Kate Adie introduces dispatches from Egypt, Poland, the USA, Malaysia, and the Mekong River.Arab leaders convened in Egypt this week to draw up a post-war plan for Gaza - and to counter Donald Trump's proposal to turn it into the 'riviera of the Middle East'. Lyse Doucet travelled to Cairo to report on the new Arab resolve, but found herself being pulled back into the city's own tumultuous history.Increased uncertainty about the future of Ukraine is fueling a sense of unease in neighboring Poland. The question of 'how safe are we?' is a hot topic of discussion in the country's current presidential election campaign. Adam Easton reports from Warsaw.In order to tackle the country's opioid crisis, some US states are focussing less on prosecution, and more on treatment. The first state to decriminalise the personal possession of hard drugs was Oregon back in 2020 – a decision it would come to reverse in 2024. Martin Vennard has been to the famously progressive state to find out what’s been happening.Malaysia has become a global hub for recycling, importing an estimated five million tonnes of plastic each year - but does it really make a difference? Leanna Hosea went to find out what happens to the world's waste once it arrives.Finally, we head to the banks of the Mekong River, where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. Matthew Gwyther travelled through the region and reflects on how its past and present have being shaped by dominant powers.Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
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28:40
Trump, Putin and the new global order
Kate Adie presents stories from Russia, the occupied West Bank, Bangladesh, South Africa and IndiaUS relations with its Western allies have been upended recently amid a rapprochement between Washington and Moscow. The BBC’s Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg reveals how the warming of relations has been feted in the pro-Putin press, while ordinary Russians are seemingly more cautious.As the first stage of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel comes to an end, Israel's defence forces are in the midst of another major operation against armed Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank. Paul Adams visited one of the region's refugee camps to see what impact Israel’s military action is having on the thousands of people forced to leave their homes.Bangladesh remains politically unstable six months after the violent student-led uprising which brought down long-term leader, Sheikh Hasina. In the absence of political certainty, fundamentalist Islamic groups – previously side-lined in politics – have found fresh impetus, says David Loyn.Johannesburg in South Africa is often framed as one of the world's most dangerous cities - but there are signs of improvement, with both locals and tourists returning to explore areas once regarded as no-go zones. Ed Habershon met the Joburgers trying to change their city’s image.Each year, in the south Indian state of Kerala, ancient folk rituals, known as theyyams, are held in family estates and around temples. Sara Wheeler went to watch the dramatic spectacles, where performers become living embodiments of Hindu deities.Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
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28:54
Disappeared in Ukraine
Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, the United States, The Gambia and Uzbekistan. Its three years since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, during which time hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or injured - though others have simply disappeared without trace. Sarah Rainsford travelled to Ukraine, where she met one woman trying to find out what happened to her parents after they were detained during Russia's occupation of her home town. US President Donald Trump has pledged to curb government waste by cutting spending. Under review are the billions of dollars set aside for research grants, intended for universities and scientific institutions. At the annual gathering of one of the country’s oldest scientific societies, which took place in Boston last week, Sandra Kanthal found a decidedly dampened mood. Each year thousands of people leave sub-Saharan Africa in hope of reaching Europe and forging a better life. It's a dangerous and potentially deadly journey - and for some the challenge is just too much. So what happens after they return home? Alex Last went to The Gambia to find out. The city of Bukhara in Uzbekistan is located on the route of the legendary Silk Road, and in the Middle Ages it became a major intellectual hub of the Islamic world. It's also home to a centuries-old Jewish community, which over generations blended culture with the Muslim community. Post-Soviet emigration means it's now much smaller than it used to be, but Monica Whitlock met one man who is still happy to call Bukhara home.
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28:17
Germany's young people and the far right
In Saxony, our correspondent hears why young voters are increasingly supporting the AfD. The party is polling consistently in second place ahead of a snap election next SundayLONG: Kate Adie presents stories from Germany, the US, Afghanistan, Spain and Morocco.Germany goes to the polls on 23rd February, with the conservative CDU party showing a strong lead. But the far right AfD is consistently polling in second place. The biggest rise in support for the party has been among young voters, and Jessica Parker has spoken to some of them in Saxony to hear why.Mahjooba Nowrouzi returns to Afghanistan, for the first time in nearly 30 years, having fled the oppressive Taliban regime as a young student. She describes how despite initial first impressions, not much had changed with the Taliban back in control once more.This week, Jordan's King Abdullah visited Washington, where he made clear to President Trump that he and other regional leaders were unanimous in rejecting plans to take over Gaza and transfer Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt. Tom Bateman followed the encounter between King Abdullah and the President.In Southern Spain, the olive yield has risen substantially after several years of punishing drought. But apart from the challenges of climate change and on-going desertification in Spain, farmers have another worry – crime. Last year in Andalucía over 500 tonnes of olives were stolen. It’s a headache for local law enforcement, as Linda Pressly found out on a visit to the olive groves there.Morocco has long been the film location of choice for many a Hollywood director, with its array of studios and versatile backdrops. But now, as John Kampfner discovered on a recent visit, a combination of tight budgets and technology, suggest that the good times might be running out in the ‘Hollywood of Africa.’Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Bridget Harney
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
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28:37
Rebuilding lives in DR Congo
Kate Adie introduces stories from DR Congo, Israel, Ecuador, Malaysia and Germany.Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in the DR Congo. Amid the violence, a clinic in Goma is helping civilian casualties recover and rehabilitate. Hugh Kinsella-Cunnigham met some of the people trying to rebuild their lives.Regional leaders in the Middle East are focusing their attention on the second stage of the ceasefire – and the continuation of the hostage and prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas. Some hardliners in the Knesset are demanding a resumption of the war, which worries families still waiting for their relatives to be released, reports Wyre Davies.Ecuador goes to the polls this weekend, in a vote which is seen by many as a referendum on President Daniel Noboa's hardline war on the country's criminal gangs, which critics say has led to innocent people arrested and detained. Ione Wells reports from the city of Guayaquil.A recent survey in Malaysia revealed more than 70 per cent of young Malaysians are in debt. Officials says this is down to a ‘shopping addiction’ and the growth of ‘flex culture’ on social media. Hannah Gelbart went to find out more about the country's appetite to spend.In an age of translation apps achieving fluency in a foreign language can perhaps seem a futile exercise. Undeterred, Lucy Ash recently moved to Berlin to learn German. After making little progress, she moved to the country’s Baltic coast where she volunteered as a farm hand - and could finally escape the multitude of English-speakers in the capital.Series producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie HillImage: Naomi at the Shirika La Umoja centre in Goma. Taken by Hugh Kinsella Cunningham
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