Global News Podcast

The Democratic Party inflicted a huge upset on the Republicans in the US midterm elections. In the Senate race in Texas, the Democrat James Talarico is projected to beat the Republican Ken Paxton. He'll join Democratic Senators from South and North Carolina, and Ohio, who've flipped seats in a change that will see the Republicans lose control of the Senate. The Democrats are already expected to win a majority in the House of Representatives - a victory which will have a major impact on President Trump's ability to govern. Writing on social media, the president said that if he'd been on the ballot, the Republicans would have won 'in a landslide'.
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.
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Photo: Supporters react after media outlets projected Democratic US Senate candidate and Texas State Representative James Talarico's victory in the US midterm elections in Austin, Texas, US, November 3, 2026.
Credit: Reuters

US voters decide whether Donald Trump keeps control of Congress in the midterm elections. The Democrats are predicted to win back control of the House, and possibly the Senate, although many key contests are within the margin of error.
Also: several flights land at airports around Europe after all being targeted by suspected bomb threats; Tenerife footballer, Jesus de Miguel, dies after on-field collision; King Charles calls the slave trade a "shameful chapter" in Britain's history; hundreds of garment factories in Bangladesh are forced to close after several days of violent protests; North Korea denies role in the massive theft of cryptocurrency in a major cyberattack on Binance; and the new word of the year for 2026.
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
Image: Voters fill out their ballots to vote in the midterm election on Election Day in Detroit, Michigan, USA, 03 November 2026
Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

President Zelensky described as utterly horrific a Russian attack in the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia that killed at least 26 people. He said the first air strike was on a school building which was being used as an aid distribution centre. It was followed by nine more bombs targeting a shelter where people were taking cover. Among those killed in the second attack were police and rescue workers who had gone to help. Also: final campaigning has been taking place in the United States on the eve of the midterm elections, which President Trump has described as the most important "in our lifetime". We hear from a man in the Netherlands whose parents opted for duo-euthanasia, where a person receives a lethal injection at the same time as a loved one. Snapchat settles a multi-million-dollar lawsuit following claims that its app was designed to be addictive. And the million-pound game show on British television that wasn't quite what it appeared to be.
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: General view of a compound of a local school where a Russian air strike hit an underground shelter, which was used as a humanitarian aid hub in the frontline town of Komyshuvakha, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, November 2, 2026.
Credit: Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region.

Ukraine reported late on Sunday that an air alert app had been compromised - with citizens receiving several false notifications about chemical and radiological threats. A few hours later, the authorities in Russia said a similar app had been hacked after fake messages appeared about nuclear warheads being launched towards the country. The apparent cyberattack came on the same day the humanitarian ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky officially ended.
Also: Monday is the last day of campaigning before the US midterm elections - we speak to voters in a key state. In Florida, investigators are on the scene of a plane crash that killed nine people and left a burning crater in a residential area. The BBC secures rare access to people inside Iran whose lives have been changed after a year of widespread protests, a brutal crackdown by the authorities and the war with the US and Israel. Dozens of supermarkets across Europe - particularly in Belgium and Luxembourg - have been hit by a suspected cyberattack affecting refrigerators and freezers. Sudan has complained to the UN against Ethiopia over drone attacks which it says were launched from Ethiopian territory... and⁠ police in Finland have launched a criminal investigation into possible breaches ⁠of the country’s environmental ⁠laws ​at the site of a planned Google data centre.
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: A woman holding a mobile phone.
Credit: PA

A shock endorsement in Michigan just days before the US midterm elections has been welcomed by President Trump. Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens backed Republican, Mike Rogers, rather than her own party's candidate, Abdul El- Sayed. Also: Hamas says at least eight people have been killed during Israeli air strikes on Gaza. Thousands participate in demonstrations in Germany over the cost of living and spending on education. Buddhists in Bhutan gather to build 108 structures in 24 hours in order to bless a "mindfulness" city. We hear from Karl Bushby, the British former paratrooper who is finally home after 28 years. And 20-year old Kimi Antonelli becomes the youngest champion in the history of Formula One at the Mexico Grand Prix.
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: US Representative Haley Stevens speaks with the media next to Republican US Senate candidate Mike Rogers who she endorsed, after attending church in Michigan.
Credit: RUTERS/Rebecca Cook