The Story of Abdelrahman and the Oud

Kate Adie introduces stories from Jordan, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Spain and the Black Sea.

11-year-old Abdelrahman was injured during an Israeli attack in Gaza, which led to the loss of one of his legs. He was selected to travel to Jordan for hospital treatment, to be fitted with a new prosthetic leg. Fergal Keane met him while he was undergoing treatment - and learning to play the traditional Middle Eastern musical instrument, the oud.

The former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was sentenced to death this week for crimes against humanity. Prosecutors accused the former leader of being behind hundreds of killings during anti-government protests last year. Arunoday Mukharji was in the capital, Dhaka, when the verdict was announced.

Russian attacks on Ukraine' energy infrastructure have increased. Among the targets are the country’s nuclear power plants – with Europe’s largest located in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia. Vitaliy Shevchenko recounts a recent discovery he made about his childhood home there.

Spain has marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Francisco Franco, whose legacy still divides the country. Linda Pressly recently met the dictator’s great-grandson in Madrid.

And in our age of mass tourism, travel has, for some, gone from being an adventure of self-discovery to a selfie-checklist, with even the most secluded places on full display across social media. But there are still ways to immerse yourself in other cultures through less well-trodden routes. Caroline Eden recently embarked on a new adventure of her own, on a slow boat across the Black Sea.

Producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith