The day’s top stories from BBC News. Delivered twice a day on weekdays, daily at weekends
Sweden becomes NATO member
After repeated delays, the Hungarian parliament approved Sweden's accession as the organisation's 32nd member. Also, the US Supreme Court hears arguments about social media companies that could transform the way we use the internet, and the woman who was in a love triangle with the musicians George Harrison and Eric Clapton is selling their letters to her.
2/26/2024 • 30 minutes, 10 seconds
Israel says it's making evacuation plans for Rafah
The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, criticises the Security Council for its 'inadequate' response to the Gaza conflict. Also: Farmers block the streets in Brussels protesting against EU policies, and there's a welcome sign of life from a stricken Japanese lunar lander.
2/26/2024 • 29 minutes, 19 seconds
Bolsonaro supporters protest over coup investigation
The former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro denies allegations that he plotted a coup after losing the 2022 election. Also: Nikki Haley suffers a fourth consecutive defeat to Donald Trump in the contest to become the US Republican nominee, and Japan's naked festival allows women for the first time.
2/25/2024 • 29 minutes, 35 seconds
Bonus: The Global Story
A bonus episode from The Global Story podcast. Bengal famine: The WWii trajgedy the world forgot. The Global Story brings you one big story every weekday, making sense of the news with our experts around the world. Insights you can trust, from the BBC, with Katya Adler. For more, go to bbcworldservice.com/globalstory or search for The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
2/25/2024 • 26 minutes, 55 seconds
Ukraine marks 2 years since Russia's full-scale invasion
Visiting Western leaders have pledged their solidarity, but Kyiv say more weapons are what's really needed. The body of the Kremlin critic, Alexei Navalny, is handed to his mother after a battle with Russian authorities, and the video of a professional female golfer being mansplained to by a stranger about how to improve her swing that's gone viral.
2/24/2024 • 32 minutes, 21 seconds
The Happy Pod: Hurtling into History
This week, we hear from Africa's first bobsleigh champion. Also: the Spanish football club doing its bit to make the beautiful game greener. And how foxes are providing therapy in the Florida Keys.
2/24/2024 • 27 minutes, 33 seconds
Russia threatens to bury Navalny in arctic prison
A spokesperson for Alexei Navalny's mother says she was given an ultimatum on whether to choose this or accept a secret funeral without mourners. Also: The EU unblocks $150 billion of funding for Poland, originally frozen over a rule-of-law dispute with the former conservative government, and the discovery in China of a 'dragon like' fossil that predates dinosaurs.
2/24/2024 • 30 minutes, 38 seconds
Ukraine Two Years On – Your Questions Answered
For two years, the Russian president Vladimir Putin has been waging a brutal conflict in Ukraine - the bloodiest in Europe since the Second World War. But after tens of thousands of deaths on both sides who has the upper hand? What is life like in Ukraine, and Russia, today? And when will the killing end? The Global News Podcast and Ukrainecast have come together to answer your questions.
2/23/2024 • 29 minutes, 11 seconds
US announces new sanctions on Russia over death of Navalny
The measures include export restrictions on firms and individuals. Also, firefighters in Spain work to gain access to a burned out apartment building to search for people still missing and, the funeral of the athlete Kelvin Kiptum takes place in Kenya.
2/23/2024 • 31 minutes, 55 seconds
Alexei Navalny's mother is shown body
Mrs Navalnaya finally saw his remains on Wednesday after investigators secretly took her to a morgue outside the remote prison in Russia where he collapsed and died. Also: Firefighters in the Spanish city of Valencia have been trying to rescue people from a 14-storey building that's gone up in flames, and scientists finally work out the mystery surrounding why some of the largest whales in the ocean produce their haunting and complex songs.
2/23/2024 • 29 minutes, 39 seconds
Albania approves deal to hold migrants in Italy
Albania has agreed to host two migrant processing centres that will be fully run by Italy, under a deal that worries many human rights activists. Also: Former Brazilian footballer Dani Alves is jailed in Spain for four and a half years for a sex attack, and the mystery of a village menaced by poison pen letters 100 years ago is turned into a film.
2/22/2024 • 35 minutes, 21 seconds
Ukrainian air strike 'kills dozens of Russians'
A Russian official confirmed that a strike took place but described the reports as 'grossly exaggerated'. Also: Israel's parliament overwhelmingly backs a resolution by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, and why young women are key to creating new words.
2/21/2024 • 32 minutes, 26 seconds
UK deterrent missile fails second test in a row
The missile's booster rockets are reported to have failed and it landed in the sea close to the launch site. The failure is highly embarrassing for both the UK and the US manufacturer of the Trident missile. Also: new research links some of the world's largest meat-packing companies to illegal deforestation in Brazil, and the Premier League tackles online abuse of players and their families.
2/21/2024 • 33 minutes, 32 seconds
WHO transfers patients out of Nasser hospital in Gaza
UN doctors were granted access to the hospital in southern Gaza, days after it was raided by Israeli forces. Also: Pakistan political parties reach formal coalition agreement, and does exercise have the same benefits for both men and women?
2/21/2024 • 32 minutes, 2 seconds
US calls for temporary Gaza ceasefire
The draft resolution was proposed at the UN Security Council. Also, countries address the International Court of Justice on the legality of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, and the Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, makes another attempt to halt his extradition to the US.
2/20/2024 • 31 minutes, 13 seconds
Brazil recalls its ambassador to Israel amid diplomatic tensions
Brazil recalled its ambassador after a row developed following President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's controversial statements about Israel's military operation in Gaza. Also: Navalny's grieving widow vows to continue his work, and British Museum's social media flooded with calls regarding return of Easter Island statues.
2/20/2024 • 33 minutes, 52 seconds
Navalny's widow vows to continue husband's fight
Yulia Navalnya accuses Putin of killing Alexei Navalny, because Russian President couldn't break him. Also: Africa bans slaughter of donkeys for their skin, and conjoined twins given days to live are proving world wrong.
2/19/2024 • 28 minutes, 17 seconds
Israel condemns Lula likening Gaza to Holocaust
The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said Israel's military campaign was between a "highly prepared army and women and children". Also: former Thai prime minister Thaksin freed on parole, and Shane Rose, an Australian Olympic showjumper, competes in a mankini.
2/19/2024 • 26 minutes, 8 seconds
Navalny's team accuses Russia of 'hiding his body'
The mother of the dead Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, was told by the authorities his body would be handed over, once a post-mortem examination had been completed. Also: President Biden blames US Congress for the fall of the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka to Russian forces, and Harrison Ford's Star Wars script sells for $12k.
2/18/2024 • 25 minutes, 44 seconds
The Happy Pod: Eight-year-old steals the show at the Six Nations
This week, the eight-year-old boy who sang in front of tens of thousands of people at a rugby international. Also: the campaign encouraging appreciation of the people who do the vital job of waste picking in India. And how a penguin helps out his short-sighted friend.
2/17/2024 • 27 minutes, 11 seconds
Biden blames Putin for Alexei Navalny's death
The US President says people worldwide are mourning Mr Navalny because he was everything the Mr Putin wasn't, and it was more evidence of the Russian leader's brutality. Also: Donald Trump is ordered to pay more than $350 million in penalties in his civil fraud case in New York, and the British rom-com that's been a big hit on Netflix.
2/16/2024 • 32 minutes, 42 seconds
Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny dead, says Russian prison service
Domestic and international critics of President Putin accuse the Kremlin of killing Mr Navalny. He was serving a lengthy prison term on numerous charges. Also: The UN warns that the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo is becoming a regional war, and Paul McCartney is reunited with a bass guitar stolen 51 years ago.
2/16/2024 • 30 minutes, 7 seconds
'Dozens of suspects' detained in Gaza hospital raid
The director of the Nasser hospital said conditions were very dangerous and appealed to the UN and Red Cross for help. Also: Senegal's constitutional court annuls a presidential decree and vote in parliament delaying the election until December, and Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage.
2/16/2024 • 32 minutes, 39 seconds
Israeli special forces raid Gaza's Nasser hospital
The Israel Defence Forces says it has 'credible intelligence' that Hamas held hostages at the medical facility in Khan Younis. Also: Ukrainian soldiers say there are severe shortages of weapons and ammunition in the town of Avdiivka, which could fall at any moment; and how a stingray pregnancy is puzzling scientists.
2/15/2024 • 33 minutes, 3 seconds
Ukraine's campaign against Russia 'extremely difficult'
The comments from Ukraine's new commander-in-chief come as a senior US official says some units have run out of ammunition. Also: At least one person is killed and more than twenty wounded in a shooting at a victory parade for the American football Superbowl winners in Kansas City, and how great apes - like humans - like to tease each other.
2/15/2024 • 32 minutes, 55 seconds
Former military strongman poised to win Indonesia's presidential election
State-approved samples show Prabowo Subianto winning more than half of the votes cast. Human rights groups have voiced concerns about his past support for the former dictator Suharto. Also today: we hear what it's like to be trapped in Rafah amid the looming threat of an Israeli ground attack. And Ivory Coast's victorious manager looks forward to a well-earned rest after winning the Africa Cup of Nations.
2/14/2024 • 31 minutes, 44 seconds
Biden urges House to back Ukraine aid package
The $95 billion bill has been approved by the Senate and includes aid to Taiwan, Israel and humanitarian relief for Palestinians. Also: scientists say polar bears in the Arctic face an increasing risk of starvation as melting ice affects their ability to hunt seals, and the oldest intact egg in the world is discovered in England.
2/14/2024 • 31 minutes, 25 seconds
Cairo meeting to discuss Gaza ceasefire
The meeting of US, Egyptian and Qatari officials comes as aid groups warn of bloodbath if Israel attacks Rafah. Also: US Senate passes huge funding package of aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and Greece set to become the world’s first Orthodox majority country to legalise same sex marriage.
2/13/2024 • 33 minutes, 11 seconds
Biden appeals for protection of Palestinians in Rafah
The US president again urged Israel not to carry out a big assault on the city in southern Gaza. Also: large gatherings are banned in Delhi ahead of a threatened farmers' march, and Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" is 100 years old.
2/13/2024 • 31 minutes, 37 seconds
Two Israeli hostages freed from Gaza
The men - held by Hamas - were rescued from a residential building in the city of Rafah. Also: Kenyans mourns the tragic loss of their world record breaking marathon runner, and how Taylor Swift's boyfriend is looking forward to a special celebration after his Super Bowl win.
2/12/2024 • 30 minutes, 16 seconds
Nato says Trump comments 'undermine all of our society'
The US presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, suggests Washington will not protect Nato allies if they fail to meet defence spending targets. Also: President Biden says Israel must have a safety plan for civilians in Rafah, and a friend helps Squid - the partially sighted penguin
2/12/2024 • 32 minutes, 4 seconds
The Happy Pod: Model Maker Outmatches Guinness World Records
This week, the French model-maker celebrating a world record that he nearly missed out on due to a technicality. Also: a guide to the Lunar New Year celebrations. And can you tell the mood of a chicken by its cluck?
2/11/2024 • 27 minutes, 23 seconds
Six-year-old Palestinian girl found dead days after plea for help
Hind Rajab was last heard from trapped in a car under fire in Gaza. Also: Hungary's president resigns over child abuse pardon, and Qatar beats Jordan in Asian Cup final.
2/11/2024 • 34 minutes, 57 seconds
Special episode: Eight Numbers To Understand China
Why are millions of apartments in China sitting empty? How has the country managed to produce as much cement in two years as the US did in the last century? For a special edition celebrating the Lunar New Year, the BBC's Asia Pacific editor Celia Hatton looks at the significance of eight numbers representing different aspects of modern China. Celia teams up with some of the BBC's China correspondents and analysts to look at topics ranging from China's marriage rates to its zodiac calendar.
2/10/2024 • 34 minutes, 14 seconds
Netanyahu orders military to plan Rafah evacuation
The Israeli PM's order comes after the US warned against an unplanned invasion of the Gazan city. Also: Imran Khan's candidates are said to be leading the count in Pakistan election, and where is the missing radio tower in Alabama?
2/10/2024 • 30 minutes, 45 seconds
'My memory is fine' says Biden
An investigation by a US prosecutor found the President struggled to remember key life events, including when his son died. Also: Israel ramps up its attacks in Rafah in southern Gaza, and what did we learn from Tucker Carlson's interview with Russia's President Putin?
2/9/2024 • 30 minutes, 9 seconds
US: Israel's operation in Rafah 'could be a disaster'
The rare public warning comes a day after the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he'd instructed Israeli forces to prepare to operate in that part of Gaza. Also: President Zelensky sacks the head of the Ukrainian armed forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, saying a new approach is needed, and why Tracy Chapman's classic track Fast Car is in the driving seat on iTunes.
2/9/2024 • 32 minutes, 49 seconds
Warnings of irreversible climate damage as global temperatures rise
The globe has endured 12 months of temperatures 1.5 degrees above the level before industrialisation. That figure is significant, because it featured heavily in the landmark 2015 Paris climate talks. Also: an anti-war politician hoping to run against Vladimir Putin in Russia's general election has his bid blocked, and could the drug Viagra reduce the chances of getting Alzheimer's?
2/8/2024 • 29 minutes, 43 seconds
Netanyahu rejects Hamas' ceasefire proposals for Gaza
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said while there were some clear non-starters in the Hamas response, the US did think it created a base for an agreement to be reached. Also: The United Nations again highlights the plight of Sudan, ravaged by ten months of civil war but largely forgotten by the international community, and a Guinness world record failure for a matchstick Eiffel Tower that was eight years in the making.
2/8/2024 • 30 minutes, 24 seconds
Deadly blasts in Pakistan one day before election
Two explosions kill more than twenty people ahead of an election that has been marred by violence. Also: a fentanyl crisis grips Mexico's border cities, and the sacked Fox News host who has interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
2/7/2024 • 29 minutes, 16 seconds
Trump denied immunity in electoral interference case
It means the former US President can be prosecuted on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. Also: The European Commission abandons proposals to cut pesticide use by half, in a concession to protesting farmers and Prince Harry returns to London, a day after the announcement that his father King Charles has cancer.
2/7/2024 • 32 minutes, 39 seconds
A Kenyan court has charged a doomsday cult leader with mass murder
Prosecutors say Paul Mackenzie urged his followers to starve to death to enter heaven. Mackenzie and suspected accomplices pleaded not guilty in court. Also: There have been protests in Turkey on the first anniversary of a devastating earthquake, and Spanish farmers join the Europe-wide protests in anger at high costs and other challenges to agriculture.
2/6/2024 • 29 minutes, 15 seconds
King Charles diagnosed with cancer
Buckingham Palace says he remains "wholly positive" about his treatment -- which began on Monday. The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has wished the monarch a full and speedy recovery. Also: The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is in Saudi Arabia for talks on a truce in Gaza, and an independent body says the social media giant, Meta, should label fake posts rather than taking them down.
2/5/2024 • 30 minutes, 26 seconds
US Secretary of State visits the Middle East - his fifth trip to the region since 7 October
Anthony Blinken's trip follows days of US airstrikes against Iranian linked targets in Syria and Yemen. Also, riot police in the Senegalese capital Dakar fire tear gas to disperse protesters after the postponement of the election and, Taylor Swift makes history at the Grammy's by winning her fourth Album of the Year award.
2/5/2024 • 32 minutes, 23 seconds
At least 99 killed in Chile wildfires
A state of emergency has been declared as forest fires rage in the Valparaiso region. Also: why the footballer Lionel Messi was booed by his own fans, and the Russian cosmonaut who's broken a world record.
2/5/2024 • 28 minutes, 44 seconds
Michelle O'Neill makes history as Northern Ireland's new first minister
The Sinn Féin vice-president is the first Irish nationalist to hold the position in the assembly at Stormont. Also: US and UK launch strikes on Iran-backed Houthi targets in Yemen, and raccoon mischief triggers a blackout in Toronto.
2/4/2024 • 26 minutes, 57 seconds
The Happy Pod: Time's up for monkey on the run
This week, the adventures and safe recapture of a runaway monkey in Scotland. Also: how scientists tracked down four previously undiscovered penguin colonies. And, the "Motorbike Grandma" riding the length and breadth of China.
2/3/2024 • 28 minutes, 35 seconds
US strikes Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria
The Pentagon says it struck scores of targets in response to a drone attack which killed three American soldiers. Also: western officials in protest over Israel-Gaza policy, and scientists discover that clownfish count stripes to distinguish friend from foe.
2/3/2024 • 32 minutes, 22 seconds
Several die in gas explosion in Kenya
A lorry caught fire close to homes and businesses in Nairobi. A former Malaysian prime minister, jailed for involvement in a financial scandal, has his prison sentence halved and, millions of people in Germany have their travel plans disrupted by industrial action.
2/2/2024 • 32 minutes
US approves plan for strikes on Iranian-related targets
US officials tell CBS News that the strikes in Syria and Iraq will take place over a number of days. Also: WHO predicts that global cancer rates will rise by more than 75% by 2050, and the F1 driver Lewis Hamilton is to leave Mercedes and join Ferrari in 2025.
2/2/2024 • 27 minutes, 29 seconds
War in Ukraine: EU unlocks $54 billion 'lifeline'
There had been fears Hungary's PM would block the package again. Also, people in Myanmar find a new way to protest the military coup there, Spain's anti-feminist movement grows in strength and how one DJ is changing the face of ballet...
2/1/2024 • 33 minutes, 33 seconds
Big tech accused of 'having blood on its hands'
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologises to families who say their children have been harmed by social media. Also: The UN says eighteen million people in Sudan are facing an acute hunger crisis, with almost eight million displaced since the war between rival military factions began, and the search for a Japanese macaque that escaped from a wildlife park in the Scottish highlands at the weekend.
2/1/2024 • 32 minutes, 27 seconds
Thailand’s reformist party Move Forward at risk of being dissolved
The party that won last year’s election in Thailand is told to stop its plans to amend strict laws against royal insults. Also: UN organisations urge donor countries to restore funding for Palestinians in Gaza, the French farmers protest rages on, and tributes are paid to Broadway star Chita Rivera after her death aged 91.
1/31/2024 • 32 minutes, 9 seconds
More than half of Gaza's buildings damaged by war
Experts say the pace of the damage in a conflict zone is unprecedented in recent times. Also: The Israeli military confirms that it's been pumping sea water into tunnels in Gaza to flood Hamas's underground hideouts and, we mark the one-hundredth anniversary of Russia's famous motion picture studio - Mosfilm.
1/31/2024 • 32 minutes, 30 seconds
Pakistan court jails ex-PM Imran Khan for 10 years over leaked state secrets
His party described the trial as a sham and says it will appeal the verdict. Also: Israel says it's killed three Palestinian militants in an undercover operation at a hospital in the occupied West Bank and what's next for E. Jean Carroll, after her victory over Donald Trump in court
1/30/2024 • 32 minutes, 23 seconds
US vows 'consequential' response to killing of three soldiers
Washington says it's not seeking war with Iran or a wider conflict in the Middle East, but the Biden administration is under political pressure to react forcefully. Also: The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says both sides in Sudan's civil war appear to be committing war crimes in the Darfur region, and the baby great white shark that's been filmed in the wild for the first time.
1/30/2024 • 31 minutes, 52 seconds
Iran denies involvement in killing of three US servicemen
President Biden said the US would choose when and how to respond to the attack. Also: The UN aid agency for Palestinians says its operations will have to stop next month if funding isn't restored, and a Japanese moon lander has unexpectedly sprung into life after initial problems with its solar panels.
1/29/2024 • 31 minutes, 21 seconds
Three US troops killed on Jordan-Syria border
President Joe Biden blamed the attack on radical Iran-backed militant groups. Also: The military rulers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announce their withdrawal from the West African bloc, ECOWAS, and we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the ground-breaking music label Def Jam.
1/29/2024 • 32 minutes, 42 seconds
UN aid agency in Gaza under pressure after a number of countries suspend funding
The donations have been halted following Israeli allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the 7th of October Hamas attacks on Israel. Also: outraged Kenyans march to denounce violence against women, and the world's largest cruise ship sets sail from Miami.
1/28/2024 • 29 minutes, 19 seconds
The Happy Pod: Pioneering ultrasound treatment for Alzheimer's and addiction
This week, pioneering work using ultrasound In the treatment of both Alzheimer's and addictions. Also: a water skiing world record, and how a chatbot for a parcel delivery service went rogue
1/27/2024 • 27 minutes, 19 seconds
Israel’s PM says a charge of genocide against Israel was 'not only false but outrageous'.
South Africa brought the case at the International Court of Justice in the Hague accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Also: Trump ordered to pay $83.3m damages in defamation trial, and Jennifer Lopez is to bring the cartoon character Bob the Builder to the big screen.
1/27/2024 • 32 minutes, 7 seconds
UN's top court rules Israel must prevent genocide in Gaza
The court doesn't call for a ceasefire, but rules Israel should do everything in its power to prevent acts that could be considered genocidal and ensure humanitarian access to Gaza. Also, how hermit crabs are making their homes in plastic waste, and a missing Klimt portrait is found in Austria
1/26/2024 • 27 minutes, 23 seconds
Biden appoints CIA chief to broker Israeli hostage deal
US officials say the director of the CIA, William Burns, will take part in high level talks in coming days on efforts to free Israeli hostages seized by Hamas. Also: Apple to allow rival app stores on iPhones in European Union, and a woman is arrested in Thailand after pet lion is taken on car ride.
1/26/2024 • 31 minutes, 25 seconds
Russia: Reports claim missile fragments found at site of plane crash
Emergency workers have found black boxes from the crashed military transport plane. Kyiv has not directly admitted shooting down the aircraft but said it hadn't been told to ensure safe airspace ahead of a prisoner swap. Also, Britain has called for an immediate pause to the fighting in Gaza, and why fungi can grow faster if sound is blasted at them.
1/25/2024 • 31 minutes, 28 seconds
Russia accuses Kyiv of shooting down plane with Ukrainian prisoners
Moscow says the Russian aircraft was carrying sixty-five Ukrainian prisoners of war on their way to be exchanged. Also: president Milei faces mass protest in Argentina against worker rights cuts, and a fertility breakthrough offers hope for saving the northern white rhino from extinction.
1/25/2024 • 30 minutes, 39 seconds
A Russian military transport plane crashes, killing all on board - Moscow says
Video footage shows the aircraft going down in Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border. Also, Donald Trump wins the New Hampshire primary and, Thailand’s Constitutional Court has cleared the reformist opposition party leader of charges of breaking electoral law.
1/24/2024 • 29 minutes, 27 seconds
Donald Trump predicted to win New Hampshire Republican primary
With half of the votes counted, US networks predict former US president Donald Trump has won the Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire. Also: The Turkish parliament finally ratifies Sweden's bid to join NATO, and the parrots at a wildlife park in England that just can't stop swearing.
1/24/2024 • 35 minutes, 1 second
24 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to continue until "complete victory" in Gaza where the Hamas-run health ministry has said that more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed since October. Also: our correspondents and experts give their view on a potential wider conflict in the Middle East and Oppenheimer leads the Oscar nominations.
1/23/2024 • 33 minutes, 26 seconds
Fierce fighting in southern Gaza kills dozens
The US National Security Spokesman says hospitals, where thousands of displaced have been sheltering, should not be war zones, while also reiterating American support for Israel's right to defend itself. Also: The US and Britain carry out more strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, and we reveal some of the nominees for the worst films of the year.
1/22/2024 • 28 minutes, 54 seconds
Hostage families storm Israeli parliament to demand relatives' return from Gaza
A group of 20 people have stormed Israel's parliament, demanding the government does more to secure the release of relatives in Gaza. There is growing dissent as 130 people are still being held hostage by Hamas. Also: India's prime minister attends the controversial opening of a Hindu temple, and after 30 years of research a potentially life-changing malaria vaccine is launched in Cameroon.
1/22/2024 • 28 minutes, 4 seconds
DeSantis suspends US presidential campaign
In a surprise video announcement, the governor of Florida says he is backing Donald Trump in the Republican leadership contest. Also: After almost a week of protests against right-wing extremism in Germany, hundreds of thousands take part in the biggest rallies so far, and why the growing popularity of South Korean culture globally has led to record sales of Kimchi - the staple dish of spicy fermented cabbage.
1/22/2024 • 32 minutes, 44 seconds
Iran vows revenge for strike in Syria
President Ebrahim Raisi says Israel will be punished for an air strike in Damascus that killed five senior members of Iran's security forces. Also: Thousands of protesters in Israel demand immediate elections over the government's handling of the hostage crisis in Gaza, and the lead singer of the Shangri-Las, Mary Weiss, has died at the age of 75.
1/21/2024 • 30 minutes, 21 seconds
The Happy Pod: Heroic teens save couple from drowning
This week, we meet the teen rescuers who saved a couple from drowning in Barbados. Also: the pioneering heart transplant for a newborn hailed as a success. And, ending homelessness the Finnish way.
1/20/2024 • 27 minutes, 21 seconds
Glitch threatens Japanese moon mission
Japan becomes only the fifth country to soft-land on the lunar surface but power supply problems may hinder the operation. Also: US actor Alec Baldwin is charged again regarding fatal shooting on a movie set, and Saudi Arabia is to host a new snooker event with extra 20-point golden ball.
1/20/2024 • 30 minutes, 36 seconds
Israeli tanks renew advance into Khan Younis in southern Gaza
Concern is growing for the safety of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Meanwhile many public buildings and institutions have been destroyed in Gaza. Also: Japan's mission to the moon, and Madonna is being sued by two of her fans for starting a concert late.
1/19/2024 • 32 minutes, 38 seconds
Netanyahu rejects US push for Palestinian state
The Israeli PM's rejection of Washington's efforts shows the growing disagreement between the two allies. Also: Report says chaos and "lack of urgency" led to US school shooting failures, and Winston Churchill's false teeth are to be sold at auction.
1/19/2024 • 26 minutes, 40 seconds
Pakistan launches retaliatory strikes into Iran
Pakistan has launched missile strikes into Iran, killing nine people, after Iran carried out strikes in Pakistan late on Tuesday. Also, Israeli forces are continuing their assault on Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis, and the super rich who want to be taxed more. Why aren't they?
1/18/2024 • 34 minutes, 28 seconds
Yemen strikes: Houthis hit US-owned ship after 'terror' designation
Houthis target vessel after US re-designates the group as "global terrorists". Also: British PM secures crucial parliamentary vote on plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, and Irish language rappers heading stateside for Sundance.
1/18/2024 • 30 minutes, 44 seconds
China's population drops for a second straight year
China, which once tried to control population growth with a one-child policy, is concerned the decline could seriously harm the world’s second largest economy. Also: Crowds clash with riot police in Russia over a jailed activist, and the drug offering a less invasive treatment for children with blood cancer.
1/17/2024 • 28 minutes, 24 seconds
US calls for a 'de-escalation' in tensions in the Middle East
The US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, says the course of the Mideast conflict depends on Iran. Also: Pakistan condemns Iran for carrying out a deadly missile strike on Baluchistan, and Chinese scientists clone monkey to speed up medical research.
1/17/2024 • 33 minutes, 32 seconds
Donald Trump wins Iowa caucuses
Mr Trump scores an overwhelming victory over his rivals in this first step towards deciding the Republican party's candidate for president. Iran launches deadly missile strikes into Kurdistan, claiming to target an Israeli spy headquarters. And the TV drama Succession wins big at the Emmy awards.
1/16/2024 • 30 minutes, 36 seconds
US cargo ship hit by Houthi missile
The Houthis say all US and British ships taking part in what they call the aggression against Yemen would be targets. Also: Hamas releases a video purportedly confirming the deaths of two more Israeli hostages, and a new culturally sensitive version of the Prince of Persia video game is released.
1/16/2024 • 32 minutes, 20 seconds
Ukraine says it shot down Russian spy plane
Analysts say it would be a "major blow to Moscow's air power", if confirmed. Also: Bernardo Arevalo is finally sworn in as Guatemala's new president after hours of delays, and the singer Zayn Malik, formerly of One Direction, releases a song in Urdu.
1/15/2024 • 30 minutes, 13 seconds
Denmark proclaims a new King
In an historic moment, tens of thousands watch Frederik X blink back tears as he takes the throne from his mother who ruled for 52 years. Also: The security forces in Ecuador launch an operation to regain control of prisons taken over by violent drug gangs, and Lava from a volcanic eruption in Iceland reaches the town of Grindavik, setting some houses on fire.
1/15/2024 • 32 minutes, 22 seconds
Pro-sovereignty leader wins Taiwan's election
William Lai, the man described as 'a troublemaker' by China, will lead the Democratic Progressive Party for a third consecutive term. Also: President Biden says he has sent a private message to Iran about the Houthis in Yemen following US airstrikes against the group and, can real translators be replaced by Artificial Intelligence?
1/14/2024 • 32 minutes, 35 seconds
The Happy Pod: Trapped tourists saved from flooded caves
Five people were rescued from a system of underground lakes in southern Slovenia. Also: scientists say they've decoded a baby's cry. And, the mouse that's been caught tidying up a garden shed.
1/13/2024 • 26 minutes, 48 seconds
Biden: US will respond if Houthis continue 'outrageous behaviour'
Washington says the Houthi armed group in Yemen has fired a missile at a ship in the Gulf of Aden in apparent retaliation for Western airstrikes. Also: Israel says Qatar has helped broker a deal that would see medicines reach hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Israel letting more aid into Gaza, and the World Health Organisation declares Cape Verde free of malaria, calling it a significant milestone in the fight against the disease.
1/13/2024 • 32 minutes, 33 seconds
Houthis vow retaliation for Western strikes in Yemen
It comes after the US and Britain hit 16 strategic Houthi positions overnight. Also: Israel rebuffs South Africa's accusations of genocide at the UN's top court, a huge ring of galaxies challenges thinking on cosmos and can passkeys replace passwords?
1/12/2024 • 31 minutes, 28 seconds
US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen
President Biden says strikes targeted military facilities to protect global shipping from attacks. Also: Trump blasts New York judge as fraud trial ends, and a huge ancient city is found in the Amazon.
1/12/2024 • 37 minutes, 50 seconds
US and UK finalise strike plans against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen
In preparation for strike action on the Iranian-backed Houthis, the UK government and the Pentagon held briefings on Thursday evening. Also: Trump blasts New York judge as fraud trial ends, and a huge ancient city is found in the Amazon.
1/12/2024 • 34 minutes, 30 seconds
Judges told that top Israeli officials want Gaza destroyed
International Court of Justice hears genocide claim lodged by South Africa. Israel dismisses the case as baseless. Also: China warns voters in Taiwan -- two days before they go to the polls to elect a new president. And Bitcoin goes mainstream in the US: will that help end the wild volatility of cryptocurrencies?
1/11/2024 • 27 minutes, 16 seconds
UK to bring in law to quash wrongful Post Office convictions
Between 1999 and 2015 hundreds of local post office managers in UK were convicted of theft and fraud over money that only appeared to be missing because of faults in a new IT system. Also: Ecuador's president declares war on armed gangs after days of violence, and ancient DNA sheds new light on how multiple sclerosis developed.
1/11/2024 • 30 minutes, 45 seconds
"Neutralise" armed groups - Ecuador president
President Noboa gave the go-ahead to the military after drug gangs took over a TV station. Also: protests and strikes cause havoc for commuters in Germany, and bribery and match fixing in Chinese football.
1/10/2024 • 32 minutes, 16 seconds
Gunmen storm Ecuador TV studio during broadcast
Footage shows armed men wearing masks surrounding journalists in the Guayaquil-based newsroom. Also: US judges sound sceptical of Trump's immunity defence, and one of the biggest names in Indian classical music, Rashid Khan, dies aged 55.
1/10/2024 • 33 minutes, 24 seconds
2023 was officially the hottest year on record
Last year was officially the warmest ever recorded, according to the European climate monitoring organisation, Copernicus. Also: the US continues its diplomatic efforts in Israel as 57 deaths are reported in one central Gaza hospital overnight, and South Korea bans the killing and selling of dogs for food.
1/9/2024 • 28 minutes, 42 seconds
Blinken arrives in Israel amid fears the Gaza conflict could escalate in the region
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is expected to reiterate calls to Israel to do more to reduce civilian deaths in Gaza. Also: one of the legends of international football, Franz Beckenbauer, has died aged 78, and the scientists who say they had a "conversation" with a humpback whale!
1/9/2024 • 24 minutes, 32 seconds
Hezbollah says a senior commander has been killed by Israel in Lebanon
Wissam-al-Tawil was the deputy head of the militant group’s elite Radwan force. It comes on the day the US Secretary of State is due in Tel Aviv. Also: A US moon mission takes off for the first time in more than 50 years, and Oppenheimer and Succession sweep the Golden Globe Awards.
1/8/2024 • 29 minutes, 49 seconds
Dozens killed in Israeli strike on Jabalia
Witnesses say the IDF hit homes in a densely populated refugee camp in northern Gaza. Also: Sheikh Hasina wins a fifth term as prime minister of Bangladesh, in an election boycotted by the opposition. And, the first Afghan woman to fly a passenger jet tells us about her experience as a refugee.
1/8/2024 • 32 minutes, 37 seconds
US grounds Boeing 737 planes after mid-air emergency
The Federal Aviation Authority says Boeing 737 Max 9 jets must be inspected before flying again, after part of a plane's fuselage blew off during a US flight. The same Boeing models were grounded after deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia five years ago. Also: The Israeli army says it's broken Hamas's military structure in northern Gaza. And a palace linked to Alexander the Great re-opens to visitors after 16 years.
1/7/2024 • 32 minutes, 20 seconds
The Happy Pod: Art student's lost work recovered thousands of kilometres away
Grace Hart's artwork was accidentally thrown away, only to end up in the Pakistani city of Lahore. Also: the jewellery store owners in Hawaii helping to restore precious items damaged in wildfires. And, the teenage darts player, 'Luke the Nuke', taking the sport to new audiences.
1/6/2024 • 28 minutes, 3 seconds
Biden launches blistering attack on Trump
The president accuses him of using language reminiscent of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party, in his first election campaign speech of 2024. Also: Residents of the Russian border city of Belgorod are being moved to safety because of the persistent threat of Ukrainian attacks, and the Nigerian film that's winning big audiences and breaking a box office record.
1/5/2024 • 32 minutes, 28 seconds
Israel outlines post-war plans for Gaza
The Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant proposes a post-war plan for Gaza as UN aid agencies say their efforts to deliver aid in the region are being hindered by security risks and checkpoint delays. Also: Opinions divide in South Africa over the release from prison of the Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius after serving eight and half years for killing his girlfriend. New images of Neptune and Uranus reveal they are not the colours we thought they were, and could Artificial Intelligence serve as your virtual therapist?
1/5/2024 • 32 minutes, 25 seconds
North Korea 'provided Russia with missiles for Ukraine war'
The White House says newly declassified intelligence shows Russian forces used one such missile just last week. Also: Islamic State claims responsibility for twin bomb explosions that left 84 dead in Iran, and Elvis Presley is set to be brought back to life virtually as part of a new immersive concert experience in London.
1/5/2024 • 32 minutes, 28 seconds
Funeral held for senior Hamas leader
Mourners gather in Lebanon after Saleh al-Arouri's assassination. Also: documents that name people connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been released, and how a 13-year-old became the first person to defeat Tetris.
1/4/2024 • 28 minutes, 23 seconds
Iran vows a harsh response after scores killed in blasts near general's tomb
There were two explosions near the tomb of the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in 2020 by a US drone. Also: Ukraine and Russia in "biggest prisoner swap" so far; Francoise Bornet - the woman in the famous Paris kiss photo dies aged 93.
1/4/2024 • 29 minutes, 9 seconds
Iran blasts: At least 73 killed
Hundreds of people were walking near the tomb of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on the fourth anniversary of his assassination by the US. Also: Tensions rise in Lebanon following the killing of a deputy leader of Hamas, and why humans may be more attuned to the emotions of chickens than was ever thought.
1/3/2024 • 35 minutes, 35 seconds
Hamas deputy leader killed in Beirut blast
Saleh al-Arouri is the most senior Hamas figure killed since the Israel-Gaza war began in October. Also: Claudine Gay resigns as Harvard president, and a Chinese teenager is alive after US "cyber-kidnapping".
1/3/2024 • 33 minutes, 37 seconds
All 379 passengers escape Japan Airlines fire after collision
Five people died on the other coastguard plane at Tokyo's Haneda Airport which was preparing to deliver aid to areas hit by Monday's earthquake. Also: Fury in Somalia as Ethiopia strikes a port access deal which effectively recognises breakaway Somaliland, and the sixteen year old World Championship darts sensation everyone is talking about in the UK.
1/2/2024 • 30 minutes, 54 seconds
Israel Supreme Court strikes down judicial reforms
The controversial plans triggered nationwide protests in Israel last year against Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Also: thousands in shelters overnight after Japan earthquake, and fancy owning a cuckoo clock museum?
1/2/2024 • 32 minutes, 41 seconds
Thousands flee after powerful earthquake in Japan
The seven-point-six magnitude tremor brought down buildings and triggered a tsunami alert. Also; a celebrated Nobel Laureate is jailed in Bangladesh and, why there are new copyright rules for Mickey Mouse.
1/1/2024 • 28 minutes, 14 seconds
Israeli military is making adjustments to its deployment in Gaza
IDF says some reserve units will be withdrawn from Gaza Strip. Also: Queen of Denmark announces abdication live on TV, and celebrations around the world to mark 2024.
1/1/2024 • 33 minutes, 21 seconds
Ukraine launches retaliatory attacks on Russia
It's one of the biggest waves of air strikes since Russia started the war, with the main target being Belgorod in the southwest. Also: Protests in the capital of South Darfur following a deadly bombing blamed on the Sudanese Armed Forces, and could a British Army officer have become the world's fastest woman to complete a solo South Pole ski expedition?
12/31/2023 • 31 minutes, 5 seconds
The Happy Pod: Mobile coverage reaches remote Norwegian town
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how a settlement in Norway is taking a unique approach to mobile phone etiquette, after getting signal for the first time. Also: the man who composes music on TikTok to tell short stories. And we look ahead at what's to come in the worlds of sport and music in 2024.
12/30/2023 • 31 minutes, 5 seconds
Massive Russian attacks on Ukraine kills dozens
The US President Joe Biden says the stakes of the war extend far beyond Ukraine, affecting the entirety of NATO and European security. Also: The authorities in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray are warning it's at risk of a catastrophic famine, comparable to the one in the nineteen eighties, and what's in store for space exploration in 2024 and beyond?
12/30/2023 • 32 minutes, 34 seconds
Russia strikes Ukraine with huge air attack
Kyiv says 158 drones and missiles were fired targeting cities across the country. Also: A peace initiative develops in Cairo as the Israelis continue strikes on Gaza, and why lovers of luxury in Switzerland may soon have to say farewell to foie gras.
12/29/2023 • 30 minutes, 39 seconds
Venezuela orders military exercises as dispute with Guyana escalates
Tensions have risen since Venezuela renewed a claim to the the oil-rich Essequibo region, which for decades has been part of Guyana. Also: Congolese church leaders say they've found numerous cases of irregularities during the recent elections, and why 2023 was a bumper year for discoveries of new species around the world.
12/29/2023 • 32 minutes, 34 seconds
China tells nationals in part of northern Myanmar to leave
Beijing warns of escalating risk to its citizens as the conflict between the Burmese military and rebel groups intensifies. Also: Rights groups say the Indian government is continuing to target journalists by putting spyware on their phones, and we look at an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest sing-a-thon.
12/28/2023 • 25 minutes, 43 seconds
Maersk to resume sailings through Red Sea
The Danish shipping giant has scheduled several dozen container vessels following the deployment of a US-led naval alliance to safeguard international trade. Also: A high level US delegation is in Mexico to discuss the migration crisis, and we hear from the man behind the book Around The World In 80 Games.
12/28/2023 • 32 minutes, 26 seconds
Israel expands its ground offensive in Gaza
Israel claims to have carried out strikes on at least 200 Hamas targets in 24 hours as the military expands its offensive. Also: dozens of barnacle-encrusted packages of cocaine wash up on beaches in Australia, and the impact of book bans on school children across the US.
12/27/2023 • 29 minutes, 10 seconds
Israel warns war in Gaza will continue for months
IDF is reportedly extending ground operations to central Gaza. Also: Daihatsu pauses car production over safety scandal, and what experiences will A.I. bring us in 2024?
12/27/2023 • 27 minutes, 44 seconds
Ukrainian strike on Russian warship
Russia has confirmed damage to its warship in the Black Sea. Also: thousands of migrants are en route from southern Mexico to the US border, and the first black referee in 15 years takes to the English Premier League football field.
12/26/2023 • 30 minutes, 34 seconds
Happy News Review 2023
Our annual review of the happiest stories in the world. We look back on the successful rescue mission from a dangling cable car in Pakistan. Also: the children who survived forty days lost in the Colombian jungle. And a round-up of our favourite animal stories from around the world.
12/25/2023 • 35 minutes, 11 seconds
Pope Francis appeals for peace in Gaza during Christmas Eve mass
Pope Francis said Jesus' message of peace is being drowned out by what he called the "futile logic of war". Also: Serbia protestors try to storm Belgrade City Hall, and scientists develop unique ways of collecting information about smells -- to preserve them for future generations.
12/25/2023 • 26 minutes, 58 seconds
Yemen's warring parties commit to ceasefire steps
A UN envoy Hans Grundberg says Yemenis were watching and waiting for peace. Also: Israel says it holds hundreds of Hamas members, and two babies in two days for mum with double womb.
12/24/2023 • 33 minutes, 52 seconds
The Happy Pod: Cooking for togetherness
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how cooking is bringing generations together in the Netherlands. Also: how polar bear pawprints can help conservation efforts. And an unexpected visitor found in a Christmas tree.
12/23/2023 • 26 minutes, 34 seconds
US Supreme Court declines to fast-track Donald Trump immunity case
Former President says constitutional rules protect him from charges of attempting to overturn the last election. The UN security council passes a resolution aiming to bring more humanitarian aid to Gaza; and why France grounded an aircraft carrying 300 passengers on its way to Nicaragua.
12/22/2023 • 29 minutes, 13 seconds
Prague university gunman linked to double murder a week earlier
It is the worst mass shooting in Europe since the 2015 terror attacks in Paris. Also: China announces new restrictions for online video games, and Spain's Christmas lottery 'El Gordo' dishes out millions of dollars
12/22/2023 • 30 minutes, 48 seconds
Gaza facing famine warns the UN
It found the entire population of two-point-two million people was suffering acute shortages. Also: Fourteen people are killed in a mass shooting at a university in the Czech capital, Prague. The gunman, a student, is also dead. And, the ABBA show that's giving hundreds of millions of dollars to London's economy.
12/22/2023 • 32 minutes, 23 seconds
Plans for revamped European Super League announced
A court rules that clubs are allowed to join. An attempt to set up a European Super League collapsed two years ago. Also: Mounting insecurity in Sudan's Gezira state has led two leading aid agencies to halt operations, and the Ukrainian sports star who has moved from the tennis court to the battlefield.
12/21/2023 • 30 minutes, 10 seconds
UN Gaza ceasefire vote delayed until Thursday
The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterates his commitment to continuing the offensive until Hamas is destroyed, as the number of people reported dead by Hamas passes twenty thousand. Also: Washington releases a close associate of the Venezuelan president in exchange for prisoners held by Caracas, and we hear about the Nigerian film that's making waves and is tipped to be nominated for an Oscar.
12/21/2023 • 32 minutes, 33 seconds
Trump to appeal to US Supreme Court
It's after a Colorado court decision that he's ineligible to run in the state's primary contest because of his actions ahead of the January 6 riot. Also: Talks are continuing in Egypt over a possible pause in the fighting in Gaza, and the 8-year-old girl who beat a chess master 30 years her senior.
12/20/2023 • 32 minutes, 36 seconds
Crucial UN Gaza vote delayed again
Washington has become increasingly isolated in its staunch support for Israel's military campaign. Also: Sudan's army admits losing control of the central city of Wad Madani in a battle that's caused a quarter of a million people to flee, and we hear about festive drinks to get you into the Christmas spirit.
12/19/2023 • 31 minutes, 13 seconds
Hundreds of thousands flee Sudan safe haven
The city of Wad Madani in al Jazira state had been home to those escaping the civil war. Also: we hear from one of the Thai hostages released by Hamas about his time in captivity, and Iceland experiences a spectacular volcanic eruption near the capital, Reykjavik.
12/19/2023 • 26 minutes, 52 seconds
Hamas shows video of three elderly Israeli hostages
One of the Israeli hostages is seen addressing the camera and calling for their release. Also: Ukraine cuts military operations as aid dries up, and the Warhammer game is to be made into a film and TV show.
12/19/2023 • 34 minutes, 37 seconds
US defence secretary arrives in Israel for talks with Israeli counterpart
Lloyd Austin is expected to press for a reduction in the intensity of the offensive in Gaza. Also: Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi wins a third term in office, and record rainfall causes flooding in the northern Australian state of Queensland.
12/18/2023 • 32 minutes, 13 seconds
New Gaza crossing opens for aid trucks
Humanitarian aid has entered Gaza directly from Israel through the Kerem Shalom crossing for the first time in more than two months. Also: Serbia's Vucic claims election victory for his party, and a new rooster weathervane is fitted to Notre Dame spire in Paris.
12/18/2023 • 34 minutes, 19 seconds
New Gaza crossing opens for aid trucks
Humanitarian aid has entered Gaza directly from Israel through the Kerem Shalom crossing for the first time in more than two months. Also: Serbia's Vucic claims election victory for his party, and a new rooster weathervane is fitted to Notre Dame spire in Paris.
12/18/2023 • 34 minutes, 19 seconds
Israeli hostages in Gaza were holding white cloth when shot - IDF
Three hostages were mistakenly killed in Gaza on Friday by Israeli troops in an area of intense fighting. Also: Vatican court convicts former Pope adviser of financial crimes, and Brazilian bossa nova musician Carlos Lyra dies aged 90.
12/17/2023 • 30 minutes, 24 seconds
The Happy Pod: Refugees share their stories of hope
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the Somalian man who has brought the power of books to children living in refugee camps. Also: how a fascination with electricity inspired a Congolese woman to create a robotic medical tool. And the cyclist who took to the Olympic track after fleeing Afghanistan.
12/16/2023 • 26 minutes, 46 seconds
Israel says it mistakenly killed three hostages in Gaza
The Israeli military said the the three men were shot and killed by troops who were operating in northern Gaza. Also: Giuliani must pay $148m over false US election claims, and the Italian historian who is cooking up a controversy with a carbonara recipe.
12/16/2023 • 33 minutes, 8 seconds
Israel says it mistakenly killed three hostages in Gaza
The Israeli military said the the three men were shot and killed by troops who were operating in northern Gaza. Also: Giuliani must pay $148m over false US election claims, and the Italian historian who is cooking up a controversy with a carbonara recipe.
12/16/2023 • 33 minutes, 8 seconds
Hungary blocks $55 billion EU aid for Ukraine
EU leaders said the aid negotiations would resume early next year. Also, a court rules that Prince Harry was a victim of phone hacking by a British newspaper group, and a state memorial service is held in Australia for the entertainer Barry Humphries.
12/15/2023 • 30 minutes, 34 seconds
Hungary blocks $55 billion EU aid for Ukraine
EU leaders said the aid negotiations would resume early next year. Also, a court rules that Prince Harry was a victim of phone hacking by a British newspaper group, and a state memorial service is held in Australia for the entertainer Barry Humphries.
12/15/2023 • 30 minutes, 34 seconds
EU to begin membership talks with Ukraine
European Council President Charles Michel says it is a "clear signal of hope" for the Ukrainian people and the continent as a whole. Also: Israeli leaders tell the visiting White House national security adviser that the war in Gaza will last until 'absolute victory' is achieved over Hamas. And in football, the English Premier League appoints its first female referee.
12/15/2023 • 32 minutes, 7 seconds
EU leaders discuss support for Ukraine
Hungary resists Kyiv's bid to join the European Union and its pleas for aid. The EU's top diplomat said supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression was crucial to Europe's own stability. Also: President Putin resumes his annual press conferences, and why there's a marked increase in road deaths in Africa.
12/14/2023 • 31 minutes, 15 seconds
Israel defies calls for ceasefire
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there can be no truce with Gaza until his forces have defeated Hamas. Also: As US Republicans launch an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden, the president's son Hunter refuses a congressional subpoena to testify behind closed doors. And, what it takes to write a classic Christmas song.
12/14/2023 • 32 minutes, 25 seconds
UN climate summit reaches divisive deal
The COP28 president said nations had "confronted realities and... set the world in the right direction". Also: Experts warn that Sudan is heading towards what's being called a "hunger catastrophe" after months of conflict. And, how Netflix's 'Stranger Things' universe is opening up a whole new chapter in a whole new format.
Analysts say this latest General Assembly vote acts as a powerful measure of international opinion, even though the United States opposed it. Also: Negotiations are continuing at the UN climate summit in Dubai where the search for consensus on a final agreement has continued deep into the night, and how to say no to all those Christmas party invitations without causing offence.
12/13/2023 • 32 minutes, 27 seconds
UN climate summit: Race to save final deal
An earlier draft stopped short of calling for fossil fuels to be phased out. Also: Why Myanmar is now the world's leading producer of opium, and the president of a Turkish football club is arrested for attacking a referee at the end of a match.
12/12/2023 • 28 minutes, 21 seconds
Big backlash to COP 28 draft deal
There's widespread anger and disappointment as language promising 'phase out' of fossil fuels is dropped. Also: Polish legislators give Donald Tusk, who heads a pro-European Union coalition, the mandate for a new government, and the Japanese baseball sensation, Shohei Ohtani, signs a record-breaking 700 million dollar deal to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
12/12/2023 • 32 minutes, 19 seconds
India rules decision to scrap Kashmir status is valid
The Supreme Court said the partial autonomy given following Indian independence had been temporary; Also: at COP 28 - a draft climate deal promises to 'reduce' fossil fuel reliance, and relaxed pantomime performances in Edinburgh with the raucousness reigned in for people with additional needs.
12/11/2023 • 31 minutes, 40 seconds
Argentina needs "shock treatment" to fix economy
At his swearing-in ceremony, President Javier Milei speaks of new era after decades of failure. Also: twin children of jailed Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi accept her Nobel Peace Prize, and the tomato that was lost in space.
12/11/2023 • 28 minutes
Half of Gaza's population is starving - UN
The World Food Programme says conditions have made the delivery of food almost impossible. Also: DR Congo leader compares Rwandan president to Hitler, and is it worth collecting Star Wars merchandise?
12/10/2023 • 22 minutes, 45 seconds
The Happy Pod: The giant Christmas 'tree' made of trees
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the Italian town of Gubbio lights its world record breaking Christmas Tree. Also: how a medical clinic in Borneo is helping to reduce deforestation. And the loneliest manatee, lonely no more.
12/9/2023 • 27 minutes, 32 seconds
US vetoes UN Security Council resolution on Gaza ceasefire
The majority of the UN council supported an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, with 13 of 15 members voting in favour. Also: Russians to compete at Paris Olympics as neutrals, and Fairytale of New York sung at Pogues singer's funeral.
12/9/2023 • 28 minutes, 32 seconds
Vladimir Putin to stand for a fifth term as Russia President
A Kremlin official said that an 'astonishing' number of people wanted Mr Putin to continue. Also: the Palestinian health ministry in the occupied West Bank says six Palestinians have been killed in a raid by Israeli special forces on a refugee camp, and the scammers who are taking advantage of bed bugs in France.
12/8/2023 • 31 minutes, 33 seconds
UN says aid operations in southern Gaza can no longer be 'called by that name'
The UN's head of humanitarian affairs, Martin Griffiths, said Israel's military offensive meant there were no safe spaces left for aid agencies in southern Gaza. Also: Blinken and Cameron agree about the dangers of blocking US financial support for Ukraine, and Italian opera is added to UNESCO world heritage list.
12/8/2023 • 25 minutes, 29 seconds
Israeli forces push further into Khan Younis
Tens of thousands of Palestinians flee intense fighting throughout southern Gaza. Also: a meeting between the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and the EU highlights differences over trade, international affairs and human rights and, the novelist, poet and playwright, Benjamin Zephaniah has died aged 65.
12/7/2023 • 34 minutes, 34 seconds
UN chief warns of 'humanitarian catastrophe' in Gaza
Antonio Guterres has invoked a rarely used article, urging the Security Council to act immediately to achieve a truce. Also: President Biden makes an impassioned plea to Republicans to approve funding for Ukraine's war effort. And Time Magazine names the American singer Taylor Swift its Person of the Year.
12/7/2023 • 32 minutes, 25 seconds
Israeli forces intensify fighting across Gaza
A journalist in Khan Younis told the BBC the ground has been shaking. The UN human rights chief Volker Türk says there's a heightened risk of atrocities. Also: the former British prime minister, Boris Johnson, says sorry to the Covid inquiry into the pandemic, and the BBC has spoken to one of the few families to escape from North Korea this year.
12/6/2023 • 30 minutes, 38 seconds
IDF: Fiercest day of fighting in Gaza conflict
Residents in Khan Younis have told the BBC they're scared and hungry and don't know what to do. Also: Washington is to refuse visas for extremist Israeli settlers who have attacked Palestinians, and we hear about the rise of Rolex ripping in central London.
12/6/2023 • 31 minutes, 20 seconds
Israel steps up military operation in Khan Younis
The World Health Organisation says the situation in Gaza is getting worse by the hour. Also: Britain and Rwanda agree a new treaty aimed at getting the British government's centrepiece asylum policy operational, and 26 years after Grand Theft Auto was first released, it has a female main character.
12/5/2023 • 31 minutes, 17 seconds
US says Israel's targeted evacuations in Gaza 'an improvement'
Washington says it's too early to say if Israel is heeding US advice to protect civilians as Israel's offensive in southern Gaza continues. Also: the president of the UN climate summit says he's dismayed by what he called the constant attempts to undermine his work, and fears for the future of the Commonwealth Games as Australia's Gold Coast pulls out of hosting them in 2026.
12/5/2023 • 32 minutes, 36 seconds
Tens of thousands more Palestinians told to leave parts of Khan Younis
The call comes as Israel presses ahead with its military operations in southern Gaza. Also, the harrowing testimony of a Ukrainian soldier on the banks of the Dnipro, and why there will be no giant pandas left in Britain.
12/4/2023 • 29 minutes, 49 seconds
Israeli forces pushing into southern Gaza
The head of the military says the operation will be no less powerful than in the north of the enclave. Also: Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen say they've attacked two ships in the Red Sea, and a leading figure in Hong Kong's democracy movement goes to Canada to avoid the threat of arrest.
12/4/2023 • 32 minutes, 40 seconds
Residents of south Gaza city say Israeli strikes heaviest so far
Civilians in parts of southern Gaza have been told to evacuate as Israel's renewed bombardment continues. Also: Russia media say police raid gay clubs in Moscow, and how does art affect our brainwaves?
12/3/2023 • 30 minutes, 15 seconds
The Happy Pod: India Tunnel Rescue Success
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how hope and perseverance prevailed in the rescue of 41 workers trapped in a tunnel in India. Also: a set of earbuds that could revolutionise wheelchair mobility. And celebrating 100 years of Scottish dancing.
12/2/2023 • 26 minutes, 54 seconds
Hamas-run health ministry says scores killed in Gaza after fighting resumes
The Israeli military says it has struck hundreds of "terror targets" in Gaza. Also: George Santos expelled from US Congress in historic vote, and Putin's favourite conductor is to run the Bolshoi theatre.
12/2/2023 • 31 minutes, 54 seconds
Israel resumes airstrikes in Gaza as ceasefire ends
The IDF said the fighting resumed after it intercepted a rocket from inside the Gaza strip, while Hamas say Israel refused to accept offers to release other hostages. Also: world leaders address climate change at COP28, and author Omid Scobie denies naming two senior royals in controversial book.
12/1/2023 • 29 minutes, 11 seconds
Blinken warns Israel it must do more to protect civilians in Gaza
The US secretary of state says damage to hospitals and water supplies seen in the north of Gaza must not be repeated in the south. Also: surprise climate cash win for poor at COP28, and Russian court bans "LGBT movement".
12/1/2023 • 25 minutes, 47 seconds
Temporary ceasefire extended in Gaza into a seventh day
Three people were killed by Hamas gunmen in Jerusalem hours after the ceasefire in Gaza was extended into a seventh day. Also on the programme: the UN climate summit begins in Dubai, and the former top US diplomat Henry Kissinger dies aged 100.
11/30/2023 • 32 minutes, 18 seconds
More hostages released from Gaza on sixth day of truce
Thirty Palestinian prisoners are also due to be freed from Israeli jails. Also: US says it has foiled alleged plot to kill Sikh activist, and astronomers discover "the perfect solar system".
11/30/2023 • 34 minutes, 53 seconds
Israeli forces raid occupied West Bank refugee camp
The IDF says it has killed two Palestinian militant commanders. Also: An EU report lists who experiences the most online hate, and why there's a new dress code in Kenya's Parliament.
11/29/2023 • 31 minutes, 6 seconds
Trapped Indian workers freed after 17 days
Amid scenes of jubilation, the operation was finally completed despite numerous problems and setbacks. Also: Hamas releases 12 more hostages and Israel hands over 30 more Palestinian prisoners on day 5 of a temporary truce, and the wolf spider that decided to lay its eggs in a cruise ship passenger's toe.
11/29/2023 • 32 minutes, 35 seconds
Indian rescuers reach 41 trapped tunnel builders
An evacuation pipe has been inserted into the collapsed tunnel, where the men had been trapped for more than two weeks. Also: the truce in Gaza appears to be holding for a fifth day - after a swap deal between Israel and Hamas was extended, and the first transatlantic flight powered by an alternative fuel has taken off from London.
11/28/2023 • 29 minutes, 4 seconds
Israel and Hamas truce extended by two days
The Israeli army says that eleven hostages released by Hamas from Gaza are now in Israeli territory. In return, thirty-three Palestinian prisoners are being freed. Also: The government of Sierra Leone blames renegade soldiers for a series of attacks in Freetown on Sunday that left twenty people dead, and the festive video by a family-run pub in Northern Ireland that's getting rave reviews and giving big retailers a run for their money.
11/28/2023 • 32 minutes, 46 seconds
Pressure mounts to extend Israel-Gaza ceasefire
Israel's allies and neighbours are hopeful that the pause in fighting can be extended beyond the fourth exchange of hostages and prisoners. Also, environmental activists say they're shocked at claims the United Arab Emirates has used its role as host of UN climate talks to make oil and gas deals. And six former pupils at a school in France go on trial over their alleged links to the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty in 2020.
11/27/2023 • 30 minutes, 47 seconds
Israel-Gaza: More prisoner and hostage exchanges
Hamas and US President Joe Biden say they'd like an extension of the current four-day truce that's seen dozens released, but Israel's Prime Minister says that after the truce, his country will return to war. Also: The government of Sierra Leone says it's back in control, after gunmen attacked a barracks and several prisons in the capital, and The Irish writer Paul Lynch wins this year's Booker prize.
11/27/2023 • 31 minutes, 56 seconds
COP 28 special: Your climate questions answered
Our climate editor Justin Rowlatt and The Climate Question presenter Graihagh Jackson address issues including whether the oil-producing UAE is the right host for the meeting, what one thing we can all do to save the planet, and is a plant-based diet on the agenda?
11/26/2023 • 28 minutes, 38 seconds
Israel-Gaza: Second day of hostage and prisoner releases
Hamas has handed back thirteen Israeli and four Thai nationals, and Israel is returning thirty-nine Palestinian prisoners. Also: Tens of thousands of Italians protest against gender based violence, and the BBC's Doctor Who marks its sixtieth anniversary with a special TV series.
11/26/2023 • 29 minutes, 2 seconds
The Happy Pod: It's never too late to graduate
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the war veteran from Texas who's graduated from high school 60 years after he left. Also: the comic book that is educating girls all over the world about periods and menstruation. And: the cat meowing her way to a Christmas hit.
11/25/2023 • 28 minutes, 25 seconds
Twenty four hostages released by Hamas now back in Israel
Israel says the hostages, who were held in Gaza, are all in good health. In exchange for their freedom, thirty-nine Palestinian prisoners have been released. Also: A fishing vessel has been seized by suspected Somali pirates, and the French government urges shoppers to think twice before spending money on Black Friday.
11/25/2023 • 30 minutes, 58 seconds
Israel media says 13 hostages held in Gaza are freed
They have been handed over to the Red Cross and are on their way to the Egypt border. Also: the convicted murderer and South African former athlete Oscar Pistorius is to be released on parole; and the singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading on writing her first classical symphony.
11/24/2023 • 28 minutes, 15 seconds
Israel and Hamas truce imminent
Qatar says it hopes the pause in fighting it's helped arrange can be turned into a longer-term ceasefire. Also: Riot police in the Irish capital, Dublin, clash with crowds of protesters near the scene of a multiple stabbing, and parts of the state of Queensland in Australia have been over-run with a plague of rats.
11/24/2023 • 30 minutes, 17 seconds
Israel continues to bombard Gaza as truce delayed
Qatar says it's continuing work to finalise a pause in the fighting in Gaza. Also, Ukraine's stolen children, the return of the blue whales and Doctor Who at 60.
11/23/2023 • 29 minutes, 6 seconds
Anti-Islam populist leads in Dutch exit polls
Exit polls from the parliamentary election put the Freedom party well ahead of its rivals. Also: Relatives of the hostages held in Gaza wait to see who could be freed, and rescue workers close in on more than 40 workers trapped under a collapsed tunnel in India.
11/22/2023 • 26 minutes, 16 seconds
Israel's cabinet approves deal with Hamas to release hostages
Hamas will free 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. Israel is continuing military operations against Hamas in Gaza ahead of a planned pause in the conflict. Also: OpenAI announces Sam Altman to return as CEO, and it's kimchi day in South Korea. How has the fermented vegetable dish become such a global phenomenon?
11/22/2023 • 30 minutes, 43 seconds
Israel's cabinet votes on hostage deal as Netanyahu says war will continue
The PM discusses with top officials a deal that could see at least 50 hostages freed from Gaza and a temporary pause in fighting. Also: the CEO of the world's largest crypto-exchange, Binance, pleads guilty to money laundering charges, and the venomous two metre long green mamba - on the loose in a Dutch city.
11/22/2023 • 30 minutes, 42 seconds
US says Israel hostage deal 'closer than ever'
A deal to release hostages taken from Israel during Hamas attacks last month is "closer than ever before", according to a senior US official. Also : The first images have emerged of 41 men trapped for more than a week in a highway tunnel in the Indian Himalayas and a lost BBC interview with street artist Banksy is unearthed
11/21/2023 • 31 minutes, 13 seconds
Majority of OpenAI staff threaten to quit
In a letter they demand the reinstatement of Sam Altman who was sacked on Friday. Also: The United Nations says the world is on course for a catastrophic warming -- even if countries meet their current pledges to cut emissions, and the global rise in the number of young sharing a bed to tackle the cost of living crisis.
11/21/2023 • 32 minutes, 29 seconds
Far-right outsider Javier Milei wins Argentina's presidential election
Mr Milei promises huge change for the country. Also: as 28 babies evacuated from a hospital in Gaza arrive in Egypt- another hospital has become embroiled in the conflict, and the Colombian pop star Shakira has reached a deal with Spanish prosecutors to settle a multi-million-dollar tax fraud case.
11/20/2023 • 30 minutes, 9 seconds
Israel says CCTV shows hostages at Gaza hospital
The Israeli military has released footage which it says shows captives being taken into Al-Shifa after the deadly Hamas attacks on 7 October. Also: the former US first lady, Rosalynn Carter, has died at 96, and Napoleon's hat has sold for almost two million euros.
11/20/2023 • 31 minutes, 40 seconds
Hundreds leave Gaza hospital as many feared killed at UN shelter
Hundreds of people including patients left Al Shifa Hospital on Saturday. The Hamas-run health authorities say 80 people were killed in two airstrikes on Jabaliya refugee camp. Also: Elon Musk has hailed the latest launch of his giant Starship rocket as a success, even though it blew up, and what's in the etiquette guide on the correct way to use mobile phones.
11/19/2023 • 28 minutes, 10 seconds
The Happy Pod: Kenya's tree-planting holiday
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, Kenya hands out 100 million saplings and calls a public holiday to plant them. Also: a new drug to treat two rare blood disorders, and a woman from Scotland who walked across Europe and met the Pope.
11/18/2023 • 27 minutes, 30 seconds
Charities: Israel's Gaza fuel offer not sufficient
The UN relief agency for Palestinians reiterates that the humanitarian situation in the territory is overwhelming. Also: The White House criticises Elon Musk after the head of Tesla appeared to promote an antisemitic post on his X platform. And, why some sailors are playing thrash metal music to fend off attacks on their boats by killer whales.
11/18/2023 • 32 minutes, 25 seconds
Israel to allow more fuel into Gaza
The move comes as the UN says the aid operation is 'impossible'. Also: A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe triggers a state of emergency, and Amazon announces it will sell cars on its US site.
11/17/2023 • 29 minutes, 32 seconds
Israel says troops searching Al-Shifa have found the body of a hostage
Israeli forces say Yehudit Weiss was abducted by Hamas on 7 October. Also, Kenya approves a plan to send a thousand troops to Haiti to help deal with gang violence, and Britain's foreign secretary, the former prime minister David Cameron, visits Ukraine on his first official trip.
11/16/2023 • 29 minutes, 41 seconds
BBC shown 'Hamas weapons and military equipment' in Al-Shifa
Our correspondent is taken inside the Gaza hospital raided by Israel's soldiers. Also: German police carry out countrywide raids on suspected Islamists with links to Hezbollah; and - in a world first - UK authorities approve gene therapy treatment to cure blood disorders.
11/16/2023 • 28 minutes, 49 seconds
Israel says weapons found in Gaza hospital
IDF releases video of what it says are arms and ammunition discovered at Al Shifa hospital. Also,the leaders of the two most powerful nations in the world meet in California, and how a heatwave is damaging Brazil's economy.
11/16/2023 • 31 minutes, 21 seconds
Israeli troops raid Gaza's main hospital
A doctor has spoken of fear among medics and patients as soldiers go room to room interrogating people. Also: Britain's Supreme Court rules the government's flagship policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful, and a New Zealand competition to find its bird of the century ends with a grunting, puking creature with a colourful mullet.
11/15/2023 • 30 minutes, 26 seconds
US: Hamas is using hospitals as command centres in Gaza
Pentagon says Hamas has stored weapons in tunnels at the Al Shifa hospital. Palestinian civilians are at risk as Israel attacks Gaza's biggest hospital. Also, the town kept awake by humming.
11/14/2023 • 27 minutes, 49 seconds
Dead hospital patients buried in mass grave in Gaza
The director of the Al-Shifa medical facility says there have been dozens of bodies. Also: flights are suspended in South Korea to help students with their exams, and the extraordinary relationship between a stuntman and the actor who plays Harry Potter.
11/14/2023 • 29 minutes, 42 seconds
WHO says Gaza's biggest hospital 'becoming a cemetery'
Israel says Hamas is using the hospitals to hide its command centres. Also: Donald Trump's son returns to the witness stand in the family fraud trial; and the book that's so difficult to understand, it can take decades to read
11/13/2023 • 32 minutes, 34 seconds
UK politics: Shock return for ex-PM David Cameron
Suella Braverman is sacked as home secretary in a surprise reshuffle and the former prime minister returns - but as foreign secretary. Also, Hamas reports babies dying in Gaza, and why Kenyans are planting millions of trees.
11/13/2023 • 31 minutes, 32 seconds
WHO Chief: Gaza's main hospital no longer functioning
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the situation at Al-Shifa is dire and perilous. The International Committee of the Red Cross says Gaza is rapidly approaching a humanitarian disaster. Also: The French Prime Minister leads a march in support of the Jewish community, which was boycotted by the far-left purportedly for being pro-Israel. And, the ongoing mystery surrounding the Loch Ness monster in Scotland.
11/13/2023 • 32 minutes, 37 seconds
Doctors describe 'desperate' conditions in Gaza's hospitals
Israeli forces battle Hamas nearby. They say they've left a corridor open for people to flee, and will help evacuate babies on Sunday. Also: A key bridge in the Sudanese capital Khartoum has been destroyed, and remembering Frank Borman, the man who commanded the first manned mission to circle the Moon, who has died at the age of 95.
11/12/2023 • 32 minutes, 24 seconds
The Happy Pod: Protecting penguins in South America
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the biologist who's dedicated his life to protecting penguins in South America. Also: the award-winning Frenchman they call the Michelangelo of tattooists. And Peanut, the world’s oldest chicken
11/11/2023 • 28 minutes, 14 seconds
Israel accused of launching war on Gaza's hospitals
Israel says it does not fire on hospitals but will do what it needs to if Hamas fires from them. Also: The White House says President Biden will meet the Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week to try to stabilise relations, and the Turkish President says he is prepared to change the constitution to resolve a judicial dispute.
11/11/2023 • 32 minutes, 29 seconds
More civilians killed in fighting around Gaza hospitals
Hamas-run health ministry says Israeli strikes have killed at least 13 people, while Israel accuses Hamas of hiding under healthcare facilities. Also: Jewish communities in Germany express concern over a rise in antisemitism, and researchers discover a mammal they believed to be extinct is still alive.
11/10/2023 • 27 minutes, 22 seconds
Four-hour daily pauses agreed in Gaza conflict
Israel says they will be observed in areas of the north to allow civilians out and humanitarian aid in, but there will be no ceasefire. Also: A Palestinian armed faction releases a video of another two Israeli hostages -- a teenage boy and a woman in her seventies -- and Colombian rebels free the father of the Liverpool football star, Luis Diaz, nearly two weeks after he was abducted.
11/10/2023 • 32 minutes, 35 seconds
International aid conference for Gaza in Paris
Delegates have made repeated calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as thousands more flee to the southern part of the territory. Also, Spain grants amnesty to Catalan separatists, and scientists find a new species of toad in Kenya.
11/9/2023 • 30 minutes, 44 seconds
BBC goes into Gaza with Israeli soldiers
Our international editor Jeremy Bowen travelled into the enclave with the Israel Defense Forces. Also: Ivanka Trump testifies she can't recall loan details, and who found Mowgli, the missing cat stuck in a mineshaft?
11/9/2023 • 28 minutes, 47 seconds
Thousands more Palestinians flee northern Gaza
America's top diplomat, Antony Blinken, lays out his vision for Gaza's future, and Hezbollah's deputy chief, Sheikh Naim Qassem, has been speaking to the BBC. Also: this year looks set to be the hottest on record, and the chef who's broken the record for non-stop cooking.
11/8/2023 • 32 minutes, 33 seconds
Israel says its troops are 'in the heart of Gaza City'
The defence minister says troops "stormed" the city from the north and south, to target Hamas. Also: first images revealed from "dark universe" mission, and global wine production falls to 62-year low.
11/8/2023 • 32 minutes, 44 seconds
Israel to take over security in the Gaza Strip indefinitely
Prime minister Netanyahu also continues to reject a ceasefire as long as hostages are not freed. Also: Charles the Third delivers the first King's Speech to parliament in more than seven decades, and the lost love letters of French sailors from more than two centuries ago.
11/7/2023 • 30 minutes, 7 seconds
Gaza becoming a 'graveyard for children' - UN
The Hamas-run health ministry says over 4,000 children have been killed; Israel says its air strikes target only Hamas sites. Also: Trump clashes repeatedly with judge in New York testimony, and Colombia is planning to recover a shipwreck said to contain $20bn of treasure.
11/7/2023 • 34 minutes, 22 seconds
Hamas says 10,000 now dead in Gaza
Israeli airstrikes overnight reported to be some of the heaviest in the latest violence. Also: air pollution in India affects cricket, and a new memoir by Barbra Streisand.
11/6/2023 • 33 minutes, 4 seconds
Israel says it has cut Gaza in two as its offensive continues
Israel's military says it has reached the coast in the south of Gaza City, dividing the Strip into "north and south". Also: military chiefs in Ukraine under pressure over deadly Russian strike in the Zaporizhzhia region, and is the Grok chatbot really sarcastic?
11/6/2023 • 33 minutes, 46 seconds
Arab nations demand Gaza ceasefire
The US Secretary of State held talks in Jordan, while the UN said its school in Gaza had been hit by an air strike. Also: the bed bug anxiety sweeping Europe, and the mission to rescue Britain's loneliest sheep.
11/5/2023 • 33 minutes, 2 seconds
The Happy Pod: The 'Bee' song creating a buzz
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the Ukrainian musician whose bee-inspired song captured the hearts of millions. Also: the band pushing sustainability by walking 1400 kilometres between gigs. And, a new type of seal discovered in Greenland.
11/4/2023 • 27 minutes, 14 seconds
Israel hits Gaza ambulance it says was being used by Hamas
Netanyahu rules out pause in fighting until hostages are released. Also: The leader of the Lebanese Islamist militant group, Hezbollah, says Israel must stop attacking Gaza in order to avoid a regional war, Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, proposes big changes to the country's political system, and how a spider caused a pile up in America's Death Valley.
11/4/2023 • 32 minutes, 25 seconds
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urges Israel to minimise civilian casualties in Gaza.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urges Israel to protect Palestinian civilians. Also, the leader of Hezbollah has been making his first public statement about the Hamas attacks of October the seventh, and the UN says more than twenty-five thousand people have been displaced by the upsurge in fighting in Myanmar.
11/3/2023 • 31 minutes, 9 seconds
Israel's army says it has completed the encirclement of Gaza City
Prime minister Netanyahu announces the "height of battle" has been reached. Also, Ukraine's army commander says the war with Russia is stuck in a stalemate, and how cow bells are dividing a Swiss village.
11/3/2023 • 29 minutes, 38 seconds
More foreign passport holders enter Egypt from Gaza
It comes as fighting continues in the territory where Israeli forces are meeting fierce resistance. Also: woman charged in Australia poison mushroom case, how Covid has affected the brain health of over 50s and what's billed as a final Beatles song is released.
11/2/2023 • 30 minutes, 22 seconds
Hundreds of foreigners leave Gaza
It's the first time such a move was allowed since the start of the war early last month. Also: Donald Trump Jr has been giving evidence at a civil fraud trial in New York, and the man who's collected hundreds of sandwich recipes from through the ages.
11/2/2023 • 29 minutes, 39 seconds
Gaza conflict: crossing opens for first time
At least 20 injured Palestinians and more than 100 foreign nationals arrive in Egypt. Also: the children fleeing a Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine, and tech bosses and politicians gather in the UK to talk about Artificial Intelligence.
11/1/2023 • 31 minutes, 18 seconds
Israel military confirms deadly strike in Gaza refugee camp
The IDF says its jets carried out the attack in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing a Hamas commander; Palestinian officials say dozens of civilians were killed. Also: deportation looms for Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia is set to host the 2034 football World Cup.
11/1/2023 • 34 minutes, 10 seconds
Gaza father 'waited six hours for bread to feed family'
The US says it hopes around 100 trucks of aid will soon enter Gaza. Also: striking clothing factory workers in Bangladesh block roads and smash up factories; and King Charles is expected to acknowledge the painful aspects of colonial rule during a visit to Kenya.
10/31/2023 • 32 minutes, 13 seconds
Israel rescues soldier held by Hamas in Gaza
Private Ori Megidish was taken hostage by Hamas on the 7th of October. Separately, Hamas has released a video of three other hostages being held in Gaza. Also: US announces "strongest action yet" on AI safety, and what are the best recipes for leftover pumpkin at Halloween?
10/31/2023 • 29 minutes, 7 seconds
Israel offensive presses deeper into Gaza
Israeli armoured vehicles have been seen on Gaza's main north-south road, close to Gaza City. Also; sixty people are detained in the Russian republic of Dagestan after crowds stormed an airport, and a major search is underway in Colombia for the father of the footballer, Luis Diaz.
10/30/2023 • 29 minutes, 31 seconds
Evacuating Gaza hospital 'will endanger lives' - WHO
Aid agencies say it's impossible to evacuate the crowded Al-Quds hospital in Gaza, after Israel's military reportedly warned everyone to leave. Also: anti-Israel mob storms Dagestan airport, and tributes are paid to the Friends actor Matthew Perry, who's died at the age of 54.
10/30/2023 • 30 minutes, 34 seconds
Israel enters 'second stage' of Gaza war
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel's twin goals are to eradicate Hamas and bring the hostages home safely. Meanwhile, Gaza remains in a communications blackout. Also: Mike Pence withdraws from 2024 US presidential race, and South Africa edge out New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final.
10/29/2023 • 33 minutes, 13 seconds
Mideast Special: Israel escalates military action in Gaza
Most internet and phone communications have been cut in Gaza. A BBC reporter has described scenes of panic and chaos. Also: antisemitism on the rise in London.
10/28/2023 • 33 minutes, 17 seconds
The Happy Pod: Spreading joy: Finland's most positive person
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, we meet Finland's happiest person, a giant tortoise is on the loose in Canada. And the pigeon set to fly off on a world book tour.
10/28/2023 • 27 minutes, 28 seconds
Israel says ground operations are "expanding”
The Gaza Strip is rocked by large explosions, as Palestinians in Gaza City are warned to move south. Also: The UN votes to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza. And Spain says more than 200,000 people may have been victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy.
10/28/2023 • 30 minutes, 46 seconds
Israel-Gaza War: Your Questions Answered
We've teamed up with The Conflict podcast to answer your questions. These include Russia's role, the reaction from Israel, and what we can all do to be part of the solution.
10/27/2023 • 28 minutes, 57 seconds
US strikes targets in Syria
The US military has carried out air strikes on two storage facilities in eastern Syria. Also: Israel carries out another ground incursion in the Gaza strip, and
it’s been a year since Elon Musk controversially took over Twitter, now known as X - we take a look at what’s next for the platform.
10/27/2023 • 30 minutes, 3 seconds
Israel rejects calls for Gaza ceasefire at UN
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations says a draft resolution to stop the fighting would only prevent his country from rooting out Hamas. Also, a huge manhunt is continuing in the US state of Maine for the gunman suspected of killing 18 people in a mass shooting. And in Afghanistan, the Taliban releases an imprisoned advocate for girls' education.
10/26/2023 • 32 minutes, 29 seconds
Huge manhunt after gunman kills at least 16 in US state of Maine
US army reservist Robert Card has been named as the suspect. Also; Israel says incursion into Gaza overnight is the biggest since war started and Arnold Schwarzenegger gives his verdict on the US Presidential race.
10/26/2023 • 27 minutes, 4 seconds
Netanyahu: Israel preparing for Gaza ground invasion
The Israeli PM again urges Gazans to move south but won't be specific about when the offensive will start. Also: The US House elects the Trump ally Mike Johnson as its new speaker, ending weeks of paralysis caused by Republican infighting, and the scientists who painstakingly recreated the face of a Peruvian mummy sacrificed more than 500 years ago.
10/25/2023 • 30 minutes, 38 seconds
Hamas officials: "750 Palestinians killed in last 24 hours"
Gaza health ministry says almost half the victims were children. The figures have not been independently confirmed. Also: Israel says it will withhold visas from UN officials - including its humanitarian chief - because of comments by the secretary-general, and we look back at the life of Richard Roundtree, the American actor best known for his starring role as detective John Shaft.
10/25/2023 • 34 minutes, 22 seconds
Israel demands resignation of UN chief
Israeli dplomats responded angrily after Antonio Guterres suggested the Hamas attacks did not happen in a vacuum. Also: President Biden says aid isn't getting to Gaza quickly enough, and the ruling in Canada that approves billions of dollars in compensation for indigenous families who suffered discrimination in the child welfare system.
10/24/2023 • 24 minutes, 24 seconds
Freed Hamas hostage talks about her ordeal
Yocheved Lifschitz, who is 85, has been describing her treatment during her 16 days of captivity. She says she was beaten when she was first abducted but later treated well in Gaza. Mrs Lifschitz was released along with Nurit Cooper, who is 79. Also: A new report suggests the world is on an "unstoppable" shift towards renewable energy, and a cautionary tale about fame, family and betrayal: Britney Spears publishes her autobiography.
10/24/2023 • 28 minutes, 47 seconds
Two more hostages released from Gaza
Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz have been freed by Hamas but their husbands are still being held in Gaza. Also: a new study warns that increasing melting of West Antarctic's ice shelf is 'unavoidable'; Bobi, the world's oldest dog, dies aged 31.
10/24/2023 • 34 minutes, 15 seconds
Israel carries out 'limited' forays into Gaza
It says they're aimed at targeting gunmen and searching for hostages, as it continues its aerial bombardment. Also: Argentina's voters back a surprise candidate for the presidential election run-off next month; and a major breakthrough in the treatment of cervical cancer.
10/23/2023 • 28 minutes, 38 seconds
UN says 2nd aid convoy enters Gaza
The UN humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, says another fourteen trucks have entered the territory but charities in Gaza say much more aid is needed. Also: the US has told its diplomatic staff in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Erbil to leave immediately, because of security threats; a new documentary highlights the dangers that people face when they escape North Korea.
10/23/2023 • 33 minutes, 33 seconds
UN aid agencies repeat their calls for a ceasefire in Gaza
Twenty trucks carrying medicines and food were allowed into the territory on Saturday, but Israel has only permitted the supplies to reach southern Gaza. Israel says it is preparing to step up its attacks on Gaza. Also: England and Manchester United football legend Sir Bobby Charlton dies aged 86.
10/22/2023 • 28 minutes, 38 seconds
The Happy Pod: Why whales wear seaweed
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, why are whales wearing seaweed on their heads? We celebrate 100 years of Disney. And a listener shares her children's orchestra in Colombia.
10/21/2023 • 27 minutes, 15 seconds
Hamas releases mother and daughter US hostages held in Gaza
Judith and Natalie Raanan were among hundreds of people being held in Gaza after the Hamas attacks on Israel on the 7th of October. Also: 2nd Trump lawyer pleads guilty to conspiracy, and Australia's most famous attraction, the Sydney Opera House, turns 50.
10/21/2023 • 27 minutes, 48 seconds
Israel-Gaza War: Your Questions Answered
These include why Hamas attacked Israel, the fate of the hostages, Israel's response so far, and whether both sides can overcome the trauma of their past.
10/20/2023 • 26 minutes, 28 seconds
Biden seeks 'vital' war aid for Israel and Ukraine
The president said Hamas and Russia both wanted to 'annihilate a neighbouring democracy'. Also: the UN Secretary-General has visited the Rafah crossing from Egypt to Gaza and called for immediate access for aid trucks; António Guterres described this as the difference between life and death for thousands. And Italy's prime minister says she is separating from her partner after comments he made in a TV studio.
10/20/2023 • 32 minutes, 28 seconds
Signs Israel preparing for Gaza ground invasion
The Israeli defence minister tells troops they will soon see the Palestinian enclave from the inside. Also: The United Nations and aid agencies say a lack of water, food, medicine and other essentials is making the situation for displaced people in Gaza increasingly desperate, and one of Donald Trump's lawyers has pleaded guilty to six charges of election interference.
10/20/2023 • 32 minutes, 29 seconds
Hamas says Israeli bombardment has killed several of its leaders
Jehad Mheisen's family are also reported to have died in the attack. Also: Iran's Mahsa Amini is posthumously given the EU's human rights award, and one of Italy's most popular singers is arrested as part of a mafia round up.
10/19/2023 • 26 minutes, 23 seconds
Humanitarian aid to enter Gaza
Israel says it won't prevent delivery of desperately needed humanitarian assistance via Egypt following a request by US President Joe Biden. Also: The US House of Representatives has voted down the hardline Republican Jim Jordan's second bid to become Speaker, and Japan takes steps to stop over-tourism at some of its most cherished sites including Mount Fuji.
10/18/2023 • 31 minutes, 26 seconds
President Biden is in Israel after blast at Gaza hospital
Biden says evidence presented by the US and Israeli militaries backs his claim that Palestinian militants were responsible for the blast at a hospital in Gaza. Hamas blames Israel. Also: new evidence of devastating ethnic violence in western Sudan, and six portraits of the Dutch royal family have been returned after they were stolen.
10/18/2023 • 31 minutes, 37 seconds
Strike on Gaza hospital kills more than 500
Hamas says the hospital was hit by an Israeli air strike, but the Israeli military has denied responsibility. Also: The hardline Republican congressman Jim Jordan has failed in his first bid to become the new US House Speaker, and the Oscar winning actress, Michelle Yeoh, becomes a member of the International Olympic Committee.
10/18/2023 • 26 minutes, 7 seconds
Gaza Strip on 'edge of catastrophe' as Israeli siege intensifies
People are sleeping in the streets, water is being rationed and electricity is running out. Also: Belgian police have shot dead the man who murdered two Swedish football fans and why the appeal of building a new world is leading to record sales for one video game...
10/17/2023 • 26 minutes, 52 seconds
UN operation in Gaza on verge of collapse
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed, amid a growing humanitarian crisis. Also: Iran says the prospect of the war between Hamas and Israel spreading to other fronts is becoming inevitable. And, two Swedish football fans are shot dead in Brussels in a suspected Islamist attack.
10/16/2023 • 28 minutes, 22 seconds
Efforts to allow aid into Gaza intensify
The UN humanitarian chief says help is needed to support one million Palestinians. The White House says it is hoping the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt can be opened for a few hours. Also: Russia has agreed to return four Ukrainian children to their families as part of a deal brokered by Qatar, and cricket and squash are among the new sports added for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in five years' time.
10/16/2023 • 30 minutes, 11 seconds
Israel must protect civilians in Gaza - Blinken
The US Secretary of State says Israel must "affirm shared values" of human life and dignity. Also: the Israeli energy minister says the country has decided to resume supplying water to southern Gaza, and an exit poll says Poland's ruling party is set to lose its majority.
10/16/2023 • 34 minutes, 30 seconds
Situation in Gaza is fast becoming untenable - UN
The United Nations says nearly a million Palestinians in Gaza have now been displaced - due to airstrikes and Israel's warning that people should leave the north of Gaza. Also: Israel says it has killed one of the key Hamas leaders behind last week's huge assault on Israelis.
10/15/2023 • 33 minutes, 53 seconds
The Happy Pod: Bill Gates: Looking on the bright side
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how tech giant Bill Gates stays optimistic when it comes to climate change, what goes into growing the world's biggest pumpkin. And, what makes Alaska's perfect bear.
10/14/2023 • 27 minutes, 18 seconds
Civilians flee northern Gaza after Israeli warning
About 1.1 million people have been told to leave the area, ahead of an expected ground offensive by Israeli forces. Also: France raises security level after school attack, and a Nasa probe is launched to investigate the metal asteroid Psyche.
10/14/2023 • 30 minutes, 46 seconds
Gaza Special: Your Questions Answered
The build up to the Hamas attack, why now and what happens next? Is there any hope for peace between Israel and the Palestinians?
10/13/2023 • 33 minutes, 32 seconds
Palestinians given 24 hours to leave northern Gaza
The UN has urged Israel to withdraw its order, warning of devastating humanitarian consequences. Also: A deal is agreed for Microsoft to buy one of the world's biggest game-makers, and could cricket make a long awaited return to the Olympics?
10/13/2023 • 28 minutes, 16 seconds
UN says the situation in Gaza is dire
The UN's World Food Programme says food aid and water are running out during an Israeli siege. Israel says its blockage of Gaza will not end until Israeli hostages are released.
10/13/2023 • 30 minutes, 58 seconds
US promises 'ironclad' support for Israel
Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledges unwavering support in talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, but warns that Palestinian civilians must not be harmed. Also, Japan moves to dissolve the Unification Church, linked to the assassinated former PM Shinzo Abe. And Taylor Swift's concert film premieres in LA.
10/12/2023 • 28 minutes, 7 seconds
International calls for a humanitarian corridor for Palestinians
The US is in discussions with Israel to help transport trapped civilians following days of bombardment of Gaza by air strikes. Also: Manaus -- the biggest city in the Brazilian Amazon -- is suffering an air quality emergency because of fires lit by farmers in the rainforest, and NASA releases the first images of the largest asteroid sample ever brought to Earth.
10/11/2023 • 30 minutes, 32 seconds
Gaza is left without electricity
Gaza residents are relying on generators, with food and medical supplies also running low. Israel is massing troops at the border following the Hamas attacks on Saturday. Also: A second powerful earthquake has hit western Afghanistan, and Keith Richards on the Rolling Stones' first album in 18 years.
10/11/2023 • 27 minutes, 12 seconds
Biden: Hamas attack on Israel is 'sheer evil'
The US president says reports of families and babies being butchered are stomach-turning. Entire neighbourhoods of Gaza have been flattened in Israel's latest bombardments. Also: Finland says damage to a gas pipeline was caused by what it called external action, and scientists modify the DNA of chickens to make them more resistant to bird flu.
10/10/2023 • 27 minutes, 25 seconds
UN agencies voice concern over Israel's siege of Gaza
UNICEF and the WHO say it's illegal to deprive the population of vital supplies. Also: why nearly half the world's flowering plants could be facing extinction,
world rugby adopts game-changing tech to flag major head impacts, and why Coldplay are suing their former manager.
10/10/2023 • 31 minutes, 59 seconds
Netanyahu: 'We will change the Middle East'
The Israeli prime minister says multiple retaliatory air strikes against Hamas in Gaza are just the beginning. Also: A member of America's most celebrated political dynasty -- Robert F Kennedy junior -- has announced that he's running for the White House as an independent, and how the the Kenyan athlete, Kelvin Kiptum, knocked more than half a minute off the men's marathon world record.
10/9/2023 • 27 minutes, 15 seconds
Israel to cut essential supplies to Gaza
The Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered a ‘complete siege’ of the Gaza Strip, saying no fuel, electricity or food will enter the enclave, which is home to two million Palestinians. At least 700 Israelis and 500 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the violence on Saturday.
10/9/2023 • 28 minutes, 48 seconds
Israel declares state of war with Hamas
More than 700 are reported dead and over 100 have been taken hostage. In the Gaza Strip, many civilians are among more than 400 Palestinians killed by Israeli air strikes. Also: Right wing populists look to have made gains in Germany's regional elections, and the museum in Wales that can't account for almost 2000 items.
10/8/2023 • 29 minutes, 41 seconds
Mideast Special: Israeli retaliation after Hamas assault
The army is still battling to regain control of the south. Residents are being moved out of towns near the Gaza Strip. In Gaza itself, officials say many civilians have been killed.
10/8/2023 • 25 minutes, 5 seconds
Israeli PM vows revenge following surprise attack by Palestinian militants
The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will take 'mighty vengeance' for the major attack launched by Hamas militants. Israel has been bombarding Gaza with air strikes. Several hundred people on each side of the conflict are reported to have been killed.
10/8/2023 • 24 minutes, 20 seconds
Mideast Special: Major attack on Israel from Gaza
Hamas militants fire rocket barrage and launch assault using motorbikes, paragliders and boats. Dozens killed on both sides and a number of Israelis reportedly captured. Israeli PM says it's war and Israel will win.
10/7/2023 • 28 minutes, 44 seconds
The Happy Pod: Biles is back with a bang
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the extraordinary comeback of US gymnast Simone Biles, an author who proves there is no age-limit on learning to read. And, solving the mystery of how cats purr.
10/7/2023 • 27 minutes, 15 seconds
UN to send investigators to Ukrainian village hit by a missile
A fifth of the inhabitants of the small village of Hroza in northeastern Ukraine were killed in the missile attack. Also: high US jobs growth fuels expectations of rate rise, and Jeff Bezos joins satellite internet race.
10/7/2023 • 34 minutes, 42 seconds
Jailed Iranian human rights activist awarded Nobel Peace Prize
The committee hailed Narges Mohammadi's fight for freedom and democracy. She is currently serving a decade-long sentence for offences including propaganda against the state. Also: UN says every family in Ukraine village of Hroza has been affected by Thursday's attack, and new evidence shows we arrived in the Americas far earlier than previously thought.
10/6/2023 • 30 minutes, 46 seconds
Russian airstrike kills at least 50 at a funeral in Ukraine
Villagers in Hroza were attending a wake for a local resident when a missile struck. Also: warmest September as global temperatures soar, and Prada to design Nasa's new space suit.
10/6/2023 • 32 minutes, 40 seconds
European leaders meet in Spain
Top of the agenda is uncertainty about US support for Ukraine. Also: more than 100 missing after flash flooding in India, and this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
10/5/2023 • 27 minutes, 52 seconds
EU states agree to tackle migration crises
The European Union deal came after a steep rise in arrivals of migrants on the Italian island of Lampedusa. Also: 2030 World Cup to be held across three continents, and bedbug panic sweeps Paris as infestations soar.
10/5/2023 • 33 minutes, 23 seconds
Pope warns world 'collapsing' due to climate change
Pope Francis also spoke about the role of women in the church and homosexuality. Also: Colombia apologies to the families of those murdered in 'death targets' and Frank Sinatra is back on stage.
10/4/2023 • 25 minutes, 59 seconds
US House Speaker ousted in historic vote
Dramatic turns of events as Kevin McCarthy lost a motion put forward by a member of his own Republican Party. Also: A bus has plunged off a bridge near Venice killing at least twenty one people, and why two athletes at the Asian Games fell foul of Chinese censorship rules over the Tiananmen Square massacre.
10/4/2023 • 32 minutes, 30 seconds
Thailand: 14 year old boy arrested after mass shooting in Bangkok shopping mall
Authorities initially said three people were killed at the Siam Paragon mall - but a later update said two people had died. Also: Indian authorities have raided the homes of several journalists linked to an independent news website that's been accused of receiving illegal funds, and China prepares for the upcoming 'widow year'.
10/3/2023 • 26 minutes, 44 seconds
Trump told 'nobody is above the law'
The former US president struck a defiant tone on the opening day of a fraud trial in New York that could endanger his business interests. Also: The UN approves an international protection force to try to end the sway of armed gangs in Haiti, and the World Health Organisation recommends a new vaccine against malaria.
10/3/2023 • 32 minutes, 40 seconds
EU 'worried' by US decision to halt Ukraine aid
EU policy chief Josep Borrell described the war in Ukraine as an "existential crisis''. Also: Hundreds seek compensation over abuse by J-pop agency's founder, and the Nobel Prize for Medicine is awarded to scientists who helped develop mRNA Covid jabs.
10/2/2023 • 24 minutes, 59 seconds
US Republicans face mutiny in Congress
Rep. Matt Gaetz vows to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy following a budget deal that split the Republican Party. Also: Hundreds of thousands of Poles have joined an opposition rally in Warsaw ahead of a crucial general election. And European golfers beat the Americans in a dramatic Ryder Cup.
10/2/2023 • 32 minutes, 31 seconds
Most ethnic Armenians have fled Nagorno-Karabakh
The Red Cross steps up humanitarian efforts as more than a-hundred- thousand refugees cross the border. Also: The US House of Representatives passes a temporary funding bill that could avert a government shutdown, and Wally, the friendly emotional support alligator who was turned away from a major baseball game along with his owner.
10/1/2023 • 32 minutes, 29 seconds
The Happy Pod: Uncovering the wonders of the universe
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, will asteroid dust give clues to the origins of the universe? Jubilation in East Africa as the 2027 Cup of Nations is awarded to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. And, celebrating words of hope and joy from around the world.
9/30/2023 • 27 minutes, 16 seconds
Man charged with murder of rapper Tupac Shakur in 1996
US police say a former gang leader, Duane "Keffe D" Davis, planned the shooting in Las Vegas after his nephew was involved in a fight with Tupac Shakur in a casino. Also: state of emergency in New York over flash floods, and Christopher Plummer's singing voice is included in re-release of "The Sound of Music" soundtrack.
9/30/2023 • 31 minutes, 11 seconds
Suicide bombers attack mosques in different parts of Pakistan
Explosion in Balochistan kills more than fifty people celebrating a religious holiday. Later, further north in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, there was a blast at a mosque inside a police compound. They're the worst attacks since July, when Islamic State militants in Pakistan killed more than forty people. Also: Sweden's prime minister uses a televised national address to say he's considering deploying military patrols on the streets to deal with heightened gun violence, and scientists in Spain say a pair of shoes discovered in a cave are six-thousand years old.
9/29/2023 • 29 minutes, 36 seconds
Gunman kills three in twin Rotterdam shootings
A 14-year-old girl and her mother are among the victims after attacks in two locations in the Dutch city. Also: US Republicans lay out case at Biden impeachment inquiry, and a boy is arrested after one of Britain's most loved trees is felled at Hadrian's Wall.
9/29/2023 • 32 minutes, 52 seconds
Nagorno Karabakh exodus: More than half the population has fled the war torn region into neighbouring Armenia
Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says, in the coming days, there will be no Armenians left in the enclave. Also: safer brain surgery using AI possible in two years and, remembering Harry Potter actor Sir Michael Gambon who has died aged 82.
9/28/2023 • 31 minutes, 23 seconds
Travis King in US custody after North Korea expulsion
The US soldier Travis King, who fled from South to North Korea in July, was transferred into US custody in China before being flown to a US military base. Also: Armenians rush to help Karabakh "brothers and sisters", and are scientists closer to solving the mystery of antimatter?
9/28/2023 • 30 minutes, 58 seconds
North Korea to deport US soldier Travis King
North Korean media said the private, who's black, had fled because of inhumane treatment and racism in the US military. Also: The exodus continues - it's reported almost half the Armenian population has now thought to have left Nagorno Karabakh, and what would you do if a bear crashed your quiet picnic?
9/27/2023 • 30 minutes, 30 seconds
US judge says Trump repeatedly inflated property values
A New York judge says the former US president Donald Trump exaggerated his net worth and asset values to get better loans. Also: Canada's Speaker resigns after inviting a man to parliament who had Nazi links, and Japanese scientists are developing a drug to grow new teeth.
9/27/2023 • 34 minutes, 53 seconds
Thousands flee Nagorno Karabakh, prompting international concern
The USAID chief has described the experiences of those fleeing Nagorno Karabakh as harrowing - while on a visit to the Armenian border where thousands are seeking refuge from the Azerbaijani takeover. Also: A Saudi delegation is paying a rare visit to Palestinian officials in the occupied West Bank as Riyadh continues normalisation talks with Israel, and an A-I app that helps blind people envisage the world around them.
9/26/2023 • 33 minutes, 11 seconds
'Chaos' as thousands flee Nagornoh-Karabakh
The International Red Cross steps up efforts to cope with the exodus of ethnic-Armenians. Also: Kyiv claims the Admiral in charge of Russia's Black Sea Fleet died following Ukraine's recent attacks in occupied Crimea, and could scientists have cracked one of mankind's embarrassing problems -- how do you get rid of smelly garlic breath?
9/25/2023 • 30 minutes, 3 seconds
Ethnic Armenians flee Nagorno Karabakh after military takeover
Armenians flee Nagorno Karabakh as fears grow of an ethnic bloodbath following Azerbaijan's military takeover. Also: a deal to end the Hollywood writers’ strike after almost 150 days, and Lego's plastic bottle recycling plan: why people won't be lining up for blocks.
9/25/2023 • 30 minutes, 42 seconds
3 dead in Kosovo monastery stand-off
Belgrade and Pristina blame each other for the violence in the mainly Serb-populated north of Kosovo. Also: Hundreds of ethnic Armenians flee Nagorno Karabakh following Azerbaijan's seizure of the territory, and a NASA space capsule returns to Earth with samples from an asteroid that could shed new light on how planets were formed.
9/24/2023 • 32 minutes, 26 seconds
Urgently needed aid sent to Nagorno-Karabakh
Food supplies arrive in the Armenian-majority enclave after Azerbaijan captured the disputed territory. Also: Ukraine says senior Russian commanders were injured in a missile strike on its Black Sea fleet HQ, and how French film survives despite not meeting its production costs.
9/23/2023 • 31 minutes, 19 seconds
The Happy Pod: Teamwork and pride - Saudi women's football
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the extraordinary growth of women's football in Saudi Arabia, ambitious plans to rewild southern rhinos in Africa, and the fierce competition to be crowned Montenegro's "laziest citizen".
9/23/2023 • 27 minutes, 17 seconds
Ukraine missile strikes Russia’s Black Sea fleet HQ
A Ukrainian missile damages the Sevastopol HQ of Russia's Black Sea naval fleet in occupied Crimea. Also: The Pope says it's humanity’s duty to rescue migrants crossing the Mediterranean, and the lock of hair on its way back to Ethiopia.
9/22/2023 • 30 minutes, 15 seconds
Nagorno-Karabakh: anti-government protests are held in Armenia after defeat
Demonstrators are demanding a humanitarian corridor to be opened for Karabakh Armenians. Also: The Indian parliament passes a bill that will reserve a third of seats in the lower house and state assemblies for women, and 7 years after blasting off - a rocket prepares to deliver what scientists hope will be the secrets of how life began on Earth.
9/22/2023 • 32 minutes, 3 seconds
Biden tells Zelensky US will pay for air defence upgrades in Ukraine
At talks in the White House, the US president told his Ukrainian counterpart that he has approved $325m worth of security assistance for Kyiv. Also: Rupert Murdoch's eldest son Lachlan to head Fox and News Corp, and what has been threatening the orange juice industry in some parts of the world?
9/22/2023 • 33 minutes, 18 seconds
Peace talks held over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute
The Azeri government meets ethnic Armenians to discuss integrating the region as part of a ceasefire agreement. Also: India suspends visas for Canadian citizens, and King Charles gets warm welcome in French Senate.
9/21/2023 • 25 minutes, 57 seconds
Azerbaijan hails surrender of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians
Ethnic Armenian separatists agree to disband and give up their weapons as part of a ceasefire. Also: Venezuelan security forces regain control of a prison run by a powerful criminal gang, and the discovery of ancient wooden logs suggests humans were building shelters almost half a million years ago.
9/21/2023 • 31 minutes, 58 seconds
Azerbaijan announces ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenian separatists will disarm and surrender to Azerbaijan following an agreement reached with the mediation of Russian peacekeepers in the contested territory. Also: Spain's women's football team agree to return to the pitch in exchange for reforms to the sport, and the opera performer who hit back at a mistaken critic.
9/20/2023 • 30 minutes, 34 seconds
Zelensky tells UN that Russian 'evil cannot be trusted'
The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky tells the UN General Assembly that the world must unite to end Russia's aggression. Also: Azerbaijan targets Nagorno-Karabakh and demands surrender, and a new AI tool speeds up search for disease genes.
9/20/2023 • 26 minutes, 55 seconds
Azerbaijan launches military action in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region
Azerbaijan described the intervention in the majority ethnic Armenian territory as an "anti-terrorist" operation. Also: Canada and India both expel diplomats in a row over the murder of a Canadian citizen and, is the social media platform X about to make all users pay for access?
9/19/2023 • 30 minutes, 50 seconds
Trudeau says India may be linked to Sikh leader's death in Canada
The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, says there are "credible allegations" that India was involved in Hardeep Singh Nijjar's death. Also: US citizens freed from Iran in $6bn prisoner swap, and the blue crab -- loved by the Koreans.
9/19/2023 • 34 minutes, 52 seconds
US and Iran swap prisoners
Five Americans have been freed in a deal that sees five Iranians released from US jails and $6 billion in frozen assets made available to Tehran. Also, a new lawsuit claims the Australian government failed to protect the Great Barrier Reef from climate change. And the grandfather of Russian rock music leads a star-studded charity album for Ukraine.
9/18/2023 • 31 minutes, 38 seconds
Von der Leyen: Lampedusa migrant crisis is a European challenge
The European Commission president promises a detailed plan on a visit to the Italian island, which has seen thousands of migrants arrive. Also: Rescue teams are still recovering bodies in the flood stricken Libyan city of Derna as the international aid effort gathers pace and, the Grammy-award winning producer who has made an album with prisoners in a notorious US jail.
9/17/2023 • 31 minutes, 32 seconds
Mounting anger over slow response to Libya floods
Furious survivors in the worst-affected city of Derna accuse the divided administration of failing them. Also: Sporadic anti-government demonstrations have been held in Iran - and across the world - to mark the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, which inspired a mass protest movement, and the British comedian, Russell Brand is accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse.
9/16/2023 • 30 minutes, 13 seconds
The Happy Pod: Superhero dog saves family from fire
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the superhero hero dog who saved a family from a fire finds a forever home, the international effort to rescue a man from a cave in Turkey. And the electronic bra that can spot signs of breast cancer.
9/16/2023 • 27 minutes, 16 seconds
Few signs of foreign aid in devastated Derna
International agencies still have to arrive in force to help the victims of the deadly floods in Libya. Also: The former head of the Spanish Football Federation is handed a restraining order over the controversial Women's World Cup kiss and, the acclaimed Colombian artist, Fernando Botero, has died at the age of ninety-one.
9/16/2023 • 32 minutes, 33 seconds
Special Edition - Artificial Intelligence - who cares?
What is AI? What can it do and what are its current limitations? A tool for good - or should we be worried? Will we lose our jobs? Are we ready to be cared for by machines? Our Tech Editor, Zoe Kleinman, and a panel of international experts explore AI's impact on healthcare, the environment, the law and the arts in a special edition recorded at Science Gallery London.
9/15/2023 • 51 minutes, 53 seconds
Breakdown in US Motor City
Autoworkers at Detroit's three big car firms launch a simultaneous strike over pay that could cost the economy billions. Also: Scientists discover how brain cells die in Alzheimer's patients, Spanish prosecutor seeks restraining order for disgraced former football president and Iran one year after the Mahsa Amini protests.
9/15/2023 • 27 minutes, 53 seconds
Hunter Biden indicted on gun charges
He's the first child of a sitting US president to be criminally prosecuted. Also: The Red Crescent in Derna says eleven thousand people are now thought to have died in the catastrophic flooding that swept through the Libyan port, and the bull sharks that adapted swimmingly to life on an Australian golf course.
9/14/2023 • 31 minutes, 25 seconds
UN sends aid after deadly Libya floods
Thousands are feared dead after the catastrophe in the city of Derna. Also: BBC learns a Russian fighter pilot attempted to shoot down a British surveillance aircraft and an Australian multi-millionaire rows back on his controversial comments after a backlash.
9/14/2023 • 30 minutes, 55 seconds
UN says Libya's rival governments coordinating efforts after catastrophic floods
Help is slowing starting to arrive in the Libyan city of Derna. Also: a dog catches a crawling Pennsylvania prison fugitive, and a former US Secret Service agent who witnessed JFK's assassination in 1963 breaks his silence with shooting theory.
9/14/2023 • 33 minutes, 15 seconds
More than 5,000 dead after floods in Libya
Thousands more people are still reported missing in what the United Nations has called a calamity of epic proportions. Also: President Putin meets with Kim Jong Un, and a new look at the life story of rock legend, David Bowie.
9/13/2023 • 27 minutes, 25 seconds
Rescuers try to get aid to eastern Libya after devastating floods
Two dams and four bridges collapsed near the Libyan city of Derna when Storm Daniel struck on Sunday. Also: US House of Representatives to open Biden impeachment inquiry, and stolen Van Gogh painting handed to art sleuth in Ikea bag.
9/13/2023 • 34 minutes, 38 seconds
North Korean leader to meet President Putin
Kim Jong Un travelled to Russia on an armoured train. It's not clear where the meeting will take place. Also: Deadly floods in Libya, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent launch an emergency appeal after the earthquake in Morocco.
9/12/2023 • 28 minutes, 6 seconds
Morocco urged to accept more aid following earthquake as death toll grows
Rescuers have been using their bare hands as desperate search efforts in Morocco continue for survivors of Friday's earthquake. Ukraine claims to have retaken Black Sea drilling rigs, and Dolly the Sheep creator Ian Wilmut dies aged 79.
9/12/2023 • 34 minutes, 55 seconds
Morocco earthquake death toll rises
The death toll continues to rise in the aftermath of Morocco's worst earthquake for more than half a century. Also: We hear from residents in war-torn Sudan, and the toxic culture of British ballet is exposed.
9/11/2023 • 30 minutes, 34 seconds
Spanish FA president Rubiales resigns over kiss
Luis Rubiales resigns for kissing Spain's team captain Jenni Hermoso after they won the Women's World Cup. Also: Morocco faces a race against time to save survivors in earthquake rubble, and the magical sounds of a primeval European forest.
9/11/2023 • 34 minutes, 30 seconds
Morocco quake kills more than 2000
Entire villages have been flattened, and families are trapped under the rubble. Also: G20 leaders have come under fire for issuing a watered-down and ambiguous statement on the war in Ukraine. Kyiv said the text was nothing to be proud of, and after days evading capture, Britain's most wanted man is back in custody.
9/9/2023 • 32 minutes, 24 seconds
The Happy Pod: The little boy making a big difference
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the blind schoolboy who helped rebuild his school in Yemen, a new app teaching people literacy skills in the Horn of Africa. And, how Tilos has become the world's first zero-waste island.
9/9/2023 • 27 minutes, 17 seconds
UN: World not tackling climate change 'fast enough'
In It's first 'global stocktake' the organisation warns that radical change is needed, quickly. Also: Newly released documents in the US show that a grand jury in the state of Georgia recommended many more indictments, including that of Senator Lindsey Graham, and, Ezra Collective, become the first jazz band to win the prestigious Mercury music award.
9/8/2023 • 32 minutes
Record rain causes floods in Hong Kong
The worst downpour in 140 years shut schools and offices, and left streets under water. Also: The UK's massive manhunt for the terror suspect who escaped prison strapped under a lorry, and what it's like to go on a night out in wartime Ukraine.
But the NATO chief acknowledged that at 100 metres a day, it was painfully slow. Also: Dozens are killed in an attack by Islamist militants in north-eastern Mali, and Freddie Mercury's piano sells for two million dollars at auction.
9/7/2023 • 32 minutes, 27 seconds
Japan boyband agency boss resigns amid sex scandal
The niece of, Johnny Kitagawa, the agency's founder has admitted for the first time that sexual abuse happened, as far back as the 1950s. Also: The ousted president of Gabon, Ali Bongo, has been released from house arrest. We find out where he is likely to be now, and despite years of civil war - in Yemen there's a story of hope and change, and we hear from the G20 chef in Delhi.
They've done it without using sperm, eggs or a womb. Also: The US promises another billion dollars' worth of assistance for Ukraine - including depleted uranium ammunition for battle tanks, and the Rolling Stones unveil their first new album in 18 years.
9/6/2023 • 28 minutes, 19 seconds
The head of the UN says 'climate breakdown has begun'
It comes as two studies show that this year is likely to be the hottest in human history with alarming consequences. Also: The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is on a surprise trip to Ukraine, and the plague of bedbugs that's taken hold in France.
9/6/2023 • 29 minutes, 37 seconds
Ex-Proud Boys leader jailed for 22 years over Capitol riot
Enrique Tarrio was found guilty of seditious conspiracy and obstructing official proceedings at a Washington court last May. Also: The Spanish women's football coach is sacked amid continuing scandal over controversial kiss, and conservationists to free 2,000 rhinos from a farm in South Africa.
9/6/2023 • 34 minutes, 17 seconds
Afghanistan: Millions face ‘catastrophic winter’ as food aid slashed
The cut in rations comes amid growing alarm over shrinking aid for Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Also: Two Swedish oil company executives go on trial accused of complicity in war crimes committed in Sudan, and why the old adage ‘opposites attract’ may be the opposite of good advice for daters.
9/5/2023 • 35 minutes, 13 seconds
US: Kim Jong Un to meet Putin for weapons talks in Russia
It's believed the North Korean leader will discuss supplying arms to Russia for use in Ukraine. Also: scientists say invasive species are responsible for the majority of plant and animal extinctions, and the search engine Google turns 25.
9/5/2023 • 32 minutes, 8 seconds
Africa aims to be leader in green energy
The Kenyan president has opened Africa's first climate summit, urging fellow leaders to focus on solutions rather than who's to blame for global warming. Also: Ukraine's Defence Minister confirms he is leaving his post, and we hear from dogs performing with an orchestra in Denmark.
9/4/2023 • 30 minutes, 6 seconds
Ukrainian generals claim they have punched through a key Russian line
The generals say Ukrainian troops have breached the first line of Russian defences in the south, near Zaporizhzhia. Also: many people killed after air strike on Sudanese capital, and Paul McCartney launches a global search for his missing Beatles' 1961 Höfner guitar.
9/4/2023 • 29 minutes, 34 seconds
Israeli police clash with Eritrean asylum seekers
Dozens of people are reported injured in Tel Aviv as demonstrations turned violent. Also: Ukraine's tycoon Ihor Kolomoisky detained in fraud case, and US singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett dies aged seventy-six.
9/3/2023 • 31 minutes, 13 seconds
The Happy Pod: The gift of sight
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the extraordinary difference a pioneering stem cell treatment has made to one of its patients, the man who saved a toddler as she fell from an apartment block in Italy. And, a chance to hear our politics correspondent, Rob Watson, like you've never heard him before.
9/2/2023 • 27 minutes, 5 seconds
Lengthy sentences for 2 more Proud Boys
The members of the Pro-Trump group were convicted over the US Capitol attack in January 2021. Also: Christie's cancels sales of jewellery from the widow of a German billionaire who made his fortune during the Nazi era, And Mohamed Al Fayed - the Egyptian businessman who owned Harrods in London has died.
9/1/2023 • 29 minutes, 6 seconds
Thailand's ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra has jail term slashed
74-year-old had appealed for a royal pardon from the Thai king. Also: Hong Kong is hit by a massive hurricane and why some bloggers in Russia are allowed to criticise the war in Ukraine.
9/1/2023 • 30 minutes, 44 seconds
Ramaphosa: South Africa building fire a 'great tragedy'
The President calls for urgent action to address inner city housing problems after dozens were killed. Also: Long sentences for two former leaders of the far-right Proud Boys for their role in the storming of the Capitol building in Washington in 2021, and the massive Watusi bull spotted in the passenger seat of a car on the move in Nebraska.
9/1/2023 • 32 minutes, 15 seconds
More than 70 dead in Johannesburg fire
A fire in a block of flats in the South African city of Johannesburg has killed more than 70 people. Officials said bodies had been found piled up at a locked gate that had prevented people fleeing. It's not known what caused the blaze. Also: the man the military has named as Gabon's interim leader says the ousted president Ali Bongo had no right to continue in office, and we find out how a team of online love scammers was brought down in Indonesia.
8/31/2023 • 29 minutes, 20 seconds
International condemnation of Gabon coup
The deposed president, Ali Bongo, appeals for support while under house arrest. Also: Hurricane Idalia batters the US state of Florida before heading to Georgia, and Switzerland proposes sweeping new laws to combat money laundering.
8/30/2023 • 30 minutes, 28 seconds
Gabon coup: Army annuls elections and seizes power
Military officers have placed President Ali Bongo under house arrest. Also: overnight drone and missile attacks on targets in both Russia and Ukraine, and Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Florida.
8/30/2023 • 26 minutes, 48 seconds
Wagner boss laid to rest in Russia
Yevgeny Prigozhin was buried during a private service in his home town of St Petersburg. Also: Evacuation orders are issued in parts of Florida as an extremely dangerous hurricane heads towards the US Gulf coast, and could music from Mozart help to reduce pain in babies?
But the former Prime Minister is unlikely to be released soon. Also: A new study by the Energy Policy Institute of Chicago says the impact of air pollution is now the greatest external threat to human health - and people in South Asia are among the worst affected, and how doctors in Australia extracted a live worm from a woman's brain.
8/29/2023 • 30 minutes, 45 seconds
Rubiales resignation demanded by Spanish football leaders
Spanish Football Federation regional leaders have called on their president Luis Rubiales to immediately resign after he kissed the player Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup final in Australia. Also: Trump faces trial a day before the vital Republican vote on Super Tuesday, and what was discovered in a time capsule when it was opened at the US Military Academy at West Point?
8/29/2023 • 33 minutes, 38 seconds
Shares plummet in Chinese real-estate company Evergrande
The big drop highlights China's current problems in the property sector. Also: The billionaire founder of the electronics giant Foxconn is announcing he'll run for the presidency of Taiwan, and France announces that it is banning schoolgirls from wearing abayas, the loose fitting full length robes usually worn by Muslims.
8/28/2023 • 31 minutes, 25 seconds
Moscow says Wagner boss Prigozhin confirmed dead in plane crash
Russian officials say Yevgeny Prigozhin has been confirmed dead after genetic analysis of bodies found in Wednesday's plane crash. Also: Zimbabwean opposition leader has accused Emmerson Mnangagwa of carrying out a coup after official results showed the president won the recent election, and an Austrian town protests against mass tourism.
8/28/2023 • 34 minutes, 25 seconds
Fifa suspends Spanish FA president over kiss at women's World Cup
Luis Rubiales refused to resign after kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain's victory in Australia. Also: thousands mark the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr's March on Washington, and a high-altitude heist shocks Switzerland.
8/27/2023 • 24 minutes, 59 seconds
The Happy Pod: Relief and joy: Pakistan cable car rescue
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, huge relief in Pakistan after the rescue of two adults and six schoolboys after a cable car line snapped, the volunteers in Switzerland protecting livestock from wolves and therefore wolves from people, and some of the very best things about this year's Women's football world cup.
8/26/2023 • 27 minutes, 21 seconds
Spain's women's team refuse to play until football boss is removed
Luis Rubiales has refused to resign after kissing Jenni Hermoso at the women's World Cup final in Australia. Also: Maui officials release list of those still missing after recent wildfires, and the Trump mugshot sends social media into a frenzy with memes and jokes.
8/26/2023 • 33 minutes, 44 seconds
Spanish football boss refuses to resign despite pressure
In a defiant speech, Luis Rubiales claimed an unsolicited kiss he gave a player after her world cup triumph, was consensual. Also: Donald Trump becomes the first former or serving US president to have his mugshot taken, and the latest manifestation of 'Swiftonomics' - what impact is Taylor Swift expected to have on the economies of the cities her one-hundred date world-tour is taking in?
8/25/2023 • 33 minutes, 4 seconds
Trump surrenders to Georgia authorities
The former president faces election 2020 fraud charges. He denies all thirteen charges, which include racketeering and making false statements. Also: President Putin breaks his silence over the presumed death of the Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin; and scientists observe a catastrophic die-off of emperor penguin chicks in Antarctica.
8/25/2023 • 30 minutes, 11 seconds
Ukraine not responsible for Prigozhin plane crash, says Kyiv
Speculation mounts after Wagner mercenary boss is presumed dead. Also: Japan begins pumping more than a million tonnes of treated radioactive water into the Pacific ocean and a sound on the island of Ireland that hasn't been heard for 200 years.
8/24/2023 • 27 minutes, 2 seconds
Wagner’s Yevgeny Prigozhin presumed dead in plane crash
Prigozhin was on the passenger list of a jet which crashed in Russia killing everyone on board. Also, Donald Trump's former lawyer is booked on conspiracy charges, graphic evidence from Andrew Tate’s court case in Romania and fans say The Rolling Stones have announced a new album in a surprising way.
8/23/2023 • 27 minutes, 14 seconds
India makes historic Moon landing
Scientists hope to deploy a rover on the lunar surface to send images and data back to Earth. Also: Zimbabweans vote in a crucial presidential election, and a rare baby giraffe is born with no spots.
8/23/2023 • 30 minutes, 45 seconds
Pakistan cable car: Relief as all passengers saved
All eight people who were stuck in a cable car dangling above a ravine have been rescued. The BRICS economic group - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa- consider adding new members to their bloc. Also: The latest from forest fires in Greece and Canada, and the rapper in Tunisia using her words to push for social change.
8/23/2023 • 33 minutes, 38 seconds
Cable car rescue underway in Pakistan
Rescuers are working to free eight people trapped in a cable car dangling above a ravine. Also: 18 bodies found in Greece after a forest fire, and Scotland looks to Portugal for inspiration on how to tackle drug abuse.
8/22/2023 • 29 minutes, 39 seconds
Biden arrives in Hawaii after deadly wildfires
Hundreds of people are still missing as the US President visits Maui. Also: Spain’s Women's World Cup champions arrive in Madrid, and a new Artificial Intelligence tool which measures the health of your heart.
8/21/2023 • 32 minutes, 8 seconds
Saudi Arabia accused of killing Ethiopian migrants at border
Human Rights Watch says hundreds of people have been gunned down by security forces. Also: the British serial killer nurse who murdered at least seven babies has been sentenced to life in prison, and we learn about a refurbished ship using wind power to carry cargo.
8/21/2023 • 32 minutes, 21 seconds
California prepares for Storm Hilary's arrival
The storm has made landfall on Mexico's Pacific coast and is heading for the south-western US. Also: why Russia's first moon mission in nearly fifty years has ended in failure, and how cats and dogs are helping war-ravaged Ukrainians.
8/21/2023 • 28 minutes, 39 seconds
Russian missile strike kills seven and injures 129, says Ukraine
Officials say seven people, including a 6-year-old child, died when a missile struck a theatre in the northern city of Chernihiv. Also: the man attempting to swim the length of America's Hudson River, and the Italian prime minister's unusual act of diplomacy, after four Italian tourists left a restaurant in Albania without paying.
8/20/2023 • 27 minutes, 32 seconds
The Happy Pod: The disabled TV director pushing for change
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, Jordan Hogg and his campaign to get more disabled people working in the film and TV industry, the Ukrainian soldier who became a ballet star after losing both legs in the war, and the surfers rescued after 36 hours adrift off Indonesia.
8/19/2023 • 27 minutes, 31 seconds
US, South Korea and Japan hold historic summit
The leaders of the three countries agreed to expand military and economic ties, and condemned China's actions in the South China Sea at a historic summit. Also: a nurse found guilty of murdering babies in her care has become Britain's most prolific child serial killer in modern times, and why Iceland's prime minister writes crime novels in her spare time.
8/19/2023 • 27 minutes, 12 seconds
Officials say thousands have starved to death in Tigray
The BBC has been told that fourteen hundred people have died of starvation in Ethiopia's Tigray region since international food aid was suspended. Also: Russia has accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on Moscow's business district, and Italian cheesemakers use technology to stop counterfeit cheese.
8/18/2023 • 33 minutes, 9 seconds
Trump: Police investigate threats against grand jury
Georgia officials say the names and addresses of jurors have been shared online, after they voted to indict former President Donald Trump. Also: Britain invites Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to visit, outraging human rights groups. And the musician Nile Rodgers accuses a far-right political party in Switzerland of stealing his hit song "We Are Family".
8/17/2023 • 28 minutes, 24 seconds
ECOWAS threatens to send troops to Niger
West African military chiefs warn Niger junta they will send in troops. Also, entire city in Canada warned to evacuate because of fires, and South Korean teachers put their foot down.
8/17/2023 • 31 minutes, 28 seconds
Trump could face Georgia trial next March
The Fulton County prosecutor recommends a trial date for the former president's latest charges. Also: More than 60 migrants are presumed dead after their vessel sank off the coast of Cape Verde in West Africa. And the story of an Irish bank with unlimited withdrawals.
8/16/2023 • 32 minutes, 12 seconds
Ukrainian ex-POWs allege torture at Russian prison
Former Ukrainian prisoners of war say they were subjected to torture at a Russian detention centre. Also: the Vietnamese electric car start-up VinFast is now worth almost twice as much as Ford or General Motors. And, in Women's Football World Cup semi-final, England have beaten Australia.
8/16/2023 • 31 minutes, 30 seconds
Afghanistan: Two years on from Taliban takeover
The government claims its restrictions on women's rights will not last forever. Also: More than a million people have fled Sudan, as aid agencies say the crisis is spiralling out of control. And, almost 50 years after its creation, why so many people still love the Rubik's Cube.
8/15/2023 • 31 minutes, 45 seconds
Trump indicted by Georgia grand jury
The former US president describes the charges as a 'witch hunt'. The indictment lists 13 counts against Mr Trump, who's accused of trying to overturn the last presidential election result. Also: Two years on from the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, women in the country tell us about their lives, and why the true story that inspired the Oscar-winning film, The Blind Side, has taken a much darker turn.
8/15/2023 • 29 minutes, 44 seconds
Russian rouble hits symbolic low
The central bank in Moscow prepares to hold a special meeting as the currency falls sharply against the US dollar. Also: The US, UN and West African leaders condemn threats by Niger's coup leaders to prosecute the ousted president. And 200 people follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin, setting sail on the same route he took around the world.
8/14/2023 • 29 minutes, 59 seconds
Niger: Ousted president to be prosecuted
The leaders of last month's coup say Mohamed Bazoum will be tried for high treason. Also, a colourful far-right candidate wins a primary election in Argentina, and fan letters written by Beatle George Harrison's mother go up for auction.
8/14/2023 • 32 minutes, 28 seconds
Hawaii wildfires 'deadliest in modern US history'
Appeals for federal help as hundreds still unaccounted for. Also: Russia FIRES warning shots at ship in the Black Sea for the first time since Moscow pulled out of a deal allowing safe passage through it, and a Belgian university launches a Taylor Swift inspired course.
8/13/2023 • 29 minutes, 8 seconds
Search for victims intensifies after Hawaii wildfires
Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for days after the fires broke out in Maui. Also: Niger president "in good spirits" despite detention, and the scientist in Switzerland who has decided to save the last bit of his favourite glacier in his own freezer!
8/13/2023 • 30 minutes, 41 seconds
The Happy Pod: Six months on, revisiting the baby born under the rubble
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, Afraa, the newborn rescued from the debris of Syria’s earthquake, is a symbol of hope, the mother and daughter who won the lottery to travel to space, and the dog who surfed to victory at the world championships.
8/12/2023 • 27 minutes, 19 seconds
US special counsel to investigate Biden's son Hunter
The prosecutor, David Weiss, who brought criminal charges against Hunter Biden will get additional powers. Also: Ukraine sacks army conscription officials for taking bribes, and California approves driverless taxi expansion in San Francisco.
8/12/2023 • 29 minutes, 54 seconds
China claims it's uncovered a CIA spy in its network
Authorities say ‘Zeng’ was influenced by trips to the opera with a CIA agent. Also: South Africa's former president, Jacob Zuma is released from prison after one hour, and the Pokemon World Championships begins in Japan for the first time.
8/11/2023 • 25 minutes, 52 seconds
Iran releases US dual nationals into house arrest
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the releases of the prisoners in Iran but said their transfer to house arrest was just a first step. Also: West African nations to assemble "standby force" over Niger, and Virgin Galactic takes its first tourists to the edge of space.
8/11/2023 • 32 minutes
Ukrainians close to a Russian front line are told to leave immediately
There's been an increase in Russian attacks in the Kharkiv region. Also: West African leaders say dialogue with the leaders of the coup in Niger will be the 'bedrock' of their approach to the crisis, and there’s a state of emergency in Ecuador as a presidential candidate is assassinated weeks before polls open.
8/10/2023 • 29 minutes, 15 seconds
Fatalities in Hawaii as wildfires engulf Maui
Six people have died and many more have been injured on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Also: an investigation is launched into the deaths of migrants in a boat off Lampedusa, and the Sugar Man musician Sixto Rodriguez dies aged 81.
8/10/2023 • 32 minutes, 55 seconds
At least 40 migrants feared dead after boat sinks near Italy
Reports say the vessel had set off from Tunisia. Also: China slips into deflation as consumer prices decline, and Poland increases troop numbers on its border with Belarus.
8/9/2023 • 28 minutes, 56 seconds
Breakthrough at 'landmark' Amazon summit in Brazil
Eight regional leaders agree to form an alliance to fight deforestation. Also: Hundreds of firefighters are battling to contain forest fires in Portugal, and the mystery surrounding a fatal mushroom lunch in Australia.
8/9/2023 • 31 minutes, 59 seconds
UN finds 'dramatic increase' in Myanmar war crimes
UN finds that war crimes in Myanmar have dramatically increased under the military junta. Also: South American leaders gather to try and stop the destruction of the Amazon rain forest, and why you need to be careful of who can hear you typing.
8/8/2023 • 31 minutes, 39 seconds
The Happy Pod : The Norwegian Nepali duo reaching new heights
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, smashing the record for climbing the world's fourteen highest peaks, the remarkable musician who plays the French horn with his toes, and an eight-year-old chess prodigy from Nigeria - sharing her passion for the game.
8/5/2023 • 27 minutes, 33 seconds
The Happy Pod: Farmers strike truce with bears
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the deal to get Colombian coffee growers and bears living in harmony, the power of sound in restoring Australian coral reefs, and how sending a fax can win you a fortune in Taiwan.
7/29/2023 • 27 minutes, 14 seconds
The Happy Pod: New hope for Alzheimer's treatment
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, a "breakthrough" drug that could slow down Alzheimer's, and the men remaking trees. Plus, solving a puzzle that stumped mathematicians for over 50 years.
7/22/2023 • 26 minutes, 58 seconds
The Happy Pod: The portable incubator saving lives in a war zone
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the portable incubator saving lives in Ukraine, a tale of heroics on the streets of Taiwan. And, how putty might help to preserve Australia's coral reefs.
7/15/2023 • 27 minutes
The Happy Pod: Everyone has a story to tell
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how sharing life stories is helping elderly patients connect with their carers. Also, the baby born onboard an express train in Kenya, and China’s “butterfly father” dedicating his life to protecting the beautiful insects.
7/8/2023 • 26 minutes, 42 seconds
The Happy Pod: Monkey rescue mission
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, 100,000 Sri Lankan monkeys saved from export to China. Also: an Australian man born in a taxi seeks the driver, and the 16-year-old fulfilling a dream by playing Glastonbury.
7/1/2023 • 26 minutes, 40 seconds
The Happy Pod: Magical voice from the past
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, an old cassette tape brings a mother's voice back to life, researchers find that napping is good for your brain. And: The mission to bring light to bombed houses in Ukraine. Presented by Jackie Leonard and music produced by Iona Hampson.
6/24/2023 • 26 minutes, 40 seconds
The Happy Pod: Saved from skin cancer
Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, thanks for the eagle eyed doctor in Australia who spotted a serious medical problem on a TV interview and issued a very timely warning. Praise in Colombia for the big sister who kept her little siblings alive in the jungle after their plane crashed. And the Mongolian women re-invigorating an old art-form for the twenty-first century.
Presented by Jackie Leonard. Music produced by Iona Hampson.
6/17/2023 • 26 minutes, 52 seconds
The Happy Pod: Rescue mission in Sudan
Around 300 children and babies rescued from an orphanage in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Also: We hear from one of the researchers helping a paralysed man to walk again, and why some people in Japan are relearning how to smile.
6/10/2023 • 26 minutes, 35 seconds
The Happy Pod: Back to class for Afghan girls
Our new weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, educating girls in Afghanistan, the Finnish octogenarian mastering Taekwondo, and dogs enjoying art in Greece.
Presented by Andrew Peach. Music produced by Iona Hampson.
4/8/2023 • 26 minutes, 28 seconds
The Happy Pod: Striking gold
Our new weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how an amateur digger in Australia hit the jackpot, the boy who spent three years camping out for charity, and could the secret to happiness lie in our sweat?
Presented by Andrew Peach. Music produced by Iona Hampson.
4/1/2023 • 26 minutes, 28 seconds
The Happy Pod: The smiling cow
Our new weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, an unusual cow brings joy to Australia, the happiest places in the world are revealed and how shrimps are saving lives.
Presented by Andrew Peach. Music produced by Iona Hampson.
3/25/2023 • 26 minutes, 28 seconds
The Happy Pod
Our new weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how a computer data centre could heat pools around the globe, Paris Opera appoints its first black star ballet dancer, and a robotic elephant helping to improve animal rights in India.
Presented by Andrew Peach. Music produced by Iona Hampson.
3/18/2023 • 26 minutes, 28 seconds
The Happy Pod
Our new weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, sharing the things about your home country that make you happy, NASA's new head of science on how her dad gave her a love of space, and how bees can not only solve puzzles, but teach each other how to do it.
Presented by Andrew Peach. Music produced by Iona Hampson.
3/11/2023 • 26 minutes, 28 seconds
The Happy Podcast
Our new weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world along with the sounds that bring joy to our listeners. This week, the naughty Finnish huskies who've found a new home, the Caribbean sailor who survived 24 days at sea on ketchup, and the crafty octogenarian who knits for Hollywood. Presented by Andrew Peach. Music produced by Iona Hampson.
3/4/2023 • 26 minutes, 28 seconds
Special episode: Indigenous peoples
We hear from our Indigenous and tribal listeners around the world, as we mark US Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We also meet an Amazon tribe defending their land from illegal loggers; a Maori singer who makes pop music in his traditional language; Native American chefs bringing cultural foods to the restaurant scene; and more.
10/10/2022 • 34 minutes, 32 seconds
Live special episode: Cost of living
The global price crisis. Our first ever “live audience show” – recorded in Malaysia. Listeners around the world and in the audience in Kuala Lumpur share their experiences and ask questions about spiralling costs and what can be done. Hear from our panel of BBC correspondents. What are the implications of the increases in food and fuel prices? How are governments and communities responding - and what does the future look like?
9/8/2022 • 33 minutes, 27 seconds
Special episode: Abortion rights around the world
In June, the US Supreme Court overruled Roe v Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion in America. In a special episode, we investigate the changing dynamic of abortion rights globally in countries like Colombia, China and Ireland. We'll also be examining the restrictions still faced by women in Africa and places like Malta and El Salvador.
Audio for this episode was updated on 4 July 2022, due to a factual error in an earlier version.
7/1/2022 • 31 minutes, 38 seconds
Young voices special
Is the nuclear threat real? What does Putin want? Who is winning the war in Ukraine? We took questions on the invasion from young people around the world and looked for answers from BBC correspondents.
Jackie Leonard speaks to Martin Forster, a senior child psychologist with the healthcare company, Kry, in Sweden. Listeners' questions are tackled by Vitaliy Shevchenko, Paul Adams, Theo Leggett, Lyse Doucet and Mark Lowen.
3/25/2022 • 35 minutes, 22 seconds
Special: Global News Ukrainecast part 2
A month since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we are collaborating with Ukrainecast again. We answer more of your questions.
Jackie Leonard, presenter of the Global News Podcast, alongside Gabriel Gatehouse and Vitaliy Shevchenko from Ukrainecast, guide us through questions about civilian life in the country, military tactics, and the international response to the invasion.
BBC chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, joins us from Kyiv to talk through what is happening on the ground there, and BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, tells us the latest on the physical and information war.
This episode was made by Chris Flynn. The studio director was Ash Taylor. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.
3/24/2022 • 32 minutes, 49 seconds
Russia-Ukraine: On the brink of war?
Our experts in Moscow, Kyiv and London answer your questions about the crisis.
1/28/2022 • 34 minutes, 2 seconds
Omicron versus the world: Your questions answered
As the Omicron variant spreads around the world and cases surge, BBC correspondents tell us how Covid-19 is impacting our lives, our businesses and our economies.
12/21/2021 • 33 minutes, 36 seconds
Afghanistan Special: Your Questions Answered
BBC correspondents answer your questions about the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. We ask how did the Taliban overthrow the Afghan government so quickly? What now for human rights, the economy and international relations?
Photo:People on board an evacuation flight out of Kabul airport, August 21, 2021 Credit:MoD/PA Wire
8/30/2021 • 35 minutes, 17 seconds
Global News Brexitcast
We team up with the award-winning Brexitcast team to bring you a special update on what Britain leaving the EU means for you. You’ve sent us questions from around the world and Jackie Leonard puts them to the experts from the podcast that’s all about Brexit. There’s also cake, phew.
Spread the word! #GlobalNewsPod #Brexitcast
Find the Brexitcast podcast here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/brexitcast