A vessel carrying Russian oil suffered an explosion off the coast of Senegal last December, prompting investigations into the presence of a Russian shadow fleet in African waters. The tanker is reportedly among several vessels trying to flout US, EU and UK sanctions on Russia.
And - even though the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is over, several incidents from the tournament hosted by Morocco have raised questions about African identity.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Basma El Atti and Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
A possible ransom note in the case of Savannah Guthrie's missing mom. Trump doubles down on nationalizing elections. A doberman is Westminster's new top dog. CBS News Correspondent Steve Kathan has those stories and more on the World News Roundup podcast.
A.M. Edition for Feb. 4. Software stocks are sliding again today, following a rough day on Wall Street that saw the rise of new AI tools shave more than $300 billion off of companies that sell or invest in software. WSJ’s Hannah Miao explains what’s driving the selloff and what it all means for investors. Plus, Novo Nordisk shares plummet as the weight-loss drugmaker warns of unprecedented pricing pressure. And we look at why China is banning retractable car door handles. Luke Vargas hosts.
Congress ended the shutdown but now faces a tight deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security, with Democrats and Republicans far apart over immigration enforcement reforms after two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents in Minnesota. Russia has resumed heavy strikes on Ukraine’s power grid during extreme cold, despite President Trump saying Vladimir Putin agreed to pause attacks, putting new strain on fragile diplomatic efforts. And President Trump is calling for the federal government to “take over” elections in some states, escalating concerns among election officials about interference ahead of the midterms.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Miguel Macias, Ben Swasey, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
An American fighter jet shoots down an Iranian drone. Arizona authorities examine a slew of tips in the apparent abduction of Savannah Guthrie’s mother. And more federal prosecutors resign in protest near Minneapolis.
Our correspondent Orla Guerin travels alongside Colombia's Jungle Commandos - an elite police force - as they seek to eradicate cocaine production in the Colombian Amazon and Andes. The defence minister told the BBC that they destroy cocaine factories "every forty minutes". Meanwhile in Washington, following months of tension, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro met President Trump for the first time to discuss efforts to combat drug trafficking and increase trade.
Also: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi, is shot dead. Could Russia be readmitted to international football tournaments by Fifa? As Spain plans to legalise half a million undocumented migrants, we hear from a charity helping them. Why the people of Florida have been collecting frozen iguanas and British comedian John Bishop's real life story which inspired a Hollywood film - Is This Thing On?
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In his new book "Meat," Bruce Friedrich argues that the way we produce meat is unsustainable — for the climate, the planet and public health — and that the solution isn't eating less of it, but making it differently. From lab-grown meat to plant-based alternatives, he says a food revolution is already underway, whether consumers realize it or not. Geoff Bennett speaks with Friedrich for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
After trading insults on social media, President Trump and Colombia's President Petro meet for the first time today, at the White House in Washington. We also report from Colombia, where our correspondent has been out with the anti-narcotics police, known as the Jungle Commandos.
Also in the programme: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the second son of Libya's former leader, Muammar Gaddafi, is reported to have been killed at his home in Zintan - we hear from a journalist who met him; as Sudan's army claims to have re-taken another besieged city, Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council describes a “forgotten horrific conflict” and a “starvation crisis beyond belief”; plus the Australian scientist who helped invent the cochlear implant which now allows hundreds of thousands to hear – and who has just won a prize for his lifetime’s work.
(IMAGE: U.S. President Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro meet at the Oval Office at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 3, 2026 / CREDIT: Colombia Presidency/Handout via REUTERS)