Ukraine is considered a global hub for surrogate pregnancy. Four years after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, people from all over the world still pay thousands of dollars for Ukrainian women to have babies for them.

But Ukraine’s parliament is now considering a bill that would introduce stricter oversight of the surrogacy industry and effectively ban access to foreigners, who make up 95% of the intended parents.

The BBC’s global health reporter Sofia Bettiza has been speaking to surrogate mothers, and the families who hire them, about the ethical questions surrounding surrogacy, how the industry currently works, and the impact the proposed law could have.

She also tells us what happens when children born to a surrogate are left behind by their intended parents.

New episodes of the Global News Podcast are published twice a day. You can listen here: https://link.mgln.ai/GNP-YT

And you can find more of our Youtube episodes here: https://bbc.in/GlobalNewsPodcast

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00:00 Intro
01:43 Why Ukraine wants to restrict surrogacy
02:40 One surrogate mother’s story
04:20 How much do surrogates make?
07:08 Waiting for a baby in a war zone
08:15 Children left behind
10:28 What would a crackdown mean for surrogates?

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It has been a year since billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk left his informal position in President Trump’s White House in May 2025.

But behind the scenes, Musk has been busy.

Musk has spent the last few weeks in a California courtroom, where he is suing his former business partner, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

In January, Musk applied for permission with the US government to launch a million satellites into orbit, some of which he says will serve as solar AI data centres. And he is preparing to take his company SpaceX public, with an estimated valuation of over $1 trillion.

Though his political presence has waned, is it possible that Elon Musk is more powerful than ever?

We speak to the BBC’s North America technology correspondent Lily Jamali about what the world’s richest man has been up to since leaving the White House.

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For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:24 Why is Elon Musk suing Open AI’s Sam Altman?
03:50 What does Elon Musk want from the court case?
10:03 Why was Elon Musk summoned to court in France?
12:37 What is Elon Musk’s Starlink and why is it important?
18:24 How Starlink has become so important during wars
23:30 The race to populate space
24:55 Is Elon Musk more powerful than ever?

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Five cases of hantavirus have now been confirmed in relation to an outbreak on a cruise ship, the World Health Organization …

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Three people have died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, according to the …

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Some self-described infant sleep experts are giving advice that could put babies at risk of serious harm and even death, medical professionals have told a BBC investigation.

We secretly filmed one of them advising our reporter to put a newborn to sleep on its front, a practice proven to significantly increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, (Sids).

The NHS advises to “always place your baby on their back to sleep” in their own sleep space, like a cot, for the first 12 months to reduce the risk of Sids. The mattress should be firm, flat and waterproof.

A second self-defined expert recommended placing towels in the infant’s cot – a practice The Lullaby Trust, a baby safety charity, says also increases the risk of Sids and “accidental death”.

Medical professionals who watched our undercover footage said moments had left them feeling “sick” and “horrified”.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

Reporter: Divya Talwar
Undercover reporter & producer: Marthe de Ferrer
Producer: Amy Johnstone

Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Contact Divya and the team at: ParentingInvestigation@bbc.co.uk

#SleepTraining #BBCNews

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