From Our Own Correspondent

We track down a Chinese film maker in Malawi who used local children to film personalised greeting videos, some of which included racist content. These videos were sold on Chinese media and internet platforms – with the communities in Malawi none the wiser about the purpose of the content. Runako Celina reflects on how the attitudes she encountered on this investigation were reminiscent of her own experience as a black woman living in Beijing.Russians have been glued to talk shows presenting an alternative narrative of the invasion of Ukraine: characterising the invasion as a special operation. Frances Scarr speaks to those who believe Putin's actions are legitimate - confronting a perceived aggressor - and necessary.In Catalonia, support for the independence movement has dwindled in recent years. But it was thrown back in the spotlight during the Pegasus scandal, in which spyware was found to have been used by Spain's authorities to monitor independence supporters. Victor Lloret met someone who was also t

Stories from Ukraine, Afghanistan, the US and Rwanda. Russia is focusing its military might on Ukraine's east where some of the locals have been heavily influenced by Vladimir Putin's propaganda machine. Allegiances have become blurred, with Ukrainian informants tipping off Russian soldiers on the whereabouts of their compatriots, says Orla Guerin.People in Afghanistan's Paktika province are trying to rebuild lives from the rubble of the recent earthquake. It's now estimated more than 1,000 people were killed and several villages were destroyed. Secunder Kermani met with some of the survivors who showed both resilience and generosity.Access to abortion will be a critical issue in the US mid-term elections in November: with battle lines drawn in Pennsylvania and many other states between Republican and Democratic candidates who either want to protect the right to abortion or want an outright ban. Christine Spolar is a Pennsylvania native and was back there as the Supreme Court's decision was announced.Rwanda h

The Schloss Elmau in the Bavarian Alps hosted dignitaries as they tried to present a united front against Russian aggression and tackle the global food crisis. James Landale also found the castle had an interesting story of its own when he was reporting from the summit. Russian soldiers have employed brutal tactics throughout the Ukrainian invasion. Attempts to escape cities like Severodonetsk and Mariupol often proved perilous for Ukrainians, fleeing in bullet ridden cars, under constant threat of attack. Hugo Bachega, met with some of the people who managed to get away. The ripple effect of the war in Ukraine is far-reaching – from grain shortages to a surge in electricity prices globally. Even energy rich Australia has found itself asking citizens to ration their use of electricity. Its new Prime Minister has pledged a greener future for the country, with less reliance on coal. But this transition may be harder than it might seem, says Shaimaa Khalil. Panama may be known for its banking secrecy and the

Gustavo Petro has been voted in as Colombia’s first ever leftist president – the former rebel and long-time senator campaigned to radically overhaul Colombia’s economy and bring an end to inequality. Katy Watson reports from Colombia’s capital Bogota on the country’s decisive break from its past. Despite his presidential victory earlier this year, Emmanuel Macron saw his party lose 100 seats in French parliamentary elections . Meanwhile Marine Le Pen's far-right party saw an elevenfold increase in MPs, and the hard-left alliance, under Jean-Luc Melanchon, saw their own support double. As the battle to forge a consensus begins, Lucy Williamson went to meet some of the new arrivals. Congressional hearings in Washington DC concerning the attack on the US Capitol building last year has made for gripping viewing. The committee panel has already heard a raft of Donald Trump’s former allies recount examples of presidential pressure to overturn the 2021 election result. Gabriel Gatehouse says, despite the evidence, t

The situation in Kashmir is deteriorating again, with a new wave of attacks on civilians. Militant separatist groups appear to be targeting people purely because of their religion, while the Indian army stands accused of human rights violations. Yogita Limaye has been hearing from two families affected by the violence.Turkey appears to be in the midst of a crackdown on live music. The country's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had already condemned what he regards as immoral influences on television and film. Now, a series of popular singers have seen their concerts cancelled. Ayla Jean Yackley has been speaking to them.Across huge swathes of the world, it is the norm for people to earn money from day-to-day opportunities, rather than having a fixed job. There is an on-going debate about whether or not this is a good idea - for the people involved, and for the societies they live in. Samuel Derbyshire has been hearing about the ups and downs of life as an informal worker in Kenya.The Suwalki Gap has been descr

The task of a surgeon is not an easy one at the best of times, but some in Ukraine are having learn how to carry out operations in the midst of a battlefield. Many have been taught how to do this by the British surgeon, David Nott, who has worked in conflict zones around the globe. Wyre Davies joined one of his classes.Russia’s attack on Ukraine has left other countries wondering if they might be next. Fourteen countries have land borders with Russia, and eight of these were once part of the old Soviet Union, which Vladimir Putin at times seems keen to resurrect. Zeinab Badawi has been to Georgia, where she says many feel like they are now right on the front line.We owe the planet’s peat bogs a debt of gratitude, as they effectively suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and store it underground. Andrew Harding travelled deep into the Republic of Congo, to see a vast area of peat the size of England, which is currently under threat.The Yazidi people of northern Iraq suffered horrific atrocities at the han

Brazilian police say a suspect has confessed to burying the bodies of missing British journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, who disappeared in a remote part of the Amazon rainforest on 5 June. Mr Phillips' wife said in a statement that 'today begins our quest for justice'. Andrew Downie remembers his friend.Britain's Civil Aviation Authority has warned that the service wheelchair users get at airports has worsened: one man was recently left on a plane for two hours after everyone else had got off, and ended up calling the police for help - stories which are horribly familiar to Tom Shakespeare. His work has required him to fly around the globe, and it has certainly not been easy.The reasons the Kremlin has given to justify Russia’s attack on Ukraine are many, varied, and sometimes contradictory. What they all have in common is that few people outside the country believe them. Anastasia Koro says that lying has become so common in Russia, that even the most ordinary interactions now have

Passengers travelling with Ryanair to the UK on a South African passport are being asked to complete a test to prove their nationality. The airline says this necessary to combat a substantial increase in fake South African passports - an airline found to have taken a passenger to the UK on a fake passport can face a fine of £2,000. However, the required test is in Afrikaans, which has outraged many South Africans who view it as the language of apartheid. Audrey Brown is one of them, and explains why.More than 100,000 Cubans have fled the island this year - the biggest surge since1980. Some have set off on the tested route towards Florida in small boats, but others are taking detours via other Latin American countries. So why this sudden exodus? Will Grant has been talking to Cubans about their new desperation to leave.When BBC producer Mat Morrison was sent to Dnipro in Ukraine, it was his first experience of reporting in a country at war. Slowly, he says, he has learned how to recognise the sound of missile

Evidence suggests that war crimes have been committed in the Ukrainian towns and cities which fell under Russian occupation. Bodies of civilians have been left behind where Russian troops withdrew, and those Ukrainians who remained in their homes throughout have spoken of imprisonment, torture and murder. Sophie Williams spoke to a woman who managed to escape from Izyum, a city that Russian forces took over back in April, and she revealed what life was like there.Ukraine is effectively fighting a war on two fronts: there is the battle on the ground, but also the battle for public opinion, fought on the world stage. If Ukraine is to continue receiving arms from countries abroad, it must make sure it has those countries' support. That is particularly crucial when it comes to the US, which is supplying more assistance than any other. Tara McKelvey was watching as President Joe Biden tried to persuade people in the rural Midwest that such support is necessary.It is forty years since Argentinian troops invaded the

Captagon is a popular recreational drug used across the Middle East and Arabian Gulf. It can temporarily boost a user’s mood - though long-term it is highly addictive. Production is concentrated in Syria, and smuggled across the border into Jordan and onto the Gulf. Officials in Jordan say militant groups are profiting from the production of the drug, and Yolande Knell has been out on patrol with the people trying to stop them.About 2500 miles due south of Jordan, there is another criminal trade at large: the illegal catching and selling of Tanzanian fish. Mark Weston has been to Lake Victoria to hear about its controversial local delicacy: Nile Perch.Celebrations of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee are not restricted to Britain. Elizabeth II is head of state in 14 other countries, and a figurehead around the Commonwealth. Another country which feels a connection to Britain’s royal family is Greece, because Prince Philip was born there, on the island of Corfu. Julia Langdon has been to the spot where the Queen’s

Allegations have continued to emerge that Ukrainian civilians are being transported into Russia by occupying troops. Some have returned, with stories of being held in camps, and of being tortured. Jen Stout heard about one village near the city of Kharkiv where locals say that 90 people were 'tricked' into boarding lorries and then taken away.The changing borders of Poland mean that families in some regions have lived in different countries over the years, without ever having to move home. Monica Whitlock visited a village where these geographical shifts mean locals speak multiple languages, and sometimes go by multiple names.The conflict in Ukraine has drawn attention to how vulnerable supply lines can be, with grain, gas and sunflower oil among the exports now threatened. If our cupboards and fridges are kept fully stocked, that is be down to the great flotillas of lorries which criss-cross Europe’s borders. Horatio Clare joined a couple of long-distance drivers, to get a taste of their life on the road.The

Sri Lanka has been rocked by violent protests. The country is out of cash, which means it is struggling to import fuel, food and basic medicines. This in turn has prompted political turmoil, with anti-government protestors coming under attack from supporters of the ousted government. Rajini Vaidyanathan was there as battles broke out.It was Archbishop Desmond Tutu who first called South Africa the 'Rainbow Nation', reflecting hopes for a new era of equality for the country and as it emerged from decades of apartheid. Now though, migrants in South Africa are being blamed for unemployment and other social problems - some have been murdered by vigilantes. Shingai Nyoka reflects on this rising animosity with particular personal interest, as she herself moved to South Africa from Zimbabwe.It’s eight years since King Juan Carlos of Spain abdicated, following a string of highly embarrassing scandals. But just recently, the former king returned to Spain for a brief visit - the first since he left. Plenty of Spanish p

Reports have emerged of terrible atrocities committed against civilians in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Some people have tried to escape, braving bullets and artillery fire in order to reach government-controlled areas. Among those helping them are volunteers carrying out rescue missions by driving into Russian held territory to pick up those wanting to flee and then taking them back out again across enemy lines. Carrie Davies has met them.Some of those who have escaped from Russian-held territory have fled Ukraine altogether - nearly a million people have ended up in neighbouring Romania. Once again, volunteers have stepped up to the mark, helping to provide the new arrivals with food, housing and healthcare. As Tessa Dunlop found, some say they feel a particular affinity with people who have lost so much, and suffered so greatly.There is a good reason why companies have chosen to base themselves in the Cayman Islands. This Caribbean nation has no income tax, or corporation tax, but does have a great c

First hand reports from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Estonia, Lebanon and the German village of Oberammergau.Taliban promises to respect women's rights seem to be fading. Reports have emerged of Afghan women being arrested for alleged “moral crimes,” and thrown in prison without charge. Ramita Navai managed to get into one of the prisons where these women are being held.Cambodia has some of the greatest Buddhist sites in the world, but many of these have suffered at the hand of looters. As Celia Hatton discovered, some of this theft has occurred very recently.Estonia is attempting to win over its Russian-speaking minority. One third of the country speak Russian as their first language, and in some regions, almost everyone does. Could Vladimir Putin use an alleged attack on Russian speakers’ rights as an excuse to intervene? Estonia's innovative strategy is to offer them a series of fun events in the Estonian language, which Lucy Ash went to watch.The politics of Lebanon are complex, and often bitterly divided. Leba

China has been warned by the World Health Organisation that its so-called 'zero covid' approach is unsustainable. Hundreds of millions of people have been kept under lockdown in cities across the country, leaving the economy severely jolted, and critics calling it an abuse of human rights. However, the Chinese authorities seem determined to carry on as before, and have announced that the city of Shanghai will be placed under its tightest restrictions yet. The news came as a disappointment to Rebecca Kanthor, who has already gone through seven weeks of lockdown.Choosing what to wear in El Salvador can be literally a matter of life or death. The country is plagued by gang violence, with eighty people murdered over just one weekend this year. The government has promised a crackdown, passing new laws which allow police to lock up suspected gang members as young as 12. Mike Lanchin lived in El Salvador during the 1990s, and when he returned for a visit with his family, he quickly learned the value of covering up.M

The small city of Bucha, not far from Kyiv, has experienced some of the worst atrocities of the Russian invasion so far. It's understood that hundreds of civilians have been tortured, raped and murdered by Russian forces. Yogita Limaye has been hearing the story of one woman who experienced this horror first hand. The war in Ukraine has caused particular worry in Finland, which shares a long border - and turbulent history - with Russia. Finland only became independent from Russia in 1917, and, historically, the price of sustaining that independence was neutrality. Joining other European countries in NATO was out of the question - and by and large, most Finns were not interested anyway. But what a difference a few weeks make, as Allan Little found. As far as Singapore’s prosecutors were concerned, he was a drug smuggler, pure and simple. His mother though insisted he was a victim, a man of limited intelligence, who’d been tricked into carrying a small amount of heroin across the border from his home in Malaysi

The former President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernandez was voted out of power in January, and within weeks was arrested, accused of being part of a major international drugs ring. This month, Mr Hernandez was extradited to the US, where he will face charges of drug trafficking and money laundering - charges he denies. Meanwhile, back in Honduras, police say they are now trying to destroy the drug industry, and invited our correspondent Will Grant along to show how.A British man was killed this week while fighting in Ukraine, emphasising the international aspect of the crisis. Thousands of foreigners have travelled to Ukraine to take up arms, encouraged by the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky. But why would someone travel to a distant country, to fight in towns and cities they may have struggled to find on a map? Hugh Barnes found a wide variety of reasons - and people - who have answered the call.Across Ukraine, there are reminders of the warm relationship the country once had with its neighbour, Russ

Rivers and the sea have long-battered waterfront villages in Bangladesh, but this is a problem now made worse by climate change. Many people have had to flee several times, as land erodes and their homes crumble. Qasa Alom went to meet those forced to repeatedly restart their lives, and joins locals working on a solution to provide more permanent sanctuary.Morocco was once home to a thriving Jewish community, who began an exodus from the country in the 1950s as relations deteriorated between the Arab world and Israel. At its peak, there were several hundred thousand Jews living in the country, many in the coastal town of Essouira. With diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel now restored, some citizens of Essouira are reaching out to Israelis. Elizabeth Gowing found herself wondering whether tensions of the recent past really can be replaced by fonder memories of a one-time shared communal history.When the US and its allies overthrew Saddam Hussein, they promised a new era for the people of Iraq, prov

What do Russians make of their country’s invasion of Ukraine? It is no easy matter to conduct opinion polls in Russia at the best of times, sampling views from St Petersburg to Siberia. Right now though, Russian people are not free to express their opinions anyway, with a new law in place making it a criminal offence to say anything about the Ukraine conflict which the authorities consider untrue. Jenny Hill is in Moscow, and has been keeping her ear to the ground.Globalisation, the extraordinary interconnectedness of modern life, means that the events in Ukraine are having profound effects in places far from any battle. Kenya, for example, has already been suffering from drought, but this has now been exacerbated by Russia’s invasion: because Ukrainian farmers have been kept from their fields, global food prices have risen. Ben Henderson recently travelled to Kenya’s far north, and found what looks like a major crisis in the making.2018 saw South Korea hold a successful Winter Olympics, in which North Korean

The destruction of Ukrainian cities such as Mariupol has garnered global headlines, but the fighting has also filtered out to the rural towns and villages which surround it. These lack the city’s resources for dealing with the dead, the injured, and the bereaved, and when Wyre Davis reached one of these rural spots, he found even the most day-to-day tasks present significant challenges and risks.Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to occupy the middle ground on Ukraine; he remains on good terms with Vladimir Putin, but Turkey is also a member of NATO. This has enabled President Erdogan to take a central role in efforts to reach a peace deal, inviting negotiators to meet in Istanbul. And this is perhaps the ideal city for discussions aimed at healing division. Istanbul marks the point where Europe and Asia meet, with the Bosphorus Strait running between the two. The Bosphorus also occupies a key strategic position in this conflict, which Ellie House found herself reflecting on as she took a boat