Author: BBC World Service

Cameroon holds presidential elections this Sunday with Paul Biya, the world's oldest ruler, seeking another seven-year term. At 92 years old, there have been concerns about his health and ability to rule. The credibility of the election commission has also been questioned. And insecurity is rife in the English speaking parts of  the country.  So, can the polls on Sunday be free and fair?

Also in the programme: should advertising boards be removed from football pitches to avoid accidents like the injury suffered by Togo's Samuel Asamoah during a game in China

And Somalia is to introduce Swahili, the lingua franca of East Africa, to its national curriculum

Presenter: Nyasha Michelle Producers: Jospeh Keen, Mark Wilberforce and Tanya Hines Technical Producer: Craig Kingham Senior Journalist: Sunita Nahar Editors: Andre Lombard and Karnie Sharp

Venezuela's opposition leader and pro-democracy activist María Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.

For years, she has campaigned against Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, whose 12-year rule is viewed by many nations as illegitimate. We'll speak to one of her close allies about what difference the award might make.

Also in the programme: Thousands of displaced Palestinians are heading back to what's left of their homes as a ceasefire comes into effect in Gaza; how AI-controlled weapons could become a reality on the battlefields of Ukraine; and a new species of pre-historic marine reptile that's just been identified by scientists.

(Photo shows Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at a protest on 9 January 2025. Credit: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters)

Israel's government has agreed to the first phase of President Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining Israeli hostages. A ceasefire is expected to take effect within 24 hours, with hostage releases to follow within three days. Under the deal, Israel would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, begin withdrawing troops from parts of Gaza, and allow hundreds of aid trucks to enter the Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed the move as a 'momentous development' and thanked President Trump, as well as US aides Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Also: a man convicted of raping Gisèle Pelicot, the woman at the centre of a high-profile trial in France, has had his sentence extended; New York’s Attorney General, Letitia James, has been indicted on federal charges of bank fraud; India's southern state of Karnataka has approved a plan to grant one day of paid menstrual leave per month; how a new AI arms race is transforming the war in Ukraine; a behind-the-scenes look at the race for the Nobel Peace Prize; and why the DNA of naked mole rats could hold the key to a longer life.

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

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage release deal, paving the way for a possible end to the conflict in Gaza. Also on the programme, a Hungarian author of apocalyptic novels wins the Nobel Prize for Literature.

(Photo: Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, reacts, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire, at the "Hostages square", in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)

Government ministers in Israel meet to approve President Trump's peace plan. There's an outburst of joy and celebration in Israel and Gaza after the deal was signed. But will it hold? We also look at an attack on a hospital in the besieged city of El-Fasher in Sudan, and hear about the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature.

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

US President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of his Gaza ceasefire deal.

We'll speak to the father of one of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza and get reaction from Gaza City. We also assess the chances and the many obstacles that remain in the way of a lasting peace deal.

Also on the programme: this year's Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded to the Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai; and the celebrated Chinese pianist Lang Lang on his new album.

(Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio updates President Trump on the Gaza proposal on September 22 at the White House. Credit: Reuters)

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina has asked for one year to fix the country's challenges, promising that if they persist, he will resign. He said this during a town-hall style meeting at his palace with various groups of government supporters. Many attendees had the opportunity to ask the president questions or simply share their views. We hear analysis.

Also, South Africa’s highest court rules that all parents of newborns, will now be entitled to equal parental leave.

And renewable energy overtakes coal as the world's leading source of electricity. What's the impact on African countries?

Presenter: Karnie Sharp Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Stefania Okereke and Tanya Hines Technical Producer: Frank McWeeny Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Karnie Sharp

A landmark agreement has been reached by Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all the remaining hostages. The deal is expected to come into force later on Thursday, after being ratified by the Israeli government, and would include the release of around two thousand Palestinian prisoners. It's the first phase of a US-led initiative and was agreed after intense negotiations in Egypt.

We bring you the latest developments and reactions to the deal from Israel and Gaza. The hostages could be released on Sunday or Monday, but we hear why some families say their joy is mixed with anger that it's taken so long. In Gaza, there were celebrations at the news and relief that the attacks could soon end and desperately needed aid could reach the hundreds of thousands in need. But there's also concern that many of the details of the plan remain unclear.

Our correspondents also explain how the deal was agreed overnight, and why it's been possible now, after just over two years of war. And we hear that some within the Israeli government remain opposed to plan.

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