Global News Podcast

Israel's defence minister has called for a 'comprehensive plan' to defeat Hamas if it reneges on the ceasefire. The Palestinian group has said that it's committed to the deal but it needs help to recover bodies from the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza. Also: the families of people who disappeared during the civil war in Syria are still seeking justice as graves of victims are discovered; the Australian swimmer and four-time Olympic champion, Ariarne Titmus, retires at 25; the Grand Sumo Tournament, which has left Japan for only the second time, is in London where 40 wrestlers will be seen at the Royal Albert Hall. 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

Palestinians in Gaza are reportedly stockpiling food amid anxiety the aid flow will stop, if the Israel-Hamas ceasefire doesn't hold. Israel has warned that it will reduce humanitarian supplies, if Hamas doesn't soon hand over the remaining dead hostages. Also: warnings about a big increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere; what does that mean for the future? Kenya has declared a week of national mourning for the former prime minister, Raila Odinga, who's died at the age of eighty. Syria's interim president is meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow -- where he's expected to ask the Russian leader to hand over the former dictator, Bashar al-Assad - and the rise of AI-created erotica. 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 says it has received four more bodies of dead hostages from Gaza as part of the latest ceasefire deal with Hamas. There are still 20 to be returned under the agreement. Also, one of the ancient world's greatest temples can now be seen in all its glory -- after being hidden behind scaffolding for 20 years. And the philosopher who thinks that living in a meritocracy is not always a good thing. 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 day after President Trump signed off his peace plan in Egypt - what now for Gaza? Hospitals in the territory say seven people have been killed by Israeli fire since midnight on Monday. Israel has accused Hamas of reneging on the plan by only releasing four bodies of the 28 hostages who are thought to have died. There are also videos emerging of what appear to be extra-judicial killings by Hamas. Meanwhile, aid agencies warn that the humanitarian needs in Gaza are overwhelming. Also: an elite military unit in Madagascar says it has taken control of the island after President Andry Rajoelina fled following anti-government protests. UN-backed negotiations designed to reduce the environmental impact of global shipping are starting in London, but the US is opposing an international treaty on emissions. Why British security officials are urging companies to use pen and paper to win the battle against cyber attacks. How the US state of North Carolina dramatically reduced the number of opioid-related drug deaths. And the Nobel prize in economics has been awarded to three professors for their work explaining how technology has helped drive economic growth. 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

There is huge uncertainty over what happens next following the Gaza ceasefire deal. President Trump has left the region after signing off his peace plan at a summit in Egypt. Also: Madagascar's embattled president has said that he has fled the country following weeks of youth-led protests calling for his resignation; discovering the footprints left by a dinosaur 166 million years ago; and why the small African nation of Cape Verde has been partying into the night. 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

More than two years after attacking Israel on October 7, 2023, Hamas has handed over the last 20 living hostages. Meanwhile, Israel has begun releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Donald Trump, who brokered the deal, has spoken to the Israeli parliament, hailing what he called the "dawn of a new Middle East". 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

Anticipation is growing in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv where families and friends of the remaining Israeli hostages have gathered ahead of their expected release by Hamas after two years of captivity in Gaza. Around twenty of them are thought to still be alive. As part of an exchange Israel will free nearly two-thousand Palestinian prisoners under the terms of the ceasefire deal brokered by the Trump administration. The US president, who is travelling to Israel, has said that he believes the ceasefire in Gaza will hold and that the war is over. Also: the leader of an elite army unit in Madagascar that sided with demonstrators against the president has been sworn in as the chief of the country's armed forces, leading to talk of a possible coup; how the temperature of your nose can determine your stress levels; and the actor, Tom Hollander, tells the BBC that live performance is crucial in fighting the growing use of AI on screen.

The billionaire Larry Ellison could soon control huge portions of America’s AI, attention economy and legacy media. He already owns swathes of AI infrastructure and is preparing to takeover TikTok, whilst his son, whose company already owns Paramount, is preparing a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery. So who is this ‘CEO of everything’, and how is his family dynasty becoming the 21st Century’s Rockerfellers? 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.

Fierce fighting is taking place between the Pakistani army and Afghan Taliban forces at multiple points along the Durand Line. It's the latest flare-up between the neighbours as insecurity rises in the border region. Also: Hamas says it will start releasing Israeli hostages on Monday as part of the Gaza peace process, the EU introduces new travel regulations for the Schengen area, we look back at the life and career of Diane Keaton who's died, Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado speaks to the BBC after winning the Nobel Peace Prize, a doctor's view on young people's relationship with plastic surgery, and the Cape Verde men's football team prepare for a match that could earn the island nation a spot in the World 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

We hear how a man's search for his birth mother ended in an unexpected but familiar place - his favourite local bakery. Vamarr Hunter was shocked to discover that the bakery's owner, whose company and motherly advice he'd enjoyed for years, was the woman who'd given him up for adoption when she was 17. Lenore Lindsey says being reunited has made her a warmer person and it feels like they were never separated. Also: The international football star who cycles to work, uses public transport and wears second-hand clothes. Héctor Bellerín, who plays for Real Betis in Spain, uses his profile to champion greener choices - arguing that with power comes responsibility. Green turtles have recovered from the brink of extinction, in what scientists are describing as a major conservation victory. They've been classed as endangered since the 1980s but their numbers are bouncing back. The winner of one of the world's most prestigious prizes describes how he initially thought his wife was playing a joke on him. Fred Ramsdell missed the official announcement that he'd been awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine because he was on a hiking trip. Plus the cafe that's providing work as well as food for the homeless, and a kind stranger who drove hundreds of miles just to return someone's lost bag. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. (Photo credit: Lenore Lindsey)

President Trump has said he will impose additional 100% import tariffs on Chinese goods by next month, and put export controls on any and all critical software. He said this was in response to China placing new restrictions on exports of crucial rare earth minerals. The news led to US stock markets registering their biggest one-day fall in months. Also: Palestinians in Gaza returning to their homes following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas say they've been shocked by the scale of destruction; the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister, just four days after he resigned from the role; the green turtle has been rescued from the brink of extinction in what scientists are calling a major conservation victory.

Tens of thousands of Gazans make the long walk back to where they once lived after a ceasefire comes into force. Meanwhile, families in Israel wait for the return of the last remaining hostages held by Hamas. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to Venezuela's opposition leader, María Corina Machado, who expressed shock when first told of the award. Also, Taiwan seeks to protect itself against air attack from China with a defence system similar to Israel's Iron Dome, and the football referee who thinks we shouldn't want to win at all costs. 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 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