Global News Podcast - Fans rampage after Paris St-Germain win Champions League

Episode Date: May 31, 2026

Several hundred people have been detained by police in Paris after football fans went on the rampage when Paris St-Germain won the European Champions League. Vehicles and businesses were damaged, and several police officers were injured. It's the second year in a row that PSG have won the Champions League - but Arsenal didn't make it easy for them. Also: The first suspected case of Ebola outside Africa has been reported in Brazil. Colombians are preparing to vote in the first round of Presidential elections against a backdrop of political violence. The Oscar-winning editor of the original Star Wars film has died. And Scientists have discovered a new species of fungus, which they believe is helping the environment.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [e-mail]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm not going to say and in the early hours of Sunday, the 31st of May, these are our main stories. Hundreds are detained in Paris as football fans go on the rampage after PSG's win in the European Champions League final. Health officials are on alert in Brazil after a man returned from the DRC with suspected Ebola symptoms. And polls will open in a few hours in Colombia in the first round of. the presidential elections. Also in this podcast, we realize that if we abandon these people,

no one else will drive them. We work like reds in a cage. We get attacked from every side, but we keep driving. We have a special report on how public transport in Ukraine has been under relentless attack from Russian drones. We begin in Paris. Where hundreds of people have been arrested after violence broke out during the celebrations of

Paris Saint-German, winning the Champions League. The match took place a thousand kilometres away in Budapest, and we'll come to that in just a moment. But first, here's an update on the violence in the City of Lights by our reporter Wilchalk. Well, Anka, we know that they detained more than 280 people in Paris, out of 416 people who were detained across France. Now, out of that number, we don't know how many are going to face further action.

but we have been told that seven police officers have been wounded, six vehicles have been damaged, some businesses as well. In the newsroom here in London, we've been watching footage come in throughout the night from Paris. You've seen police with riot shields, chasing people, projectiles being thrown, batons being used, flares being set off. And of course, this is just the beginning of the celebrations as well.

The PSG players are supposed to take part in a parade, supposed to lift the trophy outside the front of the Eiffel Tower, and 100,000 people are expected to show up for that. Okay, and of course there was violence last year when Parasangamad won the Champions League for the very first time. Yeah, and similar scenes. We saw two people actually lost their lives last year, but again we saw shops smashed up, hundreds of arrests, and police were obviously aware of this happening last year, and they made extra deployments this year.

22,000 police were deployed across France for this year's game. That includes 8,000 in Paris. Tram lines were halted. Metro stations were shut. So obviously an attempt to avoid a repeat of what happened last year. But clearly, despite all those efforts, they haven't been able to stamp it out completely. Well, despite that violence after the match, it was still a monumental night for Paris Saint-Germain. It's the second year in a row.

They've won the Champions League. And Arsenal didn't make it easy for them. The final had finished one all after extra time. So the two sides needed penalties to separate them with PSG winning 4-3. Here's what it meant to some fans. I'm very proud of my club. We travel enough of difficult a period, but my club is the best club of the world.

Vive Le Pesg. Vive Le Pesge. Vive Paris. Vive La BBC. Let's go. One man with more mixed emotions was our correspondent in Petschre. Paris, Pierre Antoine Denny, who I spoke to shortly after the match had finished. I am an Arsenal first and foremost, but I am also French.

And I've been cheering for Paris Townsend, and I've been cheering for Paris. I'm every time they play in Europe. So it was very conflicted for the final on a purely career level now, because I'm in Paris. I'm very delighted at Paris one. Okay. Diplomacy de Tont, perfect. Exactly. So what was the atmosphere like tonight then over there?

I'm standing here on one of the avenues, the main avenues of Paris, one of the Grand Boulevard, as we call it, it leads to the Republic Square. And these streets, this huge avenues, has been filled with people for hours after the game ended. Only now, cows are able to go back through. But obviously, it's been really pandemonium for several hours after the game with really people lining up the streets,

chanting, hugging each other, telling me how happy. happy they were because it's really is a milestone for Paris Saint-German tonight, obviously, to have won it back-to-back and really making history here. How will this feel for Paris-German fans? They've always been the bridesmaid, never the bride. They had the era of all the superstars, and they had that remontade, of course, famously, when they lost to Barcelona. But now, under Luis Enrique, they've found a strength to go back-to-back, as they've been

talking about, quite uncribler, as they've been saying, in the French media. Where does this rank in terms of the achievements of a French football team against some of Europe's most elite teams? This makes Paris and the PSG here standing on its own above the rest because, as you said, always a prize man is never the bride. In 1993, Marseille won this very Champions League. And ever since, up until last year, Marseille was a big rival of Paris, but we always say to Paris and to PSG, look,

We've won it. You've never done that. Now, obviously, since last year, Paris can say we've done it as well. And now from tonight onwards, I guess Parisians will be able to say, we've won it twice. You haven't done that. So tonight will obviously rank as probably the greatest night to date for Paris, Sanchez, Mount. Pierre-Tenny, reporting from Paris. The Bundy-Bulgio strain of Ebola has already infected 1,000 people and killed more than 200 others. Now, the first suspected case of Ebola outside of Africa during this latest outbreak has been reported in Brazil. A man in his 30s who may have contracted the virus during a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo is being monitored in a Sao Paulo hospital. The BBC's Marina Rossi is in the city.

You don't have a lot of information about him. It's just he's a 37-year-old man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And he developed his symptoms, including fever, and just meeting the criteria for a suspect case. And the authorities just say that the risk of Ebola reaching Brazil remains very low and not in no recorded cases in the country to date. And even given the low risk, health services are advised to remain alert to individuals with fever and a recent travel story. So, which in the past 21 days, two areas where the virus is.

circulating. It's just the information that we receive. Well, the World Health Organization's Director General, Tedro Sa'danam Kavresas, is in Bunya in Congo at the heart of the Ebola outbreak. I came because the people of Italy, the Kivus, and all of DRC deserve to know that they're not along. As we know, DRC has faced Ebola before. 16 times and has ended every outbreak and this is the 17s. That history gives me real confidence. The BBC's Emery Macomano is travelling with the head of the WHO

and sent us this report from Bunya in the Eastern DRC. One of the first stops was the National Institute for Biomedical Research Laboratory where samples from suspected Ebola patients are tested. Health officials say the facility is now able to return results within 24 hours, helping doctors quickly identify infections and begin treatment. Until recently, samples had to be transported more than 1,500 kilometers to the capital, Kinshasa, causing delays that health workers feared good-cause lives and allow the virus to spread further.

The laboratory was relocated to Bunia last week to speed up the response. More than a thousand people have so far been identified as suspected Ebola cases. Earlier, Dr. Tedros met Ituri's governor, General Johnny Luboya, as authorities and international health agencies step up efforts to contain the outbreak. The outbreak is linked to the rare budibungi strain of the virus, which has spread across three provinces in Ituri, Dia, Congo, and into neighboring Uganda. Emory Macumano reporting.

Against a backdrop of a resurgence of political violence, Colombians are preparing to vote in the first round of the presidential elections, which is largely regarded as a referendum on the outgoing President Gustavo Petro's policies. The 2016 peace deal between the Colombian government and the largest insurgent army, the FARC, could not end decades of armed conflict and guerrilla attacks have been surging. This election is being seen as a battle between the left and the right and how to deal with the country's worsening security situation.

The campaign has been overshadowed by bombings, kidnappings, and the killing of dozens of local political leaders. Our South America expert Luis Faro from BBC monitoring told me more about the presidential candidates. As you mentioned, it's seen as a battle between the left and the right and the candidates could not be more different. The candidate who's supported by the government his left-wing presidential candidate Ivan Cepeda.

He's a former human rights lawyer, and he has been supporting a continuation of the left-wing policies of the current government. While the hard right-wing candidate, Aless Prieger is a criminal defense lawyer who's known as a flamboyant presence in social media. He flunts his wealth, he goes around in private jets, and he has said he's going to take a very strong security stance against left-wing rebels and other illegal arms.

groups in the country. When it comes to trying to tackle the surge in violence in the country, how do the candidates propose to do this? There's also the backdrop of economic uncertainty and drug trafficking too. Certainly, again, very, very different proposals being presented to Colombians. From the hard right wing, Abelardo de Lespreja says he's going to follow policies similar to those of Donald Trump and other right wing leaders who have reached power in Latin America. while from the left wing, Ivan Cepeda says he wants to continue with government interventionist policies of the current government. Again, security is going to be a crucial issue. Cepeda, the left-wing candidate, says he wants to continue peace negotiations that so far have been unsuccessful.

While again, Aelardo de Laspreya presents himself as the Law and Order candidate. And, Luis, finally, just how important is this election for the region as all? How pivotal is it? It's important because many countries in the region have to. turned to the hard right. Probably the two big exceptions are precisely the two largest countries in Latin America, Brazil and Mexico, which have left-wing presidents right now. But the Colombian election, if Delaspreja was to advance, would be a continuation in this. And it is seen as an important indicator of what could happen in the larger election, which is coming up in Brazil later this year.

Well, also, again, a very strong dispute between the left and the right. from BBC monitoring. For 18 years, a group of volunteers here in the UK have given up their time to teach fly fishing to people with breast cancer. The charity Fishing for Life aims to help with both physical and mental well-being. Jane McGubbin has been to one of their riverside branches

in South West England. For Libby, for Jane, for Heather and Andrew, this is the sound of healing. I'm here in this moment and it's just lovely Like when you're going to the supermarket and you hear that all the time

reminds you have a hospital the equipment that they have in hospital those sounds take you back but you don't get that here They invited us here to see the power of this place to let rubles wash away So lift up cast out

I get peace and separation from all the doctor's appointments. You just lift, you just want it to go on forever. 18 years ago, Gillian Payne set up fishing for life to teach fly fishing to people with breast cancer. Andrew represents the less than 1% of sufferers who are men who is diagnosed a year ago. You can see the difference in him.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's totally different now. He wouldn't talk, he'd be sat in a chair, He just, there's no point carrying on. Put it through your finger like we did last time. I can see he's not thinking about anything else. I think June just wanted to give back and it's amazing.

I mean, she provides, you know, all the lunches and... The world needs more gilly and... They do. Today there are ten fishing for life groups all over the country, free for anyone with breast cancer. That's the first dropper. Heather is one of the volunteer coaches. Because you are going to catch one.

Well, I'm going to do my very best. Heather was a volunteer for almost a decade before she got her own diagnosis. I phoned Gillian and said, I've become one of the girls. If I can help anyone to catch some fish, that would be great. Enjoying the sunshine in the fresh air, moving their shoulders wherever they've had breast cancer to help the lymphatic, help the muscles get better after surgery. Hundreds have helped him.

and have been helped. Finding peace and hope from the steady concentration of casting a line. That report from Jane McUbbin on breast cancer patients learning to fly fish. And you can hear more positive and inspiring stories every week on the Happy Pod or wherever you get your BBC podcast from. Still to come in this podcast? It could genuinely be quite a rare phenomenon of kind of the British environment fighting back against this moss to try and restore balance. There's new hope for some of Britain's damage native habitat.

This is the Global News podcast. Russia's nuclear agency says a Ukrainian drone has struck Europe's largest nuclear power plants causing localized damage. Keev has denied carrying out the attack on the facility in Zafaritia in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine. Earlier, Ukraine's president, Vladimislensky, said the country was braced for significant strikes on its capital

in retaliation for a large-scale drone attack on military targets inside Russia. But amid the warfare, everyday life must go on in Ukraine. Public transport is still operating in the frontline city of Kersan, despite relentless attacks from Russian drones. This year alone, more than 30 buses have been damaged by Russian attacks. Vitalyshevchenko of BBC monitoring sent this report. The municipal bus company in Kherstom. says the attacks started last year and are getting worse.

Since the beginning of this year, three of its workers had been killed and eight wounded. Four bus drivers have told the BBC that Russian drones are now part of their daily reality. All of them have been wounded in recent attacks. Here's Anatoly Dmitrov, who sustained shell shock in a drone strike against his bus earlier this month. All the windows got smashed. I barely made it to the next stop. where there was a shelter. I looked in the mirror and saw blood.

I thought, oh, I need to get to the shelter quick, because sometimes they drop a second drone immediately. It's no fun working here. You go to work and you have no idea if you are going to come home. It is easy for the Russians to target Herzon because they're right next to the city, just across the river Dnipro. Anatoly's manager, Rita Dabrinova, says the skies are a buzz with Russian drone.

They keep flying all day long. Some are just hovering, waiting. Others are scout drones. They look the driver right in their eyes through the windscreen. There is a bus driver who had a bomb dropped literally onto his hat. It went through the cabin's roof. The authorities have taken steps to protect bus drivers and their passengers. Some of the busier streets are covered with anti-drones.

nets and drivers have been given helmets, bulletproof vests and drone detectors. But why do bus drivers in Khrsan keep going back to work, despite the lethal danger and even after being wounded? Driver Maxim Dijk explains. We need to get people to their pharmacies and hospitals, children and the elderly, everyone who has stayed here, everyone who still lives here. No one apart from us will do this. We realize that if we abandon these people, no one else will drive them. We work like rats in a cage. We get attacked from every side, but we keep driving.

Many of the 65,000 residents still in Kersen do not have cars. Without buses, their lives would be even more difficult. Vitaly Shavchenko reports in from Kerson in southern Ukraine. Marsha Lucas, the Oscar-winning editor of the original Star Wars film, has died aged 80. She was married to the Star Wars creator George Lucas during the making of the first three films and was regarded as a pivotal creative force

behind the space saga's early success. Although her contributions largely took place behind the scenes, her role in shaping the films has been widely recognised in the decade since. Helena Burke looks back at her life. This is the moment Obi-1 Kenobi is killed by Darth Vader, in the first Star Wars film. It's a pivotal scene, but if it wasn't for Marsha Lucas, it may

have never happened. She is credited with convincing the film's director George Lucas to take the bold step of killing off one of the main characters. This is one of many edits made by Marsha to the first three Star Wars movies, adding emotional depth and narrative clarity to the films. George Lucas credited her with helping make sense of the vast amount of footage filmed for the climactic Death Star Battle sequence in episode four. Watch yourself with crease speed full plot. What about that tower? You worry about those fighters, I'll worry about the tower.

Marsha subsequently won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing in 1977 for this work. But her success wasn't limited to the Star Wars franchise. You talking to me? You talking to me? Marcia also collaborated with the director Martin Scorsese on a string of his acclaimed films, including taxi driver, Alice doesn't live here anymore, and New York, New York. I can take a hand. Can you also take a walk? Look, you want me to leave?

Yes. I'll leave right now. Bye. You expect me to... Marcia died on Wednesday at her home in California. In a statement, her family described her as a true trailblazer for women in film and one of the most influential editors in cinematic history. Helena Burke reporting. It looks like the much-hyped concert to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States might not happen at all because most of the musicians who are slated to perform have pulled out. President Trump has said on his social media account that he is to personally headline the event. In the post, he said the man who some say is the greatest president in history should take the place of what he called highly paid third-rate artist. Tom Simons has the details.

Three days ago, the American organisers announced a whole load of artists who would be taking part. But about half, if not more than half of them, have now pulled out. Morris Day, a singer-songwriter, out, young MC, a rapper, out. The Commodores, classic soul band, also out. Poison, heavy rock band. Brett Michaels, the lead singer of that band, has said he's not interested anymore. Martina McBride, a country singer, has pulled out. leaving really only two big names, Vanilla Ice the rapper, I think from the 90s, and C&C Music Factory, a dance act from the 90s as well.

Donald Trump does not like to be crossed in this way. I think that's pretty clear. And his true social post suggests that he will become the artist with a big rally speech that he wants to try to stage on Wednesday. But it's not clear whether that will actually happen or not. And there are other things as well. And some of it is controversial. I think the biggest rouse about the proposed $250 bill relating to the 250 years of American independence. And in creating a new dollar bill, the theory is that Donald Trump has the opportunity to put his own face on it. Now, that is only an idea at this stage. The Treasury Department here has said it's working away as though Congress decides to do this, but it's not a cert yet. Tom Simon's reporting from Washington. Now, scientists say they've discovered a new species of fungus. growing in Britain, which they believe is having a positive impact on the environment.

They say it attacks and destroys Heath Star Moss, an aggressive invader. Our climate and science correspondent Georgina Renard reports. Scientist George Grife is showing me how one invasive plant, the Heath Star Moss, has taken over habitats like this one in the Banehug in South Wales. As you go along, you start to see it's just really everywhere. Heath Star Moss arrived on British soil in the 1940s. With nothing to control it, it has spread far and wide, crowding out native species. You know, it's quite an aggressive species.

Each one of these little shoots can grow into a completely new plant. It's quite a pretty looking thing. But we don't want it. It's just not nice for the environment, really. It has caused a lot of problems. While out walking one day, George saw something strange. Something was attacking the moss. Here we go.

Ooh. So if you look down at the moss, right through this whole area here, almost as big as my hand, they're kind of what they call a fairy ring of death. George has discovered a new fungus species that kills the Heath Star Moss. Using a macro lens, we could film the fungus, infecting the tips of the moss. Now wherever George goes, he is looking for the moss dieback fungus. It's in North England, it's in South England. in Wales. It hasn't been seen in Scotland just yet, but no doubt it's there, because I haven't been in a while.

This looks like a win for biodiversity, but what if the fungus is threatening other species as well? At Amgidva Khmery Museum in Cardiff, George analyses how the fungus works, after entering the moss cells. He now believes it's an unusual case of nature attacking an invasive species. There's actually just one group of very closely related mosses. that this fungus grows on. So it's not a threat to other trees and other wildlife, as far as we know. The samples will now be added to the museum's collections. Scientists can use them to help bring back the UK's native habitats.

Tiny but potent, the discovery of the moss dyeback fungus shows there are still solutions out there to the crises facing Britain's nature. Georgina Renard reporting. And that's all from us for now. Now, if you want to get in touch, you can email us at global podcast at BBC.com.com. And you can also find us on X at BBC World Service. Use the hashtag Global NewsPod. And don't forget our sister podcast, The Global Story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on one big story.

This edition of the Global News podcast was mixed by Masu, thebrahim Kael and produced by Wendy Erkart. The editor is Karen Martin, and I'm Ankara Dissai. Until next time, goodbye.