Confusion over second round of Iran-US talks

Confusion over second round of Iran-US talks

Author: BBC World Service April 21, 2026 Duration: 47:30

Confusion surrounds the second round of talks scheduled in Pakistan between US and Iranian officials.

Also in the programme: We speak to Arab Barghouti, son of the prominent Palestinian prisoner, Marwan Barghouti. In 2004 an Israeli court found Marwan Barghouti guilty of five counts of murder as well as membership of a terrorist organisation. The court found there was insufficient evidence connecting him to  21 other deaths on the original indictment. He is currently serving five consecutive life sentences in an Israeli prison. Opinion polls indicate that despite his imprisonment, Barghouti is the most popular Palestinian leader. He remains a member of the Fatah Central Committee.

We also hear about the immunotherapy that could save cancer patients; and comparisons between the King of Horror, Stephen King and Shakespeare.

Photograph: Pakistani security officers outside Islamabad's Red Zone, where most diplomatic missions are based. Credit: Shutterstock


Each day, the team at the BBC World Service brings the world into focus with Newshour. This isn't just a summary of headlines; it's a deep, considered exploration of the events shaping our moment, built on the BBC's global network of correspondents and reporters. You'll hear from the people making the news and those affected by it, with conversations that provide essential context and challenge assumptions. The analysis goes beyond the surface, unpacking the political, social, and human dimensions of stories from every continent. Tuning into this daily podcast means joining a thorough, informed examination of international affairs, where complex issues are given the time and clarity they demand. It's a reliable, authoritative source for anyone looking to understand not just what is happening around the globe, but why it matters. The pace and depth are designed for listeners who want to move past the soundbite and grasp the interconnected narratives defining our time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 75

Newshour
Podcast Episodes
Spain evacuates virus-hit ship in Tenerife [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:23
The passengers of a cruise ship at the centre of a deadly hantavirus outbreak have started leaving the vessel off the Spanish island of Tenerife. Five people were seen boarding a small boat, socially distanced from each…
Race to trace potential hantavirus carriers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:17
Eight cases connected to the cruise ship have been identified, but authorities fear that the dozens of passengers who disembarked on St Helena two weeks ago could be carriers of the virus. The World Health Organisation,…
Hantavirus strain 'can be passed between humans' - health officials [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:10
The World Health Organisation has confirmed that the strain of hantavirus that's killed three people on board a cruise ship from Argentina can be passed between humans.The ship, currently off Cape Verde, is sailing to th…
Iran says US has responded to its latest peace proposal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:53
Iran says US has responded to its latest peace proposal. Iran says President Trump must now choose between an impossible military operation and a bad deal if he wants to end the war. We hear from the brother of the jaile…
Jailed Iranian Nobel laureate hospitalized [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:58
The Nobel Peace Prize Committee has urged the Iranian authorities to release the jailed human rights campaigner, Narges Mohammadi, to her dedicated medical team. Her health has deteriorated sharply and she has been moved…
Republican concerns over US troop withdrawal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:28
The Republican chairmen of the US congressional armed services committees have said they're very concerned about the Pentagon's decision to withdraw five thousand troops from Germany. Senator Roger Wicker and Representat…
US withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:29
The US says it will withdraw five thousand of its troops from Germany, as a rift widens between the two countries over the war in Iran. The German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, says Washington’s decision was foresee…
Risk of global food shortage from Iran War [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:26
The interruption to supplies of fertiliser and its key ingredients due to the war in Iran could cost up to 10 billion meals a week globally and will hit poorest countries hardest, according to the boss of one of the worl…
Warnings that Iran war risks global food crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:30
The head of one of the world's biggest fertiliser manufacturers has warned that the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz - as a result of the war on Iran - could cost the world up to ten billion meals a week. Svein…
Blockade of Hormuz is strangling global economy, UN chief says [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:29
The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is strangling the global economy. He said that even if the restrictions were lifted immediately, supply chains would take months to…