The BBC's world affairs editor, John Simpson, asks Russia editor Steve Rosenberg what the mood is like in Russia as the war gets closer to home; finds out from South Asia editor Rebecca Henschke why no one is taking any notice of the brutal civil war in Myanmar; and asks Balkans correspondent Guy Delauney why tensions are flaring up again in Kosovo. John also speaks to former Beijing correspondent John Sudworth, to find out if Covid really originated from a lab in Wuhan after all. Produced by Pa...
Jun 10, 2023•28 min
Can the US transform the world's economy? We get the detail - and why it matters for the rest of us - from economics editor Faisal Islam. And our host, the BBC’s world affairs editor John Simpson, asks Olga Robinson from BBC Verify how the new team goes about sorting fact from fiction in Russia's war with Ukraine. BBC Urdu's Farhat Javad examines what's next for cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan in Pakistan. And environment correspondent Helen Briggs marvels at thousands of newly discovered...
Jun 03, 2023•28 min
Unspun World provides an unvarnished version of the week's major global news stories with the BBC's world affairs editor John Simpson and the BBC's unparalleled range of experts. This week, John finds out what it's like to report from the battlefield with Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse; Asia Pacific editor Celia Hatton on President Xi's gameplan; how worried should we be about artificial intelligence, with technology editor, Zoe Kleinman, and what is fuelling the political, economic and ...
May 27, 2023•28 min
Unspun World provides an unvarnished version of the week's major global news stories, with the BBC's world affairs editor John Simpson and the BBC's unparalleled range of experts. This week John explores the ongoing war effort in Ukraine with BBC Monitoring's Vitaliy Shevchenko; the future of Turkey with international correspondent Orla Guerin; what President Assad of Syria's rehabilitation will mean for Syrians, with Middle-East correspondent Lina Sinjab, and he speaks to the BBC's science corr...
May 20, 2023•28 min
On a mission to make sense of the world. A new podcast, with hosts John Simpson and Claire Graham. Episodes released weekly from 20 May 2023.
May 17, 2023•1 min
This year marks 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, signed by politicians from Northern Ireland and the British and Irish governments in an attempt to bring peace to Northern Ireland. Over his 26 years at the BBC, Denis Murray reported extensively on the peace process, including this pivotal moment. He explains to Claire Graham how it came about, its legacy and how it's still discussed in today's political battles. Producer: Owen McFadden Presenter: Claire Graham
Mar 04, 2023•19 min
Relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia have historically been difficult. Eritrea won independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after a 30-year war. A bitter border war between the two countries began a few years later. But by 2020, Eritrea sent troops to fight alongside the Ethiopian government against rebel forces in its northern Tigray region. Kalkidan Yibeltal is a BBC correspondent in Addis Ababa. He explains the complex history between the two countries, and looks at the tentative peace now emergi...
Feb 25, 2023•19 min
A military coup in 1989 brought Omar al-Bashir to power, until being overthrown by the military in the face of mass protests in 2019. During this time, war has raged in Darfur, South Sudan has gained independence and the Sudanese people demanded a return to civil government. BBC journalist Mohanad Hashim grew up in Khartoum and has reported extensively on the Middle East and Africa. He speaks to Claire Graham about Sudan’s journey from independence to revolution. Producer: Owen McFadden Presente...
Feb 18, 2023•19 min
After almost a decade of fighting, civil war in Yemen has caused one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Nawal Al-Maghafi is a Special Correspondent with the BBC who has been reporting on the Middle East since 2012. She explains to Claire Graham how this complex war began between government backed forces and the Houthi rebels. Presenter: Claire Graham Producer: Owen McFadden
Feb 11, 2023•19 min
China has been accused of the mistreatment of the Uyghur people in the north-western region of Xinjiang for a number of years. This Muslim ethnic group are distinct with different culture, language and history to China's ethnic majority, Han Chinese. But why did the government start this crackdown? And what’s really going on? Senior correspondent John Sudworth was based in China for nine years, and reported on the treatment of the Uyghur people. He speaks to Claire Graham to help us understand t...
Feb 04, 2023•18 min
Cuba and the United States share a long, complex history. From the Spanish-American War of 1898 to Fidel Castro's Cuba, these neighbours have often had an uneasy relationship. Claire Graham speaks with BBC World Service journalist Ana Maria Roura to understand the history between the two nations.
Jan 28, 2023•19 min
Fifty years ago, Jane Roe found herself at the centre of a ruling that would fuel US politics for the following decades. The Roe V Wade case gave women the constitutional right to abortion, until 2022 when it was overturned by the US Supreme Court. Claire Graham speaks with Katty Kay about the 1973 legal case, the legacy of that ruling and how abortion became such a central issue in contemporary American politics. Presenter: Claire Graham Producer: Owen McFadden
Jan 21, 2023•19 min
Inspired by the Arab Spring, peaceful protests began in Syria in early 2011. However, a complex civil war followed which has lasted over a decade and involved many other countries. Lina Sinjab, a BBC Middle East correspondent, explains how the conflict in her native country began. From the arrest and torture of protesting teenagers in Daraa to the rise of the Islamic State (IS), the last 12 years have devastated the country and inflicted immense suffering on the Syrian people. Is there an end to...
Jan 14, 2023•19 min
Claire Graham talks to former BBC foreign correspondent Kevin Connolly about what has historically bound Russia and Ukraine together, and what has pulled them apart.
Apr 16, 2022•18 min
Claire Graham talks to the former BBC News Africa Bureaux Chief, Milton Nkosi, to get a better understanding of why the post-apartheid dream of a ‘Rainbow Nation’ has still not materialised. The Explanation is a snackable audio guide giving you the backstory behind the headlines. Unpacking complex chains of events, The Explanation will make the stories in question much easier to understand.
Apr 09, 2022•19 min
Claire Graham and guests explain the important, long-running stories that are in the newsClaire Graham talks to the BBC’s Middle East correspondent, Anna Foster, to get a better understanding of how the Saudi Royal family has maintained a strong global influence in spite of events which have drawn worldwide criticism.
Apr 02, 2022•19 min
Claire Graham talks to the BBC’s Taiwan correspondent, Cindy Sui, to get a better understanding of China’s reluctance to accept Taiwan’s strengthening independence, and why reunification is so important to China. Audio for this episode was updated on 30 March 2022.
Mar 26, 2022•19 min
Claire Graham talks to the BBC’s West Africa correspondent, Mayeni Jones, to get a better understanding of how Boko Haram, the militant Islamic group, took hold in northern Nigeria.
Mar 19, 2022•18 min
Claire Graham talks to the BBC’s Correspondent in Seoul, Laura Bicker, to get a better understanding of North Korea, one of the world’s most secretive countries.
Mar 12, 2022•18 min
Anu Anand talks to Quentin Sommerville about the rise, fall and potential re-emergence of the Islamic State group.
Dec 25, 2021•19 min
Anu Anand talks to Sarah Rainsford about how everyday life in Russia has changed under Vladimir Putin.
Dec 18, 2021•19 min
Anu Anand talks to Yogita Limaye about the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. They reveal how a turbulent history dictates the ever-shifting attitudes towards women and girls in the country. Presented by Anu Anand
Dec 11, 2021•19 min
Anu Anand talks to Rana Rahimpour about how decades of turbulence have shaped Iran, and why religion, democracy and ideals all combine to explain Iran today.
Dec 04, 2021•19 min
How did the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians reach its current point? Jeremy Bowen talked to Anu Anand in 2021 about the backstory behind the headlines.
Nov 27, 2021•18 min
Why are there democracy protests in Hong Kong? Anu Anand talks to Stephen McDonell. The Explanation is a snackable audio guide giving you the backstory behind the headlines. In each episode, presenter Anu Anand meets a BBC News correspondent who has lived and breathed these stories. She’ll hear clear analysis along with powerful archive. The Explanation will go back in time to unpack complex chains of events and will make the stories in question much easier to understand.
Nov 20, 2021•18 min
