Global News Podcast

US media and Pakistan negotiators suggest Washington and Tehran are close to agreeing a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran. Donald Trump has warned the bombing would be more intense than before if Iran doesn’t agree to peace deal. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces continue to strike Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.Also: The World Health Organization has confirmed an eighth case of Hantavirus on board a cruise ship at the centre of a deadly outbreak of the disease. Three passengers have died aboard the ship that is currently stuck at sea near the island of Cape Verde in the Atlantic. Spain insists the MV Hondius will dock in the Canary Islands despite objections from the local authorities. Four women linked to the IS miliant group are returning to Australia from Syria, along with their children and could face the prospect of arrest. Scientists are calling for Pluto to be reclassified as a planet, twenty years after it was demoted to dwarf planet status.The Global News Podcast brings you the brea

President Trump is pausing efforts to help ships get through the Strait of Hormuz, amid what he called "great progress" towards a peace agreement with Iran. Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi holds talks in China to discuss the conflict. Also: President Zelensky has condemned the latest Russian attacks on Ukraine, which left more than twenty people dead; Spain says it'll let a cruise ship hit by an outbreak of hantavirus travel to the Canary Islands from Cape Verde, following a request from the World Health Organisation; remembering Doris Fisher, the co-creator of the Gap clothing chain store, who has died at the age of 94. And, the Whatsapp whistling craze taking Brazil by storm.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

The World Health Organization says there may have been human-to-human transmission of a rare respiratory virus usually spread by rodents onboard a cruise ship off Africa's west coast. Three passengers have died and another is seriously ill. The ship was denied permission to dock in Cape Verde after cases of hantavirus were confirmed. The WHO says the risk to the global population is "low".Also: the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US-Iran ceasefire is ''not over'' despite both sides attacking each other in the Strait of Hormuz. Residents in southern Lebanon say they fear a prolonged conflict with Israel, as the Israeli army instructs more civilians to leave their homes. There is lingering anger in Serbia over a lack of accountability for a railway station disaster that killed 16 people in 2024. A new book explores why so many of the world's languages could be extinct by the end of this century. And Dolly Parton has cancelled her Las Vegas residency because of ongoing health issues.The Global News Po

Growing fears for the ceasefire in the Middle East after the US and Iran trade fire as American forces try to open up the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. President Trump said two US-flagged merchant vessels were able to transit the waterway. The UAE said Iran also launched cruise missiles and drones towards its oil facilities. Also: Two people are killed and several others injured when a car drives into a central pedestrian zone of the eastern German city of Leipzig; the South Korean owners of tech giant Samsung agree to pay a huge inheritance tax bill of eight billion US dollars - the largest such payment in the country's history; stars turn out in all their glory for this year's Met Gala despite fears of a backlash against the new sponsor Jeff Bezos. And, Wu Yize becomes the second Chinese winner of the World Snooker Championship.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,

The US military says its warships have helped two US-flagged vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz, breaking an Iranian blockade. It's denied Iranian reports that one warship had been forced to turn back. Also: More than 30 world leaders - including the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney - attend the European Political Community summit in the former Soviet republic of Armenia, to discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Three people have died on board a cruise ship that was crossing the Atlantic, following an outbreak of a respiratory illness - believed to be Hantavirus. The video game retail chain GameStop launches a $56bn takeover bid for the much bigger firm, eBay. Australia begins public hearings into the killing of 15 people in a gun attack on a Jewish event on Bondi Beach in December. A BBC investigation finds scammers in Uganda are posting online content of dogs in distress in a shelter to get money from international donors. The former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, is in a critical

The US is set to deploy navy destroyers, aircraft and troops in an operation to guide stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz from Monday. President Trump called "Project Freedom" a humanitarian gesture, but Iran has warned that any US interference would be considered a violation of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, human rights groups have accused the authorities inside Iran of carrying out widespread arrests, torture and executions - we hear from Iranians who say they’re living in fear. Also: security is tightened at Jewish venues in London following knife attacks; political violence rises ahead of presidential elections in Colombia; the US Supreme Court is asked to restore mail access to abortion pills; global press freedom is at its lowest level in decades; and will celebrities boycott the Met Gala being sponsored by Amazon's Jeff Bezos? 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, eco

Since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, there has been an ongoing debate over the role played by Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in convincing Donald Trump to go to war.But when it comes to ceasefire announcements, it has been the US President taking the lead - if the Israelis are present at all. So when it comes to ending the wars in Iran and Lebanon, are the Americans leaving Netanyahu out in the cold?We speak to Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent at The Economist, and author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu.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.

President Trump is criticised by senior figures in his own Republican Party, as he doubles down on a plan to pull out more than 5000 US troops from Germany. What will a withdrawal mean for global security? Also: Britain's Prime Minister suggests banning some pro-Palestinian protests; JNIM militants launch a large-scale operation in Mali; we meet a former Russian soldier who's fled the fighting in Ukraine; FIFA allows female Afghan footballers to play in international competitions; and the Paralympic gold medalist, Alex Zanardi, dies.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: g

We meet a woman who started running marathons topless after having both her breasts removed because of cancer. Louise Butcher tells us she wanted to display her mastectomy scars with pride. She says she wants to empower other women and show that surviving the disease is about power not pity.Also: Preserving voice notes from almost a hundred years ago. The so called 'speaking letters' were recorded on small discs and sent through the post.Do chips from someone else's plate really taste better? Scientists put the common belief to the test.A project to save bats in Nigeria, where they're often associated with witchcraft.Plus: the comedian making her debut in her eighties; and the choir helping people get their voices back after a stroke or brain injury.Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson. (Photo: Topless marathon runner Louise Butcher. Credit: @louisebutcher39)

The US Defence Department says 5,000 military personnel stationed in Germany will leave their bases over the next 6-12 months. The withdrawal of American troops follows a spat between President Trump and the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran. Also, President Trump says he'll increase tariffs on European vehicles imported to the US; Cuba says new US sanctions amount to "collective punishment"; rats, fleas and other pests are spreading disease amongst displaced Palestinians in Gaza; the Oscar statue that was lost and then found by staff at Lufthansa Airlines; scientists say they've used new technology to identify a previously unknown sketch of the Tudor queen, Anne Boleyn; and we find out who won the Flatpack World Championships.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 in

One report says the US may deploy a hypersonic missile in the Middle East for the first time, as part of efforts to put pressure on Iran to reach a deal. This comes as a deadline passed for Donald Trump to secure authorisation from the US Congress to continue the war against Iran. US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, argues President Trump does not have to comply with the War Powers Resolution because the cease-ire agreement reached with Iran paused the clock on any such obligation. Also: head of one of the world's biggest fertiliser manufacturers warns the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz could cost the world up to 10 billion meals a week. Russia deploys nearly 800 emergency workers in the Black Sea port of Tuapse, after it was hit by Ukrainian strikes for the fourth time in two weeks. Danish study suggests weight-loss drugs could help people with alcohol problems cut down on harmful drinking. New footage of security breach outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner shows the moment the gunman bu

Myanmar's military government says the detained democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been moved to house arrest, and her sentence reduced to 18 years. State media have shown a picture of the Nobel laureate sitting with two uniformed men. Her son says the published image is old and he has had no reassurance that his mother is still alive. Also: Republicans and Democrats clash over a deadline for Donald Trump to secure authorization from the US Congress to continue the war against Iran; Britain's terror threat level is raised to "severe", a day after two Jewish men were stabbed in an attack in London; Islamist militants in Mali call for the country to come together to bring down the military government, days after trying to seize power; and a new sculpture by the the elusive British street artist, Banksy, suddenly appears in central 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. Politic

Saudi Arabia will withdraw its multi-billion dollar backing of LIV Golf at the end of the season, plunging the future of the series into further doubt. LIV was formed as a breakaway from the longstanding PGA tour, offering large sums to lure away some of golf's top players. The move was always seen as controversial - human rights groups accused Saudi Arabia of using sports sponsorship to distract from its poor human rights record. LIV says it hopes to attract new sponsors, though it's not clear who might be able to match the billions which Saudi Arabia's oil wealth had made available. Also: Relations between the US and Germany are tested over the war in Iran as President Trump and Chancellor Merz criticise one another; pro-Palestinian activists say at least 22 boats from a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza have been intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near the Greek island of Crete; China introduces new restrictions on the use of drones, which include a near- total ban on flying them in Beijing

An Australian inquiry into an antisemitic mass shooting at Bondi Beach which killed 15 people has recommended that the authorities should bolster security at Jewish events. The royal commission's interim report revealed that an Australian Jewish group had warned of a terrorist attack just days before the incident. The Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese says major changes have already been made. Also: oil prices have reached their highest point since the US and Israeli war against Iran began in February, amid concerns about how long the conflict will last; the US defence secretary Pete Hegseth is quizzed under oath on the Iran war by the Senate armed services committee; the US Justice Department charges the governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state for allegedly conspiring with the Sinaloa drug cartel to traffic massive quantities of narcotics; and celebrations in Kenya as Sabastian Sawe returns home after becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours in competitive race conditions in London. Th

Russia has announced that its annual military parade in Moscow, which commemorates its victory in World War Two, will be scaled back this year because of the threat from Ukraine. For the first time since 1945, there will be no armoured vehicles or missiles systems on show across Red Square. Also: the British Government rules that a woman abused by the late Harrods owner Mohammed El-Fayed was a victim of modern slavery; a new report suggests extreme heat, wildfires and record sea temperatures have affected much of the continent of Europe; police in Colombia say they've arrested a guerrilla leader accused of orchestrating the country's deadliest bomb attack on civilians in decades; and London Zoo is planning a new wildlife health centre to allow people to see everything from animal medical checks to post mortem examinations.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,

President Trump has called the bond between the US and the UK a friendship "unlike any other on Earth" at a state dinner attended by King Charles and Queen Camilla. Earlier in a historic address speech to Congress, King Charles praised NATO and said the UK-US partnership was more important than ever. We ask if these warm words can repair the two countries' relations. Also: The former FBI director, James Comey, has been charged with threatening the life of President Trump in a picture he posted on social media last year; Mali's ruler appears in public for the first time since insurgents tried to seize power; and we look at the impact of lab-grown diamonds on the wider diamond industry. 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 weekda

The United Arab Emirates says quitting the Opec and Opec+ groups of major oil producing nations will provide more flexibility. The move is being seen as a blow to the groups' de facto leader Saudi Arabia. Also, Russia has accused Ukraine of destabilising global energy markets after renewed drone strikes caused a huge fire at an oil refinery in the Black Sea port of Tuapse. At least 15 people have been killed and dozens more injured after a long distance train smashed into a stationary commuter train outside the Indonesian capital Jakarta. An Austrian man has pleaded guilty to planning an attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna in 2024. King Charles is due to address Congress as part of a state visit to the United States. He'll underline the history of co-operation between Britain and the US amid differences over the war in Iran. A study in the effects of isolation on astronauts, SOLIS100, has begun in Germany. One of India's wealthiest men, Anant Ambani, is offering to save the lives of eighty hippos in

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in the US to smooth over frayed relations between Washington and London. President Trump hosts afternoon tea at the White House. We'll look at whether the royal visit will make a difference. Also in this podcast: the man accused of trying to assassinate President Trump at a dinner for journalists appears in court. We report on the arrest of a boss of a Mexican drug cartel, how construction work for the men's football World Cup this summer is behind schedule, and the latest efforts to secure peace in the war with Iran. And we hear about one of naturalist David Attenborough's most memorable moments - an encounter with a group of gorillas.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

The Californian man suspected of trying to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington attended by President Trump and other senior administration figures is due in court to face charges of assaulting a federal officer and using a firearm during a violent crime. King Charles and Queen Camilla are preparing to arrive in the US capital for a state visit amid heightened security. Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has had talks in Russia with President Putin, as Tehran suggests postponing the resolution of the issue of its nuclear programme. The feud between X owner Elon Musk and Open AI boss Sam Altman is reaching court. Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving founding member of the legendary American pop group, "The Ronettes", has died. And we hear about the special shoes worn by the Kenyan, Sabastian Sawe, when he became the first person to run an official marathon in under two hours. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest

The suspected gunman at the White House correspondents' dinner, Cole Tomas Allen, is a 31-year-old Californian who reportedly worked as a tutor. Donald Trump says the suspect had a manifesto and "hatred in his heart" - but the president defended security arrangements in Washington after the third attempt on his life. Also: Ukraine says long-range drone attacks on Russian oil facilities will escalate; Mali's defence minister is killed in a car bomb; Iran's foreign minister makes stop-off in Pakistan as diplomacy with the US continues; Kenya's Sabastian Sawe makes history by running the London Marathon in under two hours; we look back at the life of renowned Indian photographer Raghu Rai; and what an orangutan on a canopy bridge teaches us about conservation.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 analysi