BBC

The authorities in Hong Kong say fire alarms weren't working properly in the tower blocks where a blaze killed more than 100 people. The buildings were being renovated, and police say they've found materials that are believed not to be fireproof. Also: rescue services tackling heavy floods in South East Asia say they're struggling to cope as roads and communication infrastructure have been severely damaged; how 70 species of sharks and rays are to receive better international protection; and a stand-off between three nuns and their convent in Austria may have reached a resolution.

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]

India’s economy grew 8.2% year-on-year for the period of July-September. The figures are largely being attributed to a boost in consumption, which makes up 60% of India’s GDP.

General strikes are taking place across Italy today over the government's proposed 2026 budget law.

And why are American retailers hiring a record low number of temporary workers this holiday season?

Presenter: Stephen Ryan

Producer: Ahmed Adan

Editor: Justin Bones

Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve is at the centre of a legal battle over a new Marriott Ritz-Carlton luxury safari lodge. Why are Maasai leaders calling for the camp to be removed?

Also in the podcast, we hear from Malian refugees who allege war crimes committed by the now largely disbanded private Russian paramilitary group, Wagner.

And a tour guide in Madrid showcases Africa's influence in the city, that is hidden in plain slight.

Presenter: Nyasha Michelle

Producers: Joseph Keen, Sunita Nahar, Yvette Twagiramariya and Elphas Lagat in London

Technical Producer: Pat Sissons

Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne

Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

President Trump has said he'll "permanently pause" immigration from what he called Third World countries, following the shooting of two young National Guard soldiers in Washington on Wednesday, allegedly by an Afghan gunman. In a strongly worded post on social media, he said immigration had eroded living conditions in the United States and that he would remove or denaturalise migrants who "undermine domestic tranquillity," as he put it.

Also in the programme: a top Ukrainian official resigns; and Pope Leo XIV travels to Turkey.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media on Thanksgiving, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., November 27, 2025. CREDIT: REUTERS/Anna Rose Layden)

Nolan talks to PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton

President Trump says that one of the US National Guard soldiers who was shot on Wednesday in Washington has died. Sarah Beckstrom was twenty. Mr Trump said the other soldier, Andrew Wolfe, was in a serious condition, as was the suspected gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal. He's an Afghan national who'd worked with the CIA in Afghanistan. Also: Video has emerged showing Israeli security forces shooting dead two Palestinians who appeared to have surrendered in the occupied West Bank. More than ninety people are now known to have died in Hong Kong's worst fire in decades. Surprising and rather gruesome new evidence has been found about how cats became domesticated; and we hear about a church in the US where worshippers are encouraged to hold poisonous snakes.

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]

Claire grew up in a multi-faith household that often looked beyond traditional beliefs for solutions. At 17, everything changed when her mother discovered that Claire was speaking to “dead people.” Convinced it was ungodly, her mother turned to both a medium and her charismatic Christian sect for guidance, asking priests to intervene so that Waswa, Claire’s twin brother who had died at birth, would no longer appear. Soon after, the dreams that had been Claire’s source of comfort vanished, leaving her lonely and confused. Searching for help, Claire eventually encountered a spiritual teacher who introduced her to a path blending African spiritualism and Christianity. Through this, she began to find her voice and discovered others with similar experiences. She is now feeling less alone in her new spiritual community.

With Hong Kong's emergency services dealing with their deadliest fire in decades, that's so far claimed the lives of 83 people at Wang Fuk Court, we look at the safety of the world's tallest buildings.

Andrew Peach hears how relations between the United States and Venezuela are deteriorating, and what impact it is having on the aviation sector.

And we look at the risks posed by the multi-million pound trade of illegal English Premier League football shirts.

The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.

(Picture: Firefighters operate outside an evacuation centre after a deadly fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Hong Kong. Credit: Reuters / Maxim Shemetov.)

The government has U-turned on its manifesto commitment to offer all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day in a job. Ministers now plan to introduce the right after six months instead, after business groups voiced concerns it would discourage firms from hiring. The government argued it was making the climbdown to stop its employment legislation being delayed in the House of Lords, where it has run into opposition. But Labour MP Andy McDonald, who helped to write the New Deal for Workers on which the legislation is based, told us of his "immense disappointment".

Also on the programme: the US Department of Homeland Security says it's reviewing all asylum cases approved under former president Joe Biden after the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington DC yesterday was revealed to be an Afghan man who worked alongside the CIA in Afghanistan.

And an Oxford University botanical scientist told us of the moment his colleague broke down at the sight of a rare flower blossoming in Indonesia, in a moment that has now gone viral online.

The authorities in Hong Kong say more than 80 deaths have now been confirmed after the city's worst fire in decades. Officials think that number will grow, with more than 200 people still missing. It's unclear what caused the fire but the eight residential blocks were undergoing renovations. The contractor is reported to have breached safety requirements on multiple occasions during construction projects. We speak to a former firefighter who is an expert in tower fires.

Also on the programme: How Israel's offensive on Lebanon has continued, despite a ceasefire; and a scientific study casts new light on how cats came to be domesticated and part of the daily life of so many human beings.

(Photo: Smoke billows from an apartment fire in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong, China, 27 November 2025. Credit: Leung Man Hei/ EPA Shutterstock)