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The Lot-et-Garonne is a south-western French department created from the union of the land and two rivers: the Lot and the Garonne. It’s therefore not surprising that some of the most beautiful gardens in France can be found here. The stories of these mini Edens are both astonishing and little-known. Impressionist painter Claude Monet came to one in Temple-sur-Lot to buy hundreds of water lilies for his garden at Giverny.

We look at reactions from the French press after MPs struck down the government's flagship immigration bill before it was even debated. Also: British PM Rishi Sunak faces a vote on his controversial bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Plus: a house in rural New York holds the record for the most Christmas lights, but tourism is causing trouble for the quaint community.

Russia's court has classified the LGBTQ+ movement as extremist, leading to a crackdown on community spaces and increased fear. The authorities have been banning anything deemed to promote a "non-heterosexual lifestyle."

After Gene Wilder in 1971 and Johnny Depp in 2005, Timothée Chalamet takes on the role of the world's most mysterious candy man in "Wonka", a sugar-sweet prequel about a young, idealistic Willy building his chocolate empire.

British-Iranian filmmaker Babak Jalali speaks to Eve Jackson about his amazing first-time actress Anaita Wali Zada, who five months before casting had been on an evacuation plane from Afghanistan, how he cast Jeremy Allen White and Gregg Turkington and why he found himself working mainly with a female team.

France in Focus shines a light on how Paris went from utter darkness to the illuminated city of today. The team meets a passionate group of electricity enthusiasts to discover some of the most famous lamps that have lit up the French capital. They also speak to the granddaughter of Fernand Jacopozzi, the engineer who famously illuminated the Eiffel Tower in the 1920s. Lastly, they explore how Paris's iconic monuments stay in the limelight today.

Two of Paris's most loved stand-up comedians speak to Eve Jackson about "the Parisians" who have served as inspiration for their comedy shows for years – from their defying bluntness and honesty to their severe rudeness, their fashion style and their unmatchable culture. Frenchman Olivier Giraud has a show in English called "How to Become a Parisian in One Hour" which is about to hit the one million spectator mark.

TikTok is teeming with women who say they've found themselves in the throes of a second puberty. But is it a real thing?

A greeting and an apology, a sign of respect and an indication of worshipping, the formal bow employed by all Japanese has many meanings and numerous subtle distinctions.

The leader of Tibet’s exiled government accuses Chinese authorities of imposing monoculturalism on Tibetans, eradicating ethnic identities and suppressing political activities.

A Taiwanese rock band denies lip-synching at a concert in China, an offence that could see it pay a fine or even be banned in the country. We speak to Beijing-based journalist Fabian Kretschmer.

The French region of Alsace is famous for its traditional half-timbered houses. But this centuries-old heritage is threatened by the passage of time and urban development. Every year, 400 of these remarkable old houses are demolished. But a few locals are trying to safeguard their heritage. One young couple have embarked on a project to renovate their old house, using ancestral techniques.