From Our Own Correspondent

Kate Adie presents stories from South Africa, Russia, Japan, New York, and Ukraine. Unprecedented power cuts has seen South Africa's national power company become the butt of jokes, but the continual outages are hitting the country's already struggling economy. Ed Habershon reveals how people adapt when the traffic lights stop working. Vladimir Putin’s sabre-rattling has become a permanent feature on Russian state-run media, since the invasion of Ukraine began. But a more subtle device the Russian President has employed, is to appeal to Russia’s sense of victim-hood. Francis Scarr reveals the impact this daily narrative has had on his old friends in Russia. Japan struggles with diversity and female representation in both its commercial and political spheres. Shaimaa Khalil met Tokyo’s first female district mayor, who is breaking through the barriers of tradition, to ensure women are seen and heard. Puppy ownership saw a surge during the pandemic, as people discovered the joys of a four-legged companion du