Nick Miles

Henning Fentzelau. The Bantu peoples and their languages are spread across vast areas of Western, Central and Southern Africa. On his new album, Hymns of Bantu, the South African cellist, singer and composer Abel Salauchwe pays tribute to both his Bantu roots and the Western classical music he studied. The album brings together sounds as diverse as throat singing and bark.

Abel's been speaking to the BBC's Martin Venard.

Abel's been speaking to the BBC's Martin Venard.

Martin Venard reporting. Thank you.

Martin Venard reporting. Thank you.

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Nick Miles and in the early hours of Friday the 14th of February, these are our main stories. The head of NATO has appealed for the West to stay united as a rift opens up between Europe and the United States on peace negotiations about Ukraine.

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Nick Miles and in the early hours of Friday the 14th of February, these are our main stories. The head of NATO has appealed for the West to stay united as a rift opens up between Europe and the United States on peace negotiations about Ukraine.

Days ahead of German elections, the man tipped to be the country's next leader has said things must change after an asylum seeker drove a car into a crowd of people. Riot police in Tehran have prevented a protest demanding the release of people still under house arrest 13 years after they disputed an election result.

Days ahead of German elections, the man tipped to be the country's next leader has said things must change after an asylum seeker drove a car into a crowd of people. Riot police in Tehran have prevented a protest demanding the release of people still under house arrest 13 years after they disputed an election result.

We hear some unusual advice for Valentine's Day. How will the war in Ukraine end and at what cost to Kiev? That is the question dominating the minds of politicians and diplomats across Europe and beyond.

We hear some unusual advice for Valentine's Day. How will the war in Ukraine end and at what cost to Kiev? That is the question dominating the minds of politicians and diplomats across Europe and beyond.

After Donald Trump's conversation with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, speaking to reporters a day later in the Oval Office, President Trump was asked if he believed his Russian counterpart wanted peace.

After Donald Trump's conversation with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, speaking to reporters a day later in the Oval Office, President Trump was asked if he believed his Russian counterpart wanted peace.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaya Callas, has accused President Trump of appeasing Russia over Ukraine. She insisted that European states and Ukraine itself must be part of any peace talks.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaya Callas, has accused President Trump of appeasing Russia over Ukraine. She insisted that European states and Ukraine itself must be part of any peace talks.

US officials have already said Ukraine can't expect to get all its territory back or be allowed to join NATO. But speaking after a NATO meeting in Brussels, the US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, said this didn't amount to a concession to the Russian president.

US officials have already said Ukraine can't expect to get all its territory back or be allowed to join NATO. But speaking after a NATO meeting in Brussels, the US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, said this didn't amount to a concession to the Russian president.

The German defence minister did, though, call it regrettable that Washington was already making concessions, in his words, to the Kremlin. Jonathan Beale is our defence correspondent in Brussels, where he asked the head of NATO, Mark Rutter, if he agreed with that.

The German defence minister did, though, call it regrettable that Washington was already making concessions, in his words, to the Kremlin. Jonathan Beale is our defence correspondent in Brussels, where he asked the head of NATO, Mark Rutter, if he agreed with that.

Yes, certain individual European politicians, as we've heard, are more forthright than NATO over their concerns. Why is that, do you think? Is NATO in some way cowed by Donald Trump?