Upon look back on the year gone by, a assortment of exceptional long-form stories emerges. Such narratives probe multifaceted subjects from political intrigue and historical revelations to profoundly personal sagas.
A Puzzling Novelist and the Soul of a Country
An author gained prominence in the nineties with biting satires on power. While numerous of his writer contemporaries have encountered censorship or fled the country, he still sell millions of copies. It raises a key question: Has the author become an defender for the regime?
Endurance and Complicity in Syria's Devastating Conflict
The story of a young man, who at eighteen was told that his only way to escape prison was to join the regime military. Following 14 long years, his former role as one of the Syrian leader's soldiers might now get him killed.
The Bitter Argument Over Humanity's Ancient Beginnings
The discovery of fossilised bones in the Djurab desert in 2001 was proclaimed as fundamentally changing the story of our human race. But, a faction was convinced. The subsequent intense argument has dominated the careers of paleoanthropologists ever since.
The UK Religious Group That Operated in Plain Sight
One woman was just a child when her household joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an adult, she played a key role in uncover the disturbing breadth of mistreatment it had perpetrated.
A Statesman's Unexpected Record on Human Rights
A great many followers anticipated that the former human rights lawyer would renew the the nation's commitment to human rights. Yet, the track record over the past year has been curiously inconsistent.
Breaking a Nation's Identity
A film following a remorseful master criminal as she records unscrupulous clients with hidden cameras asks complex queries: Is she genuinely a new person, and is the filmmaker's own methods?
A Person Who Remediates the UK's Most Traumatic Stains
From crime scenes to biological waste, an extreme cleaner has witnessed – and restored – it all. In their stickiest times, individuals depend on him to restore order.
Can an Famous Museum Weather an "Perfect Storm"?
Plagued by colonial controversy, precarious funding and the exposure of an internal thief, Britain's premier museum is in serious difficulty. The question remains: Can it salvage its reputation?
Beyond "Morning Sickness": A Agony of Extreme Pregnancy
Called hyperemesis gravidarum and once labeled 'dangerous sickness' by the 19th century, this illness has for centuries been without an consistent treatment solution – until possibly now.
The Ghost of Radicalism in Contemporary Politics
A violent extremist and pioneer of bigotry, a rabbi died a political outcast thirty-five years ago. Today, his ideology influence the uppermost levels of government.
The British Gentleman With a Crooked Side
With his brilliant intellect and flawless reputation, it's little wonder that high-net-worth individuals trusted him with their wealth. Then they began to get uneasy.
The Small State That Became the Global Mediation Center
An incredibly wealthy Gulf state has risen as a key player on the world stage, striving to mediate some of the most long-standing conflicts. Which factors are behind this unprecedented project?
A Close-Up View at a Leader Gearing Up for International Battle
Extremely disliked at home, the French leader thrives on the world arena, where he presents himself as the leader most equipped to manage a particular sitting US president. 7 years after their previous encounter, a journalist accompanied him as he readied himself for the fray.
Inside the Court Case of a Tragic Story
How did the child of an aristocrat end up at the Old Bailey with her partner, facing charges with the death of their two-week-old infant?
An Dismantling of a Global Development Organization: Not Universal Mourning
When actions were made to wind down a prominent development organization, many around the world were taken aback. But on the front lines in a West African nation, this latest letdown was far from unforeseen.
A Unethical 1960s Study on Indian Women
When details about a medical experiment in the sixties came to light, there was immense shock. But the exact truth of what happened is still somewhat contested.
The "Genius" of the Attention Economy
He's endured 24 hours in slime, 48 hours buried alive – and given away vast sums of money to lucky contestants. But are these productions simply very clever clickbait – or works of artistic genius?
Life in a Nation Threatened by the Encroaching Seas
With the ocean rising, much of this Pacific island nation's people is facing the reality that their islands may in the near future be submerged. The urgent question is: Where are they supposed to relocate?
One Tragic Story of Childhood Destitution
As I encountered Craig he was thirteen and homeless. Even then thought his life might improve. That hope was devastatingly wrong.
The International Artificial Intelligence Race and a Key Move
In 2020, after living half his life in the United States, Song-Chun Zhu took a permanent move to China. Today, he may possess the secret to which nation prevails in the global technological rivalry.
The finest narratives
