The Explanation

BBC World Service

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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346 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes346

Newest first

May 2, 2025 · 26 min
Unspun World: What part did Trump play in Canada’s election?
John Simpson analyses US President Donald Trump’s influence on Canada's election results
May 1, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Piers Morgan’s YouTube bet
Why the former tabloid journalist believes online is his future
Apr 25, 2025 · 29 min
The Global Jigsaw: The Kurdish issue: Part two
What does the future hold for Kurdish people?
Apr 24, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Washington leak culture
Pentagon hunt for the officials talking to journalists
Apr 18, 2025 · 32 min
The Global Jigsaw: The Kurdish issue: Part one
What does the future hold for Kurdish people?
Apr 17, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Britain's steel crisis and SNL’s leap across the Atlantic
Reporting the battle to save the UK’s last major steelworks
Apr 11, 2025 · 24 min
Trump's tariffs explained
Ben Brown and Sumi Somaskanda examine the key questions about US tariffs
Apr 10, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Trade wars, tariffs, and Trump’s media strategy
Challenge for journalists to explain economic uncertainty
Apr 3, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: What teenage boys are watching online
How the Netflix drama Adolescence has started a conversation about online influence
Mar 28, 2025 · 26 min
Unspun World: How might Gaza be governed in the future?
John Simpson examines how Gaza could be governed in the future
Mar 27, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Are pirated books powering AI?
Copyright row as authors say Meta trained its AI without their consent
Mar 21, 2025 · 26 min
Unspun World: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin negotiate over a ceasefire in Ukraine
John Simpson analyses the negotiations over a ceasefire in Ukraine
Mar 20, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Investigating Michael Jackson
Dan Reed on Leaving Neverland 2 and the legal battle over Jackson’s legacy
Mar 15, 2025 · 18 min
Can Germany's ailing economy get back on track?
Ed Butler interviews Dr Joachim Nagel, president of the Deutsche Bundesbank
Mar 14, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Revealing Facebook
A former Facebook executive describes life inside the company and its leadership culture
Mar 14, 2025 · 26 min
Unspun World: How will Donald Trump’s tariffs affect global markets?
John Simpson looks at whether an economic downturn is on the horizon
Mar 7, 2025 · 26 min
Unspun World: Can Ukraine continue to rely on US support?
John Simpson examines whether a European army could provide a bulwark against Russia
Mar 6, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Jeff Bezos' Washington Post shift
How the Amazon founder has triggered resignations at the paper he owns
Feb 28, 2025 · 26 min
Unspun World: Is Russia’s war in Ukraine nearing an endgame?
John Simpson analyses whether Russia’s war in Ukraine is nearing an endgame
Feb 27, 2025 · 22 min
The Media Show: Mehdi Hasan on journalism, opinion, and independence
The former MSNBC star on why he’s now flying solo