From Our Own Correspondent

Kate Adie introduces stories from Iran, Myanmar, China, South Africa and Lithuania.
The number of Iranian people killed by government forces in the crackdown on recent protests is now estimated to be at least 6000, with thousands more deaths being investigated by human rights groups. BBC Persian’s Parham Ghobadi has been speaking to people in Tehran about their experience of the protests.
The final round of elections took place in Myanmar last weekend, five years after a coup returned the military junta to power - though many observers regard the whole affair as a sham. Jonathan Head was given rare permission to report from within Myanmar - though found fear and surveillance at every turn.
Sir Keir Starmer’s trip to Beijing was the first by a UK Prime Minister since 2018 and has been seen as a critical moment in the British government’s attempt to reboot its relationship with China. Laura Bicker reflects on what's in it for President Xi - and how he is looking to take advantage of Donald Trump's rocky relationship with the world.
Over the last decade South Africa has made steady progress on bringing down the infection and mortality rates of Tuberculosis. However, that progress is now under threat as foreign aid cuts begin to bite. Sandra Kanthal reports from Cape Town.
Lithuania's Jewish community numbers just a few thousand, though prior to World War Two the population was around 200,000 - the majority of whom were murdered in the Holocaust. Today Lithuania is home to several memorial sites remembering those who died and Max Eastermann recently visited to trace the homes - and graves - of his recently discovered ancestors.
Producer: Serena Tarling
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from Ukraine, Russia, France, Uganda and Morocco.
As temperatures plummet in Ukraine, Russia is aggressively attacking the country's energy grid. Ukraine is heavily reliant on its nuclear power plants, which are also being targeted. There are concerns that without proper maintenance, it could trigger another nuclear disaster. Wyre Davies spoke to the head of Ukraine's nuclear authority.
President Trump has claimed the threat posed by Russia and China is one of the reasons the US must acquire Greenland - but rather than antagonise the Kremlin, the pro-Kremlin Russian news service has been full of praise for the US president. Steve Rosenberg reports from Moscow.
From South Korea to Western Europe, there’s deep concern over falling birth rates – and it was one of the reasons behind France’s decision a few years ago to amend its policy regarding egg-freezing for non-medical purposes, bringing it in line with other European countries. Carolyn Lamboley recounts her personal experience.
1986 was the year Diego Maradona lifted the World Cup - and when Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni first came to power. Last week, the 81-year-old won his seventh consecutive term in office, Sammy Awami was in Kampala where he heard from young people about how they voted.
The 2026 Africa Cup of Nations came to a close in Morocco last weekend and aside from missing the chance to lift the trophy for the first time in fifty years, the tournament proved controversial in Morocco due to the vast sums spent on it. Tim Hartley reflects on the discontent over prioritising sporting prestige over public services.
Producer: Serena Tarling
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from Greenland, Colombia and Greece.
President Trump has said the US needs to 'own' Greenland, to prevent Russia and China from taking it. Katya Adler has been in the capital Nuuk, speaks to Inuit women about the island's painful history of colonisation - and its now uncertain future.
Colombia has also been attracting attention from Mr Trump, following the recent US operation in Venezuela. This schism is out of step with decades of US foreign policy, but an on-going war of words between Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, and the US President on issues from migration to US strikes on fishing boats in the Caribbean, has put a strain on the relationship. Ione Wells report from Bogota.
A hot-button issue for Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is the problem of over-tourism. Visitor numbers have rocketed in recent years, leading to a rise in the tourist tax. But it’s not a problem being felt everywhere in the country. James Innes-Smith travelled to one prefecture where efforts to bring tourists back have fallen flat.
And finally, a landmark court case came to a close in Greece this week, in which a group of aid workers were put on trial after rescuing migrants from the Mediterranean. The 24 former volunteers have faced a range of charges, including human trafficking, money laundering, and facilitating the illegal entry of foreigners into Greece. Tim Whewell travelled to Lesbos, where he discovered how the migrant crisis that began in 2015 has shaped an entire community.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison and Jack Young
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from Venezuela, the United States, Iran, India and Germany.
The capture of Nicolas Maduro following America’s night-time military operation in Venezuela caught the world off-guard. Quickly transported to New York, Mr Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will now face trial. Will Grant reflects on his own encounters with Maduro and his legacy in Venezuela.
Miami is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States, and hundreds of people took to the streets to celebrate the capture of Nicolas Maduro. Bernd Debusmann was in Miami, capturing the mood there in the hours after the raid on Caracas.
A wave of protests has spread rapidly across Iran over the last fortnight, fuelled by anger over the country's economy. Now the protests have taken on a stronger anti-government tone. BBC Persian’s Mahshid Hosseini has been speaking to protesters in Tehran.
Nagaland in northeast India is the scene of an annual stone-pulling festival, which brings together several of the region’s ethnic tribes. The event conveys a message of unity in a state once known for its fierce infighting. Simon Broughton watched on, while keeping a safe distance from the moving monolith.
Germany is set to double its defence spending over the next five years, and for the first time in decades arms production is to resume in Berlin. Lucy Ash investigates the row over a repurposed factory in the northern suburb of Wedding, where locals are worried for the future.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison

Kate Adie introduces stories from Syria, China, the USA, Greece and Brazil.
In the devastated Syrian district of Ghouta, a man calls out from the ruins to our correspondent Lyse Doucet and tells the story of how he is rebuilding his home - and his life - after the fall of the Assad regime.
Chinese ambition continues to strive for pole position in the global pecking order as it makes advances in green energy, artificial intelligence, and military might – but what could be its Achilles heel? Laura Bicker looks at the challenges facing Beijing in the year ahead.
It’s nearly a year since Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States – a victory built around unquestioning loyalty among his MAGA base. But some Republican voters are now beginning to question the effectiveness of some of his policies. Tom Bateman reports from New Orleans.
An outbreak of sheep pox in Greece, which began in the Summer of 2024, has seen a surge in cases over recent months with mass culling affecting farmers across the country - more than 400,000 sheep and goats have been killed so far. Hester Underhill travelled to the agricultural heartland of Thessaly.
In Brazil, a group of industrial agriculture companies are trying to overturn a landmark moratorium on trading soybeans grown on newly deforested Amazon land - a policy said to have said thousands of hectares from the chainsaws. Justin Rowlatt gets a bird's eye view on the issue.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison