Podcast appearances and mentions of Anu Anand

Why has the American Evangelical leader Johnnie Moore been chosen to chair the Gaza Humanitarian Fund? How will slipping data collection standards in the US undermine critics of the Trump administration? What is the rationale behind President Donald Trump's latest travel ban placed on 12 countries? Giles Whittell is joined by journalist Anu Anand, along with The Observer's Katie Riley and Jasper Corbett, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper's book, Original Sin alleges that officials working for Biden's administration tried to keep what they describe as the president's mental decline hidden. Is the media guilty of sensationalising Cassie Ventura's testimony and the trial involving Sean ‘Diddy' Combs? Why are changes to the fisheries policies between the EU and UK causing such a fuss?Giles Whittell is joined by Anu Anand, Stephen Armstrong and Patricia Clarke as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live:LIVE from Hay Festival on Thursday 29th May - with Chloe Dalton LIVE at SXSW on Wednesday 4th June - with Coco KhanLIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Read more about the team's guilty pleasure news stories here:British mountaineer breaks his own record for most Everest climbs by a non-NepaliListen to more of the Observer's coverage on today's stories here: The Slow Newscast: The Clooney Intervention The Case against Sean CombsFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producers: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will there be any repercussions after top US security officials accidentally added the editor of the Atlantic to a Signal group used to plan airstrikes in Yemen? New government, new Spring Statement, but is this the same old politics? And why we need to talk about the growing fashion scene in Bath.Giles Whittell is joined by journalist Anu Anand, Bath Spa University Chancellor Sharanjit Leyl and Tortoise's Chloe Hadjimatheou, as they battle it out and try to pitch the top story of the day. **Join us at the next edition of the News Meeting Live on Tuesday 29th April here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-2 Get in touch and let us know what you think should lead the news. Send a voice note to newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.com Follow us on Social Media: @tortoise on IG and X, @tortoisemedia on tiktok @tortoisemedia.bsky.social on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor at TortoiseEmail: newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.comProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Friday! We're bringing you a bonus episode this Friday featuring an interview from our Times Radio afternoon show (2-4pm, Monday to Thursday). Fi speaks to journalists Anu Anand—who is raising money to help female Afghan journalists fighting for their profession—and Nabila, a 26-year-old exiled Afghan journalist in Pakistan. Anu's GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/afghan-journalist-refugees The next book club pick has been announced! Eight Months on Ghazzah Street is by Hilary Mantel. If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radio Follow us on Instagram! @janeandfi Podcast Producer: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anu Anand presents a lively debate over the lack of affordable healthcare, access to clean water, racial disparities, the war in Gaza and the upcoming Presidential election in the swing state of Michigan, USA. The panel: Sarah Anthony – Democrat State Senator John Damoose – Republican State Senator Professor Matt Grossmann – Michigan State University Kaitlyn Buss – Assistant Editorial Page Editor, The Detroit News Jennifer Root –Executive Director of SEIU union, Michigan Producer: Helen Towner

World Questions is in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Leading politicians and academics take questions from a public audience. Membership of the European Union, relations with neighbouring Russia and the environment are all up for discussion in a unique debate chaired by Anu Anand. The panel: Mariam Lashkhi: MP for the governing party, Georgian Dream Party and Deputy chair of the Foreign Affairs select committee Tina Bokuchava: MP for the opposition party, United National Movement (UNM) Kornely Kakachia: Professor of Political Science at Tbilisi State University Levan Ghambashidze: Philosopher Producer: Helen Towner

This week, we hear from artists who've been making a difference in their local communities. Sudanese filmmaker Hajooj Kuka first spoke to The Cultural Frontline in 2019 when he was filming the protests taking place after Sudanese President Al Bashir had been deposed following 30 years of authoritarian rule. Anu Anand catches up with Hajooj to hear about the community filmmaking projects he's been undertaking through his local neighborhood committee. The Russian Tajik musician and campaigner Manizha moved with her family to Russia aged four to escape the civil war in Tajikistan. A successful singer songwriter, she was the last person to represent Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest. She explains how many of her concerts have been cancelled due to her opposition to the war in Ukraine and how her music supports the work of her SILSILA foundation which helps those who have experienced domestic violence, along with championing the rights of refugees and migrants. Shine Tani is a successful Kenyan artist with his art gallery at the centre of the Banana Hill community just north of Nairobi. Shine came from a poor background, surviving by begging and performing as an acrobat on the streets with his brothers. Self-taught, he now represents over 100 artists from across the continent and his work has helped change the status of local art in the country.

This week we hear how writers and filmmakers navigate the challenges of telling stories from the past, a past that in many places around the world people are finding it harder and harder to agree upon. Nobel Prize winning author Orhan Pamuk tells Anu Anand about his new novel Nights of Plague, set on the fictional Aegean island of Mingheria. It's 1900 and the island is in the grip of plague. The novel explores themes of religion, superstition, individuality & nationalism and has caused some controversy when last year Pamuk was investigated by the Turkish state for “insulting” the founder of modern Turkey because of similarities some drew between a character in Nights of Plague, the revolutionary leader Major Kamil, and Turkey's first president Kemal Attaturk. Anna Bailey talks to Oscar winning actor Viola Davis and director Gina Prince Bythewood about finding alternative historical sources for their new movie The Woman King, about the women warriors of the ancient African kingdom of Dahomey, which is in modern day Benin. And we mark the passing of British novelist Dame Hilary Mantel, best known for her historical Wolf Hall trilogy, hearing about how novels can help us question historical orthodoxies. (Photo: Orhan Pamuk. Credit: Ahmet Bolat/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

This week Anu Anand hears from artists highlighting climate change in their work. Pakistan has seen its worst flooding in years. One artist who's addressing the climate issues facing the country in an unusual format is Taqi Shaheen. Along with fellow artist Sara Khan Pathan, he's designed an environmental strategy boardgame called Machi Wachi, set around the island of Bhit, near Karachi. ‘Megafires' have become a regular phenomenon in the US State of California. A new exhibition called Fire Transforms brings together artists from across the region, responding to the changing climate. Linda Gass uses her textile art to create a birds' eye view of changing landscapes and the preciousness of water. Documentary photographer Norma I Quintana lost her home and her studio in the Napa wine country fires in October 2017. She's been using the charred objects found in the ruins to tell the story of that experience as she explained to Andrea Kidd. The experimental orchestra, The Manchester Collective, has teamed up with the BAFTA award-winning sound recordist Chris Watson and his long-term collaborator Spanish filmmaker Carlos Casas to perform the piece Weather, by US composer Michael Gordon. It's now been reinterpreted by the Collective and includes an immersive film and soundscape of some of the habitats impacted by rising temperatures and sea levels. Anna Bailey went to a rehearsal to find out more. Artists and writers from 28 countries have come together for a project called the World Weather Network. They've created a series of ‘weather stations' and for the next year, they'll be sharing their reports through art. One of the people taking part is visual artist Derek Tumala from the Philippines. He tells us about his live, interactive project called Tropical Climate Forensics. (Image credit: Getty)

On this week's programme Anu Anand speaks to the theatre makers giving unheard and censored stories top billing. Ron Simons is a multi-award winning theatre producer, as well as an actor and film producer. He's won four Tony awards, the most of any Black Broadway producer. He explains why his mission is to put the stories and experiences of under-represented communities on stage, and make sure representation happens behind the scenes as well. The Irish actor, director, producer and Hollywood star Gabriel Byrne is performing his own story. He's created a solo show of his best-selling memoir, Walking With Ghosts, sharing moments from his childhood in Ireland, including how he turned to amateur dramatics after failing to become a priest or a plumber, right through to his major Hollywood career. Gabriel also tells reporter Paul Waters about the production that first enthralled him to the theatre. Ming-wai Lit is the founder of Hong Kong theatre company Stage 64. It was created in 2009, and for a decade, put on plays to mark the anniversary of the violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests which took place in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, on the 4th June 1989. Mention of Tiananmen Square protests is censored in China, and in Hong Kong activists have been sentenced to prison for taking part in banned vigils. Ming-wai explains why she set up Stage 64 and the importance of theatre to tell these stories. (Photo: Ron Simons. Credit: Jim Spellman/WireImage/Getty)

Welcome to The Beauty Confidential Lounge, for the Visionary who desires Sacred Alignment, I am your host Chaitali Desai.  This week join me as I speak with special guest Anu Anand.  Anu Anand is a wellness and mindset practitioner, a life coach and a certified tarot reader, angel guide and reiki healer, She has been working with both women and kids as a mindfulness practitioner and an educationist, blending psychology, intuition, reiki , mindfulness and astrology during her sessions. She is also an aspiring content writer and a poet. Stay until the end for a special reading, as Anu kindly gifts us with her poetry   To connect with Anu: Anu Anand   Join my community: The Beauty Confidential Lounge Facebook: Chaitali B. Desai Follow me on Instagram: chaitali_b_desai Please be sure to tag me @chaitali_b_desai on Instagram and share this episode with your community to help share the message, or if you or someone you know has benefited from this episode! I am curious to hear all about your experience. And please be sure to leave a review on iTunes. Until the next episode, I am wishing you a beautiful day.

The Venice Biennale was created in 1895 as an international art exhibition and after a year's delay due to Covid, it's just re-opened. Artists from across the globe have descended on the enchanting Italian city of canals and churches. There are over 1400 works on display, as well as the Pavilions from 80 countries, which will become part of the landscape of Venice over the next seven months. Finnish performance artist Pilvi Takala has impersonated a wellness consultant, a trainee at a global accountancy firm and even Snow White for her documentary style videos. For her Venice Biennale commission, Close Watch, Pilvi worked undercover for several months as a guard at one of Finland's largest shopping malls and she explained the thinking behind her project to Lucy Ash. There are 5 countries participating for the first time at the Venice art Biennale - Cameroon, Namibia, Oman, Uganda and Nepal and one of the artists who's representing Cameroon is photographer Angèle Etoundi Essamba. Angèle tells Anu Anand how she challenges the stereotypes of African women in her work and why it's important for Cameroonian artists to be part of this Biennale. In the Patagonian region which covers Chile and Argentina are peatlands, a specific type of wetland that's shaped one of the most remote landscapes in the world. Architect Alfredo Thiermann and filmmaker Dominga Sotomayor are two of the artists who've been collaborating on the Chilean Pavilion and working with the descendants of the Selk'nam people, the ancient indigenous group that inhabited that land many years ago. Their immersive video and sound installation “Turba Tol Hol-Hol Tol,” reflects the relationship between this ancestral culture and the landscapes that surrounds it, as they told reporter Constanza Hola. Like Cameroon, Nepal also has its first ever pavilion this year and the artist representing that country is Tsherin Sherpa. The title of the Pavilion is Tales of Muted Spirits – Dispersed Threads – Twisted Shangri-La, created to help dispel misconceptions about the country and to give Nepali artists and the entire country, a new voice in the world. Paul Waters went to meet Tsherin to hear more about his own work as well as the Nepali art scene. Producer: Andrea Kidd Photo: Dominga Sotomayor and Alfredo Thiermann finalising their immersive instillation. Credit: Dominga Sotomayor and Alfredo Thiermann)

Over a month into the Ukraine conflict, Anu Anand speaks to its artistic community and hears their personal stories. As ballet dancers join the front line, sculptors build road blocks and galleries protect their art, we hear from Darya Bassel, Film Producer and industry head at Kyiv's Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival about how filmmakers have been turning their lenses to the frontline. One of Ukraine's greatest writers Andrey Kurkov reflects on life in war-torn Ukraine. Like so many others he has had to leave his home with his family and Andrey has written a personal account for the BBC of what it means to become a refugee in his own homeland and of his new routine living in a country at war. Conceptual artist Pavlo Makov is representing Ukraine at this year's Venice Art Biennale. He explains how he got part of his work, The Fountain of Exhaustion, quickly got out of the country and how the piece, which started as a local idea, became a global statement about the exhaustion of humanity and a democratic world. And the story behind the viral violin orchestra video of the old Ukrainian folk song, Verbovaya Doschechka, that starts with a single player in his basement shelter. Illia Bondarenko tells us why it was important for him to be part of this project and how it was recorded between the bombing and the sirens. (Photo: Andrey Kurkov)

Lynn Price and Andi Andree were separated as young children and raised with different foster families - they didn't even know of each other's existence until they were introduced at the ages of 8 and 9. Although they eventually formed a close sibling bond, Lynn was determined to help other siblings like them and in 1995 she set up Camp To Belong where siblings separated by the foster care system could spend time together building precious memories. Andi volunteered at the camps and worked together with Lynn for many years, and the camps are still going strong today. But, as the sisters tell Anu Anand, there was another twist to come in their family story. Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: June Christie Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com (Photo: Sisters Lynn Price (L) and Andi Andree. Credit: Courtesy of Andi Andree)

Lynn Price and Andi Andree were separated as young children and raised with different foster families - they didn't even know of each other's existence until they were introduced at the ages of 8 and 9. Although they eventually formed a close sibling bond, Lynn was determined to help other siblings like them and in 1995 she set up Camp To Belong where siblings separated by the foster care system could spend time together building precious memories. Andi volunteered at the camps and worked together with Lynn for many years, and the camps are still going strong today. But, as the sisters tell Anu Anand, there was another twist to come in their family story. Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: June Christie Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com (Photo: Sisters Lynn Price (L) and Andi Andree. Credit: Courtesy of Andi Andree)

Celeste Bell's mother Poly Styrene was a punk icon who'd made her mark on music history before Celeste was even born. Her distinctive voice, neon outfits and mixed race heritage made her stand out in a punk scene that was dominated by white men, clad in dark colours and studs. Celeste tells Anu Anand about Poly Styrene's rise to fame with her band X-Ray Spex, why it all fell apart and what it was like to sing with her onstage before she died in 2011. Celeste has made a film about her mum called I am a Cliche. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Deiniol Buxton (Photo: Poly Styrene of punk band X-Ray Spex performs on stage at the Roundhouse, London, England, on January 15th, 1978. Credit: Gus Stewart/ Redferns/ Getty Images)

Celeste Bell's mother Poly Styrene was a punk icon who'd made her mark on music history before Celeste was even born. Her distinctive voice, neon outfits and mixed race heritage made her stand out in a punk scene that was dominated by white men, clad in dark colours and studs. Celeste tells Anu Anand about Poly Styrene's rise to fame with her band X-Ray Spex, why it all fell apart and what it was like to sing with her onstage before she died in 2011. Celeste has made a film about her mum called I am a Cliche. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Deiniol Buxton (Photo: Poly Styrene of punk band X-Ray Spex performs on stage at the Roundhouse, London, England, on January 15th, 1978. Credit: Gus Stewart/ Redferns/ Getty Images)

In the 93 year history of the Oscars, only seven women have been nominated in the Best Director category and just two have won. Ahead of this year's Academy Awards, Anu Anand talks to director Jane Campion and cinematographer Ari Wegner about their film The Power of the Dog. A Western set in 1920s Montana starring Benedict Cumberbatch, it has received 12 Oscar nominations – more than any other film this year and importantly, this includes history-making nominations for women in a very male-dominated film industry. Campion is now the first woman to have been nominated twice as Best Director – an otherwise all-male category – while Wegner is the only woman nominated as Best Cinematographer, only the second ever to be nominated. Dina Amer is an award-winning Egyptian-American journalist. She tells us about her debut film, You Resemble Me, which explores the troubled childhood and search for identity of a young French woman of Moroccan heritage, Hasna Aït Boulahcen, who was initially thought to be Europe's first female suicide bomber. And Australian actor, playwright, novelist and director Leah Purcell on her film The Drover's Wife: The Legend Of Molly Johnson. Set in the harsh Australian bush in 1893, Molly Johnson is desperate to keep her children safe at any cost and the film powerfully tackles themes of domestic violence and racism. The Drover's Wife was originally a short story by the 19th century writer Henry Lawson. Leah explains why this story had such an impact on her and why it was important to represent strong First Nations women in film. (Photo: Ari Wegner and Jane Campion. Credit: Netflix)

American sprinter Wyomia Tyus grew up on a dairy farm in Georgia, in the racially segregated South. When she was 14, tragedy struck her family - their house burned to the ground, and her father died shortly after. Bereft, Wyomia started running to get over her grief. She was soon spotted by the coach of the first - and only - college athletics training programme for black women in the US, and became the first person to win back to back gold medals in the 100m sprint in two consecutive Olympic Games in 1964 and 1968. Yet despite these historic achievements it is only now that she is getting recognition. She tells Anu Anand how it feels to finally get her moment in the spotlight. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Zoe Gelber (Photo: Medal winners of the women's 100 metres in the 1964 Olympic Games, with Wyomia Tyus in first place. Credit: Bettmann via Getty Images)

American sprinter Wyomia Tyus grew up on a dairy farm in Georgia, in the racially segregated South. When she was 14, tragedy struck her family - their house burned to the ground, and her father died shortly after. Bereft, Wyomia started running to get over her grief. She was soon spotted by the coach of the first - and only - college athletics training programme for black women in the US, and became the first person to win back to back gold medals in the 100m sprint in two consecutive Olympic Games in 1964 and 1968. Yet despite these historic achievements it is only now that she is getting recognition. She tells Anu Anand how it feels to finally get her moment in the spotlight. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Zoe Gelber (Photo: Medal winners of the women's 100 metres in the 1964 Olympic Games, with Wyomia Tyus in first place. Credit: Bettmann via Getty Images)

The comedy film classic Cool Runnings, about a Jamaican bobsleigh team's surprising efforts to get to the Winter Olympics, was inspired by a real story. Dudley Stokes was an officer in the Jamaican army and hadn't really heard of the sport until his superiors gave a presentation to try and recruit volunteers to take part in the country's first Olympic bobsleigh team. Some of his colleagues were put off by the danger involved as they watched a film of a bobsleigh hurtling down an icy track, but Dudley wasn't. He got on to the team as a driver and became the captain. Dudley tells Anu Anand about the difficult journey to the 1988 Winter Olympics, with only a few months training, and how he coped with a dramatic crash at the Games as the world watched. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Deiniol Buxton Photo: The Jamaican four man bobsleigh team in action at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. Credit: David Yarrow/Getty Images

The comedy film classic Cool Runnings, about a Jamaican bobsleigh team's surprising efforts to get to the Winter Olympics, was inspired by a real story. Dudley Stokes was an officer in the Jamaican army and hadn't really heard of the sport until his superiors gave a presentation to try and recruit volunteers to take part in the country's first Olympic bobsleigh team. Some of his colleagues were put off by the danger involved as they watched a film of a bobsleigh hurtling down an icy track, but Dudley wasn't. He got on to the team as a driver and became the captain. Dudley tells Anu Anand about the difficult journey to the 1988 Winter Olympics, with only a few months training, and how he coped with a dramatic crash at the Games as the world watched. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Deiniol Buxton Photo: The Jamaican four man bobsleigh team in action at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. Credit: David Yarrow/Getty Images

Nikan Khosravi, founder of Iranian heavy metal band Confess, was arrested in 2015 for his defiant lyrics and imprisoned in the country's notorious Evin jail - charged with blasphemy and anti-government propaganda. He later fled the country, gained political asylum in Norway and, undeterred, formed a new Iranian-Norwegian line-up, with an unflinching new album - Revenge At All Costs. Nikan talks to Anu Anand about his music and his experiences Plus, Tamer Nafar – the Palestinian hip-hop pioneer who grew up in Israel in a city of Palestinians and Jews, and raps in Arabic, Hebrew, and English about politics, identity, women's rights, and social justice. He tells Anu about the influence of his background and US hip hop, and his new track, The Beat Never Goes Off: recorded with 12 year-old Gaza-based rapper MC Abdul - despite being physically separated. And LGBTQ+ rap. Whilst the community don't always feel accepted or represented in rap due to the homophobia and misogyny sometimes present. Reporter Jaja Muhammad talks to two artists who boldly express identity in rap - agender New York rapper Angel Haze, and non-binary, Johannesburg-based electronic rapper, Mx Blouse. And Yvonne Chaka Chaka, ‘The Princess of Africa' - speaks to Mpho Lakaje about overcoming poverty and finding a new self through her music. (Photo: Nikan Khosravi. Credit: Eric Bransborg)

Anu Anand talks to Quentin Sommerville about the rise, fall and potential re-emergence of the Islamic State group.

Anu Anand talks to Quentin Sommerville about the rise, fall and potential re-emergence of the Islamic State group.

This week on The Cultural Frontline, Anu Anand talks to Joana Hadjithomas, who along with her filmmaking partner Khalil Joreige, use their art to question the role of memory and history. Joana tells us about her own personal journals and tapes from the early 1980s, made during the Lebanese Civil War, which inspired her latest film Memory Box. The award winning actor, playwright, director and film producer Lin-Manuel Miranda, known for his musicals In the Heights, the smash hit Hamilton and his latest Tick Tick…Boom, shares with us the musical that first influenced him – Les Misérables. With increasing tension between the studios of India's film industry and Narendra Modi's BJP government, amidst reports of growing Islamophobia across the country, writer and cultural commentator Sandip Roy explains the history of the relationship between the Indian government and the country's film industry And Filippo Scotti, who stars in the new autobiographical film, The Hand of God, by the Academy Award winning Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, speaks about his role and his admiration for Paolo as a filmmaker. (Photo: Lin-Manuel Miranda. Credit: Monica Schipper)

Anu Anand talks to Sarah Rainsford about how everyday life in Russia has changed under Vladimir Putin.

Anu Anand talks to Sarah Rainsford about how everyday life in Russia has changed under Vladimir Putin.

Anu Anand talks to Yogita Limaye about the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. They reveal how a turbulent history dictates the ever-shifting attitudes towards women and girls in the country.Presented by Anu Anand

Anu Anand talks to Yogita Limaye about the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. They reveal how a turbulent history dictates the ever-shifting attitudes towards women and girls in the country.

Anu Anand talks to Rana Rahimpour about how decades of turbulence have shaped Iran, and why religion, democracy and ideals all combine to explain Iran today.

Anu Anand talks to Rana Rahimpour about how decades of turbulence have shaped Iran, and why religion, democracy and ideals all combine to explain Iran today.

How did the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians reach its current point? Jeremy Bowen talked to Anu Anand in 2021 about the backstory behind the headlines.

How did the relationship between Israel and Palestine reach its current point? Jeremy Bowen talks to Anu Anand about the backstory behind the headlines.

Why are there democracy protests in Hong Kong? Anu Anand talks to Stephen McDonell.The Explanation is a snackable audio guide giving you the backstory behind the headlines. In each episode, presenter Anu Anand meets a BBC News correspondent who has lived and breathed these stories. She'll hear clear analysis along with powerful archive. The Explanation will go back in time to unpack complex chains of events and will make the stories in question much easier to understand.

Why are there democracy protests in Hong Kong? Anu Anand talks to Stephen McDonell. The Explanation is a concise audio guide giving you the backstory behind the headlines.

Air quality continues to be severe in Delhi, the world's most polluted national capital. The air turns especially toxic in the winter months because of unfavourable weather conditions, and farmers in neighbouring states burning crop stubble add to the problem. It gets particularly bad after Diwali, the festival of lights, when people burst firecrackers, which adds to the toxic haze covering the city. But other factors also play a key role. Vehicular and industrial emissions and dust make the levels of PM2.5 - tiny particles that can clog people's lungs - far higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) safety guidelines. To escape the pollution, many people are now choosing to relocate, either permanently or for a few months, even if it means leaving behind family and friends or taking a hit on professional growth. Should the government take stricter action against pollution? What's it like to leave behind a well-established life for a place with cleaner air? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss how many are choosing to escape Delhi's toxic air. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Saurabh Bhasin, advocate; Anu Anand, freelance journalist; Srinivas Ganesh, advertising professional

This week, The Cultural Frontline investigates the world of crime in fact and fiction. Michael Connelly is one of the world's bestselling crime writers. One of the key elements that shaped Michael's writing is his past career as a crime journalist for the Los Angeles Times. He speaks to Anu Anand about his latest novel, The Dark Hours, and how his work has been shaped by the pandemic and the social unrest following the murder of George Floyd. We meet the podcast makers exploring African true crime. Investigative journalists Halima Gikandi of The Missionary and Paul McNally of Alibi discuss making podcasts that centre African experiences in telling true crime stories. Plus has a book, a film, or a song ever changed the way you see the world? The best selling Danish crime writer Jussi Adler Olsen on the Joni Mitchell song A Case of You, which helped him during one of the most difficult times in his life. (Photo: Michael Connelly. Credit: Mark DeLong)

Growing up in the city of Jos in central Nigeria, Panshak Zamani better known as Ice Prince, never set out to become a musician. But through personal loss and the violent crisis he saw unfolding on the streets, he found solace in singing and rap. Panshak tells Anu Anand how he overcame his struggles to write a hit song that became one of the most remixed ever in Nigeria and rose to international fame. This interview was first broadcast on 5th October 2020. Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Sophie Eastaugh Picture: Ice Prince Credit: Photogod

Growing up in the city of Jos in central Nigeria, Panshak Zamani better known as Ice Prince, never set out to become a musician. But through personal loss and the violent crisis he saw unfolding on the streets, he found solace in singing and rap. Panshak tells Anu Anand how he overcame his struggles to write a hit song that became one of the most remixed ever in Nigeria and rose to international fame. This interview was first broadcast on 5th October 2020. Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Sophie Eastaugh Picture: Ice Prince Credit: Photogod

This week on The Cultural Frontline, Anu Anand looks at how migration and the journeys we take have inspired writers and theatre makers. French author Faïza Guène made a global impact with her first novel Kiffe Kiffe Demain, which was translated into English as Just Like Tomorrow. It shook up the literary scene in France with its humorous portrayal of the lives of immigrants in the deprived suburbs of Paris. Faïza Guène talks about her novel Men Don't Cry and how the French establishment reacted to her ground-breaking debut. Writer Nina Mingya Powles grew up in New Zealand, in a Malaysian-Chinese family, and she now lives in London. Her essay collection, Small Bodies of Water, takes the reader on a personal journey to the places across the globe which have given Nina a sense of belonging and home. In a piece written especially for The Cultural Frontline, Nina reflects on migration and the impact of the journeys we take. After the 2010 earthquake that devastated large parts of Haiti, many Haitians migrated to Chile to build a new life. But Haitians in Chile have faced racism and discrimination, and many have struggled to find work. LETTM, a theatre project in Cartagena, is working with Chilean locals and Haitian migrants. Assistant Director Ramona Suarez explains how they are finding common ground between the communities. Award winning author and journalist Omar El Akkad's new novel tells a harrowing tale of enforced migration. What Strange Paradise focuses on the journey a nine year old Syrian refugee. Omar El Akkad tells The Cultural Frontline how the classic children's story, Peter Pan by JM Barrie, influenced and inspired his writing. Photo: Faïza Guène. Credit: Faïza Guène)

This week on The Cultural Frontline, Anu Anand hears from the young poets expressing the hopes and fears of their generation. American film director Carlos López Estrada explains how a spoken word showcase affected him so deeply that he wanted to share his new love of poetry with the world. It inspired him to work with young poets in Los Angeles to create his latest film, Summertime. Carlos Lopez Estrada and one of the poets in Summertime, Raul Herrera, discuss how they collaborated to make a film entirely in verse. Young poets from Lebanon and the UK have come together to write new work, inspired by their home cities of Beirut and Coventry. The finished pieces will be performed as part of the BBC's Contains Strong Language Festival. Two of the writers, Kelvin Ampong and Nour Annan explain what they learned from each other and how they found common ground. Zambian writer Musenga L Katonga has been working with a British illustrator to create an animated online poem, exploring the theme of beauty and chaos. He explains how he wrote about escaping the noise of social media to find solace in the written word and discusses performing a TED Talk about Zambian identity, in spoken word. (Photo: Carlos López Estrada. Credit: Good Deed Entertainment, LLC)

When 17-year-old Paloma Romero travelled to the UK in the early 1970s, she was in search of freedom and opportunities that didn't exist in her native Spain, ruled at the time by the dictator Franco. Soon, Paloma fell in with the world of punk music, and (following a mix-up over her name) called herself Palmolive. She started a relationship with Joe Strummer from The Clash, taught herself to play drums and joined a band with Sid Vicious. When he kicked her out for refusing his advances, she formed a band of her own - The Slits. With their all-female line-up and collaborative approach to song-writing, The Slits are now regarded as iconic punk pioneers. Later, Paloma would play drums in another highly influential all-female punk band, The Raincoats - before turning her back on music altogether to seek spiritual truth. Now a retired teacher living in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Paloma is thinking about a return to music. She tells Anu Anand about punk, faith, and the art of walking away. Producer: Laura Thomas Presenter: Anu Anand Image: Getty Images

When 17-year-old Paloma Romero travelled to the UK in the early 1970s, she was in search of freedom and opportunities that didn't exist in her native Spain, ruled at the time by the dictator Franco. Soon, Paloma fell in with the world of punk music, and (following a mix-up over her name) called herself Palmolive. She started a relationship with Joe Strummer from The Clash, taught herself to play drums and joined a band with Sid Vicious. When he kicked her out for refusing his advances, she formed a band of her own - The Slits. With their all-female line-up and collaborative approach to song-writing, The Slits are now regarded as iconic punk pioneers. Later, Paloma would play drums in another highly influential all-female punk band, The Raincoats - before turning her back on music altogether to seek spiritual truth. Now a retired teacher living in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Paloma is thinking about a return to music. She tells Anu Anand about punk, faith, and the art of walking away. Producer: Laura Thomas Presenter: Anu Anand Image: Getty Images

A complicated sisterhood: growing up, Arifa Akbar and her older sister Fauzia had shared everything from a bedroom, to secrets, to favourite movies and books. They'd moved from Lahore, Pakistan to London for a better life but ended up destitute. The change took its toll on Fauzia who developed depression as a teenager. Complex feelings of jealousy and anger took over and the two became estranged. Then in 2016, when Fauzia was 45, she contracted a mysterious illness. The sisters reconciled at Fauzia's bedside before she passed away but Arifa wanted to know more about the sister she'd lost and the illness that had killed her. She tells Anu Anand about an extraordinary journey that began in North London and took her all the way to the Sistine chapel in Rome. Arifa's memoir is called Consumed. If you've been affected by any of the issues in this programme, you can find resources and help at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline Get in touch outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Mariana Des Forges Picture: Fauzia and Arifa Akbar in Lahore Credit: Courtesy of Arifa Akbar

A complicated sisterhood: growing up, Arifa Akbar and her older sister Fauzia had shared everything from a bedroom, to secrets, to favourite movies and books. They'd moved from Lahore, Pakistan to London for a better life but ended up destitute. The change took its toll on Fauzia who developed depression as a teenager. Complex feelings of jealousy and anger took over and the two became estranged. Then in 2016, when Fauzia was 45, she contracted a mysterious illness. The sisters reconciled at Fauzia's bedside before she passed away but Arifa wanted to know more about the sister she'd lost and the illness that had killed her. She tells Anu Anand about an extraordinary journey that began in North London and took her all the way to the Sistine chapel in Rome. Arifa's memoir is called Consumed. If you've been affected by any of the issues in this programme, you can find resources and help at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline Get in touch outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Mariana Des Forges Picture: Fauzia and Arifa Akbar in Lahore Credit: Courtesy of Arifa Akbar

When Kurdish folk singer Nawroz Oramari was a teenager growing up in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, he was told he'd be executed if he was caught singing - he and his father even had to sign a pledge saying that they accepted the death penalty if they did so. Nawroz tells Anu Anand about his remarkable life - joining the Kurdish resistance, ending up in prison and even taking on multiple identities - including that of an Emirati Oil Tycoon - in his quest to be able to sing freely in his native language. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Mariana Des Forges Picture: Nawroz Oramari in London Credit: Courtesy of Nawroz Oramari

When Kurdish folk singer Nawroz Oramari was a teenager growing up in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, he was told he'd be executed if he was caught singing - he and his father even had to sign a pledge saying that they accepted the death penalty if they did so. Nawroz tells Anu Anand about his remarkable life - joining the Kurdish resistance, ending up in prison and even taking on multiple identities - including that of an Emirati Oil Tycoon - in his quest to be able to sing freely in his native language. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Mariana Des Forges Picture: Nawroz Oramari in London Credit: Courtesy of Nawroz Oramari

Cass Collier grew up surfing with his dad in apartheid South Africa, where signs designated the beaches as "whites-only", "blacks-only", or "coloureds-only" areas. The rules were enforced, often brutally, not only by the police but also by white surfers who would tell the Collier family to "go to your own beach" if they tried to surf in areas reserved for white people. But Cass's dad Ahmed, a pioneering South African surfer and member of the ANC, never backed down, teaching Cass that he had a right to be on the sand and in the water at any beach he chose. Cass eventually became a world-class surfer and went on to win the International Surfing Association Big Wave championships in Mexico in 1999, alongside his friend and fellow Rastafarian Ian Armstrong. He tells Anu Anand about the joy of big waves, and remembers the heartbreak and sacrifices he and his family faced en route to the world title. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Picture: Cass Collier surfs at Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa in June 2002 Credit: Grant Ellis/Getty Images

Cass Collier grew up surfing with his dad in apartheid South Africa, where signs designated the beaches as "whites-only", "blacks-only", or "coloureds-only" areas. The rules were enforced, often brutally, not only by the police but also by white surfers who would tell the Collier family to "go to your own beach" if they tried to surf in areas reserved for white people. But Cass's dad Ahmed, a pioneering South African surfer and member of the ANC, never backed down, teaching Cass that he had a right to be on the sand and in the water at any beach he chose. Cass eventually became a world-class surfer and went on to win the International Surfing Association Big Wave championships in Mexico in 1999, alongside his friend and fellow Rastafarian Ian Armstrong. He tells Anu Anand about the joy of big waves, and remembers the heartbreak and sacrifices he and his family faced en route to the world title. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Picture: Cass Collier surfs at Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa in June 2002 Credit: Grant Ellis/Getty Images

Ronald Kabuye grew up in the Katwe slums of Kampala, Uganda, scavenging for food and trying to sell scrap metal for cash. One day in the street he saw a performance by the M-Lisada marching band, a group made up of children from a local orphanage. Ronald was enthralled. He joined the band, took up the trombone, and learned to read music. Performing gave him an escape and ultimately the opportunity to travel the world and play with some of the world's most influential musicians. Ronald is now a music teacher for the charity Brass for Africa. One of his pupils is Sumayya Nabakooza, who has overcome tough opposition to become one of very few female tuba players in Africa. They both share their story with Outlook's Anu Anand. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Katy Takatsuki Picture: Ronald Kabuye Credit: Brass For Africa

Ronald Kabuye grew up in the Katwe slums of Kampala, Uganda, scavenging for food and trying to sell scrap metal for cash. One day in the street he saw a performance by the M-Lisada marching band, a group made up of children from a local orphanage. Ronald was enthralled. He joined the band, took up the trombone, and learned to read music. Performing gave him an escape and ultimately the opportunity to travel the world and play with some of the world's most influential musicians. Ronald is now a music teacher for the charity Brass for Africa. One of his pupils is Sumayya Nabakooza, who has overcome tough opposition to become one of very few female tuba players in Africa. They both share their story with Outlook's Anu Anand. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Katy Takatsuki Picture: Ronald Kabuye Credit: Brass For Africa

Nettie Washington Douglass tells Anu Anand what it's like to carry the names and bloodlines of two African-Americans who were born into slavery but famously devoted their lives to fighting it, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nettie descends from pioneering educator Booker T Washington and the abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass. Her influential ancestors inspired her to raise awareness about modern-day slavery by setting up the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Deiniol Buxton Picture: Nettie Washington Douglass Credit: Hilary Schwab Photography

Growing up in the city of Jos in central Nigeria, Panshak Zamani better known as Ice Prince, never set out to become a musician. But through personal loss and the violent crisis he saw unfolding on the streets, he found solace in singing and rap. Panshak tells Anu Anand how he overcame his struggles to write a hit song that became one of the most remixed ever in Nigeria and rose to international fame. Presenter: Anu Anand Producer: Sophie Eastaugh Picture: Ice Prince Credit: Photogod

Anu Anand and a panel of leading correspondents from around the world discuss the big political trends of the year. The rise of populist political parties, Brexit, powerful leaders and immigration are just some of the big issues up for discussion. Panellists include Ethiopian journalist and editor of The Addis Standard, Tsedale Lemma; Susan Glasser from the New Yorker; and BBC Europe correspondent Kevin Connolly.

India is the largest democracy in the world, a major American ally and something of a counterpoint to a rising China. The country’s 900 million eligible voters just reelected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who’s facing an economic slowdown and the loss of special trade status with the United States. Anu Anand, host of the Marketplace Morning Report from the BBC World Service, is here to talk us through it. She’s spent years reporting in and out of India and just got back from covering the election. Plus: Kai Ryssdal and Molly Wood learn all about thermoception.

India has a huge unemployment problem. Anu Anand takes a look at some of the jobs - such as ear-cleaning, pushing buttons in lifts and road sweeping with brooms - people do to make a living. Following the EU elections which saw an increase in the number of nationalist MEP across the continent, John Kampfner visits Aachen, a town at the historical centre of a unified Europe... under Charlemagne. In South Africa, the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood of Cape Town, with its cobbled streets and colourful houses, has become one of the country's must-see tourist destinations - and property there has become pricey. Ione Wells looks at the downside of gentrification. Only about 75,000 people in Estonia still speak the Voro language. Simon Broughton meets some of those trying to ensure it has a universal and lasting appeal. And Christine Finn finds herself, unexpectedly, on a mini-break: but not where she intended. What is it like to spend almost a week in Singapore's Changi Airport? Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Caroline Bayley

The Colombian city of Medellin was a dangerous place in the 1990s as Camilo Andres Jaramillo knows all too well. He was shot nine times during an attack by gunmen but miraculously survived ... and what he did next is even more extraordinary – he now works as a mortician. He tells Anu Anand why his job brings him peace. Image and credit: Camilo Andres Jaramillo

As tensions mount between India and Pakistan, Matthew Price goes behind the scenes of Qasa Alom’s show on the BBC Asian Network to find out why it is such an emotive subject for different generations of British Asians. He also speaks to World Service presenter Anu Anand, whose family fled Kashmir, about how the conflict continues to impact her identity and that of many others outside South Asia. Producers: Duncan Barber and Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields Mixed by Weidong Lin

Kwame Dawes, Jok Madut Jok, Peter D Mcdonald and Anu Anand discuss What is a decolonial curriculum? Held at TORCH on 28th November 2018. Decolonising the curriculum must mean more than simply including diverse texts. As Dalia Gebrial, one of the editors of the new book, Decolonising the University (Pluto Press, 2018) has written, any student and academic-led decolonisation movement must not only 'rigorously understand and define its terms, but locate the university as just one node in a network of spaces where this kind of struggle must be engaged with. To do this...is to enter the university space as a transformative force

India’s key issues are hotly debated with a Delhi audience at the British Council’s HQ. Anu Anand and a panel of leading politicians and commentators tackle jobs, pollution, fake news and the controversy over spending $430m building the world’s tallest statue.

After a historic election, Nepal has chosen a communist coalition to run the country. Could this landslide victory for the Left Alliance mark a turning point for the country, and deliver a long awaited period of political stability and peace? Will the coalition remain united? How will it deal with Nepal’s two giant neighbours – China and India? And how can the country reduce its pollution levels? The BBC’s Anu Anand is joined by former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, government representative Pradeep Gyawali, writer C. K. Lal and journalist Subina Shrestha in a debate led by questions from a public audience.

What role can the community play in rejuvenating their local economy? Globalisation often results in a big geographical divide between where profits are made and where they are spent. Anu Anand visits two communities trying to reverse that trend and keep investment, jobs and profits close to hand. In Frome, in Somerset, she meets local property developers who are keeping rents low and chain stores at bay in a bid to allow local independent retailers to thrive. And in rural Lancashire she spends time with villagers building their own broadband network and investing in local energy projects. What impact might these initiatives have long-term and could other communities follow suit? Producer: Rosamund Jones.

Anu Anand is in Lyon, looking at what we eat and drink and the risk of bowel cancer

Anu Anand on detecting and treating prostate cancer in Trinidad and Tobago.

Anu Anand explores why more black women are more likely to die of breast cancer in the US

Anu Anand on how vinegar and a head torch are used to tackle cervical cancer in Tanzania

For more than 65 years we have known that smoking kills. So how can it be that a Mexican wave of tobacco use, disease and death is heading at breakneck speed towards the world’s poorest people? Millions will die of lung cancer and it is hard to grasp that this is a largely preventable disease. Uruguay in South America could hold the key to breaking this wave. Under a President who is a cancer specialist they introduced some of the most radical tobacco control policies in the world and attracted the wrath of corporate tobacco giant, Philip Morris, in the process. Anu Anand reports on Uruguay’s crusade to save its citizens. Image: Roberto, life long smoker who has lung cancer Credit: Anu Anand

Anu Anand travels across the globe to investigate how different countries are tackling cancer, one of the world’s biggest killers. In this first of six programmes, Anu travels to the freezing plains of Mongolia to find out why these traditionally nomadic people, living in a rugged environment, are so prone to the slow and silent killer - liver cancer. She asks why it is hitting Mongolians so hard and meets one local matriarch who is leading a crusade to help those who cannot be cured to die in comfort. The country has the highest death rate from liver cancer, six times the global average, and most people have no idea they have the disease until it is too late. It is caused by two strains of the Hepatitis virus and at least a quarter of the population are infected with at least one. Alcohol, which is cheap and plentiful, exacerbates the problem. Today Mongolia is embracing palliative care to ease the suffering of patients as they approach the end-of-life. While this branch of medicine is a well-established in the West, it was completely unknown in Mongolia 15 years ago. It was only when professor Odontuya Davaasuren heard of the existence of palliative care, and lobbied for change, that Mongolia started to embrace this crucial aspect of cancer medicine. Today hospitals and pharmacies in every province provide support and medication to the terminally ill, and beds for the dying in hospitals and hospices are on the increase. Photo credit: Anu Anand © Producer: Beth Eastwood

Over 347 million people worldwide have diabetes, and that figure is set to rise to half a billion in the next 20 years. It is a disease that is spiralling out of control, but how did we get here and who is to blame? The BBC’s Anu Anand and a panel of experts unpick some of the major issues in the diabetes debate from ‘sin taxes’ for food companies to the role of culture and race. Plus they answers questions from listeners around the world about how to prevent and live with the illness. Contributors: Hank Cardello - Director Obesity Solutions Initiative, The Hudson Institute Dr. Aseem Malhotra - Cardiologist and co-founder Action on Sugar Dr. Gojka Roglic - WHO Diabetes Programme

China's economy falters and is blamed for nosediving stock markets and, partly, for the loss of hundreds of steel industry jobs in South Wales. In this edition, Steve Evans visits a steelworks in China, which has just closed down, and considers the lessons the Chinese leadership may consider. The misery of the war in Yemen continues and Nawal al-Maghafi, recently back from there, explains why no-one is rushing into peace talks. Chris Morris joins a group of migrants on their voyage to across the Mediterranean to Europe and learns about some of the extraordinary lengths that Syrians are going to to escape the killing fields of home. Mobile phones and televisions come to a monastery in the foothills of the Himalayas in now-Chinese eastern Tibet. Horatio Clare wonders if a centuries-old monastic way of life is under threat. And, in Delhi, Anu Anand weaves a tale about music and memory set against a backdrop of love, loss and the passing of time

Anu Anand speaks to three women in Delhi with very different experiences of life in this male-dominated country which hint at the big change in the gender balance. Anu Anand speaks to three women in Delhi with very different experiences of life in this male-dominated country. One cooks and cleans for her whole family, a second left home to set up her own designer clothing shop, while the third became the city's only female bus driver. Yet the stories of all three provide a hint at the big change in the gender balance slowly taking hold in this metropolis.

Can the world’s largest democracy guarantee its citizens the right to their next meal? As part of the BBC India season, The Food Chain takes a deeper look at the challenges and changes within the Indian food system. The population is set to become the world’s largest by 2022, surpassing China. But many obstacles to food remain, falling along the entire spectrum of development. From severe malnourishment in children to the race to get food off the farm before it rots, Anu Anand explores several aspects of a nation trying to keep up with the appetites of a rapidly changing society. Photo Credit: Handing out food in India, Getty Images

How food, identity, religion, and politics are changing the way India eats. Anu Anand visits Mumbai’s biggest slaughterhouse to assess the economic impact of a total ban on beef and explores the right of an individual to choose what they eat in the world's largest democracy. Plus, we visit a holy town that is seeking to become fully vegetarian, leaving some of its residents feeling unwelcome.

Despatches from correspondents worldwide. In this edition: Mishal Husain's in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley talking to refugees from the war in Syria and learning how a generation of Syrian children is no longer able to go to school; the waters off Somalia aren't the world's piracy hotspot any more - Mary Harper's been finding out how Nigeria's trying to counter an upsurge in maritime crime off the west African coast; with towns and cities expanding across India, Anu Anand has been seeing how animal habitats are being gobbled up, and it's the animals who're suffering; Victoria Gill is in Malawi where powerful motorbikes are now helping out in the country's battle against HIV/AIDS and ... empty that hot tub, do NOT fill the jacuzzi: David Willis says desperate times call for desperate measures in California, now in its third year of drought.

Back in the days of the Vietnam War the airwaves were full of protest songs. Today, plenty of conflict, but none of those songs. Humphrey Hawksley's been to Nashville to find out why. Jeremy Bowen's just been to Gaza, Syria and Iraq and reflects on what the fighting there might achieve. Caroline Wyatt's been reporting on global conflicts for seven years in her role as BBC Defence Correspondent. One question she's frequently been asked about war is: was it all worth it? The Irish economy may once again be gathering strength, but John Murphy, in the west of the republic, finds that emigration is taking its toll on rural life. And how difficult is it to go off for a swim? In the Indian capital Delhi, as Anu Anand's been finding out, the answer is ... VERY difficult!

Reporters worldwide: while refugees continue to stream out of Syria in their thousands, there are people who need to go INTO the country. Nigel Wilson's been talking to a group of them at the bus station in the Jordanian capital, Amman. Lyse Doucet, meanwhile, is in the Syrian capital Damascus where life for some, but not others, is becoming increasingly hard. Thomas Fessy talks of the shock in Francophone Africa at the killing of two French radio journalists in Mali. In Malaysia, elephants are losing their habitat as development continues apace. Bob Walker takes a look at a controversial plan to give the animals a new home. And Indian women over the centuries have been wearing the elegant sari -- Anu Anand has been hearing of a campaign to boost its popularity in the face of competition from more contemporary, if less stylish, clothing. From Our Own Correspondent is produced by Tony Grant.

Will Ross on the bloodshed in Northern Nigeria;Theopi Skarlatos on why Golden Dawn is becoming Greece's worse nightmare;Anu Anand vents her frustrations about shambolic India - business is booming but what about power cuts and burst balloons? Also privileged Princeton - Dave Edmonds explains why so many alumnae are happy to donate billions to one of the world's richest universities. And Joanna Robertson tells us why the French Prime Minister reminds people of a small chocolate covered bear.

Anu Anand in Delhi on what happens to the two hundred thousand Indian children abducted each year; a future vision for Africa -- Gabriel Gatehouse in Kenya meets a man with a radical plan; Chloe Arnold on how Algeria is desperate to escape the clutches of a violent past; how much has the Chinese rail network changed? Angus Foster has ample time for reflection on a 16-hour journey to Wuhan and Laura Trevelyan in New York gets an American style-makeover as she prepares to become an 'anchor' on American television.

Fergal Keane meets exiled Syrians in Istanbul and finds little agreement among them about the way forward for their troubled country. Gabriel Gatehouse is in eastern Congo where politics, history and nature have conspired to create instability and danger. David Willey talks of unrest and dismay at the Vatican as Cardinals plot and the Pope speaks of betrayal. Anu Anand's been meeting The Love Commandos in Delhi -- they help young couples who dare to get together without parental approval. And just ten miles from Wall Street and you're bathing in the Atlantic Ocean! Reggie Nadelson's in Brighton Beach, New York's most interesting ethnic enclave.

The Greek austerity bill may have been passed by the Athens parliament, but Justin Rowlatt's wondering if anyone expects it to be fully implemented. It may be one of the most polluted cities in the world but Delhi, as Anu Anand has been finding out, is home to an astonishing collection of bird life. The Libyan Mediterranean city of Misrata is still coming under rocket fire from troops loyal to Colonel Gaddafi, but Andrew Harding's been seeing that families still enjoy an afternoon at the beach there. Thaksin Shinawatra may be living in self-imposed exile in Dubai but Rachel Harvey, who's been there to meet the former Thai prime minister, says he's still dominating discussion about the upcoming Thai election. And is the Amazon a resource to be exploited or one simply to be protected - questions Robin Lustig's had in mind during his travels in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.

Visiting time at Yemen's jail for political prisoners: Genevieve Bicknell meets the families of some of those detained who tell her why they feel it's time for the country's president to step down. Mark Urban, just back from Afghanistan, talks of a new attempt to improve the tarnished image of Afghanistan's police force. How the Lost Boys, who fled the civil war in Sudan, are finding out details of their past thanks to an archive which had been gathering dust in Addis Ababa -- that's from Paul Adams. Linda Pressley travels deep into the forests of Ecuador to find out how oil exploration is threatening a way of life. Anu Anand is in Delhi where traditional story-tellers have been tempting people away from their flatscreen TVs. And Owen Bennett Jones is in Cairo wondering if he's just been ripped off by a canny taxi driver.