Global News Podcast

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Venezuela: man found alive days after earthquakes Jul 03, 2026

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Hernán Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, was found alive under the rubble of a collapsed building more than a week after Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes. The country's interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, said nearly 2600 people are now known to have been killed. She stressed that rescue efforts are still ongoing. Also: The World Health Organisation says it has begun trials to find a treatment for the current strain of Ebola that is spreading through the Democratic Republic of Congo; a BBC investigation discovers that the tech giant Meta is running paid advertisements on Instagram in India promoting child sexual abuse material; and a dramatic finish sees Portugal beat Croatia to progress to the last 16 of the football 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 Photo: Rescue workers attend to Hernán Alberto Gil Flores after he was pulled from the rubble eight days after he was trapped by twin earthquakes that struck Catia La Mar, Venezuela. Credit: Fernando Vergara/AP Photo

UN warns children are at risk of exploitation in Venezuela Jul 02, 2026

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The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, has warned that children in Venezuela are at an increased risk of exploitation and trafficking, a week after the country was hit by two devastating earthquakes. It also said some 680,000 children were among 1.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Two thousand three hundred people are known to have been killed, but tens of thousands are unaccounted for, and rescue teams are still searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings. The country's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has declared seven days of mourning. Also: we look at why millions of travellers in Europe have been suffering long delays. Canada becomes the latest country to join the Eurovision song contest. And how the powerful opiod fentanyl is affecting the Somali community in the 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 Photo: Children play in a tent at a temporary refugee camp after earthquakes hit the country, in La Guaira, Venezuela, June 26, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Gaby Oraa

US Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship Jul 01, 2026

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The Supreme Court's ruling that babies born in the US have a constitutional right to citizenship is a major setback for President Trump's immigration agenda, and has been welcomed by civil rights groups. Donald Trump said the court's decision was "too bad" and vowed to continue to fight to end birthright citizenship through legislation. Also: Spain is taking a very different approach to immigration as more than one million undocumented migrants and asylum seekers apply for legal status under a government scheme. A week on from the earthquakes in Venezuela, a three year old boy has pulled alive from the rubble. Tanzanian authorities say they are doing everything they can to prevent the Ebola virus arriving there from neighbouring countries. We hear the stories of some women in Ukraine who are turning to beauty and fashion as a way of dealing with the trauma of war. Despite huge excitement about her return to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Serena Williams is knocked out in the first round by the 20-year-old Australian player Maya Joint. And one of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James, is on the move to find a new team.

Photo: Demonstrators hold letters making up the slogan "Born in the USA = citizen!" outside the U.S. Supreme Court building as the court hears oral arguments on the legality of the Trump administration's effort to limit birthright citizenship for the children of immigrants, in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 1, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

South Africans hold protests against migrants Jun 30, 2026

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Protests take place in several South African cities against undocumented migrants. Demonstrators say they're taking jobs from locals, putting pressure on public services and causing crime. Many immigrants have already been forced to leave. Also: people in Venezuela are still searching damaged buildings for missing family and friends following last week's earthquakes. A Chinese tycoon who moved to the United States has been sent to prison for 30 years for fraud. Britain has announced a large increase in defence spending to meet an increased threat from Russia. And Nasa is preparing to launch a mission to save an ageing telescope, and stop it from falling back to earth.

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: Anti-immigrant protesters march in Durban, South Africa. Credit: Reuters/Rogan Ward

Supreme Court hands Trump a big win and several defeats Jun 30, 2026

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The US Supreme Court gives Donald Trump sweeping new powers to fire government employees, but sides against him in cases regarding the Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook and mail-in voting ballots. Judges also rejected President Trump's request to appeal against a $5m civil verdict that he'd sexually abused and defamed the journalist E. Jean Carroll. Also: the US military reopens Venezuela's La Guaira port to help aid deliveries after the earthquakes. The right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori wins Peru's presidential election. Six people are killed in a mass shooting in Germany. WhatsApp will soon give users the option to chat without revealing their phone numbers. Tennis players demand Wimbledon prize money is shared fairly, and the deadly fish with human-like teeth wreaking havoc on Greek fishermen.

Photo: People gather outside the Supreme Court as it prepares to release decisions in multiple cases in Washington, DC, USA, 29 June 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Venezuelans' anger over slow earthquake response Jun 29, 2026

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More international support has been pledged for disaster response efforts in Venezuela in the wake of last week's massive earthquakes, but with tens of thousands still missing, hopes for finding more survivors are fading. Also, the Democratic Republic of Congo is still struggling to contain the Ebola outbreak, recording 47 new infections and 12 deaths on Saturday. Australia and Vanuatu sign a sweeping economic and security agreement in the face of growing concerns over Chinese influence in the region. Tennis great Serena Williams makes her singles comeback at Wimbledon. We hear from the 23-time singles Grand Slam winner. And, a fossil ignored for 40 years is identified as the first dinosaur bone ever found in Antarctica.

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: A member of a rescue team walks over the rubble of a building in La Guaira, Venezuela, 29 June 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock, Ronald Pena R

The Global Story: Is the US falling out of love with Israel? Jun 28, 2026

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The United States has been a staunch ally of Israel for decades, and Americans used to be steadfast in their support for the country. But in recent years - and recent weeks - the special relationship between the two counties has come under fire.

Several polls indicate that Americans have increasingly negative views of Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. And as the midterms approach, support for Israel is on the ballot in some races.

Asma briefs Tristan on shifting US public and political opinion on Israel. And Jon Donnison discusses how fluctuating US sentiment on Israel is affecting domestic Israeli politics.

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.

The Happy Pod: All aboard the Bike Bus Jun 27, 2026

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We find out about bike buses - an increasingly popular way for children to cycle to school safely. They involve travelling in a large group, escorted by adults, and stopping for pick ups and drop offs along the way. The idea started in Spain and Portugal a few years ago, but has seen a recent boom - thanks in part to some celebrity supporters.

Also: the woman who's been encouraging acts of kindness by spelling the word in a cycle route across the US states of Minnesota and Iowa. Nahla Summers also encouraged people to join her on her two seated quadricycle to talk about the importance of being kind.

How the vaccine against HPV has almost eliminated cervical cancer among women in the UK.

The professor whose memoir on losing her mother to dementia and her grief over climate change has won the highest prize in Caribbean literature.

The dogs helping in the battle against an invasive species threatening crops and ecosystems in the US.

Plus a moment of pure joy for Cape Verde fans at the FIFA Men's World Cup.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

The Global Story: How to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon Jun 21, 2026

Show notes

On Wednesday, President Trump met with Iranian leaders to sign an initial memorandum of understanding towards ending the months-long war. In a press conference after the signing, Trump was triumphant. Specifically, he touted the deal’s firmness on one of the US’s key priorities: ensuring that Iran can never develop a nuclear weapon. Whilst Iran has agreed to “not procure or develop nuclear weapons," there are many questions left unanswered. What does it actually look like to police the weapons programmes Today, we speak to someone intimately familiar with the weapons inspection process: President of the Institute for Science and International Security, David Albright. In the 1990s, Albright worked in Iraq with the UN, investigating the nation’s weapons programme under Sadaam Hussein.

To hear more, search The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

The Happy Pod: Success stories of former refugees Jun 20, 2026

Show notes

The Happy Pod is celebrating World Refugee Day. We hear from Razan Alsous, who fled from Syrian to the UK and wanted a taste of home. She now runs a successful cheese business. Also, Mohamed Semra has become Australia's first mayor from sub-Saharan Africa. Plus, the woman who started a hairdressing business in a Ugandan refugee camp and, Leo Ajkic on finding success in radio and television after fleeing from Bosnia.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Photo: Razan Alsous making cheese. Credit: Razan Alsous

Presenter: Holly Gibbs and Tam Patachako. Music composed by Iona Hampson

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