The Global Story

Midterm elections in the United States are normally about domestic issues such as the economy and the cost of living. They’re often a pulse check on voter sentiment towards the party in power, or a reflection of local political battles and regional trends.
Midterms are rarely impassioned referendums on a specific foreign policy issue. But this year in Michigan, for some voters, the Senate race is shaping up to be just that.
Today on the show, The Global Story’s Asma Khalid shares her reporting from Michigan, where a debate among Democrats over the conflict in the Middle East has become a touchstone issue, especially among the state’s large Arab American and Jewish communities.
Producer: Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Mix: Travis Evans
Digital producer: Charlie Firth
Technical producer: Ricardo McCarthy and Mike Regard
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Credit: Rebecca Cook/Reuters.

America’s pain at the pump could have major implications for the future of the war in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump wants to bring down fuel prices for Americans. One way he’s trying to do it is by reopening the door to Russian energy, reversing a policy designed to deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of money for his war in Ukraine.
The shift comes as relations between Trump and Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky have deteriorated dramatically. Trump has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for contributing to the global diesel shortage, while Ukraine says those refineries are a crucial source of revenue for Russia’s war machine.
So is American angst about fuel prices changing Trump’s approach to the war? And would importing Russian diesel even make a meaningful difference to US prices?
The Global Story’s Tristan Redman speaks to BBC Verify’s Ben Chu about the fuel crisis drawing together Trump, Putin, Zelensky and the American midterm elections.
Producers: Aron Keller, Jo Casserly and Cat Farnsworth
Mix: Travis Evans
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a press conference in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque

A diplomat’s job is traditionally to represent their country’s interests while maintaining good relations with their host nation. But some of Donald Trump’s ambassadors are taking a different approach.

On Tuesday, Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned from her ambassadorship in Greece after serious allegations were raised about her conduct. According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal, the former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr. allegedly asked a Trump donor to pay off her $100,000 Amex bill — allegations she denies.

Guilfoyle is not the only ambassador to have caused a stir. US envoys around the world have sparked diplomatic rows, controversy and, in some cases, appeared to step beyond the traditional boundaries of their role.

What do Donald Trump’s ambassador picks, and their conduct, tell us about the new way that America does diplomacy?

Reuters’ senior White House correspondent, Humeyra Pamuk, breaks down how Trump’s ambassadors are breaking with tradition.

Producers: Valerio Esposito and Kateryna Pavlyuk

Mix: Travis Evans

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle speak during a dedication ceremony at the chancery of the US Embassy, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Athens, Greece. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS

Is Washington leaving Saudi Arabia to fend for itself? Last week, Houthi rebels launched a series of missile strikes on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. Surveillance footage showed a fireball erupting as airport passengers ran for cover. At least 14 people have been killed and hundreds were injured.
The attack is the latest escalation in a decade-long war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in neighbouring Yemen. The Saudis have long relied on financial, military and intelligence support from the United States, particularly in their fight against the Houthis. But Washington so far has shown little appetite for direct involvement in the fighting.
So why is the United States holding back? And what does that mean for the people caught in the middle?
The BBC’s chief international investigations correspondent, Nawal al-Maghafi, recently reported from inside Yemen and joins The Global Story’s Asma Khalid to discuss why this conflict is escalating and what might happen next.
(Photo: Houthi supporters rally against Saudi Arabia in Sanaa, Yemen, 9 October 2026. Credit:Yahya Arhab / EPA / Shutterstock)
Producer: Cat Farnsworth and Mhairi MacKenzie
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Digital producer: Charlie Firth
Senior news editor: China Collins

This week tens of thousands of young people have taken to the streets of Delhi, India’s capital, demanding changes to the electoral system and the resignation of the country’s electoral commissioner. Thousands have been detained by police in the process.
They represent the ‘cockroach’ movement, a grassroots campaign group started by a Boston University graduate in protest at government policies and high youth unemployment. How did a movement that started as a meme capture the minds of India’s young people, and start to pose a challenge to its long-serving prime minister, Narendra Modi?
The BBC’s South Asia correspondent, Azadeh Moshiri, explains.
Producers: Hannah Moore and Lucy Pawle
Mix: Travis Evans
Executive producer: James Shield
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: A protester gestures while being detained by security personnel during a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) seeking the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, near the protest site in New Delhi, India, October 10, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Adnan Abidi