While we look back on the previous year, a selection of remarkable feature-length pieces stands out. Such accounts probe complex topics from political intrigue and scientific discoveries to deeply personal stories.
A Enigmatic Novelist and the Conscience of a Country
An author became known in the nineties with biting commentaries on authoritarianism. Whereas numerous of his writer contemporaries have encountered suppression or left the country, he still move millions of books. This raises a pressing query: Has he evolved into an defender for the regime?
Endurance and Complicity in Syria's Devastating Civil War
The story of Mustafa, who at eighteen was given an ultimatum that his sole path out of incarceration was to join the government military. After fourteen long years, his past as one of the Syrian leader's soldiers might still put him in mortal danger.
A Acrimonious Argument Over Humanity's Earliest Origins
The unearthing of ancient remains in the Djurab desert in 2001 was heralded as fundamentally changing the story of our species. But, some scholars was convinced. The resulting intense controversy has consumed the careers of scholars ever since.
A British Religious Group That Hid in Plain Sight
Philippa Barnes was just a child when her household joined the a religious community. As an grown woman, she helped reveal the appalling extent of exploitation it had carried out.
A Leader's Puzzling Stance on International Law
A great many supporters hoped that the prime minister would renew the Britain's commitment to international law. But, the record over the first year in office has been strikingly inconsistent.
Challenging a Country's Myth
A documentary tracking a remorseful master criminal as she sets up unscrupulous individuals with hidden cameras asks difficult questions: Is this person really changed, and what are the director's own methods?
A Man Who Remediates Britain's Most Traumatic Scenes
From homicide sites to whale blubber, an extreme cleaner has seen – and cleaned – it all. In their darkest times, individuals turn to him to bring back normalcy.
Can an Iconic Museum Endure an "Omni-Crisis"?
Beset by restitution claims, difficult funding and the exposure of an internal thief, the UK's leading cultural institution is in a major crisis. The challenge remains: Can it salvage its legacy?
More Than "Morning Sickness": The Torture of Extreme Pregnancy
Called hyperemesis gravidarum and once labeled 'dangerous sickness' by the Victorians, this condition has for centuries lacked an consistent medical solution – up until potentially now.
The Spectre of Radicalism in Contemporary Government
A militant fanatic and early advocate of bigotry, a rabbi died a marginalized pariah 35 years ago. Now, his teachings influence the very highest echelons of the state.
The British Professional With a Fraudulent Side
With his keen intellect and flawless credentials, it's understandable that high-net-worth clients entrusted him with their assets. Then they started to get uneasy.
The Tiny State That Emerged as the Global Diplomatic Center
An astonishingly rich country has transformed into a key actor on the world stage, attempting to solve some of the most long-standing disputes. What are fueling this unprecedented project?
A Inside View at a Leader Gearing Up for Global Summitry
Deeply unpopular at home, the French leader enjoys the international arena, where he projects himself as the leader most equipped to handle a particular former US president. Seven years after their last encounter, a writer joined him as he prepared for the fray.
During the Court Case of a Heartbreaking Case
What led to the child of an aristocrat end up at the a major court with her companion, charged with the death of their two-week-old infant?
The End of a Major Development Organization: Far From Widespread Regret
When actions were made to wind down a prominent aid agency, many around the world were surprised. But on the ground in Sierra Leone, this latest betrayal was far from unforeseen.
The Shocking 1960s Study on South Asian Mothers
When information about a medical study in the sixties came to light, there was widespread shock. But the exact nature of the procedures remains partially contested.
The "Genius" of the Attention Age
He's endured 24 hours in a vat of goo, two days buried alive – and distributed vast sums of money to selected contestants. But are these productions simply incredibly clever entertainment – or works of artistic genius?
Life in a Nation Threatened by the Rising Seas
With sea levels rising, much of Tuvalu's residents is grappling with the prospect that their home may soon become uninhabitable. The pressing question is: Where are they supposed to go?
A Heartbreaking Story of Youth Homelessness
As I encountered Craig he was thirteen and without a home. I still hoped his life could change for the better. That hope was sadly mistaken.
A Global AI Competition and a Key Defection
In 2020, after spending half his life in the United States, a leading AI scientist took a permanent move to his home country. Today, he may possess the key to who prevails in the global AI race.
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