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The Explanation

BBC World Service
The Explanation
Latest episode

327 episodes

  • The Explanation

    The President's Path: Why did Trump and Netanyahu clash over the Iran war?

    08/06/2026 | 24 mins.
    Caitriona Perry, Sumi Somaskanda and Bernd Debusmann unpack the extraordinary falling-out between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - a reportedly "blazing row" that both men have since confirmed. Trump was left "perturbed" that Israeli operations in Lebanon risked derailing his Iran negotiations. But it isn't the first time he has vented at Netanyahu in public. Both insist they still speak almost daily and remain close. But American and Israeli interests in the Iran war are increasingly diverging, US opinion has turned - Pew now finds around 60% of Americans hold an unfavourable view of Israel, up from the low 40s before the 2023 war in Gaza - and influential MAGA voices like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens are openly questioning the alliance. With Netanyahu accused at home of turning Israel into a "vassal state", his resistance to a two-state solution stalling Trump's cherished Abraham Accords, and the war itself looking like a strategic failure, is the "ironclad" US-Israel relationship finally starting to crack?
  • The Explanation

    Unspun World: What's it like to live in Iran now?

    05/06/2026 | 26 mins.
    John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, explores the feelings of ordinary Iranians about the conflict with the United States, analyses the latest extreme global weather warnings, and looks at the state of Ethiopia as it heads to the polls.
    Producer: Kate Cornell
    Executive producer: Benedick Watt
    Commissioning editors: Silvia Costeloe and Paul Royall
  • The Explanation

    The Media Show: Inside Rafa Nadal's Netflix show

    04/06/2026 | 22 mins.
    A new Netflix documentary follows the final stage of Rafael Nadal's tennis career. The series is the latest high-profile sports documentary made for a streaming platform. Zachary Heinzerling, director of Rafa, outlines how the film was made and the level of access his team received. Minal Modha, senior research director at Ampere Analysis, provides context on the growing business of sports documentaries.
    In Scotland, Peter Murrell's guilty plea to embezzling funds from the SNP has renewed attention on the reporting that first raised questions about the affair. John Ferguson, political editor at the Sunday Mail, reflects on his own journalism. Laura Kuenssberg explains how she secured the first broadcast interview with Nicola Sturgeon since her estranged husband’s conviction.
    CBS News is facing upheaval following changes in leadership and the departure of several senior figures. The latest developments centre on the dismissal of veteran correspondent Scott Pelley after public criticism of the network's direction. Michael Grynbaum, media correspondent at The New York Times, outlines the story.
    Presenter: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
    Producer: Lisa Jenkinson and Lucy Wai
    Researcher: Ruth Waites
    Sound engineer: Volodymyr Muzyczka
  • The Explanation

    The President's Path: The costs of the Iran war

    29/05/2026 | 24 mins.
    Caitriona Perry, Bernd Debusmann and CBS News' Fin Gomez look at how the Iran War is causing consumers to feel the pinch at the gas pump and the supermarket. They also take a closer look at this week's Texas primaries.

    Click here to subscribe to our channel: https://bbc.in/3VyyriM

    Every weekend, The President’s Path explores the state of US politics — in Washington and beyond. We dig into the key issues shaping America and uncover what’s on the minds of those closest to power. You can contact us at: [email protected]

    Senior producer: Emer McCarthy
    Editor: James Kraft
    Executive producer: Anna Holford
  • The Explanation

    Unspun World: Is the US preparing to invade Cuba?

    29/05/2026 | 26 mins.
    John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses the possibility of the US forcing regime change in Cuba, examines the effect of the war in Ukraine on Vladimir Putin’s standing in Russia, and looks at the increasing popularity of prediction markets.
    Producer: Kate Cornell
    Executive producer: Benedick Watt
    Commissioning editors: Silvia Costeloe and Paul Royall
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About The Explanation
Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world. Featuring new episodes of The President's Path, Unspun World with John Simpson, and The Media Show.
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