The Documentary Podcast

Electoral battle lines are being drawn and redrawn in the United States right now, as Republicans and Democrats up the ante in an electoral redistricting war that many fear is undermining democracy. BBC North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher looks at how a once-a-decade act of political admin has turned into a rolling process of political partisanship, as parties compete to redraw voting districts, as they try to lock in near-guaranteed majorities. We look at the recent US Supreme Court ruling which has fuelled this growing political battleground and explore accusations of racist bias behind the decision making. While many observers are focused on the impact this could have on the imminent midterm elections, we look beyond November to see how it could shape all future elections as political parties work to manipulate the system in order to leave nothing to chance.

For International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (October 13th), we're finding out how technology can help prevent disasters, save lives and help rescuers. In Argentina, we’ll meet Franco Rodríguez Viau whose family friends lost their home in a fire, inspiring him to find a way of tracking wildfires. He was just a teenager when he began developing an app that combines NASA satellite imagery with other data sources to identify and intercept fires before they become unmanageable. Meanwhile in Colombia, podcasters and sound engineers tell us about using their specialist recording equipment and live analysis of sound to detect breathing and tapping beneath earthquake rubble, helping rescuers locate survivors. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk. We release a new edition every Wednesday - just search for The Documentary wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: Claire Bowes Colombia Reporter: Laura Ubate Editor: Jon Bithrey (Image: A man holding sound equipment helping with rescue efforts in Cali, Colombia following the earthquake of August 2026, credit Mateo Guzman)

British Psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead, who has spent a lifetime working with violence perpetrators, visits Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, the largest gang rehabilitation in the world. It offers, training, education, therapy and other services, was set up by a Jesuit Priest, Father Gregory Boyle. It was his response to the so-called “decade of death,” in the late 1980s, as his neighbourhood was terrorised by gang violence. Today, 40 years on, it has been called one of the most successful gang rehabilitation organisations in the world. Talking to Father Boyle and several former gang members, Dr Adshead explores the Home Boy model of rehabilitation and asks if something similar could work in other parts of the world.

With the cost of Government debt hitting its highest for many decades across the world, we explore how the world became so dependent on bonds, those IOUs from governments and firms that helped build the modern economy. Bonds are often dismissed as a dull corner of finance, but behind the scenes they have played a central role in major economic dramas around the world. We hear about their history, how they have shaped companies and countries, and why some fear the bond market could trigger the next global meltdown.

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. The Global Jigsaw assesses 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
Producer: Clare Denning, Tess Mallinder Heron, Kriszta Satori
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham