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Thai officials are investigating an explosive fire which tore through a bar in the capital Bangkok, killing at least 27 people. Dozens more were injured, many critically. Eyewitnesses say the fire started near the stage and spread across the ceiling, filling the room with smoke. Also: the US and Iran carry out more tit-for-tat attacks, amid conflicting claims over whether the Strait of Hormuz is open or not; an investigation into the Chinese man accused of being Mexico's "Fentanyl King"; the US Republican senator Lindsey Graham - who turned from being a critic of Donald Trump to one of his key allies - dies suddenly at the age of 71; we hear from the grandaughter of the last woman to be executed in Britain as she is granted a conditional pardon; and a T.rex fossil could become the most expensive ever.

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.

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Photo: A woman near the scene of the fire at a Bangkok bar.

Credit: REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa TPXA

The BBC investigates Zhang Zhidong, also known as “Brother Wang”, a Chinese national described by US law enforcement as one of the most significant drug traffickers in the world.

He is now awaiting trial in the US and has pleaded not guilty. He is accused of building a criminal empire connecting China's chemical factories to the Mexican cartels flooding the US with fentanyl.

The BBC investigates his rise and fall, speaking to his former friend, and to cartel members who knew him as “number one” and the "king of fentanyl”.

President Trump has paid tribute to the US senator, Lindsey Graham, who's died aged 71 after a brief, sudden illness. Mr Trump said the Republican from South Carolina was one of the greatest people he'd ever known. Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton reflects on Mr Graham's political career and legacy.

Also in the programme: a campaigner against female genital mutilation tells us about efforts to prevent a ban on the practice being overturned; and we report live on the final day of the Wimbledon tennis championships.

(Photo: U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) joins President Donald Trump to speak to reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Florida to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., January 4, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

Citizen Vigilante is a low-budget action thriller starring actor Armie Hammer as a vigilante who hunts down migrant criminals in Europe. The movie faced a muted reception - until Elon Musk posted it to his hundreds of millions of followers on X.com.

We speak to journalist Mike Wendling to understand why this film has become a lightning rod for political and cultural debate, and what its sudden rise reveals about the far-reaching influence of the world’s richest man.

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.

The Aldridges are left surprised, and some news hits hard for Tom.

The veteran United States senator, Lindsey Graham, has died at the age of seventy- one. His office said he'd suffered a brief, sudden illness. Graham was an influential voice on defence and foreign policy, and was a vocal supporter of Ukraine, and of military action against Iran. His death came s US forces launched their third round of strikes on Iran this week in response to Iranian forces hitting a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Also in the programme: We talk to a woman campaigning in The Gambia to save a ban on female genital mutilation which is seen worldwide as a human rights violation. And we have an interview with the grand daughter of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain about the conditional pardon she has been granted by King Charles.

(Picture: A picture taken on July 10, 2026, shows U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) looking on as he speaks to the media after his meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.Credit: Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenk)

The US has carried out more strikes on Iran after accusing it of attacking a container ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomatic efforts continue to solve the crisis, with talks held between the Omani and Iranian foreign ministers. Also: the Trump administration issues subpoenas to journalists who wrote an article about Air Force One; we're in the western Canadian province of Alberta as people there consider the idea of becoming an independent state; the US government pays compensation for the first time to staff affected by "Havana Syndrome"; Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine kill at least seven and wound dozens; and why some people are welcoming a bid by the satirical website The Onion to convert the right-wing conspiracy platform Infowars into a parody of itself.

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: Vessel in the Strait of Hormuz near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran.

Credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/via WANA via Reuters

Jordanian director Zain Duraie talks about her debut film Sink, an intense family drama about a mother coping with her son's mental health issues. Zain reveals the severe difficulties she faced to get the film financed, why she sought out the advice of other directors and how the film Titanic changed her life. And she offers her own tips for would-be film-makers.

This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world’s most creative people.

If you’ve been affected by issues raised in this programme, you may want to speak to a health professional or an organisation that offers support.

Several New York Times journalists were summoned to testify under oath after they reported alleged security concerns involving President Donald Trump's new Air Force One plane, the US newspaper said.

Also on the programme: firefighters have for the first time started to contain wildfires in southern Spain which have killed at least 12 people; and Czech tennis player Linda Noskova beat her friend Karolina Muchova in an extraordinary and dramatic Wimbledon final.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters mid-flight in the press cabin of the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One after changing planes to return to Washington from RAF Mildenhall, Britain on July 8, 2026. Credit: Reuters)