The World

North Korea launched a missile over Japan on Tuesday morning, for the first time since 2017. Alerts went off in Tokyo and other northern cities at 7:30 a.m., and there was fear and confusion about how to take cover. And, jargon can quickly clog up government documents, making vital information hard to find and difficult to understand. Lawmakers in New Zealand are trying to clear things up with a bill that would require clear, concise communication from the government. Also, living through the trauma of the war in Ukraine has taken an immeasurable toll on people there. Soldiers and civilians alike have been through unspeakable horrors. We hear from a few Ukrainians who are helping people process these traumas. Plus, human tower competitions return to Catalonia after a four-year hiatus.

In Brazil's presidential election on Sunday, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva got the highest number of votes, as expected. But the final result showed incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro just a handful of points behind the former president. And amid protests in Iran, a group of students were trapped inside the prestigious Sharif University after security guards locked them inside and chased others to a university parking lot. Similar events took place at Iranian universities in 1999 and 2009, leading to many arrests and deaths. Also, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II announced last week that the four children of her son Prince Joachim will lose their royal titles. The palace said the reasoning was to allow her grandchildren the chance to “shape their own existence.” Plus, the Common loon, known for its haunting cry across the North American wilderness, is in trouble.

The World's Carol Hills and reporter Michael Fox explore institutional religion in Brazil, how President Jair Bolsonaro tapped into religion in his rise to the presidency, and the ripple effects of his alliance with evangelicals throughout the country. This special edition of The World is part of our reporting series called, Sacred Nation, focused on the intersection of religion and nationalism around the globe.

In Moscow, inside the halls of the Kremlin, Russian officials, led by President Vladimir Putin, celebrated the annexation of four Ukrainian regions. The move is being justified based on referendum votes staged this month by Russia. Across the globe, nations are not recognizing the land grab and they're condemning it as a violation of Ukraine's sovereign rights. And a recent census report shows that Catholicism has emerged as the top identified religion in Northern Ireland, a Protestant-formed and Britain-aligned country, for the first time in its 101-year history. With this new declaration, some worry about the possibility of a referendum that would determine if Northern Ireland would stay aligned with Britain or join the Republic of Ireland as one Ireland. Also, Yemen's eight year civil war has been on pause since April. The truce expires this weekend, but many people want the ceasefire extended. Plus, Brazil’s election system is a model for the rest of the world.

In 2014, after pro-Russian forces took control of the Crimea peninsula, Kremlin-backed officials there oversaw a chaotic referendum without credible international observers. This week, we’re seeing a page from that same playbook in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. And Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen from Maryland has been leading an effort for accountability on the death of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh, who was shot by Israeli security forces while reporting in the West Bank. Also, in Iran, a mapping app called Gershad allows users, mostly women, to mark the location of the country’s morality police, so others can avoid them. Now, the app has been updated to include the location of riot police and tens of thousands of people have downloaded it. Plus, Kolkata’s biggest religious festival, Durga Puja, gets reframed as an international art experience.

Both Nord Stream pipelines connecting Russia to Germany are leaking, after a pair of explosions went off in the Baltic Sea on Monday off the coast of Denmark. Blame remains unclear, but many European leaders are pointing the finger at Russia. And, the Biden administration is trying to aid suppressed protesters in Iran, at the same time that it’s attempting to cut a deal with Iranian officials to revive the 2015 nuclear accord. Some see this as a contradiction in US foreign policy. Also, when about 50 migrants were flown to Martha's Vineyard from Texas and Florida, they realized they’d been part of a publicity stunt. Now, their lawyers argue that the migrants may qualify for visas reserved for crime victims, which will allow them to stay in the US. Plus, we hear a musical flashback to an undemocratic Brazil with Caetano Veloso.

Today marks the final day of voting in the so-called referendums taking place in parts of Ukraine that are occupied by Russian forces. These votes are taking place under military occupation — and they’re also illegal under international law. Meanwhile, a call by Russia for more men to help fight its war in Ukraine has sent many people fleeing the country to avoid conscription. And in Lebanon, bank heists have become so common that the government has ordered banks to be shut. Customers have been trying to retrieve their own savings that are stuck in the banking system. Also, over the past seven days, the British pound has dropped to a record low against the US dollar. Plus, we hear from three violinists of the Scandinavian group Lodestar Trio, who take their music from baroque to folk.

The Brothers of Italy party is set to form a far-right government. We look at the implications for Italy of this neo-fascist party rising to power. Also, protests in Iran — triggered by the death of a 22-year-old woman detained by the nation's morality police — continue, leading to an internet blackout in the country. And, as the energy crunch caused by the Ukraine war looms over Europe, its shockwaves reverberate as far away as Bangladesh.

Many world leaders took to the stage at the UN General Assembly this week to speak about devastating losses their countries have experienced due to climate-fueled natural disasters. Low-emitting countries are calling on historic polluters to help pay for the damage. And polls opened on Friday in the four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. People in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were told to vote on whether to join Russia. Also, this summer’s travel chaos led to cancellations, delayed flights and lost luggage. In Spain, airlines and airports are trying to make the most of it with a chain of nonprofit shops where shoppers can buy what other travelers have lost. Plus, a photography exhibit honors those who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

On Wednesday, after Russian authorities announced plans to draft an additional 300,000 troops to join the war in Ukraine, some people are protesting or making hasty plans to leave, while others are lining up to join. And El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele recently announced plans to seek reelection despite a constitutional ban. We hear from a news director who says his leadership is “one step away” from a dictatorship. Also, in Cambodia on Thursday, a United Nations-backed tribunal charged with prosecuting the crimes of the Khmer Rouge regime held its final hearing. After 16 years and $337 million, the tribunal convicted just three men of crimes committed by a regime that caused the deaths of millions. Plus, a molecular biologist brings cultural rehabilitation through ice cream flavors in Cape Town, South Africa.