Podcasts about bbc monitoring

Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia editor, BBC Monitoring brings us the latest from Moscow after the high stakes talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.

Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia Editor with BBC Monitoring, reports that Russia has marked the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II with a major military parade.

Thousands of people in Turkey turned out for a seventh night of protests which have so far seen more than 1,400 people detained, including students, journalists and lawyers. Demonstrations began in Istanbul on 19 March, when the city's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu - who is seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival - was arrested on corruption charges.In this episode we bring you the background to the protests. Nihan Kalle, a reporter for BBC Monitoring in Istanbul, tells us why President Erdogan is still popular after 22 years in power and why Ekrem Imamoglu is seen as a threat to him. BBC Turkish reporter Özge Özdemir explains the state of democracy in Turkey right now. And we hear directly from some of the student protestors - what changes do they want to see in Turkey?Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison, Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

The mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, was arrested on Wednesday on corruption and terror charges he insists are politically motivated. Considered the leading candidate to face Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the next election, Mr Imamoglu's eligibility had been thrown into doubt after his university degree was annulled earlier this week. His detention is being compared to President Erdogan's own arrest when he was Istanbul mayor more than a quarter of a century ago - a moment widely seen as the catalyst for his rise to national stardom.On this episode, Jonny Dymond is joined by journalist and author Elcin Poyrazlar, and BBC Monitoring's Dilay Yalcin. They discuss how Turkey has changed under Erdogan's leadership, and consider what the arrest of his rival says about his fears for future.Producers: Laurie Kalus, Tom Kavanagh and Eleanor SlySound engineers: Jack Graysmark and Mike RegaardAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Chris Greenway discusses the origins and evolution of BBC Monitoring, a service that gathers news from various sources. BBC Monitoring began in the 1930s as a response to the BBC's external broadcasts, with the initial focus on Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese languages. The British government showed interest in monitoring, leading to a partnership with the BBC. By the height of World War II, the service had expanded to a thousand people and developed a relationship with American partners. Chris also discusses the significant role of open-source intelligence (OSINT) as well as products and services offered by BBC Monitoring. Recording Date: 17 Feb 2025 Research Question: Chris Greenway suggests an interested student or researcher take part in a narrative assessment: have a look at Sputnik, or RT. What narrative are they trying to project to you? And can you “reverse engineer” those narratives to reveal the objective of the Russian government? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #148 Kalev Leetaru on GDELT BBC Monitoring Sefton Delmer Black boomerang by Sefton Delmer Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Chris Greenway has worked for BBC Monitoring (BBCM) since 1981, helping the organisation's users to understand the world and threats to international stability through coverage of global media. Joining the service in the shortwave era, he first worked at its signals-receiving station, providing colleagues with feeds from radio stations and news agencies around the world. Two years later he joined the editorial teams who compiled the regional editions of Monitoring's daily newspaper, the Summary of World Broadcasts, working on the Soviet, East European, Middle East and Africa desks. That led to a total of eight years of postings to BBCM's outstation in Nairobi, monitoring Africa, interspersed with duties back at BBCM's UK HQ where he held various editorial and management posts. Since 2006, he has been part of a team coordinating the organisation's daily global operations and output. Chris combines his work with a personal interest in the history of, and current developments in, broadcasting, media monitoring and international information warfare. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia Editor at BBC Monitoring, discusses how Russia is reacting to the US-Ukraine ceasefire proposals.

When Syria's Bashar al-Assad was toppled in a lightning offensive in December, his successor Ahmed al-Sharaa promised to unite a broken country. Barely three months on, a surge in fighting between pro-Assad gunmen and transitional government security forces has reportedly left hundreds of civilians dead and exposed the enduring divides in Syrian society. As al-Sharaa vows a national dialogue will continue, has his grand vision for Syria already fallen at the first hurdle?Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC's Middle East correspondent, Lina Sinjab, and BBC Monitoring's MENA expert, Hesham Shawish.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experience to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus, Tom Kavanagh and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Dafydd EvansAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

As the Trump administration takes control of the 100 year-old media pool system, Eugene Daniels, President of the White House Correspondents' Association shares concerns about government transparency and who now gets access to the President. Max Tani, Media Editor at Semafor explains the Washington Post's controversial new opinions policy and former Managing Editor Cameron Barr tells us why he resigned in protest. A new documentary, Kursk: 10 Days That Shaped Putin, sheds light on the early days of the Russian leader's presidency. Its Director Becky Read tells us how she made it alongside BBC Monitoring's Francis Scarr who explains how the 2000 submarine disaster shaped Putin's media strategy. We hear a profile of Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos from Greg Williams, Deputy Global Editorial Director at WIRED. Also in the show, Oscar-winning director Molly O'Brien discusses her film The Only Girl in the Orchestra and the media demands of winning an Academy Award.Eugene Daniels, Chief Playbook and White House Correspondent, POLITICO and WHCA President; Cameron Barr, former Senior Managing Editor, Washington Post; Max Tani, Media Editor, Semafor; Becky Read, Director, Kursk: 10 Days That Shaped Putin; Francis Scarr, Russia Specialist, BBC Monitoring; Greg Williams, Deputy Global Editorial Director, WIRED; Molly O'Brien, Director, The Only Girl in the Orchestra Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

After the Trump administration shakes up the press pool system, Eugene Daniels, President of the White House Correspondents' Association shares concerns about who now gets access to the President. Max Tani, Media Editor at Semafor explains the Washington Post's controversial new opinions policy and former Managing Editor Cameron Barr tells us they've led to him resigning from the paper. A new documentary, Kursk: 10 Days That Shaped Putin, sheds light on the early days of the Russian leader's presidency. Its Director Becky Read tells us how she made it alongside BBC Monitoring's Francis Scarr who tells us how the 2000 submarine disaster shaped Putin's media strategy. We get a profile of Amazon Founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos from Greg Williams, Deputy Global Editorial Director at WIRED and Oscar-winning director Molly O'Brien discusses her film The Only Girl in the Orchestra and the media demands of winning an Academy Award.Eugene Daniels, Chief Playbook and White House Correspondent, POLITICO and WHCA President; Cameron Barr, former Senior Managing Editor, Washington Post; Max Tani, Media Editor, Semafor; Becky Read, Director, Kursk: 10 Days That Shaped Putin; Francis Scarr, Russia Specialist, BBC Monitoring; Greg Williams, Deputy Global Editorial Director, WIRED; Molly O'Brien, Director, The Only Girl in the OrchestraPresenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

After a tense meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday, relations between the US, Ukraine, and European allies seem to have reached a new low. Meanwhile, ties between the White House and the Kremlin appear to be warmer than they have been in decades. President Trump has publicly praised his close relationship with Vladimir Putin, fuelling speculation about whether this move signals a new direction in diplomacy or if there is a strategic calculation behind Washington's pivot to Moscow.Sumi Somaskanda discusses the Trump-Putin dynamic with the BBC's State Department correspondent Tom Bateman, and Vitaly Shevchenko from BBC Monitoring.(Photo: Composite image of Donald Trump, Credit: Nathan Howard/Reuters, and Vladimir Putin, Credit: Sergey Bobylev/Reuters)Producers: Richard Moran and Tom KavanaghSound engineer: Dafydd EvansAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: China Collins

David Smith, Washington Bureau Chief for The Guardian, and Vitaly Shevchenko , Russia Editor at BBC Monitoring, discuss statements on Ukraine by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladmir Putin.

Three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands more have been injured. Now U.S. President Donald Trump thinks he can broker peace by negotiating directly with Russia's president Vladimir Putin.Vitaliy Shevchenko, BBC Monitoring's Russia editor, explains how the war started and how severe it has become, assesses some of the misinformation that President Trump has repeated over the past week, and unpacks what we know about the proposed peace plan. A generation of young people have had to come of age during the war. We hear from three of them — Maryna, Olga and Volodymyr. They explain how their lives have changed, how they feel about President Trump's recent comments, and how they keep hope alive. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

Huge clashes are taking place in the DRC, with the Congolese army facing the rebel group M23. M23 claims to have taken over the city of Goma in the eastern part of the country. UN aid agencies say there are hundreds wounded, bodies in the streets, and an increase in rape and gender-based violence. The UN has long said M23 is backed by Rwanda, but the Rwandan government has always denied this. The DRC is not unfamiliar to violence. The conflict has roots stretching back at least three decades. The country has huge amount of natural resources, with many trying to take advantage of it, including armed groups. BBC Monitoring journalist, Sam Lando in Nairobi takes us through the background to what's going on. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

Today, we look at what a new government in Syria means for the Middle East and why Israel has launched airstrikes on key military targets. The BBC's Diplomatic Correspondent, James Landale tells Adam about the historic relationship between Syria and Israel and why Israel has decided to launch strikes now. And, BBC Monitoring's Jihadist Media expert Mina Al-Lami explains how an opportunistic IS might seek to capitalise on abandoned weapons stashes and wider instability in the region. Plus, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves has again warned against government waste. She's launched a spending review, promising to identify "efficiency savings" across government departments. Chief Political Correspondent Henry Zeffman joins Adam to explain how the review might shake up the political landscape in 2025.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Anna Harris and Maddie Drury. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The editor is Sam Bonham.

The long-running civil war in Syria has unexpectedly sprung back into the spotlight after rebel groups launched a surprise offensive on Aleppo, one of the country's largest cities. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has vowed to crush the rebel uprising, prompting air strikes from Russian forces allied with his regime. This is an unexpected resurgence of a conflict that has been largely dormant for years.Azadeh Moshiri speaks with BBC Monitoring's jihadist media specialist Mina Al-Lami and BBC correspondent Barbara Plett Usher about who these rebels are and whether this will this redraw the lines of the Syrian conflict.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Tom Kavanagh and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineers: Ben Andrews and Jonny HallAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Day 1,000.Today, we report on Russia's response to President Biden's change of positions on long range weapons, and hear from our team on the ground in Ukraine relaying the mood in the country on the 1,000th day of the full scale invasion.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @RolandOliphant on X.Francis Scarr (Journalist at BBC Monitoring). @francis_scarr on X.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Francis Farrell (Reporter at the Kyiv Independent). @francisjfarrell on X.Content Referenced:My 24 hours strapped into Putin's propaganda machine (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/11/15/putin-propaganda-24-hours-of-russian-media/Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hundreds of sex tapes featuring Baltazar Ebang Engonga, the nephew of Equatorial Guinea's president, have flooded social media. Many of the women seen in the tapes are the wives and relatives of people close to the centre of power.The scandal has shone an unflattering spotlight on the central African country, which is sometimes called “The North Korea of Africa”. Its President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been in power for more than four decades and controls the majority of the country's radio and television outlets, which are heavily censored. Following the sex tape leak, “Equatorial Guinea” was the top trending term in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa - even surpassing interest in the US election at times.BBC Monitoring journalist Ines Silva gives explains how the scandal unfolded. And activist and human rights advocate Nsang Christia Esimi Cruz discusses how the government could use the controversy to crack down on social media use in the country.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

$20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. That's how much a Russian court has fined Google for restricting Russian state media channels on YouTube. That's two undecillion roubles - and far greater than the world's total GDP, which is estimated by the International Monetary Fund to be $110 trillion.Jen Monaghan, from BBC Monitoring, talks us through why Google has been hit with such a massive fine, and how it's impossible to pay. And the BBC's Anastasia Golubeva shares how the internet and social media apps - including YouTube - are restricted in Russia, and the impact this has on young people there. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison, Hayley Clarke and Benita Barden Editor: Emily Horler

Andy Cohen is the executive producer behind the Real Housewives TV franchise. He tells Katie how it became a global phenomenon. Also in the programme, after Yulia Navalnaya's BBC interview, an assessment of Putin's crackdown on the media which her husband Alexei Navalny used to promote his message. Francis Scarr of BBC Monitoring explains. Presenter: Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

George Osborne, presenter of Political Currency, on covering his first Labour budget as a journalist. After it was pulled from the programme of the London Film Festival at the weekend, Katie talks to the makers of the undercover film exposing UK far-right activists some consider too dangerous to show. After Katie's recent interview with Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, we look at how he used the media to promote his message and whether that's still possible in Russia right now. And we meet the executive producer behind the Real Housewives franchise, Andy Cohen.Guests: George Osborne, Co-host, Political Currency podcast; Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor, The FT; Havana Marking, documentary maker; Nick Lowles, CEO Hope Not Hate; Andy Cohen, Host and Executive Producer, Real Housewives franchise; Francis Scarr, Russia specialist, BBC Monitoring; Daniel De Simone, Investigations Correspondent, BBC News Presenter: Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

We're bringing you an extra episode of What in the World. Israeli troops have killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza. He is described as the mastermind of the 7th October 2023 attacks and Israel's most wanted man.We explain who Yahya Sinwar was and how he was killed and what the Israelis have said about him. Shaina Oppenheimer from BBC Monitoring goes through some of the reaction to his death, including from Palestinians and Arab social media. And with the help of the BBC's International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, we get answers to the big questions like what does this mean for the hostages taken on 7th October and the possibility of a ceasefire? Does this mean the war in Gaza will come to an end? And what will happen to Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US, UK and European Union?Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Kevyah Cardoso Editor: Verity Wilde

2024 is a huge year for elections, with more than 60 countries holding national elections and over half the world's population voting. With each election it can seem like opinion polls dominate the coverage but how are these polls carried out? We speak to pollster and data analyst David Byler from the American non-partisan polling company Noble Predictive Insights about how it all works.We also hear from the BBC's North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher, who explains how significant the polls are in the 2024 US Presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Historically there have been lots of poll prediction fails. BBC journalist Rupsha Mukherjee in Delhi tells us about how some important polls got it wrong in India's general election this year. And Niko Kelbakiani, a journalist at BBC Monitoring, explains the role opinion polls play in Iran's elections - where the Guardian Council must approve every candidate.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Benita Barden and Hayley Clarke Editor: Verity Wilde

On Tuesday night, Iran fired 180 ballistic missiles at Israel. The Iranian military said it was in response to Israel's assassinations of the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, both whom had links to Iran.What's behind this long standing conflict between Iran and Israel? Who is in charge there? And what do Iranian people think about their leaders' actions? Ghoncheh Habibiazad, a journalist from BBC Monitoring, gives us a basic guide to Iran, to understand what's happening in the Middle East right now.We also break down the different military capabilities of Iran and Israel, including nuclear and cyber warfare. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Editor: Rosanna La-Falce

As the Israeli offensive against targets in Lebanon continues, we discuss the challenges for journalists reporting the story from Beirut and Jerusalem. We also look at how the media is reporting on the story and how the fast-moving nature of the conflict makes verifying information difficult. And we hear about one of the biggest flops in video game history as Sony pulls its new game Concord just days after launch. We explore why it failed and what it tells us about the state of the industry. Plus the manager of the biggest YouTube creators in Europe, The Sidemen. Jordan Schwarzenberger reveals their creative process and business strategy.Guests: Lyse Doucet, Chief International correspondent, BBC; Alex Crawford, Special correspondent, Sky News; Yolande Knell, Middle East correspondent, BBC; Shaina Oppenheimer, Journalist, BBC Monitoring; Hesham Shawish, Journalist, BBC Monitoring; Shayan Sardarizadeh, Senior Journalist, BBC Verify; Keza MacDonald, video games editor, The Guardian; Jordan Schwarzenberger, Co-founder, Arcade Media.Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Content Editor: Richard Hooper Assistant Producers: Martha Owen and Lucy Wai

On October 1st, Claudia Sheinbaum will take office and become Mexico's first female president. What will her presidency look like? With Laura García from BBC Mundo and Luis Fajardo from BBC Monitoring. Produced by Caroline Ferguson and Alice Gioia.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Israel and Hezbollah's intensifying conflict is affecting a country already on edge. Over 90,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon as cross-border violence, ongoing for nearly a year, has reached new heights. More than 600 people have been reported killed across Lebanon since Monday, when Israel began an intense air campaign to destroy what it said was infrastructure built up by Hezbollah since they last fought a war in 2006. Israeli reservists have been called up and the military has been told to be ready itself for a possible incursion into southern Lebanon. Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organisation by several Western countries, has fired rockets back, targeting Tel Aviv for the first time. The US, the EU, and other allied nations have called for a 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border.On this episode of The Global Story, we explore the escalation in hostilities and look at what people living in Lebanon think of Hezbollah. We also look at the country's unique political system and demographics and consider how the Lebanese economy could be further affected by the conflict.Caitríona Perry is joined by our correspondent in Beirut, Carine Torbey, and by Hesham Shawish, from BBC Monitoring. Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Eleanor Sly Sound engineer: Mike Regaard and Jeremy MorganAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

From Squid Game to The Masked Singer, some of the most popular TV formats of recent years have come from South Korea. InSoon Kim, a Korean TV producer, and journalists Lucas Shaw and Regina Kim, discuss why. Also on the show, Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor at The Times, explains how she went inside the Kursk region of Russia with Ukrainian forces. Francis Scarr from BBC Monitoring, tells us how the offensive is being reported on Russian state media. Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

As the final report of the six-year Grenfell inquiry is published, we explore the way the story has been covered by journalists. We hear about a boom in exports of Korean TV formats and talk to the British journalist who visited the Ukraine-occupied Russian region of Kursk. Guests: Ed Daffarn, blogger, Grenfell Action Group; Kate Lamble, Presenter, Grenfell: Building a Disaster; Gary Younge, Presenter, Over The Top Under The Radar podcast; Sophie Barnes, former Deputy News Editor, Inside Housing; Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times; Franics Scarr, Russian specialist, BBC Monitoring; Lucas Shaw, Head of Entertainment Coverage, Bloomberg; InSoon Kim, Head of Content, Something Special; Regina Kim, entertainment contributor, Forbes Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Asst Producer: Lucy Wai

Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia Editor at BBC Monitoring, on what we know so far about President Zelensky's forthcoming 'Victory Plan' in his country's war against Russia.

Russian state media is notoriously corrupt and rife with propaganda. So how are Russian citizens being fed information about the Russia-Ukraine war? Does any truth exist within Russian television – or is it all one big narrative crafted by Putin? To find out, Chris Jones talks to BBC Monitoring journalist Francis Scarr. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast   Written and presented by Chris Jones. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production   www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could this offensive sway the dynamics of the war in Kyiv's favour? Thousands of Russians have been evacuated from border regions as Ukrainian forces continue to gain ground. Meanwhile Vladimir Putin has called the offensive a “major provocation” and vowed to “kick the enemy out”.In this episode, Sumi Somaskanda is joined by Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia Editor for BBC Monitoring and co-host of Ukrainecast, and Francis Scarr, a Russia expert from BBC Monitoring.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Beth Timmins and Peter Goffin. Sound Engineers: Jonny Hall and Ben Andrews. Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.Senior Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

For the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago, Ukrainian soldiers have advanced 30km inside Russia. President Zelensky says Ukraine is pushing the war onto "the aggressor's territory" in the Kursk region. What could this mean for the war? Vitaly Shevchenko, one of the hosts of Ukrainecast and the Russia editor of BBC Monitoring, explains. We also discuss a recent fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and why Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for starting it. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes and Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

A bonus episode from The Global Jigsaw looks at how the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan has led to the erasure of women from public life. There's a UN-led campaign to recognise it as “gender apartheid”, but the international community is divided and lacking leverage. Three years after the group took the capital Kabul, our experts explain what life is like for half of the population and why women have become a proxy for the nation's image of itself. Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov Presenter: Krassi TwiggThe Global Jigsaw looks at the world through the lens of its media. Think of us as your media detectives, helping you get past the propaganda and misinformation. The Global Jigsaw comes from BBC Monitoring, which tracks, deciphers, and analyses news media in 100 languages. At BBC Monitoring, we don't just speak the language, we understand the narrative. So we can help you untangle the context and single out rhetoric from reality, deception from truth. For more episodes just search The Global Jigsaw wherever you got this podcast.

The authoritarian leader marks 30 years in power. Alexander Lukashenko has become a key ally for Vladimir Putin since the start of the war in Ukraine. He's also spent the last three decades tightening his grip on Belarus, launching a brutal crackdown on his political opponents. How has this veteran of Soviet politics shaped Eastern Europe? Caitríona Perry speaks to BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg and Belarusian journalist Gennadiy Kot from BBC Monitoring.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, you may well like some of our other pods, too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.This episode was made by Peter Goffin and Alix Pickles. The technical producers were Hannah Montgomery, Jack Graysmark and Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Richard Fenton-Smith.

In this episode, Christopher Moseley talked about the state of the Estonian Language, Translations, his work on Minority and Endangered Languages and his Translation 'The Man Who Spoke Snakish' a Beautiful moving story of a boy who is tasked with preserving ancient traditions in the face of modernity written by Famous Estonian Author Andrus Kivirähk.Christopher Moseley has been the General Editor of the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger since 2008 and is now a member of the editorial team of its successor, the World Atlas of Languages. From 2007 to 2011, he was a Teaching Fellow in Latvian at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College, London. Originally from Australia, he came to Britain to study Scandinavian languages in 1974, but since then, his main interests have slipped eastwards to Finland and the Baltic countries. While working as a journalist and translator specialising in Baltic affairs at BBC Monitoring, Caversham, he completed a M.Phil., also at SSEES, on the dying Livonian language of Latvia – a close relative of Estonian. After 19 years' service at the BBC, he became a freelance translator and editor in 2005. He is the author of Colloquial Estonian and co-author of Colloquial Latvian for Routledge. He has also co-edited the Routledge Atlas of the World's Languages and edited the same publisher's Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages and most recently the third edition of the Atlas of the world's languages in danger for UNESCO. His most recent work is a revision of George Campbell's Routledge Handbook of Scripts and Alphabets (2012). He translates into English from Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Finnish, Danish and Swedish. To buy 'The Man Who Spoke Snakish' - https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Spoke-Snakish/dp/0802124127* For your Valuable feedback on this Episode - Please click the link below.https://tinyurl.com/4zbdhrwrHarshaneeyam on Spotify App –https://harshaneeyam.captivate.fm/onspotHarshaneeyam on Apple App – https://harshaneeyam.captivate.fm/onapple*Contact us - harshaneeyam@gmail.com ***Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by Interviewees in interviews conducted by Harshaneeyam Podcast are those of the Interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Harshaneeyam Podcast. Any content provided by Interviewees is of their opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpChartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

It's been a year since Prighozhin's mutiny and 10 months since his death, or murder, as some believe it to be. Today we will be asking how this has affected Wagner's operations in Africa. --------- Beverly Ochieng is an experienced journalist and commentator on socio-political, economic and security developments in Sub-Saharan Africa. She analyses political developments in the region, as well as security developments in West Africa and the Sahel. Until recently Beverly was a Senior Digital Journalist and Africa Specialist at BBC Monitoring. --------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- LINKS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverly-ochieng-267469143/ https://twitter.com/BeverlyOchieng ----------- PLATFORMS: Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSilicon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siliconcurtain/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- Welcome to the Silicon Curtain podcast. Please like and subscribe if you like the content we produce. It will really help to increase the popularity of our content in YouTube s algorithm. Our material is now being made available on popular podcasting platforms as well, such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Many Ukrainians are going into hiding to avoid mobilisation squads sending them to the front line. But as war with Russia continues, Kyiv is struggling to recruit enough men to defend their country. Conscription has become a divisive issue, and with the age of draft eligibility recently decreasing to 25, it is a topic which some believe could threaten national unity.On this episode, Katya Adler speaks to BBC correspondent Jean Mackenzie, and BBC Monitoring's Russia Editor Vitaliy Shevchenko. They examine some of the fears around enlisting, as well as the resentment of others who have served, and explain how conscription is changing the fabric of Ukrainian society.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories, and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com. You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.This episode was made by Laurie Kalus and Eleanor Sly. The technical producers were Hannah Montgomery and Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas, and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

What does it take to track media in Africa where radio is king? Originally set up as the East Africa Unit after the Suez crisis, BBC Monitoring's Nairobi operation has seen history unfold on the continent over six decades. The Global Jigsaw team travels to Nairobi to meet the monitors. Producer: Kriszta Satori Presenter: Krassi Twigg

An information iron curtain has fallen across large parts of the globe, where access to impartial news reporting and information has never been more difficult. With the help of BBC specialists, Ros and Katie consider the impact of censorship and technological controls on Russia, Iran and China; how ingrained state disinformation has become and how it has distorted their citizens' perception of the world. Our panel also look at attempts to circumvent internet blocking and state restrictions on free media, from the use of VPNs by those on the inside, to the innovative tactics adopted by outsiders who are trying to deliver truthful news to an often indoctrinated audience. Guests: Kerry Allen, China media analyst, BBC; Francis Scarr, journalist, BBC Monitoring; Kia Atri, journalist, BBC Middle East; Suzanne Raine, Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge; Joe Tidy, cyber correspondent, BBC News; Fabian Falch, tech entrepreneur; Evie Aspinall, Director, British Foreign Policy Group, Jonathan Munro Deputy CEO & Director of Journalism, BBC News; Famil Ismailov, News Editor, BBC Russian Service.Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson

How is disinformation created and spread, and how is it impacting the way journalists work? We'll look at what's going on in Latin America, Russia and Nigeria with the help of three World Service journalists: Luis Fajardo is a senior editor with BBC Monitoring, covering South American media; Olga Robinson, also with Monitoring, is a disinformation analyst specialised in Russian affairs; and Olaronke Alo is part of the Disinformation Unit in Nigeria. Produced by Alice Gioia and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

Judith Suminwa Tuluka has been appointed the first ever female prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A former planning minister, she's relatively unknown – so what does this mean for the DRC, and the women who live there? Emma finds out more about the new prime minister with BBC Monitoring's Alison Onyango and the co-founder of a DRC NGO, Anny Modi.How did 77 women from the same Cambridge college end up working at Bletchley Park during the war? Dr Sally Waugh, an alumna of women-only Newnham College, has uncovered a previously unknown contingent of female codebreakers and other staff who were recruited to conduct top secret work as undergraduates. Emma speaks to her to find out more.A new documentary film, Girls State, spotlights the girls hoping they will become the first female President of the United States. It follows a real-life mock government programme attended by teenage girls in Missouri. The American Legion, who run the programmes, hold separate programmes for boys and girls in all fifty states in the US. Emma is joined by the film-maker Amanda McBain and Emily Worthmore, one of the girls who stands for Governor, the highest position in the mock government.Games writer and author Holly Gramazio's debut novel explores a world where an endless supply of husbands emerges from the attic. But when you can change husbands as easily as a lightbulb, how do you know when to stick with the one you've got? Holly joins Emma, live in the Woman's Hour studio. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lottie Garton

This week we're publishing episodes of The Global Story podcast on your Real Story feed. On this episode, we're covering two very different stories. After the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on a concert hall in Moscow, we're revisiting a previous episode asking how much of a threat the group still pose. Mina al-Lami from BBC Monitoring tells us that the groups fortunes fell in 2023, with them claiming far fewer attacks. And Josh Baker from The Shamima Begum Story podcast joins us to explain why they still pose a credible threat.Previous episode: Islamic State group – spent force or present threat? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0h42vkqAlso, as spring approaches in the United States, millions of young people are heading off on spring break. But some cities have had enough of student revellers unwinding and the chaos that can arrive with them.Terry Ward, a travel writer and BBC contributor tells us what it's like to go on spring break. And Beatriz Diaz from BBC Mundo explains why Miami is discouraging spring breakers. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We're keen to hear from you, wherever you are in the world. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell The Global Story. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. #TheGlobalStoryThe Global Story is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.This episode was made by Alice Aylett Roberts and Emilia Jansson. The technical producers were Mike Regaard and Hannah Montgomery. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

As a new school year starts in Afghanistan, 330,000 more girls will be excluded from secondary education, one of the ways in which women and girls are increasingly confined to their homes under the Taliban regime. In light of this, BBC Media Action is running the Women's Voice radio project, training women to make programmes for other women on vital topics like health, work and education. Getti Sediqi is one of the trainers in Kabul. Isabel, the giant armadillo The giant armadillo, found only in Latin America, has been called a "ghost species" because it's so rarely seen. But thanks to one particular armadillo in Brazil, called Isabel by researchers, many discoveries have now been made, as BBC Brasil's Giulia Granchi reports.Haji Firouz: Nowruz controversy in Iran Iran traditionally heralds its New Year with a festive figure known as Haji Firouz. The jester-like character sings and dances through the streets but has become controversial because performers blacken their faces and hands, a practice many find highly offensive. Now the character is being used as a form of protest to highlight the ongoing struggle for women's rights in Iran, as BBC Monitoring's Sarbas Nazari explains. No bidders for Aung San Suu Kyi's iconic house A failed attempt was made this week to auction the lakeside home of the detained Burmese leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. A court had ordered its sale after a long drawn-out legal battle between Suu Kyi and her brother Aung San Oo. BBC Burmese editor Soe Win Than explains the significance of this house, and the possible reasons why no bidders showed up.The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia's money glitch Ethiopia's largest commercial bank is trying to recoup millions of dollars' worth of currency after a 'system problem' allowed customers to withdraw unlimited funds. It's been reported that a large portion of the cash was withdrawn by students as news of the banking glitch spread around universities. Kaleb Moges tells us about developments. (Photo: Nadia Shekib, journalist, producer and news editor at Radio TV Oboor. Credit: BBC Media Action)

The Caribbean nation of Haiti is in the grip of gang violence, with armed groups controlling much of the country. The lawlessness came to a head after gangs stormed two jails, freeing thousands of prisoners. Meanwhile Prime Minister Ariel Henry is being prevented from returning after a trip abroad. Luis Fajardo from BBC Monitoring in Miami tells us about the key players in Haiti, and the background to what's happening.The women saving a river A group of women in Bangladesh have been mobilising to save the Moyur river from land grabbers. They have successfully recovered parts of the river and protected them from pollution. Shahnewaj Rocky of BBC Bangla went to meet them. Women running in Iraq Women competitors in a recent 13-kilometre race in the Iraqi city of Basra were banned just days before it took place. Organisers decided to exclude them after comments by Muslim clerics that the participation of women would 'deprive them of their chastity and honour'. Dima Babilie of BBC Arabic has spoken to women who had been training for the race. Filming the Mayor of Freetown When she took office in 2018, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr was the first democratically elected female mayor of Sierra Leone's capital city, Freetown. During her successful re-election campaign last year, she was filmed for a BBC Africa Eye documentary, which set out to follow her environmental work, but became a record of a fiercely contested election, as we hear from Africa Eye's Abdul Brima.Baraye: the protest anthem that Iran has tried to suppress Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour became famous after his song Baraye became widely popular in the country, and went on to win a Grammy award for Best Song for Social Change. He has now received a prison sentence after being charged with "spreading propaganda against the establishment". Taraneh Stone of BBC Persian has been looking into Shervin's story.(Photo: Tyres on fire near the main prison of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 3, 2024. Credit: Luckenson Jean/AFPTV/AFP)

BBC Arabic's Gaza Lifeline launched 3 months ago to provide life-saving information for citizens forced from their homes by the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, and struggling to find the necessities of life. Journalists Karim Moustafa, Amira Dakroury and Marwa Gamal tell us about the information they provide, and the stories they've covered.Kazakhstan's school headscarf ban There's a dilemma for Muslim schoolgirls in Kazakhstan who want to wear the hijab. It violates the country's school uniform rules, and girls who refuse to take off the hijab have been expelled. BBC Russian's Aisymbat Tokoeva went to Kazakhstan to meet one of these students and her parents to find out more.The death of Alexei Navalny Following reports of the death in prison of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, BBC Russian editor Famil Ismailov explains what's known about his death, and reminds us about his eventful life and political career.Senegal's election crisis Senegal's reputation as a stable democracy has been called into question after President Macky Sall's decision to delay this month's presidential election until December. Protesters took to the streets, and now the country's top court has ruled that the decision is against the constitution. Beverly Ochieng of BBC Monitoring in Nairobi has been following events.Photo: Palestinian Israel conflict camp. Credit: MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images

11:50 - Interview with Beverly Ocheing on Senegal In our sixth episode of Headlines and History, we discuss the recent crisis in Senegal and its implications for West Africa with Beverly Ochieng, and Kelly covers recent news out of El Salvador, Sweden & NATO, and the 2026 Soccer World Cup. Beverly Ochieng is a senior digital journalist and Africa specialist at BBC Monitoring and an expert on African power politics, security, and governance. She's also a non-resident senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Africa Program. She has a background in literature and cohosted the pioneering Africa-focused literary podcast "2 Girls and a Pod" from 2015 to 2018.  The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Episode recorded: February 13, 2024. Produced by Jarrett Dang and Freddie Mallinson. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter @GUDiplomacy. Send any feedback to diplomacy@georgetown.edu.

There have been concerns about the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, which was seized by Russian forces in March 2022. Following this week's visit to the plant by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vitaliy Shevchenko of BBC Monitoring explains the findings of the team.The Year of the Dragon At the start of the Year of the Dragon, we look at the importance of the dragon in Chinese culture. We also find out why there's growing pressure to differentiate the Chinese dragon, or "loong", from the Western idea of a dragon. Our guide is Suping from BBC Monitoring.Indian labourers applying for jobs in Israel Israel has been dealing with a labour shortage since it revoked the work permits of thousands of Palestinians after the October 7 attacks. Large-scale recruitment sessions have been organized by the Israeli government in India, and BBC Hindi's Anant Zanane of BBC Hindi met applicants in Lucknow. The Turkish earthquake, one year on BBC Turkish journalist Esra Yalcinalp shares the story of Nurgül Göksu, a woman who lost her son, daughter-in-law and baby granddaughter when their apartment block collapsed, while those around it stayed standing. She hired excavators to recover evidence from the rubble, evidence now being used in prosecutions. The first lady, a pastor, and a designer handbag BBC Korean's Yuna Ku explains why South Korea has been gripped by the story of a Dior bag given to the president's wife by a Christian pastor. (Photo: The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Credit: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP/Getty Images)

Several cities in Ukraine were hit this morning in the latest wave of Russian missile attacks, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens more. The assaults come after a series of blasts at the weekend in Russian-held Donetsk and St Petersburg. The BBC's Ukraine correspondent, James Waterhouse, and BBC Monitoring's Russia reporter, Francis Scarr, explain the significance of attacks on Russian soil, plus the importance of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's address to the United Nations.Victoria and Vitaly also speak to the coach of a Ukrainian football team for amputee veterans injured during the war.Today's episode is hosted by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast's Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Experts say disinformation around the Israel-Hamas war is running rampant. On this week's On the Media, a guide to understanding your feed in the midst of armed conflict. Plus, a deep dive into Saudi Arabia's rebranding experiment. 1. Mike Caulfield [@uwcip], a research scientist at the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public, Aric Toler [@AricToler], a reporter at the visual investigations team at the New York Times, and Shayan Sadarizadeh [@Shayan86], a journalist at BBC Monitoring and BBC Verify, on how to navigate your social media feed in the midst of the war in Israel and Gaza. Listen.  2. OTM correspondent Micah Loewinger [@MicahLoewinger] looks at Saudi Arabia's strategy to shore up its power, and the role the nation could play in negotiations for peace between Israel and Palestine. Featuring: Justin Scheck [@ScheckNYTimes], a reporter at the New York Times, and co-author of Blood and Oil: Mohammed Bin Salman's Ruthless Quest For Global Power, Ahmed Al Omran [@ahmed], a reporter based in Saudi Arabia, and Kim Ghattas [@KimGhattas], a writer at The Atlantic and author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East. Listen. 

Experts say disinformation around the Israel-Hamas war is running rampant. On this week's On the Media, a guide to understanding your feed in the midst of armed conflict. Plus, a deep dive into Saudi Arabia's rebranding experiment. 1. Mike Caulfield [@uwcip], a research scientist at the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public, Aric Toler [@AricToler], a reporter at the visual investigations team at the New York Times, and Shayan Sadarizadeh [@Shayan86], a journalist at BBC Monitoring and BBC Verify, on how to navigate your social media feed in the midst of the war in Israel and Gaza. Listen.  2. OTM correspondent Micah Loewinger [@MicahLoewinger] looks at Saudi Arabia's strategy to shore up its power, and the role the nation could play in negotiations for peace between Israel and Palestine. Featuring: Justin Scheck [@ScheckNYTimes], a reporter at the New York Times, and co-author of Blood and Oil: Mohammed Bin Salman's Ruthless Quest For Global Power, Ahmed Al Omran [@ahmed], a reporter based in Saudi Arabia, and Kim Ghattas [@KimGhattas], a writer at The Atlantic and author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East. Listen.