Author: BBC World Service

After months of political wrangling, parts of the long-awaited Epstein files have been released by the US Justice Department. The trove consists of thousands of documents related to the late sex-offender. Pictures include the former US President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - Britain's former prince, musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. The justice department did not release all existing files, and the published ones were heavily redacted, prompting frustrated reactions from survivors of Epstein's abuse.

Also: the US carries out dozens of strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria. Anti-government youth protesters in South Korea are taking cues from the American right's MAGA movement. Italy announces a fee for tourists to visit the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Putin vows revenge on Ukraine after an oil tanker was blown up in the Mediterranean Sea. Palestinians tell the BBC they were sexually abused in Israeli prisons. And how a lost radio play by Tennessee Williams was found more than four decades after his death, and has now been heard for the first time.

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

The US justice department has released hundreds of thousands of highly anticipated documents related to Jeffrey Epstein ahead of a Congressional deadline. The issue divided the Republican Party after the department initially refused to publish the files, despite President Trump's campaign promises.   Also in the programme: President Putin says Russia is ready to end the conflict in Ukraine, but only on his terms; and a comet, that's only the third known interstellar object to enter our solar system, is making its closest approach to Earth.

Photo: One of the Epstein files released today in Washington, DC USA Credit: US Department of Justice

European Union leaders strike a deal to give Ukraine a $105 billion loan after failing to agree on using frozen Russian assets. Zelensky welcomes EU backing. Putin tells BBC the West is "making Russia the enemy." Also: TikTok owners sign deal to avoid US ban. We travel down into the deep tunnels in Finland where nuclear waste is to be buried. The Bank of Japan raises its interest rate to its highest level in 30 years -- but it's still less than 1%. A mysterious object from outside our solar system heads to its closest point to Earth. Known as 3i Atlas, it's travelling at more than 200,000 km/h.

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

Traveling within Africa on an African passport remains a challenge, according to the African Development Bank Group.

Their research shows that Africans can travel without a visa for only 28% of intra-African trips, while 51% of Africans need a visa before crossing borders within the continent.

In this episode, we speak to Ras Mubarak, a former Ghanaian MP, who is currently on an epic road trip across Africa. His mission? To highlight the difficulties of African visa systems and advocate for freer and faster movement across the continent.

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Carolyne Kiambo Technical Producer: Jonathan Mwangi Senior Producer: Priya Sippy Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

European Union leaders have agreed to loan Ukraine $100bn to cover the cost of its military and public services, but they failed to reach on a deal on using frozen Russian assets.

They instead opted to secure the oan against EU borrowing rather than Russian assets. What signal does that send to Moscow?

Also in the programme: We'll hear from the Ukrainian widows cut off from compensation because their soldier husbands took their own lives; excitement builds in Morocco as it prepares to host Africa's biggest football tournament; why the boxing influencer Jake Paul may be risking more than his reputation in tonight's big fight.

(Photo shows Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, European Council president Antonio Costa, and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at the EU Council Summit in Brussels, Belgium on 19 December 2025. Credit: Olivier Hoslet/EPA)

The Chinese-owned app TikTok has agreed to sell its US operations to overcome the threat of a ban prompted by national security concerns. The joint venture will be led by American investors. ByteDance's video-sharing platform boasts over a billion users worldwide, including more than 170 million in the United States.

Also: US Democrats release another batch of Epstein photos. Australia announces a gun buyback scheme in the wake of the Bondi Beach mass shooting. Violent protests erupt in Bangladesh after the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. We meet the Ukrainian war widows who are fighting for their husbands legacies. And how researchers are using drones to investigate the health of whales in the Arctic.

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

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says key parts of the Ukrainian war machine will have to be scaled back unless Europe approves the use of frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv.

Also on the programme: the EU's top court rules that Denmark's 2018 "ghetto law," which relocates residents from minority-heavy areas, could amount to ethnic discrimination; and what could the new documentary about Melania Trump tell us about the American first lady?

(Photo: A woman holds a banner as people demonstrate outside the European Commission in support of using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Credit: Reuters)

European Union leaders hold high-stakes negotiations over whether to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine's war effort. Belgium - where most of the assets are held - is under pressure to drop its opposition. Without the funds, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his country's drone production would have to be cut. Also: power cuts in major cities in Sudan are blamed on drone attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. A French doctor is jailed for life for poisoning dozens of patients. Peter Arnett, the Pulitzer prize-winning war reporter, dies at the age of 91. And FIFA links up with Netflix to launch a new football game, which won't need a console.

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