The Documentary Podcast

Former Brazilian model, wellness influencer and spiritual life coach Kat Torres was an inspiration and a lifeline to women all over the world. More than a million people on Instagram followed her extraordinary career trajectory from extreme poverty in Brazil, to a European modelling career and a life of luxury in the US. But behind the perfectly curated posts is a story of witchcraft, sexual explo...

In this second part of his journey from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea, across the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Israel, reporter Tim Whewell continues his exploration of the physical and human reality behind the slogan “From the River to the Sea”, a phrase which creates intense controversy. Tim descends from the high ridge of the West Bank hills to the Israeli Mediterranean coast at H...

Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas last year, the cry “From the River to the Sea” has been heard more and more as a pro-Palestinian slogan. But what river? What sea? And what exactly does the phrase mean? It is the subject of intense controversy. Reporter Tim Whewell travels from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea, across a tiny stretch of land – just over an hour by car if...

Project Rescue Children claims to save children from trafficking and abuse across the world, but the BBC has uncovered evidence of false and misleading social media posts. The charity's director, Adam Whittington, has raised thousands of pounds from sponsors and donors. But the BBC’s Hayley Mortimer has found that unsuspecting children are being used as props, and the rescue centres have no childr...

Inspired by a story told to her by an Indigenous elder, Taipei-based artist Anchi Lin, also known by her Atayal name Ciwas Tahos, is working on a new multi-media installation. Anchi has dedicated her research and creative work to exploring the Indigenous space of Temahahoi, a place where queer, gender non-conforming people lived and could communicate with bees, who were also their protection from...

Hundreds of thousands of men are currently fighting for Ukraine, and the army needs yet more soldiers. We speak to three BBC Ukrainian colleagues about the way this is changing the country, and how it's viewed by Ukrainians. Daria Taradai and Ilona Hromliuk join us from Kyiv, and Anastasiya Zanuda joins us from Warsaw. Produced by Caroline Ferguson, Alice Gioia and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Ami...

People in both the UK and France have voted for change in snap elections, sending a signal that they are unhappy with many aspects of their lives. To get a sense of why people voted the way they did, host James Reynolds takes a mini tour of towns and cities across the UK. In Bradford, a city in the north of England, he meets Anna who wanted equal opportunities and voters in the town of Worthing on...

The BBC's Rahila Bano, explains why her family decided to break with the Muslim tradition of a congregational prayer reading for her mother after she passed away. Instead she decided to concentrate on one of the five pillars of Islam - to give alms or charity and on her mother's wishes to focus on those who are poor and in need. Rahila spoke to her sister about it for the first time since her mum’...

Football rarely stops in Turkey, but when two earthquakes causes tens of thousands to die in the south-east region of the country early in 2023, even the passionately followed Super Lig top division is suspended. Hatayspor - a team from the league - loses its star player Christian Atsu to the rubble of a collapsed building. Its home city of Antakya is all but wiped from the map. A year later, foot...

It is one of the most bizarre crimes of our times. Con men posing as police officers are forcing Chinese students to fake their own kidnapping. Elaine Chong reports on the extremes to which criminals will go to make money from their victims. The scammers trick Chinese people studying abroad into believing that they are wanted for crimes back in their homeland, and that they must hand over large su...

In a new exhibition Wendy breaks conventions, painting on walls and installing herself in the gallery, becoming part of the art. Wendy Sharpe is an multi-award winning Australian artist working on a new exhibition Spellbound for the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. In this exhibition she breaks all the rules, by painting directly onto walls, hanging works upside down or touching and insta...

In a coastal region of eastern Kenya at least one elderly person is being killed every week – in the name of witchcraft. There are violent attacks on people accused of being witches across much of Africa. But, according to human rights groups, the seventy or so murders every year in Kilifi County are about more than fear of the supernatural. For Assignment, Njeri Nwangi from BBC Africa Eye investi...

The BBC’s Yogita Limaye speaks to Kavita Puri, the creator and presenter of Three Million, to explore how the series was made, and how she went about tracking down eye-witnesses to the Bengal Famine of 1943. They are joined by author and historian Srimanjari and ‘memory collector’ Sailen Sarkar, who recorded testimonies of the very last survivors of the famine. Together they explore the legacy of...

A virtual tour of Brazil's giant ravines, the radio shows helping Maasai people to protect their land and a real life Squid Game in South Korea: how BBC journalists around the world are finding new and engaging ways to cover climate change stories. Featuring Carol Olona and Shin Suzuki, Caroline Mwende and Suhnwook Lee. Produced by Alice Gioia and Caroline Ferguson. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit:...

Like many countries, Kenya is struggling with a cost of living crisis and how to balance the books. The government’s answer was a plan to raise taxes, in what was called the Finance Bill, and this created a spark for protests across the country. According to estimates by the state-funded rights commission, 39 people have been killed in those demonstrations. Parliament was set on fire and hundreds...

In a bonus episode of The Global Story podcast - A historic loss for the conservatives ushers in a new era in British politics. The Global Story brings you one big story every weekday, making sense of the news with our experts around the world. Insights you can trust, from the BBC World Service. For more, go to bbcworldservice.com/globalstory or search for The Global Story wherever you get your BB...

Sepharad is the Hebrew word for Spain and Jews who trace their ancestry there are called Sephardic Jews. Five hundred years ago they were expelled from Spain. Their exile created new communities stretching from Brazil to Amsterdam to Istanbul and today, Israel. It is a culture filled with food and songs of longing for a homeland. Michael Goldfarb goes on a journey from the past to the present in s...

In many countries around the world, trying to take your own life is still a criminal offence. People who have attempted suicide are often put in prison and deep-rooted religious beliefs and cultural attitudes are often behind the criminalisation laws. Journalist Ashley Byrne looks into Malawi where people face jail sentences of up to two years and Bangladesh and Kenya who have been arrested, beate...

Chinese people around the world are being targeted by a scam in which conmen posing as police, trick them into believing they are wanted for a crime back in China. Victims are threatened with extradition to China unless they hand over “bail” money. In the first of a two-part investigation into Chinese police impersonation scams, Elaine Chong speaks to Helen, a British Chinese woman who handed over...

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 me...

Script writer Baek Mi-kyoung has pioneered female narratives on Korean television, putting women front and centre of acclaimed dramas like Mine and The Lady in Dignity. Seven years ago, her K-drama Strong Girl Bong-soon was a huge success. Audiences fell in love with this rom-com about a cute girl with supernatural strength. / Next, Baek wanted to create an all-action multigenerational female supe...

Nigeria is Africa’s economic powerhouse - so why are so many young people trying to leave and find opportunities in other countries? It’s become so common there’s even a word for it: Japa, Yoruba for escape. Last year, Nigeria’s immigration service issued a record number of passports - almost 2 million. So when we were in Lagos we spoke to the BBC’s Faith Oshoko, who explained what drives young pr...

Instant loan apps promise easy money. But what's the catch? Investigative reporter Poonam Agarwal and filmmaker Ronny Sen take us behind the scenes of their award-winning documentary The Trap: Inside the blackmail scam destroying lives across India. This programme contains discussion of suicide and suicide attempts. If you feel affected by this topic, you could speak to a health professional or an...

The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, is something millions of people look forward to as an immensely spiritual experience. A main pillar of Islam, Muslims try to do it at least once in their lives, if they are physically and financially able. Saudi Arabia says 1.8 million people took part in Hajj this year. It coincided with a heatwave where temperatures reached more than 50C. Some 1,3...

Roma photographer Artúr Čonka joins the annual Romani pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the south of France. Thousands of Romani from across western Europe gather in the small town in Provence each year to honour their patron saint, Sara-la-Kâli, who represents motherly love, is a protector of the oppressed, and is even said to help couples conceive. It is Artúr's first time on the pilgrim...