BBC Global News Podcast

Six-year-old Saffie would have gone completely blind by adulthood, if not for a groundbreaking gene therapy. Her mother says she is now "thriving" and the results have been "incredible". Saffie was treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital in the UK. Also, the woman in Ethiopia who has given birth to quintuplets. Bedriya Adem had been trying to conceive for 12 years. She says her five babies are a 'blessing'. Plus, the beloved natural history presenter, David Attenborough turns 100. Why childhood musicians make better surgeons; the human choir singing with whales; and find out how four grandmothers become friends with a professional wrestler in Las Vegas. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson Image credit: PA

Israeli airstrikes have continued in Lebanon despite the ceasefire - we report from the site of a residential building in Saksakiyeh hit in the latest barrage. Hezbollah is retaliating with attacks inside Israel and against troops occupying southern Lebanon. Also: Péter Magyar becomes Hungary's new prime minister after 16 years of Viktor Orbán's rule; Russia's Victory Day is marked with muted celebrations amid the Ukraine war; Indonesian authorities crack down on an alleged online gambling ring; Australia's far-right One Nation party wins its first parliamentary seat; scientists call for New Orleans residents to evacuate as climate change drowns the US city; Iran sets out conditions for its participation in the men's football World Cup; and our boxing reporter weighs in on the epic Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois fight. 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 a short truce between Russia and Ukraine was agreed at his request. They've also each pledged to release 1,000 prisoners-of-war. The deal coincides with Russia's commemorations marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. A big parade in Moscow's Red Square has been scaled back, with no tanks or missiles. Also: Britain's prime minister, Keir Starmer, is facing renewed pressure after his governing Labour Party was battered in English local elections and suffered a historic defeat in Wales; the Trump administration has released a first batch of previously secret files documenting reported sightings of unidentified flying objects - or UFOs; thousands take part in the Palestine marathon three years after it was put on hold due to the Gaza war; and a royal message for the naturalist David Attenborough on his 100th birthday. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Britain's right-wing populist party Reform makes gains as votes are counted in local elections. With a promise to reduce immigration, the party looks set to win council seats across the country, mostly at the expense of the more centrist Labour and Conservatives. Also: South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa faces calls to resign after a court rules he will be investigated over the theft of more than half-a-million dollars. Instagram is ending the option to send direct messages with super secure privacy technology after years of saying it was the future of the platform. The move has been praised by law enforcement groups. And China's new snooker world champion receives a hero's welcome on his return home.

The US says it struck Iranian military facilities after Iran targeted American warships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran claims the US was violating the ceasefire. President Trump says the ceasefire is still intact. Also: Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day amid fears Ukraine may launch a drone attack. Fashion companies prepare for the introduction of strict new sustainability laws in Europe. We take a closer look at the US immigration crackdown. Protests in Japan over the lifting of restrictions on arms exports. And the British wildlife film maker, David Attenborough, celebrates his 100th birthday. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

US media reports say what's being considered is a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran, which could set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations. A senior member of Iran's parliament has dismissed it as a "wish list", while a foreign ministry spokesman said Tehran would share its views of a US proposal with Pakistani mediators. Pakistan's foreign minister said his country was "endeavouring to convert the current ceasefire into a permanent end to this war". Also: Three women with links to the Islamic State group have been arrested after arriving in Australia with their children after years in detention in Syria. Vigils are held across Australia for a five year old Aboriginal girl who was allegedly murdered. And, Ukraine looks at banning surrogacy for foreign parents - amid concerns that poor vulnerable women in a country at war are being exploited and there are not enough protections for the babies. 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 years, Ukraine has been one of the world’s leading hubs for commercial surrogacy - attracting couples from around the world with lower costs and more relaxed laws. Despite Russia’s full-scale invasion, the industry has continued to operate. But now, a proposed law being debated in Ukraine’s parliament could ban surrogacy for foreign parents. Also: Rumours are swirling that a US-Iran deal could be close. Scientists have verified the existence of the second largest tsunami ever. CNN's founder Ted Turner has died. And a robot has become a Buddhist monk. 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 media and Pakistan negotiators suggest Washington and Tehran are close to agreeing a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran. Donald Trump has warned the bombing would be more intense than before if Iran doesn’t agree to peace deal. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces continue to strike Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. Also: The World Health Organization has confirmed an eighth case of Hantavirus on board a cruise ship at the centre of a deadly outbreak of the disease. Three passengers have died aboard the ship that is currently stuck at sea near the island of Cape Verde in the Atlantic. Spain insists the MV Hondius will dock in the Canary Islands despite objections from the local authorities. Four women linked to the IS miliant group are returning to Australia from Syria, along with their children and could face the prospect of arrest. Scientists are calling for Pluto to be reclassified as a planet, twenty years after it was demoted to dwarf planet status. The Global News Podcast brings you the 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 is pausing efforts to help ships get through the Strait of Hormuz, amid what he called "great progress" towards a peace agreement with Iran. Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi holds talks in China to discuss the conflict. Also: President Zelensky has condemned the latest Russian attacks on Ukraine, which left more than twenty people dead; Spain says it'll let a cruise ship hit by an outbreak of hantavirus travel to the Canary Islands from Cape Verde, following a request from the World Health Organisation; remembering Doris Fisher, the co-creator of the Gap clothing chain store, who has died at the age of 94. And, the Whatsapp whistling craze taking Brazil by storm. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day 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 World Health Organization says there may have been human-to-human transmission of a rare respiratory virus usually spread by rodents onboard a cruise ship off Africa's west coast. Three passengers have died and another is seriously ill. The ship was denied permission to dock in Cape Verde after cases of hantavirus were confirmed. The WHO says the risk to the global population is "low". Also: the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US-Iran ceasefire is ''not over'' despite both sides attacking each other in the Strait of Hormuz. Residents in southern Lebanon say they fear a prolonged conflict with Israel, as the Israeli army instructs more civilians to leave their homes. There is lingering anger in Serbia over a lack of accountability for a railway station disaster that killed 16 people in 2024. A new book explores why so many of the world's languages could be extinct by the end of this century. And Dolly Parton has cancelled her Las Vegas residency because of ongoing health issues. The Global News 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

Growing fears for the ceasefire in the Middle East after the US and Iran trade fire as American forces try to open up the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. President Trump said two US-flagged merchant vessels were able to transit the waterway. The UAE said Iran also launched cruise missiles and drones towards its oil facilities. Also: Two people are killed and several others injured when a car drives into a central pedestrian zone of the eastern German city of Leipzig; the South Korean owners of tech giant Samsung agree to pay a huge inheritance tax bill of eight billion US dollars - the largest such payment in the country's history; stars turn out in all their glory for this year's Met Gala despite fears of a backlash against the new sponsor Jeff Bezos. And, Wu Yize becomes the second Chinese winner of the World Snooker Championship. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, 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 its warships have helped two US-flagged vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz, breaking an Iranian blockade. It's denied Iranian reports that one warship had been forced to turn back. Also: More than 30 world leaders - including the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney - attend the European Political Community summit in the former Soviet republic of Armenia, to discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Three people have died on board a cruise ship that was crossing the Atlantic, following an outbreak of a respiratory illness - believed to be Hantavirus. The video game retail chain GameStop launches a $56bn takeover bid for the much bigger firm, eBay. Australia begins public hearings into the killing of 15 people in a gun attack on a Jewish event on Bondi Beach in December. A BBC investigation finds scammers in Uganda are posting online content of dogs in distress in a shelter to get money from international donors. The former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, is in a critical condition in hospital. And a team of North Korean women footballers is due to cross the border to play their neighbours in the semi-final of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League - the first time athletes from the north have travelled to South Korea since 2018. 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 is set to deploy navy destroyers, aircraft and troops in an operation to guide stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz from Monday. President Trump called "Project Freedom" a humanitarian gesture, but Iran has warned that any US interference would be considered a violation of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, human rights groups have accused the authorities inside Iran of carrying out widespread arrests, torture and executions - we hear from Iranians who say they’re living in fear. Also: security is tightened at Jewish venues in London following knife attacks; political violence rises ahead of presidential elections in Colombia; the US Supreme Court is asked to restore mail access to abortion pills; global press freedom is at its lowest level in decades; and will celebrities boycott the Met Gala being sponsored by Amazon's Jeff Bezos? The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, 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

Since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, there has been an ongoing debate over the role played by Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in convincing Donald Trump to go to war. But when it comes to ceasefire announcements, it has been the US President taking the lead - if the Israelis are present at all. So when it comes to ending the wars in Iran and Lebanon, are the Americans leaving Netanyahu out in the cold? We speak to Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent at The Economist, and author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu. The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

President Trump is criticised by senior figures in his own Republican Party, as he doubles down on a plan to pull out more than 5000 US troops from Germany. What will a withdrawal mean for global security? Also: Britain's Prime Minister suggests banning some pro-Palestinian protests; JNIM militants launch a large-scale operation in Mali; we meet a former Russian soldier who's fled the fighting in Ukraine; FIFA allows female Afghan footballers to play in international competitions; and the Paralympic gold medalist, Alex Zanardi, dies. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

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

The US Defence Department says 5,000 military personnel stationed in Germany will leave their bases over the next 6-12 months. The withdrawal of American troops follows a spat between President Trump and the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran. Also, President Trump says he'll increase tariffs on European vehicles imported to the US; Cuba says new US sanctions amount to "collective punishment"; rats, fleas and other pests are spreading disease amongst displaced Palestinians in Gaza; the Oscar statue that was lost and then found by staff at Lufthansa Airlines; scientists say they've used new technology to identify a previously unknown sketch of the Tudor queen, Anne Boleyn; and we find out who won the Flatpack World Championships. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and 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

One report says the US may deploy a hypersonic missile in the Middle East for the first time, as part of efforts to put pressure on Iran to reach a deal. This comes as a deadline passed for Donald Trump to secure authorisation from the US Congress to continue the war against Iran. US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, argues President Trump does not have to comply with the War Powers Resolution because the cease-ire agreement reached with Iran paused the clock on any such obligation. Also: head of one of the world's biggest fertiliser manufacturers warns the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz could cost the world up to 10 billion meals a week. Russia deploys nearly 800 emergency workers in the Black Sea port of Tuapse, after it was hit by Ukrainian strikes for the fourth time in two weeks. Danish study suggests weight-loss drugs could help people with alcohol problems cut down on harmful drinking. New footage of security breach outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner shows the moment the gunman bursts through a checkpoint on the floor above the ballroom where President Trump and others were dining. Hundreds of protesters take to the streets of South Africa in a wave of anti-migrant demonstrations. British couple, Lindsay and Craig Foreman, speak to their family from inside Iran's notorious Evin prison. And researchers map the nose of a mouse for the first time, detailing the position of more than 1,000 smell receptors. 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

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

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