While we consider the past year, a selection of outstanding in-depth pieces stands out. Such accounts explore complex themes ranging from geopolitical machinations and scientific revelations to profoundly personal sagas.
A Puzzling Novelist and the Moral Fabric of a Nation
Victor Pelevin became known in the 1990s with biting commentaries on authoritarianism. Although numerous of his writer contemporaries have faced suppression or fled the nation, he still sell vast numbers of books. It poses a pertinent query: Has he become an supporter for the establishment?
Endurance and Complicity in Syria's Brutal Civil War
The account of a young man, who at 18 was given an ultimatum that his only way out of incarceration was to join the regime military. Following fourteen years, his history as one of Assad's soldiers may now get him killed.
A Bitter Dispute Over Our Ancient Beginnings
The unearthing of fossilised bones in the Djurab sands in the early 2000s was heralded as radically re-writing the narrative of our human race. But, not everyone was persuaded. The subsequent intense controversy has taken over the lives of paleoanthropologists ever since.
A British Religious Group That Hid in Plain Sight
One woman was just a child when her household joined the a religious community. As an adult, she played a key role in reveal the disturbing scale of abuse it had committed.
The Statesman's Unexpected Record on Human Rights
Numerous voters expected that the former human rights lawyer would restore the the nation's dedication to international law. But, the record over the past year has been curiously inconsistent.
Shattering a Nation's Myth
A film tracking a remorseful master criminal as she records unscrupulous individuals with covert recording poses difficult queries: Is this person truly changed, and is the filmmaker's true methods?
A Person Who Cleans the UK's Most Traumatic Scenes
From homicide sites to whale blubber, Ben Giles has witnessed – and restored – everything. In their most challenging times, individuals turn to him to bring back order.
Will an Famous Museum Weather an "Multifaceted Crisis"?
Beset by restitution claims, precarious funding and the exposure of an insider theft, Britain's leading museum is in a major crisis. The challenge remains: Can it salvage its standing?
Beyond "Morning Sickness": The Agony of Severe Pregnancy
Referred to as a severe form of pregnancy sickness and once termed 'pernicious vomiting' by the Victorians, this illness has long lacked an effective treatment end – up until possibly now.
A Legacy of Radicalism in Modern Politics
A violent fanatic and early advocate of hate, Meir Kahane died a marginalized outcast 35 years ago. Now, his ideology permeate the uppermost levels of the state.
An English Professional With a Fraudulent Secret
With his keen intellect and sterling reputation, it's little wonder that wealthy individuals trusted him with their fortunes. Until they started to get suspicious.
The Tiny State That Emerged as the Global Mediation Capital
An extremely wealthy country has risen as a key actor on the international scene, working to solve some of the most complex disputes. What are driving this unprecedented endeavor?
An Inside View at a Leader Preparing for International Summitry
Extremely disliked at domestically, President Macron enjoys the international arena, where he positions himself as the statesman most equipped to manage a certain sitting American leader. 7 years after their previous encounter, a journalist joined him as he readied himself for the summit.
During the Trial of a Tragic Story
How did the daughter of an aristocrat find herself at the a major court with her companion, facing charges with killing their newborn infant?
An End of a Global Aid Agency: Far From Widespread Mourning
When efforts were made to dismantle a major US development organization, many around the globe were taken aback. But on the ground in a West African nation, this most recent betrayal was far from unexpected.
The Shocking 1960s Study on South Asian Women
When details about a scientific experiment in the sixties became public, there was widespread outrage. But the exact story of the procedures remains somewhat contested.
A "Genius" of the Online Economy
He's endured a full day in slime, 48 hours underground – and distributed vast sums of cash to selected participants. But are these videos simply incredibly clever entertainment – or works of avant garde brilliance?
Life in a Country Threatened by the Rising Seas
With the ocean rising, much of Tuvalu's population is grappling with the reality that their home may soon be submerged. The critical issue is: To where are they going to go?
One Heartbreaking Story of Childhood Destitution
As I met Craig he was thirteen and without a home. I still hoped his situation could change for the better. I was tragically misplaced.
The International Artificial Intelligence Competition and a Crucial Defection
In the recent past, after living half his life in the US, a leading AI scientist took a permanent move to his home country. Today, he may hold the key to who wins the global technological rivalry.
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