BBC

Pete Haslam was carrying his paraplegic son Ted up a mountain, helped by friends and family, when they bumped into Catherine, Princess of Wales. She was doing the same climbing challenge, known as the Three Peaks, and stopped to chat to them three times. Pete says he almost didn't recognise Catherine in her walking gear but, when they got talking, she was very kind and motherly to Ted.

Also: in a story suggested by a listener, we hear from the US man who crossed Africa on a skateboard. Jason Vanporppal was raising money for a skatepark in Uganda which he hopes will inspire young people.

The unusual object that saved a man's life after an accident at sea. He survived by clinging to a cool box for four hours.

Plus the twins who married twins, the Nigerian chef awarded 'icon status'.

And the surprise school trip to a star studded movie premiere. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson arranged for the pupils to see his latest film, Moana, after they'd tagged him in a socials video.

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

(Photo: Pete Haslam talking to Catherine, Princess of Wales, on Ben Nevis. Credit: Pete Haslam)

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Scammers are using increasingly convincing AI generated videos to steal people's money. We hear from a victim who had £165,000 stolen and ask an expert how to spot the warning signs before it's too late.

The government has promised new financial rights for cohabiting couples. We examine what the plans could mean for the three and a half million couples in the UK who live together without being married or in a civil partnership.

Households in Northern Ireland will see their gas and electricity bills rise next month. We find out what's behind the increase and what support is available.

Plus, why is one MP comparing parts of England's student loan system to some of the country's biggest financial scandals?

Presenter: Paul Lewis

Reporters: Hannah Mullane, Jo Krasner, and Niamh Mc Dermott.

Editor: Sarah Rogers

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 6th June 2026)

Speaking at Mount Rushmore in the state of South Dakota, President Trump said that the United States would celebrate the American Declaration of Independence of July 4th, 1776 as "one of the most extraordinary days in the world". In a politicised speech he told the gathered audience that "communism was the greatest threat facing America". Also, the United Nations has said the world must act now to prevent a human rights catastrophe in the Sudanese city of El Obeid. The underdogs Cape Verde take the title holders, Argentina, into extra time in the knockout stage of men's football World Cup. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are now husband and wife following their star studded wedding in New York where the pop superstar and the American football player were married. Keir Starmer, the outgoing British Prime Minister, has said that his successor will have little choice but to focus, as he has, on foreign affairs. And Nasa launches a rescue mission to try to save a space telescope that started sinking after recent solar storms.

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: Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills, Keystone, South Dakota, USA

Credit: BBC

The people of Venezuela are still reeling from the aftermath of two powerful earthquakes which struck near the capital Caracas in June.

As buildings collapsed, the impact was devastating. Over two and a half thousand are recorded dead but, with tens of thousands of people still missing, the final number will be much higher.

We hear from people who were in Caracas and the nearby port of La Guaira - one of the worst affected areas.

Some have been made homeless. Some are students, who were about to graduate and are now mourning the loss of friends. Some, like Gonzalo, are continuing to search for those who are still trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

While rescue teams have arrived from all over the world, Gonzalo is dismayed at the shortage of aid from his own government.

"As Venezuelans right now we cannot afford to stop and process. We are stuck in the loop of helping, helping, helping, helping, helping. We have to get each other out, we have to get each other out, which is a beautiful thing," said Gonzalo.

"But the painful thing is that it's just a sign of how alone we are. How destroyed the network of this country is and that is the most desolating part of it all."

Host: James Reynolds

BBC producers: Iqra Farooq and Ryan Keane.

Boffin Media producer: Sue Nelson

Editors: Harriet Oliver and Arja Haikonen

An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the OS team.

Swift wedding rumours, FIFA World Cup crowds and extreme heat hit New York on America’s birthday weekend. With electricity demand soaring, we hear what is happening on the ground.

We are more than halfway through the 2026 World Cup, but ticket resale platforms have been causing problems for some fans, who say their tickets were cancelled at the last minute or never arrived. We hear from fans and experts.

Spain is the world’s second-most popular international tourist destination, and travel company research suggests this year could be another strong one for the industry. But not everyone in Spain is happy about the country’s tourism success.

Presenter: Vishala Sri-Pathma

Producers: Josh Martin and Haider Saleem

(Picture: A fan of singer Taylor Swift gives an interview ahead of a reported wedding. Credit: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

Temperatures soar as America gathers to celebrate its 250th birthday. Ken Burns talks about his new series about The American Revolution and tells us what he believes the pursuit of happiness really means.

In a valedictory interview, Sir Keir Starmer looks back, and forward, as he prepares to leave office.

And we look at how a new NHS scheme aimed at rewarding people who walk thirty minutes a day might work.

The coffin of Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, is on display along with those of four family members at the Grand Mosalla mosque in Tehran. Millions of people are expected to attend Saturday's official ceremony. We hear from our correspondent in Tehran.

Also on the programme: a Ukrainian woman is named as the main suspect in the Monaco bomb attack; and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are rumoured to be tying the knot today in New York's Madison Square Garden.

(Photo: An Iranian man walks in front of a billboard of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ahead of his funeral ceremonies in Tehran on July 3, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, The Global Story podcast is exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world. One of the most powerful and enduring American ideas is that of the American Dream.

In this episode, Asma Khalid hears the story of one extraordinary American Dream seeker. The BBC first spoke to Abdi Nor Iftin in 2014, when he was living in one of Kenya's toughest neighbourhoods after fleeing conflict in Somalia. When he won the US green card lottery his problems seemed to be solved – but it turned out to be the start of a whole new struggle.

The Global Story tells in-depth stories from where the world and America meet. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

28th June – 3rd July 2026

Writer: Oliver Turner

Director: Rosemary Watts

Editor: Jeremy Howe

Brian Aldridge … Charles Collingwood

David Archer … Timothy Bentinck

Helen Archer … Louiza Patikas

Natasha Archer … Mali Harries

Tom Archer … William Troughton

Chris Carter … Wilf Scolding

Neil Carter … Brian Hewlett

Susan Carter … Charlotte Martin

Ian Craig … Stephen Kennedy

Martyn Gibson ... Jon Glover

Amber Gordon … Olivia Bernstone

Ed Grundy … Barry Farrimond

George Grundy … Angus Stobie

Keira Grundy … Mollie Kruczek

Kate Madikane … Perdita Avery

Kirsty Miller …Annabelle Dowler

Lottie Summers … Bonnie Baddoo

Bill Gordon … Matthew Gravelle

The Dead Ringers team train their vocal firepower on the week’s news. This week: Keir is ex-Prime Minister, Rob is ex-army, and Liz Truss is ex-cited. Oh and it’s ruddy HOT.

Starring Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis Macleod, Duncan Wisbey and Jess Robinson.

Produced by Jon Holmes

Executive Producer: Richard Morris

Production Co-ordinator: Giulia Lopes Mazzu

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.