BBC

Also, NI is first UK region to introduce two weeks miscarriage leave for bereaved parents

Iran and the US have announced a two-week ceasefire which includes the reoping of the Strait of Hormuz and safe passage for ships. Peace talks will continue between the US and Iran in Islamabad on Friday. We have reaction and analysis from the US and Iran. Israel has issued a statement pointing out that Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire agreement. Also: Major divisions surface in Zimbabwe over attempts to amend the constitution and extend the Presidency of Emmerson Mnangagwa. And, the fourteen-year-old set to become the first American under the age of eighteen to appear on the ballot in a US state gubernatorial election. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

***Contains descriptions of scenes which some may find upsetting*** Hilik Magnus is Israel’s foremost search and rescue specialist. He has performed missions, public and private, for over 30 years across six continents. He has worked under the radar during disasters such as 2004’s tsunami and 2008’s Mumbai attacks. He has worked with everyone, from grieving families to cartels and the Taliban, all for the simple purpose of returning people to where they belong. The start, in the 1990s, was simple. His operating base was an abandoned train carriage in the southern desert of Israel with three telephones and a dial-up connection. Hilik did not know what awaited him. All he knew was that he felt a ‘shlichut’ – ‘higher purpose’ in Hebrew – to help save lives, to return the unburied to their grieving families. Now, he opens up about this secretive world, and talks frankly about his origins and values.

A countdown is underway as President Trump says 'a whole civilisation will die tonight' in Iran without a deal to fully re-open the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, we return to Cambodia's scam centres with a rare visit inside. And is Universal Music which is home to Taylor Swift, about to be sold? (Picture: Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amir-Saeid Iravani speaking during a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York, USA, 07 April 2026. Credit:SARAH YENESEL/EPA/Shutterstock)

Adam has some news for David, and George ponders his impending fatherhood.

President Trump has warned that "a whole civilisation will die tonight", as his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approaches. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have said they'll retaliate beyond the Middle East, and deprive the US and its allies of oil and gas if Washington crosses 'red lines'. Also, the US Vice-President, JD Vance, is in Hungary, trying to bolster the campaign of Prime Minister Victor Orban's party in advance of Sunday's parliamentary elections; the organisers of the British music festival, Wireless, have cancelled the event following a row over its headline act, the US rapper, Kanye West, who has now been banned from entering the country; and why Australia's most distinguished living war hero has been arrested. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Astronauts aboard the Artemis II spacecraft have begun a four-day journey back towards the earth after completing a flyby of the far side of the moon. The mission began on April 1, when the rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in the United States, and has raised significant interest around the world. We heard from a representative of Africa2Moon - a project working towards Africa's first mission to the moon. Also, the African Union Development Agency says foreign aid won’t be enough to bridge Africa's trillion-dollar funding gap. What does this mean for the continent's young population? Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Daniel Dadzie, Keikantse Shumba, Chiamaka Dike and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

Over several days, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly struck oil export facilites in Primorsk and Ust-Luga in the Baltic Sea, and Novorossiysk in the Black Sea. Seaborne exports of Russian crude oil have been reduced as a result. Troubled airline Air India is on the lookout for a new CEO after Campbell Wilson announces he's stepping down as chief executive. And a US hedge fund has launched a takeover bid for the world's biggest music company, Universal Music Group.

John Campbell is in for Nolan, he also hears about a family losing their care package.

What's the date today? Do you know how to say it? Listen to the programme to find out. FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️ Learning English for Work ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English Stories They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

When we enter a flow state, we feel fully focused. Learn how to use this expression with Feifei and Becca. For more great language tips and programmes visit bbclearningenglish.com As always, find a free transcript here: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2026/ep-260406 And discover the NEW series of Office English. Topics covering small talk, organising meetings and rules. Find it here: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english, or search 'Learning English for Work' in your podcast app. We send a newsletter with our weekly highlights - subscribe here: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters If you enjoy this podcast, you might like our others! Search 'BBC Learning English' to discover the range.

The Artemis II astronauts have travelled farther from Earth than any human in history and successfully looped around the far side of the Moon. The NASA crew is now on its way back home after taking photographs of the lunar surface and witnessing a solar eclipse. Also: Donald Trump dismisses concerns that the US targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran could be a war crime; the BBC gets special access to a siezed scam compound in Myanmar; Albanian environmentalists protest against Ivanka Trump's plans for a luxury island resort; and fancy a curling match for a night out? The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Albania has had many different faces over the last hundred years. Once ruled by the Ottomans, it became a kingdom before turning into a totalitarian communist state after World War Two. During this time, no one was allowed in or out; all private property became state-owned, and bunkers sprang up across the country. After the fall of the communist regime, Albania descended into chaos. In 1996, a pyramid scheme that three-quarters of the population had paid into, collapsed. People lost everything, and the country, especially the south, erupted into violence. These days, Albania is aiming to shake off its past and transform its reputation from a country marked by corruption to one known for luxury tourism. With its miles of unspoilt beaches, snow capped mountains, and olive groves that could rival anything Greece has to offer, it is unsurprising that it is quickly attracting investors. Among them are Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, who, having bought an island off the coast of Vlorë, have more recently been spotted on the secluded beaches of Zvërnec and Nartë, currently home only to endangered monk seals, sea turtles, and a few sheep. They, like others, hope to benefit from new government incentives to build luxury five-star plus resorts. However, ghosts of Albania’s communist past remain. Land disputes, allegations of corruption, and a lack of infrastructure could derail these resorts before they have even broken ground. Emily Wither travels to Albania to find out whether it will be able to rebrand itself, and whether its dream of luxury escapism will become a reality. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

United States President Donald Trump said the US will target civilian infrastructure if Iran doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz. He has given Iran a deadline of tomorrow to reopen the passage. But what happens if that deadline passes? And why are some vessels already allowed to pass through? Meanwhile, new shipping routes are opening in the Arctic. We hear why the United States is investing in a new fleet of icebreakers. Plus, a new Super Mario movie has become a box office success, despite early doubts.

The rapid spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria is already claiming lives - and a far greater global crisis is on the horizon. In this three part series for Discovery, reporter Roland Pease traces how we reached this point, uncovers the forces driving resistance ever faster, and meets the scientists racing to outpace evolving superbugs before our lifesaving medicines fail for good. Episode 3 - Failed market. A successful new antibiotic must not only treat bacteria that resist existing therapies, it must be kept in reserve for only the hardest cases lest new kinds of resistance evolve, and yet it must pay back the developers' investment. No wonder several leading antibiotic companies have failed financially in the past 8 years. Is there a way to make antibiotic development pay?

Can Robert square his conscience, and will George go to Keira’s birthday party?

The intelligence chief of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards Corps, general Majid Khademi, has been killed in a US-Israeli air strike. An Iranian statement said he'd been "martyred" in an attack at dawn. His unit had been accused by the United States of violently suppressing anti-government protests in January. Israel has claimed responsibility for the strike, and defence Minister Israel Katz says general Khademi was a key target. Also, NASA's Artemis Two mission has crossed a key threshold in space on its journey to slingshot around the Moon - the lunar "sphere of influence". It means the Moon's gravitational pull now takes over the trajectory of the Orion spacecraft. And India's Border Security Force has asked security officials on the border with Bangladesh to look at the feasibility of deploying crocodiles and snakes to prevent illegal migration and smuggling. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

In Malawi where resources are scarce and support is limited, the challenges some parents face when caring for their children with autism are extreme. BBC Africa Eye’s Florence Phiri shares her experience documenting the lives of several parents and children in Malawi living with autism. And, DR Congo's national football team, The Leopards, are heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup that is being hosted across North America in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The team received a hero's welcome in Kinshasa following their victory against Jamaica. This year's tournament will see the highest number of African countries represented. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella Twine, Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

Japan relies on the Middle East region for over 90 percent of its crude oil imports. Most of these imports transit the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed. Amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Arctic, the United States has ordered a new fleet of icebreakers that will be built in Finland. And the Super Mario Galaxy film opened this weekend in the US. Despte poor reviews, audiences have been flocking to see it.

Donald Trump has changed the deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to Tuesday, and threatened to bomb Iran's bridges and power plants if his demands are ignored. Tehran has dismissed the warnings as "nonsense". And US forces have rescued the missing American aviator who's fighter jet was shot down in southern Iran. Also: The challenges that autistic children and their parents face in Malawi. Sponsors pull out of Britain's Wireless music festival because Kanye West is headlining. And how one 77-year-old museum curator is trying to get Gen Z into the arts. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Pink tomato ice cream decorated with edible poppy flowers feature on the summer menu created by chef Rodolfo Guzman for his celebrated Santiago restaurant Borago. Jane Chambers hears how the menu celebrates native Chilean plants like wild mountain coconuts.

Something unexpected happens at the Easter Day service, and Robert receives a surprise birthday present.

M People star Andrew Lovell’s home life hid a terrible – yet beautiful – secret. It would take him decades to find out the truth. At the height of his fame, drummer Andrew ‘Shovell’ Lovell had everything he’d dreamed of: sex, drugs and regular appearances at the top of the charts with the dance music band M People. But sell-out shows, first-class travel and five-star hotels couldn’t stop the questions gnawing away at him. As a mixed-race kid growing up in a white family in south London he wanted to know: who were his birth parents? Why had they given him up?

اروپا پانصد سال سرآمد بود. تجارت و صنعت آن به رفاهی انجامید که مایه‌ حسرت جهانیان شد. ولی آیا روزهای اوج اروپا به سر نیامده؟ میهمان‌ها: علی صدرزاده، تحلیل‌گر روابط بین‌الملل احمد علوی، اقتصاددان

The global activities of the Islamic State group are now believed to be run from the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in the north-east of Somalia, where IS fighters are entrenched in the caves and harsh mountainous terrain of the area. But many locals there do not support IS and are committed to fighting back against the group. For BBC News Somali, Sahnun Ahmed spent time embedded with the Puntland Defence Force, one of the groups resisting the militants, and witnessed the operations of their fighters, including one female fighter determined her children will not grow up in the shadow of IS. Israel is home to around a quarter of a million Iranian Jews, who first began arriving in the country in 1948 and then came in bigger numbers following Iran's Islamic Revolution of 1979. Many in the community (including younger generations born in Israel) remain closely connected to their Iranian heritage, while embracing both cultures. The US and Israel's war with Iran, however, has left Iranian Jews in a difficult position, caught between homeland and adopted home. BBC Arabic's Michael Shuval has been talking to Iranian Jews in Israel.

Just seven days has passed since the USA and Israel began their attacks on Iran. As the attacks become heavier and more destructive, the ripples of war are already spreading around the globe. There was an immediate jump in the price of oil and gas, now worsening, as processing plants and facilities are attacked and transport routes disrupted. Petrol prices at the pump have been creeping up too and are expected to rise further. Money Box listeners have been asking what it could mean for the price of gas, electricity, heating oil and filling up their car. A listener had more than £300,000 stolen from her in an investment scam. What can be done to catch the criminals who robbed her? And by the end of the month there should be an official free scheme to claim compensation for missold car finance. How will it work? Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Amber Mehmood Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson (First broadcast 12pm Saturday 7th March 2026)

Shark attacks on humans are rare, but they are slowly on the rise in Australia where all our guests are from. In this episode, they share the terrifying moment when they realised they were under attack. For Brett Connellan in New South Wales, it was an encounter with a Great White. “Out of nowhere I get hit with this immense force from my right side and this force was so strong it threw me off my surf board,” he says. “I landed in the water and before I could even look around and figure out what had happened I look down and see this shark biting into my right leg. This for me is that distinct moment when time just stops.” Brett is joined by fellow survivors Justine Barwick and Dave Pearson. Together the share their stories and discuss life, death and why they ultimately feel lucky. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC OS Conversations, bringing together people from around the world to discuss how major news stories are affecting their lives.

After weeks of disruption in the Middle East, ships are starting to move again through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global trade and fuel supplies. But it’s still a fragile return, and the risks remain high for companies and crews. We’ll hear how the conflict is affecting seafarers, with thousands stranded or unable to get to work, and what that says about the wider impact on global shipping. We’ll also look at the knock-on effects for trade, with millions of kilograms of tea stuck in Kenya as exporters struggle to get goods moving. And in the US, hiring has picked up more strongly than expected — but we hear from people on the ground who say finding work is still a real challenge.

29th March - 3rd April 2026 Writer: Jessica Mitic Director: Marina Caldarone Editor: Jeremy Howe Brian Aldridge … Charles Collingwood Pip Archer … Daisy Badger Henry Archer … Blayke Darby Pat Archer … Patricia Gallimore Tony Archer … David Troughton Tom Archer … William Troughton Natasha Archer … Mali Harries Lilian Bellamy … Sunny Ormonde Miranda Elliot … Lucy Fleming Azra Malik … Yasmin Wilde Stella Pryor … Lucy Speed Lynda Snell … Carole Boyd Robert Snell … Michael Bertenshaw Oliver Sterling … Michael Cochrane Carol Tregorran … Mia Soteriou

Several sources are reporting that a French-owned container ship has successfully braved the troubled Strait of Hormuz. The CMA CGM Kribi is believed to be the first western vessel to pass through the passage since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran. It was not immediately clear how the vessel secured safe passage. It comes as Iran carried out two attacks on commercial plants in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi Also there's better-than-expected jobs news for the US. And we hear from a trade expert who examines President Trump’s latest tariff announcements of up to 100% on some imported medicines. And why the price of chocolate is remaining stubbornly high Presenter: Gideon Long Senior Producer: Craig Henderson

Divorce rates are steadily rising in many African countries. For example, government data shows the divorce rate in South Africa rose by 8.9% between 2023 and 2024. It increased by 16% in Zambia from 2022 and 2023, according to media reports. But despite the stigma that still surrounds divorce, attitudes are changing. In Kenya, some high-profile figures have even celebrated separations with “divorce parties,” while the idea of a “divorce glow-up” is gaining traction online. Focus on Africa host Nkechi Ogbonna speaks to 34-year-old Millicent Bundi from Kenya, who is sharing her post-divorce journey publicly, and Zambia’s Magnus Mando (Mag44) about the challenges of divorce as a gospel singer. Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash and Carolyne Kiambo Technical Producer: David Kinyanjui Senior Producer: Priya Sippy Editor: Maryam Abdalla