Plus: The snake-wrangling naturalist living on a remote island ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
DuckDuckGo removed trackers from LiveIntent, and one other. More
Plus: The snake-wrangling naturalist living on a remote island ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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16 June, 2026
Esther Hurst
Hello. When would you hide in a raspberry? And what does it mean to go to the akademiya? You're probably as confused as I am, unless you're familiar with Russia's "language of thieves". Below, we look at the intriguing origins of this secret jargon called Fenya and how it's being used by cyber-criminals today. Plus: we speak to the naturalist who has lived on a remote and biodiverse island for the past 53 years, and the BBC's US special correspondent Katty Kay explores whether America is really becoming more religious. Thanks for reading.
ESSENTIAL FEATURES
How Soviet prisons spread a secret language
The jail jargon Fenya was once used to bewilder guards in Stalin's Gulags. Now, it's spoken by millions – and is being used by Russian cyber-criminals.
What the penis can reveal about men's health
A common complaint can warn of many serious conditions, including a heart attack, stroke, diabetes and dementia..
How a painting foretold Germany's downfall
The 1927 artwork Variety Show depicts a chaotic cabaret scene – and foreshadowed the rise of Nazism.
The snake-wrangler, 84, living on remote US island
For over five decades, this knife-wielding naturalist has fought to preserve Cumberland Island for future travellers.
Why some places don't want Unesco status
Inclusion on Unesco's World Heritage List can mean global fame, but these sites are pleading to be removed.
ESSENTIAL INSIGHTS
Why the US economy keeps defying the odds
The American economy continues to outperform many of its peers, despite facing the same global shocks.
Young people in China are turning to 'virtual parents'
An antidote to loneliness? For some on social media, "virtual parents" offer the warm words they're missing at home.
What it's really like to work as an octogenarian
As US President Donald Trump celebrates his birthday, the BBC speaks to people who have worked into their 80s.
ESSENTIAL WATCH
Is the US becoming more religious?
More young men in America – across various faiths – now say religion is "very important" to them, according to recent polling. But the picture is more complicated than it first appears, as professor and data scientist Ryan Burge tells Katty Kay.
More from the BBC
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A mystery in Amherst
In 1870s Canada, an 18-year-old is at the centre of perplexing, possibly paranormal events. Is it all a devious hoax?
Archaeological fervour in Egypt
Restored photos and film reveal the race to unearth, and control, Egypt's ancient past.
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