While we reflect on the previous year, a selection of exceptional long-form stories emerges. Such narratives probe intricate subjects ranging from geopolitical machinations and scientific discoveries to deeply personal stories.
The Mysterious Novelist and the Moral Fabric of a Nation
Victor Pelevin became known in the 1990s with scathing satires on authoritarianism. While numerous of his writer contemporaries have faced censorship or fled the country, he still move vast numbers of copies. This raises a pertinent query: Has he turned into an defender for the Kremlin?
Endurance and Complicity in the Syrian Brutal Conflict
The tale of a young man, who at eighteen was given an ultimatum that his sole path to escape prison was to enlist in the government military. After 14 long years, his history as one of the Syrian leader's soldiers might now get him killed.
The Fierce Feud Over Our Earliest Beginnings
The finding of fossilised remains in the Chadian sands in 2001 was heralded as radically changing the history of our human race. But, a faction was convinced. The subsequent intense scholarly debate has taken over the careers of scholars ever since.
A UK Religious Group That Hid in the Open
One woman was only a young girl when her family joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an adult, she helped expose the disturbing scale of abuse it had carried out.
A Prime Minister's Puzzling Stance on International Law
Numerous followers hoped that the prime minister would renew the the nation's commitment to human rights. Yet, the performance over the first year in office has been curiously mixed.
Breaking a Nation's Myth
A documentary featuring a remorseful master criminal as she records unscrupulous clients with covert recording poses thorny questions: Is she truly reformed, and is the filmmaker's own methods?
The Person Who Remediates Britain's Darkest Scenes
From crime scenes to whale blubber, an extreme cleaner has seen – and restored – it all. In their stickiest times, people turn to him to bring back peace.
Will an Iconic Institution Weather an "Omni-Crisis"?
Beset by colonial controversy, difficult funding and the revelation of an insider theft, the UK's number one cultural institution is in deep trouble. The question remains: Can it restore its standing?
Beyond "Morning Sickness": A Suffering of Severe Condition
Called hyperemesis gravidarum and once termed 'pernicious vomiting' by the Victorians, this illness has for centuries been without an consistent treatment end – until potentially now.
The Ghost of Radicalism in Modern Government
A violent fanatic and early advocate of bigotry, a rabbi died a political pariah 35 years ago. In the present day, his ideology shape the very highest echelons of government.
An English Professional With a Fraudulent Secret
With his keen intellect and flawless background, it's no surprise that affluent individuals entrusted him with their wealth. Until they began to get wary.
A Tiny Nation That Emerged as the World's Diplomatic Capital
An incredibly rich country has risen as a key force on the world stage, working to solve some of the most complex disputes. What are fueling this unprecedented endeavor?
An Close-Up View at a President Preparing for Global Summitry
Extremely disliked at domestically, the French leader thrives on the world arena, where he projects himself as the statesman uniquely positioned to manage a particular former US president. Seven years after their last encounter, a writer joined him as he prepared for the fray.
During the Trial of a Tragic Case
What led to the daughter of an wealthy family find herself at the Old Bailey with her companion, facing charges with killing their newborn baby?
The End of a Major Development Agency: Not Universal Mourning
When actions were made to wind down a major US aid agency, many around the globe were shocked. But on the ground in a West African nation, this latest betrayal was far from unforeseen.
A Shocking 1960s Study on South Asian Women
When information about a scientific experiment in the 1960s became public, there was widespread anxiety. But the full truth of the events is still somewhat shrouded.
A "Mozart" of the Attention Economy
He's spent 24 hours in a vat of goo, two days underground – and showered huge sums of cash to selected participants. But are these videos simply incredibly clever clickbait – or works of artistic genius?
Life in a Nation Threatened by the Encroaching Ocean
With the ocean increasing, much of Tuvalu's population is confronting the possibility that their homeland may in the near future become uninhabitable. The critical question is: To where are they going to relocate?
One Tragic Case of Youth Destitution
When I encountered a young boy he was 13 and homeless. I still thought his situation could turn around. That hope was tragically mistaken.
The Global Artificial Intelligence Race and a Crucial Defection
In the recent past, after living half his life in the US, Song-Chun Zhu took a permanent move to China. Today, he could hold the answers to which nation wins the global technological rivalry.
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