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

And Valerie Sanderson and in the early hours of Thursday the 18th of April,

these are our main stories.

The Republican leader of the House of Representatives names a day for a vote on giving more aid to Ukraine.

Republican Senator Rich McCormick says the fate of the country is crucial, partly because of the grain it grows.

If Russia controls that 70% of Europe's grain, it would be very disruptive to our future.

Gataa says it's re-evaluating its role mediating between Israel and Hamas more than six months

into the devastating conflict in Gaza.

There are limits to the ability to which we can contribute to these negotiations in a constructive manner.

The safety of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner planes is undescruciony at hearings in the US Congress. As a whistleblower says the aircraft and severe drought leads to power cuts in Ecuador and a political reckoning there.

And 200 million years after becoming extinct, a fossil discovered in South West England sheds

new light on a gigantic marine reptile.

So we know that these ichthyosaurs become truly gigantic right up until their extinction.

President Selensky has constantly told the West that many deaths and casualties on and off the battlefield in Ukraine's war against Russia could be avoided if allies, especially America, gave more

military aid.

He's been waiting months for a $61 billion dollar aid package from the US which has been blocked by some Republicans

in Congress. Now Mike Johnson the Republican leader of the House of

Representatives says there'll be a vote on Saturday. Republican Congressman for Georgia,

Rich McCormick, says Ukraine is on the front line of preserving security,

and not only in Europe.

Strategically, Ukraine is much more important than most people realize that's a top five

country and resources.

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