Global News Podcast

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country will "stand alone" and "fight with its fingernails", after the US warned it could halt arms shipments if Israel ordered a full-scale invasion of Rafah in Gaza. Also: Israel heads to Eurovision final despite protests; and the tech company Apple faces a backlash over the destruction of musical instruments and books in an iPad advert.

The Rapid Support Forces in Sudan are facing allegations of war crimes and genocide in West Darfur. The New York-based Human Rights Watch says the leaders of the RSF and its Arab allies should be sanctioned for deliberately targeting non-Arab communities. It says the international community has failed to respond to the scale of the crisis in Sudan. Also: Saudi Arabia is accused of using lethal force to clear land for a futuristic desert city, why Russia is opening an embassy in Sierra Leone - after more than three decades, Japan announces expansion of whale hunting, a supplier to the aircraft manufacturer Boeing says major parts left its factory with serious defects, and a trial to send a former Paralympian into orbit.

President Joe Biden has warned that if Israel launches a ground operation into Rafah he will not supply the offensive weapons that have been used in the past. Also: European Union to give profits from Russian assets to Ukraine, and Malaysia offers trade partners "orangutan diplomacy".

Sea temperatures broke records every day over the past year, hitting marine life hard and driving a new wave of coral bleaching. China's President Xi Jinping visits Serbia. A BBC investigation uncovers clear ties between members of Germany's AfD party, and former neo-Nazi networks. Russia's last Eurovision contestant says she won't stop protesting against the war in Ukraine. And how a peanut and milk allergy trial is transforming lives.

The porn star provided a detailed salacious account of her alleged sexual encounter with the former US president Donald Trump. Also: Israel takes Rafah crossing as truce talks continue, and the Swiss army knife maker is to produce a version without a blade.

It says the plot involved recruiting military officers who would abduct Mr Zelensky and then murder him. The assassinations, according to the statement, were to be timed for President Putin's inauguration, as a present. President Putin has now been sworn in for a fifth term. Humanitarian agencies say the closure of the two main crossings into southern Gaza is making it almost impossible to deliver aid, as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas. Rescuers in South Africa have made contact with some of the construction workers trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building. How AI is helping to identify victims of the Holocaust, and how major music artists are turning their attention to India.

Hamas said on Monday it had approved a ceasefire proposal put forward over the weekend. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he could not agree to the proposal - but is willing to negotiate. Meanwhile, the Israeli military is conducting what it called "targeted strikes" against Hamas in eastern Rafah. On Monday morning, Israel urged 100,000 Palestinians to leave eastern Rafah ahead of a "limited" military operation. Also: Russia announces drills involving tactical nuclear weapons near Ukraine, and authorities in South Africa search for survivors trapped in a collapsed building.

The evacuation comes ahead of an offensive in a region where more than 1.4 million people are sheltering. The Israeli military says the operation will be carried out with "limited scope". A senior Hamas official has described the move as a "dangerous escalation that will have consequences". Talks aimed at securing a ceasefire deal and the release of Israeli hostages have stalled. Also: China's President, Xi Jinping, is in France on the first stop of a tour of Europe. Combat veterans in Ukraine say the method of conscription should change. The people of Chad are voting for a new president after three years of military rule. Meanwhile, Argentina?s new president, Javier Milei, speaks for the first time to the BBC and defends his radical austerity plans. Mexican surfers pay tribute to three tourists from Australia and America whose bodies were found in a well, after they went missing on holiday. And correcting a music myth about Mama Cass Elliott. Top news and analysis from around the world.

The Qatar-based news network condemned the confiscation of broadcast equipment. Also: Israel closes an aid crossing into Gaza after three soldiers were killed in a Hamas rocket attack, and why there are Cubans now fighting for Russia in Ukraine.

Officials say another 70 people are missing in Rio Grande do Sul. Also, talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages continue in Cairo, and the Spanish Government tries to calm tensions with Argentina after some unguarded comments about the Argentine President.

This week, the adventures of Galena the cat who ended up hundreds of kilometres from home after climbing into a box. Also: How a stick on patch can vaccinate children against measles and rubella -- without the need for doctors or nurses. And video-calling isn't just for people, it's for parrots too. The happiest stories in the world - our weekly collection.

Police say they've been charged in connection with the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June. Also, the Kenyan president issues a warning that a powerful cyclone could be about to hit coastal areas, and Spain's government announces a national prize for bullfighting is to be abolished over concerns about animal welfare.

More than a million on the brink of famine as fighting intensifies around the city of Al-Fashir. A senior UN official tells the BBC there's been a breakdown in the rule of law, a spate of arbitrary killings -- and the burning of entire villages. Also: Turkey bans all trade with Israel -- and Italians face the end of puppy yoga.

The US President Joe Biden has urged pro-Palestinian protesters on university campuses to uphold the rule of law. Police have detained more than 2,000 people nationwide in the past fortnight at college rallies and protest camps. Also: Russia blamed for GPS interference affecting flights in Europe, and a wounded orangutan in Indonesia is seen using a plant as medicine.

Hundreds of officers fire flares and stun grenades on protesters. Also: the EU announces a billion dollar package for Lebanon; and the American 'King of Twang' guitarist Duane Eddy dies at 86.

Riot police in Tbilisi fired tear gas and water cannon into crowds protesting against a law seen by the opposition as targeting media freedoms. The protestors also say that they are concerned about the future of the country - whether it will be closer to Russia or the EU. Also: US universities are gripped by protests over the war in Gaza, and can you be a cage fighter if you hate fighting?

UCLA is the latest US university campus to be hit by clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and their opponents. The American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken pushes to get more aid into Gaza, while urging Hamas to accept a ceasefire deal. Why are women footballers more likely to get injured during their periods? And remembering Paul Auster, the American author who's died at the age of 77.

The judge at the hush money trial in New York fined the former US president and warned him to stop making public statements about witnesses and jurors. Also: Colombian military loses millions of bullets; in the world of gaming, Manchester City's footballer Erling Haaland morphs into the Barbarian King in the Clash of the Clans.

The Israeli PM Netanyahu says war won?t stop until the goal of defeating Hamas was achieved. Also: reports from Mali say senior figure in the Islamic State group in Africa has been killed. A leaked document obtained by the BBC says a teenager found dead during anti-government protests in Iran was sexually assaulted and killed by men working for security forces. The authorities had claimed Nika Shakarami took her own life. In The Gambia - a study has found that a stick-on measles vaccine patch could be an effective alternative to injections. And, a fascinating insight into the final hours of the philosopher Plato.

The US secretary of state Antony Blinken says he hopes Hamas will accept what he called Israel's "extraordinarily generous" offer for a Gaza truce. Also: Premier League football clubs back plan to look at spending cap, and how long should a blockbuster film be?

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has urged Hamas to accept what he has called Israel's "extraordinarily generous" ceasefire proposal for Gaza. Also: Following five days of speculation and corruption allegations against his wife, the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, says he will not resign. Meanwhile in Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf has decided to step down. Cleanup and rescue operations continue in the US state of Oklahoma after deadly tornadoes. And the daily pain and suffering of working as a journalist in Gaza. Top news and analysis from around the world.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief says his troops have fallen back to new positions west of three villages where Russia has concentrated significant forces. Also: Divisions emerge in the Israeli government with ministers at odds about a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal, and we hear who has won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

President Cyril Ramaphosa pays tribute to those who helped bring white minority rule to an end, but acknowledges the challenges still faced by his country. Also: Hamas releases a video showing the first proof of life of two more hostages held in Gaza, and the passenger aged 101 who was classed as being just 1 year old by an airline.

This week, we meet one of the hundreds of ballerinas who balanced on their toes in New York to set a new world record. Also: how a generous stranger gave a kidney to a five-year-old girl. And we hear from Europe's best seagull impersonator.

The $6bn package comes days after a huge military aid bill was approved in Washington. Also: UN investigators have dismissed or suspended cases against four UNRWA employees accused of involvement in the October 7th Hamas-led attacks because of a lack of evidence from Israel, and King Charles is to start returning to public duties in Britain after reacting positively to treatment for cancer.

The Chinese leader tells the visiting US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, they should work together. Mr Blinken says he raised concerns about China's support for Russia in its war against Ukraine. Also: Britain begins tests of the first personalised vaccine for melanoma skin cancer -- based on the mRNA technology used in Covid jabs. And how talking to Twain the humpback whale could help us communicate with aliens from outer space.

Donald Trump argues he can't be indicted under the constitution for actions while he was in office. The ruling will determine whether the former President should face trial on charges that he plotted to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Also: New York's top court overturns one of Harvey Weinstein's rape convictions -- but the disgraced Hollywood producer will remain in jail, and the British synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys are back with a new album.

Human Rights Watch report says children were among those killed in what it calls one of the worst army abuse incidents in Burkina Faso in nearly a decade. Also: The US Secretary of State is in Beijing as the world's largest economies try to mend their relationship - will it work? We hear mixed reactions to a new tourist tax in Venice, and how did the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret club in Paris lose the sails of its windmill?

US House speaker confronts students, calling the protests anti-Semitic and demanding they stop, while protesters fear loss of free speech. After six months of conflict in Gaza, we look at the impact on the Israeli and West Bank economies. Also: President Zelensky welcomes the long-awaited US aid package to Ukraine. We ask how likely it is to change events on the ground. Portugal's surprise mea culpa as it says it wants to take full responsibility for its involvement in the slave trade, and how easy is it to reconnect with old friends?

America's top diplomat Anthony Blinken arrives in Shanghai amid Chinese anger over Taiwan aid. Also: Relief in Ukraine after US senate approves aid package, and how AI helped discover Plato's grave.

The former US president Donald Trump denies falsifying business records to cover up a payment to a porn actress. Also: the Israeli military has rejected accusations that its forces buried the bodies of Palestinians at a medical compound in Gaza, and at what age do we become 'old'?

Migrants to be sent abroad for asylum processing. Ministers say the legislation will deter small boat crossings. Father begins legal action against BP over son's cancer death in Iraq. Voyager-1 sends readable data again from deep space. Elon Musk Sydney church stabbing video row. The US state that wants to fine homeless sleepers. UK woman races topless in the London marathon to show her mastectomy scars. Shakespeare a man of words and numbers.

Defence lawyers tell jurors in New York there was no crime and the former US president Donald Trump is "cloaked in innocence". Also: Ecuadorean police arrest fugitive gang leader, Fabricio Colón Pico, and have you seen the raccoons that are on the run in the Netherlands?

The Israel Defense Forces said Major General Aharon Haliva would retire once his successor was selected. Also, the UK parliament prepares to vote on a bill to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, and thousands of Filipino and US troops begin three weeks of military exercises.

Reports say the US is planning to cut military aid to the Netzah Yehuda battalion. Speaking on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, warned that attacks will be stepped up against Hamas in Gaza. Also: the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says the new US package of military aid could help Ukraine turn the tide in the war against Russia, and tens of thousands of people took part in the London Marathon.

The vote comes as Ukrainian troops face a weapons shortage, with Russia continuing its attacks. We get reaction and analysis from Washington and Kyiv, where President Zelensky says it will help his troops on the battlefield. The aid is worth billions of dollars, and the Kremlin doesn't like it. Also in this podcast covering the world's top news events: Iran's ayatollahs launch a new crackdown on women; a river disaster in central Africa; why people in the Canary Islands want tourists to stay away; the arts and housing complex in central London which has been covered in cloth; why China's swimmers failed drugs tests -- but were still allowed to enter the Olympics; and the major international organisation supporting women in tech runs out of cash and closes down.

This week, we meet the teenager whose dancing in the rain in Nigeria brought online fame that's inspired a documentary. Also: The Mongolian Yak herders helping to make fashion sustainable. And how a four-legged tour guide is keeping visitors on the right track.

Police say he dowsed himself in an accelerant after throwing pamphlets about conspiracy theories into the air. Also: Iran's muted response to a presumed Israeli drone attack on Friday raises hopes that tensions between the foes can be kept in check, and the American football star Jason Kelce says he's 'incredibly stupid' for losing his coveted superbowl ring...in a tank of chilli.

Iranian state media says air defence systems were activated in several cities including Isfahan and Tabriz. Also: people in India begin voting in the first round of a seven phase general election, and the four fastest finishers in Beijing's half marathon have their prizes withdrawn.

President William Ruto declares 3 days of national mourning. Two survivors have been taken to hospital. Also: A Palestinian bid for full membership of the UN is vetoed by the US at the Security Council, and why so many of China's major cities are sinking.

Talks on the Italian island of Capri also include the Middle East crisis. Also: We hear from an Israeli hostage released last year whose husband is still captive in Gaza, Germany arrests two Russian dual nationals suspected of planning sabotage attacks, and what to do about fire ants in Australia.

The vote on the 95 billion dollar bill is set for Saturday and includes more military funding for Israel, as well as humanitarian aid for Gaza. Also: Israel says it will make its own decision amid calls for restraint in the wake of Iran's unprecedented attack at the weekend, and could 2 fossilised jawbones found in southern England be from the biggest marine reptile ever to have lived?

President Zelensky calls for more air defences after a missile attack kills at least 14. He described the attack in Chernihiv, which destroyed an eight-story building and damaged a hospital, as Russian terror. Also: A BBC investigation uncovers the death of more than 50,000 Russians in the war, and a controversial emoji forces Apple to update its software. All this and more in the podcast with the top news stories from around the world - from the BBC World Service.

All aid for Gaza is subject to strict Israeli security checks. The UN is also calling on Israel to do more to stop the escalating violence in the West Bank. Also: Belgian police told to shut down meeting of right-wing European politicians in Brussels, and is France's culinary reputation in decline?

As Israel's war cabinet meets to decide how to respond to Iran's drone attack, its allies urge restraint. Also: fighting continues in Gaza, and Copenhagen's iconic stock exchange is engulfed by fire.

The former US President Donald Trump denies trying to disguise a hush money payment to an adult film star in 2016. Also, donors pledge more than $2bn in aid for Sudan, and record ocean temperatures have caused the mass bleaching of coral across large parts of the world's seas.

Almost nine million people have been displaced and the UN is warning of looming famine. Also: Israel is still considering its response to Iran's attack at the weekend, and China investigates whether three African runners allowed a Chinese competitor to win a key race.

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, was speaking at a Security Council emergency meeting on Iran's missile and drone attacks on Israel. Also: Haiti's main political parties urge the outgoing prime minister, Ariel Henry, to speed up the installation of a new transitional council, and the teenager with a memory like an encyclopedia..

Israel says it intercepted vast majority of missiles and drones fired by Iran. Iran said the attack "achieved all its objectives". President Biden to discuss diplomatic response with other G7 leaders amid international calls for restraint. The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting later.

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military was "ready for any scenario". Sirens were heard as Israel's air defences came into operation.