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Life and death activism in Iran
In 2022, mass protests erupted in Iran after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Those protests dissipated after a fierce crackdown. But individual acts of defiance and stories that tell the cost of activism have been making the headlines in recent weeks.In this episode, Parham Ghobadi tells Azadeh Moshiri about the life of Kianoosh Sanjari, a young man who faced the brunt of government oppression, and took his own life in an apparent final act of defiance against the regime.Producers: Richard Moran and Alix PicklesSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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The AI models invading our feeds
Is artificial intelligence making social media more dangerous? With online personalities increasingly dictating the way many of us live our lives, we are firmly in the age of the influencer. And with the advent of AI influencers, longstanding concerns about unrealistic beauty standards or unattainable lifestyle goals, are being argued even more strenuously by critics of the industry. But are the feeds of these AI-generated models any less 'real' than the enhanced profiles we have been exposed to for years?On today's episode, Lucy Hockings is joined by the BBC's cyber correspondent Joe Tidy. He reveals all on his recent trip to meet the creators of one of the world's most successful AI influencers, Aitana...Producers: Laurie Kalus and Mariana Hernández CarrilloSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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As Syrians celebrate, IS watches closely
This episode contains descriptions of violence and sexual violence.When Bashar al-Assad’s power was challenged in 2014, the Islamic State group filled the vacuum in Syria. Now the Assad regime has fallen, ending 50 years of rule by the family. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group who toppled the president, are now faced with governing a country occupied by various factions.On today's episode, Azadeh Moshiri speaks to Barry Marston, the head of the BBC's jihadist media team, to ask how much of a threat the Islamic State group is today, and whether this new power vacuum could present them with a new opportunity for their brand of terror?The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran and Eleanor SlySound engineer: Phillip BullAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Saydnaya Prison: Inside Assad’s ‘human slaughterhouse’
Syria’s notorious Saydnaya prison is one of many that have been liberated as rebels take control of the country. We hear from our correspondent Barbara Plett Usher who has been inside the prison where thousands of opposition supporters are said to have been tortured and executed under the Assad regime. Family members rushed in to see if their relatives were among those released. But will these people find answers in their search? And what will this mean for Syria’s future?On this episode Azadeh Moshiri is joined by the BBC’s Middle East regional editor Sebastian Usher who compares the collapse of the regime to the start of the civil war, which began in 2011.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Beth TimminsSound engineer: Ben AndrewsAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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The final hours of the Assad regime
President Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria, ending 50 years of authoritarian rule by his family. Over the weekend, rebels who had already taken Aleppo and Hama began to close in on the city of Homs and set their eyes on the capital Damascus.As it became clear that Assad had fled, the BBC's Lina Sinjab crossed the border from Lebanon, becoming the first western journalists to report from Damascus as a new era began. She tells Azadeh Moshiri how some Syrians celebrated while others looted the president's former home. And our Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, explains what the future might hold for Syria, now that everything has changed.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Richard Moran and Sergi Forcada FreixasSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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About The Global Story

Global perspectives on one big story. In-depth insights from the BBC, the world's most trusted international news provider. Make sense of the news with our experts around the world, every Monday to Friday. Episodes will be ready by 10:30 GMT. Host Katya Adler and our BBC teams guide you through one major global news story each episode. From Beijing to Boston, Baghdad to Bangalore, our unrivalled reach will take you beyond the headlines to help understand and explore what’s happening. The Global News Podcast brings you the latest updates and, on The Global Story, we will drill deep into a single story. From the climate emergency, to the burning questions around Artificial Intelligence, to the movements of money and markets, and the power of the ballot and the bullet. Katya Adler has been a BBC correspondent and editor for more than 25 years, covering conflicts in the Middle East, political and economic crises in Europe, and drug cartels in Mexico. The Global Story team would like to hear your stories and experiences on the issues that we’re covering on the podcast. Please get in touch: [email protected] #TheGlobalStory and tell us your thoughts on what you would like us to talk about.

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