BBC meets Venezuela earthquake survivors

In Venezuela, rescue teams are searching through collapsed buildings for survivors after last week’s devastating earthquakes, with international help now reaching some of the worst-hit areas. The BBC hears from people who have been left with nothing, as thousands sleep outdoors or in makeshift shelters.

Also: Israel’s recognition of the mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as genocide prompts a furious reaction from Turkey. Gazans try to rebuild lives and livelihoods, despite much of the Palestinian territory still lying in ruins. Uganda’s biggest independent media group is ordered to close, raising fears over press freedom. Eleven people die in a plane crash in eastern France. A journalist investigates the Nigerian cybercrime network behind a romance scam that targeted his mother. Canada reaches the last 16 of the men's football World Cup after a dramatic win against South Africa. The Large Hadron Collider - the world's most powerful particle accelerator - shuts down for a four-year upgrade. And a vigilante nicknamed Mexico’s Batman goes viral after catching alleged motorcycle thieves.

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: BBC correspondent Will Grant at a baseball stadium in Venezuela where displaced families have come to shelter after the earthquakes Credit: BBC

The Global Story: Is the US falling out of love with Israel?

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.

Venezuela races to find earthquake survivors

The Venezuelan government says 1,430 people are now known to have died following Wednesday's twin earthquakes, and many thousands are still missing. More international search and rescue teams have arrived in the country to help with efforts to find survivors. A 72-hour window of opportunity that rescuers believe is the best chance of finding people alive is ending.

Also: the United States has launched a wave of strikes on Iran, following a drone attack on a Panama-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has responded by attacking US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Heavy explosions and gunfire have rocked the Pakistani city of Karachi after militants rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the headquarters of a paramilitary unit. Ice in the Swiss Alps is melting at an unprecedented rate, as a record-breaking heatwave continues to grip Europe. Thousands take part in Hungary's LGBT Pride parade in Budapest, the first since Viktor Orbán was ousted as prime minister. Proud Vespa owners celebrate the Italian scooter's 80th birthday by riding around Rome. And how do tiny biting flies called midges help the world's billion dollar chocolate industry?

Photo: Rescue workers conduct a search-and-rescue operation in a building damaged by the earthquakes in Caracas, Venezuela, 27 June 2026.

Credit: RONALD PENA R/EPA/Shutterstock

The Happy Pod: All aboard the Bike Bus

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

UN says over 50,000 missing after Venezuela quakes

The number of people killed in Wednesday's powerful double earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to more than 900, with over 3,000 injured. Also: the US strikes several targets in Iran in retaliation for an alleged attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guard reportedly responds by targeting US sites in the Gulf. Israel and Lebanon sign a framework agreement brokered by the US. Scientists find evidence of vast hidden magma systems inside Mars. The symphony orchestras playing live film scores in cinemas. The influence of the Spice Girls 30 years on. And the German mathematician who's predicted the winner of every World Cup since 2014.

Photo: People standing outside a collapsed building in La Guaira, Venezuela, on June 26, 2026 after back-to-back earthquakes. Credit: REUTERS/Maxwell Briceno

Venezuela earthquakes: nearly 600 people now confirmed dead

The Venezuelan government says a search and rescue operation is ongoing to find thousands of people still missing after two huge earthquakes on Wednesday. Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, says nearly 600 people are now known to have died. The United Nations says more than a thousand international search and rescue workers have been deployed. Also: a spy scandal in Ukraine as a top agent is jailed for passing secrets to Russia; King Charles reveals his 17 million dollar tax bill; Paris restricts alcohol due to a severe heatwave; more than a million people are asked to evacuate their homes in Japan ahead of a tropical storm; and we bring you the latest from the FIFA World Cup.

US pledges $150m in aid after Venezuelan earthquakes

The Trump administration is deploying military assets and a specialised team, as well as millions of dollars in financial aid to help relief efforts in Venezuela. The country's health minister says at least 235 people are now known to have died in Wednesday's powerful earthquakes, and large numbers of people are still unaccounted for. Also: hundreds arrested across Kenya as demonstrators mark two years since a deadly crackdown on youth-led protests. King Charles and Queen Camilla won't move into Buckingham Palace when a $500m refurbishment is completed next year. Scientists discover twin "super-puff" planets that are less dense than candy floss. Researchers manage to read a scroll that was burnt to a crisp in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2000 years ago. And we look at how the tiny nation of Cape Verde has invested in football... as its exceptional run at the Men's Football World Cup continues.

Over 160 people dead in Venezuela earthquakes

A huge rescue and recovery operation is under way across northern Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes struck on Wednesday evening, killing more than 160 people and injuring over 1,000. Rescue teams are searching for survivors in Caracas and several other states after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude tremors hit during a national holiday, when many people were at home. Also: in Washington, a meeting between Donald Trump and Republican senators descends into a heated row over Iran; oil prices fall back to pre-war levels after the US and Iran agree a 60-day ceasefire; police arrest the owners of one of Hong Kong’s last independent bookshops; the Vatican begins a five-year laser restoration of Raphael’s sixteenth-century Loggia in the Apostolic Palace in the Italian city of Trieste; Europe's only gender-segregated beach becomes the centre of a row between tourists and locals; and why young South Koreans are placing orders on fake delivery apps.

Twin earthquakes strike Venezuela

A state of emergency is declared in Venezuela after two strong earthquakes close to the capital, Caracas. The authorities fear many casualties as rescue operations take place amid the rubble of collapsed buildings. Also: President Trump launches the 250th birthday celebrations of the United States with a campaign-style rally in Washington. The World Health Organization prepares to launch clinical trials next week of two Ebola treatments in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A member of the cult-like group The Zizians has been arrested in the US over the deaths of her parents. Dettol faces a boycott in China after "toxic men" advert backfires. And Euclid space telescope captures largest and most detailed image of our Milky Way with over 60 million stars and 50 exoplanet systems.

Photo: Emergency services work at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, on June 24, 2026. Credit: Reuters

Ukraine knocks out power in Russian-occupied Crimea

Ukrainian strikes on energy facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea have left its biggest city, Sevastopol, without power. The Moscow-appointed governor urged residents not to panic. Ukraine has been intensifying attacks across Crimea as it attempts to cut off the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. The authorities have been forced to suspend fuel sales to the public. Also: as sweltering temperatures continue across Europe, tens of thousands of homes are without power in northern France. Temperatures are set to peak across the country on Wednesday during a record-breaking heatwave. The US Senate has approved a measure demanding that President Trump halt the war in Iran or seek congressional approval before continuing military action. And, how a 5-minute walk every hour can make a tangible improvement to our health and could help to get more work done.

Lebanon won't accept any deal unless Israeli troops withdraw

The Lebanese president says he will not accept any peace deal that does not include the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon. The two sides met in Washington on Tuesday for a fifth round of talks. Hezbollah has accused Israel of violating the recently-agreed ceasefire claiming IDF soldiers opened fire on a group of civilians in Lebanon killing two people.

Also in this podcast: A United Nations-backed commission accuses Israel of deliberately targeting and killing Palestinian children in what it calls a "genocide". Kim Jong Un announces that he's equipping North Korea's navy with nuclear weapons. People across western Europe brace for what's forecast to be the hottest day of the year. Researchers in Australia discover why some memories are more vivid than others. And we hear from the men being paid $50,000 to watch the World Cup.

Will Andy Burnham be the UK's new Prime Minister?

The man poised to become Britain's seventh prime minister in a decade has been sworn in as a member of parliament, hours after Keir Starmer announced his resignation. Andy Burnham - the former mayor of Manchester - won an emphatic by-election victory last week and has confirmed he'll now stand for the leadership of the governing Labour Party. But who is Andy Burnham? And what is his vision for the UK?

Also in this podcast: After the first round of peace talks with the US in Switzerland, Iran insists the administration of the Strait of Hormuz will never return to the way it was before the war. Families in South Sudan face starvation and malnutrition amid a severe food shortage. We look back on the life of the man who helped guide some of the most legendary careers in showbusiness - including Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston. Scientists discover a new ingenious species of spider in the Australian rainforest. And Lionel Messi becomes the all-time leading goal scorer at the World Cup.