The Global Story

BBC World Service

Where the world and America meet, with episodes each weekday. The world is changing. Decisions made in the US and by the second Trump administration are accelerating that change. But they are also a symptom of it. With Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC’s international newsroom, The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption.

Watch this show

50 episodes

Not checked · Sep 18, 2026 · 26:52
Dave Ramsey: Iran, tariffs and affordability
As the midterm elections in America approach, the economy is one of the deciding factors for how people will vote. Before his second term started, President Trump promised to tackle the so-called affordabilty crisis. But since then, the war in Iran has led to soaring gas prices…
Not checked · Sep 17, 2026 · 26:55
Ed Sheeran, Macklemore, and the politics of staying silent
One of the most successful songwriters of all time is facing the biggest controversy of his nearly two decades in the public eye. Where does pop star Ed Sheeran go from here? On Tuesday, every support act for Sheeran withdrew from his US stadium tour, following a decision to…
Not checked · Sep 16, 2026 · 27:01
Will the Houthis tank the global economy?
Over the last week, the Houthis - an Iran-backed militant group in Yemen - have captured two strategic islands along the Red Sea coast, consolidating its control of a key international shipping route known as the Bab al-Mandab strait. Saudi Arabia has relied on access to the…
Not checked · Sep 15, 2026 · 26:37
The Canadians who want out of Canada
As Canada continues to wage a trade war with the US, an internal battle is being fought over the country’s identity. Next month, voters in Alberta, the country’s wealthiest province, face a referendum on whether they want the opportunity to explore a separation from Canada…
Not checked · Sep 14, 2026 · 26:57
Can the US and China stop AI from killing us all?
China’s President Xi Jinping will meet Donald Trump later this month with the issue of AI governance high on the agenda. In recent weeks there has been increasing concern around the risks that AI might pose to humanity, after a safety researcher at Anthropic suggested the…
Not checked · Sep 11, 2026 · 27:04
Did America win the ‘war on terror’?
Why can’t America quit the Middle East? September 11 marked a shift in the American psyche, and altered the way the United States saw its place in the world. Shortly after the attacks, President George W Bush announced the ‘war on terror’, a policy that would implicate the…
Not checked · Sep 10, 2026 · 27:06
How the AfD is rewriting German history
For the first time since World War Two, a far-right party has made a significant win in Germany – taking almost 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has been labelled as “right-wing extremist” by domestic intelligence, is leading the…
Not checked · Sep 9, 2026 · 27:04
Why America's allies are sanctioning West Bank settlers
On Tuesday, the government of the United Kingdom announced sweeping sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and accused settlers of ‘ethnic cleansing.’ Soon after, 11 other countries, including Canada, France, Spain and Poland, announced a ban on goods imported…
Not checked · Sep 8, 2026 · 27:07
Can Dubai’s luxe image survive the war with Iran?
As the summer holiday season draws to a close, foreigners travelling to and from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates are facing delays, cancellations and severe travel warnings. The disruption comes as a result of the UAE’s position in the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran…
Not checked · Sep 7, 2026 · 27:29
Was Saudi Arabia involved in 9/11?
Twenty-five years on from the deadliest terror attack in history, thousands of grieving families are still fighting for answers. In early 2000, two young Saudis arrived in San Diego. They had never been to America, spoke almost no English, and had no idea how to open a bank…

Loading the latest episodes…

Dave Ramsey: Iran, tariffs and affordability

Ed Sheeran, Macklemore, and the politics of staying silent

Will the Houthis tank the global economy?

The Canadians who want out of Canada

Can the US and China stop AI from killing us all?

Did America win the ‘war on terror’?

How the AfD is rewriting German history

Why America's allies are sanctioning West Bank settlers

Can Dubai’s luxe image survive the war with Iran?

Was Saudi Arabia involved in 9/11?

The Readout