BBC

The PM says he is "furious" he was not told about Lord Mandelson failing security vetting, as the government produces a memo showing he was first alerted on Tuesday.

Donald Trump declares that the "Hormuz Strait situation is over". Is he correct?

And we remember the life of BBC DJ and champion of world music Andy Kershaw, who has died at the age of 66.

President Trump and Iranian officials have said the Strait of Hormuz is open to all commercial vessels, although shipping firms say they're remaining cautious. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the vital waterway would be navigable while the Lebanon ceasefire was in place, warning ships to use designated safe lanes. But Tehran warned it may retract this if Mr Trump continued with his threat to maintain a US blockade on Iranian ports until a comprehensive peace deal is reached. The price of oil has dropped on the announcement.

Also in the programme: finance chiefs warn that a new AI tool could jeopardise global banking; and Japan creates a new word for days over 40 degrees celsius.

(Photo: A drone view shows the Malta-flagged tanker Agios Fanourios I, an oil tanker that sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, arriving in Iraq’s territorial waters off Basra, Iraq, April 17, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Mohammed Aty)

12 – 17 April 2026

Writer: Shaun McKenna

Director: Pip Swallow and Rosemary Watts

Editor: Jeremy Howe

Brian Aldridge … Charles Collingwood

Pip Archer … Daisy Badger

Ruth Archer … Felicity Finch

Lilian Bellamy … Sunny Ormonde

Alice Carter … Hollie Chapman 

Chris Carter … Wilf Scolding

Rex Fairbrother ... Nick Barber

Chelsea Horrobin … Madeleine Leslay 

Bert Horrobin…  David Sterne

Tracy Horrobin … Susie Riddell 

Adam Macy … Andrew Wincott  

Azra Malik … Yasmin Wilde 

Kirsty Miller …. Annabelle Dowler 

Stella Pryor … Lucy Speed 

Fallon Rogers …. Joanna Van Kampen

Lottie Summers … Bonnie Baddoo

Ms Shah … Sudha Bhuchar

Following Trump's tirade, The Naked Week team bleep the hell out of the bleeping news, swear at a steeplechase, and stage a walk out.

From The Skewer’s Jon Holmes and host Andrew Hunter Murray comes The Naked Week; a fresh way of dressing the week’s news in the altogether and parading it around for everyone to laugh at.

With award-winning writers and a crack team of contemporary satirists - and recorded in front of a live audience - The Naked Week delivers a topical news-nude straight to your ears.

Written by:

Jon Holmes

Katie Sayer

Gareth Ceredig

James Kettle

Jason Hazeley

Additional Material:

Karl Minns

Jane Fae

Molly Punshon

Darren Phillips

Kevin Smith

Investigation team:

Cat Neilan

Becky Pinnington

Guest Correspondent: Katie Norris

Production Team: Tony Churnside, Jerry Peal, David Riffkin.

Production Coordinator: Molly Punshon

Assistant Producer: Katie Sayer

Executive Producer: Philip Abrams

Produced and Directed by Jon Holmes

An unusual production for BBC Radio 4

A 10-day pause in the fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has led to tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese families returning home. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has said it reserves the right to continue targeting the Iran-backed militant group. It also says civilians could be forced to move again. Also: finance ministers and central bankers express concern about a powerful new AI model that could undermine financial systems. Large crowds gather in Douala, ​Cameroon's biggest city, for a mass with the Pope. Harry and Meghan are in Australia. Is the trip about making money or for charity? And Japan unveils a new word for extremely hot summer days.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.

Across the globe, diagnoses of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are on the rise, including in Africa. An estimated 7% of children and adolescents on the continent are living with the condition, and doctors in Nigeria and Kenya told the BBC that they have seen a notable increase in diagnoses in recent years.

This surge is partly attributed to the rapid spread of information about ADHD on social media, which has helped raise awareness. However, clinicians also caution that misinformation online is contributing to a growing trend of self-diagnosis.

So what does it really mean to live with ADHD in Africa, and what barriers exist when it comes to accessing proper medical care? We hear from 29-year-old Siham Azeroual from Morocco, who is living with both ADHD and autism.

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna

Producers: Basma El Atti and Fana Negash

Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru

Senior Producer: Priya Sippy

Editor: Maryam Abdalla

Iran's Foreign Minister says ships can again use the crucial Persian Gulf sea route while a ceasefire continues to hold. Markets have reacted sharply to the news. The price of Brent Crude fell 10 percent on the news.

Shares in oil companies have fallen, while shares in airlines and other heavy energy users have risen sharply. And we hear from Lebanon about how the country's economy is faring.

Also, who decides which flags & banners Belfast city council removes?

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect after it was brokered by the United States. Hezbollah have indicated they will observe the truce, though Israeli troops are to remain in Lebanese areas they have occupied. Iran has welcomed the development but wants a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. President Trump says Iran has agreed to hand over its enriched uranium, one of the key sticking points in negotiations to bring the war to an end. Fresh talks, he said, could resume as early as this weekend with Washington and Tehran "very close" to making a deal.

Also: the British Prime Minister is facing calls to resign, after it emerged that his former ambassador to the US was appointed despite failing security vetting. Peter Mandelson was sacked last year over his friendship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The future of the Saudi-funded golf tour LIV hangs in the balance as cash appears to be running out. The four astronauts of Nasa's Artemis II say their Moon mission gave the world a sense of hope and unity at a time when both feel in short supply. After a row over tennis tech rules at the Australian Open, tennis stars will be allowed to use trackers and watches to monitor their performances at upcoming majors such as the French Open. And how the escaped wolf Neukgu captured headlines in South Korea, setting firefighters and police on a week-long chase.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

Get in touch: [email protected]