Sinn Fein becomes first Irish nationalist party to win Northern Ireland elections

The Democratic Unionist Party has said that it won’t return to government until its concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements are resolved. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What The World is following Sinn Fein becomes first Irish nationalist party to win Northern Ireland elections [Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, center, poses for a family photo with her party's newly elected members of the legislative assembly outside Parliament Buildings at Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland, May 9, 2022.] Credit: Liam McBurney/PA via AP Northern Ireland The Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein — which seeks unification with Ireland — secured the largest number of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly for the first time, in a historic election win. The UK, US and Irish governments have urged Northern Ireland’s rival parties to resurrect its power-sharing government. But the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party has said his party will not return to government until its [concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements]( are resolved. Sinn Fein had played down its long-term goal for a united Ireland, but unionists — loyal to the United Kingdom — have been concerned by previous statements that the party would like to see a border poll on Irish unification within five to 10 years. Technically, though, only the Northern Ireland secretary of state, Brandon Lewis, can call such a poll, and he [categorically ruled that out]( on Sunday. His successors are also unlikely to pursue such a referendum. Russia Monday marks Victory Day for Russia. It’s a national holiday that commemorates the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the 77th anniversary parade in Moscow’s Red Square that Russia’s [invasion of Ukraine was necessary](, because the West was “preparing for the invasion of our land, including Crimea,” and cited threats from NATO. Analysts were speculating that Putin might declare a full-scale war, but he instead announced the signing of a decree for families of the dead and wounded to [receive special support](. Russian news agencies said that 11,000 troops and 131 armored vehicles took part in the parade — a more modest display than in recent years. Afghanistan A new decree issued by the Taliban government requires women in Afghanistan to cover their faces in public. For women who do not comply, their "male guardian" will be visited, and he could eventually even be [jailed and sentenced](. And women working in government offices will be fired if they do not abide by the decree. It’s another step in the Taliban's gradual restriction of women’s rights and freedoms since taking power for a second time last August, despite international pressure. The new law is reminiscent of Taliban rule in the 1990s, when women were required to cover from head to toe. In March, the Taliban also shut down girls' schools above the sixth grade on the morning they were due to open to the public. The Taliban has [faced criticism]( from Western governments, as well as religious scholars from some Muslim countries, for its policies. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra fights on the war's 'cultural front']( [The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra rehearses at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Poland, the day before the premiere performance of the "Voice of Ukraine" tour that took them to nine cities across Poland and Germany, April 20, 2022.]( Credit: Emily Johnson/The World The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense [granted special permission]( for the male musicians of the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra to leave the country, calculating that the world will be more motivated to protect Ukraine if it sees its culture as something precious and worth saving. [Shanghai’s delivery drivers — the unsung heroes of a long pandemic lockdown]( [Delivery drivers in Shanghai have been the unsung heroes during a strict COVID-19 lockdown that kept millions indoors.]( Credit: Rebecca Kanthor/The World Delivery workers are pretty much the only people on Shanghai’s streets right now. They’ve kept the city running during lockdown, and millions of residents depend on them. But as gig workers, they have [fewer labor protections](, working long hours under difficult conditions. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bright spot Jacky Hunt-Broersma, an amputee athlete, has run 104 marathons in the same number of days, using a carbon-fiber prosthesis. She completed the feat near her home in suburban Phoenix and set an unofficial world record. The South Africa native lost her left leg below the knee to a rare cancer. Hunt-Broersma also raised more than $67,000 to help fellow amputee blade runners get the expensive prostheses they need, something health insurance doesn’t typically cover. [Jacky Hunt-Broersma finishes her 102nd marathon in 102 days at Veterans Oasis Park, in Chandler, Ariz, April 28, 2022.] Credit: Ross D. Franklin/AP/File photo --------------------------------------------------------------- [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](.