WHO declares an Ebola public health emergency in the DRC

Summary

Global News Podcast – May 17, 2026
Episode Overview & Detailed Summary

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Main Theme

This special episode of the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service, hosted by Alex Ritson, delivers urgent coverage of the World Health Organization's declaration of an Ebola public health emergency in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It also features breaking global news: a mass kidnapping of toddlers in Nigeria, a deadly scuba diving tragedy in the Maldives, Bulgaria’s first-ever Eurovision win, and political and social tensions reflected in major protests in central London. The tone is urgent but informative, providing up-to-the-minute reporting and thoughtful expert analysis.

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1. WHO Declares Ebola Emergency in DRC

Situation Overview – [01:08]
Ebola has returned to the DRC with a virulent new outbreak. This is not unfamiliar territory, as the country has faced over a dozen outbreaks since Ebola's identification 50 years ago. However, health experts warn this strain has a particularly high mortality rate and is compounded by social and logistical challenges.

Key Points:

• No vaccine or specific treatment: DRC Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamber seeks to reassure, emphasizing experience from previous outbreaks but warns the fatality rate is high.
• Historical challenge: This is the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak. Efforts now focus on controlling misinformation and ensuring proper healthcare-seeking behavior.

Notable Quotes:

"The challenge is to stop people thinking of it as a mysterious illness and ensure they seek proper health care."
– DRC Health Minister, paraphrased by reporter [02:39]

Ground Report – [03:18-04:56]
BBC’s Emery Makumino reports from Kinshasa:

• 330+ contact cases, 87 deaths (numbers rising).
• A funeral at the outbreak epicenter (Mongualu) is suspected to have been a super-spreader event.
• Traditional beliefs impede response: Fear and misunderstanding lead some residents to seek help from witchdoctors rather than medical clinics, fueling the spread.

Insightful Exchange:

"Not everyone knows the symptoms... people are going more to what is more accessible, that means the traditional medicines."
– Emery Makumino [04:24]

Response Measures:

• Treatment centers are still being established.
• Medical equipment and PPE are being flown in by WHO and Congolese health authorities. [04:58]

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2. Italy: Attack in Modena [05:31]

Incident Summary:

• A car was deliberately driven into pedestrians in Modena, injuring eight (four seriously).
• The suspect, Salim El Koudri (31), of Moroccan descent, tried to flee with a knife but was restrained by civilians.

Firsthand Account:

"I forced the car door open... he ran away. So I chased him and... four or five other people followed me. He disappeared ... then came out with a knife in his hand. He was mumbling something, but he wasn't Italian."
– Eyewitness Luca Signorelli [06:48]

Ongoing Investigation – [07:13]:

• Motivations are unclear; no evidence yet of links to extremist groups or substance abuse.
• The suspect is unemployed and known to mental health services.

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3. Maldives: Diving Tragedy [08:20]

Incident Recap:

• Five Italian divers died exploring a cave in the Maldives—the worst diving accident in the country’s history.
• A Maldivian rescue diver, Staff Sergeant Mohammed Mahoudi (popular local sportsman), died during the recovery mission.

Local Reaction:

"It's a very small country... the news spreads very fast and people know each other very well. So it was a big shock for the rescue teams."
– Barasan Etirajan, BBC Global Affairs Reporter [09:13]

Expert Analysis: Former military diver Shafraz Naim describes the challenging cave environment:

• The cave is "massive" and requires technical training beyond what the victims had.
• Multiple diving safety violations: insufficient air supply, lack of permits, improper equipment.
• The recovery effort was unnecessarily rushed before international rescue teams arrived.

Memorable Quote:

"It could have been avoided, you know. This shouldn't have been rushed... Why risk the lives of other divers to recover the dead bodies?"
– Shafraz Naim [11:52]

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4. Eurovision: Surprise Win for Bulgaria [12:19]

Result Announcement:

• Dara’s “Bangaranga” wins, Bulgaria’s first-ever Eurovision victory.
• Dara (27) describes “Bangaranga” as “an inner feeling that everything will be alright and anything is possible.”

Artist Reaction:

"It's unbelievable. I still don't know if this is a dream or reality... I'm so excited to welcome you all in Sofia next year."
– Dara [12:28]

Correspondent’s Take: Nomia Iqbal from Vienna describes it as a shocking result.

"Bulgaria was never in the top, top five... but it did shoot up the betting odds after the singer performed earlier this evening."
– Nomia Iqbal [13:12]

Eurovision Politics and Controversies – [14:02]:

• Multiple countries boycotted due to Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
• Voting rules changed: votes tied to credit cards to prevent voting manipulation.

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5. Nigeria: Mass Kidnapping of Children [18:33]

Event Details:

• Over 50 children, mainly toddlers (age 2-5), abducted from schools in Borno State—an unprecedented targeting of such young children.
• Soldiers tried to intervene, but kidnappers used children as human shields to escape.

Context:

• Responsibility is unclear—could be Boko Haram or Islamic State in West Africa Province.
• Parents have had no contact with abductors.

Historical Reference:

"In 2014 Boko Haram invaded Chibok School and abducted nearly 300 schoolgirls. Most of them never found up till now."
– Chris Iwaka, BBC [19:03]

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6. Gaza: Hamas Leader Killed [20:37]

Key Event:

• Izz Al Din Al Haddad, head of the armed wing of Hamas and an architect of the October 7 attacks, killed in an Israeli airstrike.
• His wife and daughter also reportedly killed.

Analysis:

• Israeli officials call this significant, but the reporter notes it may serve “Israeli retribution more than being a strategic win.”
• The overall situation in Gaza remains a grim stalemate.

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7. London: Polarizing Protests [22:06]

Events:

• Two major protests in central London required a 4,000-officer police deployment to separate crowds.
  • "Unite the Kingdom" march: Led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, focused on opposition to immigration, government criticism, and defense of “British culture.”
  • Pro-Palestinian Nakba Day march: Focused on Palestinian rights and protesting racism/genocide; also pro-immigration.

On-the-Ground Quotes:

"People are here to show that they are fed up with discrimination against the British people."
– Rally Attendee [23:17]

"I'm very worried about the rising tide of racism and fascism."
– Nakba Day protester [24:53]

"It seems that the establishment is making racism respectable again. I'm just fed up with the rise of racism..."
– Protester [24:58]

Policing & Public Safety:

• Police cautioned and arrested some for refusing to remove face coverings.
• 43 arrests reported at the two protests.

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8. Sports Update: Football Finals [25:47]

FA Cup Final:

• Manchester City wins 1-0 against Chelsea; goal by Antoine Semeno (Ghana).
• Pep Guardiola’s 20th title with Man City.

Scottish League Finale:

• Hearts lose the title to Celtic after leading the league all season—a dramatic finish.
• Celtic’s late goals seal their fifth straight title.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On Ebola misinformation (DRC):
  "The challenge is to stop people thinking of it as a mysterious illness and ensure they seek proper health care." – Health Minister/Reporter [02:39]

• On the tragic diving accident (Maldives):
  "It could have been avoided, you know. This shouldn't have been rushed." – Shafraz Naim [11:52]

• On Eurovision’s impact:
  "It's unbelievable. I still don't know if this is a dream or reality... I'm so excited to welcome you all in Sofia next year." – Dara [12:28]

• On political divides in London:
  "I'm just fed up with the rise of racism and I can't believe in 2026 that we're having these discussions at the moment." – Pro-Palestinian demonstrator [25:09]

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• [01:08] – WHO declares Ebola public health emergency, DRC context
• [03:18] – On-the-ground report from Kinshasa
• [05:31] – Modena car attack, eyewitness accounts
• [08:20] – Maldives diving disaster, expert testimony
• [12:19] – Eurovision: Bulgaria’s surprise victory
• [18:33] – Mass kidnapping in Nigeria, Chris Iwaka reports
• [20:37] – Gaza: Killing of Hamas commander
• [22:06] – Rival protests in London; policing challenges and social commentary
• [25:47] – Football finals: Manchester City and Celtic win major trophies

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Final Notes

This episode weaves together urgent public health crises, violent extremism, cultural milestones, and stark social divisions—offering both immediate facts and reflective insight from experts and eyewitnesses. The language alternates between briskly factual and emotionally charged, echoing the gravity and range of the stories.

Listeners are kept informed and engaged—whether they’re following the Ebola crisis, trying to understand the roots of violence and protest, or simply caught up in the drama of sports and Eurovision fever.

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 Sunday, 17th May, these are our main stories. The WHO declares a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as an emergency of international concern. Several people are injured in Italy after a man drives his car into pedestrians, and more than 50 children, many of them toddlers, are kidnapped from schools in Nigeria. Also in this podcast, an underwater tragedy in the Maldives claims another life.

[Shafraz Naim]

It could have been avoided. You know this shouldn't have been rushed.

[Alex Ritson]

We get a military diver's assessment and

[Nomia Iqbal]

I want to thank everybody who felt the Bangaranga and felt connected to the

[Alex Ritson]

for a surprise winner at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Ebola is no stranger in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has seen more than a dozen outbreaks since the virus was first identified there 50 years ago. But medical experts are concerned about the latest outbreak of the infectious disease, which is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids. The DRC Health Minister, Samuel Roger Kamber has warned it's a strain with a very high death rate, but sought to reassure the public.

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

We've had confirmation that this is Ebola. The strain is already known. It notably struck in Uganda and also here back in 2012. There are no vaccines or specific treatment, but this is not our first time dealing with the epidemic. This is our 17th Ebola outbreak. We know how to keep it under control. The challenge is to stop people thinking of it as a mysterious illness and ensure they seek proper health Care.

[Alex Ritson]

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern. But it said the outbreak doesn't meet the criteria of a pandemic. Our reporter in Kinshasa, Emery Makumino, told me more.

[Emery Makumino]

The number have risen over 330 contact cases and the number of deaths has gone also high to 87. One person who died in Bunya was transferred to the epicenter, now Mongualu. And during the funeral, that's where it is believed that many people caught the virus and people started dying. And it was largely believed that there was a case of witchcraft, so that people did not want to go for treatment in hospitals. They were going to churches to spiritual, to witch doctors to try to find. And this is one of the causes why we have seen an increase of fatalities, particularly in Mongolu.

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

Why is this happening?

[Alex Ritson]

I mean, modern medicine is. It's everywhere, isn't it? I mean, people know about this stuff.

[Emery Makumino]

Not everyone knows the symptoms related to Ebola. And in that particular rural area of the drc, you also have people who are also going more to what is more accessible. That means the traditional medicines, rather than going to seek more expensive health care, provided there's no universal health care coverage over here.

[Alex Ritson]

What are the authorities doing?

[Emery Makumino]

Teams are being deployed on the ground. We understand that they haven't yet set up the Ebola treatment centers. So teams from the government as well as teams from aid workers are all deploying to Bunya. And later on they'll be deploying to the epicenter, which is Mongolo. So at the moment, you have tons of medical equipment and PPE being airlifted by the WHO and also by the response team from the Congolese government.

[Alex Ritson]

Emery Macamino in Kinshasa. Police in northern Italy are questioning a man after a car was driven into pedestrians in the city of Modena, injuring several people. The driver then reportedly tried to flee with a knife before being stopped by members of the public. Our reporter Carla Conti has been following the story.

[Carla Conti]

This happened on Saturday afternoon in the heart of Modena's historic center, on one of the city's main shopping streets. The area would have been busy, as it usually is on a weekend afternoon with people strolling and doing their shopping. When a car came down the street at full speed, and according to local reports, it appears to have mounted the pavement, hit several pedestrians that didn't carried on for a short distance before eventually crashing into the window of a clothing shop. Eight people were injured, four of them seriously. The most serious case is reported to be that of a 55 year old woman whose legs were crushed against a shop window on impact. The driver then got out of the car and tried to run away. He was reportedly armed with a knife and several members of the public chased him and managed to restrain him before police eventually arrived. One of them, Luca Signorelli, described the moment when he TR to stop the suspect.

[Alex Ritson]

I forced the car door open. The suspect left the car and while I was trying to help the woman whose legs had been amputated, he ran away. So I chased him and in the meantime four or five other people followed me. He disappeared behind a row of cars and then came out with a knife in his hand. He was mumbling something, but he wasn't Italian.

[Carla Conti]

The suspect was eventually disarmed and handed over to police.

[Alex Ritson]

And he has now been named, hasn't he?

[Carla Conti]

Yes. The driver has been named by Italian authorities and media as Salim El Koudri. He's a 31 year old Italian citizen of Moroccan origin, born in Bergamo and living in the province of Modena. Officials say he holds a degree in business administration and is currently unemployed. They've also said that he had previously been known to local mental health services, including for what they described as schizoid disorders. He's now in custody and being questioned while investigators look at his recent movements, contacts and background.

[Alex Ritson]

Anything on motive yet?

[Carla Conti]

Well, that is one of the central questions, Alex, but we don't know much at this stage. But the city's mayor, Massimo Mezzetti, said that the footage appears to show a deliberate act because the car seems to turn towards the pavement before hitting people. But investigators have not established a motive as of yet. Officials have also said that early checks did not show that he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of his arrest. Reports have also said that so far investigators have not found clear evidence of links to extremist groups, but they still looking at all the possibilities.

[Alex Ritson]

Carla Conti On Thursday, five Italian scuba divers died while exploring an underwater cave in the Maldives, believed to be the worst single diving accident in the tiny Indian Ocean nation. A rescue team went in to find the missing bodies, but the search has now been suspended after one of the military divers involved in the operation, Mohammed Mahoudi, died. A government spokesman, Mohammed Hussain Sharif, told us what happened.

[Chris Iwaka]

He was rushed to the capital by seaplane about 15 minutes from where they were, but he was rushed here and taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed there while being given treatment. He's a staff sergeant, also a very popular young man, by the way. I knew him Personally, because he was also a very popular young sportsman in the country. He's a very popular basketball player.

[Alex Ritson]

Our global affairs reporter and Barasan Etirajan has more details.

[Barasan Etirajan]

A very unfortunate incident. For the last two days, the Maldivian government has been using different divers. And Maldives has a tradition of scuba diving. It attracts tourists from all around the world. But this seems to be one of those complicated operations. And one of the team members, when they sent about eight divers into the water, one of them did not come up again. So they went back into the water to find him. So Sergeant Mohammed Mahdi, he was lying unconscious in the water, deep in the water, so they had to bring him up. And he was airlifted to the capital, Mali. And while he was undergoing treatment, unfortunately, he passed away. That was a big shock for the Maldivian team and the rescue team. And also it's a very small country. It's a. The news spreads very fast and people know each other very well. So it was a big shock for the rescue teams. And this has come in addition to the already very tragic situation.

[Alex Ritson]

Let's hear a bit more about the cave and what might have gone wrong. Shafraz Naim is a former military diver from the Maldives who trained the rescue diver who died. He spoke to James Kumarasamy.

[Shafraz Naim]

I've dived that cave over 20, 30 times. It's massive. The entrance, the first chamber, is very big. And then there's this smaller tunnel, I'll call it, and then it goes into another big chamber, which is at around 70, 75 meters. You can't be in there unless you're trained.

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

What is your assessment of what might have gone wrong?

[Shafraz Naim]

Yeah, with the Italians, first of all, they were breaking the Maldives dive regulations, which is 30 meters maximum for recreational divers. And secondly, from what I found out, they don't have a special permit to go and dive this deep or do any kind of a research in this cave. As far as I know, from the information that I've gathered from my contacts there, and also from the military and the police divers, they dived on a single tank of air. There needs to be extra tank. A single tank. They're not going to last long under that pressure. And somebody even told me that they were wearing long blade fins, which is like the free dive fins. You see that freedivers are using those fins can create a lot of. If you kick a lot of silting in that area, and maybe they must have got nitrogen narcosis at depth. All these factors tend to build up and become a Big problem.

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

What about the response to this? Because your former colleague has died? How do you feel about what has

[Alex Ritson]

happened to this gentleman that you knew and trained?

[Shafraz Naim]

It could have been avoided, you know. This shouldn't have been rushed. I am coordinating with a rescue team, world class recovery team from Finland. They will land in Maldives tomorrow morning. We know the five Italian divers are dead and now it's a recovery operation. Why risk the lives of other divers to recover the dead bodies? We could have waited for the proper rescue team that is going from Finland to arrive there.

[Alex Ritson]

Shafraz Naim. Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest with Dara's dance anthem Bangaranga coming out on top.

[Nomia Iqbal]

It's unbelievable. I still don't know if this is a dream or reality. Either way, I love it and I enjoyed it and I'm still in shock, but it's the first time Bulgaria ever wins Eurovision and I'm so excited to welcome you all in Sofia next year.

[Alex Ritson]

Dara topped both the public and the jury vote with her intricate choreography and catchy chorus. The 27 year old told the BBC. Bangeranga means an inner feeling that everything will be alright and anything is possible. Well, that energy may have helped her clinch the trophy as she initially wasn't even considered to be in the running. Our correspondent at the venue in Vienna, Nomia Iqbal, told me it was a surprise win.

[Nomia Iqbal]

It really was a nail biter. It was in the end between Bulgaria and Israel and I have to say, Bulgaria was a big surprise. I've been here all week and we've been talking about favorites, bookmakers, favorites, and Bulgaria was never in the top, top five. I mean, there's lots of people that really love that song and to be members of our team and when we were out and about, people were saying that they loved that song, but it wasn't seen as an actual favorite, although it did shoot up the betting odds after the singer performed earlier this evening. And so, yeah, they ran away with it, beating Israel coming out number one.

[Alex Ritson]

It looked like an amazing party, frankly. Is has Eurovision, for its 70th birthday, cemented its place at the heart of the music industry?

[Nomia Iqbal]

Very, very good question and I'm not entirely sure. Look, Eurovision will always have some sort of place. It's one of. It's the world's biggest live music event. The weather's not been great, so you've not seen people out and about as much. But, you know, you still get the costumes, the glitter, the flags, all that kind of thing. People really, really love Eurovision. I've spoken to people who tell me that this is their 20th year of coming to Eurovision. There's always some sort of politics with Eurovision. No matter how much Eurovision bosses like to say there, there aren't any politics. I think that has in some ways dented the fun around Eurovision. And just to remind the controversy is of course, that the fact that five countries aren't here, including Spain, one of the big four, one of the big financial backers of Eurovision, and that is because of the participation of Israel. They don't believe Israel should have been allowed into the competition due to the war in Gaza. And also they have expressed concerns about the Israeli government trying to influence the voting. Now, the rules were changed and so basically juries were introduced for semifinals. Instead of people getting 20 votes, they got 10 votes. And also your voting was pinned to your credit card, where your credit card is from. So basically you cannot vote from the country that you're in. So they've introduced various mechanisms to try and make the voting all fair and above board, but it wasn't enough for a lot of those countries and they believe that Israel should have been kicked out. So, you know, that led to the political controversy. But I have to say, when it, when it came down to it today at the final, for a lot of the fans here and certainly the artists, they were very much trying to focus on the music.

[Alex Ritson]

Normia Iqbal at Eurovision in Vienna. Still to come in this podcast, Central London is split in two.

[Nomia Iqbal]

Generally, people are here to show that

[Alex Ritson]

they are fed up with discrimination against the British people. I'm just fed up with the rise

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

of racism and terrible things happening around the world.

[Alex Ritson]

In the name of the far right, our correspondence go to opposing protests a few streets away from each other.

[Chris Iwaka]

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[Alex Ritson]

This is the Global news podcast. Mass kidnappings have become a major security challenge in Nigeria in recent years, blamed on Boko Haram and other jihadist groups, but the latest attacks in northeastern Borno State have shaken the country, with some residents reportedly fleeing the area. Gunmen have abducted more than 50 children from three schools in the town of Musa, most of them toddlers. Our correspondent Chris Iwaka is following developments from Abuja.

[Chris Iwaka]

This is about the first time we are seeing a situation where toddlers, literally babies are being abducted from school anywhere in Nigeria. I've spoken to some parents who told me how devastated they have been. I've also spoken to heads of schools who told me that some of the children who were taking between the age of 2 and 5. I've reached out to the governor of Borno State. He is currently being briefed by security forces. We also understand that soldiers have been deployed. As a matter of fact, when the abduction happened, there was a distress call and soldiers tried to follow the kidnappers but couldn't fire at them because they were using the children as shield as they carted them away using motorcycles. We know that Boko Haram had been waging insurgency against the Nigerian state, but it also has a splinter group which is the Islamic State in West Africa Province. But because the parents have told me that no one has gotten in touch with them so they don't know which group is responsible at the moment. But in the past, Boko Haram militants have abducted people. In 2014 Boko Haram invaded Chibok School and abducted nearly 300 schoolgirls. Most of them never found up till now.

[Alex Ritson]

Chris Iwaka in Nigeria. The funeral has taken place in Gaza of the head of the armed wing of Hamas. One of the architects of the October 7 attacks, Izz Al Din Al Haddad, was killed in an Israeli airstrike late on Friday. The BBC is not allowed to report freely from Gaza. Emir Nada sent this report from Jerusalem.

[Emir Nada]

The body of Azzedine Al Haddad was held aloft by mourners alongside posters baring his face. The 56 year old had spent nearly four decades in Hamas, a longtime military commander and the de facto leader in Gaza as of last year. His wife and daughter are believed to have been killed alongside him. Haddad's assassination is being touted as a significant moment by Israeli officials. He's believed to have been one of the last living MasterMinds of the October 7th attacks. Following the strikes, the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz called the family of a former hostage who said Haddad had been her captor in Gaza. Israel believes he had used a number of hostages as human shields. In reality, Haddad's killing serves the cause of Israeli retribution more than being a strategic win. Hamas's positions have rarely been softened by more martyrs being made of their leaders with eyes elsewhere. A grim stalemate has replaced Gaza's peace process. Israel continues to seize territory and is accused of ongoing restrictions of vital humanitarian aid, while the Israeli government says Hamas has so far failed to disarm. Haddad's death will do little to change this reality.

[Alex Ritson]

Emir Nada the fault lines in British society couldn't have been more stark on Saturday when two rival marches were held in London. Demonstrators were kept apart by a huge police operation involving around 4,000 officers to stop any violence between the protesters. One was in support of Palestinians. The other was called Unite the Kingdom March, which was led by the far right anti Islamic activist Tommy Robinson. He spent years campaigning against immigration to the UK and has been in prison several times. Tom Simons reports from the march Unite

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

the Kingdom is becoming a regular protest led by Tommy Robinson, drawing together a range of voices and opinions on the right. Tens of thousands of marchers carried Union and England flags and declared themselves patriots and defenders of British culture. Many oppose immigration by asylum seekers and condemn the record of the current government. The Prime Minister's claim that the organizers were peddling hatred and division was met by expletives aimed directly at Sir Keir Starmer. Some said they had come because they felt that the white working class were being left behind in modern Britain, generally,

[Alex Ritson]

people are here to show that they are fed up with discrimination against the British people.

[Nomia Iqbal]

To be honest with you, we're all

[Alex Ritson]

here to take a stand for this country. This country has to come first now because it's just falling apart.

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

Every single one of us you see here is working class and we're all struggling. And so the message is to get Starmer out. Let's have changed. No matter who it is, let's have changed. Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley. Lennon told the crowd from a stage in Parliament Square that this was a cultural movement. He called for a battle of Britain at the next election to remove the government from power.

[Alex Ritson]

The other protest was held to mark Nakpa Day, which Palestinians refer to as the catastrophe, when 750,000 of them who were living in what is now Israel fled or forced from their homes between 1947 and 1949, when the Jewish state was established. Whilst Palestine was the main objective of the demonstration, it was also pro immigration, in direct contrast to the Unite the Kingdom march, which at one point was just a few streets away. Nick Johnson sent us this report.

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

This annual march, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, ended with a rally at which speakers called for the country to unite against racism and genocide. Pro Palestine marches such as these have become more prominent in central London since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7th. But calls to ban them have grown following several incidents of anti Semitic hate crime around the uk. But these protesters say they're conveying an important message.

[Nomia Iqbal]

I'm very worried about the rising tide

[Alex Ritson]

of racism and fascism.

[Nomia Iqbal]

I find that very worrying.

[Alex Ritson]

The increase in attacks and it seems that the establishment is making racism respectable again. I'm just fed up with the rise of racism and I can't believe in

[Emir Nada]

2026 that we're having these discussions at the moment. We see terrible things happening around the

[Alex Ritson]

world in the name of the far right and it just makes me sick.

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

Police indicated they would take swift action against chants or placards which breached hate crime laws. We witnessed two arrests and in both cases those apprehended told us they'd been held for allegedly refusing to remove a face covering. When asked, the Metropolitan Police, supported by other forces from around the country, used the geography of central London to ensure this protest was kept separate from the parallel Unite the Kingdom rally.

[Alex Ritson]

Nick Johnson and the police said there were 43 arrests at the two protests in London. Away from the protests, it's been a big day for football here in Britain. Hearts have Been broken in Scotland. More on that in a moment. But first to Wembley, where Manchester City came out on top against Chelsea in Saturday's FA cup final. The BBC's Lee James was at the home of football and told Anko Desai about yet another trophy for Pep Guardiola,

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

his 20th major title success since he moved to Manchester City. This was a tight and tense final and it took a moment of quality to settle it. From Ghana international Antoine Semeno scoring in the 1 nil win. A 72nd minute back heel flick that really was so superb. One of the great cup final goals which deservedly won it for Manchester City. Chelsea did produce one of their best performances in recent months. They came close and had opportunities as well. But ultimately it was about Semenya. He said afterwards that everything happened so fast. It came straight to me. I had to improvise myself as quickly as I can. Deservedly scoring the goal then, yes, has given Pep Guardiola another trophy. Of course, the speculation is whether this will be the final cup trophy. It may well be a Premier League title down the line. We'll have to wait and see. But he left today at least with the FA Cup.

[Alex Ritson]

Incredible, I think 20 trophies in 10 years now for Pep Guardiola. But earlier in the day, huge story in Scotland. The title decider Hearts had been leading the league since Septemberly, but a dramatic finale. They had to avoid defeat against host Celtic to clinch their first title since 1960. And the hoops, well, they needed to win to get their hands on the title. And what with matter of minutes and seconds to go, the score was 1:1. Lee and then some crucial goals tipped the title towards the Glaswegians.

[BBC Reporter / Narrator]

Yes, that's right. As you say, an astonishing finale. Heart so close to denying Celtic the title and winning their first since 1961 apiece until the late stage is Dyson maeder in the 87th minute scoring a goal that was eventually awarded after a var review. And then Callum Osman broke later and scored a third. So Celtic taking their fifth successive title and this fairy tale season of Hearts, they were denied.

[Alex Ritson]

Right at the end, Lee James from Sports World. 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 X@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 Sydney Dundon. And the producer was Muzaffa Shakir. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Alex Ritson. Until next time. Time. Goodbye.

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