Open For Business

Published: June 16, 2018, 11 a.m.

All manner of visitors are seeking an audience with the powerful in Zimbabwe these days. Kate Adie introduces stories from correspondents around the world: Fergal Keane was once blacklisted in Zimbabwe, and resorted to undercover reporting, but now the country is “open for business” he hears, as he is welcomed into the President’s office - ahead of politicians, would-be investors, and even a former leading light in the opposition. Linda Pressly speaks to one of the survivors of a fire that killed 41 teenagers in a state-run children’s home. She is an orphan, the daughter of a drug dealer and a sex worker, but has big plans for herself and her brother. Kirsty Lang meets a woman from New Zealand who arrived in Petra as a backpacker 40 years ago and has been there ever since. But why are some women being warned about the dangers of ‘Jack Sparrows’ in the ancient Jordanian city? Laurence Blair is on manoeuvers with naval officers from Bolivia – the landlocked nation that is hoping the International Court of Justice will force its neighbour, Chile, to give up some of its coastline. And, as he prepares to leave India, Justin Rowlatt reflects on his three and half years in South Asia – and finds time to savour one last street shave