Global News Podcast US pauses operation to reopen Strait of Hormuz
42 snips
May 6, 2026 
Nawal Al-Maghafi, a BBC investigations correspondent focused on the Middle East and human rights, recounts a powerful investigation into Israel's strikes on Lebanon. The conversation also tracks Trump's pause in the Strait of Hormuz, China's role in Iran talks, ceasefire posturing between Russia and Ukraine, a mystery virus at sea, and Brazil's wild WhatsApp whistling craze.
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Why Both Sides May Still Be Bluffing Over Hormuz
- Sebastian Usher says Washington is reframing the Iran conflict as defensive while still threatening overwhelming force.
- He argues Iran may prefer prolonged war because it postpones a domestic reckoning over deep economic and social problems.
Why China Wants A Broker Role Before Trump Visit
- China may use Abbas Araghchi's Beijing visit to present itself as a useful broker before Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping.
- Stephen McDonald says Beijing wants the strait reopened but blames the US and Israel for starting the war, not Iran.
A Father Returns To Ruins After Lebanon Strikes
- Nawal Al-Maghafi reconstructs Israel's 8 April strikes on Lebanon, when 100 bombs hit in 10 minutes and hundreds died.
- In Dahiya, Mohamed Khairuddin showed the ruins where three collapsed floors crushed his apartment and killed his son Abbas.
