Global News Podcast

In spectacular style, bridges and riverbanks were used as catwalks, stages and grandstands, with performances by Lady Gaga in French and the French-Malian singer, Aya Nakamura. The culmination of the show included Celine Dion standing on an illuminated Eiffel Tower. Also: Bangladesh police detain protest leaders at a hospital, and a Scottish peat bog gets UNESCO world heritage status.

Some 800,000 passengers affected after three high speed rail lines into Paris targeted by arson attacks. The French rail operator, SNCF, says disruption is expected to continue throughout the weekend. Also: In the US, former president Barack Obama backs Vice President Kamala Harris in her election campaign, Open AI launches its rival to the long dominant Google search engine, and two leaders of one of the world's most dangerous and powerful crime syndicates have been arrested in Texas.

President Nicholas Maduro has asked voters to support him to secure peace and stability, a week after saying there would be a "bloodbath" if he lost. The opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, leads most opinion polls but there are fears the vote won't be fair. Also, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has met President Biden to discuss efforts towards a ceasefire-for-hostages deal in Gaza, and why Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance, is no friend of the Hollywood star, Jennifer Aniston.

Authorities in the Philippines are racing to contain a major oil spill from a capsized ship in Manila Bay. Clean up operations are being hampered by strong winds and high waves brought by Typhoon Gaemi, which is now making landfall in southern China. Also in this podcast: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to meet with US President Joe Biden as pressure builds for a hostage deal. The Israeli army has recovered another five bodies from Gaza. Accusations that Sudan's bloody civil war is being fuelled by the illegal trade in weapons, how the battlefield in Ukraine has been transformed into a war of drones, and we take a look inside the Olympic Village ahead of the games kicking off in Paris.

The Israeli prime minister's speech to a joint session of Congress received standing ovations from mostly Republicans but it was boycotted by several Democrats. Also: the British equestrian, Charlotte Dujardin, has withdrawn from the Olympics after a video emerged of her whipping her horse, and why Komodo dragons are such dangerous predators.

A public inquiry finds 200,000 people suffered abuse over the past 70 years. The prime minister, Christopher Luxon, called it "a dark and sorrowful day in the country's history". Māoris and people with disabilities were particularly affected. The publication follows a six-year investigation. Also: Typhoon Gaemi is battering Taiwan with powerful winds and torrential rain, and Janet Jackson on growing up in one of music's most famous families.

Kim Cheatle said she took 'full responsibility' for the security lapse surrounding the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. She had faced calls from Democrats and Republicans to step down. Also: scientists push for a new HIV vaccine to be made available across the globe, and sharks off the coast of Brazil test positive for cocaine.

The US vice-president's campaign has secured a record amount of donations. Also, China says Hamas, Fatah and a dozen other Palestinian factions have agreed to set up an interim administration for Gaza, and the first blind Barbie doll goes on sale.

Kamala Harris accused Donald Trump of taking the US backwards. She promised more gun control and protection for reproductive rights. In his first public comments since pulling out of the race, Joe Biden urged Democrats to embrace Ms Harris. Also: an oxygen discovery has defied knowledge of the deep ocean, and with life expectancy increasing, China will raise its official retirement age.

Major Democrat politicians and donors - including the Clintons - support Vice-President Kamala Harris as the party's new presidential nominee. Also: soldiers deployed as student protests continue to ramp up in Bangladesh, and the BBC confronts a convicted South African who killed dozens of black men during apartheid.

US President Joe Biden has ended his re-election campaign. He says it’s in the best interest of his party and the country. Mr Biden has endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris as the new Democratic nominee. Donald Trump says Biden “was not fit to run for president”.

The US Republican presidential candidate told supporters that he had taken 'a bullet for democracy'. Thousands had waited for hours to attend the rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Also: an American woman is reunited with her family after spending 43 years in jail for a crime she didn't commit, and how France is planning to turn the Paris Olympics into a gourmet experience.

Ambassador Lim Ki-mo started singing Brazilian songs at public events to raise spirits during the covid pandemic. Videos posted online went viral and he was invited to perform at a famous Samba club in Rio. He tells us it's an expression of his joy and love for Brazil but he never expected to become so popular.Also: With the Paris Olympics and Paralympics approaching, we meet some of the athletes representing the Refugee Team after having to flee their home countries.Has Dublin experienced the biggest earthquake of Taylor Swift's Eras tour? Experts detected seismic waves from Shake It Off more than a hundred kilometers away.We hear how a new type of tourism is bringing money to local communities across Thailand. There's good news for a critically endangered crocodile in Cambodia -- with a record breaking hatching of babies. And why a man left unable to talk or move after a stroke aged just 16 is mentoring children and writing his life story.Our weekly collection of happy stories and positive news from around the world.

Affected healthcare, banking and airline systems are slowly coming back online. The crisis was caused by a faulty software update. Also: the UN's top court rules that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, and a trailblazer for women in Asian martial arts movies, Cheng Pei-pei, has died at the age of 78.

The problem was caused by a software update - a fix has been deployed. Also: the US journalist, Evan Gershkovich, is sentenced to 16 years in jail by a court in Russia, and the most powerful man in Vietnam -- the head of the communist party, Nguyen Phu Trong -- has died at the age of eighty.

Barack Obama has reportedly joined other senior Democrats in urging Mr Biden to consider his position. The 81-year-old president has suspended campaigning while he recovers from Covid. Also: thousands of rare bird eggs have been seized in Australia, and the American comedian Bob Newhart has died at 94.

Members of the European Parliament backed her at a vote in Strasbourg on Thursday. She will now serve another five years at the helm of the EU. Also: The team set up to represent the world's refugees at the Paris Olympics, a step in the right direction for gay rights in South Korea -- and how getting a bit fatter round the middle is slowing down the Earth's rotation.

The White House says the US president is experiencing 'mild symptoms' after testing positive during a campaign trip to Las Vegas. The news comes as top Democrat Adam Schiff called on Mr Biden to 'pass the torch'. The California congressman is the most prominent Democrat yet to publicly call for the president to step aside. Also: the Caribbean island of Carriacou struggles to cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, and the skeleton of a stegosaurus sells at auction for more than 44 million dollars - a record amount for a dinosaur.

After months of anticipation, Anne Hidalgo took a dip in the Seine to show the river is clean enough to host open-swimming competitions during the 2024 Olympics. Also: Police in Thailand say six Vietnamese tourists found dead in a luxury hotel were poisoned with cyanide, students protest in Bangladesh over a lack of job and what Afro-futurism means for Africans around the world...We'll bring you the best reports and analysis from the BBC's correspondents around the world.

He was found guilty on all 16 charges, including bribery, acting as a foreign agent, and obstructing justice. Also: Police in Thailand are investigating the mysterious deaths of six foreign nationals whose bodies were found in a Bangkok hotel suite, and the American rock duo, Tenacious D, cancel the rest of their world tour after an on-stage quip in Australia about the near fatal attempt on Donald Trump’s life. We'll bring you the best reports and analysis from the BBC's correspondents around the world.

The Ukrainian government is struggling to replace battlefield losses in its ongoing war against Russia which is well into its third year. Also: why Donald Trump picked JD Vance as his running mate, and Gareth Southgate is resigning as England manager, even though his team reached the final of the Euros football tournament.

The announcement came at the opening of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee where Trump was officially endorsed as the party's candidate for the presidential election. Also, Pakistani government intends to ban Imran Khan's political party, and scientists discover a deep cave on the Moon which they say could be an ideal location for a permanent base.

Police in Kenya suspect he is behind the gruesome murders of at least nine women. Their bodies were found in a former quarry used as a rubbish dump near Nairobi. Under interrogation the suspect has admitted killing 42 women. Also: Republicans arrive for their national convention in Milwaukee where Donald Trump will be confirmed as the Republican presidential candidate after the assassination attempt on him. We also hear from a photographer who captured the image of the bullet that hit Mr Trump's ear at the rally in Pennsylvania. And, chaos and violence at the Copa America final in Miami, and a new cheaper malaria vaccine is rolled out in Africa

Neighbours cannot believe the quiet young man they knew opened fire on Donald Trump. President Biden has promised a swift investigation into the attempted assassination. Also: how young protestors in Kenya are successfully challenging the relationship between Christian leaders and politicians, and tributes are paid to the American broadcaster and sex-therapist, Doctor Ruth, who has died aged 96.

Donald Trump urges Americans to unite in the face of wickedness after he survives an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. We consider the implications for the election campaign and ask how the gunman was able to get so close.

Donald Trump was speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. US secret service agents rushed on to the stage to protect him. He appeared to have blood on his ear and was taken away by car. A spokesman for Mr Trump's campaign team said he was fine and undergoing medical checks.

When listener Sophia decided to donate a kidney to a stranger through a domino transplant scheme, her teenage daughter Katie objected. But years later, Katie decided to do the same - inspired by the chain of goodness her mother started, and the joy of meeting organ recipients at the transplant games. Also: Big Ocean - the first K-pop band whose members all have hearing impairments. As the Paris Olympics approach, we look back at the amazing story of two athletes who chose to share gold in Tokyo. Wild horses return to Kazakhstan for the first time in over two hundred years, thanks to a zoo breeding programme. The innovative system helping grow crops in arid regions with less water. And the children who got to perform at London's famous Royal Opera House.Our weekly collection of happy stories and positive news from around the world.

President Joe Biden's re-election campaign is under intense scrutiny amid questions over his age. Also: children killed in Nigeria school collapse, and the first British post box with the King Charles III cypher.

There's more concern in the US, but mirth in Moscow. Also: the head of Japan's navy resigns over a series of scandals including the mishandling of classified documents by staff, and scientists return to the wreck of the Titanic for the first time since the Titan submersible disaster - but this time it will be robots making the dive.

The US President, Joe Biden, who is under intense scrutiny amid concerns over his age, held a high-stakes news conference in Washington. Also: the Israeli defence minister has called for a state inquiry into what led to the Hamas attacks of October the seventh last year, and are you an early bird or a night owl?

Beijing denies it is prolonging Russia's war in Ukraine describing them as smears. Also, a Russian human rights activist compares the country's judicial system to Nazi Germany, and a pair of astronauts stuck in space look on the bright side.

The outgoing Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said the alliance also pledged a minimum forty billion dollars of military aid to Kyiv over the coming year. Also: the Hollywood actor George Clooney has become the latest high-profile Democrat to urge President Biden to drop his bid for re-election, and we look at the latest backlash against mass tourism in Europe.

Israel has told all residents of Gaza City to evacuate- the second time they've had to leave the biggest city in the territory. It comes as indirect ceasefire talks resume in Qatar.Also in this podcast:NATO leaders meet in Washington for a second day, with Ukraine defence at the top of the agenda.Scientists discover traces of toxic metals in tampons and another joke from American TV show 'The Simpsons' is coming true.The Global News Podcast brings you the day's top stories from BBC News, covering world events, politics, culture and more.

Ukraine is high on the agenda at the three-day summit in Washington. In his opening remarks, President Biden pledged more air defence systems for Kyiv. Meanwhile Democratic party politicians have held meetings over concerns about Mr Biden's fitness for re-election. Also in this podcast, a Russian court issues an arrest warrant for opposition figure Yulia Navalnya, the trial of actor Alec Baldwin begins in New Mexico, and how Denmark is encouraging tourists to go green.

UN to discuss Russia's bombardment of children's hospital. School students in South Korea to receive suicide prevention education. Officials investigate China tanker cooking oil scandal. We report on Australia's strict visa rules regarding disabilities. And human rights groups warn of increased attacks against gays in Ghana.

Joe Biden has faced ongoing questions surrounding his ability to carry on as president, after his recent debate performance. Now, he's written to Democratic lawmakers, calling for unity and reassuring them he has the ability to run against Donald Trump. Also on this podcast: NATO condemns a Russian airstrike on a children's hospital in Kyiv, a Kenyan doomsday cult leader goes on trial, plane-maker Boeing faces more safety concerns, and a painting in Sydney depicting Jesus as a cartoon character causes a stir.

Among the targets of Russia's latest barrage of missiles is a children's hospital in Kyiv. The city's mayor, Vitaliy Klitschko, called it genocide. Also, the tricky business of forming a government after the inconclusive election in France, and how rule changes in artistic swimming could make the sport more exciting.

Exit polls show surprise lead for left alliance, with the far right in third place. No bloc will have a majority to govern on its own. Also: the prominent US congressman Adam Schiff says Vice President Kamala Harris could overwhelmingly beat Donald Trump; and NASA volunteers emerge from year living in simulated Mars base.

President Pezeshkian beat hardline coservative rival Saeed Jalili in a second round vote. The 71 year old heart surgeon wants constructive negotiations with western powers over a renewal of the faltering 2015 nuclear deal. We assess its prospects of happening. Also: Hamas says a strike on a UN-run school in Gaza has killed at least 16 people. Israel says it was used by Hamas operatives. A fifth Democratic member of Congress has urged Joe Biden to withdraw from the US presidential race. And there's nervousness in France ahead of Sunday's second round vote that could bring in a far right government.

Imagine bumping into a stranger who has the power and kindness to make your dreams come true. Listener Uta tells us how her chance meeting with Harry led to a place at the University she'd thought was out of reach -- and changed her life forever. They talk about why you should take a chance on strangers and always be willing to help others. Also: We hear from the inspiring young woman helping farmers boost their crops in Kenya using artificial intelligence. Why K-pop stars New Jeans are guiding people around a museum in Europe. The Indonesian women playing heavy metal in hijabs to break down stereotypes. Scientists find lifelong learning isn't reserved for humans -- chimps can do it too. And the world's first school exam in skateboarding.Our weekly collection of positive stories and happy news from around the world.

The UK's first female finance minister Rachel Reeves said the central mission was to boost economic growth nationwide. Also: Hungary's Russia-friendly prime minister meets Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and Kenyan leader responds to criticism from young people in online debate.

Keir Starmer said Britain had voted for national renewal, and his government would serve all of its people whether they voted for his Labour Party or not. The former prime minister, Rishi Sunak, said he would step down as Conservative Party leader, but not immediately. Also, European leaders react with anger as the Hungarian prime minister visits Vladimir Putin, and people in Iran vote in the second round of the presidential election.

Keir Starmer's Labour party wins a huge parliamentary majority. Scores of former government ministers lose seats after 14 years of Conservative leadership. We examine the popularity of the new right-wing Reform party, and the results in Scotland. Also: The impact of social media on campaigning, and the view of newspapers around the world.

Exit polls estimate a Labour majority of a-hundred-and-seventy seats in the new British parliament. Rishi Sunak and his Conservative party appear to have suffered one of their worst ever nights. Also: US President Joe Biden welcomes Israel's announcement that it will resume talks with Hamas in Qatar, and why you can no longer cuddle a Koala in Brisbane.

The Lebanese armed movement, Hezbollah, says it has fired more than two hundred rockets and explosive drones into northern Israel, targeting several military bases. The barrage follows the killing of one of the group’s senior commanders in an Israeli strike on Wednesday. The Israeli army says it shot down a number of projectiles and has responded by destroying seven rocket launch sites in southern Lebanon. Also: strong winds and heavy rain hit the Cayman Islands as Hurricane Beryl makes its way towards the coast of Mexico, and the nine year old girl who's now England's youngest international chess star.

Questions have been swirling around whether the US president Joe Biden will continue his re-election bid after last week's disastrous TV debate. Also: Israeli strike kills senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon, and world's oldest cave art found showing humans and pig.

The court has also ruled that Japan's twenty-year statute of limitations does not apply in such cases, paving the way for thousands to seek redress. Also: the United Nations says aid sent to the people of Sudan has been looted on an industrial scale, a mother says she killed her terminally ill seven year old son to end his suffering, and voters in the UK go to the polls on Thursday, we look at the issue of immigration.

Lloyd Doggett is the first to call publicly for the US president Joe Biden to withdraw, in response to his poor performance in a televised debate with Donald Trump last week. Also: scores killed in crush in India, and do ants amputate the legs of fellow ants to save their lives?

The latest evacuation order by the Israeli army has affected a quarter of a million people in southern Gaza, according to the UN. Medical staff say one of the main hospitals is moving its patients.Also in this podcast:- Donald Trump's former aide, Steve Bannon, says he has a 'MAGA' army to stop Democrats winning the White House again - Ten members of an environmental group in Cambodia are given lengthy jail terms - Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray says he will not be playing in this year's singles, as he prepares to bow out of professional tennisThe Global News Podcast brings you the day's top stories from BBC News, covering world events, politics, culture and more.

In a landmark decision, the United States Supreme Court has granted Donald Trump — and all U.S. presidents — absolute immunity from "official" presidential acts. The ruling will further delay the former president's case which alleges he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Also in this podcast: - Hurricane Beryl forces thousands to take shelter as it moves across the Caribbean. - A young Kenyan protester tells us why she is returning to the streets, one week on from the violent clashes in Nairobi. - Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay makes history becoming the first black African to win a stage on the Tour De France.The Global News Podcast brings you the day's top stories from BBC News, covering world events, politics, culture and more.

Marine Le Pen's party seeks majority, as a week of deal-making begins ahead of the next vote in French assembly elections. Also: airports shut as Caribbean residents urged to shelter ahead of hurricane Beryl, and we hear from tennis fans at the gates of Wimbledon.

Exit polls suggest Marine Le Pen’s National Rally won the biggest share of the vote – far more than President Macron’s party. Also: Australia introduces some of the world's toughest new regulations on vaping, and Indonesia’s hijab-wearing heavy metal band takes Glastonbury by storm.

Next Friday's poll will be between hardliner Saeed Jalili and rival Masoud Pezeshkian, seen as a reformist, who both failed to secure a majority. Also: the acquittal of all 28 people charged with money laundering following the Panama Papers scandal, and a Yazidi choir of victims of the Islamic State group sing of their memories.

Preschool teacher Carissa got tested as soon as she heard her former pupil, 5 year old Ezra, needed a liver transplant. She tells us she didn't think twice about donating and wants him to be able to do 'five year old things'. Ezra's mum Karen says she's overwhelmed that someone would be willing to do something so selfless and giving for her son. Also: A new drug that could protect women from getting HIV with just two injections a year. The extraordinary Euro 2024 football victory that's helped a country believe in itself. How volunteers managed to save priceless works of art at the start of the war in Ukraine. We're back in Finland for an equestrian competition with no animals - where people jump and ride wooden stick toys called hobby horses. And we hear from Debbie Wileman - whose lockdown social videos have led to a new career as a Judy Garland impersonator. Our weekly collection of happy news and positive stories from around the world.

US President Joe Biden has spoken at a rally in North Carolina - his first public event since he struggled in the first televised debate of the 2024 presidential campaign. He directly addressed concerns about his age, admitting he doesn't debate like he used to, but "when you get knocked down, you get back up". His Republican opponent, Donald Trump, also held a rally. He boasted to voters in Virginia about his past presidential record and claimed victory in Thursday's debate. Also: The roof of the main airport terminal in the Indian city of Delhi collapses in heavy rain, and the Colombian schoolchildren being lured by rebels on TikTok.

After president Joe Biden's faltering performance in the TV debate with Donald Trump there are calls to replace him. Also, Iranians are voting to elect a new president to replace Ebrahim Raisi who was killed last month in a helicopter crash, and why radioactive rhino horns help conservation efforts.

Joe Biden and Donald Trump will be using the stage at the CNN debate in Atlanta to try and convince voters to back them in November. Also: Palestinians flee Gaza City's Shejaiya area amid heavy bombardment, and Elon Musk's SpaceX hired to destroy International Space Station.

He is thought to organise illegal boat crossings between France and the UK, including a trip in April which resulted in the death of a seven-year-old girl. Also in this podcast: Joe Biden and Donald Trump prepare to go head-to-head in their first election debate, Bolivia's opposition says the attempted military coup on Wednesday was staged by the president, and Denmark introduces the world's first tax on cows.

The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, seems to have defeated a military coup attempt in the city. He later made a social media address from inside the presidential palace, a short time after a tank knocked down a main gate, allowing troops to enter the complex. Also: Sunak and Starmer clash in final UK election debate, and music festival blamed for gazelle deaths in Spain.

The court on the island of Saipan is expected to allow the Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, to walk free and return to his native Australia. Also: the Kenyan president, William Ruto, has described violence during huge protests against tax rises as an unprecedented attack on the country's democracy, and scientists in Japan are working on creating human-like skin for robots.

Julian Assange has for years fought extradition to the United States, accused of leaking a huge quantity of classified defence documents. He will now return to Australia, where his wife Stella Assange is waiting for him. But first, he has to appear in court in a United States territory in the pacific. Also on this podcast, protests erupt in Kenya over new tax proposals, Israel's supreme court orders ultra-orthodox religious students can no longer avoid being drafted into the military, and why a sample of dirt and rocks from the far side of the moon has scientists excited.

The head of the UN children's agency says Sudan is one of the worst places in the world for children. Also: France's Macron warns of civil war if extremists win snap polls, and Spanish nuns are excommunicated for rebelling against Vatican over property deal.

Footage posted on social media show people shooting at police cars. Among the dead are 15 police officers. The attacks targeted churches and synagogues in Derbent and Makhachkala. Investigators say five gunmen were killed. Most of the attackers, they said, came from one small area of Dagestan. In its first comments, the Kremlin dismissed the possibility of another wave of Islamist violence in the Northern Caucasus. Also: a huge fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea kills 22 people including 18 Chinese workers, and Princess Anne - the sister of King Charles - has been admitted to hospital in England after an incident involving a horse.

Gunmen in the southern Russian republic have killed police officers and a priest in what officials are calling acts of terror. Also: the US prepares to receive two new pandas from China, and the man whose home was turned into a cannabis farm.

The Supreme Court has ordered a retrial for Toomaj Salehi who was sentenced to death after speaking out in support of protests that had exploded across Iran. Also: the new documentary about the designer of the wrap dress, Diane von Furstenberg, and the world's ugliest dog.

When Celia's daughter asked about regrets, she posted a message about a puffin sweater she wished she'd bought. Just days later, a man she'd never met sent her the exact same one for free - saying it felt so good to be kind. Also: The earthquakes being caused by enthusiastic fans during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. A BBC radio programme reaches 46 people celebrating mid winter in Antarctica. How artificial intelligence could help us understand what dogs are trying to say. Why a sculptor decided to create dozens of art galleries and museums around the world - underwater. And the festival celebrating the enduring traditions of Flamenco dancing - and bringing it into the twenty first century.Our weekly collection of happy news and positive stories from around the world.

Court in Switzerland sentences four members of the billionaire family to jail for exploiting domestic staff. Also: the fierce battle for a small Ukrainian town, and John F. Kennedy's watch will go under the hammer.

Lobby groups say at least 200 people were injured and more than 100 arrested across Kenya. Protesters say the controversial finance bill that includes additional taxes would choke the economy and raise the cost of living. Also: parts of southern China have once in a century flooding, while the north is hit by extreme temperatures and drought, how wild chimpanzees seek out medicinal plants, and Stonehenge marks the summer solstice - the longest period of daylight in the northern hemisphere.

The US ambassador to China tells the BBC that despite a competitive relationship, the two countries are now talking more regularly to prevent escalation in the disputed South China Sea. Also on the podcast: India's government is accused of failing the education system after cancelling an exam taken by nearly a million people, a look back on the life of Canadian film star, Donald Sutherland, and the Spanish feline that looks to be saved from extinction.

Demonstrators, many of them young, were armed only with their smart phones. Police in Nairobi came on horseback and used water cannon. The Kenyan government plans to raise more than two-and-a-half billion dollars in new taxes. Also: a day after signing a defence agreement with North Korea, Russia's President Putin visits Vietnam, the new treatment that leaves heart attack victims more active than they were, and the British musician Rapman on his Netflix show about superheroes in London.

Many of the most brutal cases took place in Aleppo between 2011 and 2013. Also: hundreds of people are reported to have died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as temperatures in Mecca exceeded fifty degrees, and scientists shed light on why some people do not get Covid-19.

Accord signed on Vladimir Putin's first visit to Pyongyang in more than twenty years. Kim Jong-un said he unconditionally supported Russia's military action in Ukraine. Mr Putin said he appreciated North Korea's unwavering support. Also: Cyril Ramaphosa is sworn in for a second term as President of South Africa, Nvidia becomes the world's most valuable company, and the flower that stinks of rotting meat.

Under the existing rules, foreigners who arrive illegally into the United States and marry US citizens must wait abroad for their applications to be processed. Also: Putin arrives in North Korea ahead of talks with Kim Jong Un, and McDonald's withdraws its malfunctioning AI ordering software.

North Korea is preparing to welcome Vladimir Putin on his first visit there in more than twenty years. Also: Police in Kenya have fired tear gas and used water cannon to try to disperse protestors opposed to a new finance bill. The Senate in Thailand has passed a law allowing same sex marriage - the first country in Southeast Asia to do so. And why has a parkour runner at a UNESCO protected site in Italy sparked fury?

The governor Wes Moore said his executive order marked "the most sweeping state-level pardon in American history". Also: the Kremlin has confirmed that the Russian president Vladimir Putin will travel to North Korea on Tuesday, and the British actor Ian McKellen falls off stage during a performance in London.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was speaking at the close of a summit for peace in Switzerland. Also: Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has described the introduction of daily "tactical pauses" in military activity in a part of southern Gaza as “unacceptable”, and the original multi-coloured dancefloor used in the 1977 film, Saturday Night Fever, has been sold at auction.

The two-day gathering follows President Putin outlining Russia’s ceasefire terms, which have been widely dismissed. Russia has not been invited to the peace summit and China, a key strategic partner, is not attending. Also: Israel has launched an investigation into the deaths of eight IDF soldiers in Rafah, and Sweden welcomes home two citizens who had been arrested in Iran after a prisoner swap.

This week's edition comes from Finland, the country repeatedly crowned the happiest in the world, and the Helsinki Happiness Hacks event introduced people - selected from thousands of applicants across the globe - to Finns willing to share the secrets of their contentment. These include skateboarding, dancing with friends, messy art, walking barefoot, ice cream for breakfast, and of course, a sauna. And we explore how happiness is measured and why a dose of pessimism doesn’t preclude happiness.

Bump stocks were banned after they were used in America's deadliest mass shooting in 2017. Western leaders dismiss Russian President Putin's call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, as they meet at the G7 summit in southern Italy. Also: A Chinese court sentences a journalist who reported on #MeToo to jail for "subversion", and why grey whales are shrinking.

Three political parties have supported the ANC’s bid for a unity government. The ANC lost its parliamentary majority in last month’s election. Parliament has already been sworn in. Also: G7 leaders focus on tensions with China on the second day of their summit in Italy; And the authorities in Thailand search for three oil tankers which went missing.

In a separate landmark security deal, the US pledges to provide Ukraine with a range of military aid and training over the next decade. Also: The US Supreme Court rejects an attempt to restrict access to a widely-used abortion drug, and endangered wild horses return to the Kazakh plains for the first time in centuries.

Leaders want to use $50bn in interest from frozen Russian assets to extend a loan to Ukraine. Also: Hungary is ordered to pay a fine for violating the European Union's rules on asylum and immigration, and residents in a suburb of Nairobi in Kenya are on high alert after a lioness eats a family dog.

Lawmakers in Congress were debating drastic measures put forward by President Javier Milei to address the country's dire economic situation. Also: US top diplomat Antony Blinken says a deal to end the war in Gaza is still possible, and EU health officials warn that an invasive mosquito is spreading dengue fever in Europe.

The report comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Qatar to push for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. Israel - which refused to co-operate with the investigation - was quick to reject the report, accusing it of “systematic anti-Israeli discrimination". Also: North Darfur's main city is on the brink of falling to Sudan's paramilitary RSF, according to a US envoy, and Denmark recalls Korean ramen for being too spicy.

Hunter Biden was accused of lying about his drug use on a handgun application form. Also: Hamas seeks a "complete halt" to the war in Gaza in response to an American ceasefire proposal, and the Italian robbery that caused a stink.

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, made his comments as Hamas is yet to respond to an American ceasefire plan which was backed by the UN Security Council on Monday night. Also, a plane carrying Malawi's vice president has crashed, killing everyone on board, and elephants call different members of the herd by name.

The UN proposal sets out conditions for a "complete ceasefire" in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas. Also: Aircraft carrying Malawi vice-president goes missing, and two-in-one flu and Covid jab passes advanced trial.

Ursula von der Leyen says the result comes with great responsibility for the parties on the political centre. The reactions in France following a surprise parliamentary election. Plus analysis on why voters have backed far right parties in such large numbers. Also: the BBC speaks to the widow of the IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi about the persecution of Yazidis in Iraq, and the South African photographer who's won international acclaim for challenging discrimination.

The French president Emmanuel Macron has called elections on 30 June and 7 July, after exit polls show his party is set to be trounced by National Rally in the European elections. Also: Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz quits the emergency government, and tributes are paid to the popular TV presenter Dr Michael Mosley who was found dead on the Greek island of Symi.

The high representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, said that reports of -- what he called -- "another massacre of civilians" were appalling. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than two hundred Palestinians were killed in the Israeli raid, to rescue the four hostages. Also: President Biden says France remains America's best friend, after a wide-ranging discussion with his French counterpart in the Élysée palace, and tributes are paid to the Nasa "Earthrise" astronaut William Anders who has died in a plane crash aged 90.

Christian nearly drowned while swimming in the sea in Italy as a child. He returned to the beach with his wife and child - only to find that Yuri, the man who saved his life, was still there. The two men tell us about their emotional reunion and the profound effect the experience has had on them. Also: The New York couple who found a safe full of cash, and get to keep it, thanks to the increasingly popular hobby of magnet fishing. We speak to Yazzy Chamberlain and her grandad John, whose duets of classic songs have earned them millions of online viewers -- including Coldplay. How the powers of nature are being used to help solve water shortages in Mexico City by cleaning polluted rivers. The skull of a giant prehistoric bird known as the demon duck has been found in Australia. And don't waste a moment - the final message from Rob Burrow, rugby league star and Motor Neurone Disease campaigner.Our weekly collection of happy news and positive stories from around the world.

Israel's envoy to the UN says he's been informed of the decision, which has not been confirmed by the UN. The report on children and armed conflict will also include Hamas and Islamic Jihad. President Biden has spoken in defence of democracy, and against isolationism, on the site of a Nazi stronghold stormed by American troops on D-Day. We explore the impact of YouTube's new restrictions on gun videos in reducing youth violence. And, the stress suffered by students in China as they face end-of-high school exams.

President Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, have been meeting in Paris, a day after they both attended commemorations of the Second World War D-Day landings. Mr Biden apologised for delays to the delivery of military aid, caused by some Republicans in Congress, but stressed that the US would not walk away from Ukraine. Also: the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologises for skipping the main D-Day commemoration event in Normandy; and workers at the tech giant Samsung go on strike for the first time.

Hundreds brave Arizona heat to see Donald Trump in his first campaign event since his New York hush-money trial conviction. Also in this Podcast: The UN says 35 children have been killed in an attack in central Sudan, World leaders mark D-Day's 80th anniversary, and how wild fish are becoming hooked on methamphetamine and other hardcore drugs.The Global News Podcast brings you the best analysis from BBC correspondents in London and around the world.

President Biden uses speech in Northern France to liken Ukraine's struggle against Russia to the fight to defeat Nazi Germany in the Second World War. We bring you the best reportage and analysis from BBC correspondents in London and around the world. Also in this podcast: Nepal says it has removed eleven tonnes of rubbish from popular Himalayan climbing routes during this year's clean-up campaign, and a week after Donald Trump was convicted of falsifying business records, the former president has had some good news from the courts - a more serious criminal case against him in the state of Georgia has been paused.

Resistance groups say the village of Wad al-Nourah was besieged by the Rapid Support Forces on Tuesday before being attacked. Footage on social media shows dozens of bodies lined up for burial. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the heads of oil and gas corporations the "godfathers of climate chaos"; and the AI tool that allows participants to receive advice from their future selves.

An alliance led by Mr Modi has won enough seats to allow him to serve as prime minister for a third term. His BJP party has far fewer seats than it won in the last election five years ago. Also in this podcast: President Biden announces a new policy on immigration at the border with Mexico, the leaders of the UK's two main political parties, Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, go head to head in a live TV debate, and pilots in Switzerland's Air Force to practice taking off from motorways.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lose his majority, but hold on to power to win a third term in office as the final votes are counted. He called it "a historical feat in India’s history." Also on the podcast: Qatar says it's waiting for a clear position from Israel on the Gaza peace plan, the growing use of AI in scientific research papers, and why nostalgic music events have become so popular.

Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden, has become the first child of a sitting US president to be a criminal defendant. He denies all charges against him. Also: Israel confirms deaths of four more hostages in Gaza, and Mr Beast overtakes T-Series for most YouTube subscribers.

Supporters of Claudia Sheinbaum have been celebrating her landslide victory in Mexico's presidential election. Also: blackout in Nigeria as striking workers shut down the entire power grid, new blood test to predict breast cancer return and couple find safe full of cash while magnet fishing in New York.

Cyril Ramaphosa has admitted his African National Congress party has suffered a challenging election result. Also: Mexicans vote in election likely to see first woman president, and the media tycoon Rupert Murdoch marries for fifth time at the age of 93.

The Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, said any deal that resulted in a ceasefire in Gaza before Hamas was destroyed would be a victory for terrorism. Also: Boeing's first crewed Starliner launch delayed again over computer issues, and the life-saving Heimlich manoeuvre is fifty years old.

To combat over-working culture, South Koreans have taken part in the annual 'space-out' competition, where they must simply sit still and do absolutely nothing for 90 minutes. But, they must not fall asleep. Also: meet the podcasters hoping to promote friendship between Morocco and Algeria, a hungry sea lion who hitched a ride with some rowers in Los Angeles, a potentially groundbreaking new treatment which could help restore movements to paralysed people, and the power of vibrations harnessed in sound therapy.Our weekly collection of happy news and positive stories from around the world

The plan would begin with a six-week ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israel Defence Forces from populated areas of Gaza. Also: Donald Trump to appeal what he called "rigged" conviction, and a rare fern has the largest genome of any organism on earth - fifty times more DNA than humans.

US presidential election campaign moves into uncharted territory after Donald Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records. We bring you the best content, reportage and analysis of the Trump verdict and look at where the US election goes from here. Also in this podcast: the latest from South Africa on the political horse-trading expected as the ANC is tipped to lose its three-decade majority - why have some voters fallen out of love with the party? And in Canada for the first time an indigenous politician addresses a provincial parliament in his own language.

The jury at Donald Trump's hush-money trial in New York found him guilty on all 34 counts. Mr Trump said the case was "rigged" and the real verdict would come in the presidential election in November. President Biden said it shows no one is above the law. He said Mr Trump continued to pose a great threat to democracy, and accused him of running what he called an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution. But the Republican Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, called the verdict "a shameful day for America."

The landmark case has swept up Hong Kong’s best-known pro-democracy campaigners, and effectively wiped out that whole movement. Also: Spanish MP's have approved a highly contested law granting amnesty to separatists from the region of Catalonia, we're in South Africa where counting is underway in the country's elections, and Pop star Harry Styles' home village in England puts on its own guided tours.

The 12 New Yorkers have asked to hear back some of the testimony. Also: Israel takes control of corridor between Gaza and Egypt, the iconic Ukrainian hotel being auctioned off for the war effort and why hardly any of us are using AI tools.

Emergency services in Gaza said four tank shells hit a cluster of tents in al-Mawasi - a supposed safe zone the Israelis had told Palestinians to move to to escape fighting in Rafah. Also: closing arguments in the fraud trial of former US president Donald Trump and the cancer survivor turned fashion designer.

Witnesses say Israeli tanks are in the southern Gaza city, despite a global outcry over the killing of dozens of Palestinian civilians after an Israeli air strike. Meanwhile, three European nations have officially recognised a Palestinian state. Also: On the eve of South Africa's election, we look at the lengths some people go to, to find a home, we have a special report from the besieged Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, and why an album has been given top billing at a museum in Australia.

The air strike targeted leaders of Hamas but killed dozens of Palestinians instead. The UN Security council has called an emergency meeting to discuss the incident, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres describing the situation in southern Gaza as "a horror that had to stop". Also on the podcast: a series of explosions have hit the Russian-held city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, China bans a famous influencer from social media for boasting about his wealth, and why people flock from around the world to chase a wheel of cheese down a hill.

Hamas says dozens of civilians were killed; Israel says it was targeting Hamas compound. Also: more than 2,000 people are now feared dead after Friday's landslide in Papua New Guinea, and the FBI investigates hundreds of treasures believed to have been stolen from the British Museum.

President Zelensky denounced the deadly airstrike on the crowded DIY superstore as an act of Russian madness. Also: massive fire at games arcade in India, and the Disney composer Richard Sherman dies aged 95.

How an injured greyhound found her voice, accompanying her adopted human 'big sister' while she plays the piano. Georgia, who now has a huge social media following, has a particular talent for opera. Also: The man who nearly became America's first black astronaut finally makes it into space -- the oldest person ever to do so. Meanwhile the spaceships of the future, imagined by children from around the world, have been flying over New York. We meet the man who spent twelve years fighting to save a forest from mining - and won. And, after seagull boy and lion girl, goat woman.Our weekly collection of happy news and positive stories from around the world.

In a dramatic move, the International Court of Justice supported a South African request that Israel should halt its operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Also: US missionaries killed in Haiti gang violence, and Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock dies aged 53.

The IDF said the men's bodies were recovered from the northern town of Jabalia overnight in a joint operation with Israel's domestic intelligence agency. Also: emergency teams in Papua New Guinea search for people trapped after a massive landslide, and a gymnast from Uzbekistan has missed her chance to compete at her ninth consecutive Olympics.

Live Nation - which promotes concerts, owns venues and sells tickets through its Ticketmaster platform - currently controls around eighty percent of major entertainment ticket sales in the US. Also: the French president speaks of an "unprecedented insurrection movement" in New Caledonia, and do you get frustrated when your name is auto-corrected online?

Taiwan's new president, William Lai, has promised to defend freedom and democracy after China launched military exercises around the island. Beijing is simulating a full-scale attack and has described the exercises as "strong punishment" for what it calls Taiwan's "separatist acts". Also: A purge of the Russian military is continuing with the arrest of the deputy Chief of General Staff, Vadim Shamarin, after he was accused of taking bribes. At least nine people have been killed after a stage collapsed at an election rally in Mexico. Colombia seals off the site of an 18th century warship that went down loaded with treasure. And as the UK gets into general election campaign mode, we'll get some analysis from our political correspondent, Rob Watson.

The British Prime Minister sets July 4th as voting day. Also, reaction from Palestinians and Israelis to the decision of Spain, Ireland and Norway to recognise Palestine as a state; and Colombia bids farewell to its most famous Vallenato musician.

Israel recalls envoys as Spain, Ireland and Norway commit to recognise Palestinian state. Also, Russia says it's captured another village in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. The German far-right party, the AFD, has banned its lead candidate from electioneering after a series of controversial statements. And we have a special report from Myanmar where insurgents fighting to overthrow the military junta in Myanmar have told the BBC they're confident of victory, after a series of advances.

Seven people were seriously injured during the incident on Singapore Airlines flight from London. Also: Sixteen of the world’s largest AI firms have agreed on new safety guidelines, and schools are closed in northern India as the authorities deal with an intense heatwave.

A court in Greece has abandoned the trial of nine Egyptian men accused of causing the worst migrant shipwreck in the Mediterranean for a decade. Judges ruled they did not have jurisdiction to hear the case because the vessel sank in international waters. Also: OpenAI earns the wrath of Scarlett Johansson -- and one of Japan's most popular photo spots is blocked to obscure views of Mount Fuji.

The International Criminal Court seeks an arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The ICC is also seeking a warrant for three Hamas leaders in Gaza. We hear from Israel and a legal expert on whether arrest warrants will be issued. Also: Here in the UK, an inquiry has concluded that there was a chilling cover up of Britain's biggest health disaster, in which 30-thousand people were infected with contaminated blood products over decades, and, in New Caledonia, the airport is closed and blockades continue after violence spread in the French overseas territory following a law to expand voting rights, and we'll hear what could possibly be the sound of summer.

Tehran announces five days of national mourning. Also: hours after the inauguration of Taiwan's new president, China warns the self-governing island that independence is a dead end; and the UN human rights chief says he's deeply alarmed by the destruction of one of the main towns in Myanmar's Rakhine State and the expulsion of its Rohingya population.

A major search operation is continuing for Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister after their aircraft went missing in bad weather. Also: Argentina's President Javier Milei insults the Spanish PM's wife, and the how the battle to be the English Premier League champions went down to the wire.

Benny Gantz has set a three-week deadline for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to agree to a plan that includes the establishment of a multinational civilian administration for Gaza. Also: Georgia's president vetoes "foreign agent" law, and a napkin linked to the footballer Lionel Messi sells at auction for nearly $1m.

We hear from Georgia Laurie on the 'superhero move' to save her twin sister from a crocodile that's earned her a bravery award from King Charles. Her sister Melissa tells us how Georgia's singing helped her fight for her life. Also: Bringing the joy of Irish dancing to a global stage -- the Gardiner Brothers, Michael and Matthew, talk about their rise to social media fame. We go to Thailand to find out what happens if you let children take control of their school. Sven the heartbroken reindeer finds new love after generous donors helped pay for a new stable mate. Why Stevie Wonder wanted to become a citizen of Ghana. And the girls football team who went from losing every game to winning their local cup -- beating a boys team five divisions above them. Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world.

The three had been killed in the Hamas attack on Israel on the 7th of October and their bodies taken to Gaza. Also: Putin claims Russia is not seeking the capture of Kharkiv, and Indian spices face heat over global safety concerns.

Israel tells UN's highest court, the ICJ, that accusations of genocide in Gaza are a distortion of facts as it defends its military campaign. US confirms first Gaza aid trucks arrive via pier. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on the controversial 'foreign agent' law. French police shoot dead man who set fire to a synagogue. The row in Australia over an unflattering portrait of the country's richest woman. And scientists say they've solved the mystery of how dozens of pyramids were built in Egypt.

The US State Department wants Israel to provide sustained humanitarian access to both southern and northern Gaza. Also, the European Union begins a formal investigation into allegations that Facebook and Instagram are failing to protect the safety of children, and India's most famous footballer announces his retirement.

Putin vows China will "always be a good friend to Russia"- at the start of a two day visit to Beijing. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Putin has relied on Xi Jinping's support in the face of Western sanctions. Also: Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico remains in a serious condition in hospital after an assassination attempt, widespread floods in southern Brazil cause Olympic hopefuls to give up on their dream, and could English Premier League football scrap VAR?The day’s top stories from BBC News. Presented by Jannat Jalil.

The attack happened in Handlova as the Slovak prime minister greeted people in front of a community centre where a government meeting had been held. Also: Biden and Trump agree to participate in two televised presidential debates in June and September, and a photography collection belonging to the British singer Elton John is going on display in London.

Announcement comes as Russian forces mount an offensive in the northern Kharkiv region. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces an extra $2 billion in foreign military financing to Ukraine. Also: Reports from Slovakia say the Prime Minister, Robert Fico, has been shot and taken to hospital following a cabinet meeting. A new study suggests millions of middle aged people may mistakenly think they're not obese because of the way they calculate their body fat, and American music legend Stevie Wonder is granted Ghanaian citizenship.

Opponents say Georgia's 'foreign agent' legislation will stifle democracy and are calling for the government to step down. The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, says America will remain alongside Ukraine until its security is guaranteed. President Biden introduces new tariffs on imports from China. Also on the programme: a new study has found that the summer of 2023 was the warmest in the northern hemisphere in 2000 years. Two prison officers have been killed in northern France, as an inmate was freed by a heavily armed gang while he was being transported back to jail. Voters in the EU take part in European parliament elections next month - our correspondent hears from people in the German city of Hamburg. Flooding in southern Brazil worsens after three more days of heavy rain. Canada's first ever winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature Alice Munro has died at the age of 92. Meryl Streep receives an honorary Palme D'Or at the opening ceremony of this year's Cannes Film Festival.

The US Secretary of State -- on a visit to Kyiv -- has said a new American weapons package will make a real difference to Ukraine's hard-pressed army. Also: Parliament in Georgia approves a contentious new law that will force civil society groups and media organisations to declare foreign funding. A Thai activist, who was detained for insulting the monarchy, has died in prison after a long hunger strike. And how a British woman saved her twin sister from a crocodile attack.

Mr Cohen told the court he conspired to bury stories harmful to Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign. Villagers close to Ukraine's north eastern border with Russia are moved away from their homes as Ukraine's military fights to contain recent Russian incursions. In Israel, fighting continues in parts of Gaza with clashes reported around Rafah. A big search and rescue operation is underway in Afghanistan after heavy rains cause flash flooding in the north. A former Kazakh economy minister is jailed for murdering his wife. A minute's silence is held in South Africa to mark one week since 30 people died when a building collapsed. A group of international politicians, named in the trial of the imprisoned democracy activist Jimmy Lai offer to testify as witnesses. A high court in Germany upholds a ruling that the intelligence services can investigate the far-right AfD party as a 'suspected extremist' organisation. One of Europe's most wanted people-smugglers -- nicknamed "The Scorpion" -- has been arrested in Iraq. And, Rome's Opera House stages a sleepover for 130 children. Top news and analysis from our correspondents around the world.

Tens of thousands of Georgians demonstrate all night against a Russian-style foreign agents bill. Also: Release due for Chinese woman jailed over Covid reporting in Wuhan, how powerful is Hamas after seven months of war with Israel and raise a glass for World Cocktail Day.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is replacing his long-standing ally Sergei Shoigu as defence minister. Mr Shoigu, who has played a key role in the war in Ukraine, is to be appointed the head of Russia's Security Council. Also: The government crackdown on dissent in Tunisia, and the geologist who claims to have solved the mystery of where the Mona Lisa was painted.

Israel is planning an assault on Hamas fighters in Rafah and orders tens of thousands more Palestinians to leave. Also: Switzerland wins the Eurovision Song Contest while Israel came fifth, and mass demonstrations in Georgia over a controversial proposed law.

The volunteers restoring the beautiful beaches of Bali and beyond by clearing plastic pollution from Indonesia's rivers, and upcycling it into chairs. The profits are used to fund more river clean ups. The deaf toddler who has near normal hearing after groundbreaking gene therapy. Why are hundreds of sea lions gathering at Pier 39 in San Francisco? After seagull boy, we bring you lion girl - the five year old whose amazing lion roar has been viewed millions of times. We chat to two old friends who reconnected -- and then studied why old friends find it hard to reconnect. And we meet the football fan who moved to a new country to support his team in the English Premier League.Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world.

The United Nations General Assembly has enhanced Palestine's rights within the organisation and called for it to be accepted as a member. Also: India court grants bail to jailed opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal, and how important is it to read the small print?

President Zelenskyy says a fierce battle is underway and people are being evacuated in the Kharkiv region. Also: tensions grow between the US and Israel over the war in Gaza and Israel's offensive on Rafah, the BBC tracks down one of Europe's biggest people smugglers, and is there a future for the African penguin?

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.

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 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?

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.

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.

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?

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.

This week, we meet the 105 year-old man celebrating his thirteenth total solar eclipse. Also: The AI technology giving back a voice to the voiceless. And our intrepid reporter goes in search of the crookie.

This week, the remarkable rescue of a reindeer herder from Lapland's frozen wilderness. Also: how music is helping refugees heal from war in Uganda. And how a young sumo wrestler has earned a place in the history books

Ten-year-old Zeke and his mum want your help to track down a Japanese football fan who gave him a much loved football shirt. Also: the woman who broke eleven running records in six days, the elephant seals tracking climate change, and some very rare baby frogs.

This week, Finland has been voted the happiest country in the world for the seventh year running, we find out why. Also: The mountain rescue team who survived a helicopter crash and saved a man stranded in a crevasse. And ding dong, who's there, a fish!

A bonus episode from The Global Story podcast. What keeps China’s president up at night? The Global Story brings you one big story every weekday, making sense of the news with our experts around the world. Insights you can trust, from the BBC, with Katya Adler. For more, go to bbcworldservice.com/globalstory or search for The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

This week, the singer Jordan Davis tells us how the need for more positive and uplifting stories inspired his latest song, Good News Sold. Also: the school children surfing the web without internet access, and the birth of a rare, bright orange baby monkey.

A bonus episode from The Global Story podcast. Could just 100,000 people decide the US election? The Global Story brings you one big story every weekday, making sense of the news with our experts around the world. Insights you can trust, from the BBC, with Katya Adler. For more, go to bbcworldservice.com/globalstory or search for The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

This week, how Nasa is harnessing the power of sound to help people visualise the universe. Also: we meet the man making bees whoop. And the woman making history in college basketball.

A bonus episode from The Global Story podcast. Trump’s trouble with abortion. The Global Story brings you one big story every weekday, making sense of the news with our experts around the world. Insights you can trust, from the BBC, with Katya Adler. For more, go to bbcworldservice.com/globalstory or search for The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

This week, a former professor donates $1 billion to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Also: the felines and felons providing mutual support in Chile, and do apes have a sense of humour?

A bonus episode from The Global Story podcast. Bengal famine: The WWii trajgedy the world forgot. The Global Story brings you one big story every weekday, making sense of the news with our experts around the world. Insights you can trust, from the BBC, with Katya Adler. For more, go to bbcworldservice.com/globalstory or search for The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

This week, we hear from Africa's first bobsleigh champion. Also: the Spanish football club doing its bit to make the beautiful game greener. And how foxes are providing therapy in the Florida Keys.

For two years, the Russian president Vladimir Putin has been waging a brutal conflict in Ukraine - the bloodiest in Europe since the Second World War. But after tens of thousands of deaths on both sides who has the upper hand? What is life like in Ukraine, and Russia, today? And when will the killing end? The Global News Podcast and Ukrainecast have come together to answer your questions.

This week, the eight-year-old boy who sang in front of tens of thousands of people at a rugby international. Also: the campaign encouraging appreciation of the people who do the vital job of waste picking in India. And how a penguin helps out his short-sighted friend.

This week, the French model-maker celebrating a world record that he nearly missed out on due to a technicality. Also: a guide to the Lunar New Year celebrations. And can you tell the mood of a chicken by its cluck?

Why are millions of apartments in China sitting empty? How has the country managed to produce as much cement in two years as the US did in the last century? For a special edition celebrating the Lunar New Year, the BBC's Asia Pacific editor Celia Hatton looks at the significance of eight numbers representing different aspects of modern China. Celia teams up with some of the BBC's China correspondents and analysts to look at topics ranging from China's marriage rates to its zodiac calendar.

This week, the adventures and safe recapture of a runaway monkey in Scotland. Also: how scientists tracked down four previously undiscovered penguin colonies. And, the "Motorbike Grandma" riding the length and breadth of China.

This week, pioneering work using ultrasound In the treatment of both Alzheimer's and addictions. Also: a water skiing world record, and how a chatbot for a parcel delivery service went rogue

This week, we meet the teen rescuers who saved a couple from drowning in Barbados. Also: the pioneering heart transplant for a newborn hailed as a success. And, ending homelessness the Finnish way.

Five people were rescued from a system of underground lakes in southern Slovenia. Also: scientists say they've decoded a baby's cry. And, the mouse that's been caught tidying up a garden shed.

Grace Hart's artwork was accidentally thrown away, only to end up in the Pakistani city of Lahore. Also: the jewellery store owners in Hawaii helping to restore precious items damaged in wildfires. And, the teenage darts player, 'Luke the Nuke', taking the sport to new audiences.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how a settlement in Norway is taking a unique approach to mobile phone etiquette, after getting signal for the first time. Also: the man who composes music on TikTok to tell short stories. And we look ahead at what's to come in the worlds of sport and music in 2024.

Our annual review of the happiest stories in the world. We look back on the successful rescue mission from a dangling cable car in Pakistan. Also: the children who survived forty days lost in the Colombian jungle. And a round-up of our favourite animal stories from around the world.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how cooking is bringing generations together in the Netherlands. Also: how polar bear pawprints can help conservation efforts. And an unexpected visitor found in a Christmas tree.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the Somalian man who has brought the power of books to children living in refugee camps. Also: how a fascination with electricity inspired a Congolese woman to create a robotic medical tool. And the cyclist who took to the Olympic track after fleeing Afghanistan.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the Italian town of Gubbio lights its world record breaking Christmas Tree. Also: how a medical clinic in Borneo is helping to reduce deforestation. And the loneliest manatee, lonely no more.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how hope and perseverance prevailed in the rescue of 41 workers trapped in a tunnel in India. Also: a set of earbuds that could revolutionise wheelchair mobility. And celebrating 100 years of Scottish dancing.

Our climate editor Justin Rowlatt and The Climate Question presenter Graihagh Jackson address issues including whether the oil-producing UAE is the right host for the meeting, what one thing we can all do to save the planet, and is a plant-based diet on the agenda?

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the war veteran from Texas who's graduated from high school 60 years after he left. Also: the comic book that is educating girls all over the world about periods and menstruation. And: the cat meowing her way to a Christmas hit.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, Kenya hands out 100 million saplings and calls a public holiday to plant them. Also: a new drug to treat two rare blood disorders, and a woman from Scotland who walked across Europe and met the Pope.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the biologist who's dedicated his life to protecting penguins in South America. Also: the award-winning Frenchman they call the Michelangelo of tattooists. And Peanut, the world’s oldest chicken

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the Ukrainian musician whose bee-inspired song captured the hearts of millions. Also: the band pushing sustainability by walking 1400 kilometres between gigs. And, a new type of seal discovered in Greenland.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, we meet Finland's happiest person, a giant tortoise is on the loose in Canada. And the pigeon set to fly off on a world book tour.

We've teamed up with The Conflict podcast to answer your questions. These include Russia's role, the reaction from Israel, and what we can all do to be part of the solution.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, why are whales wearing seaweed on their heads? We celebrate 100 years of Disney. And a listener shares her children's orchestra in Colombia.

These include why Hamas attacked Israel, the fate of the hostages, Israel's response so far, and whether both sides can overcome the trauma of their past.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, how tech giant Bill Gates stays optimistic when it comes to climate change, what goes into growing the world's biggest pumpkin. And, what makes Alaska's perfect bear.

The build up to the Hamas attack, why now and what happens next? Is there any hope for peace between Israel and the Palestinians?

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the extraordinary comeback of US gymnast Simone Biles, an author who proves there is no age-limit on learning to read. And, solving the mystery of how cats purr.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, will asteroid dust give clues to the origins of the universe? Jubilation in East Africa as the 2027 Cup of Nations is awarded to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. And, celebrating words of hope and joy from around the world.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the extraordinary growth of women's football in Saudi Arabia, ambitious plans to rewild southern rhinos in Africa, and the fierce competition to be crowned Montenegro's "laziest citizen".

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the superhero hero dog who saved a family from a fire finds a forever home, the international effort to rescue a man from a cave in Turkey. And the electronic bra that can spot signs of breast cancer.

What is AI? What can it do and what are its current limitations? A tool for good - or should we be worried? Will we lose our jobs? Are we ready to be cared for by machines? Our Tech Editor, Zoe Kleinman, and a panel of international experts explore AI's impact on healthcare, the environment, the law and the arts in a special edition recorded at Science Gallery London.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the blind schoolboy who helped rebuild his school in Yemen, a new app teaching people literacy skills in the Horn of Africa. And, how Tilos has become the world's first zero-waste island.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the extraordinary difference a pioneering stem cell treatment has made to one of its patients, the man who saved a toddler as she fell from an apartment block in Italy. And, a chance to hear our politics correspondent, Rob Watson, like you've never heard him before.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, huge relief in Pakistan after the rescue of two adults and six schoolboys after a cable car line snapped, the volunteers in Switzerland protecting livestock from wolves and therefore wolves from people, and some of the very best things about this year's Women's football world cup.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, Jordan Hogg and his campaign to get more disabled people working in the film and TV industry, the Ukrainian soldier who became a ballet star after losing both legs in the war, and the surfers rescued after 36 hours adrift off Indonesia.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, Afraa, the newborn rescued from the debris of Syria’s earthquake, is a symbol of hope, the mother and daughter who won the lottery to travel to space, and the dog who surfed to victory at the world championships.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, smashing the record for climbing the world's fourteen highest peaks, the remarkable musician who plays the French horn with his toes, and an eight-year-old chess prodigy from Nigeria - sharing her passion for the game.

Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world. This week, the deal to get Colombian coffee growers and bears living in harmony, the power of sound in restoring Australian coral reefs, and how sending a fax can win you a fortune in Taiwan.

In June, the US Supreme Court overruled Roe v Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion in America. In a special episode, we investigate the changing dynamic of abortion rights globally in countries like Colombia, China and Ireland. We'll also be examining the restrictions still faced by women in Africa and places like Malta and El Salvador.Audio for this episode was updated on 4 July 2022, due to a factual error in an earlier version.

Is the nuclear threat real? What does Putin want? Who is winning the war in Ukraine? We took questions on the invasion from young people around the world and looked for answers from BBC correspondents.Jackie Leonard speaks to Martin Forster, a senior child psychologist with the healthcare company, Kry, in Sweden. Listeners' questions are tackled by Vitaliy Shevchenko, Paul Adams, Theo Leggett, Lyse Doucet and Mark Lowen.

A month since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we are collaborating with Ukrainecast again. We answer more of your questions.Jackie Leonard, presenter of the Global News Podcast, alongside Gabriel Gatehouse and Vitaliy Shevchenko from Ukrainecast, guide us through questions about civilian life in the country, military tactics, and the international response to the invasion. BBC chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, joins us from Kyiv to talk through what is happening on the ground there, and BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, tells us the latest on the physical and information war. This episode was made by Chris Flynn. The studio director was Ash Taylor. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.

Our experts in Moscow, Kyiv and London answer your questions about the crisis.

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.

BBC correspondents answer your questions about the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. We ask how did the Taliban overthrow the Afghan government so quickly? What now for human rights, the economy and international relations?Photo:People on board an evacuation flight out of Kabul airport, August 21, 2021 Credit:MoD/PA Wire

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