Ukraine is thought to be one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, and the problem extends way beyond its own borders. Landmines not only pose a lethal risk to civilians but also "block farmland, delay reconstruction and threaten commercial shipping routes," said Decode39. As Ukraine is one of the world's leading exporters of corn and wheat, many countries are urgently considering how to help demine the nation. 

What's the scale of the problem? 
Long before Russia invaded in 2022, it had planted mines in Ukrainian territory. Now, a quarter of Ukraine is thought to be contaminated with explosives, said the Institute for International Political Studies. In the past 1,000 days, more than 2 million landmines have been scattered on Ukrainian territory, said the Center for European Policy Analysis. 

What's being done about it? 
Ukraine's National Mine Action Center has produced a map that highlights areas confirmed as hazardous or suspected of being hazardous, as well as areas that have been cleared, said Bellingcat. It oversees the work of government and private operators who are helping to demine the country. 

Before 2022, only men could work in explosive disposal in Ukraine, but since so many men have been drafted, it's now largely female teams checking the land on their knees, often in high heat and heavy gear. It's like "gardening on steroids," said Jon Cunliffe, of the U.K.'s Mines Advisory Group, to Prospect magazine. The teams also use specially trained dogs to sniff out TNT. Each animal can cover up to 5,000 square feet per day. 

How long will it take? 
Many contaminated areas are on the frontlines, making them impossible to assess, while some mines or unexploded shells are on private land or even in water. The Black Sea, for example, is littered with naval mines. 

It's a "staggering task," said Prospect. It will take "decades at least" to remove all the landmines from Ukraine. The Ukrainian Association of Humanitarian Demining estimates about 30 years, but it depends on how long the war continues, said Euronews. "One day of war is about 30 days of demining," said one expert.

As students arrive back on college campuses for the fall semester, a nefarious aspect of online anonymity is coming with them: A slew of universities are falling victim to hoaxes involving active shooters. These pranks, in which a fake call is made about a gunman on campus, are becoming increasingly prevalent and often lead to massive police resources being wasted, not to mention the psychological impact they have on students. 

Victims nationwide
There has been a "rash of hoax calls about active shooters on college campuses, some featuring gunshots sounding in the background, that have sent waves of fear among students," said The Associated Press. These hoaxes, known as swatting calls, prompted universities to initiate active shooter protocols, texting students to "run, hide, fight" while officers "swarmed over campuses, seeking out any threat."

More than a dozen campuses have fallen victim to swatting calls this year. It's unclear where the calls originate from, but one online group, calling itself Purgatory, said that it was "behind a number of recent hoax emergency calls that drew a heavy law enforcement response to college campuses," said The New York Times. 

Raising the stakes
Even though one group has taken credit for some of these swatting incidents, tracking down the perpetrators is difficult. These calls "frequently originate online, overseas or by using AI software," said Axios. The callers often use technology that allows people to mask their identities, such as using AI-generated voices, caller ID spoofing and masking a user's IP address."

Threats to universities have had "peaks and valleys," said Mo Canady, the executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, to Axios. "We may be coming out of the valley as we are starting back to school." 

As these threats persist, federal officials are working to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. Someone found swatting a university can be federally charged with false information and hoaxes or interstate transmission of a threat, among other charges, which could "lead to up to 20 years in jail if there's an injury involved" and substantial fines, said Robert Boyce, a retired NYPD chief of detectives, to ABC News. This is the "time to prosecute these individuals and put it out there that these people are going to jail."

A firefighter joins fellow members of Madrid's forestry brigades at a rally outside the Finance Ministry to demand better wages and rights from their state-controlled employer. The specialized firefighting units have been on the frontline of the battle to contain Spain's devastating wildfires.
Ricardo Rubio / Europa Press / Getty Images

With summer coming to an end, you might be looking for that perfect podcast just in time for sweater weather. There are plenty of options for ones you might not have had a chance to hear, including some chart-toppers.

'Unwind to Ocean Science' (Telos Media, Naturalworldfacts)
This program provides "relaxing and immersive documentaries for those who want to learn about our oceans in scientific detail," said Podchaser. It describes oceanography from the Mariana Trench to marine gigantism and is hosted by a pair of experts. (Spotify)

'Doctor's Orders'
True-crime podcasts have helped shine a light on doctors gone bad, and "Doctor's Orders" is a spine-chilling tale of fraud and death. The podcast focuses on Dr. Munir Uwaydah, who allegedly "built an empire of fraud to the tune of a quarter-billion dollars and was thought by some to be involved in a murder case, though he was never accused or charged," said Sony. (Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify)

'Unicorn Girl' 
There are few podcasts more popular than ones about white-collar crime, and "Unicorn Girl" fits the description. Hosted by Charlie Webster, the journalist behind the hit podcast "Scamanda," this new series follows Candace Rivera, who "built a flawless online brand as a divorced single mother, nurse and CEO of multimillion-dollar companies," said The Guardian. But the question remains: Was any of it real? (Apple Podcasts)