From Our Own Correspondent

Looking at America


Listen Later

Journalists in Africa like to play a game where they take language often used in Western reports on African stories ("armed militias", "strongmen", "rigged elections") and apply it to the US. This has become more tempting, and yielding more ironies, recently. There is a further similarity in South Africa: could ex-president Jacob Zuma be a "proto-Trump"? Andrew Harding teases out the parallels.

China, too, is watching the US elections closely. And opinions are quite divided. Not, however, between those who are pro-Trump and pro-Biden, but between those who are pro- or anti-Trump. And, as Stephen McDonell reports, the pro-Trump camp unites some unlikely bedfellows, from Hong Kong activists and Falun Gong believers to Communist party leaders.

In Brazil, fires are burning again in the Amazon, to turn land that's been deforested into pasture. Jair Bolsonaro's government supports turning the rainforest into ranches. But with the Pantanal wetlands badly affected this year too, what does this mean for the future of Brazil's environment asks Katy Watson.

In Russia, investigative journalist Irina Slavina was a thorn in the side of the local authorities in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, and was often punished with huge fines. And then after a dawn raid on her flat, she killed herself by setting herself alight, leaving a note to blame the Russian Federation. Sarah Rainsford went to Nizhny to find out more.

When coronavirus rules restrict our movements, going for walks closer to home can become more appealing. And previously unheeded details, such as who the streets are actually named after, can suddenly become interesting. Kevin Connolly finds his own neighbourhood's street names reveal a lot about the local history.

Presenter: Kate Adie

Producer: Arlene Gregorius

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

From Our Own CorrespondentBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

344 ratings


More shows like From Our Own Correspondent

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,718 Listeners

Business Daily by BBC World Service

Business Daily

522 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

891 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,066 Listeners

World Business Report by BBC World Service

World Business Report

304 Listeners

The Reith Lectures by BBC Radio 4

The Reith Lectures

212 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,474 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,809 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

969 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,119 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

477 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

107 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

46 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

736 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

233 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

851 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

74 Listeners

Evil Genius with Russell Kane by BBC Sounds

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

367 Listeners

Have You Heard George's Podcast? by BBC Sounds

Have You Heard George's Podcast?

234 Listeners

Elis James and John Robins by BBC Radio 5 Live

Elis James and John Robins

332 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,223 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

737 Listeners

Sport's Strangest Crimes by BBC Radio 5 Live

Sport's Strangest Crimes

66 Listeners

Uncanny by BBC Radio 4

Uncanny

837 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,033 Listeners

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley by BBC Radio 4

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

537 Listeners

Believe in Magic by BBC Sounds

Believe in Magic

622 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

351 Listeners

Miss Me? by BBC Sounds

Miss Me?

264 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

60 Listeners

Rory Stewart: The Long History of... by BBC Radio 4

Rory Stewart: The Long History of...

77 Listeners

Havana Helmet Club by BBC Sounds

Havana Helmet Club

2 Listeners