Couples looking for surrogates still going to Ukraine

Couples looking for surrogates still going to Ukraine

Author: BBC World Service May 7, 2026 Duration: 29:54

For years, Ukraine has been one of the world’s leading hubs for commercial surrogacy - attracting couples from around the world with lower costs and more relaxed laws. Despite Russia’s full-scale invasion, the industry has continued to operate. But now, a proposed law being debated in Ukraine’s parliament could ban surrogacy for foreign parents. Also: Rumours are swirling that a US-Iran deal could be close. Scientists have verified the existence of the second largest tsunami ever. CNN's founder Ted Turner has died. And a robot has become a Buddhist monk.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk


Staying informed means navigating a constant stream of events, and the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service provides a grounded, thorough digest of that flow. This isn't just a headline service; it's a twice-daily briefing that situates you within the day's most pressing stories, particularly focusing on complex, unfolding situations. Right now, that means dedicated coverage from across the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and the Gulf states, offering clarity on regional dynamics and their global implications. Alongside that essential regional focus, the podcast consistently pulls back for a wider lens, bringing reports and context from every corner of the world. What you'll hear is the BBC's signature blend of on-the-ground reporting and measured expert analysis, all designed to build understanding rather than just summarize events. For a reliable, in-depth audio briefing that updates each weekday morning and evening, this podcast delivers a comprehensive picture of our world as it happens.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Global News Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Hegseth claims 'historic battlefield victory' over Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:25
As a fragile ceasefire begins, both the United States and Iran claim victory. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says Iran will no longer enrich uranium, and that Operation Epic Fury has destroyed Tehran's ability to buil…
The US, Israel and Iran announce two-week ceasefire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:08
Iran and the US have announced a two-week ceasefire which includes the reoping of the Strait of Hormuz and safe passage for ships. Peace talks will continue between the US and Iran in Islamabad on Friday. We have reactio…
Trump warns Iran 'whole civilisation will die tonight' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:21
President Trump has warned that "a whole civilisation will die tonight", as his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approaches. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have said they'll retaliate beyond the Middle East,…
Artemis II astronauts fly around the Moon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:56
The Artemis II astronauts have travelled farther from Earth than any human in history and successfully looped around the far side of the Moon. The NASA crew is now on its way back home after taking photographs of the lun…
Intelligence chief of Iranian Revolutionary Guard killed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:47
The intelligence chief of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards Corps, general Majid Khademi, has been killed in a US-Israeli air strike. An Iranian statement said he'd been "martyred" in an attack at dawn. His unit had b…
Trump extends Iran's deadline to open Strait of Hormuz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:00
Donald Trump has changed the deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to Tuesday, and threatened to bomb Iran's bridges and power plants if his demands are ignored. Tehran has dismissed the warnings as "nonsens…
US gives Iran 48 hours to make deal or open Strait of Hormuz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:56
President Trump has given Iran 48 hours to make a deal or open up the Strait of Hormuz - an ultimatum Tehran has rejected. Both countries are trading threats to unleash "hell" as the search continues for a missing Americ…
The Happy Pod: The decades long wait for the World Cup [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:35
We now know the 48 nations that will be competing in the summer's FIFA World Cup. The final two sides to qualify - Iraq and the DRC - have each waited decades to return to the competition. We hear from jubilant fans of b…
US in desperate search for missing aviator in Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:49
American forces are searching for a missing crew member after a US fighter jet was downed in Iran. Iranian state media says Iran's security forces are also looking for the aviator. Iran is also claiming to have shot down…
Iran says it has shot down US fighter jet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:50
Iran says it has shot down a US fighter jet over the west of the country. Iranian state media has published pictures and videos purporting to show parts of the downed plane and one of the ejector seats. American aircraft…