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 here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/castfest-2026
Episodes
Mentioned books
9 snips
Feb 9, 2026 • 32min
Live in Washington DC
Emma Ashford, a Stimson Center senior fellow and author on multipolar U.S. policy, and Tom Bateman, the BBC’s State Department correspondent with Middle East experience, unpack 2026’s seismic foreign-policy shifts. They touch on U.S.-Europe relations, U.S.-China dynamics, China’s moves in Latin America and Iran, Gaza reconstruction politics, and diplomatic maneuvering around Greenland and Canada.
8 snips
Feb 6, 2026 • 27min
Could the Epstein scandal topple the British Prime Minister?
George Parker, Financial Times political editor and BBC presenter with decades covering UK politics, discusses the fallout from newly released Epstein files. He outlines the emails linking Peter Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein and the ensuing police probe. He explores Mandelson’s influence, vetting questions around his Washington role, and why the revelations could shake senior figures in Westminster.
7 snips
Feb 5, 2026 • 25min
Will Bad Bunny take on MAGA at the Super Bowl?
Carina del Valle Schorske, freelance culture writer and translator who profiled Bad Bunny for The New York Times Magazine. She traces his rise from SoundCloud to Super Bowl stardom. She explores how Puerto Rico’s politics, Hurricane Maria, and 2019 protests shape his music. She considers how he might use the Super Bowl stage to signal about migration, language, and Puerto Rican sovereignty.
Feb 4, 2026 • 26min
What could happen if the US strikes Iran?
Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent and Middle East analyst, explains possible outcomes if talks with Iran fail. He outlines military build-ups, contrasts limited strikes with broader campaigns, and explores risks of regime collapse, asymmetric Iranian retaliation, and regional spillover. Multiple scenarios are sketched without predicting a single outcome.
9 snips
Feb 3, 2026 • 27min
How China beat the US on green energy
Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor who covers energy and China’s clean-tech rise. He traces how China built dominance in solar, wind, batteries and EVs. He contrasts US policy swings with China’s steady industrial planning. He outlines geopolitics of green-tech rivalry and the stakes for global energy supply chains.
Feb 2, 2026 • 27min
Is ISIS having a resurgence in Syria?
Josh Baker, investigative journalist and filmmaker who has reported inside ISIS territory, offers on-the-ground analysis. He discusses why ISIS never fully vanished. He describes life in prisons and camps, security and radicalization there. He explains shifting custody of detainees, recent transfers to Iraq, and how instability could enable renewed activity.
13 snips
Jan 30, 2026 • 27min
How Palantir became indispensable
Michael Steinberger, journalist and author of The Philosopher in the Valley, breaks down Palantir and Alex Karp’s rise from philosophy student to tech CEO. He explains the company’s secretive CIA roots and its expansion into government, healthcare, AI and wartime support. The conversation covers controversies around surveillance, political ties, protests and Palantir’s rapid pivot into AI.
Jan 29, 2026 • 26min
How the Minnesota shooting set off a TikTok censorship debate
Marianna Spring, BBC senior correspondent who investigates social media and moderation, breaks down TikTok’s US shakeup and the political optics around its new owners. She traces user reports of glitches, the platform’s outage explanation, and how a Minnesota shooting intensified censorship fears. The conversation spotlights how tech, politics, and trust collide online.
9 snips
Jan 28, 2026 • 27min
What next for Venezuelans?
Norberto Paredes, BBC Mundo correspondent reporting from Caracas and Maracaibo, gives on-the-ground views of life after Maduro’s capture. He discusses daily life and cost-of-living struggles, prison visits and hopes for releases, divided opposition politics, and mixed local reactions to possible US involvement in Venezuela’s oil sector.
Jan 27, 2026 • 27min
The mystery of Putin and the apartment bombs
Helena Merriman, journalist and host of a BBC history-investigation series, revisits the 1999 Russian apartment bombings. She recounts the timeline of the attacks, the Ryzan drill scandal, and how the blasts propelled Putin into power. The conversation explores early reporting, investigations stifled by secrecy, and what the events reveal about narrative control in Russia.
