The Global Story: Are we heading for World War Three?

The Global Story: Are we heading for World War Three?

Author: BBC World Service March 29, 2026 Duration: 28:13

It’s been almost a month since Israel and the US launched their war against Iran, and already there have been strikes in more than a dozen countries, with reports of over 2,000 people killed across the region. As the war drags on and more countries get involved, there are concerns this conflict could escalate into something truly global.

We speak to Emeritus Professor of International History at the University of Oxford, Margaret MacMillan, and explore how world wars start, how they end and what can be done to avoid them.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Chris Benderev and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. Military aircraft perform 4th of July flyover past New York City and New Jersey, 4 July 2020. Photo: credit: Reuters/Mike Segar


Staying informed means navigating a constant stream of events, and the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service provides a grounded, thorough digest of that flow. This isn't just a headline service; it's a twice-daily briefing that situates you within the day's most pressing stories, particularly focusing on complex, unfolding situations. Right now, that means dedicated coverage from across the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and the Gulf states, offering clarity on regional dynamics and their global implications. Alongside that essential regional focus, the podcast consistently pulls back for a wider lens, bringing reports and context from every corner of the world. What you'll hear is the BBC's signature blend of on-the-ground reporting and measured expert analysis, all designed to build understanding rather than just summarize events. For a reliable, in-depth audio briefing that updates each weekday morning and evening, this podcast delivers a comprehensive picture of our world as it happens.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Global News Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Hegseth: Today ‘most intense’ day of US strikes on Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:31
The US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, says Tuesday's attacks on Iran will be the most intense day since the war began. Echoing the words of President Trump, he said America would continue to fire missiles until Iranian…
Oil price drops after Trump hints at short Iran war [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:03
Oil price falls and stock markets rally after President Trump hints that war with Iran could be shorter than he'd previously said. But he also says America hasn't yet won enough. We also look at how the war is continuing…
Mojtaba Khamenei named as Iran's new supreme leader [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:50
Supporters of the Iranian regime have taken to the streets to celebrate the selection of the country's new spiritual leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. He will replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Isra…
Iranian clerics reach consensus on new supreme leader [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:39
Members of the Iranian clerical body tasked with choosing a new supreme leader says there's consensus on a replacement for the late Ali Khamenei. In Iran, oil depots have been hit by intense US-Israeli aerial bombardment…
US and Israel hit Iranian oil depot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:00
The US and Israel target Iranian oil facilities for the first time since start of war - but Tehran remains defiant. It continues to retaliate, launching drones and missiles on neighbouring countries. Also, Lebanon contin…
The Happy Pod: My friends made me a new hand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:30
Lois, 14, and her classmates used a 3D printer to create her new hand as part of a school project. Now they want to make prosthetic limbs for other people who need them, using the same method. Also: We find out how a new…
US: 'achievable objectives' in Iran in four to six weeks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:27
President Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, didn't give details of what these objectives were. But she said that when the goals of the war were realised, "Iran will essentially be in a place of unconditional sur…
Trump demands Iran's unconditional surrender [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:30
President Trump says there will be no deal with Iran, only unconditional surrender, as the US and Israel continue their bombardment of Tehran and other Iranian cities. The Iranian authorities say more than 1,200 people h…
US and Israel 'moving to next phase' of war with Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:01
The US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, said the amount of firepower over Iran was about to surge dramatically. The Israeli military said it had begun a "broad scale" wave of strikes against infrastructure in Tehran. The…

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