The real ‘Yellowstone’: A battle for the cowboy way of life
Ranches, rodeos and public land. This is the story of a surprising battle raging in the American West, and the unlikely coalition it’s forged.
Nearly half of all land in the West of the United States is owned by the federal government. Some people are trying to change that; they argue that part of it should be used for housing, amid a nationwide shortage. But this debate about land and development has touched a nerve in the Western psyche - tapping into bigger fears that the old way of life is under threat. It’s about identity, trust, and the growing popularity of cowboy culture, driven in part by the TV series Yellowstone.
In an increasingly polarised United States, this debate about public land is uniting cowboys, environmental activists, conservatives, and progressives. Ellie House reports from Montana, a state where the prospect of a public land sell-off is deeply unpopular, and where people feel like their cultures and traditions are at stake.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.
--------
26:43
--------
26:43
Lara Dizeyee's Kurdish couture
Kurdish designer Lara Dizeyee is preparing a couture collection for Milan Fashion Week. Dizeyee fled Iraqi Kurdistan as a child, grew up in the US, and later returned to Erbil. Her designs draw on traditional Kurdish dress - layered garments, capes, and ornate headpieces - reimagined as bold evening wear. Her work is celebrated in Kurdistan, across the diaspora, and in the Arabian Gulf. Yet despite her growing profile, she lacked the funds to stage a show on the scale Milan demands. Arts journalist Melissa Gronlund follows her as she secures backing and races against time to source fabrics, sketch and sew designs, and collaborate with Kurdish artisans on jewellery and bespoke accessories. More than 30 outfits are completed and packed into suitcases carried by her extended family. On the big day, Dizeyee fits each model and navigates last-minute crises - models too short, earrings that won’t fit, designs that misfire. But as the models walk out in her reimagined Kurdish looks, the emotion in the room is unmistakable. And in that final moment, as the Kurdish flag is symbolically recreated on the runway, Dizeyee presents her culture to the world.
--------
26:43
--------
26:43
What’s behind the war in Sudan?
Blood spilled in Sudan's el-Fasher massacre is visible from space. What led to the latest dark turn of events that took place after the Rapid Support Forces seized the city in Northern Darfur from the Sudanese Armed Forces? In this episode, first recorded in 2024, the Global Jigsaw digs into the prehistory of Sudan’s civil war. We focus on the power struggle between two men: Hemedti, in charge of the RAF, and Burkhan, the general leading the SAF. We ask who are the foreign powers aiding them, and why.
--------
37:13
--------
37:13
How Russian AI targets news organisations
Networks of bots - automated social media accounts - have been found to be targeting European elections including, in the last year, those in Moldova, Poland and Germany. But could their real intention be to tie up news organisations with fact-checking? Damien Sharkov from BBC Monitoring has been looking at how they operate. Earlier this year, news reports circulated online that a Vietnamese-American scientist called Anh Duong had a hand in creating the bombs used by America in its June airstrikes on Iran. Those reports turned out to be untrue, but Thuong Le from BBC Vietnamese has the real story of the chemical engineer known as 'the Bomb Lady.'In India, pigeons are a much-loved part of city life for many, but a health risk for some.Sumedha Pal has the story. Presenter: Faranak Amidi
Producers: Laura Thomas and Caroline FergusonPhoto: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich
--------
26:28
--------
26:28
Women share stories of losing their hair
Something unusual happened recently at the Miss USA beauty contest: Miss Nevada, 22-year-old Mary Sickler, walked on stage without any hair. She had lost it to a condition known as alopecia but, until that moment, had worn a wig in public. Tens of millions of women around the world suffer from some form of hair loss and the story has sparked a global conversation. We bring together three women with alopecia, in the US, South Africa and the Netherlands. Many people having cancer treatment can also lose their hair – it’s usually temporary but can be permanent. Three women whose hair fell out during cancer treatment share their experiences of baldness, wigs and dating mishaps.
A window into our world, through in-depth storytelling from the BBC. Investigating, reporting and uncovering true stories from everywhere. Award-winning journalism, unheard voices, amazing culture and global issues. From Trump's new world order, to war in Sudan, to the legacy of football icon Mo Salah, The Documentary investigates major global stories.We delve into social media, take you into the minds of the world's most creative people and explore personal approaches to spirituality. Every week, we also bring together people from around the globe to discuss how news stories are affecting their lives. A new episode most days, all year round. From our BBC World Service teams at: Assignment, Heart and Soul, In the Studio, OS Conversations, The Fifth Floor and Trending.
USA