Schedule

Paula Slier interviews a WWII veteran who became a hostage of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile in Mexico City, Bricio Segovia visits a historic neighbourhood known as "Mexican Venice".

From rainy New York streets to L.A.’s gang-ridden Compton, from bars to church choirs, African Americans pour out their soul through music. In episode three, RT meets a gangsta rapper, a jazz and rock saxophonist, Gospel pianist and blues guitarist who process their people’s feelings of anger, sorrow and hope through wordplay, rhythm and faith.

Many young girls dream of becoming ballerinas, but only very few are prepared to apply the all-out effort and make the sacrifices that this dream demands. The Vaganova Ballet Academy in St.Petersburg welcomes the most talented and determined young dancers, but it makes them no promises.

In peaceful Nepal a sinister black market is flourishing. Kavre province has become infamous for the shocking numbers of people who have sold a kidney. Poverty and lack of education about the potential impact on health mean villagers are easy prey for unscrupulous dealers. Tricked into undergoing risky surgery and paid a pittance, donors are often left with debilitating consequences.

More than 400 applicants are competing for just eight places in a cosmonaut recruitment campaign by Roscosmos. The Russian space agency is looking for future crews to take new-generation spaceships to the moon. Civilians Irina, Konstantin and Andrey are among the hopefuls going through a rigorous selection process, that includes thorough medical checks and intense interviews. For almost two years, RTD follows the contenders to see how hard they are willing to work and which ends up with their dream job.

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. 

A Brazilian prison has come up with an original way to prepare female prisoners re-entering society after incarceration – by holding an inmate beauty pageant. Many of the contestants are serving lengthy sentences after being tempted into a world of drug dealing and prostitution. Looking like models in front of their cheering parents and kids helps them rebuild their self-worth and gives them a determination not to repeat past mistakes.

Old circus friends Vladimir, Sergey, and Anatoly get together in a park with their families for a picnic they will always remember – in the middle of winter. The icy weather can’t chill the warm feelings of those gathered. The children whoop it up in the frosty playground, Sergey prepares plov on an open fire, and Vladimir sparks up a samovar.

They joined the army driven by a desire to serve their country and its people. However, the wars they were sent to made them re-evaluate everything they believed in. Now, US veterans are trying to come to terms with their past and learn how to live among civilians again.  It turns out, they’ve no one to rely on but each other.

Paula Slier interviews a WWII veteran who became a hostage of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile in Mexico City, Bricio Segovia visits a historic neighbourhood known as "Mexican Venice".

Greater Chongqing is China’s largest municipality and, according to some estimates, the world. Its total area equates to the whole of Austria and it has a population of around 32 million. Why then does the world know so little about this megacity? RTD explores the phenomenon of a rapidly growing metropolis. Discover Chongqing’s three main tourist attractions: its cuisine, magnificent nocturnal skyline, and impressive urban rail system.

Where can you take to the snowy slopes in a bikini? Welcome to Russia! RT Doc’s Peter Scott explores some of the craziest things to do in Russia: from festivals on snowy mountains to a smash room ready to be destroyed. Nothing gets in the way of his madcap fun, not even a broken leg!

The Favelas of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, are slums made up of self-built houses. Life here is largely controlled by criminal gangs. It’s the poorest members of society who live in the Favelas; they simply try to survive amid violent gunfights between drug lords and law enforcement.

South Sudan in Africa has been in a state of civil war since 2013. Hundreds of thousands of people have fallen victim to the ongoing hostilities. The desolation of war has brought famine to this normally fertile land. In this drastic situation, an international team at a Red Cross hospital in the town of Kodok fights to save the lives of those wounded, ill, or starving, as well as help reunite families separated by the conflict.

Many people living in rural Colombia depend on harvesting coca leaf for a living. “No one wants to do this, but circumstances force us,” they say. Things became even harder for coca farmers once the Colombian government signed a peace deal with FARC rebels. As part of the agreement, coca farmers have been told to eradicate their cash crop in exchange for financial aid and technical support in switching to legal crops. In reality, all the money never reaches the farmers’ pockets, while the army destroys the coca plantations.

From rainy New York streets to L.A.’s gang-ridden Compton, from bars to church choirs, African Americans pour out their soul through music. In episode three, RT meets a gangsta rapper, a jazz and rock saxophonist, Gospel pianist and blues guitarist who process their people’s feelings of anger, sorrow and hope through wordplay, rhythm and faith.

Many young girls dream of becoming ballerinas, but only very few are prepared to apply the all-out effort and make the sacrifices that this dream demands. The Vaganova Ballet Academy in St.Petersburg welcomes the most talented and determined young dancers, but it makes them no promises.

Russia is at the centre of a major doping scandal that’s entering a new chapter in the run-up to the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Fresh allegations of data tampering have appeared, and the prospect of another blanket Olympic ban looms over Russian athletes. The World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA, is investigating database “inconsistencies”. RTD correspondent Konstantin Rozhkov digs deep into the maelstrom of allegations and meets some of the leading players in the controversy. Russian anti-doping chief Yury Ganus, Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov, independent experts, and Russian Olympians affected by the scandal all provide a perspective that will help paint a fuller picture of the unfolding doping probe.

In peaceful Nepal a sinister black market is flourishing. Kavre province has become infamous for the shocking numbers of people who have sold a kidney. Poverty and lack of education about the potential impact on health mean villagers are easy prey for unscrupulous dealers. Tricked into undergoing risky surgery and paid a pittance, donors are often left with debilitating consequences.

Old circus friends Vladimir, Sergey, and Anatoly get together in a park with their families for a picnic they will always remember – in the middle of winter. The icy weather can’t chill the warm feelings of those gathered. The children whoop it up in the frosty playground, Sergey prepares plov on an open fire, and Vladimir sparks up a samovar.

More than 400 applicants are competing for just eight places in a cosmonaut recruitment campaign by Roscosmos. The Russian space agency is looking for future crews to take new-generation spaceships to the moon. Civilians Irina, Konstantin and Andrey are among the hopefuls going through a rigorous selection process, that includes thorough medical checks and intense interviews. For almost two years, RTD follows the contenders to see how hard they are willing to work and which ends up with their dream job.

Paula Slier interviews a WWII veteran who became a hostage of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile in Mexico City, Bricio Segovia visits a historic neighbourhood known as "Mexican Venice".

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. 

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.

The city of Flint in Michigan, US, has a water crisis. It’s been going on since 2014 when residents were switched to a cheaper supply but it took a year before the authorities admitted there was a problem. As a result, thousands were exposed to lead poisoning, carcinogenic chemicals and legionella bacteria.

A Brazilian prison has come up with an original way to prepare female prisoners re-entering society after incarceration – by holding an inmate beauty pageant. Many of the contestants are serving lengthy sentences after being tempted into a world of drug dealing and prostitution. Looking like models in front of their cheering parents and kids helps them rebuild their self-worth and gives them a determination not to repeat past mistakes.

Like most students in rural Nepal, Durge Kami is a diligent pupil who tries to listen to his teachers.  He differs from his school mates in just one respect, he is 69! At such a ripe old age, he was determined to realise his life’s ambition to complete his education. Not everyone supported him at first but by doing what he loves he’s become an inspiration for kids and adults alike.

Greater Chongqing is China’s largest municipality and, according to some estimates, the world. Its total area equates to the whole of Austria and it has a population of around 32 million. Why then does the world know so little about this megacity? RTD explores the phenomenon of a rapidly growing metropolis. Discover Chongqing’s three main tourist attractions: its cuisine, magnificent nocturnal skyline, and impressive urban rail system.

Russia is at the centre of a major doping scandal that’s entering a new chapter in the run-up to the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Fresh allegations of data tampering have appeared, and the prospect of another blanket Olympic ban looms over Russian athletes. The World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA, is investigating database “inconsistencies”. RTD correspondent Konstantin Rozhkov digs deep into the maelstrom of allegations and meets some of the leading players in the controversy. Russian anti-doping chief Yury Ganus, Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov, independent experts, and Russian Olympians affected by the scandal all provide a perspective that will help paint a fuller picture of the unfolding doping probe.

Where can you take to the snowy slopes in a bikini? Welcome to Russia! RT Doc’s Peter Scott explores some of the craziest things to do in Russia: from festivals on snowy mountains to a smash room ready to be destroyed. Nothing gets in the way of his madcap fun, not even a broken leg!

The Favelas of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, are slums made up of self-built houses. Life here is largely controlled by criminal gangs. It’s the poorest members of society who live in the Favelas; they simply try to survive amid violent gunfights between drug lords and law enforcement.

Old circus friends Vladimir, Sergey, and Anatoly get together in a park with their families for a picnic they will always remember – in the middle of winter. The icy weather can’t chill the warm feelings of those gathered. The children whoop it up in the frosty playground, Sergey prepares plov on an open fire, and Vladimir sparks up a samovar.

Thousands of indigenous Brazilians live in remote villages scattered along the Amazon River with no access to modern medical care. Government support is scarce. But now, one of the country’s top neurosurgeons, Erik Jennings, has taken it upon himself to fill this gap. His family has lived on the Amazon for generations, and he pays ‘house calls’ to these isolated tribes out of a sense of affinity with the native peoples that live in the rainforests along the river.

Paula Slier interviews a WWII veteran who became a hostage of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile in Mexico City, Bricio Segovia visits a historic neighbourhood known as "Mexican Venice".

South Sudan in Africa has been in a state of civil war since 2013. Hundreds of thousands of people have fallen victim to the ongoing hostilities. The desolation of war has brought famine to this normally fertile land. In this drastic situation, an international team at a Red Cross hospital in the town of Kodok fights to save the lives of those wounded, ill, or starving, as well as help reunite families separated by the conflict.

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.

Many people living in rural Colombia depend on harvesting coca leaf for a living. “No one wants to do this, but circumstances force us,” they say. Things became even harder for coca farmers once the Colombian government signed a peace deal with FARC rebels. As part of the agreement, coca farmers have been told to eradicate their cash crop in exchange for financial aid and technical support in switching to legal crops. In reality, all the money never reaches the farmers’ pockets, while the army destroys the coca plantations.

In Syria, there are more than a hundred militant groups fighting against the State Army. Unusually, President Bashar al-Assad has offered an amnesty to militants who surrender. Any who haven’t completed mandatory military service are returned to the Army. RT Doc gained access to a unit comprised of amnestied soldiers.