The Happy Pod: My tattoo is his voice

Jessica Fletcher wanted to find a way to communicate with her autistic non-speaking son, Hunter, which could be used everywhere. So, she got a keyboard tattooed on her arm. Now they can communicate anywhere they go.

Plus, meet the Plurabelle Paddlers. They are just one group of women competing in a dragon boat race where all the participants are survivors of breast cancer. Also on this podcast, would you eat a cookie which contains recycled plastic? Researchers are finding a way to make it possible. We go to the north of England, where a nursery is set inside a retirement home in the hope of bonding the two generations. In a world first, a patient has had brain surgery assisted by artificial intelligence, and meet Synergy, the mini-pig being used in a campaign to try to help the homeless in Washington DC. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

(Image: Jessica Fletcher's son, Hunter, pointing at her keyboard tattoo. Credit: Jessica Fletcher)

Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

US and Venezuela agree huge oil deal

Washington and Caracas have agreed a "historic" deal, which will more than double US oil reserves and provide investment for Venezuela's energy industry. Also: Emergency aid efforts are stepped up in Nepal and Tibet as nearly 2000 people are feared missing after the floods. Sudan lifts a two-year-old curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum. Experts say Denmark's forced contraception of Indigenous women in Greenland didn't meet the legal definition of genocide. British far-right commentator and MAGA supporter, Milo Yiannopoulos, is detained by ICE. And the surprise hit film about the French wartime leader Charles de Gaulle.

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: An oil tanker near Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela Credit:REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

Rescue efforts after Tibet floods reach ‘critical phase'

Two days after massive floods and landslides in the Himalayas, authorities in Tibet have resumed search and rescue operations, despite the ongoing threat that a debris-filled lake could collapse. The Chinese government has offered to send aid to Nepal to help survivors of the disaster. Also: King Haakon VIII has acceded to the throne in Norway after the death of his father, Harald V, at the age of 89. A group of more than 80 actors are calling on the British government to give every person in the UK a legal right to own their voice in response to the rise in the use of AI "voice cloning". And Apple prepares to shake up the tech industry with its first foldable iPhone expected to be unveiled next month.

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: Firefighters conduct search and rescue operations after a mudslide in Gyirong county in Tibet. Credit: Reuters

China warns of further floods near Nepal border

There are fears a lake formed by debris after the China-Nepal flash flood could burst, causing further damage and hampering rescue efforts. Nearly 500 people have already been confirmed dead. Also: Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladić who oversaw the worst atrocities in Europe since the Second World War dies; President Trump renames Lake Ontario as the trade war with Canada continues; a US jury deliberates whether Lindsay Clancy is responsible for the murder of her 3 children; top tech firms warn about the dangers of AI; Uefa prepares criminal legal action against Fifa president Gianni Infantino; NASA gears up to launch its flagship space observatory; and the highly-anticipated children's fantasy book "The Neverfear" is released.

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: A boy looks at the devastation caused by flash flooding along the Trishuli River in Nepal's Nuwakot district. Credit: AP

Fears of more mudslides in Nepal as death toll mounts

The number of people killed by a catastrophic flash flood on the border between Nepal and China has risen to at least 350. More than 1,300 are still missing. Rescue teams are continuing to search for survivors as experts warn that more floods could be coming. It is now believed that "glacial collapse and debris flow" was the cause rather than an earthquake. Also: a trial date has been set for one of the ringleaders of the attack on the twin towers in New York, a quarter of a century later. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is scheduled to stand trial in June 2028. A man in London has become the first person in the world to have a brain tumour removed via AI-assisted surgery. How bats could help us fight cancer and other diseases by revealing some of the biological secrets behind their longevity. And the avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, who became famous for her colourful polka dot-covered sculptures and installations, has died at the age of 97.

Photo: Aftermath of massive flash flood on the Nepal-Tibet border, Nuwakot. 27th Aug 2026

Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Meta agrees $18bn social media settlement

Meta has agreed to pay $18bn to a group of US states that accused Facebook and Instagram of harming children, bringing a high-profile trial in California to an early end. The company will also introduce new measures aimed at protecting young users, but has admitted no wrongdoing. Also: chip giant Nvidia beats expectations again as demand for its semiconductors continues to surge. Nearly 200 people are reported dead - and hundreds more are missing - after devastating flash floods and mudslides hit Nepal and the Chinese region of Tibet. BBC analysis shows attacks by armed bandit groups in northwest Nigeria have risen sharply. Mexican media organisations urge President Claudia Sheinbaum to strengthen protections for journalists after a string of killings. A French court recognises a flight attendant’s breast cancer as an occupational disease, and we remember Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour, whose artwork helped define the Palestinian experience for more than half a century.

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: Woman holds smartphone with Meta logo in front of a displayed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta in this illustration picture taken October 28, 2021. Credit: Reuters

Hundreds missing after devastating floods on China-Nepal border

Hundreds of people, including nearly 300 foreign tourists, are missing after devastating floods swept through northern Nepal and across the border in Tibet, China. In Nepal entire villages as well as roads, bridges and power stations have been swept away. At least 31 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal, while the Chinese authorities in Tibet are reporting major casualties there too. Also: a fire at a maternity ward at a hospital in Islamabad has killed at least 14 newborn babies. China's Narcotics Control Commission says a growing number of young people are turning to large doses of prescription drugs to help them manage exam related stress. Tributes from music stars, actors and beyond pour in for the country music star Dolly Parton who's died at the age of 80. And new analysis suggests smokers wanting to quit their habit have a better chance if they use nicotine vapes rather than patches or gums.

Photo: Villagers wade through flooded streets following a flash flood in Trishuli Bazar, Nuwakot district, Nepal, 26 August 2026. Credit: Narendra Shrestha: EPA/Shutterstock

Musician Dolly Parton dies at 80

The country music singer Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, after “bravely facing a brief battle with cancer”. She was being treated at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Her team said “Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion and resilience”. Also, the boss of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has been giving evidence in the high-profile trial of the tech giant, Meta, in California. A Chinese court has sentenced an internationally known artist, Gao Zhen, to three years in prison. A warning from the UN that we're "dangerously close" to having fully autonomous weapons that can kill humans. And a long forgotten whisky barrel that's now worth a small fortune.

Photo: Dolly Parton: Here I Am Credit: Dolly Parton

China slams 'illegal' US sanctions on Iran

China, the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, says it opposes "illegal" unilateral sanctions after the US warned that countries that continued to do business with Iran would face consequences. A foreign ministry spokesman said economic warfare and maximum pressure tactics did not help resolve problems but would only fuel further conflict. Also: At least 47 people are killed in a gang raid on a hillside community in Haiti. A new report predicts extreme rainfall and flooding in east Africa caused by El Nino that could leave up to three million people displaced. Why China is spending hundreds of billions of dollars to grow its robotic workforce, and Australia bans chart music made mostly by artificial intelligence.

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: Chinese President Xi Jinping looks on during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) on the sidelines of their visit to the Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing in 2026. Credit: Reuters

US says it will target anyone doing business with Iran

The US promises to squeeze Iran by targeting anyone who does business with Tehran - but Washington has so far announced only limited sanctions. Our correspondent says the US wants to put even more economic pressure on Iran. Also: fire crews in Nevada say they've brought under control about a quarter of the wildfire outside Reno. Health workers helping to tackle the Ebola outbreak are attacked in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There's been an explosion of gambling in Brazil. Retired international cricketers are trying to help the former Pakistan captain - and ex-prime minister - Imran Khan, who's currently in prison. And there's been an apparent leak of footage from the new edition of the game, Grand Theft Auto.

Photo: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a press conference to outline further sanctions against Iran, at the Treasury Department in Washington. Credit: Reuters

Britain hands over long-range missile blueprints to Ukraine

Britain's Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, on a visit to Kyiv, has promised to continue support for Ukraine despite what he called "outrageous threats" from Russia. He was speaking at an event marking Ukraine's independence day. Mr Burnham said that the UK and its allies would help Ukraine develop new technologies and support efforts to destroy Russian missiles before they are launched. He confirmed that the UK will provide blueprints so Ukraine can manufacture more long-range cruise missiles. Also: Pakistan's representative is visiting Iran to push for the reopening of talks between Washington and Teheran. A special BBC report from inside Afghanistan under the Taliban hearing from politicians and the impact their hardline rules are having on women. A spike in pirate attacks in the Western Indian Ocean and we hear from Kenya where four people have been arrested following the death of at least eighteen elephants that died after suspected poisoning.

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: Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham receives the "Honorary Distinction to the British People", "Gratitude of the Ukrainian People" award from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a celebration ceremony of the Independence Day of Ukraine, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in central Kyiv, Ukraine August 24, 2026.

Credit: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Guinea rubbish landfill collapse kills 30

Rescue operations are continuing in the Guinean capital, Conakry, where 30 people are known to have died following the collapse of a mountain of waste. Witnesses say the landfill has buried an apartment building along with informal dwellings. Also: Ukraine's sacked defence minister, Mikhailo Fedorov, has told the BBC he stands by his call for nationwide elections, even though the country is at war. More than 90,000 people have now been told to evacuate their homes in the US state of Nevada due to a fast-moving wildfire. Iran's currency, the Rial, has hit a record low. Washington DC has hosted an IndyCar race, in the final event celebrating 250 years of American independence. And a star of the recent football World Cup, Erling Haaland, cuts off his trademark long blond hair.

Photo: People gather near an ambulance at the site of a landfill landslide in Conakry, Guinea. Credit: Reuters