In the final part of this series, Sir John Scarlett, the former head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service talks about the interrogation of terrorist suspects and MI6's role in the run up to the war in Iraq.

MI6 - A Century in the Shadows (Part Three)

The Philippines is one of the most dangerous places in the world to report from. More than thirty journalists were killed there in a single incident at the end of 2009. Kate McGeowan travels to the troubled southern island of Mindanao to meet one of the reporters whose job it is to cover the daily violence there.

Assignment - Reporting Mindanao

How have advertisers and brand specialists convinced us to buy a commodity that is sold for a great deal more than it costs to produce? Louise Hidalgo looks at the exponential growth - and the cost - of the yoghurt industry.

The Foods that Make Billions - Part Three

In this two-part series, the BBC’s Paulo Cabral travels to the two places that marked Lula’s life – the poor region in the northeast where the president was born, and the industrial suburb of Sao Paulo where he made his reputation. What has been the legacy of one of the most popular politicians in Brazilian history?

Brazil: Lula's Legacy - Part One

The second part in this series describes what went on behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. Former MI6 Chief John Scarlett describes his clandestine meeting with an agent and the Russian defector Oleg Gordievsky talks about his reasons for coming over to the other side.

MI6 - A Century in the Shadows (Part Two)

For Assignment Rob Walker travels to the city of Tijuana on Mexico's border with the United States on the trail of one of Mexico's most controversial law enforcement officers.

Assignment - Mexico's Toughest Cop

How have advertisers and brand specialists convinced us to buy a commodity that is sold for a great deal more than it costs to produce? Louise Hidalgo looks at the exponential growth - and the cost - of the breakfast cereal industry.

The Foods that Make Billions - Part Two

Many Turks have lost faith in their judges, who are seen as out of touch and too close to Ataturk's secular and military state. What will determine this struggle for power between the government and judges?

Power and the Judges - Part Two

Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, marks its centenary this year and BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera talks to senior intelligence figures as well as their former arch enemies about the shadowy world of espionage.

MI6 - A Century in the Shadows

How have advertisers and brand specialists convinced us to buy a commodity that is sold for a great deal more than it costs to produce? Louise Hidalgo looks at the exponential growth - and the costs - of the bottled water industry.

The Foods that Make Billions

BBC World Service's wide range of documentaries from 2010.

The Documentary Podcast: Archive 2010

An investigation into the expertise of Russian hackers. What makes them so good at breaking cyberdefences?

Assignment: Hackers For Hire

The writ of Habeas Corpus prevents an individual from unlawful detention. Historically it safeguards individuals from arbitrary state imprisonment. Frances Fyfield explores this tremendously important principle we often take for granted.

The Great Writ

In 1951, a black man named Willie McGee was executed in Mississippi's travelling electric chair - the only one of its kind in the country. His granddaughter explores this lost episode in America's early civil rights history.

The Travelling Electric

Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian author Wole Soyinka travels to South Africa to assess the past and present of the rainbow nation through the eyes of its finest writers. How has the post-Apartheid nation evolved?

South Africa's Path to Freedom - Part One

Seven years after an American rocket attack destroyed his home, killed 16 members of his family, and left him without arms, Ali Abbas returns to Baghdad. Now 19 years old and with loved ones looking to arrange a marriage it’s time to become an adult but, with his childhood stolen, adapting is a struggle and the future uncertain. In part one, the BBC's Hugh Sykes joins Ali just before he leaves for Baghdad.

Baghdad Boy - Part One

Mark Whitaker looks at South Africa’s struggle to produce school history textbooks that are adequate and appropriate for the post-apartheid country.

Textbook Diplomacy - Part One

Author and journalist Gary Younge tells the story of the other side of the Obama phenomenon, meeting people who think his presidency is nothing but bad news.

Opposing Obama - Part One

As South Africa prepares to host the 2010 World Cup, Farayi Mungazi, the voice of African Sport on BBC World Service's Fast Track, crosses the continent to explore the history of African Football and tells a story that is by turns epic and unexpected.

Africa Kicks - Part Two

Michael Goldfarb looks at President Obama's mission to reform America's health care system.

Health of a Nation - Part One

Does Sweden live up to its squeaky clean image? In the first of a two-part series looking at perceptions of state corruption, Pascale Harter investigates whether Sweden - consistently ranked among the least corrupt countries in the world - is quite as it seems.

Extremes of Corruption: Sweden - Part One

"We like our crooks, our fast Eddies, and we find them entertaining." Steve Edwards takes to the mean streets of his hometown Chicago - asking why the Windy City is such a hotbed of corruption.

Oiling the Machine - Corruption in Chicago

Does Somalia deserve its bad reputation for corruption? In the second of a two-part series, Pascale Harter asks if, after nearly two decades of civil war, is it even fair to talk about corruption in Somalia? Or has it now begun to drive the conflict?

Extremes of Corruption: Somalia - Part Two

Farayi Mungazi looks ahead to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and explores how racial politics have affected football's development in that country.

Africa Kicks

On 12th January a powerful earthquake struck Haiti in the Caribbean. As many as 200,000 people may have been killed and some 2 million are in need of aid.  In this edition of Assignment the BBC's International Development Corrrespondent Mark Doyle reports on Ten days in Haiti.

Assignment - Ten Days in Haiti

Adebayor, Droga and Essien are African football superstars who have found fame and wealth in Europe, but as Farayi Mungazi tells us, there are many who have failed in the quest for glory.

Africa Kicks - Part Three

Gavin Lee tells the story of how a former prison guard at Guantanamo Bay detention centre sought reconciliation with two of his former prisoners.

Assignment - Guantanamo Reunited

American author Joe Queenan's passion for crime fiction sees him heading to two very different locations to find out about the nature of the crime there and how it is reflected in the indigenous hard-boiled literature.

Queenan's Crime Scenes

The best podcast episodes of the most interesting stories and things. From skyping someone while they're in space, to tracking down and meeting a telephone scammer in person, to the story of a Galapagos. These episodes will keep you and all your friends entertained and captivated for hours. Learn something new in every episode! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes: Interesting Stories & Things

The best podcast episodes on global issues affecting everyone. Covering topics such as the #metoo movement, climate change, the impact of technology and some of the biggest global issues facing us right now. For anyone interested in learning more about the world, and some of the issues we're facing, pick an episode below and start listening! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!