Author: BBC World Service

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Focus on Africa - A rise in child abductions in Mozambique

Civil organisations in Mozambique say at least 120 children have been kidnapped by insurgents in the north of the country. The Human Rights Watch group warn of a rise in abductions in the country's troubled nothern province of Cabo Delgado. The children are reportedly being used by Al-Shabab, an insurgent group linked to the so-called Islamic State, to transport looted goods, cheap labour and in some cases as child soldiers. We'll hear from someone closely monitoring the kidnappings.

Also, are there increased US bombings against targets in Somalia since Donald Trump became president?

And we meet Cathy Dreyer, the first female ranger to head up the team at the Kruger National Park in South Africa!

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Alfonso Daniels and Nyasha Michelle Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

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Newshour - More Palestinians killed waiting for food

More Palestinians are reported to have been killed waiting for food near an aid site run by Israel and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The head of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation tells us that it is the victim of a disinformation campaign.

Also on the programme: Tonga's minister of health has a message for the hackers demanding a $1m ransom; and the Argentine-born composer, Lalo Schifrin, the man behind the Mission Impossible theme, has died at the age of 93.

(Photo: A Palestinian carries a sack as he and others gather to collect aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. Credit: Reuters)

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Unexpected Elements - A roarsome episode

This week, Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae has been unveiled at London's Natural History Museum. This newly described herbivorous dinosaur has inspired us to take a stomp through the science of ancient animals, mass extinctions and fossils.

First up, we hear about a shepherd who recently found a South African dinosaur, which has helped shed light on the period between the Triassic and Jurassic.

We then take a look at some new theories that suggest the mass extinctions that wiped out ancient creatures may not have been as massive as we thought.

But one extinction definitely is currently underway, according to ecologist Professor Dave Goulson. And that’s the mass extinction of insects.

Plus, we find out the latest theory of why the Tyrannosaurus rex had such tiny arms, and we meet the rat ancestors that munched on dinosaurs.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Candice Bailey and Camilla Mota Producer: Margaret Sessa Hawkins, with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and Minnie Harrop

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Newshour - US Defence Secretary calls strikes most complex military operation in history

The White House has doubled down over its assessment of the Iran strike with the Trump administration slamming the leaked report that questioned how effective the US strike on Iran was.

Also in the programme: We speak to the Kenyan government following the killing of 16 protesters on Wednesday; and why is it so hard for women athletes to break the four-minute mile?

(Photo: US secretary of defence and the chairman of joint chiefs of staff holding a press conference. Credit: Reuters)

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Science In Action - Vera C. Rubin Observatory first images

A spectacular new 10-year telescopic survey of the universe gets underway in Chile. Also, a project to create human chromosomes completely synthetically.

Almost three decades ago Tony Tyson (now of UC Davis) and colleagues were standing in the control room of the world’s biggest (at the time) digital astronomical camera. It was 3am when he suggested astronomers could do better.

This week, the Vera C Rubin Observatory unveiled first images from the telescope he envisioned. Unprecedented in so many ways, expect many discoveries to come from this unique machine.

Another ambitious project known as SynHG kicks off this week, on the 25th anniversary of the publication of the first draft of the human genome, with a plan to develop the technology to potentially create a whole synthetic version. Jason Chin of MRC Laboratory of Molecular Laboratory in Cambridge and colleagues will be extending their previous work in synthetic biology to human DNA, whilst Joy Zheng of the University of Kent will be running a parallel project examining the ethical side of the objectives, and possibilities.

Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield Production Coordinator: Jazz George

Photo Credit: NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory

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Newshour - Iran’s supreme leader delivers first video message since US strikes

Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei has said the United States gained nothing from its attacks on the country's nuclear sites. Ayatollah Khamenei, in his first video statement since the end of the conflict, said it had been little more than showmanship by President Trump. The Iranian leader has been in hiding since Israel launched its attacks. He also said future attacks against Iran would come at great cost. Also in the programme: Research that would enable scientists to build human DNA from scratch; and a new beach resort for tourists- North Korean style. (Photo: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivers a video message to the nation. Iran, 26 June 2025. Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh /EPA/Shutterstock)

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Focus on Africa - Youth-led protests erupt in Kenya

People from Kenya’s growing Gen Z movement hold protests demanding justice and police accountability. We ask whether the police is acting on behalf of the Kenyan government. The protests marked the anniversary of last year’s deadly anti-tax demonstrations.

Also in the programme: a quarter of a century after their land was seized, a small group of white farmers in Zimbabwe accept a controversial compensation deal from the government.

And why food drops in South Sudan conducted by a American company called Fogbow are proving so controversial?

Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Bella Hassan, Charles Gitongo and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Gabriel O' Regan Senior Journalist: Sunita Nahar Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi