The Explanation

The Explanation is a snackable audio guide giving you the backstory behind the headlines. In each episode, presenter Claire Graham meets a BBC News correspondent who has lived and breathed these stories. She’ll hear clear analysis along with powerful archive. The Explanation will go back in time to unpack complex chains of events and will make the stories in question easier to understand.

Understanding democracy in Hong Kong
Nov 20, 2021 – 18:20
Israeli-Palestinian relations
Nov 27, 2021 – 18:21
Understanding Iran: Reconciling religion and democracy
Dec 4, 2021 – 18:39
Afghanistan: Women, girls and their rights
Dec 11, 2021 – 18:42
Understanding how Russia has changed under Putin
Dec 18, 2021 – 18:42
Understanding the Islamic State group
Dec 25, 2021 – 18:33
Understanding North Korea and the Kim dynasty
Mar 12, 2022 – 18:15
Understanding the rise of Boko Haram
Mar 19, 2022 – 18:27
Understanding relations between Taiwan and China
Mar 26, 2022 – 18:50
Understanding the power that Saudi Arabia wields
Apr 2, 2022 – 18:48
Understanding South Africa’s continuing quest for equality
Apr 9, 2022 – 18:38
Understanding the long history between Russia and Ukraine
Apr 16, 2022 – 18:27
How Syria's peaceful uprising became a civil war
Jan 14, 2023 – 18:41
Roe v Wade and abortion in America
Jan 21, 2023 – 18:33
Cuba–United States relations
Jan 28, 2023 – 18:56
Who are the Uyghurs and why are they being persecuted?
Feb 4, 2023 – 18:25
How Yemen has been engulfed by civil war
Feb 11, 2023 – 18:43
Sudan’s journey from independence to revolution
Feb 18, 2023 – 19:13
Ethiopia, Eritrea and border wars
Feb 25, 2023 – 19:17
How the Good Friday Agreement helped bring peace to Northern Ireland
Mar 4, 2023 – 18:47
Introducing The Explanation
May 17, 2023 – 01:19
Unspun World: Is Ukraine's counter-offensive a turning point?
May 20, 2023 – 27:57
Unspun World: Could AI outsmart humanity?
May 27, 2023 – 27:52
Unspun World: Can the US transform the world's economy?
Jun 3, 2023 – 27:51
Unspun World: What's it like reporting on the war from inside Russia?
Jun 10, 2023 – 27:32
Unspun World: Who can challenge Trump?
Jun 17, 2023 – 27:49
What is the Wagner Group?
Jun 21, 2023 – 19:05
Unspun World: Xi Jinping: President or emperor?
Jun 24, 2023 – 27:58
How Lebanon’s economy collapsed
Jun 28, 2023 – 18:56
Unspun World: Is Putin's time up?
Jun 30, 2023 – 27:29
Haiti's gang crisis
Jul 5, 2023 – 18:35
Unspun World: Is it time to return looted art?
Jul 8, 2023 – 27:23
What is a war crime?
Jul 12, 2023 – 18:24
Who are the Rohingyas?
Jul 19, 2023 – 18:46
The EU
Jul 26, 2023 – 18:33
Venezuela crisis
Aug 2, 2023 – 18:31
What is Nato?
Aug 9, 2023 – 18:30
Kosovo–Serbia relations
Aug 16, 2023 – 18:34
Could Puerto Rico become America's 51st state?
Aug 23, 2023 – 18:24
The Global Jigsaw: Grain deal special
Sep 9, 2023 – 27:19
Unspun World: What has changed for women in Iran, a year after Mahsa Amini's death?
Sep 23, 2023 – 27:17
The Global Jigsaw: Wagner after Prigozhin
Sep 29, 2023 – 40:45
Unspun World: Can anyone in Russia challenge Putin now?
Sep 30, 2023 – 27:15
Unspun World: Are democracies hindering the fight against climate change?
Oct 7, 2023 – 27:13
Unspun World: Israel declares war on Hamas after deadly attack
Oct 14, 2023 – 27:23
The Global Jigsaw: Who’ll be Argentina’s next president?
Oct 20, 2023 – 23:49
Unspun World: Will Israel invade Gaza?
Oct 28, 2023 – 27:29
Unspun World: Tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border
Nov 4, 2023 – 27:44
Unspun World: What's Israel's endgame in Gaza?
Nov 11, 2023 – 27:46
The Global Jigsaw: Israel and Gaza special
Nov 12, 2023 – 40:19

Recent Reviews

avm1406

John Simpson is a legend

Listen if only for John Simpson’s pithy, deeply felt wrap up monologue.
midwestBlue

good program

i like the program but claire graham speaks too softly compared to the guests. please speak up claire. thank you