Pope Leo: 'world ravaged by handful of tyrants'
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.3K Ratings
🗓️ 16 April 2026
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In unusually forceful political remarks, Pope Leo has said the world is "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants". Addressing a crowd during his visit to a region of Cameroon affected by a separatist insurgency, the head of the Roman Catholic Church condemned the people who -- he said -- manipulated "the very name of God" for their own gain. Also: a Lebanese official has told the BBC that President Joseph Aoun is not planning to speak to the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu - despite earlier suggestions from President Trump and Israeli officials. The outspoken South African opposition politician, Julius Malema, is sentenced to five years in prison for weapons offences. At least 17 people die in Ukraine following a massive Russian drone and missile attack. France looks to ban under-16s from using social media platforms, following Australia's lead. A study finds that communication between sperm whales closely parallels human language. And two rare paintings by the French Impressionist, Claude Monet, are sold at auction in Paris for a total of nearly $20m.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.7 | This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:10.8 | I'm Alex Ritson and at 14 hours GMT on the 16th of April. |
| 0:16.3 | These are our main stories. |
| 0:18.3 | Pope Leo has spoken out against what he called a handful of tyrants |
| 0:22.5 | ravaging the world days after being criticised by Donald Trump. A Lebanese official has told the BBC |
| 0:28.7 | that President Joseph Aoun is not planning to speak with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu |
| 0:34.7 | despite earlier suggestions from President Trump and Israeli officials. |
| 0:39.8 | Ukraine, says Russia has attacked cities across the country with hundreds of drones and missiles, |
| 0:44.8 | killing at least 17 people. |
| 0:48.8 | Also in this podcast, the South African opposition leader Julius Malema is sentenced to five years in jail |
| 0:56.5 | for firing a weapon at a political rally. And at a Paris art auction, two long unseen monas are |
| 1:04.0 | sold for a total of nearly $20 million. It's a painting created while he was on a small boat. |
| 1:12.3 | He had a studio boat built and would travel up and down the seine and paint from his boat. |
| 1:19.4 | In unusually forceful political remarks, Pope Leo has said on his trip to Africa that the world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants. |
| 1:29.0 | Addressing a crowd in a region of Cameroon affected by a separatist insurgency, |
| 1:33.9 | the head of the Catholic Church condemned the people who, he said, |
| 1:37.5 | manipulated the very name of God for their own gain. |
| 1:41.7 | The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy. |
| 1:48.4 | Yet often a lifetime is often not enough to rebuild. |
| 1:54.5 | They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation. Yet the resources needed for |
| 2:03.3 | healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found. The extraordinary comments come just |
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