Kate Adie presents stories from DR Congo, Mexico, Hungary, Argentina, and South Africa.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing multiple conflicts over territory, ethnic tensions and minerals. In the last month, fighting between the M23 rebel group and the government is believed to have displaced around 300,000 people. But the presence of other armed groups is making the situation even more perilous. One group, the Allied Democratic Forces, has reportedly killed more than 60 people in recent weeks, and kidnapped many others. Hugh Kinsella-Cunningham spoke to one woman who had recently escaped captivity in Beni territory.
The Mexican port of Manzinillo has become a battleground for cartels, as it's where many of the raw materials for drugs such as Fentanyl are imported from Asia. Linda Pressly meets the town's mayor who is trying to turn the tide of crime - and hears of the personal sacrifices she has to make to keep safe.
Hungary has faced criticism for its progress on women's rights, but in specific areas of women's healthcare it is leading the way. Rosie Blunt was in Hungary to access care for her endometriosis and found the support on offer was second-to-none.
Off the beaten track in north-West Argentina, John Kampfner explores the high peaks and brightly-coloured lagoons that are home to vast numbers of flamingos. He also makes a curious discovery in a local museum, with deep cultural ties to the mountains.
Which is the harder language to learn - Welsh, or Xhosa? BBC Wales sports reporter Gareth Rhys Owen recently took a trip to South Africa, where he met rugby legend Makaya Jack – and also met his match when it came to deciding whose mother tongue was hardest to master.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Researcher: Beth Ashmead
Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
3/18/2023
28:24
Protests in Georgia
Kate Adie presents stories from Georgia, Egypt, The Netherlands, Iceland and Brazil.
3/16/2023
28:27
South Africa’s Rolling Blackouts
Kate Adie presents stories from South Africa, Russia, Japan, New York, and Ukraine.
Unprecedented power cuts has seen South Africa's national power company become the butt of jokes, but the continual outages are hitting the country's already struggling economy. Ed Habershon reveals how people adapt when the traffic lights stop working.
Vladimir Putin’s sabre-rattling has become a permanent feature on Russian state-run media, since the invasion of Ukraine began. But a more subtle device the Russian President has employed, is to appeal to Russia’s sense of victim-hood. Francis Scarr reveals the impact this daily narrative has had on his old friends in Russia.
Japan struggles with diversity and female representation in both its commercial and political spheres. Shaimaa Khalil met Tokyo’s first female district mayor, who is breaking through the barriers of tradition, to ensure women are seen and heard.
Puppy ownership saw a surge during the pandemic, as people discovered the joys of a four-legged companion during lockdown. In New York, the dog of choice for many was a doodle – a poodle hybrid. But there is now a growing backlash against the now ubiquitous doodle, as Laura Trevelyan reports from the dog parks of Brooklyn.
Transcarpathia, on the far western edge of Ukraine, is a mosaic of nationalities, languages and religious identities which once made up the Austro-Hungarian empire. But the strains of emigration, war, and displaced populations from elsewhere in the country, are erasing cultural differences, and creating a more uniform Ukraine, reports Nick Thorpe.
Producers: Serena Tarling & Emma Close
Researcher: Beth Ashmead
Production coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
3/11/2023
28:40
Greek Train Crash Triggers Grief And Anger
Kate Adie presents stories from Greece, Turkey, Senegal, Guatemala and Switzerland
As relatives of victims in the train crash in Greece mourn their loss, broader questions are being asked about the state management of the railways, unleashing public anger as elections loom. Nick Beake was in Larissa.
Turkey has become a top destination for Russia's fleeing the invasion of Ukraine but as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan takes a firmer stance on migration, Russian applications for residency permits are increasingly being rejected. Emily Wither met one Russia who is helping people relocate in Antalya.
The African Renaissance statue is the tallest in Africa and towers over Senegal's capital city, Senegal. Rob Crossan scaled the statue on a recent visit and heard how locals see it as more of a national embarrassment, given its exorbitant cost and domineering presence.
Tikal national park in Guatemala's north is renowned both for its archaeological significance and biodiversity. The ancient Mayan city was once part of a great trading network- stretching across from Calakmul in Mexico to Copan in Honduras. Beth Timmins explore the area and spoke to locals about its World Heritage status.
Xander Brett visits the alpine resort of St Moritz in Switzerland where, for over a hundred years, the 'White Turf horse race has taken place - on snow and ice. He finds that global warming and safety fears are now casting a shadow over this well-attended spectacle.
3/9/2023
28:52
Nigeria’s Young Voters Find Their Voice
Nigeria's recent presidential election encouraged many young Nigerians to engage with the political process for the first time and cast a vote, despite a backdrop of voter intimidation and claims of election fraud. Yemisi Adegoke says this impetus is set to continue.
The sinking of a migrant boat off the coast of Calabria once again highlighted the dangers of migrant crossings on the high seas. Frey Lindsay travelled on a rescue boat run by a charity from Libya to Ravenna and heard from those on board about what they left behind.
The verdict in the trial of former Mexican government drug tsar, Genaro Garcia Luna, has been a spectacular fall from grace for a man Mexicans saw as corrupt but untouchable, writes Will Grant.
Banana farmers in central Lebanon have been hit hard by the country's financial crisis and the effects of a changing climate. Now they are looking for a new, more reliable crop, says Hannah McCarthy.
Nick Sturdee recounts the story of a 56-year-old man who decided to join the Ukrainian army in the fight against Russia after he witnessed a missile attack. On the reporting assignment, Nick was involved in a life-threatening car accident, which threw everything around him into sharp relief.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross