Author: BBC World Service

The US president reportedly told European leaders that his goal for the summit was to secure a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow. Poland's president, Karol Nawrocki, was one of the Nato leaders on the call with the Donald Trump. We'll hear from his foreign policy advisor, Marcin Przydacz.

Also on the programme: Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun has warned against foreign interference in the country’s affairs during a visit by a senior Iranian official, as his government takes steps towards disarming Hezbollah; and we'll hear about one project in Australia that's hoping to ease the world's rare earth bottleneck.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump delivers a speech as he hosts an event at the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, in Washington, DC, USA, 13 August 2025. Credit: WILL OLIVER/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

The ongoing war in Sudan and limited access to humanitarian aid has led to starvation amongst those left behind. The United Nations says children are being "reduced to skin and bones."  We'll hear from people within the country. 

Also, are Kenya's dreams of becoming a footballing superpower in jeopardy?

And how are young African scientists using Charles Darwin’s historical voyage to protect species on the continent?

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Tom Kavanagh, Patricia Whitehorne and Stefania Okereke in London.  Jewel Kiriungi and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Journalist: Yvette Twagiramariya Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Europe's leaders warn the US against making concessions to Russia, saying that Ukraine's borders must not be changed by force. Donald Trump joins a virtual meeting with his European counterparts ahead of his Friday summit with Vladimir Putin. Also: there have been intense Israeli strikes in Gaza before a planned offensive to take over the territory's main city. 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

European leaders are holding talks with Ukraine's President Zelensky ahead of a Trump-Putin summit on Friday. We hear about the latest developments on the frontline in Ukraine. Also in the programme: Will a $5m bounty help capture Haiti's most powerful gang leader? And how toothpaste made from hair could help repair teeth. (Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) attend an online meeting with other European leaders to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, 13 August 2025. Credit: John Macdougall/Pool/ EPA/Shutterstock)

President Zelensky has vowed to reject any proposal from Russia that would mean Ukraine ceding territory or withdrawing troops from the eastern Donbas region. He was speaking ahead of a meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska on Friday. Donald Trump has said any peace deal would involve "some swapping of territories" and it is believed one of Vladimir Putin's demands is that Kyiv surrenders the parts of the Donbas it still controls. Also: A surgeon operating in Gaza tells us he has to recycle surgical parts from dead bodies to save the living, and the owners of the video game Fortnite take on Apple and Google over access in an Australian court. Plus: the UN tells torturers in Myanmar: "We know who you are", the heatwaves blasting much of Europe, the US puts a $5 million reward on the head of a gang leader in Haiti, a former first lady of South Korea is arrested, the American woman convicted of conspiracy to murder in Britain -- disguised in an Islamic headscarf, and how AI is helping to keep elephants in India safe.

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

President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine will not abandon the eastern Donbas region -- which has been partially seized by Russia and its proxy forces since Twenty- Fourteen. He warned doing so would give Russia a springboard for future attacks on other areas.

Also in the programme: We'll hear from the UN investigator on systematic abuses spreading in Myanmar; a warning over changes to federal funds for scientific research in the US; North Koreans tell BBC they are being sent to work 'like slaves' in Russia; and can cats get dementia?

(Photo credit: EPA)

Amid the devastation in Gaza, remarkable stories of hope and resilience do emerge. Sixteen-year-old Sama Nijm, a gifted violinist from Gaza, is using music to bring comfort and healing to the youngest victims of the conflict. Some of the children have lost their parents, and in some cases, their limbs or arms.

BBC Newsday's Charlene Rodrigues spoke to Sama, and began by asking her what inspired her to become a violin teacher in the midst of war.

Russia has been trying to tackle a significant labour shortage by recruiting North Koreans; the BBC has been speaking to some of them.

Also in the programme: the American surgeon recycling surgical pins and plates in Gaza; and how studying cat dementia can help humans.

Photograph: President Putin and Kim Jung Un meeting in Pyongyang in 2024. Credit: Reuters.

Dozens of soldiers have been arrested in Mali accused of plotting to topple the country's military leaders, sources say. The wave of arrests reflect tension within the military government. The authorities have not yet commented on the arrests. We'll hear analysis.

Also, more than 400 people have died and over 6,000 have been affected following a cholera outbreak in Sudan's Darfur region. What are the challenges when it comes to dealing with an epidemic within IDP camps?

And how and why an AI generated model sparked international debate? We hear from the creators.

Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Bella Hassan, Mark Wilberforce and Nyasha Michelle in London. Makuochi Ofakor in Lagos. Technical Producer: Chris Kouzaris Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

South Korean intelligence officials have told the BBC that 10,000 North Korean workers were sent to Russia in 2024. They were used to fill a labour shortage created by the invasion of Ukraine. Six North Korean workers who fled Russia say they were subjected to abysmal working conditions, with most of the money they earned sent straight back to the North Korean regime. Also: The US and China agree a further postponement of hefty trade tariffs on each other's goods, and could holiday postcards make a comeback?

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