Episodes
Published 05/10/24
Ever since a French police operation in 2020 which compromised the highly encrypted telecommunications network, EncroChat, organised crime bosses across Europe have been looking over their shoulders. Law enforcement agencies were granted access to a treasure trove of evidence – hundreds of millions of messages – and it has led to arrests and convictions on an unprecedented scale. Now, the BBC has gained access to 10,000 messages which contributed to the downfall of one of the UK’s most feared...
Published 05/10/24
The President downplays demos as summer nears. What's next for the US student movement? The noisy protests over the war in Gaza are at a crossroads: the academic year is winding down and students are graduating or heading home, just as the Israeli military has begun fighting Hamas in Rafah. Sumi Somaskanda talks to BBC’s North America Correspondent Nomia Iqbal and BBC US Correspondent Helena Humphrey about what they’ve seen on campuses across the US whether President Biden’s call for order...
Published 05/09/24
It has been five years since Notre-Dame de Paris was devastated by fire. Now, thanks to a massive restoration effort, French President Emmanuel Macron says the cathedral will partially reopen in December. Katya Adler speaks to the BBC’s Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield and journalist Madeleine Schwartz of The Dial Magazine about the special place Notre-Dame holds in the hearts and minds of the French people, and why people from all over the globe pitched in to help save it. The Global Story...
Published 05/08/24
Argentina’s chainsaw-wielding President Javier Milei is implementing his radical economic agenda in a bid to stop spiralling inflation. But are Argentinians happy with how Mr Milei is reshaping their nation? Katya Adler speaks with the BBC's South America correspondent Ione Wells about her interview with the right-wing politician, his love for Margaret Thatcher and the Rolling Stones, and what it is like to interview world leaders. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC...
Published 05/07/24
The 12 months that followed the Coronation of Charles III have been marked by illness and family troubles. How has the king navigated these challenges? What is the role of a monarch in the 21st Century? And what does the future hold for the British monarchy? Adam Fleming speaks to BBC royal correspondent Sarah Campbell and journalist and royal biographer Robert Hardman. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We’re keen to hear from you, wherever you are...
Published 05/06/24
As part of an investigation into the conduct of Israel's security forces in the West Bank, which has been under military occupation for more than half a century, the BBC has pieced together what happened on the day two boys were killed. With violence having surged in the enclave in the months since the Hamas led attack on Israel on 7 October, the BBC team also found evidence of civilians threatened with weapons and increasing tensions. On today’s episode, Katya is joined by director Josh...
Published 05/03/24
When President Putin ordered Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kyiv’s western allies assembled unprecedented sanctions packages to target the Kremlin’s access to international funds. That included freezing an estimated $300bn of central bank assets, the majority of which are held in Europe. As domestic enthusiasm for Ukrainian aid has dimmed in some western nations, the question about how to use these frozen funds has risen rapidly up the international agenda. On...
Published 05/02/24
A record number of Americans are taking their own lives, and suicide is now the second-leading cause of death in the US for people under the age of 35. Why is this happening? How can you get help if you need it? And how is the US responding to what President Biden calls a ‘crisis’ in youth mental health? Mark Lowen speaks to BBC North America correspondent Will Vernon. He’s been to North Carolina State University, which has seen a string of student suicides over the past two years. They are...
Published 05/01/24
The war in Ukraine has increased tensions in Europe as governments across the continent look to secure a peaceful existence. Expanding military service, increasing defence spending and joining Nato are only a few options available. But the importance of self-defence becomes clearer each day as Donald Trump, who is famously not fond of Nato, may move back into The White House. So what are countries going to do? Katya Adler speaks to BBC Europe correspondent Nick Beake and BBC Russian Service...
Published 04/30/24
The president has fired “a bazooka” of money into the economy. Will voters reward him? Joe Biden says the economy is doing great thanks to a series of policies he calls Bidenomics. The idea is to jump-start the US following the COVID collapse with massive investments in the industries of the future: EVs, microchips, solar power and so on. Almost six months out from the election, the IMF says the US is growing at twice the rate of other G7 countries. But how do American voters feel about the...
Published 04/29/24
This summer Paris will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time in a century. Excitement in the city is growing, but so is the list of problems facing organisers. Critics have warned that the river Seine is too polluted for the planned swimming competitions, and security concerns are at an all time high following threats from the Islamic State group (IS) to European sporting events. Katya Adler speaks to BBC sports editor Dan Roan and Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield about...
Published 04/26/24
Homelessness in the United States is at its highest level on record. It’s a topic which is presenting challenges for liberal and conservative politicians alike, and this week the nation’s Supreme Court convened to hear its most significant case on homelessness in decades. Why? It could allow cities across the country to effectively make being homeless illegal. On today’s episode, Adam Fleming speaks to the BBC’s Samantha Granville who is reporting from LA – where almost a third of the US...
Published 04/25/24
A decade ago, the world's eyes were focused nervously on West Africa when Ebola ravaged the region. It left 11,000 people dead in its wake. Now the epidemic is over, does the threat of its return loom and what lessons did the world learn? Arrival of vaccines are a game changer – but new strains can still pose a challenge. The BBC’s Africa Correspondent Anne Soy tells Mark Lowen what horrors she saw on the ground when the region was struck. And Naomi Grimley, from the Tony Blair Institute for...
Published 04/24/24
Ever since he rose to the top of the Catholic Church in 2013, Pope Francis has had a reputation in international media as a moderniser. His forthright defence of the environment, and unprecedented outreach to members of the LGBT community, are examples of progressive positions which have caused friction with more conservative members of the faith. But a recent document released by the Vatican, headlined by its staunch opposition to gender reassignment and surrogacy, is now challenging that...
Published 04/23/24
After weeks of tit for tat strikes between Iran and Israel, the dust appears to be settling on a confrontation that the whole world has nervously observed. But both sides have crossed what was previously seen as a red line. The BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, sits down with BBC Persian Journalist Parham Ghobadi to discuss whether the Middle East can breathe a sigh of relief. And the BBC’s Diplomatic Correspondent James Landale joins from Jerusalem to consider what might...
Published 04/22/24
Gaza is on the brink of famine. The UN says more than half the population – over a million people – could face catastrophic hunger. But the process of delivering aid is slow and dangerous. The BBC’s Diplomatic Correspondent James Landale tells Mark Lowen about taking part in an air drop of food and other supplies to Gazans. And the Palestinian journalist Ghada Ouda shares what it’s like to live on humanitarian aid in the city of Rafah. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC...
Published 04/19/24
The elderly Swiss women behind a landmark ruling. For nearly a decade, they argued that Switzerland’s weak climate policies violated their human rights. Their victory – the first of its kind in the European Court of Human Rights – sets a precedent 46 countries must now follow. Our climate reporter, Georgina Rannard, has been covering the case for years. She shares the women’s personal stories, while climate lawyer Sophie Marjanac explains what it could mean for those seeking climate justice...
Published 04/18/24
Following the knife attack in a shopping mall in Sydney, speculations and false allegations were spread online at an alarming rate. It even led to an innocent man being labelled as the attacker. Mark Lowen speaks to the BBC’s Sydney correspondent Katy Watson on the shock and sorrow in the country. And BBC Disinformation & Social Media Correspondent Marianna Spring tells him about her experience confronting one of the people at the heart of the social media frenzy. The Global Story brings...
Published 04/17/24
India will host the world's biggest election this year when nearly one billion people will vote. Organisers have vowed to set up polling stations within 2km of every citizen, but India's vast size means this will be a challenge. The country's 15 million election officials must travel to coastal towns, mountain villages, remote islands and dense jungles to reach every voter. Katya speaks with BBC journalist and presenter Devina Gupta and India correspondent Soutik Biswas to break down the big...
Published 04/16/24
Israel says 99% of the missiles and drones fired by Iran on Saturday night were intercepted without hitting their targets. Iran said the assault was in response to a deadly attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria two weeks ago. Now all eyes are on how Israel will respond to Iran's unprecedented move. James Reynolds talks to the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, who says the attack marks “a whole new chapter” in the relations between Iran and Israel. James is also...
Published 04/15/24
This weekend marks a decade since 276 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram militants in Chibok, northern Nigeria. The world united in rage, with millions sharing the #bringbackourgirls campaign. Despite that, ten years later, many of the girls still haven't returned home. And Nigeria is reckoning with another wave of mass kidnappings. Two BBC journalists - Yemisi Adegoke and Azeezat Olaoluwa - have recently visited Chibok, a town guarded on all sides by the military. They bring us the...
Published 04/12/24
There’s no playbook for when a ship the size of the Eiffel Tower knocks over a bridge spanning more than two kilometres. The BBC’s Bernd Debusmann Jr has been on the water with the divers picking through the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. BBC News chief presenter Sumi Somaskanda has been talking to Maryland’s key political players. The two tell Adam Fleming about the jeopardy – for Baltimore and President Biden’s leadership. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC...
Published 04/11/24
The US government is suing some of the biggest tech companies on the planet – Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta – in antitrust cases. The face of Washington’s crackdown is Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, the youngest person ever to hold the post. So, who is the woman taking on Silicon Valley? And can she succeed? To answer these questions, host Adam Fleming speaks the BBC's North America business correspondent Michelle Fleury and former North America tech reporter James Clayton. ...
Published 04/10/24
It’s two years since occupying Russian troops departed the Ukrainian town of Bucha. The trail of death and destruction they left behind has been widely condemned, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky among those who have alleged Russia committed war crimes there. On today’s episode Katya speaks with BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent Sarah Rainsford, who recently returned to Bucha to hear from survivors. They’re also joined by the BBC’s International Editor Jeremy Bowen, who was among...
Published 04/09/24