Global News Podcast

Israel's government has agreed to the first phase of President Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining Israeli hostages. A ceasefire is expected to take effect within 24 hours, with hostage releases to follow within three days. Under the deal, Israel would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, begin withdrawing troops from parts of Gaza, and allow hundreds of aid trucks to enter the Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed the move as a 'momentous development' and thanked President Trump, as well as US aides Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Also: a man convicted of raping Gisèle Pelicot, the woman at the centre of a high-profile trial in France, has had his sentence extended; New York's Attorney General, Letitia James, has been indicted on federal charges of bank fraud; India's southern state of Karnataka has approved a plan to grant one day of paid menstrual leave per month; how a new AI arms race is transforming the war in Ukraine; a behind-the-scenes look at the race for the Nobel Peace Prize; and why the DNA of naked mole rats could hold the key to a longer life.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

Government ministers in Israel meet to approve President Trump's peace plan. There's an outburst of joy and celebration in Israel and Gaza after the deal was signed. But will it hold? We also look at an attack on a hospital in the besieged city of El-Fasher in Sudan, and hear about the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. 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

A landmark agreement has been reached by Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all the remaining hostages. The deal is expected to come into force later on Thursday, after being ratified by the Israeli government, and would include the release of around two thousand Palestinian prisoners. It's the first phase of a US-led initiative and was agreed after intense negotiations in Egypt.We bring you the latest developments and reactions to the deal from Israel and Gaza. The hostages could be released on Sunday or Monday, but we hear why some families say their joy is mixed with anger that it's taken so long. In Gaza, there were celebrations at the news and relief that the attacks could soon end and desperately needed aid could reach the hundreds of thousands in need. But there's also concern that many of the details of the plan remain unclear.Our correspondents also explain how the deal was agreed overnight, and why it's been possible now, after just over two years of war. And we hear that some within the Israeli government remain opposed to plan.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

President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of his Gaza peace deal and that hostages could be released within days. Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu called the agreement "a great day for Israel". Hamas confirmed the deal, but said it's awaiting details of a prisoner exchange. People have flooded the streets in Gaza and Israel to celebrate the announcement. Also: the French President, Emmanuel Macron says he'll name a new premier before the weekend. Ukraine's military accuses Russia of trying to erase Ukrainian culture by looting historical artefacts. US police have arrested a man who they believe intentionally started the Palisades fire, which devastated part of Los Angeles in January. The Portuguese athlete Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first billionaire footballer. UNICEF warns that the number of children displaced by armed gang violence in Haiti has almost doubled in the last year. Meanwhile, the United Nations is said to be intending to cut a quarter of its peacekeepers globally because of budget shortfalls, largely due to reduced US funding. The European Parliament has voted to ban the naming of meat-related terms like “burger” and “sausage” for plant-based products. And four decades on, the global hit musical Les Misérables is celebrated 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

President Trump's top aides and senior officials from Egypt and Qatar have joined the third day of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on ending the Gaza war. At least 11 members of Pakistan's security forces have been killed by militants near the Afghan border. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to three scientists for developing entirely new materials with revolutionary properties. And for the first time the price of gold exceeds 4,000 dollars an ounce, having risen by 50 per cent the past 12 months. 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

Members of the Texas National Guard are gathering at an army facility outside Chicago, after orders from President Trump. Hundreds of troops have been deployed to the US's third largest city to support the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The president has called Chicago a "war zone" following protests against federal immigration authorities. Illinois state officials accuse Mr Trump of an unconstitutional overreach and say he's using American troops to punish his political enemies.Also: the US government shutdown is putting extra strain on understaffed airports, causing travel delays. Five people have been detained after an attack on the Ecuadorian president's car. The Japan based company using drones and artificial intelligence to detect malaria-carrying mosquitoes. An international trio of scientists is awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in physics. The couple putting their collection of 8,450 teapots up for auction, and why did so many women in a tiny Hungarian village poison their husbands?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

A minute's silence has been observed across Israel to mark the Hamas-led attacks of 2023. There have been protests in Morocco for eleven straight days, and there's good news for whales off the Australian coast. How France is trying to find a way through its latest political crisis, and a leather-clad Argentine president headlines a rock concert. 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

Solar and wind power have overtaken coal as the world's leading source of electricity for the first time on record. Record solar expansion and steady wind growth is driving the shift, with China and India among the countries leading the clean energy charge. On the second anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel, talks on a Gaza ceasefire are ongoing, with President Trump claiming an agreement on his 20-point peace deal is close. Scientists win a Nobel Prize for discovering why the human immune system does not destroy the body. A rare insight into life in North Korea as a study suggests people are hunting wild animals to the point of extinction due to food shortages. Also: why scientists are freezing the eggs of an endangered butterfly, Bari Weiss becomes the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, and Instagram celebrates its 15th 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

In France Sebastien Lecornu resigns as prime minister saying the conditions were not fulfilled for him to carry on. He criticised unwillingness by political parties to reach compromises. Several parties are calling for early elections and some are calling for President Macron to go - although he has always said he will not stand down before his term ends in 2027. Stocks fell sharply on the Paris exchange amid concerns about the political parties' ability to tackle the country's economic problems, especially its massive debt. Also: A Sudanese militia leader has been found guilty of war crimes in the first International Criminal Court verdict on atrocities in Darfur more than twenty years ago, Hamas' chief negotiator has met Egyptian and Qatari mediators ahead of indirect talks with Israeli officials later, and the British author and journalist, Jilly Cooper has died at the age of 88. She gained fame for her romantic novels - the best known of which are her Rutshire Chronicles. One of the books - Rivals was successfully serialised by Disney Plus in 2024.

Delegations from Hamas, Israel and the US meet in Egypt to discuss Trump peace plan for Gaza. Also: a special BBC investigation into the fast-growing crime of online sexual extortion; California Governor Newsom says he'll take legal action to stop President Trump from deploying National Guard troops to a Democrat-run city in Oregon; what's behind the seemingly unstoppable rise of bitcoin; and Norwegian crowned world porridge making champion with Viking recipe using black oats.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

On Monday, President Trump outlined his proposal for a peace deal in Gaza, a moment he described as ‘potentially one of the great days ever in civilisation'. In a press conference announcing the plan, the President name-dropped Sir Tony Blair and said the former UK Prime Minister would have a key role in the governance of post-war Gaza. Blair has been part of high-level talks with the US and other parties about ending the conflict. To many in the Middle East he remains a divisive figure who is remembered primarily for his role in the US-led invasion of Iraq. So how did Blair become a central figure in this latest plan to end the war in Gaza, and what does this tell us about diplomacy under Trump 2.0? Asma Khalid speaks to the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Landale, who charts the story of Blair's involvement in the Middle East and his warm relationship with President Trump.Producers: Sam Chantarasak, Viv Jones Senior news editor: China Collins Mix: Travis EvansWith Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC's international newsroom, 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.Picture: Former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair. Credit: Victoria Jones/PA Wire

President Trump says Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza. He says the details have been shared with Hamas and once the Palestinian group confirms it agrees with the line, there will be an immediate ceasefire and an exchange of hostages and prisoners. Also: Japan is on track to get its first ever female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi; Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for an explosion near a high-security prison in the Somali capital, Mogadishu; anti-government protests in Georgia and Madagascar; we look back at the life of the Czech novelist Ivan Klima, who's died aged 94; the US takes on India at a speed chess tournament; and the British and Irish film festival taking place in Dinard in France. 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

An 18-year-old entrepreneur who has helped more than twenty thousand teenagers get skills, training and mentoring has been recognised with a global student prize. Adarsh Kumar grew up in poverty in rural Bihar and says he was inspired by wanting to solve the problems he saw around him - and the example set by his hardworking single mother. He plans to use the ten thousand dollar prize to help improve the lives of even more people - and believes the first step in changing the world is to change his home state. Also: we find out how teenagers who've been struggling with school attendance are learning important life lessons - from three year olds. The scheme pairs them with a nursery child to give them a sense of responsibility and helping others. We celebrate the winner of Fat Bear Week in Alaska - which saw tens of thousands of people around the world vote for the brown bear who'd done best at gorging on salmon and berries to prepare for winter. How new technology is helping Premier League football fans with sight problems, the jollof rice wars heat up with a record breaking dish in Nigeria, and the people spreading joy over the internet through memes. Plus an inspirational speech from a 12-year-old who wants to improve understanding about autism. Leo Bird says he's not broken, just different, and that's why his friends love him. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.Presenter: Jannat Jalil. Music composed by Iona Hampson

President Trump tells Israel to stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agrees to release all remaining hostages and seeks further talks on his peace plan. Also: The American rapper, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, is jailed for four years following his conviction on prostitution-related charges; the computers powered by lab-grown mini brains; the cruise company with no ship; and celebrating 75 years of the Peanuts comic strip featuring Snoopy.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

For the first time in its five hundred year history, the Church of England has chosen a woman as its leader. Dame Sarah Mullally will be known formally as the Archbishop of Canterbury and will be the most senior bishop and spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, which has more than eighty five million followers worldwide. Speaking after the announcement she said she intended to be a shepherd to all. Also, British police say that one of the two victims killed in Thursday's attack on a synagogue in Manchester appears to have been hit by police gunfire. Munich Airport in Germany has become the latest European airport forced to halt operations because of unexplained drones. Taylor Swift's highly anticipated 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl", has been released featuring songs that are expected to top charts 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

Police have named the man who killed two people at a synagogue in Manchester. Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British man of Syrian descent, was shot and killed by officers outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. Also, Donald Trump has declared the US is now in an armed conflict with drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea. A man alleged to be a high-up figure in the Tren de Aragua gang has been arrested in Colombia. A former Israeli hostage who was held in captivity in Gaza for 16 months has called on Hamas to sign President Trump's peace plan. The disgraced rapper, Sean Diddy Combs, is set to be sentenced on prostitution charges. Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri is formally abdicating his throne. There is a rogue planet gobbling up gas and dust at an unprecedented rate. Open AI's Sora app raises yet more concerns about artificial intelligence and copyright.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 two people have been killed in an attack outside a synagogue in Manchester in northern England on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Three others are in a serious condition after the incident, in which a car was driven at people and a man was stabbed. Greater Manchester Police have confirmed the suspected assailant was shot dead by armed officers. Detectives have declared it a terrorist attack. Also: the head of Hamas's armed wing in Gaza tells mediators he does not agree to the plan set out by US President Donald Trump to end the war with Israel. Rescue workers in Indonesia say there are no longer any signs of life under the rubble of a school which collapsed in East Java, with nearly sixty people still missing. Britain's Royal Society is marking 75 years since the mathematician and Second World War codebreaker, Alan Turing, created a test to help distinguish a machine from a human. And an ice core from Antarctica that may be more than 1.5 million years old is being melted down by scientists to unlock key information about Earth's climate.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

The Israeli navy has intercepted boats carrying aid to Gaza and detained the activists on board. Also: Indonesian rescuers search for 59 children trapped under rubble of collapsed school, BBC analysis finds a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, the EU considers constructing a drone wall, comedy turns into controversy in Saudi Arabia, the latest on the US government shutdown, a preview of the Czech parliamentary elections, and we look back at the life of world-leading chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall.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

The race to save dozens of students after a school collapses in Indonesia. At least four students were killed and about 100 injured, some critically, after the two-storey Islamic Boarding School in East Java caved in. Hundreds of students, most of them teenage boys, had gathered to pray in the building when it gave way. The authorities on Wednesday said crying and shouting could still be heard from under the rubble, while anxious relatives who had camped out at the school overnight awaited news of their loved ones.Also: shutdown at Oktoberfest after an explosion in Munich, the controversial South African opposition politician Julius Malema is found guilty of gun charges, dozens are dead after an earthquake in the Philippines, and Indian doctors get help with their handwriting.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

A partial government shutdown has come into effect in the US. Democrats and Repulicans failed to agree on a spending bill, meaning hundreds of thousands of federal workers face not being paid. Also, the UN is appealing to the ruling Taliban to restore nationwide communications after the internet was cut across Afghanistan. The UN has announced a new security force to try and tackle gangs in Haiti. Leaders of the European Union will discuss how to protect their countries from drone attacks during meetings in Denmark. Scientists in the US are developing a technique that could use almost any cell in the body as the starting point of life. Official figures show Switzerland's glaciers have lost a quarter of their total volume over the past decade. Plus, an AI actor has been unveiled at the Zurich Film Festival.

To mark two years of the war in Gaza, our correspondents bring you this special episode of the Global News Podcast from the BBC Bureau in Jerusalem. Jon Donnison is joined by our Gaza correspondent Rushdi Abualouf, our International Editor Jeremy Bowen, and our Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell. They discuss the history of the conflict, their memories of the October 7th attacks, and respond to questions from BBC World Service listeners. As talk of a potential ceasefire brokered by the US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dominates the news agenda, we look back at the impact this war has had on people living in the Gaza Strip and Israel. 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

President Trump says Hamas has days to accept a 20-point peace plan in Gaza or they will 'pay in hell'. Also: the search for survivors after a school collapses in Indonesia, a BBC undercover reporter investigates illegal dogfights in Europe, and the South African ambassador to France dies after falling out of a hotel window in Paris. Plus we look at the plight of migrants from Haiti who have crossed into the Dominican Republic.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

President Trump has declared that peace in the Middle East is "beyond very close" as he presented a new plan alongside the Israeli prime minister, with both men saying Hamas must agree to it or Israel will finish its offensive in Gaza. The Palestinian group is studying the 20 point proposal. Afghanistan is hit by an internet blackout, as the Taliban enforces what it sees as a "morality" crackdown. A federal budget stand-off is threatening to shut down the US government for the first time in almost 7 years. A trade deal that's been the cornerstone of US-Africa economic relations for 25 years expires later today. UN investigators say they've found clear evidence that the Burmese army has replaced the Rohingya villages and homes it destroyed inside Myanmar with military infrastructure. Ukraine and Russia increasingly turn to convicts, as they struggle to recruit more soliders for the war in Ukraine. A convoy including Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa is attacked by protestors angry over a cut in fuel subsidies. Plus, the so-called Bitcoin Queen, accused of stealing more than five billion dollars worth of the cryptocurrency from investors, pleads guilty to charges 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

President Trump unveiled a wide-ranging Gaza peace plan on Monday and won cautious backing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who warned he was still ready to "finish the job" against Hamas. 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

The BBC's cyber correspondent was offered money if he helped criminals hack his employer's IT systems. They said they would steal data or install malicious software and hold his employer to ransom. Joe Tidy played along with them for a couple of days before things turned ugly. Also: President Trump posts then deletes a video promoting fake news about something called med-beds which conspiracists believe have magic powers to restore missing limbs and reverse ageing. The Danish government temporarily bans civilians from flying drones, as it prepares to host an EU summit this week - this follows drone incursions in European airspace, prompting suspicions that Russia is deliberately testing Nato defences. And trials are carried out in Britain to test whether tomatoes can be genetically edited to boost people's vitamin D levels. 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

Moldova's pro-European party has won a new majority in parliament after elections seen as critical for the country's future path to the EU. President Maia Sandu warned of "massive Russian interference" after voting on Sunday and said the future of her country was at stake. Also: A new US peace plan for Gaza, promoted by President Trump, would encourage Palestinians to remain in the territory and speaks of eventual Palestinian statehood, but neither Israel nor Hamas has given a conclusive response. The mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, has ended his bid for re-election. The first rollout of the HPV vaccine in Pakistan, designed to protect women against cervical cancer, has been hit by misinformation. The Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Nathan Law says he's been denied entry to Singapore. Switzerland has narrowly approved a plan to introduce electronic identity cards. Plus, we get the latest from golf's Ryder Cup and cricket's Asia Cup. 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

On Monday President Trump and the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held a press conference in which they made extraordinary new claims about autism. They suggested a potential link between the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and the development of autism. They also advocated spacing out childhood vaccinations. The two men's interest in the link between vaccines and autism goes back decades but these claims did not originate in the US. They trace back to the UK in 1998, when disgraced former doctor Andrew Wakefield first published his now-debunked theory linking MMR vaccines to autism cases in children. Today on the Global Story science journalist Adam Rutherford explains how the Wakefield vaccine conspiracy became the biggest medical disinformation disaster in recent history, and how these ideas found fertile ground in the Trump administration. Every weekday, this is The Global Story. The world is changing. Decisions made in the US and by the second Trump administration are accelerating that change. But they are also a symptom of it. With Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC's international newsroom, 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.

Extending his controversial use of the military in Democrat-led major US cities, Donald Trump says he's authorised soldiers who will be deployed to Portland to use "full force" if needed. He described the city in Oregon as "war-ravaged". Also: nearly 40 people are killed in a crush at a political campaign event in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the people of Moldova vote in a parliamentary election that will help determine if the country moves closer to the EU or Russia, and scientists say the tiny particles that help form stars and planets are much spongier than previously thought. 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

For the first time ever, a successful treatment has been found for the devastating brain disease, Huntington's. The inherited condition, which resembles a combination of dementia, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease, affects hundreds of thousands of people in the US and Europe. The scientists who developed the new gene therapy, and people who have the disease, say its a huge breakthrough that could give people a better quality of life for decades.Also: we meet the teacher who's launched a Happiness Project to help her pupils learn about what really matters, and is encouraging others to do the same. We find out about the small actions that have transformed how people feel about a living in a huge public housing complex in Mumbai, bringing a true sense of community. It's Fat Bear Week in Alaska - a time to celebrate weight gain as the beautiful inhabitants of Katmai National Park prepare to hibernate. Plus a new way to bring more poetry into your life; the dogs getting to swim in German public pools; and the man cycling hundreds of miles dressed as a paramedic gorilla. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.Presenter: Oliver Conway. Music composed by Iona Hampson

United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme look set to be reintroduced after the failure of a last-ditch diplomatic push to delay them. Iran's president has strongly criticised the US and other UN Security Council members for blocking Russia and China's efforts. Also: Democrats have released a new batch of files relating to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, human rights experts warn that Russia's strategy of repression is spreading to other countries, and the passenger train celebrates its 200th 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

In his address to the UN, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denies Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and calls Palestinian recognition 'disgraceful'. Dozens of delegates walk out of his speech. Also: more than 200 suspected cyber scammers in Africa are arrested; young Ukrainian soldiers learn leadership skills at a British university; and 66 years after they were first produced in the Soviet Union, India finally pensions off its remaining fleet of Mig 21 fighter jets. 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

The former FBI boss James Comey has said he is innocent and welcomes a trial after being indicted on two criminal charges. Donald Trump has been seeking retribution after the FBI investigated his 2016 presidential campaign over possible ties to Russia. Also: TikTok avoids shut down with US operations to be handed to a group of investors, use of the party drug mephedrone soars in Russia, and new research suggests humans may have evolved half a million years earlier than previously thought.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

The former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in jail after he was found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case related to millions of euros of illicit funds from the late Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Also: the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas speaks at the United Nations General Assembly via video link, the BBC releases a film calling for international journalists to be allowed into Gaza, and Bolivia's former anti-drugs chief is arrested after cocaine lab was found on his property. Fake Labubu dolls make up 90 per cent of all counterfeit toys seized at UK borders, Zimbabwe's quest to become Africa's blueberry capital, and how yoghurt might have helped the late Maria Branyas Morera live to 117. 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

President Trump says US immigration staff are facing an unprecedented increase in attacks by what he called 'Deranged Radical Leftists'; he made his comment after a deadly gun attack at an immigration centre in Dallas. 'Anti-ICE' messaging was found on ammunition at the scene. Also: Syria's first head of state to speak at the UN General Assembly for nearly sixty years calls for all sanctions on his country to be lifted, China commits to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by up to ten percent, and we meet the history-making astronauts headed for the Moon.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

Russia hits back at the US President Donald Trump, after he called the nation a 'paper tiger'. The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said 'Russia is generally associated with a bear. There are no paper bears. Russia is a real bear.' We unpack the importance of words in the US-Russia relationship and whether President Trump's comments will have any impact on the ground in Ukraine. As Syria's interim President, Ahmed Al Sharaa, addresses the United Nations General Assembly, Syrians in Damascus give us their opinion. Also: Super Typhoon Ragasa causes chaos in southern China, a landmark deal to slash the price of injectable HIV prevention drugs, and a breakthrough in treating Huntington's disease. Plus: Denmark's prime minister apologises to the victims of a forced contraceptive programme in Greenland and Jimmy Kimmel's late night show returns to our screens, after being suspended by ABC. 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

President Trump has said Kyiv can 'win all of Ukraine back in its original form', marking a major shift in his position on the war with Russia. His comments came after talks with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Also: a super typhoon is heading towards the southern Chinese coast, where hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated. We hear from Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who says he's survived attempts on his life and is a target of Al-Shabaab, an Islamist group affiliated to Al-Qaeda. And, one of the greats of Italian cinema, Claudia Cardinale, has died at the age of 87. We look back at her life. 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

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has opened the eightieth General Assembly in New York with a warning that some countries are flouting international law. Donald Trump used his address to dismiss the UN as an organisation that had lost its purpose. We also break down the US President and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's unsubstantiated claims linking the use of paracetamol during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism in children. Denmark's prime minister says she's not ruling out Russian involvement after Copenhagen and Oslo airports were closed by drones flying nearby. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, at the same time as increasing ties with Russia. Hong Kong and southern China are bracing for 'super typhoon Ragasa', with schools and businesses closed and shelves reportedly stripped of goods. NASA has announced 10 new astronaut candidates - selected from a pool of eight thousand, and the curious case of a man in South Korea who was prosecuted for taking a snack from an office fridge without permission.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

Medical experts have condemned President Trump's unsubstantiated claims that taking paracetamol during pregnancy can lead to an increased risk of autism in children. The links between the painkiller and autism remain unproven. Also: France becomes the latest country to recognise Palestinian statehood while Israel continues its war in Gaza, Jimmy Kimmel is set to return to TV screens, Denmark extends military conscription to women, Super Typhoon Ragasa lashes the Philippines, a multibillion dollar deal in the AI race, and who's won football's Ballon d'Or? 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

France is to join other countries in recognising a Palestinian state at the United Nations, drawing further strong criticism from Israel. Also: South Sudan's former vice president appears in court accused of murder, treason and crimes against humanity. New research shows most of the world's largest fossil fuel producing nations are planning to increase those operations. One of the two favourites to become Japan's next prime minister promises to improve her cabinet's gender balance to "Nordic" levels. And, for the next five years, the Pompidou centre in Paris will be closed to the public as it undergoes renovations. 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

President Trump has hailed Charlie Kirk as an American martyr. More than sixty thousand people attended a memorial service for the right-wing activist which was also described as a political rally. He was called a MAGA warrior and his widow, Erika, delivered a tearful speech in which she spoke of forgiveness. Also: Israel says there will never be a Palestinian state despite its recognition by western countries, South Korea's president says that the North could temporarily keep its existing nuclear weapons as part of a deal, the BBC gains rare access to war-torn Sudan, and Europe's busiest shopping street goes traffic-free for a day but can this change the fortunes of London's Oxford Street?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.

President Trump is in the UK on a State visit, where he's been hosted by the royal family and is set to meet with Prime Minister Starmer.The two leaders appear to have a strong relationship. But there's one big issue that's become a sticking point between them.Increasingly, free speech in the United Kingdom is a hot button rallying cry among the conservatives in the United States. Why have Republicans in America become so obsessed with free speech across the Atlantic? Especially when a crackdown on speech is kicking off at home.This programme includes language which some listeners find offensive.Every weekday, this is The Global Story. The world is changing. Decisions made in the US and by the second Trump administration are accelerating that change. But they are also a symptom of it. With Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC's international newsroom, 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.Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Viv Jones and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: Annie Brown and James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China CollinsImage: US President Donald Trump on second state visit to the UK (Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)Archive audio from Father Ted (Credit: Father Ted/Hat Trick Productions/Channel 4)

Britain is expected to take the unprecedented step of recognising a Palestinian state today. The move will be a major shift in foreign policy for the UK which has, for decades, insisted that recognition should only happen as part of a peace deal with Israel. Also: the US Pentagon fuels fears about press freedom with new restrictions on journalists, Russia reboots the Soviet-era Intervision song contest, Prince Andrew's former wife explains her apologetic email to Jeffrey Epstein, and accusations of sportswashing in Rwanda. 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