Spacecraft attempts closest-ever approach to Sun

In this episode of the BBC Global News Podcast, we explore a range of significant global events. Highlights include NASA's Parker Solar Probe making an impressive close flyby of the sun, the deepening famine crisis in Sudan fueled by ongoing civil war, and the reduced Christmas festivities in Bethlehem due to the conflicts in Gaza. We also cover the advancing Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, which threaten valuable cultural heritage, protests in Syria sparked by the burning of a Christmas tree, and Hong Kong's issuance of arrest warrants for activists abroad. Additionally, a Russian cargo ship has sunk in the Mediterranean, and we look at the repercussions of Cyclone Chido in Mayotte. To add a festive touch, the podcast includes a segment on NORAD's Santa tracker.