In-depth News Features | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

The Cannes Film Festival came to a close on May 28, and while the event was as glamorous as usual, the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine was reflected throughout the 12-day celebration of all things filmic.

Thousands of homes have been torched in Myanmar as the military junta burns entire villages, according to grassroots reports. The arson attacks appear to be concentrated in the opposition stronghold of the central region of Magway and the northwest region of Sagaing.

Julia Shamsheieva used to project 3D artworks on cultural sites across the globe. Now it is her hometown that is in the spotlight – and Putin's crosshairs. Russian forces are closing in on Odesa, Ukraine's biggest port city, and residents fear it will be the target of a major offensive. NHK World spoke to the audiovisual artist about life under bombardment, and the shift from making symbols of peace to camouflage nets.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is wreaking havoc on the global fertilizer industry. Farmers are being squeezed and one expert says governments must step in to prevent what could become the worst food crisis since World War Two.

Videos and images from northwestern Myanmar are painting a devastating picture of the relentless crackdown against civilian militia and ethnic armed groups by the military junta that seized power just over a year ago. Forensic analysis is helping people outside the country understand the plight of villagers who are the targets of gunfire and whose homes have been set ablaze.

Bookworms in Japan now have a chance to delve into the literary world of Murakami Haruki in a new library dedicated to his works. And the architect entrusted to design the facility says archiving documents was not the only objective.

Two years since the World Health Organization characterized the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic, cases and deaths around the world are declining. Some countries are starting to lift restrictions on business and social life as they look to usher in a new normal. But are we actually at the end of the pandemic? Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead for Covid-19, tells NHK "we’re not there yet."

Memories are long and bitter on the tiny Okinawan island of Ie. It's a place that symbolizes the challenges faced by residents of the island chain. People there experienced terrible bloodshed during World War Two. Then, under the US occupation that followed, many were forced to leave their homes. Now, as the Japanese and US governments mark the 50-year anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa to Japan, people on Ie say there's little to celebrate.