The Global Story

After weeks of mass demonstrations, Iran is reeling from one of the deadliest government crackdowns in its history. In a rare speech on Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei admitted that thousands of protesters have been killed, "some in an inhuman, savage manner", but he also blamed the US for their deaths.
President Trump urged Iranian demonstrators to “keep protesting”, promising that “help is on its way”. Yet the window for US military intervention appears to have narrowed while the Iranian government has largely quelled the unrest. Amid a near-total internet shutdown however, the situation on the ground remains unclear.
In today’s episode, we speak with journalists in the BBC’s Persian Service in London, to unpack how anger over the economy escalated into a nationwide uprising that seemed to genuinely challenge the government’s grip on power. They walk us through the difficulties of covering these protests from outside the country, explain why the movement failed to topple the Iranian leadership, and explain what this means for the stability of the Iranian government going forward.
Featuring Parham Ghobadi, Sarah Namjoo, Ghoncheh Habibiazad and Maryam Zohdi.
Producers: Viv Jones, Aron Keller and Lucy Pawle
Executive producers: James Shield and Bridget Harney
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: A handout photo made available by the Iranian supreme leader's office shows Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaking during a ceremony in Tehran, Iran. Credit: Leader's office handout/EPA/Shutterstock.

President Trump says he will, "100%" follow through on his threats to impose tariffs if a deal over Greenland is not reached, and responded "no comment" on Monday when asked whether he would use force to seize the island.

Even if Trump’s attempt to control Greenland goes no further, has trust between the United States and its Nato allies been damaged beyond repair? We speak to the BBC’s world news correspondent, Joe Inwood.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Lucy Pawle
Mix: Travis Evans
Executive producer: James Shield
Senior news editor: China Collins

Credits: Love Actually (2003) / Dir: Richard Curtis / Universal Pictures

Photo: A town in Greenland. BBC.

A right-wing movement in South Korea is attracting disenchanted young people who are concerned about mass immigration, lawfare and cancel culture. They sport red baseball caps, idolise Charlie Kirk and chant that “Korea is for Koreans”.

The movement has rallied around the impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who was sentenced last week to five years in jail for abuse of power, obstructing justice and falsifying documents in relation to his failed martial law bid in 2024. Yoon could also face the death penalty over insurrection charges, which he denies.

The BBC’s Seoul correspondent, Jake Kwon, explains how South Korea found itself at the heart of a globalised culture war.

Producers: Valerio Esposito and Cat Farnsworth
Mix: Travis Evans
Executive Producer: James Shield
Senior news editor: China Collins
(Photo: Jintak Han/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

For most of the years since World War Two, many global powers said they adhered to a rules-based international order. Since Donald Trump returned to the White House that idea is falling away. But did it ever exist in reality? And what’s the alternative now?

The BBC’s International Editor Jeremy Bowen wraps up our week of special coverage.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Xandra Ellin
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Presidents Putin, Trump and Xi as Russian dolls. Credit: Yuri Kochetkov. EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

When the leaders of the US, China and Russia look at Africa today, they see huge opportunity – an abundance of natural resources and a skilled, young population. But what does it mean for the continent when African presidents allow these superpowers the influence and investment they want?
All this week, we’re teaming up with our BBC sister podcasts to explore how power and influence around the world is shifting. We’re talking about which countries have a sphere of influence, and which countries are in someone else’s.
In today’s episode, we speak to Charles Gitonga from the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast about three countries in Central Africa which have found themselves at the at the centre of a geopolitical tug of war.
Producers: Hannah Moore, Aron Keller and Lucy Pawle
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: A soldier with the M23 armed group stands guard in Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Marie Jeanne Munyerenkana/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock.