The Happy Pod: How Neil the Seal won hearts across the world

The Happy Pod: How Neil the Seal won hearts across the world

Neil the Seal has captured the hearts - and laughs - of people across the world with his mischievous antics. The elephant seal keeps returning to the Australian island of Tasmania to chew traffic cones, attack street signs, and block traffic with his 1,000 kg body. His hijinks have made him a local icon and an internet celebrity. We find out why Neil keeps venturing to Tasmania's suburban streets to cause a ruckus. Also: How a group of Afghan women defied the odds to return to international football. Despite opposition from the Taliban, the players -- now scattered across the globe -- reunited to form Afghanistan's new national team. The woman who accidentally threw away a million dollar lottery ticket - and the incredible way she found it again. Scientists say they've created the first ever truly biodegradeable party balloons. They say existing options kill tens of thousands of marine animals a year. Plus: how an ordinary man in Italy made one of the most important archaeological discoveries in decades; and a world surfing championship - for dogs. (Photo: Neil the Seal in Tasmania, Australia. Credit: @neiltheseal22) Presenter: Helena Burke. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to CEO shooting

The man accused of killing an American health insurance executive has confessed to the crime in court. Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to two federal counts of stalking resulting in death. He shot the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York street in 2024. Mangione will be sentenced in December; prosecutors say they will seek life in prison. Also: Jason Arday - the Cambridge University professor who resigned over accusations of plagiarism - has been found dead at his home in London. President Trump says he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory. The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has become the latest American billionaire to invest in English football, after buying a share of the Premier League club, Liverpool. As Russia continues to bombard Ukraine, Kyiv is responding with its own campaign of long-range strikes. Following the surge of migrants to the Spanish North African territory of Ceuta, the BBC has identified dozens of Instagram profiles promoting positive content about crossing there from Morocco. And with the right training, could a normal man compete in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles? Four out of 10 seem to think so. 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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk [globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk] Photo: Luigi Mangione in a previous court appearance in New York City in September 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar

Netanyahu derides UK as 'Islamic Republic of Great Britain'

The spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has defended his reference to the UK as an 'Islamic Republic'. In a podcast with Israeli Army Radio, Mr Netanyahu recalled meeting the grandson of Winston Churchill, describing him as a 'lover of Israel' and then adding that you won't find that kind of attitude in the UK now, which he said was known as 'The Islamic Republic of Britain'. The UK and Israel are long-standing allies, but relations have become notably more tense since the war in Gaza. Also: At least eight people have died and several more have been injured in eastern Japan after record rainfall caused widespread flooding; the United Nations adds its voice to flag concerns about the pressure extreme weather events like droughts are putting on food security; builders in Belgium working on a renovation project have found a chest filled with gold bars and gold coins, bricked in the wall of a cellar; in Australia, tech executives give evidence about the ban on social media for under-16s to a parliamentary inquiry; we hear from Save the Children about the latest on the humanitarian crisis in Sudan; Spain announces it's extending the life of the country's biggest nuclear plant; and in Britain, the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage is re-elected as an MP in a by-election he triggered, defeating 33 other candidates - a parliamentary investigation into a nearly seven-million dollar gift he received from a crypto billionaire has now resumed. 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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk [globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk]

Afghanistan five years after the Taliban return

Our chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet meets Afghan women and girls who face severe restrictions. Girls can only attend school until grade six - around the age of 12 - and women are barred from university and many jobs. There are even rules over visiting public parks and gyms. But many women and girls are still determined to keep learning and working, despite what some call "gender apartheid". Also: Democratic lawmakers in the US are calling for an investigation into allegations of suicide attempts, food shortages and deteriorating conditions on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for what's believed to be a record 200 days. For the first time in the US in 16 years, three people have been executed in one day. Gay people flee Ghana after parliament votes to jail them and anyone who "promotes homosexuality". As rescue workers in Colombia try to reach survivors of Monday's earthquake, we talk to the cousin of a 10-year-old boy who's trapped in the rubble with his mother and grandmother. Scientists in London claim they have invented the world's first fully biodegradable party balloon that breaks down within just nine months. A new study finds that pushing a buggy or stroller while running can help prevent injuries. And why Japan's rugby team coach is showing players videos of geese ahead of their game against Australia this weekend. 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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk [globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk] Photo: The BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet in Afghanistan, five years after the Taliban regained power.  Credit: BBC

Israeli soldiers evacuate Palestinians besieged by settlers

The army said it was acting to protect residents in Qusra and that it had demolished two illegal settler outposts. The mayor of Qusra says the village in the occupied West Bank has been declared a closed military zone. Also: Russia's president Vladimir Putin visits an island claimed by Japan - causing sharp criticism from Tokyo; Romania shuts down its only nuclear power plant because of low water levels in the Danube; why vultures are becoming endangered in West Africa; and Cameroon and Malawi make the final of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, as the hosts Morocco crash out. 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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk [globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk] Photo: Palestinians observe Israeli soldiers during a raid in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, West Bank, 13 August 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock