International
BBC World Service to cut 130 roles to save £6m in 2025/26
As part of the changes the BBC would decommission eight podcasts and radio programmes: Africa Daily, The Forum, The Cultural Frontline, The Explanation, Business Matters… and Over to You.
BBC World Service will cut a net 130 jobs, including in the UK, as it battles to save £6m in the year ahead.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced an extra £32.6m for the BBC World Service for 2025/26 in November.
But the BBC said that despite this “welcome uplift”, previous licence-fee freezes, global inflation “and the need for ongoing digital and technological upkeep have meant savings are necessary”.
It added that it is competing against international news organisations with much bigger budgets meaning “increased competition for staff, platforms and frequencies, and audiences”.
The £6m savings needed for the next financial year will largely be met by the net reduction of 130 roles.
The BBC said these will include closing posts across the BBC World Service in the UK and internationally and in BBC Monitoring, which reports and analyses news from around the world and will also see a reinvestment “in strategically important skills”.
There will also be “changes to the commissioning mix” on World Service English and a reshaping of some World Service Language teams to become more digitally-focused.
According to the National Union of Journalists, the BBC aims to meet its targets for the cuts through voluntary redundancies wherever possible.
BBC World Service English controller John Zilkha wrote in an email to staff that as part of the changes the BBC would decommission eight podcasts and radio programmes: Africa Daily, The Forum, The Cultural Frontline, The Explanation, Business Matters, the 1530 World Business Report, Pick of The World and Over to You.
Another show, Science in Action, will be closed and replaced with Inside Science. Zilkha said a new monthly audience feedback programme will be commissioned.
Jonathan Munro, global director and deputy chief executive of BBC News, said: “While the result of the latest grant-in-aid funding settlement means we are able to maintain all of our existing language services, we were clear it would not stave off difficult decisions in order to remain globally competitive and meet our savings requirements.
“These changes will ensure we operate effectively with the resource we have, creating the most impact for audiences internationally.”
The BBC said its commitment to high-quality journalism across its 42 language services is “undiminished”.
NUJ general secretary Laura Davison said the plans are “yet another blow to journalists at the BBC.
Proposals will see the loss of talented and experienced journalists committed to the unrivalled journalism produced by the World Service and relied upon by countries globally.
“The freezing of the licence fee has had a profound impact still felt acutely today; we need a commitment from government to provide long-term sustainable funding that allows the provision by teams including over 40 language services to thrive.
“It is wrong journalists are once more bearing the brunt of changes at a time when the BBC’s journalism and soft power is needed more than ever. As we support members impacted by cuts, we urge the BBC to engage meaningfully with us to do all it can to protect jobs.”
The BBC joins several UK and US broadcasters announcing job cuts in January including CNN, NBC News and London Live. Other news organisations cutting roles include the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Dotdash Meredith, Huffpost and DC Thomson.
The last round of cuts affecting journalists at the BBC was announced in October, with 185 jobs expected to go across the news and current affairs department including through the end of the interview programme Hardtalk, tech show Click and the Asian Network’s bespoke news service.
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International
Trump orders Iran to open Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday or face ‘hell’
The president threatened to bomb the country’s power plants and bridges.Trump subsequently posted “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” without further explanation.
President Donald Trump gave Iran until Tuesday to open the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants.
Consequently, U.S. crude oil futures for May pared earlier gains to rise 0.5% at $112.08 per barrel at 9:28 p.m. ET. International benchmark Brent prices for June delivery also scaled back to 1.3%, trading at $110.47 per barrel.
Trump gave the warning on Sunday in an expletive-filled social media post that Iran would be “living in Hell” if they do not open the Strait.
The president threatened to bomb the country’s power plants and bridges.Trump subsequently posted “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” without further explanation.
Iran has effectively kept the Strait closed through attacks on oil tankers.
The sea route connects the Persian Gulf to world markets. About 20% of global supplies passed through the Strait before the war.
The closure of the Strait has triggered the largest oil supply disruption in history. Crude, jet fuel, diesel and gasoline prices have surged since the war started.
Crime
Vietnam Police Dismantle Multi-Billion Dollar Cryptocurrency Fraud Operation
Vietnamese authorities have busted what officials describe as one of the country’s largest cryptocurrency scams, arresting key suspects in a multi-billion dollar Ponzi-style scheme that allegedly defrauded thousands of investors both domestically and overseas.
The operation, centered around a fraudulent digital token known as Paynet Coin (PAYN), was dismantled by police in Phu Tho province in August 2025. Authorities charged at least 20 individuals, including the alleged ringleader, Nguyen Van Ha, a 45-year-old entrepreneur and founder linked to the Hahalolo platform.
According to reports from local state media, including Công an Nhân dân, the suspects operated an illegal multi-level marketing (MLM) network disguised as a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform.
Victims were lured with promises of high returns through the Paynet Coin scheme, which authorities labeled as the biggest crypto fraud uncovered in Vietnam to date. The operation reportedly spanned multiple provinces and attracted investors from abroad.
Police seized evidence related to the scheme and charged the suspects with fraud and organizing illegal MLM activities. Estimates of the total scale have varied in reports, with some describing losses in the billions of dollars, though exact figures for victim losses and assets recovered have not been fully disclosed publicly.
This bust is part of a broader crackdown on cryptocurrency-related crimes in Vietnam, where digital asset trading has grown rapidly in recent years but has also attracted scammers exploiting regulatory gaps.
Other recent cases include arrests tied to platforms like ONUS and HanaGold for alleged price manipulation, as well as smaller scams involving fake exchanges and investment schemes totaling millions of dollars.
Vietnamese law enforcement has intensified efforts against online fraud, Ponzi schemes, and unlicensed crypto operations amid a surge in investor complaints. Officials have warned the public to exercise caution with high-yield crypto investments promising unrealistic returns.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities urging additional victims to come forward. This case highlights the risks in Vietnam’s booming but largely unregulated crypto market, where millions of citizens hold digital assets.
No further details on trial dates or additional arrests have been released as of the latest reports.
International
Two Pilots Killed, Dozens Injured After Air Canada Jet Collides with Fire Truck
Two pilots were killed and at least 41 people were hospitalized after an Air Canada regional jet struck a Port Authority fire truck on a runway at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, officials said.
The incident occurred around 11:40 p.m. on March 22, 2026, when Air Canada Flight 8646 — operated by Jazz Aviation as an Air Canada Express service — was landing after departing from Montreal.
The Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, collided with the airport’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle, which was crossing the runway in response to a separate incident.
Both the captain, identified as 30-year-old Antoine Forest, and the first officer, Mackenzie Gunther, died in the crash. The impact heavily damaged the cockpit area of the jet.
At least 41 passengers and crew were transported to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious, while additional people were treated at the scene. Two Port Authority workers in the fire truck were also reported injured.
Passengers described the collision as sudden and violent, with some crediting the pilots’ actions for helping mitigate a worse outcome.
CCTV and other video footage captured the moments leading up to and during the collision, showing the aircraft striking the emergency vehicle. Air traffic control audio reportedly included urgent calls of “Stop, truck 1. Stop” just before impact.
LaGuardia Airport was temporarily closed following the crash, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations across the New York area. It reopened on Monday at reduced capacity as investigators continued their work on the scene.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), along with Canadian aviation authorities and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, have launched a full investigation into the runway incursion and collision.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire truck had been cleared to cross the active runway.
Air Canada expressed condolences to the families of the deceased pilots and said it is cooperating fully with investigators.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic event,” the airline stated. This marks a rare fatal ground collision at a major U.S. airport in recent years, raising fresh questions about runway safety protocols and vehicle movements during active landings.
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