SATURDAY 10 JANUARY 2026

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0gvwy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x7)
Science of the future

We take a look at some exciting science of the near future. First, the latest developments in animal-to-human organ transplants and the ambitious goals of eliminating cervical cancer around the world.

We are then joined by plasma physicist Dr Fatima Ebrahimi from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, who breaks down the mysteries behind nuclear fusion energy and how ambitious scientists are trying to channel the power of the Sun on Earth, in the hope of creating a massive source of clean energy.

Next, we investigate what blue-light-blocking glasses can do and consider what future scientists will think of the fossils of our civilisation!

Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Phillys Mwatee and Edd Gent
Producer: Imaan Moin


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0gzn2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfgcng)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m5bxg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct715b)
Will Gen Z protests around the world continue in 2026?

Throughout 2025, a massive youth protest movement took shape across the world. From Bangladesh, to Nepal, to Morocco, to Kenya, to the Maldives, young people were taking to the streets to demand, among other things, job security, improved standards of living, and the toppling of corrupt regimes. And in a number of cases their ambitious demands were met.

Today we speak to the BBC's social media investigations correspondent, Marianna Spring, about how social media helped spark a movement that transcended borders, and where the so-called, 'Gen Z Revolution' goes from here.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Cat Farnsworth

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: A protester carries a banner featuring a Malagasy version of the logo of the popular Japanese manga One Piece, during a nationwide youth-led demonstration over frequent power outages and water shortages, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, October 13, 2025. Credit: Siphiwe Sibeko/ Reuters)


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0h3d6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfghdl)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m5gnl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zkf)
The Ashes: Matthew Hayden on what's next for England and Australia?

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma are joined by former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden for our post-Ashes debrief. He tells us if Travis Head should continue opening for Australia, why Steve Smith is so prolific in the Ashes and if he can see England captain Ben Stokes return to Australia in four years' time.

Plus, the fourth season of the Women’s Premier League begins on the 9th January, so we assess how the five teams are shaping up, the impact of the tournament on cricket in India and if Mumbai Indians can win a third title in four years with their new coach Lisa Keightley.

Photo: Australian players celebrate with the Ashes Waterford Crystal trophy after winning the Ashes series 4-1 during day five of the Fifth Test in the 2025/26 Ashes Series between Australia and England at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 08, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0h74b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wj1)
The life and legacy of Eva Schloss, part 2

Eva Schloss, the Holocaust survivor and stepsister of Anne Frank, died on 3 January 2026 at the age of 96.

In 2022, she spoke to Outlook’s Emily Webb about being childhood friends and neighbours with Anne Frank in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Both their families were forced into hiding, ultimately betrayed and deported to Auschwitz where they had a harrowing experience. After the war, Eva became Anne’s posthumous stepsister when her mother married Otto Frank, Anne’s father. When Otto first discovered Anne’s now world-famous diary, he showed it to Eva. It was an emotional moment that reminded Eva of her last conversation with her beloved brother Heinz. A gifted artist, he had told Eva where he had hidden his cache of secret paintings and she was determined to bring them to light.

Eva shared her extraordinary Holocaust testimony over two episodes. In this second episode, she describes her memories of the liberation of Auschwitz, her efforts to keep her brother Heinz’s memory alive and why it took 40 years to share her story. In part one, you can hear about her recollections of Anne Frank, life before Auschwitz and her family’s eventual capture.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Maryam Maruf

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

(Photo: A black and white photo of Eva Schloss on her wedding day in 1952 with her husband Zvi. Standing next to them is Eva's mother Fritzi and Otto Frank. Credit: Courtesy of Eva Schloss)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct7450)
Battle of Gallipoli

It's 110 years since the end of the Battle of Gallipoli. It was one of the deadliest in World War One. Among the 40,000 dead was a large contingent of Australian and New Zealand troops who became known as the Anzacs. Soldier Rupert Westmacott was injured and shared his memories with the BBC. Professor of Australian history, Carl Bridge, spoke to Simon Watts in 2012.

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: Soldiers landing at Gallipoli. Credit: Sepia Times/Universal Images Group/Getty Images)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0hbwg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0hgml)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfgvmz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m5twz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4lzr)
4. The Walker on the Old Way

On an ancient path Will tries his powers for the first time and the Dark appears - in the form of a farm girl who casts a spell. He is powerless to resist as she takes the prized Signs, laughing. Listen on headphones for 3D immersive sound. #TheDarkIsRising

Will Stanton: Noah Alexander
John Smith/Paul Stanton/Mr Beaumont: Thomas Arnold
Bus Conductor/Jamaican Old One/James Stanton: Danny Bailey
Stephen Stanton: Simon Bubb
Mrs Stanton/Mrs Pettigrew/Dr Armstrong: Amanda Hadingue
The Walker/Hawkin: Toby Jones
Narrator: Simon McBurney
The Rider/Mr Mithothin/Mr Stanton/Farmer Dawson: Tim McMullan
Merriman: Paul Rhys
Maggie Barnes/Mary Stanton: Natasha Stone
The Lady/Miss Greythorne: Harriet Walter
Herne: Miles Yekinni
The chorister: Vinay Singh
Radio announcer: Samuel West

Soundscape design: Gareth Fry
Music: Josh Sneesby
Original songs by Johnny Flynn, Luisa Gerstein and Héloïse Tunstall-Behrens

Adapted for audio by Robert Macfarlane and Simon McBurney
Dramaturg: James Yeatman

Director: Simon McBurney
Producers: Catherine Bailey and Tim Bell

A Complicité and Catherine Bailey Production for BBC World Service
Commissioned by Simon Pitts


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6w02)
Does Venezuela really have the biggest oil reserves in the world?

When people think of oil rich nations their mind generally goes to Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the US.

But according to international statistics, the country with the largest oil reserves is Venezuela, with 300 billion barrels worth.

At their peak they produced over 3.5 million barrels of the stuff per day. However, due to lack of investment, sanctions and mismanagement that peak is long gone.

Following their military intervention, the US administration claims they can get Venezuela's oil production up and running at full capacity within 18 months.

But can they, and why is it that estimates for other countries oil reserves have fluctuated but Venezuela’s has stayed at 300 billion barrels for over two decades?

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Series Producer: Tom Colls
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-Ordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound Mix: Dave O’Neill


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0hlcq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8jftnr52p)
Iran unrest spreads despite blackout and Trump warns US could “get involved”

Large crowds have returned to the streets of Tehran in defiance of the internet blackout. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the protesters as "a bunch of vandals". The unrest broke out nearly two weeks ago due to anger at rising living costs. President Trump has again warned the United States will "get involved" if the Iranian authorities kill demonstrators.
Also in the programme: A new video showing the moments before a US immigration agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis has emerged. The 47-second footage was filmed by the ICE officer who pulled the trigger.
And we mark the tenth anniversary of the death of David Bowie. One of the biggest rock stars to come out of the UK, he died only two days after the release of his critically acclaimed final album, Blackstar.
Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Gaia Vince, science writer and author and James Rodgers, reader in international journalism at City University in London and a specialist on Russia and the Soviet Union.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Belgium Iranian opposition protest in Brussels on January 09, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0hq3v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8jftnr8tt)
Protests in Iran enter week two as crackdowns intensify and Tehran blames the US for inciting unrest

Anti‑government unrest continues to spread across Iran, despite a nationwide internet blackout and a defiant address from the Supreme Leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the demonstrators as “a bunch of vandals” and insisted the authorities would not yield.

Also in the programme: President Trump has indicated that US involvement in Venezuela may stretch on for years. He said the country’s vast oil reserves would play a central role in rebuilding efforts, which he described as potentially very profitable for American companies.

And we’ll explore new research into so‑called “gifted word‑learning” dogs, suggesting that some can pick up vocabulary simply by overhearing — performing on par with, or even better than, toddlers around eighteen months old.

Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Gaia Vince, science writer and author and James Rodgers, reader in international journalism at City University in London and a specialist on Russia and the Soviet Union.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Daily life in Tehran amid economy-driven protests in Iran on January 7th, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0htvz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8jftnrdky)
The US says it must “own” Greenland to block Russia and China, but Denmark and Greenland insist it’s not for sale

President Trump says the US must “own” Greenland to block Russian and Chinese influence. Washington has floated buying the territory and hasn’t ruled out force, but Denmark and Greenland insist it’s not for sale.
Also in the programme: The UK wants swift regulatory action against Elon Musk’s X after its Grok chatbot generated sexualised deepfakes without consent. X has restricted the tool to paying users — a move ministers call an insult to abuse victims. Ashley St Clair, Musk’s former partner, tells the BBC Grok also sexualised her image.
And we look ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup — the biggest ever, with 104 matches, 48 teams and 16 host cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Gaia Vince, science writer and author and James Rodgers, reader in international journalism at City University in London and a specialist on Russia and the Soviet Union.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (L) accompanied by Greenlands Acting Head of Government, Mute B. Egede (R) walk the streets of Nuuk, Greenland, on April 2nd, 2025. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0hym3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnr)
Life in Venezuela

After the dramatic US military operation that saw Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife taken from the country and placed in a New York prison, what, if anything, has changed for Venezuelans?

In our conversations, our guests share their experiences of living in Venezuela – the good and the bad. Vanessa tells us that even liking social media posts that appear to oppose the government could land people in jail.

“I read a lot on social media, why aren’t Venezuelans celebrating that Maduro is detained by the United States? It’s because we can’t,” she says. “We are very happy, but we are so scared. And even though he's no longer in the country and he’s no longer president, the regime is the same.”

Donald Trump said the US would “run” Venezuela and he has plans for the country’s crude oil reserves, which are the largest in the world. Despite this relatively untapped wealth, half the population lives in poverty and there have been shortages of food, fuel, water and medical supplies.

Our guests in Venezuela talk about the difficulty of earning money, while millions have decided to flee the country, due to economic challenges and political persecution.

We also bring Venezuelans together in the US, UK and Brazil who have moved abroad. They discuss what they miss about home and what might make them return.

Presenter: James Reynolds with Rahul Tandon
BBC producers: Isabella Bull and Adam Chowdhury
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Simon Peeks
A Boffin Media production in partnership with BBC OS

(Photo: Protesters hold up a huge Venezuelan flag. Credit: Maria Puerta-Riera)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m69wh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Americast (w3ct8byz)
Can the US really rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry?

In the fallout of Nicolas Maduro’s dramatic capture from Venezuela to the US, Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire to obtain Venezuelan oil, which he says is integral for keeping prices low in America.

He’s also pledged to have the US oil industry operating in Venezuela within 18 months and that there would be huge private-sector investments into the country. Reports suggest representatives from major US petroleum companies are due to meet the Trump administration this week.

Not everyone is convinced by the president’s plans. Some analysts told the BBC it could take tens of billions of dollars - and potentially a decade - to restore Venezuela's former output, which has been in decline since the early 2000s.

In this episode, Justin sits down with US energy expert Robert Bryce to explore the unique challenges of reforming Venezuela’s oil industry and the mistakes that the president will have to avoid to prevent the collapse in Iraq’s oil industry following the US invasion in 2003. What reassurances would private firms need to operate, and what would it take to reverse the problems that have plagued Venezuela’s oil industry since the presidency of Hugo Chavez?


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0j2c7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct878w)
My way

Sometimes the odds seem so stacked up, and the challenges so large you can lose your sense of self when trying to navigate a path to success. So this week we set aside all doubters, embrace the impossible and hear how those who were told they couldn't do it proved everyone wrong.

Kelsie Whitmore is at the heart of a development in baseball that has been many years in the making. In 1943 a professional women's league started and lasted for 10 years, it was successful, if you've seen the Hollywood movie, A League of Their Own" with Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Madonna then you'll already know. Well fast forward 70 odd years and women's professional baseball is back! The "WPBL" or Women's Pro Baseball League is set to launch later this year with four initial teams based in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The inaugural draft has just been held where San Francisco chose Kelsie Whitmore as the very first pick. No real surprise because alongside representing the USA. Kelsie was the first woman to appear in the Atlantic League, a successful, independent professional men's league.

Football club Red Star Paris has built a culture that means it's cool to be a fan of the team. How have they achieved this? Well in no small part through the influence of the clubs former creative director David Bellion. His is a name not unknown amongst football fans. David Bellion played the game professionally for almost 20 years, ending at Red Star Paris but with four seasons at Manchester United along the way with Sir David Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo and all.

Imagine being told you were too nice to succeed. That to get ahead you have to change your sunny disposition to a grumpy demeanor. That's what happened to double Commonwealth Games sprint champion Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. He tells us about how talked about how that upbeat personality helped him transition from star of the track to star of the small screen. He's currently "Nytro" on the UK TV show Gladiators and even when focused on winning gold at the Commonwealth Games he had one eye on what life beyond the 100m might look like for him.

In 1967, the American motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel made his name with a spectacular - if unsuccessful - attempt to jump over the fountains of Caesar's Palace Casino in Las Vegas. We discover the man behind the legend.

PHOTO: Kelsie Whitmore pitches in the bullpen before her game against the Charleston Dirty Birds at Richmond County Bank Ballpark on July 08, 2022 in Staten Island, New York. Whitmore was the first woman to appear in the starting lineup in an Atlantic League game. She also became the first woman to pitch in an Atlantic League game. (CREDIT: Al Bello/Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0j63c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfhl3r)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m6kcr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8vwv)
The Child Cancer Scam

4. The contract

A mother from Ukraine signs a contract, hoping that it will help her young daughter. Viktoriia has a brain tumour: her story is plastered all over social media despite her family’s request that the video they made isn’t shared.

Olena says she wasn’t given time to read the contract properly. When we look more closely, it makes for shocking reading. Now she knows the truth, she wants to stop the scammers, agreeing to help us go undercover.

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.


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0j9vh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 The Documentary (w3ct8yvr)
Looking for No Man's Land

Humans have spread to every corner of the globe, transforming ecosystems and reshaping landscapes. Is there anywhere left on Earth that is unaffected by humans? Anywhere we haven’t changed – at all? Presenter Caroline Steel and producer Florian Bohr begin their mission to find No Man's Land.

(Photo: Tabular icebergs in the northern Antarctic Peninsula, 16 October 2018. Credit: Jefferson Beck/Nasa)


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0jflm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zssj5hjnl57)
Iran: Pahlavi calls for more protests

After another night of nationwide protests, the exiled son of Iran's ousted shah has urged Iranians to go further and seize and hold city centres. We hear from Iran expert Sanam Vakil of Chatham House.

Also in the programme: we hear from Aleppo after clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish militia; and a trip through David Bowie's London.

(Picture: Protesters gather as vehicles burn, amid evolving anti-government unrest, in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video released on January 9, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0jkbr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqyh2955q6)
Live Sporting Action

We’ll have live FA Cup commentary of Fulham against Middlesbrough. Lee James will be joined by the former Fulham manager and Manchester United first team coach Rene Meulensteen at the Etihad Stadium to build up to that and discuss the 19 other FA Cup third round ties, including Manchester City versus Exeter City.

We’ll also discuss the quarter finals at the Africa Cup of Nations, the NFL wildcard playoffs, and tennis's United Cup semi finals.

Photo: Detail of a Emirates FA Cup sleeve patch on a Plymouth Argyle shirt during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Manchester City and Plymouth Argyle at Etihad Stadium on March 1, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Credit:  AMA/Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0k1b8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfjfbn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m7dln)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4lzr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zst)
The Nasa swimsuit that rocked the 2008 Olympics

Imagine creating a swimsuit so good it would have to be banned.

That's what Jason Rance and his team at Speedo did ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games in August 2008. Wearing the LZR Racer swimsuit, United States swimmer Michael Phelps won a record eight gold medals at the Water Cube. Athletes wearing the swimsuit would shatter 30 world records in the space of three months.

The reduction in skin friction drag was so significant, some called it "technological doping". The suit developed with space agency Nasa had no seams, featured a special water-repellent fabric and had a design covering the legs which lifted the swimmer's hips in the water. It caused a furore with athletes ditching sponsorship agreements with rival firms to get hold of it. A slew of copycats came on the market before the design was banned from future competitions. Jason Rance who was the head of Speedo's research and development Aqualab, reveals to Josephine McDermott the behind-the-scenes development which would turn competitive swimming on its head.

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: Swimmer Michael Phelps in the Speedo LZR Racer. Credit: Tom Shaw/Getty Images)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0k52d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 World Questions (w3ct7506)
Greenland

President Trump is considering a variety of options – including military ones – to take control of Greenland. But what do Greenlanders think? Is Greenland up for sale?
In this programme, politicians and the public debate independence, sovereignty, mining of rare earth minerals and Inuit human rights – some of the challenges facing the autonomous territory of Greenland.
A former Danish colony, Greenland is the world’s largest island with a population of just 57,000 people. Jonny Dymond chairs a panel of leading politicians from Denmark and Greenland to debate the future of this fascinating Arctic region – and take some tough questions from the public.

The panel:
Naaja Nathanielsen – Minister of Industry, Raw Materials, Mining and Energy – Greenlandic Parliament.
Louise Elholm - MP in the Danish Parliament. Venstre party spokeswoman on Greenland.
Kuno Fencker – MP in the Greenlandic Parliament – opposition Naleraq party.
Ulrick Pram Gad – Senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies.

Producer: Helen Towner
Sound engineers: Nathan Chamberlain, Denis O’Hare and Joe Lawrence

(Photo: People protest under the slogan, "Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people", in Nuuk. Credit: Reuters)


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0k8tj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvg)
Director Chloé Zhao on her film Hamnet

Nikki Bedi talks to Oscar-winning, Chinese director Chloé Zhao, who discusses making her new film Hamnet, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.

Plus, Timothée Chalamet on table tennis and playing the title role in the movie Marty Supreme.

Danish-Norwegian film-maker Joachim Trier talks about his latest film Sentimental Value.

And Mexican actor Diego Calva on working internationally as a bilingual South American performer.

Nikki is joined by critic Leila Latif to discuss the cultural highlights of the week.

(Photo: Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in Hamnet Crefit: Focus Features LLC)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0kdkn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zssj5hjpk48)
Iran protests grow despite regime crackdown

Anti- government protesters have flooded the streets of the Iranian capital for a third night as Donald Trump repeats his support for the movement. Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's ousted shah, has called for nationwide strikes as authorities signal intensified crackdown amid internet blackout. Hospital staffs told BBC that facilities are overwhelmed with dead or injured patients.

Also on the programme: Demonstrations take place after new video on deadly Minnesota ICE shooting released; and the earliest Superman comic sells for $15 million, we talk to a comic book artist who's held it.

(Photo: Screen grab obtained from a social media video of protesters gathering in Tehran. Credit: Social Media/via REUTERS)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0kj9s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfjxb5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m7wl5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72f3)
Mani Martin

Mani Martin was one of the first Rwandan artists to emerge after the devastating genocide of 1994. He was a child when the genocide took place, and when he started writing songs. His 2004 hit Urukumbuzi, released when he was only 15, was a song of hope drawing on the stories of other children traumatised by what they had experienced.

Since then, Martin has gone on to collaborate with international artists including Kenya’s Sauti Sol and Eddy Kenzo from Uganda, to perform around Africa, and to help build Rwanda’s music sector by mentoring newer artists.

In December 2025 Martin dropped his seventh body of work. It’s called Rebirth, because, as he tells DJ Edu in this episode, it was written after a life changing experience when his home was swept away by torrential rain.

Image: Mani Martin (Credit: Gerald Kingsley)


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0kn1x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct878w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]

SUNDAY 11 JANUARY 2026

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0krt1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rnr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m842f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct8ys0)
Returned to sender

Clint Buffington spends his time where land meets sea, searching for a very specific treasure - messages in bottles that have drifted across oceans. Over the past 20 years he has recovered more than 140 of them, each carrying a clue, sometimes decades old, waiting to be discovered.

Finding a bottle is only the beginning. The real mystery unfolds when Clint carefully extracts the fragile paper in his Utah home lab. He first teases out the faint, salt-blurred words, deciphering a message damaged by years at sea. Only then does Clint begin tracking down the person who sent it, often many years after they let it go. Each investigation is part detective work, part conversation across time.

The messages reveal remarkable journeys - a German sailor who cast a note into the Bermuda Triangle on his birthday in 1979, three French women who paddled across the Atlantic to set a world record, Puerto Rican students at a crossroads, even a pair of tiny dolls wrapped in a spell.

Join Clint on his search and the unexpected revelations it sparks - a reminder that across vast distances and years at sea, the quest for human connection is timeless.

Preenter: Clint Buffington
Prodcuer: Guy Natanel
Editor: Shannon Delwiche
A Sound & Bones production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Clint on a beach with bottles. Credit: Clint Buffington)


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0kwk5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfk8kk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m87tk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4lzr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zst)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0l099)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfkd9p)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m8ckp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkj)
China’s latest bid to boost its birth rate

China has just brought in taxes on contraception including condoms in a bid to increase the nation’s birth rate. What impact could this have when considered alongside other “fertility-friendly” policies? Global Health reporter Dorcas Wangira gives her verdict.

Could RSV vaccination dramatically reduce childhood asthma? Professor Bart Lambrecht from Ghent University shares his latest research suggesting just that.

How school-based vaccination programmes for HPV may provide cancer protection through herd immunity.

Plus, BBC reporter Erika Benke takes us to a Finnish sauna to understand what we do, and don’t know about the impact the ancient practice has on our health and wellbeing.

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


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0l41f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 The Documentary (w3ct8yvr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0l7sk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsn)
Venezuela: Maduro's downfall

Pascale Harter introduces correspondents' and reporters' stories from Venezuela, Florida, Iran's protests and Germany.

The capture of Nicolas Maduro by American special forces caught the world off-guard. Quickly transported to New York, Mr Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will now face trial in the United States. Will Grant reflects on his own encounters with Maduro and the legacy he left in Venezuela.

Miami is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States, and hundreds of people took to the streets there to celebrate Maduro's capture. Bernd Debusmann was in the Doral neighbourhood, capturing the mood among Venezuelans immediately after the raid on Caracas.

A wave of protests has spread rapidly across Iran over the last fortnight, fuelled by anger over the country's economy. Now they've taken on a stronger anti-government tone. BBC Persian’s Mahshid Hosseini has been speaking to protesters in Tehran.

Germany is set to double its defence spending over the next five years, and for the first time in decades arms production is to resume in Berlin. Lucy Ash investigates the row over a repurposed factory in the artistic quarter of Wedding, which has locals worried for the future.

Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison


(Image: Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are seen in handcuffs after landing in Manhattan, New York City. Credit: XNY/Star Max/GC Images)


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m8m1y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8vwv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0lcjp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfkrk2)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m8qt2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct8ys0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0lh8t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8jftnv1zs)
US launches strikes in Syria as Syrian army relocates Kurdish fighters amid intensifying clashes

The US military says it has carried out a series of strikes across Syria targeting the Islamic State group. The strikes come as the Syrian army announces it has begun relocating Kurdish fighters from a district in the northern city of Aleppo, an area that has seen intense clashes in recent days.

Also, Venezuela’s opposition is reeling after recent political shifts that have left many activists in exile or in hiding. María Corina Machado, long seen as the movement’s leading figure, has been sidelined after President Trump questioned her support inside the country. With reports she may meet him next week, exiled opposition leader Freddy Guevara, a former vice president of Venezuela’s Parliament and co-founder of the Popular Will party, discusses what the opposition hopes to raise in that conversation.

And in Gaza, children have returned to school this week for the first time in nearly two years of war. According to Unicef, the conflict has killed or injured 64,000 children.

Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Rana Mitter, British historian and political scientist and Ritula Shah, British journalist.
(Photo: SDF fighters granted safe passage out of Aleppo after heavy clashes, Syria, 9 January, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0lm0y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8jftnv5qx)
Iran protests intensify as reports emerge of hundreds killed or injured despite nationwide blackout

Protesters in Iran defied a deadly government crackdown, with reports suggesting hundreds have been killed or injured by security forces. Hospital staff say they’ve been overwhelmed. Meanwhile, US media report that President Trump has been briefed on possible military strike options against Iran in response to the killings.
Also in the programme: Myanmar holds the second phase of a tightly controlled election. Voting is restricted in many areas, most major opposition parties have been dissolved, and turnout is expected to be low.
And a week after the dramatic capture of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, debate continues over the global implications of recent US military actions. The BBC speaks with veteran Washington figure John Bolton about America’s role in the world under President Trump.
Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Gaia Vince, science writer and author and James Rodgers, reader in international journalism at City University in London and a specialist on Russia and the Soviet Union.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Rally in support of nationwide demonstration in Iran, outside the White House, in Washington on January 10th, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0lqs2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8jftnv9h1)
Iran warns of retaliation if US intervenes as deadly protests intensify

Iran protests intensify as reports emerge of hundreds killed or injured despite nationwide blackout, as the country faces its largest anti government protests in years. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned Iran’s leaders against using force on demonstrators and said the US stands “ready to help”.
Also in the programme: A look at Greenland, the vast Arctic island that remains an autonomous Danish territory but has drawn renewed US interest. Concerns over its future have resurfaced after the recent US operation in Venezuela. President Trump, who once said he wanted to buy Greenland, has since refused to rule out economic or military pressure to gain control of it.
And Bob Weir, guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died aged 78 from cancer. He performed alongside Jerry Garcia for three decades.

Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Gaia Vince, science writer and author and James Rodgers, reader in international journalism at City University in London and a specialist on Russia and the Soviet Union.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Rally in support of nationwide demonstration in Iran, outside the White House, in Washington on January 10th, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0lvj6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m96sl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zn)
Tweaks for 2026: How to eat better

Ruth Alexander gathers the most useful, actionable nutrition advice from our episodes of 2025 to help set you up for 2026. Things like how to nourish your brain, keep an eye on portion sizes, and why it’s important to focus on fibre. Experts from around the world tell us about the small tweaks that can make a real difference to how we eat, think, and feel.

Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Sound mixing: Hal Haines

(Photo: a person looks at a variety of foods, Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0lz8b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyr)
Can AI power a green fashion revolution?

With a huge carbon footprint, vast water usage and filling up of landfills, the fashion industry’s impact is well documented. But companies throughout the supply chain have rolled out tech solutions, many of them AI powered, to address these issues.

At the growing stage, AI apps are being used by farmers to grow regenerative cotton. Other companies are using such tech to optimise orders, reducing the amount of garments that go straight to landfill. AI powered machines are detecting defects at the manufacturing stage and retailers are using it to help their customers make more informed choices.

Fashion journalist Brooke Roberts-Islam follows a pair of jeans across the full fashion supply chain. We visit a cotton farm in India, where AI tools help to reduce water and pesticide use; in Bangladesh, algorithms in garment factories prevent waste through identifying defects in materials and retailers in the West are providing their customers with detailed information on the materials used in each product.

Featuring contributions from Kuldeep Khatri, director of nature at Materra; Max Easton, CEO of Smartex; and Andrew Xeni, founder of the ethical retailer Nobody’s Child.

Presenter: Brooke Roberts-Islam
Sound engineer: Jarek Zaba
Producer: Jarek Zaba
A 2 Degrees West production for BBC World Service

(Photo: AI powered machine in a garment factory helps identify defects in materails. Credit: Russel Shubho)


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m9bjq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70v4)
Taraneh: Iran's defiant actress

A recent BBC Persian documentary, Taraneh, has received millions of views online. It features an Iranian actress who is considered an icon in the country and has been starring in films for nearly 30 years. Her name is Taraneh Alidoosti and in 2022 she was arrested for taking a photograph of herself in her home, not wearing a hijab, and holding a sign showing support for the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' protests that are currently spreading across Iran once more. The film's director is BBC Persian's Pegah Ahangarani and she explains why the documentary had to be filmed in complete secret. BBC Monitoring's Sarbas Nazari reflects on why the film resonates so much in the context of the protests now taking place in Iran.

In November 2025, Cyclone Senyar caused devastating floods and landslides in Indonesia, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. The extreme weather has also been catestrophic for the Tapanuli orangutan population. Only discovered as a separate species in 2017, the Tapanuli orangutan is found in a small area of North Sumatra and haven't been seen or heard since the landslides. BBC World Service Environment Correspondent Navin Singh Khadka explains the importance of the Tapanuli orangutans and their environment.

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 and Caroline Ferguson

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


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0m30g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sflh0v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9m9g8v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4lzr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6w02)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0m6rl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 World Questions (w3ct7506)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0mbhq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zssj5hjrh2b)
Iran’s president offers to negotiate over protesters' grievances

As mass protests continue in Iran over economic grievances, President Masoud Pezeshkian says he's willing to negotiate, but accuses foreign powers of stirring up the demonstrations. Tehran says it will retaliate if the US takes military action in defence of the protesters.

Also in the programme: as the US urges its citizens to leave Venezuela immediately, we speak to a former Venezuelan government minister; plus the “mind-reader” who spooked Barack Obama and infuriated a famous podcaster.

(IMAGE: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during an interview with the state TV, amid protests, in Tehran, Iran in this screengrab obtained from a video released on January 11, 2026 / CREDIT: IRIB/via Reuters TV)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0mg7v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztqyh2982m9)
Live Sporting Action

It’s FA Cup third round weekend in England, when the Premier League teams join the competition. Sportsworld on Sunday has commentary of the record 14-time winners Arsenal as they look to avoid an upset at Championship strugglers Portsmouth. There will also be updates and reaction from Sunday’s other ties, including Manchester United against Brighton.

The semi-final lineup at the Africa Cup of Nations will have been decided by Sunday, and from 17:00 GMT the former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong joins Delyth Lloyd and our teams in Morocco to look ahead to the last-four ties.

There will also be reaction to the final of tennis’ United Cup plus the latest from the Wildcard Weekend in the NFL playoffs.


SUN 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0my7c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 18:06 The Climate Question (w3ct7032)
Are SUVs becoming a climate problem?

Across the world, cars are getting taller, wider and heavier. Sports Utility Vehicles, or SUVs, now dominate global car sales, and the trend has continued into the electric age with many new EVs larger than ever.

In this episode of The Climate Question, Jordan Dunbar examines why bigger cars have become so popular with drivers and so profitable for manufacturers. From comfort and safety to status and aspiration, SUVs are reshaping roads across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Size matters. Heavier vehicles use more energy, require bigger batteries, and create challenges for cities, from congestion and parking to road damage and safety. Jordan speaks to Theo Leggett, the BBC’s International Business Correspondent, and Anjani Trivedi, Global Business Correspondent at The Economist, about car-spreading, emissions, electrification, and whether governments and consumers could reverse the trend.

Guests:
Theo Leggett, BBC International Business Correspondent
Anjani Trivedi, Global Business Correspondent, The Economist

Presenter: Jordan Dunbar
Production team: Ben Andrews, Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, Gareth Jones, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle
Editor: Simon Watts

Image: CJ Gunther / EPA-EFE / REX / Shutterstock

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


SUN 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9mb9hr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 18:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vq1)
Living side by side: Morocco’s Jews and Muslims

Relations between Jews and Muslims in Morocco have historically been strong – a coexistence that is frequently contrasted with tensions elsewhere in North Africa and the Middle East. Although now relatively small, Morocco’s vibrant Jewish community is still regarded as an important part of the country’s history and culture. In Casablanca there are a number of functioning synagogues, kosher butchers and Jewish schools. Around a million Moroccan Jews or Jews of Moroccan descent now live in Israel and travel freely back and forth between the two countries.

So how has the North African country managed to maintain a peaceful harmony while many other nations in the region have failed? And what could unsettle the balance?

Mike Lanchin hears from Moroccans of both faiths who have embraced this coexistence. Issam grew up in a mixed faith family and is now exploring Judaism. He has begun going to synagogue in Rabat. But some members of his own family are unhappy at his decision.

We visit the country’s only Jewish Museum, dedicated to preserving Jewish culture, and meet its Muslim curator who says that “as Moroccans, it is our duty to maintain our Jewish heritage.” And we hear from the prominent Jewish Moroccan singer Maxime Karoutchi, who regularly sings in Arabic and plays at Muslim weddings. “It is my culture, my country, my music,” he says. “When I sing, I represent my country.”

Producer/presenter: Mike Lanchin
Editor: Anna Stewart
A CTVC production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Muslims, Christians and Jews, gather along victims' associations during a ceremony in Casablanca on 16 May, 2023, on the 20th anniversary of the deadly suicide bombings in Casablanca. Credit: Fadel Senna/ AFP)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0n1zh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfmfzw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9mbf7w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvk)
Ismo Leikola

We follow comedian Ismo Leikola - known simply as Ismo - as he performs in both English and Finnish. We explore his distinctive brand of intellectual humour and how he enjoys creating theories about the world around him. Ismo was once named the funniest person in the world, and we gain a sense of his celebrity status, particularly in his hometown of Jyväskylä. He also reveals why he avoids politics and talks about his love life on stage.

Produced and presented by Olga Smirnova

Photograph credit: Fullstack Photos


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0n5qm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0n9gr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zssj5hjsg1c)
Iran warns US against intervention as protesters defy crackdown

The Iranian president has said he's willing to negotiate with genuine protesters over their economic grievances after another night of mass demonstrations. Also on the programme, the president of Cuba has said they are ready to defend their homeland to the last drop of blood following a new threat from Donald Trump to "make a deal" with the US "before it's too late"; and a look at tonight's Golden Globe awards.

(Photo: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during an interview with the state TV, amid protests, in Tehran, Iran in this screengrab obtained from a video released on January 11, 2026. IRIB/via Reuters TV/Handout via REUTERS)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0nf6w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlj3sfmt78)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9mbsh8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70v4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx1zl0njz0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct7032)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:06 today]


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwf9mbx7d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcq)
South Africa and the fight against TB

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, TB is humanity’s oldest contagious disease. It has become something of an afterthought in rich nations, but remains the world’s most deadly infectious disease. In 2024 it killed more than 1.2 million people.

South Africa has one of the highest TB burdens in the world, but it has also developed one of the most sophisticated scientific ecosystems for the study of the disease. Clinical trials conducted in the country have been crucial to the innovation of TB treatments, vaccines, diagnostics and prevention strategies.

Much of the funding for this research comes from American institutions. But since early 2025, streams of that money have been withdrawn due to a series of decisions by the Trump administration.

Sandra Kanthal visits Cape Town and discovers the story of two intertwined landscapes: the people in local communities struggling with the burden of tuberculosis, and the scientific institutions embedded in them trying to tackle the disease - and why at the moment both are struggling.

Presenter/Producer: Sandra Kanthal
Producer in South Africa: Isa-Lee Jacobson
Editor: Penny Murphy
Sound Design: James Beard

(Image Credit: Isa Jacobson/BBC)

MONDAY 12 JANUARY 2026

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9shz9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxgw7p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txt)
How rare are Greenland’s rare earth elements?

President Trump has his sights set on Greenland. If he succeeds, what mineral wealth will he find there? Adrian Finch, Professor of Geology at St Andrews University has been visiting Greenland for more than 3 decades and explains what so called ‘rare earth elements’ are found in Greenland and why.

Professor Danny Altmann talks to Tom Whipple about a new project to understand the genetic and metabolic similarities between two illnesses; Long Covid and ME.
And Lizzie Gibney, senior physics reporter at Nature brings her pick of the best new science this week.

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: Tom Whipple
Producer: Clare Salisbury
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9smqf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qs0qt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxgzzt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6sx4)
What is Quantum?

Quantum theory – our best understanding of the world at the smallest level – is famously weird and notoriously confusing. It’s a theory that seems to say particles can be in two places at once, or somehow “know” if you’re looking at them. Or at least, that’s what you might have heard. But is that really what quantum theory tells us about reality?

To find out, presenter Marnie Chesterton travels to the birthplace of quantum theory: the remote, windswept island of Helgoland. Here, a century ago, a young scientist called Werner Heisenberg made a leap of understanding that laid the foundations of quantum mechanics, and changed the world.

To mark a century of quantum, leading physicists from across the globe have gathered on Helgoland for a conference, and Marnie joins them with an unconventional plan. She’s allowed to ask them JUST ONE QUESTION, in the hope it can get to the heart of what this strange and difficult subject is really about: “What IS quantum?”

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producer: Anand Jagatia
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jazz George


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9srgk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qs4gy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxh3qy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stw)
How do cicadas know what season it is?

Crowdscience listener Ryosuke grew up in Japan, and spent his childhood summers catching cicadas in the park. For people in Japan, the sound of their chirping signals the first true summer day. But until they emerge, these enigmatic insects live underground - often for many years. Ryosuke wants to know how they know the time is right, and CrowdScience is on the case.

Presenter Anand Jagatia pieces together the story of the species, and meets the small but dedicated group of academics worldwide who’ve been able to study them.

In a field near Girona, Spain, he meets a scientist who’s spent the last twenty years counting them. How will a temperature probe help us work out when they might emerge, and what are they doing underground for so many years anyway?

In nearby Barcelona, another scientist cuts open the stem of a tomato plant and Anand watches as the sap flows out. Could this be a clue to how cicadas sense what’s going on above ground?

And he meets a cicada breeder in the US who has discovered a link between the life cycle of cicadas and the fruiting of a peach tree. Armed with that knowledge, can you really make time move faster for tree and insect alike?

Presenter: Anand Jagatia

Producer: Robbie Wojciechowski

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo:Cicada on Hosta Leaf - stock photo Credit: KenWiedemann via Getty Images)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9sw6p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxh7h2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70v4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Sunday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9szyt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qscz6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxhc76)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct709w)
Women changing the art space

Two women with art galleries in Switzerland, London, Nigeria and the US talk about discovering and promoting new artists, building relationships with art collectors and the importance of supporting women in the art world.

Maria Varnava is Greek Cypriot and grew up in Lagos. She founded Tiwani Contemporary which has galleries in Lagos and London. It champions artists from Africa and its diaspora to raise their profile to collectors and institutions based both in and beyond the continent. Maria’s friend and mentor, the Nigerian curator Bisi Silva, proposed the name Tiwani, which loosely translates as ‘ours’ or ‘it belongs to us’ from the Yoruba language. The name was chosen to show the gallery’s intentions to strive for inclusivity.

Kendra Jayne Patrick, from the US founded her gallery of the same name in Bern, Switzerland in 2022 and works in New York too. She likes to show things that are strange or new and that excite her both visually and intellectually. It’s focused on the 21st century avant-garde, specialising in sculpture, painting, digital, and photography.

Produced by Jane Thurlow

(Image: (L) Maria Varnava, credit Pantelis Hadjiminas (P Studio). (R) Kendra Jayne Patrick, credit Ernst Fischer.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9t3py)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qrhqj)
Trump says Iran's leadership is seeking to negotiate

BBC sources and activists report hundreds of protesters have now been killed in an escalating government crackdown.

The US has threatened to intervene in Iran over the killing of protesters, but on Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that Iranian leaders had called him and that "they want to negotiate".

Hundreds of Venezuelan families are waiting for news about family members held as political prisoners. Does the removal of Nicolas Maduro offer them any hope?

We'll hear from Los Angeles where the Golden Globe awards ceremony is about to wrap up. We'll hear who the winners are, and ask if there are any surprises.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media aboard Air Force One; Credit: Nathan Howard/ Reuters)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9t7g2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qrmgn)
Hundreds killed in protests in Iran

President Trump says Iran's leadership has called seeking to negotiate following his threats of military action in response to the killing of protesters. We hear from our correspondent and a republican strategist on what might come next.

Kurdish fighters have been evacuated from Aleppo and hundreds arrested in Syria. We look if the Washington-brokered agreement is in danger. We speak to the co-chairman of the Democratic Union Party there.

Four teams remain in the AFCON 2025 semi-finals - Isaac Fanin is there with the latest and what to expect next.

(Photo: Mourners react next to coffins during a funeral procession for members of security forces and civilians said to be killed in protests on Sunday. Credit: Reuters)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9tc66)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qrr6s)
Trump mulls 'very strong' military options in Iran

Trump has not yet elaborated on what the US is considering in terms of military options, nor on the proposed negotiations, despite saying that a "meeting is being set up" with Iranian officials.

Iranian leaders have described the demonstrators as a "bunch of vandals", and called on their supporters to take part in pro-government marches on Monday. We speak to a republican strategist on what is next.

Four teams remain in the AFCON 2025 semi-finals- we will bring you the latest from there.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media aboard Air Force One en route from Florida; Credit: Nathan Howard/Reuters)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9tgyb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0t)
Gabriel Zuchtreigel, Director of Pompeii: Archaeology is the most democratic form of history

Michael Berkeley speaks to Gabriel Zuchtreigel, Director of Pompeii in Southern Italy, one of the world’s most important archaeological sites.

History, he says, comes alive through archaeology, helping us to appreciate our shared humanity with those who lived thousands of years ago, and providing a more democratic way of learning about the past. Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that erupted and buried Pompeii in ash and pumice, did not distinguish between the wealthy and the poor in its victims.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel was appointed Director of Pompeii in 2021, and has since begun a major excavation, and made a number of significant finds. But it is walking around the site at night, emptied of the crowds, that he feels the ancient city come alive. It is as if, he says, the inhabitants only left a few minutes ago.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including with artist Doris Salcedo and author Sir Salman Rushdie. 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: Michael Berkeley
Producers: Clare Walker and Lucy Sheppard
Editor: Justine Lang

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

(Image: Gabriel Zuchtreigel Credit: Ivan Romano/Getty Images)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxhv6q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ryt)
Bonds: Heroes or villains?

We explore how the world became so dependent on bonds, those IOUs from governments and firms that helped build the modern economy. Bonds are often dismissed as a dull corner of finance, but behind the scenes they have played a central role in major economic dramas around the world.

We hear about their history, how they have shaped companies and countries, and why some fear the bond market could trigger the next global meltdown.

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

Presenter: Rob Young
Producer: Gideon Long

(Photo: A bond issued in 1648 by a Dutch water board to finance improvements to a local dike system. The bond, written on vellum, is held at Yale University Beinecke Library and is believed to be one of the oldest in the world that still pays interest. Credit: Yale University)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct7479)
Brain: PC virus

In 1986, 'Welcome to the dungeon' was the message that flashed up on computer screens.

Brain is thought to be the first virus for personal computers.

It spread around the world and became infamous when it was featured in newspapers and magazines.

Amjad Farooq Alvi told Gill Kearsley in 2023 how he and his brother, Basit, came to develop this virus from their shop in Lahore, Pakistan.

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: IBM PC Credit: Bettman/Getty)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9tlpg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qszpv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxhyyv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9tqfl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct71wz)
The House of the Spirits and Tracey Emin's unmade bed

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.
This programme contains distressing details.

Our guest is Bárbara Fernández Melleda, Assistant Professor in Latin American Studies at the University of Hong Kong.

We start with Chilean author Isabel Allende on her debut novel, The House of the Spirits, in 1982 which reflects Chile’s 20th century history.

Then, we hear the memories of a soldier injured in the Battle of Gallipoli.

The recollections of a mother who lost both her daughters in a crowd crush at Hillsborough stadium in 1989 - the UK's worst sporting disaster.

How a British artist's unmade bed was nominated for a prestigious art prize in 1999.

Next the swimsuit made ahead of the Beijing Olympic games in 2008 that was so good it had to be banned.

Finally, we learn about the world's longest running animated TV series that began in 1969.

Contributors:

Isabel Allende - a Chilean author.

Rupert Westmacott - a soldier (from archive).

Jenni Hicks - a mother who lost her two daughters in the Hillsborough tragedy.

Dame Tracey Emin - an artist.

Jason Rance - former head of Speedo's global research and development team.

Sunishi Yukimuro - an animated cartoon writer.

(Image: Chilean author Isabel Allende. Credit: Felipe Amilibia/AFP via Getty Images)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9tv5q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qt763)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxj6g3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct717m)
American influence from Monroe to Donroe

How are Donald Trump’s ambitions in Venezuela and Greenland changing America’s place in the world? President Trump’s key adviser Stephen Miller has said that we are living in a world “that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power” - so where has that philosophy come from?

All this week, we are teaming up with our sister podcasts to explore how power and influence around the world is shifting. We exploring who is in a sphere of influence and who is being controlled by one.

Today, we speak to Anthony Zurcher, co-host of Americast and the BBC’s North America correspondent, about what US history tells us about this moment.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: President Donald Trump in front of the US flag. Credit: Shawn Thew/EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9tyxv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqv)
Living a lie: Discovering my dad faked who he was

Joanne Briggs had always thought of her dad as a bit of a superhero. She only saw him a couple of times a year during her childhood in the UK, but that was because Professor Michael Briggs was off travelling the world being a very important scientist. Or at least that was the story she grew up to believe. It was only in 1986, when Joanne was 23, that she first got a glimpse of who he really was.

The Sunday Times newspaper exposed him as a scientific fraud, leaving his reputation in tatters. Two months later, he was dead. Joanne chose to close the door on this mysterious and destructive period of her life. But 34 years later it unexpectedly reopened, and led her on a journey through multiple lies and deception, towards a better understanding of the man she thought she knew. Joanne Briggs has written a book about her father: The Scientist Who Wasn't There.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Anna Lacey

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

(Photo: Prof Michael Briggs (C) holding the hand of toddler Joanne Briggs (R), with her mother Marion (L), outside a white villa while on holiday in Spain in 1968.. Credit: Joanne Briggs)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct7479)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9v2nz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qtgpc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxjfyc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct709w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9v6f3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrtzbzq)
Trump mulls "very strong" military options in Iran

President Donald Trump says the US military is considering "very strong options" in Iran, as anti-government protests enter a third week. We'll hear from the organisation Iran Human Rights about how they are trying to find out how many people have been killed and injured amidst a government crackdown and communications blackout across the country.

Also on the programme: Jerome Powell, the chair of the US Federal Reserve, hits out at "unprecedented" probe by the US justice department; and we meet some domestic robots designed to take the drudgery out of housework.

(Photo: President Donald Trump looks on as he meets with members of the media aboard Air Force One en route from Florida to Washington on 11th of January, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9vb57)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0t)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxjpfm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6ryt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct886m)
Fed Chair hits back at criminal investigation

The Chair of the US Federal Bank Jerome Powell has released a statement in which he says a criminal investigation is about whether the bank can change interest rates based on what will serve the public rather than what the President wants. Donald Trump has denied he knows anything about the investigation which is focused on testimonies given to Congress last year on building work being carried out at the Fed's HQ.

Also we hear from a shopkeeper who's been protesting over economic conditions in Iran.

The X-owned AI platform Grok has been banned in Malaysia and Indonesia

And the boss of beer giant Heineken is stepping down as the Dutch based multi-national faces falling sales.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Editor: Justin Bones


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9vfxc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvpxb1b)
Iran protests: Your questions answered

President Donald Trump says the US military is considering "very strong options" in Iran, as anti-government protests which have reportedly killed hundreds enter a third week. Our Iran expert answers audience questions and we hear a conversation with Iranians around the world.

The Venezuelan government says it has released 116 prisoners who were detained under the ousted President, Nicolas Maduro. Our reporter explains more.

And we speak to DJs in Africa after Nigerian artists secured a string of victories at the 9th All Africa Music Awards.

(Photo: Mourners carry coffins during a funeral procession for members of security forces and civilians said to be killed in protests on Sunday, amid anti-government unrest, in Tehran, in this still from a video released on 11 January, 2026. Credit: IRIB/Reuters)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9vknh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvpxfsg)
Trump considers military action after Iran protests

President Donald Trump says the US military is considering "very strong options" in Iran, as anti-government protests which have reportedly killed hundreds enter a third week. Our correspondents explain more and we hear a conversation with Iranians around the world.

The first genocide case to be heard in full by the International Court of Justice in over a decade has opened at the Hague. It's been brought by The Gambia against Myanmar, which is accused of targeting the Muslim Rohingya minority in 2017. Our correspondent there tells us more.

Some big breaking news in football, Xabi Alonso has left Real Madrid. We get reaction.

And after Adolescence star Owen Cooper took home the Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, he spoke about his embarrassment at being the only boy in drama class. We speak to boys trying to follow in Owen Cooper's footsteps about their experiences.

(Photo: Mourners react next to coffins during a funeral procession for members of security forces and civilians said to be killed in protests on Sunday, amid evolving anti-government unrest, in Tehran, Iran, in this screengrab from a video released on January 11, 2026. Credit: IRIB/Handout via Reuters)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9vpdm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct7479)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9vt4r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qv654)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxk5f4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z65)
2026/01/12 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 (w172zwx2bv9vxww)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxk958)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6sx5)
Frontiers of Space Science

The very latest developments in the world of space science with Roland Pease, recorded at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in New Orleans, where thousands of space and planetary scientists come together to promote discovery in space science for the benefit of humanity.

Roland talks to Andy Rivkin, planetary astronomer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, about planetary defence from asteroids, including the small potential for asteroid 2024 YR4 to hit the moon in 2032.

We hear from Craig DeForest, principle investigator for the PUNCH mission (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere), which is a constellation of four small satellites that aim to learn how the Sun's corona becomes the solar wind. And Lara Waldrop, principle investigator of the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, discusses the Earth's exosphere which plays an important role in Earth’s response to space weather caused by the Sun.

We also talk lunar earthquakes, or moonquakes, and plans to put seismometers on the moon to measure them with Philippe Lognonné, professor at Université Paris Cité and planetary seismologist at Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, and Ceri Nunn, lunar seismologist from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Jonathan Blackwell


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9w1n0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrv066m)
Iran's foreign minister: protests brought under 'total control'

Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei has hailed a day of rallies in support of the government, as estimates of the number of anti- regime protesters killed by his security forces continue to rise. The Ayatollah said it was a historic day which had thwarted Iran's enemies. He described the rallies as a warning to the United States and what he called its domestic mercenaries. A Norway- based Iranian rights group (Iran Human Rights) says it's now confirmed almost 650 victims of his government's violent crackdown on dissent. But it warned that some estimates exceed 6,000 dead. Witnesses have told the BBC the scale of the use of force was unprecedented.

Also in the programme: Three former chairs of the US Federal Reserve have come to the defence of the current incumbent, Jerome Powell, who says he has been threatened by the Justice Department; and could a robot soon be doing your dishes?

(Photo: Mourners carry a coffin during a funeral procession for members of security forces and civilians said to be killed in protests on Sunday, amid evolving anti-government unrest, in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab from a video released on January 11, 2026. Credit: IRIB/Handout via Reuters)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9w5d4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qvkdj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxkjnj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76tz)
Is the White House at war with the Federal Reserve?

Sam Fenwick examines a growing political storm at the world’s most powerful central bank, as US prosecutors investigate the Federal Reserve and its chair.

At Meta, a former adviser to Donald Trump steps into one of Silicon Valley’s biggest jobs, prompting new scrutiny of Big Tech’s relationship with Washington.

And in the Caribbean, Cuba faces a potential energy crunch after oil shipments from Venezuela come to a halt.

(PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speak during a tour of the Federal Reserve Board building in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 24, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo).


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9w948)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x0t)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxkndn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct709w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 13 JANUARY 2026

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9wdwd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71wz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9wjmj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qvxmx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxkwwx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct717m)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Monday]


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9wncn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qw1d1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxl0n1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcr)
The Netherlands: 10 new cities?

'Start by lighting a candle every morning.’ In other words, pray. That’s the advice on one social media platform to those looking for a rented property in the Netherlands. The pressure on housing is immense: an estimated shortage of 400,000 homes. It was the number one issue in the recent Dutch general election, with the winning D66 party promising to build '10 new cities'.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Squatting was made a criminal offence over a decade ago, but with an estimated 90,000 homes standing empty, the squatters – krakers – are back. And there are thousands of people breaking the law by living year-round in holiday or recreation parks deep in the Netherlands’ countryside.

The authorities are trying to change the dynamics. The city of Amsterdam is cracking down on second homes and owners who leave a property vacant. And last year, in an effort to cool an overheated market and limit the exploitation of tenants, the national government strengthened rent controls. But this has only encouraged landlords to throw in the towel and put their properties up for sale.

There’s also a question mark over plans to build thousands of homes - and new cities - because of an obstacle few seem to have foreseen... Electricity. The Netherlands has enough power, but it doesn’t have the infrastructure to transport it to proposed new developments.

Of course, the Dutch are known for innovation – especially in their management of water. Could floating apartment blocks be one of the answers?

For Assignment, Linda Pressly meets both those at the sharp end of the Dutch housing crisis, and those working to mitigate its fallout.

Producer: Tim Mansel
Sound mix: Duncan Hannant
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Martijn Lentze, a property developer in The Hague. Credit: Tim Mansel/BBC)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9ws3s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wqv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct7479)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9wwvx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qw8w9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxl849)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvl)
Bianca Raffaella: See what she can see

Registered blind from birth, Bianca Raffaella is today an award-winning British visual artist. Winner of the 2025 Women in Art Award and a former resident of the Tracey Emin Artist Residency, her work has been widely exhibited and is increasingly sought after for its distinctive visual language.

Bianca’s practice is shaped by the shifting limits of her sight. Working largely through touch, memory, and sensory recall, she builds paintings from blur, movement, and visual interference — images that appear to fragment, fade, and reform as layers of colour are applied and dissolved.

In the final weeks of her pregnancy, Bianca begins a new body of work for a major solo exhibition, documenting motherhood for the first time. With limited time and a body in flux, the unique way she paints comes into focus — offering a rare glimpse into what she calls her “layers of vision”: how she perceives, interprets, and translates the visual world onto canvas.

Documentary maker Sahar Zand follows Bianca through the creation of a single painting, capturing a moment where vision, pregnancy, and time briefly align on the canvas — and where a life shaped by adversity becomes a powerful act of seeing.

This programme contains references to an eating disorder. If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support.


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9x0m1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qvdmm)
Trump announces tariffs for countries doing business with Iran

Trump said on social media that the tariff was "effective immediately", without offering details of what constituted "doing business" with Iran.

'They just kept killing': Eyewitnesses describe deadly crackdown in Iran.

The US states of Illinois and Minnesota are suing the Trump administration, saying the deployment of immigration enforcement agents violates the constitution.

(Photo: Demonstrators take part in a protest against the Iranian government in Frankfurt, Germany;Credit: Matias Basualdo/EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9x4c5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qvjcr)
Trump announces 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran

President Trump said on social media that the tariff was "effective immediately", without offering details of what constituted "doing business" with Iran.

China is Iran's largest trading partners, followed by Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and India.


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9x839)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qvn3w)
US weighs next move on Iran

Iran's foreign minister has said Tehran is open to talks with Washington, but remains "prepared for war".

Trump's national security team is expected to hold a meeting at the White House today. We go to Israel to get reactions from there.

BBC investigates a network that recruits foreign fighters to join Russia in its war in Ukraine.

(Photo: Iranians drive past an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran; Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9xcvf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xys)
No brother left behind

The Igba Boyi apprenticeship scheme, described as the world's largest business incubator, has helped the Nigerian Igbo people build generational wealth in the devastating aftermath of the Civil War.

The scheme involves a master mentoring an apprentice who, upon graduation, is "settled" with start-up funds and contacts to launch their own business.

BBC Reporter Chiagozie Nwonwu explores this vital tradition and why it is now at risk of fading out in modern Nigeria.

A Whistledown production.


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxlr3t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s7v)
Bonds: Has the debt become too big?

The power of the global bond market seems to have grown in recent years, to the extent that it can now dictate government policy and even topple political leaders. How much clout do the debt markets actually have and should they be reined in?

Many rich nations are more indebted than they have ever been in modern times, meaning that some are spending more simply on servicing their debt than on schools, hospitals or military defence.

In the second of two programmes on the bond market, we ask, how sustainable is that debt and should we be worried about it?

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

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Gideon Long

(Photo: A view of financial buildings in the City of London. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74nw)
The creation of the modern kitchen

In 1926, Austrian architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky created the modern kitchen. It was called the Frankfurt Kitchen and was something she didn’t like to talk about as she had done so much more - she was her country's first female architect, she championed women's rights and played a role in the Austrian Communist resistance against the Nazi regime. She once said, “If I had known that everyone would keep talking about nothing else, I would never have built that damned kitchen!"

Christine Zwingl, an architect and expert on Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, tells Gill Kearsley about Margarete’s remarkable creation.

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo: The Frankfurt Kitchen in 1926. Credit: ullstein bild via Getty Images)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9xhlk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qwwly)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxlvvy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9xmbp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9xr2t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qx436)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxm3c6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71d4)
Has Xi Jinping outsmarted his rivals?

How will China respond to a new era of US assertiveness? Could the spectacular events of Trump’s second term change President Xi Jinping’s calculations about whether to flex China’s muscles in Taiwan?

All this week, we are teaming up with our sister podcasts to explore how power and influence around the world is shifting. We’re exploring who has a sphere of influence and who finds themselves in one.

Today we’re joined by Mariko Oi, host of Asia Specific from the BBC World Service, and the BBC’s China correspondent, Laura Bicker.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins


Photo: China’s President Xi Jinping. Maxim Shemetov/Pool/Reuters


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9xvty)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5j)
Beirut blast: The Girl Scout who saved a stranger’s life

Marina El Khawand was an 18-year-old student in Lebanon when an explosion at Beirut’s port devastated the city in 2020. A fire had triggered the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored unsafely in a warehouse. Marina – part of the Lebanese Girl Guides Association – volunteered to help people affected by the disaster. She ended up a neighbourhood badly hit by the blast, where she found an elderly woman in the ruins of her apartment, barely conscious and struggling to breathe.

Marina recognised the medical inhaler in the woman’s hands – it was the same one her own mother relied on for her asthma. She set out on a mission to find this medication and save this unknown woman’s life, setting off a sequence of events that would take Marina – and her proud mum – all the way to the United Nations. Marina has now created Medonations, an NGO connecting people across Lebanon with life-saving medicine. She was again inspired by her mother whose long-time ambition to be a doctor was disrupted by war, so Marina is now rewriting those hopes for them both.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Elena Angelides

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

(Photo: Two images of Marina El Khawand are laid side by side. In the first, she wears a white lab coat and holds a tablet device. In the second image, Marina wears her Girl Scout uniform, and is sitting down at a desk, with a scenic outdoor background behind her. Credit: Marina El Khawand)


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74nw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9xzl2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qxclg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxmbvg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9y3b6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrv27wt)
Thousands reported killed in Iran

More details emerge of Iranian security suppression of protests, witnesses say thousands were killed, as telephone services are partially restored. Also in the programme: The Russian woman luring foreigners to fight for Russia; and the enduring appeal of Agatha Christie the world's-best selling author.



(Photo: Iranian men in a square in Tehran. Credit: Shutterstock)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9y72b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xys)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxmlbq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct888p)
Ban on business with Iran: How will it affect Iranians?

US President Donald Trump has said countries doing business with Iran will face a 25% tariff on trade they do with America. How will it impact Iranian business owners?

An Indian tea-grower explains their expectations from India and US trade talks?

We look at the latest US consumer prices.

And the World Bank says the global economy is doing slightly better than expected.

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


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9ybtg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvq06yf)
Iranians describe death and damage in first calls abroad

A clearer picture is emerging of the scale of Iran's crackdown on anti-government protests after phone services were partially restored. Iranians are describing the levels of death and destruction in their first calls to family abroad in days. We talk to colleagues at the BBC's Persian Service about how they are covering the story. We also bring together three Iranian Americans in conversation as President Trump weighs US military action in Iran.

A Paris court has begun hearing an appeal by the French far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, the outcome of which will determine if she can run in next year's presidential election. Our reporter tells us more.

BBC Eye has investigated a network that recruits foreign fighters to join Russia’s ranks. We are joined by our reporter.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Iranians walk next to a billboard reading 'Iran is our Homeland' at Enqelab Square in Tehran, Iran, 13 January, 2026. Credit:
EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9ygkl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvq0bpk)
President Trump urges Iranians to 'keep protesting'

President Trump has urged Iranians to keep on protesting and declared that help was on the way. It comes ahead of a meeting by his national security team to consider what action to take against Iran. In response to Iran's crackdown on protesters, Mr Trump earlier said countries doing business with Iran will face a 25% tariff on trade with the US. We are joined by our correspondents covering the US and Iran. And our business correspondent discusses the impact of potential US tariffs on Iranians.

We also bring together three Iranian Americans in conversation as President Trump considers US military action in Iran.

Could a revamp of your diet improve your gut health and how well (or badly) you age? We are joined by the BBC's Health Editor Hugh Pym who had his stool analysed to find out.

After almost four years, K Pop megastars BTS are gearing up for a huge world tour and a new album. We hear from fans of the boy band and our music reporter.

And following Michael Carrick’s appointment as interim manager at Manchester United, after Ruben Amorim's sacking as manager earlier this month, we’ll bring you reaction from fans.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: People hold signs and flags outside the US consulate during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in Milan, Italy, 13 January, 2026. Credit: Claudia Greco/Reuters)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9yl9q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74nw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9yq1v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qy327)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxn2b7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zbp)
2026/01/13 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 (w172zwx2bv9ytsz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rcr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxn62c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpz)
When will a robot do my laundry?

How close are we to humanoid robots in the home? A flurry of new robots, designed to look like us, have been revealed recently, with many in Silicon Valley excited that this is the next big leap in AI. But many humanoid robots still struggle with the basics, such as picking up a glass or watering a plant. The BBC’s cyber correspondent Joe Tidy meets some of these robots and asks: Will we really let them into our homes in the next few years?

Presenter: Chris Vallance and Joe Tidy
Producers: Tom Quinn and Imran Rahman-Jones

(Photo: Joe Tidy looks at a white humanoid robot wearing a red baseball cap, looking back at him, inside a domestic kitchen setting)


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9yyk3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrv333q)
Trump tells Iran protesters: "Help is on its way"

President Trump told Iranian protesters that help was “on its way” and encouraged them to keep demonstrating. Around 2,000 people, including some of the country’s security forces, have now reportedly been killed since protests began. We hear from the uncle of a 23-year-old fashion student who is one of the casualties.

Also in the programme: how scientists in Japan might have identified how to limit procrastination; and the enduring appeal of the queen of crime-writing, Agatha Christie.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump in Dearborn, Michigan, US, 13th January 2026. Credit: Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9z297)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qyg9m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxnfkm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76c8)
Trump's tariff on Iran's trading partners: what's at stake?

Sam Fenwick takes a look as US President Donald Trump brings back tariffs, this time targeting countries that continue trading with Iran, with China among those in focus.

New US inflation figures show price rises are easing, but many American shoppers still say their weekly bills feel high.

And pressure on the Federal Reserve has spilled into an open row with its chair, Jay Powell, drawing in central bankers from around the world.

(PHOTO: People wave flags during a demonstration in support of the national protests in Iran, in Barcelona, Spain January 13, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/ Albert Gea).


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9z61c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xys)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxnk9r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2026

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9z9sh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9zfjm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qytk0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxnst0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71d4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Tuesday]


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9zk8r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qyy94)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxnxk4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct7032)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9zp0w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74nw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9zss0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qz5sd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxp51d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vc4)
Kennedy and Khrushchev

7. Eyeball to eyeball

President Kennedy sends shockwaves around the world with a televised speech to the nation. He imposes a blockade on all ships bound for Cuba - Premier Khrushchev brands it “an act of piracy”. But he knows that hidden in a tiny Cuban port, there’s a Soviet ship laden with unimaginable destructive power. Hosts Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy, relatives of the superpower leaders, tell the personal and political history of the Cuban Missile Crisis.


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bv9zxj4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qy9jq)
More than 2,000 reported killed in Iran protests

President Trump has promised protesters in Iran that 'help is on its way' without specifying what exactly he intends to do. It comes as a human rights group, and an Iranian official speaking to the Reuters news agency, have put the death toll over the last two and a half weeks of protests at over 2000. We go live to Tehran.

After the US President Donald Trump announces an additional 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran we find out what this means for India.

And Uganda has shut down the internet ahead of tomorrow's election. The government said it was acting to guard public security and prevent the spread of misinformation.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo:Members of the Iranian police attend a pro-government rally in Tehran. Credit: West Asia News Agency via REUTERS).


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb0188)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qyf8v)
Trump tells protesters in Iran 'help is on its way'

President Trump has promised protesters in Iran that 'help is on its way' without specifying what exactly he intends to do. It comes as a human rights group, and an Iranian official speaking to the Reuters news agency, have put the death toll over the last two and a half weeks of protests at over 2000.

Thai police say at least twenty-two people have been killed after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving train north-east of the capital, Bangkok. Authorities say around eighty others are injured. We bring you the latest from Bangkok.

And a group of religious leaders and a member of parliament in The Gambia have tabled a bill seeking to overturn the country’s ban on female genital mutilation. The matter is now before the country's Supreme Court and is due to resume later this month. The case follows reports that two baby girls bled to death after undergoing FGM in the west African nation last year.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: A member of the Iranian police attends a pro-government rally in Tehran, Iran. Credit: West Asia News Agency via Reuters).


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb050d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9qyk0z)
Human Rights group says over 2,500 killed in Iran

President Trump has promised protesters in Iran that 'help is on its way' without specifying what exactly he intends to do. It comes as a human rights group, and an Iranian official speaking to the Reuters news agency, have put the death toll over the last two and a half weeks of protests at over 2000.

Poland’s President, Karol Nawrocki, has said Donald Trump is the only world leader capable of stopping Vladimir Putin from threatening Europe.

And a warning that eventhough global temperatures dipped in 2025 more heat records are on their way.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo:Cars burn in a street during a protest over the collapse of the currency's value, in Tehran, Iran. Credit: Reuters).


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb08rj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7l)
Baroness Arminka Helic: Preventing sexual violence in war

We are in a new era where human rights have been replaced by trade and big businesses and they have almost entirely depleted our ability to show humanity to people on the other side.

Lucy Hockings speaks to Baroness Arminka Helic, Member of the House of Lords and campaigner for refugees and victims of war.

A former Bosnian refugee, she saw first hand the legacy of conflict-related sexual violence and the importance of ending impunity for rape and assault committed as a weapon of war. She tells of her warm welcome to the UK in 1992 and wants us always to remember the human beings behind the refugee statistics.

Baroness Helic talks about the progress in raising awareness of the crimes and her own work in launching the ‘Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative’ in 2012. She says that it’s really hard for victims to speak out because of the stigma around rape but when they do, their voices need to be heard and the crimes documented.

She also speaks about the plight of asylum seekers and the use of starvation in conflict zones like Gaza and Sudan. A Conservative peer, she’s keen to take the politics out of immigration and remember our humanity.

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: Lucy Hockings
Producers: Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider
Editor: Justine Lang

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

(Image: Baroness Arminka Helic. Credit: Roger Harris/House of Lords)


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxpn0x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sdc)
What's gone wrong with Iran's economy?

Outrage has been growing in Iran over the country's struggling economy. Any growth this year or next looks unlikely.

Protests starting in the capital have spread around the country, driven by mounting economic pressures, sanctions and rising consumer prices. They've been met with a violent crackdown by the government. More than two thousand people are reported to have been killed since the protests began and Iran remains under a days-long internet blackout.

In this edition of Business Daily, we examine what has gone wrong with Iran’s economy and why financial pressures have led to so many people taking to the streets.

If you'd like to contact the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Rahul Tandon
Producers: David Cann and Matt Lines

(Picture: An employee arranges a shelf at a store in the Iranian capital Tehran on the 7th of January 2026. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74r4)
Creating Cluedo

Air raids and blackouts during World War Two helped Anthony Pratt invent one of the most popular family board games: Cluedo.

But the musician's real inspiration came from his job in the 1930s, playing piano at murder mystery parties in English country houses and hotels.

Once war broke out, Anthony killed time at home in Birmingham by developing rules for his new 'whodunnit' game. While he created the colourful characters and weapons, his wife Elva drew up the board, based on the rooms of a Tudor mansion.

The first version was launched in 1949, and since then more than 150 million copies have been sold around the world, including in the US where it’s known as Clue.

Anthony and Elva's daughter Marcia Lewis tells Jane Wilkinson about how her parent's idea became a global hit.

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: Cluedo box, 1949. Credit: Family photo)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb0dhn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1qzsj1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxprs1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct7032)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb0j7s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 The Documentary (w3ct8yvr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb0mzx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r0109)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxq089)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71gd)
Putin’s pursuit of Russian greatness

All this week, we are teaming up with our BBC sister podcasts to explore how power and influence around the world is shifting. We’re exploring which countries have a sphere of influence, and which countries are in someone else’s.

Today, we speak to Vitaly Shevchenko, co-host of Ukrainecast, about how Russia cultivates and controls its sphere of influence.

President Vladimir Putin has called the Soviet Union's collapse "the greatest geopolitical catastrophe" of the 20th century. Since he came to power in 1999, Putin has tried to exercise influence over what he calls Russia’s ‘near abroad’: the former Soviet republics in its backyard.

Producers: Viv Jones and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Vyacheslav Prokofyev/ Sputnik/ Reuters


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb0rr1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdf)
Working for 'the Man' to rebel against my anti-Hollywood dad

Lloyd Kaufman has been the father of anti-establishment filmmaking for over 50 years. His production company Troma Entertainment is known for its gory, controversial and politically-charged movies. His daughter Lily-Hayes grew up on the sets of these bizarre and often quite gruesome Troma films. She had her first on-screen role at the age of 4 in one of Troma’s biggest hits – the 1984 horror-comedy The Toxic Avenger – a film about a nerd who turns into a mutant superhero after falling into a vat of nuclear waste. But the chaos of the films was not mirrored at home in New York; Lily-Hayes and her sisters went to an Upper East Side all-girls private school, sweets were strictly rationed, and life was kept in order.

When it came time for Lily-Hayes to pick her own career path, she wanted to push back against her father's anti-establishment line of work. But how could she rebel against the ultimate rebel? Well, she went into investment banking and forged a ‘normal’ life on the trading floor. One day she witnessed a colleague take part in a chicken nugget eating contest. It was a scene that would rival even the grossest scenes she’d seen on a Troma set and it pushed her back towards the call of the Tromaverse.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Andrea Rangecroft

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

(Photo: Black and white medium shot taken looking up at father and daughter filmmakers - Lloyd and Lily-Hayes Kaufman of Troma Entertainment. On the left, Lloyd wears a dark checked jacket with a polo shirt underneath and a slight scowl on his face. On the right, Lily-Hayes has a blonde bob, black t-shirt with a pendant. Credit: Nicola Rinaldo / TROMA Entertainment, Inc)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74r4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb0wh5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r08hk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxq7rk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vc4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb1079)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrv54sx)
Iran: Erfan Soltani’s family understand he’s about to be executed

Relatives of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was detained last week, told BBC Persian he was due to be executed today. It is unclear whether this has taken place. A representative from the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights also told the BBC that they had never witnessed a case move so quickly.

Also, China has announced a record trade surplus despite the US's tariffs; and we hear from the organiser of Australia's largest free festival, Adelaide Writers' Week, which was called off because of a row over censorship.

(Photo: Undated image of Erfan Soltani. Credit: Hengaw Organization for Human Rights/X)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb13zf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxqh7t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sdc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88br)
Could US access to Greenland's minerals be the answer to President Trump's territorial ambitions?

Greenlandic and Danish foreign ministers are about to hold talks in Washington with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting could shape investment, mining and military spending across the Arctic. Also, China has announced record export numbers and its biggest ever trade surplus. We examine what this means. Plus, Saks Fifth Avenue has applied for bankruptcy protection.


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb17qk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvq33vj)
What is the future for Greenland?

President Donald Trump insists the US needs Greenland for "national security", adding that anything less than American control of the territory is "unacceptable". It comes as US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are meeting the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers in the White House today. We speak to journalists in the US, Denmark and Greenland for all the reaction.

The US is reducing the number of personnel at its Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News, which officials have called a "precautionary measure". This comes after US President Donald Trump said the US would take "very strong action" against Iran if the authorities execute anti-government protesters. Iran says it will retaliate if attacked by the US. We explain more and hear a conversation with Iranians from around the world.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: A shop owner David Rogilds holds a shirt that he sells in Nuuk, Greenland, January 14, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Marko Djurica)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb1cgp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvq37ln)
Trump vows 'very strong action' if Iran executes protesters

President Donald Trump has said the US will take "very strong action" against Iran if it executes protesters, as rights groups say thousands of anti-government demonstrators have been killed in a violent crackdown by Iranian authorities. We get the latest and hear a conversation with Iranian journalists.

President Donald Trump insists the US needs Greenland for "national security", adding that anything less than American control of the territory is "unacceptable". It comes as US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are meeting the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers in the White House today. We explain more and hear from people in Greenland.

And it is Senegal v Egypt in the Afcon semi-final today, where we see old teammates turn rivals with Sadio Mane and Mo Salah facing off. We speak to superfans.

OS presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: Mourners take part in a funeral ceremony for security personnel killed during anti-government protests in Tehran, Iran, 14 January, 2026. Credit:
Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb1h6t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74r4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb1lyy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r0zzb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxqz7b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zdy)
2026/01/14 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 (w172zwx2bvb1qq2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct7032)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxr2zg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkk)
What effect does exercise really have on depression?

We are often told exercise is good for boosting your mood, but a new Cochrane review has looked at what the evidence says about how much difference exercise can really make when treating depression.

Many patients with chronic conditions fail to take medications as prescribed. We discuss a novel pill casing that can send a signal once it has been broken down in the stomach. Prof Giovanni Traverso, gastroenterologist and director of the Laboratory for Translational Engineering at MIT, explains how it works.

A year on from the USAID freeze, global health journalist Andrew Green unpicks America’s radically different influence on world health today.

In Malawi’s townships, many families can no longer afford charcoal or gas. Instead, they turn to burning plastic waste as cooking fuel. This keeps food on the table but fills kitchens and markets with toxic smoke, contributing to respiratory illness, pregnancy complications, and environmental damage. We hear from our reporter, Carrim Mpaweni.

And we look at auto-brewery syndrome as researchers search for why some people’s gut microbes produce high alcohol levels.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Anna Charalambou


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb1vg6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrv600t)
Disagreement remains at talks over Greenland

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland say there's still a fundamental disagreement with the United States over Greenland, after high- level talks in Washington they described as frank but constructive. Denmark's Lars Løkke Rasmussen said it was absolutely not necessary for the US to seize Greenland. He also insisted that there was no immediate threat from China or Russia. President Trump earlier said the US needed the autonomous Danish territory for national security and anything less than complete US control was 'unacceptable'. The Trump administration has not ruled out taking Greenland by force.

Also in the programme: how Ukrainians are coping with repeated Russian assaults on energy infrastructure; and music from the Indian composer known as the Mozart of Madras.

(Photo: A ship sails outside Nuuk's harbour, Greenland, January 13, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Marko Djurica)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb1z6b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r1c6q)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxrbgq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76jy)
Could a cap on credit-card rates really hurt consumers?

President Trump wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10% for a year. But the big banks warn that could limit lending and hit the most vulnerable first.

Also today - why prices for metals like copper and tin are hitting record highs, we'll investigate what's behind the surge.

And despite fresh US tariffs under President Trump — and a volatile global economic backdrop — China posted a record trade surplus of around $1.2 trillion.

Picture:Illustration shows Bank of America, Citi bank and Wells Fargo credit card mockups, Reuters


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb22yg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxrg6v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 The Bomb (w3ct8vc4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 15 JANUARY 2026

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb26pl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 The Documentary (w3ct8yvr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb2bfq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r1qg3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxrpq3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71gd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Wednesday]


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb2g5v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r1v67)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxrtg7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct8xr8)
Stories from the New Silk Road: The Bering Sea

In 1867, the US government bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million dollars. At the time, critics questioned the value of purchasing such an inhospitable and remote territory. Yet today, due to its abundance of natural resources, America’s largest state has proved to be a significant investment. BBC foreign correspondent Anna Holligan travels to Alaska to report on the increasing China-Russia-US tension in the region.

Supported by Russia, through fishing, shipping and military exercises, China has a growing presence in the Bering Sea, which separates mainland Russia from the US by 55 miles at its narrowest point.

As Anna visits the largest Coast Guard base in the world on Alaska’s Kodiak Island, she asks why is China seeking to expand their influence in one of the most dangerous and volatile seas in the world? What does it mean for local communities living and working in America’s ‘Last Frontier’? Is this remote corner of the US becoming a new frontline in an economic and political battle involving three superpowers?

Presenter: Anna Holligan
Producer: Peter Shevlin
Editor: Monica Whitlock
A Pod60 production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Lieutenant commander Jonathon R. Resch USCG Arctic District. Credit: Anna Holligan)


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb2kxz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74r4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb2pp3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r22ph)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxs1yh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zp)
Should we all eat the Mediterranean way?

The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, pulses and olive oil and traditionally includes small amounts of fish and very little red meat. Thousands of studies back its health benefits. In fact, it's considered to be one of the most widely researched diets in the world. But why has this way of eating come to prominence over others?

Marta Guasch-Ferre from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark explains what the Mediterranean diet is and how her Spanish roots have informed her work.

Professor Sarah Tracy from the University of Oklahoma tells the story of the diet's roots, popularised by American scientist Ancel Keys in the 1950's.

And Ruth asks, if this way of eating isn't familiar in your culture, can you still make use of the Mediterranean diet's principles to improve your health? Singapore based cardiologist Professor Huang Zijuan has been looking at the science behind Asian inspired food swaps that could offer the same health benefits.

Plus public health expert Professor Pekka Puska explains how he used the work of Ancel Keys in the 1970's to help transform the life expectancy of Finnish men. He co-led the now world famous North Karelia project, after Keys' research revealed how the region in eastern Finland had the highest rates of blood cholesterol in the world.

Produced by Lexy O’Connor

The sound engineer was Andrew Mills.

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

Image: A family is eating together. The wooden table is covered in brightly coloured plates of salads, pastas and olives. Hands reach over to take some of the food. (Credit: Getty/Compassionate Eye Foundation/Natasha Alipour Faridani)


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb2tf7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9r16ft)
Iran says no execution of protesters

The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said his government has no plans to hang people arrested for taking part in protests. Donald Trump has said he has been assured that the killing of Iranian protesters has been halted but would be monitoring the situation. We speak to an American-Iranian businessman and a former member of the national security team under the first Trump administration.

Denmark says there is a "fundamental disagreement" with the US over Greenland after talks with the White House.

And President Trump’s team has unveiled the next phase of its plan to end the conflict in Gaza. Special envoy Steve Witkoff announced the creation of a technocratic Palestinian government in the territory, alongside plans for reconstruction and the full disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo:A burnt bus lies on the road following unrest sparked by dire economic conditions, in a place given as Tehran, Iran. Credit: WANA/Reuters).


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb2y5c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9r1b5y)
Donald Trump pauses military action against Iran

Donald Trump said he had been assured from "very important sources on the other side" that Thehran had now stopped the use of lethal force on protesters and that executions would not go ahead.

Denmark's foreign minister has said there is a "fundamental disagreement" with the US over Greenland after talks at the White House.

And the United States is to halt immigrant visa processing for 75 countries.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: Aftermath of country-wide protests in Iran. Credit: WANA/Reuters).


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb31xh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9r1fy2)
Trump says Iran has no plan to execute protesters

Donald Trump said he had been assured from "very important sources on the other side" that Tehran had now stopped the use of lethal force on protesters and that executions would not go ahead.

Denmark's foreign minister has said there is a "fundamental disagreement" with the US over Greenland after talks at the White House.

And we speak to our correspondent in Kampala, Uganda. There have been technical delays preventing people from casting their vote in a general election today.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: A burnt-out car in the middle of a road in Tehran, in the aftermath of country-wide protests, Iran, 10 January, 2026, in this screengrab from Iran's state media broadcast footage Credit: WANA/Reuters)


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb35nm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723s)
Is nuclear disarmament set to self-destruct?

In February 2026, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty bilateral between Russia and the United States is set to expire. The aim of the New START agreement was to reduce and limit the number of strategic nuclear warheads, but once this treaty comes to an end it means there will no longer be rules on the cap of these nuclear weapons. The legal provisions in the treaty for a one-time five-year extension, were used in 2021.

The multilateral Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is still in place, to which 190 countries are signatories. The general idea behind the NPT was for nuclear countries to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons, with the goal of complete disarmament. Whilst those countries without nuclear weapons would commit to not pursuing them. In 1995 the members agreed to extend the treaty indefinitely, but it is not without its challenges. Four nuclear powers sit outside the NPT and there are rifts between the non-nuclear and nuclear states.

So, on The Inquiry this week we’re asking, ‘Is nuclear disarmament set to self-destruct?’

Contributors:
Hermann Wentker, Professor of Modern History, University of Potsdam and Head of Berlin Research Department, The Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History, Germany
Alexandra Bell, President and CEO, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, USA
Mike Albertson, arms-control expert, former negotiator on New START arms reduction treaty, USA
Nathalie Tocci, Professor of Practice, Johns Hopkins SAIS (School of Advanced International Studies), Italy

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Tom Bigwood

(Photo: Deck of the nuclear submarine Saphir. Credit: Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxsjy0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s3b)
The 'Dry January' effect

Festive celebrations at Christmas and New Year often involve increased alcohol consumption in many parts of the world. For some, that’s followed by a decision to take a break from drinking. It's become widely known as Dry January.

However, data shows that more people are choosing to reduce their alcohol intake all year round.

Alcohol-free drinks only make up about 1% of the total industry, but their popularity has risen quickly, and the vast majority is beer.

How influential is Dry January really in this growing trend? And how will the smaller producers, who pioneered the non-alcoholic sector, fare now that the drinks giants are producing their own zero percent products?

We examine the changing adult drinks market.


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

Presented and produced by Imran Rahman-Jones

(Picture: Sonja Mitchell, founder of Jump Ship Brewing, based in Scotland, UK, holding a glass of non-alcoholic beer up in the air. Credit: Jump Ship Brewing)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74kg)
The deadly Vargas mudslides in Venezuela

In December 1999, torrential rain in Venezuela led to floods and mudslides. Government estimates put the number killed at 3,000 but other reports suggest between 10,000 and 30,000 were killed. Many bodies were buried under mud, rocks or trees. Tens of thousands more people were made homeless.
The state of Vargas, known as La Guaira, was one of the worst areas affected. Leydys Crespo speaks to Jen Dale about her experience.

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.


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb39dr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r2pf4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxsnp4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct8xr8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb3f4w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7yt7)
The Media Show: Iran protests and international coverage

Ongoing protests in Iran have prompted scrutiny of how international media organisations report events in a highly restricted environment, with criticism focused on prominence and framing of coverage. Behrang Tajdin of BBC Persian and Lyse Doucet, the BBC’s chief international correspondent, set out the editorial constraints and considerations involved.

The film Hamnet has opened in UK cinemas following major awards recognition, drawing attention to how producers identify and secure projects at an early stage. Liza Marshall of Hera Pictures describes how she acquired the rights to a story that’s now the toast of Hollywood.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Content producer: Lucy Wai


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxssf8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 Over to You (w3ct8sh2)
How live programming is made

Live broadcast has been part and parcel of radio since its inception. We go behind the scenes of BBC OS to hear how live radio is made daily on one of the flagship news programmes of the BBC World Service.

Breaking news is fast moving, at one moment there is a vacuum of facts and the next a deluge, all of which must be packaged and presented to inform the public responsibly. Presenter Qasa Alom speaks to Danny Savage, BBC News Northern England correspondent, who reported live on location in the aftermath of the October 2025 Manchester synagogue attack.

A familiar companion for radio sports fans is the voice of the commentator. Building plays word by word, adding colour, spitting stats and giving words to pure emotions, a live radio sporting event does not exist without commentary. Qasa speaks to BBC Sport commentator John Bennett, from Morocco where he is covering the Africa Cup of Nations.

We also hear from listeners about their memories listening to live radio.

Presenter: Qasa Alom
Producers: Jill Achineku and Emily Uchida Finch
A Whistledown production for BBC World Service


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb3jx0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r2xxd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxsx5d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct719w)
How the US, China and Russia are vying for influence in Africa

When the leaders of the US, China and Russia look at Africa today, they see huge opportunity – an abundance of natural resources and a skilled, young population. But what does it mean for the continent when African presidents allow these superpowers the influence and investment they want?

All this week, we’re teaming up with our BBC sister podcasts to explore how power and influence around the world is shifting. We’re talking about which countries have a sphere of influence, and which countries are in someone else’s.

In today’s episode, we speak to Charles Gitonga from the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast about three countries in Central Africa which have found themselves at the at the centre of a geopolitical tug of war.

Producers: Hannah Moore, Aron Keller and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A soldier with the M23 armed group stands guard in Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Marie Jeanne Munyerenkana/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock.


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb3nn4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wym)
To be or not to be: Shakespeare, mental health and me

Mark Lockyer first came across Shakespeare as a schoolboy, the play was Twelfth Night and he was reading Malvolio, a part he would go on to play professionally. Mark was a rebellious teen and acting became his escape, a place to free his imagination. Aged 17 he got a place at a top drama school, and was soon recognised as one of the best actors of his generation in Britain.

But things went dramatically wrong. This promising actor, much admired for his mastery of Shakespeare, had an undiagnosed bipolar disorder and in a moment of crisis in the 1990s he made a catastrophic decision that led to a serious crime and him contemplating suicide. It was as he was facing a prison sentence that Mark was finally diagnosed. It took him five years to be well enough to get back on stage.

Years later he wrote a play about his mental health breakdown that he took on tour around the UK. And he went on to perform a unique production of Hamlet in which he played all the parts himself. Mark now spends much of his time taking Shakespeare into prisons and mental health institutions with remarkable results.

Extracts from As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Living with the Lights On, Hamlet and The Tempest peformed by Mark Lockyer.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Andrea Kennedy

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: Mark Lockyer. Credit: Michael Carlo Photography)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74kg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb3sd8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r35dn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxt4nn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb3x4d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrv81q0)
Trump says 'killing has stopped' in Iran after violent protest crackdown

The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said his government has no plans to hang people arrested for taking part in protests. President Trump has threatened to take "very strong action" should Iran begin carrying out executions, but later said he had been told on good authority that the killing of protesters had stopped.

Also in the programme: Nato troops start arriving in Greenland as the Trump administration underlines its ambition to own the island, the BBC uncovers evidence of a split in the upper echelons of the Taliban in Afghanistan; and the writer Julian Barnes will be discussing AI and his last ever novel!


(Photo: President Triump. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb40wj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxtd4x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s3b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88r4)
Nations begin to put a stop to Grok

Several governments have been piling pressure on Musk’s AI company, xAI, after Grok was used to generate a flood of sexually explicit and non-consensual images, including of women and children.

X says it will now geo-block the creation or editing of images showing people in bikinis, underwear or similar clothing in countries where that content is illegal and restrict image generation on Grok to paid subscribers only.

Talks between the US, Denmark and Greenland have been called "frank but constructive", resulting in what the Danish foreign minister described still as a "fundamental disagreement" over the future of Greenland.

And Wikipedia turns 25, we hear from it's founder.


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb44mn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvq60rm)
Nato country soldiers arrive in Greenland

Denmark says soldiers from several countries will take it in turns to have a military presence in Greenland. We hear from people in Greenland and explain the latest.

We take a walk around BBC Verify and BBC Persian for all the latest on Iran. We hear about the work they have been doing to verify eyewitness accounts from anti-government protests in Iran.

And Ukraine has declared a state of emergency in the country's energy sector as ongoing Russian strikes continue to leave thousands of residents of Kyiv without power. Our reporter explains and we hear a conversation with families who continue to be separated by the war.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: A Royal Danish Air Force plane carrying personnel in military fatigues lands at Nuuk airport Greenland, 14 January, 2026. Credit: Janis Laizans/Reuters)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb48cs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvq64hr)
US seizes oil tanker accused of defying sanctions

The US military has seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean which it says was defying what it called President Trump’s “quarantine of sanctioned vessels.” It is the sixth vessel the US has captured in recent weeks accusing them of carrying embargoed Venezuelan oil. We get the latest.

We take an in-depth look at a BBC investigation into a rift at the top of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

And astronauts from the International Space Station have returned to earth earlier than planned in a medical evacuation. We'll explain what happened and hear from former astronauts.

(Photo: Footage from a video released by US Southern Command shows the Venezuela-linked tanker Veronica at sea, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on January 15, 2026. Credit: US Southern Command/Handout via Reuters)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb4d3x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wym)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74kg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb4hw1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r3wwf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxtw4f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z8f)
2026/01/15 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 (w172zwx2bvb4mm5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct8xr8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxtzwk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txv)
Why is Nasa sending people around the moon?

The space science world is buzzing. In the next few days, NASA is expected to begin the rollout of its Artemis II rocket to the launch pad with the launch itself expected as early as February. Science journalist Jonathan Amos explains why NASA is interested in travelling around the moon now? And what we will learn from sending humans further into space than ever before.

Penny Sarchet, Managing Editor at New Scientist brings Tom Whipple her pick of the best new science this week.

And why are scientists shipping ice cores from around the world to a frozen cave in Antarctica? Dr Liz Thomas, head of ice core research at the British Antarctic Survey explains the science behind the Ice Memory Sanctuary as it officially opens.

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: Tom Whipple
Producer: Kate White, Katie Tomsett, Tim Dodd and Clare Salisbury
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb4rc9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrv8wxx)
Nato soldiers arrive in Greenland

Nato soldiers are arriving in Greenland as the Trump administration continues to insist that the US must own the island. We hear from a former senior French Nato official.

Also in the programme: Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado meets President Trump; and Rome's new speed limit comes into force.

(Picture: A Royal Danish Air Force plane carrying personnel in military fatigues lands at Nuuk airport Greenland, January 14, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb4w3f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r483t)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxv7ct)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct75yv)
Container ships changing course to the Red Sea

Two years on, one of the world’s biggest shipping companies - Maersk - says it’s preparing to return to the Red Sea — and in aviation, Chinese-made passenger jets may be edging closer to European skies.

Also today — new data suggests Iran’s internet blackout has cost the economy around 260 million dollars in lost business activity.

(Picture: A Maersk Line container vessel crosses the Strait of Gibraltar from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea on January 8, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb4zvk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxvc3y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 16 JANUARY 2026

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb53lp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7yt7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxvgw2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8vww)
The Child Cancer Scam

5. The agency

The investigation into why millions of dollars promised to families with sick children never reaches them moves to Israel. There we find misleading addresses and more questions than answers. Who is making these online campaigns which claim to help desperate parents? New ones keep appearing, but the story’s the same.

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 (w172zwx2bvb57bt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r4mc6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxvlm6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct719w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Thursday]


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb5c2y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r4r3b)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxvqcb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zpz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb5gv2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wym)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74kg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb5ll6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r4zll)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxvyvl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vq2)
Eternal horizons

*** This programme contains graphic descriptions of body mutilation ***
In the Nepalese Himalaya, one of the world’s rarest and most spiritually profound funeral rites is still practiced: the Sky Burial. In some circumstances when a person dies, their body is offered to wild vultures. According to local Bon and Tibetan Buddhist customs, this burial is reserved only for those whose karma is deemed pure and whose astrological signs align with sacred guidance. The ritual represents the highest form of cremation, allowing the soul to ascend freely to the heavens.

The arrival of infrastructure projects and modern roads have brought improved connectivity, healthcare and new economic opportunities to these remote valleys in recent years - but they've also created challenges for monastics and Sky Burial practitioners too. As the modern world continues to encroach on these ancient traditions, we follow Tashi Bista as he meets the guardians of this ceremony and comes eye to eye with human mortality.

Presenter: Tashi Bista
Producer: Hunter Charlton
Executive producer: Ant Adeane
An Ember Audio production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Monk praying in Upper Mustang's Nyenyol valley. Credit: Tashi Bista)


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb5qbb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9r43bx)
Machado gives peace prize to Trump

The Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says she has given her Nobel peace prize medal to President Donald Trump, at a meeting at the White House. Mr Trump expressed his gratitude in a social media post, saying the move was "a wonderful gesture of mutual respect". We get reaction from Venezuela.

Donald Trump is still weighing his options as speculation swirls over whether the US will conduct military strikes against Iran after a brutal crackdown on anti-government demonstrations there. We find out what Egypt makes of it all.

And we get the latest from Uganda where votes are being counted from yesterday's presidential and parliamentary elections.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado meets with US Senators, Washington. Credit: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA).


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb5v2g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9r4731)
South Korean court finds former President guilty

A South Korean court has found the former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, guilty of abuse of power and fabricating official documents. The court in Seoul is delivering its verdict in the first of several cases linked to Mr Yoon's failed attempt to impose martial law just over a year ago.

The Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has presented her Nobel Peace Prize to the US President. For his part Donald Trump said it was a "wonderful gesture of mutual respect".

And we report from Cuba where the remains of 32 Cuban troops killed in Venezuela have come home.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: A group of far-right protesters gathers to support former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, as a bus carrying him arrives for a first court ruling in a case including obstruction of arrest, linked to his martial law declaration, at a court in Seoul. Credit: Soo-hyeon Kim/Reuters).


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb5ytl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq1v9r4bv5)
Former South Korean President sentenced

South Korea's impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been sentenced to five years in prison in the first of four trials relating to his failed martial law bid in 2024. We hear from a Korean MP.

The funerals of 32 Cuban security officers killed during the seizure of Nicholas Maduro in Caracas have been taking place in Havana, Cuba. We have a report from our correspondent.

And as Iran's brutal crackdown and internet shutdown continues, President Trump's decision on military action still remains to be seen. We hear from an Iranian activist.

Presenters: Anne Soy and James Copnall.

(Photo: A far-right protester shouts a slogan to support former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, before a bus carrying him arrives for a first court. Credit: Soo-hyeon Kim/Reuters).



(Photo:


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb62kq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 The Interview (w3ct8c49)
Gustavo Petro, Colombian President: US military action is a real threat

I do believe US military action is a real threat, and the prospect of removing it depends on the ongoing conversations.

The BBC’s South America correspondent Ione Wells speaks to Gusatvo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president about his fears of US military action against his country. Petro, a former guerrilla fighter turned reformist leader, has been in office since 2022, championing social justice, environmental policies and regional diplomacy.

He responds to Donald Trump’s recent comments suggesting a military operation against Colombia “sounds good” and accusations that Petro himself is a drug trafficker—claims he strongly denies.

Petro warns that the United States risks moving from global leadership to isolation through what he calls “imperial-style behaviour,” following the recent seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. He also expresses his belief that Washington needs a fundamental rethink of power and diplomacy.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world.
The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and author Sir Salman Rushdie. 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: Ione Wells
Producers: Alba Morgade, Farhana Haider
Editor: Justine Lang

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

Image Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxwfv3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rt9)
CEO of the Folio Society, Joanna Reynolds

We meet retail turnaround expert Joanna Reynolds, the woman behind the revival of the Folio Society, one of Britain’s oldest publishing houses.

Ten years ago, the company was losing money and facing an existential threat from the digital revolution.

Joanna explains how she transformed the business from a failing book club to a profitable, employee-owned publisher.

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

Presenter: Sam Fenwick
Producer: David Cann

(Picture: Joanna Reynolds, CEO of the Folio Society, holding a book. Credit: Dunja Opalko)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct7451)
Afghan Star

In 2005, a new show was launched on television in Afghanistan to find new musical talent – it was called Afghan Star and was inspired by formats like American Idol and the X-Factor.

The programme came after the music industry in Afghanistan had been decimated under the Taliban between 1996 and 2001.

Music has been culturally important in Afghan history, however, playing music and musical instruments had been banned whilst the Taliban were in power.

Jahid Mohseni was the development producer for Afghan Star, he has been speaking to Tim O’Callaghan.

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo: The first season of Afghan Star. Credit: MOBY Media Group)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb669v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r5lb7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxwkl7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb6b1z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72x8)
Science down under

This week the Unexpected Elements team has travelled Down Under to sunny Sydney where we discover some wonderfully Australian science with the help of some wonderfully Australian panellists.

First, we discuss the surprising American origins of Australia’s iconic marsupials and Marnie gets up close and personal with Pez the Tasmanian Devil.

We also talk to Andy Flies from the University of Tasmania who is working on a vaccine to combat a deadly contagious cancer spreading through Australia’s Devil population.

Next, we’re joined by Susan Sawyer from the University of Melbourne as we delve into the debate surrounding Australia’s social media ban for under 16-year-olds. Are the kids alright? Plus, we find out about the tree that seems to be adding fuel to the country’s recent wildfires.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Katie Silver and Jonathan Webb
Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, with Ella Hubber, Sophie Ormiston and Lucy Davies


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb6ft3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r5tth)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxwt2h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct715c)
The post-World War II era is over. What comes next?

For most of the years since World War Two, many global powers said they adhered to a rules-based international order. Since Donald Trump returned to the White House that idea is falling away. But did it ever exist in reality? And what’s the alternative now?

The BBC’s International Editor Jeremy Bowen wraps up our week of special coverage.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Xandra Ellin
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Presidents Putin, Trump and Xi as Russian dolls. Credit: Yuri Kochetkov. EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb6kk7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wj2)
Claudette Colvin: A teen’s revolutionary act of defiance

Remembering the late Claudette Colvin, US civil rights pioneer who died this week aged 86. In March 1955, Claudette was a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Montgomery, Alabama when she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a bus. Claudette’s brave defiance of the city’s segregation laws was overshadowed nine months later by a similar act of resistance by her friend, Rosa Parks, which in turn spurred on local pastor Martin Luther King Jr and lit the spark of the civil rights movement. While Rosa Parks became known around the world, it would take decades for Claudette to get recognition – and justice – for her protest. Claudette spoke to Outlook’s Matthew Bannister in 2018.

Plus, two other stories of teenagers who courageously challenged the world around them:

Lebanese Girl Scout Marina El Khawand raced against time to save a stranger after the horrific 2020 Beirut port explosion, she now helps to provide life-saving medicine across Lebanon.

Aged 13, Dutch sailor Laura Dekker shocked the world when she announced her plan to sail around the globe, solo. It was a legal and personal struggle she ultimately won, becoming the youngest person to complete a solo circumnavigation.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producers: Maryam Maruf, Elena Angelides, May Cameron

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

(Photo: A black and white photo of a teenage Claudette Colvin. Credit: Alamy)


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct7451)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb6p9c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r629r)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxx1kr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vq2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb6t1h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrvbym3)
China-Canada trade deal announced

President Xi Jinping stressed that both sides should respect each other's sovereignty and integrity. Canadian PM Mark Carney described China as a realistic and respectful trading partner. He added that it was also more predictable than Washington. We explore what this signifies for the world.

Also on the programme: Iran's most prominent historian, Ervand Abrahamian, assesses the current wave of protests which have engulfed the country. And Helen Macdonald, the author of the much-loved memoir, and forthcoming movie, "H Is For Hawk," discusses nature, mourning and the difficulties of seeing yourself portrayed onscreen.

(Photo: Canada's PM Mark Carney and China's President Xi Jinping. Credit: Reuters)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb6xsm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 The Interview (w3ct8c49)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxx920)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rt9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88gw)
Europe and South America to sign free trade deal

The agreement, between the South American trade bloc Mercosur and the European Union which is set to be signed this weekend, has been 25 years in the making.

The deal will eliminate import taxes or tariffs on more than 90 percent of goods traded between Europe and the South American nations. Europe hopes to boost its exports of cars, machinery and medicines, while South American farmers see a huge new market for their crops and produce.

Meanwhile, Canada and China have also been making a deal of sorts, what they call a new strategic partnership.

And research in Kenya has shown that many young people would choose to be a Tiktoker or a YouTuber over a more conventional job, like a doctor or a lawyer.


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb71jr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvq8xnq)
Who are Iran's opposition?

Reza Pahlavi - the exiled prominent opposition voice and son of the last shah has been speaking at a press conference in the US. He said he will return to Iran and that the Islamic Republic will fall. We speak to our reporter at the press conference and explain who Pahlavi is. We also hear from Iranians abroad.

Ashley St Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk's children, has sued his company xAI over sexualised deepfakes of her created on his social media platform X. The lawsuit alleges the Grok AI tool created sexually explicit pictures of her. xAI has counter-sued for violating its terms of service. We speak to women who have had their images explicitly altered by Grok.

The 28 Days Later horror franchise has been passed to a female director, for the first time. Some analysts say that women - particularly those under 35 - are now emerging as a make-or-break demographic for the genre's biggest releases. We speak to female horror fans.

Presenter: James Reynolds

Photo: Reza Pahlavi speaks during a press conference in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 16, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb758w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w1730686rvq91dv)
What's happening now in Venezuela?

The CIA director has met Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodríguez - in a meeting was aimed at building trust and communication following the US seizure of Venezuela's former president Nicolás Maduro almost two weeks ago. The meeting happened on the same day that President Trump met opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in Washington, who presented the US president with her Nobel Peace Prize winning medal. So what next for Venezuela? We speak to our correspondent in the region Will Grant.

Ashley St Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk's children, has sued his company xAI over sexualised deepfakes of her created on his social media platform X. The lawsuit alleges the Grok AI tool created sexually explicit pictures of her. xAI has counter-sued for violating its terms of service. We speak to women who have had their images explicitly altered by Grok.

We speak to journalists from Morocco and Senegal ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations final this weekend.

Presenter: James Reynolds

Photo: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado meets with U.S. senators on Capitol Hill in Washington. Credit: REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb7910)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wj2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct7451)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb7ds4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r6ssj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxxs1j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z3x)
2026/01/16 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 (w172zwx2bvb7jj8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct6rns)
Surviving an Avalanche

In the past few days there have been a number of deaths on ski slopes in the Alps and, in recent months, hikers in Greece, climbers in Italy’s Dolomite mountains, and guides in the Himalayas have all lost their lives.

The peak season for these huge and potentially lethal mass movements of snow is now underway in the northern hemisphere. To understand the dangers, and what it’s like to experience an avalanche, we hear from three survivors.

For mountaineer Cory Richards in South Africa, the impact of an avalanche while climbing the world's 13th tallest mountain in Pakistan left him and his two climbing partners thinking they were all about to die.

“Probably what carried us mostly was the air blast and the debris as it started moving across the flat ground,” says Cory. “It picked us up and threw us several hundred feet. We were all tied together and we all ended up partially buried.”

Fortunately for Cory and our other guests – JT Holmes and Benton Hodges in the United States – they survived. Benton was even part of the rescue mission to save his friend. But an avalanche can have more than a physical impact, and we also hear about the effects on everyone’s mental health, sometimes years after the event.

Hosts: James Reynolds and Luke Jones
BBC producer: Iqra Farooq
Boffin Media producers: Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver
A Boffin Media production in partnership with BBC OS

(Image: Cory Richards. Credit Cory Richards)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxxwsn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6stx)
Why do I find silence unbearable?

Is silence blood-curdling or blissful? CrowdScience listener Ziqi finds it intolerable and thinks that there’s a good reason for it – silence is so rare in nature that it could be a signal for danger.


Presenter Marnie Chesterton is on a mission to test Ziqi’s theory, starting with her own tolerance for silence.


She meets acoustic engineer Trevor Cox in the UK to find out whether silence is something we can measure. To do that she steps into an anechoic chamber, a place that’s designed to absorb all sound. In this most silent of silent places, what does silence actually sound like?



Marnie also talks to researcher Eric Pfeifer in Germany, who is exploring the impact of spending time in silence and has evidence to suggest that it could be a positive experience.



And neuroscientist Marta Moita in Portugal tells Marnie about how rats use silence to detect a threat in their environment. Her discoveries may hold the answer to Ziqi’s question.

Presenter Marnie Chesterton

Producer Jo Glanville

Editor Ben Motley
(Photo:Young woman covering ears ignoring loud noise, plugging ears with fingers annoyed by noisy neighbours - stock photo- Credit: Mariia Vitkovska via Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb7n8d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zssjjrvcsv0)
'The Islamic Republic will fall', says exiled crown prince

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah (king), has pledged to return and lead his country into democracy. We speak to one of his supporters.

Also on the programme: Ugandan opposition leader and presidential candidate Bobi Wine has been forcibly removed from his house and taken to an unknown location in an army helicopter, according to his party; and there is growing excitement in Morocco, as the hosts approach the final of the football Africa Cup of Nations.

(Photo: Reza Pahlavi calls for regime change in Iran at the National Press Club in Washington. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb7s0j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwljh1r750x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxy48x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76pg)
China and Canada reset trade relations after talks

China and Canada strike a trade deal after a high stakes meeting between the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Xi.

And Europe and South America sign a trade deal after twenty five years. The EU-Mercosur agreement will require the approval of the European parliament within the next few months.

Picture: Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney visits China, Reuters


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx2bvb7wrn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 The Interview (w3ct8c49)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxwskxy811)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vq2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]