SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2026

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x4rjz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72xf)
Seeing double

Identical twins on trial for murder in France have left forensic experts unable to answer the question of which one pulled the gun’s trigger. With both having the same DNA, it got the Unexpected Elements team thinking, when do identical twins cease to be identical?

First, we look at how scientists have been confronting the possibility that they might soon be able to create an evil twin to life itself - mirror life. Also, we hear why the ‘Tatooine planets’ which orbit twin stars are so rare in our galaxy.

We’re then joined by professor of developmental psychology Nancy Segal, who explains why prosecutors should be able to distinguish between the French twins on trial. Plus, we hear how African farmers are struggling with a lack of data on pre-harvest crop loss.

And finally, why gorse flowers smell like pina coladas, and how the use of DNA evidence in court can still come down to interpretation. That’s all on this week’s Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Kai Kupferschmidt and Michael Kaloki
Producers: Ella Hubber, with Lucy Davies, Sophie Ormiston, Imy Harper and Tim Dodd


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x4w93)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db489h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhv7kh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct715j)
What the former prince Andrew’s arrest means for the Royal Family

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince and brother to King Charles, was arrested by British police on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The arrest came after police said they were assessing a complaint that Andrew allegedly shared confidential material with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

We’re joined by BBC Royal Correspondent Sean Coughlan to discuss what Andrew’s arrest means for the future of the British monarchy.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin.

Executive producer: James Shield.

Senior news editor: China Collins.

Photo: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, leaves Aylsham Police Station. Credit: Phil Noble/Reuters.


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x5017)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db4d1m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhvc9m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zkm)
T20 World Cup: When giants collide and associates make history

On this week’s Stumped with Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Shara, we assess the opening stages of the T20 World Cup, as the competition heads towards the Super 8's stage. The team discuss the aftermath of the on-off-on India Pakistan game and whether former England captain Michael Atherton’s assessment that the game is now ‘a miserable spectacle’ is a fair comment, plus we discuss the biggest shocks and celebrate the successes of the 'smaller' nations competing.

With the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in full swing, could cricket join the party? The Tallinn Hippos have defended their 'cricket on ice trophy' title in Switzerland's St Mortiz. We speak with their captain Stuart Hook about playing the game on the most unlikely of surfaces, and the cricket scene in Estonia.

Plus, could the Big Bash be heading to India? The team discuss the possibility of the competition's opening match heading to the sub-continent.

Photo: Players walk out during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 match between India and Pakistan at R. Premadasa Stadium on February 15, 2026 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Credit: ICC via Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x53sc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wj7)
Outlook Mixtape: Daredevils

We hear from Dierdre Wolownick Honnold, mother of the legendary free solo climber Alex Honnold. Dierdre says that her son’s daredevil streak started early in his childhood: Alex would climb any vertical object in his vicinity but she was initially reluctant to follow him upwards. So how did she end up climbing the iconic El Capitan peak in Yosemite National Park as her birthday treat? Dierdre spoke to Emily Webb in 2020.

We also meet a couple who got together while riding motorbikes around a six-metre-high wooden cylinder known as the Wall of Death. Kerri Cameron had originally thought the job involved riding horses but soon after she started working alongside stunt rider Luke Fox, love blossomed among the vintage motorbikes. It goes without saying - like for almost everything in this episode - go watch them, but don't try it yourself. Kerri and Luke spoke to Anu Anand in 2017.

Generations of the Smith family in the USA have perfected the art of flinging themselves through the air - as human cannonballs - with a little help from an ingenious machine. Mobeen Azhar discusses raising the Smiths' aerial craft to ever higher levels with the family patriarch, David 'Cannonball' Smith, and two of his children, David Jnr. and Jennifer, who are also renowned circus performers.

Every person doing stunt work in films - falls, car crashes, that sort of thing - needs nerves of steel and great physical skills. And as the Kenyan actor Kiran Shah knows from experience, if you're the world's smallest professional stuntman you face extra challenges. Kiran has worked with some of the greatest names in Hollywood and acted in blockbusters like Superman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Titanic or Lord of the Rings. As he told Mobeen Azhar in 2025, despite a most thorough preparation, on set things didn’t always go to plan for him.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Compilation producer: Radek Boschetty

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

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


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct7456)
The playboy spy who inspired James Bond

During the 1940s, a playboy spy became one of wartime’s most successful double agents, as well as the reported inspiration behind James Bond.

A gambler and womanizer who spoke several languages, Dusko Popov was approached by a friend working for the Abwehr, Germany’s military intelligence.

But Dusko was vehemently anti-Nazi. He went straight to the British and volunteered his services, adopting the codename 'Agent Tricycle'. Intelligence officers then created realistic - but false - information for Dusko to pass back to his Nazi spymaster.

And it was during this time, that Dusko’s path crossed with a British naval intelligence officer called Ian Fleming, later the creator of James Bond.

Jane Wilkinson tells the story using BBC archives.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Dusko Popov. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x57jh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72xf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x5c8m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db4r90)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhvqk0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4lzy)
10. The King of Fire and Water

Will’s sister is missing. He searches through driving rain and melting snow to find her, as a road becomes a river. The great white horse again comes to his aid and, when lightning strikes, a ship rises bearing a long-dead king. 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 (w3ct6w08)
Did AI researchers let AI hallucinations into scientific papers?

AI can make mistakes – and AI chatbots like ChatGPT warn you about that whenever you ask them anything.

These mistakes sometimes involve making up entirely fictitious, factually false statements known as “hallucinations”.

Whether these hallucinations matter depends on what you’re using AI for, and whether they are spotted and corrected.

The team on More or Less were slightly surprised to read a headline in Fortune magazine, claiming that a top academic AI conference accepted research papers which contained 100 AI-hallucinated citations.

You might think that the top AI researchers in the world would be careful about using AI to write their research papers.

Alex Cui, CTO and co-founder of GPTZero – whose company discovered the hallucinations – explains what’s going on.

CREDITS:
Presenter and producer: Tom Colls
Sound mix: James Beard
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Editor: Richard Vadon


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x5h0r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8lmfkf1qq)
Trump unveils new 10% global tariff

US President Donald Trump has imposed a new 10% global tariff to replace those struck down by the Supreme Court. The justices ruled that he exceeded his powers when he imposed additional tariffs on many of America’s trading partners.
Also in the program, the government in Gambia has expressed concern about its nationals being lured into fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine.
And we speak to the Sámi DJ collective Article 3, performing at the annual Norwegian arts festival Barents Spektakel. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Russia–Norway–Finland border, which split Sámi communities across the region.
Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Paul Melly, journalist and consulting fellow with the Africa Programme at the Chatham House think tank, and Yasmeen Serhan, an American British journalist and digital features editor at Reuters.

(PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House, following the Supreme Court's ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority when he imposed tariffs, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 20, 2026. Credit: REUTERS)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x5lrw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8lmfkf5gv)
New 10% global tariff announced by Trump

We start with the US Supreme Court ruling that President Trump exceeded his powers when he imposed additional tariffs on many of America’s trading partners. The Court said the President was not authorised to use national emergency laws to impose the import taxes, which may now have to be refunded.
Then to India, where global tech leaders met in Delhi this week at a summit to discuss the future of AI.
Also, Reverend Jesse Jackson IV died this week at the age of eighty. His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the US political spectrum and beyond. His 1972 appearance on the children’s show Sesame Street was also widely remembered. We'll hear from his son.

(PHOTO: US President Trump holds a press conference after Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, Washington, USA - 20 Feb 2026. Credit: EPA)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x5qj0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8lmfkf96z)
U.S. trading partners react to Trump’s new set of tariff

U.S. trading partners began weighing fresh uncertainties after President Donald Trump vowed to impose a new tariff on imports, just hours after the Supreme Court struck down many of the sweeping levies he used to launch a global trade war.
Also, Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was taken into custody as police investigated allegations that he shared official documents with the late American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has denied any wrongdoing.
And we speak to Ukrainian food writer Alissa Timoshkina about her latest cookbook, Kapusta: Vegetable‑Forward Recipes from Eastern Europe, which has won one of the prestigious 2025 André Simon Food & Drink Book Awards.

(PHOTO: Traders react to Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs, on the floor of the NYSE in New York, on February 20, 2026. Credit: REUTERS


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x5v84)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct6rny)
Remembering Ukrainians who have lost their lives in the war

Just before dawn on the 24th of February 2022, Russia launched its full-scale attack on Ukraine. Since then, it’s estimated that hundreds of thousands on both sides have been killed.

In this special edition, we hear from families of fighters, civilians and journalists about their loved ones and the impact on those left behind.

“Our son was so tiny when his father was killed and it was really hard to tell him what happened,” Inna tells us. “It’s really important to be honest with kids – I couldn’t tell him that his father had just died, because it’s not true, I had to tell him that somebody else took his life.”

Our guests include Nastya, who shares the music she wrote in memory of her father, and Helen whose talented daughter never realised her dreams. We also feature music from Vitaliy and his friend Andriy. And we hear about two journalists who lost their lives reporting on the war.

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producers: Ben Davis and Kira Fomenko
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

A Boffin Media production in partnership with BBC Outside Source.

(photo: Andriy Pilshchikoe who died in combat. Credit: Lilia Averyanoea)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhw6jj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Americast (w3ct8bz5)
Who is Tucker Carlson and what does he tell us about the future of MAGA?

Who are the people shaping MAGA ideology in the US? Tucker Carlson’s story tells a larger one about just how much conservative media has changed in the United States, and the direction of conservatism itself.

Jason Zengerle, New Yorker staff writer and author of ‘Hated by All the Right People’, joins us to map Tucker Carlson’s trajectory from centre-right talk show host to one of the most prominent figures in the MAGA movement, with the ear of the president and a knack for gauging the mood of the base.

Anthony and Justin discuss Carlson and the future of the conservative movement, as well as the other prominent figures spearheading it. Where is the Make America Great Again movement going - and who will lead it after Trump?

HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
• Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent

GUEST:
Jason Zengerle, Staff Writer at the New Yorker and Author, ‘Hated By All The Right People’

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

This episode was made by Rufus Gray, Grace Reeve and Kris Jalowiecki. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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

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

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

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

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


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x5z08)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8792)
When sport leads somewhere new

Linda Ashmore, Ironman competitor and age-group world champion, shows us that qualifying for the world stage can come later in life.

Team GB cyclist and bobsledder Victoria Williamson shares her journey from a devastating crash to redefining herself beyond elite sport, embracing a new path in health and fitness.

Former Premier League footballer Jody Craddock reveals how he is building a second career as a professional artist and discovering creativity beyond the pitch.

Basketball storyteller Leigh Ellis, founder of the Basketball Passport, on playing pickup games around the world and the power of sport to bring people together.

Each story exploring reinvention, identity and the courage it takes to leap into something new.

(Photo: Triathletes compete in the 3.8km swim during the Ironman World Championships on 10 October, 2015, Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Credit: Jason Rappaport/Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x62rd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db5grs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhwg0s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78c8)
What’s the future of US-Europe relations?

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses the state of the transatlantic alliance, explores whether the Iranian regime can survive, and looks at the consequences of the repeal of key environmental regulations in the United States.

Producer: Kate Cornell
Executive Producer: Benedick Watt
Commissioning Editor: Vara Szajkowski


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x66hj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 The Documentary (w3ct8ywm)
The dream makers: The experimental new field of dream engineering

In Christopher Nolan’s 2010 blockbuster Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio’s protagonist is paid to implant an idea into a target’s subconscious. If you look the film up, its genre is listed as being ‘science fiction’ - but could that soon have to be revised?

Dream engineering is an experimental new field - with scientists, dream researchers and engineers pursuing the goal of influencing our thoughts as we sleep.

For some, the idea holds the promise of a bright future, with benefits for our memories, creativity and wellbeing.

On the other hand, though, the ethical issues it causes amid the unregulated world of an emerging technology have led to warnings of a future where our very dreams could be for sale.

Anand Jagatia investigates the fascinating potential and developing concerns over what the future of dream engineering could hold.


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x6b7n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zsslc3fbgt8)
Trump imposes new 10% tariff after Supreme Court rejection

US President Donald Trump has imposed a new 10% global tariff to replace ones struck down by the Supreme Court, calling the ruling "terrible" and lambasting the justices who rejected his trade policy as "fools".

Also on the programme, French President Emmanuel Macron has appealed for calm ahead of a march in Lyon remembering a right-wing student activist who was killed by suspected left-wing extremists earlier this month; and, conservationists are celebrating the reintroduction of giant tortoises to one of the Galapagos Islands -- nearly two centuries after the sub-species was wiped out.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Solicitor General D. John Sauer attend a press briefing at the White House, following the Supreme Court's ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority when he imposed tariffs, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 20, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x6fzs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztr0np5v2c7)
Live Sporting Action

We have live Premier League commentary of Aston Villa against Leeds United. The former DR Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani and the former Liverpool and England striker Natasha Dowie will join Lee James to build up to that as well as Chelsea v Burnley and Brentford v Brighton.

Away from football, we’ll get the latest from the Winter Olympics on the penultimate day of action at the 2026 Games. We’ll speak to USA Olympic gold medallist Elana Meyers Taylor after she secured her first Olympic gold medal at the fifth attempt, on her fifth attempt, becoming the oldest individual Olympic champion at a Winter Games. We’ll also speak to two time Olympic gold medallist with Canada Scott Neidermayer ahead of the men’s ice hockey final on Sunday.

It’s also England v Ireland and Wales v Scotland at the Six Nations and New Zealand are in action in the first Super 8s game at the T20 World Cup.

Photo: Anton Stach of Leeds United battles for possession with Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa before Lukas Nmecha of Leeds United scores his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Aston Villa at Elland Road on November 23, 2025 in Leeds, England. (Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x6xz9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db69zp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhx97p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4lzy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zt0)
The X Games

In 1995, Canadian BMXer Jay Miron took part in the first ever Extreme Games.

A celebration of action sports like skateboarding and BMXing, the event - now rebranded the X Games - has been held every year since and become a global phenomenon.

Jay Miron, known in the sport as 'The Canadian Beast', tells Guy Kilty how one US TV network's decision to televise the first ever Extreme Games changed his life and his sport overnight.

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: Jay at the X Games in 2001. Credit: Elsa/Getty Images)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x71qf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723y)
Is the 2026 World Cup an own goal?

The 2026 men’s football World Cup will be the biggest ever staged. For the first time, 48 teams will compete, playing more than 100 matches across North America.

But the expanded scale comes at a cost. Ticket prices are far higher than at the last World Cup in Qatar. With matches also spread across the US, Mexico and Canada, attending the tournament is becoming unaffordable for many global fans.

FIFA says higher revenues will be reinvested to grow the game worldwide and has released some lower-priced tickets for dedicated supporters, but some fan groups say this isn’t going far enough.

This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: Is the 2026 World Cup an own goal?

Contributors:
Dr Christina Philippou, associate professor in sport finance at the University of Portsmouth, UK
Dr Victor Matheson, professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, US
Dr Johan Rewilak, associate professor of sport management at Loughborough University, UK
Miguel Delaney, chief football writer, The Independent newspaper in the UK

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Matt Toulson
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: Cameron Ward
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed during the FIFA World Cup 2026. Credit: Pool/Getty Images)


SAT 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhxdzt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:32 Happy News (w3ct6tzn)
The Happy Pod: Former teacher celebrated as a crocodile

After identifying a new species of ancient crocodile for his PhD, Ewan Bodenham honoured his favourite physics teacher who inspired him many years before. Galahadosuchus jonesi has been named after Rhys Jones - who says it is a privilege.

Plus, the school in Brazil that many gave up on a decade ago wins a prestigious international award. A woman has been reunited with her prosthetic leg 10 months after she lost it in the sea. We hear about the dog that led police in Louisville to a missing three-year-old and the Mosque that went viral for sharing videos of a Pilates class for men over the age of 50.

Presenter: Oliver Conway
Music: Iona Hampson

(Photo: Galahadosuchus jonesi head with its mouth open. Credit: Matt Dempsey)


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x75gk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvn)
Oscar nominated cinematographer Adolpho Veloso

Nikki Bedi is joined by critic Katie Puckrik to discuss cultural highlights of the week:

Oscar winning British actor Riz Ahmed on his film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, set in London

Hollywood star Kristen Stewart on her directorial debut, The Chronology of Water

Japanese composer Dai Fujikura talks about turning Hokusai’s famous painting, The Great Wave, into a new opera

Author Sadiqa Johnson reveals how the real history of a Black American GI in Germany inspired her latest novel

Oscar nominated Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso, tells Nikki Bedi about his filming techniques for Train Dreams

And Kirsty Sinclair Dootson explains her dual fascination with the mid twentieth century explosion in colour film coinciding with social and political changes in India.

(Photo: Adolpho Veloso. Credit: Courtesy of Adolpho Veloso)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x796p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zsslc3fcfs9)
Trump says he will increase his new global tariffs to 15%

US President Donald Trump has said he will increase his worldwide tariff from 10% to 15%, as he continued to rail against a Supreme Court ruling that struck down his previous import taxes.

Also on the programme: far right French activists have marched through the city of Lyon after a nationalist student was beaten to death; and OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, has said it considered alerting the Canadian authorities to the activities of a person who later carried out one of the worst mass shootings in the country's history.

(Photo: President Trump addresses a press conference about the Supreme Court's striking down of most of his tariffs in the briefing room at the White House in Washington, DC on 20 February 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x7dyt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db6sz6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhxs76)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72f9)
This is Africa

DJ Edu’s pan-African music show for the BBC World Service.


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x7jpy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8792)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]

SUNDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2026

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x7ng2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct6rny)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhy0qg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct8ywn)
Give me my child back

Greenlandic parents across Denmark are fighting to be reunited with their children who were taken into care after authorities used ‘parenting competency tests’ as part of assessments to judge their ability to raise them. After banning the tests for use on Greenlandic people, the Danish government has now pledged to review around 300 cases where a child was forcibly removed from their parents.

BBC World Service’s global health reporter Sofia Bettiza hears from those who argue what happened to them was cruel and unjust. She speaks to a Greenlandic mother and father who can't visit their son anymore because he has been adopted by another family. The programme explores what these parenting competency tests are and why they were used in the first place. The Danish politician in charge of the review explains how their court system gets involved in making custody decisions and why it won’t be possible or appropriate to return every Greenlandic child to their biological parents.

Presenter: Sofia Bettiza
Producer: Woody Morris and Nick Holland
Editor: Claire Williams

(Photo: Keira. Credit: Sofia Bettiza)


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x7s66)
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SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db756l)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhy4gl)
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SUN 01:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4lzy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zt0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x7wyb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db78yq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhy86q)
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SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkq)
Surviving without lungs for 48 hours

How a patient survived for 48 hours without lungs. Too ill to receive a lung transplant straight away, the man relied on an artificial lung while his body recovered from an infection. As he prepares to repeat the procedure for the first time, Dr Ankit Bharat, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine explains the groundbreaking technique.

Radiotherapy for abdominal cancers can severely damage the uterus and ovaries, causing infertility. However, a team have developed a technique where the uterus is moved out of harm's way during treatment, and now the first baby has been born to a recipient in Europe. Our studio guest today, genito-urinary consultant Vanessa Apea, explains how it worked and what it might mean for patients.

Measles cases are on the rise in many parts of the world with more and more countries losing their elimination status. Rogelio Navarro reports on a particularly significant outbreak in Guadalajara, Jalisco State in Mexico.

Condom use is in decline in Ghana. Will a government intervention on Valentine’s Day make any difference? Plus, a new map for deadly scorpions’ habitat – would you know what to do if you were stung?

Presenter: Laura Foster
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producers: Jonathan Blackwell, Georgia Christie, Anna Charalambou


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x80pg)
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SUN 03:06 The Documentary (w3ct8ywm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x84fl)
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SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsv)
Ukraine: Four Years of War

Max Pearson introduces stories from Ukraine, Iran, and the United States.

February marks four years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Around 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in that time and a large number are considered officially missing. Sarah Rainsford has witnessed the war since the beginning, and on her latest visit to Ukraine she met soldiers and civilians who shared stories of grief, resistance and a desire for peace.

The Iranian government recently put on a show of strength to mark the anniversary of the revolution that saw the return from exile of Ayatollah Khomeini - and the dawn of the Islamic Republic. But 47 years on, Iran has once again experienced widespread unrest, as millions of people took to the streets in nationwide anti-government protests. Lyse Doucet was recently given rare permission to report from Tehran, on condition that none of her material is used on the BBC's Persian Service.

February is traditionally Black History Month in the United States – and this year marks 100 years since the country’s first Black history commemorations. In 1926, the historian Carter G. Woodson founded the first national observance, although it was just for a week. The idea grew in popularity and fifty years later, in 1976, it was extended to a month-long celebration to coincide with the USA’s bicentennial. Lindsay Johns recently embarked on a road trip across the Deep South, to explore the region’s place in the civil rights movement.

Producer: Phoebe Keane
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

(Image: Portraits of fallen Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen and flags covered with snow Credit: Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images)


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhyhpz)
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SUN 04:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct78c8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x885q)
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SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db7n63)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhymg3)
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SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct8ywn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x8cxv)
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SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8lmfkhymt)
Trump hikes global tariffs to 15% in defiance of Supreme Court decision

We discuss US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a new 15% global import tax, a day after the Supreme Court struck down most of his tariff plan,
Also on the programme: Miami Herald investigative reporter Julie K Brown reported on the many allegations surrounding the disgraced financier, Jeffrey Epstein. Her series led to more charges for Epstein and identified nearly 80 of his victims.
And we'll hear from Russian born athlete Vladimir Semirunniy who came to represent Poland and the backlash he has received from some quarters there.
Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Leslie Vinjamuri, president of Chicago Council on Global Affairs and Hugh Lovatt, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

(PHOTO: US President Trump Hosts Governors Dinner at White House, Washington DC, USA - 21 Feb 2026. Credit: EPA)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x8hnz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8lmfkj2cy)
Victims speak out: A survivor on exposing Jeffrey Epstein

We turn the spotlight on Jeffrey Epstein’s victims and those who helped expose him. He never stood trial, he was found dead in his cell in August 2019, months after sex-trafficking charges. Earlier, he had served 13 months in 2008 for soliciting a minor, yet continued to abuse girls for years after. Marina Lacerda met him in New York in 2002 when she was just 14. She tells us what happened next.
Also, Ukraine is about to mark 4 years since Russian forces invaded. The bloodiest war in Europe since WW2, nearly 2 million Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and injured, with millions more people displaced.
And the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics will be held for the first time in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Arena di Verona in Verona. The ancient amphitheatre was built in approximately 30 AD.
Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Leslie Vinjamuri, president of Chicago Council on Global Affairs and Hugh Lovatt, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

(PHOTO: Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein raise their hands at US House Judiciary Committee on 11 Feb 2026. . Credit: Reuters)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x8mf3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8lmfkj642)
“We got used to losing friends”: Ex-tennis pro turned soldier in Ukraine tells his story

“We got used to losing friends”: a former professional tennis player turned soldier tells his story as Ukraine is about to mark 4 years since Russian forces invaded.
We speak to Hamdan Ballal, one of the co-directors of Oscar winning documentary "No other land". It portrays the destruction of Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta, in the West bank, as more Israeli settlers move in and how local Palestinians are treated by them and the Israeli security forces.
Also, Deep Azure, a play written in 2005 by the late actor Chadwick Boseman premieres in the UK. We catch up with its director, Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu talking about the powerful story of love, grief and justice.
Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Leslie Vinjamuri, president of Chicago Council on Global Affairs and Hugh Lovatt, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

(PHOTO: Aftermath of Russian drone and missile strikes in Kyiv on 22 Feb 2026. CREDIT: Reuters)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x8r57)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhz3fm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zv)
The risk takers

Every food company starts with a gamble - and not all of them pay off. In this episode Ruth Alexander speaks to business owners about the risks they’ve taken to get where they are today, from financial leaps to personal sacrifices, and the painful decisions that have shaped their journeys.

Ruth hears from Kim Kiarie, chef-owner of Five Senses Nairobi in Kenya, about building a high-end restaurant in a challenging market. Adonis Norouznia, who runs Nomas Gastrobar in Macclesfield in North-West England, on the risks of deciding to serve meat at his vegan restaurant, and Keith Bearden, CEO and co-owner of Alta Eco Foods in Houston, Texas, about scaling a food business in a competitive industry.

They describe the compromises that cost them dearly, the moments they wondered whether it was all worth it, and what kept them going.

Produced by Izzy Greenfield

Image description: A foot comes down amidst a cartoon landscape of bright yellow banana skins. Credit Getty.


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x8vxc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyy)
Who cares for the carers?

Millions of people around the world are unpaid carers, providing help for a friend or family member who due to illness or disability cannot cope without their support. For some this may be a few hours a week but for many this can be a round-the-clock role. This can lead to the carer being unable to work or take part in other activities and their own health and mental wellbeing suffering.

We visit a Community Caring Centre in Bangladesh that provides care for disabled children and enables the carers to have time to work or rest as well as from the charity Carers Worldwide. And in the UK we find out about a charity that offers low cost hotel rooms for carers to use for a night’s respite away from their caring duties.

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

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer/reporter: Louise Pepper
Bangladesh reporter: Tahmeed Chaudhury
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Hal Haines


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhz75r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70vb)
Ukraine after four years of war

The 24th of February will be the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Irena Taranyuk is joined by several of her BBC Ukrainian colleagues to talk about people who are continuing to fight and live in the country. Victoria Kalimbet talks about her pride of her home city, Kharkiv, one of the most attacked Ukrainian cities in the war. Nataliia Patrikieieva explains how dating has changed in Ukraine, as so many of the population are fighting on the frontlines. Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia editor at BBC monitoring and presenter of Ukrainecast, tells us about how some Ukrainians attempt to 'decatastrophise' the war, and his investigation into what is happening in his grandmother's house in occupied Zaporizhia region.


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 Irena Taranyuk

Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson


(Photo: Irena Taranyuk)


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x8znh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db8cnw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhzbxw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4lzy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6w08)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x93dm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct6rny)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhzgp0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcx)
Fixing Chile’s fashion graveyard

Chile’s Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on earth – often likened to Mars. It’s also home to piles of dumped clothes from fast fashion labels across the world. Because it’s so dry nothing decomposes. And that means that clothes ditched 10 to 20 years ago still look recognisable. Sometimes the mountains of clothes are burnt causing toxic fumes which harm the local community of Alto Hospicio.

This environmental crisis has been going on for years. It’s a complex situation with multiple players involved. But different groups are starting to take action.

For Assignment, Jane Chambers travels to the Atacama Desert to meet activists and locals trying to raise awareness. An enormous giant – El Gigante Vestido – is being created in the desert out of used clothes to get people talking.

We’ll hear if Chile’s authorities, businesses, activists and members of the local community are doing enough to make a significant difference to the clothes crisis.

Producer: Jane Chambers Sound engineer: Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Photo: El Gigante Vestido, a huge replica of the Gigante de Tarapacá built out of used t-shirts by architects Andrés Echeverría and Victoria García to raise awareness of the clothes being dumped in the Atacama Desert. Credit: Andrés Díaz)


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x974r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zsslc3ffcqc)
Russia launches huge overnight bombing of Ukraine

*Ukraine says Russia has carried out another massive overnight attack, involving 50 missiles and nearly 300 drones.

Speaking two days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said the latest attacks targeted his country's energy sector as well as residential buildings.

We'll hear from a Ukrainian professional sportsman-turned-soldier on what the nearly four years of war have done to his country.

Also in the programme: The students protesting in Iran for the first time since last month's deadly crackdown; Canada and the US face off in the men's ice hockey final. And the Norwegian crowned the Winter Olympics' greatest ever athlete.

(Photo shows houses heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine on 22 February 2026. Credit: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x9bww)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct7038)
China's green energy revolution

China is installing solar panels and wind turbines so fast that its greenhouse gases emissions may now have peaked. If this trend is confirmed, it would be a major milestone in the fight against climate change because China is the world's largest polluter.

The BBC’s Beijing Correspondent Laura Bicker has travelled across China to see the country’s clean energy revolution first hand.

She’s visited solar farms in the deserts of Inner Mongolia and in the tea plantations of Yunnan. Laura even discovered a huge lake with panels floating on the surface!

But she also saw how China’s addiction to coal is continuing – with new power plants still being built and many poorer Chinese needing to burn coal to get through the winter.

In this edition of The Climate Question, Laura chats about her reporting with hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar. They discuss whether the world’s biggest polluter is moving fast enough to meet its green energy targets, and what that means for China and the rest of the world.

Got a question you’d like answered? Email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com

Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Guest: Laura Bicker, BBC China Correspondent
Producer in China: Joyce Liu
Production Team in London: Simon Watts and Grace Braddock
Sound Mix: Philip Bull and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts

Image: BBC - Solar panels in Yunnan, China


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxhzq58)
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SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct6tzn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:32 on Saturday]


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x9gn0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172ztr0np5y30g)
Live Sporting Action

John Bennett presents live Premier League commentary of the North London Derby between Spurs and Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. John will be joined by Sportsworld's Mani Djazmi and the former Spurs and Cameroon defender Sebastien Bassong to build up to our commentary game, as well as discussing Sunday's other three Premier League games and the weekend's other big talking points.


We'll also discuss the final day of the Winter Olympics and the day's action at the men's T20 World Cup, including India v South Africa and England v Sri Lanka in the Super 8s.

Photo: Leandro Trossard of Arsenal scores his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium on November 23, 2025 in London, England. (Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx455x9ymj)
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SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db9bmx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxj09wx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 Over to You (w3ct8sh3)
How is social media used on BBC World Service?

Social media has come a long way from a place where you just connect with family and friends. Qasa Alom looks at how the BBC World Service uses social media in investigations, how BBC output is promoted across social media platforms and how social media is covered on the network.

Qasa speaks to Simi Jolaoso, the presenter and producer of the BBC Eye and World of Secrets podcast and documentary film The Child Cancer Scam. She tells us how her and the team used social media to find the face behind the scam.

We speak to Jonathan Hill and Sara Lentati of the BBC World Service social media team. We hear their strategy for 2026 and why the World Service’s Instagram caption reads “Stories of wonder, nature, science, spirituality and incredible personal journeys from around the world.”

The weekly programme Tech Life “discovers and explains the ways technology is changing our lives”. Qasa speaks to presenter Shiona McCallum about how the programme covers social media and holds the platforms accountable.

Presenter: Qasa Alom
Producer: Jill Achineku
Executive producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for BBC World Service


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx455xb2cn)
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SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72xf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx455xb63s)
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SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zsslc3fgbpd)
Secret Service shoot armed man at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago

An armed man has been shot dead after entering the secure perimeter of US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the Secret Service has said. We speak to a local reporter who has been at Mar-a-Lago several times.

Also on the programme: there has been a second day of protests at Iranian universities with crowds chanting, "Death to the dictator"; and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 come to an end following 16 days of sporting delight.

(Photo: President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort after Secret Service and local police shot and killed a man armed with a shotgun after he breached a secure perimeter of the resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx455xb9vx)
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SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwll9db9pw9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxj0p49)
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SUN 22:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70vb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx455xbfm1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct7038)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxylxj0swf)
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SUN 23:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:32 today]

MONDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2026

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6gdmb)
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MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t4rwq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8tyl)
How to bury radioactive waste

A small but mighty problem: what to do with the radioactive waste we have already made? Professor Clare Corkhill from the University of Bristol gives us the run down on how radioactive waste is created.

In Onkalo Finland, Victoria Gill visits the first national facility able to provide a long term solution to nuclear waste by burying it deep underground, which is due to begin operations this year.

But how can you stop future civiliations from digging it up again? Journalist Mark Piesing has written on the issue, and artist Gair Dunlop at the University of Dundee has for several years co-convened an international, interdisciplinary collaboration known as the Nuclear Culture Research Group looking at the best ways of deterring trespass over hundreds of millions of years hence.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton and Victoria Gill
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Editor: Martin Smith
Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6gjcg)
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MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmfxcv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t4wmv)
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MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6sxb)
The Life Scientific: Caroline Smith

Caroline Smith is passionate about space rocks, whether they’re samples collected from the surface of asteroids and the Moon and hopefully Mars one day soon, or meteorites, those alien rock fragments that have survived their fiery descents through our atmosphere to land here on Earth. She is Head of Collections and Principal Curator of Meteorites at the Natural History Museum, home to one of the finest meteorite collections in the world. Her interest in rocks began while wandering the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, as a child, picking up the ones that caught her eye and bashing them with a hammer, hoping to find treasure inside, whether it’s gold, diamonds or dinosaur fossils. Her work today, studying rocks that have landed here on Earth or those still out there in space, is no less ambitious. She analyses their chemical composition looking for tantalising clues that might reveal how our Solar System formed, and potentially the presence of the chemical building blocks necessary for life itself.


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6gn3l)
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MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmg13z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t50cz)
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MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6sv2)
Why don't more animals have opposable thumbs?

On a recent kayaking trip, CrowdScience listener Lanier sliced through his right thumb, putting it out of action for a while. This made life difficult, as he couldn’t button his shirt, tie his shoelaces or type efficiently on his smartphone. Missing the use of his thumb made him wonder: since opposable thumbs are so advantageous to those of us who have them, why didn’t they evolve in more species?

Host Marnie Chesterton unpicks the evolution of our own unique thumbs with the help of paleoanthropologist Tracy Kivell, learning how our grip compares to that of other animals. We discover why mammals like horses and dogs have no use for thumbs, and why we humans don’t have opposable big toes.

Meanwhile, at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, senior keepers Tarryn Williams Clow and Bec Russell-Cook introduce us to two different marsupials. Humphrey the koala has not one but two thumbs on each hand. Why did koalas develop this anatomical quirk when their closest living relative, the wombat, has spade-like digits? Dr Mark Eldridge from the Australian Museum shares his hypothesis.

And what if we, too, had another thumb? Marnie tries on a robotic Third Thumb, built by designer Dani Clode. Dani has collaborated with neuroscientists from the Plasticity Lab at the University of Cambridge. She tells us what the Third Thumb has revealed about the human brain and how we control our digits.

Presented by Marnie Chesterton

Produced by Cathy Edwards and Margaret Sessa Hawkins for the BBC World Service

(Photo: Kung-Fu Koala - stock photo Credit: Alex BOISSY / Getty Images)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6grvq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xyy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t5443)
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MON 03:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70vb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Sunday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6gwlv)
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MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmg8m7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t57w7)
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MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct70b2)
Women-only living

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women in France and Canada about why single-sex living spaces appeal to older women.

Pat Dunn is 75 and started a Facebook group for senior women wanting to share a living space, after her husband died six years ago. There she found two housemates with whom she has lived ever since. Pat now runs a non-profit called SWLT (Senior Women Living Together) that helps other women in Ontario find similar setups. Her Facebook community has over two thousand members.

Hanne Nuutinen co-founded La Joie Homebase in France in 2024: co-living spaces for women who want to stay there for weeks or months at a time. Their ‘homebases’ cater to globally mobile women, typically aged 50–80. Many of the women are still professionally active, while others are pursuing hobbies or independent travel. Their residents come from France, the United States, Africa and the UK.

Produced by Jane Thurlow and Becca Johns

(Image: (L) Pat Dunn, courtesy Pat Dunn. (R) Hanne Nuutinen, courtesy Hanne Nuutinen.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6h0bz)
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MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmfdck)
Zelensky says Putin has started WW3 and must be stopped

Speaking to the BBC, the Ukrainian leader was confident that a thirty year American security guarantee as part of an eventual peace settlement could be be trusted.

Violence has broken out across Mexico, after El Mencho -- the leader of one of the country's most feared drug cartels -- was killed in an army operation.

The United Nations says that more that two-hundred-thousand people have been forced out of their homes as violence continues to threaten civilian lives in South Sudan’s Jonglei stat.

(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gives a statement before the Ewald von Kleist Award ceremony at the 62nd Munich Security Conference; Credit: Ronald Vittek/EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6h433)
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MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmfj3p)
Zelensky continues to send out a firm message of defiance

Mr Zelensky accused President Putin of trying to impose a different way of life on the world -- warning that the Russian leader would "not stop" at Ukraine. The conflict has led to hundreds of thousands of casualties.

Mexico's most wanted drug lord, El Mencho, has been killed in a military operation. The defence ministry says he died while being flown to the capital, New Mexico. Violence has broken out in the western state of Jalisco following the operation.

We'll also look at what Donald Trump's order to impose new tariffs means after the Supreme Court ruled against the previous order. We'll speak to Mr. Trump's former trade advisor.

(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor; Credit: Sean Gallup/EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6h7v7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmfmvt)
Zelensky warns that the Russian leader would "not stop" at Ukraine

In an interview ahead of Tuesday's fourth anniversary of Moscow's full-scale invasion of his country, Mr Zelensky accused President Putin of trying to impose a different way of life on the world.

The killing of Mexico's most wanted man has sparked violence in many cities. We'll find out what it means for the cartel he led.

Arsenal shows superior quality in their 4-1 north London derby win against Tottenham.

(Photo: People take part in a solidarity protest ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine; Credit: Alejandro Martinez Velez/Reuters)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6hclc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x10)
José Andrés, chef and humanitarian: Food is a human right

“Food is a human right that should be supported by everybody, no children should go to bed hungry, even less in a conflict."

Caitriona Perry speaks to José Andrés world-renowned chef and humanitarian.

Andrés was born in Spain and trained as a chef before moving to the United States, where he helped popularise Spanish cuisine and built a global restaurant empire.

He later founded World Central Kitchen, an organisation that has transformed the way humanitarian aid responds to crisis, delivering meals in war zones, after natural disasters, and in communities where hunger is a daily reality.

José Andrés reflects on food, power, and why feeding people is inseparable from dignity and justice.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Hind Kabawat Syria's only woman minister, Antonio Guterres the UN Secretary General and the director Chloe Zhao.. 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: Caitriona Perry
Producers: Chloe Ross, Farhana Haider
Editor: Damon Rose

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

(Image: José Andrés Credit: Pief Weyman/NBC via Getty Images)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t5qvr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rz0)
The deepfake CEOs

Fraudsters are increasingly using deepfake videos of CEOs and other company executives to trick firms out of millions of dollars. And with the evolution of AI, these videos are becoming ever-more sophisticated and convincing.

We speak to two CEOs who have been deepfaked: the head of the Bombay stock exchange and the boss of password security company LastPass. And we hear how criminals used deepfake videos to trick British engineering firm Arup into handing over $25 million.

How easy is it to make these videos? Ed Butler visits a cybersecurity company which shows him how it can be done, using readily available software. Ed's hosts make a deepfake of him and we compare the real Ed to the fake Ed. We also put figures on the size of this problem and explain how much it's costing businesses.

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

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Gideon Long
Sound Mix: Toby James

Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

Each episode is a 17-minute deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.

We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol.

(Picture: An image of a man in a cap being deepfaked. Credit: Getty Images)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct747h)
The storming of Spain's parliament

In February 1981, armed Civil Guards tried to take control of the Spanish parliament.

A total of 350 politicians were held hostage for 18 hours in the debating chamber including Joaquin Almunia, a young Socialist MP.

In 2021, he spoke to Claire Bowes.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Picture: Colonel Antonio Tejero attempts to take over the Spanish parliament with the Guardia Civil. Credit: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6hhbh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmgwbw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t5vlw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6sv2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6hm2m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct71x5)
The Shetland Bus and toxic shock syndrome

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Professor Guri Hjeltnes, an author and World War Two historian.

We start with Nazi Germany’s occupation of Norway during World War Two by hearing about a secret resistance operation known as “The Shetland Bus”.

Then, we learn about a playboy spy who, during the 1940s, became one of wartime’s most successful double agents and the reported inspiration behind James Bond.

We hear how a black and white photograph taken in 1982, of a mother and her young daughter raising their arms in protest, became a symbol of Argentina’s resistance.

Plus, the public health crisis in America in 1980 that led to the setting up of the Tampon Task Force.

In sport, we speak to the BMX rider known as "The Canadian Beast" who took part in the first Extreme Games in 1995.

Finally, we hear from an Austrian mountaineer who spent seven years in Tibet and, in 1948, became friends with the country’s spriritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Contributors:

Leif Larsen – Norwegian sailor and a skipper on “The Shetland Bus”.

Dusko Popov – British double agent during World War Two.

Adriana Lestido - Argentinian newspaper photographer.

Nancy King Reame – Professor Emerita Columbia University and researcher with the Tampon Task Force.

Jay Miron - Canadian BMX rider.

Heinrich Harrer – Austrian mountaineer who became a tutor to the Dalai Lama.

(Photo: Leif Larsen (middle) and other member of The Shetland Bus. Credit: Scalloway Museum)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6hqtr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmh3v4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t6334)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct717t)
The new race to the Moon

More than 50 years since the last Apollo mission, Nasa is preparing to send astronauts back to the Moon.

Artemis II will take its crew farther from Earth than any human has travelled in decades - a crucial step towards landing on the lunar surface once again.
At the same time, China has been quietly advancing its own plans for a crewed Moon landing.

Some experts say this signals the start of a new space race – not just for prestige, but to build a long-term presence on the Moon, tap its resources and use it as a stepping stone to Mars. We speak to the BBC’s Science Editor, Rebecca Morelle.


Producers: Valerio Esposito and Cat Farnsworth

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins


Photo: Official Artemis crew portrait. Josh Valcarcel/NASA Handout/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6hvkw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wr1)
Sects, lies and videotape: A Syrian story, part 1

From a powerful Alawite family in Syria, Loubna Mrie trusted the Assad regime – until witnessing its violent crackdown led her to defy loyalty and secretly film the uprising.

In 2011, 20‑year‑old Loubna Mrie was an English literature student from a high-profile Alawite family, the same minority sect as the Assads who had ruled Syria for decades. For most of her life, loyalty felt like survival. Loubna had grown up believing the Assad regime protected her community, and that dissent was unthinkable. But as the Arab Spring reached Syria, Loubna became curious and secretly went to an anti-government protest in Damascus. Unable even to chant against the president she’d been taught to revere, Loubna’s loyalties collapsed when security forces opened fire on the unarmed demonstrators. Narrowly escaping, Loubna’s decision to side with the uprising brought her into open conflict with her family – especially her father, whose wealth and power had defined her life. Yet with her mother’s encouragement, Loubna stepped into a world she’d been kept apart from: Damascus’ underground activist networks. There, among Syrians from all sects, she began using her Alawite identity as a shield – to slip through government checkpoints, smuggle medical aid, and protect friends who would otherwise be at risk. Loubna also picked up a camera, learning to document the revolution from within, convinced that showing the world what was happening might help change it.

Loubna shares her story over two episodes. In this first episode, she describes her journey from a loyalist upbringing to becoming one of the unlikely young revolutionaries who documented Syria’s uprising. In part two, the same identity that once protected her would soon become a threat when she is mistaken for a spy.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Maryam Maruf

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

(Photo: Loubna Mrie looks directly into the camera. Her long brown hair is piled high on her head in a blue and purple wrap, she is wearing a blue and white patterned top . Credit: Joanna Eldredge Morrissey)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct747h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6hzb0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmhcbd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t6bld)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct70b2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6j324)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcqn7mr)
Zelensky: Russia has already started a Third World War

In a BBC interview, the Ukrainian president. Volodymyr Zelensky, has accused President Putin of trying to impose a different way of life on the world, warning that the Russian leader would "not stop" at Ukraine.

Also on the programme: the International Criminal Court has opened hearings to decide if the former Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, should face trial for crimes against humanity; and we speak to Wagner Moura, star of the Oscar-nominated Brazilian film The Secret Agent.


(Photo: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) at the hotel 'Bayerischer Hof', in Munich, Germany. Credit: Ronald Wittek/EPA/Shutterstock.)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6j6t8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x10)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t6l2n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rz0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct886t)
Nations react to US tariff chaos

Countries around the world are once again facing a lack of clarity over US trade policy, following the US Supreme Court's ruling that the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are illegal. In response, President Trump said he'll immediately introduce a new fifteen per cent import tax.

Both India and the EU postpone progress on trade with the US as they try and work out what new tariff arrangements mean for them.

Plus we hear from the boss of Netflix about the ongoing battle to buy Warner Brothers Discovery.


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6jbkd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 Outside Source (w1730688ygll6pc)
Violence in Mexico after top drug lord is killed

Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has praised the armed forces for the operation that killed the country's most wanted man, El Mencho. The drug lord died on Sunday from injuries suffered during an attempt to capture him. His gang has unleashed a wave of violence in response. We get the latest from our regional analyst and bring together three Mexican journalists to share how insecurity affects the everyday lives of ordinary people.

The International Criminal Court has opened hearings to decide if the former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte should face trial for alleged crimes against humanity. We speak to our correspondent in the Hague.

This week marks four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We speak to our regional analyst about President Zelensky's BBC interview, and we hear about the mood among Russians in Lipetsk region. Throughout the week, we are also hearing messages from Ukrainians who have lost their loved ones in the war.

Donald Trump's tariff policy "hasn't changed", the US president's trade representative has insisted, despite the Supreme Court moving on Friday. We have the latest from our business correspondent.

Presenter: Pria Rai.

(Photo: A Mexican soldier stands atop an armored vehicle patroling along the street, after authorities reinforced security following roadblocks and arson attacks carried out by organised crime in several states in Acapulco, Mexico, February 22, 2026. Credit: Henry Romero/Reuters)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6jg9j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 Outside Source (w1730688ygllbfh)
Living with Tourette syndrome

Rober Aramayo, who portrays the life of John Davidson, a campaigner for Tourette syndrome, has won the best actor at the British Academy Film Awards. We hear a conversation with people who have Tourette’s.

Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has praised the armed forces for the operation that killed the country's most wanted man, El Mencho. His gang has unleashed a wave of violence in response. We bring together three Mexican journalists to share how insecurity affects the everyday lives of ordinary people.

Britain's former ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, has been arrested. Police are investigating the former government minister on suspicion of misconduct in public office, over his links with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. We have the latest from our political correspondent.

Presenter: Pria Rai.

(Photo: Robert Aramayo poses with the Leading Actor Award for 'I Swear' and the EE Rising Star Award during the 79th British Academy Film Awards, at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London. February 22, 2026. PA Photo. Credit: Ian West/PA Wire)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6jl1n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wr1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct747h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6jpss)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmj2t5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t7225)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z6c)
2026/02/23 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 (w172zwx4jg6jtjx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t75t9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6sxc)
The Life Scientific: Julia Simner

Imagine if you were listening to an opera or a Taylor Swift concert, and as the lights in the auditorium dimmed, the music was accompanied by a rainbow of colours only you could see. Perhaps while listening to your friends talking, you simultaneously experience a smorgasbord of tastes, with different words evoking different flavours, maybe a delicious ice cream, or something as disgusting as ear wax...
This merging of the senses is known as synaesthesia, and it’s the rich research world of neuropsychologist Professor Julia Simner. Julia runs the Multisense lab at the University of Sussex and has pioneered research into understanding how special brains process our sensory world in special ways. In the studio she tests Jim to see if he might be a synaesthete or have aphantasia, which is the inability to view images in the mind’s eye. The results are surprising.
Julia’s discovered links to autism, and to different personality types, as well as a number of previously unknown sensory differences.
She describes her career and her life as a series of swerves, or sliding door moments, that have led her to study the subject and the people she’s passionate about. She says that the more she looks for these unusual traits in us the more she finds.


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6jy91)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcqp2vn)
Violence unleashed in Mexico after death of drug lord

Unrest has erupted in at least 20 states across Mexico, and thousands of troops have been deployed to maintain order after the country's most wanted cartel leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes - known as "El Mencho" - died after being captured on Sunday.

Also on the programme: US and Iranian officials have confirmed that negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme will resume on Thursday; and we hear from Lauren Wyatt, who has Tourette's syndrome and is an advocate for the National Neurodiversity Youth Council, about the racial slur shouted by a man at the Bafta film awards who also lives with the condition.

(Photo: A burnt bus on the highway connecting Mexico City with the state of Puebla, following roadblocks and arson attacks carried out by members of organized crime after the death of Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho". Credit: REUTERS/Paola Garcia)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6k215)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmjg1k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t7f9k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76v5)
EU puts its trade deal with the US on hold

We look at one of the world's biggest trading blocks the EU which has now delayed ratifying its trade deal with the EU. Rahul Tandon talks to the retailer from Colorado and Ulrike Malmendier, a member of the German Council of Economic experts.

Also, we find out what is the current situation in Puerto Vallarta in Mexico.

And the boss of Netflix, Ted Sarandos tells the BBC its bid for Warner Brothers is better than a rival one from Paramount.

(Picture: "Press conference after special summit to discuss transatlantic relationship", Credit: Reuters)


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6k5s9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x10)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t7k1p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct70b2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2026

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6k9jf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71x5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6kf8k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmjt8y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t7sjy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct717t)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Monday]


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6kk0p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmjy12)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t7x92)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcy)
Russia's Church in Texas

Not that long ago many church-going Americans saw Russia as a godless place, an “evil empire” in the words of Ronald Reagan. But in President Trump’s second term, US-Russia relations have been turned on their head. Last year, the White House sided with the Kremlin at the United Nations, voting against a resolution to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This seismic shift is also being felt in parishes across America. Increasing numbers of US Catholics and Protestants are embracing Eastern Orthodoxy. Many converts disillusioned by the showbiz elements in many megachurches, say they are drawn to a faith with enduring traditions. Some, uneasy with social and demographic change, believe the churches they were raised in have lost their authority by going “woke” – shorthand for supporting equal marriage, female clergy, pro-choice, Black Lives Matter and other liberal issues.

Some converts have hundreds of thousands of followers online, and push Kremlin narratives that Russia is the world's last bastion of true Christianity - a few of the most radical have even emigrated there. Last year, Lucy Ash went to Texas – one of the most religious states in the US – to meet some new converts.

Presenter: Lucy Ash
Producer: Linda Pressly
Sound mix: James Beard
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(image: Fr Moses McPherson. Credit: BBC/Lucy Ash)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6knrt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wr1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct747h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6kshy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmk5jb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t84sb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvs)
Jason Gilkison: Choreographer for Strictly Come Dancing

Jason Gilkison has for the past 10 years been the creative force behind the UK's top rating TV show, Strictly Come Dancing, better known around the world as Dancing with the Stars.

Jason is an 8-time World Choreographer nominee who has become internationally renowned for his work creating dance spectaculars for the small screen. Katie Derham talks to Jason about his journey from professional dancer to becoming one of the world’s top – and most watched – choreographers.

TV director Nikki Parsons explains how she and Jason collaborate to translate dance on to the small screen and the particular challenges of choregraphing for the TV cameras. And costume designer Vicky Gill describes the importance of designing costumes that catch the eye. Plus, we go behind the scenes as Jason puts the dancers through their paces to create a showstopper for the final of Strictly Come Dancing 2025.

Image: Jason Gilkison (Credit: Christopher Mann)


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6kx82)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmj98n)
Russian soldiers speak out against the war

A former Russian army medical officer says he was tortured after refusing to send a group of soldiers to a so-called ‘meat storm.

Russian strikes on Ukraine have continued, on the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion. Ukrainian officials say five people --including a child-- were injured and several multi-storey buildings were damaged in drone strikes on the city of Zaporizhzhia.

The Mexican authorities say at least sixty two people were killed in the military operation to seize the Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader, known as "El Mencho".

(Photo: Flags fly over graves, including those of Russian soldiers killed during the conflict against Ukraine; Credit: Ramil Sitdikov/Reuters)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6l106)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmjf0s)
Former Russian soldier accuses his superiors of torture

The testimony of Russian soldiers includes witnessing soldiers being executed on the spot for refusing orders. One soldier says he was tortured after refusing to send a group of soldiers to a so-called ‘meat storm’. This is where Russian soldiers are sent forwards to engage Ukrainian positions without support or reconnaissance.

Police in London arrested and are questioning the former UK ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, over his ties to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

And tourists have started leaving western Mexico after being stranded since Sunday when drug cartels unleashed a wave of violence following the killing of their leader, El Mencho.

(Photo: A handout still image taken from a video made available by the Russian Defence Ministry press-service; Credit: Handout/EPA/Shutterstock


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6l4rb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmjjrx)
Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine four years on

Events will be held to mark the four years of war, including in Bucha, where Russian soldiers murdered scores of Ukrainian citizens. Leaders and politicians from across Europe are expected in the capital, Kyiv.

We will hear from an American Congressman and a former Ukrainian Prime Minister.

And in Mexico, people remain on edge after a wave of violence followed the death of the country's most-feared and most wanted drug cartel leaders.

(Photo: A resident cleans an area at the site of the Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine; Credit: Nina Liashonok/ Reuters)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6l8hg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tvx)
The school run by kids

If you could invent a new kind of school what would it look like? What skills would you teach children, and how would the school be run?

On this edition of People Fixing The World we visit the Mechai Pattana School in Thailand which was founded by the campaigner Mechai Viravaidya in 2008, on principles of charity and leadership. Children are responsible for every aspect of running the school, from buying food for the kitchens to disciplining fellow students and even recruiting new staff.

The children also run their own businesses, and perform several hours of community service every week. Many of the students come from underprivileged backgrounds, but their school fees are “paid” by planting 800 trees a year, together with their families.

The idea is for the school to produce “change-makers” – could it be a model for others to follow?

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer/reporter: William Kremer
Series Producer: Jon Bithrey
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Sound mix: Annie Gardiner


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t8mrv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s81)
Why 'scarcity mindset' still persists in India

India is home to more than a billion people. For decades, many families lived with uncertainty around food, water and work. Even as incomes rise and the economy grows, for many people the fear of not having enough remains.

It's called 'scarcity mindset'. We find out how it impacts daily lives.

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

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

Each episode is a 17-minute deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.

We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, Canva CEO Melanie Perkins, and the CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol.

(Picture: A person's hand holding a brown leather wallet filled with Indian Rupee currency bills. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74p2)
The Aga Khan meets Florence Nightingale

In 1898, the British founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, invited the Muslim leader Aga Khan III around to her London home for tea.

They were two of the most famous figures of the 20th century and their discussion was wide-ranging, touching on faith, healthcare and even Queen Victoria.

The Aga Khan, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, spoke to the BBC about the meeting in 1950.

This programme was produced and presented by Rachel Naylor, in collaboration with BBC Archives.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Aga Khan III, June 1924. Credit: MacGregor / Topical Press Agency / Getty Images)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6ld7l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmks7z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t8rhz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6lhzq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6lmqv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnml0r7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t9007)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71db)
Inside Iran after the crackdown

Tensions between the US and Iran are once again escalating, as President Trump has threatened military strikes if Iran refuses to accede to its demands. Iran has responded with warnings that any US strikes will lead to all-out war in the region.

The Iran nuclear talks come as the Iranian government faces the biggest challenge to its survival since 1979. Last month, a protest about the rising costs of living exploded into a nationwide uprising. The response was a brutal crackdown which killed thousands of people.

Having returned from a reporting trip to the capital Tehran, the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, gives us a rare insight into how Iranians are dealing with the aftermath of last month’s protests, continuing economic hardship, and the prospect of a US attack.

Producers: Aron Keller, Viv Jones and Sam Chantarasak

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Iranians walking in Tehran. Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6lrgz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5q)
Sects, lies and videotape: a Syrian story, part 2

While filming in rebel-held Syria, Loubna Mrie is falsely accused of being a spy – an accusation that spirals into a life-threatening ordeal, triggering the deepest loss of her life.

In 2011, Loubna Mrie broke from her loyalist family to join Syria’s underground network of activists. She used her Alawite identity – the same minority sect as the ruling Assads – to move through checkpoints and secretly film anti-government protests, even as it put her in conflict with her powerful father and the regime that had shaped her childhood.

But Loubna’s Alawite background made her a target for both sides. While filming in a rebel-held village, a local commander falsely accused her of being “an Alawite spy” and planned to execute her. Rescued at the last moment by a fellow activist, Loubna fled Syria – uploading a video declaring her support for the uprising before crossing into Turkey. What followed was a shattering personal loss.

From exile, Loubna struggled with grief, guilt and addiction. She lost friends and a partner to the war, survived alone in a new country, and eventually entered rehab – where she learned that Bashar al-Assad had finally fallen from power in Syria. For Loubna, the news was not a triumph but a painful reckoning: the end had come far too late for so many she loved. Loubna’s written a book called Defiance: A Memoir of Awakening, Rebellion, and Survival in Syria.

Loubna shares her story over two episodes. In the previous episode, she described her journey from a loyalist upbringing to becoming one of the unlikely young revolutionaries who documented Syria’s civil war. In part two, the same identity that once protected her puts her in danger.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Maryam Maruf

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

(Photo: Loubna Mrie looks directly into the camera. She has long, brown curly hair and is wearing a black blazer. Credit: Cristias Rosas)


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74p2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6lw73)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnml87h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t97hh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6lzz7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcqr4jv)
Russia-Ukraine war enters fifth year

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky says Vladimir Putin 'has not achieved his goals' and Ukraine will do everything to achieve peace and justice, on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. European leaders are in Kyiv and commemorative events are being held across Ukraine. We hear from Ukrainians about how their lives have changed.

Also in the programme: UK’s first baby born from a transplanted womb from a deceased donor; and researchers have discovered how a horse produces its distinctive whinny.

(Picture: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen before a meeting of 'Coalition of the Willing' in Kyiv. Credit: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6m3qc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tvx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t9gzr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s81)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct888w)
What does Trump's new 10% tariff mean for consumers?

President Trump's new global 10% tariff comes into force today, and could rise to 15% for all of the US's trade partners.

We find out what it means for Americans, and who if anyone could get a refund from the original tariffs.

Plus after four years, what is the economic cost of war for Ukraine?

Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Matt Lines
Editor: Justin Bones


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6m7gh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 Outside Source (w1730688yglp3lg)
War in Ukraine: What happens next?

President Zelensky has praised the endurance of the Ukrainian people on the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion. We hear from Ukrainians who have lost loved ones.

We also hear from Russians on how they have been impacted as analysis by BBC Russian shows that more than 200, 000 Russian soldiers have died in the war.

A new BBC documentary has met with Russian soldiers, who tell of extraordinary brutality unfolding on the Russian frontlines. We speak to Ben Steele who directed ‘The Zero Line: Inside Russia’s War’.

And we join the BBC's News channel for a special programme from Kyiv, with reporters on the ground and around the world.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: A woman reacts as she sits in front of a grave at a local cemetery, decorated with flowers to pay tribute to the victims of the Russian attack on Ukraine, on the day marking the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion, in Chernihiv, Ukraine, 24 February, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Maksym Kishka)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6mc6m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 Outside Source (w1730688yglp7bl)
Ukraine marks four years since Russia's invasion

President Trump has joined other G7 leaders in reaffirming his support for Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion. We hear from Ukrainians and Russians about the impact of the war on them. We also speak to our BBC Ukrainian and Russian Service reporters.

The police in Mexico are searching for a number of inmates sprung from a prison in Puerto Vallarta during a wave of attacks launched by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) on Sunday. We are joined by our reporter in Mexico.

US news anchor Savannah Guthrie has announced her family is offering a million dollar reward for information leading to the return of her kidnapped eighty-four year old mother, Nancy. Our US correspondent joins with the latest.

The US actor Robert Carradine, known for his role in Lizze McGuire, has died aged 71. Carradine's family said he took his own life after living with bipolar disorder for nearly two decades.
We speak to people living with the condition.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa hold each other's hands at a press conference on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, 24 February, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6mgyr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74p2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6mlpw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmlzq8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5t9yz8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zbw)
2026/02/24 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 (w172zwx4jg6mqg0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rcy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tb2qd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zq5)
Hearing my voice again totally blew my mind

AI tech is giving people their lost voices back. We chat to Yvonne Johnson, who has motor neuron disease. She's lost much of her ability to speak. But artificial intelligence is helping Yvonne to be heard again, with her own voice.

Also this week: we discuss AI and the price of memory chips with a big computer manufacturer. And video gaming is booming in Africa.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A photo of Yvonne Johnson. She is smiling directly at the camera. Credit: Portrait Of A Voice.)


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6mv64)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcqrzrr)
Ukrainians reflect on four years of war

It's officially four years since the war in Ukraine began. One of the striking things that has happened to mark it has been a united statement of encouragement for Ukraine from leaders of the G7 group of countries, including the US. We hear from a Ukrainian mother and son about the impact of four years of war on their lives and the decisions they've made.

Also in the programme: Russian dissidents tell the BBC they’ve seen fellow troops executed on commanders’ orders during the conflict; a look at what might be coming up in President Trump’s State of the Union address; and why a nineteenth-century Ghanaian artefact is being kept from public view.

(Photo: People take part in a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the war, in Zurich, Switzerland, 24th February 2026. Credit: Andreas Becker/EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6myy8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmmbyn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tbb6n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76cg)
President Trump is set to deliver the 2026 State of the Union address

President Donald Trump is delivering the 2026 State of the Union address to the nation. We examine how this might affect the state of the US economy. Also what does the business community want to hear in the coming year ? A Florida based business shares his thoughts with us.

Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. What impact is the war having on the economies of the two countries?

And Novo Nordisk is halving the US list price of its most popular weight-loss drug. This comes after the Danish company announced that the trial of its latest weight loss medication CagriSema had under performed.

(Picture: Commencement ceremony at West Point Military Academy in West Point, New York. Credit: Reuters)


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6n2pd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tvx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tbfys)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2026

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6n6fj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6nb5n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmmq61)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tbpg1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71db)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Tuesday]


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6nfxs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmmty5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6nknx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74p2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6npf1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmn2ff)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tc1pf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8yw4)
The Darkest Web

2. Man with the amazing memory

US Special Agents Greg and Pete are desperate. Somewhere in America a twelve year old girl, who they have called Lucy, is being sexually abused. Her abuser has been sharing images of his abuse for six years on the dark web. They have to find her - and save her.

They were convinced that Facebook would be able to help them using its facial recognition technology, but the tech giant is unable to help. So they go back to the start , examining every single thing they can see in the room she is being abused in: the sofa, the bed and then finally they wonder what they might discover if they look at the room itself, specifically the exposed brick wall. Is there any way someone could identify these bricks? And could that person help them to find Lucy?

Season 11 of World of Secrets, The Darkest Web, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service.

This podcast includes some upsetting scenes, discussions of child sexual abuse, and there’s some strong language.

For further information on the issues raised in the programme, contact support organisations in your own country. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support go to bbc.co.uk/actionline


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6nt55)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmm65r)
Trump delivers longest State of the Union address in recent history

President Trump has been delivering a highly polarised, 'America First' State of the Union address to Congress, lavishly praising his own record while lambasting that of the Democrats. Mr Trump said his administration had delivered what he called a 'turnaround for the ages' in its first year. We look at what the President has been saying.

Parts of Mexico are beginning to return to normal after deadly violence following the killing of cartel leader El Mencho at the weekend. However, some areas, including Puerto Vallarta, remain under shelter-in-place orders. We look at what religious leaders in the country think of recent events.

And we look at how the brutal fighting in Sudan’s civil war has forced the closure of a key hospital on the Sudan–Chad border.

Presenter: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: US President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington DC. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6nxx9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmm9xw)
Trump delivers patriotic State of the Union address

Donald Trump delivered a combative State of the Union address and hailed what he said was an Ameican "turnaround for the ages". We take a look at what the president has been saying.

Immigration was once again a major theme of the address. President Trump lambasted what he described as corruption that was plundering America. He singled out the US-Somali community in Minnesota, where he has ordered a divisive crackdown on immigration and crime in recent times. We get a reaction from the Somali-American community.

And we report from Mexico where the country is returning to normal after deadly violence following the killing of cartel leader El Mencho at the weekend. However, some areas, including Puerto Vallarta, remain under shelter-in-place orders.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: US President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington DC. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6p1nf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmmfp0)
Trump hails economic 'turnaround' in State of the Union

President Trump delivered a record breaking speech to a joint session of Congress saying he had overseen a "turnaround for the ages" during his first year back in the White House. We analyse what the President had to say.

President Trump also pledged to continue pushing ahead with his broad tariff regime and called the Supreme Court's decision to strike down many of his tariffs "unfortunate".

And we report from Mexico where parts of the country are beginning to return to normal. This follows deadly violence after the killing of cartel leader El Mencho at the weekend.

Presenter: James Copnall and Anne Soy

(Photo: US President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington DC. Credit: Nathan Howard/Reuters)


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6p5dk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7s)
Boris Johnson and Sir Tony Radakin: Ukrainians are heroes

Laura Kuenssberg speaks to former British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and former head of the British Armed Forces, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, about the war in Ukraine.

Johnson was in Downing Street four years ago, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. As one of the driving forces behind the West’s initial response, he has been critical of the slowness of allies in providing support to President Zelensky, which Johnson says has cost lives.

The two men believe the conflict could have been prevented altogether if Western allies had paid more attention to Putin's increasing aggression and annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with the Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, Iranian author Azar Nafisi, and the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. 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: Laura Kuenssberg
Producers: Paul Twinn and Ben Cooper
Editors: Diana Martin and Damon Rose

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

(Image: Boris Johnson and Sir Tony Radakin. Credit: Jeff Overs)


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tcjny)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sdk)
Are passengers ready for digital borders?

The use of electronic travel authorisations or ETAs is growing worldwide. Dozens of countries have brought them in, or are bringing them in this year, but many passengers are forgetting to complete them - and missing flights. It is costing customers and business big money to re-book. We hear the arguments for and against the new digital border checks and how to navigate the changes.

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

Presenter/producer: Rick Kelsey

Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

Each episode is a 17-minute deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.

We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, Canva CEO Melanie Perkins, and the CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol.

(Photo: A cheerful toddler sits on top of a suitcase, enjoying a playful moment with her father at the airport. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74rb)
The Japanese invasion of Malaya

On 8 December 1941, Japanese troops landed in northern Malaya marking the start of the second world war in the Pacific.

Invasion forces moved quickly down the British colony – which is now called Malaysia - capturing Singapore in just 55 days.

Their occupation ended on 15 August 1945, when Japan surrendered to the allies after the US had dropped two atomic bombs.

Dorothy Variyan, who lived under Japanese rule for more than three years in south west Malaya, speaks to Jacqueline Paine.

This programme contains archive which uses outdated and offensive language.


Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Members of an Australian anti-tank gun crew fire weapons at a Type-95 Japanese tank on a road temporarily blocked by a felled tree, outside Singapore, British Malaya, April 1942. Credit: Office of War Information/PhotoQuest/Getty Images)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6p94p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmnp52)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tcnf2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct7038)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6pdwt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 The Documentary (w3ct8ywm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6pjmy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmnxnb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tcwxb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71gl)
Ukraine’s defiance, four years on

This week marks four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since WW2.

Ukraine has put its official losses at 55,000 soldiers, and the BBC has verified the deaths of more than 180,000 on the Russian side, although the true toll is likely to be much higher. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded, and millions have been displaced.

In today’s episode, the BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen, travels through Ukraine, speaking to people living on the front line, to soldiers, and to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, about what they would concede – if anything - for a peace deal with Russia.

Producer: Hannah Moore

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A Ukrainian woman attends a memorial ceremony for fallen servicemen at the Military Cemetery in Kharkiv. Credit: Sergey Kozlov/EPA/Shutterstock.


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6pnd2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdm)
Music was my salvation: the homeless man and the piano

While Francois Pierron was homeless in London he taught himself to play a public piano at St Pancras train station - from scratch. His mastery of music helped change his future.

Francois had a difficult start in life. He was abandoned as a newborn on the streets of Dakar, Senegal, shortly after his birth in 1994, but was found by police and taken to an orphanage. He was soon adopted by a French couple and grew up in a rural area near Calais in northern France. It was a happy childhood, but Francois says he struggled with issues of identity in the largely white community, and always felt he was looking for something beyond himself.

He was still a teenager when he started travelling around Europe, eventually arriving in London where he was almost immediately targeted by thieves who took his passport and all his money. This triggered a spiral into homelessness that spanned five long years. Francois spent a lot of this time in the crowds at train stations, one of the few places he felt safe, and one day came across a public piano in St Pancras station - the kind that is put in the concourse for anyone to play. He'd never touched a piano before, but says that something drew him to it with an almost magnetic force. He started teaching himself to play, spending hours every day experimenting with sounds and chords. He was obsessed. The piano provided solace, and even distracted him from his perpetual hunger.

Despite not having any lessons he developed an extraordinary skill, creating his own compositions that wowed the crowds at the station. His playing drew the attention of local media, and in 2024 he was invited to take part in the popular UK TV show The Piano, a competition in which amateur musicians perform publicly on street pianos in the concourses of major UK railway stations, all the while being secretly judged by famous musicians including Mika and Jon Batiste.

Francois says that his experience with the piano has helped him heal. He has been able to move on from homelessness, is in training for a career in system architecture, and has even started a family of his own - he hopes to share his love of the piano with his baby twins one day. He has also been back to visit Senegal, to begin the search for his birth parents.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producers: Rebecca Vincent and Rachel Oakes

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

(Photo: Francois Pierron playing a public piano in a busy train station concourse. Credit: Matt Wellham/Crisis)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74rb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6ps46)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmp54l)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5td4dl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8yw4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6pwwb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcqv1fy)
Trump's State of the Union address claims US in 'golden age'

US President Donald Trump makes the longest-ever State of the Union address, claiming America's enjoying a golden age.

But will his message on the economy be enough to persuade voters worried about persistent high prices?

Also in the programme: Sri Lanka's former intelligence chief has been arrested in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed more than 270 people; and we'll hear from the small Norwegian club inside the Arctic Circle that's shaking up European football.

(Photo shows US president Donald Trump delivering the State of the Union address at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. on 24 February 2026. Credit: Kenny Holston/Reuters)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6q0mg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tdcwv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sdk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88by)
China and Germany’s leaders meet, seeking closer ties

The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, says there is a 'great opportunity' to develop a relationship with China, following a meeting with its leader Xi Jinping, in Beijing.

Merz is currently on his first visit to China, which is Germany's biggest trading partner, since becoming leader 10 months ago.

Plus a dispute is brewing between Washington and an AI company over military use of its technology.

Presenter: Bisi Adebayo
Producer: Matt Lines
Editor: Justin Bones


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6q4cl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 Outside Source (w1730688ygls0hk)
Trump's long State of the Union speech

President Trump has hailed his first year back in the White House, in the longest-ever State of the Union speech. Mr Trump defended his policy of imposing tariffs. We get reaction from Americans and hear from our journalists who have fact-checked his claims about immigration and the economy.

We speak to fans of the Norwegian team Bodø/Glimt, who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history by beating Inter Milan.

After the death of Grey's Anatomy actor Eric Dane of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, we speak to people whose family members have the disease.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: U.S.President Donald J. Trump delivers the first State of the Union address of his second term to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Credit: Kenny Holston/REUTERS)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6q83q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 Outside Source (w1730688ygls47p)
Mexico's drug cartel violence

Schools have reopened across Mexico today, after violence erputed over the weekend across the country following the arrest - and ultimately the death - of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as "El Mencho". We hear from residents about how cartel violence affects their everyday lives.

We also hear a report by our international correspondent Quentin Sommerville about cartel violence in Sinaloa state.
WARNING: The report features graphic violence.

The United Nations is asking for urgent funds to tackle a rapidly deteriorating food crisis in Somalia. More than two million Somalis are classified at a stage of hunger just below famine. Our global affairs reporter explains.

This week marks four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the week, we are hearing messages from Ukrainians who have lost their loved ones in the war.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: People walk near a parking lot of a supermarket where several vehicles were consumed by flames days after a series of blockades and attacks by organized crime following a military operation in which drug cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," was killed, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, February 24, 2026. Credit: Daniel Becerril/Reuters)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6qcvv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74rb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6qhlz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmpwmc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tdvwc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zf4)
2026/02/25 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 (w172zwx4jg6qmc3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct7038)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tdzmh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkr)
Could a single vaccine block nearly all viruses?

A universal nasal spray vaccine that could block nearly all viruses, and possibly also bacteria and allergens has been successful at early stages of research. By leaving immune cells ‘on alert’, they become ready to jump into action no matter what infection tries to get into the body. Dr Matthew Fox, Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Global Health at Boston University, explains what this could mean for the future of disease prevention.

Four years into the Ukraine war, the founder of global initiative ‘Think Equal’ Leslee Udwin explains the programmes currently in place to help children to grow through their traumatic experiences. Plus, a teacher in Kharkiv, Violetta Kaleda, as well as some of the children within the programmes, describe the impact of bringing social and emotional learning into education.

Prevention campaigns are resuming after the cholera outbreak in Mozambique has now been declared an epidemic by the country’s national director of public health. Reporter Jose Tembe give the latest on the outbreak after the years-long shortage of cholera vaccines begins to rebound.

As commercial spaceflight grows and human fertility in space becomes a more pressing concern, embryologist Giles Palmer explains the current understanding of the effects of spaceflight on human reproductive systems. Plus, a new study on ultra-endurance marathon running shows it may accelerate aging and the breakdown of red blood cells.

Presenter: Laura Foster
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producers: Georgia Christie and Anna Charalambou


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6qr37)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcqvwnv)
US cuts health aid to Zimbabwe

The United States is ending its health programmes in Zimbabwe, including HIV treatment for one point two million people. The US embassy said Harare had pulled out of negotiations over a new health aid agreement which would have provided 367 million dollars over five years. The US has been renegotiating aid to Africa following the abolition of USAID by President Trump.
 
Also on the programme: The influential economist, Larry Summers, resigns from Harvard over the Epstein files and the Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, apologises to staff about his links with the convicted sex offender; and we'll hear why Emperor penguins are facing the threat of extinction.
 
(Photo shows a health official opening a rapid HIV test during the launch of Lenacapavir, a long‑acting HIV prevention injection outside Harare, Zimbabwe on 19 February 2026.Credit: Philimon Bulawayo/Reuters)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6qvvc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmq7vr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tf73r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76k4)
US eases restrictions on Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba

The United States says it will ease restrictions on Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba's private sector as Washington's blockade leads to a worsening crisis on the Caribbean island. Former US treasury secretary and onetime Harvard president Larry Summers retires from his roles at the university. Elsewhere in Milan, Gucci is facing a backlash after using AI to make images to promote its forthcoming show at Milan Fashion Week. Critics have questioned how using AI instead of human models and photographers is in keeping with the fashion giant's values.

(FILE PHOTO: Cuban-flagged tanker Alicia anchors near a terminal in Matanzas, Cuba, January 7, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Norlys Perez)


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6qzlh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tfbvw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8yw4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2026

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6r3bm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 The Documentary (w3ct8ywm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6r72r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmqm34)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tflc4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71gl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Wednesday]


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6rbtw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmqqv8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tfq38)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct8yxl)
Caught on camera: Exposing China’s spycam porn

Warning: This programme deals with adult themes that may not be suitable for some listeners

Criminals are hiding video cameras in hotel rooms across China to secretly film and live stream unsuspecting victims having sex and then selling the footage online.

The illegal trade in spycam porn has become a big business, one with devastating consequences for the people whose most intimate moments are made public without their consent.

Wanqing Zhang has been hunting the hidden cameras and trying to find those responsible. Can they be stopped?

Presenter: Wanqing Zhang
Producer: Ed Main and Cate Brown
Executive producer: Ankur Shah
Editor: Flora Carmichael


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6rgl0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74rb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6rlb4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmqzbj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tfylj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zw)
Small kitchens

From Michelin starred kitchens to Hong Kong’s high rise tower blocks, via informal settlements in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. Ruth Alexander hears from people making the best out of the cramped and tiny spaces they’re cooking in.

Gina Lai shows her around the kitchen in her cramped Hong Kong high rise flat and Ruth visits chef Ryan Blackburn who has retained a Michelin star whilst cooking out of the tinest of professional kitchens in Northern England.

Plus Leah and her daughter Janice explain how they cook family meals in an informal settlement in the Kenyan capital Nairobi and AJ Forget describes what it's like to give up a big kitchen for a new life on the road, living and cooking in a converted bus.

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

Produced by Izzy Greenfield, Rumella Dasgupta and Lexy O'Connor

Image Description: Gina Lai is cooking in her tiny Hong Kong flat. (Credit Gina Lai/BBC)


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6rq28)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmq32v)
Mexico drug cartels at war

We report on the big drug cartels in Sinaloa state in Mexico. They have made billions from trafficking the deadly drug fentanyl to the United States but have turned their cities into war zones as they compete for dominance of the drug market. It follows news this week of the death of one of the country's most wanted drug lords. Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," was killed on Sunday in an operation to arrest him, and his death has sparked a wave of violence right across the land.

Cuba's Interior Ministry has said four people were killed and six others wounded after Cuban border troops engaged in a gunfight near the islands coast.

And United States and Iranian officials are due to meet in Geneva on Thursday for a third round of indirect talks, as President Donald Trump threatens to strike Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: Members of the Sinaloa cartel engaged in a deadly war drug war. Credit: Darren Conway/BBC News).


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6rttd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmq6tz)
Fentanyl wars in Mexico

We report on the big drug cartels in Sinaloa state in Mexico. They have made billions from trafficking the deadly drug fentanyl to the United States but have turned their cities into war zones as they compete for dominance of the drug market. It follows news this week of the death of one of the country's most wanted drug lords. Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," was killed on Sunday in an operation to arrest him, and his death has sparked a wave of violence right across the land.

A BBC investigation has revealed that Nepal’s top police officer gave the order allowing the use of live fire during last year's "Gen Z" protests in the capital, Kathmandu. The unrest in September was triggered by a ban on social media. Nineteen people were shot dead; the youngest was seventeen years old.

And United States and Iranian officials are due to meet in Geneva on Thursday for a third round of indirect talks, as President Donald Trump threatens to strike Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached. But as the regime comes under pressure from outside, internal pressure is also building with what appears to be a fresh wave of anti-government protests. We hear from a university student who took part in the protests.

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: Paramedics tend to a wounded man in Culiacan in Sinaloa, Mexico. Credit: Darren Conway/BBC News).


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6rykj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmqbl3)
Clintons to be questioned by US lawmakers

The former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will today give evidence to a Congressional Committee about any links to the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Her husband - the former President Bill Clinton - will address the same committee tomorrow. The pair had initially resisted appearing before the Republican-led committee. We hear from a former Clinton adviser.

Mexico's president says there is "no risk" to football fans heading to the country. This come days after violence erupted in Mexico following the killing of a leading head of a drug cartel.

And we look at the Norwegian football team Bodo/Glimt - sending shockwaves in the Champions League, what is the secret of their success?

Presenters: James Copnall and Anne Soy.

(Photo: HIliary Clinton/ Credit: BBC News).


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6s29n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723z)
Can the world catch China in the rare earths race?

Control of critical minerals is becoming a source of geopolitical tension. They are essential to modern technology and industries around the world, and China currently dominates the mining and processing industry.

As demand grows, governments in the United States and elsewhere are looking at ways to reduce their reliance on Chinese supply chains. That means investing in new mines and processing facilities even though they are expensive and environmentally toxic.

Ultimately, the US and EU have a goal of diversifying the control of these lucrative elements.

This week on The Inquiry, Tanya Beckett explores whether the rest of the world can catch up with China in the race for rare earths.

Contributors:
Julie Michelle Klinger, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US
Sophia Kalanzakos, global distinguished professor of environmental studies and public policy in the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayan scholars programme at NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE
Kalim Siddiqui, international economist, UK
Dr Patrick Schröder, senior research fellow in the Environment and Society Centre at Chatham House, UK

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Matt Toulson
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: Trucks transporting minded materials. Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal/Getty Images)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tgfl1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s3j)
How modular homes are rebuilding Portugal’s ruins

Today, we’re looking at a wooden house revolution that's happening in Europe. Concrete’s carbon footprint is turning architects and construction companies towards trees.

In Portugal, a rush of new residents to the sparsely populated rural areas – and a lack of builders – is driving the flat-pack and modular wooden house market. Many of these rural plots often have a ruined, abandoned house on them, creating opportunities for faster construction.

We also meet an architect who has dedicated his life to building in wood, championing a material he believes is key to more sustainable design.

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

Presented and produced by Alastair Leithead

Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

Each episode is a 17-minute deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.

We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, CEO of Canva Melanie Perkins, and the CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol.

(Photo: Wooden modular house. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74kn)
Charles Taylor and the blood diamond trial

In 2008, the former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor, faced a courtroom in the Hague accused of war crimes.

His trial would last more than three years at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, and involve witness appearances by the supermodel Naomi Campbell and the Hollywood actress Mia Farrow.

The 11 charges included rape, murder, violence and the use of child soldiers during the Sierra Leone civil war. It was claimed that Taylor traded in arms and ammunition in return for so-called blood diamonds.

Chief prosecutor Brenda Hollis speaks to Jane Wilkinson about the trial which ended when Taylor was jailed for 50 years for aiding and abetting crimes against humanity. It’s a story that includes descriptions of violence and sexual assault.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Charles Taylor in court, 2010. Credit: Vincent Jannink/AFP via Getty Images)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6s61s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmrl25)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tgkb5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct8yxl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6s9sx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ytf)
The Media Show: The Andrew photo

An image of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor leaving police custody made front pages around the world. It quickly became the defining picture of the latest stage in the crisis linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Suzanne Plunkett, Chief Photographer at Reuters, outlines how her colleague Phil Noble secured the shot, and Arthur Edwards, Royal Photographer at The Sun, reflects on how single images can frame the narrative around the Royal Family.
Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the war has settled into a long and grinding conflict. Fighting has spread across a wide front, with drone warfare and repeated strikes on infrastructure. As the anniversary is marked, questions remain about how western media attention has shifted. Anthony Loyd, Special Correspondent at The Times, reflects on reporting from the region, and Olga Malchevska, Correspondent at BBC News, considers how the war is being covered across Eastern Europe.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai
Production Coordinator: Ruth Waites
Technical Coordinator: Ozgur Cevik
Sound: Allyson Purcell-Davis


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tgp29)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct8yx9)
The women of IS: Part one

What next for the Syrian detention camps and their residents? After the fall of the so-called “caliphate", tens of thousands of women and children from around the world - followers of the group as well as its victims - ended up in a handful of camps in north-eastern Syria. Once run by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, those camps are now in the process of being closed down by the Syrian authorities.

This three-part series explores the trauma that led to the prolonged existence of these camps and what the future might hold for their residents. In part one, we zoom in on the tent city of al-Hol.

Contributors: Mina al-Lami, Jiyar Gol, Barry Marston, Mohammed Al-Jumaily
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6sfk1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmrtkf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tgstf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71b2)
Is a peace deal with Putin possible?

As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, the prospect of peace feels as distant as ever. President Trump hasn’t yet succeeded in striking a deal, and negotiations between the US, Russia and Ukraine have yet to produce a breakthrough.

Fiona Hill is one of the foremost authorities on Vladimir Putin and a former White House advisor on Russia during Trump’s first term. Over the course of her career, she has sat across the table from the Russian president and helped shape US policy at the highest level.

She tells us what it is really like to be in the room Putin and Trump, and whether a durable peace in Ukraine is still within reach.

Producers: Chris Benderev and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

(Photo: Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin together. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6sk95)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyt)
Hercules: The grizzly bear who became family

When Maggie Robin and her wrestler husband Andy brought home a bear cub in 1970s Scotland, their friends thought they were mad. But the couple raised him as one of the family. Named Hercules, the tiny cub grew into a towering but gentle bear who slept by the fire, played in the garden and travelled everywhere with them. Attitudes towards keeping wild animals have changed since then, but at the time, Hercules was something of a celebrity and even appeared on film, on chat shows across the world, and met the then prime minister. To Maggie though, ‘Herc’ was simply family. Then one day, while filming in the Highlands, Hercules slipped his leash and vanished into the wild, sparking a nationwide search.

Archive clips came from Hercules The Bear, A Love Story courtesy of Friel Kean Films.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Edgar Maddicott

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

(Photo: Andy and Maggie Robin celebrate Christmas at home with Hercules the Bear, blowing out candles on a cake. Credit: Maggie Robin)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74kn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6sp19)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnms21p)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5th19p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6sssf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcqxyc1)
Hillary Clinton to testify on Epstein ties

The former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, will testify in the congressional investigation into late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Her husband, the former president, Bill Clinton, will testify on Friday.

Also in the programme: a third round of talks between Iranian and American officials are held in Geneva; and a new study helps explain what's going on in the brains of so-called 'super-agers', people who stay mentally sharp into old age.

(Photo: Hillary Clinton attends the Mumbai Climate Week in Mumbai, India on February 18, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6sxjk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723z)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5th8sy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s3j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88rb)
Another business leader steps down over ties with Jeffery Epstein

The president and chief executive of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende is stepping down after an investigation into his links with Jeffrey Epstein. The Forum says it found no additional concerns.

The price of lithium, a key ingredient in EV batteries, has surged after one of the world’s top producers, Zimbabwe, suddenly banned exports.

We also hear from Volvo UK over the recall of electric cars over a fire risk with some of its batteries.


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6t18p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 Outside Source (w1730688yglvxdn)
Hillary Clinton testifies at Epstein hearing

Hillary Clinton is giving evidence to a panel of the US House of Representatives that is investigating the crimes of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. We have the latest from our correspondent.

We get details about a BBC investigation revealing that a former police chief in Nepal ordered officers to use lethal force against young, unarmed protesters.

We speak to an Irish politician whose speech has gone viral because many content creators think his accent sounds similar to Jamaican Patois.

This week marks four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the week, we are hearing messages from Ukrainians who have lost their loved ones in the war.

And we hear from two African Americans about how they navigate life with Tourette syndrome.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends the Mumbai Climate Week in Mumbai, India, February 18, 2026. Credit: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6t50t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 Outside Source (w1730688yglw14s)
Pivotal nuclear talks between US and Iran

US and Iranian officials are meeting in Geneva for a third round of indirect talks seen as crucial to averting conflict, with President Donald Trump threatening to strike Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached. We have the latest from our reporter.

Last November, a 14-year-old Palestinian boy named Jad Jadallah was shot at close range by Israeli soldiers in a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
We speak to our Middle East expert about a video showing that Israeli soldiers stood around as he bled to death.

The former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is testifying to a Congressional committee behind closed doors on what she knew about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. We have the latest.

We hear from an Irish politician whose speech has gone viral because many content creators think his accent sounds similar to Jamaican Patois.

This week marks four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the week, we are hearing messages from Ukrainians who have lost their loved ones in the war.

We get details about a BBC investigation revealing that a former police chief in Nepal ordered officers to use lethal force against young, unarmed protesters.

A women's tennis tournament in the US state of Texas has introduced what it's calling a rage room - where players can express frustration and other emotions in private. Our sports reporter explains.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: A handout photo made available by the Iranian Foreign Ministry shows Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) talking to Oman Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi (R) in Geneva, Switzerland, 26 February 2026. Credit: Iranian Foreign Ministry handout/EPA)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6t8ry)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74kn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6tdj2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmssjg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5thrsg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z8m)
2026/02/26 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 (w172zwx4jg6tj86)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct8yxl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5thwjl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8ty1)
Does new science get us closer to finding out how life on earth began?

Perhaps it’s the biggest question science has left to answer, how did life begin? Now, molecular biologists in Cambridge university have discovered tiny molecules of RNA which they say might provide some clues. Science journalist and author Philip Ball explains what we know and whether we’ll ever find the origins of life on earth.

Professor Michael Wooldridge has given this year’s Royal Society’s Michael Faraday Prize lecture. He speaks to Tom Whipple about why the AI we have is not what he wanted it to be; rational. And science columnist at the Financial Times Anj Ahuja brings her favourite new science to discuss.

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, Clare Salisbury and Alex Mansfield
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6tn0b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcqysky)
Hillary Clinton gives evidence to a Congressional committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein

In a published opening statement, Mrs Clinton said she had no recollection of ever meeting Epstein and castigated the committee for failing to question people who did have dealings with him, including President Trump.

Also on the programme: as Iran and the US resume nuclear talks in Geneva, Iranians fear it's the last chance for diplomacy. And how our two eyes evolved from a cyclopean ancestor,

(Picture: Chairman of the House Oversight Committee James Comer speaks to the press ahead of US former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's scheduled testimony. Credit: Federova / EPA)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6trrg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmt4rv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tj40v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct75z1)
The legal spotlight falls on tech giants Meta and Google

With a landmark court case in California hearing from a woman who says tech giants Meta and YouTube’s owner Google harmed her mental health as a child, we catch up with our correspondent in Los Angeles, Peter Bowes, on the legal proceedings and discuss how damaging and addictive social media websites can be during a person's formative years.

Elsewhere, as Netflix squabbles with Paramount for control of Warner Brothers Discovery and its worldwide franchises including Harry Potter and Superman, we hear from former Paramount executive Guy Petty on why Netflix's CEO Ted Sarandos is heading to the White House.

Rahul Tandon speaks to Moritz Riesinger of the IG Metall union in Germany as it comes to a temporary agreement with Elon Musk over its Tesla factory near Berlin.

And economist Cary Leahey of Columbia University explains why the latest unemployment figures in the United States has risen once again.

Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Europe, Latin America and the USA.

(Picture: Supporters of plaintiff Kaley G.M. hold signs as they stand outside the courthouse in Los Angeles, California, on the day she takes the stand at a trial in a key test case accusing Meta and Google's YouTube of harming children's mental health through addictive social media platforms. Credit: Reuters / Mike Blake.)


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6twhl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct723z)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tj7rz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2026

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6v07q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7ytf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tjcj3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct8yvs)
Russia-Ukraine war enters its fifth year

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, explores the mood in Ukraine after four years of war, examines how the war has changed Russia, and looks at whether Russia’s long sporting isolation is coming to an end.

Producer: Kate Cornell
Executive Producer: Benedick Watt
Commissioning Editor: Vara Szajkowski


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6v3zv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmtj07)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tjh87)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71b2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Thursday]


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6v7qz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmtmrc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tjm0c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zq5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6vch3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74kn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6vh77)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmtw7m)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tjvhm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vq8)
When music became a prayer

Concert pianist Yirui Weng, 32, grew up in a communist, atheist family in China, where religion played no part in her life. Music, however, always did. As a gifted young pianist, she immersed herself in the great works of Western classical music — including sacred compositions whose words and meanings were largely unknown to her.

When Yirui moved to Italy to pursue her musical studies, curiosity began to replace indifference. While playing Vivaldi’s Gloria, she found herself drawn not just to the beauty of the music, but to its unfamiliar language: “Lamb of God?” “Son of the Father?” What, she wondered, did these words mean — and why had composers been inspired by them for centuries?

After meeting a Chinese priest in Milan, Yirui began attending catechism classes and encountered the teachings of Jesus for the first time. Ideas such as forgiveness and loving one’s enemies challenged everything she had been taught growing up. She began to pray — quietly at first — and noticed something unexpected: it changed the way she played.

In 2023, Yirui was baptised.

In this edition of Heart and Soul, the BBC’s John Laurenson travels to Rome to meet Yirui Weng. We hear her play, sing, teach and pray as she reflects on her journey of faith and explores a deeper question: why is music — from the Muslim call to prayer to gospel and sacred choral works — such a powerful and universal expression of belief?

Producer/presenter: John Laurenson
Series producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Chloe Walker
Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno

Photo description: Yirui Eleonora Weng , pianist and opera vocal coach based between Italy and China, specializing in Italian opera repertoire and cross-cultural vocal performance. Photo credit is: Yirui Eleonora Weng )


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6vlzc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmszzy)
Pakistan airstrikes on Afghan cities

Pakistani military jets have struck targets inside Afghanistan, bombing parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, as open military conflict surged between the two countries. Pakistan said its air and ground operations targeted Taliban border posts, military headquarters and ammunition depots.

The former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has been testifying in closed-door hearings on what she knew about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Hillary Clinton told a Congressional Committee that she did not recall ever meeting Epstein, and had no information to share about his criminal activities.
Her husband, former President Bill Clinton is due to be interviewed on Friday.

And US and Iranian officials concluded their latest round of talks. Representatives of the countries were in Geneva this week to discuss the fate of Iran's nuclear programme.

Presenters: James Copnall and Krupa Padhy.

(Photo: Smoke rises following what Pakistani and Taliban officials say are Pakistani strikes, in Kabul, Afghanistan, in this still image taken from video released. Credit: Pakistan security forces/Reuters).


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6vqqh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmt3r2)
Pakistan launches strikes on Kabul and Kandahar

Pakistan bombed Afghanistan’s capital Kabul and two other provinces on Friday, hours after a cross-border attack. Pakistan's defence minister said there was now a state of "open war" with Afghanistan. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of sheltering militants who attack across the border.

The former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has been testifying in closed-door hearings on what she knew about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Hillary Clinton told a Congressional Committee that she did not recall ever meeting Epstein, and had no information to share about his criminal activities.
Her husband, former President Bill Clinton is due to be interviewed on Friday.

And South Sudan is once again facing escalating violence, mass displacement and warnings of a slide back toward broader conflict. A new report by the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warns that civilians are bearing the brunt of renewed hostilities.

Presenters: James Copnall and Krupa Padhy.

(Photo: A Taliban security checks a vehicle at a checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan. Credit: Samiullah Popal/EPA).


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6vvgm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq40xmt7h6)
Pakistan strikes Kabul

Pakistan launched a series of strikes on major Afghan cities after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani troops. Pakistani military jets have struck targets inside Afghanistan, bombing parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, as open military conflict surged between the two countries. We go live to Pakistan.

Hiliary Clinton, a former American secretary of state and first lady, has testified to a Congressional Committee in the US. She told lawmakers she had no knowledge of crimes committeed by Jeffrey Epstein.

And we look at the Norwegian football team causing a sensation in the Champions League. How are they doing what they do? We speak to the team's mental coach.

Presenters: James Copnall and Krupa Padhy.

(Photo: Taliban soldiers carry a rocket launcher in a vehicle, following exchanges of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces, near Torkham border in Afghanistan. Credit: Reuters).


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6vz6r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 The Interview (w3ct8c4h)
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine: We will not lose this war

“We stand and fight for survival. We are an independent state. We will definitely not lose this war”

Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s International Editor, speaks to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview marking the fourth anniversary of the Ukraine war.

Official figures put the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed at 55,000 since the full-scale Russian invasion began, but that is believed to be an underestimate, with many more missing. The number of Russian soldiers killed is believed to be much higher. The civilian death toll in Ukraine stands at more then 14,000.

Repeated attempts at a peace deal have failed.

In the face of ongoing Russian aggression, President Zelensky remains defiant. Russia has started the Third World War, he says, and must not be allowed to win.

Thank you to Imogen Anderson and Jeremy Bowen for their help in making this programme.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. 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: Jeremy Bowen
Producers: Imogen Anderson and Lucy Sheppard
Editors: Justine Lang and Damon Rose

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

(Image: Volodymyr Zelensky Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images)


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tkbh4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rth)
How a spiked drink led to a startup

Today - from a teenage DIY invention, to US national TV, to changing legislation, and now global sales. What started as a way to protect a friend who’d been drugged at a college bar became a product made from an old hair scrunchie and her mum’s stockings.

Shirah Benarde tells us how she set up NightCap, a business that’s grown from a bedroom prototype, to securing investment on the Shark Tank show in the US, to a global safety brand in just a few years.

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

Presenter: Sam Fenwick
Producer: Ahmed Adan

Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the AI boom, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.

We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol.

(Picture: Founder of NightCap, Shirah Benarde. Credit: Shirah Benarde)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct7457)
Syria's secret library

A group of young men in the besieged town of Darayya came together to build a secret library during the Syrian civil war, which started in 2011 and ended in 2024.

Braving snipers and bombardment, they rescued thousands of books from bombed-out buildings to rehouse.

The library was a symbol of hope for a community fractured by war.

Surya Elango speaks to Malik Alrifaii, a young volunteer who helped run the library.

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

(Photo: Books. Credit: Maskot via Getty images)

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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6w2yw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmvgz8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tkg78)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8ty1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6w6q0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72xg)
A sweet treat

A dip in global cocoa prices got the Unexpected Elements team wondering about chocolate science.

First, we look at how the microbial communities in cocoa beans fine tune the taste of chocolate. Also, could table sugar help us detect the missing bits of the universe? We look at how three elements in sugar were used in the hunt for dark matter.

We’re then joined by Professor of Experimental Psychology Charles Spence, who explains the myriad ways that taste can be influenced – including the shape and name of chocolate, and even the music we listen to as we eat it. Plus, we hear about the rediscovery of a moth in South Africa that was lost to science for 150 years.

And finally, why we cry when we chop onions and the insects that pollinate the cocoa tree. That’s all on this week’s Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Candice Bailey and Sandy Ong
Producers: Sophie Ormiston, with Lucy Davies, Tim Dodd, Imy Harper and Margaret Sessa-Hawkins


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6wbg4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmvqgj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tkpqj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct715k)
Mexico’s most wanted cartel boss is dead. Is it enough for Trump?

Mexico’s most wanted man – Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as “El Mencho” – was killed during a security operation to arrest the cartel leader on Sunday.

In the days that followed, the operation was celebrated by President Trump in his State of the Union address. But it came at a cost, as cartel members carried out retaliatory rampages across Mexico and turned many towns and cities into war zones.

El Mencho’s death came after months of pressure from the Trump administration on Mexico to do more to fight the drug cartels. According to one NBC News report, the US even considered sending troops into Mexico.

Our correspondent, Will Grant, examines the dilemma Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum now faces – and we ask if she is now caught between Trump and the cartels.

Producers: Chris Benderev and Aron Keller

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Image Credits: FILE PHOTO: Members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), led by Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” poses for a photo at an undisclosed location in Michoacan state, Mexico, October 15, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6wg68)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wj8)
Outlook Mixtape: Heavy Metal

Today, Joe Straczynski is an award-winning comic book writer and filmmaker. He's created TV shows like Babylon 5, Sense8 and the movie Changeling, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angeline Jolie. But he had a tough start to life. Joe was born into a loveless household full of abuse. His escape came through the pages of Superman comics. For him, the 'Man of Steel' saved his life and helped form his own moral character, steering him to a better life. Outlook's Andrea Kennedy spoke to Joe back in 2019.

Voice of Baceprot, or V.O.B., are an all-female metal band who met at school in a small rural town near Garut in Indonesia. Their parents thought they were going to Girl Scout meetings when really, they were rehearsing with their heavy metal band. Since then, they've been touring the world and gained some big name fans in the world of rock. Their success has created a new respect for music education in schools in their home province. Reporter Gaia Caramazza met them in 2023.

Back in the 1980s, Reg Mead was eating a Sunday lunch with friends when a woman told him a story about some ancient coins being uncovered and then swiftly ploughed back into a field on Jersey, the island where he lives off the northern coast of France. A keen metal detectorist, he was intrigued. From the woman's description he suspected the coins dated from the Iron Age and so, he set out to look for them with his best friend and fellow detectorist, Richard Miles. It took 30 years of searching, but eventually they found the coins and, it turned out, a whole lot more than they could have ever imagined. The two friends spoke to Jo Fidgen in 2022 about their hoard.

All Superman material is copyright of DC Comics Inc.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Andrea Rangecroft

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

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


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct7457)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6wkyd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmvyys)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tky6s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vq8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6wppj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcr0v84)
Pakistan strikes Afghan capital

Pakistani forces struck the Afghan capital, Kabul, and the provinces of Kandahar and Paktika, though the casualty count remains unclear. We speak with a former Pakistani brigadier general and hear from voices on the ground in Kabul.

Also on the programme: an International Criminal Court judge whose life has been impacted by US sanctions, with credit cards and Google accounts cancelled; and celebrating 30 years of Pokemon.

(Photo: Taliban soldiers load a rocket launcher in a vehicle, following exchanges of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces, near Torkham border in Afghanistan on February 27, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6wtfn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 The Interview (w3ct8c4h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tl5q1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rth)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88h2)
The battle for Warner Brothers takes a dramatic turn

Paramount-Skydance is the only show in town for ownership of Warner Brothers, with a deal valuing the movie maker and media empire at $111bn. But even if it seals the deal with shareholders and boards it still needs to get past regulators on both sides of the Atlantic.

We head to the Balkans, where a multi-billion-dollar rail link between Belgrade and Budapest opens for freight today.

We also hear about the secret to Pokemon's success, as the video game characters turn 30.


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6wy5s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 Outside Source (w1730688yglyt9r)
Escalation in Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions

Pakistan has bombed areas in Afghanistan on Friday, after the Afghan Taliban earlier announced a major offensive against Pakistani military posts near the border. Pakistan has claimed to have killed almost 300 Afghan Taliban as their conflict escalates. We hear from people caught in the violence, and we speak to our colleagues from the BBC Urdu and BBC Afghan services.

We have the latest from the US, where former president Bill Clinton is set to testify before a congressional panel investigating Jeffrey Epstein.

It's been 30 years since Pokémon Monster was launched in Japan. We hear from fans around the world about how the franchise became the highest-grossing media franchise in history – and why it still matters today.

This week marks four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the week, we are hearing messages from Ukrainians who have lost their loved ones in the war.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Taliban soldiers carry a box containing weapons, following exchanges of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces, near Torkham border in Afghanistan, February 27, 2026. Credit: Stringer/Reuters)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6x1xx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 Outside Source (w1730688yglyy1w)
Bill Clinton testifies at Epstein hearing

Former US President Bill Clinton is tesifying to US lawmakers about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in a closed-door session. Our correspondent in New York explains.

Several countries are issuing warnings to their citizens in the Middle East amid speculation that the US could carry out military strikes on Iran. We speak to BBC Persian and our correspondent in Washington.

The streaming platform, Netflix, has abandoned bidding for the media giant, Warner Brothers Discovery. That leaves Paramount as the only bidder. We speak to our business correspondent in New York.

PinkPantheress has become the first woman to win the Brit Award for Best Producer. We bring together three female music producers in Nigeria, the US and Portugal to discuss how they got into their field.

It's been 30 years since Pokémon Monster was launched in Japan. We hear from fans around the world about how the franchise became the highest-grossing media franchise in history – and why it still matters today.

This week marks four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the week, we are hearing messages from Ukrainians who have lost their loved ones in the war.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton speaks on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 21, 2024. Credit: Mike Segar/Reuters)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6x5p1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wj8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct7457)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6x9f5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmwpfk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tlnpk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z43)
2026/02/27 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 (w172zwx4jg6xf59)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct6rnz)
Living with Tourette syndrome

When the film I Swear won three Bafta awards, what happened at the ceremony prompted a much bigger story and wider discussion.

The film portrays the life of John Davidson who grew up with Tourette syndrome – the incurable condition, which causes sudden, repetitive sounds or movements.

During the awards, Davidson shouted out an involuntary racial slur, which was picked up by microphones and broadcast. In a statement, Davidson said he was "deeply mortified” and that the tics, as they are known, were involuntary and did not carry any meaning.

In our conversations, we bring together two black Americans with Tourette’s. They share their experiences, including dealing with the police.

“My parents had me sit there and recite and practice if I were to get pulled-over: ‘Hi, I have Tourette's syndrome it is a tic disorder, do you mind if I explain or do you know what it is?’,” Jamie Grace, a music producer in Atlanta tells us.“ And the first time I got pulled over it was really difficult, the responding officer accused me of being intoxicated and it became a difficult conversation.”

Tourette’s is a genetic condition that affects the nervous system. It’s estimated that one in every hundred children – many millions around the world – have it. We also bring together three people in the UK to give an insight into their lives with Tourette’s.

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producer: Lindsay Brown and Angela Sheeran.
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Simon Peeks

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC Outside Source.

(Photo: Wilamena Dyer. Credit: Wilamena Dyer)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tlsfp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6sv3)
How can we save the Great Barrier Reef?

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the richest and most complex natural ecosystems on earth, and it’s home to over 600 species of coral – marine animals that are most closely related to jellyfish.

But the coral is under threat, with climate change, ocean acidification and marine heatwaves endangering the reef and the many iconic animals that depend on it. CrowdScience listener Felix, aged 9, wants to know what we’re doing to protect it, and presenter Caroline Steel is on the case.

In this special edition of CrowdScience, we follow scientists from Australia’s Institute of Marine Science as they attempt to restore the reef with baby corals that they’ve nurtured in experimental tanks at their Sea Simulator facility on the country’s northeast coast.

This experiment kicked off in December, as the researchers recreated the annual mass coral spawning event in controlled conditions, manipulating temperature, pH, light, and nutrients to breed coral baby that they can then use to reseed damaged sections of reef.

After loading up a lorry full of corals and waving it goodbye, Caroline heads north for a rendezvous at dawn, as the corals are loaded onto a boat in Cairns. She travels across the coral sea with marine biologists from AIMS, and is on hand as the corals are introduced to their new home in the ocean.

This is just the beginning - a proof of principle. In future years, the scientists are hoping to reseed heat-tolerant corals, and to scale up and automate this work. But even then, is the scale of the problem too big? Can we restore a reef area the size of Japan, or is it too late?

Presenter: Caroline Steel

Producer: Marnie Chesterton

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Orange-lined triggerfish by coral in beautiful blue water - stock photo. Credit: treetstreet/Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6xjxf)
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FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zsslqcr1ph1)
Bill Clinton: 'I saw nothing, I did nothing wrong'

Bill Clinton has told a Congressional committee that he was unaware of the crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein. Mr Clinton said he saw nothing and did nothing wrong during his acquaintance with the late sex offender. Democrats have described the tone of the closed door hearing as civil, saying Mr Clinton answered every question.

Also in the programme: Pakistan defence minister says country in 'open war' with Afghanistan after strikes; Ramadan in Gaza; and we'll talk to a judge at the International Criminal Court, who was sanctioned by the US after the court issued an arrest warrant for Israel's prime minister.


(Photo credit: AFP)


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx4jg6xnnk)
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FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwllnnmx1ny)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxyz5tm0xy)
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FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76pn)
Paramount–Skydance looks set to buy Warner Bros Discovery

A plot twist in Hollywood has taken place in the last 24 hours, but in the spreadsheets rather than on the screens, as Netflix decides it's not willing to counter Paramount–Skydance's US$111bn bid for Warner Bros Discovery. We discuss what this means for the studio house that brought Bugs Bunny, the Looney Tunes, Harry Potter and the DC Universe to audiences worldwide.

Vishala Sri-Pathma hears how US President Donald Trump has directed every federal agency to immediately stop using technology from Anthropic, as the row between the White House and the AI developer continues.

Meanwhile, with the United States oil blockage of Cuba continuing for nearly a month, Will Grant reports on the economic and humanitarian crisis engulfing the Caribbean country.

And as Pokémon celebrates turning 30 with its first ever theme park in Japan - we find out how a kids’ craze become a cultural heavyweight.

Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia, Latin America and the USA.

(Picture: The Warner Bros. Studios water tower in Burbank, California, on 11 September 2025. Credit: Allison Dinner / EPA / Shutterstock.)


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FRI 23:06 The Interview (w3ct8c4h)
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FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vq8)
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