The US military says its warships have helped two US-flagged vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz, breaking an Iranian blockade. It's denied Iranian reports that one warship had been forced to turn back. Also: More than 30 world leaders - including the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney - attend the European Political Community summit in the former Soviet republic of Armenia, to discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Three people have died on board a cruise ship that was crossing the Atlantic, following an outbreak of a respiratory illness - believed to be Hantavirus. The video game retail chain GameStop launches a $56bn takeover bid for the much bigger firm, eBay. Australia begins public hearings into the killing of 15 people in a gun attack on a Jewish event on Bondi Beach in December. A BBC investigation finds scammers in Uganda are posting online content of dogs in distress in a shelter to get money from international donors. The former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, is in a critical condition in hospital. And a team of North Korean women footballers is due to cross the border to play their neighbours in the semi-final of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League - the first time athletes from the north have travelled to South Korea since 2018.

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]

Since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, there has been an ongoing debate over the role played by Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in convincing Donald Trump to go to war.

But when it comes to ceasefire announcements, it has been the US President taking the lead - if the Israelis are present at all. So when it comes to ending the wars in Iran and Lebanon, are the Americans leaving Netanyahu out in the cold?

We speak to Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent at The Economist, and author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu.

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.

President Trump is criticised by senior figures in his own Republican Party, as he doubles down on a plan to pull out more than 5000 US troops from Germany. What will a withdrawal mean for global security? Also: Britain's Prime Minister suggests banning some pro-Palestinian protests; JNIM militants launch a large-scale operation in Mali; we meet a former Russian soldier who's fled the fighting in Ukraine; FIFA allows female Afghan footballers to play in international competitions; and the Paralympic gold medalist, Alex Zanardi, dies.

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]