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.

Five years ago today, soldiers carrying rifles and machetes began driving ethnic Rohingya from their homes in Myanmar in a wave of violence. Some called it a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” Nearly 1 million Rohingya people remain stateless. And in the German state of Lower Saxony, hydrogen-fueled trains are being introduced to reduce emissions and tackle the harmful effects of climate change. Also, Ethiopian and Tigrayan authorities are pointing fingers over who started a recent "large-scale" offensive near the Tigray region. It’s a serious setback for peace talks in Ethiopia, where conflict has persisted for nearly two years. Plus, meet Kenya’s fastest-rising tennis star, 18-year-old Angella Okutoyi.

In normal years, Independence Day in Ukraine would be marked with parades, concerts and flag-flying. But today, many Ukrainians observed the day with tributes to the thousands who have died since Russia invaded their country. And, polio has been found in the US, UK and Israel, and an oral polio vaccine appears to be the cause. In New York, London and Jerusalem, there have been isolated cases of the disease, which can lead to paralysis and death. Also, in Haiti, thousands of people have taken to the streets in the capital and other cities demanding that Prime Minister Ariel Henry step down. Protesters blocked roads, shut down businesses and marched through the streets, calling for a better quality of life in the Caribbean nation. Plus, butterflies abound in Scotland.

Record-high temperatures and low rainfall in China are wreaking havoc on the country's power supplies. Factories are being forced to halt production, malls can only open for limited hours and many places have had to cut the lights and the air conditioning. And, with inflation at an alarming high rate and energy prices soaring, waves of workers in the United Kingdom are considering strikes, including nurses, lawyers and teachers, along with scores of transportation workers. Also, the US government says it cannot corroborate Israel's claims against Palestinian nongovernmental groups operating in the West Bank, which Israel accused of being terror organizations late last year. Plus, meet 80 different birds that have changed the world.

The Taliban are in control of Afghanistan but the past year has shown they are not a monolithic political movement. Other groups have emerged and are vying for power, including a nascent resistance movement. And William Ruto has been elected as Kenya's next president. Calling himself the "hustler," the fiercely religious father of six will be leading Africa's largest economy. Also, during World War II, thousands of Jewish people from Russia and Eastern Europe fled east, seeking safety in the far reaches of the Soviet Union. An estimated 40,000 Jews wound up in Kyrgyzstan. Many later left for Israel, but Jewish corners of Kyrgyz cemeteries still exist. Plus, as temperatures rise around the world, we hear from the chief heat officer in Athens, Greece.

The truth panel in the Ayotzinapa case of the 43 missing students in Mexico has deemed state and local police responsible in the disappearances. Also, inexpensive camera drones are being flown above the battlefields in Ukraine. They're equipped with weapons and grenades. Also, in Singapore, the government begins executing inmates after a two-year pause due to COVID-19. And English and French are by far the most common languages spoken in Canada. But the country's linguistic landscape is changing due to shifts in immigration.

Ships loaded with grain are finally leaving Ukrainian ports, but the shipments aren’t nearly enough to meet global demand. And, some migrants fleeing war zones are increasingly being expelled from Europe even before they can apply for asylum in a practice known as "pushback." Plus, the EU is trying to deescalate tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. Also, some US-based online platforms are making coursework free to Ukrainians whose education has been upended by war.