US retaliatory strikes against Iran

Summary

Global News Podcast — June 10, 2026

Episode Theme: International tension and developments, with a focus on US-Iran military escalation, Middle East diplomacy, societal unrest in the UK, and updates from the worlds of science and culture.

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Main Theme Overview

This episode covers breaking news on US retaliatory airstrikes against Iran following the downing of an American helicopter, Iran's response targeting US bases in the region, mounting international sanctions related to Israeli settlements, violent unrest in the UK centered on immigration and social cohesion, upcoming NASA Artemis missions, and scientific discoveries about animal intelligence. The episode features global correspondents and analysts who provide on-the-ground updates and expert analysis.

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Key Discussions and Insights

1. US-Iran Retaliatory Strikes & Regional Tensions

Segment Start: [01:08]

• Incident: The US carried out airstrikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz after Iran shot down an American Apache helicopter ([01:51]).
• Iranian Reprisal: Iran launched drones and missiles at US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait ([02:58]).
  • Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi declared, “Iran’s armed forces will leave no attack unanswered. We prefer diplomacy, but we also know how to speak other languages.” ([01:51])
  • Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned they’re ready for a “crushing and decisive response to any further US attacks.” ([02:58])
• US Statement: The US claims its strikes are complete, listing successful hits on air defense and radar installations, and asserts readiness to defend against “unjustified Iranian aggression.” ([03:53])
• Analysis of Escalation:
  • Peter Bowes notes, “There is clearly a danger of escalation… there was a view… that this could be contained within a roughly 24-hour period.” ([03:53])
  • Both sides have thus far targeted military, not civilian, sites, suggesting the possibility of containment and intention for diplomatic off-ramps ([05:06]).
  • President Trump signals hope for a diplomatic deal “within three to four days,” though skepticism remains ([05:06]).
  • Jeremy Bowen reflects on the broader challenge:
    • “Military action rarely unfolds as leaders expect. The Gulf remains tense, dangerous, and unpredictable… It is easier to start a war than to end one, let alone deliver a clear victory.” ([07:17]-[07:19])

Notable Quotes:

• Peter Bowes: “This clearly is the most serious escalation of hostilities… since the truce was agreed between them some two months ago.” ([02:58])
• Jeremy Bowen: “President Trump… will try to calibrate their response... to preserve the sluggish and so far unproductive diplomatic process.” ([06:18])

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2. Western Sanctions Against Israeli Settler Violence

Segment Start: [07:23]

• Developments: Britain, France, and Canada impose sanctions on entities alleged to finance and enable Jewish settler attacks; France bars Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over his support for settlement expansion ([07:23]).
• Context: Smotrich and fellow far-right leader Itamar Ben Gvir have championed the settler cause and pushed for annexation, drawing increasing Western disapproval.
• Impact:
  • Europe, Australia, and Canada announce further sanctions, reflecting widespread diplomatic opposition to current Israeli policy, even among close allies ([07:55]).
  • The practical impact on Israeli domestic politics is expected to be limited.

Notable Quotes:

• Sebastian Usher:
  • “It’s a kind of concerted move by European allies… to show their displeasure with the way that things are going.” ([09:11])

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3. European Rare Book Thefts

Segment Start: [10:00]

• Story: Paris trial of a Georgian gang who stole rare Russian literary first editions by swapping originals with expertly forged copies across European libraries ([10:25]).
• Market: Evidence points to a Moscow-based market, with books sold at online auctions; some books recovered by Europol, but not returned to the libraries ([11:24]).
• Motivation: Libraries’ easier security versus other high-value targets; one thief compared the challenge to stealing from “an old lady librarian” instead of “men with guns.” ([11:44])

Notable Quotes:

• Nina Nazarova:
  • “It was way easier to steal a book worth thousands of dollars… because a piece of gold is guarded by men with guns, and the old book… by an old lady librarian.” ([11:44])

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4. Unrest Over Immigration in the UK

Segment Start: [15:20]

• Events: Knife attack by a Sudanese refugee in Belfast sparks anti-immigration violence, property arson, and evacuations ([15:20]-[17:58]).
• Official Response:
  • Dep. First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly expresses:
    • “People want to have a conversation about immigration... I do think that people are very frightened about that.” ([16:14])
  • Calls for calm from leaders as fears rise over public disorder following viral videos of graphic violence ([17:58]).
• Analysis:
  • Immigration now ranks above the economy as voters’ top concern ([18:29]).
  • Social cohesion anxieties are amplified by viral footage of violent incidents involving immigrants or minorities ([19:24]).
  • Far-right rhetoric stirs further tension, with warnings from analysts about the potential for broader unrest ([20:27]).

Notable Quotes:

• Rob Watson:
  • “Concern about immigration… is actually now a more important issue for British voters than even the economy…” ([18:29])
  • “This is not some sort of superficial issue. It's something that really goes to the heart of British politics.” ([20:27])

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5. Antoni Gaudi Centennial and Cultural Celebrations

Segment Start: [21:30]

• Event: 100th anniversary of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi’s death; Barcelona marks near completion of Sagrada Familia, hosting cultural events including a new musical work ([21:30]-[24:49]).
• Composer Marin Allsop discusses:
  • “The Seven Dreams of Gaudi” oratorio, reflecting Gaudi’s life stages and spiritual journey.
  • The interplay between Gaudi’s spirit and musical interpretation; celebration of his innovation and legacy.

Notable Quotes:

• Marin Allsop:
  • “Even when it's finished, it won't be finished… the most important thing is to celebrate Gaudi as a creator, as an artist…” ([24:49])

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6. NASA Artemis 3 and the Changing Face of Space Exploration

Segment Start: [25:43]

• Mission Update: Artemis 3 crew named—André Douglas, Frank Rubio, Luca Parmentino, Randy Bresnik ([26:15]).
  • This mission will test docking in Earth orbit, delayed moon landing now expected in 2028 due to lander development setbacks.
• Perspective:
  • NASA head Jared Isaacman:
    • “This seems like the very beginning of Earth's first star fleet to me.” ([27:00])
  • Despite setbacks (e.g., Blue Origin launchpad explosion), optimism persists.

Notable Quotes:

• Jared Isaacman:
  • “Think about how many spacecraft… will be in orbit at the same time… This seems like the beginning of the future that we imagined as children.” ([27:00])

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7. Bumblebees Demonstrate Surprising Intelligence

Segment Start: [27:52]

• Discovery: Finnish scientists reveal that bumblebees can solve problem-solving tasks reminiscent of classic primate tests ([28:16]).
• Experiment: Bees used a ball to reach a reward (simulating stacking boxes for chimpanzees), surpassing expectations—over 70% succeeded ([29:42]).
• Implication:
  • “Bees are able to solve this task without any direct training… their behavior is goal-directed… intelligence comes in many forms…” — Dr. Ollie Lokola ([30:00])

Memorable Quote:

• Dr. Ollie Lokola:
  • “I was expecting something like 10% or 15% max, but more than 70% I was like mind blowed.” ([29:42])

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Timestamps for Notable Segments

| Time | Segment/Key Topic | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 01:08 | US-Iran Strikes & Escalation | | 03:53 | Risk of Further Escalation & US Statement | | 05:06 | Nature of Targets & Diplomatic Window | | 06:18 | Jeremy Bowen on War’s Uncertainties | | 07:23 | Western Sanctions on Israeli Settler Violence | | 10:00 | European Rare Book Heists | | 15:20 | Knife Attack and Anti-immigrant Violence in Belfast | | 18:29 | Analysis: Immigration as Top UK Political Issue | | 21:30 | Antoni Gaudi’s Anniversary, Sagrada Familia Events | | 25:43 | NASA Artemis 3 Update | | 27:52 | Bumblebee Problem-Solving Discovery |

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Memorable Quotes

• Jeremy Bowen ([07:19]): "It is easier to start a war than to end one, let alone deliver a clear victory."
• Jared Isaacman ([27:00]): "This seems like the very beginning of Earth's first star fleet to me."
• Dr. Ollie Lokola ([29:42]): "I was expecting something like 10% or 15% max, but more than 70% I was like mind blowed."
• Rob Watson ([18:29]): "Concern about immigration… is actually now a more important issue for British voters than even the economy…"

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Episode Tone

Direct, analytical, urgent—reflecting both the high stakes of global geopolitics and the wonder of scientific discovery. Correspondents blend hard fact and insightful commentary, while experts and witnesses provide personal and authoritative perspectives throughout.

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This summary captures the episode’s breadth and key moments, serving those who missed the broadcast with a concise yet engaging overview of global events and ongoing issues.

Transcript

[Alex Ritson]

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[Alex Ritson]

this is the global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Alex Ritson and in the early hours of Wednesday, June 10, these are our main stories. The United States has carried out strikes on Iran in response to the downing of an American helicopter. Iranian forces say they've retaliated by targeting US bases in the region. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is banned from entering France over violence by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. Also in this podcast, many of the

[Nina Nazarova]

books were probably sold already somewhere in Moscow or online auctions.

[Alex Ritson]

The gang that managed to steal rare editions of Russian literary classics from libraries all over Europe. There's been a tit for tat exchange of strikes between the US and Iran in the Middle east, once again endangering their fragile ceasefire. The US Central Command said it had attacked Iranian targets close to the Strait of Hormuz after President Trump accused Tet Tehran of shooting down an American Apache helicopter on Tuesday. Iran has responded by firing missiles and drones at US bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. Iranian State TV quoted a statement posted on social media by the country's foreign minister, Abbas Aragchi, saying Iran's armed forces will leave no attack unanswered. We prefer diplomacy, but we also know how to speak other languages, says Mr. Arakchi's statement. Our North America correspondent Peter Bowes gave me this update.

[Peter Bowes]

Iran was very quick to launch retaliatory attacks after the United States launched its own series of attacks over the last few hours. And according to Iran, its state media, it launched drone and long range missile strikes targeting American bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. And according to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, they say that they are ready to deliver a quote, crushing and decisive response to any further U.S. attacks. And this clearly is the most serious escalation of hostilities now between Washington and Tehran since the truce was agreed between them some two months ago.

[Alex Ritson]

The US Military had said earlier that they'd completed the their attacks. Is there now a danger of further escalation?

[Peter Bowes]

I think given the tense nature of the situation, there is clearly a danger of escalation. I think there was a view at one point a few hours ago, maybe that will still prevail, that this could be contained within a roughly 24 hour period that the US would hit back, it believes, in response to the downing of that American helicopter on Monday. And it has certainly done that. And in fact, I've got the statement in front of me saying that the US has indeed completed its strikes in response to, as it puts it, Iran's attack on the Apache helicopter. And it lists what it sees as its achievements in this attack, striking Iranian air defense ground control stations, surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz with, it says, precision munitions from U.S. air Force and Navy fighter jets. And it finished with this line, which really goes to your question. It says U.S. forces remain vigilant and postured to defend against, as it puts it, unjustified Iranian aggression.

[Alex Ritson]

The Iranians appear to be aiming at US Military targets rather than civilian ones in the region. Is that going to make a difference?

[Peter Bowes]

It could make a difference in the same way as the United States has been targeting Iranian military sites as opposed to political sites, the country's leadership, as it did at the height of the war. So this does appear to be both countries attacking the other's military sites, which does suggest that this may be containable, that it isn't the kind of series of attacks that is going to have further political repercussions. And it could well be held within this period of 24 hours. And I think that will give some people hope, especially those negotiators on both sides that are putting a lot of hope in the series of talks that we've been hearing about, but actually not getting much detail, although President Trump very recently said that he believed that there could actually be a deal in the next Three to four days. We've heard him say that before. He's saying it again now. It does show that he wants diplomacy. It seems the Iranians want diplomacy. But I think it's fair to say this ceasefire looks increasingly fragile.

[Alex Ritson]

Peter Bowes in Los Angeles with his thoughts on the decision President Trump faces. Here's our international editor, Jeremy Bowen.

[Jeremy Bowen]

The downing of the Apache helicopter is another reminder that Iran's rulers can still hurt the Americans and will not budge in their determination to come out of this war on top. President Trump and his generals will try to calibrate their response to show just as emphatically that they cannot be pushed around, but at the same time to preserve the sluggish and so far unproductive diplomatic process. Donald Trump has been banking on a deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and agree on much longer term talks over the big issues, starting with Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium and its wider nuclear plans. The war is unpopular in America and he wants a way out that he can present as a victory. It is proving to be a tough challenge. Military action rarely unfolds as leaders expect. The Gulf remains tense, dangerous and unpredictable. Mr. Trump and Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu are learning an old lesson.

[Alex Ritson]

It is easier to start a war

[Jeremy Bowen]

than to end one, let alone deliver a clear victory.

[Alex Ritson]

Jeremy Bowen in Beirut. Britain, France and Canada are among countries which have imposed sanctions on what they call networks involved in financing and enabling Jewish settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. France has also barred the Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotoric, from entering the country. The Israeli government has said its rejected what it called disgraceful measures. Middle east analyst Sebastian Usher reports from Jerusalem.

[Sebastian Usher]

Essentially, it's saying that Mr. Smotridge is promoting the annexation of a West bank and the recolonization of Gaza. I mean, he belongs to a far right party. He and the national security minister here, Itamar Ben Gavir, are really the leaders of that vein of Israeli political influence and power who are pushing very hard, essentially the settler cause. And in this particular coalition government, they have had a large say. So partly due to their roles in that government, there's been expansion of the settlements. I think it's not just to do with them, obviously, in any way, but there's also been a considerable increase in settlers violence that I think is to some extent down, of course, as so many things are here to the aftermath of the hamasad attacks on October 7, 2023. I mean, France is not the only country to have barred Mr. Smotridge. Several other countries have done so for the same reasons. And the same also applies to Mr. Ben Gvir. Just last week, Ireland said that both of them were banned. So it's a kind of concerted move by European allies to show that they believe that the course that these two political leaders here in Israel would like to lead Israel on is one that they are very much opposed to and would like to make that clear diplomatically in terms of what impact it will have on them. I think obviously that is pretty limited. What impact it will have on the way they're regarded in Israel, I think won't change. Those who support them will continue to do so. Those who don't will continue to do that. This comes also as other measures are being announced in Europe and also Australia and Canada, along with the uk, other sanctions on entities which they say have helped finance and enable settler bond. So this, as I say, is a concerted effort by a number of countries, all of which have traditionally been pretty close to Israel, to show their displeasure with the way that things are going at the moment here.

[Alex Ritson]

Sebastian Usher in Jerusalem. After a four year investigation, the trial of a gang of thieves from Georgia is now underway in Paris. The suspects are charged with stealing rare editions of Russian literary masterpieces from libraries all over Europe. Nina Nazarova from the BBC Russian Service told Tim Franks about the alleged plot to steal these masterpieces.

[Nina Nazarova]

Men swapped mainly the first edition, what's called Russian Golden Era, with forged copies. So in some cases it took more than a year to notice that something was wrong with the copies. At least one of the person already convicted for the crimes is actually cooperating with the investigation. Now in France, he used to be a book restorer in Georgia, so he told me personally that he was like a sorcerer with the books. However, he denied that he made any of the copies, but he had a great experience with restoring and working with old books.

[Alex Ritson]

And presumably there was a market for this. And was this market deemed to be back in Russia?

[Nina Nazarova]

Yes, we have clues that the market was back in Russia because another convicted person, Mikhail Z, who is also actively cooperating with the court in France, admitted that he was doing crimes on orders from Moscow and he personally received $30,000 in cryptocurrency for stealing books from a Lithuanian library.

[Alex Ritson]

Have any of these books been recovered?

[Nina Nazarova]

Some of the books were recovered by Evropol, but none were returned to the libraries. And many of the books were probably sold already somewhere in Moscow or online auctions in Moscow.

[Alex Ritson]

Is it clear why this team went after books. I mean, it sounds sort of quite fiddly. Was it to do with the security in these libraries?

[Nina Nazarova]

Yes. Actually, the person I interviewed back at T, he was talking theoretically, but he told me that it was way easier to steal a book worth thousands of thousands of dollars than for instance, any jewelry or a piece of gold, because a piece of gold is guarded by men with guns and the old book of the same value guarded by an old lady librarian.

[Alex Ritson]

That was Nina Nazarova from the BBC Russian Service. Still to come in this podcast, think

[Jared Isaacman]

about how many spacecraft, all of which will eventually carry human beings, will be in orbit orbit at the same time from Dragon, Shenzhu, Soyuz, possibly starliner, starship, and Blue Origin landers. This seems like the beginning of the future that we imagined as children.

[Alex Ritson]

Not quite over the moon NASA names the astronauts will take part in the next Artemis mission.

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[Alex Ritson]

This is the global news podcast here in the uk A knife attack by a refugee from Sudan has sparked violence by anti immigration protesters in Northern Ireland. The disorder in Belfast on Tuesday night followed the attack a day earlier. The victim, a man, is in hospital with serious injuries to his eyes, neck and back. The Sudanese man is due in court later on Wednesday charged with attempted murder. He was given a five year refugee visa after arriving in the UK from Ireland in 2023. The subsequent disorder meant people had to flee their homes as they were set on fire along with vehicles. Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly condemned the violence but understood why people were angry.

[Emma Little Pengelly]

People want to have a conversation about immigration. I think communities are very concerned about what is happening. No community wants a dangerous person living within their community and I do think that people are very frightened about that. That is an entirely separate debate and I think what we're seeing very often is that frustration from people that their genuinely held concerns are not taken seriously and there's not the action to follow up to take those issues seriously.

[Alex Ritson]

Other political leaders have called for calm and the streets of Belfast are now mainly quiet. But earlier Dan Johnson sent this report from the city.

[Dan Johnson]

This is Newton Ards Road just south of Belfast city centre. This is where there was quite a large crowd earlier of maybe 100, 150 people gathered here for a couple of hours in protest. Lots of them, young people with masks or balaclavas, they pushed bins together that were then set on fire. And that actually a bus that had to stop in the middle of the road because of the traffic being blocked. That bus actually caught fire just around the corner from here. We've just heard that a house of multiple occupancy, essentially a house that's been converted to flats, has been targeted by a crowd who tried to set that on fire. We've seen pictures of the fire service and police officers actually bringing families out of those buildings through the flames to safety. So there is a real risk to life on the streets this evening. The police, the authorities, all day long have been calling for calm, have been calling for people not to gather or to protest in peace. And although we have seen that in some places, what we are seeing is that there is damage, there is destruction, there has been property that has been burned and there has been a threat to life in some places.

[Alex Ritson]

The violence in Northern Ireland follows trouble in the city of Southampton in England last week. Arrests were made there after police were criticized for handcuffing a dying white man who had been stabbed by a Sikh man. He wasn't an immigrant, but he was born in Britain. He had falsely accused his victim of racism. The arrest was filmed and widely viewed online. I asked our UK political correspondent, Rob Watson why immigration is such a hot button issue in the uk.

[Rob Watson]

Well, I think it's a fever pitch because we've now had two videos showing truly graphic violence. And I think you can't understate how important it is that these dreadful videos have been seen by so many people, not just in Britain, by the way, Alex, but around the world. And it's very hard to see these videos without having a strong reaction of horror, sadness, anger, depending, of course, on the kind of person you are. And so what that has done is that it's sort of brought this simmering concern about immigration and social cohesion very much to the fore. And it is extraordinary that before these two videos, even if you look at the polling, it does strongly suggest that concern about immigration, not just illegal immigration or about refugees or asylum seekers, is actually now a more important issue for British voters than even the economy, which is pretty extraordinary.

[Alex Ritson]

Yeah. I mean, talking of strong reactions, how's the Prime Minister and the Labour government in London taking this?

[Rob Watson]

The government in London is stressing the need for calm and saying, look, it's just not going to do anyone any good. You could feel strongly about the issue of immigration, but going out and trashing Things is not the way to do it. Let the police do their work. But of course, you do have politicians, particularly those more on the populist right, if I could put it that way, saying that, look, something is going to have to be done about immigration. And there was one politician from Northern Ireland, very much on the right of Northern Irish politics, who talked about. About the importing of an alien culture into Northern Ireland and that that kind of thing had to stop. So feelings are clearly running very, very high indeed. The sort of thrust of what the government is trying to do is to calm things down.

[Alex Ritson]

Yeah. You mentioned the video of the Henry Novak case last week. Just how dangerous a moment is this for the uk?

[Rob Watson]

Well, I think the view of the government and of the police is that it's a very dangerous moment indeed, because, you know, we had seen r riots before a couple of summers ago, and feelings are just running very high about the issue of immigration and social cohesion. Because if you broaden it out into that question of social cohesion, again, the polling suggests that, you know, well over half the population just think we're not getting along properly in Britain. So this is not some sort of superficial issue. It's something that really goes to the heart of British politics. And there is that sort of sense of. And I think, again, the graphic nature of these videos hammer home something which social scientists point to, which is that sense amongst some people at least, of just not having any control over their lives, of looking at incidents like this and feeling helpless and feeling angry. And of course, there are certainly those on what might be called the sort of far right of the spectrum who are prepared to take that one step further and to countenance violence.

[Alex Ritson]

Rob Watson Antoni Gaudi was a famous Catalan architect and designer who died 100 years ago today. He was driven by his passion for architecture, nature and religion, and seven of his works have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Parc Guel, Casa Mila and his masterpiece the Sagrada Familia, which are in Barcelona in Spain. The latter is now structurally complete and will be declared finished as part of the centenary celebrations. Although it does still need some work. Barcelona will celebrate the life of Antoni Gaudi with several events, including a mass and ceremonial blessing by Pope Leo. And the London Philharmonic will perform a new musical work in his honour. It's called the Seven Dreams of Gaudi and will be conducted by the American maestro Marin Allsop, who's been telling Evan Davis more about it.

[Marin Allsop]

The seven dreams of Gaudi represent the different stages of his life, Not Only as an artist, but also as a spiritual person searching for, as we all are, for the meaning of life. And so they all explore different facets of his experience, his imagination, his creative output. It's sort of an oratorio like piece. So it's got choirs, soloists, it's got big orchestra and also these fantastic bells. Gy left plans to construct 84 bells and so far three of them have been created. So it's got a little bit of something for everyone.

[Evan Davis]

Would someone listening to it, Marion, would they think of it as Gaudi? Like, I mean, Gaudi's got all these wonderfully imaginative creations. Is it Gaudiesque, the music? Can music be Gaudiesque?

[Marin Allsop]

I think it captures much more the esprit, the spirit of Gaudi. He was a very, a very spiritual person. He was very in touch with nature and the natural world around him. And you know, his background, the fact that his father was a, you know, a blacksmith and, and created things out of different kinds of metals. So there's always, there are these anvils that are played in the orchestra.

[Evan Davis]

Is there a real buzz in Barcelona at the moment over this, this hundredth anniversary of his death? But also it's not absolutely finished, is it the Sagrada Familia, but all the structural work is finished. It is this sort of official opening.

[Marin Allsop]

I think that's sort of the magic of this place, is that even when it's finished, it won't be finished. You know what I mean? You know, in comparative terms, a guide showed us some pictures from the late 90s and I mean, it's so much more completed than it was then. You know, we forget. I think the most important thing is to celebrate Gaudi as a creator, as an artist. And of course the Pope is going to be here in Barcelona and I, I think Gaudi is under consideration even, even for sainthood. So, you know, it's, it's pretty exciting for everyone.

[Alex Ritson]

American conductor Marin Allsop. NASA says the next stage of its mission to the moon will be another bold step and the beginning of the future. The American Space Agency has named the four astronauts will be taking part in the Artemis 3 mission which is due to launch next year. Unlike the crew of Artemis 2 who took a trip around the moon, those on board Artemis 3 will barely be any further from Earth than the International Space Station. Here's our science correspondent, Palab Ghosh.

[Palab Ghosh]

After the Triumph of Artemis 2 Looping the Moon in April, the follow up mission will send astronauts on an orbit of the Earth. It seems like a Backward step, but it's supposed to be a way forward to an eventual moon landing. In 2028, the Orion spacecraft will aim to dock with two prototype lunar landers made by Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin and then Elon Musk's SpaceX. NASA announced an all male crew for the mission. They are Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, Luca Parmentino, who's a European Space Agency astronaut and commanded by an ex Marine. Randy Bresnik. The head of NASA, Jared Isaacman, told a news conference that science fact was catching up with science fiction.

[Jared Isaacman]

Think about how many spacecraft, all of which will eventually carry human beings, will be in orbit at the same time. From dragons, Shenzhou, Soyuz, possibly Starliner, Starship, and Blue Origin landers. This seems like the beginning of the future that we imagined as children. This seems like the very beginning of Earth's first star fleet to me.

[Palab Ghosh]

Artemis 3 was supposed to have been the mission that sent astronauts to the moon, but Isaacman changed the plan in February. This is partly due to delays to the development of both lunar landers, a problem made much worse by the explosion last month at Blue Origin's launch pad, which is the only means for Blue Origin's lander to be sent into space. So there's much skepticism that the Artemis 3 mission will be ready for launch next year. But the message from spokespeople from both SpaceX and Blue Origin was the same. Don't worry, we'll be ready.

[Alex Ritson]

Palab Ghosh finally to Finland, where a group of scientists have made a surprising discovery about bumblebees. In an experiment, the bees were found to have impressive problem solving skills. The researchers say the findings, published in the journal Science, suggest the insects may be much smarter than they've been given credit for. Helena Burke has the details.

[Helena Burke]

In 1913, the German psychologist Wolfgang Kohler conducted what came to be considered a seminal study in animal intelligence. He suspended a banana just out of reach of chimpanzees and placed boxes nearby. The chimps soon stacked up the boxes, climbed them and grabbed the treat. This was evidence, Dr. Kuller believed, of complex problem solving by the primates more than a century on. Dr. Oli Lokola, a behavioural ecologist at the University of Ulu in Finland, wondered whether bumblebees with brains the size of a sesame seed might be capable of the same task.

[Dr. Ollie Lokola]

First, we trained the bees to know that blue artificial flower contains sugar water. Then we moved the flower to the ceiling, just out of reach. And to solve the problem, the bee had to move a small ball under the flower, climb onto the ball and then they could reach the flower.

[Helena Burke]

The scientists designed the experiment to ensure that the insects couldn't just fly and make a beeline for the sugar water. They had to move the Styrofoam ball to get their treatment.

[Dr. Ollie Lokola]

The trick was that the arena was a little bit too tiny for them to fly. So we kind of planned so that the arena ceiling was so low that they couldn't fly, but it was a little bit too high for them to stand and reach the ceiling.

[Helena Burke]

Dr. Lucola had previously taught bees how to play football, so his hopes for their cognitive abilities were higher than most. But the results surprised even him.

[Dr. Ollie Lokola]

Most of the bees that we tested, they solved the task. I was surprised because I was expecting something like 10% or 15% max, but more than 70% I was like mind blowed.

[Helena Burke]

Dr. Lucola hopes the findings will help people see bees as more cognitively and emotionally complex beings.

[Dr. Ollie Lokola]

Bees are able to solve this task without any direct training, so it means that they must have like goal in their mind so their behavior is goal directed. It means that they are actually planning what they are doing next. This shows that intelligence comes in many forms and we shouldn't expect be intelligence to look exactly like human intelligence. But these results show that very small brain can still support flexible and goal directed problem solving.

[Alex Ritson]

Dr. Ollie Lokola ending that report by Helene Burke and that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email us at globalpodcastbc. Co. You can also find us on X at BBC World Service. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. And don't forget our sibling podcast, the Global Story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on one big story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Holly Smith and produced by Muzaffar Shakir and Wendy Urquhart. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Alex Ritson. Until next time. Goodbye.

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