From Our Own Correspondent

Kate Adie presents stories from Lebanon, Ukraine, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bali and SpainIn Lebanon, the risk of a wider war between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah remains an ever-present danger. Hezbollah has been trading fire with Israel since the Hamas attacks last October, devastating communities on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border. Orla Guerin reports from southern Lebanon.Drone warfare has transformed the frontline in Ukraine’s east, making it more dangerous for those fighting. Russians have also used these to target civilians in the city of Kharkiv. Yana Lyushnevskaya fled Ukraine early in the war. She recounts the experience of returning to her life in Ukraine.In Democratic Republic of Congo, hundreds of thousands of people are staying in overcrowded camps around the city of Goma that has been under siege by the rebel group known as the M23. The Congolese army has struggled to push back the militia’s advance. Hugh Kinsella Cunningham spoke to some of the people trying to flee to safe

Kate Adie presents stories from the US, the West Bank, India and ItalyDonald Trump was confirmed as the Republican party's presidential candidate this week at their National Convention in Wisconsin. He also announced his running mate, JD Vance. Anthony Zurcher was at the convention and reflects on the impact of this last week, and the attempted assassination, on the Presidential campaign.The Israel-Gaza war has exacerbated tensions in the occupied West Bank where around three quarters of a million Israeli settlers live, including East Jerusalem, alongside three million Palestinians. Under Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, settler expansion has risen sharply. Tim Whewell travelled across the West Bank and heard from both Palestinians and Israelis.In India, Hindu nationalism had been growing in prominence throughout Narendra Modi’s first terms in office. Its impact was pervasive – and left many Muslims feeling increasingly marginalised, even at risk. But the two communities share far more culturally than the feb

Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, Australia, France, Nigeria and Costa Rica.There was international outrage after the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv was hit by a missile this week, during a barrage of Russian attacks on cities across Ukraine. James Waterhouse was returning to his base in the capital when news of the strike broke and saw how Ukrainians reacted during the aftermath. The modern Australian state was built by immigration but it's always had strict rules on who was allowed in. Katy Watson examines the current stringent regulations limiting entry and residence, which can make migrating to the lucky country difficult for people with disabilities or longterm illness. Contrary to many predictions, the second round of France's general election did not bring Marine Le Pen's National Rally party to power. But some say the party's political advance has merely been paused, not prevented. In the town squares, marketplaces and mosques of Lille, Rob Young heard from voters about their needs and f

Kate Adie presents stories from Russia, The Netherlands, Taiwan, Vanuatu and Germany.The trial of US journalist, Evan Gershkovich in the city of Yekaterinburg will be conducted behind closed doors. He is just one of many journalists who went to Russia to report on the country, as Vladimir Putin’s clampdown on media freedoms intensified. Steve Rosenberg was in Yekaterinburg and reflects on Russia's handling of the case.Last year, just over 9000 deaths - around 5% of the total number - occurred as a result of euthanasia in the Netherlands, where it's legal. It’s very rare, but every year, there are more Dutch couples choosing to end their lives at the same time. Linda Pressly met someone whose parents made the decision to die together.In Taiwan, civil liberties are strongly supported, and it is now one of the world’s most progressive countries regarding gay rights. On a recent visit to the capital Taipei, Lucy Ash meets some who fear that should China invade in the future, hard-won rights could be taken away.In

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 a

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

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

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 fo

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 h

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 thi

Kate Adie presents stories from the US, Russia, Afghanistan, Germany and BhutanIt’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 o

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

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

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 cit

Kate Adie introduces dispatches on Iran, Ukraine, South Africa, Portugal and Hong Kong.As the world nervously watches the developments between Iran and Israel, Lyse Doucet reflects on the rise of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since coming to power three decades ago, he has managed to avoid taking Iran into an all-out war - could that change as tensions continue to rise?A missile attack in the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv this week laid bare the weakness of the country’s air defences. Depleted ammunition supplies, as well as a worsening situation on the frontline, have heightened fears that the tide is continuing to turn against Ukraine in its war with Russia. Sarah Rainsford reports from Kharkiv.South Africa is preparing to go to the polls, and for the first time since the end of white-minority rule, the governing ANC party is predicted to get less than 50 per cent of the vote. As in many other countries, immigration is high on the list of many voters’ concerns. Jenny Hill reports from the bor

Kate Adie presents stories from Israel, Nigeria, the US, Lithuania and FranceTensions between Iran and Israel this week have ramped up further after Tehran issued a warning that it would retaliate for a recent strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Israel never claimed responsibility for the attack but is widely considered to be behind it. This has compounded fears the conflict between Israel and Gaza will spill into a wider regional war. James Landale has been on an air drop mission to Gaza and reflects on recent events.Ten years ago, 276 secondary school children were kidnapped in Nigeria's north-east by Islamist militant group, Boko Haram. Ninety one of the girls are still unaccounted for. Yemisi Adegoke went to meet some of the girls who escaped captivity – to hear about their memories of that day and its impact on their lives. Mental health experts have expressed alarm in the United States about an increase in the rates of suicide there, with a particularly steep rise among young people. Will Verno

Kate Adie introduces stories from Rwanda, Estonia, St Helena and Puerto Rico.This weekend marks the start of the genocide in Rwanda that led to the death of more than 800,000 people – most from the country’s Tutsi minority. Three decades on, Emma Ailes met those who, against the odds, survived the violence – but continue to live with the trauma to this day.Among those who survived the genocide is the BBC’s Victoria Uwonkunda, who was just 12 years old at the time. She recently returned for the first time in three decades, where she retraced her journey to sanctuary, and spoke to genocide survivors - and perpetrators - about the difficult path towards reconciliation and forgiveness.As a result of the conflict in Ukraine, NATO countries close to Russia, such as Norway, Latvia and Lithuania, are expanding their military conscription programmes. In Estonia - where military service is already mandatory – our correspondent Nick Beake met some of the country’s new recruits.Coffee from Jamaica to Ethiopia to Guatemal

Kate Adie introduces stories from Israel and the Palestinian Territories, India, Tibet, Ireland and Guinea.What are the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians? Yolande Knell has been asking Israelis and Palestinians about their hopes and fears for the future, and whether the recent war in Gaza can be an impetus , or impediment, for a future peace settlement.In India, the Muslim minority which makes up about 200 million people, has been feeling under pressure as a result of the deepening religious polarisation that has marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's time in office. Yogita Limaye has been hearing their concerns.China has introduced educational reforms in the western region of Tibet, which mean that most Tibetan children are now educated in boarding schools, where they are taught in Mandarin Chinese, not Tibetan. Micky Bristow hears concerns from parents that their Tibetan culture is being erased.Ireland has been experiencing a housing crisis, which has been compounded by a rise in people

Kate Adie introduces stories from Belarus, Senegal, the US-Mexico border, Cambodia and Brazil.Political prisoners in Belarus attract less international attention than those in Russia - but there are far more of them, even in a smaller country. Many are women, held in a kind of house arrest known as 'chemical detention', under stringent rules which control their every move. Monica Whitlock gathered testimony from some living under these conditions.After months of political turbulence, Senegal eventually did hold its planned presidential election - and the popular vote brought Africa's youngest leader, 44-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to power. James Copnall reported on the final days of the campaign and reflects on how Senegalese democracy proved itself.Controlling migration to the United States will be one of the most contentious issues in this November's American presidential election. Amid talk of a crisis, and after record numbers of apprehensions of undocumented migrants by the US Border Patrol in Decem

Kate Adie introduces stories from Russia, Germany, Timor Leste and OmanAt a recent gathering in a gilded hall in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin thanked VIP supporters for his re-election. As he commenced his fifth term in office, he has reminded his voters that the annexation of Crimea is just the beginning of Moscow's ambitions. Steve Rosenberg reflects on how this latest election has emboldened the President but there are voices of opposition willing to take a stand in spite of the consequences.When German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged the country was seeing a paradigm shift, or Zeitenwende, in supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia, he did not foresee how this would divide public opinion over Germany's potential involvement in a military campaign. Damien McGuinness reports on the ongoing political rifts in Berlin.Timor Leste has had a troubled history and faces multiple economic and social challenges including malnutrition and rural poverty. But marine scientists are discovering that Timor Leste lies o