🔗 Share this article

As we reflect on the previous year, a curated list of remarkable feature-length pieces emerges. These pieces delve into complex themes ranging from geopolitical intrigue and historical revelations to profoundly human sagas.

The Enigmatic Writer and the Soul of a Nation

An author gained prominence in the post-Soviet era with scathing satires on autocratic rule. Although numerous of his writer contemporaries have faced suppression or fled the nation, he still sell millions of copies. It prompts a key question: Has he evolved into an supporter for the establishment?

Survival and Collaboration in the Syrian Brutal Civil War

The tale of Mustafa, who at eighteen was told that his sole route out of prison was to enlist in the regime forces. After fourteen years, his past as one of the Syrian leader's fighters might now cost him his life.

A Acrimonious Dispute Over Humanity's Earliest Beginnings

The discovery of ancient bones in the Chadian sands in the early 2000s was hailed as completely rewriting the story of our human race. But, not everyone was persuaded. The subsequent bitter argument has consumed the careers of scholars ever since.

The British Cult That Hid in Plain Sight

Philippa Barnes was only a child when her household became part of the a religious community. As an grown woman, she played a key role in expose the shocking scale of exploitation it had committed.

The Prime Minister's Curious Record on Human Rights

A great many supporters hoped that the former human rights lawyer would reaffirm the UK's dedication to international law. However, the record over the past year has been strikingly inconsistent.

Challenging a Country's Myth

A documentary featuring a repentant master criminal as she records unscrupulous clients with covert recording poses difficult queries: Is she truly reformed, and what are the director's own motives?

A Man Who Cleans the UK's Most Difficult Stains

From crime scenes to whale blubber, Ben Giles has encountered – and dealt with – everything. In their stickiest moments, families depend on him to restore normalcy.

Will an Renowned Museum Weather an "Omni-Crisis"?

Burdened by colonial controversy, strained finances and the revelation of an internal thief, the UK's premier cultural institution is in serious difficulty. The challenge remains: Can it salvage its legacy?

More Than "Pregnancy Nausea": A Agony of Extreme Pregnancy

Known as hyperemesis gravidarum and once labeled 'pernicious vomiting' by the 19th century, this illness has long been without an effective medical solution – until possibly now.

A Spectre of Extremism in Modern Government

A militant fanatic and early advocate of hate, a rabbi died a marginalized pariah thirty-five years ago. In the present day, his ideology permeate the highest levels of the state.

An English Professional With a Fraudulent Secret

With his keen intellect and impeccable reputation, it's no surprise that wealthy clients entrusted him with their wealth. Until they began to get uneasy.

A Small Nation That Emerged as the Global Mediation Hub

An astonishingly rich country has risen as a key actor on the international scene, striving to mediate some of the most long-standing disputes. Which factors are driving this ambitious endeavor?

A Inside View at a President Preparing for Global Summitry

Extremely unpopular at home, the French leader thrives on the international arena, where he positions himself as the statesman best placed to deal with a particular former American leader. Seven years after their last encounter, a writer joined him as he prepared for battle.

Inside the Trial of a Heartbreaking Story

How did the child of an aristocrat find herself at the Old Bailey with her companion, charged with killing their two-week-old baby?

The Dismantling of a Major Aid Organization: Far From Widespread Mourning

When actions were made to wind down a prominent aid agency, many around the world were surprised. But on the front lines in Sierra Leone, this latest disappointment was far from unexpected.

A Unethical Mid-Century Experiment on Indian Mothers

When details about a medical experiment in the sixties became public, there was widespread shock. But the full truth of the procedures remains somewhat contested.

A "Mozart" of the Attention Age

He's spent a full day in a vat of goo, two days buried alive – and showered huge amounts of cash to selected participants. But are these stunts simply very clever clickbait – or works of artistic genius?

Life in a Nation Endangered by the Rising Seas

With the ocean rising, much of this Pacific island nation's people is facing the prospect that their home may in the near future become uninhabitable. The urgent question is: To where are they supposed to go?

One Heartbreaking Case of Childhood Homelessness

As I met Craig he was thirteen and homeless. I still hoped his situation could change for the better. That hope was sadly misplaced.

A Global AI Competition and a Key Defection

In 2020, after spending half his life in the US, Song-Chun Zhu took a one-way ticket to China. Today, he might possess the secret to who prevails in the worldwide technological rivalry.

The finest narratives