The Documentary Podcast

On 25 February 1986 the Philippines, Asia’s oldest democracy peacefully took control of its destiny. Ferdinand Marcos, a democratically elected president-turned dictator, who remains accused of widespread graft and human rights abuses, had gambled on one too many rigged elections. After days of mounting protests and the defection of the military to the opposition, Marcos and his family were ejected from their gilded palace in Manila. These events have since been named the People Power Revolution. The uprising ushered in a return to constitutional democracy, guardrails on executive power, and a new constitution that redistributed power from Manila to local governments across the 7,500-island archipelago. It was also supposed to seal the fate of the Marcoses once and for all: permanent exile in Hawaii. Forty years on, not only are the Marcoses back, but they’re arguably stronger than ever. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jnr, is now president, with his sister, son, and various cousins in Congress. It’s a far cry from the Philippines of 1986, when the post-revolution state vowed ‘never again’ to let any Marcos near the halls of power.

On the 3rd of January this year, Venezuela's President, Nicolas Maduro, was removed from office by a US military intervention. He was flown to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking and partnering with terrorist groups, charges he denies. His leadership and that of his predecessor and mentor Hugo Chavez saw Venezuela move from being an oil rich, prosperous country to a country which was heavily sanctioned and under investigation by the International Criminal Court. Maduro's Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, has now succeeded him as acting president. Some Venezuelans feel that she represents only continuity with Chavismo, the political system Hugo Chavez created. Others feel that Rodriguez will be forced to adapt in order to survive. Jorge Perez and Alicia Hernandez of BBC Mundo have been following what is happening in Venezuela closely.
Snow leopards are beautiful, yet elusive creatures. They like to live high up in snowy mountains, including certain areas in the Indian Himalayas. A group of women in one of India's coldest and most remote regions have joined the efforts to conduct a snow leopard census, using camera traps to count the big cats and protect them and their habitat. Ashay Yedge of BBC Marathi recently traveled to the world's second-highest village to speak to them about their work.
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 Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson

(Photo: Irena Taranyuk)

When the film I Swear won three Bafta awards, what happened at the ceremony prompted a much bigger story and wider discussion. The film portrays the life of John Davidson who grew up with Tourette syndrome – the incurable condition, which causes sudden, repetitive sounds or movements. During the awards, Davidson shouted out an involuntary racial slur, which was picked up by microphones and broadcast. In a statement, Davidson said he was "deeply mortified” and that the tics, as they are known, were involuntary and did not carry any meaning. In our conversations, we bring together two black Americans with Tourette’s. They share their experiences, including dealing with the police. We also bring together three people in the UK to give an insight into their lives with Tourette’s.

Concert pianist Yirui Weng, 32, grew up in a communist, atheist family in China, where religion played no part in her life. Music, however, always did. As a gifted young pianist, she immersed herself in the great works of Western classical music. When Yirui moved to Italy to pursue her musical studies, curiosity began to replace indifference. While playing Vivaldi’s Gloria, she found herself drawn not just to the beauty of the music, but to its unfamiliar language: “Lamb of God”, “Son of the Father”. What did these words mean and why had composers been inspired by them for centuries? After meeting a Chinese priest in Milan, Yirui began attending catechism classes and encountered the teachings of Jesus for the first time. In 2023, Yirui was baptised. John Laurenson travels to Rome to meet Yirui Weng. She reflects on her journey of faith and explores a deeper question: why is music such a powerful and universal expression of belief?

This week marks four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two. Ukraine has put its official losses at 55,000 soldiers, and the BBC has verified the deaths of more than 180,000 on the Russian side, although the true toll is likely to be much higher. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded, and millions have been displaced. The BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen, travels through Ukraine, speaking to people living on the front line, to soldiers, and to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, about what they would concede, if anything, for a peace deal with Russia.
The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.