The World

The UN has issued a dire warning that famine could hit parts of Somalia as early as next month. Food insecurity in the country has been driven by a historic drought, as well as delayed grain shipments from Ukraine and other factors. And, scientists in southern Africa are working to bring back critically endangered vulture populations after mass killings of the species. Also, the western Ukrainian city of Lviv has become a center for IDPs from around the country seeking medical care. Plus, a group of African Americans have heeded the call to “return” to Ghana.

Britain’s new Prime Minister Liz Truss met with the queen in Balmoral on Tuesday where she was officially appointed to office. In a speech at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday afternoon, Truss promised to tackle the energy crisis and the ailing economy. The risk of a nuclear accident at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant is growing, according to a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The report describes damage to the special building that houses fresh nuclear fuel and the solid radioactive waste storage facility. Also, on Sunday, roughly 62% of Chileans rejected a new constitution, written from scratch, to replace an old one imposed by the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet 41 years ago. Plus, we hear about the legacy of the late Australian Aboriginal singer-songwriter Archie Roach.

Economic troubles and a volatile political situation have made life tough in Sudan. But people are carrying on with their lives and enjoying their weekends. Hear how an animal rescue center has become a popular getaway for families. Also, The British parliament is considering whether invertebrates like lobsters and crabs should be classified as sentient beings, under a new "Animal Welfare (Sentience)" bill. And, a herd of wild goats has taken over the seaside town of Llandudno in Wales, munching on hedges and flowers from gardens.

A shooter's gun jammed in the process of attempting to assassinate Argentina's vice president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Supporters had been demonstrating outside her home since last week, when a prosecutor called for a 12-year prison sentence in connection to corruption charges during her tenure as president. Also, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have vowed to remain a "continued presence" at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant that sits in the middle of a war zone. And on Saturday, NASA will make its second attempt to launch its new moon rocket. Plus, a hummus festival in Berlin brings together Israelis, Palestinians, refugees from Syria and Germans to celebrate the much-loved dip, in defiance of gloomy headlines from the Middle East.

The UN Human Rights Commission released a long-awaited report detailing China's misuse of terrorism laws to subjugate Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang Province. And Sept. 1 marks the first day of school across Ukraine. The day is akin to a national holiday, but this year, schools across the country are trying to figure out how to manage the academic year while the country remains at war. Also, as Russia continues its threats to cut off the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, the near-future of energy security in Germany is up in the air. Plus, renowned Afghan musician Ahmad Fanoos was airlifted out of Afghanistan when the Taliban took power. He tells us his story.

In the waning days of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev’s visions of perestroika and glasnost won him accolades in the West and changed the course of world events. But in Russia, he was blamed for bringing about economic collapse, political upheaval and the implosion of the Soviet Union. And, as Europe looks to the Arctic for energy, the Indigenous Sami people say they don't want the massive wind farms that are planned on their shrinking lands because the turbines interfere with their reindeer herds and livelihoods. Also, over 50 South Korean adoptees in Denmark have cosigned an application to South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate abuses in the country's adoption system going back to the 1960s. Plus, Afrobeats is growing in popularity around the world.

After months of political impasse, Iraq is facing protests again. This time it comes after the powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced he is leaving politics for good. And many people who describe long COVID symptoms to their health care providers are met with suspicion, but their symptoms are real, says New York Times columnist Zeynep Tufekci. Also, the Dutch Refugee Council, a nongovernmental organization, is suing the Dutch government over hazardous conditions at migrant reception centers across the country. Plus, we hear about Norway's role in the future of energy with the podcast “Things That Go Boom.”

United Nations officials say they are sending inspectors to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine are accusing each other of shelling the area. International Atomic Energy Agency experts say they will visit the plant later this week. And, water is in short supply in Monterrey, Mexico. Extreme drought has left three dams that serve the city of 5 million people practically empty. But restrictions on water usage are impacting some neighborhoods more than others. Also, for hundreds of years, people living in Louisiana’s bayou country have spoken French. Now, climate change threatens to wipe out the French language in southern Louisiana, as many native French speakers are dispersing to areas much further inland. Plus, despite six months of grueling war with Russia, Ukrainian artists present several acts at Scotland’s largest arts festival.

In this special hour of The World, Paris-based reporter Rebecca Rosman takes a trip across France where she speaks to Catholics, Jews, Muslims and atheists about their right to believe, or not to believe, in France today.

For the first time in its history, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine was completely disconnected from the electric grid on Thursday. While power was restored, at least partially, on Friday, the event has raised serious concerns about the potential for a nuclear catastrophe in Europe. And, six months since Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine began, it's settled into an attritional grind. We hear from a former commanding general for the US Army in Europe about the strategic outlook for both sides. Also, on Thursday, about 500 Iranian women were allowed to attend a soccer match at a stadium for the first time in 40 years. Women in Iran had been banned from attending since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Plus, a young folklorist is on a quest to save Rohingya folk tales.