The Global Jigsaw

Two rivers helped build civilisation. Now they are at the centre of a geopolitical struggle that casts a shadow over the future of the Middle East. For centuries, the Tigris and Euphrates carried goods, armies and ideas, shaping some of history's greatest empires. But today, a toxic mix of climate change, outdated irrigation methods and conflicting national interests is pushing these rivers to the brink. As Turkey’s vast dam projects reduce downstream flows, Iraq is being forced into negotiations that go far beyond water, touching on security cooperation, trade routes and energy. This is the story of how water became a geopolitical bargaining chip.

Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: monitoring.bbc.co.uk/

Contributors: Dilay Yalcin, Mohammed al-Jumaily

With perpetrators in exile, closure is out of reach. As Syria’s new authorities seek to hold figures of the former regime accountable, questions remain over the fate of Bashar al-Assad. The former president and members of his inner circle were granted asylum in Russia after a rebel offensive drove him from power in 2024. The transition ushered in a new chapter for Syria, raising hopes for justice, after decades of repression. In this episode, we assess the obstacles standing in the way of accountability, justice and closure. Can victims of Assad’s brutal reign find redress when some of the regime’s most notorious figures remain beyond the reach of Syrian courts?

Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk/

Contributors: Tess Mallinder Heron, Clare Denning, Feras Kilani, Amalia Zatari

The rescuers who dodge drones and bombs to evacuate from frontline areas in Ukraine, known as the “kill zone”. More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, thousands of civilians still live dangerously close to active combat zones. Getting them to safety requires powers of persuasion, knowledge of warfare, and nerves of steel. In this episode, we explore how volunteer evacuation efforts of civilians in eastern Ukraine have evolved throughout the war, and how rescuers continue to adapt to an increasingly hostile and unpredictable battlefield.

Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk

Contributors: Vitaly Shevchenko

The extremist content quietly spreading on TikTok and Instagram, targeting unsuspecting young people. Through what is disguised as innocuous lifestyle content, supporters of jihadist groups like IS and al-Qaeda reach audiences outside their echo chamber. This is a recruitment drive that signals a move from direct operational instructions to “do-it-yourself jihad", with the aim of potentially inspiring lone wolf attacks. We explore the tactics used to obscure and evade detection, the challenges this poses for platforms, and how it has become a relentless game of whack-a-mole. BBC Monitoring's Mariam Soussi and Mina al-Lami talk about their recent research.

Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: monitoring.bbc.co.uk

Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov

“Perfidious Albion” - how Britain replaced the US as Russia’s top nemesis and the villain at the heart of its war narrative. Since the re-election of Donald Trump, Russian propagandists have softened their tone on the US, while intensifying their rhetoric against the UK. They’ve unleashed a wave of elaborate insults, accusations and threats against Britain, amounting at times to a full-blown character assassination. The insults may sound theatrical, and London denies the accusations, but beneath them lies a more troubling signal - one UK military chiefs take seriously. What does this shift reveal about Russia’s strategic intentions in a time of conflict?

Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: monitoring.bbc.co.uk/

Contributor: Bryn Windsor

Will Armenia opt for a “soft divorce” with Russia and realign its foreign policy in a pivotal vote in June? As pro-Western and pro-Russian forces gear up for a showdown, we explore the ideas, the pressures and the political visions that could shape the country’s future - and the wider implications for the South Caucasus.

Contributors: Daria Mosolova, Gayane Alexanyan and Grigor Atanesian

Producer: Kriszta Satori

The Kremlin’s pursuit of a “sovereign internet” has raised fears of a digital Iron Curtain. After months of mobile internet shutdowns, Russian authorities have moved to block major platforms like YouTube and Telegram, along with the VPNs people rely on to bypass restrictions. We explore what’s driving the push to isolate the largest country on Earth from the global internet and unpack the political, economic and military implications of the country’s tightening digital borders.

Contributors: Daria Mosolova, Howard Gethin, Gleb Borshchevski, Evgeny Pudovkin

Viktor Orban faces a high-stakes showdown as Peter Magyar takes him on in one of Europe’s most consequential elections in years. A former ally-turned-rival Peter Magyar has built a remarkable momentum in a short time, with polls placing him ahead of the incumbent.

Yet victory may still prove elusive within a power structure designed to protect the status quo. In this episode we examine the unequal playing field that is the election machine. We cut through the exuberance of the campaign to distil the messages of the rival camps, Fidesz and Tisza, and explore how the outcome could redefine Hungary’s role in the region. We speak to Amitis Sedghi, Rita Palfi and Zsofia Paulikovics.

Producer: Kriszta Satori

The war in Iran through the eyes of the Islamic Republic, and how Tehran’s restrictions on information went full throttle. In this episode we peek under the bonnet of the machinery that shapes official narratives and controls the media in Iran. And we revisit the turbulent first days of the war as they unfolded on national TV, from the death of Ayatollah Khamenei to the surprise apology by President Pezeshkian and the rise of a new Supreme Leader.

Producer: Kriszta Satori, Barry Sadid, Krassi Ivanova Twigg

What next for the Syrian detention camps and their residents? After the fall of the so-called “caliphate”, tens of thousands of women and children from around the world - followers of the Islamic State group as well as its victims - ended up in a handful of camps in north-eastern Syria. Once run by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, those camps are now in the process of being closed down by the Syrian authorities. This series explores the trauma that led to the prolonged existence of the camps and what the future might hold for their residents.

In part three, we discuss justice and rehabilitation, as well as where the latest dramatic events leave the story.

Contributors: Mina al-Lami, Barry Marston, Clare Denning, Samia Hosny, Mohammed al-Jumaily, Bryn Windsor