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BBC World Service


Looking at the world through the lens of its media. Think of us as your media detectives, helping you get past the propaganda and misinformation. The Global Jigsaw comes from BBC Monitoring, which tracks, deciphers and analyses news media in 100 languages.

We reach across multiple time zones, from China and India, to Iran, Africa and Latin America. 

We watch Russian state TV around the clock, giving unrivalled insight into the evolution of Kremlin propaganda. 

But propaganda is just part of the information space we inhabit. In its more extreme form, we focus on disinformation that aims to defame enemies, sway elections, and undermine democracy.

We have been monitoring jihadist media for nearly two decades, following the chatter from al-Qaeda and Islamic State group, gaining extraordinary knowledge about their aims, their ideological differences and allegiances. 

We watch the behaviour of Russia’s Putin, Iran’s Khamenei, Turkey’s Erdogan, China’s Xi Jinping, Hungary’s Orban and anyone else who might be challenging the established order, seeking to expand their global footprint or export their brand of ideology.  

At BBC Monitoring, we don’t just speak the language, we understand the narrative. So we can help you untangle the context and single out rhetoric from reality, deception from truth.


The Global Jigsaw

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
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

The women of IS: Part three

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 three-part series explores the trauma that led to their prolonged existence and how it might affect their future. 

In part two, we examine where governments are drawing the line on repatriation, from Britain’s tough stance to Kazakhstan’s model of success. 

Contributors: Mina al-Lami, Jiyar Gol, Barry Marston, Clare Denning, Mohammed Al-Jumaily, Bryn Windsor
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

The women of IS: Part two

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 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 three-part series explores the trauma that led to the prolonged existence of these camps and what the future might hold for their residents. In part one, we zoom in on the tent city of al-Hol.

Contributors: Mina al-Lami, Jiyar Gol, Barry Marston, Mohammed Al-Jumaily
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

The women of IS: Part one

Can diplomacy alone end the war in Ukraine in the absence of a compromise? After nearly four years of fighting and countless deaths, top diplomats from Russia, Ukraine, the US and Europe have been hard at work trying to hammer out a peace deal. Indeed, this work has produced several multi-point peace plans amid proclamations of “productive talks”, creating the impression that peace is around the corner. We compare the Russian and Ukrainian wish lists to reveal two parallel realities of peace that cannot coexist. What are the peace negotiations achieving?

Producer: Kriszta Satori
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

Ukraine: Whose peace?

How poetry is used by Persian speaking leaders to build legitimacy and shape the political narrative. Across Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, millions share a language - and a passion for poetry. But with its abundance of lovers and wine, Persian poetry sits uneasily with Iran’s theocratic leaders. We explore their complicated relationship with this facet of Persian identity, and how they occasionally turn to verse to secure popular appeal.

Producer: Kriszta Satori
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

Persian poetry and politics

Moscow is working around international sanctions by promoting self-sustainability, elevating Russian brands and deepening trade with friendly countries. After Western companies retreated as the full-scale invasion of Ukraine started, Russian consumer habits and the economy began to shift. We explore how sanctions reshaped everyday life and ask: can Russia sustain a forever war? 

Krassi Ivanova Twigg speaks to the BBC's military and economy expert Tim Bowler, who has been tracking the movement of foreign companies in Russia's new reality. And Evgeny Poduvkin of the BBC Russia team explores the 'grey markets' where ordinary Russian citizens are acquiring western brands.

Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Producer: Kriszta Satori
Music: Pete Cunningham

Made in Russia: The Kremlin’s economic rebrand

Why the traditional kokoshnik headdress is en vogue in Russia, and how it has become a poster image for the Kremlin’s vision of national identity. When President Putin talks not of tanks but of tiaras, it’s a signal that symbolism matters. We unpick the dress code of the Russian “patriot” to explore a deeper idea at the heart of everything from fashion and music to entertainment and literature. We go on a mission to decode the “cultural code” that, in the eyes of Russia’s leaders, makes the nation unique - and morally superior. 

Contributors: Veronika Malinboym, Yulia Volovik
Producer: Kriszta Satori
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

What is the 'Russian cultural code'?

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, we dig 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. 

Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Twigg

What’s behind the war in Sudan?

How Jihadists wrestle with the question: to use or not to use AI. The allure of this powerful tool and the damage they fear it could inflict on their image and reputation. Supporters of the Islamic State group tend to be early adopters of new tech, and some have already experimented with generative Artificial Intelligence. But that has exposed deep divisions in jihadist circles. We explore this debate to understand what “responsible AI” means for them. 
 
Contributors: Mina al-Lami, Steven Humphry
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

Jihadists and AI

The narratives and the doctrines built on ever-growing suspicions and fears that are once again stirring the Middle East. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hasn’t just threatened to redraw the map of Europe - it has transformed the global security landscape. The ripple effects have been felt way beyond the continent, reigniting fears not felt since the Cold War - of a new nuclear arms race. In this episode we go back to the beginnings of nuclear ambitions in the Middle East to weigh up the consequences for the world today.

Contributors: Shaina Oppenheimer, Florence Dixon, Nihan Kale
Producer: Kriszta Satori
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

The women of IS: Part two

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