Upon look back on the past year, a curated list of outstanding feature-length pieces emerges. These accounts delve into intricate themes from political machinations and historical revelations to profoundly personal sagas.
The Puzzling Writer and the Moral Fabric of a Country
An author became known in the post-Soviet era with biting commentaries on autocratic rule. While several of his literary peers have faced censorship or left the country, he continues to sell vast numbers of books. It raises a key question: Has the author evolved into an defender for the Kremlin?
Endurance and Collaboration in Syria's Brutal Conflict
The story of a young man, who at eighteen was informed that his sole route out of incarceration was to join the regime forces. After fourteen years, his former role as one of the Syrian leader's fighters may now cost him his life.
A Bitter Argument Over Humanity's Earliest Beginnings
The discovery of fossilised bones in the Chadian desert in 2001 was heralded as radically rewriting the story of our species. However, not everyone was persuaded. The resulting heated controversy has dominated the careers of paleoanthropologists ever since.
A UK Religious Group That Hid in Plain Sight
Philippa Barnes was only a child when her family joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an grown woman, she played a key role in expose the appalling breadth of exploitation it had committed.
The Statesman's Puzzling Stance on International Law
Numerous voters hoped that the prime minister would reaffirm the the nation's dedication to human rights. However, the track record over the first year in office has been strikingly ambiguous.
Shattering a Nation's Myth
A documentary following a repentant fraudster as she sets up unscrupulous clients with hidden cameras asks difficult queries: Is this person genuinely a new person, and is the director's own intentions?
A Man Who Decontaminates the UK's Most Traumatic Scenes
From murder scenes to whale blubber, an extreme cleaner has witnessed – and cleaned – everything. In their darkest times, people turn to him to restore peace.
Will an Iconic Institution Weather an "Perfect Storm"?
Plagued by debates over its collection, strained funding and the discovery of an insider theft, the UK's leading cultural institution is in a major crisis. The challenge remains: Is it possible to salvage its legacy?
Beyond "Morning Sickness": The Torture of Extreme Condition
Known as hyperemesis gravidarum and once labeled 'pernicious vomiting' by the Victorians, this illness has for centuries been without an reliable medical remedy – up until perhaps now.
A Ghost of Extremism in Modern Government
A violent extremist and early advocate of hate, a rabbi died a political outcast 35 years ago. In the present day, his teachings permeate the highest echelons of government.
An British Gentleman With a Dishonest Side
With his keen intellect and flawless background, it's understandable that affluent individuals trusted him with their fortunes. Until they started to become uneasy.
The Tiny Nation That Became the Global Diplomatic Center
An incredibly rich Gulf state has risen as a major player on the international scene, attempting to mediate some of the most complex disputes. Which factors are driving this unprecedented role?
A Close-Up View at a President Gearing Up for Global Battle
Extremely disliked at home, the French leader thrives on the international stage, where he projects himself as the statesman most equipped to handle a particular former US president. Seven years after their previous encounter, a writer joined him as he readied himself for the summit.
During the Court Case of a Heartbreaking Story
How did the daughter of an aristocrat find herself at the a major court with her partner, charged with killing their newborn baby?
An End of a Global Aid Agency: Far From Widespread Mourning
When actions were made to dismantle a major US development organization, many around the world were shocked. But on the ground in Sierra Leone, this most recent letdown was not unforeseen.
The Unethical Mid-Century Study on South Asian Mothers
When information about a medical study in the 1960s were revealed, there was widespread shock. But the precise nature of the events is still partially shrouded.
A "Genius" of the Online Economy
He's spent a full day in a vat of goo, two days underground – and showered enormous sums of cash to selected contestants. But are these stunts simply very clever clickbait – or works of daring brilliance?
Existence in a Nation Endangered by the Encroaching Ocean
With the ocean increasing, much of this Pacific island nation's people is grappling with the prospect that their islands may in the near future be submerged. The urgent question is: Where are they supposed to relocate?
A Sorrowful Case of Youth Destitution
As I met a young boy he was 13 and homeless. I still hoped his situation might improve. That hope was sadly misplaced.
The International Artificial Intelligence Competition and a Pivotal Defection
In the recent past, after spending half his life in the US, a leading AI scientist took a one-way ticket to his home country. Now, he may possess the secret to which nation prevails in the global AI race.
The most impactful stories
