大象传媒

Pascale Harter introduces dispatches from correspondents and writers in Ukraine, the USA, Senegal and El Salvador.
More than two years since the start of Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion, Ukraine is struggling to recruit and keep enough soldiers to fight the war. In Odesa, Jean Mackenzie spoke to men living in hiding to avoid the draft 鈥� and the conscription teams being sent to seek them out.

Michigan will be a crucial political battleground in November鈥檚 US Presidential contest 鈥� and the state鈥檚 divisions are starkly on show on the streets of Detroit. Once this city was one of America鈥檚 industrial giants; for decades it was a byword for urban decay; and now, despite some signs of economic recovery, Mike Wendling finds that 鈥渢he vibes are still bad鈥� among many voters.

On the world stage, Senegal punches well above its weight as an artistic powerhouse. As its yearly season of festivals got going, Natasha Booty soaked up the culture 鈥� and heard why some artists were chafing against funding and schedule changes 鈥� in St Louis and Dakar.

El Salvador鈥檚 coffee crop is renowned for its smooth, chocolatey, floral notes 鈥� and at least some of its appeal may be down to the way it鈥檚 grown: in the shade. Unlike the open fields of coffee trees on plantations elsewhere, growers here prefer a method where the coffee plants are mixed in with other vegetation and planted beneath the canopy of larger trees. It takes a lot of work, and adds expense, learns Jane Chambers - but it鈥檚 better for wildlife and may even help reduce flooding.

Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production Co-Ordinator: Katie Morrison

Image caption: Vlad, a conscription officer working in Odesa, southern Ukraine. Photo taken by Thanyarat Doksone, 大象传媒.