The World PRX

Indigenous communities in Brazil are celebrating after the country’s supreme court rejected a legal policy that would have weakened their ability to claim land.  Also, a new book talks about the most powerful woman in North Korean history: Kim Yo-jong, the sister of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. And, major film sets across the UK have had to close down because of the actors’ and writers’ strikes in the US. Plus, a look at Lachlan Murdoch, son of the famed media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, who is set to take over his father’s media empire.

The Biden administration is expanding and extending its temporary protected status order for Venezuela, allowing Venezuelans to work. This includes nearly half a million Venezuelans currently in the US. And, Poland's prime minister has said that Ukraine will no longer receive weapons because Poland is upgrading to more modern weaponry. This announcement comes on the heels of a dispute over economic protection for Poland's farmers as the country has banned the import of Ukrainian grain. Also, Pope Francis recently set off a firestorm among Ukrainian Catholics when he praised Russia's great past and culture. Ukrainian Greek Catholics, for whom the pope is a spiritual leader, would like to hear his support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. Plus, this Freetown mayor focuses on climate resilience.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres only invited leaders with credible new climate pledges to speak at this year’s UN climate ambition summit. But the UN has limited power to cajole nations when it comes to climate. And, Armenian separatist forces in Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh surrendered on Wednesday, 24 hours after Azerbaijani forces began an offensive to take full control of its territory. Also, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden have been at odds over proposed judicial reforms in Israel, which Netanyahu backs. On Wednesday, the two leaders are expected to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Plus, reparations for Japanese Canadians may be seen as too little, too late. 

At the UN General Assembly today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy again sounded the alarm over Russian aggression. And, family groups crossing the US border illegally reached an all-time high in August. This is a concern for Biden administration officials, as families have always been the hardest migrants to deport. Also, Canada and India are feuding right now over India's alleged potential involvement in a politically motivated killing of a Sikh Canadian activist. India has denied Canada's accusations thus far and the two countries have expelled each other's senior diplomats. Plus, a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks go on a sacred arts tour in the US.

A year and a half into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, its impact has been felt most acutely in lost lives, flattened cities and destroyed infrastructure. But the environmental damage from combat has also contaminated Ukraine’s soil, water and air. From Ukrainian farm fields polluted with mines to Norway's new role as the largest exporter of natural gas to Europe, The World's environment correspondent Carolyn Beeler reports on how the environment and climate impacts are likely to be one of the longest-lasting legacies of the war, persisting for decades after the fighting stops.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti are in a serious dispute over water rights. The Dominican government has moved to seal the border and stopped issuing visas to all Haitian citizens, until the dispute is resolved. And, the United Nations General Assembly kicks off next Tuesday, when both Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy and US President Joe Biden are expected to take the stage. Also, Sept. 16 will mark one year since the death of Mahsa Amini, who was in Iranian police custody for improperly wearing her headscarf. Her death sparked protests throughout Iran and the world against the Iranian government's repressive treatment of women. Plus, an American caver in Turkey speaks about his 11 days underground.