 | The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends. RSS: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02nq0gn/episodes/downloads.rss |
| President Biden says hostage-taking at synagogue was act of terror | |
| President Biden says the hostage-taking at a Texas synagogue was an act of terror; Also New Zealand sends a plane to Tonga to assess the damage caused by the volcanic eruption and tsunami. And the Australian Open tennis gets underway without Novak Djokovic. | Listen |
| Tsunami waves reach Hawaii and Japan | |
| An underwater volcano erupts near Tonga. Also: worshippers at a synagogue in Texas are taken hostage and Nino Cerruti, one of Italy's great fashion designers, has died at the age of 91. | Listen |
| US warns Russia preparing for war in Ukraine | |
| Moscow denies the claim which followed a cyber attack on Ukrainian government websites. Also: Malians rally after army calls for protests over ECOWAS sanctions, Google's UK boss on hybrid working and French dressing freed from strict US rules. | Listen |
| Australia cancels Novak Djokovic's visa again | |
| His lawyers are trying to prevent his deportation. Also: the Ukrainian government is hit by a major cyber-attack, and Britain's Prime Minister apologises to the Queen for two lockdown parties the night before Prince Philip's funeral. | Listen |
| Chinese spy 'infiltrated' UK parliament | |
| MI5 says Christine Lee engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. Also: Prince Andrew loses military titles and use of HRH, the murders of a family who fought to protect endangered turtles, and French bakers in pain over cut-price supermarket baguettes. | Listen |
| Germany convicts Syrian of crimes against humanity | |
| The trial of Anwar Raslan was the world's first criminal case over state-led torture in Syria. Also: terrified Afghan teachers still hiding from Taliban and Be My Baby singer Ronnie Spector dies aged seventy-eight. | Listen |
| Prince Andrew to face sex assault case | |
| Queen Elizabeth's son is to face a civil case in the US after decision by judge; Israel detains what it claims is an Iranian spy ring. And the couple on their first date who were trapped together for four days. | Listen |
| British PM apologises for attending lockdown drinks party | |
| The British prime minister Boris Johnson faces calls to resign after lockdown party apology. Also: Russia talks to Nato in Brussels, and planting the right trees for red squirrels. | Listen |
| Biden pushes for voting reforms | |
| President Joe Biden says changing the way elections are held is crucial to saving US democracy. Also, Liberia places an entire ministry under investigation following allegations of corruption, and Palestinian militants accuse Israel of using dolphins for military purposes. | Listen |
| Half of Europe to catch Omicron, says WHO | |
| The World Health Organization warns that more than half the population of Europe will be infected with the Omicron variant within the next two months. Also, Kazakhstan's president says a Russian-led force he invited to quell unrest will begin leaving on Thursday, and doctors in the United States have carried out a pioneering operation to give a man a genetically modified heart of a pig. | Listen |
| Is it game set and match to Novak Djokovic? | |
| The tennis world number one wins his fight to stay in Australia; Moscow and Washington discuss Russia's troop build-up near Ukraine....and.....are badgers better treasure hunters than their human counterparts ? | Listen |
| Djokovic wins Australia court battle | |
| Lawyers for the tennis star Novak Djokovic argued in court that his visa cancellation at Melbourne airport was unreasonable. Also: Russia-US talks on Ukraine may prove crucial, and a huge fossilised "sea dragon" is found in UK reservoir. | Listen |
| Twice postponed showcase of African football underway in Cameroon | |
| The 2021 African football Cup of Nations kicks off with host victory; A fire at an apartment building in New York has killed at least nineteen people....and in Saudi Arabia...women get a bespoke showcase for their ships of the desert. | Listen |
| Controversy for tennis star Djokovic | |
| Photographs show the tennis player at events when his lawyers say he tested positive for Covid. It is unclear whether he knew he had Covid when the photos were taken. His lawyers argue he had been given an exemption for the Australian Open because of the confirmed case. We hear from a former Australian minister who says that that exemption doesn't exist. Also: an airstrike on a refugee camp in northern Ethiopia kills dozens, and how Turkmenistan hopes to close the "Gates of Hell". | Listen |
| Hollywood trailblazer, Sidney Poitier, dies aged 94 | |
| The US-Bahamian star was the first black man to win a best actor Oscar. Also: the white killers of a black jogger in the US State of Georgia are sentenced to life in prison; and scientists pull animal DNA out of thin air. | Listen |
| Kazakh president orders troops to fire without warning | |
| The crackdown comes after he said '20,000 bandits' had attacked the country's biggest city. Opposition activists have dismissed the allegation. Also: a warning that the world could see a threefold increase in dementia by 2050, and the excitement reaches fever pitch in Cameroon as it prepares to host its first Africa Cup of Nations for half a century. | Listen |
| President Biden condemns rioters who stormed Capitol building | |
| On the anniversary of the attack Joe Biden said it was an armed insurrection. Also: violent clashes have been continuing in Kazakhstan's main city, Almaty, and Serbia's president says he will fight for "justice and truth" for Novak Djokovic. | Listen |
| Biden attacks Trump?s ?web of lies? | |
| A year on, Joe Biden blames his predecessor for last January?s attack on the Capitol. Also, Novak Djokovic sits it out in detention as the row rumbles on over the world?s number one male tennis player; and Leonardo DiCaprio has a tree named after him ? we hear why. | Listen |
| Kazakhstan calls for Russian help amid unrest | |
| A Russian-led military alliance will send a peacekeeping force to Kazakhstan, as nationwide protests escalate. Also: Australia cancels visa of tennis star Novak Djokovic, and British army officer Preet Chandi completes solo South Pole trek. | Listen |
| Kazakhstan protests over rising fuel prices | |
| Unprecedented anti-government demonstrations are spreading across Kazakhstan - sparked by rising fuel prices. Also, Hong Kong brings in strict new rules to combat Covid - in line with the rest of China. And there's anger in Australia over Novak Djokovic's medical exemption from a Covid jab, allowing him to compete in this month's Australian Open. | Listen |
| US reports 1m Covid cases in a single day | |
| US officials warn the peak of a fast-spreading Omicron surge is still to come. Also: Poland to build fence on its border with Belarus, and Thailand's Maya Bay beach reopens to tourists | Listen |
| China forces a city of more than a million people into lockdown | |
| The move comes after just 3 people test positive for the coronavirus. Also:The former Silicon Valley star, Elizabeth Holmes is convicted of fraud against those who invested in her start up Theranos, and a James Bond car has been found 25 years after it was stolen, | Listen |
| WHO warns that Omicron will not be the last coronavirus variant | |
| The World Health Organization says it is vital that vaccines are distributed more fairly around the world. Also: Haiti PM survived assassination attempt, and David Bowie's estate sells the publishing rights to his entire body of work. | Listen |
| India: Millions of teenagers in Covid vaccination push | |
| Teenagers in India begin receiving Covid vaccines as the country tries to contain its sharpest ever surge in infections; Turkey inflation surges 36 per cent amid financial turmoil, and 'Emily in Paris' Ukraine complains over Kyiv character stereotype. | Listen |
| Sudan Prime Minister resigns after mass protests | |
| Abdalla Hamdok quits just weeks after he was reinstated; fire rips through the South African parliament. And: the dark side of Avocados. | Listen |
| South Africa bids farewell to Desmond Tutu | |
| President Cyril Ramaphosa described the late Archbishop as the country?s spiritual father. The veteran anti-apartheid campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize winner died a week ago. He was 90. Also: a Nigerian state closes all camps for displaced people ? despite the ongoing threat of Jihadist violence. And a Chinese man who was abducted as a child more than thirty years ago has been reunited with his biological mother after drawing a map of his childhood village. | Listen |
| The funeral of Archbishop Desmond Tutu | |
| South Africa has held a state funeral for the anti-apartheid hero, Desmond Tutu. The president, Cyril Ramaphosa, delivered the eulogy, describing him as a crusader in the struggle for freedom, justice, equality and peace. | Listen |
| WHO sees light at end of covid tunnel | |
| The World Health Organisation has said coronavirus may be beaten in 2022; thousands flee Colorado fires. We go around the world to celebrate New Year. | Listen |
| The head of the WHO says the coronavirus pandemic can be brought to an end in 2022 | |
| Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the world has to work together to achieve that goal. Also: Tens of thousands of people in the US state of Colorado flee an unusual winter wildfire, and why hands are linked when we sing Auld Lang Syne to welcome the New Year. | Listen |
| South Africa lifts coronavirus movement restrictions | |
| It says all indicators suggest it has passed the peak of the latest wave of infection. Also: Bangladesh opens a beach just for women and children - and then scraps the idea after a social media outcry, and why you need to keep telescope mirrors really cold in space. | Listen |
| Ex- Afghan president explains fleeing the Taliban | |
| Ashraf Ghani says he had to abandon his position in Kabul and did it to prevent the destruction of the city. Also: Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Sudan to demand that the military relinquish power and how Elton John?s famous performance at Princess Diana?s funeral almost didn?t happen. | Listen |
| Ghislaine Maxwell Found Guilty | |
| The British socialite, Ghislaine Maxwell is found guilty of helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse young girls; World Health Organisation warns of coronavirus tsunami; and one of the wonders of the modern world - the Venice lagoon flood barrier. | Listen |
| Another independent Hong Kong media outlet closes | |
| Stand News shuts down and dismisses all its staff after police raid. Also: The United States records its highest ever level of daily coronavirus infections as it struggles to contain the Omicron variant, a 50 percent passenger limit imposed on public transport in Delhi in an effort to reduce Covid transmission and could Spiderman come to the film industry's rescue? | Listen |
| Afghan women protest against the Taliban | |
| Dozens of women have marched through Kabul, accusing the Taliban of extrajudicial killings. Also: the US has called for a ban on arms sales to the military in Myanmar, and what's inside a time capsule that was hidden inside a statue 130 years ago? | Listen |
| Russian court orders closure of civil rights group | |
| Prosecutors accused Memorial of being a threat to the public. Also: China says the US put astronauts in danger after its space station avoided colliding with SpaceX satellites, and the authorities in Hong Kong table another charge against the media tycoon Jimmy Lai. | Listen |
| Somali PM defiant after president suspends him | |
| The Somali PM, Mohamed Hussein Roble, says the president's move over land theft allegations is an attempted coup. Also: India blocks foreign funding to Mother Teresa charity, and Amber Heard names new dog after Australian minister. | Listen |
| New York City imposes extra coronavirus vaccine mandates | |
| Everyone over 12 years old will have to show proof of full vaccination to access indoor activities. Also: the Polish President vetoes a media bill which critics say is designed to silence government opponents; and we look back at the lives of the conservationist E.O. Wilson, and the Roe v Wade lawyer, Sarah Weddington, who have died. | Listen |
| Biden joins tributes to Desmond Tutu | |
| The churchman, who helped end apartheid in South Africa, has died aged 90. Also: Israel approves a controversial plan to boost the number of Jewish settlers in Golan Heights, and a surge in Covid cases causes misery for airline passengers worldwide. | Listen |
| Happy News Podcast 2021 | |
| As the year draws to a close, we bring you some of the most uplifting stories of the year, including the malaria jab, a bionic teacher, how algae helped one man see again, and the Turkish man who joined his own search party. | Listen |
| Gambian commission abuse revelations | |
| Former president Yahya Jammeh implicated in killings, torture and rape during his 22-year rule. Also: Three Iranians granted Saudi diplomatic visas, Russia fines Google over illegal content breach and the enduring appeal of Harry Potter. | Listen |
| Dozens killed in Bangladesh ferry fire | |
| The crowded ferry caught fire as it sailed from Dhaka to the town of Barguna. Also: millions face travel disruption as Omicron restrictions cancel thousands of flights worldwide, and Christmas Eve in Bethlehem without tourists. | Listen |
| Guilty verdict in Kim Potter manslaughter trial | |
| White former Minnesota police officer convicted over shooting of unarmed black motorist Daunte Wright. Also: British researchers say people infected with omicron are up to 70% less likely to need hospital care but protection wanes 10 weeks after a vaccine booster and tributes are paid to one of the most distinctive voices in American literature, Joan Didion, who's died in New York at the age of 87. | Listen |
| Omicron variant 'may be milder' | |
| New studies suggest highly-contagious Omicron is weaker than Delta. Also: President Putin holds his annual marathon news conference, and the US tech giant, Intel, apologises to China after banning products and labour from Xinjiang. | Listen |
| WHO issues global warning over Omicron | |
| WHO says no country can boost its way out of the coronavirus pandemic; The Communist authorities in Hong Kong remove a statue commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre....and the space telescope that hopes to unlock secrets of the early universe. | Listen |
| China locks down city of Xi'an over coronavirus outbreak | |
| Thirteen million residents are ordered to stay home. It comes just weeks before the start of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Also: Israel plans a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and how baby seals communicate to their mothers in a crowd. | Listen |
| US government buys millions of test kits ahead of Omicron surge | |
| The US to offer 500 million free tests to help tackle covid; Kosovo could soon house hundreds of prisoners from Denmark..and why a goat may not be the best Christmas gift. | Listen |
| The aftermath of Typhoon Rai reveals more devastation in the Philippines | |
| The BBC's Howard Johnson is on Siargao Island, which is almost cut off to aid. The Red Cross says the area is without power, and there is very little water. Also: As Omicron becomes the most dominant variant in the US, we learn more about how the virus mutates from research in South Africa, and the we find out about a mega millipede that lived more than three hundred million years ago. | Listen |
| 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. | Listen |
| TPLF rebels withdraw to Ethiopia's Tigray region | |
| The rebels have expressed hope that the move can lead to a ceasefire in Ethiopia. Also: Switzerland introduces new Covid restrictions as the Omicron variant spreads through Europe, and a Christmas carol service in virtual reality. | Listen |
| Ethiopia: Tigray rebels announce retreat | |
| TPLF rebels fighting the central Ethiopian government say their withdrawal from neighbouring regions of Amhara and Afar to the Tigray region, after suffering a series of defeats, will be a decisive opening for peace. Also; the BBC uncovers evidence of mass killings by the military in Myanmar, and indignation at plans for the world's first octopus farm. | Listen |
| Record low turnout in Hong Kong vote | |
| Only 30.2% of voters took part - the lowest turnout in Hong Kong's election history. Also: massive anti-coup protests sweep Sudan, and Spotty becomes Scotty as the Beano comic reflects modern-day thinking. | Listen |
| Dutch to enter tight lockdown over Omicron wave | |
| Non-essential shops, schools, bars, restaurants and other public venues will be closed until at least mid-January. Also: UK Brexit minister resigns, and the pros and cons of musicians selling off their music catalogues. | Listen |
| Encouraging news from South Africa about the strength of the Omicron variant | |
| Omicron variant appears milder, but it's still unclear whether that will be mirrored elsewhere. Also: UN Human Rights Council orders independent investigation into atrocities in the conflict in Ethiopia, and a blazing row over a straw goat in Sweden. | Listen |
| Russia lists demands for defusing Ukraine tensions | |
| Moscow says Nato should abandon hopes of Ukraine joining and Nato states should get rid of weapons. Also: biggest by-election swings against a UK government since 1981, and a man plays a piano surrounded by destruction from Kentucky tornado. | Listen |
| Coronavirus cases at all-time high in UK | |
| WHO says Omicron is spreading faster than any other variant. Also: the defence case for Ghislaine Maxwell gets underway in New York, and how one woman gained a home by bartering on social media. | Listen |
| EU concern over Russian troops on Ukraine border | |
| EU leaders say they will do everything to ensure Europe's borders. Also: birdsong ruffles feathers in Australia, and Usain Bolt's desire to be world champion of a completely different kind | Listen |
| Germany expels Russian diplomats after hitman sentenced | |
| German court rules that Moscow ordered the murder of a former Chechen rebel in Berlin two years ago. Also: as Omicron spreads, a hospital doctor pleads for people to be vaccinated; and a spacecraft makes history by flying through the outer atmosphere of the Sun. | Listen |
| German Chancellor promises historic transformation to tackle climate change | |
| The German Chancellor says there must be an historic transformation to fight climate change; Also South Africa's former president, Jacob Zuma, is ordered back to jail. And why virtual sneakers could cost you $5,000. | Listen |
| WHO: Omicron is spreading at an unprecedented rate | |
| The WHO chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the new strain has been detected in 77 nations and urges countries to act swiftly to curb its spread or health services face being overwhelmed. Also: The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, suffers his largest rebellion over England?s Covid restrictions, and the smooth grove of Congolese Rumba gets cultural recognition. | Listen |
| The UN says Afghanistan faces a profound humanitarian crisis | |
| It blames foreign sanctions forcing Afghans into poverty and hunger. Also: Belarusian opposition leader is jailed for 18 years, and the warmest day ever in the Arctic. | Listen |
| US abuse survivors agree $380m settlement | |
| Hundreds of women were abused by former US national gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. Also: the governor of the US state of Kentucky reflects on the 'unspeakable trauma' following deadly tornadoes at the weekend, and the Chinese criminal who overcame the hurdle of facial recognition. | Listen |
| Hong Kong authorities jail eight pro-democracy campaigners | |
| The activists, including the former media tycoon Jimmy Lai, had commemorated the Tiananmen Square killings. Also: South Africa's president contracts Covid-19, and the spooky residence of the Japanese prime minister. | Listen |
| Desperate search for survivors in tornado-hit US | |
| Dozens of people are dead, many more are missing and entire US towns have been destroyed. Also: short wave radio is one hundred years old, and the Mexican singer Vicente Fernandez dies ages 81. | Listen |
| Biden reaches out to tornado-hit US states | |
| The US president promises the government will do all it can to help those states affected. Also: UK warns Russia of consequences if Ukraine is invaded, and is there a link between dementia in men and amateur boxing in their youth? | Listen |
| US price rises hit highest level for 40 years | |
| Prices rose 6.8% in the year to November with the cost of fuel, used cars and food rising fastest. Also: UK scientists say three vaccine doses key for tackling Omicron, and the Monkees star Michael Nesmith dies aged 78. | Listen |
| Court rules Assange must be sent to US | |
| The Wikileaks founder's supporters say they'll appeal the ruling. There are criminal charges against Julian Assange for the leaking of official documents. Also, in Myanmar people protest military rule by staying at home, as the US condemns a reported massacre by Burmese troops. And the winners of this year's Nobel Peace Prize have received their awards at a ceremony in Oslo. | Listen |
| Talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal resume in Vienna | |
| The US says Washington is now ready for direct negotiations with Teheran on its nuclear programme. Also: the French president Emmanuel Macron wants the EU to focus on defence and border protection during its six-month presidency of the bloc, and what is the hi-tech device that will stop squashed eyeball disorder in space? | Listen |
| UN halts aid in northern Ethiopia after lootings by Tigrayan rebels | |
| The World Food Programme has stopped food distribution. Also, an unofficial tribunal looking into China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang say it amounts to genocide. And the World Health Organisation says it?s worried that rich countries reacting to Omicron will hoard coronavirus vaccines. | Listen |
| Speed up Covid vaccinations, WHO says | |
| The head of the World Health Organization says governments must act now to contain the Omicron variant. Also, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces new Covid restrictions, while facing backlash over reports of a Christmas party in his office last year. And the United Nations releases a disturbing new report on women's rights in Afghanistan. | Listen |
| Indian armed forces chief dies in helicopter crash | |
| The Indian Air Force confirms that armed forces chief General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others have been killed in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu; Also Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologises for a video showing staff joking about a Christmas party during the Coronavirus lockdown. And a change at the top in Germany after 16 years. | Listen |
| Biden Putin talks over Ukraine | |
| The US and Russian leaders spoke by video link, but make little headway as Ukraine tensions rise. Also: French police have arrested a Saudi suspected of involvement in the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi; and an ancient clay tablet, looted thirty years ago, is returned to Iraq. | Listen |
| Whistleblower describes 'chaos' of UK Afghan exit | |
| The government official says Britain only helped 5% of those asking for assistance. Also: China says the US will pay for its diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics, and more than 900 people are told they're fired in a group video call in the United States. | Listen |
| Ethiopia condemned for detaining ethnic minorities | |
| The international community has condemned the Ethiopian government over reports it is rounding up people based on their ethnicity during the conflict with the Tigray region. Also: the United Nations says Myanmar's trial and conviction of the deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was a sham; and the US announces a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, though its athletes will still compete. | Listen |
| Myanmar's deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi is given a prison sentence | |
| The UN leads condemnation of the country's military rulers after she was convicted of inciting unrest and violating coronavirus restrictions during last year's election campaign. Also: a scientist who helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine has warned the next pandemic could be worse than COVID-19 and we hear about drill, which was the big winner at Britain's MOBO awards celebrating black music. | Listen |
| Myanmar military lorry driven at protesters in deadly clash | |
| Several people are dead after the military drove through demonstrators, then opened fire on them. Also: the longtime US senator and Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole has died; and Pope Francis urges political leaders to show compassion for migrants. | Listen |
| The French president meets the Saudi crown prince, amid much criticism | |
| Emmanuel Macron is the first major Western leader to meet the Saudi crown prince since the murder of the journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. Also: a big shake-up of the vital state mining company in the DRC amid allegations of corruption, and 'Moulin Rouge', the musical, makes its stage debut in London. | Listen |
| Police hunt parents charged in US school shooting | |
| The authorities say the Michigan couple's son killed four students with his father's handgun. Also: Ethiopia closes schools to boost war effort, and the actor Sir Antony Sher dies of cancer aged 72. | Listen |
| Taliban decree says Afghan women are 'not property, but free human beings' | |
| The decree on women's rights makes no mention of education or work. Also, the actor, Alec Baldwin, says he does not feel guilty over the fatal shooting on his latest film, and Steven Spielberg on directing West Side Story. | Listen |
| US to restart 'Remain in Mexico' policy | |
| More than 60,000 asylum seekers were originally sent back to Mexico under the controversial programme. Also: Germany bars the unvaccinated from much of public life, and older drivers in Britain could avoid fines for careless driving under new proposals. | Listen |
| Scientists find trigger for rare AstraZeneca clots | |
| Findings should help company make any necessary changes; Meghan Markle wins a major legal battle with a UK newspaper. How high school basketball players tried to message a friend, but ended up talking to Tom Brady. | Listen |
| WTA suspends China tournaments over Peng Shuai | |
| The WTA announces the immediate suspension amid concern for the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. Also: the actor Alec Baldwin says he didn't fire gun on film set, and rare access to the USS Carl Vinson off the coast of Japan. | Listen |
| Countries around the world step up Covid prevention measures | |
| More travel bans and vaccine booster programmes as the Omicron variant is closely tracked. Also, the EU unveils a global infrastructure investment plan to rival China's Belt and Road initiative. And the sea goddess sculpture that is helping efforts to sustain coral reefs in the Caribbean. | Listen |
| Ex-Trump aide Mark Meadows to cooperate with January 6 investigations | |
| The US congressional committee investigating the deadly assault on the Capitol building says Mark Meadows has agreed to appear before it 'soon'. Also: IS man guilty of genocide in Yazidi murder trial, and Arctic could see more rain than snow in thirty years. | Listen |
| Barbados becomes world's newest republic | |
| The Caribbean island removes Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Also: France's far right polemicist, Eric Zemmour announces his bid for the presidency, and Greece imposes fines for the over 60's if they don't get vaccinated against Covid-19. | Listen |
| Ghislaine Maxwell goes on trial for sex trafficking | |
| The former British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell goes on trial in New York, accused of trafficking underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein; Also President Biden says the Omicron covid variant is a cause for concern, not panic. And Barbados becomes the world's youngest Republic. | Listen |
| WHO: Omicron poses very high global risk | |
| The World Health Organisation calls for solidarity and a global push to get jabs to poorer countries. Japan closes its borders to foreigners, and we find out what we know about the new variant. Also, Jeffrey Epstein's former lover Ghislaine Maxwell goes on trial accused of sex trafficking, and after 40 days on the run, Chinese police recapture an escaped prisoner. But it was not just jail he was trying to avoid. | Listen |
| Omicron reaches Australia and Canada | |
| In Europe, the Netherlands has the highest number of cases. Also: a special report from Colombia where mass killings are continuing five years after a peace deal with left-wing rebels, and the Indian stand-up comic who says he may have to give up his routine because of Hindu fundamentalists. | Listen |
| New Covid variant spreads across Europe | |
| Omicron strain detected in Belgium, Britain, Germany and Italy. Also: the story of one victim of last week's migrant boat tragedy in the English Channel and remembering American composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim, who's died at the age of 91. | Listen |
| WHO labels new coronavirus strain | |
| Omicron designated fifth variant "of concern" and could be more resistant to vaccines. Also: Ukraine claims Russian-backed coup imminent, climate change misinformation and Queen's Gambit online chess boom. | Listen |
| New coronavirus variant emerges in South Africa | |
| Several countries impose travel restrictions on the region. Also: the French President accuses the British Prime Minister of not taking the migrant crisis seriously; and the music producer Nile Rogers is to auction many of his guitars for his charitable foundation. | Listen |
| UN says migrant deaths were avoidable | |
| The UN Refugee Agency warns that closing off legal routes to people seeking asylum will lead to more dangerous attempts to reach safe countries. Also: a general from the UAE - accused of torture - is the new head of the international police agency, Interpol. And the singer the music industry tried to turn into Africa's Grace Jones. | Listen |
| Poland-Belarus border migrant crisis | |
| Poland says 200 migrants tried to cross with the help of Belarus guards. Also: the French president says European countries need to work together to deal with the migration issue, and a documentary that might throw new light on the break-up of The Beatles. | Listen |
| Dozens drown in migrant boat sinking | |
| Tragedy happened in the waters between France and Britain; three US men guilty of murdering a black jogger. We take you into the surreal world of the non fungible token. | Listen |
| US declares three IS leaders in Afghanistan 'global terrorists' | |
| The action - which follows a series of major attacks by Islamic State - makes it illegal to have any business transactions with the men, who include the group's leader, Sultan Azam. Also: Nasa launches a mission to nudge an asteroid off course, and Magdalena Andersson has become Sweden's first female Prime Minister. | Listen |
| US and others coordinate mass release from strategic oil reserves | |
| The move is part of a major effort to moderate fuel prices. Also: Bulgaria launches an investigation into the deadly bus crash in which dozens were killed, and Mexican lottery win attracts violent gangsters. | Listen |
| Dozens killed in bus crash on Bulgarian motorway | |
| Many people died when a bus returning to North Macedonia caught fire. Also: Turkish lira collapses after President Erdogan defends sharp rate cuts, and please switch off your device before entering the Mobile Phone museum. | Listen |
| Concern spreads across Europe over Covid-19 | |
| Latest phase sees some countries report highest ever rates. Also: ICRC operations director makes impassioned plea for international support for Afghanistan, and why there will no longer be best male and best female artist categories for the Brit Awards. | Listen |
| At least 5 dead as car ploughs into US Christmas parade | |
| Police in Wisconsin question the man who drove through crowds of people. Also, Austria announces its fourth Covid lockdown. And Kenya gives its citizens one month to get vaccinated, or be barred from in-person government services. | Listen |
| Chinese tennis star tells IOC she's safe | |
| The Chinese tennis star, Peng Shuai, who disappeared after alleging a sexual assault, tells the International Olympic Committee she's safe; Also Sudan's opposition dismiss a deal reappointing the ousted prime minister. And Female journalists and presenters in Afghanistan are ordered to wear headscarves on television | Listen |
| Tens of thousands of Austrians protest against anti-Covid measures | |
| The Austrian Chancellor defends his plans to make vaccination mandatory. Also: Afghanistan's Taliban government says it can start paying government workers; and Sesame Street has its first Asian-American character. | Listen |
| Kyle Rittenhouse cleared over Kenosha killings | |
| The US teenager who shot dead two men during racial unrest has been found not guilty of homicide after claiming self-defence. We hear reaction from a council member from Kenosha city. Also; President Lukashenko of Belarus admits his security forces have beaten up protestors in prison, and Wikipedia?s language barrier to getting the truth about global warming. | Listen |
| Austria orders full lockdown as Covid surges | |
| Days after imposing a lockdown on the unvaccinated, Vienna announces a full nationwide Covid-19 lockdown starting on Monday. Also, farmers in India welcome a dramatic U-turn by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who is scrapping hugely controversial agricultural reform laws. And the United Nations joins calls for China to prove that its missing tennis star, Peng Shuai, is safe. | Listen |
| Poland says Belarus has cleared a migrant camp on its border | |
| More than a thousand people trying to reach Poland from Belarus have been moved to a warehouse. Also: Muslim cleric shot dead after Uganda bombings, and the Chinese food vlogger barred from a restaurant for eating too much. | Listen |
| Germany approves new coronavirus measures | |
| MPs in Germany approve urgent measures to control Covid-19 following another big leap in the number of new infections; Also, 24 aid workers go on trial in Greece. And doubt is cast over an email said to be from the missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. | Listen |
| Two men convicted of killing Malcolm X to be exonerated | |
| A Manhattan district attorney says Muhammed Aziz and Khalil Islam did not get the justice they deserved. Also: deaths at Sudan pro-democracy protests, and the DogPhone that lets pets ring their owners at work. | Listen |
| Delhi shuts schools and colleges as air pollution worsens | |
| It's the latest measure to try to clear the toxic smog in the Indian capital. Also: new protests begin in Sudan against last month?s coup, and the growing appeal of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo as one of her paintings fetches a record price. | Listen |
| Armenia and Azerbaijan agree ceasefire after border clashes | |
| The Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, brokered the ceasefire during separate talks with his counterparts from the two countries. Also: wife of Mexico's most wanted cartel boss arrested, and there's been a steep decline in the number of birds in Europe. | Listen |
| Uganda: Two blasts kill several people in Kampala | |
| The authorities blame an Islamist group for the attacks. Also: Polish border guards fire water cannon and tear gas at stone-throwing migrants trying to cross from Belarus, and the French mayor who proclaimed a new principality in his village. | Listen |
| EU widens Belarus sanctions | |
| The crisis intensifies as hundreds more migrants, allegedly being pushed towards the EU by Belarus, arrive at the border with Poland. Also: former Trump aide Steve Bannon claims criminal charges are "all noise" after surrendering to FBI, and the use of facial recognition in goat farming in China. | Listen |
| Poland-Belarus border crisis | |
| Polish police have confronted a large crowd of migrants on the border with Belarus, as EU ministers in Brussels discuss further sanctions against Minsk. Also, an American journalist sentenced to 11 years in prison in Myanmar has been released and is on his way home. And officials in Delhi, say they are ready to impose a complete city-wide lockdown in the Indian capital to curb air pollution. | Listen |
| US condemns Belarus over migrant crisis | |
| The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken says Belarus has put security under threat at the border with Poland. Also, Austria begins a lockdown for the unvaccinated. And, a decade after Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed, his son wants to run for president of Libya. | Listen |
| Climate deal struck in Glasgow | |
| New global climate deal is agreed at COP26 summit in Glasgow after last-minute wrangling over cutting coal production. Also, at least sixty-eight people die in clashes between rival gangs in a jail in Ecuador, and the deadly scorpions of Egypt that have been washed out into the streets by stormy weather. | Listen |
| Steve Bannon charged with contempt of Congress | |
| Former Trump strategist refused to testify about the US Capitol riot. Also: the UN Climate Summit runs into extra time; and a previously unseen mineral is found inside a diamond. | Listen |
| COP26 goes to the wire | |
| Negotiations continue in Glasgow to try to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Also: the migrants in Belarus enduring life-threatening temperatures to try to reach the European Union, and is one of China's most powerful business leaders about to hand over to someone more than 40 years her junior? | Listen |
| Worsening conditions for migrants in Belarus | |
| Thousands are gathering in the country, hoping to cross the Polish border. Also: FW de Klerk?s message from beyond the grave, and Steven Gerrard returns to the English Premier League as manager. | Listen |
| South Africa's last Apartheid-era president has died | |
| FW de Klerk oversaw the country's transition from white minority rule. Also: environmental campaigners give a cautious welcome to a surprise joint pledge from China and the United States to increase efforts to tackle global warming, and how a lockdown hobby led to the discovery of a new species of dinosaur. | Listen |
| China and US Climate Agreement | |
| The US and China make surprise announcement on climate co-operation; German covid surge prompts deadly warning and the popular Spanish dish - paella - gets protected cultural status. | Listen |
| Afghan minister blames corruption for Taliban takeover | |
| Former Afghan Finance Minister Khalid Payenda says troop numbers were not accurate. Germany's anti-vaxx lobby. Also, how ketchup is getting involved in the space race. | Listen |
| State of emergency in Lithuania over Belarus migrants | |
| Lithuania's parliament declares a state of emergency at the country's border with Belarus. Also: scientists warn that oceans are becoming less able to absorb carbon emissions because of rising temperatures, and Marie Antoinette's diamond bracelets sell at auction for $8 million. | Listen |
| Belarus Poland border tensions | |
| The EU says it will impose more sanctions on Belarus because of its treatment of migrants. Thousands of people are at the border trying to get into Poland. Also: Malawi celebrates the election of its first albino MP, and diamonds worn by Marie Antoinette are up for sale. | Listen |
| Poland deploys thousands of troops on the border with Belarus | |
| Poland has accused Belarus of encouraging people to enter the country illegally. Also: Obama tells young people to stay angry on climate, and the South African authorities say the convicted murderer and former Paralympic star, Oscar Pistorius, is eligible to be considered for parole. | Listen |
| China?s president tightens grip on power | |
| Top communist leaders discuss China?s political future. The gathering is expected to approve a resolution to praise the communist party's achievements. Also: the UN warns of a dire humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan, and we look back thirteen billion years with the help of a massive new telescope. | Listen |
| Climate Special: Your questions answered | |
| Our experts address your concerns about climate change. As the COP 26 summit continues in Glasgow, we look at the science behind global warming and the impact on our environment. Is there enough political will to make a difference? What can we as individuals do? Can technology help? | Listen |
| Protestors tear-gassed at rally against Sudan coup | |
| The protestors are demanding the Sudanese military steps back and allows the transition to civilian rule. Also: US to reopen borders to vaccinated foreign travellers after 20 months, and result of Twitter poll says Musk should sell 10% of Tesla stake. | Listen |
| Scores dead in Sierra Leone tanker explosion | |
| The accident happened after a fuel tanker collided with another vehicle in the capital, Freetown. Also: Texas police open criminal investigation into deaths at festival, and a dig in Pompeii yields rare window on daily life of Roman slaves. | Listen |
| Ethiopia urges ex-soldiers to fight against rebels. | |
| Rebel groups in Ethiopia plan to overthrow the Prime Minister by negotiation or force; The Russian diplomat found dead in Berlin and how flat screen televisions allow dogs to sit and watch the telly -- properly ! | Listen |
| Ethiopia: nine rebel factions unite to oust government | |
| The Ethiopian authorities say the alliance has no support. Also: thousands of youth activists march on the UN climate summit in Glasgow; and Abba releases a new album four decades after their last one. | Listen |
| US Special Envoy arrives in Ethiopia amid Crisis | |
| Ethiopian rebels warn they could advance on the capital to prevent massacre; High-risk covid gene more common in South Asians and how whale excrement is more important to global ecosystems than we thought. | Listen |
| WHO warns Europe back at epicentre of pandemic | |
| The region could see another half a million deaths over winter. Europe head, Hans Kluge, says coronavirus vaccination campaigns need to be accelerated. Also: The world?s first anti-viral pill to treat Covid has been approved in Britain, and deals are struck on coal, oil and gas at COP 26. | Listen |
| Ethiopian PM threatens to 'bury the enemy' | |
| Abiy Ahmed was speaking at an event marking the first anniversary of the war in Tigray. Also: the US blacklists an Israeli company that makes powerful spyware, and scientists think they know why people are getting taller. | Listen |
| Ethiopia: UN says possible war crimes by all sides | |
| A report into Ethiopia's year long Tigray conflict says it has been marked by extreme brutality. Also: a shock result for the Democrats as a Republican becomes Virginia?s Governor, and China's me too moment as a tennis star accuses a top ranking communist official. | Listen |
| Global pledge to slash methane emissions | |
| More than 100 nations sign up to a 30 percent cut by 2030. It is one of the most potent greenhouse gases and responsible for a third of current warming from human activities. Also: An exclusive report from deep inside rebel held territory in Ethiopia -- but it's not in Tigray. And the strange musical talent we share with Lemurs. | Listen |
| COP 26: leaders' deforestation pledge | |
| They agree to halt and reverse deforestation by the end of the decade. Also: at least twenty people are reported dead in an attack on a military hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and the story of an Englishman's lost house. | Listen |
| World leaders outline their plans and fears at the COP 26 summit in Glasgow | |
| India pledges to become carbon neutral by 2070, two decades later than proposed by the UN. Also: Nigerian building collapse leaves at least 4 dead and challenges against the strict abortion law in Texas are heard at the US Supreme Court. | Listen |
| COP-26 leaders urged to think about the young | |
| Sir David Attenborough said the future of new generations could turn "tragedy to triumph". Also: The Ethiopian Prime Minister has urged his fellow citizens to take up arms in the fight against Tigrayan rebel forces and, some international air travel resumes in Australia. | Listen |
| Scientists say average global temperatures have reached a new record high | |
| The stark warning comes as the COP-26 climate conference in Glasgow gets underway. Also: The tough choices of conscientious objectors in Israel, and Ado Campeol, the 'Father of Tiramisu', has died in Italy. | Listen |
| Sudanese troops fire live rounds at protesters | |
| At least three people were killed and scores wounded in the protests against the military coup. Also: the actor Alec Baldwin speaks for the first time about the fatal shooting on his film set, and the Californian condors - procreating without any male input. | Listen |
| The UN Secretary General warns COP26 | |
| Antonio Guterres says we are careering towards climate catastrophe. Also: we meet Sudanese protesters shot by the army, and a new film looks at the Beatles? time in India. | Listen |
| Pope Francis calls on world leaders to take radical decisions on climate change | |
| Pope Francis warns that the world could become unliveable, unless action is taken. Also: The Pakistani government says talks with a banned Islamist group are deadlocked, and Squid Game spawns a cryptocurrency. | Listen |
| Top US oil executives grilled on climate change | |
| They face allegations by a congressional panel that their companies spread disinformation. Also: In Ethiopia intense fighting rages on the frontline between the Ethiopian army and Tigrayan fighters in the Ahmara region, and Facebook gets a rebrand. | Listen |
| Russia: New lockdown in Moscow | |
| Russia introduces lockdown measures in Moscow amid worst daily Covid infections and deaths. Also, intense fighting is taking place between Tigrayan insurgents and the Ethiopian state, and the scientific experiment to find one of the building blocks of the universe. | Listen |
| World Bank freezes cash to Sudan after coup | |
| Pressure mounts on the military to restore civilian rule as international bodies respond. Also: police say Alec Baldwin fired a live round in the fatal shooting on his film set, and the doping scandal that has rocked the world of Venetian rowing. | Listen |
| India's Supreme Court orders an inquiry into government spying | |
| An independent investigation will be conducted into allegations that India's government hacked the phones of journalists and political rivals. Also, a Brazilian senate committee recommends that President Jair Bolsonaro face criminal charges for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. And the Australian footballer Josh Cavallo comes out as gay, making him the only top-level male player in the world to be open about his homosexuality. | Listen |
| US revokes licence of top Chinese telecoms company | |
| China Telecom must stop providing services in the US within 60 days. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission cited national security concerns. Also: Queen Elizabeth cancels her trip to Glasgow's UN climate conference, and we hear about the events in Afghanistan as President Ashraf Ghani fled the country before the Taliban took control. | Listen |
| Arrests over illicit trade on dark web | |
| Police around the world have accused 150 people of trading illegal goods on the dark web - part of the internet that can only be accessed using special software. Also, the coup leader in Sudan says the army seized power to prevent a civil war. And the niece of the Japanese emperor, Princess Mako, has married a commoner and left the royal family. | Listen |
| Sudan: US suspends aid after coup | |
| The $700m fund has been halted amid international condemnation of the military takeover. Also: Tesla surpasses $1 trillion valuation, and collector returns a Mayan artefact to Guatemala. | Listen |
| Sudan army stages coup | |
| Military arrests civilian political leaders and declares a state of emergency. Also: China tries to control a new Covid outbreak ahead of the Winter Olympic Games, another record year for greenhouse gas emissions, and the WFP warns that more than half of Afghanistan?s population is going hungry. | Listen |
| Ethiopia airstrikes hit new Tigray targets | |
| Previous bombardments in the Tigray region have focused on the regional capital, Mekelle. Also: Palestinians condemn Israeli settlement plans in West Bank, and the Friends actor, James Michel Tyler, dies aged 59. | Listen |
| Turkey moves to throw out US ambassador and nine others | |
| President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declares the ambassadors "persona non grata" for urging the release of the activist Osman Kavala. Also: hundreds of inmates escape in latest Nigeria jailbreak, and Australian scientists produce tadpoles better adapted to climate change. | Listen |
| UN suspends flights to Tigray amid Ethiopian air raids | |
| It follows a government airstrike which forced a UN plane to abort its landing. Also: the actor Alec Baldwin says he's heartbroken by the fatal film set shooting of a cinematographer, and a US whistleblower is given a two-hundred million dollar reward. | Listen |
| Alec Baldwin fatally shoots woman on movie set | |
| Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed when film star fired prop gun. A man was also injured, and police say they're investigating but no charges have been filed. Also, our correspondent follows a group of migrants from Iraq to eastern Europe, and how ivory-poaching in Mozambique has led to more tuskless elephants being born. | Listen |
| The WHO complains about the seeming indifference of rich countries | |
| The World Health Organisation that estimates millions of health workers are still unvaccinated and says that rich countries don't care. Also: Queen Elisabeth spends a night in hospital, and Donald Trump announces plans to launch a new social media network. | Listen |
| Leak reveals lobbying to change key climate report | |
| Countries are asking the UN to play down the need to move rapidly away from fossil fuels. Also: WHO says jab inequity means COVID-19 pandemic will drag on, and when did the Vikings arrive in the New World? | Listen |
| Brazil parliament committee condemns Bolsonaro's handling of pandemic | |
| It recommends he face a series of charges including crimes against humanity. Also: Kenya's president lifts a nationwide coronavirus curfew introduced 18 months ago, and new research into why the woolly mammoth died out suggests humans may be less to blame than previously thought. | Listen |
| Deadly attack in central Damascus | |
| Fourteen killed in army bus bombings. Also: Pig kidney human transplant, Real Madrid striker on trial in sex tape case and Netflix sued after internet traffic surge from 'Squid Game'. | Listen |
| Ethiopia: Federal and Tigrayan troops prepare for an existential fight | |
| After months of relative peace, the Ethiopian government is reported to be sending busloads of poorly equipped soldiers to the front lines. Also, Chinese officials offer a $23,000 reward for a man who pulled off a daring prison escape. And in Spain, drones will be used to try to rescue three dogs from an erupting volcano. | Listen |
| Poland's PM accuses EU of 'blackmail' in row over rule of law | |
| Mateusz Morawiecki made accusation during debate with EC chief Ursula von der Leyen. The clash followed a ruling by a top Polish court which rejected key sections of EU law. Also, crisis in Romania as it records one of the world's highest Covid mortality-rates, and we meet Eric Zemmour - the politician who may challenge Marine Le Pen for leadership of France's far-Right. | Listen |
| Biden administration asks US Supreme Court to block Texas anti-abortion law | |
| The law was blocked and then reinstated by lower courts, Also: Westminster memorial service for the murdered British parliamentarian Sir David Amess, and Italy's Five Star Movement loses control of Rome and Turin in local elections. | Listen |
| Colin Powell: Former US Secretary of State dies of Covid complications | |
| Tributes paid to former top military commander and politician who's died aged 84. He was the first African-American to become Secretary of State, but was controversial due to his support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Also, China denies testing rare hypersonic missile, and why hundreds of people posed nude for a photo-shoot by the Dead Sea. | Listen |
| Dozens missing in Deadly Indian Floods | |
| Severe flooding in the Indian state of Kerala leaves more than twenty six people dead and dozens missing; An American Christian organisation has confirmed that seventeen missionaries and family members have been kidnapped in Haiti and to what extent were modern European ideas of democracy influenced by Native Americans? | Listen |
| Sudan protestors demand military coup as crisis deepens | |
| The protests in Khartoum come as tensions rise between civilian and military rulers. Also: the French president asks Algerian veterans for forgiveness, and dormice favoured by Italian mafia seized in drugs raid. | Listen |
| British anti-terror police investigate fatal stabbing of MP Sir David Amess | |
| Police say a 25 year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the attack in Leigh-on-Sea. Also: dozens killed in Afghan mosque suicide bombing, and US to lift travel ban on 8 November. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Dozens killed in suicide bombings at Kandahar mosque | |
| Several blasts at Shi'a mosque where worshippers were attending Friday prayers. Eyewitnesses said three attackers detonated bombs inside the crowded building. Also, funerals held in Lebanon for victims of Thursday's street violence in Beirut, and why the world's only state-appointed wizard has been told his services are no longer required. | Listen |
| There have been calls for calm following deadly clashes in Beirut | |
| The UN, the US and France have all urged a de-escalation of the tensions in Lebanon. Also: US Congress is pursuing criminal charges for ex-Trump aide Steve Bannon, and Banksy's Love is in the Bin artwork sells for a record price. | Listen |
| Beirut: Several deaths as gunfire erupts during protests in city centre | |
| Shooting occurred during a march against the judge investigating last year's huge blast in city's harbour. It is believed that Shia and Christian militias exchanged fire during demonstration. Also, at least 46 people dead after a fire in a Taiwanese tower-block, and Norwegian officials say lethal bow-and-arrow attack appears to have been an act of terror. | Listen |
| Putin denies weaponising energy amid Europe crisis | |
| The Russian president says his country is not to blame for high gas prices elsewhere in Europe, a number of people have been killed in Norway bow and arrow attack, and Star Trek's William Shatner becomes the oldest person in space after blasting off in a Blue Origin rocket. | Listen |
| EU outlines plans for surging energy prices | |
| Reduced taxes and subsidies could cushion the impact. The Energy Commissioner said the EU would also explore the possibility of joint purchasing of strategic gas reserves. Also: increased costs and fewer choices in Northern Ireland. EU talks are taking place to find a new deal with the UK, and the Chinese boy band hopeful facing one obstacle ? she?s a girl. | Listen |
| UN Court rules in long running Border Dispute | |
| International court rules in favour of Somalia in sea border dispute with Kenya; Rich nations discuss how to help Afghanistan - without recognising the Taliban; and a rare Himalayan fungus that could be used to treat cancer | Listen |
| Macron aims to make France a global leader in new technologies | |
| French President announces thirty-five-billion dollar programme to overhaul economy. He hopes investment will create thousands of jobs across 'green energy' sector. Also, G20 leaders discuss deepening economic crisis in Afghanistan, and Superman's son will come out as bisexual. | Listen |
| Iraq election: Moqtada al-Sadr hails apparent victory | |
| The Shia cleric promises to form a nationalist government free from foreign interference. Also: the Italian authorities come under pressure to ban neo-fascist parties, and life imitates art as the Star Trek actor William Shatner prepares to blast into space. | Listen |
| Iraq captures senior Islamic State group official | |
| Sami Jasim is alleged to have been running its finances. The prime minister announced his arrest, saying it involved a complex operation outside Iraq. Also: spy rings, drug factories and arms deals. Extraordinary allegations from a North Korean defector, and we hear from the first transgender person in Uganda to have their identity recognised by the government. | Listen |
| Czech president in hospital amid election upheaval | |
| Milos Zeman is in intensive care the day after a surprise opposition win in parliamentary elections. Also: the "father of Pakistan nuclear bomb" AQ Khan dies aged eighty-five, and UK to resettle teenage Afghan women footballers. | Listen |
| US and Taliban hold first talks since withdrawal | |
| The meeting came a day after Afghanistan suffered its deadliest attack since US forces withdrew. Also: Austrian chancellor resigns amid corruption inquiry, and what can you make with pinhead oatmeal, mushrooms and vegan cheese? | Listen |
| Nations agree to 15% minimum corporate tax rate | |
| The historic deal will make companies pay a fairer share of tax across the world. Also: Nigerian police rescue fifty people chained up at a rehabilitation centre, and fast fashion: the dumping ground for unwanted clothes. | Listen |
| Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov win Nobel Peace Prize | |
| The high profile Philippine and Russian journalists face threats and intimidation by doing their jobs. Also: suicide attack on Afghan mosque kills dozens of people, and moves in China to shut down the "dancing grannies". | Listen |
| US warns Russia over energy crisis | |
| The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said any attempts to exploit the crisis, which is causing gas shortages across Europe, would backfire. Also: the children of Islamic State fighters imprisoned in a camp in Syria, and the grand-daughter of the notorious gangster Al Capone sells his possessions. | Listen |
| Texas abortion law temporarily blocked by judge | |
| The White House praised the ruling as an important step to restoring women's constitutional rights. Also, Pakistan earthquake kills many in Balochistan province, and Juji, the Afghan mynah bird, is now living in a French ambassador's residence. | Listen |
| Historic go-ahead for malaria vaccine in Africa | |
| After years of trials, the vaccine has potential to save tens of thousands of children?s lives. Also: the persecution of the Hazara minority in Afghanistan, and why a drone is delivering mail to a remote Scottish island. | Listen |
| Australia ends Papua New Guinea asylum detention | |
| Australia has controversially held migrants in PNG since 2013, and will continue to do so in Nauru. Also: Taiwan says tensions with China worst in forty years, and the difficulties of playing sport when you are colour blind. | Listen |
| Facebook harms children and weakens democracy, says ex-employee | |
| Frances Haugen, a former product manager turned whistleblower, heavily criticised Facebook at a hearing on Capitol Hill, telling US lawmakers that the company repeatedly prioritised profits over its users safety. Facebook denied the claims and said Ms Haugen spoke about areas she has no knowledge of. Also: relations between France and Mali go from bad to worse, and a Russian film crew arrives at the International Space Station to shoot the first movie ever made in orbit. | Listen |
| France: Report reveals huge scale of sexual abuse within Catholic church | |
| Investigation says 216,000 children sexually abused over several decades. And more than 3000 paedophile priests operated within the Church. Also, a warning about future water-shortages across the globe, and we visit a wind-farm in the wild and stormy North Sea. | Listen |
| Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp hit by global outage | |
| The three social media services, all owned by Facebook, were knocked offline for hours on Monday. Also: the US Trade Representative says China has failed to uphold commitments agreed under a trade deal last year; and scientists say they have successfully treated a case of severe depression with an electronic device implanted in the patient's brain. | Listen |
| Pandora Papers: Leaders deny allegations of financial impropriety | |
| Czech PM Andrej Babis says it is a political attack on him. Also, religious leaders call on politicians to agree to step up their commitment to the fight against global warming, and the Nobel prize for medicine is won by scientists investigating our ability to sense heat, cold and touch. | Listen |
| Secret wealth and dealings of leaders exposed in huge data leak | |
| King of Jordan and Tony Blair among those featured in the Pandora Papers. Also: an explosion in Kabul kills eight; and we remember the French businessman and politician, Bernard Tapie, who's died. | Listen |
| Protesters march to defend US abortion rights | |
| Thousands gather in every US state to march in support of abortion rights; Climate and energy ministers confer in Milan ahead of next month's summit and Did the last queen of France, Marie Antoinette, have a platonic admirer or a secret lover ? | Listen |
| Covid antiviral pill can halve risk of hospitalisation | |
| Emergency authorisation of molnupiravir is now being sought, though US chief medical adviser Dr Anthony Fauci urges caution. Also: ex-president Saakashvili held on return to Georgia, and how do you capture an alligator using a wheelie bin? | Listen |
| French ex-officer?s DNA ends 35-year murder hunt | |
| The former officer - who killed himself this week - left a note confessing that he'd carried out attacks in Paris. Investigators have now matched his DNA with crimes in the eighties and nineties. Also: Australia which has some of the toughest Covid travel restrictions in the world is to reopen its borders from next month, and why the marriage of a Japanese princess won?t be a fairytale wedding. | Listen |
| Congress narrowly averts US government shutdown | |
| The measure passed in both chambers of the US Congress only hours before federal funding lapsed. Also: Nazi camp secretary caught after fleeing her trial, and "Rent-a-friend" as a solution to social isolation in China. | Listen |
| Sarkozy: France's ex-PM given jail sentence over campaign funding | |
| Nicolas Sarkozy given one-year sentence for illegally funding a 2012 re-election campaign. He denies any wrongdoing, and is expected to appeal against the ruling. Also, Italy's PM Mario Draghi tells climate conference that world leaders must be 'whipped into action' on global warning, and how one community in the US is fighting to save sea-turtles from extinction. | Listen |
| Familes protest at Beirut blast investigation | |
| No-one has yet been held accountable for the August 2020 explosion, which killed more than two hundred people. Also: Britney Spears' father suspended as conservator, and You Tube to remove all anti-vaccine misinformation. | Listen |
| Fumio Kishida wins race to become Japan PM | |
| Mr Kishida will succeed Yoshihide Suga, who's stepping down after one year in office. Also: North Korea says it fired a new hypersonic missile; and molten lava from La Palma volcano reaches the Atlantic Sea. | Listen |
| US generals advised Biden against complete Afghan pull-out | |
| The US generals recommended keeping two thousand five hundred troops in Afghanistan. Also: Russia opens new criminal case against Navalny and allies, and Daniel Craig's last Bond film finally premieres. | Listen |
| Climate change: Greta Thunberg outlines challenges facing the world | |
| Outspoken climate activist criticises what she sees as empty promises by those in power. She was among hundreds of other young campaigners at Youth 4 Climate conference in Milan. Also, Ukraine remembers one of the worst single massacres by Nazis in World War Two, and why campaigners in US want to tear down 'racist highways' running through ethnic minority communities. | Listen |
| R. Kelly found guilty in sex trafficking trial | |
| After decades of allegations, the singer was found guilty of running a scheme to abuse women and children. Also: Landsat-9 satellite is launched into space to picture Earth, and what does President Putin do on holiday? | Listen |
| Germany election: narrow victory for centre-left | |
| Olaf Scholz says his Social Democrats plan to build a new coalition government, working with the Greens and liberal Free Democrats, but Angela Merkel?s CDU party is still hoping to hold on to power. Also: China tries to restore electricity supplies after widespread power cuts, and how flip flops gave some exam students in India an unfair advantage. | Listen |
| Germany: tight race for rivals to succeed Merkel | |
| Social Democrats are on course for a narrow victory in parliamentary elections in Germany. Also, UN watchdog says Iran has not allowed its inspectors full access to its nuclear sites, and Swiss voters back legalisation of same-sex marriage. | Listen |
| Chinese tech boss flies home to red carpet welcome | |
| Huawei's Meng Wanzhou flew into Shenzhen -- hours after two Canadians freed by China also returned home. Also today: Germans go to the polls to elect Angela Merkel?s successor; Kabul?s schoolgirls demand a return to class; and Britain performs a Brexit u-turn to attract more lorry drivers. | Listen |
| Deal struck to end legal standoff over Huawei telecom executive | |
| The senior Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou, is expected to return home to China under a deal with US prosecutors; Mixed reaction to plans to hold the football world cup every two years? and a Kenyan policeman is re-instated after being fired for failing to turn up for work - whilst in a coma. | Listen |
| India: gunmen dressed as lawyers shoot gangster dead | |
| Jitender Gogi was in court in Delhi when two people opened fire. Also the European Commission urges Poland to give the necessary care and assistance to migrants caught in a stand-off on the border between Poland and Belarus, a campaign in the UK to help female judges get out of Afghanistan, and an Australian doctor comes up with a new technique to save the lives of shark-bite victims. | Listen |
| US Haiti envoy quits over 'inhumane' deportations | |
| Daniel Foote said he resigned in protest at the treatment of Haitian migrants. Also, the main candidates to be German Chancellor have clashed in a final TV debate before the election, and scientists say a fossilised rib bone discovered in Morocco is part of the oldest armoured dinosaur ever discovered. | Listen |
| Syria: Charity says wealthy nations have 'abandoned' children of IS fighters | |
| Save The Children calls for help for more than 27,000 children in detention-centres. Many are citizens of EU nations, and the charity accuses those countries of failing to have them repatriated. Also, the EU wants new laws pushing for a universal phone-charger, and the BBC investigates how extremism is tainting some of the most popular online games. | Listen |
| Biden promises global vaccine help | |
| The US President told a virtual Covid-19 summit another 500m doses would go to developing countries. Also: WHO warns air pollution is more dangerous than previously thought; Netflix offers Kenyans free streaming; and could an app cure your fear of spiders? | Listen |
| Campaigners welcome China?s coal promise | |
| One group described it as a potential game changer. But the pledge didn't include a ban on new coal-fired power stations in China. Also; parts of Australia are hit by the strongest earthquake in centuries, and Netflix has bought the rights to Roald Dahl?s classic children?s books. | Listen |
| China pledges to stop building coal-fired power stations overseas | |
| The leaders of China and the US - Xi Jinping and Joe Biden - have announced new commitments to tackle climate change at the UN General Assembly. Also: there are further signs that the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region is spreading to neighbouring areas, and why was an athlete disqualified after running a half-marathon in England? | Listen |
| Salisbury poisonings: Third man to face charges over Novichok attack | |
| Third Russian to be charged over 2018 poisonings in UK which left one person dead. British police believe all three suspects worked for GRU - Russia's military intelligence service. Also, Sudan blames 'forces of darkness' for failed coup attempt, and Pakistani PM Imran Khan says a ban on women's education in Afghanistan would be 'un-Islamic'. | Listen |
| Hotel Rwanda hero convicted on terror charges | |
| Paul Rusesabagina, who saved hundreds of people during the 1994 genocide, has been sentenced to twenty-five years in prison by a Rwandan court for terrorist offences. Also, we hear from a teenager in Afghanistan about her fears that she will never be able to resume her education. And, Chinese social media has been following the story of the first deaf lawyer in the country. | Listen |
| Russia: Gunman kills six people at university in Perm | |
| A man has been arrested after deadly shooting-spree in Perm, a city in the Urals. Police believe he acted alone and had no political or religious motives. Also, 'Hotel Rwanda' hero Paul Rusesabinga is convicted on terror-charges, and celebration-time for the UK at this year's Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. | Listen |
| Putin's party leads vote amid fraud claims | |
| The pro-Kremlin United Russia party is on course to win amid allegations of fraud. Also: Australia denies lying to France in submarine deal, and a volcano on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma erupts after a week on alert. | Listen |
| UN urges Taliban to re-open girls' schools | |
| The UN calls on the Taliban to re-open girls' secondary schools in Afghanistan. The US moves thousands of migrants away from a Texas border town. And a new twist in the case of the missing travel blogger - as her fiance also disappears. | Listen |
| US admits Kabul drone strike killed civilians | |
| An inquiry finds that the strike, days before the US pullout, killed ten members of a family, not militants. Also: France recalls envoys amid security pact row, and New Zealand abandons Pakistan cricket tour over 'security alert'. | Listen |
| Russia?s parliamentary election begins | |
| Google and Apple remove a tactical voting app from their online stores on the first day. Voting will last three days. Also: the Austrian government is taken to court over its handling of a covid outbreak at a ski resort, and the secrets behind the best ocean photograph of the year. | Listen |
| US tries to calm French anger over security pact with UK and Australia | |
| The US tries to calm French anger over the new security pact with Britain and Australia. Iran sends fuel supplies to Lebanon, as the economic crisis deepens. And an early work by Vincent Van Gogh is discovered by art experts in the Netherlands. | Listen |
| China denounces UK-US-Australia pact as 'damaging' | |
| Beijing says new security pact is 'extremely irresponsible' and 'narrow-minded'. The alliance is widely seen as an effort to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Also, France says its troops have killed the head of the Islamic State group in the Sahara, and how some Dutch people are changing their names - to reconnect with their African heritage. | Listen |
| Simone Biles testifies about abuse by US Gymnastics doctor | |
| She was joined before the US Senate by other athletes who were sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar. Also: Rodrigo Duterte faces crimes against humanity investigation and the preacher promising to help anti-vaxxers. | Listen |
| Afghan women's youth football team flees to Pakistan | |
| The departure of the football team from Afghanistan comes as part of a wider exodus of female cultural and sporting stars. Also: the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the EU needs the "political will" to intervene militarily without the US, and the Inspiration 4 space mission is ready for lift-off. | Listen |
| Haiti PM in murder row | |
| Ariel Henry fires his chief prosecutor after attempt to charge him over killing of president in July. Also: Europe tries to avoid winter Covid and cows trained where to pee. | Listen |
| Climate change: Young people worldwide 'very worried' about future | |
| New global survey shows high levels of anxiety among young people over climate change. Over half of those interviewed think that humanity is doomed. Also, BBC analysis reveals the world now sees twice as many days with temperatures over 50 Celsius compared with 1980s, and remembering George Wein - the jazz promoter who pioneered the modern music festival. | Listen |
| Emergency conference in Geneva pledges more than 1 billion dollars in aid for Afghanistan | |
| The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres says the Afghan people are facing perhaps their most perilous hour. Also:turmoil in cryptocurrency markets after a fake news release purporting to be from the US retail giant Walmart, and the Pope's mission to Slovakia. | Listen |
| UN warns that Afghans face most perilous hour | |
| The United Nations is seeking more than $600m in aid following the Taliban takeover last month. Also: tens of thousands of people in England are to take part in a "game-changing" blood test trial for cancer, and Britney Spears announces engagement. | Listen |
| FBI releases document on Saudis and 9/11 | |
| The memo records contact between Saudi nationals and hijackers but doesn't implicate the government. Also: a deal is reached on monitoring Iranian nuclear sites, and some gorillas have tested positive for Covid. | Listen |
| America stops to remember 9/11 | |
| Commemorations have taken place on the 20th anniversary of the 11 September attacks. Also: tennis history is made as British teenager Emma Raducanu wins the US Open, and Peru's Shining Path leader Abimael Guzman dies. | Listen |
| Remembering 9/11 twenty years on | |
| Nearly three thousand people died in New York, at the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field on September 11, 2001. Also: Lebanon gets a new government amid deepening crisis, and the tennis brand that is Emma Raducanu. | Listen |
| Gazprom confirms that controversial Nordstream Two gas pipeline is complete | |
| Russian state-run gas giant Gazprom says long-delayed pipeline is now ready for use. We examine why it's caused huge tensions within Europe. Also, woman who was former MP in Afghan parliament tells us she fled to escape being killed by Taliban, and how New Yorkers are coping - as 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches. | Listen |
| Biden requires vaccines for millions of US workers | |
| President Biden has announced sweeping federal Covid measures that require workers at large companies to be vaccinated or face weekly testing. Also: dozens of international passengers have flown out of Kabul in the first such flight since American forces left Afghanistan, and Morocco's ruling party suffers a crushing defeat in the country's parliamentary elections. | Listen |
| Kabul airport prepares to reopen | |
| Women in Afghanistan protest against the Taliban, in defiance of a ban. Also: North Korea marks its anniversary with a military parade featuring hazmat suits, and is there a mystery illness attacking American diplomats? | Listen |
| Former Afghan president says he fled to avoid bloodshed | |
| Ashraf Ghani has issued a statement on Twitter three weeks after leaving Afghanistan. Also, the man believed to be the only gunman to survive the Paris attacks in 2015 appears in court at the start of his trial, and the world's biggest plant to extract carbon dioxide from the air opens in Iceland. | Listen |
| France: Trial begins of suspects over 2015 Paris attacks | |
| 20 suspects on trial over attacks which killed 130 people in November 2015. The wave of shootings and bombings by Islamic State extremists was France's worst attack since World War Two. Also, Afghan women protest against all-male Taliban government, and will snow soon disappear from Africa's highest mountain ? | Listen |
| Hardliners get key posts in new Taliban government | |
| The all-male cabinet in Kabul includes figures linked to attacks on US forces and a leader wanted by the FBI. Also: Mexico decriminalises abortion in landmark ruling, and youngest Catholic bishop in Spain resigns from church to marry erotic novelist. | Listen |
| Taliban fire shots in Kabul to disperse protesters | |
| Protests are the the biggest show of defiance since the militant group took power in Afghanistan. Also: supporters of Myanmar's deposed civilian government call for a mass uprising against the military government, and Bitcoin becomes joint legal tender in El Salvador. | Listen |
| US evacuates four Americans overland from Afghanistan | |
| The US State Department said the group had crossed into an unspecified neighbouring country, and that the Taliban had known about the departure and did not impede it. Also: Poland's parliament approves state of emergency on Belarus border, and the French film star Jean-Paul Belmondo dies aged eighty-eight. | Listen |
| Taliban claim disputed Panjshir Valley | |
| The Taliban say they've seized Afghanistan's Panjshir province, which would consolidate their control of the entire country, but resistance fighters dispute this. Also: The Belarusian woman who led mass protests against President Alexander Lukashenko is sentenced to eleven years in prison, and soldiers who have seized power in Guinea call government ministers to a meeting. | Listen |
| Soldiers seize power in Guinea | |
| Troops announced a takeover on TV, capturing the president Alpha Conde. Also: Taliban accused of killing pregnant Afghan police officer in Ghor province, and could seaweed be a key raw material for a sustainable future? | Listen |
| Ethiopia claims thousands of Tigray rebels killed | |
| An Ethiopian general says the rebels were killed in fierce fighting, aided by airstrikes. Also: Taliban break up women's rights protest in Kabul, and Vladimir Putin gets corrected by schoolboy about Russian history. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Fighting rages in Panjshir | |
| Resistance fighters deny claims that the Taliban has overrun their stronghold in the Panjshir valley. Also, President Joe Biden urges US southern states to improve their infrastructure after Hurricane Ida. And, as Tokyo hosts the Paralympics, we look at the prejudice faced by people with disabilities in Japan. | Listen |
| EU and AstraZeneca reach deal over vaccine row | |
| AstraZeneca will give the EU 200 million doses by 31 March 2022, ending court action. Also: an Islamist under surveillance stabs 6 people in New Zealand and Para Taekwondo, the Paralympics' 1st full contact sport. | Listen |
| President Biden blames climate change for deadly New York flood | |
| More than 40 people are dead after Storm Ida hits the US. Also, one of the alleged Islamic State members dubbed "the Beatles" has pleaded guilty to conspiring to torture and behead American and European hostages in Syria. And Russian regulators say Apple and Google are breaking the law by offering an app created by the opposition activist Alexei Navalny. | Listen |
| NY floods kill at least 9 | |
| A 2-year-old died, with many victims trapped in flooded basements. Also: the US Supreme Court refuses to block the abortion ban in Texas, and Mikis Theodorakis - the composer of Zorba the Greek - dies. | Listen |
| The Afghan economy is close to collapse following the Taliban's victory. | |
| The economy of Afghanistan collapses, while prices soar. Also: President Biden promises to fight to protect the constitutional right to abortion, and the British man told to avoid prison by going to the library. | Listen |
| Climate change: Huge increase in weather-related disasters over last 50 years | |
| World Meteorological Organisation issues stark warning about impact of climate-change. It says there's been 400% increase in weather-related disasters worldwide in last five decades. Also, Taliban prepare to announce new Afghan government - but women unlikely to have ministerial roles, and historians research the forgotten female army which helped shape West Africa. | Listen |
| Biden defends Afghan exit amid Taliban joy | |
| The US president Joe Biden says staying in Afghanistan was not an option, as Taliban militants celebrate. Also: USAID says forces from Ethiopia's Tigray region have looted its warehouses in Amhara, and will Afghanistan's all-female orchestra Zohra ever play again? | Listen |
| The Taliban calls for good relations with the United States | |
| After declaring victory belonged to all Afghans, the Taliban reaches out to former foes. Also: the BBC?s Moscow correspondent, Sarah Rainsford, has left Russia, after being labelled a threat to national security, and is being kind selfish ? | Listen |
| US completes Afghanistan withdrawal | |
| Taliban supporters fired into the air to celebrate the end of the 20-year occupation. Also: Brazilian bank robbers use hostages as human shields, and China cuts online gaming for under-18s to three hours a week. | Listen |
| 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? | Listen |
| Louisiana hunkers down as Hurricane Ida strikes | |
| Forecasters say the storm, which has now made landfall, is extremely dangerous. Also: US says drone strike thwarts Kabul airport attack, and the Jamaican soul of reggae Lee 'Scratch' Perry dies aged eighty-five. | Listen |
| Biden warns another Kabul airport attack likely | |
| The US president Joe Biden says commanders have told him another attack could happen within the next thirty-six hours. The final UK troops, diplomats and officials have now left Kabul. Also: thousands flee as hurricane Ida closes in on the Gulf Coast and do you fancy being a teacher on the beautiful Scottish island of Fair Isle? | Listen |
| US to continue Kabul airlift 'until last moment' | |
| The US is still evacuating Afghans desperate to leave. The Taliban said on Friday night they had taken control of parts of Kabul airport - the Pentagon has disputed this. Also: US spy agencies split on Covid origin theories, and scientists find world's northernmost island. | Listen |
| Kabul: Evacuation enters final phase after deadly attacks | |
| 90 people were killed in bombings at Kabul airport on Thursday. The final evacuation and foreign troop withdrawals are scheduled to be completed by August 31st. Also, China fines a leading actress $46 million as part of campaign against 'chaotic' celebrity culture, and up for auction - the gun used to kill one of the most notorious outlaws of the Wild West. | Listen |
| Biden vows to finish mission despite Kabul attacks | |
| Twin bomb attacks at Kabul airport targeted people desperate to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. Dozens of people died including US military personnel. Also: reports from Ethiopia say ethnic violence has left many people dead in the troubled Oromia region, and the hotter planets outside our solar system that astronomers say may support life. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: time runs out for evacuations from Kabul airport | |
| Hundreds of desperate people still there despite warnings of an IS attack. Also: crowds have also gathered at a border crossing with Pakistan in the hope of leaving Afghanistan by land, and a breakthrough in treatment for malaria could save the lives of many children, and the Swedish furniture giant, Ikea, is accused of destroying valuable forests in Romania. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Taliban committed to post-deadline safe passage | |
| The US says the Taliban have promised to allow foreigners and Afghans to leave beyond 31 August, when a US-controlled airlift will end. Also: The World Health Organisation says time is running out to study the origins of Covid-19, and why the boss of world football has appealed for help from the British Prime Minister. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Woman journalist gives tearful interview to BBC at Kabul airport | |
| Deeply emotional comments by Afghan reporter who fears she'll be killed by Taliban. Western nations are stepping up Kabul evacuation ahead of final deadline of August 31st. Also, China's schools are to teach ideology of President Xi Jinping, and one of the most famous album-covers in music history is generating a lawsuit - after thirty years. | Listen |
| Biden sticks to Kabul withdrawal deadline | |
| But US president says he's asked the Pentagon to have contingency plans ready. Also: Hackers share shocking images of Iranian prisoner abuse and remembering Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts who's died. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: UN says reports of rights violations by Taliban are credible | |
| These include executions, restrictions on women and recruiting child soldiers. Also: the 2020 Paralympic Games open in Tokyo; and uncovering the secret of the sound of the Stradivarius violin. | Listen |
| Pressure to extend US-Afghan deadline | |
| Allies want Biden to keep troops at Kabul airport beyond the end of this month but the Taliban warns against what it says would be a 'violation'. Also: the IMF gives member countries hundreds of billions of dollars for pandemic recovery; and how evolution has left humans one step behind chimpanzees. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Gunfire at Kabul airport | |
| One Afghan guard killed in clashes with unknown assailants as evacuation continues. Meanwhile the Taliban say they won't extend deadline for foreign troops to leave the country. Also, Kamala Harris joins US diplomatic 'charm offensive' in SE Asia, and Tanzania's female president is criticised over harsh comments about women footballers. | Listen |
| President Biden defends his actions in Afghanistan | |
| President Biden defends actions in Afghanistan; resistance fighters take on the Taliban and the jazz star Josephine Baker is awarded one of France's top honours. | Listen |
| US warning at Kabul airport amid crush fears | |
| Thousands try to flee Kabul as chaos continues outside the airport. Also: provoking the wrath of the Taliban - by flouting the militants' dress code, and the paper horse - now an exhibit in a national museum. | Listen |
| Biden on Afghanistan withdrawal: 'This is about America leading the world' | |
| US President makes televised address as airlift from Kabul continues. Meanwhile reports emerge of alleged killings of Hazara minority by Taliban. Also, how one African migrant survived boat journey to Canary Islands while 52 others died, and why rainfall on a mountain in Greenland could be bad news for all of us. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: UN warns of 'acute hunger' among population | |
| A United Nations representative says food shortages have become critical. And reports continue of Taleban fighters searching for people who worked for NATO or previous government. Also, anger in Haiti where people are in desperate need after last week's deadly earthquake, and why baby bats and baby humans have a lot in common when it comes to communication. | Listen |
| Taliban's 'door-to-door manhunt' | |
| The BBC is told that militants are searching for government employees and those who worked with US forces. Also: one of Italy's leading drug traffickers is arrested, and why rattlesnakes have a two-speed warning system. | Listen |
| Taliban blame foreigners for gunfire deaths at Kabul airport | |
| The Taliban says it is investigating reports that people had been killed. Also: first Covid case detected at paralympic village, and in search of 007's Aston Martin DB5 car. | Listen |
| Several dead as protesters defy Taliban | |
| Firing was heard as protesters took to the streets waving the Afghan national flag in Jalalabad. Also: R Kelly is called a 'sexual predator' as his trial opens, and survivors of the Haiti earthquake say they have received no help. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: How do women see their future under Taleban rule ? | |
| Uncertainty and fear among many Afghan women as Taleban leaders return from exile. And protestors defy Taleban in one major city in east. Also, relief efforts underway in Haiti as death-toll from earthquake nears 2000, and singer R Kelly to face trial in New York on charges of racketeering and sexual abuse and bribery. | Listen |
| Taliban pledges amnesty for all | |
| The Taliban held their first news conference since taking control of Afghanistan. Their spokesman insisted women would be able to work as long as they complied with Sharia law. We hear what it's like now in Kabul, and have analysis from our correspondents. Also: astronomers have captured the most detailed images ever seen of galaxies light years away from Earth, and fears for koalas in Australia. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Taliban ask government employees to return to work | |
| The group declares what it calls an 'amnesty' as Kabul enters an uneasy calm. Also: aid agencies say they're cautiously optimistic they'll be able to continue their work in Afghanistan for now, there's severe flooding in Haiti days after the latest catastrophic earthquake, and Bob Dylan denies allegations he sexually assaulted a 12 year old girl in the 1960's. | Listen |
| Biden defends US withdrawal from Afghanistan | |
| The US President blames Afghan leaders for Taliban takeover. Also: Zambia has a new President-elect; and the sticky tale of a piece of chewing gum, left behind by a music icon. | Listen |
| Scenes of panic at Kabul airport | |
| Several people are killed as hundreds scramble to escape the Taliban. Afghans have been seen clinging to - and apparently falling from - planes taking off from the runway. Also: Haiti braces itself for a tropical storm as rescue efforts continue after the devastating earthquake, and Zambia ushers in a new era of 'better democracy', which will respect human rights and restore order, according to the new president - Hakainde Hichilema - elected on his sixth attempt. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Taliban fighters enter Kabul as president flees | |
| President Ashraf Ghani said he left the country to avoid bloodshed. The Taliban say they are awaiting a peaceful transition of power. Also, rescuers in Haiti continue to search for survivors of an earthquake and tributes are paid to the German football legend Gerd Mueller, who's died aged 75. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Taliban reach Kabul | |
| The Afghan government says it's negotiating a peaceful transfer of power in the capital. The Taliban has assured civilians that they will not be harmed. We hear the latest, in this special edition of the Global News Podcast. | Listen |
| Massive earthquake kills hundreds in Haiti | |
| The powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake toppled many buildings including churches and hotels. Also: Taliban take Afghan government's last northern stronghold of Mazar-i-Sharif, and Polish move on Nazi-seized properties angers Israel. | Listen |
| Diplomats hasten exit as Taliban near Kabul | |
| US troops arrive to help with evacuation efforts as militants seize a city an hour's drive from the Afghan capital, Also: BBC condemns expulsion of journalist from Russia, and cooling down from Italy's heatwave on top of a volcano in Sicily. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Panic as civilians flee Taliban onslaught | |
| Thousands of refugees seek sanctuary in Kabul as the militants seize more cities. Kandahar, the second largest city, has fallen, and the World Food Programme has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe. Also, China refuses to cooperate with World Health Organisation to further investigate origins of coronavirus, and why a project in Scotland is asking people to record the sounds of their workplace. | Listen |
| Major cities in Afghanistan fall to Taliban amid heavy fighting | |
| Militants now control many of Afghanistan's key regional cities, including Herat and Ghazni. Also: Russia holds hypersonic flight expert in spy probe, and Scotland's first electric-powered aircraft begins Orkney test flights. | Listen |
| Taliban take tenth regional capital in under a week | |
| The fall of Ghazni brings the militants closer to the Afghan capital. Their advance is causing destruction and a humanitarian catastrophe. Also: Australia's capital, Canberra, is in a snap lockdown because of one new Covid case, and the now freed American prisoner who was in solitary confinement for 37 years. | Listen |
| Taliban back brutal rule as they strike for power | |
| A BBC correspondent finds Afghanistan's ex-rulers still back brutal punishments, as he goes behind Taliban lines. Also: US gets a legal boost in its bid to extradite Julian Assange from the UK, and Google may cut pay of staff who work from home permanently. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: President Ghani rallies troops in besieged city | |
| President Ashraf Ghani has flown to Mazar-i-Sharif as Taliban militants close in. If this key northern city falls, it will be catastrophic for the Afghan government. Also, German police arrest British man in Berlin on suspicion of spying for Russia, and BBC investigation exposes role of Russian mercenaries in Libyan civil war. | Listen |
| US Senate passes Biden's one-trillion-dollar infrastructure bill | |
| The bill will address clean energy, the internet, trains and more. Also: the governor of New York state, Andrew Cuomo, resigns, and tests to diagnose dementia in a day. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Fighting exacting terrible toll on civilians | |
| The UN says Taliban attacks on cities are striking fear into the population. Also: North Korea stops answering recently restored telephone hotline with South Korea, and China's wandering elephant herd finally nears home. | Listen |
| Thousands flee Taliban onslaught | |
| They are seeking refuge in the Afghan capital, telling of atrocities by the militants. Also: more than 120-million-dollars has been paid out to women who say they were abused by the disgraced financier, Jeffrey Epstein, and a South Korean golfer sets an unenviable record. | Listen |
| Stark warnings in a climate change report | |
| The UN says it's "code red for humanity", but that a catastrophe can be avoided if the world acts fast. Also: the latest from Greece where a record-breaking heatwave is fanning wildfires, and the world's smallest ever baby finally leaves hospital. | Listen |
| Afghan cities fall to rapid Taliban advance | |
| The Taliban say they?ve captured three more provincial capitals as they continue to make sweeping gains across the country. Also: Tokyo marks the end of an Olympic Games overshadowed by the pandemic. And Lionel Messi bids a tearful farewell to Barcelona. . | Listen |
| US bombers carry out air strikes on the Afghan city of Sheberghan | |
| The attacks came after Taliban insurgents claimed to have taken the city. Also, Cuba legalises privately-owned businesses of up to 100 employees, following mass protests against the government, and the tiny bat that flew from Britain to Russia. | Listen |
| Afghanistan war: Taliban capture regional capital Zaranj | |
| The UN warns that Afghanistan is facing a possible catastrophe after the Taliban make further gains. Also: nearly half the regions in Greece are on high alert as wildfires rage across the country, and firing employees who come to work unvaccinated ? could it be catching? | Listen |
| Hezbollah fires rockets into Israel from Lebanon | |
| Israel says most of the missiles were intercepted by its air defences. Also: a close associate of the Afghan president is assassinated in Kabul; and the Olympics expels Belarus coaches over the removal of an athlete. | Listen |
| Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi is sworn into office | |
| The hardline cleric said that he would improve Iran's economy. Also: Ethiopian rebels take the Unesco World heritage town of Lalibela, and the footballer Lionel Messi will not stay at Barcelona. | Listen |
| Iran's new hardline president sworn in | |
| Ebrahim Raisi faces growing challenges, with an economy crippled by sanctions. Also: the gel that could transform the treatment of Parkinson?s disease, and the orangutan with a penchant for sunglasses. | Listen |
| Mexico sues US gun manufacturers over arms trafficking | |
| US gun makers and suppliers are accused of reckless business practices. Also: WHO calls for a suspension in booster vaccines for Covid-19 so that poorer nations can get the jab, and South Koreans have been paying tribute to the disabled mountaineer Kim Hong-bin, who died last month. | Listen |
| Belarus activist on trial | |
| Maria Kolesnikova, one of the leaders of the challenge to President Lukashenko last year, resisted deportation and is accused of plotting to seize power. Also: the very young skateboarders leaping to success in Tokyo, and the skeletons reunited after spending a thousand years, a thousand kilometres apart. | Listen |
| Biden says Cuomo should resign over misconduct report | |
| The new report comes months after several women accused the New York governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual misconduct. Also: gunmen attack the home of the Afghan defence minister, and it seems giraffes need their grannies! | Listen |
| Missing Belarus activist found dead in park | |
| Vitaly Shishov lived in Ukraine, helping people flee the Belarus crackdown. Also: the Wuhan authorities test the whole city as the virus resurfaces, and so-called killer robots - how can we control these autonomous weapons? | Listen |
| Street fighting rages in Lashkar Gah as the Taliban attack the Afghan city | |
| A MSF doctor in the city says there is fighting all around and medical supplies are running low. Also: Belarus sprinter Krystina Tsimanovskaya given Polish humanitarian visa, and a Covid-19 app in England is tweaked to notify fewer contacts. | Listen |
| Palestinians await key court ruling | |
| The families are appealing against an order to leave their homes in East Jerusalem. Also: Olympic history is made as the transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard competes in women's weightlifting, and ancient baskets of fruit are discovered in a lost city that disappeared under the sea more than two thousand years ago. | Listen |
| Olympic drama at Tokyo airport | |
| Belarusian athlete claims officials from her country tried to forcibly repatriate her. Also: Myanmar's military ruler promises elections by 2023, Rio Tinto looks to Serbia to supply lithium for electric cars and the memoirs of an autograph hunter. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Fighting rages as Taliban besiege three key cities | |
| Hundreds of Afghans have fled their homes. Covid: Pulse oxygen monitors work less well on darker skin, experts say. Plus a new exhibition on Mary Shelley and her most famous creation. | Listen |
| IRS ordered to hand over Trump tax returns to Congress | |
| Although not required by law, every US president since 1976 - except Mr Trump - has released their tax returns. Israel accuses Iran over deadly oil tanker attack. New Covid virus outbreak worst since Wuhan, say Chinese state media. | Listen |
| North Korea suffering 'sharpest economic decline in over 20 years' | |
| New report warns of hardship caused by Covid-19 and economic sanctions. Poverty is already known to be widespread in North Korea but true picture is hard to establish. Also, first group of Afghan interpreters arrives in US, and British teenager wins place at renowned dance academy despite suffering from cystic fibrosis. | Listen |
| President Biden calls for $100 vaccine incentive | |
| The US president announced that all federal workers must be vaccinated or subjected to testing. Also: a public inquiry has found the Maltese state responsible for journalist's death, and a chimney sweep finds Santa letter lost for decades. | Listen |
| Britain and Kenya host summit to tackle global education crisis sparked by COVID | |
| The summit is aiming to raise five billion dollars to help transform education in dozens of countries after the greatest disruption in a generation. South Africa riots: The inside story of Durban's week of anarchy. Johnny Ventura, one of the pioneers of Latin American merengue music, has died. | Listen |
| Peru's new president is sworn in | |
| Pedro Castillo pledges to help the poor and tackle the pandemic. Also: Ethnic Serbs in Bosnia boycott parliament over a new law banning genocide denial, and a woman is jailed for swapping diamonds worth millions with pebbles. | Listen |
| Macron says France 'owes debt' to Polynesia over nuclear tests | |
| French President spoke while visiting French island territories in Pacific. France has carried out over 200 nuclear tests across the region. Also, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Afghanistan risks becoming 'pariah state' as Taliban continue to seize territory, and Portugal holds funeral for 'Otelo' - the man who oversaw a coup that paved the way for democracy. | Listen |
| US policeman feared death in Capitol riots | |
| Officers on duty when Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol give tearful testimony at an inquiry. Also: the American gymnast Simone Biles pulls out of the Olympic team competition over mental health issues; the former Spanish king's ex-lover claims he used the intelligence service to spy on her; and the world's largest star sapphire cluster is discovered in a Sri Lankan backyard. | Listen |
| Hong Kong man guilty in first national security law trial | |
| The 24-year-old had flown a flag with a protest slogan while riding a motorcycle into police officers in Hong Kong. Also: Vatican cardinal on trial in $142m fraud case, and do you like and appreciate insects? | Listen |
| Tunisian president accused of coup after firing PM | |
| Months of tension over Covid and the economy culminate in the sacking of the PM. Also: scientists don't know why Covid cases in the UK are plummeting, and how female athletes are giving short shrift to officials telling them what to wear. | Listen |
| Tunisia: PM is sacked after violent Covid protests | |
| President Kais Saied has sacked Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and says he's taken over. This follows angry nationwide protests on Sunday over the government's handling of the pandemic. Also, civilian casualties in Afghanistan are at a record level, and a disturbing report on the treatment of women in Britain's armed forces. | Listen |
| US ready to continue airstrikes against Taliban | |
| The head of US Central Command, Gen Kenneth McKenzie, said this could happen in weeks. Also: criticism of proposals for English football fans to show proof of Covid vaccinations before watching Premier League games, and tributes to US rabbi turned comedian Jackie Mason who has died. | Listen |
| Afghanistan imposes night curfew | |
| Move covers 31 of the country's 34 provinces to help protect urban areas from Taliban advance. Also: Landmark fuel deal between Iraq and Lebanon, Olympic host nation Japan picks up its first medals and the search for new Aussie rhyming slang. | Listen |
| Tennis star Osaka lights flame to get delayed Olympics underway in Tokyo | |
| The long delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics are finally underway - in a near deserted stadium; Haiti's assassinated president Jovenel Moïse is laid to rest... and why sales of foam clogs are soaring -- and dividing opinion among fashionistas. | Listen |
| Olympics: Tokyo hosts opening ceremony of delayed 2020 Games | |
| Due to Coronavirus, a subdued ceremony launches the much-postponed Olympics. Fewer than 1000 invited guests and no spectators are inside the huge main stadium. Also, President Xi Jinping makes first official visit to Tibet by a Chinese leader in 30 years, and one of India's most flamboyant businessmen is arrested for allegedly making porn films. | Listen |
| US imposes sanctions on Cuban officials after protest crackdown | |
| President Biden has been under pressure to respond to anti-regime protests. Also: the Senate in the Czech Republic has approved a plan to compensate Roma women who were forcibly sterilised, and beset by scandals and Covid-19 concerns, Tokyo prepares to hold the opening ceremony for the Olympics. | Listen |
| Olympics ceremony boss sacked over Holocaust joke | |
| The decision to remove Kentaro Kobayashi comes just a day before the opening show is due to be held. It?s the latest scandal to hit the Tokyo Games. Also: Famine stalks Angola as the worst drought in forty years ravages the south of the country; and Norway pauses to recall the mass murder committed by a far-right extremist ten years ago today. | Listen |
| US life expectancy suffers steepest drop in decades | |
| Life expectancy in the US has suffered its sharpest fall since the second world war; Chinese scientists say global warming has made China's annual flood season much more dangerous; and a gold toilet is discovered at the home of a Russian policeman, arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes. | Listen |
| China Floods: 16 dead and many thousands evacuated | |
| Record-breaking rainfall has brought deaths and chaos in China's Henan province. More than a dozen cities have been affected by the floods. Also, Nigeria secures release of 100 kidnapped women and children, and how a secret site in England is giving experts a glimpse into prehistory. | Listen |
| Severe Floods hit China's Henan Province. | |
| There have been severe floods in the central Chinese province of Henan with dramatic images of passengers in flooded subway trains; The US warns that the world can't wait for the pandemic to end before facing up to global warming; and are advances in running shoe technology giving today's sprinters an unfair advantage ? | Listen |
| India's Covid death rate much higher than official count, says report | |
| The US-based Centre for Global Development says the figure could be ten times as high. Also: migrants in Belgium on hunger strike, and why Israel is threatening consequences for Ben & Jerry's. | Listen |
| China accused of Cyber-Attack on Microsoft. | |
| The US and European countries say a huge cyber attack earlier this year came from China; In Germany - police say dozens of people are still missing following deadly floods last week; and a family of farmers in India whose cooking skills have made them an internet sensation | Listen |
| UK government lifts coronavirus restrictions in England despite surge | |
| It's confident rules on mask wearing and social distancing won't be reintroduced. Also: Australian government scientists have said the outlook for the Great Barrier Reef remains "very poor" despite some recovery over the past year, and an investigation by global media outlets has said journalists, activists and opposition leaders around the world had been targeted with phone malware sold to various governments. | Listen |
| In Tokyo, a growing number of Olympic athletes and officials test Covid-positive | |
| The Tokyo Olympics is hit by a spate of coronavirus cases. Also: Mrs Merkel visits areas of western Germany affected by flooding, and the Vespa scooter celebrates its 75th anniversary. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Peace talks resume with Taliban | |
| Officials sound optimistic after the first round of negotiations, but the Taliban says it?s confident it can still win on the battlefield. Also, rescue workers in Germany race to find survivors after deadly floods. And, with five days until the Tokyo Olympics, the first case of Covid-19 is detected at the athletes? village. | Listen |
| Floodwaters begin to recede in northwestern Europe | |
| Rescue workers struggle to reach survivors of the devastating floods with authorities in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands trying to take stock of the catastrophic damage. Also, rights groups have condemned raids on media organisations and journalists in Belarus, and the punk group that is asking the establishment to resolve a dispute over music rights. | Listen |
| Europe floods: At least 120 dead and hundreds more missing | |
| Northern Europe hit by some of the worst flooding in decades after record rainfall. Germany and Belgium are worst-affected, and European leaders have called for action on climate-change. Also, how a smartphone could reveal why three young British men joined the militants of Islamic State, and was South Africa's recent unrest planned in advance ? | Listen |
| Floods in western Europe kill more than 60 | |
| Thousands of others in Germany and Belgium are forced to evacuate. Also: in Canada leaders of an indigenous nation call on the government to release residential school attendance records to help identify unmarked graves, and how DNA websites are helping US detectives to solve cold case murders - but what ethical questions does this raise? . | Listen |
| Afghan Taliban offer a conditional ceasefire | |
| It's unclear how the Afghan government will respond - as some say a previous release of Taliban detainees last year has fuelled violence. Dutch crime reporter de Vries dies from shooting. Britney Spears wants to press charges against father over 'conservatorship abuse'. | Listen |
| EU Unveils Sweeping Climate Change Plans | |
| European Commission announces radical plans to cut carbon emissions over next decade; King of the Zulu nation says recent rioting and looting in South Africa shames the whole country; Rare eye-witness testimony over what's happening in Ethiopia's disputed Tigray region. | Listen |
| Syria: Islamic State children who face lifetime in prison | |
| Plight of thousands of foreign children of IS members in Syrian camps and jails. Kurdish authorities who run these facilities say IS cells are recruiting and radicalising children as young as eight. Also, nine Chinese nationals are killed in explosion aboard Pakistani bus, and we meet Australian teenagers who want schools to teach about sexual consent. | Listen |
| South Africa riots: Death toll rises in violent unrest | |
| More than seventy people are now known to have died in disturbances sparked by the jailing of Jacob Zuma. Also, President Biden says changes to voting rights in some states pose a threat to US democracy and, two series tie for the most nominations in this year's Emmys. | Listen |
| Google issued massive fine by French regulator | |
| The fine is the latest skirmish in a global copyright battle between tech firms and news organisations. Iraq hospital fire: Protests as Covid ward blaze kills more than 60. Texas Democrats flee state to block Republican voting law. | Listen |
| Dozens held after Cuban anti-government protests | |
| Thousands rallied on Sunday, angry at Cuba's economic crisis and curbs on civil liberties. Also: South Africa deploys military to tackle Zuma riots, and Iran has unveiled a dating app said to facilitate lasting marriages. | Listen |
| SA deploys military in Zuma riots | |
| The jailing of the ex-president, Jacob Zuma, has triggered looting and arson. Also: the British PM condemns racist abuse aimed at black footballers after England's defeat in the Euros, and a lightning strike kills 16 taking selfies in India. | Listen |
| Cubans stage rare protests over Covid measures | |
| Thousands rally in several Cuban cities, with others showing support for the government. Also: billionaire Branson rockets to edge of space, and Italy's Euro 2020 triumph after England's penalty heartbreak. | Listen |
| The widow of the former Haitian president says he was riddled with bullets | |
| Martine Moise, who was injured in the attack which killed her husband, speaks for the first time. Also: a statue that sparked deadly US rally is taken down, and Auschwitz orchestra member Esther Bejarano dies aged 96. | Listen |
| Taliban in Afghanistan seize key border crossings in new advance | |
| The Taliban have captured major border crossings with Iran and Turkmenistan in a sweeping offensive across northern Afghanistan. Also: US and Colombia to send investigators to Haiti following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, and how does Jupiter produce X-rays every few minutes? | Listen |
| Bangladesh factory fire kills at least 52 | |
| Blaze broke out overnight at a food-processing plant near Dhaka. It's feared that casualty-numbers will rise as many workers are unaccounted for. Also, Taliban capture a key crossing on Afghan-Iranian border, and why a Spanish government minister caused controversy - by urging people to eat less meat. | Listen |
| Biden defends Afghan withdrawal | |
| Mr Biden insisted the US military had achieved its goals by punishing the perpetrators of the terror attacks of 11 September 2001. Haiti seeks masterminds after 'assassins' detained. EU votes for action over Hungary's anti-LGBT law. | Listen |
| Jovenel Moïse: Deadly gun battle after Haiti's president assassinated | |
| Police say four suspects have been killed and two detained, but a manhunt is still under way. Also: The Olympic Games in Japan are to be held without spectators due to rising cases of coronavirus, and a major expedition to solve one of the world's greatest maritime mysteries. | Listen |
| Jacob Zuma:Former South Africa president hands himself over to police | |
| Last week the Constitutional Court handed down the prison term after he failed to appear before an inquiry into state corruption during his time in office. The Haitian security forces are searching for the gunmen who assassinated the former president, Jovenel Moïse.Trump sues Twitter, Google and Facebook alleging 'censorship'. | Listen |
| Haiti: President Moise is killed in attack at his home | |
| President Jovenel Moise has been shot dead and his wife injured by unidentified gunmen. They were attacked at their residence in the capital Port-au-Prince. Also, the Taliban battle their way into a key city in western Afghanistan, and tributes are paid to legendary Indian film star Dilip Kumar who's died at 98. | Listen |
| More than 90% of US troops have now left Afghanistan | |
| The Afghan government admitted that some of its forces are overstretched following the US withdrawal, but said it was determined to retake territory seized by the Taliban. Also: New York state has declared a disaster emergency following a sharp rise in the number of shootings, and we hear from the artist behind a new sculpture to be unveiled in London's Trafalgar Square that will confront Britain's colonial past. | Listen |
| Belarus opposition leader jailed | |
| Viktor Babaryko is sentenced to fourteen years in prison. Also: the new Afghan commander of the Bagram air base says the US left at night with no notice; and the Cannes Film Festival returns after a year off because of covid. | Listen |
| Covid: Most rules set to end in England | |
| The British Prime Minister has said vaccines had weakened the link between infections and hospitalisations. Georgia: Tbilisi Pride cancelled amid violent protests. Why Russia says real champagne can't come from France. | Listen |
| Afghan troops flee after clashes with the Taliban | |
| More than 1,000 soldiers retreat to Tajikistan as fighting with the militants intensifies. Also: Ethiopia's PM says Tigray withdrawal does not mean the country lost, and scientists say "rocking" bridges could be earthquake proof. | Listen |
| Jacob Zuma refuses to hand himself in | |
| The ex-South African president is defying a court order to start a 15-month jail sentence. Also: Lebanon's hospitals in crisis, and a fantastical tour of the new Hans Christian Andersen museum in Denmark. | Listen |
| Demolition of Miami site brought forward | |
| The standing portion of the collapsed complex will be destroyed as a tropical storm approaches. Also: the Vatican orders a cardinal to face an embezzlement trial, and the sexism row in Ukraine after female soldiers were made to parade in high heels. | Listen |
| Corruption inquiry into Bolsonaro | |
| Brazilian prosecutors aim to investigate whether the president failed to act over a Covid vaccine 'bribery scandal'. Also: why parents want Amazon to change the name of its virtual assistant, and can we all benefit from the space race? | Listen |
| Last foreign forces leave Afghanistan's Bagram base | |
| The sprawling airbase has been the centre of operations against the Taliban and Al Qaeda for almost 20 years. Also: Australia to halve arrivals to fight Covid-19 variant, and scientists are trying to fix a "crashed computer" on the Hubble space telescope. | Listen |
| Trump organisation lawyers plead not guilty to tax fraud | |
| The prosecutor said there had been a sweeping and audacious illegal payment scheme at the company. Also: the WHO warns Europe risks a new Covid wave, and the eighty-two-year-old - finally picked to go into space. | Listen |
| Trump Organisation CEO surrenders to face charges in tax investigation | |
| Allen Weisselberg turned himself in to authorities in New York on Thursday, ahead of the expected unsealing of as-yet-unknown charges. Also: high-profile women want action to stop online abuse and judge denies Britney Spears request to remove father from conservatorship. | Listen |
| Bill Cosby freed after conviction overturned | |
| US comedian leaves jail after court overturned his sexual assault conviction. Also: Former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, one of the main architects of the Iraq war, has died, and why Wimbledon's grass courts seem more slippery this year. | Listen |
| The UN calls for urgent humanitarian access to northern Ethiopia | |
| It warns thousands are at risk of famine in Tigray following eight months of conflict. But the government says its intent on retaking the regional capital. Also: Canada's unprecedented heatwave is blamed for dozens of deaths, and if aliens are out there, what do they want from us? | Listen |
| Ethiopian rebels gain more ground in war-torn north | |
| Tigrayan fighters continue their advance after seizing the regional capital Mekelle. Also: England beat Germany 2-0 at Wembley to reach the Euro 2020 football quarter-finals, and 5,000-year-old man was "oldest plague victim". | Listen |
| South Africa's top court sentences ex-President Jacob Zuma | |
| He has been given five days to hand himself in to police. Souvenirs but no tourists - a rare glimpse of life in war-ravaged Gaza. The Pacific heat dome explained - why Canada and the northwestern United States are experiencing record temperatures. | Listen |
| Ethiopia's Tigray conflict: Rebels enter capital of northern region | |
| Unconfirmed reports say rebel forces have captured Mekelle. Also, Facebook's stock market value has surpassed a trillion dollars for the first time after a US judge dismissed cases accusing the firm of monopoly practices and a new study casts doubt on a theory that there was evidence of life on Venus. | Listen |
| Hundreds of reports of priests' alleged sexual abuse in Poland | |
| The Roman Catholic church in Poland says that in the last three years it has received more than 360 new reports of clergy sexually abusing children. China's ruling Communist Party prepares to mark its centenary. Life threatening heat in the US north-west. | Listen |
| South Africa imposes strict new measures to tackle alarming rise of Covid infections | |
| The South African president Cyril Ramaphosa said the country was facing a grave challenge. Also: France's far-right National Rally loses key battlegrounds in regional elections, and China releases videos of its Zhurong Mars rover. | Listen |
| British health minister Matt Hancock resigns after breaking Covid guidance | |
| Pictures of Matt Hancock embracing an aide unleashed a storm of public anger. Also: a report had warned of major error in collapsed Florida building, and why is the sea around Scotland's Isle of Arran a turquoise blue colour? | Listen |
| George Floyd's murderer sentenced to over twenty-two years | |
| Derek Chauvin was convicted last month of killing Mr Floyd, whose death sparked global protests. Also: Germany knife attacker kills three, and scientists hail stunning 'Dragon Man' discovery. | Listen |
| Rescue efforts continue after Miami building collapse | |
| More than 150 people are still unaccounted for, also: Belorussian blogger moved to house arrest, and the tornado devastating parts of southern Czechia. | Listen |
| Dozens missing after Miami building collapse | |
| It is unclear how many people were in the 12-storey building at the time. Also: proposals by France and Germany to restart EU summits with Russia criticised, and Indian PM calls for 'Made in India Toys'. | Listen |
| Desperate search for survivors after Miami building collapse | |
| One side of the 12-storey beach-side apartment block sheared off. Also, an indigenous group says it has found hundreds of unmarked graves on the site of a former residential school in Canada, the extraordinary life and death of John McAfee the US entrepreneur and creator of the anti virus software, and the British Royal family concedes it needs to do more to increase diversity within its staff. | Listen |
| Russian jets and ships shadow UK warship | |
| More than 20 jets and 2 ships followed HMS Defender as it sailed near Crimea's coast. Also: a Japanese court rejects a challenge to a law requiring husbands and wives to share the same name, and new light on how migrating birds navigate huge distances. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily to close down | |
| Highly popular 26 year-old paper accused of violating the national security law. Also: a BBC investigation finds widespread illness, overcrowding and even sexual assaults at an emergency US government camp housing migrant children in the Texan desert, and the singer Britney Spears is due to address a court in Los Angeles to try to wrest control of her financial affairs from her father. | Listen |
| Heavy fighting reported in Northern Ethiopia | |
| Ethiopian troops clash with Tigrayan rebels, as fighting resumes in eight month civil war; Thousands of young women in Tanzania return to the classroom - despite their pregnancies; Will British made TV programmes be restricted in European countries? | Listen |
| Fighting in Myanmar's second city Mandalay | |
| Security forces and civilian militia clash.This marks a new stage of resistance to February's military coup. Also: Spain pardons Catalan leaders over independence bid, and we look at who might be the next mayor of New York. | Listen |
| Nicaragua political arrests lead Argentina and Mexico to recall envoys | |
| Five opposition candidates for November's presidential election have been arrested in recent weeks. | Listen |
| Up to 10,000 fans at Tokyo Olympics | |
| Spectators will have to wear masks and follow social distancing measures. But events will be behind closed doors if coronavirus infections surge. Also: The Swedish government loses a vote of confidence for the first time in history, and a declassified report into UFO?s in America. | Listen |
| International talks on Iran's nuclear programme make progress | |
| It's not clear when the next round of talks will take place. Body of fugitive far-right Belgian soldier found. South Africa gems that sparked rush are quartz not diamonds. | Listen |
| Covid: Brazil hits 500,000 deaths amid 'critical' situation | |
| So far, only eleven per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated. Iran's next president - the hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi - has promised to fight corruption, after winning an election in which most of his rivals were barred. Milkha Singh: India's 'Flying Sikh' dies from Covid. | Listen |
| Iranians vote in presidential election | |
| The winner will replace Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate who has served the maximum two terms. Also: Palestinians cancel vaccine swap deal with Israel, and Ukrainian couple break up after being handcuffed together for 123 days. | Listen |
| Japanese disagree over Olympics spectators | |
| Officials and politicians are in dispute over allowing fans to attend events next month. Also: Iranians vote in a presidential poll, and the new species of ancient giant rhino. | Listen |
| US Supreme Court rejects big challenge to Obamacare | |
| The justices' 7-2 ruling preserves medical insurance for millions of low-income Americans. Also: Zambia's first president Kenneth Kaunda dies aged 97, and the coelacanth - a 'living fossil' fish - may live for up to a century. | Listen |
| HK police raid pro-democracy paper | |
| 500 officers raided Apple Daily, alleging its reports breached a national security law. Also: 1st crew blasts off to new China space station, and why millions of Chinese are mourning the death of a strong-willed pig. | Listen |
| Biden and Putin praise talks but discord remains | |
| The US and Russia agree to nuclear arms control talks but progress at the Geneva summit was limited. Also: Facebook shuts Ethiopian accounts for fake news, and drone cameras record social lives of killer whales. | Listen |
| Putin and Biden hold talks in Geneva | |
| Russian and US leaders attend summit at villa in Switzerland. It's their first meeting since Biden became President, and comes at a time of high tensions over several issues. Also, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un warns of food shortages following poor harvests, and what happened to a well-known company's shares when a global superstar publicly rejected its product. | Listen |
| Israeli nationalists march through Jerusalem | |
| The parade risked igniting tensions with Palestinians, only weeks after a conflict in Gaza ended. Also: Taiwan angered by China's latest breach of air space, and plastic bottles could be turned into vanilla ice-cream! | Listen |
| The US and EU resolve aircraft trade row | |
| They agree a deal in a 17 year dispute over subsidies to aircraft manufacturers. Also: Hungary passes a law banning what it calls the promotion of homosexuality to under-eighteens, and a deaf sheepdog learns how to work again. | Listen |
| Biden says China and Russia trying to ?drive a wedge? in Nato | |
| Speaking after his first summit of Nato leaders since taking office, President Biden said he will lay down red lines to his Russian counterpart in their meeting on Wednesday, and acknowledged that he faced a tough opponent in Vladimir Putin. Also: Belarus parades the detained opposition journalist Roman Protasevich at a news conference in Minsk; and the American actor Ned Beatty - who appeared in Deliverance and Superman - dies at the age of 83. | Listen |
| NATO: America's back at the table | |
| The head of Nato says it?s a pivotal moment in the seventy?two year history of the organisation, as he urged members to respond to China?s rise and Russia?s aggressive behaviour. Also: the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi has begun in Myanmar and is football still as important for Scotland now its back in the EUROS after a twenty-three year gap? | Listen |
| Naftali Bennett takes over as head of a fragile Israeli coalition. | |
| After twelve years dominated by one man, Israel gets a new leader; The G-7 pledges a billion covid vaccine doses for poorer countries; How to film a sex scene without exploiting the actors...should all movie sets have an "intimacy coordinator"? | Listen |
| G7 leaders agree on spending plan to rival China | |
| The US and its allies have agreed a huge infrastructure plan to counter China's Belt and Road initiative. Also: the Danish footballer, Christian Eriksen, is awake in hospital after collapsing during a European Championship match, and Saudi Arabia has announced strict limits for this year's Hajj pilgrimage because of the pandemic. | Listen |
| G7 leaders highlight issue of climate change by visiting the Eden Project | |
| Queen Elizabeth greeted the G7 leaders on their 1st day of their summit in Cornwall. Also: a teenager who filmed George Floyd's murder is given a Pulitzer Prize, and Italy opens Euro 2020 with 3-0 win over Turkey. | Listen |
| G7 summit: Leaders to discuss climate and vaccines | |
| The British Prime Minister has opened the G7 summit calling for lessons to be learned from the pandemic - and for the recovery to be green and more equally spread. Israel ex-top spy reveals Mossad operations against Iran. Hong Kong to censor films that ?endanger national security?. | Listen |
| Biden confirms US will donate half a billion Covid vaccine doses | |
| But critics say the donation to poor countries isn't enough to vaccinate the world. Also: the wife of Mexico's most notorious drugs lord pleads guilty to money laundering and drugs trafficking, and after 20 years - the end of the Kardashians' TV show. | Listen |
| US president and British PM meeting on eve of G7 summit | |
| The US president Joe Biden and the British prime minister Boris Johnson are having their first face-to-face talks in Cornwall. Also: Myanmar's Suu Kyi is accused of accepting bribes and faces up to 15 years in jail, and a nun in California admits stealing school funds for gambling. | Listen |
| Biden in UK - for first foreign trip as president | |
| Arriving for the G7 summit, Mr Biden pledged to act on climate change and challenge autocrats. Also: Mozambique's missing children, and Italy's declining birth-rate - due to Covid. | Listen |
| US defends its efforts to share Covid-19 vaccines globally | |
| The US National Security advisor Jake Sullivan accuses Russia and China of coercing countries into accepting their vaccines. Also: US super-rich 'pay almost no income tax'; France and Belgium loosen Covid-19 restrictions for summer. | Listen |
| Reaction to UN court's rejection of Ratko Mladic genocide appeal | |
| The court upheld the former Bosnian Serb leader's life sentence for 8,000 Bosnian Muslim deaths in 1995. Also: why astronauts get sick after being in space, and the woman who saved her twin sister from a crocodile attack by fighting back. | Listen |
| FBI app lures global criminals | |
| Hundreds are arrested worldwide after using the ANOM app, where their messages were monitored. Also: UN tribunal rejects appeal by Ratko Mladic against his genocide conviction, and the controversy over building a spaceport in rural Scotland. | Listen |
| US approves new Alzheimer?s drug | |
| Regulators in the United States approved a revolutionary drug for Alzheimer's, targeting - for the first time - the underlying causes of the devastating brain disease. Also: an independent inquiry in Cyprus has concluded that thousands of passports were issued illicitly from a controversial passports-for-cash scheme set up to attract investors, and how intimacy coordinators are changing the way we make films and TV. | Listen |
| France fines Google more than $250m | |
| Regulators ruled that Google gave preferential treatment to its own advertising online. Also: Jeff Bezos, the founder of the online retailer, Amazon, says he and his brother will journey into space, and how Greece plans to bring back tourists. | Listen |
| Israeli police question prominent Palestinian activists | |
| Muna and Mohammed el-Kurd have become the faces of a recent campaign to stop evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem. They were both later released by police. Also: El Salvador plans to make the cryptocurrency Bitcoin legal tender; and Prince Harry and his wife Meghan announce the birth of their baby girl, Lilibet. | Listen |
| G7: Rich nations back deal to tax multinationals | |
| Amazon and Facebook have said they welcome the agreement - even if they have to pay more tax. The US justice department is ending the practice of secretly obtaining reporters' records in order to identify sources leaking classified information. Nigeria will prosecute anyone found to have breached the country's ban on the social media firm Twitter. | Listen |
| Facebook suspends Trump for two years | |
| Facebook's move comes as the social media giant is also ending a policy shielding politicians from some content moderation rules. US military UFO report 'does not confirm or rule out alien activity'. Magawa the hero rat retires from job detecting landmines. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: China clamps down firmly on Tiananmen Square commemorations | |
| Authorities in Hong Kong have heavily curbed efforts to mark anniversary of 1989 massacre. This year's anniversary is first since introduction of controversial security law. Also, Nepal asks UK for vaccines to tackle Covid-19, and how supersonic air travel could be on the way back - but it won't be cheap. | Listen |
| Biden sets out plan to share millions of Covid-19 vaccines globally | |
| The plan covers around a third of eighty million doses the US has said it will share with the world. Also: UN warns of growing risk posed by stranded oil-tanker off Yemen, and echolocation could help blind people learn to navigate. | Listen |
| The Games will go on say Tokyo Olympic organisers | |
| The president of the Tokyo Olympic Games insists they will go ahead -- despite the pandemic and widespread opposition among ordinary Japanese. Also: could this be the end of Bibi Netanyahu?s career as Israel?s longest-serving prime minister, worms in space -- and the club helping shark attack survivors talk their way to mental health. | Listen |
| Israel opposition parties agree to form government | |
| Naftali Bennett would initially become PM, meaning an end to Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year tenure. Also: oil spill fears as ship sinks off Sri Lanka, and a teenage girl in California pushes a bear to protect her dogs. | Listen |
| Israel: Opposition leaders say they're close to forming new government | |
| Various opposition parties in talks to create new coalition government. If they succeed, this will end Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year stretch as Prime Minister. Also, China's president wants the country to create a more 'loveable' image abroad, and how an American woman discovered she's actually a Senegalese princess. | Listen |
| Biden first US president to mark Tulsa massacre | |
| The 1921 massacre in Oklahoma remains one of the worst incidents of racial violence in US history. Also: volcanic eruption in DR Congo leaves 500,000 without water, and Yemen fishermen find $1.5m of ambergris in a whale carcass. | Listen |
| Ugandan minister shot in assassination bid | |
| Gen Katumba Wamala is being treated for injuries, but his daughter and driver died. Also: Nestle reportedly admits most of its products are unhealthy, and the dead mother who can still wake up her son. | Listen |
| Tulsa massacre remembered 100 years on | |
| The 1921 Tusla massacre remains the worst single incident of racial violence in US history. Also: WHO renames Covid variants with Greek letters, and Naomi Osaka withdraws from the French Open tennis championships. | Listen |
| China allows couples to have three children | |
| Census results show a steep decline in births and an ageing population. Also: Vietnam is taking urgent measures to counter a surge in coronavirus, and the US city of Tulsa is marking one hundred years since a race massacre that's thought to have left up to 300 black people dead. | Listen |
| Key Israeli party backs deal to oust Netanyahu | |
| A right-wing leader, Naftali Bennett, says he's ready to help form a new governing coalition. Also: Nigerian gunmen abduct students, and an ode to a nightingale. | Listen |
| Brazil protesters blame President Bolsonaro for Covid crisis | |
| Thousands, angry at the slow vaccine rollout, have taken to the streets across Brazil. Also: N Korea says orphans are 'volunteering' as miners, and the Catholic church promotes virtual pilgrimages. | Listen |
| Belarus: President Lukashenko seeks Russian support | |
| The embattled Belarusian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, claims the West is trying to destabilise his regime, as he begins talks with Vladimir Putin. Also: more than 50 countries accuse World Health Organization officials of covering up sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by aid workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And in China, fans of the sitcom Friends are left disappointed after the special reunion episode is censored. | Listen |
| Germany officially recognises colonial-era genocide in Namibia | |
| Germany has acknowledged committing atrocities during early 20th century. Huge numbers of Herero and Nama people were killed by German troops. Also, hundreds of thousands flee Congolese city of Goma over fears of another volcanic eruption, and does the way we cough indicate whether or not we have Covid ? | Listen |
| New map reveals cosmic mystery | |
| Scientists have created the most detailed chart yet of how dark matter is spread out across the universe; their findings could challenge Einstein's theory of general relativity. Also: the UN Human Rights Council votes to investigate violence in the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the Brazilian samba composer, Nelson Sargento, dies at the age of 96. | Listen |
| Macron asks Rwanda to forgive France over 1994 genocide role | |
| Eight-hundred-thousand ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus died in the Rwandan genocide. China ridicules the US investigation into whether Covid-19 came from a lab. And a top Cuban baseball star defects at a tournament in Florida. | Listen |
| Shell ordered to cut CO2 emissions | |
| A Dutch court rules that the oil giant must reduce its emissions by 45% compared to 2019 levels. Also: US President Joe Biden orders intelligence agencies to investigate the origins of Covid-19, and Amazon has agreed to buy the historic MGM studios for $8.45bn | Listen |
| Jacob Zuma pleads 'not guilty' in corruption trial | |
| Former South African president in court over $5 billion arms deal from 1990s. He's blamed political enemies in the ruling ANC party for his legal troubles. Also, president of Belarus hits back at critics after international outrage over forced re-routing of an airliner, and is a hot bath as good for you as an exercise-session ? | Listen |
| US marks George Floyd killing anniversary | |
| It is one year since the 46-year-old black man was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis. Also: families in anguish over pair in Belarus, and Emily Bronte poems set to fetch more than $1.4m at auction. | Listen |
| US pledges help to rebuild Gaza | |
| The US Secretary of State wants to consolidate the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Also: Hong Kong warns it may have to throw away Covid vaccines, and the Chinese shepherd who saved lives during a marathon. | Listen |
| Belarus activist's family fear torture after his arrest | |
| The father of Roman Protasevich, who was detained after his flight from Greece was diverted to Minsk, tells the BBC he is 'really afraid'. Also: Shining Path rebel group is blamed for more than a dozen deaths in Peru, and algae proteins partially restore man's sight. | Listen |
| Ryanair accuses Belarus of hijacking | |
| The airline spoke out after its plane was forced to land, and a journalist on board was arrested. Also: Myanmar's deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has appeared in court in person for the first time since February's coup, and could man's best friend help sniff out Covid? | Listen |
| Belarus 'diverts Ryanair plane to arrest journalist' | |
| Many countries are demanding the release of the dissident Roman Protasevich, after a MiG-29 fighter jet escorted the Greece-Lithuania flight to Minsk. Also: fourteen killed after cable car accident in Italy, and is there a Quiet Park near you? | Listen |
| Eyes on peace options as Gaza ceasefire holds | |
| Mediators try to cement the truce, as Israel and Palestinian militants take stock of an 11-day conflict. Also: photo appears to show missing Emirati princess Latifa, and DR Congo volcano eruption sparks mass evacuation. | Listen |
| Israel temporarily opens two crossings into Gaza | |
| The UN agency for Palestinian refugees is helping tens of thousands of people displaced by the eleven-day conflict. The IOC says the Tokyo Games will go ahead even under a state of emergency. And why a pub in northern England is celebrating Christmas in May. | Listen |
| Israel and Hamas both claim victory after truce | |
| Ceasefire now in effect, but clashes have taken place in Jerusalem. Israeli police and Palestinians have confronted each other at Al-Aqsa mosque compound. Also, WHO warns that true global Covid-19 death-toll could be much higher than official figures, and why 68 big cats have been seized from park owned by stars of 'Tiger King' series. | Listen |
| Israel and Palestinian militants agree ceasefire | |
| The 11 day conflict has claimed at least 232 lives in Gaza and 12 in Israel. Also: An inquiry criticises the BBC over ?deceitful? way it secured Princess Diana interview, and why dogs are better than many lateral flow tests at detecting Covid-19 in humans. | Listen |
| Israel-Gaza fighting continues as hopes for a ceasefire increase | |
| Mediation efforts intensify on the eleventh day of the latest conflict. Also: a French court has ruled that hundreds of women who were given faulty breast implants are entitled to compensation, and a new book by the late grand master of spy novels, John Le Carre. | Listen |
| International pressure mounts for Middle East ceasefire | |
| US tells Israel it wants to see a "significant de-escalation" in the fighting with Palestinian militants. Also: Donald Trump denounces criminal investigation into his business in New York, Leonardo DiCaprio leads 43 million dollar pledge to restore the Galapagos Islands and Demi Lovato comes out as non-binary. | Listen |
| Gaza-Israel: The plight of children caught up in conflict | |
| How children are suffering as Israeli airstrikes and Hamas rocket-attacks continue. And we hear about diplomatic efforts to end the fighting. Also, we visit Russia's most northerly military base as tensions rise in Arctic between Moscow and Washington, and why Alice in Wonderland may be a heroine for our times. | Listen |
| Israel's prime minister vows to continue the military operations against Hamas | |
| Benjamin Netanyahu says the operations will continue as long as necessary. Also, Spain's prime minister visits the enclave of Ceuta after thousands of Moroccans enter the city illegally, and the Italian singer and songwriter Franco Battiato has died at the age of 76. | Listen |
| No let-up in Israel-Gaza strikes and rocket attacks | |
| There has been no let-up to the worst violence in years despite widespread calls for a ceasefire. Also: Russia's spy chief Sergei Naryshkin speaks to the BBC, and a study says just 20 companies make half of all one-use plastic. | Listen |
| Israel-Gaza: US blocks UN statement for third time in a week | |
| The Security Council statement would have called for an end to the violence. Also: most Britons are officially allowed to hug - as Covid rules are eased, and longevity tips from Australia's oldest man - who's 111. | Listen |
| The US calls for Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza to avoid civilian casualties, as the hostilities continue | |
| The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, urged Israel and the Palestinians to protect civilians, especially children. Also: no evidence of fraud in Myanmar vote, and India's Covid crisis hits the vaccine-sharing Covax scheme. | Listen |
| Netanyahu says Gaza strikes to continue 'at force' | |
| The Israeli PM's comments came as the UN Security Council met to try to broker a ceasefire. Also: the US climate envoy puts his faith in technologies that 'don't yet exist', and the take away musicians - delivered to your home to play live. | Listen |
| Israeli airstrike destroys Gaza media tower block | |
| Israel claims Hamas operated there; the block housed the AP news agency which says it can't verify the Israeli statement. Also: Covid - on Everest, and at the Eurovision Song Contest, and the plague of mice in Australia. | Listen |
| Bloodshed in West Bank as conflict broadens | |
| Palestinians and Israeli forces clash in the West Bank as Israel vows to continue military operations in Gaza. Also: the WHO warns the second year of the pandemic is likely to be deadlier than the first, and Prince Harry speaks of the pain and suffering of his upbringing. | Listen |
| Gaza: Israeli warplanes and gunboats support artillery assault | |
| Israel launches heaviest bombardment of Gaza so far as fighting continues. And US and Egyptian mediators arrive in Israel to broker talks to try and end conflict. Also, Turkish company that provides a quarter of Lebanon's electricity has halted supplies, and a work by Picasso is sold for more than one hundred million dollars. | Listen |
| Israeli military intensifies attacks in Gaza | |
| Jews and Arabs clash in several Israeli towns. Also: persuading the vaccine hesitant to get a covid jab; and Russia's space agency plans to make its first movie in space | Listen |
| Gaza: No let up in violence | |
| Hamas remains defiant and the Israeli military considers possible ground invasion. Also 3 Kenyan MPs meet the speaker of parliament to explain allegations of widespread bribe-taking by their colleagues, and Bitcoin takes a nosedive as Elon Musk announces Tesla will no longer accept the cryptocurrency to buy its cars. | Listen |
| Gaza: Dozens of deaths as Israel and Palestinians exchange fire | |
| Israeli air strikes kill senior Hamas military commanders in Gaza City, as fighting with Palestinians goes on. Also, international leaders urge both sides to back down amid warnings of a full-scale war. And US Republicans oust Liz Cheney from a leadership position in Congress, over her opposition to Donald Trump. | Listen |
| Israel-Gaza: More casualties as violence continues | |
| At least 53 Palestinians and 6 Israelis have been killed since latest fighting began. Other nations have appealed for both sides to end confrontation. Also, the WHO issues damning report on global response to Covid-19 pandemic, and is another migrant crisis looming in the Mediterranean ? | Listen |
| UN warns Israel and Hamas are heading for full scale war | |
| Palestinian militants fired hundreds of rockets into Israel and Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on Gaza. We hear from the Israeli Defence Force and a man being bombed in Gaza City. Also: bodies wash up along India's River Ganges as crematoria struggle to keep up with Covid 19, and the Brit Awards are back in London with a live audience. | Listen |
| Several killed in Russian school shooting | |
| At least seven pupils and one teacher died in the attack in Kazan..Also, further heavy exchanges of fire between Palestinians and Israelis, and the legacy of Bob Marley 40 years after his death. | Listen |
| Pleas for calm as Jerusalem violence escalates | |
| The EU, the US and the UK have called for the violence to stop after the Palestinians and Israel exchange fire. Also: billions of cicadas are going to emerge in the US after living underground for 17 years, and NBC cancels Golden Globes over lack of diversity. | Listen |
| Jewish nationalist march cancelled in Occupied East Jerusalem | |
| Police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse stone-throwing crowds in and around Al-Aqsa mosque. Emergency legislation has taken effect in the United States to protect fuel supplies, after a cyber attack forced the closure of a major pipeline. German priests defy Vatican to bless gay couples. | Listen |
| Russian doctor who treated Alexei Navalny goes missing | |
| Police said Alexander Murakhousky had not reported back from a hunting trip in a Siberian forest since Friday. Also: more than 1,000 migrants arrive on the Italian island of Lampedusa, and Dracula's castle offers tourists Covid vaccine. | Listen |
| Deadly attack at secondary school in Afghanistan | |
| The attack took place as the students were leaving the school in Kabul. Also: India's PM asks EU support for Covid19 vaccine patents waiver, and high speed rail services cancelled in UK after cracks found in trains. | Listen |
| US jobs fall short of expectations | |
| Employers hired 266,000 people in the US last month, despite a $1.9tn stimulus package. Also: WHO approves Chinese covid vaccine, and California condors swoop on home. | Listen |
| India: Communities take action to tackle Covid crisis | |
| Sikhs in Delhi convert temple into hospital for Covid patients. And Supreme Court orders government to supply 700 metric tonnes of oxygen to capital's hospitals every day. Also, UN urges Brazil to investigate police raid which resulted in at least 25 deaths, and the refugee athletes who dream of Olympic glory - despite having no country to represent. | Listen |
| WHO: India accounts for nearly half of Covid-19 cases | |
| More than 4,000 Indians have died in 24 hours, and some experts say the real Covid-19 figures could be much higher. Also, South Africa?s governing ANC party is plunged into a power struggle. And Malawi?s government orders refugees to move to a camp, after decades of integration in society. | Listen |
| Blinken: US will respond to 'reckless' Russian acts | |
| The US Secretary of State urged Moscow to end its 'reckless and aggressive' actions to Ukraine. Also: the Ugandan former child soldier sentenced to 25 years in jail by the International Criminal Court, and the plight of women in Afghanistan. | Listen |
| Facebook's Trump ban upheld for now | |
| Facebook?s Oversight Board however criticised the permanent nature of the ban and ordered the site to review the decision and ?justify a proportionate response? that is applied to everyone. Also: the World Health Organisation sets up a global intelligence centre in Berlin to identify future pandemics, and scientists have uncovered what may be Africa's oldest ceremonial human burial 78,000 years ago. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Opposition say they'll create armed protection force | |
| Opponents of military coup have announced setting up of armed wing. This follows months of clashes with security forces, in which more than 700 demonstrators have been killed. Also, entire Indian delegation at G7 talks in London must self-isolate after Covid cases detected, and how Napoleon's controversial legacy still divides France 200 years after his death. | Listen |
| Mexico City metro: Authorities promise full investigation into deadly crash | |
| The Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said ?nothing would be hidden? while the mayor of Mexico City said an external company would be involved in the inquiry. Also: the American drugmaker Pfizer has markedly increased its projected revenue and profits as a result of increasing demand for its coronavirus vaccine, and a diplomatic crisis is averted in Belgium, after a farmer there accidentally redraws his country?s border with France | Listen |
| Mexico City train crash kills over 20 people | |
| The Mexican authorities promise an independent investigation. Also: India suspends the IPL cricket tournament; and Bill and Melinda Gates are to divorce after 27 years of marriage. | Listen |
| WHO wants more funding for COVAX | |
| The World Health Organisation has appealed for more help from rich countries to protect poorer nations against the coronavirus as the global vaccination gap widens. The EU unveils plans for overseas tourists to return. Escape from China by boat - one man's perilous dinghy ride to what he hopes is a new life in Taiwan. | Listen |
| German police shut down online child abuse platform | |
| Officials say the site had more than four- hundred- thousand members across the globe. Four men have been arrested in an international operation. Also: the European Commission says restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU should be eased, and scientists discover a way to redress the shortage of male sea turtles due to climate change. | Listen |
| India: Modi loses battleground state amid Covid surge | |
| The BJP has been defeated in state elections in West Bengal where it had held huge rallies despite a surge in coronavirus cases. Colombia's president has cancelled planned tax reforms which had triggered days of violent protests. Manchester United v Liverpool game postponed after fan protest. | Listen |
| US commander warns against attacks in Afghanistan as deadline passes | |
| The Taliban have warned they are no longer bound by an agreement not to target international troops in Afghanistan. Also: Turkey arrests two hundred people in May Day protests, and the Oscar winning actress Olympia Dukakis dies aged 89. | Listen |
| Brazilian Amazon now a net emitter of greenhouse gases | |
| The Brazilian part of the Amazon rainforest has released 20% more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in the past decade than it has absorbed. Also: Israel buries first victims after festival crush, and the surge in men using Botox to look better. | Listen |
| Israel: At least 44 killed in stampede at religious festival | |
| Prime Minister Netanyahu has pledged an investigation into disaster. Reports say it began when people leaving Orthodox Jewish event slipped in overcrowded passageway. Also, India's supreme court warns government not to silence criticism over its handling of pandemic, and why US podcaster Joe Rogan has described himself as a 'a moron.' | Listen |
| Brazil hits 400,000 deaths amid slow vaccination | |
| The 14-day average of deaths and coronavirus cases in Brazil has seen a slight fall but remains high. Also: Turkey enters first full Covid-19 lockdown, and wasps don't get enough credit for their work! | Listen |
| Alexei Navalny appears in court virtually - gaunt but defiant | |
| The Kremlin critic told the court President Putin was turning Russians into slaves. Also: China launches the first module of its new space station, and the contestant who begged to be voted off a reality TV show. | Listen |
| Biden: 'America is on the move again' | |
| President Biden delivers his first address to a joint session of the US Congress. He outlined massive spending packages to create green jobs and ensure all children had access to a good education. Also: hospitals in India are overwhelmed as Covid-19 pandemic continues, and the Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins dies aged 90. | Listen |
| US investigators raid Rudy Giuliani's home | |
| The former New York mayor and lawyer to Donald Trump is being investigated for dealings with Ukraine. Also: hospitals in India are overwhelmed as Covid19 pandemic continues, and the Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins dies aged ninety. | Listen |
| India: Official Covid death-toll is now above 200,000 | |
| Experts warn that the true number of deaths could be much higher. We speak to emergency workers, and hear how major cities and rural communities are affected by deepening crisis. Also, how neighbouring Pakistan is responding to India's plight, and Britain's PM Boris Johnson to face investigation over funding for his apartment. | Listen |
| Rising anger in India | |
| The government is under pressure to reveal the true number of Covid deaths as India's healthcare system buckles under a huge second wave of infections. Also: teenage girls could be at a higher risk of concussion than boys when playing football and the women who pioneered electronic music are celebrated in a new film. | Listen |
| India: Covid pandemic 'beyond crisis point' | |
| It's thought officials have under-reported the death rate. Also: Brazil launches inquiry into President Bolsonaro's handling of the pandemic; and police officers in the Philippines are cleared of wrongdoing after they were found holding people in a secret jail cell. | Listen |
| AstraZeneca: US to share up to 60m vaccine doses | |
| The US has announced it will share its supplies of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine with other countries once a safety review by the Food and Drug Administration has been completed. Also: Opposition forces occupy key parts of Mogadishu in Somalia and we hear from Italy?s Robinson Crusoe, who has been forced to leave his secluded island home after 32 years. | Listen |
| India's relentless Covid crisis | |
| New Indian cases of coronavirus top 300,000 for a fifth day. Moscow's prosecutor has ordered that the political offices of Alexei Navalny suspend their activities across Russia. The British-Iranian charity worker, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, has been sentenced to another year in an Iranian jail. | Listen |
| Deadly inferno devastates Iraqi Covid ward | |
| The blaze, which killed at least 82, is thought to have been caused by an exploding oxygen canister. Some people were forced to jump from windows to escape the burning building. Also: Iran's foreign minister is caught on tape criticising the hardline Revolutionary Guards. And lockdown languishing ? how the pandemic is creating new states of mind. | Listen |
| President Biden describes mass killings of Armenians in WWI a genocide | |
| Turkey reacts angrily to the US president's remarks, also, debris from missing Indonesian submarine found, dashing hopes that crew has survived, and the award nobody wants - who got the Razzies this year? | Listen |
| Desperation as Indian hospitals buckle under Covid | |
| The health-care system is failing as a record surge in cases drains oxygen supplies. Also: the diplomatic row sparked by pomegranates, and saving the northern white rhino from extinction. | Listen |
| Russia: Opposition activist Alexei Navalny ends prison hunger-strike | |
| Announcement by outspoken critic of president Putin follows 24 days of refusing food. He began hunger-strike to demand better medical care while in jail. Also, Tokyo faces new Covid restrictions but Olympic Games' organisers say tournament will go ahead, and why 'new nomads' are hitting the road in the US. | Listen |
| European leaders welcome Biden's pledge to halve emissions by 2030 | |
| But can the US persuade other countries to step up efforts to fight climate change? Also: hundreds attend the funeral of the black man shot by US police, and the stranded sailor - allowed to leave his ship after four years. | Listen |
| Biden: 'Decisive decade' to tackle climate change | |
| The White House says the US has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 50-52%, as leaders take part in virtual summit. Also: India sees world's highest-ever daily Covid cases, and breathable oxygen made on Mars for first time. | Listen |
| US launches federal probe into Minneapolis police | |
| The justice department will probe police practices after the George Floyd murder verdict. Also: Russian police arrest hundreds of opposition protesters, and the Italian employee who was paid for fifteen years - without doing a day's work. | Listen |
| Putin accuses West of picking on Russia like 'jackals round a tiger' | |
| Russian President makes criticism in annual 'state of the nation' address. He also warns West against crossing a 'red line' with Russia. Also, US President Joe Biden welcomes conviction of Derek Chauvin for murder of George Floyd, and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli says European Super League football project cannot proceed. | Listen |
| George Floyd officer convicted of murder | |
| Jurors found Derek Chauvin guilty of all charges over Mr Floyd's death. Also: all six English football clubs have left the European Super League, and the Burmese food entrepreneur turned activist - who's now fled Myanmar. | Listen |
| Chad's president dies 'in clashes with rebels' | |
| Chad's President Idriss Déby has died suddenly in clashes with rebels in the north. Also, the head of world football has attacked plans to form a breakaway European super-league, and Youtube says it won't let a beauty influencer earn money from his videos. | Listen |
| George Floyd: Jury deliberates Chauvin verdict | |
| Security has been ramped up around the court building in the US city of Minneapolis, as jurors retire in the trial into the death of George Floyd. Also: Delhi announces a new lockdown as Covid-19 cases in India surge; and Marvel releases the trailer for its first Asian superhero in a Hollywood film. | Listen |
| Mars: NASA carries out the first flight on the planet | |
| A small helicopter controlled from Earth has become the first craft to take off from the surface of Mars, as NASA works towards sending humans to the red planet. Also, Russian authorities say the opposition activist Alexei Navalny has been moved to a prison hospital after 20 days on hunger strike. And outrage grows in the world of football, as the biggest teams in England, Spain and Italy announce the new European Super League. | Listen |
| Europe's top football clubs form breakaway super-league | |
| At least twelve European football clubs have signed up despite warnings from UEFA. Also: Moscow announces tit for tat diplomatic expulsions in an escalating row with the Czech Republic, and how to get into good habits and help your health during a pandemic by doing just one thing. | Listen |
| Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is laid to rest | |
| The funeral in Windsor was attended by thirty members of the British royal family. Also: the Czech government expels eighteen Russian diplomats, accusing Moscow of blowing up an arms depot seven years ago; and NASA chooses Elon Musk's SpaceX company to help get humans back to the moon. | Listen |
| Russia retaliates for US diplomatic expulsions | |
| Moscow expels ten diplomats and blacklists eight US officials after the US imposed sanctions. Also: Raul Castro steps down as Cuban communist leader, and "whitest ever" paint reflects 98% of sunlight. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: Several leading pro-democracy activists are jailed | |
| Media tycoon Jimmy Lai among prominent campaigners who've been given prison sentences. The verdicts come as Beijing cracks down on Hong Kong's rights and freedoms. Also, eight people killed in mass-shooting in Indianapolis, and why research on monkey embryos has generated much interest - and deep controversy. | Listen |
| US imposes sanctions on Russia for cyber-attacks | |
| The US says the measures, which target dozens of Russian entities and officials, aim to deter "Russia's harmful foreign activities". Also: ex-officer Chauvin will not testify in his defence, and the French president visits Notre Dame cathedral two years after fire. | Listen |
| Covid-19 surge in India | |
| The virus is spreading faster in India than anywhere else in the world. Also: the US expels ten Russian diplomats and imposes sanctions, and researchers say magic mushrooms could treat depression. | Listen |
| US president says 'it's time to end America's longest war' | |
| President Joe Biden pledges to support Afghanistan after withdrawing all US troops by the 11th of September. Also: police officer charged over the killing of black motorist in Minnesota, and a grandfather gets lucky after forgetting his reading glasses. | Listen |
| Biden's envoy John Kerry goes to China for climate-change talks | |
| Kerry to talk with Chinese leaders about co-operation in tackling global warming. He says Beijing's involvement is 'absolutely critical' in battle against climate-change. Also, we assess Vladimir Putin's strategy as tensions rise between Russia and Ukraine, and UN issues report on how much 'bodily autonomy' women have across the world. | Listen |
| US troops to leave Afghanistan by 11th of September | |
| President Biden is to announce on Wednesday US troops will leave Afghanistan by mid-September. Also: police chief resigns over black motorist's death in Minnesota, and Mick Jagger tackles the Covid-19 lockdown by writing "Easy Sleazy" song. | Listen |
| Ukraine urges NATO to stand up to Russia | |
| Kyiv wants help with Russian 'aggression'; Moscow says its border troops are no threat. Also: Japan approves releasing Fukushima water into the sea, and a new form of tribal warfare in Papua New Guinea. | Listen |
| Minneapolis: State of emergency declared | |
| The Mayors of Minneapolis and St Paul also impose an overnight curfew in the twin US cities, after unrest that followed the police shooting of a young black man. Also, fears for the health of Russia's opposition leader, Alexei Navalny after 15 kilo weight loss since being sent to prison camp, and W-H-O warns complacency is prolonging the pandemic. | Listen |
| Unrest as police shoot a black man near Minneapolis | |
| Tear gas was fired and an overnight curfew imposed amid anger at the fatal shooting. Also: Iran vows 'to avenge Israeli attack' on its nuclear site, and remembering Yuri Gagarin - the first man in space. | Listen |
| Iran says incident at nuclear facility was 'terrorist act' | |
| Teheran said the plant had been hit by what it called a terrorist act. There?s been no official Israeli comment. Also, the US Secretary of State says he has real concerns about Russia's military build-up on its border with Ukraine, and an iconic Moscow food hall shuts up shop. | Listen |
| Prince Philip: Private funeral to be held next week | |
| In his first public statement since the Duke of Edinburgh?s death, Prince Charles says his father gave ?the most remarkable, devoted service? to his family, to Britain, and to the Commonwealth. Also, thousands of people flee their homes after a volcanic eruption on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. And a United Nations official warns that Myanmar could be headed toward civil war after February?s military coup. | Listen |
| Prince Philip: Tributes after Duke of Edinburgh dies aged 99 | |
| Prince Philip was the longest serving consort in British history, having been married to Queen Elizabeth for seventy- three years. The Palace said he died peacefully at Windsor Castle on Friday morning. It's been confirmed that his funeral will not be a state occasion -- in line with his wishes. Also: A volcanic eruption has blanketed the Caribbean island of St Vincent in ash and, a landmark effort by Amazon workers to form a union chapter at their warehouse in the US state of Alabama appears to have been defeated. | Listen |
| The life of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh | |
| In this special edition, we mark the death of Prince Philip - the Duke of Edinburgh. Jackie Leonard looks back at the life of Queen Elizabeth's husband, his place in British history and his contribution to the monarchy. | Listen |
| President Biden signs executive order to impose modest controls on gun ownership | |
| The president says gun violence has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, also, French president Macron closes the elite school ENA, and the trouble with Peppa Pig in China. | Listen |
| AstraZeneca vaccine challenges | |
| Countries across the world have changed their advice on who should have it. Call My Agent star joins plea to reopen French theatres. Mind altering art, we find out why prehistoric cave painters chose such remote chambers. | Listen |
| Under-30s offered alternative to AstraZeneca vaccine | |
| A review finds a "plausible" link to rare blood clots but says the AstraZeneca vaccine remains beneficial for most people. Also: Myanmar ambassador to UK "locked out" of embassy, and "strong evidence" found for a new force of nature. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: How is Astra Zeneca vaccine safety row affecting public confidence ? | |
| Concerns voiced over whether Astra Zeneca vaccine causes blood-clots in the brain. Several countries have restricted use of the vaccine until more is known about possible links. Also, China tries to persuade its 'one-child' generation to have more babies, and how Kim Kardashian has joined the ranks of the world's billionaires. | Listen |
| US joins talks aimed at reviving Iran nuclear deal | |
| Diplomats in Vienna are discussing how the US can lift sanctions and Iran return to compliance. Also: Brazil variant drives South America covid surge, and a man is arrested over Van Gogh and Frans Hals art thefts. | Listen |
| N Korea to skip Tokyo Olympics over Covid | |
| It ends S Korea's hopes of using the Games to engage with Pyongyang. Also: Netanyahu is asked to form a new Israeli government, and alone on a ship for four years. | Listen |
| US police chief says Chauvin broke force policy | |
| The Minneapolis police chief has testified in the trial of the ex-officer accused of killing George Floyd. Also: Google handed win in 10 year Oracle court battle, and the demise of LG mobiles. | Listen |
| Jordanian prince vows to defy 'house arrest' | |
| Prince Hamzah says he won't stay quiet after being accused of plotting to destabilise the state. Also: the Israeli PM's corruption trial is told he sought improper benefits from media bosses, and the business owner who offered a job to the man who tried to burgle his restaurant. | Listen |
| Jordan accuses Prince Hamzah of plotting to destabilise kingdom | |
| The Jordanian deputy PM says King Abdullah's half-brother sought to mobilise tribal leaders against the government. Also: lorry boss apologises over Taiwan train crash, and tighter Covid restrictions for India's Maharashtra state. | Listen |
| Claims of a coup plot in Jordan | |
| The authorities detain the former crown prince and other high profile figures in Jordan for what's been described as "security reasons". Also: the German president tells the country's political leaders to "get it together" in the face of a third wave of coronavirus, and a ceremony unlike any other in Cairo as mummified Pharaohs are moved to a new home. | Listen |
| The US Capitol goes into lockdown | |
| A police officer has died after he was hit by car driven by a man who was shot and later pronounced dead. Also: we hear from a doctor in Myanmar who has been treating victims of the military crackdown, the Netherlands pauses the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and are we about to find out who will be the next James Bond? | Listen |
| Tigray conflict: World powers angry over 'human rights abuses' | |
| G7 group of economic powers has condemned killing of civilians in northern Ethiopia. The group also called for investigation into reported crimes, and for those responsible to be held to account. Also, at least 50 people killed as a crowded train crashes in Taiwan, and how animals - just like humans - try to follow the latest trends and fashions. | Listen |
| Fresh evidence emerges of atrocities in Tigray | |
| Videos appear to show the massacre of unarmed civilians by people in Ethiopian army uniforms. There?ve been persistent allegations of serious abuses by all sides in the conflict - but a government media blackout has so far limited attempts to examine them. Also today: The new head of the WTO condemns vaccine inequality. And has home advantage in football really disappeared during the pandemic? | Listen |
| Aung San Suu Kyi charged with violating Myanmar's official secrets act | |
| She faces up to fourteen years in prison. Also: seven Hong Kong activists are found guilty of organising unauthorised pro-democracy protests in 2019; and the Eurovision Song Contest allows fans in as part of a covid trial. | Listen |
| Biden unveils two trillion dollar package to boost economy | |
| The aim is to modernise roads, repair bridges and promote climate initiatives. The plan will be financed by a tax increase on corporations. Also: the Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny says he is going on hunger strike to demand better medical treatment in jail, and Russia has registered the world?s first coronavirus vaccine for animals. | Listen |
| Italy: Naval officer 'caught selling secrets to Russia' | |
| Police say officer was caught in act of handing secret documents to Russian official. Russia's ambassador has been summoned to Foreign Ministry in Rome. Also, heavy gunfire close to presidential palace in Niger two days before new leader due to be sworn in, and new report says white-majority countries should look to UK for model of how to reduce racial inequality. | Listen |
| More work needed to rule out Covid lab leak - WHO | |
| A report says all possible causes of the pandemic remain on the table. Also: Germany is limiting the use of the AstraZeneca Covid jab, and how far can sperm counts fall? | Listen |
| China limits Hong Kong parliament to 'patriots' | |
| The sweeping changes are the latest efforts by Beijing to step up its influence in Hong Kong. Also: world leaders call for treaty on future pandemics, and Nike sues over "Satan Shoes" with human blood. | Listen |
| George Floyd trial under way | |
| The white former policeman Derek Chauvin is accused of murdering the African American. Also: the Suez Canal has reopened after a stranded ship was freed, and the Italian gangster identified by his tattoos. | Listen |
| Final operation to free Suez Canal ship | |
| The 400m Ever Given has been wedged across the canal, one of the world's busiest trade routes. Also, the Thai Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, has said his country is preparing for a potential flood of refugees from Myanmar following the military coup there, and baby Galapagos tortoises wrapped in plastic found in suitcases. | Listen |
| Dozens dead after Islamist attack in Mozambique | |
| Civilians with boats have been evacuating survivors of the violent raid on Palma. Also: watching a volcano erupt, and how to perform a socially-distanced 'Romeo and Juliet'. | Listen |
| More than 90 killed in Myanmar 'day of terror' | |
| Dozens of deaths were reported as anti-coup activists defied warnings and protested. Also: Mozambique militants 'ambushed workers', and fresh efforts to refloat ship stuck in Suez Canal. | Listen |
| France was 'blind' to Rwanda genocide, report says | |
| French historians say France bears "heavy responsibilities" over the 1994 Rwanda massacres, but they found no evidence of French complicity. Also: at least 32 people are killed in a train crash in Egypt, and Fox News is sued for $1.6bn over an election fraud claim. | Listen |
| Abiy Ahmed: 'Eritrea to withdraw its troops from Tigray conflict' | |
| Ethiopian PM says Eritrean forces to leave Tigray, nearly 5 months after conflict began. Eritrean soldiers have fought alongside Ethiopia in war that's reportedly claimed thousands of lives. Also, Suez Canal remains completely blocked for fourth day by huge stranded container-ship, and new research shows an octopus may be able to dream. | Listen |
| Joe Biden gives his first news conference as US President | |
| Mr Biden pledged to deliver 200 million Covid jabs to Americans in his first one-hundred days in office, double his original goal. Also: AstraZeneca has published revised results for the US trial of its Covid vaccine after its earlier report was criticised for using outdated information, and the acclaimed French director Bertrand Tavernier has died at the age of 79. | Listen |
| EU Summit on Covid | |
| Many European countries are facing a surge in Covid infections. H&M and Nike face a backlash in China for acknowledging human rights concerns about cotton grown in Xinjiang. The African elephant is now critically endangered. | Listen |
| China hackers 'target Uighurs on Facebook' | |
| Social media giant says platform used to spy on activists, journalists and dissidents living abroad. Also: India halts AstraZeneca vaccine exports, the saliva test that detects concussion on the spot and are food apps killing the restaurant business. | Listen |
| Germany cancels plans for Easter lockdown - a day after it was announced | |
| Chancellor Merkel announces sudden U-turn on strict Coronavirus lockdown measures. She calls plan a 'mistake' and takes 'ultimate responsibility' for reversal. Also, disruption to world trade as huge container-ship blocks Suez Canal, and Prince Harry finds new job - in Silicon Valley. | Listen |
| Netanyahu claims 'huge win' in Israel election | |
| Analysts say the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, could win the most seats but without winning a parliamentary majority. Also: US president Joe Biden calls for swift action on gun control following mass killing in Colorado, and Banksy painting raises more than $23m for health charities. | Listen |
| Hundreds missing after fire at Bangladeshi refugee camp | |
| The UN has described the blaze in Cox's Bazaar as catastrophic. Also: Germany extends its coronavirus lockdown, and new data from the Large Hadron Collider could change our understanding of the universe. | Listen |
| US government to ask Mexico and Guatemala to help reduce flow of migrants | |
| The United States says it is concerned about the number of unaccompanied children arriving at border crossings. Also: western states sanction China for Uighur "abuses", and Aretha Franklin's family reject Genius biopic. | Listen |
| US trial of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine confirms safety | |
| It proved nearly eighty per cent effective at stopping Covid-19 symptomatic cases and there were no problems regarding blood clots. This paves the way for the US to start administering the jab. Also: the French subsidiary of the Swedish retail giant IKEA has gone on trial accused of spying on staff, and how ?adopt a kiosk? is saving a British icon that has lost its purpose. | Listen |
| US defence secretary's surprise Afghan visit | |
| Lloyd Austin's trip comes weeks before a planned withdrawal of all remaining US troops. Also: Buckingham Palace reviews diversity policies, and a large asteroid swings by Earth. | Listen |
| Protests against Covid-19 restrictions in many European cities | |
| In the German city of Kassel, police used pepper spray and batons to disperse demonstrators. Also: Turkey pulls out of gender violence convention, and Iceland's lava-spewing Fagradalsfjall volcano is "subsiding". | Listen |
| COVID-19: Europe expects a third wave amid vaccine shortage | |
| Sixteen regions of France, including Paris, go back into lockdown, while Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany could see more restrictions. Also, the US and China conclude a two-day meeting marked by confrontation and blunt talk. And Samia Suluhu Hassan becomes the first female president of Tanzania. | Listen |
| BBC journalist detained in Myanmar | |
| Aung Thura was taken by unknown men as more people were reportedly killed by the military. Also: virtual reality Shakespeare, and the organisers of this year's Oscars ban Zoom. | Listen |
| EU agency says AstraZeneca vaccine is 'safe and effective' | |
| The European Medicines Agency (EMA) reviewed the jab after 13 EU states suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over fears of a link to blood clots. Following the announcement, Germany, France, Italy and Spain announced they would restart their roll-out of the vaccine. Also: President Biden has announced that the US will on Friday meet his target of vaccinating a-hundred million people in his first one-hundred days in office, more than a month ahead of schedule, and up to ten Russian track and field athletes will be able to compete as neutrals at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. | Listen |
| WHO endorses AstraZeneca jab - as Europe awaits safety verdict | |
| The European regulator's decision is due - following EU countries' pause of the jab. Also: the Covid survivor who was left with a stutter, and why Donald Trump's time in the White House has left him poorer. | Listen |
| Russia recalls envoy after Biden remarks about Putin | |
| President Joe Biden said Vladimir Putin would "pay the price" for alleged election meddling. Also: The European Union threatens to block Covid vaccine exports to countries including the UK, and the President of Tanzania, John Magufuli, has died aged 61. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: EU announces plans for 'vaccine passport' | |
| Officials say digital certificate to boost foreign travel should be issued to EU citizens. But announcement overshadowed by threats to restrict exports of coronavirus vaccine from EU. Also, 8 people shot dead in attacks in and around US city of Atlanta, and why an Australian bird species forgot how to sing its own song. | Listen |
| Europe's medicines regulator says benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks | |
| The French president calls EMA assurance 'encouraging', also, new study reveals what may have happend to the water on Mars, and why pickleball has become more popular in the US. | Listen |
| Mozambique militants 'beheading children' | |
| Aid agency says Islamist fighters are targeting children as young as 11 in northern province of Cabo Delgado. Also: Britain shifts foreign policy focus to Asia, Facebook 'friends' Australia's News Corp, and what's in a name? Tesla boss Elon Musk changes his title to "Technoking". | Listen |
| More European countries suspend use of AstraZeneca vaccine | |
| Their decision comes despite the WHO urging use of the vaccine, Also, Nigerian primary school children kidnapped, and the unusual visitor to the west coast of Ireland. | Listen |
| Myanmar military continues its suppression of protesters | |
| More than 50 people were killed in the worst single day of brutality since the protests began. Also: a new UN push to end the decade-long Syrian war; and we hear who's been nominated for this year's Oscars. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Protesters killed in clashes | |
| Security forces opened fire on demonstrators in Yangon where martial law has been declared. Also, the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the US is brought in to care for migrant children, and there's controversy in Afghanistan where girls over the age of 12 have been banned from singing in public. | Listen |
| Leader of shadow civilian government in Myanmar vows resistance to military | |
| In his first public address, uploaded onto Facebook, Mahn Win Khaing Than said this was Myanmar's darkest moment. Also: Moscow police raid election forum, and former F1 motor racing commentator Murray Walker dies aged ninety-seven. | Listen |
| Minneapolis to pay George Floyd family $27m | |
| The settlement comes as a jury selection resumes for the murder trial of ex-officer Derek Chauvin. Also: Covid vaccines top the agenda at "Quad" meeting, and scientists unlock mysteries of ancient "computer". | Listen |
| Mozambique: Can the government defeat radical Islamist insurgency ? | |
| A report from an area of northern Mozambique that's under siege by Islamists. More than half a million people have fled their homes to escape the insurgents' brutal attacks. Also, gunmen abduct dozens of students near army base in Nigeria, and how the disappearance - and killing - of a young woman in London has generated debate in UK about women's safety. | Listen |
| Brazil hospitals struggle as Covid death toll soars | |
| The governor of Brazil's most populous state, Sao Paulo, has announced tough restrictions. Also: UN alleges the military regime in Myanmar is most probably guilty of crimes against humanity, and sniffing out Parkinson's disease. | Listen |
| Army accuses Suu Kyi of taking $600,000 and gold | |
| Myanmar's military claims the ousted leader took illegal payments, but offers no evidence. Also: Prince William says the royal family is 'very much not racist', and China approves a plan to control HK elections. | Listen |
| The US gets huge Covid financial relief | |
| The green light is given for President Biden's $1.9 trillion package which provides additional funding for vaccine distribution as well as one-off payments of $1,400 for most Americans. Also: the pro-democracy activist in Myanmar who helped elderly people escape a police raid and, for the first time, the sound of lasers are heard being fired on another planet. | Listen |
| Syria: How war has left young people with both trauma and hope | |
| Research by International Red Cross looks at the civil war's impact on younger Syrians.While most have suffered pain and loss, many are optimistic about the future. Also, efforts in India to save a 4000-year-old community from extinction, and Japan's award for the Most Sexist Remark has been won by a woman. | Listen |
| WHO: 1 in 3 women suffer violence | |
| It says situation will be even worse since the report due to the pandemic. Also: The British Royal family responds to allegations of racism from Harry and Meghan; and the highly diverse BAFTA nominations. | Listen |
| EU parliament lifts Catalan ex-leader?s immunity | |
| Carles Puigdemont is wanted in Spain over a failed independence referendum. Also: A leading international agency has upgraded its forecasts for global economic growth, and the family driveway hit by a meteorite. | Listen |
| Brazil?s Lula cleared of corruption | |
| A Supreme Court judge annuls ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva?s conviction -- clearing the way for a possible presidential run next year. Lula was freed in 2019 after 18 months in jail over a huge bribery scandal which ensnared politicians and business leaders. Also today: the shockwaves from Meghan and Harry?s Oprah interview continue, fear on the streets of Myanmar, and giving voice to Ghanaian women accused of witchcraft. | Listen |
| Harry and Meghan interview | |
| The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a series of dramatic revelations about their life inside the British Royal family. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, said concern had been expressed by a member of the royal family about how dark the skin of her first baby might be. Also: President Biden's climate envoy John Kerry heads to Europe on a quest to reduce global warming, and we hear about a standoff between the elephant and the avocado in Kenya. | Listen |
| Explosions rock the economic capital of Equatorial Guinea | |
| The blasts in Bata killed many and injured hundreds, Also, the people of Switzerland vote to ban the public wearing of face coverings such as niqab and burqa, and the sailors from Kiribati stranded in Hamburg. | Listen |
| US Senate passes Covid relief plan | |
| President Biden called it a 'giant step forward' and said it should become law next week. Also: the Yazidi women - raped by IS fighters - who are reunited with their children, and the 130 kilometre journey to pick up a sandwich. | Listen |
| WHO head warns of more pandemic waves | |
| Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there must be no relaxation in the fight against Covid-19. Also: the Pope's first visit to Iraq, and Ukraine's campaign to have Borscht recognised as its national dish. | Listen |
| Pope Francis begins tour of Iraq | |
| Pontiff intends to show support for Iraqi Christians and foster dialogue with Muslims. This is considered the Pope's riskiest international trip yet - due to instability and the pandemic. Also, China reveals plans to tighten its grip on Hong Kong, and the world's oldest known wild bird has a chick - at the age of 70. | Listen |
| Italy blocks AstraZeneca shipment to Australia | |
| The ban on shipping 250,000 doses, amid a row with the firm, is backed by the EU. Also: the store where shoppers walk out without paying, and saving the butterfly. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Opponents of the coup continue to demonstrate | |
| There are reports that the police used tear gas and gunfire to break up the protesters. The UN human rights chief has demanded the military government stop murdering and jailing protesters. Also: Hong Kong has been excluded from an annual league table of the world's most free economies, and we hear how poetry is helping one doctor cope with the coronavirus pandemic. | Listen |
| ICC 'war crimes' inquiry in West Bank and Gaza | |
| Israel rejects the court's investigation, while the Palestinians praise it. Also: S Korea's first transgender soldier is found dead, and the vultures threatened by poison in Kenya. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Further deadly clashes despite appeals for calm | |
| At least 9 people killed in confrontations between security forces and demonstrators. One teenager is reported to be among the dead. Also, BBC investigation finds evidence that members of China's Uighur minority are being uprooted from their homeland, and country superstar Dolly Parton reworks one of her best-known songs to encourage Americans to be vaccinated against Covid-19. | Listen |
| US sanctions Russians over Navalny poisoning | |
| The Biden administration imposes its first sanctions on Russia over what it says was Moscow?s attempt to kill Alexei Navalny. The move, which targets Russia's top spy and six other officials, was co-ordinated with the European Union. Also: scientists discover a group of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are able to suppress HIV without medication, and one of reggae's most important voices, Bunny Wailer, dies at the age of 73. | Listen |
| Hundreds of kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls freed | |
| The girls were abducted by gunmen from their boarding school in Zamfara state and taken to a forest. Also: the Prime Minister of Singapore condemns the violence in Myanmar, and the extraordinary journey of a wolf on the west coast of the United States. | Listen |
| Jamal Khashoggi: US defends decision not to punish Saudi Crown Prince | |
| The Biden administration had been strongly criticised for not sanctioning the Crown Prince directly, despite blaming him for the journalist's murder in an official report last week. The US State Department insists it is focused on Saudi Arabia?s future conduct. Also: a BBC reporter covering the deadly conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray province is detained by the military, and the Nobel prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro discusses the inspiration behind his new novel. | Listen |
| Fresh charges against deposed Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi | |
| Aung San Suu Kyi is charged with two more offences, as the security forces again use tear gas and stun grenades against peaceful protesters. Also: the former president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, is found guilty of corruption and influence peddling; and Donald Trump hints at a new bid for the White House. | Listen |
| Donald Trump returns to political stage | |
| Mr Trump told the Conservative Political Action Conference he would not be starting a new political party. Also, police in Myanmar open fire on protesters, and a Russian warship enters a port in Sudan where Russia is planning to build a new naval base. | Listen |
| Political tensions escalate in Armenia | |
| The Armenian president has refused to follow through an order from the prime minister to sack the army chief. Also: hundreds of arrests across Myanmar as the military authorities harden their response, and researchers dig out a near intact Roman ceremonial chariot in Pompeii. | Listen |
| Jamal Khashoggi: US says Saudi prince approved Khashoggi killing | |
| A US intelligence report has found that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the murder of exiled journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The report said this conclusion was based on the crown prince's absolute control over the security apparatus, and his willingness to use violence to silence critics. Also, Myanmar's ambassador to the UN has condemned the military coup in his country and has sided strongly with mass protests, and we hear why fish in Kenya are dying in large numbers. | Listen |
| Nigeria: More than 300 schoolgirls kidnapped | |
| Unidentified gunmen abducted the girls in early morning from a school in Zamfara state. This is latest in a series of attacks targeting schools in northern Nigeria in recent years. Also, court rules that British-born IS recruit Shamima Begum cannot return to UK from Syria, and BBC investigation finds portions of Brazil's Amazon rainforest being sold illegally on internet. | Listen |
| EU leaders vow to speed up vaccine production | |
| Greece and Austria are urging other EU states to adopt coronavirus vaccination "passports". Also: jailed Putin critic Alexei Navalny "moved out of Moscow remand centre", and the black browed babbler bird is not extinct after all. | Listen |
| Armenian leader denounces 'attempted coup' | |
| PM Nikol Pashinyan leads crowds of supporters after the army says he must resign. Also: how elephants in zoos are helping their relatives in the wild, and the pandemic's impact on the German language. | Listen |
| US says report on Khashoggi murder in Saudi consulate expected 'soon' | |
| A US intelligence report on the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate in Istanbul will be published soon. Also: single-shot Covid-19 vaccine ?stable and effective?, and Van Gogh painting on show for the first time. | Listen |
| Covid: WHO's Covax scheme delivers first vaccines | |
| Ghana is first nation to receive Coronavirus vaccines through sharing initiative. Covax scheme aims to encourage richer countries to share vaccines with poorer nations. Also, German court jails Syrian former intelligence agent for complicity in crimes against humanity, and the Texan truck-driver who rescued hundreds of people stranded by ferocious winter storm. | Listen |
| Capitol security officials blame US intelligence failures in January 6 riot response | |
| Testifying to a Senate committee, officials said that the rioters 'came prepared for war'. Also: suspect in Malta journalist murder pleads guilty. Thousands protest in Tbilisi after arrest of Georgian opposition leader, and the American Beat poet, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, has died at the age of 101. | Listen |
| UN could suspend aid for N Korea's 'hungry millions' | |
| The UN's World Food Programme says Pyongyang's strict Covid rules could halt its aid. Also: Facebook reverses its ban on news in Australia, and how wasps helped date cave paintings of kangaroos. | Listen |
| US Covid-19 deaths pass half a million | |
| President Biden describes it as a truly grim heartbreaking milestone. Also: NASA releases videos of its Perseverance rover landing on Mars and the first audio recording from the surface of the planet, and the French electronic dance group Daft Punk announce a split after 28 years. | Listen |
| Italian ambassador killed in DR Congo | |
| Luca Attanasio and two others died after a UN convoy was attacked near Goma. Also: Boeing 777 airliners are grounded after an engine falls apart in mid-air, and a Chinese tea shop chain apologises for calling women a 'bargain' on its mugs. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Huge crowds mourn three demonstrators killed in protests | |
| Thousands of Burmese activists held ceremonies and vigils for those killed by the military authorities as they try to suppress a campaign of civil disobedience against their coup. Also: The head of the UN nuclear watchdog says Iran has agreed to extend UN inspectors' access to its nuclear sites for a further three months, and NASA is to reveal the first video footage containing the sounds of the Red Planet captured by the cameras onboard its rover in Mars. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Two protestors shot dead | |
| Myanmar security forces open fire on protestors in the city of Mandalay, in the bloodiest show of force since the military coup earlier this month. Also, police in Barcelona clash with supporters of the jailed Catalan rapper Pablo Hasel. And Australian entrepreneurs look to the ocean for sustainable business opportunities. | Listen |
| G7 leaders pledge billions of dollars for UN global vaccination fund | |
| The jabs will be distributed by the UN's COVAX scheme, also, a more lenient approach to drugs possession in Norway, and why a black footballer won't 'take the knee'. | Listen |
| Harry and Meghan not returning as working members of Royal Family | |
| Buckingham Palace has said Prince Harry and Meghan "remain much loved members of the family". UK Supreme Court rules Uber drivers are workers, not self-employed. The UN asks for proof that Dubai's Princess Latifa is alive. | Listen |
| NASA's Perseverance Rover lands on Mars | |
| The robot will spend the next two years looking for evidence of past life. Also: an inquiry in Colombia finds that the army under President Alvaro Uribe killed more than six thousand civilians, passing them off as combat deaths; and the scientists trying to create a robotic nose to detect cancer - inspired by dogs. | Listen |
| US life expectancy falls by a year amid pandemic | |
| The life expectancy for the entire population dropped to 77.8 years. The Australian Prime Minister says his government will not be intimidated by Facebook blocking news feeds to users. New Tokyo Olympics chief is seven times Olympian Seiko Hashimoto. | Listen |
| Biden administration to transfer more than 200 million dollars to WHO | |
| Transfer is part of new president's reversal of his predecessor's policies, also, Britain to launch Covid trial with healthy young volunteers, and what mice learn of men. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Roads blocked in Yangon as thousands protest | |
| Demonstrators used vehicles to obstruct major roads across city. UN's special rapporteur for Myanmar has warned of potential violence. Also, gunmen have abducted dozens of schoolchildren in raid in northern Nigeria, and former pop star Glenn Medeiros alleges that 1980s music business was rife with sexual exploitation and Mafia links. | Listen |
| Leading Democratic Congressman files federal lawsuit against Donald Trump | |
| Bennie Thompson who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee also accused Mr Trump?s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and far right groups, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers of inciting the crowd to disrupt the certification of the election results by the use of force, intimidation and threat. Also: the Hamas authorities in Gaza have agreed to revise a controversial ruling that banned women from travelling without the permission of a male relative, and the European Space Agency says it's planning to recruit someone with a physical disability as a potential astronaut. | Listen |
| Princess Latifa: 'I want to be free' | |
| In secretly recorded messages, the Dubai ruler's daughter says she's being 'held hostage'. Also: Cuba's coronavirus vaccine programme, and the big freeze on the Texas riviera. | Listen |
| Myanmar protestors threatened with 20 years in jail | |
| The military says fines will also apply to those found to incite "hatred" towards the coup leaders. Also: World Trade Organization names its first female African boss, and high-altitude birds have evolved thicker "jackets". | Listen |
| Myanmar soldiers use rubber bullets against protesters | |
| The military has also warned protesters they could face up to twenty years in jail. Also: searching for the vanishing great white shark, and the new way of photographing subjects - without the photographer being there. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Armoured vehicles roll through the streets | |
| The leaders of Myanmar's military coup try to consolidate power, as they face continued protests across the country. Also, the World Health Organization plans a mission to Guinea, where an Ebola epidemic has been declared. And the Catalan region of Spain holds elections for the first time since its failed bid for independence in 2017. | Listen |
| Trump acquitted of inciting mob to attack US Capitol | |
| Fifty-seven senators voted to convict Mr Trump - 10 short of the number needed to convict. Mario Draghi is sworn in as Italy's new prime minister. Fifty years on, why Carole King's Tapestry remains influential. | Listen |
| Trump's lawyers present impeachment defence | |
| Lawyers for the former president, Donald Trump, argue that his remarks in the hours leading up to the storming of the US Capitol should be protected by free speech laws. Also, Iran reacts defiantly to warnings that it once again breached the 2015 nuclear deal. And the United Nations Security Council calls on the leaders of Myanmar's military coup to give up power. | Listen |
| Nigeria: Polluted communities 'can sue Shell in English courts' | |
| UK Supreme Court ruling allows lawsuit by oil-polluted Niger Delta communities. People in this area say their lives and health have suffered because repeated oil-spills have heavily contaminated their land and water. Also, Russia warns it may cut ties with EU if the bloc imposes sanctions over treatment of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and was Stonehenge originally built in Wales ? | Listen |
| US Impeachment: 'Convict Trump or it could happen again' | |
| They said the rioters who stormed Congress believed they were acting on Trump's orders. The Duchess of Sussex has won a privacy case against a British newspaper. Ten years on from the Arab Spring, what life like in Egypt? | Listen |
| Myanmar is planning to increase internet censorship as protests continue | |
| There's been a fresh wave of arrests in Myanmar of officials linked to the former civilian government. Also: Tokyo Olympics chief to step down over sexism row, and are pigs clever enough to play computer games? | Listen |
| Trump: New footage of Capitol violence | |
| Democrats tell his impeachment trial his election fraud claims led directly to the riots. Also: we hear from young activists in Myanmar, and the reinvention of the Barbie doll. | Listen |
| Covid-19: EU's von der Leyen admits failures in vaccine rollout | |
| European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen publicly accepts criticism. She says EU was slow to authorise vaccines, overconfident about meeting production-targets, and 'still not where we want to be.' Also, why Serbia's achieved huge success with its vaccination-effort, and how a Texas lawyer became an internet star - as a cat. | Listen |
| US Senate votes to continue with Trump impeachment | |
| The Senate found that the trial is constitutional, allowing full proceedings to begin. Also: the UAE puts a space probe into orbit around Mars, and the 82-year-old climber breaking records to pay tribute to the elderly victims of coronavirus. | Listen |
| WHO says Covid-19 laboratory leak 'extremely unlikely' | |
| A team of international and Chinese experts say more work is needed to identify the source of the virus. Also: rubber bullets used as Myanmar protestors defy ban, and the Supremes co-founder and singer Mary Wilson dies aged seventy-six. | Listen |
| Trump's second impeachment trial | |
| The trial starts today, with Mr Trump's lawyers denying he incited supporters to riot. Also: Myanmar's military defends its coup, and Tesla buys more than a billion dollars of Bitcoin. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Military issues warning as protests continue | |
| State TV tells protestors that action will be taken if they threaten 'rule of law'. Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated for third day following military coup. Also, rescuers search for 200 people who are missing after flood in northern India, and US Senate prepares for second impeachment trial of Donald Trump. | Listen |
| Haiti 'coup foiled' | |
| Officials say a bid to murder the president and overthrow the government has been halted. Also: protests sweep Myanmar, and rebuilding the old Iraqi city of Mosul. | Listen |
| Myanmar coup: Internet shutdown as crowds protest against military | |
| The national blackout comes amid the biggest protest so far against this week's military takeover. Thousands of people took to the streets of the main city, Yangon. Also: remembering the 'Wuhan whistleblower' doctor a year after his death, and rare meteorites from the Moon, Mars, and beyond, go under the hammer in New York. | Listen |
| ICC rules its jurisdiction extends to Palestinian Territories | |
| The International Criminal Court's decision could lead to an investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas. Also: Russia expels European diplomats over Navalny protests, and the Sound of Music star Christopher Plummer dies at the age of 91. | Listen |
| Russia: Opposition leader Alexei Navalny in court to face fresh charges | |
| Mr. Navalny is accused of slandering an elderly Second World War veteran, which he denies. His lawyer says this is 'criminal persecution' aimed at preventing his client from standing in parliamentary and presidential elections. Also, how the pandemic has made life even harder for Bulgaria's Roma minority, and scientists discover a reptile the size of a sunflower seed. | Listen |
| President Biden promises that US will re-engage with the world | |
| In his first major foreign policy speech, Joe Biden said global challenges could be solved by nations working together. Also, the Brazilian mining firm, Vale, has agreed to pay seven billion dollars in damages for the collapse of the Brumadinho dam, and Denmark plans to build the world's first energy island. | Listen |
| Former child soldier convicted of war crimes | |
| Dominic Ongwen was abducted by the LRA in Uganda and had argued he was a victim. Also: the Myanmar military has blocked Facebook in a clampdown on the opposition days after the coup, and doctors in New York hail the first operation to transplant a face and hands from the same person to have been a success. | Listen |
| Canada labels Proud Boys a terrorist organisation | |
| The Canadian minister Bill Blair said the decision was influenced by the group's "pivotal role" in January's riots at the Capitol in Washington. Also: the European Union warns there's a real danger of renewed civil war in Afghanistan, and expect a socially distanced Eurovision song contest 2021. | Listen |
| Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi is charged after army coup | |
| Police bring charges against elected civilian leader whose whereabouts are unclear. She and the President were detained during military coup on February 1st. Also, Uighur women detainees in China allege systematic rape and torture in 're-education' camps, and how a 110-year-old British great-grandmother became an internet singing sensation. | Listen |
| Russia jails Putin critic Navalny despite protests | |
| Alexei Navalny had returned to Russia after treatment in Germany for Novichok poisoning. Also: US Democrats lay out impeachment case against Trump, and a prize for those who invented LEDs - Light Emitting Diodes. | Listen |
| Mass arrests as Russian court considers Navalny jail term | |
| The court is deciding whether to convert a suspended sentence given to the Russian dissident Alexei Navalny into an actual prison term. Women struggle over their inheritance rights in Nigeria. Top tips on working from home. | Listen |
| Biden threatens sanctions following Myanmar coup | |
| The US president, Joe Biden, has strongly condemned the military coup in Myanmar, saying those responsible would be held to account. Also: the head of the UNHCR says the situation in Ethiopia's Tigray province is "extremely grim", and why are readers of the Times newspaper getting annoyed? | Listen |
| Unease and anger in Myanmar after a military coup | |
| Myanmar's democratically-elected leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, detained, also: international condemnation of the military takeover, and: Silver rises to an eight-year high. | Listen |
| Thousands join Navalny protests across Russia | |
| More than 5,000 people have been arrested amid demonstrations for the jailed activist. Also: AstraZeneca 'agrees to boost EU vaccine supplies', and the first commercial launch of a rocket powered partially by bio fuel. | Listen |
| WHO criticises EU over Covid vaccine export controls | |
| The WHO says the controls on vaccines produced in the bloc could prolong the pandemic. Also: Vladimir Putin's judo partner says he owns the mansion said to be for the president, and a four-year-old girl finds a dinosaur footprint on a beach. | Listen |
| EU confirms new export controls on vaccines | |
| The controls will apply to vaccines made in the bloc, following a shortfall in deliveries. Also: the French village - left a fortune by a fugitive from the Nazis, eighty years after the residents there saved his life, and buying books to impress on a video call. | Listen |
| Myanmar: UN and US and EU warn military not to stage a coup | |
| Warnings issued as Myanmar's military threaten to revoke constitution. This follows their poor performance in elections in November 2020. Also, EU publishes its contract with AstraZeneca as row continues over Covid-19 vaccine supplies, and pioneering African-American actress Cicely Tyson dies aged 96. | Listen |
| Biden starts rebuilding Obamacare | |
| President Joe Biden says he is ?undoing the damage? done by Donald Trump, as he reopens online enrolment for government-subsidised healthcare. Also, the European Union has sent inspectors to an AstraZeneca plant to find out why Covid-19 vaccine goals are not being met. And Facebook?s new oversight board hands down its first decision. | Listen |
| Germany warns Europe's vaccine shortage could last months | |
| The shortage of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union is being felt across the continent. Also: China tells the US not to interfere with a WHO investigation into the origins of the virus, and Alexei Navalny denounces his detention as illegal after a judge turns down his appeal for release. | Listen |
| Biden signs executive orders on climate change | |
| He says the US will lead a global response to the climate crisis. Also: police in Russia search properties linked to Alexei Navalny, and a previously unknown work by Mozart has its world premiere. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: French firm agrees to manufacture vaccine developed by German rival | |
| Sanofi pledges to manufacture 125 million doses of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. European Union is currently struggling with vaccine supply issues amid a row over shortages. Also, a stark warning from South Africa about future danger posed by new Coronavirus variants, and how one man cheered up his US neighbourhood - by giving away free pizza. | Listen |
| Britain records 100,000 deaths linked to the coronavirus | |
| The UK has one of the highest death rates in the world, Also: President Biden raises concerns in his first talk with Vladimir Putin and a former slave and abolitionist on the US 20 dollar bill. | Listen |
| Further calls for fairer distribution of coronavirus vaccines | |
| The European Commission President has added her voice to the growing number of world leaders. Also: Chaos in parts of the Indian capital as thousands of farmers converge on the Red Fort to demand that the government drop its agricultural reforms, and the Thai parliament has voted to allow abortions in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. | Listen |
| Trump article of impeachment delivered to US Senate | |
| US Democrats have delivered an impeachment charge to the Senate - accusing Donald Trump of inciting insurrection - and triggering the process of putting him on trial. Also: Covid-19 has cost global workers $3.7tn in lost earnings, and baby tyrannosaurs - the size of Border Collie dogs. | Listen |
| Boeing 737 Max: 'new safety concerns' | |
| A whistle-blower has raised fresh concerns about the safety of Boeing's 737 Max aircraft. Also: President Putin condemns protesters demanding the release of the jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and the international appeal of Scotland's National Bard. | Listen |
| US passes 25m Covid-19 cases | |
| President Biden has implored Americans to wear masks, warning that the death toll could get worse. Also: clashes erupt during Dutch Covid curfew demo, and SpaceX sets a world record for the number of satellites launched. | Listen |
| 'Thousands detained' at Navalny protests in Russia | |
| Tens of thousands joined some of the largest rallies against President Vladimir Putin in recent years. Also: Italian PM brands Covid-19 vaccine delay "unacceptable", and the veteran talk show host Larry King dies aged eighty-seven. | Listen |
| Trump impeachment trial to begin in February | |
| The US House of Representatives will send an impeachment article, or charge, to the Senate on Monday. Also: UK Covid-19 variant "may be more deadly", and SpaceX is to repurpose oil platforms as launch pads. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Delivery delays halt Pfizer jabs in parts of Europe | |
| Cut in delivery of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine slows down inoculations in several countries. The European Commission has asked for clarification from Pfizer about delays. Also, Japan's government denies claims that it's considering cancelling Tokyo Olympic Games, and how Donald Trump was prank-called by someone impersonating Piers Morgan. | Listen |
| President Biden warns Covid-19 death toll will soon exceed 500,000 | |
| The US President has promised 100 million vaccinations within his first 100 days in office. Also: China calls for a renewal of cooperation with the United States, and the Mexican Government welcomes a new bill sent to the US Congress. | Listen |
| US top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci addresses the WHO | |
| The top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci addresses the WHO as the US administration under Biden prioritises its fight against Covid and joins the global vaccine plan. Also: we hear from Central American migrants as they attempt to reach the United States, and we look back at the 1980s HIV Aids pandemic in Britain. | Listen |
| Joe Biden sworn in as 46th US president | |
| He promises to work to heal the bitter political divisions of recent years. Also in this podcast which is entirely devoted to the inauguration, we look at the challenges facing the new administration, how Kamala Harris has made history by becoming the first female, first black, first Asian-American vice-president, how the news of the inauguration is being received around the world, and we ask what next for Donald Trump and his supporters? | Listen |
| Trump leaves White House and pledges 'We will be back in some form' | |
| Donald Trump has departed White House for last time as President. His successor Joe Biden will be inaugurated amid heavy security. Also, we look at Trump's legacy as President, and key challenges facing Biden's administration on the international stage. | Listen |
| Donald Trump bids US presidential farewell | |
| He said he was proud of what he'd achieved and asked Americans to pray for the incoming Biden administration. Also: The Italian Senate backs PM in confidence vote, the smart watches being used in the early detection of coronavirus and a new German exhibition about female concentration camp guards. | Listen |
| Trump's last day in office | |
| We look back at Donald Trump?s four very eventful years as US President. Also: We get an update on the Chinese miners trapped underground for nine days, and Oxford university researchers start tackling antibiotic resistance due to overuse thanks to a multimillion dollar donation. | Listen |
| WHO warns of 'catastrophic moral failure' | |
| Unequal Covid vaccine policies are blamed. Also: dozens of the Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny's supporters are arrested for demanding his release from prison, tens of thousands of people respond to a social media campaign in France designed to shed light on sexual abuse within families, and what is the perfect background for video-conferencing? | Listen |
| Alexei Navalny jailed in Russia | |
| Russia's most prominent opposition figure has been jailed for 30 days after returning to Moscow,. Also: WHO chief warns of "catastrophic moral failure" over vaccine rollouts. And the unusual bat discovered in West Africa. | Listen |
| Poisoned Kremlin critic Navalny detained in Russia | |
| The activist returned to Moscow from Germany months after a nerve agent nearly killed him. Also: the music producer and convicted murderer, Phil Spector, has died, and climbing a Hong Kong skyscraper in a wheelchair. | Listen |
| Uganda's Museveni declared election winner | |
| His main rival, Bobi Wine, claims vote-rigging and vows to produce evidence. Also: India launches 'the world's biggest vaccination drive', and Nepali climbers make history with K2 winter summit. | Listen |
| Biden unveils vaccination plan | |
| He gave details after it was announced two million people worldwide had died with Covid. Also: the sports doctor - sent to prison for masterminding an international doping ring, and English football players face a ban on hugs on the pitch. | Listen |
| Uganda elections: President Museveni takes early lead | |
| President's main challenger Bobi Wine alleges vote-rigging on huge scale. Mr. Museveni has been in power for 35 years and is hoping for 6th term. Also, North Korea unveils new ballistic missile which state media describes as 'the world?s most powerful weapon', and we mark 100th anniversary of one of the greatest ever feats of stage magic. | Listen |
| Brazil warns of a health system 'close to collapse' | |
| Officials in Manaus say hospitals are failing as a new Covid strain fuels infections. Also: France tightens its Covid curfew, and why the number 39 is so unpopular in Afghanistan. | Listen |
| Washington takes stock after vote to impeach Donald Trump | |
| President-elect Biden welcomes the vote but doesn't want trial to delay urgent business. Mr Trump was impeached for inciting insurrection, after his supporters attacked Congress to stop it confirming his election defeat. Also: Uganda elections - Bobi Wine takes on Yoweri Museveni, and in Indonesia archaeologists find world's oldest animal cave painting. | Listen |
| Historic second impeachment for President Trump | |
| Ten Republicans joined the Democrats in the House of Representatives in finding the president guilty of inciting insurrection through his words to his supporters shortly before they stormed the US Capitol building a week ago. He?ll face a Senate trial next, but what does it mean for his political influence? Also: How Indonesia's vaccination programme is giving priority to its working population, and the Duchess's new venture as a romantic novelist. | Listen |
| Trump faces second impeachment vote | |
| US politicians debate whether to charge President over his supporters' riot at Capitol. A growing number of Republicans have voiced support for impeachment. Also, trial begins of hundreds of alleged members of Italy's biggest mafia group, and do zebras' stripes help them evade their enemies ? | Listen |
| President Trump dismisses moves to impeach him as a witch hunt | |
| Mr Trump said his speech urging supporters to march on Congress was totally appropriate. Also: Britain and Canada announce sanctions on companies which profit from China's persecution of its Uighur minority, and farewell to Inji, the world's oldest orangutan, who's died at the age of 61. | Listen |
| Uganda Elections: Opposition leader says military raided his home | |
| The incident comes just two days before Ugandans vote in a general election following a campaign marked by violence which has killed dozens of people. Also: an Indonesian search team has recovered a black box flight recorder from the airliner which crashed on Saturday, and we hear from one of the advocates who assisted the defence team of Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on federal death row in America, after her execution is postponed just hours before it?s due to be held. | Listen |
| Trump faces 'incitement of insurrection' charge | |
| Democrats introduce a resolution to impeach President Trump for his role in the attack on the Capitol in Washington last week and give the vice president, Mike Pence, 24 hours to respond to their demand that he invokes the 25th amendment to remove Trump. Also: The World Health Organisation warns that herd immunity to the coronavirus will not be achieved this year, and plans to convert Paris's most famous boulevard into an 'extraordinary garden'. | Listen |
| US: What options available to Democrats as they try to oust Trump ? | |
| President Trump has 9 days left in office but Democrats want him out sooner. We look at the tactics they could use. Also, Beijing accuses Washington of trying to sabotage its interests over Taiwan, and how 'DNA origami' might change the way scientists create new medicines. | Listen |
| Democrats ready for Trump impeachment after riot | |
| The Democrats say the House of Representatives could vote on Tuesday on whether to impeach Donald Trump. Also: Indonesia crashed plane?s ?black boxes? located, and South Africa?s efforts to save the rare pangolin. | Listen |
| US lifts restrictions on contacts with Taiwan | |
| US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says contact with officials in Taiwan should no longer be shackled. Also: Boeing 737 plane feared crashed in Indonesia; Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip vaccinated against Covid-19. | Listen |
| Democrats plan 2nd Trump impeachment move | |
| Democrats plan to start impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump on Monday, for inciting the invasion of the US Capitol. Also: UK sees highest daily toll of 1,325 Covid deaths, and the signs bringing humour to the motorists in Cape Town. | Listen |
| Democrats plan 2nd Trump impeachment move | |
| Democrats plan to start impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump on Monday, for inciting the invasion of the US Capitol. Also: UK sees highest daily toll of 1,325 Covid deaths, and the signs bringing humour to the motorists in Cape Town. | Listen |
| US: Trump denounces supporters who 'defiled the seat of American democracy' | |
| Donald Trump criticises followers who occupied Capitol on Wednesday. But more and more senior officials are quitting his administration. Also, Indonesia releases radical Muslim cleric linked to deadly 2002 Bali bombings, and young children contribute to book aimed at helping families survive Covid-19 lockdown. | Listen |
| Calls grow for Trump to be removed from office | |
| US President-elect Joe Biden is blaming Donald Trump for the recent insurrection on Capitol Hill. Also: China places eleven million people under lockdown following Covid-19 outbreak, and Elon Musk becomes world?s richest person. | Listen |
| Capitol riots: US Congress certifies Joe Biden's victory after violent disruption | |
| Lawmakers resumed the session after police managed to remove the mob, which had been encouraged by President Trump in a bid to overturn his defeat. Four people were killed during the attack. In response, Mr Trump finally pledged an ?orderly transition? of power. And the World Health Organization warns that Europe is facing a dire situation in its fight against coronavirus and says measures need to be intensified. Plus a British man stuck in Taiwan due to the pandemic inspires locals to clean up a river. | Listen |
| Trump supporters storm US Capitol building | |
| Police say one person is dead after protesters broke into the US congress. Meanwhile, the Democrat party has gained control of the US senate, after victories in Georgia?s runoff elections. And we hear from staff at a UK hospital struggling to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. | Listen |
| US: Democrats poised to win control of Senate | |
| Biden's party hoping for victory in two run-offs in southern state of Georgia. Full control of Senate would make it easier for Mr. Biden to put his agenda into practice. Also, new crackdown in Hong Kong as Communist authorities tighten their grip, and 10 years after start of Arab Spring - what happened to hopes of a better future for Middle East and North Africa ? | Listen |
| A World Health Organisation warning about the way vaccines are used. | |
| A WHO warning, as the coronavirus lockdown is extended in Germany. Also: A run-off for control of the Senate in the US State of Georgia. And the world's music festivals try to work out how they can take place this year. | Listen |
| Polls open in unprecedented Senate race | |
| Crucial Georgia Senate run-off will decide whether Democrats or Republicans control the Senate. Also: France takes measures to speed up its Covid vaccination campaign and why car companies from Italy, France, and the USA are merging. | Listen |
| Britain heads back to Covid lockdown | |
| Prime minister Boris Johnson warns next weeks will be the hardest yet as he issues a tough new ?stay at home? order for England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also tighten restrictions. Also: decision day dawns for the US state of Georgia in a knife-edge Senate race, fighting for justice for the poor in Africa?s jails ? and how the pandemic?s changed life for new mums. | Listen |
| Britain rolls out the first Oxford AstraZeneca injections | |
| It has been described as a game-changer in the fight against Covid-19. Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange's extradition to the US is blocked by a UK judge. Iran resumes enriching uranium to 20% purity. | Listen |
| Trump tells Georgia official to 'find more votes' | |
| A recording has been released of President Trump urging Georgia's Secretary of State to overturn Joe Biden's electoral victory there. Also: how safe is the vaccine developed in India, and Gerry Marsden, the singer of Liverpool Football Club's anthem, dies. | Listen |
| US senators dispute election certification | |
| The group of Republican senators want an investigation into alleged voter fraud. Also, India approves a second Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, and police in France shut down an illegal rave which breached the coronavirus curfew. | Listen |
| Setback for Trump as senate overrules his defence bill veto | |
| Republican-controlled chamber delivers rebuke to the president, also: India takes big step towards approving Covid-19 vaccine, and The KLF allow their music on streaming services | Listen |
| Brexit: What will it mean for UK's relations with the world ? | |
| We look at look at implications for future British trade across the globe. And which countries will be UK's key partners from now ? Also, why some believe the noble South African ideal of 'Ubuntu' has been exploited, and how new technology allows you to travel the world - without leaving your home. | Listen |
| New era for UK as it separates from the European Union | |
| The British prime minister, Boris Johnson, has called it a new beginning. Also: Covid dampens New Year celebrations around the world, and Australia changes anthem to reflect indigenous past. | Listen |
| China approves Covid vaccine | |
| Beijing says it hopes to inoculate tens of millions by Chinese New Year in February. Also: 'Glacier Bro' is presumed dead after a waterfall accident, and sitting your exams up a tree. | Listen |
| British MPs back post Brexit deal with EU | |
| The British PM's agreement is on its way to becoming law after parliament approves it by 521 votes to 73. Also: houses buried as landslide hits Norwegian village, and the project that ensures wildlife and humans co-exist in the Masai Mara. | Listen |
| Covid-19: UK approves Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine | |
| New vaccine is much cheaper and easier to store than existing ones. UK will begin rollout of this vaccine alongside Pfizer jab. Also, deadly attack on Aden airport as government ministers fly in, and what can we expect from the global economy in 2021 ? | Listen |
| Biden warns US vaccine roll-out falling behind | |
| The US president-elect calls for vaccinations to be ramped up as he warns of a "tough period" ahead. Also: there is "extreme concern" in UK as Covid cases surge, and could drinking tea help our brains function better as we get older? | Listen |
| UK faces Covid 'catastrophe' | |
| A leading scientist says immediate government action is needed to halt soaring cases. Also: a child is killed and rescuers search the rubble after an earthquake strikes Croatia, and the French designer Pierre Cardin dies. | Listen |
| WHO says transparency is crucial in the fight against COVID-19 | |
| The World Health Organization is working with the UK and South Africa on how to tackle new variants of the coronavirus. Also: Biden says "enormous damage" to US agencies by Trump, and illustrating a diary in the year of Covid-19. | Listen |
| A Chinese journalist who helped reveal the scale of the coronavirus outbreak has been jailed | |
| Her lawyer says she is weak as a result of a hunger strike. Also: hundreds of British tourists are reported to have fled the Swiss ski resort of Verbier to avoid having to quarantine, and goodbye to 2020 - New Yorkers send in the things they would rather forget about this year to be shredded in Times Square on Good Riddance Day. | Listen |
| Covid: Trump fails to sign economic relief bill | |
| Millions of Americans lost their unemployment benefit on Sunday as President Donald Trump failed to sign into law the coronavirus relief package. If he doesn?t sign it by Tuesday it could result in a US government shutdown. Also: Care homes and health staff are the first to get Covid jabs as mass vaccinations start across the EU, and why it?s been winning year for the gaming industry. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: EU countries begin mass-vaccination | |
| Several EU member-states have started inoculations using Pfizer/BionNTech vaccine. This comes as a new more infectious strain of coronavirus begins to spread from UK to mainland Europe. Also, China's economy forecast to overtake US by 2028 due to Covid-19, and infamous former Cold War double-agent George Blake dies in Russia aged 98. | Listen |
| Happy News Podcast 2020 | |
| As 2020 comes to a close, we present this collection of our favourite stories from the past year, ranging from the inspirational to the uplifting to the silly: A nine-year-old Kenyan inventor helps his village take coronavirus precautions. Scientists make major advancements in preventing serious illness. And the power of music. | Listen |
| UK and EU agree post-Brexit trade deal | |
| The deal ends months of arguments over business rules and fishing rights. Also: the journalist who knew one of the victims of an explosion she was reporting on, and why a digitally-created Queen Elizabeth is delivering a Christmas message to the nation. | Listen |
| Brexit: UK set to unveil trade deal with EU | |
| Britain and EU say they're near agreement on post-Brexit trade and security. This follows months of complicated and tense negotiations. Also, at least 20 people die as a boat carrying migrants sinks off Tunisian coast, and Bethlehem to hold its Christmas festivities despite pandemic. | Listen |
| Trump vetoes 'unconstitutional' defence bill | |
| He objects to troop withdrawal limits and removing Confederate names from military bases. Also: hopes of an EU-UK trade deal rise, and why more than half of Chinese adults are overweight. | Listen |
| Fire breaks out at migrant camp in Bosnia | |
| Thousands of migrants are having to live outside in freezing conditions after an emergency camp in Lipa was closed. Also: Afghan election activist killed in Kabul ambush, and is there a connection between Santa Claus and quantum physics? | Listen |
| France eases UK virus travel ban | |
| EU citizens and residents, and freight drivers can return - with a recent negative test. Also: Israel heads for an election as its unity government falls, and a giant iceberg breaks into large fragments. | Listen |
| French ban on lorries from UK remains for now | |
| France shut its UK border on Sunday amid fears of a new coronavirus variant. Also: Russia hits EU with sanctions in Navalny backlash, and Thai man revives baby elephant with CPR. | Listen |
| Flights cancelled as EU considers UK virus threat | |
| EU officials discuss a joint response to a new, more infectious Covid-19 strain in the UK. Also: Joe Biden is vaccinated on live TV, and tips to lighten your mood under coronavirus. | Listen |
| Covid-19: US passes massive aid package | |
| Republican and Democrat lawmakers in Washington agree to a stimulus plan worth nearly $900 billion. Also, the European Union?s health authorities have approved the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine for use against the coronavirus. And the Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton is voted the 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. | Listen |
| Covid: Nations impose UK travel bans over ?out of control? variant | |
| European nations have begun to impose travel bans on the UK after it reported a more-infectious and "out of control" coronavirus variant. Also: A new $900 bn support package for US citizens is edging closer- after months of deadlock, and the French film fuelling conspiracy theories about the virus... | Listen |
| Christmas rules tightened for millions in UK | |
| Tough new lockdown measures are being imposed on London in response to a highly infectious new strain of coronavirus. And: President Trump dismisses allegations made by his own administration about a massive espionage attack, and hundreds of people line up for the famous Christmas lottery in Madrid. | Listen |
| WHO secures coronavirus vaccine for poorer countries | |
| The first of two billion doses are due to be delivered in early 2021.The World Health Organisation's COVAX initiative was set up to ensure that vaccines are distributed fairly around the world. Also: a suicide bomber kills at least 10 people at a stadium in Somalia where the prime minister was due to speak, and why Sony has pulled Cyberpunk 2077 - one of the year's most-anticipated games - from its PlayStation store. | Listen |
| Nigeria school attack: Hundreds of boys return home after release | |
| More than 300 schoolboys are reunited with their families, a week after mass-kidnapping. Local authorities say the boys were abducted by 'bandits' and not by Boko Haram militants. Also, hundreds of thousands flee Islamist insurgency in Mozambique, and how an American couple's dream home contained a hidden surprise. | Listen |
| Hundreds of kidnapped Nigerian boys 'freed' | |
| The authorities in northern Nigeria say more than 300 boys are on their way home, but it's unclear if all have been freed. Also: US warns of "grave" threat from major cyber-attack, and for football fans the correct spelling is Mauritius not Mauritus. | Listen |
| Putin faces questions about his handling of the pandemic | |
| The Russian president spoke at his annual news conference, also: The French president tests positive for Covid-19, and what is the ugliest orchid in the world? | Listen |
| China's Chang'e-5 mission returns Moon samples | |
| A capsule landed in Inner Mongolia with the first lunar rock to be brought to Earth in 44 years. Also: fourteen guilty in 2015 Paris terror attacks trial, and Qatar beats Saudi Arabia to host 2030 Asia Games. | Listen |
| EU countries begin vaccinations against Covid-19 next week | |
| The European Commission president says they have enough doses for everyone in the EU. Tougher Covid-19 restrictions have come into force in Germany. Also: schools have been closed across much of northern Nigeria after the kidnapping of hundreds of pupils last week, and can kangaroos communicate with humans? | Listen |
| Top Trump ally ends silence to congratulate Biden | |
| Weeks after the election, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulates the US president-elect. Also: EU outlines digital services rules overhaul, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sign podcast deal with Spotify. | Listen |
| Putin congratulates Biden | |
| Six weeks after the election, the Russian leader sent Mr Biden a telegram on his victory. Also: Pakistan's new anti-rape law, and the monster iceberg of the South Atlantic. | Listen |
| Joe Biden wins electoral college vote to confirm US presidential win | |
| The electors in each US state are appointed to reflect the popular vote, which was won by Mr Biden in November. Also: report names "Russian agents" in Navalny poisoning, and South Korea to ban balloon leafleting of North. | Listen |
| Covid-19: US begins its biggest vaccination programme ever | |
| America's first Covid-19 inoculation has taken place. The programme aims to vaccinate 100 million people by April. Also, continuing confusion over fate of missing schoolchildren in NW Nigeria, and why one man spent 10 years collecting world's weirdest books. | Listen |
| Brexit: Negotiators say they will ?go the extra mile? | |
| Britain and the European Union have agreed to keep talks going until the end of the transition period on 31 December. Also, hundreds of Nigerian children are still unaccounted for after an attack on a school. And John Le Carré, the author of such classic novels as Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, has died. | Listen |
| UN says the world needs to declare ?climate emergency? | |
| António Guterres was speaking at a virtual summit on the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate agreement. Around 70 world leaders took part in the meeting organised by the UN, UK and France. Also: the Red Cross delivers aid to the capital of Tigray in northern Ethiopia for the first time since fighting broke out last month, and why scotch eggs have seen an unexpected boost in sales due to coronavirus restrictions in Britain. | Listen |
| Ethiopia?s Tigray crisis: UN ?alarmed? by treatment of Eritrean refugees | |
| The head of the UN refugee agency Filippo Grandi said if such acts were confirmed, it would be a major breach of international law. Also: the World Health Organisation says nearly a billion doses of coronavirus vaccines have been acquired for low and middle income countries, and Mariah Carey?s All I Want for Christmas Is You finally reaches number one in the UK singles chart after being released 26 years ago. | Listen |
| Brexit: Boris Johnson and EU say trade deal 'unlikely' by Sunday | |
| Sunday deadline was set after months of talks failed to achieve agreement. If trade deal isn't achieved by December 31, the EU and UK could impose taxes on each other's goods. Also, EU leaders set higher targets for cutting greenhouse gases by 2030, and new film celebrates singer Ma Rainey - 'Mother of the Blues'. | Listen |
| Morocco and Israel agree to diplomatic relations | |
| For the fourth time this year the US has brokered a deal between Israel and an Arab country, but peace with the Palestinian Authority remains elusive. Also, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says there's a "strong possibility" the UK will fail to strike a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union. And the French football star Antoine Griezmann drops the tech firm Huawei as his sponsor, over an app that could help China track Uighur Muslims. | Listen |
| Europe sets out contingency plans in case of a no-deal Brexit | |
| It's proposing reciprocal measures covering air and road connections, and fishing. Also: Facebook hits back after legal action is launched over competition, and the musicals brought to your door in London. | Listen |
| Brexit: UK prime minister and EU Commission president hold crucial talks | |
| The two leaders meet in Brussels to discuss "critical issues". Also, the French cabinet endorses proposed new laws targeting extremism and, scientists say the weight of human-made objects could soon exceed that living things. | Listen |
| Climate change: UN says global 'elite' must cut carbon-emissions | |
| Report says wealthiest 1% generate more than twice the carbon emitted by poorest 50%. UN urges developed nations to rapidly cut CO2 'footprint' to avoid dangerous rise in global temperatures. Also, how race and inequality shape death-toll from Covid-19 in US capital, and why 'Miracle on 22nd Street' brought joy to thousands at Christmas. | Listen |
| Biden vows 100m vaccinations in first 100 days | |
| The US President-elect says he can't promise to end Covid-19 quickly but he can change its course. Also: British PM heads to Brussels on Wednesday for Brexit talks, and the England Rugby World Cup winner Steve Thompson says he is suffering from early onset dementia. | Listen |
| UK pensioner is world's 1st to get Pfizer vaccine | |
| 90 year-old Margaret Keenan got the jab as the UK's largest vaccination programme began. Also: John Lennon's legacy - 40 years after the murder of the former Beatle, and Everest is now officially 86 centimetres higher. | Listen |
| British PM to meet EU chief in bid to save Brexit deal | |
| The UK and EU say "significant differences" still remain as the leaders prepare to talk face-to-face. Also: Eritrea releases Jehovah's Witnesses after they served prison terms of over twenty years, and Bob Dylan sells song rights to Universal Music Group. | Listen |
| UK-EU talks resume in final push for trade deal | |
| The EU?s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has told diplomats that talks with Britain are not going well. Mr Barnier said he could not guarantee a deal would be struck. Also: Large parts of California have been placed under a strict new Covid lockdown, and could breakdancing be coming to the Olympics. | Listen |
| UK-EU trade talks continue as 'sticking points' remain | |
| The UK chief negotiator David Frost is taking part in discussions with his EU counterpart Michel Barnier in Brussels. Also: Iran says the assassination of its top nuclear scientist last month was carried out using a satellite-controlled machine gun, and the voice of golf, Peter Alliss has died at the age of 89. | Listen |
| UK-EU trade talks to resume over 'critical issues' | |
| Negotiators will talk on Sunday but 'significant differences' between the two sides in post-Brexit talks remain. Also: French security bill protests turn violent again, and Australia's rugby team sings anthem in indigenous language. | Listen |
| The UN says the fighting goes on in Tigray | |
| This is despite the Ethiopian government declaring victory there last week. The United Nations says it's unable to deliver aid supplies because of the crisis. Also: Brexit talks are on hold after negotiators admit they're deadlocked and the Earth Orchestra which features a musician from every country in the world. | Listen |
| Brexit: Critical talks in London between UK and EU | |
| Time is running out for post-Brexit trade deal between EU and UK. Britain has accused EU of making last-minute demands - which EU's negotiators deny. Also, organisers of Tokyo Olympics say they'll need billions of dollars more if games are to go ahead, and why US is introducing new laws on private ownership of big cats. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Hackers targeted vaccine supply | |
| The tech company IBM says it tracked a campaign aimed at the delivery "cold chain" used to keep vaccines at the right temperature during transportation. The attackers' identity is unclear - but IBM said the sophistication of their methods indicated a nation state. Also: Facebook says it will start removing false claims about Covid-19 vaccines and the winner of this year?s Global Teacher Prize gives half away | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Moscow will begin immunising people on Saturday with Sputnik-V vaccine | |
| Medical staff, teachers and social workers will be eligible for the first jabs. Also: Hundreds of Rohingya refugees are moved to a remote island and, a warning about the effect of digital technology on climate change. | Listen |
| Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine judged safe for use | |
| Britain's medicines regulator, the MHRA, says the jab is safe to be rolled out. The first doses are already on their way to the UK, with 800,000 due in the coming days. Also: The US Department of Justice is investigating claims that lobbyists offered bribes in exchange for a presidential pardon, and two otters find love during lockdown | Listen |
| Covid-19: UK is first country to approve Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine | |
| Decision paves the way for mass-vaccination in Britain. Vaccine offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19. Also, Nigeria is epicentre of new cyber-crime networks, and Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher's son hopes to follow in his footsteps. | Listen |
| No evidence of widespread fraud in the US presidential poll says one of President Trump's closest allies | |
| Attorney General has seen nothing that could have overturned Biden victory, Also: Chinese craft lands on the moon, and Belgian orgy that caused a Hungarian politician's downfall. | Listen |
| US cases soar but 'light at the end of the tunnel' | |
| America's top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, says vaccines offer hope as the county hits its worst period of the pandemic. Also: controversy in France over a proposed charter aimed at integrating all groups of Muslims into society, and an extraordinary rescue at sea. | Listen |
| Biden picks Janet Yellen for US treasury secretary | |
| She is on a diverse list of officials chosen for top economic roles in his administration. Also: France is to rewrite its police bill after protests, and the dramatic increase in Brazil's Amazon deforestation. | Listen |
| Iran buries assassinated nuclear scientist | |
| State funeral held in Tehran for Mohsen Fakhrizadeh who was killed on Friday. Iran blames Israel for his death. Also, Australia demands apology from China for 'repugnant' fake image on Twitter, and a new film profiles colourful and contradictory singer-songwriter Shane McGowan. | Listen |
| Trump attacks FBI | |
| The president said the FBI had thwarted his bid to overturn the election result. Also: Maradona's doctor is investigated over his death, and the flying elephant - on his way to a new life after years of suffering. | Listen |
| Ethiopian PM claims capture of Tigray capital | |
| Abiy Ahmed said the army had taken control of Mekelle from the dissident local leadership. Also: the Pope installs the first African American cardinal, and washing your dirty laundry in space. | Listen |
| Israel blamed for assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist | |
| Tehran believes Israel was involved when gunmen targeted Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Also: the Inuit hunter whose habitat is changing, and the refugee who is now an MP in New Zealand. | Listen |
| Ethiopia: The PM meets an African Union delegation seeking to end the conflict in Tigray | |
| Prime Minister Ahmed rejected offers of mediation and is still insisting there can be no foreign interference in an internal affair. Also: Sri Lanka bans commemorations for Tamil Tigers killed in the country's decades-long civil war. And, how a locust genome could be the key to ending devastating crop damage. | Listen |
| Body of late Argentine footballer Maradona taken for burial | |
| A motorcade has taken Maradona's remains from the presidential palace in Buenos Aires to the Bella Vista cemetery in the west of the capital where the bodies of his parents are also interred. Also: the head of AstraZeneca says fresh trials will be conducted on its coronavirus vaccine after some scientists questioned its results, and a man in Florida saves a puppy from an alligator attack. | Listen |
| More than 300 people are sentenced to life in prison in Turkey | |
| In 2016 a faction within the Turkish military spearheaded a failed coup against President Erdogan. Also: Argentinians have been paying their respects to the footballer, Diego Maradona, whose body is lying in state in the presidential palace, and a British genetic research project is seeking to eradicate scarring within a generation by studying the Zebra fish. | Listen |
| Football genius Maradona dies aged 60 | |
| Argentina declares three days of national mourning. Also: President Trump pardons ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and could a long-extinct volcano heat homes in southern New Zealand? | Listen |
| France to tax US high-tech giants on 2020 earnings | |
| French government wants to impose new digital tax on huge firms like Google and Amazon. The US says it will retaliate with tariffs on imports from France. Also, Ethiopia tells international community to avoid 'interference' in Tigray crisis, and why some US families will be deeply divided at this year's Thanksgiving. | Listen |
| Joe Biden says 'America is back' | |
| The US President-elect Joe Biden says America is back, ready to lead the world as he unveils his top team. Also: a patriotic board game is released in Russia, and Beyonce leads the pack in the Grammy?s with the most nominations. | Listen |
| Trump acknowledges transition of power to Biden | |
| The US president says the ?initial protocols? must be carried out, though he?s stopped short of admitting defeat. Also, a European Union report finds that Afghanistan has become a major producer of crystal meth. And Russian scientists announce the promising results of their coronavirus vaccine trials. | Listen |
| John Kerry named as Biden's climate envoy | |
| The former secretary of state is among the names announced for key roles in the new US administration. Also: Qantas says a Covid-19 vaccination will be a requirement to fly, and is Hanko about to disappear from being a Japanese tradition? | Listen |
| British coronavirus vaccine up to 90 percent effective | |
| The Oxford University jab, developed with the drug company AstraZeneca, is cheaper and simpler to store than its rivals. As a result, it should be easier to supply to developing countries. Also: the 23 year-old who?s created a home cancer test kit, the words that have been making headlines this year, and the American kid who survived life in Syria under the Islamic State group. | Listen |
| Merkel 'worried' over vaccine rollout despite G20 pledge | |
| G20 leaders said they will "spare no effort" to ensure fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. Also: Ethiopia PM issues 72-hour ultimatum to Tigray, and the environmental problems caused by disposable synthetic gloves. | Listen |
| California imposes Covid-19 curfew as US cases hit 12 million | |
| Millions face stay-at-home orders as the US faces a surge in coronavirus infections. Also: a virtual G20 summit opens in Saudi Arabia, and Sentinel-6 - a "dog-kennel" shaped satellite blasts off on ocean mission. | Listen |
| UN warns Yemen is in imminent danger of a catastrophic famine | |
| The UN secretary general Antonio Guterres blamed the situation on Yemen's continuing war. Also: Georgia officially certifies Joe Biden as winner, and the travel writer Jan Morris dies aged ninety-four. | Listen |
| Uganda: Politician Bobi Wine released on bail | |
| Outspoken presidential candidate released after being charged with spreading coronavirus. Human rights groups say the virus charge is pretext to suppress opposition ahead of election on Jan 14. Also, Japanese retail store introduces robots to make customers comply with Covid restrictions, and Melania Trump's home town in Slovenia uses pastries to celebrate its links with her. | Listen |
| Americans urged not to travel for Thanksgiving holiday | |
| US health officials say coronavirus infections were spreading rapidly and they were alarmed at the speed at which intensive care beds were filling up. Also, President-elect Joe Biden has warned that the US faces a "dark winter" due to the pandemic, and how a mass extinction millions of years ago is helping to understand our current environmental problems | Listen |
| Pompeo makes unprecedented visit to Israeli settlement | |
| The Secretary of State is the first top US official to tour a West Bank settlement. Also: Australian troops 'killed Afghan civilians', and turning the weather on Mars into music. | Listen |
| New York schools close amid virus surge | |
| Return to remote learning comes as US approaches 250,000 Covid deaths. Also: vaccines ready for distribution across US within weeks, Boeing's 737 Max cleared to fly and understanding our digital legacy. | Listen |
| DR Congo declares latest Ebola outbreak is over | |
| Democratic Republic of Congo say it's Ebola-free after more than 40 days without a case. The country has seen 11 outbreaks since virus was discovered there in 1976. Also, Trump fires top election official who contradicted his claims of voter fraud, and how Rocky the disabled dog found a new life in a new country. | Listen |
| Facebook and Twitter bosses defend social media | |
| Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey have been grilled by US Senators over their platforms' election role. Democrats questioned whether the social media giants had done enough to flag up disputed claims. Also: the Pentagon confirms that Donald Trump will almost halve America's troop presence in Afghanistan before he leaves office, and the human cost of Ethiopia's action in Tigray. | Listen |
| Ethiopia humanitarian crisis warning | |
| UNHCR fears for civilians fleeing fighting in Tigray. Also: A BBC investigation on the treatment of women working in India's garment industry, the European scientists creating an archive of historic smells and the business of royal fashion. | Listen |
| COVID-19 vaccine: Concerns over global distribution | |
| Experts say poorer countries could struggle to access new vaccinations, once they are approved. Also, Greek police have charged an Afghan asylum seeker whose son died at sea. And Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are set to buy a little Welsh football club. | Listen |
| Second promising coronavirus vaccine | |
| US firm, Moderna, claims clinical trials show its jab is nearly 95% effective. Also: BBC investigation uncovers evidence of illegal child theft and trafficking in Kenya, IOC says Tokyo 2020 Games likely to go ahead with spectators and a new device which helps drinkers sober up. | Listen |
| Asia-Pacific countries form world's largest trading bloc | |
| The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is made up of 10 Southeast Asian countries, as well as South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The pact is seen as an extension of China's influence in the region. Also: the founder of the German firm behind the first successful coronavirus vaccine says he is confident that life can return to normal by next winter, and the British racing driver Lewis Hamilton becomes the most successful driver in the history of Formula One motor racing. | Listen |
| Rockets 'fired from Ethiopian region' hit Eritrea | |
| An internal conflict over Ethiopia's Tigray region is spreading, with thousands of civilians fleeing. Also, pro-Trump protestors hold rallies as tensions grow, and Egypt unveils ancient coffins and mummies found in huge necropolis. | Listen |
| Trump speaks in public for first time since defeat | |
| The US president, who has yet to concede, focused on the US response to Covid-19. Also: Biden takes Georgia to solidify victory, and Australia showcases its diverse indigenous languages. | Listen |
| US Election: Security officials reject Trump's fraud claims | |
| Officials say 2020 presidential election was the 'most secure in American history'. They spoke after Mr. Trump alleged that 2.7 million votes for him had been 'deleted.' Also, France remembers victims of deadly attacks in Paris in 2015 by Islamist militants, and how one young man in Siberia went to great lengths - and heights - to access the internet. | Listen |
| Amnesty says 'hundreds massacred' in Ethiopia | |
| Fighting between the federal army and Tigrayan forces broke out last week. Also: scores die in migrant shipwreck off Libya, and the popularity of playing music during Covid-19 lockdown. | Listen |
| China condemns mass resignation of pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong | |
| Beijing says the move is a blatant challenge to its authority. Also, the Armenian prime minister defends his peace deal with Azerbaijan and how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting some provinces in Russia. | Listen |
| Tigrayans ordered to defend against Ethiopia army | |
| Ethiopia's northern region orders the total mobilisation of its population as a crisis escalates. Also: UK coronavirus death toll passes 50,000 and why did the cuddle of a panda by a K-pop band raise hackles in China? | Listen |
| Hong Kong: Pro-democracy lawmakers resign after China ruling | |
| Opposition legislators quit after Beijing forced removal of four of their colleagues. The dismissal of the four is seen as China's latest attempt to restrict Hong Kong's freedoms - something Beijing denies. Also, several wounded in bomb-attack on Remembrance Day ceremony in Saudi city of Jeddah, and Britney Spears loses court bid to end her father's control over her estate. | Listen |
| Vatican report finds Catholic Church ignored sex abuse allegations about US cardinal | |
| The 450-page report includes testimonies and dozens of letters and transcripts from Vatican and US Church archives. Mr McCarrick is alleged to have assaulted a teenager in the early 1970s, while working as a priest in New York. Also: a new species of monkey is found in the remote jungles of Myanmar, and the co-creator of the TV cartoon character Scooby-Doo Ken Spears has died at the age of 82. | Listen |
| Russia brokers a deal over Nagorno-Karabakh | |
| Celebrations and protests greet the deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia to end the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia is deploying hundreds of peacekeeping troops. Also: the BBC is to investigate how a reporter gained an interview with Princess Diana 25 years ago, and the veteran Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat has died at the age of sixty-five, after contracting coronavirus. | Listen |
| World reacts to the news of first Covid vaccine | |
| The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it is still early days and the US President-elect Joe Biden said the virus was far from over, while the World Health Organisation also remained cautious. Also: the former Bolivian leader Evo Morales returns home from exile in Argentina, and a look at the future of transportation. | Listen |
| First 'milestone' Covid vaccine offers 90% protection | |
| The developers - Pfizer and BioNTech - described it as a "great day for science and humanity", and say they plan to apply for emergency approval to use the vaccine by the end of the month. There are still huge challenges ahead, but the announcement has been warmly welcomed and the international stock markets have soared. Also: Azerbaijan's president rejects eye-witness accounts by BBC journalists of civilians being targeted in Nagorno-Karabakh. | Listen |
| US Election: World leaders react to Biden?s win | |
| The president-elect of the US received congratulatory messages from leaders around the world including the UK?s Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Also: Luis Arce is sworn in as President of Bolivia a year after the resignation of Evo Morales, and why Joe Biden?s win was extra special for one American boy. | Listen |
| Joe Biden makes victory speech | |
| The president-elect of the US called for the country to unite and heal, Kamala Harris will be the first woman of colour to become vice-president but says she hopes not to be the last, and President Trump says he'll go to court on Monday. | Listen |
| Joe Biden is America's president-elect | |
| Mr Biden won the key state of Pennsylvania, taking him beyond the necessary 270 electors, Kamala Harris will be the first female vice-president; Also: President Trump says he'll go to court on Monday. | Listen |
| Biden widens lead over Trump | |
| Biden overtakes Trump in Pennsylvania; if he wins the state, he wins the presidency. Also: Johnny Depp is sacked from a major film role after losing his libel case, and Swiss employers object to the world's highest minimum wage. | Listen |
| US Election: Biden leading in Pennsylvania and Georgia | |
| Democratic candidate has pulled ahead of Donald Trump in two key battleground states. If Mr. Biden wins Pennsylvania, he will secure overall victory in election. Also, Ethiopian PM insists that army operation in Tigray state has 'clear, limited and achievable objectives', and how an English couple earned a fortune from the contents of some rubbish-bags. | Listen |
| Trump sues as path to victory over Biden narrows | |
| The Trump campaign launches lawsuits in key states as Joe Biden moves nearer to the presidency. Also: France increases security following terror attacks, and the Formula One controversy over human rights in Saudi Arabia. | Listen |
| US Election: Counting goes on in key states | |
| The final result hinges on the states of Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The Trump campaign is taking legal action in several states. Also: a new hotline in Hong Kong to encourage people to snitch on their neighbours, and we look at America?s election through African eyes. | Listen |
| US Election: Biden takes Michigan and says ?clear we will win? | |
| Democratic challenger Joe Biden says it is clear he is winning enough states to take the US presidency, despite key results still outstanding. Also: Austria?s intelligence service is criticised over Monday's deadly shootings by a convicted Islamist, and more European nations introduce coronavirus restrictions. | Listen |
| US Election: Tense wait as winner remains unclear | |
| Donald Trump and his rival Joe Biden are neck-and-neck in key swing-states. The final result may not emerge for days. Also, Ethiopia's PM orders a military response to 'attack' in Tigray state, and why a South Atlantic island is under threat from a gigantic iceberg. | Listen |
| US presidential election on a knife edge | |
| Both Donald Trump are Joe Biden are optimisitic of victory after a nail biting night which saw the president projected to hold the key states of Florida and Ohio. Mr Biden told supporters that he was still on track to win but President Trump accused him of trying to "steal" the election. We take you through the night as it came down to a handful of states in the American midwest. | Listen |
| Arrests after ?freed jihadist? kills four in Vienna | |
| Austria has been mourning the four victims of an Islamist attack in Vienna. Fourteen people are held but authorities now believe the dead gunman may have acted alone. Also in the programme; the world's biggest stock market listing has been postponed just two days before shares were to make their debut, and a new study which examines the effects of light pollution on different species. | Listen |
| US election: Polls open in presidential vote | |
| Voting begins in one of the most divisive elections in recent US history. Also, in the wake of a deadly act of terrorism in Vienna, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says the country?s real enemy is intolerance. And a company in Tunisia is creating 3-D printed body parts for amputees. | Listen |
| US Election: Biden and Trump make final pitches to voters | |
| Joe Biden and Donald Trump are using the last hours before election day on Tuesday to exhort supporters in battleground states to get out and vote. Also: Austrian police describe a shooting in Vienna as a terrorist attack, and more lockdowns are introduced across Europe as coronavirus cases climb. | Listen |
| US Election: Final day of campaigning | |
| Donald Trump and Joe Biden hold last rallies in swing states. Also, nineteen people are killed in an attack at Kabul university, and Hollywood actor Johnny Depp loses libel case against a newspaper that labelled him 'wife beater'. | Listen |
| Trump and Biden criss-cross the US as vote nears | |
| Both candidates are making last ditch appeals to voters in battleground states that could determine the outcome of Tuesday's presidential election. Also: Hong Kong police arrest seven pro-democracy MPs after a parliamentary meeting descended into violence, and security forces in Belarus fire stun grenades and warning shots at protesters in the capital Minsk. | Listen |
| England to lock down for four weeks | |
| Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces a second national lockdown from Thursday. Also: a Greek Orthodox priest is seriously wounded in a shooting in the French city of Lyon, and the search for survivors continues in the Turkish city of Izmir, after Friday's powerful earthquake. | Listen |
| Deaths and floods as quake hits Turkey and Greece | |
| There were fatalities in Turkey's Izmir province and on Greece's Samos island, with a mini tsunami triggered. Also: France increases its security at places of worship and schools following stabbings in Nice, and Qatar to prosecute officials over forced examinations of women at airport. | Listen |
| Earthquake strikes Aegean coasts of Greece and Turkey | |
| Reports of deaths and injuries due to powerful quake centred off Turkey's Izmir province. Tremors were felt as far away as Athens and Istanbul. Also, troops deployed on French streets following deadly knife-attack in Nice, and what do Russian politicians and public expect from US election ? | Listen |
| French church attacker arrived in Europe from Tunisia last month | |
| Three people were stabbed to death in Nice in what France says was an "Islamist terrorist attack". Also: Argentine police evict hundreds of families from makeshift homes in Buenos Aires, and what does the DNA show us about dogs as man's "best friend"? | Listen |
| Three killed in France 'terror attack' | |
| Three people were stabbed to death at a church in the southern city of Nice. France has raised its terrorism alert to the highest level. Also: The German chancellor has warned of a long, hard winter ahead as Europe tries to contain coronavirus cases, and why scientists have printed the first 3-D replica of the human tongue. | Listen |
| Macron declares 2nd national lockdown in France | |
| Non-essential businesses in France will close, but schools and factories will remain open. Also: Tech chiefs face tough questions over internet law, and remembering John Blanke - the black trumpeter at the royal court of Henry VIII. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Germany and France to decide on new lockdowns | |
| Both nations are preparing to further tighten Covid restrictions as cases rise. An EU advisor says 1000 Europeans are now dying every day from the virus. Also, Philadelphia rocked by further protests over shooting of black man by police, and why Kim Kardashian West's birthday party has created controversy on social media. | Listen |
| Biden hits new election battleground, Trump blitzes Midwest | |
| In Georgia, Joe Biden attacked Donald Trump's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic; in Michigan, Donald Trump warned the state's "economic survival" was on the line if Mr Biden won the US presidential election. Also: Hong Kong activist Tony Chung detained near US consulate. | Listen |
| UN: '100,000 children could die in Yemen' | |
| The UN says malnutrition rates among the under-fives are the highest ever recorded. Also: immunity to Covid-19 may not last long, and an Islamic religious school is bombed in Pakistan. | Listen |
| NASA: conclusive evidence of more water on the Moon | |
| NASA says there is water on the Moon in far larger quantities than previously thought. Also, US Senate to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as a Supreme Court justice, and a BBC investigation into a mass poisoning in Malaysia. | Listen |
| Trump nominee to be voted onto Supreme Court | |
| The Republican-controlled Senate moves to confirm Amy Coney Barrett's appointment. Also: the general strike in Belarus, and the clock - frozen in time by Beirut's huge explosion. | Listen |
| Spain imposes national curfew to curb Covid | |
| A coronavirus state of emergency with immediate effect - hits Spain; President Trump's coronavirus expert admits infections are still rising, and Lewis Hamilton has now won the most races in Formula One history. | Listen |
| Turkey condemns French pledge to defend secular society | |
| France recalls its Ambassador to Turkey after President Erdogan launches personal attack on Emmanuel Macron; Trump comment on 'blowing up' dam angers Ethiopia, and hopes artificial intelligence could help diagnose Alzheimers disease. | Listen |
| Libya: Government and opposition sign permanent ceasefire deal | |
| The deal between military leaders from Libya?s government and those from opposition forces lead by General Khalifa Haftar was brokered by the UN. Also: Sudan becomes the third Arab state in recent months to normalise relations with Israel, and a busker whose guitar was smashed by a passer-by receives a brand new one from a rock star. | Listen |
| Who came out on top? US debate fallout | |
| Donald Trump and Joe Biden clash over pandemic, immigration and corruption allegations. Also: protests in Poland against court ruling to outlaw abortion in almost all cases, and Santa reassures children that Christmas isn't cancelled. | Listen |
| Final TV clash for Trump and Biden | |
| We get analysis from our US correspondent and fact check the last presidential debate between President Trump and Joe Biden. Also: the controversial conservative nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, clears another hurdle on the way to a place on the US Supreme Court, Belgian doctors face a ?tsunami? of new Covid cases, and the wonder of Hermès ? how luxury goods are dodging the downturn. | Listen |
| Trump and Biden meet for final presidential debate | |
| The battle lines are drawn for next month's election -- as the president and his Democratic Party challenger go head-to-head in the last TV debate before Election Day on November 3. Also today: the controversial conservative nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, clears another hurdle on the way to a place on the US Supreme Court, Belgian doctors face a ?tsunami? of new Covid cases, and the wonder of Hermès ? how luxury goods are dodging the downturn. | Listen |
| Australia aged care: sexual assault allegations | |
| An estimated 50 sexual assaults occur each week across Australia, an inquiry has heard; also, heading to the afterlife - tales of human sacrifice in ancient China, and what we can learn from the diabolical ironclad beetle. | Listen |
| Unrest in Lagos after protest shooting | |
| Amnesty International says at least 12 people were killed on Tuesday during protests in Nigeria's largest city. Also: Pope Francis indicates support for same-sex civil unions, and "cooling paint" could cut emissions from buildings. | Listen |
| Nigeria: President appeals for calm after unrest in Lagos | |
| A number of people have reportedly been shot at a protest against police brutality. Also: at least fifteen people have died after stampede in eastern Afghanistan and an unknown attacker has vandalised art works on display at several galleries in Berlin. | Listen |
| Protestors 'shot dead' in Nigeria's biggest city | |
| An indefinite 24-hour curfew has been imposed on Lagos and other regions. Also: US files landmark lawsuit against Google, and elation as NASA's Osiris-Rex probe tags asteroid Bennu in an effort to pick up samples. | Listen |
| US Election 2020: what the world wants | |
| A special edition with a global perspective on the upcoming presidential election. We find out which countries are keeping a close eye on the vote, and hear from our correspondents around the world about the situation in their region. Also: we assess whether President Trump has kept his promises on trade, and how his strategies have shaped geopolitics. | Listen |
| Taliban conflict: Afghan fears rise | |
| Afghanistan's National Security Advisor has warned that his country faces a very real threat of a renewed civil war. Also: Donald Trump and Joe Biden will have their microphones muted during portions of the second and final presidential election debate on Thursday and the Canadian town of Asbestos is hoping to get rid of its negative image with a new name. | Listen |
| US charges Russian intelligence officers in global cyber attacks | |
| Prosecutors in Pittsburgh accuse the men, operating out of Moscow, of carrying out malware attacks between 2015 and 2019. Also: Trump says Sudan will be removed from terror list, and saving Australia's koalas by planting gum tree seeds using a drone. | Listen |
| France teacher attack: Police raid homes of suspected Islamic radicals | |
| The Interior Minister said there would be no respite for enemies of France. Also: exit polls suggest the socialist party has won the election in Bolivia and China releases economic figures showing its recovery from Covid-19 | Listen |
| Thousands rally to pay tribute to murdered French teacher | |
| Samuel Paty was killed on Friday close to his school after showing cartoons of the prophet Mohammed to his pupils. Also: Thai police fire water cannon as crowds defy ban; and do sleep apps with "white noise" really work? | Listen |
| Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia and Azerbaijan agree new truce | |
| Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to another humanitarian ceasefire in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Also: French prosecutors say the teenager who beheaded a teacher outside a school was a Chechen refugee from Russia, and thousands of anti-government protesters have again taken to the streets in Thailand. | Listen |
| Terror inquiry launched after teacher beheaded in Paris | |
| The victim reportedly showed controversial cartoons of Prophet Muhammad to his students. Also: the UN warns that peace talks between Afghanistan and the Taliban could be derailed by a new wave of violence, and a new study suggests flying during the pandemic may be safer than you think. | Listen |
| Brexit: Johnson says UK must prepare for a 'no deal' trade relationship with EU | |
| Britain's PM said unless EU changed course, there'd be no post-Brexit trade agreement. Also, China denies report that it is separating Muslim Uighur children from their parents in Xinjiang, and Disney updates warning about racist content in classic films. | Listen |
| US: Republican leaders accuse Twitter of electoral interference over Biden article | |
| Twitter prevented people from posting links to a New York Post article, which contained screenshots of emails to and from Mr Biden's son, Hunter, as well as photos of him. Also: The Democratic presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, have both flown on planes on which a fellow traveller has tested positive for coronavirus, and we look into the one sector of the entertainment industry that?s benefitting from the virus. | Listen |
| Thai protesters defy emergency rules with rally | |
| Hundreds of pro-democracy protesters gather in Bangkok despite a new emergency decree. More than 20 people were arrested, including a number of the movement's leaders. Also: the President of Kyrgyzstan resigns, how thousands of people are living with long-term coronavirus symptoms, and why biodegradable glitter is environmentally no better than the original product. | Listen |
| France orders curfew to combat second wave | |
| President Macron imposes strict night-time restrictions on Paris and eight other cities as coronavirus cases surge. They?ll come into effect from Saturday and last for six weeks. Also: the Netherlands extends its controversial 'right to die' laws to children as young as one. And humanitarian medics in Afghanistan tell us of their battle to save lives as the battle rages for Helmand. | Listen |
| Thai protests: Police stop pro-democracy demonstrators from reaching PM's office | |
| Big demonstrations staged in Bangkok by pro-democracy activists and their royalist rivals. Pro-democracy protestors want the King's powers curbed and the Prime Minister's resignation. Also, a report on Armenian community in Nagorno-Karabakh where ceasefire looks in danger of collapsing, and a veteran astronaut tells us we need to cherish our planet. | Listen |
| China and Russia join the UN Human Rights Council - but Saudi Arabia is rejected | |
| They were elected despite criticism of their human rights records. Also: US Supreme Court nominee Barrett evades questions on key issues, and the flight record without aeroplane. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: China reports strong growth in trade | |
| China was the first country hit by the virus - and its economy appears to have been the first to recover. Also: President Trump returns to the campaign trail, less than two weeks after being diagnosed with Covid-19, and the race to defuse a world war two bomb in Poland. | Listen |
| Trump Supreme Court nominee testifies | |
| Amy Coney Barrett said she was 'honoured' by the controversial nomination. Also: Facebook bans content that denies or distorts the Holocaust, and the row over the remake of the film Cleopatra. | Listen |
| Bangladesh is to introduce the death penalty for rape | |
| The announcement follows days of protests about levels of sexual violence against women. Also: Aboriginal groups in Australia tell an inquiry they are in mourning over the damage done to sacred sites by mining, and the Nobel Prize for Economics has been awarded to two American professors for their work on the theory of auctions. | Listen |
| Mutual accusations over broken ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh | |
| Azerbaijan and Armenia accuse one another of having violated ceasefire after shelling of Ganja, Also: brutal crackdown on protests in Belarus, and the asteroid hurtling towards earth turns out to be something more innocent. | Listen |
| Nagorno-Karabakh: Reports of fresh shelling dent ceasefire hopes | |
| The violence came just hours after a ceasefire came into force, with both Armenia and Azerbaijan swapping blame. Also: Donald Trump makes his first significant campaign appearance since being diagnosed with coronavirus, and what role are online conspiracy theories playing in this presidential election? | Listen |
| President Trump re-launches campaign as he recovers from coronavirus | |
| Less than a week after leaving hospital with coronavirus, President Donald Trump will speak to hundreds of supporters at the White House on Saturday. Also: The World Bank says Latin America and the Caribbean are suffering the worst economic and health impacts from the virus, and what role do national anthems play in international football games when there are no fans? | Listen |
| Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 awarded to UN's World Food Programme | |
| WFP was given prize for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace. The agency said it was 'deeply humbled' to have won. Also, Moscow tries to broker a ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh, and the Cook Islands' leader causes controversy - by giving himself nearly all the posts in his cabinet. | Listen |
| FBI busts militia 'plot' to abduct Michigan Governor | |
| The Democrat was targeted by coronavirus sceptics after enacting strict lockdown measures. Also: European nations impose new restrictions as the continent records almost 100,000 new coronavirus cases, and the US places more sanctions on Iran. | Listen |
| Trump says he will not participate in next US presidential debate | |
| Donald Trump says he will not ?waste his time? on the second debate of the US presidential campaign, after organisers announced it would take place virtually. Also, a Spanish court has struck down a partial Covid lockdown in Madrid. And Britain?s Prince William and nature broadcaster Sir David Attenborough launch a prize for environmentalism, worth more than $60 million. | Listen |
| Islamic State 'Beatles' charged in US over hostages' deaths | |
| Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh appeared in a US federal court in Virginia by video link, accused of killing four American hostages in Syria. The men, who were part of a group known as 'The Beatles' because of their British accents, face life imprisonment if convicted. Also: the former US police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd in May is released from prison on bail, and billionaires see their fortunes hit record highs during the pandemic. | Listen |
| Greece: extreme nationalist political party Golden Dawn is outlawed | |
| Leaders of Neo-Nazi party found guilty of running criminal organisation. And members found guilty of range of crimes - including murder. Also, two women scientists given 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing tools to edit DNA, and how traditional method of gathering wild honey is being revived in mountains of Georgia. | Listen |
| Trump ends Covid budget stimulus relief talks | |
| The US president says he will only resume talks after the election. Also: opposition 'seize power' in Kyrgyzstan, and the legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen dies aged sixty-five. | Listen |
| Kyrgyzstan election result annulled after night of violence | |
| Demonstrators storm parliament in the former Soviet republic. Also: President Trump is criticised for playing down the severity of Covid-19, and Singapore offers a 'baby bonus' to couples prepared to have a child during the pandemic. | Listen |
| Trump leaves hospital to continue Covid-19 treatment | |
| The US president vowed to hit the campaign trail very soon, though he is still receiving medical care. Also: riot police clash with protestors in Kyrgyzstan, and feuding in the world of Japanese mascots. | Listen |
| President Trump criticised over drive-past | |
| The decision to greet supporters while being treated for Covid-19 is under scrutiny. Also: The WHO?S top officials meet to discuss the global response to the pandemic, and the creature being reintroduced to mainland Australia after three thousand years. | Listen |
| Trump briefly leaves hospital to greet supporters | |
| The US president is seen waving inside a car, hours after doctors said he might be discharged on Monday. Also: Nagorno-Karabakh conflict grows as big cities hit, and the Kenzo fashion brand founder dies from Covid-19. | Listen |
| Confusion over timeline of Trump's diagnosis | |
| The US president was given oxygen before his admission to hospital. Also: Sudan's transitional government has signed a peace deal with an alliance of rebel groups aimed at ending decades of conflict, and Egypt announces the discovery of dozens of sarcophagi at an ancient site, south of the capital Cairo. | Listen |
| Trump flown to hospital with Covid-19 | |
| The White House said he was admitted for tests as a precaution. Also: Germany's bid to reform social media, and Scottish criminals turn to music. | Listen |
| Trump and Melania test positive for Coronavirus | |
| White House says President has 'mild symptoms' and he and First Lady are self-isolating. We assess likely impact of Mr. Trump's announcement on presidential elections - due on 3rd November. Also, Spain sees new surge in cases of Covid 19, and how European cities are changing as pandemic leads more people to take up cycling. | Listen |
| Anger grows after India 'gang rape' deaths | |
| The death of a second Dalit woman after an alleged gang rape has shocked India. Also: More fires in the Amazon, and when bread is not bread. | Listen |
| Brexit: EU starts legal action against UK | |
| Legal proceedings begin after UK refuses to ditch plans to override Brexit divorce deal. Also: Kremlin critic Navalny blames Putin for poisoning, and scientists say people who have a certain gene inherited from Neanderthals are more at risk from Covid-19. | Listen |
| Nagorno-Karabakh: Turkey denies sending Syrian mercenaries to fight | |
| The battle in Nagorno-Karabakh, between Azerbaijan and Armenian separatists, is just the latest in a decades-long struggle for control of the region. Also, China and Russia react to the chaotic US presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. And, from pop concerts to professional wrestling, fans are being asked to keep their mouths shut, to stop the spread of the coronavirus. | Listen |
| Presidential debate: Trump and Biden in chaotic encounter | |
| President Trump and Joe Biden have held a bitter and angry White House debate. They argued fiercely over Coronavirus, the economy, healthcare and far-Right extremism. Also, senior figures in India's governing BJP found not guilty of inciting Hindu extremists to demolish mosque, and why some experts think the world needs to drastically change its diet. | Listen |
| US presidential debate | |
| Donald Trump and Joe Biden clash in a chaotic and combative debate. We hear from Cleveland, Ohio, where this first election debate is taking place and have analysis from our reality check correspondent. Also: the young people born and raised in Italy who are fighting for their right to citizenship, and could keeping exotic pets lead to their extinction? | Listen |
| UN holds emergency meeting about Azerbaijan and Armenia | |
| Dozens have been killed as the violence between the countries escalates. Also: a horrific rape case in India has once again raised questions about women's rights and the caste system, and more people are keeping exotic reptiles as pets than previously thought...but could it lead to their extinction? | Listen |
| Global coronavirus deaths pass one million | |
| The US, Brazil and India account for nearly half the total. Experts say the true figure is probably much higher. Also: Amnesty International says it has been forced to stop work in India, could emergency teams soon be using jetpacks to get to patients, and how the fashion world is adapting designs for the Covid era. | Listen |
| WHO to give cheap, quick coronavirus tests to poorer countries | |
| They cost 5 dollars and give results in less than 30 minutes. Also: fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia escalates; and a pigeon that went missing 24 years ago in New Zealand has finally come home. | Listen |
| India passes six million coronavirus cases | |
| It comes on the day eighty-two thousand new cases were reported. We look at where the pandemic is heading there. Also: why the English football league system could be facing financial collapse, and we hear from the veteran naturalist and now Instagram king, David Attenborough. | Listen |
| New York Times says Donald Trump 'paid $750 in federal income taxes' in 2016 | |
| The newspaper says it has obtained tax records for the US president over two decades. Mr Trump denied the report as "totally fake news". Also: Armenia and Azerbaijan battle over disputed region. | Listen |
| Trump picks Amy Coney Barrett for Supreme Court | |
| The nomination of a conservative judge paves the way for a bitter Senate fight as an election looms. Also: Madrid at "serious risk" without virus lockdown, and NASA is working with a cosmetics company on space station commercialization. | Listen |
| Trump 'to pick Amy Coney Barrett' for Supreme Court | |
| The judge and former law professor from Indiana is a favourite of social conservatives. Also: Paris stabbing attack 'an act of terrorism', and polio vaccination campaigners in Pakistan battle misinformation and distrust. | Listen |
| Paris attack: Two hurt, two arrested near former Charlie Hebdo office | |
| One of the arrested suspects was found with blood on his clothing, according to a police source. Also: Farmers in India are blocking roads and railways using tractors and livestock during protests and the elite rat saving lives by sniffing out landmines | Listen |
| Vatican cardinal resigns unexpectedly | |
| Cardinal Becciu became involved in a controversial deal to buy a luxury building in London. He denies any wrongdoing. Also: the US Republican leader has said there will be an "orderly" post presidential election transition, and how lockdown birds sang to a different note. | Listen |
| UK chancellor announces new job support scheme | |
| It begins in November and means the government will pay part of workers? wages who have lost hours because of the coronavirus pandemic. Also: South Korea has condemned North Korea's killing of a civilian official who was apparently trying to defect as unforgivable, and we look at some of the contenders for the Mercury music prize. | Listen |
| Protests in Kentucky after Grand Jury decision | |
| Grand jury decides not to charge police officers over fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor; mass protests in Belarus after Alexander Lukashenko is secretly sworn in for another term as president; and why Africa is seeing a sustained fall in the number of new coronavirus infections. | Listen |
| EU proposes new migration rules | |
| All countries will have to take in refugees or sponsor the return of those refused asylum. Also: the Russian opposition politician, Alexei Navalny, has been discharged from hospital where he was being treated for Novichok nerve agent poisoning, and a Grammy-nominated singer is building a high-tech city in Senegal with its own cryptocurrency. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: US death toll passes 200,000 | |
| President Trump's administration has been repeatedly criticised over its handling of the virus. In March, President Trump said if deaths were between 100,000 and 200,000, the country would have done a "very good job". Also: police forces around the world seize more than 6.5 million dollars in cash and virtual currencies, as well as drugs and guns in a co-ordinated raid on dark web marketplaces, and NASA announces a plan for the first woman on the Moon by 2024 as a staging post for the first human mission to Mars. | Listen |
| China tycoon critical of Xi gets 18 years in jail | |
| Ren Zhiqiang went missing earlier this year after writing an essay said to be critical of President Xi. Also: Arctic sea-ice shrinks to a near record low extent, and the Italian university accused of fixing a language exam for the footballer Luis Suarez. | Listen |
| 10pm curfew for English pubs and restaurants | |
| Order comes as scientists increase the UK's coronavirus alert level. Also: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's last dictated message to her grand-daughter, Twitter's apparent racial bias and China's Hollywood propaganda videos. | Listen |
| 'Be brave', Svetlana Tikhanovskaya tells the EU | |
| The Belarusian opposition leader wants the EU to impose sanctions against President Lukashenko and senior officials. Also: a global poll shows the world is split on the urgency of tackling climate change, and the big winners at the virtual Emmys. | Listen |
| Leaks show scale of bank laundering | |
| BBC investigation reveals how criminals were helped to move dirty money around the world. Also: reprieve for We Chat after US judge blocks Trump ban order, hundreds protest against Madrid lockdowns and Gore-Tex creator dies. | Listen |
| When will the next US Supreme Court judge be nominated? | |
| Washington is split over who will take the position, following Ruth Bader Ginsberg's death. Also: a former British diplomat is being investigated for allegedly spying on the EU for China, and frozen ground in Siberia is thawing and contributing to climate change. | Listen |
| WHO warns pandemic is not going away anytime soon | |
| It comes as Israel returns to a nationwide lockdown and several countries tighten restrictions. Also: the US will ban downloads of the Chinese-owned apps, TikTok and WeChat, from Sunday, and seven footprints found in an Arabian desert may change the timeline of human history. | Listen |
| Israel marks Jewish New Year with 2nd Covid-19 lockdown | |
| Israel is trying to tackle the surge in coronavirus cases, with a new three-week lockdown. Also: China military drill as US envoy visits Taiwan, and an alligator on gas snaps up Ig Nobel prize. | Listen |
| Global coronavirus cases top 30 million | |
| The 30 million landmark comes as the World Health Organisation warns about the situation in Europe. Also: Fires devastate the world's largest wetland, and hear about the incredible life of the female secret agent who is said to have inspired the creator of James Bond. | Listen |
| China defends its mass 're-education' policies in Xinjiang | |
| China says millions of workers --mostly Muslim Uighurs -- have been retrained in centres, which the US has likened to concentration camps. Also: WHO warns of "very serious situation" regarding Covid-19 in Europe, and what are the bizarre new stunts included in the latest Guinness World Records? | Listen |
| Lamine Diack: Former head of World Athletics found guilty of corruption and jailed | |
| The ex-head of athletics? governing body was convicted of accepting bribes from athletes suspected of doping to cover up test results and letting them continue competing, including in the 2012 London Olympics. Also: Venezuela says the UN report which accuses its government of systematic violations to suppress political opponents is riddled with falsehoods, and an artificial intelligence-powered ship aiming to recreate a historic voyage from 400 years ago. | Listen |
| Venezuela: UN investigators accuse government of crimes against humanity | |
| UN Human Rights Council looked into cases of killings, torture, and disappearances. Investigators say President Maduro and other top officials were implicated. Also, top intergovernmental group says global economy is doing better than expected, and should we all learn to appreciate statistics more ? | Listen |
| Israel signs diplomatic accord with UAE and Bahrain | |
| It was signed at the White House with President Trump. He hailed the dawn of a new Middle East. Also: India passes five million coronavirus cases - we hear how families are suffering, and the TV ad which overshadowed a reality star appearance on ?Dancing With the Stars?. | Listen |
| Poisoned Navalny ?will return to Russia? | |
| The Russian opposition leader posts on social media that he's getting better. A photo showed him sitting up in his Berlin hospital bed, surrounded by his wife and children. Also: new figures suggest China's economy is recovering from the pandemic, and hip hop fans prepare to bid on memorabilia at Sotheby?s in New York. | Listen |
| Evidence that Venus may harbour life | |
| Scientists discover a gas in the atmosphere of Venus that may have been produced by living organisms. Also: Climate change takes centre stage in the US presidential race, and the enduring appeal of Pinocchio, the tale of the wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy. | Listen |
| Belarus: UN calls for investigation of torture allegations | |
| Belarusians protesting against President Alexander Lukashenko have allegedly been kidnapped and beaten by security forces. Also, Yoshihide Suga is expected to be sworn in as Japan?s next prime minister, after being selected as leader of the governing Liberal Democratic Party. And one of the most powerful men in football ? Nasser Al Khelaifi ? goes on trial over the sale of World Cup television rights. | Listen |
| Belarus: Thousands rally against President Lukashenko | |
| More than 100,000 anti-government protestors took to the streets of Minsk. Also: Israel announces a new national lockdown to contain a surge in coronavirus infections, and a permanent migrant reception centre is to be built on the Greek island of Lesbos. | Listen |
| Afghan government urges ceasefire with Taliban | |
| At peace talks in Qatar, the Afghan delegation said war had no winners. Also: Pompeo in Cyprus warns US "deeply concerned" over Turkey energy search, and British designer, Sir Terence Conran, dies aged 88. | Listen |
| Bahrain says it is normalising ties with Israel | |
| Bahrain is only the fourth Arab country in the Middle East to recognise Israel. Also: dozens of people missing in Oregon fires; migrants and Greek islanders protest over new camp. | Listen |
| Moria: European Commission says migrant camp will be rebuilt after huge fire | |
| EC's Vice-president says burnt-out camp to be replaced by modern facility on same site. Residents of Moria camp have staged protest calling for right to leave island of Lesbos. Also, Rio Tinto's boss to quit over company's destruction of Aboriginal sacred sites, and we meet a man who reads out confessions of dead people at their own funerals. | Listen |
| EU ultimatum to UK over Brexit talks | |
| The UK is told to drop plans to rewrite the withdrawal agreement by end of the month or risk scuppering the trade deal. Also: Microsoft says Russia, China and Iran hackers are targeting Trump and Biden, and the British actress Dame Diana Rigg dies aged 82. | Listen |
| Greek ships to help shelter 13,000 migrants after camp burned | |
| A blaze engulfed Moria camp on Tuesday night, then another wiped out any remaining tents on Wednesday. Also: The opposition politician in Belarus told she would be deported ?alive or in bits? and backlash in China after attempts to bring in couples counselling before marriage. | Listen |
| Trump accused of deliberately misleading US on Covid-19 | |
| The remark is contained in a book by the journalist, Bob Woodward, who broke the Watergate scandal. Also: Greek fire sparks race to shelter 13,000 migrants, and scientists develop a technique to spot fake Scotch whisky without opening the bottle. | Listen |
| Fire destroys Greece's largest migrant camp | |
| A huge fire has ravaged the Moria facility on the island of Lesbos. Thousands of migrants have been left homeless. Also, efforts to make the Oscars more diverse, and how one man developed a friendship with an octopus. | Listen |
| US protests: Rochester police leaders resign en masse | |
| Pressure is growing in Rochester over the death of a black man named Daniel Prude, who asphyxiated after being restrained by police. Also, Italy?s fashion industry grapples with racism. And, how will taking photos of broccoli today help scientists study space tomorrow? | Listen |
| Belarus: Lukashenko admits being in power too long | |
| The long term leader has told Russian media he won't be stepping down despite weeks of protests. Meanwhile Belarus opposition leader resists deportation. Also: the floods threatening Sudan's ancient ruins, and why Senegal has been praised for its handling of the coronavirus. | Listen |
| Russia's Alexei Navalny out of coma after poisoning | |
| Doctors treating Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny say he is out of an induced coma and his condition, since being poisoned, has improved. Also: A Saudi court commutes the death sentences of those convicted of murdering the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and Afghan officials and the Taliban prepare for formal talks in Qatar. | Listen |
| Belarus opposition leader reportedly abducted | |
| Witnesses say Maria Kolesnikova was bundled into a minibus by masked men and driven away. Also: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appears in a London court to fight a US extradition request, and Nigerian doctors go on strike. | Listen |
| Belarus: Protesters gather for the fourth week in a row | |
| More than 100,000 anti-government demonstrators took to the streets in Minsk. Also: India now has the second highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, and Jacob Blake sends his first public message from a hospital bed. | Listen |
| Rohingya refugees: Bangladesh plans to move thousands to an island | |
| Many refugees are reluctant to move to Bhashan Char island, even if it means leaving the crowded camps where they now live. Also, soldiers in Niger are accused of executing dozens of civilians earlier this year. And India introduces coronavirus tests on demand, as its outbreak surges. | Listen |
| US unemployment falls again - good news for Trump? | |
| US unemployment rate below 10% for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, also:Iran breached limits of nuclear agreement says UN watchdog and Messi stays with Barça | Listen |
| Islamic State: Giant library of group's online propaganda discovered | |
| Researchers find one of largest collections of IS online material. Experts say it enables group to continually replenish extremist content on the net. Also, Dutch far-Right politician Geert Wilders cleared of inciting hatred, and US academic says she lied about being black. | Listen |
| Biden speaks to Jacob Blake on Wisconsin visit | |
| The US Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, says the shooting victim told him he "won't give up". Also: Beirut rescuers investigate signs of life in rubble, and English Premier League terminates huge China TV rights deal. | Listen |
| Tycoon cleared of murders that rocked Slovakia | |
| The killing of the investigative journalist, Jan Kuciak, and his fiancée in 2018 led to protests and the collapse of the government. Also: President Trump tells voters in North Carolina to vote twice to test the system, and Brazil's men and women international football players get equal pay. | Listen |
| Russia's Navalny 'poisoned with Novichok' | |
| The German chancellor Angela Merkel says Alexei Navalny was a victim of attempted murder. Also: US sanctions staff at top war crimes court, and Prince Harry and Meghan to make shows with Netflix. | Listen |
| Charlie Hebdo: 14 suspects on trial over deadly Paris attacks | |
| Suspects are accused of helping radical Islamists who killed 12 people in January 2015. Most of alleged accomplices are in court in Paris but 3 are being tried in absentia. Also, scepticism in Lebanon about official investigation into Beirut blast, and how Earth is rattled after 7 billion years by signals from black holes' collision. | Listen |
| Trump visits Kenosha to back police after shooting | |
| The US president blames what he calls "domestic terror" for the "destruction" in the Midwestern city. Also: Zimbabwe to return farmland seized from foreigners; and with a changing world, Dictionary.com changes its definitions of many words. | Listen |
| Charlie Hebdo magazine republishes Mohammed cartoons | |
| Alleged accomplices to the deadly attack on the magazine go on trial on Wednesday. Twelve people were killed in 2015 including famous cartoonists. Also: students in Belarus protest against President Lukashenko on the first day of the university term. And, K-Pop conquers the US charts. | Listen |
| US election: Biden accuses 'weak' Trump of stoking violence | |
| The Democratic Party's candidate for the US presidency Joe Biden has challenged President Trump on law and order, asking voters if they feel safe with a leader who can?t control his supporters. Also: Australia says China has detained a prominent journalist without charge, and new figures show the Indian economy has been devastated by the pandemic. | Listen |
| Historic Israeli flight arrives in UAE | |
| The direct flight marks a major step in normalising ties between Israel and the Gulf Arab country. Also: Sudan 'on road to peace' after a deal is signed, and artificial intelligence is being trialled in Australia to improve the safety of female travellers at night. | Listen |
| Belarus: Mass rally keeps pressure on Lukashenko | |
| Tens of thousands again take to the streets in Belarus to protest against President Alexander Lukashenko. Also: the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says there have been unpublicised talks with many more Arab countries about improving ties. And India and Russia declared joint winners at Chess Olympiad. | Listen |
| Belarus: Journalists covering protests stripped of accreditation | |
| Several thousand women in Belarus have rallied in central Minsk for a ?March of Solidarity?, urging President Lukashenko and the government to resign. Also: German police have arrested hundreds of people demonstrating in Berlin against coronavirus restrictions, and hundreds of migrants are rescued from a ship funded by the British graffiti artist Banksy. | Listen |
| Thousands of Americans gather in Washington to protest against racism | |
| The rally was held on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. Also: the outspoken head of Russia's anti-doping agency has been fired, and how a children's cartoon is helping a lonely penguin in Australia. | Listen |
| Shinzo Abe: Japan's PM resigns for health reasons | |
| Longest-serving Japanese PM has suffered for many years from ulcerative colitis. He will remain in his post until a successor is chosen. Also, Trump tells Republican convention that Biden will 'demolish' the American dream if he becomes president, and UK honours World War 2 heroine Noor Inayat Khan. | Listen |
| Trump brands NBA a "political" organisation | |
| US president was responding to players' walkout over police violence. Also: Four die as Hurricane Laura batters US Gulf coast; Russian police 'on standby' to enter Belarus; and the world's most expensive sheep. | Listen |
| 'Catastrophic' hurricane Laura lashes Louisiana | |
| The storm, one of the strongest to hit the US Gulf coast, has caused flash flooding and power cuts. Also: the wearing of facemasks in public is to be made compulsory in Paris because of Covid-19, and the London Symphony Orchestra comes out of lockdown and begins rehearsing again. | Listen |
| Teenager charged over Wisconsin protesters' deaths | |
| The two people were killed following the police shooting of a black man. Also: Mladic denounces UN court in genocide appeal, and the doctor who says a safe social distance is eight metres. | Listen |
| Jacob Blake: Two shot dead during third night of unrest in Kenosha | |
| Violence continues in city in Wisconsin following police shooting of a black man. Jacob Blake was shot by officers on Sunday in the presence of his children. Also, Melania Trump makes plea for racial harmony at Republican party convention, and deadly flash-floods hit northern Afghanistan. | Listen |
| Africa declared free of wild polio in 'milestone' | |
| Nigeria is now rid of wild polio despite having more than half of all cases a decade ago - a major success in efforts to eradicate the disease. Also: The family of an unarmed black man shot by police in Wisconsin say he is paralysed from the waist down, and the captain of the Manchester United football club is found guilty of attempting to bribe a Greek police officer. | Listen |
| Ratko Mladic appeals against genocide conviction | |
| The court hearing has already been delayed by the ex-Bosnian Serb commander's health issues and the coronavirus pandemic. Also: Gaza imposes lockdown following first Covid-19 cases, and researchers find method to regrow cartilage in arthritic mice. | Listen |
| US Election: Republican Party nominates Donald Trump as its presidential candidate | |
| At the event, President Trump told the crowd that this was the most important election in the history of the country. Also: Scientists in Hong Kong say they have confirmed the first reinfection of the coronavirus, and an Israeli teenager discovers a jar filled with gold coins at an archaeological site. | Listen |
| Belarus holds opposition figures after mass rally | |
| The latest detentions come amid a border row with neighbouring Lithuania. Also: Christchurch gunman 'planned third mosque attack', and are full stops intimidating? | Listen |
| Belarus: Opposition holds mass rally in Minsk despite ban | |
| President Lukashenko has vowed to crush unrest and blamed the dissent on unnamed "foreign-backed revolutionaries". Also: US President Donald Trump's eldest sister says her brother is a liar who "has no principles", secret recordings reveal, and in football Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint Germain to be crowned champions of Europe for a sixth time. | Listen |
| NATO rejects Belarus claim of border threat | |
| Claims by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that "foreign powers" are organising a build-up of troops on the country's border are baseless, says NATO. Also: The World Health Organisation says children over 12 years old should wear masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and violence in Ivory Coast as President Alassane Ouattara is nominated for a third term in office. | Listen |
| Russian doctors allow Navalny to go to Germany | |
| They had earlier said the Kremlin critic, in a coma in Omsk, was too ill to be moved for treatment in Germany. They relented after appeals by his family and aides, who said Mr Navalny?s life was in danger in Russia. Also: Libya's rival authorities announce a ceasefire, and the man known as the Golden State Killer is sentenced to life in prison. | Listen |
| Alexei Navalny's wife appeals to Putin to let her husband be flown abroad for treatment | |
| Russian doctors say prominent opposition figure is too ill to be taken to Germany. Navalny's supporters believe he's been poisoned. Also, Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya urges followers to continue defying government, and Lebanese singer Mika organises concert to raise money for his homeland. | Listen |
| Steve Bannon charged with fraud over Mexico wall funds | |
| Mr Bannon, once one of President Trump's most trusted advisers, was arrested and charged with fraud over a fundraising campaign to build a Mexican border wall. He denied the charge in court in New York. Also: scientists say the loss of ice in Greenland has reached "unprecedented" levels, and why singing is no more likely to transmit Covid-19 than talking - unless you do it loudly. | Listen |
| Russian opposition leader 'fights for life' | |
| A prominent Putin opponent, Alexei Navalny, is unconscious after a suspected poisoning. Also: Barack Obama makes his most scathing attack on President Trump so far, and British scientists develop a new method of administering radiotherapy that they say could revolutionise the treatment of breast cancer. | Listen |
| UN joins global condemnation of Mali coup | |
| President Keita was forced to resign after being detained by soldiers. Also: Belarus leader orders clampdown on unrest, and 'walkies' could become the law for German dog owners. | Listen |
| Mali: Soldiers promise elections after ousting President | |
| Troops have pledged to set up a civilian transitional government and hold elections. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita resigned on Tuesday night after a coup that?s been widely condemned by the international community. Also, Joe Biden is named as US Democratic candidate for presidency, and India?s Supreme Court orders probe into death of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput. | Listen |
| Mali president seized by mutinying soldiers | |
| France and regional bloc Ecowas have condemned the mutiny that began with gunfire early on Tuesday. Also: US postal service halts controversial changes, and fans flock to save Elsa - Berlin's cheeky wild boar. | Listen |
| Guilty verdict over assassination of Lebanon ex-PM | |
| One of four men accused of killing Rafik Hariri in Beirut in 2005 has been convicted by a special UN-backed court. The judges said Salim Ayyash had a central role in the murder. Also: shots are fired inside a military base in Mali and, a lost species is rediscovered in the wilds of Djibouti, Africa. | Listen |
| Protests continue in Belarus | |
| Opposition protestors in Belarus have held a ninth night of protests against the leadership of Alexander Lukashenko. Also: US Democrats set for virtual political show piece, and the Indian classical vocalist, Pandit Jasraj, has died aged ninety. | Listen |
| Belarus: striking workers boo the president as his authoritarian rule hangs in the balance | |
| Lukashenko's main challenger says she's ready to become the transitional leader. Also: the Democrat convention gets underway in the US city of Milwaukee, and can Jesus Christ make theatres work during the pandemic? | Listen |
| Mass protest eclipses Belarus leader's rally | |
| Protestors keep up pressure over disputed elections, as President Lukashenko calls opponents "rats". Also: New Zealand delays election over coronavirus fears, and a gardener claims a new speed record in a motorised wheelbarrow. | Listen |
| Belarus: President Lukashenko claims he has Russian support against protests | |
| The man called ?Europe?s last dictator? asks for Vladimir Putin?s help, as anti-government demonstrations gain momentum. Meanwhile, international leaders mark Victory in Japan Day, and the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. And a restaurant in China is forced to apologise, after telling its patrons to weigh themselves before ordering. | Listen |
| Pressure grows on Belarusian president to resign | |
| Alexander Lukashenko?s opponents say his regime?s ?hours are numbered? after five days of anti-government protest. Meanwhile, the leader of Hezbollah threatens to take action if Israel is responsible for last week?s devastating explosion in Beirut. And we look at the US government?s censorship of climate scientists. | Listen |
| Belarus: 'Widespread torture' inflicted on jailed protesters | |
| Freed detainees have given details of beatings during days in custody that Amnesty International said suggested "torture" on a significant scale. Also: The president of Mozambique, visits a province where the army is fighting Islamist insurgents, and the latest move against the murder hornets. | Listen |
| Israel and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to fully normalise relations | |
| The deal involves Israel suspending its plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. Also: Washington suspends all private charter flights to Cuba, and DNA analysis of the Siberian woolly rhino gives new clues to the reason for its extinction. | Listen |
| Women form ?solidarity chains? in Belarus protests | |
| Many dressed in white as they called for an end to police brutality. Several strikes have also been reported at state-owned factories in protest against President Lukashenko. Also: the Chinese president launches a clean plate campaign to reduce food waste, and why Donald Trump is demanding more powerful showers. | Listen |
| Harris joins Biden at first event as running mate | |
| Joe Biden has formally introduced Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential pick at a rally in Delaware. Senator Harris said four years of Donald Trump's presidency had left America 'in tatters'. Also in this edition: Beirut?s broken hospitals ? and the day Margaret Thatcher came face-to-face with the BBC?s African Service. | Listen |
| Belarus: police clash with demonstrators for third night | |
| Violence reported in Minsk and several other cities. A BBC crew has been attacked by police, who've been accused of brutality. Also, UK slides into recession due to impact of pandemic, and how prehistoric humans worked together to find food and share it. | Listen |
| Biden picks Kamala Harris as running mate | |
| The former California attorney-general had long been considered the front runner for the role. Also: opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled Belarus "for sake of her children", and Mauritius fears a stranded ship that is leaking oil may "break in two". | Listen |
| Global Covid-19 cases top 20 million | |
| Russia approves its own vaccine for use, but international experts are sceptical. Also: The main opposition candidate flees Belarus for 'sake of her children', and Benin restores statues to slave traders. | Listen |
| Lebanon cabinet resigns as anger over blast mounts | |
| The Lebanese prime minister announced the move in a TV address as clashes continued in Beirut for a third day. Also: Trump says someone shot near White House, and the website that creates the sounds of the office for those working from home. | Listen |
| Belarus opposition disputes leader's landslide win | |
| President Lukashenko accuses foreign-inspired agitators of sparking violence. Also: HK tycoon arrested under security law, and the poem published 100 years late. | Listen |
| Clashes erupt after disputed Belarus election | |
| A state TV exit poll showed a victory for President Alexander Lukashenko but the opposition cried foul. Also: more protests in Beirut as international donors pledge aid, and who owned the old pair of round rimmed spectacles that are now up for auction? | Listen |
| Lebanese army retakes government buildings stormed by protestors | |
| The demonstrators in Beirut had earlier entered government ministries venting their anger at politicians who they blame for Tuesday's devastating explosion. Also: President Trump signs executive orders extending Covid-19 economic relief, and an oil spill in Mauritius is threatening an ecological disaster. | Listen |
| Air India jet breaks in two in Kerala | |
| The Boeing 737 was repatriating Indians stranded overseas by the coronavirus crisis. Also: US imposes sanctions on Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, and the British Foreign office cat Palmerston retires to the countryside. | Listen |
| Beirut explosion: many Lebanese blame government negligence | |
| Rescue-workers search for dozens still reported missing after Tuesday's deadly blast. The UN has warned of a humanitarian crisis and is promising emergency supplies. Also, how Covid-19 has affected tourism in city that was at heart of Italian Renaissance, and why music festival is going ahead on Greek island - despite virus restrictions. | Listen |
| New York sues America's powerful National Rifle Association | |
| New York?s attorney general Letitia James alleges financial misconduct in the organisation. She accuses NRA leaders of using its funds for their personal benefit. Also: President Macron of France has promised to co-ordinate an international aid effort for Lebanon, and in the Channel Island of Guernsey police try a novel recruitment campaign. | Listen |
| President Macron says political change is needed in Lebanon | |
| The French President made the comments on a visit to an area devastated by the explosion. Also: tougher internal border restrictions are being introduced in Australia to curb the spread of Covid-19, and social media networks push back against President Trump after he says children are "almost immune" to the coronavirus. | Listen |
| Anger in Beirut at failure to prevent devastating explosion | |
| The governing elite of Lebanon is coming under unprecedented attack after an explosion in the capital on Tuesday, which killed at least 135 people. Also: emergency departments in the US state of Mississippi are overflowing with Covid-19 patients, and the French Government pledges millions of dollars to save the country's wine industry. | Listen |
| Rescue workers in Beirut search for missing bodies after explosion | |
| The blast killed more than 100 people and injured thousands. Also: Indian prime minister lays the foundation stone for a Hindu temple on a long-disputed religious site, and why there are more emperor penguins in the Antarctic than we previously thought. | Listen |
| Beirut blasts: Dozens dead and thousands injured in unexplained explosions | |
| At least 78 people are dead and around 4,000 injured. Also: the BBC gets a rare look inside a Chinese ?re-education? camp for Uighur muslims and hears accounts of torture, and the man who found out aged 24 that his father was the world famous drug lord, Pablo Escobar. | Listen |
| Hefty fines for lockdown rule-breakers in Australia | |
| On-the-spot fines of more than 3 thousand US dollars for breaking isolation rules in the Australian state of Victoria, as military and police get tough with dissenters. Also: fears that new ID rules for voting in Ghana could deter some voters, and in Italy a Grand Slam great interrupts girls playing rooftop tennis. | Listen |
| Spain's ex-King Juan Carlos leaves the country | |
| This comes weeks after the embattled former King was linked to an inquiry into alleged corruption. Also: red card for footballers caught deliberately coughing, and other mammals lose out in panda conservative drive. | Listen |
| Iran cover-up of Covid-19 deaths revealed | |
| A BBC investigation has found almost three times the number of reported deaths. Also: we hear from Zimbabwe where a doctor says, despite capacity, staff shortages mean she's turning Covid-infected patients away, and could the staunchly conservative US state of Kansas turn Democrat? | Listen |
| NASA astronauts make landmark splashdown | |
| The SpaceX capsule touched down off Florida, in the first crewed US water landing in 45 years. Also: top US Democrat rounds on virus chief Birx, and New Zealand's most popular albatross chick needs a name. | Listen |
| Facebook forced to block pro-Bolsonaro accounts | |
| The social media giant vows to appeal against the Brazilian Supreme Court ruling. Also: TikTok "here for the long run" in the US after president Trump said he would ban it, and Japan's Kabukiza theatre reopens. | Listen |
| WHO head says pandemic will be felt for decades | |
| Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says there will be no return to the 'old normal' soon. Also: Maxwell-Epstein emails shown in new court papers, and the 100th Salzburg Music Festival opens this weekend. | Listen |
| Hong Kong postpones elections by year due to 'virus concerns' | |
| Government says delay in parliamentary elections is due to rise in Covid-19 infections. But opposition accuses authorities of using pandemic as excuse to prevent people from voting. Also, Eurozone suffers its worst economic contraction on record due to Coronavirus, and a website that lets you see the view from other people's windows across the world. | Listen |
| Threat to delay US presidential election | |
| President Trump suggests delaying the US election. Also: Switzerland launches criminal proceedings against the president of FIFA, and a new app to help people treat sleeplessness. | Listen |
| Hong Kong bars 12 opposition candidates from election | |
| The government said the candidates were not fit to run for office. Also: The German economy suffers its biggest quarterly fall since records began, and the world?s largest frog- known as the ?wrinkly scrotum? frog is under threat because of human consumption. | Listen |
| US tech giants face Congress grilling | |
| Facebook, Apple, Google and Amazon have appeared before Washington lawmakers to defend their firms against claims they abuse their power to quash competitors. Also: the chief organiser of the Tokyo Olympics hopes they will take place next year - but can't rule out another delay, and an enduring mystery from one of Britain's most famous archaeological sites, Stonehenge, appears to have been solved. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: 'Large-scale' coronavirus outbreak looming, says city's leader | |
| Carrie Lam urges people to stay indoors and says hospital system could face 'collapse'. But pro-democracy protestors unconvinced by reports that outbreak means local elections should be postponed. Also, drastically scaled-down Hajj pilgrimage begins in Saudi Arabia, and how fugitive Mexican drug-lord built his own private hospital. | Listen |
| US Attorney General defends deploying federal agents to Portland | |
| In heated testimony to Congress, William Barr said protesters in Portland, Oregon, were committing "an assault on the government of the United States". Democrats accuse Mr Barr of trying to aid the president's re-election campaign. Also: leaders in Western Europe warn of a second wave of the coronavirus, and there is positive news for tiger populations in the wild. | Listen |
| Construction starts for the world?s largest nuclear fusion reactor in France | |
| French President Emmanuel Macron praised the international venture as a project for the future of humanity. He delivered a video address at a ceremony to mark the start of the assembly of the ITER reactor. Also: the former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption charges linked to the 1MDB scandal, and why people are abandoning their dogs post-lockdown. | Listen |
| Netanyahu accuses Hezbollah of trying to infiltrate Israel | |
| Israeli PM says army shot at Hezbollah fighters to stop them crossing the border. Also: WHO calls Covid-19 the most severe global health emergency it?s ever seen, and the music inspired by the 1984 universal declaration of human rights. | Listen |
| Alarm over Vietnam?s first coronavirus cases in months | |
| The city of Da Nang has been closed to tourists to contain a new Covid-19 outbreak. Hundreds of flights have been laid on to take thousands of domestic tourists home. Also: Egypt jails TikTok users over ?indecent? videos, and the Japanese designer of some of David Bowie?s most famous outfits has died. | Listen |
| Hollywood star Olivia de Havilland dies aged 104 | |
| Her career spanned more than fifty years and she was the last surviving star of Gone with the Wind. Also: US diplomats to leave Chengdu consulate, and the Martian meteorite that is returning home. | Listen |
| UK brings back 14-day quarantine for Spain | |
| The decision came following a spike in coronavirus cases in Spain. Also: Poland to leave treaty on violence against women, and Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green dies aged 73. | Listen |
| British PM says his government could have done things differently regarding Covid-19 | |
| Boris Johnson says there are "open questions" about whether the coronavirus lockdown came too late. Also: Trump signs order to lower the price of prescription drugs, and journalists resign over press freedom at Hungary's independent news site, Index. | Listen |
| Hagia Sophia: Muslim Friday prayers held as former museum becomes mosque again | |
| President Erdogan attends first Friday prayers held in historic building since 1934. The decision to turn Hagia Sophia - a former cathedral - back into a mosque has been criticised worldwide. Also, China orders closure of US consulate in Chengdu after Washington shuts down Chinese consulate in Texas, and Iraqi militiamen help bury the bodies as their country's Covid 19 death-toll rises steeply. | Listen |
| US Congresswoman denounces colleague's 'sexist slur' | |
| "I am someone's daughter," says Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Also: Russia accused of firing satellite weapon in space, and a letter by King George VI to his speech therapist has been sold at auction. | Listen |
| US accuses China of spying | |
| The US says a fugitive is hiding in China's San Francisco consulate. Also: The experiment to find out if singers are vulnerable to Covid-19, and China launches a mission to Mars. | Listen |
| Trump to send 'surge' of federal agents to cities | |
| Chicago and two other Democratic-run cities are being targeted in the Republican president's move, amid a spike in violence. Also, top editor of Hungary's leading independent news website sacked, and coronavirus - cracking the secrets of how bats survive viruses. | Listen |
| US orders China to close consulate in Houston | |
| Washington says Chinese consulate in Texas must be closed by Friday 24th July. Beijing says this is a 'political provocation'. Also, Twitter bans accounts linked to QAnon conspiracy-theory, and how a producer is turning songs of endangered bird species into music. | Listen |
| US accuses China of Covid-19 vaccine hack | |
| American authorities have charged two Chinese nationals in the alleged theft of information from medical, software and defence companies. Also, a standoff in Ukraine ends peacefully after the president gives in to a hostage-taker?s strange demand. And the smallest village in Italy celebrates its first birth in eight years. | Listen |
| UK 'actively avoided' investigating Russian threat | |
| MPs say the government didn't want to know if Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum. Also: How poaching is threatening half the world's mountain gorillas, and Zoom weddings in Nigeria. | Listen |
| Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial shows promise | |
| A vaccine developed by Oxford University appears safe and triggers an immune response. But the lead scientist advises caution. Also, as Cuba's currency crisis deepens, state-run shops begin selling some goods in US dollars; and scientists predict that polar bears could be extinct by the end of the century as a result of climate change. | Listen |
| Covid-19 treatment trial described as ?breakthrough? | |
| The results suggest a new treatment reduces the number of patients needing intensive care, according to the UK company that developed it. The treatment uses a protein called interferon beta which the body produces when it gets a viral infection. Also we hear about Gaza?s disturbing cases of suicide, and Kanye West launches his 2020 presidential campaign. | Listen |
| US Covid death toll passes 140.000 | |
| Donald Trump says US coronavirus mortality rate is among the lowest in the world; President Erdogan inspects preparations ahead of Hagia Sophia changing back to a mosque; the United Arab Emirates launches its first ever mission to Mars. | Listen |
| 'Moment of Truth' in EU covid talks | |
| EU leaders hope fresh proposals can end deadlock over covid recovery package; In Russia - thousands more join protests in support of local governor And why smiling while wearing a face mask matters | Listen |
| Fauci says all Americans should wear masks to stop a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases | |
| The US top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, made the comment as the country struggles to control a sustained surge in coronavirus infections. Also: "moment of truth" as EU leaders seek Covid deal, and Captain Tom Moore is knighted in "unique ceremony" after raising millions of pounds for Britain's health service. | Listen |
| India reports over one million cases of Covid 19 | |
| The country's Coronavirus case-load has doubled in last three weeks. Intermittent local lockdowns are likely to be the 'new normal.' Also, EU leaders discuss 800 billion dollar coronavirus recovery-plan but are deeply divided over how to spend it, and US campaign-group wages legal battle for the rights of 'the world?s loneliest elephant.' | Listen |
| Russian hackers 'targeting Covid-19 vaccine research' | |
| Security services have warned that Russian hackers are targeting organisations in the UK, US and Canada. Also: the number of coronavirus cases in Brazil passes two million, and the Solar Orbiter spacecraft takes the closest ever pictures of the Sun. | Listen |
| Court rules Shamima Begum can return to UK to fight for citizenship | |
| Judges in London have ruled that Shamima Begum, who left Britain to support the Islamic State group, can return to challenge a government decision to revoke her UK citizenship. Also: the Twitter accounts of famous celebrities are hacked in a huge social media scam and Donald Trump revamps his campaign team, four months before the November election. | Listen |
| US disease expert Anthony Fauci calls White House attacks "bizarre" | |
| Dr Anthony Fauci described recent efforts by the Trump administration to discredit him as "bizarre" and "nonsense". Also: Ethiopia says Nile reservoir is filling up, and the actor Viola Davis says she betrayed herself in The Help film. | Listen |
| China hits out at US and UK | |
| Beijing criticises recent commercial restrictions imposed by Washington and London. These include US sanctions over new Hong Kong security law, and UK decision not to use Huawei to help build 5G networks. Also, inside South Africa's 'hospitals of horrors' as staff overwhelmed by Covid-19, and researchers predict 'jaw-dropping' fall in global fertility-rates. | Listen |
| US judge denies Ghislaine Maxwell bail | |
| The ex-girlfriend of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been denied bail in a high profile case. Also: Trump signs order targeting China over Hong Kong, and why do your spectacles fog up when wearing a face-covering? | Listen |
| UK bans Chinese tech giant Huawei from 5G network | |
| The British government has confirmed it will exclude the Chinese firm Huawei from its 5G telecoms networks, after the US raised concerns about security. Also: Tensions between India and Nepal increase and California reimposes lockdown measures after a spike in coronavirus cases. | Listen |
| WHO gives a stark warning on coronavirus | |
| The head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says too many countries are mishandling the coronavirus pandemic and that defeating public enemy number one is a long way off. Also: after years of campaigning by Native Americans the Washington Redskins cave into pressure to change their name, and the pub in England which has gone to extreme measures to enforce social distancing rules. | Listen |
| China slaps sanctions on top US officials | |
| China has announced sanctions against prominent US politicians who challenged its treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang. Also: Some of the world's richest people urge governments to raise taxes on the wealthy, and Manchester City football club overturns a two-year ban from European club competitions. | Listen |
| Covid 19: South Africa reimposes total alcohol ban | |
| The move is to ease pressure on hospitals struggling to cope with a surge in cases. Also: Florida has record number of new infections in any US state, and the care home in Britain which has been lifting lockdown boredom among elderly residents by recreating famous pop music album covers. | Listen |
| Srebrenica: Bosnia marks 25 years since massacre | |
| Present and former world leaders address the ceremonies. Also: tens of thousands of people demonstrate in eastern Russia after the arrest of a regional leader and, how the performing arts in Germany are coping in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. | Listen |
| Turkey turns Hagia Sophia into mosque | |
| President Erdogan signed decree after court ruling, also dramatic rise in deforestation in the Amazon region and the row over facial treatments in the UK | Listen |
| Russia's Foreign Minister says there's growing risk of nuclear confrontation | |
| Sergei Lavrov's warning came in an address to an international conference. The nuclear treaty between US and Russia expires next year, but there are doubts that it will be extended. Also, notorious Indian gangster is killed one day after being arrested over deadly attack on police, and Barbados invites people to come there and work from home. | Listen |
| Supreme Court: Prosecutors can see Trump taxes | |
| But the court ruled this information did not have to be shared with Congress. Also: Missing Seoul mayor found dead, and Egyptian sex attacks prompt law change. | Listen |
| Oxfam: Hunger could be bigger killer than the coronavirus | |
| Disruptions caused by the pandemic may lead to malnutrition in the poorest countries. Also: China says relations with the US are facing their most serious challenge in four decades, and the mayor of the South Korean capital has gone missing. | Listen |
| US exceeds 3 million coronavirus cases | |
| Despite surges in new infections, the White House wants to reopen schools. Also: UN warns Yemen is threatened by famine, and Brazil's president repeats support for antimalarial drug to fight Covid-19. | Listen |
| China opens new security office in Hong Kong | |
| Beijing opens office to enforce stringent new national security laws in the territory. Shortly afterwards, Hong Kong's government bans all political activity in schools. Also, world-famous writers denounce 'cancel culture' as threat to free speech, and test cricket resumes - but with a difference. | Listen |
| Brazil's Bolsonaro tests positive for Covid-19 | |
| The president has repeatedly belittled the risks posed by the virus. Also: FBI director calls China 'greatest threat' to US, and Dutch torture chamber found. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Melbourne returns to lockdown as cases surge | |
| Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews announced the lockdown after the state saw 191 new infections, its highest daily number since the pandemic began. Also, the Chinese-owned app TikTok says it is ending operations in Hong Kong following the introduction of Beijing?s new security law on the city, and two children in the US find a way to travel safely during lockdown. | Listen |
| WHO: More than 70 countries could run out of HIV medicine | |
| A third of those taking anti-retroviral drugs could experience shortages due to Covid-19. Also: UN report on animal-to-human diseases, and is group singing bad for your health? | Listen |
| China warns UK over Hong Kong 'interference' | |
| China has accused the British government of political manipulation after London offered approximately three million Hong Kong residents a path to British citizenship. The man behind one of the world's largest child porn websites is freed from jail in South Korea. The Italian prime minister has led tributes to the composer, Ennio Morricone, who's died at the age of ninety-one. | Listen |
| India overtakes Russia for Covid-19 infections | |
| India becomes the third worst affected nation in the world, after the US and Brazil. Also: another local lockdown in Spain, and Lewis Hamilton takes a knee as F1 returns, but some drivers choose not to join him. | Listen |
| Trump 4 July message: We're beating 'China plague' | |
| The president claims the US is on course to overcome the coronavirus, despite a soaring infection rate that has dampened Independence Day celebrations across the nation. Also: pubs across England have begun serving customers again after more than three months in lockdown, and a key witness in a case against Argentina's former president has been found dead. | Listen |
| WHO warns Covid-19 vaccine 'unlikely' this year | |
| Dr Mike Ryan said it was unwise to make predictions. Also: Brazil's president sanctions new law making face coverings obligatory in public and a state in Florida introduces a curfew after rise in coronavirus cases. | Listen |
| Khashoggi: Turkey begins trial of 20 Saudis in absentia | |
| Two of the Saudi nationals on trial over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi are former senior aides to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Also, centre-right mayor Jean Castex is named as the French PM after Edouard Philippe?s resignation, and how residents of US care home found pen-pals across the world. | Listen |
| Epstein ex girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell charged | |
| The British socialite is accused of grooming underage girls for the late sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein. She has previously denied wrongdoing. Also: Texas governor mandates the wearing of face masks, and no, a human year isn't equivalent to 7 "dog years". | Listen |
| Myanmar jade mine landslide kills more than 100 | |
| A wave of mud and rock was triggered by heavy rain in Kachin state. Also: hundreds arrested after police in Europe crack EncroChat, and a man from Argentina sails solo across the Atlantic to reach his family during lockdown. | Listen |
| Early results show Putin strongly backed in reform vote | |
| Victory would allow the Russian president to stay in power until 2036. Also: California closes bars and indoor dining after Covid-19 spike, and the core of a gas planet is seen for the first time. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: First arrests made under new 'anti-protest' law | |
| Police seize dozens of demonstrators under new law imposed by Beijing. Pro-democracy protests were held to mark 23 years since end of British rule. Also, Russians vote in referendum which could give President Putin another 16 years in office, and why residents of a US city are urged to 'walk with Shawn'. | Listen |
| Fauci warns of 100,000 US Covid-19 cases per day | |
| The US infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, has said that unless the country manages to control the spread of the coronavirus, the infection rate could more than double to 100,000 cases a day from its current level of 40,000. Also: an explosion and a fire at a hospital in the Iranian capital has killed a number of people, and koalas face extinction in New South Wales. | Listen |
| China approves controversial Security Law. | |
| Chinese president, Xi Jinping, signs security law providing new powers over Hong Kong; The King of Belgium has issued an unprecedented statement of regret for atrocities inflicted during colonial times in Congo; New research into child development says there is one crucial thing parents can do to improve the future temperament of their offspring... | Listen |
| WHO says worst could be 'yet to come' in Covid-19 pandemic | |
| The World Health Organization's chief says the pandemic is "not even close to being over". Also: lockdown tightened in English city of Leicester over Covid-19 surge, and critical Boeing 737 Max test flights begin. | Listen |
| France: Former PM Francois Fillon and wife given jail sentences over fake jobs | |
| Court finds Fillon guilty of paying wife $1.3 million dollars for work she never did. The couple are appealing against the sentences. Also, gunmen carry out deadly attack on Pakistan's stock exchange, and a 'Wild West' village goes on sale in New Zealand. | Listen |
| Trump tweets clip of supporter yelling 'white power' | |
| The video showed the president's supporters and opponents hurling abuse at one another. His spokesman said he hadn't heard the 'white power' comment. Also: A US hospital at 'breaking point', and art masterpieces on TikTok. | Listen |
| Malawi opposition leader wins historic poll rerun | |
| Lazarus Chakwera got nearly 60% of the vote to defeat the incumbent and become president. Also: Infections surge in reopened US sun belt states, and the psychology of queuing in lockdown. | Listen |
| Two US states go back into lockdown | |
| The states of Florida and Texas are in lockdown again, as cases of the coronavirus surge. Also: The Pakistani government says it's starting criminal proceedings against almost thirty pilots, and archaeologists excavate the first Viking ship found in Norway in more than a hundred years. | Listen |
| UK: PM speaks out over danger of 'serious spike' in coronavirus cases | |
| Boris Johnson issues warning after huge crowds flocked to beaches on Thursday. Ministers say UK beaches could be closed if infections rise. Also, Prince Charles urges world to live in harmony with nature in response to pandemic, and NASA starts competition to design a toilet for astronauts. | Listen |
| WHO warns of COVID-19 resurgence in Europe | |
| Global health officials say the infection rate is already increasing in multiple countries that have relaxed their lockdowns. Also, one month after the killing of George Floyd, an unprecedented number of Black women are running for political office in the state where he died. And Pakistan grounds 150 airline pilots, saying they had fake licenses. | Listen |
| Russians vote on Putin's reforms to constitution | |
| The ballot is being held despite a growing number of coronavirus cases. DR Congo's deadliest Ebola outbreak declared over. Preventing a plague - fighting Kenya's locusts. | Listen |
| IMF warns world economy faces grim pandemic hit | |
| Millions of jobs at risk as new forecast slashes 12 trillion dollars over next two years. Also: New York imposes quarantine restrictions on nine US states with high rates of coronavirus infection; Kosovo?s president faces indictment on war crimes; and remembering the Korean War, seventy years on. | Listen |
| Russia stages WW2 victory parade in shadow of pandemic | |
| Huge military parade in Moscow was postponed from 9th May due to coronavirus. President Putin rescheduled celebrations ahead of key constitutional vote which could give him two more terms in power. Also, how pandemic forces women to seek backstreet abortions, and the much-hyped Segway 2-wheeler ceases production after 19 years. | Listen |
| Rayshard Brooks' funeral takes place in Atlanta | |
| The 27-year-old black man was fatally shot by police in the city. Also: a judge in Brazil has ordered President Jair Bolsonaro to wear a mask in public or face a daily fine, and Li Zhensheng - a Chinese photographer who documented the horror and violence of China's Cultural Revolution - has died in the United States | Listen |
| British PM announces significant easing of lockdown | |
| Boris Johnson told parliament that the two-metre social distancing rule would be reduced to one metre where necessary. Newborn Mexican triplets test positive in 'unprecedented' coronavirus case. A snub to the Black Lives Matter movement in the UK. | Listen |
| US designates another four Chinese media outlets as 'foreign missions' | |
| The Trump administration has placed new restrictions on more Chinese state-run media outlets that have operations in the US, in a sign of worsening tensions between the two countries. Also: Saudi Arabia bars international Hajj pilgrims, and the Hollywood director, Joel Schumacher, whose films included St Elmo's Fire and two Batman sequels, has died at the age of 80. | Listen |
| 'Record deadly week' for Afghan army | |
| The Taliban is accused of killing almost three hundred security forces. Brazil becomes the second country to pass 50,000 Coronavirus deaths. Wirecard missing millions may not exist. | Listen |
| Trump campaign rejects low turnout manipulation | |
| A teen social media campaign claimed to have caused a lower-than-expected turnout at a Trump rally. Also: Somali soldiers end protest over unpaid salaries, and discovering a 1968 concert recording of the jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. | Listen |
| Crowds attend Trump rally despite virus fears | |
| The US president held his first rally since March in Tulsa, when the US coronavirus lockdown began. Also, a number of people have been stabbed in a park in southern England, and Pakistan is bracing itself for an attack of locusts. | Listen |
| Trump's Oklahoma rally can go ahead | |
| Court says Donald Trump's campaign rally, his first in months, can go ahead in Tulsa. Also, waste water study finds, Coronavirus Virus already in Italy by December, and the BBC speaks to Russia's top spy. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: EU leaders discuss recovery fund | |
| Talks held on bailout package worth over $800 billion. Further discussions to take place in July. Also, how Lombardy became known as 'the Wuhan of the West', and new awards ceremony celebrates African-American theatre talent. | Listen |
| Trump's bid to end Obama-era immigration policy ruled unlawful | |
| The Supreme Court decision comes at the same time as Facebook saying it has removed adverts Mr Trump's re-election campaign that featured a symbol used in Nazi Germany. Also: China is reported to have released ten Indian soldiers, three days after a brutal border clash, and we speak to a Kenyan born musician in Minneapolis about living in the city where George Floyd was killed. | Listen |
| EU top court rules against Hungary's NGO law | |
| The EU's highest court strikes down a Hungarian law restricting foreign funding of NGOs. The European Court of Justice said the restrictions violated fundamental rights and the free movement of capital. Also, what is the true death toll of the coronavirus pandemic? and Dame Vera Lynn, who entertained British troops during the Second World War, has died aged 103. | Listen |
| Rayshard Brooks shooting: US policeman could face death penalty | |
| The case comes amid US protests over police killings of black Americans. Also: The former US national security adviser says President Trump asked for help from China to help him get re-elected, and how to avoid 'stranger danger' in a post COVID world. | Listen |
| India-China clash: Narendra Modi says his country will respond if provoked | |
| Indian PM addresses nation as 20 Indian soldiers reported killed in border-skirmish. China has not released casualty-figures for its own troops. Also, Facebook bans all foreign adverts ahead of US presidential election to prevent political interference, and English Premier League football is back - after 100 days of lockdown. | Listen |
| India - China border dispute claims lives | |
| It is the first deadly skirmish in decades between the two regional powers. Also: UK scientists say dexamethasone - a widely available drug - dramatically lowered the mortality rates in patients with severe Covid-19 symptoms, and Royal Ascot gets underway without horse-racing fans because of coronavirus restrictions. | Listen |
| North Korea blows up joint liaison office with the South | |
| Seoul has warned that if the situation with the North worsens it will react strongly. Indian soldiers are killed in a clash with Chinese forces. A German neo-Nazi has gone on trial in Frankfurt accused of murdering a politician for being sympathetic to migrants. | Listen |
| US Supreme Court backs protection for LGBT workers | |
| The court has ruled that workplace law protects gay and transgender employees. Also: Beijing tightens controls to tackle a spike in Covid-19, and the spacecraft Solar Orbiter has made its first close approach to the Sun. | Listen |
| US 'outraged' by Russian prison sentence for Paul Whelan | |
| State secrets or just holiday photos - what was on a computer flash drive found in the Moscow hotel room of a former US Marine? 'Deadly police brutality' in the battle against coronavirus in Kenya. France's ancient burial brotherhood defies Covid-19. | Listen |
| France lifts curbs for 'summer unlike any other' | |
| President Emmanuel Macron proclaimed that France had won its "first victory" against coronavirus. Also: UN "appalled" by twin jihadist attacks in Nigeria, and the Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput dies aged 34. | Listen |
| Protestors clash with police in central London | |
| The British PM said "racist thuggery has no place on our streets". Also: French police clash with anti-racism activists, and the Dalai Lama says "compassion and humanity important during coronavirus pandemic". | Listen |
| Brazil has 2nd highest death toll | |
| With nearly 42,000 deaths, President Bolsonaro continues to play down Covid-19. Also: New York State governor sets police reform deadline, and how organised crime benefits from coronavirus. | Listen |
| UK economy in record slump due to Coronavirus | |
| British GDP fell by 20.4% in April - the largest fall since monthly records began in 1997. Contraction is three times greater than decline during all of 2008-9 economic downturn. Also, Myanmar army battles new Buddhist insurgency in Rakhine state, and how will Indian film industry be affected by release of first major Bollywood movie to go straight to small screen ? | Listen |
| America's top military officer says sorry for Trump photo op | |
| General Milley says he made a "mistake" by accompanying Trump during anti-racism protests in Washington DC, and being photographed in combat uniform as part of Mr Trump's entourage raised perceptions of military involvement in domestic politics. Also: the happy and sometimes sad stories of babies born in Ukraine to surrogate mothers and destined to grow up abroad, and during the lockdown Queen Elizabeth uses video conferencing technology to congratulate young carers in Britain. | Listen |
| US: Confederate statues torn down | |
| Anti-racism protesters tear down statues of Confederate leaders in the US. China-Australia diplomatic row escalates as Beijing asks students not to visit Australia, and a grizzly bear thought to have died, is sighted in Yellowstone National Park in the US with four cubs. | Listen |
| George Floyd death: 'Stop the pain', brother tells US Congress | |
| Philonise Floyd told a House hearing that his brother George should not become "another name on a list". Also: A British scientist says the UK could have halved its coronavirus deaths if it had brought in lockdown a week earlier, and a lost Banksy paying homage to the Paris terror attack has resurfaced in another country. | Listen |
| Sweden: Investigators name man they believe killed PM Olof Palme in 1986 | |
| Prosecutors say graphic designer Stig Engstrom shot dead former PM in Stockholm street. Engstrom killed himself in 2000, and investigation is now closed. Also, OECD warns of 'dire' outlook for virus-hit global economy, and film classic 'Gone With the Wind' is removed from HBO Max due to portrayal of African-Americans. | Listen |
| Powerful calls for racial justice at the funeral in Texas of George Floyd | |
| His killing by a white policeman sparked protests around the world. Also, the president of Burundi dies shortly before leaving office, and the largesse of the Chechen leader. | Listen |
| Mourners gather in Houston for George Floyd funeral | |
| The US presidential hopeful, Joe Biden, has said he thinks the death of George Floyd - the unarmed black man killed by police - will mark a turning point for the world. India's Supreme Court orders the Government to transport millions of migrant workers home.The hotline goes cold between North and South Korea. | Listen |
| Pandemic pushes US into official recession | |
| Economists say America's economic expansion ended in February but markets remain on the upswing. Also: George Floyd murder suspect's bail set at $1.25m, and UAE's first Mars mission "to launch within weeks". | Listen |
| Indian economy reopens, despite surge in coronavirus infections | |
| India begins the most significant easing of coronavirus restrictions since the start of lockdown. The tourists swapping coronavirus lockdown for Sweden. US Rocky Mountain treasure worth $1m found after decade-long hunt. | Listen |
| Trump withdraws National Guard from Washington | |
| In a tweet, the US president said everything in the city was under perfect control. Also: protestors in UK tear down a statue amid anti-racism demos, and trying to find love in lockdown dating. | Listen |
| Thousands protest against racism in Washington | |
| Rallies took place in US capital as protests sparked by George Floyd's death continue. Also: thousands took part in demonstrations across the UK -- in defiance of appeals to stay at home because of coronavirus, and safaris go virtual as Covid-19 hits tourism. | Listen |
| California and Minnesota are to restrict police officers from using chokeholds following the death of George Floyd | |
| There's growing anger at the levels of violence meted out in the policing of the demonstrations sparked by George Floyd's death. Also: a French minister claims the leader of Al- Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has been killed in Mali, and the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra has given its first live performance since the coronavirus lockdown. | Listen |
| Australia: Court bans Black Lives Matter march due to coronavirus | |
| Court bans protest that was planned for Sydney, saying it poses Covid-19 health risk. But organisers say they're determined to go ahead with march. Also, scientists say 2020 had hottest May ever recorded, and the Samoan ruby team that left home 104 days ago and still hasn't returned, | Listen |
| Memorial service for George Floyd | |
| Mourners heard that a 'pandemic of racism' had caused the African-American's death. Also: Iran's second coronavirus spike, and why the French are turning wine into sanitiser. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: Thousands defy ban to attend Tiananmen vigil | |
| Officers erected barricades around the city's Victoria Park, but protesters knocked them down and held candlelit gatherings.In Libya, the government regains full control of Tripoli from General Haftar. The US city of Minneapolis prepares to hold a memorial service for George Floyd. | Listen |
| George Floyd death: New charges for all four sacked officers | |
| The charge against Derek Chauvin has been elevated to second-degree murder, while three of his colleagues now face abetting charges. The family of Mr Floyd called the move a significant step on the road to justice. Also, scientists say identifying and stopping so-called 'superspreaders' will be key to tackling the coronavirus pandemic. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: China accuses UK of ?gross interference? | |
| Beijing hits out after Britain criticises plans to impose new security law in Hong Kong. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman says the UK should give up what he called ?its colonial state of mind.? Also, further protests held across US but violence falls, and Cyclone Nisarga makes landfall near Mumbai. | Listen |
| Thousands march through George Floyd's hometown | |
| His family members were among the tens of thousands of people protesting in Houston, Texas. The continued violence in the US has prompted international concern. Also, scientists say the blood of someone with coronavirus could provide clues as to how ill they are likely to become. | Listen |
| George Floyd violence continues after Trump's army threat | |
| President Trump has been criticised for threatening to use military force to end the unrest. TV, radio and music industries mark 'Blackout Tuesday'. Germany divided as states lift coronavirus lockdown. | Listen |
| Trump calls on state governors to be tough over protests | |
| President's call comes as protests across the United States continue, also: new ebola cases in the DRC and what to do about smombies? | Listen |
| US George Floyd death: Violence continues on sixth day of protests | |
| Unrest over the death in police custody of an unarmed black man has now spread to 75 cities across the United States. Police in Hong Kong ban a vigil for victims of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. A glimmer of hope for the world's rarest primate. | Listen |
| Protests erupt in the US for a sixth day over the death of a black man in police custody | |
| Almost a week after George Floyd died as a police officer knelt on his neck, there?ve been fresh demonstrations in dozens of American cities. One sacked officer is due in court today charged with third degree murder. Also: Brazil records the world's fourth highest coronavirus death toll; and a privately built rocket delivers two American astronauts to the International Space Station. | Listen |
| Minnesota governor says protests ?no longer? about Floyd death | |
| Minnesota fully mobilises the National Guard as it and other US cities prepare for more unrest. Also: private SpaceX rocket takes astronauts to space station, and 12-year-old Keedron Bryant?s song about Floyd death goes viral. | Listen |
| A police officer is charged with murder in Minneapolis | |
| Derek Chauvin was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck for several minutes before he died. Also: President Trump says he is ending Washington's relationship with the World Health Organisation, and the Self-Isolation choir prepares to perform Handel's Messiah despite the lockdown. | Listen |
| US: Protestors set fire to police station in Minneapolis | |
| Station attacked on third night of protests over death of black man in police custody. President Trump described demonstrators as 'thugs' and called on National Guard to restore order. Also, Philippines reports rise in online child abuse during lockdown, and how two men in Australia broke into wrong house during 'fantasy role play'. | Listen |
| Trump signs order targeting social media giants | |
| The US president's move follows a decision by Twitter to add a "fact-check" notice to his tweets. Also: Moscow more than doubles Covid-19 death tolls, and scientists in Peru discover a population of Chinchilla rats -- thought to have been extinct. | Listen |
| China passes controversial Hong Kong law | |
| The law allows China's intelligence agencies to be present in the territory. Also: Workers protest at plans to close Nissan factory in Spain, and the spike in coronavirus cases in South Korea. | Listen |
| US coronavirus deaths top 100,000 | |
| The United States has seen more deaths and infections than any other country. Also: top Huawei executive suffers US extradition ruling, and the big day for Nasa and SpaceX hindered by the weather. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: Police use force to disperse new wave of protests | |
| Police arrest hundreds of demonstrators angry over new laws planned by Beijing. These include a bill penalising any insult against the Chinese national anthem, and new security measures. Also, a warning that Coronavirus crisis may affect young people throughout their working lives, and a Pakistani pigeon is held by India on charges of spying. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Is Latin America the new epicentre? | |
| Brazil is now second only to the US in the number of confirmed cases and the rate of infection is increasing. Also: how billions of years of evolution is under threat from humans, and JK Rowling reveals her first non-Harry Potter children's book. | Listen |
| Hong Kong leader dismisses concerns over security law | |
| Carrie Lam says the new law proposed by China will protect the law-abiding majority. Critics say it will curtail civil rights. Also: Egypt doctors accuse government over medics' deaths and Stanley Ho, Hong Kong's 'King of Gambling' dies aged 98. | Listen |
| WHO suspends testing of malaria drug for Covid-19 patients | |
| Testing of hydroxychloroquine was put on hold due to safety concerns. Some public figures including President Trump had suggested it could work against Covid-19. Also: the British Prime Minister' chief advisor has said he has no regrets about travelling several hundred kilometres during the coronavirus lockdown, and security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir say they have a pigeon in custody on suspicion of spying for Pakistan. | Listen |
| Japan lifts Covid-19 State of Emergency | |
| Japan's Prime Minister ends Tokyo's seven-week long coronavirus state of emergency; A German pensioner wins a landmark court case against the carmaker Volkswagen, and a very special guitar goes on sale | Listen |
| Israel?s Prime Minister stands trial over corruption charges | |
| Israel's longest serving Prime Minister has become the first holder of that office to stand trial in a criminal case while still in power. Also: Protests return to Hong Kong as China plans to ban what it calls "treason, secession, sedition and subversion?, and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defends his senior aide after claims he broke lockdown rules. | Listen |
| Afghan Taliban announce Eid ceasefire | |
| Three-day truce with government forces timed to coincide with Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan. The move has been welcomed by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Also: Myanmar tries to convince the world it's turned its back on what's been dubbed a textbook case of ethnic cleansing; and the end of the road for the octogenarian reptile known as ?Hitler?s alligator?. | Listen |
| Trump declares houses of worship 'essential' amid the pandemic | |
| President Trump has told US state governors they must immediately reopen places of worship. Also: quarantine plans for UK arrivals revealed, and the African music star Mory Kanté dies aged 70 | Listen |
| Pakistan: Passenger plane crashes in Karachi | |
| Pakistan International Airlines plane carrying 99 people crashes in residential area. A major rescue-operation is underway to find survivors. Also, how middle-class New Yorkers are relying on food-banks as US unemployment soars, and why bumble-bees are much cleverer than we'd realised. | Listen |
| China proposes controversial Hong Kong security law | |
| The law could ban what Beijing defines as subversion and sedition, and may spark new social unrest. Also: US pulling out of 'Open Skies' arms control deal, and what did two school boys discover in an attic in rural France? | Listen |
| Cyclone wrecks Kolkata and leaves scores dead | |
| Amphan struck land on Wednesday, lashing coastal areas with ferocious wind and rain. Also: Facebook to 'take down' coronavirus misinformation, and Spandau Ballet and a $10K riddle. | Listen |
| Brazil approves anti-malarial drugs to treat Covid-19 despite warnings | |
| President Jair Bolsonaro has promoted the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. Also: Greece to start tourist season in mid-June, and the spiral twist leading to the birth of a planet. | Listen |
| Cyclone Amphan makes landfall in India and Bangladesh | |
| Millions of people have been evacuated before arrival of super-cyclone. Storm is forecast to cause huge waves, ferocious winds and torrential rains. Also, Taiwan's re-elected president demands that China learn to coexist with the island, and will the French have to give up their traditional greeting kiss ? | Listen |
| Climate change: Huge daily drop in CO2 during lockdowns | |
| Scientists warn that the reduction is likely to be temporary, as people around the world return to work. Also: the head of the WHO defends its role in the coronavirus pandemic, and in China, a son is reunited with his parents - 32 years after being abducted. | Listen |
| Trump lashes out again at the WHO | |
| President Trump accuses the WHO of being a 'puppet of China'. Also: TikTok appoints a new boss from Disney, and why the Getty Museum in LA now has a toilet paper genre. | Listen |
| President Trump taking unproven drug to ward off Covid-19 | |
| US president says he?s taking hydroxychloroquine despite medical warnings about its safety. Also: US firm reports promising early results in its vaccine trial, and a Ghanaian war veteran aims to follow in Colonel Tom Moore?s fundraising footsteps. | Listen |
| Italian business reopens after months of lockdown | |
| Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Greece and Poland are also further relaxing restrictions imposed because of Covid19. China backs a virus inquiry but not until after the pandemic. In Hong Kong, parliamentary mayhem as lawmakers are dragged out of the chamber. | Listen |
| Israel swears in unity government after long crisis | |
| Benjamin Netanyahu will serve for another 18 months as prime minister under the new deal. Also: Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah have signed a power-sharing agreement, and Brazil struggles to cope with a surge in coronavirus infections. | Listen |
| European football resumes after the coronavirus shutdown | |
| The German Bundesliga matches took place in crowd-free stadiums. Also, a man suspected of involvement in the Rwandan genocide has been arrested in France, and the former US president, Barack Obama, has delivered a scathing attack on the Trump administration. | Listen |
| Second Brazil health minister quits in a month | |
| Nelson Teich resigned after disagreements with President Jair Bolsonaro, who opposes lockdown measures. Also: Trump outlines plans for coronavirus vaccine, and the Beatles photographer Astrid Kirchherr dies aged 81. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: police watchdog clears officers over crackdown | |
| Official report largely exonerates police over handling of pro-democracy protests in 2019. The report's welcomed by the territory's leader Carrie Lam, but opposition groups dismiss it as a whitewash, Also, a warning that Covid-19 could kill nearly 200,000 across Africa, and does the pandemic mean that spontaneous socialising is a thing of the past ? | Listen |
| Yemen sees ?surge? in coronavirus deaths | |
| There are reports of a huge rise in people dying with coronavirus-like symptoms in the city of Aden. Also: a former top health official says the US risks its ?darkest winter in modern history?, and the Hollywood actor Matt Damon breaks Irish lockdown cover with a surprise radio call. | Listen |
| State of emergency lifted in most of Japan | |
| Covid-19 infections have fallen in much of the country, but the Japanese prime minister has urged the public to be vigilant. Also: shops, parks and cafes reopen in New Zealand, and scientists in Australia say they've found a way to make coral more heat-resistant. | Listen |
| US accuses China of hacking coronavirus research | |
| The FBI said it had seen hacking attempts on groups researching vaccines, treatments and testing. Also: the Chilean government is to impose a total lockdown across the capital, Santiago on Friday, following a spike in the number of coronavirus infections, and two giant pandas from a zoo in Canada are being sent home to China early because of a shortage of bamboo. | Listen |
| China responds to new Coronavirus clusters | |
| Small groups of new infections reported in Wuhan city and Jilin province. These come as China eased its restrictions in recent weeks. Also, EU's executive outlines plans to gradually lift borders and restart tourism, and how moths play 'secret role' - as vital pollinators of wide range of plants. | Listen |
| Fauci warns of 'needless suffering and death' | |
| The top infectious diseases doctor in the United States has warned senators the virus will spread if the country opens up too soon. Also: the British government is extending its coronavirus job retention scheme until October, but businesses will be asked to pick up some of the costs, and a New York law firm acting for many celebrities says hackers have stolen vast amounts of documents and are demanding ransom. | Listen |
| Gunmen storm Afghanistan maternity hospital | |
| Two babies among those killed in an attack on a hospital in the Afghan capital. Also: The Chinese city of Wuhan is drawing up plans to test its entire population of 11 million people for Covid-19, and celebrating the cancelled Eurovision Song Contest on the day the semi-finals should have been performed. | Listen |
| Russia to ease its coronavirus lockdown despite a record number of new infections | |
| President Vladimir Putin's decision comes after Russia registered a record number of daily cases on Monday. Also: The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defends his plan to relax restrictions in England, and White House staff told to wear masks at work after high-profile infections. | Listen |
| Coronavirus restrictions eased across Europe | |
| Many businesses and shops are starting up again. The British government publishes a detailed strategy after initial plans for a relaxation of lockdown in England is criticised for a lack of clarity. And the Chinese city of Wuhan reports a new virus cluster. | Listen |
| Special: Postcards from Isolation | |
| In this special edition of the Global News Podcast, we share your experiences of isolation and quarantine during the pandemic. Whether its music, nature, craft or doing good deeds, there?s lots of inspiring tales and tips from across the globe. And we?ll pick some of the most intriguing contributors to have a longer chat with, as Jackie Leonard learns more about life in lockdown. | Listen |
| British Prime Minister announces easing of coronavirus lockdown | |
| Boris Johnson signals 'a change of emphasis' on the rules. Also: Italy ends earlier release of senior mafia figures from jail, and has the pandemic brought an end to kissing? | Listen |
| Obama describes Trump's handling of pandemic as 'chaotic' | |
| In a leaked web call Obama said Trump had only been thinking about what was in it for him. Also: one of the kings of rock and roll - Little Richard - is dead, and British-based airlines are told that a 14-day quarantine period is likely to be imposed for almost everybody arriving in the UK. | Listen |
| Queen Elizabeth marks 75th VE Day anniversary with a televised address | |
| The queen said the message of VE day was never give up, never despair, also Gurkhas rescue British tourists stranded in Nepal, and a renaissance of bartering in Fiji. | Listen |
| VE Day: Europe marks 75th anniversary amid coronavirus lockdown | |
| Nations across Europe hold low-key ceremonies on anniversary of Nazi Germany's surrender. Celebrations are small-scale due to lockdown measures. Also, WHO warns it could take at least a year to determine exact origins of Covid-19, and Germany bans use of 'gay conversion therapy' on children. | Listen |
| Charges dropped against former Trump adviser | |
| Michael Flynn had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI shortly before Donald Trump took office. Now the Justice Department is dropping the charges against Mr Trump?s former national security adviser. Also: Paris faces continuing curbs as France plans to relax its coronavirus restrictions from Monday; and marking seventy-five years after the end of the Second World War in Europe. | Listen |
| 13 Dead and hundreds injured in Indian gas leak. | |
| There's been a leak of poisonous gas in India. At least thirteen people have died; After a record daily coronavirus death toll in Brazil, there's growing criticism of president Bolsonaro, and how joining video calls when working from home during the lockdown can be fraught with danger. | Listen |
| Germany is easing lockdown restrictions | |
| Shops and schools are reopening and the German football league will restart next week. Also: China refuses to allow international experts into the country to investigate the origins of the virus, and how one Danish musician held a drive-in concert amid the lockdown. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: A warning that EU faces 'worst economic crisis since 1930s' | |
| A new forecast says the European Union faces a 'deep and uneven recession'. European Commission says this could be worst downturn since the Great Depression. Also, Joe Biden demands justice over killing of unarmed black man in US state of Georgia, and how pandemic is harming Africa's lucrative tourist trade. | Listen |
| White House plans to disband coronavirus task force | |
| US Vice-President says the task force may wind down by the end of the month. Also: UK overtakes Italy to have the highest number of officially recorded coronavirus deaths in Europe, and Chinese Olympic champion Sun Yang tries to overturn an eight year doping ban. | Listen |
| India records biggest daily jump in infections and deaths | |
| It's the 4th day of rising figures and comes as India continues to ease its lockdown; also: evidence emerges that Covid-19 was present in France in December, and what next for the US film industry which has been crippled by the lockdown? | Listen |
| World leaders pledge billions for vaccine development | |
| More than $8 billion has been pledged to develop a vaccine and fund research into the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the money would help kickstart global co-operation. Also: scientists have discovered a microbe that completely protects mosquitoes from being infected with malaria, and the US has said it wants to borrow a record $3 trillion in the second quarter, to cope with the economic fallout from COVID-19. | Listen |
| Italy begins to relax its lockdown | |
| Italy has started easing some of the restrictions it introduced to curb the coronavirus. The number of deaths there is at its lowest since the lockdown began 2 months ago. Also, virtual conference attempts to raise $7.5 billion to combat the virus, and young people in the US use music to express their feelings about the lockdown. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Europe passes 100,000 deaths, but the outbreak is slowing | |
| Italy and Spain both reported the lowest number of daily fatalities since their lockdowns began - at under 200. Also: Russia records its biggest single-day rise in COVID-19 cases and the city of Madrid finds a novel way for some residents to go to the cinema together. | Listen |
| Spain eases lockdown and allows adults out to exercise | |
| The Spanish PM says people will have to wear facemasks on public transport. Also: India orders workers to use an app that traces the infection, and the blood plasma trials to treat patients with coronavirus. | Listen |
| India extends its lockdown for two more weeks | |
| The restrictions have slowed the infections, but brought hardship to millions. Also: Canada bans military-grade assault weapons, and the US presidential contender, Joe Biden, denies allegations of sexual assault. | Listen |
| UN's chief: Lack of global co-ordination enabled virus to spread | |
| UN Secretary-General says he's 'shocked but not surprised' by global response to pandemic. Antonio Guterres also hit out at criticism of the World Health Organisation. Also, Sudan criminalises female genital mutilation, and Tony Allen - the 'world's greatest drummer' - dies aged 79. | Listen |
| Trump says he?s seen evidence that coronavirus came from Chinese lab | |
| President Trump says he's seen evidence linking the coronavirus to a laboratory in Wuhan in China. Also: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has gone to hospital after he was diagnosed with coronavirus, and Britain celebrates the 100th birthday of the Second World War veteran and master fundraiser Captain Tom. | Listen |
| Steep rise in daily Covid-19 infections in Russia. | |
| The number of coronavirus cases in Russia has now passed the one-hundred-thousand mark and a-thousand people have died, France suffers its worst economic downturn in decades, due to the pandemic and the global lockdown is affecting how we sleep, with people reporting unusually vivid and strange dreams. | Listen |
| Hope grows for coronavirus drug breakthrough | |
| The United States' top infectious diseases expert says the trial of an antiviral drug to treat Covid-19 has produced promising results. Dr Anthony Fauci said tests suggested the drug remdesivir could cut patient recovery times. Also: the world of film mourns the Indian actor, Irrfan Khan; and hugs are back ? at least for Swiss grandparents. | Listen |
| China angry over Australian PM Scott Morrison's call for coronavirus inquiry | |
| Morrison says it's 'entirely reasonable and sensible' to find out how pandemic began. His comments have generated anger among Chinese leadership. Also, US economy sees worst slump in over a decade, and remembering Irrfan Khan - Indian film actor who became global star. | Listen |
| Number of coronavirus cases in US passes one million | |
| President Trump says milestone was passed because US was carrying out so many tests, also: France will start lifting restrictions in 2 weeks, and how to dial a hymn. | Listen |
| IRC says 'one billion' could become infected with Covid-19 | |
| The International Rescue Committee said financial and humanitarian aid were needed to help slow the global spread of the virus. Also: BP profits dive 66% as coronavirus hits oil demand, and the hills are alive in a small English village. | Listen |
| The WHO says its coronavirus warnings were ignored | |
| The World Health Organization insists that it gave the United States and the rest of the world the right advice on dealing with Covid-19 following stinging criticism from President Trump. Also: the rabbi in New York helping families who can't be at the graveside for Jewish burials, and the Dutch teenagers and their teachers who sailed across the Atlantic to get home during the pandemic. | Listen |
| British PM Boris Johnson is back at work after recovering from Covid-19 | |
| Mr Johnson says he will not endanger lives by relaxing coronavirus lockdown measures in UK too soon. Also: schools are reopening in some of China's biggest cities, after a lengthy closure during the pandemic, and we hear from the Gruffalo illustrator helping children understand the coronavirus. | Listen |
| Italy to ease some lockdown restrictions from early May | |
| Italian bars and restaurants will be allowed to serve takeaways from May 4, also: Spanish children enjoy first day outdoors in weeks, and the challenges of home schooling | Listen |
| Worldwide Covid-19 death toll climbs to 200,000 | |
| The worst hit countries so far have been the United States, Italy, Spain, France and Britain. Also: the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to return to work on Monday after recovering from the virus, and Colombian police capture a top drug-trafficking suspect after he held a lavish party in breach of the lockdown. | Listen |
| US coronavirus deaths surge past 50k | |
| The grim news comes as parts of the US reopen after weeks of lockdown. Also: the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro defends his actions, after the explosive resignation of his justice minister; and after raising millions of dollars for charity, 99 year old 'Captain Tom' becomes the oldest person to have a number one single in the UK music charts. | Listen |
| Outcry after Trump suggests injecting disinfectant | |
| Trump also appeared to propose irradiating patients' bodies with UV light. Also: the 30th anniversary of Hubble, and the toilet roll hoarder told to "bog off." | Listen |
| Syria civil war: Germany holds unprecedented state torture trial | |
| Two suspects are on trial in the first case worldwide examining the use of torture under Syria's regime. Also: the latest on the coronavirus pandemic as the US warns it might never resume its funding of the WHO, and children in Spain get an apology from the government after being confined to their homes for weeks during lockdown. | Listen |
| China denies a cover up over Coronavirus | |
| The Chinese ambassador to London said blaming and scapegoating were futile. Also: there are concerns Japan's healthcare system could become overwhelmed after a worrying rise in Covid-19 cases, and the Zoom video conferencing app enhances security after so called "Zoom bombing" incidents, where uninvited guests crash meetings. | Listen |
| Worrying upward trends in virus cases, warns WHO | |
| The head of the World Health Organization singles out Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Also: we hear from the French pastor who's received death threats over his decision to hold a church gathering, coronavirus sniffer dogs and Roger Federer's tennis merger plan | Listen |
| Spain debates lockdown extension | |
| It has been one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Also: the World Bank warns of a huge drop in the sums of money migrant workers are sending home, and Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it's launched a military satellite into space. | Listen |
| Trump says he will suspend immigration for sixty days | |
| President Trump has said he will temporarily halt immigration into the United States for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency, a move that he said would protect American jobs during the coronavirus crisis. Also: oil price falls to 18-year low as turmoil persists, and Oktoberfest in Germany cancelled due to coronavirus outbreak. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Immigration to US to be suspended amid pandemic | |
| President Trump has said he will sign an executive order to temporarily suspend all immigration to the US because of the coronavirus. Also: Indonesia bans Ramadan exodus over Covid-19 fears, and Kim Jong-un illness rumours denied amid intense speculation. | Listen |
| US oil prices turn negative as demand dries up | |
| Coronavirus downturn has put major pressure on oil prices with demand slumping and storage running out. Also: Netanyahu and Gantz sign Israel coalition deal, and Thailand reports cleaner seas as a result of less tourism due to the pandemic. | Listen |
| India eases virus restrictions | |
| India is allowing millions of people to return to work such as farmers and construction workers, but most people will remain at home in the world?s biggest coronavirus lockdown. Also: an investigation into the alleged exploitation of migrant workers in Spain and how nature and wildlife are pushing back. | Listen |
| Cuomo says NY state to test thousands for Covid-19 antibodies | |
| The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, said the test had been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Also: Turkey has overtaken China as the Asian country with the most coronavirus cases, and in search of global sounds while in isolation. | Listen |
| Trump says some US states 'to begin a safe, gradual and phased opening' | |
| The US president said Texas and Vermont would allow certain businesses to open on Monday with "appropriate social distancing precautions". Also: Spanish PM promises to ease confinement of children, and One World music event pays tribute to health workers. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: President Trump ?incites? protests against lockdowns | |
| The tweets followed mainly right-wing protests in several states calling on governors to relax stay-at-home orders so they can resume normal activities. Also: The World Health Organisation has cast doubt on the usefulness of antibody tests for COVID-19, and an expert gives tips on how to be happy during this pandemic. | Listen |
| China increases official coronavirus death toll in Wuhan by 50% | |
| China has been accused of downplaying the severity of its virus outbreak. Also, Germany?s health minister says the month-long lockdown has brought his country?s Covid-19 outbreak under control. And, three astronauts return to a very different Earth they left last year. | Listen |
| Trump?s guidelines for reopening the US economy | |
| President Donald Trump proposes a three-phase lifting of the lockdown. Also, Brazil?s Health Minister is sacked; and in India hundreds attend a bull?s funeral. | Listen |
| EU offers heartfelt apology to Italy over coronavirus | |
| Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio welcomed Ms von der Leyen's comments, calling them "an important act of truth". Also, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announces a boost to its Covid-19 relief fund. And, the Queen of Denmark celebrates her 80th birthday. | Listen |
| The WHO regrets President Trump's decision to halt US funding | |
| Head of WHO calls for unity in the fight against coronavirus. Also: The G-20 suspends debt repayments to help the world's poorest countries, and a Second World War veteran smashes his own record. | Listen |
| Trump faces international anger over ?dangerous? decision to freeze global health funding | |
| The US is by far the World Health Organisation's biggest contributor. Also: Nurseries and primary schools have reopened across Denmark, with young children being kept further apart than usual, and the Canadian who is the worldwide self-isolation champion sailing the world alone during the pandemic. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: 'World faces worst recession since Great Depression' | |
| The IMF?s latest forecasts for the global economy see massive hits from COVID-19 lockdowns. Also: President Trump is suspending US funding for the World Health Organization, and Amazon is ordered to deliver only essential items in France. | Listen |
| India: doctors say Covid-19 death toll much worse than reported | |
| Lockdown is extended as doctors say far more people have died than figures say; also President Trump hits out at media as he is accused of not having done enough to stop the spread of the disease, and the extraordinary story of the reluctant French aviator who ended up having the flight of his life. | Listen |
| Pressure grows to ease coronavirus lockdowns ? but the WHO urges caution | |
| Italy becomes the latest country to relax restrictions ? but Emanuel Macron extends France?s lockdown. Also: the schoolkids helping beat the shortage of personal protective equipment ? and star crossed lovers meet across a street in the city that gave us Romeo and Juliet. | Listen |
| Spain eases some lockdown restrictions | |
| Some factories have resumed work to end 'economic hibernation'; also China steps up controls around its north-eastern border with Russia which has emerged as its new frontline for coronavirus infections, and the bad luck that began even before the Apollo 13 spacecraft blasted off the launch pad in April 1970. | Listen |
| British PM thanks hospital staff after being treated for coronavirus | |
| After leaving hospital, the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, said there was no question the National Health Service had saved his life. Also: Pope Francis calls for global solidarity in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, and Andrea Bocelli live streams a concert from empty cathedral in Milan. | Listen |
| US coronavirus death toll the highest in the world | |
| The governor of the worst affected state, New York -- said the death rate there is stabilising, but at a horrific level. Also: there are concerns in Sweden about its strategy to fight the Covid-19 outbreak. | Listen |
| Number of confirmed deaths from coronavirus worldwide has surpassed 100,000 | |
| Italy has suffered the most deaths, followed by the United States. Lockdowns imposed to limit the spread of the virus have crippled economic activity, and many governments are facing a dilemma on when to start easing restrictions. | Listen |
| New Tokyo measures to tackle Covid-19 | |
| The city's governor has been arguing for tougher restrictions for some time. Also: some Botswana MPs under quarantine go shopping, and Google data charts people on the move during lockdown. | Listen |
| EU agrees ?500bn coronavirus rescue package | |
| EU finance ministers reached the deal after marathon talks in Brussels. Also: the US state of New York has seen its highest number of deaths in a single day since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, and the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is now out of intensive care but is still being treated for symptoms of coronavirus in hospital. | Listen |
| Italy PM warns EU future could be at risk | |
| Giuseppe Conte says leaders need to rise to the challenge of coronavirus. Also: after a period of strict quarantine a three man crew heads to the International Space Station, and celebrating online the Jewish festival of Passover. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: World facing ?the deepest economic recession of our lifetimes? say experts | |
| The global trade body is projecting steep falls in every region of the world. Also: Britain records its worst daily death toll as coronavirus infections increase around the world, and the Russian ballerinas taking their traditional moves into a novel setting during isolation. | Listen |
| Top EU scientist forced out in Covid-19 row | |
| Mauro Ferrari says he's lost faith in the system, but officials say he was asked to leave. Also: the pandemic pushes South African gangs into some unlikely alliances, and JK Rowling shares a coronavirus tip. | Listen |
| Lockdown restrictions lifted in Wuhan | |
| The Chinese city where the coronavirus outbreak began has been re-opened. Also: the acting secretary of the US Navy has resigned, and European finance ministers are meeting to discuss an economic recovery plan in response to the pandemic. | Listen |
| China reports no new deaths from coronavirus for the first time since January | |
| The report comes as the Chinese government is under scrutiny as to whether it is underreporting its figures. Also, the British Prime Minister remains in intensive care due to coronavirus but ministers insist the business of government will carry on. And, the Vatican says it welcomes an Australian court?s decision to quash Cardinal Pell?s sentence for child abuse. | Listen |
| The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is in intensive care | |
| The British Prime Minister's coronavirus symptoms worsen. He's moved to an intensive care unit. Also: A New York politician warns that bodies may have to be buried in parks, and practical tips to cope with self isolation - from a former NASA astronaut. | Listen |
| Austria plans to ease some of the restrictions imposed because of coronavirus | |
| Austrians will have to wear masks in all shops and on public transport, and there will be no public events until June at the earliest. Also, Ecuador?s Vice-President apologises after bodies of people killed by coronavirus are abandoned in the streets. And, scientists use cold war nuclear tests to work out the age of the world?s biggest fish. | Listen |
| British prime minister admitted to hospital | |
| Boris Johnson taken to hospital 10 days after testing positive, also Queen Elizabeth urges people to show self-discipline and resolve, and how the virus affects religious feasts | Listen |
| US Covid-19 deaths top 8,000 ? but hopes rise in Europe | |
| New York records its worst day yet -- but Spain and Italy sense the worst may soon be past. Also: India?s wildlife reclaims the streets, and dating in the days of social distancing. | Listen |
| IMF head says Coronavirus pandemic has created economic crisis like no other | |
| Kristalina Georgieva says the IMF has a one trillion dollar war chest, also how Andorra is coping with the outbreak and love across borders during the pandemic | Listen |
| Another huge daily toll of Covid-19 deaths in Spain | |
| Spain and Italy are the European countries with the most coronavirus cases. Also, Google has released data showing which governments are succeeding in restricting people's movements, and bones found in a cave in South Africa show that three different species of mankind's ancestors existed at the same time more than two million years ago. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Confirmed global cases pass one million | |
| The US accounts for the most cases; Italy the highest death toll. Also: NATO steps up efforts to help member states fight the virus, and the faith healer selling ?plague protection? oil he claims can cure the virus. | Listen |
| US Coronavirus Death Toll exceeds 5000 | |
| President Trump says US stockpiles for tackling coronavirus are almost exhausted; Also: More than ten thousand people in Spain have now died of coronavirus, And India's largest slum records its first coronavirus death, raising fears about the rapid spread of the disease there. | Listen |
| WHO says it's extremely concerned about the rapid rise in coronavirus cases worldwide | |
| The head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the global number of confirmed coronavirus cases would reach a million in the coming days. Also: in the US more than two hundred thousand people have been infected with Covid-19, and Britain has recorded its worst one- day figure for coronavirus-related mortality. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Are loss of smell and taste key symptoms? | |
| Research has backed the finding that a loss of smell and taste may be one of the first signs that a person has been infected with Coronavirus. Also: the health authorities in the Netherlands have invited thousands of people to take part in a controversial investigation into herd immunity, and as millions of us are now having to use video calls to keep in touch, a video messaging app comes under scrutiny for privacy hacks. | Listen |
| US coronavirus death toll overtakes China's official count | |
| The number of people who've died in the United States from Covid-19 is now more than 3600. Also: Italy records a relatively low number of new infections for a second day in a row, and an invention by a Jamaican student that could help fight the virus. | Listen |
| Spain suffers highest daily death toll so far | |
| Hospitals are struggling to deal with the pandemic after 849 die in 24 hours. Also: Russia introduces strict measures aimed at containing the Covid-19 outbreak, and what to watch while you're in lockdown - the surprise TV hit about the eccentrics and cult personalities in the stranger than fiction world of big cat fanciers. | Listen |
| Italy reports lowest number of new coronavirus cases in two weeks | |
| Italy reckons the peak will come in just over a week?s time, as officials say it is evidence the country is heading in the right direction after three weeks of lockdown. Also, a new date for the Tokyo Olympics is announced. And, a Van Gogh painting is stolen from a museum in the Netherlands. | Listen |
| Special: Your coronavirus questions answered | |
| In our latest coronavirus special, we put your questions about Covid-19 to experts in the fields of health and science, business, and politics around the world. | Listen |
| Spain registers more cases of Coronavirus than China | |
| But the Spanish foreign minister says the upward rise in cases appears to be flattening. Also: the Japanese media says the government is preparing to deny entry to foreigners; and how sports organisers are turning to online gaming to fill the void left by cancelled fixtures. | Listen |
| President Trump vows to ?vanquish? coronavirus amid warning 200,000 Americans may die | |
| Mr Trump said death rates would peak in two weeks' time and movement restrictions would be extended until the end of April. Also: Italy sees its first drop in the number of deaths and new infections, Britain is told to brace itself for a possible six months of isolation and tips from a neuroscientist on how to combat loneliness during isolation. | Listen |
| New York quarantine proposal | |
| New York's governor, Andrew Cuomo, said he hadn't discussed a mandatory quarantine with President Trump but didn't like the sound of it. Also: Italy has become the first country in which more than ten-thousand people have died of the coronavirus, and we look at the growth of online exercise classes, including yoga, for those people in self-isolation. | Listen |
| Trump signs largest bailout in US history | |
| The $2 trillion boost is the largest ever in the United States as virus cases continue to rise, hitting the economy. Also: the World Health Organisation has warned that the chronic global shortage of personal protective equipment is now one of the biggest obstacles to preventing deaths from Covid-19. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive | |
| Following Mr Johnson's announcement, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also said he had tested positive for the virus. Also: The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, tells Donald Trump that Washington and Beijing should work together to tackle the pandemic, and how to stay safe if living in shared accommodation. | Listen |
| US overtakes China with most coronavirus cases | |
| According to John Hopkins University, the United States has more than eighty-two thousand positive tests. Also: a nationwide three-week lockdown has begun in South Africa, and Russia has grounded all international flights apart from those bringing Russian nationals home from abroad. | Listen |
| G20 countries assemble to devise coronavirus action plan | |
| The UN has warned the world leaders that they must focus on the severe threat to millions of displaced people and refugees worldwide. Also: 3.3 million people sign on for unemployment benefits in the US, and how to get married in a world that?s shutting down. | Listen |
| UN says the coronavirus is a threat to all of humanity | |
| The United Nations says the coronavirus outbreak is threatening the entire human race, as it launches a multi-billion dollar appeal for the world's poorest people. Also: the US Secretary of State has repeated criticism of what he called Chinese disinformation in the early stages of the pandemic, and the Village People's YMCA is preserved for posterity. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: US Senate agrees 2 trillion dollar emergency deal | |
| Markets surged in the US on Tuesday in anticipation of a deal, and shares rose in Europe and Asia on Wednesday. Also: China's Hubei province tentatively emerges from lockdown, and have scientists found a way to reverse the ageing process? | Listen |
| India in lockdown | |
| Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told the population of 1.3 billion to stay at home for the next three weeks. Also, the US state of New York demands a massive increase in hospital beds, and Manu Dibango, a giant of African music, has died. | Listen |
| Tokyo Olympics postponed until 2021 | |
| The Games, due to begin in July, will now take place no later than summer next year because of the pandemic. They will still be called Tokyo 2020. Also: we hear from a Wuhan resident getting ready to leave the city as authorities say restrictions will soon be lifted, tips about self-isolation and the cultural importance to France of Asterix and Obelix after their creator dies. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: British PM says 'stay at home' as UK locks down | |
| Gatherings of more than two people outside the home are now forbidden. Also: more African countries have imposed strict regulations to tackle the Coronavirus, including Ethiopia which has closed its borders, and how in Catalonia -- in the north east of Spain -- researchers have turned to 3D printing to plug a desperate shortage of life-saving ventilators. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Italy tightens lockdown despite fall in daily deaths | |
| Italy has entered an even tougher phase of lockdown, as the government clamps down on travel and businesses to try to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Also, the OECD says a huge, co-ordinated effort is needed to stop the coronavirus pandemic causing a long global recession. And, keepers move in to a wildlife sanctuary to look after animals when it closes due to coronavirus. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Germany bans gatherings of more than two people | |
| Germany is banning groups of more than two people in public outside work, as part of new measures to try to curb the spread of coronavirus. Also, for the first time since the pandemic began, Italy has announced a slight decrease in the number of new infections. And, how religious leaders are staying connected with their followers amid worldwide suspension of religious services. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Italy reports the highest daily number of deaths worldwide | |
| The number of deaths in Italy from the coronavirus is up more than a quarter on the previous worst figure, which was announced on Friday. New infections have also risen considerably. Also, Australia closes its iconic Bondi Beach due to coronavirus. And, what should parents tell their children about the virus? | Listen |
| Coronavirus: WHO delivers stark warning to young people | |
| The World Health Organisation says young people are not invincible and must avoid social contact to save their lives and others. Also: governments ramp up quarantine measures to stop the virus spreading; and the song that?s uniting people anxious about the pandemic. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: World Health Organisation delivers stark warning to young people | |
| The global health body says young people are not invincible and must avoid social contact to save their lives and others. Also: Governments ramp up quarantine measures to stop the virus spreading, and the song that?s uniting people anxious about the pandemic. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: number of deaths worldwide exceeds 10,000 | |
| German state to lock down after authorities say people aren't taking it seriously enough. Also: four men are hanged in India after they were convicted of gang raping a young woman in 2012, and the Olympic flame arrives in Tokyo but will the games go ahead? | Listen |
| Italy coronavirus death toll overtakes China | |
| The number of deaths in Italy has risen to more than three thousand four hundred, which is more than in China where the virus originated. Also: President Trump has announced that the anti-malarial drug, chloroquine, has been approved for use as a treatment for Covid-19, and the Congress in Chile has agreed to postpone a referendum on a new constitution so the country can deal with the pandemic. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: nationwide shutdown in Italy extended after almost 3,000 deaths | |
| The number of deaths there may soon overtake China, where the outbreak began. Also: there are calls in the United States for shelters to be built to house thousands of homeless people sleeping rough in big cities and who are at risk from the Coronavirus, and a project in Britain to establish an online choir to boost people's mental health during the crisis. | Listen |
| Italy virus deaths rise by a record number in a day | |
| Nearly three thousand people have now died from the coronavirus in Italy - the most affected country after China. Also: the World Health Organisation says sub-Saharan Africa has recorded its first deaths from the coronavirus. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: More countries close their borders and lockdown | |
| Tough new measures restrict free movement as the number infected with Covid-19 passes 200k. Also, in the US, Joe Biden has swept to victory in Florida, Illinois and Arizona accelerating his momentum in the race to be the Democrats' candidate in November's presidential election, and abortion becomes legal in New Zealand. | Listen |
| US and UK announce massive economic packages to counter the coronavirus pandemic | |
| The US Treasury Secretary,Steven Mnuchin, says he supports sending money directly to Americans as part of a $1tn stimulus package aimed at averting an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus. Also: the European Union has agreed to ban most foreigners from entering the territory for thirty days, with exceptions for Britain, Switzerland and three other states. | Listen |
| Social restrictions ramped up around the world following coronavirus outbreak | |
| The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to the emptying of public spaces around the world, whether by government decree or by more personal responses. Also: Euro football 2020 is postponed until 2021. | Listen |
| Europe expands lockdown in battle against coronavirus | |
| President Trump has warned that the coronavirus outbreak could push the US economy into recession. Also: the United Arab Emirates has sent two plane-loads of gloves, surgical masks, and other medical supplies to Iran to help combat the virus. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Restrictions continue to tighten across Europe as outbreak worsens | |
| Meanwhile the Head of France?s health service says the situation is deteriorating fast in France. Also, airlines across the world cut more flights as demand slumps as the result of the virus. And, why we stockpile items in times of crisis. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: US slashes rates, adds $700bn emergency funds | |
| It is part of a co-ordinated action announced on Sunday by some of the world?s leading economies. Also: Germany closes significant parts of its borders with its neighbours and why some South Africans are laughing in the face of the pandemic. | Listen |
| Sweeping new Coronavirus restrictions are introduced across Europe: | |
| France closes its cafes, restaurants, and most shops, and Spain bans non essential travel. Also as Covid-19 continues to spread across Africa, six more countries have reported their first cases. After last month's inter-communal riots, can India still be considered a secular country? And the havoc the coronavirus pandemic is causing in the film industry. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Trump declares national emergency in the US | |
| The move loosens regulations on the provision of healthcare and could speed up testing ? the slow pace of which has been criticised widely. Also, the head of the World Health Organisation says Europe is now the epicentre of the global coronavirus pandemic. And, why Tik Tok might be the next big thing for businesses. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: English Premier League football season suspended due to outbreak | |
| EPL joins long list of major sporting fixtures halted by pandemic. French football federation and European Champions league announce similar measures. Also, New Zealand 'fundamentally changed' since Christchurch mosque attacks one year ago says PM Jacinda Ardern, and a South African king is arrested after 'axe rampage.' | Listen |
| How different countries deal with the spread of the Coronavirus | |
| While Italy is in lockdown, the UK aims to delay drastic measures, also: Are sanctions hampering Iran's efforts to fight the virus? And the dangers of the internet for women? | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Trump suspends travel from Europe to US | |
| Mr. Trump imposing travel restrictions on 26 European countries to curb coronavirus. The EU condemned the measures, which it said were taken "unilaterally and without consultation". Also, India suspends all travel visas until mid-April due to virus, and why young French people are switching from wine to beer. | Listen |
| Italy shuts most shops in virus crisis | |
| Only food stores and pharmacies will stay open, as the WHO declares a pandemic. Also: Harvey Weinstein is jailed for 23 years, and how rugby is helping women in Pakistan. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Merkel warns that up to 70% of Germany could become infected | |
| German chancellor Angela Merkel says large numbers of Germans might contract COVID-19. Countries across Europe step up efforts to deal with outbreak. Also, Joe Biden extends lead over rival Sanders in Democratic presidential race, and pranksters say they duped Prince Harry by impersonating activist Greta Thunberg and her father in phone-calls. | Listen |
| US fights virus outbreak near New York | |
| The National Guard cleans a New York suburb as the US unveils new measures against Covid-19. Also: the coronavirus in Italy and Iran, and rape as a weapon of war. | Listen |
| Italy struggles to cope with coronavirus lockdown | |
| Pope Francis has urged priests to visit those suffering from the virus, despite official advice to avoid contact. Ugandans arrested for distributing a fake coronavirus vaccine. A US appeals court rules Led Zeppelin did not steal part of 'Stairway to Heaven' from another band. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Italy extends quarantine measures nationwide | |
| Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says people will only be allowed to travel for work or family emergencies. Also: Sudan's prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, survives an apparent assassination attempt, and Meghan and Harry make their final public appearance as working members of the British royal family. | Listen |
| Shares plunge around the world | |
| The coronovirus is threatening the health of millions of people and is causing chaos on global stock markets. The MH17 plane crash trial opens in the Netherlands. Was the Earth once fully covered in water? | Listen |
| Italian Death Toll Soars | |
| Lombardy Region records significant increase in the daily death toll from Covid-Nineteen; Afghanistan's defence minister issues ultimatum to Taliban over its commitment to reduce violence; A battle between old and new on the canals of Amsterdam. | Listen |
| Italy to quarantine 10 million people in Lombardy | |
| The Italian government is preparing to introduce radical new restrictions in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus. Also: Three senior members of the Saudi Royal Family are reported to have been arrested in the Kingdom, and the jazz world loses one of its most influential pianists, McCoy Tyner. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Global number of cases reaches 100,000 | |
| The number of people that have been infected with the coronavirus since it first emerged in China has now surpassed the hundred-thousand mark. Also, the French publisher Hachette has decided not to release the memoirs of the Oscar-winning film-maker, Woody Allen, after a protest by employees, and NASA says that lettuce grown in space is just as nutritious as when it's grown on earth. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Iran suspends Friday prayers in major cities | |
| Iranian authorities take measures to try and halt spread of virus. This comes as people complain of shortages of food and essential medical equipment. Also, chaos in Kabul as gunmen kill dozens at ceremony, and how plastic is affecting all marine species - including those we've never encountered before. | Listen |
| Russia and Turkey agree a ceasefire in Idlib | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan also agreed to establish a security corridor and joint patrols. Also, Elizabeth Warren announces the end of her presidential campaign and a truck crashes into a sacred statue on Easter Island. | Listen |
| Afghanistan: Top international court backs war crimes probe | |
| International Criminal Court says investigation of alleged war crimes can go ahead. It's expected the actions of the Taliban, the Afghan government and US forces since May 2003 will be scrutinised. Also, Putin and Erdogan hold talks on Syrian conflict, and why is Nigeria failing to provide adequate housing for millions of its people ? | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Italy to close all schools as deaths rise | |
| A total of 107 people have now been killed by the coronavirus in Italy, which has the most serious outbreak in Europe. Also: The billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg pulls out of the US presidential race, and the 80s rock favourites returning to the scene. | Listen |
| Biden wins big on Super Tuesday | |
| The former vice president seals his comeback - just weeks after looking like a lost cause. He won nine of the 14 states that voted to pick a Democratic White House candidate. Also: The World Bank announces a multibillion dollar package to help the world's poorest countries combat the new coronavirus outbreak, and the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, rewrites its own history -- as it's released for the first time as an audiobook. | Listen |
| Interest Rates cut to protect world economies from Coronavirus | |
| An emergency interest rate cut in the US because of the economic risks posed by the new coronavirus ... Coronavirus leads to tens of thousands of prisoners being temporarily freed in Iran; How to stop criminals gaining remote access to baby monitors | Listen |
| US Election 2020: Joe Biden boosted on Super Tuesday | |
| US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has picked up three endorsements from former rivals on the eve of the most important day in the 2020 White House race so far. On Super Tuesday, voters in 14 states will pick their preferred Democratic candidate for November's election; Iran coronavirus cases continue to rise; Why today's children have nightmares about climate change. | Listen |
| Increased Coronavirus death toll in the United States | |
| The number of confirmed deaths in the western US state of Washington has trebled to six; Exit polls suggest yet another inconclusive Israeli general election - though indicted prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu may remain in office; And scientists sniff out the reason why dogs have wet noses | Listen |
| Official deaths in Iran from Covid19 rise to 66 - the highest outside China | |
| Other reports suggest the real figures on the virus in Iran are much higher. The Vatican opens archives of Holocaust-era Pope Pius XII. Pete Buttigieg drops out of the Democratic race for the White House. | Listen |
| Coronavirus Special | |
| We put your questions about Covid-19 to experts in the fields of health and science, business, politics and communications. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: US state of Washington declares state of emergency | |
| Up to fifteen hundred people could be infected with the virus. Over the weekend, a man in his fifties from the northwestern state became the first confirmed fatality from the virus in the US. Also, Turkey has shot down two Syrian fighter jets in Idlib. And, Germany?s harvest of ice wine fails for the first time due to the winter being too warm. | Listen |
| Trump hails deal with Taliban | |
| He says the deal will end the Afghan conflict and 'bring our people back home'. Also: the first coronavirus death in the US, and the country where public transport is free for all. | Listen |
| WHO says global risk of the coronavirus is ?very high? | |
| The BBC understands more than 200 people have died in Iran, as the outbreak worsens. Also: The UN describes the rising conflict in Idlib as one of the most alarming moments of the Syrian War, and the US and Taliban are set to sign a peace deal. | Listen |
| Syria: NATO appeals for halt to Idlib offensive after 33 Turkish soldiers killed | |
| Many Turkish soldiers died in Syrian government attack on opposition-held enclave. Russia, Syria's key ally, says Turkish troops were attacked by Syrian forces while operating alongside jihadist fighters. Also, Coronavirus has reached Nigeria - Africa's most populous country, and astronomers have discovered 'biggest explosion since the Big Bang.' | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Outbreak at 'decisive point' | |
| The WHO says new cases outside China are now 'the greatest concern', as more than forty countries struggle to contain the infection. Also: an airstrike in Idlib province in northern Syria kills Turkish soldiers, and why you'll never see a baddie in the movies with an iPhone. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Japan to close all schools to halt spread of disease | |
| Japan's Prime Minister says government will ask all schools to close from Monday. And governments worldwide take tougher measures to try and halt the outbreak. Also, the realities of life - and death - inside Syria's last rebel-held enclave, and why a new perfume's been launched in Russia to commemorate a dark episode in history. | Listen |
| Brazil confirms first coronavirus case in Latin America | |
| World Health Organization says Covid-19 is not yet a pandemic. Also: Genetic study shows the red panda is actually two separate species, and Maria Sharapova retires from tennis. | Listen |
| Covid19 now spreading faster outside China than inside | |
| In Europe the virus has spread to new areas, with Greece reporting its first case. Delhi remains tense after Hindu-Muslim clashes leave 23 dead. Democratic rivals intensify attacks on Bernie Sanders at the South Carolina debate. | Listen |
| Fears as Coronavirus outbreak worsens | |
| World Health Organization says sudden increase in cases outside China is "deeply concerning"; European Union sets negotiating goals for post-Brexit UK trade deal; Israeli government to build thousands of new homes in occupied West Bank. | Listen |
| Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian president ousted during Arab spring, dies at 91 | |
| The country was stable during his time in power, but many Egyptians saw him as a dictator who governed with an iron grip. Iran's deputy health minister tests positive as the coronavirus outbreak worsens. Plácido Domingo apologises to women who accused him of sexual harassment. | Listen |
| Harvey Weinstein convicted of rape and sexual assault | |
| The film producer was found guilty of two of the five charges he faced. Also, the WHO urges countries to prepare for a possible coronavirus pandemic, and a man is arrested in Germany after a car drove into people at a carnival. | Listen |
| Coronavirus spread raises fears of global pandemic | |
| There are concerns about cases in countries with a weak health infrastructure like Iraq and Afghanistan. US President Donald Trump visits India. The world's oldest prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, has submitted his shock resignation. | Listen |
| Venice carnival closes amid coronavirus outbreak | |
| Italy quarantines whole towns, closes schools and cancels sports fixtures as infections increase. Also: protests in Budapest against anti-Roma campaign, and celebrating the theremin -- the Soviet-invented hands-free electronic instrument. | Listen |
| Coronavirus cases double in one day in South Korea | |
| The South Korea PM Chung Sye-kyun described the situation as "grave". Also: South Sudan rivals strike power-sharing deal and remembering Ladysmith Black Mambazo's founder, Joseph Shabalala. | Listen |
| WHO says there's a 'narrowing window' to contain virus outbreak | |
| The World Health Organization says the number of Covid-19 cases with no clear link to China is a concern. Also: US and Afghan Taliban start partial truce, and the buzz around brainy bees. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: South Korea 'emergency' measures as infections increase | |
| The country's army is on lockdown after several soldiers tested positive. After Hanau attacks, Germany boosts security amid far-right threat. Lesotho's Prime Minister fails to appear in court to face charges of murdering his estranged wife. | Listen |
| Trump Ally Roger Stone sentenced to prison. | |
| President Trump's former adviser Roger Stone is sentenced to forty months in prison for lying to Congress; Angela Merkel leads condemnation of an attack by a far right extremist that left nine dead; A special bracelet designed to switch off any prying Alexa speaker | Listen |
| Germany: Suspected far-right extremist kills 9 people in gun-attack | |
| Police investigate background of gunman who carried out mass-killing in western Germany. Most of his victims had migrant backgrounds. Also, South Korea becomes latest focus of global concern over coronavirus, and Swiss prosecutors bring corruption charges against two leading figures in world of football. | Listen |
| Optimistic signs over global Coronavirus crisis | |
| Japan rejects criticism of its handling of the coronavirus cruise ship; More bad news for Boeing after debris is found in the fuel tanks of brand new 737 Max aircraft; Could ammonia prove the green alternative to diesel to transform the world's shipping industry? | Listen |
| Coronavirus: ?Quarantined? cruise ship criticised by experts | |
| Japan is facing mounting international criticism of its response to the outbreak on the ship, the largest outside of mainland China. Also: Controversy at the Brit awards in London as a rapper calls the Prime Minister a racist on live TV, and the new research which claims to explain why modern dating isn?t working. | Listen |
| Bloomberg to join Democrat debate | |
| Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg will take part in a nomination debate for the first time on Wednesday. Also: The judge in the Harvey Weinstein rape case has warned the lead defence lawyer not to talk to the press, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed one of his closest advisers. | Listen |
| Fresh Chinese data on Covid-19 fatality rates | |
| Health officials in China say Coronavirus shows a fatality rate of two point three per cent; Europe's biggest bank, HSBC, says it will axe 35.000 jobs, after pre- tax profits fell by a third last year; We hear what it's like to get caught up in a swarm of locusts as South Sudan braces for their arrival... | Listen |
| Uighurs ?detained for beards and veils? ? leak | |
| A document that appears to give the most powerful insight yet into how China determined the fate of hundreds of thousands of Muslims held in a network of internment camps has been seen by the BBC. Also: The United Nations says fighting in the Syrian province of Idlib has displaced 900,000 people since December, and a woman who dated more than 100 men and remained a virgin until she was 41 years old. | Listen |
| Coronavirus threatens to push Japan into recession | |
| Analysts are concerned travel restrictions, which have led to a sharp drop in tourism from China, will cause Japan's economy to contract further. General Motors scraps the historic Holden car brand in Australia. A Spanish actor is being tried for insulting God. | Listen |
| Americans from virus cruise ship leave Japan | |
| Hundreds will be quarantined in the US, while 40 confirmed cases will be treated in Japan. Also: Elton John halts concert due to pneumonia, and turning human corpses into compost for green burials. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: First death confirmed in Europe | |
| The victim was an 80-year-old man from China's Hubei province. Chinese officials say the coronavirus outbreak is generally under control but the World Health Organisation insists it's too early to predict whether it will become a global epidemic. Also, Europeans and Americans hold different views on the health of the Western alliance at the annual Munich Security Conference. And, how an overnight trans-European sleeper train could be part of the solution for climate change. | Listen |
| 1,700 Chinese health care workers infected with Coronavirus | |
| China's National Health Commission says there's high pressure on doctors and nurses, also a short truce could be in sight in Afghanistan and some different Valentine's Day events | Listen |
| Coronavirus: New China figures reveal toll on medical staff | |
| Chinese officials have given figures for health workers infected with the new virus. More than 1700 have fallen ill and at least 6 have died. Also, concern over plight of people fleeing across Mediterranean from Libya to Europe, and how an iconic photo was taken - showing Earth from deep space. | Listen |
| Thousands of Syrians camp in freezing conditions | |
| The UN says 800,000 have been displaced since December in the government offensive in northwestern Syria. Also: The row over whether music festivals book enough female performers, and what one Russian grandmother thinks of President Putin. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: China reports steep rise in cases in Hubei | |
| Beijing confirms huge increase in deaths and infections in worst-hit province. And top officials have been sacked over their handling of crisis. Also, city of Dresden marks 75th anniversary of WW2 bombing-raids which killed tens of thousands of civilians, and could children's drawings be used as evidence in trial of Sudan's former president ? | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Extreme caution urged by experts | |
| Measures include the provision of straightforward diagnostic kits in all countries, implementing robust infection prevention measures, and accelerated research into treatments and possible vaccines. Also: A major shake up in the Italian parliament as right-wing politician Matteo Salvini faces a trial for illegally detaining migrants, and how a Russian man shot himself dead in the middle of a packed courtroom | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Formula 1 calls off April's Chinese Grand Prix race | |
| Motor-racing officials cancel race due to fears over spread of virus. Meanwhile World Health Organisation holds summit on how to deal with outbreak. Also, Pope France rules against allowing married men to become Catholic priests in Amazon, and Syrian refugees in Jordan grow crops - using old mattresses instead of soil. | Listen |
| Sudan agrees ex-president must face ICC | |
| Omar al-Bashir will answer genocide and war crimes charges. Also: Spain's high court upholds a company's right to deduct break times from employees' working day, and music fans pay tribute to Joseph Shabalala, the founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo - who's died at the age of seventy-eight. | Listen |
| New coronavirus named Covid-19 by the World Health Organisation | |
| The name was chosen so that it 'did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people'. Thousands pack a stadium for the funeral of Kenya's Daniel arap Moi. More than three decades after the end of apartheid in South Africa, what is it like to be in a Blasian relationship? | Listen |
| President Trump presents election year budget | |
| The President asks for increases in military spending and cuts to social programmes. Also,Turkey says Syrian government shellfire has killed Turkish soldiers in Idlib and the US has charged four Chinese military officers over a cyber attack on a credit rating agency. | Listen |
| Germany's 'successor' to Merkel quits | |
| The decision comes as questions were raised about her ability to command authority in the party, after CDU delegates in eastern Germany defied the party headquarter?s ban on cooperating with the far right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). China's president Xi Jinping say his government will work to prevent large-scale job losses due to the coronavirus. Joe Biden's race for the White House gets into trouble - again. | Listen |
| Millions in China due to return to work despite coronavirus outbreak | |
| Many factories and offices in China have been ordered to stagger their working hours to limit the number of people in public places. Also: Sinn Fein to try to form governing coalition after Irish election success, and the renowned opera singer Mirella Freni has died at the age of eighty-four. | Listen |
| Thai soldier kills many people in shooting rampage | |
| Thai security forces rescued hundreds of people from a shopping centre while searching for the gunman. Also: WHO says the number of new coronavirus cases has stabilised in Hubei province, and "lightning strike" kills rare mountain gorillas in Uganda. | Listen |
| Hong Kong imposes new quarantine rules over virus | |
| Travellers from mainland China will be isolated for 14 days in new efforts to stem the coronavirus. Also: Impeachment witness escorted from the White House, and unseen Charles Dickens letters open a window into the life of a genius. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Death of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang sparks public anger | |
| Widespread grief after death of doctor who tried to warn about the coronavirus outbreak. Dr. Li died after contracting the virus while treating patients in Wuhan. Also, Syrian army says it's seized a key target in Idlib province, and we meet a Kenyan singer who uses music to challenge attitudes about sexual consent. | Listen |
| Coronavirus kills Chinese whistleblower doctor | |
| The hospital in Wuhan treating Li Wenliang confirms his death after a day of conflicting reports. Also: Trump celebrates acquittal and blasts rivals, and climate change could push bumblebees to extinction. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Beijing introduces tough measures to try and stem the outbreak | |
| China's government insists it's doing all it can to contain the virus. More than 560 people have now died and nearly 30,000 been infected. Also, UN Security Council will meet to discuss situation in Syrian rebel-held enclave of Idlib, and we look back at the career of Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas. | Listen |
| President Trump acquitted of all impeachment charges | |
| The Senate, run by the president's fellow Republicans, voted to acquit him 52-48 on charges of abuse of power and 53-47 on obstruction of Congress. Also, the World Health Organisation asks for nearly seven hundred million dollars to help developing countries prepare for the coronavirus which has killed nearly 500 people. And, Finland's new government has announced plans to give all parents the same parental leave. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: China takes further steps to address the epidemic | |
| China takes further steps to address the coronavirus epidemic, as death toll nears 500. Also, the new coronavirus will finally get a proper name. State of the Union: Trump hails 'American comeback'. And why penguins' speech patterns are similar to humans. | Listen |
| Iowa Caucus: Pete Buttigieg leads US Democratic hopefuls as partial results are released | |
| With 62 per cent of the votes counted, Pete Buttigieg leads this first leg of the race to be the Democrats? presidential candidate, while Bernie Sanders is a close second. Also, the WHO praises China for containing the new strain of coronavirus, but patients in the city of Wuhan struggle to get treatment. And, in southern Africa, the wife of Lesotho?s prime minister is charged with the murder of his previous wife. | Listen |
| Coronavirus outbreak not yet pandemic | |
| A pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease, according to the WHO. The Democrats get off to a bad start in the US presidential contest, as the Iowa results are delayed. Kenya's former President Daniel arap Moi dies aged 95. | Listen |
| HIV vaccine hopes dashed by trial results | |
| An experimental trial of a new HIV vaccine has been abandoned after an independent study found it was ineffective, dashing high hopes. We hear from Democrats as they take their first step towards confirming who will challenge President Donald Trump in November. Also: Chinese artist Ai WeiWei explains why he's left Germany for the United Kingdom. | Listen |
| Coronavirus:China accuses US of causing panic and 'spreading fear' | |
| The virus has now killed more than 360 people, triggered a sharp fall in shares as China's financial markets reopened after the Lunar New Year holiday. Yemen's medical air bridge offers a rare glimpse of hope. Chaos as Nigeria's commercial capital bans motorbike taxis. | Listen |
| Police shoot man dead in London terror attack | |
| The attacker, who stabbed two people in South London, had been released from prison in January. He had been sentenced in 2018 for terrorism-related offences. Also: as fears rise about the coronavirus, China injects a hundred and seventy billion dollars into the economy; and the British war film '1917' dominates the BAFTA awards. | Listen |
| Hong Kong hospital workers call for border with China to be closed to halt spread of new coronavirus | |
| Health workers threaten to strike from Monday unless checkpoints are closed. Also, the Arab League condemns President Trump's new Middle East peace plan, and new evidence suggests the composer Beethoven was able to hear his final compositions. | Listen |
| Brexit: UK leaves the EU | |
| Britain has taken one of the most momentous steps in its recent history. We look at how this moment was marked, UK's Brexit journey, and what happens next. Also: Donald Trump's impeachment trial is basically over and a new voice for Peppa Pig. | Listen |
| Brexit: UK prepares to leave EU as PM promises 'new dawn' | |
| UK will officially leave European Union at 23:00 GMT after 47 years of membership. In pre-recorded video message, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will call Brexit a "new dawn." Also, debate over whether China could have acted sooner to tackle coronavirus epidemic, and Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop series on Netflix is criticised by chief of UK's National Health Service. | Listen |
| Coronavirus declared a global health emergency | |
| The World Health Organization says efforts must be made to stop the virus spreading to vulnerable countries. Also: the Palestinian PM defends stance on Trump Middle East plan, and governing body of world athletics set to rule on Nike running shoe range. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Russia closes its border with China | |
| Russia orders the closure of its 4,000km-long border and imposes visa restrictions to help prevent the spread of the virus, which has now known to have killed 170 people and infected thousands. Also, Mali launches an army recruitment drive to fight jihadists, and the longest drug-smuggling tunnel ever is found on the US border with Mexico. | Listen |
| WHO says world 'must be alert' over China virus | |
| The World Health Organization will hold a further emergency meeting on the coronavirus on Thursday. Also: White House warns former advisor, John Bolton, not to publish book, and scientists say lungs "magically" heal damage from smoking. | Listen |
| Evacuation of foreigners from virus-hit China | |
| Hundreds fly out of Wuhan, the centre of the coronavirus outbreak. Also: the Syrian army 'recaptures' a key town, and the challenge of researching climate change in Antarctica. | Listen |
| President Trump releases his Middle East peace plan. | |
| It's been applauded by Israel, but condemned by the Palestinians. President Xi Jinping says China is sure to beat the new coronavirus; and, #Girldad - inspired by Kobe Bryant. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Hong Kong to slash border travel | |
| Japan and Germany have both reported their first cases of the new coronavirus in individuals who did not travel to China. Huawei is allowed a limited role in UK 5G networks. Jeffrey Epstein accusers outraged by Prince Andrew's 'lack of co-operation'. | Listen |
| Remembering Auschwitz | |
| Survivors return to the Nazi death camp 75 years after it was liberated. Also: a revolutionary approach to removing cancerous lungs, the danger posed by shipping to whale sharks off Australia and the perils of competitive eating. | Listen |
| Coronavirus: Death toll rises to 81 as China extends holiday | |
| China?s People?s Daily reports one wing of the new specialist hospital in Wuhan has already been constructed, in just 16 hours. Mystery surrounds a plane crash in Taliban territory in Afghanistan. Billie Eilish is the big winner at the Grammys. | Listen |
| Kobe Bryant: Basketball legend dies in helicopter crash | |
| The five-time NBA champion was widely considered one of the greatest players in the game's history. Also: China is extending its Lunar New Year holiday to help control the coronavirus outbreak, and the sheep that only eat seaweed foraged from beaches and are apparently more environmentally friendly because of it. | Listen |
| Democrats trying to undo election, say Trump lawyers | |
| President Trump's lawyers have begun defending him at his impeachment trial, accusing Democrats of seeking to overturn the result of the 2016 election. Also: Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned that the spread of a deadly new coronavirus is accelerating, and Brazil marks the first anniversary of the Brumadinho dam collapse. | Listen |
| Virus casts shadow over Chinese New Year | |
| Growing threat interrupts holiday plans as France confirms three people there are sick with coronavirus. Also in this edition: thousands of civilians flee a fresh front in Syria?s civil war, and one of England?s top football clubs tackles racism head on. | Listen |
| WHO says it's too early to declare a global epidemic | |
| Coronavirus in China has killed 26 people and infected more than 800; In Iraq, tens of thousands of people march to demand the removal of US troops; There are fears about huge swarms of locusts in East Africa which are destroying crops: | Listen |
| China fights to stop new virus spreading | |
| Beijing cancels Lunar New Year celebrations and cities like Wuhan curb public transport. Also: The world remembers Auschwitz, and a 3000 year-old Egyptian priest speaks again | Listen |
| China coronavirus: more cities under lockdown | |
| Beijing's palace complex, the Forbidden City,will be closed to the public. The International Court of Justice has ordered measures to prevent the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. World leaders attend a forum in Jerusalem to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. | Listen |
| Probe of Saudi crown prince urged over Bezos phone hacking | |
| UN experts say they've seen information suggesting prince may have been involved, also no international health crisis yet over Coronavirus and billionaire helps Zimbabwe's doctors | Listen |
| China warns against travel to virus-hit Wuhan | |
| China says it is now at the "most critical stage" of prevention and control of the new virus. Also: Saudi Arabia denies that its crown prince was responsible for hacking Amazon boss Jeff Bezos' phone, and why are iguanas falling out of trees in Florida? | Listen |
| Trump impeachment trial starts with rule wrangling | |
| Debate on witnesses and evidence marks the start of Senate proceedings. Also: First coronavirus case diagnosed in US, and swimming in freezing Antarctic waters - to save the planet. | Listen |
| Trump decries 'prophets of doom' on environment | |
| President Trump attacks activists at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, with Greta Thunberg in the audience. Also: there's a warning against a cover-up as China virus cases jump, and what did a man and two dogs find on a beach? | Listen |
| Sri Lankan president says war missing are dead | |
| Gotabaya Rajapaksa announces the deaths of thousands who disappeared in the civil war. Also: the stand-off between Central American migrants and Mexican border forces, and the two men on opposite sides of the world who tried to make an Earth Sandwich. | Listen |
| China virus: Cases triple as infection spreads to Beijing and Shanghai | |
| State media in China has been urging people not to panic as the new respiratory virus spreads across the country. The long-awaited extradition hearing in Canada of the senior Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou. Africa's richest woman, Isabel dos Santos, tells the BBC she's the victim of a politically motivated witch-hunt by the Angolan government. | Listen |
| Progress reported at Libya summit in Berlin | |
| World powers agree to uphold weapons embargo as part of efforts to end Libya conflict; General support for deal allowing Duke and Duchess of Sussex to step back from their royal duties - but Meghan's estranged father is critical; SpaceX has conducted a successful test of the emergency systems of its new spacecraft. | Listen |
| Prince Harry and Meghan drop royal duties and HRH titles | |
| The couple also intend to repay more than $3m of taxpayer money for the refurbishment of their UK home. The Queen and Buckingham Palace have issued statements following recent talks to discuss new roles for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Also: Violent clashes in Beirut between anti-government protesters and the Lebanese security forces have left 160 people injured, and why The Simpsons actor Hank Azaria says he will no longer voice the character Apu. | Listen |
| Clinton prosecutor Ken Starr to defend Trump | |
| President Donald Trump brings in high-powered legal firepower for his impeachment trial. The team include a prosecutor who helped to impeach President Bill Clinton more than twenty years ago - and a celebrity defence lawyer. Also: The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, demands Iran pay compensation for the shooting down of a plane with many Canadians on board, and why Apple's Lightning cable could soon be outlawed in the European Union. | Listen |
| Malta's police chief resigns after heavy criticism over journalist murder investigation | |
| No one has yet been convicted of the murder in 2017 of Daphne Caruana Galizia. She'd been investigating corruption among Malta's political and business elite. Also: Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has led Friday prayers for the first time in eight years, appealing for national unity while criticising the US, and a horse becomes a surprise passenger on a bus in Wales. | Listen |
| Senators sworn in for Trump impeachment trial | |
| The articles of impeachment were read aloud on the Senate floor. Also: "alarming" one in five deaths worldwide due to sepsis, and an English bookshop has been inundated with orders after tweeting it hadn't sold a single book last Tuesday. | Listen |
| Russian parliament elects new prime minister | |
| New PM is Mikhail Mishustin, a little- known former head of the federal tax service, also Hong Kong's freedoms could last beyond 2047 and a turn of fortune for a Paris dustman | Listen |
| Trump impeachment case heads to Senate | |
| Donald Trump will become only the third US president to face trial in the US upper chamber. Also: last decade confirmed as warmest on record, and Neanderthals 'dived in the ocean' for shellfish. | Listen |
| Russian PM and government resigns | |
| The resignations came after President Putin proposed constitutional changes that could prolong his own grip on power. Also: a treason trial has begun of the Cambodian opposition leader, Kem Sokha, and we hear about a man who broke a marathon world record after being told ten years ago that he would never walk again. | Listen |
| Army clashes with mutineers in Sudanese capital | |
| Sudan's army has overrun the HQ of mutinous forces from an intelligence agency once loyal to ex-leader Omar al-Bashir. Also: Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen says China needs to show Taipei respect, and scientists claim the first 'living robots' have been developed. | Listen |
| Iran nuclear deal: European powers trigger dispute mechanism | |
| France, Germany and Britain say Iran has violated the existing deal but they hope the agreement can be saved through the dispute resolution mechanism. More than a hundred people have died in northern Pakistan and Afghanistan as a result of unusually heavy snow. Spike Lee becomes first black Cannes jury head. | Listen |
| Sahel summit partners step up jihadist fight | |
| France and nations from Africa's Sahel region have agreed to step up military co-operation. Also: Queen Elizabeth agrees prince Harry and Meghan 'transition period' and the trees grown from seeds that spent months in space. | Listen |
| Royal "Sandringham summit" | |
| Meanwhile, ahead of the talks, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge have dismissed a "false story" in a UK newspaper speculating about their relationship. Iranian police deny shooting anti-government protesters. Pope Francis is warned by his predecessor Benedict not to relax the rules on priestly celibacy. | Listen |
| Iran: Anti-government protests continue after plane crash | |
| Many Iranians remain angry that Tehran took days to admit the military shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane. Also: Australia?s prime minister concedes he could have responded better to the bush fires still raging across the country. And Buckingham Palace prepares for a meeting on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their plans to step back from royal duties. | Listen |
| Anti-regime protests in Iran over downing of civilian jet | |
| Tehran admits it shot down the Ukrainian airliner in error killing all 176 people on board. Also,Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen is re-elected with a record vote; and, the centenarian who's fathered 800 children. | Listen |
| Ukraine says Iran is cooperating in plane crash inquiry | |
| Kyiv is considering if the jet was shot down but warns against drawing hasty conclusions. Also: Mexican boy kills teacher, and the teenager whose life was saved by a friend thousands of kilometres away. | Listen |
| Iran plane crash: Tehran rebuffs claims it shot down jet | |
| Victims of the crash included 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians as well as nationals from Sweden, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany. The Duchess of Sussex has returned to Canada to join her son amid discussions within the Royal Family. Also how fat is your tongue? How losing weight there could help with sleep. | Listen |
| Iran plane crash: ?Evidence? jet downed by missile | |
| The leaders of Canada and the UK are calling for a full and thorough investigation into the crash, which killed all 176 people on board. Also: Queen Elizabeth is said to be working with Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan as they step back from royal duties, and how satellites in the night sky are causing problems for astronomers. | Listen |
| Iran crash: Airliner 'was trying to return to airport' | |
| Iranian investigators said preliminary findings indicated the plane had tried to turn back to Tehran airport, but that the pilot hadn't made a distress call. Prince Harry and his wife Megan say they want to "step back" from their roles as senior royals and become financially independent, but how will that work? A campaign to end rape in war spearheaded by Angelina Jolie and a British politician is heavily criticised. | Listen |
| Prince Harry and Meghan Markle step back from royal duties | |
| The announcement is said to have been made without consultation with senior royals. Also: President Trump has said the military confrontation with Iran has de-escalated, and the Japanese Justice Minister rejects criticism of the country's legal system made by the fugitive Renault Nissan boss, Carlos Ghosn. | Listen |
| Iran attack: Missiles fired at US forces in Iraq | |
| President Donald Trump responded on twitter saying ?all is well?. Also: A Ukraine International Airlines plane crashes near a Tehran airport killing everyone on board, and a man on trial in Japan for killing nineteen mentally disabled residents of a care home admits the killings - but denies murder. | Listen |
| President Trump backs down from his repeated threat to target Iranian cultural sites | |
| After criticism that such attacks could constitute a war crime, Mr Trump said if that were the case, he would obey the law. Also: the foreign exchange company Travelex is being held to ransom by hackers, and a vast "star nursery" region has been found in our galaxy. | Listen |
| Stampede kills dozens at burial in Iran | |
| Calls for retaliation over the US killing of the top General continue. A British teenager, found guilty of lying about being gang-raped by Irsraeli men in Cyprus, has been given a four-month suspended sentence. Plus Facebook is to ban 'deepfakes'. | Listen |
| Libya rebel forces 'take over' strategic city of Sirte | |
| General Khalifa Haftar's forces say they have taken Sirte from fighters loyal to the Tripoli government. Also: Trump under fire for threat to Iran cultural sites, and a new plant-based burger launched in the UK is "not for vegans". | Listen |
| Milions pack Tehran for commander's funeral | |
| The vast event was part of three days of nationwide ceremonies. Britain's 'most prolific rapist' is jailed for life. Plus we look at what's behind violent disturbances at one of India's top universities. | Listen |
| Iran rolls back nuclear deal commitments | |
| Tensions have been high over the killing of the Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, by the US in Baghdad. Also: Guaido's rival declares himself parliament speaker in Venezuela, and Georges Duboef, the "Pope of Beaujolais" wine dies aged 86. | Listen |
| Thousands mourn assassinated Iranian general | |
| The funeral procession which began in Baghdad on Saturday marks the beginning of days of mourning for Qasem Soleimani. Also: strong winds whip up Australian bushfires, and the Chinese paddlefish has been declared extinct. | Listen |
| Fears of fallout from US assassination of top Iranian General | |
| President Trump says United States killed General Soleimani to stop not start a war; But Iran describes the assassination as an act of international terrorism and vows to respond at a time and place of its choosing; and the Chinese authorities say they're investigating the source of a mysterious pneumonia outbreak | Listen |
| Iran swears revenge for killing of top general | |
| The US killing of Qassem Soleimani marks a major rise in tensions between the countries. Also: Why some European countries are slow to reform their rape laws, and how protest groups across the world share tactics. | Listen |
| Turkish troops to be deployed in Libya | |
| Turkey's parliament approves troop deployment to support UN-backed government in Libya; Australian Prime Minister heckled for his handling of the devastating bushfires; Why tourists are unwittingly helping poachers in South Africa's biggest wildlife reserve: | Listen |
| Thousands of people flee bushfires in Australia | |
| The evacuation of communities is underway in Victoria and New South Wales. Interpol issues a request for the arrest of the fugitive ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, and Turkey's parliament debates a bill which would allow troops to be sent to Libya. | Listen |
| Netanyahu requests immunity from prosecution | |
| The Israeli prime minister?s move could delay the start of his trial on corruption charges. Also in this edition: a German zoo mourns the loss of its collection of endangered apes and monkeys, Hong Kong sees in the New Year as it saw out the old ? with another big pro-democracy demonstration, and the footballers taking the long view of life after the beautiful game. | Listen |
| Thousands join a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong | |
| Protesters formed human chains stretching along busy roads. At least eight more people have died in bushfires in Australia, and North Korea ends its suspension of nuclear testing. | Listen |
| Australia sees in 2020 as wildfires rage across countryside | |
| Thousands flee to a beach to avoid flames in Victoria. Also: How did Carlos Ghosn smuggle himself out of Japan? And will one of the brightest stars explode? | Listen |
| US Baghdad embassy attacked by protesters | |
| The protest by the Iranian-backed militia group was in response to American air strikes on Sunday which killed at least twenty-five of its members. Australia burns while parts of India suffer the worst cold for more than a century. Plus the Greeks swapping New Year clubs for dance classes. | Listen |
| Nissan's ex-head Ghosn in surprise Lebanon arrival | |
| Carlos Ghosn was arrested over allegations of financial misconduct in 2018. He denies any wrongdoing. Also: Bolivia is planning to expel foreign diplomats, and Neil Innes, the Monty Python songwriter dies aged seventy-five. | Listen |
| Death sentences for Sudanese intelligence officers over teacher's killing | |
| It's the first time Sudanese courts have handed down convictions over the violent response to the protests. China jails 'gene-edited babies' scientist for three years. A British teenager is found guilty of lying about being gang-raped by Israeli youths in Cyprus. | Listen |
| Trump urges unity against anti-Semitism 'scourge' following an attack in New York | |
| The US president described the stabbing attacks on a New York rabbi's house as "horrific". Also: Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists swap prisoners, and Big Ben will bong for New Year 2020. | Listen |
| Rush-hour bomb kills dozens in Somali capital | |
| The blast took place at a checkpoint at a busy intersection in Mogadishu. Also: Biden appears to rule out testifying at Trump's impeachment trial, and more than one thousand addresses published in UK honours list error. | Listen |
| Survivors describe Kazakhstan air-crash | |
| Remarkable stories from those who emerged unscathed from the aircraft wreckage at Almaty airport; A quarter of a million people flee Syrian government military offensive in Idlib province; French government to inspect social media for signs of tax avoidance and fraud. | Listen |
| Dozens survive Kazakhstan plane crash | |
| At least twelve die after the Fokker 100 crashes on take-off from Almaty airport. The aircraft was carrying one hundred passengers. Also, Nigerian Islamists release a video showing the execution of Christians; and, New England - in Crimea. | Listen |
| Mexico and Bolivia in diplomatic row | |
| Mexico says it's taking Bolivia to the International Court of Justice over the intimidation of its diplomats in La Paz. Also, Iranian security forces have been patrolling Tehran and other cities to try to prevent widespread protests and one of the leading lyric tenors of the last century, Peter Schreier, has died at the age of eighty-four. | Listen |
| Russia: Security forces raid offices of Alexei Navalny | |
| Raid carried out on premises of opposition leader's Anti-Corruption Foundation. Mr. Navalny says raid is linked to his refusal to comply with a court order to delete an online film accusing Russian Prime Minister of corruption. Also, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces challenge for leadership of Likud party, and how eco-activist Greta Thunberg inspired remix of a dance music classic. | Listen |
| The Happy Pod 2019 | |
| The most inspiring, uplifting and heartwarming stories from 2019 with lots of brilliance, bravery and courage. How rugby raised South Africa to heights not seen since Nelson Mandela; a 50th birthday for Big Bird and friends; plus singing seals, driving rats and a flying fat cat. Photo: Siya Kolisi lifts Webb Ellis Cup after South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in 2019 Credit: Getty Images | Listen |
| Pope Francis celebrates Midnight Mass at the Vatican | |
| The leader of the Catholic church called on people not to abandon God?s love. Also, India agrees to hold a census and national population survey, thousands of people in northern Ghana remain displaced after floods in October, and thirty years after Romania deposed Nicolae Ceausescu we hear how the country has changed. | Listen |
| India National Population Register: Database agreed amid protests | |
| Critics say it will be a list from which "doubtful citizens" will be asked to prove they are Indian. We'll hear from Russia's reluctant teen activist, whose mum is under house arrest. Prince Philip leaves hospital for Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham. | Listen |
| Boeing fires boss amid 737 Max troubles | |
| The company says it hopes to "restore confidence" but still faces questions about its commitment to safety. Also: Romanian court acquits UK trafficking suspects, and Putin takes Crimea train over new rail link. | Listen |
| Saudis sentence five to death for Khashoggi murder | |
| Jamal Khashoggi was killed last year inside the kingdom's consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul by a team of Saudi agents. Warnings that the defeated Islamic State group is on the rise once again in Iraq. We hear from an Australian mayor about bushfire flames that are seventy metres high. | Listen |
| Turkey says it can't cope with any more Syrian refugees | |
| The Turkish president says more than eighty thousand people have fled Idlib province. Also: an email reveals that the White House blocked Ukraine aid just after Trump call, and a young girl's find in a Tesco card halts China production. | Listen |
| Pompeo condemns Russia and China for veto on cross border aid to Syria | |
| The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said the vetoes cast were shameful, and that the two countries now had blood on their hands. Also: Germany and Russia condemn US pipeline sanctions, and the 1966 football World Cup winner Martin Peters dies aged 76. | Listen |
| MPs back British PM's plan to leave EU on the 31st of January | |
| The British PM Boris Johnson says Brexit is "one step closer" after MPs back his EU withdrawal bill by a majority of 124. Also: ICC seeks inquiry into alleged West Bank and Gaza "'war crimes", and Boeing astronaut capsule stalls in orbit. | Listen |
| Brexit: MPs debate Boris Johnson's bill for UK to leave EU | |
| The bill was expected to pass after Conservatives won huge majority in general election. Also, former bosses jailed following suicides among France Telecom staff, and Australian PM apologises for taking US holiday while huge bushfires rage at home. | Listen |
| Trump impeachment: a country divided | |
| The bitter divisions again on show in US politics, as Republican and Democrats argue over the impeachment of President Trump. Also, one dead after attack outside Russian spy HQ in Moscow, and astronomers discover how 'monster' black holes are born. | Listen |
| India: Thousands held for defying ban on protests | |
| Demonstrators have defied a ban on protests against a controversial new citizenship law. The measure offers citizenship to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Also, reaction in Washington DC as the House of Representatives votes to impeach President Trump, and the Queen sets out the new British government's plans for the year ahead. | Listen |
| Will President Trump be impeached? | |
| Donald Trump is expected to become only the third US president to be impeached by the House of Representatives. Also: Bolivia's attorney-general issues a warrant for the arrest of the former president Evo Morales; and the small Welsh community putting on a Christmas nativity- with just a few students playing all of the roles | Listen |
| Report says UN peacekeepers in Haiti fathered hundreds of children | |
| Interviews by a team of researchers found young mothers were abandoned. The report says girls as young as 11 were forced to trade sex for food. Also: a new chemotherapy delivery method for cancer patients is tried out by doctors, and Europe sends a planet hunting telescope into space. | Listen |
| Trump impeachment: President pens ?open war? letter on eve of vote | |
| Mr Trump faces an impeachment vote on Wednesday over allegations he pressured Ukraine for personal political gain. Also: Scientists in Denmark sequence the genetic code of a stone-age woman using a piece of ancient chewing gum and why Lord of the Rings casting directors are searching for ?ugly? people. | Listen |
| First Global Refugee Forum underway in Geneva | |
| Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants a million Syrians to be resettled in a part of northern Syria where Turkey recently forced out Kurdish fighters. The Pope lifts the 'pontifical secret' rule in sex abuse cases. A Pakistani court has sentenced the former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to death in absentia for treason. | Listen |
| Mexico: 50 bodies found in mass graves | |
| Forensic experts say they have been able to establish the identities of more than a dozen people. Also: The French official in charge of pension reforms which have triggered nationwide strikes resigns; and the hospital in Syria operating entirely below ground. | Listen |
| India protests: PM appeals for calm | |
| The demonstrators see the new law as "anti-Muslim" and in conflict with India's secular traditions. China accuses the Arsenal footballer, Mesut Ozil, of being deceived by fake news after he criticised the treatment of Muslim Uighurs. Also, why a Californian church nativity scene is depicting Mary, Joseph and Jesus in cages. | Listen |
| UN climate talks called a "failure" | |
| The longest summit on record has ended with a compromise deal that left many big questions unanswered. Also: Indian police have been accused of forcefully entering a university campus and beating students. And an undercover investigation into the women being trafficked from Africa to India for prostitution. | Listen |
| UN climate talks hit rough waters | |
| Negotiators in Madrid are working towards a deal for countries to commit to new carbon emissions cuts by the end of 2020. Also: "Sardines" pack in for anti-Salvini Rome protest, and is it possible to complete Beethoven's unfinished Tenth Symphony using artificial intelligence? | Listen |
| British PM urges let the healing begin after poll win | |
| Boris Johnson says he hopes his party's "extraordinary" election victory will bring "closure" to years of acrimony. Also: Key committee passes Trump impeachment charges, and Algeria hit by more protests as new leader elected. | Listen |
| UK general election 2019: Boris Johnson says it's time to 'get Brexit done' | |
| UK's PM says he hopes his party's election win will bring 'closure' to Brexit debate. And Labour's leader Jeremy Corbyn gives his response to his party's huge defeat. Also, we look at the challenges ahead for Britain's Conservative government after election victory, and how they'll handle relations with the EU and the US. | Listen |
| Resounding win for the Conservatives in Britain's general election | |
| With most of the votes counted PM Boris Johnson secures overall majority. It means he can push through his plans for Britain to leave the EU at the end of next month. The Scottish National Party surges in Scotland. The SNP says it is has a mandate for a 2nd independence referendum. | Listen |
| Exit poll suggests Conservatives on course to win majority in UK general election | |
| Exit poll suggests the prime minister, Boris Johnson has secured a strong overall majority with his promise to get Brexit done. Also: New Zealand troops on volcanic island to recover bodies, and Paul McCartney unwraps his 'secret' Christmas album. | Listen |
| Protests mar Algeria's presidential election | |
| Demonstrators boycott the vote demanding the sweeping away of the entire political establishment. Also, the 44,000 year-old cave paintings that may be the oldest story ever told, and the lucky employees sharing an unexpected ten million dollar Christmas bonus. | Listen |
| India approves 'anti-Muslim' citizenship law | |
| The controversial law offers amnesty to non-Muslim immigrants from three countries. Also: it's reported that the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinsten has reached a multi-million dollar settlement with accusers, and a painting has been found in Italy after a 22 year Klimt mystery. | Listen |
| Aung San Suu Kyi defends Myanmar against genocide allegations | |
| Aung San Suu Kyi has rejected the allegations of genocide against Rohingya Muslims at the International Court of Justice. Also; Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg addresses the UN climate change conference in Madrid, and how much exercise do you need to burn off the calories contained in a chocolate bar? | Listen |
| Democrats unveil Trump impeachment charges | |
| US president accused of abusing his powers and obstructing Congress. Also: Ex Mexican security minister arrested on drugs charges; new warning over Greenland ice melt and music industry mourns Roxette singer. | Listen |
| Myanmar Rohingya: Suu Kyi to defend genocide charge at UN court | |
| It marks a remarkable fall from grace for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi. In the Czech Republic, a gunman has killed six people in a hospital waiting room. And a paramedic rescuer describes a 'Chernobyl'- like scene on New Zealand's White Island after Monday's volcanic eruption. | Listen |
| No sign of life after volcanic eruption in New Zealand. | |
| New Zealand's Prime Minister says further survivors unlikely following White Island eruption; High level talks taking place in Paris on the conflict in eastern Ukraine; Healthy body, healthy mind - how sport can help your brain. | Listen |
| 'No sign of life' after New Zealand volcano erruption | |
| Conditions are too dangerous for a rescue mission to take place at the popular tourist destination. Russia has been handed a four-year ban from all major sporting events by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The Finnish minister Sanna Marin who's 34 is to become world's youngest PM. | Listen |
| FBI believes Florida navy attacker acted alone | |
| The FBI says it is treating Friday's deadly attack on a Florida navy base as a presumed terrorist attack. Also: Police in India have arrested the owner of a Delhi factory where a fire killed 43 people, and an artwork of a banana duct-taped to a wall that sold for $120,000 has been eaten by a separate performance artist. | Listen |
| US and Iranian men in prisoner swap | |
| Iran freed US student Xiyue Wang; America released Iranian scientist Massoud Soleimani. Also: Oceans running out of oxygen, and the ID photo that sparked an antisemitism debate in Sweden. | Listen |
| Saudi student kills 3 in US | |
| Donald Trump says the Saudi king has expressed condolences. Also: how to translate foreign languages in one-and-a-half seconds, and the child who invited school mates to his adoption. | Listen |
| Auschwitz visit: Angela Merkel warns of resurgence of intolerance | |
| German Chancellor makes her first trip while in office to Auschwitz death-camp in Poland. She says Germany has an unending responsibility to remember the Nazis' war crimes. Also, Indian police have shot dead four men suspected of raping and killing a young woman, and how a British woman was revived after a six-hour cardiac arrest. | Listen |
| House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Trump impeachment will go ahead | |
| Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House of Representatives will file impeachment charges against US President Donald Trump for alleged abuse of power. Also: The World Health Organisation says the cases of measles are rising at dangerous levels, and six rowers are planning to make a trip from Cape Horn in South America to Antarctica. | Listen |
| Workers in France stage a nationwide strike against pension reforms | |
| Transport workers, teachers and other public sector workers join demonstrations. Also; an Indian woman who was raped has been attacked and set on fire on her way to court, and scientists have developed a pioneering new vaccine against typhoid. | Listen |
| Trump impeachment: Law experts give legal opinion for and against impeachment | |
| As the investigation entered a new phase, law experts testified to the House Judiciary Committee which began hearings aimed at drawing up articles of impeachment. Also: Greenpeace accuses the Japanese government of covering up hotspots near the starting point of the 2020 Olympic torch relay in Fukushima, and New York launches a test-run for cargo bikes to replace delivery trucks and vans. | Listen |
| NATO leaders signal unity at meeting amid rows | |
| Despite a joint condemnation of Russian aggression, the French president Emmanuel Macron repeated his belief that NATO should not be structured around treating Russia and China as enemies. Also: Germany expels Russia diplomats over Berlin murder, and researchers suggest that people should check their cholesterol from the age of twenty-five. | Listen |
| Trump impeachment evidence 'overwhelming' | |
| The impeachment inquiry report says evidence suggests Donald Trump abused his powers. Also: Scientists develop artificial neurons to fight disease, and Utopia, North Korean-style. | Listen |
| Nato: Trump blasts Macron 'brain dead' comments as 'nasty' | |
| He also said he could see France 'breaking off' from Nato, but did not explain why. The Syrian currency has slumped to a record low. Which European country is outperforming all others when it comes to education? | Listen |
| Prince Andrew's accuser calls for public support | |
| A US woman who says she was brought to Britain aged 17 to have sex with Prince Andrew has implored the British public to "stand beside her". Prince Andrew has denied any such relationship. Also: Scientists have identified parts of the brain that appear to be linked to an increased chance of suicide, potentially offering a way to identify those at risk, and why the fashion rental industry is now bigger than ever. | Listen |
| Climate change: COP25 Madrid gets underway | |
| World leaders have been urged to take rapid action to tackle the climate emergency. Vigils are held in England to pay tribute to the victims of last week's London Bridge terror attack. Continuing protests in India after the alleged gang-rape and murder of a 27-year-old woman. | Listen |
| Malta prime minister Joseph Muscat to resign in new year | |
| Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has announced on national television that he will step down in the new year, amid a crisis over a murdered journalist. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declares efforts to tackle climate change ?utterly inadequate?. And at least seventy people have been killed in Syria in two days of fighting between government forces and militias in the last major rebel-held region of Idlib. | Listen |
| Maltese businessman charged over journalist murder | |
| Yorgen Fenech is charged in connection with the 2017 murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The investigation has rocked the island's government and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is under pressure to resign. Also: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro blames the Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio for the recent Amazon fires, and why the city of Bethlehem will have more reason to celebrate Christmas this year. | Listen |
| London Bridge attacker had terror conviction | |
| Two members of the public died and three were injured in what British police declared a terrorist incident. Also: Suriname president Bouterse sentenced to twenty years for 1982 killings, and can music return life to dead coral reefs? | Listen |
| Iraq: PM Abdul Mahdi to resign after bloodiest day of protests | |
| Announcement comes after more than 40 anti-government protestors were killed in one day. Earlier, Iraq's top Shi'a cleric condemned use of force against protesters and called for new government. Also, South Korean court sentences two K-Pop stars to prison for sex-crimes, and do mobile phones damage children's emotional and mental health ? | Listen |
| Trump makes first Afghan trip for Thanksgiving | |
| In an unannounced visit to American troops, the US president says the "Taliban wants to make a deal". Also: Turkey accuses Macron of sponsoring terrorism, and the row in Ireland over a giant printer bought for parliament. | Listen |
| Iraq: More deaths in latest wave of protests | |
| More than 20 anti-government protestors killed in clashes with security forces. For several weeks, demonstrators have been demanding more jobs, an end to corruption, and better public services. Also, China rebukes US for its support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, and why Scotland's Gaelic-speakers are using modern technology to preserve an ancient language. | Listen |
| More protests in Malta demanding the resignation of PM Muscat over murder scandal | |
| The demonstrators in Valletta have criticised the Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat over his handling of the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Also: Zimbabwe doctors say hospitals are "death traps", and Russian cows get Virtual Reality headsets "to reduce anxiety". | Listen |
| Bangladesh: Islamists sentenced to death for 2016 attack at Dhaka cafe | |
| Seven Islamists sentenced for attack in which 22 people, mostly foreigners, were killed. Eight people were on trial, accused of planning assault on the Holey Artisan cafe and supplying the weapons used. Also, senior doctors in Zimbabwe go on strike in support of their junior colleagues, and why robot police-dogs are being tested in the US. | Listen |
| Resignations spark Malta crisis in murder scandal | |
| Two years after the murder of the Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, a volley of resignations has rocked Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's government. Also: rescuers continue their search after Albania quake, and in England a couple speak of their shock at winning $135m. | Listen |
| UN says drastic action needed over carbon emissions | |
| Warnings that current targets fall far short of what's required to avert disastrous climate change. UN says if strategies don't change then global temperatures could rise to more than double the limit agreed under the Paris climate deal. Also: Albania is struck by a powerful earthquake, and why bad dreams could be good for you. | Listen |
| Argentina: Catholic priests sentenced in child sex abuse case | |
| The clerics were convicted of sexually assaulting children at a school for the deaf, over 12 years. Also: on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, France and South Africa both announce plans to prevent domestic abuse. And the residents of a Nigerian village called Area of Idiots decide their home needs a new name. | Listen |
| Hong Kong elections: Carrie Lam promises 'open mind' after election | |
| It's thought 17 of the 18 district councils are now controlled by pro-democracy councillors. Thieves have stolen three priceless sets of jewellery from one of Europe's largest treasure collections - the Dresden Green Vault in eastern Germany. Uber loses licence to operate in London. | Listen |
| Opposition win huge victory in Hong Kong election | |
| Pro-democracy candidates deliver a stunning reverse to the pro-Beijing chief executive, Carrie Lam. Also: the WWW founder wants a ?Contract for the Web?; and, the search for the sunken cocaine-carrying submarine. | Listen |
| Bolivian Senate approves election bill | |
| The bill allows a fresh presidential election. Marches in France against domestic violence, and dozens of pirates surrender to police in Bangladesh. | Listen |
| Donald Trump wants full trial in impeachment investigation. | |
| The president says he?ll welcome the chance to defend himself in the Senate against the allegations that he tried to coerce Ukraine into investigating his political rival Joe Biden. Also: India says more than 30,000 of its citizens have died while working in the Persian Gulf in recent years. And a woman makes a surreptitious call to the police, while pretending to order a pizza. | Listen |
| Chagos Islands dispute: UK misses deadline to return control | |
| UK has ignored a deadline to return control of an overseas territory to Mauritius. Britain says it does not recognise Mauritius' claim to sovereignty over the islands. Also, why a social media influencer is accused of contributing to the suicides of at least two of her followers, and how computer animation will be used to bring iconic 1950s film star James Dean back to life. | Listen |
| Israel PM Netanyahu charged with corruption | |
| The prime minister calls the charges an "attempted coup, insisting he will not resign. Also: tuk tuk drivers storm a morgue in Indonesia to take a dead baby for burial; And, how being a K-pop star doesn't get you out of military service in S Korea. | Listen |
| DR Congo: Measles outbreak kills nearly 5000 | |
| Health ministry says there have been nearly 250,000 cases since January. This is the world's worst current outbreak of the disease. Also, why Russian women struggle to address domestic abuse, and the band Coldplay they'll stop performing abroad - to help save the planet. | Listen |
| Prince Andrew stepping back from royal duties | |
| The Duke of York says he is stepping back from royal duties because the Jeffrey Epstein scandal has become a "major disruption" to the Royal Family. Also: US diplomat says Trump directed Ukraine pressure, and what is the best passport to own in the world? | Listen |
| UK consulate worker in Hong Kong alleges Chinese torture | |
| Simon Chen says he was abused for allegedly inciting unrest in Hong Kong. Also: Malta businessman arrested in an investigation into killing of journalist, and a nine-year old is set to become world?s youngest university graduate. | Listen |
| Impeachment witness 'concerned' by Trump call | |
| Lt Col Alexander Vindman told Congress that President Trump made "inappropriate" political demands of his Ukrainian counterpart. Also: Sweden drops Assange alleged rape investigation, and does Marie Kondo's online store spark joy? | Listen |
| Iran protests: UN fears dozens of people have been killed | |
| The protests in Iran started on Friday and were sparked by a sharp rise in petrol prices. US and Australian hostages are freed in a Taliban prisoner swap. Do you know what the gayageum is? | Listen |
| US says Jewish settlements no longer illegal | |
| The United States reverses four decades of foreign policy in a move seen as a boost to Israel. Also: Brazil's Amazon deforestation 'highest since 2008', and rare Charlotte Bronte miniature work returning to UK after sale in French auction. | Listen |
| Hong Kong Polytechnic University: Protesters arrested as they run from campus | |
| Protesters trapped inside the Polytechnic University are attempting to escape a police blockade of the campus. Demonstrations across Iran over fuel price rises have left at least twelve people dead. A rare Charlotte Bronte book is coming home. | Listen |
| Fires blaze as Hong Kong police move on university | |
| Police had warned protestors in Hong Kong that they could use live bullets if violence against officers continued. Also: Sri Lanka wartime defence chief wins presidency, and the British photographer Terry O'Neill dies aged 81. | Listen |
| Prince Andrew: exclusive BBC interview | |
| The Queen's second son discusses his relationship with convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, and denies ever meeting the teenage girl who says she was forced to have sex with him. Also: Chinese Communist Party documents leaked to the New York Times reveal new details about the mass detention of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, and we hear from the man some call the Indiana Jones of the art world. | Listen |
| Trump accused of witness intimidation | |
| The US president tweeted his contempt as Congress interviewed a key impeachment witness. Donald Trump attacked the former US ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, in the middle of her testimony to the Congressional impeachment inquiry. Also: echoes of the Cold War with a spy swap on the Russian border, and is broadband internet access really an essential human right? | Listen |
| US: Ex-ambassador speaks at Trump impeachment inquiry | |
| Second day of public hearings in impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump. The former US ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, is giving her testimony. Also, how African migrants are brutally mistreated by traffickers shipping them to Europe, and should the office meeting be seen as a form of therapy ? | Listen |
| MH17 disaster: Phone-taps show 'Russia directed Ukraine rebels' | |
| Investigators allege a top aide of President Vladimir Putin was in contact with rebel leaders on a regular basis. Also: Italy declares a state of emergency in Venice, following catastrophic flooding, and the young scientist that's made a new form of plastic out of fish waste materials. | Listen |
| Gaza: Rockets fired at Israel after ceasefire starts | |
| Palestinian militants in Gaza launch rockets towards Israel, hours after ceasefire begins. The truce was meant to end two days of intense fighting, in which 34 Palestinians were killed and dozens of Israelis injured. Also, India's Supreme Court to review landmark judgement allowing women of menstruating age to enter a Hindu shrine, and how a group of cows in the US showed some remarkable survival skills. | Listen |
| Trump calls impeachment hearings 'a joke' | |
| The first public hearings heard Mr Trump cared more about Ukraine investigating his rival, Joe Biden, than the country itself. Also: The importance of coffee to the Swiss, and cherry blossom to the Japanese. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: police warn of total law and order breakdown | |
| Parts of the territory are paralysed for a third weekday in a row due to street battles. Also, people in Venice battle the highest water levels for fifty years, the public hearings into the impeachment inquiry of President Trump get underway, and the curious case of the cat and the airline. | Listen |
| Bolivian leader arrives in Mexico for asylum | |
| Attempts to choose an interim leader to replace Evo Morales are thrown into confusion. Also: The Zimbabwean dollar makes a come back, and how cocaine washed up on French beaches has the police baffled. | Listen |
| Flare-up as Israel kills top Palestinian militant | |
| Dozens of rockets hit Israel after Palestinian Islamic Jihad vows to avenge Baha Abu al-Ata's death. Also: American IS suspect "stranded on Turkey border", and Lilou - the world's first airport therapy pig. | Listen |
| Bolivia?s ex-president offered asylum in Mexico | |
| Mexico says the decision was taken for "humanitarian reasons" after a request from Mr Morales. Also: A vast area of Australia's east coast is bracing itself for one of the nation's worst ever bushfire threats, and the co-founder of the White Helmets aid organisation has been found dead in Turkey. | Listen |
| Two people critical after Hong Kong day of chaos | |
| Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam has warned that protestors will not succeed in getting their demands. Also: Brexit Party rules out standing in Tory seats, and shopping frenzy in China's Single's day event. | Listen |
| Bolivian president resigns after protests | |
| Evo Morales quit following his disputed re-election last month. Also: the drunken man trying to dispose of his murdered lover, and Sesame Street at 50. | Listen |
| "No wall too high to be broken down" says German Chancellor | |
| Germany celebrates 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall; Powerful cyclone forces thousands of people from their homes in Bangladesh; India and Pakistan agree visa free corridor to allow Sikhs to visit a holy site: | Listen |
| Brazil's ex-President Lula released from jail | |
| Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was freed from jail after the Supreme Court ruled that convicted criminals should go to prison only if they have exhausted their appeal options. Also, firefighters in Australia are battling an 'unprecedented' number of bushfires across the state of New South Wales, and why the hashtag 'KFC proposal' has gone viral worldwide. | Listen |
| Hong Kong: Student's death leads to fresh protests | |
| Student Alex Chow has died after being injured during pro-democracy protests on Monday. News of his death sparked impromptu protests and vigils by fellow-activists. Also, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warns of dangers posed by Russia and China, and why Albania is providing a home for thousands of Iranian opposition activists. | Listen |
| Judge orders President Trump to pay $2m for charity fund misuse | |
| The Donald J Trump Foundation closed down in 2018, after prosecutors accused it of working as "little more than a chequebook" for Mr Trump's interests. Also, an Italian Holocaust survivor has been given police protection after receiving threats from the far-right, and archaeologists in Mexico have discovered at least fourteen Mammoth skeletons in what they say is the first man-made mammoth trap discovered anywhere in the world. | Listen |
| Iran cancels accreditation of IAEA nuclear inspector | |
| Teheran says inspector triggered an alarm at gate to a uranium-enrichment plant, and may have been carrying "suspicious material". Also, President Emmanuel Macron of France describes NATO as 'brain dead', and one of Africa's most notorious warlords is jailed at International criminal Court. | Listen |
| Trump impeachment: Public hearings start next week | |
| Democrats announce public hearings next week in an inquiry that may seek to remove President Donald Trump from office. Until now, lawmakers from three key Congress committees have heard witnesses behind closed doors. Also: Police in Mexico have arrested three men in connection with an attack on a US Mormon convoy which killed nine people, and why staff at a zoo in Japan are dressing up as penguins. | Listen |
| Tourists stabbed at popular Jordanian site | |
| Four tourists and four Jordanians have been wounded in the attack in Jerash, also: election campaign begins in Britain and a victory for women's football in Australia | Listen |
| Trump envoy revises testimony on Ukraine aid | |
| Gordon Sondland says he now remembers saying US aid "likely" hinged on an inquiry sought by President Trump. Also: thousands of scientists warn climate emergency "clear and unequivocal", and a New Zealand man accidentally buys 1000 hens for less than 1 US$. | Listen |
| Iran rolls back another nuclear deal commitment | |
| This is the fourth step taken by Iran since July in response to US sanctions reinstated by President Donald Trump. At least nine US citizens, including six children, have been killed in a violent attack by suspected drug cartel gunmen in northern Mexico. Chilean President Piñera tells the BBC he will not resign despite mass anti-government protests. | Listen |
| Recalled US ambassador felt 'threatened by Trump' | |
| Marie Yovanovitch said Mr Trump's remark in a call to Ukraine's leader left her "very concerned". Also: It's just emerged that a Dutch air strike killed about seventy in Iraq in 2015, and the veteran Irish broadcaster Gay Byrne dies aged 85. | Listen |
| Delhi air quality: Judges accuse authorities of 'passing the buck' | |
| Levels of dangerous particles in the air - known as PM2.5 - are at well over 10 times safe limits in the capital. Also: Vietnamese police have arrested eight people over the deaths of 39 people found inside a lorry trailer in the UK, and behind the Hollywood curtain with the actor Julie Andrews who played Mary Poppins. | Listen |
| Huge anti-government protests in Lebanon, despite appeals for unity. | |
| Lebanese President calls for national unity but anti-government protesters remain defiant; The Indian capital is engulfed in a choking smog - residents are told to stay indoors; And why is an oven and baking ingredients aboard a rocket going to the International Space Station ? | Listen |
| Deadly car bomb in Turkish controlled border town. | |
| At least thirteen people killed in a bomb explosion in a town on the Syria-Turkey border; Fresh clashes between police and protestors on the streets of Hong Kong; And what European bee-keepers have to do to prepare their charges for the winter | Listen |
| Progress reported in stalled Trade Talks | |
| The White House raises hopes of a deal to end the US - China trade war; Demonstrators on the streets in Algeria calling for revolution; And a new insight into how sleep helps clean your brain. | Listen |
| Five million face masks handed out in Delhi | |
| A public health emergency has been declared in Delhi, which is ranked as the world's most polluted city. Also: the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is told to scrap his deal with the EU and form an alliance with Nigel Farage in December's general election, and we hear from a women's rugby team in South Africa which is hoping for Springbok success in Saturday's World Cup final. | Listen |
| US House endorses impeachment inquiry into President Trump | |
| The US House of Representatives has passed a resolution to formally proceed with the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, setting the rules for the next stage of a bitter political battle; A study of measles has found the virus has a devastating impact on the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight other infections; And a warning that the global outbreak of African swine fever could kill a quarter of the world's pigs. | Listen |
| Pakistan train fire kills dozens | |
| More than 70 passengers have died in Pakistan's worst rail disaster in over a decade. The train was travelling between the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Rawalpindi. Also: Just over a week after the bodies of 39 people were discovered in the back of a trailer in England, we hear from others who have taken the dangerous human smuggling route, and how spiders might be able to help stick body tissue together after surgery. | Listen |
| Social media giant Twitter to ban all political adverts | |
| Social media giant Twitter will ban all political advertising worldwide, saying the reach of such messages "should be earned, not bought"; Chile?s embattled president cancels two major international summits because of domestic unrest; And survivors of London?s tragic Grenfell Tower blaze are calling for senior fire brigade staff to be sacked. | Listen |
| Talks start on new Syria Constitution. | |
| After years of civil war, fresh efforts to kick start Syrian peace talks; Turkey rejects US Congress vote recognising the mass killings of Armenians as genocide; And how the England team hacked-off World Rugby. | Listen |
| British MPs vote to hold a general election on 12th December | |
| Boris Johnson is hopeful he can secure a parliamentary majority and push through a Brexit deal, as the turmoil surrounding the UK?s departure from the EU drags on. Also: The prime minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, has said he?ll step down after facing two weeks of anti-government protests. And a Nepali mountaineer has set a new climbing record, scaling the world?s fourteen tallest peaks in just seven months. | Listen |
| Heavy casualties in overnight protests in Kerbala. | |
| Protests in the Iraqi capital Baghdad - and reports of deaths in the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala; Britain looks to be heading towards a snap December election after the opposition Labour Party gave its backing; Researchers say they've identified the birthplace of modern humans in southern Africa | Listen |
| Boris Johnson fails to trigger general election | |
| UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has again failed to secure backing for a general election, as the tortuous agony of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union continues. Also: Senior US military figures are unable to confirm President Donald Trump's description of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death. And a scientific breakthrough promises to transform our understanding of time and space. | Listen |
| EU approves another Brexit extension | |
| EU leaders have agreed in principle to extend Brexit until 31 January 2020 - meaning the UK will not leave as planned on Thursday. Meanwhile British MPs are due to vote on proposals to hold an early general election. Also, Alberto Fernandez has been elected as Argentina's new President and Virgin Galactic becomes the first space company to list on the New York Stock Exchange. | Listen |
| President Trump confirms death of IS leader | |
| The US says t the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has blown himself upafter being cornered by US special forces in Syria. Also: thousands turn out for a Spanish unity march in Barcelona and a painting which hung in a French kitchen for years sells for 26 million dollars. | Listen |
| New evacuations and power cuts as wild fires hit California | |
| Fifty-thousand more people ordered to leave their homes which are threatened by the fires, | Listen |
| Mueller report: Criminal probe into Russia inquiry begins | |
| US Justice Department launches criminal investigation into origins of Mueller inquiry. The investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election did not establish any criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign. Also, Vietnamese families fear their relatives are among 39 dead in UK lorry-trailer, and how migrating eagles ran up huge roaming-charges. | Listen |
| 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 | Listen |
| Boeing 737 Lion Air crash caused by series of failures | |
| Five months after the disaster in October last year, an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed, killing all 157 people on board, which led to the grounding of the entire 737 Max fleet. Also: Iraqi security forces have fired live rounds and tear gas at protesters marching in Baghdad, and the Australian rock closed to climbers in case they were ?hurting? it. | Listen |
| US Vice-President launches a scathing attack on China | |
| Ahead of fresh trade talks, Mike Pence accused Beijing of military posturing against its neighbours, criticising its trading behaviour and treatment of religious minorities. Also: Britain's Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is giving the opposition more time to discuss his Brexit deal ... so long as they agree to a General Election in just seven weeks. And Asterix the Gaul gets its first female heroine. | Listen |
| UK Police: 39 found dead in truck are Chinese nationals | |
| Police are questioning a lorry driver on suspicion of murdering 8 women and 31 men. Also: The remains of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco have been moved from a vast mausoleum to a low-key grave, and how a global pop band took promoting new music to a local level. | Listen |
| Trump lifts sanctions on Turkey over Syria assault | |
| President Trump says he will lift sanctions on Turkey but makes no apology to the Kurds; Republicans have stormed into a hearing of US congressional committees to disrupt the impeachment investigation into the president; Google says it has achieved a breakthrough in quantum computing, with a machine that far exceeds the power of conventional computers. | Listen |
| 39 dead bodies found in UK lorry | |
| The driver has been arrested on suspicion of murder and there is speculation the lorry started its journey in Bulgaria. Also: NATO says the ceasefire in northeast Syria could form the basis for a lasting solution; and the rodents that are being sent to driving school. | Listen |
| Brexit deal "in limbo" as MPs reject timetable. | |
| Defeat for the British Prime Minister means he's unlikely to meet his pledge to get Brexit done by the end of October, Kurdish fighters in northern Syria face deadline to withdraw thirty kilometres from the Turkish border, And have scientists made a major breakthrough in the treatment of dementia? | Listen |
| Canada election: Trudeau's Liberals win but lose majority | |
| The Liberals will be forced to depend on other parties to govern. Japan's Emperor Naruhito formally ascends to the throne in a lavish ceremony in Tokyo. Anger mounts in Bolivia over election result confusion. | Listen |
| Israeli PM Netanyahu fails to form a government | |
| Mr Netanyahu gives up on building a coalition after the recent election deadlock - his rival now gets to try. Also: Protests continue in Lebanon, despite the government announcing emergency reforms. And the British government fails in its latest attempt to hold a vote on the Brexit deal in parliament. | Listen |
| Lebanon protests: cabinet agrees reforms | |
| The proposals involve scrapping new taxes and halving the salaries of top officials. Canadians are voting on whether to give Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal party a second term. A Royal rif | |