While we reflect on the past year, a assortment of remarkable feature-length pieces stands out. Such accounts explore complex topics including geopolitical machinations and historical revelations to profoundly personal sagas.
A Mysterious Writer and the Moral Fabric of a Nation
Victor Pelevin became known in the nineties with biting commentaries on power. While many of his writer contemporaries have faced suppression or left the nation, he still move vast numbers of books. This prompts a pressing query: Has he evolved into an apologist for the Kremlin?
Survival and Complicity in Syria's Horrific Conflict
The tale of Mustafa, who at eighteen was informed that his sole path out of prison was to enlist in the government forces. After fourteen years, his history as one of the Syrian leader's fighters may now put him in mortal danger.
A Fierce Argument Over Our Earliest Origins
The finding of ancient remains in the Chadian desert in the early 2000s was hailed as fundamentally re-writing the history of our human race. However, a faction was persuaded. The subsequent bitter argument has taken over the careers of scholars ever since.
The UK Religious Group That Operated in the Open
One woman was just a young girl when her household joined the a religious community. As an adult, she helped expose the appalling breadth of abuse it had perpetrated.
The Prime Minister's Unexpected Record on International Law
Numerous followers anticipated that the former human rights lawyer would reaffirm the Britain's commitment to international law. But, the performance over the first year in office has been curiously inconsistent.
Shattering a Country's Self-Image
A documentary tracking a remorseful fraudster as she sets up unscrupulous clients with hidden cameras raises complex queries: Is she really reformed, and is the filmmaker's true motives?
A Person Who Decontaminates the UK's Darkest Stains
From homicide sites to biological waste, an extreme cleaner has seen – and dealt with – it all. In their stickiest hours, individuals turn to him to bring back normalcy.
Can an Famous Institution Survive an "Omni-Crisis"?
Burdened by debates over its collection, difficult funding and the discovery of an insider theft, the UK's premier cultural institution is in serious difficulty. The challenge remains: Is it possible to restore its standing?
More Than "Morning Sickness": A Torture of Severe Pregnancy
Called hyperemesis gravidarum and once termed 'pernicious vomiting' by the 19th century, this illness has for centuries lacked an effective medical solution – until perhaps now.
A Legacy of Radicalism in Contemporary Politics
A violent extremist and early advocate of hate, a rabbi died a political outcast thirty-five years ago. Now, his ideology permeate the very highest levels of government.
An English Gentleman With a Crooked Secret
With his sharp mind and impeccable background, it's little wonder that affluent individuals trusted him with their assets. Then they began to become uneasy.
A Small State That Became the Global Diplomatic Center
An incredibly rich country has risen as a major player on the world stage, attempting to mediate some of the most long-standing disputes. What are behind this ambitious project?
An Close-Up Look at a President Gearing Up for Global Summitry
Deeply disliked at home, the French leader enjoys the world arena, where he projects himself as the statesman most equipped to manage a particular sitting US president. 7 years after their last encounter, a writer joined him as he readied himself for the fray.
During the Court Case of a Tragic Case
How did the child of an aristocrat find herself at the Old Bailey with her partner, charged with killing their two-week-old infant?
An Dismantling of a Major Development Agency: Far From Universal Mourning
When actions were made to wind down a major US development organization, many around the world were taken aback. But on the front lines in Sierra Leone, this most recent disappointment was far from unforeseen.
A Disturbing 1960s Experiment on South Asian Mothers
When information about a medical experiment in the sixties came to light, there was widespread anxiety. But the full story of the procedures remains somewhat shrouded.
The "Mozart" of the Online Economy
He's spent a full day in a vat of goo, two days underground – and showered vast sums of money to lucky contestants. But are these productions simply very savvy clickbait – or works of avant garde genius?
Life in a Country Threatened by the Encroaching Ocean
With sea levels rising, much of Tuvalu's people is facing the reality that their homeland may in the near future become uninhabitable. The pressing question is: Where are they supposed to go?
A Sorrowful Case of Youth Homelessness
As I encountered a young boy he was thirteen and homeless. I still thought his situation could turn around. I was sadly misplaced.
The Global AI Competition and a Crucial Move
In the recent past, after living decades in the US, a leading AI scientist took a one-way ticket to China. Now, he may possess the key to who wins the global AI race.
The finest stories
