The Documentary Podcast

Chile’s Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on earth – often likened to Mars. It is also home to piles of dumped clothes from fast fashion labels across the world. Because it is so dry nothing decomposes. And that means that clothes ditched 10 to 20 years ago still look recognisable. Sometimes the mountains of clothes are burnt causing toxic fumes which harm the local community of Alto Hospicio. This environmental crisis has been going on for years. It is a complex situation with multiple players involved. But different groups are starting to take action. Jane Chambers travels to the Atacama Desert to meet activists and locals trying to raise awareness. An enormous giant – El Gigante Vestido – is being created in the desert out of used clothes to get people talking. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Producer Jess Brownell takes us behind the scenes of Bridgerton. When the first series of Bridgerton premiered in 2020, it offered a welcome escape, inviting us into a world of high society romance, extravagent period dress, and violin pop covers. It also rewrote the rules of costume drama, with colourblind casting and a decidedly un-buttoned-up approach to sexuality. As the fourth season hits our screens, lead writer Jess Brownell talks us through the process of crafting a love story that will be the talk of the Ton. We also hear from Yerin Ha and Luke Thompson, the stars of this series, about the art of chemistry.

An advert shown during this year’s Super Bowl has prompted a backlash on social media. In the ad, tennis champion Serena Williams promotes a weight loss injection, saying she is "healthier" thanks to the product. Many fans have expressed disappointment that a woman associated with strength and body positivity, is now selling being thinner as the ideal. So, is body positivity out and fat shaming back? In our conversations, we discuss the cultural pressure to lose weight now these drugs, known as GLP-1s, are widely available. 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.

In April 2022, two months after Russia invaded Ukraine, a man in his thirties called Victor Muller Ferreira flew into Amsterdam airport using a Brazilian passport. He was identified by the Dutch authorities as Russian national Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov and immediately sent back to Brazil, where investigations by both the FBI and the Brazilian police identified him as a Russian intelligence officer. He had been living in Brazil, undercover, for years, with a well-developed personal 'legend', or cover story, that included a passion for Forró, a popular Brazilian partner-dance. Cherkasov is currently serving a five year prison sentence in Brazil for identity fraud, and Russia demands his extradition.Leandro Prazeres of BBC News Brazil - who happens to be a big fan of Forró himself - and BBC Russian's Olga Ivshina unpack the story of this 'fake Brazilian' and explore the history and motivations of Russia's network of so-called 'illegals', or deep cover spies.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. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Irena Taranyuk.)

Millions flock to Spain’s Sagrada Família to marvel at its towering tree-like columns, remarkable displays of light and ornate stonework. One hundred years after the master architect Antoni Gaudí’s death, Spanish journalist Lluís Amiguet explores why so many people, regardless of faith, come to visit a Barcelona church that is still far from finished. Amiguet hears how Gaudí was inspired by what he called “The Great Book Of Nature” and learns how this might have been of particular interest to visitors from Japan who were among the first to come and see Gaudí’s work. He meets Japanese architect Hiroya Tanaka who believes there are secret codes hidden within Gaudi’s plans, talks to Òscar Tusquets who organised a petition for work to stop on the church before suddenly changing his mind and he tours the towers of the world’s tallest church.

With the 2026 Winter Olympics well under way in Italy, we look to the most powerful woman in sport - the International Olympics Committee president, Kirsty Coventry. The most decorated African Olympian of all time, the 42-year-old mother-of-two made history as both the first African and the first woman to hold the title when she was elected last year. With seven Olympic medals and several World Records under her belt, she decided to take on a role at the International Olympic Committee, quickly climbing the ranks. Mark Coles examines how she got here.

For World Radio Day 2026, we visit WMMT in Whitesburg, Kentucky, one of many small community radio stations in the US existentially threatened by cuts to government funding. At a moment when news has become increasingly polarised, these stations are even more needed, often providing communities with their only source of essential information and emergency warnings. WMMT was founded in 1985 with a mission to “be a voice of mountain people’s music, culture and social issues.” Known to listeners as "Possum Radio" or "Real People Radio," WMMT broadcasts to the coalfield communities of eastern Kentucky and neighbouring Appalachian counties, home to people whose voices are among the least heard in the United States. Station manager Jared Hamilton is scrambling to raise funds to keep it on the air. At this critical moment in America's history, the station is helping to keep the community steady with one foot in Appalachia’s traditions and the other in the future.

Why does President Trump really want Greenland? The Arctic territory is rich in vital minerals and oil. And it hosts an important American military base as the race for dominance in the Arctic heats up between China, Russia and the USA. But drill down beneath Trump's stated reasons and the true picture is less clear. A financier-turned-MAGA operative and his Greenlandic protégé, the small print of right-wing wish list Project 2025, and a penchant for big places on maps might better explain the recent diplomatic crisis. Lucy Proctor delves into the backstory to Trump's insistence on acquiring Greenland.

Els and Jan have fewer than three days left on Earth. Childhood sweethearts who met in kindergarten more than six decades ago, they know precisely when they will die. And how. On an early summer’s Monday morning they will travel to a nearby hospice. Some of their family and friends will accompany them. And then precisely at 10.30am - holding hands, they hope - two doctors will administer lethal medication to each of them. In the Netherlands, euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal if someone is suffering unbearably with no prospect of getting better. The suffering can be physical or psychological. Els was diagnosed with dementia. Jan lived with pain 24/7. Last year, 33 Dutch couples chose to die like Els and Jan. And in February, one of the Netherlands’ former Prime Ministers ended his life by euthanasia together with his wife. For Assignment, Linda Pressly meets Els and Jan as they prepare for the end. And she explores the complex issue of allowing euthanasia in cases of dementia. A warning: some listeners might find the content of this documentary upsetting.

Gaming writer Jordan Erica Webber on the epic task of building a virtual mountain for a prize-winning video game. She hears from the creators and voice actor behind the French game Cairn.

Inspirational NFL stars Leonard Russell, Steve Wright, Jaime Coffee and Chris Poitras, COO of Jostens the jewellers who have made the vast majority of Super Bowl rings.This episode was updated on 9 February 2026 for music rights reasons.

China's population has shrunk, year on year, for four years in a row, pushing a country with a long history of official worry about overpopulation to contemplate a sharp decline in births. BBC China's Yan Chen reflects on the reasons behind the drop and what it will mean for the country and a generation of children growing up now.Three years ago Magerram Zeynalov, who covers Azerbaijan for for BBC News Russian, wrote an article about the fact that six years after the start of the global pandemic, Azerbaijan's land borders remain closed. Since he wrote it, nothing has changed: although Azerbaijan's airspace is open, its land borders remain shut. The Azerbaijani government cites security concerns as the reason; Magerram reflects on the impact a sixth year of closed land borders in "the most stable country in the world."In the Indian state of Maharashtra, tigers are thriving. It's a win for conservationists, but locals living near tiger reserves are concerned about the threat to life. Bhagyashri Raut, who reports for BBC Marathi, explains how a group of mothers have taken matters into their own hands to protect children on their way to school.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 Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

For the first time since May 2024, people have been allowed to cross between Gaza and Egypt through the Rafah crossing – seen by many Palestinians as a lifeline to the world. Israel reopened the border after the body of the last Israeli hostage was returned. So far, only a few of an estimated 20,000 sick and wounded people in the territory have been allowed through for medical treatment abroad. People are also coming back into Gaza but the numbers allowed are also very limited. In our conversations, Gazans share experiences of their daily lives and their plans to see their families again.

Warning: This programme deals with adult themes that may not be suitable for some listenersCriminals are hiding video cameras in hotel rooms across China to secretly film and live stream unsuspecting victims having sex and then selling the footage online. The illegal trade in spycam porn has become a big business, one with devastating consequences for the people whose most intimate moments are made public without their consent. Wanqing Zhang has been hunting the hidden cameras and trying to find those responsible. Can they be stopped?

In Argentina, cloning polo horses is transforming the sport. There are big companies, big profits and big ambitions. Against the backdrop of the Argentine Open, (the crown jewel of the Polo season,) presenter Marnie Chesterton talks to scientists and key figures in this tale of how cloning conquered Polo, and where the genetic interventions are heading.

Former Christian minister Craig Fenter was in the midst of a deep spiritual void when he first picked up a book of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi’s poetry in his local LA bookshop. The writings of Rumi, a 13th-Century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic have long inspired people across faiths. And Rumi’s poetry on divine love and the soul’s journey toward God would captivate Craig, inspiring him to leave behind his Californian home, to begin a new life as a whirling dervish in Turkey. The BBC’s Emily Wither travelled to meet Craig Fenter, now known as Ismail, in the central Anatolian city of Konya, Rumi’s resting place and an important pilgrimage site for his followers. It is here where Ismail joined the Mevlevi order, became a disciple of Rumi and converted to Islam. Ismail is now working on a new English translation of Rumi’s most famous work, the Masnavi-yi Maʿnavi, 25,000 verses of rhymed couplets in Persian.

How sport is giving some young women in India a way out of child marriage and allowing them to be seen.Officially, the practice of child marriage is illegal in the country. But UNICEF estimates that over 200 million girls and women in India have been married before they turned 18. Take Munna as an example. Her mother was fifteen when she married and Munna herself was only 14 when she was told she would be a child bride. However, she fought back, using football as her weapon. She broke social norms and took up the sport, including wearing shorts on the pitch, and fended off various attempts to marry her off early. Now her rebellion has spread to her youngest sister, who has felt emboldened by her elder sister and has made it to the state football team.Sport has also helped members of a marginalised community - the Siddis, who were originally brought to India from Africa mainly as slaves - to battle against discrimination. For Shahin her route was via judo.Divya Arya reports on how sport is helping some young women to break free from the bonds of early marriage and to forge an identity for themselves.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Matthew Sweet reports from an exhibition in Sweden about American conscripts who sought refuge there during the war in Vietnam. He hears from sound artist Nhung Nguyen and film-maker Esther Johnson about their work on archival documents and extracts from the station known as Liberation Radio. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world’s most creative people.

Can diplomacy alone end the war in Ukraine in the absence of a compromise? After nearly four years of fighting and countless deaths, top diplomats from Russia, Ukraine, the US and Europe have been hard at work trying to hammer out a peace deal. Indeed, this work has produced several multi-point peace plans amid proclamations of “productive talks”, creating the impression that peace is around the corner. The Global Jigsaw compares the Russian and Ukrainian wish lists to reveal two parallel realities of peace that cannot coexist. What are the peace negotiations achieving?

A top Russian archaeologist is currently under arrest in Poland. Alexander Butyagin is waiting for courts to decide on a request from Ukraine for him to be extradited. He is a scholar at the Hermitage, Russia's largest art museum in St Petersburg, and has been digging in an ancient site in Crimea since 1999. Ukrainian authorities claim that he is criminally damaging and looting the site, making the most of Russian occupation, Butyagin himself denies all charges. It is a story that Grigor Atenesian of BBC Russian has been looking into.The Kalbeliya community is a nomadic tribe from Rajasthan in India, known for its distinctive folk music and the Kalbeliya dance form. Traditionally, Kalbeliya families have led a nomadic life, though some have settled permanently over the years. They follow a type of Hinduism in which burial, rather than cremation, is a religious requirement after death. Community members say that even those who are settled often do not have legal access to land for burial, leaving families struggling to perform last rites. Ashay Yegde, who reports for the BBC in India, recently travelled to meet the Kalbeliya to hear their story. AI-generated caricatures of middle-aged men decked out in street wear, clutching an iPhone have gone viral on social media in South Korea. They are being called 'Young 40s' by younger generations. Teasing of an older person is very unusual in South Korea, where age difference, even by a year, forms the basis of social hierarchy. But the Young 40 memes also represent Korean youth's growing scepticism of this reverence for elders. Hyojung Kim of BBC Korean has been looking into the internet phenomenon, and shares what it tells us about South Korean society today. 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 AmidiProduced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Over the past year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have become a visible force on American streets. Accused of using aggressive tactics, they often cover their faces and have cast a shadow of fear over migrant communities. In the city of Minneapolis, some 3000 agents have made hundreds of arrests, and two US citizens have been shot dead. We hear from migrants in the city, including a man arrested by ICE agents, and bring together people in the local community. President Trump was elected on a platform of cutting illegal immigration and, with efforts in recent days to reduce tensions in the State, we also get the perspective from Republican party supporters. 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.

*** This episode contains distressing content, including references to suicide, drug use, and sexual and violent material *** Mick Fleming turned to drugs to numb the trauma of a childhood shaped by violence and fear. What followed was a life of escalating crime - one that pulled him further from himself and those around him. Then, in the midst of committing a serious offence, Mick experienced an overwhelming light that stopped him in his tracks. That moment marked the beginning of a profound turning point. What followed was not an instant transformation, but a long and difficult journey that eventually led him to the priesthood and later to becoming a bishop. Reporter Shiroma Silva travels to Burnley in the north of England to meet a man who draws inspiration from his own lowest point, when the kindness that sustained him did not come from within the church, but from a homeless man sleeping in a shop doorway.

In April 2026, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces fresh parliamentary elections. He has been in power since 2010, and his party's grip on the Hungarian media and civil society means many felt his place in office was permanently secure. However, discontent over allegations of corruption and his brand of "illiberal democracy" has been growing, led by a new challenger, Peter Magyar. His growing party, Tisza, has shown signs of being able to unite wide swathes of Hungary's disjointed opposition, and Orban is suddenly well behind in the polls. Magyar himself is a former member member of Orban's party, Fidesz. Nick Thorpe travels across Hungary meeting activists and voters mobilising for the contest.

Africa's 250 million nomadic herders, or pastoralists, are the invisible keystone of the continent's food system. They provide 50% of Africa's meat and 75% of its milk, moving livestock across vast rangelands in response to seasons, weather and grazing patterns that have sustained communities for millennia. Yet pastoralists are routinely dismissed as backwards, a relic in the way of progress and modernisation. Climate change, land grabs, and conflict force them off ancestral routes. Their knowledge is often ignored. But in the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, a different story emerges - one where these herders aren't obstacles to climate solutions but pioneers of them.

On Christmas Day 2025, the US carried out missile strikes on suspected Islamist militants in Nigeria. They came after President Trump said he would intervene to protect Christians amid controversial claims of a “Christian genocide” in the country. The Nigerian government rejects such claims, saying both Muslim and Christian communities have been affected by insecurity in the country. Alex Last visits Plateau state in central Nigeria one area where ethnic and sectarian violence that has been the focus of US concern, to hear from both sides and meet those trying to bring peace.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Art from the circle of friends, family and teachers of artist Mrinalini Mukherjee is now on show at London's Royal Academy, alongside her giant hemp sculptures. Sheetal Parmar hears about the planning behind transporting such delicate works and about the influences behind the creation of her natural forms. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world’s most creative people.

Looking back at five big US foreign policy shifts from the Monroe doctrine in the 19th Century to the post-9/11 strategies of the Bush doctrine in the early 2000s. Justin Webb and his guests examine how America’s approach to the world has constantly changed over time, to help answer a really big question - how radical is the way President Donald Trump deals with the world? Is he really an outlier in US history? Or do his actions reflect the changing patterns of American power?

In the face of widespread protests, the Iranian government ‘switched off’ the country’s access to the internet on 8th January. In Uganda, prior to recent elections, the government of president Yoweri Museveni prevented its citizens from accessing the internet. Worldwide, Afghanistan, Myanmar, India and Bangladesh – to name only a few - have all taken the decision to severely restrict internet access at times of perceived political crisis or challenge. Yet it was only fifteen years ago, during the Arab Spring, that internet access and digital media were seen as game-changing communications tools for democratisation. Now, how vulnerable is protest and political opposition to being taken offline? 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 Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Described by Donald Trump as “a giant piece of ice,” the world’s largest island has found itself at the centre of global attention. The president’s demands to take over the self-governing Danish territory, potentially even by force, led to a diplomatic crisis and the president threatened economic sanctions against European allies for opposing his plans. Despite now ruling out military action, US intentions are still uncertain. We bring together young Greenlanders to discuss what they make of President Trump’s proposal to take it over and share their experiences of living in Greenland. 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.

In small towns and rural areas across the south of the United States traditional family churches have long been key guardians of black culture, memory and community spirit. Until very recently women called to preach in these communities faced opposition ranging from grudging acceptance at best to total ostracisation. But now an increasing number of women are winning acceptance as preachers, pastors and community leaders in Baptist and United Methodist Churches, becoming the vital glue which binds changing, rural black communities together.Alvin Hall asks some of these women about the lengths they have gone to to follow their calling, driving hundreds of miles to carry the word of God in touring ministries reminiscent of the male Circuit Riders of Alvin’s childhood. In Paducah, Kentucky he meets Baptist pastors Donna G Hawkins, LaRita Horton Addison and James Lee Hudson to explore their individual journeys towards acceptance. Alvin also meets Associate Pastor, Reverend Vanessa Skillion who has travelled 216 miles to join Donna in preaching at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church. Meanwhile in Nashville, Tennessee Alvin hears the perspectives of two United Methodist Ministers, Reverend Dr Jacqui King and Reverend Dr Paula Smith.In life stories, preaching, prayers and music we encounter communities uplifted and worship subtly altered by the spirits of women.Music performed by Donna G. Hawkins and the congregation of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Paducah, KY.

If journalism is the first draft of history, what happens if that draft turns out to be flawed? The History Bureau revisits the defining stories of our times with the reporters who first covered them. What did they get right first time around? And, in the chaos and confusion of unfolding events, what did they miss?Season 1: Putin and the Apartment Bombs. In September 1999, just weeks after a 46-year-old Vladimir Putin became Prime Minister, four bombs blew up four apartment buildings across Russia, killing hundreds of people while they slept. The attacks plunged the country into panic. Families fled their homes. Residents patrolled their blocks around the clock. An entire nation paralyzed by fear. But who did it? It's a mystery that has fuelled some chilling theories. The government blamed Chechen militants. Many reporters agreed. But then the whispers started. Was something even more sinister going on? If you're in the UK, listen first to The History Bureau on BBC Sounds - or elsewhere in the world, listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

In a case with profound implications for European migration policy, two dozen former volunteer humanitarian workers have been on trial on the Greek island of Lesbos. Seven years ago, they were arrested after rescuing thousands of migrants from the sea. Now, following many delays, a court case involving charges of facilitating illegal entry of foreigners, membership of a criminal organisation and money laundering has finally gone ahead. Among the defendants facing a possible 20 years in jail have been the Syrian refugee and former competitive swimmer Sara Mardini - and Irish human rights activist and lawyer Sean Binder. They've denied the charges - and argued that the prosecution was an attempt by the Greek authorities to criminalise help to asylum seekers.Tim Whewell reports on the trial and its outcome - and on the consequences for Lesbos. Back in 2015, when as many as 800,000 migrants arrived on the island after crossing the narrow strait from Turkey, local people were proud of their efforts to rescue and support refugees. But later, attitudes towards migrants changed. And NGOs stopped their rescue work - for fear more aid workers might be prosecuted. Now, far fewer migrants attempt the crossing to Greece. But those who do sometimes die in shipwrecks. And there are allegations, denied by Greece, that its police are illegally pushing asylum seekers back - putting them back on boats and abandoning them at sea.What will the verdicts in this trial mean for Greece, for other European states that have been tightening their immigration policies - and for the defendants whose lives have been on hold for the last seven years?This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Black girls performing in a parade on the streets of Chicago and playing in the surf at Martha's Vineyard offer a glimpse of what it is like, growing up in the United States today. Sisters Salamishah and Scheherazade Tillet are using photographs and words to capture the lives of girls from two very different communities.

What does it take to make something which has never existed on Earth before? The search for element 120 on the periodic table has begun at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. Cosmologist Andrew Pontzen, who is used to studying the processes of creation, visits the 88-inch Cyclotron facility at Berkeley, where the next new element may be created very soon. To uncover what motivates scientists to pursue something that is possibly only produced in the violent explosions of stars he speaks with the scientists trying it now, the scientists who last made an element at Berkeley 50 years ago, and a historian of the fraught history of element discovery. The answer is not as straight forward as he suspected.

Kenyan authorities recently reported that 200 of their citizens are fighting for Russia in the war in Ukraine. Many of them have reported that they travelled to Russia after replying to job adverts for roles as drivers, security guards and cooks. It was only on arrival that they were sent for military training, and then sent to the battlefield in Ukraine.BBC Newsday's David Wafula has spoken to families trying to find sons and brothers, lost in Russia's war. In September 2025 a wave of anti-government protests swept through Indonesia. Bali, however, remained free from demonstrations. Academics and sociologists say this is due to a legacy of terror from the island's 1965 communist purge. This brutal period taught communities a chilling lesson: dissent leads to annihilation. As a result, many Balinese people have become conditioned to avoid confrontation and suppress negative opinions, especially concerning the tourism sector. Tri Wahyuni of BBC Indonesian has looked into Bali's relationship with tourism and its own history. In Panna, a diamond mining region in central India, two childhood friends recently made a discovery that they think could change their lives forever. They had rented a small patch of land in the hopes of finding diamonds, and after only 19 days of digging they found one worth an estimated $55,000. Vishnukant Tiwari reports for the BBC in central India and spoke to the brothers. 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 Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson

In the past few days there have been a number of deaths on ski slopes in the Alps and, in recent months, hikers in Greece, climbers in Italy’s Dolomite mountains, and guides in the Himalayas have all lost their lives.The peak season for these huge and potentially lethal mass movements of snow is now underway in the northern hemisphere. To understand the dangers, and what it’s like to experience an avalanche, we hear from three survivors. For mountaineer Cory Richards in South Africa, the impact of an avalanche while climbing the world's 13th tallest mountain in Pakistan left him and his two climbing partners thinking they were all about to die. 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.

*** This programme contains graphic descriptions of body mutilation *** In the Nepalese Himalaya, one of the world’s rarest and most spiritually profound funeral rites is still practised: the Sky Burial. In some circumstances when a person dies, their body is offered to wild vultures. According to local Bon and Tibetan Buddhist customs, this burial is reserved only for those whose karma is deemed pure and whose astrological signs align with sacred guidance. The ritual represents the highest form of cremation, allowing the soul to ascend freely to the heavens. But the arrival of infrastructure projects and modern roads into these remote valleys have also created challenges for monastics and Sky Burial practitioners too. We follow Tashi Bista as he meets the guardians of this ceremony and comes eye to eye with human mortality. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

In 1867, the US government bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million dollars. At the time, critics questioned the value of purchasing such an inhospitable and remote territory. Yet today, due to its abundance of natural resources, America’s largest state has proved to be a significant investment. BBC foreign correspondent Anna Holligan travels to Alaska to report on the increasing China-Russia-US tension in the region. Supported by Russia, through fishing, shipping and military exercises, China has a growing presence in the Bering Sea, which separates mainland Russia from the US by 55 miles at its narrowest point. As Anna visits the largest Coast Guard base in the world on Alaska’s Kodiak Island, she asks why is China seeking to expand their influence in one of the most dangerous and volatile seas in the world?

*** This programme contains very strong language *** Over the past year, BBC Eye has followed the journeys of young men from Syria, Egypt, and Yemen who travelled to Russia in search of work, only to end up on the frontlines in Ukraine. Why are these men risking their lives in a war that is not theirs? Many, including students, say they were tricked into fighting for the Russian army by a recruiter. BBC Eye investigates their stories, meeting a family grieving the loss of their son and a young Yemeni man now trapped in a prisoner-of-war camp.Watch the film Into the Void Putin's Foreign Fighters on YouTube: https://youtu.be/y7ruSvJfn_g

'Start by lighting a candle every morning.’ In other words, pray. That’s the advice on one social media platform to those looking for a rented property in the Netherlands. The pressure on housing is immense: an estimated shortage of 400,000 homes. It was the number one issue in the recent Dutch general election, with the winning D66 party promising to build '10 new cities'. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Squatting was made a criminal offence over a decade ago, but with an estimated 90,000 homes standing empty, the squatters – krakers – are back. And there are thousands of people breaking the law by living year-round in holiday or recreation parks deep in the Netherlands’ countryside. The authorities are trying to change the dynamics. The city of Amsterdam is cracking down on second homes and owners who leave a property vacant. And last year, in an effort to cool an overheated market and limit the exploitation of tenants, the national government strengthened rent controls. But this has only encouraged landlords to throw in the towel and put their properties up for sale. There’s also a question mark over plans to build thousands of homes - and new cities - because of an obstacle few seem to have foreseen... Electricity. The Netherlands has enough power, but it doesn’t have the infrastructure to transport it to proposed new developments. Of course, the Dutch are known for innovation – especially in their management of water. Could floating apartment blocks be one of the answers? For Assignment, Linda Pressly meets both those at the sharp end of the Dutch housing crisis, and those working to mitigate its fallout.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Bianca Raffaella is a partially sighted painter based in Margate. Working entirely by touch and memory, her flower and figure paintings emerge from a world of blurred vision, visual static, and sensory recall. Raffaella paints what she perceives in flickers, dappled fragments of colour, flashes of form, shaped through instinct, fingertips, and palette knives. Sahar Zand meets Bianca in her studio, as she works on her latest project. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world’s most creative people.If you are affected by an issue raised in the programme you could speak to a health professional or an organisation that offers support. If you are suffering distress or despair, details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org

Humans have spread to every corner of the globe, transforming ecosystems and reshaping landscapes. Is there anywhere left on Earth that is unaffected by humans? Anywhere we haven’t changed – at all? Presenter Caroline Steel and producer Florian Bohr begin their mission to find No Man's Land, if it exists.

A recent BBC Persian documentary, Taraneh, has recieved millions of views online. It features an Iranian actress who is considered an icon in the country and has been starring in films for nearly 30 years. Her name is Taraneh Alidoosti and in 2022 she was arrested for taking a photograph of herself in her home, not wearing a hijab, and holding a sign showing support for the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' protests that are currently spreading across Iran once more. The film's director is BBC Persian's Pegah Ahangarani and she explains why the documentary had to be filmed in complete secret. BBC Monitoring's Sarbas Nazari reflects on why the film resonates so much in the contect of the protests now taking place in Iran. In November 2025, Cyclone Senyar caused devastating floods and landslides in Indonesia, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. The extreme weather has also been catestrophic for the Tapanuli orangutan population. Only discovered as a separate species in 2017, the Tapanuli orangutan is found in a small area of North Sumatra and haven't been seen or heard since the landslides. BBC World Service Environment Correspondent Navin Singh Khadka explains the importance of the Tapanuli orangutans and their environment. 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 Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

After the dramatic US military operation that saw Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife taken from the country and placed in a New York prison, what, if anything, has changed for Venezuelans? We speak to Venezuelans about their experiences of living in Venezuela – the good and the bad. Vanessa tells us that even liking social media posts that appear to oppose the government could land people in jail. Donald Trump said the US would “run” Venezuela and he has plans for the country’s crude oil reserves, which are the largest in the world. Despite this relatively untapped wealth, half the population lives in poverty and there have been shortages of food, fuel, water and medical supplies. Our guests talk about the difficulty of earning money, while millions have decided to flee the country, due to economic challenges and political persecution. We also bring Venezuelans together in the US, UK and Brazil who have moved abroad. They discuss what they miss about home and what might make them return.

Relations between Jews and Muslims in Morocco have historically been strong unlike elsewhere in North Africa and the Middle East. Although now relatively small, Morocco’s vibrant Jewish community is still regarded as an important part of the country’s history and culture. In Casablanca there are a number of functioning synagogues, kosher butchers and Jewish schools. More than a million Moroccan Jews now live in Israel and travel freely back and forth between the two countries. So how has the North African country managed to maintain a peaceful harmony while many other nations in the region have failed? And what could unsettle the balance? Mike Lanchin hears from some of the Moroccans from both faiths who have embraced this coexistence.

Clint Buffington is a hunter. He hauls his trophies back to his lab, covers himself in PPE and studies each specimen with pathological scrutiny. However, Clint is not the sort of hunter you might think. Based in Utah USA, the self-titled 'Message In a Bottle Hunter', Clint hunts for bottles on beaches all over the world.

In a programme which first aired in November 2025, Jonny Dymond chairs a debate about the future of Greenland. Leading Greenlandic and Danish politicians discuss questions of American territorial ambitions, independence, mining and human rights on this Arctic island.

How poetry is used by Persian-speaking leaders to build legitimacy and shape the political narrative. Across Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, millions share a language — and passion for poetry. But with its abundance of lovers and wine, Persian poetry sits uneasily with Iran’s theocratic leaders. We explore their complicated relationship with this facet of Persian identity and how they occasionally turn to verse to secure popular appeal.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, TB is humanity’s oldest contagious disease. It has become something of an afterthought in rich nations, but remains the world’s most deadly infectious disease. In 2024 it killed more than 1.2 million people.South Africa has one of the highest TB burdens in the world, but it has also developed one of the most sophisticated scientific ecosystems for the study of the disease. Clinical trials conducted in the country have been crucial to the innovation of TB treatments, vaccines, diagnostics and prevention strategies.Much of the funding for this research comes from American institutions. But since early 2025, streams of that money have been withdrawn due to a series of decisions by the Trump administration.Sandra Kanthal visits Cape Town and discovers the story of two intertwined landscapes: the people in local communities struggling with the burden of tuberculosis, and the scientific institutions embedded in them trying to tackle the disease - and why at the moment both are struggling.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

We follow the Finnish comedian Ismo Leikola—known simply as Ismo—as he performs in both English and Finnish. We explore his distinctive brand of intellectual humour and how he enjoys creating theories about the world around him. ISMO was once named the funniest person in the world, and we gain a sense of his celebrity status, particularly in his hometown of Jyväskylä. He also reveals why he avoids politics and talks about his love life on stage.Produced and presented by Olga Smirnova