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Nukes for nothing: The deal that broke Ukraine's trust Sep 05, 2025

Show notes

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 Collins

France'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

Xi’s axis of frenemies Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

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 Collins

Image: Xi Jingping at a WW2 anniversary reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Florence Lo/Reuters

Riviera or statehood: the future of Gaza Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

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 Collins

Image: President Trump Meets With Visiting Israeli PM Netanyahu At The White House. Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Where the world and America meet Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

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.

The Republican crusade against public media Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

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 Goffin

Technical producer: Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: China Collins

Pronatalism: Make America procreate again? Mar 27, 2025

Show notes

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 MacKenzie

Technical producer: Frank McWeeny

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: China Collins

The Great Wealth Transfer: Will it divide millennials? Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

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 Roberts

Sound engineer: Ricardo McCarthy

Assistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: China Collins

How did one fire paralyse Europe's busiest airport? Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

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 Roberts

Sound engineer: Stephen Bailey

Assistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: China Collins

Noise: The not-so-silent killer? Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

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 theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Peter Goffin and Tom Kavanagh

Sound engineers: Mike Regaard and Jack Graysmark

Assistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: China Collins

Turkey: Erdogan's political deja vu Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

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 Sly

Sound engineers: Jack Graysmark and Mike Regaard

Assistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: China Collins

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