Global News Podcast

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Deadly school disaster in Pakistan Oct 15, 2026

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More than 30 people have been killed after a school roof collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, with the majority thought to be children under the age of 13. The owner of the school has been arrested, with police warning the building was extremely dangerous and there was a risk of further collapse. Also: the BBC has identified 254 incidents in which the Israeli military has been accused of killing or injuring people in Gaza, Lebanon, the occupied West Bank and Israel, which it said it would investigate - but no outcome has been publicly disclosed; Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle carry out their first joint engagement since returning to the UK; one of the most shocking court cases of recent years, the Pelicot trial, comes to the stage in London next month. Dominique Pelicot was jailed for 20 years for drugging and raping his wife and allowing at least 50 other men to abuse her while she was unconscious; Ukraine attacks one of Russia's major oil refineries, hours after President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy vowed to renew strikes; we report from Iowa, where Democrats lead in early polls for next month's mid-term elections; the World Athletics president aims for African "legacy" with 2029 World Championships in Kenya; and research suggests dogs can link shapes to sounds.

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

Photo: Police officers and military personnel gather as they survey the site of a school roof collapse at a hospital morgue in Peshawar, Pakistan, October 15, 2026.

Credit: REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Zelensky feels 'betrayed' by Trump Oct 15, 2026

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Volodymyr Zelensky says he feels "betrayed" by Donald Trump after the US-Russia diesel deal and an apparent decision to curb access to the Starlink network, which has been vital to Ukraine during the war. President Zelensky accused the White House of being on the wrong side of history. Also: student protesters attack government buildings in Albania; Turkish police raid and shut down the opposition station Halk TV; China and North Korea build bridges - metaphorically and literally; the Wildlife Photographer of the Year reflects on what his shot of a grieving elephant can teach us; and the dog that sniffs out invasive "sea vomit".

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 Photo: Ukraine's President Zelensky in London, 14th October. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock.

Russian attacks leave 600,000 Ukrainians without power Oct 14, 2026

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Russian missile and drone strikes hit "critical" infrastructure in Kyiv and Kharkiv despite US President Donald Trump's claim on Sunday that an "energy ceasefire" was in place between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine says it received no warning from allies and was hampered by restrictions to the Starlink communications network during another night of intense attacks. Separately, speed restrictions on the key Starlink communications network have disrupted Ukraine's battlefield "missions", President Volodymyr Zelensky's adviser has warned. Also: A Ukrainian man goes on trial in Hamburg accused of blowing up Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines to Germany; Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court overturns a death sentence imposed on a Sri Lankan worker for blasphemy; The Global Penguin Society says more needs to be done to protect the birds from the impact of climate change, the El Niño weather pattern, deep sea mining and oil development; In China how the "loneliness economy" is growing to help people deal with feelings of isolation; and archaeologists in Turkey say they’ve found the world’s oldest shipwreck.

Residents look on from a balcony of an apartment of a residential building which was damaged by a late evening Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 14, 2026. Credit: Reuters

Pope has surgery for lung cancer Oct 14, 2026

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A medical bulletin from the Vatican has announced that Pope Leo has undergone a successful operation to remove a cancerous tumour from his right lung. It said the Pope had woken up normally and returned to his room after a brief period of observation. Pope Leo had announced on Sunday that his operation was imminent but the cancer diagnosis only came after the procedure had been carried out.

Also: 30 years after the American rapper Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, a former gang boss has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for his part in the murder. Cornell University in the US has suspended some campus parties in response to a former student’s gang rape allegations. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said anonymous contributors to the Israeli documentary "NAZA" about the war against Hamas in Gaza must have their identities revealed; we speak to the film's directors. A major report by England's football regulator has warned that many clubs are living on edge of financial disaster. How minuscule robots piloted by magnets could deliver doses of medicine to specific parts of the body. And a new species of dinosaur is discovered by a British scientist.

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 Photo: Pope Leo XIV arriving at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, 13th October. Credit: EPA

IMF upgrades global economy outlook Oct 13, 2026

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The International Monetary Fund says in its latest report that global growth has weathered the Middle East conflict better than had been feared, with rerouting of oil supplies and the release of energy stocks helping reduce the negative impact of the Iran war. But the IMF also warns that emergency stocks are now depleted. Also; the authorities in the American state of Tennessee release dramatic phone calls that were made to the emergency services after the botched execution of Christa Pike; Pope Leo has been admitted to hospital for a lung operation; a leading Iraqi human rights organisation says the government must do more to protect women who speak out about sexual violence, and Rwanda has agreed to host Formula One races, bringing the sport to Africa for the first time since the South African Grand Prix in 1993.

Photo: Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department at the International Monetary Fund Silvana Tenreyro at annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank Group in Bangkok Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Annual dementia cases could double by 2050 Oct 13, 2026

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Researchers in Australia say there were 11.4 million new dementia cases in 2023. They expect that number to more than double to 24.7 million by 2050. Women and people from lower- and middle-income countries are most likely to be affected. We speak to Professor Henry Brodaty, co-author of the study, who tells us this is because of "an epidemic of ageing".

Also: the BBC reports from the frontline of the conflict in Yemen. US federal agents have raided the home in Washington of the Democratic congresswoman, Ilhan Omar. Elon Musk has given what's believed to be a record amount of money to Republican groups ahead of the US midterm elections. We're in Hungary, six months on from the defeat of Viktor Orbán's party in parliamentary elections. And the actress Selma Blair is charged with assault after an alleged incident on a flight from Los Angeles to New York City.

Photo: A 90-year old man uses a walking stick at the Forget Me Not, Dementia Friendly Cafe, in Salford, England. Credit: Reuters

French supermarkets say fridges targeted in cyberattack Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

Major French supermarket chains have reported being hit by a cyberattack that caused their refrigerators to defrost. More than 150 Intermarché stores were targeted, along with almost 100 Coopérative U outlets. The hackers may have also hit other major chains in France and neighbouring countries.

Also: Saudi airspace remains heavily disrupted, as Yemen's Houthis continue a barrage of missile attacks. President Zelensky says Washington has to make Russia respect the energy ceasefire announced by President Trump, after Russian strikes hit Ukrainian power plants overnight. Thousands have rallied in Delhi for what they call a March for Democracy, aimed at removing the head of India's electoral commission, following fraud allegations. Why AI data centres could be a major issue for voters in the US midterms. Pakistan detains the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after sacking him and his government and declaring a local emergency. We speak to the president of Microsoft about the dangers of AI going rogue... and the case of a Qing period porcelain bowl found mysteriously smashed inside the British Museum.

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

Photo: FILE PHOTO: A customer shops in a supermarket in Nice, France, March 1, 2023. Credit: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

Houthis attack Saudi airport for third time in four days Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

The main international airport in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, is attacked on consecutive days by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. More than a dozen people have been killed and hundreds injured. The Houthis say they launched the strikes because of the Saudis' support for government forces in Yemen's civil war.

Also: a BBC investigation looks into the circumstances surrounding the shooting of mourners in Kenya at a national farewell for a former prime minister. The Pope is to undergo surgery to remove a lump on his lung. A boat carrying hundreds of migrants from Djibouti to Yemen sinks, leaving almost 140 people dead. And why are shark bites on the increase in Australia?

Photo: Surveillance footage shows smoke and fire as people react to the attack at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on 10th October 2026. Credit: Saudi Ministry of Media, via Reuters

The Global Story: Smart glasses or ‘pervert glasses’? Oct 11, 2026

Show notes

At a recent Meta product launch, Mark Zuckerberg promised that the company’s smart glasses would give wearers “new superpowers”, but what are they? Amid criticisms of its privacy and child protection policies, Meta is betting big on smart glasses as a way to restyle the company’s image, but they too have caused controversy – dubbed by critics ‘pervert glasses’ because they have been used to film women without their knowledge. So why are Meta and other big tech firms investing billions in this tech? Who is it for? Lily Jamali, the BBC’s North America technology correspondent, joins us to explain.

For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Trump calls for Zelensky to be replaced Oct 11, 2026

Show notes

A major diplomatic row has erupted between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. After Mr Zelensky criticised a decision by Mr Trump to buy Russian diesel, the US president lashed out. He called for a new leader in Ukraine, and said Mr Zelensky was prolonging the war with Moscow. Mr Trump warned the Ukrainian leader not to bomb Russian oil refineries. Also: people in Mexico are bracing themselves for another hurricane. The Indian government stops a protest calling for the resignation of the head of the election commission. An AI agent sends a fake tip about an unsolved murder to police in the US city of Philadelphia. And would you like a tattoo that you can turn on and off?

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 Photo: President Trump leaves the White House. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

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