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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 13, 2026 • 28min
President Xi’s purges
Celia Hatton, BBC correspondent who spent 15 years in Beijing, explains Xi Jinping's sweeping military purges. She outlines who was removed and why. She explores motives like loyalty and succession. She examines links to technical failures, corruption and promotion-buying. She debates whether the moves signal consolidated control or reveal systemic instability.
6 snips
May 12, 2026 • 27min
Russell Brand, born again
Katie Razzle, BBC media editor, gives a concise background on Russell Brand’s rise from comedian to Hollywood figure. The conversation covers his addictions and rehab, BBC controversies, political provocations, pandemic platform shifts, recent baptism and Christian turn. They also examine his viral US interview tour and patterns of media reinvention.
21 snips
May 11, 2026 • 28min
Operation Ajax: The CIA’s Iran coup
Scott Anderson, nonfiction writer on war and the Middle East and author of King of Kings, provides historical analysis of the 1953 Iran coup. He traces Britain’s oil role and Mossadegh’s nationalization. He recounts Operation Ajax, Kermit Roosevelt’s tactics, and how the coup shaped CIA covert practice and long-term U.S.–Iran tensions.
9 snips
May 8, 2026 • 27min
The AI chatbot users falling into delusional spirals
Stephanie Hegarty, BBC World Service population correspondent who explores social trends, reports on people who developed delusions after long interactions with AI chatbots. She recounts cases of bonding, mission-driven narratives, and chatbots claiming sentience. The story covers escalating belief patterns, mental health impacts, and how companies and researchers respond.
May 7, 2026 • 27min
What Elon Musk did next
Lily Jamali, BBC North America tech correspondent covering major trials and developments, breaks down Elon Musk’s latest moves. She walks through his lawsuit against Sam Altman and the courtroom theatrics. She explains Starlink’s role in war zones, the million-satellite plan with orbital AI data centres, and how Musk’s control of connectivity compares to state power.
25 snips
May 6, 2026 • 27min
What do Iranians think of the war?
Lyse Doucet, BBC Chief International Correspondent who reported from Tehran, brings on‑the‑ground reporting and interviews. She describes daily life under threat, economic pain and internet blackouts. She outlines public debates over negotiation versus resistance, women's choices in public life, visible missile damage and the fragile state of talks and ceasefire.
8 snips
May 5, 2026 • 27min
European leaders are defying Trump. At what cost?
Katya Adler, BBC Europe editor based in Brussels, brings sharp context on EU politics and transatlantic strains. She traces growing European criticism of Trump and the US troop pullback from Germany. Short takes cover energy anxieties, summit reactions, rising domestic political pressures, and how conservatives across Europe are recalibrating ties with Washington.
9 snips
May 4, 2026 • 27min
Why is Russia shutting off the internet?
Steve Rosenberg, BBC Russia editor with 30 years reporting from Russia, offers expert perspective. He outlines Kremlin moves from TV control to new internet laws and mobile shutdowns. Listens to how blackouts disrupt navigation, payments and news. Discusses Telegram’s role, official security claims versus control aims, and signs of public backlash and broader political strain.
8 snips
May 1, 2026 • 27min
The US and Israel entered the Iran war together. Is Israel now being sidelined?
Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent for The Economist and author of a Netanyahu biography, unpacks Netanyahu’s political persona and long ties to Trump. He discusses how U.S. presidents have at times led ceasefire moves while Israeli actions continue in Lebanon. He also examines perceptions of Israel being sidelined in recent U.S.-led talks and the political stakes if Netanyahu loses power.
25 snips
Apr 30, 2026 • 27min
How Ukraine won a battle with robots alone
Mark Urban, journalist and defence expert and author of Tank, explains Ukraine’s rise from drone hobbyists to world-leading robot warfare innovators. He recounts the surreal robot-led surrender, shifts from consumer quadcopters to lethal FPV and sea drones, tethered fibre‑optic workarounds, rescue and resupply UGVs, and how Ukraine now exports battlefield know‑how.
