February 26, 2021

Somalia's election impasse

41 minutes

Somalia currently has a president in name only. President Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed, who’s also known by his nickname Farmajo, should have ended his term of office on 8 February. But the parliamentary elections to begin the process of choosing a new president are yet to take place. It's a tense situation, and opposition protests last week in Mogadishu saw gunfire, with more protests planned. BBC Africa's Bella Sheegow in Mogadishu and BBC Monitoring's Ibrahim Aydid in Nairobi explain what's been happening.

Sri Lanka’s star of ‘Who Wants To Be a Millionaire’

A Muslim teenager in Sri Lanka has become a household name after her star performance in the local version of the tv show ‘Who Wants To Be a Millionaire’. Shukra Munawwar won the hearts of the audience, at a time of strong anti-Muslim rhetoric from some parts of society. Shirly Upul Kumara of BBC Sinhala went to meet her at her home in southern Sri Lanka.

Iranian kohl

BBC’s Nassim Hatam explores the history of kohl, or sormeh in Farsi, the black eye make-up that's been worn by Iranian women for millennia.

My Friend from a Care Home

Russia’s care homes house thousands of people behind high fences and closed doors. But the Covid-19 pandemic has provided a unique chance for a few residents to leave their institutions and start learning to live independently. In her BBC Russian documentary, Zlata Onufrieva follows Nina’s progress, as she adjusts to life outside with the help of her friend Arina.

Floods in southern Thailand

BBC Thai's Issariya Praithongyaem shares the story of the fruit farmers in Thailand’s Muslim south who lost thousands of dollars’ worth of crops due to floods caused by water released from a hydroelectric dam.

Image: Supporters of different opposition presidential candidates demonstrate in Mogadishu in February 2021

Credit: Photo by AFP via Getty Images

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