Global News Podcast (BBC World Service)
Episode: The Big Winners at the Oscars
Date: March 16, 2026
Host: Charlotte Gallagher

Episode Overview

This edition of the Global News Podcast weaves together the drama and highlights from the recent Oscars ceremony with major international developments: ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Uganda’s political tumult, disputes over energy in Eastern Europe, and lighter human stories. The episode provides swift, incisive coverage, balancing award-season glamour with urgent global news.

1. Oscars 2026: Winners, Surprises, and Memorable Moments

Key Points:

• The political thriller One Battle After Another dominated with six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
• Michael B. Jordan made history with a win for Best Actor in Sinners, playing dual roles—the first such achievement in Oscar history.
• K Pop Demon Hunters won Best Animated Film and made history with the first K Pop song to win Best Original Song.
• Introduction of the Best Casting category, awarded to Cassandra Kulakundis for One Battle After Another.
• Emotional moments stood out: Jessie Buckley’s dedication to mothers, a rare tie for Best Live Action Short, and a heartfelt In Memoriam led by Billy Crystal.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps:

• Michael B. Jordan (on legacy and work ethic):
  “I'm here because of the people that came before me. ... They're artists, they want to do the work, you know, and that's something I've always focused on, was trying to do the work.” (04:28)
• Cassandra Kulakundis (Best Casting winner, on collaboration):
  “We grew up watching movies and then we grew up making movies together. ... I feel like One Battle in a lot of ways combined all of that.” (05:49)
• E.J. (K Pop Demon Hunters, on cultural pride):
  “As a Korean American growing up in the States, we kind of wanted to hide our Korean side because we would be bullied ... but during our rehearsal, we were able to connect with that and go really go back to our roots and be so proud of that.” (07:06)
• David Willis (BBC LA correspondent, on Michael B. Jordan’s win):
  “Very rarely does the Academy award an actor the first time that he or she is nominated ... but Michael B. Jordan pulled off the best actor award for his role as the diabolical identical twins Smoke and Stack in Sinners.” (08:00)
• David Willis (on Jessie Buckley):
  “She played the part of William Shakespeare's wife in Hamnet and became the first ever Irish winner in that category. ... She dedicated her gold statuette to what she called the beautiful chaos in a mother's heart.” (10:15)

Memorable Moments:

• The introduction of Best Casting as a new category (05:45)
• Emotional In Memoriam sequence, ensuring all departed Hollywood figures were honored (11:45)
• Rare tie for Best Live Action Short—only the seventh in Oscar history (12:41)

2. Middle East Conflict: US-Israel-Iran War and Global Oil Concerns

Key Points:

• President Trump calls on NATO and other allies to help clear the Strait of Hormuz, arguing US energy needs do not rely on it.
• Ongoing Israeli and American strikes on Iran escalate tensions; possible involvement of British technology (mine-hunting drones) discussed.
• Iran’s foreign minister remains defiant, denying any move for ceasefire or negotiations.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps:

• Donald Trump (on burden-sharing):
  “We're talking to countries about policing the straits ... we don't get oil ... China, as an example, gets about 90% of its oil from the far more Strait.” (21:56)
• Gina Abercrombie Winstanley (former US ambassador):
  “The United States doesn't need the Straits of Hormuz for our energy needs. So from his perspective, it is a reasonable request ...” (21:22)
• Iran’s Foreign Minister:
  “We never asked for a ceasefire and we have never ask even for negotiation. We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes ...” (25:22)
• Paul Adams (BBC Diplomatic Correspondent):
  “Among America's allies, there's a deep anxiety at the seeming lack of a plan.” (26:52)

Timestamps for Important Segments:

• Trump’s statements and US energy calculations: (21:45-22:40)
• Options for allies: mine-hunting, escorting tankers discussed (23:15-24:35)
• Iran’s military tactics and propaganda maneuvers examined, including use of AI in information war (27:14-30:57)

3. War’s Human Toll: The Story Behind "The Voice of Hindrab"

Key Points:

• Palestinian film The Voice of Hindrab—about a five-year-old trapped by Israeli tank fire—featured real, harrowing audio of her final moments.
• BBC’s Anna Foster interviews Hind’s mother, Wesem Hameda, revealing the pain and the decision to publicize her daughter’s story.

Notable Quotes:

• Wesem Hameda (mother):
  “Hind was a lively child with many dreams. ... She loved helping people and was very compassionate.” (14:44)
  “When I decided to allow the use of Hind's voice ... I wanted the whole world to hear her pain and her suffering. ... Let the world see how children in Gaza and in all of Palestine suffer ...” (17:20)

Timestamps for Key Segment:

• Hindrab story and interview with Wesem Hameda: (13:49-19:30)

4. Uganda: Opposition Leader Bobby Wine in Exile

Key Points:

• Bobby Wine, after months in hiding, has fled Uganda following an alleged attempt on his life by government forces.
• Reveals the risk and support network enabling his escape; emphasizes the importance of collective freedom.
• BBC’s Richard Kagoi contextualizes Bobby Wine’s staying power and the challenges facing his appointed interim leader.

Notable Quotes:

• Bobby Wine (on choosing exile):
  “Because the money does not mean anything if I am not free. ... There's nothing like a rich slave, especially on your own land.” (39:48)
• Richard Kagoi (on Wine’s influence):
  “They see him as this person who is a pro democracy activist ... who's really willing and able to stand up against the authorities in Kampala.” (41:10)

Timestamps:

• Bobby Wine interview: (39:28-42:45)

5. Ukraine-Hungary Oil Dispute and EU Tensions

Key Points:

• Hungary accuses Ukraine of stalling repairs on a vital Russian oil pipeline, threatening critical EU aid to Kyiv.
• Ukraine’s President Zelensky resists, citing principles around support for Russian oil amid conflict.
• Diplomatic correspondent James Landale discusses tension’s links to Hungarian elections and battlefield stalemate.

Notable Quotes:

• James Landale:
  “The extraordinary thing is that for much of the full scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has still been pumping crude oil in a pipe through Ukrainian territory to Hungary and Slovakia.” (46:13)
  “At the moment, on the battlefield, Ukraine thinks it's got a slight edge, but as I say, overall, it's still an impasse.” (49:05)

Timestamps:

• Ukraine-Hungary segment: (44:58-49:32)

6. Human Interest: Mexico’s Football World Record & The Dull Men's Club

Football in Mexico City:

• 9,000+ people in Mexico City set a new Guinness World Record for the largest-ever football lesson, energizing 2026 World Cup fever.
• Mayor Clara Brugada: "When people work together, they can achieve the extraordinary." (50:29)

The Dull Men's Club (UK):

• Revival of a club celebrating “unexceptional” hobbies like pothole logging and collecting sweet wrappers.
• Features quirky, self-aware conversation:
  • Tim Webb, pothole specialist: “I only choose the best of the worst ...” (53:10)
  • Amanda Hone, on joining: “Being inducted into the Dull Men's Club as the first female member, I mean, it's peaking in life.” (55:52)
• Club philosophy: Embrace the ordinary— “We're the opposite of hipsters. We call ourselves dullsters.” (56:44)

Timestamps:

• Mexico football world record: (49:43-51:49)
• Dull Men’s Club: (51:52-57:05)

7. Media Manipulation in Iran: State Propaganda and AI

Key Points:

• State media in Iran uses both AI-generated and verifiable imagery to control the narrative during war.
• BBC analysis (with Mahsa Ali Maredani from Witness) highlights how truth and propaganda intermingle, especially around casualty events.

Notable Quotes:

• Mahsa Ali Maredani:
  "We have to hold two truths at the same time ... they're going to use that documentation and evidence for their propaganda, AI manipulation, the denial and inflation of deaths.” (30:40)

Timestamps:

• Iran media and AI discussion: (28:16-31:32)

Memorable Quotes Summary

1. Michael B. Jordan:
   “My father always told me, don't expect anything to be handed to you. ... You do the work, you know, and everything else is going to figure itself out.” (05:02)

2. Jessie Buckley:
   Dedicated her win “to the beautiful chaos in a mother’s heart.” (10:15)

3. Wesem Hameda:
   “The feeling of helplessness when she tells you, mama, I'm hungry... For me, that was the hardest feeling. It's indescribable.” (15:56)

4. Amanda Hone (Dull Men’s Club):
   “So women are actually just as dull as men? 100%, yeah. If not duller.” (55:45)

Overall Tone and Takeaways

The episode combines the glamour and emotion of the Oscars with sobering, deeply human stories from conflict zones and political turmoil, accented by sharp analysis and occasional levity. The BBC’s signature measured, authoritative tone supports clarity, even in stories of hardship or loss, balancing global scope with a spectrum of voices.

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globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk or on social media @bbcworldservice with #globalnewspod