This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Jackie Lennard, and in the early hours of Wednesday, the 6th of November, these are our main stories.

The first preliminary wave of national exit poll data in the US has just been released,

with voters saying the state of democracy and the economy were the most important

issues when deciding who to vote for as president. The Israeli Prime Minister has fired his

defence secretary, Joav Galant, and a French court has convicted a gang of people smugglers

after the biggest trial so far involving those operating small boats in the English Channel.

Also in this podcast.

She was telling her mum off yesterday.

She tried because she wants to get some food and she's running around

and she's flicking her head about trying to get mum to lie down.

So she just knows what she wants.

Haggis, the newborn pygmy hippo, a sensation at Edinburgh Zoo.

Now, as we record this podcast, with many polls still open across the United States,

the first preliminary wave of national exit poll data has just been released,

with voters saying the state of democracy and the economy are the most important issues when deciding who to vote for as president. The BBC's North America

editor, Sarah Smith, is with the Harris campaign in Howard University, which is just three

kilometres from the White House, and she spoke to Nula McGovern. We may be waiting quite some

time before we see Kamala Harris herself, of course,

because who knows whether there will even be a result for her to come out and talk about here.

But there is a stage all set up lined with the stars and stripes,

and it's got a podium ready for her to stride up to if indeed she has an acceptance speech to make

...