The Global Story

Latest Episodes:

Lab-grown meat: Why countries are banning it Dec 27, 2024

Show notes

Lab-grown meat is often touted as the solution to climate-friendly meat production. But in some parts of the world, governments are introducing laws to stop it from being produced. Why are some countries trying to ban it, before it’s even on the shelves?

Host Lucy Hockings speaks with Graihagh Jackson host of The Climate Question programme on the BBC World Service and our Asia business reporter Nick Marsh, about whether cultivated meat is a potential solution to the climate crisis or just a gimmick.

At the moment, we’re sharing some of our most popular episodes from the past twelve months, including this one. All of these episodes and many more are available to watch on the BBC World Service’s YouTube channel. Just search for “The Global Story” on YouTube to find us.

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: Alice Aylett Roberts and Beth Timmins

Sound engineers: Ben Andrews and Hannah Montgomery

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sam Bonham

Overtourism: Can travel hotspots cope with the crowds? Dec 26, 2024

Show notes

2024 is expected to be a record-breaking year for tourism, with more travellers going on holiday than ever before. But hotspots like Venice, Hawaii and Bali are also struggling from overtourism.

Rajan Datar, host of the BBC's Travel Show, has been meeting people who live in some of the world's tourism hotspots and tells Lucy Hockings about the impact huge numbers of visitors are having on communities and the environment.

Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Richard Moran and Eleanor Sly

Sound engineers: Johnny Hall

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Are you ever too old to have a baby? Dec 25, 2024

Show notes

In countries across the world women are deciding to delay motherhood. Increased access to education, more career opportunities and less financial stability means that more and more women are having children later in life. But fewer babies now, could mean more economic pressures on the rest of us in the future.

Katya Adler explores this complex topic with the BBC's population correspondent Stephanie Hegarty and Joyce Harper, professor of reproductive science at University College London.

We need you to help us understand and tell The Global Story. Email ideas and thoughts to theglobalstory@bbc.com. You can also message or leave a voice note on WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Beth Timmins and Miriam Quayyum

Sound engineers: Mike Regaard and Hannah Montgomery

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

The undercover rebels in Myanmar's military Dec 24, 2024

Show notes

A new BBC investigation has found that Myanmar's once-formidable military now controls less than a quarter of the country's territory. The surging resistance movement has been fuelled by young pro-democracy activists who fled to jungle camps following a brutal crackdown by the ruling junta in 2021. As the BBC witnesses the activities of one key militia group up close, we reveal their secret weapon — spies who are bringing down the army from the inside.

On today's episode, Lucy Hockings is joined by BBC Burmese editor Soe Win Than and Rebecca Henschke, one of the journalists behind the investigation. They recount the events which inspired these fighters and explain why, despite their success, victory still feels a long way off.

To listen to the full investigation, search for The Documentary wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

Producers: Laurie Kalus and Annie Brown

Sound engineers: Ben Andrews and Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

What to expect next year: Global predictions for 2025 Dec 23, 2024

Show notes

BBC correspondents forecast the leading news stories for the year ahead. If 2024 was the year of elections - around half the world’s population went to the polls this year alone - then 2025 will be the year the election winners try and deliver on their promises. Among them, incoming US president Donald Trump — who has criticised the status quo domestically, and abroad.

The world will also enter 2025 with wars in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan showing no signs of ending - could there be any breakthroughs? And - in the fight against climate change - is 2025 the year greenhouse gas emissions peak?

On this episode Azadeh Moshiri asks the BBC’s top correspondents for their predictions on what they think will happen in the next 12 months.

Producer: Ben Carter

Sound engineers: Ben Andrews and James Beard

Assistant editors: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Richard Fenton-Smith

Path to the Presidency: What next for Kamala Harris? Dec 21, 2024

Show notes

How the Democrats are recalibrating after November’s loss, and how the new Trump administration will deal with environmental issues. On this episode, we also examine the key role that media has had in shaping the incoming president’s cabinet and agency leadership picks. Host Caitríona Perry is joined by Sumi Somaskanda and by Supervising Editor at the BBC’s Washington DC bureau, Courtney Subramanian.

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. If you don’t want to miss an episode, follow or subscribe to The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts. You can email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com

Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Charlie Jones

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

The rebel commander running Syria Dec 20, 2024

Show notes

The BBC's Jeremy Bowen has been speaking to HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. In just a matter of weeks, he has gone from governing the province of Idlib, to leading a rebel offensive on Damascus, to becoming the de facto leader. After interviewing al-Sharaa at the presidential palace which until recently was the heart of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Jeremy speaks to Lucy Hockings for this episode of The Global Story. So, is he really a reformed radical? Will he respect the rights of women? And even if these are his intentions, is he the man who can make it happen?

Producers: Richard Moran, Tom Kavanagh and Alix Pickles

Sound engineers: Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

The Israeli soldiers refusing to fight Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

The BBC has spoken to Israeli reservists who are refusing to return to the war in Gaza. Imbued with a sense of national duty following the October 7th attack by Hamas, but now troubled by the things they’ve witnessed in Gaza, some Israeli soldiers say they won’t return to the army.

We hear from one soldier who compares the devastation inflicted by Israel’s military in the Gaza Strip to an apocalypse, and said his colleagues would routinely loot and vandalise Palestinian houses, claims denied by the Israeli military authorities.

BBC special correspondent Fergal Keane has spoken to several of them, and tells our presenter Azadeh Moshiri why their stories reflect deep political divisions which exist within Israeli society.

Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Alix Pickles

Sound engineers: Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Gisèle Pelicot and the 51 men she faced in court Dec 18, 2024

Show notes

For months a court room in the small French town of Avignon has demanded the world’s attention and shaken attitudes towards sexual violence and consent. Throughout the trial, Gisèle Pelicot has faced the 50 men accused of her rape and sexual assault while she was unconscious, drugged by her husband.

On today's episode Caitríona Perry speaks to the BBC's Paris correspondent Andrew Harding about Gisèle Pelicot and how she refused to carry the shame of the 51 men she faced in court.

If you need support with the issues we’ve been talking about, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide: www.befrienders.org. In the UK, you can find a list of organisations that can help at bbc.co.uk/actionline

Producers: Richard Moran, Alix Pickles, Mhairi MacKenzie, Eleanor Sly

Sound engineers: Rohan Madison and Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Picture credit: EPA

Why Mexico is electing judges by popular vote Dec 17, 2024

Show notes

Next year, Mexico will become the first country in the world to begin electing all its judges by popular vote. The radical judicial reform was passed by the Senate in September, where the ruling Morena party hold a commanding majority. They argue the change will promote transparency and accountability in a justice system which has faced accusations of corruption, nepotism, and bowing to political and criminal pressure. But critics say it is a direct threat to democracy which weakens the ability of the judiciary to hold the government to account - including the Supreme Court.

On today's episode, Lucy Hockings is joined by the BBC's correspondent in Mexico, Will Grant. They examine the politics behind this shakeup, and discuss why many members of the legal community are protesting the measures.

Producers: Mariana Hernández Carrillo and Laurie Kalus

Sound engineer: Rohan Madison

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

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