SATURDAY 02 MAY 2026

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz3769)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct8kcb)
The soaring price of condoms

The blockade on the strait of Hormuz has led to an unexpected consequence – condom prices are set to increase by up to 30 percent! This has us delving into all things contraception, starting with koala hormone implants, the lengthy process of providing birth control to elephants, and a microplastics mystery.

Then, we investigate the elusive male contraceptive – why is it taking so long to develop, and why has it been so hard to approve? Professor John Amory Md, from UW Medical Centre in Seattle, joins us to explain the past, present and future of this medical research.

Plus, how have Chinese researchers cracked the code on eel breeding, and does the moon’s gravity make us lighter at night?

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Leonie Joubert and Sandy Ong
Producer: Ella Hubber, with Alice Lipscombe Southwell, Robbie Wojciechowski and Georgia Christie


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz3byf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnffrzp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbksq6t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8m8n)
The US and Israel entered the Iran war together. Is Israel now being sidelined?

Since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, there has been an ongoing debate over the role played by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in convincing Donald Trump to go to war.

But when it comes to ceasefire announcements, it has been the US President taking the lead - if the Israelis are present at all. So when it comes to ending the wars in Iran and Lebanon, are the Americans leaving Netanyahu out in the cold?

We speak to Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent at The Economist, and author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Producer: Sam Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivering an address from the roof of the Kirya in Tel Aviv, Israel, 1 March 2026. Credit: Avi Ohayon/EPA-EFE)


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz3gpk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnffwqt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkstyy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct99f4)
What impact could England teen Tilly Corteen-Coleman make at T20 World Cup?

The Women’s T20 World Cup starts in June and England have included uncapped 18-year-old left arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman in their squad. The teenager impressed in the recent intra-squad matches in South Africa. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss her selection ahead of the tournament.

Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive Venky Mysore says the new Olympic stadium in LA has the potential to host IPL exhibition matches. The venue, in the southern Californian city of Pomona, will become the home of the new franchise Los Angeles Knight Riders and will also host Major League Cricket matches.

And we hear from award winning photographer Gareth Copley- Jones about his new book ‘A Picture of England’ where he’s followed the England men’s cricket team through his lens.

Photo:
Tilly Corteen-Coleman of Surrey poses for a portrait during the Surrey CCC photocall at The Kia Oval on March 21, 2025 in London, England. (Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz3lfp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8hpd)
Outlook Mixtape: Six degrees of... Kevin

What do an Oscar-nominated actor, a roundabout enthusiast, an artist staging a space musical with his mum, and a French film-maker trying to rescue the name Kevin have in common?

In this edition of the Outlook Mixtape, we follow a chain of crazy stories – all linked by one name.

We begin, of course, with Kevin Bacon, whose name has become shorthand for the idea that anyone can be connected in just a few steps and tells us how it all came about. From there, the trail spools out to Australian-Iranian artist HOSSEI, who cast his own mother in his space musical, to the UK, where Kevin Beresford has devoted years to celebrating the beauty and brilliance of roundabouts, and his continuing search for 'roundabout of the year'. And to France, where film-maker Kevin Fafournoux is pushing back against the surprising stigma attached to his name.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Edgar Maddicott

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 (w3ct98dj)
The origins of World Press Freedom Day

In April 1991, journalists from 38 African countries came together in Namibia for a week-long seminar to discuss the need for a free, independent and pluralistic press on the continent.

When discussions ended after five days on 3 May, they had created the Windhoek declaration - a declaration of free press principles.

Later that year, Unesco’s general conference endorsed the declaration.

In 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as World Press Freedom Day.

It is marked annually around the world.

Gwen Lister was a newspaper editor at the time and chaired the seminar.

She tells Jen Dale about the conference and the personal costs of standing up for press freedom.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Picture: Gwen Lister with former Namibian Prime Minister Hage Geingob at the Windhoek seminar. Credit: The Namibian)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz3q5t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct8kcb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz3txy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfg7z6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkt66b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Inheritance: Samsung (w3ct94gz)
Samsung

6. Octopus

Samsung finds global recognition through a relentless focus on quality and a little help from Hollywood. But in the mid-2000s, its leaders come under pressure about alleged bribery.

In this brand-new 10-part series from the BBC World Service, we take you behind closed doors - inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global empires. When your relatives are also your business partners, every decision is personal. In these dynasties, the boardroom isn’t just about profit - it’s about survival.

Host: Elise Hu
Producers: Simon Tulett and Sally Abrahams
Fact-checkers: Matt Toulson and Su-Min Hwang
Music: Thomas Ross Fitzsimons
Mixing and sound design: Charlie Brandon-King
Series editor: Matt Willis
With special thanks to Geoffrey Cain, Sojin Lim, Jaeyeon Lee, Jake Kwon and Mary Wilkinson
Senior commissioning producer: Sarah Green
Commissioning editor: Jon Manel

Inheritance is a BBC Long Form Audio production


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct998m)
Does it take 15,000 litres of water to produce a kilogram of beef?

If you spend much time on social media, and we don’t necessarily recommend it, then you’ve probably come across a strange fascination with water consumption.

Mainly, this is people telling you that using AI is terrible for the planet because of how much water it uses. We’ve already made a couple of programmes about the numbers in those arguments and, long story short, they probably aren’t saying what you think they’re saying.

But on platforms like X, BlueSky, and TikTok, an opportunity to keep an argument going is rarely missed.

And one of the numbers that’s been enlisted in that glorious cause concerns the water that’s used for a seemingly unrelated past-time - eating beef. Here’s an example from a user on X:

“A kilogram of beef requires over 15,000 litres of water to produce,” they wrote. “A vegan who uses ChatGPT every day is living a more sustainable lifestyle than someone who regularly eats beef while boycotting AI.”

Ignoring the AI part, is that true? Does it actually take 15,000 litres of water to produce a kilogram of beef?

It turns out that the number isn’t wrong, but it probably isn’t saying what you think it’s saying.

If you’ve seen a number you think we should take a look at, email the More or Less team: moreorless@bbc.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS:
Mesfin Mekonnen, Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama
Mark Mulligan, Professor of Physical and Environmental Geography at King's College London
Tim Hess, Professor of Water and Food Systems at Cranfield University

CREDITS:
Presenter: Charlotte McDonald
Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie
Series producer: Tom Colls
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound mix: Emma Harth
Editor: Richard Vadon


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz3yp2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w1730c5hw614b3k)
US withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany

The US says it will withdraw five thousand of its troops from Germany, as a rift widens between the two countries. The Pentagon said the troops would be removed over the next six to twelve months, amid a spat between President Donald Trump and the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran. 

Also in the programme: a tribute to two young Sudanese intellectuals who died suddenly in April, and a look back on King Charles' historic visit to the United States. 

Presenter Julian Worricker is joined in the studio by Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute for Government think-tank in the UK, and Joe Studwell, author and journalist and visiting fellow at the Overseas Development Institute global organisation based in London. 

(Photo: Badge of a soldier is seen during the 'Combined Resolve' exercise at 7th Army Training Command's Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, 30 April 2026. Credit: Photo by ANNA SZILAGYI/EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz42f6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w1730c5hw614fvp)
US to cut troop levels in Germany by 5,000

The US says it will withdraw 5,000 of its soldiers from Germany, amid a widening rift between the two governments. President Trump has criticised the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for not sending forces to help open the Strait of Hormuz.

Also in the programme: The rebel offensive in Mali and the threat it poses to the government and the capital, Bamako; forced adoptions in the former East Germany; and we start our annual series of interviews with potential International Booker Prize winners, today we feature 'She who remains', set in Albania.

Presenter Julian Worricker is joined in the studio by Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute for Government think-tank in the UK, and Joe Studwell, author and journalist and visiting fellow at the Overseas Development Institute global organisation based in London.


(Photo credit: Getty Images)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz465b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w1730c5hw614klt)
Trump tells Congress the Iran war 'terminated'

President Donald Trump has told Congress that US hostilities with Iran have "terminated" during an ongoing ceasefire, as he argued he did not need to meet a deadline for legislative approval of the war.

Also in the programme: The latest on the civil conflict in Mali; how a long-lost letter was found after 23 years in a book borrowed from a public library; and why China wants to host the United Nations' BBNJ’s headquarter (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction).

Presenter Julian Worricker is joined in the studio by Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute for Government think-tank in the UK, and Joe Studwell, author and journalist and visiting fellow at the Overseas Development Institute global organisation based in London.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz49xg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct8m3j)
My social life as a wheelchair user

Imagine being dressed up for a night out with friends and being thrown out of a bar because your wheelchair is considered a fire hazard.

When 18-year-old Maddie Haining was ordered to leave a nightclub in the UK it prompted a wider discussion about disability and accessibility in different countries around the world.

Four wheelchair users - Maddie in the UK, Brian Muchiri in Kenya, Nadia Leila Carelse South Africa and Haleigh Rosa in the US - share some of the obstacles they have encountered when trying to socialise.

Their experiences range from drunks in bars grabbing their wheelchairs to people praying for them in public. Even a simple visit to the toilet can become a problem.

“I’ve encountered issues, even in a restaurant that’s accessible, where the wheelchair accessible bathroom has been used as storage,” said Haleigh Rosa, from Florida, USA.

“So therefore I don’t have a bathroom and that’s nothing that I can foresee. It was just something I had to figure out when I got there.”

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producer: Ben Davis
Boffin Media producer: Sue Nelson
Editor: Harriet Oliver and Arja Haikonen

(Photo: Maddie Haining wearing a baseball cap drinkiing a green smootnie)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbktp5v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Americast (w3ct8lz0)
LIVE at Castfest! How popular is Donald Trump?

Why aren’t Democrats more popular, given the president’s low approval ratings in significant areas such as the economy? And what do Americans really think of Donald Trump?
In this special episode of Americast, recorded live at Maida Vale studios in London for Castfest (celebrating some of the BBC’s best loved news podcasts) we look at recent polling for both Donald Trump, and the Democrats. Why has the president lost support, and how worried should the Republican party be, given the possibility of losing control of Congress in November’s midterm elections?
Justin, Sarah, Anthony and Marianna also hear why former Trump loyalist Tucker Carlson who is now apologising for helping to get Donald Trump elected, and the wider impact this may have on Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) base.
We also take a closer look at polling for the Democrats and why the party is not more popular. What should Democrats be doing ahead of the presidential election in 2028 to increase their support?

HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
• Sarah Smith, North America Editor
• Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
• Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Correspondent

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

This episode was made by Alix Pickles and Purvee Pattni. The technical producer was Robbie Hayward, the video producers were Grace Braddock, Sophie Millward and Jem Westgate. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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

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

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

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. 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
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
Top Comment BBC Sounds - Top Comment - Available Episodes


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz4fnl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct996c)
Run for your life

Author Dagny Scott Barrios, once wrote “Every run is a work of art, a drawing on each day's canvas. Some runs are shouts and some runs are whispers. Some runs are eulogies and others celebrations. When you're angry, a run can be a sharp slap in the face. When happy, a run is your song". This week we go running towards hope and motivation whatever your level of fitness with inspirational runners from all over the world

Now I know you're busy, I know there are hundred and one things you have to do! Even if you wanted to go out for a run, you're just too busy! The thing is though, I'm not sure you're not as busy as Beatie Deutsch. If nothing else she's a mum of five. Ten years ago she was unfit and struggling under the stresses and strains of modern life when she sought an escape. That escape was running and within four years she was Israel's national champion and vying for a place at the Olympics. Not even being pregnant stopped her, completing the Tel Aviv Marathon seven months pregnant! Beatie is an Orthodox Jew, but for her, running isn’t separate from her religious beliefs, it’s sustained by it.

They say "it takes a village to raise a child" but that's also true of athletes too! And when the athlete is autistic, it's even more important to find the right people to support you. Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It just means your brain works in a different way from other people, but that can present challenges to what others might think of as daily activities. Adrienne Bunn is autistic but with the support of her family, including mum June, her coach Doug and many others too Adrienne has carved out a career in sport. In 2023 she became the youngest female to ever finish the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, arguably the toughest competition in sport. We caught up with Doug, June and of course Adrienne just a day after she completed this year's Boston Marathon!

The thing about running is that it almost doesn't matter where you live, or how much money you have, you can probably just step out of your house and start moving. And the challenges that elite athletes face are by and large the same as you and I. So we thought we'd bring together two women who'd never met but who share one thing. A love of running. Lucy Charles Barkley has won multiple IRONMAN World Championships - running, cycling and swimming over distances in excess of a hundred kilometres. Jenny Mannion, is about to attempt her first ultra-marathon - the standard marathon and plenty more!

It's hard to believe hearing our stories today that it's only in the last forty or so years that women's have been allowed to compete over the Marathon distance. And that's thanks in no small part to pioneers like Nina Kuscsick. Back in 1972 six women staged a sit-down protest at the start of the New York Marathon demanding the right to run in the same race as the men. Nina, who organised that protest passed away last year, but back in 2019 she spoke to the BBC.

Photo: Life Time Miami Half Marathon women's winner Beatie Deutsch, 30, of Israel, crosses the finish line at 1:16:49 during the 18th annual Life Time Miami Marathon and Half Marathon in Miami, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. (CREDIT: Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz4kdq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfgzfz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbktxp3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct8tw1)
What’s Donald Trump’s exit strategy from Iran?

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, looks at the pressure on President Trump to find an end to the confrontation with Iran, examines the way in which the war in the Middle East has affected China, and analyses the first elections in Gaza for twenty years.

Producer: Kate Cornell
Executive Producer: Benedick Watt
Commissioning Editors: Silvia Costeloe and Paul Royall


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz4p4v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 World Book Club (w3ct97sw)
John Connolly - The Book of Lost Things

Harriett Gilbert welcomes John Connolly to World Book Club to answer your question on his beautiful, but twisted fairy tale - The Book of Lost Things.
Set in the Second World War. The novel tells the tale of twelve-year-old David, who mourns the death of his mother while shut up in his attic bedroom with only his books for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him, tempting him... As his family falls apart, David is drawn into a world peopled by heroes and monsters of fairytale and myth, ruled by a shadowy king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things.
Not a fairytale for children, the novel is unnerving, psychologically gripping, and achingly tender in parts. It explores how we survive loss, how we can grow braver than we ever thought was possible, and how the stories we cling to can both save us, and scar us.
John will answer questions such as what is the hidden meaning behind the monsters young David must confront, why we return to fairy tales throughout our lives, and if he believes in ‘book magic’.


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz4swz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w1730bmzcy15m41)
US withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany

The US says it will withdraw five thousand of its troops from Germany, as a rift widens between the two countries over the war in Iran. The German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, says Washington’s decision was foreseeable, but that the continuing presence of American forces was in German and US interests. We speak to a German member of the European parliament.

Also on the programme: British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer tells the BBC that he wants tougher policing of protests in the UK after the stabbing of two Jewish men in London; and we hear from two Afghan female footballers about their hopes of competing internationally.

(Photo: Badge of a soldier is seen during the 'Combined Resolve' exercise at 7th Army Training Command's Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, 30 April 2026. Credit: Photo by ANNA SZILAGYI/EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz4xn3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w1730c8sn3fxhsr)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld has live Premier League commentary of a crucial game for West Ham United. They go to Brentford as the Hammers look for another crucial three points in their relegation fight. Lee James will be joined by Premier League winner Robert Huth and former Liverpool and England striker Natasha Dowie to preview that one and the other matches in the Premier League.

Elsewhere, both the La Liga and Serie A title can be secured this weekend. There's women's Champions League semi final second leg action between Lyon and Arsenal.

Away from football, there's the biggest boxing fight in a generation in Japan, Formula One returns in Miami, the Madrid Masters and playoff action in both the NBA and NHL.

Photo: West Ham United's Axel Disasi and Brentford's Mathias Jensen during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between West Ham United and Brentford on March 9, 2026 in London, England. (Credit: CameraSport via Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz5dmm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfhtnw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkvrx0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Inheritance: Samsung (w3ct94gz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct8rx1)
The Juventus match-fixing scandal

In 2006, Italy's most successful team, Juventus, were relegated from the Italian top division due to their involvement in the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.

The decision to demote Juventus came just days after Italy had won the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Journalist Paddy Agnew covered the case extensively from his base in Rome. In 2023 he shared his memories of that time with Matt Pintus.

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: Juventus’ general manager Luciano Moggi leaving Italian Carabinieri police headquarters. Credit: Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz5jcr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Inquiry (w3ct98pk)
Should we mine the Moon?

The recent Nasa Artemis II crewed mission to the far side of the Moon is a further step towards a long-term return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. The plan is that before the end of the decade there will be a crewed landing and the start of a Moon base. China is among those developing similar plans. Previous missions both crewed and uncrewed have provided evidence of resources that potentially could be of use here on Earth, and support human life on the Moon.

So, it’s not just the race to the Moon that’s capturing the world’s attention, but also the possible economic benefits that that might bring with it. The Moon’s surface or lunar regolith contains volatiles like hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. There is evidence of minerals such as silicate and oxides and metals like aluminium and titanium, which could be extracted for building materials. And something that is rare on Earth, Helium-3, a potential resource for clean fusion energy. Governments in conjunction with private corporations are already working on the technology to extract these resources.

Concerns have been raised about the potential damage to the Moon, not only in terms of the depletion of its resources, but in terms of its scientific value and its cultural heritage. Protection ranges from established treaties that prohibit ownership of the moon, to national laws that permit resource extraction. But to date, there is no universally accepted international law in place, which explicitly permits or prohibits lunar mining.

So, this week on the Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Should we mine the Moon?’

Contributors:
Dr Dylan Mikesell, principal geophysicist, NGI-The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Oslo, Norway
Dr Justin Holcomb, assistant research professor, Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, USA
Prof Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, director of ETH Space, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland
Dr Tanja Masson-Zwaan, assistant professor and deputy director, International Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University, The Netherlands

Presenter: William Crawley
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards

(Photo: The Moon. Credit: Reuters)


SAT 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkvwn4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:32 Happy News (w3ct8nwb)
The Happy Pod: Running topless because I'm proud of my scars

We meet a woman who started running marathons topless after having both her breasts removed because of cancer. Louise Butcher tells us she wanted to display her mastectomy scars with pride. She says she wants to empower other women and show that surviving the disease is about power not pity.

Also, preserving voice notes from almost 100 years ago. The so called 'speaking letters' were recorded on small discs and sent through the post.

Do chips from someone else's plate really taste better? Scientists put the common belief to the test.

A project to save bats in Nigeria, where they are often associated with witchcraft.

Plus, the comedian making her debut in her 80s; and the choir helping people get their voices back after a stroke or brain injury.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs.
Music: Iona Hampson

(Photo: Topless marathon runner Louise Butcher. Credit: @louisebutcher39)


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz5n3w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct8h7v)
Reggae artist Protoje

Nikki Bedi talks to Jamaican reggae artist Protoje about his new album, The Art of Acceptance, and discusses the week’s cultural highlights with cultural critic Rhianna Dhillon

Meryl Streep and film director David Frankel talk about making The Devil Wears Prada 2

Former British Boxer Tony Bellew on acting in the Creed movies

Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff tells the story behind his latest single, The Van

Canadian actor, writer and producer Dan Levy shares his vision for TV series, Big Mistakes

Australian movie star Hugh Jackman talks about co-starring with sheep, in The Sheep Detectives

And the all-female salsa orchestra, Las Salseras, pay a centenary tribute to Cuban singer, Celia Cruz

Producer: Nicki Paxman
Photo Credit: Reid Waters


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz5rw0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w1730bmzcy16l32)
Republican concerns over US troop withdrawal

The Republican chairmen of the US congressional armed services committees have said they're very concerned about the Pentagon's decision to withdraw five thousand troops from Germany. Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers warned that prematurely reducing America's forward presence in Europe risked undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin. NATO says it's seeking clarification from Washington about the plan.

Also in the programme: FIFA will allow a team of Afghan women refugees to represent their country in international tournaments; and we look back on the life of a former racing driver and Paralympian.

(Photo: A soldier pilots a drone during the 'Combined Resolve' exercise at 7th Army Training Command's Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels. More than 3,800 personnel participate in the exercise series, which is a reoccurring U.S. Army Europe and Africa exercise held several times throughout the year for its rotationally deployed troops. US-led army exercise 'Combined Resolve' - media day, Hohenfels, Germany - 30 Apr 2026. CREDIT: ANNA SZILAGYI/EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz5wm4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct996c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz60c8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfjfdj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkwcmn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:32 This Is Africa (w3ct8tcy)
X-Time and Ghix

Imagine playing around in the studio one day and uploading a new beat to your WhatsApp status – only to find it’s blown up overnight into a national hit? That’s what happened to musicians X-Time and Ghix from Benin in 2023, when they worked with Rauny Da Beatmaker to create the new sound of adjapiano.

X-Time tells This is Africa how blending traditional Gogohoun rhythms with the logdrum of South Africa’s amapiano just seemed to work like magic. And Ghix talks about how the new genre is now deeply ingrained in the country, and is a bridge between modern and ancient Benin.

Plus DJ Edu the Afroboss plays new tunes from Zambia, Gabon and DR Congo.

SUNDAY 03 MAY 2026

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz643d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct8m3j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkwhcs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct9b84)
Atomic crossroads: Poland's Nuclear Future

Forty years after Chernobyl, Poland aims to open its first nuclear power plant. Shortly after the disaster, only 30% of Poles supported nuclear power. In 2022, the support hit a record 75%, almost doubling just from the year before, according to public opinion polls.

Poland’s nuclear revival attempts to solve several issues at once: it will make Poland more energy-independent, especially in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but it will also help the country move away from coal per the EU’s climate policies. That’s according to the officials, but what do people living near the new site think about its construction?

Journalist Zuza Nazaruk sets out to discover whether the ghosts of Chernobyl still haunt the areas surrounding the spot picked for the new plant. The disaster looms over the abandoned nuclear power plant in nearby Żarnowiec - the project was halted in the early 1990s largely because of post-Chernobyl protests. But many locals see this as a missed opportunity. In the villages near the proposed nuclear power station, hopes for cheap electricity and the region’s development clash with environmental concerns, but fears around safety are scarce.


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz67vj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfjnws)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkwm3x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 Inheritance: Samsung (w3ct94gz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct8rx1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz6cln)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfjsmx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkwqw1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct8k29)
Psychedelic drugs as treatment

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just awarded fast track status to three companies developing psychedelic drugs as a treatment for addiction and other mental health issues. It comes after President Trump directed $50million dollars to increase their availability. Claudia Hammond is joined by BBC Brazil reporter Camilla Mota to discuss what claims are made for the effectiveness of these drugs.

A novel house design, called “Star Homes”, which promote airflow, block insects, and feature rainwater collection systems, can reduce child mortality, demonstrated by a randomised controlled trial in Tanzania. We hear from Professor Lorenz Von Seidlein from the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Bangkok about what makes these homes effective in lowering rates of malaria, diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections.

We hear that the Russian health minister has called for 1 in 3 Russians to be tested for HIV annually. Russia has long had high rates of HIV, but it now has the highest prevalence in Europe, with particularly high rates among Russian troops since the beginning of the Ukraine war.

We also hear from David Méary, associate professor at the Université Grenoble Alpes, about whether infants have a sense of beauty. And Claudia and Camilla discuss habits that drive salt consumption in older people.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins and Jonathan Blackwell


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz6hbs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 World Book Club (w3ct97sw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz6m2x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct99bw)
Inside Iran

Pascale Harter introduces stories from Iran, the occupied West Bank, the Indian state of West Bengal and northern Ukraine.

Iran's economic crisis has sharpened, with inflation soaring to 50 per cent and beyond. As the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt trade, and an internet shutdown eases only slightly, people continue to struggle with rising prices and job losses. Lyse Doucet reflects on her recent encounters while reporting from Tehran.

It's been many years since most Palestinians last voted for their representatives - but limited municipal elections were held last weekend in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Hamas was officially excluded from participating, as the Palestinian Authority required political blocs and candidates taking part to recognise the state of Israel - something Hamas refuses to do. Jon Donnison was in Ramallah on polling day.

In the Indian state of West Bengal, a fierce state election battle has been fought in recent weeks. PM Narendra Modi's BJP mounted an aggressive push to unseat the incumbent Trinamool Congress party, which was seeking a fourth consecutive term. But why did some candidates campaign while waving fresh fish? Soutik Biswas explains how culinary tradition became a hot-button issue for voters.

And forty years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Jordan Dunbar goes to northern Ukraine to uncover part of its hidden history. Pripyat, the town which housed the nuclear power plant's workforce, was once a place full of cultural energy - with one of the hippest nightclubs in the USSR, and a DJ unafraid to play "unauthorised" music from the West.

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

(Image: People walking in spring sunshine in Tehran, mid April 2026 Credit: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkwzc9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct8tw1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz6qv1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfk4w9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkx33f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct9b84)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz6vl5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w1730c5hw61770n)
Trump threatens to pull more troops out of Germany

President Trump has said even more US troops are to be withdrawn from Germany as a spat over the Iran war continues. The Pentagon announced on Friday that five thousand US troops stationed in Germany would be withdrawn. That's led to bipartisan criticism, including from two key Republican lawmakers who said reducing the move risked sending the wrong signal to Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Also on the programme: the Iranian man smuggling satellites into his country to bypass internet shutdowns; and the book nominated for the International Booker Prize 30 years after its original publication.

Presenter Julian Worricker is joined by Emma Graham-Harrison, Middle East correspondent at the Guardian newspaper, and Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign affairs correspondent for the Wall Street Journal.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One for departure to Miami, Florida, at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, US, May 2, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz6zb9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w1730c5hw617brs)
Republicans criticise US troop withdrawal from Germany

Senior figures from Donald Trump's party have criticised him for deciding to withdraw more than 5000 US troops from Germany. The president told journalists the number of soldiers will be cut "way down" but gave no further details. In a statement, top Republicans warned it sends the wrong signal to Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Also in the programme: we hear from a Tuareg activist and writer about the ongoing conflict in Mali; and the month-long operation to return a beached humpback whale to open seas.

Presenter Julian Worricker is joined by Emma Graham-Harrison, Middle East correspondent at the Guardian newspaper, and Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign affairs correspondent for the Wall Street Journal.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump gestures as he visits US troops at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany, December 27, 2018. Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz732f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w1730c5hw617ghx)
Germany says US troop withdrawal 'foreseeable' as Trump warns of more 'cuts'

President Trump has said the United States will withdraw many more troops from Germany than the five thousand already announced -- amid a diplomatic rift over the Iran war.

Also, a man who deserted from Russia's army tells us about morale on the frontline with Ukraine. And we will meet Galilee Quartet - four Palestinian siblings who play Arabic and Western classical music.

Presenter Julian Worricker is joined by Emma Graham-Harrison, Middle East correspondent at the Guardian newspaper, and Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign affairs correspondent for the Wall Street Journal.


(Photo credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz76tk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct99bw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkxl2y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct8svx)
The food writers

Ever wondered how anyone gets a job writing about food? Ruth Alexander talks to Melissa Clark, recipe columnist and newsletter host for the New York Times; Laura Rowe food journalist and former content director of Olive and Delicious magazines in London, and Malin Turunen of MatMalin in Stockholm, formerly editor of Swedish food magazine, Allt om Mat.

They discuss their first jobs, how their work shapes our tastes and why they think columns about cake matter more than you might think.

If you would like to get in touch with The Food Chain team, please email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Producers: Izzy Greenfield and Lexy O'Connor

Sound engineer: Hal Haines

(Photo: Woman writes in a notebook next to an open laptop and vegetables on a kitchen counter top. Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz7bkp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t0n)
The secrets of greywater

Greywater is the relatively clean waste water from baths, sinks, washing machines and dishwashers. It’s not drinkable but there is still loads you can do with it. This week we’re finding out how greywater could help tackle water scarcity.

We are meeting communities in the dry north east of Brazil who have installed simple systems to filter the water they use in their kitchen, showers or laundry so that they can reuse it to water crops, fruit trees and provide food for animals like cows, goats and sheep, helping them to make a livelihood.

In Germany we meet the company using bacteria to help magically recycle greywater on a big scale in hotels, museums and swimming pools. Plus, we talk to a greywater fangirl for her top facts and tips on how you can save water the low tech way.

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: Claire Bowes
Brazil reporter: Julia Dias Carneiro
Sound engineer: Hal Haines
Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Photo: Edilene Monteiro in the garden of her home in north-east Brazil)


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkxpv2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct8sqd)
Mapping Epstein's global connections

The personal correspondence, photographs and papers of the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein have been released to the public in stages, beginning in December 2025, after an almost unanimous vote in the US Senate.

The released files run to three and a half million documents — emails, letters, photographs, videos, financial records, flight details — all are now open to public scrutiny. Many files remain heavily redacted, but what can be read has already had repercussions globally and revealed Epstein’s web of connections to powerful figures around the world.

Abdirahim Saeed, BBC Arabic, and Luiz Fernando Toledo, BBC News Brazil, share what they found about the files related to their regions.

The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.

Recent episodes have investigated Russia’s youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.

If you want to know more about Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin’s network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.


Presented by Faranak Amidi.

Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean.





(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz7g9t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfkwc2)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkxtl6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 Inheritance: Samsung (w3ct94gz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct998m)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz7l1y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct8m3j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkxybb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:32 Assignment (w3ct8h11)
Driving against net zero

Is defence of the petrol car and liberated motoring becoming the new battleground for Europe’s populist parties? Chris Bowlby visits one of the homes of German car culture and a populist stronghold, Zwickau, to see how motoring is rising up the German agenda. Is Zwickau a foretaste of something affecting all of Germany – a car-loving, car-manufacturing powerhouse in the past, now wondering anxiously what the future holds against the emergence of Chinese electric cars. And less than a hundred miles from Zwickau, just across the border in the Czech Republic, a new coalition government has recently taken power, including ministers from a populist party called Motorists for Themselves – muscular defenders of the old petrol car.

Producer: Jim Frank
Studio engineer: Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Photo: VW workers in Zwickau demonstrate against cuts in production Credit: Jens Schlueter/AFP)


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz7pt2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w1730bmzcy18j14)
Jailed Iranian Nobel laureate hospitalized

The Nobel Peace Prize Committee has urged the Iranian authorities to release the jailed human rights campaigner, Narges Mohammadi, to her dedicated medical team. Her health has deteriorated sharply and she has been moved to a prison hospital. We speak to her brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi.

Also in the programme: Ukraine says it has struck two oil tankers off Russia's Black Sea coast, as it continues its campaign against the energy exports that fund Moscow's war effort; a manufacturer of the United States' most widely used abortion pill has asked the Supreme Court to allow postal deliveries of the medication, a day after a lower court halted them; and Chinese-Icelandic singer, Laufey, on making jazz cool again!


(Photo: Narges Mohammad. Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz7tk6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct99hd)
Is this climate change or just crazy weather?

It’s one of the most commonly debated questions in the climate world: Is this weather we’re experiencing natural, or is it linked to man-made climate change?

In this episode of The Climate Question, Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar are joined by BBC Lead Weather Presenter, Matt Taylor. Matt’s forecasts are seen not just in the UK but around the world.

Matt chats to Graihagh and Jordan about the crucial difference between weather and climate, and the challenge of communicating this on air. They discuss why heavy snowfall will still be possible in a warmer world, as well as the likely increase in droughts, heatwaves and extreme weather.

Matt also talks about whether climate change will make his forecasts more or less accurate. And he tells Graihagh and Jordan about an encounter with BBC wildlife legend, David Attenborough!

Got a climate question or comment? Email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Producers: Nik Sindle and Melanie Stewart-Smith
Sound Mix: Ricardo McCarthy and Tom Brignell
Editors: Simon Watts and Melanie Stewart-Smith


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbky5tl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct8nwb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:32 on Saturday]


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz7y9b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w1730c8sn3g0jfz)
Live Sporting Action

Delyth Lloyd presents live Premier League commentary of Manchester United against Liverpool at Old Trafford. Delyth will be joined by Sportsworld's Mani Djazmi and the former Liverpool and Spurs defender Steven Caulker to reflect on our commentary game, as well as discussing Sunday's other two Premier League games and the weekend's other big talking points.

We'll also discuss the race for the WSL title with leaders Manchester City in action, the Madrid Open men's singles final and the Miami Grand Prix.

Photo: Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United takes a shot during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield on October 19, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz8f8v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnflvb3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkysk7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 In the Studio (w3ct8l55)
Neha Vyaso: Crafting consent in Bollywood

This programme contains scenes of a sexual nature and discussion of sexual assault, including child sex abuse.

Neha Vyaso is one of the most successful intimacy co-ordinators in Bollywood. She’s worked with some of Bollywood's biggest names, including actors Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone and Konkona Sen Sharma, and directors like Hansal Mehta. Having worked on more than 50 projects for clients including Netflix, Amazon and Tinder, she’s reshaping how sex and desire is shown on screen - and how it’s filmed.

We join her in a workshop with two actors, who are getting comfortable with each other, their roles, and the techniques of consent and conversation that Neha is an advocate of. As they work on the choreography of their sex scene, Neha articulates how it’s a fine balance between the demands of a script, a director's vision, a character's emotional arc, and what an actor can consent to. It is a constant, nuanced negotiation.

In Bollywood, there is much secrecy about upcoming projects, but after a few false starts we finally join Neha on set. We get a glimpse at how she negotiates between the actors and the director to film a difficult scene of sexual violence. Will she succeed in creating an environment where everyone can do their work? And how does she hope to influence the wider conversation about consent and intimacy in India?

Presenter: Chhavi Sachdev
Producer: Louise Morris
Executive producer: Leonie Thomas
Sound mix: Joel Cox

An Overcoat Media production for the BBC World Service


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz8k0z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct8kcb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz8ns3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w1730bmzcy19h05)
Iran says US has responded to its latest peace proposal

Iran says US has responded to its latest peace proposal. Iran says President Trump must now choose between an impossible military operation and a bad deal if he wants to end the war. We hear from the brother of the jailed Iranian Nobel peace laureate Narges Mohammadi. He says she and other prisoners are dying as a result of deliberate medical neglect.

Also on the programme: Ukraine's been stepping up its offensive against Russia's oil infrastructure in recent days; and ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and Elizabeth Way, curator at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, discuss if fashion is art.
(Photo: Iranians walk past a huge anti-US billboard referring to US president Donald Trump and Strait of Hormuz at Valiasr square in Tehran, Iran, 02 May 2026. Credit: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA/Shutterstock)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz8sj7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Climate Question (w3ct99hd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkz4sm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 Assignment (w3ct8h11)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz8x8c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgfnfmb9m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkz8jr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct8sqd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]

MONDAY 04 MAY 2026

MON 00:00 BBC News (w1730nklclz910h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct99bw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nldtbkzd8w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct977j)
Why is Europe the fastest-warming continent?

The latest European State of the Climate report has found that Europe is once again getting warmer, and at a rate that is twice as fast as the global average. Tom Whipple is joined by Dr Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, to understand the driving forces behind this stark difference and anticipate what Europeans can expect in the coming years as a result.

We also remember Dr J Craig Venter, one of the famous founders of what we might now call the genomic age of science who dies this week.

In the lead-up to the 100th birthday of the world-famous broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, Inside Science is shining a spotlight on a species of scientific importance that has been named after him. This week, Dr Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou shares his treacherous search for a unique species of echidna previously thought to be extinct.

Plus, science journalist Caroline Steel fills us in on the latest science news that you might have missed - from the surprising growth rates of Neanderthal babies to 10,000 newly discovered planets.

Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


MON 01:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8f00s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqrf21)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw3c95)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct8js8)
The Life Scientific: Jim Ashworth-Beaumont

It's a rare thing to encounter a medical specialist who has experience of his field from the expert and the patient perspective - but not unheard of...

Jim Ashworth-Beaumont is an orthotist and prosthetist who spent years helping people adapt to life with artificial limbs and musculoskeletal supports, before a near-fatal accident left him relying on both.

This twist of fate might have derailed many - but Jim drew on reserves of resilience and determination forged long before his accident; initially in the army, then by returning to education to earn the qualifications he missed out on as a youngster. He put himself through night school before earning a place to study Prosthetics and Orthotics at the University of Strathclyde. Later, while working at London’s Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Jim completed a Master’s in Neurorehabilitation, and a PhD in Health Studies – driven by a fascination with how the human body adapts under pressure.

But in 2020, while training for a triathlon, Jim was involved in a catastrophic cycling accident that nearly killed him - and cost him an arm.
He tells Jim Al-Khalili how the incident gave him a whole new insight into his patients’ experience and made him more determined than ever to achieve his goals.

Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced by Lucy Taylor


MON 02:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8f3rx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqrjt5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw3h19)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct8k6t)
Why can't I recognise faces?

CrowdScience listener Jeroen finds it hard to remember people's faces - and he wants to know why. He wonders if it's to do with getting older and if there’s any way of improving.



Presenter Caroline Steel has the same problem and is keen to find an answer too.



She meets Professor Zaira Cattaneo, a neuroscientist based in Italy who researches face perception. Zaira has discovered which parts of the brain are engaged in facial recognition. She explains how we recognise faces and why ageing could be a factor in Jeroen’s difficulty.



Caroline travels to Bournemouth in the UK to meet researcher Professor Sarah Bate, who assesses Caroline's ability to recognise faces and explains the causes of face blindness.



And she compares notes with fellow CrowdScience presenter Marnie Chesterton, who also has difficulty remembering faces. Around two per cent of the population have the condition. Could there be a reason why more than a third of CrowdScience presenters experience face blindness?



If you’ve got a science question you’d like us to answer, email crowdscience@bbc.co.uk.



Presenter Caroline Steel

Producer Jo Glanville

Editor Ben Motley



(Photo:Packaging cardboard on the head with different emotions - stock photo Credit: Flying broccoli via Getty Images)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8f7j1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t0n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw3lsf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct8sqd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Sunday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8fc85)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqrs9f)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw3qjk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct99nc)
Resolving conflict in relationships

Divorce and separation are often a time of upset and distress. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to women in Latvia and the UK whose work as mediators is about trying to find calm and co-operation in conflict.

Evija Kļave is a certified mediator and sociologist. She’s also an associate professor teaching mediation at masters level at Turiba University (a business school) and sits of the Commission of Certification and Attestation of Mediators which regulates mediators in Latvia as well as running her own private practice.

Romina Kamran is an accredited family and children mediator in the UK and member of the Family Mediation Council. She also heads the National Family Mediation training academy. Her own experience of divorce negotiations was tough, and she works to make decisions around separation ones that both parties can be comfortable with. She says mediation is not about being what one person might consider fair; it's about coming to a resolution that meets the needs of the whole family.

Produced by Jane Thurlow


(Image: (L) Evija Kļave, courtesy Turiba University. (R) Romina Kamran, credit Romina Kamran.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8fh09)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz0k61)
Trump: US will guide stranded ships through Strait of Hormuz

A statement said that what Mr Trump called Project Freedom, would involve fifteen thousand US service members, guided- missile destroyers and more than a hundred aircraft.

The US leader has also been commenting on the diplomacy between the US and Iran, saying there were positive discussions going on, which could lead to something good for all.

There's currently a ceasefire in place between Iran and the US. The same is supposed to exist between Israel and Lebanon, but on the ground the killing is continuing. We'll speak to an emergency doctor in Lebanon.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One for departure to Miami, Florida; Credit: Nathan Howard/Reuters)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8flrf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz0ny5)
Trump offers 'Project Freedom' to help navigation in the Strait

The US military said fifteen thousand service personnel, guided-missile destroyers and more than a hundred aircraft would be involved.

One of the stated aims of the Iran war was regime change. What do Iranians opposed to their country's leadership make of the war so far and what the future holds? We hear from inside the country.

And the BBC speaks to a man who intervened during the Golders Green stabbings in the UK.

(Photo: Ships and boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, May 1, 2026; Credit: Reuters)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8fqhk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz0sp9)
US says it will try to free merchant ships stranded by Iran's blockade

Donald Trump has been speaking of Project Freedom which will aim to restore freedom of navigation, although Mr Trump said commercial ships wouldn't be able to return until the area became safe.

We will also bring you a report from inside Iran as Human rights groups there accuse the government of carrying out widespread arrests, torture and executions.

And three people have died in a suspected hantavirus outbreak on an Atlantic cruise ship.

(Photo: A view of Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska as USS Spruance (DDG 111) conducts its interception; Credit: CENTCOM/Reuters)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8fv7p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct8kl4)
Sam Liang, Otter.ai CEO: AI captures everything

‘The power of AI is that it's able to capture everything, it’s able to try to interpret everyone objectively. Human beings are imperfect in terms of their capability to listen and understand. Everyone unconsciously, when they listen, they don't hear everything.’

Zoe Kleinman speaks to Sam Liang chief executive and co-founder of artificial intelligence transcription start-up Otter.ai

Sam Liang was born in China and moved to the US in 1991. He received a PhD from Stanford University before joining Google, where he led the search engines location services.

He co-founded California based Otter.ai in 2016. The start-up has evolved from a voice-to-text transcription service to offer AI-powered recordings of live events, meeting summaries and content searches.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Karim Beguir, boss of Africa’s biggest AI firm, the former Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard and musical icon Ringo Starr. 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: Zoe Kleinman
Producer: Farhana Haider

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

(Image: Sam Liang. Credit: Bloomberg / Contributor via Getty)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw46j2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gfq)
The city that’s banned meat adverts

Amsterdam has become the world's first capital city to ban commercials for low-cost flights, petrol and diesel cars, and burgers from its billboards, bus and metro shelters. The travel and meat industries say it's over-reach, and violates their rights. We explore whether stripping adverts from public spaces can really change what we eat and how we travel.

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

Presenter/producer: Anna Holligan

(Picture: A bike being ridden through Amsterdam, Netherlands.)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct8r37)
Nuns killed in Algeria

In the early 1990s, Algeria was engulfed by a brutal civil conflict, as armed Islamist groups fought the state and civilians lived in fear. Foreigners were urged to leave, and many did. But Sister Lourdes Migueles, a Spanish Augustinian nun who had already spent decades serving in Algeria, chose to stay.

As the violence worsened, religious figures also became targets. In October 1994, two of Sister Lourdes’s fellow nuns, Caridad Alvarez and Esther Paniagua, were shot dead near their convent as they returned from work. Sister Lourdes remembers hearing the gunshots, the panic in the street, and realising immediately that it was her fellow Sisters who had been attacked. Soon afterwards, she was ordered by her superiors to leave Algeria, something she says caused her deep pain, as though she had abandoned the country she loved.

Years later, she returned to Algiers, where she still lives and works today, helping women and children. Sister Lourdes Migueles tells her story to Colm Flynn.


Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Nuns attend a ceremony at the Chapel of our Lady of Santa Cruz in Algeria in 2018. Credit: Ryad Kramdi/via Getty)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8fyzt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqsd12)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw4b86)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct8k6t)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8g2qy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct99l2)
The world’s first perfume archive and Dutch car-free Sundays in the global oil crisis

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. This week, we hear from a perfumer who in 1990 helped create the world’s first perfume archive in Versailles France. Our guest is Dr William Tullett, a Senior Lecturer in History at the University of York and author of Sniff, History of Smells.

Then, we hear how in 1991 African journalists created the Windhoek declaration - a set of free press principles. It led to World Press Freedom Day marked annually on 3 May.

Next, the global oil crisis of 1973. A former Dutch politician tells us how the Netherlands became the first country in Europe to introduce car-free Sundays.

Plus, the philosopher on how his 1972 essay on the Drowning Child thought experiment inspired the Effective Altruism movement.

And President Obama’s speech writer on how secret negotiations in 2014 improved relations between the US and Cuba.

Finally, a Sporting Witness on the Juventus match-fixing scandal in 2006.

Contributors:

Jean Claude Ellena - perfumer

Dr Will Tullett - Senior Lecturer in History at the University of York and author of Sniff, History of Smells

Wim Meijer - State Secretary for Culture, Recreation and Social Work in the Den Uyl Labour Government

Peter Singer - philosopher

Ben Rhodes - Barack Obama’s speech writer

Paddy Agnew - journalist

(Photo: Perfume bottles. Credit: Walter Zerla via Getty Images)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8g6h2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqsmjb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw4krg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mby)
Why is Russia shutting off the internet?

In recent months, the Russian government has been restricting access to messaging apps such as Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, and at points, even shutting down internet access completely.

Russian officials insist that curbs on communication are in the interests of public safety. They claim that mobile internet blackouts disorient Ukrainian attack drones, although such attacks have continued even in areas where the internet has been switched off.

How have these blackouts been affecting peoples’ ability to access news, communicate, even find their way around? And how are people reacting to the restrictions on their freedoms?

BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg joins Asma to discuss.


Producers: Chris Benderev and Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Passengers use mobile phones aboard a themed metro train honouring the Russian National Guard in Moscow, Russia, March 31, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Ramil Sitdikov


MON 12:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8gb76)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8hx6)
Hip-hop, lies, and the ultimate prize, part 1

Gavin Bain was one half of Silibil N’ Brains, a Californian rap duo on the cusp of greatness.

But there was a problem - the story of these hip hop stars was fake. Gavin’s never even been to America.

A film has been made about this story called California Schemin’.

This interview was first broadcast in 2022.

Film clips: The Mask/Chuck Russell/ New Line Cinema and Dark Horse Entertainment.
The Secret of My Success/Herbert Ross/Rastar
Beetlejuice/Tim Burton/The Geffen Company

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Louise Morris

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

(Photo: Hip hop duo Silibil N’ Brains. Credit: Courtesy of Gavin Bain)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct8r37)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8gfzb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqsw0l)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw4t7q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct99nc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8gkqg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bhcyj)
US military says it's helped two ships transit the Strait of Hormuz

The US military's Central Command says two US-flagged merchant ships have passed through the Hormuz strait with its assistance.

But a huge number of vessels and crew remain stranded. Can Donald Trump deliver on his promise to break the Iranian blockade?

Also in the programme: The leaders of Europe and Canada stress a new unified approach to security, amid strained relations with the US; pet rescue scammers in Uganda; and the multi-billion dollar bid to buy eBay.

(Photo shows vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran on 4 May 2026. Credit: Amirhosein KhorgooiWest Asia News Agency via Reuters)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8gpgl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct8kl4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw51qz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gfq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d36)
GameStop wants eBay for $55.5bn

Video game retail chain GameStop has made a surprise $56bn bid to take over the online marketplace eBay. GameStop’s CEO says he plans to create a competitor to Amazon.

Also, the US military says it’s started guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz as part of President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom”.

And steel boss Lakshmi Mittal and vaccine maker Adar Poonawalla have bought a majority stake in Indian Premier League cricket team the Rajasthan Royals for about $1.65bn

Presenter: Bisi Adebayo

Producers: Niamh McDermott and Barbara George


MON 16:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8gt6q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5y5h2h)
US says military and cargo ships transit Strait of Hormuz

The US military says American warships have passed through the strait of Hormuz as part of an operation to restore freedom of navigation. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has called the US claim about ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz “outright lies". We speak to our correspondents from BBC Persian and from our Washington bureau. We also speak to representatives from seafarers' unions.

David Attenborough, the celebrated and much-loved wildlife documentary filmmaker, is turning 100 years old this week. We brought together wildlife photographers and filmmakers around the world inspired by him.

Our reporter from the BBC's Global Disinformation Unit has been speaking to people who help others bypass internet restrictions in Iran, China, Venezuela and Myanmar.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 4, 2026. Credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8gxyv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5y5ltm)
Car driven into crowd in Germany

A car has driven into a crowd in the centre of the German city of Leipzig. We get more details about the incident.

Three people have died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a small cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. We speak to a virus expert and to medical workers who have worked onboard cruise ships.

The US military says American guided missile destroyers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz and are now operating in the Gulf, as part of an operation to break Iran's blockade. It denied an Iranian claim that one warship had been forced to turn back, and said two US-flagged merchant vessels had successfully transited the strait, something Iran called a "complete lie." We have the latest.

European leaders gathered in Armenia have stressed the need for a coordinated approach to security, in response to global turmoil and strained relations with the US. We speak to our correspondent there.

BBC Eye has uncovered that the scammers who exploit dogs in Uganda to elicit donations from animal lovers. Our reporter has details.

FC Thun have been crowned Swiss Super League champions for the first time in their 128-year history. We speak to fans, a player and a board member.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo of the scene of the crash in Leipzig by journalist Josa Mania Schlegel)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8h1pz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8hx6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct8r37)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8h5g3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqtlhc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw5jqh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rjs)
2026/05/04 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 (w1730nklqw8h967)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct99bw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw5ngm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct8js9)
The Life Scientific: Jens Juul Holst

As recently as a few years ago, the idea of a self-administered injection that would deliver proven weight-loss results might have sounded fantastical. Today, these medications are a reality and a global phenomenon; hailed in many quarters as “miracle drugs" for their success in treating obesity and diabetes. They do this by replicating a gut hormone called GLP‑1, which tells the brain you’ve eaten enough and nudges the pancreas to release insulin; and this hormone was discovered and decoded thanks to years of work by today's guest. Jens Juul Holst is a Professor of Medical Physiology and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. His efforts laid the groundwork for today’s weight loss jabs, earning him a slew of high-profile accolades and awards. Now it seems they might not only have positive impacts on obesity and diabetes, but also other health issues... But alongside the big success comes some big questions: including concerns over side effects, weight regain post-treatment, the black market in such drugs, and their cost and accessibility. In a frank conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Jens address these issues and shares his hopes for the future of GLP-1-focused research.


MON 21:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8hdyc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bj75f)
Tensions spike in the Strait of Hormuz

There's been an escalation of the conflict in the Gulf after the US said it had sailed two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said it had fired warning shots at one warship and denied US claims that two US-flagged merchant ships had transited the waterway. Iran has retaliated. The UAE says four cruise missiles were fired towards its territory and a drone hit the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone.

Also, Cape Verde has refused docking permission to a cruise ship with a suspected outbreak of hantavirus; and Samsung pays a massive inheritance tax bill in South Korea - but do some super-rich companies dodge tax bills?

(Photo: Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, 4th May, 2026. Credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA via Reuters)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8hjph)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Interview (w3ct8kl4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw5wyw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 The Conversation (w3ct99nc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 23:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8hnfm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqv2gw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw60q0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fmw)
Hostility fears escalate in the Persian Gulf

Are ships moving in the Persian Gulf and could it lead to the resumption of hostilities between the US and Iran? Andrew Peach finds out more on the latest developments and speaks to maritime expert Captain John Konrad.

Meanwhile, with two clubs celebrating joining the English Premier League, we hear about the financial challenges facing those joining football's elite.

And, why the success of the vintage clothing industry is attracting criminals.

Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia, Europe and the USA.

(Picture: Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, on 4 May 2026. Credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi / ISNA / West Asia News Agency, via Reuters.)

TUESDAY 05 MAY 2026

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8hs5r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct99l2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8hwxw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqv9z4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw6868)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mby)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Monday]


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8j0p0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqvfq8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw6cyd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct8h12)
Serbia: Under the canopy

Eighteen months ago, the renovation of the railway station in Serbia’s second biggest city, Novi Sad, led to a tragic accident. A substantial concrete canopy, which ran across the front of the station building, suddenly collapsed, killing 16 people. The disaster sparked mass protests. Marchers demanded justice for the dead and injured.

As the protests spread to the capital, Belgrade, and to towns and cities across the country, the demands evolved. Protesters accused the government of corruption and of covering up the truth about what happened. The government accused the protesters of being foreign agents, supported and organised by malign outside forces.

Now, after more than a year, the mass protests have finally subsided. Jill McGivering is in Serbia to find out what has happened to that explosion of anti-government anger.

Presenter: Jill McGivering
Producer: Caroline Finnigan
Studio engineer: Neil Churchill
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image credit: Andrej Isakovic/AFP)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8j4f4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8hx6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct8r37)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8j858)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqvp6j)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw6mfn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct8l56)
Scottish artist Joan Eardley

In Scotland, from 1940 to 1963, the artist Joan Eardley produced a cache of monumental seascapes, landscapes, and poignant portraits. When she died aged 42 of breast cancer, people were still trying to categorise her work - part abstract expressionist, part Scottish colourist, part social realist, part kitchen sink (one of her first solo exhibitions was in a cinema). She worked with oil and pastels, but also used collage and plaster on her canvas, as well as gravel and sand and bits of plants (one gallerist scraped these bits off, confused.) She even used graffiti in her portraits of children living in tenements in Glasgow, decades before it became fashionable.

A new exhibition at the National Galleries of Scotland hangs Joan's work alongside some of the most cherished and valuable paintings in their collection, including works by Monet and Constable. Curator Kerry Gledhill talks to Antonia Quirke about looking for 'synergies' between the works she has chosen to exhibit, and about Joan's short, passionate, productive life and working practice. We get up close to Eardley's complex, layered canvases, such as Catterline in Winter 1963, and to Monet's Grainstacks Snow Effect 1891. A detailed, celebratory programme about an artist who died on the cusp of international success, leaving behind some of the most startling and covetable paintings of the 20th Century.

Photograph by Audrey Walker, courtesy of the Audrey Walker Estate


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8jcxd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz3g34)
US strikes Iranian fast boats

The US says it's destroyers have entered the strait of Hormuz and that several small Iranian boast have been destroyed. Iran says it has hit a US ship , while it has launched a wave of missiles across the gulf at the United Arab Emirates.

Neither side has officially called off the ceasefire, but since President Trump launched what he called Project Freedom, to free up trapped shipping, the two sides have moved back towards military confrontation.

Further west, the ceasefire between Israel in Lebanon is looking even less secure. The authorities in Beirut say that more than one hundred people have been killed in the fighting there since Thursday.

(Credit: A handout photo made available on 05 December 2025 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shows a jet boat; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8jhnj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz3kv8)
Fears grow for a full-scale return to hostilities in the Middle East

President Trump said two US- flagged merchant vessels had transited the waterway and the US navy had destroyed a number of Iranian fast boats. Iran said it had attacked American ships, but the US says none were hit.

The shipping firm Maersk told the BBC one of its merchant vessels had successfully left the Strait under American military protection.

A nightmare scenario for holiday makers on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, a virus outbreak has killed three people and rendered several others ill.

(Photo: A handout photo made available by the US Navy shows the USS Antietam (CG-54) conducting operations in international waters; Credit:
EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8jmdn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz3pld)
US and Iran trade fire, threatening the ceasefire

The ceasefire in the Iran war is looking shaky. The US says its naval destroyers have transited the Strait of Hormuz and says several small Iranian boats have been destroyed. Iran has launched a wave of missiles across the Gulf at the United Arab Emirates.

Neither side has officially called off the ceasefire, but since President Trump launched what he called Project Freedom to free up trapped shipping, the two sides have moved back towards military confrontation. we go live to UAE and hear from a shipping maritime company.

Beyoncé tells the BBC it feels great to be back at fashion's biggest night alongside her daughter and husband at the Met Gala in New York.

(Photo: Flames rise during a fire caused by debris from an intercepted drone at the oil refinery hub in Fujeirah; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8jr4s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t0p)
The SafeBox

Over the last five years, almost 200 journalists have been killed outside conflict zones, with reporters being murdered while investigating corruption, organised crime and environmental destruction. For World Press Freedom Day, People Fixing the World looks at the work of a pioneering organisation that is trying to help. Forbidden Stories, based in France, pledges to continue the work of journalists who have been killed, imprisoned or forced into exile. To help them do this, they encourage the use of a digital “safe box”, where reporters whose lives are at risk can keep notes and interviews, and which can be opened in the event of their death. This tool means that even if reporters die, their work can live on – but many reporters believe SafeBox helps keep them safe too.

We meet Laurent Richard, founder of Forbidden Stories. From Ecuador, Tamia Villavicencio explains how she is continuing her father Fernando’s work despite serious risks to her safety. And we hear how a network of reporters finished the investigations of Colombian journalist Rafael Moreno after he was murdered in 2022.

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer: William Kremer
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound engineer: Hal Haines

(Photo: Amanda and Tamia Villavicencio holding a photograph of their father, Fernando Villavicencio. Credit Tamia Villavicencio)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw73f5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gqr)
Why is filling your tank costing so much?

Getting a barrel of crude oil out of the ground in Saudi Arabia costs around $25. The market price right now is around $95. So where does that $70 go - and why has the price at the pump jumped so sharply since the war in the Middle East began?

We follow the money behind a tank of petrol: from the oil field, through the world's most dangerous shipping lane, through the commodity markets, through a refinery, and right back to you, waiting at the pump.

We hear from the former Saudi Aramco executive who oversaw production of the world's largest oilfield, one of the world's biggest tanker operators making real-time decisions about whether to sail through a war zone; the chief economist of one of the world's largest commodity traders; and an energy analyst who has been tracking the refining crisis that most commentators have missed.

What product do you want us to follow next? Get in touch with the team by sending us an email to businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Sam Fenwick
Producer: Matt Lines

(Photo: A worker pumps gasoline into a car at a petrol station in Bangkok, Thailand, on the 26th of March 2026. Credit: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct985s)
Norway's WW2 railway sabotage plot

In May 1942, a team of Norwegian resistance fighters in occupied Norway were getting ready to blow up a railway carrying materials crucial to the German war machine.

Led by Lieutenant Peter Deinboll, a local from the area, they set out to execute what the Allied forces saw as the top priority sabotage operation in Norway at that stage in the war. Should they fail, allied planes would carpet bomb the village, including Deinboll’s hometown.

Lars Bevanger speaks to Lieutenant Deinboll’s nephew, Gunnar Deinboll Jenssen.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Lieutenant Peter Deinboll Jr. Credit: Gunnar Deinboll Jenssen)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8jvwx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqw8y5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw7759)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct8h12)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8jzn1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct8h7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8k3d5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqwjff)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw7gnk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mhg)
European leaders are defying Trump. At what cost?

When Donald Trump began his second term in the White House, many European leaders chose to pursue flattery instead of a fight. Most sought to avoid public confrontation even as Trump instituted tariffs, spoke of annexing Greenland, and went to war with Iran.

But lately more European leaders across the political spectrum - from longtime allies to ideological opponents - are willing to openly contradict and criticise the American president. The White House appears to be retaliating, especially against Germany, from which the Pentagon has announced it will withdraw 5,000 troops.

Has Europe suddenly become more defiant? And what happens next? Asma speaks to the BBC’s Europe editor, Katya Adler.

Producers: Valerio Esposito, Chris Benderev and Hannah Moore
Executive Producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a bilateral meeting at the White House, 03 March 2026. Credit: Samuel Corum/Pool/EPA/Shutterstock


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8k749)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8jbr)
Hip-hop, lies, and the ultimate prize, part 2

Silibil N’ Brains found fame as fake American rappers — but how long can you live a lie?

A record deal with Sony, celebrity parties and touring with his heroes, life looked good for Gavin Bain, one half of the duo. But with fame came visibility, the pressure mounted and they could no longer outrun the truth.

A film has been made about this story called California Schemin’.

This interview was first broadcast in 2022.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Louise Morris

This interview contains reference to suicide. If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org

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

(Photo: Hip hop duo Silibil N’ Brains. Credit: Courtesy of Gavin Bain)


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct985s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8kbwf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqwrxp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw7q4t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct8l56)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8kgmk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bl8vm)
Hegseth: Strait of Hormuz shipping lane is clear

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth says the ceasefire in the Gulf is 'not over' despite attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.

Also in the programme: The son of the last and only Lebanese leader to meet an Israeli premier, says the current Lebanese President Joseph Aoun should meet with Benjamin Netanyahu, despite the risks; and Chinese Wu Yize becomes the second youngest winner of snooker's world championship.

(Photo: US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth holds briefing on the Iran war, at the Pentagon in Washington. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8klcp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t0p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw7yn2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gqr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d7q)
What's life like for seafarers stuck in the Strait of Hormuz?

The ceasefire between Iran and the US is looking increasingly fragile after another day of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. As tensions rise, so are concerns about the welfare of the 20,000 seafarers believed to be stranded around the passage.

In Brussels, European finance ministers have been meeting to discuss the economic impact of the war.

And why is the Met Gala, fashion's biggest night under a controversial spotlight?

Presenter: Bisi Adebayo
Producers: Niamh Mc Dermott and Barbara George


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8kq3t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5y8czl)
US says ceasefire is 'not over' despite attacks in Strait of Hormuz

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US-Iran ceasefire "is not over", despite the US and Iran launching attacks in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. He also says Iran is attempting "international extortion" in the strait, but "that ends with Project Freedom". We speak to our correspondents and answer audience questions on the war.

Some self-described infant sleep experts are giving advice that could put babies at risk of serious harm and even death, medical professionals have told a BBC investigation. We speak to our reporter.

And celebrities arrived at the 2026 Met Gala on Monday with their take on this year's theme - costume art - where organisers asked attendees to experiment with the lavish and whimsical dress code. We speak to designers about this year's looks.

Outside Source presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a briefing on the Iran war, with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine (not pictured), at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 5, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8ktvy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5y8hqq)
Iran warns US after Strait of Hormuz attacks

Iran's top negotiator warns that "we are just getting started" after the US and Iran launched attacks in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the ceasefire "is not over". He also says Iran is attempting "international extortion" in the strait, but "that ends with Project Freedom". We speak to BBC Verify for the latest from the Strait of Hormuz.

We take a walk around the newsroom to speak to our Global Affairs Reporters about the stories they have been working on today.

And approximately two British pubs closed a day in the first quarter of 2026, according to new figures. We speak to pub owners about the future of the industry.

Outside Source presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: A vessel in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 4, 2026. Credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8kym2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8jbr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct985s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8l2c6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqxhdg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw8fml)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rp9)
2026/05/05 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 (w1730nklqw8l63b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct8h12)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw8kcq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct8jxt)
Could this tech help millions of us sleep better?

An anti-snoring device is being trialled as a potential solution to sleep apnoea, a condition which affects millions and can have wide-ranging consequences on daily life. We speak to the team behind the trial.
Also on the programme, two health tech entrepreneurs whose personal experiences informed their products: A man who had a heart attack at 44 and now works to help reduce hospital recovery times, and a woman who lost a close family member to breast cancer and is working to help inform women in Pakistan to spot the signs and get help.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producers: Tom Quinn and Imran Rahman-Jones

(Image: A man asleep in bed with a black boomerang-shaped device attached to his neck. Credit: Zeus Sleeps)


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8l9vg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bm42j)
Rubio: US trying to reopen strait as a 'favour to the world'

The US is working to get ships through the Strait of Hormuz as a "favour to the world," The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said in the news conference.

Also in the programme: Why staff at Google DeepMind in Britain are unionising over Google's policies on artificial intelligence; and the frontman of the band Iron Maiden opens up about the future of heavy metal and life on tour.

(Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefs reporters on Iran war at White House, Washington, USA - 05 May 2026. Credit: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8lfll)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t0p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw8svz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 In the Studio (w3ct8l56)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8lkbq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqxzcz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw8xm3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fsd)
Tensions rise in the Persian Gulf

With the US and Iran trading fire in the Strait of Hormuz, the ceasefire wobbling and oil prices continuing to rise, Sam Fenwick discusses the latest developments as the situation in the Persian Gulf continues to fray.

We hear from Nikolas Tsakos, founder and CEO of one of the world's largest independent tanker operators, as well as trade union representative Sascha Meijer, on what this means for those stuck on tankers in the Middle East.

Elsewhere we tell you why the price of oil you hear on the news may be misleading, and what it could mean for your fuel bills if the US-Iran conflict drags into next year.

Plus, with fashion retailer GAP's co-founder Doris Fisher passing away, we speak to Catherine Shuttleworth on changing fashions of the high street.

Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia, Europe and the USA.

(Picture: US secretary of state Marco Rubio discussing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington DC, USA, on 5 May 2026. Credit: Kylie Cooper / Reuters)

WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2026

WED 00:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8lp2v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct8h7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8lstz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqy6w7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw953c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mhg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Tuesday]


WED 02:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8lxl3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqybmc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw98vh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct99hd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8m1b7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8jbr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct985s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8m52c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqyl3m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lw9jbr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 World of Secrets (w3ct9b22)
Searching for Soldier Dad

3. Ghosts

Cathy and Peter confront their demons. Their searches for their fathers take them to dark and desperate places.

And back in London, it’s time to reveal the results of the DNA analysis, with life-changing consequences.

This episode contains references to suicide and self-harm, which some listeners may find upsetting.

If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org

Searching for Soldier Dad is a BBC Long Form Audio production for the BBC World Service.

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

Presenter: Ivana Davidovic
Series producer: Josephine Casserly
Sound design: Tom Brignell
Executive producer: Matt Willis
Commissioning senior producers: Katy Davis and Anne Dixey
Commissioning editor: Jon Manel


WED 05:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8m8th)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz6c07)
US "Project Freedom" paused

Donald Trump says the US operation to guide stranded vessels through the Stait of Hormuz has been paused for a short period of time. He said "Project Freedom" would be halted by mutual agreement because "great progress" had been made toward a deal with Iran.

We take a closer look at the race to become the next governor of California as Gary Newsom's term comes to an end.

And a police officer who was filmed being lowered into a crocodile-infested river in South Africa has told the BBC he was apprehensive before doing the operation because he wasn’t sure the crocodile he was trying to recover was dead.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: President Donald Trump. Credit: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA)


WED 06:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8mdkm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz6grc)
BBC investigation into one of Lebanon's deadliest days

On 8th April, Israel launched a wave of strikes against Lebanon hitting 100 targets in 10 minutes. According to the Lebanese authorities, more than 300 people, among them children, were killed on what has become known as 'Black Wednesday'. Israel says it was targeting Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia backed by Iran which has launched attacks against Israel. The BBC pieces together what happened on that deadly day.

We look at the visit of Iran's Foreign Minister to Beijing.

And the cruise ship with the hantavirus outbreak is to sail to Canary Islands.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: Israel launches wide-scale air attacks on Beirut and multiple areas throughout Lebanon April 8th. Credit: Wael Hamzeh/EPA).


WED 07:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8mj9r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz6lhh)
BBC investigates deadly strikes on Lebanon

On 8th April, Israel launched a wave of strikes against Lebanon hitting 100 targets in 10 minutes. According to the Lebanese authorities, more than 300 people, among them children, were killed on what has become known as 'Black Wednesday'. Israel says it was targeting Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia backed by Iran which has launched attacks against Israel. The BBC pieces together what happened on that deadly day.

Donald Trump says the US operation to guide stranded vessels through the Stait of Hormuz has been paused for a short period of time. He said "Project Freedom" would be halted by mutual agreement because "great progress" had been made toward a deal with Iran.

And the United Nations tell us about their concerns about helping those most in need in Somalia.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: Emergency responders at site of Israeli strike in Sidon. Credit Ali Hankir/Reuters).


WED 08:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8mn1w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct98gt)
Emma Grede, entrepreneur: Success needs trade-offs

“There's this idea that you [can] sail your way to success or have some overnight success or kind of come upon success relatively easily. And that has just never, ever been.”

Amol Rajan speaks to entrepreneur and businesswoman Emma Grede about the trade-offs we have to make to get to where we want to be in life.

Emma Grede is co-founder of the clothing brand Skims, which she created with her husband Jens and Kim Kardashian. From ordinary beginnings in East London to the forefront of global consumer brands and social influence in LA, Emma Grede argues that focus, trade-offs and relentless effort matter more than comfort if you are to succeed. She says that opportunity still exists, if you’re willing to chase it.

Thank you to the Radical with Amol Rajan team for its help in making this programme.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Arlo Parks, Parmy Olson and Chloé Zhao. 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: Amol Rajan
Producer: Cordelia Hemming
Editor: Damon Rose and Farhana Haider

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

(Image: Emma Grede. Credit: Reuters)


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwb0b8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct98rv)
Hired or hidden? AI’s new power in the job market

Artificial Intelligence has upended the market for entry-level jobs, but could AI be blocking graduates from getting a foot on the jobs ladder altogether? In this episode, we look at the new AI arms race in recruitment.

Tech advancements have allowed graduates to apply for more jobs than ever, and hiring managers can let AI do the initial shortlisting and interviews, so why do both sides of the employment equation feel short-changed? And what can graduates do to stand out in a crowded market of thousands of applicants when an AI app is making the decision? We discuss the pros and cons of the AI hiring pipeline.

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

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Josh Martin

(Picture: Young woman sitting at a kitchen table looking at a laptop screen searching for job. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct9881)
Finding the world’s most complete T-rex fossil

On 12 August 1990, the world's most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex was found in South Dakota.

Deena Newman speaks to Peter Larson whose team made the landmark discovery.

This programme was first broadcast in 2015.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Picture: The Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton known as Sue. Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8mrt0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqz5v8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwb42d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct99hd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8mwk4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 World Book Club (w3ct97sw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8n098)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqzfbj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwbckn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mkq)
What do Iranians think of the war?

Iranians living in Tehran tell us what they think of the war and reveal how the conflict has affected their day to day lives.
 
In recent days, attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz has raised fears that an already fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran could collapse.
 
Donald Trump's "Project Freedom", which began on Monday, aims to use the US military to escort cargo ships out of Strait of Hormuz. Iran, however, insists that it controls the key waterway and has warned that it is “just getting started” in the Strait of Hormuz. This escalation of hostilities risks tipping the region back into full-scale war. 
 
As the conflict enters its third month with no clear end in sight, there has been mounting anxiety about what comes next. But what is the view inside Iran? 
 
In today’s episode we speak to the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet who recently returned from a ten day trip to Tehran where she spoke to government officials and ordinary Iranians about their fears and expectations as this war continues. 
 
Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller 
 
Executive Producer: Richard Fenton Smith 
 
Mix: Travis Evans
 
Senior News Editor: China Collins
 
Photo: Daily life in Tehran amid continued tensions over Strait of Hormuz. Credit: 
Abedin Taherkenareh/ EPA/Shutterstock.


WED 12:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8n41d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8jkj)
From singing while mopping floors to performing to thousands

Nigerian James Emmanuel could be a bit naughty as a boy. To keep him out of trouble his father, a preacher, enrolled him in the local church choir. He quickly impressed the choir leader who told him he had talent. But James' secret passion was listening to songs his father considered 'devil music', such as Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing. When he was 16 his father died and things got tough financially for the family. James dropped out of university and went to work in the UK in order to help support his siblings and allow them to finish their studies. He settled in Edinburgh, where he worked in a bar cleaning floors, singing while he mopped. A customer who overheard him told him about a local karaoke night where James soon became a regular. Just a few years later, he'd be performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London in front of thousands as part of the BBC Proms, alongside soul music legends such as Beverley Knight.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Emily Naylor

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

(Photo: James performing on stage in front of a large crowd outside. He has a microphone in his hand and is leaning back with an arm raised while singing. Credit: Diana Dumi)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct9881)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8n7sj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxqznts)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwbm1x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 World of Secrets (w3ct9b22)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8ncjn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bp5rq)
Hantavirus strain 'can be passed between humans' - health officials

The World Health Organisation has confirmed that the strain of hantavirus that's killed three people on board a cruise ship from Argentina can be passed between humans.

The ship, currently off Cape Verde, is sailing to the Canary Islands after Spain gave it permission to dock. We'll speak to someone who was on board when the outbreak began.

Also in the programme: We'll have a special report into what happened when Israeli unleashed a barrage of airstrikes on Lebanon last month; and hard rock and existential angst from the lead singer of Iron Maiden.

(Photo shows the cruise ship MV Hondius docked off Cape Verde port on 4 May 2026. Credit: Reuters)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8nh8s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct98gt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwbvk5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct98rv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d9z)
India and Vietnam look to deepen economic ties

Oil prices drop after reports that the US and Iran are close to a peace deal. Donald Trump says the war could end with an agreement, and warns strikes will return if not.

From the Gulf, we hear how the conflict is already reshaping investor thinking.

India is chasing $20 billion in trade with Vietnam as leaders from both countries meet to deepen economic ties.

And are weight‑loss drug makers facing a new dose of competition?

Presenter: Bisi Adebayo
Producer: Niamh Mc Dermott


WED 16:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8nm0x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5yc8wp)
'How I survived hantavirus'

The World Health Organisation has confirmed an eighth case of Hantavirus on board a cruise ship at the centre of a deadly outbreak of the disease. The Spanish government has given permission for the ship to dock in the Canary Islands where they will be examined. So what is it like to have the disease? We speak to two people who have survived it.

We speak to our science reporter about a massive wave that swept through a narrow Alaskan fjord last year - the second largest ever recorded. Such waves, known as mega-tsunamis, are caused by landslides crashing into water.

An Airbnb host has gone viral after sharing a video of her property that she says was trashed by the previous guests. We hear from people who own holiday rentals about their worst experiences.

Presenter: James Reynolds

Photo: Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius is anchored off the coast of the city of Praia on the island of Santiago, Cape Verde, 04 May 2026. Credit: Elton Monteiro/EPA/Shutterstock


WED 17:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8nqs1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5ycdmt)
Airlines cut 13,000 flights as jet fuel prices soar

Airlines have cut 13,000 flights globally in May as jet fuel prices soar due to the conflict in the Middle East. In total, nearly two million seats have been removed from flights scheduled for May, according to aviation analysts Cirium. The cancellations affect around 1% of global flights, with the data showing Munich and Istanbul as among the worst-hit destinations. We speak to our security and business correspondents to hear more.

We hear from Arsenal fans around the world after the team reach the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. We also look ahead to tonight's other semi final between PSG and Bayern Munich.

The World Health Organisation has confirmed an eighth case of Hantavirus on board a cruise ship at the centre of a deadly outbreak of the disease. The Spanish government has given permission for the ship to dock in the Canary Islands where they will be examined. So what is it like to have the disease? We speak to two people who have survived it.

Presenter: James Reynolds

Photo: Travel and tourism crisis impacted by flight cuts amid soaring fuel costs in Thailand, Samut Prakan - 04 May 2026. Credit: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA/Shutterstock


WED 18:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8nvj5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8jkj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct9881)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8nz89)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr0d9k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwcbjp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rrk)
2026/05/06 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 (w1730nklqw8p30f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct99hd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwcg8t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct8k2b)
Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship

We bring you the latest on the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise liner MV Hondius with BBC health reporter Smitha Mundasad.

Endometriosis, where cells similar to the lining of the womb grow elsewhere in the body, can take up to a decade to get diagnosed despite leaving some women in debilitating pain. A new scanning technique hoping to speed up that diagnosis. Dr Tatjana Gibbons, from Oxford University, who developed the test, explains how it works.

We unpack how the way operations are schedules affects patient outcomes with transplants.

How electricity is improving treatment for patients with a heart rhythm disorder. Professor Oussama Wazni explains how it works.

And how seven rings can translate sign language into text.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins & Georgia Christie


WED 21:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8p6rk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bq0zm)
Newshour in Baltimore

With important midterm elections happening later this year, we look at immigration in Baltimore. It's a defining domestic issue in President Trump's second term. One of his boldest pledges was for mass deportations - to send anyone who'd entered the US illegally back to their home country. We meet one Guatemalan woman facing that prospect.

Also in the programme: how some of Baltimore's derelict housing is being spruced up; and the US broadcasting mogul Ted Turner has died at the age of 87.

(Photo: Zoila Guerra Sandoval, living in Baltimore but facing deportation to Guatemala. Credit: BBC)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8pbhp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Interview (w3ct98gt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwcps2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World of Secrets (w3ct9b22)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 23:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8pg7t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr0w92)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwctj6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fvn)
How Ted Turner changed the media landscape

We look back on the life of the CNN founder, Ted Turner, who has died. We hear from Brian Selter, CNN chief media analyst, and Lisa Napoli who was an intern in the network's early days. Also, conflict in the Middle East has driven aluminium prices to a four-year high. So how will this affect the price of cars and canned goods? And with six weeks to go before the FIFA World Cup, how US hotels are seeing fewer bookings than they expected.

(Picture: Turner Enterprises Chairman Ted Turner participates in a panel at the 2010 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California. Credit: REUTERS/Phil McCarten)

THURSDAY 07 MAY 2026

THU 00:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8pkzy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 World Book Club (w3ct97sw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8ppr2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr13sb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwd20g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mkq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Wednesday]


THU 02:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8pth6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr17jg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwd5rl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct9b85)
For the love of dogs

Mityana is a bustling regional town in central Uganda, where motorbikes are king. Here an online con operation flourishes in plain sight. Armed with smartphones, emotional images, and carefully crafted lies, a network of young men preys on dog lovers in Europe and America - people who believe they are saving abused, sick, or dying animals. This documentary dives into the shadowy world of the dog-rescue scammers of Mityana. Through undercover reporting, BBC Africa Eye exposes how the scams work, and the lengths the scammers will go to extort donations from well-meaning animal lovers in the West.


THU 03:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8py7b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8jkj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct9881)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8q1zg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr1h0q)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwdf7v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct8svy)
Rethinking the potato

Potatoes are having a moment.

Once dismissed as dull, stodgy or even unhealthy, they’re now back, appearing on restaurant menus, in food magazines and across social media feeds.

But the story of the potato goes back much further.

In this episode, Ruth Alexander traces the journey of one of the world’s most familiar foods. From its origins millions of years ago to its place in today’s global food system.

AJ Shehata, senior sous chef at Fallow restaurant in London explains why the potato forces chefs to get creative.

At the Natural History Museum, botanist Sandy Knapp explains how the potato may have been born from a chance encounter between two wild plants in the Andes, an event that made it possible for potatoes to grow underground and spread across new environments.

We explore how the potato became a global food. Potatoes USA president Blair Richardson explains how demand continues to grow worldwide, and how the industry is working to reshape the potato’s image.

We ask whether the potato’s reputation is deserved. Nutrition scientist Candida Rebello shares research suggesting potatoes may be far more beneficial, and more misunderstood, than many people think.

And at the International Potato Center in Peru, scientist Julian Soto works with farmers to conserve thousands of native potato varieties. In the Andes, potatoes are not just a crop, they are part of culture, identity and family life.

From ancient origins to modern revival, this is the story of how the potato conquered the world, fell out of favour, and is now being rediscovered, just as new challenges begin to emerge.

If you’d like to get in touch with the programme, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Sound engineer: Hal Haines
Picture: Getty


THU 05:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8q5ql)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz97xb)
Ukraine plans to ban surrogacy for foreign parents

Ukraine is one of the world’s leading hubs for commercial surrogacy, attracting couples from around the world with lower costs and more relaxed laws. Even after Russia’s invasion, the industry has continued to operate, with fertility clinics adapting to war. But now, a proposed law being debated in Ukraine’s parliament could ban surrogacy for foreign parents. We have a report from Kyiv.

We look at conflicting reports on a deal to stop hostilities in the Middle East.

And we look at the situation in the Central African Republic. The United Nations has described the situation there as one of the most neglected humanitarian emergencies globally.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.


(Photo: Ukraine surrogate. Credit: BBC)


THU 06:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8q9gq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz9cng)
Ukrainian commercial surrogacy could be banned for foreign parents

Ukraine has been one of the world’s leading hubs for commercial surrogacy, attracting couples from around the world thanks to lower costs and more relaxed laws. Even after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the industry has continued to operate, with fertility clinics adapting to the realities of war. Now, a proposed law being debated in Ukraine’s parliament could ban surrogacy for foreign parents. We report from Kyiv.

Israel has attacked the Lebanese capital Beirut for the first time since agreeing to a ceasefire with the armed group Hezbollah last month.

The cruise ship hit by an outbreak of hantavirus is on track to dock in the Canary islands by the weekend. We look at the variant capable of human to human transmission that's been identified in South Africa.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: A woman in Ukraine holds a surrogate baby. Credit: BBC)


THU 07:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8qf6v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nz9hdl)
Ukraine could ban foreigners using commercial surrogates

Ukraine has been one of the world’s leading hubs for commercial surrogacy, attracting couples from around the world thanks to lower costs and more relaxed laws. Even after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the industry has continued to operate, with fertility clinics adapting to the realities of war. Now, a proposed law being debated in Ukraine’s parliament could ban surrogacy for foreign parents. We report from Kyiv.

Experts have told the BBC they have “serious concerns” about a widespread and growing trend of AI-generated characters advertising fitness programmes on social media.

And we look at the visit of Secretary of State Marco Rubio to the Vatican. Will he be smoothing over relations between the Trump administration and Pope Leo?

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: Ukraine surrogacy. Credit: BBC).


THU 08:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8qjyz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct98pl)
Are countries really running out of jet fuel?

Global oil markets have been affected by the US Israel war with Iran, leading to higher jet fuel prices and increased attention on supply risks.

But how serious is the situation? While some experts point to tightening supply chains and regional bottlenecks, others say there is no clear evidence so far of immediate shortages.

Even so, the refining and distribution of jet fuel remains a potential vulnerability, as disruption can have notable impacts even when crude oil itself is available. With air travel crucial to trade and tourism, the resilience of fuel supply is a growing concern for economies and travellers. Can alternative suppliers and fuel sources help limit the impact of future disruption?

This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: are countries really running out of jet fuel?

Contributors
Zach Aman, professor of chemical engineering, the University of Western Australia
Ahmed Mehdi, senior fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and managing director at Renaissance Energy Advisors, UK
Dumebi Oluwole, lead economist at Stears, Nigeria
Li Qiao, Professor of aeronautics and astronautics, Purdue University, US

Presenter: Rajan Datar
Producer: Matt Toulson
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: Mitch Goodall
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: Airline worker attaching fuel pipe to plane to refuel. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwdx7c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gl7)
Why female led startups stall in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world, according to the World Bank, and most founders there are women. Why, then, do so many of those startups fail to grow? We look at why many female entrepreneurs struggle to access investment and ask three business leaders what might change that.

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

Presenter: Will Bain
Producer: Ahmed Adan

(Picture: Worker and partner with data analytics, charts and graphs paperwork. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct98b9)
Africa's worst stadium disaster

On 9 May 2001, 127 people died and dozens more were injured at the Accra Stadium in Ghana.

It is Africa's worst football stadium tragedy.

The disaster happened at the end of a match between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak. Police fired tear gas after angry fans threw chairs onto the pitch. It caused a stampede.

Herbert Mensah was the Asante Kotoko chairman at the time and speaks to Jen Dale about his recollections of that day.

This programme contains distressing details.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Residents look at the empty Accra stadium after the stampede. Credit: Photo by Issouf Sanogo/AFP via Getty Images)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8qnq3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr22rc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwf0zh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct9b85)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8qsg7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct98mb)
The Media Show: The accidental BBC News star

Twenty years ago a man arriving for a job interview at BBC Television Centre was taken into a live TV studio and asked to comment on a legal story. The clip quickly spread on early video-sharing sites and became a meme. Guy Goma reflects on what happened, alongside Elliott Gotkine, the journalist involved in the original error.

Saudi Arabia has spent large sums on sport and media in recent years, aiming to build influence as well as make financial returns. New developments, including changes to sports funding and involvement in major media deals, suggest a shift in approach. Claire Enders, founder of Enders Analysis, and Claire Atkinson, contributing editor at The Ankler and founder of Media Mix, outline how the strategy is changing.

Climate change remains one of the most complex stories for news organisations to cover. It involves long-term change, scientific detail and questions about how to keep audiences engaged. David Shukman, journalist and former BBC Science editor, sets out his view on how climate reporting has developed and the issues it faces.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Dan Hardoon
Content Producer: Laura Cain
Sound engineer: Jack Wilfan


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwf4qm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct9b03)
Russia’s 'nyet' to the internet

The Kremlin’s pursuit of a “sovereign internet” has raised fears of a digital Iron Curtain. After months of mobile internet shutdowns, Russian authorities have moved to block major platforms like YouTube and Telegram, along with the VPNs people rely on to bypass restrictions. We explore what’s driving the push to isolate the largest country on Earth from the global internet and unpack the political, economic and military implications of the country’s tightening digital borders.

Contributors: Daria Mosolova, Howard Gethin, Gleb Borshchevski, Evgeny Pudovkin
Producer: Kriszta Satori
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham


THU 11:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8qx6c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr2b7m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwf8gr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mf6)
What Elon Musk did next

It’s been a year since billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk left his informal position in President Trump’s White House in May 2025. But behind the scenes, Musk has been busy.

Musk has spent the last few weeks in a California courtroom, where he is suing his former business partner, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. In January, Musk applied for permission with the US government to launch a million satellites into orbit, some of which he says will serve as solar AI data centres. And he is preparing to take his company SpaceX public, with an estimated valuation of over $1 trillion.

Though his political presence has waned, is it possible that Elon Musk is more powerful than ever? We speak to the BBC’s North America technology correspondent Lily Jamali about what the world’s richest man has been up to since leaving the White House.

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

Photo: Elon Musk appears in the courthouse during the OpenAI trial. Credit: Reuters/Manuel Orbegozo


THU 12:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8r0yh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8j3z)
My father and the curse of the golden egg

Serena Kutchinsky was 10 years old when her jeweller father Paul unveiled his masterpiece to the world: a giant, golden, diamond-encrusted egg. Paul had recently taken over the family business, the celebrated London jewellers House of Kutchinsky, and wanted to make his mark, commissioning the production of a spectacular jewelled object like no other. The egg was crafted from 15kg of solid gold, decorated with over 20,000 rare pink diamonds, and put on sale for £7m – today’s equivalent of around $30m. After it was completed, the egg was finally unveiled to the public at Basel Art Fair in April 1990 before heading on a ‘world tour’ to find a buyer. But it soon became apparent that there was a problem: no one wanted to buy it. Paul had gambled his century-old family business on the egg, but within a year of its making the firm had crumbled and Serena’s family had fallen apart. The egg itself would be repossessed by the company that had supplied its dazzling pink diamonds. No one in the Kutchinsky family would speak of the egg for years – until decades later, Serena went looking for it.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Zoe Gelber

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

(Photo: Paul Kutchinsky with his golden egg in 1990. Credit: Kutchinsky family archive)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct98b9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8r4pm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr2kqw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwfhz0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct8svy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8r8fr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bs2nt)
Women linked to Islamic State arrested returning to Australia

Three women with links to the jihadist Islamic State group have been arrested on returning home to Australia following years in detention in Syria.

Also on the programme, Newshour goes to Baltimore to speak to families affected by the 2024 bridge collapse and now avoiding deportation, and protests against the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine rock the Venice Biennale.

(Photo: Islamic State-linked families return to Australia, Melbourne, 7 May, 2026. Credit: Joel Carrett/EPA-EFE)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8rd5w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct98pl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwfrg8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gl7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d5g)
Air Asia boss admits high fuel costs are hard to manage

Tony Fernandes, the chief executive of the low cost carrier, has been speaking to the BBC. He says the current high fuel costs are more complex for the airline to manage than covid was.

Danish shipping giant Maersk says it will be able to adapt if charges are introduced for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

And the African nation of Madagascar is struggling to deal with fuel shortages as a result of the war in the Persian Gulf.


THU 16:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8rhy0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5yg5ss)
Hantavirus outbreak not the start of a pandemic, WHO says

Five cases of hantavirus have now been confirmed in relation to an outbreak on a cruise ship, the World Health Organization (WHO) says, and more may follow due to the virus's six week incubation period. We answer audience questions on the virus and hear from cruise passengers previously trapped on ships.

And we speak to two people with the rare skin condition, Epidermolysis Bullosa, after a sports fan in Australia was trolled online after a picture of him was shared online.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: A test tube labelled "Hantavirus positive" is held in this illustration taken May 7, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8rmp4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5yg9jx)
Iran considering US proposal to end war

We get the latest on the US-Iran war as Washington awaits Tehran's response to a proposal to end the conflict. US President Trump has predicted that the war in Iran will be "over quickly".

Our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg sends a report from Moscow, ahead of the annual Victory Day parade.

PSG fans tell us about their excitement ahead of the UEFA Champions League final, after qualifying for it last night.

And we speak to two people with the rare skin condition, Epidermolysis Bullosa, after a sports fan in Australia was trolled online after a picture of him was shared online. Presenter: James Reynolds.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a Military Mother's Day Event in the East Room of the White House. Washington, DC, USA, 06 May 2026. Credit: Shawn Thew/EPA/Shutterstock)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8rrf8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8j3z)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct98b9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8rw5d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr396n)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwg7fs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rm1)
2026/05/07 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 (w1730nklqw8rzxj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct9b85)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwgc5x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct977k)
Should Pluto become a planet again?

"Make Pluto a planet again" was the call this week from Donald Trump’s NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman.

The icy body was first seen in 1930 and was the only planet whose discovery was claimed by the United States. In 2006, though, it was officially stripped of its planet status.

Tom Whipple is joined by astronomer Chris Lintott to discuss the debate that has raged ever since over whether Pluto should or shouldn’t be reinstated as the solar system’s 9th planet.

We also hear about the big money scientific prize hoping to lead to breakthroughs in how humans can communicate with animals. Head judge Professor Yossi Yovel, from Tel Aviv University, and finalists Dr Catherine Crockford, from the CNRS Institute for Cognitive Sciences in Lyon, and Professor Nicolas Mathevon, from the University of Saint-Etienne, tell us what the Coller Dolittle Challenge is hoping to uncover.

Plus, Penny Sarchet from New Scientist brings us the science news that might have slipped under the radar this week, including why there’s a scientific gap in the dating lives of over 50s.

Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


THU 21:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8s3nn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bsxwq)
Race to trace potential hantavirus carriers

Eight cases connected to the cruise ship have been identified, but authorities fear that the dozens of passengers who disembarked on St Helena two weeks ago could be carriers of the virus. The World Health Organisation, however, has said that it does not believe this is the beginning of a pandemic.

Also on the programme: in the UK two men are convicted of spying for China, one of them an immigration official; and the AI fitness instructors selling unreal gains.

(Picture: The cruise ship MV Hondius leaves Praia, Cape Verde, May 6, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Stringer)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8s7ds)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Inquiry (w3ct98pl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwglp5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 The Food Chain (w3ct8svy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 23:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8sc4x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr3s65)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwgqf9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fq4)
EU and airlines disagree on fuel shortage concerns

As airlines cut flights over high jet fuel costs the EU's transport commissioner says passengers must still be compensated.

We hear from the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen on how the industry is responding to rising costs and supply chain issues.

And would you sue for guaranteed access to a sun lounger on your holidays?

FRIDAY 08 MAY 2026

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8sgx1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct98mb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwgv5f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct8tw2)
What’s at stake for Iran in its war with the US?

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses the Iranian position in its confrontation with the United States in the Gulf, examines the state of play in Russia’s war with Ukraine, and looks at the chances of Benjamin Netanyahu surviving as Israeli Prime Minister after elections later this year.

Producer: Kate Cornell
Executive Producer: Benedick Watt
Commissioning Editors: Silvia Costeloe and Paul Royall


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8sln5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr40pf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwgyxk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mf6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Thursday]


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8sqd9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr44fk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwh2np)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct8jxt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8sv4f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8j3z)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct98b9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8sywk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr4cxt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwhb4y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct983j)
Befriending the man who killed my family

Thirty years after the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, some convicted perpetrators are returning to the communities they once devastated.

For survivors, that return raises painful and deeply personal questions. How do you live alongside someone who helped destroy your family? What does forgiveness mean when the people who killed your loved ones are no longer far away, but back at home?

In this edition of Heart and Soul, Felin Gakwaya travels to eastern Rwanda to meet both survivors and perpetrators living side by side again. He hears from Daniel Gasangwa, who went to visit the men who killed members of his family after they were released from prison — and told them not to be afraid, because they had been forgiven. He also meets Steven Ngabonziza, whose own path to forgiveness came not first through church, but through war, prison discipline and the slow work of reconciliation. And he hears from Viateur Ruribikiye, a perpetrator who now speaks of confession, repentance and God’s pardon.

Through their stories, which include discussions of violence and loss, the programme explores forgiveness not as an abstract idea, but as something lived out in villages, churches, homes and memories that have not gone away.

[Photo description: Left To Right- Daniel, Felin, Viateur, Fulgence and Steven at Rwanda Prison Fellowship's office in Kicukiro-Kigali- Rwanda. Photo Credit: Felin Gakwaya]

Producer/presenter: Felin Gakwaya
Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno
Executive producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Chloe Walker


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8t2mp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nzd4tf)
Iran fires on American naval destroyers crossing Hormuz

Iran said its attacks were a retaliation for what it said had been US breaches of the existing ceasefire. The incidents come a day after President Trump said there was a good chance of the two countries reaching a peace agreement.

WHO says Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship not start of pandemic.

China’s newest world champion, 22-year-old snooker star, Wu Yize receives a rousing reception upon returning to his home country.

(Photo: Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran; Credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA/Reuters)


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8t6ct)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nzd8kk)
Trump says US-Iran ceasefire still in place

US-Iran ceasefire has come under strain after the two sides exchanged fire. It's unclear who fired first. Iran accuses the US of violating the truce but President Trump says ceasefire is still in place. We'll get the latest from the region.

Israel has issued new orders to residents of parts of South Lebanon to evacuate amid rising concern over the killing of civilians and the targeting of civilian infrastructure in what the UN says raises concerns about international law. We'll speak to a representative of the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs.

And could local elections in the UK bring an end to the two-party domination. Our politics correspondent will bring us all the latest results and analysis.

(Photo: President Donald Trump looks on as he speaks to reporters near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as it undergoes renovation; Credit:Kylie Cooper/Reuters)


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8tb3y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w1730c1b3nzdd9p)
Iran and USA exchange fire in the Strait of Hormuz

The US said it responded to Iranian attacks on US Navy guided-missile destroyers in the Strait with "self-defence strikes.

The World Health Organisation says the outbreak of Hantavirus on a cruise ship is not the start of a pandemic. We hear from people in Tenerife where the ship is headed.

A well-known Rwandan musician has died a day before being released from prison in Kigali. We get the thoughts of a Rwandan human rights activist.

(Photo: An Iranian navy fires a missile, at an unknown location, in this still image taken from a video released May 8, 2026; Credit: WANA/Reuters)


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8tfw2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 The Interview (w3ct98k2)
Hanan Balkhy, WHO chief for Sudan and Iran: work continues despite conflicts

“During the recent conflict [in Iran], there was a pause, not a full stop or halt of the functions. Once the airspace opened up again, we reprioritized the delivery of those life-saving kits to the member states, and we came back on track… We still find hope in the communication between the different member states, between the different partners to secure some of these supplies, or keep supply chains alive.”

Daniel Dadzie speaks to Hanan Balkhy, the World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, about navigating the challenges posed by recent conflicts in Sudan and Iran.

It’s one of six regional WHO offices around the world, covering a total population of nearly 745 million people from Morocco in the west to Pakistan in the east, and as far south as Sudan.

The WHO works with governments and local authorities to improve access to basic healthcare and provide support during humanitarian emergencies.

Global supply chains were severely disrupted when the conflict in Iran began just over two months ago. Although much of the focus of this disruption has been on oil and trade, crucial medical supplies have also been delayed in reaching where they’re needed most.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with entrepreneur Isaac Larian, African politics professor Simukai Chikudu, and campaigner Baroness Arminka Helic. 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: Daniel Dadzie
Producers: Ben Cooper and Simon Mbai
Editor: Damon Rose

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

(Image: Hanan Balkhy. Credit: Getty)


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwht4g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct8g96)
The baker’s daughter bringing mochi to the mainstream

We meet the creator of a dessert business whose story starts in her parents’ bakery.

Vivien Wong tells us how she faced a family loss and eventually channelled that experience into building a company making mochi with a twist: taking a traditional Japanese rice cake and wrapping it around balls of ice cream. She shares how she turned a niche treat into a global brand, Little Moons.

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

Presenter: Rahul Tandon
Producers: Niamh McDermott, Victoriya Holland and Jay Behrouzi

(Picture: Vivien Wong. Credit: Jack Ladenburg)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct98dk)
Sir David Attenborough's first Zoo Quest

In 1954, the BBC broadcast a new television programme in the United Kingdom.

It was called Zoo Quest and it launched the career of a man who has since brought the natural world into millions of homes around the world, the broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

In 2021, Louise Hidalgo dove into the BBC archives to hear Sir David tell the story of the first natural history expedition for Zoo Quest - the hunt for the White-necked Picathartes in Sierra Leone in West Africa.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Sir David Attenborough plays recordings to Bundu Tribeswomen for Zoo Quest. Credit: BBC)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8tkm6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr4zng)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwhxwl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct977k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8tpcb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct8kcc)
One hundred years of Sir David Attenborough

Sir David Attenborough is arguably the world’s favourite broadcaster, and this week he’s blowing out the candles on his 100th birthday cake. Inspired by his significant birthday, we decided to uncover the biology behind centenarians. What are Sir David’s secrets?

Speaking of ageing, we then find out about a little jellyfish that never gets old. Could it help us unlock immortality?

Next up, climb aboard as we chat with Dr Nadine Johnston, a marine ecologist who works on the iconic Sir David Attenborough research vessel, as she tells us about the tiny Antarctic animals that could lock up more carbon than the Amazon rainforest.

We then find out about improved landslide prediction in Nepal and how the world has changed in Sir David’s life.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Chhavi Sachdev and Tristan Ahtone
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Ella Hubber and Robbie Wojciechowski


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8tt3g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr574q)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwj5cv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8m8p)
The AI chatbot users falling into delusional spirals

**Warning: this episode includes discussions of sexual abuse, suicide and upsetting scenes**

In just the last few years, AI chatbots have become routine aspects of many people’s everyday lives. They are being used as search engines, agony aunts, and sources of companionship.

In rare cases though, AI chatbots have sent users down a dark path. In a new BBC investigation, population correspondent Stephanie Hegarty speaks to people who have experienced delusions after talking to chatbots – including one man who grabbed a hammer and prepared for war after his chatbot told him it was sentient.

Producers: Valerio Esposito, Viv Jones and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Studio manager: Jonathan Greer

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Adam Hourican. Credit: BBC.


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8txvl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8hpf)
Outlook Mixtape: Into the Woods

Four stories from the Outlook archive about people whose lives have been shaped, transformed or completely upended by woodlands and trees.

When environmentalist Nate Madsen found that a grove of giant redwoods in Freshwater Creek Forest, California, was going to be logged, he decided to act. He climbed up a tree - which he named Mariah - and ended up living on its branches for more than two years to prevent it from being felled.

Next, we head to Pemba, part of the Zanzibar archipelago off the east coast of Africa. It's known as the Green Island but by the end of the 20th century significant parts of its forest were degraded or gone altogether. In 2018, Matthew Banister spoke to Mbarouk Mussa Omar, a man who set out to bring the forest back, though it wasn't exactly the career Mbarouk had imagined for himself.

Nalini Nadkarni is a tree canopy scientist, which means she spends her time dangling off branches secured by mountain climbing equipment in places such as Costa Rica. But Nalini's career nearly came crashing to an end when she fell from a tree. In 2019 she told Jo Fidgen how she recovered and returned to climbing trees.

In 2024 Andrea Kennedy spoke to Jair Candor, a Brazilian who moved into the Amazon when he was a child and never really left. For decades, Jair has been trying to ensure that the indigenous groups in the rainforests of Matto Grosso and elsewhere can continue their unique kind of existence.  

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Compilation producer: Radek Boschetty

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 (w3ct98dk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8v1lq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr5gmz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwjdw3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct983j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8v5bv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bvzkx)
Britain's two main parties suffer heavy local election losses

Britain's governing Labour party and main opposition Conservatives have suffered heavy losses as the populist right wing Reform surges ahead in early results from English local elections.

We look at what this means for the country's traditional party system and how long the current prime minister can last in light of these results.

Also in the programme: President Trump says the ceasefire with Iran is still in place despite a series of clashes in the Strait of Hormuz; we mark the 100th birthday of the documentary maker David Attenborough; and we'll look at how the war in Iran is causing a shortage of saffron in Italy.

(Photo shows the UK's prime minister Keir Starmer speaking at a meeting with Labour Party members in Ealing, West London on 8 May 2026. Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8v92z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 The Interview (w3ct98k2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwjncc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct8g96)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d0y)
Donald Trump warns EU of new tariffs by 4 July

Last week, the US President threatened to raise the tariff on the import of EU cars to 25% if the European Parliament delayed a new EU/US tariff agreement.

The annual conference of ASEAN, the grouping of South East Asian states, is meeting in the Philippines with the shadow of the war in the Persian Gulf hanging over the event.

And at least 11 miners have died after an accident at an artisinal mine in Kenya.


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8vdv3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5yk2pw)
Trump says US-Iran ceasefire still in place

Iran's foreign minister has accused the US of opting for reckless military adventures every time a diplomatic solution is on the table. His comments came after both sides blamed each other for a clash between Iran and US naval destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz. We speak to our BBC Persian Service reporter.

Global health authorities continue efforts to track down passengers who disembarked from a cruise ship stricken by a hantavirus outbreak. We get updates from our correspondents who are reporting from the Canary Islands, Netherlands and France.

Britain's governing Labour party and main opposition Conservatives have suffered heavy losses as the populist right wing Reform surges ahead in early results from English local elections. The Green Party has also won increased support. We are joined by our UK political correspondent and hear from voters.

South Africa's President, Cyril Ramaphosa, faces possible impeachment after the Constitutional Court overturned a parliamentary vote that blocked proceedings four years ago. Our Africa correspondent explains.

Instagram users will no longer be able to send ultra‑private direct messages, as the feature is switched off globally. Our tech reporter brings us the details.

The celebrated and much-loved wildlife documentary filmmaker Sir David Attenborough has turned 100. We brought together in conversation people who have watched his programmes, read his books or met him and inspired to start a career in conservation.

Presenter: James Reynolds
(Photo: Daily life in Tehran after Iran and US exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz, Islamic Republic Of Iran, May 8, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8vjl7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6bp5yk6g0)
Tough election results hurt, says UK PM

Britain's governing Labour party and main opposition Conservatives have suffered heavy losses as the populist right wing Reform surges ahead in early results from English local elections. The Green Party has also won increased support. We are joined by our reporters covering the elections in England, Scotland and Wales and hear from voters.

The Pentagon has begun releasing what it says are 'never before seen' files on UFOs. It said Americans wanted more transparency on issues like aliens and extraterrestrial life - described by President Trump as 'complex and important matters'. We speak to a reporter in the US.

Iran's foreign minister has accused the US of opting for reckless military adventures every time a diplomatic solution is on the table. His comments came after both sides blamed each other for a clash between Iran and US naval destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz. We speak to our BBC Persian Service reporter.

The celebrated and much-loved wildlife documentary filmmaker Sir David Attenborough has turned 100. We brought together in conversation people who have watched his programmes, read his books or met him and been inspired to start a career in conservation.

Presenter: James Reynolds
(Photo: A man in a Union Jack blazer looks on as ballot papers are counted for the 2026 Essex County Council election at Clacton Leisure Centre in Essex, May 8, 2026. Credit: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8vnbc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8hpf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct98dk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8vs2h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr663r)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwk4bw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rgj)
2026/05/08 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 (w1730nklqw8vwtm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct8m3k)
Sir David Attenborough changed my life

As Sir David Attenborough celebrates his 100th birthday, we bring together conservationists and filmmakers to discuss the impact of Sir David’s long career, and the influence he’s had on how we think about nature.

We hear how his tv programmes and books have reached audiences around the world and the inspiration they have provided.

Wendy Kirorei describes how growing up in Kenya, Sir David’s documentaries were shown constantly on televisions in public places, and led her to become a wildlife film-maker. “My dream was to do my first documentary in the Maasai Mara purely influenced by watching a lot of his work growing up,”
Conservationist Paula Kahumbu says, “His ability to tell stories about Africa's wildlife has kind of like woken everyone up. We should be telling our wildlife stories. We should be out there learning about these creatures, making films ourselves.”

As a champion of nature for over seven decades, he’s been a role model for many young people. “There are already millions of little Sir Davids out there,” says Indian conservationist Charu Mishra. “His impact has been generational, right? I mean, some people have impact around the world, but his goes across generations.”

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producers: Iqra Farooq, Lindsay Brown
Boffin Media producer: Anne McNaught
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC World Service Outside Source team.

(Photo: Charu Mishra who works to protect snow leopards in India, with Sir David Attenborough. Credit: Whitley Fund for Nature)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwk830)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct8k6v)
How come sea levels are rising faster in some places than others?

As our oceans warm due to climate change, sea levels are rising. It ought to be straightforward – as water gets warmer, it increases in volume.

All the world’s oceans are connected, so how come sea levels are rising at different rates around the world, and even falling in some places? CrowdScience listener Alison in Australia wants to know the science behind the mystery.

 Presenter Anand Jagatia travels to the Philippines to investigate. The country is being particularly affected by the issue, with its more than 7,500 islands experiencing sea level rises that are double the global average.

On Palawan Island, in the east of the country, he speaks to people whose homes and livelihoods are being put at risk by rising waters.

He also visits the Philippine Coast Guard in Manila and speaks to Commander James Barandino, from their Marine Environmental Protection division, to hear how their work is being affected by sea level rises and the flooding it causes.

Dr Charina Lyn Repollo from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute shows Anand how they monitor sea levels at dozens of locations. Their data shows huge variations in sea level across the country. How can that be the case?

Anand also speaks to Jonathan Bamber, Professor of Earth Observation and Glaciology at the University of Bristol in the UK, to unpick the science behind how sea levels can rise at different rates in different places.

And how do we protect people from rising waters? Dr Rodel Diaz Lasco from the Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Manila, explains how global collaboration might hold the key.

Presenter: Anand Jagatia

Producer: Dan Welsh

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Globe floating on water - stock photo- Credit: Jan Hakan Dahlstrom via Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8w0kr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w1730bmzr6bwtst)
UK PM says he won’t resign after local elections defeat

Britain’s Labour Party has suffered a historic defeat in local elections, with the right-wing Reform UK making big gains. Despite the loss, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says he will not step down. We get reaction to the results from both a Labour MP and a Reform politician.

Also in the programme: why did Saudi Arabia prevent the US from using Saudi airspace and bases to launch operations to try to reopen the Strait of Hormuz? And on the 100th birthday of the naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, we hear about the impact Sir David has had on the world.

(Photo: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during a visit to south London, 7th May 2026. Credit: Ben Whitley/PA Wire)


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8w49w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Interview (w3ct98k2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwkhl8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct983j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w1730nklqw8w820)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqgsxr6p38)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlf5lwkmbd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fkm)
Why is US consumer confidence at a record low?

US job numbers are rising and the stock market is booming near record highs. So why are consumers feeling so pessimistic about the economy?

As a Mexican trade mission visits Canada, the two countries look to deepen economic ties.

Also Instagram’s direct messages are no longer fully private, and gamers face higher prices as console costs climb.

[Picture: Customers shop for groceries at a Publix supermarket in Miami, Florida, USA. Photo Credit: CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock