The Global Story cover art
Podcast · 286 episodes

The Global Story, page 4

by BBC World Service · English

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.

All episodes, page 4

Britain’s decade of political chaosBritain’s political instability over the last decade, linked to Brexit; why Keir Starmer resigned now; and what Brexit changed in immigration and the economy.23 Jun 2026 · 28 min · 13 chapters
Why aren’t more people quitting their jobs?Why job quitting surged after the pandemic (“Great Resignation”) and then collapsed into “Great Hunkering Down” as people stay put due to AI-driven uncertainty, weaker labor markets, and fear of…22 Jun 2026 · 26 min · 15 chapters
How to stop Iran from building a nuclear weaponThe BBC Global Story episode discusses the Trump administration’s 14-point Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the Iran conflict and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,…19 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 14 chapters
Could Trump-backed ‘El Tigre’ become the next president of Colombia?Colombia’s Sunday presidential election and whether right-wing outsider Abelardo de la Esprilla (“El Tigre”) could shift the country—and the region—toward tougher anti-crime, pro-U.S.18 Jun 2026 · 28 min · 11 chapters
Hungary pays couples to have babies: Does it work?Hungary’s Orban-era pronatalist program—interest-free loans (~$35,000) and subsidies/tax breaks for married heterosexual couples—to counter falling fertility and population decline, and whether such…17 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 10 chapters
Iran, the US and Israel: who really won?The BBC “Global Story” episode examines what changed after a US-Iran framework deal to end strikes, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and continue nuclear talks—asking who “really won” after months of…15 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 14 chapters
What are Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump up to in Albania?Albanians protest a proposed luxury tourism development on Albania’s coast and lagoon, linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s firm Affinity Partners.15 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 13 chapters
The World Cup referee barred from the United StatesThe episode discusses the U.S. barring Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan from entering the country, and the wider “African aftershocks” for fans and diplomacy.12 Jun 2026 · 28 min · 9 chapters
The world according to Marco RubioA BBC interview examining how Marco Rubio, now U.S. Secretary of State in Donald Trump’s second term, views the world and whether he’s shaping or merely executing Trump’s foreign policy, with focus…11 Jun 2026 · 28 min · 9 chapters
World Cup 2026: Your questions answeredA BBC World Service “Global Story” Q&A on the 2026 World Cup in the US, Mexico, and Canada (48 teams; June 11–July 19).10 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 13 chapters
The Trump-endorsed Brit running for California governorThe BBC Global Story explains why Steve Hilton, a British political strategist endorsed by Donald Trump, is running for California governor in the November election, and what his campaign says about…9 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 17 chapters
North Korea goes even more nuclearNorth Korea’s nuclear escalation, driven by Kim Jong-un’s push to expand nuclear capacity, the failure of earlier denuclearization talks, and shifting alliances amid Russia’s war and China’s…8 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 11 chapters
How the ‘Godzilla’ El Niño could change the worldThe BBC Global Story episode explains El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and warns that a predicted “super El Niño” (dubbed “Godzilla El Niño”) could drive extreme global weather.5 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 10 chapters
The battle to save James Bond from becoming slopThe episode argues that the James Bond franchise is at risk of becoming “slop” as Amazon takes over control from the Broccoli family, and asks what movies should be in an algorithm-driven era.4 Jun 2026 · 29 min · 11 chapters
Why the UK banned Hasan Piker and Cenk UygurThe episode examines why the UK denied entry to left-wing commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur, and whether this reflects a broader UK “free speech problem.” It claims the UK Home Office used…3 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 11 chapters
The dark side of reality TVThe episode “The dark side of reality TV” (BBC Global Story) examines alleged abuse and welfare failures in Married at First Sight UK (MAFs UK), a global dating-marriage franchise.2 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 11 chapters
How did prediction markets get so big?How prediction markets (e.g., Polymarket, Kalshi) grew into a major US business by monetizing “betting exchanges,” exploiting gaps in gambling laws, and expanding from politics and sports to crypto,…1 Jun 2026 · 26 min · 13 chapters
From campus to the Vatican, is an AI backlash growing stronger?The episode examines whether resistance to AI is becoming a lasting cultural backlash. It links protests and student anger to a broader shift in how institutions respond to AI.29 May 2026 · 27 min · 16 chapters
World Cup 2026: The most political of all time?The Global Story examines how World Cup 2026—co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico—has become unusually political and expensive, using the 1998 Iran-USA match as a historical parallel.28 May 2026 · 29 min · 16 chapters
Is Iran schooling Trump in the art of the deal?The BBC Global Story episode examines whether Iran is “schooling” Donald Trump in dealmaking, amid reported US-Iran negotiation drafts and uncertainty over a potential ceasefire and nuclear-related…27 May 2026 · 27 min · 13 chapters
Is the US losing the EV race?Whether the US is losing the EV race to China, focusing on BYD’s rise, US barriers (tariffs and national-security concerns), and China’s advantages in scale, cost, and charging tech.26 May 2026 · 29 min · 11 chapters
Ebola: How worried should the world be?A BBC Global Story episode on the 2024/2025 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries, asking “how worried should the world be?” It explains Ebola…25 May 2026 · 27 min · 12 chapters
Has the US set the stage for military intervention in Cuba?The 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue and the U.S. decision decades later to indict former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, amid current U.S.22 May 2026 · 27 min · 13 chapters
'The Doping Olympics': a look inside the Enhanced GamesThe episode explains the Enhanced Games, dubbed “the Doping Olympics,” scheduled for May 24 in Las Vegas.21 May 2026 · 27 min · 13 chapters