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The Israeli prime minister is reportedly planning to expand military operations in Gaza. It comes as hundreds of retired Israeli security officials have written to President Trump, urging him to pressurise their government to end the war. They say Hamas is no longer a threat and the war is no longer just. We speak to one of signatories of the letter Ami Ayalon, a former director of Shin Bet, Israel's domestic secret service agency.Also in the programme: More than 70 migrants have died in a shipwreck in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen; why Texan Democrats are running away from a vote; and Sir David Attenborough's latest BBC One series documents how parents from across the animal kingdom sacrifice everything in order to raise their young.(Photo: Protest outside Israeli PM Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem. Credit: Reuters)
Russian media have dismissed Donald Trump's announcement that he will deploy nuclear submarines closer to Russia. Mr Trump said his decision was prompted by “provocative comments” on social media by the former Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev. Mr Medvedev said in a post on X on Monday that President Trump was playing "the ultimatum game" with Russia, and that such an approach could lead to a war involving the United States.Also in the programme: The world's first legislation to control artificial intelligence starts coming into force in the EU today; and from Gaza, the sixteen-year-old with a dream to become a great violinist. (Photo: Dmitry Medvedev was Russia's president in 2008-12. Credit: Reuters)
We face a special challenge in America.James Naughtie speaks to veteran US politician John Kerry about the state of American politics and his long career at the top of global affairs.As well as standing for president himself as the Democratic candidate in 2004, he served as Secretary of State in the Obama administration and as Joe Biden's climate envoy. Secretary Kerry was at the centre of some of the most significant global crises in recent history from Iraq to Iran and Syria. He still believes one of America's greatest foreign policy mistakes was invading Iraq in 2003 without first seeking formal approval from the US Congress.He is forthright in his views on America today, saying he has never seen anything like what the country is living through. He describes politics as defined by greed and insensitivity, and guided by the lowest aspirations. For his Democratic party to return to power once more, he challenges them to face and address the issues the American people care about, including immigration. Thank you to the Politically team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: James Naughtie Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Giles Edwards Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: John Kerry. Credit: Reuters)
More aid trucks have been seen crossing into Gaza where Israel has eased its blockade and military operations under intense international pressure, but humanitarian organisations have warned that the supplies are nowhere near enough to ease the hunger crisis gripping the Palestinian territory.Also in the programme: as France describes the European Union's trade deal with the US as "submission", the EU's top negotiator tries to make the case for the deal; and Google admits its earthquake warning system failed to alert millions of people in Turkey before the devastation of 2023.(Photo shows trucks carrying aid lining up near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on 28 July 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 30 people have died of starvation in the past two days, as Israel continues an offensive in the centre of the territory. Newshour hears form a resident of Gaza City.Also in the programme: Prince of Darkness Ozzy Osborne dies; and mining for lithium in Chile's salt flats.(Picture: Smoke rises in the aftermath of an Israeli military operation in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip. Credit: Reuters)
Aid agencies say the Israeli military's ground and air assault on Deir al-Balah in central Gaza has intensified. Also, an air force jet crashes into a school in Bangladesh, and a camel learns to walk again with a prosthetic leg.(Photo: Smoke rises during Israeli strikes amid the Israeli military operation in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, 21 July, 2025 Credit: Reuters)
Israel has launched a ground offensive against the town of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. It comes as 25 countries, including two permanent members of the Security Council, have called for an immediate end to the fighting. Newshour speaks to Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide.Also in the programme: the stolen painting returned to Italy after 52 years; Venus Williams is back on court.(Picture: Smoke rises during Israeli strikes amid the Israeli military operation in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, July 21, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Europe was free-riding on USNick Robinson speaks to Friedrich Merz, the new German Chancellor, about the future of Europe's defence amid the growing threat posed by Russia. Merz, the leader of the centre-right Christian Democrat party, was elected as Chancellor earlier this year at the second attempt, following chaotic scenes in the German Bundestag that saw him lose the first parliamentary vote. He's been in the UK to sign the first-ever friendship treaty between the two countries - it's a wide-ranging agreement covering everything from migration to energy, and business to defence. Unlike his predecessors who, in the shadow of World War Two, were keen to reassure the world that German military strength was not a priority, Chancellor Merz has decided to invest heavily in defence.He says that a strong army is now essential, thanks to the grave threat Russia poses to European peace and stability - and that Germany must be able to protect itself, and not rely on America.Chancellor Merz also talks about his good relations with US President Donald Trump and the rise of the far right AFD (Alternative für Deutschland) party in his country, which is now the official opposition.Thank you to the Today programme team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nick Robinson Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Ben Cooper and Kirsty McKenzie Sound: Dave O'Neill Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Friedrich Merz. Credit: Reuters)
Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to protect all of Syria's minorities as he sent security forces to the Druze heartland, after sectarian clashes left hundreds dead in Sweida.We hear from a Druze woman whose whole family was killed by what she claims were Syrian government forces. Also on the programme: Should Putin-aligned artists be welcomed at cultural events? And, a symphonic tribute to The Beatles. (Photo: Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Aleppo, Syria May 27, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Renewed clashes between Bedouin tribesmen and members of the minority Druze Community have erupted in the south of Syria. A war monitoring group says there's been fighting and shelling in neighbourhoods of the mainly Druze city of Suweida. We'll hear from Damascus and get a US view of Israel's policy.Also, why President Trump and some of his most loyal supporters are at odds over the late, disgraced financier, Jeffrey Epstein.And some virtuoso piano playing from a performer born with only one hand.(Photo: Syria's interim president said government forces had expelled "outlaw groups" in Suweida. Credit: Reuters)
“I'm just disappointed in him, but I'm not done with him”The BBC's Chief North America Correspondent, Gary O'Donoghue, speaks to US President Donald Trump in a wide-ranging telephone interview from the Oval Office. The call with the president came just hours after he announced plans to send weapons to Ukraine and warned of severe tariffs on Russia if there was no ceasefire deal within 50 days. Mr. Trump, who celebrated his 79th birthday last month, was inaugurated for a second term in the White House at the start of this year. It's safe to say that the 47th president of the United States has wasted little time in picking up where he left off four years earlier, upending the status quo both at home and abroad.In the conversation, he reflects on the failed attempt on his life at an election campaign rally last July in Butler, Pennsylvania. He also discusses the ongoing war in Ukraine, US immigration policy, and hopes for his legacy.Thank you to Gary O'Donoghue and Iona Hampson for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Gary O'Donoghue Producers: Iona Hampson and Ben Cooper Sound: Dave O'Neill Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: President Trump. Credit: Reuters)
Donald Trump says new weapons are en route to Ukraine and new sanctions could be heading to Russia as he gives vent to his frustrations with Vladimir Putin. We'll speak to one of the president's Ukraine envoys. Also on the programme: the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert slams the current government's plans to move Gaza's entire population into a new area in the south; and the woman re-imagining the ancient sound of the oud. (Photo: US President Donald Trump announces a deal to send US weapons to Ukraine through Nato in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 14, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Israel says what it called a technical error led to the airstrike that's reported to have killed ten Palestinians - mostly children - in Gaza. It said a munition missed its target by dozens of metres.Also in the programme: Nigeria's former president Buhari dies; and the origins of Superman.(Picture: Blood stains some containers at the site of an Israeli strike that killed Palestinians, gathered to collect water from a distribution point, according to medics, in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip. Credit: Reuters)
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, has offered Moscow his full support on the war in Ukraine during talks with the visiting Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov. The Russian Foreign Ministry has posted video of the meeting in the resort city of Wonsan. Analysts say North Korea may be preparing to send additional troops to aid Russia's campaign. Also, eyewitnesses in Gaza say an Israeli missile has hit a water distribution point killing at least 10 people, most of them children.And a fusion of Chinese and old-time Appalachian music!(Photo: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un welcomed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Wonsan, North Korea. Credit: Reuters)
Gaza's largest remaining hospital, the Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, has stopped admitting casualties because of Israeli troops operating nearby. We speak to a doctor who is an emergency physician there. Also on the programme: Kurdish PKK rebels have begun disbanding after a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state; and scientists say the mystery interstellar object spotted last week by astronomers could be the oldest comet ever seen, possibly more than seven billion years old. (Photo: Medical personnel work in an operating room at Nasser Hospital, which Gaza's health ministry says is at risk of shutting down due to the Israeli blockade of fuel, as the ongoing shortage has already forced the facility to reduce its capacity. Credit: Reuters)
In 1982, Argentine geneticist Victor Penchaszadeh was living in exile in New York when he received a call that would change the course of his career. Two founding members of the campaign group, the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, were asking for his help to find their kidnapped grandchildren. Between 1976 and 1983, Argentina was under military rule. During this period, thousands of mainly young, left-wing people were forcibly disappeared - taken to clandestine detention centres, where many were tortured and killed. Hundreds of babies were born in captivity. Their mothers were later murdered, and the children were often given to families with ties to the regime - and never told their true identities. The Grandmothers travelled the world, desperately asking scientists one question: Without the presence of the parents, could their blood be used to identify their lost grandchildren? Dr Penchaszadeh was the first to say yes. He tells Vicky Farncombe how that answer led to the creation of the world's first national genetic data bank—and the eventual reunion of 140 grandchildren with their real families.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Estela de Carlotto is reunited with her lost grandchild Ignacio Hurban. Credit: Reuters)
A massive search and rescue operation continues in Texas with 11 children still missing after catastrophic flash floods. One survivor tells us how her brother was killed as he saved the rest of his family from the rising waters.Also on the programme: authorities in the Sudanese capital Khartoum say they've recovered nearly 4,000 bodies from the city since they took control in May; and the grizzly bear that's got one Canadian community wrapped around its paw.(Photo: A girl speaks on the phone in an area where families were being reunited with campers after deadly flooding in Kerville, Texas, U.S., July 5, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
The UK needs strong international relationships Nick Robinson, presenter of the BBC Today programme and Political Thinking podcast, speaks to Sir Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister, about the importance of maintaining strong international relationships.In an interview recorded to mark Sir Keir's first year in office, he defends the time he's spent developing alliances with other world leaders. His critics claim he's neglected domestic politics, and point to a series of policy u-turns. But Sir Keir tells Nick Robinson that building these relationships is essential to protect the UK's national interest, particularly in a time of global conflict and instability.Challenged over his domestic performance, he concedes he has changed position on some policy decisions but describes himself as a pragmatist who takes a common sense view in the light of changing circumstances.In this conversation, Sir Keir also reflects on the impact on his family of his role as prime minister, and how he likes to relax by playing football.Sir Keir Starmer was elected in 2024 on a substantial majority, returning the Labour party to power after fourteen years. Twelve months on, his party's approval rating has gone down in the polls as it has run into a series of political difficulties. Thank you to the Political Thinking team for helping to produce this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nick Robinson Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Keir Starmer. Credit: Reuters)
At least 27 people, including nine children, have died and dozens of people are missing amid flash floods in Texas on Independence Day, according to US authorities.Also on the programme: The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting his security cabinet to discuss the response by Hamas to the latest US-backed proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza; and the River Seine in Paris has reopened publicly to swimmers for the first time after a century-long ban.(Photo: A pickup truck sits damaged after deadly flooding in Kerrville, Texas, U.S., July 5, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Russian drones and missiles hit nearly every district of Kyiv overnight. A record 539 drone and 11 missiles strikes were recorded by Ukrainian authorities. Meanwhile, Dutch and German intelligence agencies have warned that Russia's use of chemical weapons in Ukraine is intensifying in both frequency and strength. Also on the programme: Donald Trump is due to sign the "Big Beautiful Bill." And music's "bad-boy" brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are onstage together for the first time in sixteen years as Oasis play their first reunion show in Cardiff. (Picture: A drone explodes in the skies above Kyiv. Credit: Reuters)
New research has predicted that more than 14 million of the world's most vulnerable people, a third of them small children, could die because of the Trump administration's dismantling of US foreign aid.Also on the programme: Thailand's constitutional court has suspended the prime minister over comments she made in a leaked phone conversation; and US Senate Republican leaders are struggling to secure the 50 votes needed to pass President Trump's “big, beautiful bill”. (Photo: People hold placards, as the USAID building sits closed to employees after a memo was issued advising agency personnel to work remotely, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 3, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
More Palestinians are reported to have been killed waiting for food near an aid site run by Israel and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The head of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation tells us that it is the victim of a disinformation campaign.Also on the programme: Tonga's minister of health has a message for the hackers demanding a $1m ransom; and the Argentine-born composer, Lalo Schifrin, the man behind the Mission Impossible theme, has died at the age of 93. (Photo: A Palestinian carries a sack as he and others gather to collect aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
The White House has doubled down over its assessment of the Iran strike with the Trump administration slamming the leaked report that questioned how effective the US strike on Iran was. Also in the programme: We speak to the Kenyan government following the killing of 16 protesters on Wednesday; and why is it so hard for women athletes to break the four-minute mile? (Photo: US secretary of defence and the chairman of joint chiefs of staff holding a press conference. Credit: Reuters)
President Trump made an angry intervention, accusing both sides of violating it when hostilities looked like they would restart.Also on the programme: the Muslim socialist shaking up the Democrats in New York as they look to pick their next mayoral candidate, as well as Jeff Bezos's wedding and the Venetians who'd rather he was tying the knot elsewhere.(Picture: President Trump speaking to reporters Credit: Reuters)
In 1995, post-apartheid South Africa hosted, and won, the Rugby World Cup. It was a hugely unifying moment for the country.In 2013, Rob Bonnet heard Francois Pienaar, the captain of the victorious Springboks, explain what the triumph meant to the nation. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You'll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women's World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football's biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who've had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.(Photo: Nelson Mandela with Francois Pienaar. Credit: Reuters)
Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has warned that any US military intervention in his country will "cause irreparable damage for them". Speaking on state television, the Ayatollah decried what he called "threatening and ridiculous" comments from President Trump, who on Tuesday said Iran should surrender. As Israel's air bombardment of Iran continues for a sixth day, we ask an Israeli minister and a defence official from Mr Trump's first administration whether Israel can achieve its war aims without America's help.Also in the programme: former tennis superstar Martina Navratilova discusses women's sport; and French streaming service Deezer tackles fraud involving AI music.(Photo: A TV screen displays the televised message of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran, June 18, 2025. CREDIT: Reuters)
President Trump demands Iran's unconditional surrender as Israel and Iran continue their attacks on each other. Also in the programme: Iranian Nobel laureate, Narges Mohammadi on fleeing Tehran; and we pay tribute to the piano virtuoso, Alfred Brendel.(Photo: Smoke plumes over the Tehran skyline. Credit: Reuters.)
Israel warns Tehran residents to evacuate as it continues its strikes on the Iranian capital, hitting Iran TV studios while many residents attempt to flee the capital. Also in the programme: Canada's foreign minister on the G7 summit, and the athletics trial gripping Norway.(Photo: Iranian flag in an empty square with images of slain senior commanders. Credit: Reuters)
Israel and Iran threaten to step up their military confrontation, nearly 48 hours after the Israeli strikes began. Newshour analyses Israel's strategy and assesses how close Iran was to making a nuclear weapon.Also in the programme: two US politicians are shot in Minnesota; and Bangladesh's interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus on the ending of aid to his country.(Picture: Missiles launched from Iran are intercepted, as seen from the city of Ashkelon, Israel, June 13, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Strikes by Israel and Iran continue as the conflict between the two countries intensifies and stretches into a third day. We'll hear from the Israeli army, a former senior US envoy and a resident of Tehran. Also on the programme: we speak to a senior US senator who was friends with the lawmakers killed in the Minnesota shootings; and the writer on writing about being unable, physically, to write. The podcast version of this programme was edited on 15th June.(Photo: Israelis take shelter at the side of a highway as siren sounds following missile attack from Iran on Israel, in central Israel June 15, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
US President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles following clashes over raids on undocumented migrants.Also on the programme: we will hear from the President of the International Red Cross on Gaza; and the potential power of using "poo pills" containing freeze-dried faeces.(Photo: Protesters stand next to a burning shopping cart during a standoff between police and protesters following multiple detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in the Los Angeles County city of Paramount, California, U.S., June 7, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Waihiga Mwaura, presenter of the BBC's Focus on Africa programme, speaks to Microsoft co-founder and global philanthropist, Bill Gates.Mr. Gates, who is 69 years old, announced last month that he plans to give away 99% of his vast fortune over the next 20 years, predominately through his Gates Foundation. The foundation has already given over 100 billion dollars since being established 25 years ago.He built his vast personal wealth through the software giant Microsoft, which he co-founded back in 1975. Mr. Gates has gradually stepped back from the company in recent decades, first resigning as its chief executive in 2000 and then later as its chairman in 2014.This has allowed him to turn his attention to global philanthropy, with a particular focus on health initiatives in lower-income countries. But Mr. Gates fears this work could be at risk as wealthier countries cut back on their own international aid commitments. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Waihiga Mwaura Producer: Ben Cooper Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Bill Gates. Credit: Reuters)
There's been another shooting near a US and Israeli-backed aid distribution centre in southern Gaza. The Hamas-run civil defence agency said 6 Palestinians were killed and several wounded by Israeli gunfire. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation suspended aid distribution again, blaming threats from Hamas.Also in the programme: the runaway rodents who had China transfixed; and it's Goodbye Lenin to Central Asia's tallest statue.(Photo: A woman crouches tries to gather what remains of relief supplies from a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution centre. Credit: Reuters)
Donald Trump invested a lot of political capital in Elon Musk. And Elon Musk invested a lot of money in Donald Trump. Will their bust up cost them both?Also on the programme, who are the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and what is known about them? And we meet Pedro Urruchurtu, one of the Venezuelan opposition figures who spent over a year in Argentina's embassy in Caracas, and who was subsequently rescued by the USA in "Operation Guacamaya."(Photo: Elon Musk (L) and Donald Trump (R) face each other in March 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Donald Trump and Elon Musk are having a furious and personal public row -- just a week after Mr Musk left the White House -- while Chancellor Merz of Germany is visiting the US. Also in the programme: Israel confirms arming Palestinian clans in Gaza; and Hollywood actor turned crypto critic Ben McKenzie.(Picture: President Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 30, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Health officials in Gaza say at least 27 people have been killed near one of the controversial new aid distribution centres - the third reported incident in three days. The Israeli military says they fired 'warning shots'; medics say they are dealing with a range of injuries. Also on the programme: the mother of a political prisoner still being held in an Egyptian prison eight months after his sentence ended tells us why she's on hunger strike in protest; and South Koreans have been choosing their next president after former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his failed martial law bid. (Photo: A mourner reacts during the funeral of Palestinians killed, in what the Gaza health ministry say was Israeli fire near a distribution site in Rafah, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 3, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Palestinians crowds storm a Gaza aid distribution hub, backed by the US and Israel, on its first full day of operation; and the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert tells Newshour that Israel is committing war crimes.Also in the programme: King Charles III address Canada's parliament; the forty-thousand-year-old fingerprint.(Picture: A man carries a box as Palestinians seeking aid gather near an aid distribution site run by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 27, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
In an extraordinary Oval Office meeting, President Trump ambushes the South African president with claims of white farmers being persecuted.We hear a response from Mzwanele Nyhontso, the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development for South Africa. Also on the programme: how the Italian authorities dealt a blow to a powerful international arm of the mafia – the 'Ndrangheta; and a conservation success story from India, saving the Asiatic Lion.(Photo: US President Donald Trump shows a copy of an article that he said it's about white South Africans who had been killed in the Oval Office. Credit: Reuters)
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have spoken by phone to discuss the war in Ukraine and how to end it. So what's changed? We'll get analysis from Moscow and Washington.Also on the programme: a very limited re-start of aid to Gaza from Israel, after an eleven-week blockade; and as a new exhibition opens in London, featuring a replica of John Lennon's childhood bedroom, we hear from his sister. (Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with students and teachers at a concert hall of a music school as he visits the Sirius educational centre for gifted children near Sochi in the Krasnodar region, Russia, May 19, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Hamas has confirmed it's started a new round of ceasefire talks with Israel, as the IDF continues its new offensive in Gaza. Newshour hears from Gaza City itself.Also in the programme: Voyager 1 reactivates its thrusters; and Eurovision gets underway in Switzerland.(Picture: A Palestinian makes his way with belongings as he flees his home, after Israeli air strikes, in the northern Gaza Strip. Credit: Reuters)
Pakistan and India have accused each other of violating the ceasefire brokered after four days of cross-border attacks. Explosions have been heard in the disputed region of Kashmir an hour after the ceasefire came into effect. We get the latest updates from the region and speak to a former US diplomat about the role played by the United States in mediating the deal.Also in our programme: European leaders meet in Kyiv in a show of solidarity for Ukraine; and the chimpanzees who have found peace after a life of being experimented on.(Photo: Flashes are seen in the sky over Indian-administered Kashmir after India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement. Credit: Reuters).
In May 2015, when the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria was about to fall to jihadist fighters, a group of men risked their lives to load centuries-old artefacts from the city's museum onto trucks and drive them to safety. Before their advance to Palmyra, members of the group that called itself Islamic State had already been filmed for social media smashing statues that dated back to religious life in the Middle East before the Prophet Muhammad. Khalil Hariri, an archaeology expert who worked at Palmyra's museum, tells Josephine McDermott about his passion for its history and the personal price he has paid for the daring rescue.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: The damaged site of Palmyra in 2016. The graffiti reads ‘We remain'. Credit: Reuters)
Pakistan has condemned India's overnight missile strikes on its territory as acts of war. We hear from the Pakistani cabinet minister Ahsan Iqbal.Also in the programme: The Papal conclave in the Vatican begins to elect a successor to Pope Francis; and in his first interview since leaving the White House the former US President, Joe Biden, tells the BBC that the Trump administration is guilty of what he described as "modern-day appeasement" because of the way it has been pressuring Ukraine to give up territory to Russia.(Photo: Members of the media film the inside of a building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, 7 May 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Five months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, we ask can Syria overcome its immense problems under its new Islamist rulers? Also in the programme: Europe commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Nazi surrender in 1945; and the end of the road for Skype.Photo: A torn poster of Bashar al-Assad in Damascus suburb. Credit: Reuters.
The US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has been demoted to UN Ambassador after a controversy involving sensitive military plans and a Signal group chat.Also on the programme: the US and Ukraine clinch a natural resources deal but an agreement to end the conflict remains elusive; and with Roman Catholic cardinals readying to elect a new Pope, British author Robert Harris talks about his book Conclave.And Newhour's Julian Marshall presents his last programme after 51 years of reporting and presenting for the BBC World Service. We bid him farewell. (Photo: US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz joins US Vice President JD Vance for a visit to the US military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on March 28, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Ukraine and the US have signed a much-anticipated natural resources deal, after months of tense negotiations. The deal - which says the US will share profits from future sales of Ukraine's mineral and energy reserves - aims to incentivise Washington to invest further in Ukraine's defence and reconstruction. Also in the programme: Syrian officials say they have regained control of a Damascus suburb which had seen a surge in fighting between a Druze militia and government troops; and we look at the children's book The Gruffalo. Are you excited about the first new book in more than 20 years?(Photo: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko sign the deal. Credit: Reuters, picture obtained from social media. Yulia Svyrydenko via Facebook)
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has said his country deserves respect from the United States and will only enter trade and security talks on its own terms. He was speaking to the BBC just before his Liberal Party's election victory was announced. Newshour hears from newly-elected Conservative MP Andrew Lawton.Also in the programme: Trump's first 100 days in office; and Malta ordered to end "golden passports".(Picture: Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney dances during an event at the Liberal Party election night headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada April 29, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Spain aims to restore power nationwide "soon" after a blackout disrupted daily life for millions but has no "conclusive information" about its causes, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said. In Portugal, electricity provider REN said it had restored power to some 750,000 consumers. Newshour hears from Kristian Ruby of Eurelectric, a trade body for power suppliers.Also in the programme: trial begins in Paris of Kardashian robbers; and on the front lines with rebels in Myanmar.(Picture: A view shows an electricity pylon during a power outage which hit large parts of Spain, in Barcelona, Spain, April 28, 2025. Credit: REUTERS)
India closes its main border crossing with Pakistan following Tuesday's attack by separatists on tourists in the disputed territory of Kashmir.Also on the programme: The European Commission imposes fines on tech giants Apple and Meta. They are smaller than expected but why?; and British researchers claim they have found the first physical evidence that gladiators fought wild animals.(Photo: Grandmother of a victim who was killed in a suspected militant attack in Kashmir is consoled, April 23, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
The International Monetary Fund slashes its forecasts for global growth blaming US tariff policy and uncertainty. Also on the programme: More than 20 people have been killed after gunmen opened fire on tourists in Indian administered Kashmir; and how dozens of new cardinals will affect the papal conclave or choosing of the next pope. (Photo: US President Donald Trump signs executive orders at the White House. Credit: Reuters)