23/03/2009

Human stories from behind the global headlines. With Matthew Bannister.

The woman who reported her friend to the authorities in China; a gas pipe journey in Ukraine; and the man who can hold his breath for seven minutes.

We speak to Canadian Chinese journalist Jan Wong. During the Cultural Revolution, she denounced a fellow student at Beijing University to the authorities. The story of how she makes amends is told in her book 'Chinese Whispers'.

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse has travelled across Ukraine following the route of a major pipeline which supplies gas to the EU. He speaks to Ukrainians from all walks of life about where they feel the country's future lies. The first of his series of five reports for Outlook comes from the east of the country, near the border with Russia.

Guillaume Nery lives on the south coast of France near Nice and is the world's freediving champion. He tells Matthew Bannister how he can hold his breath underwater for an extraordimary seven minutes.