SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2025
SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhd43l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wk)
Pirate science ahoy!
For International Talk Like a Pirate Day on 19th September, we dig up a treasure chest full of pirate-inspired science.
First up, we peer down our microscopes at a bacterium that takes its inspiration from a pirate warship. Next, we turn our attention to scurvy, the disease that plagued mariners and is now making a comeback in the modern age.
We then get on the line with marine archaeologist Dr Sean Kingsley, who is about to set sail on a mission to survey the unexplored wrecks of Nassau.
Plus, we delve into the tricky topic of modern-day piracy and copyright, before testing our pirate knowledge in a swashbuckling quiz.
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Kai Kupferschmidt and Sandy Ong
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and Margaret Sessa Hawkins, with Robbie Wojciechowski and Imaan Moin
SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhd7vq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xcmw3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp32m43)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct714n)
Putin’s new Eurovision
At the height of the cold war in the 1970s, the Soviet Union set up an international song contest to rival Eurovision. It was called Intervision, and like its western counterpart, featured a bevy of cheesy songs, sequins and highly flammable outfits – albeit with a different political message.
Intervision burned bright and fast – disappearing long before the fall of the Berlin Wall. But this weekend, with Russia still exiled from the Eurovision Song Contest because of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is reviving the competition, and the USA is due to compete.
In today’s episode, BBC Moscow correspondent and Eurovision superfan Steve Rosenberg explores the intertwined histories of Eurovision and Intervision, and the politics behind Putin’s decision.
Producers: Hannah Moore and Valerio Esposito
Executive producer: Annie Brown
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Editor: China Collins
(Photo: The international music contest Intervision at Zaryadye Park in Moscow. Credit: Maxim Shipenkov/EPA/Shutterstock)
SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhdclv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xcrm7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp32qw7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zjr)
India v Pakistan: The row rumbles on
Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma react to the fallout following India's seven wicket over Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
Our build-up to the ODI Women’s World Cup continues and we hear from former Pakistan captain turned commentator Urooj Mumtaz. She tells us how she thinks Pakistan will fare in the tournament, her thoughts on captain Fatima Sana and tells us if she thinks Pakistan and India should play each other.
Plus we are joined by 18-year-old Tommy Lamb who is travelling from Manchester to Australia to watch the Ashes…. without using a plane. He tells us about his journey so far and about some of the people that he has met on the way.
(Photo: India's captain Suryakumar Yadav (C) tosses the coin at the start of the Asia Cup 2025 Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan, in Dubai, 14 September, 2025. Credit: Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images)
SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhdhbz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6whc)
Outlook Mixtape: Between the ears
Alexandra Morton-Hayward knows more than most about the human brain. Every night her own brain causes her excruciating pain in the form of a ‘cluster headache’ — a pain so bad it’s often described as the most pain a person can physically experience. But despite this, she is a forensic anthropologist leading the effort to understand why some brains preserve for thousands of years without any embalming, freezing or fossilisation. From her lab at Oxford University, she holds the world's largest collection of preserved brains, some older than the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Today Dr Irene Pepperberg is regarded as the mother of avian cognition. But that accolade comes decades after being overlooked and ridiculed, both for being a female scientist in the 1970s and for daring to think that birds, with their walnut-sized brains, might have the ability to understand language. Alex, an African Grey parrot, would help Irene to change people's minds about what a 'bird-brain' can really do.
Uruguayan nature recordist Juan Pablo Culasso has a rare skill that only one in 10,000 people have — perfect pitch. His memory is as impressive as he can also identify hundreds of birds from listening to their song alone. Juan Pablo relies on his sense of hearing and ability to identify birds because he is blind. His talent led to a transformative moment on the Latin American TV gameshow, Super Cerebros.
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: May Cameron
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)
SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct744b)
Omar Sharif stars in Lawrence of Arabia
In 1962, Egyptian actor Omar Sharif made his Hollywood debut in Lawrence of Arabia, a sweeping epic that would become one of cinema’s most popular films.
Using archive recordings, Gill Kearsley tells the story of the movie legend’s transformation into the enigmatic Sherif Ali and brings to life the moment he stepped into the desert and onto the world stage.
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: Sherif Ali, played by Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia. Credit: Columbia Pictures via Getty Images)
SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhdm33)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:06 today]
SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhdqv7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xd3vm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp3333m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 05:32 Trending (w3ct72td)
Russian informers: Hunting the enemy within
Informers are playing a key role in helping the Russian government silence dissent, now one victim has turned detective to uncover their persecutor’s true identity.
In today’s Russia there is a hunt for the enemy within. Anybody who is accused of voicing opposition to the war in Ukraine can face losing their job, or being prosecuted and facing a fine, or in many cases prison.
Academic Aleksandra Arkhipova was denounced by a mysterious serial informer called Anna Korobkova, and decided to become an exile in France.
Korobkova boasted of taking pleasure in reporting hundreds of people for allegedly being unpatriotic. But nobody had met her or even knew what she looked like. So Arkhipova began to piece the clues together to discover the true identity of the anonymous figure who ruined her life.
Presenter: Albina Kovaloya
Producer: Ed Main
Editors: Flora Carmichael and Michael Simkin
Thanks to Amaliya Zatari from the BBC Russian Service
SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzd)
Is JD Vance right about left-wing violence?
On September the 10th 2025, right-wing political activist and media personality Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at an event in Utah.
In the aftermath, his friend JD Vance, the US Vice President, hosted a special memorial edition of ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’, live from the White House, during which he called for unity, but said that could only be found by “climbing the mountain of truth”.
“While our side of the aisle certainly has its crazies, it is a statistical fact that most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the far left,” he said.
We investigate the statistical evidence around political violence – both in people’s attitudes and the crimes themselves.
Presenter: Tim Harford
Reporter: Lizzy McNeill
Series producer: Tom Colls
Sound mix: Hal Haines
Editor: Richard Vadon
SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhdvlc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw88t64nf9b)
US destroys another boat in the Caribbean
President Trump says the US has destroyed another boat in international waters that Washington alleges was smuggling drugs to America. Posting on social media, Mr Trump said three people, that he described as "narco terrorists", were killed in the operation, which comes amid an increased US military presence in the southern Caribbean.
Also in the programme: NATO and the EU have condemned Friday's violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian fighter jets; and US media say the Trump administration is seeking congressional approval to sell Israel around six billion dollars’ worth of military equipment.
Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Alex Von Tunzelmann, British historian and broadcaster, and UK-based journalist and science commentator Anjana Ahuja.
(File picture: A US Navy guided missile destroyer docks near the entrance to the Panama Canal amid a large buildup of U.S. naval forces in and around the Southern Caribbean on September 11, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Enea Lebrun)
SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhdzbh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw88t64nk1g)
Venezuela urges UN to investigate US strikes on its boats
President Trump says the US has destroyed another boat in international waters that Washington alleges was smuggling drugs to America. Posting on social media, Mr Trump said three people, that he described as "narco terrorists", were killed in the operation, which comes amid an increased US military presence in the southern Caribbean.
Also in the programme: the American Soyabean Association says that exports to China have practically stopped after China imposed an extra 20% tariff; and we speak to one of the contestants in the world's biggest beauty contest for transgender women.
Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Alex Von Tunzelmann, British historian and broadcaster, and UK-based journalist and science commentator Anjana Ahuja.
(File picture: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaking during a press conference in Caracas, Venezuela on 15 September, 2025 Credit: MIGUEL GUTIERREZ/EPA/Shutterstock)
SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhf32m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw88t64nnsl)
Estonia and European Union condemn Russian incursion
Estonia has described the incursion into its airspace by three Russian fighter jets on Friday as the most serious violation since it joined the NATO alliance more than 20 years ago. Russia's defence ministry has denied violating Estonian airspace.
Also in the programme: Russia today hosts the Intervision song contest, a rival to Eurovision; and the BBC's chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, speaks about her book on the plight of Afghanistan's people.
Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Alex Von Tunzelmann, British historian and broadcaster, and UK-based journalist and science commentator Anjana Ahuja.
(File picture: EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas at an event in Brazil on 19 September, 2025. Credit: ANDRE BORGES/EPA/Shutterstock)
SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhf6tr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn2)
Charlie Kirk and free speech
The shooting of conservative US activist Charlie Kirk has intensified what was already a bitter divide between those who found him inspiring, and those who believed he spread hate with his views on subjects like gay marriage, Islam and abortion.
Since he was killed at a university rally in Utah, some fear the whole idea of free speech and what it means is now in the balance.
We hear from some of Kirk’s supporters, and from others who worry about where the US is heading.
William He is a liberal activist and commentator, “I think extremism on either side will be our downfall. And if we fail to change course, we are headed for a very dark road ahead of radicalism and extremism and violence.”
Others support free speech, but believe it brings responsibilities. “Freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences. We’re not going to create legislation and make laws against what you can say. But society has the right to ostracise you,” says Kirk supporter Jordan Goodwin. She believes employers have the right to fire staff who express extreme views, as has happened in the wake of Kirk’s death.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
BBC producers: Angela Sheeran, Ben Davis and Adam Chowdhury
Boffin Media producer: Anne McNaught
An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the OS team.
(Photo: Jordan Goodwin with Charlie Kirk at Turning Point's first Black Leadership Summit in 2018. Credit J Goodwin)
SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp33l34)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 09:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z59)
An amazing story of jungle survival
Hundreds of thousands of you engage with our interview with plane crash survivor Annette Herfkens. Plus, how American right-wing activist Charlie Kirk tried to make conservative ideas cool before he was shot dead this month in Utah. Also, the tiny Canadian community that stepped in to help thousands of stranded people after 9/11 and a former pop singer finds peace as a Buddhist nail artist.
SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvt)
The team behind People Fixing The World
People Fixing The World is all about discovering the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. But what qualifies a project to be on the programme and how much scrutiny is applied? We talk to presenter Myra Anubi and editor Jon Bithrey and hear what listeners make of the programme.
Presenter: Rajan Datar
Producer: Howard Shannon
A Whistledown production for BBC World Service
SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhfbkw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8786)
A life of two halves
Between the Olympics of 1924 and 1948, art was competed for at the Games. Gold medals were awarded in painting, architecture and poetry. It was only removed from the Olympics because the artists were not amateur… but could art return to the Games? We hear from the man who this week has been recognised as the creator of the Olympism art genre. Known as the "Olympic Picasso" Roald Bradstock tells us first about his early life and successful athletic career, reaching two Olympic Games representing Team GB in the javelin. After he stopped throwing he picked up a paint brush and created a genre of art that has been recognised globally with his works being exhibited all over the world. He has been commissioned by the IOC to celebrate recent Games and he has a new exhibition opening this week… He tells us his story and his hope for a return of art to the Olympic Games
David Voboro was drafted last in the 2008 NFL thus earning the title of "Mr Irrelevant" but against the odds David's football career was a successful one. However what he has achieved since arguably outshines anything he achieved on the field. After retiring he set up a training center for members of the US armed forces and others who had limbs amputated. The resource has allowed many people to regain and retain their fitness and improved the quality of their lives in the process. He also discusses the difficulties NFL players face and the drugs they often uncontrollably take to keep playing and how he finally overcame his addiction to painkillers.
Earlier this year The PGA of America named Lewine Mair as the recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism. She was the first woman to be awarded the honour and was the latest in a long line of firsts for a woman who has paved the way for women in the world of sports journalism, particularly golf. Away from the golf course Lewnie also wrote about the decline of her husband's health. Norman Mair, the former Scottish international rugby union and cricket player suffered with Alzheimer's and Lewnie chronicled the difficult journey they all went on before his passing in a book called Tapping Feet. She tells us about the experience including discovering the remarkable effect her piano playing had on lifting his mood. Lewine's book Tapping Feet: A Double-take on Care Homes and Dementia, is available from Amazon.
Photo: Roald Bradstock competes in the men's javelin during day six of the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials on July 4, 2008 in Eugene, Oregon. (CREDIT: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhfgb0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xdvbd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp33tld)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 11:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78bw)
President Trump’s second state visit to the UK
This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, examines the relationship between Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump, analyses whether Israel’s strike on Qatar has played into Iran’s hands, and looks at the widening split between Europe and the United States over Israel and Gaza.
Producer: Kate Cornell
Executive Producer: Benedick Watt
Commissioning Editor: Vara Szajkowski
SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhfl24)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 12:06 The Documentary (w3ct81mr)
Digital Dolittles: Talking to the animals?
Digital technology has transformed the science of bioacoustics - the ways we hear and record animal life in the deep oceans, through the earth and in the skies. Vast leaps in computing power allow us to analyse hundreds of thousands of hours of chirps, whistles, clicks and rumbles. Some researchers say AI can help us understand how elephants communicate in the jungle, what whales are clicking to one another across the watery abyss, and what bats squeal when swooping through the sky.
Can we, should we, become digital Dolittles? Maria Margaronis listens in to these ever-expanding realms and wonders what they tell us about our own place on the planet.
Presenter: Maria Margaronis
Producer: Mark Burman
Editor: Monica Whitlock
A Storyscape production for BBC World Service
(Photo: Elephants moving logs with their trunks. Credit: Mark Burman)
SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhfpt8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zss8jw0kvcw)
Estonia seeks Nato talks after Russian jets violate airspace
Estonia has requested a consultation with other Nato members after Russian warplanes violated its airspace on Friday morning. Russia issued a denial. But tensions have been escalating after Poland and Romania said Russian drones had breached their airspace. We'll hear from Estonia's ambassador to Britain.
Also, several European airports have reported delays and cancellations after a cyberattack, and Newshour's Lyse Doucet on her book that details the rise and fall of Afghanistan through the lens of a luxury hotel in Kabul.
(Photo: A photo published by the Swedish armed forces that it says shows a Russian fighter jet that violated Estonian airspace. Credit: Swedish Armed forces/Reuters)
SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhftkd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqpvfs2fxv)
Live Sporting Action
Sportsworld presents live Premier League commentary from the Amex Stadium as Brighton and Hove Albion host Tottenham Hotspur.
Lee James will be joined by the former Spurs and Republic of Ireland international Stephen Kelly and the former Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole to discuss Saturday's seven games, including updates and reaction from the early game as Liverpool host Everton at Anfield.
Sportsworld will also be in Tokyo for day eight of the World Athletics Championships, which includes live commentary of the men's 800m final. There will also be the latest from the Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final between France and England, cricket’s Asia Cup and tennis' Laver Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.
Photo: Brighton's English defender #05 Lewis Dunk (L) runs away from Tottenham Hotspur's English striker #19 Dominic Solanke (R) during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on October 6, 2024. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)
SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhg9jx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xfpk9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp34nt9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 18:32 Trending (w3ct72td)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:32 today]
SAT 18:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzd)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:50 today]
SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhgf91)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 19:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7232)
Is it time to copyright your face?
Deepfakes are videos, picture or audio clips made with artificial intelligence to look real.
Although sometimes used for fun, they can also be used to defame or discredit people. Anyone from politicians to celebrities to normal members of the public can become the subject of deepfake imagery. So how can we protect our image from being used maliciously?
In Denmark, the government is proposing a new law which would give people copyright-like protection over their face, voice, and appearance. In this edition of the Inquiry, Tanya Beckett explores how the new law would work and asks how do we strike a balance between Big Tech and AI innovation and the need to protect our identity?
Contributors:
Gitte Løvgren Larsen, Lawyer and partner, Sirius Advocator, Denmark
Dr Alina Trapova, lecturer (Assistant Prof), Intellectual property law, University College London
Ignacio Cofone, Professor of Law and Regulation of AI, University of Oxford
Mikkel Flyverbom, Professor of Communication and Digital Transformations, Copenhagen Business School
Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Emma Forde
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Production Coordinator: Tammy Snow
Editor: Louise Clarke
(Photo: Digital human head. Credit: imaginima/Getty Images)
SAT 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp34skf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 19:32 Happy News (w3ct6tys)
The Happy Pod: Nurse revives 'drunk' raccoon
A nurse in the US state of Kentucky has gone viral after she saved a baby raccoon who became 'drunk' on fermented fruit. The cub had passed out after eating peaches, thrown away by a distillery.
Also, we hear from Bárbara Hernández, a cold water swimmer from Chile, known as the Ice Mermaid. She has front crawled her way to a Guinness World Record, completing the farthest ice swim ever by a woman.
Plus, the man recreating a childhood photo, the 81-year-old woman who planted 4,000 trees, and Carlos Acosta on his latest milestone. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.
Presenter: Paul Moss
Music: Iona Hampson
SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhgk15)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zts)
Director Jan-Ole Gerster on his film Islands
Nikki Bedi talks to German director Jan-Ole Gerster about his film, Islands and is joined by critic and broadcaster Zing Tsjeng.
Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin discusses adapting To Kill a Mockingbird for the stage.
Chinese author Jung Chang explains why she’s chosen to write a sequel to her best-selling novel Wild Swans.
New Zealand born director Samuel van Grinsven talks about the rural setting for his supernatural thriller Went Up a Hill.
Oscar-winning American actor Susan Sarandon talks about sharing the same character with four other actors on stage.
And French musician Rahim Redcar reveals his love of legendary choreographer Bob Fosse.
Main image: Sam Riley in Islands
Photo credit: BFI Distribution
SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhgns9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zss8jw0ltbx)
Trump introduces $100,000 visa
Several major US companies are said to have advised staff on highly skilled visas not to leave the United States after the Trump administration suddenly increased the annual visa fee to a hundred-thousand-dollars. Reports say the firms - including Microsoft and Amazon - told those outside the country to return before midnight on Saturday when the rules come into effect, fearing they will be barred entry. More than 70 percent of H-1B visa-holders are Indian nationals.
Also in the programme: Russian military jets enter Estonian airspace; and President Trump steps up his pressure on Venezuela.
(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order. CREDIT: REUTERS/Ken Cedeno)
SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhgsjf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 22:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8786)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 today]
SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhgx8k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xg98y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp358jy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 23:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72df)
Theodora
21 year old French-Congolese Theodora is a viral sensation. She shot to fame last year with her song Kongolese Sous BBL which has been viewed and streamed millions of times. She's also sold out shows in France and appeared at Paris Fashion Week with stars including South Africa's Tyla.
Theodora tells DJ Edu about her itinerant childhood: she has lived in Greece, Switzerland, the Reunion Islands, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo and France where she now lives, and has gathered a wide range of musical influences along the way. Her grandfather served time in jail in DRC thanks to his opposition to the government, and Theodora has inherited his spirit, speaking out on racism, misogyny and the rise of the conservative right in France.
She views her music as political, in the way that it challenges stereotypical ideas about black music. It is also about being young, and free, and partying. Her second EP, dropped in May, is called Mega BBL, the BBL standing for Bad Boy Lovestory, but also Big Boss Lady and Brazilian Butt Lift!
SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2025
SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhh10p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:06 on Saturday]
SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp35d92)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct81mq)
The social lives of bacteria
Our bodies are filled with bacteria that have rich social lives and, just like people, these microbial neighbours and families do not always get along. In some cases, it is the bacterial equivalent of The Sopranos.
Dr Sally Le Page delves into the bacterial dramas of loners, crowd-lovers, backstabbers and do-gooders that are fighting it out in the world and inside our bodies. Co-operation, cheating and selfish behaviour can all lead to benefits or disease so scientists are studying this behaviour to help produce new medicines and clean up our environment.
Presenter: Dr Sally Le Page
Producer: Sue Nelson
A Boffin Media production for BBC World Service
SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhh4rt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xgjs6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp35j16)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 01:32 Trending (w3ct72tl)
Will a fugitive oligarch sway Moldova’s election?
On 28 September, Moldova’s parliamentary election will be closely watched by leaders in both the EU and Russia.
Ilan Shor, a fugitive oligarch on the run from Moldovan authorities, and now resident in Russia, is believed to be behind a major disinformation campaign. The apparent aim is to draw the nation of just over two million people under the influence of Moscow.
The BBC has sent a reporter undercover to find out how disinformation is being spread, and where the money funding it is coming from.
We hear from President Maia Sandu, on the danger it poses to the electorate, and the wider geopolitical forces at play.
Presenter: Seamus Mirodan
Producer: Sam Judah
Editors: Flora Carmichael and Michael Simkin
BBC Eye Investigative Team: Rowan Ings, Angela Stanciu, Andreea Jitaru, Oana Marocico, Malvina Cojocari
SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zs4)
Second time around
At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the final of the women’s high jump came down to two world record holders. One of them was already an Olympic gold medallist and one of West Germany’s most famous athletes. Ulrike Nasse-Meyfarth had been a celebrity since surprising the athletics world by winning her first gold medal at the age of 16, 12 years earlier.
After suffering a decline in her career and achievements following that success, this was her chance to make an incredible comeback.
Alex Strangwayes-Booth talks to Ulrike Nasse-Meyfarth to hear the story of how she made history for the second time around and how winning her second gold medal felt so much better than her first. A CTVC production.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.
Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.
(Photo: West German high jumper Ulrike Meyfarth winning the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Credit: Getty Images)
SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhh8hy)
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SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xgnjb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp35msb)
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SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjv)
More children are obese than underweight
In a ‘historical turning point’ there are now more overweight than underweight children and teenagers worldwide according to a new report from UNICEF. Claudia Hammond is joined by BBC’s Laura Foster to understand what changes to our food environments may be driving this shift.
An international row has erupted over durian fruit, with China limiting imports of Vietnamese fruits due to health concerns. Journalist Sen Nguyen explores the potential health impacts of the durians and whether new regulations will put China’s concerns to rest.
Also on the show, how the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is progressing and the rapid response from health services.
Claudia is joined by Paula Prist from the International Union for Conservation of Nature to share her latest findings that Indigenous Amazon Territories may safeguard human health against certain fire-related and zoonotic diseases.
Plus, the latest AI tool in healthcare, Delphi-2M, has been announced. Likened to a weather forecast but for health, how might this tool help us predict the occurrence of over 1000 diseases in the future?
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett
SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhhd82)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 03:06 The Documentary (w3ct81mr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Saturday]
SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhhj06)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trz)
Europe's migrant challenge
Pascale Harter introduces stories from across Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Turkey, Nepal and Ghana.
As countries across Europe toughen their stance on immigration, Fergal Keane retraces the journeys he took ten years ago to cover the stories of refugees and migrants who arrived in 2015 - the peak year for arrivals. In the decade since, he hears, public opinion - and many countries' policies - have hardened.
Nepal’s government has been dramatically overthrown in the deadliest unrest seen in the Himalayan country in decades. The uprising was triggered by a social media ban, but had deeper roots in young people's anger over corruption, inequality and high unemployment. Charlotte Scarr was in Kathmandu as the protests gathered force on its streets.
Ghana is the world’s largest importer of used clothing, with millions of garments arriving every week, many of them donated from countries like the UK and US. Some pieces are re-used, remade or recycled – but cheap 'fast fashion' clothes often aren't worth reworking. Hannah Gelbart has been to Accra to see the impact of all this waste on local markets and beaches.
Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production coordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp35w8l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 04:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78bw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:32 on Saturday]
SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhhmrb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xh0rq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp3600q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct81mq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:32 today]
SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhhrhg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw88t64rb6f)
Britain set to announce recognition of Palestinian state
The British government is to today officially recognise a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had warned two months ago he'd take such a step unless Israel met certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. We'll hear from our political correspondent, Rob Watson, on the significance of the announcement.
Also in the programme: the memorial service for the murdered right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk takes place later today; and new visa rules for skilled workers in the United States have come into force.
Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Mark Landler, the New York Times’ London bureau chief, and Dalal Mawad, a Lebanese journalist based in Paris and a correspondent for Al Araby Television.
(File photo: British Prime Minister Kier Starmer speaking at Number 10 Downing Street on March 31, 2025. Credit: Jack Taylor/Pool via REUTERS)
SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhhw7l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw88t64rfyk)
British PM Starmer set to announce recognition of Palestinian state
The British government is to today officially recognise a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had warned two months ago he'd take such a step unless Israel met certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. We'll hear from our correspondent Rob Watson and Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who was the first MP of Palestinian descent elected to Britain's parliament.
Also in the programme: we'll speak to the director of a new film set in a metro station in Kyiv; and the Australian teenage sprinter who is causing a buzz at the World Athletic Championship in Tokyo.
Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Mark Landler, the New York Times’ London bureau chief, and Dalal Mawad, a Lebanese journalist based in Paris and a correspondent for Al Araby Television.
(File Picture: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a press conference on September 18, 2025 in Aylesbury, Britain.Credit: Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS)
SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhhzzq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw88t64rkpp)
Palestinian state to be recognised by Britain's government
The British government is to today officially recognise a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had warned two months ago he'd take such a step unless Israel met certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. We'll hear from Peter Prinsley, a Labour MP who is Jewish, and Alistair Burt, a former Conservative MP and Middle East minister.
Also on the programme: the memorial service for the murdered right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk takes place later today; and Vietnam has won the Intervision song contest.
Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Mark Landler, the New York Times’ London bureau chief, and Dalal Mawad, a Lebanese journalist based in Paris and a correspondent for Al Araby Television.
(File picture: Israeli soldiers take position during an army operation in the West Bank city of Nablus on 27 August, 2025. Credit: ALAA BADARNEH/EPA/Shutterstock)
SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhj3qv)
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SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trz)
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04:06 today]
SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp36h07)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70yz)
How to set a food trend
Have you tried Dubai chocolate, hot honey or the fruit sando? They’re just a few examples of viral food trends which got everyone talking on social media.
Rumella Dasgupta talks to creators and product developer to find out how much work goes into creating the next big thing in food. She hears how there’s often years of work behind the product that seems to suddenly be the latest craze.
It might look as though some food trends go viral overnight, but entrepreneur Mike Kurtz explains how creating his brand Mike’s Hot Honey took years of hard work. Product developers Katie McDaid and Robert Craggs tell Rumella how their jobs involve travelling the world to find the next big thing in food. Plus chef and food writer Pierre Thiam, explains how he’s been working tirelessly for decades to bring the ancient West African grain Fonio to worldwide attention.
We’d love to hear about the viral foods you’ve tried and what you thought of them. You can email the team at thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk
Producer: Lexy O’Connor
SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhj7gz)
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SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy2)
The power of play
Play is essential to children’s development – kids learn about themselves and the world around them by having fun and taking risks. In some countries scientists have linked a decline in free play with a rise in children’s mental health problems. In this programme we visit a playground called “the land” where no parents are allowed in! This highly-regarded project in Wales now supports adults too, an approach dubbed “play-based community development”. Plus we visit a “soft play” centre in Los Angeles, USA, one of a chain of play spaces that have been created specifically for autistic children and their families.
Presenter: Myra Anubi
Reporters: William Kremer, Emma Tracey
Producer: William Kremer
Editor: Jon Bithrey
(Image: Children at The Land adventure playground in North Wales, BBC)
SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp36lrc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tg)
A radio lifeline for Afghan women
Women in Afghanistan are unable to access education, and getting medical help is difficult. But a radio station in the Panjshir Valley is trying to get crucial information to them nevertheless. Their broadcasts cover everything from breast feeding to basic school science lessons for women and girls who are often isolated. Shekiba Habib of BBC Afghan services went to meet the people making this lifeline radio.
India is a country of well over a billion people, so the clearing of waste, requires a huge number of sanitation workers. About 98% of those workers are from one caste in society, who find it difficult to get jobs in any other industries. Ashay Yedge reports for BBC in India talked to some sanitation workers about why.
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.
Presented by Faranak Amidi
Produced by Rebecca Moore and Caroline Ferguson
This is an EcoAudio certified production.
SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhjc73)
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SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xhr7h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp36qhh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 11:32 Trending (w3ct72tl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
01:32 today]
SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzd)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:50 on Saturday]
SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhjgz7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 12:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn2)
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09:06 on Saturday]
SUN 12:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp36v7m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 12:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc1)
Kenya: A Battle For Gen Z
Over the past year, Kenya has been rocked by anti-government protests. What started as a demonstration over proposed tax increases soon turned into a nationwide, youth-led protest over the state of the economy, alleged political corruption and police brutality. But it's come at a cost. Dozens of protestors have been killed in clashes with the police, and human rights groups say many activists have been abducted and tortured by agents of the states. Michael Kaloki meets the young Kenyans who are caught in a battle for change.
Produced by Alex Last
Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison
Studio mix by Neil Churchill
Editor Penny Murphy
(Image: Kenya protests Credit: REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi
SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhjlqc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zss8jw0nr8z)
Britain to recognise a Palestinian state
The British deputy prime minister, David Lammy, has insisted that now is the right time to recognise a Palestinian state ahead of an expected announcement by London later Sunday. We hear from a Palestinian representative and Adam Ma'anit, whose cousin was murdered by Hamas on October 7th.
Also in the programme: Moldova battles online Russian propaganda; we preview the Charlie Kirk memorial service.
(Picture: People participate in a "Free Palestine" protest in support of Palestinians, in Nairobi, Kenya, September 21, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhjqgh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702d)
How does extreme heat affect pregnancy?
Graihagh Jackson and the BBC’s former Global Health Correspondent Tulip Mazumdar investigate how extreme heat, fuelled by climate change, is affecting pregnant women in India.
In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Tulip hears the heart-breaking stories of some of the women affected and explores simple solutions that would make their work in scorching agricultural fields safer.
The programme was first broadcast in 2024.
Email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com
Produced by Sophie Eastaugh, Graihagh Jackson and Camilla Horrox
Editor: Sophie Eastaugh
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell and James Beard
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown
SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp372qw)
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SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct6tys)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:32 on Saturday]
SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhjv6m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqpvfs5gl2)
Live Sporting Action
Sportsworld has commentary of one of the biggest games of the English Premier League season so far as Arsenal take on Manchester City. Will Mikel Arteta get the better of his former mentor, or will City be able to build on last week’s derby win? The former Tottenham and Liverpool defender Stephen Caulker joins Delyth Lloyd to look back over that, and all the weekend’s Premier League action.
There are big derbies across Europe on Sunday, and on EuroStars we look back over the Rome derby in Serie A, and ahead to Le Classique in France between Marseilles and Paris St Germain.
Away from the football, we round up all the action on the final day of competition at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, bring reaction from Formula One’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and have the latest from tennis’ Billie Jean King Cup and the Asia Cup cricket.
Photo: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta embraces Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC at Emirates Stadium on February 02, 2025 in London, England. (Credit: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhkb64)
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SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xjq6j)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp37pgj)
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SUN 19:32 The Documentary (w3ct80j5)
The second map: The battered suitcase
While the Allies celebrated victory in Europe, war was not over for the men and women on the Asian front in World War Two. This episode traces those final months of war - from the prisoner of war camps on the so-called ‘death railway’, to the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, devastated by nuclear bombs. We explore how memory and forgetting have shaped our war narrative in the 80 years since the World War Two, and we meet descendants of those who were there, discovering new stories, even now.
With thanks to Dr Diya Gupta, Dr Vikki Hawkins, Dr Peter Johnston, Professor Rana Mitter and Tejpal Singh Ralmill.
The original interview with Maurice Naylor was by Monica Whitlock, for Witness History.
Presenter/writer: Kavita Puri
Script editor: Ant Adeane
Sound engineer: James Beard
Production co-ordinators: Sabine Scherek, Maria Ogundele
Original music: Felix Taylor
Archive Curator: Tariq Hussain
(Photo: The USS Nevada in flames. Credit: Reuters)
SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhkfy8)
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SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:06 on Saturday]
SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhkkpd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zss8jw0pq80)
UK formally recognises Palestine state
Portugal has joined Britain, Canada and Australia in formally recognising Palestinian statehood. It comes after their growing criticism of Israel's military offensive in Gaza -- and is meant to revive hopes of a two-state solution to the conflict. Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a Palestinian state would not happen and denounced recognition as a huge reward to terrorism. Palestinian leaders welcomed recognition. We will hear from Palestinians and an Israeli official.
Also in the programme: We will hear from the Hollywood star Leonardo Di Caprio about his new film; Martin Luther King the Third on political violence in America and trying to bridge the divide; and talking statues of the gardens of Versailles.
(Photo credit: PA)
SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhkpfj)
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SUN 22:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702d)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:06 today]
SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp381px)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 22:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z59)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:32 on Saturday]
SUN 22:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:50 on Saturday]
SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhkt5n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8h4xk661)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp385g1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 23:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70tg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:32 today]
MONDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2025
MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwtbyhkxxs)
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MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:06 on Sunday]
MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxmsp38965)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 00:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfw)
Stephen Hawking gets it right again
Gravitational waves show two black holes merge just how Hawking predicted. Plus, a space mission without a target. And a Space probe without a confirmed budget.
In January 2025 the LIGO gravitational wave observatories witnessed two distant black holes spinning into each other. In the ten years of LIGO’s operations, that’s not a first. But the instruments have been improved to such an extent that this time some very important predictions of General Relativity and out understanding of black holes could be tested. As Birmingham University’s Alberto Vecchio says, the elegant simplicity of the mathematics of black holes has passed a test, in particular Stephen Hawking’s prediction that the surface area of merging black holes can only be increased.
Space craft have met comets before. But because spaceflight takes so long to plan and fund, we’ve only sent them to comets with human-lifetime orbital periods so far, because we know when they’re arriving. ESA wants to meet one we’ve never seen before, one that has never or seldom been in close to the sun, and never been barbecued and seared by the radiation. Colin Snodgrass of the University of Edinburgh explains the plan to launch and park a comet chaser in space to wait for one of these elusive extraterrestrial objects to come in from the cold.
That, says Meg Schwamb of Queen’s University Belfast, is going to be much easier in the next few years as the Vera Rubin Telescope begins its ten year survey cataloguing anything in the sky that changes. The type of sky survey it will provide will identify, it is hoped, many candidate first-time comets for the small fleet of spacecraft to intercept.
Having a spacecraft ready in position rather than having to launch a new one anytime you want to do some science is a good place to be, one would think.
NASA’s Juno mission has been delivering science from Jupiter since its launch, and is still functioning and able to deliver more. Yet NASA funds are under considerable threat, and as Scott Bolton tells Roland, at the end of this month Juno could be left slowly spiralling into the gas giant, silently collecting data but with no budget to keep the science going.
Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6spwy2)
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MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6p8yg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydd86g)
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MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6swg)
The Life Scientific: Doyne Farmer
Doyne Farmer is something of a rebel. Back in the seventies, when he was a student, he walked into a casino in Las Vegas, sat down at a roulette table and beat the house. To anyone watching the wheel spin and the ball clatter to its final resting place, his choice of number would’ve looked like a lucky guess. But knowing the physics of the game and armed with the world’s first wearable computer, which he’d designed, a seemingly random win was actually somewhat predictable.
Doyne is an American scientist and entrepreneur who pioneered many of the fields that define the scientific agenda of our time, from chaos theory and complex systems to wearable computing. He uses big data and evermore powerful computers to apply complex systems science to the economy, to better predict our future. Much like roulette, economics can appear random but, with the right tools and understanding, it is anything but.
Now Director of the Complexity Economics Programme at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at Oxford, Doyne says there’s a real need to act, to use these powers of prediction to help resolve one of the most pressing questions of our time - how best to prevent climate change.
Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced by Beth Eastwood
Reversion for World Service by Minnie Harrop
MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sq0p6)
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MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6pdpl)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4yddcyl)
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MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st6)
Do birds understand us?
CrowdScience listener David is a bird whisperer.
On his family farm in Guinea, he would mimic the call of the black-headed weaver. He could replicate it so well that the birds would fly in close, curious to find out who was calling. David has been wondering if he was actually communicating with the weaver.
In the foothills of the Austrian Alps is a research hotspot with a curious history. It was here that a scientist first began studying birds in their natural environment. That work continues today with Andrew Katsis from the University of Vienna, who knows the local flock of greylag geese by name. His research shows that animals aren’t just anonymous members of a group, they have personalities, relationships, and the ability to recognise one another.
But what else do birds know? Thomas Bugnyar, professor of social behaviour and animal cognition, spends his time trying to get inside the mind of ravens. His work suggests they can understand their surroundings, make rational decisions, and even solve complex problems.
Plus, we meet Ellie, a cockatoo with the ability to use a touchscreen computer to “talk.” She has a working vocabulary of more than 1,500 words. And when she presses a button, it would appear she is not just pecking at random, she is choosing purposefully, responding in ways that suggest birds may not only understand us, but communicate back.
Presenter: Caroline Steel
Producer: Minnie Harrop and Harrison Lewis
Series producer: Ben Motley
(Photo: Close up of Greylag goose with blue background Credit: Harrison Lewis, BBC)
MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sq4fb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 on Sunday]
MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4yddhpq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 03:32 Pick of the World (w3ct7z59)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:32 on Saturday]
MON 03:50 Over to You (w3ct6xvt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:50 on Saturday]
MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sq85g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6pn5v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4yddmfv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct7096)
Female foragers
From mushrooms to sea kelp: Two female foragers in South Africa and Japan tell Datshiane Navanayagam about how picking wild food has helped them to feel more connected to their natural surroundings.
Emily Smith is from the UK and lives in rural Japan. She moved there to explore her Japanese heritage and says she felt a deep and calming connection to her natural surroundings. She spends her days learning all she can about edible plants and mushrooms from books, the internet and, most importantly, her elderly neighbours. She is currently working on a project about Japan’s seventy-two micro seasons.
Roushanna Gray is a wild food forager, based in Cape Point, South Africa. She’s passionate about teaching people how to source food for free. She takes groups into forests to forage mushrooms, berries, greens and edible weeds, and to tidal pools for seaweed and kelp. Roushanna teaches her international guests about how they can use their senses, as well as the seasons, to find the most nutritious food.
Produced by Mora Morrison
(Image: (L) Emily Smith, credit Joshua Atkins. (R) Roushanna Gray credit Alex Oelofse.)
MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sqcxl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6nry5)
Trump calls Charlie Kirk 'a modern day martyr'
President Trump said he disagreed with Kirk on one thing. "He did not hate his opponents, he wanted the best for them," he said. "That's where I disagree with Charlie. I hate my opponents and I don't want what's best for them."
France is expected to formally declare recognition of a Palestinian state - joining Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal. It comes amid growing criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. A French MP at the United Nations in New York will join us.
(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump embraces Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow; Credit: Reuters)
MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sqhnq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6nwp9)
Kirk's wife says she has forgiven the alleged killer
"He's a martyr now for America's freedom," President Trump said of Kirk. "I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie. And neither now will history."
As some western countries moved to officially recognise Palestine as a state - what difference does it make to those suffering in Gaza, to the Israeli hostages... or to diplomacy? You can hear from a Palestinian diplomat
And a record breaking World Athletics championships - plus a late equaliser for Arsenal against Manchester City in the English Premier League
(Photo: Erika Kirk, wife of Charlie Kirk, speaks during the public memorial service; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sqmdv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6p0ff)
Thousands pay respects to slain Charlie Kirk
Inside the stadium, the mood and atmosphere in the memorial for Charlie Kirk, resembled a raucous political rally or megachurch service with music beforehand from Christian bands who prompted singalongs and prayer from the crowd of almost 100,000.
France is expected to formally declare recognition of a Palestinian state - joining Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal. It comes amid growing criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. we go live to Israel
South Korea would accept a Trump-Kim deal to freeze nuclear programme, the president tells BBC
(Photo: A woman reacts during a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk; Credit: Reuters)
MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sqr4z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x04)
Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva: I have no relationship with President Trump
Ione Wells speaks to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil in an exclusive, wide-ranging interview.
He sets out his anger not only at the hefty trade tariffs imposed on his country by President Trump, but also at the lack of communication or negotiation from the US administration. Now, he says, he has no relationship with the American president.
President Lula da Silva does not want to celebrate the recent guilty verdict and lengthy sentence handed down to his predecessor Jair Bolsanaro for plotting a coup against him. But while he hopes Mr Bolsanaro continues to defend himself, for now, he says, he is guilty.
The President also attacks what he views as the outdated and unrepresentative nature of the United Nations, and claims the conflict in Ukraine would not have happened if the UN was more effective. He describes the war in Gaza as genocide.
President Lula da Silva has been in office since 2023, and also led Brazil between 2003 and 2011. He’s been a figurehead of the left in the country for many decades, having risen through the trade union movement into politics.
Thank you to Ione Wells and Jessica Cruz for their help in making this programme.
The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.
Presenter: Ione Wells
Producer(s): Ben Cooper, Jessica Cruz and Lucy Sheppard
Editor: Justine Lang
Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
(Image: Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Credit: Andre Borges/EPA/Shutterstock)
MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydf3fc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ry4)
Why China’s property bubble burst
In the early 2000s, the country had one of the biggest real estate booms seen anywhere in the world - at its peak accounting for 30% of GDP.
But in 2020 that quickly started to unravel. Now, the largest Chinese companies are being taken to court and dismantled, and property bought by ordinary citizens who invested in real estate has plummeted in value.
What went wrong, and how does the crisis affect the rest of the world?
You can get in touch with the programme by emailing us at businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
Presented and produced by Matt Lines
(Picture: A China Evergrande property development is in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, in August, 2025. Credit: Getty Images)
MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct746m)
The start of Scouting
In the early 1900s, while serving in the British Army, Lord Robert Baden-Powell laid the foundations for what would become one of the largest international youth movements, Scouting.
His vision was to create an organisation that would build friendships, experiences, and skills for life.
Gill Kearsley used archive to trace the origins of the movement through Baden-Powell’s own words.
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: Lord Baden-Powell addressing cubs and scouts in 1933. Credit: Getty Images)
MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sqvx3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6q7xh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydf75h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sqzn7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct71w9)
The fight against sexual harassment in Egypt and Omar Sharif enters the world stage
Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History episodes, all with an Egyptian theme.
We find out more about the 2014 fight against sexual harassment. And we hear from Professor Nicola Pratt, an expert on Middle East feminism about the significance of that moment in the fight for women's rights.
Also, we go to the 1960s when antiquities were saved to make way for the Aswan High Dam on the River Nile. And recollections from Egypt's first free democratic presidential election in 2012. Plus, the woman who broke the convention of the role of a first lady to help change divorce laws. And finally, we remember the moment the egyptian actor Omar Sharif swept onto the world stage in Lawrence of Arabia.
Contributors:
Engy Ghozlan - co-founder of HarassMap
Professor Herman Bell - scientist
Rabab El-Mahdi - chief strategist to one of Mohamed Morsi's rival candidates
Jehan Sadat - wife of President Anwar Sadat who helped change divorce laws
Archive recordings of Egyptian actor Omar Sharif
(Photo: Women at a protest in Cairo, Egypt, in 2014. Credit: Getty Images)
MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sr3dc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6qhdr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydfgnr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct716y)
Britain, Canada and others are recognising a Palestinian state. Why now?
World leaders are currently gathered at the United Nations in New York for the annual General Assembly. This year, the future of the Palestinian territories hangs in the balance: several nations like the UK, France, Canada, and Australia are formally recognising the state of Palestine for the first time. The Trump administration strongly opposes the move, warning that it could embolden Hamas and provoke Israel into annexing the West Bank.
How did some of Israel and America’s staunchest allies decide that the time is right to recognise a Palestinian state? We speak to BBC diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams who has spent years reporting from the Middle East.
Producers: Xandra Ellin and Viv Jones
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Image: Members of the U.N. Security Council vote on a draft resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 18, 2025. Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sr74h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wq5)
Zarna Garg: The rise of an ‘unstoppable’ comedy star
Once a homeless teen in Mumbai, now Zarna Garg’s a top comedian, touring with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
Zarna Garg was in her 40s living in New York City when she went to an open mic night for the very first time. Before that, she’d never even heard of stand up comedy and was only there, resentfully, at the insistence of her children who were convinced their mother would be a success. The kids were right, and Zarna – who was desperate for a new career – found her calling in comedy.
Zarna has spent her whole life reinventing herself. Born in Mumbai to a wealthy Indian family, she was kicked out by her controlling father when she refused an arranged marriage. At the time, Zarna was a teenager and grieving the sudden death of her mother to illness.
Overnight, Zarna became homeless, relying on the kindness of friends for a place to stay. After more than a year of instability, she succumbed to her father’s demands and agreed to be married. But just before the wedding, Zarna received a visa and arrived in the US – in pursuit of happiness and love, on her own terms.
She supported herself through law school, became an unwitting pioneer of online dating, and raised a family. But decades later, Zarna was spiralling and rethinking all her life choices. Describing herself as a “manic, deranged Manhattan housewife,” she began various business ventures that “failed spectacularly.” When Zarna was ridiculed at a fancy dinner party by other guests – her husband came to her defence, declaring to the room, “one day you’re going to find your thing and you’re going to become unstoppable.”
It was this crisis that led Zarna to become a stand up comic. After her clips started going viral online, Zarna caught the attention of some of the biggest stars of the entertainment world, and even got her own comedy special on TV. Zarna has written a book about her experiences called This American Woman: A One-in-a-Billion Memoir.
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Maryam Maruf and Helen Fitzhenry
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Zarna Garg as a toddler with her mother; Zarna with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler; Zarna on her wedding day. Credit: Courtesy of Zarna Garg)
MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct746m)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6srbwm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6qqx0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydfq50)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct7096)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6srgmr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zss8x49wm6c)
World waits to see how Israel reacts as France set to recognise Palestinian state
France is due to be the latest country to recognise the state of Palestine. But could it spark a backlash from Israel? Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said recognition gives "a huge reward to terrorism".
We hear from a member of France's national assembly, and from both Israelis and Palestinians.
Also on the programme: the Egyptian president pardons the dual British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, after years in prison; and the literature professor who stumbled across lost stories from one of the most important writers of the twentieth century - Virginia Woolf.
(Photo:The Grabels mayor's house flies the Palestinian flag next to the French and European Union flags, in Grabels, Southern France on 22 September 2025. Credit: Photo by GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO/EPA/Shutterstock)
MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6srlcw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x04)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydfyn8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ry4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:32 today]
MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81nt)
What will Trump’s H-1B visa move mean for the US economy?
Another day, another announcement from the US administration. The H-1B - a special visa which allows companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers, now comes with a $100,000 price tag.
Our presenter, Sarah Rogers, speaks to an immigration lawyer from the US on what this will mean.
Also, tax simplification in India. Indians should find a host of products from everyday essentials like milk, to cars and TVs, will get cheaper.
And the Pompidou centre - Europe’s largest bastion of modern and contemporary art - has closed for a half-a-billion dollar restoration project.
You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.
MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6srq40)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 16:06 BBC OS (w173067z475tl7z)
Countries recognise Palestinian state
France is preparing to join the UK, Canada and Australia in recognising a Palestinian state. The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel would react to Sunday's coordinated announcements. We get reaction from Palestinians and Israelis.
More Russian drone attacks hit Ukraine over the weekend, so we explore how drones are changing modern warfare by speaking speak to Ukrainian drone pilots.
And Christian Horner has formally left Red Bull after agreeing a severance deal following his sacking as their Formula 1 team principal in July. A source close to Red Bull told BBC Sport that Horner had received a pay-off of over 70 million dollars, which would be one of the biggest pay-outs in sports history.
OS presenter: Rahul Tandon.
(Photo: The Palestinian flag flies outside the headquarters of the Palestinian mission to the United Kingdom after it was raised during a ceremony following the British government's announcement on Sunday of the country's formal recognition of a Palestinian state, in London, Britain, September 22, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Toby Melville)
MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6srtw4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 17:06 BBC OS (w173067z475tq03)
UN talks under way as crucial Gaza session nears
France is preparing to join the UK, Canada and Australia in recognising a Palestinian state, as UN talks get underway in New York. The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel would react to Sunday's coordinated announcements. The UK has urged Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank in retaliation. We get reaction from Palestinians and Israelis.
The EU's cyber security agency says criminals are using ransomware to cause chaos in airports around the world. Our cyber correspondent tells us more.
And the Trump administration is expected to link the use of pain reliever Tylenol in pregnant women to autism, according to US media reports. Our health reporter explains.
OS presenter: Rahul Tandon.
(Photo: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during the high-level meeting to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, at UN headquarters in New York, New York, USA, 22 September 2025. Credit: SARAH YENESEL/EPA/Shutterstock)
MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6srym8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wq5)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct746m)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6ss2cd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6rgcs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydgfms)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z5h)
2025/09/22 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 (w172zwwtq6ss63j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6trz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:06 on Sunday]
MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydgkcx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6swh)
The Life Scientific: Jonathan Shepherd
Surgeons often have to deal with the consequences of violent attacks - becoming all too familiar with patterns of public violence, and peaks around weekends, alcohol-infused events and occasions that bring together groups with conflicting ideals.
Professor Jonathan Shepherd not only recognised the link between public violence and emergency hospital admissions, he actually did something about it.
As a senior lecturer in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the early 1980s, Jonathan started looking into this trend - and his research revealed that most violent assaults resulting in emergency hospital treatment are not reported to police.
As a result, he devised the ‘Cardiff Model for Violence Prevention’: a programme where hospitals share data about admissions relating to violent attacks with local authorities. He also went on to study various aspects of violent assault and deliver evidence-based solutions - from alcohol restrictions in hotspots, to less breakable beer glasses in pubs.
The impacts have been significant, delivering reductions in hospital admissions and in violent attacks recorded by police; not only in Cardiff, but in cities around the world where the model is used. Today, as an Emeritus Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Cardiff University - where he’s also Director of their Crime, Security and Intelligence Innovation Institute - Jonathan continues to bring together the medical sector with local authorities, finding practical ways to make cities and their residents safer.
But his career, straddling the worlds of practise, science and policy, is an unusual one; here he talks to Professor Jim Al-Khalili about what drove him to make a difference.
Presentedby Jim Al-Khalili
Produced by Lucy Taylor
Reversion for World Service by Minnie Harrop
MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6ss9vn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zss8x49xgf8)
France recognises Palestinian state
President Macron of France has formally recognised a Palestinian state. He made the announcement at a UN summit aimed at rallying support for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. He began his speech by calling for the release of Israeli hostages and an end to the war in Gaza.
Also in the programme: Egypt's president has pardoned the jailed activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who played a key role in the Arab Spring uprising of 2011; and South Korea's president tells the BBC of his hopes that North Korea will pause it nuclear weapon programme.
(Photo credit: EPA)
MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6ssfls)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 22:06 The Interview (w3ct7x04)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydgsw5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 22:32 The Conversation (w3ct7096)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sskbx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6ryc9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydgxm9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76t9)
Could doctors be exempt from Trumps $100,000 visa fee?
The White House said doctors could be exempt from the Trump administration's new $100,000 fee for high-skilled H-1B visa applications. We hear from the President of the American Medical Association.
In India, everyday essentials are getting cheaper after its Prime Minister cut tax rates.
We then go to Uzbekistan where new rules and measures are being implemented in weddings, ceremonies, and family events to curb spending.
(Photo: Two surgeons are preparing for surgery. The doctors are standing in an operating room in a hospital. One surgeon is tying closed the back of another surgeon's operating gown. copyright Getty Creative / FatCamera (GettyImages-1171128846)
TUESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2025
TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6ssp31)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71w9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 on Monday]
TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sssv5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6s5vk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydh53k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct716y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:32 on Monday]
TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6ssxl9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6s9lp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydh8vp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc2)
‘A new foe’: Conscripting women in Denmark
Denmark is eyeing up the military threat from Russia – and dramatically increasing the numbers in its national service. Now, 18-year-old girls are facing a call up.
The BBC has been granted rare access to a military base on the outskirts of Copenhagen to see the newest recruits learn how to operate on the battlefield.
Anna Holligan attends a “Defences Day” where teenagers find out whether they’re fit to serve, and draw a conscription lottery ticket that could shape their future.
Producer: Ellie House
Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound Mix: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Penny Murphy
(Image: Danish militery recruit in training. Credit: Anna Holligan/BBC)
TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6st1bf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wq5)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Monday]
TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct746m)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Monday]
TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6st52k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6sk2y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydhjby)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vtx)
Lesia Khomenko: Art and war
Artist Lesia Khomenko left Kyiv with her daughter the day after Russia invaded Ukraine, leaving her husband and all of her artwork behind. She now lives in New York, documenting how the conflict has transformed Ukrainian society through her painting. Her first work after the invasion was a portrait of her husband, wearing jeans and a puffa jacket whilst holding a gun and saluting awkwardly. That piece, titled Max is in the Army, is part of a series of lawyers, engineers and musicians all finding themselves abruptly turned into soldiers. As the fighting continued she has used pixelation to blur the soldiers’ faces – a reference to online misinformation about the conflict.
Lucy Ash has been to Kyiv to witness the creation of Khomenko’s largest works to date, including one which mirrors Kyiv railway station’s staircase, where it will be hung, crowded with figures, symbolising the nation defending its land, culture and democracy.
TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6st8tp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6rnv8)
Trump claims taking paracetamol 'is no good'
Studies in Norway, the US and Israel found that mothers who took folic acid supplements around conception had children with a 30-70% lower likelihood of autism. But other studies did not find a significant association.
More countries say they'll recognise a Palestinian state to try to put pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. Luxembourg is one of them. We'll speak to the country's deputy prime minister, who's at the UN General Assembly in New York.
And the computer chip maker Nvidia is investing a massive one hundred billion dollars in OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. So what does the deal tell us about where artificial intelligence is going?
(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement at the White House, in Washington, D.C; Credit: Reuters)
TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6stdkt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6rsld)
France formally recognises Palestinian state
The French leader told the conference that the time had come to stop the war and free the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas. He warned against the "peril of endless wars" and said "right must always prevail over might"
President Donald Trump says his administration will recommend against Paracetamol during pregnancy because of risks of autism, claims that are unproven. We'll hear from a campaigner and mother of children with autism.
And Cyprus' hopes for a 'Brain Gain' as it tries to attract its Diaspora back home
(Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron gives a thumb up; Credit: Reuters)
TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6stj9y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6rxbj)
More countries to recognise a Palestinian state
Israel has said recognition would reward Hamas for the Palestinian armed group's 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
Luxembourg is one of the countries due to recognise a Palestinian state. We hear from the country's deputy prime minister. We will also bring you reaction from Egypt
President Trump has said women should not take paracetamol during pregnancy because of the risks of autism. An autism doctor tells us the president is wrong.
(Photo: Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour applauds French Prime Minister; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6stn22)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy3)
Transforming life in cities
In one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Mumbai, a quiet transformation is underway. Govandi has long been associated with poverty and poor health outcomes. But with the help of a civic organisation, the community has built vibrant spaces with children and women in mind— libraries, workshops, and leisure zones—defying the norms of city planning that can overlook such needs. We explore how trust, persistence, and grassroots collaboration turned a neglected area into a model for urban resilience and enjoyment.
Presenter: Myra Anubi
Reporter/producer: Chhavi Sachdev
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Hal Haines
(Image: Reading exercises at Kitaab Mahal, Natwar Parekh compound, Mumbai, Natasha Sharma)
TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydj0bg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s75)
Cyprus has a 'brain gain' plan
We look at how the European country is trying to lure talent back home.
It is specifically targeting people from science, technology, engineering and innovation sectors, using tax breaks and a campaign to remind people about the benefits of returning.
A number of countries are bringing in similar initiatives, so is it forward thinking? Or will it create a two-tier system?
Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney
(Picture: Two women relax in a waterfront cafe during the day in the Mediterranean port of Limassol, Cyrpus. Credit: Getty Images)
TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74n6)
The birth of Médecins Sans Frontières
In 1971, 13 men sat down in a Paris office to launch what would become one of the world’s best known humanitarian organisations: Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors without Borders.
The men were among hundreds of volunteers responding to an appeal by the French medical journal, Tonus, after a major cyclone devastated East Pakistan.
The campaign sparked the idea for the charity. The 13 founders – two journalists and 11 doctors – drew up a charter aiming to provide medical care regardless of race, religion or politics.
MSF’s first missions included helping victims of a Nicaraguan earthquake and a hurricane in Honduras. And in 1999, the charity won the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of their work.
Dr Xavier Emmanuelli, one of the founders, talks to Jane Wilkinson about setting up MSF, and his early humanitarian work.
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: Doctors from Médecins Sans Frontières in Chad, 1981. Credit: Dominique Faget/AFP via Getty Images)
TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6strt6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6t4tl)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydj42l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rc2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6stwkb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zts)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:06 on Saturday]
TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sv09g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6td9v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydjckv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71cg)
Can Apple cut ties with China?
Apple is promising to make more products in the US, backed by a $600bn investment over the next four years. But after decades of relying on Chinese manufacturing that promise is going to be tough to keep.
Today we’re joined by journalist and author Patrick McGee to discuss whether Apple can navigate the demands of Donald Trump’s America First agenda and disentangle itself from a made-in-China business model.
Producers: Hannah Moore and Aron Keller
Executive producers: James Shield and Annie Brown
Mix: Nicky Edwards, Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Picture: Apple CEO Tim Cook in Cupertino, California, U.S. September 9, 2025. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo
TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sv41l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4v)
A womb between us: The transplant that changed two lives
When two women from opposite sides of the US were selected for a pioneering uterus transplant trial, their lives become unexpectedly and permanently intertwined. Cheryl Urban, a mother of two from Pennsylvania, was so profoundly moved by a news story about uterus donation that she signed up for a clinical trial the very next day. She was not sure what it would involve or if it would even succeed, but she felt compelled to offer someone the chance to experience motherhood.
Meanwhile in Montana, Chelsea Jovanovich had been living with a diagnosis she received as a teenager - MRKH syndrome - a rare condition that meant she had been born without a fully developed uterus. Chelsea and her husband knew their path to parenthood was going to be difficult, but when the option of surrogacy fell through she was left heartbroken. It was only when she heard about the University of Pennsylvania's uterine transplant programme that she realised there was still a small possibility of carrying her own child. So she applied, knowing it might be her last real chance.
The two women entered the trial as strangers, unaware that their paths would soon cross. Cheryl was selected as a donor, Chelsea as a recipient, and together they became the first living uterus transplant pairing at their hospital. The surgery was long and complex. For Chelsea, it offered a chance - not a promise - at something she had been told was impossible. For Cheryl, it was the ultimate act of giving, offering a piece of herself to help make someone else's dream a reality. This is the story of two women bound not by blood, but by hope and a shared longing for motherhood.
The news archive in this episode was from Fox29 Phildelphia.
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producers: Marcia Veiga and Anna Lacey
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Image: Cheryl Urban (L) and Chelsea Jovanovich. Credit: Chelsea Jovanovich + Cheryl Urban)
TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74n6)
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08:50 today]
TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sv7sq)
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TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6tmt3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydjm23)
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TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vtx)
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04:32 today]
TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6svcjv)
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TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zss8x49zj3g)
Israel criticises allies’ recognition of Palestinian state
International pressure is ramping up on Israel over the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza and settlement building in the West Bank.
France has formally recognised a Palestinian state, becoming the latest in a wave of countries to take the step. We’ll hear from Gaza.
Also in the programme: After President Trump told pregnant women they shouldn't take paracetamol, claiming the painkiller was linked to autism, we'll hear from an autistic activist who fears it could lead to greater stigmatisation; and we'll find out why the world's most valuable company, Nvidia, has announced it's investing up to a hundred billion dollars in another tech giant for what it calls the next generation of Artificial Intelligence.
(Photo shows the seat of the Israeli delegation at the United Nations in September 2025. Credit: Salvatore Di Nolfi/EPA)
TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6svh8z)
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TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydjvkc)
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TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s75)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:32 today]
TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81p0)
Could Argentina expect a financial lifeline from the US?
As presidents Javier Milei and Donald Trump meet the White House is hinting it could step in to support Argentina's economy. We look at how Argentina got here, and a local wine maker tells how the US tariffs are hitting her industry.
Also, Nigeria has cut its central bank interest rate for the first time since the Covid pandemic. And Indonesia and the European Union sign a landmark agreement which officials claim will double trade in the first five years.
TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6svm13)
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TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w173067z475xh52)
Trump outlines his 'vision for the world'
US President Donald Trump is addressing the UN General Assembly for the first time since 2020. He's outlining his "vision for the world". UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres started off this year's debate saying the world needs the UN's "unique legitimacy, our convening power, our vision to unite nations". Our correspondents explain more.
We speak to journalists in Gaza about the latest from there, as Israel's offensive in Gaza City continues.
And after NASA announces its new astronauts for Moon and Mars missions, we speak to astronauts to get their advice for the new recruits.
(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, New York, U.S., September 23, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Al Drago)
TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6svqs7)
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TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w173067z475xlx6)
Trump: 'Europe has to step up' in Russia-Ukraine war
In his speech at the UN General Assembly, US President Donald Trump says Europe are "funding the war against themselves" by buying Russian energy products. He made the comments ahead of a meeting with Ukraine's President Zelensky. In his speech Trump outlined his "vision for the world", where he also discussed Palestinian recognition, climate policies and borders. We speak to our correspondents for more.
Doctors in the US will soon be advised not to prescribe the pain reliever Tylenol to pregnant women, US President Donald Trump said, citing a disputed link between the drug and autism. We speak to our BBC health expert and hear a conversation with people with autism.
And we speak to journalists in Gaza about the latest from there, as Israel's offensive in Gaza City continues.
OS presenter: Rahul Tandon.
(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 23, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/MIKE SEGAR)
TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6svvjc)
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TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4v)
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TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74n6)
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08:50 today]
TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6svz8h)
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TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6vc8w)
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TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydkbjw)
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TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zb0)
2025/09/23 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 (w172zwwtq6sw30m)
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TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rc2)
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TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydkg90)
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TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zp9)
Can we trust AI in health?
We hear from experts on the pros and cons of using AI in the healthcare world. Plus ex-Minecraft YouTuber Stampy, AKA Joseph Garrett, on turning to game design. But are console games getting too expensive? And the students from India whose innovative renewable energy tech has won a prestigious award.
This week's Tech Life was presented by Shiona McCallum and produced by Imran Rahman-Jones. Our editor is Monica Soriano.
(Image: A stethoscope with a small screen on it, shown a person's heart rate at 76 BPM. A hand hold it to a person's chest.)
TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sw6rr)
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TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zss8x4b0cbc)
Trump criticises European migration and climate policies in UN speech
President Trump has delivered a blistering speech to the United Nations General Assembly, telling European countries they were “going to hell” if they did not stop mass migration.
We’ll analyse what the US president said and how it is being received in European capitals.
Also on the programme: health groups push back against President Trump's linking of vaccines to autism; and Palestinians react to the wave of countries including France and the UK recognising their state.
(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6swbhw)
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TUE 22:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xy3)
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TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydkps8)
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TUE 22:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vtx)
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TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6swg80)
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TUE 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6vv8d)
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TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydktjd)
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TUE 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76bl)
Nvidia investing $100 billion in OpenAI
The world’s most valuable company, Nvidia, is investing $100 billion into OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, to build what it calls the next generation of artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India’s Tata Group, is still struggling to get cars off the production line after last month’s cyberattack. We hear how dealers around the globe are coping.
In the US, top talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel is going back on air following a suspension by Disney-owned network, ABC. But some tv stations are refusing to air the programmes return.
(Photo: Nvidia and OpenAI logos are seen in this illustration taken, September 22, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)
WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2025
WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6swl04)
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WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zts)
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WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6swpr8)
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WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6w2rn)
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WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydl20n)
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WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71cg)
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WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6swthd)
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WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6w6hs)
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WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydl5rs)
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WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702d)
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WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6swy7j)
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WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x4v)
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WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74n6)
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08:50 on Tuesday]
WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sx1zn)
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WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6wg01)
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WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydlf81)
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WED 04:32 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle (w3ct80bt)
The Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle: 10. Return to flight
The space shuttle is back. Discovery stands waiting on launchpad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. It has taken more than two years to get here. Nasa has listened and changed. After all these months of work, this should be one of the safest missions ever flown.
But as Discovery finally rises skyward, the Challenger disaster is on everyone’s mind. There are unspoken questions about the very future of spaceflight.
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:
Return to flight, Nasa Archives, 1988
Ronald Reagan speaks at STS-4 launch, Reagan Library, 1982
STS-26 coverage, CNN, CBS News, BBC, 1988
Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office
WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sx5qs)
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WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6vkrc)
Trump: Kyiv can win all of Ukraine back
Trump said his position had changed "after getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia military and economic situation". we get reactions from the United States and Ukraine.
Jimmy Kimmel's show has returned. The programme was suspended by ABC network following a decision by its owner Disney after Kimmel's remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
(Photo: US President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky meet in New York, USA; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sx9gx)
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WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6vphh)
Trump describes Russia as a paper tiger
President Donald Trump changes his position on the war in Ukraine, this time saying it should take back all of its territory from Russia. President Zelensky has welcomed the comments. In a speech earlier at the UN, President Trump criticised some NATO members for not ceasing the purchase of Russian energy, saying they were "funding a war against themselves".
Hong Kong and mainland China brace themselves for Super Typhoon Ragasa. We'll be live with our correspondent in the south of the Country.
And Jimmy Kimmel makes an emotional return to US screens after his show was suspended for a week over comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk.
(Photo: US President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky meet in New York, USA - 23 Sep 2025; Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)
WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sxf71)
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WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6vt7m)
Zelensky says 'a big shift in Trump's position with Russia'
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to end the war, but has previously warned that process would likely involve Ukraine giving up some territory, an outcome Zelensky has consistently rejected. The US President also described Russia as a paper tiger. We'll bring you reaction from the US and Europe.
As Syria’s interim President addresses the United Nations general assembly, the first time since 1967 for a Syrian president to do so, we go to Damascus and bring you reactions from there.
We hear from a doctor in Gaza who says they are getting less than 10% of what they need in medical material
(Photo: Ukraine’s President Zelensky addresses members of the U.N. Security Council during a high-level meeting; Credit: Reuters)
WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sxjz5)
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WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6x)
Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General: peace as a word losing its value
‘Peace seems to be a word, a five-letter word, that is losing its value.’
Waihiga Mwaura speaks to Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, in a broad-ranging interview about the the UN at 80, and the state of the world today.
The UN is currently hosting its annual General Assembly at its headquarters in New York. Leaders, senior politicians and diplomats from all over the world are meeting there to discuss and resolve a variety of the planet’s most pressing issues.
This is the General Assembly’s 80th such gathering since the United Nations was formed. This year’s theme is ‘Better together’, and sees a renewed urgency on delivering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: 17 interconnected global goals, first adopted by all UN member states in 2015, covering areas including ending poverty, improving health and education, and tackling climate change.
Before becoming the UN’s 5th Deputy Secretary-General, a role Ms. Mohammed took up in 2017, the Nigerian-British diplomat and politician previously served as Nigeria’s Minister for the Environment.
In this interview, she also reflects on the ‘price’ of war and how it diverts vital global attention and resources away from international development, as well as discussing the need for the UN’s Security Council to be more accountable amid growing calls to increase its size to include more member states.
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: Waihiga Mwaura
Producers: Ben Cooper, Priscilla Ng’ethe and Lucy Sheppard
Editor: Justine Lang
Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
(Image: Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General Credit: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydlx7k)
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WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6scp)
The growth of barefoot shoes
Once a niche product for runners, footwear that makes you feel like you’re not wearing any is now crossing into the mainstream.
We’ll hear from fans chasing everyday health benefits as well as from brands in the UK, India and US. And we’ll ask whether the barefoot movement is here to stay…
Produced and presented by Helen Ledwick
(Image: Barefoot shoes on display at a 'try on' event in Birmingham, UK)
WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74qg)
DDLJ: India’s longest-running film
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the ultimate Bollywood romance was released to critical acclaim in October 1995, becoming the longest-running movie in Indian cinema history.
The premiere was held at the Maratha Mandir cinema in Mumbai, since then it’s been screened there every day for the past 27 years, stopping only briefly during the Covid pandemic.
Actress Kajol, who played Simran, starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan and they both became superstars overnight.
Kajol spoke to Reena Stanton-Sharma in 2023, about her memories of shooting the iconic film known around the world as DDLJ.
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: Fans look at a poster of DDLJ outside the Maratha Mandir cinema. Credit: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty Images)
WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sxnq9)
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WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6x1qp)
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WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydm0zp)
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WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702d)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:06 on Sunday]
WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sxsgf)
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WED 10:06 The Documentary (w3ct81mr)
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WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sxx6k)
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WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6x96y)
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WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydm8gy)
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WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71fq)
Trump asks: What’s the purpose of the UN?
Heads of state and high-level diplomats have descended on New York to attend the 80th annual United Nations General Assembly. During a meandering address, President Trump railed against immigration and green energy, claimed credit for a spate of recent diplomatic victories, and questioned the legitimacy of the UN as an institution. How right is the president about the diminishing power of the UN? And what is his vision for a path forward?
Today, Asma reports from the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where she speaks to BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Landale and BBC New York Correspondent for the United Nations Nada Tawfik.
Producers: Samantha Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: Annie Brown
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Editor: China Collins
(Photo: Donald Trump speaks during the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Credit: Sarah Yenesel/EPA/Shutterstock)
WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sy0yp)
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WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcr)
The rare butterfly that led me to my father
Rena Effendi felt she barely knew her father. Rustam Effendi was one of the most notable butterfly scientists in the Soviet Union and was away a lot hunting for specimens, collecting over 90,000 butterflies across his career. Rena met him for the first time when she was six years old. Rustam was adored by his friends and fellow entomologists, but during his infrequent visits home to Baku in Azerbaijan, brought “chaos” to Rena’s ordered life with her mother. He died of cancer in 1991 when Rena was 13 years old, and she remembers a charismatic yet troubled, secretive man.
Several years later Rena, now a professional photographer, discovered that one of Rustam’s friends had named a butterfly after him – the Satyrus effendi, a butterfly so rare that some lepidopterists even referred to it as mythical. Rena was so intrigued that she set out to find this elusive butterfly and in doing so, hope to understand her father better. But the search was not straightforward. The Satyrus effendi takes flight for only two weeks every year and it lives in the heavily patrolled and mined border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. So Rena would have to cross a battlefield to find the butterfly... but she had help – Rustam’s friends.
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Hetal Bapodra and May Cameron
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Picture: A black and white Polaroid photo of dark-haired Rena Effendi, aged 10, wearing a polka dot blouse, being hugged by her grey-haired father Rustam on the balcony of their home in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 1987. Credit: Effendi family archive)
WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74qg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sy4pt)
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WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6xjq6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydmhz6)
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WED 13:32 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle (w3ct80bt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sy8fy)
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WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zss8x4b2f0k)
Powerful cyclone batters Taiwan and southern China
Typhoon Ragasa has made landfall in southern China, where nearly two million people have been evacuated in preparation for its arrival.
It comes after authorities said at least 17 people had been killed and more missing in Taiwan after a lake burst on Tuesday, causing severe flooding in the island's east. We hear from a reporter in Taiwan
Also in the programme: Syria's interim president is due to address the UN General Assembly, making him the first Syrian head of state to do so in nearly 60 years; and for the first time, doctors have used gene therapy to significantly slow the progression of the deadly, degenerative disease Huntington's.
[Photo shows a drone view of buildings and fields submerged in flood waters in Guangfu, Hualien County, Taiwan on 24 September 2025. Credit: The Warthog Air Squadron/Reuters)
WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6syd62)
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WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6x)
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WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydmrgg)
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WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6scp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
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WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81p6)
What will Germany’s new budget mean for the economy?
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz introduces the 2026 budget with €126.7 billion in new investments for infrastructure, transport, schools, and other major projects. Leanna Byrne talks to a business industry leader in Berlin about why they're not happy. And a deal has been reached to make a new HIV prevention drug much more affordable in low and middle income countries.
You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.
WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6syhy6)
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WED 16:06 BBC OS (w173067z4760d25)
Typhoon Ragasa hits southern China
This year's most powerful tropical cyclone, typhoon Ragasa, has made landfall in southern China. Police vehicles have been patrolling the streets with megaphones, urging people to stay inside - but it is difficult to hear them above gusts of 100mph (160km/h) winds. Our China reporter brings us the latest and we hear from people in Taiwan where Ragasa claimed at least 17 lives.
US officials say one person has been killed and a number wounded in a shooting at an immigration facility in Texas. We speak to our North America correspondent.
We bring together in conversation people who decided to forgive the person who killed their loved one – after the widow of the pro-Trump influencer Charlie Kirk who was shot and killed said her Christian faith meant she would forgive her husband’s killer.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
(Photo: A fallen tree at an estate during the typhoon Ragasa in Hong Kong, China, 24 September 2025. Credit: MAY JAMES/EPA/Shutterstock)
WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sympb)
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WED 17:06 BBC OS (w173067z4760ht9)
Syria's leader to address UN
The President of Syria Ahmed al-Shara'a is due to address world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York - the first Syrian leader to do so in nearly 60 years. Since toppling the dictator Bashar al Assad, al-Shara'a has presided over an uneasy calm in Syria. We discuss the significance of the moment with our correspondent in Damsacus. We are also joined by Syrians who are watching as their leader takes to the world stage.
A new deal has been announced to significantly decrease the price of a key piece of HIV preventive medicine. Bill Clinton helped broker it and it involved negotiations with drug companies on the price of lenacapavir - a commonly used twice-annual injection that helps prevent HIV infections. We are joined by our Africa correspondent.
We bring together in conversation people who decided to forgive the person who killed their loved one – after the widow of the pro-Trump influencer Charlie Kirk who was shot and killed said her Christian faith meant she would forgive her husband’s killer.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
(Photo: Supporters of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa demonstrate outside the U.N. headquarters during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, U.S., September 24, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Carlos Barria)
WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6syrfg)
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WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcr)
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12:06 today]
WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74qg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6syw5l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6y85z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydn7fz)
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WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zd8)
2025/09/24 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 (w172zwwtq6syzxq)
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WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702d)
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WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydnc63)
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WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vjw)
Trump’s unproven claims on autism and paracetamol
President Trump has claimed that consuming Tylenol, or paracetamol, whilst pregnant can increase the risk of autism in children; Claudia is joined by Professor of Clinical Epidemiology Laurie Tomlinson to fact-check this unproven statement.
Also on the show, BBC’s Philippa Roxby joins Claudia to share a breakthrough in treating Huntington’s disease. In a medical first doctors have used gene therapy to slow the progression of this fatal genetic disorder where a patient’s movement, thinking, and mood deteriorates over time.
Reporter Carrim Mpaweni explores how Malawi is currently dealing with Cholera, and the role climate change is playing in exacerbating outbreaks of the disease.
Plus, how South Korean researchers are exploring the use of glue guns as a way to repair broken bones.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett
Image Credit: Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images
WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sz3nv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zss8x4b387g)
Controversial Syrian president addresses UN General Assembly
Syria's interim president has told the UN General Assembly that his country has reclaimed its "rightful place" on the world stage. Ahmed al-Sharaa is the first Syrian leader to address the assembly since 1967. Last December, the former Islamist fighter headed a rebel alliance that overthrew the Assad regime. Twenty years ago, Sharaa was a devotee of al-Qaeda and detained in an Iraqi prison. As a leader of Islamist militants, the US Government put out a bounty of $10 million for his arrest.
Also in the programme: A generic HIV drug for $40 US dollars per person per year; and from Adam Ant to Culture Club - a look back at London's influential Blitz Club of the 1980's.
(Photo: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, September 24, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Jeenah Moon)
WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6sz7dz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 22:06 The Interview (w3ct7x6x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydnlpc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 22:32 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle (w3ct80bt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6szc53)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6yr5h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydnqfh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76j8)
US set to support Argentina's economy
The US has said that it's currently in negotiation for $20 billion to support Argentina’s economy. President Javier Milei thanks the US government for the “support and confidence”.
Canada has assembled an AI task force in Ottawa .It wants to prepare a strategy and has promised millions of dollars to attract talent from around the world.
(A customer counts Argentine peso bills before checking out in a supermarket in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 13, 2025. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo).
THURSDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2025
THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6szgx7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 00:06 The Documentary (w3ct81mr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Saturday]
THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6szlnc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6yznr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydnyxr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71fq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:32 on Wednesday]
THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6szqdh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6z3dw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydp2nw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct82ky)
Kharkiv: Love in a war zone
Over the past year, BBC Eye has documented life in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, helping to capture the deeply personal stories of those living under the continuing shadow of war. Just 30 kilometres from the Russian border, this Russian-speaking city has sustained some of the heaviest attacks of the war.
Reporter Albina Kovalyova follows the stories of people who have nevertheless chosen to continue to live in Kharkiv. One, Adela Knapova, a writer from the Czech Republic who unexpectedly found love during a visit to this frontline city last year - and who uprooted her life in Prague to move to Ukraine to be with him. He is an artist from Kharkiv, Konstantin Zorkin, who describes his belief in the transformative power of art and love.
These personal stories of love and life are intercut with the violence Russia continues to unleash on this city of over a million people. And they are set against a shifting geopolitical backdrop, of ultimatums and recriminations and talks, as all the while the attacks on Kharkiv and Ukraine continue.
Presenter/reporter: Albina Kovalyova
Producer: Louise Hidalgo
Editor: Rebecca Henschke
Executive producer: Michael Simkin
(Photo: Adela and Konstantin. Credit: Konstantin Zorkin)
THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6szv4m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xcr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Wednesday]
THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74qg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Wednesday]
THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6szywr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6zbx4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydpb54)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70z0)
Dining etiquette: What really matters?
Listeners to BBC World Service told us they hate it when fellow diners chew noisily or talk with their mouth full. But what is polite at mealtimes can vary wildly according to where in the world you are and who you are with.
Ruth Alexander visits London's City of Westminster College to meet some of its teenage students, to find out about their different backgrounds and what good manners mean to them. She visits an exclusive private members club in the heart of London's West end to talk to Rupert Wesson, a director and coach at the British etiquette institution Debrett’s. And she hears from Japanese language tutor Chika Nakagawa about the rules that govern mealtimes in Japan.
Plus what if you are thrown into a world you weren't prepared for? After tough beginnings and through sheer determination Reggie Nelson built a career in finance. He tells Ruth about his extraordinary path to success and how he got through his first formal business dinner.
And what about when a restaurant meal brings out the worst in a customer? Mo Abedin, owner of Sticky Rice Thai restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi talks about how he and his staff deal with the nightmare diners who have forgotten their manners.
Producer: Lexy O'Connor
(Image: A bearded man in a shirt and tie is eating a meal in front of a red background. He is shovelling a big fork full of noodles into his mouth whilst staring at his mobile phone. Credit: Getty Images/Group4 Studio)
THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t02mw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6ygng)
China to cut its greenhouse gas emissions
China, the world's biggest source of planet-warming gases, has for the first time committed to an absolute target to cut its emissions. We speak to our correspondent in China.
A detainee has died and two others are critically injured after a rooftop sniper opened fire at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement centre in Dallas, Texas, official say. The authorities said that the gunman killed himself and that no law enforcement officers were injured in the attack. We speak speak to a reporter in Dallas.
Syria's interim president has told the UN General Assembly that his country has reclaimed its "rightful place" on the world stage. Ahmed al-Sharaa is the first Syrian leader to address the assembly since nineteen-sixty-seven. Last December, the former Islamist fighter headed a rebel alliance that overthrew the Assad regime.
Presenters: James Copnall and Catherine Byaruhanga.
(Photo: General view of the solar panels and wind turbines of Wind, Solar and Fishing Base in Dongtai near Yancheng, Jiangsu province, China. Credit:
Alex Plavevski/EPA)
THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t06d0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6yldl)
China pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions
China, the world's biggest source of planet-warming gases, has for the first time committed to an absolute target to cut its emissions. We speak to our correspondent in China.
In Texas at least one person has been killed by a gunman at an immigration facility in the city, with two others in critical condition. All those shot were detainees at the local US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, building. Dallas Police say the unidentified gunman, who also later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, opened fire from an elevated position from a nearby building at the ICE field office in Dallas.
A landmark deal has been announced to significantly reduce the cost of a key HIV drug. Lenacapavir has been shown to be nearly 100% effective in preventing HIV infection in clinical trials but until now, has cost up to $28,000 a year per patient.
Presenters: James Copnall and Catherine Byaruhanga
(Photo: Maintenance personnel driving trough the solar panels and wind turbines of Wind, Solar and Fishing Base in Dongtai near Yancheng, Jiangsu province, China. Credit: Alex Plavevski/EPA)
THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t0b44)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p6yq4q)
China to cut greenhouse gas emissions
For the first time, China has set a target for reducing its carbon emissions, a key part of the fight against climate change. Speaking in a video address to the UN in New York, President Xi Jinping said that greenhouse gasses would be reduced by between 7 and 10 percent in the next decade. He said that all parts of the economy would shift away from fossil fuels. China is the world's biggest source of planet-warming gasses.
Syria's interim president has told the UN General Assembly that his country has reclaimed its "rightful place" on the world stage. Ahmed al-Sharaa is the first Syrian leader to address the assembly since nineteen-sixty-seven.
And a landmark deal to significantly reduce the cost of a key HIV drug. Lenacapavir has been shown to be nearly 100% effective in preventing HIV infection in clinical trials but until now, has cost up to $28,000 a year per patient. However, a new deal unveiled by the former US President Bill Clinton and global health partners has made the life-saving injection available for as little as $40 a year in 120 low and middle income countries.
Presenters: James Copnall and Catherine Byaruhanga.
(Photo:Solar panels are seen in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. Stringer/Reuters)
THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t0fw8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7233)
Why does Mexico owe the US water?
The major rivers of the Rio Grande and the Colorado run through both the United States and Mexico and they are the source of a water sharing agreement between the two countries that dates back to 1944.
Under the terms of this treaty, Mexico must send 430 million cubic metres of water per year from the Rio Grande to the US, to supply Texas and dozens of cities near the border. Whilst the US sends a much larger allocation of nearly
1.85 billion cubic metres of water a year, from the Colorado River to supply Mexico’s border cities like Mexicali and Tijuana.
But 80 years on, a deepening row over a shortage of water has put the treaty in jeopardy. Mexico is in arrears and has failed to keep up with its water deliveries to the US for much of this century and its unlikely to meet its obligation this year too. Farmers on both sides are struggling to water their crops, whilst the border cities are facing water shortages for both their populations and industries. And pressure on Mexico is mounting with President Trump earlier this year accusing Mexico of ‘stealing’ the water.
So this week on The Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Why does Mexico owe the US water?’
Contributors:
Stephen Mumme, Emeritus Professor in Political Science, Colorado State University, USA
Dr Rosario Sanchez, Senior Research Scientist, Texas Water Resources Institute, USA
Susanne Schmeier, Professor in Water Co-operation, Law and Diplomacy, IHE Delft, The Netherlands.
Naho Mirumachi, Professor in Environmental Politics, King’s College, London, UK
Presenter: Gary O’Donoghue
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Maeve Schaeffer
Technical Producer: Craig Boardman
Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey
Editor: Tom Bigwood
{Photo: The Rio Grande River and surrounding land that divides the USA and Mexico. Credit: Daniel Slim/Getty Images)
THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydpt4n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s2n)
Home is where the debt is
Is the dream of home ownership slipping out of reach for many Americans?
Prices are climbing, supply can’t keep up with demand, and high interest rates are keeping sellers on the side-lines.
Tariffs and rising construction costs are squeezing builders too, piling more pressure on families and the economy.
We hear from first-time buyers, builders and real estate agents all trying to navigate the changing market.
Produced and presented by Monica Miller
(Image: A family look at a new home in the US. Credit: Getty Images)
THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74js)
The secretary who made millions from her typos
In the 1950s, secretary Bette Graham from Texas was struggling to cope with her new electric typewriter.
“My fingers would hang heavy on the sensitive keyboard and the first thing I'd know, I'd have a mistake with a deposit of carbon which I simply couldn't erase,” she said.
A budding artist, she wondered if there was a way she could paint over her typos.
At home, in her kitchen, the single mum cooked up the first correcting fluid. It was a hit with other secretaries and, by 1973, Bette had turned her creation into a multi-million dollar business.
Bette died in 1980 so Vicky Farncombe tells her story using archive from University of North Texas Special Collections.
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: Correction fluid. Credit: Getty Images)
THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t0kmd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf6zyms)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydpxws)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct82ky)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t0pcj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysk)
The Media Show: Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension
In the US, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was taken off air after making remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The broadcasting regulator, the FCC, warned stations about continuing to air his show. Donald Trump supported the suspension, but Disney, which owns ABC, later decided to bring the show back. Brian Stelter, Chief Media Analyst at CNN, looks at what this means for the relationship between politicians, broadcasters and entertainers.
A BBC investigation has revealed new details about how the government is using hotels to house migrants. The Home Secretary has ordered an urgent review after concerns were raised about taxis being used to move asylum seekers and the conditions inside the hotels, which are currently home to around 32,000 people. BBC journalist Sue Mitchell shares what she found while reporting inside the hotels and the difficulties of recording people’s experiences.
A new ITV drama called The Hack tells the story of phone hacking by the News of the World, Rupert Murdoch’s tabloid newspaper, which subsequently shut down because of the scandal. Executive producer Patrick Spence explains the choices made when dramatising real events and his motivation.
Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Lucy Wai
Assistant Producer: Martha Owen
Production Coordinator: Ruth Waites
Technical Coordinator: Mark Dickins
Sound: Chris Ablakwa
THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydq1mx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 10:32 World of Secrets (w3ct854m)
Death in Dubai
Death in Dubai: 1. The real Mona Kizz
Monic dreams of leaving her home in rural Uganda for a different life. So when a “friend” promises her a job in Dubai, it feels like the chance she’s been waiting for. Monic is elated, she is the first of her 11 siblings to travel abroad. But just a few months later she is dead. Her family is left searching for answers. What happened in Dubai?
A warning that this podcast includes disturbing scenes, including discussion of sexual abuse and suicide. Some episodes also contain strong language.
Presented by investigative journalist Runako Celina.
Season 9 of World of Secrets, Death in Dubai, is a BBC Eye investigation, produced in association with Thread Studios, for the BBC World Service.
Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the person depicted in it is a model.
If you feel distressed by the references in this story, please speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support such as Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org
For UK listeners, details of organisations offering information about or support after sexual abuse, or with feelings of despair, are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Here’s a link to the BBC Eye documentary film, which we recommend you watch after listening to this podcast: https://bit.ly/bbcdeathindubai
If you are in the UK, you can watch on iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n12t256jg
THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t0t3n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf70641)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydq5d1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct7196)
Why is Trump suddenly saying Ukraine can win the war?
On Tuesday night, Donald Trump signalled a drastic U-turn in his position on Ukraine, claiming in a Truth Social post that Kyiv could win the war against Russia, and take back all the land it has lost. The Kremlin was quick to dismiss his assertion, saying it has, “no alternative” but to continue its offensive.
So, is this just another rhetorical turn from the US president, or has something materially changed in Ukraine’s favour? Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia editor for BBC Monitoring, joins us to discuss.
Producers: Hannah Moore and Valerio Esposito
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t0xvs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxy)
One suitcase, three kids: a broke scientist pursues a dream
Ijeoma Uchegbu has dedicated her career to studying pharmaceutical nanoscience, seeking out ways to carry medicines to parts of the body that are notoriously hard to reach. But as a schoolgirl in the UK her aspirations were to work in a shop and earn enough to go dancing at weekends. It was when her Nigerian parents took her back to their home country that she discovered a passion for science and a burning ambition. She went to university aged 16, married and started a family of her own but when her marriage failed, desperate to do a PhD she moved back to the UK. By now Ijeoma was a single mum-of-three and they had one suitcase and £500 to start a new life. Within weeks the family would be living in a homeless shelter with Ijeoma battling to keep them afloat, fed and safe. But Ijeoma is a fighter, soon she had a job in a lab and a home and she found love again. She was given a damehood earlier this year and is a champion of race equality, and it turns out she also has a talent for stand-up comedy.
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Andrea Kennedy
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Ijeoma Uchegbu, smiling at the camera. Credit: Phil Mynott)
THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74js)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t11lx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf70fm9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydqdw9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70z0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t15c1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zss8x4b59xn)
France's former president Sarkozy sentenced to 5 years in jail
The former president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, is sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy. Judge Nathalie Gavarino said Sarkozy had allowed close aides to contact Libyan officials with a view to obtaining financial support for his election campaign. Mr Sarkozy insisted he was innocent and said he would appeal the ruling.
Also in the programme: three days after several world powers recognise Palestinian statehood, Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the United Nations General Assembly via video link, having been barred from entry to the US by President Trump; plus how Zimbabwe aims to become the world’s top supplier of blueberries.
(Photo: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, leave the courthouse in Paris, France, 25 September 2025. Credit: Yoan Valat/EPA/Shutterstock)
THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t1935)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7233)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydqnck)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s2n)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:32 today]
THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81pd)
China commits to its first ever emissions targets
The world’s biggest polluter, China, is promising to cut carbon emissions for the first time - but what does that mean for businesses trying to keep up?
And Ticketmaster agrees clearer pricing after an investigation in the UK.
You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.
Presenter: Sarah Rogers
Producer: Victoriya Holland
Editor: Justin Bones
THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t1dv9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 16:06 BBC OS (w173067z47638z8)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the UN
The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has addressed the United Nations by video-link from Ramallah, after the Trump administration denied him a visa in protest at his promotion of Palestinian statehood. We analyse his speech with our Chief International correspondent and our BBC Arabic reporter in New York.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in Washington today, where he will be hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House. We hear from three Turkish citizens as to what the meeting could mean for them.
And an Australian kindergarten has ended up in hot water, after asking parents to pay thousands for a portfolio of their childrens' artworks. We speak to our reporter there.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
(Photo: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly via video, at U.N. headquarters in New York, September 25, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs)
THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t1jlf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 17:06 BBC OS (w173067z4763dqd)
Former French President sentenced to five years in prison
The former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy. The complex case related to efforts to obtain funds from the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gadaffi. We speak to our reporter who was in court.
The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has addressed the United Nations by video-link from Ramallah, after the Trump administration denied him a visa in protest at his promotion of Palestinian statehood. We analyse his speech with our Chief International correspondent and our BBC Arabic reporter in New York.
And China, the world's biggest source of planet-warming gases, has for the first time committed to an absolute target to cut its emissions. We bring together our China expert and our Environment correspondent to see what this pledge actually means.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
(Photo: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy leaves the courthouse in Paris, France, September 25, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq)
THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t1nbk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74js)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t1s2p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf71532)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydr4c2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z7r)
2025/09/25 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 (w172zwwtq6t1wtt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct82ky)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydr836)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 20:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfx)
Autism and the epigenetics of early brain development
Epigenetic changes during early brain development, and the complexities of autism. Also, how bacteria learn to parry antibiotics, the subterranean burp that shook the Island of Santorini, and new guidance for sharing land between farming space and living space for the pollinators on which it depends.
Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
(Image: Blastocyst embryo, light micrograph. Credit: Science Photo Library via Getty Images).
THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t20ky)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zss8x4b654k)
Sarkozy says he will 'sleep in jail, but with head held high'
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in jail after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case related to millions of euros of illicit funds from the late Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.
Also on the programme: the havoc caused by drones closing airspace and airports in Denmark; and the musician Arlo Guthrie - whose family has been wrecked by Huntington's disease - on the promise of this week's medical breakthrough.
(Photo: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives for the verdict in his trial at the courthouse in Paris. Credit: Reuters)
THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t24b2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 22:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7233)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydrhlg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 22:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70z0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t2826)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf71n2l)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydrmbl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct75y5)
Trump signs TikTok deal
US President Trump has signed an executive order that will hand TikTok to a group of investors who include Larry Ellison, one of the richest men in the world and the founder of the tech company Oracle.
Also, US house prices are climbing, supply can’t keep up with demand, and high interest rates are keeping sellers on the sidelines.
And Starbucks has said it will cut about 900 US jobs and close its worst-performing stores there, as well as shut some UK stores as part of a cost-saving move.
(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump shows a signed executive order on a deal that would divest TikTok's U.S. operations from its Chinese owner ByteDance, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 25, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
FRIDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2025
FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t2ctb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ysk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 on Thursday]
FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydrr2q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 00:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78bx)
World leaders formally recognise Palestinian statehood
This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses what effect the recognition of Palestine as a state might have, examines whether Syria is back in the international fold and looks at the latest restrictions that the Taliban have introduced in Afghanistan.
Producer: Kate Cornell
Executive Producer: Benedick Watt
Commissioning Editor: Vara Szajkowski
FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t2hkg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf71wkv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydrvtv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct7196)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:32 on Thursday]
FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t2m9l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf7209z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydrzkz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zp9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Tuesday]
FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t2r1q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wxy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Thursday]
FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74js)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Thursday]
FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t2vsv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf727t7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4yds727)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpd)
Finding my Sikh faith against the odds
Harj Gahley is a Sikh who began gambling when he was just 23. What started as a ‘fun’ night out with friends at a casino spiralled out of control, nearly costing him his life.
For over a decade, Harj kept his addiction a secret, living a double life that lead him to borrow, steel and defraud from family and friends. His addiction pushed him to the edge of personal and financial ruin. Eventually, his deception came to light, devastating his wife and family. Harj’s hidden truth also revealed a deeper cultural stigma. When he first turned to his faith and community leaders for help, instead of finding compassion he says he was met with shame and judgement. A painful confession to an elder exposed just how little understanding there was around gambling addiction.
Now a campaigner, Harj works to raise awareness about the damage gambling can do, supporting others as they face their own battles with addiction.
Through powerful conversations with the BBC’s Rajeev Gupta, Harj takes us on an emotional journey towards a turning point - where honesty, faith, and family support finally lead him back to his Sikh identity.
Presenter: Rajeev Gupta
Producer: Matt O’Donoghue
Editor: Chloe Walker
(Photo: Harj Gahley sits crossed-legged. Credit: Harj Gahley)
FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t2zjz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p71ckk)
Former FBI director, James Comey, indicted.
America's Department of Justice has indicted the former FBI director, James Comey, it comes days after Donald Trump said he should be prosecuted. Mr Comey is accused of lying to Congress and obstructing justice. Mr Trump has commented on social media and called Mr Comey 'one of the worst human beings'. We look at the legal challenges in this case.
Denmark's prime minister Mette Frederiksen says that the defence alliance NATO has agreed to help with the country's security after drones forced airports to close on two seperate occasions this week. We speak to a member of the Danish parliament's Defence Committee.
Environmental campaigners in the Seychelles are raising the alarm after the remote Assumption Island was controversially leased to develop as a luxury villa resort for the Qatari royal family. The island lies just a few kilometres from one of the most sensitive biodiversity sites in the world, the UNESCO-protected Aldabra atoll.
Presenters: James Copnall and Catherine Byaruhanga.
(Photo: James Comey in a frame grab from a video feed as he is sworn in remotely from his home during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing exploring the FBI's investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign and Russian election interference in Washington. Credit: Handout via Reuters).
FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t3393)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p71h9p)
Former FBI director James Comey indicted on two charges
The former FBI director James Comey has been indicted on charges of making false statements to the US Congress, and obstruction of justice. It's thought the charges against Mr Comey relate to testimony he gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020. Donald Trump has intensified pressure on the Justice Department in recent days demanding officials prosecute James Comey.
On Thursday the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas addressed the United Nations General Assembly via video link from the West Bank, and later today Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver his speech in person in New York. As they speak, there is very little prospect of an end to the conflict in Gaza. The fighting has forced many people to flee Gaza City, but not all residents have left. We hear from Ahmed Kamal Junina, who has chosen to stay.
And we look at the case of Guatemalan children whose forced deportation has been halted in the United States.
Presenters: James Copnall and Catherine Byaruhanga
(Photo: Former FBI Director Comey testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in Washington. Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters).
FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t3717)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zspt6p71m1t)
James Comey, the former FBI director, indicted
America's Department of Justice has indicted the former FBI director, James Comey, it comes days after Donald Trump said he should be prosecuted. Mr Comey is accused of lying to Congress and obstructing justice. Mr Trump has commented on social media and called Mr Comey 'one of the worst human beings'. We look at the legal challenges in this case.
Reports from the US quote president Donald Trump commenting positively on the prospects for a peace deal in Gaza. It follows a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is due to speak at the United Nations General Assembly later today. Meanwhile it's been reported that a proposal to establish a transitional authority to run Gaza would include the involvement of the former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair. We get a view from Israel.
And we hear from a resident of Gaza City, he's decided to stay in the city despite the escalating war and ground invasion of Gaza City.
Presenters: James Copnall and Catherine Byaruhanga.
(Photo: FBI Director James Comey testifies before a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington in 2016. Credit
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t3bsc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 08:06 Americast (w3ct7t5z)
Is America's health secretary RFK Jr a danger to public health?
Monday’s White House announcement made headlines worldwide when Donald Trump - flanked by his health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior - said taking Tylenol, also known as paracetamol, during pregnancy was linked to a "very increased risk" of autism in children. Medical experts have strongly pushed back on the claims, saying there is not strong enough scientific evidence to show a link, with some calling the president's comments dangerous.
In the past few months, several of the main scientists in charge of public health in America have either been sacked by the health secretary, or have resigned in protest at what they say are decisions based on ideology, not scientific data.
In today’s episode, Anthony and Marianna chat to Dr Debra Houry, a former chief medical officer at the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, who spent a decade at the organisation before resigning in protest over RFK Jr’s leadership. She tells us about the events that pushed her towards resignation, the differences between working with Trump’s first and second administrations, and why she believes RFK Jr poses a risk to public health.
HOSTS
• Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations correspondent
• Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent
GET IN TOUCH:
• Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB
• Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480
• Email Americast@bbc.co.uk
• Or use #Americast
This episode was made by Alix Pickles, Rufus Gray and Purvee Pattni. The technical producer was Mike Regaard and the digital editor is Sophie Millward. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.
You can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers.
US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155
Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.
Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl
Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydsq1r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rsm)
Business Daily meets: Rahul Vatts
Thirty years ago, India made its first mobile call. Back then, Rahul Vatts was just starting out at India’s telecom giant, Airtel.
Now the company’s Chief Regulatory Officer, he’s witnessed the country transform into one of the world’s largest digital markets. We hear about his career journey and learn how new technology is being rolled out in rural parts of India.
If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
Presented and produced by Devina Gupta
(Picture: Rahul Vatts.)
FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct744c)
Guinea stadium massacre
On 28 September 2009, around 50,000 people took part in a rally to protest reported plans by military leader Moussa Dadis Camara to stand in the presidential election.
It started peacefully, until troops, under Camara’s rule entered the stadium and opened fire, killing more than 150 people.
Many others were left scarred, and women raped.
Asmaou Diallo’s son Aly was one of those killed that day, she’s been telling Megan Jones how she’s been campaigning for justice ever since.
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: Aly with his nieces and nephew. Credit: Asmaou Diallo)
FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t3gjh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf72vjw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydstsw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 09:32 Science In Action (w3ct6yfx)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Thursday]
FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t3l8m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72wl)
Two-hundred years of trains
This week marks 200 years since the first steam train pulled passengers over 26 miles of north-east England’s countryside, and started a revolution. Jump on board for show filled with train tales.
We explore Mumbai’s lunch delivery system – train based, of course, which has the sort of error rate that delivery firms arounds the world can only dream of. We ask what it takes to run a railway on time, and look at how the bullet train changed Japan, with history professor Jessamyn Abel.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Robbie Wojciechowski, Lucy Davies
FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t3q0r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf73314)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydt294)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct714p)
The disgraced UK doctor behind autism misinformation
On Monday President Trump and the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held a press conference in which they made extraordinary new claims about autism. They suggested a potential link between the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and the development of autism. They also advocated spacing out childhood vaccinations.
The two men's interest in the link between vaccines and autism goes back decades but these claims did not originate in the US. They trace back to the UK in 1998, when disgraced former doctor Andrew Wakefield first published his now-debunked theory linking MMR vaccines to autism cases in children.
Today on the Global Story science journalist Adam Rutherford explains how the Wakefield vaccine conspiracy became the biggest medical disinformation disaster in recent history, and how these ideas found fertile ground in the Trump administration.
Producers: Viv Jones, Valerio Esposito
Executive producer: Annie Brown, James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Image: President Donald Trump, in front of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., delivers remarks linking autism to childhood vaccines and to the use of popular pain medication Tylenol for pregnant women and children, claims which are not backed by decades of science, at the White House. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t3trw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6whd)
Outlook Mixtape: Daughters of an actor, a mime and a prince
E.A. Hanks’ childhood was split between living with her troubled mum and her 'omni-famous' dad Tom Hanks. E.A. and her brother Colin spent most of their time living in Sacramento with their mum, while weekends and holidays were spent with their dad, often on glamorous film sets. Although their mum was now sober after an addiction to alcohol and drugs, she could be paranoid and abusive, and E.A. describes her life as either a dream or a nightmare.
Marcel Marceau is the grandee of mime artistry, perhaps the most famous mime in history and a global icon. Less known is the story of the secret manuscript that he left for his daughters on his deathbed. It was filled with passages about his emotional inner life when he was in the French Resistance during World War Two, drawing on mime techniques to help smuggle Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied France across the Swiss border to safety.
As lead singer of The Selecter, Pauline Black pushed music and racial boundaries but struggled with her own identity. The daughter of a Nigerian prince, she was adopted by a white family who taught her that black men were dangerous and to be avoided. Her childhood was confusing and complex and it would take Pauline decades to reclaim her identity and learn the truth about her birth parents.
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Hetal Bapodra
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)
FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct744c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t3yj0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf73bjd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydt9sd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpd)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t4284)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zss8x4b86tr)
Israeli leader addresses UN assembly
Israel leader Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the UN General Assembly in Geneva just days after several leading countries announced the recognition of Palestinian statehood. We speak to the father of an Israeli soldier who was captured on 7 October 2023. The father was at the UN and turned his back on the Israeli prime minister.
Also, the former FBI director James Comey, who led the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Trump campaign, has been indicted. We hear the latest, and after a breakthrough in the treatment of Huntingdon’s disease, we speak to Arlo Guthrie whose father Woody, the celebrated folk singer, died of the condition.
(Photo: Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, United Nations headquarters in New York. Credit: Sarah Yenesel/EPA/Shutterstock)
FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t4608)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 15:06 Americast (w3ct7t5z)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydtk8n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rsm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:32 today]
FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct81pl)
Donald Trump announces new wave of tariffs on branded pharmaceutical products
US President Donald Trump has announced a new wave of tariffs, including a 100% levy on branded or patented drug imports from 1 October - unless a company is building a factory in the US. We hear from Germany's VFA association of pharmaceutical companies.
And, the price of love - hundreds of alleged romance scammers are arrested as part of an international operation. The CEO of a dating app tells us how to protect users from scammers.
Tattoos were once reserved for rockstars or sailors, but are now part of a mainstream industry predicted to be worth $6.5 billion by 2033. So what's behind this booming trade?
You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.
Presenter: Sarah Rogers
Producer: Victoriya Holland
Editor: Justin Bones
FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t49rd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w173067z47665wc)
Netanyahu: Israel 'crushed the bulk of Hamas'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delivered a combative address at the UN general assembly as pressure mounts over the war in Gaza. In a speech reminding delegates of the Hamas attack nearly two years ago, which launched the war, Mr Netanyahu criticised countries that have recognised a Palestinian state. We discuss his speech with our correspondents at the meeting of world leaders and speak to Israelis for reactions.
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is in discussions to run a transitional authority in Gaza after a ceasefire has been agreed, the BBC understands. We discuss this with our diplomatic correspondent. And our Middle East specialist at BBC Monitoring joins us with regional reactions.
There is evidence rat numbers are surging, and climate change in some cities appears to be helping drive the rise. We speak to our climate editor Justin Rowlatt who has been looking into this and hear an encounter he had with rats in London.
This week, prominent Egyptian-British dissident Alaa Abd El-Fattah was released after spending the last six years in an Egyptian jail. We speak to three human rights campaigners forced to flee persecution in their country.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
(Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 80th UN General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, US, 26 Sept, 2025. Credit: Jeenah Moon/Reuters)
FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t4fhj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w173067z47669mh)
Netanyahu calls Palestinian recognition 'disgraceful'
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has denied that his country was committing genocide in Gaza or starving its people. In a fiery speech at the UN General Assembly, he blamed Hamas for preventing Gazans fleeing, and of stealing their food. We are joined by our BBC Arabic reporter in New York and hear Palestinian and Israeli reactions.
The former FBI director James Comey - and critic of President Donald Trump - has formally been charged with making false statements to the US Congress. Our North America correspondent has the latest.
UN sanctions are likely to be re-imposed on Iran at midnight after Britain, France, and Germany accused Tehran of violating a 2015 deal aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon. The UN Security Council is voting later on delaying the sanctions. BBC Persian's Bahman Kalbasi brings us more from New York.
And we speak to South Korean tattoo artists in conversation after the practise was legalised there for the first time in more than 30 years.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
(Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., Sept. 26, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)
FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t4k7n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6whd)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct744c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t4nzs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf74205)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydv185)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z37)
2025/09/26 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 (w172zwwtq6t4sqx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rn3)
Living with the threat of drone attacks
There are now more Russian drone attacks on Ukraine than ever before in the conflict. On some nights, hundreds are targeted at the country. In one raid this week, Ukraine's air force says Moscow launched 619 drones and missiles, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more.
In our conversations we bring together Kateryna who has lost her home twice to Russian drones, Kamila, whose aunt was killed in a recent attack, and Inna. She happened to be out when her building was struck by a drone.
“I felt on the edge between life and death,” Inna tells us. “I remember thinking that if it had been 15 metres to the left, and if I was at home, I’d be dead.”
On the front line, Ukrainian forces use drones for surveillance, delivering supplies and for attacking Russian forces. Some are radio controlled but others use thin fibreoptic cable that unwinds from a cartridge as they travel, avoiding signals being jammed. Drone pilots Andy and Oleksii give us an insight into their lives on the front line of the war.
Presenter: Rahul Tandon
BBC producer: Laura Cress
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team.
(Photo: Kamila, whose aunt was killed in a drone attack. Credit: Kamila)
FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydv509)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6st7)
Answers to even more questions
Sometimes in science, when you try to answer one question it sparks even more questions.
The CrowdScience inbox is a bulging example of that. We get tons of new questions every week and many of those are following up on episodes we’ve made. Sometimes you want us to go deeper into part of the answer, or sometimes a subject intrigues you so much that it inspires further questions about it.
In this episode presenter Caroline Steel is on a mission to answer some of those questions.
The CrowdScience episode How do fish survive in the deep ocean? led listener Ivor to wonder what sort of vision deep sea fish might have. On hand to answer that is Professor Lars Schmitz, Kravis Professor of Integrated Sciences: Biology, at Claremont McKenna College in the USA
Sticking with vision, we also tackle a question inspired by the CrowdScience episode Do we all see the same colour? For years listener Catarina has wondered why her eyes appear to change colour. Professor Pirro Hysi, ophthalmologist at the University of Pittsburgh, sheds some light on that subject.
In India, Rakesh listened to the CrowdScience episode Will the Earth ever lose its moon? and wondered about Jupiter’s many moons. The European Space Agency’s Ines Belgacem is working on a new mission to study Jupiter’s moons. She explains which of the giant planet’s ninety seven moons are ones for Rakesh to watch.
We also hear how the episode Why can’t my dog live as long as me? caught the attention of listener Lisa... and her cat. She had us falling in love with the long history of falling cats and the scientists who study them. Caroline is joined by Professor Greg Gbur, physicist at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte in the USA and author of Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics.
Could this episode of follow up questions lead to an episode investigating the follow up questions to these follow up questions? Have a listen and, who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself inspired to email crowdscience@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Caroline Steel
Producer: Tom Bonnett
Editor: Ben Motley
(Photo: Innovation and new ideas lightbulb concept with Question Mark - stock photo Credit: Olemedia via Getty Images)
FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t4xh1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zss8x4b921n)
Former FBI director James Comey indicted on two charges
US President Donald Trump denies he's out for revenge, after the former FBI director James Comey is charged with lying to the US Congress. The president says he wants more prosecutions.
Also on the programme: Israel's prime minister tells the UN General Assembly that he's fighting Hamas on their behalf; and two centuries of passenger travel on the train - still going strong.
(Photo: The former FBI director posted a video to Instagram asserting that he is innocent and comparing Trump to a "tyrant". Credit: James Comey Instagram)
FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t5175)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 22:06 Americast (w3ct7t5z)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydvdhk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 22:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpd)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwwtq6t54z9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 23:06 The Newsroom (w172zwl8vf74jzp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxn4ydvj7p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct76ns)
Businesses assess Trump tariffs on drugs, trucks and furniture
US President Donald Trump has announced a new wave of tariffs, including a 100% levy on branded or patented drug imports, 25% tariffs on heavy-duty trucks, 50% on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities and 30% on upholstered furniture. Andrew Peach looks at how people in these sectors have reacted to these latest sweeping tariffs.
And, can you still make money from a Broadway show? Only a few of the 18 commercial musicals that opened on Broadway last season made a profit.
(Photo: US President Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, USA, 26 September 2025. Photo by KENT NISHIMURA/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)