Refugees fleeing Ukraine surpasses 5 million

UN warns of trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable women and children. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What The World is following Refugees fleeing Ukraine surpasses 5 million [Refugees from Ukraine stay inside a vast accommodation center set up at the Global EXPO exhibition hall in Warsaw, Poland, April 19, 2022.] Credit: Czarek Sokolowski/AP Ukraine More than 5 million people have now fled the war in Ukraine — 11% of the nation’s population. Refugee numbers had begun to stabilize, but are [surging once again]( as Russian forces push into western parts of the country. The United Nations estimates that 90% of those fleeing are women and children, given that men between the ages of 18 and 65 have been barred from leaving. The UN has also warned of trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable women and children. Meanwhile, Russian troops are putting more pressure on the port city of Mariupol that’s been [resisting the onslaught](. Lithuania Lithuania has banned any displays of the letter "Z" as a way to show support for Ukraine. The letter has become a symbol of pro-Russian solidarity, even though it [doesn’t appear in the Cyrillic script]( used by either Russia or Ukraine. Lithuania's parliament approved the ban on public displays of the letters “V” and “Z,” as well as the black and orange ribbon of Saint George, a Russian military symbol, in the same way that Nazi and communist symbols are outlawed. People and companies [will be fined]( for disobeying the ban, with the amount increasing for repeated offenses. Israel Israeli police have [prevented hundreds of ultra-nationalist]( Israelis from marching around predominantly Palestinian areas of Jerusalem’s Old City. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, on recommendations by the Shin Bet security service, [barred far-right lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir]( from visiting Damascus Gate with the group. Organizers had said they were planning to go ahead with a flag march despite police banning the event, after initially agreeing on Tuesday not to do so. A similar incident sparked last year’s Israel-Gaza war. And the move comes amid heightened tensions and violence. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Kyiv children’s choir’s world tour was canceled amid war. This conductor is finding other ways to share their music.]( [Shchedryk Children’s Choir of Kyiv, Ukraine, performs at the 2019 Summa Cum Laude International Youth Choir Festival.]( Credit: Photo by Enrique Manzano, courtesy of Saul Zaks Shchedryk Children’s Choir from Kyiv was poised to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with a world tour. Then, Russia invaded Ukraine, canceling all plans. Conductor Saul Zaks is now [on a mission]( to make sure the world hears the choir’s "magical" sounds. [As Mexico's last glaciers melt, communities that depend on mountain springs scramble to find solutions]( [Sparse trees seen near Orizaba peak in Mexico.]( Credit: Michael Fox/The World Today, there’s only one glacier left on Mexico’s tallest mountain. It’s called Jamapa. And scientists say that as much as [60% of it has melted](. Until recently, experts estimated that it had maybe just 40 years left. But now, they say it will disappear within the decade. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bright spot A bus shelter made of plastic waste in Ghana is being called a novel and sustainable way to deal with discarded plastic and a unique way to fight pollution. 🚏 It's located at the Dzorwulu Junction in the greater Accra region, and is the first of its kind in the country. It was designed by Makafui Awuku, who said he wants the installation to influence people's behavior and attitudes toward plastic waste. [Screenshot of Ghana National Plastic Action Partnership tweet]( Credit: Twitter --------------------------------------------------------------- [In case you missed it from The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. [The World]( is produced by [PRX]( and [GBH](.