Celebrated British artist David Hockney dies at 88

Summary

Global News Podcast – Episode Summary

BBC World Service | June 12, 2026
Episode Title: Celebrated British Artist David Hockney Dies at 88

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Overview:

This edition of the Global News Podcast provides breaking news and key reports from around the world, with the headline story commemorating the life and legacy of celebrated British artist David Hockney, who has died at age 88. Other significant stories cover SpaceX’s historic IPO, developments in US-Iran negotiations, the humanitarian crisis in East Jerusalem, the ongoing legal saga of South Korea’s former president, global setbacks in the AIDS response, and Taylor Swift’s induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. David Hockney’s Life and Artistic Legacy

[01:51–08:14]

• Announcement & Background:

  • Valerie Sanderson announces the passing of David Hockney, "one of the world’s best known and loved contemporary artists," at age 88.
  • Born in Yorkshire, Hockney was drawn to California’s culture and landscape, shaping his iconic style and vibrant palette (notably, in his swimming pool series like A Bigger Splash).

• Artistic Rise & Personality:

  • Hockney achieved renown before turning 30, aided in part by his charisma and willingness to challenge British art establishment norms.
  • "He was something of an intruder on the smart Bond street art scene ever since he appeared at his first one-man show in a gold lame suit." (Valerie Sanderson, [03:51])

• On Hockney's Attitude:

  • “My art is not as good as some people think. It's not as bad as some people think as well. But I assume I will get better; I assume the best work is yet to come.” (David Hockney, [05:06])

• Personal Life & Openness:

  • Openly gay in an era of reticence, Hockney felt most himself in California, painting luminous scenes of blue skies and young men.
  • He humorously recounted his iconic look: "I was watching television, slightly drunk, and an ad came on saying, blondes have more fun. I went out that very moment... and shoved it on my head and it only takes an hour." (David Hockney, [05:36])

• Innovation & Mediums:

  • Dabbled with new technology, integrating Polaroids, photocopiers, iPads, and digital cameras.

• Later Years & Philosophy:

  • Returned to Yorkshire, painting the countryside with new digital means.
  • On smoking: "I smoke for my health, my mental health... The opposite of fear of death is love of life." (David Hockney, [06:51])
  • On late-life success: "The Chinese have a saying, painting is an old man’s art. I mean, all the really good painters, I think, did marvelous work... I’m not complaining at all." (David Hockney, [07:42])

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2. SpaceX Goes Public – A Game-Changing IPO

[08:14–10:38]

• IPO Highlights:

  • SpaceX’s debut on the New York Stock Exchange is described as "historic," with only 4% of shares sold but raising $75 billion at $135/share.
  • SpaceX is positioned as a key player in the rocket, satellite, and AI infrastructure industries.

• Elon Musk’s Ambition:

  • Musk aims to "take the fiction out of science fiction and set up a human colony of at least a million inhabitants on Mars."
  • IPO could make Musk the world’s first trillionaire, depending on stock performance.
  • "The view here on Wall Street for many is he's too big to bet against." (Michelle Fleury, [09:32])

• Broader Market Impact:

  • Sets the stage for rival AI company IPOs and generates significant fees for Wall Street banks.

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3. US-Iran War – Prospects for Peace

[10:38–13:19]

• Deal Prospects:

  • Both sides signal a major deal is close: "Major parts of an agreement to end the war with the US have almost been finalized..." (Valerie Sanderson, [08:14])
  • The UN expresses hope for a "return to diplomacy, a move away from destruction... return of full freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz." (Jacob Goldstein paraphrasing UN, [11:07])

• Key Issues:

  • Nuclear concerns remain unresolved; Iran maintains it won’t produce a bomb, but skepticism persists.
  • Control over the Strait of Hormuz remains contentious—US skeptical of Iranian proposals for stewardship.

• Israel’s Position:

  • Israel’s government muted but insists Iran must never acquire nuclear capability.
  • "They are on the same page over Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but they must never be allowed to have them." (Sebastian Usher, [13:33])

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4. East Jerusalem: Growing Palestinian Evictions

[16:26–20:42]

• Displacement Crisis:

  • Escalating evictions—about 200 households (900 people) facing cases, mostly by settlers.
  • "Israel is accelerating its efforts to move Palestinian residents out of the neighborhood." (Yolan Nel, [17:05])

• Personal Testimonies:

  • Fayez Awad: "They destroyed the future and everything else. We spent our whole lives building this house. They brought us back to zero again, me and my children." ([17:35])
  • 97-year-old Yusra Quaida lives with demolition orders: "They want to kick us out of here… We’re counting on God." ([17:45])

• Systemic Inequality:

  • Israeli laws allow Jews to reclaim pre-1948 property; Palestinians cannot do the same for lost property within Israel.

• Activism and International Response:

  • Israeli NGOs and international diplomats observe worsening situation; call for respect for international law.

• Activist View:

  • "We are working for this goal. For decades, we have failed. And today, the Israeli government, all restraints are off. They are rushing to cement a reality of Jewish supremacy in the city that does not really tolerate Palestinian rights or maybe even Palestinian presence in Jerusalem." (Aviv Tataska, [20:00])

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5. South Korea’s Former President Yoon Suk Yeol Sentenced

[21:04–23:20]

• Background:

  • Ousted for attempted military rule in 2024, Yoon receives a 30-year sentence for "aiding the enemy" by sending drones into North Korea.

• Charges & Fallout:

  • The judge ruled Yoon harmed the military to justify martial law, describing his plan as akin to conspiracy.
  • "South Korea has a habit of sending their presidents to jail for wrongdoings and then after two to five years, letting them out in a presidential pardon." (Jake Kwon, [22:37])

• Political Implications:

  • Current leadership signals a harsher stance, with President Lee Ji Myung vowing lifelong punishment for insurrection.

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6. Global HIV/AIDS Fight Threatened by Aid Cuts

[23:20–24:19]

• UNAIDS Warning:

  • Massive cuts, notably after the US ended USAID funding under Trump, stall progress—fewer people receive PREP, condoms, or testing.
  • "Prevention is badly affected... Access to help is compromised as some governments push back against the rights of key groups, including the LGBT community." (Charles Haviland, [23:41])

• Civil Society Response:

  • Over 50 countries pledged to raise domestic funds to fill shortfall.

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7. Taylor Swift Enters the Songwriters Hall of Fame

[24:19–27:31]

• Historic Induction:

  • At age 36, Taylor Swift becomes the youngest woman inducted.
  • Focus is on craft, with entry being peer-nominated: "Being acknowledged by your peers is something different than being acknowledged by fans. These are the people who inspire you." (Paul Stanley, [26:31])

• Speech Highlights:

  • Swift in her 21-minute speech: "Songwriting for me is pretty much the only thing I ever just naturally did and it was easy to choose songwriting over everything else in my life." ([25:28])

• On Artistic Growth:

  • "She's maturing, so the topics change, the lyrics change. I feel like the wedding, the marriage and everything, she's going to be experiencing new things." (Katie Su, [27:16])

• Fans’ Enduring Love:

  • Swift: "Nothing delights and surprises me more than the fact that 20 years after my first song came out, they still want to read the next chapter." ([27:31])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• David Hockney (On humility and growth):
  • "It's not as good as some people think. It's not as bad as some people think as well. But I assume I will get better; I assume the best work is yet to come." ([05:06])
• David Hockney (On joy of life):
  • "The opposite of fear of death is love of life." ([06:51])
• Fayez Awad (Palestinian evictee):
  • "They destroyed the future and everything else. We spent our whole lives building this house. They brought us back to zero again, me and my children." ([17:35])
• Taylor Swift:
  • "Songwriting for me is pretty much the only thing I ever just naturally did..." ([25:28])
  • "Nothing delights and surprises me more than... they still want to read the next chapter." ([27:31])
• Paul Stanley (KISS):
  • "Being acknowledged by your peers is something different than being acknowledged by fans. These are the people who inspire you." ([26:31])

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Timestamps for Major Segments

| Topic | Time | |----------------------------------------------------|-----------| | David Hockney’s Death & Retrospective | 01:51–08:14| | SpaceX IPO & Elon Musk’s Ambitions | 08:14–10:38| | US-Iran War & Peace Deal Prospects | 10:38–13:19| | East Jerusalem Evictions & Human Stories | 16:26–20:42| | South Korea Ex-President Yoon’s Sentencing | 21:04–23:20| | Global AIDS Response at Risk | 23:20–24:19| | Taylor Swift’s Induction to Songwriters Hall of Fame| 24:19–27:31|

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Tone & Style

The reporting blends the gravity of breaking news with reflective, personal touches—especially in the Hockney tribute. Moments of wit (Hockney’s anecdotes), empathy (on Palestinian evictees), and celebration (Taylor Swift’s achievements) offer a varied and engaging narrative.

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This summary captures the content, structure and character of the episode, highlighting the most significant topics and providing an accessible guide for both listeners and non-listeners alike.

Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

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[David Hockney]

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[Podcast Narrator/Host (Jacob Goldstein)]

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[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Valerie Sanderson and at 1500 hours GMT on Friday 12 June, these are our main stories. One of the world's best known and loved contemporary artists, David Hockney, has died at the age of 88. SpaceX is making its stock market debut in New York, setting Elon Musk on course to be the world's first trillionaire. Iran says major parts of an agreement to end the war with the US have almost been finalized after President Trump claimed a deal was ready to be signed. Also in this podcast, the UN agency tasked with countering AIDS says its work has been put in peril by a dramatic decrease in drugs and testing caused by global funding cuts and the number of Palestinians forced from their homes in Occupied East Jerusalem is on the rise.

[David Hockney]

They destroyed the future and everything else. We spent our whole lives building this house. They brought us back to zero again. Me and my children.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

One of the world's best known and loved contemporary artists, David Hockney has died at the age of 88. David Hockney was born in Yorkshire in northern England. He in his 20s he moved to the United States and spent large parts of his life in California where the culture and landscape fascinated him. His work is characterized by vibrant colors as shown in his famous swimming pool paintings such as A Bigger Splash. Vincent Dowd looks back on the life of one of art's great showmen.

[Narrator/Host]

David Hockney was known in the art world before he was 30, but the general public soon grew to know the name.

[David Hockney]

Seven years ago, David Hockney won a scholarship from Bradford to the Royal College of Art in London. Now he has paintings in museums and private collections all over the world.

[Narrator/Host]

Hockney had a genius for publicity.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

Hockney's always been irreverent about the British art establishment. He was something of an intruder on the smart Bond street art scene ever

[Taylor Swift]

since he appeared at his first one man show in a gold lame suit.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

Hockney's dyed hair, his boyfriend's and his

[Taylor Swift]

sheer popularity and have made more headlines than his talent.

[Narrator/Host]

But from the beginning David Hockney was also dedicated to his art. He left the Royal College of Art in London where he'd won a gold medal in 1962.

[David Hockney]

On these etchings they have to have it out on the balcony because there's awful fumes when you put in the plate. And so I just close the window to keep them out and let them blow away into Powis Terrace.

[Narrator/Host]

It was bohemian life in Powys Terrace, Notting Hill, which later helped make Hockney a star in a film document entry of 1974.

[Geico Commercial Auto Insurance Announcer]

A Bigger Splash David Hockney painter, comic genius, star of swinging London of the 60s. Why do the glamour go stain?

[Narrator/Host]

Hockney let the camera in on his complex friendships and on the aftermath of his first big relationship with the American Peter Schlesinger. Hockney was open and likable.

[David Hockney]

I think it's not as good. My art is not as good as some people think. It's not as bad as some people think as well. But I assume I will get better. I assume the best work is yet to come.

[Narrator/Host]

He'd moved to America the first time in the mid-60s. It was California which defined him. Blue skies, shimmering pools and the handsome young men he adored. And he developed his own look. Big round glasses and hair dyed Blonde.

[David Hockney]

I was watching television, slightly drunk, and an ad came on saying, blondes have more fun. I went out that very moment at one o' clock in the morning, which you can do in New York, and go and buy the stuff. And I shoved it on my head and it only takes an hour.

[Narrator/Host]

In an era when most gay men were guarded about their private lives, David Hockney was resolutely out. And it was in California he. He felt most free.

[David Hockney]

When I'd been painting very quite intensely for a few days and I'm always in the studio and I suddenly, I just want to go out. You don't walk here. I get in the car and within half an hour from that house, you can be 5,000ft in the San Gabriel mountains. It gives you soul a lift.

[Narrator/Host]

His essential talent was for drawing, but he was also intellectually fascinated by what a Polaroid camera could do or a photocopier.

[David Hockney]

A lot of people think of me as some kind of playboy. I see myself as an artist who works most of the time.

[Narrator/Host]

Nearing 70, David Hockney moved back to his native Yorkshire and the unglamorous resort of Bridlington. The British media were delighted to have him back as a grand old man, always quotable on topics such as smoking.

[David Hockney]

I smoke for my health, my mental health, and it seems to keep me quite fine. The medical profession, remember, tend to base everything on fear of death. The opposite of fear of death is love of life.

[Narrator/Host]

Hockney worked on huge watercolors of the Yorkshire landscape using an iPad and digital cameras. But an assistant in Bridlington died and a hugely depressed Hockney crossed the Atlantic once more. Back in Los Angeles, he returned to painting portraits in 2018. His 1972 picture Pool, with two figures, sold for $90.3 million, the most ever paid at auction for a work by living artist. David Hockney was at the top of the artistic tree, which is where he thought he should be.

[David Hockney]

The Chinese have a saying, painting is an old man's art. I mean, all the really good painters, I think, did marvelously work. I don't bother much about money. Yeah, I have a very good life here. I do. I mean, I'm not complaining at all.

[Narrator/Host]

Circumstance had dictated his return to America, but it was fitting more than half a century before it was California, which allowed David Hockney the freedom to grow as an artist.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

That report by Vincent Dowd. Next, SpaceX is making its debut on the New York stock market in a move that should make it one of the largest companies in the United States. The blockbuster launch of the Rocket and AI firm is also likely to make Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. Speaking in Texas, Mr. Musk outlined his plans for the company, saying he wanted to take the fiction out of science fiction and set up a human colony of at least a million inhabitants on Mars. Our New York business correspondent, Michel Fleury spoke to us just before the shares started trading on the nasdaq.

[Michel Fleury]

It is a record breaker on many fronts. The company is only selling about 4% of shares, but it's raised $75 billion by selling them at $135 a share. And what you're getting for that is not just a rocket company, it's not just a satellite company. It's also a bet on the infrastructure that is going to underpin the AI boom. I'm talking about data centers in space and an even bigger ambition, and that is Elon Musk's hope to one day colonize Mars. In fact, he's even tied his compensation to that. Such is the sort of ambition that it's commanding this outsized price, which could make Elon Musk potentially, maybe later today day, the world's first trillionaire, depending on how well the shares do. But, you know, it speaks to his outsized personality that the view here on Wall street for many is he's too big to bet against. We'll find out whether that's true or not. And of course, one thing to remember, Elon Musk will retain a strong control of the company even after it does go public. This is why there's been so much focus on Wall Street. Read about this, both on the Wall street end of this, how much they would bend the rules to accommodate this. And also the significance of this to the banks. It's going to generate a lot of fees and pave the way for these other blockbuster IPOs that are expected later this year from other rival AI companies that kind of offer very different services. So this is testing the water for investors. And if it goes well, I suspect executives within anthropological and OpenAI will breathe a sigh of relief as well.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

Michelle Fleury, we are once again, it seems, on the cusp of a deal between the US and Iran. But this time, it's not just Mr. Trump, it's Iran's Foreign Ministry that's saying the big pieces of an agreement to end their war are close to being finalized. President Trump said an agreement could be signed imminently. State media in Iran have been outlining what they say is a draft Iranian US deal to end the war. Stefan Dujarik the spokesman for the UN Secretary General welcomed the positive noises.

[Podcast Narrator/Host (Jacob Goldstein)]

We hope that it will lead to

[David Hockney]

some concrete action, return to diplomacy, a move away from destruction. And of course, for us, one of

[Podcast Narrator/Host (Jacob Goldstein)]

the most critical and underpinning factors is

[David Hockney]

the return of full freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. This has had a horrific impact on the global economy and especially on the most vulnerable.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

The BBC's Tim Franks got more details from our Middle east analyst Sebastian Usher, who's in Jerusalem.

[Sebastian Usher]

This is very much the interim deal. I mean, this is just to get the real negotiation underway without the shadow of a threat all the time, that things could escalate back into an all out war. So I mean, as far as Mr. Trump is concerned, the US is concerned, you know, key issues about Iran's nuclear program, its enriched uranium. I mean, we haven't had any real clarity on what this memorandum will contain on that. From the American side, it's been a sense that it will move towards what the Americans want, which is that Iran's ability to produce any kind of nuclear bomb will be eradicated. But from the Iranian side, I mean, all they've really said what's come out in the Iranian media, from their perspective, the sort of conditions that they say are contained in this initial deal is what we've always had from Iranians is saying that they won't produce a nuclear bomb. Now, that hasn't satisfied President Trump or the Americans in the past, just that commitment. So one can't believe that that's where it's going to end up as far as the Strait of Hormuz is concerned, which of course has become an absolute key element of this. Although it wasn't before the war started because it wasn't closed, President Trump has said, but it will open again as soon as the ink is dry on the deal. The Iranians are somewhat more circumspect, saying that could happen within the first 30 days after the deal. But what the Iranians are suggest testing would be the way that the Strait of Hormuz would be controlled after that is certainly not something that the Americans, I think would accept, which is that they, the Iranians would essentially have a form of control over it, potentially with Oman, which is on the other side of it. These are things that the US hasn't accepted in the past.

[Narrator/Host]

Right. Lots to be nailed down. Just briefly, one of the other key players in all this is Israel, which went to war with Iran, with the United States back in February. What are the noises coming out of the government there?

[Sebastian Usher]

Quite muted there's only been one real statement today in response to this saying that Mr. Netanyahu, the Prime Minister and President Trump had a phone call in which from the Israeli side just saying that they are on the same page over Iran's nuclear capabilities, but they must never be allowed to have them.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

Sebastian Usher in Jerusalem still to come in this podcast to be acknowledged by

[Podcast Narrator/Host (Jacob Goldstein)]

your peers is something different than being acknowledged by fans. These are the people who inspire you. Anybody can write a song, but it doesn't make you a songwriter.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

Taylor Swift is the youngest woman to be inducted into the Songwriters hall of Fame.

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[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

With world attention recently diverted by the wars in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza, there's been a rise in the number of Palestinians forced from their homes in occupied East Jerusalem. According to UN figures, some 200 Palestinian households, that's about 900 people, are facing eviction cases filed against them in the Israeli courts, mostly by settlers. Israel sees the whole of Jerusalem as its capital. Palestinians want the east to be the capital of their hoped for future state. Ahmad Lease correspondent Yolan Nel has been to meet Palestinians whose homes are being taken over or demolished.

[Yolan Nel]

From a hillside beneath Jerusalem's walled Old City, I watch a Palestinian house being torn down. Israel is accelerating its efforts to move Palestinian residents out of the neighbourhood below. So I've just come down to this plot in Albustan.

[Michel Fleury]

The bulldozers have moved away.

[Yolan Nel]

The top floor of the Awad family house is now just a mess of mangled metal, bits of concrete slabs.

[David Hockney]

They destroyed the future and everything else. We spent our whole lives building this house. They brought us back to zero again, me and my children.

[Yolan Nel]

Fayez Awad despairs. There's long been an Israeli plan to build a biblically themed park here to be run by a settler group. But in the past two years, some 60 homes have gone. More than half of Al Bustan. The Jerusalem municipality says houses were built illegally. Palestinians say it's almost impossible to get Israeli permits. 97 year old Yusra Quaida lives with the constant stress of a demolition order. They want to kick us out of here, she tells me. We're counting on God. In nearby parts of East Jerusalem, Israel uses laws allowing takeovers of land owned by Jews before the state was created in 1948 so that settlers can move in. Palestinians can't claim back properties within Israel which they owned historically. In the Old city's Muslim quarter, Israeli flags fly over a Jewish school. It was originally abandoned a century ago when Jews fled during riots.

[David Hockney]

This is the mosque, the Dome of the Rock. Next to this, the Aqsa.

[Yolan Nel]

Wow.

[Michel Fleury]

You've got the golden Dome of the

[Yolan Nel]

Rock and then the silvery Al Aqsa.

[David Hockney]

Al Aqsa.

[Yolan Nel]

But a Muslim guard, the father of Mufid Basha, kept the building safe in return for being allowed to live in part of it. Nearly 60 years after Israel captured this area in the Six Day War, his family is now being evicted by the government.

[David Hockney]

I don't have another house. Nothing, you know? Yeah.

[Yolan Nel]

What do you think your, your father would think if he knew this was happening.

[David Hockney]

Now he will be very angry. You know, he keep the box, keep the blaze, the same, everything. And this is a gift, what we get from him.

[Yolan Nel]

Israel's annual Jerusalem Day flag march has increasingly become a display of dominance and racism by the far right. But last month, as Israeli ministers joined in the event in the Old City, Israeli peace activists also came out in force. Aviv Tataska is from the group Iramim, which believes the city should be shared.

[David Hockney]

We are working for this goal. For decades, we have failed. And today, the Israeli government, all restraints are off. They are rushing to cement a reality of Jewish supremacy in the city that does not really tolerate Palestinian rights or maybe even Palestinian presence in Jerusalem.

[Yolan Nel]

Back in Albustan, I join a tour of foreign diplomats. Their countries support the creation of a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem. But with current Israeli ministers saying they're acting to bury that idea, Palestinians say it's time for the international community to stand up for international law.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

That report by Yolan Nel. After being ousted for trying to impose military rule at the end of 2024, the South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol has faced several criminal trials. In the latest, he's just been sentenced to 30 years. That's for ordering drones to be sent into North Korea. Our correspondent in Seoul, Jake Kwon, told me more about the case.

[Jake Kwon]

Well, the charge against Yoon, which translates literally to aiding the enemy here, enemy being North Korea, it would be called treason if it was in any other country. It's a very serious crime, punishable by up to a life sentence. What the judge said today is that Yoon had harmed South Korea's military when he used them for his personal gain to give his martial law a justification. And Yoon's plan in the verdict reads almost like a conspiracy theory, really. But according to the judge, he has been planning a loyalist coup for years, and a military clash with North Korea would be a perfect pretext. So he ordered a drone sent over Pyongyang and dropped leaflets containing very personal insults against Kim Jong Un, something that will guarantee a response. Now, the plan didn't work because North North Koreans showed great restraint. But two months later, Yun declared martial law anyway.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

And this is just another trial he's faced, isn't it?

[Jake Kwon]

Yes. He's already in jail with a life sentence for insurrection. South Korean court has found him guilty of trying to seize power by sending troops to the nation's parliament. I remember going there over that night, and it was a shocking moment to South Korean people who already enjoyed nearly 40 years of relatively stable democracy. I remember seeing the police who were following Yun's orders and locking down the parliament, and they couldn't seem to believe what was happening themselves. Thousands of citizens came out to protest and physically blocked the armed troops and their armored cars. And that military rule ended in six hours and Yun was soon jailed and impeached.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

And so is that it then? Will he spend the rest of his life in jail?

[Jake Kwon]

Well, you know, South Korea has a habit of sending their presidents to jail for wrongdoings and then after two to five years, letting them out in a presidential pardon. And this is usually done so to avoid turning politics into a death match and to bring the left and the right together. I think many observers expected Yoon to receive a similar treatment, but we are sensing some change in the mood. Evidence against Yoon suggests that there may have been plans to arrest politicians and quote, unquote, dispose of them. So how magnanimous could those in power right now feel towards him? Also, we've heard the new president, Lee Ji Myung, promising to punish those guilty of insurrection to the end of their lives, quote, even going as far as to say they should be treated like the World War II Nazi leadership. And we know how that ended.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

Jake Kwon In Seoul, the UN's top official on HIV and AIDS, says massive international aid cuts have left the world's response to the disease in peril. She said the reductions, including the scrapping of USAID by the Trump administration, marked a serious disruption to tackling the disease. The details from our global affairs reporter, Charles Haviland.

[Geico Commercial Auto Insurance Announcer]

Winnie Bjanyima, the head of unaids, said the slashing of international aid was reversing hard fought gains. Prevention is badly affected. Last year, 40% fewer people than in 2024 got a drug called PREP that helps stop HIV infection. Condom provision has fallen. So too has testing, meaning more people are transmitting the virus without knowing it. Access to help is being compromised as some governments push back against the rights of key groups, including the LGBT community. Ms. Byanyima praised the more than 50 countries that have committed to raising domestic HIV funding in the face of the foreign cuts.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

Charles Havland Taylor Swift is no stranger to making history. Her ERAS tour famously became the highest grossing concert tour ever. And she's broken hundreds of records across music, across touring, streaming and awards. But her latest achievement is a little different. As Stephanie Prentice explains,

[Taylor Swift]

Taylor Swift arriving in New York to become at 36, the youngest woman ever to be inducted into the Songwriters hall of Fame. The industry organization honors the craft of writing lyrics, melodies and compositions rather than commercial success and entry is peer nominated and highly competitive.

[David Hockney]

Hall of fame class of 2026 did not be Taylor Swift.

[Taylor Swift]

In an emotional 21 minute speech on stage, Taylor reflected on how she became one of the dominant forces in the modern music industry after starting out as a teenager writing country songs in a small suburban town in Pennsylvania.

[Katie Su]

Songwriting for me is pretty much the only thing I ever just naturally did and it was easy to choose songwriting over everything else in my life. But it couldn't have been easy for my parents and my brother. I'm good to just pick up and move our entire family. I will never be able to express my gratitude.

[Taylor Swift]

The Gen Z singer Somber performed a cover of Taylor's number one single Cardigan, which led the Folklore album and explained the impact of her work on younger artists.

[David Hockney]

She has such a wide catalog and I think she's someone that I look up to because I want to build a catalog of all types of songs. Also, I think she's one of the greatest writers alive, greatest touring act and I just look up to her so much.

[Taylor Swift]

Industry legends were also honored at the 55th annual event. Alanis Morissette was also inducted and Paul Stanley, the frontman of Kiss, explained how important it is to be acknowledged by

[Podcast Narrator/Host (Jacob Goldstein)]

your peers is something different than being acknowledged by fans. These are the people who inspire you. Anybody can write a song, but it doesn't make you a songwriter. This is the Songwriters hall of Fame.

[Carter Sherman]

Are we getting donated donuts?

[Ryan Seacrest]

No, sweetie, donated.

[Taylor Swift]

Taylor's latest projects, a song for Toy Story 5 and a wedding to fiance Travis Kelce later this summer. Summer, which superfans predict will strengthen her as a writer.

[Katie Su]

I feel like her getting married is kind of proving the haters wrong that no, I'm not just a girl that is male centered, only writes about heartbreak.

[Taylor Swift]

Katie Su is president of the Taylor Swift Society in London.

[Katie Su]

She's maturing, so the topics change, the lyrics change. I feel like the wedding, the marriage and everything, she's going to be experiencing new things.

[Taylor Swift]

And as Taylor explained during that 21 minute speech, she doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

[Katie Su]

And then the fans came along and nothing, nothing delights and surprises me more than the fact that 20 years after my first song came out, they still want to read the next chapter. Have a good night, guys. Thank you.

[BBC News Anchor (Valerie Sanderson)]

The pop phenomenon that is Taylor Swift. And that's it from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email us at global podcast BBC.co.uk you can also find us on X@ BBC World Service. Use the hashtag global newspod. 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 mixed by Davyth Evans. The producers were Alison Davis and Charles Sanctuary. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Valerie Sanderson. Until next time. Bye bye. Foreign.

[Carter Sherman]

I'm Carter Sherman.

[David Hockney]

Welcome to Stateside with Kai and Carter. We're a new show from the Guardian.

[Podcast Narrator/Host (Jacob Goldstein)]

We're talking to big thinkers and the best journalists just trying to understand the world through smart conversation and honest reporting.

[David Hockney]

We don't have billionaires telling us what to say.

[Podcast Narrator/Host (Jacob Goldstein)]

Stateside with Kai and Carter will come out three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, starting May 13.

[Carter Sherman]

Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.