Main content

Inside Myanmar's Rakhine State

Rohingya muslims in Bangladesh and Rakhine state; Congo river journey; Africa's ex-footballers; Indian superstar singer controversy; Iran's golden age. With David Amanor.

This week a Thai court convicted 60 people for human trafficking, with victims including Rohingya people. Rohingya are a muslim minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, but the Burmese government doesn't recognise them as citizens, and five years ago large numbers began to flee their homes after becoming victims of widespread violence and abuse. Rohmatin Bonasir of BBC Indonesian recently went to Rakhine State, where many of the Rohingya live, to visit an Indonesian funded school there, as well as a refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Boat ride down the Congo
BBC Africa journalists frequently go to great lengths for a story, like Catherine Byaruhanga who undertook a gruelling journey up the river Congo in a motorised dugout canoe.

After the final whistle
Many dream of making it as professional footballers and it's easy to see why: luxury travel, huge paycheques, the adulations of fans. But what happens when it all finishes? Stanley Kwenda from BBC Africa has been finding out.

Musical differences
A R Rahman is a hugely popular singer and composer at home in India, and this week filled Wembley Arena with music lovers. So why did so many fans start leaving? Turns out it comes down to language - Hindi versus Tamil. Rahul Joglekar is a Hindi speaker with BBC news, and Sangeetha Rajan of BBC Tamil are both fans and shed light on the story.

My country's 'golden age'
For many Iranians Cyrus the Great, who ruled ancient Persia 2,500 years ago, symbolises their country's golden age. Including BBC Persian's Feranak Amidi.

And Fifi Haroon casts a humorous eye over the week's stranger stories.

Image: BBC Indonesia's Rohmatin Bonasir holding a Rohingya child in Bangladesh refugee camp
Credit: BBC

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Fri 21 Jul 201717:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 21 Jul 201711:06GMT
  • Fri 21 Jul 201715:06GMT
  • Fri 21 Jul 201717:06GMT