SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER 2025

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwww5928w4s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wq)
How does biometric data work?

Europe has a new entry/exit system based on biometric data. But what exactly is the science behind biometric data, how can we ensure it’s used responsibly, and can it be cracked?

We also look at how some animals use dung as biometric data with Dr. Adrian Shrader, how your walk can be used to ID you from Professor Mark Nixon, and why gold has its own special measurement. All that plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins with Lucy Davies and Robbie Wojciechowski


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwww5928zwx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hh8cx9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0nzc59)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct714t)
How Giorgia Meloni became Trump's best friend in Europe

Giorgia Meloni is Italy’s first female Prime Minister, and her political star has risen rapidly - from working class roots in Rome, to becoming one of the most important and divisive leaders in Europe.

A populist whose party has roots in Italian fascism, and who takes a hard right stance on migration and family values, she has formed a kinship with Donald Trump, who this month alone has promoted her autobiography and her speeches online, and called her “beautiful” on stage.

In today’s episode, journalist Barbara Serra joins us to discuss Meloni’s increasingly crucial role in US-European relations.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Valerio Esposito
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: YOAN VALAT/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwww59293n1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hh8hnf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0nzgxf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zjx)
Climate change: Is cricket facing its ‘ultimate test’?

On this week's Stumped, with Alison Mitchell, Matt Clinch and Charu Sharma, we take a closer look at how climate change affects cricket. England batter Maia Bouchier tells us about the physical and mental effects of extreme heat; that's after she contributed to a recent report which warns that players at all levels of the game across the globe are being placed at increasing risk due to playing in extreme conditions. They discuss the latest from the Women's World Cup and ask what can be done to mitigate the weather after a number of games were washed out in Sri Lanka.

We hear from UP Warriorz and India player Saima Thakor and find out how getting off the bus at the wrong stop helped catapult her into an international cricket career.

Plus, the team chat about their favourite pieces of cricket memorabilia after Lord's announced that it was making sections of the outfield available for sale ahead of ground renovations.

Photo: New Zealand's Brooke Halliday cools off herself during a drinks break in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 match between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on October 10, 2025. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwww59297d5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6whj)
Outlook Mixtape: Sugar Rush

In this Mixtape, four irresistibly sweet stories of connection all featuring scandalous amounts of sugar.

After a painful break-up, British corporate manager Zoe Carmichael turned to baking for comfort. Now her extraordinary creations, from a horse’s head to a disco ball, have inspired a mini baking movement. Emily Webb spoke to her in 2020.

In Chicago, Vamarr Hunter always felt a special bond with the owner of his favourite local bakery, Lenore Lindsey – but never imagined she could be his long-lost birth mother. Hear this story in full by searching for Lives Less Ordinary, Sweet Surprise.

Nael and Manar Najjar fell in love over boxes of baklava in Iraq. Fleeing violence, they rebuilt their lives in the USA and the sweet that brought them together became the star of their new bakery in California. Outlook reporter Margot Wohl went to meet them in 2019.

Dr Rahul Mandal grew up in Kolkata, India in a home without an oven. He moved to the UK for his PhD and started baking to make friends - just two years later in 2018, he was crowned the winner of The Great British Bake Off. He spoke to Andrea Kennedy in 2022.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Louise Morris

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

(Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct744h)
The man who invented the scratch card

In May 1974, scratch cards went on sale for the first time in the US State of Massachusetts.

Free giveaway and coupon games from stores had been commonplace across the USA during the 1950s and '60s – but players could easily cheat.

The mathematician John Koza was hired to make the games more secure; he succeeded in making the modern-day scratch card. He tells Johnny I’Anson how he convinced the state-run lotteries to use his invention to offer cash prizes.

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: The original scratch card. Credit: Massachusetts State Lottery)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwww5929c49)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwww5929gwf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hh8vwt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0nzv4t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Dear Daughter (w3ct7zr0)
Walk away the first time

Listener Julia writes a letter to her future daughter with some advice from her own life: if a man ever hits you, walk away the first time.

When her ex-boyfriend slapped her in the face, he said he was sorry and he would never do it again. But then things started getting worse.

She tells Namulanta how she finally got out of her abusive relationship and rebuilt her life – and what she wants other people in similar situations to know. Plus, she advises other people on what they can do if they suspect someone they love is experiencing domestic violence.

Letter writer: Julia

Dear Daughter is an award-winning podcast from the BBC World Service about love, life, family, and raising children. It is the brainchild of Namulanta Kombo, a mother on a quest to create a ‘handbook to life’ for her daughter, through the advice of parents from all over the world.

Each episode, a guest reads a letter they’ve written to their children (or their future children, or the children they never had) with the advice, life lessons, and personal stories they’d like to pass on.

Expect extraordinary true stories, inspirational advice for parents, and moving accounts of families, relationships and raising daughters.

Share your letter! What do you want to say to your kids? Or the next generation? Do you have thoughts on motherhood, fatherhood, or parenthood to share? Whether you are a mum or mom, dad or papa, grandparent, uncle, aunt, daughter, son or just want to write a letter, send us a WhatsApp message on +44 800 030 4404 or visit https://www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzk)
Is your housework split sexist?

Do you ever have fights with your partner about who does more of the housework and whether it’s fair? Well data might have the answer.

Corinne Low is an associate professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She analyses surveys of how people spend their time, particularly in terms of “home production” - that is things like cooking and cleaning, and “market work”, that is, paid work. She has written two books on the subject - Femonomics in the UK, and Having It All in the US.

If you are the male half of a heterosexual couple, then she has got some stats you should hear.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Series producer: Tom Colls
Sound engineer: Giles Aspen
Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples
Editor: Richard Vadon


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwww5929lmk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8bmjqk5bj)
US ramps up military pressure on Venezuela

The United States is increasing pressure on the Venezuelan government, deploying the world’s largest warship toward the Caribbean in a major escalation of its military presence in the region.

Also in today’s programme: Western powers, led by the US, are intensifying efforts to push Russia toward ending its war in Ukraine. Earlier this week, Washington announced sweeping new sanctions targeting Russia’s two biggest oil companies to force Moscow to the negotiating table. And in a remarkable medical story, a woman with Parkinson’s disease played the clarinet during her brain surgery. We’ll hear from the patient, Denise Bacon, and her neurosurgeon, Professor Keyoumars Ashkan.

Presenter Krupa Padhy is joined by Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute in Vancouver, Canada, and Yannis Palaiologos, journalist with the Greek daily Kathimerini and the investigative outlet Inside Story in Athens.

(Photo: Cubans rally in support of Venezuela, denounce US escalation, Havana, Cuba - 17 Oct 2025. Credit: Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwww5929qcp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8bmjqk92n)
Venezuelan president accuses the US of 'fabricating war'

Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro, has accused the United States of "fabricating a new, eternal war" by deploying the world's largest warship. The U.S. has been increasing its military presence in the Caribbean, sending warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 aircraft in what it says is a campaign to target drug traffickers.

Also in today's programme: Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been in London for talks with more than twenty allied countries to discuss measures to fight back against Russia's invasion. And a new behind-the-scenes documentary about one of Hollywood's greatest directors, Martin Scorsese, is out on Netflix now.

Presenter Krupa Padhy is joined by Shachi Kurl, president of Angus Reid polling Institute in Vancouver, Canada and Yannis Palaiologos, journalist with the daily newspaper Kathimerini and Inside Story, an investigative news online publication.

(Photo: Venezuelan Navy patrols Caribbean coast, in Puerto Cabello 24 October, 2025 , Juan Carlos Hernandez/Reuters)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwww5929v3t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8bmjqkdts)
What happens in Gaza next ?

The aftermath of war in Gaza -- what lies ahead?

Also in today's programme: International humanitarian organisations call for more patients to be evacuated from Gaza. And Lynsey Addario, award-winning war photographer, talks to us about Love and War, a film based on decades of her work in conflict zones. We ask her: what is it like to be in front of the camera, rather than behind it?

Presenter Krupa Padhy is joined by Shachi Kurl, president of Angus Reid polling Institute in Vancouver, Canada and Yannis Palaiologos, journalist with the daily newspaper Kathimerini and Inside Story, an investigative news online publication.

(Photo: Trucks carrying aid wait at the Israeli side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing to southern Gaza, amid a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in southern Israel, October 20, 2025. Reuters/Hannah McKay)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwww5929yvy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn7)
Living with motor neurone disease

Former England rugby captain Lewis Moody recently revealed he had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), and our conversations give an insight into how lives can be overturned by this muscle wasting condition.

Dr Mehboob in Canada was diagnosed five years ago and is now paralysed from the neck down. He is joined in conversation by his wife, Sophie, and Evy in Belgium, whose dad died last year 46 years after his diagnosis.

“I’m at peace with the very clear knowledge that at any time this disease will take my life,” Mehboob tells us. “I’ll just live day by day appreciating every moment in my life, and that’s how I’ve been able to cope with it.”

MND is incurable. Over time, muscles weaken – affecting movement, speech eating and breathing. People over 50 are most likely to get the disease but there is evidence that elite athletes are also disproportionately affected. We bring together Narayana in India with James and Gillian in the UK, who were all diagnosed in their 30s, to share their experiences of living with the condition.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon
BBC producers: Laura Cress and Iqra Farooq
Boffin Media Producer: Richard Hollingham

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

Photo/credit: Dr Mehboob and his family


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p0b4b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z5g)
Is social media good or bad for us?

In the last Pick of the World we go back to the first show and - five years on - discuss Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa's belief that social media is harmful to democracy. Plus, our new podcast Cyber Hack investigates the Evil Corp Russian hacker group - and a thank you to the animal kingdom for keeping the internet, just about, fun.


SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvz)
After nearly 1,000 editions, Rajan signs off

There is a new programme in the schedule, World Business Express. It has been on air for around six weeks and is a partial replacement for the now-decommissioned World Business Report. We hear listeners' comments and we are joined by its editor, Justin Bones.

Plus, and after nigh-on a thousand editions of Over To You, this is the final edition hosted by Rajan Datar.

He looks back on his nearly 20 years of airing your feedback and interviewing programme makers and BBC execs on your behalf.

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


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwww592b2m2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct878c)
The all American

Basketball pioneer Ann Meyers Drysdale joins us to look at her remarkable career on and off the court. A leading light as women's professional basketball took off in the late 1970s, she was not afraid to mix it up with the men, even being paid to be part of the practice squad for an NBA team! Also an Olympic history maker she tells us about the changes she has seen since her playing days to now as Vice President for the Phoenix Suns and Mercury.

Ice Hockey has a rough and tumble reputation. Some suggest it's one of the reasons so few players have opened up about their sexuality. Former professional player Brock McGillis is one of the very few who has. Now retired he spends his time advocating for and educating players, fans and coaches on inclusivity and in making the sport a welcoming environment

The baseball season is coming to its exciting conclusion, but despite having some of the most recognisable names in world sport playing the game, baseball has suffered a dip in popularity in recent years. Some suggest it's become too slow, even a bit dull. The MLB, the governing body, have introduced new rules this season to speed up the game, but could they take a few notes from the creator of the hugely successful and fast moving Banana Ball? Jesse Cole, is the creator and owner of the Savannah Bananas and explained ow it works, why it's so successful, and why he was wearing a bright yellow tuxedo for the interview!?

In 1958, the New York Giants played the Baltimore Colts in the NFL championship game. The match was so exciting it turned American Football into a successful television sport virtually overnight. The clash became known as the "Greatest Game". Veteran American sports commentator, Bob Wolff, who covered the match, tells us why it was so great!

(Photo: A large United States flag as seen from right field before Game Three of the National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Credit: Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwww592b6c6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hh9lcl)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p0kml)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78c1)
Will Hamas really give up control of Gaza?

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether Hamas will lay down its weapons in Gaza, looks at how other jihadist groups have responded to the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and explores how Ukraine’s approach to the war with Russia might change in the wake of the latest row with President Trump.

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


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwww592bb3b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 The Forum (w3ct712x)
Robots and reality

Are we entering an era when robots will finally liberate people, and particularly women, from the drudgery of housework? There is certainly a buzz around domestic robots right now and every month seems to bring us a new autonomous machine that can fold your clothes or stack your dirty dishes. But while impressive, these robots are still much slower and clumsier than any human, even a child. The foundations of modern robotics were laid back in the 1950s and yet progress since then has been slow and uneven. So what has been holding it back?

Iszi Lawrence discusses the past and present of domestic robots with robot designer and researcher Usman Roshan; robot historian Ben Russell, curator at the Science Museum in London; writer of robot fiction Emma Braslavsky and Dr. Maartje de Graaf who studies robot errors. Plus World Service listeners tell us about their favourite robots.

(Photo: An artist's impression of a robot cleaning a house. Credit: Maciej Frolow/Getty Images)


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwww592bfvg)
News

The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zssbc6lglf2)
Maduro accuses US of 'fabricating a war'

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro warns US against war, after the Pentagon orders top aircraft carrier to join its campaign against drugs gangs in the Caribbean. We ask what is Trump's endgame in Venezuela.

Also in the programme: The difficulties of getting thousands of sick and injured Gazans for urgent medical treatments abroad despite ceasefire; and how a German company made a risky, but pretty funny, advert for itself out of the Louvre jewel heist.

(Image: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attends a press conference in Caracas; Credit: Photo by MIGUEL GUTIERREZ/EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwww592bkll)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqrnsbz5z1)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld has live Premier League commentary of Chelsea against Sunderland with updates on Newcastle United versus Fulham.

Premier League title winner and former Chelsea and Leicester City defender Robert Huth and former Liverpool, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Brad Friedel join Lee James to preview those matches and big games for Liverpool and Manchester United.

Sportsworld will head to Spain to talk about the player protests in La Liga on El Clasico weekend as well as to Italy ahead of a big game in Serie A between defending champions Napoli and Inter.

There’s big international football with the first legs of the second round of 2026 Women’s Afcon qualifiers. England also face Brazil in the first international match for both teams after becoming their respective continental champions.

The Rugby League Ashes returns for the first time since 2003 as England take on world champions Australia in the first of their three matches, while Australia’s women play South Africa at the Women’s Cricket World Cup.

Sportsworld will also have news from baseball’s World Series following game one between LA Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix as the race for the drivers’ championship intensifies in Formula One and the Track Cycling World Championships in Chile.

There are also two huge fights in heavyweight boxing and UFC. In the ring, Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley fight in London for the chance to face undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk, while Tom Aspinall defends his heavyweight title in the octagon for the first time in Abu Dhabi.

Image: Estevao of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on October 04, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwww592c1l3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hhbflh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p1dvh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Dear Daughter (w3ct7zr0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 today]


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwww592c5b7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Documentary (w3ct81qq)
A people’s history of Gaza

An oral history of Gaza, from the creation of the Strip in 1948 to the eve of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, told through the experiences of ordinary people - a teacher, a doctor, a smuggler, a bird-watcher, a musician and others. Tim Whewell finds out how Gazans survived exile, invasions, wars and blockade, how hopes for peace rose and fell, how they lived, worked and died over 80 years - under Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwww592c92c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zty)
Yorgos Lanthimos

Nikki Bedi speaks to Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos about his latest film Bugonia, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.

We hear from triple Oscar-winning Mexican director Guillermo del Toro about breathing new life into Frankenstein.

Actor and star of The Morning Show, Karen Pittman, discusses women led workplaces and the politics of news media.

Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović reflects on her most personal and perhaps most ambitious artwork to date, Balkan Erotic Epic.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reveals how his background as a pro wrestler failed to fully prepare him for playing Mark Kerr, the UFC mixed martial arts pioneer whose life is depicted in new film The Smashing Machine.

And Chinese pianist Lang Lang introduces a life changing live performance with his father.

Joining Nikki to navigate these cultural riches is the critic Arifa Akbar.

Producer: Ciaran Bermingham


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwww592cdth)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zssbc6lhkd3)
Starvation in Sudan

The Sudan Doctors’ Network is calling for the reopening of aid corridors in the besieged city of El-Fasher in North Darfur, where it says at least three children are dying daily in 'catastrophic' situation. The Rapid Support Forces have been fighting the Sudanese army for control of El-Fasher, one of the last government-held areas in the Darfur region. We hear from a man who has been in the city since the start of the conflict.

Also in the programme: Research suggests advanced AI systems are resisting attempts to shut them down; and growing tensions in Venezuela as President Maduro accuses the United States of 'fabricating' a new war.

(Photo: A ceiling damaged by shelling shrapnel at in El Fasher, Sudan, October 7, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/El Tayeb Siddig)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwww592cjkm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct878c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwww592cn9r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hhc1b4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p20l4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72dl)
Maryama Cham

Maryama Cham is a talented singer-songwriter from the Gambia. She has a beautiful and powerful singing voice, and she is passionate about using it to speak out about social issues and give voice to the voiceless. In her songs she has addressed everything from fake news to the plight of women in the Gambia, many of whom undergo FGM and are forced to marry as children.

Maryama Cham is also passionate about the rich musical heritage of the Gambia, and the storytelling tradition of the music. Her sound blends traditional instruments including kora, balafon and djembe, with global contemporary genres like reggae, dancehall, R&B, hip-hop and pop.

Image: Maryama Cham (Credit: STS Pictures with Steve Jabone)

SUNDAY 26 OCTOBER 2025

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwww592cs1w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p24b8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct8cb9)
G-land: Surf and spirits

Off the coast of Java, Indonesia, lies G-Land, one of the world’s most legendary surf breaks, framed by dense forest that was once home to the now-extinct Javan tiger. Alas Purwo (which literally means “Ancient Forest” or “First Forest” in Javanese) is considered one of the most mystical places in Java, with deep ties to Javanese spirituality and legend.

Despite Java being one of the most crowded islands on Earth, this sacred jungle has remained largely untouched. In the 1970s, surfer Bobby Radiasa arrived from neighbouring Bali to visit American surfers who had set up a remote base there, hammocks and tree houses, what some say is the world’s first surf camp. It is a camp Bobby Radiasa still runs today. He discovered both myth and magic in its waves and shares the extraordinary story of how surfing transformed his life, and how surfing and tourism changed his home Kuta, Bali, so it is now unrecognisable from his youth.

The program also features an interview with Jim Banks, an Australian surfing legend known as a pioneer of big wave surfing and amongst the first group of surfers that arrived in Bali and later to G-land.

Producer: Rebecca Henschke and Dave Arnold

(Photo: Bobby Radiasa at G-land. Credit: Dave Arnold)


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwww592cwt0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Documentary (w3ct81qq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwww592d0k4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hhcdkj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p2ctj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 Dear Daughter (w3ct7zr0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zs9)
Sofia Mulanovich’s first world surfing championship win

With both her parents and brothers surfing, it was natural that Peruvian Sofia Mulanovich got into the sport at the age of three. As a teenager she competed in the US Open surfing competition, where she made the quarter-finals.

But it was in 2004 when she made history by becoming the first South American woman to win the World Surfing Championship.

She tells Rachael Devine about the waves she had to ride to get the world title, and later to be inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame. A Tbone production for BBC World Service.

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: Sofia Mulanovich in 2004. Credit: Pierre Tostee/AFP via Getty Images)


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwww592d498)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hhcj9n)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p2hkn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vk0)
How impostors distort medical research

As Japan declares a flu epidemic we find out more about what’s going on in the country, and the potential implications for the flu season ahead in the Northern Hemisphere.

Human and bot imposters are rising in medical research, and they risk undermining results, but why do they do it? Eileen Morrow from the University of Oxford explains the tricky balance of safeguarding against them whilst not excluding real participants.

A new adrenaline nasal spray has been licenced for those with severe allergies. Family Doctor Ayan Panja explains what a difference this might make for patients.

The first patient has been recruited in a phase III trial investigating malaria treatments in early pregnancy. We speak to her and the researchers who are hoping to recruit further participants in Mali, Burkina Faso and Kenya.

Plus, how far can you really push yourself? Researchers think they’ve found the ‘metabolic ceiling’ for endurance athletes.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Katie Tomsett and Hannah Robins


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwww592d81d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 The Forum (w3ct712x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwww592dcsj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6ts4)
Sudan: growing up in a civil war

Pascale Harter introduces stories from Sudan, India, France and Mauritius.

The conflict in Sudan between the country's military and their former allies, the militia fighters of the Rapid Support Forces or RSF, has has left millions of people displaced and at risk of hunger and famine. In the capital Khartoum, Nawal Almaghafi witnessed the toll the violence has taken on families, and meets children whose lives have been forever shaped by the war.

India's textile workshops have churned out clothing for markets across the world for centuries – but Indian goods are now less competitive for American buyers, due to Donald Trump's heavy tariffs. In the run-up to the recent Diwali festivities, Archana Shukla saw how factory owners, garment workers and festival shoppers were all feeling the pinch.

France has been reeling this week from the fallout of last weekend’s theft of priceless crown jewels from the Louvre in Paris. Andrew Harding reflects on the sense of disbelief and shame which has dented national pride - but also given rise to some pointed humour.

And on the tiny Ilot Vacoas, an Indian Ocean island belonging to Mauritius, Lorraine Mallinder joins the hunt for some even tinier geckos - and hears the story of a daring rescue mounted to save some rare resident species from the effects of a giant oil spill.

Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison

(Image: Sudanese children play in the region of Jazira, south of Khartoum. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p2r1x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78c1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwww592dhjn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hhcwk1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p2vt1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct8cb9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwww592dm8s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8bmjqn5zr)
President Trump attends ASEAN summit

President Trump is in Malaysia to attend a ceasefire deal between Cambodia and Thailand, and attend the first day of the summit of south-east Asian countries.

Also in today’s programme: A new report shows the increasing demand for coffee around the world is leading to reduced rainfall in the Amazon. We speak with a coffee farmer in Brazil about what his company is doing to try and slow the environmental damage, and grow sustainable coffee. And the winner of this year’s International Chopin Competition in Warsaw is an American. We speak with Eric Lu about the pressures of performing in such a celebrated event, and to the director of the competition about what it means for Poland.

Presenter Krupa Padhy is joined by Helen Scales, a marine biologist and author based in the United Kingdom, and by Bence Nemeth, a senior lecturer in defence studies at King’s College, London.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hold up trade deal documents during a bilateral meeting during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 26, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwww592dr0x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8bmjqn9qw)
President Trump oversees peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand

Donald Trump starts his one-week visit of South East Asian nations in Kuala Lumpur, beginning with attending a peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand.

Also in the programme: Scientists in the UK have made a major breakthrough in the field of genetic engineering by creating pigs that are resistant to a fatal disease. We speak with one of the researchers on the study. And we look at why protests have emerged recently in countries such as Nepal, Madagascar and Indonesia, among others. We talk to some members of Generation Z to find out why this is happening now.

Presenter Krupa Padhy is joined by Helen Scales, a marine biologist and author based in the United Kingdom, and by Bence Nemeth, a senior lecturer in defence studies at King’s College, London.

(Photo: Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (C) watches as Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet (L) and US President Donald Trump (R) shake hands on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 26 October 2025. Credit: Mohd Rasfan/Pool/EPA/Shutterstock)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwww592dvs1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8bmjqnfh0)
Trump in Malaysia for Asian summit

President Trump attends the first day of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur after officiating at a Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire agreement.

Also in the programme: What explains the phenomenal success of the animated film KPop Demon Hunters? And do big finance companies and leading law firms attract too many of the best graduates?

(Photo: 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 26 Oct 2025. Credit: Chalinee Thirasupa /Pool/EPA/Shutterstock)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwww592dzj5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6ts4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p3bsk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70z4)
The coffee habit: Why do we love it so much?

For millions of us around the world, the day hasn't begun until we've had our first cup of coffee.

Ruth Alexander traces our love affair with coffee back through history, to the wilds of Ethiopia where it was first discovered. She experiences some of the ancient traditions built around coffee which still endure today and asks why this bitter drink has always had such a hold over us.

And does it matter if we enjoy a coffee or three every day? Ruth finds out what's it doing to our brains and bodies, and whether we really need to worry about kicking this ancient habit.

Produced by Lexy O'Connor

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

Image: Three roasted coffee beans float on a light green background. Credit: Getty/Jose A. Bernat Bacete


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwww592f389)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy7)
Harnessing the wind to keep us cool

Many cities are becoming unpleasant to live in: they are getting hotter due to climate change and all the heat absorbed by the streets and buildings. But Stuttgart in Germany has been tackling this by carefully studying local wind patterns. Using the natural airflow they are cooling the city by creating corridors of wind from the surrounding hills.  It’s an idea which is being copied by cities around the world such as Singapore. There we see how new buildings are being designed to allow a breeze to flow despite the continued development.

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
Producer/reporter: Richard Kenny
Singapore reporter: Tessa Wong
With thanks to: Indrawan Prabaharyaka
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: Richard Hassell of WOHA architects in the Punggol Digital district of Singapore, BBC)


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p3gjp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tm)
'Looking American' to avoid deportation

Drone surveillance, sign language and 'looking American' are all suggestions that Brazilian immigrants are making to each other as ways to avoid being deported. Since the beginning of President Donald Trump's second term, there have been increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement or 'ICE' raids all over the country. These raids are designed to crack down on people from overseas living in the US illegally, and in September ICE focused on Massachusetts, where there is a huge Brazilian population. Many Brazilian people living in the US are there perfectly legally, but many aren't and if they are arrested by ICE they face detention and ultimately deportation. Vitor Tavares of BBC Brasil has been looking into how the Brazilian communities in the US have been using messaging apps to respond to the raids in Massachusetts.

In traditional silk making methods the cocoons are boiled, killing the silkworm inside. But a state in western India is pioneering a new way of making silk, where the silkworm is allowed to mature into a moth, and leave the cocoon still alive. It's called 'Karuna' silk, which means compassion. Shivalika Puri who reports for the BBC in India went to go and meet the people who are making this more compassionate silk.

Spanish people and most Latin Americans have two surnames, but why? It’s a tradition that goes back centuries, but it’s not common across most Christian origin countries – which got BBC Mundo journalist Paula Rosas thinking, and digging into the history.


Presented by Faranak Amidi.

Produced by Caroline Ferguson, Laura Thomas and Hannah Dean.

This is an EcoAudio certified production.


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwww592f70f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hhdm0t)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p3l8t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 Dear Daughter (w3ct7zr0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwww592fbrk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 The Documentary (w3ct81qq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwww592fghp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zssbc6lkm29)
Trump oversees Cambodia and Thailand deal

US President Donald Trump has overseen the signing of an agreement between Thailand and Cambodia to normalise relations after their short border conflict earlier this year. We'll hear from our Southeast Asia correspondent Jonathan Head who is in Kuala Lumpur.

Also in the programme: Police in France have detained at least one man in connection with the theft of millions of dollars of jewels from the Louvre museum; and voting has begun in Argentina in midterm elections that are being seen as a de facto referendum on the president Javier Milei.

(Picture: U.S. President Donald Trump applauds as Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet hold up a ceasefire deal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 26, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwww592fl7t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702k)
Somalia: Where climate change meets conflict

BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt travels to Somalia to investigate the links between global warming and the decades-long conflict there. He hears how Somalis are responding by launching businesses and their own renewables industry. This programme was first broadcast in 2024.

Presenter: Justin Rowlatt
Producer in Somalia: Stuart Phillips
Producers in London: Miho Tanaka, Sara Hegarty
Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and David Crackles
Editor: Simon Watts

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


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p3yj6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct6tyy)
The Happy Pod: 'I'm blind but I can read a book again'

Doctors at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London have used microchips to help blind patients regain the ability to read.

Also, the woman who played the clarinet during brain surgery, helping the doctors fine tune their treatment for Parkinson's, Thailand's water buffalo beauty contest, and how polystyrene boxes that keep fish fresh are being replaced - using mushrooms.

Presenter: Jannat Jalil
Music: Iona Hampson

(Photo: Credit: PA)


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zwww592fpzy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqrnsc2bcd)
Live Sporting Action

It’s a busy Sunday of Premier League action, and Sportsworld has commentary from the Hill Dickinson Stadium as Everton take on Tottenham. There will also be updates and reaction from the day’s four other games, including Arsenal against Crystal Palace, and Manchester City’s trip to Aston Villa.

Real Madrid take on Barcelona in El Clasico - one of the biggest rivalries in world football – and we’ll have reaction from the clash of the top two in Spain’s La Liga and a look at all of the other big football stories across Europe in EuroStars.

Away from the football, there will be the latest from baseball’s World Series, the Women’s Cricket World Cup, and we look ahead to the Formula One’s Mexico Grand Prix as the drivers’ championship title race hots up.

Image: Archie Gray of Tottenham Hotspur scores a own goal and Everton's thirds during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Goodison Park on January 19, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwww592g5zg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hhfkzv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p4k7v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 World of Secrets (w3ct854r)
Death in Dubai

Death in Dubai: 5. The reality of ‘Porta Potty’

The story behind the viral Dubai Porta Potty rumours and why, even in death, Monic became the subject of an online witch hunt. Meanwhile we go undercover – are we getting closer to Monic’s boss? And a breakthrough in the quest to find where she is buried.

This episode includes discussion of disturbing events, including sexual abuse and violence. It also contains racist language.

Presented by investigative journalist Runako Celina.

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

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

Audio for this episode was updated on 22nd September 2025.

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 (w172zwww592g9ql)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwww592gfgq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zssbc6lll1b)
Another US warship arrives off the coast of Venezuela

Another US warship has sailed into waters near Venezuela, adding to the growing presence of American warships and warplanes. The US has said it is fighting against drug traffickers, but there is a growing sense it might not be the full picture, as a US Senator has said they could soon launch a military attack on Venezuelan soil.

We speak to Venezuela's attorney general and close ally of President Nicolas Maduro about what he thinks the United States is up to.

Also in our programme: Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces claim they have captured the army headquarters in the besieged city of El Fasher; and we hear about Argentina's most controversial mid-elections.

(Photo: The US Navy destroyer USS Gravely arrives in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, a few miles off the coast of Venezuela. Credit: Andrea de Silva / EPA / Shutterstock)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwww592gk6v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlb9hhfy77)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p4xh7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwww592gnyz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxpm0p517c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc6)
Drugs, overdose, hope: Nevada

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have died from drug overdose since the opioid crisis began in the US more than two decades ago. It’s fentanyl, a potent, synthetic opioid, mass produced in Mexico, that drove the increasing number of deaths. Now narcotics-related fatalities have fallen overall in the US. But that doesn’t mean fewer people are dying everywhere. In Nevada, those mortality statistics have continued to increase. Linda Pressly visits Las Vegas and Reno to find out why this desert state is bucking the trend.

Producers: Linda Pressly and Tim Mansel

(Photo: Debris at the mouth of a storm drain that runs under the city of Las Vegas. Thousands of people live in the drains, many of them people with substance abuse issues. Credit: Tim Mansel)

MONDAY 27 OCTOBER 2025

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv6w92)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6ts4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfx7kg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yg1)
Coral extinctions and chalky unknowns

As two species of coral are killed off by the 2023 heatwave in the Florida reefs, the abilities of different plankton species to cope with rising CO2 remain crucially unknown.

Also, retrospective research shows a strong suggestion that mRNA covid vaccination might serendipitously boost certain types of cancer immunotherapy.

And, if you can’t identify changing agricultural crop types from satellite observations, why not just strap a camera to your bike helmet?

Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

(Photo: Dead elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). Credit: Rolf von Riedmatten/Getty Images)


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv7016)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh386d1l)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfxc9l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6swm)
The Life Scientific: Tim Coulson

As a young man, traveling in Africa, Tim Coulson - now Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford - became seriously ill with malaria and was told a second bout would probably kill him. Aged only 20, this brush with his own mortality led him to promise himself he would write a complete guide to science: life, the universe and everything. His aim was to understand the existence of all living things - no mean feat!

Over the course of a colourful career, Tim's work has taken him all over the world: including researching wolves in Yellowstone National Park, little fish called guppies in the rivers of Trinidad and silvereye birds on Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef. Using complicated mathematical models he builds up a picture of ecosystems seeking to explain how predators impact both evolution and ecosystems. And finally, more than thirty years after he vowed to write the book that would explain everything we know about science, he's done just that.

In conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Tim talks about his journey from youthful ambition to science demystifier.

Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced by Geraldine Fitzgerald
Revised for World Service by Minnie Harrop


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv73sb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh386hsq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfxh1q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stc)
Should we help maggots and caterpillars?

We all know insects are important, but one CrowdScience listener worries that they don’t seem to have equal billing when it comes to human love and attention.

In Scotland’s capital Edinburgh, listener Ruth loves to sit and listen to the birds, the bees and the hoverflies as they go about their daily chores. And it’s got her wondering why bees and butterflies seem to get all the conservation efforts. What do we need to do to protect butterflies as less beautiful caterpillars, and ladybirds as less glamorous larvae? Are people even aware that insects exist in multiple stages of a lifecycle, and that around the world, insect populations are facing perilous levels of decline.

Presenter Alex Lathbridge is on a mission to identify the other unsung insect heroes. Along the way we meet Dr Caitlin Johnstone and Dr Nick Balfour at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, who help listener Ruth find out about the lifestyles and lifecycles of hoverflies.

We meet the midge that pollinates cocoa crops in Ghana, as well as Dr Tonya Lander from Oxford University and Dr Acheampong Atta-Boateng from the University of Arizona who have been studying them. And Marc Vaez-Olivera from the company Polyfly introduces us to the billions of hoverflies helping to double avocado yields in Spain.

We also learn what we can all do to help keep insects in our gardens… even if that may involve sacrificing a cabbage or two.

Presenter: Alex Lathbridge

Producer: Marnie Chesterton

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Caterpillar eating flowering plant with pink background - stock photo Credit: Raquel Lomas via Getty Images)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv77jg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfxlsv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Sunday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv7c8l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh386r8z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfxqjz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct709j)
Life as a top female referee

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to an ice hockey referee from Austria and a football referee from Denmark about their experiences as female officials in men's leagues.

Austrian Julia Kainberger played ice hockey professionally for the Salzburg Eagles while also pursuing a career in officiating. She was one of the 12 European officials for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and, in 2024, became the first female referee in a men's Champions League game. Julia looks forward to a day where no female referee has to be 'the first one' anymore and it becomes the norm.

Frida Klarlund is a Danish football referee who has officiated international matches since 2015.  In 2021 she became the first woman to referee in the men’s second division. Frida has refereed at major tournaments such as the Women’s Champions League, World Cup qualifiers and the Women's Euros. She currently works in Denmark’s top women’s league.

Produced by Emily Naylor

(Image: (L) Julia Kainberger courtesy Julia Kainberger. (R) Frida Klarlund credit UEFA.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv7h0q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc85w19)
UN alarmed by situation in El Fasher

The UN humanitarian aid chief, Tom Fletcher, said he was deeply alarmed by reports of civilian casualties as the RSF reportedly took over the last army stronghold in southwest Sudan. He said hundreds of thousands of civilians were trapped and terrified.

Argentinian President Milei's party has achieved a landslide victory in the country's mid-term elections, giving him the green light to continue his radical austerity agenda.

The Jamaican authorities have ordered mandatory evacuation as Hurricane Melissa continues to approach the Caribbean island.

(Photo: Displaced Sudanese girls, who fled intense fighting in el-Fasher; Credit: Reuters)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv7lrv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc85zsf)
Sudan's paramilitary claims control of El Fasher

The Rapid Support Forces have made significant advances in recent weeks and social media videos verified by the BBC now show them celebrating the capture of the army’s headquarters. They claim to have seized full control of El Fasher. But the army’s local allies say fighting continues.

We'll brief you on the landslide victory being enjoyed by Argentina's Javier Milei in midterm elections - will this spur on his radical cost-cutting as economic growth continues to slow?

President Trump pledges his 100 percent commitment to Southeast Asia as he leaves the Asean summit. A Thai Cambodia peace deal has been signed and a trade framework agreed with China.

(Photo: A member Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) stand next to a vehicle; Credit: Reuters)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv7qhz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc863jk)
UN alarmed by situation in El Fasher

The UN humanitarian aid chief, Tom Fletcher, said he was deeply alarmed by reports of civilian casualties. He said people must be allowed to leave safely. Sudan's military has not acknowledged loss of el-Fasher --its last stronghold in western Sudan.

President Donald Trump is heading for Japan on the latest leg of his week-long tour of Asian countries. We go live there

In Argentina's mid-term elections, President Milei's party has achieved a landslide victory, giving him the green light to continue his radical austerity agenda. We speak to one of his allies.

(Photo: A woman and baby at the Zamzam displacement camp, close to al-Fashir; Credit:Reuters)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv7v83)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0g)
Kamala Harris on her 107-day presidential bid

‘I am not done. I have lived my entire career a life of service and it's in my bones and there are many ways to serve. I have not decided yet what I will do in the future beyond what I'm doing right now.’

Laura Kuenssberg speaks to Kamala Harris about her turbulent 2024 presidential campaign where she ran against Donald Trump.

She was thrust into the race just 107 days before the election, after the incumbent President and Democratic Party candidate, Joe Biden, abruptly withdrew following a disastrous debate performance.

She has now revealed in a new book the emotional and political turbulence of that whirlwind campaign. She opens up about the sting of electoral defeat, and her candid thoughts on Biden’s decision to step aside.

When it comes to Donald Trump, she doesn’t hold back, calling him a ‘tyrant’ and a ‘fascist’. She also shares her vision for the Democratic Party’s future - and doesn’t rule out running again.

Thank you to the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg 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: Laura Kuenssberg
Producers: Melanie Abbott, Ben Cooper and Joseph Cassidy
Editor: Justine Lang

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

(Image: Kamala Harris Credit: Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfy6jh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ryg)
The two-year Tesla strike

We head to Sweden where a handful of mechanics are taking on one of the world’s richest companies - and the world's richest man Elon Musk.

The strike at Tesla’s workshops has now reached its second anniversary.

It’s a clash of ideologies, in which each side has much at stake.

And after two years there is still no prospect of a resolution.

Presenter: Tim Mansel
Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

(Image: Striking worker Janis on the picket line in Malmo, Sweden.)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct746y)
Death of a priest

The 1977 murder of Father Rutilio Grande sent shockwaves through El Salvador. The 48-year-old Jesuit priest was an outspoken champion of the poor in the deeply divided central American nation.

In the immediate aftermath of his murder, the Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero, took the unprecedented step of holding just one single mass, ordering all other churches in his archdiocese to cancel theirs. Romero also refused to attend any government functions.

Father Grande was one of the first priests to be killed by security forces in the years leading up to the bloody Salvadoran civil war.

His murder marked a turning point as the church became increasingly involved in promoting social justice, and other priests became more outspoken against the government's repression of dissent.

Mike Lanchin has been hearing from Gabina Dubon, who worked with Father Grande in his rural parish, and to theologian and author, SisterAna Maria Pineda. This is a CTVC production for BBC World Service.

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: Father Rutilio Grande. Credit: Camilo Freedman/APHOTOGRAFIA/Getty Images)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv7z07)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh387c0m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfyb8m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv82rc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct71wg)
Music producer Sonny Roberts and treating diabetes

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

Sonny Roberts’ daughter tells us about how her father created the UK’s first black-owned music studio - this programme contains outdated and offensive language. Music producer and professor emerita at the School of Oriental and African Studies, Lucy Durán takes us through the history of music studios around the world.

How a Macedonian scientist’s discovery led to treatments for diabetes and obesity, and the story of the Kenyan ecologist who became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Plus, the mysterious sinking of a British oil tanker in Indonesia in the the 1950s and how the first lottery scratchcard was invented by an American mathematician.

As well as the story of the first South American to win the International Surfing Association world title back in 2004.

Contributors:

Cleon Roberts – daughter of Sonny Roberts.

Lucy Duran – music producer and professor at the School of Oriental and African studies at the University of London.

Svetlana Mojsov – Macedonian scientist who discovered the hormone called GLP-Joseph McCorry – who was on the San Flaviano oil tanker.

Wanjira Mathai – daughter of Wangari Maathai.

Sofia Mulanovich – three-time world surfing champion.

John Koza – the inventor of the scratchcard.

(Photo: Jamaican record producer Sonny Roberts Record Shop in Willesden Junction, London, UK in December 1982. Credit: David Corio/Redferns via Getty)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv86hh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh387lhw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfykrw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct7178)
If China attacked Taiwan, what would Trump do?

President Trump is in Asia this week to strike deals with several countries, including with China.

One of the big questions overshadowing the trip is Taiwan’s future. China has long vowed to "reunify" with self-governing Taiwan and has not ruled out the use of force.

On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US wouldn’t abandon the island in exchange for a favourable deal with China. But a tug of war has been playing out inside the Trump administration over whether a military battle for Taiwan – if China did try to seize it – would be in America’s best interests.

We speak to writer and analyst James Crabtree about what to expect from Trump’s visit to Asia and where Taiwan goes from here.

Producers: Viv Jones and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Image: Taiwanese people observe the changing of honor guards in Liberty Square in Taipei. Ritchie B Tongo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock.


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv8b7m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqh)
The lost boy who made a home on my sofa

Youth worker Nicolas Lunabba had one golden rule: to never get emotionally involved with the children he helped. In Malmö, Sweden, where poverty and violence shaped young lives, detachment was his survival strategy. Then he met Elijah, an eight-year-old with a mohawk, a basketball under his arm, and a fearless, sometimes dangerous streak. They bonded over basketball and five years later, Elijah arrived at Nicolas’ flat and made a home on his sofa. He borrowed his clothes, asked him to read aloud from a 3,600-page novel, and slowly cracked the emotional armour of a man who had spent years keeping people at arm’s length. What began as mentorship became an unconventional and powerful bond that changed both their lives for the better.

Nicolas has written a memoir, Will You Care If I Die, and a Swedish film of the same name is currently in production.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Tom Harding Assinder

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


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct746y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv8fzr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh387v04)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfyt84)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct709j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv8kqw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtcdq9h)
Argentina's Milei wins big in midterms

Argentina's President Javier Milei has led his party to a landslide victory in Sunday's midterm elections, after defining the first two years of his presidency with radical spending cuts and free-market reforms.

Also on the programme: Cameroon's 92-year-old President Paul Biya has been declared the winner of the heavily disputed presidential election; and scientists in India have discovered that playing music to unconscious patients significantly reduced the amount of anaesthetic needed to keep them under.

(Photo: Argentina's President Javier Milei reacts after the La Libertad Avanza party won the midterm election. Credit: Reuters)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv8ph0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfz1rd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ryg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8868)
Trump seeks trade deals on his Asia tour

Will President Trump seal trade deals on his Asia tour? He's currently in Tokyo where trade and investment are high on the agenda. Japan is already America's biggest investor and promises to pump another 550 billion dollars into the US as part of a trade deal.

In Argentina, Javier Milei's far-right party wins Sunday’s midterms. Milei remains committed to pushing forward free-market reforms, despite growing opposition from the public.

In Italy, the plans for a controversial 13.5 billion euro bridge to Sicily face mounting criticism.

And in India, shrimp farmers are grappling with the impact of a 50% tariff. How are they coping with the threat to thousands of jobs?

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Niamh McDermott
Editor: Olie D'Albertanson


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv8t74)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7bpc3)
Cameroon's 92-year-old president wins eigth term

Cameroon's longtime president, Paul Biya, has been announced as the winner of the country's fiercely disputed election. The 92-year old has been in power for more than four decades and now has another seven year mandate. We speak to our reporter in Cameroon and hear reaction from the voters.

Sudan's Darfur region has called for the protection of civilians in El Fasher, after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces claimed to have taken control of the city. We speak to our correspondent and hear from aid workers.

After Miss Nevada USA removed her wig onstage, revealing her alopecia diagnosis, we hear from others living with alopecia about what her moment meant to them.

President Trump has met Emperor Naruhito of Japan on the latest leg of his tour of Asian countries. Our Japan correspondent gives the latest.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: A supporter of the Cameroon opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma reacts during clashes with security forces after the Constitutional Council declared President Paul Biya as the winner of the October 12 presidential election, in Douala, Cameroon, October 27, 2025. Credit: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv8xz8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7bt37)
Hurricane Melissa could be strongest ever to hit Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa, which is slowly heading towards Jamaica, has intensified into the strongest possible storm category. It is expected to make landfall in the next 24 hours with deadly winds, storm surges and catastrophic flooding. Parts of the capital, Kingston, are being evacuated. BBC Weather breaks down what to expect, while Jamaicans share how they’re preparing.

Our Senior International correspondent Orla Guerin has had rare access to the prisons and camps housing Islamic State (IS) detainees and their family members in Syria. We hear from some of the people she met and speak to her.

King Abdullah of Jordan has said that foreign countries would be wary about being asked to enforce peace in Gaza under President Trump’s peace plan. Our regional expert joins from Amman.

After Miss Nevada USA removed her wig onstage, revealing her alopecia diagnosis, we hear from others living with alopecia about what her moment meant to them.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: People fill bags with sand in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Melissa, in Port Royal, Jamaica, October 26, 2025. Credit: Octavio Jones/Reuters)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv91qd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct746y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv95gj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh388kgx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfzjqx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z5t)
2025/10/27 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 (w172zwwybwv996n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6ts4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfznh1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6swt)
The Life Scientific: Catherine Heymans

Have you ever considered the lighter side of dark matter?
Comedy has proved an unexpectedly succesful way to engage people with science - as today's guest knows first-hand.

Astrophysicist Catherine Heymans is a Professor at the University of Edinburgh and the current Astronomer Royal for Scotland. She’s spent her career studying dark matter and dark energy: the mysterious ingredients that make up an estimated 95% of our cosmos, but which we still know surprisingly little about. Using increasingly powerful telescopes, both on earth and in space, Catherine has spent years building detailed maps of dark matter - even to the extent of capturing rare images of this mysterious cosmic component.

On top of her research achievements, she's committed to making science accessible to all; not least by taking an astronomy-themed comedy show to the Edinburgh Festival and beyond.

In conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Catherine talks about her passion for sharing the joys of astrophysics - and reveals how health challenges over the last few years have forced her to readdress her career, her ambitions and even her sense of self...

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


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv9dys)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtcfkjd)
Jamaica faces 'life-threatening' Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa has intensified into the strongest possible storm category, five, as it heads towards Jamaica -- where it is expected to make landfall in the early hours of Tuesday. The authorities fear it could be the fiercest hurricane ever to hit the island. Meteorologists have described what they're seeing as 'satellite history'. We hear from Jamaica's information minister, Dana Morris Dixon.

Also in the programme: The Rapid Support Forces in Sudan claim to have taken the city of El-Fasher, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped; and ten people have gone on trial in France accused of cyber-bullying against the country's first lady, Brigitte Macron.

(Picture: Jamaica aid worker Craig Brown wraps a gas pump as Hurricane Melissa approaches in Kingston, Jamaica on October 27, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Octavio Jones)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv9jpx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh388xq9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmfzwz9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76tm)
Handshakes and trade deals as Trump tours Asia

US President Donald Trump has kicked off his trip to Asia by announcing a string of new agreements and a peace accord involving Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The White House has called it historic but businesses are looking for more detail. We speak to two entrepreneurs in Chicago and Seattle on what this could mean for their companies.

Elsewhere, we hear how US tariffs on India's exports has put nearly a million jobs on the south-eastern coast of the Andhra Pradesh state at risk.

And as massive rallies cheer Javier Milei, and Argentina's markets soar with the president tightening his grip on power in the South American country, Sam Fenwick discusses whether his La Libertad Avanza party's midterm victory will pave the way for economic reforms.

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

(Picture: US President Donald Trump talks before boarding Air Force One at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday 27 October 2025. Credit: Reuters / Evelyn Hockstein.)


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv9ng1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg00qf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct709j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 28 OCTOBER 2025

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv9s65)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71wg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwv9wy9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh3898yp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg086p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct7178)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Monday]


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvb0pf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh389dpt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg0cyt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rbl)
Balochistan: The women of the vanished

In the last two decades thousands of men have disappeared in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest region. Activists and some of their families accuse the Pakistani authorities of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings. The government is fighting an insurgency in the region, but denies any involvement in the disappearances. It says some of the missing men have joined militant groups or have simply left the province.

Mutilated bodies have continued to turn up, including in mass graves.

BBC Urdu's Farhat Javed reports on the mothers and daughters left behind who are still searching for their missing loved ones.

Presenter: Farhat Javed
Producer: John Murphy
Programme co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineer: Nigel Appleton
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Photo: Dr Mahrang Baloch praying at the grave of her murdered father)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvb4fk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct746y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvb85p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh389n62)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg0mg2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vv7)
David Harewood: Return to Othello

The espionage television series Homeland brought David Harewood international fame – but he’s also known as the first Black actor to play Othello at the UK’s National Theatre when he was in his early 30s. Now, aged almost 60, he is again tackling the role of the Moor, ’declined/ Into the vale of years’, in Shakespeare’s tragedy.

The character of Othello is a skilful General, and the only person of colour in the Venetian army. He and Desdemona - the daughter of rich and prominent citizen - fall in love and marry, against her father’s wishes. Iago, one of Othello’s officers who believes he should have a higher rank, deviously works on Othello’s insecurity, manipulating him into thinking that Desdemona is unfaithful, with fatal consequences.

This autumn’s production at the Haymarket Theatre in London’s West End is a major theatrical event. It is directed by Tom Morris, who co-created War Horse, which has been seen by more than 8 million people around the world. Caitlin Fitzgerald stars as Desdemona and Toby Jones as Iago, with music by P J Harvey.

Past productions of Othello have focused on issues around race which the play raises - but Morris and Harewood are concerned too with the attitudes of the male characters towards women, and how both of these issues are urgently pertinent to society today.

Julian May follows David Harewood, Tom Morris and the cast from the beginning of rehearsal to the opening night as they work together to bring to light the dark themes of power, rage and desire in Shakespeare’s great play of duplicity, jealousy and deadly masculinity.


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvbcxt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc88ryd)
Sudanese army withdraws from El-Fasher

Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have consolidate their control. Reports say thousands of soldiers remain surrounded by the RSF in western suburbs of the city.

On the second day of his visit to Japan, Donald Trump is in talks with the new prime minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss trade and security.

Hurricane Melissa has intensified into the strongest possible storm category as it slowly approaches Jamaica.

(Photo: Sudan's General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan salutes; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvbhny)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc88wpj)
UN calls El-Fasher the ‘epicenter of suffering'

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces say they have taken control of the army's base in El-Fasher there.

The RSF has surrounded the city for 18 months - with a quarter of a million people reported to be trapped inside.

We ask a Jamaican senator about the preparations in place for Hurricane Melissa. The world's strongest storm is due to make landfall on Tuesday.

And we look at K-beauty... are all the brands selling themselves as Korean Beauty really staying true to the skincare routines that have made it popular?

(Photo: Sudanese women who fled intense fighting in al-Fasher; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvbmf2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc890fn)
Sudanese RSF takes control of El-Fasher

The UN head, Antonio Guterres has said the eighteen month long siege of El Fasher - and the surrounding North Darfur region - have been been an epicentre of suffering, with malnutrition, disease and violence claiming lives every day.

Hurricane Melissa has already killed at least three people in Jamaica - and officials there are terrified about what the full impact of the strongest storm in the world this year might unleash. We get the latest from jamaica and speak to oje of the senators there

(Photo: A desk bearing signs of shelling in a school where displaced people are sheltering, in El Fasher: Credit- Reuters


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvbr56)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyf)
Helping and healing in Sierra Leone

Thousands of people in Sierra Leone lost limbs during the brutal civil war, and many more have struggled to overcome the mental as well as physical burdens of the conflict. We visit the Farming on Crutches programme where amputees are trained in agricultural skills which they can use to start their own farms and teach others in their communities their skills. Plus how former addicts are helping others in their communities to stop using kush, a deadly blend of addictive substances that has become a scourge in Sierra Leone and other parts of West Africa.

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/producer: Sira Thierij
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: A trainee farmer rakes grass from a field in Sierra Leone, Sira Thierij/BBC)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg13fl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s7h)
The blurring of K-beauty

Renowned for its multi-step skincare routine and its foundation in the ever trendy Korean culture, K-beauty has become a multi-billion dollar industry across the globe.

The term covers a wide range of skincare, make-up and cosmetics from South Korea and is lauded for its quality and value.

But as demand grows, tens of thousands of companies are claiming to be K-beauty, and not all of them are based in South Korea. This has raised questions about its identity and authenticity.

In the midst of its identity crisis, counterfeiters are now getting involved.

So, what puts the K in K-beauty?

We hear from manufacturers, retailers and industry bodies who might have an idea.

Presented and produced by David Cann
Sound mix: Ben Houghton

(Picture: A young Asian woman applying a moisturising cream in front of a mirror. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74nj)
The invention of the balloon-expandable stent

An estimated 2 million stents are implanted into people’s hearts around the world each year – making it one of the key treatments for heart disease.

The treatment was invented by Argentinian doctor Julio Palmaz, who credits a piece of metal being left by a construction worker in his home as inspiration for the structure of the stent.

Collaborating with a US Army cardiologist and getting funding from the owner of a fast-food chain and a pharmaceutical giant; the coronary stent was approved for use in human beings in the 1990s.

Julio Palmaz speaks to Tim O’Callaghan about his invention.

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: Julio holding a stent. Credit: Julio Palmaz)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvbvxb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38b7xq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg175q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rbl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvbzng)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zty)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvc3dl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38bhdz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg1gnz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71cs)
Why is the French president suing Candace Owens?

The controversial right-wing podcaster Candace Owens is being sued by the French president and his wife in a US court. The Macrons are accusing Owens of spreading a conspiracy theory that Brigitte Macron was born a man. So where has this theory come from?

We speak to the BBC’s Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty, host of the Fame Under Fire podcast, about what the Macrons are risking by filing the lawsuit – and whether it’s only adding more fuel to the flames.

Presenter: Tristan Redmond

Producer: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: Annie Brown

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Candace Owens. Rebecca Cook/Reuters)


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvc74q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x55)
Tim Berners-Lee: The man who dreamed of a World Wide Web

The inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, on the unique upbringing that inspired a tech revolution.

Tim Berners-Lee has well and truly changed the world. For under-35s it's almost impossible to imagine what life might have been like without him. But when he launched the World Wide Web in December 1990, no-one knew the success it would become - and most struggled to understand why the world needed the Web at all. Tim, however, grew up steeped in the knowledge that computers held the key to the future. His parents worked on the Ferranti Mark 1 - the world's first commercial computer - and raised Tim on a diet of science demonstrations and electronic tinkering. His mother Mary Lee was the family's driving force, encouraging an eclectic mix of logical thinking, creative problem-solving, camping trips and a spirit of 'watchful negligence' - all of which gave the introverted young Tim the confidence to think outside the box and find solutions for himself.

So when he went to work at CERN in Geneva in his late-20s and saw how computers struggled to talk to one another, he was perfectly placed to imagine and build what would become the World Wide Web.

Tim's vision for the Web was built around positivity - where anyone with access to an internet connection could freely share ideas with anyone else. He knew that the key to its success was universality, so he made the decision to give the Web away for free. As a result, Tim Berners-Lee is not a billionaire. But he says that's just the way he likes it, making him free to go for walks and swims in the Serpentine in London without being recognised. It's not all been good news though.

In the 35 years since its creation, the Web has been used as a base to build social media and AI empires that Tim says don't always act in our best interests. He fears the addictive effects of social media apps on children's mental health, and has decided to stop using Instagram as he was too often getting hooked on the feed. Tim says that his latest mission is to build a form of pro-human AI as an antidote to systems owned by Big Tech, and aims to help people reclaim control of their personal data so that the Web can, once again, belong to everyone.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Anna Lacey

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

(Photo: A headshot of Tim Berners-Lee, creator of the World Wide Web. He is wearing a black suit jacket and white shirt with collar undone. He is smiling. Credit: Tim Berners-Lee)


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74nj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvcbwv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38bqx7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg1q57)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vv7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvcgmz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtchm6l)
Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa

As the strongest storm the island of Jamaica has ever known approaches landfall, we hear from people on the ground, from the Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change, and from a meteorologist.

Also in the programme: with more evidence of atrocities emerging from the Sudanese city of El Fasher, we hear from the United Nations' Coordinator on Sudan; and Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, talks to Newshour about the meaning of trust.

(IMAGE: a man wearing a protective suit cycles on a street, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, in Kingston, Jamaica, October 27, 2025 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Octavio Jones)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvcld3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg1ynh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s7h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct888b)
Have the US and Japan formed a stronger alliance?

US President Donald Trump and Japan's new prime minister have pledged a stronger alliance and closer economic ties during his visit to Tokyo. The two leaders have signed new investment deals including one covering rare earth minerals. The UN warns the world is falling badly behind in tackling climate change. So, which countries are stepping up, and which are lagging? Plus, will Elon Musk walk away from Tesla if his trillion-dollar pay package gets rejected?

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Niamh Mc Dermott
Editor: Shea Conduct


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvcq47)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7fl86)
Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica

The world's strongest storm of the year is closing in on Jamaica, with warnings of "catastrophic and life-threatening" conditions. There've already been landslides, fallen trees and at least three deaths. Officials are concerned that not enough people are following mandatory evacuation orders as the island braces for a direct hit. BBC Weather explains Hurricane Melissa's trajectory and we hear from three residents of the island.

American researchers say they've found evidence of mass killings in western Sudan, after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces seized control of the city of El Fasher from the Sudanese army. Our Africa Correspondent Barbara Plett-Usher gives her analysis.

After Miss Nevada USA removed her wig onstage, revealing her alopecia diagnosis, we hear from three cancer survivors about their experiences with hair loss.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon

(Photo: A woman and a child stand along the Kingston waterfront as Hurricane Melissa approaches, in Kingston, Jamaica, October 27, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Octavio Jones)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvctwc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7fq0b)
Israel PM Netanyahu orders military to immediately strike Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the military to immediately carry out "powerful" strikes on Gaza, after a row over the bodies of dead hostages. Hamas agreed to return the remains of all Israeli hostages who died in Gaza, as part of the ceasefire deal agreed earlier this month. Our security correspondent has the latest from Jerusalem.

Only 64 countries have submitted new plans to cut carbon, the UN says, despite all being required to do so ahead of next month's COP30 summit. Our climate correspondent joins us to unpack this story. We'll also look at extreme weather in Jamaica, Vietnam and India and bring together international journalists trying to keep climate on the agenda.

New research suggests one longer walk a day is better for your heart than lots of short strolls, especially if you don't exercise much. Presenter Rahul Tandon is joined by BBC colleagues as he takes a long walk around the newsroom to find out more about the health benefits.

(Photo: Hamas fighters recover body of Israeli hostage from Gaza tunnel, Khan Yunis, 28 Oct 2025. Credit: Haitham Imad/EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvcymh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x55)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74nj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvd2cm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38cgd0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg2fn0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zbb)
2025/10/28 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 (w172zwwybwvd63r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rbl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg2kd4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpm)
Web-scraping bots

We look at the impact data-scraping robots from AI firms are having on the online encyclopedia used by hundreds of millions of people.

Also in this edition of Tech Life: if you work in the fashion industry, if you are a fashion model, are you worried about AI ? A lot are, and we find out why.

And how do we prevent children from seeing online adult content ? Many parts of the world are requiring sites to verify the ages of their users. Now the biggest adult site argues that we need a better system.

Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A photo illustration of the Wikipedia logo displayed on a smartphone screen. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvd9vw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtcjgfh)
Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica with violent winds

Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in Jamaica - its most powerful storm since records began. The US National Hurricane Centre said the eye hit the southwest of the island with estimated maximum wind speeds close to three hundred kilometres an hour.

Also in the programme: Fear of mass killings as thousands trapped in besieged Sudan city taken by militia group; Israel has carried out air strikes on Gaza -- after its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire deal; and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales on the precious commodity, trust.


(Photo: A fallen tree on a road caused by Hurricane Melissa in Kingston. Credit: Reuters)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvdfm0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38ctmd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg2swd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76bx)
Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa causes major disruption as the Jamaican economy comes to a standstill. Tourists are also stranded on the island with the closure of all major airports.

Business leaders from the US and Japan meet to discuss trade, investment and supply chains.

Amazon confirms plans to cut thousands of jobs, saying it needs to be lean to seize the opportunity provided by artificial intelligence.

Presenter Sam Fenwick examines all these stories and looks at the some of the other big global business stories of the day.


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvdkc4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg2xmj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vv7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2025

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvdp38)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zty)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvdsvd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38d5vs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg353s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71cs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Tuesday]


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvdxlj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38d9lx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg38vx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvf1bn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x55)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74nj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvf52s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38dk35)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg3jc5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 Cyber Hack (w3ct89y9)
Evil Corp

2. Into the storm

A rookie FBI agent is swept up in a case that goes from Main St, USA, to the UK, Ukraine and Russia. Cyber-crime victims are everywhere. This is way bigger than Jim Craig thought. He travels to Ukraine to meet his counterparts. Over vodka and fine food in a dacha in the Ukrainian forest, they make a plan to go after the suspected cyber hackers.

Hosted by Joe Tidy, the BBC’s cyber correspondent – one of the few Western journalists to have met an alleged member of Evil Corp – and the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford, who spent more than two decades reporting from Moscow.


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvf8tx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8cnvh)
Aid agencies warn of worsening situation in Sudan

Following the seizure of El Fasher by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, aid agencies are warning of a worsening situation for the remaining residents of the city. Thousands have fled towards Tawila in search of safety. We speak to the International Rescue Committee, one of the aid organisations operating in Darfur.

Jamaica has been left with extensive damage after Hurricane Melissa made landfall in what has been called the strongest storm to ever hit the Caribbean nation. The US National Hurricane centre warned that catastrophic flooding is likely on the island, with some areas expecting over seventy centimetres of rain. We get the latest from the island.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appears to be under real strain. Civil defence officials in Gaza say at least thirty-three people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes across the territory and dozens more wounded. The attacks hit homes, schools and residential blocks. Israel accuses Hamas of attacking its troops and violating the terms of the US-brokered ceasefire.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: The grandmother with her family at a camp for displaced people who fled from al-Fasher to Tawila. Credit: Mohammed Jamal/Reuters)


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvfdl1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8cslm)
Israeli strikes kill 33 in Gaza

It's less than three weeks since a ceasfire came into effect in Gaza. Tuesday night, saw Israeli air strikes across the strip. Hospital officials and the Hamas-run civil defence say that at least thirty-three Palestinians were killed. We get a Palestinian reaction to these strikes.

Hurricane Melissa has now passed over Jamaica leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The authorities are trying to establish a full picture of the impact but with power cut of to much of the country, information remains patchy.

And Donald Trump is giving a keynote speech in South Korea to other heads of state and business leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in the city of Gyeong-ju. On Thursday he will meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Israel launches new strikes on Gaza as ceasefire falters. Credit: Atef Safadi/EPA)


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvfjb5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8cxbr)
Dozens killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza

The Israeli Prime Minister orders strikes on Gaza, saying Hamas has violated the ceasefire. Dozens of people have been killed according to Gaza's Civil Defence Agency. President Trump has insisted that deadly strikes across Gaza will not put the ceasefire at risk. We will hear from Gaza and Israel.

There are widespread accusations of mass killings in the Sudanese city of El Fasher in Darfur, which was recently taken over by the paramilitary Rapid Support Force. We will speak to the award-winning poet and humanitarian Emi Mahmoud, who has lost family members in El Fasher.

And Donald Trump is in South Korea on the final leg of his Asia trip and has expressed optimism about striking a trade deal with China.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Palestinians look out of a window, near a house hit in an overnight Israeli strike, in Gaza City. Credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvfn29)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x77)
Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia co-founder: We’re living in an era of a massive lowering of trust

‘We’re living in an era of a massive lowering of trust’

Shaun Ley speaks to Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, one of the most visited websites in the world.

He talks about how to trust in a digital age, the pressures facing open‑knowledge platforms and his new book The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last, where he shares the lessons that transformed Wikipedia and could transform our relationship with information too.

Jimmy Wales co founded Wikipedia in 2001, it was built on the principle that knowledge should be free and created collectively. With over 300 language editions, it’s the largest free knowledge resource, relying on donations by online readers.

He reflects on how Wikipedia is navigating an era of misinformation, political pressure, and declining public trust in institutions.

From accusations of left-leaning bias by conservative voices and scrutiny from authoritarian governments, to the challenge of keeping a global, multilingual platform accurate and inclusive, he explains how Wikipedia’s unique open-source model, powered by thousands of volunteer editors, continues to hold the line on transparency and truth.

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: Shaun Ley
Producer: Farhana Haider
Researcher: Meaghaen Reid
Editor: Justine Lang

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

(Photo: Jimmy Wales. Credit: Daniel Leal/AFP)


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg40bp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sd0)
Afghanistan: Can its private sector step up?

Since the Taliban took over from a US-led government in Afghanistan in 2021, the economic challenges facing the country have been huge. The amount of aid going in to the country has dropped, the banking system is difficult to navigate, and international investors are staying away.

That is before considering the economic impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and droughts, which have frequently ravaged rural areas. Government investment seems unlikely, so experts and business owners hope that the private sector can help to rebuild Afghanistan after years of turmoil.

To get in touch with the programme, you can email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Producer/presenter: Hannah Bewley

(Photo: A man selling used household appliances in a street in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2020. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74qs)
Srebrenica massacre

It's 30 years since a massacre of Bosnian Muslims during the war in the former Yugoslavia.

The Srebrenica massacre, recognised by the United Nations as a genocide, was the shocking climax of the war in Bosnia.

In 2014, Louise Hidalgo talked to Hasan Nuhanović whose father, brother and mother were among the 8,000 Bosnians killed.

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: Graves of those killed in the Srebrenica massacre. Credit: Pierre Crom/Getty Images)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvfrtf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38f4tt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg442t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvfwkk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 The Forum (w3ct712x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvg09p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38fdb2)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg4cl2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71g1)
Why the US-Canada relationship is on shaky ground

After months of tense negotiations, President Trump has announced that he has terminated trade talks with Canada. The reason: a new Canadian TV commercial featuring an anti-tariff message from an old Ronald Reagan speech. The ad played during a World Series game and ran on various US cable channels, angering President Trump.

The ad is just the latest skirmish between the US and its neighbour to the north. We speak to the BBC’s senior Canada reporter, Nadine Yousif, about how we got here and what the future has in store for the relationship between the two countries.


Producers: Valerio Esposito and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: Annie Brown and James Shield
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: US President Donald Trump (R) meets Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney (L) in the Oval Office at the White House, Washington DC,7 October, 2025. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvg41t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd2)
Solving the ‘heist of the century’

As French police investigate the shocking theft of precious jewels at the Louvre Museum, we hear from Belgian detective Patrick Peys who solved a $100m theft of diamonds from a heavily-protected vault in Antwerp in 2003. At the time, it was dubbed the ‘heist of the century.’ Patrick was one of the lead officers in the world’s first ‘diamond squad’, and this was without a doubt the most baffling case of his career. No one saw the thieves coming in, or out – but they left a trail of strange clues. He told Outlook’s Emily Webb in 2019 how he unravelled the mystery with the help of a broomstick, a weasel, and a salami sandwich.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Maryam Maruf

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

(Photo: Retired Belgian detective Patrick Peys wears a blue jacket as he stands on a street in Antwerp’s Diamond District. Credit: Emily Webb)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74qs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvg7sy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38fmtb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg4m2b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 Cyber Hack (w3ct89y9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvgck2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtclj3p)
Jamaica left reeling from hurricane

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared a "disaster area" and warned of "devastating impacts". The hurricane has now hit Cuba, bringing heavy winds and heavy rain, with warnings of storm surges.

Also on the programme: we hear about a new breath test which could revolutionise the treatment of pancreatic cancer; and the Spanish city of Valencia remembers the deadly floods of a year ago.

(Image: Broken tree branches lie on the street, after Hurricane Melissa made landfall, in Spur Tree, Manchester, Jamaica, October 29, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Octavio Jones)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvgh96)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x77)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg4vkl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sd0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88bd)
Nvidia hits historic $5 trillion valuation

The world’s most valuable company, Nvidia, has hit a historic $5 trillion valuation after unveiling new contracts to supply AI chips. The CEO announced $500 billion in AI chip orders yesterday and revealed plans to build seven supercomputers for the U.S. government.

Meanwhile, Amazon is investing more than $5 billion in new AI data centres in South Korea.

We also look at how aircraft delays have caused Boeing to lose billions of dollars.

Plus, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen says the company’s parent firm blocked them from launching a Palestine-themed ice cream. In response, Cohen has announced a sorbet expressing solidarity with Palestine.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Niamh Mc Dermott
Editor: Shea Conduct


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvgm1b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7jh59)
Israeli strikes on Gaza kill 'over 100'

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says a wave of Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday night killed over 100 people, including more than 40 children. The Israeli military said it had killed "dozens of terrorists". It launched the attacks after accusing Hamas of killing a soldier in violation of the US brokered ceasefire. Israel says it's now resuming the truce. We speak to our correspondents for the latest and hear from people in Gaza.

We speak to people in Jamaica who are waking up to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm ever to hit the island.

And this week on OS we have been talking about women's experiences of hair loss, hearing from people with Alopecia and cancer. Today we speak to people who support women with their hair loss, including wig makers.

OS presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: A man reacts at the site of his destroyed home following an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential block in Al Shatea refugee camp in Gaza City, 29 October 2025. Credit: Mohammed Saber/EPA/Shutterstock)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvgqsg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7jlxf)
Hurricane Melissa: At least 20 dead in Haiti

At least 20 people have died in Haiti in flooding caused by Hurricane Melissa. The hurricane made landfall on Tuesday as a category five storm in Jamaica, where people remain stuck on roofs and without power. We speak to people in in Jamaica.

At least 132 people were killed during a deadly police raid in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, the state public defender's office said. We speak to our correspondent there.

And this week on OS we have been talking about women's experiences of hair loss, hearing from people with Alopecia and cancer. Today we speak to people who support women with their hair loss, including wig makers.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon

(Photo: A man climbs onto a shack to inspect a plastic sheet serving as a roof, while another person removes water from their makeshift home during heavy rains brought by the outer bands of Hurricane Melissa, 29 October, 2025. Credit: Claudia Daut/Reuters)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvgvjl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74qs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvgz8q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38gc93)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg5bk3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zdl)
2025/10/29 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 (w172zwwybwvh30v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg5g97)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vk6)
What surpassing 1.5°C means for global health

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that global warming will ‘inevitably’ surpass 1.5 degrees. What does this mean for global health? The ninth annual Lancet report on health and climate could hold some answers.

Also on the program, could contaminated meat be a source for some urinary tract infections? Professor Lance Price speaks about his new study finding a link between the two. Also on the program, could how we walk affect our health more than the distance we’ve travelled? Health journalist Layal Liverpool joins Claudia Hammond to discuss these stories and more.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond with Layal Liverpool
Producer: Hannah Robbins and Margaret Sessa-Hawkins with Alice McKee


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvh6rz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtcmcbl)
Over 130 dead in Rio police raid

The right-wing governor of Rio state in Brazil has praised Tuesday's controversial anti-gang operation, in which more than a-hundred and thirty people were killed. Claudio Castro said the only victims were the four police officers who died. Two- and- a half thousand police and soldiers took part in the raids against the Red Command. Major gun battles erupted in two Rio favelas in the biggest security operation in the history of Rio state. Brazil's centre-left President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva said he was surprised an operation of this scale was set up without the knowledge of the federal government.

Also in the programme: the Netherlands head to the polls; and a deep dive into presents for US Presidents.

(Photo: Mourners react as people gather around bodies. CREDIT: REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvhbj3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38gqjh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg5psh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76jl)
Can South Korea meeting ease US China trade tensions?

President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping are meeting in South Korea for the first time since 2019. Presenter Sam Fenwick hears what’s at stake in crucial talks between the two leaders. Also, the owner of a US-based coffee roastery in New York tells us what tariffs and inflation mean for his business. And, what do the latest results from Microsoft, Alphabet and Meta tell us about investment in AI?

(FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands while walking at Mar-a-Lago estate after a bilateral meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 7, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo)


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvhg87)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x77)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg5tjm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 Cyber Hack (w3ct89y9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 30 OCTOBER 2025

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvhl0c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 The Forum (w3ct712x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvhprh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38h2rw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg620w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71g1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Wednesday]


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvhthm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38h6j0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg65s0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct8c8s)
The last cowboys

Humourous and tender, this documentary takes a long-haul view of the life of modern truckers in Europe - exploring working class masculinity on the road, all nighters and long journeys from the inside of a truck driver's cab.

What does it mean to be a trucker in an era shaped by global events like pandemics and geopolitical crises? Where drivers often find themselves on the frontlines of change?

We follow these modern nomads across borders, exploring themes of in(ter)dependence, home, and the evolving identity of truckers within the European landscape.

A Falling Tree production.

(Photo: Tiia Rajala sits inside the cab of her truck. Credit: Alan Hall)


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvhy7r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74qs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvj1zw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38hg08)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg6f88)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zb)
The chefs

You've got to be full of passion to make it as a top chef. It's a highly skilled and physically demanding job that comes with long hours.

Ruth Alexander talks to three celebrated and talented chefs from three different continents about the highs and lows of their careers. They tell Ruth why they love the job so much and whether chef culture has changed in the years they've been working in kitchens.

Featuring May Chow, Chantel Dartnall and Sean Kenworthy.

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

Image: A chef in a white jacket sharpens a big knife in a professional kitchen. Credit: Getty images / Fertnig.


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvj5r0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8gkrl)
President Trump and Xi Jinping meet in South Korea

President Trump and the Chinese leader Xi Jinping are meeting in South Korea, to discuss a possible truce in the trade war between the world's two biggest economies. Ahead of the meeting, President Trump told reporters that 'a lot of problems are going to be solved' at the 'great meeting'.

The collapse of the Sudanese army forces in El Fasher - their last base in the Western Darfur region – has left some three-hundred-thousand civilians under the control of the advancing paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, who have besieged the city for the past 18 months. There are disturbing reports from the Sudanese Doctor's Network that patients have been killed in their hospital beds. We speak to a representative from the network.

Hurricane Melissa has continued its devastating sweep across the Caribbean, destroying homes and infrastructure. It's caused widespread flooding and left many dead. We speak to a Cuban doctor working in Jamaica but worried about the impact of the hurricane on his homeland.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit, in Busan. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvj9h4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8gphq)
President Trump meets the Chinese leader Xi Jinping

The US President Donald Trump has told reporters that he’s had an amazing meeting with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping and that the world’s top two economies have come to an agreement to try to prevent a spiralling trade war.

We look at the Carribean islands dealing with the aftermath of Hurrican Melissa. It's the strongest storm to hit Jamaica in modern history, leaving behind it a trail of widespread destruction. At least two-thirds of the island is without power with some areas having been flattened. Catastrophic flooding has also been reported, with some towns completely submerged and rainfall totals reaching more than a metre in parts. We look at how emergency response units have been responding.

And we speak to the African Union about the ongoing security situation in El Fasher in Sudan. This week the Sudanese army lost its last base in the Western Darfur region when the paramilitary Rapid Support Force took control of the city.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit, in Busan. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvjf78)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8gt7v)
President Trump meets Xi Jinping

The US President Donald Trump has met with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea and described the encounter as 'amazing'. He told reporters on Air Force One that they have come to an agreement to try to prevent a spiralling trade war. We'll look at the economic and political significance of this meeting.

As efforts to secure peace in Gaza continue and thoughts turn to how the territory will be governed, we speak to the son of the long held Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti and look at the possibility of his release.

And we go to the Netherlands where nearly all the voters are counted in the Dutch General election. And the Dutch centrist are posing a serious threat to the populist Geert Wilders.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: US President Trump hold talks with Chinese President Xi in Busan, Korea. Credit: YONHAP/EPA)


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvjjzd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723f)
Is the UN Security Council still relevant?

In the aftermath of World War Two, the charter that founded the United Nations was signed, with the aim of preventing a third global conflict. The UN Security Council, one of six organs of the UN, has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It’s made up of 15 member countries, there are 10 rotating non-permanent members who are elected for two-year terms by members of the UN General Assembly, the body that represents all UN members. And there are five permanent members – the US, the UK, France, China and Russia; it’s these five that have veto power.

Now 80 years on, there are growing calls for the council to reflect the world of today, not only in its representation, but in the way it functions. Criticisms of this international body include abuse of the veto power, lack of permanent representation for countries which have seen more than their fair share of conflict and an inability to reach common consensus, including on how to reform the organisation from within.

So, on The Inquiry this week we’re asking, ‘Is the UN Security Council still relevant?’

Contributors:
Devika Hovell, Prof International Law, London School of Economics, UK
Richard Gowan, Director, UN and Multilateral Diplomacy, International Crisis Group, New York, USA
Dr Samir Puri, Director, Global Governance and Security Centre, Chatham House, London, UK
Mona Ali Khalil, former Senior Legal Officer, UN Office of the Legal Counsel, Co-Editor and Co-Author, ‘Empowering the UN Security Council: Reforms to Address Modern Threats’, Vienna, Austria.

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Maeve Schaffer
Technical Producer: Craig Boardman
Editor: Tom Bigwood

(Photo: United Nations Security Council meeting. Credit: Reuters/BBC Images)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg6x7s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s2z)
Can Canada become an energy superpower?

As Canada’s trade war with the US rumbles on, Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced ambitions for the country to become an "energy superpower" in clean electricity, oil and gas.

Supporters say it could boost jobs and investment, but critics warn it may come at an environmental cost.

We’ll hear about the projects underway, the challenges that could hinder them, and look at how other countries have achieved ‘superpower’ status.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Sam Gruet
Producer: Megan Lawton

(Picture: A flare stack at the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74k3)
Orson Welles broadcasts The War of the Worlds

The night before Halloween in 1938, 23-year-old Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre on the Air performed a radio adaptation of HG Wells’s The War of the Worlds.

It would become one of the most notorious radio broadcasts in history. In their own words, from the BBC's archive, Orson Welles, producer John Houseman and writer Howard Koch describe how it was "a very boring show" until they had the idea to update the science fiction story, using reportage and the name of a real location in New Jersey in the United States, as the scene for where aliens from Mars would invade.

Up to six million people tuned in, most of whom had no idea that what they were listening to was fictional. It prompted mass panic. Orson Welles delights in recalling "Suddenly everyone started driving at 125 miles per hour," saying, "I'm going to the hills". Produced and presented by Josephine McDermott.

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: Orson Welles rehearsing The War of the Worlds. Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvjnqj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38j1qx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg70zx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct8c8s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvjsgn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysw)
The Media Show: Advertising race row

A row over comments by a British MP has reignited debate about who we see in adverts. Sara Denby from the University of Oxford and Dino Myers-Lamptey from The Barber Shop agency share their views on how the industry has changed.
In the US, major streaming companies are merging as they compete for global audiences. Camilla Lewis, Chief Executive of Curve Media, explains what this could mean for both producers and viewers.
Historian Bettany Hughes returns with Treasures of the World on Channel 4. She talks about filming around the globe, how history programmes are made today, and why stories from the past still attract big audiences.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Assistant producer: Lucy Wai
Production co-ordinator: Phil Hawkins
Technical co-ordinator: Samuel Iyiola
Sound engineer: Sarlota Hadroj Touzimska


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg74r1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 World of Secrets (w3ct854s)
Death in Dubai

Death in Dubai: 6. The deal

An undercover meeting with the pimp we’ve been investigating for two years. And a chase from Dubai to the UK to get answers. Back in Uganda, Monic’s family have been waiting for this moment.

This episode includes discussion of suicide and some disturbing events.

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 (w172zwwybwvjx6s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38j975)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg78h5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct719j)
How a Venezuelan prison gang became the face of Trump’s immigration crackdown

The Trump administration has centred on Tren de Aragua – a Venezuelan prison gang – as a justification for cracking down on Venezuelan immigrants, and for several attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea.

When President Trump designated the gang a Foreign Terror Organisation, and invoked a 1798 law that allows presidents to swiftly deport citizens of enemy countries, civil rights groups accused his government of using these measures as a way to deport Venezuelans without due process. Trump has argued he’s acting to "eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to US soil".

We speak to Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer at the New Yorker, who has been reporting on how Tren de Aragua became a major focus of Trump’s domestic and foreign policy.

Producers: Viv Jones and Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Image: An alleged member of the Tren de Aragua in detention. Reuters.


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvk0yx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wy8)
Trapped underground: My 54-hour cave rescue

For George Linnane, an experienced caver from England, being underground is his happy place, somewhere he can feel calm away from the chaos of daily life. But when he and two friends set out for a routine trip in the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system in Wales one Saturday lunchtime in November 2021, they couldn't know it would turn into a nightmare.

After a stone bridge gave way underneath him, George fell ten metres onto solid rock and couldn't move. He suffered a broken leg, shattered jaw, a punctured lung and spleen and was drifting in and out of consciousness. When news of his predicament got out, 300 extraordinary volunteers from around the UK mobilised and came to his rescue. Thanks to the quick thinking and skill of his friends and the hundreds of fellow cavers who rushed to his aid, George counts himself very lucky to be alive. His remarkable true story became the longest cave rescue in UK history, taking a mammoth 54 hours to bring him back to the surface.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Edgar Maddicott

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

(Photo: George Linnane stands backlit in a dark cave in his helmet astride a rushing underground stream. Credit: Mark Burkey)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74k3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvk4q1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38jjqf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg7hzf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvk8g5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtcpf0s)
Trump and Xi hold first face-to-face talks in six years

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump have held their first face-to-face talks in six years in a moment of high trade tension between China and the US.

Mr Trump hailed an "amazing" meeting with his Chinese counterpart, but Beijing was less effusive. Thursday's talks did not lead to a formal agreement but the announcements suggest they are closer to a deal. We'll try to work out what has been sorted out at the talks in South Korea.

Also in the programme: The latest mass killings in Sudan spark international outrage, with the RSF rebel leader promising an immediate investigation into the actions of his troops; the Dutch election is a neck-and-neck race between centrist liberals and anti-Islam populists; and five more suspects have been arrested over the Louvre museum jewellery heist.

(Photo shows US president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping shake hands in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025. Credit: Yonhap/EPA)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvkd69)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg7rgp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s2z)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88qs)
Are we close to a US-China trade deal?

After what President Trump calls an “amazing” meeting in South Korea, the US and China strike a trade truce. But is it really a full deal? We break down what’s behind the tariff talks.

Plus, Volkswagen has taken a major hit and says Trump's tariffs are costing it billions of euros.

In South Africa, millions of dollars are being pumped into tackling its chronic youth unemployment problem.

And as the US shutdown continues, airlines are losing millions of dollars a day. We hear from the CEO of Delta airlines.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Niamh Mc Dermott
Editor: Stephen Ryan


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvkhyf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7md2d)
What did Trump-Xi meeting achieve?

The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, says Washington and Beijing could sign a trade agreement as early as next week. The announcement follows a pivotal meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in South Korea, which has dramatically reduced trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. We discuss the key takeaways from the meeting with our US reporter.

The scale of devastation left by Hurricane Melissa is becoming clear after the record-setting storm tore through Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, leaving at least 32 people dead. We've been in touch with Cortia in the Jamaican capital Kingston.

Hundreds of thousands of ultra-orthodox Jews are rallying in Jerusalem to protest against changes to Israel's legal exemption for religious students from military conscription. Our Middle East expert explains.

Brazilian authorities have released the bodies of more than half of those killed in Tuesday's anti-gang raid in Rio de Janeiro. Our regional expert has the latest.

French police have arrested five more suspects in connection with the heist at the Louvre. We find out what's known about the arrested.

The recording industry giant, Universal Music Group, has struck a licensing deal with an AI music generation startup to launch an AI creation platform. We speak to music journalists.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: US President Trump hold talks with Chinese President Xi in Busan, Korea - 30 Oct 2025. Credit: YONHAP/EPA/Shutterstock)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvkmpk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7mhtj)
New evidence of RSF involvement in Sudan civil war executions

The UN's top humanitarian official has told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that those responsible for mass killings and sexual violence in Sudan's el-Fasher must be held to account. Our reporter explains what is known about the violence.

Protests over Wednesday's election in Tanzania have spilled into Kenya, with clashes between police and demonstrators in a key border town. Our reporter in Nairobi has the latest.

The scale of devastation left by Hurricane Melissa is becoming clear after the record-setting storm tore through Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, leaving at least 32 people dead. We've been in touch with Cortia in the Jamaican capital Kingston.

Brazilian authorities have released the bodies of more than half of those killed in Tuesday's anti-gang raid in Rio de Janeiro. We speak to local journalists about the aftermath of the killings.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon

(Photo: A child with a bandage on her forehead looks on while sitting at a camp for displaced people who fled from el-Fashir to Tawila, North Darfur, Sudan, 27 October, 2025. Credit: Mohammed Jamal/Reuters)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvkrfp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wy8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74k3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvkw5t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38k866)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg87g6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z82)
2025/10/30 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 (w172zwwybwvkzxy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct8c8s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg8c6b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yg7)
How science got here, and where next

As anti-science leaves research reeling, does evidence-based policy in a scientific society have much of a future? Michael Mann, Naomi Oreskes, Angie Rasmussen and Deb Houry discuss some of the sources and motivations that perhaps belie the current state of scientific affairs.

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

(Image: The End street sign. Credit: Sanfel via Getty Images).


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvl3p2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtcq87p)
Andrew the brother of the British King loses title

Buckingham Palace says Britain's King Charles is stripping his younger brother, Andrew of his ‘prince’ title, amid continuing controversy over his links to the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. It means he will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The British Royal family has faced growing scrutiny over Andrew's titles and living arrangements. Buckingham Palace described the action as necessary. But it noted that Andrew continues to deny allegations against him.

Also in the programme: As President Trump says he's ordered new nuclear weapons tests - the body responsible for monitoring them says that would be 'harmful' and 'destabilising'- so what's behind his announcement? And 'killer sponges', and zombie worms discovered in the Southern Ocean.

(Photo: Handout photo issued by the US Department of Justice (left-right) Prince Andrew, now to be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Virginia Giuffre the prominent accuser of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvl7f6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38kmfl)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg8lpl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct75yh)
China and US agree closer ties after trade talks

The US President Donald Trump believes a trade deal could be signed "pretty soon", after holding talks with President Xi Jinping of China. Presenter Andrew Peach hears from a US soybean farmer after China agrees to buy again from the US. Can Canada really become an energy superpower? We hear how it is pitching energy exports to the South East Asian market. And major record labels like the Universal Music Group are set to work with an artificial intelligence platform Udio, after settling a copyright dispute. (U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold talks in South Korea. Photo Credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvlc5b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg8qfq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER 2025

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvlgxg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg8v5v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78c2)
Donald Trump’s China strategy

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses President Trump’s approach to dealing with China, examines the United States’ rivalry with China in South East Asia, and explores what the future holds for Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government.

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


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvllnl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38kznz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg8yxz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct719j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Thursday]


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvlqdq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38l3f3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg92p3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvlv4v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wy8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74k3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvlywz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38lbxc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg9b5c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpq)
The Right Thing: Confronting my abuser

***This programme contains references to sexual abuse which some listeners may find upsetting***
For decades, Larry Nassar was the doctor for the women’s Olympic Gymnastics team and also treated athletes at Michigan State University. He was the go-to practitioner for sports related injuries but saw many women and girls outside of the sport as well.

Rachael Denhollander was a teenager when she went to see Larry Nassar for treatment. She had been a gymnast as a child, and she and her mother believed Nassar would be giving her pelvic floor therapy for an injury. They soon realised this was not the case, but felt unable to challenge someone who was so revered by the sports establishment.

Sixteen years passed before Rachael saw an article investigating USA gymnastics and reports of abuse by its coaches. She made the decision then to come forward publicly with her experience of sexual abuse, putting herself in the public eye and making herself a target of hate and disgust from people who believed Dr Nassar’s denials.

But within weeks, more women were coming forward with similar allegations, and two years later, Dr Nassar was brought to trial, ending up with a sentence of 175 years for his crimes.

Mike Wooldridge hears how Rachael’s decision to do the right thing and publicly tell her story, at great personal cost, led to over 200 women revealing abuse by Larry Nassar. He finds out how her Christian faith was challenged as the story and trial became international news, how she decided to forgive her abuser and how she now works with survivors of sexual abuse in churches in the USA.

If you are affected by anything you hear in this programme, it’s important to talk to someone about it and get support. Talking can help to see a way through things – whether this is with a family member, friends, a doctor, or a support organisation. You can find help by visiting the Befrienders Worldwide website www.befrienders.org’

A CTVC production for BBC World Service


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvm2n3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8kgnp)
King Charles strips Andrew of prince title

Prince Andrew will be stripped of all his titles and honours. He'll simply be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His fall from grace is now complete and he must leave his royal residence. The allegations, and Andrew's denials, are in connection with Andrew's links to the late convicted sex offencer Jeffrey Epstein.

We go to Sudan where people who fled El Fasher, after the city fell to the Rapid Support Force, have been speaking of their ordeal at the hands of the paramilitaries. We speak to the last US Special Envoy for Sudan.

And clashes between police and protestors have continued after diputed elections earlier this week.

Presenters: James Copnall and Krupa Padhy

(Photo: Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, leave Westminster Cathedral. Credit: Toby Melville/Reuters)


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvm6d7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8kldt)
Andrew stripped of prince title

The King’s younger brother has been stripped of all his titles - and will leave his Royal Lodge mansion - following continuing controversy over his links to the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. In a posthumous memoir, Virginia Giuffre repeated allegations that, as a teenager, she had sex with Prince Andrew on three separate occasions. Her brother Sky Roberts and sister-in-law Amanda give their reaction to the news.

At the United Nations Security Council the organisation's humanitarian coordinator, Tom Fletcher, says there must be accountability for those responsible for killings and sexual violence in the western city of El Fasher in Sudan.

The situation in Cameroon remains tense after President Paul Biya, the world's oldest ruler at 92 years of age, was declared the winner of presidential elections. We speak to the youngest candidate in that election to get his view on the result.

Presenters: James Copnall and Pria Rai

(Photo: Britain's Prince Andrew departs Westminster Cathedral in London. Credit: Neil Hall/EPA)


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvmb4c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zspxvc8kq4y)
King Charles strips brother of all titles

King Charles has stripped his brother of all his titles and honours. He'll simply be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His fall means he must also leave his royal residence. The move has been welcomed by the family of his accuser, Virginia Giuffre. We take a look at the increasing public pressure that led to this decision.

The top United Nations humanitarian coordinator has said those responsible for killings and sexual violence in the western city of El Fasher in Sudan must be held accountable.

And we look at Donald Trump's call to resume nuclear testing in the United States?

Presenters: James Copnall and Krupa Padhy.

(Photo: Andrew stands next to Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Cathedral. Credit: Toby Melville/Reuters)


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvmfwh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 The Interview (w3ct8c3y)
Sir Philip Pullman: fantasy can be unsatisfactory

‘A lot of the fantasy that I have read is unsatisfactory for me because it's not interested in psychology, it's not interested how people think or feel’

Katie Razzall speaks to renowned British author Sir Philip Pullman as he publishes his latest, and final book in the series, The Rose Field.

He’s best-known for writing the award-winning ‘His Dark Materials’ - a series of novels beloved by children and adults alike all over the world. The books follow the adventures of the two main characters - Lyra and Will - across a series of parallel universes, where Pullman blends magical storytelling with physics, philosophy and theology.

Pullman was a part-time English lecturer when the first instalment in the series was published thirty years ago. Tens of millions of copies have been sold across multiple continents, and the stories have been translated into 40 languages.

The commercial and critical success spawned a follow-up series, The Book of Dust, which came out nearly a decade ago. The 79-year-old has now picked up his pen to publish this latest and final instalment.

Although loved all over the world, the stories have also attracted controversy for their criticism of religion. Pullman, who once described himself as a ‘Church of England atheist’, is outspoken on a number of modern-day issues - such as politics, free speech, and indeed faith - with his views regularly influencing his writing.

Thank you to the Culture 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: Katie Razzall
Producers: Ben Cooper and Roxanne Panthaki
Editor: Justine Lang

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

(Image: Sir Philip Pullman. Credit: Massimiliano Donati/Awakening/Getty Images)


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg9t4w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rsy)
Business Daily meets: Harry Stine

We speak to the American founder and CEO of Stine Seed, the largest private seed company in the world, Stine Seed Company.

Harry Stine recalls working in a field on the family soybean farm at the age of four, and says he was soon driving tractors before officially starting work with his father.

It was then that he realised the potential of plant breeding and seeds, leading him to start his own company.

Stine Seed Company now has 1000 patents, and receives fees on about 85% of the acreage in the United States.

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Amber Mehmood

(Image: Harry Stine. Credit: Stine Seed Company)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct744p)
Emerante de Pradines: Haiti’s musical trailblazer

Emerante de Pradines was a Haitian singer, dancer and folklorist who became the first person from her country to sign a record deal. She was dedicated to de-demonising vodou music and folklore and went on to teach dance at some of America’s most prestigious universities.

Her son Richard Morse speaks to Emma Forde about his mother’s life and her legacy.

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: Emerante De Pradines Credit: Leah Gordon)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvmkmm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38lyn0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmg9xx0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yg7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvmpcr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wx)
A science heist

The daylight robbery of precious crown jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris has us stealing your attention to inspect heists and crime scenes in science.

We explore how stealthy spiders use tricks and deceit to rob precious prey from one another, and we look at how seagulls and other birds have the advantage when it comes to stealing food from humans. We also learn how our immunological security systems try to prevent bacteria from doing an iron-heist from our cells and blood.

But what about figuring out whodunnit? Forensic ecologist and palynologist Professor Patricia Wiltshire shares how pollen can be instrumental when solving crimes and how thorough, detailed forensic work can help uncover the truth when unravelling mysteries.

We also hear about the tensions between elephants and humans in Kenya, why we prefer the taste of certain foods, and how the code to a famous puzzle-filled sculpture might have finally been cracked.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Phillys Mwatee and Kai Kupferschmidt
Producers: Imaan Moin, with Lucy Davies, Eliane Glaser and Robbie Wojciechowski


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvmt3w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38m648)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmgb5d8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct7150)
When the two most powerful men in the world met

On Thursday, Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping of China held a closed-door meeting in South Korea. The subjects of negotiation ran the gamut — from rare earth minerals, to fentanyl, to computer chips — and, according to President Trump’s subsequent news conference, the two parties reached a long-awaited deal. But exactly what did the world’s two most powerful men agree to?
The BBC’s China Correspondent, Laura Bicker, joins us to discuss.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin

Executive Producer: Annie Brown

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Mix: Travis Evans

IMAGE: U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they hold a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein.


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvmxw0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6whq)
Outlook Mixtape: The Halloween edition

The Rocky Horror Show’s themes of liberation and sexual freedom have resonated with audiences for over 50 years. 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 discusses his new documentary Strange Journey, The Story of Rocky Horror, looking at why so many people found comfort and community in the musicals themes, including eventually his father.

Brent Underwood spent his life savings on the remains of an abandoned 19th century mining town in California. He was fascinated by its Wild West history, but when he got trapped there by heavy snow in 2020, all alone, the ghostly tales about the place began to feel all too real. Brent Underwood spoke to Emily Webb in 2020.

Mattie Do was the first woman to direct a feature film in Laos. Her film, Dearest Sister, is primarily a ghost story, but based very firmly around traditional belief in Laos, drawing on ideas around the afterlife especially. Mattie Do explained the connections to Nicki Paxman in 2016.

Rodrigo Medellin has made it his life's mission to redeem the scary reputation of bats and highlight their importance to the ecosystem. His interest began as a child; he appeared on a general knowledge quiz for adults on prime-time Mexican TV showing off his huge knowledge of mammals. This led to a call from the University of Mexico inviting young Rodrigo to join students researching bats in the Mayan jungle. Clayton Conn joined Rodrigo on a bat surveying expedition in 2017.

Presenter Asya Fouks.
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)


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct744p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvn1m4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38mfmj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmgbdwj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvn5c8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtcs9xw)
A normal girl has taken down the prince: Giuffre's family speak

Andrew is no longer a British prince. We hear from the brother of the woman whose harrowing experience of sex trafficking, detailed in her memoir, ultimately led to his downfall. We also speak to a close friend of King Charles about what this scandal means for the future of the monarchy.

Also in today’s programme: how the world keeps failing Sudan, researchers in Denmark have created a broad-spectrum anti-venom that could revolutionise life-saving treatment for snake bites, and the Indian women’s cricket team pulls off a record-breaking run chase.

(Photo: Sky Roberts (C), a brother of late financier Jeffrey Epstein's late victim Virginia Giuffre, speaks on the day of a rally in support of Epstein's victims in Washington DC, 3 September, 2025. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvn93d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 The Interview (w3ct8c3y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmgbncs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rsy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88gj)
Hazelnut supply crisis threatens chocolates like Nutella

Italian confectionery giant Ferrero, maker of Ferrero Rocher and Nutella, is in a standoff with Turkish hazelnut dealers. Why? Turkey, the world’s largest hazelnut producer, has been hit by poor weather, a bad harvest, and pest infestations, sending prices soaring.

In Jamaica, a catastrophe bond will release millions to help the country rebuild after Hurricane Melissa.

Meanwhile, who is Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, selling AI chips now?

And with pumpkins, costumes, and candy, billions are spent worldwide each Halloween, boosting economies everywhere.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Niamh McDermott
Editor: Shea Conduct


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvndvj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7q8zh)
Hurricane Melissa death toll rises

The hurricane, one of the most powerful to strike the Caribbean, has killed at least 30 people in Haiti and at least 19 people in Jamaica. Jamaica's information minister says "there are entire communities that seem to be marooned and areas that seem to be flattened". We get updates from our correspondent and an aid worker who have been in the most affected areas.

The United Nations human rights chief has condemned the US military strikes on vessels allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean and Pacific. Our global affairs reporter explains.

After protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews against proposed changes to Israel’s legal exemption for religious students from military conscription, we hear from three Orthodox Jews with more nuanced views.

King Charles's brother, Andrew, has lost his right to be called a prince due to his links to the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. He denies any wrongdoing. We explain the background.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon

(Photo: A person walks down a street affected by Hurricane Melissa; in Santa Cruz, Jamaica, 30 October 2025. Credit: Orlando Barría/EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvnjln)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w1730682rx7qdqm)
Sudan siege survivors recount stories of atrocities

The UN says 60,000 people have now fled the Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rebel takeover of el-Fasher in the Darfur region of Sudan, with many recounting stories of horrendous atrocities. There have been reports of mass executions and crimes against humanity as the RSF rebels stormed the city after 18 months of siege. We speak to BBC Verify and aid workers.

The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, has taken centre stage at the Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea in the absence of Donald Trump. Our reporter from Global China Unit has the latest.

After protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews against proposed changes to Israel’s legal exemption for religious students from military conscription, we hear from three Orthodox Jews with more nuanced views.

King Charles's brother, Andrew, has lost his right to be called prince due to his links to the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. He denies any wrongdoing. We speak to royal commentators from Commonwealth countries.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon.

(Photo: A displaced Sudanese woman makes tea while others gather and sit in makeshift tents after fleeing el-Fasher city in Darfur, Sudan, 29 October, 2025, in this still taken from a Reuters' video. Credit: Mohamed Jamal/Reuters)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvnnbs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6whq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct744p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvns2x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38n539)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmgc4c9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z3k)
2025/10/31 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 (w172zwwybwvnwv1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnf)
Women share stories of losing their hair

Something unusual happened recently at the Miss USA beauty contest: Miss Nevada, 22-year-old Mary Sickler, walked on stage without any hair. She had lost it to a condition known as alopecia but, until that moment, had worn a wig in public.

Tens of millions of women around the world suffer from some form of hair loss and the story has sparked a global conversation. We bring together three women with alopecia, in the US, South Africa and the Netherlands.

“For me it was really important because representation really matters,” Anne tells us. “The media doesn’t often show bald people in a very positive light – quite often they make it seem like it’s a joke – so I think it’s really important that it’s shown to the world like this and shown that bald is beautiful.”

Many people having cancer treatment can also lose their hair – it’s usually temporary but can be permanent. Three women whose hair fell out during cancer treatment share their experiences of baldness, wigs and dating mishaps.

This edition of The Documentary is from BBC OS Conversations, where we bring people together to share their personal experiences of news events around the world.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon
BBC producer: Iqra Farooq
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham

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

(Photo/credit: Anne)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmgc83f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stk)
Why do people love horror films?

For some they’re the stuff of nightmares, but many of us can’t get enough of horror films. For Halloween, CrowdScience investigates the science of why we enjoy films that scare the living daylights out of us.

CrowdScience listener Maria from Taiwan is one of those people who would rather avoid frightening films, yet her husband loves them and is always trying to get her to watch with him. She wants to know why people like her husband are so drawn to horror films.

To try and find out, presenter Anand Jagatia travels to the Recreational Fear Lab in Aarhus, Denmark, which is dedicated to understanding why people frighten themselves for fun. He meets the research lab’s directors Mathias Clasen and Marc Andersen who explain how horror and recreational fear could help us cope better with uncertainty, bond with those we are frightened beside, and perhaps even have some physical health benefits. They also take Anand to a haunted house, called Dystopia, which has used the Recreational Fear Lab’s research to become as terrifying as possible.

And we hear from horror film music composer, Mark Korven, who creates tension and fear using an invention he calls ‘the apprehension engine’. He speaks to BBC Naturebang’s Becky Ripley who has been investigating sounds that scare us and their evolutionary origins.

Presenter: Anand Jagatia
Producer: Jonathan Blackwell

(Photo: Couple watch horror movie with blanket to cover their heads. Credit: WC.GI via Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvp0l5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zssdjtct54s)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvp4b9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwldh38njbp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmgchlp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76p3)
Hurricane Melissa set to hurt Jamaican economy hard

Hurricane Melissa leaves Jamaican economy with a huge trail of damage and a massive repair bill to sort out. Some reports suggest the country could face losses of over $14 billion. Presenter Will Bain hears from people on the ground in the country.

We also examine why there has been a huge surge in the Amazon share price at the end of busy week for Wall Street.

And are modern TV’s really any better than plasma ones for watching movies. We find out why some experts believe older models are much better for watching films.( Photo:Debris is scattered around a damaged building in Jamaica. Credit: REUTERS/Gilbert Bellamy)


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwybwvp82f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 The Interview (w3ct8c3y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxrsmgcmbt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]