BTN - Behind The News

It's the final episode of the BTN pod! I'm not crying, you're crying. But we wouldn't leave without filling you in on the biggest and best news of the day! A new report's been released looking into what we want from our friends and from our social media platforms. World leaders sit down to dinner at a big summit in Japan and our Prime Minister even gets a special mention. The 100th anniversary of an agreement that changed the world for better or worse. And some people in the US are trying to set a new world record with a big bit of meat and an equally large bun.

The next generation of super fast internet is speeding its way to Australia, but we might want to watch our data more closely. It might be chilly here, but humans and animals in Europe are sweltering through a heatwave. How do you clean up a messy mountain? The world's tallest one has some poo and rubbish problems that need addressing. A very popular movie starting with 'A' has now beat another very popular movie starting with 'A' to become the highest earning movie of all time (technically). And Darwin is looking for a new home for a very large, very iconic, very extinct member of its community.

If you're a school student in Victoria, you might have to start locking your phone up during school hours! We'll fill you in on the public school phone ban plan. According to a new report robots are taking over the world, or at least they're taking over quite a few of our jobs including mine. A new puzzling world record set by an upside down student in Georgia. And an escaped "lion" at a Japanese zoo is giving keepers the run around.

Do you pay attention to the health star rating on some food packaging? Look closer because it could be about to change. A Cosmonaut, a Flight Engineer and an Astronaut walk into a space shuttle and land safely back on earth after hundreds of days way up there. Scientists catch a mysterious creature on camera in the waters around Southern America for the very first time. And some très hairy men in Paris show off their well-groomed beards.

Sometimes our phones can be a little distracting (understatement of the year) and that's why a school in NSW is testing some tricky new tech to force students to go phone free. The Barty Party is on again as everyone's favourite Aussie women's tennis player hits world number one! This adorable marine mammal will have you singing the Star Wars theme in your head, because scientists have taught it to carry a tune or two. And the World's Ugliest Dog - need we say more?

Happy Friday! We're talking about gaming addiction after the creators of two of the most popular games in the world were quizzed by the UK government. How do you help two whales move to a new home in another country? Well, it involves a big tank and a big plane. A ten-year-old climber has just scaled one of the most challenging peaks in the world. And some cheeky sailors are having a spa day in Finland.

A social media giant is planning to create its own currency and we're not talking about the stuff you can hold in your hands. Superheroes usually prefer to fly under the radar, but instead they've been winning awards in the US. Would you pay to eat leftovers? There's a new app in Europe linking hungry customers with un-sellable food. We get a glimpse into the possible future of air travel and it doesn't involve petrol. And speaking of the future - meet the robotic cop that's policing the streets of Southern California. Not kidding.

Researchers are predicting what Australia's future will look like and it might involve robots. Some different behaviour at the footy on the weekend had fans speaking out. A primary school in the UK is banning words to help kids improve their vocabularies, including one that's a go-to sentence filler. And someone accidentally whacks a filter on some very important people in Pakistan.

What's it like when your whole country loses power? Some South Americans found out on the weekend. While a tree kangaroo might sound like a joke you tell a tourist, it's a real thing and it's struggling with a mysterious health issue. Forget equestrian, this is a horse riding competition for the make-believers. If you've ever wanted to live like a superhero or a movie star, there's a house that kind of covers both bases in the US. And a very rare crustacean is saved from being served on someone's dinner plate.

It was Matildas madness last night after the Aussie team pulled off a magnificent comeback at the World Cup. Scientists uncover the well preserved head of an ancient animal in the icy fields of Siberia. A man in Syria is brightening people's days with a colourful wardrobe... well, just one colour actually. Where did the zebra get his stripes? Not sure, but scientists have decided they serve a very cool purpose. And a famous Parisian painter celebrates her 50th − Nénette the orangutan.

Have you seen a weird video with Facebook's boss talking about stealing people's data and ruling the world? Yeah, it's not real but it's been tricking the world. One of the most famous rockbands in history doesn't negotiate with blackmailers. Meet my little alien friend Gary and find out why he's harder to find than scientists first thought. Melbournites can look forward to a new flying taxi service soon (this is not fake news, we promise). And why it might be a good idea to keep your hands on the fallen hairs of famous people.

Gaming geeks, rejoice! A big event is delivering gaming gifts to the world including announcements about new consoles and streaming services and a dog that has nothing to do with gaming, but it's completely adorable. Canadians, ay? They're the latest to ban single use plastic and their Prime Minister explains why. If you're a fan of all things sporty, then you might like the news about some schools wanting to double your PE time. And a sport that you won't be doing at school, because it involves office chairs moving backwards and a big bag of rice. Makes sense? It doesn't have to.

Tennis fans are celebrating the first Australian woman to win the French Open in waaaay too many decades. Speaking of celebrations, it's the Queen's Birthday! Well, not really. But it's a public holiday for a lot of Australians that we call the Queen's Birthday. Just go with it, OK? A holiday destination that's out of this world and how you could get there in 2020 if you're very, VERY rich. And one of the world's most leisurely sports gets some fast-paced new rules in the UK.

Chill out, dog owners! You're stressing out your pups (science says). A trip to a circus where elephants, horses and fish perform, but don't even exist. A team of European artists build a massive record-breaking castle that'll soon wash away. And weather experts in the US were left a bit confused after a storm cloud turned out to be something alive and moving.

The State Of Origin kicks off a national debate; FBI release documents from an investigation into Big Foot; Miners in WA struck gold; A cat causes a minor security threat to US President Donald Trump; And a man wins the lotto with the help of a fortune cookie

A 1,500 year old Scottish monster mystery may have been solved by scientists in New Zealand. An Aussie miner makes a smashing discovery while looking for opals. We find out how two of the richest musicians in the business made their massive fortunes. And a Perth man is a bit shell shocked after accidentally picking up a deadly creature at the beach.

People around the world mark the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre; It's snowing in parts of southern Queensland; Farmers have started adopting feral Camels; And The annual baby race in Lithuania.

All the buzz around eight young spelling whizzes that can't be beaten, even by each other. A very pretty eruption in a very scenic part of Italy. Tens of thousands of super fans celebrate their champion team in the Champions League. Some height challenged hounds dash to the finish line in a four legged frenzy in Tassie. And a very large creature that you hope to never encounter in your kitchen... or anywhere really.

The world learns more about the life of a famous teenager who spent years in a hidden annex. Accio, wand! It's time for a new instalment of magical musings from everyone's favourite school of witchcraft and wizardry. Some little creatures are being safeguarded against lightning striking twice. And who let the genie out of the bottle? Both literally and figuratively speaking.

There's a shipping container full of rubbish with Australia's name on it. How do you move a million dollar mural? With great difficulty, apparently. A billion dollar update to a very famous theme park is sending Stormtroopers running. And don't try to pack these in your suitcase the next time you go on holiday or you'll be in for a sting.

Greta's back to fight climate change with the help of a very famous action movie friend. A super fancy bubblegum ring sells for a fortune in Hong Kong. A fancy dress party in France is taking guests back in time. And a very excited race car driver is really milking his win for all its worth.

Trouble on the tallest mountain in the world is making people re-think who should be allowed to climb it. From up high to down low - it's a dare-devil expedition that links two of Australia's deepest caves. Tens of thousands of kids have to re-sit THAT test. A story about toe strength and another about runaway cheese together prove that British people really can be a bit eccentric.

There's been a mysterious rise in CFC levels which is bad news for the ozone layer, The worlds biggest election has just wrapped up, A snake gives birth to babies - despite never meeting a male snake, And Rihanna launches her new fashion label

A major fashion brand makes a major change. Some scientists are having a whale of a time collecting some snotty samples. Turns out we've all been getting a very important person's name wrong. And the grossest story ever that Amelia doesn't want to read.

An e-Sports argument is sending the internet into meltdown. A sea creature gets a life-saving blood transfusion. The strangest, most slippery tradition you'll ever hear about. And a very confusing house is turning things upside down in the UK.

A tech company accused of espionage gets pay-back, American style. People in the Northern Territory get woken up by a big giant stomping on the ceiling. A mystery man shuts down the Eiffel Tower. And some unbearably bad drivers take over a parked car.

There was a little contest on the weekend you might've heard about... Eurovision! Just jokes, it was Australia's federal election. Oh, and we'll also fill you in on Eurovision. What's worse than running a marathon? Running a marathon that involves more than 5,000 steps, of course! And we say goodbye to the world's grumpiest pussycat. Sad face.

Everyone's remembering an Aussie great that you can thank for at least one very important right you have today. Find shelter! Voting madness is set to hit Australia tomorrow, taking over schools and halls everywhere. A very small, unpopular game you might've heard of turns 10 (just jokes, you'll know it and probably love it). And an interesting item that looks like it sounds sells for a record breaking price.

Paris is celebrating the birth of one of its most famous monuments with a whole lot of kids! Meanwhile, Paris is also thinking of ways to rebuild another of its most famous monuments and the internet isn't exactly helping. Closer to home, a zoo in Radelaide has made a big announcement about a little surprise, and some cheeky creatures are stopping traffic in Brisbane.

A paparazzo gets revenge on one of the world's biggest pop stars. Some super frustrating tech issues that you might have experienced this week. Could we soon witness the first woman on the moon? All the stars, swings and shrieks at the start of Eurovision. And something you will reeeeaaally wish you found on your walk to school this morning.

Would you prefer to go to the moon and back or to the bottom of the ocean? Well, luckily we've got both for you in today's pod! A US explorer goes where no man has gone before, while some precious space rocks are finally being studied after decades in the freezer. We find out why you might want to update one of your apps. And why a slippery slide isn't the best solution to a commuting problem.

You might want to step away from the console for a minute, because the World Health Organisation has just added a surprising new disease to its list. Attention, pollies! New stuff is happening in Canberra. A really bizarre competition in Europe will have you, and any wild deer in your area, listening very closely. And some cheerfully creepy characters come out to play in the streets of South America.

Is your pet a sentient being? The ACT thinks it might be and is acting accordingly. All I want is a home among the... umm... rocks on Mars. A volcanic eruption rocks Ecuador. And some princes and princesses in New Zealand are taking everyone by surprise, including their parents.

The new super popular app that could get hijacked by cyber bullies. An embarrassing typo you might just find in your pocket. A new teeny weeny species of dinosaur that flew. A school struggling with bird poop. And another school that's solved its problems with a few sheep.

All hail the brand new baby-with-no-name who now has a name. We find out what you think about a plan to swap canteen food for fast food. That winning Premier League goal that everyone's talking about. And a fluffy new police recruit is melting hearts in the US.

*Cough cough* It's flu season and it's looking like a big, bad sniffly one, The Brits go footloose and coal free for five days, New movies announced in a galaxy far, far away, The humble chicken nugget gets a cool new look.

Britain goes bonkers over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's new arrival, Some unfortunate news for our planet and a few tips to make it better, Celebs get their sparkles, feathers and candelabras out for the Met Ball, And meet the T-Rex's much smaller, less scary cousin.

So, hedgehogs do have teeth. But they look nothing like the human-esque teeth animators have created for the Sonic in the upcoming movie he stars in. People aren't keen on his weirdly long legs, either... Also on the pod today, we chat to some kids who are getting ready to start fasting for the holy month of Ramadan. We're also finding out about the good old days of animatronics, and asking ourselves exactly what constitutes a "nurse" outfit.

The guy in the Chewbacca suit - AKA Peter Mayhew - has died, and he's being remembered as a great guy who did an awesome job at bringing the gentle giant to life. Also on the pod today, Aussie kids take to the streets to call for more action on climate change in the lead-up to next month's big election, the makers of Pokemon Go want you to have a go at their new Harry Potter-themed AR creation, a popstar and the Lady Of Winterfell are married by the king of rock'n'roll, and a wireless earbud that survived a perilous journey.

So you wanna be a K-Pop star. Join the queue! Turns out there's about a million people with their eyes on the same prize! Today on the pod, we discuss what it takes. We're also finding out why we need to keep hippos around, discovering the answer to the age-old question about the location of the famed Sesame Street, and shaking our heads at the suspicious object that stopped traffic in Chicago this week...

Birds are arguably the planet's original music makers. Their songs have been around far longer than human tunes. So it seems fair enough that a chorus of musical birds has landed a spot on the UK charts. Also on the pod today, do you think being able to see how many likes photos on Instagram have could be affecting your mental health? The bosses do, so they're trialling a new version of Instagram that takes the likes out of the equation. We're also chasing the fastest teenager on earth (a pointless task if ever there was one) and learning about the one country in the world that still has an emperor.

Some Norwegians have found a suspicious beluga whale. But how can a whale be suspicious, I hear you ask? When it's got a harness designed to fit a camera strapped to its back is how. Also on the pod today, we found out about how you're contributing to a crisis just by sitting quietly in your chair, Pooh's forest home burns down, and our leaders go head to head ahead of the big day in May (that's the election, by the way).

Avengers: End Game breaks every movie record you can think of in its opening week, why Big Ben shouldn't really be running the London Marathon, Tay Tay's back back with a record-breaking single that the lovers gonna love, while some burglars really #fail at pulling a swifty.

Antarctica has a problem... there aren't enough baby penguins! Now scientists are trying to figure out a way to save them. Also on the pod today, the new Fortnite mode that's got gamers excited, a giant hollowed-out potato that more a-peeling than you might think, and a blind dog gets a helpful little pal.

Here in the land down under, a mozzie bite is generally nothing to stress about. But in Africa, it can be life threatening. That's because of a disease called malaria... but now there's a vaccine for it. Also on the pod today, Aussies get up early for ANZAC dawn services, a TikTok ban in India comes to an abrupt end, and Lego announces a new range of blocks with braille.

Earthquakes happen on Mars too! Who woulda thunk it? Well, they should really be called "marsquakes", and they happen even though the red planet doesn't have the tectonic plates we've got here on earth. Also on the pod today, some exciting news about Australia's biggest lake, the tense lead-up to the first Fortnite World Cup, and a set of brand new words is added to the dictionary.

For a lot of people in Sri Lanka, Easter was not the peaceful, relaxing time it should have been. There were a series of terrorist attacks across the country, and police have arrested at least 40 people. In the pod today, we chat about what happened, and how to deal with upsetting news like this. But it's not all doom and gloom, we're also meeting an Aussie girl who's just had a prosthetic hand made for her! Believe it or not, it's made out of shampoo bottles. I'll also tell you the crazy story of how life imitated art for Ukraine's new president, and about the guy who lost a bet with AFL legend Eddie Betts.

It's nearly Easter! Gear up for chocolate overload. Ever wondered why we eat hot cross buns at this time of year? All will be revealed. Also on the pod today, Australia's tallest tree survives a natural disaster, Beyonce surprises her fans with a big double whammy release, and a one-of-a-kind online auction that you'd be crazy to ignore... if you were a dino-crazy billionaire...

Do you have pet? Rebecca has about 600 of them right now... and as you can imagine, it's pretty chaotic! Also on the pod today, the precious relics saved from the Notre Dame fire, why people seem to think the rapper Drake might be ~cursed~, and the soggy doggy that was found paddling a long way from home.

A tiny heart, made of human cells. It's 3D printing on a whole new flesh-and-blood level. Also on the pod today, the famous French cathedral that fell victim to a terrible fire, an Aussie surfing comp that's getting serious about equal pay for men and women, and the evidence I've always wanted about the cleanliness of beards.