More than a third of all Tanzanian women are married before the age of 18. Many of them are forced into wedlock as young as 11 with much older men. In exchange, the family of the bride receives cows which are valued more than daughters. The country’s court…

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Aral Sea was twice the size of Lake Baikal. Now, a desert stands in its place. This saltwater lake was fed by the largest rivers in Central Asia. But since the 1960s, the waters of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers…

In 2019, doctors started talking about a new, widespread disease that caused severe lung damage. The name of the disease was later abbreviated to EVALI. Scientists are now busy trying to study the long-term effects of vaping. Vaping proponents say it is a…

87 days of construction. 18 incredible facilities. 265,000 square meters of space. And 8 months of work, new friendships, unity and pride.This is what the International Exhibition-Forum 'Russia' was about.It opened its doors on VDNKh on November 4, the Day…

This investigation focuses on Milton Group, a massive fraudulent call center network. With over a thousand employees, the group caused an estimated $300 million in damage. Their scheme was far-reaching, with victims in Russia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.People…

Kavre province in Nepal has been dubbed «Kidney valley»: there’s hardly a household there in which a family member hasn’t sold his or her kidney on the black market. Grim dealers exploit the region’s extreme poverty and the people’s lack of education regarding…

Cossack Dmitry Cherniavsky returns from the SMO, where he served in the ‘Terek’ battalion. His wife Larisa, three daughters, and three sons are waiting for him at home in Arsenyevo, near Vladivostok. Dmitry also runs a Cossack class at the local school, where…

Cossack Dmitry Cherniavsky returns from the SMO, where he served in the ‘Terek’ battalion. His wife Larisa, three daughters, and three sons are waiting for him at home in Arsenyevo, near Vladivostok. Dmitry also runs a Cossack class at the local school, where…

When African countries began to gain their freedom, their former colonisers sought to weaken the new states. To do this, they used the very armies they themselves had once formed. For example, when the DR Congo became independent, Belgian officers instigated…

It's an adventure of a lifetime, a real road movie, meeting extraordinary people and fantastic animals, and seeing life from a new perspective. This is the story of a film crew shooting a documentary about the 25th anniversary of the World Wildlife Fund in…

Fenghuang Ancient Town, known as Phoenix City, is hailed as one of China’s most beautiful towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated along the Tuojiang River in Yunnan, this historic gem features traditional stone houses, iconic upturned roofs, and…

Angola became a Portuguese colony in the 16th century, and before long its new ‘masters’ had turned it into one of the major hubs for the transatlantic slave trade. Enslaved people were shipped to another territory under Portuguese control – Brazil. Historians…

Millions of people have fallen victim to a so-called ‘infobusiness’. Those behind it, often referred to as info-scammers, are typically pseudo-trainers and coaches who promise fabulous wealth and instant success but, in reality, sell little more than empty…

Some 90% of Afghanistan’s population struggle with food insecurity, meaning that they don’t have enough to eat every day. Over half of Afghans rely on humanitarian aid. Financial desperation makes some parents consider selling their daughters for up to $2…

Members of Japan’s feared Yakuza crime syndicate are often portrayed as grim-faced professional killers in sharp black suits and dark glasses, but the reality is somewhat different. Meet Mr. Makoto, a tubby tattooed Yakuza mobster and ‘old-fashioned guy’…

Andrey Skory, a Ukrainian government official, took the side of Donbass in 2014, and became the LPR militia’s leader. Eight years later, he was among those who hoisted the Russian flag over liberated Lisichansk.The city, which was once the Lugansk region’s…

This time, American Tofurius Crane heads to Vladimir Region to explore how Russian traditions and crafts are being revived.In Suzdal, he joined the Apple Feast of the Saviour, or Apple Spas festival, tried his hand at shooting an ancient bow, and picked up…

Water scarcity has become a luxury in India’s Punjab, as thousands of villages rely on expensive water deliveries. Farmers face low crop yield, debts, and a stunning rise in suicides. The crisis stems from unintended consequences of the green revolution and…

Hong Kong is famous for its dense skyline dominated by luxurious skyscrapers. And it’s not just the city’s high rises that soar above the clouds - rents are exorbitant. So much so that the poorest residents have no choice other than squeezing into tiny apartments…

Nigeria gained independence in 1960 but was soon engulfed by power struggles and internal conflict. This led to a series of military coups and a civil war from 1967 to 1970, which stifled the development of the young nation. Despite its vast resources – including…

Monk Herman of the Valaam Monastery arrived on Kodiak Island near Alaska along with other clergy by decree of Catherine the Great. Their Christian mission was to help corner the fur trade and pave the way for the Russian-American Company. But when they saw…