Ukraine requests more air defences after Russian attacks

Summary

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Global News Podcast – July 6, 2026

Ukraine Requests More Air Defences After Russian Attacks

Host: Valerie Sanderson, BBC World Service
Air Date: July 6, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode highlights Ukraine's urgent plea for more air defence systems after a deadly overnight missile barrage by Russia in Kyiv, explores the aftermath of the attack on Russian-occupied Crimea, and reviews major global events including controversy at the Football World Cup, the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader, continuing civil war in Sudan, a deadly Sri Lankan prison riot, Australian political mishaps, and the Hollywood premiere of "The Odyssey."

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Key Segments & Discussions

1. Ukraine’s Plea for Air Defences After Deadly Russian Attacks

[01:08–07:22]

• Situation in Kyiv:
  • At least 21 people killed after Russia launches a barrage of air attacks; several residential blocks badly damaged.
  • Russia claims to have targeted defense sites, but civilian infrastructure suffered heavy destruction.
• Missile Interception Problems:
  • Russia launched 23 ballistic missiles, none of which were intercepted due to Ukraine's shortage of interceptor missiles.
  • Alexandra, Kyiv student, shares:
    • “When we see the ballistics approaching the city, you should know, like, the first thing that comes to my mind is that, okay, so I have like 10 seconds … This is absolutely horrendous. Like, it is so hard to get back to your usual life.” (02:50)
• BBC Correspondent Sarah Rainsford (in Kyiv):
  • Describes devastation at a nine-story apartment block in Kyiv with entire sections collapsed.
  • “If Russia was aiming at military targets, well, this is not a military target. This is a block of flats. … There’s a lady sitting on a bench in tears who we’re told has two relatives still missing somewhere in the ruins.” (04:06)
• Why Missiles Weren’t Intercepted:
  • Sarah Rainsford: “Ukraine right now doesn’t have enough interceptor missiles to knock [ballistic missiles] out of the sky. … President Zelensky has said the same. He said these are the missiles that save lives. And every delay … is causing destruction like this.” (05:17)
• Ukrainian Attack on Crimea:
  • Ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks targeting military and energy sites, causing fuel shortages and power outages in Crimea.
  • “The point, Ukraine says, is to … cut off military logistics … but also to hit Vladimir Putin, frankly, where it hurts because Crimea is really important to him personally and politically.” (06:12)

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2. Football World Cup Controversy: FIFA Suspension Overturned

[07:22–11:13]

• Incident:
  • FIFA allows US striker Folarin Balogan to play against Belgium despite a previous red card; UEFA expresses disbelief.
  • Reports indicate President Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino multiple times to intervene.
• Reaction:
  • Wayne Rooney: “I think it’s an absolute disgrace. Infantino, he should be ashamed of this because I think the sportsmanship of this game is in question here.” (08:05)
  • President Trump: “[Banning a top player] is very unfair … So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. … I spoke to a man who’s highly respected and, by the way, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold.” (08:24)
  • Joe Curry, BBC Sports Reporter:
    • Explains FIFA cited Article 27 for the decision—the first time this has ever happened in the World Cup.
    • “UEFA have released a statement that the decision to suspend the one-game ban has crossed a red line… the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed… the integrity of the game is at stake.” (10:42)

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3. Iran’s Supreme Leader Funeral and Voices from Tehran

[11:13–15:06]

• Massive crowds gather in Tehran after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
• Lis Doucet (BBC Chief International Correspondent), reports from Tehran:
  • Describes logistical preparations for mourners and notable security and economic concerns.
  • Tehran resident: “Last two days I didn’t sleep because my supreme leader. We are so sad, so sad about that. … This man for me is an idol in life, real life.” (12:36)
  • Others express concern over the country’s economic instability and fear about voicing dissent.
    • “The situation of the economy of the country is not stable at all. … Many people don’t have work, they are unemployed. We are so, so unhappy.” (13:32)
    • “I cannot say to you, because it is not safe for me.” (13:54)
  • Discussions about the absence of Mustafa Khamenei and fears related to US and Israeli involvement.

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4. Global News in Brief

a. Sudan’s Prolonged Civil War and Children at Risk

[21:23–24:11]

• UNICEF’s Sheldon Yet: “This is a war now that is grinding into its fourth year and every year seems to get worse and worse… 15 million children who need humanitarian assistance right now.” (21:46)
• Reporter Richard Kagoi:
  • Highlights fighting around El Obeid, increased use of drones, and attacks on civilians and infrastructure.
  • Humanitarian agencies are unable to access affected populations due to ongoing attacks on convoys and aid routes.

b. Sri Lanka Prison Riot: Overcrowding and Factional Violence

[24:42–26:29]

• Former Correspondent Charles Haviland:
  • At least 25 dead, 100+ injured after two days of rioting at Negombo Jail.
  • Overcrowding described as “about 300%” in Sri Lankan jails, with inmates sleeping in shifts beside toilets.
  • Root causes include drug trafficking disputes and gang rivalries worsened by criminal leaders being imprisoned together.

c. Australian PM Apologizes for Sexist Comments

[26:29–28:02]

• Simon Atkinson, Sydney:
  • PM Anthony Albanese apologizes after backlash for remarks about Kylie Minogue on comedian Nicky Osborne’s podcast.
  • Opposition accuses Albanese of engaging in “grubby conversations” and maintaining sexist attitudes.

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5. “The Polygamist”: New Zulu-Language Drama on Netflix

[15:06–18:55]

• Interview with Suniathi (author) & Tuli and Guguletta Zuma (producers):
  • Suniathi: Explains inspiration from traditional vs. “underground” or deceptive polygamy:
    • “I understood traditional polygamy … But I started to see a different brand … deceptive… collateral damage, not just emotionally and mentally, but physically.” (16:06)
  • Critics argue the show confuses polygamy with serial cheating.
    • Tuli Zuma: "You can be both. Yes, polygamy exists traditionally the way it ought to be practiced... Like any system, there are those who don’t." (17:31)
    • Gugu Zuma Nkubi: “We can’t tell every single story and give every type of perspective in this one show. … I think it still points to a lived reality.” (18:25)

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6. Hollywood’s Epic “Odyssey” & Modern Resonance

[28:02–31:42]

• Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey premieres in London, with a major cast and $250 million budget.
• Matt Damon (star): “This is definitely the biggest movie that I’ve ever done in my career.” (28:52)
• Alison Wilmore, Vulture/New York Magazine:
  • “Oppenheimer made almost a billion dollars worldwide … People really believe in [Nolan] as a filmmaker in a way that is true for almost no other director working today.” (29:35)
• Emily Wilson, Professor, on the poem’s modern relevance:
  • “The poem is very much about who belongs in a community, who doesn’t … How do we deal with those who might be perceived as outsiders.” (30:30)
• Debate over casting diversity and backlash against supposed “wokeness.”
  • Joel Christensen, Professor:
    • “Every group wants to see its heroes and its narrative vehicles as somewhat looking like themselves.” (31:14)
• Nolan: First high-budget, faithful epic cinematic telling of The Odyssey.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alexandra, Kyiv resident:
  • “This is absolutely horrendous. Like, it is so hard to get back to your usual life.” (02:50)
• Wayne Rooney, on FIFA:
  • “I think it’s an absolute disgrace. … The sportsmanship of this game is in question here.” (08:05)
• Tehran resident (on Khamenei’s death):
  • “This man for me is an idol in life, real life.” (12:55)
• Sheldon Yet, UNICEF:
  • “The conflict expands as we go to every corner of this country. … It’s a catastrophe unfolding by the day.” (21:46)
• Tuli Zuma (on Netflix’s ‘The Polygamist’):
  • “Monogamy—If this was a story about a monogamist who was a cheater, I don’t believe people would be saying this is not traditional monogamy. You can’t call it this.” (17:31)
• Emily Wilson (on The Odyssey):
  • “The poem is very much about who belongs in a community, who doesn’t belong. How do we deal with immigrants? How do we deal with those who might be perceived as outsiders.” (30:30)

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Important Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamps | |----------------------------------------------|--------------| | Ukraine’s air defence crisis | 01:08–07:22 | | World Cup FIFA/Trump controversy | 07:22–11:13 | | Iran: Khamenei funeral, voices from Tehran | 11:13–15:06 | | Zulu-language drama “The Polygamist” | 15:06–18:55 | | “Odyssey” film adaptation and debate | 28:02–31:42 | | Sudan civil war, children at risk | 21:23–24:11 | | Sri Lanka prison riot, jail overcrowding | 24:42–26:29 | | Australian PM apology | 26:29–28:02 |

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Tone & Style

• Direct, factual, analytical reporting from BBC correspondents worldwide.
• Gripping first-hand accounts from civilians in conflict zones.
• Unfiltered opinions and strong emotional reactions (notably in Ukraine, Iran, and the World Cup segment).
• Clear effort to include diverse global stories with context.

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This summary delivers the episode’s major news points, context, powerful testimonies, quotes, and timestamped segments for efficient navigation and understanding.

Transcript

[Valerie Sanderson]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

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[Valerie Sanderson]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Valerie Sanderson and at 14 hours GMT on Monday 6th July, these are our main stories. Ukraine pleads for air defences after revealing that none of the ballistic missiles in Russia's latest deadly barrage overnight was were intercepted in Iran. The funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is moving through the capital, Tehran. Our correspondent hears from people in the country. Also in this podcast there's condemnation of FIFA's decision to abolish a one match suspension for America's top goalscorer in the World cup after a phone call from Donald Trump.

[Wayne Rooney / Donald Trump]

I think it's an absolute disgrace. Infantino, he should be ashamed of this because I think the sportsmanship of this game is in question here.

[Valerie Sanderson]

A two day prison riot in Sri Lanka has left at least 25 people dead and more than 100 injured. And the Zulu language drama the Polygamist, produced by daughters of a former South African president. We start in Ukraine, where at least 21 people have died after Russia carried out another barrage of air attacks in and around Kyiv. Russia says they were aimed at defense installations, but three blocks of flats have partially collapsed. The assault included 23 ballistic missiles launched by Moscow, none of which were shot down because of a shortage of missiles that could intercept. Alexandra is a student in Kyiv and she told us what last night was like.

[Alexandra (Kyiv student)]

Last night was outstanding. One Usually they strike drones, like massive groups of drones, before striking the ballistics right away or other types of arms. But this night they began only with the ballistics straight away, which was kind of unexpected. Drones could be intercepted Easily. When we see the ballistics approaching the city, you should know, like the first thing that comes to my mind is that, okay, so I have like 10 seconds and then I can hear mentally. This is absolutely horrendous. Like, it is so hard to get back to your usual life.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Meanwhile, in Russian occupied Crimea, electricity was cut in Sevastopol following a Ukrainian attack on energy infrastructure near the city. Here's the view of one resident.

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

The situation is catastrophic. We have blackouts, water cuts, the beaches are empty. When you step outside in the morning, there are hardly any cars. People thought the war would be far away in Ukraine, but now it's here.

[Valerie Sanderson]

A correspondent in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, Sarah Rainsford, told me more.

[Emily Wilson / Joel Christensen]

Yeah, I'm actually at the site in one region of Kyiv where the authorities say one of the missiles hit the block of flats that I'm looking at. It is a big nine story building and there's a big hole right through the middle of it. Multiple flats have collapsed in on themselves. There are huge slabs of concrete that have just come crashed down. Two floors below. It is a scene of massive destruction. And there are scenes like this all across Ukraine's capital because Russia launched dozens of missiles last night, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and it also launched hundreds of drones. And the striking statistic, I think, if we can talk about numbers, is how few of those missiles this time Ukraine managed to intercept. Just over half of those missiles were knocked down on their way to their targets here in Ukraine. And that is significant because the damage that they cause when they strike is enormous. And if Russia was aiming at military targets, well, this is not a military target. This is a block of flats. And we know in this one location five people have lost their lives. And there's a lady sitting on a bench in tears who we're told has two relatives still missing somewhere in the ruins of this apartment block.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And why didn't to Ukraine intercept the missiles?

[Emily Wilson / Joel Christensen]

Because it is really, really difficult to do it. Because ballistic missiles travel very, very fast. And Ukraine right now doesn't have enough interceptor missiles to knock them out of the sky. It says it really clearly. It says it time and time again. And in fact, I've just been speaking to a lady called Elena who lives in this building and who luckily escapes with her life. But she has told me she has one question. She says, why are Ukraine's allies not giving us the interceptor missiles that we need? President Zelensky has said the same. He said these are the missiles that save lives. And every delay and providing them to Ukraine, he said is causing destruction like this. So it is, is a massive problem for Ukraine right now as Russia is clearly increasing the number of missiles, specifically that it launches at Ukraine in every attack. And it is quite clearly focusing very heavily right now on Kyiv itself.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And meanwhile, Sarah, there's been an attack by Ukraine, Ukraine on Russian occupied Crimea. What can you tell us about that?

[Emily Wilson / Joel Christensen]

Yeah, that's right. This is something that Ukraine has been doing for recent weeks. And it happened again last night. Drones, Ukrainian drones targeting military sites, military logistics and also the energy infrastructure in the peninsula of Crimea, which of course, Russia has annexed illegally back in 2014. So we don't have any reports of mass casualties from Crimea. I should make the clear distinction between what's happening in Crimea and what's happening here in Kiev. But certainly in Crimea there are reports of blackouts overnight. Lots of the big cities there with no power. We know that there are major fuel shortages because Ukraine has repeatedly been striking oil refineries in and around Crimea. The point, Ukraine says, is to try to cut off military logistics to stop Russia launching its attacks on Ukraine itself, but also to hit Vladimir Putin, frankly, where it hurts because Crimea is really important to him personally and politically. The annexation boosted his popularity in Russia. It's kind of a foundation stone of his very, very long rule in Russia. So Kyiv, Ukraine is quite clearly putting Crimea at the focus of its campaign to try to pressure Russia, Vladimir Putin to come to peace talks.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Sarah Rainsford in Kyiv. And we'll have more on this on our YouTube channel. Search for BBC News on YouTube and you'll find the global news podcast in the podcast section. There's a new story available every weekday. Now to the Football World cup where controversy is growing over FIFA's decision to allow the US star striker fan Baligan to play against Belgium later on Monday despite receiving a red card in the previous game. The European football body UEFA has expressed disbelief. It follows reports that President Trump made as many as three calls to the FIFA boss, the Gianni Infantino to overturn the one match ban. This is former England captain Wayne Rooney's response.

[Wayne Rooney / Donald Trump]

I think it's absolute disgrace. Infantino, he should be ashamed of this because I think for the sportsmanship of this game is in question here.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Well, just before we recorded this podcast, President Trump was asked about the decision to allow Folarin Balogan to play.

[Wayne Rooney / Donald Trump]

I said, boy, that's a big, you know, if it happened to another player, it would have been unfair. But when they take your best player or just about, they have some great players, but. And they Say you can't play. That's very unfair. That's, you know, it's one thing to penalize somebody for the game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn't been played yet? It's very unfair. You can't do that. So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who's highly respected and by the way, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Well, Belgium have been allowed to appeal the decision, but as nick [e-mail] explains, that is not straightforward.

[Nick Miller]

The kind of central problem with all of this is that in the Premier League and you know, the European leagues, if a player is given a red card and then subsequently a suspension for subsequent games, there is a defined appeals process where their club can say, you know, we think this is unfair. They can make what amount to kind of legal submissions within a kind of sporting context anyway. And then the decision on whether that pill is granted, it's all very kind of clear and open and the written reason is given. That process isn't in place at the World Cup. So the decision to suspend Balan's ban is all very unclear and FIFA haven't really explained the reasons for it.

[Valerie Sanderson]

The BBC sports reporter Joe Curry gave me the background to the story.

[Joe Curry]

USA's top goal scorer Florin Balogan was shown a straight red card in the USA's last 32 match over Bosnia Herzegovina. He was given a one match ban which should have mean he would be missing this last 60 match against Belgium. However, without explanation, FIFA have said that that ban will now be suspended for a year and so he is free to play in this match. This has never happened in a World Cup. Now our US media partner CBS has confirmed that that change in punishment came after the US President Donald Trump directly phoned the FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Just to put this into precedent. We've had 11 other players sent off at this World Cup. They have all served their punishments. FIFA have simply said that they're using Article 27 and all it says is that it allows them to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure. And it has called on some to say this is making an absolute mockery of the rules. In fact, UEFA have released a statement that that the decision to suspend the one game ban has crossed a red line. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. This is not the case. When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of competition is undermined. We Express our disbelief at the unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Joe Curry. The funeral procession of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been moving through Tehran after lying in state in the capital's Grand Masala mosque complex. Huge crowds have lined the streets to mourn the assassinated leader who was killed on the first day of the U. S. Israeli war in Iran in February. The BBC's chief international correspondent, Lis Doucet is reporting from Tehran on condition that none of her material is used on the BBC's Persian service. These restrictions apply to all international media organizations operating in Iran. Lis spoke to people in Tehran about the funeral and life there.

[Alison Wilmore]

A massive funeral farewell like this takes massive preparations, including rest points like this. We're just on the outskirts of Tehran and we've seen many like this, where in this parking lot, buses keep pulling up, bringing people here from many cities and towns. And in front of us, a huge queue of one of men, the women in a separate queue. And people are going by us with sandwiches, with bottles of water. There are places to rest here, places to pray. Many of them tell us they're heading to Tehran or they want to be part of this moment. Just get a sense of the mood. Hello. Are you going to the funeral?

[Simon Atkinson]

Yes, yes.

[Alison Wilmore]

And what does it mean to you?

[Simon Atkinson]

If you look at my eyes, Last

[Valerie Sanderson]

two days I didn't sleep because my supreme leader.

[Simon Atkinson]

We are so sad, so sad about that.

[Alison Wilmore]

It makes you emotional. He meant a lot to you.

[Valerie Sanderson]

This man for me is an idol

[Film Narrator / Tom Brooke]

in life, real life.

[Alison Wilmore]

Thank you for your time. Thank you.

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

I wanted to speak about this matter. Is it possible for you?

[Alison Wilmore]

Yes. And what is your name? Are you on your way to Tehran?

[Valerie Sanderson]

No, no, no.

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

Just passenger.

[Alison Wilmore]

Just passenger. Are you going to the funeral?

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

No, no, no. Of course, no.

[Alison Wilmore]

Why not?

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

Is it not possible for me?

[McDonald's Advertiser]

Why?

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

I'm busy.

[Alison Wilmore]

You're busy? Yeah, busy. Are you worried about your future?

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

Of course. Very, very much.

[Alison Wilmore]

What is your worry?

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

The situation of the economy of the country is not stable at all. And many of the people don't have work, they have unemployed. We are so, so unhappy.

[Alison Wilmore]

What do you want to change in your life?

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

I cannot say to you answers to you, because it is not safe for me.

[Alison Wilmore]

You don't feel you can speak your mind?

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

Of course.

[Alison Wilmore]

Crowds are a bit thinner in the blazing heat of the day. There are young men with water hoses spraying water in people's faces to cool them down. Others are handing out slices of fresh watermelon I wonder what these, the faithful, the loyalists here, think of the fact that many Iranians aren't turning out for the funeral.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Everybody had her idea. I recommended them to participation in this foreign because they killed our leader by operation they attack us.

[Alison Wilmore]

Are you worried? Mustafa Khamenei has not been seen in public since those attacks.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Because of Israel and America, he cannot appear in general public. And we want the UN help us.

[Alexandra (Kyiv student)]

We want our leader, we want Moshe, our family.

[Alison Wilmore]

And what about you? Does it bother you that nobody knows where Mushta Bahomenei is?

[Suniathi (Author)]

He's in my heart. He's in my heart.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And I hope that he was safe from Netanyahu and Trump. Lis Doucet in Iran if you've been online in the last couple of weeks, you may have come across clips from a Zulu language drama called the Polygamist. A new hit on Netflix, it follows the tangled love life of wealthy Johannesburg businessman Janasi Gamora. Secrets, family conflict and infidelity are at the heart of the story. The series was produced by two daughters of the former African president Jacob Zuma. He was the country's first democratically elected president to openly practice polygamy. We got together producers Tuli Zuma and Guguletu Zuma Nkoubi and Suniathi, the author of the 2012 novel the show is based on, which is set in Zimbabwe. The BBC's Ansoy first asked Suniathi why it was important to tell the story.

[Suniathi (Author)]

I was witnessing something, and probably at the time when I was witnessing it, I didn't understand what it was that I was witnessing because the inspiration really came from what I call perverted polygamy or underground polygamy. So I'm not a stranger to polygamy. My maternal grandfather was a polygamist and he had five wives and my great grandfather had 11 wives. So I understood traditional polygamy in a sense, and it was open and transparent. And oftentimes, you know, everyone knew everyone who's who in the zoo and the children knew each other. But I started to see a different brand of polygamy and I found that it was deceptive. You had people living parallel lives with parallel wives, and most of the people in the setup weren't aware of each other. And so for me it was intriguing because that kind of setup has collateral damage, not just emotionally and mentally, but physically as well in terms of diseases like hiv. And so that's why, you know, I felt it was a pertinent story to tell.

[Valerie Sanderson]

There have been criticisms on the storyline and the depiction of the characters. Critics and reviewers point out that the central character isn't truly practicing, recognized, cultural or traditional polygamy. The Mail and Guardian in South Africa says that, you know, the show consistently chooses sensation over subtlety.

[Tuli Zuma / Guguletta Zuma Nkubi]

Tuli, a friend of mine, after watching the show just recently, two days ago, messaged me and said, jonassi is not a polygamist. He is a perpetual cheat. And I said, you know, you can be both. Yes, polygamy exists traditionally the way it ought to be practiced. And like any system, like any institution, there are those who practice it as it's intended and there are those who don't. Monogamy. If this was a story about a monogamist who was also a cheater, I don't believe people would be saying this is not traditional monogamy. You can't call it this.

[Valerie Sanderson]

It's a weak take on patriarchy and its enablers. And women are reduced to basically reacting to, you know, the next scandal of the main character. What do you say to that? Gugu?

[Tuli Zuma / Guguletta Zuma Nkubi]

I can't satisfy everyone. We can't tell every single story and give every type of perspective in this one show. I think it's resonated with a lot of people. I think it's hit home and struck chords with a lot of people and we are very proud of the product that we made. At the end of the day, Tuli, at the end of the day we're telling a story. It is kind of very explosive and very shocking. I think it still points to a lived reality.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Guguletta, Zuma, Nkubi, Tuli, Zuma and Suniathi speaking there to the BBC's and soy still to come in this podcast as the film the Odyssey premieres in London, why the ancient Greek poem it's based on is still relevant.

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Refreshers contain caffeine.

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[Valerie Sanderson]

Sudan is a nation now into the fourth year of a civil war. The focus of the fighting is the city of El Obeid in the south of the country where drones are increasingly being used. The UN children's agency, UNICEF says that at least 18 children have been killed over the last few months in those attacks. Sheldon yet is UNICEF representative to Sudan. He's in Khartoum.

[Wayne Rooney / Donald Trump]

This is a war now that is grinding into its fourth year and every year seems to get worse and worse. The conflict expands as we go to every corner of this country. We have some 15 million children who need humanitarian assistance right now. One of the areas that has seen the most conflict is the area, the strategic crossroads of Al Ubaid, where we have just daily attacks, killing children, blocking markets, hitting infrastructure. It's a catastrophe unfolding by the day.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Richard Kagoi is our reporter in Nairobi.

[Richard Kagoi]

The fighting seems to be going on and what has happened is that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that has been fighting the Sudanese army has been encircling the city. About two weeks ago, they were said to have been about 60 kilometers to the northeast and the west of the city. So they want to lay a siege on the city, but they have been repeated attacks. They have been launching drone strikes which have been targeting civilian infrastructure. So these are hospitals, schools and even markets. And what has happened is that children have also been caught up in this intensified fighting by the two sides. So far what we are hearing is that 18 children have been killed and 17 others have been injured. So they suffer from fear, they suffer from trauma, they have been largely displaced. And also what has really come out prominently from this research is that from the field monitors, a lot of them really are facing the risk of disease and also hunger.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And Richard, what humanitarian help is there for people near this city and in this city, if any?

[Richard Kagoi]

It's difficult because aid agencies have not been able to access the vulnerable population simply because the commercial and humanitarian convoys have been targeted. And as a result of that, just as out of abundance of caution, aid agencies have decided to withdraw because the humanitarian corridors have been, you know, caught up in this conflict. So it's difficult. So medicine, food cannot reach these populations that have been largely affected. And this is a city of about half a million people, and about 100,000 of them are people who have been displaced by the conflict elsewhere and that come to seek refuge there.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Richard Kukoi, the UN Human Rights Council has ordered an urgent investigation into allegations of abuse. The Council says it's deeply concerned about the growing risk of mass atrocities. Pictures coming out of Sri Lanka show members of the security forces carrying injured people covered in blood out of a prison. At least 25 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in two days of rioting at Negombo Jail in the west of the country. Charles Haviland is a former Sri Lanka correspondent who's following the story.

[McDonald's Advertiser]

It seems that it started on Sunday when prisoners grabbed guns. There was some kind of a clash between them, apparently down to a clash between detainees and actual prisoners over drug distribution that was going on in the prison and some of the detainees disapproved of it. And at least a couple of people were killed on Sunday. And matters became much worse when prisoners attempted to storm the entrance to the jail and there were clashes with prison officers, at least four of whom are reported to have been killed. Another thing that happened is that prisoners have been coming out onto the roof, not only the male prisoners, but also women from an adjoining section demanding to be freed. So it's been quite a spectacle.

[Valerie Sanderson]

What do we know about this jail, Negombo Jail?

[McDonald's Advertiser]

Well, it's probably typical of Sri Lankan jails, and the statistics are quite stark. The average Sri Lankan jail is about 300% overcrowded, so there are three times as many prisoners in there as there are capacity for. I've read that there's 1.2 meters space available for inmate in some facilities and that they have to sleep in shifts and sleep beside the toilets. So conditions are certainly not good.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And what do the authorities say?

[McDonald's Advertiser]

Well, the prisons minister has said he has to take responsibility for it. He's trying to get to the bottom of what happened and he's saying that it seems that there were factions of rival gang members clashing with each other. There has been a network of gangs in Sri Lanka, but there's been a lot of dismantling of those gangs over the years. So what has happened is that gang leaders, erstwhile gang leaders, have ended up in the jails, some of them having been deported from overseas and brought back to Sri Lanka. So that has obviously served partly to foster this kind of violent activity that's resulted in this tragedy.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Charles Haviland to Australia now, where the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has apologised for comments he made on a podcast about the Australian pop star Kylie Minogue. He faced a backlash following an appearance on the Bush Deep podcast with the comedian Nicky Osborne. Simon Atkinson in Sydney told us more.

[Simon Atkinson]

He appeared on this podcast, I think an attempt to kind of reach audiences that he might not get through mainstream media. And as part of that, he was asked, kind of an old kind of game, really listed some celebrities, asked who he would like to sleep with, who he'd like to marry and who he would date. He was given the options of Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and another Australian entertainer, Rhonda Birchmore. He pushed back. He tried to sort of avoid the question. He pointed out he was very recently married, but eventually, when he was kind of pushed on it, he said Kylie Minogue. All three. Kylie Minogue went on to say, she's terrific. And this is kind of in the. In the whole tone of the interview. There's other questions about his sex life and other things like that. But after the podcast went out, the backlash has been fairly swift. It's been pointed out by some opposition MPs that his comments were inappropriate and that he should have pushed back, that rather than engaging in these grubby conversations, as one politician has put it, he should have pointed out that it's a very sexist question and that these are things that weren't really fitting for Prime Minister to get involved in. So, as you say, he has put out a statement this morning, a very brief one, saying that he apologises unequivocally for the comments.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Simon Atkinson. Later today, the world premiere of the Odyssey, the film adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek tale, will take place in London. The cast includes Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. But can it become another box office blockbuster for its direct director Christopher Nolan? And will the story strike a chord with moviegoers? Tom Brooke has been finding out

[Film Narrator / Tom Brooke]

no

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

one could stand between me and home.

[Film Narrator / Tom Brooke]

This long awaited epic which follows the Greek warrior Odysseus on his journey home from the Trojan War, directed by Oscar winning British filmmaker Christopher Nolan, is a very ambitious undertaking. In promotional video, superlatives are deployed to emphasize the scale of the endeavor.

[Valerie Sanderson]

This is definitely the biggest movie that

[Wayne Rooney / Donald Trump]

I've ever done in my career.

[McDonald's Advertiser]

The Odyssey is a massive story that's a really exciting challenge to take on.

[Alexandra (Kyiv student)]

There's scope, fantasy and all these things,

[Alison Wilmore]

but also heart and depth and rawness.

[Film Narrator / Tom Brooke]

Filming took place in some half a dozen countries at a cost estimated at more than 250, $50 million. Nolan is a proponent of making movies on location and on film, albeit with state of the art giant screen imatch technology. It was Nolan's success with Oppenheimer, the story of the man behind the atomic bomb that partly enabled him to have industry backing to make the ambitious Odyssey. Alison Wilmore is film critic at Vulture and New York Magazine.

[Alison Wilmore]

Oppenheimer made almost a billion dollars worldwide,

[Emily Wilson / Joel Christensen]

2/3 of that outside of the US market.

[Alison Wilmore]

It won Oscars. It really established that people will come out for a Nolan film because it's made by him. People really believe in him as a filmmaker in a way that is true for almost no other director working today.

[Film Narrator / Tom Brooke]

It's not just movie fans who are animated by the arrival of the Odyssey. Universities around the world, the men and women who have have studied ancient Greek mythology. Scholars believe that this film could bring audiences an old epic poem which will be full of resonance for our modern lives. British born Emily Wilson, professor of classics at the University of Pennsylvania, translated the Odyssey into English. Christopher Nolan is said to have been inspired by her interpretation. She thinks the film's underlying poem has the potential to resonate with audiences.

[Emily Wilson / Joel Christensen]

The poem is very much about who belongs in a community, who doesn't belong.

[Valerie Sanderson]

How do we deal with immigrants? How do we deal with those who

[Emily Wilson / Joel Christensen]

might be perceived as outsiders.

[Film Narrator / Tom Brooke]

And in New York, at the CUNY Graduate center, professor of classics Joel Christensen reads from the Odyssey.

[Iran Resident / Funeral Participant]

Enthe de patroclus Theophen Maestor Atalantos.

[Film Narrator / Tom Brooke]

He knows that the film has been the subject of ferocious debate on online platforms over choice of costumes, the actors who've been picked and their absence. The reported casting of a black actor, Lupita Nyong' o as Helen of Troy, led some commentators to charge that the film might be too woke.

[Richard Kagoi]

It echoes what you see in controversies about the depiction of Jesus Christ or, say, Santa Claus in certain ways, right?

[Wayne Rooney / Donald Trump]

Every group wants to see its heroes and its narrative vehicles as somewhat looking like themselves.

[Film Narrator / Tom Brooke]

Although it's a grand enterprise, Christopher Nolan sees the Odyssey as just filling a gap. He has stated that never before has there been a cinematic telling of the Odyssey with all the capacity of a large scale Hollywood production to bring that about was his aim with this epic movie adaptation.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Tom Brooke reporting. And that's it from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email [e-mail] you can also find us on X at bcworldservice. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on one big story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Volodymyr Wazechka and the producer was Marion Straughan. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Valerie Sanderson. Until next time, bye bye.

[Alison Wilmore]

Foreign.

[Emily Wilson / Joel Christensen]

How did the United States build the largest soft power empire in the world with the help of some tiny metal objects? I'm Tristan Redmond, one of the hosts

[McDonald's Advertiser]

of the Global Story podcast. From the BBC.

[Emily Wilson / Joel Christensen]

To mark 250 years of the United

[McDonald's Advertiser]

States, we speak to roman Mars of 99% invisible.

[Wayne Rooney / Donald Trump]

This soft power, this influence was an incredible invention.

[McDonald's Advertiser]

For more, listen to the global story on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.