The cruel multi-million-dollar business of scamming lonely hearts out of their money by posing online as the perfect lover. Vishala Sri-Pathma speaks to victim David in the UK, who gave almost $20,000 to a woman he met online and hoped to marry and start a family with, before discovering "she" was actually a fraudster. Meanwhile Australian Eliza tells of her amazement at the amount of homework the con artist she encountered must have done researching her background before attempting to swindle her. Such cases are becoming ever more common thanks to the internet, which enables scammers to mine would-be victims' social media sites for valuable information, while concealing their own identity on dating apps. David Clarke, chair of the UK fraud advisory panel, says it has made romantic fraud a valuable international criminal enterprise. (Picture: Woman looks at smartphone while biting lip; Credit: DeanDrobot/Getty Images)

Romantic fraud

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Elton John, Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran - all artists who've had sell-out world tours in recent years.  And new markets, such as India, are being added to the global tour map.
 
But the same can’t be said for smaller venues. In the UK and Australia, the lights are off, and thousands are closing their doors. 
 
We hear from musicians, promoters and the people who run venues; asking why there’s such a contrast between sell out stadium tours and struggling grassroots venues.  And we see what the future could hold for India's live music scene.
 
Produced and presented by Megan Lawton (Image: Ed Sheeran performing in Mumbai, India in 2017. Credit: Getty Images)

The trouble with live music

Ed Butler travels to Kosovo to find out what the prospects are for this young, ethnically divided population.  After Ukraine, it's Europe's poorest region, where a brutal past still casts a shadow.  But it's also a territory full of economic promise – with precious minerals buried underground, and vast vineyards. If only the politics would stop getting in the way. (Image: A wine maker in Kosovo, Milan Lakicevic, standing in front of stainless steel tanks, while holding a bottle of his wine.) Presented and produced by Ed Butler

What hope for Kosovo's economy?

Meet Sharvari, Belinda and Brenna, three female bike mechanics from different corners of the world. From setting up a female run workshop in India, teaching skills to other women, or working within elite sport: these three are all making a living in the male dominated world of bike mechanics. Hear their stories and find out what happened when we got them all talking to each other. Presenter/producer: Lexy O'Connor (Photo: Bicycle mechanic Belinda Everett, Credit: Ryan Goff, #rygoff)

Meet the trailblazers: The female bike mechanics

Over its long history women have been mostly excluded from the Tour de France. Until recently. In 2022, after a long campaign by some of female cycling's biggest names, the Tour de France Femmes was introduced. So how is it doing? And will it ever be on a level footing with the much older and long-established men's race? We hear from competitors, sponsors, broadcasters and race director Marion Rousse. Produced and presented by Lexy O'Connor (Team Jumbo Visma rider Marianne Vos wears the yellow jersey during 3rd stage of the first Tour de France Femmes in 2022: Getty Images)

Can the Tour de France Femmes deliver?

The 'pink pound' or 'pink dollar' is believed to be worth billions of dollars, and tourism is one sector looking to benefit. We find out how the industry is trying to attract LGBT travellers, with countries like Nepal taking steps to be a more appealing destination.  Plus, we head to the coastal town of Sitges in Spain, where gay people have been holidaying for more than 100 years. Producer/presenter: Daniel Rosney (Photo: The Nomadic Boys in New Zealand. Credit: The Nomadic Boys)

Romantic fraud

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