SATURDAY 09 AUGUST 2025
SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blq7gk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wc)
Floods, mangroves and rampaging tractors
This week, floods have hit the global headlines. First up, we delve into the various reasons why floods form.
After learning about the causes of floods, we discover a nature-based solution in the form of mangrove forests. Laura Michie from the Mangrove Action Project tells us why these ecosystems are important, and how they can protect coastal zones.
We also find out that humans have moved so much water around the planet that we’ve shifted the location of the geographic North Pole.
Plus, a rare flooding event is currently taking place in the Australian Outback, awakening an ecosystem after years of dormancy.
And what could happen when hackers take control of tractors?
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Sandy Ong
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Lucy Davies, Debbie Kilbride and Margaret Sessa Hawkins
SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blqc6p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs6btxqhpv)
Germany to stop arms exports to Israel
Germany's halted its arms sales to Israel in the wake of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to takeover Gaza City. But despite supplying $565 million worth of military hardware since the 7 October 2023 attacks, how important are Germany's weapons to Israel?
Roger Hearing is joined by Dana Peterson and Colin Peacock to discuss, among other things, why US wine exports to Canada have declined drastically…whether the growing Philippines microchip-making industry is being throttled by US president Donald Trump's tariffs…. and whether Las Vegas' drop in tourism hints at broader economic woes facing the world's largest economy.
Plus the big controversy bubbling up over mineral water in France, and why are people not wearing Crocs any more?
Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.
SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blqgyt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0pvz6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26dv76)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zjk)
Alana King: The queen of spin on the Hundred and World Cup
Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma reflect on the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and debate their standout moments. They discuss how Shubman Gill has elevated himself in the eyes of the Indian public and celebrate the heroics of Chris Woakes.
Plus with eight weeks to go until the Women's World Cup in India, we will be hearing from a representative from each of the eight countries competing to discuss their prospects. This week it is Australia's Ashes hero, spinner Alana King!
Photo: Alana King of Trent Rockets celebrates taking the wicket of Heather Knight of London Spirit during The Hundred match between Trent Rockets Women and London Spirit Women at Trent Bridge on August 07, 2024 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk - ECB/ECB via Getty Images)
SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blqlpy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wh5)
Outlook Mixtape: The Key Ingredients
Today's mixtape is all about humble ingredients made special by the people who lavish them with love.
Usha Prabakaran is India's 'Queen of pickles'. She learnt the art of pickle-making from her in-laws, a family from the Komiti Chettiar community known as the Arya Vysyas and famed in India for their culinary skills. After demand from friends and family grew for her creations, she began hunting down and compiling over 5000 pickle recipes, some of them closely-guarded secrets. But just as she released her first cookbook, Usha was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour and became a recluse. Unbeknown to her the book became a global hit - drawing in foodie fans desperate to try her recipes. After her recovery years later, Usha would gain new fame and status with her jars of joy.
Slobodan Simić is a former Serbian parliamentarian turned donkey farmer. He runs a nature reserve which produces a rare delicacy - Balkan donkey cheese. Priced at over $1,000 per kilogram, this cheese is possibly the most expensive in the world. This interview was first broadcast in 2019.
Gerald Stratford is a British gardening enthusiast whose photos and videos of his produce have earned him the nickname ‘the undisputed king of giant veg'. This interview was first broadcast in 2021.
Dave Benscoter is a former FBI investigator now known as the 'apple detective.' He's taken it upon himself to find lost varieties of American apples, inspired by his father's love of the fruit. This interview was first broadcast in 2018.
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Tommy Dixon
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)
SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct7444)
1965 Singaporean independence
On 9 August 1965 Singapore announced it had left the Federation of Malaysia and become an independent sovereign state. Explaining the separation at a news conference, the prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, was overcome with emotion.
Fifty years later in 2015, Catherine Davis spoke to Manjeet Kaur who was 15-years-old when Singapore became independent.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
(Photo: Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore, announcing secession from the Federation of Malaysia. Credit: John Cantwell/AP Photo)
SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blqqg2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:06 today]
SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blqv66)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0q76l)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26f6gl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 05:32 Dear Daughter (w3ct7zqs)
Advice for partying
Every year Norwegian high school graduates paint the town red for “russefeiring”. It’s a month long period of intense partying to celebrate the end of high school – students buy party buses, wear matching overalls and dare each other to stay up all night or kiss a policeman. And it all happens right before they take their exams…
Anja’s daughter went through russ last year. Anja didn’t sleep much during that month, because she was worried that her daughter might drink too much or get into trouble.
But when she looks back at her own russ experience, she remembers how much fun she had. She made friends for life, and it was an important milestone on the way to adulthood.
How can Anja help her daughter balance being responsible with having fun?
Letter writer: Anja
Dear Daughter is an award-winning podcast from the BBC World Service about love, life, family, and raising children. It is the brainchild of Namulanta Kombo, a mother on a quest to create a ‘handbook to life’ for her daughter, through the advice of parents from all over the world.
Each episode, a guest reads a letter they’ve written to their children (or their future children, or the children they never had) with the advice, life lessons, and personal stories they’d like to pass on. Expect extraordinary true stories, inspirational advice for parents, and moving accounts of families, relationships and raising daughters.
Share your letter! What do you want to say to your kids? Or the next generation? Do you have thoughts on motherhood, fatherhood, or parenthood to share? Whether you are a mum or mom, dad or papa, grandparent, uncle, aunt, daughter, son or just want to write a letter, send us a Whatsapp message on +44 800 030 4404 or visit https://www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter
SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6vz6)
Why it matters that Trump fired data chief
On Friday 1st August the US Bureau of Labor Statistics put out their job report data for August. It included revisions to their estimates for the jobs created in May and June which stated there were 258,000 fewer jobs than they had previously estimated.
This news was not received well by the White House. President Trump fired the head of the bureau, Erika McEntarfer, calling the numbers ‘phony, rigged, a scam’ and spreading conspiracy theories that McEntarfer had fudged the data.
We speak to economist Michael Strain from the American Enterprise Institute, to understand why the revisions happened and the potential consequences of throwing doubt on one of the US’s most important statistical agencies.
If you’ve seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at, email the team: moreorless@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Lizzy McNeill
Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Series Producer: Tom Colls
Production Co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
Sound mix: Neil Churchill
Editor: Sam Bonham
SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blqyyb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw86ml7zjn9)
Trump and Putin to meet in Alaska to discuss Ukraine war
The meeting between the two presidents Putin and Trump -- to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine -- will take place in Alaska on Friday. The US president suggested a deal was very close, and hinted negotiations would involve some exchange of territory.
Also in the programme: Armenia and Azerbaijan, neighbours in the South Caucuses, signed a peace framework aimed at ending the a bitter, often violent dispute that has raged for decades; and, Jim Lovell, part of the historic Apollo 13 space mission to land humans on the Moon has died. He was 97.
Presenter Shaun Ley is joined by Nelufar Hedayat, a British-Afghan journalist, documentary maker and podcaster and Jonathan Goodman, a social scientist based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge here in the UK.
Photo: US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam/ Jorge Silva Reuters.
SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blr2pg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw86ml7zndf)
Zelensky:Ceding territory to Russia against Ukraine's constitution
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska next Friday to discuss an end to the Ukraine war. Tymofiy Mylovanov, former minister of economy in Ukraine ( 2019-2020) says Trump's approach is a departure from Biden's.
Also in the programme: Japan will mark the eightieth anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki, the last on which a nuclear weapon was used in war; and, the latest adaptation of 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock was on stage at Sydney Opera House in the spring. Two members of the cast Helen Morse and Jenny Lovell join us.
Presenter Shaun Ley is joined by Nelufar Hedayat, a British-Afghan journalist, documentary maker and podcaster and Jonathan Goodman, a social scientist based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge here in the UK.
Photo: Ukraine's President Zelenskiy speaks during a press briefing, in Kyiv. 19 May 2025/Reuters
SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blr6fl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw86ml7zs4k)
Netanyahu plans to take control of Gaza City
The UN Security Council will meet later today to discuss Israel's plans. Speaking ahead of the meeting the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, described it as a "dangerous escalation" that risked worsening conditions for Palestinians. We are joined by Chuck Freilich, former Deputy National Security Adviser in Israel.
Also in the programme: The war in Gaza has prompted demonstrations in cities across the world. In London, the protests will be focused not on Israel's government but on the United Kingdom's; and, mobile phones have made domestic landline telephones increasingly rare. But in one US city, they're making something of a comeback.
Presenter Shaun Ley is joined by Nelufar Hedayat, a British-Afghan journalist, documentary maker and podcaster and Jonathan Goodman, a social scientist based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge here in the UK.
(Aftermath of a morning Israeli strike on a house, in Gaza City. 8 August 2025 / Reuters)
SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blrb5q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rmw)
Israelis and the war in Gaza
Israel faces growing international pressure to end the war in Gaza. But on Thursday night Israel's security cabinet approved plans to expand military operations, with the aim of defeating Hamas and returning the hostages. The decision has been criticised by world leaders, the United Nations and even the country’s own military leadership.
In conversations recorded over the past week, we hear from people in Israel including 18-year-old David, who is shortly to join the Israel Defense Forces. He tells us why he believes the war is necessary:
“I think it’s horrible that there are citizens of Gaza that are dying, I think it’s horrible that there are hostages in Gaza that are starving, it’s horrible for all sides,” David says. “But I think it’s still necessary, at least until we have our hostages back, and I think it’s necessary to ensure it won’t happen again.”
We also bring together the families of two hostages who were killed by Hamas. They want an immediate ceasefire so their loved ones’ bodies can be returned. And we hear from three rabbis grappling with a solution to the conflict.
Presenter: Emma Vardy
BBC producers: Iqra Farooq, Ben Davis, Kira Fomenko
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the OS team.
(Photo: Jerusalem protest demands release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26fpg3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 09:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z53)
The balloon record that went wrong - and right
Why the American city of Cleveland's attempt at making history was good - in the end - for the environment. Plus, why young people in China are pretending to get married, the woman who tracks wolves - and The Food Chain grabs a handful of 7,000-year-old salty snacks.
SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvm)
Getting to grips with a new BBC App, part 2
Part two of our conversation with a senior BBC executive about the switch from BBC Sounds to using a new BBC app and BBC.com for international listeners.
Among the questions listeners ask is the subject of paying a subscription - might that give access to what used to be available before? And we get the definitive answer as to how to keep listening to the World Service now the switchover is complete.
Plus a listener gives us his critique of the BBC Eye investigation The Battle for Bangladesh.
Presenter Rajan Datar
Producer Howard Shannon
A Whistledown Production for the BBC World Service
SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blrfxv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct7z0l)
The fight back
In 2001 Wojtek Czyz had just signed his first professional contract with the German football side Fortuna Köln. His career was set for take-off but in his very first season he suffered an injury which ultimately resulted in the amputation of his left leg. Determined to stay active Wojtek trained hard and became one of the leading lights of the Paralympic movement. He won seven track and field medals, including three golds at the Athens games of 2004. When his athletics career came to an end, the question like for so many was what next ? For Wojtek that was settling sail on a boat with cargo of prosthetic legs handing them out to anyone in need. His destination was New Zealand, where he was struck by the lack of support for para sport. So, by the time of the Paris Games in 2024 Wojtek had qualified to represent his new country in Badminton. Why? Well, to prove a point and change people's views on disability rights! Cheering from the stands was his good friend and former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp no less.
In 1992, the Algerian runner, Hassiba Boulmerka, won gold in the women's 1500m at the Barcelona Olympics. Before the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, her success had made her a political opponent for extremists. An imam had told her that running in shorts was anti-Islam. "My image didn't fit in at all with their ideology," is how she describes it. She was forced to do all her training abroad. She defied death threats from Islamist extremists to win one of the best women's middle-distance races of all time.
Laurence Fisher is a former world karate champion who hung up her black belt and medals years ago, but she is now using the sport to help women who are survivors of sexual and physical violence re-discover their self-respect and confidence. The karate lessons they attend are not about self-defence but re-appropriating their bodies after years of abuse. We went to one of the classes in the southern French city of Toulouse.
The perfectly manicured fairways of Augusta National - the home of golf's Masters - with its rolling greens and vibrant colours of the azaleas, is one of the perfect images of sport. Contrast that with poverty and struggle experienced by some residents of Sand Hill, just a long drive off the tee from the exclusive golf club. That's where Carl Jackson grew up, but he would go onto experience the highs of Augusta National, winning The Masters twice whilst caddying for Ben Crenshaw.
If you’re affected by any of the issues raised go to befrienders.org
Photo: Wojtek Czyz of Team New Zealand and Jürgen Klopp poses for a picture on day one of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games (CREDIT: Kevin Voigt/GettyImages)
SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blrknz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0qypc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26fxyc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 11:32 What in the World (w3ct73t4)
Has Ghana's 'Year of Return' been a success?
Helping you make sense of what’s happening in your world. Big stories, small stories and everything in between. Understand more, feel better. Five days a week, Monday to Friday.
SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blrpf3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 12:06 The Documentary (w3ct812c)
The Engineers: Exploring the human
Engineering has moved inside the body to innovate like never before. In neuroscience, implants can read brain waves and turn them into communication for people with locked-in syndrome. In medication, a new technology aims to deliver chemotherapy and other drugs directly to the parts that need them by bubbles in the blood stream. And ingestible electronics are being made to fight disease by sending hormone and antibody-directing messages straight from the gut to the brain.
Three world-leading biomedical engineers come to London to join presenter, Caroline Steel, and an audience at a special event staged with the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.
Guests:
Tom Oxley (Australia): Neurologist, and brain implant innovator. Professorial Fellow Melbourne Medical School. CEO of Synchron
Eleanor Stride, OBE (UK): Biomedical Engineer, bubble technology innovator. Professor of Biomaterials at the University of Oxford
Khalil Ramadi (UAE): Nanoroboticist, ingestible electroceuticals innovator. Director of the Ramadi Lab for Advanced Neuro-engineering and Translational Medicine in Abu Dhabi. Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, New York University
Producer: Charlie Taylor
(Image: 3D render of human brain. Credit: Palmihelp/Getty Images)
SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blrt57)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zss6c83wyqv)
Zelensky says Ukraine will not give up land
Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out surrendering Ukrainian land to Russia, as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin prepare to meet next week. In a video address, President Zelensky said any decisions taken without Ukraine would be -- as he put it -- dead decisions. Mr Trump has talked of Russia and Ukraine swapping territory. Several Ukrainian civilians have been killed during another night of aerial attacks by Russia.
Also in the programme: Protecting Sudan's archaeological sites; Seoul 'convenience stores' fighting isolation; and we will hear from a survivor of the nuclear bomb attack on Nagasaki that ended World War Two.
(Photo: President Zelensky. Credit: Getty Images)
SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blrxxc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqmntwdk8t)
Live Sporting Action
With the start of the Premier League season a week away, John Bennett will be joined by the former USA, Tottenham and Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel and the former England, Liverpool and Everton striker Natasha Dowie to preview the campaign. Can Liverpool retain the title? Will Manchester City win a trophy? Will Manchester United bounce back from a disappointing campaign? And will any of the promoted teams avoid the drop? All these questions will be attempted to be answered.
John Bennett visits Egypt to assess the impact and legacy of one of the nation’s biggest icons - Mohamed Salah. We chart his journey from his home village to becoming one of the best footballers in the world with Liverpool.
We’ll bring you the best of the interviews from the new series of our podcast series On The Podium, which returns this month. Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry find out what it takes to make it to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
We’ll talk about the former Zimbabwe captain Brendon Taylor, who is playing his first international after a serving a three-year ban for failing to report a match fixing approach. There will be the latest from The Hundred cricket, Cincinnati Open tennis and the final warm up games for some of the major players ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. We’ll check in on the WNBA season and the Africa Nations Championships.
Photo: A detailed view of the golden Lion on the handle of the Premier League Trophy, as the red Premier League ribbons can be seen for Liverpool FC prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield on May 25, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Credit: Getty Images For The Premier League)
SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blsdww)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0rsx8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26gs58)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 18:32 Dear Daughter (w3ct7zqs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:32 today]
SAT 18:50 More or Less (w3ct6vz6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:50 today]
SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blsjn0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 19:06 BBC Proms on the World Service (w3ct80h3)
Symphonic Jazz and Dances
Clarinet virtuoso Martin Frost lends his artistry to a lively jazz concerto written by Artie Shaw, one of the finest clarinettists of the 20th century. Just a few months before Shaw’s concerto was included in the score of a Fred Astaire Hollywood comedy, Sergei Rachmaninov completed his final masterpiece, the Symphonic Dances, on the opposite coast of the United States. Both works are infused with the spirit of dance: boogie-woogie in the Shaw, waltz in the Rachmaninov.
Presented by Andrew McGregor and Katy Hamilton.
Broadcast programme:
Artie Shaw - Clarinet Concerto
Sergei Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances
Performers:
Martin Frost, clarinet; BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Joshua Weilerstein, conductor
(Photo: Clarinettist Martin Frost at the 2025 BBC Proms. Credit: BBC/Chris Christodoulou)
SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blsnd4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztl)
Elizabeth Lo on her documentary Mistress Dispeller
Nikki Bedi and cultural critic Bidisha discuss cultural highlights of the week.
Oscar winning actor and singer Barbra Streisand on finally working with Bob Dylan, for her latest album of collaborations.
Gurnaik Johal reveals how a mythical Indian river inspired his novel Saraswati.
Grammy award winning performer Ute Lemper remembers meeting fellow German megastar, Marlene Dietrich.
Film director Elizabeth Lo takes Nikki through the making of Mistress Dispeller, her documentary about ending love triangles in China.
And Fargo showrunner and author Noah Hawley explains how is now turning Alien into a new TV series format.
Main image: Elizabeth Lo
Photo credit: Tom Tang 2024
SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blss48)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zss6c83xxpw)
Hundreds arrested in London Palestine protest
Hundreds of people have been arrested in London for protesting against the UK government’s decision to ban the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. We hear from one of the protest organisers, who says the right to free speech is being undermined, and from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which supports the move.
Also in the programme: after President Trump talked about Ukraine giving up territory to Russia, President Zelensky says that's not happening; and the protests in Mexico City against foreign expat gentrification.
(IMAGE: Supporters of Palestine Action attend a mass protest organized by the Defend Our Juries group as part of their campaign to end the proscription of Palestine Action, in Parliament Square, London, Britain, 09 August 2025 / CREDIT: TOLGA AKMEN/EPA/Shutterstock)
SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blswwd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 22:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct7z0l)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 today]
SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blt0mj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0sdmx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26hcwx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 23:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72d7)
Hevi and Assia
Both Assia from Morocco and Hevi from Tanzania tell TIA that their most important musical influence is a female artist from the USA. But they also both proudly represent their respective countries, sing in their native languages and draw upon traditional music.
In the case of Assia, who describes her sound as "interior music", her musical hero is Billie Eilish. Assia loves Eilish's soft voice, and the way she talks in detail about emotions and lays herself bare in her songs. Assia says her song Layli represents her best. It's a soulful, soaring love song to the night.
Hevi is shaking up the bongo flava-dominated musical landscape of Tanzania. Her sound is a mixture of bongo flava, afrobeats, amapiano, rumba and RnB, and she says she admires American rapper and singer Doja Cat because she too mixes up genres. Hevi's popular songs include My Rider, Trabaye and Only You.
SUNDAY 10 AUGUST 2025
SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blt4cn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rmw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:06 on Saturday]
SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26hhn1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct80hg)
New Zealand: Heading across the ditch
New Zealand citizens, particularly young professionals and graduates, are leaving the country in record numbers. Most are heading across the Tasman Sea – known colloquially as "the ditch" - to Australia, lured by better job opportunities and higher wages. However, immigration is also at an all-time high, with migrant arrivals from India the largest group, followed by the Philippines and China.
Ruth Evans reports on what lies behind this Kiwi 'brain drain', and asks what the rapidly changing demographics mean for the country's future.
A Ruth Evans Production for the BBC World Service.
Image: The coastline of Wellington, New Zealand (Credit: Ruth Evans)
SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blt83s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 01:06 The Inquiry (w3ct722w)
What does Syria’s recent conflict tell us about al-Sharaa’s presidency?
In July, a brutal highway hijacking in southern Syria sparked tit-for-tat clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters.
During the week-long violence, over a thousand people were killed and more than 125,000 displaced. Syrian government forces and Israel also entered the conflict.
The latest hostilities come less than a year after Syrians celebrated the end of dictatorship and the promise of renewal. The resurgence of sectarian violence raises urgent questions about interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s leadership and whether his government can truly unify a fractured nation.
What does Syria’s recent conflict tell us about al-Sharaa’s presidency?
Contributors: Dr Rim Turkmani, Research Fellow at Director of Syria Conflict Research Programme (CRP); Makram Rabah, Assistant professor of history at the American University of Beirut; Dr Rahaf Aldoughli, Middle East and North African Studies at Lancaster University; Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at the Royal United Services Institute.
Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Matt Toulson
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Tara McDermott
Image credit Reuters via BBC Images
SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26hmd5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 01:32 Dear Daughter (w3ct7zqs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:32 on Saturday]
SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zry)
Shuttlecock scandal
At the London 2012 Olympics, a women’s doubles badminton match between China and South Korea caused controversy when the four players were disqualified for deliberately underperforming.
This incident, which marred the spirit of the games, saw the players serving into the net and hitting shots out of bounds in a blatant effort to manipulate the draw for the knockout stage. The sound of the shuttlecocks was drowned out by boos from the spectators and the commentators called the game a disgrace.
The match referee Torsten Berg talks to Sean Allsop about what went down on the court that day. An Audio Always production.
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: Tournament referee Torsten Berg speaks to players from China and South Korea during their women's doubles match at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Credit: Reuters/Bazuki Muhammad)
SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5bltcvx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0srw9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26hr49)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjn)
Malnutrition in Gaza
UN-backed experts – the IPC - say the "worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out" in Gaza and that there is mounting evidence that widespread malnutrition is driving a rapid rise in hunger-related deaths among the 2.1 million Palestinians there. Aid worker Olga Cherevko shares what she’s witnessed on the ground and Claudia is also joined by specialist Dr Marko Kerac to understand the health impacts of malnutrition and what interventions are urgently needed.
In a world-first the UK have begun to rollout a vaccine for gonorrhoea, an infection that if left untreated can lead to infertility. We ask what impact this vaccine might have on a global level.
The WHO has issued an urgent call for action to tackle mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus that has seen increasing cases since the beginning of the year. Professor Trudie Lang explains how the hardest hit countries are responding.
Using virtual reality, scientists have discovered that our immune system kicks into action at just the sight of a sick person. Matt and Claudia look at the unusual methods used to understand how our brains prepare for contact with a pathogen.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producers: Alice McKee & Katie Tomsett
SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blthm1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 03:06 The Documentary (w3ct812c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Saturday]
SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5bltmc5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trs)
Ukraine's summer camp for children of the missing
Pascale Harter introduces stories from Ukraine, Japan and Croatia.
Nestled in the forest, far away from falling bombs is a pioneering summer camp for Ukrainian children whose parents have gone missing during the war. A Ukrainian charity is working to give them some relief – and much needed support – to help them cope with the ongoing uncertainty of not knowing where their parents are. Will Vernon visited the camp where art, exercise and self-expression are vital to the healing process.
It’s 80 years since the US dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to the end of World War II. Some 200,000 people were killed - but the bombing had other long-lasting effects. Jordan Dunbar travelled to Hiroshima to speak to survivors who shared their stories of discrimination and social stigma.
And finally the tiny Croatian island of Krapanj has long been renowned for its tradition of sponge diving, shaping the island’s identity for hundreds of years. Today, this trade is under threat from climate change and over-fishing. Mary Novakovich met one of the island’s remaining divers, determined to keep the culture alive.
Image: Children hug each other after a group therapy session in Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains. Credit: John Murphy/BBC
SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26hzmk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 04:32 On the Podium (w3ct80k1)
Derrick Loccident: A new challenge, a new life
Derek Loccident was a college American football player when, in 2018, an accident changed the course of his life. But despite becoming a below-the-knee amputee, he refused to give up on returning to the football field, and ended up exceeding everyone's expectations. Then another opportunity arose that set him on a path he'd never expected - competing at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry hear Derek's story, from why he draws inspiration from his Haitian mother to how he rebuilt his mentality as he faced new challenges. He also explains what it's like to compete in the unusual pairing of high jump and long jump, and why the brilliance of his biggest rival, German long-jumper Markus Rehm, is inspiring him to see just how far he can go.
On the Podium is the podcast that sits down with Olympic and Paralympic medallists to discover the real stories behind their success. Pole vault pioneer Stacy Dragila talks about her battle to get her sport on the Olympic programme, and triathlete Jess Learmonth reveals what led her back to sport after walking away as a teenager. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo.
SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5bltr39)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0t43p)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26j3cp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct80hg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:32 today]
SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5bltvvf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw86ml82fkd)
Ukraine will not surrender territory to Russia
The diplomatic flurry is intensifying ahead of a planned meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska next Friday. President Zelensky has not been invited, and he's made it clear he won't surrender any territory to Russia.
Also in the programme: Mercenaries have been fighting alongside Moscow's military units, including North Koreans, an estimated ten thousand of whom have been deployed in recent months. Lesser known though, are the tens of Indians who are still there. It is reported that at least 12 Indians have been killed on the frontline, with many more missing; and, new research published this week by the Dian Fossey Gorrilla Fund -- which has been observing these apes for about twenty years -- suggests female gorillas value friendships with other females more than was previously understood.
Presenter Shaun Ley is joined by Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent at the UK online publication The Independent and Declan Walsh, chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times in Nairobi, Kenya.
(Photo:U.S. President Trump and Ukraine's President Zelenskiy attend a meeting on the sidelines of NATO summit in The Hague. 8 August 2025/ Reuters)
SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5bltzlk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw86ml82k9j)
Tens of thousands Israelis protest against Netanyahu's plan
Thousands took to the streets of the Israeli city of Tel Aviv last night to call for an end to the war in Gaza, a day after the government vowed to expand and capture Gaza City. Gill Dickman, whose cousin Carmel Gat and aunt were killed by Hamas militants, joins us.
Also in the programme: European and Ukrainian leaders gathered on Saturday outside London with top American officials to discuss the upcoming summit meeting between the presidents Trump and Putin; and, UN's food agency World Food Programme has warned that families trapped within the besieged Sudanese city of el-Fasher are facing starvation.
Presenter Shaun Ley is joined by Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent at the UK online publication The Independent and Declan Walsh, Chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times in Nairobi, Kenya.
(Protest demanding the immediate release of hostages and the end of the war, in Tel Aviv. 9 August 2025/Reuters)
SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blv3bp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw86ml82p1n)
White House says Ukraine could be involved in the peace talks
European allies of Ukraine have called for more pressure to be put on Russia ahead of Friday's summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. We are joined by Poland's foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
Also on the programme: The UN Security Council has called for an emergency meeting on Gaza. Alistair Burt, former minister for Middle East and North Africa (2017-2019) tells the programme "you can't eliminate Hamas, its a resistance organisation"; and, Tee and misogny - the dating app which promoted itself as a safe place for women now finds itself accused of letting them down.
Presenter Shaun Ley is joined by Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent at the UK online publication The Independent and Declan Walsh, Chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times in Nairobi, Kenya.
SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blv72t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:06 today]
SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26jlc6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70ys)
The anti-dementia diet
The World Health Organisation says close to 60 million people are living with dementia; and there are 10 million new cases every year. But could what we eat help to prevent it?
Three guests who've been exploring the potential for diet to help prevent dementia tell Ruth Alexander about their findings. We hear from Professor Christy Tangney of Rush University System for Health in the United States – she co-created the MIND diet; Anne-Marie Minihane, Professor of Nutrition and Genetics or Nutrigenetics as it’s known, at Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia in the UK; and Dr Lizette Kuhn, a dietitian in Pretoria, South Africa.
If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk
Produced by Izzy Greenfield and Alistair Kleebauer
(Image: two sides of a brain; one made up of fruits and vegetables, and the other a sketch. Credit: Getty Images)
SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blvbty)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct80hk)
Safer streets in Cairo
What if reimagining how cities are designed could make women safer? In Cairo, sexual harassment and violence against women on the streets has been endemic. Women don't feel safe enough to walk or take public transport. A pioneering programme called Safer Cities, is hoping to find the solution through radical urban redesigns, women friendly spaces and raising awareness about sexual harassment.
Salma El-Wardany, who was born in Cairo, visits a women’s only park in Imbaba, Giza and meets Samaha who runs the park. She not only oversees the children playing, but also organises events for local women with advice and support.
Salma visits Zenein Market in Giza, which was redesigned to better support the majority of female sellers there. They show Salma the older part of the market which is yet to be regenerated.
Salma also speaks to Caroline Nassif, who worked as Project Officer at UN Women, as well as local NGOs, and Minister Manal Awad Mikhail who was one of the driving forces behind the scheme across locations.
SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26jq3b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70t8)
Why are Chinese micro-dramas so popular?
Secret billionaire husbands, blood-thirsty vampire lovers and being reborn as your great-grandmother: these are some of the outrageous plotlines that can be found in Chinese micro-dramas like My Royal Secret Lover, by producer Yicheng Lin. Micro-dramas are a Chinese short form video trend that has expanded globally, racking up hundreds of millions of downloads in the US, Asia, Latin America and Africa. It’s big business: in China last year, the micro-drama industry grossed the equivalent of seven billion US dollars, which exceeds the entire Chinese box office for 2024. A number of these series are now also being filmed overseas for English-speaking and global audiences, most of which are adapted from Chinese scripts. Mengchen Zhang from the BBC's Global China Unit explains what's behind the success of this format.
Also on the show: two BBC Language Services coming together to tackle disinformation. The relationship between neighbours India and Pakistan is well known around the world for going through periods of extreme hostility and even aggression. A deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April led to the two countries exchanging missile and drone attacks in one of the biggest escalations for about 50 years. And in times of tension, disinformation is rife. Sana Gulzar of BBC Urdu and Jugal Purohit who reports for BBC Hindi join Faranak Amidi to talk about it.
This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. This is an EcoAudio certified production.
Clips are from Spoiled by My Vampire Uncle and My Royal Secret Lover.
(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)
SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blvgl2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0tvlg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26jtvg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 11:32 Dear Daughter (w3ct7zqs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:32 on Saturday]
SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6vz6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:50 on Saturday]
SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blvlb6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 12:06 BBC Proms on the World Service (w3ct80h3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:06 on Saturday]
SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blvq2b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zss6c83zvmy)
European powers say Ukraine must have say in peace talks
The leaders of Europe's largest military and economic powers have issued a statement, saying that Ukraine must play a role in peace talks, ahead of a summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Sergie Marvov, former member of parliament for Vladimir Putin's United Russia party tells our programme that Russia will demand that European troops cannot be stationed in Ukraine following any ceasefire deal.
Also in the programme: Mo Salah criticizes UEFA after the killing of Palestinian footballer Suleiman Obeid during an Israeli strike in Gaza. We get the reaction of the Palestinian national football team manager Ehab Abu Jazar; and amid a deadlock over global negotiations to end single use plastics, we hear from John Chweya, President of the Kenya National Waste Pickers Welfare Association.
Picture: Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk walk to attend a joint press conference following a meeting of the 'Coalition of the willing' at the Mariinskyi Palace, the official residence of the president of Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, 10 May 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Credit: SERGEY DOLZHENKO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blvttg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztr50w42l15)
Live Sporting Action
Sportsworld has live commentary of the Community Shield, the traditional curtain-raiser to the new English Premier League season. Former Cameroon defender Seb Bassong joins John Bennett to look ahead as Premier League champions Liverpool take on FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.
The new football seasons in the other top European leagues are also fast approaching, so the EuroStars team is back to see who might be lifting silverware next summer.
Away from the football, there will be the latest from the Cincinnati Open tennis, and with the new NFL season less than a month away, we look at the prospects of the teams hoping to become Super Bowl champions.
Photo: The FA Community Shield trophy at Wembley Stadium Stadium. (Credit: Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blwfk3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0vtkh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26ksth)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 19:32 What in the World (w3ct73t4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:32 on Saturday]
SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blwk97)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:06 on Saturday]
SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blwp1c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zss6c840tlz)
Prime Minister Netanyahu defends his plan to seize Gaza City
Israel's Prime Minister defends his plan to seize Gaza City - but the cousin of an Israeli hostage tells us it's a terrible idea, and explains why he's supporting the call for a general strike in protest.
Also in the programme: what Russians want from the Putin-Trump summit on Ukraine; and the last news hawker of Paris, about to be honoured by President Macron.
(IMAGE: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu holds a press conference for international media, Jerusalem, Israel - 10 Aug 2025/ CREDIT: ABIR SULTAN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)
SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blwssh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 22:06 The Climate Question (w3ct7026)
How do we fight the risks of melting glaciers?
Climate change is melting thousands of glaciers in the Himalayas and having a devastating impact on the people who live there. In 2024, the BBC's Caroline Davies visited the Pakistani side of the world's highest mountain range: she told Graihagh Jackson how villagers are coping, and how they are determined to stay put despite the risks of floods and the disruption to their traditional way of life.
You can watch Caroline's reporting from Pakistan here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00246nx/from-above-melting-glaciers
Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721
Presenter: Graihagh Jackson
Reporter in Pakistan: Caroline Davies
Producers in Pakistan: Fakhir Munir, Usman Zahid, Kamil Dayan Khan
Producers in London: Ellie House and Osman Iqbal
Sound Mix: Rod Farquhar and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts
SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26l51w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 22:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z53)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:32 on Saturday]
SUN 22:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:50 on Saturday]
SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blwxjm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl69k0w9k0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26l8t0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 23:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70t8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:32 today]
MONDAY 11 AUGUST 2025
MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwr5blx18r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:06 on Sunday]
MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkm26ldk4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 00:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfp)
An end to allergic reactions?
As the United States secretary of health and human services, Robert F Kennedy Jr., announces a $500 million cut to mRNA vaccine research in the United States, we hear a statement from the Nobel Prize winning biologist who made mRNA vaccines possible.
A team of scientists from Northwestern University have uncovered the pathway believed to protect some people from allergic reactions (even when they are sensitive to an allergen) and have tested a drug which could protect the most severely allergic.
Also this week, satellite data shows that large parts of the Earth are running dangerously low on ground water.
And although people often believe scientific fraud is committed by a few bad actors, a new paper uncovers networks of journals, editors, and authors who are allegedly cooperating to publish fraudulent papers.
Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Ella Hubber and Alex Mansfield
Assistant producer: Minnie Harrop
Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
(Photo: Allergy testing. Credit: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)
MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx1091)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb0d9f)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhqckf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6sw8)
The Life Scientific: Anthony Fauci
Welcome to a world where medicine meets politics: a space that brings together scientific research, government wrangling, public push-back and healthcare conspiracies…
Dr Anthony Fauci was the Director of America’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly four decades, during which time he not only helped study, treat and prevent viruses such as HIV/AIDS and Covid-19; he also advised seven US Presidents, from Ronald Regan through to Joe Biden.
Along the way, Tony Fauci's picked up a public profile and taken a fair amount of flack; not least because of his complicated relationship with President Donald Trump. But he's also made great strides in medical research and policy, from working with activists who initially challenged him on the government response to HIV/AIDS - to spearheading the USA's PEPFAR project to share vital medication with developing nations.
In a candid conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Tony discusses his childhood in Brooklyn, the dark early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and lessons from the Covid-19.
Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced for BBC Studios by Lucy Taylor
Reversion for World Service by Minnie Harrop
MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx1415)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb0j1k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhqh9k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st0)
Can we stop the rain?
CrowdScience listener Rit, from Pune in India, is staring out of his window at the falling rain. It’s been pouring for four days now, and shows no sign of stopping. The laundry is piling up, all his shoes are wet, and he’s worried about the effect it’s having on the environment, and on agriculture. When it rains like this, the animals suffer, and the crops are destroyed.
Cloud seeding and Weather Engineering are hot topics right now, and can bring the rain to places that need it. But Rit wants to know whether we can artificially stop the pouring rain, especially in an emergency. Following the devastating floods in Texas, it’s clearly not just a problem for countries with a monsoon season.
Presenter Chhavi Sachdev is also sitting in a downpour at home in Mumbai. She dons her rain jacket and rubber boots to try and find out whether science can help Rit with his question. From controlling the clouds in India, to bringing rain to the deserts of the UAE, to firing high-powered lasers into the skies above Geneva, we find out what weather engineering is really capable of.
With thanks to:
Dr Thara Prabhakaran, from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
Alya Al Mazroui, Director of the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science
Jean-Pierre Wolf, Applied Physics Department of the University of Geneva
Presenter: Chhavi Sachdev
Producer: Emily Knight
Series Producer: Ben Motley
(Image: Girl carrying umbrella while standing on road against trees during rainfall. Credit: Cavan Images via Getty Images)
MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx17s9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct80hk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 on Sunday]
MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhqm1p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 03:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z53)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:32 on Saturday]
MON 03:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:50 on Saturday]
MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx1cjf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb0rjt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhqqst)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct7090)
Women designing affordable homes
The global housing crisis continues to grow, with the UN’s urban development agency estimating 40% of people worldwide lack access to adequate housing. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to female architects in Tanzania and Spain designing cheaper, more sustainable homes.
Victoria Heilman founded the Tanzania Women Architects for Humanity (TAWAH), a group of architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and scientists. TAWAH tackles housing poverty and gender inequality by teaching women construction skills. The training enables them to build affordable, environmentally friendly homes for elderly residents who would otherwise be living in unsafe and uncomfortable housing, at a time in their lives when they are most vulnerable.
Cristina Gamboa is a Spanish architect and co-founder of Lacol, a cooperative of 14 architects established in 2014 in Barcelona. The group design homes, offices, community buildings and art spaces that are environmentally sustainable, affordable and bring people together.
Produced by Jane Thurlow
(Image: (L) Victoria Heilman courtesy Tanzania Women Architects for Humanity. (R) Cristina Gamboa credit Lacol.)
MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx1h8k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zspr129zw94)
Prominent Al Jazeera journalist killed by Israeli strike in Gaza
Five Al Jazeera journalists have been killed in Gaza, including one of their prominent correspondents. Al Jazeera say they were targeted for their reporting.
There's also been condemnation in the UN Security Council of Israel's plan to expand their offensive in Gaza. We'll hear from an Israeli member of their parliament's defence committee.
Ahead of the Trump - Putin meeting on Friday to discuss the Ukraine war, European Union ministers are meeting today in Brussels to make their case for peace, and for Zelensky to attend the meeting with the Russian leader. But is anyone listening?
(Photo: Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike where Al Jazeera says its journalists were killed, Gaza City, August 11, 2025; Credit: Reuters)
MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx1m0p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b0018)
Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli strike in Gaza
Five Al Jazeera journalists have been killed in a targeted Israeli attack in Gaza City. The Israeli army confirmed that it had struck Anas al-Sharif, posting on Telegram that he had 'served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas', a claim strongly denied by Al Jazeera. We'll hear from the CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Israel is facing sharp criticism at the UN Security Council in New York over the widening of its offensive in Gaza. We'll speak to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food.
And, foreign ministers in the European Union are meeting later today in an emergency meeting to discuss Ukraine.
(Photo: A relative of Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Qreiqeh killed in Gaza City, 11 August 2025; Credit: Reuters)
MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx1qrt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b03sd)
Five Al Jazeera journalists killed in Gaza
Five Al Jazeera journalists have been killed in Gaza, including one of their prominent correspondents, Anas al-Sharif. Al Jazeera say they were targeted for their reporting.
There's also been condemnation in the UN Security Council of Israel's plan to expand their offensive in Gaza. We'll hear from a member of the Israeli parliament's defence committee.
Ahead of the Trump - Putin meeting on Friday to discuss the Ukraine war, European Union ministers are meeting today in Brussels to make their case for peace, and for Zelensky to attend the meeting with the Russian leader.
(Photo: Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike where Al Jazeera says its journalists were killed, Gaza City, August 11, 2025; Credit: Reuters)
MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx1vhy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7wzy)
Pieter Engelbrecht, CEO of Shoprite: We have a purpose to help people survive
We have a purpose to help people survive
Jewel Kiriungi speaks to Pieter Engelbrecht, CEO of Shoprite, South Africa’s largest supermarket chain, who is trying to keep prices low despite economic challenges across the continent.
Shoprite employs 163,000 people, more than any other in the country’s private sector. Engelbrecht stresses the importance of keeping food affordable, with a quarter of South African children not receiving enough protein.
He explains that food security in the country is the worst it has been in 10 years, with insufficient ports and railroads making it difficult for the country to join the global supply chain.
Shoprite is trying to expand throughout Africa, but Engelbrecht says this is difficult due to corruption, high inflation and devaluing currencies. Despite continued success in South Africa, the chain has closed its operations in Nigeria and Kenya.
Thank you to the World Business Report team for helping to make this programme.
The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.
Presenter: Jewel Kiriungi
Producer: Bob Howard
Editor: Nick Holland
Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
(Image: Pieter Engelbrecht, Credit: Getty Images/Bloomberg)
MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhr6sb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rxy)
Bolivia's ongoing economic crisis
The country was the economic success story of the 2000s. But declining natural gas production has lead to a downturn.
Now, fuel and food prices are soaring and Bolivian businesses are floundering. Inflation is around 15% - one of the highest rates in the region.
There are protests in the streets - so what could help this once prosperous country?
And will the upcoming general election change things?
Produced and presented by Jane Chambers
(Image: El Alto shoe salesman Fernando Gutierrez in his store. He says business is slow)
MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct746f)
The Santa Cruz Massacre
On 12 November 1991, Indonesian troops opened fire on independence activists in East Timor's capital, Dili.
During a protest march to the Santa Cruz cemetery after a memorial service for an independence supporter, Indonesian troops opened fire, killing 271 people.
In 2015, Marco Silva spoke to British cameraman Max Stahl who filmed the attack on unarmed demonstrators.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
(Photo: The Santa Cruz cemetery. Credit: Giulio Paletta/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx1z82)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb1c8g)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhrbjg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx2306)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct71w3)
Nagasaki bomb and Brazil’s biggest bank heist
Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Simone Turchetti, Professor of the History of Science and Technology, at The University of Manchester in the UK.
It's 80 years since the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan to surrender at the end of the Second World War. We hear from a British prisoner of war who was in Nagasaki at the time.
Then, the son of musician Dmitri Shostakovich tells of his famous father’s confrontation with Stalin in the 1930s.
Also, the story of a man who survived an 8.6 magnitude earthquake that shook the Himalayan mountains in 1950.
Plus, Singapore's tense and tearful 1965 separation from the Federation of Malaysia and the detective who tracked down the gang responsible for Brazil's biggest bank heist.
Contributors:
Simone Turchetti - Professor of the History of Science and Technology, at The University of Manchester.
Maxim Shostakovich – son of musician Dmitri Shostakovich
Manjeet Kaur- remembering Singapore independence in 1965.
Antonio Celso Dos Santos – detective in Brazil
Plus, archive recording of Geoff Sherring, a British prisoner of war in Nagasaki and Frank Kingdon-Ward who survived an earthquake that shook the Himalayan mountains in 1950.
(Photo: Nuclear explosion over Nagasaki. Credit: Pictures from History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx26rb)
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MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb1lrq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhrl0q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 11:32 The Conversation (w3ct7090)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx2bhg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wpz)
The ragtag boy who was taken in by a football icon
The incredible story of the football icon who changed a boy's life.
Craig Bromfield's start in life was difficult: there was often no electricity in his childhood home, and he didn’t even own a coat. He was in and out of the social care system, and would ask for money on the street. This is what 11-year-old Craig was doing with his brother Aaron, one fateful day in 1984, on a windswept seafront in the North East of England when he crossed paths with the era’s most famous football manager, Brian Clough - and his life was changed forever.
Brian Clough was manager of Nottingham Forest at the time, but his character transcended sport and regularly delighted UK television audiences. After a few meetings with Craig, Brian’s public persona as an opinionated and uncompromising football boss melted away. Behind the studio lights and the bravado, Brian was a secret softie. He wanted to give Craig a better life, and incredibly, invited him to live with him and his family. Only Craig's early years would come back to haunt him when at 19 he made a decision that put the two men’s friendship on the line.
Craig's published a memoir called Be Good, Love Brian: Growing up with Brian Clough.
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producers: Elena Angelides and Edgar Maddicott
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Craig Bromfield (L) and his brother Aaron with Brian Clough on their first visit to Nottingham Forest’s City Ground. Credit: Courtesy of Craig Bromfield)
MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct746f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx2g7l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb1v7z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhrthz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 13:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx2kzq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjf6qkb)
Funerals held for Al Jazeera journalists killed in Gaza
The Israeli military says it targeted 28-year-old correspondent Anas al-Sharif, alleging he had "served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas", but has produced little evidence to support that claim. We speak to Al Jazeera's Managing Editor.
Also in the programme: The Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay has died from wounds sustained when he was shot at a campaign rally in June; and mentally fit at 96 - we meet the man willing to have his mental arithmetic tested on a television gameshow.
(Photo: Al Jazeera staff members gather at the network’s studios, to remember their colleagues Anas Al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and another colleague, who were killed in Gaza City by an Israeli strike. Credit: Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)
MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx2pqv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7wzy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhs207)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct76qv)
Nvidia and AMD to give 15% of China chip sales to US
In what’s being described as an ‘unprecedented’ deal, Nvidia and AMD agree to pay the Trump administration 15 percent of their sales to China in exchange for export licences. We’ll be in Asia and the US examining what the move means for the US microchip makers - and the industry.
And with plans for US tariffs on pharmaceuticals to eventually reach as much as 250 percent, how will that affect companies that make the ingredients for those medicines? We’ll be hearing from one such business.
Oil, gas, minerals and gems can be both a blessing for the economies of counties that are rich in them – but they can also be a curse. The head of a diamond company in Botswana tells us what it’s like to navigate the challenges.
MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx2tgz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 16:06 BBC OS (w173067wym94ply)
Funerals held for five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza
Al Jazeera has condemned Israel for what it called "the targeted assassination" of its journalists in Gaza. Israeli officials claim the network's correspondent, Anas al-Sharif, was a Hamas operative -- an allegation strongly denied by Al Jazeera. The BBC understands that he worked for a Hamas media team in Gaza before the current conflict. We speak to two journalists in Gaza and get the latest from our correspondent in Jerusalem.
EU foreign ministers have been holding a video meeting to discuss their position on Ukraine - ahead of Friday's planned summit between the US President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. We speak to our correspondent in Brussels and bring together Ukrainian MPs to share their expectations from the meeting.
According to the UN, Pakistan has stepped up its deportations of documented Afghan refugees over the past weeks. We hear from two Afghan women who have had to return to their country.
Presenter: Mark Lowen.
(Photo: Palestinians attend the funeral of journalists killed in an Israeli strike, outside Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, 11 August 2025. Credit: MOHAMMED SABER/EPA/Shutterstock)
MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx2y73)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 17:06 BBC OS (w173067wym94tc2)
Trump's crackdown on crime and homelessness in Washington
President Trump is deploying National Guard troops to Washington DC and taking control of its police force, to combat what he called out of control crime. Crime levels in the US capital have been dropping, but the president painted a dystopian picture of life in the capital, talking about bloodshed, bedlam, squalor and worse. We speak to our correspondent in the capital and to charities that help homeless people.
Al Jazeera has condemned Israel for what it called "the targeted assassination" of its journalists in Gaza. We speak to our correspondent in Jerusalem and hear from journalists in Gaza.
The Supreme Court in India's capital has ordered the authorities to round up all stray dogs. Our regional editor explains.
Presenter: Mark Lowen.
(Photo: A general view of a homeless encampment outside the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 11, 2025. Credit: Ken Cedeno/Reuters)
MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx31z7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wpz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct746f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx35qc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb2kqr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhsjzr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z59)
2025/08/11 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 (w172zwwrjlx39gh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:06 on Sunday]
MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhsnqw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6sw9)
The Life Scientific: Liz Morris
A frozen, white world at the far-reaches of the globe, where you're surrounded by snow and silence, might sound rather appealing. Factor in temperatures that drop to -57°C and a few of us might be put off - but for glaciologist Liz Morris, that's very much her happy place.
Liz is an Emeritus Associate at the University of Cambridge’s Scott Polar Research Institute, and was among the first British women scientists to work on the planet’s coldest continent, Antarctica. Over the course of her career, Liz has gathered vital data on polar ice sheets and how they’re affected by climate change. She's also made numerous research trips across the Greenland Ice Shelf, and has a glacier named after her in Antarctica.
In conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Liz discusses her fascination with glaciers and ice - and explains her unwavering determination to break into what was once a heavily male-dominated field.
Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced for BBC Studios by Lucy Taylor
Reversion for World Service by Minnie Harrop
MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx3f6m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjf7ks7)
Condemnation of Israel's killing of Al Jazeera journalists
Funerals have been held in Gaza City for five journalists from the news channel Al Jazeera who were killed in a targeted Israeli strike on Sunday night - including the prominent reporter Anas al-Sharif. The BBC understands before the war, he worked for a Hamas media team, but Israel accuses him of posing as a journalist, while serving as the head of a Hamas cell. We'll speak to war correspondent Jon Lee Anderson about the killings.
Also on the programme: Donald Trump says he's sending in the National Guard to regain control of the hell-scape that he says Washington DC has become;
And we'll hear about the beachside solution that's being offered to inveterate snorers.
(Picture:Palestinians inspect the destroyed tent of the Al Jazeera team following an Israeli strike, outside the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, 11 August 2025. Credit: Photo by MOHAMMED SABER/EPA/Shutterstock)
MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx3jyr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 22:06 The Interview (w3ct7wzy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhsx74)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 22:32 The Conversation (w3ct7090)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx3npw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb31q8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbht0z8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76t3)
US-China tariff deadline extended another 90 days
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending tariffs on China for another 90 days.
Chip giants Nvidia and AMD have agreed to pay the US government 15% of Chinese revenues as part of an "unprecedented" deal to secure export licences to China.
And remember that distinctive sound of dialling in via the internet in the early days of connecting? Well. It’s days are numbered….Yahoo has announced that it will discontinue AOL Dial-up Internet on September 30th.
TUESDAY 12 AUGUST 2025
TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx3sg0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71w3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 on Monday]
TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx3x64)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs6q3741p9)
Trump extends China tariff deadline
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending tariffs on China for another 90 days.
Chip giants Nvidia and AMD have agreed to pay the US government 15% of Chinese revenues as part of an "unprecedented" deal to secure export licences to China.
And remember that distinctive sound of dialling in via the internet in the early days of connecting? Well. It’s days are numbered….Yahoo has announced that it will discontinue AOL Dial-up Internet on September 30th.
Throughout the programme, Rahul Tandon will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world - Jennifer Pak who is China Correspondent for American Public Media, based in Shanghai; and Allie Garfinkle, Senior finance reporter at Fortune who's in the US.
TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx40y8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb3dyn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhtd6n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rbw)
Tajikistan’s last, lonely hyenas
For decades, conservationists in Tajikistan assumed that the striped hyena – a shy, less vocal cousin of the spotted hyena – was extinct there. But in 2017 a motion-sensitive camera trap in the country’s south-western corner, near the borders with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, detected the presence of a female with cubs. The discovery stunned local observers, and ever since, one man and his colleagues have struggled to find out more about the few remaining Tajik striped hyenas with a view to saving them from oblivion. The challenges are immense, including the international animal parts trade, competition between animals and humans for habitat, and often-negative public perceptions of the hyena itself. Eight years on, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent travels to the grassy lowlands of Tajikistan to join the small team in their fight to save these elusive, persecuted mammals, and in doing so learns how vital hyenas are to both the ecosystem and human health.
Producer: Mike Gallagher
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound mixer: Neil Churchill
Series editor: Penny Murphy
(Image: An adult Striped Hyena. Credit: aaprophoto via Getty)
TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx44pd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wpz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Monday]
TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct746f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Monday]
TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx48fj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb3nfx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhtmpx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vtq)
Yoko Nishina: Japanese calligraphy
Yoko Nishina likes to use black Japanese Sumi ink in her calligraphy work because of the variety of colours , from blues through to browns. Craftsmen still use traditional methods to create the ink from vegetable oil lamps with wicks made of reeds. She creates both large and small works - and is collaborating with photographer Kenro Izue for an exhibition in Osaka - as well as preparing a special exhibition for her upcoming 60th birthday, an age which is considered a "re-birth" in Japanese culture.
TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx4d5n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b2s67)
Trump deploys National Guard to Washington DC
Washington DC's mayor has criticised president Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard to the city, denying his claims that crime in the capital city was out of control. We'll speak to a former Republican senator who supports the president's action.
President Trump and the Russian leader's Alaska meeting on Friday has led to concerns Ukraine and Europe are being side lined. The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, says Ukraine needs to be at the table.
And Donald Trump has postponed tariffs on Chinese goods, giving a further ninety days to reach a trade agreement. We'll speak to a Chinese economist.
(Photo: President Donald Trump, Washington DC, 11 August 2025; Credit: Reuters)
TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx4hxs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b2wyc)
Donald Trump orders National Guard to Washington
Washington DC's mayor has criticised President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to the city, denying his claims that crime in the capital city was out of control. We'll speak to a homelessness activist in the city.
Mr Trump and the Russian leader's Alaska meeting on Friday has led to concerns Ukraine and Europe are being side lined. The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, says Ukraine needs to be at the table.
And Donald Trump has postponed tariffs on Chinese goods, giving a further ninety days to reach a trade agreement.
(Photo: People protest Trump's order, Washington, 11 August 2025; Credit:
EPA/Shutterstock)
TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx4mnx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b30ph)
Trump to deploy National Guard to Washington DC
President Trump orders the deployment of the National Guard to America's capital, Washington DC, saying crime was out of control and homeless people need to be moved on. We'll hear from a former Republican governor and a homelessness activist.
Mr Trump and President Putin's meeting in Alaska on Friday, to discuss the war in Ukraine, has led to concerns Kiev and Europe are being side lined. We'll speak to an Italian member of the European parliament.
We'll hear about a multimillion dollar rock that fell from Mars and landed in Niger. Could it be brought back?
And Harry and Meghan sign a new multi-year TV deal with Netflix. Why now and what might it be worth?
(Photo: Protest following Mr Trump's announcement, Washington DC, 11 August 2025; Credit:
Reuters)
TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx4rf1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct80hl)
Speaking out
Communication is a human right - but what happens when someone can’t speak for themselves?
Sean Allsop struggled to talk until he was eight years old, when he began to speak thanks to years of speech therapy. He explores the technologies and innovations helping people around the world who struggle to communicate.
We meet Richard Cave, National Advisor at the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, as he introduces a patient and their family to voice banking, a method that preserves someone's voice before it's lost, using recordings to create a personalised synthetic version. He explains why having your own voice is a major part of your identity.
In the United States, we hear from people trialling a brain chip that turns neural signals into speech. It's still in its early stages, but how close are we to seeing this kind of technology more widely available for those who would benefit from it? A child-friendly robot made in Luxembourg is teaching children with communication difficulties how to express emotions and build social skills. And in San Cesareo, Italy, the simplest solutions can sometimes prove the most effective. The town has introduced AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) sign boards in public spaces, helping both users and non-users learn and connect.
Image: A student pointing at an image on an AAC sign board (Credit: Eleonora Vallerotonda)
TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhv3pf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s6z)
The cost of reconstructing Ukraine
It is three and a half years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Homes, businesses, transport and energy infrastructure have been severely damaged or destroyed.
Amid Russia’s onslaught, economists are compiling a list of what has been destroyed and are attaching a value to its rebuilding. They put the cost of reconstructing Ukraine at more than $500 billion.
We look at how companies are preparing for the moment they can rebuild.
If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, email businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
Presented and produced by Rob Young
(Picture: Rubble of a service station building destroyed by a Russian drone strike in Pisochyn, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. Credit: Getty Images)
TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74n0)
Borobudur Temple
In 1983, Borobudur Temple in Indonesia reopened.
The worlds’ largest Buddhist monument is in the shadows of an active volcano and was once lost to the jungle.
In 1973, major restoration work started on the temple. One of the workers on the project, Werdi, explains his role in the restoration and describes why the temple has left a deep impression on him.
Presented by Gill Kearsley and produced by Daniel Raza.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
(Photo: Borobudur. Credit: David Cumming/Eye Ubiquitous/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx4w55)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb485k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhv7fk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rbw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx4zx9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:06 on Saturday]
TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx53nf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb4hnt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhvgxt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 11:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vtq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx57dk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4n)
I thought I was a movie star but it was a delusion
Scout Tzofia Bolton has a long history of psychosis and mental illness. During a manic episode in 2023, they believed they were starring in a film of their own life. While acting out what Scout thought was an action sequence, they held up a shop with a toy gun. To Scout it was play-acting - to onlookers it was terrifying.
Six months in prison led to a much-needed diagnosis and a transformative new vocation: Scout got involved with National Prison Radio, which broadcasts to prisoners across England and Wales.
Since leaving prison, Scout made a documentary - together with the Prison Radio Association - about leaving prison. The Ballad of Scout and the Alcohol Tag, which includes some of their poetry, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. And now Scout also presents a weekly rock show on National Prison Radio, which is broadcast to prisons in England and Wales.
In May 2025, Scout won two gold Arias - the UK's top audio and radio awards - including the award for best new presenter.
Scout speaks honestly to Mobeen Azhar about their experience of mental illness and how they finally got the help they needed in prison.
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producers: Vibeke Venema and Thomas Harding Assinder
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Scout Tzofia Bolton. Credit: Courtesy of Prison Radio Association)
TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74n0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx5c4p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb4r52)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhvqf2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 13:32 Discovery (w3ct6sw9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Monday]
TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx5gwt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjf9mgf)
North Korean workers describe “slave-like” conditions in Russia
Russia has been trying to tackle a significant labour shortage by recruiting North Koreans; the BBC has been speaking to some of them.
Also in the programme: the American surgeon recycling surgical pins and plates in Gaza; and how studying cat dementia can help humans.
Photograph: President Putin and Kim Jung Un meeting in Pyongyang in 2024. Credit: Reuters.
TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx5lmy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct80hl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhvyxb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct7670)
Will China buy more US soybeans?
As the US and China put a pause on tariff hikes for 90 days, we’ll be in Beijing looking at what soybeans have to do with the trade truce.
Meanwhile, could US recognition of Somaliland finally become a reality? A former diplomat from Somaliland explains what it could mean for both sides.
And in South Korea, Starbucks has asked customers to stop bringing items like printers into its cafes. We look at whether the trend of working in cafes has gone too far.
TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx5qd2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w173067wym97lj1)
Europe hit by wildfires as temperatures soar
Emergency crews are battling multiple wildfires across Spain and Portugal, as a record-breaking heatwave continues across Europe. The extreme temperatures there are expected to continue until at least Wednesday, with forecasts reaching up to 44C. We'll talk to journalists in the affected areas.
Three days before Russia's Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump are due to hold a summit on Ukraine in Alaska, European leaders are warning that the country's borders must not be redrawn by force. It comes as the Ukrainian military has played down reports of a rapid Russian advance in the east.
Also today, what has caused the worst bleaching on record of the world-famous coral reefs along Western Australia's coast?
OS presenter: Mark Lowen.
(Photo: A firefighter works to extinguish a wildfire burning near Finiq, Albania, August 12, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Florion Goga)
TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx5v46)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w173067wym97q85)
Dozens killed in attack on Sudan camp for people who had fled war
At least 40 people have been killed in an attack on a camp for displaced people in Sudan's western Darfur region, according to an aid group that works there. We'll speak to the BBC correspondent following this conflict to get the latest. European leaders have warned against Ukrainian borders being redrawn by force – three days before Russia's Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump are due to hold a summit on Ukraine in Alaska. We'll ask what the talks could achieve. And world-famous coral reefs along Western Australia's coast have suffered the worst bleaching on record, as scientists say the state has faced the "longest, largest and most intense" marine heatwave. We hear why some blame Australia for not doing enough to save the reefs.
Presenter: Mark Lowen
(Photo shows a displaced Sudanese mother of five preparing food at a camp shelter amid the ongoing conflict. Credit: REUTERS/Mohamed Jamal)
TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx5ywb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4n)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74n0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx62mg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb5gmv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhwfwv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z9t)
2025/08/12 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 (w172zwwrjlx66cl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rbw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhwkmz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zp3)
Dealing with cyber attacks
Singapore is experiencing an increase in cyber threats, and its critical infrastructure was targeted in a cyber attack. We speak to the country's Commissioner of Cybersecurity.
Also in Tech Life this week: we hear the real voice of a fake spokesperson for a synthetic band. And presenter Zoe Kleinman has a mini tech adventure involving social media and a metal detectorist.
You can contact us by emailing techlife@bbc.co.uk or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320. Please include your name and where you live.
Presenter: Zoe Kleinman
Producer: Tom Quinn
Editor: Monica Soriano
Image: Hands are held over a computer keyboard as screens display computer data. Credit: Getty Images.
TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx6b3q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjfbgpb)
Zelensky vows to reject any Russian proposal to cede territory
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine will not abandon the eastern Donbas region -- which has been partially seized by Russia and its proxy forces since Twenty- Fourteen. He warned doing so would give Russia a springboard for future attacks on other areas.
Also in the programme: We'll hear from the UN investigator on systematic abuses spreading in Myanmar; a warning over changes to federal funds for scientific research in the US; North Koreans tell BBC they are being sent to work 'like slaves' in Russia; and can cats get dementia?
(Photo credit: EPA)
TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx6fvv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 22:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct80hl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhwt47)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 22:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vtq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx6klz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb5ymc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhwxwc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76bd)
US inflation holds at 2.7% in July
US inflation held steady in July despite import tariffs, bolstering bets that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates next month.
After the partial dollarisation of the economy in Cuba, the country’s peso is trading at an all-time low of 400 to 1 dollar on the informal market.
And horror films are at a record high in shares of the US box office. Weapons took $42.5m in its opening weekend in US movie theatres, and Sinners has become the highest-grossing original movie of the 2020s.
WEDNESDAY 13 AUGUST 2025
WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx6pc3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:06 on Saturday]
WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx6t37)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs6q376yld)
US inflation holds steady in July despite import tariffs
US inflation held steady in July despite import tariffs, bolstering bets that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates next month.
After the partial dollarisation of the economy in Cuba, the country’s peso is trading at an all-time low of 400 to 1 dollar on the informal market.
And horror films are at a record high in shares of the US box office. Weapons took $42.5m in its opening weekend in US movie theatres, and Sinners has become the highest-grossing original movie of the 2020s.
Throughout the programme, Roger Hearing will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Andy Uhler is an Energy Journalism Fellow at the University of Texas, US, and Zyma Islam is a journalist for The Daily Star in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx6xvc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb69vr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhx93r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct7026)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:06 on Sunday]
WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx71lh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4n)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Tuesday]
WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74n0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Tuesday]
WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx75bm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb6kc0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhxjm0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 04:32 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle (w3ct80bm)
The Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle: 4. The 35 new guys
Nasa recruits women and ethnic minorities for the first time to its astronaut class. In the beginning of American spaceflight, all astronauts selected for the programme came from the same background. They were all male, all white – all test pilots.
But now, with a revolutionary new spacecraft, and changing views in society, Nasa needs to change. They’re not just looking for people to pilot the shuttle, but engineers, scientists, and medical doctors.
Can Nasa change its culture?
This episode contains strong language.
Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects.
13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service.
Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock.
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.
Archive:
Mercury seven press conference, Nasa Archives, 1959
Nichelle Nichols Nasa advertisement, Nasa Archives, 1977
Where dreams come true, Nasa Archives, 1979
First female and African-American astronauts train at Nasa, ABC News, 1978
Ronald Reagan declares Space Shuttle open for business, Reagan Library, 1982
Sally Ride interview, ITN, 1983
Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office
WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx792r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b5p3b)
Zelensky rules out ceding eastern Ukrainian land
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky rules out ceding the Donbas region as Russia makes fresh military advances. We'll hear from a Ukrainian from the region.
The US has issued charges against a gang boss who controls most of the capital of Haiti, and offered a five million dollar reward for information leading to his capture. We'll speak to the the UN Independent Expert on the Human Rights Situation in Haiti.
And we'll hear why the coffee chain Starbucks is banning printers and desktop computers in South Korea.
(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyiv, Ukraine, 15 March 2025; Credit:
REX/Shutterstock)
WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx7dtw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b5svg)
German chancellor to host virtual Ukraine talks
Germany calls a meeting on Ukraine as president Zelensky says his country would reject any Russian proposal to give up the eastern Donbas region in exchange for a ceasefire.
As Israel bombards Gaza City, he country's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu says Palestinians will be allowed to leave Gaza before the army expands its operations.
And the US announces criminal charges against the Haitian gang leader known as 'Barbecue'. We'll speak to the United Nations Independent Expert on the Human Rights Situation in Haiti.
(Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, London, 17 July 2025; Credit: Reuters)
WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx7jl0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b5xll)
Zelensky: Ukraine will not surrender Donbas to Russia
Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy rules out ceding the Donbas region to Russia. We’ll hear from a Ukrainian who has been fighting in Donetsk.
Gaza City has come under intense air attacks, as Israeli forces prepare to occupy it. We’ll speak to a doctor who has just left Gaza.
And wildfires rage across southern Europe as temperatures top 40C.
(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Alberta,Canada, 17 June 2025; Credit: Reuters)
WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx7nb4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6q)
Ajay Banga: world must focus on creating jobs
World must focus on creating jobs
Rahul Tandon speaks to Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank.
Born in India in 1959, Mr. Banga’s career in business began in the early-1980s, when he started out as a management trainee with the food multinational Nestlé. He then made the move into finance over a decade later, when he joined the Citigroup bank. He quickly rose through the ranks to become the Chief Executive of the bank’s Asia-Pacific business, before then moving onto Mastercard, where he eventually became CEO.
During this time, Mr. Banga, who became a US citizen in 2007, also advised a number of senior US politicians - including President Barack Obama and later, Vice-President Kamala Harris. It was Harris’ boss, President Joe Biden, who subsequently nominated him to lead the World Bank in 2023.
The World Bank is a group of international organisations, such as the International Development Association and the International Finance Corporation, that provide grants and loans to low and middle-income countries for the purpose of economic development. As some of these countries are considered to be too high-risk by the international financial markets, the World Bank is an important source of financial support.
Since the middle of the last century, the group has navigated multiple global political and economic challenges, adapting along the way to ensure that that financial support continues. Going forward, Mr. Banga believes there’s an overriding priority for sustainable development - jobs.
The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
Producers: Ben Cooper & Niamh McDermott
Editors: Nick Holland & Damon Rose
Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhy0lj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sch)
Australia’s rare earth ambitions
Rare earths have been a major sticking point in trade negotiations between China and the United States.
China dominates the production of these critical resources – which power everything from electric vehicles to fighter jets and data centres – with Beijing disrupting production around the world when it cut off supplies earlier this year.
But one project in Australia is hoping to ease the bottleneck.
We visit one of the key sites.
If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Suranjana Tewari
Producer: Jaltson Akkanath Chummar
(Picture: A rare earth mining site in Western Australia.)
WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74q8)
Discovery of the 'Hobbit'
In 2003, archaeologists on the island of Flores, in Indonesia, discovered the skeleton of a new species of human - Homo floresiensis.
It was nicknamed the 'Hobbit', because they were just over a metre in height, and it's thought they became extinct around 70,000 years ago.
Rachel Naylor spoke to Peter Brown, the Australian paleoanthropologist who identified it.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
(Photo: The skull of Homo floresiensis (centre). Credit: Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images)
WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx7s28)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb752n)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhy4bn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct7026)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:06 on Sunday]
WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx7wtd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 10:06 The Documentary (w3ct812c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Saturday]
WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx80kj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb7dkx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhyctx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 11:32 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle (w3ct80bm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx849n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xck)
The last resort: Family chaos made me a best-selling author
Linwood Barclay grew up in Canada, obsessed with TV shows like The Man from Uncle and Columbo. His father, an award-winning commercial artist in the advertising world, taught him to type aged 12 so that he could write fan fiction based on his heroes. But when the family moved from Toronto to Ontario to run a caravan park and fishing camp, Linwood found himself increasingly dragged into his parents' difficult marriage. Five years later, when Linwood's father was dying of cancer, he asked Linwood to "take care of things", which meant not only running the family business but also supporting his brother through mental illness and dealing with his mother's controlling ways. Linwood talks to Asya Fouks about how he found a way out, became an author, and sold seven million books.
Linwood Barclay’s latest book is called Whistle.
Cambodia's biggest waste dump was home to thousands of children, picking through rubbish to sell. From this bleak wasteland emerged a band, Doch Chkae - young musicians who grew up in extreme poverty, turning their anger into heavy metal music. Harry Graham speaks to two of the band members, Sok Vichey and Ouch Theara. We also hear from one of the charity workers who spotted their talent for metal music, Timon Seibel, from Moms Against Poverty. (First broadcast November 24 2019)
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Hetal Bapodra and Laura Thomas
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Linwood Barclay, 16, sits bare chested at the wheel of a car. He is white with blonde hair. Credit: Courtesy Linwood Barclay.)
WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74q8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx881s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb7n25)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhymb5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 13:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zp3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Tuesday]
WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx8csx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjfdjcj)
Intense diplomacy ahead of Trump-Putin meeting
European leaders are holding talks with Ukraine's President Zelensky ahead of a Trump-Putin summit on Friday. We hear about the latest developments on the frontline in Ukraine.
Also in the programme: Will a $5m bounty help capture Haiti's most powerful gang leader? And how toothpaste made from hair could help repair teeth.
(Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) attend an online meeting with other European leaders to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, 13 August 2025. Credit: John Macdougall/Pool/ EPA/Shutterstock)
WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx8hk1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6q)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhyvtf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct76ft)
Are US tariffs driving stock market highs?
Stocks continue to rally following better-than-expected US inflation data, but what is the global economic picture likely to be longer term? We hear from the US Small Business Association - and the EU’s International Trade Committee.
Rare earths have been a flashpoint in US–China trade talks, with Beijing restricting global supply earlier this year. Could a project in Australia quell further disruption?
And while some countries have eased back on investment in Africa, the UAE has become the continent’s largest state investor. Our correspondent in Dubai explains more.
WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx8m95)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 16:06 BBC OS (w173067wym9bhf4)
Europe working to 'help set the agenda' of Trump-Putin talks
Ukraine's President Zelensky has joined European leaders in Berlin for talks aimed at influencing President Trump ahead of his summit with Vladimir Putin. We get the latest and focus in on one of the countries involved in the talks, Finland, to hear from people there about how they are feeling ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting.
We also speak to internally displaced people in Sudan, as the army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is reported to have met the US senior advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, in Switzerland to discuss a plan to end the civil war.
And in the last week two adverts by the fashion brand Zara have been banned here in the UK for featuring models who were described by the advertising authority as "unhealthily thin". We speak to models about their experiences of working in the industry.
OS presenter: Mark Lowen.
(Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speak to the press in Berlin, Germany, August 13, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen)
WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx8r19)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 17:06 BBC OS (w173067wym9bm58)
US 'ready to support' Ukraine, says Zelensky
Ukraine's President Zelensky says "Trump supported us today and the US is ready to support us" after a call with the US President, just two days before the Trump-Putin summit. We go through all the latest lines from the meetings today with European leaders with journalists from across the continent.
Nigerian Afropop star Tems has told the BBC "people don't really respect women" in her industry. We speak to women in the industry about their experiences.
And in the last week two adverts by the fashion brand Zara have been banned here in the UK for featuring models who were described by the advertising authority as "unhealthily thin". We speak to models about their experiences of working in the industry.
OS presenter: Mark Lowen.
(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (not pictured), on the day they attend a virtual meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders on the upcoming Trump-Putin summit on Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany, August 13, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen.
WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx8vsf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xck)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74q8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx8zjk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb8cjy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhzbsy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zd2)
2025/08/13 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 (w172zwwrjlx938p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct7026)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:06 on Sunday]
WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhzgk2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjp)
How plastic harms health
As negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty are due to conclude at the United Nations, we check in on whether health is on the agenda with Dr Cressida Bowyer, Associate Professor in Arts and Sustainability from the University of Portsmouth in the UK who is at the conference.
We also hear from John Chweya, a Kenyan waste picker, who has seen the impacts of plastic waste firsthand and delve into the scientific evidence about how plastic harms health with Dr Stephanie Wright, Associate Professor in Environmental Toxicology at Imperial College London.
25 years on from the SuperAgers research project being established, we catch up with lead investigator Sandra Weintraub who is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Feinberg Mesulam Institute to find out what factors link these age-defying brains.
Claudia and BBC Health Reporter Philippa Roxby have a go at conch blowing as there is new research saying it might help the breathing disorder obstructive sleep apnoea.
Plus, research into the relationship between a covid-19 infection and RSV in children.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett
WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx970t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjffclf)
European leaders give upbeat account of their talks with President Trump ahead of his meeting with Putin
The US president reportedly told European leaders that his goal for the summit was to secure a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow. Poland's president, Karol Nawrocki, was one of the Nato leaders on the call with the Donald Trump. We'll hear from his foreign policy advisor, Marcin Przydacz.
Also on the programme: Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun has warned against foreign interference in the country’s affairs during a visit by a senior Iranian official, as his government takes steps towards disarming Hezbollah; and we'll hear about one project in Australia that's hoping to ease the world's rare earth bottleneck.
(Photo: US President Donald Trump delivers a speech as he hosts an event at the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, in Washington, DC, USA, 13 August 2025. Credit: WILL OLIVER/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)
WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx9bry)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 22:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6q)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhzq1b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 22:32 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle (w3ct80bm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx9gj2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb8vjg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbhztsg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76j2)
Brazil offers $5 billion for companies hit by tariffs
Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says more than $5 billion in credit will go to companies which face 50 per cent tariffs to export goods to the US.
The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, says a controversial deal that the White House struck with chipmakers Nvidia and AMD, handing over 15% of their Chinese sales in return for export licences, could be rolled out to other industries.
Startup companies in the US have started a no-shoes-in-the-office policy, meaning that you take your shoes off when you come into the office and wear optional slippers.
THURSDAY 14 AUGUST 2025
THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx9l86)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 00:06 The Documentary (w3ct812c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Saturday]
THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx9q0b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs6q379vhh)
Brazil offers $5 billion for companies hit by tariffs
Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says more than $5 billion in credit will go to companies which face 50 per cent tariffs to export goods to the US.
The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, says a controversial deal that the White House struck with chipmakers Nvidia and AMD, handing over 15% of their Chinese sales in return for export licences, could be rolled out to other industries.
Startup companies in the US have started a no-shoes-in-the-office policy, meaning that you take your shoes off when you come into the office and wear optional slippers.
Throughout the programme, Leanna Byrne will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Diane Brady, Executive Editorial Director at Fortune magazine in New York, and Han-Shen Lin, China Country Director, The Asia Group, in Shanghai.
THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx9trg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb96rv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj060v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct80hh)
Birding the gender gap
During the annual World Series of Birding in New Jersey, US, teams compete to see who can identify the most bird species in 24 hours. For team Galbatross the goal is different and much harder - they only identify female birds. This self-imposed restriction is a form of activism, calling into question centuries of ornithology that has focused primarily on male birds, with their bright plumage, elaborate dances, and loud songs.
We follow team Galbatross as they attempt to break their own record for the most female birds spotted during the World Series of Birding. Along the way, we hear from scientists and birders alike about how we got where we are, and how expanding science to be more inclusive of species of all genders can change our perspective on ourselves and the environment.
THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlx9yhl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xck)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Wednesday]
THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74q8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Wednesday]
THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxb27q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntb9g83)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj0fj3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70yt)
Garlic: Food or medicine?
From ancient Egyptian pyramid builders to French chefs, garlic has been prized, feared, and even used to ward off evil. In this episode, Rumella Dasgupta explores garlic’s journey through history and across cultures - from its medicinal roots and rich folklore to its starring role in kitchens worldwide. Featuring chefs, historians, and dietitians, we uncover how this pungent bulb became a global favourite - and ask the ultimate question: is garlic really good for us?
Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Image: A bulb of garlic split in half to reveal cloves Credit: Getty
THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxb5zv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b8l0f)
El Fasher: 'Our children are dying'
Food is so scarce in el-Fasher that prices have soared to the point where money that used to cover a week's worth of meals can now buy only one. International aid organisations have condemned the "calculated use of starvation as a weapon of war". We bring you a BBC report.
Ahead of the summit between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska on Friday, many Ukrainians have become nervous about the prospect of territorial swaps as suggested by Mr Trump. We'll hear from Zaporizhzhia.
Pressure is building on Israel to relieve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and also from the families of Israeli hostages who want to see their loved ones released. We'll speak to a leading negotiator on the prospects for a deal.
(Photo: A handout photograph, shot in January 2024, shows a woman and baby at the Zamzam displacement camp, close to al-Fashir; Credit: Reuters)
THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxb9qz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b8prk)
Sudan experiences 'the worst cholera outbreak'
As the humanitarian situation in parts of Sudan become increasingly difficult, a report from the aid group MSF says there have been more than 100,000 cases of cholera across the country in the last year.
We'll also look at divisions and tension the war in Gaza has created within Israel.
US president Donald Trump has said he won't support division of Ukrainian territory ahead of talks with President Putin on Friday.
(Photo: A Sudanese cholera patient sleeps on a bed at a United Nations-Run makeshift clinic, in Tawila; Credit: Reuters)
THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxbfh3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zspr12b8thp)
Cholera kills more than two thousand Sudanese
MSF says Sudan is experiencing the worst cholera outbreak for many years, killing more than two thousand four hundred people. Local health workers teaching people how avoid the disease have also fallen ill.
Ahead of the summit between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska on Friday, many Ukrainians have become nervous about the prospect of territorial swaps as suggested by Mr Trump. We will get the thoughts of a German MP
UN talks on tackling plastic pollution hang in the balance hours before a deadline, after dozens of countries rejected a draft text.
(Photo: Sudanese cholera patients are treated at a United Nations-Run makeshift clinic, in Tawila ; Credit: Reuters)
THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxbk77)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct722x)
How are drones changing the landscape of modern warfare?
When the war in Ukraine began back in February 2022, the remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle or drone as its commonly known, was peripheral to the conflict. But three years on, the drone in all its shapes and sizes has taken on a central role in this battle, in the air, on land and at sea, for surveillance, reconnaissance, combat and other purposes. Now drone technology is evolving even further into the area of autonomous weapons.
But whilst the drone can offer greater strategic and operational flexibility and a possible reduction in the number of military casualties, there are concerns that the drone, particularly in Ukraine’s case, has prolonged the war.
Only last year the United Nations reported that 118 countries now had military drones, along with at least 65 non-state actors. And as an increasing number of countries have begun to manufacture and export their own array of military drones, many are concerned about how drone technology is presenting a big challenge in terms of defensive measures.
So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘How are drones changing the landscape of modern warfare?
Contributors:
James Patton Rogers, Author and Executive Director, Brooks Tech Policy Institute, Cornell University, New York State, USA.
Dr Oleksandra Molloy, Senior Lecturer in Aviation, University of New South Wales, Canberra, Australia
Stacie Pettyjohn, Director of the Defence Programme, Centre for A New American Security, Washington DC. USA.
Dr. Elke Schwarz, Professor of Political Theory, Queen Mary University, London, UK
Presenter: Gary O’Donoghue
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Maeve Schaffer
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: Toby James
Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey
Image credit SOPA via Getty Images
THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj0xhm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s2g)
Is the B Corp bubble about to burst?
B Corp certification is meant to signal that a company is socially and environmentally conscious. The logo graces the packaging and advertising of anything, from shoes and snacks, to steak houses. But as the movement nears nearly 10,000 companies globally, and includes multinational food and beverage giants, is it getting too big to be meaningful?
If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
Presented and produced by Josh Martin
(Picture: David Bronner, CEO of Doctor Bronner's Magic Soaps. Credit: Dr Bronner's Magic Soaps.)
THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74jl)
Jakarta’s ban on dancing monkeys
In 2013, Jakarta's governor moved to outlaw the use of dancing monkeys on the city’s streets.
The Indonesian tradition saw macaques made to perform for passers-by - often restrained by chains and dressed in plastic masks. Campaigners said the animals were frequently subjected to harsh treatment and poor living conditions.
Animal rights activist Femke den Haas played a key role in securing the ban.
She tells Vicky Farncombe that it was the suffering of one particular monkey, Johnny, that spurred her to take action.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
(Photo: A dancing monkey in Jakarta. Credit: Getty Images)
THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxbnzc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbb1zr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj117r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct80hh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxbsqh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysc)
The Media Show: Interview of an AI avatar
Four Al Jazeera journalists and two freelance journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, prompting renewed scrutiny of press freedoms and the treatment of reporters in conflict zones. Israel claims one of the journalists, Anas al-Sharif, was affiliated with Hamas. Media rights groups have rejected the allegation, and questions remain about access restrictions and the role of freelancers. Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Oren Persico, staff writer at Israeli outlet Seventh Eye discuss the risks and constraints facing journalists in Gaza and how the story is framed in Israeli media.
An AI-generated avatar of Joaquin Oliver, a teenager killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, has been interviewed by the former CNN anchor Jim Acosta. The avatar was created by Joaquin’s parents to raise awareness about gun violence. Manuel Oliver, co-founder of Change the Ref, and Claire Leibowicz, Head of the AI and Media Integrity Program at the Partnership on AI, explain how the avatar was made and the editorial implications of using avatars in journalism.
The i Paper’s housing correspondent Vicky Spratt broke the story that led to the resignation of a UK government minister – a story which came from her social media platform. She reflects on how digital platforms have changed the way journalists can source and share their work.
Presenter: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Dan Hardoon
Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai
Production Coordinator: Ruth Waites
Technical Coordinator: Mark Dickins
Sound: Sarlota Hadroj Touzimska
THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj14zw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 10:32 On the Podium (w3ct80k2)
Marit Bouwmeester: Perfection and parenthood
Marit Bouwmeester is the most decorated female sailor in Olympic history, winning medals at four consecutive Games, including two golds. She credits her success to the mental strength she amassed over the course of two decades, committing herself to constant improvement, and succeeding where people she regarded as more talented failed.
But has becoming a mother changed the way she sees sport and the world?
Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry talk to Marit about how she worked to build a champion's mentality, including deliberately using worse equipment in her training to force her to improve her skills, and how difficult it can be to pursue perfection in a sport where so many factors can be out of your control. She also reveals why she doesn't keep her medals at home, and shares her thoughts on the future of sailing - and how her sport has brought her face-to-face with the climate crisis.
On the Podium is the podcast that sits down with Olympic and Paralympic medallists to discover the real stories behind their success. Pole vault pioneer Stacy Dragila talks about her battle to get her sport on the Olympic programme, and triathlete Jess Learmonth reveals what led her back to sport after walking away as a teenager. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo.
THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxbxgm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbb9h0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj18r0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 11:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70yt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxc16r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxr)
Rwanda's tennis number 1: 'playing is my medicine'
Joseline Umulisa was nine at the time of the Rwandan genocide, when her world was destroyed. She only escaped because a man who could have so easily killed her, chose to save her life instead. Years later, the emotional and physical scars still ran deep. Joseline couldn't sleep and the pain in her back was constant, she was told to try sport but nothing helped until a chance encounter with a man with a tennis racquet led her to a court and a training session, she slept through the night for the first time in years. The sport became her means to heal, she became obsessed, working her way up through the ranks to become Rwanda's top female player. She's now opened Tennis Rwanda Children's Foundation, helping kids like her and searching for Rwanda's next champion. Her one remaining dream is to meet Roger Federer.
This programme includes descriptions of events of the Rwandan genocide.
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Andrea Kennedy
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Joseline Umulisa. Credit: Courtesy of Joseline Umulisa.)
THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74jl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxc4yw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbbjz8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj1j78)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 13:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Wednesday]
THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxc8q0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjfhf8m)
What's happened to Ukraine's missing children?
Ahead of the Trump / Putin meeting in Alaska, we ask what's happened to Ukraine's missing children? Ukraine says thousands have been taken by Russian forces - many indoctrinated in Russian military schools – and some are now fighting on the frontline against their home country.
Also in the programme: what are Israelis now thinking and saying about the war in Gaza – and how well informed are people about the conflict? Plus the good news that medication for ADHD may also reduce suicidal behaviours and substance misuse, and even make people less likely to have transport accidents and commit crime.
(IMAGE: Children's handprints decorate the wall of the culture centre of the Ukrainian frontline village of Kalynove, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, April 11, 2025 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura)
THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxcdg4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct722x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj1rqj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct75vq)
Trump and Putin meeting: how further sanctions could hit the Russian economy
President Trump and President Putin meet in Alaska tomorrow. We’ll look at what’s at stake for Russia’s economy, with sanctions on its oil and gas still biting.
Plus a last push in Geneva for the world’s first treaty to end plastic pollution… but with more than a hundred countries rejecting the latest draft, is it about to fall apart?
And who really invented Germany’s Bratwurst? A tasty row is sizzling between two proud cities.
You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.
THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxcj68)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 16:06 BBC OS (w173067wym9fdb7)
Sudan: World's worst cholera outbreak
The medical charity MSF says Sudan’s civil war has fuelled the country’s worst cholera outbreak in many years, with more than 2400 people dying in the past 12 months. We speak to our correspondent who has been gathering rare footage showing the plight of civilians in the country.
India's Supreme Court is reviewing its order to round up Delhi's stray dogs after a huge public outcry. We speak to people there with differing views on the situation.
And as UN talks on tackling plastic pollution appear deadlocked on their final scheduled day, we hear messages from people across the globe.
OS presenter: Andrew Peach.
(Photo: A medical-drip of a Sudanese cholera patient, is pictured as he lies on a bed at a United Nations-Run makeshift clinic, in Tawila north Darfur, Sudan, August 5, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Mohammed Jamal)
THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxcmyd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 17:06 BBC OS (w173067wym9fj2c)
Trump says '25% chance' Putin summit fails
The White House says President Trump will exhaust all options to end the Ukraine war, ahead of the US-Russia summit in Alaska on Friday. But Trump says there is a '25% chance' it will end in failure. President Putin has praised Trump's "sincere efforts" to end the conflict - with the Kremlin saying the leaders will discuss the situation in "one-on-one" talks. We speak to Ukrainians in America to get their views ahead of the summit.
Israel’s far right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, says his approval of plans to build more than 3000 homes in a West Bank settlement will “bury the idea of a Palestinian state”. We explain more.
And American scientists have used artificial intelligence to design two new potential antibiotics that can kill superbugs. Our health correspondent joins us.
OS presenter: Andrew Peach.
(Photo: Russia's President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump talk during a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. Credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo)
THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxcrpj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74jl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxcwfn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbc8g1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj27q1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z7k)
2025/08/14 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 (w172zwwrjlxd05s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct80hh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj2cg5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 20:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfq)
Vaccine study retraction request rejected
US Health Secretary RFK Jr’s call to retract a study on childhood vaccines is resisted by the journal. Also antibiotics get designed by AI, and a new way for stars to die.
A study focussing on Danish childhood vaccination data has attracted the US Secretary for Health’s anger, as RFK jr calls for the journal in which it was published, the Annals of Internal Medicine, to retract it. The Editor, Christine Laine, talk to Science in Action about the strengths and challenges of observational studies.
The cuts to prestigious US federal science funded research continue, as last week it was announced that $500 million funding for future mRNA vaccines would be withdrawn. Barney Graham, one of the pioneers in the field and prominent during the Covid vaccines, argues that the research will still happen, though maybe not in the US, as mRNA has become a fundamental area of global research.
Meanwhile, strides are being made in the field of synthetic biology as Jim Collins and colleagues at MIT and Harvard have used AI to design potentially viable antibiotics for two important drug-resistant superbugs. Previously, AI has been used to comb through libraries of known antibiotics. This study has gone a step further, and used generative AI to design new ones, that can then be synthesised using real chemicals. Though a long way from being prescribable drugs, the team think this could herald a new golden age of antibiotic development – something which has been lacking in recent decades.
Finally, it seems astronomers may have discovered a new way for a star to die, sort of. Supernova 2023zkd was seen to explode back in 2023, found by a team looking for odd events. It didn’t seem quite like normal supernovae, in that it took a bit longer to die down. Then the team looked back, and noticed that it had also been getting slowly brighter for almost a year. At 730 million light years away, in a galaxy far, far away, it also seemed to have been stripped of all its hydrogen and even stranger yet, appeared to have exploded twice. As Ashley Villar of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics explains, the almost unique observation fits with a model of the huge star getting closer to a black hole, the gravity of which may have disrupted the star enough to cause it to explode.
Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Ella Hubber with Alex Mansfield
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
(Image: Child getting a vaccine. Credit: Luis Alvarez via Getty Images)
THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxd3xx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjfj8hj)
UN calls on Israel to reverse new settlement plans
There's been fierce international criticism of Israeli plans to build more than three-thousand homes in a controversial settlement in the occupied West Bank. The country's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said the move - which will split the territory - will "bury the idea of a Palestinian state". Britain's foreign secretary, David Lammy, described the plan as a "flagrant breach of international law" that "must be stopped".
Also in the programme: Humanitarian workers in Sudan say they lack the resources to deal with a deadly cholera outbreak in camps for people displaced by the civil war; what sort of welcome are Alaskans preparing for President Putin; and why are some female Australian birds developing male sex organs.
(Photo: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks at a press conference regarding settlements expansion for the long-frozen E1 settlement, that would split East Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank, near the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, August 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxd7p1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 22:06 The Inquiry (w3ct722x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj2lyf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 22:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70yt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxdcf5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbcrfk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj2qpk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct75xz)
Los Angeles Olympics 2028 to allow naming rights to be sold
Organisers of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 have agreed a landmark deal with the International Olympic Committee allowing venue naming rights to be sold to commercial partners for the first time in the games history. Honda and Comcast are the first naming partners.
Presenter Roger Hearing also examines why some Americans are drinking less and what this means for the big drinks companies like Carlsberg.
And PostNord in Denmark has decided to bring to an end to 400 years of letter deliveries - and focus instead solely on parcels from 2026. We hear from there about what this means for the future of the industry.
FRIDAY 15 AUGUST 2025
FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxdh59)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 on Thursday]
FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj2vfp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 00:32 On the Podium (w3ct80k2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:32 on Thursday]
FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxdlxf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs6q37drdl)
Los Angeles Olympics 2028 to allow naming rights to be sold
Organisers of the Los Angelos Olympics in 2028 have agreed a landmark deal with the International Olympic Committee allowing venue naming rights to be sold to commercial partners for the first time in the games history. Honda and Comcast are the first naming partners.
Presenter Roger Hearing also examines why some Americans are drinking less and what this means for the big drinks companies like Carlsberg.
And PostNord in Denmark has decided to bring to an end to 400 years of letter deliveries - and focus instead solely on parcels from 2026. We hear from there about what this means for the future of the industry.
FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxdqnk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbd3ny)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj32xy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zp3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Tuesday]
FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxdvdp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Thursday]
FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74jl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Thursday]
FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxdz4t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbdc56)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj3bf6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tgl)
Ayahuasca and the new spiritual tourism
For centuries, ayahuasca has been a sacred plant for the Shipibo-Konibo peoples of the Peruvian Amazon. Part medicine, part spiritual ceremony, ayahuasca and other plant medicines are revered practices. But in recent years, a boom in Western interest in psychedelics has started to reshape ayahuasca ceremonies and practise. Fuelled by celebrity endorsements, a new wave of tourists are heading to purpose-built resorts in the Peruvian jungle to take ayahuasca, guided by shamans from the Shipibo-Konibo tribes.
In this episode of Heart and Soul, reporter Janak Rogers travels to the Peruvian Amazon to explore this so-called ‘psychedelic renaissance’. From candlelit jungle ceremonies to bustling tourist strips, Rogers uncovers the allure of ayahuasca for Westerners seeking help and healing. But as the ayahuasca boom transforms local communities, challenges arise: the rise of unscrupulous shamans, the commercialisation of Indigenous knowledge, and risks faced by vulnerable travellers.
Through the eyes of shamans, researchers, and spiritual tourists, Rogers witnesses the profound connections ayahuasca fosters between body, mind, and spirit — and, how tourism is redefining it all.
[Photo credit: Ayahuasca Ceremony by Carlos Alvarez Suarez]
Producer/presenter: Janak Rogers
Series producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Chloe Walker
Production coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno
FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxf2wy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zspr12bcgxj)
Trump set to meet Putin in Alaska
The US president, who has portrayed himself as a global peacemaker, hopes to leverage his personal relationship with Putin to achieve a ceasefire breakthrough where others have failed.
We'll ask a leading Ukrainian politician about his hopes or fears about what might emerge from the meeting.
Four years ago today the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the Islamist group have subsequently imposed strict religious control across the country and prevented women and girls from attending school. We'll go live to our correspondent in Kabul
(Photo: President Trump and President Putin talk during a session at the APEC Summit in Vietnam in 2017; Credit: Reuters
FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxf6n2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zspr12bclnn)
Crunch time in Alaska for Ukraine
Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that he believed his Russian counterpart wanted to make peace. Ahead of the meeting, Mr Putin has praised Donald Trump's efforts to end the war as energetic and sincere. President Volodymyr Zelensky has not been invited to the talks in Alaska. We've been speaking to Ukrainians who are more sceptical about the outcome of the summit.
We'll also hear about Israel's plans to build thousands of homes for settlers in the occupied West Bank - a move that would threaten viability of a future Palestinian state.
(Photo: A car drives by as Pro-Ukraine supporters take part in the "Alaska Stands with Ukraine" rally in Anchorage; Credit: Reuters)
FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxfbd6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zspr12bcqds)
Trump: Putin won't 'mess around with me'
The summit in Alaska is the one of the US and Russian leaders since Mr Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine three-and-a-half years ago. Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that he believed his Russian counterpart wanted to make peace. We hear from Ukraine, Russia and USA
Global talks aimed at reaching a treaty to end plastic pollution have failed, despite late-night efforts to reach a compromise.
(Photo:U.S. President Donald Trump takes a question from the press; Credit: Reuters)
FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxfg4b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 08:06 Americast (w3ct7t5s)
What's really behind Trump's crime crackdown?
What is really behind Donald Trump’s decision to send the National Guard into Washington DC, and what could it mean for other states in America?
As troops arrive into DC, after Trump said the deployment was necessary to bring down crime and homelessness, Sarah and Justin talk about why the US president has made the announcement now.
We also discuss crime rates, particularly as his opponents say the figures are trending downward in DC, and how this deployment might expand to other Democratic cities.
Plus, we answer your questions on whether this is just a distraction technique to “flood the zone” away from the Epstein files.
HOSTS:
• Sarah Smith, North America Editor
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 Presenter
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 George Dabby with Grace Reeve and Rufus Gray. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.
You can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers.
US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155
Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.
Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl
Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm
Radical with Amol Rajan: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj3tdq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rsf)
Business Daily meets: Tiguidanke Camara
Tiguidanke Camara shares how her experience of modelling jewellery in New York led her back to her home country - Guinea - where she set up her own business mining gold and diamonds.
If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Rob Young
Producer: Amber Mehmood
(Picture: Tigui Mining Company owner Tiguidanke Camara at a mine in Guingouine, a small town in the Logouale locality, near Man, western Ivory Coast. Credit: Getty Images)
FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct7445)
Pramoedya Ananta Toer: The banned author of Indonesia
In 1969, Indonesian writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer was imprisoned without trial in the notorious labour camp on Buru Island. He spent 10 years there.
He is best known for his novels about the rise of Indonesian nationalism. He wrote much of his work in captivity. As he was denied pen and paper on the island, his most famous work, the Buru Quartet, began as oral storytelling. He narrated the stories to fellow prisoners until he was eventually allowed to write them down himself.
His powerful story is told through archive interviews. Produced and presented by Gill Kearsley.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxfkwg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbdywv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj3y4v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 09:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Thursday]
FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxfpml)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wd)
Why do we follow trends?
What's got rabbit-like ears, huge eyes, nine teeth and a demonic grin? It’s Labubu! These ugly-cute toys have gone viral online, largely thanks to social media’s trending machine. Their fame was previously limited to China and parts of Asia, but since 2024 their popularity has grown and the dolls can now be purchased in more than 30 countries round the world.
This week, the global demand for Labubu inspired us to play around with trend-based science. First up, we hear how the special sauce behind TikTok’s algorithm helps drive viral trends.
Next, we find out that humans are not the only ones that love a fad – chimpanzees are susceptible to them too!
We then discover what connects the hugely popular Beanie Baby toys of the 1990s with modern CubeSat exploration, thanks to aerospace engineer Professor James Cutler, from the University of Michigan.
Plus, we discuss a weird object thousands of light-years away that could lead to new physics.
And why do we find songs annoying after multiple listens?
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Godfred Boafo and Edd Gent
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Imaan Moin, Lucy Davies and Margaret Sessa Hawkins
FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxftcq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbf6d3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj45n3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 11:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tgl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
FRI 11:59 VJ Day Silence (w3ct81r9)
Two-minute national silence to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.
FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wh6)
Outlook Mixtape: Indiana Jones, soccer grannies, and the £1 music deal
Four stories of people with tools for transformation, making their mark on the world around them.
Deborah Nadoolman Landis inherited the busy hands of her family's matriarchs, learning to knit from her grandmother and helping her mother put on plays for deaf children. During her childhood in New York City, she discovered how to turn everything from sheets, shower heads or chicken bones into costumes, a skill that later got her on Steven Spielberg's radar. The director asked her to work on his low-budget film, featuring a fedora-wearing, whip-wielding archaeologist named Indiana Jones. The movie turned out to be a blockbuster hit.
Pedro Niada built his family's dream home by hand on Robinson Crusoe island, 700 kilometres off the coast of Chile. The island's remote position meant there wasn't a hardware store on the island. Instead, he used materials from his surroundings: wood from the forest and cement made from beach sand. With its curved walls, the house looked like a giant wave. Just two years after construction was complete, a tsunami ripped their home from its foundations and swept it out to sea, but the shape of the house bought them precious time to escape their sinking home. Pedro had unknowingly engineered his family's survival.
Rebecca Ntsanwisi - affectionately known by her community in Limpopo, South Africa as Mama Beka - was on a serious health-kick. It was during her recovery from cancer when she discovered game-changing powers in the tips of her toes. The simple act of booting a ball back to a group of local boys led to her form her own team of elderly women in her area, called Vakhegula Vakhegula ("Grannies Grannies"). Although it took the grannies a while to master the basics, the team were asked to play in 2010's Veteran's Cup. Mama Beka went on to create the Soccer Grannies World Cup, an international tournament celebrating senior women in sports.
Simon Parkes turned a disused, crumbling building into one of London's most iconic concert halls. He started off as a budding gig goer, moving from the countryside to the city, in search of its live music scene. At just 23, he put his accountancy studies to the test, convincing the brewery who owned the dilapidated building to sell it to him for just one pound, in exchange for sales of beer once it was up and running. Over the next decade, Simon booked musical acts with social causes - such as the UK Miner's Strike, Artists United Against Apartheid and Nicaraguan solidarity - transforming the site into a cultural epicentre, where progressive political movements of the time found a home.
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Elena Angelides
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)
FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct7445)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxg1vz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbffwc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj4f4c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 13:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Thursday]
FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxg5m3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjflb5q)
Can Trump and Putin strike a deal?
Can Donald Trump strike a deal with Vladimir Putin in Alaska today and get a ceasefire in Ukraine - and if so, on what terms? President Trump has previously spoken of 'land swaps' but Kyiv has already rejected the idea. We hear from a teenager who lived under Russian occupation in the Donbas for 10 years, and recently escaped.
Also in the programme: the world marks 80 years since Japan surrendered, ending World War Two; and as talks on a global plastics treaty collapse – again – is there any hope countries can ever agree?
(IMAGE: U.S. President Donald Trump waves while boarding Air Force One, as he departs for Alaska to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate for an end to the war in Ukraine, from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., August 15, 2025 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxg9c7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 15:06 Americast (w3ct7t5s)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj4nmm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct76lb)
Is China's economy losing steam?
China’s economy hits the brakes as factory output, retail sales and investment data all come in weaker than expected in July.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi promises to build a self-reliant India.
And as Donald Trump meets Vladimir Putin in Alaska for talks on the Ukraine war, we hear from a Ukrainian farmer living through the conflict.
You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.
FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxgf3c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w173067wym9j97b)
Trump heads to Alaska for talks with Putin
Donald Trump has said he will let Ukraine decide whether to engage in territorial swaps with Russia. Mr Trump made the comments to reporters on Air Force One on his way to Alaska for a key summit with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. We speak to Ukrainians about their expectations from the meeting. Our colleagues from BBC Ukraine, BBC Russian and our correspondent in Alaska explain what's at stake.
More than 200 people have been killed in northwestern Pakistan by flash floods caused by torrential monsoon rains. We speak to World Service environment correspondent.
The African Union has backed members from the "Correct the Map" campaign who want to persuade governments and international organisations to adopt a map of the world which more accurately represents Africa's real size. Our Africa editor explains.
Several countries have reacted with dismay to the failure of talks aimed at reaching a global treaty to end plastic pollution. We speak to two people who develop solutions to tackle plastic pollution.
Presenter: Andrew Peach.
(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs for Alaska to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate for an end to the war in Ukraine, from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., August 15, 2025. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxgjvh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w173067wym9jdzg)
Ukraine war: Trump and Putin to meet in Alaska
Donald Trump has said he will let Ukraine decide whether to engage in territorial swaps with Russia. Mr Trump made the comments to reporters on Air Force One on his way to Alaska for a key summit with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. We hear from Ukrainians and Russians about their their expectations from the meeting. We also speak to local people in Alaska about what they make of the gathering in their home state.
A new study has found that drug treatment can help people newly diagnosed with ADHD to reduce their risk of substance misuse, suicidal behaviour, transport accidents and criminality. We speak to our health reporter and two people with ADHD.
Several countries have reacted with dismay to the failure of talks aimed at reaching a global treaty to end plastic pollution. We speak to two people who develop solutions to tackle plastic pollution.
Presenter: Andrew Peach.
(Photo: Demonstartors hold a banner during a protest in solidarity with Ukraine, ahead of the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 14, 2025. Credit: Nathaniel Wilder/Reuters)
FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxgnlm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wh6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct7445)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxgsbr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbg5c4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj54m4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z31)
2025/08/15 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 (w172zwwrjlxgx2w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rmx)
Messages from Sudan's war
Few people in Sudan have been left untouched by the civil war. More than 150,000 people have died, 12 people million have been forced to leave their homes and millions face starvation.
The conflict broke out in April 2023 after a vicious struggle for power between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group – the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Today, the front lines are in the south and the western Darfur region.
We hear messages from people inside the besieged city of el-Fasher and bring together displaced families in conversation to share their experiences.
“It was terrifying, the bombing and shelling over our heads,” Isra tells us. “We’re still struggling for safety and basic necessities of life – food and clean water,” adds Abdalrashid.
The medical charity Doctors Without Borders has warned that Sudan also faces the worst cholera outbreak the country has seen in years. Representatives from aid agencies tell us how they are struggling to reach people most in need.
Presenter: Andrew Peach
BBC producers: Anjolaoluwa Olosunde and Isabella Bull
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the OS team.
(Photo: A Sudanese cholera patient looks on as he lies on a bed at a United Nations-Run makeshift clinic, in Tawila north Darfur, Sudan, August 5, 2025. Credit: Mohammed Jamal/Reuters)
FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj58c8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st1)
How long does light last?
When listener Rob from Devon, UK, heard of a newly detected planet light years away, he was struck by the sheer scale the light must travel to reach us here on Earth. It got him wondering: How long does light last? What’s the oldest light we’ve ever observed? And does light ever die?
To find out, presenter Anand Jagatia calls on some of the brightest minds in astronomy and physics.
Astronomer Matthew Middleton from the University of Southampton describes himself as “a kid in a sweet shop” when it comes to physics, and that enthusiasm comes in handy, because scientists still struggle to define exactly what light is. What we do know is that light comes in many forms, and choosing the right kind can peel back the cosmic curtain, revealing the universe’s deepest and darkest secrets. That knowledge will prove vital in Anand’s search for the oldest light ever observed.
At the European Southern Observatory in Chile, staff astronomer Pascale Hibon gives Anand a behind-the-scenes look at the Very Large Telescope, one of the most advanced optical instruments on Earth, perfectly placed under some of the clearest skies on the planet. Light from the objects Pascale studies has often travelled for billions of years, making her images snapshots of the distant past. In a sense, she’s pretty much a time traveller.
If light has crossed the vastness of the universe to reach us, it must be unimaginably ancient. But what will become of it in the far future? Could we trap it and preserve it forever?
“If we knew what light is, that might be an easier question to answer,” says Miles Padgett at the University of Glasgow, who has spent his career trying to pin it down. As Anand discovers, physics can be more philosophical than you might expect.
From redshifted galaxies at the edge of the observable universe to exotic materials that can slow light to walking pace, CrowdScience explores whether we can catch light, how it changes over time, and why truly understanding it remains one of physics’ most stubborn challenges.
Presenter: Anand Jagatia
Producer: Harrison Lewis
Editor: Ilan Goodman
(Image: An area of deep space with thousands of galaxies in various shapes and sizes on a black background. Most are circles or ovals, with a few spirals. More distant galaxies are smaller, down to being mere dots, while closer galaxies are larger and some appear to be glowing. Red and orange galaxies contain more dust or more stellar activity Credit:ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, G. Östlin, P. G. Perez-Gonzalez, J. Melinder, the JADES Collaboration, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb))
FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxh0v0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zss6qjfm5dm)
Putin and Trump meet in Alaska
The world’s media watches as the presidents of Russia and the USA meet in Alaska. Russian officials say they want to discuss broad US-Russian relations, but on Air Force One President Trump said he wanted to focus on Ukraine.
Also on the programme: we hear from an Indian soldier who saw the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and the people trying to crack an unsolved code sitting right outside the CIA’s headquarters.
(IMAGE: Trump and Putin meet in Anchorage, Alaska, 15 August CREDIT: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxh4l4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 22:06 Americast (w3ct7t5s)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj5hvj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 22:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tgl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwrjlxh8b8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl6ntbgnbn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxkzbj5mln)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76nl)
Trump Putin summit under way in Alaska
The Donald Trump Vladimir Putin summit is underway in Alaska. We hear from economic experts ahead of this important meeting .
We examine what this means for both the Russian and the Ukrainian economies.
Presenter Rahul Tandon also talks to guests from the US, Ukraine and Russia to assess what it means for the global economy.