The Global Story

The former president of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity. Duterte oversaw a bloody war on drugs that left tens of thousands of people dead, but he remains extremely popular with many in the Philippines, who say he cleaned up their country. On this episode, presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC's Southeast Asia correspondent Jonathan Head about Duterte’s years in power, and why the current government in Manila has turned him over to the ICC.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin and Tom KavanaghSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Jonny BakerAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

When Syria's Bashar al-Assad was toppled in a lightning offensive in December, his successor Ahmed al-Sharaa promised to unite a broken country. Barely three months on, a surge in fighting between pro-Assad gunmen and transitional government security forces has reportedly left hundreds of civilians dead and exposed the enduring divides in Syrian society. As al-Sharaa vows a national dialogue will continue, has his grand vision for Syria already fallen at the first hurdle?Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC's Middle East correspondent, Lina Sinjab, and BBC Monitoring's MENA expert, Hesham Shawish.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experience to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus, Tom Kavanagh and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Dafydd EvansAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The people of Greenland go to the polls for an election this week at a time when Donald Trump says he wants to take over the autonomous Danish territory. The US President hasn’t ruled out using military force, arguing that America needs the world’s biggest island for Arctic security. A majority of Greenlanders say they don’t want to be owned by the US, but many are asking serious questions about whether it should seek independence. Jonny Dymond speaks with the BBC's Europe correspondent Nick Beake and Ulrik Pram Gad, a Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, about the Danish view of the potential US land-grab and the likelihood of an independent Greenland.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin, Tom Kavanagh and Alice Aylett RobertsSound engineers: Dafydd Evans and Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

In February, hackers launched what is being considered the biggest heist of all time, when they stole almost $1.5bn from the cryptocurrency trading platform, Bybit. The record theft reportedly went down in just two minutes, and it set in motion a race against time to freeze some of the funds before the culprits could cash out. Soon, evidence began to point to Lazarus, an elite hacking group widely linked to the North Korean intelligence agency. So with analysis suggesting the country's malicious activity is on the rise, how are international governments fighting back, and are we more vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats than ever before?Lucy Hockings is joined by the BBC's cyber correspondent, Joe Tidy. They examine how the hack was carried out, and consider what it means for the wider crypto landscape, as Donald Trump announces his plans for a US cryptocurrency reserve.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Eleanor SlySound engineers: Dafydd Evans and Jonny BakerAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

China's retaliatory tariffs on US agricultural exports could hit President Trump's rural heartlands. This week, 3,000 of China’s most influential politicians have gathered for the annual National People’s Congress. Premier Li Qiang referred to the economy as a “giant ship” moving “steadily towards the future.” But behind the optimistic rhetoric, China faces significant challenges. Among them, a renewed trade war with the United States.In recent days, China has imposed retaliatory tariffs on US goods, specifically targeting agricultural exports from key states like Iowa, Illinois or Kansas. So, is Xi Jinping taking the trade war straight to Iowa? And how will these new tariffs impact Trump’s heartland?On this episode, Lucy Hockings speaks to the BBC's North America business correspondent, Michelle Fleury, and Shawn Yuan, from the BBC's Global China Unit.(Picture: Headshot of China's President Xi Jinping. Credit: Agustin Marcarian/Reuters)Producers: Richard Moran and Tom KavanaghSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Vaccine mistrust is on the rise. And when US President Donald Trump's new cabinet met for the first time last week, all eyes were on the new Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr who has long been known as a vaccine sceptic. With doubts about vaccines increasing in many parts of the world, will his appointment have an effect on the way vaccinations are viewed globally? Presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to Jim Reed, a BBC health reporter and Dorcas Wangira, the BBC’s Africa Health Correspondent, in Nairobi.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Eleanor Sly and Tom KavanaghSound engineer: James PiperAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

After a tense meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday, relations between the US, Ukraine, and European allies seem to have reached a new low. Meanwhile, ties between the White House and the Kremlin appear to be warmer than they have been in decades. President Trump has publicly praised his close relationship with Vladimir Putin, fuelling speculation about whether this move signals a new direction in diplomacy or if there is a strategic calculation behind Washington’s pivot to Moscow.Sumi Somaskanda discusses the Trump-Putin dynamic with the BBC's State Department correspondent Tom Bateman, and Vitaly Shevchenko from BBC Monitoring.(Photo: Composite image of Donald Trump, Credit: Nathan Howard/Reuters, and Vladimir Putin, Credit: Sergey Bobylev/Reuters)Producers: Richard Moran and Tom KavanaghSound engineer: Dafydd EvansAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: China Collins

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been on a diplomatic rollercoaster in the last few days. His meeting with Donald Trump descended into argument and accusation on Friday. Then, he was greeted with open arms by European leaders at a summit in London. Following that meeting, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a new plan for Europe’s defence of Ukraine – but said it needs US support to succeed. So, where do this hectic series of events leave Zelensky? Is his relationship with Trump permanently damaged? And does he have any cards left to play? On this episode, presenter Sumi Somaskanda speaks to the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent James Landale and the BBC's Daniel Wittenberg, who was in the Oval Office for the meeting between Trump and Zelensky. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.(Picture: Volodomyr Zelensky at a summit with European leaders in London. Credit: Javad Parsa/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Producers: Richard Moran and Peter GoffinSound engineer: Stephen BaileyAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Emilia Pérez is the most talked-about movie of awards season. But despite a divisive premise about a Mexican drug boss seeking gender affirming surgery, it's the fallout off-screen which is causing controversy. The re-emergence of offensive tweets by its lead star, trans actress Karla Sofía Gascón, has derailed the movie's momentum. After promoters pivoted to remove her from marketing, the film has still seen significant success, but ahead of the Oscars, debate is growing about the extent to which this scandal has harmed its performance.Lucy Hockings is joined by BBC culture reporter Noor Nanji and Matthew Belloni, entertainment journalist and founder of the digital media platform, Puck. They dissect the noise around the movie, and consider what Academy voters might be thinking.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.(Photo: Composite image of Karla Sofía Gascón, Credit: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters, and Academy Awards statuette, Credit: Caroline Brehman/EPA)Producers: Laurie Kalus and Tom KavanaghSound engineers: Phil Bull and James PiperAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to travel to Washington on Friday, after a preliminary deal was agreed to share his country's mineral resources. Kyiv insists it is still seeking additional security guarantees from the US, before anything is signed. Meanwhile, Ukraine's long defence against Russia's invasion continues, and three years into the war some frontline troops have told the BBC they feel revitalised after the Trump administration excluded them from controversial negotiations with Vladimir Putin. But can they really fight on?On today's episode Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC's international editor, Jeremy Bowen. We hear his take on the current attitudes of those inside Ukraine, after reuniting with some of the people he met there during the first weeks of war.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin, Laurie Kalus, and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Phil BullAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The number of cancer cases among the under-50s around the world appears to have risen sharply in the past 30 years. Studies have shown that there are rising cases of breast, colorectal and other cancers in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. But what is driving the increase in younger adults getting cancer and can anything be done to stop it?Presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to freelance health journalist David Cox about what scientists think could be driving this worrying trend.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Eleanor SlySound engineers: Mike Regaard and Phil BullAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The challenges and opportunities facing Beijing. China has been recalibrating its economic, political and diplomatic strategies since Donald Trump returned to the White House. From renewing the state’s relationship with powerful tech giants to expanding Chinese influence in the developing world, President Xi Jinping is preparing his country for a new international order. On this episode, presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC’s China correspondent Laura Bicker. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.(Picture: Headshot of China's President Xi Jinping. Credit: Adriano Machado/Reuters)Producers: Peter Goffin and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Phil Bull Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

What have Russians won and lost during the conflict in Ukraine? Three years after the start of its full-scale invasion, Russia has entered talks with Donald Trump – and not Kyiv – about ending the war. For Vladimir Putin, this could be a chance to end the conflict on his terms, and forge a new international order with Russia and the US at its centre. But what about the people who live under Putin’s rule? What do Russians stand to gain from these talks? On this episode, presenter Lucy Hockings is joined by the BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

With President Trump back in the White House, his Brazilian former counterpart Jair Bolsonaro is attempting his own return to high office. Bolsonaro has been nicknamed the 'Trump of the Tropics' but he is facing a lot of hurdles to reclaim his position. He has been barred from standing in the next election by the courts and he has been charged with planning a coup. Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC's South America correspondent Ione Wells. They discuss the close relationship between Trump and Bolsonaro and ask whether or not Brazil’s former president might ever be able to return to office.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.(Picture: Headshot of Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Credit: Adriano Machado/Reuters)Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Laurie Kalus and Beth TimminsSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

A decade of migration through the eyes of a German city. Ten years ago Germany opened its borders to more than a million people at the height of Europe’s so-called migrant crisis. A decade later, that warm welcome has cooled as issues of culture, integration and national identity spark fierce debate across the continent. With German elections just days away, the BBC has revisited one migrant family and the city they landed in, to see how life has changed since 2015 – and what their experience says about the way Europeans now view migration. On this episode, Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC’s Berlin correspondent Jess Parker, and Mark Lowen, the BBC’s former southern Europe correspondent who covered the refugee crisis for years.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Peter Goffin and Mhairi MacKenzie Sound engineers: Hannah Montgomery and Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The mineral-rich east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been dogged by conflict for more than 30 years, since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Violence has once again seen an uptick in recent months as the M23 rebel group has captured a number of key cities and towns. Led by ethnic Tutsis, the militia has long been associated with the Rwandan government by the UN and others, but President Paul Kagame has consistently dismissed the links. But, as international attention on the humanitarian situation in the eastern DRC grows, is this a line he can sustain?On this episode, Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC's Deputy Africa Editor, Anne Soy. They track the origins of the conflict, and consider the incentive behind Rwanda's alleged involvement.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Beth TimminsSound engineer: Dafydd EvansAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

With the Trump administration threatening to redirect America's foreign defence spending from Ukraine and Europe to other parts of the world, European leaders are grappling with what the future of their security could be without US support. Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Landale. They discuss the threat of Russia and how Europe could defend its borders if the United States were to withdraw its money and manpower from the continent. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Eleanor Sly and Laurie KalusSound engineer: Gareth Jones Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

In a surprise move this week, US President Donald Trump announced that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The pair held what Washington described as a "lengthy and highly productive" phone call, ending an effective boycott of high-level diplomatic dialogue with the Kremlin by western leaders. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke separately with President Trump, has emphasised his scepticism about Russia's readiness for peace. So, does this moment mark the first step towards formal talks?On this episode, Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC's Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet. She dialled in from the Munich Security Conference, where Ukraine looks to be high on the agenda.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Tom KavanaghAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Antimicrobial drugs like antibiotics have saved countless lives and transformed the health of humanity. Before these drugs were discovered, even something as simple as a papercut could be life-threatening. Some of the greatest advances in the development of these drugs have been forged in wartime. But now those same wars threaten the progress that has been made.Host Jonny Dymond speaks with the BBC's Global Health correspondent Dominic Hughes about the hidden threat that wars around the world pose to modern medicine. And also the BBC’s Abdujalil Abdurasulov who has been speaking to soldiers and hospital staff in Ukraine to see how antimicrobial resistance is affecting their ability to treat casualties.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editors: Alice Aylett Roberts and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

President Bukele has offered to house US criminals in El Salvador's mega-jail, built as part of his crackdown on drug gangs. Since taking office he has arrested thousands of people, but many remain in jail without facing trial. Host Jonny Dymond speaks to BBC Mundo's Leire Ventas who is one of the few journalists to have been inside the mega prison. Our correspondent in Central America, Will Grant, tells us the story of two mothers - one who welcomes President Bukele's approach and another who says it has torn her family apart.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Ben AndrewsAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Will Canadians sour on this special relationship amid Trump’s tariff threats? Canada and the US share the world’s longest undefended border and one of the closest alliances in the world. But President Trump’s new tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium, and his comments about making Canada the 51st US state, have strained those longstanding ties. Can the friendship last? On this episode, presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to Jayme Poisson, host of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation podcast Front Burner, and The Global Story’s reporter Peter Goffin. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Jack GraysmarkAssistant editors: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Richard MoranSenior news editor: China Collins

Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain's football federation, is on trial accused of sexual assault for kissing the player Jenni Hermoso at the 2023 World Cup medal ceremony.Hermoso told the trial last week that the incident "stained one of the happiest days of my life". Rubiales, who has denied any wrongdoing, is expected to give evidence in the coming days.Host Lucy Hockings speaks to The Global Story's very own Sergi Forcada Freixas about how the incident stole headlines from the World Cup win. And our gender and identity correspondent Sofia Bettiza explains how the case has fuelled a conversation on sexual assault and consent that has been simmering in Spain for years. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran and Beth TimminsSound engineers: Stephen BaileyAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Many companies are calling staff back to the office for more or all of the working week. When the Covid-19 pandemic upended the usual way of doing business around the world, most firms were forced to change their typical operating practices, allowing employees to work remotely where possible. But what may have looked like a permanent revolution at one stage is becoming a distant memory for some workers.Host Caitríona Perry talks to the BBC’s employment correspondent Zoe Conway and Stanford University economics professor Nicholas Bloom about whether working remotely for all or part of the week is better for business efficiency, and why some employers are calling time on the practice.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Tom Kavanagh, Peter Goffin and Laurie KalusSound engineers: Mike Regaard, Stephen Bailey and Annie SmithAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

President Donald Trump wants to take over Gaza and rebuild it as an international hotspot for business and tourism. The plan could drastically change the future of the Middle East. For decades, US presidents have said that establishing a sovereign Palestinian state, to exist alongside Israel, is the only way to achieve a permanent peace. But can that ever happen if Gazans are moved out of Gaza, as President Trump has suggested? On this episode, presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams and the longstanding – if distant – diplomatic hopes for two-state solution.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Annie SmithAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The long-running economic battle between the world's two biggest economies has escalated. This week US President Donald Trump brought tariffs against China in an effort to strongarm the growing superpower into submission and strengthen American markets. But Beijing hit back, raising its own tariffs, escalating a trade war that could have implications for both countries. Trump is betting that tariffs will make America, and American people, richer. But does anyone win in a trade war? On this episode, Lucy Hockings speaks to the BBC’s Asia Pacific editor Micky Bristow, and Ritika Gupta, a North America business correspondent, about why Trump loves tariffs and what impact a trade war between China and America could have on the global economy.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Mhairi MacKenzie and Eleanor SlySound engineer: Stephen BaileyAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The deposed President Bashar al-Assad has been linked to the multi-billion dollar trade of a narcotic called Captagon. Syria's new rebel leaders have promised to stamp it out. So what will it take to end the country's association with the drug? Presenter Caitríona Perry speaks to the BBC's Emir Nader, who has been reporting on the drug trade in the Middle East.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin and Eleanor Sly Sound engineers: Mike Regaard and Jonny BakerAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Since the end of World War Two and Nazi rule, Germany has been hyper-vigilant about keeping right-wing hardliners out of government. For decades, mainstream politicians have shunned parties like the AfD. But now, with a federal election just weeks away and the AfD rising in the polls, a frontrunner in the race for chancellor has accepted the party’s support on an immigration bill. It’s an unprecedented step. But does it mean the far-right is being normalised? On this episode, Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC’s correspondents in Berlin, Damien McGuinness and Jess Parker, about the evolution of the AfD, and how the party’s growing popularity challenges the way Germans think about their own politics and history.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin, Laurie Kalus and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Mike Regaard and Jonny BakerAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Tetiana and Oleh Plachkov have spent their whole lives in Melitopol, a city in eastern Ukraine. They fell in love, married and had a daughter Lyudmila. They started a business, running two restaurants, popular with their neighbours for special occasions. But since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, their family has been torn apart like so many in Ukraine.Jonny Dymond speaks to our eastern Europe correspondent, Sarah Rainsford, about one family among many whose loved ones have disappeared under the Russian occupation. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran and Eleanor SlySound engineer: Hannah MontgomeryAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are heading north to find out what is left of their homes after 15 months of war. On this episode, our host Jonny Dymond speaks to Farida Alghol, who has made the journey back to Gaza City and her parents. We also ask our correspondent Nick Beake what the future holds for the people and territory of Gaza. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin, Tom Kavanagh, Alice Aylett Roberts and Beth Timmins Sound engineer: Hannah Montgomery and Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The speed at which the new Chinese chatbot app DeepSeek has risen to prominence has taken many by surprise. Now the most downloaded free app in the US, DeepSeek seems to require less powerful computer chips than its American tech rivals. The release of this low-cost AI model sent shockwaves through US stock markets, with Nvidia - the company behind the high-tech chips powering many AI investments - being the hardest hit. On Monday, Nvidia’s share price dropped by 17%, wiping out around $600bn in market value. So, where has DeepSeek come from, and what’s behind its ability to spook investors? What could this mean for the future of chip manufacturing and the US's historic dominance in the world of AI?Jonny Dymond speaks to Chris Miller, historian on semiconductor chips at Tufts University and author of Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology. Jonny is also joined by the BBC’s North America business correspondent Ritika Gupta to discus the impact DeepSeek has had on the stock markets.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Richard Moran and Eleanor Sly Sound engineer: Hannah Montgomery Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

​Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has made a string of expansionist foreign policy announcements, angering several of his international counterparts. After reiterating his ambitious intention to purchase Greenland, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico, the US president doubled down on his insistence that Washington should regain control of the Panama Canal, the essential shipping passage he claims has been commandeered by China. Built by the United States in the early twentieth century, the waterway transformed global trade and marked America’s emergence as a superpower on the world stage, before being transferred to Panamanian control via a 1977 treaty. So why has Donald Trump got it in his sights now? On this episode Jonny Dymond speaks to Julie Greene, a professor of American studies at the University of Maryland, about the storied history of the Panama Canal. And the BBC’s North America business correspondent Michelle Fleury discusses the politics and economics behind the Trump administration's diplomatic pursuit of the trade route.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus, Mhairi MacKenzie and Beth TimminsSound engineer: Annie SmithAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

It’s 80 years since the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp was liberated. As we commemorate the memory of the six million Jews and other groups murdered by the Nazis in the Holocaust, a survivor of Auschwitz tells us why it’s more important than ever to remember what happened there.On today's episode Lucy Hockings speaks to Tova Friedman, an American author and therapist, and one of the youngest Auschwitz survivors. Tova arrived at the extermination camp at the age of just five years old. She now speaks to young people in person and via TikTok about how she survived a year in Auschwitz as a very young child.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Beth TimminsSound engineer: Dafydd Evans and Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

On Thursday, Thailand's long-awaited same-sex marriage law came into effect, with more than a thousand couples thought to have officially tied the knot already. The legislation comes after years of campaigning, and at a moment when a public yearning for change is being increasingly felt on the political stage. Characterised by its conservative establishment and royalist military, Thailand has nonetheless developed a reputation as a haven for LGBTQ+ people in Asia, and has now become the largest country on the continent to legally enshrine equal marriage rights.On today's episode, Lucy Hockings is joined by Ruchaya 'Rayya' Nillakan, after she and her wife were officially married along with more than a hundred other couples at a mass celebration in a luxury Bangkok shopping mall. Also there was the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, who explains how this landmark moment came about, and considers why the majority of Thailand's Asian neighbours are yet to follow suit.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus, Tom Kavanagh, and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Dafydd EvansAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

For centuries, people have pursued the dream of eternal youth. It might seem like the stuff of myth or science fiction, but researchers have been making fascinating progress in understanding what happens in our bodies as we age. There’s optimism that we might soon be able to use drugs to slow down or even reverse how we age, extending the number of years we live healthy, productive lives. What’s more, some of us might be taking these drugs already. On today’s episode, Lucy Hockings speaks to Dr Andrew Steele, author of ‘Ageless: The new science of getting older without getting old’ to find out whether we might drink from the fountain of youth in our lifetime.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran and Tom KavanaghSound engineer: Annie SmithAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

It's a moment of change in the Middle East. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in retreat in Lebanon. Iran and its proxies are weakened and Syria has slipped from its grasp. Now, with President Trump officially installed in the White House, what impact might his presidency have on the region? Will he forge new ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia? And what about his rocky relationship with Iran? To discuss, Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Laurie Kalus and Eleanor SlySound engineers: Hannah Montgomery and Jonny BakerAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th US president. In his inaugural speech he promised to put America first and said "the golden age of America begins right now". The ceremony, held inside the Capitol building because of freezing temperatures in Washington, saw Mr Trump flanked by his family, political allies, and the billionaires running Silicon Valley’s biggest tech firms.Mr Trump said he would immediately begin a review of trade policies - and that new tariffs would bring in massive amounts of money to enrich Americans at other countries' expense. He repeated threats to take over the Panama Canal - claiming that China had taken control of the waterway.The Global Story has teamed up with other BBC podcasts to dissect Trump's speech. Jonny Dymond is joined by James Cook and Chris Mason from Newscast, Anthony Zurcher and Marianna Spring from Americast, and Victoria Derbyshire from Ukrainecast.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran, Jack Maclaren, Teodora Agarici and Shiler MahmoudiSound engineer: Ricardo McCarthyAssistant editors: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Chris GraySenior news editors: China Collins and Sam Bonham(Photo: Donald Trump during his inauguration as 47th US president. Credit: Chip Somodevilla/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

As oaths and speeches ring out across Capitol Hill on inauguration day, we take you inside the White House where unseen junior staffers are scrambling to prepare for four years in office. And we ask whether Donald Trump’s second term, armed with a Republican-controlled Congress, is set to be more effective than his first.Jonny Dymond speaks with Katie Johnson, President Barack Obama’s former personal assistant, about what it was like to enter the White House on inauguration day in 2009. Jonny also speaks with Courtney Subramanian about how Donald Trump's second presidential term might differ to his first.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Laurie Kalus, Tom Kavanagh and Kate Eagleton-EtheridgeSound engineer: Dafydd EvansAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: China Collins(Picture: White House. Credit: BBC)

With just hours to go before Donald Trump's second term as president official begins, extreme weather conditions in Washington DC have led to last minute changes to his inauguration.On this episode, Caitríona Perry is joined by Sumi Somaskanda and Courtney Subramanian to talk about how Donald Trump's second term might be different and what President Biden might do next.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. And every Saturday until the inauguration of Donald Trump on the 20th of January, we bring you an update on his Path to the Presidency. Follow or subscribe to The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts, so you don't miss an episode. You can email us at [email protected]: Richard Moran, Peter Goffin, Eleanor Sly and Charlie JonesSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Jack GraysmarkAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

As Joe Biden’s term as President of the United States draws to a close, he’s trying to define his international legacy. From the Ukraine war, to the Gaza ceasefire, to the US pulling out of Afghanistan; Biden’s tenure has seen US involvement in multiple world events and conflicts. So how will his impact beyond American shores be remembered? And has he left the US stronger or weaker than it was before he took office? The BBC’s diplomatic correspondent, James Landale, speaks with The Global Story’s Jonny Dymond to discuss the effect that Joe Biden’s presidency has had on different parts of the world. We also hear the stories of some of those who have been directly affected by US foreign policy in Ukraine and Afghanistan. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Eleanor Sly and Peter Goffin Sound engineer: Dafydd Evans and Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: China Collins

Following intense negotiations, Israel and Hamas have arrived at a ceasefire deal to end more than 15 months of war in Gaza. All Israeli hostages being held by Hamas will be released, while Israel’s soldiers will withdraw fully from Gaza, and allow 600 aid trucks per day to enter the devastated territory. Despite outgoing US president Joe Biden’s insistence that the terms of the deal are similar to what his administration had put before both parties back in May, the man waiting to take his place in the White House, Donald Trump, is already taking credit for getting Hamas and the Israeli government to the agreement.The BBC’s Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet joins The Global Story’s Jonny Dymond to break down the terms of this landmark agreement, and tells us how the warring parties ultimately arrived at an accord.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran, Tom Kavanagh and Beth TimminsSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

After 15 months of conflict, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is in sight. But the war has left so many dead, so much destroyed, and a region shaken and redrawn.As so many are hoping for a deal that will quiet the guns, we're using this moment to take stock. Jonny Dymond speaks to BBC Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega about what has been lost, and whether anything has been gained, after 466 days of war.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran, Beth Timmins and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Gareth Jones Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

It’s been a week since wildfires started sweeping through Los Angeles, California, destroying swathes of the city and reducing communities, homes and schools to little more than rubble and ash. The inferno has now ravaged an area larger than Manhattan. Some fires have been extinguished but many are still burning, and with warnings in place for high winds, LA’s exhausted firefighters and residents have more difficult days ahead. Jonny Dymond speaks with BBC freelance reporter Lucy Sheriff about her experience of evacuating and losing her house and community, all while six months pregnant. They also discuss what rebuilding Los Angeles might look like. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Peter Goffin, Eleanor Sly and Richard Moran Sound engineers: Ben Andrews and Jonny Baker Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: China Collins

Ever since the release last summer of her box office hit It Ends With Us, Blake Lively has been dominating gossip columns, as a reported rift with co-star Justin Baldoni became increasingly public. Rumours and allegations followed, from sexual harassment and smear campaigns to bullying and creative sabotage. But rival lawsuits filed by the pair in recent weeks have fanned the flames, shedding new light on the covert warfare of celebrity PR in the process.On this episode, Lucy Hockings speaks to BBC entertainment reporter, Yasmin Rufo who has been following the story and interviewed Blake Lively on the red carpet at the UK premiere for the movie. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus, Beth Timmins and Peter GoffinSound engineer: Mike Regaard Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins(Picture: Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. Credit: Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)

US President-elect Donald Trump has been sentenced to unconditional discharge over his hush money conviction. Trump has been spared any penalty, including jail time or a fine, but he will still take office as the first US president with a felony conviction.On this episode, Caitríona Perry is joined by Sumi Somaskanda and Courtney Subramanian to discuss the impact Donald Trump's sentencing could have on his presidency. Plus, the political dispute which has ensued following the most destructive wildfires ever to hit Los Angeles, and how some of the incoming president’s picks could fare as they prepare to face crucial confirmation hearings.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. And every Saturday until the inauguration of Donald Trump on the 20th of January, we bring you an update on his Path to the Presidency. Follow or subscribe to The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts, so you don't miss an episode. You can email us at [email protected]: Tom KavanaghSound engineer: Gareth JonesAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins(Picture: Donald Trump during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Credit: Reuters)

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has revolutionised every industry he has ever worked in – from online payments and electric vehicles to space travel and satellite communications. Now he’s positioning himself as a major force in global politics. He is already going to play a key role in the United States as an advisor to President Donald Trump, but he has also turned his attention to Germany and the UK.Lucy Hockings speaks with Mike Wendling and Jessica Parker about whether Musk's motivations for getting involved in European politics are professional or personal.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Alix PicklesSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins(Picture: Elon Musk. Credit: Reuters)

US President-elect Donald Trump has repeated his intention to take control of Greenland, the Arctic territory controlled by Denmark. Greenland sits between the US, Europe, and the dominant Arctic power that is Russia. And further heating up tensions in the region is the fact that climate change is chipping away at the ice, creating new shipping routes and making key oil, gas and mineral resources easier to access.On this episode, Katya Adler is joined by the BBC’s defence correspondent Jonathan Beale and journalist and author Tim Marshall to discuss the intensifying competition in the region and if we are heading for a new ‘cold war’ in the High North. Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Alix Pickles Sound engineers: Phil Bull and Mike Regaard Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ended months of speculation about his future, in a resignation speech outside his Rideau Cottage residence in Ottawa. Amid plummeting opinion polls, internal party pressure had been mounting for him to vacate the Liberal leadership, after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland dealt him what many saw as a decisive blow when she quit the government in December. So as the battle to replace Mr Trudeau gets underway, what does Canada's political landscape look like, with the Conservative opposition eagerly anticipating a looming election?On today's episode Sumi Somaskanda is joined by the BBC's Jessica Murphy in Toronto, and The Global Story reporter Peter Goffin. They discuss the Trudeau legacy, and the man poised to become the next long-term Prime Minister, Pierre Poilievre. Plus, the impact of a new Trump administration across the border.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producer: Laurie KalusSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto credit: Reuters

The conflict in Gaza has continued into 2025 but there is still hope for a ceasefire as talks resume in Doha. Previous attempts at achieving peace have failed, but with the arrival of Donald Trump as the new US President in less than two weeks – could this be the moment that a ceasefire deal finally succeeds?On this episode Sumi Somaskanda speaks with the BBC's Gaza correspondent Rushdi Abualouf and the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams about the hopes for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza this year, and whether the arrival of Donald Trump will change the course of events in the Middle East.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Tom KavanaghSound engineers: Jonny Baker and Phil BullAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: China Collins

Surrogacy is a booming global industry generating billions of dollars every year. But while demand for surrogacy is rising - more and more countries are taking steps to ban it completely. Most recently in Italy – where the far-right government has passed a new law that makes surrogacy a “universal crime”, putting it on the same level as child abuse and human trafficking. So, is surrogacy exploitative or empowering women? On this episode Lucy Hockings speaks with the BBC's gender and identity correspondent Sofia Bettiza about how to balance the desire of gay or infertile couples to become parents with the rights of the women who carry the children.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producer: Alice Aylett RobertsSound engineers: Ben Andrews and Daniel EhrlichAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Donald Trump and Joe Biden have offered competing statements in the aftermath of the New Year’s killings. In a break with tradition, the president-elect has tried to wield his influence at home and abroad before officially taking office. BBC chief presenters Sumi Somaskanda and Christian Fraser are joined by BBC supervising editor Courtney Subramanian to discuss the balance of power in Washington, Elon Musk’s growing involvement in world politics, and whether Congressman Mike Johnson has enough support to remain the speaker of the house.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. And every Saturday until the inauguration of Donald Trump on the 20th of January, we bring you an update on his Path to the Presidency. Follow or subscribe to The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts, so you don't miss an episode. You can email us at [email protected]: Peter Goffin, Eleanor Sly and Charlie JonesSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Gareth JonesAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson