The captain, you know, he went on the radio and he's like,

we just want to make sure everyone knows he has a perfect champion on the plane.

On the podium is back with more Olympians and Paralympians

sharing their remarkable stories.

On the podium, listen now wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Nick Miles and in the early hours of Monday,

the 4th of September, these are our main stories.

After months of fighting, Ukraine's generals say their troops have breached

the first line of Russian defences in the South near Zapparicia.

More than 20 people have been killed in northeast Syria

in clashes between government forces and Turkish-backed rebels.

The Israeli government says it's considering deporting rival groups

of Eritrean asylum seekers who were involved in clashes in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

Also in this podcast.

An event more used to dust storms has been transformed into a muddy quagmire.

After what's thought to be the longest, heaviest rainfall, this festival has seen.

Thousands of people trapped at the Burning Man Festival in Nevada

wait for good weather so that the exit roads can reopen.

We begin in Ukraine where the country's generals are reporting significant progress

in the counteroffensive against Russia's invasion.

They say their troops have breached the first line of Russian defences

...