From Our Own Correspondent

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

Kate Adie presents stories from Iran, Norway, France, Ireland and Switzerland.
A recent marathon race in Iran caused controversy after many of the 2000 women runners ignored the country's mandatory hijab law, and ran without a head covering. Years after deadly protests rocked the country, Faranak Amidi charts how women in Iran today are continuing to defy the religious authorities on a daily basis.
Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean is home to an array of wildlife, including Polar Bears. With their survival under threat, Beth Timmins considers their future - and past - while sailing off the bay of Skansbukta.
The French have a penchant for chestnuts, and demand in the country often vastly outstrips supply. And in the chestnut groves of the Cévennes, intensifying droughts are pushing the crop to the brink. Julius Purcell met chestnut farmers keeping a centuries-old culture alive, in the face of a warming planet.
Irish pubs may be one of the Emerald Isle’s most ubiquitous exports, but Irish whiskey has dipped in popularity over the last century in part due to politics - but also increased competition. Jordan Dunbar has been following the fate of his homeland’s much-loved liquor, ever since a surprise encounter in Japan.
And finally, Switzerland is famously neutral - but what that neutrality means is a subject that preoccupies the Swiss. Everyone knows that the Swiss banked Germany's money during the second world war, but a new exhibition shows how cooperative Switzerland also was to the allies. Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison

Kate Adie introduces stories from Ukraine, Hong Kong, Australia, the USA and Laos.
Russian forces have tried to capture the city of Pokrovsk for nearly two years as it seeks to control Eastern Ukraine, but Ukrainian forces have continued to resist the advance, helped by Ukraine's innovative arms industry. Jonathan Beale met battle-scarred troops at a command centre and visited a secret missile factory.
The Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been convicted of ‘colluding with foreign forces’ under the Beijing-imposed national security law. Mr Lai had been accused of violating the law for his role in pro-democracy protests and through his newspaper, Apple Daily. Danny Vincent has been following the case.
Last weekend, two gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi beach in Sydney. 15 people were shot dead and dozens more were injured in the worst mass shooting in Australia in nearly three decades. Katy Watson has been speaking to members of Sydney's Jewish community.
In the 'Yellowstone' state of Montana the prospect of a public land sell-off has brought together unlikely allies, as cowboys and environmental activists, conservatives and progressives, have all joined forces to protect their way of life. Ellie House reports from Montana.
And we’re travelling through rural Laos where people hold a deep spiritual connection to the land, where spirits are believed to inhabit all elements of the natural world. Sara Wheeler heard how the Khmu people have held fast to their ancient beliefs in the face of a repressive government.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith