Global News Podcast

The Houthis in Yemen have carried out a second missile and drone attack on Israel, and have warned they'll keep conducting strikes in the coming days. Earlier on Saturday the Iranian-backed group launched its first attack since the US and Israel began their war on Iran a month ago. Also, thousands of protests against the Trump administration have been taking place in every major city in the US, including New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles. The organisers said the marches were a call to action against the war on Iran and President Trump’s immigration policies. There have also been large protests against far-right movements in cities across Europe. In Ethiopia some non-essential government workers have been put on leave as the country struggles with a fuel shortage, linked to supply disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East. An investigation is launched into the multinational beauty retailer Sephora and the US company Benefit Cosmetics, amid claims they promoted skincare products, including anti-ageing creams to girls as young as ten, using online influencers to reach them. And, the Swiss food giant Nestle, says a truck carrying more than 400,000 Kit Kat bars has gone 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

A patient who stopped a bomb attack at a hospital has revealed he hugged the would-be-attacker to calm him down. Nathan Newby spent two hours talking to the armed man and persuaded him to abandon his plan. He received the George Medal for bravery from King Charles this week.Also: how a viral video of pack of dogs has captured the attention of animal lovers across China and beyond.England's Football Association has apologised to a women's team who defied its fifty year ban on female players. The sport's governing body praised the Manchester Corinthians as trailblazers.And: Millions of people are flocking to see Washington DC's beloved cherry trees in full bloom. The National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates international friendship, as the trees were a gift from Tokyo over a hundred years ago.Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G7 foreign ministers meeting in France that the war on Iran could continue for another few weeks, and that Washington was ahead of schedule in many of its war objectives. Also: the UN warns there are now no safe spaces left for civilians in Lebanon as Israel continues its attacks; Ukraine fears the conflict in the Middle East is making the world forget Kyiv's conflict with Russia; Germany warns that the threat from Russia has never been more urgent; the US golfing star, Tiger Woods, has been arrested on charges of driving under the influence after rolling his car in a crash in Florida; US officials say the personal email account of the FBI director Kash Patel has been breached by hackers; the specialist equipment helping Slovenia's world class ski-jumpers; and the pros and cons of taking life advice from AI.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

Data examined by the BBC shows the devastating impact of the attacks on Iran's capital, Tehran, since the start of the US-Israel war. According to the findings, Israel has dropped 3,600 munitions on the city in the last four weeks. Almost 40 police stations and bases for the paramilitary Basij force have been hit, many in residential areas. BBC Eye has gathered eyewitness testimony, filmed the aftermath of strikes and analysed footage from social media and satellite imagery. In other news, scientists have managed to film a group of sperm whales supporting a female from their pod giving birth. A former rapper is sworn in as the prime minister of Nepal. And a mother tells us of her struggle to limit the screen time of her young son. 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 International Olympic Committee says women's events at the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be restricted to biological females, after years of controversy over transgender participation. Also: President Trump has again pushed back his threat to start bombing Iranian energy plants, giving Tehran ten more days to open the Strait of Hormuz. An initial deadline was supposed to expire on Friday. Lawyers for the former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores argue they should be allowed to use Venezuelan state funds to pay for their defence against drug trafficking-related charges; Paul McCartney announces his first new album in more than five years; and the Manchester City striker Erling Haaland donates a rare Viking book to the town in Norway where he grew up.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 US military says an Israeli airstrike that killed the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's naval commander, Alireza Tangsiri, "makes the region safer". Israel's defence minister says he was directly responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has not confirmed his death. We look at how the Middle East conflict is affecting daily lives in countries as far apart as Kenya and the Philippines. In other news, a lavish welcome for the leader of Belarus in North Korea. And a sunscreen scandal in Australia prompts a rethink.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 jury in California has concluded that Meta and Google intentionally built addictive social media platforms, in a case brought by a 20-year-old woman who said her compulsive use of social media as a child led to mental health problems. The woman, known as Kaley, has been awarded $6m in damages. The outcome of this trial is likely to have implications for hundreds of similar cases now winding their way through US courts. Parents who say their children were also harmed by social media algorithms celebrated the result outside the court. Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, alongside Google, the owner of YouTube, have both said they will appeal. Also: President Trump has claimed Iran is ''afraid'' to admit it is negotiating with the US, as Tehran continues to deny reports of dialogue with Washington. The boss of AirCanada is facing calls to resign, after he released a condolence message for the recent deaths of two pilots in English, but not in French. More than 350 years after the death of the legendary French musketeer d'Artagnan, his remains may have been found under the floor of a Dutch church. And scientists now believe dogs became man's best friend much 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

Iran's state broadcaster says that Tehran has responded "negatively" to a US peace plan. A senior, unnamed official said Iran would end the war when it decided to do so - and when "its own conditions are met". The details of the 15-point plan were never made public, but it's reported to have demanded major concessions from Tehran. Also, after declaring an energy emergency, the Philippines said it was seeking new sources of oil from sanctioned countries, including Russia. The CEO of investment firm Blackrock said that if the war led to long-term high oil prices, there would be a global recession. We also hear from some of the survivors of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the impact of a smartphone ban in Dutch schools, and how an Australian dog that was used to rescue koalas is getting a well-earned retirement.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

US and Israeli media outlets are reporting that the Trump administration - with the help of Pakistan- has handed Iran a 15-point ceasefire plan. President Trump insists his administration is talking to the "right people" in Iran, and that they "badly" want a deal to end the four week conflict. On Tuesday he hinted at a "very significant prize" gifted to the US by Iranian negotiators relating to oil and gas, and the Strait of Hormuz. Just hours later, Iran told the United Nations that "non-hostile vessels" will be allowed to pass through the Strait. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is expected to deploy ground forces to the Middle East, according to the BBC's US partner, CBS News. Also: the social media giant Meta is ordered to pay $375 million dollars in damages for misleading users over child safety; Russia launches one its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine since the war began, hitting cities across the country with nearly one thousand drones; Denmark's governing Social Democratic Party comes top in Tuesday's parliamentary election, but with its worst showing in more than a century. And, joy as a second gorilla gives birth to twins in a national park in Congo in the space of a few 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.ukImage credit: Graeme Sloan

Israel and Iran continue to strike each other after the US says plans for talks with Tehran remain "fluid". We also hear how President Trump's vague peace plan gives only temporary relief to unstable markets, and about life in Iran under constant bombardment. In other news, the United States pays a French energy company $1 billion not to build a wind farm. Danes go to the polls: will they re-elect their prime minister for a third term? The plight of some of Cuba's most vulnerable people under a US oil embargo. And, the BBC follows an illegal trade as valuable as cocaine - in baby eels.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 speaker of Iran's parliament has said no negotiations have taken place with the United States, contradicting President Trump's announcement that talks were ongoing. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said ''fake news'' was being used to manipulate the financial and oil markets. Also: a special report on the increase in Israeli settler attacks in the occupied West Bank. At least 60 people have been killed after a Colombian Air Force plane crashed shortly after takeoff. Leonid Radvinsky, the billionaire owner of the online platform OnlyFans has died aged 43. Drone footage has captured sperm whales headbutting each other, something scientists had only speculated about until now. And we delve into the long history of human-animal companionship, and examine what our relationship with our pets reveals about 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

President Trump has said that the United States and Iran are in discussions aimed at ending current hostilities after he called off American strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure. He claimed that Iran had made contact with the US and had agreed to not pursue nuclear weapons, adding that the US would continue its bombing if talks failed. Iran has denied there is any dialogue with the US. Also: two pilots have died in a plane crash at an airport in New York; the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, condemns an attack on the Jewish community in London; the earth's climate is more out of balance than any time in recorded history, according to the United Nations; never before seen turquoise pit vipers, flying snakes and microsnails are found deep in limestone caves in Cambodia; and could artificial intelligence help people with 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

Israel’s defence minister has announced that his country is expanding its ground campaign in Lebanon. Israel Katz warned of a prolonged operation against the Iran-backed group, Hezbollah, after the Israeli government ordered the destruction of all crossings over the Litani River. The Israeli military also says it expects several more weeks of fighting against Iran. Meanwhile, Tehran has warned it will fully close the Strait of Hormuz if Washington follows through with President Trump's threat to "obliterate" power plants in Iran. Also: in France's local elections, the Socialist candidate, Emmanuel Grégoire, claims victory in Paris, while in a boost for the nationalist right, an ally of Marine Le Pen is set to become mayor of Nice; hundreds of Syrians protest in Damascus against strict new alcohol laws; the new AI robots that can repair themselves and adapt to their environment; and a critic's view of Saturday Night Live UK's debut.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 nearly forty years, Fergal Keane has reported for the BBC from some of the world’s most brutal conflicts – in Gaza, Iraq, Rwanda, Sudan, Ukraine and beyond – and in that time interviewed scores of children who are the innocent victims of adult wars.As he came to understand the impacts of trauma on young minds, Keane began too to experience his own mental breakdowns – the result of a troubled childhood and a career spent running towards danger – and was eventually diagnosed with PTSD.In today’s episode, he reflects on what he has learned from his own experiences and reporting about how childhood traumas can be treated, and the hope for those living through today’s wars.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.Producer: Hannah MooreExecutive producer: Bridget HarneyMix: Travis EvansSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto: Displaced children play in Gaza, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Haitham Imad/ EPA/ Shutterstock.

President Trump has threatened to attack Iran's power plants, if Tehran doesn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days. Iran has said it will target energy infrastructure in the region belonging to the US if that happens. Iranian missiles have hit the southern Israeli towns of Arad and Dimona, injuring at least 100 people. Dimona is near a key nuclear facility. Also: Robert Mueller, the man who led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election, has died; how Islamophobia has risen in Australia in the wake of the Bondi attacks last year that killed 15 people; and the popular boy band, BTS, return to the stage after taking a four-year break to do their mandatory national military service. 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

We meet the men on a mission to help fellow Dads connect with their daughters, through a movement called 'pints and ponytails'. It's a chance to learn how to do a range of girls' hairstyles, over a couple of beers. But organisers say they leave with more than just salon skills - as the shared experience encourages men to open up about other parenting challenges. Also: an unexpected solution that could help in the fight againt both plastic pollution and Parkinson's disease. Rhinos return to a national park in Uganda for the first time in more than forty years. It's hoped they'll help establish a thriving population -- improving the ecosystem, creating jobs and attracting tourists.Plus - aging well: Researchers found that around a third of people over the age of 65 saw improvements in their physical and mental abilities.And how a holiday souvenir from Morocco turned out to be a previously unknown type of rock.Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

President Trump posted on social media that the US was getting very close to meeting its objectives in Iran. Earlier he told reporters he didn't want a ceasefire. The BBC's US partner, CBS, has reported that US military officials are making detailed preparations for the possibility of deploying ground troops in Iran. Also: we hear from the journalist in Israel who's been pressured by online gamblers to change a story; why social media is awash with chat about how thin everyone was at the Oscars - and it's not just about the women; and the new research which calls into question the march south by English troops, ordered by King Harold, to face the Norman invasion in the famous Battle of Hastings in 1066.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

Tehran has fired missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours causing blazes at a Kuwait refinery and a Bahrain warehouse. Israel has launched more air attacks against Iran. Powerful explosions were reported in the capital. Iranian media said sixteen of its cargo ships anchored in the Gulf had been burnt out after being targeted there. There's been a warning that the world faces its greatest ever energy threat from the Iran war. Also, weight loss drugs are set to become much cheaper as patents expire in India and elewhere. A cyclone has hit Australia's northeastern coast bringing fierce winds, heavy rain and floods. An international aid convoy arrives in Cuba. Actor and martial artist Chuck Norris dies at 86. And Mission to the Moon, NASA’s huge rocket - now repaired - heads back to the launchpad at Cape Canaveral in Florida in preparation for the first crewed flight in more than half a century.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said Israel will hold off future attacks on Iranian gas fields after being asked to do so by President Trump. An Israeli attack on Iran's South Pars gas field on Wednesday, followed by Iranian attacks on Qatari gas installations caused steep rises in the price of gas and oil. Also, we get the view from Iran from our BBC Persian correspondent. We hear how life has changed in Jerusalem's Old City now that its most sacred Christian, Muslim and Jewish sites are closed to the public. And we talk to the scientist behind a new documentary about microplastics - and fertility.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

Energy prices have surged after strikes on key gas facilities in Qatar and Iran, as the Middle East war continues to escalate. Iran has targeted Qatar's Ras Laffan complex in response to the bombing of Iranian facilities on South Pars gas field by Israel. The US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the war is on track as the White House asks Congress for an extra $200 billion dollars. There are indications the US and Israel are diverging on their war aims. Meanwhile Iran continues to carry out the executions of Iranians who demonstrated against the regime in January. In South Africa, criminal gangs have infiltrated the water industry charging people for water that should be free. Also, the Nigerian President makes a state visit to the UK for the first time in 37 years, and are doodle dogs a problem?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