The Global Story

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 MacKenzie
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Digital producer: Charlie Firth
Technical producer: Ben Andrews
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior 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 Ellin
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Digital producer: Charlie Firth
Senior 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 Ellin
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Digital producer: Sam Gruet
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: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 Keller
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Digital producer: Sam Gruet
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Senior 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 Ellin
Executive producers: Hannah Moore
Mix: Travis Evans
Studio manager: Ben Andrews
Digital producer: Tom Bage
Senior news editor: China Collins