Charlotte Gallagher

The company says it has more than 100 million users there, but the Russian authorities have confirmed today that they're blocking it.

Critics say the move is aimed at pushing its users onto a state-owned app, which is seen as less secure.

Olga Ifshina from BBC Russian has been telling us what the Kremlin says are the reasons for its decision.

So is there a reluctance from a lot of Russians to join this state-backed platform?

They want to use other ones that they see as more independent.

And is there a feeling that since the start of the Ukraine war, people's internet use in Russia is being more surveilled?

Olga Ivshina from BBC Russian.

The actions and the friends of the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein continue to make headlines around the world.

We've also been hearing from one of his many victims.

Juliet Bryant, who's a former model from South Africa, was groomed and abused by Epstein from 2002 to 2004.

She says if the British royal family are concerned for his victims, they should take action by helping to search the emails of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who lost his royal titles over his relationship with Epstein.

She's been speaking to the BBC's Mayenne Jones.

Mayani Jones reporting from South Africa.

Still to come in this podcast, we remember the life and career of Dawson's Creek star, James Van Der Beek.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has never officially confirmed how many children he has.

But since 2022, a young daughter has been seen attending public events like banquets and missile launches.

Now, South Korea's intelligence agency says that daughter, believed to be 13 or 14 years old, has been selected as his heir and is in the process of becoming the country's next leader.

Our correspondent in Seoul, Jake Kwon, told me more.

Jake Wan reporting from Seoul.

In Madagascar, more than 35 people have died after a tropical cyclone with winds of 250 kilometres per hour hit the island nation.