The Documentary Podcast

Why would a young woman flee her family and leave everything behind? BBC Russian's Zlata Onufrieva has been following the journeys of three women who've decided to run away from their homes in the Russian republic of Chechnya. Her documentary, Don't look for me, is part of the BBC 100 Women series. To find out more about the other inspiring and influential women on this year's list go to bbc.co.uk/100women. You can also follow BBC 100 Women on Facebook and Instagram. Plus, a social and cultural history of South Asian cornershops, with Ahsan Yunus from BBC Urdu. Produced by Alice Gioia, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Syrians have finally got their voices back. After 50 years of living under the cruelty of their President, Bashar al-Assad, they can now speak freely without fear, although some are still cautious. We talk to Syrians across the country, including Ibraheem from Aleppo. He tells host Mark Lowen: “I couldn’t ever think of this moment… this is years and years of fear and hate that has ended. Mark also speaks to three women, relieved to see the end of Assad but uncertain about what the future holds for their country. And we bring together Syrians in Germany, Italy and Turkey to discuss their reaction to the downfall of Assad and ask whether they plan to return to their homeland.

Author and broadcaster Chine McDonald has never seen a black representation of the Virgin Mary. Black Madonnas are statues or paintings of the Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, where both figures are depicted with dark skin. They can be found both in Catholic and Orthodox countries. There are thought to be at least 450 of them in the world and there are more Vierges Noires documented in France than any other country in the world. Chine visits the Queen of Peace in the convent church of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Paris, accompanied by expert guide Dr Christena Cleveland. She travels to Orleans to see the Black Madonna statue: Our Lady of Miracles in the Chapel Notre Dame des Miracles. And cultural historian and University of Oxford based author Prof Janina Ramirez explains current thinking about the origins and cultural significance of the Black Madonna.

Thirty years after the war in Bosnia, survivors and their descendants find themselves permanently displaced in their own country. BBC reporter Lauren Tavriger visits the Tuzla region where families fleeing atrocities, including the Srebrenica massacre, have been living for decades in makeshift settlements originally designed as temporary. She talks to families about their experience, discovering why traumatised people are still living in a state of internal exile and reports on controversial efforts by the Bosnian authorities to clear camps and rehouse their inhabitants.

New season on World of Secrets. Miranda’s search for inner peace through yoga leads to allegations of grooming, trafficking and exploitation. “You just get sucked in so gradually... that you don't realise,” says her mother Penny. The Bad Guru is season six of World of Secrets, the global investigations podcast from the BBC. Uncovering stories around the world and telling them, episode by episode, with gripping storytelling. Search for World of Secrets, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. You can also hear previous seasons of World of Secrets, Al Fayed, Predator at Harrods and The Abercrombie Guys.

Climate change is intensifying, sea levels are rising and the very existence of low-lying Pacific Islands is under threat. The Cook Islands, though, has a plan to assure their peoples’ future. Enter deep sea mining, harvesting metallic nodules on the bottom of the sea floor for use in things like electric car batteries and mobile phones. Its supporters say it’s a climate change ‘solution’- a better alternative to mining on land. And one that could make Cook Islanders very rich indeed. Its detractors worry we’re messing with its Moana - or ocean – with no real idea of the impacts. Katy Watson travels to Rarotonga to find out how islanders feel about searching for ‘gold’ on the sea floor.

A bonus episode from The Food Chain - as they turn 10!We are celebrating 10 years of The Food Chain with some of our favourite programme moments from the past decade.Fishing to stay alive, chopping onions in remembrance, and tasting people’s names – these stories and more tell us something about our relationship with food and how it helps us connect with one another.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]: Ruth AlexanderThe Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate. For more go to bbcworldservice.com/thefoodchain or search for The Food Chain wherever you got this podcast.

The World Morse Code championships are fiendishly competitive. Contestants from many countries travel to Tunisia, where they face each other across tiny tapping machines in a competition hall silent but for the clicking. It is called High Speed Telegraphy - the skill and art of sending and receiving fast and accurately. The best practice three or four hours a day. Belarusians win almost every time, with stiff competition from Russia and Romania. But maybe this year it will be the Japanese or Kuwaiti competitors.

Argentina's president Javier Milei famously campaigned with a chainsaw, promising he would cut public spending. Has he delivered? Verónica Smink of BBC Mundo will bring us the latest from Buenos Aires. Plus, how thousands of old portrait pictures were found and restored in Uganda, with BBC Africa's Christine Otieno.Produced by Alice Gioia and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

It is coming up to two weeks since a ceasefire was brokered between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Since then there have been reports of minor violations on both sides. As the fragile truce continues, we hear from residents about their experiences, their fears and their hopes for peace. For one Israeli, after 13 months of conflict, some wartime habits are hard to break. We also hear from two women who decided to remain in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, throughout the war. “The ceasefire feels definitely bittersweet,” says Lea. “On one hand, there’s this sense of relief, knowing that for now the bombing has finally stopped...On the other hand, it doesn’t erase the trauma that we’ve been living...”

Personal names have spiritual and religious meanings in the Christian tradition. But what if you carry an inherited surname that you feel is profoundly unchristian? Should you keep it or change it? Robert Beckford is going through this dilemma. His surname is a slave name, a brand of ownership passed down from his enslaved African ancestors in Jamaica. Over time, Robert has grown deeply uncomfortable with the meaning of this name and now wants to find a more spiritual alternative. Robert embarks on a journey of self-discovery, considering whether he should change or keep his inherited name.

One way to reach the European Union is via the 'Eastern Mediterranean route' from Turkey into either Bulgaria or Greece. Back in 2015 millions of people reached Europe this way to flee conflicts in the Middle East. Since then, international deals have been struck and border security toughened across Europe to stem the flow of migrants. Yet, whilst other routes to Europe have seen a fall, the numbers travelling via this 'Eastern Mediterranean route' into the EU have increased since 2021. Presenter Nick Robinson hears from refugees in Turkey looking to leave and from those who have successfully made it across the land border into Bulgaria. He explores the success and limits of the Bulgarian border force’s efforts to police its border.

Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, eight out of 10 women journalists have stopped working. The few female journalists still working are subject to all kinds of restrictions, including no access to official sources, no travelling without a chaperone, as well as abuses such as harassment and low pay.Previously, approximately 17 percent of accredited journalists working in Afghanistan were women - so where have they all gone, and what are they doing now? The BBC’s Sana Safi investigates.

A shock offensive on Aleppo turned Syria’s forgotten conflict into hot war. The group spearheading it, Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), has been at pains to present itself as a credible governing body, having renounced its jihadist past. With a bounty on his head, its leader, Abu Mohammed al Jawlani, has been spinning his propaganda machine in the northern province of Idlib, wearing western suits and taking selfies with the locals. We track his journey of transformation in this episode, first published in 2023. Producer: Kriszta Satori, Anne Dixey Presenter: Krassi Twigg

Low harvests, economic and climate change and changing tastes have impacted French wine. The French wine harvest has dropped 18% in one year. For some famous French wine-making regions the reduction has been much more. A combination of factors, including climate, finances and changing drinking habits has brought some wine-makers to the brink. Thousands of hectares of vineyards are being pulled up. Others are struggling to survive. John Murphy travels to Bordeaux and Languedoc - the world’s biggest wine-making region - to find out what is going on with wine, France’s most symbolic of products.

A year-long BBC Eye investigation has uncovered that Chinese tomato paste produced using forced labour in Xinjiang is likely to be being sold in major UK and German supermarkets. Runako Celina has teamed up with Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Alison Killing to find out the nature and scale of forced labour in the tomato fields of Xinjiang, and follow a trail that shows the resulting puree might be ending up on European shelves. Using satellite imagery and shipping data, they track the route the tomato paste takes from Xinjiang to Europe, where they uncover evidence showing there’s a strong likelihood it is being sold on to some supermarkets. The supermarkets all said they took the allegations very seriously. But they disputed the BBC’s findings.

The cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is one of France’s most famous landmarks. It has stood on the Île de la Cité in the heart of France’s capital since the 12th Century. On 15 April 2019, it was engulfed by flames, but thanks to the bravery of hundreds of firefighters, Notre Dame remained standing. The devastation was, however, immense. The spire collapsed into the nave and the lead roof melted and evaporated. The lattice framework underneath it, made of a thousand oak beams known affectionately as The Forest, turned to charcoal and dust. Agnès Poirier travels around France to talk to the army of craftspeople from across the world, who have been painstakingly reconstructing and restoring Notre Dame. She travels to the Loire to see the work of two American carpenters Jackson du Bois and Michael Burrey, representatives of the US Handshouse Studio: Notre Dame project, who are helping to rebuild the spire. Agnès then visits Normandy where the famous bells are being restored to speak to Paul Bergamo and also where the iconic ornate cross is being repaired by Vincent Combes and his team. Finally she comes face to face with a gargoyle and finds out how to redesign the perfect beast.

There has been a record number of cases this year of Russian soldiers deserting their units. Amaliya Zatari from BBC Russian has spoken to one young man who managed to get to France along with five others. Nina Nazarova, also from BBC Russian, offers a unique insight into the price many ordinary Russian families are paying when they try to hide or protect their relatives. Produced by Hannah Dean and Alice Gioia. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

It is a grim milestone, more than 1000 days have passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the past week, attacks on the country have once again intensified. As winter approaches and temperatures drop, Russia is targeting Ukraine’s energy system to leave millions of people without power. In our conversations, Ukrainians discuss their daily lives and resilience after almost three years of war and we hear from people in Dnipro and Odesa recovering from the latest attacks. “We’re being attacked not only with the rockets but also psychologically,” Lidia in Dnipro tells us. We also bring together three Ukrainian politicians to discuss how they keep democracy alive while maintaining a united front to the World and ask whether Donald Trump could really end the war in a day.

At the end of America’s southern border wall with Mexico, James Naughtie meets the people helping recently-arrived migrants survive in the extreme conditions. Beginning his day's journey at a church in Tucson, Arizona, James hears how members of the congregation support a programme helping migrants find work. And at the end of the border wall with Mexico, he meets recently-arrived migrants from around the world seeking asylum in the United States. He watches them being collected by Border Patrol for processing, and speaks to the humanitarian workers about what might happen to their claims for asylum.

Born in 1924 in Harlem, New York, James Baldwin's novels, essays and speeches articulated the racial oppression facing African-Americans. In works like Notes on a Native Son and The Fire Next Time, Baldwin expressed how colour is not a human or personal reality, but a political one. In Giovanni’s Room, a frank portrayal of a gay relationship, he draws on his own life as a gay man. In the wake of Black Lives Matter, the US continues to grapple with tension and division, with race and identity still huge cultural and social issues. Cianna Greaves looks at how Baldwin’s life and works still matter and inspire artists today, including Detroit based artist Sabrina Nelson whose exhibition Frontline Prophet: James Baldwin has travelled across the US; curator Ashara Ekundayo; poet and founder The Baldwin Institute, Achille Tekiang; writer and executive director of La Maison Baldwin, Tara Phillips; as well as French journalist, film-maker and graphic novelist Rokhaya Diallo.

A bonus episode from The Conflict. Jonny Dymond brings together a carefully assembled panel of experts, academics and journalists to talk about the conflict in the region. They assess what has happened in history to lead us to this point. And, look at what history can teach us about what might happen next.

The Taliban edict that women's voices should not be heard aloud renders women up and down Afghanistan inaudible as well as invisible in public. Women are already denied most forms of education and employment. They are not allowed to go outside without a male guardian, and have to be completely covered up, including their faces. Now the new rules say they should be quiet too. Women singing together, or even raising their voices in prayer, is forbidden.But there's more than one way to be heard.Our Whole Life is a Secret records the day to day life of 'Leila', a lively, energetic Afghan woman aged 23, doing everything she can to navigate the rules. From behind the walls of her home, Leila reveals her vivid interior world, and that of her female friends and relatives. She and her sisters are the first women in their family to read and write, and before the Taliban returned to power in 2021, she was a university student. Now she teaches in a secret school and is part of a dynamic online learning community. From reading Emily Bronte to working out to Zumba, Leila is determined to keep stay sane and busy.'Leila' is not her real name and all locations are omitted for safety reasons. Her words are read by Asal Latifi.

Legendary musician, composer and producer Brian Eno has turned his attention to the climate crisis. In 2021 he founded the ground-breaking organisation EarthPercent, a charity which aims to raise $100m by 2030. The money - from royalties of partner artists - is being used to reduce the environmental impact of the music industry, as well as restoring nature, advancing policy change and securing "climate justice and fair environmental stewardship." Among the musicians with whom he is currently collaborating are Coldplay, CHVRCHES, Nile Rogers, Anna Calvi, Louis VI and Michael Stipe. A rare honour, listeners are welcomed inside the hallowed soundproofed walls of his London studio, where they experience first-hand the recording methods of his latest project.

Ghislaine Boddington aspires to be interconnected with an AI digital companion that advises and supports her, keeps her healthy and represents her around the world. A twin that could live on after her death, or for as long as someone pays the subscription. In practical terms, a digital bio-twin is made up of continuously measured multiple biological signals from your body. These might include your heartbeat, breath, temperature and muscle tension, as well as food intake, exercise and mental health - all fed into an avatar body. By combining AI and, for example, scanning our bodies and faces, cloning our voice and mannerisms, our virtual twin will become more and more like us. In a journey that involves an MRI heart scan, dancing in a Belgium basement and a discussion about digital death, Ghislaine learns how to build her own digital twin.(Photo: Composite image of Ghislaine Boddington. Credit: Ghislaine Boddington)

After publicly criticising the Ashanti King, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, journalist Afia Pokua had to apologise following a strict traditional protocol. BBC Africa's Daniel Dadzie explains how royal apologies work in Ghana, and why Afia didn't get a pardon. Plus, how to say 'I'm sorry' in Urdu, Russian, Korean, Chinese and Tajiki - and why some people in Hong Kong feel taxi drivers owe them an apology, with Martin Yip from BBC Chinese.Produced by Caroline Ferguson, Alice Gioia and Hannah Dean.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Imagine waking up in the morning and going outside to discover that the air is so toxic that it makes your eyes water and can make it hard to breathe. This is happening to millions of people in South Asia right now, especially across Lahore in Pakistan and Delhi in India, and it is due to a thick smog that can be seen from space. Residents in both cities discuss the difficulties of trying to go about everyday life while negotiating lockdowns and also trying to get food and continuing to work. Host Mark Lowen also hears from three students aged 13-22 about the impact on their education, as well as their mental and physical health.

Father Michel was brought up in a devout family in a devout country. He witnessed the horrors of the Second Congo War but when he was sent to France he was nevertheless shocked to find so much material and spiritual poverty there. His first posting as a missionary was working with young people separated from the parents because of violence, addiction, abuse. Now he has a parish in Alsace, or rather 12 parishes. He tells us about the joys and pains of being an African missionary in Europe. We hear too about his experience of rejection because of his ethnic background. But above all the warm welcome he has received from active Catholics who have become dependent on these “missionaries-in-reverse” from Africa for the practice of their faith.

South African DJ Legendary Crisp, charts the rise of the homegrown dance music genre Amapiano. She finds out where the hypnotising, jazzy, soulful sound emerged from, what it means culturally, and how it became South Africa's signature music genre of the 2020s. Radio Producer Tim Moorhouse travels to Johannesburg to meet Legendary Crisp and find out about Amapiano's cultural importance. Featuring contributions from Boohle, Josiah De Disciple, Lula Obiba, Madzadza Miya, Nimrod Pitso, Tman Xpress, Felo Le Tee, Chr B, Nkosazana Daughter, Rosey Gold and O.L. Shabba.

David Chipperfield is a world renowned, Pritzker prize-winning architect with major buildings in cities across the globe from Berlin to Beijing. But with a long career behind him he has changed the emphasis and ambition of his practice. Susan Marling joins him in Compostela in Galicia, northern Spain, as he opens a handsome new home for his foundation. The Casa Ria, in a converted health sanitorium in the centre of town, is about looking at architecture differently. It is not about designing and building new buildings, rather it is about improving people’s quality of life. Working in a series of coastal and rural towns north of Compostela David and the team address issues of town planning – to bring public space back into focus, to reconnect communities with the sea and to deal with traffic that pollutes town centres and makes them dangerous.

The autonomous north-east region of Syria, once regarded as one of the most fertile areas in the country, is today struggling to find enough water to survive. More than a million people in Hasakah have been left with almost no drinking water, and what little water they have has to be brought in by tanker. BBC Eye goes to Hasakah to investigate what lies behind this crisis. Namak Khoshnaw hears how, following Turkey’s incursion into the region in 2019, a critical water station is barely functioning, and Turkey has bombed the power station that supplies it along with other infrastructure. Namak talks to local people about their daily struggle to survive and to the engineers and local officials desperately racing against time to find new sources of drinking water.

An estimated five million tonnes of plastic waste is exported each year, with the majority coming from 10 high-income countries. Malaysia has become a global hub for plastic waste imports and recycling. But how clean and safe is the recycling trade and how much plastic can actually be recycled?For Assignment, Leana Hosea travels to Malaysia to meet those who are risking their lives to stem the tide of foreign plastic waste. She tracks unfolding research into microplastics and people’s health, and gains access inside recycling factories to reveal the dirty truth behind the trade.

Back in 2015, BBC World Service launched the first BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award, to raise the profile of the women’s game but also highlight key issues within the sport. Ten years ago, the current Champions League winners Barcelona and the Women’s Super League in England still weren’t professional, the Women’s World Cup was about to kick off in Canada using artificial pitches, much to the dismay of players and coaches – something which has never been repeated! To mark an historic 10th year of the award, past winners including Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala and England’s Lucy Bronze reflect on winning the trophy. Along with previous nominees, they discuss key moments in the last decade and the challenges still ahead for the women’s game.

Hollywood star Idris Elba recently announced he'll soon relocate to Africa and promote the film industry there. He spoke to BBC Africa's Thomas Naadi about it. The British actor is not alone: BBC Africa Eye's Nour Abida has been following the journeys of a group of second generation French nationals who want to move back to Senegal. Her documentary, The Homecoming, is available on the BBC World Service YouTube channel. Produced by Alice Gioia and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

More than two weeks after the floods that swept through the Valencia region of Spain, the streets are still being cleared of mud and debris. More than 220 people are known to have died but many more have lost their homes and businesses. In our conversations, a family shares their experience of searching for their father and we hear how a mother is struggling to come to terms with the events she witnessed. Meanwhile, recriminations are flying over who is to blame. Officials are facing criticism for failing to issue a weather warning to people’s phones in time, and for the slow mobilisation in the aftermath of the disaster. Three volunteers who have been helping with the rescue effort share their frustrations with the government response.

At the age of 34, Donna Mulhearn – a committed Christian - had grown disillusioned with her career as a journalist and political adviser. When she heard someone on the radio seeking volunteers to serve as human shields in Iraq, Donna - already opposed to the war and a staunch advocate of non-violent action - immediately knew what she had to do. Despite the objections of concerned family and friends, she travelled to Baghdad to join hundreds of other volunteers from around the world. But all too soon things got complicated. The Iraqi authorities had their own ideas about where the human shields should be deployed – and then Donna, along with other volunteers, witnessed scenes of carnage. Despite all this, Mike Wooldridge, asks, does she feel with hindsight that she did the right thing?

You can spend hours in an airport and never learn anything about the people around you. But follow the chaplains of London Heathrow, and you might start to see things - and people - differently. Headed up by Reverend Ruth Bottoms, a team of 20 multi-faith chaplains offer sanctuary and support to passengers and staff in the unpredictable environment of a mega airport. Counselling nervous fliers, responding to crises, leading daily masses in Heathrow’s own chapel - these chaplains respond to whatever comes their way.Jude Shapiro spends a week with the chaplains and those they encounter to see what happens when faith, flight and the stresses of Europe’s busiest airport combine.With thanks to the Heathrow Multi-Faith Chaplaincy and Heathrow Airport.Presenter/producer: Jude Shapiro Executive producer: Jack Howson Sound engineer: Arlie Adlington A Peanut and Crumb production for BBC World Service

A historic trial is underway in Sweden. Two European executives of a Swedish oil company are accused of aiding and abetting war crimes in South Sudan. George Tai, whose family was killed in the so-called “oil wars”, hopes the case will set a legal precedent. BBC Eye investigates the legacy of oil in South Sudan: from violence to pollution and asks who should be held responsible?

Sydney has one of the most recognisable opera house in the world, but some of the most innovative opera-making is happening at the other end of town, in the building where they used to build train carriages. Sydney Chamber Opera, led by o Jack Symonds, is a young, experimental collective of opera makers, collaborating with the established national company Opera Australia to bring Jack's epic Gilgamesh to the stage. Directed by Kip Williams, it is a new opera based on a very old story of queer desire, environmentalism, and dancing scorpions. Ce Benedict follows Gilgamesh from pianos falling through floorboards in rehearsals, to Opera Australia's artistic director unexpectedly stepping down, through to the literal glitter of opening night.

Why are people protesting on the streets of Tbilisi, in Georgia, and how did people vote in Indian-administered Kashmir? With correspondents Nina Akhmeteli and Raghvendra Rao. Produced by Alice Gioia and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

On 20 January, Republican Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. His domestic pledges include promises to bring down prices, tackle immigration, introduce tariffs on imports, and cut tax. Throughout the election campaign, we have been hearing from people from across the US - Republicans, Democrats and those who were undecided – about the issues that matter to them. In the lead up to the election, we heard from American voters from across the political spectrum and, this time in our conversations, host Mark Lowen hears widely contrasting views on the future of the country.

Twenty years ago, one man took it into his hands to educate Arab-Israelis about the Holocaust and its ongoing psychological effects. Khaled Kasab Mahameed, a lawyer from Nazareth, opened what is believed to be the first ever Arab-led Holocaust museum. His aim: to open the eyes of his fellow Arabs to the trauma of the Holocaust while at the same time reminding Jewish Israelis of the suffering of his own Palestinian people. Mike Wooldridge hears Khaled’s story and discovers why, despite his enormous idealism, he soon found himself the target of criticism from both sides of the conflict.

When rising sea levels threaten a country’s very existence, how can its culture be preserved? Tuvalu wants to create an online replica of its landscape and an archive of its language, music and important artefacts. Prianka Srinivasan finds out how the government’s “digital nation” plan is developing, and speaks to Tuvaluans about what they are already doing to celebrate and pass on the country’s heritage and customs.

A bonus episode from the People Fixing the World podcast. 2024 has been called a record breaking year for elections, with billions of people eligible to take part in all types of votes. But how can we make sure people can vote safely and securely? We visit Australia's Northern Territory to see how voting takes place in incredibly remote communities. We also find out how a group of eminent women in Uganda is combating violence and intimidation during elections. And we hear how Estonia operates one of the most high-tech elections in the world. People Fixing the World looks at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Discover more of the people and projects trying to make the world a better place at bbcworldservice.com/peoplefixingtheworld or, just search for People Fixing the World wherever you got this podcast.Presenter: Myra Anubi Producers: Katie Solleveld, Richard Kenny Australia reporter: Laetitia Lemke Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Jon Bithrey

Ghanaian journalist Justice Baidoo is teaching his two young boys how to speak the ancient African language of Ahanta. He home schools them with lessons several times a week in an effort to keep the indigenous language alive in a continent where many are disappearing due to the over dominance of English and French, and in recent years the added power of American culture through mass media, online and through mobile phones. He hears how locals are trying to revive Ahanta by setting up a radio station and running regular dedicated church services attracting a one-thousand-strong congregation, before travelling across Ghana to hear people speaking the endangered language of Animere in the village of Kunda.

Formed by guitarist and vocalist Shayan, TRIVAX was formed in 2009, in the underground music scene of his home city, Tehran. The capital of a country where freedom of expression is severely restricted, resulting in tough censorship laws. The Iranian government tightly controls musical content, prohibiting lyrics or themes deemed critical of the regime, or inconsistent with Islamic values, and heavy metal tends to fall under this category. Escaping to the UK, Shayan found a like-minded ally in bassist Sully, who had similarly left Syria after facing jail time for his metal associations, and they teamed up with British drummer Matt Croton. Now, TRIVAX utilises the adversity of its members’ roots, to produce its unique trademark sounds they call "Eastern Death Magic”; a combination of black metal with Middle Eastern influences and on a mission to fight against oppression and totalitarianism through music. Sahar Zand follows them as they work on their latest track Against All Opposition.

The Danish town of Kalundborg should be a boom town, as the main manufacturing site for the weight loss drug Wegovy. The pharmaceutical company which makes it, Novo Nordisk, is the most valuable in Europe and has invested $8.5 billion dollars in a new plant there. Despite this economic bounty, Kalundborg’s schools are underperforming and entertainment opportunities are limited. Many young keen people say it’s peaceful but dull and can’t wait to get out to study and work in bigger cities like the capital, Copenhagen. Can the mayor persuade people to move and live there long term?

How are the popular Ikat designs made? BBC journalist Ibrat Safo explores Uzbekistan's love story with textiles. Plus, Sanjaya Dhakal of BBC Nepali explains why a group of Kathmandu artists launched an inventive campaign to repatriate their country's stolen art.'Silk Roads' is at the British Museum in London until February 2025.Produced by Alice Gioia, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Throughout the presidential election campaign, we have been hearing from voters across the political spectrum. One issue keeps coming up: how much it costs to live, to feed the family, to fuel a car, or to pay the rent or mortgage. Surveys have consistently indicated the economy is a top concern for Americans – transcending age and political affiliation. Since the pandemic, most people in the country have experienced steep price rises of many essentials like housing, groceries and fuel. But the economic outlook is good. Last week, the US Commerce Department released the latest figures on the state of the nation’s finances. They showed that the economy grew by 2.8 percent and that the country is on track for one of the strongest economic performances of any major economy this year. So why aren’t people feeling it? In our conversations, we bring together young people in Connecticut, Texas and Pennsylvania.

Vanessa’s Fridays saw her dancing the night away in the night clubs of Liverpool, having drinks with friends, sometimes staying out all night. But now Fridays are times of prayer with new friends at the mosque. She took her vows – shahada – to become a Muslim within a month of Hamas attacking Israel and the resulting military campaign in Gaza and says the unshakeable faith of Palestinian Muslims then was the catalyst for her conversion. Now, wearing a full hijab, she has made it clear to all around her, her life has totally changed. She no longer sees the friends she used to spend so much time with. But that loss has partly been made up through the support of her new friends, many of whom are also converts to Islam. In Liverpool where she lives, the South African born Vanessa, plans to change her name to Amina, after the prophet Mohammed’s mother, further marking herself out as Muslim and identifying with the global Muslim community – or Ummah.