
The Happy Pod: The injection that saved my sight
17.1.2026 | 25 Min.
We hear from a woman whose determination to avoid going blind has inspired her doctors to develop a new treatment for a rare eye condition. Nicki Guy says the injection of a low cost, water-based gel has been life changing and given her the chance to see her son grow up. The treatment has already helped restore the eyesight of dozens of other people with hypotony - which can cause the eye to collapse, leading to blindness.Also: the new Barbie doll that's designed to help improve understanding and acceptance of autism. A neurodiverse writer says she hopes it will help young girls understand it's not something to hide or be ashamed of. A revolutionary way of treating some cancers is being offered to people in the UK with an aggressive form of leukaemia for the first time. Research has shown genetically modifying the patient's own cells to recognise the blood cancer, can extend their lives or, in some cases, offer a cure. Plus, how one man's regular habit of having gumbo at the same restaurant twice a day may have saved his life; the 24-year-old in charge of protecting the Pacific Ocean around the remote Pitcairn island; and the amateur football team who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in English footballing history by beating a side from the Premier League.Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.Presenter: Valerie Sanderson. Music composed by Iona Hampson Picture: PA

Donald Trump names Gaza 'Board of Peace' members
17.1.2026 | 23 Min.
President Trump has named the members of his 'Board of Peace' that will oversee the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. Among them are the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the former British prime minister, Sir Tony Blair. But no Palestinian or Arab has been appointed. Also, two tiny fragments of one of mediaeval Europe's greatest artworks, the Bayeux Tapestry, have been returned to France from Germany years after they were stolen. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah of Iran, has called on the international community to protect the Iranian people by degrading the Islamic regime's capacity for repression. A group of British parents take TikTok to court, saying their children died after taking part in dangerous viral trends. And the story of rare drawings by a prisoner at the Dachau concentration camp which are being sold in New York.

China makes trade deal with Canada amid US tariffs
16.1.2026 | 32 Min.
Against the backdrop of Donald Trump's tariffs, America's closest ally, Canada, has struck a trade agreement with its rival, China. Speaking in Beijing, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the relationship with China had been "more predictable" than the one with the US. Is President Trump pushing his allies into Beijing's orbit? Also: Taiwan's tech firms will invest $250 billion in the US in exchange for lower tariffs. The government of Myanmar has begun its defence at the International Court of Justice against charges that it committed a genocide of the Rohingya people. South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol is sentenced to prison for his 2024 attempt to impose martial law. And we take a look at the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament, as host nation Morocco prepares to face Senegal in the final. 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]

Machado gives Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal
16.1.2026 | 29 Min.
Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Trump at a private White House meeting, calling it a recognition of his “unique commitment” to Venezuelan freedom. Mr Trump posted on social media that it was a gesture of mutual respect, and thanked her. The talks come weeks after US forces seized Nicolas Maduro in Caracas and charged him with drug trafficking. Also: President Trump threatens to deploy military personnel to Minnesota as tensions grow over the deployment of ICE officers in the city of Minneapolis. Families of protestors killed in Iran say they are being charged large sums of money to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones. Scientists unveil a detailed new map of the landscape beneath Antarctica’s ice. Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney meets China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing as both countries seek to forge closer ties. We hear why more people are cutting out alcohol all year round, and how naturally mummified cheetahs found in a Saudi cave are yielding rare DNA from an extinct population.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]

BBC reveals rift at top of Taliban regime
15.1.2026 | 27 Min.
A year-long investigation by the BBC Afghan Service has found that two groups are competing for power within the Taliban leadership. One is aligned to the supreme leader and his hardline policies. The other is said to favour more international engagement and giving women wider access to education. Also: Elon Musk's social media platform X has announced new measures to stop its AI chatbot, Grok, creating sexualised images of real people. This function will now be blocked, including for paying subscribers, if local laws demand it. Election officials in Uganda say logistical problems have delayed voting in presidential and parliamentary polls. Delays were blamed on failures in biometric identification kits and lack of equipment. And astronauts splash down to Earth after medical evacuation from the International Space Station. 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]



Global News Podcast