The Global Story

**This episode contains discussion of bullying, abuse and suicide**
A landmark trial is underway in Los Angeles where tech giants Instagram and YouTube will face a jury for the first time over claims that their platforms are deliberately designed to be addictive for children.
Lawyers for the plaintiff – a 20 year-old woman – say she developed mental health issues after becoming addicted to the social media at an early age. They argue these companies built “addiction machines” with algorithms that learn what users want and keep feeding it to them.
Instagram and YouTube deny the allegations, saying that they have no incentive to turn children into addicts and have introduced various safety measures. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify later this week.
We speak to the BBC’s North America Technology Correspondent Lily Jamali, who has been following the case, to ask whether social media is having a generational reckoning – its Big Tobacco moment.
Producers: Aron Keller and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Vigil outside the courthouse ahead of a social media addiction trial in Los Angeles. Credit: Reuters/ Jill Connelly.

Two weeks after the latest release of the Epstein files, the headlines keep pouring in.
In just the past few days, revelations in the documents have nearly brought down a British prime minister, and implicated politicians and royals from around the world. The files are even fueling speculation about whether the late sex offender could have been a spy.
We speak to Nomia Iqbal, BBC World Affairs Correspondent, about what we’ve learned this week about the international fallout of the Epstein scandal.
Producers: Viv Jones, Valerio Esposito and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Epstein files. Credit: Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA/Shutterstock

On Monday, Hong Kong's pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison for colluding with foreign forces under the city's controversial national security law. The family of the 78-year-old, who is a British citizen, have appealed to foreign governments to call for Lai’s release.
Lai’s sentence, which is the harshest yet under this law, has caused global concern over whether this is an attempt by Beijing to crackdown on dissent and democracy in the Chinese territory.
We speak to Danny Vincent, the BBC’s Hong Kong reporter, who was the last journalist to interview Jimmy Lai.
Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Chris Benderev
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Jimmy Lai is escorted out of a Correctional Services Department vehicle and into the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong, China, 09 February 2021. Credit: Tyrone Sui/Reuters

During Sunday's Super Bowl in California, a flurry of ads from drug manufacturers and telehealth companies implored viewers at home to "ask their doctor” about a class of weight loss drugs, known as GLP-1s.
These medications — like Mounjaro and Wegovy — have become ubiquitous. In just a few short years, they’ve transformed the way we live, move, and eat, whether we take them or not. And access and demand are only increasing, as pill forms of the drugs come onto the market.
But where did they come from? And how are they reshaping our world? Today, we speak to Giles Yeo, a professor of molecular neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge, about the so-called weight loss revolution.
Producer: Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: Bridget Harney
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
(Photo: Someone using a set of weighing scales. Chris Radburn/PA)

The top official from ICE – US Immigration and Customs Enforcement – will testify in front of Congress this week, for the first time since two people were shot and killed in Minneapolis.

Democrats are demanding changes to the way ICE operates, including banning face masks and requiring agents to have warrants signed by a judge before they can enter private properties. Republicans say these measures could make officers less safe.

Meanwhile, the controversy over ICE has spread to other countries. A protest broke out in Milan in response to the presence of ICE agents in Italy, who say they are helping with American security operations during the Winter Olympics.

Camilo Montoya-Galvez, immigration reporter for CBS News, has been covering ICE operations across multiple US cities. He tells us the history of how this previously little-known law enforcement agency was created, and how it has become so internationally controversial.

Producers: Viv Jones, Aron Keller and Chris Benderev
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Anti-ICE protests in Milan. Credit: Reuters/ Alkis Konstantinidis