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France and the Far Right Jun 29, 2024

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Kate Adie introduces stories from France, Israel-Gaza, Bolivia, Uzbekistan and the USA.

French voters head to the polls in a snap election that President Macron says will shake people from their 'political fever' - but could also see the far right make further gains. Andrew Harding reflects on this pivotal election.

It's estimated around 500 Palestinian medical workers have been killed in Gaza, since Israel's war against Hamas began. When news broke of the death of one British-trained surgeon, Yolande Knell tried to find out more about his life, and the circumstances of his death.

An attempted coup in Bolivia this week raised the spectre of a darker period in the country’s history - when it was under military-rule some 40 years ago. Will Grant reflects on whether this was a genuine attempt to seize power - or a ruse by the current President to strengthen his own hold on power.

Uzbekistan sits at the heart of the ancient silk road – and is still the world’s third largest producer of silkworm cocoons, after China and India. Chris Aslan travelled to a remote part of the country where silk cultivation has remained largely unchanged for centuries, and met one woman who sees her entire home taken over by the precious cocoons.

The Dipsea is said to be America’s oldest trail running race and organisers leave it to the runners to forge their own path between the race start and the finishing line. Although it’s a far cry from marathon running when it comes to distance, the race is known to have stretched some of the most hardened of trail runners. Amy Steadman took up the challenge.

Series producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinator: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Ukraine’s conscription crisis Jun 22, 2024

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Kate Adie reports stories from Ukraine, China, US, Canada and Senegal

Ukraine is facing one of its most perilous moments since the start of the full-scale invasion. Russia. The Ukrainian army desperately needs more troops and has turned to enlistment squads to bolster numbers. This has pushed those who don’t want to fight into hiding, as our correspondent Jean Mackenzie reports from Odesa.

Youth unemployment in China has reached record levels in recent years. Some graduates have ended up selling products online, but it’s not always clear what products they are selling. Some have accidentally stumbled into the growing online market for synthetic opioid drugs. Danny Vincent has followed the story.

November’s presidential election will hinge on just a handful of states. One of them is Michigan, home to Detroit, which has suffered from decades of industrial decline. In 2016, it voted for Trump; in 2020, it was a critical swing state that voted in favour of Biden. And while crime is down and the economy has improved, many of its residents are struggling to see the benefits as Mike Wendling discovered.

Haida Gwaii is an archipelago off British Columbia’s west coast with a population of around five thousand people, half of whom are the indigenous Haida people. Sally Howard went there and learned how their totem poles, of huge cultural significance for the community, are seeing a renaissance.

We visit the West African nation of Senegal, home to Africa's biggest jazz festival and many other cultural events. But this celebrated hub has been jolted by the arrival of a new president and some political wrangling, as Natasha Booty reports

Kosovo and the new world of war Jun 15, 2024

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Kate Adie presents stories from Kosovo, the US, East Jerusalem, Ghana and El Salvador

Its 25 years this week since Serbian forces withdrew from Kosovo. Jeremy Bowen went back for the anniversary celebrations and reflects on how conflicts have changed in the 21st century.

All eyes were on Wilmington in the US State of Delaware this week where a jury took just three hours to deliver a guilty verdict in the case against President Joe Biden’s son Hunter on three felony counts. Bernd de Busmann Jr followed the twists and turns of the case and considers what ramifications the verdict might have on Joe Biden’s run for a second term in office.

Visitors to the Old City in East Jerusalem have dropped sharply since the Israel-Gaza war began in October. And there’s increased tension between the different communities inside the Old City Walls. Emily Wither spoke to Palestinian and Jewish business owners about how the on-going conflict is impacting their daily lives.

Millions of people in the UK were born outside the country. But what's involved in taking the plunge and making your life anew in another land? Elaina Boateng recently spoke to her mother about what had motivated her to leave her West African homeland of Ghana in the eighties– and her reflections on how it had changed when she returned.

And finally, El Salvador's coffee industry took a pounding during years of civil war and natural disasters like rust disease which ruined crops and sent prices plummeting, But the country’s 18,000 coffee farmers have embraced agroforestry – a farming technique which integrates trees with crops or pasture, as Jane Chambers discovered.

Modi’s Modest Victory Jun 08, 2024

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Kate Adie introduces stories from India, Mexico, South Africa, Russia and a trans-continental sleeper train.

Narendra Modi has returned for a third term as India's Prime Minister, but has seemingly lost some of his star power among voters, as the BJP lost its parliamentary majority. Yogita Limaye reflects on what this surprising election outcome says about the current health of Indian democracy.

In another major election, Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as Mexico's first female president – the first in nearly 200 years. Many cite her victory as a tipping point, following decades of campaigning by Mexico’s pioneering women politicians. Will Grant met the new president’s celebrating supporters.

When the African National Congress came to power in 1994, it promised greater equality and economic opportunity for black South Africans. But last week's election saw its support drain, as voters punished the party of Nelson Mandela for the economic hardship they still face. Anne Soy reflects on the difficult choices ahead for the ANC.

The St Petersburg International Economic Forum, which took place this week, used to attract the biggest players in global finance, from the US to Europe. Their presence has dissolved somewhat since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent onset of Western sanctions. That friction is not new, of course, and Paul Moss remembers an encounter he had in Russia when the effects of mass privatisation were still being felt – and arguably, still are today.

‘Train bragging’ is a Swedish phenomenon that encourages travellers to take pride in opting for climate-friendly rail travel over polluting aeroplanes - and it’s becoming more popular, as new overnight sleeper routes proliferate across Europe. Horatio Clare reflects on the enduring romance of transcontinental train travel.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison

Haiti’s Shattered State Jun 01, 2024

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Kate Adie introduces dispatches on Haiti, China, Lebanon, Spain and Italy.

Haitians fear their plight is being forgotten after criminal gangs took control of the capital. An international peacekeeping force is scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks, but how quickly can law and order be restored? Catherine Norris Trent reports from the capital Port au Prince, where she met a community of displaced locals, now living in an abandoned government building.

This week marks 35 years since student-led demonstrations took over Tiananmen Square in Beijing. BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera tracked down two former student leaders who were at the protests in 1989, who reveal that the Chinese government is still watching them.

As Israel’s bombardment of Gaza continues, in response to the Hamas attacks on the 7th of October, violence has also flared up on the country’s northern border with Lebanon. A new arrival in Beirut, the BBC's Hugo Bachega has learned much about the mood in the country as he searches for a new home.

Spain’s efforts to tackle the legacy of its civil war and the Franco dictatorship have long been the cause of political rancour. Guy Hedgecoe discovers the issue is once again causing social division, amid the rise in popularity of far fight political parties.

The Allied soldiers in the Italian Campaign of World War Two were unfairly derided for sunbathing on Italian beaches, while escaping the Normandy Landings. Yet this was far from the reality faced by soldiers involved in assaults such as 1944’s Battle for Monte Cassino. Kasia Madera met some of the surviving veterans from the campaign, which took place 80 years ago.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production coordinator: Katie Morrison

Myanmar’s Jungle Revolutionaries May 25, 2024

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Kate Adie introduces stories from Myanmar, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Mexico.

In Myanmar, tens of thousands of people have been killed since the military seized power in a coup in 2021, halting the country’s tentative transition to democracy - a further 2.5m people have been displaced. Quentin Sommerville has spent a month in the east of the country, living alongside resistance groups fighting the junta the jungles of Karenni state on the border with Thailand, and Shan state, which borders China.

In a visit to Kyiv this week, Germany’s foreign minister urged Western governments to supply more air defence weapons to protect Ukrainians from what she described as 'the rain of Russian missiles.' Jonathan Beale met with a Ukrainian military unit known as The Peaky Blinders, which is defending territory near Kharkiv with armed drones.

The world’s largest inland body of water, the Caspian Sea, is shrinking at an unprecedented rate. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent travelled to Mangystau, in western Kazakhstan, to find out why this is happening, and how it’s affecting the people and the wildlife along its coastal communities.

In the city of Tijuana. right on the Mexico-US border, 3,000 men are incarcerated in La Mesa Prison, living six to a cell, and sharing a tiny bathroom. It’s a claustrophobic and monotonous regime, so any distraction is welcome - and that might come in the form of a visit from a group of mostly elderly nuns. Linda Pressly joined them on a mission to provide spiritual support – and some small comfort.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Sophie Hill

Inside the trial of Donald Trump May 18, 2024

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Kate Adie presents stories from the US, Russia, Afghanistan, Germany and Bhutan

It’s been a week of high drama in Manhattan as Donald Trump’s former ally and fixer, Michael Cohen took to the witness stand in the former President’s criminal trial. Kayla Epstein was watching events unfold in the courtroom in New York and reflects on what it might mean for Donald Trump’s re-election chances.

A new front opened up in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this week, as Russian troops made gains in the country’s north-east. Ukraine is still suffering from a lack of ammunition and personnel, even as the US long-promised aid begins to filter through to the frontline. Vitaliy Shevchenko has been finding out how Russian troops are being supplemented by fighters from Cuba.

It’s been nearly three years since the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan in a rapid offensive. Since then, the freedoms that women had come to know, such as the right to education and work have been curtailed. John Kampfner has met one woman who embarked on a perilous journey to Canada

The island of Fehmarn, off Germany’s north-east coast is something of an oasis for holidaymakers. But it’s also soon to be the entrance to the world’s longest underwater rail and road tunnel. Rail travel times from Hamburg in Germany to Copenhagen in Demark will reportedly be cut from around five hours to less than three. But for those living on the island – it’s changing a long-cherished way of life, and many are concerned about the threats to the region’s eco-system. Lesley Curwen has been speaking to some of the locals.

At soaring altitudes, foragers in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan seek out a special parasitic fungus, highly prized for its therapeutic qualities. Sara Wheeler’s been hearing about the special status afforded to those who harvest the delicacy.

Note: The programme script incorrectly stated that the Denmark-Germany tunnel will connect Germany and Denmark for the first time.

Editor: Bridget Harney Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Janet Staples

Protests in Georgia May 11, 2024

Show notes

Kate Adie presents stories from Georgia, Serbia, Colombia, Thailand and the Philippines

Georgians have been protesting for weeks about a draft law requiring organisations to declare foreign funding, which many see as a turning point in Tbilisi's relationship with Russia and the West. Rayhan Demytrie explores why the law has proved so divisive.

China’s President Xi Jinping has been on a tour of Europe this week, including a carefully timed visit to the Serbian capital, Belgrade. Guy De Launey witnessed a growing courtship and considers what Beijing's broader agenda might be.

The Darién Gap, an expanse of inhospitable jungle between Colombia and Panama, is now the site of the largest migration crisis in the Western Hemisphere. The 70 mile route is fraught with danger, but for many people fleeing poverty and persecution, the deadly Darién is the only passageway to the US. Peter Yeung joined families crossing the Darién on foot.

Chiang Mai in Thailand's north is popular with travellers who enjoy the famously laid-back atmosphere - but it recently recorded the worst air quality of any city in the world. William Kremer met people directly affected.

You may have heard of J-pop and K-Pop – but have you heard of P-Pop? Philippine pop, or Pinoy pop is hoping to get a share of K-Pop's global success, but it’s determined to do so in its own, distinctly Filipino way. Hannah Gelbart has been to meet one of the most popular groups in Manila.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Bridget Harney Production Coordinator: Rosie Strawbridge

US student protests and the youth vote May 04, 2024

Show notes

Kate Adie introduces stories from the US, Portugal, the South China Sea, Argentina and Antarctica.

University campuses across the US have been gripped by protests over the war in Gaza, with students demanding their schools divest from Israeli interests. Nomia Iqbal considers the ramifications of the protests for Joe Biden, who will need the youth vote on his side if he is to win re-election in November.

In the days after the Hamas attacks, some 200,000 Israelis were evacuated from Israel's border regions with Gaza and Lebanon, and moved into temporary accommodation. While some have since decided to return home, others have decided to seek safety further afield, as Mark Lowen discovered in Lisbon.

Confrontations between the Philippines and China are on the rise in the South China Sea, as the countries clash over a territorial dispute. Jonathan Head saw this maritime feud up close, while on board a Filipino coastguard ship as it came into contact with a Chinese patrol.

Argentina's President Javier Milei was elected last year on a manifesto of slashing public spending. Yet, with inflation at 300 per cent, prices are still spiralling, and another national strike is on the horizon. Mimi Swaby discovers it’s a crisis that continues to affect all corners of this vast country.

And we’re amid the icebergs and marine life of Antarctica, as Janie Hampton recounts her voyage to trace her family connections to the continent - revealing how the downfall of the Soviet Union led to the cut-price sale of a British research base.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison

The Rise and Fall of Nagorno Karabakh Apr 27, 2024

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Katie Adie presents dispatches from Armenia, India, China, Belgium and the Middle East.

The flight of more than 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh last year, after a rapid offensive by Azerbaijan, quickly faded from news headlines. Tim Whewell remembers how the self-declared republic first emerged, as the Soviet Union was in its last throes, and reflects on how nations are born, and re-buried.

More than a billion Indians are heading to the polls over the next six weeks to vote in a general election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'digital India' has been a policy priority during his leadership - but to what extent are the less developed parts of the country on board and online? James Coomarasamy visits a village in Karnataka.

The Chinese government is focused on green growth, providing subsidies for the manufacture of solar panels and electric vehicles. Yet in some cities, factory workers have been laid off and fear being left behind. Laura Bicker reports from the once bustling manufacturing city of Dongguan.

The Royal Museum for Central Africa in Belgium was originally built to showcase artefacts from the country's former colony, Congo. Today, visitors to the museum are encouraged to reflect on the impact of Belgium’s colonization, finds Beth Timmins.

Reporters always carry some kind of baggage with them when they head off to cover a story. It was on a recent deployment that the BBC’s middle east analyst Sebastian Usher suddenly noticed that the often unwanted companion that seemingly always accompanied him on trips abroad… had suddenly gone missing.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison

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