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Democracy in crisis in South Korea
President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing impeachment after declaring – and then lifting – martial law. South Korea is often seen in the West as a beacon of democracy, but its history is marked by coups, martial law and brutal crackdowns on public protest. On this episode, Azadeh Moshiri speaks to Jake Kwon from the BBC’s Seoul bureau, and the former head of the BBC's Korean service, Su-Min Hwang. They unpack South Korea's dramatic recent political history and look at what these events reveal about the country's democracy today.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 [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin, Tom Kavanagh, Annie Brown, Eleanor Sly, and Mariana Hernández Carrillo.Sound engineer: Dan EhrlichAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Pardons, missiles and a ceasefire: Biden’s last few weeks
With just weeks left in office, President Biden is making moves that could define his legacy. He has issued an official pardon for his son Hunter, who was facing possible prison sentences in two criminal cases. Biden's decision has already prompted furious claims of hypocrisy from Republicans, and the White House has announced that the President is considering more pardons before the end of his term. In recent weeks, the president has also allowed Ukraine to use US long-range missiles to strike inside Russia and has announced a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.On this episode Azadeh Moshiri is joined by our North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher and the BBC’s Diplomatic correspondent James Landale. They examine how these decisions might shape Biden’s legacy, impact Donald Trump’s second term, and shape the future of the Democratic party. 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 [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Richard Moran and Alix PicklesSound engineer: Jonny Hall Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Who are the rebels threatening Assad's grip on Syria?
The long-running civil war in Syria has unexpectedly sprung back into the spotlight after rebel groups launched a surprise offensive on Aleppo, one of the country’s largest cities. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has vowed to crush the rebel uprising, prompting air strikes from Russian forces allied with his regime. This is an unexpected resurgence of a conflict that has been largely dormant for years.Azadeh Moshiri speaks with BBC Monitoring's jihadist media specialist Mina Al-Lami and BBC correspondent Barbara Plett Usher about who these rebels are and whether this will this redraw the lines of the Syrian conflict.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 [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Tom Kavanagh and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineers: Ben Andrews and Jonny HallAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Belgium grants labour rights to sex workers
Belgium has become the first country in the world to pass a law to give labour rights to sex workers. They will be entitled to health insurance, pensions, sick days and maternity leave. Prostitution involves millions of people worldwide but will this new law protect these people from abuse and exploitation? Katya Adler speaks to the BBC's gender and identity correspondent Sofia Bettiza.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 [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Mariana Hernández CarrilloSound engineers: Gareth Jones and Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Lebanon ceasefire: 'A dangerous and fragile moment'
Does Israel’s deal with Hezbollah move the region closer to lasting peace? The agreement reached this week will save lives and allow thousands of displaced Lebanese and Israelis to return to their homes – if it holds. But the conflict in Gaza is expected to intensify, as the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to ramp up pressure on Hamas. Can Joe Biden or Donald Trump broker another ceasefire? And how will Iran react as it watches its network of proxy groups fall apart? On this episode Katya Adler speaks to the BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen. Producers: Peter Goffin and Eleanor Sly Sound engineer: Mike Regaard Assistant editors: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Alice Aylett Roberts Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Global perspectives on one big story. In-depth insights from the BBC, the world's most trusted international news provider. Make sense of the news with our experts around the world, every Monday to Friday. Episodes will be ready by 10:30 GMT. Host Katya Adler and our BBC teams guide you through one major global news story each episode. From Beijing to Boston, Baghdad to Bangalore, our unrivalled reach will take you beyond the headlines to help understand and explore what’s happening. The Global News Podcast brings you the latest updates and, on The Global Story, we will drill deep into a single story. From the climate emergency, to the burning questions around Artificial Intelligence, to the movements of money and markets, and the power of the ballot and the bullet. Katya Adler has been a BBC correspondent and editor for more than 25 years, covering conflicts in the Middle East, political and economic crises in Europe, and drug cartels in Mexico. The Global Story team would like to hear your stories and experiences on the issues that we’re covering on the podcast. Please get in touch: [email protected] #TheGlobalStory and tell us your thoughts on what you would like us to talk about.

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