Israeli media has reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled secretly to the United Arab Emirates to meet President Mohammed bin Zayed on Sunday.

The news comes amid an uproar over an earlier report that the UAE leader had warned Mr Netanyahu that Hamas was planning a major operation shortly before the attacks of 7th of October, 2023 – something Mr Netanyahu has denied.

Israeli media has said that he visited President bin Zayed to ask him to deny the report as well.

Also in the Global News Podcast:

04:23 The BBC reports from the front lines of the conflict in Yemen, as Iran-backed Houthis clash with Saudi-backed government forces

10:18 Unproven claims of sexual assault lead to violent protests at an Indian university

12:55 Bangkok is declared a flood disaster zone

14:29 Was a foreign power behind an alleged plot to blow up RAF Fairford – a British air base used by the US?

The Global News Podcast brings you the best of the BBC’s news coverage and analysis from around the world. You can watch us on YouTube every weekday – and find the audio version here: https://link.mgln.ai/GNP-YT

If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk.

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Tit-for-tat strikes have continued in Yemen between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and pro-government forces aligned to Saudi Arabia.

It comes after a series of military advances by the Houthis, which threaten Saudi oil production.

Those significant territorial gains along the western coast in recent days, including taking Perim Island, a key strategic point next to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, could give the Houthis a possible stronger hold over the strategic waterway.

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The UK government is facing political pressure over shortages of protective clothing and other protective equipment for frontline health and care workers. Ministers have denied claims that they had refused to take part in an EU scheme to secure supplies of the equipment, for political reasons.

Ministers are also facing difficult questions over the number of tests being carried out on people for coronavirus. Its target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April is widely regarded as unrealistic, with current testing levels a fraction of that figure.

Huw Edwards presents BBC News at Ten reports from Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg and Health Editor Hugh Pym.

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UN human rights experts say there are reasonable grounds to believe the US committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran that killed at least 177 civilians.

A new report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, said February’s missile strikes on a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd constituted indiscriminate attacks causing civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure.

There was no immediate comment from the US. It has previously denied striking Lamerd and said it is investigating what happened in Minab.

The experts also found Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during a crackdown on mass anti-government protests in January.

Iran has also not yet commented on the findings, but it has previously rejected allegations of systematic violations of human rights.

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After years spent sheltering from the public gaze, Hunter Biden re-entered the mainstream consciousness last summer via a surprise YouTube appearance alongside prominent alternative media figure Andrew Callaghan. The interview went viral, and ever since the embattled son of former president Joe Biden has seen his online reputation soar.

On this episode, Matt and Marianna track Biden Jr’s journey from ridicule to redemption, and ask whether he has fumbled that newly found following with a dubious crypto enterprise, an all-too-familiar fall from grace in the age of the internet.

Also this week, actor Channing Tatum has denied he is behind an Instagram ‘burner’ account which was critical of his ex-partners, despite being its only follower.

Sleuths had discovered comments across several posts which appeared to support him while calling out Jenna Dewan, Zoe Kravitz and others.

We discuss the broader phenomenon of anonymous celeb-run accounts, examples of identities being uncovered, and the psychology of lurking online.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea.

0:00 Introduction
1:00 PART 1: Hunter Biden, The laptop saga and Twitter
4:02 Elon Musk and Twitter files
6:06 Memeification and public image
8:50 Vulnerability and resurrection
14:04 The crypto controversy
17:15 The nature of online influence
19:22 PART 2: Channing Tatum and burners
22:16 The truth about burner accounts
27:47 Distrusting the comments

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