From Our Own Correspondent

Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, Iran, Niger, Bhutan and Lithuania.Russian troops captured Irpin, north-west of Kyiv, early on in the invasion. When the satellite town was liberated, the atrocities of Russian soldiers were laid bare. Nick Redmayne spoke to the residents who returned home about how they are trying to rebuild their lives.Following the protests which began in mid-September, after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, news of the first public execution of a protestor in Iran drew international condemnation this week - though protests show no sign of abating. Azadeh Moaveni was in Tehran when the protests began and found the desire for change runs deep in Iranian society.Michela Wrong visits a safe house in Niamey, Niger, where eight elderly Rwandan men are being detained, having been prosecuted for their role in the Rwandan genocide. Four have now been acquitted, and four have served their prison sentences. She hears what happened to them since their trial- and the challenges posed by thei

Kate Adie presents stories from China, Ukraine, Moldova, Zimbabwe and the US.Protests have taken place across China, from Shanghai, to Guangdong to Beijing after a fire in Urumqi killed ten people who were thought to have been under Covid restrictions. Celia Hatton asks whether this is a watershed moment for Xi Jinping and his Zero Covid policy.In Ukraine, a bloody war is being fought in towns and cities in Donetsk, such as Bakhmut and Avdiivka, with high numbers of casualties on both sides. Abdujalil Abdurasulov went to Avdiivka and spoke to some of the 2000 residents who've decided to stay amid intensive shelling, in bombed-out buildings.Joe Inwood goes to neighbouring Moldova where local businesses, including a winery, are trying to switch to renewable energy to avoid the power outages caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Moldova and Ukraine's power infrastructure are intrinsically interlinked, so cities across the country are affected by Russian attacks.In Zimbabwe, despite initial hopes that President

Kate Adie presents stories from Afghanistan, China, Iraq, Colombia and Ireland.The Taliban announced a ban on women going to parks, swimming pools and gyms this month, following one on girls attending secondary schools. Yogita Limaye spoke to one young woman about what life is like in Kabul as these once cherished freedoms disappear.The story of Gao Zhisheng, a Chinese human rights lawyer, who was repeatedly detained for his work defending members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement and Christians, is a cautionary tale of Xi Jinping's China. Michael Bristow followed his story from his initial arrest in 2006.The UN has said Iraq is the world's fifth most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The country's two main rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris have seen their water levels drop significantly this year as the country experienced one of its worst droughts. Leila Molana Allen spoke to locals about the impact on their livelihoods.Colombia's new leftist president, Gustavo Petro, campaigned on a manife

Kate Adie presents stories from Russia, the Netherlands, France, Tunisia and the US.A vocal critic of Putin's invasion of Ukraine writes to Sarah Rainsford from Detention Centre no 5 in Moscow. In those letters, he speaks frankly about the damage wrought by the war and his hopes for a better future after Vladimir Putin.The verdict in the trial of three Russians and one Ukrainian suspected of involvement in the shooting down of passenger jet MH17 disaster in 2014 over Eastern Ukraine, was passed down on Friday. Anna Holligan spoke to families of the victims about whether they felt justice had been done.Lucy Williamson has been on patrol with French border police in Calais and Dunkerque, after a migrant deal was struck between the UK and France this week. Despite the media storm in the UK, she found the view looked very different from the French end.Rob Crossan visits the small Tunisian island of Djerba, where Jews and Muslims co-exist peacefully - something of a rareity in the Arab world - and murals in the wi

Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, the West Bank, Pakistan, the US and the Faroe Islands.Jeremy Bowen was in Kherson in Ukraine shortly after the Russians retreated, but he found that occupation and liberation can lead to suspicion and division.There is unease among Palestinians living in the hamlets of Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank as the new Israeli government takes shape. Yolande Knell spoke to villagers there, who found out earlier this year about the Israeli Supreme Court decision to recognise a military training zone around their homes.Samira Hussain attends one of the rallies of former PM Imran Khan on his March to Islamabad and meets him again after an assassination attempt a fortnight later - wounded but determined to continue his political fight.In New York, there's a population explosion - of rats. The mayor has a plan to tackle the problem but requiring residents to put their refuse out after 8pm each night. But there's more to the expanding rat population than meets the eye, finds

Kate Adie presents dispatches from the US, Australia, Egypt, Portugal and SloveniaThe predicted “giant red wave” of Republican support did not materialise in this week’s midterm elections – though they are still poised to regain control of the House of Representatives and could still seize full control of Congress. John Sudworth weighs what the outcome means for Donald Trump's RepublicansThe death of a 15-year-old Aboriginal boy in Western Australia has triggered a public outcry. Last month, Cassius Turvey was walking home from school with friends, when they were allegedly attacked. Cassius was beaten up and later died in hospital. His death has posed hard questions, about pervasive racism in the country, says Shaimaa KhalilThe Egyptian beach resort of Sharm El-Sheikh is this week hosting the UN Climate Change summit. The gathering is often criticised for its lack of progress on climate change targets and its heavy carbon footprint. But Justin Rowlatt says there’s a new proposal, which is gaining traction –

Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, Nigeria, the US, Mexico and an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. News this week of the discovery of another mass grave in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol has left families with missing relatives, fearing for their plight. And as media access has grown increasingly limited, understanding what really happened in Mariupol has become less clear. Hillary Anderson has spent much of the year trying to find out.In Nigeria, the case of Mubarak Bala, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for blasphemy, has thrown into the spotlight the limits on freedom of expression. Across the country, atheists, face discrimination at work and even violence. Yemisi Adegoke followed Mubarak's case and learned what can happen to those who decide to live openly without faith.Residents of Jackson, Mississippi have long complained about their failing water system. And this summer, the crisis came to a head. Jackson’s residents were faced with dirty brown water coming from their taps, or no

Albania’s Prime Minister this week has accused the UK of scapegoating his country's citizens to excuse its ‘failed policies’ on migration. This comes amid a deepening crisis over the UK’s handling of asylum seekers. Sara Monetta spoke to people in the suburbs of Tirana about why many of Albania’s young people are choosing to leave.Last weekend, young people gathered in the district of Itaewon, in the South Korean capital Seoul, to celebrate Halloween in far greater numbers than usual. The subsequent crush killed more than 150 people. Laila Shahrokhshahi experienced first-hand the force of the crowds before tragedy struck.Voters in Israel chose to return Benjamin Netanyahu to power in this week's election. The big story of his dramatic comeback has been about the rise of Israel’s far-right, which he helped cultivate as a parliamentary alliance to boost the numbers for his right-wing bloc in the Knesset. Tom Bateman looks at the emergence of a new kingmaker, Itamar Ben-Gvir.Ahead of the midterm elections, the a

Brazil's left-wing Presidential candidate Lula da Silva made a political comeback this week, narrowly beating the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro. In Lula’s victory speech, he promised to tackle hunger, which is affecting more than 33 million people there. Sofia Bettiza travelled to Northeastern Brazil, where many people voted for Lula. This week, Lebanon entered unchartered territory with no president, a caretaker cabinet and deeply divided parliament. And with the Lebanese currency losing around 90 per cent of its value, the country’s citizens have been taken matters into their own hands. More than a dozen banks have been raided this year by customers demanding to take out their own money rather than see their savings diminish further. Leila Molana-Allen spoke to several of those affected by the rapidly falling exchange rate. In September, clashes erupted along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The hostilities marked the most serious escalation since 2020, when they fought a bloody war over the disputed

The battle on Ukraine’s eastern frontline, in Donbas, has turned into a protracted artillery war, which Ukraine has described as the biggest on European soil since World War Two. And as battlefields surrender to the frost of Winter, the conditions for soldiers are becoming more perilous. Jeremy Bowen recently embedded with a Ukrainian artillery unit on the front line where, despite months of relentless fighting, soldiers are maintaining their resolve.The conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has left a population facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. And although formal peace talks are currently underway in South Africa, between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan forces, fighting is still on-going. Catherine Byaruhanga has been speaking to health workers dealing with the fallout of this conflict, who fear, without basic supplies, the situation will only get worse.The southern state of Georgia looks set to be a crucial battleground for Democrats and Republicans in the forthcoming mid-

Kate Adie introduces dispatches from Brazil, Taiwan, Zambia, Sweden and the USA.On Sunday Brazilians vote in the final stage of their presidential election, and the slate offers a very clear choice. Meanwhile, the indigenous peoples of Brazil are facing a host of outside threats, as illegal gold miners flood into their traditional lands to seek their fortunes. While the mining process itself damages the forest, the social effects are also insidious. Katy Watson has been to the world's largest indigenous reserve, territory of the Yanomami people, to hear how the gold rush is playing out.The issue of Taiwan's identity is one of the most vexed geopolitical questions around. On the Chinese mainland, there's no doubt - Taiwan is historically part of China and reunification should happen as soon as possible. On the island itself, most people have very different views. In Taipei, Zeinab Badawi considers the past, present and future of a possible flashpoint for regional conflict.Food prices have been rising almost ev

Nigeria is suffering its worst flooding in a decade with 1.4 million people displaced and more than 600 killed. There are now concerns that the country may face catastrophic levels of hunger. The BBC’s West Africa correspondent, Mayeni Jones, visited flood-hit Kogi state and reflects on what her journey revealed about the state of the country. The Netherlands is currently lurching from crisis to crisis - including a tense debate over how to accommodate thousands of asylum seekers. In recent weeks, judges ordered the Dutch government to raise the standards in the reception of refugees in line with the European minimum. Anna Holligan visited a reception centre in the country's rural north.Many who fled Iran after the revolution in 1979 had to find their way in new countries, including Israel. Suzanne Kianpour met with a singer who left Iran for Israel as a child and spoke to her about how she managed to adjust to the different culture and her desire to build bridges between enemy countries.Bhutan has kept its b

In Ukraine, rights groups are reporting growing numbers of missing civilians in areas occupied by Russia. Many are believed to have been taken to Russian prisons, but the husbands, wives and relatives are left behind, scouring news bulletins and online message boards in a desperate attempt to track them down. Bel Trew met some of them. The UK government is being urged to make a formal apology for alleged war crimes by British troops in historical Palestine nearly a century ago. The petition is being brought by an elderly Palestinian business owner who was shot and wounded by UK forces as a boy. Tom Bateman came across the vivid accounts of some of the soldiers. The sinking of a government-owned Senegalese ferry, the Joola, in 2002 took more lives than the infamous Titanic - leaving 1,800 people dead. Subsequent inquiries highlighted poor safety measures and the overcrowding of the boat as major factors in the disaster. Our correspondent, Efrem Gebreab met two of the survivors in Senegal. Sporadic protests hav

The past week has been one of contrasting emotions in Ukraine. The country celebrated a dramatic and unexpected development: an attack on a key bridge linking Russia with Crimea was seen as a major strategic blow to Vladimir Putin. But days later, Russia launched some of the most widespread missile attacks of the war. Paul Adams, says there is a lingering unease in Ukraine about Putin’s next move. Last month, a bold counter-offensive by Ukraine’s military in the country’s east led to a retreat by Russian forces. But as the Russians left behind cities they occupied for months, allegations of atrocities they committed began to emerge. Sofia Bettiza met some Sri Lankans held captive in the city of Kharkiv. A shocking attack on a nursery in Thailand’s north-east stunned the country. Jonathan Head was in the village of Uthai Sawan, and reflects on the part that the hardship of life may have played in the tragedy. After the Soviet Union collapsed, Tajikistan slid into a 5 year civil war which cost 100,000 lives and

Protests in Iran, following the death in custody of a Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, are now in their fourth week despite the intensifying crackdown. Mahsa became a symbol of Iranian repression after her arrest by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. Anna Foster met members of Mahsa's family who live across the border in Iraqi Kurdistan. In India, a new extremist Hindu movement - made up mostly of young men- is growing. They call themselves “trads”, short for traditionalists, and share many of the hallmarks of America’s alt-right movement and mainly operate online. Reha Kansara met one of them on India’s southern coast. Rising inflation is now a global problem, but in Argentina it’s a way of life. This year has proved particularly challenging in the country as it teeters on the edge of hyperinflation. Jane Chambers was in Buenos Aires recently and spoke to some of the city’s residents about how they are managing. A crush at an Indonesian football stadium in Malang West Java which lef

A fight for survival is underway in Somalia as the country faces its worst drought in 40 years. Andrew Harding travelled to the southwestern city of Baidoa - one of the worst-affected areas in the country, where people are now flooding to in hope of finding humanitarian assistance.The story of two teenage sisters who were raped and hanged in their village in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has shaken communities there. The case has also been complicated by spurious suggestions by local politicians that there was a religious motivation behind the killings. Geeta Pandy met the family of the victims.Henry Wilkins is in Burkina Faso, where two coups have now taken place this year. The West African country lacks strong democratic institutions and the military have long been dominant. It’s also found itself increasingly embroiled in a new cold war rivalry between France and Russia.Set in the hills north of Spoleto in the southern Appenines is the small Italian town of Montefalco. The local grape, the Sagrantino,

China’s communist party is preparing for a crucial meeting of the annual congress, which is expected to award President, Xi Jinping a third term in office. But amid the tightened security surrounding this event, economic storm clouds are gathering. And investigating and reporting on the effects of this downturn is becoming ever more tricky, as Stephen McDonnell has found. The storm surge triggered by Hurricane Ian engulfed several cities on Florida’s Coast. Buildings were torn apart and 600 000 homes and businesses were left without power. Alexandra Ostasiewicz went to a trailer park community in Fort Myers where residents are now trying rebuild their lives and homes. There have been reports this week of a breakthrough by Ukrainian troops fighting in the South of the country in the Kherson region after further gains had been made in the East against the Russians. Abdujalil Abdurasulov was embedded with Ukrainian troops on the southern frontline where a protracted battle is underway. Mexico is known the worl

Russian men have been flooding across the border to escape Vladimir Putin's military draft. Around 10,000 Russian citizens have been entering the republic of Georgia daily since the call-up was announced. Rayhan Demytrie has spoken to Russians crossing the border. As protests continue across Iran, following the death in custody of a young woman after allegedly breaking headscarf rules, Rana Rahimpour reflects on how restrictions on women have evolved since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and her own experience growing up in Tehran. Giorgia Meloni is set to be Italy's next Prime Minister, after winning a convincing victory in last weekend’s election. The far-right leader has been quick to denounce the party’s fascist links but not all are convinced. Mark Lowen has been looking at how history weighs on Italy – and whether its likely first female Prime Minister will tone down in office. The strategically well-placed Pacific Islands continue to be a battleground for influence for the US and China. Among the island

Brazilians will vote in the first round of presidential elections on Sunday. The front-runner is former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – currently, polls suggest he has a healthy lead over the incumbent far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro. Political observers say these will be the most closely watched elections since Brazil returned to democracy in 1989 - and some of the most polarised, as Katy Watson explains Tensions flared up again earlier this month between the former Soviet states of Armenia and Azerbaijan leaving more than 200 people dead. The fighting is linked to decades-old hostilities over control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. A fragile ceasefire is now in place. Grigor Atenesian spoke to one family who have twice been forced from their home. Singapore recently announced it will repeal its strict laws banning gay sex after years of fierce debate. But even during that period, Singapore’s gay bars, nightclubs and festivals continued to thrive and are being showcased in the city-state’s

Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a partial conscription to fight in the war in Ukraine was interpreted by many as an act of desperation. Within Russia, the news sparked protests by Russians who are against fighting a war they don’t believe in. Until now many Russians had continued with life almost as normal, unaffected by Putin’s so-called special operation. This week changed that, says Sarah Rainsford Iran is facing the most serious challenge to its leadership in years. The death of a young woman in police custody, after she was arrested for allegedly failing to follow hijab rules has triggered nationwide protests in both middle class and working-class areas. Kian Sharifi says these protests show a stiffening resolve. Rajini Vaidyanathan visits a hospital in Sindh Province in Pakistan, which was the worst affected area in recent floods. The World Health Organisation has warned that the country now faces a second disaster amid an outbreak of waterborne diseases. Over the past year, Israel's Ultra-orthodox com