Newshour BBC Podcasts

South Africa is marking 30 years since its first democratic elections, but the ANC could lose its grip on power due to endemic corruption, record levels of crime and unemployment, and infrastructure problems.
Also in the programme: thousands of people in Australia take to the street to demand action following a surge in violence against women; and a hole in the ozone layer is causing problems for wildlife in the Antarctic.
(Photo: Supporters of the African National Congress (ANC) in Soweto, South Africa. Credit: Reuters).

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

In an interview with the BBC, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says China is “helping Russia perpetuate its aggression against Ukraine”. But is there anything the US can do to stop it?
Also in the programme: large scale trials begin of the first personalised anti-cancer mRNA vaccines, given in combination with antibodies as a treatment for the skin cancer melanoma; and Denmark abolishes a public holiday - to spend more money on defence.
(IMAGE: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, April 26, 2024. / CREDIT: Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

At a hearing in Washington DC, Donald Trump's lawyers have been arguing that he cannot be tried for his alleged crimes, which include conspiring to overturn the 2020 US presidential election. We ask lawyer Amy Howe what this all means for him and his political future.
Also in the programme: a new transitional council is sworn in to lead Haiti amid continuing violence and chaos; and the so-called 'Pushkin plot' to steal rare books from libraries across Europe and replace them with fakes.
(Photo: US Supreme Court hears Trump immunity case, Washington. Credit: SHAWN THEW/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on a visit to China - offering a mixture of friendliness and warnings. We assess US-China relations and ask what, if anything, this visit could change.
Also in the programme: the father of a US-Canadian aid worker killed in Gaza tells us the message he'd like today’s memorial service to send to the world; and the possible dangers of yet another artificial sweetener - one that's hard to avoid if you like soft drinks, cakes or chewing gum.
(MAGE: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport, in Beijing, China, April 25, 2024 / CREDIT: Mark Schiefelbein / Pool via REUTERS)

US President Joe Biden says Ukraine will receive more arms and equipment within the week after the US Senate approved a $60bn aid package. But what difference will this make to the people there?
Also on the programme: we hear the conflicting claims about the mass graves found in Gaza; and the ‘lost’ painting of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt that has been sold at auction in Vienna.
(Photo: US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the National Security Supplemental. Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)