Now the Congolese government wants the troops to begin a phased withdrawal. This comes at the very moment when the rebel group M23, backed by Rwanda, has launched a fresh offensive.

Just twelve years ago, Thorsten Frei was mayor of Donaueschingen. Now he is set to become the head of the German Chancellery, sitting at the heart of political power in the Federal Republic. How did this native of Bad Säckingen manage to catapult himself from local politics to the top echelons of government? How much influence does he wield over CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who values his loyalty and fighting spirit? And which issues might Frei champion on behalf of the southwest?

150 times a day, Marie Velakutshi dives to catch shellfish from the turbid waters of the River Congo. It's a tiring and dangerous job due to the strong current in Africa’s second longest river, and one carried out mostly by women.

The Sulawesi Pinisi is a highly manoeuvrable cargo sailing vessel. During the Dutch colonial era, it was used to sail between the Indonesian islands, carrying everything from simple goods to precious commodities for export, particularly spices. The art of making these handsome ships was inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017.

The music label Atomic Fire Records wants to make a big splash with heavy metal - in Donzdorf, a small town at the foot of the Swabian Alb. They want to land a first success with the band Induction.

The Caribbean island of Hispaniola is shared by rich and poor: Haiti in the west, the Dominican Republic in the east. Haitians have always sought work in the Dominican Republic, where they were and are urgently needed there too.

The planet runs on electricity. Seamless electricity supply and network stability are difficult to maintain, and the energy revolution demands a new infrastructure. But will it arrive on time?

In Iran, people are hoping for political détente from the new US President Joe Biden, for him to abandon the maximum pressure policy of his predecessor Donald Trump and for him to return to the nuclear deal. For on top of the tough sanctions weighing heavily on the economy, the corona pandemic is depressing sentiment in Iran.

Uterus transplantation could support women without a healthy uterus in their wish to have children. But should this be allowed in medicine within ethical and economic limits?

Digital nomads: They travel the world, work on the move and are always online. Their lives are emblematic of the Digital Revolution and its impact on our work and lives. But their way of life has its limits.

We ventured to one of the poorest and most dangerous countries on the planet to find out how their local traffic functions. The streets are badly damaged and littered with holes. This, however, is Oliver's commute: he is one of the few Germans living in the Kongo.

The upcoming election in 2017 may determine the future of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After 15 years in power, President Kabila is no longer allowed to compete for election. However, the regime and the kleptocratic elite want to avoid the loss of power at all costs.

"Favelas" are unofficial, illegally constructed districts of Rio de Janeiro. They are a world seemingly without rules, ruled over mostly by the drug mafia. The police's attempt to bring order to the chaos has proven to be a mammoth task not only for the police and state officials but also the inhabitants of the city: around 16 people die from gunshot wounds every day.

"Abenteuer Leben" shares an exclusive look behind the curtains of the German Bundestag: For a half year, this report accompanies Norbert Barthle, the speaker for fiscal politics of the CDU/CSU party.