From Our Own Correspondent

The election was supposed to be the moment it turned a corner leaving fear behind. Kate Adie introduces correspondents’ stories from around the world: In Zimbabwe, Andrew Harding has followed the twists and turns of the past few days and reflects on the country’s struggle to shake off a repressive past. In Colombia, Frank Gardner meets a former FARC guerrilla commander now making friends with the police and goes in search of an illicit makeshift cocaine lab hidden in the jungle. In Holland euthanasia was legalised in 2002 but it remains controversial. While some say it should never be allowed as a means of dealing with psychiatric illness, Linda Pressly meets one bereaved mother who wants to make it easier for people to end their own lives. In Mongolia, Roger Hearing meets Ganbold Dorjzodov the man who exposed the 60 billion scam – an apparent plan to swap government jobs for substantial bribes. And in Albania Elizabeth Gowing finds herself surrounded by heaps of knickers and tables that are overflowing wi

Elections in Pakistan, religious divisions in the Balkans and an ode to an Ethiopian airport. Kate Adie introduces correspondents' stories from around the world: Secunder Kermani looks back on the election campaign in Pakistan and assesses what it means for the country’s future. Anna Holligan travels around Bosnia - Herzegovina and finds that while the fighting may have ended more than twenty years ago, the country is even more religiously divided than it was before the war. Will Grant remembers a great man of Cuban radio - Raul Luis Galiano. As his family sort through the late broadcasters belonging they find a huge hoard of carefully preserved possessions – some useful, some of historical value and others surprisingly revealing. Mary Novakovich learns that while fish stocks are falling in Venice, local fishermen have stumbled on a new catch – tourists, and now take visitors out on expeditions to give them an idea of what life is like beyond the obvious attractions. And Horatio Clare has an apology to mak

In the latest programme of the monthly series, Mishal Husain introduces dispatches from writers and journalists around the United Kingdom that reflect the range of contemporary life in the country. The BBC's Social Affairs Correspondent, Michael Buchanan, tells the story of a man, now in his fifties, who discovered only after the funeral of the woman he thought was his mother, that he was adopted and that his birth mother was seeking to find him. Sally Green, the children's and young adults author, explains the appeal of taking part in the weekly Warrington parkrun over 5 kilometres (three miles). Datshiane Navanayagam talks to one family about the scourge of homelessness among those in full-time work. Chris Bowlby journeys on what remains of the route of the Stockton to Darlington railway - England's first public steam-powered track - and reflects on the current state of train services in north-east England. And Mary-Ann Ochota, a keen hill-walker, travels to the Isle of Skye for her latest challenge - the a

Children who are able to survive the ongoing civil war have to grow up fast in Yemen. Kate Adie introduces stories, insight, and analysis from correspondents around the world:According to The United Nations, one child under five dies every ten minutes from preventable causes in Yemen. Orla Guerin meets some of the families struggling on and speaks to the President Ab’d Rabbu Mansur Hadi about the conflict. In South Korea, Simon Maybin attends a lesson in the etiquette of dating, kissing and respecting your partner as the country tries to turn around its declining birth rate. In Tunisia, Charlotte Bailey hears why young men are setting themselves on fire – just as Mohamed Bouazizi did in 2010. His death was one of the catalysts of the Arab Spring. In the USA, Christine Finn follows in the footsteps of Henry David Thoreau and explores the shores of Walden Pond. And as Justin Rowlatt leaves India and auctions off his belongings, he learns that you can put a price on just about anything.

One of the few people able to strike fear into the international organised crime syndicate. Kate Adie introduces correspondents’ stories and insights from around the world: In Italy, Andrew Hosken meets Nicola Gratteri the single-minded judge who has put 6,000 Mafiosi behind bars. Today, he says, the biggest threat comes from the ‘Ndrangheta in Calabria whose power spreads far beyond their native Calabria. In Peru, Grace Livingstone meets some of the thousands of indigenous women who say they were forcibly sterilised in the 1990s as part of a government family-planning scheme. In the Sinai desert in Egypt, Fleur MacDonald meets the monks who have become the custodians of some of the oldest surviving Christian texts. While it was good enough for the makers of the Taj Mahal, Grace Banks hears how millennials in India show little appetite for Pietra Dura – the craft of creating images out of finely cut stone. And in Ireland, Andy Jones attends the Killorglin Puck fair – a three-day celebration in memory of th

Ever since Jacob Zuma's resignation his family has faced all sorts of legal headaches. Kate Adie introduces correspondents' stories from around the world: Three years ago, Duduzane Zuma drove his Porsche into the back of a minibus taxi, killing one passenger and injuring others. At the time, a magistrate concluded that the President's son had been negligent, but the state declined to prosecute. Now it's had a change of heart. Is the past catching up on the Zumas, wonders Andrew Harding in South Africa? Peter Morgan witnesses a pink revolution in Norway as salmon replaces cod as the catch of choice and fisherman turn to aquaculture or farming rather than going out to sea, but at what environmental cost? In Nigeria, Zeinab Badawi meets up with people weighing up the meaning of life in Lagos' death café. James Stewart admires the film-set, feel-good atmosphere of Seaside Florida - the town where 'The Truman Show' was filmed twenty years ago. And Mellissa Van Der Klugt meets the men and women making cheese on t

When football takes over from Lebanon's other national obsession: politics. Kate Adie introduces correspondents' stories from around the world: Celebratory gunfire, fireworks, and moped motorcades are common sights in Lebanon usually used as shows of political power but not during the World Cup when Brazil flags replace those of Hezbollah and pictures of political leaders are replaced by Lionel Messi's image. For four week political and religious differences are put aside says Richard Hall. Nanna Muus Steffensen crosses the Turkish border into Syria to try and find out how the people of Afrin are faring since Kurdish fighters were forced out by Turkish troops and Syrian rebels. John Pilkington visits a country run by one of the world's most secretive and repressive regimes and is surprised by what he finds in Eritrea. James Jeffrey tries to locate the final haunts of his literary hero J G Farrell in the west of Ireland. And Laura Dawson hears how you can make money by spinning sob stories in rural Rajasthan.

The challenge of rebuilding Syria. Kate Adie introduces stories and insight from correspondents around the world: Jeremy Bowen has just returned from Damascus and concludes that though the fighting may have stopped “the virus of war has spread - not just breaking bodies, hearts, and minds, but poisoning the future.” Lucy Ash discovers how seaweed farming in Zanzibar has proved a liberating force for thousands of women on the island. Helen Nianias hears about one Uganda woman’s life-changing encounter after a night out clubbing. Slightly tipsy, on her way home in the early hours of the morning, she came across a baby that had been abandoned in the street and took it home. Ashwin Bhardwaj retraces the steps of Brigadier Edmund “Trotsky” Davies in Albania and reveals his secret mission during the Second World War. And Heidi Fuller-Love discovers how the fallout from the Greek financial crisis is still having an impact - on animals as well as people.

The man trying to bring The Gambia's former strongman leader Yahya Jammeh to justice. Kate Adie introduces stories from journalists and correspondents around the world:His critics claim Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year rule over The Gambia was nothing more than a brutal dictatorship marred by allegations of state-sanctioned murder, torture and forced disappearances. Now the lawyer Reed Brody, known to some as ‘The Dictator Hunter’, is trying to help some of his victims seek justice.Far to the north of Norway, Horatio Clare finds Brits, Ukrainians, Ugandans, Vietnamese, and Russians all trying to start new lives on an island that was once a bastion of Soviet idealism.“The public are not obliged to like us, but they are obliged not to attack us” – Sophie Cousins hears how things are changing – or not – for gay people in Serbia. In the dry, isolated heartlands of Argentina finding the right ingredients for a middle-eastern feast can be difficult, but Aude Villiers meets the Syrian refugees settling in San Luis. And Rob

What hope is there amidst rising violence in Mexico and Afghanistan's 'forever war'? Kate Adie introduces stories and insight form correspondents around the world: The rich and poor in Mexico City may live in seemingly different worlds, but they are united by a fear of violence ahead of local and national elections. Could the prospect of peace talks in Afghanistan lead to the end of forty years of war? Lyse Doucet finds a tiny ray of hope. When Jenny Hill first met Syrian refugee Eli at the height of the migrant crisis in 2015, he seemed as thrilled to be in Abensberg as the German town was to have him. But a lot has changed since then… Niall O’Gallagher’s search for the plotters behind the clandestine operation in which volunteers smuggled ballot boxes into Catalonia for its disputed referendum leads him to an unlikely location. And Benjamin Zand manages to secure an interview with one of Venezuela’s notorious kidnap gangs – only to be accused of being an undercover policeman.

A civil war is brewing in Cameroon, but it rarely makes the headlines. Kate Adie introduces stories and insight from correspondents around the world: In Nigeria, Stephanie Hegarty travels to its border with Cameroon which tens of thousands of people have crossed fleeing violent unrest in the République's Anglophone region. Tim Hartley listens to the fears of indigenous people in Cordillera in the Philippines - of big business encroaching on their way of life and of state sanctioned harassment. Jonathan Fryer attends a Candomblé initiation ceremony and hears how the Afro-Brazilian religion is becoming increasingly popular as economic problems persist in Brazil. Cindy Sui reveals how easy it is for big businesses to be unwittingly drawn into arguments about China's territorial claim on Taiwan - even for companies based in mainland China. And how about a game of three-sided football? David Taylor takes part in the other major international football tournament taking place this summer, in Spain.

Turkey's presidential hopefuls, provocative Italian ministers, and masked Mexican wrestlers. Kate Adie introduces correspondents' stories from around the world: “He’s drawn vast crowds to his rallies, appearing at times like a comedy performer, breaking into traditional dances and using props to satirise Recep Tayyip Erdogan” Mark Lowen is on the trail of Muharrem Ince who wants to be the next President of Turkey. John Sweeney is in Calabria investigating the growing influence of Matteo Salvini - the populist Italian minister who has become a hero of the hard right and an enemy of the liberal left. Harriet Constable visits a project in South Africa which is helping women to reveal painful secrets they have kept for years and tell their children that they are HIV positive. In Kazakhstan, Stephen Sackur hears about big plans for its capital – casinos to rival Las Vegas and a financial centre to challenge Singapore - but what will happen when its long-serving present finally steps down? And in Mexico Sara Wheel

An expanding international force is fighting Islamist extremists on the edge of the Sahara. Kate Adie introduces stories and insight from correspondents around the world: Alastair Leithead is in the Sahel - the vast, often lawless, stretch of land that extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea and is filling up with radical extremist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State. As the Brexit negotiations enter their second year, Adam Fleming reveals why covering the talks has been a bit like reliving his university days - from freshers' week to regular exams. Hannah McNeish is with fisherman turned coral farmers in Kenya as they show off their latest crop. Isambard Wilkinson visits the family home of one of Pakistan’s most revered hereditary holy men - Pir Pagara, “the Turbaned Saint.” And Katy Fallon spends a night in a cell in the Netherlands - in a former prison which has been turned into a hotel run by refugees.

In the latest programme of the monthly series, Mishal Husain introduces dispatches from journalists and writers around the United Kingdom that reflect the range of contemporary life in the country. Petroc Trelawny celebrates the glittering world of Dingles, a Plymouth department store which weathered two firestorms and introduced him to glamour, magic and red gingham - but tellingly has now been humbled by the mundane; Alison Holt reflects on a thought-provoking conversation with an older woman in a Dorset care home about the growing financial pressures she and the home itself are facing, while Gareth Jones ponders the links between the NHS and the town of Tredegar - whose MP set up the service 70 years ago but who today might wonder at what he found there; Charmaine Cozier dons her best I-don't-care-look and reveals the pleasures of going to gigs alone; and Andrew Green, who is himself a villager in the Chilterns, wonders what the often tense relations between weekend cyclists and locals on country lanes tel

All manner of visitors are seeking an audience with the powerful in Zimbabwe these days. Kate Adie introduces stories from correspondents around the world:Fergal Keane was once blacklisted in Zimbabwe, and resorted to undercover reporting, but now the country is “open for business” he hears, as he is welcomed into the President’s office - ahead of politicians, would-be investors, and even a former leading light in the opposition. Linda Pressly speaks to one of the survivors of a fire that killed 41 teenagers in a state-run children’s home. She is an orphan, the daughter of a drug dealer and a sex worker, but has big plans for herself and her brother. Kirsty Lang meets a woman from New Zealand who arrived in Petra as a backpacker 40 years ago and has been there ever since. But why are some women being warned about the dangers of ‘Jack Sparrows’ in the ancient Jordanian city? Laurence Blair is on manoeuvers with naval officers from Bolivia – the landlocked nation that is hoping the International Court of Justi

Parts of India are facing acute water shortages and the consequences can be deadly. Kate Adie introduces correspondents’ stories from around the world: The scramble for water in the slums of New Delhi can mean waiting in line each day for hours to fill up from government tankers – as well as occasional violent disputes. “Say no to a Chinese government” and “We are Chinese” – at two different presidential rallies earlier this year Olivia Acland heard very different reactions to China’s growing influence in Sierra Leone. Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al-Said ended the isolationism that characterised his father’s rule and has cultivated new relationships with the Oman’s neighbours as well as Britain and the US. During his rule the capital Muscat has also been transformed into a glisteningly modern city, says Caroline Davies, and more change could soon be coming. Ibrat Safo returns to his native Uzbekistan to find that the family reunions he enjoyed as a child are no longer possible – the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan borde

They say climate change has a taste in Bangladesh - it tastes of salt. Kate Adie introduces correspondents' stories from around the world: Peter Oborne has been to Bangladesh, home to some of the world’s first climate change refugees.; cyclones are common, crops are being ruined and fresh water is becoming harder to find for some. Yolande Knell examines the unexpected consequences of the Gulf blockade of Qatar, a year since it began. Masuma Ahuja visits a mandatory pre-departure training centre for domestic workers in Sri Lanka. Cleaning, personal hygiene, and basic Arabic are all on the curriculum for the women who will soon be working as housemaids in the Middle East. John Murphy meets an aspiring ‘idol’ in Seoul – one of the thousands of young women hoping to make it as a K-Pop star. And Kieran Cooke discovers how some of the great German philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s last works ended up in a chicken-coup in the west of Ireland.

Justice can be elusive for the young domestic servants abused and mistreated in Pakistan. Kate Adie introduces stories from correspondents around the world: Secunder Kermani investigates what he describes as the "mess of allegations" surrounding the death of a 16-year-old domestic servant in Pakistan, and learns that for some people money and survival can be more important than justice. Amy Guttman explores the ironies that pervade one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world - the Demilitarised Zone between North and South Korea. Athar Ahmad finds out what’s it like to observe one of the longest daily Ramadan fasts. Early sunrises and late summer sunsets, mean more than twenty hours a day without food or water. In Iceland. Chloe Farand attends a cross-border meeting of indigenous people from Brazil, French Guinea, and Suriname as they unite in opposition to a controversial new gold mine. And, Caroline Eden visits the ‘Museum of Soviet Lifestyle’ in Kazan; the Russian city will soon be welcoming Worl

Making sense of Italian politics, faking the news, and wedding suit shopping in Pakistan. Kate Adie presents correspondents' stories from around the world: James Reynolds looks back on an eventful few months in Italy, and at what filled the gap between elections in March and a new government taking office in June. Emily Webb meets a man accused of being a witch in Papua New Guinea. He says he was almost beaten to death by his own family and now lives in a refuge alongside others who've been branded sorcerers and driven from their land. In preparation for his wedding, Mobeen Azhar finds himself in the sprawling concrete and iron beast that is Zainab market in Karachi. A grimy and sweaty place, he says, that's considered 'too local' for some locals in Pakistan. Sophia Smith Galer meets the male Baladi (or belly) dancer challenging gender stereotypes in Lebanon. And the staged 'murder' of Arcady Babchenko has got Kevin Connolly thinking about fakes, forgeries and the murky world of international espionage.

Will Grant attends a campaign rally in Mexico to hear presidential hopeful Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador promise a new investigation into the kidnapping of 43 students from Iguala in 2014: ‘They took them away alive, we want them back alive” their families demand. Kim Chakanetsa is in Zimbabwe six months after Robert Mugabe was replaced by his former ally Emmerson Mnangagwa. Does the new President have a plan? Howard Johnson meets Manny Pacquiao - a boxer, basketball coach, singer, actor, entrepreneur, church pastor and politician who some talk of as a possible future leader of the Philippines. Robin Denselow is at a music festival on the West Bank designed to amplify the voices of those that live there and give the Palestinian music scene a boost. And Chris Bockman has the tale of the punk rocker turned bank robber who's returned to France after decades on the run and, apparently, come back from for the dead.