BBC

The Australian 'kindness influencer' who raised nearly two million dollars to help an elderly US veteran. Samuel Weidenhofer flew thousands of miles to find Ed Bambas after being told he needed help. Ed, who's 88, was still working in a shop because he couldn't afford to retire, having lost his pension and healthcare.

Also: one of the few people ever to walk around the world says he was inspired to keep going by the rescue dog he adopted along the way. Tom Turcich spent seven years making the journey with Savannah, who he describes as the best possible companion.

The family of a US Air Force serviceman have been reunited with his dog tag, seventy years after it was lost.

We hear how a young woman in the UK is trying to dispel the stigma surounding a medical device known as a stoma bag, by turning them into fashion accessories.

Plus some very big baby news as a US zoo prepares to welcome a very rare elephant calf.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Alex Ritson. Music composed by Iona Hampson

A recent BBC Persian documentary, Taraneh, has recieved millions of views online. It features an Iranian actress who is considered an icon in the country and has been starring in films for nearly 30 years. Her name is Taraneh Alidoosti and in 2022 she was arrested for taking a photograph of herself in her home, not wearing a hijab, and holding a sign showing support for the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' protests that are currently spreading across Iran once more. The film's director is BBC Persian's Pegah Ahangarani and she explains why the documentary had to be filmed in complete secret. BBC Monitoring's Sarbas Nazari reflects on why the film resonates so much in the contect of the protests now taking place in Iran.

In November 2025, Cyclone Senyar caused devastating floods and landslides in Indonesia, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. The extreme weather has also been catestrophic for the Tapanuli orangutan population. Only discovered as a separate species in 2017, the Tapanuli orangutan is found in a small area of North Sumatra and haven't been seen or heard since the landslides. BBC World Service Environment Correspondent Navin Singh Khadka explains the importance of the Tapanuli orangutans and their environment.

This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.

Presented by Faranak Amidi.

Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson

(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Videos and messages that have made their way out of Iran despite an internet blackout show crowds gathering to protest against the government for a 13th night. Rights groups say they have documented the deaths of around 50 demonstrators amid an increasingly violent response by the authorities. Donald Trump has again warned that the US could strike Iran if protesters are killed, while Iran's leadership has accused the US of stoking unrest.

Also: a new video has emerged of the deadly shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by a US immigration enforcement officer, filmed by the agent who fired the lethal shots. We look at the family feud of the Beckhams. The mind-reader Oz Pearlman leaves a BBC presenter stunned when performing one of his tricks. Ten years after David Bowie's death, the musician's childhood home is set to open to the public. And is golf really a sport?

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]

After the dramatic US military operation that saw Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife taken from the country and placed in a New York prison, what, if anything, has changed for Venezuelans? We speak to Venezuelans about their experiences of living in Venezuela – the good and the bad. Vanessa tells us that even liking social media posts that appear to oppose the government could land people in jail. Donald Trump said the US would “run” Venezuela and he has plans for the country’s crude oil reserves, which are the largest in the world. Despite this relatively untapped wealth, half the population lives in poverty and there have been shortages of food, fuel, water and medical supplies. Our guests talk about the difficulty of earning money, while millions have decided to flee the country, due to economic challenges and political persecution. We also bring Venezuelans together in the US, UK and Brazil who have moved abroad. They discuss what they miss about home and what might make them return.

Sweeping changes to the way investments are recommended across the UK will start in April. This week the Financial Conduct Authority set out its plans. The regulator hopes they will encourage more people to invest their savings rather than keep them in cash. From April it will bring in what it calls 'targeted support'. That would allow firms to suggest how customers in different groups should manage their money. The FCA has also issued new guidance on how investments can be marketed and what warnings customers are given. Paul Lewis speaks to its Deputy Chief Executive Sarah Pritchard.

Just 50 years ago, women couldn’t apply for loan or get a mortgage without a man. That came to an end thanks to the Sex Discrimination Act which came into force in December 1975. We'll hear from Kath and Sue who remember what it was like at that time.

And a new scheme aimed at bringing down energy debt targets people who are moving home. We'll speak to Ofgem, the energy regulator, about that.

Presenter: Paul Lewis

Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Eimear Devlin

Researcher: Jo Krasner

Editor: Jess Quayle

Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(First broadcast at 12pm Saturday 13th December 2025)

Some people have used Grok to create sexualised images of children and women, and Downing Street has today accused social media site X, which runs the AI tool, of "insulting the victims of misogyny and sexual violence" with its response to criticism. The company said it has now limited the use of this image function to those who pay a monthly fee.

We hear from the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children who claims the AI tool was used to create sexual images of her as a child.

Also on the programme: President Trump warns Iran’s regime against violently suppressing protests; NASA astronauts forced to return home due to medical issue on board the International Space Station.

The US president, Donald Trump, has met top American energy executives in the White House, saying his government will choose which US firms can exploit Venezuela's vast oil reserves.

Also, Elon Musk's social media site X could face a UK ban over a feature enabling users to create fake, sexualised images of women.

And why the search for more protein and fibre means some takeaway food stores are feeling the pinch.

(PHOTO: A model of an oil pump is seen in front of a Venezuelan flag in this illustration taken January 9, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration).

Presenter: Andrew Peach

Editor: Craig Henderson

Producer: Ahmed Adan

Mass protests across Iran: but how will the authorities respond? We hear from the BBC Persian Service, where journalists are trying to monitor events amid an information blackout, and discuss Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's options with Iranian-American journalist Hooman Majd.

Also in the programme: Colombian President Gustavo Petro's views on United States policy in Latin America; and Elon Musk's former partner Ashley St Clair explains her concerns about sexualised images made by the Grok AI chatbot on X, formerly known as Twitter.

(Photo: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, taken on 3 Jan 2026; Credit: IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock)

Writer: David Payne

Director: Pip Swallow

Editor: Jeremy Howe

4th - 9th January

Helen Archer.... Louiza Patikas

Henry Archer.... Blayke Darby

Jolene Archer.... Buffy Davis

Tony Archer.... David Troughton

Brian Aldridge.... Charles Collingwood

Alice Carter.... Hollie Chapman

Neil Carter.... Brian Hewlett

Amber Gordon.... Olivia Bernstone

Clarrie Grundy.... Heather Bell

Ed Grundy.... Barry Farrimond

Eddie Grundy.... Trevor Harrison

Emma Grundy.... Emerald O'Hanrahan

Will Grundy.... Philip Molloy

Joy Horville.... Jackie Lye

Akram Malik.... Asif Khan

Jazzer McCreary.... Ryan Kelly

Fallon Rogers.... Joanna Van Kampen

A satirical smorgasbord of The News Quiz's best bits of the year, covering local elections, flag fever, Starmer's struggles, Trump's travails, and a very special meeting between King Charles and Pope Leo XIV.

Written and presented by Andy Zaltzman.

Producer: Rajiv Karia

Executive Producer: Pete Strauss

Production Coordinator: Giulia Lopes Mazzu

A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4

An Eco-Audio certified Production