UK weighs up faster rise in defence budget
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.3K Ratings
🗓️ 16 February 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The UK is considering significant increases to its military spending, to three per cent of the public national income within the next three years. The prime minister, Keir Starmer, made the announcement at the Munich Security Conference at the weekend. This would mean additional spending of up to $19bn a year. Also: Supporters of the late Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, have laid flowers at his grave in Moscow while five European countries say they have evidence that Russia poisoned Mr Navalny with a rare toxin linked to the poison dart frog. And why the former US president Barack Obama thinks that aliens exist.
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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.5 | This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:10.7 | I'm Ankara Desai and at 16 hours GMT on Monday the 16th of February. |
| 0:15.1 | These are our main stories. |
| 0:17.0 | The debate hots up over European defence spending. |
| 0:20.1 | Britain is considering spending more and sooner. |
| 0:23.3 | Germany says France isn't spending enough. |
| 0:26.4 | Two years after, Alexei Navalny was found dead in prison, |
| 0:29.7 | the fallout continues from a new allegation |
| 0:31.9 | that Russia poisoned the opposition leader |
| 0:34.5 | with a rare toxin linked to dart frogs. |
| 0:37.1 | And the Chinese tech company, Bightdance, says it will curb an artificial intelligence the opposition leader with a rare toxin linked to dart frogs. |
| 0:44.6 | And the Chinese tech company, ByteDun, says it will curb an artificial intelligence video tool after Disney threatened legal action. |
| 0:56.8 | Also coming up in this podcast, Arab countries and the European Union have condemned plans to allow parts of the occupied West Bank to be classified as Israeli state land. |
| 0:58.2 | And over in Brazil. |
| 1:10.4 | The Rio Carnival has triggered political controversy as a float-paced tribute to the Brazilian President Lula, but also mocks his predecessor, Jairb Al-Sanaro. |
| 1:19.1 | First, the message from many European leaders in recent days has been that the continent needs to stand on its own two feet, as it cannot rely any more on the United States for its |
| 1:25.1 | security. Over the weekend, the British Prime Minister, Kirstama, |
| 1:28.8 | told world leaders at the Munich Security Conference in Germany |
| 1:31.7 | that Europe must be ready to fight to protect its people, |
| 1:35.4 | values and way of life. |
| 1:37.4 | He repeated that message today in London. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.