Schedule

A naval bombardment kills four children on a beach in Gaza, right next to Harry Fear's hotel. He interviews eye-witnesses in an attempt to find out how this tragedy could have happened. On the other side of the conflict, in Tel Aviv, Paula Slier watches on as Hamas shells explode overhead to the sound of sirens.

Some people call them freaks because these Russian men love eye-catching outfits. One pensioner from Khabarovsk manages to afford expensive brands for the ultimate look, while another prefers vintage clothes, and a water engineer makes beautiful dresses. RTD finds out how fashion changed these men's lives.

Freed to Be Wild is a joint project between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Russia) and RTD for the organization’s 25th anniversary in Russia. It features three WWF field staffers who are saving Russia’s endangered Amur tigers, Saker falcons, leopards, polar bears and walruses. These rare animals are facing a threat due to rising temperatures, forest loss and poaching. RTD travels to the Chukotka coast and the birch tree forest of the Amur region, and the steppes of Southern Siberia, to share stories of the people who have dedicated themselves to wildlife conservation.

In Israel, where serving in the army is compulsory, there is a special military unit whose sole task is to inform relatives when a soldier is killed in action. RT Doc meets some of the officers who knock on doors to deliver the most devastating news any parent can hear. They have come to be known as, Angels of Death.

This is not a battlefield and they are not at war. But these are boys that wish to become men. To achieve this, they have to go through difficult challenges that will put their abilities and determination to the test. Their goal is to earn the right to wear the symbol of the Russian Special Forces – the crimson beret.

Get up close and personal with some young women confined to wheelchairs, but who haven’t let their disability prevent them from doing what they love. Watch how they learn to waltz on wheels, as they prepare for the now annual ‘Miss Independence’ beauty contest.

Endemic poverty in the West African country of Togo is putting crushing pressure on families. Children as young as five toil long hours breaking stones, picking coffee beans, and other manual labour. Their parents are aware of the hard and often dangerous conditions but must send them to work to help the family survive. Many children seek more promising opportunities abroad but end up falling into slavery and prostitution.

The drilling is done on the Polar Star rig, but gas testing continues. The drillers hold their breath as the well test burner nearly peters out, but the guttering flame finally bursts into a fiery fountain, showing that the drilling has been a success, and it’s time to go home.

Chinese food may be the world’s most popular cuisine. To find out what the Chinese themselves eat, RTD goes with foreign food lovers on a by turns mouth-watering and stomach-churning culinary odyssey through the country’s gastronomic capitals. On the way, they taste exotic creatures, learn good table manners and sample the illustrious Peking duck.

A naval bombardment kills four children on a beach in Gaza, right next to Harry Fear's hotel. He interviews eye-witnesses in an attempt to find out how this tragedy could have happened. On the other side of the conflict, in Tel Aviv, Paula Slier watches on as Hamas shells explode overhead to the sound of sirens.

In 1990, an ex-traffic cop from Krasnodar declared himself a modern Jesus, and adopted the name, Vissarion. His message, a fusion of world religions, and announcing the coming of an environmental apocalypse, proved potent. Thousands thronged to his Church of the Last Testament in the wilds of Siberia.

RTD meets his vegan followers in their eco-communes, a disillusioned former member who lost her daughter to the cult and even the Teacher himself, who explains why the new Promised Land is in Russia. So, does it matter what we believe?

Iraq’s Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery in Najaf is the world’s largest and oldest graveyard. Millions are buried there, mostly Shia Muslims. In recent years, the number of funerals has increased sharply, a consequence of the various wars that have blighted Iraq. Veteran and novice gravediggers talk about their lives among the dead.

In late 1966, Ernesto Che Guevara came to Bolivia to incite a guerrilla war, but he was largely unsuccessful in winning peasants over to his revolutionary cause. After 11 months, he was captured and executed. This film features the memories of people who met or had contact with this enigmatic, yet iconic figure during his final days. Their stories give insight into the reasons for his demise and his legacy in Bolivia. 

In Russia, every schoolchild knows the name of Aleksey Maresyev. The legendary WWII fighter pilot’s heroic story was retold in a 1948 book, “The story of a real man”. After his plane was shot down by Nazi fire, he survived in the Russian wilderness for 18 days with broken legs and found his way to safety. Despite losing both legs in hospital, he still convinced doctors and military commanders that he should continue to fly. His example helped many who might otherwise have given up, some handicapped pilots say it inspired them to survive and continue with their careers.

As a child, Aisha Bakari Gombi used to join her father hunting in northeast Nigeria’s forests. Now animals no longer roam there, and Aisha chases a different prey – Islamist insurgents from Boko Haram who have plagued her country for almost a decade. She leads a vigilante group that helps government troops fight terrorists using their keen hunting skills and vast knowledge of remote areas used as Boko Haram hideouts.

To them, boxing is more than just a sport: it gives freedom, empowerment and the confidence to stand up for themselves. They're the students of Karachi’s first boxing school for girls. Training here, they feel better able to protect themselves but more than that, they also know they achieve more than what their conservative society expects of them.

Known as hikikomori, the phenomenon of social withdrawal has become increasingly commonplace in Japan. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese shut themselves away, spending months and years in isolation. But as time goes by, the hikikomori are forced to face the harsh realities of life. Luckily, people are helping to draw them out. RTD meets the hikikomori and a doctor getting the recluses back on their feet.

In 2014, Russia imposed an embargo on agricultural imports from the EU, in response to Western sanctions related to Ukraine. The measure wiped out EU agricultural exports to Russia. RTD meets the EU farmers for whom the loss of a valuable customer threatens their whole business model, and farmers’ union reps who question the EU’s response to the crisis.

As a child, Aisha Bakari Gombi used to join her father hunting in northeast Nigeria’s forests. Now animals no longer roam there, and Aisha chases a different prey – Islamist insurgents from Boko Haram who have plagued her country for almost a decade. She leads a vigilante group that helps government troops fight terrorists using their keen hunting skills and vast knowledge of remote areas used as Boko Haram hideouts.

Life was good for people in the Indonesian village of Semunying Jaya, comfortably living off the surrounding forests. That all changed when Duta Palma began to cut down the Dayak Iban people’s rainforest and replace it with oil palms. The corporation’s plantations have poisoned the environment, and now farming, fishing, and hunting are virtually impossible. But the villagers aren’t willing to give up without a fight.

Freed to Be Wild is a joint project between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Russia) and RTD for the organization’s 25th anniversary in Russia. It features three WWF field staffers who are saving Russia’s endangered Amur tigers, Saker falcons, leopards, polar bears and walruses. These rare animals are facing a threat due to rising temperatures, forest loss and poaching. RTD travels to the Chukotka coast and the birch tree forest of the Amur region, and the steppes of Southern Siberia, to share stories of the people who have dedicated themselves to wildlife conservation.

The drilling is done on the Polar Star rig, but gas testing continues. The drillers hold their breath as the well test burner nearly peters out, but the guttering flame finally bursts into a fiery fountain, showing that the drilling has been a success, and it’s time to go home.

Get up close and personal with some young women confined to wheelchairs, but who haven’t let their disability prevent them from doing what they love. Watch how they learn to waltz on wheels, as they prepare for the now annual ‘Miss Independence’ beauty contest.

A naval bombardment kills four children on a beach in Gaza, right next to Harry Fear's hotel. He interviews eye-witnesses in an attempt to find out how this tragedy could have happened. On the other side of the conflict, in Tel Aviv, Paula Slier watches on as Hamas shells explode overhead to the sound of sirens.

Chinese food may be the world’s most popular cuisine. To find out what the Chinese themselves eat, RTD goes with foreign food lovers on a by turns mouth-watering and stomach-churning culinary odyssey through the country’s gastronomic capitals. On the way, they taste exotic creatures, learn good table manners and sample the illustrious Peking duck.

The RTD documentary profiles passionate exponents of Russian culture working to popularise it internationally. The love for Russian art, ballet and music bring together people and countries, connecting them through inspiration and beauty despite political differences, just like when Diaghilev’s Les Saisons Russes was first held in France.

Guns have historically been a distinct feature of American life, but school shootings that have become more frequent recently have raised a question whether the US government should ban people from keeping guns at home.

Iraq’s Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery in Najaf is the world’s largest and oldest graveyard. Millions are buried there, mostly Shia Muslims. In recent years, the number of funerals has increased sharply, a consequence of the various wars that have blighted Iraq. Veteran and novice gravediggers talk about their lives among the dead.

Moscow's volunteer Rescue Reserve is made up of all kinds of people and even some furry four-legged responders. On weekends, they respond to domestic emergencies, some involving surprising animals getting trapped in extraordinary spots. RTD shadows a crew to find out why its members are happy to sacrifice their free time to help those who are stuck.

A leading researcher at Berlin's centre for educational research, Helmut Kentler was convinced that sexual contact between adults and children was harmless and proposed a “social experiment” to place homeless children in the care of known paedophiles. The practice continued for more than 30 years from the 1970s into the early 2000s. The actual number of victims has yet to be confirmed.

Some people call them freaks because these Russian men love eye-catching outfits. One pensioner from Khabarovsk manages to afford expensive brands for the ultimate look, while another prefers vintage clothes, and a water engineer makes beautiful dresses. RTD finds out how fashion changed these men's lives.

In Russia, every schoolchild knows the name of Aleksey Maresyev. The legendary WWII fighter pilot’s heroic story was retold in a 1948 book, “The story of a real man”. After his plane was shot down by Nazi fire, he survived in the Russian wilderness for 18 days with broken legs and found his way to safety. Despite losing both legs in hospital, he still convinced doctors and military commanders that he should continue to fly. His example helped many who might otherwise have given up, some handicapped pilots say it inspired them to survive and continue with their careers.

In late 1966, Ernesto Che Guevara came to Bolivia to incite a guerrilla war, but he was largely unsuccessful in winning peasants over to his revolutionary cause. After 11 months, he was captured and executed. This film features the memories of people who met or had contact with this enigmatic, yet iconic figure during his final days. Their stories give insight into the reasons for his demise and his legacy in Bolivia. 

Known as hikikomori, the phenomenon of social withdrawal has become increasingly commonplace in Japan. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese shut themselves away, spending months and years in isolation. But as time goes by, the hikikomori are forced to face the harsh realities of life. Luckily, people are helping to draw them out. RTD meets the hikikomori and a doctor getting the recluses back on their feet.

In 2014, Russia imposed an embargo on agricultural imports from the EU, in response to Western sanctions related to Ukraine. The measure wiped out EU agricultural exports to Russia. RTD meets the EU farmers for whom the loss of a valuable customer threatens their whole business model, and farmers’ union reps who question the EU’s response to the crisis.

They say there was a magic pill that could cure any illness and prolong life, but only the Soviet leaders had access to it. Was it a panacea or a placebo?

The drilling is done on the Polar Star rig, but gas testing continues. The drillers hold their breath as the well test burner nearly peters out, but the guttering flame finally bursts into a fiery fountain, showing that the drilling has been a success, and it’s time to go home.

Those born with artistic taste and a love of all beauty were doomed if they were born in the Soviet Union. Practicality and uniformity dictated all spheres of life, including fashion. Our heroes begged to differ, becoming the vivid flecks on the Iron Curtain’s drab surface.

A naval bombardment kills four children on a beach in Gaza, right next to Harry Fear's hotel. He interviews eye-witnesses in an attempt to find out how this tragedy could have happened. On the other side of the conflict, in Tel Aviv, Paula Slier watches on as Hamas shells explode overhead to the sound of sirens.

As a child, Aisha Bakari Gombi used to join her father hunting in northeast Nigeria’s forests. Now animals no longer roam there, and Aisha chases a different prey – Islamist insurgents from Boko Haram who have plagued her country for almost a decade. She leads a vigilante group that helps government troops fight terrorists using their keen hunting skills and vast knowledge of remote areas used as Boko Haram hideouts.

To them, boxing is more than just a sport: it gives freedom, empowerment and the confidence to stand up for themselves. They're the students of Karachi’s first boxing school for girls. Training here, they feel better able to protect themselves but more than that, they also know they achieve more than what their conservative society expects of them.

The ancient Greek island of Lesbos is where hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Africa and the Middle East first reach Europe. “Clowns without Borders” is an organisation that sends volunteers to entertain children in the refugee camps and offer a little comic relief.

In this episode, the dedicated professionals at the New Century veterinary clinic treat a horse that took a bad fall during training, help an abandoned dog with some serious health problems, and a take in a litter of puppies rescued from the side of the road. Even a beat-up racoon is given top-notch medical care. You’ll also learn a secret about horses that may shock you!

Moscow's volunteer Rescue Reserve is made up of all kinds of people and even some furry four-legged responders. On weekends, they respond to domestic emergencies, some involving surprising animals getting trapped in extraordinary spots. RTD shadows a crew to find out why its members are happy to sacrifice their free time to help those who are stuck.

A leading researcher at Berlin's centre for educational research, Helmut Kentler was convinced that sexual contact between adults and children was harmless and proposed a “social experiment” to place homeless children in the care of known paedophiles. The practice continued for more than 30 years from the 1970s into the early 2000s. The actual number of victims has yet to be confirmed.