From Our Own Correspondent

Young Mexicans preparing to join the priesthood don't only have to struggle with matters of mortal sin or individual guilt. They are also often sent to serve communities where the country's drug-trafficking networks are highly active - and extremely violent. Will Grant spoke to some of the men who must run the deadly risks of ministering in 'cartel land'.

The regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran has driven events across the Middle East in recent decades - with the two powers backing opposing sides in the conflicts in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Recently, Riyadh and Tehran agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties, but as Sebastian Usher explains, even as some red lines shift, the limits on public debate at home are still very much in force.

The Chaco region of Paraguay was once called 'the green hell' for its spiky, almost impenetrable scrubland. It's now opening up to the outside world, thanks to a new highway called the Bi-oceanic Corridor. Some communities living in the Chaco - like the Mennonite groups whose dairy farms now dot the landscape, and the Ayoreo indigenous people of the area - welcome the new opportunities for their produce, but worry about whether newcomers will change their way of life. Jane Chambers heard their concerns.

Deal or no deal? Not a game-show question, but a repetitive refrain in the long saga of diplomacy in the Balkans. The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borell recently trumpeted 'we have a deal' after a round of talks between Serbia and Kosovo. Guy De Launey found the devil lay in the detail... or, rather, the lack of it.

And on the beaches of Jersey, Christine Finn recently received some lessons in frugality - including advice on the best uses for foraged seaweed, and how to benefit from a cut-price, one-clawed lobster.

Presenter: Kate Adie

Kate Adie presents stories from North Korea, the US, France, Antigua and Ireland.

Kim Jong-Un has made it harder to escape North Korea, and numbers of people who have done so successfully have dropped from a thousand each year to just 67 in 2022. 17-year-old Songmi Park was one of the last known people to escape, and Jean MacKenzie heard the story of her childhood there, and her reunion with her mother in Seoul.

Last year more than a hundred thousand Americans died from a drug overdose - two-thirds of them after using synthetic opioids like Fentanyl. Tim Mansel was in San Diego where he saw first hand how the opioid crisis still has a firm grip on American communities.

Paul Moss was in Paris during the street protests that have escalated across France after President Emmanuel Macron pushed through his pension reforms by decree. He ponders whether the writing is on the wall for President Macron's leadership.

Around 900 Cameroonians arrived in Antigua at the end of last year, though many had expected to touch down in the US, where they hoped to build a new life. Gemma Handy investigates why they failed to reach their final destination.

On the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Chris Page explores how, at critical moments during the peace process, it was the personal relationships between leaders which helped to finally get the agreement over the line. He spoke to many of the key players about their memories of that period.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling

Kate Adie presents stories from Israel, the US, Nigeria, Ukraine and Austria.

After months of protests, Israel's Prime Minister moved to delay his controversial judicial reforms, which many have criticised for being undemocratic. But the underlying tensions over the future direction of the government have not gone away, and the protest movement is now split, says Tom Bateman.

In Florida, several laws have come into force that restrict what can be taught in classrooms. Led by Governor Ron DeSantis, state Republicans say the laws are necessary to shield children from inappropriate content and liberal indoctrination around issues of race and sexual orientation. Chelsea Bailey visited one high school, where teachers say they are being scared into silence.

In northwest Nigeria, gangs of bandits have been raiding villages and kidnapping men, women and children for ransom. Villagers have become reliant on local vigilantes to help protect them, but they are ill-equipped to take them on. Alex Last was in Katsina.

James Landale, the BBC's Diplomatic correspondent, has spoken to a bartender in Kyiv who had to relocate from Kharkiv with his family when his apartment block was destroyed by a Russian missile. He and a group of bartenders have pooled their resources to start a new business in the capital.

And finally, Bethany Bell reflects on the elevated status afforded to a regular of bars or restaurants - known as a 'Stammgast' which comes with bonus privileges. We hear how she finally acquired this honour at her local espresso bar.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling

Kate Adie presents stories from the US, Indonesia, Finland, Turkey and Australia

Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, Malawi, Switzerland and Germany.

Bakhmut has long been a prize for Russian forces since it invaded Ukraine a year ago. Tens of thousands of troops have died in a protracted fight for the city, in what is the longest battle of the war so far. Quentin Sommerville has been travelling through the front line, and reveals the changing nature of the war.

A 14-day period of national mourning is underway in Malawi, after more than 200 people died when the country was hit by Cyclone Freddy. More than 200,000 people have been displaced. Rhoda Odhiambo visited Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre, which is among the worst-affected areas.

South Korean pop culture has taken the world by storm in recent years, with K-Pop superstars like BTS and BlackPink scoring number one hits around the world. Korean TV dramas have also been a huge hit - and Sophie Williams says one show in particular has put a small village in Switzerland on the map.

In Germany public nudity has a long tradition, but the question of whether the freedom to go naked in public was a legal right was unclear until two women challenged orders asking them to cover up in a public swimming pool. Jenny Hill reports from Berlin.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling

Kate Adie presents stories from Iraq, on the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion, Brazil and Colombia.

The BBC's International Editor Jeremy Bowen first reported from Iraq in 1990, and went on to visit the country on many more occasions - including during the US-led invasion in 2003. Twenty years on since the start of that war, he charts how events during the decade prior shaped the country's destiny.

The city of Fallujah has had to rebuild many times following the invasion by coalition forces, which was followed by the Iraqi insurgency and a takeover by Al Qaeda and Isis. Leila Molana Allen speaks to residents of the city about their memories of the last 20 years, and what life is like today.

In Brazil, measures have been taken to enshrine protection for those who are overweight, including preferential seats on subways, larger desks in schools and an annual day to promote the rights of obese people. But despite these moves, it can take longer for societal attitudes to change, says Bob Howard.

And we're in Colombia on a journey by ferry on the Magdalena river to the old colonial trading hub, Mompox, which later became crucial to the fight for independence. The ripple effects of this region's rich history are still felt today, says Sara Wheeler.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling

Kate Adie presents stories from DR Congo, Mexico, Hungary, Argentina, and South Africa.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing multiple conflicts over territory, ethnic tensions and minerals. In the last month, fighting between the M23 rebel group and the government is believed to have displaced around 300,000 people. But the presence of other armed groups is making the situation even more perilous. One group, the Allied Democratic Forces, has reportedly killed more than 60 people in recent weeks, and kidnapped many others. Hugh Kinsella-Cunningham spoke to one woman who had recently escaped captivity in Beni territory.

The Mexican port of Manzinillo has become a battleground for cartels, as it's where many of the raw materials for drugs such as Fentanyl are imported from Asia. Linda Pressly meets the town's mayor who is trying to turn the tide of crime - and hears of the personal sacrifices she has to make to keep safe.

Hungary has faced criticism for its progress on women's rights, but in specific areas of women's healthcare it is leading the way. Rosie Blunt was in Hungary to access care for her endometriosis and found the support on offer was second-to-none.

Off the beaten track in north-West Argentina, John Kampfner explores the high peaks and brightly-coloured lagoons that are home to vast numbers of flamingos. He also makes a curious discovery in a local museum, with deep cultural ties to the mountains.

Which is the harder language to learn - Welsh, or Xhosa? BBC Wales sports reporter Gareth Rhys Owen recently took a trip to South Africa, where he met rugby legend Makaya Jack – and also met his match when it came to deciding whose mother tongue was hardest to master.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling

Kate Adie presents stories from Georgia, Egypt, The Netherlands, Iceland and Brazil.

Kate Adie presents stories from South Africa, Russia, Japan, New York, and Ukraine.

Unprecedented power cuts has seen South Africa's national power company become the butt of jokes, but the continual outages are hitting the country's already struggling economy. Ed Habershon reveals how people adapt when the traffic lights stop working.

Vladimir Putin’s sabre-rattling has become a permanent feature on Russian state-run media, since the invasion of Ukraine began. But a more subtle device the Russian President has employed, is to appeal to Russia’s sense of victim-hood. Francis Scarr reveals the impact this daily narrative has had on his old friends in Russia.

Japan struggles with diversity and female representation in both its commercial and political spheres. Shaimaa Khalil met Tokyo’s first female district mayor, who is breaking through the barriers of tradition, to ensure women are seen and heard.

Puppy ownership saw a surge during the pandemic, as people discovered the joys of a four-legged companion during lockdown. In New York, the dog of choice for many was a doodle – a poodle hybrid. But there is now a growing backlash against the now ubiquitous doodle, as Laura Trevelyan reports from the dog parks of Brooklyn.

Transcarpathia, on the far western edge of Ukraine, is a mosaic of nationalities, languages and religious identities which once made up the Austro-Hungarian empire. But the strains of emigration, war, and displaced populations from elsewhere in the country, are erasing cultural differences, and creating a more uniform Ukraine, reports Nick Thorpe.

Producers: Serena Tarling & Emma Close

Kate Adie presents stories from Greece, Turkey, Senegal, Guatemala and Switzerland

As relatives of victims in the train crash in Greece mourn their loss, broader questions are being asked about the state management of the railways, unleashing public anger as elections loom. Nick Beake was in Larissa.

Turkey has become a top destination for Russia's fleeing the invasion of Ukraine but as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan takes a firmer stance on migration, Russian applications for residency permits are increasingly being rejected. Emily Wither met one Russia who is helping people relocate in Antalya.

The African Renaissance statue is the tallest in Africa and towers over Senegal's capital city, Senegal. Rob Crossan scaled the statue on a recent visit and heard how locals see it as more of a national embarrassment, given its exorbitant cost and domineering presence.

Tikal national park in Guatemala's north is renowned both for its archaeological significance and biodiversity. The ancient Mayan city was once part of a great trading network- stretching across from Calakmul in Mexico to Copan in Honduras. Beth Timmins explore the area and spoke to locals about its World Heritage status.

Xander Brett visits the alpine resort of St Moritz in Switzerland where, for over a hundred years, the 'White Turf horse race has taken place - on snow and ice. He finds that global warming and safety fears are now casting a shadow over this well-attended spectacle.