The Global Story: US at 250 – your questions answered

**Celia Hatton** (0:00)
Hi, it's Celia Hatton here from the Global News Podcast. As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, we've teamed up with our sister podcast, The Global Story, to answer your questions about America's impact on the world. It's a great listen. This episode is part of a special series The Global Story has been doing as host Asma Khalid explains.
To hear more episodes, search for The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

**Asma Khalid** (0:28)
This week as the United States celebrates 250 years since its founding, we here at The Global Story have been marking the moment too, with a very special series exploring the surprising and often hidden ways that the United States has shaped the modern world. Is the world a better place for having the United States in it?

**Celia Hatton** (0:47)
Interesting question. I think I have to have enough pride in my country to say yes.

**Sonia** (0:52)
I feel like the American dream is alive but not well.

**SPEAKER_4** (0:55)
I believe the future historians will look back at this very time and conclude that it was the beginning of the end of American empire.

**SPEAKER_5** (1:05)
The changes happening in China's economy represent a real threat to the United States' geopolitical hegemony.

**SPEAKER_4** (1:12)
I was in Kenya and I had to choose between the two.

**Jeremy Bowen** (1:15)
I would choose America. I don't know why.

**Sonia** (1:17)
I guess it's my first love.

**Tristan Redman** (1:19)
Today, we're here from You.

**John** (1:21)
Hi, this is John from Houston, Texas.

**Sonia** (1:23)
This is Sonia from Canada.

**Swetha** (1:25)
I am Swetha from India.

**Moacir Sena** (1:26)
I am Osir Sena from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

**Tristan Redman** (1:30)
From the BBC, I'm Tristan Redman in London.

**Asma Khalid** (1:34)
I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, DC. Today on The Global Story, in collaboration with The Global News Podcast, we answer your questions about how America has shaped the world.

**Tristan Redman** (1:52)
All right. Well, I'm pleased to say that today, we're doing something a little bit different here on The Global Story. Normally, and regular listeners know this, we do a deep dive on one story every single day.
And along with our sister podcast, The Global News Podcast, where you can go for the latest news headlines every single day, twice a day, we are teaming up today at the end of our special week of episodes on America's 250th anniversary. We're doing a colab to answer questions from our combined audiences. And I'm pleased to say that we have some Global News Podcast input here with us today in the studio.

**Asma Khalid** (2:31)
Celia Hatton, welcome back to the show.

**Celia Hatton** (2:34)
Thank you very much. Yeah.

**Asma Khalid** (2:35)
And Celia, I will say, regular listeners of The Global Story Podcast will of course have heard you. You've been a guest on our show and of course, listeners of The Global News Podcast, the show that you host will know you. But for anyone who may be a new listener, could we have you just introduce yourself? Tell us a little bit about what you do in your specific area of expertise. Sure.

**Celia Hatton** (2:56)
So my reporting background lies in China. I was a correspondent inside China for 15 years, the last few years with the BBC.
And then I had 10 years being regional editor, focusing on Asia Pacific for the BBC here in London before I became a full-time presenter. I should say too that I'm Canadian. So I'm sure you'll be hearing that a little bit today because it definitely factors into my thinking about the US 250th anniversary.

**Asma Khalid** (3:23)
Wonderful to have you with us.

**Tristan Redman** (3:24)
Well, I'm also pleased to say we're joined by BBC's international editor, Jeremy Bowen. For the listeners who are joining us for the first time, Jeremy, how would you introduce yourself?

**Jeremy Bowen** (3:34)
Well, I've been a BBC journalist now for my entire working life, which is 42 years, and I've been most of that time a foreign correspondent. So I suppose I'd introduce myself by saying, I have had a hand in the reporting of most of the major world stories since the late 1980s. As for America, well, I have worked in Washington, but I've also studied in Washington.

**Asma Khalid** (4:02)
Jeremy, is it accurate that you've reported for more than 90 countries? That's the folklore I hear around here at the BBC.

**Jeremy Bowen** (4:08)
Well, if you actually average that out per year, it's not very many.

**Asma Khalid** (4:12)
I mean, it's still impressive to me. So welcome back to the show.

**Tristan Redman** (4:17)