WHO declares an Ebola public health emergency in the DRC

0:00This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

0:30Oh, good. Get a commercial auto insurance quote today at Geico.com and see how much you could save. It feels good to Geico. You ain't heard about Moto Casino? Moto has real Vegas slots. Any game you can find on the floor in Vegas, you can play it on Moto. I like my slots hot. Moto's free to play, like food stamps, in line at the grocery store, at a funeral, in traffic, keep your eyes on the road, hop on Moto Casino. Moto Casino got jackpots that are bigger than my belly. Moto, America's hottest free-to-play social casino. Download the Moto Casino app today. Moto Casino is a social casino. This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

1:14I'm Alex Ritson and in the early hours of Sunday the 17th of May, these are our main stories. The WHO declares a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as an emergency of international concern. Several people are injured in Italy after a man drives his car into pedestrians and more than 50 children, many of them toddlers, are kidnapped from schools in Nigeria. Also in this podcast, an underwater tragedy in the Maldives claims another life. It could have been avoided, you know. This shouldn't have been rushed. We get a military diver's assessment and... I want to thank everybody who felt the Bangaranga and felt connected to the force.

2:02A surprise winner at this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

2:09Ebola is no stranger in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has seen more than a dozen outbreaks since the virus was first identified there 50 years ago. But medical experts are concerned about the latest outbreak of the infectious disease, which is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids. The DRC Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba has warned it's a strain with a very high death rate, but sought to reassure the public.

2:39We've had confirmation that this is Ebola. The strain is already known. It notably struck in Uganda and also here back in 2012. No vaccines or specific treatment. But this is not our first time dealing with the epidemic. This is our 17th Ebola outbreak. We know how to keep it under control. The challenge is to stop people thinking of it as a mysterious illness and ensure they seek proper health care. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern. But it said the outbreak doesn't meet the criteria of a pandemic. Our reporter in Kinshasa, Emery Makumino, told me more.

3:18The number of reasons over 330 contact cases and the number of deaths has gone also high to 87. One person who died in Bunia was transferred to the epicentre now, Mongualu. And during the funeral, that's where it is believed that many people caught the virus and people started dying. And it was largely believed that there was a case of witchcraft so that people did not want to go for treatment in hospitals. They were going to churches, to spiritual, to witch doctors to try to find solutions. And this is one of the causes why we have seen an increase of fatalities, particularly in Mongualu. Why is this happening?

4:17I mean, modern medicine is everywhere, isn't it? I mean, people know about this stuff. Not everyone knows the symptoms related to Ebola. And in that particular rural area of the DRC, you also have people who are also going more to what is more accessible. That means the traditional medicines rather than going to seek more expensive health care, provided there's no universal health care coverage over here. What are the authorities doing? Teams are being deployed on the ground. We understand that they haven't yet set up the Ebola treatment centres. So teams from the government and as well as teams from aid workers are all deploying to Bunia and Letehon.

5:14They'll be deploying to the epicenter, which is Munguala. So at the moment you have tons of medical equipment and PPE being airlifted by the WHO and also by the response team from the Congolese government. Emery Macomino in Kinshasa. Police in northern Italy are questioning a man after a car was driven into pedestrians in the city of Modena, injuring several people. The driver then reportedly tried to flee with a knife before being stopped by members of the public. Our reporter Carla Conti has been following the story. This happened on Saturday afternoon in the heart of Modena's historic centre on one of the city's main shopping streets.

5:57The area would have been busy as it usually is on a weekend afternoon with people strolling and doing their shopping. when a car came down the street at full speed. According to local reports, it appears to have mounted the pavement, hit several pedestrians and then carried on for a short distance before eventually crashing into the window of a clothing shop. Eight people were injured, four of them seriously. The most serious case is reported to be that of a 55-year-old woman whose legs were crushed against a shop window on impact. The driver then got out of the car and tried to run away. He was reportedly armed with a knife and several members of the public chased him and managed to restrain him before police eventually arrived.

6:41And one of them, Luca Signorelli, described the moment when he tried to stop the suspect. I forced the car door open. The suspect left the car and while I was trying to help the woman whose legs had been amputated, he ran away. So I chased him and in the meantime, four or five other people followed me. He disappeared behind a row of cars and then came out with a knife in his hand. He was mumbling something, but he wasn't Italian. The suspect was eventually disarmed and handed over to police. And he has now been named, hasn't he? Yes, the driver has been named by Italian authorities and media as Salim El Khudri.

7:18He's a 31-year-old Italian citizen of Moroccan origin, born in Bergamo and living in the province of Modena. Officials say he holds a degree in business administration and is currently unemployed. They've also said that he had previously been known to local mental health services, including for what they described as schizoid disorders. He is now in custody and being questioned while investigators look at his recent movements, contacts and background. Anything on motive yet? Well, that is one of the central questions, Alex, but we don't know much at this stage. But the city's mayor, Massimo Mezzetti, said that the footage appears to show a deliberate act because the car seems to turn towards the pavement before hitting people.

8:00But investigators have not established a motive as of yet. Officials have also said that early checks did not show that he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of his arrest. Reports have also said that so far investigators have not found clear evidence of links to extremist groups, but they are still looking at all the possibilities. Carla Conti. On Thursday, five Italian scuba divers died while exploring an underwater cave in the Maldives, believed to be the worst single diving accident in the tiny Indian Ocean nation. A rescue team went in to find the missing bodies, but the search has now been suspended after one of the military divers involved in the operation, Mohamed Mahoudi, died.

8:42The government spokesman, Mohamed Hussain Sharif, told us what happened. He was rushed to the capital by seaplane about 15 minutes from where they were. But he was rushed here and taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed there while being given treatment. He's a staff sergeant, also a very popular young man, by the way. I knew him personally because he was also a very popular young sportsman in the country. He's a very popular basketball player. Our global affairs reporter Anbarasan Etibrajan has more details. A very unfortunate incident. For the last two days, the Maldivian government has been using different divers.

9:19And Maldives has a tradition of scuba diving. It attracts tourists from all around the world. But this seems to be one of those complicated operations. And one of the team members, when they sent about eight divers into the water, one of them did not come up again. So they went back into the water to find him. So Sergeant Mohamed Mahdi, he was lying unconscious in the water, deep in the water. So they had to bring him up and he was airlifted to the capital, Mali. And while he was undergoing treatment, unfortunately, he passed away. That was a big shock for the Maldivian team and the rescue team.

9:58And also it's a very small country. The news spreads very fast and people know each other very well. So it was a big shock for the rescue teams. and this has come in addition to the already very tragic situation. Let's hear a bit more about the cave and what might have gone wrong. Shafraz Naim is a former military diver from the Maldives who trained the rescue diver who died. He spoke to James Kumarasamy. I've dived that cave over 20, 30 times. It's massive, the entrance, the first chamber is very big and then there's this smaller tunnel, I'll call it, and then it goes into another big chamber, which is at around 70-75 metres.

10:38You can't be in there unless you're trained. What is your assessment of what might have gone wrong? Yeah, with the Italians, first of all, they were breaking the Maldives dive regulations, which is 30 metres maximum for recreational divers. And secondly, from what I've found out, they don't have a special permit to go and dive this deep or do any kind of a research in this cave. As far as I know from the information that I've gathered from my contacts there and also from the military and the police divers, they dived on a single tank of air. There needs to be extra tank, a single tank. They're not going to last long under that pressure.

11:20And somebody even told me that they were wearing long blade fins, which is like the free dive fins you see that free divers are using. Those fins can create a lot of, if you kick, a lot of silting in that area. maybe they must have got nitrogen narcosis at that all these factors tend to build up and become a big problem what about the response to this because you know your former colleague has died how do you feel about what has happened to this gentleman that you that you knew and trained it could have been avoided you know this shouldn't have been rushed i'm coordinating with a rescue team world-class recovery team from finland they will land in maldives tomorrow morning We know the five Italian divers are dead and now it's a recovery operation.

12:09Why risk the lives of other divers to recover the dead bodies? We could have waited for the proper rescue team that is going from Finland to arrive there. Shafraz Naim. Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest, with Dara's dance anthem Bangaranga coming out on top. It's unbelievable. I still don't know if this is a dream or reality. Either way, I love it and I enjoyed it and, you know, I'm still in shock, but it's the first time Bulgaria ever wins Eurovision and I'm so excited to welcome you all in Sofia next year. Dara topped both the public and the jury vote with her intricate choreography and catchy chorus.

12:51The 27-year-old told the BBC, Bangaranga means an inner feeling that everything will be all right and anything is possible. Well, that energy may have helped her clinch the trophy, as she initially wasn't even considered to be in the running. Our correspondent at the venue in Vienna, Nomiya Iqbal, told me it was a surprise win. It really was a nail-biter. It was, in the end, between Bulgaria and Israel. And I have to say, Bulgaria was a big surprise. I've been here all week, and we've been talking about favourites, bookmakers' favourites, and Bulgaria was never in the top five. I mean, there's lots of people that really love that song and including members of our team and when we were out and about, people were saying that they loved that song, but it wasn't seen as an actual favourite, although it did shoot up the betting odds after the singer performed earlier this evening.

13:46And so, yeah, they ran away with it, beating Israel, coming out number one. It looked like an amazing party, frankly. has Eurovision for its 70th birthday cemented its place at the heart of the music industry? Very, very good question and I'm not entirely sure look, Eurovision will always have some sort of place it's the world's biggest live music event the weather's not been great so you've not seen people out and about as much but you still get the costumes, the glitter, the flags all that kind of thing People really, really love Eurovision. I've spoken to people who tell me that this is their 20th year of coming to Eurovision.

14:31There's always some sort of politics with Eurovision, no matter how much Eurovision bosses like to say there aren't any politics. I think that has, in some ways, dented the fun around Eurovision. And just to remind the controversy is, of course, the fact that five countries aren't here, including Spain, one of the big four, one of the big financial backers of Eurovision. And that is because of the participation of Israel. They don't believe Israel should have been allowed into the competition due to the war in Gaza. And also they have expressed concerns about the Israeli government trying to influence the voting.

15:09Now, the rules were changed. And so basically juries were introduced for semifinals. Instead of people getting 20 votes, they got 10 votes. and also your voting was pinned to your credit card, where your credit card is from. So basically you cannot vote from the country that you're in. So they've introduced various mechanisms to try and make the voting all fair and above board. But it wasn't enough for a lot of those countries, and they believe that Israel should have been kicked out. So, you know, that led to the political controversy. But I have to say, when it came down to it today at the final, for a lot of the fans here and certainly the artists, they were very much trying to focus on the music.

15:52Normia Iqbal at Eurovision in Vienna. Still to come in this podcast, central London is split in two. Generally, people are here to show that they are fed up with discrimination against the British people. I'm just fed up with the rise of racism and terrible things happening around the world in the name of the far right. Our correspondents go to opposing protests a few streets away from each other.

16:29Moto Casino, America's social casino. Welcome to Moto Casino, where the excitement never ends. With thousands of the hottest free-to-play social casino games, fastest payouts, and the best promotions in the industry. No tricks or gimmicks. Owned and operated in the USA. Moto Casino is a free-to-play social casino. No purchase necessary. 21 plus to play. Void or prohibited. Sign up today for a generous welcome bonus. Moto Casino. America's social casino. Download the Moto Casino app today. The world is buzzing with AI tools, but instead of making things easier, they've made your workflow overwhelming.

17:05You're stuck copying and pasting, context switching, and juggling too many apps. There's now a better way that outsmarts the work chaos. Meet Superhuman, the AI productivity suite that gives you superpowers everywhere you work. With Grammarly, Mail, and Coda working together, you get proactive help across your workflow, from writing to preparing for meetings, presentations, and so much more. Think of Superhuman as your AI dream team, proactively helping you go from to-do to done faster. Superhuman knows what you might need and offers suggestions whether you're drafting emails, creating documents, or more.

17:41It guides you in the moment so you sound like your best self and stay focused on what matters. There are even specialized agents designed to collaborate seamlessly and amplify your impact. Unleash your superhuman potential today. Learn more at superhuman.com slash podcast. That's superhuman.com slash podcast. Spring is calling. Weddings, patio sessions, barbecues, and you want that drink vibe without sacrificing tomorrow. That's RK Zero Proof. As the world's first zero-proof spirits brand, And RK created the warm molecule, giving you the smooth kick of whiskey or tequila with zero alcohol, zero calories, zero sugar, and all the peace of mind you need to enjoy every moment.

18:25Step into the Zero Proof season at rkzeroproof.com. Spring is calling, weddings, patio sessions, barbecues, and you want that drink vibe without sacrificing tomorrow. That's RK Zero Proof As the world's first Zero Proof Spirits brand RK created the warm molecule Giving you the smooth kick of whiskey or tequila With zero alcohol Zero calories Zero sugar And all the peace of mind you need to enjoy every moment Step into the Zero Proof season At rkzeroproof.com

19:04This is the Global News Podcast Mass kidnappings have become a major security challenge in Nigeria in recent years, blamed on Boko Haram and other jihadist groups. But the latest attacks in northeastern Borno state have shaken the country, with some residents reportedly fleeing the area. Gunmen have abducted more than 50 children from three schools in the town of Musa, most of them toddlers. Our correspondent Chris Iwaka is following developments from Abuja. This is about the first time we are seeing a situation where toddlers, literally babies, are being abducted from school anywhere in Nigeria.

19:45I've spoken to some parents who told me how devastated they have been. I've also spoken to heads of schools who told me that some of the children who were taken between the age of two and five have reached out to the governor of Borno State. He is currently being briefed by security forces. We also understand that soldiers have been deployed. As a matter of fact, when the abduction happened, there was a distress call and soldiers tried to follow the kidnappers, but could fire at them because they were using the children as shield as they cut them away using motorcycles. We know that Boko Haram had been waging insurgency against the Nigerian state, but it also has a splinter group, which is the Islamic State West Africa province.

20:44But because the parents have told me that no one has gotten in touch with them, so they don't know which group is responsible at the moment. But in the past, Boko Haram militants have abducted people in 2014. Boko Haram invaded Chibok school and abducted nearly 300 schoolgirls. Most of them never found up till now. Chris Iwaka in Nigeria. The funeral has taken place in Gaza of the head of the armed wing of Hamas, one of the architects of the October 7th attacks. Iz al-Din al-Haddad was killed in an Israeli airstrike late on Friday. The BBC is not allowed to report freely from Gaza. Emir Nader sent this report from Jerusalem.

21:33The body of Iz al-Din al-Haddad was held aloft by mourners, alongside posters bearing his face. The 56-year-old had spent nearly four decades in Hamas, a long-time military commander and the de facto leader in Gaza as of last year. His wife and daughter are believed to have been killed alongside him. Haddad's assassination is being touted as a significant moment by Israeli officials. He's believed to have been one of the last living masterminds of the October 7th attacks. Following the strikes, the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, called the family of a former hostage who said Haddad had been her captor in Gaza.

22:06Israel believes he had used a number of hostages as human shields. In reality, Haddad's killing serves the cause of Israeli retribution more than being a strategic win. Hamas's positions have rarely been softened by more martyrs being made of their leaders. With eyes elsewhere, a grim stalemate has replaced Gaza's peace process. Israel continues to seize territory and is accused of ongoing restrictions of vital humanitarian aid, while the Israeli government says Hamas has so far failed to disarm. Haddad's death will do little to change this reality. Emir Nader. The fault lines in British society couldn't have been more stark on Saturday when two rival marches were held in London.

22:46Demonstrators were kept apart by a huge police operation involving around 4 ,000 officers to stop any violence between the protesters. One was in support of Palestinians. The other was called Unite the Kingdom March, which was led by the far-right anti-Islamic activist Tommy Robinson. He spent years campaigning against immigration to the UK and has been in prison several times. Tom Simons reports from the march. Unite the Kingdom is becoming a regular protest led by Tommy Robinson drawing together a range of voices and opinions on the right. Tens of thousands of marchers carried Union and England flags and declared themselves patriots and defenders of British culture.

23:28Many oppose immigration by asylum seekers and condemn the record of the current government. The Prime Minister's claim that the organisers were peddling hatred and division was met by expletives aimed directly at Sir Keir Starmer. Some said they had come because they felt that the white working class were being left behind in modern Britain. Generally people are here to show that they are fed up with discrimination against the British people to be honest with you. We're all here to take a stand for this country. This country has to come to us now because it's just falling apart. Every single one of us you see here is working class and we're all struggling and so the message is to get Starmer out, let's have change.

24:09No matter who it is, let's have change. Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, told the crowd from a stage in Parliament Square that this was a cultural movement. He called for a battle of Britain at the next election to remove the government from power. The other protest was held to mark Nakba Day, which Palestinians refer to as the catastrophe when 750 ,000 of them who were living in what is now Israel fled or forced from their homes between 1947 and 1949, when the Jewish state was established. Whilst Palestine was the main objective of the demonstration, it was also pro-immigration in direct contrast to the Unite the Kingdom march, which at one point was just a few streets away.

24:54Nick Johnson sent us this report. This annual march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign ended with a rally at which speakers called for the country to unite against racism and genocide. Pro-Palestine marches such as these have become more prominent in central London since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7th. But calls to ban them have grown, following several incidents of anti-Semitic hate crime around the UK. But these protesters say they're conveying an important message. I'm very worried about the rising tide of racism and fascism. I find that very worrying, the increase in attacks.

25:31and it seems that the establishment is making racism respectable again. I'm just fed up with the rise of racism and I can't believe in 2026 that we're having these discussions at the moment. We see terrible things happening around the world in the name of the far right and it just makes me sick. Police indicated they would take swift action against chants or placards which breached hate crime laws. We witnessed two arrests and in both cases those apprehended told us they'd been held for allegedly refusing to remove a face covering when asked. The Metropolitan Police, supported by other forces from around the country, used the geography of central London to ensure this protest was kept separate from the parallel Unite the Kingdom rally.

26:18Nick Johnson and the police said there were 43 arrests at the two protests in London. Away from the protests, it's been a big day for football here in Britain. Hearts have been broken in Scotland. More on that in a moment. But first to Wembley, where Manchester City came out on top against Chelsea in Saturday's FA Cup final. The BBC's Lee James was at the home of football and told Anko Desai about yet another trophy for Pep Guardiola. His 20th major title success since he moved to Manchester City. This was a tight and tense final and it took a moment of quality to settle it from Ghana international Antoine Semenyo.

27:02Scoring in the 1-0 win, a 72nd minute back heel flick that really was so superb. One of the great cup final goals which deservedly won it for Manchester City. Chelsea did produce one of their best performances in recent months. They came close and had opportunities as well but ultimately it was about Semenyo. He said afterwards that everything happened so fast it came straight to me. I had to improvise myself as quickly as I can, deservedly scoring. The goal then, yes, has given Pep Guardiola another trophy. Of course, the speculation is whether this will be the final cup trophy. It may well be a Premier League title down the line.