The Global Story: The international drama of Miss Universe

Miss Universe 2025 has been rocked by controversies and chaos, from stage falls and contestants storming out, to judges quitting and allegations of vote rigging – which the organisers deny.

The pageant – styled as a celebration of women of all backgrounds and nationalities – has suffered waning international attention in recent years, with many questioning the ideals of femininity it seems to espouse.

Could the drama of this year’s competition get people watching again?

BBC journalist and Miss Universe expert, William Lee Adams, joins us to discuss.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch is crowned as Miss Universe 2025. Rungroj Yongrit/EPA

Why there's hope for Haiti

Armed gangs now control much of Port-au-Prince and more than a million people have been forced from their homes. In this Global News Podcast special, Nick Miles and Nawal Al-Maghafi hear from Haitians on the front line, including a pro-democracy activist, a feminist campaigner supporting survivors of sexual violence, and a medic trying to keep emergency services going in a city under siege. They tell us how people are resisting, what real change would look like, and why so many people still believe Haiti has a future worth fighting for.

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]

Venezuela stands up to Donald Trump

Venezuela has condemned as a "colonialist threat" President Trump's warning that its airspace should be considered closed. The US does not have the authority to shut another country's airspace and the foreign ministry described his social media post as an illegal and unjustified aggression. Also: the number of people killed as a result of Israel's military offensive in Gaza in the past two years has risen above 70,000 according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the Palestinian territory; rescue operations are continuing in Indonesia after floods and landslides killed more than 300 people in Sumatra; and King Charles leads tributes to the British playwright and Oscar winning screenwriter, Tom Stoppard, who has died at the age of 88.

The Happy Pod: Diabetes Awareness Month special

In this special episode we're marking Diabetes Awareness Month with a range of stories about innovation, advocacy and education -- including a book helping children newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. It began as a university project for Lea Leleta Sümer, who's from Bosnia-Herzegovina and has lived with the condition since she was two years old. She wanted to help children like her come to terms with their condition, as well as educate others.

Also: The Barbie Doll with Type 1 diabetes - a collaboration from Mattel and the international diabetes charity, Breakthrough T1D. We meet the women who inspired the doll.

We speak to Sally TM, of RuPaul's Drag Race UK fame, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes around the age of 10. Sally uses her art and platform to advocate for people living with the condition.

As Italy becomes the first country to implement a nationwide screening programme, we hear from the man who has pioneered it.

Plus a teacher who's broken the world record for the fastest marathon by a male with type 1 diabetes. And we find out how recent advances in technology have made the daily management of the condition easier and safer, and consider what's to come.

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

Presenters: Harry Bligh and Alex Ritson. Music composed by Sarah Warren

Technical issue causes global flight disruption

Airbus has grounded thousands of its planes to fix a technical problem. Airlines are working to install a software update but flight delays and cancellations are expected over the coming days. Also: Donald Trump says he will cancel every order Joe Biden signed with an autopen and pardon a Honduran ex-president convicted of drug-trafficking; the WHO issues guidelines on infertility and how it could be treated; President Zelensky's top aide Andriy Yermak resigns amid Ukraine's corruption scandal; the link between tattoos and skin cancer; and Russia eyes up remote-controlled spy pigeons in the drone age.

Hong Kong fire kills at least 128 people

The authorities in Hong Kong say fire alarms weren't working properly in the tower blocks where a blaze killed more than 100 people. The buildings were being renovated, and police say they've found materials that are believed not to be fireproof. Also: rescue services tackling heavy floods in South East Asia say they're struggling to cope as roads and communication infrastructure have been severely damaged; how 70 species of sharks and rays are to receive better international protection; and a stand-off between three nuns and their convent in Austria may have reached a resolution.

National Guard member dies after shooting in Washington DC

President Trump says that one of the US National Guard soldiers who was shot on Wednesday in Washington has died. Sarah Beckstrom was twenty. Mr Trump said the other soldier, Andrew Wolfe, was in a serious condition, as was the suspected gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal. He's an Afghan national who'd worked with the CIA in Afghanistan. Also: Video has emerged showing Israeli security forces shooting dead two Palestinians who appeared to have surrendered in the occupied West Bank. More than ninety people are now known to have died in Hong Kong's worst fire in decades. Surprising and rather gruesome new evidence has been found about how cats became domesticated; and we hear about a church in the US where worshippers are encouraged to hold poisonous snakes.

Pope calls for peace on Turkey visit

Pope Leo has called for peace on the first day of his visit to Turkey, and urged Ankara to embrace the role of mediator in the world's conflicts. His host, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said he doesn't believe the differences between people, including religion, should be a source of conflict. Also: US officials issue an update on the two National Guard officers shot in Washington DC. The suspect is an Afghan immigrant who worked with US forces in Afghanistan. Two Chinese teenagers are arrested in South Korea, accused of spying on a military air base. A lawyer critical of the government is freed from detention in Tunisia. And the Japanese brewing giant Asahi says beer production has been disrupted by a cyber attack.

Dozens killed in Hong Kong fire

More than forty people have died and hundreds are missing after a fire engulfed high-rise apartment blocks in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. Firefighters have been battling to contain the blaze for nearly 24 hours. Also: a "targeted shooting" near the White House critically injures two National Guard troops; Nigeria declares a nationwide security emergency; the military in Guinea-Bissau stages a coup; a special report from Lebanon on the anniversary of Israel's ceasefire with Hezbollah; a warning about ocean noise; the latest scandal from the Miss Universe beauty pageant; and what Warner's partnership with Suno means for the future of AI in music.

Taiwan to boost defence spending

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te says China is stepping up military preparations to take the island by force. He's announced a $40 billion supplementary defence budget that underscores Taiwan's determination to protect itself, with a focus on drones and missile systems. President Lai said giving up and making compromises to aggression would only bring war. Also: the US-Palestinian teenager who's been in detention since February for stone throwing -- with no trial in sight. The joy of discovering a rare flower in Indonesia. Two Australian teenagers go to court to challenge their government's up-coming ban on social media for under-16s. And an elderly couple enjoy a last, surprise dance on the ballroom floor.

Brazil's Bolsonaro begins jail term

The former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has been ordered to begin his 27 year prison sentence for plotting a coup after the last election. The Supreme Court said he'd exhausted all appeals and will serve his time behind bars at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia.

Also: Italy makes femicide – the murder of a woman, motivated by gender – a crime to be punished with a life sentence. Refugees who've fled Mali tell the BBC about alleged atrocities committed by Russia's Wagner group. New Zealand's "suitcase murders" trial comes to an end. The Popemobile is converted into a medical clinic in Gaza. LGBT campaigners celebrate the top EU court's ruling on same-sex marriage in case brought by Polish couple, and how children's author Roald Dahl's secret life as a spy inspired his script for a Bond movie.

Criminal cases against Trump critics dropped

A federal US judge has dismissed the criminal cases against the former FBI director James Comey and the New York Attorney General Letitia James, who've both led high-profile investigations into Donald Trump. The judge found that the prosecutor overseeing both cases, Lindsey Halligan, had been hired unlawfully. The White House has said the Justice Department will appeal against the ruling. President Trump has denied accusations that he uses the criminal justice sytem to target his enemies.

Also: Mexican police arrest a man accused of recruiting people involved in the murder of a popular mayor, Carlos Manzo. We look back at the life of the singer Jimmy Cliff who helped popularise reggae around the world. Meanwhile, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads tributes to the Bollywood actor Dharmendra who has died at the age of 89. A new location feature on the social media platform X raises questions about the origins of politically provocative content. And a woman in Thailand has been found alive in her coffin moments before she was due to be cremated.