Advertise on podcast: Global News Podcast

Pressure grows on the US defence secretary following the Republicans' midterm losses. The war in Iran, which Pete Hegseth supported, is being blamed for the defeats - but President Trump said he intended to keep Mr Hegseth on. The defence secretary issues a defiant video statement defending his record. Also: Melania Trump hosts Russian and Ukrainian representatives at the White House. US tech stocks lose hundreds of billions of dollars over fears the Democrats could slow down AI development. Paraguay's president faces impeachment over the collapse of a bank that he had connections with. And the blind Nigerian woman hoping to retain her martial arts title. 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: [email protected] Photo: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks in a video statement, in Arlington, Virginia, US in this still image from handout video released November 5, 2026. Credit: X/Reuters

French riot police have fired tear gas at protesters in several cities in the latest day of demonstrations over the rising cost of living and public services that began with student strikes in September. French riot police have fired tear gas at protesters in several cities. A school near the southern city of Toulouse has been set on fire. Unions, who've called a general strike to demand higher pay, say they expect 800,000 people on the streets across France. Also: Flights across Europe have again been disrupted by a series of bomb threats, with at least twelve planes affected. British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and sexual assault and told he faces jail. The Portuguese striker, Cristiano Ronaldo, has announced he is retiring from international football. New Zealand's party leaders have been making their final appeals to voters, before a general election with no clear frontrunners. Was an Italian chef really fired over refusal to put pineapple on pizza? And... we speak to Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw about their favourite moments from filming the second series of the hit Netflix spy thriller Black Doves. 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: [email protected] Photo: A masked protester holds a red flare during a demonstration in Paris Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay

President Trump said it was "largely true" that the Republicans' defeat in the US midterm elections was because of the war on Iran. The Vice-President, JD Vance, went further, suggesting the political fallout from the conflict wasn't worth it. We'll also have the latest on the Senate race in Alaska, in which a winner has yet to be declared. Also: tens of thousands of secret police files are released in Hungary. A Hong Kong activist is sentenced to 10 years in prison. And there's outrage in Denmark after a man was tricked into being filmed for a reality TV show. 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: [email protected] Photo: President Trump addresses White House construction workers, 04 Nov 2026 Credit: Photo by Annabelle Gordon/Pool/EPA/Shutterstock.

Democrats have stormed to success in the US midterm elections, capitalising on voter anger about the Iran war, the economy and threats to democracy under Donald Trump. Both the Senate and the House have been flipped by a wide margin. Senate seats turned from Republican to Democrat in Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas and Maine, as well as North and South Carolina. Many of the seats had been held by Republicans for decades. In a first reaction, Iran's supreme leader said he doesn't expect US policy to change, although his chief negotiator earlier said the results showed Americans didn't want war. Also; Israel's president has begun consultations with party leaders on who can form a government after last week's inconclusive vote, and President Zelensky has given Ukraine's highest civilian award for women to the American first lady, Melania Trump, for a ceasefire which she's credited with brokering in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. 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: [email protected] Photo: Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed walks onto the stage after his victory in the US midterm elections in Detroit, Michigan Credit: Reuters/Brian Snyder

The Democratic Party inflicted a huge upset on the Republicans in the US midterm elections. In the Senate race in Texas, the Democrat James Talarico is projected to beat the Republican Ken Paxton. He'll join Democratic Senators from South and North Carolina, and Ohio, who've flipped seats in a change that will see the Republicans lose control of the Senate. The Democrats are already expected to win a majority in the House of Representatives - a victory which will have a major impact on President Trump's ability to govern. Writing on social media, the president said that if he'd been on the ballot, the Republicans would have won 'in a landslide'. 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: [email protected] Photo: Supporters react after media outlets projected Democratic US Senate candidate and Texas State Representative James Talarico's victory in the US midterm elections in Austin, Texas, US, November 3, 2026. Credit: Reuters

US voters decide whether Donald Trump keeps control of Congress in the midterm elections. The Democrats are predicted to win back control of the House, and possibly the Senate, although many key contests are within the margin of error. Also: several flights land at airports around Europe after all being targeted by suspected bomb threats; Tenerife footballer, Jesus de Miguel, dies after on-field collision; King Charles calls the slave trade a "shameful chapter" in Britain's history; hundreds of garment factories in Bangladesh are forced to close after several days of violent protests; North Korea denies role in the massive theft of cryptocurrency in a major cyberattack on Binance; and the new word of the year for 2026. 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: [email protected] Image: Voters fill out their ballots to vote in the midterm election on Election Day in Detroit, Michigan, USA, 03 November 2026 Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

President Zelensky described as utterly horrific a Russian attack in the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia that killed at least 26 people. He said the first air strike was on a school building which was being used as an aid distribution centre. It was followed by nine more bombs targeting a shelter where people were taking cover. Among those killed in the second attack were police and rescue workers who had gone to help. Also: final campaigning has been taking place in the United States on the eve of the midterm elections, which President Trump has described as the most important "in our lifetime". We hear from a man in the Netherlands whose parents opted for duo-euthanasia, where a person receives a lethal injection at the same time as a loved one. Snapchat settles a multi-million-dollar lawsuit following claims that its app was designed to be addictive. And the million-pound game show on British television that wasn't quite what it appeared to be. 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: [email protected] Photo: General view of a compound of a local school where a Russian air strike hit an underground shelter, which was used as a humanitarian aid hub in the frontline town of Komyshuvakha, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, November 2, 2026. Credit: Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region.

Ukraine reported late on Sunday that an air alert app had been compromised - with citizens receiving several false notifications about chemical and radiological threats. A few hours later, the authorities in Russia said a similar app had been hacked after fake messages appeared about nuclear warheads being launched towards the country. The apparent cyberattack came on the same day the humanitarian ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky officially ended. Also: Monday is the last day of campaigning before the US midterm elections - we speak to voters in a key state. In Florida, investigators are on the scene of a plane crash that killed nine people and left a burning crater in a residential area. The BBC secures rare access to people inside Iran whose lives have been changed after a year of widespread protests, a brutal crackdown by the authorities and the war with the US and Israel. Dozens of supermarkets across Europe - particularly in Belgium and Luxembourg - have been hit by a suspected cyberattack affecting refrigerators and freezers. Sudan has complained to the UN against Ethiopia over drone attacks which it says were launched from Ethiopian territory... and⁠ police in Finland have launched a criminal investigation into possible breaches ⁠of the country’s environmental ⁠laws ​at the site of a planned Google data centre. 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: [email protected] Photo: A woman holding a mobile phone. Credit: PA

A shock endorsement in Michigan just days before the US midterm elections has been welcomed by President Trump. Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens backed Republican, Mike Rogers, rather than her own party's candidate, Abdul El- Sayed. Also: Hamas says at least eight people have been killed during Israeli air strikes on Gaza. Thousands participate in demonstrations in Germany over the cost of living and spending on education. Buddhists in Bhutan gather to build 108 structures in 24 hours in order to bless a "mindfulness" city. We hear from Karl Bushby, the British former paratrooper who is finally home after 28 years. And 20-year old Kimi Antonelli becomes the youngest champion in the history of Formula One at the Mexico Grand Prix. 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: [email protected] Photo: US Representative Haley Stevens speaks with the media next to Republican US Senate candidate Mike Rogers who she endorsed, after attending church in Michigan. Credit: RUTERS/Rebecca Cook

The French interior ministry says that more than 500 people were arrested during riots across the country. Paving stones and petrol bombs were thrown at the police after trouble broke out following mainly peaceful demonstrations about falling living standards. Also: anti-government protests have broken out again in Albania where water canon was used to try to disperse protestors. Emotions run high in Ukraine where people evacuated from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky were reunited with friends and family they haven't seen for more than four years. Andy Burnham goes further than any previous British prime minister by saying he is "open" to calls for the UK to formally apologise for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, but he rules out financial reparations. Wikipedia's co-founder, Jimmy Wales, speaks to the BBC on the 25th anniversary of the free online encyclopaedia. And the medieval knights on electric bikes jousting in a park in London after footage of their first showdown attracted millions of views online. 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: [email protected] Photo 1: Protesters kick back tear gas canisters, during a demonstration against the cost of living and rising fuel prices, in Paris, France, October 31, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Pedro Nunes Photo 2: A protester holds a firework during a demonstration over the cost of living and rising fuel prices, in Paris, France, October 31, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Pedro Nunes

A new personalised skin cancer vaccine has been found to reduce the risk of patients dying or their cancer returning by 42%. As part of a global two-year clinical trial, more than 1,000 patients who had already had their tumours removed were given a widely used immunotherapy drug. Around two-thirds were then given the experimental vaccine, which was developed using cells from their own tumours. Researchers say the results could mark a turning point in cancer treatment. Also: How a man achieved his goal of becoming a world-famous singer without even knowing it. The neighbours who rallied together to fulfil an autistic boy's dream. The "brain bank" giving hope to Parkinson's patients. A ballet school offering a brighter future for children living in one of the poorest parts of the world. And how one conservationist's determination helped save the threatened African manatee. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. (Photo: A man receives a personalised vaccine as part of a global cancer treatment trial. Credit: Addenbrooke's Hospital) Presenter: Helena Burke Music: Iona Hampson

The US State Department says it has approved the sale of more than two billion dollars' worth of Patriot missiles to Ukraine. The 500 missiles have been paid for by contributions from Canada, Germany and Norway. Ukraine needs the interceptors to defend itself from escalating Russian attacks, but there is a global shortage due to their use by the US in its war against Iran. Also: Russia's most prominent independant paper closes after years of state persecution. Shares in US technology companies fall sharply for a second day on Wall Street as concerns rise over the hundreds of billions of dollars being invested in AI. Police Scotland confirm that they're looking into the time the King's brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spent with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the British Royal Family's Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire. A row in South Korea over pictures from a deadly crush being used in the latest Call of Duty video game. And Ken Russell fans gear up to see a newly restored and uncensored classic by the late acclaimed British film director. 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: [email protected] Photo: U.S. Army MIM-104 Patriots, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system launchers are pictured at Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Poland March 24, 2022 Credit: Reuters

Officials confirm the evacuation of the Ukrainian city of Oleshky is under way. Russia and Ukraine have agreed a temporary local ceasefire. People who decided to leave Oleshky had a four-hour window to do so. Also: Binance, the world's biggest crypto exchange, has been hit by what could be the biggest hack in history. We report from Syria, two years on from the fall of the Assad regime. Experts say the online “manosphere” should be treated as a public health issue. We look at what role Israel’s president will play in the outcome of the general election. And researchers say eating fruit and vegetable scraps could provide a health boost that most of us are missing. 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: [email protected] Photo: Residents in Oleshky, Ukraine, 30th October 2026. Credit: Reuters

The Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has questioned a massive oil deal agreed between Caracas and Washington earlier this year. The accord will see Venezuela hand over twenty per cent of its oil reserves to the US. Speaking at a news conference after her return from exile over the weekend, Ms Machado insisted elections would be held next year, as part of the democratic transition she said was backed by the US. Also: Spanish families desperately search local hospitals in the hope of finding relatives who were hurt in the Toledo train disaster on Wednesday. America's First Lady, Melania Trump, says the ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Olezhky has been expanded within the Kherson region. The British actor, Patrick Stewart, who gained fame as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek, has died at the age of 86. The Republican governor of Alaska has ordered an investigation into an alleged scheme which led to two men named Dan Sullivan standing in the state's US Senate race. Mike Dunleavy said he was responding to a New York Times story alleging that Democratic party operatives recruited a spoiler candidate. At least 300,000 people could be at risk of future natural disasters in the Himalayas, and we hear from Iranians planning to celebrate Halloween despite the risk of arrest. 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: [email protected] Photo: Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses the press in Caracas. Credit: Reuters/Gaby Oráa

More than a dozen people are killed by a jet-powered drone from Russia as they board a train from a crowded platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Also: following the election in Israel, Arab-led parties could hold the balance of power. Would they ever agree to join a coalition government? Rescuers are still searching the wreckage of a crash involving two high-speed trains in Spain. There's been outrage in South Korea after the makers of the video game Call of Duty include footage from a real-life tragedy that killed nearly 160, most of them young people. And Britain is looking at ways to verify the age of teenagers ahead of a social media ban for under-16s - but will it work? 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: [email protected] Photo: emergency workers at railway station in Dnipro, Ukraine after Russian drone strike  Credit: Reuters