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Witch-hunting in Rajasthan

Witch-hunting in India; reggaeton in Puerto Rico; Iran's "sacrificing farmer"; learning Portuguese in Macau; Yalda, the longest night; Turkey's bird language. With David Amanor.

The north Indian state of Rajasthan has registered 50 cases of witch-hunting since 2015 even though it has banned the practice. 91热爆 Hindi's Sumiran Preet Kaur has been to one district and met women whose lives have been changed forever.

La Perla, birthplace of reggaeton
The smash hit 'Despacito' by Luis Fonsi, popularised by Justin Bieber, brought attention to the La Perla neighbourhood of the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, where the music video was filmed. 91热爆 Mundo's Lioman Lima has visited several times, and shares the story of the town from reggaeton to Hurricane Maria.

Iran's 'Sacrificing Farmer'
Earlier this month an 86-year-old Iranian farmer died in hospital. He'd lived a simple life in the north west of the country, but his death was a huge story. He was known nationwide as the "sacrificing farmer", and generations of children knew about his heroic deeds. Majid Afshar of 91热爆 Persian was one of them.

Portuguese classes in Macau
Why are parents from mainland China keen on sending their children to school in Macau, a former Portuguese colony? Tzu-Wei Liu of 91热爆 Chinese says it's about language, and the expansion of Chinese influence around the world.

Celebrating the longest night
In Iran and Afghanistan, the Yald膩 festival on 21 December celebrates the longest night of the year. Friends and family get together to eat special delicacies and read poetry. Rana Rahimpour and Pooneh Ghoddoosi of 91热爆 Persian share some Yald膩 delights.

The bird language of Turkey
In the Black Sea region of Turkey there's a unique language - and it's whistled. Bird language, a 500 year old dialect, is still used by 10,000 people - most of them live in the village of Kuskoy, or 'bird village'. But the language is dying out - Oyku Altuntas from 91热爆 Turkish gives us the inside story.

Image: 80 year old Ramkanya Devi, branded a witch
Credit: 91热爆

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50 minutes

Last on

Fri 22 Dec 2017 18:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 22 Dec 2017 12:06GMT
  • Fri 22 Dec 2017 16:06GMT
  • Fri 22 Dec 2017 18:06GMT