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PODCAST

The Global Story

BBC World Service

Where the world and America meet, with episodes each weekday. The world is changing. Decisions made in the US and by the second Trump administration are accelerating that change. But they are also a symptom of it. With Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC’s international newsroom, The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption.Come and join us our live event. You can register for Castfest tickets

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All Episodes

27:11

Is China ‘winning’ the Iran war?

The Global Story ·

2026/04/28

As the US-Israel war with Iran reaches a diplomatic stalemate - one idea seems to be taking hold: that China is the real winner. Some have argued that the US’s biggest rival is quietly boosting its international standing, leverage and reputation as a reliable partner. Yet beneath the surface the economic situation in China looks far less triumphant. We speak to the BBC China Correspondent Laura Bicker who has been reporting from inside China’s factories and trading hubs to explore whether the

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26:45

Live in London: Is the 'special relationship’ between...

The Global Story ·

2026/04/27

King Charles is visiting America at a tense moment for the ’special relationship' between the United States and the United Kingdom. Can he help turn things around?In a special live recording at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios in London, Asma and Tristan speak to the former British ambassador to the United States, Lord Kim Darroch.Recorded on Saturday 25 April as part of Castfest, a one-day celebration of BBC podcasts.Producers: Sam Chantarasak and James ShieldMix: Travis Evans Senior news editor:

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27:06

The Iran peace talks that didn’t happen

The Global Story ·

2026/04/23

Why were scheduled talks between the US and Iran suddenly cancelled? On Tuesday, as US vice president JD Vance was due to be flying to Pakistan for mediated talks on ending the war in Iran, Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he was extending the ceasefire agreement, but that the US will continue to block Iranian ports. Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane through which 20% of the world’s oil, as well as critical supplies of gas, aluminium and fertiliser is transported,

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26:50

The global network hunting predators on the internet

The Global Story ·

2026/04/22

*** This episode includes discussions of child sexual abuse and upsetting scenes *** The BBC has been following a global team of undercover officers as they investigate the most hidden corners of the internet to stop those who exploit and harm children. A dedicated network of specialist investigators has successfully tracked and caught serial paedophiles who operate across the dark web with the same sophistication and secrecy as international organised crime syndicates. We speak to Special

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27:18

How Pakistan became the peacemaker

The Global Story ·

2026/04/21

For decades, Pakistan sat on the margins of global diplomacy. But now it’s due to be the unlikely venue for another round of peace talks between the US and Iran.We speak to the BBC’s Pakistan correspondent, Carrie Davies, to ask how the country became a trusted intermediary between the parties in this conflict, and whether it can use this moment to increase its influence on the world stage.Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Viv Jones, Aron Keller and Xandra EllinStudio managers: Mike Regaard and Ricardo

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26:55

While the world’s eyes were on Iran, what happened in...

The Global Story ·

2026/04/20

When the ceasefire deal was announced more than six months ago, there was celebration and relief in Gaza and Israel. But since the US-led Board of Peace announced plans to rebuild Gaza, the Trump administration’s attention has been occupied by other matters.The success of the ceasefire deal hinges on Hamas disarmament and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops. So what progress has been made?We speak to Yolande Knell, the BBC's Middle East correspondent, about life inside Gaza since the Iran War

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27:10

The Chinese cyber-attack that could have stolen data...

The Global Story ·

2026/04/17

In 2024, reports emerged of a highly sophisticated cyber espionage campaign against US telecoms companies, which some analysts believe went all the way up to the Chinese government.The group behind this campaign would later be codenamed Salt Typhoon, and it is believed to have quietly infiltrated critical US telecoms infrastructure in order to collect private information on influential Americans – including presidential candidates. In the process, it may have also swept up data from millions of

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26:51

The AI model that’s ‘too powerful’ to be released to...

The Global Story ·

2026/04/16

Anthropic - one of Silicon Valley’s leading AI firms - recently announced that they have built a model which is too dangerous to be released to the public.Instead, they are only giving access to the model to a handful of big companies, to help them find security vulnerabilities.The company says the model has already found weak spots in “every major operating system and web browser”. Is this a genuine example of a company acting responsibly, or more of a carefully calibrated publicity move? We speak

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27:27

Trump v Pope

The Global Story ·

2026/04/15

Pope Leo XIV has said he has “no fear of the Trump administration”, after his criticism of the Iran war drew scorn from President Donald Trump. On Sunday, the US President called the Pope “weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy”, and posted a now-deleted AI image of himself depicted as a Christ-like figure.The posts caused outrage among Catholics and the religious right, but he has said he will not apologise to the Pope. We speak to BBC presenter and author Edward Stourton, who has reported on

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27:33

Is the Strait of Hormuz Iran’s trump card?

The Global Story ·

2026/04/14

The United States began implementing a blockade of all ships entering and exiting Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. President Trump took to social media and warned that any Iranian ships trying to approach the blockade would be “immediately ELIMINATED.” The blockade and escalating threats come after weeks of Iran being in control of one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. And over the weekend, delegates from the US and Iran failed to reach a resolution after 21 hours of peace

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27:13

What was the point of Artemis II?

The Global Story ·

2026/04/13

The Artemis II crew are back on solid ground having travelled further from earth than any human has before. The mission was an undoubted success. But aside from getting some stunning photos of the moon’s surface and the tiny blue dot we call home, what did we actually learn? And was it just a big PR exercise? BBC science correspondent Georgina Rannard joins us to discuss the point of the mission and what is next for Nasa.Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Valerio Esposito Sound engineer: Travis

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57:11

Recommending: The Sarkozy Affair

The Global Story ·

2026/04/12

In this episode of the BBC Radio 4 series, Archive on 4, our very own Tristan Redman tells the story of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s rise and fall.The former French President was jailed last year for conspiring to fund his 2007 election campaign with money from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. He’s currently appealing his sentence. And he has some powerful supporters.Using archive recordings and contemporary interviews with those who know Sarkozy well, Tristan Redman tells the

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26:55

The gathering economic storm

The Global Story ·

2026/04/10

One condition of the US and Israel’s two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran is that ships must be able to safely use the Strait of Hormuz, the route through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil and liquified natural gas supplies travel. In theory, the deal should cut the prices of fuel worldwide, as well as allowing essential supplies of fertiliser, helium and other goods to reach businesses. But the fragility of the ceasefire is leaving markets uncertain, and prices remain volatile. Will the

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27:03

Will his UK ban kill Kanye West's ‘comeback’?

The Global Story ·

2026/04/09

Kanye West’s history of antisemitic behaviour caught up with him this week. The UK banned him from visiting; preventing his recently-announced performance at the Wireless festival later this summer. His appearances in the UK are part of his ‘comeback’ tour for his new album, with performances scheduled in multiple countries this year.Kanye has apologised for his actions, which include releasing a song glorifying Hitler and selling t-shirts with swastikas, and blamed his bipolar diagnosis. With

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28:07

Back from the brink: The Iran ceasefire

The Global Story ·

2026/04/08

Iran and the US have agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire. Donald Trump says the US has “met and exceeded all military objectives”, while Iran says the ceasefire is a “humiliating retreat” for Washington. So what has actually been agreed, and is this ceasefire likely to pave the way for an ending to the war? We speak to Jane Corbin from the BBC’s Panorama, who has reported from the world's major conflict zones for three decades.Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Sam Chantarasak and Aron

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26:54

The medications that can trigger sex and gambling...

The Global Story ·

2026/04/07

A BBC investigation has heard from hundreds of people who say they developed sex and gambling addictions after taking a category of prescription drugs called dopamine agonists. Millions of people in the US and around the world have been prescribed these medications, which are used to treat various illnesses, from Parkinson’s to depression. But they have well-established side effects: around 1 in 6 people who take them develop impulse control disorders.Noel Titheradge, investigations correspondent,

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26:57

Why Hungary’s chaotic election matters to Trump

The Global Story ·

2026/04/06

After 16 years as prime minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán – often credited with shaping the populist playbook – could be voted out in next week’s parliamentary elections. It could be one of the most consequential contests of 2026.Among claims of Russian interference, staged assassination attempts and threats to release a sex tape, the campaign has taken a series of dramatic and unexpected turns.Ahead of an expected visit by US Vice President JD Vance, we ask the BBC’s Europe editor, Katya Adler, how

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26:57

Why the Royal visit to the US is dividing Brits

The Global Story ·

2026/04/03

King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit Washington DC this month at a time when the transatlantic relationship is at its lowest point in decades.The King is facing a difficult time at home in the UK too, with significant public opposition to the visit and anger over his brother Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.Can the King and Queen sprinkle some royal magic on President Trump and improve the royal image at the same time? Asma and Tristan are

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28:41

I wargamed Iran for the Pentagon - here is how it...

The Global Story ·

2026/04/02

Roughly 10,000 additional US troops have now arrived in the Middle East, giving President Trump options ranging from an invasion of Kharg Island to an elaborate special forces operations to seize Iran’s ‘nuclear dust’.For years, the Pentagon has run war games to try and plan for what might happen if the US went to war with Iran. Our guest, Ilan Goldenberg, was in the room during the Obama years, taking part.Ilan Goldenberg is Senior Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at J Street. Previously,

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26:50

JD Vance’s Iran test

The Global Story ·

2026/04/01

When Donald Trump was re-elected on a ‘no more wars’ promise, his vice-president was his staunchest ally, criticising previous US foreign interventions, most notably in Iraq, as well as the US’ recent financial support for Ukraine.And yet, the vice-president, who has substantial MAGA support and is expected to run for the 2028 presidency, now finds himself among Trump’s team negotiating an end to the US-Israel war on Iran, a war he was reportedly skeptical of launching. What tactics will Vance

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