Global News Podcast

US and Iran exchange fire

Thu, 28 May 2026

The US has launched more strikes against Iran, claiming to hit drones and a military site in Bandar Abbas. Tehran says it's fired at ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, including an American oil tanker with its radar system turned off. Also: Matthew Perry's former assistant is sentenced for his role in the "Friends" actor's death; FIFA is investigated over the price of World Cup tickets; manosphere influencers fuel the gender divide in Kenya; Laos rescuers find villagers trapped in a flooded cave; how the war in the Middle East is affecting India's mango economy; who's won the fantasy football Premier League; and Ozzy Osbourne gets the AI treatment.

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Samsung workers secure $400,000 bonus deal on AI profits

Wed, 27 May 2026

Unionised workers at Samsung Electronics in South Korea approve a landmark profit-sharing deal, putting them in line for bonuses averaging $400,000. The agreement with the world's largest memory chipmaker avoids a strike that had threatened the global supply chain. Workers had demanded a bigger slice of the tech giant's surging profits amid the AI boom.

Also: Israel says it has killed the new head of Hamas' military wing, just days after targeting his predecessor. In the US, Maga Republicans show their dominance of the party, after Ken Paxton beats John Cornyn in the Texas Senate primary. Spanish police raid the headquarters of the governing Socialist Party in a corruption probe. People in Iran have been able to go online to speak to family and friends outside the country, some for the first time in three months. Bolivia's Congress grants President Rodrigo Paz emergency powers to deploy troops amid widespread protests. Ghana begins repatriating around 800 of its citizens from South Africa amid hostility towards migrant workers. High cost of living and soaring sheep prices mean many cannot afford to take part in the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. And the Supreme Court in Italy rules that a hotel acted lawfully when it refused to give tap water to a tourist.

Nasa reveals plans for a permanent base on the Moon

Wed, 27 May 2026

Nasa announces details of its plans to establish a permanent base on the Moon. Nasa chief Jared Isaacman said construction of the proposed twenty-billion-dollar facility is planned to happen over the next seven years, with the completed base expected to cover hundreds of square kilometres. Also: Israel expands its operations in Lebanon; Tehran promises to retaliate for strikes in southern Iran; El Chapo's nephew is arrested in Mexico; the idea of independence for the Canadian province of Alberta sparks fierce debate on whether it's a step towards Canada becoming the 51st state of America; the oil giant, BP, removes its chairman; therapy dogs in Uganda; and explaining the success of Tayto crisps.

Train hits Belgian school bus in fatal crash

Tue, 26 May 2026

Several children and adults have been killed in a collision between a train and a school bus in Belgium. Federal police said the vehicle had been on its way to a special education school. Police have launched an investigation into the crash, with officials saying safety barriers on the level crossing had been down.

Also: Iran vows to retaliate after Monday's US strikes. Israel says it will intensify its attacks against Hezbollah, as Lebanon reports multiple casualties in overnight strikes. A human rights watchdog has found evidence that the United Arab Emirates recruited Colombian soldiers to fight alongside paramilitary forces in Sudan. In Sydney, a light show is cancelled after 89 drones fall into Darling Harbour. And experts involved in the rescue of teenagers from a cave complex in Thailand in 2018 are called to search for seven people trapped in a Laos cave. Protected birds of prey are being illegally killed in Britain, conservationists say. And Ferrari unveils its first fully electric car.

US launches new strikes on Iran

Tue, 26 May 2026

The US says it's launched new strikes on Iranian missile sites and boats, despite the ongoing ceasefire and diplomatic moves towards a peace deal. Meanwhile, Tehran says it will lift the nationwide internet shutdown today. Also: Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon exchange fire; Ukraine calls Russian strike threats "shameless blackmail"; WHO warns the Ebola spread in central Africa is outpacing response efforts, and we hear from a journalist in Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Europe swelters in "climate whiplash" heatwave; Saudi Arabia scales back ambitious megaprojects as funding dwindles; an update from the controversial Enhanced Games; and the diamond that saved a thousand lives in Sierra Leone.