US seizes Iranian-flagged cargo ship

Summary

Global News Podcast – US Seizes Iranian-Flagged Cargo Ship

BBC World Service | Host: Jana Jalil
Release Date: April 20, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses primarily on mounting US-Iran tensions after the American Navy’s seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, an incident which escalates diplomatic crises in the Gulf and coincides with faltering peace negotiations mediated by Pakistan. The episode also covers the tragic mass shooting of children in Louisiana, a groundbreaking DNA legal project connecting British soldiers to children in Kenya, humanitarian issues in Gaza, Italy’s controversial immigration law, advances in humanoid robots in China, and the vibrant rise of Korean female authors.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. US Seizure of Iranian Cargo Ship and Escalating Tensions

Incident Background and Details

• Incident: The US Navy disabled and seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship "Tosca" in the Gulf of Oman for allegedly breaching a US-imposed naval blockade on Iranian ports. ([01:10]–[03:28])
• President Trump announced the capture on his Truth Social platform, claiming the Iranian crew refused US Navy orders, leading to the dramatic disabling of the vessel’s engine room.
• The Iranian military vowed to respond, viewing the incident as a significant provocation just days before planned (but now uncertain) peace talks.

Primary Analysis and Political Context

• Anbarasaneti Rajan (Global Affairs Reporter) explains the US aim of maintaining a blockade to pressure Iran amid nuclear and missile disputes. He highlights a breakdown in earlier Islamabad talks and high-stakes diplomatic efforts by Pakistan ("hectic diplomatic activity behind the scenes"). ([03:28])
• Quote: “A short while ago, President Trump has just posted... about US Marines having full custody of a cargo ship he says tried to get through the US Blockade... our navy ship stopped them right in the tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room." – Anbarasaneti Rajan [03:28]
• Iran stands firm on not participating in further negotiations until the blockade is lifted; Pakistan acts as a critical intermediary. ([04:43]–[06:36])

Diplomatic Nuances

• Ongoing debate over broad versus localized ceasefires in the region (notably Lebanon).
• President Trump uses aggressive rhetoric, threatening to destroy Iranian infrastructure, prompting legal controversy. Some experts question the legality of his threats; US Ambassador Mike Waltz defends them as historical tactics and accuses Tehran of hiding military assets in civilian sites. ([07:46]–[08:42])
  • Quote: "If you go back in the history of warfare...we bombed and took down bridges, other infrastructure...yes, could be used for civilian, but also are used to manufacture drones and missiles." – Mike Waltz [08:03]

Iranian Response and Domestic Repression

• Lise Doucet (Chief International Correspondent) interviews senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi, who vows Iran will never relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz:
  • Quote: "Certainly not. ...We believe this is our inalienable right." – Ebrahim Azizi [09:11]
• Azizi deflects accusations of piracy and internal repression, claiming Iran is both “at war” and “very free.” ([09:45]–[10:39])

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2. Other Major News Stories

Mass Shooting in Louisiana, USA

• Incident: Eight children (aged 1–14) killed in Shreveport, Louisiana by Sharma Elkins, who is shot by police after trying to flee. Community in grief; police never witnessed such devastation. ([11:30]–[12:51])
  • Quote: “I can’t be strong for you…No one is okay after visiting this crime scene.” – Tabitha Taylor, Council Member [11:30]

Children Fathered by British Soldiers in Kenya

• Nearly 100 children in Kenya believed to be fathered by British servicemen stationed at Nanyuki army base, many growing up in poverty or without knowing their fathers. ([12:51]–[17:48])
• Groundbreaking project utilizes commercial DNA and legal advocacy to find fathers, update birth certificates, and unlock child support and citizenship rights.
  • Quote: “I can’t promise you we’ll find them. I can promise you we will work very, very hard for this.” – James Netto, UK lawyer [14:10]
  • Emotional reunion stories; fathers’ explanations of lost contacts, homelessness, and breakdown after army service ([16:56]–[17:27])

Humanitarian Concerns in Gaza

• Incident: Two UNICEF-contracted truck drivers killed by Israeli forces during water delivery in Gaza. ([22:35]–[24:48])
  • Conflicting narratives: UNICEF describes the attack as unprovoked on routine, approved missions; Israeli Army claims perceived threat near troop positions.
  • Quote: “At no time are these people ever, ever armed…absolutely achingly sad for their families.” – James Elder, UNICEF [22:56]

Italy’s “Lawyer Bounty” Immigration Law

• Italian government proposes bonuses for lawyers convincing migrant clients to “voluntarily” repatriate. ([24:48]–[26:55])
  • Legal institutions and opposition harshly criticize decree as bordering on “Wild West bounty” or US-style ICE tactics.

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3. Innovation & Culture

Humanoid Robots Outsprint Humans in Beijing

• Humanoid robot shatters half marathon world record (50:26), outpacing human Olympians by 7 minutes at Beijing’s E Town race. ([26:55]–[30:01])
  • Only a year after clumsy debuts, over 100 robots now outperform humans, hinting at rapid advances in physical and navigational AI.
  • Mixed crowd reactions—admiration, but also concern over possible “robot uprising.”
  • Quote: “Technology is developing so fast, I think robots will soon beat humans in many ways...AI driven behavior...I wanted to see them before they actually surpass us.” – Spectator [28:54]

Female Authors Lead South Korea’s “K-Lit” Boom

• Korean women writers dominate domestic novel sales and spark a feminist literary movement despite cultural taboos. ([30:01]–[34:17])
• Events like book talks create vital spaces for women to share experiences and write freely.
  • Quote: “Reading other stories and sharing my own writing—here we don’t need to censor ourselves and it’s really widened my perspectives.” – Kim Gahyun [32:11]
• Notable mention: Han Kang wins Nobel Prize for literature, first Asian female recipient, signaling the global arrival of “K literature.”
  • Authors and readers find empowerment and connection in writing rooms (gubangs), challenging conservative social norms.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The US Navy had blown a hole in the ship’s engine room…major escalation, especially just days before the talks.”
  – Anbarasaneti Rajan [03:28]
• “Iran is saying lift the blockade first to the US before we send our negotiators. And so far they’re not showing any sign of blinking.”
  – Jana Jalil [06:36]
• “America is the world’s biggest pirate.”
  – Ebrahim Azizi [09:42]
• “I just literally poured my heart out…I was writing a journal, but I was talking to someone who’s not there.”
  – Kathy, Kenyan daughter seeking her British military father [15:20]
• “Robots are just really fun…technology is developing so fast, I think robots will soon beat humans in many ways.”
  – Beijing Marathon Spectator [28:54]
• “Here we don’t need to censor ourselves and it’s really widened my perspectives.”
  – Kim Gahyun, book reader [32:11]

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• US seizes Iranian ship, diplomatic standoff: [01:10]–[07:46]
• Shreveport, Louisiana mass shooting: [11:30]–[12:51]
• Kenya DNA project & military paternity: [12:51]–[17:48]
• UNICEF drivers killed in Gaza: [22:35]–[24:48]
• Italy’s lawyer bounty law: [24:48]–[26:55]
• Beijing’s robot half marathon: [26:55]–[30:01]
• Korean women writers and K-lit: [30:01]–[34:17]

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Episode Tone & Language

• Direct, news-driven reporting interwoven with expert analysis and human interest stories.
• Maintains the BBC’s authoritative, calm, and balanced tone with occasional deeply personal reflections (especially in the coverage of mass shootings and the DNA project).

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Transcript

[BBC Announcer]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

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[Jana Jalil]

this is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Jana Jalil and in the early hours of Monday 20th April, these are our main stories. President Trump says the US has seized an Iranian flagged country cargo ship that he claims was trying to get past an American naval blockade. Iranian state media says Iran has no plans currently to join senior US Officials for another round of peace talks in Pakistan. A gunman in the US state of Louisiana kills eight children aged from 1 to 14 years old. Also in this podcast, it's Robots vs Humans in Beijing. Robots are just really fun so I wanted to bring my kid to experience it. Technology is developing so fast, I think robots will soon beat humans in many ways. Iran's military has vowed to respond after the US fired at and seized an Iranian flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. President Trump said the American Navy had blown a hole in the ship's engine room. This was the moment of the confrontation.

[Anbarasaneti Rajan]

Motor Vessel Tosca Motor Vessel Tosca, vacate your engine room. Vacate your engine room. We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire.

[Jana Jalil]

This comes as a US delegation is going to Pakistan again for talks with Iran. A week after negotiations in Islamabad broke up without any deal being reached. The White House says The vice president, J.D. vance, will once again be leading the US side. Mr. Trump renewed his threat to destroy every power plant and bridge in Iran if it doesn't agree a deal. But Iranian state media says Iran is not currently planning to take part in the new talks as the blockade continues off the straight off Hormuz. I got more on all this with our global affairs reporter, Anbarasaneti Rajan, who first told me more about the ship that had been hit.

[Anbarasaneti Rajan]

The US Is maintaining this naval blockade and they're not allowing any ship to do with Iran or any of the Iranian ports to pass through. And a short while ago, President Trump has just posted on his Truth social platform about US Marines having a full custody of a cargo ship he says tried to get through the US Blockade of Iranian ports. And according to him, the Iranian crew refused to listen. So our navy ship stopped them right in the tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room. Then that again is a major escalation, especially just days before the talks or on the eve of the planned talks in Islamabad. So they are saying that until this blockade is removed. And also they are criticizing the statement made by President Trump earlier that about targeting the Iranian infrastructure. So they're not happy with the developments. And in that context, only Prime Minister of Pakistan Shabaz Sharif had a telephone conversation with the Iranian President a short while ago. It was a 45 minute conversation. So you can as well imagine the hectic diplomatic activity going behind the scenes to bring Iran to the negotiating table.

[Jana Jalil]

Yes, because for the second time, the US Delegation that is heading to Islamabad is being led by the US Vice President J. Vance, along with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Now, it had seemed that the initial round of negotiations, which only lasted a day, had ended and that was the end of it. But now we're seeing this attempt to resume. What do you think the US Is hoping to get out of this second round of talks?

[Anbarasaneti Rajan]

Well, if you ask the Iranians, they get confused by the messages, conflicting messages coming out of White House, especially President Trump's messages on social media. Now, Pakistan is very keen to hold these negotiations and they have been conveying messages between the two sides for the past few days. So Pakistan is playing a key role here. Even if they can extend the ceasefire, because one set of ceasefire coming to an end on Wednesday, of course with Lebanon, it is a different deadline. So even if they cannot reach a final agreement or some sort of framework for an agreement, for the moment, they want to keep continuing with the talks by extending the ceasefire. So the whole challenge is about narrowing down the differences, particularly with regard to enriched uranium and reducing missile capabilities and from Iran's point of view, removing the blockade and the sanctions. So there is a huge gap and they may not influence the talks. But what they say is we are facilitators. So it is a key role because this is one meeting ground where both the Americans and the Iranians feel comfortable to come. Because the Iranians may not want to go to any other country for security and other reasons, but for Pakistan, it is a prestigious thing for them to hold these negotiations. And that's what you see this last minute diplomatic activity going on without any concrete confirmation coming from Iran, because Iran

[Jana Jalil]

is saying lift the blockade first to the US before we send our negotiators. And so far they're not showing any sign of blinking.

[Anbarasaneti Rajan]

That's what like, Iran was putting its foot down even on the first round of negotiations because they said they will not adhere to the ceasefire until Lebanon was included in the whole ceasefire.

[Jana Jalil]

And we've now seen a ceasefire in Lebanon.

[Anbarasaneti Rajan]

So after a few days. And then you saw President Trump also posting on social media saying Israel targeting Lebanon prohibited. So for many analysts, they saw that was in terms of tactical victory for Iran because Iran was insisting on having a broader ceasefire. Even Pakistan said Lebanon was included, but whereas Israel and others were giving a different version. Now, what they are saying is, according to the Iranian version, that the US had agreed to remove the blockade. So that is what the bone of contention. Now, so many of these Iranian analysts would point out that, you know, you can't conduct diplomacy on social media. It has to be behind the scenes. So we don't know whether Iranians are going to come to the talks until the US and others agree to the condition.

[Jana Jalil]

AMBRASAN Etirajan Legal Experts have described Mr. Trump's repeated threat to destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure as a potential war crime. But the American ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, asked about this on ABC News, defended the US President.

[Advertiser/Commercial Voice]

That would be an escalatory ladder. And if you go back in the history of warfare, go all the way back To World War II, of course, we bombed and took down bridges, other infrastructure, power plants that, yes, could be used for civilian, but also are used to manufacture drones and missiles. So, and the Iranian regime in particular and its terrorist proxies have a long history of actually deliberately hiding military infrastructure in hospitals, schools, neighborhoods and other and other civilian assets. So they are standing on. They have no ground to stand on.

[Jana Jalil]

Our chief international correspondent, Liz Doucet is in Tehran. She's been speaking to the senior lawmaker, Ebrahim Azizi, the chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee. And a reminder, she's reporting on condition that none of her material is used on the BBC's Persian service. These restrictions apply to all international media organizations operating inside the country.

[Ivana Davidovic]

Will Iran ever give up its control of the Strait of Hormuz, a hijab?

[Advertiser/Commercial Voice]

Certainly not. Certainly not. We believe this is our inalienable right. We are preparing a plan to be approved by Parliament with comprehensive regulations ruling passage through the strait to be implemented by the armed forces.

[Ivana Davidovic]

Even your neighbors with whom you had good relations before the war are saying, this is international waters and this is an act of piracy.

[Advertiser/Commercial Voice]

America is the world's biggest pirate.

[Ivana Davidovic]

There are people in the squares supporting the government, but there are also young Iranians being arrested in waves of arrests. There are young Iranians being executed for their part in the protests. And there's a fear that after the war is over, that this internal repression will get worse.

[Advertiser/Commercial Voice]

I think you probably haven't been given the correct analysis regarding the situation in Iran. We are at war. Even though there is a ceasefire and there are rules.

[Ivana Davidovic]

We do speak to young people here who tell us that they are still angry and pained by what happened in January, the crackdown which caused many thousands of deaths today.

[Advertiser/Commercial Voice]

Iran is a free country. It is very free.

[Jana Jalil]

Senior Iranian lawmaker Ibrahim Azizi, speaking to Lise Doucet. A gunman has shot dead his seven children, plus another child in the US state of Louisiana. Their ages ranged from 1 to 14 years old. Two adults were also wounded in the attack in the town of Shreveport. The suspect, identified locally as Sharma Elkins, was killed by police who had chased him after he tried to flee in a stolen car. Tabitha Taylor is a member of the town's council. I pain and I grieve for this family. I grieve for the lives taken that are lost. There are eight children that are deceased. I can't be strong for you.

[Anbarasaneti Rajan]

I think about the mother and what

[Jana Jalil]

this family has lost. I think about this community and what this community has lost. And I don't have the words to

[Anbarasaneti Rajan]

give you, and I'm sorry.

[Jana Jalil]

Riley Curry is a local journalist.

[Riley Curry]

It has been definitely a tragic day here in Shreveport. Shreveport police have confirmed that Shamar Elkins is the shooter. And I also heard word that seven of the eight children that he killed were his own biological children. Shreveport police say most of them were shot in the head and one of the children was found dead on. On the roof. I think it's important to note that the Woman who was shot in the home, escaped the house and then entered into the brown house right next door. And she was the one who called Shreveport police. I've never seen anything or heard anything like this. I think that has been the thing that stuck in my mind. Even Shreveport police, they're just saying we've never in our career seen anything so devastating. And that really just breaks my heart to know that it was children. I started here at around 9am and people were here crying. You could just feel the grief in the air. No one is okay. After visiting this crime scene today, journalist Riley Curry.

[Jana Jalil]

One of Britain's largest overseas military training areas is in Kenya, north of Nairobi. Thousands of British troops train at the Nanyuki army base each year, and it's emerged that nearly 100 children have been found to have been fathered by British men serving at that base. Many of them have grown up in Kenya not knowing their fathers who left and never returned. Some of the children have endured extreme poverty or been ostracized by their communities. The BBC World Service has been following a groundbreaking project which uses commercial DNA databases to identify these men and in some cases, take them to court here in the uk. Ivana Davidovic reports.

[BBC Announcer]

So you guys have all been waiting very patiently.

[James Netto]

I see you kids are waiting very patiently as well. So thank you so much.

[Ivana Davidovic]

It's December 2024. A group of women are crowded into a room in the back of a cab in a town called Nanuki in Kenya. Each of them has a child who they believe was fathered by a British soldier who they say is now failing to support them.

[James Netto]

We will try as hard as we can. We will use every tool we can. We will go to court as much as we can.

[Ivana Davidovic]

They're here to meet a team of lawyers and a geneticist who are looking for volunteers for a legal project which has the potential to change their lives.

[James Netto]

I can't promise you we'll find them. I can promise you we will work

[Jana Jalil]

very, very hard for this.

[Ivana Davidovic]

UK lawyer James Netto and his colleagues are here to collect DNA samples, then use commercial DNA databases like Ancestry to track down the missing military fathers.

[Children/Participants]

You see this little stick?

[Ivana Davidovic]

It's got a little swab on the end.

[Jana Jalil]

I'm going to put it inside your mouth. That's right. Okay.

[Ivana Davidovic]

It's here that I meet 18 year old Kathy.

[Children/Participants]

I'm an insomniac, so I just lie down, look at the ceiling, and I'm

[Jana Jalil]

like, if he was still here, this could have been my life. This could have happened. I would have Been happy.

[Ivana Davidovic]

She believes her dad was a British soldier, and through this project, she hopes to find him.

[Lee Hee Yun Choi]

It's in DNA.

[Children/Participants]

Literally. I can't escape it because something in me is like, get to know him and then there's some part of me which is like, he doesn't care.

[Jana Jalil]

He was never here for you.

[Ivana Davidovic]

Kathy's mom, Maggie, was engaged to her dad. But when Kathy was seven months old, he disappeared. They spent years trying to track him down, and Kathy sent him messages through Facebook over many years, but never received a reply.

[Children/Participants]

I knew I was talking to a ghost. I just literally poured my heart out.

[Jana Jalil]

It's like a journal.

[Children/Participants]

I was writing a journal, but I was talking to someone who's not there.

[Ivana Davidovic]

Back in London, the samples are uploaded to commercial DNA databases. When matches are found, lawyers build family trees until, in some cases, they find the father.

[Anbarasaneti Rajan]

Kathy. Hey. It's great to see you again.

[James Netto]

How you doing?

[Children/Participants]

Yes, nice to see you too.

[James Netto]

All these bits of the jigsaw, when

[BBC Announcer]

you put them together, it really does

[James Netto]

show that this gentleman is really quite likely that this gentleman is your dad. How do you feel about it?

[Jana Jalil]

I'm conflicted in a way, but I have hopes.

[Children/Participants]

Yeah.

[Ivana Davidovic]

Next, James takes Kathy's case, along with others, to the highest family court in England and Wales.

[James Netto]

Nothing like this has ever been done before. Cases on such a scale, all heard at one time, and the common thread is that all of them are in the British Army.

[BBC Announcer]

Well, that was a very good day in court.

[James Netto]

I'm so happy for these kids.

[Ivana Davidovic]

Kathy's father is confirmed in the eyes of the law, meaning he will be added to her birth certificate and she can register for British citizenship for mothers of children under 18. They can now demand child support. And after 19 years of silence, Kathy's dad, Phil, contacts her almost immediately. He tells me it all started when his mobile phone was stolen and he lost all his contacts. He says he never saw any of the messages Kathy and Maggie were sending him or thought they were spam. And then when he left the army, his life fell apart.

[Jana Jalil]

I wasn't in a very good place

[BBC Announcer]

either, you know, because I just come back from a really nasty part of my life. Been homeless, and I was like, it was getting too much for me, so I had to go down to the mental health clinic. Wasn't sleeping at all. I was just trying to survive at the time.

[Ivana Davidovic]

Phil tells me that hearing from lawyer James Neto was a happy surprise.

[BBC Announcer]

I never make up for the amount of time that I've lost with her, but all I can do is to do the best I can.

[Ivana Davidovic]

20 cases have so far gone to court and many more are in the pipeline, the Ministry of Defence told the BBC. While paternity claims are a private life issue, the UK government cooperates with Kenyan authorities on these matters. All soldiers are trained on the behaviour expected of them on and off duty in Kenya.

[Jana Jalil]

Ivana Davidovich reporting and to hear the full investigation Search for World of Secrets wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Still to come in this podcast, K Pop, K Drama and now the latest Korean cultural export.

[Lee Hee Yun Choi]

Reading other stories and sharing my own writing here. We don't need to censor ourselves and it's really widened my perspectives.

[Jana Jalil]

Literature with female authors at the forefront.

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[Jana Jalil]

This is the global news Podcast the UN Children's agency UNICEF has said it's outraged after two truck drivers it contracted to deliver deliver clean water to families in the Gaza Strip were killed by Israeli forces over the weekend. It happened during a routine delivery in northern Gaza. James Elder is a UNICEF spokesperson.

[James Netto]

The two men were performing routine trucking operations without any deviation from the standard movement procedure. Been doing this a long time since the approval of December 2024, and they came under Israeli fire. At no time are these people ever, ever armed. It's not an area that's subject to coordinated movement, so it's 400 meters within you know, or the west of the yellow line if you will. Their trucks were parked at the time. It's not yet confirmed on whether the fire came from a fixed position, a tank or a quadcopter. Initial eyewitnesses in the count it may have come from a tank. Two other drivers were in, were injured in the same time. So it's obviously absolutely achingly sad for their families and extremely damaging for, for one of the most critical water points for the entirety of the Gaza well, certain for northern Gaza.

[BBC Announcer]

So this is the Israeli statement on Friday. IDF troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip identified two suspects in the area of the yellow line who approached the troops immediately. Upon identification, the troops received a threat and opened fire towards the suspects. Does that accord with what you think

[Jana Jalil]

happened or you know, happened?

[James Netto]

No, it doesn't accord with what, what we think happened, doesn't accord with what the eyewitnesses happen, doesn't accord with what we have done every single time there scores and scores of times as we access water and no clear rebuttal has been, has been made and it always would when a UN agency. We are very sparing in coming out with things like this now. I mean look from my own point, I've done hundreds of interviews on Gaza, scores of them when I was told enough aid was being allowed in and we had a famine. Scores of them where I was told by officials there was sufficient water and sanitation. We saw polio governments deny information during wars and then later revise their position. The the death toll in Gaza is probably the ideal example. Widely dismissed for years even as we got to 20,000 children killed and later acknowledged then as accurate.

[Jana Jalil]

The UN's James Elder speaking to Owen Bennett Jones in Italy, Giorgia Maloney's right wing government is seeking to introduce a scheme which would reward lawyers with a financial bonus if they convince their immigrant clients to return to their home countries. The move is part of the Italian government's latest security bill and it's drawn criticism from across the legal and political spectrum. Our reporter Carla Conti has more.

[Children/Participants]

Critics have described it as a Wild west style bounty. One of the most controversial elements of Giorgia Meloni's latest security bill is a decree that would pay lawyers bonuses if they persuade their immigrant clients to return to their countries of origin. According to calculations reported in the Italian press, lawyers would receive a fee of over $700 for handling the voluntary repatri creation process, but only when the migrant actually leaves Italy. The decree goes further. It also gives Italy's National Bar Council a formal role in the repatriation process, including overseeing the payments made to the lawyers involved. That's triggered a fierce backlash across Italy's legal institutions. The Bar Council says it was never informed it would be drawn into the scheme and is now urging lawmakers to remove its role altogether. The measure has also sparked criticism across the political opposition. Ricardo Maggi, leader of the left wing Piwe Europa Party, said the government was trampling on migrants rights and described the decree as one step away from Trump's ice, referring to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. This is the Italian prime minister's latest move to clamp down on irregular immigration, but it comes at a politically vulnerable moment for Ms. Meloni. Just last month, Italians rejected a key constitutional referendum referendum concerning the reform of the judicial system that had turned into a vote of confidence on our government. The security decree passed the Senate after fiery debate and will go to the lower house for final approval this week.

[Jana Jalil]

Carla Conti To Beijing now, where people witnessed a leap, or perhaps a sprint forward in robot technology. A humanoid robot ran a half marathon faster than ever before, smashing the world record set just last month by the Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The bot finished the 13 mile course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, around seven minutes faster than Kiplimo. Pete Ross reports.

[BBC Announcer]

The sound of the winning competitor cheered on by a young fan speeding across the line of the E Town Half Marathon in Beijing. The race, in only its second year, saw dozens of Chinese made humanoid robots easily surpass hundreds of human runners taking part in the race, while also showing off their rapidly improving agility and autonomous navigation skills. Not only did the winning robot complete the course in a time that shattered the best time ever recorded by a human runner, it did so with a performance that was a vast improvement on last year's robot competitors. The race's inaugural edition was famously riddled with mishaps, with clips of robots flanked by teams of people controlling them, struggling to get off the line or keeling over. Mid race going viral online, last year's champion humanoid recorded a time of 2 hours 40 minutes, more than double the time of the human winner of the conventional race. But one year on, the difference in performance from the robot athletes could not have been more stark. Not only did the number of Competitors grow from 20 to over 100, but many were noticeably faster than the professional athletes in the human race. That's not to say that this year's race wasn't without its issues. The winning robot toppled over close to the end, crashing into a barrier, and had to be helped to make it over the finishing line. But despite the odd hiccup, many spectators seemed impressed with what they saw, including this man.

[Jana Jalil]

Robots are just really fun, so I wanted to bring my kid to experience it. Technology is developing so fast, I think robots will soon beat humans in many ways. Not just in speed, but also in things like AI driven behavior. So yeah, I wanted to come and see them before they actually surpass us.

[BBC Announcer]

For now, it remains to be seen what practical use these speedy robots could be put to. Viable applications of humanoid robots mostly remain in a trial phase. This woman worried about what the robot tech on show might mean for the future.

[Jana Jalil]

I grew up in the 2000s and I watched a lot of robot science fiction movies. Back then, people would imagine things like what if robots gained consciousness one day and turn against us humans? I grew up on those films, but now seeing this event, I can't help but wonder if those fantasies might actually come true someday.

[BBC Announcer]

After this year's robot domination of the podium, there's little doubt about the rapidly improving physical prowess of the machines and their potential to reshape everything from dangerous jobs to battlefield combat.

[Jana Jalil]

Pete Ross reporting. Cultural products from Korea, from K pop to K drama to K beauty, have hooked people all over the world in recent years. The latest addition to this trend are books. As exports of translated Korean literature more than doubled in 2024, female authors are propelling the growth, and they're also developing an extensive community of readers inside Korea itself. Lee Hee Yun Choi reports from Seoul.

[Lee Hee Yun Choi]

I'm on the train heading south to the city of Daejeon, an hour and a half away from Seoul, to attend a book talk event led by a renowned feminist author, Ha Min Ah. Lately, these book related events have become increasingly popular amongst women in South Korea, popping up across the country

[Children/Participants]

at Daejeon

[Lee Hee Yun Choi]

Station, I'm about to find out why these women are gravitating towards these literary spaces. I've arrived at the Booktok event and we're all waiting for it to start. It's about 30, 40 women of all ages from what I can see. I also see a mother here with a daughter maybe three or four years old, and a lot of young women as well. That's Ha Min Ah. She's one of South Korea's many successful women writers dominating the book market. Last year, a whopping 90% of the country's top 20 best selling novels were written by women. Ha published her first book in 2019, unpacking the connection between gendered violence and young South Korean women's mental health.

[Jana Jalil]

In Korean society, the feminist label is taboo. You're considered a weirdo. So writers spaces are one of the few places for women to grow.

[Lee Hee Yun Choi]

Has been running gubangs or writing rooms where anyone can join to share their writings with each other. Notably, these gulbang communities led by women have been growing in recent years. When the book talk ended, I spoke with Kim Gahyun, a 28 year old woman who loves attending these events and regularly participates in kuipangs. In the context of your everyday life, what does having this literary space mean for you? Reading other stories and sharing my own writing Here we don't need to censor ourselves and it's really widened my perspectives. Kayun is one of many women finding inspiration in boundary breaking stories abundant in Korean literature today. I'm calling Shin Arumi, who is one of those authors pushing those boundaries. For Shin, that meant going against the current by choosing not to get married and writing about why she loves her single life.

[Children/Participants]

Yes, my book is not talking about

[Jana Jalil]

don't marry Chinese marriages. Like hell.

[Lee Hee Yun Choi]

I didn't say that.

[Children/Participants]

I just say find your life what you really like.

[Jana Jalil]

Don't get pressure from society.

[Lee Hee Yun Choi]

Something like that. Contributions like Shin's are helping to shape a quiet revolution in South Korea's literary scene. In 2024, novelist Han Kang became the first Asian female writer to win the Nobel Prize for literature, demonstrating the expanding reach of K literature on the world stage. And now, through a growing gubang community, even more emerging writers have been able to carve out a space to share their voices.

[Jana Jalil]

And that report was by Lee Hyun Choi in Soul. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can always email [e-mail] this edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Jack Wilfan. The producer is Siobhan Leahy. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janat Jalil. Until next time. Goodbye.

[Lee Hee Yun Choi]

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