Global News Podcast

The US President Donald Trump, joined by the Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee, has established a task force to take on crime in the city of Memphis. The Democratic-led city is the latest to face a Trump administration crackdown on crime, following Washington DC. Trump has vowed to 'fix' the city after shelving plans for a similar operation in Chicago, reportedly due to opposition from local and state officials. Memphis' mayor, Paul Young, also has voiced opposition to the plan, arguing that crime already is falling without federal intervention. The president said on Monday, however, that Memphis is 'overrun' with carjackings, robberies and shootings, as well as other crimes. Also: since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan four years ago, there's been a huge surge in childhood malnutrition - we'll bring you a special report from inside the country, and there's been foul-play at the world stone skimming championship in Scotland - allegations of cheating have 'rocked' the tournament. 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 Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he doesn't rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders "wherever they are," despite being criticised for launching an attack on Qatari territory last week. Israel's decision to target senior Hamas leaders in Qatar - a close US ally - drew international outrage and criticism, even from US President Donald Trump. Mr Netanyahu was speaking after meeting the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who blamed Hamas and urged Qatar to continue to play a constructive role on Gaza. Also: a Turkish court has adjourned its hearing into allegations of vote-buying by the leader of the opposition CHP party, and we hear from young people demanding a voice ahead of Malawi's elections. 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

BBC report finds tragic accounts of Afghan maternity deaths after US-backed clinics shut. More than 400 medical facilities closed down in the country after the Trump administration cut nearly all US aid earlier this year, in a drastic and abrupt move following the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The Trump administration has justified withdrawing aid, saying there were "credible and longstanding concerns that funding was benefiting terrorist groups, including... the Taliban", who govern the country. Also, major anti government protests in Turkey, and who's won what at the Emmys? 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 is angry at Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's support for pro-Palestinian protests which ended the Vuelta cycle race. Mr Sanchez said he was proud that 100,000 demonstrators opposed to Israeli participation had turned out. Also: The governor of Utah says the suspect in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk isn't cooperating with authorities, and the brother of Jeffrey Epstein's most vocal victim speaks out. 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

Donald Trump wants to broker peace in two of the world’s most intractable wars: Gaza and Ukraine. But this week, both crises have escalated – and the man he’s tasked with solving them has no previous diplomatic experience. Steve Witkoff, a real estate mogul and Trump’s closest confidante, is now at the centre of American foreign policy as the ‘envoy for everything’. On today’s Global Story, we speak with the BBC’s State Department Correspondent, Tom Bateman, and ask whether Witkoff’s unconventional style is a weakness – or a strength. Every weekday, this is The Global Story. The world is changing. Decisions made in the US and by the second Trump administration are accelerating that change. But they are also a symptom of it. 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. Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Image: President Donald Trump and Steve Witkoff. Sarah Yenesel/EPA/Shutterstock

The hostages' families have said Israel's strike on Qatar has blocked the captives' return and an end to the war in Gaza. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said every time a deal approached, the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu sabotaged it. Mr Netanyahu has defended the attack. Also: two women become Finland's first same sex ice dancing pair, and the Super Mario video game turns 40. 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 man who survived alone on a glacier for six days after a near death fall says it's made him appreciate what really matters. Alec Luhn slipped during a solo hike after deciding to mend his broken shoe with tape, rather than turn back. He says his only regret would have been not spending more time with his family, and urges others to understand how fragile life is. Also: a rare discovery of a huge store of fresh drinking water, deep under the Atlantic Ocean, that could help tackle the mounting global shortages. The vaccine being rolled out to protect Australia's much loved koalas from a disease that's threatening their survival. How a new farming method can boost food production in Malawi -- with help from a solar-powered tractor. Why thousands of single people have put down their dating apps and flocked to the small Irish town of Lisdoonvarna in the hope of finding love the old-fashioned way. Plus, the female iguana who's had eight babies - despite never having been in contact with a male. The process, known as parthenogenesis, is extremely rare. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Officials say 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested in connection with conservative activist Charlie Kirk's murder after he confessed to his father who recognised him from police photos. Also: a special report from frontline communities in eastern Ukraine; and a four-year manhunt to find the identity of a wedding guest. 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

Donald Trump believes that authorities have caught Charlie Kirk's shooter. Also: the former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro is sentenced to 27 years in jail; Israel steps up its military offensive in Gaza; 300 South Korean workers, detained by the US, arrive home; female representation in the upcoming Malawi elections; the growing flood emergency in Pakistan's Punjab province; Russia and Belarus begin a major joint military exercise; the world's first AI government minister in Albania and searching for a meteorite in the Scottish Highlands. 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 FBI has released images of a person it's trying to find in connection with the murder of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university in Utah on Wednesday. They show a figure dressed in black and wearing sunglasses. The gunman is still on the run. Also: Brazil’s former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to twenty seven years in prison after being found guilty of attempting a coup when he lost the last election, and Ireland has threatened to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participates. 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 huge search is underway for the killer of the influential conservative US activist and ally of President Trump, Charlie Kirk. We hear from our correspondent at the university campus in Utah where the shooting happened. Also: Britain's prime minister has sacked the UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over his ties to the late convicted paedophile, Jeffery Epstein; a BBC investigation has revealed the scale of an international charity’s involvement in the systematic disappearance of children during former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, and the dark DNA that could explain the extraordinary dancing peacock spider.

One of Donald Trump's leading supporters -- the right-wing activist, Charlie Kirk -- has been shot dead. He was taking part in an outdoor debate at a university in Utah when he was hit by a single bullet. Video footage showed him slump in his seat on a stage in front of a large crowd at Utah Valley University in Orem. President Trump described him as legendary. He has ordered flags to be flown at half mast until Sunday. Also: Life on Mars? 'Leopard-spot' rocks could be biggest clue yet, and are you a hugger? 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

Warsaw says Polish and NATO pilots scrambled to shoot down Russian drones that violated its airspace during an attack on Ukraine. Russia says it had 'no plans' to hit Polish targets. NATO says the alliance will defend every inch of its territory. Also: Israeli media say top defence officials are increasingly unsure whether the strike on the Qatari capital, Doha, was successful in killing Hamas leaders. We hear from a leading Palestinian politician about where this leaves the Gaza ceasefire proposals. The UN says more children around the world are now obese than underweight; a new documentary, 'Children of the Fire', looks at the issue of children deported to Russia from Ukraine; and a backlash in Australia after videos of an American influencer wrestling crocodiles go viral.

The Qatari prime minister has denounced Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in his country as 'treacherous', saying it was aimed at sabotaging Gaza ceasefire talks. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani added that the United States -- an ally -- had informed Qatar of the Israeli strikes ten minutes after they began. Hamas said five of its members had been killed, but it said the attempt to assassinate its negotiating team had failed. Also: ICC hears war crimes case against Ugandan rebel leader, Joseph Kony, and scientists warn polar "geoengineering" projects won't protect environment against climate change. 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 Nepalese prime minister, K P Sharma Oli, has resigned amid public outrage over the killing of nineteen anti-corruption protesters on Monday. The demonstrations were triggered by his government's decision to ban social media platforms last week. Also, Ethiopia inaugurates a huge dam on the Blue Nile, Africa's biggest hydroelectric project, and how tourism in Prague is affected by the latest book in the Da Vinci Code series. 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

France has been plunged into a new political crisis with the defeat of Prime Minister François Bayrou at a confidence vote in the National Assembly. The defeat means that Mr Bayrou will on Tuesday present his government's resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who must now decide how to replace him. Also: Democrats in Congress release alleged Trump birthday note to Epstein, and new Banksy mural appears at Royal Courts of Justice 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

Two gunmen open fire on bus stop in the North of the city, before being shot and killed by an Israeli soldier and a civilian. Also: Several people are dead and dozens injured after protests against a government ban on social media in Nepal turned violent. And Rick Davies, the lead singer of the band Supertramp dies at 81.

A huge demonstration has taken place in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo to denounce the Supreme Court trial of the former president, Jair Bolsonaro. He's accused of plotting a failed military coup against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after losing his bid for re-election nearly three years ago. He denies the charges. The court is widely expected to convict Mr Bolsonaro in the next few days. Also: Zelensky condemns "ruthless attack" after Russia hits main government building in Kyiv, and have you seen the Blood Moon - a total lunar eclipse? 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

Portuguese officials investigating Wednesday's deadly funicular crash in Lisbon, which killed 16 people, say a cable snapped, but the rest of the mechanism was functioning properly. They added that the brakeman tried to apply emergency brakes but failed to prevent the derailment. Also: the US Navy Seal operation which it's claimed failed and ended up killing North Korea civilians, and why Disneyland Paris is being accused of racism. 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 new blood test could dramatically improve survival rates for women with ovarian cancer by detecting it much sooner. The researchers tell us it's a game changer that could go on to save tens of thousands of lives around the world every year. Also: we meet the female Muslim jockey breaking new ground and inspiring the next generation. Khadijah Mellah has just made her amateur debut. Plus the woman who underwent a rare triple organ transplant talks about the joy of getting back to normal life; how a hand-cranked washing machine is saving thousands of people from hours of back breaking work; football's Homeless World Cup; and why a member of indie band Kasabian is opening a new music venue in a tiny Welsh town. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.