SATURDAY 13 DECEMBER 2025

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrc8gl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x3)
Chicken, with a side order of science

Over the Christmas season, it is estimated that some 3.6 million families in Japan will tuck into KFC over Christmas (other fried chicken is available), which inspired the Unexpected Elements team to chew over all things chicken!

First, we discover that chicken may never have become domesticated if it wasn’t for rice farming. We also ponder whether the chicken or the egg came first. Next, we find out that humans are surprisingly smart at translating chicken chatter.

We are by Dr Jingmai O’Connor, associate curator of fossil reptiles at the Field Museum of Natural History, who reveals more about the links between dinosaurs and birds.

Plus, how Brazil became a poultry superpower, and what happens to chickens in tornadoes.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Camilla Mota and Godfred Boafo
Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Sophie Ormiston, Ella Hubber and Robbie Wojciechowski


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrcd6q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5bs73)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c1rh3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct7156)
The murders that moved a nation: Italy’s new femicide law

**This episode contains descriptions of abuse and violence**

In November, the Italian parliament voted unanimously to introduce the term “femicide” into the country’s legal code. The murder of a woman – on account of her gender – is now a distinct crime, punishable with a life sentence.

The United Nations reported that last year nearly 50,000 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members.

Italy is the latest country to adopt a specific law in an effort to curb violence against women following a string of brutal murders of young women.

One of the most publicised was Giulia Tramontano, who was repeatedly stabbed by her partner while seven-months pregnant. Her murder - along with another case – sparked fierce outrage across Italy, culminating in the new law being passed.

In this episode, we hear from Giulia’s sister, Chiara Tramontano, and the BBC Southern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford.

Producer: Valerio Esposito

Executive Producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: A framed photo of Giulia Tramontano at her funeral. Credit: Alessandro Memoli/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images)


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrchyv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5bwz7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c1w77)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zk9)
Ashes 2025: Matt Prior on Wood, wicketkeeping and winning down under

It is all about the Ashes as Alison Mitchell, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma assess where it went wrong for England in the second Test match at Brisbane and ask how that performance will impact Adelaide and the rest of the series.

We are joined by three-time Ashes winner and former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior. He reacts to Brendon McCullum’s comments that England were ‘overprepared’, tells us how the Ashes winning team he was involved in back in 2010/11 prepared and compares the wicketkeeping of Jamie Smith and Alex Carey. He also tells us what the England team will miss the most about Mark Wood after he has been ruled out of the series after a reoccurrence of his knee injury.

Plus, we ask what is the best/quirkiest cricket T-shirt?

Photo: Matt Prior of England poses with a flag after winning the Ashes series during day five of the Fifth Ashes Test match between Australia and England at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 7, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrcmpz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6whx)
Outlook Mixtape: Double acts...with a twist

Three stories of platonic partnership from Outlook's archive: two determined canoeists from South Africa, friends who managed a legal first in Canada and the story of a global pop scandal.

Piers Cruickshanks and Siseko Ntondini are two of South Africa’s leading canoeists, though their paths into the sport could not have been more different. Piers, a white professional athlete and university professor, met Siseko as a poor black boy growing up in Soweto. Despite their contrasting backgrounds the pair formed an unexpected partnership. In 2014 they went on to win gold in the Dusi, one of Africa’s toughest and most prestigious canoe marathons. Manuela Saragosa found out about their experience in 2017.

When Natasha Bakht chose to have a child using a sperm donor, her friend Lynda Collins volunteered to be her birth coach. What began as an act of friendship turned into a groundbreaking legal milestone: together, they became the first non-romantic partnership in Canada to secure the parental rights typically reserved for traditional couples. Anu Anand heard about their journey in 2017.

Fab Morvan became world famous with the 80s pop band Milli Vanilli. He and his bandmate Rob Pilatus notched up number one hits in Europe and America and sold millions of albums. But they had a secret - and when that secret came out, it had a devastating effect. Fab Morvan spoke to Outlook's Karnie Sharp in October 2018.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Emily Naylor

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

(Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape on a white background with a white label with the words: The Outlook Mixtape. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct744w)
The Paris climate agreement

On 12 December 2015, nearly 200 countries adopted the Paris climate agreement. It legally committed countries to climate action plans, designed to stop global temperatures rising 2C above pre-industrial levels. Those commitments have influenced government policy and people's lives ever since.

Christiana Figueres was head of climate negotiations at the conference. She speaks to Ben Henderson about the drama behind the scenes, including bomb threats and a last-minute change that nearly derailed the entire agreement.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Christiana Figueres celebrates after the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement. Credit: Francois Guillot/AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrcrg3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrcw67)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5c86m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c27gm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7zzj)
Bill Walton’s The Grateful Team: Ep 3

The final showdown. The only thing which stands between Lithuania and an Olympic medal? The Unified Team – the team representing former Soviet countries and, for Lithuanians, their former occupiers.

Will the Lithuanian basketball team be able to beat the Unified Team with the world watching? And can they triumph in tie-dye?

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

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

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


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzy)
RCP 8.5: Why did the climate change model get it wrong?

Whether we like it or not, global warming is happening. The global temperature has already gone up, and it’s going to go up more, because the atmosphere is already full of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and we’re continuing to add to that stock. Quite how much it will increase by is a very important question for all of us.

Until relatively recently, during much of the 2010s and into the 2020s, many scientists claimed that if we kept on going down the path we were on, if we just kept on with business as usual, then by the end of the century global temperatures would increase by almost five degrees centigrade.

This projection was based on something called RCP 8.5, a statistical scenario used by scientists to model the future of the climate.

You can still find scientific papers published in 2025 that make the same claim. However, there’s a good case that RCP 8.5 should never have been used as the business-as-usual scenario. And in hindsight it doesn’t look like an accurate vision of the future at all.

So what’s going on?

Dr Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist and the climate research lead at Stripe, explains the argument.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Series producer: Tom Colls
Sound mix: Donald MacDonald
Editor: Richard Vadon


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrczyc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8gzrdmknb)
Hostilities along Thailand Cambodia border

There have been further hostilities along Thailand and Cambodia's disputed border, just hours after President Trump said that the neighbours had agreed to stop fighting. In a social media post, Thailand's prime minister said that his country would continue military action until it feels that there are no more threats to its territory or people. Earlier, Cambodia's defence ministry said that Thai planes had bombed hotel buildings and bridges on Saturday morning.

Also in the programme: Australia's social media ban; and the 10-year anniversary of the landmark Paris Agreement.

Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories and more are Alev Scott, a Turkish-British writer and journalist based in the UK; and Danny Sriskanderajah, chief executive of the progressive, UK-based New Economics Foundation think-tank.

(Photo: Displaced people and bedridden patients who were evacuated gather inside a hospital turned into a temporary shelter amid clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Si Sa Ket province, Thailand, December 13, 2025. CREDIT: REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrd3ph)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8gzrdmpdg)
Thailand-Cambodia fighting continues despite Trump call

There have been further hostilities along Thailand and Cambodia's disputed border, just hours after President Trump said that the neighbours had agreed to stop fighting. In a social media post, Thailand's prime minister said that his country would continue military action until it feels that there are no more threats to its territory or people. Earlier, Cambodia's defence ministry said that Thai planes had bombed hotel buildings and bridges on Saturday morning.

Also in the programme: President Trump tours the US to spread a message about the economy; and the pop-up cafe in Japan that gives people living with dementia a place to volunteer.

Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories and more are Alev Scott, a Turkish-British writer and journalist based in the UK; and Danny Sriskanderajah, chief executive of the progressive, UK-based New Economics Foundation think-tank.

(Photo: A family receives rice at a refugee camp in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia on December 12, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrd7fm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8gzrdmt4l)
Thailand’s Prime Minister says military action will continue

There have been further hostilities along Thailand and Cambodia's disputed border, just hours after President Trump said that the neighbours had agreed to stop fighting. In a social media post, Thailand's prime minister said that his country would continue military action until it feels that there are no more threats to its territory or people. Earlier, Cambodia's defence ministry said that Thai planes had bombed hotel buildings and bridges on Saturday morning.

Also in the programme: political prisoners in Venezuela; and a new documentary about the tribulations of a farmer in North Macedonia.

Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories and more are Alev Scott, a Turkish-British writer and journalist based in the UK; and Danny Sriskanderajah, chief executive of the progressive, UK-based New Economics Foundation think-tank.

(Photo: Displaced people and bedridden patients who were evacuated gather inside a hospital turned into a temporary shelter amid clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Si Sa Ket province, Thailand, December 13, 2025. CREDIT: REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrdc5r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnm)
Somalis in America

Donald Trump says Somali immigrants in the US should “go back to where they came from.” The President’s comments come after allegations of large-scale fraud in Minnesota's social assistance programme, implicating several Somali immigrants.

Trump has repeatedly criticised the community saying he does not want Somali immigrants in the United States and that their country is “no good for a reason.”

In our conversations we bring together three Somalis who have made their homes in Minnesota.

“Somalis were introduced to the mainstream years ago with films like Black Hawk Down and Captain Phillips – we’re painted as these savage people and the depiction of us is just untrue,” Adbi tells us. “We’ve never been in control of our own narrative, so this is another example of a media topic that we don’t have control over.”

We also bring together Somalis in Finland, Canada and the UK, and we hear from people in Somalia itself. Somalia’s recent history has been shaped by more than 30 years of civil war, so what is it like to live in the country today?

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producers: Ash Mohamed and Angela Sheeran
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editor: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

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

(Photo: A Somali woman in Minnesota. Credit: Tim Evan/Reuters)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c2qg4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Americast (w3ct8byv)
How far will Trump go in his 'war' with Venezuela?

What’s going on between the United States and Venezuela? The Trump administration has been defending its seizure of an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. In a dramatic video shared by the US Attorney General, armed camouflaged soldiers are shown swinging down ropes from low flying helicopters, and running along the vessel’s decks.

The US claims the tanker is used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran in an "illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organisations". The Venezuela government in response has called the seizure blatant theft, claiming Trump is after the country’s rich oil and energy resources.

In this episode, Sarah and Justin unpack how far Donald Trump is willing to go in his ongoing campaign against the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. In recent months, the US president has accused Maduro of “forcing” criminals into the US and facilitating drug smuggling, which Maduro denies. And this week, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the killing of over 80 people in US military strikes on alleged drug boats as the “Al Qaeda of our hemisphere”.

The Americast team also look at how this fits in with other South American countries, with Trump recently offering Honduran ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández a ‘full and complete pardon’.

Presenter: Justin Webb, and Sarah Smith

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

This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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

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

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

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

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


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrdgxw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct878r)
Hanging around

Having scoured the globe for the best stories from the world of sport we've decided to just drop in and hang about. Don't you think the best and most unexpected conversations often arise from just briefly stopping by? But our guests are far from slouches, in fact they are some of the most inspiring, innovative and industrious people you could ever wish to meet!

We start by dropping in on a new world record holder. Brazilian Sandro Diaz is one of those athletes whose brain seems to work slightly differently to most others, and in a most wonderful way. A skateboarder of great experience, he's 50 years old, he recently fulfilled a dream he'd had for decades. For this story it's important to learn some of the lingo ... most importantly the "drop in"... that's how you get going from the top of a ramp. You balance on the edge, shift your weight forward and off you go hurtling down the ramp on your skateboard. In competition it might be six or eight feet. That's nothing to Sandro, who has just "dropped in" from 260 feet, that's about a quarter of the way up the Empire State Building. No safety harness, no parachute, just a man, his skateboard, a ramp and very tall building in Brazil

The Olympic discipline of modern pentathlon is, well, modernising. For the LA games in 2028 running, shooting, swimming and fencing stay but OUT goes showjumping and in comes obstacle course racing to make up the five disciplines. Historically the preserve of school playgrounds or army training programmes, the Obstacle Course has been popularised in recent years by TV shows like Ninja Warriors. Britain's Mila Stanzani recently returned from the Obstacle Course World Championships with a bronze medal

Premier League side Brentford is a family club, where a warm welcome is guaranteed, proved in part by a new initiative the club have got behind. Initially it was to help the mental health of the players but now it's being rolled out across the local community. It's the simplest idea of just hanging out and chatting on a park bench. Not by the Playbook's Steve Crossman has been to find out more

Plus we're hanging out with Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci. An icon of Olympic sport she was just 14 years old she achieved the first ever 'perfect 10' at the Montreal Olympics of 1976.

PHOTO: Sandro Dias performs during Red Bull Building Drop Project in Porto Alegre, Brazil on September 07, 2025. (CREDIT: Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrdlp0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5czpd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c2yyd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkd)
Shingles vaccine slows the progression of dementia

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

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

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

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

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


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrdqf4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s6)
Philippa Gregory: The Other Boleyn Girl

Harriett Gilbert welcomes bestselling author Philippa Gregory into the World Book Club studio to discuss her celebrated historical novel, The Other Boleyn Girl.

This novel, about to celebrate its 25th anniversary, is a vivid portrayal of ambition, love, and betrayal in the Tudor Court, told from the perspective of Mary Boleyn, sister to the ill-fated Anne. As Mary becomes the mistress of King Henry VIII, Anne sets her sights on the throne. Set against the splendour and peril of sixteenth-century England, Philippa Gregory’s masterful novel explores power, desire, and the price women paid in a world where one man’s whims were considered sacrosanct.

Philippa Gregory answers readers’ questions on what drives her fascination with women’s untold histories, the clash between love and ambition in the fraught world of the English court, and whether sisterhood can survive when the ultimate prize is the crown of England.


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrdv58)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf8jzqw)
Thai-Cambodian border clashes continue

After more clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border, we ask a Cambodian official whether the dispute will escalate.

Also in the programme: four months ahead of the elections in Hungary, why has child protection become such a key issue? And as Israel plans to build a new road and barrier in the occupied West Bank, we hear from the head of the UN’s Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

(IMAGE: A handout photo made available by Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP) shows a bridge destroyed by Thai F-16 fighter jets in Pursat Province, Cambodia, 13 December 2025 / CREDIT: Handout /EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrdyxd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqx1011l8v)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld will have live Premier League commentary of Liverpool against Brighton, in Mohammed Salah’s last game for Liverpool… before the Africa Cup of Nations. We’ll discuss what the future is for Salah at Anfield and whether he will return to Anfield after the Afcon.

The former Liverpool and Sierra Leone defender Steven Caulker and the former Wolves, West Ham and England winger Matt Jarvis will be with Lee James to build for that and buildup to Chelsea against Everton. We’ll also build up to Afcon with all squads announced for the tournament, which begins next week.

Away from football, we’ll hear from Formula One’s newly crowned world champion Lando Norris and reflect on his maiden drivers’ championship. There’s also the semi finals of the NBA Cup and the first match of Netball’s Horizon series between England and Jamaica.

(Photo: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Liverpool FC at Amex Stadium on 19 May, 2025. Credit: Offside via Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrffwx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5dtx9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c3t59)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7zzj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zsp)
Afghanistan’s international ski scene

How an international skiing scene developed in the mountains of Bamiyan province in 2011.

Long: In 2011, the rugged mountains of Bamiyan Province in central Afghanistan became the backdrop of something as unlikely as it was uplifting-an international ski scene.

As Bamiyan was then relatively safe for tourists, a new travel agency, supported by a development NGO, started offering holidays to skiers seeking a unique adventure.

A ski school was also set up for locals who were keen to learn, including Alishah Farhang, who went on to become one of Afghanistan's top skiers.

In 2022 he spoke to Viv Jones, about how his hopes of competing in the Winter Olympics were shattered by the return of the Taliban.

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: The 2015 Afghan Ski Challenge. Credit: KAMRAN SHEFAYEE/AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrfkn1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct8dz6)
Rutger Bregman: 3. A conspiracy of decency

Dutch historian Rutger Bregman's 2025 Reith Lectures, called Moral Revolution, explore the moral decay and un-seriousness of today's elites. He argues that small, committed groups can spark moral revolutions, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and long-term vision.

In this third of four lectures, Bregman argues for a new "realist utopia," calling for people to join what he labels" a conspiracy of decency." He says that in the face of rapid technological change, we need to promote ideas like Universal Basic Income, fairer taxation and responsible tech regulation.

The Reith Lectures are presented by Anita Anand who chairs a Q & A. The programme is recorded in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrfpd5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvb)
Chinese American director Bing Liu

Nikki Bedi and film critic Guy Lodge discuss cultural highlights of the week.
Australian actor Joel Edgerton on being at one with nature whilst filming Train Dreams.
India born British-American author Salman Rushdie talks about writing for comfort and catharsis at moments of crisis in his life.
Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney reveals how she transformed herself to play real life boxer Christy Martin in the movie Christy.
Chinese American director Bing Liu, tells Nikki about his first narrative film Preparation for the Next Life.
And Tamana Ayazi discusses saving the music of Afghanistan, banned under the Taliban.

(Photo: Bing Liu. Credit: MetFilms)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrft49)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf8kypx)
Belarus frees 123 prisoners as US lifts sanctions

Belarus has freed 123 prisoners, including prominent opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, after the US agreed to lift sanctions on the country. Also on the programme, Cambodia has shut its border crossings with Thailand, as fighting continues despite US President Donald Trump earlier saying they had agreed to a ceasefire; and, how the British novelist Charles Dickens is being celebrated this Christmas in a small Dutch town.

(Belarus released over 100 political prisoners form prison, Vilnius, Lithuania - 13 Dec 2025. VALDA KALNINA/EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrfxwf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5f9wt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c494t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72dz)
Emma'a and Juliah

Emma’a, the stage name of Emmanuella Issembe, is based in France, but Gabon is in her veins, and her sound is heavily influenced by Afrobeats greats including Aya Nakamura, Wizkid and Rema. Emma’a is topping Gabon’s charts, and she’s winning fans internationally thanks to her romantic lyrics and velvety singing voice.

She was snapped up by Sony Music soon after her breakthrough song, Encré, went viral on TikTok. The song dropped three years ago when Emma’a was just 19, and has now racked up 16 million views on YouTube and 19 million Spotify streams.

Emma’a tells This Is Africa that it’s a lot of pressure being the highest profile artist from Gabon right now!

Juliah is a dancehall artist from Seychelles who has discovered that songs about infidelity strike a particular chord with her audience. Her hits, with lyrics in Seychellois Creole, French and English, include Pa Sa Een and Koupe.


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrg1mk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct878r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]

SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER 2025

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrg5cp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c4jn2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct8vcm)
Steel from shipwrecks

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

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

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

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

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


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrg93t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5fp46)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c4nd6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7zzj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zsp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrgdvy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5fswb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c4s4b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrgjm2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrgnc6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsj)
Syria's first year without Assad

Pascale Harter introduces stories from Syria, the USA, China and Ukraine.

This week Syrians took to the streets to celebrate a year since the fall of the Assad regime, but post-war reconstruction has been slow, the economy's still sluggish and sectarian violence is on the rise. Lina Sinjab has been travelling the country, and reflects on the challenges ahead.

Just a few years ago, the city of El Paso in Texas declared a state of emergency as local shelters struggled to cope with the influx of migrants crossing the border from Mexico. Today, the picture is very different with the flow of migrants now a slowed trickle. Bernd Debusmann looks at the impact of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

China's mighty Yangtze river is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, but the wildlife living in the river is struggling for survival. Many of the larger animals which once swam its waters - from the Yangtze dolphin to the paddlefish - are already extinct. Stephen McDonnell met a team of scientists trying to save the endangered finless porpoise.

Despite the constant threat of Russian drones and missiles, Ukrainians are finding ways to carry on with their lives and celebrate their country's culture. Marcel Theroux recently visited Chernivtsi in western Ukraine to attend the opening night of an unexpected musical gem: a long-lost opera composed 250 years ago, with a striking theme of resistance to tyranny.

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


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c50ml)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txp)
Would our ancestors have benefited from early neanderthals making fire?

400 thousand years ago our early human cousins dropped a lighter in a field in the East of England; evidence that was uncovered this week and suggests that early neanderthals might have made fire 350 thousand years earlier than we previously thought. Dr Rebecca Wragg Sykes is honorary researcher at the universities of Cambridge and Liverpool and author of Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art. She explains what this new discovery could mean for our own ancestors.

Should we genetically modify our farmed salmon to prevent it breeding with their wild relatives? Dr William Perry from Cardiff University thinks this could help the endangered wild Atlantic salmon recover it’s numbers.

And Lizzie Gibney, Senior Physics Reporter at Nature joins Tom Whipple to dig into the new science released this week.

Think you know space? Head to bbc.co.uk, search for BBC Inside Science, and follow the links to the Open University to try The Open University Space Quiz.


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrgs3b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5g53q)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c54cq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct8vcm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrgwvg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8gzrdqgkf)
Two dead confirmed at Brown University shooting

At least two people have been killed and nine injured in a shooting at Brown University in the US state of Rhode Island. The university is on lockdown as police launch a manhunt for the shooter.

Also on the programme: President Trump vows retaliation after two US soldiers and an interpreter were killed in an ambush by Islamic State in Syria; and voters in Chile head to the polls with issues of immigration and crime dominating the election campaign.

Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Annette Dittert, German-British author, filmmaker and correspondent; and Misha Glenny, British journalist and rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.

(Photo: Law enforcement officers canvas the area after Brown University was locked down amid reports of a shooting on campus in Providence, Rhode Island. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrh0ll)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8gzrdql9k)
Manhunt continues after two killed in US university shooting

A manhunt is under way after two students were killed and nine other people were injured in a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

Also on the programme: we'll hear two opposing views on military service from Finland and Germany; and legions of fans prepare to mark Jane Austin's 250th birthday on 16 December.

Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Annette Dittert, German-British author, filmmaker and correspondent; and Misha Glenny, British journalist and rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.

(Photo: James Morrison, brother of a student, speaks with the press after Brown University was locked down amid reports of a shooting on campus in Providence, Rhode Island. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrh4bq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8gzrdqq1p)
Hundreds of police hunt suspect in Brown University shooting

A large-scale manhunt is taking place in Rhode Island in the United States, as hundreds of police officers search for a gunman who carried out a mass shooting at Brown University.

Also on the programme: Canada is on a full-scale recruitment drive to attract the world's top scientists and researchers to its universities; and British actress Dame Helen Mirren on acting and living a “thrilling” life at 80.

Joining Julian Worricker to discuss this and more are Annette Dittert, German-British author, filmmaker and correspondent; and Misha Glenny, British journalist and rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.

(Photo: A monitor shows security camera footage of what police say is the Brown University shooting suspect walking along Hope Street after leaving the scene of shooting, in this screengrab taken from a handout video released December 13, 2025. Credit: Providence Public Information Officer/Handout via REUTERS)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrh82v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c5mc7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zj)
Food heroes and villains

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

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

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

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

Producer: LexyO'Connor
Sound engineer: Gareth Jones

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


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrhctz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xym)
Rethinking dyslexia

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

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

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer/reporter: Janet Ball
Kenya reporter: Michael Kaloki
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Hal Haines

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


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c5r3c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70v0)
A makeover for Syria's interim leader?

One year after the fall of Syria's dictator, Bashar al-Assad, interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has undergone a significant image makeover. He's regularly seen playing basketball or pool on social media and his posts are amplified by a network of government-backed influencers. BBC Monitoring's Samia Hosny has been watching and reflects on what this PR campaign is saying – and what it isn't.

 The special administrative region of Macau on the south coast of China is sometimes referred to as the Las Vegas of the East. The gaming hub attracts tourists from all over the world, as well as from mainland China and Taiwan. But amid the glitzy casinos and hotels, Macau has just opened its very first luxury resort hospital, in the hope of capitalising on the medical tourism industry. The BBC's Osmond Chia reports from Singapore.

17-year-old Janvi Jindal, from Punjab state in India, has recently achieved 5 Guinness World Records in freestyle skating. She was able to perform, amongst other things, thirty-two 360 degree rotations in 30 seconds – whilst balancing on her inline skates. BBC reporter Sarabjit Singh Dhaliwal went to meet Janvi and her parents.


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 Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean.


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


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrhhl3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5gwlh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c5vvh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7zzj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6vzy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrhmb7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct8dz6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrhr2c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf8mwmz)
Eleven people killed in antisemitic attack in Australia

Eleven people have been shot dead in an antisemitic shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach which targeted a Hanukkah celebration. Twenty nine people were taken to hospital including two police officers who are in a serious condition. We hear from an eyewitness, the local member of parliament, and from a senior figure in Australia's Jewish community.

Also in the programme: we hear from Chile, where a Communist Party candidate is taking on the far right in the presidential run-off election today; plus the palm trees that take sixty years to flower – in spectacular fashion.

(IMAGE: (L-R) NSW Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley, NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon hold a press conference following a shooting incident at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia, 14 December 2025 / CREDIT: Dean Lewins / EPA / Shutterstock)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrhvth)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702y)
What made the floods in South East Asia so deadly?

Storms, cyclones and flooding in South East Asia have killed close to 2000 people, devastating communities across Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Scientists warn climate change is reshaping weather patterns, increasing the risk of heavier rainfall and more destructive floods in the future.

With many densely populated cities sinking and built on flood-prone land, the region is particularly vulnerable. But experts say there are bold ideas and solutions that could help reduce the risks and save lives.

In this special collaboration between The Climate Question and the new BBC World Service podcast Asia Specific, Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar join host Mariko Oi to explore what made the floods so deadly — and what can be done in the future.

Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Editors: Bill Birtles and Simon Watts

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


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c672w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct6tzb)
The Happy Pod: The cafe where mistakes are expected

A pop-up cafe in Tokyo is giving people with dementia a place to volunteer as well as a sense of community. Its owner Toshio Morita has become something of a local celebrity. At Orange Day Café, muddled orders, long pauses and gentle confusion are not mistakes - they are the point.

Also, a Northern Irish man who suffered a cardiac arrest had his life saved after his golden retriever, named Polly, alerted his wife after he stopped breathing. Polly the dog has been hailed a hero by the charity, the British Heart Foundation.

A revolutionary gene therapy has successfully treated patients with aggressive and previously incurable blood cancers.

In Kenya, the Rare Gem Talent School has been set up specifically to teach dyslexic children. A condition that is believed to impact around 10% of people globally.

A woman in Kerala, India, has started a camp to help women who are going through a divorce. And a French man in London has become the face of a homelessness charity after his virtuoso piano playing at a train station went viral.

Presenter: Joanna Kean
Music: Iona Hampson

(Photo: Toshio Morita. Credit: Chika Nakayama)


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrhzkm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqx1014ly2)
Live Sporting Action

It's a busy day of Premier League action on Sportsworld with key games near the top and bottom of the table. There will be commentary of Brentford against strugglers Leeds United, plus reaction from the day's four other games, including the ones involving Manchester City and Aston Villa. Wins for them would see them keep up the pressure on leaders Arsenal.

'Pressure' is also the key-word at Real Madrid, where head-coach Xabi Alonso is under increased scrutiny, and that will be just one of the topics on this week's EuroStars.

And away from the football, we also have the latest from cricket's T20 series between India and South Africa, and we'll be live at London's Alexandra Palace for the start of the World Darts Championship.

Photo: A general view outside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Manchester United FC at Brentford Community Stadium on May 04, 2025 in Brentford, England. (Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrjgk4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5hvkj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c6ttj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvf)
Anna-Karin Karlsson: Sunglasses made for icons

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

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

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

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

A Podlit AB Production.


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrjl98)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrjq1d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zssgqf8nvm0)
Deadly shooting in Australia targets Hanukkah celebration

Several gunmen attacked Jews celebrating the start of Hanukkah on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. One gunman is dead and a second suspect is in critical condition. We hear from an eyewitness, the local member of parliament, and from a senior figure in Australia's Jewish community.

Also on the programme: a communist candidate takes on the far right in a presidential run-off in Chile; the woman caught up in the 2018 Parkland shooting in Florida as a child is on campus when the latest gun attack takes place at Brown University; and the palm tree that's taken sixty years to flower.

(Photo: Candles burn following the attack on a Jewish holiday celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 15, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Flavio Brancaleone)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrjtsj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlgnq5j6sx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c761x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70v0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0jhrjyjn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxtz7c79t1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcl)
The struggle of Israel's peace movement

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

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

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

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

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

MONDAY 15 DECEMBER 2025

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1nxjy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnc8tb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 on Sunday]


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1p192)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgnf9g)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhncdkg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6sx0)
The Life Scientific: Mark O'Shea

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

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

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

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

Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced by Lucy Taylor


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1p516)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgnk1l)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhncj9l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6str)
Can you play the guitar underwater?

Smashing up guitars is a classic rock star activity, but how about drowning them? Seven-year-old listener Cornelius asked CrowdScience to find out what happens if you play a guitar underwater. Could this be the next avant-garde music sensation?

Host and amateur musician Caroline Steel tackles Cornelius’ question with the help of one increasingly soggy guitar. The UK’s National Physical Laboratory is our first port of call, with a guitar-sized water tank at the ready, and acoustic scientists Dr Freya Malcher and Ben Ford helping tackle our questions.

Since an acoustic guitar’s sound is amplified by its internal chamber, what happens as that chamber starts to fill with water? How about if the whole guitar - strings, body and all - is submerged? What difference does it make if our ears are listening above or below the water? And can special water-adapted microphones help us explore this unusual question, before our guitar disintegrates?

Our guitar then heads off on tour to Denmark, where the band Between Music have teased out questions just like these for their underwater music project, Aquasonic. We talk to violinist and Innovative Director Robert Karlsson, and singer Nanna Bech, who also plays a unique subaquatic instrument. With their help, we discover how to get the best out of a submerged guitar, and find out whether other instruments are better suited to the life aquatic.

Presenter: Caroline Steel
Producers: Cathy Edwards and Florian Bohr
Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Caroline Steel and Nanna Bech in an Aquasonic aquarium playing a guitar)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1p8sb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xym)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhncn1q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70v0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Sunday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1pdjg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgnsjv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhncrsv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct709r)
Women living with severe allergies

Having a severe allergy doesn’t just affect physical health - it’s often the social isolation and mental toll of dealing with a somewhat ‘invisible condition’ that people with allergies also have to contend with.

Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women from the US and Spain who’re advocating for more awareness and visibility around the real-life impacts.

Sarah Ackerman is from the US. Her sensitivity to certain nuts and other foods puts her at risk of anaphylaxis, a rapid-onset reaction that can be fatal if not treated immediately. She now supports other young people living with food allergies and caregivers through her work as a public speaker and through with her blog, ‘Girl Behind the Hive’. She believes that it’s important to show young people and their parents that it is possible to live fulfilling lives whilst also managing life-threatening food allergies and shares her experiences of everything from dating to travel.

Irantzu Muerza Santos from Spain has severe, life-threatening allergic asthma which she must manage through a range of complex treatments and a strict daily routine. Having been under-diagnosed for nearly twenty years, she’s now a voice for millions of sufferers as President of Asthma and Allergy Spain – an organisation that’s committed to improving the quality of life for those living with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory illnesses.

Produced by Hannah Dean

(Image: (L) Sarah Ackerman, courtesy Sarah Ackerman. (R) Irantzu Muerza Santos credit: Armando Ruiz.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1pj8l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gmx95)
Australia's prime minister promises to crack down on antisemitism

Police say the two gunmen were a 50-year-old father, who died on the scene, and his 24-year-old son who remains in hospital in critical condition. Sixteen people were killed in an attack by two gunmen on Sunday in Bondi beach, including a 10-year-old girl and one of the shooters.

We also head to Hong Kong, where a court has found the media tycoon and pro-democracy activist, Jimmy Lai, guilty of sedition.

In Chile, the far-right politician José Antonio Kast has overwhelmingly won the country's presidential run-off, with promises to crackdown on crime and reduce immigration. We hear how some voters liked his connections to the former dictator General Pinochet.

(Photo: Independent member for Wentworth Allegra Spender places flowers at a makeshift memorial at Bondi Beach in Sydney; Credit: Mick Tsikas/EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1pn0q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gn119)
PM Albanese: Australia must strengthen gun laws

Police say the two gunmen behind the shooting at Bondi Beach were a 50-year-old father, who died at the scene, and his 24-year-old son, who remains in hospital in critical condition.

Far right leader José Antonio Kast wins run-off elections in Chile, marking a major shift in the South American nation's politics in decades.

European leaders are due to meet with Volodomyr Zelensky in Berlin after the Ukrainian president offered to drop his government's Nato ambitions and freeze the frontline in exchange for security guarantees. We speak to our correspondent on the latest from the talks.

(Photo: Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin (L) weeps at a makeshift memorial at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, 15 December 2025. Credit: Mick Tsikas/EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1prrv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gn4sf)
Bondi gunmen revealed to be father and son

The Australian government has said it will do whatever is needed to stamp out antisemitism after two gunmen - a father and son - killed 15 people, and injured more than 40 others at a Jewish festival at Sydney's Bondi Beach.

Talks between Ukrainian and US officials on proposals for an end to the war in Ukraine are set to resume today in Berlin. We speak to one of the members of the European parliament.

(Photo: Police officers stand guard outside the house of the suspects of a shooting incident on a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, 15 December, 2025. Credit: Alasdair Pal/Reuters)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1pwhz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0p)
Jacinda Ardern: Why world leaders need empathy

BBC presenter Kylie Pentelow speaks to Dame Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s former Prime Minister about the importance of empathetic leadership in the time of populism and strongman politics.

In 2017 Ardern became the youngest Prime Minister in the world at the time, and only the second ever to have a baby whilst in office. She was praised for her humane approach and leadership through crises such as the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack that saw 51 killed. She swiftly brought in gun laws and reached out to the Muslim community targeted in the attack.

In her 5 years in politics she was a champion of climate change and LGBGTQ and indigenous rights, but she was also criticised for some of the harsh lockdown measures that her government enacted during the pandemic.

Since leaving politics, Jacinda Ardern has been engaging in global work focused on empathy in leadership, combatting climate change and the prevention of online extremism.

She’s written books, including one about being a working mother, and she now stars in a documentary about her life entitled simply, Prime Minister. She’s currently a distinguished fellow and part of the World Leaders Circle at Oxford University.

Thank you to the Woman’s Hour team for its help in making this programme.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow
Producers: Dianne McGregor, Farhana Haider & Clare Williamson
Editor: Justine Lang

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

(Image: Jacinda Ardern Credit: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnd7sc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ryp)
The cost of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border closure

Pakistan closed its border with Afghanistan in October following sporadic fighting between the two countries.

Since then, the movement of goods has stopped, and lines of trucks have been waiting to cross.

We look at the impact of this key trade route being shut and what it means for livelihoods and businesses on both sides of the border.

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

Presenter: Will Bain
Producer: Hannah Mullane

(Picture: Lorries and a group of people congregating at the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Credit: BBC)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct7475)
How NFL tickets caught fugitives

Operation Flagship was a U.S Marshals sting operation, where some of Washington DC’s most wanted fugitives, were lured to a convention centre under the pretence of having won coveted NFL tickets in December 1985.

Upon their arrival, they were greeted by cheerleaders and mascots – all law enforcement officers in disguise. It led to one of America’s most successful mass arrests with more than 100 people being arrested.

Former US Marshal Stacia Hylton was one of the ‘cheerleaders’. She tells Uma Doraiswamy how the plan came together.


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: Operation Flagship invite sent out to fugitives. Credit: United States Marshals Museum)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1q083)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgpd8h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhndcjh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6str)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1q407)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct71wv)
Banky's 'Dismaland' and the Paris climate agreement

We start with the street artist Banksy, and his 2015 dystopian 'bemusement park'.

Then, we talk to roller coaster enthusiast Megan MacCausland, from the European Coaster Club.

Plus, we go back through the BBC archives to tell the story of the coelacanth, a fish believed to have been extinct for 65 million years.

Next, South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, set up after the abolishment of apartheid in the 1990s. This programme contains contains harrowing testimony and graphic descriptions of human rights violations throughout.

Also, the six-day IRA siege on London's Balcombe Street in 1975, where a couple were taken hostage.

Finally, it's been 10 years since 193 countries and the European Union adopted the Paris climate agreement, in December 2015.

Our Sporting Witness programme this week looks at how an international skiing scene developed in the mountains of Bamiyan province, Afghanistan, in 2011.

Contributors:

Kurtis Young - steward at Dismaland.
Megan MacCausland - European Coaster Club.
Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer - South African museum curator (from archive).
Sisi Khampepe - served on the Amnesty Committee.
Steven Moysey - saw the Balcombe Street siege unfold.
Christiana Figueres - head of climate negotiations at 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.
Alishah Farhang - Afghanistan skier.

(Photo: Dismaland in Weston Super-Mare. Credit: Kristian Buus/Getty Images)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1q7rc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgpmrr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhndm0r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct717h)
Why Trump’s Thailand-Cambodia peace deal unravelled

Fighting broke out last week on the Thai-Cambodian border, despite a US-brokered ceasefire in July. The conflict was one of the eight wars that President Trump claimed to have ended, so why did this peace deal unravel?

We speak to Jonathan Head, the BBC’s southeast Asia correspondent, from Surin on the Thai side of the border.


Producers: Xandra Ellin and Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Senior news editor: China Collins

Mix: Travis Evans


Photo:


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1qchh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqq)
Tulisa: I wanted fame, but it almost destroyed me

Tulisa Contostavlos was born into a family of musicians in Camden, London, and says music was part of her everyday life. But her childhood was impacted by her mother's severe mental health episodes that would often end up with her being held in psychiatric institutions. After her parents divorced, Tulisa would frequently have to care for her mother by herself.

Tulisa escaped into music, and although she was initially determined to become a solo star, she found huge success with the UK group N-Dubz, formed with a cousin and a friend, when she was in her teens.

At the age of 22 she became the youngest ever judge on the UK TV talent show The X Factor, but her biggest challenge was working out how to survive in the spotlight. At the peak of her fame an ex-boyfriend released an intimate video of her online, without her consent, and Tulisa had to go to court to have it removed from websites. In 2013 she was also the target of an elaborate undercover newspaper sting that led to her facing jail for drug supply, before the trial collapsed and she was cleared. The experience almost derailed her career, and her life. Tulisa's latest book is called Judgement.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producers: Tommy Dixon and Rebecca Vincent

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

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

(Photo: Tulisa Contostavlos. Credit: Sophie Spring)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct7475)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1qh7m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgpw80)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhndvj0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct709r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1qlzr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pkvrkc)
Australia PM: Beach attackers 'motivated by extremism'

As Australia mourn the victims of a shooting, during a Jewish holiday gathering at Bondi Beach, its prime minister pledges solidarity.

Anthony Albanese says the attackers were not part of a terror cell, but "clearly, they were motivated by this extremist ideology". The father of a Syrian bystander who was filmed wrestling a gun off an attacker has told the BBC he was driven by "conscience and humanity"

Also in the programme: Ukraine's President Zelensky comes under more pressure to compromise at peace talks in Berlin, Chile elects a far-right leader who is an admirer of the dictator, Augusto Pinochet, and police in Los Angeles investigate the suspected murder of the celebrated Hollywood director, Rob Reiner.

(Photo shows Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Australia on 15 December 2025. Credit: Steven Markham/EPA)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1qqqw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnf308)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ryp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct886h)
Spain hits Airbnb with a major multimillion fine for illegal listings

The Spanish government has fined property rentals giant Airbnb €64m for advertising unlicensed apartments. Andres Barragan, Secretary General for Consumer Affairs in the Spanish Government, tells this programme that the short term rent for tourism is rising the rent price.

In India, pollution is grinding the economy to a halt.

And in Paris, workers at the Louvre are on strike in a dispute over demand for extra staff and measures to tackle overcrowding.

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


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1qvh0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w17306859sfsqlz)
Australian PM says gunmen motivated by extremism

Australia's prime minister has said the two men who shot and killed 15 people at a Jewish celebration at Bondi beach in Sydney were not part of a wider militant cell. We have the latest from Australia and speak to our Jihadist media expert from BBC Monitoring.

We also hear from the father of bystander Ahmed al Ahmed, who was filmed wrestling a gun off an attacker. He has been telling the BBC his son was driven by "conscience and humanity".

We bring together members of Australia’s Jewish community to reflect on and discuss the Bondi beach shooting, and to share their experiences of being Jewish in the country.

Ukraine's lead negotiator at high level peace talks with the US in Berlin says there's been real progress in the push to end the war with Russia. We monitor the press conference in Berlin.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: Floral tributes are laid at Bondi Pavilion to pay respect to the victims of a shooting during a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 15, 2025. Credit: Hollie Adams/Reuters)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1qz74)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w17306859sfsvc3)
'Real progress' in Ukraine peace talks

Ukraine's lead negotiator at high level peace talks with the US in Berlin says there's been real progress in the push to end the war with Russia. Rustem Umerov said negotiations had been constructive and productive. We have the latest from our correspondent and from the press conference in Berlin.

Australia's prime minister has said the two men who shot and killed 15 people at a Jewish celebration at Bondi beach in Sydney were not part of a wider militant cell. Our correspondent has been following the developments.

We also hear from the father of bystander Ahmed al Ahmed, who was filmed wrestling a gun off an attacker. He has been telling the BBC his son was driven by "conscience and humanity".

And we bring together members of Australia’s Jewish community to reflect on and discuss the Bondi beach shooting, and to share their experiences of being Jewish in the country.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) attend a press conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, 15 December 2025. Credit: CLEMENS BILAN/EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1r2z8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct7475)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1r6qd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgqlqs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnfkzs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z61)
2025/12/15 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 (w172zwx0ws1rbgj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnfpqx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6sx1)
The Life Scientific: Sonia Gandhi

Many people will be familiar with Parkinson’s disease: the progressive brain disorder that causes symptoms including tremors and slower movement, leading on to serious cognitive problems. You might not know that it’s the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world. Today it affects around 11.8 million people and that’s forecast to double by 2030. Dr Sonia Gandhi is one of the scientists working to change that trend. As Professor of Neurology at University College London and Assistant Research Director at the Francis Crick Institute, her work involves using stem cells to build models of the human brain, helping to drive the development of drugs and other therapies for Parkinson’s patients. Talking to Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Sonia explains why this destructive condition is on the rise - and the promising routes they're studying to find new ways to tackle it.


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1rg6n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pkwls8)
Rob Reiner's son arrested for murder

Nick Reiner, the son of Rob Reiner, has been arrested and is in custody after the legendary Hollywood director and actor and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home. We speak to Rob and Michele's friend Kris Perry, who served as the plaintiff in a landmark case to overturn California's gay marriage, about the lasting impact of the couples activism.

Also in the programme: Investigations continue into the fatal attack on people marking the Jewish festival of Hannukah at Bondi Beach. We bring the latest updates from Australia; and following the election of right winger Jose Antonio Kast to the Chilean presidency, we explore that lasting legacy of cold war dictator Augusto Pinochet.

(Picture: Director Rob Reiner and his son Nick Reiner attend AOL Build Presents: "Being Charlie" at AOL Studios In New York on May 4, 2016 in New York. Credit: Rommel Demano/Getty Images)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1rkys)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgqyz5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnfy75)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76tv)
Will the EU hit the brakes on its combustion car ban?

The European Union once set an ambitious goal: by 2035, all new cars sold would be fully electric. But now, the BBC understands that Brussels is considering scrapping, or at least watering down, its plan to ban new petrol and diesel vehicles. So what could it mean for carmakers and consumers across Europe?

South Korea and the UK have signed a new trade deal.

In the US, people applying for a skilled worker visa will now have their social media profiles screened.

And who's winning the race to build the most sophisticated AI models?


(Photo: An exhaust pipe of a car is pictured on a street in Berlin, Germany.
Credit: REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch)


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1rppx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhng1z9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct709r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 16 DECEMBER 2025

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1rtg1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71wv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1ry65)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgrb6k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhng9gk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct717h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Monday]


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1s1y9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgrfyp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhngf6p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcm)
Stolen brides of Kazakhstan: the fightback

In plain sight, in a modern city, a colleague offers to drive you home after work. How would you respond? One woman in Kazakhstan accepted the lift only to find herself kidnapped or ‘stolen’ as a bride. She got away, rescued by the police, but for many Kazakh women kidnap leads to marriage.

Human Rights lawyer Khalida Azhigulova reckons that thousands of women are forced into marriage each year in Kazakhstan, including many who are abducted. Some women even find that a wedding has already been arranged by the time a kidnapper gets her home. Now, after 20 years of campaigning by Khalida and other activists, legislators have passed a law making forced marriage a crime.

Monica Whitlock and Roza Kudabayeva travel to Kazakhstan to meet women who’ve been kidnapped, and hearing about the intense pressures that make them feel obliged to marry their abductors. Women like Gulbala who endured 20 years of marriage with her kidnapper and is now making a new life for herself. And Klara who is crystal clear that it’s time for a change. All her children will marry in the proper way, she says, because no one should be forced into marriage.

Bride stealing is a problem not only in Kazakhstan, but in many other parts of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It’s often defended as ‘tradition’ rooted in the Kazakh’s nomadic past. Nonsense, says Khalida. ‘Kazakh girls in the nomadic community were raised as warriors. They were taught to ride a horse, how to gallop, how to use arms and how to fight. She would not let anyone kidnap her.’

Produced by Monica Whitlock and Rose Kudabayeva.
Sound engineer: James Beard
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Series editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Klara and her new daughter-in-law Adina support the new law. Credit Monica Whitlock/BBC)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1s5pf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct7475)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1s9fk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgrpfy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhngnpy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvg)
Jim Henson's Creature Shop: Back to Fraggle Rock

Sean Allsop goes behind the scenes inside the legendary Jim Henson's Creature Shop in New York, where fabric and materials bring life to characters beloved around the world.

Sean joins the team as they work on their famous franchise Fraggle Rock, a series which started in the mid-80s. They're currently creating human-size walk-about characters for a brand new live show. Creative supervisor Jason Weber and the team work through costume fitting, sculpting, and go through archives to make the perfect Fraggle down in Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

Presenter and producer: Sean Allsop
Executive producer: Becky Green
An Audio Always production

Image: The Jim Henson's Creature Shop team apply the finishing touches to Fraggle Rock character Travelling Matt (Credit: Jim Henson's Creature Shop)


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1sf5p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gqt68)
Police investigate Bondi gunmen's trip to Philippines

The two alleged Bondi gunmen travelled to the Philippines on 1 November and left on 28 November, the country's immigration bureau tells the BBC.

Sajid Akram, 50, travelled using an Indian passport, while his son, Naveed, 24, used an Australian passport, spokesperson Dana Sandoval says.

We'll get the latest from our correspondent in Sydney, and we'll hear from a family member of the man described as a hero for tackling one of the gunmen.

Donald Trump has filed a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit for defamation against the BBC. The broadcaster has already apologised for the way the US president's remarks were edited in a documentary.

(Photo: NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon stands behind Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner; Credit: Reuters/Hollie Adams)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1sjxt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gqxyd)
PM Anthony Albanese: Attack appears to have been motivated by IS ideology

The victims of the attacks in Sydney include a 10-year-old girl, a British-born rabbi, a retired police officer, and a Holocaust survivor. Twenty-four people remain in hospital - three are in critical condition and another five are critical but stable.

Rob Reiner's son is arrested for murder after the director and wife are found dead. We bring you the latest on the case.

(Photo: A member of the Jewish community stands at a floral memorial in honour of the victims of the mass shooting in Australia; Credit: Jeremy Piper/Reuters)


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1snny)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gr1pj)
Police: Gunmen went to Philippines before shooting

Australia's PM says the attack - in which 15 people were killed - appears to have been "motivated by Islamic State ideology"

Police are also investigating gunmen's trip to Philippines month before shooting. And as Australia mourns, record number of Australians register to donate blood. we hear about those who lost their lives

As diplomatic efforts gather pace to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, a new International claims Commission for Ukraine will be launched today . We speak to the secretary General of the Council for Europe which is leading the initiative.

(Photo: A woman grieves at a floral memorial in honour of the victims of the mass shooting; Credit: Jeremy Piper/Reuters)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1ssf2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyn)
Saving mothers with portable ultrasound

The World Health Organisation recommends all pregnant women should have at least one ultrasound before six months. However, only half of women do in sub-Saharan Africa. This week we visit Kenya to see how portable ultrasound devices are flagging up any issues early. And how AI could overcome the barrier of not having enough trained midwives on the ground.

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

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producers: Calvin Manika, Claire Bates
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Image: A midwife gives a pregnant woman an ultrasound scan, BBC/Davis Ojiambo)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnh4pg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s7q)
Is tech good news for truckers?

It’s transforming the world of road haulage, but has the recent ‘Uberisation’ been good news for truckers?

From Nanjing to Nairobi, we discover how digital freight matching platforms are changing the way drivers access work, plan routes and the impact it’s having on the climate. But with driverless trucks on the horizon, what does the future hold for truckers and trucking firms?

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

Presenter: Sam Gruet
Producer: Megan Lawton

(Picture: A white 18 wheeler truck on the road. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74nr)
India's disability law

In December 1995, India's parliament passed the country's first disability rights legislation.

The landmark law aimed to give full participation and equality rights to an estimated 60 million people - around five percent of India's population who are affected by physical or mental disabilities.

In 2015, Farhana Haider spoke to disability rights activist Javed Abidi who led the campaign to change the law.

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: Javed Abidi with a crowd of protestors demonstrating over disabled rights. Credit: NCPEDP)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1sx56)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgs95l)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnh8fl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1t0xb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1t4ng)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgsjnv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnhhxv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71d0)
The Bondi Beach massacre and the rise of antisemitic violence

Australia is reeling after its deadliest mass shooting in decades, in which gunmen opened fire on Jewish people gathered for a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach in Sydney. At least 16 people have been killed – among them a 10-year-old and a Holocaust survivor. The massacre has triggered a reckoning in Australia and beyond.

While some are asking how this horror could have happened, others believe an attack like this was grimly inevitable after a string of antisemitic incidents in Australia in the past few years.

In today’s episode, we speak to the BBC’s Religion Editor Aleem Maqbool and the ABC’s Hamish Macdonald to explore why antisemitism has surged since October 7th 2023, and why many Jewish communities feel their governments aren’t doing enough to keep them safe.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Lucy Pawle

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Rabbi Yossi Freidman at a memorial for shooting victims at Sydney's Bondi Beach. Mark Baker /AP


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1t8dl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5d)
The thrills and spills of Hollywood's smallest stuntman

Kiran Shah was a film-obsessed boy in Kenya, but at just 125cm tall it wasn't always clear how he'd make his way in Hollywood. Born to an Indian family in Nairobi before moving to London, Kiran discovered stunt work almost by accident and quickly realised that his size wasn't a limitation but a superpower.

Over the years, that realisation led him to some of cinema's biggest productions: from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Titanic, The Lord of the Rings, to Superman and The Chronicles of Narnia. Along the way, he earned a unique claim to fame as the world's smallest stuntman-often quite literally thrown into the action.

His talents found him inside creature suits for several Star Wars films, performing physical gags, taking falls, and learning the unglamorous realities of stunt work. But his stature at the heart of Hollywood for the past 50 years is extraordinary-a career he's built by embracing the unexpected-and landing on his feet.

As a gay teen Wes Hurley was thrilled to move to the US from Russia. But his mother's new husband was moody and homophobic. How they ended up bonding, after a surprise revelation. This interview with Saskia Collette was first broadcast in August 2019.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar

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

(Photo: From left: Kiran Shah with Elijah Wood as his scale double on the set of The Fellowship of the Ring, dressed as an Ewok and in costume as Superman. Credit: Composite: BBC; Courtesy of Kiran Shah. )


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74nr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1td4q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgss53)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnhrf3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1thwv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pkyngg)
Australian Jews fear for safety after beach shooting

Australian Jews are now fearing for their safety after the Bondi beach shooting in Sydney, a survivor has told the BBC.

One of the two men suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Bondi Beach was originally from southern India but had "limited contact" with his family there, police sources have said. We'll look at what's emerging from the investigation and what the attack means for Australia's Jewish community.

Also in the programme: The scourge of forced marriages in Kazakhstan; Donald Trump files his multi-billion dollar law-suit against the BBC; and 250 years after her birth, we'll look at why Jane Austen still means so much around the world.

(Photo shows an Israeli flag among candles at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on 16 December 2025. Credit: Hollie Adams/Reuters)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1tmmz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnhzxc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s7q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct888k)
US jobs report shows rise in unemployment

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its long-awaited data, showing mixed signals for the US jobs market. The unemployment rate is at a four-year high of 4.6%, up from 4.4%.

The European Union is set to soften its planned ban on new petrol and diesel cars, giving carmakers more time to move away from combustion engines. We hear from Wolfgang Weber, CEO of German electro and digital industry association (ZVEI).

And the last vehicle will roll off the assembly line at Volkswagen's plant in Dresden today. First time ever German carmaker closed a manufacturing plant in its home country.

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

Presenter: Leanna Bryne
Producer: Victoriya Holland
Editor: Justin Bones


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1trd3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w17306859sfwmj2)
Bondi suspect was Indian citizen

The authorities in India say one of the gunmen who killed 15 people at a Jewish celebration on Bondi Beach was an Indian citizen. Officials say Sajid Akram was originally from Hyderabad, and left for Australia 27 years ago. We have the latest from our correspondent, and we speak to our disinformation specialist.

We also bring together Jews from around the world to share their experiences of antisemitism.

After a year of increased warnings from European leaders about the growing direct threat from Russia, we speak to two BBC security experts.

The BBC has said it will defend itself against a $5bn lawsuit filed by US President Donald Trump over an edit of his 6 January 2021 speech in a Panorama documentary. We speak to our correspondent in Washington.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: Relatives of one of the victims of a mass shooting that targeted Jewish holiday celebration on Sunday, react during a vigil at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 16, 2025. Credit: Hollie Adams/Reuters)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1tw47)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w17306859sfwr86)
Parents of sick children being exploited by scammers

A BBC Eye investigation has found that some parents whose children have cancer have been scammed by a network of people working for associations registered in Israel and North America. Nine families across five continents say they have not received a penny of the $4m apparently raised in their children’s names. We hear from people affected and speak to our reporter who has been investigating.

The authorities in India say one of the gunmen who killed 15 people at a Jewish celebration on Bondi Beach was an Indian citizen. Officials say Sajid Akram was originally from Hyderabad, and left for Australia 27 years ago. We have the latest, and we bring together Jews from around the world to share their experiences of antisemitism.

We speak to people with Asian heritage who live in Finland about a racism controversy after Miss Finland was stripped of her title for appearing to mock Chinese people.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: Ana from Colombia appeared in campaign videos)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1tzwc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74nr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1v3mh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgthmw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnjgww)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zbk)
2025/12/16 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 (w172zwx0ws1v7cm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rcm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnjln0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpv)
Chatbots changing minds

A study found AI chatbots can persuade us with fake facts. We explore what this means for politics. Then we speak to author of The Web Beneath the Waves, Samanth Subramanian, about the importance of undersea cables. Plus: The scientists working together with nuns to save salamanders in a lake in Mexico.

Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones
Editors: Monica Soriano & Tom Singleton

(Image: A colourful composite of a woman with her chin resting on her hands, looking confused. Behind her is an illustration of a laptop. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1vc3r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pkzhpc)
Paramilitaries accused of covering up killings in Sudan

Researchers from Yale University say there's evidence that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been trying to cover up mass killings in the Sudanese city of El Fasher by burning and burying bodies. We hear from one of the researchers who analysed satellite images of the area.

Also in the programme: the gunmen who carried out the deadly Bondi Beach attack in Australia spent most of last month in the Philippines; and why next year King's College, Cambridge, will have a new choir - of girls.

(Photo: Handout photograph of a woman and baby at the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur. Credit: MSF/Mohamed Zakaria/Handout via Reuters/File Photo)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1vgvw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgtvw8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnjv48)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76c4)
Why is black unemployment rising in the US?

Why are black women are being hit hardest in today’s jobs market? With African American unemployment at a four-year high, we hear from women searching for work.

In Japan, a “human washing machine” could soon be hitting the shops.

The European Union waters down its own plan to ban petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035.

We hear how the trucking industry is changing in Canada.

And Ed Butler speaks to an 11-year-old farmer travelling from Ireland to Brussels by tractor with his dad, ahead of a major protest.

PHOTO: A worker walks next to products during Cyber Monday at the Amazon's fulfilment centre in Robbinsville, New Jersey, U.S. December 1, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1vlm0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnjywd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 17 DECEMBER 2025

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1vqc4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1vv38)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgv73n)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnk6cn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71d0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Tuesday]


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1vyvd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgvbvs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnkb3s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1w2lj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74nr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1w6bn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgvlc1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnkkm1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vc0)
Kennedy and Khrushchev

3. Gamble

The Soviets secretly plan to move an arsenal of nuclear weapons to Cuba. It is an audacious move by Nikita Khrushchev, to protect Fidel Castro’s communist regime from an American invasion. Since Castro and the Soviet leader met in a New York hotel in 1960, they’ve had a personal bond. Hosts Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy, relatives of the superpower leaders, tell the story of how America plotted to overthrow Castro and how Khrushchev persuaded the Cuban leader to go along with his bold plan. This is the personal and political history of the Cuban Missile Crisis.


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1wb2s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gtq3c)
Funerals for Australia's Bondi Beach victims

Funerals have started to be held in Australia for the victims of Sunday’s mass shooting at Bondi beach. The first ceremony to take place was that of British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger. He was one of 15 people who died in Sunday’s attack.

Russia has continued its campaign against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, causing long power outages across Ukraine. We speak to a resident in Odesa who has been without power for four days.

Yale research lab finds evidence that the rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Force buried, burned, and removed human remains after el-Fasher massacre.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy

(Funeral of people who were killed during a shooting at a Hanukkah event at Sydney's Bondi Beach. Credit: Jeremy Piper/Reuters)


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1wftx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gttvh)
Funerals of victims of Bondi Beach shooting

Funerals are taking place for the victims of Sunday’s mass shooting on Bondi Beach. The first funeral has been held for British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, with large crowds gathering outside the Bondi Synagogue, where he led the congregation for nearly 18 years.

President Donald Trump says he's ordering a "a total and complete" blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela.

And we have an interview with Hollywood star Timothee Chalamet. He's in the UK to promote his 1950s table tennis film, Marty Supreme.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy.

(Photo: The coffin is seen at the Chabad of Bondi Synagogue during the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger following a shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday. Credit: Mick Tsikas/Reuters).


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1wkl1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gtylm)
First funerals of Australia's mass shooting

The first funerals have been held for the victims of the mass shooting in Australia on Sunday. Fifteen people were killed and dozens wounded in an attack in Bondi. Meanwhile the remaining suspect in the mass shooting has emerged from a coma and he's been charged with murder and terrorism offences.

We speak to the brother of the Iranian Nobel laureate - Narges Mohammadi. She's been taken to hospital following her arrest last week.

And President Donald Trump says he's ordering a "a total and complete" blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy

(Photo: Mourners attend the funeral of Rabbi Yaakov Halevi Levitan, who was killed during a shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday, at Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium, in Sydney. Credit: Hollie Adams/reuters)


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1wpb5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7g)
Jordan Bardella, National Rally leader: France must control immigration

‘I do not see France as a country that must be closed. But I believe we must control immigration.’

Nick Robinson speaks to National Rally leader Jordan Bardella about his vision for France. The 30-year-old is currently leading the polls to become the country’s next President in 2027.

He’s on a media tour to woo businesses, and to persuade the world his party is now mainstream, despite its history with far right politics. It used to be the National Front - founded by Jean-Marie Le Pen, a convicted racist and Holocaust denier. Le Pen’s daughter Marine re-branded the party and led it for many years, but is currently barred from public office after a conviction for embezzling EU funds, a verdict she plans to appeal.

In her absence, her protégé Jordan Bardella finds himself in charge. He maintains the party has changed since its formative years.

In this interview you’ll hear why Mr Bardella rejects challenges on racism. He also says if he becomes president he’ll call for a referendum on immigration "to take back control of our borders."

Thank you to the Political Thinking with Nick Robinson team 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 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Nick Robinson
Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Clare Williamson, Daniel Kraemer and Leela Padmanabhan
Editor: Nick Holland

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

(Image: Jordan Bardella Credit: Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images)


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnl1lk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sd7)
How Peru's Chancay Port is changing trade

We return to Peru’s mega port - the Chancay Port. This $3.5bn project is a joint venture between China’s state-owned shipping company Cosco Shipping and Peruvian mining company Volcan. It’s already starting to have an impact on local businesses.

We find out what’s giving it the edge, how local fruit producers are particularly benefiting, and what obstacles still need to be overcome, both politically and logistically.

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

Presented and produced by Jane Chambers

(Picture: Fruit producer, Percy Perez, in Peru.)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74r0)
When Norway introduced salmon sushi to Japan

In the late 1980s, Norway needed a new market for its growing farmed salmon production.

Fish-loving Japan and its lucrative sushi market seemed to fit the bill. But salmon was one fish the Japanese did not eat raw.

Lars Bevanger speaks to Bjørn-Eirik Olsen, the man who came up with the idea of putting salmon on sushi rice, and who spent years convincing the Japanese to eat it.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo:Bjørn-Eirik Olsen in Japan. Credit: Bjørn-Eirik Olsen)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1wt29)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgw62p)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnl5bp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct702y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1wxtf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1x1kk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgwfky)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnldty)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71g8)
What would it take for Putin to stop fighting in Ukraine?

President Trump says a Ukraine peace deal is ‘closer than ever’ following talks in Berlin with European officials and a delegation from Ukraine. But is it?

As the fourth anniversary of Russia's full scale invasion approaches, no peace deal can be agreed without Vladimir Putin’s support. Can he be persuaded to accept anything short of a Russian victory? We speak to the BBC’s Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg.

Producers: Valerio Esposito, Viv Jones and Xandra Ellin.

Executive producer: James Shield.

Senior news editor: China Collins.

Mix: Travis Evans.

Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik/Pool via Reuters.


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1x59p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd9)
A jailhouse lawyer’s 28-year quest to prove his innocence

As a teenager, Calvin Duncan was wrongfully charged with first degree murder. Coming from an impoverished background, he couldn’t afford a good lawyer for his trial. Sentenced to life imprisonment, Calvin soon realised that the only avenue open to him was to study law and fight his own case. But where do you even begin to train as a lawyer while incarcerated in a tough Louisiana penitentiary? And even if you do get some understanding of the legal system, will that be enough to overturn a wrongful conviction?

As Calvin weighed his options, his first appeal was denied by the courts and his attempts to obtain documents that would prove his innocence led nowhere. In the meantime, Calvin used his fledgling legal skills to obtain better living conditions for other inmates, eventually becoming an Inmate Counsel Substitute, a type of jailhouse lawyer. But even as his knowledge was leading to his fellow lifers being freed, his own case hit setback after setback.

Calvin's memoir, written with Sophie Cull, is called 'The Jailhouse Lawyer.'

Please be aware that this story references Calvin's thoughts of suicide.
If you are suffering distress or despair and feel you need help, you could speak to a health professional or an organisation that offers support. Details of available resources in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. befrienders.org

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producers: Rachel Oakes and Radek Boschetty

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

(Photo: Calvin Duncan in the law library of Angola Prison, Louisiana. Courtesy of Calvin Duncan. Calvin, in a white cap, white t-shirt and blue trousers stands in front of a bookshelf stacked with leather-bound volumes.)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74r0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1x91t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgwp26)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnlnb6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vc0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1xdsy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pl1kck)
Trump orders blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers

President Trump says he's ordered a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going to and from Venezuela. In a social media post, he said the US military build-up near Venezuela would only get bigger and described the government of Nicolas Maduro as a terrorist organisation. The Venezuelan government has accused President Trump of launching warlike threats. We hear from a US Democrat congressman.


Also in the programme: The EU waters down its plan to end new petrol and diesel car sales by by 2035 and we hear how the Hollywood star, Timothee Chalamet, spent seven years mastering table tennis for his latest film role in Marty Supreme


Photo: US President Donald J Trump speaks at a round-table with high-tech business executives in Washington DC, USA Credit: AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1xjk2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnlwtg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sd7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88bm)
Why will the world use more coal than ever this year?

The International Energy Agency says we'll burn through a record 8.85 billion tonnes of coal in 2025, the first overall increase in fifteen years. We hear from Ro Dhawan, at the International Council on Mining and Metals about a path towards using more clean energy.
Plus, the price of oil is up after US threats of a blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan tankers.
And could Amazon be getting a big order for its computer chips?

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

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Victoriya Holland
Editor: Justin Bones


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1xn96)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w17306859sfzjf5)
Venezuela denounces Trump's order for ship blockade

President Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. Venezuela says its ambassador to the UN will report a violation of international law, and that its people, military and police will defend the country. The US has accused President Maduro's government of using oil to finance themselves as well as drug trafficking. Venezuela says the US is trying to steal its oil wealth. We speak to BBC Verify and to our regional experts.

Australian police have charged the surviving suspect in the Bondi Beach mass shooting with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder, as well as committing a terrorist act.

The authorities in the Indian capital, Delhi have rolled out strict measures to curb air pollution, that has been in the severe category for the past few days.

Bhutan says it will spend a billion dollars of the country's reserves to build what it's calling a "mindfulness city."

A BBC investigation has revealed that essay cheating remains widespread at UK universities. We hear from university lecturers on how they are tackling the problem.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro holds Simon Bolivar's sword in Caracas, Venezuela, November 25, 2025. Credit: Leonardo Fernandez/Reuters)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1xs1b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w17306859sfzn59)
Trump expands US travel ban

President Trump has imposed full travel bans on several more countries. Citizens from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria and those holding Palestinian Authority-issued documents will be barred from entering the US. The administration also moved Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously subject to partial restrictions, to the full ban list, and put partial restrictions on 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The White House said the aim was to protect national security and public safety. We speak to our correspondent and get reaction from residents in the countries affected.

Warner Bros Discovery has told its shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance's $108.4bn takeover bid. Our business correspondent explains.

Human rights groups have warned that an Iranian champion boxer is at imminent risk of execution. We speak to BBC Persian.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump signs an executive order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 15 December 2025. Credit: Bonnie Cashj/EPA)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1xwsg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74r0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1y0jl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgxdjz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnmcsz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zdt)
2025/12/17 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 (w172zwx0ws1y48q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct702y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnmhk3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkf)
Behind the Huntington’s disease breakthrough

James Gallagher joins Claudia Hammond to share his pick for health breakthrough of 2025 – the world's first gene therapy to treat Huntington’s disease.

Popular science author Mary Roach joins Claudia to discuss the future of prosthetics.

Also on the show, James shares his latest reporting on how sperm from a donor with a cancer-causing gene was used to conceive almost 200 children.

We hear from Mohsen Rajabi how teachers in Iran are providing first-line mental health support to refugee students as they cope with settlement traumas.

Plus, how an electronic nose could help detect mould in the home.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1y80v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pl2dlg)
Sudan conflict: Thousands detained by RSF in South Darfur

The head of the World Health Organisation has called for the immediate and unconditional release of health workers who are believed to be detained in south- western Sudan. The Sudanese Doctors Network fears about 19,000 people could be held by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala, South Darfur. We hear from a journalist there about the situation.

Also in the programme: The Secret trial of a Chinese General who defied orders to crush the pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square; and Hollywood star Timothée Chalamet on his latest film.

(Photograph: Darfuri children in Tine refugee camp. Credit: Reuters)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1ycrz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgxrsc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnmr1c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76jt)
How is the US ship blockade affecting Venezuelans?

The US has stepped up its blockade on Venezuela’s sanctioned oil tankers, as humanitarian workers are warning that the situation would get worse if food and medical supplies can’t get into the country. We hear from people living in Caracas and someone who has left the country few days ago. Also, the board of Warner Brothers Discovery has told shareholders to reject Paramount's $180 billion dollar hostile bid for the entirety of its business. And the Oscars are to be streamed on YouTube from 2029 after the tech firm outbid traditional broadcasters.

(Photo: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures, during a march to commemorate the Battle of Santa Ines in Caracas, Venezuela, December 10, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Gaby Oraa)


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1yhj3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnmvsh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vc0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 18 DECEMBER 2025

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1ym87)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1yr0c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgy40r)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnn38r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71g8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Wednesday]


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1yvrh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgy7rw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnn70w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct8sj3)
Elephant politics

Botswana is home to about a third of Africa’s remaining savanna elephants, over 130,000. But it is a burden as well as a blessing. It puts pressure on local communities, and the cost of conservation is huge. Climate change means elephants are moving into new areas in their search for water and in some parts of this sparsely populated country there are more elephants than people. Jo Dwyer travels to northern Botswana, where safari-based tourism helps drive the economy. Elephants bring in the tourists, but conservation is a balancing act. The protection of wild animal populations has to be carefully balanced with the protection of the people who live among them.

There are calls from Botswana and other countries in the region for more help with what they describe as an international wildlife resource. They would like to see a new global funding model for elephant conservation. But in the meantime, conservationists in Botswana defend the country’s controversial practise of trophy hunting, as a valuable part of its conservation toolkit.

Producer/presenter: Jo Dwyer
Editor: Chris Ledgard

(Photo: Elephants in northern Botswana. Credit: Jo Dwyer)


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1yzhm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xd9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74r0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1z37r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgyh84)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnngj4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zk)
What is the ultimate hangover cure?

With the festive season approaching in parts of the world, Ruth Alexander explores what’s actually happening in the body during a hangover, why some people suffer more than others, and whether common remedies make any real difference.

How the body processes alcohol and why that can make you feel so bad is explained by Andrew Scholey, Professor of Human Psychopharmacology at Northumbria University in the UK and member of the Alcohol Hangover Research Group.

Marisa Moll, a registered nutritionist from Paraguay, shares her recommendations on what to consume before you drink alcohol to try to reduce the risk of a hangover.

And Jonathon Shears, Professor of English Literature at Keele University in the UK and author of The Hangover, a Literary and Cultural History, reflects on the cultural history of the hangover.

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

Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Sound engineer: Andrew Mills
Image: A woman looks at empty bottles of alcohol (credit: Getty)


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1z6zw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gxm0g)
Australia to tackle hate speech after Bondi attack

The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese also announced that his government is set to tackle public hate speech by rejecting visas of those who spread a message of hate and targetting extremist preaching within Australia and those who practice it. Meanwhile the funeral of 10-year old Matilda, the youngest victim, of Sunday's mass shooting has taken place. It was held in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The service was open to local community members who wished to pay their respects, hundreds attended, while security around the event remained tight.

European Union leaders begin two days of talks in Brussels with an aim on making a decision on whether to loan tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine to fund its military and economic needs.

And President Trump has delivered a speech in which he said the economy under his leadership is in better shape than many Americans believe.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy

(Photo: The parents of 10-year-old Matilda the youngest victim of a mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach walk behind the casket at Chevra Kadisha Memorial Hall, in Sydney, Australia. Credit: Hollie Adams/Reuters)


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1zbr0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gxqrl)
Venezuela says it will continue its oil trade

The Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has accused the United States of trying to turn his country into a colony. In a defiant address, he said any attempt at regime change would fail. His comments come a day after President Trump announced a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers, saying Venezuela was now surrounded by US military forces.

European Union leaders are gathering to try to break their deadlock on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a huge loan for Ukraine. As the EU continues to debate how to help finance Ukraine's war against Russia, our defence correspondent looks at how Ukraine looks after it's security needs.

And President Trump has delivered a speech in which he said the economy under his leadership is in better shape than many Americans believe.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy

(Photo: Government supporters participate in a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's order to blockade sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, in Caracas, Venezuela. Credit: Leonardo Fernández Viloria/Reuters).


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1zgh4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7gxvhq)
EU meets to discuss Russian frozen assets

European Union leaders are gathering to try to break their deadlock on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a huge loan for Ukraine. Belgium, where most of the money is held, is under pressure to drop its opposition. We speak to Latvia's Defence Minister.

The Oscars will stream on YouTube from 2029. This ends the decade long deal with the ABC broadcaster. It's hoped this move will help the film awards ceremony reach a larger worldwide audience.

And our reporter has been tracking the movements of two drill rappers from Liverpool who were seen carrying guns and parading with troops in Somalia during a cross-border clan conflict. The rappers could be questioned by police upon their return to the UK.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy

(Photo: Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever meets with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels. The EU is increasing pressure on Belgium, the holder of most frozen Russian assets, to drop its objections and back a loan plan for Ukraine. Credit: Olivier Matthys/EPA).


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1zl78)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723n)
How can Nigeria stop its kidnap crisis?

In November gunmen seized more than 300 pupils and a dozen teachers from a Catholic school in northern Nigeria. While authorities have rescued around 100 children, many remain missing.

Kidnapping has become a recurring reality in many parts of the country, and in late 2025 President Bola Tinubu declared the crisis a national security emergency. He pledged to boost security in remote areas, but rights groups say the true scale of abductions is hidden by widespread underreporting.

The sheer number of kidnappings has also drawn international attention. The United States President has spoken of sending troops to assist, and France’s President Emmanuel Macron has offered broader help to tackle insecurity.

This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: How can Nigeria stop its kidnap crisis?

Contributors

Dr Kachi Madreke, politics and international relations scholar, University of Aberdeen, UK

Dr Jumo Ayandele, clinical assistant professor at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, US

James Barnett, non-resident research fellow at the Centre on Armed Groups

Dengiyefa Angalapu, research analyst at the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja, Nigeria

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Matt Toulson
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: James Bradshaw
Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey

(Photo: Nigeria demonstration about student kidnapping. Credit: Kola Sulamon/Getty Images)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnnyhn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s36)
The rise of the 'ghost job'

You might be familiar with the term "ghosting" when it comes to dating. One minute you’re talking to someone, the next they disappear.

The same thing is now happening in the job market, with employers not responding to candidates or posting roles that never existed.

It’s a problem thought to affect millions.

In this programme, we hear why "ghost jobs" have become so common, look at the new rules meant to curb the practice, and hear directly from job seekers about how it makes them feel.

You can email us - our address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Megan Lawton
Producer: Sam Gruet

(Picture: Woman applying for a job online. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74kb)
When Laurel and Hardy spent Christmas at an English pub

In December 1953, Hollywood film stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy spent a few weeks at the Bull Inn, Bottesford, Leicestershire, while they performed a show at the nearby Nottingham Empire.

Stan’s sister, Olga Healey, was the landlady.

Customers and staff said the duo spent time serving behind the bar, signing autographs and chatting with regulars.

This was produced and presented by Rachel Naylor, in collaboration with BBC Archives.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1zpzd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgz2zs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnp27s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct8sj3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1ztqj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7yt3)
The Media Show: Reporting the Bondi beach attack

A mass shooting at Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah event created major challenges for journalists trying to confirm fast-moving details. Newsrooms had to decide how to describe the attack, when to name suspects and how to treat unverified online posts. Jacqueline Maley, senior writer at the Sydney Morning Herald, explains the decisions behind early reporting and the influence of social media.
The UK government has begun a consultation on BBC charter renewal, which will shape the organisation from 2028. It raises questions about how the BBC is governed, how it supports producers across the UK and how it might be funded in the future. Options include subscription models, advertising and changes to licence fee income. Alex Farber, media correspondent at The Times, outlines what is being considered.
In Florida, Donald Trump has filed a defamation case against the BBC over an edited sequence in the Panorama documentary which triggered the resignation of the corporation’s Director General and its CEO of News. Stuart M Benjamin, professor of law at Duke University, sets out the legal issues.
Short, vertical micro dramas are becoming a major part of China’s entertainment industry, with revenues expected to exceed cinema box office figures. The format is spreading to other regions through low-cost, rapid production and app-based viewing. Mengchen Zhang from the BBC’s Global China Unit describes the trend in China, while Clare Thompson, non-executive director at K7 Media, outlines its international growth.

Presenters: Ros Atkins
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Content Producer: Lucy Wai
Production Coordinator: Ruth Waites


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnp5zx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 Over to You (w3ct8sh1)
Ask the controller

It is our annual Ask the Controller special with the boss of BBC World Service English Jon Zilkha in the studio to answer your questions.

We also hear from listeners on what they have enjoyed on the BBC World Service in 2025. And what would they would like to hear more of in 2026.


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws1zygn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgzbh1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnp9r1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct719r)
Why Australia’s gun laws aren’t as strong as you might think

After the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, Australia tightened its gun laws, and has since been considered a world-leading example by gun control advocates of how to lessen the chances of mass shootings occurring.

However, the mass murder of at least 15 people in an antisemitic attack at Bondi beach on Sunday has again raised the issue of gun access, and Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said he is “ready to fight” to strengthen the laws again.

On today’s show, Ariel Bogle, an investigations reporter with Guardian Australia, explains why the number of guns in Australia has been rising, and how stricter laws might be received in the country.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Marty Peralta

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Photo of unregistered handguns that were returned to police, near Smederevo, Serbia. Credit: Dimitrije Goll /EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws2026s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyh)
A sisterhood of spies: how I was recruited aged 53

Ruth Morton was 53 years old when she tells us she was sent on a covert mission to spy on Argentine submarines during the Falklands War. From beneath a derelict building near the naval base at Mar del Plata, Ruth crawled into a gap under floorboards and observed submarine movements, she reported them to British intelligence.

The Morton family's involvement in espionage began decades earlier. During the Second World War, Ruth's father Eddie and her sisters Minna and Babs, who all spoke fluent Spanish and English, worked in the central railway offices, a front for British intelligence in Uruguay.

43 years later, during the Falklands War, Ruth's older sister, Minna, brought in Ruth to watch the Argentine subs. When funds for the mission ran low Ruth raised money by knitting wooly hats that became popular merchandise in a local hotel. Hidden under the building, Ruth made friends with an old capybara, the animal ended up saving her life. This is the first time Ruth is telling her story. She chose to share it with a very old friend, a journalist and Falkland Islander, Graham Bound.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producers: Graham Bound and Andrea Kennedy

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

(Photo: A composite image of an old family photo of Ruth with her sister Minna as young women and an image of Ruth today in a blue hoodie, with short cropped grey hair and a big smile. Credit: Courtesy of Ruth Morton. And Graham Bound)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74kb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws205yx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zgzkz9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnpk79)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws209q1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pl4g8n)
EU leaders meet to try to keep Ukraine afloat

Volodymyr Zelensky is urging European Union leaders gathered at a crunch summit in Brussels to loan billions of euros in frozen Russian money to fund Ukraine's military and economic needs.

But there's opposition from some countries fearful of Russian retribution. We'll have the latest.

Also in the programme: the Australian government announces new legislation to combat anti-semitism, following Sunday's mass shooting in Sydney; YouTube buys the TV rights to the Oscars; and ghosting in the jobs market - why are some companies advertising roles that probably don't exist?

(Photo shows Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky gives a press conference at the EU Council Summit in Brussels, Belgium, on 18 December 2025. Credit: Olivier Hoslet/EPA).


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws20fg5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnpsqk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s36)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88r0)
Price increases in America ease unexpectedly

It's a big data day for the US, Europe and the UK. What do interest rates decisions and inflation data mean for the global economy? India's textile businesses say high US tariffs are causing major pain for businesses. We hear from the Treasurer of the Tiruppur Exporters Association. And should we be categorising Labubu dolls as a fad?

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

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Victoriya Holland
Editor: Stephen Ryan


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws20k69)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w17306859sg2fb8)
EU leaders hold talks on Russia's frozen assets

President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Ukraine faces a financial shortfall of up to 60 billion dollars next year -- and could have to cut drone production. He was speaking in Brussels where EU leaders are meeting to discuss a plan to use frozen Russian assets to generate a substantial loan for Kyiv. We speak to our Europe digital editor and our colleagues from BBC Russian and BBC Ukraine.

Australia has announced a major crackdown on hate speech following the Bondi Beach shooting. We hear from a woman who shares how she survived Sunday’s attack.

Earlier this month, hundreds of women in Iran competed in marathon without wearing the hijab which is mandatory to wear by law in the country. Two organisers of the marathon in Iran are still in custody. Our reporter has been speaking to two women who competed.

In recent weeks, close to 2,000 people have been killed in storms, cyclones and flooding in parts of South and South East Asia. We hear from people affected.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a press conference on the day of the European Union leaders' summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 18, 2025. Credit: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws20nyf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w17306859sg2k2d)
Heavy rains worsen conditions for Gazans

Heavy rains over the past week have compounded the already dire living conditions of the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies say. We speak to our correspondent, and we hear from two residents in Gaza.

In recent weeks, close to 2,000 people have been killed in storms, cyclones and flooding in parts of South and South East Asia. We hear from people affected.

In England the children's commissioner has said parents should lead by example this Christmas and turn their phones off during family time. We speak to our tech reporter and hear messages from around the world.

Australia has announced a major crackdown on hate speech following the Bondi Beach shooting. We hear from a woman who shares how she survived Sunday’s attack.

Presenter: Luke Jones.

(Photo: Internally displaced Palestinians walk among the ruins of destroyed buildings in Al Zaitun neighbourhood during a rainy day in the east of Gaza City on, 12 December 2025. Credit: Mohammed Saber/EPA)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws20spk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74kb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws20xfp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh09g2)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnq8q2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z89)
2025/12/18 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 (w172zwx0ws2115t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct8sj3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnqdg6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txq)
How did President Trump transform science in 2025?

This week President Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget announced that a major climate research centre would be broken up. 2025 has brought a wave of reorganisations and funding cuts, reshaping the ways science is done in the USA. Veteran science journalist Roland Pease tells us whether we’re starting to see the impacts.

Victoria Gill gets a subterranean tour of Finland’s new nuclear waste disposal facility. It’s the first country in the world to get one and the UK are interested in learning how they did it. Victoria is also joined by science journalist Caroline Steel to talk about this week in science research.

And 40 years ago, Dian Fossey was murdered at her home in Rwanda where she had spent decades studying mountain gorillas. Gilly Forrester, Professor of Comparative Cognition at the University of Sussex talks about why the data collected from Dian’s ‘gorillas in the mist’ continues to shape science today.

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

Presenter: Victoria Gill
Producers: Clare Salisbury, Kate White and Tim Dodd
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws214xy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pl59hk)
Zelensky urges EU to reach deal on Russia's frozen assets

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says key parts of the Ukrainian war machine will have to be scaled back unless Europe approves the use of frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv.

Also on the programme: the EU's top court rules that Denmark's 2018 "ghetto law," which relocates residents from minority-heavy areas, could amount to ethnic discrimination; and what could the new documentary about Melania Trump tell us about the American first lady?

(Photo: A woman holds a banner as people demonstrate outside the European Commission in support of using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Credit: Reuters)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws218p2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh0npg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnqmyg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct75yq)
Will Europe use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine?

Volodymyr Zelensky has called on EU leaders at a crunch summit urgently to agree to a multi-billion euro loan in frozen Russian money to fund Ukraine's military and economic needs. Andrew Peach hears from EU leaders and an expert in Brussels.

Also, Bolivia ends two decades of fuel subsidies, introducing tough measures to stabilise the public finances, but will people put up with paying more for fuel?

And the economic challenges of making guitars, as Hoffner - famous for making Paul McCartney’s iconic violin-shaped bass guitar – has filed for insolvency in Germany.

(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gives a press conference during the EU Council Summit in Brussels, Belgium, 18 December 2025. Credit: OLIVIER HOSLET/EPA/Shutterstock)


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws21df6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnqrpl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 19 DECEMBER 2025

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws21j5b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7yt3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnqwfq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8vwr)
The Child Cancer Scam

1. The video

Seven-year-old Khalil from the Philippines has cancer. His family hope making a campaign video might save him, because they desperately need help to pay for his treatment. But the shoot is demanding, exhausting. Khalil even has onions put in front of his eyes to make him cry.

For his mother Aljin, it’s a last-ditch attempt to help her son. But despite following every demand made by a “foreign sponsor”, she’s told the video doesn’t make any money.

Season 10 of World of Secrets, The Child Cancer Scam, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service.

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


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws21mxg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh10xv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnr05v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct719r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Thursday]


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws21rnl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh14nz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnr3xz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws21wdq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74kb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws2204v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh1d57)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnrcf7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpy)
Prayers through the Checkpoints

Imagine being able to see your place of worship, but not be able to reach it. For many Palestinian Muslims in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, stricter Israeli security measures, rising tensions with settlers, and movement restrictions introduced after the October 7th attacks have made access to mosques increasingly challenging.

The Israeli military says these measures are essential to protect civilians after increased violence in the region. Many Palestinians argue the restrictions amount to collective punishment and fear there may be changes to long-standing arrangements at some of the area’s holiest sites, sacred to both Muslims and Jews.

Reporting from Hebron and East Jerusalem, Emily Wither explores how these pressures are reshaping the spiritual lives of worshippers living at the heart of one of the world’s most contested religious landscapes.

Producer/presenter: Emily Wither
Executive producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Chloe Walker
Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno

(Photo: Palestinians in Hebron perform Friday prayer in the streets surrounding Ibrahimi Mosque. Credit: Anadolu)


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws223wz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7h0hxk)
EU agrees loan for Ukraine

European Union leaders have struck a deal to give Ukraine a loan of over a-hundred billion dollars after failing to agree on using frozen Russian assets.

We are reporting from Morocco. The Africa Cup of Nations gets underway on Sunday with 24 teams from around the continent competing for one of the great prizes in African sport. It's a big moment for Morocco, which will also joint host the World Cup in 2030. It has invested heavily in sports as a way of showcasing the country internationally.

In the United States the body of the man suspected in the killing of two Brown University students and M.I.T professor has been found in a storage unit in New Hampshire.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo:Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the end of the EU Council Summit in Brussels. EU leaders were meeting to discuss in Ukraine. Credit: Olivier Hoslet/EPA).


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws227n3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7h0mnp)
EU agrees billion dollar loan for Ukraine

In a late night meeting EU leaders in Brussels have agreed a two year deal worth more than $100 billion to fund Ukraine's battle against Russia. They failed to agree using the billions of dollars worth of frozen Russian assets held in Europe. We get reaction from Ukraine.

We are reporting from Morocco. The Africa Cup of Nations gets underway on Sunday with 24 teams from around the continent competing for one of the great prizes in African sport. It's a big moment for Morocco, which will also joint host the World Cup in 2030. It has invested heavily in sports as a way of showcasing the country internationally.

And TikTok has signed a deal to create a joint venture for its US operations that will be controlled by American investors.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gives a press conference during the EU Council Summit in Brussels. Credit: Olivier Hoslet/EPA)


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws22cd7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq0d7h0rdt)
Billion dollar deal agreed for Ukraine by EU

European Union leaders have struck a deal to give Ukraine a loan of over a-hundred billion dollars after failing to agree on using frozen Russian assets. We have a European reaction to the deal.

We are reporting from Morocco. The Africa Cup of Nations gets underway on Sunday with 24 teams from around the continent competing for one of the great prizes in African sport. It's a big moment for Morocco, which will also joint host the World Cup in 2030. It has invested heavily in sports as a way of showcasing the country internationally.

And TikTok has signed a deal to create a joint venture for its US operations that will be controlled by American investors.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: European Council President Antonio Costa (L) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R) at the end of the EU Council Summit in Brussels, Belgium. Credit: Olivier Hoslet/EPA).


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws22h4c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 The Interview (w3ct8c45)
Audrey Tang: bringing digital diplomacy to the world

Audrey Tang speaks to BBC Technology editor, Zoe Kleinman about technology, democracy and community.

Named one of TIME’s “100 Most Influential People in AI”, Audrey Tang was instrumental in shaping Taiwan’s acclaimed COVID-19 response and in safeguarding the 2024 elections from foreign cyber interference.

A child prodigy, born with a life threatening heart condition, reading, philosophy and the internet were part of her world from an early age. She became involved in Taiwan’s sunflower student movement in 2014, laying internet cables so that those occupying government buildings could get their messages out to the people. The exercise was so successful that she was asked to join the government leveraging technology to improve governmental transparency and citizen engagement.

Audrey Tang Taiwan’s first digital minister and is the world’s first openly non-binary cabinet minister. She’s on a mission to spread digital diplomacy globally, and in turn protect democracy in her own country of Taiwan. A leading thinker on AI she advises governments and tech companies around the world and is the author of four books.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Zoe Kleinman
Producers: Farhana Haider & Clare Williamson
Editor: Justine Lang & Nick Holland

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

(Image: Audrey Tang. Credit: Sean Marc Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnrvdr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rt5)
Business Daily meets: Balsam Hill's Mac Harman

As millions of households around the world put up their Christmas trees, we hear from the founder and CEO of US-based company Balsam Hill - one of the world’s biggest artificial Christmas tree retailers.

Mac Harman tells us about his journey as an entrepreneur, how he's addressing sustainability concerns, and how the company's managing the pressures of tariffs.

If you'd like to contact the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: David Cann

Correction, 22 December 2025: This episode, which first aired on 19 December, has been amended to include more detail and to clarify the sourcing of the materials used in the manufacture of Balsam Hill's trees.

(Picture: Mac Harman. Credit: Balsam Hill)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct744x)
The first television opera

On 24 December 1951, in the United States, television history was made with the live broadcast of Amahl and the Night Visitors, the first opera ever composed specifically for TV.

Written by acclaimed Italian composer Gian Carlo Menotti, the opera almost didn’t happen. Struggling with writer’s block and a looming deadline, Menotti feared he wouldn’t finish, until a visit to an art gallery sparked a childhood memory and inspired the story.

Broadcast live every Christmas Eve on NBC until 1966, Amahl and the Night Visitors became a much-loved holiday tradition for American audiences.

Produced and presented by Gill Kearsley using a variety of archive from the 1950s through to the 2000s.

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: Gian Carlo Menotti in 1957. Credit: Erich Auerbach/Getty Images)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws22lwh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh1zww)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnrz4w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws22qmm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x4)
Why are we sad when television series end?

The end of Australian soap opera Neighbours has us wondering why a television series ending makes us sad. Also, what does science say about how to engage with screens while still protecting your vision?

Also on the show, visual ecologist Daniel Hanley has created a camera to help us visualize the world animals see, and why are there green birds, green insects, but no green mammals?

All that plus more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, and Ella Hubber


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws22vcr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh27d4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhns6n4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct7157)
Why K-beauty is everywhere

The promise of pore-free, glassy, youthful-looking skin has made Korean beauty products a global phenomenon. Americans spent as much $1.7bn (£1.3bn) on K-beauty in 2024, according to industry estimates, and the US now imports more cosmetics from South Korea than any other country.

How did the South Korean government help K-beauty ride the soft power wave that has also brought us TV shows like KPop Demon Hunters, and pop groups such as Blackpink and BTS? And what are the risks of buying into the ‘perfect’ beauty ideals that the industry promotes?

Today, we speak to Elise Hu, the host of TED Daily Talks host and author of 'Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital'.

Producer: Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Marty Peralta

Senior news editor: China Collins



Photo: Model Lee Hyun-yi attends the photocall event celebrating the launch of AHC’s new product ‘Full Lift Eye Cream for Face’ at the FKI Tower Conference Center in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu. Credit: iMBC/Imazins via Getty Images.


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws22z3w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6why)
Outlook Mixtape: In the club

Aonishiki Arata's rise through the ranks of Sumo wrestling has been meteoric, but despite his name, Aonishiki is Ukrainian. Born Danylo Yavhusishyn in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, he took up Sumo at the age of seven and finished third in the Junior World Sumo Championships in Osaka in 2019. After the Russian invasion in 2022 he fled his home country and last month won the Emperor's Cup tournament in Japan. He's just 21 years old, and that win catapults him to Ozeki level - sumo's second highest rank. Mobeen met him in London in October 2025.

Londoner Khadijah Mellah was a teenager who had only been riding for four months when she became the first Muslim woman to win a prestigious British horse race. Despite being the youngest competitor, she rode to victory in the 2019 Magnolia Cup at the world-famous Goodwood Racecourse. She told Emily Webb about her breakthrough the following year.

Growing up during China's Cultural Revolution, Guo Pei didn't know what fashion was. As a child, she wasn't allowed to wear anything but a blue or green uniform. Today, she's China's most famous fashion designer, and some of her embroidered couture creations are worth millions. Guo dressed Rihanna for the Met Ball in 2015 in a spectacular and richly-embellished yellow outfit. She spoke to Saskia Collette in 2019.

Asha Puthli's vocals can be heard on influential jazz-fusion and disco tracks from the 1970s, and in samples and remixes from some of the world biggest hip-hop artists.Though when she started out in Mumbai clubs, she sang with her back to the audience to avoid being recognised and alerting her parents. She spoke to Mobeen Azhar in 2024

Presenter:Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Thomas Harding Assinder

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

(Photo: (Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape on a white background with a white label with the words: The Outlook Mixtape. Credit: Getty Images)


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct744x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws232w0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh2gwd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnsg4d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws236m4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pl7c5r)
EU leaders agree Ukraine loan

European Union leaders have agreed to loan Ukraine $100bn to cover the cost of its military and public services, but they failed to reach on a deal on using frozen Russian assets.

They instead opted to secure the oan against EU borrowing rather than Russian assets. What signal does that send to Moscow?

Also in the programme: We'll hear from the Ukrainian widows cut off from compensation because their soldier husbands took their own lives; excitement builds in Morocco as it prepares to host Africa's biggest football tournament; why the boxing influencer Jake Paul may be risking more than his reputation in tonight's big fight.

(Photo shows Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, European Council president Antonio Costa, and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at the EU Council Summit in Brussels, Belgium on 19 December 2025. Credit: Olivier Hoslet/EPA)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws23bc8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 The Interview (w3ct8c45)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnspmn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rt5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88gr)
TikTok lives to scroll another day

TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance has struck a deal with US and global investors to keep the app operating in America. But who really comes out on top?

Could Japan’s interest rate hike offer relief to struggling households?

Shipping giant Maersk has sent its first vessel through the Red Sea in two years.

And how could a new EU finance deal strengthen Ukraine’s defence against Russia?

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Niamh Mc Dermott
Editor: Justin Bones


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws23g3d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w17306859sg5b7c)
Putin tells BBC the West is 'making Russia the enemy'

The Russian President has told the BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg that western leaders 'decieved Russia', at his marathon end of year address. We get the latest from our correspondent.

We cross live to our team in Morocco, where football fever has taken over ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations beginning this weekend. The hosts are the favourites to win it.

In Japan this week, an e-sports organisation is trying to challenge the stereotype that video gaming is for young people, by hosting a senior citizens tournament. We speak to three older gamers from around the world about why they love the activity.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends his annual press conference and phone-in in Moscow. Credit: Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws23kvj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w17306859sg5fzh)
Deadline arrives for US Justice Department to release Epstein files

Anticipation is building in Washington, ahead of the expected release of more files related to the US Department of Justice's investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A legal deadline for their release is today. We get the latest from our correspondent.

In Miami, Youtuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is preparing to step into the ring with two-time heavyweight world champion, Anthony Joshua. The fight has been mired in controversy. We speak to boxing journalists about what to expect.

In Japan, an e-sports organisation is trying to challenge the stereotype that video gaming is for young people, by hosting a senior citizens tournament. We speak to three older gamers from around the world about why they love the activity.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: The Department of Justice (DOJ) building in Washington, Credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws23pln)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6why)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct744x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws23tbs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh36c5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnt5m5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z3s)
2025/12/19 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 (w172zwx0ws23y2x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnn)
Jewish Australians on the Bondi Beach attacks

The Australian government says it will crack down on hate speech following the deadly shooting that targeted a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach. People had come together to celebrate Hanukkah when two gunmen opened fire, killing fifteen people.

Australia’s new laws aim to target those who spread “hate, division and radicalisation". In our conversations, Jewish Australians discuss their personal experiences of antisemitism in Australia.

“You see the arson, you see the graffiti, you see the protests, you see the slogans, you see the people delegitimising Israel and its right to exist,” Sharon tells us. “And the jump is, unfortunately, not that far for people to then delegitimise the right of Jews to be in this country.”

Reports from across the world suggest that antisemitism is on the rise, particularly since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. We also bring together Jews in the US, Belgium and Germany who share their experiences of attacks on their community, and discuss what can be done about it.

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producers: Ash Mohamed, Isabella Bull and Ben Davis
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

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

(Photo: Vigil for those killed on Bondi Beach. Credit: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhnt9c9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6sts)
How do we adapt to the cold?

When some people are wandering around in shorts and a t-shirt, others are wrapped up in warm coats and jumpers. How come our responses to cold weather are so different?



People have been living in cold environments for thousands of years. So why do some of us struggle with the cold more than others, and what, if any, adaptations have our bodies made to cope in freezing temperatures?



CrowdScience listener Anne from the UK is amazed by the warm houses of her neighbours, and wants to know whether her background might have affected her perspective on the cold.



Caroline Steel investigates, visiting a laboratory in Loughborough University, UK, that pushes the body to the extreme. Dr Matt Maley explains what happens inside our systems to help us survive the plummeting thermostat and how this adaption can vary from person to person.



But it’s not just biological. Our culture impacts our experience of cold too. CrowdScience heads to Norway to meet the global community on the icy Arctic island of Svalbard. There Caroline meets Associate Professor Gunhild Sætren at the Arctic Safety Centre to find out the important role appropriate clothing plays in being prepared for the chilly weather.



And we speak to Dr Cara Ocobock at the University of Notre Dame, USA, who tells us about her research comparing Finnish reindeer herders and office workers reactions to cold temperatures.



Presenter: Caroline Steel

Producer: Hannah Fisher

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Woman enjoying winter playing in fresh snow. Credit: Olga Pankova/Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws241v1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zssh2pl86dn)
The US justice department releases Epstein files

The US justice department has released hundreds of thousands of highly anticipated documents related to Jeffrey Epstein ahead of a Congressional deadline. The issue divided the Republican Party after the department initially refused to publish the files, despite President Trump's campaign promises.
 
Also in the programme: President Putin says Russia is ready to end the conflict in Ukraine, but only on his terms; and a comet, that's only the third known interstellar object to enter our solar system, is making its closest approach to Earth.

Photo: One of the Epstein files released today in Washington, DC USA Credit: US Department of Justice


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws245l5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlh0zh3klk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhntjvk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76pb)
Is EU money enough for Ukraine?

Ukraine's position has been strengthened by a €90bn loan agreed by the EU after failing to agree on using frozen Russian assets. But is it enough to keep the country going?

In Sri Lanka, the International Monetary Fund has also approved a $206 million in emergency financing to help the country rebuild after a devastating cyclone. What will taking on more debt mean for the country's future debt sustainability?

Elsewhere, the former Chair of the independent board of Ben & Jerry's ice cream independent board has told World Business Report she was forced out by the company's owners, Magnum Ice Cream, following years of tension over Ben & Jerry’s outspoken social activism.

Also, Sony has more than doubled its stake in Peanuts, bringing Snoopy and Charlie Brown under its corporate umbrella, while the creator's family keeps the remaining 20% share.

(Photo: A serviceman of the 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade prepares to launch a Darts middle range strike unmanned aerial vehicle towards Russian troops. Credit: December 16, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova)


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx0ws249b9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 The Interview (w3ct8c45)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxvbhntnlp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vpy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]