I have become aware that background speech, incidental to the dream 'topic', has actually been gibberish - e.g. presenter on TV that happens to be on, public speaking, etc. This has alerted me to the fact that I am dreaming.
You might be hearing actual political discussions from the US, too.
My most memeroable dream-related experience was close to "ESP" - and those of you who know me from this board will realize that I don't subscribe to woo like that.....
Through the late 80's, before Prozac, I was progressing into deeper and deeper depression. During that time, I had no dreams at all that I ever remembered/remembered even having on waking up. But one morning in September, 1990, I was awakened before dawn by some chaotic dream involving a little grocery store, some kind of a robbery, and gunfire. Nothing scary, really, but a bit remarkable
because, Wow, it was a dream!
I got up at the alarm clock's insistence and trudged off to work. Within five minutes I learned that one of my best friends there had shot himself dead early that morning. {cue Twilight Zone music}
It was freaky. I checked into therapy two days later.