The Explanation

BBC World Service
The Explanation

Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world. Episodes from The Explanation, Unspun World, The Global Jigsaw and The Media Show.

  1. 20/11/2021

    Understanding democracy in Hong Kong

    Why are there democracy protests in Hong Kong? Anu Anand talks to Stephen McDonell. The Explanation is a snackable audio guide giving you the backstory behind the headlines. In each episode, presenter Anu Anand meets a BBC News correspondent who has lived and breathed these stories. She’ll hear clear analysis along with powerful archive. The Explanation will go back in time to unpack complex chains of events and will make the stories in question much easier to understand.

    18 min

  2. 27/11/2021

    Israeli-Palestinian relations

    How did the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians reach its current point? Jeremy Bowen talked to Anu Anand in 2021 about the backstory behind the headlines.

    18 min

  3. 04/12/2021

    Understanding Iran: Reconciling religion and democracy

    Anu Anand talks to Rana Rahimpour about how decades of turbulence have shaped Iran, and why religion, democracy and ideals all combine to explain Iran today.

    19 min

  4. 11/12/2021

    Afghanistan: Women, girls and their rights

    Anu Anand talks to Yogita Limaye about the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. They reveal how a turbulent history dictates the ever-shifting attitudes towards women and girls in the country. Presented by Anu Anand

    19 min

  5. 18/12/2021

    Understanding how Russia has changed under Putin

    Anu Anand talks to Sarah Rainsford about how everyday life in Russia has changed under Vladimir Putin.

    19 min

  6. 25/12/2021

    Understanding the Islamic State group

    Anu Anand talks to Quentin Sommerville about the rise, fall and potential re-emergence of the Islamic State group.

    19 min

  7. 12/03/2022

    Understanding North Korea and the Kim dynasty

    Claire Graham talks to the BBC’s Correspondent in Seoul, Laura Bicker, to get a better understanding of North Korea, one of the world’s most secretive countries.

    18 min

  8. 19/03/2022

    Understanding the rise of Boko Haram

    Claire Graham talks to the BBC’s West Africa correspondent, Mayeni Jones, to get a better understanding of how Boko Haram, the militant Islamic group, took hold in northern Nigeria.

    18 min
See All (155)

About

Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world. Episodes from The Explanation, Unspun World, The Global Jigsaw and The Media Show.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC World Service
  • Episodes
    155
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2025
  • Show Website
    The Explanation
  • Provider

    BBC Studios Distribution Limited has identified itself as a trader for this podcast and confirmed that this product or service complies with European Union law. Address 1 Television Centre 101 Wood Lane London London W12 7FA United Kingdom Phone Number +44 7590176301 Email bbcstudiosaudiodistribution@bbc.com

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada