Spotlight on Brazil

Available for over a year

A fresh look at the week's global news from the World Service's 27 language sections, with presenter David Amanor. A DIARY FROM SANTA MARIA How do you go from reporting a heart-breaking tragedy to covering one of the most famous parties on earth? Two weeks ago a fire in a Santa Maria night club killed more than 200 young people, this week Julia Carneiro has been covering the Rio carnival. She reflects on an extreme change of gear from covering a tragedy to reporting celebration. ONLINE GREATEST HITS BBC Brasil's Thomas Pappon gives the lowdown on the big-hitting stories across the World Service language sites this week - including Russia's new cosmonauts, the dance craze in Jordan and the Mexican bones that aren't all they seem. MEETING MORTAZAVI One of Iran's most controversial figures, the former prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi was this week in the headlines following his surprise arrest and even more surprising release. Persian Service reporter Hossein Bastani remembers two extraordinary personal encounters with Mortazavi. UNDERSTANDING IRAN A shouting match in parliament, a growing political rift ahead of the elections, and monkeys in space. It's been a tumultuous and gripping week for Iran. BBC Persian reporters Rana Rahimpour and Siavash Ardalan shed light on what the messy political situation says about the country right now. THE HUNT FOR PHONEY: PART THREE Poor Joseph Phoney - sprung from his central African hideout in last week's programme along with his protege, Captain Zoomzoom, he is now sharing a cell at The Hague. What will be his fate? And does he like Dutch cheese? From the pen of BBC Africa's former editor Robin White, this is the last act of The Hunt for Phoney - a three part drama featuring actors Jude Akuwudike and Ali Sichilongo. IMAGE: A woman leans on coffin in Santa Maria (Getty Images)