The United States and Venezuela have welcomed a big energy deal which they have formally signed in Caracas, along with a series of agreements involving international oil firms. The US Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, said the deal would unlock tens of billions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs. He said oil production would double in a decade. Critics say the deal hands Washington control of a fifth of Venezuela’s oil reserves and entrenches the current authoritarian government.

Also, New York's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has announced an unprecedented one-year ban on students using artificial intelligence in public elementary and middle schools; Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated against the Spanish government's handling of the migrant crisis in the north African territory of Ceuta. They have been calling for the socialist Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, to resign; More than six decades on from the Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa, survivors and relatives of those killed are challenging an apartheid-era law they say has prevented them from seeking justice; And more than 900 years after it was made, King Charles and Queen Camilla have had a preview of the historic Bayeux Tapestry which has been loaned to the British Museum in London by France for a year. The tapestry tells the story of the Norman conquest of Saxon England in 1066, when the English king was defeated by the invaders from France.

(Photo: Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez. Credit: Getty Images)

Get in touch: [email protected]

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

The heads of Nato and the European Commission have warned that Russia is growing increasingly reckless and vowed to respond to a "new normal". Moscow has accused Germany of planting evidence, after German authorities said Russia was behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport. The Nato and EU chiefs said their support for Ukraine was unwavering amid rising hybrid threats, calling the Leipzig incident "part of a broader pattern of increasingly dangerous incidents".

Also, Iran and the US exchange air strikes as Tehran calls deaths at wedding celebration a war crime. Washington denies targeting civilians. The man accused of murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk pleads not guilty, as judge clears way for death penalty trial. A simple at-home urine test can detect more than nine in 10 cases of bladder cancer, potentially sparing thousands of patients from invasive exams. American service members on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrive in Thailand after a record 250 days without a port stop. The prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty to foreign collusion. Ariana Grande bids fans a tearful farewell at her final world tour show before stepping back from public life.

(Photo: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press conference with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels Credit: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Reuters)

Get in touch: [email protected]

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

The Iranian Red Crescent says four people including a child were killed by US strikes on a wedding in southern Iran as fighting escalates. It said over 50 people were wounded when shrapnel hit a residence in Sirik county, which lies on the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said it was aware of the reports but that it never targeted civilians. Iran launched retaliatory attacks at US bases in the region, with strikes reported in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. Also, President Putin accuses Germany's leader of trying to shore up his position by blaming Russia for a series of hybrid attacks on infrastructure. A new law in Austria that bans girls under the age of 14 from wearing an Islamic headscarf in schools comes into force. Why Chinese electric vehicles are so cheap. And the drone technology being used to save people from shark attacks.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Image description: A military aircraft ready to take off as US forces carry out strikes on Iranian military target. Credit: US Central Command via Reuters

Afghans in Pakistan and Iran face an uncertain future under the Taliban amid a huge deportation drive. We have a report from the Torkham crossing, known as "zero point". Millions of Afghans have fled across the borders to Pakistan for decades. Also, we hear from the Taliban foreign minister who has called on western countries to develop closer diplomatic and economic ties with Afghanistan. Israel says it's captured a senior member of Hamas in Gaza - as Palestinian medics say two children and a woman were killed. Norway's King Haakon pledges an oath of allegiance to the constitution as his father lies in state. A Russian drone and missile barrage kills at least 12 in the capital of Ukraine. Researchers say cancer treatment in mornings could double survival time.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Afghan returnees deported from Pakistan arriving at the Torkham crossing Credit: AFP via Getty

A former gang boss is facing potentially life in prison after being found guilty of murdering Tupac Shakur in 1996. Duane 'Keffe D' Davis masterminded the plan and supplied the gun that killed the rapper. Also, the families of more than 600 workers believed to be trapped in a vast network of mud-filled tunnels along Nepal's Trishuli River are clinging to hope their loved ones can be found alive. In the US, there is pushback about how quickly car licence plate readers made by one company, Flock, are spreading across the country. Argentina great Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has accused Israel and Russia of spreading disinformation related to the mass influx of migrants. John Galliano has cancelled an upcoming major exhibition celebrating his work as a fashion designer after it prompted criticism due to his previous conviction for making antisemitic and anti-Asian remarks. A team of conservationists in Chile has designed a healing "suit" to help penguins recover from surgery.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Duane Davis looks on during his murder trial, related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur Credit: Reuters

Iran and the US exchange fire for the first time in a month. The US said it destroyed two Iranian launchers on a small island in the Strait of Hormuz as they were preparing to deploy sea-mine rockets. Iranian state media later said Iran had responded with ballistic missile strikes on two US-operated airbases in Jordan. Also: As teams from Nepal, India and China work to reach people trapped by Wednesday's flash floods in the Himalayas, Chinese police say they've taken action against ten people for allegedly exaggerating the numbers of dead. In Korea the leader of the controversial Unification Church, otherwise known as The Moonies, has been sentenced to two years in prison. Han Hak-ja was found guilty of bribing South Korea's former first lady - the wife of the now ousted Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol - by giving her two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace worth nearly $60,000. And, scientists at a university in Australia are rearing an echidna hoping that the rare, egg laying mammal will help them answer fundamental questions about the evolution of pregnancy in other mammals.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, August 31, 2026. Credit: Reuters

The US has bombed Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz - the first known attack in weeks. Tehran has launched retaliatory strikes against American bases in Jordan. Also: rescue efforts intensify after Nepal-Tibet flood; Russia is accused of targeting cultural sites in Ukraine; NASA launches its space telescope; a zoo reopens in Gaza's Khan Younis; and the best movies of the summer.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories.

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Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Ships and boats on the Strait of Hormuz, Oman, 29th April 2026 Credit: Reuters

A new personalised vaccine given in combination with a drug has stopped skin cancer returning in patients during a trial, representing a potentially watershed moment in cancer treatment. Scientists used mRNA technology, which was used for some Covid-19 vaccines.

But that technology - and vaccines more generally - have become increasingly controversial in the United States since the Covid-19 pandemic. The Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, is a vaccine sceptic. In August 2025 cancelled $500m (£376m) in funding for mRNA vaccine research. The move impacted 22 projects being led by major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, for vaccines against bird flu and other viruses, according to Kennedy’s department.

We speak to Tom Whipple, host of the BBC’s Inside Science programme, about the science of this new vaccine. And we ask how funding cuts for vaccine research could impact health outcomes not just for Americans, but for the world.

For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

The Israeli prime minister has condemned Jewish settlers who attacked two Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank including Qusra where an earlier siege by settlers sparked an international outcry. Benjamin Netanyahu called the settlers rioters who violated the law and harmed Israel's standing in the world. Also: A Russian drone strike on an ammunition store in Ukraine kills 37 civilians in a residential area of Kyiv. Lake Ontario gets a new sign - the latest salvo in the ongoing trade war between Canada and the United States. The world's number one cyclist Tadej Pogačar requires surgery after crashing out of La Vuelta in Spain, and why the Japanese custom of removing and tidying shoes is causing problems for emergency services.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Settlers throwing stones at a house in the Palestinian village of Qusra in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Credit: Reuters

Jessica Fletcher wanted to find a way to communicate with her autistic non-speaking son, Hunter, which could be used everywhere. So, she got a keyboard tattooed on her arm. Now they can communicate anywhere they go.

Plus, meet the Plurabelle Paddlers. They are just one group of women competing in a dragon boat race where all the participants are survivors of breast cancer. Also on this podcast, would you eat a cookie which contains recycled plastic? Researchers are finding a way to make it possible. We go to the north of England, where a nursery is set inside a retirement home in the hope of bonding the two generations. In a world first, a patient has had brain surgery assisted by artificial intelligence, and meet Synergy, the mini-pig being used in a campaign to try to help the homeless in Washington DC. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

(Image: Jessica Fletcher's son, Hunter, pointing at her keyboard tattoo. Credit: Jessica Fletcher)

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Washington and Caracas have agreed a "historic" deal, which will more than double US oil reserves and provide investment for Venezuela's energy industry. Also: Emergency aid efforts are stepped up in Nepal and Tibet as nearly 2000 people are feared missing after the floods. Sudan lifts a two-year-old curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum. Experts say Denmark's forced contraception of Indigenous women in Greenland didn't meet the legal definition of genocide. British far-right commentator and MAGA supporter, Milo Yiannopoulos, is detained by ICE. And the surprise hit film about the French wartime leader Charles de Gaulle.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: An oil tanker near Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela Credit:REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

Two days after massive floods and landslides in the Himalayas, authorities in Tibet have resumed search and rescue operations, despite the ongoing threat that a debris-filled lake could collapse. The Chinese government has offered to send aid to Nepal to help survivors of the disaster. Also: King Haakon VIII has acceded to the throne in Norway after the death of his father, Harald V, at the age of 89. A group of more than 80 actors are calling on the British government to give every person in the UK a legal right to own their voice in response to the rise in the use of AI "voice cloning". And Apple prepares to shake up the tech industry with its first foldable iPhone expected to be unveiled next month.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Firefighters conduct search and rescue operations after a mudslide in Gyirong county in Tibet. Credit: Reuters

There are fears a lake formed by debris after the China-Nepal flash flood could burst, causing further damage and hampering rescue efforts. Nearly 500 people have already been confirmed dead. Also: Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladić who oversaw the worst atrocities in Europe since the Second World War dies; President Trump renames Lake Ontario as the trade war with Canada continues; a US jury deliberates whether Lindsay Clancy is responsible for the murder of her 3 children; top tech firms warn about the dangers of AI; Uefa prepares criminal legal action against Fifa president Gianni Infantino; NASA gears up to launch its flagship space observatory; and the highly-anticipated children's fantasy book "The Neverfear" is released.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: A boy looks at the devastation caused by flash flooding along the Trishuli River in Nepal's Nuwakot district. Credit: AP

The number of people killed by a catastrophic flash flood on the border between Nepal and China has risen to at least 350. More than 1,300 are still missing. Rescue teams are continuing to search for survivors as experts warn that more floods could be coming. It is now believed that "glacial collapse and debris flow" was the cause rather than an earthquake. Also: a trial date has been set for one of the ringleaders of the attack on the twin towers in New York, a quarter of a century later. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is scheduled to stand trial in June 2028. A man in London has become the first person in the world to have a brain tumour removed via AI-assisted surgery. How bats could help us fight cancer and other diseases by revealing some of the biological secrets behind their longevity. And the avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, who became famous for her colourful polka dot-covered sculptures and installations, has died at the age of 97.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Aftermath of massive flash flood on the Nepal-Tibet border, Nuwakot. 27th Aug 2026

Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Meta has agreed to pay $18bn to a group of US states that accused Facebook and Instagram of harming children, bringing a high-profile trial in California to an early end. The company will also introduce new measures aimed at protecting young users, but has admitted no wrongdoing. Also: chip giant Nvidia beats expectations again as demand for its semiconductors continues to surge. Nearly 200 people are reported dead - and hundreds more are missing - after devastating flash floods and mudslides hit Nepal and the Chinese region of Tibet. BBC analysis shows attacks by armed bandit groups in northwest Nigeria have risen sharply. Mexican media organisations urge President Claudia Sheinbaum to strengthen protections for journalists after a string of killings. A French court recognises a flight attendant’s breast cancer as an occupational disease, and we remember Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour, whose artwork helped define the Palestinian experience for more than half a century.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Woman holds smartphone with Meta logo in front of a displayed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta in this illustration picture taken October 28, 2021. Credit: Reuters

Hundreds of people, including nearly 300 foreign tourists, are missing after devastating floods swept through northern Nepal and across the border in Tibet, China. In Nepal entire villages as well as roads, bridges and power stations have been swept away. At least 31 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal, while the Chinese authorities in Tibet are reporting major casualties there too. Also: a fire at a maternity ward at a hospital in Islamabad has killed at least 14 newborn babies. China's Narcotics Control Commission says a growing number of young people are turning to large doses of prescription drugs to help them manage exam related stress. Tributes from music stars, actors and beyond pour in for the country music star Dolly Parton who's died at the age of 80. And new analysis suggests smokers wanting to quit their habit have a better chance if they use nicotine vapes rather than patches or gums.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Villagers wade through flooded streets following a flash flood in Trishuli Bazar, Nuwakot district, Nepal, 26 August 2026. Credit: Narendra Shrestha: EPA/Shutterstock

The country music singer Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, after “bravely facing a brief battle with cancer”. She was being treated at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Her team said “Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion and resilience”. Also, the boss of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has been giving evidence in the high-profile trial of the tech giant, Meta, in California. A Chinese court has sentenced an internationally known artist, Gao Zhen, to three years in prison. A warning from the UN that we're "dangerously close" to having fully autonomous weapons that can kill humans. And a long forgotten whisky barrel that's now worth a small fortune.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Dolly Parton: Here I Am Credit: Dolly Parton

China, the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, says it opposes "illegal" unilateral sanctions after the US warned that countries that continued to do business with Iran would face consequences. A foreign ministry spokesman said economic warfare and maximum pressure tactics did not help resolve problems but would only fuel further conflict. Also: At least 47 people are killed in a gang raid on a hillside community in Haiti. A new report predicts extreme rainfall and flooding in east Africa caused by El Nino that could leave up to three million people displaced. Why China is spending hundreds of billions of dollars to grow its robotic workforce, and Australia bans chart music made mostly by artificial intelligence.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping looks on during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) on the sidelines of their visit to the Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing in 2026. Credit: Reuters

The US promises to squeeze Iran by targeting anyone who does business with Tehran - but Washington has so far announced only limited sanctions. Our correspondent says the US wants to put even more economic pressure on Iran. Also: fire crews in Nevada say they've brought under control about a quarter of the wildfire outside Reno. Health workers helping to tackle the Ebola outbreak are attacked in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There's been an explosion of gambling in Brazil. Retired international cricketers are trying to help the former Pakistan captain - and ex-prime minister - Imran Khan, who's currently in prison. And there's been an apparent leak of footage from the new edition of the game, Grand Theft Auto.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a press conference to outline further sanctions against Iran, at the Treasury Department in Washington. Credit: Reuters

Britain's Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, on a visit to Kyiv, has promised to continue support for Ukraine despite what he called "outrageous threats" from Russia. He was speaking at an event marking Ukraine's independence day. Mr Burnham said that the UK and its allies would help Ukraine develop new technologies and support efforts to destroy Russian missiles before they are launched. He confirmed that the UK will provide blueprints so Ukraine can manufacture more long-range cruise missiles. Also: Pakistan's representative is visiting Iran to push for the reopening of talks between Washington and Teheran. A special BBC report from inside Afghanistan under the Taliban hearing from politicians and the impact their hardline rules are having on women. A spike in pirate attacks in the Western Indian Ocean and we hear from Kenya where four people have been arrested following the death of at least eighteen elephants that died after suspected poisoning.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham receives the "Honorary Distinction to the British People", "Gratitude of the Ukrainian People" award from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a celebration ceremony of the Independence Day of Ukraine, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in central Kyiv, Ukraine August 24, 2026.

Credit: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Rescue operations are continuing in the Guinean capital, Conakry, where 30 people are known to have died following the collapse of a mountain of waste. Witnesses say the landfill has buried an apartment building along with informal dwellings. Also: Ukraine's sacked defence minister, Mikhailo Fedorov, has told the BBC he stands by his call for nationwide elections, even though the country is at war. More than 90,000 people have now been told to evacuate their homes in the US state of Nevada due to a fast-moving wildfire. Iran's currency, the Rial, has hit a record low. Washington DC has hosted an IndyCar race, in the final event celebrating 250 years of American independence. And a star of the recent football World Cup, Erling Haaland, cuts off his trademark long blond hair.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: People gather near an ambulance at the site of a landfill landslide in Conakry, Guinea. Credit: Reuters

Benjamin Netanyahu has been a major figure in Israeli politics for a long time. You could have just turned 30 years old and never known a time when he wasn’t either prime minister or somewhere near the top of Israeli politics. But could that be about to change?

With less than three months until the Israeli general election, Netanyahu is struggling in some polls. His rival is a man who is little known outside of Israel – former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot. In some international media, Eisenkot is being dubbed the ‘anti-Netanyahu’. But is that accurate?

We speak to David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker, who has spent time with Eisenkot for a major profile piece.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has said the trade war with the United States isn't Canada's choice, but his country is ready to retaliate. Talks between the neighbours collapsed late on Friday, with each accusing the other of seeking last-minute changes to a proposed trade deal. Also, the editor-in-chief of the US military newspaper, Stars and Stripes, raises concerns over censorship after he was dismissed by the Department of Defense for "insubordination". South Korea is sending a commercial vessel on a trial voyage to Europe via the Arctic in an effort to find alternative shipping routes because of war in the Middle East. Scientists in the US say that fish skin beats man-made products when treating people with severe burn injuries. And a humanoid robot has broken the men's world record for the 100-metre sprint set by Usain Bolt 17 years ago.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, speaks to the media suspending trade negotiations with the United States, in Ottawa, Canada.

Credit: REUTERS/Chris Tanouye

Avtar Singh, who was born in India and is now 66 years old, grew up not knowing his Kenyan-born mother, because his father had separated from her and not told him anything about her.

One day he typed the few details he had into AI, and found a blog by someone called Nicci Dhamu, who turned out to be his half-sister.

Also, viral baby Milani has become the first giraffe to survive a C-section birth. The team at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Kansas gave her round-the-clock care to make sure she stayed alive.

Plus, 88-year-old Mick Wadge has gained hundreds of thousands of views on social media for sharing his weightlifting journey. He started going to the gym after his wife died.

Sophie Woods has become the fastest person to complete the Via Alpina, one of the world's toughest endurance challenges, and how one farmer in Canada is trying to stop food waste through an event called "Ugly Potato Day". Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

(Photo: Nicci and Avtar in their late mother’s kitchen. Credit: Nicci Dhamu)

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Search and rescue efforts continue in Ukraine after Russian drone attacks kill at least 16 in a shopping centre in the city of Kryvyi Rih. President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack on his home town cynical and despicable.

Also:

Donald Trump wins the latest round in an ongoing legal battle over his plans to rebuild the entire east wing of the White House; Uber is fined a huge sum under Europe's technology privacy rules; FIFA punishes Argentina for breaches of discipline; the United Nations says the ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now growing exponentially; handwritten notes by the Indian independence leader, Mahatma Gandhi, sell for US$1.7m at auction; a python becomes the first snake to be given a cancer treatment normally used on humans, and Wile E Coyote takes on the American corporate giant, the Acme Corporation, in a blockbuster film.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: (write brief description of what photo shows) Aftermath of a Russian drone attack in Kryvyi Rih. Credit: TELEGRAM/Reuters

Scientists warn the El Niño event developing in the Pacific could be the strongest in living memory, pushing up global temperatures and increasing the risk of extreme weather. Effects are already being felt around the world - the Indian government is having to import sugar to bolster local supplies. We visit the West Bank town of Kadim to see how the Israeli government is expanding settlements ahead of October elections. The former Pakistani President Imran Khan is taken to hospital and then returned to prison, confusing his family and followers. And what is Meghan going to do in the UK when she returns with Prince Harry in a couple of weeks' time?

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: A woman walks during heavy rainfall in Yangon, Myanmar, 12th August. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Britain, Canada, Germany and others call on Israel to stop bids from construction firms to build homes in a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank that would, in the words of an Israeli minister, "bury the idea of a Palestinian state". Also, Pakistan's former prime minister, Imran Khan, returns to prison after a short visit to hospital which was allowed following a ruling by the country's Supreme Court. The World Health Organisation is sending 70,000 doses of an Ebola vaccine to try to contain the outbreak. New economic sanctions are being imposed on Cuba by the United States. And a trial hearing about the death of the Argentinian football legend, Diego Maradona, has been adjourned because a mix-up meant that doctors had presented medical evidence from his father rather than the footballer.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Description: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and a woman hold a map that shows the long-frozen E1 settlement scheme, August 14, 2025​​ Credit: Ronen Zvulun, Reuters

Russia launched a big attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv overnight, striking blocks of flats, a school and a children's hospital. Ukraine has appealed to its allies for more ballistic missile interceptors. The Ukrainian air force implied that none of the missiles was shot down. Also: captured Ukrainian-born soldiers tell the BBC why they fought for Russia. Disgraced property tycoon Hui Ka Yan - who was once Asia's richest man - is sentenced to life in prison in China and fined billions. We hear about the efforts to preserve Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland by removing coins that tourists wedged into the rocks, and why a crude, cheap animated Chinese film about a baby cow is a success at the box office.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: A bombed apartment block in Kyiv. Credit: EPA

Israel's military has confirmed for the first time that its troops opened fire on a car carrying Hind Rajab, the five-year old Palestinian child who was killed alongside six of her relatives in Gaza in 2024. The IDF is opening a criminal investigation into the deaths, as well as those of two paramedics sent to rescue her. A separate inquiry will examine the killing of fifteen emergency and aid workers in Rafah last year. Also: after six years in the US state of California, Prince Harry and his family are moving back to the UK, but will not be undertaking royal duties. At least five people have been killed by Russian missile attacks on Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday morning. The US pharmaceutical giants, Moderna and Merck, say trials of an experimental treatment for melanoma have shown signs of success. US public debt has soared to a record 40 trillion dollars. A former Meta employee, turned whistleblower, tells a court in California that Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, put growth in Facebook and Instagram before child safety. We have a special report about the gold rush in Kenya that's causing security and safety concerns. Scientists say giant whales are taking advantage of the ice disappearing from East Greenland, and shares in the Chinese robot maker, Unitree, soar as it launches its new humanoid robots.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Five-year-old Hind Rajab who was killed in Gaza, January 29th 2004, by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the Gaza war. Credit: Family

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has fired one of his top aides, who is reported to be the target of a corruption investigation. Iryna Mudra, the president's deputy chief of staff, was sacked after Ukraine's anti-corruption agency said it had raided the homes of a senior official on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile the former defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov - whose removal last month prompted widespread street protests - has called for elections. Also: Israel opens up bids for construction of more than 1,000 new homes east of Jerusalem, that would contravene international law. We hear from Gaza about families searching for their relatives - some of the thousands of people missing presumed dead in the conflict with Israel. Plus, the impact pollution controls have had on the lungs of children in London; why South Korea and the US have cut short joint military exercises, and the message it sends to North Korea; the SpaceX rocket drifing in the South Pacific; and the water lilies that can take the weight of a grown person. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during visit to Serbia, August 8, 2026. Credit: Reuters

The technology giant Meta has gone on trial in California over allegations its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, are deliberately designed to keep young people hooked. Nearly thirty US states are seeking changes to the platforms and financial penalties amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars. California's prosecutor told the court Meta had put profits over safety and deliberately misled the public. Meta strongly denies the accusations. Also: the United States announces sanctions against the president and a senior lawyer of the International Criminal Court; the head of the WHO warns that the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is far from being under control; Earl Spencer is to publish a book telling the life story of his sister, Diana, Princess of Wales, from his perspective; and could tree shrews help us correct short sightedness in humans?

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: The Meta logo is displayed on a mobile phone in Liverpool, Britain, 09 June 2026. Credit: Photo by ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock

Ukraine says at least 17 people were killed in overnight Russian attacks, with most of the deaths in the north-eastern Kharkiv region. In one attack in the city of Kharkiv at least 10 people - including children - were killed and several others injured after a Russian air strike hit an apartment block. Moscow has threatened the UK with "consequences" after it was confirmed that Ukraine used British-made drones in recent attacks. Also: a court in Syria has issued a death sentence to a cousin of the ousted leader, Bashar al-Assad, after convicting him of crimes including murder and torture during the country's civil war. Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema has been re-elected for a second five-year term. Scientists say the impact of rising global temperatures on the health of older people has been significantly underestimated. And why sheep farmers in Wales are feeling happier. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Drone launched by Ukrainian forces in Kharkiv region, Ukraine Credit: Reuters

A six week jury trial is about to get underway in California, which could pose the biggest threat yet to Meta's operations. A coalition of US states have accused the parent company of Facebook and Instagram of putting profits ahead of children's safety, by deliberately designing platforms to be addictive to young users. A Meta spokesperson said the claims were "unsubstantiated", and the company stood by its record of creating strong protection for teenagers. The states are seeking upwards of $1 trillion from Meta. Also: President Trump's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has failed to overturn Israel's objections to a US backed Gaza peace plan after two days of talks in the Middle East. The US President has also threatened to bomb Oman - a US ally - if it "gets in the way" of his administration's own talks with Iran. Fifa has sacked its chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, weeks after he criticised the organisation’s president, Gianni Infantino. As Russia and Ukraine trade more deadly strikes, the deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence service, GUR, tells the BBC he expects the coming winter months to be harder for civilians than last year. Russia's prominent anti-war politician Lev Shlosberg has been sentenced to eleven years in prison for criticising the conflict in Ukraine. Witnesses have begun giving testimony in the long awaited murder trial of the American rapper, Tupac Shakur. A special report on Germany's efforts to tackle small boat crossings by migrants to the UK. And how the success of Italian athletes with African heritage at the European Athletics Championships could combat racism in Italy.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] FILE PHOTO: People are seen behind a logo of Meta Platforms, during a conference in Mumbai, India, September 20, 2023. PhotoCredit: REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File

President Trump's Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, meets Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for Gaza peace talks. It comes a day after he held negotiations with Hamas officials in Cairo. Also, China's leader, Xi Jinping, makes a rare reference to the killing of protesters in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, in 1989. We look back at the life of the US actress Hayden Panettiere, who has died aged 36. We hear about the British prime minister, Andy Burnham, who thought he was messaging a senior White House official, but wasn't, and about a Ferrari car which no longer has the traditional engine roar.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

Photo:Jared Kushner speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026.

Credit: Photo by GIAN EHRENZELLER/EPA/Shutterstock

Get in touch: [email protected]

Donald Trump has ordered a substantial reduction in joint US-South Korea military exercises, saying they are "too expensive" and risk damaging his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In a post on Truth Social, he also noted that South Korea had recently declined to join the US in the "denuclearisation" of Iran.

Also: Russia and Ukraine trade deadly attacks, with a well-known book market in Kyiv among the targets; Brazil’s presidential campaign gets under way; a 60-day US-Iran agreement expires without resolving key disputes; four paintings by Renaissance master Antonello da Messina are stolen from his hometown of Messina in Sicily; Cameroon makes history by winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time; and the alarming lengths that some social media influencers are going to for a photo close up with a shark.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. Credit: Reuters

Last month, President Trump secretly swapped planes via a catering truck as he left a Nato summit in Turkey. The elaborate ruse, first reported by the Washington Post, was in response to a possible threat from Iran.

But how serious were the US administration’s fears of an assassination attempt? And does the Iranian regime have the capability to carry out such an operation beyond its borders?

We speak to Parham Ghobadi, a senior reporter at the BBC’s Persian Service, and Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post, to understand more about what transpired on Air Force One, the history of Iran’s alleged assassination plots, and why the Iranian regime’s prime target might be its own citizens.

For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Mhairi MacKenzie, Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin

Executive producers: Martine Powers and James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Digital producer: Sam Gruet

Studio manager: Mike Regaard

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A catering truck is parked on the other side of Air Force One, before U.S. President Donald Trump's departure from Ankara en route to Washington after his participation in the NATO leaders' summit, at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026. Credit: Reuters/ABC-TV/Pool/File Photo

Rescue workers have been attempting to reach suvivors of a powerful earthquake that hit the Indonesian island of Flores in the early hours of Saturday morning. Around fifty people have died and some five thousand have been evacuated from their homes.

Also: Israel has carried out its deadliest strikes in Lebanon for months killing eleven people. Moroccan police stopped hundreds of people from illegally crossing into Spain's North African territory of Ceuta, two weeks after tens of thousands entered the exclave. International observers of Zambia's election have told political parties to tone down inflammatory statements, saying the poll was marred by intimidation, abductions and an hours-long pause in the vote count. The Spanish government has ordered an investigation into the likely shooting of an endangered killer whale that was captured on video with wounds to its dorsal fin. The nineteen year old British cyclist Fin Tarling has died in a crash during the Tour of Portugal race. The Miss Universe Canada pageant is introducing a ''comprehensive costume guide'' after a row triggered by two contestants wearing Indigenous-style costumes.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: A man cries outside his family house that was damaged by the earthquake in Indonesia Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Neil the Seal has captured the hearts - and laughs - of people across the world with his mischievous antics. The elephant seal keeps returning to the Australian island of Tasmania to chew traffic cones, attack street signs, and block traffic with his 1,000 kg body. His hijinks have made him a local icon and an internet celebrity. We find out why Neil keeps venturing to Tasmania's suburban streets to cause a ruckus.

Also: How a group of Afghan women defied the odds to return to international football. Despite opposition from the Taliban, the players -- now scattered across the globe -- reunited to form Afghanistan's new national team.

The woman who accidentally threw away a million dollar lottery ticket - and the incredible way she found it again.

Scientists say they've created the first ever truly biodegradeable party balloons. They say existing options kill tens of thousands of marine animals a year.

Plus: how an ordinary man in Italy made one of the most important archaeological discoveries in decades; and a world surfing championship - for dogs.

(Photo: Neil the Seal in Tasmania, Australia. Credit: @neiltheseal22)

Presenter: Helena Burke. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The man accused of killing an American health insurance executive has confessed to the crime in court. Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to two federal counts of stalking resulting in death. He shot the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York street in 2024. Mangione will be sentenced in December; prosecutors say they will seek life in prison.

Also: Jason Arday - the Cambridge University professor who resigned over accusations of plagiarism - has been found dead at his home in London. President Trump says he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory. The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has become the latest American billionaire to invest in English football, after buying a share of the Premier League club, Liverpool. As Russia continues to bombard Ukraine, Kyiv is responding with its own campaign of long-range strikes. Following the surge of migrants to the Spanish North African territory of Ceuta, the BBC has identified dozens of Instagram profiles promoting positive content about crossing there from Morocco. And with the right training, could a normal man compete in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles? Four out of 10 seem to think so.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Luigi Mangione in a previous court appearance in New York City in September 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar

The spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has defended his reference to the UK as an 'Islamic Republic'. In a podcast with Israeli Army Radio, Mr Netanyahu recalled meeting the grandson of Winston Churchill, describing him as a 'lover of Israel' and then adding that you won't find that kind of attitude in the UK now, which he said was known as 'The Islamic Republic of Britain'. The UK and Israel are long-standing allies, but relations have become notably more tense since the war in Gaza. Also: At least eight people have died and several more have been injured in eastern Japan after record rainfall caused widespread flooding; the United Nations adds its voice to flag concerns about the pressure extreme weather events like droughts are putting on food security; builders in Belgium working on a renovation project have found a chest filled with gold bars and gold coins, bricked in the wall of a cellar; in Australia, tech executives give evidence about the ban on social media for under-16s to a parliamentary inquiry; we hear from Save the Children about the latest on the humanitarian crisis in Sudan; Spain announces it's extending the life of the country's biggest nuclear plant; and in Britain, the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage is re-elected as an MP in a by-election he triggered, defeating 33 other candidates - a parliamentary investigation into a nearly seven-million dollar gift he received from a crypto billionaire has now resumed.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Our chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet meets Afghan women and girls who face severe restrictions. Girls can only attend school until grade six - around the age of 12 - and women are barred from university and many jobs. There are even rules over visiting public parks and gyms. But many women and girls are still determined to keep learning and working, despite what some call "gender apartheid". Also: Democratic lawmakers in the US are calling for an investigation into allegations of suicide attempts, food shortages and deteriorating conditions on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for what's believed to be a record 200 days. For the first time in the US in 16 years, three people have been executed in one day. Gay people flee Ghana after parliament votes to jail them and anyone who "promotes homosexuality". As rescue workers in Colombia try to reach survivors of Monday's earthquake, we talk to the cousin of a 10-year-old boy who's trapped in the rubble with his mother and grandmother. Scientists in London claim they have invented the world's first fully biodegradable party balloon that breaks down within just nine months. A new study finds that pushing a buggy or stroller while running can help prevent injuries. And why Japan's rugby team coach is showing players videos of geese ahead of their game against Australia this weekend.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: The BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet in Afghanistan, five years after the Taliban regained power.  Credit: BBC

The army said it was acting to protect residents in Qusra and that it had demolished two illegal settler outposts. The mayor of Qusra says the village in the occupied West Bank has been declared a closed military zone. Also: Russia's president Vladimir Putin visits an island claimed by Japan - causing sharp criticism from Tokyo; Romania shuts down its only nuclear power plant because of low water levels in the Danube; why vultures are becoming endangered in West Africa; and Cameroon and Malawi make the final of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, as the hosts Morocco crash out.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Palestinians observe Israeli soldiers during a raid in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, West Bank, 13 August 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Russian journalist, television presenter and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 talks exclusively to the BBC. The former editor-in-chief of the now banned independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta tells our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg about life under Vladimir Putin. Also: US Vice-President JD Vance reportedly intervenes to halt Ukrainian strikes on oil tankers using Russian port of Novorossiysk. Karoline Leavitt to step down as White House Press Secretary but will retain role as adviser to President Trump. Millions of people across Europe wowed by once-in-a-generation solar eclipse. Immigration agents in the US could soon be issued with gloves that deliver electric shocks. Eurovision Song Contest changes rules for countries at war. Brits could face dynamic prices to use public toilets. And the magnetic espadrilles helping pétanque players pick up their balls.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Dmitry Muratov, editor of the now banned independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Credit: REUTERS/Yulia Morozova

Two Palestinian families remain trapped in their homes by settlers who moved into their village in the occupied West Bank on Sunday. The first Israeli soldiers who arrived at the scene were filmed praying with the extremist settlers. But after clashes they left and the settlers have returned. The Palestinian families say their water and power have been cut and they have dwindling food supplies. Also, has the war in Iran eroded Donald Trump's support in one of his key strongholds? Zhu Rongji, the former Chinese premier who championed free market reforms, has died at the age of 97. And we hear from the British driver Andy Green, who's set a new world speed record, in a hydrogen- powered vehicle.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Israeli troops clash with settlers besieging Palestinian homes in West Bank Credit: Reuters

People across the world are eagerly awaiting a solar eclipse, with the Moon set to block out our view of the Sun. The BBC's science correspondent reports from northern Spain - one of the areas expecting a rare total eclipse. Also: rescue efforts continue after the earthquake in Colombia; a Syrian court sentences the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, to death for crimes against humanity; Donald Trump defends swapping planes due to a reported security threat, despite anger from journalists left on Air Force One; the Winter Olympics sport of curling finds new fans in sunny Italy; and the American TV channel Hallmark celebrates its 25th anniversary.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Solar eclipse viewing preparations in the Netherlands. A woman wears eclipse glasses in Almelo. 11 August 2026. Credit: Vincent Jannink. EPA/Shutterstock

The number of people known to have been killed by an earthquake in Colombia has risen to more than 200. The quake with a magnitude of 7.4 hit the west of the country on Monday. Rescuers worked through the night looking for survivors trapped under dozens of collapsed buildings. The cities of Cali and Pereira were among the places worst hit. Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has declared a state of emergency. Also: Medecins Sans Frontieres warns that children in southwest Somalia are facing alarming food shortages. President Trump was smuggled out of Air Force One in an airport catering truck after a possible Iran threat. And: What is behind Australia's first autonomous AI hack?

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: A drone view shows the site of a damaged building following an earthquake, in Cali, Colombia, August 11, 2026 Credit: REUTERS

More than 130 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia. Rescuers are searching for those trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings. Also: Turkey approves a law aimed at ending conflict with the Kurdish militant PKK group; we investigate China's "flash marriage" scams targeting lonely men; how tourism is impacting wildlife, especially elephants, in Zambia; Harry Potter fans get an undersea power cable rerouted to protect Dobby's fictional grave; and why we should smile at our dogs.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Rescuers at the site of a collapsed building in Cali, Colombia, following earthquake Credit: Sergio Acero/REUTERS

Scientists at EU's climate change monitoring programme warn the world's oceans were hotter last month than in any other July on record. Sea temperatures outside the polar regions reached nearly 21 degrees Celsius. Ukrainian armed forces launch a long range drone attack on a Russian oil refinery about 1,000 kilometres east of Moscow. A BBC investigation uncovers evidence suggesting South African special forces could have been involved in the death of a police detective. Police in India use water cannon to disperse thousands of people protesting about civil service examinations. Football confederations representing more than half of FIFA members issue statement criticising the president, Gianni Infantino. The trial of a former gang leader accused of involvement in the death of the rapper, Tupac Shakur, gets underway in Las Vegas. The actor, Michael Sheen, speaks about his documentary on the historic burying of toxic chemicals. And a zoo in Florida hires a full time acupuncture therapist to treat animals.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Description: Beach in The Bahamas  Credit: BBC

In a rare public spat, Israel firmly rejects the US president's Gaza peace plan saying troops will only withdraw from the territory once Hamas has handed over all its weapons. The high representative for Gaza for Donald Trump's Board of Peace insists that the US-backed peace plan for the territory is the only way forward. Nickolay Mladenov said further talks were under way that he hoped would lead to a positive outcome.

Also: In Canada, the vast western province of British Columbia is under a state of emergency, with more than 100 wildfires burning. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, including the 12000 residents of Summerland. The suspected Irish crime boss, Daniel Kinahan, is in custody in Ireland after appearing in court, following his extradition from the United Arab Emirates. He denies any wrongdoing. The Nigerian army says its soldiers have rescued 33 people who were kidnapped in the northwest of the country following an upsurge in abductions. Why the authorities in the UK are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to remove works by the renowned street artist Banksy. How Tom Holland's latest Spiderman film is breaking the box office. And, the remarkable discovery of a more than 2000-year-old Roman shipwreck off the coast of Sicily.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a news conference Credit: Reuters

On February 28th, in the opening hours of the first day of the US-Israel war against Iran, an attack on a school vin the southern city of Minab killed over 120 children. To date, its the deadliest civilian attack during the Iran war. Experts say the school was hit by a precision guided Tomahawk missile - a weapon that neither Israel nor Iran are known to possess. Yet five months on, the US government has not formally accepted responsibility.

We speak to the to the BBC’s Senior International Investigations Correspondent Nawal Al Maghafi, who recently returned from Iran where she visited Minab and met with survivors of the strike and the families of those who killed. We also hear from the BBC’s State Department Correspondent Tom Bateman about his attempts to get answers from US officials about the school strike.

For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.