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The US carries out strikes in Iran, in retaliation for what it says is renewed Iranian targeting of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has condemned the attacks. Also: the French far-right leader Marine Le Pen confirms she will contest next year's presidential election. China is dealing with severe rain and flooding that's left more than 20 people dead. Super-strength cannabis is...

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, all this week The Global Story is exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world. For decades in the US, “Made in China” signified a product that was cheap, poorly made, and, in some cases, produced through exploitative labour. But today, the label signifies something quite different in many American minds -...

Twenty five days ago SpaceX debuted on the stock market in the largest initial public offering in history, selling US$75bn worth of shares. Now its joined the Nasdaq 100 index of firms including Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia, so why have its shares fallen? We hear from tech investor Eileen Burbridge and financial advisor Jennifer Snyder on why investors might not be feeling reassured. Canada's launc...

Nigel Farage has announced he will stand down as an MP for Clacton and fight a by-election. The Reform UK leader was under investigation by a parliamentary watchdog for allegedly failing to declare a £5m gift from billionaire cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborn. The other major parties have said they will not run candidates in the by-election, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch describ...

The French hard right leader Marine Le Pen says she'll still be a candidate in next year's presidential election, despite losing an appeal against her conviction for misusing EU funds. Also in the programme, we speak to Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the presidential task force for the World Cup, on one of the most controversial moments in the tournament's history; and, a 700 year-old...

Susan hatches a plan, while Ian struggles with the inevitable.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Senate adopted a constitutional revision bill in June, which has raised fierce controversy as it would effectively reset presidential term limits. The legislation paves the way for a public vote on a new constitution. Under this proposal, President Félix Tshisekedi's previous terms in office would be discounted, essentially allowing him to seek a third te...

French hard-right leader Marine Le Pen could now run for president next year after a court in Paris upheld her embezzlement conviction, but reduced the length of her ban on running for public office. Also: Ukraine's president has used a speech at the Nato summit in Turkey to urge allies to deliver the air defence systems Kyiv urgently needs. In Syria, explosions have been heard in central Damascus...

Motorists are angry that petrol in India must contain 20% ethanol alchol. Samsung's profits jump on sales of memory chips for AI, but the share price falls. And can China become the global leader in self driving cars?

A French court of appeal has upheld the conviction of the far right leader Marine Le Pen for misusing public funds. She'll have to wear an electronic tag, which she's previously said will stop her from running for president next year. Also on the programme: a crunch Nato meeting for Ukraine's President Zelensky as he urges world leaders to cough up cash; and the story of Kenya's “eco mamas” -- the...

This slang phrase is about knowing what you have to do for a task, and doing it perfectly. Hear examples and learn how to use it in this programme, with Georgie and Feifei. As always, find a free transcript here: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2026/ep-260706. For more great language tips and programmes visit bbclearningenglish.com We send a newslette...

Nolan talks to Tricia O'Neill from Road Safe NI and ex Top Gear presenter Steve Berry

The US are out of the World Cup after defeat by Belgium - even though one of their star players was on the pitch after his automatic one-match ban for a red card was suspended. President Trump admitted he'd intervened. Also: BBC Eye finds evidence of torture and sexual violence at detention centres for Ukrainians in Russia and occupied Ukraine. The story of a 12-year-old pulled alive from the rubb...

Worried about a ballooning population, the Chinese government introduced its infamous one-child policy in 1980. At the time it seemed urgent to find ways to reduce the number of babies being born. China today has the opposite problem - too few births. Since the one-child policy was scrapped 10 years ago, there have been increasingly desperate attempts to encourage couples to have more children. Bu...

With Microsoft announcing nearly five thousand job cuts, and XBOX bearing the brunt of the losses, we look at what's changing in the world of gaming and hear from former XBOX executive Peter Moore on how it might affect some of the globe's most popular computer games. Meanwhile, as NATO leaders prepare to haggle in Turkey over defence spending, we get advice from Sweden's former Prime Minister Car...

US President Donald Trump confirms he spoke to FIFA before they suspended Folarin Balogun's one-game red card ban. The 25-year-old striker, who is the US's top scorer at the tournament with three goals, was shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender last week. There are now warnings that football's integrity may be at stake as the ban was overturned. We hear from a former...

Adam is on the verge of giving up, and Alice is determined to salvage something from the wreckage.

The Ukrainian Air Force says a shortage of interceptor missiles meant none of the 23 ballistic missiles fired by Russia at Kyiv on Sunday night were shot down. It was the second large-scale deadly Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital in a week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on allies to take "strong decisions" at this week's Nato summit to provide Kyiv with air defences. Als...

All but two African teams have been eliminated from the World Cup. Out of the 10 African teams participating when the tournament kicked off in the US, Canada and Mexico, Egypt is at the round of 16, preparing to face Argentina. Morocco has advanced to the quarter-finals having defeated Canada. And it's the rainy season in West Africa, and recent flooding has caused more than 78 deaths in cities in...

Europe's second biggest low cost airline accepted bid after months of wooing. If the deal goes through, the new owners Clearlake will take the business private. NATO to discuss a proposed Defence, Security and Resilience Bank, aimed at boosting lending to member nations to pay for a ramp up in defence. And US rock band Metallica are funding work apprenticeships as part of their current stadium tou...

Ukraine’s President Zelensky calls on allies for air defence help after more than seventeen people are killed in Russian ballistic missiles strikes on and around the capital Kyiv. Also in the programme: the World Cup red card row ramps up as Belgium appeals FIFA’s decision to suspend a match ban on Team USA's top striker, which followed a phone call to FIFA’s boss by President Trump; and Australia...

Fans also have their say & TUV Cllr Ron McDowell and commentator Chris Donnelly discuss.

Finn and Catherine give you some tips on how to remember new words. FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus THE LONDON LETTER CHALLENGE - an easy English series for pre-intermediate (A2) learners ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_london_letter_challenge/ SUBSCR...

FIFA suspends a one-game ban imposed on a USA star footballer given a red card, after a reported phone call from President Trump. The decision to allow Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium at the next World Cup fixture has been condemned. Also: wildfires force evacuations across southern Europe; a report on how Russia's war in Ukraine is affecting Crimeans; we meet the Nigerian women taking sec...

From her secluded mountain cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, USA, best-selling author Karin Slaughter crafts stories which keep millions awake at night. She tells Lucy Collingwood how she works best – at her bespoke ‘cockpit’ desk, a couple of intense weeks at a time, where she juggles the tv-adaptation of her book The Good Daughter and her latest thriller The Secrets We Hide.