King Charles praises NATO in address to US Congress

Summary

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Global News Podcast – King Charles Praises NATO in Address to US Congress

BBC World Service | April 29, 2026
Host: Celia Hatton

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Episode Overview

In this episode, the BBC Global News Podcast covers King Charles’s pivotal state visit to the United States and his address to Congress, highlighting warm—if strategically significant—exchanges with President Trump amid fraught UK-US relations. The episode also examines the indictment of former FBI director James Comey, the aftermath of an attempted coup in Mali, slow US response to a deadly school strike in Iran, the high-stakes Musk vs. Altman OpenAI lawsuit, and the disruptive rise of lab-grown diamonds.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

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1. King Charles’s State Visit and Address to Congress

[01:17–06:16]

• Focus of the Visit:
  King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit aims to mend increasingly frayed US-UK relations during Trump’s second term, especially after disagreements over UK support in the US–Israel–Iran conflict.

• Congressional Speech Highlights:

  • Strong praise for NATO:

    "He said of the alliance that it was important to ensure that together we can meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and contested world." – Peter Bowes [03:17]

  • Emphasis on “unyielding resolve” in backing Ukraine, and refusal to rest on “past achievements.”
  • The King calls the US-UK relationship "truly unique" and expresses gratitude to the American people.

• Notable Moment – Lighthearted Banter:
  At the White House state dinner, King Charles and President Trump exchange jests:

  • "The King thanked the President for a splendid dinner, calling it a significant improvement from the Boston Tea Party." – Peter Bowes [04:30]

  • On history:

    "You recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French?" – King Charles [05:06]

  • The King references Trump’s quip about Canada being America’s “51st state” and mentions their joint hosting of the FIFA World Cup.

• Potential for Relationship Reset:
  Peter Bowes speculates on the visit’s diplomatic value:

  "If anyone is going to maybe shift Donald Trump on a particular issue, it could be the king. But I think it remains to be seen over coming days, weeks and months..." – Peter Bowes [05:48–06:16]

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2. Indictment of James Comey

[06:16–11:00]

• Background:
  James Comey, former FBI Director, indicted for allegedly threatening the President’s life through a cryptic social media post featuring seashells spelling “8647” (interpreted as “86 [remove] 47th President”). The case has ignited a legal and political firestorm, with Trump reportedly pushing for prosecution.

• Comey’s Response:

  "I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid. And I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So let's go. But it's really important that all of us remember this is not who we are as a country." – James Comey [07:42]

• Legal and Political Analysis:

  • Antony Zuercher explains that “8647” could mean “remove the 47th president” and describes the saga as “an ongoing, near decade long saga” between Trump and Comey [09:33].
  • Recent context: The indictment follows Trump’s firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi and his public pressure for prosecutions of political adversaries [11:00–11:19].

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3. Aftermath of Attempted Coup in Mali

[12:24–16:04]

• Colonel Assimi Goïta’s Public Return:
  Mali’s junta leader appears on state TV after days of absence, promising to restore order and calling for public support against insurgents.

  • "Now is more than ever the time to show confidence in our armed forces..." – Colonel Goïta [12:57]

• Analysis:
  Beverly Ochung (Control Risks) notes a sense of power vacuum and continued reliance on Russian security assistance despite limited results:

  "They don't really have as many choices in terms of security partnerships... Despite the fact that so far they haven't really been the bulwark of security..." [14:35]

• Rebel Dynamics:
  The alliance between Tuareg separatists and al Qaeda-linked jihadists is seen as tactical, not a prelude to new governance.

  • "They have to broker alliances, to be careful about being seen as wanting to be a central power. It simply wants an authority in Mali..." – Beverly Ochung [15:33]

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4. US Reluctance over Iran School Strike Admission

[18:32–24:23]

• Incident Overview:
  Two months after a US-Israeli strike on a primary school in Minab, Iran kills 168 (110 children), the US still has not admitted responsibility or provided a report.

• Expert Reactions:

  • Wes Bryant, former Civilian Harm Reduction Team lead:

    "To not even be able to have any comment on it whatsoever is just unacceptable." [20:33]

  • Rachel Van Landingen, former Air Force judge advocate:

    "I think it strikingly departs from the standard response. Administrations in the past at least demonstrate fidelity... by saying, we are going to investigate and we feel terrible..." [22:12]

  • Adam Smith (House Armed Services, Dem.):

    "Basically it's the prosecutor's equivalent of we don't comment on ongoing investigations, which is pathetic and completely inadequate at this point." [23:37]

• Historical Comparison:
  Unlike prior errors (e.g., 2021 Kabul strike, 1991 Baghdad shelter), current administration offers no apology or even admission, deepening trauma for victim families.

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5. Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman – OpenAI Lawsuit

[24:23–27:57]

• Courtroom Drama:
  Elon Musk sues Sam Altman (OpenAI’s lead) for allegedly misleading him into major donations and for “stealing a charity.” Both testify in a packed California court.

  • "There would be no Open AI without Musk... He came up with the idea for the name, recruited key people... and donated $38 million..." – Lily Jamali [25:01]

  • Musk allegedly called Altman "Scam Altman" on X; the judge warns both parties to exercise restraint [25:55].
  • Musk wants Altman ousted and nonprofit-to-profit conversions undone.

• Industry Implications:

  • Musk’s suit, if successful, could upend OpenAI’s IPO plans and reshape the race toward advanced artificial general intelligence (AGI).

  • "If Musk gets his way, there is potentially one fewer competitor as he tries to get his own startup off the ground." – Lily Jamali [26:56]

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6. Lab-Grown Diamonds Disrupt Global Market

[27:57–33:06]

• Market Shift:
  Artisanal miners in Sierra Leone, as well as global industry, confront 20% global market penetration by lab-grown diamonds, leading to a 40% slump in retail prices.

• Competing Claims – Ethics & Environment:

  • Rohit Mehta (4Link Ventures, India):

    "Lab-grown diamonds aren't just cheap – they're also more ethically and environmentally sourced. There's no blood on these stones." [29:54]

  • Stanley Maturam (US environmental consultant):

    "It's untrue. These reactors run at the temperature of the sun. There's nothing really socially or environmentally responsible about this." [30:39]

  • He argues artisanal mining’s purported environmental harms have been overstated, calling the process “the cleanest form of mining” [31:03].

• Industry Pushback:
  De Beers mounts campaigns (Gemfair in Sierra Leone, new ads) to promote fair trade practices and counter the lab-grown narrative.

  • "The diamond you choose should match your journey, match the patience you took to find each other. And that is a natural diamond." – De Beers Ad [31:40]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• King Charles at the State Dinner:

  "A significant improvement from the Boston Tea Party." [04:30]

• King Charles teasing President Trump:

  "If it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French." [05:06]

• James Comey on his indictment:

  "I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid." [07:42]

• Wes Bryant, former Pentagon official:

  "To not even be able to have any comment on it whatsoever is just unacceptable." [20:33]

• Adam Smith, House Armed Services Dem.:

  "It's the prosecutor's equivalent of we don't comment on ongoing investigations, which is pathetic..." [23:37]

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:17 – King Charles’s visit: purpose, Congress speech, and dinner
• 06:16 – James Comey indictment and background
• 12:24 – Mali’s coup aftermath
• 18:32 – US response to Iran school strike
• 24:23 – OpenAI lawsuit: Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman
• 27:57 – Lab-grown diamonds and Sierra Leone industry challenges

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Tone and Language

The episode maintains the BBC’s signature balanced and measured analysis, blending candid interviews, field reporting, and expert insights. Occasional wit (notably during UK state visit coverage) is preserved, amidst a generally grave and factual tone appropriate to the world events discussed.

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For listeners seeking detailed, trustworthy breakdowns of urgent world news, this episode exemplifies the Global News Podcast’s breadth and rigor.

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Transcript

[Peter Bowes]

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[Celia Hatton]

This is the global News podcast from the BBC World Service Foreign I'm Celia Hatton and in the early hours of Wednesday, 29th April, these are our main stories. Warm words have been shared between King Charles and President Trump during the king's state visit. Is it enough to repair relations? Also in the US the indictment of James Comey. Donald Trump has been openly pushing the Justice Department to prosecute the former FBI director. Mr. Comey says he'll fight back.

[James Comey]

Well, they're back this time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago and this won't be the end of it. But nothing has changed with me. I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid.

[Celia Hatton]

Also in this podcast, Mali's ruler appears in public for the first time since insurgents tried to seize power.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

My dear fellow countrymen, now is more than ever the time to show confidence in our armed forces who are engaged in a complex struggle against terrorism.

[Celia Hatton]

We begin in the US And King Charles state visit to the country. It's an important visit for US UK relations, which have been struggling during the second Trump administration. And in the last few weeks, President Trump had a harsh reaction after Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer made it clear the UK UK would not be drawn into the US Israel war with Iran. Many on both sides of the Atlantic hope the visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla to The United States will put things back on track. After meeting President Trump at the White House on Tuesday, the King addressed the U.S. congress. And as we record this podcast, he's attending a state dinner at the White House. Our North America correspondent, Peter Bose, is following the visitors. I began by asking him what King Charles said in his speech to Congress.

[Peter Bowes]

Well, he talked a lot about NATO. In fact, this is a subject that he returned to later during his speech at the dinner at the banquet. His speech was mostly light hearted, but he said of the alliance that it was important to ensure that together we can meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and contested world. In his Congress address, he also talked about 10 times of great uncertainty, that there should be unyielding resolve in backing Ukraine against Russia, and that the UK and the US could not rest on past achievements. He said the UK Was profoundly grateful to the American people for a truly unique relationship built over the centuries.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

I pray with all my heart that our alliance will continue to defend our shared values with our partners in Europe and the Commonwealth and across the world, And that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward looking.

[Celia Hatton]

Peter the White House dinner is underway and I understand there's been a bit of banter between King Charles and President Trump.

[Peter Bowes]

Yes, there has been quite a lot of jovial remarks between the two of them. The King thanked the President for a splendid dinner, calling it a significant improvement from the Boston Tea Party. He managed to slip in a reference to him being the King of Canada, a country Donald Trump has referred to as the 51st US state. And the King referred to the upcoming FIFA World cup and said, in one sense, Mr. President, as heads of state, we are joint hosts. And then from the King, there was this playful exchange about history, teasing the president about the U.S. s colonial past.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

You recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French? Of course, we both love our French cousins greatly, and we three estates are not only bound by our shared value, but by a profound belief that together we are more than the sum of our perths.

[Celia Hatton]

Peter are we realistically thinking, though the trip seems to be going well, but could it really repair US UK relations?

[Peter Bowes]

I think it could act as perhaps some sort of a reset. Relations have been particularly soured over recent weeks. We know that Donald Trump sees the King in a very high regard, and if I think anyone is going to maybe shift Donald Trump on a particular issue, it could be the king. But I think it remains to be seen over coming days, weeks and months, the kind of attitude that the president takes towards the UK Peter Bowes.

[Celia Hatton]

Well, staying in the US the federal Justice Department is moving forward in its case against the former FBI Director, James Comey. Donald Trump has been Openly pushing for Mr. Comey's prosecution for months, and now he's been charged with threatening the life of the US President. The case centers around a single photo James Comey posted to social media last year that showed the numbers 8, 6, 4, 7 spelled out in seashells on a beach. It's an image that prosecutors say was meant as a threat to the president because of the possible meaning behind those numbers. As we'll hear from our Washington correspondent in a moment, there are different ways to interpret what the photo could mean. At a news conference to announce the indictment, the current FBI director, Cash Patel, said James Comey disgracefully encouraged on President Trump's life and posted it on Instagram for the world to see. He was joined by the acting Attorney General, Todd Blatch.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

Threatening the life of the President of the United States will never be tolerated by the Department of Justice. While this case is unique and this indictment stands out because of the name of the defendant, his alleged conduct is

[Beverly Ochung]

the same kind of conduct that we

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

will never tolerate and that we will always investigate and regularly prosecute.

[Celia Hatton]

This was Mr. Comey's response in an online post.

[James Comey]

Well, they're back this time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago. And this won't be the end of it. But nothing has changed with me. I'm still innocent, I'm still not afraid. And I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So let's go. But it's really important that all of us remember this is not who we are as a country. This is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be. And the good news is we get closer every day to restoring those values. Keep the faith.

[Celia Hatton]

Our North America correspondent Antony Zuercher told me more about the photo and why it led to a fresh indictment.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

There was a close up photograph of seashells on a sandy beach and the shells were lined to write out 8,000, 647. And it was interpreted as a slang. 86 is a slang for eject or remove. And then 47 to Donald Trump, the 47th president of the United States. And when he posted this on Instagram, it was picked up by conservative media and eventually by the White House and Donald Trump's Republican allies as a direct Trump threat to the president, that it was a death threat, a threat of violence. Comey quickly deleted the post, said he didn't know the exact meaning of the term 86 and that he did not intend to threaten the president. He was interviewed by the Secret Service the next day. And this issue seemed to kind of fade into the background until today when an indictment out of a federal court in North Carolina was brought out, charging Comey with threatening the president, which is a crime in the United States.

[Celia Hatton]

What's the, what's the relationship between James Comey and Donald Trump? James Comey was fired by Donald Trump in 2017.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

He was the director of the FBI. And when Donald Trump was running for president, Comey was involved in investigating first Hillary Clinton, who was running as the Democratic nominee for her use of a private email server, but also investigating possible ties between the Russian government or Russian figures and the Trump campaign. And Kobe made Trump aware of this in December, before Trump was inaugurated in 2016, and then continue on the investigation once Donald Trump became president. Very early on that year in 2017, Donald Trump fired James Comey and he explicitly said that he fired him because he wasn't dropping that investigation, which he called a witch hunt, into his and his campaign's ties to the Russian government. There was independent counsel appointed Robert Mueller, who investigated fully those ties and ended up filing their report. Comey kind of faded into the background after that, but was always somewhat antagonistic towards the president. And the feeling was mutual. In fact, Comey was indicted by the Trump administration last year on different grounds, on grounds for lying to Congress during testimony about that investigation. That indictment was subsequently dropped. So this is just the latest in an ongoing, near decade long saga between James Comey and Donald Trump. And it looks like it's going to end with Comey back on potential trial in the months ahead.

[Celia Hatton]

The timing of this new indictment is interesting, though. It comes one month after Donald Trump fired his attorney general, Pam Bondi. In part, some have said, because of his reported frustration, the Justice Department wasn't pushing ahead with cases against his perceived rivals.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

There was a social media post that Donald Trump put on his website that encouraged Pam Bondi to bring indictments against, against people who were critics who were considered to be enemies of Donald Trump, James Comey being one of them. Since then, it had been revealed by reporting that that message was actually meant to be a private message to Pam Bondi that he accidentally posted publicly. But I think people view it as giving an inside view, an inside look at Donald Trump's motivations. The pressure he was putting on Bondi and the Justice Department to bring indictments. Now, Bondi was dismissed or allowed to leave by the president just a month, as you mentioned, and part of it possibly could have been her handling of these prosecutions, but also her handling of the Epstein files. But with the new leadership at the Justice Department, it appears that they are pushing ahead with a prosecution of someone who clearly has a history with the president. And this is just the latest step in Donald Trump apparently pursuing those who he views as critics and enemies.

[Celia Hatton]

Antony Zuercher. Now to Mali. Days after insurgents tried to seize power from Mali's military junta, the the country's leader has finally appeared in public for the first time after a noticeable absence. Late on Tuesday, Colonel Assemi Goita appeared on state tv. He assured the nation that the situation was under control after the attacks, which saw the militants make some significant gains. But he also called on the country to support his government in its battle against the rebels.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

My dear fellow countrymen, now is more than ever the time to show confidence in our armed forces and our security forces who are engaged in a complex struggle against terrorism.

[Celia Hatton]

Earlier, Colonel Goitz's office released some photos, including one of him in military fatigues with a mask covering most of his face while sitting with Russia's ambassador to Mali. Beverly Oychung is a senior analyst at the Control Risks consultancy in Dakar, Senegal. Tim Frank started by, by asking her about the photos.

[Beverly Ochung]

It was quite surprising when they issued that series and the second series of him actually at the hospital visiting victims from the attacks that took place this weekend. It has felt that since those attacks took place that there's been a bit of a power vacuum. It did feel as if in light of reporting around the extent of the militant siege in the northern parts, the central parts of the country, the military headquarters, the death of the defense minister, that that silence was a cause of concern around where the country was heading, whether there was any assurance from the government and, of course, the anxiety among people. There were various other statements coming from the army trying to assert a sense of control and of course, opposite sentiments coming out from the militant groups behind this violence.

[Peter Bowes]

So what do you think the government can do now with its Russian backers? This Russian paramilitary force has been trying to provide extra help for the military rulers. What do you think the chances are that they will be able to beat the insurgents back?

[Beverly Ochung]

That's going to be quite challenging. But the photo from the presidency does demonstrate that they will continue to lean in, in particular on Russia, despite the fact that some of them actually gave up positions in a strategic town in the north, in Kidal. It also shows you that they don't really have as many choices in terms of security partnerships. In particular, it's a high risk zone. And it's also interesting because whenever there is various crisis in Mali, there are always these sort of meetings by the Russian defence officials providing reassurance, despite the fact that so far they haven't really been the bulwark of security in the country as well as the region.

[Peter Bowes]

And in terms of the rebels themselves, it's a rather sort of bizarre alliance of Tuareg separatists and this Al Qaeda affiliated bunch of jihadists. Do you think there's any prospect that they could actually take the capital and and try and govern Mali together?

[Beverly Ochung]

This alliance is because they see this military government as a common adversary and they want to push out the government. It's not as simple as them just becoming the governing power. They don't have support in the southern region. They are behind a violent siege and a violent occupation in various parts of the country. They have to broker alliances, to be careful about being seen as wanting to be a central power. It simply wants an authority in Mali that is either sympathetic to it or that is not challenging its control of certain areas.

[Celia Hatton]

Beverly Ochung, speaking to Tim Franks. Still to come in this podcast, Elon Musk has been testifying at the open air trial. We'll hear from our tech correspondent in California.

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Big league reliability for your business. That's genius. This is the Global News Podcast Five former US Officials, including a military judge advocate general, have criticized the ongoing lack of acknowledgement by the Pentagon of any potential American involvement in the deadly strike on a school in Iran two months ago. Some have told the BBC it's highly unusual to release no details at all after such a length of time. The strike at a primary school in Minab during the opening salvos of the U S Israeli war killed 168 people, including around 110 children, according to Iranian officials. It's one of the worst cases involving civilian casualties in US wars in the Middle east in over three decades. The US Military has said only it's investigating what happened in Minab. Here's our State Department correspondent Tom Bateman.

[Tom Bateman]

The war started for the parents of Minaba, searching for their children in the rubble of their bombed out school. Two months later in Washington, a search goes on for answers and even any admission of responsibility.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

When will you release the report on

[Tom Bateman]

the Menard School, Mr. Secretary? That was my unanswered question to the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday. Despite reports the US Military's initial probe suggested the US Struck the school and clear evidence its missiles targeted the Iranian base next to it, the Pentagon will still say nothing more than it is investigating.

[James Comey]

The first thing that you undertake is an initial review.

[Tom Bateman]

Wes Bryant ran the Civilian Harm Reduction Team at the Pentagon before it was gutted by Mr. Hegseth last year. He says any preliminary probe has to show two things. Were civilians harmed, and was the US Operating in the area? At the time?

[James Comey]

When you meet both of those criteria, that's the only time that an investigation is actually formally initiated. And so from a process standpoint, that just points even more to the fact that, yes, they know already that the US Caused this, or else they wouldn't be doing this investigation, and they just don't want to acknowledge it or speak to it. To not even be able to have any comment on it whatsoever is just unacceptable.

[Tom Bateman]

He compares the Minab case to the handling of a drone strike in Kabul in 2021, which the Pentagon said targeted terrorists, but in fact killed a family of 10, including seven children.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

This strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and the evacuees at the airport. But it was a mistake, and I offer my sincere apology.

[Tom Bateman]

Less than three weeks after the bombing, the Pentagon had admitted its responsibility and apologized.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

36 hours after the attack, it's still extremely hot. Here in the shelter behind me, rescue workers are taking out more charred bodies, many of them tiny bodies, obviously of children.

[Tom Bateman]

In 1991, one of the most notorious incidents of the Gulf War, the US hit a shelter in Baghdad, killing more than 400 civilians. The Pentagon first tried to blame Saddam Hussein for putting people in harm's way, but was almost immediately answering questions and accepted it was a US Strike. All of this is further than the current administration has gone on the Minabe strike. Rachel Van Landingen is a former judge advocate in the US Air Force.

[Ashley Akinetti]

I think it strikingly departs from the standard response. Administrations in the past at least demonstrate fidelity, Right. A commitment to the law of war by saying, we are going to investigate

[Celia Hatton]

and we feel terrible about what's happened, and this is what's been missing within this administration to ensure this doesn't happen again.

[Peter Bowes]

Will the Americans, Will the US Accept any responsibility for.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

Well, I haven't seen it. And I will say that the Tomahawk, which is one of the most powerful weapons around, is used by, you know, is sold and used by other countries. You know, that. And whether it's Iran who also has some Tomahawks, I wish they had more.

[Tom Bateman]

Ten days after the strike, President Trump blamed it on Iran. Without providing any evidence, Mr. Hegseth stuck to a minimal, carefully worded line.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

Thank you.

[Tom Bateman]

Come back with the BBC. Can you give us an update on what the administration knows, what you know now about the reported strike on a girls school in southern Iran on Saturday.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

All I know, all I can say is that we're investigating that. We of course, never target civilian targets, but we're taking a look at investigating that.

[Tom Bateman]

On Capitol Hill, opposition lawmakers have written several times to the Defense Secretary. I've been shown two of the Pentagon's responses which give no answers, saying only it is investigating. Adam Smith is the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee and has been in closed door briefings with Pentagon officials.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

Basically it's the prosecutor's equivalent of we don't comment on ongoing investigations, which is pathetic and completely inadequate at this point.

[Tom Bateman]

Has there been even an admission this was a US missile?

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

There has been no admission. It's not a complicated set of circumstances. I think everybody in the world now knows what's happened. We need to admit it and deal with it instead of stalling.

[Tom Bateman]

I asked the Pentagon why there had been no comment about its preliminary findings, about when the full investigation would be released, and about the stark differences with historical precedent. They said again, it would be inappropriate to comment due to the current investigation. Two months on, the parents of Minab have only silence, compounding their trauma.

[Celia Hatton]

Tom Bateman. Let's go to the high profile US trial that's unfolding in California that centers around the status of one of the world's most influential artificial intelligence companies, OpenAI. It's the maker of ChatGPT. Elon Musk and Sam Altman Co founded OpenAI in 2015 and now Elon Musk is suing his former colleague, who's still the boss of OpenAI, for allegedly duping him into donating millions of dollars to the company. Both men were in court today with Elon Musk giving evidence. Our North America technology correspondent, Lily Jamali told me more.

[Podcast Advertiser/Host]

It was a big day. Not every day you're in a courtroom with Elon Musk and Sam Altman at the same time. Certainly he laid out his recollections of OpenAI's early days. Today, a key message, I think from Musk and his lawyers with it was that there would be no Open AI without Musk. And so he talked about his, in his view, instrumental role in creating the company. He came up with the idea for the name, he recruited key people to to open AI and ultimately donated $38 million to get the company started. At one point his lawyer asked why is he suing Altman? And he said it was about stopping illegal precedent, saying it's not okay to steal a charity, which is what he alleges. Sam Altman did amazing.

[Celia Hatton]

These two men were sitting in court together. Let's not forget they were once good friends. Before their fallout, I would call them

[Podcast Advertiser/Host]

more friendly collaborators than friends. It was kind of funny actually, because that is part of, like, sometimes we hear that about them. But when you hear Musk talking about Altman, he sort of tries to really play him down. Like, listen, this person was not a known commodity in 2015 when we started the company. That's sort of the message he was trying to get across today. And the day actually being began with the judge in this case speaking with Musk about recent posts that he's been making on social media. This week he's referred to Sam Altman as Scam Altman on X. And so the judge said to Musk that he needs to control his, quote, propensity to use social media to make things worse outside the court. Musk agreed and Altman did also. And so Musk is actually going to be back on the stand tomorrow to face cross examination by OpenAI lawyers.

[Celia Hatton]

Okay, so lots of drama going on inside this one courtroom room, but what implications could this trial have for Open AI and the future of the whole industry?

[Podcast Advertiser/Host]

Well, I think if Elon Musk gets his way, that could really set OpenAI back at a pivotal time for them. They're supposed to IPO soon, you know, make a public listing so that everybody can invest in their stock for the first time. And they are, you know, basically one of the very top, if not the top, AI developer in the US right now. Probably rivaled most closely by Anthropic. So a Musk win could deal a very serious blow to OpenAI's business. Remember, he's asking for Sam Altman to be ousted from the company. He wants to undo some of this move from the non profit entity to the for profit and bigger picture. You know, these guys are all racing for what's known as artificial general intelligence, the kind of intelligence that rivals human intelligence. And so if Musk gets his way, there is potentially one fewer competitor as he tries to get his own startup off the ground.

[Celia Hatton]

Lily Jamali. And last, the slogan a diamond is forever linking diamonds to everlasting love and ultimate commitment has been a big selling point for decades. But does it matter where the diamond has come from? The term blood diamond describes an industry, especially in Africa, that's been fueled by war and corruption. Now traditional diamond miners are facing another threat, the emergence of the lab grown variety, which now makes up 20% of the global market and has caused a 40% drop in retail prices in recent years. On a recent trip to Sierra Leone in West Africa, the BBC's Ed Butler spoke to local artisanal miners to assess the impact of lab grown gems on the wider industry.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

I'm standing in an open valley. There are huge pits filled with orange sandy water. Men digging at the sand along the banks and others sifting through the mud and the gravel to find the rich precious stones that lie abundantly in this landscape.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

We take the soil, it is the gravel. There we find the diamond. I have not made a lot of money yet. Sometimes for the whole of the year you can get anything.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

Thin pickings then decades of extraction mean the remaining worthwhile stones now lie mostly beyond the reach of picks and shovels. And prices have been falling sharply over the last five years. This is why lab grown diamonds diamonds produce. India alone is producing perhaps 3 million of these diamonds a year. Collapsing global prices by as much as 40%.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

I see a situation where people are going to all over the world are going to get more conscious about climate change, about extracting too much from the earth.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

Rohit Mehta is CEO of 4Link Ventures. It's a commodities house based in India's diamond capital Surat. He says that lab grown diamonds aren't just cheap to they're also more ethically and environmentally sourced. There's no blood on these stones. He argues the dependence of the industry

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

on the naturally mined diamonds is going

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

to be less and people will be

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

looking more towards lab grown diamonds. And that is where a big boom in the lab grown diamond industry is going to happen.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

There is a counter view. Stanley Maturam is a unique US based environmental consultant. He completely rejects the idea that lab grown is somehow better either for the planet or for humanity.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

It's untrue. It is factually not defined by science. These reactors run at the temperature of the sun. They're like data centers. That's the kind of energy that they require to operate these. And there's nothing really socially or environmentally responsible about this.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

Stanley Mataram also says that the allegations of environmental destruction levelled against artisanal diamond mining have been exaggerated.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

There are chemicals used. You're not talking about iron ore mining or gold mining. Classic hard rock diamond mining is the cleanest form of mining. And when done correctly not only does it provide a lot of social benefits, these holes in the ground become future carbon sinks and and you uplift the lifestyles of women and children education. The significant benefits the traditional diamond industry

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

is trying to push back now. The British multinational diamond company De Beers has recently launched Ads like this one promoting the traditional stones.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

The diamond you choose should match your

[Celia Hatton]

journey, match the patience you took to find each other. And that that is a natural diamond.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

As well as TV commercials, De Beers has launched Gemfair. It's a venture in Sierra Leone aimed at giving artisanal miners better equipment and a fair price for their diamond finds. You might call it fair trade for diamonds. Part of the campaign to change that difficult association some people have with war and corruption. Well, that's the intended message.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

They're going for the biggest bling that they can afford, I guess.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

That's Doug Meadows. He's an Atlanta based jeweler.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

Some of its perception, you know, people coming in thinking of the idea of a blood diamond, the lab grown community has touted it as being ethical and eco friendly and all this kind of stuff. And to try to educate a consumer the value in a natural diamond, I'm hoping the industry can give us some help.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

Back in the pit, Daniel Thibault is still digging and hoping for his first diamond find.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

I think I have one here.

[Doug Meadows / Rohit Mehta / Stanley Maturam (Various interviewees)]

Whatever the taste and the falling value of diamonds on the global market, Daniel and tens of thousands of other Sierra Leoneans are still digging and hoping. For now, they say they don't have much choice.

[Celia Hatton]

Ed Butler in Sierra Leone. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email [e-mail] you can also find us on XBC World Service. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on one big story. This edition of the Global News podcast was made mix by Nick Rendell and the producer was Mazafar Shakir. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Celia Hatton. Until next time. Goodbye.

[Podcast Advertiser/Host]

Can a royal visit help fix the so called special relationship between the US

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

and the UK this week King Charles is visiting America, but it's a tense moment for the US and the uk. I'm Tristan Redman.

[Podcast Advertiser/Host]

And I'm Asma Khalid and we host the Global Story podcast from the BBC.

[Various Correspondents/Interviewees (e.g., Ryan Seacrest, Pentagon Officials, Analysts)]

We speak to the former British ambassador to the United States who knows a thing or two about getting on the wrong side of President Trump.

[Celia Hatton]

For more, listen to the global story

[Podcast Advertiser/Host]

on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.