Why has anti-Ukrainian feeling been growing in Poland? In 2022, when President Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Poland opened its doors and the Poles their hearts to Ukrainian refugees. Millions of Ukrainians passed through Poland, getting all kinds of help from local people and from the Polish government. Many stayed. But there has been a dramatic change in feelings towards Ukrainians, particularly in recent months. From a “love” of their neighbours, according to opinion polls, today more than half of Polish people express anti-Ukrainian sentiments. Cases of Ukrainians receiving verbal and physical abuse, both online and in real life have risen significantly. Polish military support for Kyiv remains vital. So why has this downturn happened and what could the consequences be? Does the answer lie in compassion fatigue or are there more sinister things going on? What role is dis-information online playing? And what about nationalist politics on both sides of the border?Producer and Presenter: John Murphy
Fixer and translator: Grzegorz Sokol
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Studio Mix: James Beard
Editor: Penny Murphy

Why has anti-Ukrainian feeling been growing in Poland? In 2022, when President Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Poland opened its doors and the Poles their hearts to Ukrainian refugees. Millions of Ukrainians passed through Poland, getting all kinds of help from local people and from the Polish government. Many stayed. But there has been a dramatic change in feelings towards Ukrainians, particularly in recent months. From a “love” of their neighbours, according to opinion polls, today more than half of Polish people express anti-Ukrainian sentiments. Cases of Ukrainians receiving verbal and physical abuse, both online and in real life have risen significantly. Polish military support for Kyiv remains vital. So why has this downturn happened and what could the consequences be? Does the answer lie in compassion fatigue or are there more sinister things going on? What role is dis-information online playing? And what about nationalist politics on both sides of the border? Producer and Presenter: John Murphy Fixer and translator: Grzegorz Sokol Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Studio Mix: James Beard Editor: Penny Murphy

Has Poland fallen out of love with Ukraine?

Political analysts and human rights organisations say Turkey's courts are increasingly being used to silence political dissent and to shape a more socially conservative society. The most prominent defendant is Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, and the opposition figure opinion polls suggest is most likely to beat President Erdoğan at the ballot box. İmamoğlu has been held in Silivri prison since March 2025 and now stands trial alongside more than 400 co-defendants in a sprawling corruption case. Other elected mayors have been removed from office and replaced by government appointees. Journalists, musicians, and comedians too are now increasingly finding themselves in trouble with the law, jailed for jokes insulting the President or the state. The government insists its courts are independent and simply applying the law and that these are ordinary prosecutions, in a state entitled to defend itself after the violent coup attempt of 2016. But critics say President Erdoğan is using the courts as part of a "lawfare" campaign that aims to silence opponents, extend his more than two decades in power and shape the country in his own traditional, socially conservative Islamic vision. Emily Wither speaks to a former judge punished for criticising the changes to Turkey's judiciary, mayors held for months without conviction, court reporters accused of spreading "disinformation," and performers prosecuted for what they said on stage. Produced and presented by Emily Wither
Mixed by Neil Churchill
Production coordinator Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

Political analysts and human rights organisations say Turkey's courts are increasingly being used to silence political dissent and to shape a more socially conservative society. The most prominent defendant is Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, and the opposition figure opinion polls suggest is most likely to beat President Erdoğan at the ballot box. İmamoğlu has been held in Silivri prison since March 2025 and now stands trial alongside more than 400 co-defendants in a sprawling corruption case. Other elected mayors have been removed from office and replaced by government appointees. Journalists, musicians, and comedians too are now increasingly finding themselves in trouble with the law, jailed for jokes insulting the President or the state. The government insists its courts are independent and simply applying the law and that these are ordinary prosecutions, in a state entitled to defend itself after the violent coup attempt of 2016. But critics say President Erdoğan is using the courts as part of a "lawfare" campaign that aims to silence opponents, extend his more than two decades in power and shape the country in his own traditional, socially conservative Islamic vision. Emily Wither speaks to a former judge punished for criticising the changes to Turkey's judiciary, mayors held for months without conviction, court reporters accused of spreading "disinformation," and performers prosecuted for what they said on stage. Produced and presented by Emily Wither Mixed by Neil Churchill Production coordinator Gemma Ashman Editor: Penny Murphy

Turkey on Trial: Can Courts Control a Nation?

As Nepal deals with the aftermath of devastating floods, there have been renewed warnings about the impact of climate change on the Himalayas. As temperatures have risen, glaciers across the region have shrunk and the landscape has become more unstable.
Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent reports from one remote Nepalese mountain community that faces an existential threat from a melting glacier. The ancient village of Halji, near the Tibetan border, is home to a thousand year-old Buddhist monastery, one of the oldest in Nepal. 
But high above the village, meltwater has created glacial lakes . In 2011, parts of the village were destroyed when a glacial lake burst and sent a torrent of water and rocks down the valley. Other communities in the area have abandoned their homes, yet here villagers remain. So why are they determined to stay? And can the community survive the dangers of this changing climate? Presented by Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent
Produced by Alex Last
Sound Mix: James Beard
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Series Editor: Penny Murphy

As Nepal deals with the aftermath of devastating floods, there have been renewed warnings about the impact of climate change on the Himalayas. As temperatures have risen, glaciers across the region have shrunk and the landscape has become more unstable. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent reports from one remote Nepalese mountain community that faces an existential threat from a melting glacier. The ancient village of Halji, near the Tibetan border, is home to a thousand year-old Buddhist monastery, one of the oldest in Nepal. But high above the village, meltwater has created glacial lakes . In 2011, parts of the village were destroyed when a glacial lake burst and sent a torrent of water and rocks down the valley. Other communities in the area have abandoned their homes, yet here villagers remain. So why are they determined to stay? And can the community survive the dangers of this changing climate? Presented by Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent Produced by Alex Last Sound Mix: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Series Editor: Penny Murphy

Nepal: In the shadow of a glacier

Russian is the first language of millions of Ukrainians, including many of the country’s frontline troops. But it’s also the language of their enemy. And its public use is increasingly restricted by law, with ever more measures to enforce communication in Ukrainian. Ukrainians are allowed to speak Russian in private conversations. But they can be fined for playing a Russian language song in the street, if the singer or composer is a Russian citizen. The state says Russian must be policed because Russia uses the language as a weapon to spread its influence. But in primarily Russian-speaking places such as Odesa, Ukraine’s third-largest city, many are unhappy about the language laws. One popular entertainer says they’re beyond Kafkaesque. Tim Whewell reports on the arguments dividing a city under constant Russian bombardment, as one side calls the Russian language a colonial hangover, while the other says cultural diversity is what Ukraine should be fighting for.Producer: Tim Whewell
Sound engineer: James Beard. 
Assistant producer: Serhiy Solodko
Security adviser: Jack Bleach
Production coordinators: Gemma Ashman and Keshia Agyei
Editor: Penny Murphy

Russian is the first language of millions of Ukrainians, including many of the country’s frontline troops. But it’s also the language of their enemy. And its public use is increasingly restricted by law, with ever more measures to enforce communication in Ukrainian. Ukrainians are allowed to speak Russian in private conversations. But they can be fined for playing a Russian language song in the street, if the singer or composer is a Russian citizen. The state says Russian must be policed because Russia uses the language as a weapon to spread its influence. But in primarily Russian-speaking places such as Odesa, Ukraine’s third-largest city, many are unhappy about the language laws. One popular entertainer says they’re beyond Kafkaesque. Tim Whewell reports on the arguments dividing a city under constant Russian bombardment, as one side calls the Russian language a colonial hangover, while the other says cultural diversity is what Ukraine should be fighting for. Producer: Tim Whewell Sound engineer: James Beard. Assistant producer: Serhiy Solodko Security adviser: Jack Bleach Production coordinators: Gemma Ashman and Keshia Agyei Editor: Penny Murphy

Ukraine: Fighting Russia, Fighting Russian

AI cameras. Drones. Facial recognition. Sound detection. Flock. The United States is monitored through a growing, high-tech, and increasingly interconnected surveillance network. The police say this is all for public safety - to prevent crime and assist investigations. Critics think it’s an invasion of privacy, open to misuse, and a sneaky tool aiding ICE in President Trump’s deportation drive.One company is bearing the brunt of the backlash: Flock Safety. Its network of AI-powered licence plate readers spans over 7000 communities, generating 20 billion vehicle scans a month. In some cities - like Houston, Texas - which has over 60 different law enforcement agencies, the full extent of the system is unclear. Many of these authorities won’t say publicly how many Flock devices they have.Vigilantes have been cutting down licence plate readers. Social media is full of tips on how to obstruct or disable the cameras. City halls across America are debating their Flock contracts. Meanwhile Flock employees are facing threats to their own safety. Ellie House is in Houston, Texas, investigating the surveillance network authorities want to keep quiet. She sees how Flock has been used by police to fight crime, and gets inside the anti-surveillance ‘techlash’. And she sits down with Flock CEO Garrett Langley in his Atlanta HQ. Presented and produced by Ellie House.
Edited by Penny Murphy.
Sound mix by Neil Churchill.
The Production Coordinator was Gemma Ashman.

AI cameras. Drones. Facial recognition. Sound detection. Flock. The United States is monitored through a growing, high-tech, and increasingly interconnected surveillance network. The police say this is all for public safety - to prevent crime and assist investigations. Critics think it’s an invasion of privacy, open to misuse, and a sneaky tool aiding ICE in President Trump’s deportation drive. One company is bearing the brunt of the backlash: Flock Safety. Its network of AI-powered licence plate readers spans over 7000 communities, generating 20 billion vehicle scans a month. In some cities - like Houston, Texas - which has over 60 different law enforcement agencies, the full extent of the system is unclear. Many of these authorities won’t say publicly how many Flock devices they have. Vigilantes have been cutting down licence plate readers. Social media is full of tips on how to obstruct or disable the cameras. City halls across America are debating their Flock contracts. Meanwhile Flock employees are facing threats to their own safety. Ellie House is in Houston, Texas, investigating the surveillance network authorities want to keep quiet. She sees how Flock has been used by police to fight crime, and gets inside the anti-surveillance ‘techlash’. And she sits down with Flock CEO Garrett Langley in his Atlanta HQ. Presented and produced by Ellie House. Edited by Penny Murphy. Sound mix by Neil Churchill. The Production Coordinator was Gemma Ashman.

‘Big Surveillance’, Flock and ICE

This year's Commonwealth Games will be held in October in the Indian capital Delhi, the largest sporting event ever to be held there. No expense is being spared to build the appropriate facilities and infrastructure. But many are questioning whether spending billions of dollars hosting a two-week sporting event is the best use of resources in a city where poverty is entrenched. 
As the budget for the games spirals, the organisers are being accused of hiding the true cost, and of diverting funds intended for the very poorest. They're also accused of condoning the displacement of thousands of poor families and a blatant disregard of the rights of the workers building the stadiums. 
Rupa Jha asks who are the winners and who the losers in Delhi's attempt to turn itself into a "world-class" city.
Producer: Tim Mansel.

This year's Commonwealth Games will be held in October in the Indian capital Delhi, the largest sporting event ever to be held there. No expense is being spared to build the appropriate facilities and infrastructure. But many are questioning whether spending billions of dollars hosting a two-week sporting event is the best use of resources in a city where poverty is entrenched. As the budget for the games spirals, the organisers are being accused of hiding the true cost, and of diverting funds intended for the very poorest. They're also accused of condoning the displacement of thousands of poor families and a blatant disregard of the rights of the workers building the stadiums. Rupa Jha asks who are the winners and who the losers in Delhi's attempt to turn itself into a "world-class" city. Producer: Tim Mansel.

Delhi

Christopher Landau explores the explosive growth of christianity in China, with millions flocking to the official Protestant and Catholic churches. The country has the world's largest bible printing press while some factories are run on Christian principles. Why has the Communist state, which is formally atheist, endorsed this transition? There is official interest in the idea of a "Protestant work ethic" aiding the country's economy while some branches of government hope that the church's social services will help care for an ageing population. 
Producer: Caroline Finnigan.

Christopher Landau explores the explosive growth of christianity in China, with millions flocking to the official Protestant and Catholic churches. The country has the world's largest bible printing press while some factories are run on Christian principles. Why has the Communist state, which is formally atheist, endorsed this transition? There is official interest in the idea of a "Protestant work ethic" aiding the country's economy while some branches of government hope that the church's social services will help care for an ageing population. Producer: Caroline Finnigan.

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