The Explanation Podcast
Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin.
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.
Episodes to download
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The Global Jigsaw: Deconstructing Iran鈥檚 鈥楢xis of Resistance鈥�: Part two
Sat 27 Apr 2024
The loose coalition of allies and proxies, sworn against Israeli and US influence
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Nuclear weapons - which countries have them?
Sat 27 Apr 2024
We look at the nuclear powers and those who want to join their club
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The Media Show: Secrets of the Celebrity Interview
Thu 25 Apr 2024
Coaxing megastars to say things they鈥檒l later regret, and can you teach creativity?
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The Global Jigsaw: How drones have changed war
Sat 20 Apr 2024
Drones have reshaped the battlefield in Ukraine - and created new challenges
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The Media Show: How Taylor Swift conquered the media
Thu 18 Apr 2024
A lesson in 鈥淪wiftonomics鈥� from the journalists who report on the pop phenomenon
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How does the New York Stock Exchange work?
Tue 16 Apr 2024
Valued at over $25 trillion, does it spread wealth or increase inequality?
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The Global Jigsaw: Sudan: A year of war
Sun 14 Apr 2024
Sudan faces the largest humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world
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The Media Show: Building Trump's social media app
Thu 11 Apr 2024
Billy Boozer tells the story behind the creation of Truth Social
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The Global Jigsaw: Deconstructing Iran鈥檚 'Axis of Resistance': Part one
Sun 7 Apr 2024
The origins of the Iran-cultivated alliance of like-minded states and groups.
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The Media Show: Fear, threats and intimidation
Thu 4 Apr 2024
Have US diplomats been targeted by Russian sonic weaponry?
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The Global Jigsaw: Moscow attack: disinfo wars
Sun 31 Mar 2024
Who is behind the Crocus City Hall attack? We track the blame game.
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The Global Jigsaw: Contested waters: Helmand
Sun 24 Mar 2024
How the waters of the Helmand river have driven tensions between Afghanistan and Iran
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Unspun World: What's next for President Putin after winning re-election?
Sat 23 Mar 2024
Plus, as Biden and Trump compete for the presidency, is the US close to civil unrest?
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The Global Jigsaw - Contested waters: Crimea
Sun 17 Mar 2024
How water is used as a weapon of war following Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine
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Unspun World: Has Russia turned the tide in its war in Ukraine?
Sat 16 Mar 2024
Plus, gang violence in Haiti, and the possibility of unmanned ships on the oceans
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The Global Jigsaw: What hope for Haiti?
Sun 10 Mar 2024
Gang violence has turned the small Caribbean nation into a 鈥渓iving nightmare鈥�
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Unspun World: What's life like on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank?
Sat 9 Mar 2024
What will it take to bring peace to both Gaza and Ukraine?
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Unspun World: Is a ceasefire in Gaza within reach?
Sat 2 Mar 2024
Plus, Donald Trump's legal problems, and European farmers protest
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Unspun World: What Alexei Navalny's death means for Vladimir Putin's grip on Russia
Sat 24 Feb 2024
Two years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, can Putin keep control?
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Unspun World: Can Israel win its war in Gaza?
Sat 17 Feb 2024
John Simpson analyses Israel offensive in Gaza, China's economy and Indonesia's election
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Unspun World: How Russia's economy has survived despite sanctions
Sat 10 Feb 2024
Plus, examining the US military's role in the Middle East
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Unspun World: Is Ukraine losing Western support?
Sat 3 Feb 2024
Plus, how might the International Court of Justice鈥檚 ruling affect the war in Gaza?
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Unspun World: Is the war in Gaza slipping away from Israel?
Sat 27 Jan 2024
Plus, the implications of Iran鈥檚 missile strike on Pakistan
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Unspun World: What's the West's strategy for the Houthis?
Sat 20 Jan 2024
Have US and UK-led attacks on the Houthis in Yemen backfired?
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What does the World Bank do?
Sat 6 Jan 2024
Michelle Fleury on the origins and purpose of the global financial institution
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What is sportswashing?
Sat 30 Dec 2023
Dan Roan on why oil-rich nations are investing huge amounts of money in global sport
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What is BRICS?
Sat 23 Dec 2023
Can a group of emerging economies change the existing global economic hierarchy?
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How does the World Health Organization work?
Sat 16 Dec 2023
Tulip Mazumdar looks at the successes and failures of the WHO
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Unspun World: Can anything break the stalemate in the Ukraine war?
Sat 9 Dec 2023
Stories from the frontline as tensions rise from Ukraine correspondent, James Waterhouse
