UAE quits oil cartel Opec after six decades

The Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service reports on a major geopolitical shift as the United Arab Emirates announces its departure from OPEC and OPEC+ after six decades, marking a strategic move to increase its oil production capacity and reduce dependence on Saudi-led coordination. The decision, driven by tensions over production quotas and the desire for greater autonomy, is expected to weaken OPEC's influence on global oil markets, potentially leading to increased supply and lower prices in the long term. Meanwhile, renewed Ukrainian drone attacks on a Russian oil refinery in Tuapse have caused massive environmental damage and disrupted energy exports, with estimated losses exceeding $10 billion. In Indonesia, a deadly train crash near Jakarta killed at least 15 people, primarily women and children in a crowded women-only carriage, highlighting the dangers of aging rail infrastructure. On a lighter note, India’s Anand Ambani has offered to rescue 80 hippos in Colombia—descendants of Pablo Escobar’s private menagerie—from culling, sparking debate over animal ethics and the suitability of relocating them to a private zoo. The episode also covers a foiled terror plot against a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, a royal state visit by King Charles III to the U.S. amid diplomatic tensions, and a psychological isolation experiment simulating a Mars mission. Finally, Kenya celebrates marathon world record holder Sebastian Sawe, whose historic sub-two-hour run has brought national pride and promises of community transformation.