The Global Story

One of the most successful songwriters of all time is facing the biggest controversy of his nearly two decades in the public eye. Where does pop star Ed Sheeran go from here?

On Tuesday, every support act for Sheeran withdrew from his US stadium tour, following a decision to drop rapper Macklemore from the tour for his on-stage pro-Palestinian comments. In a statement, Sheeran declined to take a political stance on Macklemore’s comments, and stressed that he was not responsible for the decision to remove the rapper from the roster.

Is it possible for pop stars to stay out of the political fray? We speak to BBC music correspondent Mark Savage about the controversy, and what it reveals about the conversion of pop culture and politics.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Digital producer: Sam Gruet

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

PHOTO: Singer Ed Sheeran exits the Manhattan federal court for his copyright trial in New York City, U.S., April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

Over the last week, the Houthis - an Iran-backed militant group in Yemen - have captured two strategic islands along the Red Sea coast, consolidating its control of a key international shipping route known as the Bab al-Mandab strait.

Saudi Arabia has relied on access to the strait for exporting it oil to customers in Asia. With the Strait of Hormuz already closed due to the Iran war, the Houthis’ control of this vital waterway threatens to deepen the global oil supply crisis.

Tristan Redman is joined by the BBC’s Security Correspondent Frank Gardner to unpack who the Houthis are, what they want, and how they have come to hold so much influence on the world’s economy.

Producers: Aron Keller and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Digital producer: Charlie Firth

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Houthi fighters in Sana'a, Yemen, 10 September 2026. Credit: EPA/ Shutterstock / Yahya Arhab

As Canada continues to wage a trade war with the US, an internal battle is being fought over the country’s identity. Next month, voters in Alberta, the country’s wealthiest province, face a referendum on whether they want the opportunity to explore a separation from Canada.

Supporters say Alberta would thrive on its own, because of its rich reserves of oil and natural gas. Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned that independence would lead to years of economic and political turmoil, “right at a time the world is fundamentally uncertain.”

How might the Trump administration leverage this Canadian identity crisis? And how is the Alberta separatist movement complicating Carney’s “Canada Strong” messaging? Nadine Yousif, the BBC’s senior Canada reporter, explains.

(Photo: Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with the news media after he suspended trade negotiations with the United States, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada August 22, 2026. Credit: Chris Tanouye/Reuters)

Producers: Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: Martine Powers Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

China’s President Xi Jinping will meet Donald Trump later this month with the issue of AI governance high on the agenda. In recent weeks there has been increasing concern around the risks that AI might pose to humanity, after a safety researcher at Anthropic suggested the technology could, "kill all humans” within the next decade.

Washington has long framed the United States’ development of AI as a race against China – one that it considers vital to its national security. But does China see it the same way? And if so, what are the chances of these rival superpowers cooperating to reign in the risks of AI?

Asma Khalid is joined by Kyle Chan, a fellow at the Brookings Institute and an expert on Chinese tech development, to understand how China's AI ambitions differ from the US, and what‘s really at stake if these two countries fail to find common ground on this era-defining technology.

Producers: Aron Keller and Xandra Ellin

Digital producer: Charlie Firth

Mix: Travis Evans

Editor: James Shield and Martine Powers

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 14, 2026. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Pool

Why can’t America quit the Middle East?

September 11 marked a shift in the American psyche, and altered the way the United States saw its place in the world. Shortly after the attacks, President George W Bush announced the ‘war on terror’, a policy that would implicate the United States in multiple wars, on multiple fronts, in the Middle East over the next 25 years.

But was this the US reaction that al-Qaeda had planned for? And as the US entered into more wars, in Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran, are the unintended consequences of the ‘war on terror’ still threatening the US today?

The Global Story’s Asma Khalid speaks to Frank Gardner, the BBC’s security correspondent, about the event that still dominates US foreign policy today.

Producers: Mhairi Mackenzie and Lucy Pawle Digital producer: Charlie Firth Mix: Travis Evans Editor: Martine Powers Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. President George W. Bush speaks to Vice President Dick Cheney by phone aboard Air Force One after departing Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, in this September 11, 2001. Credit: Eric Draper / White House Handout

For the first time since World War Two, a far-right party has made a significant win in Germany – taking almost 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has been labelled as “right-wing extremist” by domestic intelligence, is leading the national polls.

Among its pledges at a state level are to defund “anti-German" art and teach children less about Hitler, as part of a “patriotism” agenda. This idea challenges the deeply held and decades-long German memory culture that insists people must never forget the Nazis’ crimes. The AfD describes German memory culture in its manifesto as a "guilt complex".

BBC Berlin correspondent Jessica Parker talks us through the complexities of remembering Germany’s past, and the controversial ways in which the AfD wants to shape its future.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin

Mix: Travis Evans

Executive producers: James Shield and Martine Powers

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and parliamentary group co-chairwoman Alice Weidel looks on during a press conference in Berlin, Germany, 07 September 2026. EPA/Shutterstock.

On Tuesday, the government of the United Kingdom announced sweeping sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and accused settlers of ‘ethnic cleansing.’ Soon after, 11 other countries, including Canada, France, Spain and Poland, announced a ban on goods imported from illegal settlements.

In response, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said there would "without a doubt" be a reaction from the US, adding that the move could have a “huge economic impact on British businesses." What do the sanctions suggest about the US’s complex relationship with its western allies?

The Global Story’s Asma Khalid speaks with BBC State Department correspondent Tom Bateman about the diplomatic consequences of US allies sanctioning the West Bank.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Mix: Travis Evans

Technical producer: Philip Bull

Digital producer: Charlie Firth

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A man looks on at the damage as Palestinians inspect the site of a demolished house after an Israeli army raid, in the village of Aqraba near Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, September 8, 2026. Credit: Mohammed Torokman/Reuters.

As the summer holiday season draws to a close, foreigners travelling to and from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates are facing delays, cancellations and severe travel warnings. The disruption comes as a result of the UAE’s position in the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran. Throughout the conflict, Iran has attacked the UAE more times than any other country, including Israel.

Until the war with Iran began, Dubai was a major tourist destination, famous for its modern skyscrapers, luxurious beaches and low crime rate. For decades, the Gulf city has promised residents and tourists alike safety, security and stability – so has that promise fallen apart? And what could that mean for the city’s future?

The Global Story’s Asma Khalid speaks to Sameer Hashmi, an independent journalist based in Dubai, about how Brand Dubai is weathering a major regional war.

Producer: Xandra Ellin

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Charlie Firth

Editor: Martine Powers

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Jebel Ali Port after one of the berths caught fire because of debris from an intercepted missile, March 1, 2026. Credit: Planet Labs PBC/Reuters

Twenty-five years on from the deadliest terror attack in history, thousands of grieving families are still fighting for answers. In early 2000, two young Saudis arrived in San Diego. They had never been to America, spoke almost no English, and had no idea how to open a bank account or rent a flat. Within weeks they had done all of it. Twenty months later they hijacked a plane and crashed it into the Pentagon. The BBC’s Jane McMullen has been investigating a man who helped two of the hijackers – and has revealed a story that the US and Saudi governments have fought to keep secret. Producers: Mhairi Mackenzie and Xandra Ellin

Digital producer: Tom Bage

Mix: Travis Evans

Editor for The Global Story: James Shield

Editor for Intrigue: A 9/11 Story: Matt Willis

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: New York City skyline with Brooklyn Bridge in the foreground and the twin towers of the World Trade Center in the background.

Lindsay Clancy faces first-degree murder charges over the deaths of her three young children. But if her case had happened elsewhere, the charges might have looked very different.

Clancy’s trial in Massachusetts has captured international attention. It has divided public opinion and ignited debate over how the US prosecutes cases involving mothers who kill their children — and the charges brought against them.

Other countries, including the UK, Canada and Australia, have specific statutes that allow mothers to be charged with infanticide — a conviction that’s more lenient than murder and often results in mental health treatment rather than prison time. So why is US law different?

The Global Story’s Asma Khalid speaks with Dr Karen Brennan, a senior lecturer in law at the University of Essex, to discuss what the Lindsay Clancy case reveals about how American law understands motherhood, mental illness and criminal responsibility.

(Photo: Lindsay Clancy, with long straight dark brown hair, looks to her lawyer Kevin Reddington, on the day the jury in her murder trial determined that they cannot reach a verdict, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, US, 1 September, 2026. Credit: Greg Derr/Reuters)

Producer: Xandra Ellin, Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller

Digital producer: Charlie Firth

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Editor: Martine Powers

Senior news editor: China Collins

Accusations of foreign interference have been making headlines this week.

Elon Musk’s X alleges that China has been stirring up a backlash against American data centres.

Israel and Russia have denied allegations from Spain’s prime minister that they’re partly to blame for the migrant crisis in Ceuta.

And Germany has accused Russia of being behind a spate of drone attacks at a German airport. Vladimir Putin has dismissed those claims and accused Germany of a ‘false flag’ operation.

We speak to the BBC’s social media investigations correspondent, Marianna Spring, to examine the evidence – and ask whether foreign interference is really to blame in every case, or if it is just a convenient scapegoat.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle

Digital producer: Charlie Firth

Mix: Travis Evans

Editor: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A drone view shows construction underway on Microsoft's ATL11 data center in Union City, Georgia, US. Credit: Brian Snyder/Reuters.

America’s national debt recently hit a new milestone of $40 trillion. It is estimated that interest payments on the national debt are now the second largest expense in the US government budget, trailing only social security. How was the US able to borrow so much and for so long? One answer, according Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff, is the US dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency.

In this episode, Rogoff, former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, explains how the US dollar came to enjoy this hegemonic status, what being the world’s reserve currency actually means in practice, and why he believes the dollar is now in decline.

(Photo: An Asian-American man passes by the passes by the National Debt Clock in New York City, US, 19 August, 2026. It is a digital display screen that shows the National Debt figures 39, 393, 882, 535, 284 against a background of dollar notes. Credit: Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Producer: Valerio Esposito, Aron Keller and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

As the world watches the aftermath of devastating floods in Nepal, journalist Anup Kaphle has been asking a difficult question: When does coverage of a natural disaster cross from rightful global concern into spectacle?

Kaphle is the group editorial director of Kantipur Media Group, Nepal’s largest media organisation. He’s also a native of Nepal. After more than two decades working for American newsrooms, he returned to his home country with a mission to help tell Nepal’s story for the people who live there. Now, he finds himself confronting one of the greatest challenges of his career: helping Nepalis understand the full scale of the flooding and its impact on their lives, at a moment when international attention is focused on the most dramatic accounts.

Asma Khalid, co-host of The Global Story, speaks with Kaphle about the ongoing humanitarian efforts, the potential long-term impact of the disaster on Nepalis, and why he worries that the international community will soon turn its attention away from Nepal.

Producer: Xandra Ellin

Mix: Travis Evans

Editor: Martine Powers

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Police officers carry a survivor after a flash flood at Trishuli in Nuwakot district, Nepal, August 26, 2026. Credit: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters.

Five years after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban’s near-total crackdown on the rights of women and girls has made the country ‘a global outlier with no parallel in the modern world’, according to the United Nations.

The Taliban governed for five years in the late 1990s before the US invasion. Now, as Afghanistan reaches the same milestone with the Taliban’s second stint in power, how is the international community engaging with them this time around?

We speak to the BBC’s chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, who has reported on the country for decades. She recounts her recent trip to Afghanistan and her conversations with senior Taliban ministers, as well as women and girls trying to challenge their repression.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: An Afghan burqa-clad woman walks along a road at Kolcha Abad village in the Dand district of Kandahar on June 16, 2026. Credit: Sanaullah Seiam/AFP via Getty Images.

The Netflix show Emily in Paris has been lauded by French President Emmanuel Macron, who presented its creator, Darren Star, with the prestigious Légion d’Honneur last year. “You make France shine across the world,” Macron said.

Many critics disagree. The programme, about a hapless American marketing executive living a glamorous and romantic fantasy in the French capital, is due to return for its sixth and final season later this year. Some Parisians have complained that the series is full of cliches. And they worry that the tourism boost created by the show is changing the city they live in.

How do blockbuster TV series and iconic films reshape our cities, for better or worse? Host Tristan Redman heads to the fifth arrondissement, while producers Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin get the picture in London and New York.

Producer: Hannah Moore

Executive Producer: James Shield

Mix: David Crackles

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Lily Collins at the ‘Emily in Paris’ Season 4, Part 1 Premiere held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on August 14, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images.

There have been a lot of sanctions programmes against Iran. But this week US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Operation Economic Outcast, which promises to go further than ever before. It will punish not just Iran but any country helping Iran - including China.

It is the Trump administration’s latest attempt to end the war. Will it work?

We speak to Vali Nasr, professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University, and ask whether in trying to end one war, President Trump risks starting a global trade conflict.

(Photo: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks during a press conference to outline further sanctions against Iran, at the Treasury Department in Washington, DC, 24 August, 2026. He has short, mousy-grey hair and is wearing glasses, with the American flag behind him. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

Producers: Mhairi MacKenzie and Lucy Pawle

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Editor: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

What are the costs of standing up to your biggest trading partner?

Canada recently walked away from trade talks with the US hours before Trump's deadline to impose major tariffs on Canadian goods. Prime Minister Mark Carney struck a defiant tone, acknowledging that Canada was now locked in a trade war with the US. "You're at war when you're attacked,” Carney told reporters, “we got attacked". He also announced retaliatory tariffs, pledging to match US tariffs, "dollar for dollar". Carney's tough stance is popular at home, but will it come at a price?

We speak to Jayme Poisson, host of the CBC podcast Front Burner, about whether Carney is taking a big political gamble by standing up to Trump’s tariffs – and why many Canadians feel confident they can withstand a trade war with their southern neighbour.

(Photo: Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks holds press conference after suspending trade negotiations with the US, in Ottawa, Canada August 22, 2026. Credit: Chris Tanouye/Reuters)

Listen to Front Burner: link.mgln.ai/jvyxQW

Producers: Aron Keller and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

A new personalised vaccine given in combination with a drug has stopped skin cancer returning in patients during a trial, representing a potentially watershed moment in cancer treatment. Scientists used mRNA technology, which was used for some Covid-19 vaccines.

But that technology - and vaccines more generally - have become increasingly controversial in the United States since the Covid-19 pandemic. The Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, is a vaccine sceptic.

In August 2025 cancelled $500m (£376m) in funding for mRNA vaccine research. The move impacted 22 projects being led by major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, for vaccines against bird flu and other viruses, according to Kennedy’s department.

We speak to Tom Whipple, host of the BBC’s Inside Science programme, about the science of this new vaccine. And we ask how funding cuts for vaccine research could impact health outcomes not just for Americans, but for the world.

Producers: Lucy Pawle and Sam Chantarasak

Digital producer: Sam Gruet

Mix: Travis Evans

Editor: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during the Senate Finance Committee's hearing on The President's Health Care Agenda on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 04 September 2025. Credit: Shawn Thew/EPA/Shutterstock

Last week Ukraine's popular ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for wartime elections, in what is widely seen as the biggest challenge to Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Zelensky, whose five-year presidential term ended in May 2024, has been under pressure from both Washington and Moscow to hold new elections, but they have been suspended until after the war is over. Fedorov says that corruption is depriving the military of weapons and making it harder for Kyiv to win the war, and that, "democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia”, although he tells the BBC that he had not himself seen the president engage in any corrupt activity.

We speak to Vitaly Shevchenko from BBC Monitoring about where all this could lead.

Producers: Mhairi Mackenzie, Xandra Ellin and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Tom Bage

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Ukrainians protest against dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Kyiv, Ukraine,24 July, 2026. EPA/Sergey Dolzhenko

The Duke of Sussex told the BBC last year that he, “can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back.” So what’s changed?

Prince Harry and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, plan to move back to the UK later this month. Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are due to start at a British school in September. They are not expected to resume their roles as working Royals.

Prince Harry and Meghan left the UK in 2020, and in the years since have had various achievements and controversies, including high-profile legal battles with the UK press and the government.

We ask the journalist and royal commentator Sarah Hewson about the successes and failures of brand Sussex in the US, Prince Harry’s ongoing concerns about security, and whether he can repair relationships with his family.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Sam Chantarasak

Executive producers: Martine Powers and James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend a World Health Organisation roundtable in Amman, Jordan, February 25, 2026. Credit: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

How did a prominent Cambridge professor come to embody the fault lines around DEI in higher education?

Three years ago, Jason Arday was celebrated as the youngest black professor ever appointed at the University of Cambridge. But recent questions about his academic work and his life story became the subject of fierce media scrutiny — scrutiny that only intensified after Arday was found dead at his South London home last week. Police have said his death was unexpected, but not believed to be suspicious.

Now, Arday’s personal narrative is raising broader questions about the responsibility of universities to vet high-profile hires, the media’s role in amplifying a firestorm of controversy, and the deepening cultural divide over diversity and inclusion in liberal institutions.

Asma Khalid of The Global Story speaks with BBC Education Editor Branwen Jeffreys and Tyler Austin Harper of The Atlantic about Arday’s story — and what it reveals about the limits of inclusion in higher education.

Producers: Lucy Pawle and Hannah Moore

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Mix: Travis Evans

Editor: Martine Powers

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: Jason Arday - a guest on the panel of BBC show Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg in 2025. Credit: Jeff Overs/BBC

President Trump took to Truth Social last weekend to announce that the US will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea. He cited his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, but he also accused South Korea of failing to help the US in its war with Iran – comments that suggest major new cracks in the US’s relationship with a key ally.

To understand the reaction from South Korea, we speak to the BBC’s Seoul Correspondent Jake Kwon about whether Trump’s sidelining of South Korea is a major foreign policy shift for the US.

Producers: Aron Keller and Mhairi MacKenzie

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Sam Gruet

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A South Korean soldier stands next to a TV broadcasting a news report on a possible summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump, October 22, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji

Two Palestinian families in the village of Qusra in the West Bank have been under siege by Israeli settlers for over a week. The Palestinian-American owner of one of the homes traveled to the West Bank from Ohio on Monday, after asking for protection from the US embassy.

His visit comes after the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, called those involved “Israeli terrorists”, amid mounting international pressure on Israel’s government to deal with the situation.

We speak to the BBC’s Jon Donnison, who has been reporting from Qusra, and ask whether the West Bank is at a tipping point. Producer: Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Palestinian-American Loui Ridi, whose home in the occupied West Bank has been encircled by militant settlers for more than a week, hangs a U.S. flag after gaining access to his besieged home in Qusra. August 17, 2026. Credit: Ammar Awad TPX/Reuters.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been a major figure in Israeli politics for a long time. You could have just turned 30 years old and never known a time when he wasn’t either prime minister or somewhere near the top of Israeli politics. But could that be about to change?

With less than three months until the Israeli general election, Netanyahu is struggling in some polls. His rival is a man who is little known outside of Israel – former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot. In some international media, Eisenkot is being dubbed the ‘anti-Netanyahu’. But is that accurate?

We speak to David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker, who has spent time with Eisenkot for a major profile piece.

Producer: Xandra Ellin Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Digital producer: Tom Bage Senior news editor: China Collins

Image: Israeli opposition leader and former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot speaks on a phone outside a conference for his campaign ahead of Israeli elections, in Dimona, Israel, July 6, 2026. Reuters/Amir Cohen

Wearing loose cotton boxer shorts. Icing your testicles. Doing blood transfusions to ‘clean’ your body of microplastics. Eating raw garlic. These are all unproven methods to boost sperm count being promoted by wellness influencers.

On TikTok and Instagram, hashtags such as #malefertility, #semenanalysis and #sperm attract hundreds of millions of views, while, in the White House, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has claimed that men’s fertility is in drastic decline, partially due to unhealthy diets.

What scientific evidence is there to claims that the average sperm count and quality is falling? And how do these claims play into men’s anxieties about their masculinity? On today’s show, the BBC’s global health reporter, Jacqui Wakefield, speaks to men across the world concerned about their fertility, and to reproductive experts who help explain what’s really going on.

Read Jacqui’s article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8921982pgzo

Producers: Hannah Moore and Mhairi MacKenzie

Executive producer: Sam Bonham

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Simon from Miami, who is trying to boost his sperm count by wearing ice packs in the sauna. Credit: BBC.

Last month, President Trump secretly swapped planes via a catering truck as he left a Nato summit in Turkey. The elaborate ruse, first reported by the Washington Post, was in response to a possible threat from Iran.

But how serious were the US administration’s fears of an assassination attempt? And does the Iranian regime have the capability to carry out such an operation beyond its borders?

We speak to Parham Ghobadi, a senior reporter at the BBC’s Persian Service, and Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post, to understand more about what transpired on Air Force One, the history of Iran’s alleged assassination plots, and why the Iranian regime’s prime target might be its own citizens.

Producers: Mhairi MacKenzie, Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin

Executive producers: Martine Powers and James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Sam Gruet

Studio manager: Mike Regaard

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A catering truck is parked on the other side of Air Force One, before U.S. President Donald Trump's departure from Ankara en route to Washington after his participation in the NATO leaders' summit, at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026. Credit: Reuters/ABC-TV/Pool/File Photo

The Trump administration is embroiled in a diplomatic standoff after Brazilian President Lula da Silva accused the US of sending officials to “meddle in Brazil’s elections”, an allegation the US called, "baseless".

Throughout its history, the US has been accused of trying to influence political events outside its borders – from offering subtle incentives for its preferred political outcome to secretly sponsoring coups against foreign governments. In recent years, President Trump has pursued a more overt strategy, publicly endorsing candidates who align with his politics. So are we seeing a new blueprint for US foreign policy?

We speak to BBC Brazil correspondent Leandro Prazeres about the US-Brazil fallout. We also hear from Politico correspondent Nahal Toosi about the long history of US interference in foreign elections, and how the Trump administration compares.

Producers: Xandra Ellin, Sam Chantarasak and Aron Keller

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Sam Gruet

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 26, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein

For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has had a distinct economic bargain with its people — obedience in exchange for economic prosperity. China continues to lead the world in sectors like green technology and robotics, but in recent years, economic growth has slowed. Signs of unrest and unease have appeared. So what happens when the government struggles to hold up its end of the bargain?

The BBC’s China correspondent Laura Bicker speaks with Asma Khalid about the Chinese citizens who feel they are being left behind.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Cat Farnsworth

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Employees work on a production line at a garment factory in Guangzhou, China, July 27, 2026. Credit: Go Nakamura/Reuters

In the last few weeks, three separate tech companies - OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta - have all disclosed that their AI models went rogue and hacked into another company during controlled cyber-security tests.

The revelations have raised big questions about whether artificial intelligence is becoming more autonomous and unpredictable. We’re joined by Marc Cieslak, the BBC’s first ever AI correspondent, to unpack how these breaches were possible and how worried we should be.

Producer: Valerio Esposito and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: James Shield Sound engineer: Tom Bage Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Open’s AI, ChatGPT. Filip Singer/EPA/Shutterstock)

Ariana Grande’s appearance in a new music video has sparked speculation, commentary and intense debate over the question of when — if ever — the public should weigh in on a woman's body.

The pop star and Wicked actor is not the first woman in the public eye to come under intense scrutiny, so how has the way we talk about celebrities’ bodies changed over time?

We ask Monica Hesse, screens critic for The Washington Post, and Sarah Ditum, journalist and author of Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s, whether it’s ever OK to talk about a woman’s appearance.

(Photo: Ariana Grande at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes in January 2026. Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie and Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

It has been a week since President Trump announced that the Board of Peace had reached an, "historic agreement” in Gaza for the, “complete disarmament” of Hamas.

But in the days since, the situation has become more uncertain. Hamas has said that it will only disarm when Israel withdraws its forces from Gaza, but Israeli officials insist they will not withdraw until the weapons are handed over. On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had not agreed to the plan.

To explain what comes next, we turn to the BBC’s international editor, Jeremy Bowen, and the BBC's Gaza correspondent, Rushdi Abualouf.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A Palestinian fighter from the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, gestures inside an underground tunnel in Gaza. Credit: Reuters/Mohammed Salem/File Photo

A group of prominent, controversial influencers made a visit to Russia this summer. They included Andrew Tate, Candace Owens and British far-right anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson. They argue that Russia is upholding the traditional conservative values they fear are in decline at home.

It is certainly an image Vladimir Putin is keen to project. Two years ago Russia set up a special “shared values” visa, which makes it easier for Westerners to move to the country if they align with its supposed ‘traditional spiritual and moral beliefs’. Russia claims thousands of Westerners have applied.

We speak to the BBC’s Dan Hardoon, whose documentary ‘The Russian Dream’ follows Westerners who have moved to Russia, and to Russia expert Mark Galeotti, host of the podcast In Moscow's Shadows.

Listen to Dan Hardoon’s BBC documentary, The Russian Dream: bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0ns9jp8

Producer: Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: Bridget Harney and James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin winks during his annual televised year-end press conference. Credit: Gavriil Grigorov/Reuters

Why did tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco suddenly attempt to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta by sea last week? In the days since the sudden border crisis left at least 72 people dead, a variety of theories have circulated.

The Trump administration blamed the incident on “radical left-wing globalist policies”, and many European leaders condemned what they say is Spain’s lax immigration policy. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez denied those claims and blamed trafficking gangs. Others have blamed Morocco, and accused it of ‘weaponising’ migrants for political purposes.

We speak to the BBC’s Southern and Eastern Europe correspondent, Sarah Rainsford, to find out how and why the Ceuta crisis happened.

(Photo: Hundreds of migrants swim across to Ceuta, Spain from Morocco. Credit: Reduan Dris/EPA/Shutterstock)

Producer: Aron Keller and Cat Farnsworth

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

On February 28th, in the opening hours of the first day of the US-Israel war against Iran, an attack on a school in the southern city of Minab killed 156 people, including 120 children. To date, it is the deadliest single incident for civilians during the Iran war.

Experts say the school was hit by a precision guided Tomahawk missile - a weapon that neither Israel nor Iran are known to possess. Yet five months on, the US government has not formally accepted responsibility.

We speak to the BBC’s senior international investigations correspondent, Nawal Al-Maghafi, who recently returned from Iran where she visited Minab and met with survivors of the strike and the families of those who were killed. We also hear from the BBC’s State Department correspondent, Tom Bateman, about his attempts to get answers from US officials.

Producers: Xandra Ellin, Cat Farnsworth, Lucy Pawle and Aron Keller. Executive Producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: The Minab school damaged by a strike on February 28, 2026. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters.

IVF is responsible for about 2% of all births in the United States each year. The revolutionary technology has not only reshaped society's beliefs about fertility, but enabled geneticists and expectant parents to screen for certain genetic conditions and to select and implant the healthiest possible embryos. Prenatal genetic testing has been championed as a scientific marvel, allowing parents to spare their offspring from certain debilitating, untreatable, and sometimes fatal genetic conditions. But some critics warn that the selecting for genetic characteristics bears a resemblance to eugenics – a discriminatory pseudoscience popularized in the early twentieth century, focused on maximising particular characteristics in the human population. Geneticist Adam Rutherford from University College London joins us to consider the ethical complexities of genetic screening.

Producer: Xandra Ellin Executive producers: Bridget Harney and James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Digital producer: Matt Pintus Studio manager: Mike Regaard Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: File photo dated 19/05/08 of a woman looking through a microscope. Credit: David Davies/PA Wire

Senator Lindsey Graham spent decades as one of Washington’s most prominent foreign policy hawks - a fierce opponent of Russia, relentless advocate for Israel and supporter of Iranian regime change.

Graham’s funeral this week drew the likes of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and both men took the opportunity to meet with Donald Trump in an effort to keep the president invested in the wars that both their countries are fighting.

On today's episode, we speak to the BBC’s Washington Correspondent Daniel Bush and documentary filmmaker Alex Holder, who has rare access to Lindsey Graham to unpack how the late senator helped shape Trump’s foreign policy approach.

Producers: Aron Keller and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: Sam Bonham

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Guests stand for during the funeral for US Senator Lindsey Graham at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC USA, 28 July 2026. Credit: Will Oliver / EPA/Shutterstock

This episode contains details of alleged sexual offences and misconduct.

In an exclusive BBC investigation, four women have accused Oscar-winning actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto of criminal sexual conduct. The woman say the alleged offences took place when they were teenagers.

Despite repeated attempts to contact Jared Leto before publication, he did not respond to the allegations put to him by the BBC. After this episode was published, Leto said in a statement released by his representatives to the BBC: “I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life. These claims are absolutely and categorically false”.

Alice McShane, the director of the BBC documentary Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret, tells us the stories of three of the women.

Read the full investigation: bbc.com/news/articles/cd7lg2nz2x2o

Producer: Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Clip: Requiem For A Dream/Artisan Entertainment/Thousand Words/Protozoa Pictures/Darren Aronofsky

Photo: Jared Leto attends the “Tron: Ares” premiere on September 30, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. Credit: Gerald Matzka/Getty Images.

When the Trump administration announced last week that it had signed a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, the agreement was held up by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright as evidence that ”the American nuclear renaissance is underway”. Although the text of the deal has not yet been made public, US media report that it could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium in the future.

But shortly after the announcement, President Trump took to Truth Social to qualify the news – saying that the deal hinges on Saudi Arabia’s willingness to recognise the state of Israel.

Is that likely? And could the deal derail ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran? We speak to BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner.

Producers: Valerio Esposito and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Studio manager: Mike Regaard

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House in Washington. Credit: Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

“Cuba’s assault on the United States was never, at root, a quarrel over economic policy or sovereignty or even ownership of a particular territory,” reads the US Department of State’s new report on the communist state 90 miles from the Florida coast. “It was a revolution against Western civilization itself”.

Over the course of 100 pages, Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism draws lines between Cuba and the Black Panthers, the Pan-African movement, radical feminism, Antifa and more, concluding that international sympathy for the island’s dire humanitarian crisis overlooks a sinister reality; that, “its power was always ideological, subversive, and parasitic.” The Cuban government has dismissed the report as, “a mediocre propaganda pamphlet.”

How much validity is there to its arguments, and why release it now? Michael Bustamante, a professor of history at the University of Miami, joins Asma to discuss.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, July 23, 2026. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/ Pool via Reuters.

Venezuelans are still searching through the rubble a month after two devastating earthquakes, which left thousands dead and tens of thousands more still missing.

The disaster came at a moment of acute political and economic uncertainty, following the toppling of president Nicolas Maduro. The new government is led by Delcy Rodriguez, with US oversight, and the Trump administration has taken control of Venezuela’s lucrative oil industry – to the tune of billions of dollars. But where is that money now?

The BBC’s Will Grant reports from Venezuela, and has spoken to survivors, grieving families, and government officials leading the response.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Workers use a jackhammer on debris from a collapsed building, in Caraballeda, La Guaira, Venezuela. Credit: Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria.

President Trump has announced a new round of tariffs against a range of Canadian goods, including hockey sticks and cement. Trump says the tariffs are in retaliation for what he called Canada’s “unequal treatment” of US cars, dairy and alcohol. But earlier in the week he also threatened retaliatory tariffs over Canada’s wildfire smoke which has been drifting into US cities.

We speak to Jayme Poisson - host of the CBC podcast Frontburner - about what Trump actually wants from Canada, and whether Canadians are bracing for a world in which the US is no longer their closest ally.

Listen to Frontburner: link.mgln.ai/FBxGlobalStory

Producers: Aron Keller, Xandra Ellin and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum and FIFA dignitaries at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium. Credit: Reuters/ Evan Vucci.

The US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth faced senators on Tuesday as the White House asked for tens of billions of dollars more to help fund the Iran war.

It comes after over a week of consecutive US strikes, the deaths of several US service members, and the Iran-backed Houthis announcing a ‘maritime blockade’ in the region.

We speak to BBC world news correspondent Joe Inwood about the trouble brewing on three fronts for the US.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A projectile is fired during what the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said was a round of strikes against Iran, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on July 11, 2026. Credit: U.S. Central Command/Handout/Reuters.

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is a mainstay of the US political calendar, a barometer of the Republican party mood, and has become, in recent years, a pro-Trump event, with a big budget and crowds in the thousands.

Its first outing to the United Kingdom last week brought less of the bombast, but much the same flavour of politics, as figures from across the hard right assembled for debates on topics including migration, race, British identity and cryptocurrency, under the slogan ‘Save Britain. Save The West’.

One of our producers, Hannah Moore, attended the conference to find a conservative movement reckoning with its identity, and divided on whether importing MAGA-style politics can unite the right.

Producers: Aron Keller and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks at the CPAC GB conference in London, Britain, 17 July 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Marco Rubio’s State Department has unveiled plans to dismantle the International Criminal Court, a tribunal that prosecutes individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. In a video, Rubio calls the ICC, "a global tribunal staffed by unelected globalist bureaucrats who claim their power is almost unlimited.”

The United States is not, nor has it ever been, a party to the ICC, which was established during the presidency of Democrat Bill Clinton. But could the ICC investigate and indict Americans anyway? Today, we hear the view from within the world of international criminal law, with human rights lawyer, writer, and international law professor Philippe Sands.

Producer: Xandra Ellin Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Digital producer: Matt Pintus Studio manager: Mike Regaard Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

This episode was updated on Monday 20 July to reflect new comments from the mayor of New York City.

Spain or Argentina? These two teams will face each other in the 2026 World Cup final. Only one team can emerge eternal. For the rest, it’s over.

But this tournament’s not just been about victory.

For this special episode, we’ve been speaking with people across the US to hear about their tournament experiences, and asking what trace the World Cup will leave behind.

We hear from: Roger Bennett, founder of the Men in Blazers media company; from the BBC’s sports editor Dan Roan; from the co-host of Morning Joe on MS NOW Jonathan Lemire; from Ruth DeWitt, director of community relations at Lawrence’s tourism bureau in Kansas; and from life long US soccer fan Marcus Cranston.

Producers: Lucy Pawle and Cat Farnsworth

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: USA fans cheer ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Turkey against USA, in Los Angeles, 25 June 2026. Credit: Christopher Torres/EPA/Shutterstock

On Thursday in Washington DC, Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, will host an international summit on the threat posed by "the resurgence of transnational far-left terrorism.” There will be a particular focus on the loosely composed group the Trump administration calls Antifa. What is this group? Is it a significant threat? Or is there something motivating the DC summit? BBC journalist Mike Wendling joins us to discuss whether the Trump administration is right to worry about far-left groups like Antifa.

(Photo: Anti-fascist demonstrators wave an Antifa flag, which is green and has an orange, green and white circular logo in the middle, in the UK, 2016. Credit: Gareth Fuller/Press Association)

Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Aron Keller and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

In an exclusive investigation, a whistleblower has told the BBC how he unearthed evidence suggesting that US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick failed to disclose a business relationship with the paedophile financier, Jeffrey Epstein.

Simon Andriesz was a trader at one of Lutnick’s Wall Street firms, but it wasn’t until the Epstein files were released earlier this year that he says he confirmed a longstanding suspicion that his boss was misrepresenting his relationship with Epstein.

BBC financial investigations correspondent Andy Verity joins us to unpack the new investigation.

Listen to Andy’s full report on File on 4 Investigates: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002yx47 Read more about Andy’s investigation: www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9q28dlyxrzo

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Tom Bage

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick sits to testify before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing to examine a review of broadband deployment funding at the Department of Commerce, February 10, 2026. Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters.

According to a recent financial disclosure, President Trump made more than $1.4 billion last year from business dealings in cryptocurrency. Though the White House has denied Trump was profiting from the presidency, he has been championing crypto in recent days — describing himself in one news conference as a, "big crypto guy". Trump’s embrace of crypto raises big questions about the future of the technology. But according to the new BBC documentary, 'The Tech Billionaire Takeover', Trump’s support is just a fraction of the story. Presenter Matt Shea shows how cryptocurrency’s wealthiest advocates are steadily growing their power, and in some cases, even advocating for a total overhaul of government and commerce as we know it. Today, Shea joins us to explain what the tech billionaire takeover really is - and whether it is already begun.

Audio for this episode was updated on 14 July to correct a factual error. The original audio said that the Trump family receives 75% of net profit every time the USD1 coin is sold. In fact, they receive 75% of net profit from a different crypto coin called $WLFI. (Photo: Reporter Matt Shea with Crypto billionaire Justin Sun in Hong Kong. Credit: BBC)

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Aron Keller Executive producer: Bridget Harney Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

A series of record-breaking heatwaves in Europe this summer has led to a surge in demand for air conditioning units. As Europeans search for a way to stay cool, attitudes and policies towards air conditioning have led to a heated political debate in France, which has baffled some Americans

Tristan explains to Sumi Somaskanda how air conditioning became part of the culture wars, and we ask Graihagh Jackson, the host of the BBC podcast The Climate Question, how bad AC actually is for the environment.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: China Collins and Bridget Harney

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: People cool off in the Trocadero Fountains by the Eiffel Tower during high temperatures amid a heatwave in Paris. (REUTERS/Tom Nicholson)

Will co-hosting the World Cup take men’s soccer to another level in the United States? From More than the Score - the global sports podcast that follows the stories behind the results. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

In many countries, football is the major sporting obsession - but the same can't be said about the US. The NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball and NHL have a longer history and dominate media coverage, sponsorship deals and the national conversation. But has this men’s Fifa World Cup changed that - particularly since President Trump got involved?

Soccer has made big strides in the US since it first hosted the men's World Cup in 1994 with the women's team now a powerhouse and Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami boosting interest in the men's domestic league, the MLS.

We hear from former head of US soccer Alan Rothenberg, the USA international footballers Eric Wynalda and Heather O'Reilly, MLS vice-president Dan Courtemanche, and South Korea captain Son Heung-Min, who made the move to the MLS from the English Premier League.

The coffin of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s former supreme leader, killed by Israel in February, has been on a procession tour this week of holy sites in Iraq and Iran. Huge crowds gathered wherever it went, the coffin was passed over a sea of hands, and three of Khamenei’s sons wept over the coffin in Tehran.

Meanwhile, the US and Iran have launched new strikes throughout the week. The peace between the US and Iran is fragile, at best. At worst, it could be over. We speak to Parham Ghobadi, from the BBC’s Persian Service.

(Photo: Burial of Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Mashhad. Credit: Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters)

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Citizen Vigilante is a low-budget action thriller starring actor Armie Hammer as a vigilante who hunts down migrant criminals in Europe. The movie faced a muted reception - until Elon Musk posted it to his hundreds of millions of followers on X.com.

We speak to journalist Mike Wendling to understand why this film has become a lightning rod for political and cultural debate, and what its sudden rise reveals about the far-reaching influence of the world’s richest man.

Producers: Aron Keller and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Photo: Elon Musk at the Viva Technology conference, June 16, 2023. Credit: Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo.

Mix: Travis Evans

Video journalist: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

World leaders are gathering in Ankara, Turkey for a Nato summit, despite tensions between Donald Trump and Nato allies over financial contributions and the Iran war. The US president hasn’t hidden his consternation with European leaders, and has suggested he is only attending ‘out of respect to President Erdogan’.

Turkey’s leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has come under criticism for a crackdown on dissent in the country, which has led to over 200 arrests of activists, journalists and public figures in the lead up to the summit. So how has he taken on such a pivotal role within Nato?

We speak to BBC correspondent and presenter, Mark Lowen, who was based in Istanbul for five years, before he was detained and banned from the country while on a reporting trip last year.

Producers: Valerio Esposito and Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Tom Bage

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: President Trump shakes hands with Turkish President Erdogan at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 7, 2026. Credit: Emrah Gurel/Pool via Reuters

Donald Trump has revealed that he personally called Gianni Infantino, the head of Fifa, to ask him to review the red card given to United States' star player Folarin Balogun. The striker had been given a one-match ban after a hard tackle against Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, but the punishment was suspended in time for the US to play their final 16 match against Belgium yesterday.

The decision has been widely condemned across the football world, with European footballing organisation UEFA, calling it, "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable", and former Fifa president Sepp Blatter writing on X, “Redcards are not overturned by political phone calls… Football must never become a playground for political power.”Infantino has insisted the decision was made independently by Fifa’s “independent judicial bodies”.

On today’s show, Tristan is joined by BBC football issues correspondent Dale Johnson and New Yorker staff writer Sam Knight, to explain the scandal, and how Infantino’s governance of Fifa has brought football and politics closer together.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin

Mix: Travis Evans

Video journalist: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Folarin Balogun of the U.S. looks dejected as he applauds fans after the match following their elimination from the World Cup, July 6, 2026. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Blake Dahlin

President Trump will be attending a NATO summit in Turkey this week, where he’s likely to hear one consistent message from European leaders: the tide is shifting against Russia in its war with Ukraine. And not just on the battlefield.

Russian cities are being pounded by Ukrainian drones in ever increasing numbers. Fuel shortages have become widespread as key infrastructure has been targeted, with long lines seen at gas stations and trucks abandoned by the side of the road. Vladimir Putin recently made a rare admission; that his country is actually facing problems caused by the conflict, amid growing disquiet about Russia’s enormous economic problems.

In today’s episode we speak to Simon Shuster, staff writer at The Atlantic, and veteran reporter of Russia and Ukraine. And with the war starting to hit home, we ask if Putin is now on the backfoot?

Producers: Lucy Pawle and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Video producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Russia's President Putin meets with service members in Moscow, June 12, 2026. Photo Credit: Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via Reuters

As the United States celebrates 250 years since its founding, this week The Global Story has been exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world.

Today, we hear from you. Asma and Tristan put your thoughts and questions about America’s impact on the world to the BBC’s international editor, Jeremy Bowen, who has reported from more than 90 countries over the past 40 years, and to Celia Hatton, who hosts the BBC’s Global News Podcast and previously spent 15 years reporting from inside China.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Aron Keller and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: An illustration of a megaphone. Credit: BBC

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, all this week The Global Story is exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world.

For decades in the US, “Made in China” signified a product that was cheap, poorly made, and, in some cases, produced through exploitative labour. But today, the label signifies something quite different in many American minds - state-of-the-art tech and luxury goods that even rival America, for arguably the first time in US history.

Often overlooked is the fact that China’s ascendance as an economic superpower was far from inevitable. Today we speak to historian Elizabeth Ingleson to trace the evolution of the Made in China brand and to explore what responsibility the United States had for awakening its own economic rival.

Producer: Xandra Ellin and Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, The Global Story is this week exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world.

President Donald Trump’s attempts at regime change in Iran and Venezuela, controversial as they are, reflect the US’s long history of using both military and covert operations to achieve its goals abroad.

One of the forefathers of this approach to foreign intervention was Allen Dulles, the first civilian head of the Central Intelligence Agency, who used undercover – and often morally dubious – tactics to topple global leaders deemed unfriendly to America’s interests.

On today’s show, Tim Weiner, author of Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA and The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century, joins Tristan and Asma to explain how Dulles' legacy played out through the ‘War on Terror’ and how it has helped shaped today’s US foreign policy.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Aron Keller

Mix: Travis Evans

Executive Producer: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: An illustration similar to the CIA seal. Credit: BBC

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, all this week The Global Story is exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world.

One of the most powerful and enduring American ideas is that of the American Dream. Today, we hear the story of one extraordinary American Dream seeker.

The BBC first spoke to Abdi Nor Iftin in 2014, when he was living in one of Kenya's toughest neighbourhoods after fleeing conflict in Somalia. When he won the US green card lottery his problems seemed to be solved – but it turned out to be the start of a whole new struggle.

Producer: Viv Jones, Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Image: An illustration of the Statue of Liberty. Credit: BBC

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, all this week The Global Story is exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world.

Today, we are joined by Roman Mars – the host of 99% Invisible and the new BBC series A History of the United States in 100 Objects – who sets out his theory of how the US used design to shape the world in its image.

Producer: Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Image: An illustration of a US city rising high above the world’s surface)

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, The Global Story is launching a landmark series exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the United States has shaped the modern world.

For two decades, PEPFAR, the US program to curb AIDS/HIV, enjoyed support and financial backing from both Republicans and Democrats, saving an estimated 26 million lives in what is described as the largest ever commitment by any nation to address a single disease.

Previous presidents - including Donald Trump in his first term - continued to praise and support the effort. But last week, the State Department announced that it would be ending its support for PEPFAR in South Africa. The UN has warned the decision could end up costing lives.

US officials told the BBC that the funding cut was in part a response to South Africa's alleged failure to protect the white-minority Afrikaner community, an accusation Pretoria rejects.

Asma speaks to the BBC’s Senior Africa Producer Ed Habershon about what drove this decision and what the impact could be.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Valerio Esposito and Aron Keller

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Richard Kenny

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Bottles of antiretroviral ARV drugs used to prevent HIV. Credit: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters

The United States has been a staunch ally of Israel for decades, and Americans used to be steadfast in their support for the country. But in recent years - and recent weeks - the special relationship between the two counties has come under fire.

Several polls indicate that Americans have increasingly negative views of Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. And as the midterms approach, support for Israel is on the ballot in some races.

Asma briefs Tristan on shifting US public and political opinion on Israel. And Jon Donnison discusses how fluctuating US sentiment on Israel is affecting domestic Israeli politics.

(Photo: President Donald Trump (R) gestures with an extended index finger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) as they stand face to face in front of an Israeli flag. Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Growing concerns over young people using anti-aging products, have prompted industry regulators in Italy to investigate claims that some brands are using young influencers to promote skincare products to other children.

Investigators say that the practice is linked to the broader issue of ‘cosmeticorexia’ - a new term coined by some healthcare professionals to describe an obsession with skincare.

Asma speaks to the BBC’s health and wellbeing reporter Ruth Clegg, about how harmful skincare is for the social media generation.

Producer: Sam Chantarasak

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Tom Bage

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Young content creator Ellie-May. Credit: Sophie/BBC)

Britain has had six prime ministers in the past decade. It’s about to get a seventh after Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday. The country used to be seen as a bastion of political stability. But this latest resignation comes ten years - almost to the day - that Britain voted to leave the European Union.

In this episode we speak to The BBC’s Adam Fleming, Brexit expert, and host of the BBC podcast Newscast. And we ask if Britain is still experiencing the same political forces that produced Brexit.

Why Britain keeps losing prime ministers: bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct8mks

Producer: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Editor: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, June 22, 2026. Credit: Jaimi Joy/Reuters)

During the pandemic, for the first time in most of our living memories, the balance of power shifted from employer to employee. By 2021, the percentage of people in the US quitting their jobs was the highest it had been in decades, with tens of millions of people quitting in a single year, confident that they could find something better elsewhere - a trend dubbed ‘The Great Resignation’.

Five years on, and the quitting rates are way down. People are staying in jobs longer, if they are lucky enough to have one. Why?

On today’s show, Tristan is joined by Anthony Klotz, a professor of organisational behaviour at University College London and author, who coined the term ‘The Great Resignation’ and Sarah O'Connor, a columnist for the Financial Times and author of We Are Not Machines: The Fight for the Future of Work, to explore how the world of work has been changed by AI, political and economic instability, and to consider how we can better enjoy the jobs we are in.

Producer: Hannah Moore

Mix: Travis Evans

Executive producer: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Woman working on laptop at home)

On Wednesday, President Trump met with Iranian leaders to sign an initial memorandum of understanding towards ending the months-long war. In a press conference after the signing, Trump was triumphant. Specifically, he touted the deal’s firmness on one of the US’s key priorities: ensuring that Iran can never develop a nuclear weapon.

Whilst Iran has agreed to “not procure or develop nuclear weapons," there are many questions left unanswered. What does it actually look like to police the weapons programmes

Today, we speak to someone intimately familiar with the weapons inspection process: President of the Institute for Science and International Security, David Albright. In the 1990s, Albright worked in Iraq with the UN, investigating the nation’s weapons programme under Sadaam Hussein.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Cat Farnsworth Executive producers: Bridget Harney and China Collins Mix: Travis Evans Video producer: Matt Pintus Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press conference during the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, June 17, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein

On Sunday, Colombia will elect a new president. A Trump-endorsed outsider, Abelardo de la Espriella, nicknamed ‘The Tiger,’ is now ahead in the polls, and within striking distance of the presidency. His platform promises a military crackdown on narcoterrorism and closer collaboration with the United States.

Many Latin American nations have shifted to the right in recent elections, and the Colombia vote is seen as a crucial litmus test for the wider region’s political landscape. Could Colombia be the next country in Latin America take a hard turn to the right? And how might that benefit President Donald Trump? We speak to BBC South America correspondent, Ione Wells.

Producers: Viv Jones and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Video producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Phto: Colombian right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella. REUTERS/Cesar Quiroz

Global fertility rates are at record lows globally, and governments around the world are urging couples to grow their families.

Under Viktor Orbán’s leadership, Hungary implemented some of the most aggressive pro-natalist policies in the world — including generous subsidies for couples who promise to have children, lengthy paid maternity leave, and thousands of dollars in interest-free loans.

But does paying people to have kids actually work? We speak to BBC populations correspondent Stephanie Hegarty about the possibilities and limitations of pro-natalist government policies.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A mother holding the feet of her baby. Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

The US and Iran have agreed a deal to end the war, which – if all goes to plan – will be signed at a ceremony in Switzerland on Friday.

But the agreement remains shrouded in mystery, and major questions remain about whether both sides can reach a long-term peace deal.

We speak to the BBC’s chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, about how the past few months have affected the global economy, the region, Iran’s nuclear capabilities, its regime and its people.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: James Shield

Audio mix: Travis Evans

Video producer: Matt Pintus

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A drone view shows vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 15, 2026. Photo credit: Reuters

In the centre of Albania's capital, Tirana, thousands have been taking to the streets. The target of the protests are not just the government, but also Donald’s Trump daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner.

The pair have been working on a new multi-billion dollar luxury tourism project that will see part of Albania’s unspoiled coast turned into luxury hotels and villas, sparking what some have dubbed the, 'Flamingo Revolution’', due to risk to the local flamingo population.

We speak to Emily Wither, the reporter behind the BBC documentary, 'Albania: Land, Money and Sea', about how a stretch of Albanian coastline has become the latest battleground in the Trump family's global business ambitions.

Producers: Valerio Esposito and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: James Shield Video editor: Matt Pintus Mix: Travis Evans Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: An inflatable flamingo is seen on the beach in the area planned for the coastal resort project linked to Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump near Vlora, Albania, 06 June 2026. Credit: Malton Dibra/EPA/Shutterstock.

Clip: The Money Pit/TM & © Universal (1986)/Tom Hanks/Shelley Long/Richard Benjamin/David Giler, Kathleen Kennedy, Art Levinson, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg.

The 2026 World Cup kicked off last night in Mexico, after a series of controversies in the lead up, including over visas for foreign teams, fans, media and officials hoping to go to the host countries: US, Canada and Mexico.

The latest scandal involves FIFA dropping Somali referee Omar Artan, after the US refused him entry. FIFA‘s president Gianni Infantino said “we don't control everything”, and asked critics to ‘chill’.

US Customs and Borders protection said in a statement that “derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organisations” was discovered after Omar Artan landed at Miami International Airport to attend the tournament. Artan says he told border officials he knows nothing about the Somali militant group Al Shabab.

Today, we speak to Charles Gitonga, senior journalist and host of the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast, about how Africans are reacting to the news, and whether the controversies will have long-term consequences for US-Africa relations.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Cat Farnsworth Executive producer: Bridget Harney Video editor: Matt Pintus Mix: Travis Evans Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: Somali referee Omar Artan. Credit: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images

As a Florida senator, Marco Rubio seemed to hold an opposing world view to Donald Trump; on Russia-Ukraine, on China, on USAID, and more. He notably called Trump a “con man”, and Trump in turn dubbed him, “little Marco”.

And yet now, as US Secretary of State, Rubio has made himself indispensable to the president on foreign affairs, bringing his own background to play in policy on Venezuela and Cuba, and shaping the US’ approach to further interventions abroad. Trump has even indicated that he wants Rubio to run on a joint ticket with JD Vance for the next US presidency.

How has Rubio tailored himself to Trump’s world view? And what difference would he bring as a potential presidential candidate? Tom Bateman, the BBC’s State Department correspondent, regularly travels with Rubio, and he joins Asma on today’s show.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Aron Keller

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Marco Rubio attends a Senate Appropriations subcommittee to testify about the proposed 2027 budget for the Department of State, June 3, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein.

The Fifa World Cup kicks off this week. Beginning Thursday, football - or soccer - matches, depending on your preference, will be played in the US, Mexico, and Canada, with a record 48 nations competing for the trophy.

However, the tournament has been beset by controversies over ticket prices, travel bans that affect fans and officials, and security concerns.

We answer questions from the audience about what to expect from this year’s World Cup, with BBC Sports football issues correspondent, Dale Johnson.

Producer: Cat Farnsworth and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: Bridget Harney Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: A Fifa soccer ball in a locker room at Kansas City Stadium ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Credit: Denny Medley/Reuters)

A British immigrant backed by President Trump is running to be the next governor of California. Once a senior advisor to former prime minister David Cameron, Steve Hilton has since been on a journey – swapping Downing Street for Silicon Valley.

Having made his home in the US, Hilton is now running to become California’s Republican governor on a platform of cutting taxes and regulation.

We speak to Nicholas Watt, political editor of BBC Newsnight, who has known Hilton since his days advising Cameron.

Producers: Viv Jones and Aron Keller

Mix: Travis Evans

Video producer: Matt Pintus

Executive producer: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton. Credit: Reuters /Mike Blake

Audio for this episode was updated on 9th June 2026 to clarify Steve Hilton's views on Brexit.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has announced plans to expand the country's nuclear arsenal at ‘an exponential rate’, according to state media reports.

His announcement comes as China’s president, Xi Jinping, is making his first visit to Pyongyang this week since 2019 – the same year Donald Trump met Kim Jong Un several times for failed talks on denuclearisation.

We speak to the BBC’s Celia Hatton about why China might now be trying to keep North Korea in check.

Producers: Xandra Ellin, Sam Chantarasak and Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Studio manager: Mike Regaard

Digital producer: Tom Bage

Photo: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the fifth session of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), in Pyongyang, North Korea, February 23, 2026. Credit: KCNA/Reuters

Clip: Team America: World Police/Trey Parker/Scott Rudkin/Trey Parker/Matt Stone

Scientists warn that a “super” El Niño could be on its way which, combined with the effects of human-caused climate change, could result in 2027 being the warmest year on record. Yet El Niño is not just a climate story - throughout history, this recurring weather pattern has helped shape global events, triggering everything from famines and revolutions to impacting the Cold War. In this episode, we speak to historian Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History at Oxford, to discuss what historical El Niños tell us about what cou be coming our way, and how we can collectively prepare.

Producers: Valerio Esposito and Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield and China Collins

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A woman rides a bicycle in the rain in Yangon, Myanmar, 22 May 2026. Credit: Nyein Chan Naing/EPA/Shutterstock

Casting is finally underway for a new James Bond. But why has it taken five years to even begin the search?

Since Daniel Craig retired as Bond in 2021, there have been reports of a behind-the-scenes David and Goliath battle between the family business which has held creative control of the franchise since the 1960s and its new owners, Amazon. It is now up to Jeff Bezos’s tech giant to decide who will play 007 – and how to run the series.

In an era when Hollywood studios are desperate to eke out every last dollar from movie franchises, can James Bond retain its mystique and appeal to a new generation of cinema goers?

We speak to Wall Street Journal enterprise reporter Erich Schwartzel.

Producer: Lucy Pawle and Xandra Ellin

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Executive producer: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Daniel Craig at the world premiere of the Bond film, No Time to Die, London, 28 September, 2021 Credit: Neil Hall/European Pressphoto Agency)

On Sunday, two prominent left-wing political commentators in the US — Hasan Piker and his uncle, Cenk Uygur – said they had been barred from visiting the UK.

Both men were due to appear at the SXSW London festival, but say the British government blocked them from entering the country because of their criticism of Israel. The British government confirmed that it had denied them entry on the grounds that their presence in the UK “may not be conducive to the public good” but did not elaborate further. Their cases have sparked renewed debate about the limits of free speech in the UK.

We speak to American political activist Shabbos Kestenbaum – who was due to debate Cenk Uygur in London – and to the legal academic and host of the BBC’s The Law Show, Joelle Grogan.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak, Lucy Pawle and Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Hasan Piker speaks to members of the media at the venue for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani's election night rally in Brooklyn, New York, November 4, 2025. Credit: Jeenah Moon/Reuters

***This episode includes details of alleged sexual offences and misconduct and includes descriptions which some listeners might find distressing*** Married at First Sight UK is one of the UK’s biggest reality TV shows. The dating format sees complete strangers marry in a mock-wedding, before moving in together and sharing a bed. Cameras follow what happens next.

The BBC has uncovered allegations that raise serious concerns that welfare procedures on the reality show have failed contributors, leaving them at risk. Three women have told the BBC they were victims of sexual assault, and misconduct, by their former on-screen husbands.

The men deny all the allegations against them, and both Channel 4 and CPL - the independent production company that makes the series - say the welfare protocols are robust and comprehensive.

Following this investigation, Channel 4 has announced an external review into contributor welfare and has removed all previous seasons of MAFS UK.

Noor Nanji, BBC culture correspondent, tells the story behind her investigation which has shaken the reality TV industry. And she discusses whether a scandal like this could provoke a new reckoning in the genre.

(Photo: Shona Manderson, a ‘bride’ on Married at First Sight UK)

On prediction markets such as Polymarket people are placing sometimes huge wagers on questions ranging from the sublime (‘will Jesus Christ return by the end of the year?’) to the very serious (‘will the US invade Iran?’).

Gambling is restricted across many US states but prediction markets are not classified as gambling. Their rapid rise over recent years speaks – some say – to an increasing nihilism among young men in particular, who feel they may as well try to profit from world events they cannot control.

Supporters say prediction markets are a smart way to make money. Critics say they are enabling insider trading. So what is the truth behind their rise? We speak to senior business journalist at the BBC, Mitch Labiak.

Producer: Hannah Moore

Mix: Travis Evans

Executive producers: Richard Fenton-Smith and James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Polymarket logo appears in this illustration. Credit: Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

At the Vatican on Monday, Pope Leo XIV issued his first encyclical, a letter issued to the world’s bishops. In it, he criticised artificial intelligence and what he called the “culture of power” fuelling its rise, urging world leaders to regulate the technology more forcefully.

The Pope’s scepticism towards AI does not exist in a vacuum. It comes after several weeks in which numerous commencement speakers championing artificial intelligence on US college campuses were booed by Gen Z graduates.

Is a backlash to AI brewing? We speak to BBC religion editor Aleem Maqbool about the Pope’s AI-critical encyclical, and to Rachel Janfaza, founder of the Gen Z research firm The Up and Up, about why Gen Z’s relationship with AI is far more complicated than many think.

Producer: Xandra Ellin, Cat Farnsworth, and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Pope Leo XIV during a meeting with Italian bishops in Vatican City, 28 May 2026. Credit: Vatican Media/EPA)

Politics, power and money have always been part of international sporting competitions, and football (or soccer) is no exception.

However, this year’s World Cup faces new challenges. The United States is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, and its relationship with its neighbours has at times been rocky. Two countries at war with each other – the US and Iran – have never played in the same competition before. Some fans are anxious about travelling to games at a time of high tension. And the cost of attending the event has led some to ask whether this World Cup is really worth it.

Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times of London and a lifelong fan of the sport, joins us to discuss what this World Cup could mean for a divided world.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: FIFA World Cup on display in Toronto. Credit: Kevin Sousa/ Imagn Images

This week President Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have said negotiations with Iran are going well and suggested a deal could be days away. Iran has disputed this.

Donald Trump says he wants “a great deal for all or no deal at all” but leaked details of a possible plan have some wondering if one side might be coming out on top.

We speak to the BBC’s International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, and ask if this might be the week Donald Trump loses the art of the deal – and the perhaps the whole war – with Iran.

CREDITS

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle

Digital Producer: Matt Pintus

Executive producer: James Shield

Studio Director: James Piper

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: An Iranian woman walks next to an anti-US mural in Tehran, Iran. (Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock)

In 2025, the Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD overtook Tesla as the world’s biggest seller of electric vehicles. As conflict in the Middle East pushes up fuel prices and boosts demand for EVs, Chinese carmakers are seizing the opportunity.

Driven by years of state-backed investment and industrial policy, China has quietly become the global powerhouse of EV production, leading the industry in technology, innovation and affordability, while the US struggles to keep up.

In today’s episode, we speak to Suranjana Tewari, Asia Business Correspondent for BBC News. She explains what BYD cars are really like, and how China won the EV race.

Producers: Valerio Esposito and Aron Keller

Executive Producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: A newly presented electric roadster Formula X of BYD's brand Fang Cheng Bao appears at the company’s booth at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China), in Beijing, China April 24, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Maxim Shemetov.

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization.

The latest outbreak involves a rare species of Ebola for which there is no vaccine, and the epicentre is in an area affected by conflict. The WHO says the outbreak may be spreading faster than originally thought.

James Gallagher, the BBC’s health and science correspondent, explains why this outbreak is in some ways more worrying than previous ones, and discusses what it might reveal about global preparedness for international health emergencies.

Producer: Viv Jones, Xandra Ellin, Sam Chantarasak Executive producer: Bridget Harney Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Red Cross workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Credit: Reuters/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubia has said Cuba poses a "national security threat" to the US and the likelihood of a peaceful agreement is "not high". His comments come days after the US announced criminal charges against Cuba’s former president Raul Castro, the brother of Fidel Castro.

The charges relate to his alleged role in the shooting down of two planes in 1996, which killed four people, including three Americans. The Cuban government say the move is “a political manoeuvre, devoid of any legal foundation.”

The indictment has drawn comparisons to the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, and whether the US has set the stage for military intervention.

Asma speaks to Cecilia Barria, a journalist based in Miami for BBC Mundo, and Will Grant, the BBC’s Mexico, Central America and Cuba correspondent, about the story behind the charges — and why three decades on, the indictment is only happening now.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Aron Keller Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Raul Castro attend the International Labor Day commemoration in Havana, Cuba, 01 May 2026. Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA/Shutterstock

At the inaugural Enhanced Games this weekend, something unprecedented is taking place; professional athletes from around the world will be encouraged to swim, lift, and sprint with the aid of performance enhancing drugs.

The competition — nicknamed the 'Doping Olympics' — has provoked enormous controversy in the world of sport. Enhanced runs counter to the many athletic organisations who have spent decades prioritising a crackdown on performance enhancing drugs. Many in the sporting world say that a competition that endorses doping will normalise unfair and possibly dangerous drug use. But supporters argue that the competition will facilitate the safe, open use of drugs that are often taken unsafely and without medical supervision at competitions elsewhere.

BBC sports editor Dan Roan joins us to break down all things Enhanced Games. His documentary, Enhanced Games: A Sporting Revolution or Dangerous Doping?, is available now on YouTube.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Valerio Esposito

Executive producers: James Shield and China Collins

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Olympic swimming medallist Ben Proud has become the first British athlete to join the Enhanced Games, an event which allows athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs. Credit: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire.

In the decade since Britain voted to leave the European Union, the country has cycled through six prime ministers, victims of both their own decisions, and global pressures.

Now, Sir Keir Starmer, the current prime minister and leader of the left-leaning Labour party, could be the seventh leader to fall, under pressure from members of his own party who feel he has failed to tackle key issues like the cost of living, immigration, and sluggish economic growth.

To top it off, recent local elections across the country proved disastrous for Labour as it lost ground to populist parties on both the left and right, and only two years after a landslide victory some of Sir Keir’s own party members are calling for him to step down.

How did British politics become so volatile? BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale joins us to explain.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Aron Keller

Executive producer: Richard Fenton-Smith

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo:Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer makes a statement in number 10 Downing Street, Westminster. Credit: Jack Taylor/PA Wire

President Donald Trump has warned Iran the "clock is ticking" as talks to bring their war to an end have stalled. "They better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them," he wrote on his Truth Social platform. "TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”

There are multiple thorny issues to be resolved between the US and Iran, but one of them concerns another country altogether: Lebanon. Iran has reportedly insisted on an end to the war in Lebanon before talks can continue with the US.

A ceasefire in Lebanon was announced back in April, but Israel and Hezbollah have continued to exchange fire since then and hundreds have been killed.

Hugo Bachega, Middle East Correspondent, discusses why the war in Lebanon is so hard to end, and what that means for the chances of a deal between the US and Iran.

Producer: Viv Jones and Aron Keller

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Smoke rises following an Israeli strike in Choukine, Lebanon (Reuters)

The mayor of the Californian city of Arcadia has agreed to plead guilty to charges she acted as an illegal agent for China. Prosecutors say Eileen Wang was directly co-ordinating with a Chinese official to disseminate news stories downplaying human rights concerns in China, with the aim of trying to influence US government and public opinion.

US authorities say the extent of China’s covert activity and espionage in the United States goes well beyond this case. According to the FBI, Chinese counterintelligence and espionage efforts are a “grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States”.

We speak to Andrew Badger, former CIA case officer and co-author of The Great Heist: China's Epic Campaign to Steal America's Secrets.

Producer: Viv Jones and Lucy Pawle Executive producer: James Shield Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Eileen Wang. Credit: City of Arcadia City Hall/ Reuters)

Donald Trump has concluded his final round of talks with Xi Jinping and wrapped up his state visit to Beijing.

Trade, oil, Iran and Taiwan were among the topics discussed over two days of meetings. The US president said the meeting was ‘’successful” and “unforgettable” – and said he expects the relationship will be better than ever. Does Xi Jinping see things the same way? We speak to the BBC’s senior China correspondent, Laura Bicker.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Valerio Esposito Executive producer: James Shield Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: Trump and Xi. Reuters/Evan Vucci/Pool

This Saturday, the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest final takes place in Vienna, and this year’s competition is again mired in controversy.

A boycott over Israel’s participation by several countries, including Spain and Ireland, threatens to put the competition’s stance of political neutrality to the test. And it is part of a wider debate over which countries should be allowed to compete in prestigious international arts and sports competitions.

We speak to William Lee Adams, a culture reporter at the BBC who also runs a Eurovision YouTube channel, to unpack the controversy surrounding this year’s contest and discuss whether politics and art can ever really be separated.

Producer: Sam Chantarasak

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Executive producer: James Shield

Senior News Editor: China Collins

(Photo: Noam Bettan of Israel performs during the first semi-final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, 12 May 2026. Credit: Hannibal Hanschke/EPA/Shuttershock.)

For the first time in nearly a decade a sitting American President is travelling to China. While tensions between the US and China have been simmering for a while now, over everything from tariffs to Taiwan, Donald Trump has expressed admiration for his powerful Chinese counterpart.

Meanwhile in China, President Xi has been conducting a years long “purge” on the military elite.

The BBC’s Celia Hatton joins us to discuss whether this should be seen as a weakness… or a strength.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in 2019.

The British comedian Russell Brand is due to stand trial in the UK this year on charges of rape and sexual assault, to which he pleads not guilty.

Over the course of his decades-long career, he has had many guises; Hollywood actor, MTV presenter, radio host, author, religious sceptic, and political agitator among them, moving between mainstream and ‘alternative’ media platforms.

His latest appearances, on podcasts hosted by Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Piers Morgan, have gone viral for his admissions about his past behaviour, and his conversion to Christianity.

With BBC media editor Katie Razzall.

Producer: Hannah Moore

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: British actor and comedian Russell Brand arrives at Southwark Crown Court, February 24, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Toby Melville.

At the outset of the war in Iran, US President Donald Trump suggested that regime change was one of its goals. He later said it had been had achieved, a claim that is disputed by critics who point out that the same repressive forces in Iran still hold power.

American attempts at regime change in Iran have a long history. In 1953 the CIA, assisted by British intelligence, led a deadly coup that toppled Iran’s last democratically elected leader. It’s a moment in history that poisoned US-Iranian relations, and helped launch the theocratic revolution to come. But the immediate success of ‘Operation Ajax’ would convince the CIA to carry out a wave of similar plots around the world.

We get the full story from Scott Anderson, author of King of Kings: The Fall of the Shah and the Revolution That Forged Modern Iran.

Producers: Viv Jones and Valerio Esposito Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: Supporters of the Shah of Iran in Tehran, 1953. Credit (Getty/Bettmann)

**Warning: this episode includes discussions of sexual abuse, suicide and upsetting scenes**

In just the last few years, AI chatbots have become routine aspects of many people’s everyday lives. They are being used as search engines, agony aunts, and sources of companionship.

In rare cases though, AI chatbots have sent users down a dark path. In a new BBC investigation, population correspondent Stephanie Hegarty speaks to people who have experienced delusions after talking to chatbots – including one man who grabbed a hammer and prepared for war after his chatbot told him it was sentient.

Producers: Valerio Esposito, Viv Jones and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Studio manager: Jonathan Greer

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Adam Hourican. Credit: BBC.

It’s been a year since billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk left his informal position in President Trump’s White House in May 2025. But behind the scenes, Musk has been busy.

Musk has spent the last few weeks in a California courtroom, where he is suing his former business partner, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. In January, Musk applied for permission with the US government to launch a million satellites into orbit, some of which he says will serve as solar AI data centres. And he is preparing to take his company SpaceX public, with an estimated valuation of over $1 trillion.

Though his political presence has waned, is it possible that Elon Musk is more powerful than ever? We speak to the BBC’s North America technology correspondent Lily Jamali about what the world’s richest man has been up to since leaving the White House.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Valerio Esposito Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Elon Musk appears in the courthouse during the OpenAI trial. Credit: Reuters/Manuel Orbegozo

Iranians living in Tehran tell us what they think of the war and reveal how the conflict has affected their day to day lives.   In recent days, attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz has raised fears that an already fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran could collapse.   Donald Trump's "Project Freedom", which began on Monday, aims to use the US military to escort cargo ships out of Strait of Hormuz. Iran, however, insists that it controls the key waterway and has warned that it is “just getting started” in the Strait of Hormuz. This escalation of hostilities risks tipping the region back into full-scale war.    As the conflict enters its third month with no clear end in sight, there has been mounting anxiety about what comes next. But what is the view inside Iran?    In today’s episode we speak to the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet who recently returned from a ten day trip to Tehran where she spoke to government officials and ordinary Iranians about their fears and expectations as this war continues.    Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller    Executive Producer: Richard Fenton Smith    Mix: Travis Evans   Senior News Editor: China Collins   Photo: Daily life in Tehran amid continued tensions over Strait of Hormuz. Credit:  Abedin Taherkenareh/ EPA/Shutterstock.