Assignment: Poland's ghosts, Ukraine's heroes
Ukraine and Poland are neighbours and close allies in today’s conflict with Russia. But the ghosts of victims of an earlier war have returned to divide them. Tens of thousands of Poles were murdered by Ukrainians in Volhynia, in what's now western Ukraine, in 1943. Most of the victims still lie in unmarked graves, and Ukraine has only just lifted a ban on exhuming the bodies.That followed heavy diplomatic pressure by Poland, about to take over the presidency of the European Union. It threatened to block moves towards Ukrainian integration with the EU unless the ban were lifted.But Poland’s demand has stirred a controversy inside Ukraine about one of the darkest periods of its history. Ukrainian nationalists who were involved in the massacre - and their leader Stepan Bandera - are regarded by many Ukrainians as heroes.Reporter Tim Whewell travels through Poland and western Ukraine to try to find out what really happened in 1943, and ask whether Poland and Ukraine can ever lay a fiercely-contested history to rest. And can the record of Ukraine's Second World War nationalists be openly discussed without giving a propaganda victory to Russia, which has tried to use the subject to vilify Ukraine?
24 Dec 202430min
In the Studio: International film school
Mark Reid visits a school in Bulgaria where they are teaching their pupils how to make movies. They are making a short film about their local horse market. There are classes like this across the world, in Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom, to name but a few. And it is all part of a project is called Le Cinema Cent Ans De Jeunesse.
23 Dec 202426min
The Global Jigsaw: Russia’s gateway to Africa in jeopardy
What would the potential loss of Syria naval and air bases mean for Russia? The fall of the Assad regime triggered the start of possibly the greatest reshaping of the Middle East in decades, throwing into uncertainty the fate of Russia’s military bases in the country, among many other things. Tartus and Hmeimim served as a springboard for Moscow’s foreign missions elsewhere. We assess their significance for the Kremlin’s strategic footprint in Africa, and explore the alternatives.
22 Dec 202443min
The Fifth Floor: K-drama craze
K-dramas are taking the world by storm. What's the secret of their success? BBC journalists Faith Oshoko, Julie Yoonnyung Lee and Samantha Haque discuss all things K-drama and offer their recommendations for series to get stuck into during the holiday period. Produced by Hannah Dean and Alice Gioia. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)
21 Dec 202423min
BBC OS Conversations: Syrian prisoners and their families
It has been two weeks since the fall of the Assad regime and the horror of the brutal and corrupt system he oversaw has been laid bare. Since the start of the civil war in 2011, it is estimated that 100,000 people – men, women and children – disappeared without trace into Assad’s prison system. Omar was 15 years old when he was taken from his home to be starved and tortured in the notorious Saydnaya prison near Damascus. He tells Mark Lowen that he can never forgive his captors. After rebel forces released prisoners, families across the country have been able to celebrate the return of loved ones. Meanwhile, others try to discover if their loved ones are still alive. Maan in Damascus, whose older brother Muneer was arrested in 2014, and Hiba, whose father was arrested in Aleppo in 2011, share their experiences.
21 Dec 202423min
Heart and Soul: Antisemitism in Turkey
Members of Turkey’s ancient Jewish community say they feel forced to hide their identities and practice their religion in private, after a marked rise in antisemitism following the 7 October attacks in Israel. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has maintained a relentless criticism of Israel’s government for its response to Hamas’ 2023 attack. He has accused the Jewish state of genocide and mass murder and nicknamed its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, “the butcher of Gaza,” as well as comparing him to Adolf Hitler. Over the past year, Erdogan’s charged rhetoric has ricocheted through Turkey’s small but ancient Jewish community. Members say there has been a visible increase in hate speech and antisemitism. Victoria Craig meets members of Turkey’s Jewish community and delves into the unique history of Judaism in Turkey.
20 Dec 202426min
The Watermelons: Myanmar's military moles
***This program contains distressing content. The voices of all active Watermelons have been changed for security reasons*** The Myanmar military is now riddled with soldiers betraying their colleagues. Military green on the outside, rebel red within. They are known as the Watermelons. BBC Eye goes inside the Watermelons unit to reveal how these spies are helping the armed pro-democracy resistance achieve the unthinkable. Nearly four years since seizing power in a coup the Myanmar military now only has full control of less than a quarter of the country.
19 Dec 202430min
Footprints: How did human feet get washed up on the west coast of Canada and the US?
In August 2007, on an island off Canada’s west coast, the remains of a human foot were found washed up on a beach.Six days later, on another beach 50 miles away, a second foot was found. But, strangely, it does not match the first - they are from different people.The BBC’s Celia Hatton travels to Vancouver to hear how more than 20 feet have been found in the area since then, and to speak to the investigators and scientists who have worked to unravel the mystery of why they started appearing.
18 Dec 202426min
