The Global Story

Climate scientists have put out a dire warning about this year’s El Niño; that it will likely be the worst in recorded history. And if previous ‘super’ El Niños are anything to go by, that means that this cycle will bring extreme weather - flooding, drought, wildfires, and hunger- across the world.
But how do scientists know what the effects of an El Niño will be? And how do they communicate that information to governments and the public in a way that causes calm preparedness instead of panic?
Tom Di Liberto is a former climate scientist for the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a science communicator, who specialises in monitoring El Niño phenomena. He joins us on today’s show.
Producers: Hannah Moore and Mhairi MacKenzie
Executive producer: Bridget Harney
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: A man wades through water in northern Peru, in 2017, during that year’s El Niño. Credit: Ernesto Benavides/AFP.

What happens when K-pop’s gruelling formula meets the American music industry?
The global girl group Katseye has gone from a reality-show experiment to a global phenomenon. With chart-topping hits, a viral Gap campaign and a sold-out international tour, the group has become one of the biggest success stories in pop.
But as Katseye breaks through in America, it is also bringing new attention to the intense training, fierce competition and relentless scrutiny that helped fuel its rise. Has the group’s success shown that the K-pop model can work outside South Korea, or exposed the costs of trying to recreate it?
The Global Story’s Asma Khalid and Tristan Redman speak with BBC music correspondent Mark Savage about whether the discipline, pressure and perfectionism that drive K-pop’s success can translate to an American audience.
(Photo: Katseye performs in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Credit: Paul Bergan/ EPA/ Shutterstock)
Clips: Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE | Official Trailer | Netflix
Producer: Sam Chantarasak and Cat Farnsworth
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

Last week, President Donald Trump barred CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, accusing them of spreading "fake news". After their reporters had their press passes revoked and were denied access to the building, the three outlets launched a joint legal challenge, arguing that the move was unconstitutional.
How unprecedented is this decision? And how does it compare with the treatment of journalists in other countries around the world?
Jason Rezaian, host of the Washington Post podcast Freedom Desk and the paper's former Tehran bureau chief, has a unique perspective on these questions. While reporting from Iran, he experienced restrictions on press freedom and was ultimately imprisoned by the regime. Since his release, he has become a prominent advocate for press freedom around the world.
He joins The Global Story’s Tristan Redman to discuss where President Trump's decision fits into a broader pattern in the relationship between political leaders and the media over recent decades.
Producers: Xandra Ellin and Cat Farnsworth.
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Mix: Travis Evans
Digital producer: Sam Gruet
Senior news editor: China Collins.
Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio points as members of the media raise their hands during a press briefing at the White House in Washington DC, May 5, 2026. Credit: Kylie Cooper/Reuters.

China’s President Xi returns to the White House on Thursday for the first time in over a decade. A priority for both leaders will be to discuss AI. The two countries are currently locked in a fierce competition for AI dominance, amid dire warnings from US tech executives in recent weeks that the speed of AI development needs to be slowed, as the risks to humanity are too great.
President Trump has rejected those calls for a slowdown or suggestions of regulation, in part because of his concerns that China will overtake the US in AI development.
In this episode we speak to the BBC’s China correspondent Laura Bicker who tells us what China’s AI revolution looks from inside the country. And we ask how this issue is changing the power dynamics between the US and China. Credit: Reuters/Tingshu Wang
Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle
Executive producer: Bridget Harney
Digital producer: Sam Gruet
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: A child speaks to a UBTech AI Wukong Robot for sale, during the 2026 World Robot Conference, in Beijing, China August 21, 2026.

The United States is one of the few wealthy countries where commercial surrogacy remains legal.
Bans elsewhere in the world, combined with a largely free-market approach at home, have made the US an international destination for would-be parents from around the globe – fuelling the industry’s rapid expansion. But could it all come to an end?
Today on The Global Story, we speak to fertility technology reporter Emi Nietfeld about how the US became a global hub for surrogacy – and why a series of high-profile cases is raising difficult questions about the industry.
Producer: Valerio Esposito
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Digital producer: Charlie Firth
Sound Engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: A pregnant woman holding her stomach. Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire