Podcast appearances and mentions of Allan Little

Is there a lack of democracy in Serbia? Can the current student-led protests topple the Government? Will this Balkan country ever join the European Union? Allan Little chairs a panel of leading Serbian politicians and analysts who face tough questions from across the nation.The panel: Marko Djuric: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Serbian Progressive Party Borko Stefanovic: Deputy Leader, Freedom and Justice Party Danica Ilic: Journalist Filip Balunovic: Research fellow, University of BelgradeProducer: Helen Towner(Image: Protestors converge in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, in March 2025 in the largest of a series of recent anti-corruption demonstrations. Credit: Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images)

Is there a lack of democracy in Serbia? Can the current student-led protests topple the Government? Will this Balkan country ever join the European Union? Allan Little chairs a panel of leading Serbian politicians and analysts who face tough questions from across the nation.The panel: Marko Djuric: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Serbian Progressive Party Borko Stefanovic: Deputy Leader, Freedom and Justice Party Danica Ilic: Journalist Filip Balunovic: Research fellow, University of Belgrade

====================================================SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1=======================================================================ASÍ ES DIOSDevoción Matutina Para Adultos 2024Narrado por: Roberto NavarroDesde: Montreal, Canada===================|| www.drministries.org ||===================28 DE DICIEMBRE EL DIOS QUE NOS HACE A TODOS UNO EN ÉL  “Padre santo, a los que me has dado guárdalos en tu nombre, para que sean uno, como lo somos nosotros” (Juan 17:11).  En junio de 2011, veinte años después de finalizada la Guerra de los Balcanes, Allan Little, que había sido corresponsal de guerra para la BBC, fue entrevistado por Jo Shaw e Igor Štiks para un medio de comunicación europeo. A la pregunta “¿Qué imágenes recuerdas de la guerra?”, Little respondió con la siguiente experiencia. “Me quedo con la imagen de un hombre bosnio de ochenta años. Le pregunté qué le había sucedido, y él me dijo que había perdido el contacto con su esposa tras tener que salir huyendo de su casa. Me dijo que su casa había sido ocupada; que su pueblo había sido ocupado; y que él llevaba dos días enteros caminando sin parar. Entonces le dije: ‘¿Le importa si le pregunto si es usted bosnio o croata?'. A lo que él me respondió: ‘Yo soy músico' “.  El anciano no cayó en la mentalidad del “nosotros contra ellos”, sino que se identificó con su arte. En el caso del cristiano, nuestra identidad debiera ser Cristo. Y en Cristo no hay serbio ni croata; no hay argentino ni chileno; no hay judío ni griego; no hay esclavo ni libre; no hay hombre ni mujer, porque todos nosotros somos uno en él.  Todos somos uno, dice claramente el apóstol Pablo en Gálatas 3:28, y eso lo aprendió de Cristo, quien oró pidiendo que seamos uno, así como Dios es uno (lee Juan 17:11). No es por nuestra cultura, nuestro origen o nuestro estatus; no es por nuestra manera de pensar ni por nuestro género. Es por nuestra identificación con la fe en Cristo, con el pacto eterno que Dios ha querido establecer con el ser humano, con el sacrificio hecho por nosotros en la Cruz, con el compromiso adquirido públicamente mediante el bautismo.  ¿Es Cristo tu identidad? Solo cuando llegue a serlo dejarás de polarizarte, de entrar en divisiones ni partidismos, de generar bandos y vivir en conflicto. Al identificarte con Cristo, te estás identificando con aquel que no entiende de divisiones, sino de unidad, y que está dispuesto a producir esa unidad en nosotros. “Con Cristo estoy crucificado, y ya no vivo yo, sino que Cristo vive en mí. Y lo que ahora vivo en la carne, lo vivo por la fe en el Hijo de Dios, quien me amó y se entregó a sí mismo por mí” (Gál. 2:20). 

Allan Little speaks to the Trinidadian human rights activist Jason Jones. He is campaigning to legalise consensual sex for homosexuals on his native island, and hopes that the case will have repercussions for similar laws in other countries. But will it be enough to change cultural attitudes?

Allan Little speaks to Kim Aris, the son of the ousted civilian leader of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi. Now a political prisoner approaching the age of 80 and in declining health, what is her fate and that of the country she left her family to serve?

Allan Little recounts his journey from his student days in Edinburgh to working as a journalist the front lines of Cold War history in Eastern Europe and beyond. In 1989 he found himself on the night shift at the BBC's Today programme in London when the Berlin Wall fell. Witnessing the world change in real time Allan's desire to be part of these monumental events grew stronger. He shares is his experience as a journalist during the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Allan describes the electrifying atmosphere of Wenceslas Square and the fear of a violent crackdown. Allan also takes us to Romania during the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu's brutal regime. He recounts in detail the chaos, the gunfire, and the bloody reality of the revolution's human cost . The episode also delves into his time covering the 1991 Gulf War in Baghdad. He describes the eerie experience of watching the city being bombed from his hotel room and the resilience of the people around him. As the episode draws to a close, Allan reflects on the lessons he's learned from his career. He reminds us that while we may know what a society is transitioning from, we should be cautious in predicting what it is transitioning to. His insights are a powerful reminder of the complexities of history and the importance of journalism. Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode357/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Allan Little visits the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, which re-opened last year after a £68 million transformation and is now a finalist for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023. He talks to Director Duncan Dornan and Caroline Currie, Learning and Access curator. Ahead of their performance at the St Magnus Festival in Orkney which gets underway on Friday we have a live performance from members of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's Accordion Ensemble whose theatrical performances breathe new life into existing repertoire from tango to classical. We hear from one the players who'll be performing in the ensemble and in a number of other concerts throughout the festival; BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist Ryan Corbett and Serbian born accordion professor at the RCS, Djordji Gajic who'll also perform with Ryan a duet of Puccini's Crisantemi. The winner of the Women's Prize is announced tonight. We hear live from the winner direct from the ceremony. Jamie Chambers founded The Folk Film Gathering in 2015. He explains what that is to Allan Little and introduces the focus this year on Ukrainian folk filmmaking. There are also documentaries about second sight in the Hebrides, and rarely screened Scottish classics from the 1970s. Each screening is preceded with live music and storytelling. Presenter: Allan Little Producer: Tim Prosser

Patriots, Peter Morgan's play set in Russia in 1991, traces the rise and fall of Boris Berezovsky, who helped Vladimir Putin take power. As Patriots transfers to the West End, Allan Little – who as the BBC's Moscow correspondent met Berezovsky – talks to the director Rupert Goold and Will Keen, winner of an Olivier Award for his performance as Vladimir Putin. The V&A Photography Centre opens this week, the largest suite of galleries in the UK dedicated to a permanent photography collection. Allan is joined by curator Marta Weiss and AI deep fake photographer Jake Elwes. DJ Taylor won the 2003 Whitbread Prize for Biography for his first telling of George Orwell's life. He reveals why, twenty years later, he's returned to the subject with the publication of Orwell: The New Life. Presenter: Allan Little Producer: Timothy Prosser

Allan Little takes us on a journey into Scotland's recent history. Fifty years ago a radical theatrical event captured the nation's state of political and social flux, and helped fuel a growing debate about devolution and independence. As Scotland once more considers its future place in the UK and Europe, what part did 7:84 theatre company's The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil play in shaping attitudes in the decades since? John McGrath's play was first performed in April 1973 at a conference in Edinburgh called ‘What Kind of Scotland?' The audience of academics, activists and writers had gathered to debate Scotland's economic and political future at a time when nationalism was on the rise and concern was growing about the fair distribution of North Sea oil revenues. The play charted the exploitation of Scotland's natural resources, starting with the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries, when crofters were forcibly evicted from their homes to make way for more profitable Cheviot sheep. The Stag refers to the later commercialisation of deerstalking and grouse shooting for the benefit of landowners on large Highland estates. As for the oil – North Sea reserves had only recently been discovered when the play was written 50 years ago. 7:84 believed the windfall profits from oil and gas would fall into the hands of American corporations. The show went on the road, playing at schools and community halls across the Highlands, sometimes to as few as a dozen people. Many audience members had never been to see a play before. They were farmers and fisherfolk, and often the direct descendants of families who had suffered in the Clearances. In the north-east, the show resonated with communities whose lives were rapidly changing because of the burgeoning North Sea oil boom. While many were excited by the prosperity and opportunity oil would bring, others feared that Scotland's resources would once more be plundered, this time by American multinationals and the Westminster exchequer. Through archive sources and fresh new interviews with cast members, historians, campaigners and writers, Allan explores the ways in which The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black Black Oil influenced not just the politics of the time but cultural perceptions of Scotland and Scottishness. Photo: Jonathan Sumberg Producer: Hugh Costello A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Welcome to episode two of Brave New Media – a global podcast featuring journalists and editors from around the world telling their stories as part of our mission to help create a healthier media ecosystem. In each episode a specialist digs deep into the issues uncovered by our Brave New Media outlets, and offers solutions. In this episode we explore the stories of Katerina Sergatskova and Roman Stepanovych in Ukraine, they describe turning their culture and society digital platform Zaborona into a war-reporting operation, literally overnight. Zaborona means taboo in Ukrainian, which is what Katerina Sergatskova set out to break when she founded this multi-media platform with her partner Roman amid the new freedoms that flourished after Ukraine's Maidan Revolution in 2014. But everything changed when the Russians invaded in February this year. Katerina and her partner Roman explain the lessons they had to learn quickly about how to cover war in their own country, how to become eyewitnesses and chroniclers of terrible events. Veteran BBC war correspondent Allan Little finds much in their stories that resonates with his own experiences, and he reflects on the need to expose myth-making in wartime, and on the virtue of bearing witness. But how do you stay motivated and committed when your mission to reveal injustice has no apparent effect? A transcript is available on the Brave New Media homepage or here: shorturl.at/jwX14 -- Show Links:https://zaborona.com/https://www.facebook.com/zaboronahttps://www.instagram.com/zaborona_com/https://twitter.com/zaborona_mediahttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJrtV4HxObQ5j9DyNE_CiSg -- More information on Zaborona:  Zaborona Media is an online publication covering social challenges, freedoms and security, championing those who stand up for basic rights and try to bring about positive change. Zaborona publishes reports, investigations, documentary video projects, comics and multimedia formats (podcasts and visual stories).  Zabarona has a team of over 30 people. Its funding model consists of contributions from readers on the online membership platform, Patreon, and grants from international organisations and partnerships.  It has an audience reach of around one million per month on its platforms, over 45 per cent of whom are female. Its largest audience is based in Ukraine (80 per cent), with 3 per cent in Russia and Poland, and less than 2 per cent in Austria, Germany and the US. The bulk of its listeners are in the 18-34 age group (40 per cent), closely followed by the 35-54 age group (39.5 per cent). Zaborona recently became a laureate of the Free Media Awards from the Frittord Foundation and Di Zeit Foundation.  We asked Zabarona's founders to describe their recent successes, and hopes and fears for the future. Which of your recent stories are you most proud of and why? Since the beginning of the invasion Zaborona focuses mostly on the coverage of war crimes and the human scale of the war. We report from the regions that are affected by the Russian aggression more than others; we speak to people who survive constant attacks. The most important story for us so far is the investigation of the attack on the Mariupol drama theater. The world still does not know how many people died in this bomb attack, and how many survived. We conducted interviews with dozens of people and you will hear more about that very soon. Where do you hope to be in a year's time? What do you need to get there? Let's hope that the war will be over soon and we will be able to focus on other things. For now, we as Ukrainian media are surviving, but we also have a lot to say to the world about our experience and expertise. We would like to show what it is like to live with the invasion, and what kind of world we would like to see afterwards. What's your greatest fear for the future of media in Ukraine? Media in Ukraine are on the edge of their capacity. People are very tired of the war since it is a great stress, and we face great threats on a daily basis. So my fear is that many very good Ukrainain media will not survive, and many journalists will quit their jobs and even the profession. Society is already very traumatised, and it will worsen. Brave New Media is presented by Maha Taki and is A Holy Mountain Production, produced by Saskia Black, for BBC Media Action - the BBC's international charity. To contact us, email: media.action@bbc.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How is the world going to get to net zero by 2050 and who is paying the bill? Former governor of the Bank of England, and UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, Mark Carney, recently put the figure we need to spend at 100 trillion dollars at least. Switching to renewable sources of energy, needs the global financial markets to pay for the necessary infrastructure. Costs will come down as the technology improves; take the example of solar panels where the last two decades have seen an astounding 96% drop, from 10 dollars a watt to 25 cents. Allan Little investigates innovate companies investing in green energy; direct air carbon capture technology and a plant producing the greenest aluminium in the world thanks to geothermal power. But the road to net zero is fragile, and vulnerable to geopolitical events. Every solution to global warming has an impact and unintended consequences. What is the real cost of getting to net zero? Presenter: Allan Little Producer: Anna Horsbrugh-Porter Editor: Susan Marling A Just Radio production for BBC World Service (Photo: Solar power plant, in Fujian Province, China. Credit: Getty Images)

When Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak cross the Downing Street threshold, Britain's most senior civil servant will take them into the cabinet room to brief them on nuclear codes, critical national security threats and vital economic data. Gus O'Donnell was that civil servant and oversaw the transition from Blair to Brown, and Brown to Cameron. Lord O'Donnell has some candid advice for the next PM on how to rebuild trust with the British people. And following his death, can a line be drawn from Mikhail Gorbachev and what is happening in Ukraine today? We speak to the journalists Allan Little and Anne Applebaum. Producer: Gabriel Radus Planning: Melissa Tutesigensi Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes Executive Producer: Dino Sofos For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/ The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Allan Little investigates the best way to capture, store and redistribute the renewable sources of energy freely available all over the world – wind, solar and hydro. The sun gives earth enough potential power in one hour to provide the total energy needs of the globe for a year – if only we could catch and store it. From a purely economic angle, the costs of renewables are now cheaper than fossil fuels. So what is holding us back from harnessing the power of the sun and wind to secure our net-zero future? Vested interests in traditional energies for one, but also local controversies over the disruption involved in building big, renewable power stations; they're often unwelcome and unwanted. Allan heads to one of the windiest places on earth, the Shetland Islands, north-east of the Scottish mainland. A remote, beautiful, isolated collection of archipelagos, Shetland is leading the way for transitioning out of fossil fuels to on and off-shore wind farms, green hydrogen production and the laying of thousands of kilometres of cables under the sea to the mainland. But opposition is vocal and sustained; parts of the local community feel the environmental damage to the natural peatlands, which are natural carbon capture havens, and the physical change to Shetland's landscape with vast wind farms being put up, are a step too far. They back green energy - but just not the vast amounts being planned. Presenter: Allan Little Producer: Anna Horsbrugh-Porter A Just Radio production for BBC World Service Image: An overhead view of a wind turbine, part of the Burradale wind farm, outside Lerwick in the Shetland Islands on September 8, 2021 (Credit: William Edwards/AFP via Getty Images)

Allan Little looks at the challenges we face as we wean ourselves off gas and oil to renewable sources powering our cars, trucks, ships and aeroplanes. Green transport is crucial to a net zero future, but how transparent are the supply chains bringing the world the components we need? And how green is the electricity we are using to power electric cars anyway? Cobalt and Lithium, two essential minerals crucial for electric car batteries are mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile - and at great human and environmental cost. Transport accounts for over a third of our Carbon Dioxide emissions worldwide; there is no other option but to switch to electric vehicles. However motorists are often still sceptical about electric cars; they're perceived to be expensive, difficult to recharge and unable to manage long distances. One of the biggest motor companies in the world, Ford, has just launched its first Electric Truck – targeting America's blue-collar workers with this rugged, powerful, green machine. Will it work? Apart from driving, it is being marketed as offering independence and freedom from the grid; at the flick of a switch the trucks can send electricity back the other way, and can power a home for days.

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 Malaysia. Whatever the truth, the execution of Nagaenthran Dharmalingam was provided a moment of reflection in Singapore when it comes to the country's tough justice system, reports Suranjana Tewari. Journalism has long been a risky business in The Philippines - nearly a hundred journalists have been murdered there in the past decade. So when one receives a death threat there, they know it's to be taken seriously. And that's what happened to Howard Johnson, as the country's presidential election starts to heat up. He has found himself under fire from internet trolls who have taken exception to his attempt to pose the tough questions to election front-runner Bong Bong Marcos - son of the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. Somalia is a country which has suffered its fair share of problems – and to outsiders, it is seen perhaps as a country savaged by war. And yet, there is a side to Somalia and Somalian people which we never get to see, says Mary Harper. For a start, she says, wherever they settle, one thing you can be sure of is there'll be a place to get a bit of personal pampering – and with it, the chance to learn more about the reality of Somalian culture.

Since the Taliban took power last year, more than half a million Afghans have lost their jobs, and the country now faces a severe economic crisis. There was a glimmer of hope for secondary school girls this week though as they prepared to go back to school - but it was short-lived, says Secunder Kermani. Allan Little reflects on the parallels between this war and a previous conflict, in the former Yugoslavia, where cities also came under siege as Serbian nationalists sought to take back control of the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Bosnians, like the Ukrainians, while out-powered, put up a courageous resistance, and, in that conflict, Nato ultimately decided to intervene. International observers are increasingly worried that a cash-strapped Palestinian Authority could face financial collapse. Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund described the fiscal outlook as “dire." Meanwhile vital healthcare services are being dramatically affected. Yolande Knell visited a hospital in East Jerusalem. Texas has the most restrictive abortion law in the United States. But for some Texans the law doesn't go far enough – they want a complete ban. The campaign to outlaw abortion altogether is being played out in towns across this huge state led by evangelical Christians. Linda Pressly visits west Texas to meet some of the activists. Oaxaca city in Mexico has become a much-desired location for destination weddings for both Europeans and North Americans. But the community there is divided over whether this is a helpful source of income for the locals, or an exercise in exploitation which ends up eroding the indigenous culture and customs finds Louis Harnett O'Meara. Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Recent polls suggest a growing majority of people in Scotland now favour independence, so what's behind the change since the 2014 referendum when 55% of voters chose to remain in the Union? How likely is another vote considering Boris Johnson has said it's not going to happen and what issues are likely to dominate campaigning if it does?David Aaronovitch asks the experts:Allan Little reported widely on devolution and the questions around Scottish independence as a BBC special correspondent. Sir John Curtice is a Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University, and Chief Commentator on the What UK Thinks Jess Sargeant is a Senior Researcher at The Institute for Government where she focusses on devolution. Lynsey Bews, is a Political Correspondent for BBC Scotland Alistair Grant is a Political Correspondent for The Herald newspaper. Producers: Kirtseen Knight, Beth Sagar-Fenton and Joe Kent Studio manager: Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon

BBC Foreign Correspondent, Allan Little talks to Angela Knight about how he became seriously ill in hospital with Lyme Disease, even though all his blood tests had been negative.

In a highly charged debate, an audience of Zimbabweans debates the upcoming presidential elections, land reform, the economic crisis and the legacy of the former President, Robert Mugabe.Allan Little chairs the public debate with Paul Mangwana of Zanu PF, Welshman Ncube of the MDC Alliance, Fadzayi Mahere – independent parliamentary candidate, and Trevor Ncube – the journalist and publisher.BBC World Questions is a series of international events created in partnership with the British Council.(Photo: A supporter of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party waves the flag of Zimbabwe. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

This month's World Questions comes from the Czech Republic and tackles some of the big questions facing the country. In the capital, Prague, Allan Little brings politicians and commentators together to answer questions from the public. There was heated debate about billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis who has been struggling for months to form a coalition government. Which political direction should the country now take on issues like immigration, the health service, membership of the EU and foreign relations? All these were debated in the Archa Theatre, Prague in front of a large audience. BBC World Questions is a series of international events created in partnership with the British Council. (Photo: Cityscape of Prague, Credit: Getty Images)

BBC World Questions comes to Moscow to discuss the future of Russia 100 years after the Russian Revolution of 1917.From the Digital October building, in the heart of the capital, BBC presenter Allan Little and a panel of politicians and thinkers debate the key issues facing the nation, with a lively audience. The state of democracy in Russia, Russia's role in the world, the 2018 Presidential elections and more. All questions come directly from our public audience.Our panel comprises of the former Russian Prime Minister and current leader of the People's Freedom Party (PARNAS), Mikhail Kasyanov, the director of Institute of Democracy and Cooperation, Natalia Narochnitskaya, the President and Founder of the American University in Moscow, Dr Edward Lozansky and the human rights campaigner Polina Nemirovskaia .(Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow Photo credit: Getty Images)

This was the year of 'post-truth' politics, fake news and when some of the foundations of how global politics and trade are determined have been questioned. In many ways this has been a year when the silent majority has become vocal, and when old certainties have been questioned. The BBC's Allan Little examines what really happened in the last 12 months and asks, what next?

Looking back at some historic FOOC despatches: Allan Little, Bridget Kendall, Emma Jane Kirby, Steve Evans and Gabriel Gatehouse read pieces by Fergal Keane, Caroline Wyatt, Charles Wheeler, John Crawley and Kevin Connolly

Includes Fergal Keane's 1996 Letter to Daniel and Allan Little in Kinshasa as President Mobutu fell in 1997

June the 28th 1914 was the day Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Ferdinand. It led to the start of the First World War. Allan Little considers why today's Sarajevo is divided over whether Princip was a hero or a terrorist. President al-Sisi's new regime in Cairo: Louisa Loveluck's been finding out whether Egyptians regret voting in a new era of authoritarianism. Brazil has one of the world's worst crack cocaine problems: Katy Watson's been to see a government project which is trying to address it. Aidan O'Donnell visits a sacred city in the Horn of Africa. It is also noted for its production of beer. And while India's new rulers are keen to promote the use of Hindi, Craig Jeffrey's been finding out that the English language is still omnipresent, creeping into even unexpected corners of everyday society.

June the 28th 1914 was the day Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Ferdinand. It led to the start of the First World War. Allan Little considers why today's Sarajevo is divided over whether Princip was a hero or a terrorist. President al-Sisi's new regime in Cairo: Louisa Loveluck's been finding out whether Egyptians regret voting in a new era of authoritarianism. Brazil has one of the world's worst crack cocaine problems: Katy Watson's been to see a government project which is trying to address it. Aidan O'Donnell visits a sacred city in the Horn of Africa. It is also noted for its production of beer. And while India's new rulers are keen to promote the use of Hindi, Craig Jeffrey's been finding out that the English language is still omnipresent, creeping into even unexpected corners of everyday society.

Reporters' despatches: already this year more than seven thousand people have been killed in the upsurge of violence in Iraq. Andrew Hosken explores a country full of widows, orphans and frightened people mourning the loss of loved ones. In America, two significant anniversaries - Allan Little has been to the locations involved, Gettysburg and Dallas, and uncovers surprising revelations about the state of the USA today. The president of Bulgaria's talking of 'emergency' as demonstrations against the government show no sign of letting up - Emma Jane Kirby's been talking to the protestors in the capital, Sofia. Peter Day visits a Chinese village where they haven't yet turned their backs on the 'Great Helmsman' Mao tse Tung. And as the big Thanksgiving Day American football matches approach, Mike Wendling reflects on a sport facing difficult questions about the safety of its players. The producer of From Our Own Correspondent is Tony Grant

Reporters' despatches: already this year more than seven thousand people have been killed in the upsurge of violence in Iraq. Andrew Hosken explores a country full of widows, orphans and frightened people mourning the loss of loved ones. In America, two significant anniversaries - Allan Little has been to the locations involved, Gettysburg and Dallas, and uncovers surprising revelations about the state of the USA today. The president of Bulgaria's talking of 'emergency' as demonstrations against the government show no sign of letting up - Emma Jane Kirby's been talking to the protestors in the capital, Sofia. Peter Day visits a Chinese village where they haven't yet turned their backs on the 'Great Helmsman' Mao tse Tung. And as the big Thanksgiving Day American football matches approach, Mike Wendling reflects on a sport facing difficult questions about the safety of its players. The producer of From Our Own Correspondent is Tony Grant

Allan Little talks to the acclaimed actor, writer and director Steven Berkoff. He's spent over 50 years in the theatre and on film, rocking the establishment with his outspoken and often angry views. His work ranges from appearances in A Clockwork Orange and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; to adaptations of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis. He has also written a number of his own plays – one of which he appeared in at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He believes the art world is letting audiences down by abandoning serious, quality drama to pursue mass audiences. So what is theatre – art or entertainment?Picture: Steven Berkoff, Credit: Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

Allan Little says there are deep disagreements among the cardinals as they prepare to elect a new pope. They are voting too in the Falklands. Caroline Wyatt says the result is in little doubt. But what will they make of it in Argentina? Stephen Sackur has been in Tunisia, a land which has been in deep political crisis since the shooting last month of a prominent critic of the government. How should a town handle the legacy of being the birthplace of a notorious dictator? Bethany Bell's been asking that question in Georgia and in Austria - and getting a variety of answers. And Steve Rosenberg went to interview a former leader of the Soviet Union. Little did he know he'd end up accompanying him on the piano!

Allan Little says there are deep disagreements among the cardinals as they prepare to elect a new pope. They are voting too in the Falklands. Caroline Wyatt says the result is in little doubt. But what will they make of it in Argentina? Stephen Sackur has been in Tunisia, a land which has been in deep political crisis since the shooting last month of a prominent critic of the government. How should a town handle the legacy of being the birthplace of a notorious dictator? Bethany Bell's been asking that question in Georgia and in Austria - and getting a variety of answers. And Steve Rosenberg went to interview a former leader of the Soviet Union. Little did he know he'd end up accompanying him on the piano!

As the year draws to an end, Kate Adie presents a feast of highlights from correspondents' despatches across 2012. Fucshia Dunlop is in Shanghai, dancing the the city's glamourous past. Lucy Ash is challenged by a call of nature in Russia's Siberian wilderness. Kate McGowan decides against boiled duck foetus for breakfast in Manila. Allan Little uncovers the great egg crisis in the Falkland Islands. Emma Jane Kirby is feeling distinctly under dressed as she takes a table in St Tropez. And Will Grant discovers that Mexico's 'Day of the Dead' is a suprizingly uplifting experience.

As the year draws to an end, Kate Adie presents a feast of highlights from correspondents' despatches across 2012. Fucshia Dunlop is in Shanghai, dancing the the city's glamourous past. Lucy Ash is challenged by a call of nature in Russia's Siberian wilderness. Kate McGowan decides against boiled duck foetus for breakfast in Manila. Allan Little uncovers the great egg crisis in the Falkland Islands. Emma Jane Kirby is feeling distinctly under dressed as she takes a table in St Tropez. And Will Grant discovers that Mexico's 'Day of the Dead' is a suprizingly uplifting experience.

Reporters worldwide provide context to the week's news. Today: South Africa's ANC at the crossroads? As the party prepares for conference, its figurehead Nelson Mandela in fragile health, Andrew Harding reads the political runes at a critical time for the country. Allan Little is in the Polish city of Wroclaw observing how old allegiances and old identities are emerging in the new Europe. Now what's the attraction of the 'mitten' or 'hairy' crab? At this time of year in eastern China they're much in demand and Fuchsia Dunlop's been finding out why. Not many of our correspondents have got to meet the president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang. Stephen Sackur has though and asked him questions the president thought impertinent and malicious. And is getting dementia really the end of the world? The Dutch authorities have created a village for dementia sufferers which is pioneering a new sort of care.

Reporters worldwide provide context to the week's news. Today: South Africa's ANC at the crossroads? As the party prepares for conference, its figurehead Nelson Mandela in fragile health, Andrew Harding reads the political runes at a critical time for the country. Allan Little is in the Polish city of Wroclaw observing how old allegiances and old identities are emerging in the new Europe. Now what's the attraction of the 'mitten' or 'hairy' crab? At this time of year in eastern China they're much in demand and Fuchsia Dunlop's been finding out why. Not many of our correspondents have got to meet the president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang. Stephen Sackur has though and asked him questions the president thought impertinent and malicious. And is getting dementia really the end of the world? The Dutch authorities have created a village for dementia sufferers which is pioneering a new sort of care.

Presenter Kate Adie's in Sarajevo along with Allan Little and Jeremy Bowen. All three of them correspondents who reported from the Bosnian war 20 years ago. Also today Owen Bennett Jones on a controversial group of Iranian exiles whose camp in Iraq is about to be closed down. Pascale Harter's in Iceland talking of life in a town which remains in the shade from October to February. While Simon Worrall goes to northern France with questions about what exactly happened in a battle more than seventy years ago.

Presenter Kate Adie's in Sarajevo along with Allan Little and Jeremy Bowen. All three of them correspondents who reported from the Bosnian war 20 years ago. Also today Owen Bennett Jones on a controversial group of Iranian exiles whose camp in Iraq is about to be closed down. Pascale Harter's in Iceland talking of life in a town which remains in the shade from October to February. While Simon Worrall goes to northern France with questions about what exactly happened in a battle more than seventy years ago.

That windswept outpost of Britishness in the South Atlantic again causes tension between Britain and Argentina as the anniversary of the Falklands War approaches. Fergal Keane is in Buenos Aires where a longing to redeem the islands is deeply felt; Allan Little's in the capital of the Falklands, Port Stanley, finding out they are more concerned there about shortages of fruit, veg and eggs. Mark Lowen's our man in Athens where Greeks are becoming increasingly angry with the way their government's handling their debt crisis. Did you know the Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum's family comes from Lake Garda in northern Italy. No? Well nor did most of the people living there until Christine Finn told them! And Alastair Leithead's been to a village in southern Mexico to see how the government is trying to impress descendants of the great Mayan civilisation.

That windswept outpost of Britishness in the South Atlantic again causes tension between Britain and Argentina as the anniversary of the Falklands War approaches. Fergal Keane is in Buenos Aires where a longing to redeem the islands is deeply felt; Allan Little's in the capital of the Falklands, Port Stanley, finding out they are more concerned there about shortages of fruit, veg and eggs. Mark Lowen's our man in Athens where Greeks are becoming increasingly angry with the way their government's handling their debt crisis. Did you know the Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum's family comes from Lake Garda in northern Italy. No? Well nor did most of the people living there until Christine Finn told them! And Alastair Leithead's been to a village in southern Mexico to see how the government is trying to impress descendants of the great Mayan civilisation.

Twenty-six planeloads of Libyans arriving in Amman: Matthew Teller on how the downfall of Colonel Gaddafi's providing an economic windfall for Jordan. Pauline Davies learns what's meant by marriage Papua New Guinea-style at the nuptials of her niece there - she was, it seems, a four-pig bride. Aidan Lewis finds himself the subject of police scrutiny as he explores the troubled relationship between Morocco and Western Sahara. Mark Tully's finding out if the residents of Delhi really do resent the fact that their city was created as the capital of the British Raj ... and Allan Little's been meeting some of those behind the creation of the European single currency - he asks them: what on earth's gone wrong?

Twenty-six planeloads of Libyans arriving in Amman: Matthew Teller on how the downfall of Colonel Gaddafi's providing an economic windfall for Jordan. Pauline Davies learns what's meant by marriage Papua New Guinea-style at the nuptials of her niece there - she was, it seems, a four-pig bride. Aidan Lewis finds himself the subject of police scrutiny as he explores the troubled relationship between Morocco and Western Sahara. Mark Tully's finding out if the residents of Delhi really do resent the fact that their city was created as the capital of the British Raj ... and Allan Little's been meeting some of those behind the creation of the European single currency - he asks them: what on earth's gone wrong?

"The army was rotten to the core and could not put up a fight" - Kinshasa, May 1997 Owen Bennett Jones introduces an archive despatch from the country then still known as Zaire. Allan Little describes the last days of the Mobutu regime and the advance of Laurent Kabila's forces.

"The army was rotten to the core and could not put up a fight" - Kinshasa, May 1997 Owen Bennett Jones introduces an archive despatch from the country then still known as Zaire. Allan Little describes the last days of the Mobutu regime and the advance of Laurent Kabila's forces.

A dead man's suitcase in Cape Town transports Tim Butcher from today's Africa via World War Two Italy to Renaissance Tuscany. The most cosseted pets in the world: it's no dog's life, says Joanna Robertson, for the pampered pooches of Paris. High in the Himalayas Joanna Jolly goes searching for a little yellow idol which once wreaked terrible vengeance. Allan Little shares some of the jokes which have fuelled the big news stories in years gone by and Petroc Trelawny on the extraordinary history of Odessa and its enduring passion for music.

A dead man's suitcase in Cape Town transports Tim Butcher from today's Africa via World War Two Italy to Renaissance Tuscany. The most cosseted pets in the world: it's no dog's life, says Joanna Robertson, for the pampered pooches of Paris. High in the Himalayas Joanna Jolly goes searching for a little yellow idol which once wreaked terrible vengeance. Allan Little shares some of the jokes which have fuelled the big news stories in years gone by and Petroc Trelawny on the extraordinary history of Odessa and its enduring passion for music.

A dystopian vision of Venice - Rachel Harvey's words as she watches the flood waters approaching Bangkok's city centre. Allan Little, covering the historic first Arab Spring election in Tunisia, says there aren't many days in a life spent chasing news that are as unremittingly positive as this! Jennifer Pak's in Kuala Lumpur reporting on a controversy in Malaysia over a proposal to extend Islamic law. Garreth Armstrong visits the South African town of Mafeking -- once the scene of a British military triumph, today a peaceful place with more interest in the arts than in history. And Alex Kirby takes a boat trip in Ukraine and finds that when something as finite and crucial as water has to be shared between competing needs, there are inevitably losers. The programme's introduced by Kate Adie.

A dystopian vision of Venice - Rachel Harvey's words as she watches the flood waters approaching Bangkok's city centre. Allan Little, covering the historic first Arab Spring election in Tunisia, says there aren't many days in a life spent chasing news that are as unremittingly positive as this! Jennifer Pak's in Kuala Lumpur reporting on a controversy in Malaysia over a proposal to extend Islamic law. Garreth Armstrong visits the South African town of Mafeking -- once the scene of a British military triumph, today a peaceful place with more interest in the arts than in history. And Alex Kirby takes a boat trip in Ukraine and finds that when something as finite and crucial as water has to be shared between competing needs, there are inevitably losers. The programme's introduced by Kate Adie.

A time of shifting and unexpected new relationships in Libya is explored by Allan Little. He's been meeting the Islamists, determined not only to be a part of the post-Gaddafi government but also to forge a new working relationship with the West; Chris Morris talks of the crisis in the Eurozone after visiting Greece, the Netherlands and five other European countries; it's fifty years since the people of Tristan da Cunha were evacuated as a volcano erupted on their island in the South Atlantic -- today, Chris Carneghy says their lifestyle's being challenged by developments in the modern technological world; Dany Mitzman talks of an anti-Mafia television station in Sicily which is under threat from new Italian legislation while Rajesh Mirchandani chews over the complications of South Africa's diverse history.

A time of shifting and unexpected new relationships in Libya is explored by Allan Little. He's been meeting the Islamists, determined not only to be a part of the post-Gaddafi government but also to forge a new working relationship with the West; Chris Morris talks of the crisis in the Eurozone after visiting Greece, the Netherlands and five other European countries; it's fifty years since the people of Tristan da Cunha were evacuated as a volcano erupted on their island in the South Atlantic -- today, Chris Carneghy says their lifestyle's being challenged by developments in the modern technological world; Dany Mitzman talks of an anti-Mafia television station in Sicily which is under threat from new Italian legislation while Rajesh Mirchandani chews over the complications of South Africa's diverse history.

Twenty-five years ago, a gas leak at a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal killed 8000 people. Allan Little returns to the scene of the disaster to find out why people are still suffering.