This week, we meet one of the hundreds of ballerinas who balanced on their toes in New York to set a new world record. Also: how a generous stranger gave a kidney to a five-year-old girl. And we hear from Europe's best seagull impersonator.

The Happy Pod: Tutus and triumph

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Israel is planning an assault on Hamas fighters in Rafah and orders tens of thousands more Palestinians to leave. Also: Switzerland wins the Eurovision Song Contest while Israel came fifth, and mass demonstrations in Georgia over a controversial proposed law.

EU condemns Israel’s Rafah evacuation orders

The volunteers restoring the beautiful beaches of Bali and beyond by clearing plastic pollution from Indonesia's rivers, and upcycling it into chairs.  The profits are used to fund more river clean ups.
The deaf toddler who has near normal hearing after groundbreaking gene therapy.
Why are hundreds of sea lions gathering at Pier 39 in San Francisco?
After seagull boy, we bring you lion girl - the five year old whose amazing lion roar has been viewed millions of times.
We chat to two old friends who reconnected -- and then studied why old friends find it hard to reconnect.
And we meet the football fan who moved to a new country to support his team in the English Premier League. Our weekly collection of the happiest stories in the world.

The Happy Pod: From pollution to paradise

The United Nations General Assembly has enhanced Palestine's rights within the organisation and called for it to be accepted as a member. Also: India court grants bail to jailed opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal, and how important is it to read the small print?

UN assembly urges Palestine membership after vote

President Zelenskyy says a fierce battle is underway and people are being evacuated in the Kharkiv region. Also: tensions grow between the US and Israel over the war in Gaza and Israel's offensive on Rafah, the BBC tracks down one of Europe's biggest people smugglers, and is there a future for the African penguin?

Ukraine war: Russia launches 'surprise' attack

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country will "stand alone" and "fight with its fingernails", after the US warned it could halt arms shipments if Israel ordered a full-scale invasion of Rafah in Gaza. Also: Israel heads to Eurovision final despite protests; and the tech company Apple faces a backlash over the destruction of musical instruments and books in an iPad advert.

The Happy Pod: Tutus and triumph

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