The Documentary Podcast

China's latest trade data show another huge surplus, putting the country on course for what could be a record $1.5 trillion trade surplus this year. In the first of two episodes examining China's export machine, we look at the country's massive solar panel industry. We hear from the so-called Sun King, Dr Jerry Shi, China's first solar billionaire, about the rise of solar power in China. Ed Butler also examines how solar power and other green technologies have helped drive the global response to climate change, while critics raise concerns about oversupply and its impact on industries and economies around the world.

A network of Russians say they are secretly fighting their own country. They claim armed resistance to stop Russia winning in Ukraine is the best way to undermine Putin’s regime. BBC Eye investigates.
Presenter: Monica Garnsey
Reporter: Marcin Mamon

Why are millions of Afghans pushed into circular migration and what awaits them in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan? In this series, The Global Jigsaw explores one of the world’s largest and longest-running refugee crises - a story spanning decades and affecting nearly half of Afghanistan’s population. Once welcomed as guests and embraced in the spirit of Islamic solidarity in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan, Afghan refugees now find themselves facing restrictions, discrimination and deportation. In part three, we try to understand the reality awaiting the returnees amid the information black hole surrounding their story back home.
Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk
Contributors: Haroon Rahmani, Lyse Doucet
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Barry Sadid, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

Why are millions of Afghans forced to go home and what awaits them in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan? In this series, The Global Jigsaw explores one of the world’s largest and longest running refugee crises - a story spanning decades, and affecting nearly half of Afghanistan’s population. Once welcomed as guests and embraced in the spirit of Islamic solidarity in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan, Afghan refugees now find themselves facing restrictions, discrimination and deportation. In the second part of this series, we explore rising anti-migrant sentiments in Iran and Pakistan, and the official narratives used to justify the mass deportations.
Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk
Contributors: Haroon Rahmani, Umaima Zia, Barry Sadid
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Barry Sadid
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

Why are millions of Afghans pushed into circular migration, and what awaits them in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan? In this series, we explore one of the world’s largest and longest-running refugee crises - a story spanning decades and affecting nearly half of Afghanistan’s population. Once welcomed as guests and embraced in the spirit of Islamic solidarity in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan, Afghan refugees now find themselves facing restrictions, discrimination and deportation. In the first part, we go back to the geopolitics of the Cold War to see how the mix of Soviet tanks, American money and tribal warfare created the perfect conditions for a mass exodus.
Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk
Contributors: Haroon Rahmani, Umaima Zia, Barry Sadid
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Barry Sadid
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham