It’s been two months since violence in Manipur broke out between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki communities. When a video emerged showing two women being sexually assaulted, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it ‘shamed’ India.  BBC Delhi's Divya Arya has covered women’s affairs for many years, and explains how in Manipur, as in many other inter-community conflicts, women’s bodies have become the battlefield.  Liang Shi - China's "No.1 Gaokao holdout"China’s Gaokao university entrance exam is notoriously tough, but one man claims to have sat it, and failed, 27 times.  Fan Wang of BBC Chinese shares Mr Liang’s story.   Nepalis joining the Russian army A growing number of young Nepalese men have enlisted with the Russian army, tempted by offers of good pay and a fast track to citizenship.  BBC Nepali’s Swechhya Raut spoke to some of those who have signed up about their experiences.  Power cuts and water shortages in South Africa South Africa has been experiencing regular electricity blackouts which in turn have affected water supplies, with some South Africans drilling boreholes on their properties. Pumza Fihlani from BBC Johannesburg explains the long history behind the crisis.  Syrian refugees in TurkeyTurkey is home to more than 3.3 million Syrians who fled because of war and insecurity. But there's growing pressure on them to go back, with many in the Turkish press and social media arguing that Syria is now safe.  Nihan Kalle of BBC Monitoring reports on a popular Turkish travel vlogger whose videos from Syria reinforce this narrative.(Photo: Women protest against sexual violence in India's north-eastern state of Manipur following inter-communal violence and sexual assault. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

It’s been two months since violence in Manipur broke out between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki communities. When a video emerged showing two women being sexually assaulted, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it ‘shamed’ India. BBC Delhi's Divya Arya has covered women’s affairs for many years, and explains how in Manipur, as in many other inter-community conflicts, women’s bodies have become the battlefield. Liang Shi - China's "No.1 Gaokao holdout" China’s Gaokao university entrance exam is notoriously tough, but one man claims to have sat it, and failed, 27 times. Fan Wang of BBC Chinese shares Mr Liang’s story. Nepalis joining the Russian army A growing number of young Nepalese men have enlisted with the Russian army, tempted by offers of good pay and a fast track to citizenship. BBC Nepali’s Swechhya Raut spoke to some of those who have signed up about their experiences. Power cuts and water shortages in South Africa South Africa has been experiencing regular electricity blackouts which in turn have affected water supplies, with some South Africans drilling boreholes on their properties. Pumza Fihlani from BBC Johannesburg explains the long history behind the crisis. Syrian refugees in Turkey Turkey is home to more than 3.3 million Syrians who fled because of war and insecurity. But there's growing pressure on them to go back, with many in the Turkish press and social media arguing that Syria is now safe. Nihan Kalle of BBC Monitoring reports on a popular Turkish travel vlogger whose videos from Syria reinforce this narrative. (Photo: Women protest against sexual violence in India's north-eastern state of Manipur following inter-communal violence and sexual assault. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

India shamed:  Manipur women speak up

It's three months since the beginning of the conflict in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces militia, and since the launch of BBC Arabic's Sudan Lifeline radio service.  We hear from Mays Baki in London and Zeinab Dabaa in Cairo about the scope of their work and stories they have been covering, from the barber offering free haircuts in Khartoum to the tragic killing of the governor of West Darfur.  Eritrea’s cycling star Biniam Girmay Biniam Girmay is attracting world attention as the only black African cyclist competing in this year’s Tour de France. He’s seen as one of the finest talents in the sport, and is a hero at home and across Africa.  Fellow Eritrean Habtom Weldeyowhannes from BBC Tigrinya has been following his rise to fame. The Taliban closes beauty salons in Afghanistan Following the Taliban decision to close all hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan, Shekiba Habib of BBC Pashto and Aaliya Farzan of BBC Dari discuss this latest restriction in the lives of women, and share memories of Afghan beauty. (Photo: Sudanese man listening to radio. Credit: Ebrahim Hamid/AFP/Getty Images)

It's three months since the beginning of the conflict in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces militia, and since the launch of BBC Arabic's Sudan Lifeline radio service. We hear from Mays Baki in London and Zeinab Dabaa in Cairo about the scope of their work and stories they have been covering, from the barber offering free haircuts in Khartoum to the tragic killing of the governor of West Darfur. Eritrea’s cycling star Biniam Girmay Biniam Girmay is attracting world attention as the only black African cyclist competing in this year’s Tour de France. He’s seen as one of the finest talents in the sport, and is a hero at home and across Africa. Fellow Eritrean Habtom Weldeyowhannes from BBC Tigrinya has been following his rise to fame. The Taliban closes beauty salons in Afghanistan Following the Taliban decision to close all hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan, Shekiba Habib of BBC Pashto and Aaliya Farzan of BBC Dari discuss this latest restriction in the lives of women, and share memories of Afghan beauty. (Photo: Sudanese man listening to radio. Credit: Ebrahim Hamid/AFP/Getty Images)

Stories from Sudan Lifeline radio

BBC Russian editor Famil Ismailov shares his insights into what's been going on between Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and President Vladimir Putin. How vulnerable is Prigozhin after his failed mutiny, and how has his relationship with the president changed?Inter Miami and Messi Why would footballing superstar Lionel Messi, who earlier this year captained Argentina to World Cup victory, sign with a team currently at the bottom of America's Major League Soccer? BBC Mundo's Atahualpa Amerise sheds light on the appeal of his new club Inter Miami for Spanish-speaking followers of the beautiful game.  India and the Koh-i-Noor diamond For decades, campaigners in India have called for the repatriation of thousands of precious artefacts taken out of the country by the British, chief among them the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which forms part of the Crown Jewels. Zubair Ahmed from BBC Delhi explains why this is such a hot topic in India at the moment.Tunisia's anti-migrant attacksThe killing of a Tunisian man during a brawl between Tunisians and migrants in the port city of Sfax on 3 July triggered a surge of racially motivated attacks. Over recent years, Sfax has seen the arrival of large numbers of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa en route to Europe.  BBC Arabic's Bassam Bounenni visited the city to report on the aftermath of the violence.  The Serbian love of swearing Language experts who’ve studied Serbian say that it stands out for the richness and creativity of its swearing. It was a topic tastefully tackled by BBC Serbian’s Jovana Georgievski.(Photo: Yevgeny Prigozhin and President Vladimir Putin. Credit: Reuters (L) and SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock (R)

BBC Russian editor Famil Ismailov shares his insights into what's been going on between Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and President Vladimir Putin. How vulnerable is Prigozhin after his failed mutiny, and how has his relationship with the president changed? Inter Miami and Messi Why would footballing superstar Lionel Messi, who earlier this year captained Argentina to World Cup victory, sign with a team currently at the bottom of America's Major League Soccer? BBC Mundo's Atahualpa Amerise sheds light on the appeal of his new club Inter Miami for Spanish-speaking followers of the beautiful game. India and the Koh-i-Noor diamond For decades, campaigners in India have called for the repatriation of thousands of precious artefacts taken out of the country by the British, chief among them the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which forms part of the Crown Jewels. Zubair Ahmed from BBC Delhi explains why this is such a hot topic in India at the moment. Tunisia's anti-migrant attacks The killing of a Tunisian man during a brawl between Tunisians and migrants in the port city of Sfax on 3 July triggered a surge of racially motivated attacks. Over recent years, Sfax has seen the arrival of large numbers of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa en route to Europe. BBC Arabic's Bassam Bounenni visited the city to report on the aftermath of the violence. The Serbian love of swearing Language experts who’ve studied Serbian say that it stands out for the richness and creativity of its swearing. It was a topic tastefully tackled by BBC Serbian’s Jovana Georgievski. (Photo: Yevgeny Prigozhin and President Vladimir Putin. Credit: Reuters (L) and SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock (R)

Prigozhin and the President

BBC Urdu’s Saher Baloch follows in the dirt tracks of the petrol smugglers bringing fuel from Iran into the border town of Mashkel in Balochistan, and onwards into the markets of Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Vietnam's coffee culture Vietnam’s coffee culture is vibrant and unique, with popular coffee orders that include egg yolk and even fruit.  Which may explain why international chains have failed to conquer the market, as BBC Vietnamese's Thuong Le explains. Inside the "Well of Death"The so-called Well of Death is a traditional show at fairs in India, where stunt drivers defy gravity to ride cars and motorbikes around the inner walls of a huge barrel-shaped structure.  BBC Delhi’s Anshul Verma watched them in action.    Seedlings for healthcare in Madagascar A scheme in Madagascar is giving free healthcare in exchange for tree seedlings, to improve the health of rural communities and fight deforestation.  Elphas Lagat of BBC Africa went to Madagascar to see how it works.   South Korean fishers and FukushimaThe International Atomic Energy Agency this week approved a Japanese plan to start releasing treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.   Many in South Korea fear the impact on their fishing industry, and health, as BBC Korean’s Yuna Ku reports.(Photo: Blue Zamyad smuggling truck loaded with petrol cannisters in Pakistan. Credit: BBC)

BBC Urdu’s Saher Baloch follows in the dirt tracks of the petrol smugglers bringing fuel from Iran into the border town of Mashkel in Balochistan, and onwards into the markets of Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Vietnam's coffee culture Vietnam’s coffee culture is vibrant and unique, with popular coffee orders that include egg yolk and even fruit. Which may explain why international chains have failed to conquer the market, as BBC Vietnamese's Thuong Le explains. Inside the "Well of Death" The so-called Well of Death is a traditional show at fairs in India, where stunt drivers defy gravity to ride cars and motorbikes around the inner walls of a huge barrel-shaped structure. BBC Delhi’s Anshul Verma watched them in action. Seedlings for healthcare in Madagascar A scheme in Madagascar is giving free healthcare in exchange for tree seedlings, to improve the health of rural communities and fight deforestation. Elphas Lagat of BBC Africa went to Madagascar to see how it works. South Korean fishers and Fukushima The International Atomic Energy Agency this week approved a Japanese plan to start releasing treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. Many in South Korea fear the impact on their fishing industry, and health, as BBC Korean’s Yuna Ku reports. (Photo: Blue Zamyad smuggling truck loaded with petrol cannisters in Pakistan. Credit: BBC)

Tracking Pakistan’s petrol smugglers

Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine-like drug, is causing huge problems around the Middle East, as millions of pills are smuggled out of Syria. BBC News Arabic collaborated with the investigative journalism network OCCRP to find out who's behind the trade. Emir Nader tells us about the direct links they discovered to leading members of the Syrian Armed Forces and President Bashar al-Assad's family. De-Russifying Kazakhstan Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, young people in Kazakhstan have been increasingly reclaiming their roots. There’s growing talk of “decolonisation" in Central Asia’s largest country, whose language and culture were suppressed in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, as BBC Russian’s Nargiza Ryskulova explains.  Pakistan floods: natural disaster or human failure?This year's pre-monsoon rains have already caused disruption and deaths in Pakistan. It's brought back worrying memories of last year's catastrophic floods, in which a third of the country was under water.  BBC Urdu's Umer Draz Nangiana looked back at the 2022 floods in a series which revisited many of the worst hit areas to assess whether nature, or human failure, was to blame for the devastation.Fake news in Iran A story suggesting that Steven Seagal - US actor and supporter of President Putin - had replaced General Sergei Shoigu as Russian Defence Minister, circulated in some Iranian media this week.  And it’s not the first time Iranian media have missed the joke, as Ali Hamedani explains.  (Photo: Captagon pills found by border patrol forces. Credit: BBC)

Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine-like drug, is causing huge problems around the Middle East, as millions of pills are smuggled out of Syria. BBC News Arabic collaborated with the investigative journalism network OCCRP to find out who's behind the trade. Emir Nader tells us about the direct links they discovered to leading members of the Syrian Armed Forces and President Bashar al-Assad's family. De-Russifying Kazakhstan Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, young people in Kazakhstan have been increasingly reclaiming their roots. There’s growing talk of “decolonisation" in Central Asia’s largest country, whose language and culture were suppressed in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, as BBC Russian’s Nargiza Ryskulova explains. Pakistan floods: natural disaster or human failure? This year's pre-monsoon rains have already caused disruption and deaths in Pakistan. It's brought back worrying memories of last year's catastrophic floods, in which a third of the country was under water. BBC Urdu's Umer Draz Nangiana looked back at the 2022 floods in a series which revisited many of the worst hit areas to assess whether nature, or human failure, was to blame for the devastation. Fake news in Iran A story suggesting that Steven Seagal - US actor and supporter of President Putin - had replaced General Sergei Shoigu as Russian Defence Minister, circulated in some Iranian media this week. And it’s not the first time Iranian media have missed the joke, as Ali Hamedani explains. (Photo: Captagon pills found by border patrol forces. Credit: BBC)

Who's behind Syria's Captagon trade?

After the capsize of a migrant boat off the Greek coast BBC Arabic's Murad Shishani went to the Greek port of Kalamata to meet relatives hoping to find their loved ones.  One man was waiting for news of 30 relatives and acquaintances from the Egyptian district of Sharkia. So why are so many trying to leave this place?  Pakistanis were one of the largest groups of migrants on the boat, including many from Pakistan Administered Kashmir.  BBC Urdu's Umer Draz Nangiana visited the village of Bundli, home to 28 men on that boat, only 2 of whom survived, to find out what drove them to risk the journey.  The Settlers"The Settlers" film shows how Patagonia, in Southern Chile and Argentina, was colonised by Chilean and European settlers, including brutal raids against the indigenous Selk'nam people. BBC Mundo's Paula Molina explains modern Chileans' interest in the Selk’nam, and in this part of their own history.Saving lives after the dam-burst in Russian occupied areasBBC Russian’s Olga Ivshina explains how volunteers working in the Russian occupied areas of Ukraine helped save civilians trapped by the floods using local boats.  South Korea's reclusive youthA growing number of young people in South Korea are choosing to withdraw from society.  Hyunjung Kim of BBC Korean finds out why, and what the government and former recluses are doing to try and help them.(Photo: Framed photo of missing son believed drowned on migrant ship. Credit: BBC)

After the capsize of a migrant boat off the Greek coast BBC Arabic's Murad Shishani went to the Greek port of Kalamata to meet relatives hoping to find their loved ones. One man was waiting for news of 30 relatives and acquaintances from the Egyptian district of Sharkia. So why are so many trying to leave this place? Pakistanis were one of the largest groups of migrants on the boat, including many from Pakistan Administered Kashmir. BBC Urdu's Umer Draz Nangiana visited the village of Bundli, home to 28 men on that boat, only 2 of whom survived, to find out what drove them to risk the journey. The Settlers "The Settlers" film shows how Patagonia, in Southern Chile and Argentina, was colonised by Chilean and European settlers, including brutal raids against the indigenous Selk'nam people. BBC Mundo's Paula Molina explains modern Chileans' interest in the Selk’nam, and in this part of their own history. Saving lives after the dam-burst in Russian occupied areas BBC Russian’s Olga Ivshina explains how volunteers working in the Russian occupied areas of Ukraine helped save civilians trapped by the floods using local boats. South Korea's reclusive youth A growing number of young people in South Korea are choosing to withdraw from society. Hyunjung Kim of BBC Korean finds out why, and what the government and former recluses are doing to try and help them. (Photo: Framed photo of missing son believed drowned on migrant ship. Credit: BBC)

Two villages that lost their sons

BBC Mundo's correspondent in Bogota, Daniel Pardo, shares the story behind the extraordinary survival of four indigenous children who used ancestral knowledge to stay alive in the Colombian jungle after a plane crash. Their story has sparked a debate about the divide in the country between indigenous and urbanised communities.  Indian wrestler protestSince January some of India's top female wrestlers have been protesting, demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, outgoing chief of the Wrestling Federation of India and also a BJP MP. He has been accused of sexual harassment, which he denies.  BBC Delhi’s Divya Arya brings us up to date with this week's developments. Brazil, a 'nursery' for Russian spies?BBC Brasil has investigated the strange story of at least three alleged Russian spies who adopted Brazilian identities.  Leandro Prazeres tells us why a false Brazilian identity would be ideal cover for agents who need to circulate worldwide without arousing suspicion.Me and my nameEgyptian Reem Fatthelbab tells us the story of her name, from her own intervention in choosing her first name, to the family history and meaning contained in her surname, inherited from her great-grandfather. Humans and elephants in conflict in Sri LankaSri Lanka is home to thousands of wild elephants, which increasingly come into conflict with humans.  Last year, nearly 150 people died in elephant attacks and around 440 elephants were killed.  BBC Sinhala’s Shirly Upul Kumara visited an elephant hotspot to see the problem first hand. (Photo: Four children rescued after 40 days in the Amazon jungle. Credit: Colombian Military Forces/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

BBC Mundo's correspondent in Bogota, Daniel Pardo, shares the story behind the extraordinary survival of four indigenous children who used ancestral knowledge to stay alive in the Colombian jungle after a plane crash. Their story has sparked a debate about the divide in the country between indigenous and urbanised communities. Indian wrestler protest Since January some of India's top female wrestlers have been protesting, demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, outgoing chief of the Wrestling Federation of India and also a BJP MP. He has been accused of sexual harassment, which he denies. BBC Delhi’s Divya Arya brings us up to date with this week's developments. Brazil, a 'nursery' for Russian spies? BBC Brasil has investigated the strange story of at least three alleged Russian spies who adopted Brazilian identities. Leandro Prazeres tells us why a false Brazilian identity would be ideal cover for agents who need to circulate worldwide without arousing suspicion. Me and my name Egyptian Reem Fatthelbab tells us the story of her name, from her own intervention in choosing her first name, to the family history and meaning contained in her surname, inherited from her great-grandfather. Humans and elephants in conflict in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is home to thousands of wild elephants, which increasingly come into conflict with humans. Last year, nearly 150 people died in elephant attacks and around 440 elephants were killed. BBC Sinhala’s Shirly Upul Kumara visited an elephant hotspot to see the problem first hand. (Photo: Four children rescued after 40 days in the Amazon jungle. Credit: Colombian Military Forces/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Jungle craft and childhood games

The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have sent anti-narcotics units across the country to destroy this year's opium poppy crop. BBC Afghan's Dawood Azami explains how Afghanistan became the world’s biggest producer of opium, and why this campaign is succeeding after years of failure.Pakistan's Bombay Bakery The Bombay Bakery in Hyderabad, Pakistan has been serving its famous cakes since 1911 and has recently been recommended by the government to become a national heritage site.  BBC Urdu’s Riaz Sohail of BBC Urdu is from Hyderabad and shares memories of the bakery. Burying the dead in Sudan In the war-torn Sudanese capital Khartoum, the violence and danger has forced many people to bury their loved ones and neighbours in makeshift graves in the streets and even in homes, as BBC Arabic's Ethar Shalaby reports.  Sexual assault for sale  A BBC investigation has exposed an online business which sells thousands of videos of men sexually abusing women on trains and buses and in other public spaces across East Asia. Zhaoyin Feng and Shanshan Chen from BBC Eye Investigations tell us how they travelled to Tokyo to track down the man responsible, for the documentary Catching A Pervert. (Photo: Afghan farmers harvest opium poppies. Credit: Noorullah Shirzada/AFP via Getty Images)

The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have sent anti-narcotics units across the country to destroy this year's opium poppy crop. BBC Afghan's Dawood Azami explains how Afghanistan became the world’s biggest producer of opium, and why this campaign is succeeding after years of failure. Pakistan's Bombay Bakery The Bombay Bakery in Hyderabad, Pakistan has been serving its famous cakes since 1911 and has recently been recommended by the government to become a national heritage site. BBC Urdu’s Riaz Sohail of BBC Urdu is from Hyderabad and shares memories of the bakery. Burying the dead in Sudan In the war-torn Sudanese capital Khartoum, the violence and danger has forced many people to bury their loved ones and neighbours in makeshift graves in the streets and even in homes, as BBC Arabic's Ethar Shalaby reports. Sexual assault for sale A BBC investigation has exposed an online business which sells thousands of videos of men sexually abusing women on trains and buses and in other public spaces across East Asia. Zhaoyin Feng and Shanshan Chen from BBC Eye Investigations tell us how they travelled to Tokyo to track down the man responsible, for the documentary Catching A Pervert. (Photo: Afghan farmers harvest opium poppies. Credit: Noorullah Shirzada/AFP via Getty Images)

Afghanistan’s opium problem

BBC Delhi explores the steady rise in female-led households in their documentary "Women in Charge: Is India Changing?" From widows to the growing number of women whose husbands have left home to find work, these women are assuming control of household finances, their children's education and local communities.  Divya Arya discusses how this 'mini revolution' is affecting India's traditionally patriarchal society.Vietnam's migrant workers in TaiwanTaiwan relies heavily on legal migrant workers from South East Asia for its economy.  A recent film highlighted the tragic death of one illegal migrant, and raised the issue of the lives of these migrant workers in Taiwan. Tran Vo from BBC Vietnamese and Benny Lu from BBC Chinese collaborated to look into the challenges, and sometimes tragedies, faced by these workers. Russians in Serbia Between February and November last year, 140,000 Russians officially moved to Serbia after the invasion of Ukraine.  BBC Serbian was keen to find out more about the impact both for the Russians themselves and the local population, as Jovana Georgievski reports.  Syria's deadly truffle harvest It was a bumper year for desert truffles in Syria, attracting many to hunt for them in remote areas. But around 250 truffle hunters have died, some from landmines, but most in attacks by gunmen.  Alex Wright and Mina Al-Lami from BBC Monitoring have been investigating these deaths. (Photo: Widow and deputy village council head Maan Kanwar in Rajasthan wearing traditional colourful clothing. Credit: BBC)

BBC Delhi explores the steady rise in female-led households in their documentary "Women in Charge: Is India Changing?" From widows to the growing number of women whose husbands have left home to find work, these women are assuming control of household finances, their children's education and local communities. Divya Arya discusses how this 'mini revolution' is affecting India's traditionally patriarchal society. Vietnam's migrant workers in Taiwan Taiwan relies heavily on legal migrant workers from South East Asia for its economy. A recent film highlighted the tragic death of one illegal migrant, and raised the issue of the lives of these migrant workers in Taiwan. Tran Vo from BBC Vietnamese and Benny Lu from BBC Chinese collaborated to look into the challenges, and sometimes tragedies, faced by these workers. Russians in Serbia Between February and November last year, 140,000 Russians officially moved to Serbia after the invasion of Ukraine. BBC Serbian was keen to find out more about the impact both for the Russians themselves and the local population, as Jovana Georgievski reports. Syria's deadly truffle harvest It was a bumper year for desert truffles in Syria, attracting many to hunt for them in remote areas. But around 250 truffle hunters have died, some from landmines, but most in attacks by gunmen. Alex Wright and Mina Al-Lami from BBC Monitoring have been investigating these deaths. (Photo: Widow and deputy village council head Maan Kanwar in Rajasthan wearing traditional colourful clothing. Credit: BBC)

India's women-led households

Violence broke out in the north eastern Indian state of Manipur earlier this month after a rally by indigenous communities protesting against moves to grant tribal status to the state's main ethnic group. Raghvendra Rao of BBC Delhi spoke to people affected by the violence. Cool pavements in Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, a trial project is turning some streets and pavements white.  It's called 'Cool Pavements' and is all about reducing the amount of heat given off during the night by traditional black asphalt roads, as BBC Arabic's Nisrine Hatoum reports.Cleopatra Clash Netflix’s “Cleopatra” docudrama sparked international controversy over portraying the legendary ruler as mixed-race.  Yassmin Farag from BBC Arabic tells us what we know of the actual heritage of the last Egyptian pharaoh, and why Egyptians are up in arms. Turkish Earthquake: Little AfghanistanBBC Uzbek's Firuz Rahimi visited the Turkish village of Ovakent, which was devastated by February's earthquake.  The majority of the population living there are Afghan refugees of Uzbek and Turkman ethnicity who've been arriving since 1982.  He heard the stories of those who lost relatives, homes and businesses, and their plans to rebuild.  Vietnamese children of US fathersAbout 100,000 children were born to Vietnamese women and American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Writer Nguyen Phan Que Mai has been helping these children reunite with their American fathers for years. My Hang Tran of BBC Vietnamese interviewed the author about why she wanted to shine a light on this consequence of war. (Photo: Car burned in Manipur, India. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Violence broke out in the north eastern Indian state of Manipur earlier this month after a rally by indigenous communities protesting against moves to grant tribal status to the state's main ethnic group. Raghvendra Rao of BBC Delhi spoke to people affected by the violence. Cool pavements in Saudi Arabia In Saudi Arabia, a trial project is turning some streets and pavements white. It's called 'Cool Pavements' and is all about reducing the amount of heat given off during the night by traditional black asphalt roads, as BBC Arabic's Nisrine Hatoum reports. Cleopatra Clash Netflix’s “Cleopatra” docudrama sparked international controversy over portraying the legendary ruler as mixed-race. Yassmin Farag from BBC Arabic tells us what we know of the actual heritage of the last Egyptian pharaoh, and why Egyptians are up in arms. Turkish Earthquake: Little Afghanistan BBC Uzbek's Firuz Rahimi visited the Turkish village of Ovakent, which was devastated by February's earthquake. The majority of the population living there are Afghan refugees of Uzbek and Turkman ethnicity who've been arriving since 1982. He heard the stories of those who lost relatives, homes and businesses, and their plans to rebuild. Vietnamese children of US fathers About 100,000 children were born to Vietnamese women and American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Writer Nguyen Phan Que Mai has been helping these children reunite with their American fathers for years. My Hang Tran of BBC Vietnamese interviewed the author about why she wanted to shine a light on this consequence of war. (Photo: Car burned in Manipur, India. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Manipur’s deadly tribal clashes

Faranak Amidi takes a fresh look at the stories of the week with journalists from our 40 language sections.

BBC Bengali's Shahnewaj Rocky shares the experiences of the fishermen of Teknaf in Bangladesh following Cyclone Mocha.  Plus BBC Burmese Editor Soe Win Than shares his reporting team's experience of being in Rakhine State's capital Sittwe as the cyclone made landfall.  Thai voters ‘big leaps’Thai social media has been full of people’s photos of themselves taking big leaps after the election success of the Move Forward party, as BBC Thai’s Tossapol Chaisamritpol explains.  LGBT extortion in Nigeria The story behind BBC Africa Eye's investigation into how members of the LGBT community in Nigeria are being targeted by criminal gangs who pose as potential dates on popular apps, only to extort, beat and even kidnap them. Journalist Ian Wafula followed the story.Art, spoons and defecting from North KoreaBBC Korean's Damin Jung tells us about North Korean defector Oh Sung-cheol who was a propaganda poster artist in North Korea before defecting to South Korea. (Photo: Aftermath of Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar. Credit: Win Kyaw Thu/BBC Burmese)

BBC Bengali's Shahnewaj Rocky shares the experiences of the fishermen of Teknaf in Bangladesh following Cyclone Mocha. Plus BBC Burmese Editor Soe Win Than shares his reporting team's experience of being in Rakhine State's capital Sittwe as the cyclone made landfall. Thai voters ‘big leaps’ Thai social media has been full of people’s photos of themselves taking big leaps after the election success of the Move Forward party, as BBC Thai’s Tossapol Chaisamritpol explains. LGBT extortion in Nigeria The story behind BBC Africa Eye's investigation into how members of the LGBT community in Nigeria are being targeted by criminal gangs who pose as potential dates on popular apps, only to extort, beat and even kidnap them. Journalist Ian Wafula followed the story. Art, spoons and defecting from North Korea BBC Korean's Damin Jung tells us about North Korean defector Oh Sung-cheol who was a propaganda poster artist in North Korea before defecting to South Korea. (Photo: Aftermath of Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar. Credit: Win Kyaw Thu/BBC Burmese)

Reporting Cyclone Mocha

BBC Arabic’s Mohamed Osman has reported from Sudan for two decades and is used to covering conflict. But two weeks ago he was forced to flee the capital with his family as he was no longer able to live or work safely.  From Cairo he told us about his decision, the journey, and his mixed feelings now that he is safe.  Saving one of Brazil's rarest birds Efforts are underway in Brazil to save a rare species of bird which was widely believed to be extinct until 2016, when a dozen of them were discovered by chance. BBC Brasil's Andre Biernath tells us about a project to secure the future of the blue-eyed ground dove.  Ukrainian children adapting to life in exile Millions of Ukrainian women and children are living in EU countries after fleeing the war more than a year ago. BBC Ukrainian's Victoria Prisedskaya spoke to mothers in Poland and Germany about the difficulties their children face in adapting to new education systems and environments, and their concerns for their children's future. Press freedom in Vietnam Social media users in Vietnam will soon have to verify their identities, in what the government says is a bid to crack down on online scams. Some feel that this law is an attempt to curb freedom of expression online. In the 2023 World Press Freedom rankings, Vietnam came 178th out of 180, just above North Korea and China. BBC Vietnamese editor Giang Nguyen joins us to discuss further. The Turkish elections through 3 citiesAhead of Turkey's Sunday elections BBC Turkish journalist Esra Yalcinalp tells us about the 3 cities she visited - Bayburt, Trabzon and Antalya - and what light voters in those cities shed on the chances of the main political alliances asking for their votes.  (Photo: BBC Arabic's Mohamed Osman crossing the Nile from Sudan to Egypt. Credit: BBC)

BBC Arabic’s Mohamed Osman has reported from Sudan for two decades and is used to covering conflict. But two weeks ago he was forced to flee the capital with his family as he was no longer able to live or work safely. From Cairo he told us about his decision, the journey, and his mixed feelings now that he is safe. Saving one of Brazil's rarest birds Efforts are underway in Brazil to save a rare species of bird which was widely believed to be extinct until 2016, when a dozen of them were discovered by chance. BBC Brasil's Andre Biernath tells us about a project to secure the future of the blue-eyed ground dove. Ukrainian children adapting to life in exile Millions of Ukrainian women and children are living in EU countries after fleeing the war more than a year ago. BBC Ukrainian's Victoria Prisedskaya spoke to mothers in Poland and Germany about the difficulties their children face in adapting to new education systems and environments, and their concerns for their children's future. Press freedom in Vietnam Social media users in Vietnam will soon have to verify their identities, in what the government says is a bid to crack down on online scams. Some feel that this law is an attempt to curb freedom of expression online. In the 2023 World Press Freedom rankings, Vietnam came 178th out of 180, just above North Korea and China. BBC Vietnamese editor Giang Nguyen joins us to discuss further. The Turkish elections through 3 cities Ahead of Turkey's Sunday elections BBC Turkish journalist Esra Yalcinalp tells us about the 3 cities she visited - Bayburt, Trabzon and Antalya - and what light voters in those cities shed on the chances of the main political alliances asking for their votes. (Photo: BBC Arabic's Mohamed Osman crossing the Nile from Sudan to Egypt. Credit: BBC)

Leaving Sudan

This week, BBC Arabic launched an emergency radio service for Sudan, providing information and advice. Editor Adel Soliman tells us how they're putting together information about essential needs like how to obtain fuel, food and support. They also provide a platform for Sudanese people to share news from across the country.Thailand's election jargon Election time always spawns new buzzwords in Thailand.  BBC Thai's Tossapol Chaisamritpol shares three from this election's crop: MP draining, landslide, and Big House.Speed dating for single MuslimsLondon recently hosted the biggest ever Muslim speed dating event, organised by the Muzz dating app. More than a thousand people took part, and BBC Arabic's Alma Hassoun went along to explore the challenges some young Muslims face in meeting and socialising with others of their religion.Reporting on Kenya's starvation cult	BBC Africa’s Dorcas Wangira has been following the story of Kenyan preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who’s accused of encouraging his followers to starve themselves to death. Hundreds of bodies have been discovered in an isolated forest area on the Kenyan coast, and Dorcas was one of the first journalists on the scene. Paraguay, Taiwan and China The victory of the ruling Colorado Party in Paraguay’s recent election was also in part a victory for Taiwan: Paraguay remains one of the last Latin American countries retaining full diplomatic ties with Taipei, while the opposition party candidate had promised to follow the growing trend of switching to Beijing. BBC Monitoring's Luis Fajardo in Miami reports on what these ties mean, both for Paraguay, and for China and Taiwan.  (Photo: Smoke rises during clashes in Khartoum, Sudan. Credit: Ahmed Satti/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

This week, BBC Arabic launched an emergency radio service for Sudan, providing information and advice. Editor Adel Soliman tells us how they're putting together information about essential needs like how to obtain fuel, food and support. They also provide a platform for Sudanese people to share news from across the country. Thailand's election jargon Election time always spawns new buzzwords in Thailand. BBC Thai's Tossapol Chaisamritpol shares three from this election's crop: MP draining, landslide, and Big House. Speed dating for single Muslims London recently hosted the biggest ever Muslim speed dating event, organised by the Muzz dating app. More than a thousand people took part, and BBC Arabic's Alma Hassoun went along to explore the challenges some young Muslims face in meeting and socialising with others of their religion. Reporting on Kenya's starvation cult	 BBC Africa’s Dorcas Wangira has been following the story of Kenyan preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who’s accused of encouraging his followers to starve themselves to death. Hundreds of bodies have been discovered in an isolated forest area on the Kenyan coast, and Dorcas was one of the first journalists on the scene. Paraguay, Taiwan and China The victory of the ruling Colorado Party in Paraguay’s recent election was also in part a victory for Taiwan: Paraguay remains one of the last Latin American countries retaining full diplomatic ties with Taipei, while the opposition party candidate had promised to follow the growing trend of switching to Beijing. BBC Monitoring's Luis Fajardo in Miami reports on what these ties mean, both for Paraguay, and for China and Taiwan. (Photo: Smoke rises during clashes in Khartoum, Sudan. Credit: Ahmed Satti/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A lifeline for Sudan

High profile artists and cultural figures in both Iran and Russia face punishment and restrictions on their work if they speak out against their governments.  Following the protests in Iran, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, artists are increasingly under pressure to toe the political line.  With BBC Persian's Parham Ghobadi, and BBC Monitoring's Vitaliy Shevchenko.  Couple living the Vietnamese saying dreamThere’s a Vietnamese phrase that suggests perfect happiness can be found by those who live in a western house, eat Chinese food and marry a Japanese woman.  We hear about the couple on Tiktok living the dream, and about the history of this saying, with BBC Vietnamese's Thuong Le.  Sudan: brothers divided by warThe fighting in Sudan has been a huge story for BBC Arabic. In addition to covering the main headlines they also told the story of two brothers fighting on opposite sides, as Majd Kilani reports.  Meeting her pupils for the first time: North Waziristan The village school of Dewagar, North Waziristan, struggled to find a teacher due to the history of instability in the area.  In 2020 Seema Mahin, based in Islamabad, became their online teacher, and recently went to meet them in person for the first time, with the help of Farhat Javed of BBC Urdu. (Photo: Iran’s Andiseh magazine shows Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked protests. Credit: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

High profile artists and cultural figures in both Iran and Russia face punishment and restrictions on their work if they speak out against their governments. Following the protests in Iran, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, artists are increasingly under pressure to toe the political line. With BBC Persian's Parham Ghobadi, and BBC Monitoring's Vitaliy Shevchenko. Couple living the Vietnamese saying dream There’s a Vietnamese phrase that suggests perfect happiness can be found by those who live in a western house, eat Chinese food and marry a Japanese woman. We hear about the couple on Tiktok living the dream, and about the history of this saying, with BBC Vietnamese's Thuong Le. Sudan: brothers divided by war The fighting in Sudan has been a huge story for BBC Arabic. In addition to covering the main headlines they also told the story of two brothers fighting on opposite sides, as Majd Kilani reports. Meeting her pupils for the first time: North Waziristan The village school of Dewagar, North Waziristan, struggled to find a teacher due to the history of instability in the area. In 2020 Seema Mahin, based in Islamabad, became their online teacher, and recently went to meet them in person for the first time, with the help of Farhat Javed of BBC Urdu. (Photo: Iran’s Andiseh magazine shows Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked protests. Credit: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

Artists targeted by the state

Since the pandemic, reports from Uganda say there has been a 300% increase in pregnancies among girls aged 10-14. Sexual violence has been further fuelled in the north by the legacy of a 20-year insurgency led by notorious warlord Joseph Kony, and cases of sexual abuse of girls as young as three are being reported. For BBC Africa Eye, Paul Bakibinga investigates the true scale of the problem.    Russia's online draft Under a new law recently signed by President Vladimir Putin, call-up papers will be served online, which makes avoiding the draft almost impossible. Kateryna Khinkulova of BBC Russian explains the new legislation. Fighting to keep Afghan music alive  After they took power in August 2021, the Taliban imposed a total ban on playing and listening to music in public in Afghanistan. Students at the National Institute of Music fled the country, but now they are performing on the international stage in order to keep their music alive. BBC Afghan's Shekiba Habib has been talking to them.The return of Ya Ya the panda to China Ya Ya arrived at Memphis Zoo 20 years ago but will soon make the journey back to her home country. Chinese netizens have been urging her swift return and asking if it's time for China to move on from 'panda diplomacy'. The BBC's Fan Wang has been covering the story.(Photo: Young Ugandan mother carrying baby on her back)

Since the pandemic, reports from Uganda say there has been a 300% increase in pregnancies among girls aged 10-14. Sexual violence has been further fuelled in the north by the legacy of a 20-year insurgency led by notorious warlord Joseph Kony, and cases of sexual abuse of girls as young as three are being reported. For BBC Africa Eye, Paul Bakibinga investigates the true scale of the problem. Russia's online draft Under a new law recently signed by President Vladimir Putin, call-up papers will be served online, which makes avoiding the draft almost impossible. Kateryna Khinkulova of BBC Russian explains the new legislation. Fighting to keep Afghan music alive After they took power in August 2021, the Taliban imposed a total ban on playing and listening to music in public in Afghanistan. Students at the National Institute of Music fled the country, but now they are performing on the international stage in order to keep their music alive. BBC Afghan's Shekiba Habib has been talking to them. The return of Ya Ya the panda to China Ya Ya arrived at Memphis Zoo 20 years ago but will soon make the journey back to her home country. Chinese netizens have been urging her swift return and asking if it's time for China to move on from 'panda diplomacy'. The BBC's Fan Wang has been covering the story. (Photo: Young Ugandan mother carrying baby on her back)

Uganda's child pregnancy problem

Since anti-government protests erupted in Iran following the death in police custody last September of Mahsa Amini, at least 30,000 people have been arrested. While most have been released on bail, it's reported that more than a hundred have been sentenced to death or charged with capital offences. BBC Persian's Firouzeh Akbarian tells us about the lawyers who are trying to stop more executions as well as free people from detention. A haunted forest in Serbia's 'Siberia' The Pešter Plateau in south west Serbia is nicknamed Serbia's Siberia because of its long cold winters, which often leave villages cut off by snow. Its extensive grasslands are used for raising sheep and cattle, but Sandra Maksimovic of BBC Serbian discovered an unusual forest which has survived through the centuries, because - according to legend - it's haunted.The Indian communities where women inheritIn India's north-eastern state of Meghalaya, many families still follow an age-old system of inheritance, where children take the mother's surname and the ancestral property goes to the youngest daughter. BBC Marathi's Mayuresh Konnur visited Meghalaya and discovered the pressure that modern life is putting on this matrilineal tradition. My father's story - and my country'sIn 2018, BBC Uzbek journalist Ibrat Safo began recording stories told by his father, Ozod. They were family memories but also revealed a lot about the history of Uzbekistan in the 20th century. When Ozod died earlier this year, Ibrat decided to share some of those 'Dad tapes'.(Photo: Women hold up signs depicting the image of Mahsa Amini, who died while in the custody of Iranian authorities. Credit: SAFIN HAMED/AFP via Getty Images)

Since anti-government protests erupted in Iran following the death in police custody last September of Mahsa Amini, at least 30,000 people have been arrested. While most have been released on bail, it's reported that more than a hundred have been sentenced to death or charged with capital offences. BBC Persian's Firouzeh Akbarian tells us about the lawyers who are trying to stop more executions as well as free people from detention. A haunted forest in Serbia's 'Siberia' The Pešter Plateau in south west Serbia is nicknamed Serbia's Siberia because of its long cold winters, which often leave villages cut off by snow. Its extensive grasslands are used for raising sheep and cattle, but Sandra Maksimovic of BBC Serbian discovered an unusual forest which has survived through the centuries, because - according to legend - it's haunted. The Indian communities where women inherit In India's north-eastern state of Meghalaya, many families still follow an age-old system of inheritance, where children take the mother's surname and the ancestral property goes to the youngest daughter. BBC Marathi's Mayuresh Konnur visited Meghalaya and discovered the pressure that modern life is putting on this matrilineal tradition. My father's story - and my country's In 2018, BBC Uzbek journalist Ibrat Safo began recording stories told by his father, Ozod. They were family memories but also revealed a lot about the history of Uzbekistan in the 20th century. When Ozod died earlier this year, Ibrat decided to share some of those 'Dad tapes'. (Photo: Women hold up signs depicting the image of Mahsa Amini, who died while in the custody of Iranian authorities. Credit: SAFIN HAMED/AFP via Getty Images)

Defending against the death penalty

A year ago India evacuated thousands of students, mostly studying medicine, from Ukraine following the Russian invasion. Their arrival home was greeted with great thanks and fanfare, so why have more than a thousand felt compelled to return? BBC Hindi’s Jugal Purohit has been finding out.  Chicken poop power A farmer in Kenya has developed an original way of tackling the rising cost of living, using chicken droppings to make biogas which produces electricity for his farm. BBC Africa business journalist Sara Adam went to meet him.The Javanese diaspora in Suriname More than 70,000 people in Suriname, around 15% of the population, are of Javanese ancestry. In the 19th century, Dutch colonisers recruited thousands of Indonesians from Java to work on plantations in Suriname. More than a century later, the Javanese Surinamese still keep their heritage alive. Mohamad Susilo from BBC Indonesian visited Suriname to meet some of them.Reporting Lebanon's financial meltdown The Lebanese lira has been in freefall as the country experiences a financial meltdown. Prices are constantly rising and many people are struggling to survive. For Carine Torbey, the BBC correspondent in Beirut, it’s a story she has to live as well as report.Investigating the ‘pig butchering’ romance scam One of the most successful global online romance scams, known as ‘pig butchering’, is run by criminal gangs in South East Asia. World Service journalist Zhaoyin Feng worked with the BBC Eye Investigation team, travelling from Boston to Phnom Penh to meet victims and former scammers.(Photo: Indian medical students who've returned to Ukraine. Credit: BBC)

A year ago India evacuated thousands of students, mostly studying medicine, from Ukraine following the Russian invasion. Their arrival home was greeted with great thanks and fanfare, so why have more than a thousand felt compelled to return? BBC Hindi’s Jugal Purohit has been finding out. Chicken poop power A farmer in Kenya has developed an original way of tackling the rising cost of living, using chicken droppings to make biogas which produces electricity for his farm. BBC Africa business journalist Sara Adam went to meet him. The Javanese diaspora in Suriname More than 70,000 people in Suriname, around 15% of the population, are of Javanese ancestry. In the 19th century, Dutch colonisers recruited thousands of Indonesians from Java to work on plantations in Suriname. More than a century later, the Javanese Surinamese still keep their heritage alive. Mohamad Susilo from BBC Indonesian visited Suriname to meet some of them. Reporting Lebanon's financial meltdown The Lebanese lira has been in freefall as the country experiences a financial meltdown. Prices are constantly rising and many people are struggling to survive. For Carine Torbey, the BBC correspondent in Beirut, it’s a story she has to live as well as report. Investigating the ‘pig butchering’ romance scam One of the most successful global online romance scams, known as ‘pig butchering’, is run by criminal gangs in South East Asia. World Service journalist Zhaoyin Feng worked with the BBC Eye Investigation team, travelling from Boston to Phnom Penh to meet victims and former scammers. (Photo: Indian medical students who've returned to Ukraine. Credit: BBC)

Indian students returning to Ukraine

BBC Arabic’s recent film ‘Blind Faith’ exposes the clinics offering bogus, and potentially dangerous, treatments to people living with an incurable eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, or RP.  The reporter is Ramadan Younes, who's based in Egypt. He also has RP and is visually impaired, and underwent one of these treatments himself.   Vietnamese embassy protests in Poland Poland's Vietnamese community has been protesting outside the Vietnamese embassy in Warsaw, and demanding the resignation of the ambassador, over allegations of overcharging and illegal fees for visas and passports.  BBC Vietnamese editor Giang Nguyen has been following the story.South Koreans committing to singledom BBC Korean journalist Yuna Ku has been investigating the growing number of Koreans committing to remaining single, some even staging 'non-marriage' ceremonies. She explores how the workplace, and society, are responding.  (Photo: BBC Arabic's Ramadan Younes. Credit: BBC)

BBC Arabic’s recent film ‘Blind Faith’ exposes the clinics offering bogus, and potentially dangerous, treatments to people living with an incurable eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, or RP. The reporter is Ramadan Younes, who's based in Egypt. He also has RP and is visually impaired, and underwent one of these treatments himself. Vietnamese embassy protests in Poland Poland's Vietnamese community has been protesting outside the Vietnamese embassy in Warsaw, and demanding the resignation of the ambassador, over allegations of overcharging and illegal fees for visas and passports. BBC Vietnamese editor Giang Nguyen has been following the story. South Koreans committing to singledom BBC Korean journalist Yuna Ku has been investigating the growing number of Koreans committing to remaining single, some even staging 'non-marriage' ceremonies. She explores how the workplace, and society, are responding. (Photo: BBC Arabic's Ramadan Younes. Credit: BBC)

Exposing bogus blindness treatments

With big political changes in Brazil after a divisive election which brought in a new president, Faranak Amidi is in the country's largest city São Paulo to look at the stories being covered by the BBC journalists based there.The heart of São Paulo: Avenida PaulistaLeticia Mori takes us to the famous Avenida Paulista, built for the rich of São Paulo and now home to many businesses and banks. It hosts street markets and live performances every Sunday, and has also been the site of many protests and demonstrations.A country the size of a continentJournalists Vitor Tavares, Camilla Mota, Ian Alves and Ligia Guimarães give us an idea of the vastness of Brazil with a quick introduction to their home towns.Divided BrazilWe discuss the divisions which seem to touch all parts of life in Brazil - with João Fellet, Thais Carrança and Ian Alves. What's it been like reporting on such a polarised country, and has the new presidency brought any signs of change?My favourite neighbourhood: LiberdadeWe rejoin Leticia Mori in the Liberdade neighbourhood of São Paulo, home to the city's Japanese community. Leticia tells us about her own Japanese heritage and what this area tells us about the complex history of Brazil.Brazil, the melting potBrazil has one of the most diverse and mixed populations in the world, and São Paulo is its most diverse city. Camilla Mota, Mariana Alvim and Felipe Souza tell us what it means to be Brazilian, and discuss the stereotypes they're sometimes faced with.(Photo: A man shows the Brazilian flag in Avenida Paulista, São Paulo. Credit: Mauro Horita/Getty Images)

With big political changes in Brazil after a divisive election which brought in a new president, Faranak Amidi is in the country's largest city São Paulo to look at the stories being covered by the BBC journalists based there. The heart of São Paulo: Avenida Paulista Leticia Mori takes us to the famous Avenida Paulista, built for the rich of São Paulo and now home to many businesses and banks. It hosts street markets and live performances every Sunday, and has also been the site of many protests and demonstrations. A country the size of a continent Journalists Vitor Tavares, Camilla Mota, Ian Alves and Ligia Guimarães give us an idea of the vastness of Brazil with a quick introduction to their home towns. Divided Brazil We discuss the divisions which seem to touch all parts of life in Brazil - with João Fellet, Thais Carrança and Ian Alves. What's it been like reporting on such a polarised country, and has the new presidency brought any signs of change? My favourite neighbourhood: Liberdade We rejoin Leticia Mori in the Liberdade neighbourhood of São Paulo, home to the city's Japanese community. Leticia tells us about her own Japanese heritage and what this area tells us about the complex history of Brazil. Brazil, the melting pot Brazil has one of the most diverse and mixed populations in the world, and São Paulo is its most diverse city. Camilla Mota, Mariana Alvim and Felipe Souza tell us what it means to be Brazilian, and discuss the stereotypes they're sometimes faced with. (Photo: A man shows the Brazilian flag in Avenida Paulista, São Paulo. Credit: Mauro Horita/Getty Images)

The Fifth Floor in São Paulo

February's earthquake spanned the Turkey-Syria border and refocused international attention on the complicated geopolitics of northern Syria.  We hear how the earthquake aid operation presented both challenges and opportunities to the different groups controlling Syria, from the government in Damascus to the rebel leaders of Idlib province. With BBC Monitoring jihadi expert Mina al-Lami and BBC Middle East correspondent Lina Sinjab. The handwritten newspaper of Bangladesh Since 2019, a handwritten newspaper has been published by a group of day labourers in southern Bangladesh.  It aims to inspire others with stories of ordinary villagers who have overcome struggles and hardships, as BBC Bengali's Nagib Bahar reports.  Venezuela: 10 years after the death of Hugo ChavezVenezuelans have been marking the tenth anniversary of the death of former president Hugo Chavez, one of the most controversial, charismatic and influential politicians in Latin American history.  As a child, teenager and then young reporter, BBC Mundo’s Jorge Perez witnessed some of the key moments of Chavez’s rule.  Searching for gems of hope For four decades local people have been mining semi-precious stones in the mountainous Chumar Bakhoor area of Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan.  BBC Urdu’s Musa Yawari travelled into the mountains to meet the miners as they brave hazardous conditions hoping to make their fortunes.(Photo: A man in Idlib province carrying the body of a child after the Turkey-Syria earthquake. Credit: Mohammed Al-Rifai/AFP via Getty images)

February's earthquake spanned the Turkey-Syria border and refocused international attention on the complicated geopolitics of northern Syria. We hear how the earthquake aid operation presented both challenges and opportunities to the different groups controlling Syria, from the government in Damascus to the rebel leaders of Idlib province. With BBC Monitoring jihadi expert Mina al-Lami and BBC Middle East correspondent Lina Sinjab. The handwritten newspaper of Bangladesh Since 2019, a handwritten newspaper has been published by a group of day labourers in southern Bangladesh. It aims to inspire others with stories of ordinary villagers who have overcome struggles and hardships, as BBC Bengali's Nagib Bahar reports. Venezuela: 10 years after the death of Hugo Chavez Venezuelans have been marking the tenth anniversary of the death of former president Hugo Chavez, one of the most controversial, charismatic and influential politicians in Latin American history. As a child, teenager and then young reporter, BBC Mundo’s Jorge Perez witnessed some of the key moments of Chavez’s rule. Searching for gems of hope For four decades local people have been mining semi-precious stones in the mountainous Chumar Bakhoor area of Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan. BBC Urdu’s Musa Yawari travelled into the mountains to meet the miners as they brave hazardous conditions hoping to make their fortunes. (Photo: A man in Idlib province carrying the body of a child after the Turkey-Syria earthquake. Credit: Mohammed Al-Rifai/AFP via Getty images)

Aid, politics and Syria’s earthquake

Fifth Floor

Last week Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, appointed a renowned Pakistani economist to an advisory economics panel.  But Professor Mian is also a member of the Ahmadiyya religious community, which many Muslims consider to be sacrilegious.  Following protests he resigned.   So why do the Ahmadiyya stir such passions in Pakistan?  BBC Urdu's Khalid Karamat explains.Image: A man cries as he prays at the graves of victims killed in attacks against Ahmadiyya community mosques in 2010.Credit: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

Last week Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, appointed a renowned Pakistani economist to an advisory economics panel. But Professor Mian is also a member of the Ahmadiyya religious community, which many Muslims consider to be sacrilegious. Following protests he resigned. So why do the Ahmadiyya stir such passions in Pakistan? BBC Urdu's Khalid Karamat explains. Image: A man cries as he prays at the graves of victims killed in attacks against Ahmadiyya community mosques in 2010. Credit: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

Pakistan's Ahmadiyya Problem

In 1979 Somalia opened a state of the art sports stadium to host international sporting events.   But with the beginning of the civil war in the 1990s the stadium became a base for successions of fighting forces.   Last month it was formally handed it back to the state, so can it reclaim its former glory?  BBC Somali’s Ahmed Abdinur was a sports official at the stadium during its glory days.Image: Mogadishu athletics track overgrown with grass and trees after decades of war in SomaliaCredit: Mohamed Abdiwahabafp/Getty Images

In 1979 Somalia opened a state of the art sports stadium to host international sporting events. But with the beginning of the civil war in the 1990s the stadium became a base for successions of fighting forces. Last month it was formally handed it back to the state, so can it reclaim its former glory? BBC Somali’s Ahmed Abdinur was a sports official at the stadium during its glory days. Image: Mogadishu athletics track overgrown with grass and trees after decades of war in Somalia Credit: Mohamed Abdiwahabafp/Getty Images

Reclaiming Mogadishu’s Sports Stadium

What does your name say about your identity? Can it define or influence your personality? In many languages a name can be very revealing about culture, ethnicity and religion.  Stories from Famil Ismailov of BBC Russian, Janay Boulos of BBC Arabic and Cagil Kasapoglu of BBC Turkish - after some examples in the Kinyarwanda language.Image: David Amanor and members of the BBC's language servicesCredit: BBC

What does your name say about your identity? Can it define or influence your personality? In many languages a name can be very revealing about culture, ethnicity and religion. Stories from Famil Ismailov of BBC Russian, Janay Boulos of BBC Arabic and Cagil Kasapoglu of BBC Turkish - after some examples in the Kinyarwanda language. Image: David Amanor and members of the BBC's language services Credit: BBC

My Name, My Identity

A new musical called Broken Wings is on in London this week, based the life of Lebanese-born writer Kahlil Gibran.  BBC Arabic's Nahed Najjar is a fan, and explains why Gibran remains so popular across the Arabic-speaking world nearly 90 years after his death.Image: Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)Credit: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images

A new musical called Broken Wings is on in London this week, based the life of Lebanese-born writer Kahlil Gibran. BBC Arabic's Nahed Najjar is a fan, and explains why Gibran remains so popular across the Arabic-speaking world nearly 90 years after his death. Image: Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) Credit: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images

Poet, painter, lover: Kahlil Gibran

Renaming the block outside the Russian Embassy in Washington DC, and the streets outside the United Arab Emirates and US embassies in Turkey.  Political point scoring with names, with Natalka Pisnia of BBC Russian and Aylin Yazan of BBC Turkish.Image: new street name installedCredit: ADEM ALTAN/Getty Images

Renaming the block outside the Russian Embassy in Washington DC, and the streets outside the United Arab Emirates and US embassies in Turkey. Political point scoring with names, with Natalka Pisnia of BBC Russian and Aylin Yazan of BBC Turkish. Image: new street name installed Credit: ADEM ALTAN/Getty Images

New Names, Old Rivalries

Forty years ago the Afghan Communist party overthrew President Mohammad Daoud.  Abdullah Shadan from BBC Afghan Service was a journalist at the state broadcaster at the time, and watched events unfold.Image: Afghan communist supporters in Kabul 1979Photo credit:  S Sobolev/AFP/Getty Images

Forty years ago the Afghan Communist party overthrew President Mohammad Daoud. Abdullah Shadan from BBC Afghan Service was a journalist at the state broadcaster at the time, and watched events unfold. Image: Afghan communist supporters in Kabul 1979 Photo credit: S Sobolev/AFP/Getty Images

Afghanistan's Saur Revolution: 40th Anniversary

The north Indian state of Rajasthan has registered 50 cases of witch-hunting since 2015 even though it has banned the practice. BBC Hindi's Sumiran Preet Kaur has been to one district and met women whose lives have been changed forever.Image: 80 year old Ramkanya Devi, branded a witchCredit: BBC

The north Indian state of Rajasthan has registered 50 cases of witch-hunting since 2015 even though it has banned the practice. BBC Hindi's Sumiran Preet Kaur has been to one district and met women whose lives have been changed forever. Image: 80 year old Ramkanya Devi, branded a witch Credit: BBC

Witch-hunting in Rajasthan

No passengers and no planes - Nacala International Airport in Mozambique cost millions and was meant to help the economies of both Mozambique and Brazil.  Instead, it  has proved an expensive white elephant.  Amanda Rossi of BBC Brasil went to Nacala to find out more.Image: Mozambique's "ghost" airportCredit: BBC

No passengers and no planes - Nacala International Airport in Mozambique cost millions and was meant to help the economies of both Mozambique and Brazil. Instead, it has proved an expensive white elephant. Amanda Rossi of BBC Brasil went to Nacala to find out more. Image: Mozambique's "ghost" airport Credit: BBC

Mozambique's 'Ghost' Airport

A chance encounter in a Tashkent street brought BBC Uzbek's Ibrat Safo an amazing story.   A local academic took him to a museum dedicated to the Uzbek victims of Stalin's purges, and shared some of the stories he'd uncovered.Image:  Brothers Muhammadjon and Rahmatjon AvazjanovCredit:  Bahrom Irzayev

A chance encounter in a Tashkent street brought BBC Uzbek's Ibrat Safo an amazing story. A local academic took him to a museum dedicated to the Uzbek victims of Stalin's purges, and shared some of the stories he'd uncovered. Image: Brothers Muhammadjon and Rahmatjon Avazjanov Credit: Bahrom Irzayev

Lost Stories from Uzbekistan

Ten years ago, conflict broke out between Georgia and Russia over the break-away region of South Ossetia, with the first shells falling on the capital Tskhinvali on 7th August.  Watching events unfold from the Georgian capital Tbilisi was Temur Kighuradze, now a journalist with BBC Russian, but then an ambitious young newspaper journalist.Image: a destroyed building in South Ossetia in August 2008Credit: VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images

Ten years ago, conflict broke out between Georgia and Russia over the break-away region of South Ossetia, with the first shells falling on the capital Tskhinvali on 7th August. Watching events unfold from the Georgian capital Tbilisi was Temur Kighuradze, now a journalist with BBC Russian, but then an ambitious young newspaper journalist. Image: a destroyed building in South Ossetia in August 2008 Credit: VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images

Under Fire in South Ossetia

The best podcast episodes on non-current politics. Covering topics such as universal basic income, democracy, poverty & justice and more. For anyone interested in learning more about politics that affect that world, not just now, but in the longer term. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Non-Current Politics Podcasts

The best podcast episodes of anyone with an interesting story. With famous guests like Obama, LeBron James, Drake, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, to anyone who has a unique and interesting story to tell. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!