The Global Story

A week on from the Democrats’ victory in the US midterm elections, what might these results mean for the rest of the world? What will Trump’s foreign policy look like now he has lost control of congress?We take a whistle stop tour of Iran, Israel, Russia and China to look at the reactions to the results and the possible consequences. Will this prompt a shift in relations between the US and its allies? Producers: Aron Keller and Josephine CasserlyExecutive producer: Bridget HarneyDigital producer: Charlie FirthMix: Travis EvansSenior news editor: China Collins Photo: President Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at a roundtable in Washington DC, 21 Oct 2026. Credit: Shawn Thew/EPA/Shuttershock

Last week saw what could be the biggest heist in history: $6.3bn was stolen from the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. North Korean hackers are suspected of being behind the attack, which saw billions of dollars disappear in just 20 minutes.It’s far from the first time North Korea has been accused of a major cyber-attack. Over the past decade, hackers linked to the country have targeted banks, public institutions and even Sony Pictures.On The Global Story, Asma Khalid speaks with journalist Geoff White, host of the BBC investigative podcast The Lazarus Heist. He explains how this isolated country become a major player in the world of cyber-crime – and where all that money goes.(Photo: Lots of metal coins with symbols of cryptocurrencies are seen in this illustration taken 10 September, 2025. Credit: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie and Josephine Casserly Executive producer: Martine Powers Digital producer: Charlie Firth Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

Russell Brand’s conviction for rape and sexual assault has brought renewed scrutiny to the actor and comedian, who cultivated an image of provocation and promiscuity before embracing an identity as a right-wing influencer. What does his case say about the promises – and limits – of the MeToo movement?The BBC’s Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty, host of the podcast Fame Under Fire, has been in court throughout the Brand trial. She joins The Global Story’s Asma Khalid to explain what happened – and what the case tells us about the changing culture around sexual misconduct and accountability.(Photo: British actor and comedian Russell Brand arrives at Southwark Crown Court, London. Credit: James Manning/Press Association)Producer: Cat Farnsworth and Mhairi MacKenzieExecutive producer: Martine PowersDigital producer: Charlie FirthTechnical producer: Ben AndrewsSound engineer: Travis EvansSenior news editor: China Collins

Preppers have long been planning for the worst-case scenario. Are governments now doing the same?  The UK government has launched a national “Be Ready” campaign, urging people to keep enough food, water and medicine at home to prepare for three days of disruption. Other European countries have similar policies.But for preppers, whose mission it is to ready themselves for a future disaster, this is old news. Have the preppers been vindicated? And what exactly are we prepping for? (Photo: Prepper Drew Miller inside a well-stocked fortified bunker that is still under construction on 23 August, 2019, Lost City, West Virginia.Credit: Michael S. Williamson/ Getty Images)Producer: Josephine Casserly and Xandra EllinExecutive producer: Martine PowersSound engineer: Travis EvansDigital producer: Charlie FirthSenior news editor: China Collins

Can a new crop of Democrats in Congress end the war in Iran?Democrats have taken control of both chambers of Congress in the US midterm elections, dealing a major blow to President Donald Trump. The result could have significant implications for US foreign policy – and for the conflicts unfolding overseas.The Global Story’s Asma Khalid and Tristan Redman explore what the results mean for America’s role in the world. They hear from Democratic Representative Jason Crow and Damian Murphy of the Center for American Progress about how congressional Democrats plan to challenge Trump’s foreign policy agenda – from the wars in Iran and Ukraine to America’s relationships with its allies and adversaries.Producers: Hannah Moore, Lucy Pawle and Xandra EllinExecutive producer: Martine PowersDigital producer: Sam GruetMix: Travis EvansSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto:Democratic US Senate candidate and Texas State Representative James Talarico speaks after his victory in the US midterm elections during an Election Night rally in Austin, Texas, US, November 3, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Mike Segar

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, many Russians who opposed the war – or feared being sent to fight in it – fled the country. In much of the West, they were welcomed as courageous dissidents. But four years on, the number of Russians being forcibly returned from the US to Russia is rising.Is the tougher stance on Russian asylum seekers evidence of the Trump administration seeking closer ties with Moscow? Or is it part of a wider immigration crackdown, driven by domestic politics?In this episode, Tristan Redman speaks to the BBC’s Will Vernon about the Russian refugees he has met who face persecution if they are forced to return home.(Photo: The FSB arrests someone in 2025. Credit: Reuters)Producers Cat Farnsworth and Aron KellerSound engineer: Travis EvansDigital producer: Sam GruetExecutive producer: Martine PowersSenior news editor: China Collins

The AI juggernaut Anthropic could "pose catastrophic or existential risks to humanity,” its owners warned last week, “if not developed, deployed, and operated with appropriate safeguards, oversight, and security measures.”It’s one of many similarly dire predictions AI companies have made about their own products in recent months, but this one is distinct, because it is part of the company’s pitch to future shareholders. Anthropic will be the first fully AI-focused company to list on the US stock market, with what is expected to be a record-breaking valuation. Launching its IPO means revealing truths about its finances and its ethics to the public.So what’s in that public filing? And why does Anthropic’s leadership want investors to believe AI might destroy the world? The BBC’s AI correspondent Marc Cieslak joins Asma Khalid to explain.(Photo: CEO and co-founder of Anthropic Dario Amodei looks on during the 56th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 2026. Credit: Denis Balibouse/Reuters)Producer: Xandra EllinExecutive producers: Hannah MooreMix: Travis EvansStudio manager: Ben AndrewsDigital producer: Tom BageSenior news editor: China Collins

Londoners can now travel in autonomous cars for the first time, after Uber was granted a licence to operate a test fleet of self-driving vehicles. Each vehicle must have a safety driver behind the wheel, but the UK government says fully self-driving cars will be available in late 2027.Driverless cars are the latest threat facing London’s iconic black cabs, over a decade after the introduction of ride-sharing apps revolutionised transport in the city. Tristan Redman meets Tom Scullion, who has been a cabbie for over 30 years, and asks whether one of the world’s hardest memory tests – the Knowledge – can compete with AI.Producer: Sam ChantarasakExecutive producer: James ShieldMix: Travis EvansDigital producer: Charlie FirthSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto: Black cab driver Tom Scullion. Credit: BBC

Latino voters in Florida — including 68% of Cuban-Americans in Miami-Dade County — helped fuel Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential victory. But now, ahead of next week’s midterm elections, some of those voters are questioning their loyalty to Trump, and to the Republican party. Many are focused on the administration’s immigration crackdown — thousands of people arrested and deported by ICE — and also on questions about Trump’s influence in Latin America and his plans for the future of Venezuela and Cuba.What have Trump’s policies meant for the people living on both sides of the Florida Straits? The Global Story’s Asma Khalid speaks with Sumi Somaskanda, a chief anchor at BBC News in Washington, and BBC Cuba correspondent Will Grant. Producer: Hannah MooreSpanish voice over: Laura PlittMix: Travis EvansExecutive producer: Martine PowersDigital producer: Richard KennySenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto: A woman and a man walk past graffiti with the colours of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, October 4, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Ricardo Arduengo

A ceasefire has come into effect in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky, on the front line of the war with Russia. Thousands of residents have been trapped there, cut off from food, water and electricity.The ceasefire has been brokered by an unexpected figure: the US First Lady Melania Trump. But the Vatican is also claiming credit for the truce, raising questions about who helped bring it about – and what it might mean for the people caught up in the fighting.After years of war and worsening conditions for civilians, a pause in the fighting could offer some relief. But how much protection will it really provide? And can this ceasefire hold?(Photo: US first lady Melania Trump, 24 September, 2026. Credit: Finn Gomez/Reuters)Producer: Josephine Casserly and Xandra EllinSound engineer: Travis EvansExecutive producer: Martine PowersDigital producer: Charlie FirthSenior news editor: China Collins