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Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s toughest child protection laws, Brishbhanu Baruah explores how India’s landmark Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) is reshaping the lives of young people. Introduced after the 2012 Delhi gang rape, Pocso has been praised for…

In Belarus, new legislation from the government of President Alexander Lukashenko targets anyone who might be regarded as an opponent with charges of being ‘extremist’. Dozens of independent media outlets including the BBC have recently been designated as ‘extremist organisation’ in the country, as…

Over the past five decades, it is estimated that around 13 million babies have been conceived thanks to IVF. The fertility treatment has helped families around the world have children. But new research suggests that older women face a significantly lower chance of conceiving, even when donor eggs…

Harry Haft was forced to fight in more than 70 death matches inside Nazi concentration camps - not against soldiers but against other prisoners. After the war, Harry carried that violence into America’s boxing rings, facing some of the era’s top fighters. Through the eyes of his son Alan, this…

Why have US beef prices risen around 13% over the past year? Who is making money from the burgers and steaks Americans eat? Presenter Sam Fenwick speaks to a cattle rancher in South Dakota, an agricultural economist in Wisconsin, a meat packer in North Carolina and a restaurant owner in Nebraska to…

“Perfidious Albion” - how Britain replaced the US as Russia’s top nemesis and the villain at the heart of its war narrative. Since the re-election of Donald Trump, Russian propagandists have softened their tone on the US, while intensifying their rhetoric against the UK. They have unleashed a wave…

In March this year, 25-year-old Noelia Castillo died by lethal injection. Her father had fought in the courts for nearly two years to stop her euthanasia. Noelia applied for assisted dying because she had been left paraplegic, debilitated and in pain after a suicide attempt. Her case dominated…

The BBC investigates Zhang Zhidong, also known as “Brother Wang”, a Chinese national described by US law enforcement as one of the most significant drug traffickers in the world. He is now awaiting trial in the US and has pleaded not guilty. He is accused of building a criminal empire connecting…

Jordanian director Zain Duraie talks about her debut film Sink, an intense family drama about a mother coping with her son's mental health issues. Zain reveals the severe difficulties she faced to get the film financed, why she sought out the advice of other directors and how the film Titanic…

The Atemoya Custard Apple is a much sought-after fruit grown only in one county in Taiwan. The Taiwanese are justly proud of it. Meanwhile, the Musang King Durian - grown in Malaysia - is also highly prized for its unique flavour as the ‘Hermes of Durians.’ Every year, fruit lovers across the…

In a summer of world class sporting events, tennis players have been battling it out at Wimbledon - one of the four major Grand Slam tournaments. One of the big stories has been the success of British wildcard entry Arthur Fery who, before Wimbledon, was ranked outside the top 100. His success has…

In coastal Japan, Yasuo Takamatsu has spent nearly 15 years diving for the remains of his wife, Yuko, who was swept away in the 2011 tsunami. With on-location recording of Yasuo on his 763rd dive, this Heart and Soul documentary explores his search as an act of devotion shaped by Japanese ideals of…