SATURDAY 06 DECEMBER 2025

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fl3vr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x2)
Some bear-y interesting space science

A teddy bear launched into the upper atmosphere as part of a school science project has gone missing! Inspired by this story, the Unexpected Elements team look into how bears could help improve astronauts’ health on long-term space flights. Next, how has a US Air Force site delivered an unexpected conservation win for an endangered species?

We’re then joined by Justin Gregg, a professor of animal behaviour and cognition. He reveals why we anthropomorphise cuddly toys – such as teddy bears – and why this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

We meet Alan Turing’s teddy bear, before finding out why it’s good to get lost.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Chhavi Sachdev
Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Alice McKee and Robbie Wojciechowski


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fl7lw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvkmm8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz18lw8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct7155)
The Fifa-Trump bromance

Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, is widely expected to award Donald Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize on Friday, at the draw for the 2026 World Cup in Washington DC. The prize has led to scrutiny over Infantino’s close relationship with Trump, along with concerns that Trump might move matches from host cities and fears over visa delays or refusals for travelling fans and officials.

We speak to Dan Roan, the BBC’s sports editor, about why Infantino is cosying up to Trump, and what it means for football and global diplomacy.

Producer: Sam Chantarasak and Aron Keller

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Image: Fifa President Gianni Infantino shows US President Donald Trump the World Cup Trophy in the Oval Office. Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx057flcc0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvkrcd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz18qmd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zk8)
Ashes 2025: What makes the pink ball special?

With the ongoing day-night Test match between Australia and England, Nikesh Rughani, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma debate the success of the format and ask if it could be seen as a gimmick if more countries don't start playing them?

We hear from Aaron Briggs, who is a data analyst for the ECB and did a PHD on the aerodynamics of swing bowling at Cambridge. He tells us what makes the pink balls so different.

With the five Women's Premier League teams locked in for the new season, we look at the major signings and snubs at the mega auction and hear the story of Mumbai Indians new signing Millie Illingworth.

Plus, with the India and South Africa ODI series level on 1-1, we discuss if Virat Kohli is back to his best after hitting two back to back centuries.

Photo: Ollie Pope of England is bowled by Mitchell Starc of Australia during day one of the Second 2025/26 Ashes Series Test Match between Australia and England at The Gabba on December 04, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx057flh34)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6whw)
Outlook Mixtape: A day at the races

The Mongol Derby is billed as one of the longest and toughest horse races in the world, designed to mimic the way couriers used to take messages from the farthest reaches of the Mongol Empire on horseback. In 2013, British rider Lara Prior-Palmer made a last-minute decision to take part. And with just a few snacks, a single change of clothes, and many wrong turns along the way, she went on to win – the first woman to do so. She told Outlook’s Seyi Rhodes about her victory in November 2023.

You might catch Thomas Panek running through a park in Westchester County, just outside New York City. He is confident, with a dog running alongside him. But this is a partnership that is unusual because Thomas is not leading the dog, the dog is leading him. Thomas is blind and through his running, ended up making history. Outlook’s Jason Strother recently went for a run with him in June 2019.

Yara Shalaby is Egypt's first female rally driver. She's mastered the sport in some of the country's toughest desert terrain, while also putting up with a lot of detractors – people telling her that women cannot drive. In spite of that, she told Jo Fidgen in 2021, she has risen up in the sport and beaten many of her male competitors in the process.

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 on a white background with a white label with the words: The Outlook Mixtape. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct744v)
How Lagos Fashion Week began

In 2011, Lagos Fashion Week debuted, putting Nigerian style on the map.

Omoyemi Akerele founded the event which helped to launch the careers of designers internationally.

It has grown into a major fashion event and won the 2025 Earthshot Prize for sustainability.

In 2023, Omoyemi Akerele spoke to Reena Stanton-Sharma about the first show.

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: Founder of the Lagos Fashion and Design Week Omoyemi Akerele. Credit: Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fllv8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx057flqld)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvl3ls)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz192vs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7zzh)
Bill Walton’s The Grateful Team: Ep 2

The Lithuanian men’s basketball team are making a splash at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. But they’re about to face two of their biggest challenges…

The Unified Team is made up of athletes representing the former Soviet republics. For newly independent Lithuania, could this be a moment to prove themselves on the world stage?

And as if that isn’t enough, the US Dream Team is made up of some of the best players in the world, including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. Will Lithuania stand a chance?

The late NBA star and sports commentator Bill Walton presents this extraordinary true story which brings together basketball, the US rock band The Grateful Dead, and the fall of the Soviet Union. Bill passed away in 2024, not long after recording the series, and his family have given permission for its release following his death.

This episode was updated on 16 July 2025.

Amazing Sport Stories brings you the greatest twists and personal journeys from sport history. Listen for inspiring tales of courage, drama, myths and legends from all over the globe. All told in mini seasons and one-off documentary episodes. #AmazingSportStories

Amazing Sport Stories: Bill Walton’s The Grateful Team is a Bespoken Media production for the BBC World Service.


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzx)
Is RFK right about US sperm counts?

Around the world, many countries are concerned about tackling the decline in birth rates and total fertility rates.

The US is no exception.

To tackle this issue the US government announced that it would provide subsidies for Americans seeking IVF treatment. The announcement was accompanied by one suspect sounding stat from US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

"Today the average teenager in this country has 50% of the sperm count, 50% of the testosterone as a 65-year-old man," he said.

We speak to Professor Allan Pacey, Professor of Andrology at the University of Manchester, and Adith Arun, a researcher at Yale University to find out whether this statement is accurate.

Producer/Presenter: Lizzy McNeill
Series Producer: Tom Colls
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Mix: James Beard


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx057flvbj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8gmh2vf1h)
President Trump given the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize

The US president received the inaugural prize before the draw for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The award has been introduced this year by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, designated for a person who he believes has "taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace" and "united people across the world".

Also on the programme: We reflect on the life and legacy of one of the world's most acclaimed architects, Frank Gehry, who has died; and we head to Bethlehem where for the first time since 2022, the traditional giant Christmas tree outside the Nativity Church will be lit up.

Joining presenter Owen Bennett-Jones to discuss these stories and more are Jacquelin Magnay, Europe correspondent for the Australian newspaper, and Emadeddin Badi, a Senior Fellow at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

(Photo: Fifa president Gianni Infantino presents President Donald Trump with the Fifa Peace Prize during the World Cup 2026 Final Draw in Washington DC. Credit: Amber Searls/Imagn Images/Reuters Connect)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx057flz2n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8gmh2vjsm)
Gianni Infantino has given President Trump the new Fifa Peace Prize

Fifa President Gianni Infantino has given President Trump the new Fifa Peace Prize at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC. It was widely expected that Mr Trump, who arrived at the ceremony with Infantino and has made several public appearances with him in recent months, would receive the award.

Also on the programme: Dozens of cultural artifacts belonging to indigenous communities across Canada are returningl after being held by the Vatican for the last century; and we hear from Dilhan Fernando, the chief executive of a Sri Lankan tea business, about the impact of the devasating floods there.

Joining presenter Owen Bennett-Jones to discuss these stories and more are Jacquelin Magnay, Europe correspondent for the Australian newspaper, and Emadeddin Badi, a Senior Fellow at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump is presented with the Fifa Peace Prize award by Fifa President Gianni Infantino in Washington DC.Credit: Sam Corum/PA Wire)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fm2ts)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8gmh2vnjr)
Netflix to buy the film and streaming business of Warner Bros Discovery for $72bn

The takeover is set to create a new giant in the entertainment industry, but the deal will still have to be approved by competition authorities. Some in the film industry, including the Writers Guild of America, have criticised the deal, saying it would negatively impact workers and consumers.

Also, Russian President Vladimir Putin has spent the last two days on a visit to India - we hear from our correspondent, Steve Rosenberg, who has been travelling with President Putin; and we hear the reflections of Israeli singer Noa, who represented the country at Eurovision in 2009, as four countries have pulled out of next year's contest in protest at Israel's participation.

Joining presenter Owen Bennett-Jones to discuss these stories and more are Jacquelin Magnay, Europe correspondent for the Australian newspaper, and Emadeddin Badi, a senior fellow at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

(Photo: The Netflix logo is shown on one of their buildings in Los Angeles. Credit: Mike Blake/Reuters)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fm6kx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnl)
Australia’s under-16 social media ban

From 10 December, Australian children under 16 will be banned from most social media platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat.

The ban is designed to protect teenagers from harmful content and other risks such as cyberbullying and grooming. Surveys suggest the legislation is popular with many parents, but it has been challenged by social media companies and some young campaigners have argued it disregards children’s rights.

In our conversations we bring together two families in New South Wales who are on opposite sides of the debate. We also hear from three young Australians with tens of thousands of social media followers, including Ella.

“It’s not our fault the harmful content’s there, it’s the apps’,” Ella tells us. “So why are we being the ones removed? We’ll still find ways of getting to that harmful content, no matter the ban or no ban – it’s the content that needs to be removed, not us.”

Presenter: Luke Jones
BBC producers: Isabella Bull and Angela Sheeran
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editor: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

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

(Photo: Courtney from New South Wales with her son Kyan, who’s 13. He will be affected by the ban. Credit: Courtney)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz19kv9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Americast (w3ct8byt)
Is Trump giving the FIFA World Cup a MAGA makeover?

As the United States gets ready to host the Fifa World Cup 2026, Americast looks at what’s behind the close relationship between Donald Trump and the president of football’s world governing body, Gianna Infantino.

Sarah and Anthony go back to 2018, in Trump’s first term, when America won its bid to host the 2026 World Cup. We look at how the relationship between Infantino and Trump has developed since then, and examine claims that the Fifa World Cup is being over politicised by both men.

The US president has threatened to move scheduled games away from Democrat cities, and the Fifa president has been criticised for creating a special peace prize that Donald Trump is widely expected to win.

What does the World Cup really mean for Donald Trump, and how will that impact on wider America, and the fans who watch the event?

Hosts Sarah Smith, North America editor and Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent are joined by guest Henry Bushnell, senior writer for the Athletic

Producer: George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard

Editor: Sam Bonham

Get in touch:
• Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB
• Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480
• Email Americast@bbc.co.uk
• Or use #Americast


If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

You can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl
Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fmbb1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct878q)
Expect the unexpected

For nearly 50 years drivers have attempted to navigate the Paris to Dakar Rally. It is an off-road endurance event over all types of terrain from tarmac to gravel to sand. You can take part in a car or on a motor bike, but if you do not have the right skills and support team around you then you can find yourself lost in the Sahara desert. In 2001 German Jutta Kleinschmidt became the first, and still the only woman to win the event, but that is not the twist in her story.

The cult classic film Escape to Victory from the early 1980s features the unexpected mix of Hollywood mega stars Silvester Stallone, Michael Caine and football legend Pele, with a plot set in Nazi occupied France. We hear from John Smith who has recently published a book called Escape: A Love Letter to a Cult Football Classic.

Badminton is a sport watched and loved by millions of people. It is a sport dominated by athletes from the far East, but at the Athens Games of 2004 Britain's Gail Emms, along side her partner Nathan Robertson, were on the brink of mixed doubles gold. But once Gail had retired from the game the unexpected twists and turns of life saw her struggle to cope. She has detailed it all in her autobiography Grit and Goose Feathers: Chasing Medals and Finding Me. My Olympic Journey Uncovered.

Dutch goalkeeper Eddy Treijtel played more than 300 times for Rotterdam giants, Feyenoord. But he is best remembered for one of his most talked about moments and remarkable incidents in soccer history! Eddy has been telling us about the unexpected moment that went down in football folklore.

Inspirational stories from around the world. Interviews with people defying the odds
Discover Not by the Playbook - the podcast which seeks out the most incredible stories from sportspeople and athletes. We bring you interviews with the sporting heroes who have achieved success in the face of seemingly impossible challenges.
Formerly known as Sportshour, Not by the Playbook is brought to you by the BBC, the world's most trusted international news provider.
Tune in to hear from some of the most famous names in sport on subjects you've never heard them discuss before. You don't have to be an Olympic gold champion to have an extraordinary story – we also scour the globe for inspiring individuals who make a difference through sport.
Whether you’re a football or soccer fan, tennis lover, golf aficionado or cricket addict, you’ll find inspiration in the stories of resilience, determination, and discipline. Expect insightful, honest, and thought-provoking conversations from people who live and breathe sport.
Listen to Not by the Playbook on the BBC World Service every Saturday at 0900 GMT, or find it as a podcast wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
Get in touch with us via email and use the hashtag #NBTP on social media.

(Photo: Actor Sylvester Stallone (L) getting pointers from soccer great Pele (R) during filming of motion picture Escape to Victory. Credit: John Bryson/Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fmg25)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvlv2k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz19tbk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkc)
The risky use of skin lightening in children

New research shows that 20% of children under five years old in Nigeria have been exposed to skin lightening products, even by parents who know the risks associated with the products. Claudia speaks to Aisha, a mother, to understand why skin lightening can seem appealing, and to dermatologist Atinuke Ajani from Ile-Ife, Nigeria, who explains the growing prevalence of this trend.

Epidemiologist Matt Fox joins Claudia to explain the latest breakthrough in HIV immunotherapy treatment and what research is still needed to find a cure.

Momentary lapses in attention when exhausted may be your brain’s way of catching up on sleep. Laura Lewis, who is associate professor of medical engineering and electrical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, explains the latest findings in sleep deprivation neuroscience.

Claudia and Matt discuss a recent finding that medical research published by women is less likely to be retracted and the simple step that airlines could take to be better prepared for the medical emergency that causes 86% of in-flight mortalities.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Helena Selby and Georgia Christie


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fmkt9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 World Questions (w3ct7507)
Kenya

Gen Z have taken to the streets of Nairobi with mass protests that rocked the Kenyan government in recent years and led to multiple deaths. Kenya is a young country where 67% of its youth is unemployed, some of them feel that the new generation is not being listened to. Jonny Dymond chairs a panel fielding questions covering the deaths of women, inequality and whether abductions and killings in Kenya are part of the concerted effort from the state to supress dissent.

The panel:
Silvanus Osoro, MP. Majority Party Chief Whip (KNC), National Assembly of Kenya
Zaha Indimuli, Human Rights Activist, National Advocacy Lead End Femicide Ke.
Canon Evans Omollo, Provost of All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi
Martha Karua, former Minister of Justice, Opposition Presidential Candidate for the People’s Liberation Party.

Producer: Charlie Taylor

(Photo: A demonstrator shouts slogans during a protest in Nairobi. Credit: Daniel Irungu/EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fmpkf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zssgc4yrv41)
What's behind Gianni Infantino's new peace prize?

Fifa's president gave Mr Trump the award at the draw for the 2026 World Cup. It was widely expected that the US president would receive the award, but for critics the move is a threat to Fifa's commitment to political neutrality.

Also in the programme: We reflect on the life and legacy of one of the world's most acclaimed architects, Frank Gehry, who has died, and we head to Bethlehem where, for the first time since 2022, the traditional giant Christmas tree outside the Nativity Church will be lit.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump and Fifa President Gianni Infantino as the Village People perform during the 2026 World Cup draw. Credit: Mandel Ngan/Reuters)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fmt9k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqwnqq8fp0)
Live Sporting Action

We'll have live Premier League commentary from the Vitality Stadium, where Bournemouth take on title challengers Chelsea. Lee James will joined by the former Chelsea, Germany and two time title winning defender Robert Huth and the former Liverpool, Tottenham and USA goalkeeper Brad Friedel to discuss Saturday's matches, including league leaders Arsenal and second place Manchester City.

With the Africa Cup of Nations just a few weeks away, we’ll speak to Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat as his club side Real Betis prepare to face La Liga leaders Barcelona this weekend.

Away from football, we'll be in Brisbane on Day Three of the Second Ashes Test and in Abu Dhabi to preview the final race of the Formula One season with Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen all in contention for the driver’s championship.

Photo: Cole Palmer of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and AFC Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on January 14, 2025 in London, England. (Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fn992)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvmp9g)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1bnkg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7zzh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zsn)
Nigeria at the first Women’s World Cup

The Nigerian national women’s football team were the first African team to reach the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup Tournament in China in 1991.

In 2023 Justice Baidoo spoke to Nkiri Okosieme – who captained the hastily assembled squad – and hears how they overcame opposition to claim their tournament spot.

This programme is a Made in Manchester Production for the 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: Nigeria playing Germany in their first game at the tournament. Credit: Tommy Cheng/AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fnf16)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct8dz5)
Rutger Bregman: 2. How to start a moral revolution

Rutger Bregman's 2025 Reith Lectures, called Moral Revolution, explore the moral decay and un-seriousness of today's elites, drawing historical parallels to past eras of corruption that preceded transformative movements especially the 19th Century campaign to abolish slavery. In his series, he argues that small, committed groups can spark moral revolutions, emphasising the importance of perseverance and long-term vision.

Bregman advocates for a new "realist utopia" in the face of rapid technological change, promoting ideas like Universal Basic Income, fairer taxation and responsible tech regulation. Finally, he zooms out to reflect on humanity’s strange historical trajectory, warning of the existential risks posed by unchecked AI and urging privileged individuals to take on an active role in shaping a better future.

The Reith Lectures are presented by Anita Anand who chairs a Q&A. The programme was recorded in front of an audience in London.

(Photo: Dutch historian Rutger Bregman is seen during his speech at the Barcelona Thought Biennale. Credit: Paco Freire/Getty Images)


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fnjsb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zv9)
Directors Neeraj Ghaywan and Shih-Ching Tsou

Nikki Bedi speaks to film-maker Neeraj Ghaywan about his film Homebound, which is India’s entry for the Best International Feature category at the Oscars.

She also talks to the director Shih-Ching Tsou about Taiwan’s entry for the same category, the Taipei-set film Left-Handed Girl.

Plus a chance to hear about Australia’s entry, The Wolves Always Come at Night from the film-maker Gabrielle Brady.

The creators of Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers talk about the series genesis and the 1980s themes.

And Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence reveals how the late great comedy actor John Candy was a formative influence.

Nikki Bedi is joined by cultural critic Zing Tsjeng to discuss all of this and more.

(Photo: Neeraj Ghaywan. Credit: Dharma Productions)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fnnjg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgc4yst32)
Fifa reveals 2026 World Cup match locations

It's the most widely viewed sporting event in the world. The 2026 World Cup will be played across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Today fans and teams discovered where matches will be played and at what sorts of temperatures.

Also today: A survivor of Sri Lanka's devastating floods tells us how he ran up a hill, carrying his grandmother, as water rose around him; and Bethlehem celebrates Christmas lighting for the first time since the start of the war in Gaza.

(Photo: The World Cup trophy displayed at the Fifa World Cup 2026 draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC, December 5, 2025. Credit: Pool via Reuters/Mandel Ngan)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fns8l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvn58z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1c4jz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72dy)
Pusso

From Seychelles, Jules ‘Pusso’ Dugasse performs under the stage name King Pusso. He calls his style SeyShatta, in a nod to the influences of Seychellois culture and music as well as Jamaica and the French Caribbean - the birthplace of shatta, which is a genre of dancehall.

Pusso was only eight years old when he dreamed of being an international performer, but he didn’t have the support of his parents. So he put that dream on the backburner, got a degree in art and design, and a job. But the music kept calling. At first he recorded and produced tracks during his lunchbreaks, before taking the plunge in 2012 and joining the Louis Gang with three others. The group won Best Group at a local awards in 2017 and again in 2018. Then Pusso launched his solo career.

His mission is to take the music of Seychelles to the rest of the world. In September 2025 he released I am Dancehall, a five-track EP that's making waves in countries as far apart as Nepal, Malta, Australia, the UK and the US.


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fnx0q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct878q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]

SUNDAY 07 DECEMBER 2025

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fp0rv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1cd17)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct8cnd)
Rocks To Riches

Each year, thousands of fragments of meteorites land on the surface of the earth. Most people who come across them might disregard them as just a dusty old rock. But others know exactly what they're looking for and their worth. For some, getting their hands on a meteorite is just a hobby but for others, an obsession and a booming business. With interest in meteorites ever expanding, we explore the global trade in this otherworldly material. With rare specimens often out of the price range of museums and institutions, they end up in the hands of private collectors-but what is the impact of that on the scientists trying to study them?

(Image: Meteorite, Credit: Elizabeth Zucolotto)


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fp4hz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvnjjc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1chsc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7zzh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zsn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fp883)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvnn8h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1cmjh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fpd07)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 World Questions (w3ct7507)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fphrc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsh)
Trump, Honduras and a presidential pardon

Donald Trump surprised many in his own Republican party this week when he signed a pardon releasing the former president of Honduras from a West Virginia prison. Juan Orlando Hernández had been tried, convicted and sentenced to serve 45 years in the US for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Will Grant gauges the reaction in Tegucigalpa - and pays a visit to the former president's wife.

Israel is facing an impending political crisis over the issue of conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the armed forces. It's a looming threat for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - and a question that divides wider Israeli society. Lucy Williamson reports from the city of Bnei Brak.

Pope Leo XIV chose Turkey and Lebanon as the destinations for his first overseas trip as Pontiff. Aleem Maqbool has been travelling with the papal press pool, and reflects on what the journey revealed of the new Pope's character and approach to the role.

It’s nearly four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, and despite heavy losses, President Putin seems convinced this is no time to stop. Official Russian media still broadcast the success of the "special military operation" - and punitive laws discourage many Russians from speaking out against the war. But while out walking his dog in Moscow, Ben Tavener has gleaned a more nuanced picture of what the average citizen might be thinking.

Intorduced by Pascale Harter.

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

(Photo: Ana Garcia de Hernandez, wife of former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez, with a portrait of her husband in Tegucigalpa, 2 December, 2025. Credit: Orlando Sierra/AFP)


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1cw0r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txn)
A 'functional' cure for HIV?

Almost 40 years ago, the first treatment was approved for HIV, but it came with a warning: “This is not a cure.” On the week of World AIDS Day, Kate Bishop, principal group leader at the Francis Crick Institute, tells us how science may now have finally found a “functional” cure for the virus that causes AIDS.

How are tree rings, volcanoes, trade routes and Europe’s deadly Black Death pandemic connected? Professor Ulf Büntgen from the University of Cambridge explains how matching tree ring data with historical records shows that Italian city-states importing grain accidentally introduced the Black Death to Europe.

Plus science broadcaster Caroline Steel is in the studio to discuss her favourite new scientific discoveries.

To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University. 

Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producers: Jonathan Blackwell, Ella Hubber, Tim Dodd, Alex Mansfield, and Hannah Fisher
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fpmhh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvp0hw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1czrw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct8cnd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fpr7m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8gmh2y9yl)
At least 12 killed in South Africa mass shooting

Gunmen stormed a Pretoria hostel and opened fire on a group of men who were drinking. Three children are among the dead.

Also on the programme: Sri Lankans who lost their home in the flood disaster which followed last week's cyclone are to be compensated by the government to re-build; and we speak to Akram Lilja, the head of the Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation, about their work to assess and document the destruction to cultural sites in Gaza.

Joining presenter Owen Bennett-Jones to discuss these stories and more are Sophie Lambin, the founder and chief executive of Kite Insights, an sustainable economy consultancy, and Phil Cox, a British journalist and filmmaker.

(Photo: A police forensics member arrives at the scene where several people were killed in a mass shooting at Saulsville Hostel in Atteridgeville in Pretoria, South Africa on the 6th of December 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Alet Pretorius)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fpvzr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8gmh2yfpq)
Hong Kong votes in election as city mourns deadly fire

The government has mounted a huge campaign to encourage Hongkongers to choose members of the Legislative Council. All of the candidates have been vetted to ensure they are loyal to China. In recent days, authorities have distributed aid to survivors, arrested suspects and sought to improve building safety, as some Hongkongers raise questions about last month's Tai Po fire, which killed nearly 160 people.

Also on the programme: We hear from two Syrians, one of whom has returned to the country, almost 1 year on from the fall of Bashal al-Assad; and we ask why some high ranking officials in the United States are talking about the possibility of UFOs in our skies in a new documentary.

Joining presenter Owen Bennett-Jones to discuss these stories and more are Sophie Lambin, the founder and chief executive of Kite Insights, an sustainable economy consultancy, and Phil Cox, a British journalist and filmmaker.

(Photo: A Ballot box is seen at a polling station during the Legislative Council General Election in Hong Kong on the 7th of December 2025. Credit: MAY JAMES/EPA/Shutterstock)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fpzqw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8gmh2ykfv)
Zelensky had "very constructive" phone call with Witkoff

President Zelensky spoke with President Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at the conclusion three days of US-Ukraine talks in Miami.Russia meanwhile continued its air strikes on Ukraine overnight, only hours after Mr Zelensky's comments

Also on the programme: The chief executive of Europe's only all-electric car company gives his take on targets to phase out petrol and diesel cars; and we examine why left-handedness remains taboo in come cultures around the world.

Joining presenter Owen Bennett-Jones to discuss these stories and more are Sophie Lambin, the founder and chief executive of Kite Insights, an sustainable economy consultancy, and Phil Cox, a British journalist and filmmaker.

(Photo: President Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff (R), and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner (L) meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin (not pictured) at the Kremlin in Moscow on the 2nd of December 2025. Credit: ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fq3h0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1dgrd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zh)
How to eat well in the cold

How do you eat well in freezing the cold? When you live in some of the coldest places on earth, what you eat, and how much, really matters.

Ruth Alexander hears advice from a scientist, who goes on expeditions to study the body’s reaction to sub-zero temperatures, and talks to people living in the Arctic circle.

What do they cook, and what is their favourite food and drink to keep them warm in the winter? She hears how they find fresh ingredients when all around the ground is frozen – and how freezing temperatures can spark culinary creativity.

Producer: Julia Paul and Lexy O'Connor
Sound engineer: Hal Haines

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


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fq774)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyl)
Building empathy and fighting disinformation

***This programme contains references to sexual violence***
We look at solutions that focus on teaching children how to respect each other and understand their emotions better. We visit a primary school in Botswana where a charity called Think Equal is helping teachers put empathy at the heart of their teaching and speak to Think Equal's founder Leslee Udwin. Plus, Myra visits a school in East London where teenagers are being taught how to interpret what they read online as part of an initiative to tackle misinformation and polarisation.

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: Natasha Fernandes
Sound engineer: Andrew Mills
Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Photo: Myra Anubi with Leslee Udwin of Think Equal in the BBC studio)


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1dlhj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tz)
Reporting the Nigerian school kidnappings

More than 300 children were kidnapped from a school in the western Nigerian village of Papiri in November, but in the aftermath, accounts of the kidnappings were confused and misleading. BBC Africa's Madina Maishanu was part of a team of journalists who faced huge risk to visit the site of the kidnappings and hear the testimonies of parents.

In October this year, a young Chechen woman living in Armenia, Aishat Baimuradova, was killed. She had previously escaped a repressive life in Chechnya but is now believed to be the first Chechen woman in exile to be killed outside of Russia. BBC Russian's Zlata Onufrieva and Olga Prosvirova set out what is known about Aishat's life and death, and consider the implications of her killing for Chechen women living in exile.

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

Presenter: Faranak Amidi
Producer: Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean

(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fqbz8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvpqzn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1dq7n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7zzh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fqgqd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct8dz5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fqlgj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zssgc4yvr14)
Low voter turnout at today's Hong Kong polls

Will the recent deadly fire at a housing complex in Hong Kong - and the angry response to it - have an impact on today's elections to the Legislative Council?

Also on the programme: a failed coup attempt in the west African country of Benin; we'll be in Syria - a year on from the ousting of the Assad regime - and the prison diaries of Nicolas Sarkozy - written after a mere three weeks behind bars.

(Image: A voter checks on the candidates at a polling station in Tai Po during the Legislative Council general election in Hong Kong on December 7, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Lam Yik)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fqq6n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702x)
What does the ocean do for us and the planet?

What do you think of when you think about our oceans? Maybe you see a picture of our planet with a big patch of blue? Maybe you think about storms or dramatic ocean voyages? Maybe fish or coral reefs?

In this edition of The Climate Question, Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar explore how our oceans are even more important than you might imagine. They help put the brakes on climate change and regulate our weather - even in faraway deserts. They provide food, and even influence the rise of great civilisations, like Ancient Egypt.

Graihagh and Jordan are joined by oceanographer and physicist Helen Czerski, author of Blue Machine, How the Ocean Shapes Our World. Helen also chats about the challenges of trying to collect data at sea during huge storms.

Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Production team: Simon Watts, Nik Sindle, Grace Braddock
Sound engineer: Ben Andrews and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts

Got a question or a comment? You can email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1f2h1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct6tz9)
The Happy Pod: My best friend had my baby

When Georgia Barrington was told, at the age of 15, that she had been born without a womb, she thought her dreams of having a baby were over. So her best friend, Daisy Hope, promised she would one day act as her surrogate. Years later, after having her daughter, she reminded her friend of that offer and a few weeks ago gave birth to Georgia's baby girl. The women say it has given them a bond like no other.

Also, how the traditionally male world of yodelling is being given a modern, feminist twist. Switzerland's new yodel choirs aim to bring people from all backgrounds together and connect them through song.

The world-famous Chinese pianist, Lang Lang, talks about the healing power of music. His charitable foundation runs concerts and creative workshops for children struggling with physical or mental health issues or grief.

We find out about how one winner of this year's Earthshot prizes is bringing education to women living on some of Bangladesh's most fragile islands.

Plus, a statue honouring the true impact of pregnancy and childbirth on women's bodies; the man bringing the stress-busting sights and sounds of nature to tens of thousands of people around the world; and the young owl rescued from a cement mixer.

Presenter: Ankur Desai
Music: Iona Hampson

(Photo: Daisy Hope (R), who had just given birth to her best friend Georgia’s baby daughter. Credit: Georgia Barrington)


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fqtys)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqwnqqcgb7)
Live sport from around the world with news, interviews and analysis.


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx057fr9y9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvqpyp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1fp6p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct7yvh)
Made in Russia: The Kremlin’s economic rebrand

Moscow is working around international sanctions by promoting self-sustainability, elevating Russian brands and deepening trade with friendly countries. After Western companies retreated as the full-scale invasion of Ukraine started, Russian consumer habits and the economy began to shift. We explore how sanctions reshaped everyday life and ask: can Russia sustain a forever war?

Krassi Ivanova Twigg speaks to the BBC's military and economy expert Tim Bowler, who has been tracking the movement of foreign companies in Russia's new reality. And Evgeny Poduvkin of the BBC Russia team explores the 'grey markets' where ordinary Russian citizens are acquiring western brands.

Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Producer: Kriszta Satori
Music: Pete Cunningham


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx057frfpf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx057frkfk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgc4ywq05)
Syrians mark one year since the fall of Bashar al-Assad

UN human rights investigators have said that the cycles of vengeance and reprisal must be brought to an end in Syria, as the country commemorates the first anniversary of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. A UN independent commission of inquiry commended the steps taken by Syria's new leadership to address the crimes and abuses of the Assad era. But it said violent incidents in the past year had raised worries about the future direction of the country. Newshour's Lyse Doucet is in Damascus.

Also in the programme: we profile Formula 1's new champion Lando Norris; and a new documentary looks at what senior US military officials know about UFOs.

(Photo: A drone view shows the parliament in Damascus, Syria, September 21, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Mahmoud Hassano)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx057frp5p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlg9fvr262)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1g1g2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx057frsxt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtlz1g566)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 Assignment (w3ct6rck)
Ireland's new alcohol warning

Ireland has become the first country in the world to introduce labels linking alcohol with cancer and liver disease. Some producers began re-labelling their products this year and they're already on sale in pubs and supermarkets across the country. The rest of the drinks industry was due to follow suit next year but the Irish government has decided to delay the compulsory introduction of these labels until 2028. They blame uncertainty with world trade, but critics believe it’s the result of lobbying by the drinks industry which claims the labels are both excessive and fearmongering.

Ireland has a complex relationship with drinking, with its pubs venerated in many parts of the world and huge brands such as Guinness and Jamesons major exports. But alcoholism has been a long running issue putting a strain on the Irish health service. While overall alcohol consumption in Ireland is falling, binge drinking and drinking amongst teenagers and young people is increasing. Are Irish people and the country as a whole developing a new relationship with drink, and if so, which direction will win out? Katie Flannery heads out with the drinkers and non-drinkers in Dublin to find out.

Produced by Bob Howard.

(Image: Bob Howard/BBC)

MONDAY 08 DECEMBER 2025

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqwry3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bl46h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 on Sunday]


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqwwp7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4w8pm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bl7ym)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6swz)
Waking up with a different voice

What’s it like to wake up with a brand new voice? For those with foreign accent syndrome, this is their reality. Patients who develop this rare speech disorder start speaking in a brand new accent that they often have no connection to.

So how does losing the voice you’ve known your entire life shape, or break, your identity?

Presenter Ella Hubber speaks to Althia Bryden, who developed foreign accent syndrome last year, and Sarah Colwill, who has lived with the condition for the past 15 years. They share the deep impact it has had on their identity and connection to those around them.

And to understand what is happening in the brain to cause this complete change in accent, and whether it’s really even an accent at all, Ella speaks to professor Nicholas Miller, who has been unpicking the mystery of foreign accent syndrome for decades. Also, professor Stefanie Keulen shares that there are actually multiple types of the condition.

Even though foreign accent syndrome is rare, it is found around the world, can affect anyone, and highlights just how deeply our voices influence all aspects of our lives.

Presenter: Ella Hubber
Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Ella Hubber
Assistant Producer: Minnie Harrop
Editor: Martin Smith


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqx0fc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4wdfr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7blcpr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stq)
Can we turn deserts green?

Can we turn the world’s deserts green? CrowdScience listener Youcef is captivated by the idea of bringing water back to Earth’s driest landscapes. With sea levels rising and huge stretches of land drying out each year, he wonders whether redirecting seawater inland could offer a solution to both problems. Presenter Alex Lathbridge sets out to investigate starting with a kettle of salty water.

Alex speaks to scientists about how deserts form, and how human actions like overgrazing can tip a fragile grassland into a barren landscape. He learns how the brightness of bare sand affects local weather, reducing cloud formation and rainfall. Researcher Yan Li reveals how huge solar and wind farms could darken and roughen the Sahara’s surface enough to double its rainfall, potentially kickstarting a self-reinforcing cycle of vegetation and moisture.

But what about deserts where clouds already drift overhead? In the Atacama, one of the driest places on Earth, geographer Virginia Carter shows how fog harvesting nets can coax litres of fresh water from the air.

Alex also investigates desalination, where professor Chris Sansom is trying to harness solar power to remove the salt from seawater without burning vast amounts of fossil fuels. It is promising, but can it reduce the impact of rising sea levels? And what do you do with all the salt that’s left over?

Climate scientist Alan Condron proposes an even wilder idea: towing kilometre-sized icebergs from Antarctica to parched nations. His models show it might be possible, but the logistics verge on science fiction.

Finally, plant scientist Zinnia Gonzalez Carranza warns that greening deserts isn’t just about adding water. Introducing new species, even hardy ones like mesquite, can trigger ecological chaos and harm the very communities who depend on these landscapes.

Presenter: Alex Lathbridge
Producer: Sam Baker
Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Palm trees growing in cracked, parched earth and the sun rising behind them. Credit: Danymages/Getty Images)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqx45h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7blhfw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Sunday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqx7xm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4wmy0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7blm60)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct709q)
Women tracking hurricanes

Jamaica to the Philippines, Cuba to Vietnam – countries around the world are dealing with aftermath of heavy storms and flooding; with hundreds dead and billions in damage. The role of meteorologists warning of extreme weather is increasingly valuable. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women tracking hurricanes and cyclones about the importance of their work.

Kathy Ann Caesar is chief meteorologist at the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology in Barbados. As well as lecturing and teaching the next generation of weather watchers Kathy also advises regional institutions and emergency services on the advent of extreme weather events.

Holly Hamilton is Director of Meteorology at Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority. The island only got its own weather forecasting service in 2022, they previously used just weather forecasting from the Bahamas. Holly is building the team to bring a more accurate picture of the weather they expect for the local community as well as the airports authority.

Produced by Jane Thurlow

(Image: (L) Kathy Ann Caesar, credit Norada Thorinton. (R) Holly Hamilton, credit Watsonne Photography.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqxcnr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z4vrpb)
UNHCR: Syria is in urgent need of more assistance

The outgoing head of the United Nations' refugee agency tells the BBC that unless reconstruction was accelerated Syria could go backwards again.

Thailand has launched a series of air strikes against Cambodia, after accusing its neighbour of doing the same.

Donald Trump says that white South Africans are suffering from targeted killings and land grabs, and has offered many the opportunity to move to America. We hear what life is like for that community.

(Photo: Children in Hama ride a motorcycle while holding the flag of the new Syria during celebrations; Credit: PA/Shutterstock)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqxhdw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z4vwfg)
Syria celebrates the fall of Assad regime

Syria remains fractured, with sectarian killings fuelling mistrust among minorities, and many struggling to find stability.The most pessimistic predictions about the new leadership haven’t materialised. But recovery and stability remain elusive.

President Trump calls out his Ukrainian counterpart - President Zelensky - saying he hasn't read his proposed peace plan... as Moscow welcomes the new US security strategy which doesn't cast Russia as a threat to the US

(Photo: A father carries his daughter on his shoulders during celebrations marking one year since the city's liberation; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqxm50)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z4w05l)
Celebrations in Syria to mark the overthrow of Assad

Assad fled to Russia a year ago as rebels commanded by the new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, seized Damascus, toppling him. The head of the United Nations refugee agency has warned that Syria is in urgent need of more international assistance, one year after the fall of the Assad regime.

There has been renewed fighting between Thailand and Cambodia along their shared border with several hundred thousand people forced to evacuate.

(Photo: A general view shows hundreds of people gathered in Al-Assi Square; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqxqx4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0n)
Patti Smith: Artists have a responsibility to speak up

Katie Razzall, the BBC’s culture and media editor, speaks to American singer-songwriter Patti Smith during her UK tour marking the 50th anniversary of her ground-breaking debut album Horses.

Best-known for her hit Because the Night, she shares the story behind the song, co-written with Bruce Springsteen, and reflects about being at the vanguard of a new wave of artists in the 1970s.

Patti also opens up about her new memoir, Bread of Angels, a deeply personal journey through her music, her relationships, and the chance discovery of a devastating secret that changed everything.

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 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producers: Melanie Abbott, Roxanne Panthaki and Ben Cooper
Editor: Justine Lang

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

(Image: Patti Smith. Credit: Stefania D'Alessandro/WireImage)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bm35j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ryn)
Formula 1’s new business model

It’s one richest sports in the world but it still needs to adapt to the times.

F1 is now trying to appeal to a younger fan base through deals with Netflix and Lego.

Plus it's trying to break that lucrative US market with races in Las Vegas and huge broadcasting deals.

We hear from the key figures at F1 and from former F1 driver David Coulthard, who witnessed the end of tobacco sponsorship and saw the likes of Red Bull coming into the paddock.

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

Presented and produced by Victoria Turner

(Image: Max Verstappen races down the Las Vegas Strip during the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix on 22 Nov 2025. Image credit: Getty Images)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct7474)
The Balcombe Street IRA siege

In December 1975, four members of one of the IRA’s deadliest units were chased by police through the streets of London before hiding out in a small flat owned by a middle-aged couple called John and Sheila Matthews. The resulting six-day siege was covered live on television and radio, and gripped Britain.
It ended when Metropolitan Police negotiators persuaded the gunmen to leave the flat peacefully. In 2019, Simon Watts spoke to Steven Moysey who saw the siege unfold.

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: Police in action on Balcombe Street during the siege. Credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqxvn8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4x7nn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bm6xn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqxzdd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 Good Bad Billionaire (w3ct8c9q)
Elon Musk: Money, memes and Mars

Elon Musk’s extraordinary rise, from a troubled childhood in apartheid-era South Africa to becoming the first person to amass half a trillion dollars.

BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng chart Elon Musk's journey to becoming a multi-billionaire entrepreneur: from tech giant PayPal, to revolutionising electric cars at Tesla, and launching rockets at SpaceX. But becoming the richest person in the world comes with plenty of boardroom drama and controversy.

Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires?

We're taking a break over the next few weeks but we'll be back in the New Year with a host of new billionaires. You can still contact the team: email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqy34j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4xh4x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bmgdx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct717g)
How the National Guard shooting accelerated Trump’s immigration crackdown

After an Afghan national was charged with shooting two National Guard members in Washington DC, President Donald Trump called for sweeping changes in immigration policy and pledged to "permanently pause migration" from all "third world countries".

Afghan nationals, especially those who worked with the US mission in Afghanistan, may now find themselves in a particularly precarious position.
Asma and Tristan discuss these rapid recent policy changes, and the BBC’s Mahfouz Zubaide shares recent reporting on how Afghans in America are getting caught up in the crackdown.


Producers: Viv Jones, Xandra Ellin

Executive Producer: Bridget Harney

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Mix: Marty Peralta


Photo: People leave flowers at the scene where two National Guard members were shot in Washington DC. Credit: Will Oliver/EPA/Shutterstock


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqy6wn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqp)
I was a nun, the late Pope helped me support trans women

As a child Monica Astorga always wanted to become a nun, she joined a Carmelite order in Neuquén, Patagonia. It was an extremely impoverished area. Here Monica first encountered transgender women. Largely ostracised, they were often sex workers, drug addicts and homeless. She welcomed them to the church and created an innovative housing project especially for transgender women. In this work she had a high-profile supporter, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis. However, despite the success of her mission, the local religious forces turned against her, and she left the order. Our reporter Natalio Cosoy went to meet Monica, who is no longer a nun, but is recognised internationally for her work with transgender women in Argentina.

In the 1970s, after encountering many gay people who wanted to be part of the Catholic Church, American religious sister Jeannine Gramick set up an organisation where they could worship in the US city of Boston. The mainstream Catholic church did not approve and banned her from ministering to homosexuals. However, like Monica, Jeannine was supported by Pope Francis, and the ban was eventually lifted. This is an interview she gave to Matthew Bannister in 2016.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Julian Siddle

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

(Photo: Monica Astorga in the centre of the photo in a blue top, wearing glasses with a group of transgender women. Credit Natalio Cosoy)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct7474)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqybms)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4xqn5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bmpx5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct709q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqygcx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf82lyj)
One year since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria

Syrians are holding celebrations to mark the first anniversary since Bashar al-Assad was toppled from power after a lightning rebel offensive.

Also on the programme, President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet key European leaders in London amid peace negotiation, and the making of the very first dictionary of ancient Celtic.


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqyl41)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bmydf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ryn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct886g)
Paramount challenges Netflix

Paramount Skydance is launching a hostile bid worth more than 100 billion dollars in a last ditch effort to stop its sale to Netflix. Leanna Byrne asks, what does Netflix need to do to get the deal done?

Also, China is running a massive trade surplus, and other countries aren't happy about it.

And Elon Musk escalates his clash with the European Commission after an EU fine over blue tick badges.


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqypw5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj40l04)
One year since Assad's fall in Syria

Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa has been addressing the nation as celebrations are being held to mark one year since Bashar al-Assad was toppled from power after a lightning rebel offensive. We hear from people who are celebrating and from those who are concerned over minority rights.

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces say they've seized the country’s largest oil field. We speak to our global affairs reporter.

We get an update on the tensions between the US and Venezuela. We also hear from three Venezuelans inside the country.

The Golden Globe nominations have been announced. Our entertainment correspondent gives the highlights.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: A drone view shows people gathering during a protest to mark the first anniversary of Bashar al-Assad's fall, in Aleppo, Syria December 8, 2025. Credit: Mahmoud Hassano/Reuters)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqytm9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj40pr8)
Paramount launches rival bid for Warner Bros Discovery

Paramount Skydance has made another offer to buy Warner Bros Discovery as it seeks to trump a rival plan from Netflix to buy the company's studio and streaming networks. We speak to two entertainment industry experts.

Ukraine's President Zelensky has held talks in Downing Street with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The leaders discussed the latest Ukraine peace plan, drafted during talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Florida last week. We have the latest from our correspondent.

Our reporter joins with us with details from an investigation into claims that white farmers in South Africa are being deliberately targeted.

And we get reaction from football fans after Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah publicly criticized his manager following his omission from the starting line-up for the third consecutive match.

It’s been a day of celebrations in the UK after Lando Norris won his maiden F1 title. We speak to our F1 correspondent Andrew Benson, who has been interviewing the world champion.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: Paramount, Netflix and Warner Bros logos are seen in this illustration taken December 8, 2025. Credit: Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqyycf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct7474)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqz23k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4yg3y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bnfcy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z60)
2025/12/08 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 (w172zwx0jhqz5vp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bnk42)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6sx0)
The Life Scientific: Mark O'Shea

How do you feel about snakes? What about highly venomous ones?

For Mark O’Shea, close encounters with the world’s most rare and deadly snakes are not only his profession, but his passion.
Mark is a Professor of Herpetology - the area of zoology focusing on reptiles and amphibians - at the University of Wolverhampton.

After dropping out of college in his teens, Mark's life could have taken a very different direction; but prompted by a fascination with reptiles that started with a childhood trip to the zoo, he's gone on to have a career spanning research, international expeditions and broadcasting. He's also worked with international medical teams, studying deadly species and helping to generate antidotes for some of the world’s deadliest venoms.

In conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Mark reveals the challenges around generating antivenom for countries that need it, the pros and cons of keeping snakes as pets, and what you need to know if you ever get bitten...

Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced by Lucy Taylor


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqz9lt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf83g5f)
Syria celebrates a year since the fall of Assad

Syria celebrates a year since the fall of Assad, and an end to a brutal fifty-year dictatorship. But what sort of rule and what sort of future does Syria face?

Also in the programme: Ukraine's President Zelensky pleads for Europe and the US to remain to united over ending the war with Russia – we hear from former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt; how China's trade surplus hit a trillion dollars; and the blind football fan who says that, thanks to a virtual reality headset, he can for the first time literally watch a game.

(IMAGE: People gather during a parade marking the first anniversary of the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Idlib, Syria, 08 December 2025 / CREDIT: BILAL AL-HAMMOUD/EPA/Shutterstock (16051801r))


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqzfby)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4ytcb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bnsmb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76tt)
Paramount Skydance has made another offer to buy Warner Bros Discovery

Paramount is back, challenging Netflix in a takeover battle for Warner Brothers Discovery that could reshape the global streaming industry. What could the bidding war mean for Hollywood? We'll get reaction from an Oscar-winning producer.

And as Syria marks a year since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, we hear why its economy remains extremely fragile.

While China’s exports are booming, many US farmers are feeling the strain — hit by low prices and years of disrupted sales to China. Now President Trump has announced a twelve-billion-dollar aid package to support them. We get the reaction from a soybean farmer.

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

Picture: Netflix To Purchase Warner Bros., Getty Images


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqzk32)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bnxcg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct709q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 09 DECEMBER 2025

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqznv6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71wt)
Nigerian history

Max Pearson presents a collection of Witness History and Sporting Witness episodes, all with a Nigerian theme.

We hear two personal stories of the Biafra war, which began in 1967, including the writer Wole Soyinka who was jailed for trying to stop it. Plus, we hear from Patricia Ngozi Ebigwe about escaping the conflict. She's now better known as TV and music star Patti Boulaye.

We speak to Dr Louisa Egbunike, who is an Associate Professor in African Literature at Durham University in England.

Also, a retired Brigadier General speaks about West African countries fighting back against the jihadist militant group Boko Haram in 2015.

Then, the opening of the New Afrika Shrine in 2000, by Fela Kuti's children to honour his legacy.

Finally, we hear from Omoyemi Akerele who founded Lagos Fashion Week in 2011.

Our Sporting Witness programme this week looks at Nigeria becoming the first team to represent Africa at the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991. This is a Made in Manchester Production.

Contributors:

Wole Soyinka - Nobel Prize-winning poet and playwright.
Patricia Ngozi Ebigwe - TV and music star.
Dr Louisa Egbunike - Associate Professor in African Literature at Durham University.
Sani Kukasheka Usman - retired Brigadier General.
Omoyeni Anikulapo-Kuti, also known as Yeni Kuti - the eldest daughter of Fela Kuti.
Omoyemi Akerele - founder of Lagos Fashion Week.
Nkiri Okosieme – captained Nigeria women's national football team.

(Photo: Biafran national army soldiers. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqzslb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4z5lq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bp4vq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct717g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Monday]


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhqzxbg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4z9bv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bp8lv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcl)
The struggle of Israel's peace movement

Two years ago a group of Jewish and Palestinian peace activists stood almost alone in Israel in calling for a ceasefire, as Israel launched a massive offensive on Gaza in response to the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023. Emily Wither returns to hear how the lives of these activists have changed. She explores whether their message of peace and coexistence is breaking through at a time when societal divisions are deeper than ever.

The group Standing Together, known for their matching purple t-shirts, is a group of Jewish Israelis and Palestinian citizens of Israel (referred to by the state as Israeli Arabs, the country’s largest minority making up over 20% of the population).

It is unusual in either Israel or Palestine to find a mixed group working together for a shared cause and advocating for coexistence. Standing Together has received criticism from both sides of the conflict; with many Israelis calling them traitors and some Palestinian groups calling for a boycott of the movement. Despite all this the group say the only way to achieve a lasting peace is for the communities to work together.

Producer: Alex Last
Sound engineer: Tony Churnside
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Series editor: Penny Murphy

(Photo: Tel Aviv ceasefire protest demonstrate against Israeli attacks on Gaza. Credit Mostafa Alkharouf/Getty Images)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr012l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct7474)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr04tq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq4zjv3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bpj33)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvf)
Anna-Karin Karlsson: Sunglasses made for icons

From a quiet forest outside Stockholm to the world’s most glamorous runways, Swedish designer Anna-Karin Karlsson has built one of fashion’s most distinctive eyewear brands. Her bold, sculptural glasses and sunglasses are worn by Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Madonna and Elton John – yet their inspiration comes from a quiet life surrounded by trees and animals.

Cultural journalist Anna Åkerlund steps inside Karlsson’s world. We discover how the designer blends fantasy with craftsmanship, and challenges the conventions of both global luxury brands and Swedish restraint. As Karlsson explains, she doesn't always follow seasonal fashion calendars; instead, she completes each collection only when it feels ready.

Across three encounters we follow Anna-Karin to her woodland home, her city studio where sketches become intricate frames, and finally to Paris as her latest creations go on display. Along the way, the designer reflects on her journey from a small town in Sweden to a global stage, her all-female team, and her work ethic.

This intimate portrait reveals a woman who sees glasses not as accessories, but as expressions of personality and power. Through her story, we explore how nature, creativity and grit have helped her reshape what it means to see – and be seen – wearing her iconic frames.

A Podlit AB Production.


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr08kv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z4ynlf)
Trump approves the sale of AI chips to China

Joe Biden had banned the transfer of advanced Nvidia chips to China on national security concerns. The Democratic Senator, Elizabeth Warren, said the turnaround risked turbocharging China's bid for technological and military dominance.

Thailand and Cambodia say that they have launched new attacks on each other across their shared border - so far seven Cambodian civilians and one Thai soldier have been killed. We'll get an update.

Jamaican sprint legend Asafa Powell talks to us about his work helping his country recover from Hurricane Melissa.

(Photo: A sign shows the Nvidia logo at Nvidia Corporation headquarters in Santa Clara; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr0d9z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z4ysbk)
Nvidia gets green light to sell advanced AI chips to China

The decision to allow sale fo Nvidia chips will apply to other US chip companies like AMD and comes after extensive lobbying by Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, who visited Washington last week to drum up support.

Cambodia and Thailand have announced fresh strikes on each other as their deadly border conflict escalates.

We'll hear from the frontline in Ukraine with soldiers battling to hold on to the strategic city of Pokrovsk.

(Photo: A switching chip, manufactured by Menlo Micro, an Irvine, California-based company; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr0j23)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z4yx2p)
Thailand-Cambodia fighting spreads along border

More troops have been killed in the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia whose leaders are refusing to back down.

The BBC has learned that the rescued students will be transported to the school, located more than 300km (186 miles) from the state capital, on Tuesday where they will be reunited with their families. We speak to the Bishop whose diocese includes st Mary's Catholic school

We'll hear from a teenager who's life has been saved by a revolutionary cancer treatment ... - one that could potentially also help Sickle Cell patients.

(Photo: Signage for St. Mary's Private Catholic School is displayed outside the closed school in Papiri; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr0mt7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xym)
Rethinking dyslexia

Children with dyslexia are often misunderstood — but what if their struggles in school are actually signs of unique strengths? We visit a pioneering school in Kenya that’s transforming education for dyslexic students where children learn through sound, movement and visual tools. And in the UK, we attend a business event with a difference held by the charity Made By Dyslexia — where employers and campaigners celebrate dyslexic strengths like creativity and problem-solving.

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: Janet Ball
Kenya reporter: Michael Kaloki
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: Students at the Rare Gem Talent School, Kitengela, Kenya, Michael Kaloki/BBC)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bq02m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s7p)
The cost of Australia’s social media ban

This week, the country becomes the first in the world to implement a social media ban for under 16s.

We look at the impact on content creators, tech companies, and on businesses that sell via social media.

We find out how they're navigating this change, and ask if other countries will look to follow suit.

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Matt Lines

(Photo: A group of young people looking at phones. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74nq)
Dismaland: Banksy's dystopian theme park

In 2015, Banksy turned a derelict swimming pool in Weston-super-Mare, England, into a dystopian theme park which drew huge crowds and Hollywood stars.

Working under cover of darkness, the street artist created Dismaland - a 'bemusement park' offering a satirical twist on mainstream resorts.

The temporary exhibition featured a fire-ravaged castle, a riot police van sinking into a lake, and Cinderella’s upturned pumpkin carriage.

Open for just five weeks, Dismaland sold thousands of tickets daily and injected an estimated £20 million into the local economy.

Kurtis Young speaks to Reena Stanton-Sharma about his summer job as a steward at Dismaland.

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: A mermaid sculpture in front of the fairy castle. Credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr0rkc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq504kr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bq3tr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr0w9h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zv9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr101m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq50d20)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bqcb0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71cz)
Will a social media ban for Australian teens work?

**This episode contains discussion of bullying and suicide**

Australian teens are bracing for a new law coming into effect this week that will ban social media accounts for anyone under the age of 16. The Government says the legislation is designed to protect the mental wellbeing of Australian children and teens – but it’s already proving controversial, not least among American tech companies and some politicians who see the ban as a threat to free speech.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Katy Watson, the BBC’s Australia correspondent, to discuss how the country became a global test case for a bold new policy – and crucially, whether it will succeed.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Aron Keller and Xandra Ellin

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior News Editor: China Collins


Photo: A teen using her phone ahead of social media band for users under 16. Hollie Adams/Reuters


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr13sr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5c)
Secrets, lies and a child lost in Lollywood

In the 1960s, Deeba was an orphaned child who would make it big as a leading lady in Lollywood, Pakistan's film industry. But behind the success was a cruel deception. (First broadcast in 2024)

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Maryam Maruf
Voiceover: Nimra Bucha
Additional translation support: Anjum Maruf and Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

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

(Image: Montage of images of the Pakistani actress Deeba. Credit: Courtesy of desimovies.biz/Omar Ali Khan. Central photo courtesy of Salman Rizvi)


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74nq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr17jw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq50mk8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bqlt8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr1c90)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf85hvm)
Heavy fighting at the Thailand / Cambodia border

The Thai military said there were clashes in five border provinces, and three of its soldiers had been killed since hostilities resumed. Cambodia says Thai attacks have killed seven civilians. We explain why this has happened.

Also on the programme: in Australia, the law banning children under 16 years from social media has come into effect - one of the most dramatic moves so far by a government against the tech companies that own the platforms. And the revolutionary new cancer treatment, which uses DNA editing, to save the lives of patients with previously incurable blood cancers.

(Picture: Thai soldiers on patrol at the border with Cambodia. Credit: Reuters)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr1h14)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xym)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bqv9j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s7p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct888j)
Does China actually want Nvidia’s AI chips?

President Donald Trump has given Nvidia the green light to sell more advanced AI chips to China, reversing a key Biden-era restriction. Hannah Mullane asks what economic impact could this have?

Plus, in Hollywood, the battle to buy Warner Brothers is far from over.

And the surge in demand for luxury fashion at African airports.


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr1ls8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj43gx7)
Australia's world-first social media ban begins

Millions of children and teenagers under the age of 16 lose access to their social media accounts in Australia after a world-first ban comes into effect. We hear from young people there and speak to experts with different views on if the ban will work.

An official report on the conflict in Northern Ireland has found that an undercover agent was repeatedly protected by the British government, despite taking part in a series of murders. Our correspondent explains.

And after the President Donald Trump said he does not want Somali immigrants in the US, we speak to Somalis around the world for their reaction to the comments, and to talk about what life is like where they live.

(Photo: Annie Wang, 14, and Ayris Tolson, 15, pose after an interview discussing Australia’s social media ban for users under 16. Credit: Reuters/Hollie Adams)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr1qjd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj43lnc)
Trump says European countries led by "weak people"

President Trump has described European countries as "decaying" nations led by "weak people", who've failed to control immigration. Mr Trump was speaking to the website Politico after the publication of a new US National Security Strategy, which argued that democracy was under threat in Europe, and promised that America would "cultivate resistance" to this trend. Our reporter tells us more.

Sudan's air force has carried out bombings in which at least 1,700 civilians have died in attacks on residential neighbourhoods, markets, schools and camps for displaced people, according to an investigation into air raids in the country's civil war. Our correspondent explains.

And millions of children and teenagers under the age of 16 lose access to their social media accounts in Australia after a world-first ban comes into effect. We hear from young people there and speak to experts with different views on if the ban will work.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he attends a roundtable discussion on the day he announced an aid package for farmers, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 8, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr1v8j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74nq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr1z0n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq51c11)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7brb91)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zbj)
2025/12/09 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 (w172zwx0jhr22rs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rcl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7brg15)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpt)
The darker side of streaming

Twitch streamer QTCinderella talks about the unwelcome attention she receives in real life. Shiona McCallum reports on robotics for offshore wind farms. And polar rover tech.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A photo of Twitch streamer QTCinderella attending TwitchCon 2024 in San Diego, USA. She is standing in front of a TwitchCon backdrop and logo. She is smiling at the camera. Credit: Getty Images.)


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr26hx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf86c2j)
President Trump lashes out at European allies

In a wide-ranging interview with the Politico news website, President Trump said "decaying" European countries had failed to control migration or take decisive action to end Ukraine's war with Russia, accusing them of letting Kyiv fight "until they drop". We hear from a German parliamentarian and envoy.

Also in the programme: A revolutionary gene therapy has successfully treated patients with previously incurable blood cancers; and we look at the life of pioneering zoologist and elephant conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump attends a roundtable discussion on the day he announced an aid package for farmers, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 8, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr2b81)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq51q8f)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7brpjf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76c3)
The chip race heats up as the White House eases rules on China

President Donald Trump has opened the door for China to buy Nvidia’s most advanced semiconductors — a U-turn on President Biden’s policy and a move that could reshape the global AI race.


We'll also look at what’s behind sweeping raids across Argentine football, with tax officials targeting the football federation and several top clubs.

And the US job market rose to a five-month high in October. Why?

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

Picture: U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr2g05)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xym)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7brt8k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 10 DECEMBER 2025

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr2kr9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zv9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr2phf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq522ht)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bs1rt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71cz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Tuesday]


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr2t7k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5267y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bs5hy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr2xzp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74nq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr31qt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq52fr6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bsf06)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vbz)
Kennedy and Khrushchev

2. King of bombs

The Berlin Wall rises, splitting the city from east to west. Then a stand-off between American and Soviet tanks at the crossing point, Checkpoint Charlie, brings the two superpowers to the brink of military confrontation. And fearing that they are falling far behind in the missile race, the Soviets prepare to test the biggest bomb ever exploded. As relations between the two sides deteriorate, we explore the importance of diplomatic back channels with hosts Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy, relatives of the superpower leaders. We meet Max's father, Senator Robert F Kennedy, and his Soviet contact, Georgy Bolshakov.

This is the personal and political history of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Nina Khrushcheva is the great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev and Max Kennedy is the nephew of President John F Kennedy, and the son of Robert F Kennedy.


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr35gy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z51khj)
People forced from homes in Thailand-Cambodia conflict

Hundreds of thousands of people have now been forced from their homes in Thailand and Cambodia as their deadly border conflict escalates.

In Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced he would be prepared to hold elections within three months if the US and other allies could ensure security. Mr Zelensky became president in 2019 for a five year term, but has remained in place with no subsequent election yet being held. His administration declared martial law after Russia's invasion in early 2022, and under martial law elections typically are not held. We get reaction to this news from a Ukrainian opposition MP.

Australia's prime minister Anthony Albanese has said families are "taking back control" on the first day of a ban on under- sixteens using social media.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: People wash at a makeshift shelter after evacuation, amid clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Mongkol Borey, Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia. Credit:Thomas Suen/Reuters)


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr3972)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z51p7n)
Half a million evacuated from Thai-Cambodia border

Half a million people have now been forced from their homes in Thailand and Cambodia as their deadly border conflict escalates.

In Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced he would be prepared to hold elections within three months if the US and other allies could ensure security. Mr Zelensky became president in 2019 for a five year term, but has remained in place with no subsequent election yet being held. His administration declared martial law after Russia's invasion in early 2022, and under martial law elections typically are not held. We bring you reaction from Ukraine.

And as more Kenyan police officers arrive in Haiti to help tackle gang violence in the country, we speak to the family of a Kenyan who died as part of the first contingent to be sent to Haiti.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: Folded umbrellas stand on an empty street in a town in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, 10 December 2025.Credit: Kith Serey/EPA


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr3dz6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z51szs)
Thailand-Cambodia clashes force half-a-million to evacuate

Half a million people have now been forced from their homes in Thailand and Cambodia as their deadly border conflict escalates.

We have an interview ith the leader of the French National Rally party, Jordan Bardella. He's in London to meet one of the most prominent far right and populist leaders in Britain - Nigel Farage.

The Nobel Institute says Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won't attend her Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo today. Ms Machado's whereabouts are currently unknown. She's spent months in hiding in Venezuela after the socialist authorities accused her of sedition for questioning the contentious results of the last election.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo:People take shelter inside a bunker amid deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area in Sa Kaeo province, Thailand. Credit:Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr3jqb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7f)
Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egyptian Foreign Minister: we’re pushing hard to end Sudan conflict

‘We are pushing very hard to end this and preserve the future of Sudan’

Waihiga Mwaura speaks to Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, during the G20 summit that took place at the end of November in South Africa.

Dr. Abdelatty took up the post last year, following a long diplomatic career across Europe, North America and Asia. He’s tasked with representing Egypt and the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has been in power since 2014 following a military coup the previous year.

Egypt is currently facing a number of issues including an economic crisis at home and political instability along its borders.

Libya, to the west, is still dealing with the fallout from the collapse of the Gaddafi regime nearly 15 years later. And On Egypt’s eastern border, much of Gaza lies in ruins. Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has estimated that over 1.5 million Sudanese people have sought safety in Egypt as a brutal civil war rages across the border to the south.

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 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Waihiga Mwaura
Producer: Ben Cooper
Editor: Justine Lang

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

(Image: Badr Abdelatty Credit: AMER HILABI/AFP via Getty Images)


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bswzq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sd6)
What's the future for state-owned postal services?

More countries are considering selling state-owned postal services - many have failed to make a profit for years.

As businesses and people send fewer letters, there's also strong competition from global package delivery companies.

We hear about the challenges facing postal services in Ireland, many of which have been in business for more than a hundred years.

And we look to the US, where President Donald Trump favours privatising the national mail service; while in India, the state-run post office network will remain under government control.

We also examine efforts to modernise postal services, which could mean delivery by drones and robots in the near future, supervised by AI.

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

Produced and presented by Russell Padmore

(Image: A green pillar postbox in Ireland)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74qz)
The discovery of the coelacanth

In 1938, South African museum curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer discovered a coelacanth, a fish that was believed to have been extinct for 65 million years.

It is thought to be our ancestor and the missing link between how fish evolved into four-legged amphibians.

Produced and presented by Rachel Naylor in collaboration with BBC Archives.

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: A coelacanth. Credit: Hoberman Collection/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr3ngg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq531gv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bt0qv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr3s6l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 World Questions (w3ct7507)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr3wyq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq538z3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bt873)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71g7)
How Syria is rebuilding after the fall of a dictator

This week, Syrians have been celebrating the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime and the end of almost 14 years of civil war. In the year since, the former jihadist turned leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has been on an international charm offensive. But has life improved for ordinary Syrians back home? And has Sharaa proven himself to be the reformer the west wants him to be?

Today we’re joined from Damascus by the BBC’s international editor, Jeremy Bowen.

Producer: Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Mix: Travis Evans


Photo: A young girl sits on her father's shoulders during a parade marking the first anniversary of the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Idlib, Syria. Bilal al-Hammoud/EPA/Shutterstock


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr40pv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd8)
India's cop-turned-artist whose Mum is his muse

Cop Shiva, aka B S Shivaraju, grew up in rural Karnataka, India, without a single photograph of his childhood. His farming family couldn't afford the local photographic studio's fees, but he was fascinated by photography, and his imagination inspired by the mythological plays performed in the village after the harvests were brought in. The young Shivaraju was captivated by the imagery, and began to create his own fantastical theatrical events to perform with his mother after she returned from working in the fields. His education finished young, and he took a job as a policeman to support the family, but never lost his love of transformation and performance. In his spare time he visited galleries and became involved in the local art scene, hosting international artists, and using a loaned camera to record their work. It began the journey that led him to start to recreate his childhood memories as stylised tableaux, posing alongside his mother, Gowramma. She remains his muse and inspiration. His most recent exhibition, No Longer a Memory, was shown in Gallery Sumakha in Bangaluru this summer.

One night in 2013 John Aldridge and his friend and crewmate Anthony Sosinski set off from Montauk coast, New York, to go lobster fishing. But during the early hours John fell overboard into the Atlantic Ocean while the crew was asleep, and it was hours before they realised he was missing. They tell Outlook about the frantic search and rescue and the incredible story of survival, saved by his surprisingly buoyant boots. This interview was first broadcast in 2017.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Laura Thomas and Rebecca Moore

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

Photo: Indian photographer Cop Shiva wears a yellow three-piece suit, standing beside his white-haired mother who also wears a man's suit in bright red. They pose against a red wall and floor uniformly patterned with white hearts creating an intense backdrop. Mother and son are smiling and holding suitcases in their hands, and old-fashioned televisions balanced on their heads. Credit: Cop Shiva


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74qz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr44fz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq53jgc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bthqc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vbz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr4863)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf88drq)
Sperm with cancer-causing gene used to conceive almost 200 children

A sperm donor who unknowingly harboured a genetic mutation that dramatically raises the risk of cancer has fathered at least 197 children across Europe, a major investigation has revealed. Also on the programme, 5alf a million people have been forced from their homes in Thailand and Cambodia as their deadly border conflict escalates; and, the politics of typeface fonts.

(Photo: Getty)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr4cy7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7btr6m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sd6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88bl)
What’s up with surging silver prices?

Silver is trading at record highs as demand from the tech industry soars — Leanna Byrne finds out why the precious metal has become one of the market’s hottest assets.
The boss of Coupang, South Korea’s largest online retailer, resigns after the country’s biggest-ever data breach.
And Amazon plans to double its investment in India by 2030.


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr4hpc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj46ctb)
Nobel Prize Winner's daughter accepts award on her behalf

The daughter of María Corina Machado, the winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, has said her mother is determined to live in a free Venezuela and would "never give up on that purpose" as she accepted her mother's award.

More than half a million people have now fled their homes in Thailand and Cambodia, as cross border fighting continues. Malaysia's prime minister says he's spoken to the leaders of both countries and they're open to continue negotiations. We have the latest from our correspondent.

We hear from people living with tinnitus about how they cope with the constant ringing and buzzing, and what they make of a new sound therapy that could help.

Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine will soon end its fifth year, with mysterious incidents of so called "hybrid warfare" are mounting in Europe, increasing tensions. Our security correspondent has been looking at how long the UK could fight, if the war broke out against Russia.

Our Australia correspondent explains how the first day of the country's social media ban under16s went.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Ana Corina Sosa Machado, daughter of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, delivers a speech as she receives the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of her mother, in Oslo, Norway December 10, 2025. Credit: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr4mfh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj46hkg)
Calls for new approach to immigration in Europe

All 46 countries which have signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights have agreed to rethink the obligations it imposes on handling immigration. Several governments have complained that they're often unable to return immigrants who arrive without permision, because of the way the Convention's rules are interpreted. We speak to journalists in Europe.

We hear from people living with tinnitus about how they cope with the constant ringing and buzzing, and what they make of a new sound therapy that could help.

The US could ask foreign tourists for five-year social media history before entry - that's under a new proposal unveiled by American officials. Our reporter from BBC Verify explains.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo says it's ordered its forces not to react to the advance of M-23 rebels into Uvira, its last bastion in the east. It said it wanted to avoid civilian casualties.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: Migrants sit on an inflatable boat during an attempt to cross the English Channel, off the beach of Gravelines, northern France, 27 September 2025.
Migrants in France prepare to cross the English Channel, Graveline - 27 Sep 2025. Credit: Mandatory Credit: Fadel Dawod/EPA)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr4r5m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74qz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr4vxr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq547y4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bv764)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zds)
2025/12/10 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 (w172zwx0jhr4znw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bvby8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkd)
Shingles vaccine slows the progression of dementia

We already knew that the shingles vaccine reduces the risk of developing dementia, but new research has shown that it also slows the progression of the disease. BBC journalist Laura Foster discusses why this might be happening.

Can a negative mindset reduce the effectiveness of medical treatments? Claudia speaks with Dr Katharina Schmidt in Essen, Germany to find out about her new research on the “nocebo effect”, and learn what it means for healthcare providers.

Peru has one of the highest burdens of tuberculosis in Latin America and it’s a major public health challenge. Reporter Jane Chambers meets one group of health professionals working in Carabayllo who are determined to turn that around.

Why the time of day you take your immunotherapy cancer medication might impact its success. Plus, can self-administered hypnosis describing cool, snowy mountains help soothe hot flashes associated with the menopause?

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Georgia Christie


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr53f0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf897zm)
The US seizes a tanker off the coast of Venezuela

President Trump has said the US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela - an operation reported to have been led by the US Coastguard. The seizure is certain to increase tensions between the United States and Venezuela, which is already being threatened by the deployment of a US fleet. Oil futures rose following news of the seizure.

Also in the programme: tourists from more than forty countries may have to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the US under a new proposal; and new evidence suggests humans made fire much earlier than previously thought.

(Photo: US President Donald J Trump makes remarks in a roundtable with high-tech business executives in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 10 December 2025. Credit: AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr5754)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq54m5j)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bvlfj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76js)
Interest rates: Will the cuts help Americans?

Could Americans finally get some financial relief? The Fed has cut interest rates to a three-year low, and President Trump promises to make ‘America affordable again.’ We speak to a business owner and a former Federal Reserve economist.

In Venezuela, a seized tanker is sending global oil prices soaring.

Why is silver hitting record highs?

And in Italy, the nations food has been granted the world’s first-ever heritage status.

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

(Photo: US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell attends a press conference at the Federal Reserve, Washington, DC USA, 10 December 2025.
Credit: WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock (16075439n))


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr5bx8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bvq5n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vbz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER 2025

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr5gnd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 World Questions (w3ct7507)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr5ldj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq54zdx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bvynx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71g7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Wednesday]


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr5q4n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq55351)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bw2f1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct8vcm)
Steel from shipwrecks

In recent years component parts of historic shipwrecks have started to disappear, with reports of mysterious vessels and scavengers floating around. This phenomenon has been reported in Indonesia, Australia, and the Netherlands.

One theory is that the target for plunderers is pre-atomic steel, ie any steel produced before the nuclear testing era, and therefore free of radioactive particles. Its purer material composition makes it essential in the manufacturing of specialist scientific tools such as MRI machines, and as such is highly valuable. Shipwrecks, oftentimes war graves, are one of the few remaining sources for this material.

Materials scientist Anna Ploszajski investigates and a murky picture of illegal plundering across the globe starts to emerge.

Presenter: Anna Ploszajski
Producer: Jude Shapiro
Executive producer: Jack Howson
Sound engineer: David Crackles
A Peanut and Crumb production for BBC World Service

(Photo: A diver explores a 19th Century shipwreck filled with bottles of champagne and mineral water discovered at the bottom of the Baltic Sea by Polish divers, 8 July, 2024. Credit: Marek Cacaj/Reuters)


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr5tws)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74qz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr5ymx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq55bn9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bw9x9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zj)
Food heroes and villains

***This programme contains conversations about disordered eating which some listeners may find upsetting***
Social media is awash with nutritional misinformation with foods often cast as superheroes or villains. So how can we separate fact from fiction? And how can we know what posts we can trust?

Social media loves to portray some foods, like carbs, sugar and seed oils as villains, to be avoided at all costs.Other food groups like protein are often claimed to be food heroes and some social media influencers tell their followers to prioritise those foods and cut out others. Ruth Alexander looks at the truth of some of those claims and the impact it can have on those who believe them and end up restricting their diets as a result.

Cecile Simmons tells Ruth how she "fell down the rabbit hole" and ended up cutting out dozens of foods in an attempt to cure a skin condition.

Personal trainer and nutrition expert Michael Ulloa explains how he's made it his mission to fight food misinformation online. Plus Ruth hears from Dr Emily Denniss, registered public health nutritionist and lecturer at Deakin University in Australia, who has studied the spread of food misinformation on social media. And with the help of US based registered dietician Grace Derocha, Ruth separates food fact from food fiction.

Producer: LexyO'Connor
Sound engineer: Gareth Jones

(Image: A comic book cartoon of a blond, muscle-superhero in a blue suit and yellow cape is flying through the air towards a baddie in a red suit with their fists outstretched as if ready to fight. Credit: Yogysic/Getty Images)


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr62d1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z54gdm)
United States seizes oil tanker off Venezuela

Venezuela has accused the United States of blatant theft and piracy after US troops seized an oil tanker off the country's coast. The foreign ministry said the move was part of a plan to deliberately plunder Venezuela's energy resources. US officials said the vessel was transporting sanctioned oil to Iran.

The Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado has said many people had risked their lives so she could travel to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She was speaking to the BBC after her first appearance in public for almost a year.

M23 rebels in eastern Congo say they are now in full control of the city of Uvira. It is the last government-held settlement in South Kivu province. The Rwanda-backed group called on remaining Congolese soldiers to surrender. This comes after a peace deal was signed between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda last week that would see stability restored to the eastern part of DR Congo. We have an interview with the Information Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

And is the world still committed to supporting Africa’s climate goals? We speak to an official from the United Nations Development Programme.

Presenters: Andrew Peace and Anne Soy

(Photo: US forces abseil onto an oil tanker during a raid off the coast of Venezuela. Credit: US Attorney General/Reuters)


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr6645)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z54l4r)
Venezuelan opposition leader makes first public appearance

The Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, who has been in hiding for months, has told the BBC that she knows "exactly the risks" she's taking by travelling to Norway to collect her Nobel Peace Prize.

Meanwhile Venezuela has accused the United States of being murderers, thieves and pirates after the US seizes a large oil tanker off their coast.

The US and the UN have asked Thailand and Cambodia to “cease hostilities immediately” as border clashes entered a fourth day, killing at least 10 people and displacing hundreds of thousands. We get a view on hostilities from a former Cambodian politician.

Presenters: Andrew Peach and Anne Soy

(Photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado waves in front of the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway, 11 December 2025. Credit:
Jonas Been Henriksen/EPA)


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr69w9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z54pww)
Venezuela's opposition leader appears in Norway

The Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, who has been in hiding for months, has told the BBC that she knows "exactly the risks" she is taking by travelling to Norway to collect her Nobel Peace Prize.

Meanwhile Venezuela has accused the United States of being murderers, thieves and pirates after the US seizes a large oil tanker off their coast.

And cross-border fighting between Cambodia and Thailand continues, with both sides using heavy weapons. We get a view from Malaysia that brokered a peace deal between the two countries last year.

Presenter: Andrew Peach and Anne Soy

(Photo: The Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado)


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr6fmf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723m)
Is it last orders for the wine industry?

Changing tastes, climatic conditions, health warnings, economic factors are all creating a perfect storm for the global wine industry.

The origins of wine-making date back to around 9,000 years ago, when it was a drink mostly associated with elite society. Since then, it has had a long association with major occasions like weddings and funerals, as the beverage of choice. And it has been integral to different forms of worship and spirituality. Up until the 20th Century it was even considered a healthy tipple.

But demand for wine has been steadily declining across the globe. In France, home to some of the world’s most famous brands, the government has now had to step in to support the producers and their vineyards. And there is increasing competition everywhere from both the beer and spirits industry, who are marketing more alcohol-free or low-alcohol options. Is it last orders for the wine industry?

We speak to four key experts: Jane Anson, author, wine critic, Bordeaux, France; Roderick Phillips, author, professor of History, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; Stefano Castriota, author, professor of Economics, University of Pisa, Italy; Peter McAtamney, founder of Wine Business Solutions, New South Wales, Australia.

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Production management assistant: Liam Morrey
Sound engineer: Mark Burrows
Editor: Tom Bigwood

(Photo: A bunch of grapes. Credit: Gabriel Bouys/AFP)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bwswt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s79)
Why are medical students going to Bulgaria?

We head to the Eastern European country to find out why it's become so popular with people from the UK and elsewhere in the world, who are going there to study medicine.

And we hear how Bulgaria is dealing with its own issues in retaining healthcare workers, as it faces a 'brain drain' to other countries and sectors.

Produced and presented by Gill Dummigan

(Image: An international student in a tuition session in Plovdiv, Bulgaria)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74k9)
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa

Following the abolishment of Apartheid in the 1990s, South Africa had to find a way to confront its brutal past without endangering the chance for peace.

But it was a challenging process for many survivors of atrocities committed by the former racist regime.

Sisi Khampepe served on the Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, she spoke to Rebecca Kesby in 2018 about how she had to put aside her own emotions and experiences at the hands of the police, to expose the truth about Apartheid.

This programme contains contains harrowing testimony and graphic descriptions of human rights violations throughout.

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: Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu at the Reconciliation and Truth commission. Credit: Reuters)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr6kck)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq55ycy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bwxmy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct8vcm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr6p3p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7yt2)
The Media Show: Netflix’s Hollywood takeover drama

Netflix’s agreement to buy Warner Bros Discovery has triggered an immediate hostile counter-bid from Paramount, intensifying concerns within Hollywood about consolidation and streaming dominance. Natalie Jarvey, senior correspondent at The Ankler, and Dade Hayes, business editor at Deadline, assess why Warner Bros are in demand and what the takeover could mean for viewers.
Five broadcasters have now withdrawn from next year’s Eurovision Song Contest in protest at Israel’s participation. BBC Music reporter Mark Savage explains the latest developments.
Meta is reducing its investment in virtual-reality projects and directing greater resources into AI. The metaverse was once Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for the future of the company. Alex Hern, AI correspondent at The Economist, and Charlotte Henry, author of Streaming Wars, outline the implications.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Content Producer: Lucy Wai
Production Coordinator: Ruth Waites
Technical Coordinator: Chris Brown
Sound: Sarah Kimberley


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bx1d2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 Happy News (w3ct6tz9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:32 on Sunday]


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr6svt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq565w6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bx546)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct719q)
Why the US says Europe is facing ‘civilisational erasure’

Europe is facing the prospect of ‘civilizational erasure’. That is the official view of the Trump administration, as put in a radical policy document that was released late last week.

The US government’s new National Security Strategy paints the most complete picture yet of who the administration sees as its allies and its adversaries, and it has left Europe’s leaders reeling.

Today, we speak to the BBC's State Department correspondent, Tom Bateman, about how Trump has turned traditional US foreign policy on its head.

Producer: Viv Jones, Lucy Pawle and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, 9 December, 2025. Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr6xly)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyg)
Shot out of the sky: My photo exposed a US political scandal

In 1986 a photograph taken in a Nicaraguan jungle was splashed across newspaper frontpages around the world, it led to the exposure of a major US political scandal - the Iran Contra affair. The photographer who took the image was Lou Dematteis. Lou lived his early years in the hope of following in the footsteps of his high-achieving father. He had been a Superior Court Judge and a pillar of their Italian-American community. But the relationship between father and son became seriously strained when their politics differed over the US involvement in the Vietnam War. Lou took a different path and trained as a photojournalist. He found himself in Nicaragua, then embroiled in a conflict between a left-wing Sandinista government and a right-wing militia. In 1986, whilst following a lead, Lou took the photo that would help to reveal damaging evidence of illegal US activity in that battle. The image opened the doors on a major political scandal that would lead all the way to the White House.

The man in the photo was Eugene Hasenfus, he was a former US marine, he died last month aged 84.

This interview was first broadcast in 2023.

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

Lou's work and film can be found on his website www.loudematteis.com

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Tommy Dixon

(Photo: A dishevelled Eugene Hasenfus, with his wrists tied together, is being led through the Nicaraguan jungle by a soldier carrying a weapon, another armed soldier follows behind them. Credit: Lou Dematteis / Reuters)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74k9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr71c2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq56fcg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bxdmg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr7536)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf8c9nt)
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado vows freedom for her country

The Nobel Peace Prize winner arrives in Oslo after a clandestine journey from her hiding place in Venezuela. We hear the inside story of how she slipped out of the country.

Also in the programme: French police's crackdown on drug gangs in Marseilles, and a rare public display for Mary Queen of Scots' final letter before execution.

(Photo: Maria Corina Machado waving at her supporters from a balcony in Oslo. Credits: Lise Aserud/EPA/Shutterstock)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr78vb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723m)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bxn3q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s79)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88qz)
'Piracy' in the Caribbean?

Gideon Long speaks to a former Venezuelan diplomat about the US seizure of an oil tanker off the country's coastline. Where was it going and what could it mean for global oil supplies?

Plus, the typhoon survivors from the Philippines taking oil giant Shell to court.

And how does the World Cup ticket ballot actually work?


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr7dlg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj498qf)
Venezuelan Nobel winner in Norway

The Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has said cutting the cash flow to the government is key to its removal. She has insisted Nicolas Maduro is on his way out. Machado, who has been in hiding for months, told the BBC that she knows "exactly the risks" she is taking by travelling to Norway to collect her Nobel Peace Prize. We hear the interview she gave to the BBC and speak to our reporter.

We also answer audience questions about the seizure by the US of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.

We continue hearing from Somalis, this time inside the country, after President Trump described them as “garbage".

And we hear from Real Madrid fans and podcasters about the pressure manager Xabi Alonso is facing after the team’s poor performance.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado attends a press conference at the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway, 11 December, 2025. Credit: Heiko Junge/NTB/Reuters)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr7jbl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj49dgk)
Flu cases jump sharply in England

An average of 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the highest ever for this time of year and up 55% on the week before. We look at the situation in the UK and globally with two experts.

The Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has said cutting the cash flow to Nicolas Maduro's government is key to its removal. The Nobel Peace laureate's comments follow the seizure of a tanker off Venezuela by US forces. We speak to our reporter with BBC Mundo.

Endangered species, including tiger body parts, shark fins and pangolin scales, are being offered for sale on Facebook, BBC News has found. We speak to our colleague who has been investigating.

We continue hearing from Somalis, this time inside the country, after President Trump described them as “garbage".

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Signage for the Accident & Emergency department outside the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, East London. January 8, 2025. Credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr7n2q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74k9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr7rtv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq574v7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7by437)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z88)
2025/12/11 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 (w172zwx0jhr7wkz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct8vcm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7by7vc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txp)
Would our ancestors have benefited from early neanderthals making fire?

400 thousand years ago our early human cousins dropped a lighter in a field in the East of England; evidence that was uncovered this week and suggests that early neanderthals might have made fire 350 thousand years earlier than we previously thought. Dr Rebecca Wragg Sykes is honorary researcher at the universities of Cambridge and Liverpool and author of Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art. She explains what this new discovery could mean for our own ancestors.

Should we genetically modify our farmed salmon to prevent it breeding with their wild relatives? Dr William Perry from Cardiff University thinks this could help the endangered wild Atlantic salmon recover it’s numbers.

And Lizzie Gibney, Senior Physics Reporter at Nature joins Tom Whipple to dig into the new science released this week.

Think you know space? Head to bbc.co.uk, search for BBC Inside Science, and follow the links to the Open University to try The Open University Space Quiz.


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr80b3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf8d4wq)
Could Maria Corina Machado's influence wane now she's out of Venezuela?

The Trump administration is ramping up its efforts to derail the government of President Nicolas Maduro, which he has accused of turning Venezuela into a "drug-running regime". The leader of the country's opposition, Maria Corina Machado, travelled to Norway in secret to collect her Nobel Peace Prize. We ask if her influence could wane now that she is out of the country.

Also in the programme: intense rain is wreaking havoc on thousands of Gazans living in displacement camps; and UNESCO declares Swiss yodelling a form of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

(Photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado attends the opening of the official Peace Prize exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center, in Oslo. Credit: Lise Åserud / NTB)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr8427)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq57j2m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7byhbm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct75yp)
Disney & OpenAI deal: Threat or opportunity?

Disney is investing $1bn in OpenAI, letting fans create AI-generated videos with its characters. But what will the deal mean for the future of entertainment? We hear from people across the creative industry.

Tickets for next year’s World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico have gone on sale but fans say the prices are “extortionate.”

In Kenya, a court has frozen a multibillion-dollar US health deal over data-privacy concerns.

And Mexico is hitting China with a wave of new tariffs.

(Picture: A Walt Disney World entrance sign in Orlando, Florida, USA. Credit: REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez)


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr87tc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723m)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bym2r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER 2025

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr8ckh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7yt2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7byqtw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Happy News (w3ct6tz9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:32 on Sunday]


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr8h9m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq57wb0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7byvl0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct719q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Thursday]


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr8m1r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq58024)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7byzb4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr8qsw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74k9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr8vk0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq587kd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bz6td)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpx)
The divine gift of sex

***This programme contains discussion of adult themes***
Sex therapist Dr Rica Cruz is on a mission to destigmatise sex in the deeply Catholic Philippines. As a practicing Catholic herself, she believes sex is a divine gift and should be intertwined with faith rather than in conflict. Using social media to advocate for this, she earned a strong following which led to her own TV programme, Private Convos with Doc Rica. But that show was banned by the country’s broadcast TV regulator, the MTRCB.

Jay Behrouzi speaks to Dr Cruz about her fight for better sex education, which she believes is the key to a safer society for women and girls.

Presenter: Jay Behrouzi
Producer: Matt O'Donoghue
Editor: Rajeev Gupta
Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno

(Photo: Dr Rica Cruz giving her talk Unprude Awakening: Embracing Sexual Health as a Foundation to Wellness, at The Glass House, Rockwell Nepo Center. Credit: Rica Cruz)


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr8z94)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z57c9q)
Machado's escape was 'a special rescue mission'

The man who coordinated María Corina Machado's clandestine exit from the country told the BBC her sea journey was made in pitch black through three- metre waves. Bryan Stern runs a company specialising in rescue missions and evacuations. Mr Stern said he was not initially told the identity of the person he'd be helping, but that he was able to guess.

Reddit has filed a lawsuit to overturn Australia's social media ban for under-sixteens, saying it should never have been included.

(Photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado reacts from a balcony of Grand Hotel; Credit: Reuters)


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr9318)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z57h1v)
Dramatic details of Machado's clandestine exit emerge

Bryan Stern runs a company specialising in rescue missions and evacuations. His company has been in Aruba preparing to evacuate foreigners from Venezuela in the event of war.

US sanctions six more ships after seizing an oil tanker off Venezuela. Caracas describes it as an act of "international piracy"

In Australia, the social media platform Reddit sues the government over the recent access ban for children under 16

(Photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado reacts in front of the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr96sd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq00z57lsz)
Inside Machado's dramatic escape from Venezuela

Bryan Stern who runs a company specialising in rescue missions and evacuations said the sea journey was made in pitch black through three- metre waves, leaving them soaked

We'll hear about the tech company Reddit fighting back against Australia's social media ban for under sixteens

And is Iran enjoying greater social freedoms? We bring you a report

(Photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado attends the opening of the official Peace Prize exhibition; Credit: Reuters)


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr9bjj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 The Interview (w3ct8c44)
María Corina Machado, Venezuelan opposition leader: ‘our fight for freedom is a fight for peace’

Lucy Hockings speaks to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado about the fight for democracy in the South American country.

She’s been in hiding since last year’s presidential election in Venezuela, when incumbent Nicolás Maduro declared victory in a contest that was widely dismissed on the international stage as rigged, sparking widespread protests.

Around 2,000 people were arrested in the crackdown which followed, among them many members of her opposition coalition. Machado, who had managed to unite the bitterly divided opposition ahead of the election, went into hiding for fear of arrest. She has however continued to give interviews and uploaded videos to social media urging her followers not to give up.

The Nobel Institute awarded Machado the 2025 Peace prize for “her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy" in Venezuela. She defied a travel ban to reach Oslo, with Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes describing her journey as "a situation of extreme danger".

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 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Lucy Hockings
Producer: Dylan Arzoni, Claire Noble and Ben Cooper
Editors: Justine Lang and Nick Holland

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

(Image: María Corina Machado. Photo by Ole Berg-Rusten/EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bzpsx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rt4)
John Pagano: The CEO trying to grow Saudi tourism

We meet the real estate developer who’s been tasked with turning Saudi Arabia into a global tourism hub.

It is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision for the Kingdom, diversifying the economy away from oil.

Red Sea Global CEO John Pagano has managed massive development projects including London's Canary Wharf, a luxury holiday resort in the Bahamas, and now, a tourism mega project on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Coast. We hear about his career to date and why he likes an ambitious project. This is his biggest yet - can he pull it off?

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Elisabeth Mahy
Additional production: Niamh McDermott

(Photo: John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global. Credit: Red Sea Global)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct744w)
The Paris climate agreement

On 12 December 2015, nearly 200 countries adopted the Paris climate agreement. It legally committed countries to climate action plans, designed to stop global temperatures rising 2C above pre-industrial levels. Those commitments have influenced government policy and people's lives ever since.

Christiana Figueres was head of climate negotiations at the conference. She speaks to Ben Henderson about the drama behind the scenes, including bomb threats and a last-minute change that nearly derailed the entire agreement.

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: Christiana Figueres celebrates after the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement. Credit: Francois Guillot/AFP via Getty Images)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr9g8n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq58v91)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7bztk1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr9l0s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x3)
Chicken, with a side order of science

Over the Christmas season, it is estimated that some 3.6 million families in Japan will tuck into KFC over Christmas (other fried chicken is available), which inspired the Unexpected Elements team to chew over all things chicken!

First, we discover that chicken may never have become domesticated if it wasn’t for rice farming. We also ponder whether the chicken or the egg came first. Next, we find out that humans are surprisingly smart at translating chicken chatter.

We are by Dr Jingmai O’Connor, associate curator of fossil reptiles at the Field Museum of Natural History, who reveals more about the links between dinosaurs and birds.

Plus, how Brazil became a poultry superpower, and what happens to chickens in tornadoes.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Camilla Mota and Godfred Boafo
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Sophie Ormiston, Ella Hubber and Robbie Wojciechowski


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr9prx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq592s9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c0219)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct7156)
The murders that moved a nation: Italy’s new femicide law

**This episode contains descriptions of abuse and violence**

In November, the Italian parliament voted unanimously to introduce the term “femicide” into the country’s legal code. The murder of a woman – on account of her gender – is now a distinct crime, punishable with a life sentence.

The United Nations reported that last year nearly 50,000 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members.

Italy is the latest country to adopt a specific law in an effort to curb violence against women following a string of brutal murders of young women.

One of the most publicised was Giulia Tramontano, who was repeatedly stabbed by her partner while seven-months pregnant. Her murder - along with another case – sparked fierce outrage across Italy, culminating in the new law being passed.

In this episode, we hear from Giulia’s sister, Chiara Tramontano, and the BBC Southern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford.

Producer: Valerio Esposito

Executive Producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: A framed photo of Giulia Tramontano at her funeral. Credit: Alessandro Memoli/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images)


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr9tj1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6whx)
Outlook Mixtape: Double acts...with a twist

Three stories of platonic partnership from Outlook's archive: two determined canoeists from South Africa, friends who managed a legal first in Canada and the story of a global pop scandal.

Piers Cruickshanks and Siseko Ntondini are two of South Africa’s leading canoeists, though their paths into the sport could not have been more different. Piers, a white professional athlete and university professor, met Siseko as a poor black boy growing up in Soweto. Despite their contrasting backgrounds the pair formed an unexpected partnership. In 2014 they went on to win gold in the Dusi, one of Africa’s toughest and most prestigious canoe marathons. Manuela Saragosa found out about their experience in 2017.

When Natasha Bakht chose to have a child using a sperm donor, her friend Lynda Collins volunteered to be her birth coach. What began as an act of friendship turned into a groundbreaking legal milestone: together, they became the first non-romantic partnership in Canada to secure the parental rights typically reserved for traditional couples. Anu Anand heard about their journey in 2017.

Fab Morvan became world famous with the 80s pop band Milli Vanilli. He and his bandmate Rob Pilatus notched up number one hits in Europe and America and sold millions of albums. But they had a secret - and when that secret came out, it had a devastating effect. Fab Morvan spoke to Outlook's Karnie Sharp in October 2018.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Emily Naylor

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

(Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape on a white background with a white label with the words: The Outlook Mixtape. Credit: Getty Images)


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct744w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhr9y85)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq59b8k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c09jk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrb209)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf8g6kx)
Flood risk for the people of Gaza

According to the UN's humanitarian affairs agency, more than 800,000 displaced Gazans could be affected by flooding, as a winter storm surges along the coast. Most of them are living in tents.

Also in the programme: we meet the man who smuggled opposition leader Maria Corina Machado out of Venezuela; and Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is the clear winner in the world's top gaming awards, so why has a French arthouse creation proved such a hit?

(Photo: Displaced Palestinians ride a donkey-drawn cart on a flooded street in Gaza City, 12 December, 2025. Credit: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrb5rf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 The Interview (w3ct8c44)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c0k0t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rt4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88gq)
Australia's under-16s social media ban faces courtroom test

Gideon Long takes a look as online discussion forum Reddit challenges Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s.

Plus, after Ben from Ben & Jerry’s criticises the ice-cream maker’s owners, they hit back — speaking exclusively to the BBC.

And why are general strikes spreading across several European countries?


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrb9hk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj4d5mj)
Gaza's displaced at flood risk

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans face flooding after torrential rain swept across the Gaza Strip on Thursday. It means families that are already displaced by two years of war, are being displaced again. We hear from residents in Gaza and speak to our correspondent.

We get details from a BBC investigation uncovering evidence of abuse within a network of at least 10 private disciplinary schools across China.

Women are rallying behind Oscar-winning actor Catherine Zeta-Jones after she faced criticism on social media over her looks at a recent red carpet event. We speak to two female commentators.

We learn about a popular Ghanaian social media influencer who has been arrested over allegations of orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded elderly Americans of more than $8 million.

Wildlife experts say the cyclone that devastated the Indonesian island of Sumatra two weeks ago may have severely impacted the world's rarest great ape, the tapanuli orangutan. We get more information from our climate expert.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: Displaced Palestinian children make their way through a flooded street following heavy rainfall in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, 11 December 2025. Credit: HAITHAM IMAD/EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrbf7p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w1730684yj4d9cn)
More photos from Epstein estate released

US Democrats have released 19 photos from the estate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that feature rich and powerful people -- including Donald Trump and Bill Clinton. Our correspondent in Washington gives more information.

Iranian rights groups say the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Narges Mohammadi, has been arrested while attending a memorial ceremony in the city of Mashhad. Our colleague from BBC Persian explains.

The man who helped María Corina Machado escape from Venezuela to collect her Nobel Peace Prize has given details of the operation. Bryan Stern - a US special forces veteran - told the BBC it had not been financed by Washington. We speak to our reporter about the details.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been named game of the year in a record-breaking haul at this year's Game Awards. Our reporter gives the highlights.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: US Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA) speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, 18 November, 2025. Credit: Annabelle Gordon/Reuters)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrbjzt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6whx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct744w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrbnqy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5b1rb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c110b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z3r)
2025/12/12 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 (w172zwx0jhrbsh2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnm)
Somalis in America

Donald Trump says Somali immigrants in the US should “go back to where they came from.” The President’s comments come after allegations of large-scale fraud in Minnesota's social assistance programme, implicating several Somali immigrants.

Trump has repeatedly criticised the community saying he does not want Somali immigrants in the United States and that their country is “no good for a reason.”

In our conversations we bring together three Somalis who have made their homes in Minnesota.

“Somalis were introduced to the mainstream years ago with films like Black Hawk Down and Captain Phillips – we’re painted as these savage people and the depiction of us is just untrue,” Adbi tells us. “We’ve never been in control of our own narrative, so this is another example of a media topic that we don’t have control over.”

We also bring together Somalis in Finland, Canada and the UK, and we hear from people in Somalia itself. Somalia’s recent history has been shaped by more than 30 years of civil war, so what is it like to live in the country today?

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producers: Ash Mohamed and Angela Sheeran
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editor: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

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

(Photo: A Somali woman in Minnesota. Credit: Tim Evan/Reuters)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c14rg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6str)
Can you play the guitar underwater?

Smashing up guitars is a classic rock star activity, but how about drowning them? Seven-year-old listener Cornelius asked CrowdScience to find out what happens if you play a guitar underwater. Could this be the next avant-garde music sensation?

Host and amateur musician Caroline Steel tackles Cornelius’ question with the help of one increasingly soggy guitar. The UK’s National Physical Laboratory is our first port of call, with a guitar-sized water tank at the ready, and acoustic scientists Dr Freya Malcher and Ben Ford helping tackle our questions.

Since an acoustic guitar’s sound is amplified by its internal chamber, what happens as that chamber starts to fill with water? How about if the whole guitar - strings, body and all - is submerged? What difference does it make if our ears are listening above or below the water? And can special water-adapted microphones help us explore this unusual question, before our guitar disintegrates?

Our guitar then heads off on tour to Denmark, where the band Between Music have teased out questions just like these for their underwater music project, Aquasonic. We talk to violinist and Innovative Director Robert Karlsson, and singer Nanna Bech, who also plays a unique subaquatic instrument. With their help, we discover how to get the best out of a submerged guitar, and find out whether other instruments are better suited to the life aquatic.

Presenter: Caroline Steel
Producers: Cathy Edwards and Florian Bohr
Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Caroline Steel and Nanna Bech in an Aquasonic aquarium playing a guitar)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrbx76)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf8h1st)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrc0zb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5bdzq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c1d7q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76p9)
Trade tensions: EU vs China

Trade tensions rise as the EU investigates Chinese firms over possible unfair government subsidies. We hear from the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU who says they are being unfairly targeted. Plus, who will pay the new €3 tax on small parcels from China - businesses or consumers?

Why are most household things still not being recycled?

And sport fans in the US will soon be able to subscribe to a new YouTube TV package.

[Photo: An attendant walks past EU and China flags in Beijing, China.
Credit: REUTERS/Jason Lee]


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrc4qg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 The Interview (w3ct8c44)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c1hzv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]