As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, all this week The Global Story is exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world.

Today we’re joined by Roman Mars – the host of 99% Invisible and the new BBC series A History of the United States in 100 Objects – who sets out his theory of how the US used design to shape the world in its image.

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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:32 What does the USA mean to you?
06:05 What is US soft power?
07:30 How the US became the manufacturing hub of the world
09:03 Why the history of the screw is more interesting than you think
14:23 How the US used WWII to its advantage
21:23 How the world bent to accommodate the US
24:25 Why soft power was an incredible invention

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What should Democrats be doing when it comes to challenging Donald Trump, and in particular, why are Democrat politicians struggling to connect with voters?

In this episode, Ben Rhodes joins Americast and gives Justin his current view on the Democrats (and whether they should avoid lecturing voters) plus, why Republicans have been more successful at getting their message out in the digital sphere. What are they doing more effectively than the Democrats?

Ben Rhodes was a speech writer and Deputy National Security Advisor to President Obama and is now the co-host of the popular Pod Save the World podcast. They also discuss Ben’s latest book “All We Say: The Battle for American Identity” which explores American history through the lens of 15 speeches; from Benjamin Franklin to President Trump.

Are we living through a unique moment in time or can we learn more about our present through a study of the past? Have arguments over immigration, citizenry, race and religion always been part of the American story?

And, as negotiations continue between the US and Iran, Ben Rhodes gives us an inside view after his experience negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) directly with Iran in 2015.

What sort of deal could Trump strike with Iran and should we trust it?

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The record for the hottest ever June day in the UK has been provisionally broken, with temperatures soaring to 36.1C in Gosport, Hampshire.

It surpasses the previous record of 35.6C set in 1976 – here are today’s provisional max temperatures in each nation.

A red warning for extreme heat in parts of England and Wales has been extended, while a new amber heat warning is issued for Saturday in southern and eastern England.

France has recorded its hottest day since records began in 1947, its national weather agency said, breaking a record set on Tuesday as an early summer heatwave grips western Europe.

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Around 40,000 people are missing with thousands feared dead, after two earthquakes struck Venezuela.

Rescue teams are racing to reach the disaster zone in time to save people buried alive under the rubble.

The country’s interim president Delcy Rodriquez has declared a state of emergency.

The quakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, struck a minute apart. The second was the strongest to hit Venezuela since 1900. Areas worst hit were the capital Caracas and the state of La Guaria, where more than 100 large buildings collapsed. People have been heard calling for help from beneath the rubble.

Venezuela’s main international airport in Maiquetía on the outskirts of Caracas has been closed due to serious damage.

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Vanessa Silva, Pallab Ghosh and Will Grant.

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