Author: BBC World Service

The UN says there's no longer any safe space for civilians to find refuge in Lebanon, even in Beirut. Israel has been carrying out a widespread offensive against Hezbollah. With nearly a million people displaced by the war in Lebanon, we speak to the Deputy Prime Minister - how are they coping?

Also, the British government is being urged to apologise to tens of thousands of women in who were forced to give up their babies after the Second World War because they weren't married.

And a new study says AI is giving bad advise to flatter its users!

(Photo: A displaced woman from Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon smokes a sigarette, at the Jaafareya High School, now used as a temporary shelter for displaced people, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 27, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

Data examined by the BBC shows the devastating impact of the attacks on Iran's capital, Tehran, since the start of the US-Israel war. According to the findings, Israel has dropped 3,600 munitions on the city in the last four weeks. Almost 40 police stations and bases for the paramilitary Basij force have been hit, many in residential areas. BBC Eye has gathered eyewitness testimony, filmed the aftermath of strikes and analysed footage from social media and satellite imagery. In other news, scientists have managed to film a group of sperm whales supporting a female from their pod giving birth. A former rapper is sworn in as the prime minister of Nepal. And a mother tells us of her struggle to limit the screen time of her young son.

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

Where do you get your financial advice from? A report says Gen Z are nearly five times more likely to turn to social media than people in their 40s. On TikTok, the hashtag FinTok has over four billion views, with trends like girl math, loud budgeting and cash stuffing going viral. But are 'finfluencers' empowering the youth or exposing them to financial harm? We hear from 23-year-old Achiever Omoobajesu and 24-year-old Gbeminiyi Shopeju about Gen Z's approach to investing and why social media has become to go-to place for financial advice.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash and Carolyne Kiambo Technical Producer: David Nzau Senior Producer: Priya Sippy Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Germany says American and Iranian negotiators plan to meet in Pakistan, at the same time as reports suggest the US is to send 10,000 more troops to the Middle East. We get the latest and hear from victims of the strikes on Tehran.

Also in the programme: will Cuba's economic near-collapse lead to political upheaval? We have a first-hand report from the island; and a unique eyewitness account of female sperm whales acting like midwives.

(IMAGE: View of the Prime Minister's House building, as Pakistan offers to help mediate talks between the United States and Iran, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Islamabad, Pakistan March 25, 2026 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro)

The International Olympic Committee says women's events at the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be restricted to biological females, after years of controversy over transgender participation. Also: President Trump has again pushed back his threat to start bombing Iranian energy plants, giving Tehran ten more days to open the Strait of Hormuz. An initial deadline was supposed to expire on Friday. Lawyers for the former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores argue they should be allowed to use Venezuelan state funds to pay for their defence against drug trafficking-related charges; Paul McCartney announces his first new album in more than five years; and the Manchester City striker Erling Haaland donates a rare Viking book to the town in Norway where he grew up.

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

State media in Iran say officials have sent their response to a fifteen-point US plan to end the war and are now awaiting an American reply. Speaking at the White House, President Trump again insisted that Iran was "begging" for a deal despite repeated denials in Tehran.

Also on the programme, lawyers have tussled over how to fund the defence of the ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro at his second court hearing since his capture by US troops; and, the IOC has banned transgender women from all Olympic women's sports.

(President Trump hosts cabinet meeting at the White House, Washington, USA - 26 Mar 2026. WILL OLIVER/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

Israel says it's killed a top Iranian naval commander, responsible for overseeing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while President Trump tells Iran to get serious about negotiations. We hear from a supporter of the government in Tehran.

Also in the programme: former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is due to appear in court in New York today for only the second time since his capture at the beginning of January - we hear how his country’s been doing since his departure; and a new exhibition in London explores experiences and perceptions of ageing, from adolescence to older age - through art, science and popular culture.

The US military says an Israeli airstrike that killed the Iranian revolutionary guard's naval commander, Alireza Tangsiri, "makes the region safer". Israel's defence minister says he was directly responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has not confirmed his death. We look at how the Middle East conflict is affecting daily lives in countries as far apart as Kenya and the Philippines. In other news, a lavish welcome for the leader of Belarus in North Korea. And a sunscreen scandal in Australia prompts a rethink.