The Global Story

Apple is promising to make more products in the US, backed by a $600bn investment over the next four years. But after decades of relying on Chinese manufacturing that promise is going to be tough to keep. Today we’re joined by journalist and author Patrick McGee to discuss whether Apple can navigate the demands of Donald Trump’s America First agenda and disentangle itself from a made-in-China business model. Producers: Hannah Moore and Aron Keller Executive producers: James Shield and Annie Brown Mix: Nicky Edwards, Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Picture: Apple CEO Tim Cook in Cupertino, California, U.S. September 9, 2025. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo

World leaders are currently gathered at the United Nations in New York for the annual General Assembly. This year, the future of the Palestinian territories hangs in the balance: several nations like the UK, France, Canada, and Australia are formally recognising the state of Palestine for the first time. The Trump administration strongly opposes the move, warning that it could embolden Hamas and provoke Israel into annexing the West Bank.How did some of Israel and America’s staunchest allies decide that the time is right to recognise a Palestinian state? We speak to BBC diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams who has spent years reporting from the Middle East.Producers: Xandra Ellin and Viv Jones Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China CollinsImage: Members of the U.N. Security Council vote on a draft resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 18, 2025. Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

At the height of the cold war in the 1970s, the Soviet Union set up an international song contest to rival Eurovision. It was called Intervision, and like its western counterpart, featured a bevy of cheesy songs, sequins and highly flammable outfits – albeit with a different political message. Intervision burned bright and fast – disappearing long before the fall of the Berlin Wall. But this weekend, with Russia still exiled from the Eurovision Song Contest because of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is reviving the competition, and the USA is due to compete. In today’s episode, BBC Moscow correspondent and Eurovision superfan Steve Rosenberg explores the intertwined histories of Eurovision and Intervision, and the politics behind Putin’s decision. Producers: Hannah Moore and Valerio Esposito Executive producer: Annie Brown Sound engineer: Travis Evans Editor: China Collins(Photo: The international music contest Intervision at Zaryadye Park in Moscow. Credit: Maxim Shipenkov/EPA/Shutterstock)

President Trump is in the UK on a State visit, where he’s been hosted by the royal family and is set to meet with Prime Minister Starmer.The two leaders appear to have a strong relationship. But there's one big issue that’s become a sticking point between them.Increasingly, free speech in the United Kingdom is a hot button rallying cry among the conservatives in the United States. Why have Republicans in America become so obsessed with free speech across the Atlantic? Especially when a crackdown on speech is kicking off at home.This programme includes language which some listeners find offensive.Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Viv Jones and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: Annie Brown and James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China CollinsImage: US President Donald Trump on second State Visit to the UK. Kirsty Wigglesworth/PACredit: Father Ted/Hat Trick Productions/Channel 4

On Tuesday, as Israel launched its long-anticipated ground invasion of Gaza City, a United Nations commission of inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Israel's foreign ministry said it categorically rejected the report, denouncing it as "distorted and false". The report is a major moment in the ongoing debate over whether the situation in Gaza meets the legal definition of a genocide. We speak with BBC Geneva correspondent Imogen Foulkes about the evidence. Producers: Viv Jones, Xandra Ellin Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Image: Displaced Palestinians evacuate Gaza City. Mahmoud Issa/ Reuters

The assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk shocked America and exposed the depth of its political divides. Since a suspect has been arrested, the search for clear motive has only become more complicated. In today’s episode, the BBC’s Social Media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring examines the meaning of the inscriptions on the bullet casings associated with the murder. The markings take us into the dark corners of the internet, but what do they tell us about why Charlie Kirk was killed?Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Aron Keller and Lucy Pawle Executive producer: Annie Brown Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China CollinsImage: Utah Governor Spencer Cox. Cheney Orr/Reuters

France is in political turmoil. President Emmanuel Macron has just appointed his fifth prime minister in two years. But it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to form a government. There are calls for Macron's resignation amid nationwide protests and shutdowns. He is running out of options. Waiting in the wings is Marine Le Pen, whose far-right National Rally party has surged in popularity and seems poised to take power. On Sunday at a rally in Bordeaux, she repeated calls for new national elections. So how did this party, with its controversial history, rehabilitate its image? And what would the first far-right government since World War Two mean not just for France, but for Europe and the rest of the world?Producers: Lucy Pawle, Sam Chantarasak Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China CollinsImage: Marine Le Pen. Yoan Valat/EPA/Shutterstock

On Wednesday, the divisive conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on the first stop of his ‘American Comeback Tour’, where he invited students to engage him in political discussion. Kirk was the founder of the conservative nonprofit Turning Points USA and one of Donald Trump’s most powerful advocates, especially among young people. But his impact stretched far beyond the United States, as he leveraged social media to reinvent the right's image around the world. Today, we speak to Semafor political correspondent, David Weigel, about the blueprint Kirk pioneered for winning young minds to the conservative cause. Then, we speak to Daniel Ogoloma, who partnered with Kirk for a debate while he was a student at Oxford University. He tells us about his plan to bring Kirk’s ideas into Nigerian politics. Producers: Viv Jones, Xandra Ellin, Valerio Esposito, Lucy Pawle, Sam Chantarasak Executive producer: Annie Brown Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo credit: Trent Nelson / The Salt Lake Tribune / Reuters

Donald Trump wants to broker peace in two of the world’s most intractable wars: Gaza and Ukraine. But this week, both crises have escalated – and the man he’s tasked with solving them has no previous diplomatic experience.Steve Witkoff, a real estate mogul and Trump’s closest confidante, is now at the center of American foreign policy as the ‘envoy for everything’.On today’s Global Story, we speak with the BBC’s State Department Correspondent, Tom Bateman, and ask whether Witkoff’s unconventional style is a weakness – or a strength.Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Image: President Donald Trump and Steve Witkoff. Sarah Yenesel/EPA/Shutterstock

On Tuesday, Israel carried out a series of unexpected bombings, targeting senior Hamas leaders. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said it was a "precise strike" on those responsible for the October 7 attacks, but the Qataris have called the strike a "blatant violation" of international law. Qatar has been mediating indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas to end the conflict in Gaza. In the US, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was notified about plans of the strike ahead of time, but said, “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States [...] does not advance Israel or America’s goals”. On today's Global Story, we talk to the BBC's Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, about the impact this could have on future peace talks. Producers: Hannah Moore and Valerio Esposito Executive producer: Annie Brown Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China CollinsImage: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sept 8 2025. Menahem Kahana / AFP via Getty Images.

Hundreds of workers, most of them South Korean nationals, were detained last week at a Hyundai plant in Georgia after the largest immigration raid of Trump’s second term. The raid puts two of the administration’s key priorities to the test - cracking down on illegal immigration and bringing manufacturing back to America - but has it exposed a conflict between the two policy goals? We speak to BBC Verify US Correspondent Nick Beake who has been to the site, and to Jake Kwon from the BBC Seoul bureau, about whether this has jeopardised relations between the US and one of its major trading partners.Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin Executive producers: James Shield and Annie Brown Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China CollinsImage: US immigration raid at Hyundai-LG plant in Georgia. Shutterstock/EPA

In Brazil this week an alternate reality is unfolding: a former president, who allegedly tried to incite an insurrection to overturn an election, is on trial. A verdict is expected this week, and he may go to prison for the rest of his life. On January 8th 2023, Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters broke into government buildings, demanding to overturn the result of the election Bolsonaro had lost. In the aftermath of those events, Bolsonaro was accused of masterminding a plot for a military coup. He denies these claims and says the charges are politically motivated. President Trump has called the trial a “witch hunt” and gone to extreme measures to try to influence its outcome. But have his attempts to influence the trial backfired? We speak with Ione Wells, the BBC’s South America correspondent, who has been reporting from inside the trial. Producers: Viv Jones and Valerio Esposito Executive producer: Annie Brown Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Image: Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia on July 17, 2025. Mateus Bonomi / AFP via Getty Images

In 1994, Ukraine surrendered the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal, inherited from the collapsed Soviet Union, in exchange for security assurances from the US, Russia, and the UK. Ukraine’s denuclearisation is often considered a huge success story in nuclear non-proliferation, but in retrospect, it may have paved the way for Putin's 2022 invasion. As talk of US-European security guarantees for Ukraine resurfaces in the context of tentative Russia-Ukraine peace talks, we speak with BBC Paris correspondent Andrew Harding about the history of the 1994 agreement, and consider whether Ukraine would ever again believe promises made to protect it.Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: Annie Brown Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China CollinsFrance's President Emmanuel Macron (R) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrive to chair the Coalition of the Willing Summit, at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, on September 4, 2025. Ludovic Marin/ Getty

President Xi Jinping said humanity faces "a choice between peace and war” as China paraded a huge arsenal of weapons – including nuclear missiles – in Beijing yesterday. Xi's military parade, watched over by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, seemed a provocation to the west – most notably, Donald Trump – and a signal of his will to redraw the world order, lessening China’s reliance on the US. In today's episode, the BBC's Celia Hatton considers: how long will China's friendships last with world leaders who have for years been its rivals? Producers: Hannah Moore and Lucy Pawle Executive Producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior News Editor: China CollinsImage: Xi Jingping at a WW2 anniversary reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Florence Lo/Reuters

Today, we’re joined by BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen to explore oppositional visions for a post-war Gaza — one from the Americans and the other from the rest of the western world.There are two competing international visions for the future for Palestinians: much of the Western world will recognise Palestinian Statehood at this month’s United Nations General Assembly in a push towards the two-state solution; whilst Donald Trump has touted plans for a US-controlled Gaza riviera. But how do these ideas line up with reality on the ground, as Netanyahu’s government continues to bombard the Gaza Strip, approves plans for expanding settlements and expresses support for a ‘Greater Israel’ that expands across the Middle East? We consider Gaza’s future with BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen.Producers: Samantha Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin Executive Producer: Annie Brown Mix: Travis Evans Senior News Editor: China CollinsImage: President Trump Meets With Visiting Israeli PM Netanyahu At The White House. Anna Moneymaker/Getty

This is the new Global Story. We’re back daily with a new team, new stories and a new mission.Meet co-hosts Asma Khalid and Tristan Redman. They’ll tell the intertwined story of America and the world - and how each shapes the other, daily. And they’ll be backed by the finest newsroom in the business.

Ever since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, his representatives have been following through on promises to slash federal spending. Their latest target is public media, and this week fierce Trump-loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene led a hearing demanding that the bosses of NPR and PBS justify their government funding. Public broadcasting has been a longtime bugbear for many conservatives, who say it is tainted by a liberal bias. So, as pressure mounts, can these organisations survive?On today's episode, Lucy Hockings speaks to Micah Loewinger, co-host of On the Media, a podcast covering the intersection between politics and the media – it's made by WNYC, a member station of NPR. They discuss the resilience of public media, and consider what defunding it could mean for free speech and accountability in the modern political landscape.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Peter GoffinTechnical producer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Malcolm and Simone Collins hope to have 10 children to help avoid what they see as a pending demographic collapse. They tell Lucy Hockings that as pronatalists they want to promote the dangers of falling fertility rates and encourage other people to have more children.Whereas many people might see their lifestyle as extreme, pronatalism seems to be gaining support at the heart of the Trump administration. But some people worry that some pronatalist practices cross the line into eugenics and that the far right are also adopting the ideology. Our correspondent in Washington, Nomia Iqbal, helps us to put it all in context.Producers: Richard Moran and Mhairi MacKenzieTechnical producer: Frank McWeenyAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The baby boomer generation has become the richest in history. In recent years there has been some degree of animosity between the boomer generation and their younger millennial counterparts. The millennial generation have been much less well off than their parents and are often stereotyped as living beyond their means. But this could all be about to change. Now younger people are expected to inherit billions from their parents. It’s expected to be the largest transfer of wealth in human history. But that won’t be shared out equally… So, what are the social and economic implications of The Great Wealth Transfer? Lucy Hockings speaks with BBC business correspondent Erin Delmore and the BBC's population correspondent Stephanie Hegarty. They discuss what The Great Wealth Transfer could mean for the millennial generation.Producers: Richard Moran, Eleanor Sly and Alice Aylett RobertsSound engineer: Ricardo McCarthyAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

London Heathrow saw all its flights cancelled on Friday after a fire at a local power supply station. The news led to rampant speculation online – rumours of foreign interference, accusations against executives, and angry questions about who was to blame. So why wasn’t there a contingency plan to keep such an essential transport hub running?Caitríona Perry is joined by Theo Leggett, the BBC’s international business correspondent, to discuss Heathrow’s temporary closure and what it says about the vulnerabilities of our major infrastructure.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Alice Aylett RobertsSound engineer: Stephen BaileyAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

How sounds could be damaging your health. Long-term exposure to the noises of everyday city life has been linked to higher levels of stress, diabetes and heart disease. On this episode, presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC’s health and science correspondent James Gallagher about life in two of the world’s loudest cities – Barcelona in Spain and Dhaka in Bangladesh. And James puts his own body to the test, to find out how it responds to the most annoying sounds. 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 Jack GraysmarkAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, was arrested on Wednesday on corruption and terror charges he insists are politically motivated. Considered the leading candidate to face Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the next election, Mr Imamoglu's eligibility had been thrown into doubt after his university degree was annulled earlier this week. His detention is being compared to President Erdogan's own arrest when he was Istanbul mayor more than a quarter of a century ago - a moment widely seen as the catalyst for his rise to national stardom.On this episode, Jonny Dymond is joined by journalist and author Elcin Poyrazlar, and BBC Monitoring's Dilay Yalcin. They discuss how Turkey has changed under Erdogan’s leadership, and consider what the arrest of his rival says about his fears for future.Producers: Laurie Kalus, Tom Kavanagh and Eleanor SlySound engineers: Jack Graysmark and Mike RegaardAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

We spend around a third of our lives sleeping. But many people struggle with insomnia or have difficulty staying asleep, and research shows that bad sleep can increase the risk of multiple health conditions. How harmful is bad sleep to our health? And what can we do about it? Jonny Dymond speaks with Professor Russell Foster, Director of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at the University of Oxford, and author and sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan about how people can get enough sleep.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]: Alice Aylett Roberts and Beth TimminsSound engineers: Mike RegaardAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

On Tuesday night, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that combat against Hamas in Gaza had resumed in full force.This followed several hours of early morning air strikes targeting Gaza, which killed more than 400 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, making it one of the deadliest days of the conflict so far. Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC’s Jon Donnison, who witnessed the strikes from the Israeli border town of Sderot. He helps us to understand this latest escalation and why Israel has decided to return to war. Producers: Richard Moran, Mhairi MacKenzie and Tom KavanaghAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

The Russian leader has been mulling a 30-day ceasefire proposal put forward by the US, ahead of talks with Donald Trump on Tuesday. Will Vladimir Putin accept a temporary pause in fighting, let alone a long-term deal? What are the pressures that could sway him toward peace, or cause him to drag out the war in Ukraine? On this episode, presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to journalist Owen Matthews, author of the book “Overreach: The Inside Story of Putin’s 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 and Tom KavanaghSound engineers: James Piper and Mike RegaardAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Argentina’s football star Diego Maradona is once again back in the spotlight as a long-delayed trial examining the circumstances around his death gets underway in Buenos Aires. When Diego Maradona died in 2020, Argentinians took to the streets, united in both grief and in the celebration of a soccer legend. But it didn’t take long before suspicions around his death started to circulate. In today’s episode, we look at the trial involving his medical team and ask why Maradona’s legacy is still so strong. Lucy Hockings is joined by Marcela Mora y Araujo. She’s a journalist based in Buenos Aires who translated Diego Maradona’s autobiography.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Alice Aylett RobertsSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Jonny HallAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Over the past decade fentanyl use has spiked, leading to tens of thousands of deaths in the United States. Most of the deadly drug enters the US via its border with Mexico, concealed deep within vehicles and even hidden inside food packages. The Trump administration has previously accused the Mexican government of colluding with the drug cartels. He’s now hoping that the threat of import tariffs on Mexico will stem the flow of the deadly drug into the US. The Mexican government has responded to potential import tariffs by deploying national guard troops along its northern border. So can Mexico’s new president Claudia Sheinbaum get the fentanyl crisis under control?Jonny Dymond is joined by the BBC’s special correspondent Quentin Sommerville, who has been on the ground at the US-Mexico border and has visited one of the drug cartels’ operations. He also speaks to the BBC's Mexico and Central America correspondent Will Grant.Producers: Richard Moran, Alice Aylett Roberts and Eleanor SlySound engineer: James Piper Assistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: China Collins

How did Saudi Arabia come to host leaders from the US, Russia and Ukraine for peace talks? Just a few years ago, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was publicly identified as the man who ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. As a result, he was referred to as a pariah by former President Joe Biden. So, how did MBS go from pariah to peacemaker?Jonny Dymond speaks to journalist Jonathan Rugman, producer of the BBC documentary 'The Kingdom' about the life of Mohammed bin Salman.Producers: Richard Moran, Tom Kavanagh, Mhairi MacKenzie and Eleanor SlySound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

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