The Global Story

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Missing Cryptoqueen: What happened to the world’s most wanted woman? Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Is she dead or alive? Ruja Ignatova launched a fake cryptocurrency that conned investors out of more than $4 billion. Then, with the police on her trail, she vanished. A years-long investigation has led BBC journalists down a rabbit hole of scams, spies and organised crime – including the new allegation that Ignatova may have been murdered by the suspected king of the Bulgarian underworld. But what is fact and what is rumour?

Katya Adler is joined by Rob Byrne from the BBC podcast “The Missing Cryptoqueen”, and Storm Theunissen from BBC Eye Investigations, who directed the Panorama film “The Missing Cryptoqueen: Dead or Alive?”

TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, you may well like some of our other pods, too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.

This episode was made by Peter Goffin and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Julian Assange: Inside the deal to free WikiLeaks founder Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

A US court has finalised a plea agreement, which will see Julian Assange become a free man. The divisive WikiLeaks founder had been facing eighteen separate counts relating to national security, but instead admitted to a single espionage charge in exchange for time served. After pleading guilty to the offence in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US Pacific territory, the United States' longstanding extradition request was nullified, and Mr Assange is now returning to his native Australia.

Caitríona Perry caught up with the BBC’s North America correspondent Nomia Iqbal, and former legal correspondent Joshua Rozenberg for their reaction to the deal. They consider how the legal saga has impacted Julian Assange’s image, and what it could mean for the future of free speech.

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.

This episode was made by Laurie Kalus and Beth Timmins. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Hajj: Why over 1,000 Muslim pilgrims have died Jun 25, 2024

Show notes

Can Saudi Arabia balance tradition with safety as the climate crisis deepens? Nearly 2 million people braved temperatures exceeding 50C to visit the holiest city in Islam this month. At least 1,300 of them died. So what went wrong? And what does the future hold for Hajj, as attendance numbers, and temperatures, continue to soar?

Caitríona Perry speaks to BBC Religion Editor Aleem Maqbool and our Egypt correspondent Sally Nabil.

This episode was made by Tom Kavanagh and Peter Goffin. The technical producers were Hannah Montgomery and Julian Farmer. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Elon Musk: Is he worth history’s biggest pay deal? Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

Tesla’s shareholders want to give him $56 billion. Now, it's up to a judge if he gets it. The sum is astounding: more than the 2023 federal budget of Nigeria or Pakistan; more than twice Israel’s annual military budget; more than the individual GDPs of 100 countries. We look at Elon’s record at Tesla and examine why some investors say he needs the money to stay engaged.

Sumi Somaskanda talks to BBC Business reporter Natalie Sherman and Tim Higgins, author of “Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century.”

This episode was made by Laurie Kalus and Neal Razzell. The technical producer was Antonio Fernandes. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Sextortion: 'In six hours, my son was dead' Jun 21, 2024

Show notes

Sextortion is the fastest-growing scam affecting teenagers globally and has been linked to more than 27 suicides in the US alone. Many of the scammers appear to be from Nigeria - where authorities are under pressure to do more.

It’s feared that sextortion is under-reported due to its sensitive nature. But US crime figures show cases more than doubled last year, rising to 26,700. But what types of sextortion crimes are on the rise and what’s being done to stop them?

In this episode, Katya Adler is joined by our Cyber correspondent, Joe Tidy and Alex Goldenberg, Director of Intelligence at the Network Contagion Research Institute at Rutgers University.

WARNING: This episode deals with issues of suicide and depression. If you are experiencing distress, despair or suicidal thoughts, contact a local mental health care provider.

If you live in the US or Canada, you can call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a support line.

You can learn about the resources available in the UK at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

Or you can access help anywhere in the world through Befrienders Worldwide at www.befrienders.org

The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We’re keen to hear from you, wherever you are in the world. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell The Global Story. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. #TheGlobalStory.

TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.

This episode was made by Beth Timmins and Laurie Kalus. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Ukraine war: The men avoiding conscription Jun 20, 2024

Show notes

Many Ukrainians are going into hiding to avoid mobilisation squads sending them to the front line. But as war with Russia continues, Kyiv is struggling to recruit enough men to defend their country. Conscription has become a divisive issue, and with the age of draft eligibility recently decreasing to 25, it is a topic which some believe could threaten national unity.

On this episode, Katya Adler speaks to BBC correspondent Jean Mackenzie, and BBC Monitoring’s Russia Editor Vitaliy Shevchenko. They examine some of the fears around enlisting, as well as the resentment of others who have served, and explain how conscription is changing the fabric of Ukrainian society.

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.

TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.

This episode was made by Laurie Kalus and Eleanor Sly. The technical producers were Hannah Montgomery and Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas, and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Nuclear power: Inside Europe's radioactive tomb Jun 19, 2024

Show notes

As reactors and waste grow, Finland’s fix is a lone example. Sixty nuclear power plants are under construction worldwide, and a further 110 are planned. Yet no one really knows what to do with the lethal waste. It’s been piling up for decades. Now, in a giant network of tunnels 450m underground, the Finns say they have the world’s first permanent solution.

Lucy Hockings talks to the BBC’s Adrienne Murray, who has toured the tunnels, and Graihagh Jackson, from The Climate Question podcast.

TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.

This episode was presented by Lucy Hockings. It was made by Pete Ross and Neal Razzell. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas, and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Smartphone ban: Why an Irish town is taking children’s phones Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

The question of when, or whether, to allow young children to have their own smartphones is a dilemma for parents around the world. One town in Ireland decided to take action to make it easier for parents to say no. Greystones made global headlines when the headteachers from all of the town’s primary schools came together to invite parents to sign up to a voluntary code, pledging not to buy phones for children until they reached secondary school.

Around a year after the ‘ban’ of sorts came into effect, the BBC’s Beth McLeod travelled to the town in County Wicklow to investigate the impact. Through conversations with teachers, parents, children and Ireland’s health minister, she tells us about the origins of a policy designed to minimise exposure to potentially harmful online content, and hears how some people want the big tech companies headquartered in nearby Dublin to do more to prevent young people from accessing damaging material on their platforms.

TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.

This episode was made by Tom Kavanagh and Alice Aylett Roberts. The technical producers were Hannah Montgomery and Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

North Korea: Why Putin and Xi are courting Kim Jun 17, 2024

Show notes

The war in Ukraine has shifted the balance of power between Moscow, Pyongyang, and Beijing. As the geopolitical landscape evolves, new alliances and meetings come into focus. After Vladimir Putin's visit to China in May, there are now reports of an imminent meeting between the Russian President and Kim Jong Un. The North Korean leader has recently hailed his country's ties with Russia, saying the two nations are "invincible comrades-in-arms."

Katya speaks to the host of the BBC’s Lazarus Heist podcast, Jean Lee, and the Financial Times’ Seoul bureau chief, Christian Davies. They discuss what North Korea's end game is and how worried the rest of the world should be.

TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.

This episode was made by Richard Moran and Rachel Hagan. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Menopause: Are attitudes changing? Jun 14, 2024

Show notes

Millions of women around the world will start the menopause this year, but research shows that many are unprepared for it. For a long time, the menopause has been a taboo subject, a fact which both of our guests are seeking to change.

Kirsty Wark is perhaps best known for presenting the BBC’s Newsnight programme, but she also hosted the groundbreaking documentary ‘The Menopause and Me’ in 2017. Professor Joyce Harper of the Institute for Women's Health at University College London is an expert on the menopause, and author of the book ‘Your Fertile Years’.

TGS is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.

This episode was made by Alice Aylett Roberts, Tom Kavanagh and Rachel Hagan. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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