Global News Podcast

Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire again, despite the US-Iran peace deal. It's not clear if the agreement includes an end to the fighting in southern Lebanon. Also: there are protests at Iran's opening match in the football World Cup; how AI can help save plants from extinction; an interview with sculptor Anish Kapoor; and could Sherbro Island be the next Singapore?
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: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a news conference, following a US-Iran deal, in Jerusalem, June 15, 2026.
Credit: Reuters

Countries across the world have welcomed the announcement of a peace deal between the US and Iran. Donald Trump has said on social media that the Strait of Hormuz will soon be open "toll free". But Iranian state media are reporting that Tehran added the imposition of "maritime service fees" in the Strait in the final moments of negotiations. Oil prices have fallen sharply, and shares have surged following the announcement of a deal. Also in this podcast: A brutal night of strikes in Ukraine kills 11 people and damages a thousand-year-old monastery in Kyiv. The UK announces a social media ban for children under 16. The step-son of Norway's Crown Prince, Marius Borg Høiby, has been found guilty of rape and sentenced to four years in prison. And Starbucks in South Korea is to close for a staff history lesson after a backlash over an advertising campaign that evoked a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
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 Donald Trump stands in the octagon during UFC Freedom 250
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters Connect

The United States and Iran say they've reached a deal to halt their war, which would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and removal of the US naval blockade. The agreement includes the end of the war in Lebanon. The deal is due to be signed on Friday. Also in this podcast: Swiss voters reject capping the population at 10 million. We speak to the Kremlin's teenage enemy, Alexander Browder. And the Dutch try out a speed limit for cyclists.
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: Cargo ships in the Gulf
Credit: Reuters

As a Florida senator, Marco Rubio seemed to hold an opposing world view to Donald Trump; on Russia-Ukraine, on China, on USAID, and more. He notably called Trump a “con man”, and Trump in turn dubbed him, “little Marco”.
And yet now, as US Secretary of State, Rubio has made himself indispensable to the president on foreign affairs, bringing his own background to play in policy on Venezuela and Cuba, and shaping the US’ approach to further interventions abroad. Trump has even indicated that he wants Rubio to run on a joint ticket with JD Vance for the next US presidency.
How has Rubio tailored himself to Trump’s world view? And what difference would he bring as a potential presidential candidate? Tom Bateman, the BBC’s State Department correspondent, regularly travels with Rubio, and he joins Asma on today’s show.
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 says a deal with Iran to end the war is scheduled to be signed on Sunday. His comments echo those of the Pakistani Prime Minister, who's mediating talks between the sides. This has been disputed by an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, who ruled out signing a memorandum of understanding this soon. Also on this podcast: we report from the occupied West Bank, after international condemnation of ongoing Jewish settler attacks against Palestinians. Switzerland votes whether to cap its population at 10 million. And a new documentary about the chefs who cooked for brutal dictators such as Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot and Idi Amin.
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: Trump speaks to reporters
Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo