The Global Story

4.0 (400)
Daily News
Updated Daily

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.

20h ago

Smart glasses or ‘pervert glasses’?

At a recent Meta product launch, Mark Zuckerberg promised that the company’s smart glasses would give wearers “new superpowers”, but what are they? Amid criticisms of its privacy and child protection policies, Meta is betting big on smart glasses as a way to restyle the company’s image, but they too have caused controversy – dubbed by critics ‘pervert glasses’ because they have been used to film women without their knowledge. So why are Meta and other big tech firms investing billions in this tech? Who is it for? Lily Jamali, the BBC’s North America technology correspondent, joins us to explain. Producer: Hannah Moore Executive producers: James Shield and Martine Powers Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wears the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses during the Meta Connect event at the company's headquarters in California. Credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria/File Photo.
1d ago

America’s global hunt for execution drugs

Why do executions in the United States keep going wrong? Last week, Tennessee attempted to carry out the execution of Christa Pike, a convicted murderer who had spent three decades on death row. But the execution did not go as planned: After she was injected with two lethal doses of pentobarbital, Pike remained alive. She was then taken to hospital by ambulance. This isn’t the first time an American execution hasn’t gone as planned. One reason is that the drugs needed for lethal injection have become increasingly difficult for US prison officials to obtain. Pharmaceutical companies don’t want their medicines used in executions — particularly manufacturers in Europe, where governments have opposed the death penalty for decades. So, without access to regulated drugs, American prisons have had to improvise — sometimes with horrifying results. The Global Story’s Tristan Redman speaks with investigative reporter Livvy Haydock about the consequences when the pharmaceutical supply chain refuses to feed the machinery of American executions. Listen to Livvy’s podcast, Killing Death Row: bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001rjdp Producers: Mhairi MacKenzie and Cat Farnsworth Executive producer: Martine Powers Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: Christa Pike entering a Knox County Criminal Court in Knoxville, Tennessee in December 2007. Credit: J. Miles Cary/Reuters
4d ago

How white South Africans became the face of Trump’s refugee policy

In the last year, the US has admitted just 13,000 refugees — a fraction of the number it has accepted in previous years. And almost all of those new arrivals have been white South Africans. The Trump administration says Afrikaners are fleeing persecution in South Africa. But there is little evidence of attacks specifically targeting the country’s white Afrikaner minority. South Africa’s new ambassador to the US has told the BBC that the idea of a mass attack against white Afrikaners simply does not exist. So why have Afrikaners been given preferential access to the US refugee programme? And what has life in America been like for those who have made the journey? Today on The Global Story, the BBC’s North America correspondent Ione Wells and Africa producer Ed Habershon share their conversations with the Afrikaners who are using new refugee policies to immigrate to the US — and the South African officials who say the Trump administration is overlooking the full picture. Producer: Cat Farnsworth, Aron Keller and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: Martine Powers Mix: Travis Evans Digital producer: Charlie Firth Senior news editor: China Collins Photo:US President Donald Trump meets with South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 21 May 2025. Credit: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Shutterstock
5d ago

Inside the Flydubai attack that could upend Israeli elections

How did the passengers of Flydubai's flight FZ1073 prevent a catastrophe after a cockpit attack? And what does this incident mean for Israel at a politically charged moment? On Wednesday, a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after one pilot allegedly stabbed the other. The aircraft entered a 17,000ft plunge before passengers and crew forced their way into the cockpit, overpowered the alleged attacker and helped bring the plane back under control. The injured pilot, identified as Indian national Capt Smit Machchhar, was taken to hospital after the flight landed and later called a "hero" by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Now, Israeli officials are investigating whether the stabbing was an act of terrorism – and whether any warning signs were missed. On The Global Story, Tristan Redman speaks to BBC Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell, who explains what we know so far about the Flydubai flight and the significance of a suspected security incident so close to pivotal elections in Israel. Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Valerio Esposito Executive producers: James Shield and Martine Powers Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
6d ago

Is Meta dying?

Fifteen years ago, the film The Social Network told the story of Facebook’s rise to global prominence. As Meta faces growing scrutiny from regulators and pours billions into AI, a new movie examines what the company allegedly knew about the harms linked to Facebook. Jeff Horwitz is the journalist whose reporting inspired the new film, The Social Reckoning, which hits cinemas next week. Horwitz helped expose internal debates at Meta over misinformation, teenage well-being, political polarisation and the tension between keeping users safe and growing the business. After a turbulent year for the company and amid declining public trust, The Global Story’s Tristan Redman talks to Horwitz about whether Meta can reinvent itself while remaining one of the world’s most powerful tech giants. Producers: Xandra Ellin and Valerio Esposito Executive producer: Martine Powers Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Image: CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg (Annabelle Gordon/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)
Sep 29

Did a farmer foil a plot to attack a UK military base?

In the early hours of Sunday morning, three vans were spotted near a British military base used by the United States for its bombing operations in Iran. A huge police operation followed, bomb disposal teams were spotted on the scene, and five men were arrested on suspicion of explosive and terrorism offences. Donald Trump said the men were “looking to do big damage to our fort” and that “we had them under investigation”. The suspects – all British nationals – were released on police bail on Monday afternoon, leaving questions about how dangerous a plot this was alleged to be. What is going on? We speak to Nick Aldworth, a former Detective Chief Superintendent in UK Counter Terrorism Policing. Producers: Aron Keller, Mhairi MacKenzie, Lucy Pawle and Valerio Esposito Mix: Travis Evans Digital producer: Charlie Firth Executive producer: James Shield Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: B‑1B Lancer bomber is parked at the RAF Fairford airbase, in Fairford, Gloucestershire, Britain, September 27, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Toby Shepheard
Sep 28

The Super El Nino: what happens when it hits us?

Climate scientists have put out a dire warning about this year’s El Niño; that it will likely be the worst in recorded history. And if previous ‘super’ El Niños are anything to go by, that means that this cycle will bring extreme weather - flooding, drought, wildfires, and hunger- across the world. But how do scientists know what the effects of an El Niño will be? And how do they communicate that information to governments and the public in a way that causes calm preparedness instead of panic? Tom Di Liberto is a former climate scientist for the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a science communicator, who specialises in monitoring El Niño phenomena. He joins us on today’s show. Producers: Hannah Moore and Mhairi MacKenzie Executive producer: Bridget Harney Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: A man wades through water in northern Peru, in 2017, during that year’s El Niño. Credit: Ernesto Benavides/AFP.
Sep 25

Katseye, America and the dark side of K-pop perfection

What happens when K-pop’s gruelling formula meets the American music industry? The global girl group Katseye has gone from a reality-show experiment to a global phenomenon. With chart-topping hits, a viral Gap campaign and a sold-out international tour, the group has become one of the biggest success stories in pop. But as Katseye breaks through in America, it is also bringing new attention to the intense training, fierce competition and relentless scrutiny that helped fuel its rise. Has the group’s success shown that the K-pop model can work outside South Korea, or exposed the costs of trying to recreate it? The Global Story’s Asma Khalid and Tristan Redman speak with BBC music correspondent Mark Savage about whether the discipline, pressure and perfectionism that drive K-pop’s success can translate to an American audience. (Photo: Katseye performs in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Credit: Paul Bergan/ EPA/ Shutterstock) Clips: Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE | Official Trailer | Netflix Producer: Sam Chantarasak and Cat Farnsworth Executive producer: Martine Powers Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

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Trailer

Introducing The Global Story

A brand new podcast to help you cut through the headlines, with Katya Adler. Insight you can trust from our BBC experts around the world. One big story, Monday to Friday. Helping you make sense of the news. Get in touch: theglobalstory@bbc.com #TheGlobalStory

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

4.3 (6935)

Daily News
Josh Baker enters a dangerous world of fear, greed and betrayal as he sets out to uncover the truth behind one of the biggest missing-person cases of our time - the abduction of American journalist Austin Tice. Josh - creator of two of the BBC's most award-winning and widely listened-to investigative podcasts, I'm Not a Monster and The Shamima Begum Story - returns for his most ambitious chapter yet, in a major new series from BBC Radio 4 and NPR's Embedded. This is not the retelling of a closed case. It is a real-time investigation into a disappearance that has remained unsolved for more than a decade, conducted in close contact with Austin's family. What started out as a personal effort to help a mother find her son has turned into a multi-year journalistic investigation stretching from the corridors of power in Washington DC to the depths of the Syrian security state. Austin Tice is a journalist, law student and former Marine officer, who vanished in Syria in 2012. Since then, competing stories have emerged about his fate. In some, he is alive - held in a cell and waiting to be rescued. In others, he was smuggled out of Syria and hidden away. In the darkest versions, he died long ago. His disappearance has reached the highest levels of power - from presidents to popes - yet remarkably little is known about what happened to him. Investigative journalists Josh Baker and Sara Obeidat begin following Austin's trail long before the fall of the Syrian regime. Then everything changes. The regime collapses, and the black box of Syria's intelligence state opens. Sources step forward, unprecedented leaks arrive and doors to secret bases that had been sealed for years open. Josh and Sara speak to spies, search secret prisons and track down alleged war criminals in hiding, uncovering information that has never been made public and making discoveries that generate international headlines. The audience follows every breakthrough as the investigation closes in on those who may know the truth - while Syria is transformed and powerful interests compete to shape what happens next. Some claim Austin was working for the CIA. Others say he was simply a young journalist trying to make his name in war reporting. His fate has become entangled in secret negotiations and geopolitical power struggles that are still unfolding. At the centre of it all is his mother, Debra Tice, who has never stopped searching for her son. There are people who know exactly what happened to Austin. Some of them do not want the truth to come out. So where is Austin Tice?

4.9 (3942)

Documentary
The comedy podcast that takes history seriously. In each episode of You’re Dead to Me from BBC Radio 4, Greg Jenner is joined by a comedian and an expert historian to learn and laugh about the past. History isn’t just about dates and textbooks – it’s about extraordinary characters, amazing stories, and some very questionable fashion choices. How long did it take to build an Egyptian pyramid? What does the Bayeux Tapestry reveal about medieval life? Why did it take nearly half a millennium for Joan of Arc to become a saint? And was Catherine the Great really all that great? Whether you want to explore ancient landmarks like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, dance through the history of Broadway and Bollywood, or find out how the Tudors rose to power, Greg and his guests promise to teach you something new that you won’t have heard in history lessons. Previous episodes of You’re Dead To Me have covered everything from royals to revolutionaries, actors to activists and divas to dictators. Take a stroll through the history of high-heeled shoes or get the scoop on the history of ice cream. Maybe you’d like to paint like the cave artists of the Palaeolithic era, work out like a Victorian bodybuilder, or fight like a Spartan? We’ve even hosted a special, live episode with the BBC Concert Orchestra to explore the dramatic life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Whatever your historical interests, Greg and his guests make even the trickiest topics easy to follow. Join them for a history lesson that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening - with no homework required.

4.7 (3124)

History
A world-class seminar, every week. In Our Time explores the ideas, people and discoveries that have shaped our world, spanning history, philosophy, religion, science, literature, art and culture. On Thursdays, hear brand-new episodes hosted by Misha Glenny and leading academics. On Mondays, discover Misha's Archive Picks: classic conversations from the In Our Time archive, originally presented by Melvyn Bragg. Recent episodes have featured topics as wide-ranging as the Roman Arena, Handel's Messiah, John Keats, On Liberty and the Mariana Trench, bringing expert insight to pivotal events, influential thinkers and remarkable discoveries. Throughout the archive, you can hear discussions on historical figures such as Marie Antoinette, Nefertiti, Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx and Albert Einstein; explore great works of literature such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the poetry of John Donne; uncover the stories behind cultural masterpieces including Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel; or journey from Jupiter and the death of stars, to the theories of Plato and Aristotle. In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.

4.6 (5231)

History
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.

4.2 (964)

Daily News
Global investigations from the BBC. Gripping stories from around the world – delve into a World of Secrets. Latest season: Catching My Teacher. They were taught to obey. But they learnt to resist. When students from a network of boarding schools in Indonesia hear about a dark secret at the heart of a national institution, they set out to find the truth — not knowing what it will cost them. This is a story about friendship, love and who you can trust. Also, previously on World of Secrets: Searching for Soldier Dad. DNA detectives track down the British soldiers who fathered children in Kenya then disappeared. Al Fayed Predator at Harrods. Women accuse Mohamed Al Fayed of rape. And The Abercrombie Guys. Investigating sexual exploitation claims against the former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch.

4.6 (1121)

Documentary

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Asma Khalid

Host
Tristan Redman

Host
Livvy Haydock

Guest
Yolande Knell

Guest
Jeff Horwitz

Guest
Nick Aldworth

Guest
Tom Di Liberto

Guest
Mark Savage

Guest
Jason Rezaian

Guest
Laura Bicker

Guest

4

out of 5

400 Ratings

Amazing reporting

Sep 26

Karole25,30,40 or 50

In-depth reporting rarely seen these days. Thank you, global story! Keep up the good work
Ramsey

Sep 21

Lang58

Dave Ramsey is just another content creator with a Monday morning quarterback podcast. Obviously this interview was well before diesel soared. I remember when the "under Biden" prices soared. It was a world crisis due to the Russian INVASION of Ukraine. You know the country we convinced to turn over all their nuclear weapons & promised to protect for ever. My my how people forget.
Dave Ramsey

Sep 18

Springsong7

Thank you! Appreciate the straight talk, no nonsense, asking questions people in America are thinking…
Every morning made rich

Sep 16

AKSFW

These extraordinary conversations greatly enhance my morning commute here in the U.S., as the BBC broadcast matches my travel time. I gladly relinquish available news programs because of the quality of your work, a gift to all listeners, indeed!

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.