Jackie Leonard

The UK Trade Minister Douglas Alexander said he found the exchanges in the Oval Office deeply troubling and sobering, adding that the world was in uncharted waters. Our correspondent Rob Watson told us more.

There's been a lot of diplomacy going on this week at the White House. What do you think the international reaction to this is going to be?

There's been a lot of diplomacy going on this week at the White House. What do you think the international reaction to this is going to be?

That was Rob Watson. And there has been a statement from Downing Street. A spokeswoman said that the British Prime Minister has tonight spoken to both President Trump and President Zelensky. He retains unwavering support for Ukraine and is doing all he can to find a path towards a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine.

That was Rob Watson. And there has been a statement from Downing Street. A spokeswoman said that the British Prime Minister has tonight spoken to both President Trump and President Zelensky. He retains unwavering support for Ukraine and is doing all he can to find a path towards a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine.

The Prime Minister looks forward to hosting international leaders on Sunday, including President Zelensky. The Vatican says Pope Francis has suffered what they called an isolated breathing crisis and received medical assistance to help him breathe. The 88-year-old has been in hospital with pneumonia for two weeks. Claire Gengrave is the Vatican reporter for the Religion News Service.

The Prime Minister looks forward to hosting international leaders on Sunday, including President Zelensky. The Vatican says Pope Francis has suffered what they called an isolated breathing crisis and received medical assistance to help him breathe. The 88-year-old has been in hospital with pneumonia for two weeks. Claire Gengrave is the Vatican reporter for the Religion News Service.

She spoke to Julian Marshall.

She spoke to Julian Marshall.

Claire Gengrave, Vatican reporter for the Religion News Service, and she was talking to Julian Marshall. It was the first major player of its kind, and now Skype will hang up for the last time in May. The owner, Microsoft, said that the move is to focus on its Teams software. Stephanie Prentice has this report.

Claire Gengrave, Vatican reporter for the Religion News Service, and she was talking to Julian Marshall. It was the first major player of its kind, and now Skype will hang up for the last time in May. The owner, Microsoft, said that the move is to focus on its Teams software. Stephanie Prentice has this report.

Still to come in this podcast... The Gen Z bell ringers, keeping an ancient tradition alive. The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has urged the US and other governments to review their decisions to cut funding for international aid. Mr Guterres said cuts to the main overseas aid agency, USAID, would harm the United States' own interests.

Still to come in this podcast... The Gen Z bell ringers, keeping an ancient tradition alive. The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has urged the US and other governments to review their decisions to cut funding for international aid. Mr Guterres said cuts to the main overseas aid agency, USAID, would harm the United States' own interests.

The head of the Africa Centre for Disease Control, Jean Kaseya, has warned that pandemics originating from Africa would be harder to contain with less support from the West. HIV programmes funded by USAID are closing down following the termination of their grants by the new US administration. Our Africa correspondent Mayani Jones reports.

The head of the Africa Centre for Disease Control, Jean Kaseya, has warned that pandemics originating from Africa would be harder to contain with less support from the West. HIV programmes funded by USAID are closing down following the termination of their grants by the new US administration. Our Africa correspondent Mayani Jones reports.

That was Mayani Jones. The ancient practice of bell ringing is being given a boost by Italian Gen Zers. That's late teens and twenties if you don't follow these things. Italy has a centuries-old tradition of manual bell ringing with different regions sometimes having their own distinctive style.

That was Mayani Jones. The ancient practice of bell ringing is being given a boost by Italian Gen Zers. That's late teens and twenties if you don't follow these things. Italy has a centuries-old tradition of manual bell ringing with different regions sometimes having their own distinctive style.

One of them is the Ambrosian technique and a group of young bell ringers is determined to keep it alive. Carla Conti reports.

One of them is the Ambrosian technique and a group of young bell ringers is determined to keep it alive. Carla Conti reports.

That was Carla Conti. Soundtrack to a coup d'etat is one of five films nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary at the ceremony this weekend. It looks at American and Belgian involvement in the politics of the Congo at the end of the colonial era in the early 1960s. And unusually, it relies heavily on jazz music to tell that story. Vincent Dowd has been speaking to the film's producer.