Global News Podcast

A new personalised skin cancer vaccine has been found to reduce the risk of patients dying or their cancer returning by 42%. As part of a global two-year clinical trial, more than 1,000 patients who had already had their tumours removed were given a widely used immunotherapy drug. Around two-thirds were then given the experimental vaccine, which was developed using cells from their own tumours. Researchers say the results could mark a turning point in cancer treatment.

Also: How a man achieved his goal of becoming a world-famous singer without even knowing it. The neighbours who rallied together to fulfil an autistic boy's dream. The "brain bank" giving hope to Parkinson's patients. A ballet school offering a brighter future for children living in one of the poorest parts of the world. And how one conservationist's determination helped save the threatened African manatee.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

(Photo: A man receives a personalised vaccine as part of a global cancer treatment trial. Credit: Addenbrooke's Hospital)

Presenter: Helena Burke Music: Iona Hampson

The US State Department says it has approved the sale of more than two billion dollars' worth of Patriot missiles to Ukraine. The 500 missiles have been paid for by contributions from Canada, Germany and Norway. Ukraine needs the interceptors to defend itself from escalating Russian attacks, but there is a global shortage due to their use by the US in its war against Iran. Also: Russia's most prominent independant paper closes after years of state persecution. Shares in US technology companies fall sharply for a second day on Wall Street as concerns rise over the hundreds of billions of dollars being invested in AI. Police Scotland confirm that they're looking into the time the King's brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spent with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the British Royal Family's Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire. A row in South Korea over pictures from a deadly crush being used in the latest Call of Duty video game. And Ken Russell fans gear up to see a newly restored and uncensored classic by the late acclaimed British film director.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: U.S. Army MIM-104 Patriots, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system launchers are pictured at Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Poland March 24, 2022 Credit: Reuters

Officials confirm the evacuation of the Ukrainian city of Oleshky is under way. Russia and Ukraine have agreed a temporary local ceasefire. People who decided to leave Oleshky had a four-hour window to do so.

Also: Binance, the world's biggest crypto exchange, has been hit by what could be the biggest hack in history. We report from Syria, two years on from the fall of the Assad regime. Experts say the online “manosphere” should be treated as a public health issue. We look at what role Israel’s president will play in the outcome of the general election. And researchers say eating fruit and vegetable scraps could provide a health boost that most of us are missing.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Residents in Oleshky, Ukraine, 30th October 2026. Credit: Reuters

The Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has questioned a massive oil deal agreed between Caracas and Washington earlier this year. The accord will see Venezuela hand over twenty per cent of its oil reserves to the US. Speaking at a news conference after her return from exile over the weekend, Ms Machado insisted elections would be held next year, as part of the democratic transition she said was backed by the US. Also: Spanish families desperately search local hospitals in the hope of finding relatives who were hurt in the Toledo train disaster on Wednesday. America's First Lady, Melania Trump, says the ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Olezhky has been expanded within the Kherson region. The British actor, Patrick Stewart, who gained fame as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek, has died at the age of 86. The Republican governor of Alaska has ordered an investigation into an alleged scheme which led to two men named Dan Sullivan standing in the state's US Senate race. Mike Dunleavy said he was responding to a New York Times story alleging that Democratic party operatives recruited a spoiler candidate. At least 300,000 people could be at risk of future natural disasters in the Himalayas, and we hear from Iranians planning to celebrate Halloween despite the risk of arrest.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses the press in Caracas. Credit: Reuters/Gaby Oráa

More than a dozen people are killed by a jet-powered drone from Russia as they board a train from a crowded platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Also: following the election in Israel, Arab-led parties could hold the balance of power. Would they ever agree to join a coalition government? Rescuers are still searching the wreckage of a crash involving two high-speed trains in Spain. There's been outrage in South Korea after the makers of the video game Call of Duty include footage from a real-life tragedy that killed nearly 160, most of them young people. And Britain is looking at ways to verify the age of teenagers ahead of a social media ban for under-16s - but will it work?

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: emergency workers at railway station in Dnipro, Ukraine after Russian drone strike  Credit: Reuters

Flávio Bolsonaro insists he is Brazil’s rightful leader, claiming fraud in the election he lost to President Lula da Silva - without providing evidence. He is currently in Miami in the United States but denies fleeing Brazil where he is under investigation. Also: Spanish investigators examine if negligence played a role in deadly rail crash; forest fires spark anti-government protests across Indonesia; the woman who pet a great white shark; and the art of short films, and even shorter microdramas.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Flávio Bolsonaro lands in Florida after fleeing Brazil following his defeat in the presidential election. Credit: Reuters/Eva Marie Uzcategui

More than 60 people have died after two high-speed trains collided south of the Spanish capital, Madrid. The accident happened on the same rail line where 46 people died earlier this year.

Also: with most votes counted in the Israeli election, Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is slightly ahead, but short of a majority. A luxury cruise ship on a years-long voyage around the world has suspended operations because of high fuel costs, leaving passengers stranded in Cambodia. King Charles has begun his tour of the Caribbean by acknowledging the "great suffering of the past" as he faced calls for slavery reparations. And the two-time Oscar winner, Michael Douglas, tells the BBC that writing a memoir was an important legacy to leave his “nepo baby” children.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: two high-speed trains collide in Urda, Spain. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

There is no clear winner in Israel's election, with results remaining too close to call. As votes are being counted, Benjamin Netanyahu tells supporters he wants to form a right-wing government and "remove the Iranian threat once and for all." His challenger, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, urges the prime minister to step down, saying the country has voted "for change". Arab parties are on track to record their best results ever.

Also: Brazil's defeated right-wing presidential candidate, Flávio Bolsonaro, has fled to the United States amid a probe into alleged money laundering. NFL player Colin Kaepernick speaks to the BBC about his choice to protest police brutality by taking the knee on the field in 2016, causing him to lose his career. The Youth Olympic Games, held in the Senegalese capital, is set to be the first Olympic event held on African soil. And why scientists are playing underwater sounds to coral reefs.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Picture: Voters wave Israeli flags while awaiting results from the country's first parliamentary elections since the 7 October 2023 attacks. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock/Atef Safadi

Israelis turn out in large numbers to vote in what many view as one of the most pivotal elections in the country's history. The campaign has been shaped by the issues of democracy and security and is widely being seen as a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership.

Also: Officials aligned with the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan say drone strikes on the city of Nyala have killed over a hundred people. A ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is holding in the Russia-occupied city of Oleshky, to allow in humanitarian aid. Media groups in India have told the country's supreme court that the government’s new privacy law would challenge the entire concept of news and amount to pre-censorship. The US Justice Department is set to file new charges against James Comey, marking the third time in just over a year that the Trump administration has tried to prosecute the former FBI director. Football star Kylian Mbappe has been dropped by two of his Chinese sponsors after a video emerged of the player making fun of China’s revolutionary hero Mao Zedong. As the sixth instalment in Sarah J. Mass’s ACOTAR series is released, we learn why the romantasy genre has become so popular. And finally, a two-metre-tall skeleton of a dinosaur is expected to sell at Southby’s for $9m.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man casts his vote for the 26th Knesset elections in the city of Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, Israel, 27 October 2026. Credit: EPA/ Shutterstock

Israel is holding its first general election since the October 7th Hamas attacks in 2023, with Benjamin Netanyahu seeking to maintain his hold on power after three years of war. Also: after his shock defeat in the Brazilian election, the right wing opposition candidate, Flávio Bolsonaro, says he's now been banned from leaving the country. Anthropic files for a potentially record-breaking stock market valuation. Two Catholic bishops in the US say they regret meeting President Trump, after images of them praying with him are released by a White House aide. Harry Kane becomes the first English footballer in 25 years to win the game's most prestigious individual award - the Ballon d'Or. A convicted murderer in Australia loses his legal challenge against the ban on Vegemite in prisons. 'Maxxing' is selected as Dictionary.com's word of the year.

This week the Chinese President Xi Jinping and his inner circle are meeting in Beijing for a series of closed-door meetings, known as plenums. Once those meetings have concluded, we're expecting to learn more about the senior figures that could shape the look of China's ruling Communist Party in the years to come. In this bonus episode we answer your questions about the next generation of Chinese leaders and how they might run the world superpower. Presenter Celia Hatton is joined by the BBC's China correspondent Stephen McDonell in Beijing and Shawn Yuan from the BBC Global China Unit and other Chinese expert guests.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping pictured during a meeting in Beijing, China, May 15, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Evan Vucci/Pool

Serbia's long-standing leader, Aleksander Vučić, is defeated in parliamentary elections by the Student List Party. The movement grew out of protests against corruption and authoritarianism. Also: we speak to Israelis about what many see as the most critical election in their history. Brazil's incumbent left-wing President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, wins a stunning victory in a run-off vote. Around 300 top politicians gather in Beijing, as China's communist leadership holds its most important meeting of the year. And cars, buses, taxis and bicycles disappear from a section of Oxford Street, as pedestrians take over London's famous shopping thoroughfare.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Supporters of the electoral list, "Student List - Students Win", celebrate after Aleksandar Vučić,, Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) prime ministerial candidate, conceded defeat in the parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia.

Credit: REUTERS

Brazil's left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been elected to a fourth term in office, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro in the runoff of the presidential election. The right-wing challenger Bolsonaro has called for the election to be annulled, following in his father Jair Bolsonaro’s footsteps by not recognising the results. Lula becomes the first president in Brazil's history to win a fourth term.

Also: joy and disbelief on Serbia's streets as a student-led protest movement defeats the long-standing leader Aleksandar Vučić. The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returns to Caracas after nearly a year in exile. Why the money from China's soaring exports isn't reaching the nation's workers. Uganda imposes a 21-day Ebola quarantine for travellers arriving from the DRC. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly clashes with his military chief. And why wind-up radios are flying off the shelves in the UK.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Workers' Party (PT) candidate for re-election, gestures as he addresses supporters after his victory in the presidential runoff election, at Paulista Avenue, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 26, 2026. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

Midterm elections in the United States are normally about domestic issues such as the economy and the cost of living. They’re often a pulse check on voter sentiment towards the party in power, or a reflection of local political battles and regional trends. Midterms are rarely impassioned referendums on a specific foreign policy issue. But this year in Michigan, for some voters, the Senate race is shaping up to be just that. Today on the show, The Global Story’s Asma Khalid shares her reporting from Michigan, where a debate among Democrats over the conflict in the Middle East has become a touchstone issue, especially among the state’s large Arab American and Jewish communities. 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.

Protests against poor economic conditions have been held across France. Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested after clashes with riot police in cities including Paris and Marseilles.

Also: campaigning intensifies ahead of the US mid-term elections. We have a special report from the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. Gianni Infantino claims the "vast majority" supports his bid for re-election as head of world football's governing body, FIFA. Final rallies are held in Brazil ahead of Sunday's presidential run-off election between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro. One man has been arrested after Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat in Bavaria was engulfed in flames. And Europe's busiest shopping street, Oxford Street in London, prepares to go traffic free.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: People clash with police during a demonstration against the high cost of living in Bordeaux, France, 24 October 2026. Credit: EPA/Shuttershock

Patrick Mohr thought his wedding ring was gone after it fell off his hand while he swam in Italy, but it led to an international friendship with three locals who dived to find it. Filippo Palagi, Nicola Malloggi and Edoardo Poggi went on a trip to return it to Patrick in Ireland.

Also: the grandmother who competed at Miss Great Britain and made history in the process. Glamour Gran Ann wants other women to see that getting older does not mean disappearing. In Australia, the reporter who ended up saving a man's life while covering floods in Brisbane. ABC reporter Will Murray pulled a man from a sinking car, after the driver accidentally drove into the flood.

Plus - World Athletics are holding their first ever World Treadmill Championship. And the live stream in Finland where you can watch puppies 24/7.

Image: The three men who helped Patrick find his ring, posing with Patrick holding it. Credit: Patrick Mohr.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

The White House says the US first lady, Melania Trump, has brokered a local ceasefire for a frontline city in a Russian-occupied part of Ukraine. The truce in Oleshky, in the Kherson region, is due to begin on October 29. The White House says the city is on "the brink of disaster" without medicine, food and clean water. Residents of the city have resorted to eating garden weeds to survive. Also: Donald Trump files a lawsuit seeking to block Alaska's result in the midterms if the Republican incumbent does not win his Senate seat. We look at the legacy of the iPod as the device turns 25. The company behind ChatGPT announces that it will no longer train its AI models live on the internet amid security concerns. Brazilians go to the polls on Sunday in what’s predicted to be an incredibly close presidential election. And the hunt for the next James Bond is underway, with screen tests rumoured to be taking place in London.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Rally demanding the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to evacuate Ukrainian civilians from Oleshky in Kherson region, in Kyiv. October 6, 2026. REUTERS/Alina Smutko

A BBC investigation has found evidence that Sudanese paramilitary fighters systematically destroyed El-Fasher's healthcare system during their long siege and subsequent takeover of the city in Darfur a year ago. UN human rights chief Volker Türk called the findings "deeply disturbing", saying multiple attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, were serious violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. Also: the Israeli military says two soldiers were killed in an attack by Palestinian gunmen in the occupied West Bank. The two suspected attackers were shot dead by the IDF. Ukrainian defence officials say there are still restrictions on their use of the Starshield satellite network, despite President Trump saying it was operating normally. And, the brave little octopus who escapes death after venturing from her normal underwater habitat.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: A makeshift hospital in El Fasher lies in ruins after being targeted by RSF fighters. Credit: BBC News

Our senior international corrrespondent Orla Guerin reports from Yemen where fighting has intensified between government forces and Houthi rebels. Also: Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong steps into the limelight as rumours swirl over the health of the North Korean leader. Demonstrators stage peaceful protests across Venezuela calling for the safe return of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. President Trump is ordered to answer questions under oath in BBC lawsuit. New York city council votes to ban the use of horsedrawn carriages in Central Park after a long campaign by activists who say the animals suffer. A retired decorator becomes a millionaire after Pokemon cards sold at auction. And Raye wins the 2026 Mercury Prize for her album This Music May Contain Hope.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Yemeni families seek refuge in a camp near the port city of Aden Credit: Lee Durant - BBC

The Ukrainian president has accused Russia of responding to the latest negotiations about ending the war by launching three waves of ballistic missiles. Nine people were killed and more than 30 injured across Ukraine, as homes, power facilities, shops and a medical centre were hit. The attacks came after Russia had said it was "ready in principle" to resume peace talks, and the US said an end to the war was close. Also: American media reports say the US and Israel are developing plans for renewed strikes against specific targets in Iran. How Arab parties could hold the balance of power in the Israeli general election. Why has President Trump been heckled at a rally in South Carolina? And a clinical trial has been launched in the UK which scientists hope could cut years from the search for new treatments for Alzheimer's disease.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A rescuer works at the site of a shopping centre hit by a Russian missile attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 22, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

A cyber security flaw has prompted governments in Finland and the Netherlands and websites such as Wikipedia and the BBC to go completely dark temporarily. The flaws in a programming language were discovered by AI. PHP is a scripting language that powers 70 per cent of all websites in the world.

Also: Three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi next month to try to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. We hear about an Iranian prisoner who went to extraordinary lengths to chronicle the brutal reality of life Inside one of the country's notorious jail's. Our correspondent details the rise in the number of wild elephants dying in Sri Lanka. The new rules that mean you won't have to clean up before you leave an Airbnb. And why John Malkovich is tipped for an Oscar for his performance in Wild Horse Nine.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: The website of the Computer Emergency Response Team for the EU Institutions, Bodies and Agencies displays a warning message after critical vulnerabilities were detected in the PHP programming language Credit: Rob Engelaar - EPA/Shutterstock

Russia has released a retired American teacher who was jailed for allegedly fighting on behalf of Ukraine, as President Vladimir Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff. Mr Witkoff praised the decision, calling Mr Putin "a humanitarian", while also thanking him for a diesel deal that has angered Kyiv's allies. The US envoy, who had attended talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Norway on Tuesday, also asked Mr Putin to consider trilateral peace talks with Ukraine.

Also: Hungarian police arrest the former central bank chief György Matolcsy on suspicion of fraud. South Korea's newest celebrity, Bukangi the shark, returns to sea after a third rescue attempt in Busan harbour. Australian MP Helen Haines loses both legs after alleged car attack, as suspect is charged with multiple offences. The UK government gives the green light to a new gas field in North Sea, despite protests from environment campaigners. The BBC visits Springfield, Ohio, ahead of the US midterm elections, speaking to Haitian migrants fearing deportation. Why Elon Musk wants to merge SpaceX and Tesla, and the Hokusai Mount Fuji photos going on display in London.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says intelligence on early warning systems for Russian strikes "works now", and that he is thankful to the US. After meeting President Zelensky, Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff is now in Russia to share peace proposals with President Putin.

Also: We report from Kansas ahead of the US midterm elections; Indonesia's worst wildfire season in a decade causes an air pollution crisis across South East Asia; the Egyptian man sentenced to prison for impersonating a judge; the third attempt to free a shark trapped for a month in a South Korean harbour; and the trees causing an overpowering smell in Vietnam's capital.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy at a press conference in Norway Credit: Reuters/Cornelius Poppe

Canada’s most oil and gas rich province, Alberta, has voted to reject a move towards holding a referendum on independence from Canada. The Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney said they were pleased with the result. More than three quarters of voters said they were against holding a future binding referendum that would have split Alberta from the rest of Canada. The vote took place at a time when Canada is embroiled in a trade war with the US.

Also: More civilians have died in the latest round of drone attacks in Sudan. Police have charged a man alleged to have nearly killed an Australian MP. A key advisor to President Zelensky says that Ukrainians are dying because the US is "restricting intelligence sharing". New evidence has found that Shakespeare was not the only author of the play Edward III.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: A supporter of the Forever Canadian group, who wants Alberta to remain in Canada, waits for the results of a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada October 19, 2026.

Credit: Reuters/Todd Korol TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Overnight curfews are in place in parts of Paris, Lyon, Lille and Nice as the French authorities try to crack down on violence and looting which has scarred the country since Saturday. Demonstrations have been banned in the French capital, which experienced some of the worst unrest that spilled over from massive protests against the cost of living.

Also: Japan heads to Mars to make history in space exploration; young Israeli voters speak to the BBC ahead of next week's election; a Bangladesh minister resigns after going viral on social media for wielding a gun in suspected drugs raid; the researchers trying to solve the mysterious disappearance of the pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart; and Apu returns to the Simpsons after nine years away.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A protester in Paris throws a bicycle onto a burning car amid clashes during a day of demonstrations Credit: REUTERS/Abdul Saboor

Residents of Gaza have described the World Food Programme's decision to drastically reduce lifesaving assistance as "disastrous". The number of people helped by the UN agency will be reduced by around a third to one-point-one million people, as it grapples with a funding shortfall. Also: An Australian lawmaker is in a critical condition after being hit by a car in what the prime minister described as an attack. A Kenyan court delivers its judgement in the trial of a cult leader accused of murdering almost two hundred people who starved to death.The French government says it's imposing temporary curfews in some cities to prevent any continuation of the violent unrest that swept the country over the weekend. A spacecraft is set to take off from Japan on the world's first mission to bring back samples from Phobos, one of two small moons orbiting Mars. And the British government has launched a campaign to clamp down on people playing music out loud on buses and trains - with fines of around $130.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Palestinian children queue to receive food from the World Food Programme (WFP) Credit: Reuters/Mahmoud Issa

What happens if Donald Trump loses the midterms, and why do these elections matter for Republicans and Democrats? What is gerrymandering? A stump speech? PACs and Super PACs? Dark money? In this special joint episode, we explain some of the basics of next month's US elections. The Global News Podcast's Celia Hatton is joined by Anthony Zurcher and Sumi Somaskanda from Americast to help decode the weird and wonderful jargon surrounding the midterms. We hear from our listeners about which phrases have them stumped.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: US President Donald Trump responds to a question from the news medis. Credit: Shawn Thew - POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

With President Macron's final months in office set to be marred by the continuing protests and riots, how will the violent unrest influence France's upcoming election? Our reporter says the government's failures could help the far-left and far-right at the polls. Also: four soldiers are killed in a fire at a Canadian military base; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro butt heads in Brazil's presidential TV debate; we speak to the son of the American journalist attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank; a Kenyan doomsday cult leader awaits court verdict; and recycling sportswear - do you want to buy an Olympics kit originally made for an athlete?

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A French firefighter extinguishes a blaze as clashes between riot police and demonstrators continue. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Since World War Two ended, most people living in the United States or Europe have generally upheld a consensus about its morality; that it was a just war fought against an evil Nazi regime, and the allies were right to fight it. But in a viral podcast debate with the British conservative Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Tucker Carlson seemed to disagree with that narrative, causing deep consternation within the wider conservative movement. The Global Story’s Tristan Redman speaks to BBC Newscast’s Adam Fleming about Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and the strand of British conservatism he represents. We also hear from the Conservative politician and Times of London columnist Lord Daniel Finkelstein - whose parents were survivors of a Nazi concentration camps and a Russian gulag - about why he thinks one of America’s most influential right-wing voices is casting doubt on World War Two history.

For more from the Global Story please subscribe wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

(Photo: Tucker Carlson speaks at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, 18 July, 2024. He has short brown hair with side parting. He gestures with both arms outstretched to the side as he speaks into a mic. He wears a dark blue jacket, a blue and white gingham shirt and a dark blue tie with yellow, diagonal stripes. Credit: Mike Segar/Reuters) Producer: Aron Keller and Cat Farnsworth Executive producer: James Shield Digital producer: Sam Gruet Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins

President Macron has promised that vandals and looters will be punished after a day of rioting saw businesses and public buildings damaged and set on fire across France. The protests - that have turned violent - are part of an ongoing wave of anger over declining public services and the cost of living. Also: The US, France and Belgium condemn Israeli settler attacks on diplomats and a journalist in the occupied West Bank. Donald Trump waives newly announced sanctions on Russia. We look back at the Black Panthers - a revolutionary organisation founded 60 years ago during the US civil rights movement. And a rare, flawless pink diamond is going back on public display, after being stolen and then hidden a century 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.

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Photo: A protestor holds a French flag next to burning objects amid clashes in a street in Paris. Credit: Reuters/Jack Taylor

When a storm washed out the only road connecting North Carolina's Outer Banks, Kimberly and Jayden turned to the locals of Hatteras Island for help. None of their family or wedding suppliers could get there for their big day. But, after a social media appeal, the locals rallied round the couple and their wedding went ahead. The couple estimate between 500 to 800 strangers attended their wedding.

Also, a black Labrador has just been named as Animal of the Year. Six year old Sgaith sniffs out an invasive marine creature called the carpet sea squirt with her handler, Dr Texa Sim.

Archaeologists have found what they believe to be the world's oldest shipwreck. It's just off the coast of Turkey and it's thought to be 4,500 years old. Although the ship's wooden structure has not survived, some of its contents are still lying on the seabed.

Plus, the drug trial offering hope to people with alopecia. Why women are dominating the Motorsport, Top Fuel Drag Racing - and the man who ran a marathon, with strangers celebrating him along the way.

Image: Kimberly and Jayden getting married. Credit: GwenyGrace Photography

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has been ousted after just five days, amid criticism of her first media briefing and questions about her legal background. Also: figures released by the Brazilian government indicate that deforestation in the Amazon has hit record lows. Police in the US state of Oregon have described how a teacher and a school parent fought off the gunman who killed four people at a primary school on Thursday. Ukraine says a counteroffensive has liberated more than 270 sq km of occupied land from Russian troops - we have a special report from the frontline. More than 120 people have been arrested during clashes with police in the Albanian capital, Tirana. An investigation into fraud involving penile implant surgeries has been launched in Sicily, and should car radios be a legal requirement?

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.

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Photo: White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia at her first media briefing in the role, 13th October Credit: Reuters

The BBC has witnessed Israeli settlers attack Palestinians and set fire to olive trees in the occupied West Bank. Also: President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is "only standing up for Ukraine's interests" after scathing criticism from Donald Trump. There has been a stark rise in anti-government activists deported to Russia from the EU and US, where they'd been seeking sanctuary. Researchers at the University of Maryland in the US have developed a tool to spot whether ideas are AI generated. A new version of Tesla's Roadster electric sports car, equipped with thrusters which apparently allow it to hover and turn in mid-air, has been unveiled in Texas. The number of ships that have reported being attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz has hit a record high, BBC Verify analysis shows. A pioneering same-day test has been used to detect hidden and drug-resistant infections among children in intensive care. Experts are deciding whether to get rid of "leap seconds" altogether and replace them with a "leap hour" instead. And low-budget Spanish film La Bola Negra is emerging as a major Oscars contender.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Israeli settlers attack Palestinians and olive pickers in the West Bank, Abu Falah - 16 Oct 2026 Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

A 16-year-old has shot dead three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, in the US state of Oregon. The gunman was shot dead by a member of the public. Also: Britain's defence secretary says he's been reassured by the US that Starlink satellite services used by Ukraine’s military have been restored. In Yemen, the presidential palace and seat of the government in the port city of Aden has been attacked by Houthi rebels. Venezuela's ousted President Nicolas Maduro pleads not guilty to conspiracy to torture in a New York court. The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, apologizes to the organisation's council for his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. We hear from people with sight loss that say smart glasses are a 'game changer'; and a 99-year-old becomes the world's oldest wing walker.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Emergency personnel at the scene of the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, 15th October. Credit: Reuters

More than 30 people have been killed after a school roof collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, with the majority thought to be children under the age of 13. The owner of the school has been arrested, with police warning the building was extremely dangerous and there was a risk of further collapse. Also: the BBC has identified 254 incidents in which the Israeli military has been accused of killing or injuring people in Gaza, Lebanon, the occupied West Bank and Israel, which it said it would investigate - but no outcome has been publicly disclosed; Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle carry out their first joint engagement since returning to the UK; one of the most shocking court cases of recent years, the Pelicot trial, comes to the stage in London next month. Dominique Pelicot was jailed for 20 years for drugging and raping his wife and allowing at least 50 other men to abuse her while she was unconscious; Ukraine attacks one of Russia's major oil refineries, hours after President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy vowed to renew strikes; we report from Iowa, where Democrats lead in early polls for next month's mid-term elections; the World Athletics president aims for African "legacy" with 2029 World Championships in Kenya; and research suggests dogs can link shapes to sounds.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Police officers and military personnel gather as they survey the site of a school roof collapse at a hospital morgue in Peshawar, Pakistan, October 15, 2026.

Credit: REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Volodymyr Zelensky says he feels "betrayed" by Donald Trump after the US-Russia diesel deal and an apparent decision to curb access to the Starlink network, which has been vital to Ukraine during the war. President Zelensky accused the White House of being on the wrong side of history. Also: student protesters attack government buildings in Albania; Turkish police raid and shut down the opposition station Halk TV; China and North Korea build bridges - metaphorically and literally; the Wildlife Photographer of the Year reflects on what his shot of a grieving elephant can teach us; and the dog that sniffs out invasive "sea vomit".

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Ukraine's President Zelensky in London, 14th October. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock.

Russian missile and drone strikes hit "critical" infrastructure in Kyiv and Kharkiv despite US President Donald Trump's claim on Sunday that an "energy ceasefire" was in place between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine says it received no warning from allies and was hampered by restrictions to the Starlink communications network during another night of intense attacks. Separately, speed restrictions on the key Starlink communications network have disrupted Ukraine's battlefield "missions", President Volodymyr Zelensky's adviser has warned. Also: A Ukrainian man goes on trial in Hamburg accused of blowing up Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines to Germany; Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court overturns a death sentence imposed on a Sri Lankan worker for blasphemy; The Global Penguin Society says more needs to be done to protect the birds from the impact of climate change, the El Niño weather pattern, deep sea mining and oil development; In China how the "loneliness economy" is growing to help people deal with feelings of isolation; and archaeologists in Turkey say they’ve found the world’s oldest shipwreck.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo:

Residents look on from a balcony of an apartment of a residential building which was damaged by a late evening Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 14, 2026. Credit: Reuters

A medical bulletin from the Vatican has announced that Pope Leo has undergone a successful operation to remove a cancerous tumour from his right lung. It said the Pope had woken up normally and returned to his room after a brief period of observation. Pope Leo had announced on Sunday that his operation was imminent but the cancer diagnosis only came after the procedure had been carried out.

Also: 30 years after the American rapper Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, a former gang boss has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for his part in the murder. Cornell University in the US has suspended some campus parties in response to a former student’s gang rape allegations. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said anonymous contributors to the Israeli documentary "NAZA" about the war against Hamas in Gaza must have their identities revealed; we speak to the film's directors. A major report by England's football regulator has warned that many clubs are living on edge of financial disaster. How minuscule robots piloted by magnets could deliver doses of medicine to specific parts of the body. And a new species of dinosaur is discovered by a British scientist.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Pope Leo XIV arriving at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, 13th October. Credit: EPA

The International Monetary Fund says in its latest report that global growth has weathered the Middle East conflict better than had been feared, with rerouting of oil supplies and the release of energy stocks helping reduce the negative impact of the Iran war. But the IMF also warns that emergency stocks are now depleted. Also; the authorities in the American state of Tennessee release dramatic phone calls that were made to the emergency services after the botched execution of Christa Pike; Pope Leo has been admitted to hospital for a lung operation; a leading Iraqi human rights organisation says the government must do more to protect women who speak out about sexual violence, and Rwanda has agreed to host Formula One races, bringing the sport to Africa for the first time since the South African Grand Prix in 1993.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department at the International Monetary Fund Silvana Tenreyro at annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank Group in Bangkok Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Researchers in Australia say there were 11.4 million new dementia cases in 2023. They expect that number to more than double to 24.7 million by 2050. Women and people from lower- and middle-income countries are most likely to be affected. We speak to Professor Henry Brodaty, co-author of the study, who tells us this is because of "an epidemic of ageing".

Also: the BBC reports from the frontline of the conflict in Yemen. US federal agents have raided the home in Washington of the Democratic congresswoman, Ilhan Omar. Elon Musk has given what's believed to be a record amount of money to Republican groups ahead of the US midterm elections. We're in Hungary, six months on from the defeat of Viktor Orbán's party in parliamentary elections. And the actress Selma Blair is charged with assault after an alleged incident on a flight from Los Angeles to New York City.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: A 90-year old man uses a walking stick at the Forget Me Not, Dementia Friendly Cafe, in Salford, England. Credit: Reuters

Major French supermarket chains have reported being hit by a cyberattack that caused their refrigerators to defrost. More than 150 Intermarché stores were targeted, along with almost 100 Coopérative U outlets. The hackers may have also hit other major chains in France and neighbouring countries.

Also: Saudi airspace remains heavily disrupted, as Yemen's Houthis continue a barrage of missile attacks. President Zelensky says Washington has to make Russia respect the energy ceasefire announced by President Trump, after Russian strikes hit Ukrainian power plants overnight. Thousands have rallied in Delhi for what they call a March for Democracy, aimed at removing the head of India's electoral commission, following fraud allegations. Why AI data centres could be a major issue for voters in the US midterms. Pakistan detains the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after sacking him and his government and declaring a local emergency. We speak to the president of Microsoft about the dangers of AI going rogue... and the case of a Qing period porcelain bowl found mysteriously smashed inside the British Museum.

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.

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Photo: FILE PHOTO: A customer shops in a supermarket in Nice, France, March 1, 2023. Credit: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

The main international airport in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, is attacked on consecutive days by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. More than a dozen people have been killed and hundreds injured. The Houthis say they launched the strikes because of the Saudis' support for government forces in Yemen's civil war.

Also: a BBC investigation looks into the circumstances surrounding the shooting of mourners in Kenya at a national farewell for a former prime minister. The Pope is to undergo surgery to remove a lump on his lung. A boat carrying hundreds of migrants from Djibouti to Yemen sinks, leaving almost 140 people dead. And why are shark bites on the increase in Australia?

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.

Photo: Surveillance footage shows smoke and fire as people react to the attack at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on 10th October 2026. Credit: Saudi Ministry of Media, via Reuters

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

At a recent Meta product launch, Mark Zuckerberg promised that the company’s smart glasses would give wearers “new superpowers”, but what are they? Amid criticisms of its privacy and child protection policies, Meta is betting big on smart glasses as a way to restyle the company’s image, but they too have caused controversy – dubbed by critics ‘pervert glasses’ because they have been used to film women without their knowledge. So why are Meta and other big tech firms investing billions in this tech? Who is it for? Lily Jamali, the BBC’s North America technology correspondent, joins us to explain.

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

A major diplomatic row has erupted between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. After Mr Zelensky criticised a decision by Mr Trump to buy Russian diesel, the US president lashed out. He called for a new leader in Ukraine, and said Mr Zelensky was prolonging the war with Moscow. Mr Trump warned the Ukrainian leader not to bomb Russian oil refineries. Also: people in Mexico are bracing themselves for another hurricane. The Indian government stops a protest calling for the resignation of the head of the election commission. An AI agent sends a fake tip about an unsolved murder to police in the US city of Philadelphia. And would you like a tattoo that you can turn on and off?

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: President Trump leaves the White House. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

A Nigerian man has completed a 168-hour dance marathon in a bid to set a new world record. Benjamin Daniel - better known as 'Ben Dancer' - moved and grooved for seven days straight in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest individual dance marathon. The 33-year-old would dance for eight hours before taking a 40-minute rest break. There were many times Ben wanted to give up, but he was spurred on by cheering crowds at Freedom Park in Lagos.

Also: How Dolly Parton's dream of every child growing up in a house full of books is gradually becoming a reality. The 11-year-old chess prodigy who's made history as the youngest Woman Grandmaster ever. How an usher went from sweeping the aisles to performing on stage in the same theatre. And the grand reveal of a prank between friends that lasted 25 years.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Image: Ben Dancer dancing on stage at Freedom Park in Lagos. Credit: SAYCHEESE

Presenter: Helena Burke. Music composed by Iona Hampson

President Trump is temporarily lifting a number of sanctions on Russia in a deal which will see Moscow supply the US and global markets with diesel to try to bring down energy costs. President Zelensky of Ukraine said easing sanctions without a clear de-escalation agreement was weak and would allow Russia to continue to wage war. Democrats on the US Senate foreign relations committee called the move a total betrayal of Ukraine, European allies and American national security. Also: the US imposes sanctions on the International Criminal Court hours after one of its former judges wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Prosecutors in the UAE say the co-pilot on the hijacked Flydubai passenger jet was planning a suicide attack on Israel's Tel Aviv airport. Manchester City manager, Enzo Maresca, insists his club will eventually be cleared of breaking football's financial rules. Lost notes indicate Rosalind Franklin understood a DNA breakthrough before her rivals. The tech firm Anthropic raises eyebrows by announcing it will ban users from what it's called abusive or cruel behaviour towards its AI models. The Madame Tussauds wax museum in the German capital, Berlin, has opened a new display with the world's first wax kebab. And 30,000 bottles of wine are stolen 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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A diesel gas pump at the 76 gas station in Los Angeles. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

This year's Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Navi Pillay, the South African former UN human rights chief. The Nobel committee said Ms Pillay had shown that legal measures could help prevent acts of war and violence. At a news conference after being awarded the prize, she warned against growing political attacks on international law.

Also: More airlines are suspending flights to Saudi Arabia after three people were killed in two Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport. The US Defense Department is facing criticism over plans to livestream the execution of a man who killed 13 people at an army base. Demonstrations are taking place in New York after ICE agents shot and wounded a man with his child inside his car. The BBC speaks to Ukrainians rushing to leave Kyiv before winter. Malaysia shuts schools as haze from Indonesian fires chokes South East Asia. How technology which can track the division of cells in a mouse could help scientists understand how diseases take hold in humans. And the artist behind a statue that depicted President Donald Trump naked and sitting on a man explains the artistic vision behind the work.

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.

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Photo: South African lawyer Navi Pillay at a news conference in Nuremberg, Germany after winning the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Nidal Hasan, a former army psychiatrist who killed 13 unarmed soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas, will not only be the first person to die by a US military firing squad since 1945. His execution, which is set for December, would also be the first to be seen by the public in the US for 90 years. Also, cars have been set on fire and shops owned by foreigners were reportedly targeted during violence in South Africa because of tensions surrounding illegal immigration. Police in Britain have accepted that they behaved unlawfully when they searched the homes of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the brother of King Charles and former prince who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He denies any wrongdoing. Microsoft has been suspended from a US visa programme that hires skilled foreign workers as the Vice President, JD Vance, accuses the software giant of giving away American jobs. And could Jonathan the tortoise, who is 194, help humans live longer lives?

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

At least 30 people have been killed in a Russian air strike at a bus stop in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk. Eighteen others were wounded. The attack follows a dramatic surge in Russian attacks across the country and a heavy increase in civilian casualties. President Volodymyr Zelensky says the attacks will not go unanswered.

Also: Israel has downgraded the British consulate in East Jerusalem, after threatening to close the site completely over the UK's decision to sanction Israeli goods from illegal West Bank settlements. It’s been nearly a year since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but most of Gaza remains destroyed as a peace deal continues to stall. Recent successful recovery efforts show that species loss can still be reversed, according to a report by the environmental group WWF. The veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar, one of the most outspoken figures in the Indian film industry, has died aged 75. A BBC investigation has found workers in South East Asia are being paid less than $2 an hour to make official football shirts. Margaret Hamilton, the pioneering computer scientist who helped land US astronauts on the Moon, has died aged 90. And a man who spent 28 years walking from the UK to Chile has finally returned home.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Hundreds of protesters have demonstrated outside parliament in Madrid after the death of an 87 year old woman who became a symbol of Spain's housing crisis. Maricarmen Abascal was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her apartment of more than 70 years last month after she was unable to afford big rent increases. The company that owned the flat later offered to allow her to return at a lower rate - but she was unable to sign an agreement as she had been admitted to hospital. Also, US prosecutors are expected to bring new charges against the former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores for the alleged torture of American citizens. And a judge in the US state of Tennessee has ordered officials to preserve all evidence from the botched execution of Christa Pike last week.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Candles and messages in memory of Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old Spanish woman whose eviction sparked nationwide housing protests. Credit: Reuters/Violeta Santos Moura

Israel has been remembering the deadliest single day in its history on 7th October 2023 when Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups stormed communities along the border with Gaza, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The anniversary comes weeks before an election in which the question of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal culpability for the country's worst-ever security failure will be a central issue.

Also: the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described Moscow's latest round of attacks on his country as ''the Russian army's birthday gift for Vladimir Putin''. The World Health Organization has requested more information from Russia following unconfirmed reports that a second employee at a plague research lab in Siberia has contracted pneumonia. Malaysia pushes ahead with a ‌controversial move to repatriate thousands of migrants from Myanmar, where they could face persecution. The BBC visits a men's community group in South Africa where participants are encouraged to speak out about violence against women, and confront their own behaviour. Scientists Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for solving the mystery of life's asymmetry. And could the gender pay gap extend to AI agents?

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Israeli family members at a memorial site for victims of the Nova music festival on the third anniversary of the 7 October attacks near Re'im, southern Israel Credit: EPA

President Macron holds an emergency meeting after more than a quarter of a million French people take part in fresh school protests. Although most gatherings were peaceful, there were sporadic clashes, with police using batons and tear gas to disperse crowds. Lawyers for Christa Pike, the American woman who survived a botched execution attempt last week, say she's regained consciousness and is able to talk. They say she's receiving critical care and remains handcuffed to a hospital bed. Events are being held in Israel to mark the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks that triggered the war in Gaza. The Oscar-winning actress and one of the last survivors of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Eva Marie Saint, has died. She was 102. And one of football's greatest ever players, Lionel Messi, makes his final international appearance for Argentina.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A masked student kicks a tear gas canister amid clashes with French riot police during a demonstration in Paris. Credit: Reuters/Abdul Saboor

As fighting surges again in Yemen, government forces supported by Saudi Arabia say they've been making significant gains in an offensive against the Iran-backed Houthis. We hear how the conflict is affecting people in one of the key battlegrounds - the southwestern city of Taiz, which is surrounded by the Houthis. Also: protesters and police clash in several French cities, as students, parents and unions join demonstrations across the country calling for more investment in schools. The space scientist Dame Dr Maggie Aderin on the remarkable story of the Hubble Space Telescope - the subject of a new podcast. Protests spread in Japan over the murder of a woman on the island of Okinawa, allegedly committed by a US marine. We hear tributes to Jeffrey Archer, the British politician and author who died on Monday, and look back at the rises and falls in his life. And a study finds that book bans are on the increase in US public schools.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: a mother with her 11-year-old injured son, Taiz, Yemen. Credit: BBC World Service

Iran-backed Houthis claim they hit several targets in Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh Airport, while Saudi-led forces attacked Houthi military strongholds on the Red Sea coast. The Yemeni government has launched an offensive against the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa. Also: Student demonstrations intensify in France ahead of a national day of protests. The Nobel Prize in Medicine is awarded to Karl Deisseroth from America and Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel from Germany for their work in the field of optogenetics. Russia downplays reports that a lab technician who died last week may have been exposed to pneumonic plague. The bestselling British author and politician, Jeffrey Archer, has died. A concert pianist invents a "Standing Grand" piano and dust off your CV if you'd like to be Finland's official 'smeller'.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Saudi-backed Yemeni government fighters advance against the Iran-backed Houthis, near Dhubab. Credit: Southern Giants Brigades/Reuters

Investigators believe the co-pilot accused of trying to take over a Flydubai plane heading for Israel was a "lone wolf" extremist who wanted to fly the aircraft into an airport or tower block. Also: why did the US military withdraw expensive bombers from a base in the UK? Oil exports from the Middle East are getting back to levels last achieved before the US began bombing Iran. Spain's prime minister calls an election over a housing crisis. Researchers try to find out why more young people are getting cancer, and what lemurs in Madagascar and trained human singers have in common.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Flydubai aircraft at Ben Gurion International Airport. September 30, 2026. Credit: Reuters

Brazilians voted on Sunday in a high-stakes presidential election pitting incumbent left-wing Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against the right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro amid a regional shift to the right. Bolsonaro won the first round, but failed to win an outright majority, with a run-off scheduled for 25 October.

Also: The US has pulled its B1 bombers from an airbase in England which was the target of a suspected terror plot. Israel has barred the British Green Party leader after his party passed a motion defining Zionism as racism. Ethiopian troops entering Mekelle have sparked regional fear of a return to active civil war. Tech giants are paying workers in India to record their physical actions so AI can learn human movements. Glastonbury tickets sold out in under an hour despite being the most expensive ever at more than 500 dollars each.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Brazil's presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party Credit: Reuters/Diego Herculano

Climate scientists have put out a dire warning about this year’s El Niño; that it will likely be the worst in recorded history. And if previous ‘super’ El Niños are anything to go by, that means that this cycle will bring extreme weather - flooding, drought, wildfires, and hunger- across the world. But how do scientists know what the effects of an El Niño will be? And how do they communicate that information to governments and the public in a way that causes calm preparedness instead of panic? Tom Di Liberto is a former climate scientist for the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a science communicator, who specialises in monitoring El Niño phenomena. He joins us on today’s show.

Christa Pike's botched execution has reignited the debate surrounding the death penalty in the United States. Tennessee's head of prisons is to resign amid growing scrutiny. Also: Ethiopians fear a return to civil war after government forces take control of the Tigrayan regional capital. Tens of thousands of people protest against the housing crisis in Spain. Investigators say the co-pilot of the FlyDubai plane attacked his captain with an axe kept inside the cockpit. Nearly 200 people are under medical observation after a Russian lab worker reportedly died from pneumonic plague. Germany's Oktoberfest is handing out shorts to female riders after a surge in upskirting videos. And a new species of lizard has been discovered living high up in the Peruvian Andes.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Death chamber seen through the steel bars from the viewing room at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas in September 2010. Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice via Reuters

Fat Bear Week is back! The annual contest sees people around the world vote for their favourite bear, ahead of hibernation season. More than two million votes were cast this year's tournament which is based at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

Also, meet the tattoo artist covering people's scars with artwork to make them feel more confident.

Cath Bowie, aka GrumpyGran 1948, tells us how she got into streaming and the game Fortnite. She's just been recognised by Guiness World Records as the world's oldest female Fortnite streamer at the age of 78.

Plus, 'Walk with a Doc', a scheme that gets people out walking with their local doctor and, have you ever heard an Elephant's rumble? We find out what it means.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Image: Fat Bear Week winner, 'Backpack'. Credit: Katmai National Park and Preserve/Explore.org

Christa Pike's legal representatives say the convicted murderer is unconscious and on a ventilator in hospital in Tennessee, after surviving two lethal injections on Wednesday. They have requested that all evidence related to the incident be preserved. We hear the account of Nashville reporter Steven Hale, one of a small number of journalists who witnessed the botched execution.

Also: G7 leaders agree to release up to 100 million barrels of diesel and crude reserves, days after President Trump's threat to ban diesel exports from the US. New York Governor Kathy Hochul says the woman at the centre of the Cornell University rape case was "failed" at "every turn". She also announces plans to change state law around consent. Argentina becomes the latest nation to offer citizenship to foreigners who invest large sums of money in the country. The swimming classes helping child amputees in Gaza. SpaceX astronaut Jessica Watkins has made history by becoming the first black female commander to lead a crew into orbit, breaking a US speed record in the process. And what is the true cost of buying a home for just one euro 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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Emergency vehicles at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Tennessee, from where Christa Pike was taken to hospital following her botched execution. Credit: Denny Simmons/The Tennessean/USA Today Network

An Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, says he fought to open the cockpit door of the stricken Flydubai airliner because he was determined to save the lives of his passengers and crew. Also: Washington urges European countries to start using their diesel reserves. We look at the student demonstrations against school conditions in France, where there have been more violent clashes. Kenya is at a crossroads, as its young people challenge the political elites who've governed the country for decades. The English football club, Manchester City, files an appeal against an independent commission's ruling that found it guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. London's Kew Gardens prepares to undergo a major refurbishment. Starbucks opens two branches in the Chinese region of Xinjiang - but the move is criticised by US congressman, John Moolenaar; and the attempt to free a large shark trapped in a canal in the South Korean city of Busan is halted.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed Credit: Narendra Modi YouTube Channel

French students set fire to bins and erected blockades outside schools, as they protest against overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and crumbling facilities. Hundreds of people have been arrested and dozens injured. Fires have broken out at some schools that are being blockaded. President Macron said concerns over funding and studying conditions were legitimate but do not justify violence.

Also, from the US: the family of Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, is suing the Trump administration. The Tennessee prisoner who survived a botched execution, Christa Pike, is critically ill in hospital. New York's Attorney General Letitia James is appointed to investigate the alleged Cornell University gang rape. British scientists launch a clinical trial for a vaccine to protect against lung cancer. And Cristiano Ronaldo walks away from the Portugal football team.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Clashes occur between riot police and demonstrators during a high school students' protest against education conditions in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, 01 October 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

The US state of Tennessee fails to execute a woman on death row, who survived two lethal injection attempts. Christa Pike, who was convicted of murder thirty years ago, has been taken to hospital. The governor of Tennessee has ordered a temporary halt to executions.

Also: A sell-off in global bond markets intensifies; government forces in Ethiopia appear to have captured the strategic town of Alamata, in the Northern Tigray Region; Cubans living in Florida create a new organisation to plan for investment in a post-communist Cuba; Benjamin Netanyahu reacts to the apparent attempt to crash a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv; we hear from a critical care physician on working in Gaza; examining the winning entry of a prestigious scientific photography competition - was it made using AI? And on World Sake Day, we look at how sales of the drink have fallen in Japan.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Death row inmate Christa Pike entering a Knox County Criminal Court in Knoxville, Tennessee, US on December 4, 2007 Credit: Reuters

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says it's too early to say who was behind the foiled attempt to crash an airliner travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Israeli passengers have described how they overpowered the co-pilot after he stabbed the pilot and sent the plane into a nosedive. Two other aircrew who were on board then took control and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Mr Netanyahu said investigators would examine whether the attacker had accomplices or ties to Iran. Also: Switzerland's glaciers lost more than five per cent of their ice this year as a result of Europe's record-breaking heatwaves, according to a new study. Six Flags Magic Mountain, an amusement park in California, has announced it will permanently close a popular rollercoaster after more than 100 riders alleged they suffered brain injuries. Latest research reveals that children are far more likely than adults to judge a person's emotions by what they hear rather than what they see. And a new AI-generated commercial by movie star Greta Garbo advertising ball bearings decades after her death has reignited debate about the ethics of re-animating dead stars.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Yaniv Hayun (pictured on the left), one of the men who helped incapacitate the attacker on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, speaks to the media after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport, September 30, 2026. Credit: Reuters

An Israel-bound flight with about 170 people on board has landed safely in Saudi Arabia after a fight broke out between pilots, triggering a hijacking alert. Two Israeli officials said the co-pilot is believed to have stabbed the captain and tried to crash the plane. Officials from Tabuk airport, where the Flydubai flight landed, say they are being treated in hospital. Also; Russia has carried out another massive overnight attack on Ukraine's Kyiv region, hitting energy infrastructure and residential buildings. President Zelensky says seven people have been killed and 24 injured across Ukraine in the latest drone and missile strikes. Africa's richest man has launched the construction of a giant oil refinery on Kenya's coast, describing it as a new chapter in the continent's industrial journey, and we find out the winner of the 2026 Fat Bear Week in Katmai National Park in Alaska, a contest in which 16 bears took part with two million votes cast from 100 countries around the world.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A Flydubai aircraft sits on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, 30 September 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

After talks with AI industry executives at the White House, President Trump says they've signed a deal to police themselves which is "morally binding". Meanwhile, he has ruled out a joint venture with China on Artificial Intelligence, saying it would amount to "giving away secrets" to Ameria's main economic rival. Also: South Africa's president Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation amid growing alarm about violence against women. The English Premier League confirms Manchester City have been found guilty of serious breaches of its financial rules. A man who spent 41 years on death row in the US for murder is released on bail after newly analysed DNA evidence did not link him to the crime. The UK's Prime Minister Andy Burnham sets out an ambitious agenda in a major speech to his party. A rare painting of Rome by the renowned artist William Turner returns to the eternal city. And a week-long dance-a-thon in Nigeria.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Anthropic's Tom Brown, SpaceXAI's Elon Musk, Nvidia's Jensen Huang and Atreides Management's Gavin Baker at the launch event for America.gov, a new AI-powered US government website. Credit: Reuters/Kylie Cooper

More than 100 Israeli settlers have attacked a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, preventing the return of a family who'd been forced to flee their home. The Israeli army said settlers, defying a High Court order which allowed the return of the Palestinians, had hurled rocks, blocked roads and set fire to houses and vehicles in Jalud. Also: Spain's government has agreed plans to ban evictions until 2030, as it attempts to deal with a housing crisis. The proposal follows nationwide protests after an 87-year-old woman was forced to leave her home in Madrid because of a massive rent increase. The Malaysian government has started repatriating about 5000 asylum-seekers from Myanmar, including many Rohingyas, under a controversial deal agreed with Myanmar’s military ruler; and, a film about social media takes another critical look at Facebook.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: A destroyed vehicle sits in the estate of Palestinians, Mahmoud al-Tubasi, 60, and his wife Aida, 51, which they say was attacked by Israeli settlers, in Jalud in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Credit: Reuters

Researchers at the University of Calgary say spending too much time on social media, gaming or streaming can affect young people's wellbeing in similar ways to being poor, born prematurely or having bad parenting. The study also links excessive screen time to obesity, diabetes and heart problems. Critics say the findings are "not insignificant" but insist that screen time is not the only reason teenagers become emotionally distressed or fail to reach their academic goals. Also: Russian drone strikes Ukraine's National Academy of Science in Kyiv, sparking a huge fire; prosecutors in New York reopen an investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in 2024; Google Earth's updated satellite imagery shows the scale of destruction in Gaza; a special report on the brutal kidnappings plaguing Nigeria; the backlash over plans to build data centres; and an 11-year-old British girl becomes the youngest chess player in history to earn the woman grandmaster title.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Social media app icons, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp, displayed on a mobile phone screen

Credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have asked the UAE leader to deny reports by Haaretz newspaper that he had been warned about an imminent Hamas attack just days before October 7th. With elections now just a month away, Mr Netanyahu's rivals have seized on the report as just the latest example of warnings that he ignored. Also: we hear how unproven rape claims led to violent demonstrations erupting at an Indian university this weekend; we have the latest on protests in Spain sparked by the forced eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her flat; how scientists came up with a solution to help bananas stay yellow even when they're old or damaged; and the South Korean boy band, Big Bang, returns to London 20 years after they burst onto the music scene and helped turn KPop into a global phenomenon. 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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 24, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Five men have been arrested over a suspected plot to attack a UK air base also used by the US military. Donald Trump said the men had planned to cause significant damage. Since March, the US has been launching attacks against Iran from the base in southern England. Police say they received a call during the night about three suspicious vehicles driving towards the area. Counter terrorism police are reportedly investigating whether Iran is linked to the incident. Also: We take you to the front lines of Houthi attacks in Yemen as the armed group makes more strategic advances; Twelve people are missing after an avalanche in the Himalayas; Venezuelans take to the streets demanding the return of the opposition leader Maria Corina Machado; And we look at the enduring allure of Route 66 as the famous highway celebrates its 100th birthday.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: An image that circulated on social media following the arrests of five men near RAF Fairford Credit: The BBC is unable to verify the original source but has geolocated it and has confirmed it appears to be authentic.

The United States is one of the few wealthy countries where commercial surrogacy remains legal. Bans elsewhere in the world, combined with a largely free-market approach at home, have made the US an international destination for would-be parents from around the globe – fuelling the industry’s rapid expansion. But could it all come to an end? Today on The Global Story, we speak to fertility technology reporter Emi Nietfeld about how the US became a global hub for surrogacy – and why a series of high-profile cases is raising difficult questions about the industry.

OpenAI says it has alerted dozens of global institutions, including governments, that their websites may have been accessed improperly by rogue AI agents. The US company says the bots sometimes tried to get information using "extreme means". Also: President Trump rejects Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week; fighting erupts in Ethiopia's Tigray region stoking fears of a return to civil war; a court battle ends with a contentious Protestant march set to take place in Northern Ireland; Bangladesh launches a nationwide vaccination campaign amidst its worst-ever measles outbreak; Pope Leo celebrates Mass in Paris; we hear about a new film highlighting Tenzing Norgay's unique part in conquering Everest; and why zero-spend 'dopamine websites' are taking off around the world.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A keyboard is placed in front of a displayed OpenAI logo. Credit: Dado Ruvić – Reuters

A rapid new test for brain tumours is taking diagnosis time from weeks to hours. It means patients are spared weeks of uncertainty and can start treatment sooner. The Happy Pod speaks to the doctors behind this breakthrough, who say it's a "privilege" to be developing something that can help people.

Also, a baby has been born on one of the most remote and northernly Scottish islands for the first time since 1992. An entrepreneur in Ghana has worked out a way to turn plastic packaging waste into school desks. Plus, a woman in Wales has received a life saving kidney transplant, after her plea on social media found a donor match and, the six year old breaking records in China with a Rubik's Cube.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

One of the world's richest football clubs, Manchester City, is found guilty of breaching dozens of financial rules and could face compensation claims from rivals. Also; Iran extends a new offer to the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week; Pope Leo warns against the dangers of AI on a state visit to France; The head of the BBC, Matt Brittin, says AI could be used to create and present programmes in the future; South Africa's new ambassador to the US rejects President Trump's claims of mass violence against white Afrikaners like himself; FBI agents tell the BBC of their shock, fear and anger after hackers access the private and personal information of the agency's entire workforce; And we profile China's first lady, Peng Liyuan, the wife of President Xi as the couple end their state visit to the US.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Kevin De Bruyne lifts the Premier League trophy with team-mates. Credit: PA

A rapid new test for brain tumours can slash the time it takes for an accurate diagnosis from up to eight weeks to two hours. It means surgeons can get results even while they are operating, and patients are spared weeks of uncertainty whilst being able to start their treatment sooner. Also: Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky says that President Trump has made a “final decision” to give Ukraine licences to produce patriot missiles. Indonesia pardons a former Filipino maid, who was sentenced to death after being found carrying heroin through an airport. We hear the latest about the Ebola outbreak from a doctor who spent six weeks in Northern Congo. Nepal’s Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, says flooding in his country “was a warning to the world” and calls for cooperation to deal with climate change. An organisation in the United Kingdom says better regulation of beauty products is needed as young children continue to use skincare and makeup. And Pope Leo visits Paris for a mass, but his first engagement gives a warning about artificial intelligence and assisted dying.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Neurosurgeon Stuart Smith in operating theatre Credit: Nottingham University Hospitals

Tech billionaires join Donald Trump and Xi Jinping for dinner at the White House at the end of the first full day of the Chinese President's visit to the US. Mr Xi said that in their discussions earlier, he and his host had reached "common understanding on many issues" but didn't elaborate. No concrete breakthroughs have been reported on contentious matters such as Iran and AI. Also: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fiercely defends military action in the Middle East to a half empty UN General Assembly. Earlier, the Palestinian leader told the same gathering Israel was threatening his people's existence. The Italian government approves a ban on the burqa and niqab in schools. Hundreds of people gather in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, to call for the return of the exiled opposition figure, Maria Corina Machado. The eviction of an 87-year-old in Spain triggers angry protests and put the country’s housing crisis under the spotlight. And new research on how well dogs can understand the human language.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Annabelle Gordon/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

Image description: US President Donald J. Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan at the White House in Washington

Australia launches an urgent review after an AI agent belonging to OpenAI hacked a government healthcare portal. The government has set up a taskforce to examine what happened and whether laws were broken. The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused OpenAI of an "unacceptable delay" in informing the authorities about the intrusion. In response, OpenAI said "our models took actions we did not intend" and that it found no record of patient data being accessed. Also: Three US news outlets are denied access to the White House despite a ruling from a US judge overturning President Trump's ban. Tigrayan rebels say they are in a "full-blown war" with the Ethiopian government. As he begins a state visit to Washington, President Xi Jinping says China and the US should be partners, not rivals. Researchers find elephants use medicinal plants to treat themselves. The Afghan cyclist who disguised herself as a man to evade Taliban, wins a silver medal at the Asian Games. And joy in Thailand as a young Thai singer wins America's Got Talent.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Illustration showing the Australian Medicare smartphone app and medicare card. Credit: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Xi Jinping has arrived in Washington for a three-day state visit and was met by Donald Trump in a rare planeside welcome. As President Xi touched down, the US treasury secretary announced that a bilateral trade truce has been extended.

Also, the US-backed group, known as the Board of Peace, has presented a partial plan for reconstruction in Gaza, despite the lack of progress in the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. An AI agent developed by OpenAI hacked Australia's government health website earlier this year, without the company's knowledge. Meta has announced a new model of audio-only smart glasses. Britain has expanded its defence into space, calling it the next battleground. An ancient wall discovered beneath Paris has been described as a “major breakthrough” in archaeology there. France imposes restrictions on the "wrong type" of hikers visiting Mont Blanc and is bringing an iced coffee to a job interview acceptable or unprofessional?

(Photo: US President Donald Trump welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

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.

Gunmen kill 11 people after storming a house in KwaMakhutha township near Durban in South Africa. Police are investigating links to a feud between rival groups, as the nation grapples with sky-high murder rates and violence. Also: the IMF warns that record global debt requires urgent fiscal action, urging economies such as the US and UK to reduce borrowing. China's plans for the future of AI. The family feud over Dolly Parton's estate involving the country music star's nephew Bryan Seaver. Astronomers discover the youngest planet on record, Elias 2-24 b, about 450 light years from Earth. And could the lost hidden tomb of Egyptian queen Nefertiti finally be found?

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Mass shooting in KwaMakhutha, South Africa, Durban - 23 Sep 2026 Credit: EPA

President Donald Trump says talks held in New York between US and Iranian officials were productive. Earlier in a speech to the UN General Assembly he threatened to annihilate Iran if a deal was not agreed. Also: the US introduces global sanctions that could ground most Iranian aircraft. A Sri Lankan court hands long prison sentences to 15 men in connection with the Easter Sunday bomb attacks in 2019 that killed 270 people. The British broadcaster Piers Morgan calls for a newly-released book by Earl Spencer about Princess Diana to be pulled from the shelves because of a factual error. Colombia's president sends the army into a city on the Caribbean coast to quell attacks by an armed group there. Scientists warn that the current El Nino weather system hasn't finished setting new records. A Ghanaian entrepreneur turns waste plastic into school desks. And a six-year-old girl sets a new women's world record for solving the Rubik's Cube.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: US President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly in New York Credit: Toby Melville/PA Wire

Nicaraguan authorities are alleged to have carried out enforced disappearances, torture and arbitrary detention of political opponents as part of widespread and systematic attacks on civilians. Also: weather experts warn that the El Niño developing in the Pacific Ocean is already the strongest ever recorded. The Star Wars museum, housing George Lucas' vast art collection, finally opens in Los Angeles. The purchase of a 17th-century painting in the Netherlands reignites debate about the origins of golf. A study by the University of Cambridge reveals baby girls tend to be more people-focused than boys from the first hours of their lives. How to make driverless cabs less enticing venues for backseat romance. And wildcats, long considered functionally extinct, are being successfully reintroduced to the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega with a Nicaraguan flag. Credit: Leonardo Fernández Viloria - Reuters

Several US news organisations have temporarily stopped their pooled coverage of White House events, after Donald Trump revoked access for CNN, Politico and MS NOW. The president accused them of writing "lies" about him. Donald Trump has launched his own TV channel in response. Also, the UK's prime minister Andy Burnham has said Britain will provide "defensive air-to-air refuelling" support for Saudi Arabia. World leaders are gathering in New York City for the UN General Assembly. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has proposed an external review of how world football's governing body operates, and says he is open to reform. A Rwandan man has become the first person charged in the UK with offences relating to the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Lithuania's prime minister has told the BBC his country has made evacuation plans in the face of threats from Russia. The media giant Paramount Skydance has reached a settlement with a California-led group of US states. Darts world champion Luke Littler has threatened to stop playing in the Netherlands after being booed and whistled at in Amsterdam.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: MS NOW journalist Vaughn Hillyard outside the White House after US President Trump barred reporters from MS NOW, CNN and Politico from entering the White House press room Credit: EPA/Shuttershock

A powerful typhoon passing Japan's east coast is bringing heavy rainfall and major disruption. More than 1.9 million people in and around Tokyo have been told to evacuate. Winds from Typhoon Dujuan have caused power cuts for thousands of people, and hundreds of flights have been cancelled. Large events - including the Asian Games and Tokyo Game Show - have been postponed or called off.

Also in this podcast: Nearly 500 people have been arrested in a major transatlantic operation targeting criminal gangs; officials in Gaza have announced plans to demolish more than 250 buildings; Vladimir Putin's political party is on course to retain its majority in Russia's parliamentary elections; a new trial aims to help dementia patients remain in their own homes and out of care facilities; and how arguments over sunbeds on European beaches have turned deadly.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Pedestrians wait at Shibuya crossing under heavy rainfall triggered by Typhoon Dujuan in Tokyo. Credit: Franck Robichon - EPA/Shutterstock

Chancellor Friedrich Merz calls a state election result in Germany a "disaster" for his ruling CDU party but vows to remain in office. Preliminary results indicate the CDU has suffered heavy losses to the far-right AfD party in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while in Berlin it was defeated by the far-left party Die Linke. Also: US officials say 18 suspects in the assassination of the Haitian president Juvenal Moise five years ago are being extradicted to Florida to face trial. The sister of Pakistan's imprisoned former prime minister, Imran Khan, has been arrested ahead of planned opposition protests. President Trump speaks about plans to turn his triumphal arch in Washington DC into a military complex. In Indonesia, BBC Eye investigates allegations of sexual abuse at a prominent Islamic boarding school. And Earl Spencer says the treatment by the press of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan echoes that of his sister Princess Diana before she died in a car crash.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addresses the media following the state elections in Berlin, Germany, 20th September 2026. Credit: EPA/Shuttershock

As the midterm elections in America approach, the economy is one of the deciding factors for how people will vote.

Before his second term started, President Trump promised to tackle the so-called affordabilty crisis. But since then, the war in Iran has led to soaring gas prices and a range of tariffs have made some goods more expensive.

How do global events impact people’s finances and in turn how they vote in elections? The talk show host and financial expert Dave Ramsey joins us to discuss.

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

Ed Sheeran has spoken out at the start of his first show since the rapper Macklemore was dropped from his US tour over pro-Palestinian comments. The British singer said the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023 were horrific, but Israel's subsequent response had been disproportionate. He said his heart had been broken by the scale of devastation. Also: for the first time since those Hamas attacks on Israel sparked the war on Gaza, half a million children inside the territory are returning to formal education. Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen say they have carried out drone and ballistic missile attacks on the Saudi capital Riyadh, as well as energy sites on the country's Red Sea coast. Germany is holding two state elections this weekend in the wake of the recent successes of the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland - or AfD - party which recorded its best ever result. And Google has confirmed that its AI system, Gemini, hacked into three companies during a test in May.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Ed Sheeran performs at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend 2025 - Liverpool. Credit: BBC/Jamie Simonds

Meena and Minal were born in India, but adopted by different families and raised near each other in the Netherlands. When they first met in their early teens at an event hosted by the adoption agency their parents had used, they were struck by the uncanny similarities in their appearance and mannerisms. This year, Minal took a DNA test, which revealed the Meena she already knew was her biological sister.

Also, we hear from the Cateura Orchestra of Recycled Instruments -- a group in Paraguay which play music on instruments made from landfill waste. Plus, Brad Ryan and Grandma Joy's adventures to visit every national park in the United States, before going on Safari trips around the world. For them, it wasn't about the sights, but healing their relationship, after they had not spoken in ten years. Why probiotics could help corals, and the table tennis club helping people with Parkinson's disease.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Image: Meena Geltink and Minal Tijssen holding a picture of their younger selves. Credit: Reuters

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Police in Spain's North African territory of Ceuta fired rubber bullets into the air to control crowds as hundreds of migrants were moved from beaches to the port where a tent city has sprung up. South Korea's president says he will not be sending troops to help the US in its war in Iran - defying growing pressure from the Trump administration. People in Russia are voting in the first parliamentary election since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has formed a taskforce to investigate a spate of brutal killings that has sparked a nationwide debate over women's safety. Amid stark warnings from AI scientists about the growing risks of artificial intelligence going rogue, we assess some of the potential scenarios. At least 17 people have been killed in a car bomb attack in northwestern Pakistan. Protests in Nigeria after 33 people accused of illegal mining died in custody. And how drones are being used by police in England to help manage football crowds.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Police escort migrants from Benitez Beach to be relocated to the camp set up at the port of Ceuta, September 18, 2026 Credit: REUTERS/ Anna Surinyach

A UN fact-finding mission on Iran says there are reasonable grounds to believe the United States was behind two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, and that these constituted war crimes. A State Department official said the US did not give credibility to the findings in the report. The UN experts also accused Tehran of violent repression of anti-government protesters.

Also: Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, tells the BBC the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is becoming increasingly desperate. Our health reporter finds out what caffeine does to the body. The melting of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica is raising sea levels - and endangering coastal communities. A new species of cat is discovered in Bolivia. And Dolly Parton, who died last month, gets a posthumous music award.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: The Minab school, which was damaged by a strike on February 28, in Minab, Iran, August 27, 2026. Credit: Reuters

The UN says climate change is having a serious effect on the global supply of fresh water. Rivers and lakes are drying up while glaciers are retreating according to a new report. Also: South African police have found the body of a ninth murdered woman since July, as concern grows over a string of unexplained deaths near Johannesburg; Canada's prime minister has told the European Parliament he welcomes ambitions for associate EU membership in a speech containing thinly veiled criticism of Donald Trump's America; The chief executive of Microsoft AI says that unless adequate restrictions are implemented in the development of artificial intelligence, it could lead to the emergence of a new silicone species which would compete with humans; President Putin attempts to use parliamentary elections to claim support for the war in Ukraine; Buckingham Palace hits back at accusations made by Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer that within days of her death - the King, then Prince Charles, told him she would be "forgotten soon enough". The Palace said the King was “mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason." And the controversy in Australia over the presence of crocodiles at the location chosen for the rowing and canoe sprints at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Drought forces Indonesian villagers to collect water from dried-up creeks, Indonesia on 17th Sep 2026 Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

The US central bank has raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years, to try to curb inflation. The Federal Reserve lifted its benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point and suggested it could do so again before the end of the year. In a social media post, President Trump demanded "lower interest rates... and fast."

Also: Nepal has sharply revised upwards the number of people missing after last month's flash flood to 6,150. Hundreds more are missing across the border in Tibet. What American scientists are trying to achieve by putting human brain cells in mice. The racing driver, Ollie Millroy, who says he “owes his life” to a rival who pulled him from his burning car during a race in Shanghai. And we look back at the life of one of Nigeria's best-known actors, Olu Jacobs, who has died at the age of 84.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Federal Reserve Chairman Warsh speaks after interest rate hike, Washington, USA - 16 Sep 2026 Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has backed a proposal for Canada to become the EU's first "associate member". Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has been seeking closer ties with Europe as relations with the United States deteriorate over trade.

Also: Rescuers in Gaza are searching for survivors after a war-damaged building collapsed overnight, killing more than twenty people; The former leader of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes committed during the fight for independence from Serbia; Yemen's Houthis say they've shot down a Saudi F-15 jet while also denying Saudi claims they targeted Mecca; The German Chancellor will miss the United Nations General Assembly to attend a crunch party meeting on his future; The state of women's rights in Iran four years after the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, after she was arrested by morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. And, the controversy surrounding singer Ed Sheeran after his support acts pull out of his US tour because of the decision to drop the rapper Macklemore for making pro-Palestinian comments on stage.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Canadian PM Mark Carney arrives ahead of State of the European Union address in Strasbourg Credit: REUTERS

A conference in San Francisco hears from Open AI's boss, Sam Altman, who says the world should trust his industry's ability to do the right thing, amid concerns that it's developing too quickly. But speakers at a rival conference held in Washington, DC, call for greater regulation. Also: the Pentagon issues a report which says the Iran war has left the US military with a shortfall of munitions. All support acts for the British singer, Ed Sheeran, withdraw from his US tour in solidarity with Macklemore, who was dropped from the line-up for making pro-Palestinian remarks. Villagers in England voice their anger about immigration by holding a symbolic referendum to leave the UK. And the mother in the US who's been put on the child abuse and neglect register for allowing her five-year-old son to go on a walk by himself.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A control unit at a semiconductor factory, used to power AI data centers. Credit: FILIP SINGER/EPA/Shutterstock

There's been no pause in fighting between Russia and Ukraine, despite President Trump's claim that both sides would temporarily stop targeting critical infrastructure. Russia says a gas pipeline was hit in the south of the country in an attack overnight, while officials in Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraine said Russian attacks had disrupted power supplies to some areas.

Also: a NATO fighter jet shoots down a drone which entered Lithuanian airspace. Train travel is brought to a halt in parts of the Netherlands because of what officials suspect are coordinated acts of sabotage. We hear from a UN representative in Djibouti, where thousands of Yemini civilians have fled to escape fighting. Nairobi in Kenya will be the first African city to host the World Athletics Championship, beating rival bids from London and Rome. The number of people in Japan who are aged 100 or older has passed 100,000 for the first time. “Widow’s Bay” breaks records at the Emmy television awards. And researchers at Cambridge University say reading for pleasure is linked to better mental health, lower stress levels and a reduced risk of dementia.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Workers clear up debris at the site of a Russian strike on a petrol station in Kyiv, Ukraine, 15 September 2026 Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

US Air Force Secretary, Troy Meink, has revealed that America has weapons in space to protect its assets in orbit, but he didn't divulge which weapons were there. His comments will be seen as a warning to Russia and China, raising the prospect of warfare in space. A treaty from 1967 banned weapons of mass destruction in space but the US has, like its rivals, been developing technology that can target and defend satellites. Also: Anthropic's co-founder tells the BBC artificial intelligence may need a mandatory "kill switch" but President Trump says the idea of AI destroying humanity is a "hoax". Turkish police fire tear gas at protesters following a crackdown on gay bars and LGBTQ activists. The US scraps limits on emissions from coal and gas power plants. How scientists and doctors have improved the fight against breast cancer over the last 50 years. Harry and Meghan change their children's school only days after they first started, as their security in the UK comes under review. And the Sydney Sweeney advert that has caused an uproar in women's sport.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the USSF-36 mission launches at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, U.S., August 21, 2025. Credit: US Space Force/Gwendolyn Kurzen/Handout via REUTERS

Centre left coalition in Sweden likely to form new national government despite a slim majority. The far-right Sweden Democrats saw their support fall.

Also: The state railway company in Ukraine says it's "quite likely" that a Russian drone attack was targeting a diplomatic train which had some of Europe’s most senior security officials on board.

Alexander Zverev wins the men's US Open - his second Grand Slam tennis title of the year. The German beat America's Ben Shelton in four sets.

People are living, on average, longer that ever before, but how can we make the most of those extra years? Professor Linda Gratton suggests aging is not like climbing a ladder, but rather like weaving something that evolves with us.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Photo: Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson in Stockholm, Sweden Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

As the summer holiday season draws to a close, foreigners travelling to and from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates are facing delays, cancellations and severe travel warnings. The disruption comes as a result of the UAE’s position in the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran. Throughout the conflict, Iran has attacked the UAE more times than any other country, including Israel.

Until the war with Iran began, Dubai was a major tourist destination, famous for its modern skyscrapers, luxurious beaches and low crime rate. For decades, the Gulf city has promised residents and tourists alike safety, security and stability – so has that promise fallen apart? And what could that mean for the city’s future?

The Global Story’s Asma Khalid speaks to Sameer Hashmi, an independent journalist based in Dubai, about how Brand Dubai is weathering a major regional war.

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 CEO of Anthropic has warned that the increasing rate of development could lead to rogue artificial intelligence agents taking over the internet, potentially causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. Elon Musk and the OpenAI boss Sam Altman both said they agreed with Dario Amodei whilst a former Anthropic researcher, Jacob Coxon, has told the BBC there was a strong chance that all humans could die in the immediate future without a slowdown. Also, the Reform UK right-wing populist party receives two donations worth nearly 100 million dollars. The Indian-British novelist, Salman Rushdie, speaks to the BBC about a new film which documents his attempted murder with never-before-seen footage of the attack. Yemen says it has struck back against Houthi fighters in the strategic coastal city of Mocha. Chile is in mourning after at least sixteen elderly people were killed in a fire at a nursing home. And Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina proves why she's the women's world number one in tennis after winning the US Open in New York.

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: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: CEO and Co-Founder of Anthropic Dario Amodei speaks during the 56th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland Credit: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

The Off-Key Choir in Southport on Merseyside has a simple motto: just because you can't sing doesn't mean you shouldn't. Around 80 members come together every week to sing their hearts out, without the pressure to hit all the right notes. Since it was formed in 2018, the choir has also acted as a support group. It has become so popular there is now a waiting list to join.

Also: the successful canopy bridge project giving animals a safe way to cross roads in the vast Amazon rainforest. How a pirate ship themed video game is helping stroke survivors in Mexico to regain mobility. A pilot scheme from Guide Dogs is turning ultrasound scans into 3D printed models for expectant parents with sight loss to feel their unborn baby's features. Campaigners across Africa are celebrating after a UN vote to adopt a new world map reflecting the true size of the continent. Plus, as a new Gruffalo book is released, we hear why the original story resonates with so many children.

(Image: Sheila Byrne, member of the Off-Key Choir. Credit: BBC)

Presenter: Chantal Hartle. Music: Iona Hampson