The Documentary Podcast

In 2021, a huge container ship, the X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka, releasing hazardous materials, toxic chemicals and more than 1000 tonnes of microplastic pellets into the sea. The UN called it an environmental catastrophe. Today, Sri Lanka is still counting the cost. Leana Hosea visits Sri Lanka to investigate the legacy of the disaster, and find out why, four years on, there’s still a battle for compensation.This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025

Indian music star Sidhu Moose Wala died in a hail of bullets. Who wanted him dead and why? He was one of India’s biggest stars — a voice millions followed. Then Sidhu Moose Wala was gunned down. This is the hunt for answers over a murder that won’t be forgotten. A two-year long investigation that exposes a tangled web of fame, power and vengeance and uncovers a criminal underworld that reaches far beyond India's borders. Presented by broadcaster and DJ Bobby Friction and investigative journalist Ishleen Kaur. Season 8 of World of Secrets, The Killing Call, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. All five episodes are available now. Search for World of Secrets, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Archive audio credits: BritAsia TV, India Today, Times Now.

Transcribed - Published: 30 June 2025

Why are Poland's young voters turning to the right? With his veto powers, Poland’s president-elect Karol Nawrocki could halt the pro-EU government of Donald Tusk. Poland is a NATO member and backs Ukraine in the war with Russia. Scaling up security is an issue almost all Poles agree on, yet there are some signs of shifting attitudes - on foreign policy and immigration. We examine the gender gap among voters and the recent election discourse to understand how conflicting priorities and enduring conservative values are shaping the eastern flank of the West.

Transcribed - Published: 29 June 2025

Poland’s president-elect, Karol Nawrocki, is a right-wing historian, an amateur boxer and a fan of Donald Trump. What will his presidency mean for the region? Kateryna Khinkulova, editor of the newly launched BBC News Polska, explains. Plus, India’s ‘tailor on wheels’ with Anil Kumar reporting for BBC Telugu and the science of smiling with Alassane Dia from BBC Afrique. 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 Alice Gioia, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. This is an EcoAudio certified production. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Transcribed - Published: 28 June 2025

Following the recent bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites by the United States, we talk to Iranians living in the US about their thoughts as they watch events in the Middle East from afar. They describe feeling conflicted about the attacks carried out by their adopted homeland. They worry about friends and relatives who could be in danger back in Iran. But perhaps unsurprisingly for an exiled community, they have strong views on the Iranian regime. Shaheen grew up in the US but feels very connected to his Iranian heritage. Fellow American-Iranian Manna thinks about the future of her people, “I feel not just guilt as an Iranian, but shame as an American, because I'm afraid that we just made their standard of living and what they are going to have after this ceasefire so much worse.*

Transcribed - Published: 28 June 2025

DJ Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ is a song you might have heard in a Hollywood movie or danced to in a club - to this day, it is still his biggest hit. But there is something you won’t know: the singer behind the lyrics or the true meaning of the words. Civil rights activist Camille Yarbrough first released ‘Take Yo’ Praise’ 50 years ago. It was written as a love letter to African-American men, inspired by a moment of spiritual awakening and family secret. After its release, radio stations refused to play it and she felt she was labelled a “troublemaker”. When Fatboy Slim picked up an old copy of Camille’s song, he turned it into a hit. But there is an irony - it is now played by radio stations around the world, but the true meaning of the music has been lost. Reporter Emily Webb goes to meet Camille in her New York apartment.

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2025

One of the first executive orders that President Donald Trump signed in his second term of office stated that being transgender is incompatible with the ‘rigorous standards necessary for military service’. It set the stage for a ban on trans people serving in the military, regardless of ability, rank or service history. Official figures say there are 4,240 transgender service members in the US armed forces, however research commissioned by the US Defense Department in 2016 estimated there could be up to around 10,000. Over the past four months the BBC has been following the stories of two trans service people as the executive order took effect. Both have served 17 years in the military, and are now facing the threat of a dishonourable discharge.Archive sources: NBC News, FOX News, CBS News, CNN, Chicks on the Right, Newsmax, 9 News, WKYC, ABC News, US Army's School of Advanced Military Studies

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2025

From the BBC World Service podcast Witness History, this is a special episode to mark June as Pride Month. We are looking back at some of the major moments and movements that changed the lives of LGBT+ people and communities, through first-hand accounts. It’s history told through the people who were there.

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2025

The daily realities and private thoughts of a young woman living through war. Every morning, Hanya Aljamal sees the same man from her balcony. “He has this tiny garden in the middle of all this concrete stuff,” she says. “Just across the road, there’s a blown-up building. Yet he’s cultivating these little herbs and plants. And I look at that and it just looks like the purest form of resistance.” Hanya has been living in a war zone for 20 months. In daily audio diaries, she describes what she sees and hears from her balcony and in her work for an aid organisation, from drones and kites to funeral marches and sun rises. Her insights and reflections offer a window into life in a place devastated by conflict.This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2025

We go behind the scenes with director Joachim Trier as he makes the follow-up to his international hit The Worst Person In The World. Producer Stephen Hughes gets exclusive access to the set of Sentimental Value, following the film from pre to post production. In a series of candid interviews, the writer-director reveals the anxiety he feels every time he has to make a movie, and how he is helped by his loyal team: screenwriter Eskil Vogt and producers Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, Maria Ekerhovd and Lars Thomas Skare. And it is a story with a happy ending, as Sentimental Value wins the prestigious Grand Prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

Currently about a fifth of Ukraine is under Russian occupation. Olga Malchevska of the BBC News team has spoken to 3 people from different cities in this area. She tells us about the threats they face for being Ukrainian and the small acts of resistance they carry out. 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 Irena Taranyuk. Produced by Caroline Ferguson, Alice Gioia and Hannah Dean. This is an EcoAudio certified production.(Photo: Irena Taranyuk.)

Transcribed - Published: 22 June 2025

It’s the 70th anniversary of this unique BBC radio programme aimed at just a few dozen listeners: The team of scientists and support staff isolated at British research stations in the Antarctic midwinter. Hosted by Cerys Matthews, the show features messages from family and friends at home, music requests from Antarctica and a specially recorded message from His Majesty The King.For decades this show has been part of the traditional midwinter celebrations and has also been enjoyed by listeners around the world. Midwinter celebrations at the British research stations include a feast, exchange of presents, watching the 1982 horror film The Thing (where an alien monster terrorises an Antarctic base) and listening - on short wave - to the BBC’s Midwinter Broadcast.Producers: Martin Redfern and Richard HollinghamAn EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production

Transcribed - Published: 21 June 2025

Since Israel launched its attack on Iran, targeting the country’s nuclear capabilities, air strikes by both sides have killed and injured people in both countries. We hear from three Iranians living abroad who tell us about their concerns for family and friends in Iran. Two friends – one Israeli and one Iranian – join us to explain their search for common ground. We also bring together Israelis who share their experiences of Iran’s missile and drone attacks, and the rush to the shelters.

Transcribed - Published: 21 June 2025

Cambridge anthropologist David Sneath is in Mongolia to find out how Buddhism continues to make a comeback after years of persecution under Communism. David tells the story of how a young Mongolian boy has recently been recognised as the new reincarnation in a lineage of major Buddhist leaders, once known in the country as ‘Holy Emperor’. The 10-year-old boy will, when formally enthroned, be considered the 10th Jebtsundamba Khutughtu in a lineage stretching back centuries. The Jebtsundamba Khutughtu (widely known to Mongolians as the “Bogd’) is a leader of the Gelugpa School within the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and the young boy was officially recognised by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan religious leader. David meets the boy’s mother, religious leaders and leading cultural figures to find out what is in store for the young Bogd. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2025

The world is electrifying, and central to our decarbonisation drive is copper. The red metal is second only to silver as the best conductor of electricity and it is critical in the manufacture of wind turbines, electric cars and solar panels. Reporter Robin Markwell travels through Chile, where the reserves of some of the world’s largest copper mines are starting to dwindle. Can supply keep pace with soaring demand?

Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2025

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Quds force and the Basij militias are back in the news due to the conflict between Israel and Iran. What are they, how do they operate and how have they become so influential? In this episode, we look at the origins, the branding and the ideological blueprint of the Tehran-led influence network that has been shaping events in the Middle East for decades.This bonus episode of The Documentary, comes to you from the Global Jigsaw, Looking at the world through the lens of its media.

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2025

Recently several videos from recruiters on LinkedIn have gone viral. The videos appear to show recruiters conducting routine job interviews over a video call, but something is up with the candidates. Their faces are blurred, and they appear to be using some sort of a filter. After some strange interaction with the recruiter, they drop off the call. But these creepy videos are not isolated incidents – many recruiters are reporting that this has happened to them multiple times. Who are these candidates really? We expose the phenomenon of North Korean IT workers applying for remote tech jobs in the US, and how this has become a significant revenue raising scheme for Kim Jong Un’s regime. The FBI believes thousands of North Koreans have made millions of dollars using fake, stolen or borrowed identities to work remotely. And now, there is evidence that the scheme is expanding into Europe. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC Trending in-depth reporting on the world of social media.

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2025

Ketamine was designed as an anaesthetic but its use as a recreational drug is growing fast, particularly among young people. In the UK, it’s doubled in less than ten years but it can cause serious side effects. The supply chain for the drug starts with pharmaceutical manufacturers in India then involves criminal gangs in Europe who use front companies to legally import vast quantities of the drug before flooding it onto the illegal market in the UK. Paul Kenyon investigates the trade.This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

The Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo has attracted global fame for his bold and sensual portraits. He paints bodies and faces using his fingertips instead of a brush, capturing form through direct, tactile gestures. When he went to art school in Vienna, he was struck by the extent to which Black subjects had been overlooked in global art. Determined to change the status quo, he drew inspiration from early 20th Century Viennese artists like Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele and added his own techniques to invent a fresh new style of portraiture. Lucy Ash follows his preparations for a major new show at Gagosian in London. It involves a transformation of the gallery space into a full-scale recreation of a Ghanaian courtyard – just like the shared space in which he was raised. With the help of his collaborator, Glenn De Roché, an architect famous for community buildings and with an artist friend who produced a set of playing cards, especially for the event. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world’s most creative people.

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2025

Roughly a third of all global mammal extinctions in the last 500 years are thought to have occurred in Australia. At least 34 species have gone extinct since European colonisation, and over 2,000 species of mammals, birds and invertebrates are now listed as critically endangered or threatened. Without substantial and rapid change, this list is almost certain to grow. Ruth Evans investigates what can and should be done to prevent further casualties and turn things around.

Transcribed - Published: 15 June 2025

Earlier this year, the Egyptian TV drama Lam Shamseya aired across the Arab world. It tackled sensitive topics, including child sexual abuse, and sparked difficult conversations in society. Faranak Amidi discusses the issues raised by this hit show with Ahmed Abdallah from BBC Arabic. If you have been affected by the issues discussed in this episode, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org. In the UK a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline. Plus, Wycliffe Muia from BBC Africa explains why Uganda's iconic crested crane is endangered, and Mansur Abubakar, also from BBC Africa, meets one of the very few women driving kekes, small three-wheeled vehicles that people use as cabs, in the Nigerian city of Kano. 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 Alice Gioia, Hannah Dean and Caroline Ferguson(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Transcribed - Published: 14 June 2025

After the fatal shooting in Pakistan of a teenage social media influencer, Sana Yousaf, we bring together female influencers around the world to share their experiences. Sana’s death has ignited a fierce debate about women on social media and the safety of influencers. We hear from three women in Pakistan. Between them, they have hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube but face abuse every day. Zenith Irfan is the first woman to ride a motorbike solo across Pakistan, Mahnoor Rahim is a fashion influencer, and Sabah Malik is a comedian and cultural commentator in the country. We speak to female influencers in the US, Mexico City and Peru who share advice on how they stay safe. 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

Transcribed - Published: 14 June 2025

In March 2022, the senior pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God - Jesus House Parish, Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, resigned from his position at a church in Washington D.C., to ascend a traditional throne as Soun of Ogbomoso kingdom of Oyo state, in south-west Nigeria. His decision sent shock waves in the community as the role is considered part of traditional African spirituality - something an evangelical pastor is not expected to be linked with. But Ghandi insists that the same God who called him as a young man to become a pastor has called him now to become a king. Since ascending the throne, he has been drawn into a legal process by some of his cousins, who argue the throne is not for a pastor. There’s also pressure from local traditionalists, who are asking that the new king converts from Christianity to their traditional African religion. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2025

Every year the UK produces around 50 million tyres for disposal. They are supposed to be sent for recycling. Instead, big money is being made by diverting tyres to illegal and dangerous 'pyrolysis' plants where they are melted down to extract oil and steel. Together with a team of journalists from Source Material, a not-for-profit group specialising in climate and corruption, we follow the tyres from the UK to India using tracking devices. The team discovers just how large scale this largely illicit business has become. Earlier this year, a makeshift pyrolysis plant exploded near Mumbai, killing four people. It had been processing tyres from abroad. Reporter Paul Kenyon confronts a tyre trader in the north of England who admits to shipping his waste tyres to India for pyrolysis.

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2025

On 12 May, 59 Afrikaners arrived in Washington to receive “refugee” status. At a press conference, President Trump said he had acted because Afrikaners - the white minority community that ruled South Africa during apartheid - face an existential threat. His words echoed the views of his South African born former adviser, Elon Musk, who has repeatedly used his X platform to amplify false claims of a “white genocide”. Many South Africans, including several Afrikaners that we have spoken to, dismiss the idea that they are under attack as wild misinformation. So where does the idea that white South Africans are being uniquely targeted come from? And what impact is it having on the diplomatic relationship between the White House and Pretoria? This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC Trending in-depth reporting on the world of social media.

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2025

In the last two decades thousands of men have disappeared in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest region. Activists and some of their families accuse the Pakistani authorities of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings. The government is fighting an insurgency in the region, but denies any involvement in the disappearances. It says some of the missing men have joined militant groups or have simply left the province. Mutilated bodies have continued to turn up, including in mass graves.Farhat Javed reports on Balochistan’s Women of the Vanished - the mothers and daughters left behind who are still searching for their missing loved ones.This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Assignment.

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

Brian D’Souza, aka Auntie Flo, is a Scottish musician, DJ and sound recordist who has played at some of the biggest festivals and clubs around the world. His compositions fuse field recordings from around the globe with cutting edge production techniques to transport the listener to different places and states. He has spent the last few years trying to bring together the natural and electronic worlds, experimenting with a complex setup of sensors and synthesisers to create music from plants. Last year he released an EP called Mycorrhizal Funghi that sampled the sounds of four different mushroom species and a full-length album called In My Dreams (I’m A Bird And I’m Free), built from field recordings and genres from across the world. Tom Raine follows Brian on a trip to Kenya and Goa to conduct field recordings and create plant music for a brand-new album and a listening app he is developing. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world’s most creative people.

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

Moldova is a country torn between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions. In September this year, Moldovans will vote for a new leadership, and pro-European observers are worried that Russia will try to influence the outcome of these elections. Why? Natasha Matyukhina from BBC Monitoring explains.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 Alice Gioia and Caroline Ferguson(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Transcribed - Published: 7 June 2025

For well over a decade, civil war blighted the lives of Syrians, as rebel forces battled against former President Bashar al-Assad and his brutal regime. More than 600,000 people were killed and 12 million others were forced from their homes during this time. In December last year, everything changed when Assad’s dictatorship was abruptly overthrown by his opponents. We hear from a range of people living and working in Syria as they describe how life was for them under the old regime, and how they have been affected by the country’s new leadership. They also discuss how the lifting of international sanctions has started to improve their ailing economy. Hoteliers describe how their hotels are now fully booked, and they are able to maintain and upgrade their buildings again. And three artists exchange views on organising performances now and their hopes for the future. Three students describe how having freedom of speech has transformed university life. 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

Transcribed - Published: 7 June 2025

In the wake of the Assad regime’s fall in Syria, thousands of Alawites, a minority Shia sect historically linked to the former regime, have fled to Lebanon. They are seeking refuge from discrimination and sectarian violence that has left over 1,000 civilians dead, including women and children. The late Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, became the most powerful Alawite when he seized control of Syria in a coup in 1970. Under the rule of Hafez al-Assad and then his son Bashar - the ruling Assad’s recruited heavily from the Alawite community placing them in top posts in state, security and intelligence branches. Syria’s new President Ahmed al-Sharaa, promised to protect Syria's minorities, but has struggled to contain a wave of violence directed towards the Alawite community. Emily Wither travels to the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli to meet with Syrian Alawite refugees and a new youth movement. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2025

The Israeli government’s push to transform the media landscape has been described by critics as a “hostile takeover” that poses a threat to press freedom. The Global Jigsaw takes a look at what people in Israel see about the war in Gaza on their TV screens. We examine the methods and the motives behind the prime minister’s media squeeze, and ask what this means for the country priding itself on being "the only democracy" in the Middle East. Producer: Kriszta Satori Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg Contributor: Shaina Oppenheimer

Transcribed - Published: 5 June 2025

Informers are playing a key role in helping the Russian government silence dissent, now one victim has turned detective to uncover their persecutor’s true identity. In today’s Russia there is a hunt for the enemy within. Anybody who is accused of voicing opposition to the war in Ukraine can face losing their job, or being prosecuted and facing a fine, or in many cases prison. Academic Aleksandra Arkhipova was denounced by a mysterious serial informer called Anna Korobkova, and decided to become an exile in France. Korobkova boasted of taking pleasure in reporting hundreds of people for allegedly being unpatriotic. But nobody had met her or even knew what she looked like. So, Arkhipova began to piece the clues together to discover the true identity of the anonymous figure who ruined her life. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC Trending in-depth reporting on the world of social media.

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2025

The former rebels who now rule Syria dismantled the old regime’s security forces as soon as they came to power last December. Overnight, half a million soldiers, police and intelligence officers, and some civil defence workers lost their jobs and income. Many of those sacked were guilty of atrocities. But the majority probably were not. Tim Whewell reports on the reconciliation process which deprived servicemen of their jobs – but delayed justice. He talks to a variety of former junior members of the security forces – a civil defence worker, a policeman and an officer of the elite Republican Guard – to ask how and why they originally became servants of the regime – and find out how they are living now. War crimes investigator Kilman Abu Hawa says only 10-15% of former servicemen are guilty of crimes: the guilty should be prosecuted, and the innocent reinstated. Nanar Hawach of the International Crisis Group draws a parallel with Iraq, where the security forces were dismantled after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Many discontented former officers in Iraq eventually joined the jihadi group, ISIS. Do the mass dismissals in Syria risk provoking a similar insurgency?

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2025

Production designer Suzie Davies reveals the secrets behind Conclave, and how she managed to build the Sistine Chapel in a film studio in Rome. And explains why historical accuracy can't get in the way of good design.

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2025

On a cold night in January 2024 a dog walker finds a baby in a bag in east London, UK - a foundling. She is named Elsa, after the Frozen character. Reporter Sanchia Berg begins to follow the case, gaining rare access to the Family Court and to the police investigation. DNA tests reveal Elsa is the sibling of two other babies found abandoned in the same area over recent years. What has happened to the mother?

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2025

Grigor Atanesian from BBC Russian joins us to discuss the theories around 'grey zone' warfare techniques and if, why, and how Russia is deploying them against the UK. Plus, BBC Korean's Yuna Ku explains how companies and celebrities are striving to appear politically neutral before the upcoming South Korean elections; how the Grand Mosque in Mecca has been expanded over the years to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims, with Reem Alsheikh from BBC Arabic; and the story behind a 'lost' masterpiece that recently sold for $1.3m, with Merve Kara-Kaşka from BBC Turkish. Presented by Faranak Amidi Produced by Caroline Ferguson and Alice Gioia(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2025

Grigor Atanesian from BBC Russian joins us to discuss the theories around 'grey zone' warfare techniques and if, why, and how Russia is deploying them against the UK. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi Produced by Caroline Ferguson and Alice Gioia(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2025

Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas and recent warnings of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, have led to a ratcheting up of pressure on Israel, not just from its critics, but from its international allies. Emotions run deep amongst Israelis themselves, and opinions differ about their country’s military response. Simon King, a survivor of the 7 October attack on Kibbutz Be’eri remembers the horror of the day clearly and says the event has completely changed his perspective. Sharone Lifschitz’s elderly parents were seized by militants from their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her mother was released alive 17 days later, but her father died in captivity. In contrast to Simon, her view is that there are innocent children caught up in this conflict, and for their sake, and that of the remaining hostages, the offensive needs to end. We also hear from Hen Mazzig, an author and academic, and Oshy Ellman, an international relations consultant and commentator. They too disagree strongly on whether Israel should end the war now.

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2025

In the coastal city of Porto, Portugal, a unique spiritual community is making waves, literally. The Surf Church, led by Brazilian-born pastor and avid surfer Samuel Cianelli dos Anjos, blends traditional Sunday worship with the sport of surfing. In a country with deep historical and cultural ties to the Catholic Church, Portugal has seen a steady decline in the number of young people engaging with their faith. Many feel disconnected from the Church and believe it no longer speaks to them in a way they understand. In response to this, the Surf Church movement was born. Every Sunday, young people gather on the beach to surf together before walking to a nearby church to worship. Their motto: “We love waves, and we love Jesus”. Reporter Colm Flynn travels to Porto to discover more about this innovative approach.

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2025

Iranian-American film-maker Maryam Keshavarz explores a world of creativity under restriction, where film-makers find ways to speak despite censorship. Born in New York City to Iranian parents, Maryam grew up moving between two cultures, smuggling pop culture into Iran for her cousins. That early experience - bridging the gap between freedom and limitation - shaped her storytelling and her understanding of identity. Maryam speaks to Amarali Navaee, an Iranian film-maker now living in Turkey, who shares how exile reshapes creativity; Ehsan Khoshbakht, a film historian and critic, who traces the legacy of Iranian cinema; Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani, Oscar-winning Iranian animators, who discuss how animation bypasses restrictions; and Panah Panahi, an Iranian film-maker still working in Iran, who offers a rare glimpse into film-making under constant surveillance.

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2025

A growing number of incidents have highlighted the dangers of 3D-printed ‘ghost guns’, untraceable firearms that can be assembled at home with the help of a 3D printer and a set of blueprints. Since the first design appeared in 2013, 3D-printed gun technology has advanced rapidly. Some models can now fire hundreds or thousands of rounds without their plastic components failing. Although these weapons are illegal in many jurisdictions, designs, parts, and blueprints continue to spread on social media. We explore the growing popularity of 3D-printed weapons online.

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2025

Early on a Sunday morning in February in the Spanish seaside town of Benalmadena, Catalina, a 48-year-old mother of four, was killed at home – the building was set on fire. Her ex-partner was arrested and remains in custody. In January, Lina – as she was known to her family and friends – had reported her ex-partner to the police for ill-treatment and threatening behaviour. And by doing so, she became one of around 100,000 cases of gender-based violence active in Spain’s VioGen system.VioGen is an algorithm used by the police – it’s a risk assessment tool. Based on a woman’s answers to a series of questions, it calculates the likelihood she will be attacked again so police resources can be allocated to protect those most in danger. The level of risk could be negligible, low, medium, high or extreme. Lina was recorded as being at ‘medium’ risk of a further attack by the man who was her ex-partner. Three weeks later, she was dead. VioGen’s critics are concerned about the number of women registered on the system who are then murdered by men who are former or current partners. Its champions claim that without VioGen there would be far more violence against women.With AI in the ascendency, and governments increasingly turning to algorithms to make decisions affecting society, for Crossing Continents, Linda Pressly and Esperanza Escribano investigate the story of VioGen and domestic violence in Spain.

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

Mika Obanda is a Kenyan artist who creates vibrant and personal mosaics using egg shells sourced from local hotels. Cleaning, drying and colouring them, before painstakingly placing each individual tiny piece onto his canvases. Frenny Jowi visits him in his studio in the Nairobi slum of Mukuru as he works on his latest collection. It is a series called Trying to Blossom, in which he often places himself at the centre of his art works, showing not only his own journey as an artist and a person, but also as an activist, reflecting spirituality, love and the wider issues facing himself and his community.

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2025

Journalist Kathleen McLaughlin investigates the multi-billion dollar global plasma industry. Kathleen needs $15,000-a-dose medication to treat her rare autoimmune condition. While she sits for hours at a time, just down the block is one of over 1,000 blood donation centres in the USA extracting plasma, which forms an essential part of her treatment. Kathleen investigates the origins of her plasma-based medication and learns why people are resorting to plasma donation to stay out of debt, who is profiting from this booming trade and why the burden of global production is rooted in the US.

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2025

During the last year of Bashar al-Assad’s rule of Syria, Reporters Without Borders ranked the country second to last in the World Press Freedom Index. The country was incredibly dangerous for journalists who had to manage strict government censorship. But in December 2024, Assad’s rule was toppled by a swift rebel offensive that took the capital city Damascus within a few days. The country then experienced a level of press freedom it hadn’t seen for decades. Dalia Haidar of BBC Arabic worked as a journalist in Syria whilst Assad was in power, she joins us to describe what it was like and what the hopes are for the future. Plus, a tour of Chiclayo, the Peruvian city Pope Leo XIV used to call home, with José Carlos Cueto from BBC Mundo; and how a Ferrari flag became a symbol of protest, with Slobodan Maričić from BBC Serbian. Presented by Faranak Amidi Produced by Caroline Ferguson and Alice Gioia(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Transcribed - Published: 24 May 2025

Prostate cancer has been called the silent killer and it is the second most common form of cancer among males in the world. Yet, despite the fact that it only affects men, many are reluctant to talk about it. Following former president Joe Biden’s announcement that he has an aggressive form of the disease, we hear from two men about their diagnosis, their fears, the stigma and the reality of dealing with side effects like erectile dysfunction and incontinence after surgery. Leslie, a 46-year old DJ in Britain, is black and he discusses why black men are at higher risk from the disease with an oncology specialist from Nairobi, Kenya. And, 65-year-old Guy Jenkins also has prostate cancer and his daughter, a pharmacist, is helping her father cope with the condition.

Transcribed - Published: 24 May 2025

Musambwa Island in Lake Victoria, Uganda, is a five-acre rocky outcrop of land five miles from the mainland and is the biggest breeding ground in the world for grey gulls and home to hundreds of other bird species and cobra. Amid the birds, snakes and lizards lives a male only community of fisherman who live by a code of cultural and spiritual practices. Reporter Zawadi Mudibo travels to live among the men of Musambwa to explore their sacred relationship with nature. Although the men have lived this way for generations there is the creeping influence of modernity. Through personal stories and reflections, the deep-seated beliefs that shape the lives of the island's inhabitants are revealed.

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2025

During the 1970s and '80s, thousands of Chilean babies were illegally kidnapped, trafficked and adopted. The practice was widespread during the rule of General Augusto Pinochet, who encouraged overseas adoptions to reduce poverty. A network of adoption brokers, hospital staff, social workers, judges, priests and nuns facilitated this trafficking. Today many of Chile’s ‘stolen children’ are trying to trace their birth families and their mothers are also looking for them. A small Santiago-based NGO called Nos Buscamos has helped hundreds of them reunite with their families using DNA testing kits, and a range of other techniques and technologies. We meet Constanza del Rio, the founder of the project and hear from the families they have helped to bring back together.

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2025

Being a farmer in Brazil has never been cooler - at least, that is the impression you might get from social media. Music videos featuring cowboy hat wearing farmers, driving tractors and boasting about their wealth, have garnered millions of views online. Meanwhile, farmers turned influencers offer a window into rural life, insisting Brazil is not just a country of football and Carnival, but of farming. Critics say social media has become the latest battleground in a long-running effort by Brazil’s powerful agribusiness industry to improve the way it is perceived. They say posts and videos like these are “propaganda” meant to distract from the sector’s poor environmental track record. But farmers argue their livelihoods are being targeted by “ideologues” and “activists”, who fail to grasp where their food really comes from. And, as Brazil prepares to host COP30, how does this idealised image of agribusiness fit into a world facing climate change?

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2025

Colombia’s second largest city, Medellín, is booming and one of the biggest industries revolves around the city’s webcam studios which live stream women performing sex acts.  It’s estimated there are hundreds of studios in the city employing thousands of women and turning over millions of pounds as men – primarily in the US and Europe – pay to watch the women. The work is legal with studios running glossy websites to attract models and even hosting their own annual trade show. Crossing Continents meets two women who have contrasting experiences working in the industry. Sofia Bettiza asks if their work is exploitation or a pragmatic way to earn a living in a country where wages for women are often low and opportunities limited.

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025