The Documentary Podcast

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Download the latest documentaries Investigating global developments, issues and affairs.

BBC World Service


    • Aug 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
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    • 29m AVG DURATION
    • 2,781 EPISODES

    4.4 from 1,523 ratings Listeners of The Documentary Podcast that love the show mention: bulgaria, thank you bbc, bbc world service, bbc podcast, cha ching, reza, could not stop, documentaries, diverse topics, muslim, investigative journalism, archive, reporters, documentary, outlets, china, around the world, global, npr, broad.


    Ivy Insights

    The Documentary Podcast is an exceptional podcast that I highly recommend to anyone looking for captivating storytelling and a wide range of topics. Over the course of almost a decade, I have listened to more than 400 episodes, and this podcast never fails to deliver high-quality content.

    One of the best aspects of The Documentary Podcast is its ability to cover a diverse array of subjects that can appeal to a broad audience. Whether you are interested in social issues, current events, history, or personal stories, there is something for everyone in the extensive library of episodes. The storytelling is engaging, and the journalists involved in creating this podcast do an excellent job of highlighting important stories from around the world.

    Another standout feature of The Documentary Podcast is its commitment to highlighting underreported stories and giving voice to marginalized communities. It sheds light on important issues such as the plight of runaway maids, the ongoing crisis in Syria, and the experiences of refugees. This podcast has a unique ability to educate listeners and foster empathy by sharing stories that are not often covered by mainstream media.

    While there are many positive aspects of The Documentary Podcast, one potential drawback is that it may not always provide in-depth analysis or follow-up on certain topics. Given the nature of the medium—each episode typically lasts around 30 minutes—it can be challenging to delve deeply into complex issues or provide comprehensive coverage. However, this limitation is inherent to the format and does not detract from the overall quality of the podcast.

    In conclusion, The Documentary Podcast is a must-listen for anyone who appreciates well-crafted storytelling and thought-provoking content. Its wide range of topics and dedication to covering underreported stories make it stand out among other podcasts. Whether you are looking to learn something new or simply enjoy a compelling narrative, this podcast consistently delivers high-quality journalism that will keep you coming back for more.



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    Latest episodes from The Documentary Podcast

    Scammed, robbed, traumatised – life after war for Russian soldiers

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2025 26:42


    Russian soldiers were told that they would be the country's 'new elite' by President Putin. But many of them have reported being robbed and scammed out of the money that they earned fighting on the Ukrainian front lines. They also face mental health problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder after months or years at war, but suitable treatment is scarce and hard for them to find. BBC Russian's Sergei Goryashko has been looking into the soldiers who have been robbed and scammed, whilst Sofya Volyanova has spoken to the people in Russia attempting to treat soldiers for PTSD and depression. South Korea banned dog meat in the country last year, and the practice will be entirely phased out by 2027 ending a generations long practice. Hyunjung Kim of BBC Korean has been speaking to people affected by the ban and explains why it got put in place. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. This is an EcoAudio certified production. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

    Surviving the floods in Pakistan

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2025 23:47


    Many parts of Pakistan have been experiencing intense rainfall in recent weeks. Since June, at least 800 people have been killed, homes and businesses lost, and thousands forced to evacuate their communities. In our conversations, we bring together people affected by this year's monsoon to share their experiences. They include Saad, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northern Pakistan, who lost his family home and business: “Many of the houses of the people are completely destroyed and those remaining are full of mud and water,” he tells us. Although it only produces a small fraction of greenhouse gas emissions, scientific evidence suggests that Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Three journalists share their stories of the flooding and their perspectives on the challenges the country faces. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC OS Conversations, bringing together people from around the world to discuss how major news stories are affecting their lives.

    Digitally preserving Armenia's Christian heritage

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2025 26:31


    In the ancient Yererouk Basilica in Armenia, near the border with Turkey, young engineers are using 3D digital technology to scan every part of the building. The aim is to recreate the church on a screen, in full-colour and in three dimensions. This is the digital preservation initiative, created by TUMO, the Center for Creative Technologies, based in Armenia's capital Yerevan. It is training young Armenians to use new technology and also to connect them to their their 2000-year-old Armenian Christian heritage. In 2023, the country lost control of numerous important religious sites, when the province of Nagorno-Karabakh was taken over by neighbouring Muslim Azerbaijan. The mountainous enclave, known as Artsakh to Armenians, has long been a disputed territory between the two countries. Despite the new peace agreement signed recently, the province is still closed to Armenians. International observers using satellite technology say dozens of important Christian sites have been damaged or destroyed. Julia Paul travels to Armenia to find out how drones and lasers are helping young Armenians to connect to and preserve their ancient Christian heritage. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

    Student predator: Surviving Zhenhao Zou

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2025 28:27


    Earlier this year, Chinese student Zhenhao Zou was jailed for 24 years for drugging and raping ten women in the UK and China. He has been described by police as one of Britain's “most prolific sexual predators”. After his trial, detectives said they feared he may have attacked 50 more women – many of whom are yet to be identified. Following connections on Chinese social media, reporter Wanqing Zhang from the BBC's Global China Unit has been speaking exclusively to several of Zou's victims, and a translator who has helped them, revealing shocking details about his crimes.

    The Facebook grifters making money off AI Holocaust victims

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2025 21:45


    In Early June, the Auschwitz Memorial posted a warning about AI-generated Holocaust victims flooding Facebook. BBC Trending has since tracked several accounts pushing these false narratives and other pages posting so-called ‘AI slop'. The investigation has uncovered how these “digital creators” in Pakistan are just one part of a global economy of deception and emotional manipulation exploiting Meta payment models to profit from dubious content.

    Suing 'Alligator Alcatraz': Immigration in the US

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2025 26:47


    President Trump has called illegal immigration an “invasion” and what has followed is a huge rise in the arrest and detention of migrants. Some have ended up in ‘Alligator Alcatraz' - an immigration detention centre that was speedily constructed in June, deep in the Florida swampland. ‘Alligator Alcatraz' is now subject to a number of lawsuits. Immigration attorneys say they have not been granted proper access to clients inside; environmentalists claim the detention centre is harming the protected wetlands that surround it. Within the last few days, a judge has ruled that much of the detention centre must be dismantled and no new migrants taken there. It is a preliminary ruling and the government immediately filed an appeal. Josephine Casserly follows immigration lawyer Mich Gonzalez as he attempts to meet his client inside the detention centre. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

    Adeju Thompson: Taking fashion label Lagos Space Programme to the world

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2025 26:29


    Adeju Thompson, the founder and creative director behind the Nigerian fashion label Lagos Space Programme, attempts to establish the label on the global fashion scene. Lagos Space Programme blends Yoruba heritage (notably Adire dyeing) with queer and futurist aesthetics, taking inspiration from Lou Reed, traditional Ife sculptures, and the photography of Rotimi Fani-Kayode and Robert Mapplethorpe. Thompson talks about his dedication to slow fashion, gender-fluid creations, and detailed artisan craftsmanship, blending traditional techniques with contemporary designs. Tayo Popoola follows Thompson to Paris where he unveils his collection, based on the idea of "rock'n'roll consciousness". We then join him at his studio in Surulere, Lagos where he discusses his new designs for 25/26.

    Bonus: Lives Less Ordinary presents, Hold Fast!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2025 24:55


    The incredible true story of how The Avontuur was locked down at sea for 188 days during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 15 people on board. The journey begins for ship's cook Giulia Baccosi when she accepts a last-minute job aboard the sailing cargo ship The Avontuur. She tells the captain that she will stay with the ship until it reaches Mexico, in about three months' time. After saying goodbye to her partner, Giulia settles into life on board and the responsibilities of feeding the Avontuur's crew of 15. But before Giulia and the crew know it, everything they're counting on will be thrown to the winds. This extraordinary story, narrated by Siobhán McSweeney, is from the Lives Less Ordinary podcast, from the BBC World Service.

    Mud wrestling and tent pegging: Africa's unusual sports

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2025 26:21


    We take a look at some of the more unusual sports practiced on the African continent. Kelvin Kimathi recently travelled to Uganda where a muddy version of entertainment wrestling is becoming increasingly popular. Marcia Veiga discovered Capoeira Angola whilst finding a way to connect with her own Angolan heritage. Eshlin Vedan met the only black teenager in South Africa competing in tent pegging- a cavalry sport of ancient origin.Nitin Sultane reports for BBC Marathi and recently travelled to a village in Maharashtra where discarded fabric has been turned into paper for 700 years.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. This is an EcoAudio certified production.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

    Ukrainians at war and their hopes for peace

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2025 23:29


    While US President Donald Trump spearheads efforts to halt the conflict in Ukraine, Russian drones and missiles continue to kill and injure civilians, invaders control around a fifth of the country, and many Ukrainians fear that any peace agreement could result in a permanent loss of territory. Away from the international diplomacy, we wanted to give a sense of how life has changed in Ukraine over the past three and a half years of war. We bring together three soldiers who share their experiences of the frontline. We also hear from Ukrainians forced to leave the country and bring together three women dealing with the trauma of the conflict. Sasha tells us. “Everybody has lost someone or something – be it a home, friend or someone from their closest family.” This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC OS Conversations, bringing together people from around the world to discuss how major news stories are affecting their lives.

    Gaudí: God's architect

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2025 26:31


    In one of his final official acts before he died, Pope Francis put Antoni Gaudí, Spain's most famous architect, onto the path to sainthood. Gaudí's masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, is a towering basilica, strangely designed and bursting with colour. It stands in the heart of Barcelona and its walls recount the entire story of the Catholic religion. After 140 years, having survived wars, arson attacks and dictatorship, it is still under construction. As Gaudí worked on it throughout his life, he became obsessive and it intensified his devotion. By the end of his life he was living like a monk. The BBC's Max Horberry has been to Barcelona to see Gaudí's work and speak to the people who have been working to finish the Sagrada Familia and campaigning for Gaudí's sainthood. He finds out more about the path to sainthood and how architecture, nature and religion intertwine in Gaudí's life. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

    White Coats v the White House

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2025 27:24


    Science journalist Roland Pease asks whether the rounds of cuts, reorganisations and political strong-arming in US science can be weathered, and how they will likely affect us all. Eighty years ago Vannevar Bush proposed what became the pact between government and universities that led to decades of global scientific dominance. Today, US scientists fear the Trump administration is ripping up that agreement, mandating what and what can't be studied, who can study it, and redefining expertise. The specialist agencies are either being closed down or defunded to the extent that tens of thousands of government scientists are already unemployed. Multi-year experiments are being closed down uncompleted. Top universities are besieged by mandates on who and how they hire, tied to their future funding. Data streams that benefit researchers around the globe are being switched off. Even definitions of what counts as evidence are being redrafted. Can the administration's declared aim of "restoring gold standard science", be achieved?

    Dan Meis: Designing Everton Football Club's new stadium

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2025 27:20


    The inaugural premier league football match at Everton's much anticipated new stadium will kick-off on 23 August 2025, as the home side play against Brighton & Hove Albion. Everton Football Club's radical new home was designed by innovative sports architect Dan Meis, who has developed a reputation for out-of-the-box, innovative thinking while creating projects that redefine their respective building types. This includes the design for the Staples Centre in Los Angeles and “transformable” venue in Japan that mechanically changes from arena to stadium. In 2021, former professional footballer Neil Danns joined Meis as he commenced the design process for the Everton's new football stadium. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world's most creative people.

    Europe's migrant crisis: the truck that shocked the world

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2025 26:38


    In the summer of 2015 tens of thousands of people left their homes in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq in the hope of finding a safe haven in Europe. The journeys they took were often hazardous and not everyone reached their destination. In one of the most notorious cases, 71 migrants were found dead in the back of a refrigerated truck on a motorway in Austria. They had all suffocated. Could this tragedy have been prevented? For Assignment, Nick Thorpe speaks to two of the people smugglers who are now serving life sentences in a Bulgarian prison. He visits a man in northern Iraq who lost his younger brother and two children aboard the truck and asks the police in Hungary if they could have acted sooner.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

    The Herds: Life-sized puppets flee climate change

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2025 26:30


    A vast herd of life-size puppet animals travel from the Congo Basin to the Arctic Circle, to flee the effects of climate change. Following their internationally successful project, The Walk with Little Amal, in which a 13-foot puppet visited 17 countries, drawing attention to the vast numbers of children fleeing war, violence, and persecution, David Lan, previously the artistic director of the Young Vic and Amir Nizar Zuabi the celebrated Palestine theatre director, have created a new global project, The Herds. Concerned with raising awareness of climate change, it is inspired by the notion that animals are the first to sense environmental disaster and respond alarmingly. The animals, designed in Cape Town by the Ukwanda Puppet Collective and replicated by partners along the route, reflect the countries through which they passed. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world's most creative people.

    Ghost cities FC

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2025 49:23


    Qarabag FK is not only a refugee football club but also the most successful team in Azerbaijan. Located in Baku, they originally hail from the 'ghost' city of Aghdam, in the Nagorno Karabakh region of the South Caucasus. When a war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the late 1980s, Armenia forces seized Nagorno Karabakh - a disputed territory that both countries claim - and laid waste to Aghdam. The club relocated to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku and rebuilt. But after the second Nagorno Karabakh war, which Azerbaijan won, the government has begun to rebuild Aghdam at breakneck speed. The centre-piece will be Qarabag's regenerated former stadium. The football club is a symbol of an Azerbaijani return to lands the government describes as "unlawfully stolen". But as one team returns, another has been forced out. Lernayin Artsakh FC was based in Stepanakert. As Azeri troops bore down on the city in September 2023, its players, officials and families fled for Armenia, an act that the Armenian government called "ethnic cleansing". The team is now based in Armenia, playing in the second division.As one team prepares to return to a city they once fled, another prepares for a life in exile. James Montague travels to Nagorno Karabakh to visit the two refugee football clubs who once played in the same league but who have come to represent division and displacement in the region. Presenter: James Montague Producer and Sound Mix: Ben Wyatt A Comuniqe production for the BBC World Service.(Image Credit: James Montague A no-score draw in Nagorno Karabakh

    Comedians and Afghan weddings

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2025 26:33


    When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, they introduced many controversial measures, including a ban on music. How do people celebrate special occasions, like weddings? BBC Pashto's Payenda Sargand recently attended a wedding in the southern city of Kandahar and tells us about the other forms of entertainment that were on display, including poetry, singers performing without music and stand-up comedians. The tradition of ‘money spraying' is a major part of Nigerian wedding celebrations, but now you could face a hefty fine or even a prison sentence if you're caught doing it. Make-up artist Abdullahi Musa Huseini, also known as Amuscap on social media, was recently sentenced by a high court in the northern city of Kano for throwing cash at his own wedding, and he's currently serving a six-month jail sentence. Mansur Abubakar from BBC Africa has been reporting on this story. Tuareg communities in North Africa traditionally celebrate weddings with a 7-day party. The BBC Arabic's Xtra TV producers were invited to a wedding in Gath, in the south of Libya, and got to know the groom, Jamal, a young man who said he had to save for years to be able to afford such a feast in the current cost-of-living crisis. Saif Rebai reports. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. This is an EcoAudio certified production. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

    Messages from Sudan's war

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2025 23:42


    Few people in Sudan have been left untouched by the civil war. More than 150,000 people have died, 12 people million have been forced to leave their homes and millions face starvation. The conflict broke out in April 2023 after a vicious struggle for power between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group – the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Today, the front lines are in the south and the western Darfur region. We hear messages from people inside the besieged city of el-Fasher and bring together displaced families in conversation to share their experiences.

    The president's path: Trump's Latino base

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2025 24:56


    Donald Trump will not be on the ballot in next year's midterm elections, but his policies will be put to the electoral test. Sumi Somaskanda, Courtney Subramanian, and Bernd Debusmann Jr explore how the president's latest actions on immigration and economy could shape Latino voter behaviour in the 2026 midterms. Every Friday, The President's Path explores the state of US politics in Washington and beyond. We dig into the key issues shaping America and uncover what is on the minds of those closest to power. You can contact us at: path@bbc.co.uk Producer: John Ringer Editor: Adrian Chiculita

    Birding the gender gap

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2025 29:00


    During the annual World Series of Birding in New Jersey, US, teams compete to see who can identify the most bird species in 24 hours. For team Galbatross the goal is different and much harder - they only identify female birds. This self-imposed restriction is a form of activism, calling into question centuries of ornithology that has focused primarily on male birds, with their bright plumage, elaborate dances, and loud songs. We follow team Galbatross as they attempt to break their own record for the most female birds spotted during the World Series of Birding. We also hear from scientists and birders alike about how we got where we are, and how expanding science to be more inclusive of species of all genders can change our perspective on ourselves and the environment.

    Mo Salah: Egyptian king

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2025 56:14


    Mo Salah is one of Egypt's biggest and highly influential footballing icons. John Bennett visit his home village of Nagrig to meet the people who helped shape his early career and see the impact he still has on his local community. He explores the journey Salah took from Nagrig to Cairo to help achieve his dreams and gain an insight from those who have worked with him closely about what has driven him to global superstardom. And with the Africa Cup of Nations and a World Cup to come over the next 12 months, we assess whether Salah needs success with the Egyptian national team to cement his status in his homeland.

    Tajikistan's last, lonely hyenas

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2025 26:51


    For decades, conservationists in Tajikistan assumed that the striped hyena – a shy, less vocal cousin of the spotted hyena – was extinct there. But in 2017 a motion-sensitive camera trap in the country's south-western corner, near the borders with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, detected the presence of a female with cubs. The discovery stunned local observers, and ever since, one man and his colleagues have struggled to find out more about the few remaining Tajik striped hyenas with a view to saving them from oblivion. The challenges are immense, including the international animal parts trade, competition between animals and humans for habitat, and often-negative public perceptions of the hyena itself. Eight years on, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent travels to the grassy lowlands of Tajikistan to join the small team in their fight to save these elusive, persecuted mammals, and in doing so learns how vital hyenas are to both the ecosystem and human health.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

    Yoko Nishina: Japanese calligraphy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2025 26:29


    Yoko Nishina likes to use black Japanese Sumi ink in her calligraphy work because of the variety of colours , from blues through to browns. Craftsmen still use traditional methods to create the ink from vegetable oil lamps with wicks made of reeds. She creates both large and small works - and is collaborating with photographer Kenro Izue for an exhibition in Osaka - as well as preparing a special exhibition for her upcoming 60th birthday, an age which is considered a "re-birth" in Japanese culture. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world's most creative people.

    Has Ghana's ‘Year of Return' been a success?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2025 26:29


    Back in 2019, Ghana's then president sent out an invitation to people with African heritage to come to Ghana. It was called the Year of Return - a campaign by Ghana's tourism board to mark 400 years since the first documented African slaves were taken to America. The campaign built on ideas of Pan-Africanism, a movement to promote unity and liberation on the continent. So five years on, how is it going? We hear from Lakeshia Ford, Roweena Habadah, and Mama Kexornyi, three women who made the decision to relocate and live in Ghana. They tell us about the challenges they faced and how life in Ghana altered their perspective on life. Plus, Kobby Mensah, chief executive of Ghana Tourism Development Company, discusses whether the Year of Return has benefited Ghana's tourism industry and led to increased investment in the country. We also question him about some of the tensions resulting from rising costs.

    Why are Chinese micro-dramas so popular?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 26:32


    Secret billionaire husbands, blood-thirsty vampire lovers and being reborn as your great-grandmother: these are some of the outrageous plotlines that can be found in Chinese micro-dramas like My Royal Secret Lover, by producer Lin Yicheng. Micro-dramas are a Chinese short form video trend that has expanded globally, racking up hundreds of millions of downloads in the US, Asia, Latin America and Africa. It's big business: in China last year, the micro-drama industry grossed the equivalent of seven billion US dollars, which exceeds the entire Chinese box office for 2024. A number of these series are now also being filmed overseas for English-speaking and global audiences, most of which are adapted from Chinese scripts. Mengchen Zhang from the BBC's Global China Unit explains what's behind the success of this format. Also on the show: two BBC Language Services coming together to tackle disinformation. The relationship between neighbours India and Pakistan is well known around the world for going through periods of extreme hostility and even aggression. A deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April led to the two countries exchanging missile and drone attacks in one of the biggest escalations for about 50 years. And in times of tension, disinformation is rife. Sana Gulzar of BBC Urdu and Jugal Purohit who reports for BBC Hindi join Faranak Amidi to talk about it.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. This is an EcoAudio certified production. Clips are from Spoiled by My Vampire Uncle and My Royal Secret Lover. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

    Israelis and the war in Gaza

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 23:20


    Israel faces growing international pressure to end the war in Gaza. But on Thursday night Israel's security cabinet approved plans to expand military operations, with the aim of defeating Hamas and returning the hostages. The decision has been criticised by world leaders, the United Nations and even the country's own military leadership. In conversations recorded over the past week, we hear from people in Israel including 18-year-old David, who is shortly to join the Israel Defense Forces. He tells us why he believes the war is necessary. We also bring together the families of two hostages who were killed by Hamas. They want an immediate ceasefire so their loved ones' bodies can be returned. And we hear from three rabbis grappling with a solution to the conflict. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC OS Conversations, bringing together people from around the world to discuss how major news stories are affecting their lives.

    Freddie's second verse

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2025 26:31


    Freddie once signed to a major record label. He appeared in high-production music videos and looked set for fame. But the pressure and pace of that life left him feeling hollow. In one of the world's busiest cities, he now follows a very different path - one built on silence, discipline, and spiritual growth. Freddie reflects on his decision to leave the music industry behind and embrace Buddhism. He now works as a nail technician and shares how his beliefs shape his daily life. Alongside him is Carl, his partner, who offers moving insights into how their shared values deepen their relationship. We step into Freddie and Carl's world, where Buddhist practice offers an anchor amid chaos. Their story explores what it means to redefine success, maintain spiritual discipline in a hyperactive city, and find peace through faith. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

    The Engineers: Exploring the human

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2025 49:44


    Engineering has moved inside the body to innovate like never before. In neuro-science, brain implants can provide ‘psychic' communication for people with locked-in syndrome. In medication a new technology aims to deliver chemo therapy and other drugs directly to the parts that need them by bubbles in the blood stream. And ingestible electronics are being made to fight disease by sending antibody-directing messages straight from the gut to the brain. The BBC and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 have come together to stage a special event. Presenter Caroline Steel is joined by Tom Oxley, professorial fellow at Melbourne Medical School; Eleanor Stride, OBE, professor of Biomaterials at the University of Oxford; Khalil Ramadi, director of the Ramadi Lab for Advanced Neuro-engineering and Translational Medicine in Abu Dhabi; Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, New York University.

    New Zealand: Heading across the ditch

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 32:50


    New Zealand citizens, particularly young professionals and graduates, are leaving the country in record numbers. Most are heading across the Tasman Sea – known colloquially as "the ditch" - to Australia, lured by better job opportunities and higher wages. However, immigration is also at an all-time high, with migrant arrivals from India the largest group, followed by the Philippines and China. Ruth Evans reports on what lies behind this Kiwi 'brain drain', and asks what the rapidly changing demographics mean for the country's future.

    Waiting for my Dad - Ukraine's children of the missing

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2025 30:26


    A pioneering summer camp for Ukrainian children with missing parents.According to the Ukrainian government more than 70 thousand people are missing in the war, leaving families, including thousands of children, anxious for news of their loved ones and unable to move on.Psychologists say these children are some of the most traumatised they have worked with.Now for the first time a leading Ukrainian children's charity is putting on a special summer camp for some of these children, offering them therapy, fun activities and a safe place.For Assignment, Will Vernon is given exclusive access to this project, where psychologists are developing a new framework to treat these deeply traumatised children.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

    Luke Jerram: A good yarn

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2025 26:30


    Luke Jerram creates spectacular art installations all over the world. He reached millions of people with his work Play Me, I'm Yours, inviting anyone to make music on the 2,000 pianos he had placed on the streets of more than 70 cities. He has also created large sculptures of the moon, the planet Mars and the sun, which were suspended in spaces like cathedrals so that visitors could admire the celestial bodies up close. Julian May follows the creation of the Jerram's latest work, made for Bradford, this year's UK City of Culture. A Good Yarn plays on the double meaning of the word “yarn” – both a length of thread and a story. It looks like a giant multi-coloured ball of wool, three metres high, which will be rolled through the city's streets. Luke Jerram collaborates with Bradford residents to create a kilometre-long rope, made from woollen fabric donated by the public or from second-hand shops. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world's most creative people.

    Why a South Korean church bought a village in Paraguay

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 17:31


    Puerto Casado is a remote village in Paraguay, in South America. It's not dissimilar to many other rural towns in the area: red-brick houses, small grocery stores and unpaved roads. But what makes Puerto Casado an exception is that it's at the centre of a land dispute between the Paraguayan state, local residents and the Unification Church, a controversial religious group from South Korea. Ronald Avila-Claudio from BBC Mundo has recently been there. Plus, what the re-opening of the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea means to people living there, with Girmay Gebru from BBC News Africa; and a diver swimming with a great white shark and other viral stories, with BBC Indonesian's Famega Syavira Putri.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. This is an EcoAudio certified production.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

    Hunger in Gaza

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 24:46


    Israel faces growing international isolation over the shocking images of starvation in Gaza. Although Israel says there are no restrictions on aid deliveries – which it co-ordinates – or any starvation, charities warn the aid being allowed in is only a fraction of what is needed. The BBC is banned by Israel from reporting in Gaza but, in our conversations, doctors and journalists in the territory tell us how shortages of food, water and medical supplies are affecting them and their families. “We are not the same, this is not our shape, this is not our appearance,” Ghada, a journalist working in Gaza City tell us. We also hear from a medical student who shares her experiences of a typical day in Gaza and her hopes for the future. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC OS Conversations, bringing together people from around the world to discuss how major news stories are affecting their lives.

    Bergen-Belsen: Among graves, we were born

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2025 26:29


    Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp in Germany was the only camp liberated by the British Forces in April, 1945. Prior to that, over 50,000 people were murdered there. After liberation, the British Forces, alongside the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (AJDC) set up another camp about 2km away, the Bergen-Belsen Displaced Persons (DP) Camp, the largest DP camp in Europe, where over 2,000 babies were born. Known as ‘Bergen-Belsen Babies', Susan Schwartz and Karen Lasky were two of the many born there and still hold the label ‘stateless' after their families were eventually accepted and immigrated to Canada. On the 80th anniversary of the liberation, survivors and Bergen-Belsen Babies gather for the week, trying to fill in the gaps of what happened to their families and reflect on their childhoods. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

    Controlling nature's data

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2025 26:36


    Could AI cure cancer using nature's DNA? A London tech firm, Basecamp Research, harvests genetic information from organisms and microbes around the world. Its genome database - the world's biggest - will help supercomputers to create new products, from detergents to medicines. It's a bewildering new frontier, and it comes with big questions: who should own this valuable information? Who should benefit? And what could it unleash?

    The JNIM branch of al-Qaeda

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2025 32:17


    The JNIM branch of al-Qaeda is one of the world's deadliest jihadist groups. It has firmly planted its flag in the Sahel. Sub-Saharan Africa has emerged as a key battlefront for jihadists: around 50 percent of deaths from terrorism in 2024 were registered in the Sahel region alone, according to the Global Terrorism Index. JNIM is an eclectic yet united coalition, rooted in the tribal desert regions of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. We look into its leaders, its narrative, and its modus operandi, and analyse the complexity of a region beleaguered by military coups, ethnic violence, and climate change.Contributors: Barry Marston, Jacob Boswall Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg

    Can Greenland go it alone?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2025 26:52


    Until this year Greenland rarely made the international news and probably only the islanders themselves took much time to contemplate their future. But then US President Donald Trump said he wanted to annexe it for its strategic position and mineral wealth. So the question has become a lot more pressing. With a population of just over 55,000, the biggest island in the world has its own parliament, but foreign policy is controlled by Denmark, something many residents are unhappy about.Denmark subsidises Greenland to the tune of around $10 000 per person per year. On an island where fishing is the primary source of income, independence would mean either increasing tourism or allowing the mining of minerals like rare earth metals. However the islanders have always favoured strict environmental controls when it comes to mining and it's expensive for tourists. Hedi Nermin Aziz travels from Denmark to Greenland and talks to politicians, musicians and influencers about Greenland's Innuit identity and to find out if it can and should go it alone.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

    Marina Tabassum: Designing London's Serpentine Pavilion

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2025 26:29


    Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum won the commission to create the 25th Serpentine Pavilion – a temporary summer structure for London's Kensington Gardens. A meeting place in the Royal Parks, A Capsule in Time will also be used for literary and musical events. The arched wooden structure's translucent panels allow dappled light through, like the South Asian Shamiyana awnings which inspired Tabassum's design. Marina talks to Erika Wright about how she wanted make a space for the diverse people who use the parks in the summer. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world's most creative people.

    The shooting of India's biggest hip hop star

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2025 25:18


    Sidhu Moose Wala was one of the most famous Punjabi rappers in the world. A devout Sikh, he wore a turban and prided himself on his farming roots. But he also rapped about money, power, criminality and guns. Only hours after his death, a man came forward to claim responsibility for his killing, which left people all over the world wondering: why? Ishleen Kaur has been investigating the killing for season 8 of World of Secrets podcast. It took her into a world of music, and gangsters. Season 8 of World of Secrets, The Killing Call, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. To hear more episodes, search for World of Secrets wherever you get your BBC podcasts. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Caroline Ferguson and Alice Gioia. This is an EcoAudio certified production. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

    The hidden pain of fibroids

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2025 23:09


    When Oscar winning film star Lupita Nyong'o revealed on Instagram her decade long struggle with uterine fibroids it attracted almost a million likes. The post has sparked a global debate about a health problem that affects millions of women around the world but is rarely talked about. Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in the uterus, the medical term for a woman's womb. Symptoms can be severe and include heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods and stomach pain. Black and Asian women are more likely to be affected, and we bring together three women who share their experiences of living with the condition. “A woman sitting across from you at work who's smiling and having a conversation may be dying inside,” Sateria tells us. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC OS Conversations, bringing together people from around the world to discuss how major news stories are affecting their lives.

    Rāgas and Redemption: Alam Khan's Spiritual Legacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2025 26:31


    What does it mean to inherit a sacred tradition? Alam Khan was born into one of the most revered lineages in Indian classical music - his father, Ali Akbar Khan, was hailed as one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century and brought the spiritually rich sarod and rāga music to the West. But Alam's journey has not been one of simple inheritance. Presenter Rajeev Gupta follows Alam across California, from his father's grave to the family music school and into the quiet spaces where Alam seeks refuge. For Alam, it is a deeply personal wrestle: growing up American, immersed in rock and hip-hop, Alam resisted the weight of legacy. But after his father's death, something changed. Going through his father's recordings, he felt a cosmic calling - one that was more spiritual than familial. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

    The battle for Bangladesh: Eye Investigations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2025 26:29


    In July 2024 Bangladesh was rocked by protests. They were sparked by anger at widespread corruption, and the reinstatement of a quota system that reserved 30% of civil service jobs for families of war veterans. An estimated 1400 people were killed in the protests which led to Bangladesh's leader of 15 years, Sheikh Hasina, fleeing the country. After months of painstaking investigation, BBC Eye can now reveal how the police response to the protest unfolded and has verified a leaked audio recording in which Sheikh Hasina is heard authorising her security services to use lethal weapons against the protesters. We follow the story of one young man in particular, struggling to find justice for his 19-year-old brother who was among those killed.

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