Alle afleveringen van Global News Podcast – pagina 5 van 6

The Global Story: The US and Israel entered the Iran war together. Is Israel now being sidelined?

3 mei 2026 · 28 min

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Since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, there has been an ongoing debate over the role played by Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in convincing Donald Trump to go to war. Lees meer

But when it comes to ceasefire announcements, it has been the US President taking the lead - if the Israelis are present at all. So when it comes to ending the wars in Iran and Lebanon, are the Americans leaving Netanyahu out in the cold?

We speak to Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent at The Economist, and author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

The Happy Pod: Running topless because I'm proud of my scars

2 mei 2026 · 26 min

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We meet a woman who started running marathons topless after having both her breasts removed because of cancer. Louise Butcher tells us she wanted to display her mastectomy scars with pride. She says she wants to empower other women and show that surviving the disease is about power not pity. Lees meer

Also: Preserving voice notes from almost a hundred years ago. The so called 'speaking letters' were recorded on small discs and sent through the post.

Do chips from someone else's plate really taste better? Scientists put the common belief to the test.

A project to save bats in Nigeria, where they're often associated with witchcraft.

Plus: the comedian making her debut in her eighties; and the choir helping people get their voices back after a stroke or brain injury.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

(Photo: Topless marathon runner Louise Butcher. Credit: @louisebutcher39)

The Global Story: The global network hunting predators on the internet

26 april 2026 · 27 min

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Warning: this episode includes discussions of child sexual abuse and upsetting scenes. Lees meer

The BBC has been following a global team of undercover officers as they investigate the most hidden corners of the internet to stop those who exploit and harm children.

A dedicated network of specialist investigators has successfully tracked and caught serial paedophiles who operate across the dark web with the same sophistication and secrecy as international organised crime syndicates.

We speak to Special Agent Greg Squire who has dedicated his life to rescuing children who might otherwise never be found. His story is featured in the BBC documentary The Darkest Web and the BBC podcast World of Secrets: The Darkest Web.

For further information on the issues raised in the programme, contact support organisations in your own country. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support go to bbc.co.uk/actionline.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producer: Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Greg Squire in The Darkest Web: Inside the internet’s most hidden corners to save kids – BBC World Service Docs)

The Happy Pod: I invented a way for my brother to communicate

25 april 2026 · 26 min

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Ari wanted to help his brother Ben engage with the world after he lost the ability to walk, talk or move his hands. So he designed and built him a bespoke communication and entertainment system - allowing him to chat, go online, watch TV or play video games with just two buttons. Lees meer

Also: the endangered Mexican amphibian found in a river in the UK. Experts say the young girl who captured the axolotl probably saved its life.

The women using their own experiences with breast cancer to tackle cultural taboos about the disease in Uganda, and encourage others to get treatment.

After the Boston marathon, we hear from an elite female athlete hoping to inspire others by running the race while 22 weeks pregnant. And we find out why two runners stopped to help another who collapsed within sight of the finish line.

Plus a statue honouring a giant rat who sniffed out landmines in Cambodia; and why a nature festival has had to clarify that visitors should come fully clothed.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Image credit: NARBE House

The Global Story: The AI model that’s ‘too powerful’ to be released to the public

19 april 2026 · 28 min

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Anthropic - one of Silicon Valley’s leading AI firms - recently announced that they have built a model which is too dangerous to be released to the public. Lees meer

Instead, they are only giving access to the model to a handful of big companies, to help them find security vulnerabilities.The company says the model has already found weak spots in “every major operating system and web browser”. Is this a genuine example of a company acting responsibly, or more of a carefully calibrated publicity move?

We speak to the BBC’s North America tech correspondent, Lily Jamali, about whether this is a watershed moment.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Viv Jones and Aron Keller

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Mix: Travis Evans

Executive producer: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Credit: Jurassic Park (1993) / Dir: Stephen Spielberg / Universal Pictures

Photo: Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. Reuters/Denis Balibouse.

The Happy Pod: Filling the empty chair left by my best friend

18 april 2026 · 26 min

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We meet the man helping to tackle loneliness by offering strangers somewhere to sit and chat. Dean Perryman started the Empty Chairs project, honouring the memory of his best friend. After he posted the concept online, it has been replicated around the world. Lees meer

Also: How technology has allowed a dancer with a muscle-wasting disease to see herself performing on stage again. A headset allowed Breanna Olson to control a digital avatar with her brainwaves in real time. Plus, we meet the 95-year-old swimmer still breaking records and showing no signs of slowing down. Brazil gets its own tartan. And we introduce you to Marcus, the black labrador too friendly to be a guide dog, but who's found his calling supporting cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Photo: Dean Perryman hosting an Empty Chairs event in his distinctive orange hoodie. Credit: @EmptyChairsUK

The Global Story: The medications that can trigger sex and gambling addictions

12 april 2026 · 28 min

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A BBC investigation has heard from hundreds of people who say they developed sex and gambling addictions after taking a category of prescription drugs called dopamine agonists. Millions of people in the US and around the world have been prescribed these medications, which are used to treat various illnesses, from Parkinson’s to depression. But they have well-established side effects: around 1 in 6 people who take them develop impulse control disorders. Noel Titheradge, investigations correspondent, shares the story of one American woman who developed hypersexuality after she took a dopamine agonist drug. Like many of the patients Noel has spoken to, she says she was not warned that her medication could dramatically change her personality. Noel’s investigation is also a BBC podcast series. Search for ‘Shadow World: Impulsive’. If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor. Lees meer

For further information on the issues raised in the programme, contact support organisations in your own country. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support go to bbc.co.uk/actionline.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Viv Jones Executive producer: Bridget Harney Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: A mixture of pills. Credit: Lauren Hurley/PA Wire

The Happy Pod: From a small town, to the moon

11 april 2026 · 27 min

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The mayor of Ingersoll beams with pride at the Canadian town being represented on Artemis II. Ingersoll is home to 15,000 people, including the astronaut Jeremy Hansen - who is the mission specialist. Also, we speak to two former NASA astronauts about why the Artemis II mission has gripped people around the world. Lees meer

Plus, the garden designed to support people with Parkinson's disease. It will go on display in May at the British Chelsea Flower Show, and then find its roots at a specialist hospital. The woman who has a memorial bench in honour of her survival. The couple who held a sustainable wedding in Utrecht Central Station and, the rescue operation in New Zealand which reunited Molly the dog with her owner Jessica, one week after they were separated.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The Happy Pod: The decades long wait for the World Cup

4 april 2026 · 27 min

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We now know the 48 nations that will be competing in the summer's FIFA World Cup. The final two sides to qualify - Iraq and the DRC - have each waited decades to return to the competition. We hear from jubilant fans of both teams. Lees meer

Also, a small rural village in South Korea, which is at risk of extinction, is celebrating the birth of a baby for the first time 17 years. A community in Washington DC has come together to rebuild a bookshop that was destroyed in a fire. An ancient abbey in the north of England is experiencing a tourism boost thanks to a Taiwanese pop star. A British schoolgirl has invented a pair of glasses designed to help people with dyslexia. In Japan, people have been taking part in a Grand Prix like no other: an office chair race.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The Global Story: Are we heading for World War Three?

29 maart 2026 · 28 min

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It’s been almost a month since Israel and the US launched their war against Iran, and already there have been strikes in more than a dozen countries, with reports of over 2,000 people killed across the region. As the war drags on and more countries get involved, there are concerns this conflict could escalate into something truly global. Lees meer

We speak to Emeritus Professor of International History at the University of Oxford, Margaret MacMillan, and explore how world wars start, how they end and what can be done to avoid them.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Chris Benderev and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. Military aircraft perform 4th of July flyover past New York City and New Jersey, 4 July 2020. Photo: credit: Reuters/Mike Segar

The Happy Pod: The hug that stopped a bombing

28 maart 2026 · 26 min

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A patient who stopped a bomb attack at a hospital has revealed he hugged the would-be-attacker to calm him down. Nathan Newby spent two hours talking to the armed man and persuaded him to abandon his plan. He received the George Medal for bravery from King Charles this week. Lees meer

Also: how a viral video of pack of dogs has captured the attention of animal lovers across China and beyond.

England's Football Association has apologised to a women's team who defied its fifty year ban on female players. The sport's governing body praised the Manchester Corinthians as trailblazers.

And: Millions of people are flocking to see Washington DC's beloved cherry trees in full bloom. The National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates international friendship, as the trees were a gift from Tokyo over a hundred years ago.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The Global Story:How does war affect a child’s brain?

22 maart 2026 · 28 min

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For nearly forty years, Fergal Keane has reported for the BBC from some of the world’s most brutal conflicts – in Gaza, Iraq, Rwanda, Sudan, Ukraine and beyond – and in that time interviewed scores of children who are the innocent victims of adult wars. Lees meer

As he came to understand the impacts of trauma on young minds, Keane began too to experience his own mental breakdowns – the result of a troubled childhood and a career spent running towards danger – and was eventually diagnosed with PTSD.

In today’s episode, he reflects on what he has learned from his own experiences and reporting about how childhood traumas can be treated, and the hope for those living through today’s wars.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producer: Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Displaced children play in Gaza, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Haitham Imad/ EPA/ Shutterstock.

The Happy Pod: Beers, braids and bonding

21 maart 2026 · 27 min

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We meet the men on a mission to help fellow Dads connect with their daughters, through a movement called 'pints and ponytails'. It's a chance to learn how to do a range of girls' hairstyles, over a couple of beers. But organisers say they leave with more than just salon skills - as the shared experience encourages men to open up about other parenting challenges. Lees meer

Also: an unexpected solution that could help in the fight againt both plastic pollution and Parkinson's disease.

Rhinos return to a national park in Uganda for the first time in more than forty years. It's hoped they'll help establish a thriving population -- improving the ecosystem, creating jobs and attracting tourists.

Plus - aging well: Researchers found that around a third of people over the age of 65 saw improvements in their physical and mental abilities.

And how a holiday souvenir from Morocco turned out to be a previously unknown type of rock.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

The Happy Pod: Turning my toddler's tales into tunes

14 maart 2026 · 28 min

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Stephen Spencer has set his daughter's stories to music. What started as something he posted for his few followers has turned into a social media sensation, with fans around the world left smiling, laughing or even crying by the catchy tunes and often bizarre lyrics. Lees meer

Also: how a chance conversation between two women on a train led to one donating her eggs so the other could have a baby. When Anita revealed her fertility issues, Ginny instantly offered to help.

A surgeon who successfully operated on a patient hundreds of kilometres away says it opens up new possibilities for people around the world. He was able to remotely control a surgical robot in real time, thanks to advances in technology.

In Singapore, medical students are learning to be more compassionate doctors by studying poetry. Those behind the course say it helps the students to understand nuance in how patients are feeling.

Plus are dogs that howl along to music actually singing, and how a sly fox accidentally made a transatlantic voyage.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The Happy Pod: My friends made me a new hand

7 maart 2026 · 26 min

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Lois, 14, and her classmates used a 3D printer to create her new hand as part of a school project. Now they want to make prosthetic limbs for other people who need them, using the same method. Lees meer

Also: We find out how a new drug is transforming the lives of children with a severe form of epilepsy. A trial found it significantly reduced their seizures and also helped with overall development and movement.

We meet two Turkish students using AI to help locate people trapped under rubble after earthquakes. They hope their invention will help rescuers reach survivors more quickly.

Plus the teams working to save seagrass meadows, which are vital in tackling climate change. And the Harajuku dog walking man - who's become famous for leading dozens of small dogs around Tokyo.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Photo: Nature School

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

The Global Story:The tightrope of reporting in Putin’s Russia

22 februari 2026 · 28 min

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Next week marks four years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In that time, there’s been an intense crackdown on freedom of speech and dissent in Russia, which has led to many western media organisations leaving the country. Lees meer

Today, we speak to Steve Rosenberg, the BBC’s Russia editor, on the tightrope of reporting from Moscow under Vladimir Putin.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producer: Sam Chantarasak
Executive producer: Bridget Harney
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow. Credit: Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool/Reuters.

The Happy Pod: Former teacher celebrated as a crocodile

21 februari 2026 · 27 min

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After identifying a new species of ancient crocodile for his PhD, Ewan Bodenham honoured his favourite physics teacher who inspired him many years before. Galahadosuchus jonesi has been named after Rhys Jones - who says it is a privilege. Plus, the school in Brazil that many gave up on a decade ago wins a prestigious international award. A woman has been reunited with her prosthetic leg ten months after she lost it in the sea. We hear about the dog that led police in Louisville to a missing three year old and the Mosque that went viral for sharing videos of a pilates class for men over the age of 50.
Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. Lees meer

Presenter: Oliver Conway. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The Global Story: Epstein’s global network: What the files reveal

15 februari 2026 · 28 min

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Two weeks after the latest release of the Epstein files, the headlines keep pouring in. Lees meer

In just the past few days, revelations in the documents have nearly brought down a British prime minister, and implicated politicians and royals from around the world. The files are even fuelling speculation about whether the late sex offender could have been a spy.

We speak to Nomia Iqbal, BBC World Affairs Correspondent, about what we’ve learned this week about the international fallout of the Epstein scandal.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Viv Jones, Valerio Esposito and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Epstein files. Credit: Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA/Shutterstock

The Happy Pod: The model redefining beauty norms

14 februari 2026 · 27 min

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We meet a Ghanaian woman who is challenging stereotypes of beauty and disability by modelling with her prosthetic leg wrapped in colourful kente fabric. Abena Christine Jon'el had her leg amputated when she was just two years old because of an aggressive form of cancer. She says she's fought through so much to survive that she's determined to fight for anyone who's ever felt defeated by life. Lees meer

Also: A mobile gaming app that's helping teenagers in Brazil learn how to support their friends with mental health issues.

A scheme teaching gardening skills to prisoners in the UK to help cut the numbers who reoffend after their release.

The Washington museum curator who's adopted Gen Z slang to get younger people interested in its works of art. Alison Luchs has attracted over nine million views with two social media posts, and is challenging others to submit similar videos about other exhibits.

Plus big baby elephant news, some unusual guard animals, and how one new family helped bring an entire community together, just by showing they cared.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

(Photo: Abena Christine Jon'el on the catwalk in Ghana. Credit: Vino Studio / Nineteen57 Events)

The Global Story: Is ISIS having a resurgence in Syria?

8 februari 2026 · 28 min

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The US military has begun to transfer up to 7000 Islamic State (IS) group detainees held in prisons in Syria to Iraq, which officials say is to prevent prisoners breaking out and regrouping. The transfer comes weeks after the US led large-scale strikes on IS group targets in Syria.
The move comes after clashes between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which last week ended in a deal that would see the gradual integration of Kurdish forces and institutions into the state, and transfer control of the prisons to Damascus.
Today we talk to Josh Baker, investigative journalist and host of the BBC podcast I Am Not A Monster, about the state of the IS group, and whether the country’s instability could lead to a resurgence in Syria Lees meer

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle
Senior news editor: China Collins
Mix: Travis Evans

Photo: A member of the Syrian security forces stands in front of the gate of the Al-Hol camp, which houses families of suspected Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Credit: Mohammed al-Rifai/EPA/Shutterstock

The Global Story: The mystery of Putin and the apartment bombs

1 februari 2026 · 28 min

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In September 1999, just weeks into Vladimir Putin’s first premiership, four bombs blew up four apartment buildings, over a period of twelve days, killing hundreds and plunging the entire nation into fear.
The government blamed Chechen militants, a conclusion corroborated by many journalists at the time. But whispers of a darker conspiracy persist to this day.
A new BBC podcast, The History Bureau: Putin and the Apartment Bombs, tells the story of those bombings and re-examines how these tragic events helped propel Vladimir Putin to power. Asma talks to the host of the series, Helena Merriman. Lees meer

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Viv Jones
Executive producer: Bridget Harney
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Moscow apartment buildings in the 1990s. (Credit: BBC)

The Happy Pod: What makes people instinctively kind?

31 januari 2026 · 27 min

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We meet a woman whose near death experience as a teenager inspired her to study why some people are willing to risk their lives for others. Dr Abigail Marsh was rescued by a stranger after a car accident and wanted to understand what drove him to help her. She says altruists, those who instinctively help without expecting anything in return, are more sensitive to the needs of other people -- but we can all learn to be kinder. Lees meer

Also: we hear from a man whose willingness to help others led him to donate a kidney. It went to a woman he'd become friends with after he supported her through a personal tragedy.

We find out about an Australian scheme to help dads and their kids be healthier, which also showed the benefits of rough and tumble play. And it's inspired a project at a prison in Scotland that aims to make dads better role models by playing with their kids. It's hoped that helping them become better parents will make them less likely to reoffend.

Plus, why a crying horse soft toy has been a surprise hit with young workers in China, and what its like to be a patient helping to develop new medical treatments by volunteering for a clinical trial.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

(Presenter: Jannat Jalil. Music composed by Iona Hampson)

(Photo: Dr Abigail Marsh. Credit Georgetown University)

The Global Story: How Canada's Mark Carney is taking on Trump

25 januari 2026 · 28 min

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seemed to challenge Donald Trump in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, declaring that “the old world order is not coming back” and urging fellow “middle powers” to come together.
In response, Trump said Canada gets “a lot of freebies” from the United States and “they should be grateful”.
After striking a major trade and tariff deal with China – the US’s rival superpower – is Carney emerging as the leader of a global resistance to Trump? And does he have an alternative vision for the world? We speak to Lyse Doucet, the BBC’s chief international correspondent. Lees meer

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Aron Keller, Hannah Moore, Sam Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: James Shield
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
(Photo: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Credit: Jessica Lee/EPA/Shutterstock)

The Happy Pod: Saving lives with the man who saved mine

24 januari 2026 · 27 min

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Mesfin Dollar, who grew up in rural Ethiopia, had to travel to the US for two heart surgeries as a teenager. Twenty-five years later, by chance, he was reunited with the surgeon who saved his life -- when they both volunteered for a charity mission to his home country. Mesfin and Dr Jim Kauten went on to work together, performing hundreds of life-saving operations. Lees meer

Also: a Paralympic athlete and musician who's blind talks of his joy at being sent a specially designed amplifier. It's thought to be the first to include braille on the controls, giving Anthony Ferraro the freedom to adjust the sound of his guitar himself.

How farmers in rural Malawi are getting help and advice from Articial Intelligence through a new chatbot.

Why a cow in Austria has found fame for using a broom to scratch her back -- suggesting cattle are far more intelligent than we think.

Plus a woman who's entered the male-dominated world of lorry driving in her fifties - and a girl who joined her father's photography business at the age of nine.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

The Global Story: The post-World War II era is over. What comes next?

18 januari 2026 · 29 min

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For most of the years since World War 2, many global powers said they adhered to a rules-based international order. Since Donald Trump returned to the White House that idea is falling away. But did it ever exist in reality? And what’s the alternative now? The Lees meer

BBC’s International Editor Jeremy Bowen wraps up our week of special coverage.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Xandra Ellin
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Photo: Presidents Putin, Trump and Xi as Russian dolls. Credit: Yuri Kochetkov. EFE/REX/Shutterstock

The Happy Pod: The injection that saved my sight

17 januari 2026 · 25 min

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We hear from a woman whose determination to avoid going blind has inspired her doctors to develop a new treatment for a rare eye condition. Nicki Guy says the injection of a low cost, water-based gel has been life changing and given her the chance to see her son grow up. The treatment has already helped restore the eyesight of dozens of other people with hypotony - which can cause the eye to collapse, leading to blindness. Lees meer

Also: the new Barbie doll that's designed to help improve understanding and acceptance of autism. A neurodiverse writer says she hopes it will help young girls understand it's not something to hide or be ashamed of.
A revolutionary way of treating some cancers is being offered to people in the UK with an aggressive form of leukaemia for the first time. Research has shown genetically modifying the patient's own cells to recognise the blood cancer, can extend their lives or, in some cases, offer a cure.
Plus, how one man's regular habit of having gumbo at the same restaurant twice a day may have saved his life; the 24-year-old in charge of protecting the Pacific Ocean around the remote Pitcairn island; and the amateur football team who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in English footballing history by beating a side from the Premier League.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Valerie Sanderson. Music composed by Iona Hampson
Picture: PA

The Global Story: The US ran a war game on the aftermath of Maduro’s fall – it predicted chaos

11 januari 2026 · 29 min

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When the US government captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, on Saturday, most of the world was shocked. But US officials had for years been gaming out different scenarios, including predicting what would happen if Maduro was ousted. According to one man who took part, each ended in disaster.
On today’s episode, we speak to the former Washington Post journalist Douglas Farah, who participated in war games on Venezuela during Donald Trump’s first term, as well as during the Obama and Biden administrations.
The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts. Lees meer

The Happy Pod: The 88-year-old veteran given nearly $2m by strangers

10 januari 2026 · 27 min

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The Australian 'kindness influencer' who raised nearly two million dollars to help an elderly US veteran. Samuel Weidenhofer flew thousands of miles to find Ed Bambas after being told he needed help. Ed, who's 88, was still working in a shop because he couldn't afford to retire, having lost his pension and healthcare.
Also: one of the few people ever to walk around the world says he was inspired to keep going by the rescue dog he adopted along the way. Tom Turcich spent seven years making the journey with Savannah, who he describes as the best possible companion.
The family of a US Air Force serviceman have been reunited with his dog tag, seventy years after it was lost.
We hear how a young woman in the UK is trying to dispel the stigma surrounding a medical device known as a stoma bag, by turning them into fashion accessories.
Plus some very big baby news as a US zoo prepares to welcome a very rare elephant calf.
Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.
Presenter: Alex Ritson. Music composed by Iona Hampson Lees meer

The Happy Pod: Christmas with the man I saved

4 januari 2026 · 27 min

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A US woman whose bone marrow saved a father of three in Australia has spent Christmas with him and his family. Gennaro Rapinese, whose leukaemia was cured by the donation, greeted Cassidy Feeney at the airport in Perth with the words 'you saved my life'. Cassidy, who'd never met Gennaro before, says she decided to donate because she'd want someone to do the same for her loved ones - and believes everyone should care more about others and less about themselves.
Also: How a community rallied around to help after customers left a restaurant in Montreal without paying a large bill. The owner of Mama Khan's uses his profits to run a soup kitchen and deliver free meals to those in need.
The company in Sweden that's tackling loneliness by giving employees time off dedicated to working on their friendships.
A chance encounter and a small act of kindness that led to a couple getting engaged.
Plus a very rare pink platypus, and why millions of people around the world sing the Scottish folk song, Auld Lang Syne, to mark the new year.
Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. Lees meer

Presenter: Oliver Conway. Music composed by Iona Hampson

The Global Story - Why Australia’s gun laws aren’t as strong as you might think

21 december 2025 · 27 min

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After the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, Australia tightened its gun laws, and has since been considered a world-leading example by gun control advocates of how to lessen the chances of mass shootings occurring. Lees meer

However, the mass murder of at least 15 people in an antisemitic attack at Bondi beach on Sunday has again raised the issue of gun access, and Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said he is “ready to fight” to strengthen the laws again.

On today’s show, Ariel Bogle, an investigations reporter with Guardian Australia, explains why the number of guns in Australia has been rising, and how stricter laws might be received in the country.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Marty Peralta

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Photo of unregistered handguns that were returned to police, near Smederevo, Serbia. Credit: Dimitrije Goll /EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

The Happy Pod: The magic of festive airport reunions

20 december 2025 · 28 min

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Videos capturing the joy and emotion of families reuniting at Dublin Airport for the festive season have received thousands of views online. We speak to the team behind the cameras to find out why they wanted to share the messages of love.
Also: meet the 'bubbliest' wedding judge in Texas. Judge Adam Swartz has gone viral for his ceremonies. We visit two rare grapefruit trees serving as a memorial to a community elder, who brought them from Grenada to the UK. Plus, a new world record for the number of golden retrievers in the same place at the same time and... knock, knock... it's time for a Christmas carol. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. Lees meer

Presenter: Celia Hatton. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The Global Story: The murders that moved a nation: Italy’s new femicide law

14 december 2025 · 27 min

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**This episode contains descriptions of abuse and violence** Lees meer

In November, the Italian parliament voted unanimously to introduce the term “femicide” into the country’s legal code. The murder of a woman – on account of her gender – is now a distinct crime, punishable with a life sentence.

The United Nations reported that last year nearly 50,000 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members.

Italy is the latest country to adopt a specific law in an effort to curb violence against women following a string of brutal murders of young women.

One of the most publicized was Giulia Tramontano, who was repeatedly stabbed by her partner while seven months pregnant. Her murder - along with another case – sparked fierce outrage across Italy, culminating in the new law being passed.

In this episode, we hear from Giulia’s sister, Chiara Tramontano and the BBC Southern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producer: Valerio Esposito
Executive Producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: A photo of Giulia Tramontano. Alessandro Memoli/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images

The Happy Pod: The cafe where mistakes are expected

13 december 2025 · 28 min

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A pop-up cafe in Tokyo is giving people with dementia a place to volunteer as well as a sense of community. A volunteer there, Toshio Morita, has become something of a local celebrity. At the Orange Day Café, muddled orders, long pauses and gentle confusion aren’t mistakes — they’re the point. Lees meer

Also:

A Northern Irish man who suffered a cardiac arrest had his life saved after his golden retriever, named Polly, alerted his wife after he stopped breathing. Polly the dog has been hailed a hero by the charity, the British Heart Foundation.

A revolutionary gene therapy has successfully treated patients with aggressive and previously incurable blood cancers.

In Kenya, the Rare Gem Talent School has been set up specifically to teach dyslexic children. A condition that is believed to impact around 10% of people globally.

A woman in Kerala, India, has started a camp to help women who are going through a divorce.

And a French man in London has become the face of a homelessness charity after his virtuoso piano playing at a train station went viral.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

The Global Story: The Fifa-Trump bromance

7 december 2025 · 28 min

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Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, is widely expected to award Donald Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize on Friday, at the draw for the 2026 World Cup in Washington DC. The prize has led to scrutiny over Infantino’s close relationship with Trump, along with concerns that Trump might move matches from host cities and fears over visa delays or refusals for travelling fans and officials. Lees meer

We speak to Dan Roan, the BBC’s sports editor, about why Infantino is cozying up to Trump, and what it means for football and global diplomacy.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producer: Sam Chantarasak and Aron Keller

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Fifa President Gianni Infantino shows US President Donald Trump the World Cup Trophy in the Oval Office. Chip Somodevilla

The Happy Pod: My best friend had my baby

6 december 2025 · 26 min

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We hear about an extraordinary story of love, friendship and a teenage promise fulfilled over a decade later. When Georgia Barrington was told, at the age of 15, that she'd been born without a womb, she thought her dreams of having a baby were over. So her best friend, Daisy Hope, promised she would one day act as her surrogate. Years later, after having her daughter, she reminded her friend of that offer -- and a few weeks ago gave birth to Georgia's baby girl. The women say it's given them a bond like no other.
Also: how the traditionally male world of yodelling is being given a modern, feminist twist. Switzerland's new yodel choirs aim to bring people from all backgrounds together and connect them through song.
The world-famous Chinese pianist, Lang Lang, talks about the healing power of music. His charitable foundation runs concerts and creative workshops for children struggling with physical or mental health issues or grief.
We find out about how one winner of this year's Earthshot prizes is bringing education to women living on some of Bangladesh's most fragile islands.
Plus: a statue honouring the true impact of pregnancy and childbirth on women's bodies; the man bringing the stress-busting sights and sounds of nature to tens of thousands of people around the world; and the young owl rescued from a cement mixer. Lees meer

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Ankur Desai. Music composed by Iona Hampson

The Global Story: The international drama of Miss Universe

30 november 2025 · 27 min

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Miss Universe 2025 has been rocked by controversies and chaos, from stage falls and contestants storming out, to judges quitting and allegations of vote rigging – which the organisers deny. Lees meer

The pageant – styled as a celebration of women of all backgrounds and nationalities – has suffered waning international attention in recent years, with many questioning the ideals of femininity it seems to espouse.

Could the drama of this year’s competition get people watching again?

BBC journalist and Miss Universe expert, William Lee Adams, joins us to discuss.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch is crowned as Miss Universe 2025. Rungroj Yongrit/EPA

Why there's hope for Haiti

30 november 2025 · 28 min

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Armed gangs now control much of Port-au-Prince and more than a million people have been forced from their homes. In this Global News Podcast special, Nick Miles and Nawal Al-Maghafi hear from Haitians on the front line, including a pro-democracy activist, a feminist campaigner supporting survivors of sexual violence, and a medic trying to keep emergency services going in a city under siege. They tell us how people are resisting, what real change would look like, and why so many people still believe Haiti has a future worth fighting for. Lees meer

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.
Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.
Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

The Happy Pod: Diabetes Awareness Month special

29 november 2025 · 34 min

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In this special episode we're marking Diabetes Awareness Month with a range of stories about innovation, advocacy and education -- including a book helping children newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. It began as a university project for Lea Leleta Sümer, who's from Bosnia-Herzegovina and has lived with the condition since she was two years old. She wanted to help children like her come to terms with their condition, as well as educate others. Lees meer

Also: The Barbie Doll with Type 1 diabetes - a collaboration from Mattel and the international diabetes charity, Breakthrough T1D. We meet the women who inspired the doll.

We speak to Sally TM, of RuPaul's Drag Race UK fame, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes around the age of 10. Sally uses her art and platform to advocate for people living with the condition.

As Italy becomes the first country to implement a nationwide screening programme, we hear from the man who has pioneered it.

Plus a teacher who's broken the world record for the fastest marathon by a male with type 1 diabetes. And we find out how recent advances in technology have made the daily management of the condition easier and safer, and consider what's to come.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenters: Harry Bligh and Alex Ritson. Music composed by Sarah Warren

The Global Story: The oil lobbyist who tried to sink the first big climate deal

23 november 2025 · 27 min

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The American lawyer, oil lobbyist and master strategist Don Pearlman is said to have chain-smoked his way through almost every UN climate gathering from the early 1990s until his death in 2005.
Some of those who saw Pearlman operate in Kyoto, where the first legally binding international agreement on climate change was agreed in 1997, say he created the playbook for stalling climate talks. The Kyoto protocol was never ratified by the United States, and Pearlman is now the subject of a major play, Kyoto, which has just transferred from London to the Lincoln Center in New York.
As the COP30 climate summit takes place in Brazil, we speak to BBC climate journalist Jordan Dunbar, who’s been trying to piece together the true story of the man once nicknamed ‘the high priest of the carbon club’. Lees meer

With Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC’s international newsroom, The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Aron Keller and Cat Farnsworth
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Don Pearlman at the Kyoto summit / BBC.

The Happy Pod: Donating my kidney transformed a child's life

22 november 2025 · 26 min

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We hear about a rare meeting between a living organ donor and the child whose life was transformed by receiving her kidney. Aly Coyle says she was delighted to see 5-year-old Xavier happy and healthy after the transplant. His parents tracked her down through social media to say thank you, and describe her as an angel who's now part of their family.
Also: how a new machine could dramatically increase the number of liver transplants, by improving the way the organs are stored outside the body.
A media company run for and by young disabled people that's hoping to challenge stereotypes and promote discussion.
A grand prix with a difference - why cows, and their riders, race through a small Swiss village.
Plus: the newly rediscovered works of Bach that have been performed for the first time in over three hundred years.
And why more men are taking up knitting.
Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. Lees meer

The Global Story; The hostage negotiator’s guide to making deals with Putin’s Russia

16 november 2025 · 28 min

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Donald Trump has spent this year trying to negotiate a deal to end the war in Ukraine. So far, Vladimir Putin doesn’t seem interested in the US’s proposals.
One man who has successfully negotiated with Russia – and with many of America’s adversaries – is Roger Carstens, former Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. From 2020 to 2025 he worked to free dozens of US citizens taken hostage and wrongfully detained around the world, including in Russia. Securing their release often required complex deals that took years to put together.
What does it take to successfully negotiate with Putin’s Russia? Lees meer

With Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC’s international newsroom, The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producer: Lucy Pawle
Executive producer: James Shield
Senior news editor: China Collins
Mix: Travis Evans
Photo: Roger Carstens. Credit: BBC

The Happy Pod: Saving a drowning man changed me

15 november 2025 · 27 min

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We speak to a woman who saved the life of a kayaker, after spotting him floating face down in Idaho's Snake River. Rachelle Ruffing says knowing CPR allowed her to 'make a miracle' which has changed her, and everyone should learn how to do it. She says she still finds it hard to believe that the man made a full recovery and that attending his recent wedding was a privilege. Lees meer

Also: the Afghan women's football team returns to the international stage, four years after the players fled the Taliban. FIFA changed the venue of the tournament to allow them to take part.
Conservationists find a way to save a rare albatross by getting birds from another species to act as foster parents for their eggs.
We hear how old home movies are being rescued so people can relive precious family moments decades later.
Plus, after the fat bears of Alaska, we find out about the squirrels bulking up for winter in Texas; and we meet the man who can charm animals with his music, even stopping a herd of rhinos in their tracks.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

The Global Story: The rehabilitation of Syria’s ex-jihadist president

9 november 2025 · 28 min

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After getting the red-carpet treatment at the UN in New York last week, the former al-Qaeda fighter who now leads Syria is about to hold an election. But is Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, really about to transition the country into democracy? Or does he have other plans?
The BBC's senior international correspondent Orla Guerin joins us from Damascus, where she’s been speaking to Syrians about the country’s future. Lees meer

With Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC’s international newsroom, The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts. .
Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Valerio Esposito
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior News Editor: China Collins

The Happy Pod: Atomic bomb survivors campaigning for peace

8 november 2025 · 30 min

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In this Happy Pod special we're in Munich, Germany for One Young World. We speak to survivors of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and their families as they turn their painful memories into a call for peace and the end of nuclear weapons. They're part of a group that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024.
Also: The young Argentine harnessing Artifical Intelligence to spot wildfires; Zaynab Mohamed - the first Muslim woman elected to Minnesota's Senate at just 25; the 'TikTok Mayor' using social media to show life in charge of a tiny Spanish village; and the England football star, Georgia Stanway, who's using Euros success to change the game for the next generation of female players. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. Lees meer

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Xi, Kim and Putin: A new world alliance?

4 september 2025 · 34 min

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After China's President Xi welcomed North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin to Beijing: we ask what do Western nations make of this show of strength? Lees meer

In this special edition, Celia Hatton is joined by our correspondents across the globe to discuss the reaction to the military parade. China marked the anniversary of the end of World War Two by showing off its next generation of cutting edge weaponry.

We ask if the alliance between the three nuclear armed leaders poses a real threat to the West?

The Happy Pod: Learning begins with breakfast

2 augustus 2025 · 27 min

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Meet the charity which is providing free breakfasts for three million children across sixteen countries. We visit a school to see how Mary's Meals is helping children to focus on learning. Their biggest programme is in Malawi in south-east Africa, and for many students there, it's a reason to stay in school. Lees meer

Also on the podcast, we hear from the micro-farm in Montreal growing fruit and veg for local people on low incomes. Plus a social club trying to combat loneliness in Venezuela by bringing elderly people together for a dance, and the Italians coming together to save a tiny island from developers.

The Happy Pod, our weekly collection of uplifting and inspiring stories from around the world. Part of the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

Presenter: Ankur Desai. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

Iran crisis: your questions answered

26 juni 2025 · 26 min

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A special episode answering your questions about the Iran crisis. BBC experts discuss Iran's nuclear ambitions, possibilities of regime change and the impact on the wider Middle East.

The Happy Pod: Sending my mother's ashes around the world

21 juni 2025 · 28 min

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The woman fulfilling her mother's dreams of travel by launching her ashes out to sea in a bottle. It's brought her happiness amid her grief. Also: Thailand's tigers bounce back; and making hospitals happier for children. Lees meer

Presenter: Nick Miles. Music composed by Iona Hampson

The Happy Pod: The unlikely duo getting men talking about mental health

24 mei 2025 · 28 min

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We hear how a man travelling the world with a cuddly duck has encouraged thousands to open up about mental health problems. Also: a roaring success for India's lions; and Kermit the Frog urges graduates to leap together. Lees meer

Presenter: Valerie Sanderson
Music: Iona Hampson

Le Pen vows to fight political ban

7 april 2025 · 32 min

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French far-right leader calls embezzlement conviction a 'witch hunt' at Paris rally. Also: mobile number mix-up blamed for White House security breach, Pope surprises crowds at the Vatican and Soccer Grannies World Cup.