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Hello, I'm James Kamara Sami, and this is the correspondence look ahead to 2026 here on the BBC World Service.

Over the next hour, I'm going to be speaking to BBC correspondence around the world about the people and places,

the trends and technology that they're going to be keeping an eye world about the people and places, the trends and technology

that they're going to be keeping an eye on

over the next 12 months.

Much of that will be shaped

by what has already happened in 2025.

We entered the year

still focused on the wars in Ukraine,

Gaza and Sudan.

Now people are worried about conflict spreading further.

Topics like trade, technology, migration and the health of democracy have helped to shape

politics around the world. So will they continue to be the hot-button issues for the year

ahead? And of course, one of the biggest stories of 2025 has been the return of

Donald Trump to the White House, a man with something of an outsized influence on the rest of the world,

be it economically, politically, or indeed militarily. And we're going to begin the program with the US

President and the United States in general.

Joining me from Washington are Anthony Zerker, the BBC's Senior North America Correspondent,

and Asma Khalid, co-host of the Global Story podcast,

and before that, a White House correspondent for National Public Radio NPR.

Great to have you both with us.

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