BBC News

Global fertility rates are at record lows globally, and governments around the world are urging couples to grow their families.

Under Viktor Orbán’s leadership, Hungary implemented some of the most aggressive pro-natalist policies in the world — including generous subsidies for couples who promise to have children, lengthy paid maternity leave, and thousands of dollars in interest-free loans.

But does paying people to have kids actually work? We speak to BBC populations correspondent Stephanie Hegarty about the possibilities and limitations of pro-natalist government policies.

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#BBCNews #Fertility #Population #Demographics

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

04:05 Why Hungary is paying couples to have babies

07:24 Global fertility at record low levels

08:11 How did Hungary get into this position?

14:11 Will the new government in Hungary carry on the policy?

16:48 Do financial incentives to have children actually work?

23:30 How do we improve global fertility rates?

The FBI thwarted a plot targeting Sunday's UFC event at the White House and has arrested five men, the US justice department said on Tuesday.

Part of the plan involved striking nearby buildings with explosive-laden drones and firing on "high value targets", prosecutors alleged.

One suspect was arrested in Ohio last week, where investigators reviewed encrypted messages involving other alleged conspirators. Prosecutors said in charging documents they had allegedly "expressed ultra-religious and antigovernment sentiments".

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A retired British couple who were on a yacht which had warning shots fired near it by a Russian warship in the English Channel on Tuesday have described the "surreal" experience to BBC Newsnight.

Jane and Alan Kelvey were sailing 23 miles off the coast of the Isle of Wight on Tuesday morning when they came into close contact with a Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich.

The warship fired into the UK-registered yacht's path, in what the Ministry of Defence has described as an "isolated incident" and not linked to the seizure of a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Channel on Sunday.

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US President Donald Trump has said Iran will "never have a nuclear weapon" in his preliminary deal to end the war.

Speaking at the G7 summit, Trump also said that without him "there would be no Israel" and criticised Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

Fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has continued, and Iran has said Israeli troops must withdraw from Lebanon.

Netanyahu said his troops will not be withdrawing and the framework deal was reached between Iran and the US, not Israel.

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Close to 800 people have been confirmed to have contracted Ebola in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Of those, about a quarter have died.

Health care workers are struggling to curb the spread of the deadly disease, but they have also witnessed patients recovering - giving hope to their fight against Ebola.

We spoke to the BBC's Anne Soy who's been to the epicentre of the outbreak in the DRC, in Ituri province.

New episodes of the Global News Podcast are published twice a day. You can listen here: https://link.mgln.ai/GNP-YT

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Debutants Cape Verde produced one of the biggest 2026 World Cup shocks of recent times by holding Spain to a goalless draw in Atlanta.

The third-smallest country in terms of population to qualify for a World Cup, Cape Verde were 67th in Fifa's latest rankings and many expected them to be swept aside by second-ranked Spain in their opening Group H contest.

But what does their recent success mean for the small island off the coast of West Africa?

00:00 - Intro

00:38 - The nation that shocked the world

01:23 - Quickfire questions about Cape Verde

02:15 - How did they shock Spain?

03:39 - The tactics behind the upset

06:08 - What could this mean for Cape Verde?

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Today, what difference will banning social media make to children’s lives?

Speaking the day after the announcement of a ban on social media for under-16s in the UK, the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson speaks to Adam in the Newscast studio.

They discuss: if children need to be bored more; whether it’s OK for parents to watch YouTube with their children; and whether the school day should be longer?

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Linkin Park have made history by becoming the first female-fronted band to headline Download Festival in a major moment for the alternative music scene.

Speaking to BBC News' Mel Ramsay, they talk about how the group has evolved, what they look for in a new collaborator, and why this era feels different. They also reflect on their journey over the past few years, from uncertainty about the band’s future to returning to some of the biggest stages in the world.

Plus, they discuss their new music, UK fans, gaming, and the artists inspiring them right now.

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#LinkinPark #MikeShinoda #ColinBrittain #EmilyArmstrong #DownloadFestival #BBCNews

00:00 - Intro

00:18 - What it means to headline Download

02:06 - When they knew Emily was right for the band

04:06 - Why UK crowds hit different

06:50 - Football and the World Cup

09:49 - Their favourite UK rappers

14:07 - Gaming and what they’re playing

14:52 - The new movie they’re working on

17:28 - What’s next: new music?

The Red Cross said it could take a year to end the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A dozen of healthcare workers sang songs of praise on Friday, as they escorted a patient, who has recovered from the disease, out of a hospital in the north-east of the country.

More than 780 people have been infected with the desease and more than 180 have died.

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Millions of children in the UK will be forced off social media after the government announced it would ban under-16s from accessing a range of platforms.

Apps including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram will become inaccessible for children, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Tech companies including Meta, Snapchat and YouTube warned a blanket ban would move children into more unsafe online environments.

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