Foreign dignitaries arrive in Iran for a week of events ahead of the burial of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, more than four months after he was killed in strikes launched by the US and Israel. He will be laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday after lying in state. Iranian authorities say millions are expected to attend. It comes as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire after signing a preliminary deal to halt their conflict in June. As control over shipping through the Hormuz Strait has proven to be Iran’s key bargaining chip to end US and Israeli strikes in Iran, we have an exclusive report from the Strait itself, from the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. Also: The UN accuses the paramilitary Rapid Support Force of executions, torture and sexual violence in Sudan; an elected mayor in Japan is the first to take maternity leave; a police hunt is underway for the suspect behind a parcel bomb attack in Monaco -- now believed to be a woman disguising herself as a man; and a volunteer has stumbled across a rare copy of the US Declaration of Independence in the UK.

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: The coffin of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei displayed during a farewell ceremony for him at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran, Iran. Credit: REUTERS. Foreign media in Iran operate under guidelines set by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, which regulates press activity and permissions.

Hernán Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, was found alive under the rubble of a collapsed building more than a week after Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes. The country's interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, said nearly 2600 people are now known to have been killed. She stressed that rescue efforts are still ongoing. Also: The World Health Organisation says it has begun trials to find a treatment for the current strain of Ebola that is spreading through the Democratic Republic of Congo; a BBC investigation discovers that the tech giant Meta is running paid advertisements on Instagram in India promoting child sexual abuse material; and a dramatic finish sees Portugal beat Croatia to progress to the last 16 of the football World Cup. 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: Rescue workers attend to Hernán Alberto Gil Flores after he was pulled from the rubble eight days after he was trapped by twin earthquakes that struck Catia La Mar, Venezuela. Credit: Fernando Vergara/AP Photo

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.

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

On Wednesday, President Trump met with Iranian leaders to sign an initial memorandum of understanding towards ending the months-long war. In a press conference after the signing, Trump was triumphant. Specifically, he touted the deal’s firmness on one of the US’s key priorities: ensuring that Iran can never develop a nuclear weapon. Whilst Iran has agreed to “not procure or develop nuclear weapons," there are many questions left unanswered. What does it actually look like to police the weapons programmes Today, we speak to someone intimately familiar with the weapons inspection process: President of the Institute for Science and International Security, David Albright. In the 1990s, Albright worked in Iraq with the UN, investigating the nation’s weapons programme under Sadaam Hussein.

To hear more, search The Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

The Happy Pod is celebrating World Refugee Day. We hear from Razan Alsous, who fled from Syrian to the UK and wanted a taste of home. She now runs a successful cheese business. Also, Mohamed Semra has become Australia's first mayor from sub-Saharan Africa. Plus, the woman who started a hairdressing business in a Ugandan refugee camp and, Leo Ajkic on finding success in radio and television after fleeing from Bosnia.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Photo: Razan Alsous making cheese. Credit: Razan Alsous

Presenter: Holly Gibbs and Tam Patachako. Music composed by Iona Hampson

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.

We hear from the man who survived for nearly a week on one of the most dangerous parts of Mount Everest with little food, no water and few supplies. Dawa Sherpa became separated from his group after running out of oxygen during bad weather and his family had begun mourning his death. But, after six days, he was found by a cleaning crew, crawling and sliding his way back to base camp.

Also: The teenager who was surprised to find his exam paper included a poem he'd inspired. It had been written by his mum several years earlier. How an art student from Germany ended up in charge of a Swedish island. The US singer Barry Manilow returns to the stage after overcoming lung cancer. Plus the boy who can impersonate the calls of more than a hundred birds; and the mysterious knitted toys that have been popping up around an English village. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

(Photo: Dawa Sherpa arriving at a hospital in Kathmandu. Credit: Reuters)

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Casting is finally underway for a new James Bond. But why has it taken five years to even begin the search?

Since Daniel Craig retired as Bond in 2021, there have been reports of a behind-the-scenes David and Goliath battle between the family business which has held creative control of the franchise since the 1960s and its new owners, Amazon. It is now up to Jeff Bezos’s tech giant to decide who will play 007 – and how to run the series.

In an era when Hollywood studios are desperate to eke out every last dollar from movie franchises, can James Bond retain its mystique and appeal to a new generation of cinema goers?

We speak to Wall Street Journal enterprise reporter Erich Schwartzel.

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.

A new DNA test can distinguish between patients who are likely to benefit from chemotherapy and those who are not, meaning many with the most common form of breast cancer can avoid the brutal treatment. Also, scientists have found a daily pill that could double the survival time for people with advanced pancreatic cancer. Daraxonrasib appears to be a breakthrough in managing a disease that has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers. Plus, we hear from Sterling Nasa, the student who ended up on stage during a concert performance of La La Land. A pianist was taken ill half way through the show, and the conductor appealed to the audience for help. A British man is hoping to become the first person with a physical disability to go to live and work in space. John McFall lost his leg when he was 19 -- but he hasn't let that stop him -- he has already become a paralympian and a surgeon. Finally, we meet Dr Shaunna Burke who has reached the summit of Mount Everest despite living with stage 4 incurable cancer. She becomes the first woman to do so Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

(Picture: A doctor examining a mammogram to determine if a woman has breast cancer. Credit: PA)

Politics, power and money have always been part of international sporting competitions, and football (or soccer) is no exception.

However, this year’s World Cup faces new challenges. The United States is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, and its relationship with its neighbours has at times been rocky. Two countries at war with each other – the US and Iran – have never played in the same competition before. Some fans are anxious about travelling to games at a time of high tension. And the cost of attending the event has led some to ask whether this World Cup is really worth it.

Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times of London and a lifelong fan of the sport, joins us to discuss what this World Cup could mean for a divided world.

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.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: FIFA World Cup on display in Toronto. Credit: Kevin Sousa/ Imagn Images

Researchers say a simple sheet of plastic is helping to prevent women dying after childbirth. The drape measures blood loss, which allows doctors to provide faster treatment. It's been successful in Nigeria, and now the health professionals want it used across the globe.

Plus, meet Joy and Diane who have been friends for 60 years. It all started with one letter when they were 12 years old and they have been pen pals ever since. Also, the fishing group helping people with breast cancer. The woman trying to save endangered Indian Skimmer water birds. The rare rainforest that is being restored in Northern Ireland over the next 100 years, and the homes in Australia which are being adapted to help people with ADHD.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Picture credit: Gates Foundation/Nelson Owoicho