Scammed, robbed, traumatised – life after war for Russian soldiers

On his first day in office, Donald Trump froze foreign aid funding, ordering an immediate review into USAID, the government agency which was running programmes in around 120 countries. The review was swift and the cuts severe. President Trump’s team concluded that tens of billions of dollars were being spent in ways which “did not serve” or “harmed" US interests. We hear from USAID employees who describe the shock of suddenly losing their own jobs, and the grim anticipation of the impact the cuts will have on people around the world. We also hear from people running treatment centres around the world, and about the impact on HIV provision in Africa.

15 Mars 202523min

For centuries, ayahuasca has been a sacred plant for the Shipibo-Konibo peoples of the Peruvian Amazon. Part medicine, part spiritual ceremony, ayahuasca and other plant medicines are revered practices. But in recent years, a boom in Western interest in psychedelics has started to reshape ayahuasca ceremonies and practise. Fuelled by celebrity endorsements, a new wave of tourists are heading to purpose-built resorts in the Peruvian jungle to take ayahuasca, guided by shamans from the Shipibo-Konibo tribes. In this episode of Heart and Soul, reporter Janak Rogers travels to the Peruvian Amazon to explore this so-called ‘psychedelic renaissance’. From candlelit jungle ceremonies to bustling tourist strips, Rogers uncovers the allure of ayahuasca for Westerners seeking help and healing. But as the ayahuasca boom transforms local communities, challenges arise: the rise of unscrupulous shamans, the commercialisation of Indigenous knowledge, and risks faced by vulnerable travellers.

14 Mars 202526min

Set among endless sugar-cane fields in a remote part of southern Florida, Restoration Destination is a community made up of registered sex offenders. Created by a Christian ministry as a response to state laws which ban them from living close to where children gather, it is now home to more than 100 men who have been placed on Florida’s sex offenders register for life. Through therapy, counselling and support, Restoration Destination aims to reduce their likelihood of reoffending and help them reintegrate into society. Journalist Conor Garrett goes to Restoration Destination to ask if the men who live there deserve a second chance. ***This programme contains interviews with convicted sex offenders, references to sex crimes and other scenes which listeners may find upsetting***

13 Mars 202526min

Guatemala’s been going through huge political upheavals. Protestors brought the country to a standstill with roadblocks and national strikes which lasted more than one hundred days, until they got the government they had voted for. Many of the protestors came from different indigenous communities, descended from the Mayans, who have their own language and culture and make up more than half of the 18 million population.Now there’s talk of an ‘Indigenous Spring’ after years of racism and discrimination. But is life really improving for these communities and is it possible to turn the Central American country around after years of corruption? Jane Chambers travels around the highlands and lowlands of Guatemala talking to the people who are trying to make changes and hearing from others whether they think it’s really working.

11 Mars 202526min

Ghanaian fashion innovator Kwaku Bediako is redefining luxury with sustainability at its heart. We step inside his world as he transforms second-hand garments into bold, high-fashion pieces, worn by global stars such as Stevie Wonder and Ian Wright. It was when he noticed how much material was being thrown away, that he decided to create a new brand, Cacao, where discarded fabrics can become the material for garments worn to red carpet events across the world. Kwaku has been commissioned by music producer GuiltyBeatz to make him a bespoke outfit ahead of this year's Grammy awards in LA and Daniel Dadzie goes with Kwaku as he hunts for second hand clothes at Kantamanto, Accra's largest thrift market. It's a place where the past fashions of Europe meet their future in Africa.

10 Mars 202526min

Extraordinary stories from global women's history, as told by the people who were there. We hear about the Jewish feminists who demanded to pray as freely as men, the fight for transgender women rights in Indonesia, and the career of legendary American painter Georgia O'Keeffe.

9 Mars 202552min

The head of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation has recently fallen from glory. Irina Viner has been the most powerful person in the sport for nearly 20 years, and has produced multiple world champions. But her reign is finally over, as the Ministry of Sport recently dissolved the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation to create a new gymnastics body in which Irina Viner has no part. Meanwhile, another name in Russian rhythmic gymnastics is back in the spotlight. A previous student of Irina Viner, Alina Kabaeva won the Olympic gold for rhythmic gymnastics in 2004. She is one of the most successful gymnasts in Russia but has always avoided the media gaze. This seems to have changed since creating her own rhythmic gymnastics school, ‘Heavenly Grace’. Alina Kabaeva has long been reported to be the partner of Vladimir Putin and it seems her gymnastics school enjoys a special status. Plus, there's a natural fire in Indonesia that is said to have been burning for over 500 years, and people are hoping to harness its power to help solve the country’s energy crisis. Ayomi Amindoni from BBC Indonesian has the story.Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Caroline Ferguson, Hannah Dean and Alice Gioia.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

8 Mars 202526min

After 13 years of civil war, a transitional government is now in charge in Syria, led by interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the Islamist rebel group – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS. Syria is home to many different religious and ethnic groups and some fear that more conservative members of HTS could influence government policy. Nor is the fighting over. Forces linked to the new government have been battling Assad loyalists in in the port cities of Latakia and Tartous, where dozens of people are reported to have been killed. In our conversations, two women discuss new freedoms but also share fears about safety and women’s rights. We bring together three tour guides to share what the country has to offer visitors. We also hear from two refugees, who have returned to the country to reunite with their families.

8 Mars 202523min