AJ Longreads

Pakistan's Christians have long been marginalised and pushed into sewer cleaning work. Now, some are fighting back. Written by Saad Zuberi. Read by Laura Lockwood.

In Berlin, comedians from Ukraine and Russia share the same stage as an outlet for their grief and anger about the war. Written by Verena Hoelzl. Read by Richard Martin.

How a flourishing underground subculture is providing a welcome escape from the realities of war. Written by Nils Adler. Read by Xzavian Wrushen.

Partners caught on different sides of the yearlong conflict reflect on how it has affected their relationships. Written by Pearly Jacob. Read by Emma Jones.

Despite the dangers of war, many winemakers have continued to operate, buoyed by growing demand for local wines. Written by Nils Adler. Read by Pete Ferrand.

After fleeing the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the former head of a girls' school in Kabul tries to make a new life in Canada. Written by Mellissa Fung. Read by Laura Lockwood.

In Taliban's Afghanistan, Hazara cousins, both blast victims who loved to read and learn, inspire an outdoor library - and new readers. Written by Ruchi Kumar. Read by Erica Sand.

As clandestine networks form to support women, they look to Central America for a road map -- and a warning. This story was written by Delaney Nolan and read by Annie M Dylan. Reporting for this story was supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Reproductive Rights Reporting Fund.

Widely used in construction for decades, the aftermath of asbestos exposure has been a death sentence for many in the United Kingdom. Written by Katharine Quarmby. Read by Richard Martin. This article is part of a wider cross-border investigation, Asbestos: The Lethal Legacy, led by Investigative Reporting Denmark, edited by Katharine Quarmby, and made in collaboration with journalists from Knack in Belgium, Tygodnik Powszechny and Reporters’ Foundation in Poland, Ostro in Croatia and Slovenia, Investigative Reporting Project Italy, De Groene Amsterdammer in The Netherlands, Grupo Merca2 in Spain, Al Jazeera in the UK and TV2 Nord in Denmark. The investigation is supported by Journalismfund.eu.

Sifting through waste to find and sell scraps of cloth and recyclables use to be enough for Gunja and Chand to support their family. Now they're earning less because of a series of lockdowns and the Russia-Ukraine war. Written by Suparna Sharma. Read by Laura Lockwood.

Hunted and exterminated. Meet the scientists who want to return the thylacine back to the ecosystem. Written by Mary Ann Jolley. Read by Anthony Milich.

Protecting cultural identity through needlework - how artists, volunteers and designers turned a Ukrainian folk blouse and craft into symbols of defiance. On this week’s AJ Longreads - The Ukrainians using embroidery to stand up to Russia. Written by Pearly Jacob. Read by Annie M. Dylan.

Indian women and girls are being sold by traffickers and forced into marriages against their will for as little as $35. AJ Longreads highlights how under-reported these cases are and how the victims are left feeling abandoned. Names of the women and children have been changed to protect their identities. Written by Rifat Fareed. Read by Mohita Namjoshi.

In Diyarbakır, Turkey, a 24-year-old woman is documenting an ancient practice and making it popular among a new generation. Written by Jaclynn Ashly. Read by Erica Sand.

In this episode we return to the story of Bibiana Martin, who was 12 years old when she joined the forest rangers. Twenty years later, she is still protecting parks. Written by Sam Mednick. Read by Laura Lockwood.

This week we return to the story of Andrew Silva from Sri Lanka. His day job is taxing people around, but what he does in his spare time is truly life changing. With a car full of DNA tests and a natural detective's instinct, he's helping to reunite adopted children with their birth mothers. Written by Bhavya Dore. Read by Loveday Smith.

Journalist Afrah Nasser visits her home country of Yemen after more than a decade away. She reflects on the devastating impact war has had on her country and family. Names have been changed to protect identities. Read by Olga Rodic.

As the climate crisis causes water levels to plummet, riverbeds to dry and glaciers to melt, artefacts like old warships, an ancient city, a mosque, 'hunger stones' and human remains have emerged. The body of an Indian soldier was found on Siachen Glacier. His widow always hoped he would ‘come home someday’. This story is part of “Climate artefacts”, a mini-series telling the stories behind the people, places and objects that have been discovered due to drought and warming temperatures. Written by Rifat Fareed. Read by Mohita Namjoshi.

Three years after Atatiana Jefferson was shot by a white police officer, stark racial divides, inequality and a lack of reform plague the US city of Fort Worth. Written by Tyler Hicks. Read by Xzavian Wrushen.

Predators and fraudsters are exploiting vulnerable unemployed Nigerians, and the costs are sometimes deadly. AJ Longreads explores how social media is being used to lure victims. A warning - this story contains details of sexual assault. Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the victims. Written by Damilola Banjo. Read by Laura Lockwood.