The Superlinguists: Monolingual societies

Russians who sign up to fight in Ukraine earn big money in salaries and bonuses – and the Kremlin is even more generous to families of those killed in battle. Average compensation packages for a dead son or husband are worth about US$130,000. In less-wealthy Russian provinces, where most recruits are from, that’s enough to turn your life around. Reporter Arsenii Sokolov finds out how the relatives of the tens of thousands of men Russia has lost in the war are spending the money – and asks whether the pay-outs will help create a new “patriotic” middle class that supports Vladimir Putin.He talks to a woman who’s used her “coffin money” to open a restaurant in memory of her dead son – and hears about a craze for ultra-expensive hair-dryers among wives and girlfriends of soldiers from Siberia.Marrying soldiers has become so attractive that women on dating apps often search specifically for men in uniform.But the compensation payouts are also fuelling furious court battles, when divorced or separated fathers who’ve played little role in child rearing suddenly reappear after their sons’ deaths and demand their share of the coffin money. Besides the cash, there are many privileges offered to soldiers and their families, and to bereaved relatives of the fallen. Their children can go to university whatever their grades. And the Kremlin has started a programme called “Time of Heroes” that claims it will fast-track selected returning servicemen into elite positions in local politics and business. But can Putin’s attempt at social engineering really work? And will “deathonomics” – as one economist calls it – really boost the economy of the provinces that have suffered most from the huge death toll?

4 Mar 27min

With its dancing challenges and comedy sketches, it’s no surprise why Tiktok is popular with young Kenyans. It’s also a way for them to make money through the app’s gifting service. But there’s a darker side, where young women – and girls as young as 15 – are selling sexual content on livestreams, with some being recruited and exploited by “digital pimps”. Africa Eye’s Debula Kemoli investigates who is profiting. A spokesperson for Tiktok said in a statement that they have zero tolerance for exploitation. And they enforce strict safety policies, including robust live content rules and moderation in 70 languages, including Swahili. Producers: Nalini Sivathasan and Patrick Clahane Editors: Pete Murimi and Rebecca Henschke Sound engineer: Neil Churchill

3 Mar 26min

Mark Burman follows artist Marcin Dudek as he works on his sound sculpture The Ground Harbours The Soul, which is made from the sounds of the crowd at Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Visitors get to experience all the highs and lows of fans watching a football game in real time.

2 Mar 26min

The Korean skincare industry is booming around the world, but some brands faced backlash because of the lack of products for people with darker skin tones. Korean journalist Soo Min Kim looked into how companies responded and spoke to the influencers driving this change. Plus, can radio help save a farmer's livelihood? Boyd Chibale from BBC Media Action in Zambia talks about the work they've done to help local communities cope with droughts and power cuts; and the art of balancing rocks, as filmed by video journalist Shardul Kadam who worked on this story for BBC Marathi. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Alice Gioia, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

1 Mar 26min

A video of American R&B singer Ne-Yo kissing three of his girlfriends backstage has had loads of attention and highlighted the practice of polyamory. This is when people have several partners at once and are completely open about it. To find out more, we bring together four polyamorous men and women in the US and the UK to tell us what their lives are like. Apart from the positives, we also hear about the stigma and the jealousy that can arise from having more than one partner.

1 Mar 23min

In 2022 the kingdom of Bhutan ordained 144 women in an unprecedented ceremony. Among them was Emma Slade, also known as Lopen Ani Pema Deki, from Kent in the UK. She was the only Western woman to take part. Emma’s faith has been a part of her life since she was held at gunpoint and robbed in Indonesia in 1997. She studied in Bhutan and set up a charity that supports children with special needs in the country. She talks to Julia Paul about life as a bhikshuni in the UK and Bhutan, her memories of taking part in the historic mass ordination and what it means for Buddhist nuns in Bhutan and other countries.

28 Feb 26min

With their fearsome talons, acid poo and a penchant for rotting carcasses, the vulture has long been shouldered with associations of death, and dishonour. This taboo often puts them bottom of the list for conservation projects. Conservationist Sacha Dench visits three different vulture species, each with an extraordinary story of persecution and survival. In India, vulture populations collapsed by 99.9%, the sharpest decline of any animal ever recorded. Debbie Pain and Chris Bowden describe the urgent international collaborative effort that brought them back from the very brink of extinction. In South Africa, the White Backed Vulture has become collateral damage in the ongoing war between poachers and game-keepers. Finally, in Guinea-Bissau, vultures are the victim of cultural practices which see their bodies as having magical properties.

27 Feb 26min

Meta has decided to abandon the use of independent fact-checkers on Facebook and Instagram in the United States, citing concerns that fact-checkers have become too politically biased. Instead, the company seems to be following X’s lead by shifting to a Community Notes-style system, where users rather than professional fact-checkers and experts correct inaccurate information. But will it lead to more free speech and fewer errors? Or does it open the door for misinformation to spread more easily? How well are social media users equipped to discern fact from fiction?

26 Feb 19min