SATURDAY 06 SEPTEMBER 2025

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvttwx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wh)
Punk rock science

A dinosaur with metre-long spikes has been discovered. The species, Spicomellus afer, is from the Jurassic Period and is the oldest example of a group of animals called ankylosaurs.

The scientists behind the research have dubbed the new dinosaur the ‘punk rock dinosaur’, which led the Unexpected Elements team to go out searching for the science on all things punk, rock, and heavy metal.

First up, we find out what other punks might be lurking in the fossil record. And meet a pair of unconventional molluscs.

Next up on the set list, we investigate the physics underpinning mosh pits and the implications this could have for crowd control.

We speak with Anirudh Patel, an astrophysicist from Columbia University, who is scouring deep space to find out more about the origins of heavy metals.

And we dig into the unexpected link between water pipes and IQ.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Camilla Mota and Meral Jamal
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Lucy Davies and Robbie Wojciechowski


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvtyn1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs7sx5v346)
Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvv2d5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8tgdk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gjfnk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zjp)
From farm to fours: Meet South Africa's rising star Annerie Dercksen

Our Women’s World Cup countdown continues, and this week we focus on South Africa. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma are joined by all-rounder Annerie Dercksen who tells us about how she went from growing up on a farm and learning about cricket in the newspapers to being voted the ICC women’s emerging cricketer of the year 2024. She also shares what it was like having Dane Van Niekerk as part of their training camp and how the team has been inspired by the Proteas winning the World Test Championship earlier this year.

We reflect on The Hundred final and debate whether Australian Adam Zampa should have made the 34,000 kilometre round trip to bowl 20 balls for the Oval Invincibles. Plus, with rumours and ‘retirements’ surrounding both the England and Australia teams ahead of the Ashes, we look at which team is faring better.

Photo: Annerie Dercksen of South Africa celebrates with teammate Anneke Bosch after Brooke Halliday of New Zealand (obscured) is caught out during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024 match between South Africa and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvv649)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wh9)
Outlook Mixtape: Wrestle-mania! A trilogy of takedowns

Today’s Mixtape is all about the wild, outrageous world of wrestling and the people brave enough to take to the mat.

Mahavir Phogat has always been fanatical about wrestling. He did some amateur wrestling himself, but he did not reach the heights he had hoped to. So, dreaming of an Olympic gold medal, he decided to train his two daughters, Geeta and Babita, to be champion wrestlers.

Remedios La Misteriosa is a wrestler in the Bolivian city of El Alto. She is part of the indigenous Aymara people and when she wrestles she wears her traditional skirt. She started training to learn to defend herself, but has since become a star in the sport.

Former Harvard athlete Chris Nowinski found stardom after a reality TV show catapulted him into the world of pro wrestling. Performing as the obnoxious villain Chris Harvard, he worked alongside WWE superstars like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and John Cena. Chris lived the dream, until one fateful match left him suffering from post-concussion syndrome. With his career seemingly at its end, Chris began researching sports-related head trauma and convincing athletes to donate their brains. His work helped shed new light on the dangers of impact sports.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producers: Marcia Veiga and Anna Lacey

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

(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct7448)
‘How I sold my clothes and created $5 billion Vinted empire'

In 2008, Lithuanian student Milda Mitkutė realised she had too many clothes when she was moving out.

She told her friend Justas Janauskas and together they came up with a website to sell them.

It later became Vinted, the online marketplace, which now has more than 500 million items listed for sale across 23 countries.

Milda speaks to Rachel Naylor and tells her that they originally forgot to add a ‘buy’ button.

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: Milda Mitkutė. Credit: Vinted)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvv9wf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvvfmk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8ttmy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gjswy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Trending (w3ct72tj)
Floods hit Texas, then came the cloud talk

On 4 July, just hours after flash floods hit the US state of Texas, killing more than 130 people, social media was inundated with unfounded theories about the causes of this tragedy.

The main allegation was that the extreme rainfall was somehow man-made, with many users blaming Rainmaker, a weather modification company based in California.

These baseless claims were quickly debunked by scientists.

And yet, online, calls for the company’s CEO, Augustus Doricko, to be arrested, punished - or, more sinisterly, executed - continued to multiply.

Suggestions that sinister forces may be controlling the weather by spraying chemicals in the atmosphere may have once been the preserve of niche websites and forums. Not anymore.

As several US states consider banning weather modification and geoengineering, BBC Trending investigates how fringe conspiracy theories have gone mainstream.

Reporter: Marco Silva
Editor: Flora Carmichael


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzb)
Do 11,000 sharks die every hour?

Hollywood has given sharks a terrible reputation. But in reality, the finned fish should be far more scared of us, than we of them.

Millions of sharks are killed in fishing nets and lines every year.

One statistical claim seems to sum up the scale of this slaughter – that 100 million sharks are killed every year, or roughly 11,000 per day.

But how was this figure calculated, and what exactly does it mean?

We go straight to the source and speak to the researcher who worked it out, Dr Boris Worm, a professor in marine conservation at Dalhousie University in Canada.

Presenter: Lizzy McNeill
Producer: Nicholas Barrett
Series producer: Tom Colls
Production coordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound mix: Annie Gardiner
Editor: Richard Vadon


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvvkcp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw882nj342n)
A review of the week with the latest news.


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvvp3t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw882nj37ts)
A review of the week with the latest news.


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvvsvy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw882nj3ckx)
A review of the week with the latest news.


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvvxm2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn0)
Grey Divorce

There’s plenty of chat on social media about so-called ‘grey divorce’. But are older people around the world really splitting up in record numbers?

The truth is, it’s hard to be sure, because reliable figures on global divorce rates don’t exist. Where research has been done - most notably in the US - there’s some evidence that rising numbers of people are deciding to go their separate ways later in life.

We hear from three Americans, including 65 year-old Laura in Virginia. Her immediate feelings post break up - after almost 30 years of marriage - included loneliness and personal reappraisal.

“It was also a complete loss of my sense of identity,” said Laura. “I had my ex husband’s last name longer than I had my own name. I was a mother and my divorce coincided with my kids launching. So it was, okay, who am I now?”

For 68 year-old Steven in North Carolina, who split from his husband eight years ago, new relationships also required adjustment.

“It has taken time to rebuild that kind of trust on the emotional level,” he said, “and then taking your clothes off at 60 is different to taking your clothes off at 45!”

Two women from Malaysia and South Africa also reveal what grey divorce is like from an adult child’s point of view.

Hosted by Rahul Tandon. Conversations by Luke Jones.

A Boffin Media production with producer Sue Nelson in partnership with the BBC OS team and producers Iqra Farooq and Laura Cress

(Photo: Divorcee and podcast host, Laura Stassi, Credit: Jenifer Morris Photography)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gk8wg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z57)
Have we gone cuckoo for bird impressions?

Contests in Hong Kong and New York to find the best bird impression, and the impression the pandemic had on birds themselves. Plus, the woman who fell in love with her sperm donor and the robots that explore the deep ocean.


SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvr)
Covid and the story of a boat under lockdown

Lives Less Ordinary is the show that seeks out unusual stories from every corner of the globe. But what are the challenges of making an unprecedented eight-part series on one single story about a boat lockdown during Covid? We hear your views and we’re joined by its series producer.

Plus it's a fond farewell to one of the BBC World Service’s best known voices, Jackie Leonard.

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


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvw1c6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8784)
Man (still) in Motion

Every Hollywood box office success needs a great title track, and that's certainly true of hit 1980's coming of age film St Elmo's Fire. Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Andie MacDowell and the rest of the "Brat Pack" all gave suitably good performances, but the most memorable part of the film was undoubtably the title track, St Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) It reached the top of the US billboard charts in September 1985 and represented singer songwriter John Parr's most successful track. Forty years later people are still singing the song, but most people don't know about the hidden and surprising inspiration behind the song. And it has nothing to do with the film!

We hear from both performer John Parr and the man who inspired the song, Canadian para athlete Rick Hansen.

Plus other remarkable "Men in Motion" including Olympic medalist Matt Richardson who has just broken the record to become the fastest man on a bike.

Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 - the biggest race in American motorsport. Guthrie, a former aerospace engineer, had faced opposition and scepticism from male drivers and some sections of the press.

Photo: A view of the Original Motion Picture title track of Columbia Pictures movie "St. Elmo's Fire" in 1985. (Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvw53b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8vk3q)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gkjcq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Good Bad Billionaire (w3ct7q8v)
Martha Stewart: The original lifestyle influencer

Martha Stewart revolutionised home entertaining with her recipes, home decor and TV shows, becoming one of the world's most successful women in business. Known as the ultimate homemaker and the "original lifestyle influencer", she's also the USA’s first ever self-made female billionaire. But while the entrepreneur made her fortune as a domestic goddess, Martha Stewart is no trad wife. It took more than crafts and cookbooks to make her fortune. And then it all came crashing down.

BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng are back with a new season of Good Bad Billionaire. In this episode, they're exploring the life of Martha Stewart, charting the lifestyle mogul’s career, from her influence over millions of American homes, to her time in prison, and her ultimate comeback – as a star of social media and the subject of a Netflix documentary, all with Snoop Dogg at her side. Then they decide if they think she’s good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvw8vg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s3)
Arthur Conan Doyle - The Hound of the Baskervilles

Join us for a special episode of World Book Club as we journey into the fog-shrouded moors of Devon to explore The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle—arguably the most iconic and enduring novel in the Sherlock Holmes canon. First published in 1902, this gothic masterpiece has captivated readers for over a century and remains a cornerstone of detective fiction.

Harriett Gilbert is joined by internationally bestselling crime writer Denise Mina whose books include Three Fires, and The Good Liar and Dr Mark Jones, co-presenter of The Doings of Doyle podcast and editor of The Sherlock Holmes Journal. Together, they’ll be answering your questions about The Hound of the Baskervilles and discussing Sherlock Holmes’s lasting influence on crime and detective fiction.

Recorded in front of a live audience at Topping & Company Booksellers in Edinburgh during the Edinburgh Festival, this episode is a treat for mystery lovers everywhere. Expect lively debate as the panel considers whether all great fictional detectives need to be a little insufferable, whether the novel’s gothic atmosphere has had more impact on the genre than Holmes’s famed deductive reasoning—and why the spectral hound continues to haunt readers’ imaginations more than a century after it first appeared.


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvwdll)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zss7tbd0k56)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvwjbq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqp3x4j4q5)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld will have live Women’s Super League commentary of Arsenal against top-flight debutants London City Lionesses. Lee James will be joined by former England and Liverpool striker Natasha Dowie to preview the WSL season. Hear from Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie after she made the move to the WSL by joining Brighton & Hove Albion.

Lee will be joined by her Nigeria teammate Ashleigh Plumptre and England’s Esme Morgan to reflect on their Africa Cup of Nations and Euros wins.

They'll also be discussion around the men’s World Cup qualifiers with key games in Africa and South America. Away from football, it’s the final of the women’s US Open singles, the final group games of the Women’s Rugby World Cup and the Italian Formula One Grand Prix.

With the start of the World Athletics Championships just a week away, there’s a brand new episode of The Warm Up Track, as our team of Ed Harry and Ade Adedoyin chat to United States pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, who won silver behind Mondo Duplantis at the Paris Olympics.

Image: Victoria Pelova and Chloe Kelly of Arsenal celebrate victory at full-time following the UEFA Women's Champions League final match between Arsenal WFC and FC Barcelona at Estadio Jose Alvalade on May 24, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvx0b7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8wdbm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24glclm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Trending (w3ct72tj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 today]


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvx42c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7230)
How much of a threat is satellite warfare?

“There is no longer any debate that space is a war fighting domain,”

These were the words of Commander General Stephen Whiting from the US government’s Space Command at a conference earlier this year.
China, the US, India and Russia have tested anti-satellite weapons in space, and technology is blurring the lines between civilian and military satellites.

But will there be war in space?

Joining us to discuss the threat of satellite warfare are: Dr Raji Rajagopalan, a resident senior fellow with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra; Juliana Suess, an associate with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs; Saadia Pekkanen, professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA and Dr Bleddyn Bowen is an associate professor of Astro politics with the Space Research Centre at Durham University in the UK.

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Vicky Farncombe
Researcher: Maeve Schaffer
Technical producer: Nicky Edwards
Production Coordinator: Tammy Snow
Editor: Tara McDermott

Image: Getty Images


SAT 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24glhbr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:32 The Documentary (w3ct87mw)
Xi, Kim And Putin: A New World Alliance?

Celia Hatton explores the unprecedented show of unity from China, North Korea and Russia. Are the leaders of these nuclear nations just grandstanding or should the West be worried?


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvx7th)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztq)
Writer and comedian Bill Posley

Nikki Bedi talks to US writer and comedian Bill Posley about his one-man show, The Day I Accidentally Went To War and is joined by cultural critic, Anil Sinanan.

Hollywood star Orlando Bloom reveals how he prepared for his latest role as a boxer in The Cut.

Brazilian performer Edgar Jacques talks about his immersive theatre show, Another Sight.

Grammy award-winning American singer Gregory Porter on how his mother influenced his music.

Oscar winning British filmmaker Christopher Nolan reflects on why some of the best directors have an advertising background.

Canadian author Madeleine Thien talks about her latest novel, The Book of Records.

And the multi-talented Australian star Tim Minchin on his new album.

Main image: Bill Posley
Photo credit: Kaitlin Saltzman


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvxckm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zss7tbd1j47)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvxh9r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8784)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvxm1w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8x028)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24glzb8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72dc)
Wally Seck

Wally Seck is one of Senegal’s most popular musicians – his nickname is the People’s Singer, because he has huge appeal with young audiences. He’s also sometimes called the "prince of African pop", acknowledging that his countryman Youssou N'Dour is still the king.

His father was Thione Seck, a famous Senegalese musician, who performed with Orchestre Baobab, but later formed his own band, Raam Daan.

Wally is rooted in Senegal’s Mbalax sound but mixes it with Afro-pop and has released intentionally international facing albums. He has collaborated with big names in Afrobeats including Wizkid from Nigeria and Eddy Kenzo from Uganda. He has also released songs with US artists Chris Brown and Jason Derulo.

Amongst Wally Seck’s most recent hits is Confuse, which has racked up 48 million views on YouTube so far. Wally Seck’s most recent album Entre Nous, which means Between Us, dropped in March 2025.

SUNDAY 07 SEPTEMBER 2025

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvxqt0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gm32d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct80jm)
Germany's timber detectives

On the outskirts of Hamburg, Dr Gerald Koch is surrounded by wooden objects - chairs, board games, paint brushes - ready for inspection. His team of scientists at the Thünen Institute of Wood Research are known as the timber detectives. They spend their days putting wood samples under the microscope to find out where they have come from, and if they are suspect.

Berlin-based environmental journalist Becca Warner explores the ongoing problem of illegal deforestation.

Why is it proving so hard to tackle, despite tightening EU regulations? What are the consequences for those living in Papua New Guinea, where much of this timber originates? And what makes this group of German scientists so important in the battle to protect the world’s forests?

Presenter: Becca Warner
Producer: Tom Pooley
A 4 Kicks production for BBC World Service

Image: Gerald Koch and Becca Warner inspect timber samples (Credit: Tom Pooley)


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvxvk4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7230)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gm6tj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 Trending (w3ct72tj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zs2)
Oscar De La Hoya: ‘I knocked him down, he knocked me down’

In 1999, reigning WBC welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya - the “golden boy” of boxing – was facing criticism over the quality of the opponents he fought.

One match changed all that – a Las Vegas showdown with Ike Quartey, from Ghana. “My strategy was solely to make it a dogfight, to make it entertaining, to shut up the doubters all over the world,” said La Hoya.

The Mexican American champ relives the bout with Mark Wilberforce.

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: Ike Quartey (right) throws a right puch at Oscar De La Hoya (left) in Las Vegas in 1999. Credit: Al Bello /Allsport via Getty Images.)


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvxz98)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8xc9n)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gmbkn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjs)
Have we found a better alternative to aspirin?

Millions of us take aspirin daily to ward off heart attack or stroke, but a new study has found an alternative blood thinner, clopidogrel, could be more effective. We find out how it compares.

An oral health check-up at least two weeks before surgery has shown to reduce the risk of post-operative infections such as pneumonia as well as reduce the length of a patients' hospital stay. Dr Kristina Wanyonyi-Kay Research Programme Leader at The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute at the University of Cambridge assesses what this Japanese study tells is about the connection between oral health and the rest of our bodies.

The Africa CDC and WHO have just launched ambitious targets to cut Cholera by 90% across Africa. Global health journalist Andrew Green assesses if this target is likely to be met with the measures proposed.

We meet a Chilean football team who’ve all had organ transplants. They’re trying to raise awareness and improve the number of donors in the country. Our reporter Jane Chambers went to Santiago to find out more.

Could music help or worsen travel sickness? A study in China found happy music improved symptoms whilst sad music made them worse.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Katie Tomsett & Hannah Robins


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvy31d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvy6sj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trx)
China's vision of a new world order

Pascale Harter introduces stories from China, Afghanistan, Chile and Spain.

In Beijing this week, Xi Jinping showed off the Chinese military's newest weaponry - and showcased his nation's growing diplomatic clout as too. As he walked with Russia' President Putin and North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un in Tiananmen Square, BBC China correspondent Laura Bicker was watching.

Afghanistan's recent earthquake and aftershocks killed at least 1400 people. As homes, roads and wells crumbled to dust, help was slow to reach affected villages, and international aid isn't likely to arrive quickly - as donor nations are wary of handing money to its Taliban government. Yogita Limaye saw in Jalalabad how the Talibans' strict social rules were applied to female survivors of the disaster.

Copper mining is a mainstay of Chile's economy - and demand for the red metal will only rise as more and more of the world's energy usage goes electric. But getting it out of the ground is often a highly polluting process. Robin Markwell recently visited Chiquicamata, in the hyper-arid Atacama desert - a settlement of 25,000 people which went from boom town to ghost town after it was declared too toxic to live in.

The summer Spain has endured some of its worst wildfires in recent years. Even in Galicia - a region sometimes nicknamed "the Ireland of Spain" for its heavy rains and green fields - blazes have ripped across the landscape. This part of the country is also home to Europe’s largest surviving herds of wild horses - and it turns out they can help limit the spread of the fires. But for how long? John Murphy went to find out.

Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gml1x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 Good Bad Billionaire (w3ct7q8v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvybjn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8xqk1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gmpt1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct80jm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvyg8s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw882nj60zr)
A review of the week with the latest news.


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvyl0x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw882nj64qw)
A review of the week with the latest news.


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvyps1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw882nj68h0)
A review of the week with the latest news.


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvytj5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gn5sk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70yx)
Should I eat breakfast?

High prices, busy lives and the rise of intermittent fasting mean more people are skipping breakfast. This week, Ruth Alexander speaks to three experts in nutrition about whether that matters. She finds out what it’s best to eat for your first meal of the day and when is best to have it.

Experts Courtney Peterson, a researcher in intermittent fasting and associate professor at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the United States.. Professor Alexandra Johnstone, a nutrition scientist based at The Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland snd Marianella Herrera, an associate professor in public health nutrition at Central University of Venezuela and visiting lecturer at Framingham State University in the US, share their insights.

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

Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Image: A bowl full of cereal and a spoon (credit: Getty)


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvyy89)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct80hp)
Flower power

In India, flower waste from temples poses a unique environmental problem - generating nearly a billion tonnes of organic garbage each year. These flowers end up in water bodies or landfills, affecting aquatic life and soil health. Chhavi Sachdev in India explores some innovative solutions that deal with this fragrant, sacred garbage.

A Just Radio production.


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gn9jp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70td)
Colombia's cocaine submarines

Deep inside the Colombian Amazon hi-tech submarines are being built. When it comes to making the cocaine trade more profitable, there’s nothing narco-traffickers aren’t willing to try. Some of the solutions they’re reportedly employing sound like something out of the American TV series Breaking Bad: GPS-trackers, remotely operated submarines and recruiting highly specialised scientists. Reporter José Carlos Cueto of BBC Mundo has been investigating the new trends and technologies used by cartels in Colombia and abroad.

Labubu dolls, the elf-like plush toys from the Chinese toy maker Pop Mart, seem to have taken the world by storm. Singer Rihanna had one clipped to her bag, influencer Kim Kardashian shared her collection of 10 dolls on Instagram, and former England football captain Sir David Beckham also shared a photo of a Labubu, given to him by his daughter. So, what’s behind this craze? Fan Wang reports from Singapore.

From the US to the Middle East, sand and dust storms have recently swept across many parts of the world, colouring the skies and leaving people with breathing problems. These storms traditionally originate in vast deserts. However, scientists believe that climate change means more people could be affected - with desertification and melting glaciers, exposing more dust. Maria Zaccaro, a BBC journalist reporting for the Global Journalism Science and Climate team, finds out more.

Mumbai in India is one of the most densely populated cities in the world - and it’s also the perfect habitat for leopards. BBC Marathi recently posted a video on their YouTube channel, showing these majestic wild cats strolling down residential streets and even entering people’s homes. In the past, there were several reports of human-animal conflict, including some deadly attacks. But since 2022 there have been no accidents at all. So how did people and leopards manage to find a way to live together in harmony? Reporter Mayuresh Konnur has the story.

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.

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


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvz20f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8yg0t)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gnf8t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 Trending (w3ct72tj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvz5rk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gnk0y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:32 The Documentary (w3ct87mw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:32 on Saturday]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvz9hp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zss7tbd3g29)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvzf7t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702b)
Will there be a solar power boom in Africa?

Africa gets a world beating amount of sunshine — but has just 1% of the world’s solar panels.

Over half the continent still lives without electricity, stalling progress and holding back people’s lives. But change may be coming — thanks to a surge in solar imports from China.

New data from energy think tank EMBER shows a 60% jump in solar panel shipments to Africa in the past year. If installed, they could generate 15 GW — nearly doubling Africa’s current solar capacity.

It’s not just the biggest energy users like South Africa, Nigeria, and Algeria. Countries like Liberia, DRC, Benin, Angola, and Ethiopia have tripled their imports.

So, is this the start of a solar-powered revolution on the continent?

Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar speak to Dr Rose Mutiso, Science Advisor at the Energy for Growth Hub and Founder of the African Tech Futures Lab.

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

Production Team: Jordan Dunbar, Nik Sindle, Diane Richardson, Grace Braddock, Chris Gouzaris and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gnsj6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct6tyq)
The Happy Pod: The 'game changing' test for ovarian cancer

A new blood test could dramatically improve survival rates for women with ovarian cancer by detecting it much sooner. The researchers tell us it's a game changer that could go on to save tens of thousands of lives around the world every year.

Also: we meet the female Muslim jockey breaking new ground and inspiring the next generation. Khadijah Mellah has just made her amateur debut.

Plus the woman who underwent a rare triple organ transplant talks about the joy of getting back to normal life; how a hand-cranked washing machine is saving thousands of people from hours of back breaking work; football's Homeless World Cup; and why a member of indie band Kasabian is opening a new music venue in a tiny Welsh town.

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

Presenter: Bernadette Kehoe. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Image credit: University of Manchester


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdvzjzy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqp3x4m5cd)
Live Sporting Action

There's no live Premier League commentary on Sunday Sportsworld this week, but there's still plenty of football discussion and analysis, as we approach the business end of qualifying for next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Sportsworld team will also reflect on the day's action in the Women's Super League, and head to Egypt to assess the impact and legacy of Mohamed Salah in his home nation, tracing his roots from the village of Nagrig to a global icon with Liverpool.

There will also be a preview to the World Athletics Championships, which get underway in Tokyo next Saturday, and bring you the latest episode of The Warm Up Track, featuring Olympic pole vault bronze medallist Emmanouil Karalis and US sprint hurdler Cordell Tinch, who ran the joint fourth fastest men’s 110m hurdles time in history earlier this year.

Plus, we'll discuss the opening weekend of the new NFL season, and head to New York to look ahead to the men's singles final at the US Open tennis.

Image: Armand Duplantis of Team Sweden competes in the Men's Pole Vault Qualification on day eight of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 31, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdw00zg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8zdzv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gpd7v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 The Documentary (w3ct80hy)
The second map

We remember the attack on Pearl Harbour and the atomic bombing of Japan during World War Two. Yet hundreds of thousands of British and Allied soldiers fought for years on the Asian and Pacific fronts against the Japanese in a brutal war - so why don't we remember it better today? 'The Second Map' charts key moments in this other, lesser known war to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ day, through remarkable audio testimonies that have never been broadcast before, of soldiers and civilians - on all sides.


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdw04ql)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdw08gq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zss7tbd4f1b)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdw0d6v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gprh7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z57)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


SUN 22:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:50 on Saturday]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdw0hyz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl7rm8zwzc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gpw7c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70td)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]

MONDAY 08 SEPTEMBER 2025

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwsmdw0mq3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxm24gpzzh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yft)
Why is Afghanistan so vulnerable to earthquakes?

Despite the relatively low magnitude, earthquakes in Afghanistan this week have left more than1000 dead. Afghan researcher Zakeria Shnizai from the University of Oxford unpicks some of the main causes of the country’s vulnerability to earthquakes.

Also this week, we talk to the climate scientist who led a 400+ page rebuttal to the US Department of Energy’s report on climate change.

We hear about research which has mapped the activity of over 600,000 neurons in 279 regions of the mouse brain to learn more about how decisions are made.

And we get the latest updates on 3I/ATLAS, the latest interstellar comet streaking its way across our solar system, just before it disappears behind the sun.

Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Ella Hubber
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

(Image: Magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes eastern Afghanistan. Credit: Anadolu via Getty Images).


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp54lqd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl3zqs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrtyzs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6swd)
The Life Scientific: Sir Magdi Yacoub

What does it take to earn the nickname, ‘The Leonardo da Vinci of heart surgery’?

That's the moniker given to today's guest - a man who pioneered high-profile and often controversial procedures, but also helped drive huge medical progress; carrying out around 2,000 heart transplants and 400 dual heart-lung transplants during his 60-year career.

Sir Magdi Yacoub is Emeritus Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Imperial College London, and Director of Research at Harefield Hospital’s Magdi Yacoub Institute.
Inspired by a surgeon father and impacted by the tragic early death of his aunt from a heart condition, his medical career includes various surgical firsts alongside numerous research projects, to further our understanding of and ability to treat heart disease. He headed up the teams that discovered it is possible to reverse heart failure, and that successfully grew part of a human heart valve from stem cells for the first time.

But it hasn't always been plain sailing. At times, his work – such as early, unsuccessful transplant attempts, or using a baboon as a life-support system for a baby – attracted serious public criticism.

Speaking to Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Sir Magdi reflects on the highs and lows of his cardio career, and offers his advice to the next generation of surgeons and researchers hoping to make their mark in heart medicine.

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


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp54qgj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl43gx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrv2qx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st4)
Will drinking milk help me live longer?

Milk: drink a lot of it and we’ll grow big and tall with strong bones. That’s what many people are told as children, but just how true is this accepted wisdom? CrowdScience listener JJ in Singapore is sceptical. He wants to live a healthy life for as long as possible, and he’s wondering whether drinking cow’s milk will help or hinder him on this mission.

All mammals produce milk, and our mother’s milk is our very first drink as babies. So what actually is the white stuff? Mary Fewtrell, professor of paediatric nutrition at UCL, gives presenter Chhavi Sachdev the lowdown on just how fundamental breastmilk is to us all.
But are we meant to continue drinking milk from other animals once we grow up? This behaviour of ours is rare among mammals… so Christina Warinner, professor of evolutionary biology at Harvard University, tells us when in our history cow’s milk entered our diet, and how we even came to be able to digest it.

And is there any truth in the accepted wisdom that cow’s milk will give us stronger bones? Karl Michaelsson, professor of medical epidemiology at Uppsala University, has researched just this – and the answer isn’t what you’d expect. Karl helps Chhavi sift through the complex evidence to see whether milk is actually any good for us.

Presenter: Chhavi Sachdev
Producer: Sophie Ormiston
Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo:Lady milking cow, Nadiad, Gujarat, India)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp54v6n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct80hp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrv6h1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z57)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


MON 03:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:50 on Saturday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp54yys)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl4bz5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrvb75)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct7094)
Bringing movies back to life

Ella Al-Shamahi talks to women from Italy and US about the craft of film restoration and the importance of bringing movies, especially those by women, back to life.

Sandra Schulberg is the founder and president of IndieCollect – a nonprofit in the US that has restored more than 85 films since 2016 and rescued thousands of abandoned film negatives. She describes the independent movies they care for as ‘orphans’ and says it’s vital to keep these films alive as they’re not just cinematic heritage, they’re cultural history.

Italian-born Elena Nepoti is the film conservation manager at the British Film Institute National Archive. She’s particularly focussed on the restoration of films from the silent era and is currently managing an ongoing major project – restoring a series of Sherlock Holmes pictures from the 1920s which were given approval of Arthur Conan Doyle himself.

Produced by Hannah Dean and Jane Thurlow

(Image: (L) Elena Nepoti, courtesy Elena Nepoti. (R), Sandra Schulberg credit Barbara Katz.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp552px)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l3gqh)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp556g1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l3lgm)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp55b65)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l3q6r)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp55fy9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x02)
Francis Fukuyama: America’s Putin-esque direction

Paddy O’Connell speaks to Professor Francis Fukuyama about the threats to liberal democracies around the world.

The American political economist and international relations scholar, who is currently a senior fellow at Stanford University, has written widely on issues about development and international politics.

He is best-known for his 1992 book ‘The End of History and the Last Man’. He argued that the end of the Cold War, marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, represented the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution, and the universalisation of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.

But three decades on, Western liberal democracy appears to be struggling to adapt to the many challenges of the 21st century. Amid geopolitical instability, its future does not appear as universal as Fukuyama once proposed, even in the US.

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: Paddy O’Connell
Producer: Ben Cooper
Editor: Nick Holland

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

(Image: Professor Francis Fukuyama. Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrvt6p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ry2)
Trump card: what are golden visas?

As US President Donald Trump tries to lure wealthy foreigners with a $5m Gold Card residency visa, we explore the growing global marketplace of so-called golden passports and visas.

Do the super-rich use them as a tax plan, an insurance plan, or something else? And should jet-setters with deep pockets be able to skip the queue?

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presented and produced by Josh Martin

(Picture: US President Donald Trump holds the $5 million dollar Gold Card as he speaks to reporters while in flight on board Air Force One, en route to Miami, Florida on the 3rd of April 2025. Credit: Getty Images)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct746k)
Festac ’77: Nigeria’s largest festival of African arts and culture

In 1977, Nigeria hosted the largest festival of African arts and culture there had ever been. About half a million visitors attended, as well as 16,000 delegates including Stevie Wonder and Miriam Makeba.

Dozens of African nationalities, and people from the African diaspora were represented.

Headed by a military dictatorship, Nigeria spent hundreds of millions of dollars hosting nationwide events and building a new national theatre and festival village in Lagos.

Among those attending was Viola Burley Leak, an African American artist and designer exhibiting her artwork. She shares her experience of the spectacular opening ceremony and late-night revelry with Louis Harnet O’Meara.

An Ember production.



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: Festival welcoming sign. Credit: AP)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp55kpf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl4ypt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrvxyt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp55pfk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct71w7)
The Chindits and USAID

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's episodes of Witness History.

The formation of an unconventional special force during the Second World War sparks a discussion about three others around the world with military historian Lucy Betteridge-Dyson.

Plus, the founding of the United States Agency for International Development, the discovery of the wreck of the Titanic 40 years ago and the first baby born after a womb transplant.

Finally, Mexican-American boxer Oscar De La Hoya's toughest test - a clash with Ghana's Ike 'Bazooka' Quartey and how the online marketplace started at a house party in Lithuania in the noughties.

The first item contains outdated and offensive language.

Contributors:
Major General Orde Wingate - leader of the Chindits.
Baroness Jackson - economist who influenced the founding of USAID.
Cathy Offinger and Jean Louis Michel - explorers who helped find the wreck of the Titanic.
Prof Pernilla Dahm-Kähler - gynaecologist who helped deliver the first baby after a womb transplant.
Oscar De La Hoya - boxer nicknamed 'the Golden Boy of Boxing'.
Milda Mitkutė - co-founder of Vinted.

(Photo: Members of the Chindits in the jungle in Burma, now Myanmar. Credit: Hulton Archive / Getty Images)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp55t5p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl5662)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrw5g2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct716w)
The Global Story

.


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp55xxt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wq3)
Hold Fast! 1. Signs from the Universe

15 people, 188 days at sea, one extraordinary ship: how the Avontuur was locked down at sea during the Covid-19 pandemic.

What would you do if your world shrunk to 300 square metres, and you had no say over who you shared it with? If you were on a ship, at sea, far from loved ones - and didn’t know when you’d be able to set foot on land again, and get home?

Signs from the universe: When ship’s cook Giulia Baccosi accepts a last-minute job aboard sailing cargo ship The Avontuur, she’s looking for more than a job. She’s seeking adventure and community, too. She tells the captain that she’ll stay with the ship until it reaches Mexico, in about three months’ time.

After saying goodbye to her partner, Giulia settles into life on board and the responsibilities of feeding the Avontuur’s crew of fifteen.

But before Giulia and the crew know it, everything they’re counting on will be thrown to the winds.

Narrated by Siobhán McSweeney
Produced by Christina Hardinge
Sound & Music by Noémie Ducimetière
Narration written by Laura Thomas
Sound mix by Jackie Margerum and Giles Aspen
For Lives Less Ordinary, the series producer is Laura Thomas and the editor, Munazza Khan.


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct746k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp561ny)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl5fpb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrwdyb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp565f2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpb9zp)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp56956)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x02)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrwnfl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct76qz)
First broadcast 08/09/2025 14:32 GMT

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


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp56dxb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpk8919)
2025/09/08 15:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp56jng)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpk8dsf)
2025/09/08 16:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp56ndl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wq3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct746k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp56s4q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl6553)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrx4f3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z5f)
2025/09/08 GMT

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


MON 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp56wwv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrx857)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6swf)
The Life Scientific: Tori Herridge

Elephants are the largest living land mammal and today our planet is home to three species: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant.

But a hundred thousand years ago, in the chilly depths of the Ice Age, multiple species of elephant roamed the earth: from dog-sized dwarf elephants to towering woolly mammoths.

These gentle giants' evolutionary story and its parallels with that of humankind has long fascinated Dr Tori Herridge, a senior lecturer in evolutionary biology at the University of Sheffield, where - as a seasoned science broadcaster - she's also responsible for their Masters course in Science Communication.

Tori has spent much of her life studying fossil elephants and the sites where they were excavated; trying to establish facts behind relics that are far beyond the reach of Radio Carbon Dating. To date she's discovered dwarf mammoths on Mediterranean islands, retraced the groundbreaking Greek expedition of a female palaeontologist in the early 1900s, and even held an ancient woolly mammoth’s liver. (Verdict: stinky.)

But as she tells Professor Jim Al-Khalili, this passion for fossil-hunting is not just about understanding the past: this information is what will help us protect present-day elephants and the world around them for future generations.

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


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp570mz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpc56l)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp574d3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Interview (w3ct7x02)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrxhnh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 The Conversation (w3ct7094)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp57847)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl6n4m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrxmdm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76t7)
First broadcast 08/09/2025 21:32 GMT

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

TUESDAY 09 SEPTEMBER 2025

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp57cwc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71w7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp57hmh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs855h7n3n)
Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp57mcm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl70d0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrxzn0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc0)
Saving Gaza's Past

The history of Gaza dates back more than 5000 years. In antiquity, it was a key port on the Mediterranean coast. Assyrians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and the Ottomans have all left their mark on this small territory. This rich history is seen by Palestinians as central to their identity. Amid the death and destruction of the war, the BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Yolande Knell meets the Palestinians who’ve desperately tried to save what remains of Gaza’s past.

Producer: Alex Last
Sound mix: Neil Churchill
Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison
Series Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: The ruins of the Great Omari mosque. It was the oldest and largest mosque in Gaza – dating back to the 7th century . It was largely destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in December 2023. Credit: BBC/August 2025)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp57r3r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wq3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct746k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp57vvw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl77w8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdry748)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vtv)
MAST: Architecture on water

Rising sea levels and a worldwide shortage of buildable land make the prospect of floating buildings and infrastructure more beneficial than ever. MAST is an architectural firm based in the southern harbour of Copenhagen in Denmark. Surrounded by shipbuilders and workshops, their studio devises and builds houses, community centres, saunas and whole neighbourhoods on water.

While many of their projects can be seen on the waters of Copenhagen, the team is inspired by the long tradition of waterborne dwellings across the world and are currently working on constructions in Thailand, the Maldives, the USA , India and Portugal.

Architecture critic and author Jonathan Glancey is invited to Copenhagen to see the studio in action, and to travel out by boat to look at some of the completed projects.

Presenter: Jonathan Glancey
Producer: Susan Marling
A Just Radio production

Image: MAST architects Marshall Blecher and Magnus Maarbjerg (Credit: Susan Marling)


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp57zm0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l6cml)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp583c4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l6hcq)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp58738)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l6m3v)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp58bvd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy1)
Digging deep to help farmers

A new farming method is having a dramatic effect on maize crops in Malawi. And assistance is coming from a solar-powered tractor. In the last of her visits to Malawi, Myra goes to a village where they are using a new method called Deep Bed Farming. It’s more than doubled the yield of some of the farmers and improved their standards of living. The method involves digging deep into the hard earth. This can be tough work but a new solar-powered tractor designed in the UK called Aftrak is helping the farmers. Malawi has been hit hard by the changing climate and often struggles to feed its population. So making it more food secure could improve the lives of millions.

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

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer: Richard Kenny
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Senior News Editor: Lisa Baxter
Sound Mix: Hal Haines

(Image: Malawian farmers with an Aftrak solar powered tractor, BBC)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdryq3s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s73)
Business Daily

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74n4)
The Enabling Act

On 23 March 1933, the Enabling Act was passed in Germany, handing Adolf Hitler unchecked power. It became the legal foundation of his dictatorship.

But in that moment, one voice spoke in defiance.

Otto Wels, chairman of the Social Democratic Party, stood alone in the Reichstag: “Freedom and life can be taken away from us, but not honour.”

His words were the last to be spoken freely in the German parliament.

This is the story of the speeches that day, taken from recordings inside the Reichstag.

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.

(Photo: The Reichstag on 23 March 1933. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp58glj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl7vlx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrytvx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp58lbn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp58q2s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl8335)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrz2c5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71cd)
Eng25 The Global Story (Tuesday) 24

.


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp58ttx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4s)
Hold Fast! 2. The world as you know it no longer exists

In the middle of the Atlantic, the crew of the Avontuur receive a satellite email with news from land that throws everything they’d been counting on to the winds. Their mission and schedule are in disarray, but turning back isn’t an option. So ship’s cook Giulia and the rest of the crew find ways to cope with the uncertainty.

15 people, 188 days at sea, one extraordinary ship: how the Avontuur was locked down at sea during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Narrated by Siobhán McSweeney
Produced by Christina Hardinge
Sound & Music by Noémie Ducimetière
Narration written by Laura Thomas
Sound mix by Jackie Margerum and Giles Aspen
For Lives Less Ordinary, the series producer is Laura Thomas and the editor, Munazza Khan.


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74n4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp58yl1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl8blf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrz9vf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 Discovery (w3ct6swf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Monday]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp592b5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpf6ws)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp59629)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfdrzkbp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct7674)
First broadcast 09/09/2025 14:32 GMT

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


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp599tf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpkc5yd)
2025/09/09 15:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp59fkk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpkc9pj)
2025/09/09 16:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp59k9p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74n4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp59p1t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl9226)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds01b6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z9y)
2025/09/09 GMT

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


TUE 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp59ssy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rc0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds052b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zp7)
Tech Life

Tech Life discovers and explains the ways technology is changing our lives, wherever we are in the world.


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp59xk2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpg23p)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5b196)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds0dkl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vtv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5b51b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl9k1q)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds0j9q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76bj)
First broadcast 09/09/2025 21:32 GMT

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

WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2025

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5b8sg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6ztq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5bdjl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs855hbk0r)
Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5bj8q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wl9x93)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds0wk3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5bn0v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74n4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5brrz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlb4sc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds141c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle (w3ct80br)
The Space Shuttle

The Space Shuttle: 8. A major malfunction

The Challenger tragedy shocks a nation, as millions watch on TV screens across the USA.

Something has gone catastrophically wrong with the launch of space shuttle mission STS-51L. As they watch a fireball engulf the spacecraft, nobody in mission control has any idea what went wrong. Could it have been prevented?

We turn back the clock to a meeting the day before the launch which might have changed everything.

This episode contains scenes some listeners may find upsetting.

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:
Ronald Reagan announces Roger Commission inquiry, Reagan Library, 1986
Roger Boisjoly, Larry Mulloy and Dr James Fletcher, statements to the Rogers Commission, 1986
Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5bwj3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l98jp)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5c087)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l9d8t)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5c40c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4l9j0y)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5c7rh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6v)
The Interview

Conversations with people shaping our world. The best interviews from the BBC.


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds1m0w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6scm)
Business Daily

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74qd)
The story behind The Peter Principle book

In 1969, a satirical book, The Peter Principle, suggested promotion led to incompetence.

It was written by a Canadian Professor of Education, Dr Laurence J Peter and playwright Raymond Hull.

The book was a parody of management theory, but its core message struck a chord with many: “In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence".

It became an instant classic, selling millions of copies around the world.

In 2021, Alex Last told the story of how Dr Peter came up with his theory using an archive interview he gave to the BBC in 1974.

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: Dr Laurence J Peter. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5cchm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlbrj0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds1qs0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5ch7r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5clzw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlc008)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds1z88)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71fn)
The Global Story

.


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5cqr0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcp)
Hold Fast! 3. No better mirror than the sea

Denied entry to a series of ports in the Caribbean, the crew of the Avontuur begin to wonder whether they will ever be able to get off the ship. They mend sails and find creative ways to entertain themselves until, one night, Giulia begins to feel unwell.

15 people, 188 days at sea, one extraordinary ship: how the Avontuur was locked down at sea during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Narrated by Siobhán McSweeney
Produced by Christina Hardinge
Sound & Music by Noémie Ducimetière
Narration written by Laura Thomas
Sound mix by Jackie Margerum and Giles Aspen
For Lives Less Ordinary, the series producer is Laura Thomas and the editor, Munazza Khan.


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74qd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5cvh4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlc7hj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds26rj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zp7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5cz78)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpj3sw)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5d2zd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds2g7s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct76fy)
First broadcast 10/09/2025 14:32 GMT

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


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5d6qj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpkg2vh)
2025/09/10 15:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5dbgn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpkg6lm)
2025/09/10 16:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5dg6s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74qd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5dkyx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlcyz9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds2y79)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zd6)
2025/09/10 GMT

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


WED 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5dpq1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds31zf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjt)
The psychology of curiosity

Is curiosity good for us, or should we learn a lesson from what curiosity did to the cat? And why does curiosity drive some people to explore the ends of the earth and beyond, while others just really aren’t very curious at all?

We invite a panel of people for whom curiosity is also at the centre of what they do to discuss the psychology of curiosity in front of an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK.

They are...

Tim Peake – astronaut, test pilot and author. His lifelong curiosity took him to live for six months on the International Space station. While he was there he famously ran the London Marathon on a treadmill and he was the first British astronaut to walk in space.

Gosia Goclowska - a lecturer in the department of psychology at the University of Bath. She researches some of the more unusual emotions we experience such as curiosity, awe and surprise.

And Matthias Gruber - an associate professor of psychology at the University of Cardiff. His research focuses on the neuroscience of curiosity and learning.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Lorna Stewart


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5dtg5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpjz0s)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5dy69)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds39gp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle (w3ct80br)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5f1yf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wldfyt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds3f6t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76j6)
First broadcast 10/09/2025 21:32 GMT

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

THURSDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2025

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5f5pk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5f9fp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs855hffxv)
Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5ff5t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wldt66)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds3sg6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct81mp)
Tequila with the bat man

To many, Rodrigo Medellin is “the bat man”. The Mexican conservationist has been obsessed with the often maligned creatures for over six decades. As a child, he kept blood in ice cube trays in his parents' freezer, to feed to his pet vampire bats. He went on to create Mexico City’s first ever bat festival, and to work with governments, universities, NGOs and researchers all over the world.

Like many Mexicans, he is also fiercely proud of the country’s native spirits: tequila and mezcal. The agave spirits are hugely important for Mexico’s economy, especially in the states of Jalisco and Oaxaca. Exports of the drinks are worth billions. Tequila and Mezcal have become increasingly popular in recent decades, with sales boosted by big budget celebrity-owned brands designed to appeal to the US consumer. From Kendall Jenner to George Clooney, US celebrities have been riding high on the mass market appeal of the liquor.

But the boom in these industries has had unintended consequences for Rodrigo's beloved bats. Often the agave the spirits are made from is harvested early, before the slow growing plant can flower. This means bats cannot feed from the nectar, and critically, they can’t do their job as pollinators. This contributes to agave monocultures which are susceptible to disease and blight.

Rodrigo explains how he wanted to change the way the industry works, creating a “bat-friendly” certification for tequila and mezcal producers who leave 5% of the agave untouched, to bloom.

But why have so few brands been certified, why is the programme controversial for some producers, and why are bats a tricky sell as far as conservation for many people and communities?
Sarah Treanor spends time with Rodrigo in Mexico City and Oaxaca to find out.


A Bespoken Media production


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5fjxy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74qd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5fnp2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlf1pg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds40yg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70yy)
The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5fsf6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4ld5fs)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5fx5b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4ld95x)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5g0xg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4lddy1)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5g4nl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7231)
The Inquiry

The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds4hxz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s2l)
Business Daily

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74jq)
9/11: The generosity of Gander

On 11 September, 2001, a small Canadian town called Gander became a haven for thousands of airline passengers and crew stranded after the 9/11 terror attacks.

The attacks on the World Trade Center had forced the closure of US airspace leaving many flights unable to land. Within hours, 38 planes with 7,000 passengers, had been diverted to Gander, effectively doubling the town's population. But what happened next showcased the extraordinary kindness and generosity of the Newfoundlanders.

For five days, local residents provided beds, food, medicine and clothing for those stranded during the crisis, and didn’t ask for a cent. They even put on music evenings, barbecues and canoe trips to keep their visitors entertained.

Beverley Bass, one of the plane captains, tells Jane Wilkinson about Gander’s extraordinary hospitality during one of the most traumatic events in modern history.

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: Passengers and crew at Gander airfield, 2001. Credit: Town of Gander)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5g8dq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlfnf3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds4mp3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct81mp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5gd4v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysh)
The Media Show

Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world.


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds4rf7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 The Documentary (w3ct80hz)
The Second Map

We remember the attack on Pearl Harbour and the atomic bombing of Japan during World War Two. Yet hundreds of thousands of British and Allied soldiers fought for years on the Asian and Pacific fronts against the Japanese in a brutal war - so why don't we remember it better today? 'The Second Map' charts key moments in this other, lesser known war to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ day, through remarkable audio testimonies that have never been broadcast before, of soldiers and civilians - on all sides.


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5ghwz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlfwxc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds4w5c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct7194)
.


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5gmn3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxw)
Hold Fast! 4. I want to hug a cow

After 188 days without setting foot on land, The Avontuur finally arrives in Horta, in the Azores. Before the crew can finally get off the ship, there are a few last hurdles to contend with. Ship’s cook Giulia has played her part in getting them here in reasonably good spirits, but now her patience is beginning to wear thin.

15 people, 188 days at sea, one extraordinary ship: how the Avontuur was locked down at sea during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Narrated by Siobhán McSweeney
Produced by Christina Hardinge
Sound & Music by Noémie Ducimetière
Narration written by Laura Thomas
Sound mix by Jackie Margerum and Giles Aspen
For Lives Less Ordinary, the series producer is Laura Thomas and the editor, Munazza Khan.


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74jq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5grd7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlg4dm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds53nm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Wednesday]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5gw4c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpm0pz)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5gzwh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7231)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds5c4w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct75vv)
First broadcast 11/09/2025 14:32 GMT

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


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5h3mm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpkjzrl)
2025/09/11 15:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5h7cr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpkk3hq)
2025/09/11 16:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5hc3w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74jq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5hgw0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlgvwd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds5v4d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z7p)
2025/09/11 GMT

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


THU 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5hlm4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct81mp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds5ywj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfv)
Science in Action

The BBC brings you all the week's science news.


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5hqc8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpmvxw)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5hv3d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7231)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds66cs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70yy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5hyvj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlhbvx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds6b3x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct75y3)
First broadcast 11/09/2025 21:32 GMT

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

FRIDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2025

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5j2ln)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds6fw1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78bv)
Unspun World with John Simpson

The BBC's world affairs editor, John Simpson, uses his experience and expertise to examine the most important international stories. Drawing on the unique local knowledge of the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, he goes beyond the headlines to get to the unspun truth about the world.


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5j6bs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 Business Matters (w172zrs855hjbty)
Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5jb2x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlhq39)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds6pc9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zp7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5jfv1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74jq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5jkl5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlhylk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds6xvk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpb)
My blessed boy: The millennial saint

How does a seemingly ordinary boy prove to be so extraordinary that he’s given a halo by the Catholic Church? Saint Carlo Acutis was just 15 years old when he died in 2006. William Crawley travels through Italy to the places most associated with the young Carlo to discover for himself what set this teenager apart from the rest.

In Assisi, William meets Carlo’s mother Antonia Salzano Acutis who reveals how her son showed an unusual generosity for a teenager. He visits Carlo’s tomb, where Domenico Sorrentino, Bishop of Assisi, explains the connection between St. Francis and Carlo, as a bridge from the past to the present.

At Carlo’s old school in Milan, Istituto Leone XIII, his former professor, Fabrizio Zaggia, recalls his curious mind. And contemporary students talk of how they can relate to the Saint who designed websites.

But is it all too convenient for the Catholic Church in this Jubilee Year to find a saint that appeals to this younger generation? William ponders this in Rome with John Allen, editor of Crux, the online Catholic newspaper, before heading off to St Peter’s Square and the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints where Monsignor Alberto Royo explains the investigation into Carlo’s life to see if it was one of ‘heroic virtue’.

Presenter: William Crawley
Producer: Jill Collins
Editor: Tara McDermott
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

Credit: Carlo Acutis Digital Memorial App: Artist Riccardo Benassi, Curator Milano Arte Pubblica, Commune di Milano

(Photo: Antonia Salzano, mother of blessed Carlo Acutis, who spent his life spreading his faith online, poses in front of a portrait of her son, 4 April, 2025. Credit: Tiziana Fabi/AFP)


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5jpb9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4lh2bw)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5jt2f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4lh630)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5jxtk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zspsh4lh9v4)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5k1kp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 Americast (w3ct7t5x)
Join Americast for insights and analysis on what's happening inside Trump's White House.


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds7dv2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rsk)
Business Daily

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct7449)
How the Philippines saved Jews during World War Two

On 15 September 1935, following the introduction of the Nuremberg Laws in Nazi Germany, seven-year-old Lotte Hershfield and her family left their home in Breslau, which was part of Germany and is now known as Wroclaw in Poland.

Their journey took them across continents by ship, train and on horse and cart.

They eventually arrived in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, one of the few places welcoming Jewish refugees fleeing persecution.

As they rebuilt their lives, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbour and, soon after, invaded the Philippines.

When United States forces eventually reclaimed the islands, Lotte and her family once again packed up their lives, this time settling in Baltimore, Maryland.

Now aged 94, Lotte has been sharing the memories of her life in Manila with Megan Jones.

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: Lotte Hershfield. Credit: Lotte Hershfield)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5k59t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wljkb6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds7jl6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5k91y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wj)
Unexpected Elements

The news you know, the science you don’t. Unexpected Elements looks beyond everyday narratives to discover a goldmine of scientific stories and connections from around the globe. From Afronauts, to why we argue, to a deep dive on animal lifespans: see the world in a new way with Unexpected Elements.


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5kdt2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wljstg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds7s2g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct714m)
The Global Story

.


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5kjk6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6whb)
Outlook

True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct7449)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5kn9b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlk19q)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds80kq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5ks1g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zss85lppxm2)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5kwsl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 Americast (w3ct7t5x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds881z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct76lg)
First broadcast 12/09/2025 14:32 GMT

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


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5l0jq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpkmwnp)
2025/09/12 15:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5l48v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w173067ydpkn0dt)
2025/09/12 16:06 GMT

BBC OS gives a vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5l80z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6whb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct7449)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5lcs3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wlkrsh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds8r1h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z35)
2025/09/12 GMT

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


FRI 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5lhj7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn1)
BBC OS Conversations

How major news stories are affecting the lives of people around the world


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds8vsm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st5)
Why am I so sentimental?

Canadian CrowdScience listener Kerry started thinking about his sentimental attachment to his possessions when he began sorting through an old trunk, full of objects from his past. He wants to know why sentimentality is such a strong feeling.

Anand Jagatia investigates what triggers those sentimental moments that make us well up. Why do we get so attached to objects? And is it useful to get weepy about meaningful events in our lives?

He talks to researchers and finds out that sentimentality might not be an emotion at all, but actually a trigger that can activate feelings about the past that may be sad or happy. That keepsake you brought home from your holiday may stir memories about days gone by - and that’s one reason why we may find it hard to part with possessions… because they help us to access our emotions.


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5lm8c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zss85lpqrtz)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5lr0h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 Americast (w3ct7t5x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds938w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwszp5lvrm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl83wll7s0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmfds9710)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76nq)
First broadcast 12/09/2025 21:32 GMT

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