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The midterm elections are under way - in the Republican stronghold of Texas at least. Early voting has begun in the primaries and Democrats are hopeful they could win a Texas Senate seat for the first time in over 30 years.

The election will have national consequences - Texas is one of America’s political power centres, and Republicans from here have dominated the national agenda from immigration, to the courts, to reshaping electoral districts. Taking back Texas could help Democrats take back the House, the Senate, and check Trump’s executive power in a way they have so far been unable to do in his second term. It could also realign the presidential election in 2028.

Justin and Anthony - who grew up in Texas and know its politics well - unpack the primaries, which are fast becoming the most expensive in modern US history. On the Republican side, there is meltdown and infighting, as Senator John Cornyn faces a serious challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton. The US president - who is campaigning in Texas - hasn’t yet endorsed one candidate.

On the Democrat side, two of its biggest stars are fighting for the nomination. Jasmine Crockett, well known for her fiery public battles with the Trump administration and James Talarico, who is tipped as a future Democrat presidential candidate. We look at what their realistic chances are, and what it tells us about the future of the party.

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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to "keep on fighting" after a devastating by-election loss to the Greens in Gorton and Denton in Greater Manchester.

Labour slumped to third place in the longstanding stronghold, with Reform UK finishing second.

But what does this tell us about UK voters, and their intentions at the next general election?

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Over the past year, prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have exploded in popularity, as online users bet on everything from battles in Ukraine to sex toys being thrown at sports games.

So with concerns over both regulation and the prevalence of insider information inviting intense scrutiny, Matt Shea and Marianna Spring discuss how these platforms really work.

Top Comment is a brand new podcast from BBC Sounds, digging into the stories behind your social media feed.

For more, including analysis of trendjacking and anti-vaccine disinformation, search Top Comment wherever you get your podcasts.

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Pakistan has declared a state of "open war" after a surge in violence with the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Islamabad says the Taliban is sheltering TTP militants who launch strikes on Pakistan. The Afghan leaders deny it.

So how has this fight evolved since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021? Has the country become a haven for extremists, as many feared? And what could it take to reach a lasting ceasefire?

We speak to the BBC's South Asia and Afghanistan correspondent Yogita Limaye.

New episodes of the Global News Podcast are published twice a day. You can listen here: https://link.mgln.ai/GNP-YT

And you can find more of our Youtube episodes here: https://bbc.in/GlobalNewsPodcast

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The Security Brief is on the road in Geneva, as a new round of indirect talks between the Iranians and the Americans takes place. But how much negotiating power does each side have? And what are the key demands?

We look closer at the ever growing US military buildup in the Middle East and delve into the one Iranian weapon the Americans fear the most.

This is The Security Brief with the BBC’s Christian Fraser, and former senior British military officer, Mikey Kay.

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Pakistan's defence minister has said the country is in "open war" with Afghanistan, after Islamabad launched air strikes on Kabul as part of a wave of attacks across the country.

The strikes came after the Afghan Taliban announced a major offensive against Pakistani military posts near the border on Thursday night.

The latest attacks follow months of clashes between the two neighbouring nations, despite agreeing to a fragile ceasefire in October.

Last year's negotiations failed to reach a broader agreement for a complete end to hostilities, with both sides blaming each other for not engaging seriously with talks.

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The Green Party has won the Gorton and Denton by-election, with Hannah Spencer taking the Greater Manchester seat from Labour in the Greens' first ever Westminster by-election victory.

Labour, which took the seat with more than 50% of the vote in 2024, was pushed into third place behind Reform UK - a result which will increase the pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership.

In an emotional victory speech, local plumber Spencer promised to fight for those who feel "left behind", as she celebrated a majority of more than 4,000.

This is the second by-election since Labour's general election victory in 2024 and the party's second loss to a party with only a handful of sitting MPs.

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Today, the Green Party have won the Gorton and Denton by-election with nearly 41% of the votes, beating Reform into second place and Labour third.

Hannah Spencer is the new Green MP for the Greater Manchester constituency. How has Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to the results and what's next for Labour?

In Newscast by-election tradition, this episode was livestreamed on Friday morning. Adam and Chris are joined by BBC political correspondent Joe Pike and pollster Luke Tryl to discuss the results and what it means for the UK as a whole.

00:00 Introduction - Green Party win Gorton and Denton by-election

00:48 Why is this win such a big deal? The numbers explained

04:50 What does this mean for Keir Starmer?

07.38 What were the campaign issues?

12:17 How has the Green Party changed under Zack Polanski?

15:32 Who is New Green MP Hannah Spencer?

20:14 What does this mean for Reform and Nigel Farage?

24:00 What are the family voting accusations?

28:26 What is next for Labour?

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US and Iranian officials have made "significant progress" in high-stakes nuclear talks in Geneva, Oman's foreign minister has said, but the chances of a deal that could avert a war remain unclear.

Badr Albusaidi, who was mediating, said the two sides planned to resume negotiations "soon" after consultations in their capitals, and technical-level discussions would take place next week in Vienna.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led his country's delegation, said "good progress" had been made and while there had been agreement on some issues, differences remained on others.

He said more negotiations would happen in less than a week.

There has been no official reaction from the US.

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The UK government has announced major reforms that it says aim to make schools in England more inclusive for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Announcing the plan, and £4 billion of money to support it, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the current system "does not work" and promised major changes.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the plans as a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to improve support and said the changes would be brought in "carefully" over ten years.

Other groups including political parties, some charities and some unions, have said they have concerns about the changes, and how well they will work.

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