Ashley Westerman
Stories
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Lahaina whale-watching business back up and running following devastating fires
Maui Ocean Adventures is a woman-owned company run by two long-time boat captains in Lahaina that had only been open for two weeks when the fire destroyed the town and the fledgling business. Now, they're back up and running for their first whale-watching season.
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As Ukraine's birth rate plunges, here's what one doctor is doing to reverse the trend
Ukraine is suffering from more than a Russian invasion. Births have plummeted. But many families with help from the government and doctors are trying to buck the trend and have a child in wartime.
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Poland is at the center of pressing global challenges — including the war in Ukraine
NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who says his country backs Ukraine in its war against Russia, and Warsaw will work with the candidate who wins the U.S. presidency.
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Tracing the path of an artillery shell -- from Pa. factory to Ukraine's frontline
The journey U.S.-made ammunition make to the frontline in Ukraine is nearly 5,000 miles. We began in Pennsylvania, where workers make ammunition. Now we trace its path across the Atlantic.
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Ukrainians hold off on having babies during the war — some families buck the trend
Against a backdrop of a declining birth rate, many families in Ukraine are trying to have a child in wartime.
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Ukraine’s latest conscription law is hindering its economy
Young men afraid of military conscription in Ukraine are avoiding the traditional workforce, and it's having a negative effect on the economy.
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After a 3-year hiatus due to Russia’s invasion, music festival is held in Ukraine
Ukraine's largest music festival was held over the weekend in Kyiv for the first time since 2021. Going to the festival is about a lot more than just the music.
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The head of the UNHCR says it's time to think about the future of Ukrainian refugees
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees has pledged $100 million of support for people in Ukraine as they prepare for winter.
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Women in Ukraine are taking over traditionally male-dominated work as the war goes on
A program in Ukraine trains women to drive buses and large trucks — jobs typically dominated by men. But the ongoing conflict with Russia is reshaping Ukraine's economy, its job market and who is available to work.
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Why the dark, musical-comedy 'The Witch of Konotop' has Ukrainians enthralled
A play about witches is selling out in Ukraine's capital Kyiv. Critics say that even though the plot takes place centuries ago, the play's takeaways and parallels to today resonate with Ukrainians.
