Newshour
Newshour

<p>Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.</p>

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says key parts of the Ukrainian war machine will have to be scaled back unless Europe approves the use of frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv.Also on the programme: the EU's top court rules that Denmark's 2018 "ghetto law," which relocates residents from minority-heavy areas, could amount to ethnic discrimination; and what could the new documentary about Melania Trump tell us about the American first lady?(Photo: A woman holds a banner as people demonstrate outside the European Commission in support of using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Credit: Reuters)
Volodymyr Zelensky is urging European Union leaders gathered at a crunch summit in Brussels to loan billions of euros in frozen Russian money to fund Ukraine's military and economic needs.But there's opposition from some countries fearful of Russian retribution. We'll have the latest.Also in the programme: the Australian government announces new legislation to combat anti-semitism, following Sunday's mass shooting in Sydney; YouTube buys the TV rights to the Oscars; and ghosting in the jobs market - why are some companies advertising roles that probably don't exist?(Photo shows Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky gives a press conference at the EU Council Summit in Brussels, Belgium, on 18 December 2025. Credit: Olivier Hoslet/EPA).
The head of the World Health Organisation has called for the immediate and unconditional release of health workers who are believed to be detained in south- western Sudan. The Sudanese Doctors Network fears about 19,000 people could be held by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala, South Darfur. We hear from a journalist there about the situation. Also in the programme: The Secret trial of a Chinese General who defied orders to crush the pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square; and Hollywood star Timothée Chalamet on his latest film.(Photograph: Darfuri children in Tine refugee camp. Credit: Reuters)
President Trump says he's ordered a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going to and from Venezuela. In a social media post, he said the US military build-up near Venezuela would only get bigger and described the government of Nicolas Maduro as a terrorist organisation. The Venezuelan government has accused President Trump of launching warlike threats. We hear from a US Democrat congressman. Also in the programme: The EU waters down its plan to end new petrol and diesel car sales by by 2035 and we hear how the Hollywood star, Timothee Chalamet, spent seven years mastering table tennis for his latest film role in Marty SupremePhoto: US President Donald J Trump speaks at a round-table with high-tech business executives in Washington DC, USA Credit: AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock
Researchers from Yale University say there's evidence that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been trying to cover up mass killings in the Sudanese city of El Fasher by burning and burying bodies. We hear from one of the researchers who analysed satellite images of the area.Also in the programme: the gunmen who carried out the deadly Bondi Beach attack in Australia spent most of last month in the Philippines; and why next year King's College, Cambridge, will have a new choir - of girls.(Photo: Handout photograph of a woman and baby at the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur. Credit: MSF/Mohamed Zakaria/Handout via Reuters/File Photo)
Australian Jews are now fearing for their safety after the Bondi beach shooting in Sydney, a survivor has told the BBC. One of the two men suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Bondi Beach was originally from southern India but had "limited contact" with his family there, police sources have said. We'll look at what's emerging from the investigation and what the attack means for Australia's Jewish community.Also in the programme: The scourge of forced marriages in Kazakhstan; Donald Trump files his multi-billion dollar law-suit against the BBC; and 250 years after her birth, we'll look at why Jane Austen still means so much around the world.(Photo shows an Israeli flag among candles at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on 16 December 2025. Credit: Hollie Adams/Reuters)
Nick Reiner, the son of Rob Reiner, has been arrested and is in custody after the legendary Hollywood director and actor and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home. We speak to Rob and Michele's friend Kris Perry, who served as the plaintiff in a landmark case to overturn California's gay marriage, about the lasting impact of the couples activism.Also in the programme: Investigations continue into the fatal attack on people marking the Jewish festival of Hannukah at Bondi Beach. We bring the latest updates from Australia; and following the election of right winger Jose Antonio Kast to the Chilean presidency, we explore that lasting legacy of cold war dictator Augusto Pinochet.(Picture: Director Rob Reiner and his son Nick Reiner attend AOL Build Presents: "Being Charlie" at AOL Studios In New York on May 4, 2016 in New York. Credit: Rommel Demano/Getty Images)
As Australia mourn the victims of a shooting, during a Jewish holiday gathering at Bondi Beach, its prime minister pledges solidarity.Anthony Albanese says the attackers were not part of a terror cell, but "clearly, they were motivated by this extremist ideology". The father of a Syrian bystander who was filmed wrestling a gun off an attacker has told the BBC he was driven by "conscience and humanity"Also in the programme: Ukraine's President Zelensky comes under more pressure to compromise at peace talks in Berlin, Chile elects a far-right leader who is an admirer of the dictator, Augusto Pinochet, and police in Los Angeles investigate the suspected murder of the celebrated Hollywood director, Rob Reiner.(Photo shows Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Australia on 15 December 2025. Credit: Steven Markham/EPA)
Several gunmen attacked Jews celebrating the start of Hanukkah on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. One gunman is dead and a second suspect is in critical condition. We hear from an eyewitness, the local member of parliament, and from a senior figure in Australia's Jewish community.Also on the programme: a communist candidate takes on the far right in a presidential run-off in Chile; the woman caught up in the 2018 Parkland shooting in Florida as a child is on campus when the latest gun attack takes place at Brown University; and the palm tree that's taken sixty years to flower.(Photo: Candles burn following the attack on a Jewish holiday celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 15, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Flavio Brancaleone)
Eleven people have been shot dead in an antisemitic shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach which targeted a Hanukkah celebration. Twenty nine people were taken to hospital including two police officers who are in a serious condition. We hear from an eyewitness, the local member of parliament, and from a senior figure in Australia's Jewish community.Also in the programme: we hear from Chile, where a Communist Party candidate is taking on the far right in the presidential run-off election today; plus the palm trees that take sixty years to flower – in spectacular fashion.(IMAGE: (L-R) NSW Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley, NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon hold a press conference following a shooting incident at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia, 14 December 2025 / CREDIT: Dean Lewins / EPA / Shutterstock)
Belarus has freed 123 prisoners, including prominent opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, after the US agreed to lift sanctions on the country. Also on the programme, Cambodia has shut its border crossings with Thailand, as fighting continues despite US President Donald Trump earlier saying they had agreed to a ceasefire; and, how the British novelist Charles Dickens is being celebrated this Christmas in a small Dutch town.(Belarus released over 100 political prisoners form prison, Vilnius, Lithuania - 13 Dec 2025. VALDA KALNINA/EPA/Shutterstock)
After more clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border, we ask a Cambodian official whether the dispute will escalate.Also in the programme: four months ahead of the elections in Hungary, why has child protection become such a key issue? And as Israel plans to build a new road and barrier in the occupied West Bank, we hear from the head of the UN’s Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.(IMAGE: A handout photo made available by Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP) shows a bridge destroyed by Thai F-16 fighter jets in Pursat Province, Cambodia, 13 December 2025 / CREDIT: Handout /EPA/Shutterstock)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
According to the UN's humanitarian affairs agency, more than 800,000 displaced Gazans could be affected by flooding, as a winter storm surges along the coast. Most of them are living in tents. Also in the programme: we meet the man who smuggled opposition leader Maria Corina Machado out of Venezuela; and Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is the clear winner in the world's top gaming awards, so why has a French arthouse creation proved such a hit? (Photo: Displaced Palestinians ride a donkey-drawn cart on a flooded street in Gaza City, 12 December, 2025. Credit: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters)
The Trump administration is ramping up its efforts to derail the government of President Nicolas Maduro, which he has accused of turning Venezuela into a "drug-running regime". The leader of the country's opposition, Maria Corina Machado, travelled to Norway in secret to collect her Nobel Peace Prize. We ask if her influence could wane now that she is out of the country. Also in the programme: intense rain is wreaking havoc on thousands of Gazans living in displacement camps; and UNESCO declares Swiss yodelling a form of Intangible Cultural Heritage.(Photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado attends the opening of the official Peace Prize exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center, in Oslo. Credit: Lise Åserud / NTB)
The Nobel Peace Prize winner arrives in Oslo after a clandestine journey from her hiding place in Venezuela. We hear the inside story of how she slipped out of the country. Also in the programme: French police's crackdown on drug gangs in Marseilles, and a rare public display for Mary Queen of Scots' final letter before execution. (Photo: Maria Corina Machado waving at her supporters from a balcony in Oslo. Credits: Lise Aserud/EPA/Shutterstock)
President Trump has said the US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela - an operation reported to have been led by the US Coastguard. The seizure is certain to increase tensions between the United States and Venezuela, which is already being threatened by the deployment of a US fleet. Oil futures rose following news of the seizure.Also in the programme: tourists from more than forty countries may have to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the US under a new proposal; and new evidence suggests humans made fire much earlier than previously thought.(Photo: US President Donald J Trump makes remarks in a roundtable with high-tech business executives in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 10 December 2025. Credit: AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)
A sperm donor who unknowingly harboured a genetic mutation that dramatically raises the risk of cancer has fathered at least 197 children across Europe, a major investigation has revealed. Also on the programme, 5alf a million people have been forced from their homes in Thailand and Cambodia as their deadly border conflict escalates; and, the politics of typeface fonts.(Photo: Getty)
In a wide-ranging interview with the Politico news website, President Trump said "decaying" European countries had failed to control migration or take decisive action to end Ukraine's war with Russia, accusing them of letting Kyiv fight "until they drop". We hear from a German parliamentarian and envoy.Also in the programme: A revolutionary gene therapy has successfully treated patients with previously incurable blood cancers; and we look at the life of pioneering zoologist and elephant conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton.(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump attends a roundtable discussion on the day he announced an aid package for farmers, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 8, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
The Thai military said there were clashes in five border provinces, and three of its soldiers had been killed since hostilities resumed. Cambodia says Thai attacks have killed seven civilians. We explain why this has happened.Also on the programme: in Australia, the law banning children under 16 years from social media has come into effect - one of the most dramatic moves so far by a government against the tech companies that own the platforms. And the revolutionary new cancer treatment, which uses DNA editing, to save the lives of patients with previously incurable blood cancers. (Picture: Thai soldiers on patrol at the border with Cambodia. Credit: Reuters)
An Israeli-Russian woman held for two and half years by militants in Iraq has told the BBC how she was trussed and hung from the ceiling, whipped, sexually abused and electrocuted. Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was freed in September, suffered extreme abuse for over 100 days, leaving her physically and mentally scarred. Elizabeth believes she was held by members of Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most powerful Iran-back militias in Iraq, designated a terrorist organisation by the US and others. In this special edition of the Newshour podcast she speaks to Tim Franks about her ordeal and how she is determined to continue her work on the region. This interview contains some graphic testimony that listeners could find distressing
Syria celebrates a year since the fall of Assad, and an end to a brutal fifty-year dictatorship. But what sort of rule and what sort of future does Syria face? Also in the programme: Ukraine's President Zelensky pleads for Europe and the US to remain to united over ending the war with Russia – we hear from former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt; how China's trade surplus hit a trillion dollars; and the blind football fan who says that, thanks to a virtual reality headset, he can for the first time literally watch a game. (IMAGE: People gather during a parade marking the first anniversary of the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Idlib, Syria, 08 December 2025 / CREDIT: BILAL AL-HAMMOUD/EPA/Shutterstock (16051801r))
Syrians are holding celebrations to mark the first anniversary since Bashar al-Assad was toppled from power after a lightning rebel offensive. Also on the programme, President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet key European leaders in London amid peace negotiation, and the making of the very first dictionary of ancient Celtic.
UN human rights investigators have said that the cycles of vengeance and reprisal must be brought to an end in Syria, as the country commemorates the first anniversary of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. A UN independent commission of inquiry commended the steps taken by Syria's new leadership to address the crimes and abuses of the Assad era. But it said violent incidents in the past year had raised worries about the future direction of the country. Newshour's Lyse Doucet is in Damascus.Also in the programme: we profile Formula 1's new champion Lando Norris; and a new documentary looks at what senior US military officials know about UFOs. (Photo: A drone view shows the parliament in Damascus, Syria, September 21, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Mahmoud Hassano)
Will the recent deadly fire at a housing complex in Hong Kong - and the angry response to it - have an impact on today's elections to the Legislative Council? Also on the programme: a failed coup attempt in the west African country of Benin; we'll be in Syria - a year on from the ousting of the Assad regime - and the prison diaries of Nicolas Sarkozy - written after a mere three weeks behind bars.(Image: A voter checks on the candidates at a polling station in Tai Po during the Legislative Council general election in Hong Kong on December 7, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Lam Yik)
It's the most widely viewed sporting event in the world. The 2026 World Cup will be played across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Today fans and teams discovered where matches will be played and at what sorts of temperatures.Also today: A survivor of Sri Lanka's devastating floods tells us how he ran up a hill, carrying his grandmother, as water rose around him; and Bethlehem celebrates Christmas lighting for the first time since the start of the war in Gaza.(Photo: The World Cup trophy displayed at the Fifa World Cup 2026 draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC, December 5, 2025. Credit: Pool via Reuters/Mandel Ngan)
Fifa's president gave Mr Trump the award at the draw for the 2026 World Cup. It was widely expected that the US president would receive the award, but for critics the move is a threat to Fifa's commitment to political neutrality.Also in the programme: We reflect on the life and legacy of one of the world's most acclaimed architects, Frank Gehry, who has died, and we head to Bethlehem where, for the first time since 2022, the traditional giant Christmas tree outside the Nativity Church will be lit.(Photo: US President Donald Trump and Fifa President Gianni Infantino as the Village People perform during the 2026 World Cup draw. Credit: Mandel Ngan/Reuters)
Groups for the next men's world cup are revealed at a glitzy gala - and President Trump gets the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. We hear about the teams and matches, and speak to Politico reporter Sophia Cai about the warm relationship between Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Also in the programme: Netflix agrees to buy Warner Bros in major media deal; and the acclaimed architect Frank Gehry has died at the age of 96.(Photo: FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw. Credit: WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock)
A new US security strategy warns that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” and calls on Europeans to shoulder more of the burden for defence. It comes as the German parliament votes to introduce voluntary military service; we hear from a student protesting the change.Also, a big deal in Hollywood, as Netflix agrees to buy the film and streaming services of Warner Bros; and travel chaos in India as the country's largest airline IndiGo cancels hundreds of flights over new rules for pilots.(IMAGE: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives on the red carpet ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw / CREDIT: REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
Broadcasters in Ireland, The Netherlands, Slovenia and in Spain announced that they would neither show nor take part in next year’s competition, due to be held in Vienna. Members of the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the contest, had earlier decided not to hold a vote on barring Israel from competing. Also on the programme: Vladimir Putin is feted by Narendra Modi on his visit to India; and we hear what the late Steve Cropper, legendary session guitarist, taught Otis Reading.(Picture: Israeli entrant Yuval Raphael ahead of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, May 14, 2025 Credit: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse)
As President Putin arrives for talks with Prime Minister Modi, will India's imports of cheap Russian crude oil scupper its relationship with the US, which says they are fuelling the war in Ukraine?Also in the programme: what will the publication of tens of thousands of new photos and files mean for the Syrian families still looking for answers about their missing relatives? And we remember the American guitarist Steve Cropper, the man behind countless '60s soul classics.(IMAGE: Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) sit in a car after Putin's arrival at the Palam Air Base in New Delhi, India, 04 December 2025. CREDIT: GRIGORY SYSOEV/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock (16009955i))
US President Donald Trump has said he does not want Somali immigrants in the US. There are threats of further immigration raids in Minnesota, home to one third of America's Somali community.Also on the programme: the EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing on Europe’s plan to stop importing Russian gas but not until the end of 2027; and how does it feel when the remains of a giant octopus wash up on your shore?(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington DC on December 3, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
The European Union has reached an agreement to phase out its remaining imports of Russian gas by 2027. The decision came after a lengthy meeting in Moscow between US and Russian representatives resulted in no breakthrough to end the war in Ukraine. The sovereignty of the eastern region of Donbas, largely controlled by Russia, is at the heart of the negotiations, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refusing to cede the territory.Also in the programme: we go to the Swiss town where you can pay with Bitcoin; and the search for Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 will resume at the end of the month, 11 years after its disappearance.(Photo: A gas torch is seen next to the Lukoil company sign at the Filanovskogo oil platform in the Caspian Sea, Russia. Credit: Reuters / M. Shemetov).
President Vladimir Putin has accused European countries of being on the side of war and putting forward proposals to end the conflict in Ukraine that they knew would be unacceptable. He added that Russia was ready for a wider war with Europe if that's what they wanted. Mr Putin was speaking shortly before he started talks with President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in Moscow. Also in the programme: a rising death toll after floods in Indonesia; and a Faberge egg sells for millions at auction.(Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin, presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev and foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov attend a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 2, 2025. CREDIT: Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS)
The number of dead in the devastating floods and landslides on the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to more than 700. In addition, 500 people are still reported missing, with many feared buried under mud. Around one million people have been evacuated from their homes, with meaningful assistance still yet to reach hard-hit isolated areas. Newshour got through to one resident, a man called Lodewick Marpaung in north Sumatra. He pleaded for help. Also in the programme: US envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to the Kremlin - can he strike a deal on Ukraine? Also, Japan's new leader says she's giving up her own work-life balance - and everyone must 'work like a horse'. (Photo: A picture taken with a drone shows piles of wood that were swept away by the floodwaters in a flood-affected village in Sumatra, Indonesia, 1 December 2025. Floods and landslides triggered by Tropical Cyclone Senyar hit Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces. Credit: Hotli Simanjuntak/ EPA/Shutterstock)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines are grappling with severe flooding, landslides and storm damage after torrential rain and vast cyclones hit the region over the past few days.Also, the presidential election in Honduras is too-close-to-call, and the Oxford English Dictionary releases its 'word of the year'.(Photo: A military rescue team vehicle makes its way through a flooded road after heavy rainfall in a suburb of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 30 November 2025. Credit: Chamila Karunarathne/EPA/Shutterstock)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the country's president, Isaac Herzog, for a pardon over corruption cases he has been battling. We speak to an opposition member of the Israeli Knesset who opposes a potential pardon for Mr Netanyahu. Also on the programme: local media in Hong Kong report that police have arrested a university student who was part of a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the huge, deadly fire at a housing complex; and the musical featuring Britain’s most beloved bear, Paddington. (Photo: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, October 22, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been facing a long-running corruption trial, has submitted an official request to the country's president to pardon him. Mr Netanyahu, who denies wrongdoing, released a two and a half minute video saying that a presidential pardon would advance much needed national reconciliation, but he added that he'd be happy to continue with the trial.Also in the programme: The extraordinary story of a woman who survived torture in Iraq; Nigerian troops have rescued twelve young women who were abducted from their homes in Borno State by suspected Islamic State fighters last week; and 'Paddington the musical' hits the stage in London's West End.(Photo: Netanyahu said a pardon would lead to national reconciliation in Israel. Credit: EPA)
Venezuela has condemned President Trump's warning that its airspace should be considered closed. It called it a colonialist threat and an unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people. Mr Trump's post could lead to travel uncertainty and deter airlines from operating in the area. We hear from the capital Caracas.Also in the programme: Celebrated British playwright Tom Stoppard has died; and Ukraine's battle against Russia's "shadow fleet"(Picture: People shop at a market, after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and around Venezuela would be closed entirely, in Caracas, Venezuela. Credit:Reuters)
After the kidnapping of hundreds of children, we hear from a Nigerian minister about the difficulties that the government has in providing security to the Nigerian people. The government has declared a nationwide security emergency and ordered the recruitment of 20,000 more police.Also on the programme: President Trump has said he'll pardon the former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, who's serving a prison sentence in the United States on drugs and weapons charges; and an award winning children's programme about communist politics in Soviet era East Germany(Photo: Nana Aisha Shemsudeen teaches her younger siblings and neighbors at her parents' house in Minna following the closure of all government schools due to insecurity in Niger State, Nigeria Credit: Marvellous Durowaiye)
The top adviser to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has resigned after anti-corruption investigators raided his home in the capital Kyiv. Andriy Yermak was the president's chief of staff and headed the Ukrainian delegation at talks about ending the war with Russia.Also in the programme: Airbus says it's ordering immediate modifications to six thousand of its aircraft after finding a fault that could affect flight controls; and eight more people have been arrested over Wednesday's fire in a group of Hong Kong tower blocks that killed at least 128 people.(File photo: Andriy Yermak, former adviser to President Zelensky, pictured on January 22, 2024. Credit: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo)
President Trump has said he'll "permanently pause" immigration from what he called Third World countries, following the shooting of two young National Guard soldiers in Washington on Wednesday, allegedly by an Afghan gunman. In a strongly worded post on social media, he said immigration had eroded living conditions in the United States and that he would remove or denaturalise migrants who "undermine domestic tranquillity," as he put it. Also in the programme: a top Ukrainian official resigns; and Pope Leo XIV travels to Turkey. (Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media on Thanksgiving, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., November 27, 2025. CREDIT: REUTERS/Anna Rose Layden)
The authorities in Hong Kong say more than 80 deaths have now been confirmed after the city's worst fire in decades. Officials think that number will grow, with more than 200 people still missing. It's unclear what caused the fire but the eight residential blocks were undergoing renovations. The contractor is reported to have breached safety requirements on multiple occasions during construction projects. We speak to a former firefighter who is an expert in tower fires.Also on the programme: How Israel's offensive on Lebanon has continued, despite a ceasefire; and a scientific study casts new light on how cats came to be domesticated and part of the daily life of so many human beings.(Photo: Smoke billows from an apartment fire in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong, China, 27 November 2025. Credit: Leung Man Hei/ EPA Shutterstock)
Emergency teams in Hong Kong are still working to extinguish fires at a giant housing complex a day after the blaze broke out. Sixty- five people have now been confirmed dead. Over two hundred are still missing. Also in the programme: Hamas has urged mediators to pressure Israel to grant safe passage for dozens of its fighters holed up in tunnels in southern Gaza; the Australian fifteen year-olds taking their government to court over its social media ban for kids; and John Lennon's son on why his father's political activism still hits home today.(Photo: One 51-year-old resident - with the surname Wan - tells Reuters she bought her apartment in Wang Fuk Court over 20 years ago. Credit: Reuters)
At least 36 people have been killed in a huge fire that has engulfed multiple high-rise buildings in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. Also on the programme, three people, including two soldiers from the US National Guard, have been shot in Washington, a few blocks from the White House; and, how noise in the ocean is affecting marine life.(Photo:Fire burns bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at Wang Fuk Court housing estate, in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China, November 26, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu)
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has announced a plan to spend an extra $40 billion dollars on the military over the next eight years to resist Chinese aggression.Also on the programme: at least 13 people have died in a fire in a tower block complex in Hong Kong; and the new "Russian cultural code” from fashion to music, aiming to define what it means to be Russian. (Photo: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te gestures as he delivers a speech during National Day celebrations in Taipei on October 10, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Ukraine's President Zelensky says he's ready to meet President Trump to discuss the most sensitive points of US- drafted peace agreement with Russia. But he said his country's European allies should also join the meeting. Mr Zelensky was addressing a gathering of the Coalition of the Willing - a group of nations which supports Kyiv. We will hear from an Ukrainian MP who is in London to meet with British lawmakers.Also in the programme: Scientists in the UK have established that the brain ages through five distinct stages over its lifetime; and Los Angeles' most famous modernist-styled house goes on sale for the first time.(Picture: Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a Russian strike on a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine on 25 November, 2025. Credit: MAXYM MARUSENKO/EPA/Shutterstock)
As American officials brief that they're making progress in peace negotiations over the Russia-Ukraine war, we get a view from Moscow on what kind of deal might be acceptable to Russia.Also in the programme: why is femicide – the killing of women – especially by intimate partners or close relatives, still so common around the world? We hear from the UN about what needs to happen to bring the numbers down; and ash from a volcano in Ethiopia which has erupted after many dormant years forces flights out of India to re-route.(IMAGE: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during a joint press conference with Belarusian Foreign Minister in Moscow, Russia, 25 November 2025 / CREDIT: Alexander Nemenov/AFP/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)
President Zelensky has hailed what he called "important steps" in peace talks for Ukraine, but said making territorial concessions to Russia's leader would be rewarding him for theft. Also in the programme: A judge has dismissed charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James; we meet the 3 year old with a deadly genetic disorder who's been treated with a pioneering new therapy; and Gaza food kitchens still missing essential products despite ceasefire. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
Negotiations on a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine are continuing after the United States said progress had been made on Sunday. Moscow says it's not been informed of changes to a draft widely seen as favouring Russia.Also on the programme: a three year old boy from California suffering from a rare, genetic disorder called Hunter syndrome, has become the first person in the world to be treated with a gene therapy developed in England; and Jimmy Cliff, the musician credited with introducing Jamaican reggae to the world, has died aged 81.(Photo: Russian missile and drone assaults on Ukraine continue as its leaders hold talks with the US on a potential peace deal. Credit: Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says a “tremendous amount of progress” has been made in talks to finalise a Ukraine peace deal. Talks in Geneva between Ukrainian, US and European officials are focusing on a 28-point draft plan and will continue on Monday. Kyiv and its European allies have raised concerns about the proposals, saying they mirror Russia’s demands, and that more work is needed to reflect Ukraine and Europe’s needs.Also in the programme: we speak to the UN’s climate chief on the deal passed at the COP30 summit; and the animated musical phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters hits Europe.(Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press following talks to finalise a Ukraine peace deal in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: MARTIAL TREZZINI/EPA/Shutterstock)
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted that President Trump's 28 point plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war was drawn up by the US -- contradicting senators who said he told them it was a Russian "wish list". We look into that suggestion.Also in the programme: What do the bandits kidnapping schoolchildren in Nigeria really want? How a celebrated Argentinian writer discovered that her nanny was a KGB agent; and the BBC's climate correspondent shares some reflections as the COP climate talks come to an end.(Photo: Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a Russian strike on a high-rise residential building in Ternopil, western Ukraine, 21 November 2025. Credit: Maxym Marusenko EPA/Shutterstock)
Nearly 200 nations agree on a compromise deal on tackling climate change at the COP30 summit in Brazil - but without any commitment to phase out fossil fuels. We speak to Sierra Leone Minister of The Environment and Climate Change Jiwoh Abdulai, who represented the Least Developed Countries group on finance and transition talks. Also in the programme: All educational institutions in Niger state have been ordered to close following a mass abduction on Friday of more than three hundred children and staff from a Catholic boarding school; and we reflect on the lasting cultural relevance of beloved Pixar film series Toy Story. (Pictured: André Corrêa do Lago, COP30 president, sits as Simon Stiell, United Nations climate chief, left, speaks with other U.N. officials during a plenary session at the COP30 U.N. Climate Summit. Credit: AP Photo/Andre Penner)
US and Ukrainian talks set to take place in Switzerland, but will Ukrainian public opinion accept the proposals?Also in the programme: Key MAGA figure Marjorie Taylor Green to quit Congress after falling out with President Trump; and Rosalia, the multilingual Spanish singer on her new album. (Photo: Zelensky and his wife place wheat sheaves at statue. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
The US has presented Kyiv with a draft peace plan that appears to favour many of Russia's demands over those of the Ukrainians.The widely-leaked US plan includes proposals that the Ukrainian government had previously ruled out, such as ceding areas of the eastern Donetsk region that it still controls. Will Ukraine and Europe accept it?Also in the programme: Why some South African women are training to use guns; the latest controversy around this year's Miss Universe; and  we'll talk about Frida Kahlo's art and the pop-culture phenomenon the Mexican artist has become.(Photo shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a joint press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on 19 November 2025. Credit: Umit Bektas/Reuters)
US President Donald Trump has accused Democratic legislators who urged members of the armed forces to disobey unlawful orders of sedition and suggested they should face the death penalty.Also on the programme: a journalist who has followed the Epstein story for years tells us what might be in the files to be released; and American filmmaker Wes Anderson on the pros and cons of AI in the movies. (Photo: President Trump gestures after speaking during a meeting of senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia on September 30, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Senior EU politicians say Kyiv and Europe must be involved in any peace plan for Ukraine, as the US pushes for proposals that reportedly echo Russian demands.Some of the reported plans being discussed involve Ukraine giving up territory and dramatically shrinking its military.Also in the programme: We'll hear about the Filipino mayor busted as a human trafficker and online scammer; one of the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking network on the promised major release of new information; and social media networks are turned off for Australia's under-16s.(Photo shows A Russian flag waving in front of a US flag at the US Embassy in Moscow. Credit: Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told US President Donald Trump that he wants Riyadh to join the Abraham Accords, the framework for the normalisation of ties between Israel and several Muslim states, but also wants to secure a “clear path” to Palestinian statehood. Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader was speaking during a visit the White House, his first since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which occurred inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.Also in the programme: Europe’s uneasy standoff with Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”; and we hear from one of the scientists behind a new study which traces the origins of kissing back more than 21 million years...Photo: Donald Trump speaking at black-tie dinner. Credit: REUTERS/Tom Brenner
The Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, has been welcomed to the White House by President Trump; it's his first visit to the US since the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi agents seven years ago. Also in the programme: the US House of Representatives has voted in favour of compelling the Justice Department to release its files on the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein; and an Asian-American star of the hit TV series K-pop Demon Hunters talks about her experience of racism growing up.(Photo credit: Getty Images)
If the artificial intelligence bubble were to burst, every company would be affected, the head of Google's parent firm Alphabet has told the BBC.Sundar Pichai said, while the growth of AI investment had been an "extraordinary moment", there was some "irrationality" in the current AI boom. Is a bubble burst inevitable and would it be painful?Also in the programme: the US hails UN security council backing for its Gaza peace plan; and does the world -- or the world's restaurants -- need a universal spice index?(Photo shows Sundar Pichai during an interview at Google's California headquarters on 17 November 2025. Credit: BBC News)
Sheikh Hasina, in exile in India, was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity. The former Prime Minister was found guilty of ordering the use of lethal force against protesters, resulting in the deaths of around 1,400 people. Hasina denies the charges and her supporters say they are politically motivated. Also on the programme: we ask what led to Donald Trump’s sudden U-turn on the Epstein files; and the discovery of two organ pieces by a teenaged Johann Sebastian Bach.(PICTURE: Bangladeshi Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman addresses the media in Dhaka, 17 November 2025 CREDIT: MONIRUL ALAM/EPA/Shutterstock)
Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity in abstentia over her crackdown on student-led protests, which led to her ousting.Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest last year. Where does the verdict leave Bangladesh?Also in the programme: Donald Trump u-turns on releasing the Epstein files; Chileans face a presidential choice - the hard-left or the far-right; and the rom-com hero now cast in bronze in London.(Photo shows the then-Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina visiting New Delhi, India on 22 June 2024. Credit: Harish Tyagi/EPA)
The British government has set out plans for sweeping changes to its asylum system to address public concerns about uncontrolled immigration. Under the proposals, refugees granted asylum will have to wait twenty years before they can apply for permanent settlement instead of five years. Also in the programme: a planned auction in Germany of artefacts from prisoners of Nazi concentration camps has been cancelled; people in Ecuador have been voting in a referendum on on whether to allow the return of foreign military bases to help combat organised crime; and we speak to writer Jana Bakunina on her new book The Good Russian: In Search of a Nation's Soul.(File photo: A group of migrants on an inflatable dinghy leave the coast of northern France in an attempt to cross the English Channel on July 17, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)
Ecuador holds a referendum on whether or not to allow foreign military bases in the country again to help tackle drug trafficking. There was a US military base on the country’s Pacific coast until 2009, when President Rafael Correa ordered it closed. Also in the programme: the UK government announces that most refugees granted asylum will have to wait twenty years before they can apply for permanent settlement, instead of five years; and we hear from a critic of the German auction house planning a sale of personal items from victims of the Nazi Holocaust.(IMAGE: Ballots are placed on a table during a referendum to decide whether to allow the return of foreign military bases, which Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa says are central to fighting organized crime, and whether they back convening an assembly to rewrite the constitution, at a polling station in Quito, Ecuador November 16, 2025 / CREDIT: Reuters / Karen Toro)
Thousands of people have been marching through the streets of Belem to demand stronger action on tackling global warming, as the UN climate summit continues in the Brazilian city. Indigenous communities, youth groups, and climate activists from across the world were among those joining the rally to mark COP 30's half-way point. We speak to Panama's special representative on climate change Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez. Also in the programme: President Trump has hit out at Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene who had been one of his closest allies; why Iceland's former Prime Minister is worried her native language is under threat; and as Pope Leo holds an audience with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, we speak to a nun who is also a film critic. (Picture: People join the Global Climate March in Belem on 15 November, 2025. Credit: ANDRE BORGES/EPA/Shutterstock)
President Trump has said he'll sue the BBC for up to five billion dollars, despite the broadcaster's apology for misrepresenting the speech he gave before his supporters attacked the Capitol building. Also in the programme: settler violence in the West bank; and 25 years of Daft Punk.(Picture: The BBC logo outside the BBC Broadcasting House. Credit: REUTERS)
A court in Britain has ruled that the mining company BHP is legally responsible for the collapse of a dam in 2015 which caused one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters. The failure of the Mariana dam (in southeastern Brazil) unleashed a wave of toxic waste that killed nineteen people and polluted a major river. It was owned by a joint venture between the Brazilian firm, Vale, and BHP - which was headquartered in Britain at the time. Hundreds of thousands of Brazilian victims are seeking what could amount to billions of dollars in compensation. BHP says it intends to appeal. Also in the programme: controversy in Turkish football; and we hear from a mystery person photographed during the Louvre heist. (Photo: A view shows the BHP Group logo at their headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. CREDIT: REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo)
Ukraine says at least eight civilians have been killed in a major Russian drone and missile attack, which hit both energy facilities and apartment blocks. We speak to one Kyiv resident who says that living under constant threat makes every day like roulette.Also in the programme: we ask the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, whether the international community is capable of taking action to stop the flow of arms to the Sudanese RSF group; and crime novelist turned national football coach Eydun Klakstein tells us why his Faroe Islands team have what it takes to make World Cup history.(Pictured: Locals watch as emergency services work the site of a Russian strike on a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, 14 November 2025. Credit: MAXYM MARUSENKO/EPA/Shutterstock)
The attacks were described by France's then President, Francois Hollande, as an "act of war" organised by the Islamic State (IS) militant group, and they left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded. We'll speak to a survivor and ask how they've changed France. Also on the programme: a new documentary analyses Hitler's DNA for the very first time - we speak to the expert who studied his genetic make up; and Sri Lanka's cricket team continue their tour of Pakistan despite security concerns. (Photo: France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during a ceremony marking a decade since the November 2015 Paris attacks. Credit: LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)
France is holding a series of ceremonies marking ten years since coordinated Islamist attacks in the capital, Paris, left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded. A survivor describes what happened that night and how he has rebuilt his life.Also in the programme: The White House says that emails from the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were selectively leaked by Democrats to create a false narrative about President Trump; and why Type 1 diabetes is more severe in young children.(Photo: The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, during a ceremony in tribute to the victims of the November 2015 Paris attacks. Credit: Ludovic Marin/EPA/Shutterstock)
Emails released by US lawmakers say Donald Trump "spent hours" with a victim of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The White House has accused Democrats of selectively leaking the emails to push a fake narrative against the President.Also in the programme: after dozens of Israeli settlers launched arson attacks on Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank, we'll hear about growing frustration within Israel's military; and the solar storms bringing spectacular light shows to skies around the globe. (Photo: Donald Trump poses alongside Jeffrey Epstein in 1997. Credit: Getty)
The Democrat governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has criticised deadly US strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean. The US has now struck at least nineteen vessels, killing around eighty people. On Tuesday, an American warship (the USS Gerald R Ford) also arrived in the region. There's growing speculation that the US might attack Venezuela, where President Maduro has announced a nationwide military deployment.Also in the programme: The Israeli military says its troops were attacked when they detained four Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank for taking part in a large scale arson attack on Palestinian villages; out of the latest atrocities in Sudan, we will bring you the survivors' stories; and bagpipe world record broken in Australia.(Photo: Dozens of aircraft on the USS Gerald R Ford add significant combat power to US forces near Latin America. Credit: Getty Images)
Survivors who fled El Fasher in Sudan have described witnessing atrocities as the city fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces last month. The RSF has denied killing nearly five hundred patients and staff at the Saudi Maternity Hospital after capturing the city from the army. We hear a special report from Barbara Plett Usher in Nairobi.Also in the programme: German songwriters score a victory over AI; and Iraq goes to the polls.(Picture: Remnants of a shell that targeted the refugee centre, in El Fasher, Sudan, October 7, 2025. Credit: REUTERS)
Indian officials say at least twelve people have now died in Monday's car explosion in Delhi. Reports in the Indian media say that investigators suspect a Delhi-based Kashmiri doctor was in the driver's seat. There's also been an explosion near a crowded courthouse in neighbouring Pakistan today.Also in the programme: voting is underway in Iraq to choose a new parliament as both Iran and the US vie for influence; the new research that suggests that speaking more than one language could delay the ageing process; and we speak to this year's Booker Prize winner. (Picture: Security personnel and members of the forensic team work at the site of an explosion near the historic Red Fort in India. Credit: REUTERS/Adnan Abid)
Ahmed al-Sharaa - once designated a high-value terrorist target by the US - has, as the new president of Syria, met Donald Trump at the White House. But concerns run deep inside Syria over the level of sectarian violence.Also in the programme: President Trump threatens to sue the BBC for $1bn, but does he have a case? And at least nine people are killed in an explosion in the Indian capital, Delhi, outside the seventeenth century Red Fort.(IMAGE: President Donald Trump shakes hands with Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025 / CREDIT: Syrian Presidency press office via AP)
BBC Chair Samir Shah has apologised for an "error of judgement" in how a documentary edited a speech by Donald Trump. Also on the programme, the presidents of the US and Syria will speak at a historic meeting at the White House; and, red kite chicks from England have been sent to Spain in order to bring the species back from the brink of extinction.(People walk outside BBC Broadcasting House after Director General of BBC Tim Davie and Chief Executive of BBC News Deborah Turness resigned following accusations of bias at the British broadcaster, including in the way it edited a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump, in London, Britain, November 10, 2025. REUTERS/Jack Taylor)
The director general of the BBC Tim Davie and the head of news Deborah Turness have resigned following criticism that a Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing two parts of President Trump's speech together so he appeared to explicitly encourage the Capitol Hill riots of January 2021. Also in the programme: Activists in Afghanistan say the Taliban authorities order women to wear burkas to be allowed into hospitals and government offices in the western city of Herat; and Sudan's rich artistic history. (Image: BBC Broadcasting House in central London. Credit: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
For the second time in less than a week, the Philippines is bracing for another super typhoon.Ferocious winds and torrential rain are hitting the country, with the storm said to be the size of western Europe Also in the programme: As the US government shutdown hits 40 days, it becomes the longest in history - with senators meeting in a rare Sunday session; and - is Artificial Intelligence going to turn against us?(Photo shows a man walking in the rain with an umbrella as Typhoon Fung-wong approaches, in Cauayan, Isabela, Philippines, November 9, 2025. Credit: Eloisa Lopez/Reuters)
The Iranian government says water supplies in the capital Tehran will suffer periodic cuts, as the country struggles to cope with its worst drought in decades. The announcement came two days after President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested Tehran might have to be evacuated, if shortages continue. His comments have prompted widespread criticism in Iranian newspapers and on social media, with the president accused of scaremongering and conducting "a narrative of despair." We speak to a resident in the capital and a former Environment Department official. Also in the programme: Curtis Sliwa who came 3rd in this week's election for New York mayor tells us he was offered bribes to pull out of the race; and the woman who took up golf in her 50's and hit three holes in one in a month.(Photo: Iranians picnic inside an almost dry river, which was once full, in the Fasham area, north of Tehran, Iran, 25 August 2025. Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock)
US president Donald Trump has announced that Hungary will not have to face sanctions for importing Russian oil, following a White House meeting with Hungary's right-wing prime minister Viktor Orban.It comes after the US effectively blacklisted two of Russia's largest oil companies last month, threatening sanctions on those who buy from them.Also in the programme: 10 years after the Paris climate change conference agreed to limit global warming, we'll analyse what has been achieved by the agreement; we'll look at how Tunisian opposition leaders are supporting each other by going on hunger strike; and we'll hear from the woman who took up golf in her 50s and just hit three holes in one in a month.[Photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral lunch with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Vice President JD Vance, at the White House in Washington DC on 7 November 2025. Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]
The president of the Pacific island nation, Palau, considers whether COP is still worth it. Also on the programme, thousands of flights have been cancelled or delayed in the US on the first day of reduced air traffic caused by the government shutdown; and, the so-called "Google Maps" of Roman Roads -- the most extensive digital map that reveals hundreds of thousand of kilometres of old roads.(Photo: Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez embrace next to European Council President Antonio Costa and Para state Governor Helder Barbalho as delegates attending the Belem Climate Summit ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) gather for a family photo, in Belem, Brazil, November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Adriano Machado)
Tesla shareholders have approved a pay package that could make Elon Musk the world's first dollar trillionaire. We discuss whether that’s an obscene sum or a fair reward for success.Also in the programme: as world leaders meet ahead of the UN climate conference in Brazil, we ask a supporter of Donald Trump why the US president isn't there and why Mr Trump now says climate change is all a hoax; and the challenge of writing a piece of music to mark 80 years of Britain's Jodrell Bank Observatory.(IMAGE: Tesla CEO Elon Musk attends a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona, U.S., September 21, 2025 / CREDIT: Reuters/Daniel Cole)
The US has not sent a delegation to the COP30 in Brazil but President Trump's influence is being felt at the conference. Also on the programme, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan have said they've agreed to a proposal for a humanitarian ceasefire in the country's civil war; and, the world's largest spiderweb has been discovered in a cave.(Photo: The Prince of Wales leaves the stage after speaking during the COP30 UN climate conference in Belem, Para State, Brazil. Picture date: Thursday November 6, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
As only a handful of world leaders attend a meeting ahead of COP 30 in Brazil next week - is international commitment on climate change at risk? We hear from our team on the ground in Belem and from Germany's former special envoy on climate.Also in the programme: the Philippines declares a state of emergency after Typhoon Kalmaegi destroys entire communities and leaves at least 114 people dead; our correspondent - under heavy Israeli restrictions - goes inside the Gaza Strip; and we get an update on Sudan, where UN Secretary General António Guterres has said the “horrifying crisis .. is spiralling out of control".(IMAGE: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) plenary session, in Belem, Brazil, November 6, 2025 / CREDIT: Reuters/Adriano Machado)
New York City's Democratic mayor- elect, Zohran Mamdani, says he'll start the hard work of improving New Yorkers lives now. He's pledged to run a government that can deliver his campaign promise to make New York more affordable.Also in the programme: The African women tricked into making Russian drones; France moves to suspend Shein website as it opens first store in Paris; and just how vulnerable are Nigeria's Christians.(Photo credit: AFP)
The newly-elected Democratic mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani has told his supporters that his victory can be a template for how to defeat President Trump. In his victory speech, the 34-year-old said that in a moment of political darkness, New York would be the light. We get reaction from Democrats and Republicans. Also in the programme: Fashion wars in Paris; and are we on the cusp of an AI bubble that could tank the global economy? (Photo: Mayor-elect of New York City Zohran Mamdani speaks during an election night party in the Brooklyn borough of New York, 4 November 2025. Credit: Sarah Yenesel/EPA/Shutterstock)
Dick Cheney has been called the most powerful vice-president in US history, as well as the chief architect of America's so-called ‘war on terror', and a war criminal. We hear from a former colleague, and from an Iraqi poet. Also in the programme: evidence that the earliest humans passed technology tips down the generations for more than 300,000 years; and as Paris offers the chance to buy prime spots in its most historic cemeteries, we ask what makes them so beguiling?(IMAGE: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney (L) listens as President George W. Bush makes remarks about the U.S. defense budget after meeting with military leaders at the Pentagon in Washington, November 29, 2007 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Larry Downing)
The former US Vice-President Dick Cheney has died. One of the most powerful men to hold that office, he was key to the allied invasion of Iraq, in 2003. We hear American and Iraqi views of his legacy.Also in the programme: videos start to emerge from Tanzania of bodies in the street after disputed elections; and Salman Rushdie tells us about his latest collection of fiction. (File photo: US President George W. Bush (L) and Vice President Dick Cheney celebrate at the conclusion of the 2004 Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden in New York, September 2, 2004. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in for a second term after an election marred by violent protests and rejected by the opposition as a sham. The inauguration ceremony was closed to the public. The president was declared the winner on Saturday with 98% of the vote. She faced little opposition with key rival candidates either imprisoned or barred from running. International observers have raised concerns about the transparency of the election and its violent aftermath, with hundreds of people reportedly killed.Also in the programme: The former top lawyer for the Israeli military is arrested in a scandal over a leaked video; and the actor Sir Anthony Hopkins opens up about his tough upbringing in a biography.(Photo: A Tanzanian riot police officer throws a used teargas canister near a vandalised campaign poster of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, after a protest following a general election marred by violent demonstrations, October 30, 2025. Credit: Reuters Thomas Mukoya)
British police say a 32-year-old man is now being treated as the only suspect in a mass stabbings on a train in England on Saturday. A second man detained at the scene has been released. Also in the programme: New York is about to grab the headlines all over again - we look forward to a mayoral election for the ages on Tuesday; the Maldives brings in the world's only generational smoking ban; we speak to acclaimed South Korean author Bora Chung about her latest book, 'The Midnight Timetable'; and the wartime message in a bottle found ashore after more than 100 years.(Photo: Police met the Doncaster to London King's Cross train as it made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon. Credit: PA MEDIA)
British police say there is nothing to suggest a mass stabbing incident on a train on Saturday was a terrorist incident. Doctors continue to treat seven passengers, two of whom have life-threatening injuries. Armed police arrested two suspects at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire, where the train made an emergency stop after terrified passengers alerted the crew. Also in the programme: we'll speak to Nigeria's presidential adviser after US president Donald Trump threatened to take military action to protect the country's Christian population; and the wartime message in a bottle found ashore after one hundred years.(Picture: Forensic teams work at the scene at Huntington railway station in Britain after a number of passengers were stabbed on a train. Credit: Tayfun Salci/EPA/Shutterstock)
Egypt has officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum with a lavish inauguration, which it intends as a cultural highlight of the modern age.Also on the programme: Jamaicans confront the stark reality of how Hurricane Melissa has changed their lives; and as baseball's World Series goes to the wire, we preview the deciding game with a Blue Jay and a Dodgers fan. (Photo: A girl wears a costume as people gather to watch the official opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian. Credit: Reuters)
The museum displays, for the first time, the entire contents of Tutankhamun's tomb, along with some 100,000 artefacts covering seven millennia of the country's history. We hear from the renowned Egyptologist Dr Zahi Hawass, a former Egyptian minister and one of the prime movers behind the museum.Also in the programme, the incumbent president of Tanzania has been declared the official winner of controversial national elections, after days of violence; the sixty-something British man who is running the equivalent of 200 marathons in 200 days; and an interview with the writer Kiran Desai, whose latest novel, her first in almost twenty years, is on the shortlist of the Booker Prize.(Photo: Final preparations ahead of the opening of Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza, Egypt - 01 Nov 2025; Credit: MOHAMED HOSSAM/EPA/Shutterstock)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
Andrew is no longer a British prince. We hear from the brother of the woman whose harrowing experience of sex trafficking, detailed in her memoir, ultimately led to his downfall. We also speak to a close friend of King Charles about what this scandal means for the future of the monarchy.Also in today’s programme: how the world keeps failing Sudan, researchers in Denmark have created a broad-spectrum anti-venom that could revolutionise life-saving treatment for snake bites, and the Indian women’s cricket team pulls off a record-breaking run chase.(Photo: Sky Roberts (C), a brother of late financier Jeffrey Epstein's late victim Virginia Giuffre, speaks on the day of a rally in support of Epstein's victims in Washington DC, 3 September, 2025. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
Buckingham Palace says Britain's King Charles is stripping his younger brother, Andrew of his ‘prince’ title, amid continuing controversy over his links to the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. It means he will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The British Royal family has faced growing scrutiny over Andrew's titles and living arrangements. Buckingham Palace described the action as necessary. But it noted that Andrew continues to deny allegations against him. Also in the programme: As President Trump says he's ordered new nuclear weapons tests - the body responsible for monitoring them says that would be 'harmful' and 'destabilising'- so what's behind his announcement? And 'killer sponges', and zombie worms discovered in the Southern Ocean. (Photo: Handout photo issued by the US Department of Justice (left-right) Prince Andrew, now to be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Virginia Giuffre the prominent accuser of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein)
Xi Jinping and Donald Trump have held their first face-to-face talks in six years in a moment of high trade tension between China and the US.Mr Trump hailed an "amazing" meeting with his Chinese counterpart, but Beijing was less effusive. Thursday's talks did not lead to a formal agreement but the announcements suggest they are closer to a deal. We'll try to work out what has been sorted out at the talks in South Korea.Also in the programme: The latest mass killings in Sudan spark international outrage, with the RSF rebel leader promising an immediate investigation into the actions of his troops; the Dutch election is a neck-and-neck race between centrist liberals and anti-Islam populists; and five more suspects have been arrested over the Louvre museum jewellery heist.(Photo shows US president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping shake hands in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025. Credit: Yonhap/EPA)
The right-wing governor of Rio state in Brazil has praised Tuesday's controversial anti-gang operation, in which more than a-hundred and thirty people were killed. Claudio Castro said the only victims were the four police officers who died. Two- and- a half thousand police and soldiers took part in the raids against the Red Command. Major gun battles erupted in two Rio favelas in the biggest security operation in the history of Rio state. Brazil's centre-left President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva said he was surprised an operation of this scale was set up without the knowledge of the federal government.Also in the programme: the Netherlands head to the polls; and a deep dive into presents for US Presidents.(Photo: Mourners react as people gather around bodies. CREDIT: REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes)
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared a "disaster area" and warned of "devastating impacts". The hurricane has now hit Cuba, bringing heavy winds and heavy rain, with warnings of storm surges.Also on the programme: we hear about a new breath test which could revolutionise the treatment of pancreatic cancer; and the Spanish city of Valencia remembers the deadly floods of a year ago.(Image: Broken tree branches lie on the street, after Hurricane Melissa made landfall, in Spur Tree, Manchester, Jamaica, October 29, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Octavio Jones)
Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in Jamaica - its most powerful storm since records began. The US National Hurricane Centre said the eye hit the southwest of the island with estimated maximum wind speeds close to three hundred kilometres an hour. Also in the programme: Fear of mass killings as thousands trapped in besieged Sudan city taken by militia group; Israel has carried out air strikes on Gaza -- after its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire deal; and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales on the precious commodity, trust.(Photo: A fallen tree on a road caused by Hurricane Melissa in Kingston. Credit: Reuters)
As the strongest storm the island of Jamaica has ever known approaches landfall, we hear from people on the ground, from the Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change, and from a meteorologist.Also in the programme: with more evidence of atrocities emerging from the Sudanese city of El Fasher, we hear from the United Nations' Coordinator on Sudan; and Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, talks to Newshour about the meaning of trust.(IMAGE: a man wearing a protective suit cycles on a street, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, in Kingston, Jamaica, October 27, 2025 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Octavio Jones)
Hurricane Melissa has intensified into the strongest possible storm category, five, as it heads towards Jamaica -- where it is expected to make landfall in the early hours of Tuesday. The authorities fear it could be the fiercest hurricane ever to hit the island. Meteorologists have described what they're seeing as 'satellite history'. We hear from Jamaica's information minister, Dana Morris Dixon. Also in the programme: The Rapid Support Forces in Sudan claim to have taken the city of El-Fasher, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped; and ten people have gone on trial in France accused of cyber-bullying against the country's first lady, Brigitte Macron.(Picture: Jamaica aid worker Craig Brown wraps a gas pump as Hurricane Melissa approaches in Kingston, Jamaica on October 27, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Octavio Jones)
Argentina's President Javier Milei has led his party to a landslide victory in Sunday's midterm elections, after defining the first two years of his presidency with radical spending cuts and free-market reforms. Also on the programme: Cameroon's 92-year-old President Paul Biya has been declared the winner of the heavily disputed presidential election; and scientists in India have discovered that playing music to unconscious patients significantly reduced the amount of anaesthetic needed to keep them under. (Photo: Argentina's President Javier Milei reacts after the La Libertad Avanza party won the midterm election. Credit: Reuters)
Another US warship has sailed into waters near Venezuela, adding to the growing presence of American warships and warplanes. The US has said it is fighting against drug traffickers, but there is a growing sense it might not be the full picture, as a US Senator has said they could soon launch a military attack on Venezuelan soil.We speak to Venezuela's attorney general and close ally of President Nicolas Maduro about what he thinks the United States is up to.Also in our programme: Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces claim they have captured the army headquarters in the besieged city of El Fasher; and we hear about Argentina's most controversial mid-elections.(Photo: The US Navy destroyer USS Gravely arrives in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, a few miles off the coast of Venezuela. Credit: Andrea de Silva / EPA / Shutterstock)
US President Donald Trump has overseen the signing of an agreement between Thailand and Cambodia to normalise relations after their short border conflict earlier this year. We'll hear from our Southeast Asia correspondent Jonathan Head who is in Kuala Lumpur.Also in the programme: Police in France have detained at least one man in connection with the theft of millions of dollars of jewels from the Louvre museum; and voting has begun in Argentina in midterm elections that are being seen as a de facto referendum on the president Javier Milei. (Picture: U.S. President Donald Trump applauds as Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet hold up a ceasefire deal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 26, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)
The Sudan Doctors’ Network is calling for the reopening of aid corridors in the besieged city of El-Fasher in North Darfur, where it says at least three children are dying daily in 'catastrophic' situation. The Rapid Support Forces have been fighting the Sudanese army for control of El-Fasher, one of the last government-held areas in the Darfur region. We hear from a man who has been in the city since the start of the conflict. Also in the programme: Research suggests advanced AI systems are resisting attempts to shut them down; and growing tensions in Venezuela as President Maduro accuses the United States of 'fabricating' a new war.(Photo: A ceiling damaged by shelling shrapnel at in El Fasher, Sudan, October 7, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/El Tayeb Siddig)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro warns US against war, after the Pentagon orders top aircraft carrier to join its campaign against drugs gangs in the Caribbean. We ask what is Trump's endgame in Venezuela. Also in the programme: The difficulties of getting thousands of sick and injured Gazans for urgent medical treatments abroad despite ceasefire; and how a German company made a risky, but pretty funny, advert for itself out of the Louvre jewel heist. (Image: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attends a press conference in Caracas; Credit: Photo by MIGUEL GUTIERREZ/EPA/Shutterstock)
The United States has imposed sanctions on the Colombian President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of refusing to stop the flow of cocaine to the U.S. President Trump has accused Bogota of being complicit in the illicit drug trade. Also in the programme, President Zelensky visits the UK with leaders of other countries supporting Ukraine; and a Children’s Booker Prize will be awarded next year alongside the main prestigious book award. Photo: Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks during a press conference with international media in Bogota, Colombia Credit: Photo by Carlos Ortega/EPA/Shutterstock
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says lots of countries are interested in contributing troops to the planned international stabilisation force for Gaza. He did not specify who but insisted that Israel had to be comfortable with those chosen. Speaking at the coordination centre set up to oversee the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Mr Rubio said talks were continuing on the future governance of Gaza. Also, how warming seas are endangering the lives and livelihoods of South Korean fishermen, and we speak to author Frank Cottrell-Boyce on a new prize for children's literature.(Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media after visiting the Civil-Military Coordination Center in southern Israel, 24 October, 2025. Credit: adel Senna/Reuters)
Today, the only military veteran ever prosecuted in relation to the 1972 shootings during a march in Northern Ireland has been acquitted of murder charges. Thirteen people were shot dead in Londonderry when members of the army’s Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators. The BBC’s Ireland correspondent Chris Page takes us through today’s verdict. Also on the programme: Ukraine urges the EU to back a plan to release billions of euros in frozen Russian assets to help fund the country’s defence; NBA basketball stars and mafia members are among more than 30 people arrested in an illegal gambling crackdown; and activist Malala Yousafzai explains what led her to seeking therapy following her experiences with the Taliban.(Photo: Family members hold pictures of victims of the 1972 'Bloody Sunday', in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Credit: Cathal McNaughtan/Reuters)
Newshour gets rare access at Rabin Medical Centre in Petah Tikva where some of the twenty living hostages are due to be transferred when they are freed by Hamas. Also, we hear from a doctor setting out the priorities of the medical sector when the occupied territory begins to receive large amount of aid as part of the ceasefire deal with Israel. Also on the programme: An elite army unit in Madagascar that had joined protestors calling for the President's resignation says the armed forces are now under its command; and we'll head to an Amsterdam concert hall which has been transformed for students to hit their text books while immersed in live classical music.(Photo: Dr Michal Steinman at Rabin Medical Centre in Petah Tikva, Israel.)
The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Britain must defeat what he called the "rising hatred of Jewish people", after a deadly attack at a synagogue. Two Jewish people were killed and four others injured after a car was driven towards worshippers at the site in Manchester. Police declared it a terrorist incident. They shot the suspect dead. Also in the programme: Venezuela's opposition leader tells us she welcomes America's attacks on alleged drug smugglers, saying they'll force the President out. We look at protests in Morocco; and is Formula One getting too hot for the safety of its drivers?(Photo: A member of the Jewish community holds a Torah at a police cordon in Manchester, Britain, 2 October 2025. Credit: Photo by Adam Vaughan /EPA/ Shutterstock)
Amid the devastation in Gaza, remarkable stories of hope and resilience do emerge. Sixteen-year-old Sama Nijm, a gifted violinist from Gaza, is using music to bring comfort and healing to the youngest victims of the conflict. Some of the children have lost their parents, and in some cases, their limbs or arms. BBC Newsday's Charlene Rodrigues spoke to Sama, and began by asking her what inspired her to become a violin teacher in the midst of war.
Nine people have been killed and many injured in a school shooting in the southern Austrian city of Graz. The shooter also killed himself, and has been identified as a former pupil.Also, Donald Trump sends in the Marines as the president's crackdown on undocumented migrants clashes with California's policy as a Sanctuary State, Syria's jailers under President Assad speak to the BBC anonymously about what they did and those who suffered, plus good news for biodiversity and precious coral reefs in the Zanzibar archipelago, as two new Marine Protected Areas are announced.(IMAGE: General view of the Dreierschutzengasse high school following a shooting in Graz, Austria, 10 June 2025 / CREDIT: Antonio Bat /EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)