A secret intelligence pact between the UK and US began during the Second World War, focused on intercepting communications and breaking codes. Expanding to what is now known as Five Eyes, with the addition of Australia, New Zealand and Canada, the secrecy around the alliance continued for decades. It wasn’t until 2013, when the ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked classified documents, that the extent of its operations came into the public spotlight. Gordon Corera, the BBC’s security correspo...
Dec 06, 2023•18 min
Wilders’ Dutch victory sends tremors around Europe so why is migration now top of the European political agenda? Europe editor, Katya Adler, gives world affairs editor, John Simpson, her analysis. Also, once the ceasefires end, we ask Jeremy Bowen what does the future hold for Israel? And as COP28 opens with the head of the state oil company, Sultan al-Jaber, as its president, a BBC documentary, Breathless, exposes how oil giants are risking the health of millions in the Gulf with toxic air poll...
Dec 02, 2023•27 min
A ceasefire in Gaza but BBC world affairs editor John Simpson, asks Yogita Limaye - who has been gathering material from the area - what it is like for those living there? Also Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, on why Vladimir Putin might welcome unrest in the Middle East. We also turn to Argentina and ask South American correspondent, Katy Watson, what the new president - a former tantric sex guru and admirer of Donald Trump - might do for the economy. Plus, COP28 is on the horizon but its presid...
Nov 25, 2023•27 min
The Israel Gaza conflict has commanded attention in every corner of the globe and has created what media present as unprecedented polarisation. Leaders seeking a bigger role on the world stage have used this as an “ideological purity test” and an opportunity to promote their own vision of a multi-polar world. Get in touch: [email protected] Producers: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov Presenter: Krassi Twigg
Nov 19, 2023•40 min
China and the US make deals on the military and fentanyl trafficking. The BBC's World Service's Asia Pacific editor, Celia Hatton, explains why the two superpowers need each other now more than ever. Plus, how long can Israel continue to count on the West’s support in the conflict in Gaza? BBC reporter Guy Hedgecoe finds out if the Spanish Prime Minister can stave off Catalan independence and Moe Myint Myint reveals why the Myanmar military's days might be numbered.
Nov 18, 2023•27 min
The war of narratives reflecting power tilts in the Middle East. Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October, which is said to have killed an estimated 1,300 people, triggered a war in Gaza that has so far claimed more than 10,000 lives. A “Ground Zero” moment for Israel, “a golden opportunity” for Jihadists, a window for those opposing normalisation with Israel. We explore the narratives, and the driving forces behind them, to understand how this war could change the region.
Nov 12, 2023•40 min
Security correspondent, Frank Gardener, gives his take on the future of the region. The BBC's World Affairs editor, John Simpson, also asks Mini Al-Lami from BBC Monitoring what jihadi groups make of the conflict. He has over 100 charges against him but might Donald Trump be on his way back to the White House? North America editor, Sarah Smith, looks ahead to the US elections next year. Plus - pressures on Germany as immigration keeps growing. Is the country reaching a tipping point? Berlin corr...
Nov 11, 2023•28 min
BBC World Affairs editor, John Simpson, is in Lebanon - a country deeply nervous it might get sucked into yet another war with Israel. So what are the chances it will? Analysis from Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega. Lebanon has been politically and economically unstable for years. It is also hugely diverse. Jim Muir- a stalwart of the BBC’s reporting in Lebanon for nearly 50 years - shares his view on the nation today.
Nov 04, 2023•28 min
Will Israel launch a ground assault in Gaza and, if they do, what is at stake? BBC World Affairs editor John Simpson gets the latest from Middle East correspondent Tom Bateman. Plus, World Service Middle East editor, Sebastian Usher, examines the position of other Arab countries in the region - is there a chance they will get dragged into the conflict? Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine rages on but, as the winter draws in, is Ukraine any closer to victory?
Oct 28, 2023•27 min
After a shock primary win, far-right libertarian economist Javier Milei is leading polls ahead of Argentina's presidential election. He's vowing to upend the status quo. With poverty rising, inflation into triple digits and recession looming, Argentinians are divided over who to trust to lead them out of the crisis. The intensifying virulence of the debate in the already polarised political landscape makes that choice even harder.
Oct 20, 2023•24 min
Israel starts 'a prolonged and powerful campaign' in Gaza. What might be the consequences? BBC World Affairs editor John Simpson analyses the fallout. Also in the programme: diplomatic correspondent James Landale examines why European leaders are changing the way they tackle mass migration; senior North America reporter Anthony Zurcher explores why the United States has become increasingly ungovernable; and a BBC Eye Investigations team uncovers deadly loan apps in India and beyond. Reporter Poo...
Oct 14, 2023•27 min
Short-term politics gets in the way of dealing with an ever-warming planet. The BBC's climate editor, Justin Rowlatt, discusses the problems with how democracies tackle climate change with the BBC's world affairs editor, John Simpson. With no victory in sight, are some leaders in Europe growing weary of supporting Ukraine? The BBC's Europe editor, Katya Adler, outlines the growing tensions inside the EU. What next for Niger now the military is in charge, and what might it mean for the region? We...
Oct 07, 2023•27 min
Now Yevgeny Prigozhin is dead, can anyone in Russia challenge President Putin’s power? BBC Russian news editor Famil Ismailov gives us his vision of the future for Ukraine. Machismo in Mexico is alive and kicking, but it looks like the country’s heading for its first female president. South America correspondent Katy Watson analyses what this might mean for women’s rights and society as a whole. Plus, after more than a decade in South Africa, BBC correspondent Andrew Harding reflects on the high...
Sep 30, 2023•27 min
What next for the notorious Wagner group after the plane crash that wiped out its leadership? The Russian private military group that’s left boot prints in Europe, the Middle East and Africa is facing an uncertain future. We look at official movements and narratives - in Russia and abroad - to lift the deliberate veil of murkiness and find the clues. Get in touch: [email protected] Producer: Kriszta Satori Presenter: Krassi Twigg
Sep 29, 2023•41 min
Iranian women are still fighting for freedom, despite government crackdowns. World Service correspondent Faranak Amidi speaks to the BBC’s world affairs editor, John Simpson, about the fight for equality. They also discuss what has changed since Mahsa Amini's death in police custody. We also ask BBC Ukrainian editor Marta Shokalo what life is like now in Ukraine, with the war showing no sign of ending anytime soon. And how much of a threat are Chinese spies to the West? The BBC’s security corres...
Sep 23, 2023•27 min
Russia and Turkey failed to reach an agreement to bring Ukrainian grain to countries that desperately need it, at a meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. What are the obstacles - and the implications for global food security? The Global Jigsaw team brings together Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Middle East and Africa experts to assess what could happen next.
Sep 09, 2023•27 min
As a US territory, Puerto Rico uses the dollar, its people are US citizens and they can move freely back and forth. However, it isn’t a US state, and its residents can’t vote in presidential elections or for members of Congress. The country has a deep debt crisis, high unemployment and has experienced devastating hurricanes and earthquakes. As a result, migration to the US is common, with almost a million more Puerto Ricans in the US than on the island. In 2020, a non-binding referendum resulted...
Aug 23, 2023•18 min
After unilaterally declaring independence in 2008, Kosovo has been recognised by many countries, but not Serbia, which still claims it as one of its provinces. After the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Serbia cracked down on Kosovo separatists, resulting in a NATO military intervention in 1999. Tensions have remained high and have begun to flare up again in recent years. The majority Albanian population mostly supports independence, but in the northern areas of Kosovo, Serbs are ...
Aug 16, 2023•19 min
Nato members agree to support each other if they come under attack. That’s the fundamental purpose of Nato, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, formed in the wake of World War II. But how has its remit changed in the seven decades since its foundation? Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, more states have sought to join Nato, but its expansion is perceived as a threat by President Putin. James Landale, the BBC's Diplomatic Correspondent, explains how Nato works and what challenges lie ahea...
Aug 09, 2023•19 min
How has Venezuela, home to the world's largest oil reserves, become crippled with food and medicine shortages, hyper-inflation, violence and corruption? Hugo Chavez promised a socialist revolution in the 1990s, using high oil prices to fund his economic developments. However, during his time in power, he became increasingly autocratic and the economy slumped. Following Chavez’s death, Nicolas Maduro, also from the socialist PSUV party, became President but global oil prices began to plummet. The...
Aug 02, 2023•19 min
With its foundations in the ashes of World War II, the European Union was initially formed to avoid further wars and remove trade barriers. It grew from a six-nation club as the ECC in 1957, to today’s 27 members that covers much of the continent and has evolved to tackle contemporary issues such as mass migration, a global pandemic and the war in Ukraine. In recent years, it survived a wave of Euroscepticism that led to Britain leaving (Brexit), but other member states have looked to reform fro...
Jul 26, 2023•19 min
In 2017, a deadly crackdown by Myanmar's army resulted in the mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims across the border into Bangladesh. Years later, many of those who fled are still in refugee camps. But why have the Rohingya people become stateless? And will they ever return to Myanmar, which is now run by a military junta after a coup ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and her government in 2021. The BBC’s Burmese Editor, Soe Win Than, explains how tensions grew in the Rakhine State and explores if the Rohingya...
Jul 19, 2023•19 min
What is the difference between a war crime, a crime against humanity and genocide? And who holds those responsible to account? Anna Holligan, the BBC's correspondent in The Hague, gives an insight into how the International Criminal Court works. She shares some of the cases of those who have been charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community, from Congolese warlord Thomas Lubang to Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak. Presenter: Claire Graham Producer: Owen Mc...
Jul 12, 2023•18 min
What should we done with stolen treasures? The BBC's culture editor, Katie Razzall, confronts colonialism's legacy with world affairs editor John Simpson. John also finds out if victory is finally in sight for the Ukrainians. Security correspondent Frank Gardner thinks it might be if they can push past the Russians' strong defences - but not all Ukrainians are up for fighting. Eastern Europe correspondent Nick Thorpe has been on the trail of those who risk life and limb to escape the front line....
Jul 08, 2023•27 min
Since Haiti’s devastating earthquake in 2010, the country has been in turmoil. Some 200 gangs have taken control in the absence of a functioning state, with murder, kidnapping and rape becoming commonplace. President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2021 and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight to the violence. Harold Isaac, a Port-au-Prince based journalist, explains how Haiti has descended to this point, and if there’s any hope of a more stable future for the country. Presenter: Claire Gr...
Jul 05, 2023•19 min
President Putin's days might well be numbered, BBC Russian service editor Famil Ismailov tells world affairs editor John Simpson. John also hears from Ukrainian journalist Olga Malchevska about how united Ukrainians are as the war drags on, and finds out why President Biden rolled out the red carpet for India’s prime minister - and what it says about China - with BBC Hindi reporter Zubair Ahmed. Plus, is populism in politics finally on the way out? Diplomatic correspondent James Landale gives hi...
Jun 30, 2023•27 min
Protests, power cuts and bank hold-ups – Lebanon was already struggling before the 2020 port explosion that devasted its capital, Beirut, but now it’s in a desperate economic collapse. The Lebanese people are struggling to buy basic food and medicine. And the country also hosts the highest number of refugees per capita worldwide. BBC correspondent in Beirut, Carine Torbey, tells us how Lebanon got here and how it might recover. Presenter: Claire Graham. Producer: Owen McFadden.
Jun 28, 2023•19 min
Chinese service editor Howard Zhang speaks to world affairs editor John Simpson about Xi Jinping's growing ambition and what it means for China - and the rest of us. We also speak to Olga Ivshina, BBC News Russian correspondent, to find out how many Russian soldiers have really died so far in the war - a figure that's a lot higher than the Kremlin will admit - and we find out why the Saudis are so keen to get their hands on major sports tournaments with sports editor Dan Roan. Plus, the seas aro...
Jun 24, 2023•28 min
The Wagner group has been linked to military conflicts around the world, but who are they? The Russian mercenary organisation is believed to have been founded nearly 10 years ago, but ramped up recruitment in recent years, particularly since the beginning of Russia's war in Ukraine. According to the UK Ministry of Defence, it now commands 50,000 fighters in Ukraine alone, but is said to have links to other parts of the world, particularly in many African nations. BBC Russia’s Andrei Goryanov has...
Jun 21, 2023•19 min
The BBC's world affairs editor, John Simpson, asks defence correspondent Jonny Beale where the war in Ukraine is heading and what victory might look like; finds out from North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher if any of the Republican presidential candidates will give Donald Trump a run for his money; analyses a new era in relations in the Middle East with Baran Abbasi from BBC Persian; and explores why South Africa is in so much trouble, and what can be done about it, with South Africa corr...
Jun 17, 2023•28 min
