SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER 2025

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfqky3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wn)
The strongest stuff in the Universe

Egyptian strongman Ashraf Mahrous recently pulled two ships totalling 1,150 tonnes with his teeth, setting his sights on the Guinness World Record. Inspired by this story, this week we’re tackling the science of all things strong.

First, we find out about new research that could keep our muscles strong as we age. Next up, we discover why graphene is so strong and how it could help improve data storage.

We're then joined down the line by Dr Matt Caplan, an astrophysicist from Illinois State University, who tells us about his search for a weird substance called ‘nuclear pasta’. And no, you won’t find it in your local Italian restaurant.

Plus, find out how robo-exoskeletons can help you climb hills and why Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance was weaker than expected.
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Kai Kupferschmidt and Andrada Fiscutean
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Robbie Wojciechowski and Lucy Davies


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfqpp7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvq2pm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1f1ym)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct714r)
Will the Gaza ceasefire hold?

Israel and Hamas have approved President Trump’s plan for a ceasefire and approved a framework including the release of all the hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of Gaza. It is being described as the first phase of a wider agreement, but is the deal secure enough to last?

We speak to Liran Berman, whose brothers Gali and Ziv are amongst the last hostages, Laila Ezzat Al Shana, a mother in Gaza, and the BBC’s state department correspondent, Tom Bateman.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Aron Keller
Executive producer: James Shield
Senior news editor: China Collins
Mix: Travis Evans

Image: Reactions in Gaza after President Trump announced that Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire. Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfqtfc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvq6fr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1f5pr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zjv)
How did Sachin Tendulkar's intervention help India captain Harmanpreet Kaur?

With the Women's World Cup underway, Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Prakash Wakankar take stock of the opening week of the tournament.

We speak to former India captain and ICC hall of famer, Diana Edulji to find how the Mumbai Cricket Association's talent hunt is helping to grow the women's game in the city. She tells us how a phone call to legend Sachin Tendulkar helped current India captain Harmanpreet Kaur secure a job in the railways.

Plus, we head to a skills camp for girls to see how the Right Pitch Foundation are helping young girls reach their full potential in the game.

Photo: Harmanpreet Kaur of India laughs during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup India 2025 match between India and Pakistan at R. Premadasa Stadium on October 05, 2025 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfqy5h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6whg)
Outlook Mixtape: The one with Three Bears

Brutus the grizzly bear spent his first months in a six-feet-square steel box. He was rescued by Casey Anderson, a naturalist and filmmaker who, inspired by his plight, opened the Montana Grizzly Encounter Rescue and Educational Sanctuary. Brutus appeared on television with Anderson. He also featured in films, commercials and was even best man at Anderson’s wedding. This interview was first broadcast in 2018.

Private Wojtek of the 22nd Artillery Transport Division of the Polish Armed Forces was a Syrian brown bear who helped his fellow soldiers by carrying artillery shells at the Second World War Battle of Monte Cassino. Like his comrades, he enjoyed beer and cigarettes, although instead of smoking the latter, he ate them. After demobilisation, Wojtek went to Edinburgh Zoo, where he spent the rest of his life, often visited by former Polish soldiers. Wojciech Narebski who was one of the soldiers who fought alongside him, told us the story in 2018.

Joel Berger dedicated ten years of his life to studying musk oxen – hairy Arctic relatives of the goat. With global warming affecting their habitat, musk oxen increasingly came into contact with roaming polar bears. Joel wanted to investigate the effect of the bears on musk oxen behaviour – and with no polar bear to call on – he improvised. He grabbed a polar bear costume and headed north. This interview was first broadcast in 2019.

Hercules the bear was bought by Scottish couple Maggie and Andy Robin after they were told he could be euthanised at a local wildlife park. In 2015, Maggie told us how he lived with them in the 1970s and 80s at their home in Perthshire. Our attitudes towards keeping wild animals have changed a lot since then, but at the time, Hercules, a half tonne Grizzly, was something of a celebrity, starring in films and TV shows all over the world.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Hetal Bapodra

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape spooled halfway through and lying on a white background. It bears a slim white label with the words ‘THE OUTLOOK MIXTAPE’ written in black. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct744f)
How BRICS got its name

In 2001, a few months after 9/11, economist Jim O’Neill was working at Goldman Sachs when he wrote a report about which countries might become big players in the world economy.

That’s when he came up with the name BRIC - short for Brazil, Russia, India and China.

At first, nothing much happened.

But in 2009, those countries took his idea and ran with it, holding their first summit.

Since then, the group has grown, adding South Africa to form BRICS.

There are now 11 members, and it’s been making headlines again, as U.S President Donald Trump threatens tariffs.

Jim O’Neill speaks to Megan Jones about coming up with the acronym almost by accident and how he didn’t think he’d still be talking about it almost 25 years later.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Jim O'Neill. Credit: Jim O'Neill)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfr1xm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfr5nr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvqkp4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1fjy4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Trending (w3ct72tp)
The biker gang ‘securing’ deadly Gaza aid sites

We’ve identified seven members of an anti-Islamic biker gang who oversaw security teams at aid sites for starving Palestinians, run by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

For BBC Trending, investigations correspondent Andy Verity unearths who they are, what they believe and how their ideology may have fueled their trips to Gaza.

Presenter: Andy Verity
Producers: Reha Kansara, Tom Beal and William Dahlgreen
Editor: Flora Carmichael and Anisa Subedar


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzh)
Are 72% of prison inmates in Switzerland foreign?

In a recent speech to the UN, US president Donald Trump set out some remarkable figures on the proportion of inmates in European prisons who were foreign nationals.

Citing statistics from the Council of Europe, he references Greece, Germany and Austria, as having rates around 50%.

“In Switzerland, beautiful Switzerland,” he said “72% of the people in prisons are from outside of Switzerland.”
These numbers are correct, but why are the percentages so high – particularly in Switzerland?

Tim Harford speaks to Professor Marcelo Aebi, a criminologist from the University of Lausanne, who wrote the prisons report for the Council of Europe.

If you’ve seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at, let us know: moreorless@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Tom Colls
Sound mix: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Richard Vadon


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfr9dw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw89x02zw3v)
Gazans return home

After a ceasefire, Palestinians in Gaza begin returning to their homes. We spoke to Fadi Abed before he started on a long journey, by foot, from his family's tent in Al Mawasi to Gaza City.

Also in today's programme: President Trump has threatened to impose additional US tariffs of 100 percent on China from next month.The Green Turtle, which was on the edge of extinction, as recently as the 1980s have now been reclassified as of 'least concern' on the official endangered list. Dr Nicolas Pilcher from the Marine Research Foundation tells us more about the remarkable turnaround in numbers.

Presenter Paul Henley is joined by Jen Stout, Scottish journalist and author and Dr. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House.

Photo: Palestinians inspect their destroyed homes in Khan Yunis, Gaza - 10 Oct 2025. Credit: Haitham Imad/EPA Shuterstock


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfrf50)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw89x02zzvz)
Hamas gathering hostages 'now' - Trump

Palestinians in Gaza returning to their homes say they are shocked by the scale of destruction. We speak to one of many preparing to make the move.

Also in today's programme: No Nobel Peace Prize for Donald Trump, but should he get it next year? And, the art display at Grand Central Station tells the stories of people of the Big Apple.

Presenter Paul Henley is joined by Jen Stout, Scottish Journalist and author and Dr. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House.

(Photo: Palestinians inspect their destroyed homes in Khan Yunis, Gaza - 10 Oct 2025. Credit: Haitham Imad, EPA / Shutterstorck )


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfrjx4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw89x0303m3)
Hamas-Israel ceasefire goes into effect

The ceasefire in the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been in place for less than 24 hours and it appears to be holding. An estimated two-hundred-thousand Palestinians have already returned to neighbourhoods in the north of the territory.

Also in today's programme: Six months after Donald Trump's trade war with most of the world began in April, US soybean farmers say their industry is on the brink of collapse. And we speak to the actor Alan Fletcher, the star of the Australian soap opera Neighbours.

Presenter Paul Henley is joined by Jen Stout, Scottish Journalist and author and Dr Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House.

(Photo: Trucks carry aid for Palestinians, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, October 11, 2025. Reuters/Ramadan Abed)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfrnn8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn5)
Trump and Autism – People affected speak out

President Donald Trump recently addressed what he described as the “horrible crisis” in autism, and rapid rise in reported cases over the last two decades. Previously, he’s suggested a link between some vaccines and autism, and in his latest remarks, he warned pregnant women to avoid taking the painkiller Tylenol, or Paracetamol as it’s known in many countries.

Scientists around the world have condemned his remarks. They say the rise in reported cases of autism is due to increased understanding and diagnoses, and that there is no evidence to show that autism is caused by painkillers or vaccines.

In our conversations, autistic people and the parents of autistic children discuss their reactions to President Trump’s comments.

“I think it's heartbreaking,” says Ella, who's autistic and lives in the UK. “He's a man whose voice is heard internationally. And I think regardless of whether this misinformation is called out and is called misinformation, people do listen.”

“Suddenly being autistic looks like a choice someone made, and then families can be treated like, like they have fault for somebody's diagnosis,” says Elena, another autistic woman.

For Gifty, a parent in Ghana, another aspect is the blame it puts on mothers. “In this in this part of the world, Africa, we already have men who don't understand these things. I mean, it adds more value to their conspiracy theories. The mother ate something, the mother did something … and it's like, oh, you see, we always knew that it was coming from the mother.”

Presenter: Rahul Tandon
BBC producers: Isabella Bull and Ash Mohamed
Boffin Media producer: Anne McNaught

An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the OS team.

(Photo/credit: Areva Martin and her son Marty)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1g0xn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z5d)
What do women click on?

Why BBC World Service cares so much about reaching female audiences online, and what we have learned about how women tend to engage on social media. This week we travel from the incredible tale of the Gaza boy who carried his baby brother for 10 kilometers to find their family, to the story of a Brazilian woman who found she had XY chromosomes in her blood. Plus, CrowdScience finds out why we so rarely hold memories of being a baby - and we hear from an American man who found his mum in his local bakery.


SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvx)
How to report the topic of Sainthood

A recent Heart and Soul told the story of how a boy, Carlo Acutis, who died from cancer nearly 20 years ago has been declared a saint. We hear your feedback on this documentary and also from the show’s presenter, William Crawley. How did he approach this sensitive topic?

Plus, major schedule changes are only two weeks away, we look at which WS shows are ending.

Presenter: Rajan Datar
Producer: Howard Shannon
A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfrsdd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8789)
Out of the box

We like to think of ourselves as a bit maverick here on Not by the Playbook. Nothing too outrageous, but we like to think outside of the box... and so we present to you a show dedicated to those athletes whose decision to think out side of the box has served them well. People who have gone against the grain, challenged the established thinking and come out on top

Olivia Reeves has literally done the heavy lifting in making her sport more accessible to those who want to try, but were too intimidated to do so. From her home in Chattanooga in the US state of Tennessee, she has been telling us about how she became Olympic weightlifting champion, on developing a winning mind set and becoming the first American to win Weightlifting gold in 24 years, and how her life has changed since.

Yana Daniels has taken the concept of out of the box thinking and made it real. No ideas or theories... Yana Daniels literally makes boxes! A top tier footballer and Belgium international she was hoping to play a part in the country's recent Women's Euro campaign, but sadly wasn't picked in the final squad. But that didn't stop Yana from being a really important part of the competition. In fact despite Belgium not making out of the group stages they were represented in the final and indeed every single game, through Yana! She explains all

When people hit a certain age some look back on what they have achieved and wonder if it's enough.. and what could the future hold? The stereotype is the man buying a fast car, or a leather jacket... Peter Wright went in a different direction. Aged 40 and over weight, Peter's "out of the box" moment saw him change his life completely. He got FIT and set off on achieving some of the world's most difficult feat's of athletic ability. He recently wrote about his adventures a book called "A Mid-Life Less Ordinary - From Ultramarathon Insanity to Rowing the Atlantic at Fifty" and told me about some of the "hairier" moments of the past 10 years or so!

Whilst most of our guests used their "out of the box thinking" for good, our next story shows sometime it's used for villainous reasons! Join us at the finishing line of the Boston Marathon in 1980. Men's champion Bill Rodgers was very much expected to be there first, and he was. What was much less anticipated was the presence of the unheard of Cuban runner Rosie Ruiz, who was duly crowned the women's winner. But all was not quite what it seemed.

Photo: Olivia Reeves of Team United States performs a clean and jerk during the Weightlifting Women's 71kg on day fourteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at South Paris Arena (CREDIT: Lars Baron/Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfrx4j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvr94x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1g8dx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78bz)
Two years on, is the Gaza war at a turning point?

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether, two years on from the 7 October attacks, peace in the Middle East is now possible, looks at what it’s like for western journalists to report from Russia, and examines the consequences of UN sanctions being reimposed on Iran.

Producer: Kate Cornell
Executive Producer: Benedick Watt
Commissioning Editor: Vara Szajkowski


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfs0wn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 World Questions (w3ct7505)
Peru

This South American country has escaped from poverty and paramilitary violence that once threatened the state itself; huge reserves of natural resources have helped boost the economy. But political instability and high crime threaten those hard-won gains, sparking mass protests across the country. President Dina Boluarte was reckoned to be one of the world’s most unpopular heads of state. The programme was recorded on 7th October before her removal by Congress. Jonny Dymond is joined by a panel of leading politicians taking questions from an audience at the Teatro Ricardo Blume in the country’s capital Lima.

The Panel:
Mercedes Araoz: Former Prime Minister of Peru, Professor of International Economy, University of the Pacific
Sigrid Bazán: Congresswoman (Nuevo Perú), former President of the Labour Commission
Tarcila Rivera Zea: Founder of the Centre for Indigenous Cultures of Peru, former member of the UN Permanent Forum of Indigenous Issues
Diana Gonzales: Congresswoman (Avanza País), Vice Chair of the Energy and Mines Committee

Producer: Charlie Taylor

(Photo: Protesters clash with police in Peru. Credit: Reuters)


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfs4ms)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zss9mnyx96d)
Gaza prepares for the first phase of Trump peace plan

Donald Trump says Hamas is gathering the Israeli hostages "now", adding that he's confident the Gaza deal he helped broker will "hold".

As thousands of Palestinians have begun returning to Gaza's north and Hamas has until midday on Monday to release the hostages, we hear from the Gaza Strip and assess what Hamas and Israel are likely to do now.

Also in the programme: Donald Trump has said he could impose an additional 100% tariff on imports from China from next month after Beijing's move to tighten its rare earths export rules; and MTV, the world's first 24-hour music broadcaster, is to stop showing rolling pop videos in just about every country except the United States.

(Photo shows Crowds of Palestinians making their way up a narrow coastal road to Gaza's north. Credit: Haitham Imad/EPA)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfs8cx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqqy7qdwrc)
Live Sporting Action

Lee James will be joined by the former Newcastle United and Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop and the former Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Sierra Leone defender Steven Caulker to talk about a significant week of World Cup qualifiers across the world and also the Premier League season so far. Chelsea’s Ellie Carpenter will join to talk about the WSL champions’ season so far.

Lee speaks exclusively to tennis legend John McEnroe. He’ll give his views on the rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz after being one half of one of tennis’ greatest rivalries with Bjorn Borg.

Sportsworld will be live at the Women’s Cricket World Cup with Prakash Wakankar and guests to discuss how significant a win for India could be for the country. We’ll talk the WNBA Finals with game four between Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury.


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfsrcf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvs4ct)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1h3mt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Trending (w3ct72tp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 today]


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfsw3k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7235)
Is Trump building a crypto economy?

Donald Trump once dismissed cryptocurrencies as a scam. But since returning to office, his view of them has shifted dramatically.

In July, President Trump signed new legislation aimed at integrating crypto into the financial mainstream. Members of the Trump family have launched their own ventures, generating significant profits and boosting the visibility of digital currencies in American politics.

Supporters say this could reassert the dominance of the US dollar in a changing global economy, while critics warn of economic volatility and regulatory gaps. How did crypto go from fringe to front-and-centre in Trump’s economic vision?

This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: Is Trump building a crypto economy?

Contributors:
Molly White, writer for the Citation Needed Newsletter in the US
Francine McKenna, Lecturer at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, US
Will Grant, BBC's Mexico, Central America and Caribbean correspondent
Gillian Tett, Provost of King's College, Cambridge, UK

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producers: Ben Henderson and Matt Toulson
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards
Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey

(Photo: President Donald Trump displays the GENIUS Act on 18 July 2025. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)


SAT 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1h7cy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:32 Happy News (w3ct6tyw)
The Happy Pod: Love, cake, and a long-lost mother

The international football star who cycles to work, uses public transport and wears second hand clothes. Héctor Bellerín, who plays for Real Betis in Spain, uses his profile to champion greener choices -- arguing that with power comes responsibility.

Green turtles have recovered from the brink of extinction, in what scientists are describing as a major conservation victory. They have been classed as endangered since the 1980s but their numbers are bouncing back.

The winner of one of the world's most prestigious prizes describes how he initially thought his wife was playing a joke on him. Fred Ramsdell missed the official announcement that he had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine because he was on a hiking trip.

Plus, the cafe that is providing work as well as food for the homeless, and a kind stranger who drove hundreds of miles just to return someone's lost bag.

Presenter: Celia Hatton
Music: Iona Hampson

(Photo: Credit Lenore Lindsey)


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfszvp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztw)
Director Simon Stone

Nikki Bedi speaks to Swiss-born Australian direct Simon Stone about super yachts, working with Keira Knightley and the words of advice Guillermo del Toro gave him on new film Woman in Cabin 10.

Also, Taylor Swift on her new album, The Life of a Show Girl.

Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins reveals the painters who have inspired him.

Poet Catherine-Esther Cowie discusses drawing on the history and language of St Lucia for her collection Heirloom.

Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey talks about driving a school bus for his latest role.

Producer: Ciaran Bermingham

(Credit: Photography by Dave Bennett for Netflix)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrft3lt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zss9mnyy85f)
Israel awaits hostage release

President Trump's Middle East envoy has told a packed rally of relatives of Israeli hostages and their supporters in Tel Aviv that they were coming home. Steve Witkoff's remarks come ahead of Monday's expected release of 48 living and dead hostages by Hamas, as part of the Gaza peace deal. Mr Witkoff praised President Trump -- to cheers -- as well as the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu -- whose name was booed. We speak to a doctor at one of the Israeli hospitals where they're expected to arrive.

Also, protests in Madagascar, where at least twenty two people have been killed in recent weeks.

And the Hollywood actress Diane Keaton has died. She was 79. Known for her versatility, Diane Keaton first became famous in the early 1970s when she appeared in the Godfather films. She later won an Oscar for her role as Woody Allen's love interest in the 1977 romantic comedy, Annie Hall.


(Photo: U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks at "Hostages square", flanked by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 11, 2025. Credit: Reuters)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrft7by)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8789)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrftc32)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvsr3g)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1hqcg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72dj)
Amadeus

Massamba Amadeus is a Senegalese musician who is consciously following in the footsteps of Cheikh Lo, Youssou Ndour and other greats from his country, and who has named himself after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Amadeus’s first hit was Boulma Sagané, released when he was still a student at university in 2020. But as he tells This Is Africa, he already has his eye on his legacy and wants his music to endure like that of his musical heroes.

He says that while it’s great getting big numbers on streaming and social platforms, he considers it his responsibility to guide and educate his young fans as the griots of old would have done, and to preserve the rich musical heritage of his forebears.

SUNDAY 12 OCTOBER 2025

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrftgv6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1hv3l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct82l0)
Global dancefloor: Saigon

Frank McWeeny heads to the dancefloors of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) to uncover what Vietnamese alternative culture looks and sounds like today. With 70% of the country under 35, young people are the driving force behind a different image of Vietnam, far away from poverty and war. They are asserting their identity through music, fashion and their own take on traditional values. They are changing perceptions of what it means to be Vietnamese in 2025.
We hear from DIY music collective Dismal, forward-thinking underground club The Observatory, and members of the nightlife and fashion scenes.


Producer/presenter: Frank McWeeny
Editor: Susan Marling
A Just Radio production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Dismal party in Saigon. Credit: io lart)


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrftllb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvszlq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1hyvq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 Trending (w3ct72tp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zs7)
When Greg Louganis hit his head on a diving board

At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, in South Korea, Greg Louganis hit his head on the springboard.

It was during the preliminary rounds while he was attempting a reverse 2½ pike.

It caused a gash to his head, with blood trickling down his head.

At the time, only he and his coach Ron O'Brien knew he was HIV positive.

In 2012 he spoke to Peter Bowes about that moment.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Diver Greg Louganis of the US shown hitting his head on the diving board. Credit: Rich Clarkson / Rich Clarkson & Associates)


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrftqbg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvt3bv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1j2lv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjy)
Immune system researchers win Nobel Prize

This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded for discoveries that explain how the immune system attacks hostile infections, but not the body's own cells. We explain the science that won Japan's Shimon Sakaguchi and US researchers Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell the prestigious award.

How robots can help children with reading anxiety. Lauren Wright from the University of Chicago who led this research explains.

A new targeted antibiotic has been found that treats Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Dr Graham Easton who is Professor of Clinical Communication Skills at Queen Mary University of London describes how it works.

Missing your first mammogram appointment has as much impact on breast cancer outcomes than an inherited genetic risk according to new research. Ziyan Ma from the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Karolinska Institute tells us more.

And should we reconsider how we treat blood pressure?

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Katie Tomsett


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrftv2l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 World Questions (w3ct7505)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrftytq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6ts2)
Ukraine's death messenger

Pascale Harter introduces correspondents' and writers' stories from Ukraine, Madagascar, Bolivia and Uzbekistan.

What is the toll of breaking the worst possible news to soldiers' families, time after time? We follow a Ukrainian army officer in the western city of Lviv who has one of the toughest jobs in the military. Richard Pendry witnesses the heartbreak and anger that Major Serhiy Laziuk has faced every day for the past three years.

Madagascar is in turmoil. Its President replaced the entire government last week - and appointed and new Prime Minister - after Gen Z-led protests erupted on the streets. What began as demonstrations against persistent power and water cuts have evolved into demands for full-scale political change. Luke Freeman reports from the capital, Antananarivo.

With their pleated skirts, fringed shawls and bowler hats, the 'Cholitas' of Bolivia - women of mixed European and Indigenous descent - have become visual symbols of the country. But in education and employment, they've often been discriminated against. Jane Chambers finds that many women from this background are reclaiming their heritage - and increasingly proud of it.

The ancient city of Bukhara, in Uzbekistan, has been a place of master crafts workers and artists for centuries - and more recently it's served as a striking exhibition space for contemporary art. Kirsty Lang visited the Bukhara Biennial to hear about the country's plans to remake its image through contemporary culture.

Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production co-ordinator: Rose Strawbridge


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1jb33)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc4)
Bolivia’s Cholitas – From Outcasts to Icons

With their pleated skirts and bowler hats the “cholita” women are a common sight in Bolivia’s administrative capital La Paz. They’re often from indigenous Aymara and Quechua cultures. Until recently cholita was used as a derogatory term to talk about their distinctive traditional clothing and they were discriminated against.

Jane Chambers travels to Bolivia to find out how these women are reclaiming their cultural heritage and going from outcasts to icons and what it says about society. Join her to meet the cholita wrestlers, fashion designers and mountaineers changing public opinion.

Producer: Jane Chambers
Sound Mix: Neil Churchill
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Cholita Climber - Lidia Huayllas Credit: Jane Chambers/BBC)


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfv2kv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvtgl7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1jfv7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct82l0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfv69z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw89x032s0y)
Troops join Madagascar Gen Z protests

Madagascar's President warns of a coup attempt against him, after the commander of an elite army units refuses orders to fires on 'Gen Z' protesters and joins them on the streets. Madagascar specialist Dr Luke Freeman joins us from the country's capital to break down the power shift this defection could precipitate.

Also in the programme: As aid agencies say they are ready to flood Gaza with aid, we hear from UNICEF spokesman James Elder, who is urging Israel to open up the border crossings under their control; and Pakistan and Afghanistan claim that they have inflicted heavy damage to one another during fierce clashes along their border. We get the latest from Islamabad.

Joining presenter Paul Henley are Julie Norman, associate professor of politics and international relations at University College London, and the play and screenwriter Ntombizodwa Nyoni.

Pictured: Protesters gather around a Madagascar military vehicle during a nationwide youth-led protest over frequent power outages and water shortages, in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Credit: Reuters/ Zo Andrianjafy.


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfvb23)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw89x032ws2)
Hamas to release hostages on Monday

A senior Hamas official has said that the release of the hostages held by the group will begin tomorrow, Monday morning. President Trump's Middle East envoy told a rally of Israeli hostages' relatives and supporters, in Tel Aviv, that those hostages were coming home as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Also in the programme: a new African-inspired twist on a William Shakespeare play; and Classical Music Study Sessions in Amsterdam.

Joining presenter Paul Henley are Julie Norman, associate professor of politics and international relations at University College London, and the play and screenwriter Ntombizodwa Nyoni.

(Photo: A woman walks past banners with images of hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack. CREDIT: REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfvft7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw89x0330j6)
Aid trucks enter Gaza

Dozens of trucks have begun to enter Gaza with much-needed aid for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as they return to neighbourhoods devastated by two years of war. UNICEF's spokesperson, James Elder, told Weekend that residents fear that if the ceasefire doesn't hold, issues including child malnutrition and trauma will leave permanent damage.

Also in the programme: free speech in US universities; and a new film about the civil war in Sudan.

Joining presenter Paul Henley are Julie Norman, associate professor of politics and international relations at University College London, and the play and screenwriter Ntombizodwa Nyoni.

(Photo: Humanitarian aid trucks are lined up before proceeding towards the Rafah border crossing, between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. CREDIT: STRINGER/EPA/Shutterstock)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfvkkc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6ts2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1jxtr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70z2)
How (not) to complain

How confident would you feel about complaining if a restaurant meal was not up to scratch?

Restaurateurs in the UK, South Africa and the United States compare stories of the most outrageous complaints they’ve received, and how they were dealt with.

They tell Ruth Alexander how increasing numbers of customers are "weaponising" the threat of negative online reviews.

And if you’re someone who struggles to complain when things go wrong, there’s advice on how to make your voice heard calmly and assertively.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Produced by Lexy O'Connor

Image: A young woman is arguing with a waiter in a cafe. She has a pastry on her plate and is holding a cup of coffee. Credit: Getty/Wavebreak Media


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfvp9h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy5)
The preschool in a retirement home

A unique community in Chester in northern England, brings multiple generations together to encourage learning and connection. We explore how young children in the onsite nursery benefit from the time, attention and vocabulary skills offered by the older adults. Meanwhile the retirement home residents can benefit from increased social activity and a sense of purpose. We also speak to an intergenerational expert in Spain about the growing evidence that backs this new societal approach.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every week for most of the year. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer: Claire Bates
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Image: Younger and older mingle at the Belong retirement community, Chester, UK, BBC)


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1k1kw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tk)
Tackling loneliness in India

India is known for its close knit families and communities, but modern work practices mean more and more people are living far from home, and suffering from loneliness. Reporter Sumedha Pal in Dehli shares the stories of some of the people in India who are trying to find creative solutions to connect with others.
Animated film 'K-pop Demon Hunters' has topped streaming and music charts globally, pitting a demon hunter girl-group Huntrx against a would be soul-stealing boy band, Saja Boys. It's an English language film, but Koreans have taken the protagonists to heart, as BBC Korean Yuna Ku reports.
Plus, why do mosques in Kashmir have such a distinctive look? We discuss with Aliya Nazki from BBC Urdu.

This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.

Presented by Faranak Amidi

This is an EcoAudio certified production.


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfvt1m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvv620)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1k5b0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 Trending (w3ct72tp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfvxsr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1k924)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfw1jw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zss9mnz063h)
Israel’s hospitals prepare for freed Israeli hostages

Newshour gets rare access at Rabin Medical Centre in Petah Tikva where some of the twenty living hostages are due to be transferred when they are freed by Hamas. Also, we hear from a doctor setting out the priorities of the medical sector when the occupied territory begins to receive large amount of aid as part of the ceasefire deal with Israel.

Also on the programme: An elite army unit in Madagascar that had joined protestors calling for the President's resignation says the armed forces are now under its command; and we'll head to an Amsterdam concert hall which has been transformed for students to hit their text books while immersed in live classical music.

(Photo: Dr Michal Steinman at Rabin Medical Centre in Petah Tikva, Israel.)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfw590)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702h)
Can we build better cities for mental health and the climate?

Today, more than half the world’s population live in cities – and as our numbers swell, so will our cities, especially those around the Pacific Rim, where it’s predicted our largest megacities of 10 million plus will be situated. And herein lies an opportunity: 60% of the buildings needed for 2050 are not yet built.

Could we shape our cities into places that are good for the climate and also good for our mental health? Can we design buildings and infrastructure that make green decisions easier and also help us deal with stress or depression?

In a programme first broadcast in 2024, Jordan Dunbar hears about examples in the Netherlands and Egypt. Are there win-win options out there that can help the world deal with two of its biggest challenges?

Contributors:
Houssam Elokda -Urban Planner, with Happy Cities, Vancouver
Sally Nabil - BBC Arabic Egypt Correspondent, Cairo
Anna Holligan - BBC Correspondent, The Hague, Netherlands

Production Team: Graihagh Jackson, Octavia Woodward, Brenda Brown
Sound Design: Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts

Got a question? Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1kjkd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct6tyw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:32 on Saturday]


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfw914)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Newshour (w172zss9mnz0flr)
Tel Aviv's 'Hostages Square' awaits releases

Israel waits nervously ahead of the release of all 20 living hostages by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Monday morning.

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal - which came into effect on Friday - Hamas has until midday local time tomorrow to return all Israeli hostages. We'll hear from Tel Aviv's "Hostages Square" as it awaits their release and from the hospital where they will be treated when they are freed.

Also in the programme: Madagascar president says there is an 'illegal and forceable seizure of power" is underway in the island nation off Africa's south eastern coast; and there have been fierce clashes overnight between the Pakistani army and Afghan Taliban forces along the mountainous northern border between the two countries - could this be a new battleline being drawn?

(Photo shows a banner with the words "Peace upon Israel" along images of hostages in "Hostages Square" in Tel Aviv, Israel on 12 October 2025. Hannah McKay/Reuters)


SUN 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfwds8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 16:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqqy7qj14q)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld this Sunday has live commentary from the Women’s Super League as Liverpool take on Manchester City at Anfield.

The hosts have yet to win this season while City will look to keep up the pressure on leaders Chelsea. Delyth Lloyd presents coverage from Anfield, with former City defender Abbie McManus joining for commentary.

The Sportsworld team also take an in-depth look at qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, with key games across Africa, Asia and Europe. There’ll be the latest from the Women’s Cricket World Cup, where India face holders Australia, plus reaction from the finals at tennis’ Shanghai Masters and Wuhan Open.


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfws0n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvw511)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1l491)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 World of Secrets (w3ct854p)
Death in Dubai

Death in Dubai: 3. The most powerful pimp

Kiera and Mia remember Monic as charismatic and kind-hearted. They were living with her in Dubai and can reveal the shocking reality of her life there, saying they were all trapped in a prostitution ring run by a man they believe is “the most powerful pimp in Dubai”. They say they’re scared of him but are determined to speak out, to get justice for their friend.

This episode contains strong language.

Presented by investigative journalist Runako Celina.

Season 9 of World of Secrets, Death in Dubai, is a BBC Eye investigation, produced in association with Thread Studios, for the BBC World Service.

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the person depicted in it is a model.

If you feel distressed by the references in this story, please speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support such as Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org

For UK listeners, details of organisations offering information about or support after sexual abuse, or with feelings of despair, are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Here’s a link to the BBC Eye documentary film, which we recommend you watch after listening to this podcast: https://bit.ly/bbcdeathindubai

If you are in the UK, you can watch on iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n12t256jg


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfwwrs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfx0hx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zss9mnz152j)
Hamas counts Israeli hostages ahead of release

Gaza's Hamas-run civil defence agency says it has finished counting the living Israeli hostages and has transferred them to different locations ahead of their release which is due to take place on Monday. We also get the latest from Gaza.

Also in the programme: Has there been a coup in Madagascar? And does classical music help you study?

(Photo: People look at pictures and messages displayed at "Hostages Square" amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 12, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Hannah McKay)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfx481)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1lhjf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z5d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


SUN 22:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:50 on Saturday]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfx805)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9kyvwn0k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1lm8k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]

MONDAY 13 OCTOBER 2025

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwvfrfxcr9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6ts2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxnwh1lr0p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfz)
Old faces and big spaces in small places

The 2025 Nobel prizes are announced this week – how did Science in Action’s predictions fare? Science author and thinker Philip Ball judges.

The Whitley Fund for Nature this week hosted a “People for Planet” summit, exploring possible solutions to save nature. Amongst the speakers was Prof Martin Wikelski, of ICARUS, who has spent many years tracking wildlife around the world using tiny radio sensors. As he describes to Roland, he shortly hopes to launch a network of satellites to enable a global system to help us learn how hundreds of species are faring.

Also, a new “Human Disease Blood Atlas” gets a boost, as described by Mathias Uhlén of SciLifeLab. Could an annual blood sample become a standard primary healthcare routine, mapping key proteins and their concentrations to provide early warning of hundreds of diseases?

Meanwhile Nozair Khawaja of Free University of Berlin has been revisiting data from the Cassini mission to Enceladus, one of Saturn’s moons, back in 2008. His new analysis increases the prospects of habitable conditions deep on the ocean floor beneath the icy crust.

Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennet-Holesworth

(Image: Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry explains a model during a press conference. Credit: Jonathan Nackstrand via Getty Images).


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r1brl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y750qrz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbqq0z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6swk)
The Life Scientific: Jane Goodall

The celebrated primatologist Jane Goodall died last week at the age of 91. In tribute, we’re re-sharing this interview from 2020, where she reflects on the years she spent living with the wild chimpanzees in Gombe in eastern Tanzania and why she believes the best way to bring about change is to ‘creep into people’s hearts’.

Jane shot to fame when she appeared on the cover of National Geographic magazine in 1963 and appeared in a documentary film directed by Orson Welles. Her ground breaking observations introduced us to the social and emotional lives of wild chimpanzees and changed our view of what it is to be human. Images of her younger self play-wrestling with baby chimps make Jane feel slightly apprehensive now but at the time she didn’t give it a second thought. However, she did take care to protect her young son. Seeing distressing footage of chimps who were living in captivity, she gave up fieldwork to become an activist, working to liberate chimpanzees that were being used for medical research or sold for meat or as pets, and setting up chimp sanctuaries for animals that were no longer able to live in the wild. For the last thirty years, she has campaigned gently but relentlessly to protect wild animals and wild places, touring the world and performing on stage in front of huge audiences. Her global youth programme, Roots and Shoots has inspired and empowered millions of people to understand and respect nature, leading some to call her ‘the mother Theresa of the environment’. A label she dislikes.

Producer: Anna Buckley


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r1ghq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y750vj3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbqts3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st9)
Are atoms immortal?

Atoms are the building blocks of our world. Many have been around since right after the Big Bang created the universe nearly 14 billion years ago. And if life on Earth is made of atoms that are from all the way back then... will those atoms keep existing forever? That’s what CrowdScience Listener Rob in Australia would like to know.

Caroline Steel investigates the immortality of atoms by travelling to CERN, the world’s largest particle physics laboratory located along the border of France and Switzerland. There, theoretical physicist Matthew McCullough explains whether the smallest atoms can decay or survive the test of time.

Physicist Marco van Leeuwen from Nikhef, the National Particle Physics Laboratory in the Netherlands, gives Caroline a behind-the-scenes tour of the ALICE experiment and the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. She learns how atoms are smashed at incredibly high speeds, and whether that might spell the end of an atom.

And all life on earth is made up of atoms, but how does a collection of tiny particles become a living being? Astrobiologist Betül Kaçar from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, breaks down how life works from an atomic point of view.

Presenter: Caroline Steel

Producer: Imaan Moin

Editor: Ben Motley



(Photo: Hands cupping a glowing atom in the studio - stock photo. Credit: Paper Boat Creative via Getty Images)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r1l7v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbqyj7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z5d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


MON 03:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:50 on Saturday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r1pzz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75130c)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbr28c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct7099)
Women giving cash to new mums

For many families, income plunges and poverty spikes right before a child is born and remains high throughout the first year. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to doctors in Kenya and the US about the positive impact of giving cash to pregnant women and new mothers.

Dr Mona Hanna is a paediatrician, professor, public health advocate and director of the Michigan State University-Hurley Children’s Hospital Paediatric Public Health Initiative. Mona also runs Rx Kids in Flint, Michigan and across the state, it is the first community-wide programme in the US designed to address poverty as a root cause of health disparities through the provision of unconditional cash allowances to pregnant and new mothers.

Dr Miriam Laker-Oketta is the Senior Research Advisor at GiveDirectly, a non-profit that lets donors send money directly to the world’s poorest people, no strings attached. Born and raised in Uganda, she initially trained and worked as an infectious diseases doctor. However, after becoming increasingly frustrated by her patients' late-stage disease presentations and their inability to afford basic medication and meet essential needs due to poverty, Miriam transitioned from medicine to direct cash aid.

Produced by Jane Thurlow

(Image: (L) Dr Mona Hanna credit Rx Kids. (R), Dr Miriam Laker-Oketta credit GiveDirectly.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r1tr3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h506rp)
Israelis gather to await hostages

US President Donald Trump says "the war is over" as he travels to Israel for the release of hostages from Gaza. He will then head to Egypt to host a summit on peace in the Middle East, which will also be attended by world leaders.

Among those confirmed to be attending are British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

(Photo: A woman takes a picture of messages displayed at "Hostages Square"; Credit: Reuters)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r1yh7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h50bht)
Handover of Israeli hostages set to begin

Through the night, well-wishers - some carrying Israeli flags - have been waiting for news in Hostages Square.

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, all 20 living hostages should now be released to the Red Cross. They’ll then be driven to a military base to reunite with their families, or, if needed, taken immediately to a hospital.

The past day has seen a promised surge in aid reaching devastated Gaza. The UN says that along with its partners, it's distributed hundreds of thousands of hot meals and bread.

(Photo: Israelis celebrate prior to the scheduled release of hostages held by Hamas, at Hostage Square; Credit: Shutterstock)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r227c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h50g7y)
The handover of Israeli hostages begins

An official involved with the operation confirms to Reuters that the Red Cross has arrived at the first collection point in Gaza.

The ICRC says it will not provide footage of released hostages or detainees during the operations, "out of respect for the dignity of those released and the condition they may be in, as well as issues linked to their safety".

(Photo: Israelis celebrate prior to the scheduled release of hostages held by Hamas; Credit: Shutterstock)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r25zh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h50l02)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbrk7w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ry7)
Thailand’s debt spiral

Thailand has one of the highest levels of consumer debt in the world as a proportion of its GDP. We hear from people who have borrowed and cannot pay back. They are struggling to get regular work to make payments and cover interest.

We also speak to a private money lender - are they helping people or making the problem worse?

Producer/presenter: Ed Butler

(Photo: Jie Ae Nattarin, a money lender in Thailand wearing her trademark headband)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct746q)
Wallander and the rise of Nordic Noir

Published in 1991, Faceless Killers was the first of Henning Mankell’s crime novels featuring police inspector Kurt Wallander. The series changed the world of crime writing, introducing gritty social realism. The Wallander novels helped establish Scandinavia as the epicentre of crime fiction.

Henning Mankell’s former agent Anneli Høier speaks to Ben Henderson about the rise of Nordic Noir.

Extracts from Faceless Killers are read by David Warner.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Henning Mankell. Credit: Gideon Mendel/Corbis via Getty Images)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r29qm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y751pr0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r2fgr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y751th4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r2k6w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y751y78)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r2nz0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y7521zd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 12:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbs17d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 12:32 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y7523mp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r2sq4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y7525qj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbs4zj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct7099)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r2xg8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy8720w)
All living Israeli hostages reunited with families

The last 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are now back in Israel after more than two years in captivity. President Trumps address the Israeli Knesset and Busloads of Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been handed over in the West Bank. 

(Photo: Released hostage Nimrod Cohen who was kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and taken to Gaza, holds an Israeli flag as he arrives at Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov), amid a hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel October 13, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r316d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy875s0)
'Long and painful nightmare finally over,' Trump tells Israel's parliament

The last 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are now back in Israel after more than two years in captivity. President Trumps address the Israeli Knesset and Busloads of Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been handed over in the West Bank. 

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talk at the Knesset on the day of Trump's address, amid a U.S.-brokered prisoner-hostage swap and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Jerusalem, October 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool)


MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81nx)
China posts strong export data amid rising US trade risks

Hannah Mulane breaks down China’s latest economic data. Could it strengthen their hand ahead of trade talks with the US?

We also look at whether France’s new government can push its budget through parliament.

And how the Australian Royal Mint are looking to cash in on animated cartoon Bluey now estimated to be worth two billion dollars.


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r34yj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w1730680714512h)
The last living hostages held by Hamas return to Israel

Cheering crowds have welcomed several buses carrying Palestinian prisoners and detainees released by Israel in exchange for the 20 living hostages freed by Hamas. The released Palestinians arrived in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Earlier today the Israeli hostages were taken from Gaza to an Israeli military base. Donald Trump has told the Israeli parliament that the ceasefire deal in Gaza marks the historic dawn of a new Middle East.

We explain today's events, and we speak to relatives of Israeli hostages.

We also hear from Gazans and from relatives of Palestinian prisoners.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: Released Israeli hostage, Omri Miran, held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, is reunited with his wife, Lishay Miran-Lav, as part of a prisoner-hostage swap and a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Reim, Israel October 13, 2025. Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r38pn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w173068071454tm)
Palestinians celebrate return of prisoners freed by Israel

President Trump has arrived at the Egyptian resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh where he and other world leaders will attend the signing of the first phase of the peace agreement between Hamas and Israel. Earlier, President Trump addressed the Israeli parliament, saying the release of the living hostages held in Gaza for over two years marks the historic dawn of a new era in the Middle East. The released Palestinians prisoners have arrived in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, and earlier today the Israeli hostages were taken from Gaza to an Israeli military base.

We speak to our correspondents in Jerusalem and Washington, and we hear from Gazans and from some of the family members of Israeli hostages.

We also speak to psychologists who have worked with released hostages and with those who were attacked by Hamas two years ago.

Our colleague with BBC Verify explains what images show about the damage across Gaza,

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: A freed Palestinian is hugged by a relative after he was released from an Israeli jail as part of a hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, October 13, 2025. Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r3dfs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wq8)
The escape from Vietnam that tore my family apart

In the chaos of the helicopter evacuation from Saigon in April 1975, Doan Hoàng Curtis' sister was somehow left behind. It would haunt her family for years.

Doan was just three years old when her family made it onto one of the last helicopters to leave Saigon as troops from the communist North took over the city and the Vietnam war came to an end. Her father was a major for the South Vietnamese air force and if he'd stayed in Saigon he could have been killed. Leaving Vietnam was an extraordinary moment for the family, but one that would have a deep and lasting impact on them, because somehow, in the turmoil of the evacuation, Doan's 17-year-old half-sister Van was left behind. It would take Van six years and a treacherous journey via Thailand before she could be reunited with her family, who ended up settling in the United States. Doan says the anger and confusion of why her sister was left behind has defined her whole life. Now an award-winning documentary filmmaker living in the US, Doan returned to Vietnam in 2005 with her family - including her sister Van - to make a documentary and confront the past. It's called Oh Saigon: A War in the family.

News report of Fall of Saigon came from CBS news.

The song Hoa Soan Bên Thềm Cũ, was performed by Van and written by Tuấn Khanh.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: June Christie

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Sepia-coloured photo of Doan Hoàng Curtis' family from 1973. Doan is being held by her father and her half-sister Van stands behind them. Credit: Doan Hoàng Curtis)


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct746q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r3j5x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y752x69)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbswg9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z5l)
2025/10/13 GMT

BBC sports correspondents tell the story behind today's top sporting news, with interviews and reports from across the world.


MON 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r3my1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy87shn)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbt06f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6swl)
The Life Scientific: Brian Schmidt

Have you ever pondered the fact that the universe is expanding? And not only that, it's expanding at an increasing speed - meaning everything around us is getting further and further away?

If that isolating thought makes you feel slightly panicked, don't worry: this programme also contains wine!

Brian Schmidt is a Distinguished Professor of Astrophysics at the Australian National University, known for his work on supernovae: massive explosions that take place when stars come to the ends of their lives. They are among the most energetic events in the universe and incredibly difficult to find; but that’s what his High-Z Supernova Search Team did, identifying enough of these rare and distant explosions to measure just how fast they were moving away from us.

This led them to the realisation that, contrary to long-held belief in cosmology, the expansion of the universe was speeding up; a discovery which earned Brian a share of the 2011 Nobel Prize for Physics. As if that wasn't enough, he's gone on to discover one of the earliest stars in the universe; run a university; and become a winemaker, at his very own vineyard just outside Canberra.

In a conversation spanning the genius phraseology of writer Douglas Adams, the importance of pisco sours, and the similarities between astronomy and viticulture, Brian tells Professor Jim Al-Khalili how his supernovae breakthrough paved the way for a revolution in astronomy - and where the field needs to go next...

Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced for BBC Studios by Lucy Taylor
Revised for World Service by Minnie Harrop


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r3rp5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy87x7s)
Trump and other leaders sign historic ceasefire deal

Donald Trump and other world leaders have signed an Israel- Hamas ceasefire deal at a summit on Gaza in Egypt. There have been joyous scenes in the Palestinian territories and Israel, as the two sides carried out an exchange of hostages for detainees, as part of the peace plan. Newshour hears from a relative of Yossi Sharabi who was was killed by Hamas and whose body was returned today.

Also in the programme: Madagascar's missing president; and Jordan's King Abdullah on the prospects for peace.

(Picture: US President Donald Trump poses for a photo during the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt. Credit: PA)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r3wf9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Interview (w3ct7x07)
Malala Yousafzai, global education campaigner: I did not know who I was

I was 15 years old and I did not know who I was

Madina Maishanu speaks to Malala Yousafzai, the global education activist, about the public life that has defined her, and her search for her own identity.

In a deeply personal interview, Malala Yousafzai reveals the legacy of her teenage years - as the spirited girl who took on the Taliban and nearly lost her life, then the Nobel Prize-winning advocate for girls everywhere to go to school. People think they know you, she says, but I did not know who I was.

Now, aged 28, she reveals the lasting impact on her mental health and how she’s been helped by therapy and by friendship, putting the loneliness of her teens behind her.

For Malala Yousafzai, the mission of her life remains ensuring every girl has the right to go to school, a goal that has driven her since she was a child growing up in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. Critical of the ruling Taliban, she survived an assassination attempt at their hands before fleeing to England to continue her education, ultimately at Oxford University.

Thank you to Madina Maishanu and Yousef Eldin for their help in making this programme.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Madina Maishanu
Producers: Yousef Eldin, Lucy Sheppard and Farhana Haider
Editor: Justine Lang

Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media

(Image: Malala Yousafzai Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for IMDb)


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbt7pp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 The Conversation (w3ct7099)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r405f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y753d5t)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbtcft)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76td)
Why Microsoft is switching from one of the world's most used operating systems?

Why is Microsoft switching off from one of the world's most used operating systems. And how bad that could be for millions of computer users around the world. How big a deal could this be?

Also why Madagascar, one of the world's poorest nations, is now in turmoil with its President fleeing the country.

And The Royal Australian Mint is releasing new $1 Bluey coins this week and they are already being pre-sold online for inflated prices. It follows the wildly popular release of Bluey coins last year. So what makes Bluey so popular?

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

TUESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2025

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r43xk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71wd)
The evacuation of Tristan da Cunha and Japan surrenders to China at the end of World War Two

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.

We start with a BBC archive interview where one woman recounts what it was like to survive the earthquake and landside in 1961 following the volcanic eruption in Tristan da Cunha. Our guest is Anne Green, a retired schoolteacher from the island of Tristan da Cunha. She describes what it was like to return to the island in 1963.

Then, the rare eyewitness account from a 105-year-old who is the only Briton alive today, that was at the ceremony when Japan surrendered to China in Beijing at the end of eight years of brutal occupation.

Next, the economist who in 2001 wrote a report about countries set to shape the world economy, accidentally coining the acronym BRICS.

Plus, the man who won the national competition to design the Indian rupee symbol when he was just a student.

Finally, the story of how VHS and Betamax battled over which video recorder would win the home entertainment market.

Contributors:
Anne Green - former teacher from Tristan da Cunha
Archive interview with Mary Swain - resident of Tristan da Cunha
John Stanfield - British Army veteren
Jim O'Neill - economist
Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam - Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Marc Wielage - digital colourist

(Photo: Tristan Da Cunha islanders arriving in England in 1961. Credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r47np)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y753mp2)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbtly2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct7171)
Why Hamas agreed to a ceasefire – but isn’t disarming yet

Donald Trump is in Israel today on a victory lap after securing what he claims is the beginning of lasting peace in the Middle East. The Gaza ceasefire – and with it, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners – follows weeks of intense talks brokered by American negotiators.
Some of the hostage families have credited the US president with achieving the ceasefire, but his team has more experience in the New York real estate world than in diplomacy.
So how exactly did they achieve a deal? And will Hamas really agree to its next phase – disarming and having no role in Gaza’s future?
Guest: Lyse Doucet, chief international correspondent.
Producers: Lucy Pawle and Sam Chantarasak.
Executive producer: James Shield.
Mix: Travis Evans.
Senior news editor: China Collins.
Image: A member of the internal security forces loyal to the Palestinian group Hamas, mans a checkpoint in the Gaza Strip. Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP via Getty Images.


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r4cdt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y753rf6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbtqp6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc5)
Drugs, overdose, hope: North Carolina

Drug overdose has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid mass produced in Mexico and smuggled across the border, drove the increasing number of fatalities ever higher. But there is a good news story that has not been widely reported. Drug-related deaths fell year on year from 2023 to 2024 by around 25%. In some states, the decline was even more dramatic - North Carolina was one of them. Linda Pressly visits the state capital of Raleigh to report on some of the reasons why fewer people are dying from illicit narcotics.

Presenter: by Linda Pressly
Producer: Tim Mansel

(Photo: Kayla, a former fentanyl user and now a client of a LEAD programme (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) in North Carolina that diverts substance abusers away from crime. Credit: Tim Mansel)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r4h4y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wq8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct746q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r4lx2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y753zxg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbtz5g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vv0)
Alexey Seliverstov: Bionic birdsong

How fixed is the borderline between human music and the sounds of nature? That’s a question that guides the work of Los Angeles-based composer Alexey Seliverstov. In this programme, Regan Morris follows Alexey’s creative process from recording the dawn chorus in the Santa Monica mountains, through the ingenious transformations of the field recordings to the finished multi-channel and multi-sensory installation for the Shelemay Sound Lab at Harvard University.

There is more to Alexey’s music than first meets the ear: some of the ‘birds’ are actually the sounds of his own and his brother’s voices recorded when they were children and altered beyond recognition by Alexey’s sophisticated processing. Adding ear-prints of empty spaces to the sounds of chirping synthesisers, similar to the effect of repeated exposures on an old-fashioned camera film, draw us further into Alexey’s imaginary landscapes. Are these soundscapes artificial or still mostly natural? And how does mixing the sounds of nature and sounds that we associate with humans, such as pianos, alter our idea of what is music?


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r4qn6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h533ns)
Trump hails 'historic dawn' in Middle East

President Trump has said the "prayers of millions have been answered" after a Gaza peace deal was signed at a global summit in Egypt. The US leader praised the regional leaders who helped negotiate the agreement - and said the second phase of negotiations on his peace plan for Gaza were now under way.

We hear from our correspondent in Jerusalem and one MP who heckled President Trump yesterday while he was addressing the Knesset.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump attends a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r4vdb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h537dx)
Trump: Peace in the Middle East

Israelis and Palestinians have celebrated as a major hostage and prisoner exchange on Monday marked a significant step towards ending two years of war in Gaza.

In a crucial first phase of the US-brokered plan to end the war, Hamas returned all living Israeli hostages, while Israel freed almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Cape Verde's footballers have become the second smallest nation to reach the next year's men's World Cup - their first time ever at the finals. They're the sixth African country to qualify - Isaac will have the details

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump poses for a photo, at a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r4z4g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h53c51)
'Uncertainty' over Gaza's process next steps

The plan would see Gaza initially governed by a temporary transitional committee of Palestinian technocrats overseen by the "Board of Peace", before power is eventually transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) once it has undergone reforms.

But difficult negotiations will be needed in order to move forward with the latter phases of the plan.

One of the world's longest dinosaur trackways, a hundred and sixty-six million years old, has been found in England

(Photo: President Donald Trump delivers remarks following the official signing of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r52wl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy6)
Alaska’s wild solutions

The US state of Alaska may be known for its rugged wilderness, but it is also quietly leading a green revolution. We explore how an island community is powering itself through a locally built and managed micro grid - cutting out fossil fuels and slashing energy costs. And we find out how scientists are using native mushrooms to produce sustainable building insulation and cold fish storage boxes that could help promote sustainability both in Alaska and beyond.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Reporter: Anna Holligan
Producer: Peter Devlin
Sound engineer: Gareth Jones
Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Photo: Grizzly bear in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbvg4z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s78)
Has Canada lost its trade war with the US?

The country has dropped tariffs on a wide range of US products, a major U-turn in the trade war.

It comes after Prime Minister Mark Carney said he had reached a “new economic and security relationship” with US President Donald Trump.

But with almost 40% of small Canadian businesses warning they might not survive another year under tariffs, and the province of Ontario losing tens of thousands of jobs, what will this shift mean for the economy?

We break down why Canada is changing course and what it could mean for businesses and consumers.

Presented by Sam Gruet
Produced by Megan Lawton

(Image: US President Donald Trump, right, and Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, shake hands during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington DC on 7/10/25. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74n9)
Jorge Luis Borges: 'Father' of Latin American fiction

In 1961, the Argentine poet and short story writer Jorge Luis Borges won the Formentor Prize for literature.

Borges’ stories were characterised by mind-bending plots often featuring labyrinths, dreams and fables.

Following his recognition in 1961, his reputation grew to such an extent that he is regarded as one of the most influential Latin American writers in history, as Ben Henderson reveals using BBC archive.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Jorge Luis Borges in 1977. Credit: Sophie Bassouls/Sygma via Getty Images)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r56mq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y754ln3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbvkx3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r5bcv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r5g3z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y754v4c)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbvtdc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71ck)
Trump is bailing out Argentina. What happened to ‘America first’?

President Trump’s administration may have frozen foreign aid but this week it’s giving Argentina a $20 billion lifeline. It's a move his critics are suggesting is more about politics than sound economics. Argentina’s president, the chainsaw-wielding Javier Milei, is a friend and close ally of Trump’s. On on Tuesday, Milei will visit the White House to discuss the details of this new rescue plan. We ask the BBC’s South America correspondent, Ione Wells, whether Trump is ditching ‘America First’ economics to bail out Argentina, or whether this is a financial gamble that could pay off.

Further reading: "How Milei's 'Thatcherite' economics divided his nation - but won over Trump" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9865l8540eo

Producer: Viv Jones.
Executive producer: James Shield.
Mix: Neil Churchill.
Senior news editor: China Collins.
Photo:Reuters/Al Drago


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r5kw3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4y)
Enter the new dragon: The Bruce Lee of Afghanistan

Abbas Alizada was a nine year old in Kabul when he fell in love with martial arts, after seeing Bruce Lee in the classic kung fu movie Enter the Dragon. He begged his parents for martial arts lessons, but when they could no longer afford the fees he continued training by himself at home. For years he spent many hours a day mastering his hero's moves in his basement, even teaching himself how to use Bruce Lee's trademark nunchucks. He was 18 years old when a friend first pointed out that not only could Abbas kick like Bruce Lee, but he bore an uncanny resemblance to him too. His friend uploaded a photo of Abbas posing like the actor to social media and it went viral overnight. National and international media descended on the Alizada household to interview this young lookalike with his self-taught mastery of kung fu. Soon Abbas was being flown all over the Middle East and Asia to star in movies, film commercials and perform at festivals. But when the Taliban retook Kabul in 2021, as a well-known actor Abbas knew he'd have a target on his back. Soon, Abbas would be forced to drop everything - and find a way out.

When Mary Farquharson started receiving strange messages on Facebook from a long-lost university friend, Mark Harris, she thought it was a scam. The last she'd heard about Mark was news that he'd died decades before. But after a few tentative replies, she discovered he was very much alive. After both having led lives on other sides of the world, they told Clayton Conn how their correspondence led to a reunion neither could have imagined.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Zoe Gelber

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

Photo: Abbas Alizada posing like Bruce Lee in Afghanistan in 2016. Credit: Abbas Alizada


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74n9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r5pm7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y7552mm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbw1wm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vv0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r5tcc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy89yxz)
What's next for Palestinians and Israelis?

There's uncertainty over the next steps in the Gaza peace process, a day after President Trump declared the war was over following the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. We also speak to a doctor treating Israeli hostages arrived from Gaza. Also on the programme, Madagascar's embattled president, Andry Rajoelina, says he is sheltering in a "safe place" after an attempt on his life, following weeks of protests calling for his resignation; and, one of the world's longest dinosaur trackways, dating back 166 million years, has been found in southern England.


(Photo: Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, October 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ebrahim Hajjaj)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r5y3h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbw9cw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s78)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81p3)
France to suspend pension reform

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has presented the government’s long-awaited budget. But will it pass? And can the government finally resolve the recurring political battle over raising the retirement age?

The International Monetary Fund has released its global economic outlook, projecting growth of 3.2% for the year ahead. However, concerns remain over global trade and the potential impact of tariffs.

And Cape Verde’s national football team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. We take a look at the investment that helped get them there.


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r61vm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w17306807147xzl)
What are the next steps for Gaza?

There is uncertainty over the next steps for Gaza, after 20 living Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees were reunited with their families as part of a ceasefire deal. Our Gaza correspondent says there are fears among Palestinians that Hamas's delay in handing over the bodies could derail the fragile ceasefire. We speak to Udi Goren, who is still waiting for his cousin Tal Haimi's body to be returned.

An elite military unit in Madagascar says it has taken power, ousting President Andry Rajoelina. We speak to our correspondent there and hear from protesters.

And Cape Verde have become the second-smallest nation to reach the World Cup after the islanders beat Eswatini 3-0 at home. We hear from people there.

OS presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: Heavy machinery removes debris from a street, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, October 14, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r65lr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w173068071481qq)
Gaza ceasefire deal: What next?

There is uncertainty over the next steps for Gaza, after 20 living Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees were reunited with their families as part of a ceasefire deal. Our Gaza correspondent says there are fears among Palestinians that Hamas's delay in handing over the bodies of hostages could derail the fragile ceasefire. We speak to Udi Goren, who is still waiting for his cousin Tal Haimi's body to be returned.

President Donald Trump will host Argentina's president, Javier Milei, at the White House on Tuesday, days after the US agreed to provide major financial support to Argentina. Our correspondents explain more and we hear from people in Argentina.

And an elite military unit in Madagascar says it has taken power, ousting President Andry Rajoelina. We hear from protesters.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon

(Photo: Palestinians pass by rubble, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, 14 October, 2025. Credit: Ramadan Abed/Reuters)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r69bw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74n9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r6f30)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y755t3d)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbwscd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zb3)
2025/10/14 GMT

BBC sports correspondents tell the story behind today's top sporting news, with interviews and reports from across the world.


TUE 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r6jv4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rc5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbwx3j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpd)
Drones with Tasers

We speak to the founder and CEO of Axon Enterprise, maker of the Taser, about the tech's future. And the future includes drones armed with Tasers.

Also in this edition of Tech Life: why an underwater glider is circumnavigating the globe, gathering data on the oceans. And find out why the quantum computing revolution could arrive sooner than expected.

Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A close-up photo of a Taser being aimed. Credit: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r6nl8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy8bt4w)
Israel to restrict aid over return of hostage remains

Israeli officials have said the government has decided to restrict aid into Gaza in response to Hamas being too slow in handing over the bodies of dead hostages.

We'll hear from an Israeli whose relative's body is still in Gaza and who fears it may never be brought home.

Also on the programme: we speak to the UN about the reconstruction in Gaza and how it will be paid for; and Harvard professor and philosopher Michael Sandel shares why he thinks meritocracy is overrated.

(Photo: A Palestinian man looks on next to a tent amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza City. Credit: Reuters)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r6sbd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbx4ls)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vv0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r6x2j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75692x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbx8bx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76bp)
Is there still hope for the US economy?

The IMF's latest report acknowledges that US growth has actually been stronger this year than it was expecting. But with a government shutdown entering a third week, we see some worrying signs for the world's largest economy.

Also why France is giving up on its plans to increase the retirement age?

And President Trump has welcomed Argentina's liberaltarian president, Javier Milei, to the White House, days after the US agreed to provide major financial help.

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2025

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r70tn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r74ks)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y756jl5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbxhv5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71ck)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Tuesday]


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r789x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y756nb9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbxml9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r7d21)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74n9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r7ht5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y756wtk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbxw2k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 The Documentary (w3ct7yv0)
Braille and me

Built around a game of Braille Scrabble, Emma Tracey presents a celebration of Braille, 200 years after it was invented. Emma, who has been blind since birth, talks to others who love the six tiny dots: Geerat Vermeij, one of the world’s leading experts in molluscs; Yetnebersh Nigussie, an Ethiopian lawyer, who describes her blindness as ‘a lottery I won at the age of five; Sheri Wells-Jensen, a linguistics professor who has been a linguistic consultant on Star Trek and is on the US advisory board for messaging extra-terrestrial intelligence; Japanese concert pianist, Nobuyuki Tsujii, who learnt to play using Braille music; and Emma's friend and Scrabble partner, Ellie.

And there is a chance encounter with the most famous Braille user of them all, Stevie Wonder.

But can Braille survive with the ever-increasing supply of tech that allows blind people to listen to, rather than feel, information?

Presenter: Emma Tracey
Producer: Adele Armstrong
Sound design: Steve Brooke
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r7mk9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h560kw)
Hamas returns more bodies of hostages

The Israeli military says the bodies of four more deceased hostages have been returned from Gaza. Israel has imposed new restrictions on aid entering the besieged Gaza Strip and will reportedly not open the Rafah crossing, between Egypt and Gaza, as planned until Hamas return more of the dead.

US President Donald Trump says that Argentina's president, Javier Milei, has his 'complete and total endorsement' ahead of crucial mid-term congressional elections in the country. The US has announced a twenty billion dollar plan to help calm Argentina's currency crisis but President Trump said the continued support depended on the success of Javier Milei’s coalition in the midterm race.

Local media in Sudan are reporting that food supplies in El Fasher are running out after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces completed an earthwork surrounding the besieged city. Food kitchens halted the distribution of meals at the weekend and markets in the capital of North Darfur have little to sell.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Red Cross receives bodies of hostages from Hamas as part of Gaza ceasefire swap. Credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters).


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r7r9f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h564b0)
Four more dead hostages have been returned to Israel

The bodies of four more dead hostages have been returned to Israel, with unconfirmed reports suggesting another four could be handed over by Hamas on Wednesday. Israel is now reported to be reopening the Gaza border crossing with Egypt as originally scheduled.

US President Donald Trump says that Argentina's president, Javier Milei, has his 'complete and total endorsement' ahead of crucial mid-term congressional elections in the country. The US has announced a twenty billion dollar plan to help calm Argentina's currency crisis but President Trump said the continued support depended on the success of Javier Milei’s coalition in the midterm race.

And we go to Morocco where the government has announced a 400 million dollar investment from France's Safran Group - establishing Africa’s First Aircraft Engine production and assembly system. We speak to the country's minister of Trade and Industry.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Red Cross receives bodies of hostages from Hamas as part of Gaza ceasefire swap. Credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r7w1k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h56824)
Hamas returns more deceased hostages

The bodies of four more dead hostages have been returned to Israel, with unconfirmed reports suggesting another four could be handed over by Hamas on Wednesday. Israel is now reported to be reopening the Gaza border crossing with Egypt as originally scheduled.

The World Meteorological Organisation has warned that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, a key driver of global warming, reached a new high in 2024. It says the rate of increase in levels of the gas has tripled since the nineteen sixties. The UN agency blames continued emissions of carbon dioxide from human activities and a surge from wildfires, as well as a reduction in the amount of gas absorbed by the world's oceans, soils and forests.

And we speak to the incoming Prsident of the Seychelles islands, Dr Patrick Herminie.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Convoy transporting the bodies of deceased hostages, kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, arrives at Abu Kabir forensic centre. Credit: Stoyan Nenov/Credit)


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r7zsp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x70)
Jamie Dimon, head of US bank JP Morgan Chase: I am worried about the global economy

I am worried about the global economy

Simon Jack, BBC Business Editor speaks to global financial titan Jamie Dimon. He’s the Chief Executive and Chairman of JP Morgan Chase, America’s largest bank, and one of the biggest banks in the world. He oversees more than $4 trillion of assets, and has the ear of world leaders.

He believes we are living in a time of uncertainty, and is concerned about the impact on the global economy. The risk of a serious fall in the US stock market within the next two years is being underestimated, he claims, adding he is far more worried about this than others.

But he still puts his faith in the American economy, saying it is the best in the world. And while he says the United States is now a “less reliable” international partner, it is thanks to the actions of President Trump that other NATO members have stepped up their spending on defence. Such investment he believes is essential, in a world more dangerous since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Jamie Dimon has been at the helm of JP Morgan Chase for nearly twenty years. Now he has been tipped as a potential US Treasury Secretary, something he says is not on the cards.

Thank you to the Big Boss Interview team for their help in making this programme.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Simon Jack
Producers: Oliver Smith, Lucy Sheppard
Editor: Justine Lang

Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbyc22)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6scs)
What's going on with Indonesia's economy?

Indonesia’s president has now been in power for a year but having won the election on policies to support the lower classes, the economy is struggling.

That struggle led to violent protests across the country making global headlines.

We speak to businesses, young people and families about the changes they’ve seen in the past year and discuss whether the new government can fulfil their economic pledges.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick
Producer: Hannah Mullane

(Image: Students eat food supplied by the Indonesian government's free meal programme at an elementary school in Darul Kamal, Aceh province on 13 October 2025. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74qk)
The trial of Soviet writers Daniel and Sinyavsky

In 1965, two writers were accused of publishing anti-Soviet material abroad.

The arrest of Yuli Daniel and Andrei Sinyavsky was seen as symbolic of the new era in the Soviet Union.

The liberal leader Nikita Khrushchev had been ousted in favour of hardliner Leonid Brezhnev, and dissenting political views were being cracked down on.

In a moment considered the start of the dissident movement in the Soviet Union, hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Pushkin Square, in Moscow, for the writers to be given an open trial.

Vicky Farncombe tells the story using BBC archive and an interview with Yuli Daniel's son, Alexander.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Soviet authors Yuli Daniel (left) and Andrei Sinyavsky sit in prisoners' dock. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r83jt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y757hk6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbygt6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r878y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 World Questions (w3ct7505)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r8c12)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y757r1g)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbyq9g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71ft)
Is the US-China trade war back on?

“If there’s a fight, we’ll fight to the end”, a Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday, of the increasingly fierce trade war playing out between the US and China.

As President Donald Trump threatens imposing 100% tariffs on goods coming from China, his counterpart, President Xi Jinping, has restricted US access to its rare earth minerals – which are vital to producing everything from smartphones to fighter jets.

With the two leaders due to meet in South Korea later this month, can they break the stalemate, or will they plunge the world’s two biggest economies into a global trade war? BBC China correspondent Stephen McDonnell joins us to discuss how the world’s two largest economies got locked in stalemate – and what it could mean for the cost of the goods we all buy.


Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Hannah Moore
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

Image: Russian Matryoshka wooden dolls, depicting US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Yuri Kochetkov/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r8gs6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcv)
Why The Rocky Horror Show means so much to so many

The Rocky Horror Show’s themes of liberation and sexual freedom have resonated with audiences for over 50 years. The film version developed a cult following and brought a whole new meaning to the term audience participation. For its creator, Richard O'Brien, the musical, also contained something much more personal; an expression of his repressed sexuality.

Richard's son Linus O'Brien has made a documentary entitled Strange Journey, The Story of Rocky Horror, looking at why so many people found comfort and community in its themes, including eventually his father.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Julian Siddle

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Image: The Rocky Horror Picture Show advertising poster, with colourful images of characters from the film. Credit: LMPC via Getty Images)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74qk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r8ljb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y757zjq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbyysq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 The Documentary (w3ct7yv0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r8q8g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy8dvv2)
Anger in Israel as pressure mounts on Hamas to return hostage bodies

Israel's military says one of the four bodies returned by Hamas on Tuesday is not that of a former hostage. It said Hamas had to make all efforts to return the remains of those taken on October seventh. The process has been impacted by the devastation in Gaza, with some bodies believed to be under rubble.
Palestinians in Gaza are reported to be stockpiling food, amid anxiety that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will unravel -- and the flow of aid will stop.

Also in the programme: Kenya has declared a week of national mourning for the former prime minister Raila Odinga, who's died at the age of 80; a sumo tournament is taking place outside Japan for the first time in 34 years; and the leader of one of China's biggest underground churches, Jin Mingri, has been detained, his daughter gives us the latest.


(Photo: Red Cross vehicles transport the bodies of deceased hostages who had been held in Gaza. Credit: Reuters)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r8v0l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x70)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbz68z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6scs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81p9)
India resumes shipping small parcels to the US

It's been welcomed by small businesses but comes with new tariff costs. More than a billion small parcels were sent between India and America last year.

What will a $20 billion currency swap deal mean for Argentina?

And Greece proposes a workday which could run for up to 13 hours.


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r8yrq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w1730680714btwp)
Israel says one body released by Hamas not a hostage

Israel says one of the four bodies handed over by Hamas overnight "does not match any of the hostages". In the meantime, people in Gaza are reported to be stockpiling food as prices surge, amid growing concern that the ceasefire may not hold. We get more information from our correspondent.

This week we are checking in with communities in Israel and Gaza, who have felt the impacts of the two-year war; today we hear from a couple who are raising two children in the Israeli border city of Sderot.

Kenya has declared seven days of national mourning for the former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, who has died at the age of 80. We get reaction from Kenyans.

YouTube double act Dan and Phil have confirmed their relationship after 16 years of fan speculation. We speak to vloggers and influencers about how much they would want to reveal about their private life.

A new research suggests that lead is beoming more common among protein powders and shakes. Our health correspondent explains.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: A convoy transporting the bodies of deceased hostages, kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, arrives at Abu Kabir forensic centre, as part of a prisoner-hostage swap and a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel October 15, 2025. Credit: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r92hv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w1730680714bymt)
Pentagon press restrictions

As of today, no major US news network or publication will have a permanent presence at the Pentagon for the first time in decades. Leading news outlets have rejected a new Pentagon policy that bars journalists from the building unless they only report information that has been officially authorised by the Department of Defense. We speak to two Pentagon reporters.

Palestinians in Gaza are stockpiling food as prices surge, amid growing concern that the ceasefire may not hold. Israeli officials have said the main crossing in Rafah in the south is not due to be opened for aid convoys today, although trucks are coming in through other points. The UN humanitarian chief says Israel must uphold the ceasefire agreement and open more crossings for vital aid. We speak to our international editor about this week's developments.

This week we are checking in with communities in Israel and Gaza, who have felt the impacts of the two-year war; today we hear from a couple who are raising two children in the Israeli border city of Sderot.

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban say they've have agreed a temporary ceasefire, after border clashes flared again on Wednesday. We speak to our reporter with BBC Afghan.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, after a meeting of NATO defence ministers at the alliance's headquarters, in Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2025. Credit: Yves Herman/Reuters)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r967z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74qk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r9b03)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y758q0h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbzp8h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zdc)
2025/10/15 GMT

BBC sports correspondents tell the story behind today's top sporting news, with interviews and reports from across the world.


WED 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r9fr7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rbzt0m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjz)
How to prioritise aid in Gaza

As the fragile ceasefire holds in Gaza, we hear about the health impacts and realities of the aid being let into the territory from Olga Cherevko – spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Gaza.

The first ever evidence-based and outcome-specific dietary guidelines to treat chronic constipation in adults has been published. Could kiwi fruit hold the answer? We found out what’s in the new recommendations from Dr Eirini Dimidi.

The World Health Summit concluded this week, journalist Andrew Green was there and reports on the highlights from reshaping the global aid landscape to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.

As California bans ultra-processed food in schools, we find out what changes pupils will see on their plates.

And treating baby wraps with Permethrin may hold promise for malaria prevention in newborns.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins and Katie Tomsett

Image: Trucks carrying aid wait at the border crossing for entry into the Gaza Strip on October 12, 2025 in Rafah, Egypt. This week's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has brought an end to the two years of war that followed the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, allowing aid groups to increase delivery of humanitarian relief.

Image Credit: Ali Moustafa/Getty Images


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r9khc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy8fq1z)
Hamas returns bodies of two more hostages

The Israeli military says that the Red Cross has received the bodies of two more Israeli hostages in Gaza. But many others remain and Israel is threatening to restrict the flow of aid into Gaza unless they are returned.

Also on the programme: almost all the Pentagon press corps has said no to new reporting restrictions; and the big stars of Sumo are set to wrestle at a tournament in London.

(Photo: People carry the coffin with the body of Israeli soldier Daniel Shimon Perez during his funeral in Jerusalem, October 15, 2025. Credit: Reuters)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r9p7h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Interview (w3ct7x70)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc01hw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 The Documentary (w3ct7yv0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r9szm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y759600)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc0580)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76jc)
Are Chinese businesses feeling the squeeze?

New official data shows that prices in China are falling again. The producer price index, which measures the amounts charged by factories, has been negative for three straight years and last month it declined by 2.3 per cent year-on-year. Meanwhile, with consumer prices also down during a holiday month, is the world's second largest economy stuck in a hole, and how hard will it be to fix?

Elsewhere we hear about the economic turmoil and rising living costs over the past year in Indonesia that's caused violent protests.

And Ed Butler speaks to Professor Sir Cary Cooper on why Germany wants to put its pensioners back to work.

The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.

THURSDAY 16 OCTOBER 2025

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0r9xqr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 World Questions (w3ct7505)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rb1gw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y759fh8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc0dr8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71ft)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Wednesday]


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rb570)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y759k7d)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc0jhd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct831q)
Fighting on two fronts

Meet the polar scientists of Ukraine’s National Antarctic Scientific Centre, who lead extraordinary dual lives, conducting critical climate research in Antarctica while also serving on the frontlines of war against Russia. This documentary reveals how scientists are defending both their country’s sovereignty and its scientific legacy. Despite war, displacement, and destruction, Ukraine’s commitment to climate science endures, revealing a powerful intersection between national identity, resilience, and global responsibility.

Producer/presenter: Harrison Lewis

Photo credit: Alexandra Montgomery


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rb8z4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74qk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rbdq8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y759sqn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc0rzn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70z3)
The power of pepper

Pepper is ubiquitous at the dining table, but arguably most of us don’t know much about it.

In this programme John Laurenson finds out about the pepper plant – how it is grown and harvested and the range of flavours it can offer. He learns about the history of this spice and why it was once so revered, and the ways in which you can use it today to make your food not just tastier, but also healthier.

If you’d like to contact the programme you can email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

Produced and presented by John Laurenson.

Image: a cartoon wooden pepper mill with specks of ground pepper coming out of it, floats on a blue background. (Credit: Getty/yurumarukko)


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rbjgd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h58xgz)
The toll of war on Sudan's children

After two years of brutal civil war in Sudan, that has seen thousands killed and millions displaced and many more facing famine, our correspondent has been to the capital Khartoum to see how the war has impacted the most vulnerable - children.

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have agreed a temporary ceasefire, after border clashes flared on Wednesday. Pakistan said it would last for forty- eight hours and called for constructive dialogue. We get the latest from our reporter in Jalalabad.

And Kenya has declared seven days of national mourning for the former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, who has died at the age of eighty. We speak to the governor of Kisumu County.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Sudanese mother, Touma, in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. Credit: BBC)


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rbn6j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h59173)
Effects of war on Sudan's children

After two years of brutal civil war in Sudan, that has seen thousands killed and millions displaced and many more facing famine, our correspondent has been to the capital Khartoum to see how the war has impacted the most vulnerable - children.

The bodies of two more Israeli hostages, who died after the Hamas attacks of October 7th 2023, have been returned by the armed group to Israel. If these two bodies are confirmed to be Israeli hostages, it means there are 19 others who are still unaccounted for in Gaza. We speak to one woman who still waits for the remains of her husband's body to be returned.

And we speak to the new President of the Seychelles, Dr Patrick Herminie. We ask him what is the most pressing issue that needs his attention?

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Ahmed clearing debris from park in Khartoum. Credit: BBC)


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rbryn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h594z7)
How war has changed children's lives in Sudan

After two years of brutal civil war in Sudan, that has seen thousands killed and millions displaced and many more facing famine, our correspondent has been to the capital Khartoum to see how the war has impacted the most vulnerable - children.

After hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released by Israel, as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas, we speak to one woman in Ramallah whose father has been deported to Gaza.

And we speak to the incoming President of the Seychelles. He tells us how he wants to tackle the cost of living crisis and corruption in the country.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Amputee, Zaher, playing football in Khartoum in Sudan. Credit: BBC)


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rbwps)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7236)
Can Gen Z shape a new Nepal?

At the beginning of September 2025, within 48 hours, Nepal’s government had been toppled, and more than 70 people had been killed, with many more injured. The trigger for all of this had been a government ban on 26 social media platforms, but the primary reasons ran much deeper. Nepal became a republic in 2008, following a decade long civil war, but since then, the promised stability and prosperity have failed to materialise. The country has been subjected to short term coalition governments, resembling a game of musical chairs between certain political parties.

And it was Nepal’s Gen Z, who decided to make their frustrations over the lack of opportunities, the social inequality and the existing political system known, with their digitally driven anti-corruption protests. In the aftermath, the protestors gave their approval to a new interim prime minister and demanded new elections, set for March next year.

Asia is increasingly witnessing a mood for change amongst its young people, from Indonesia to Sri Lanka and last year’s student-led revolution in Bangladesh. But very few protests of this nature have translated into fundamental social change. And it remains to be seen if the decision by Nepal’s Gen Z, to place their trust in 73-year-old Sushila Karki as the new Interim Prime Minister, reflects their own political maturity.

So, on this week’s Inquiry we’re asking, ‘Can Gen Z shape a new Nepal?’

Contributors:
Prof Jeevan Sharma, Chair of South Asia and International Development, University of Edinburgh, UK
Pranaya Rana, Journalist and Writer, Kalam Weekly, Kathmandu, Nepal
Prof Sreeradha Datta, International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana, India
Dr Rumela Sen, Lecturer and Faculty Director, Master’s in International Affairs programme, Columbia University, USA

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Maeve Schaffer
Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley
Technical Producer: James Bradshaw
Editor: Tom Bigwood

(Photo: Anti government protest in Kathmandu. Credit: Sunil Pradhan/Anadolu via Getty Images)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc17z5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s2r)
God in your pocket

Can your smartphone bring you spiritual fulfilment?

We look at the growth of religion-based apps, as the “faith tech” industry sees rapid growth.

Much of the tech charges a fee to use it, but not everyone is convinced.

Produced and presented by Rob Young

(Image: The "Text With Jesus" chatbot app which has thousands of paying subscribers. It lets people ostensibly ask questions of Mary, Joseph, Jesus and nearly all 12 apostles. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74jw)
Helen Fielding: The creator of Bridget Jones

In 1995, a single 30-something woman with big knickers and blue soup first appeared in a weekly column, published by British newspaper The Independent.

Initially written anonymously by journalist Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones quickly became a cultural icon, as she tried to make sense of life and love.

The book, Bridget Jones’s Diary, became a best-seller in 1996 and the character has gone on to feature in three more books and four films.

Although, some people don’t agree with Bridget’s obsession with her size and men, her relatability is a hit with many.

Bridget’s creator Helen Fielding looks back, with Megan Jones, at how one column, published 30 years ago, turned into a cultural phenomenon.

Clips featured in the programme are from the film, Bridget Jones's Diary. The production companies behind it were Working Title Films, Universal Pictures, Miramax and StudioCanal. It was directed by Sharon Maguire.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Helen Fielding at a book signing. Credit: Fred Duval/FilmMagic)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rc0fx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75bdg9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc1cq9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct831q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rc461)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysn)
The Media Show: The Gaza Ceasefire

As a ceasefire takes hold in Gaza, attention has turned to how the story itself is being covered and interpreted. From live reporting in Tel Aviv to verifying information from inside Gaza, journalists describe the pressures of working amid uncertainty and political tension.
Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy reflects on the choices behind frontline coverage and the balance between speed and accuracy. Bel Trew, chief international correspondent at The Independent, outlines how she gathers and checks information when access to Gaza remains blocked. Professor Lee Edwards of the London School of Economics examines how global outlets have framed recent events and whether context and history are being lost in the headlines.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Lucy Wai
Assistant Producer: Martha Owen
Production Coordinator: Ruth Waites
Technical Coordinator: Chris Brown
Sound: Chris Ablakwa


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc1hgf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 World of Secrets (w3ct854q)
Death in Dubai

Death in Dubai: 4. The right hand man

A key insider agrees to talk. He says he worked at the centre of this illegal prostitution ring. Why is he speaking out now? And what can he tell us about the world Monic was caught up in, and the man she was working for? We follow in Monic’s footsteps to the glitzy clubs and bars where we are told she was sent.
This episode includes discussion of sex and abuse.

Presented by investigative journalist Runako Celina.

Season 9 of World of Secrets, Death in Dubai, is a BBC Eye investigation, produced in association with Thread Studios, for the BBC World Service.

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the person depicted in it is a model.

If you feel distressed by the references in this story, please speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support such as Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org

For UK listeners, details of organisations offering information about or support after sexual abuse, or with feelings of despair, are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Here’s a link to the BBC Eye documentary film, which we recommend you watch after listening to this podcast: https://bit.ly/bbcdeathindubai

If you are in the UK, you can watch on iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n12t256jg


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rc7y5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75bmyk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc1m6k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct7199)
A Gazan journalist’s diary

Reporting on the war in Gaza has only been possible because of the work of Palestinian journalists, because the Israeli government will not let foreign broadcasters – including the BBC – inside the territory to report freely, even now a ceasefire is in place.

One month ago, freelance journalist Ghada Al-Kurd began sharing voice notes with us, talking about her life, her family, and her days reporting in Gaza City. Her job is dangerous – almost 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza in the past two years – and even with a ceasefire in place, safety is far from reach.

Ghada has continued to report for us through her displacements, sharing her treasured memories of pre-war Gaza, and her fears and hopes for its future.

Producer: Hannah Moore.

Executive producer: James Shield.

Mix: Travis Evans.

Senior news editor: China Collins.


Image: Ghada Al Kurd


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rccp9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wy1)
The Iraqi orphan now making music with the stars

Emmanuel Kelly has always been told that he was abandoned as a baby in his birth country of Iraq and left on a battlefield, before being taken in by an orphanage in Baghdad. It was the late 90s and surrounded by the chaos of explosions and gunfire outside, he grew close to another little orphaned boy called Ahmed. Both boys were physically differently-abled. One day, a humanitarian worker named Moira Kelly came into their lives and eventually was able to adopt the two boys, moving them from Iraq to Australia. There, Emmanuel learned to walk and fell deeply in love with music, especially the British rock band Coldplay. At 17, his rendition of Imagine on Australia’s X-Factor TV programme went viral. He moved to LA, performed with Bruno Mars and Snoop Dogg, but struggled with the wild lifestyle, and ended up homeless for a while. An epiphany helped get his life back on track and soon he was living out his childhood dream of performing with his favourite band, Coldplay. A documentary film about Emmanuel’s life called Dream Fever is in production.

Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammed Saud are the Indian bodybuilding brothers who rescue injured birds, eventually turning their home in Delhi into a makeshift hospital. They've now cared for over 36,000 injured birds and animals. (The voice overs are by Gaurav Sajjanhar and Samar Abbas Kazmi. The clips of Cliffhanger are from Studio Canal.) This interview was first broadcast in March 2023.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Andrea Rangecroft

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp 44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Close-up of Emmanuel Kelly's smiling face and defined jawline! Credit: Duncan Sibley of PBJM Studios)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74jw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rchff)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75bwft)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc1vpt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70z3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rcm5k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy8hrr5)
Trump says he has authorised secret operations in Venezuela

US President Donald Trump has confirmed a report that he authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, provoking outrage from the South American nation's leader. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro says 'no to regime change'

Also in the programme: As more Palestinians return to what is left of their homes in Gaza City, we talk to one university student who's just taken his exams in the street; and the story of Oscar Wilde's library card -- it's now being returned, 130 years after it was cancelled when he was sent to prison. We speak to his grandson.

(Photo: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro speaks during an event commemorating Indigenous Resistance Day in Caracas, Venezuela, 12 October 2025. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez/ EPA/Shutterstock)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rcqxp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7236)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc2362)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s2r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81ph)
Has India agreed to stop buying Russian oil?

US President Donald Trump has said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to stop buying Russian oil, but the Indian government isn't completely in agreement with the American President's comments - stating that talks were 'ongoing'.

Also the world's biggest packaged food and drinks company Nestlé has announced big job cuts.

And is Microsoft's new hand-held Xbox games console worth the money?

Presenter: Hannah Mullane
Producer: Victoriya Holland
Editor: Stephen Ryan


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rcvnt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w1730680714fqss)
Kenyan police fire shots and tear gas at crowds

Kenyan police have fired teargas and warning shots to disperse tens of thousands of mourners gathered to view the body of the former prime minister, Raila Odinga - causing huge crowds to flee in panic. It's feared many people have been injured in the ensuing crush. We speak to our reporter.

This week we are checking in with communities in Israel and Gaza to explore the impact of the two-year war. Today we hear from a Palestinian family separated by the conflict.

Kanchha Sherpa, the only surviving member of the first expedition to scale Mount Everest, has died at the age of 92. We speak to his son, Tshering Sherpa.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: Crowds fleeing tear gas in a stadium.)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rczdy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w1730680714fvjx)
Sudan's brutal civil war

We speak to our correspondent Nawal Al-Maghafi who has been on a rare trip to Sudan’s capital Khartoum, one of the key battlegrounds between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary group the RSF, the Rapid Support Forces. She went to see the impact this war has had on the most vulnerable - children.

A warning: Her report contains details some listeners might find upsetting.

Many people are feared injured in a crush after Kenyan police fired teargas and warning shots to disperse surging crowds mourning the late opposition leader, Raila Odinga. We get the latest from our correspondent.

This week we are checking in with communities in Israel and Gaza to explore the impact of the two-year war. Today we hear from a Palestinian family separated by the conflict.

We hear from young people in Germany where the government plans to introduce voluntary military service to boost the country’s national defence.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo:Touma's life and family have been devastated by Sudan's civil war)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rd352)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wy1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74jw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rd6x6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75clxl)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc2l5l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z7v)
2025/10/16 GMT

BBC sports correspondents tell the story behind today's top sporting news, with interviews and reports from across the world.


THU 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rdbnb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct831q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc2pxq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yg0)
Paris agreement impacts and drought realities

Ten years on from the Paris climate agreement, has it helped? Also, an international drought experiment, insights from 2D water, and social distancin in ants.


Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

(Photo: Small bushfire. Credit: Lea Scaddan/Getty Images)


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rdgdg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy8jlz2)
Donald Trump has authorised covert CIA operations in Venezuela

US President Donald Trump has confirmed he has authorised the CIA to carry out secret operations in Venezuela, and that he is considering attacks on Venezuelan territory.

It follows a series of strikes by the US military against alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean, which have killed 27 people.


Also in the programme: A phone conversation between Putin and Trump ahead of President Zelensky’s visit to Washington - and the queen of de-cluttering, Marie Kondo, explains what the world doesn't understand about her native Japan.

(Photo: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro at a demonstration to mark Indigenous Resistance Day. Credit: Reuters /Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rdl4l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7236)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc2ydz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70z3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rdpwq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75d2x3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc3253)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct75y8)
The end for Nestlé as we know it?

Nestlé is the world's largest packaged food and drink company, but after a turbulent period it has announced plans to cut 16,000 jobs over the next two years. But after selling its water division for €5bn earlier this year, will it lead to the Swiss conglomerate slimming down further?

Andrew Peach finds out why the US Chamber of Commerce is trying to stop the Trump administration charging businesses US$100,000 for each foreign skilled worker visa.

Elsewhere, Japan is known for its political stability, but amid numerous economic challenges, could a new prime minister be the answer to its problems?

And what's all the fuss about with Microsoft's first-ever handheld Xbox console?

The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.

(Picture: The Nestlé logo is seen during the opening of the 151st Annual General Meeting of Nestlé in Lausanne, Switzerland on 12th April, 2018. Credit: Reuters / Pierre Albouy.)

FRIDAY 17 OCTOBER 2025

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rdtmv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc35x7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78c0)
Gaza’s internal power struggle

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses who will actually be running Gaza in the wake of the ceasefire there, examines the escalating trade war between China and the United States, and looks at the recent spate of cyber-attacks targeting western companies.

Producer: Kate Cornell
Executive Producer: Benedick Watt
Commissioning Editor: Vara Szajkowski


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rdycz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75dbdc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc39nc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct7199)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Thursday]


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rf243)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75dg4h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc3fdh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rf5w7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wy1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74jw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rf9mc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75dpmr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc3nwr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vph)
Mamdani New York

Zohran Mamdani catapulted on to New York’s political scene this summer when he captured the Democratic nomination to run for Mayor this fall. A young politician, Mamdani campaigned on issues that mattered to New Yorkers including lowering the cost of living, but unlike other candidates, was not shy about making his Muslim faith a central talking point on the campaign trail. We explore how a single decision galvanized voters of different faiths across America’s biggest city, and delve into the social issues that divided those casting ballots – including the war in Gaza, Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, and the divisiveness of the phrase, “globalize the intifada,” which Mamdani refused on multiple occasions to denounce. What was it about Mamdani that led Muslim voters to feel like they had a voice who will represent them as Mayor of New York City? Do Jewish voters feel let down? Will religion be the driving force behind voter mobilization come November, or will the high cost of living be the motivating factor for many across the Big Apple? We sit down with voters of varying views to find out.

[Photo Description: Zohran Mamdani campaign rally for mayor of New York City, Credit: Andrew Lichtenstein]

Presenter: Victoria Craig


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rffch)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h5ctd2)
President Trump to meet Vladimir Putin

US President Donald Trump says 'great progress' was made during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, with the pair agreeing to face-to-face talks in Hungary. This news comes ahead of Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House later today.

We go to Kenya where the state funeral of the former prime minister, Raila Odinga, is to be held with full military honours. It follows a day in which at least three people died in Kenya after police fired gunshots and tear gas in a stadium where crowds of mourners had gathered to see the body of Mr Odinga.

And we go to Peru where a state of emergency has been called by the new government. It comes after clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police in the Peruvian capital, Lima, that left a 32-year-old man dead and more than 100 people injured, including many police officers.

Presenters: James Copnall and Krupa Padhy

(Photo: U.S. President Trump meets with Russian President Putin in Alaska. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rfk3m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h5cy46)
President Trump plans to meet Vladimir Putin in Hungary

President Trump has said he hopes a proposed second summit with his Russian counterpart will help bring what he called the inglorious war between Russia and Ukraine to an end. It follows what he described as a very productive two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin. Mr Trump is due to meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House later on Friday, who's expected to urge the US President to sell his country long-range Tomahawk missiles.

John Bolton, the man who served as Donald Trump's national security adviser in the president's first administration before becoming a vocal critic of him, has been criminally indicted on federal charges. The Department of Justice presented a case to a grand jury in Maryland on Thursday, and they agreed there was enough evidence to indict Bolton on charges of mishandling classified information. Bolton has issued a statement maintaining his innocence. He is the third Trump critic to be criminally charged since September.

We go to Kenya where the state funeral of the former prime minister, Raila Odinga, is to be held with full military honours. It follows a day in which at least three people died in Kenya after police fired gunshots and tear gas in a stadium where crowds of mourners had gathered to see the body of Mr Odinga.

Presenters: James Copnall and Krupa Padhy

(Photo: President Trump meets with Russian President Putin in Alaska. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rfnvr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zspv9h5d1wb)
State funeral of Raila Odinga

The state funeral of the former Kenyan prime minister, Raila Odinga, is being held in the national stadium in Nairobi. Thousands of mourners are in attendance, as is a large security presence following the chaotic scenes at his lying-in-state on Thursday when three people were killed. The BBC's Anne Soy is at the stadium for us.

President Trump has said he hopes a proposed second summit with his Russian counterpart will help bring what he called the inglorious war between Russia and Ukraine to an end. It follows what he described as a very productive two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin. Mr Trump is due to meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House later on Friday, who's expected to urge the US President to sell his country long-range Tomahawk missiles. We go live to Kyiv.

And we hear how people are trying to rebuild their lives in Gaza following the negotiated ceasefire there.

Presenters: James Copnall and Krupa Padhy.

(Photo: People mounting Raila Odinga, Former Prime Minister Odinga. Credit: Daniel Irungu/EPA)


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rfslw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 Americast (w3ct7t62)
Can Trump silence the press?

A major row has erupted between the US defense department and the journalists that cover its work after a memo was issued last month requiring journalists to accept a new set of reporting restrictions or face being barred from America’s military headquarters.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new policy would require journalists to sign an agreement stating they will only publish information “explicitly authorised” by the defense department. News outlets were nearly unanimous in rejecting the restrictions, prompting a major walkout from the Pentagon as journalists from all but one news organisation handed in their press passes.

The move reignites the Trump administration’s long-running feud with the press and its freedom to report on the White House. In today’s episode, we look at why the memo has been issued, and implications for freedom of the press and future reporting.

And, we speak to Newsmax’s James Rosen about why his news organisation refused to sign up to the new rules and the impact on wider reporting of the Trump administration.

HOSTS:
• Sarah Smith, North America Editor
• Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
• Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations correspondent

GET IN TOUCH:
• Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB
• Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480
• Email Americast@bbc.co.uk
• Or use #Americast

This episode was made by Purvee Pattni with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

You can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl
Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc44w8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rsq)
Business Daily meets: Lamborghini's Stephan Winklemann

The president and CEO of Lamborghini doesn’t just sell supercars, he sells a symbol of status, speed, and style.

But what does it take to lead one of the world’s most iconic luxury brands?

Theo Leggett meets Stephan Winklemann at a Lamborghini showroom in London, UK, to explore his journey from paratrooper to CEO of some of the top automobile companies.

We hear how he steers businesses through a worldwide economic recession, a pandemic, and global trade wars. Plus, with the rise of electric vehicles – what is the future for the luxury car company?

Produced and presented by Theo Leggett
Additional production: Niamh McDermott

(Image: Stephan Winkelmann sat in front of a yellow Lamborghini wearing a suit and grinning into the camera)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct744g)
My aunt created The Moomins

The first Moomins story about a family of nature-loving white round trolls was published in 1945 during World War Two. The Moomins and the Great Flood was created by writer and artist Tove Jansson as a source of comfort during bleak times.

It highlighted the struggles of those who’d been displaced by war introducing readers into the lives of Moomintroll, Moominmamma and Moominpappa.

Tove's tales and illustrations, featuring the cuddly creatures with smooth round snouts, are loved the world over and have been published in more than 60 languages.

She was born in Finland but her first language was Swedish, which the original Moomins books were published in. Tove's niece Sophia Jansson, speaks to Reena Stanton-Sharma about growing up in a family surrounded by creativity and nature.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Tove Jansson and the Moomins. Credit: © Moomin Characters™)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rfxc0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75f9cd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc48md)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yg0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rg134)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wp)
Why are gold prices so high?

Record high gold prices have us looking at the science of inflation, why gold is leaking from volcanoes, and entomologist Katy Price explains why shiny gold can be a good color for camoflague.

Plus the dark science going on in a gold mine, whether we can move at the speed of light, and the debate around golden rice. All that, plus more unexpected elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, Robbie Wojciechowski and Lucy Davies.


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rg4v8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75fjvn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc4j3n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct714s)
Why has Trump authorised CIA action in Venezuela?

On Wednesday, President Trump confirmed that he has authorised the CIA to take covert lethal action in Venezuela. The revelation came off the back of a series of US strikes on Venezuelan boats accused of transporting drugs in the Caribbean Sea, which resulted in the death of 27 people in what some human rights experts are calling "extrajudicial executions".

The US military operation has the region on edge, leaving analysts wondering whether this is just part of a new war on drugs, or a push to bring down the Maduro regime. The BBC's Will Grant briefs us on these latest developments, and the CIA's history in Latin America.

Producers: Viv Jones and Valerio Esposito

Editor: Annie Brown and James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Image: Miguel Gutierrez/Shutterstock


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rg8ld)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6whh)
Outlook Mixtape: Why did the chicken...

Three finger-lickin' chicken tales from the Outlook archive for your delectation.

Guirec Soudée had always dreamed of sailing around the world. He set out at the age of 21 in a rusty 30-foot boat, with no communication equipment and little sailing experience. During a stop in the Canary Islands he met Monique – a Rhode Island Red chicken and, 'fell in love'. She was to become his confidante and best friend during a four-year trip. Together, they sailed across the Atlantic, then on to Greenland and even crossed the treacherous Northwest Passage between the Pacific and the Atlantic. He became the youngest sailor to complete the crossing; Monique the only chicken. This interview was first broadcast in 2021.

Michael Sayman loved two things when he was growing up in Miami in the noughties – his Mum's Peruvian chicken and his smartphone. When the family restaurant was struggling under the recession, 12-year-old Michael wanted to help and started creating phone apps. All of a sudden, this child was keeping the chicken business afloat and paying the bills, but his schoolwork was starting to suffer and the pressure was taking a toll. And then came an email from Mark Zuckerberg that would change everything. Michael spoke to us in 2024.

The late legendary American chef Leah Chase was known as New Orleans' 'Queen of Creole Cuisine'. The restaurant she ran, called Dooky Chase, was named after her husband and his father whose family started it in 1941. Famous for its dishes like fried chicken and gumbo, Leah hosted the likes of Martin Luther King, Ray Charles and Barack Obama. Her story inspired the Disney film, The Princess and the Frog. Leah Chase spoke to us in 2016.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Tommy Dixon

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct744g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rgdbj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75fsbx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc4rlx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vph)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rgj2n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy8lnn8)
Zelensky to make case for missiles at Trump meeting

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is in Washington ahead of crucial talks with Donald Trump. The meeting comes a day after Mr Trump spoke on the phone with Vladimir Putin -- and agreed to hold a summit in Hungary to discuss how to end the war. On his arrival, Mr Zelensky said Moscow was rushing to the negotiating table to stop America from supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

Also in the programme: The second highest general in China has been removed and faces corruption charges along with eight other senior military officials; and we hear from Marie Kondo, who became famous by teaching us how to tidy up.

(Photo: A handout photo made available by Ukrainian Presidential Press Service shows US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, 23 September 2025. Credit: Photo by Presidential Press Service handout EPA /Shutterstock)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rgmts)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 Americast (w3ct7t62)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc5035)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rsq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81pp)
Pushback on proposed IMO shipping emission cuts

New climate agreement to make shipping more environmentally friendly was postponed by a year after failing to reach consensus amid U.S. pressure. Representatives from most of the 176 member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which governs global seafaring, are at its headquarters in London.

Also we head to South Africa where gambling has become one of the country’s fastest-growing industries - but at what cost?

And have you heard of Singles Day? It China's biggest online shopping event and this year it's come early in a bid to get consumers to spend more cash.

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

Presenter: Hannah Mullane
Producer: Victoriya Holland
Editor: Justin Bones


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rgrkx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w1730680714jmpw)
Zelensky to meet Trump at White House

President Zelensky is preparing to meet President Trump in the White House to press him to supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles to use against Russia. It comes a day after Mr Trump agreed to hold another summit with President Putin. We hear from Ukrainians—both inside and outside the country—about their hopes and thoughts on the prospects for peace.

British government ministers are trying to reverse a ban on Israeli football fans attending a match against Aston Villa in Birmingham next month. We explain the background.

UN aid agencies are appealing to Israel to allow aid directly into northern Gaza -- where famine was declared in August -- and where key border crossings are still closed, despite the ceasefire. We get the latest from our correspondent.

After teaming up with Harlan Coben, Reese Witherspoon has been speaking to the BBC about why strong female characters matter. We hear from other female authors on what makes a woman protagonist compelling.

Presenter: Pria Rai.

(Photo: US President Trump meets Ukraine's President and European leaders at White House, Washington, USA - 18 Aug 2025. Credit: AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rgwb1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w1730680714jrg0)
Zelensky to make case for long-range missiles at White House

President Zelensky is preparing to meet President Trump in the White House to press him to supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles to use against Russia. It comes a day after Mr Trump agreed to hold another summit with President Putin. We hear from Russian and Ukrainians—both inside and outside the country—about their hopes and thoughts on the prospects for peace. We also hear from our reporters with BBC Russian and BBC Ukraine, as well as our correspondent in Washington.

Many people have been injured in Kenya as crowds surged to get a glimpse of the coffin during the funeral of the late opposition leader, Raila Odinga. Our correspondent has the latest.

After teaming up with Harlan Coben, Reese Witherspoon has been speaking to the BBC about why strong female characters matter. We hear from other female authors on what makes a woman protagonist compelling.

Presenter: Pria Rai.

(Photo: Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is launched from the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. George, March 23, 2003. Credit: U.S. Navy/Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Kenneth Moll/Reuters)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rh025)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6whh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct744g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rh3t9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75ghtp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc5h2p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z3b)
2025/10/17 GMT

BBC sports correspondents tell the story behind today's top sporting news, with interviews and reports from across the world.


FRI 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rh7kf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn6)
Families in Israel and Gaza share their stories

After two years and two days of war in Gaza, Israel and Hamas have agreed the first phase of a US-brokered ceasefire. In our conversations, families in Israel and Gaza share their experiences of the conflict and their lives today.


With the remaining 20 surviving Israeli hostages seized by Hamas fighters on 7 October 2023 now back with their families, we hear from husband and wife George and Yael. Their town was attacked by Hamas fighters two years ago, but Yael is hoping for a lasting peace.


“Most people here just want to live a peaceful life,” she says. “Even if they’re Palestinians, it doesn’t matter who they are, if they’re peaceful to us, then we’re peaceful to them.”


On the other side of the border, thousands of Gazans have been making the journey back to their homes but most already know that there will be little left. We connect Basil in Gaza with his daughter, Layan, who escaped to Egypt. She has not seen her father for more than two years but hopes to return.


“It’s a difficult feeling to know that a place that you once loved is ruined, but your soul is still longing to go there and you still have hope for the future that it is going to be rebuilt,” she tells us. “I want to be part of this rebuilding process.”


Presenter: Rahul Tandon
BBC producers: Isabella Bull and Iqra Farooq
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham

An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the OS team.

(Photo/credit: Basil with his daughters)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc5ltt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stb)
Can we record our senses?

How would you record a special moment? Maybe you could take a photograph, film a little video, or record some audio. We have lots of ways of recording what life LOOKS and SOUNDS like, but is the same true for the other senses? What if you wanted to record the smells that greet you on entering your favourite restaurant? Or record the way your loved ones hand feels in yours?

These are the questions on the mind of listener Aravind, from California in the USA. He wants to know if there are any ways of recording and reproducing sensory experiences like taste and smell, or physical touch.

Anand Jagatia is on the case, and is smelling, tasting, and quite literally FEELING his way to the answer. From a multi-sensory movie experience in Valencia, Spain, to the fascinating history of the pioneers of ‘scented cinema’, through to the ground-breaking “haptic technology” which is enhancing the capabilities of our sense of touch. Both for us, and for the robots which do the jobs we don’t want to.



Presenter: Anand Jagatia

Producer: Emily Knight

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Woman making ASMR sounds with microphone and perfume on yellow background, closeup - stock photo. Credit: Liudmila Chernetska via Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rhc9k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zss9zy8mhw5)
Ukraine president meets Trump over Russia war

President Trump is holding talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, at the White House - with the visitor hoping for increased US support against Russia. Mr Zelensky is expected to ask the US for long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Also in the programme: there's been a last-minute adjournment of an agreement to reduce carbon emissions from global shipping; and how an ancient Roman gravestone found its way into the back garden of a New Orleans house.

(Picture: Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky participates in a bilateral meeting with US President Trump at the White House. Credit: AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rhh1p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 Americast (w3ct7t62)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc5vb2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vph)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwvt0rhlst)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl9y75gzt6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxp7rc5z26)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76nw)
Landmark global shipping deal paused

A landmark deal to cut global shipping emissions has been put on hold for a year after Saudi Arabia and the U.S. succeeded in ending the talks. Bisi Adebayo speaks to the International Chamber of Shipping and the General Secretary of the International Maritime Organization.

Why is the US Chamber of Commerce trying to stop the Trump administration charging businesses US$100,000 for each foreign skilled worker visa?

Plus, how are some American states helping start-ups and researchers to make graphic processing units, the supercharged chips that power AI ?