Alex Ritson

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This edition was mixed by Rebecca Miller and the producer was Muzaffar Shakir.

The editor is Karen Martin.

I'm Alex Ritz and until next time, goodbye.

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This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Alex Ritson, and at 16 Hours GMT on Thursday 18th December, these are our main stories.

EU leaders are told to choose between money today and blood tomorrow as they debate giving frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.

We visit one of Ukraine's secret weapons factories, now said to be making half of the arms used on the front line.

Australia marks the funeral of the youngest Bondi beach attack victim, 10-year-old Matilda.

also in this podcast.

Hello and welcome to the FIFA 23 reveal trailer.

Football's world governing body, FIFA, partners with Netflix for a return to the world of video gaming.

Belgium, where most of Moscow's $245 billion worth of assets, opposes the move.

And Belgium isn't alone.

Italy and Slovakia also expressed their doubts.

Shortly before the meeting began, Hungary's leader Viktor Orban, who's very close to Russia's Vladimir Putin, gave his thoughts on the proposal.

France and Poland led calls to hand the money over to boost Ukrainian resistance.

President Emmanuel Macron of France shared his thoughts as he entered the talks.