Rachel Wright

James Landau. Still to come in this podcast, we hear from the founder of an Afghan all-girl robotics team as a film about them is released in cinemas.

150,000 tonnes of Japanese rice are to be auctioned off in the coming days in an attempt to drive down the price of the commodity, which has doubled in the past year. The Japanese government is asking for bids for some of its emergency stockpile. I asked our East Asia regional editor, Mickey Bristow, how the prices had got so high.

150,000 tonnes of Japanese rice are to be auctioned off in the coming days in an attempt to drive down the price of the commodity, which has doubled in the past year. The Japanese government is asking for bids for some of its emergency stockpile. I asked our East Asia regional editor, Mickey Bristow, how the prices had got so high.

And so how will that help, do you think? And will it help?

And so how will that help, do you think? And will it help?

As we record this podcast, a major search and rescue operation is underway off the coast of England in the North Sea. An American-registered tanker and a container ship sailing under a Portuguese flag have collided and the tanker is reported to be on fire. A number of people are believed to have abandoned ship. The Coast Guard and Sea Rescue Services are involved in an ongoing operation.

As we record this podcast, a major search and rescue operation is underway off the coast of England in the North Sea. An American-registered tanker and a container ship sailing under a Portuguese flag have collided and the tanker is reported to be on fire. A number of people are believed to have abandoned ship. The Coast Guard and Sea Rescue Services are involved in an ongoing operation.

Our reporter Phil McCain told us what the Coast Guard is saying about the incident.

Our reporter Phil McCain told us what the Coast Guard is saying about the incident.

And we've just heard that the chief executive of StenaBulk, which co-owns the oil tanker, has confirmed that all its crew are accounted for and safe. Two weeks ago, cyber hackers working for North Korea carried out the largest theft in history when they stole $1.5 billion worth of digital currency from the crypto company Bybit.

And we've just heard that the chief executive of StenaBulk, which co-owns the oil tanker, has confirmed that all its crew are accounted for and safe. Two weeks ago, cyber hackers working for North Korea carried out the largest theft in history when they stole $1.5 billion worth of digital currency from the crypto company Bybit.

Since then, the hackers known as the Lazarus Group have successfully cashed out at least $300 million of their stolen gains. The group is accused of a litany of huge hacks, allegedly to make money for North Korea's weapons programme. Our cyber correspondent Joe Tidy reports on how the hackers managed to pull off the heist.

Since then, the hackers known as the Lazarus Group have successfully cashed out at least $300 million of their stolen gains. The group is accused of a litany of huge hacks, allegedly to make money for North Korea's weapons programme. Our cyber correspondent Joe Tidy reports on how the hackers managed to pull off the heist.

Joe Tidy reporting. A new study into drone warfare in Africa has found that nearly a thousand civilians have been killed and hundreds more injured in drone attacks in the past three years. Richard Howells reports.

Joe Tidy reporting. A new study into drone warfare in Africa has found that nearly a thousand civilians have been killed and hundreds more injured in drone attacks in the past three years. Richard Howells reports.

Richard Howells. A film based on an all-girl robotics team from Afghanistan has hit the big screen. Rule Breakers follows Roya Mahbub's journey as she sets up the group which designs and creates robots in a country where educating girls is seen as rebellion.

Richard Howells. A film based on an all-girl robotics team from Afghanistan has hit the big screen. Rule Breakers follows Roya Mahbub's journey as she sets up the group which designs and creates robots in a country where educating girls is seen as rebellion.

Roya Mahbub is both the subject and executive producer of Rule Breakers. Production of the film started in 2019, two years before the Taliban took power in Afghanistan and dismantled hard-fought gains in equality. Roya helped evacuate the girls' robotics team in 2021 and now they're studying at university. She said the message of the film was more important than ever.

Roya Mahbub is both the subject and executive producer of Rule Breakers. Production of the film started in 2019, two years before the Taliban took power in Afghanistan and dismantled hard-fought gains in equality. Roya helped evacuate the girls' robotics team in 2021 and now they're studying at university. She said the message of the film was more important than ever.

Filmmaker Roya Mahbub. And that's all from us for now, but there will be a new edition of the Global News Podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or the topics covered in it, you can send us an email. And remember, we are looking for questions on the future of Ukraine. The address is globalpodcast at bbc.co.uk. You can also find us on X at BBC World Service.