BBC

حمله‌ مغول به ایران چه بجا گذاشت؟ ویرانی و قتل‌ عامی که به چنگیزخان و نوادگانش در ایران نسبت داده می‌شود تا چه حد با مدارک تاریخی همخوانی دارد؟

میهمان‌ها:

سارا میراحمدی، پژوهشگر ایران ایلخانی

مایکل هوپ، استاد مطالعات ایرانی دوران مغول

Emergency services have been deployed around the village of Bedar. At least 12 people have been killed, another 23 are still missing. We hear from a resident.

Also on the programme: Iran's foreign minister has arrived in Oman ahead of scheduled talks with the United States. And we look ahead to tonight's World Cup match between England and Norway.

(Picture: Wildfire creeps towards residential buildings near the municipality of El Pocico. Credit: Getty)

The Atemoya Custard Apple is a much sought-after fruit grown only in one county in Taiwan. The Taiwanese are justly proud of it. Meanwhile, the Musang King Durian - grown in Malaysia - is also highly prized for its unique flavour as the ‘Hermes of Durians.’ Every year, fruit lovers across the region look out for these treats and snap them up where they can, often paying high prices. In recent years, farmers have seen opportunities to raise their income by selling these niche, super-luxury fruits on the Chinese market, but the strategy comes with big risks too. Koh Ewe from the BBC’s Singapore Bureau has been tracking the fortunes of these two fruits.

A statue of Saint Olga is a much-loved figure in Central Kyiv, Ukraine. So much so, that when Russia invaded Ukraine, the statue was given a flak jacket with the words “she needs armour” written on it. Saint Olga of Kyiv is celebrated by Ukrainians and Russians alike. She’s a saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches and her saint’s day is celebrated on 11th July. BBC Ukrainian’s Irena Taranyuk explores her sometimes violent history.

The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.

Recent episodes have investigated Russia’s youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.

If you want to know more about Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin’s network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.

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, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean.

(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

When Nidhi and Vik moved to Northern Ireland, they came up with an unusual way to make new friends - hosting dinner parties made up of strangers. Now the couple, originally from India, have connected with 60 people and counting. Vik says he wants to make the whole world his friends.

Plus, the Iranian father helping his blind son experience the football World Cup. He uses a makeshift football pitch to mimic what's going on. Also, a listener tells us about their chance encounter with a teacher they hadn't seen for 12 years. We go to a picnic where the only thing on the menu is unlimited cake, and the payphone in Washington DC that tells jokes.

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

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

(Photo: Nidhi and Vik preparing for their Masala Talkies. Credit: Your Pal Moments.)

Six million people who expect to be paying housing costs once they've stopped working say they don't know how they'll be able to afford it. That's according to new research from pensions and investment firm Royal London. It surveyed 4,000 people and says the findings suggest around 1 in 3 UK adults are already paying, or expect to pay, rent or a mortgage once they've retired. What can be done to help them afford it?

A record number of solar panels are being fitted to homes and businesses across the UK. Last year's record is forecast to be beaten this year as electricity prices rise on July 1st. Solar panels on your roof don't just help pay your electricity bills. You can also sell spare energy back to your supplier to help pay your remaining heating bills. We'll investigate why one supplier is reducing that rate.

And, what creatures would you like to see on the new Bank of England banknotes? There's a plan to replace the humans on fivers, tenners and so on with other species. The shortlist chosen by a panel of wildlife experts published by the Bank of England has 18 mammals, birds, amphibians, insects and fish. We'll speak to the Bank of England Chief Cashier Victora Cleland about what's behind the change.

Presenter: Paul Lewis

Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner

Researcher: Catherine Lund

Editor: Jess Quayle

Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(First broadcast on Radio 4 at 12pm on Saturday 13th June 2026)

The US demands a public guarantee from Iran that the Strait of Hormuz is open and that ships will not be targeted as they pass through, to ensure that talks can move forward. President Trump says both sides have agreed to continue talks, despite the escalation in hostilities. Mediators from Qatar are travelling to Iran to try to salvage the fragile peace deal.

Also: there's relief in Nigeria after all the children and teachers who were kidnapped from a school in Oyo State in May are rescued. We have a special report about the increasing number of Russian drones and bombs that are killing civilians and causing severe damage in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. Apple files a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the artificial intelligence company of stealing trade secrets. Deforestation is slowing down in the Brazilian Amazon, but the presidential election in October could be crucial in determining its future. Spain beat France to reach the semi-final of the men's football World Cup. Palaeontologists in Thailand discover a new species of dinosaur, and we visit a Buddhist temple in South Korea that's hosting dating retreats to help boost population growth.

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]

Photo: Map of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran taken June 22, 2025.

Credit: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

In a summer of world class sporting events, tennis players have been battling it out at Wimbledon - one of the four major Grand Slam tournaments. One of the big stories has been the success of British wildcard entry Arthur Fery who, before Wimbledon, was ranked outside the top 100. His success has come with a big jump in prize money - essential to pay for the international travel, accommodation and coaches required to keep climbing the rankings. For those lower down the ranks, life on the professional circuit can be tough both emotionally and financially. Hamish Stewart, from Scotland, is currently ranked 300 and is all too aware of the personal demands of the job. "I've just missed an ex-college teammate of mine's wedding," says Stewart. He is joined by Jamie Loeb from the US, who is currently ranked outside the top 1,000. She had a career high of 132 and played in the US Open before injury and personal circumstances stalled her rise. We also hear from three coaches - Viktoria Belinsky, Noelle van Lottum and Michael Logarzo - who give us an insight into their jobs, the sport and its parallels with life.

Tough times for the gaming industry after news of more lay-offs, this time at Microsoft's Xbox gaming division, Will Bain asks developers and designers if it's all doom and gloom, and what challenges like ahead.

And authorities are carrying out investigations after a Ryanair passenger was partially sucked out of a Boeing 737 when a cabin window shattered mid-flight, thousands of feet in the air. We speak to an aviation safety expert about what that investigation might look at and what the incident means for the airline industry.

A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of Ann Widdecombe, police say. Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister turned Reform UK spokeswoman, served as the MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years. We hear from her former Commons colleague Edwina Currie and her long-time friend, broadcaster Iain Dale.

Also in the programme: we speak to a family that's fled wildfires in southern Spain that have left at least 12 people dead. And as England prepares for its football World Cup quarter-final on Saturday, we hear an operatic version of the national sporting anthem Three Lions.

The emergency services in southern Spain say they are fighting a ‘terrible and complex fire, which is spreading very fast,’ in the south-eastern province of Almería. We hear from a British couple caught up in the fire.

Also on the programme: How people in Gaza are watching the World Cup; and a new species of dinosaur has been found in Thailand.

(Picture: Flames approach the A7 highway during a deadly wildfire in Los Gallardos, Spain. Credit: REUTERS/Chema Artero)