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28m 27s

Ukraine’s Death Messenger

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Kate Adie introduces stories from Ukraine, Madagascar, St Helena, Uzbekistan and Bolivia.

We follow a Ukrainian army officer in the western city of Lviv who has the unenviable task of informing families that their loved ones have been killed on the battlefield. Richard Pendry witnesses the heartbreak and anger that has faced Major Serhiy Laziuk every day for the past three years.

Gen Z led protests have erupted in Madagascar recently. What began as a demonstrations against persistent power cuts, has evolved into demands for full-scale political change. Luke Freeman reports from the capital, Antananarivo.

The British overseas territory St Helena in the South Atlantic - home to just four thousand people - largely depends on British grants and remittances from abroad. While renowned for its natural beauty, many locals are looking to leave to find their fortune abroad. Beth Rose spoke to islanders about the future.

Uzbekistan is making art and culture a central pillar of its economic development, as the former Soviet republic looks to rebrand itself. Kirsty Lang visited the new biennial exhibition in Bukhara, where tradition merges with modern art.

And finally, with their pleated skirts, fringed shawls and bowler hats, the 'Cholitas' are a common sight in Bolivia’s capital La Paz. Once a derogatory term for people of mixed Spanish and indigenous heritage, many women are now reclaiming the title, and transforming from outcasts to icons in the process, finds Jane Chambers.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Rosie Strawbridge Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

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