From Our Own Correspondent

Kate Adie introduces stories from the USA, Brazil, Serbia, France and China.
The cost of living is a crunch issue for many American voters but the question is whether that will favour Democrats at the ballot box or will President Donald Trump's loyalists help keep congress under Republican control? Sarah Smith takes the political temperature in Iowa and Michigan.
Brazil's incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva confounded expectations to secure victory in a second-round run-off this week. His opponent, Flavio Bolsonaro, was predicted to follow in his father’s footsteps to become the country’s next far-right leader. Ione Wells reveals how Lula turned it around.
In Serbia, long-term leader Alexander Vucic was ousted in a snap parliamentary election last weekend by The Student List – a political movement borne out of two years of anti-corruption protests. But there are challenges ahead - such as who to appoint as the country’s new president. Guy Delauney reports from Belgrade.
More protests are planned this weekend in France, where the unrest began a month ago over poor conditions in schools but have since mushroomed into larger demonstrations across the country over issues including the cost of living. Mark Lowen has been covering the protests in Paris and Marseille.
And footballer Kylian Mbappe got into hot water in China this week, after an off-the-cuff comment about his favourite internet memes – including one referencing Chairman Mao. This led to several Chinese sponsors to drop the Real Madrid superstar - but how angry were people really? Stephen McDonell reports from Beijing.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from Israel, Albania, the US and Chile.
Israel goes to the polls on Tuesday in a pivotal vote on the future direction of the country. Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is facing a serious political challenge in former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, though neither is likely to be able to win a majority reports Lucy Williamson.
Student protesters have faced-off against riot police in Albania for nearly a fortnight in violent clashes, with many demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. This follows weeks of largely peaceful demonstrations over the rising cost of living and education – and the environmental impact of a planned luxury tourist development. Nick Thorpe has been in the capital Tirana.
In the Republican state of Nebraska, many American ranchers say they're being hit from all sides as a result of drought, wildfires, and government policies - including the decision to import duty-free foreign beef and the rising cost of fuel due to the Iran war. The economic pinch has left some reassessing their political allegiances ahead of the mid-term elections, finds Sheila Flynn.
Chile’s capital Santiago is having its wettest October on record. In one intense storm, a month's worth of rain poured down in under 20 minutes. Residents are blaming ‘El Nino Godzilla’ – this year’s super-powered version of the weather phenomenon. Jane Chambers reveals how it’s affecting daily life.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from Saudi Arabia, India, Lithuania, the Faroe Islands and Australia.
Saudi Arabia has vowed to respond to recent attacks on the kingdom's airports and oil facilities by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. The Houthis said they launched the attacks in retaliation for 'brutal Saudi aggression' against areas they control in Yemen. Frank Gardner reflects on the growing challenge facing the Saudi military.
India witnessed another wave of demonstrations this week, led by the Cockroach Janata Party - a Gen-Z led protest movement. Previous protests led to the resignation of India’s education minister, and now the movement is calling on the country’s electoral commission chief do the same. Azadeh Moshiri has been in Delhi.
Germany is permanently stationing an armoured tank brigade in Lithuania, creating a combat-ready deterrent on NATO’s northeastern flank. It’s the Bundeswehr’s first permanent military deployment outside Germany since the Second World War. Lucy Ash reports from Vilnius.
The seas surrounding the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic are tough to navigate at the best of times – which is why the local government is pledging to build under it, with plans for one of the world’s longest road tunnels. Tim Ecott reports on hopes it could revive the fortunes of more remote communities.
And fairy penguins, distinguished by both their diminutive height and their blue and white feathers, can be found along the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand. But Phillip Island, in the Australian state of Victoria is home to the largest colony – some 20,000 breeding pairs. Stephen Moss went to take a look.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from France, Israel, Yemen, Greenland and the US.
France has been in the grip of nationwide school protests as students protest the dire state of the country's schools. Aside from the demands for classroom improvements, they've inflamed wider concerns over future prospects and political division, says James Waterhouse.
Memorial events took place in Israel this week to mark the third anniversary of the October 7th Hamas-led attacks, that killed nearly 1200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Yolande Knell went back to Kibbutz Nir Oz which was one of the worst hit that day, with one in four of its residents killed or kidnapped.
Western Yemen has been under sustained attack by Iran-backed Houthi forces after the group took control of the Bab Al Mandeb strait. As Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces stage a fightback, the country’s civilians face continued upheaval on a constantly shifting frontline. BBC senior international investigations correspondent Nawal al-Maghafi reports from the city of Taiz.
Greenland has recently reached a security agreement with the US and Denmark, bringing an end to a months-long standoff after the Trump administration threatened to annexe the territory. Yet for many Greenlanders, it’s the increasing presence of tourists which is generating more interest – and, hopefully, more income, as Lesley Curwen discovered.
And hidden away in a New York City basement, is a team of detectives entrusted with investigating the illegal trade in antiquities, stolen from sites around the world, from Greece to Thailand, Syria to Myanmar. Sandra Kanthal met the man in charge.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from Nepal, Gaza, Ukraine, the USA and Norway.
Recent catastrophic floods have heightened fears among Nepal's many at-risk mountain communities living under the looming threat of melting glaciers. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent reports from the village and monastery of Halji in the country's high plains.
UNICEF says some 98 per cent of schools in Gaza were either destroyed or damaged during the war between Israel and Hamas, which began after the Hamas attacks of October 7 2023. In recent weeks, the Ministry of Education announced it was going ahead with the new academic year, leading to hundreds of thousands of children returning to the classroom for the first time in three years. Lina Shaikhouni has been speaking to one teenage girl about her experience.
This week Ukraine suffered the biggest attack on its energy infrastructure since the Spring. Relentless Russian drone strikes are now common across the capital and other major cities. BBC diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams reports from Kyiv on the changing nature of the war.
For decades, many in Florida’s Cuban-American community have dreamed of regime change on the Communist-run island, which many left as children. Will Grant met a group of Cuban-American entrepreneurs in Miami formulating plans for the future.
When Norway’s capital Oslo was in the process of transforming its waterfront from an industrial space to one for public recreation, city planners initially knocked back a maverick idea to launch floating saunas in the fjord. But a local footballer took a selfie next to the initial prototype – and the idea took off. Chelsea Coates has been to test it out.
Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith