The Global Story

In this special bonus episode of The Conflict Lyse Doucet reflects on some of the biggest moments from the Israel-Gaza war. She is joined by BBC colleagues Jeremy Bowen, Anna Foster and Rushdi Abualouf, who have been reporting from around the region and they discuss what could happen next in the Middle East.

Middle East tensions, catastrophic flooding and a vice-presidential debate. What events could shake up the US race? Caitríona Perry, Sumi Somaskanda, and Katty Kay discuss what “October Surprises” could change the course of the US presidential election.Until the US election, every weekend The Global Story brings you "Path to the Presidency," where we delve into the state of the race and examine what’s on the minds of those closest to it.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.Producer: Aiden JohnsonSound engineer: Ben AndrewsAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson

It’s almost a year since Hamas launched an attack inside Israel, triggering the start of the current war in Gaza.Tens of thousands of Palestinians have died in Israel’s bombing campaigns since Hamas’s October 7 attack, and Israel’s recent ground invasion of Lebanon has widened the conflict even further. The Middle East is once again on the brink of a deep and damaging, widespread conflict that will have an impact well beyond the region. To mark one year on from the start of the current war, The Global Story host Katya Adler is joined by Jackie Leonard from the Global News Podcast. The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner and Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell answer some of the most-asked questions about what’s really going on in the region and what might happen next.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, Pete Ross, and Judy FranklSound engineer: Jack GraysmarkAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Following Iran’s missile attack on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation. President Biden is telling the Israeli leadership that any attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities is off limits. So, how will Israel respond to the 180 missiles that Iran fired across its border? And what has the reaction been in Iran?On this episode of the The Global Story, Azadeh Moshiri is joined by our Diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams and BBC Persian reporter Parham Ghobadi. They explore why Iran has chosen this moment to attack Israel and what Benjamin Netanyahu might do in response.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: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Eleanor SlySound engineer: Hannah MontgomeryAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz have been facing off in a surprisingly amicable vice-presidential debate which focussed strongly on policy. Rather than resort to personal jabs, the pair seemed laser-focussed on the records of their respective running mates, covering topics from immigration to abortion and the economy. In this shortened campaign some analysts have suggested the event carried heightened importance, but did the performance of either candidate move the needle and were voters really paying attention?Caitríona Perry is joined at the debate venue in New York by the BBC’s North America reporter Kayla Epstein for her immediate reaction to proceedings.The clips in this episode are from the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate. 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: Laurie Kalus and Alix Pickles Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

How could Kamala Harris or Donald Trump shape the global response to the climate crisis? As one of the world’s largest producers of fossil fuels and carbon emissions, the US plays a pivotal role in addressing climate change. The environmental policies of the next president could reshape American industry and the economy, while influencing the global fight against climate change. On this episode, Sumi Somaskanda speaks to the BBC’s climate editor Justin Rowlatt and Carl Nasman, who covers US climate issues for the BBC. 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, Tom Kavanagh and Eleanor SlySound engineer: Hannah MontgomeryAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson

The brutal rape and murder of a student on a bus in Delhi shocked the world in 2012. Yet despite the Indian government introducing stricter laws on sexual violence, little progress has been made to actually make women safer.Last month there were widespread protests after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the hospital where she worked. What should India’s leaders do differently to protect women at home, at work and on the streets?On this episode, Katya Adler speaks to the BBC’s India correspondent Soutik Biswas and presenter Devina Gupta.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Laurie Kalus, Tse Yin Lee and Peter GoffinSound engineers: Dafydd Evans and Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson

What do the leaders gathered at the United Nations this week make of the US election? Caitríona Perry, Sumi Somaskanda, and Katty Kay discuss the global perspective on the election.They also look at the implications of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ indictment for the Democrats and preview the key strategies each campaign will focus on in next week’s vice-presidential debate.Until the US election, every weekend The Global Story brings you "Path to the Presidency," where we delve into the state of the race and examine what’s on the minds of those closest to it.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.Producer: Aiden JohnsonSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

When OceanGate's Titan submersible went missing last June, it sparked a monumental rescue mission which captured the attention of the world. After days of searching, authorities concluded that the vessel had suffered a catastrophic implosion, and that all five passengers died almost instantly. For the past two weeks, the US Coast Guard has been hearing testimonies from former employees and industry experts, to try to identify what went wrong.On this episode, Azadeh Moshiri is joined by the BBC's science editor, Rebecca Morelle, to discuss the most revealing evidence, and consider whether the tragic event could have been avoided.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Eleanor SlySound engineers: Phil Bull and Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Israel and Hezbollah’s intensifying conflict is affecting a country already on edge. Over 90,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon as cross-border violence, ongoing for nearly a year, has reached new heights. More than 600 people have been reported killed across Lebanon since Monday, when Israel began an intense air campaign to destroy what it said was infrastructure built up by Hezbollah since they last fought a war in 2006. Israeli reservists have been called up and the military has been told to be ready itself for a possible incursion into southern Lebanon. Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organisation by several Western countries, has fired rockets back, targeting Tel Aviv for the first time. The US, the EU, and other allied nations have called for a 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border.On this episode of The Global Story, we explore the escalation in hostilities and look at what people living in Lebanon think of Hezbollah. We also look at the country’s unique political system and demographics and consider how the Lebanese economy could be further affected by the conflict.Caitríona Perry is joined by our correspondent in Beirut, Carine Torbey, and by Hesham Shawish, from BBC Monitoring. Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Eleanor Sly Sound engineer: Mike Regaard and Jeremy MorganAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

November’s presidential election could highlight the political power of the largest minority group in the United States. Roughly one in five people in the US identifies as Latino, and in a close race, which way they vote could prove crucial, particularly in several swing states being keenly targeted by both major parties. On this episode of The Global Story, we explore the main political issues of importance to Latinos and examine some of the Spanish-language misinformation being disseminated in order to influence voters. With just weeks to go until the next occupant of the White House is decided, we look at how the Democrats and Republicans are targeting their messaging in order to win around crucial votes from the community. Caitríona Perry is joined by US Digital reporter Bernd Debusmann Jr. and the BBC’s South America correspondent Ione Wells. Producer: Tom Kavanagh Sound engineer: Philip Bull and Ben AndrewsAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

The United States has long been seen as the world’s leading superpower. It is home to the globe’s biggest military and political force – but has many diplomatic challenges.From the wars raging in Europe and the Middle East, to the growing influence of global rivals like China, to the potential proliferation of nuclear weapons in Iran and North Korea. This year’s presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have very different ideas about how to manage America’s complicated relationship with other powerful nations.Our host Sumi Somaskanda speaks with the BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet and our diplomatic correspondent James Landale about America's place in the world and how the two different presidential nominees might shape this role.Producer: Alice Aylett Roberts.Sound engineers: Mike Regaard and Phillip Bull.Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

The BBC sees first-hand the desperate conditions civilians in Sudan are living through. With the world’s attention trained on the war in Ukraine and the devastation in Gaza, another conflict which has been raging since April 2023 has received comparably little coverage. The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group has taken a horrific toll on the country. Just this month, the head of the UN’s World Health Organization warned that around 25 million people – half of the population – is in need of some form of support, with famine and disease rampant. 12 million people have already been forced from their homes by the war – the highest figure for any conflict in the world.Host Katya Adler discusses the country’s current plight with the BBC’s former Sudan correspondent James Copnall, and International Correspondent Nawal Al-Maghafi, who was recently granted rare access to visit camps for internally displaced people in Port Sudan and at the Adre border the country shares with Chad. Producers: Richard Moran, Tom Kavanagh and Alice Aylett Roberts.Sound Engineers: Pete Wise and Mike Regaard.Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.Senior News Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

Caitríona Perry and Sumi Somaskanda discuss voter sentiment in Michigan, how race and gender are affecting the election campaign, and the aftermath of a second apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump.Until the US election, every weekend The Global Story brings you "Path to the Presidency," where we delve into the state of the race and examine what’s on the minds of those closest to it.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.Producer: Aiden Johnson.Sound Engineer: Mike Regaard.Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.Senior News Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

Rupert Murdoch is locked in a secret court battle with three of his eldest children, over the future of his media empire. The news mogul owns some of the most influential outlets in the world, including Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The Times of London. It has been reported that Mr Murdoch wants to amend a family trust to ensure his son and political disciple Lachlan inherits controlling voting rights at News Corp and Fox, but a campaign to unseal the proceedings has been unsuccessful.On this episode, Lucy Hockings is joined by the BBC's culture and media editor Katie Razzall, and Brian Stelter, chief media analyst at CNN. They unpack what we know about the succession fight, and discuss whether the public should have a right to know what's going on behind closed doors.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: Laurie Kalus and Alix Pickles.Sound Engineers: Nicola Brough and Mike Regaard.Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.Senior News Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

Mohamed Al Fayed was an Egyptian billionaire businessman who owned Harrods in London, one of the world's most famous department stores. He also owned the Ritz Hotel in Paris and Fulham Football Club, and famously courted the British Royal Family. But a new BBC investigation reveals he's also accused of being a serial rapist and abuser of women in his employment. Katya Adler speaks with Cassie Cornish-Trestrail and Keaton Stone about Al Fayed's alleged crimes and we hear first-hand testimony from the women speaking out. Warning: this conversation contains details some may find distressing.You can hear the full investigation on the podcast World of Secrets, Season 4: Al Fayed – Predator at Harrods.Producer: Alice Aylett Roberts.Sound Engineers: Ben Andrews and Mike Regaard. Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas. Senior News Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

More blasts have been reported in Lebanon, after a series of pagers exploded across the country. In what appears to be a highly sophisticated attack, devices used by the armed group Hezbollah were targeted, and the operation has captivated the security community. Hezbollah blames Israel, with which they have been exchanging cross-border fire for months, and has vowed to retaliate. With multiple reports attributing responsibility to Israeli spy agency Mossad, how much do we really know about what happened?On this episode, Azadeh Moshiri is joined by the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner, to discuss the paper trail behind the planning of the attack, and what it could mean in the context of the wider 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 theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Alix Pickles.Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.Senior News Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

Can Taylor Swift and Elon Musk swing the vote for Harris or Trump? From Billie Eilish to Oprah, Hulk Hogan to Kid Rock, the rich and famous are lining up behind the 2024 presidential candidates. But will Americans vote the way their favourite celebrities tell them too? Or is it all just window dressing for the presidential campaigns? In this episode Caitríona Perry speaks to reporter Ana Faguy from the BBC’s Washington Bureau and Ashley Spillane, a former president of Rock the Vote, who has written a report for Harvard University about celebrities’ impact on democratic participation.Producers: Peter Goffin, Eleanor Sly and Keiligh Baker.Sound Engineer: Ricardo McCarthy.Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.Senior News Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

How are Afghanistan’s women and girls coping with harsh new restrictions? When the Taliban took back power in 2021, it promised to uphold women’s rights with the limits of what it called “Islamic law”. But officials have placed strict limits on women’s education, employment opportunities, dress codes and, now, even the volume at which they speak.In this episode, Katya Adler speaks to the BBC’s South Asia Correspondent Yogita Limaye, who has been interviewing Afghan women about their feelings of hopelessness, the state crackdown on protests and a growing mental health crisis.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 Eleanor Sly.Sound Engineers: Hannah Montgomery and Rohan Madison.Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.Senior News Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

Violent unrest is forcing Ireland to reckon with increasing hostility to high levels of immigration, which has not traditionally been a major point of political debate. That is changing, however, with roughly one in five Irish residents today born overseas. The country is grappling with a burgeoning far right movement, with much of the conversation happening on social media. In recent years, hostility towards foreigners which has been nurtured online has spilled over into the real world, the most stark example being a widely-covered riot in Dublin in November 2023. So how is a country which has historically been shaped by the emigration of its own people dealing with the issue of immigration in the 21st century, and is Ireland’s political establishment ready to meet the challenge? On this episode of The Global Story, Washington DC-based host Caitríona Perry is joined by the BBC’s Dublin reporter Aoife Moore, and by Shane Harrison, who worked as the BBC’s Ireland correspondent for three decades. 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: Tom Kavanagh, Alice Aylett Roberts and Laurie KalusSound Engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant Editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior News Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith