The long-running civil war in Syria has unexpectedly sprung back into the spotlight after rebel groups launched a surprise offensive on Aleppo, one of the country’s largest cities. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has vowed to crush the rebel uprising, prompting air strikes from Russian forces allied with his regime. This is an unexpected resurgence of a conflict that has been largely dormant for years.

Azadeh Moshiri speaks with BBC Monitoring's jihadist media specialist Mina Al-Lami and BBC correspondent Barbara Plett Usher about who these rebels are and whether this will this redraw the lines of the Syrian conflict.

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, Tom Kavanagh and Mhairi MacKenzie

Sound engineers: Ben Andrews and Jonny Hall

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Belgium has become the first country in the world to pass a law to give labour rights to sex workers. They will be entitled to health insurance, pensions, sick days and maternity leave. Prostitution involves millions of people worldwide but will this new law protect these people from abuse and exploitation? Katya Adler speaks to the BBC's gender and identity correspondent Sofia Bettiza.

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 Mariana Hernández Carrillo

Sound engineers: Gareth Jones and Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Does Israel’s deal with Hezbollah move the region closer to lasting peace? The agreement reached this week will save lives and allow thousands of displaced Lebanese and Israelis to return to their homes – if it holds. But the conflict in Gaza is expected to intensify, as the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to ramp up pressure on Hamas. Can Joe Biden or Donald Trump broker another ceasefire? And how will Iran react as it watches its network of proxy groups fall apart?

The UK parliament is preparing to vote on whether terminally ill adults in England and Wales can request assistance to end their life. The potential social change this bill could herald has seen commentators compare it to the legalisation of abortion, the abolition of the death penalty, and the introduction of same-sex marriage. But despite strong public support, and the growing number of countries sanctioning assisted dying in some form, ethical questions mean it remains a divisive and emotionally charged issue.

On today’s episode, Katya is joined by the BBC's global health correspondent Dominic Hughes. They look at the proposed UK legislation, and discuss how it compares to existing laws on assisted dying throughout the world.

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: Laurie Kalus and Alix Pickles

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard

Assistant editors: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Alice Aylett Roberts

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Every few years governments around the world compete in global rankings to see which nation is deemed to have the best school system in the world. Schools in Asia often get the best results, and other countries like Estonia and Canada are also highly praised.

But in many parts of the world there are often huge barriers to getting children into the classroom at all - such as poverty, climate change and war.

On today's episode, Lucy Hockings speaks to the BBC's Sean Coughlan and Professor John Jerrim from University College London about which countries have the most successful education systems in the world and what others can learn from them.

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 Eleanor Sly

Sound engineers: Mike Regaard and Ben Andrews

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

A Hong Kong court has sentenced dozens of pro-democracy leaders to years in jail for subversion. All but two of the so-called Hong Kong 47 were jailed in the biggest trial yet under a sweeping national security law imposed by China shortly after explosive pro-democracy protests in 2019.

A day later, influential pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai testified in a trial that could see him spend the rest of his life behind bars. So what does the future look like for the city’s pro-democracy movement?

On today's episode, Sumi Somaskanda speaks to Danny Vincent, a BBC reporter in Hong Kong who has been following the lives of the protesters since 2019.

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, Laurie Kalus and Beth Timmins

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard and Ben Andrews

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Alice Aylett Roberts

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

The BBC sits down with the former German chancellor. For nearly two decades Angela Merkel was one of the most influential politicians and most powerful women on in the world. Now, three years after stepping down, what does she make of the current state of world politics – from the threat posed by Russia, to the return of Donald Trump, and the rise of the far right in Europe?

On this episode, the BBC's Europe Editor, Katya Adler, tells Caitríona Perry what she learned from her interview with Angela Merkel in Berlin, including the ex-chancellor's experiences with Vladimir Putin, and her handling of the 2015 migrant crisis.

Producers: Peter Goffin and Alix Pickles

Sound engineers: Gareth Jones

Assistant editors: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Richard Moran

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

As the US President-elect continues to assemble his top team, it hasn’t been plain sailing. His nomination of Matt Gaetz for the attorney general role led to days of headlines and frenzied analysis by the media and online. Now, after less than a week, he’s withdrawn.

On Thursday afternoon, Caitríona Perry spoke with Sumi Somaskanda and digital reporter Kayla Epstein to discuss this bombshell and the other appointments President Trump has made this week.

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.

Why President Volodymyr Zelensky’s vision for the end of the war may be changing. After a week of escalation between Ukraine and Russia, we look at the prospect of a peace agreement being reached in 2025. With Moscow making gains on the ground and Donald Trump’s election victory casting uncertainty on the future of US military aid, Zelensky has said Ukraine must do everything it can to end the war through diplomacy next year. But what would Vladimir Putin want from a peace deal? And what is Zelensky willing to give up? On this episode, Lucy Hockings speaks to the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams, who is in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

Producers: Peter Goffin and Alix Pickles

Sound engineers: Jack Graysmark and Mike Regaard

Assistant editors: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Richard Moran

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Air pollution in parts of India and Pakistan has been likened to witnessing a dystopian movie. India's capital Delhi has been blanketed in a thick layer of smog, with the city's residents complaining of choking and stinging eyes. In neighbouring Pakistan, Lahore has also recorded sky-high air pollution in recent weeks.

On today's episode, Sumi Somaskanda hears from Devina Gupta about what it's like to be living in Delhi at the moment. And Dr Gary Fuller (Imperial College London) explains the impact severe air pollution can have on our health, from birth through to our final years.

The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas to help us 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, Richard Moran and Beth Timmins

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson