigh-in [Two protesters in Lima, Peru, hold the Ukrainian flag with a sign that reads "STOP WAR"]( Ernesto Benavides/AFP via Getty Images A good weekend to you in tough times. War often brutalizes the best and most innocent people, while giving power to some of the worst. This week, as we cover the assault on Ukraine, I was reminded of my time in the siege of Sarajevo. So many who had lived in amity for so long couldn’t believe that just a few years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when their hopes were so high, their sophisticated city of espresso sippers and music lovers could be pitched into war. The hard return of history was on my mind in this week’s essay, which notes the [rise of authoritarianism around the world](. And more on Ukraine: We heard from Bill Browder, the American-born financier (his grandfather, Earl, was head of the American Communist Party) who made a mint in Russia after the fall of the USSR but became a Putin adversary and was deported. He believes [Western sanctions on Russia should be tougher]( and smarter. We also spoke with Caitlyn Fox, a senior at Friends University in Kansas, who prepared a show for her senior thesis of songs from musicals that have been censored throughout their history — only to be told she couldn’t perform it at school. She told us the story of each song. Not surprisingly, they are from [some of the most-honored musicals]( including Cabaret, Hair, and Sondheim. And, in line with recent events, I’d like to recommend a 2015 Norwegian series our family has just caught up with on Netflix. [Occupied]( artfully tells the story of a modern-day Russian occupation of Norway. It is well-acted, gripping, and now, sadly, frightfully prescient. [Scott Simon]( Scott Simon is one of NPR's most renowned news anchors. He is the host of [Weekend Edition Saturday]( and one of the hosts of the morning news podcast Up First. Be sure to listen to him every Saturday on your local NPR station, and follow him [on Twitter](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- by [Carol Ritchie]( Understanding the situation in Ukraine [Firefighters work by a high-rise apartment block which was hit by recent shelling in Kyiv ]( Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images A part of the NATO treaty could turn Russia's invasion of Ukraine into a wider war. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty means that an attack on one member state is [determined to be an attack on all](. Ukraine is not part of the alliance — but some of its neighbors are. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has suddenly and dramatically upended everyday lives across the country. These photos show the [sobering cost in the lives of ordinary Ukrainians](. ➡️ Thousands of civilians have been forced to flee their homes. If you want to help, these [organizations are currently accepting aid](. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia goes back decades. We've compiled [stories that will help you make sense]( of the current violence. In the weeks before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia consistently deployed sarcasm in its messaging. It's a strategic tool, says one Russian expert. "It's a [kind of postmodern cynicism]( trying to put you on the back foot, trying to confuse you." --------------------------------------------------------------- Stories you might have missed Kevin Lamarque/AP Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's professional and personal life has been both classic and unpredictable. She attended Harvard Law School, but if confirmed, she would be the first Supreme Court justice since Thurgood Marshall to have represented indigent criminal defendants. [Brown has blazed trails all her life](. A woman who was discovered chained by her neck in a small Chinese village after being filmed in a [TikTok video was the victim of human trafficking]( according to authorities. The CDC says Americans can now go unmasked in parts of the country where hospitals are not under high strain. Nearly [70% of the U.S. population]( lives in an area considered to be low or medium risk. Some countries are moving ahead with plans to offer a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But studies are raising questions about the potential advantages of this extra booster. [Here's who might benefit from a fourth jab](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! [They can sign up here.]( Looking for more great content? 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