SATURDAY 25 JULY 2026
SAT 00:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrg0hc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct8kcq)
Bald caps, sparrow raps and lightning claps
If you were lucky enough to be at rapper Pitbull's recent concert in Hyde Park in London, you would have been greeted by a sea of bald caps. A Guiness World record-breaking sea of 22,141 bald caps. And, in honour of this incredible feat, the Unexpected Elements team are exploring some science.
First, is hair the secret to healing? We find out why trading fur for sweat may have had unexpected consequences. Then, we learn all about ball lightning – real life fireballs that, despite first being sighted over 800 years ago, remain a mystery.
Next, is your garden full of rap stars? We're joined by Elizabeth MacDougall-Shackleton who tells us what we can learn from sparrows' surprisingly aggressive rap battles. We're also joined by Paulo Bittencourt who proves why we should all appreciate a nice big tree.
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, Lucy Davies, Alice McKee, Robbie Wojciechowski, and Nada Soufi
SAT 01:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrg47h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6sk8r)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc4hhw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8m91)
Who is really running Venezuela?
Venezuelans are still searching through the rubble a month after two devastating earthquakes, which left thousands dead and tens of thousands more still missing.
The disaster came at a moment of acute political and economic uncertainty, following the toppling of president Nicolas Maduro. The new government is led by Delcy Rodriguez, with US oversight, and the Trump administration has taken control of Venezuela’s lucrative oil industry – to the tune of billions of dollars. But where is that money now?
The BBC’s Will Grant reports from Venezuela, and has spoken to survivors, grieving families, and government officials leading the response.
Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Workers use a jackhammer on debris from a collapsed building, in Caraballeda, La Guaira, Venezuela. Credit: Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria.
SAT 02:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrg7zm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6sp0w)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc4m80)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct99fj)
Sir Garfield Sobers stands alongside Pele, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods
West Indies fast bowling legend Ian Bishop tells Stumped that Sir Garfield Sobers transcended the game and stands alongside sporting icons like Pele, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Sir Gary died at the age of 89 and was regarded as one of the sport’s greatest ever players. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss his legacy and share their memories of meeting him.
Plus - would you like to see a one-off Test match between England and Australia in India? Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg says the two oldest rivals in the sport could possibly play each other in the sub-continent. The Stumped team share their thoughts on the idea.
Photo:Former West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers during net practice at Kensington Oval on January 19, 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
SAT 03:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrgcqr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8hps)
Outlook Mixtape: Cut from a different cloth
Sewing in zero gravity, secret knitting in Chile, a man hopelessly devoted to looms, indigo and independence, and a quilt that challenged authority – five stories woven around fabric.
Nigerian artist Mama Nike explains how creating traditional Adire cloth helped her escape poverty and an unhappy polygamous marriage. She went on to teach textile-making to other women, helping them gain financial freedom through their craft. She spoke to Tommy Dixon.
When astronaut Dr Karen Nyberg took a sewing kit to the International Space Station, she discovered that making a quilt in zero gravity comes with unexpected complications. In 2022, she told Jo Fidgen about the challenge of cutting fabric that won't stay put and how a handmade quilt block sparked a worldwide sewing project.
Vintage looms, missing parts and more than a few tears: what began with a single loom rescued from a Welsh barn became British craftsman Daniel Harris's mission to save historic weaving machinery and master a centuries-old craft. He shared his story with Outlook in 2017.
Drawing on a family quilting tradition, American quilter Nedra Bonds turned fabric into a form of protest. She created a quilt telling the story of a historic Underground Railroad settlement and took it to public meetings during a years-long campaign against plans for a landfill site, speaking to Jo Fidgen in 2016 about why quilts can be powerful campaigning tools.
The Chilean male knitting collective Hombres Tejedores, or the Men Who Knit meet regularly to knit in public, challenging assumptions about who gets to pick up a pair of knitting needles. Some learned the craft in secret as children before finding confidence and community through their group. Reporter Jane Chambers visited them in Santiago in 2017.
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Hetal Bapodra
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape with a white label bearing the words: The Outlook Mixtape. Credit: Getty Images
SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct98dx)
Creating Africa’s largest film festival
On 1 February 1969, the first African film festival of Ouagadougou opened in the Republic of Upper Volta, now known as Burkina Faso.
In 1972, the event was made into an official institution by government decree.
It became known as the Pan-African film festival of Ouagadougou - Fespaco for short.
It is Africa's largest film festival and is held every two years. Alimata Salembéré was President of the organising committee who put together the first event.
She tells Jen Dale how it all came about.
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: Fespaco. Credit: Luc Gnago/Reuters)
SAT 04:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrghgw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct8kcq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:06 today]
SAT 05:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrgm70)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6t188)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc4zhd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 05:32 More than the Score (w3ct9bcy)
How 'baby boy' Haaland conquered America at the World Cup
Erling Haaland's Norway went out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stage - but on social media, he's arguably been the tournament's biggest winner.
From shopping for a cowboy hat in Texas to coming home with a taxidermied raccoon, Haaland's American adventures have seen his online following explode, and his fame has now spread into wider US pop culture. But what is it about him that America has fallen in love with - and just how big a star could he become?
Crystal Bell, digital culture editor at Mashable, tells More than the Score's John Bennett how Haaland's authenticity has been a huge draw for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and why the way he uses Snapchat is key to his appeal. She also analyses how he's been building his brand in China and beyond.
Tobias Hovland also joins the show to discuss what he's seen while reporting from the US for Norwegian broadcaster NRK, and how Haaland's exploits have been received back home.
Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.
And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct9990)
Is crime in London ‘through the roof’?
The crime rate in London has been cropping up regularly on social media and in political discussions - US president Donald Trump has claimed that crime in the city is ‘through the roof’.
But what does the data tell us?
Professor Matt Ashby, from University College London’s Centre for Global City Policing, has put together statistics that allow you to start to compare crime rates between cities around the world.
That evidence shows London in a different light, in terms of murder and other violent crimes.
If you see any stats you think need looking into, contact us at moreorless@bbc.co.uk
Presenter/Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Series Producer: Tom Colls
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound Mix: Andrew Garratt
SAT 06:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrgqz4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 06:06 Weekend (w1730c5n7dth3dm)
A review of the week with the latest news.
SAT 07:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrgvq8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 07:06 Weekend (w1730c5n7dth74r)
A review of the week with the latest news.
SAT 08:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrgzgd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 08:06 Weekend (w1730c5n7dthbww)
A review of the week with the latest news.
SAT 09:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrh36j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 09:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct8m3x)
The lifelong impact of surviving disaster
It has been a month since the twin earthquakes in Venezuela, estimated to have killed more than 5,000 people. But there have also been some remarkable stories of rescue with people being pulled alive from the rubble many days after the disaster.
In our conversations, we bring together people who survived disasters to discuss the long-term impact the events have had on their lives.
Marinel lived through Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the Philippines in 2013 and was one of the strongest typhoons in recorded history.
Jeff was a pupil at the junior school in Aberfan in South Wales. In 1966, 116 children were killed when waste from coal mines crashed down the mountainside engulfing his school.
“I did go to one counsellor and that counsellor said to me, when you review what you’ve been through, think of happy things like birthday parties,” Jeff tells us. “Well, the majority of people that would have come to my birthday party were now gone.”
We also bring together rescue workers to hear what motivates them and how they cope with confronting death and destruction.
Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producers: Ryan Keane, Lindsay Brown and Isabella Bull
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver
A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC World Service Outside Source team
(Photo: Jeff Edwards MBE as a schoolboy aged 8, the age he was when he survived the Aberfan disaster. Credit: Barry Batchelor, Press Association)
SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc5ggx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 09:32 Americast (w3ct8lzd)
The anti DEI MAGA activist Christopher Rufo
We’ve been speaking to perhaps the most prominent anti DEI MAGA activist, Christopher Rufo. He’s widely credited for convincing Donald Trump to dismantle Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programmes within the government, and led the campaign which saw Harvard President Claudine Gay resign from her post in 2024.
He's a controversial figure who has who has spearheaded the right-wing movement against what he describes as "gender ideology" and "woke" institutional policies. He’s also concerned about the future direction of the movement he helped to create and worries about splits within MAGA that have seen influencers like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens split with Donald Trump.
In today’s podcast, Justin and Rufo sit down to discuss how successful he thinks the second Trump administration has been, and why Richard Nixon is enjoying a revival among Gen Z Republicans.
HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
GUEST:
• Christopher Rufo, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute
GET IN TOUCH:
• Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB
• Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480
• Email Americast@bbc.co.uk
• Or use #Americast
This episode was made by George Dabby and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. 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
Top Comment: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001mssm
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 (w1730nkqqtrh6yn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct996r)
Up up and away
Australia's Emma McDonald is an acrobatic pilot for team "BeyondGravity", racing her plane at high speeds and low altitudes, weaving her way through a course set out in the sky competing in the AIR RACE X championship. Needing a remarkable mix of strength and agility, and a super focused mindset, those like Emma who succeed at this high octane sport are a rare breed. So how does anyone develop a career in acrobatic aviation? Emma has been revealing all the secrets
Dutchman Bob Van De Burgt loves windsurfing, but it's a demanding physical activity that needs more than a little help from mother nature. It's why races tend to be short, sharp and exciting. Bob excels in all of that, but what he really loves is endurance windsurfing. And it turns out he's pretty good at that too. A few weeks ago he took to a lake near his home in the Netherlands and didn't get off his board again for a full twenty four hours! In that time he broke all sorts of world records and raised money for charity along the way :
We send ten billion of them every day! Emoji's have become a very common way of communicating because sometimes words just aren't enough and an emoji can says it all! When elite climber Sasha DiGiulian told us on a previous show that the climbing emoji was based on her, we wanted to know a little bit more. Turns out we live in a world with an official "chief emoji officer" so we tracked them down. Welcome to the wonderful world of emojis with former "Chief Emoji Officer" Jeremy Burge. Smiley face emoji
To celebrate his 90th birthday this year, Shaul Ladany went out for a walk near his home close to the city of Beer Sheva in southern Israel . A pretty LONG walk. 5 kilometres in fact. Not bad for a man of his age, but nothing compared to his heyday as a long-distance race-walker who set world records that stand to this day! But, even more remarkably, he survived a childhood in the Belsen concentration camp and then the terrorist attack on the Israeli team at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
PHOTO: Matt Hall (top) and Emma McDonald of the Red Bull aerobatic team perform during the Australian International Airshow Aerospace and Defence Expo at Avalon Airport in Geelong on March 3, 2023. (CREDIT: Paul CROCK / AFP) (Photo by PAUL CROCK/AFP via Getty Images)
SAT 11:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrhbps)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6trr1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc5pz5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 11:32 Health Check (w3ct8k2p)
USA military launches testosterone screening programme
Last week, the US Defence Secretary announced a new policy that will require US military personnel to undergo annual screening for testosterone deficiency, however some health experts have expressed concerns that this program could have negative effects. Claudia Hammond speaks with Gary Wittert, professor of medicine at Adelaide University and consultant endocrinologist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, to understand more about testosterone and what hormone replacement therapy can do to the body.
Many babies receive a vitamin K shot after birth to prevent internal bleeding, but recently more parents are declining this potentially life-saving treatment. Dr Matthew Fox, Professor of Epidemiology and Global Health at Boston University, joins Claudia to explain what is driving this trend, and the evidence behind the jab.
Professor Rebecca Katz from Georgetown University in Washington DC and Director of the Health Security Operations Center has been monitoring disease spread and public health risks during the Men's Football World Cup, and joins Claudia to share what went well and what we have learned through this monitoring process.
A microscopic parasite, cyclosporiasis, is causing a gastrointestinal outbreak in the United States – Matthew and Claudia discuss the possible sources and what is being done to combat it. And, how El Salvador eliminated trachoma – the world's leading infectious cause of blindness.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Georgia Christie
SAT 12:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrhgfx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 12:06 The Documentary (w3ct9bwy)
Driving across the divide
Cars driven by Israeli volunteers wait at check points to give lifts to ill Palestinian to hospital appointments, it’s what the volunteers call “one hour of peace”.
Since Hamas’ brutal attacks on 7 October, it is become an increasingly rare space for Israelis and Palestinians to speak and build trust and connection amid the trauma of war.
Most Palestinians from the occupied West Bank are prevented from travelling to Israel, among them patients in desperate need of specialised medical treatment. Some days there are more than 80 car rides, volunteer drivers, waiting at the checkpoint, by the separation barrier that divides Israel and the West Bank.
Meanwhile in Gaza, patients who used to receive medical care in Israel are among around 20,000 patients on a long list awaiting medical evacuation. Jerusalem reporter Naomi Scherbel-Ball sits in the back seat and listens in to how they have survived more than two years of a devastating war, displaced from their homes and reliant on a health system all but destroyed by war.
She meets the Israeli volunteers, who had friends and family killed on 7 October. Despite the war, some have stayed in touch with the patients they used to drive from Gaza, waiting for the day when they can meet and drive those in need to hospital in Israel once again.
(Photo: Subha and Bassam Adi from Beit Ummar in the West Bank meet Israeli volunteer Myron Joshua at the security gate blocking their town.. Credit: Jimmy Michael)
SAT 13:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrhl61)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 13:06 Newshour (w1730bn3r4tjdf3)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
SAT 14:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrhpy5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w1730c8y0b7892t)
Live Sporting Action
Sportsworld comes live from Glasgow on Day Three of the Commonwealth Games. Lee James and guests will review the action so far and look ahead to the upcoming action. We’ll from South Africa swimming legend and seven time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Chad Le Clos and India’s javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra as well as a number of other high profile athletes and para-athletes competing at this year’s Games. We’ll also hear from the President of Commonwealth Sport - Dr Donald Rukare - the first president from the Africa.
Sophia Hartley also tells us the story of the rise of Tonga’s Netball Team.
Away from the Games, we’ll be in Hungary for the F1 qualifying, at the Tour de France as Tadej Pogacar looks to seal a fifth yellow jersey and in Saudi Arabia for Anthony Joshua’s return to the boxing ring.
Photo: Braille on a Commonwealth Games medal during a visit by Prince William, Prince of Wales to the Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain (The London Welsh School)on July 7,2026 in London, England. He joined pupils in sending their best wishes to Team Wales ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, taking place from July 23 to August 2, featuring 10 sports and six para-sports. (Credit: Getty Images)
SAT 18:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrj5xp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6vlyy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc6k62)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 18:32 More than the Score (w3ct9bcy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:32 today]
SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct8rxf)
When the NFL came to Europe
In 1991, the NFL decided to create an international league of American football teams.
Six new teams were formed in the USA, one in Canada and three in Europe. This eventually became an entirely European league in 1995, with teams in Germany, Spain, The Netherlands and the UK.
Oliver Luck was involved in the formation of the project between 1991 and 2000. He shares his memories with Tim O’Callaghan.
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: Frankfurt Galaxy players celebrating winning the World Bowl in 2003. Credit: Action Images/John Sibley via Reuters)
SAT 19:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrj9nt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 19:06 The Inquiry (w3ct98py)
Can the illicit gold trade be stopped?
Gold has been prized throughout history for its value and its beauty, which has also made it attractive to those prepared to exploit this precious metal for their own ends. The European Union recently banned the purchase, import and transfer of gold from Sudan, one of Africa’s largest gold producers, saying it had become a key source of financing for the country’s civil war.
And in other parts of the world where there are gold reserves, there can be similar exploitation. Many artisanal and small-scale miners are vulnerable to organised crime syndicates who find the risks of gold mining lower compared to those of drug trafficking.
And illicit gold is much easier to launder into the legal market, because it can be melted down with legitimate sources of gold and smuggled across borders, making its origins much harder to trace.
But the challenge for governments trying to enforce the law is how to protect those at the bottom of the chain and provide them with sustainable alternatives to illicit gold mining, whilst clamping down on the criminal groups behind the operation. So, can the illicit gold trade be stopped?’
This week, our panel includes Campbell Harvey, professor of finance, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Dr Dan Watson, research associate, International Institute for Strategic Studies, London, UK; Bram Ebus, consultant with International Crisis Group, founder and co-director Amazon Underworld, Bogotá, Colombia and Louis Maréchal, senior adviser on minerals and extractives, OECD, Paris, France.
(Photo: Gold nugget and gold coins. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Jill Collins
Sound engineer: Cameron Ward
Researcher: Amelia Cox
Production co-ordinator: Phoebe Lomas
Production management assistant: Liam Morrey
Editor: Tom Bigwood
SAT 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc6ny6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 19:32 Happy News (w3ct8nwq)
Happy News
Positive news stories
SAT 20:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrjfdy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct8h87)
British Argentinian actor Anya Taylor-Joy
British Argentinian actor Anya Taylor-Joy on playing a con artist in the new TV series, Lucky
Nikki Bedi meets Portuguese musician Ana Lua Caiano to talk about her music, reinventing Portuguese traditions with electronica and rhythmic experimentation and critic Katie Puckrik joins Nikki to reflect on other cultural highlights of the week:
Supergirl! The Australian actor Milly Alcock on DC’s latest big screen revival
American author Dave Eggers on his new novel about the art world, Contrapposto
South Korean singer songwriter Peggy Gou on becoming a superstar DJ
Cuban artist Tania Bruguera talking about her conceptual and political work
And there’s music from Algerian Tuareg band, Imarhan
Photo Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
SAT 21:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrjk52)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 21:06 Newshour (w1730bn3r4tkcd4)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
SAT 22:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrjnx6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 22:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct996r)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 today]
SAT 23:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrjsnb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SAT 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6w6pl)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc74xq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SAT 23:32 This Is Africa (w3ct8tdb)
Odumodublvck
Odumodublvck is one of the most exciting talents to come out of Nigeria in recent years. He is also one of the most controversial ones. He has been involved in several music industry bust-ups - and his lyrics have prompted accusations of misogyny.
He broke through to the Nigerian mainstream in 2022 with his hit Picanto, and went viral globally with his hit Declan Rice, a tribute to the Arsenal and England footballer.
His Okporoko rhythm blends grime, drill and Afrobeat and on his 2025 album Industry Machine he collaborated with Davido, WizKid and Stormzy.
In this revealing conversation with DJ Edu, Odumodublvck discusses what makes him tick, his motivation for doing music and his determination not to fall in with the crowd.
DJ Edu’s 10in10 Tracklist:
Jeba Jeba - Meek1one (Ethiopia)
Hossanna - El Drez (Liberia)
Sheikh Abdallah - Misso Misondo ft Chino Kidd & Dully Sykes (Tanzania)
One Big Party - Winky D (Zimbabwe)
Slick - Victony (Nigeria)
Stopit – Olivetheboy ft Medikal (Ghana)
Silino - I'm Loiso (Malawi)
Kumnandi – Djeddie ft Mzamo Ngcobo & Da Moon (Botswana)
Hello - Yo Maps (Zambia)
Teki Manxi - Soraia Tavares (Cabo Verde)
Presented by DJ Edu
Produced by Penny Dale and Catherine Fellows
SUNDAY 26 JULY 2026
SUN 00:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrjxdg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 00:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct8m3x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:06 on Saturday]
SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc78nv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct9brb)
Love on trial: India’s age of consent controversy
Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s toughest child protection laws, Love on Trial explores how India’s landmark Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) is reshaping the lives of young people. Introduced after the 2012 Delhi gang rape, Pocso has been praised for exposing hidden abuse, trafficking, and child marriage. But as reported cases surge into the tens of thousands each year, a growing number involve teenagers in consensual relationships who now face investigation, trial, and the possibility of long prison terms.
Through testimony from lawyers, campaigners, families, and young people themselves, the documentary examines how a law designed to protect children can also criminalise young couples, strain families, and devastate education and career prospects - while still remaining a vital
safeguard against exploitation and serious sexual violence. Voices on all sides of the debate grapple with a central question: can India
defend children robustly without punishing consensual teenage relationships, and should the age of consent be changed?
Presenter: Brishbhanu Baruah in Assam
Producer: Ashley Byrne and Andrew Edwards
A Made in Manchester production for the BBC World Service
SUN 01:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrk14l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6wg5v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc7ddz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 01:32 More than the Score (w3ct9bcy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:32 on Saturday]
SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct8rxf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:50 on Saturday]
SUN 02:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrk4wq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6wkxz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc7j53)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct8k2p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:32 on Saturday]
SUN 03:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrk8mv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 03:06 The Documentary (w3ct9bwy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Saturday]
SUN 04:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrkdcz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct99c8)
India's "cockroach" protests
Pascale Harter introduces stories from India, Iran, Ukraine and Argentina.
The Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, is now one of India's most visible youth movements, driving tens of thousands of students to take to the streets to protest about education, corruption, and a lack of job opportunities. Azadeh Moshiri met demonstrators in central Delhi.
The missile strike on a school in Minab in February, on the first day of the US-Israel war in Iran, is still under investigation. At least 156 people were killed. Nawal Al Maghafi has been to the site of the school and spoken to some of the bereaved.
In strategic terms, Ukraine's position on the battlefield has been looking stronger in recent weeks, although Russian forces are still advancing in the Donbas region. But within Ukraine, public opinion's been fiercely divided over President Zelensky's moves to reorganise the military chain of command. Sarah Rainsford explains what lies behind the backlash to a new recruitment drive and the changes to the men in charge.
Around two-thirds of the population in Argentina has in Italian heritage - and now some are looking for ways back to their roots, hoping to work or settle in Italy once again. In Buenos Aires, Jane Chambers explored the ways back - from language schools to WhatsApp groups for those seeking jobs in Europe.
Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
(Image: Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) during a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Credit: Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc7rnc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 04:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct977x)
Testing testosterone testing
Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has announced that the US military will be screening military personnel aged 30 and older for testosterone deficiency. Those found with low testosterone levels will be offered voluntary hormone replacement therapy. The secretary says this is to ensure “a healthy, capable, and decisively dominant fighting force”. Tom Whipple is joined by Professor Joe Herbert from the University of Cambridge to discuss why jacking soldiers up with testosterone may or may not be the best idea.
Marine Biologist Kathryn Ayres, from the non-profit organisation Beneath the Waves, describes a newly observed behaviour in orcas in which they collaboratively swim so hard into a dead sunfish it explodes. Is it a teachable moment for their young or is it just for fun?
Finally, we have Kit Yates, our resident mathematician, to reassure Tom that although AI might one day actually kill us all, at least it can disprove an 87-year-old mathematics conjecture.
Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producer: Dan Welsh, Alex Mansfield, Imy Harper, Tabitha Taylor Buck
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
SUN 05:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrkj43)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6wy5c)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc7wdh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 05:32 Asia Specific (w3ct9byr)
Why more countries are favouring China over the US
For the first time in 20 years, a major global survey conducted between February and May of 2026 has found that more countries favour China over the US.
The Pew Research Center, a non-partisan, US-based think tank, found that China’s global image is eclipsing that of the US, with 25 out of 36 countries surveyed preferring China over the US – a reversal from previous years.
The shift comes as President Donald Trump's foreign and economic policies have upended the global order. China has spent years working to build a more favourable reputation abroad, drawing accusations of state-sponsored propaganda campaigns, something Beijing has denied.
On this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi speaks to Tessa Wong, BBC's Asia reporter, and Bill Birtles, editor of the podcast, unpacking this latest chapter in a decades-long contest for global influence between the world's two superpowers.
Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.
Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people. Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.
Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week.
SUN 05:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct8rxf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:50 on Saturday]
SUN 06:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrkmw7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 06:06 Weekend (w1730c5n7dtl09q)
A review of the week with the latest news.
SUN 07:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrkrmc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 07:06 Weekend (w1730c5n7dtl41v)
A review of the week with the latest news.
SUN 08:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrkwch)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 08:06 Weekend (w1730c5n7dtl7sz)
A review of the week with the latest news.
SUN 09:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrl03m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct99c8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:06 today]
SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc8cd0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct8sw9)
When should I eat my evening meal?
When should you eat your evening meal? Is it really better to eat earlier, or does it depend on when you go to bed? And if you do have to eat late, is there anything you can do to reduce the impact on your health?
In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander explores what science says about the timing of dinner. From our internal body clocks to the food on our plates, we examine how the evening meal affects our metabolism, digestion and overall health, and separate the evidence from the myths.
Circadian rhythm researcher Dr Emily Manoogian, from the Salk Institute in California, explains what happens inside the body as the day progresses, why eating close to bedtime can affect the way we process food, and whether biology cares more about the clock or our own sleep schedule.
Nutrition scientist Professor Sarah Berry from King's College London shares practical advice on what a healthy evening meal should look like.
Around the world, however, people eat dinner at vastly different times. Food historian Professor Jeffrey Pilcher from the University of Toronto explains why meal times vary so much between cultures, how work, family life and history have shaped the evening meal, and why there has never been one universal way to organise dinner.
If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk
Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Sound engineer: Hal Haines
Picture: Getty (plate of food indicating the time)
SUN 10:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrl3vr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t11)
How to make cities better for everyone
A special edition of People Fixing The World recorded in front of a live audience at the University of Nairobi as part of the BBC’s Future of Journalism Festival.
Cities around the world are growing fast - they are the most efficient way of supporting large numbers of people. But many of them suffer chronic problems. There is often a shortage of decent housing. Getting around can be impossible with polluting cars creating gridlock on the streets. And the amount of waste we create is piling up on the streets and in landfill. Myra Anubi meets the people who are making city life better for everyone. The architect who is building affordable, sustainable homes. The innovator making transport greener and more efficient. The engineer making something useful from all our plastic waste. And the planner trying to create a more human city.
Guests:
Constant Cap, Urban Planner, UNEP
Christopher Maara, Founder, Kiri EV
Etta Madete, Founder Shout Group and Zima Homes
Lorna Rutto, Co-Founder, Ecopost
Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producers: Richard Kenny, Claire Bates
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Live Sound: Martin Njuguna and BBC Nairobi engineering team
Sound mix: Hal Haines
(Image: Guests at the BBC Future of Journalism Festival, Nairobi)
Programme recorded in front of a live audience at the University of Nairobi on Friday 10th July 2026.
SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc8h44)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct8sqs)
Saving Nigeria's vultures
When it comes to conservation, adorable and majestic animals often attract the most concern for their plight. It's not so easy to get the public's attention when it comes to animals that are perceived as weird or creepy or downright unpleasant. The vulture, traditionally associated with death and carrion, falls into this unlucky group. Globally, around 70% of vultures are now under threat of extinction and Nigeria's vultures are no exception. BBC West Africa journalist Makuochi Okafor has been investigating this story.
In Vietnam, The Last Empress, a new film inspired by the life of the final empress of the Nguyen Dynasty, appears to be provoking a strong reaction. Nam Phuong is a well-known historical figure in Vietnam, who along with her husband, Bao Dai, she was also seen as a puppet of the French colonial regime. Since the release of the trailer for The Last Empress, this long debate in Vietnam has bubbled back to life. Duc Ha from the BBC's Bangkok bureau has been exploring the human story behind all the politics and controversy.
In a private party in a Russian town, Katya was about to blow out the candles on her 30th birthday cake when masked men burst into the nightclub that she had hired and began physically and verbally attacking her friends. The swoop was instigated by a vigilante group who want to accelerate President Vladimir Putin's promotion of what he sees as traditional Russian family values. As is sometimes the case in these raids, members of the town's police also joined them, shutting down the party and interrogating the guests. Amalia Zatari of BBC Russian has been looking into this vigilante group.
The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.
Recent episodes have investigated Russia’s youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.
If you want to know more about Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin’s network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.
This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.
Presented by Faranak Amidi.
Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean.
(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)
SUN 11:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrl7lw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6xnn4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc8lw8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 11:32 More than the Score (w3ct9bcy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:32 on Saturday]
SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct9990)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:50 on Saturday]
SUN 12:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrlcc0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 12:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct8m3x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:06 on Saturday]
SUN 12:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc8qmd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 12:32 Assignment (w3ct8h1f)
Italy’s child obesity time-bomb
Children who are so obese they’re banned from their local gyms. Two and three year olds who are so used to juice and fizzy drinks they find it difficult to drink water. This is the child obesity epidemic hitting Italy. The country is often considered the spiritual home of the fabled mediterranean diet, celebrated as the secret to a long, healthy life. But Italy’s children are now the second most overweight in the EU. The reasons for this change in a generation are complex and hotly disputed.
Experts are putting it down to a daily diet heavy in pasta, pizza, potatoes, bread and meat proteins. Parents say their teenage children are eating a family dinner then going out to binge on fast food. Others accuse the parents themselves of overindulging their children from an early age.
Italy is acting. It recently became one of the first countries in the world to formally recognise obesity as a chronic disease. Twenty five secondary schools in the Campania region of Southern Italy, including Naples, will take part in an ambitious clinical trial to try and get their pupils to eat more healthily in a bid to prevent a looming health crisis. Can Italy turn its child obesity crisis around? And what lessons does its experiment hold for other countries struggling with the same problem? Sofia Bettiza reports from Naples.
Producer: Bob Howard
Sound engineer: James Beard
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy
(Image: Medical assistant weighing young girl at the university hospital in Naples, Italy. Credit: Sofia Bettiza/BBC).
SUN 13:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrlh34)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 13:06 Newshour (w1730bn3r4tm9b6)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
SUN 14:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrllv8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct99hs)
Do climate protests ever work?
Climate activists have blocked highways, scaled oil rigs and even thrown soup at master artworks. But have protests ever made a difference?
The modern green movement started in the 1970s when Greenpeace sailed a fishing boat towards a nuclear test site in Alaska. It now encompasses everything from bake-ins and marches to Radiohead concerts.
A small minority of activists even favour breaking the law to raise awareness about climate change. Some of them have superglued themselves to railings and blocked bridges.
BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt has made a new podcast series about the green movement – and the heated splits among activists about tactics. He talks to Climate Question hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar about the past - and future - of climate protest.
You can hear Ten Fights That Made the Green Movement here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002ybbl
Got a question for The Climate Question? Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com
Producers: Simon Watts, Diane Richardson and Ellie House
Sound Mix: Mike Regaard
Editor: SImon Watts
SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc8z3n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct8nwq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:32 on Saturday]
SUN 15:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrlqld)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w1730c8y0b7c9r1)
Live Sporting Action
Delyth Lloyd presents the lates from Day Four of the Commonwealth Games, including an in-depth interview with New Zealand's reigning 3000m steeplechase world champion Geordie Beamish, as well as several other high-profile athletes and para-athletes competing in Glasgow. Plus, Maz Farookhi will preview the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria v Senegal and Morocco v Kenya kicking off the opening day.
In Formula 1, it's the final Grand Prix before the summer break in Hungary, the Tour de France comes to a close on Paris' Champs-Elysees and we'll have reaction in Saudi Arabia to Anthony Joshua’s return to the boxing ring.
Photo: A general view of The SEC Armadillo ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on July 22, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Credit: Getty Images)
SUN 19:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrm6kx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6ymm5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc9kv9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 19:32 Good Bad Billionaire (w3ct9bc8)
Sir Paul McCartney: The rich one - Live at Crossed Wires
He enjoyed a spectacular rise in The Beatles, and went on to become a gold-plated member of British music royalty. Hear how Paul McCartney, one of the last century’s defining songwriters, became the UK's first billionaire rock star along the way. But how much of Paul McCartney’s cash comes from royalties, tours or his ownership of other artists’ back catalogues?
BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng track Macca’s journey from his working-class Liverpudlian roots, through his incredible career in music, to joining the global financial elite. Recorded live at the Crossed Wires podcast festival in Sheffield.
Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire.
SUN 20:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrmbb1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct8kcq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:06 on Saturday]
SUN 21:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrmg25)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 21:06 Newshour (w1730bn3r4tn897)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
SUN 22:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrmkt9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 22:06 The Climate Question (w3ct99hs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:06 today]
SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kc9y2p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 22:32 Assignment (w3ct8h1f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:32 today]
SUN 23:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrmpkf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
SUN 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqlsw6z3lp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kcb1tt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
SUN 23:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct8sqs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:32 today]
MONDAY 27 JULY 2026
MON 00:00 BBC News (w1730nkqqtrmt9k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct99c8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:06 on Sunday]
MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlk5kcb5ky)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 00:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct977x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 on Sunday]
MON 01:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331rs9v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j36c3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtng4l7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6svt)
Unstoppable: Kura Paul-Burke
Dr Julia Ravey and Dr Ella Hubber are both scientists, but it turns out there’s a lot they don’t know about the women that came before them. In Unstoppable, Julia and Ella tell each other the hidden, world-shaping stories of the scientists, engineers and innovators that they wish they’d known about when they were starting out in science. This week, a Māori marine scientist is combining indigenous knowledge with marine science to save the oceans that are so integral to her heritage.
Growing up in 1970s New Zealand, Kura-Paul Burke faced stigma due to her Māori roots. But, after finding herself studying marine science as an adult, Kura leaned on her heritage to take on a problem where many had already failed: restoring a lost population of precious, green-lipped mussels. Discover how Māori ancestresses, tribal elders and centuries-old knowledge inspired the ingenious methods of Aotearoa's first female Māori professor of marine science.
Presenters: Ella Hubber and Julia Ravey
Guest Speaker: Dr Kura Paul-Burke
Producers: Ella Hubber and Julia Ravey
Assistant Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Anna Charalambou and Josie Hardy
Sound Designer: Ella Roberts
Production Coordinator: Ishmael Soriano
Editor: Holly Squire
(Image: Dr Kura Paul-Burke. Credit: Dr Kura Paul-Burke)
MON 02:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331rx1z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j3b37)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtng8bc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct8k76)
Is anything truly random?
We’re delving into the CrowdScience archive to give you another chance to hear an award-winning show from 2025.
CrowdScience listener Dorit has a problem. She wants the tiles in her new bathroom to be arranged randomly but, no matter what she does, it still looks like they form some kind of pattern.
This has got Dorit thinking about randomness – what is it, how do you create it, why do we find it so hard to recognise, and is anything really random at all? And if nothing is truly random, does it mean that everything is theoretically predictable? Tiling your bathroom is a much more existential problem than you might have thought.
Never afraid of a question, whether big (is everything pre-determined?) or small (how do I tile my bathroom?), CrowdScience is on the case.
Anand Jagatia heads to Switzerland to meet Hugo Duminil-Copin, a mathematician at the University of Geneva who specialises in probability theory. On the top floor of an old bank, Hugo has Anand flipping an imaginary coin in a random order. Hugo explains that randomness is something that cannot be predicted by any means – so why is it so easy for Hugo to guess what Anand’s next move is?
Meanwhile, at the National Institutes of Mental Health in Maryland USA, Susan Wardle is a cognitive neuroscientist who researches how the human brain processes visual information. Can neuroscience help Dorit with her tiling problem, and is there a reason why the human brain likes to put random objects into some kind of order?
Geneva is also the birthplace of the first Quantum Random Number Generator for smartphones, and CrowdScience has persuaded some of the University of Geneva’s finest quantum physicists to hook a photon detector up to a synthesiser. Thanks to Tiff Brydges and Nicolas Brunner, we can actually hear quantum particles behaving randomly. But is quantum randomness truly random, or just a pattern that we can’t see? And could quantum physics help Dorit tile her bathroom?
Presenter: Anand Jagatia
Producer: Ben Motley
Editor: Cathy Edwards
(Photo: Many wooden dice - stock photo- Credit: akiyoko via Getty Images)
MON 03:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331s0t3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t11)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 on Sunday]
MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtngd2h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 03:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct8sqs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:32 on Sunday]
MON 04:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331s4k7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j3klh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnghtm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct99nr)
Are women the stronger sex?
The weaker sex? The fairer sex? The female body has often been viewed as less strong and less powerful than that of men. Datshiane Navanayagam meets two female scientists who are challenging that assumption. They reveal the ways in which women’s bodies actually come out on top.
Starre Vartan is an Australian science journalist, based in America. In her book The Stronger Sex she explores the different areas where women have the physical edge over men, from endurance events to immune response.
Marlo Möller is Professor of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Her research explores why women appear to be better at fighting off and surviving diseases like tuberculosis.
Produced by Hannah Sander
(Image: (L) Starre Vartan, credit Starre Vartan. (R) Marlo Möller, credit Annecke Vermeulen.)
MON 05:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331s89c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrcbh3)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
MON 06:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331sd1h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 06:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrcg77)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
MON 07:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331shsm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 07:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrckzc)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
MON 08:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331smjr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct8klj)
Rohan Kanawade, film director: My parents accepted my sexuality
‘Their love was so innocent, so sweet, so organic and we just wanted them to end up together because even they knew that some of the queer films always end in tragedy and they were worried that something like that's going to happen but that didn't happen and so people were really happy with it.’
Nikki Bedi speaks to Rohan Kanawade, the acclaimed director whose debut feature Cactus Pears or Sabar Bonda, made history as the first Marathi-language film to premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. It also became the first Indian drama to win the festival's International Grand Jury Prize.
Set in Kanawade’s home state of Maharashtra, Cactus Pears is a groundbreaking Marathi-language love story between two men.
Drawing on his experience of mourning his father, he reveals how grief, memory and identity found their way into his film.
He also talks about growing up in a poor area of Mumbai with parents who accepted and supported his sexuality.
Thank you to the Arts Hour team for their help in making this programme.
The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with director Christopher Nolan, actor Diego Calva and the legendary musician Ringo Starr. 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: Nikki Bedi
Producer: 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: Rohan Kanawade. Credit: Getty)
MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtngzt4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gg3)
Sierra Leone: The cocaine trail
In the first of two episodes, Ed Butler investigates how one of Europe’s most wanted drug smugglers, Jos Leijdekkers, ended up in Sierra Leone while evading justice. He also explores reports linking Leijdekkers to the family of Sierra Leone’s president, including claims that he has married the president’s daughter.
Presenter/producer: Ed Butler
You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct8r3m)
The last execution by garrote: Salvador Puig Antich
In 1974, an execution method known as the garrote, a chair with a metal collar tightened by a screw to break the neck, was used for the last time.
Francisco Franco's regime used it to execute two young men on the same day. The last was Catalan Salvador Puig Antich, a 25-year-old member of an anarchist group that robbed banks to fund its activities and support working class people. He was accused of killing a police officer during his arrest.
Stefania Gozzer speaks to his sister, Carme Puig Antich, about her brother's death and why, more than 50 years later, he remains a symbol of resistance to Franco's rule.
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: Salvador Puig Antich. Credit: Puig Antich's family archive)
MON 09:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331sr8w)
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MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j45b4)
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MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct8k76)
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Solar-powered flight and the Crazy Horse Memorial
Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes.
This week, we hear about the first solar-powered flight around the world, and discuss other moments in the history of solar power with Prof Laura Herz, Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford, in the UK.
Plus, the start of the largest mountain carving in the world in honour of Native American warrior Crazy Horse, Mexico's 'little old lady killer' and the birth of the 'African Oscars', FESPACO.
Finally, when American football came to Europe and how a Peruvian instrument, the cajon, revolutionised flamenco.
Contributors:
Bertrand Piccard - one of the pilots of Solar Impulse 2.
Prof Laura Herz, Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford.
Monique Ziolkowski - daughter of the sculptor who started the Crazy Horse Memorial.
Dr Feggy Ostrosky - neuropsychologist who worked with Juana Barraza.
Alimata Salembéré - president of the first organising committee of the Pan African Film and Television Festival.
Oliver Luck - former president of NFL Europe.
Rubem Dantas - percussionist who helped introduce the cajon into flamenco.
(Photo: Solar Impulse 2 flies over the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco in 2016. Credit: Jean Revillard via Getty Images)
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MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mcb)
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MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8hxl)
How my loss became a lifeline for thousands
Ben West is now in his mid-twenties and looks back on his early childhood as ‘ideal’, having grown up in a close-knit family in rural England and often playing outside with his two younger brothers. Life was full of adventure and fun. At 17, Ben had his future as a helicopter pilot all planned out, but everything changed when he lost his brother Sam to suicide that same year. This episode is about the circumstances of that pivotal event and Ben’s remarkable response to it over the eight years since – raising awareness about young men’s mental health, changing national policy, and creating Reasons to Stay.
Reasons to Stay is a suicide prevention project based around a website where strangers submit letters of support, written for anyone struggling with their mental health. The letters are checked by clinical professionals. Since its launch in January 2026, Ben says over 4 million letters have been ‘delivered’, read by users all over the world.
Ben has faced his own challenges, working through anger, guilt and shame, in the aftermath of Sam’s death. He's found positivity in being able to share his brother's story to help others feel less alone and access treatment, and believes Sam would have loved nothing more.
If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. Www.befrienders.org
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Emily Naylor
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Ben running the London Marathon looking visibly emotional with red eyes. He is smiling at the camera while gripping a flag which he is holding in front of him. The middle of the flag says Reasons to Stay and around it are thousands of names printed in a tiny font. Ben is wearing a cap backwards and grey T-Shirt with his name and Reasons to Stay on. Behind Ben are other runners and supporters. It is a cloudy day with some blue skies and you can see some trees as well as the London Eye in the background. Courtesy of Ben West.)
MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct8r3m)
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MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j4n9n)
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MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct99nr)
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MON 14:06 Newshour (w1730bn43f3v57l)
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MON 15:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331tgrn)
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MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct8klj)
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MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gg3)
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MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d3l)
World Business Express - Finance, economy and business news from BBC journalists around the world. The stories that matter: World Business Express brings you the essentials on the fast-changing global economy. What forces are driving the markets and industry? Hear unique insight from top CEOs, investors, economic thinkers and small business bosses.
From global trade, to oil and food prices and the rise of artificial intelligence, to the corporate crashes and standout entrepreneur start-ups, the BBC World Service brings you trusted reporting. We’ll explain how the top stories impact your own finances.
MON 16:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331tlhs)
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MON 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqj8ck)
2026/07/27 15:06 GMT
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MON 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqjd3p)
2026/07/27 16:06 GMT
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MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8hxl)
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MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j5csf)
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MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rk5)
2026/07/27 GMT
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MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct99c8)
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MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnjfrp)
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MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct8jsp)
Unstoppable: Tebello Nyokong
Dr Julia Ravey and Dr Ella Hubber are both scientists, but it turns out there’s a lot they don’t know about the women that came before them. In Unstoppable, Julia and Ella tell each other the hidden, world-shaping stories of the scientists, engineers and innovators that they wish they’d known about when they were starting out in science. This week, the story of a woman who gained her education by herding sheep during her childhood to becoming one of Africa’s most prominent scientists.
Born under Apartheid in South Africa, Tebello Nyokong and her family uprooted their lives to escape the unequal education system enforced upon Black South Africans. After herding sheep proved she could do anything a boy could do, Tebello ended up studying science and found a love for chemistry. In the face of limited opportunities, she once again uprooted her life and took her studies oversees, but this was when she was introduced to something huge: a new, ground-breaking cancer treatment. Now Tebello is using nanotechnology to get this therapy off the ground, all while she fights to make Africa a science superpower.
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MON 22:06 The Interview (w3ct8klj)
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MON 22:32 The Conversation (w3ct99nr)
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MON 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j5vry)
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MON 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fn8)
First broadcast 27/07/2026 21:32 GMT
The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.
TUESDAY 28 JULY 2026
TUE 00:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331vkgt)
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TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct99lg)
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TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j6386)
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TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mcb)
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TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j670b)
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TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct8h1g)
Investigations and journeys into the heart of global events from BBC correspondents.
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TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8hxl)
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TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct8r3m)
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TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j6ghl)
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TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct8l5l)
James Turrell: Master of light
The American artist James Turrell is famous for his Skyspaces. A Skyspace is chamber with an opening to the sky. Turrell bathes the roof with light that subtly changes colour, which affects our perception of the colour of the sky itself. Julian May travels to ARoS, the Art Museum in Aarhus, Denmark to meet James Turrell as he prepares his latest SkySpace, entitled As Seen Below – The Dome. It is a monumental work, which from the ground outside looks like tumulus, an ancient, grass covered burial mound. To experience the work Julian goes through an underground tunnel that brings him into the huge domed space flooded with changing coloured light. Through the opening the sky appears at once immensely deep, yet close.
James Turrell tells Julian that while most artists depict light, light is his material; his work is light itself. He speaks about how flying (he gained a pilot’s licence at the age of sixteen), the changing colours of the sky and the disorientating experience of speeding between clouds and fog inspires him. How, too, his upbringing and life as a Quaker has a profound influence.
Rebecca Matthews, the Museum Director of ARoS, speaks about how As Seen Below – The Dome is a work of engineering as well as art, how this is being achieved, and why the Skyspace has a resonance for Danes, who have a particular relationship with light.
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TUE 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrg7d6)
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TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t12)
Who does the housework?
How much work do you do to keep your household running smoothly? Figures suggest domestic work still falls mostly to women - leading to resentment and burnout. This week we’re hearing from Indonesia and Croatia about projects helping change that.
In rural Indonesia we visit the island of Rote - and hear how men there are overturning centuries-long attitudes to male and female roles and learning how to cook for their children and look after their homes.
In Croatia we meet the men taking part in the ‘Superdads’ programme where they discover that cleaning and doing chores brings them closer to their families. It’s run by Status M – the only NGO in the country tackling gender-based violence by talking to men about masculinity.
Presenter: Myra Anubi
Reporter/producer: Claire Bowes
Indonesia reporter: Ade Mardiyati
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Hal Haines
(Image: Members of the Arungi NGO group join residents on the island of Rote, Indonesia)
TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnkwq7)
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TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gr4)
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The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.
TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct9865)
The making of Oasis’ Wonderwall
In 1995, the British band Oasis released one of their biggest hits as a single from their number one album: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
The song Wonderwall was a departure from their usual music, but it has gone on to be one of their most successful songs and was a top 10 hit in 15 countries.
It has also become an anthem for the British public and has become a key part of England’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
Nick Brine was the sound engineer who worked with the band to record the iconic track at Rockfield Studios. He speaks to Tim O’Callaghan.
Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories.
When you subscribe to Witness History, you’ll be taken inside turning points in world affairs from West Africa’s fight back against Boko Haram in 2015 to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations.
You’ll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal's worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
You’ll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden’s Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles’ George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy’s show to a sudden end.
And if you’re curious about inventions, we’ll tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created.
If you’re new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history – all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of BBC World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.
(Photo: The Gallagher brothers performing in 1995. Credit: Des Willie/Redferns/Getty Images)
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TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct8h1g)
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TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct8h87)
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TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j79qh)
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TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mhv)
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TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8jc4)
Outlook
True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.
TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct9865)
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TUE 13:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331x45h)
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TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct8gr4)
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TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d83)
World Business Express - Finance, economy and business news from BBC journalists around the world. The stories that matter: World Business Express brings you the essentials on the fast-changing global economy. What forces are driving the markets and industry? Hear unique insight from top CEOs, investors, economic thinkers and small business bosses.
From global trade, to oil and food prices and the rise of artificial intelligence, to the corporate crashes and standout entrepreneur start-ups, the BBC World Service brings you trusted reporting. We’ll explain how the top stories impact your own finances.
TUE 16:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331xhdw)
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TUE 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqm58n)
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TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8jc4)
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TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct9865)
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TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j88pj)
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TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rpp)
2026/07/28 GMT
BBC sports correspondents tell the story behind today's top sporting news, with interviews and reports from across the world.
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TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct8h1g)
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TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct8jy6)
Tech Life discovers and explains the ways technology is changing our lives, wherever we are in the world.
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TUE 21:06 Newshour (w1730bn43f3yxcl)
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TUE 22:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct8t12)
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TUE 22:32 In the Studio (w3ct8l5l)
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TUE 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j8rp1)
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TUE 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fss)
First broadcast 28/07/2026 21:32 GMT
The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.
WEDNESDAY 29 JULY 2026
WED 00:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331ygcx)
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WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct8h87)
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WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mhv)
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WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct99hs)
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WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8jc4)
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WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct9865)
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WED 04:32 The Documentary (w3ct9bd4)
How did we get here: Israel and the Palestinians
Jonny Dymond explores the contested history of the region from ancient times to the present day through conversations with an array of leading historians and BBC specialists.
How Did We Get Here: Israel and the Palestinians is a Long Form Audio production for BBC World Service
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WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct98h6)
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WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct98s7)
Founders: Leah Solivan on building and selling TaskRabbit
Leah Solivan, founder and former CEO of TaskRabbit, reflects on building one of the world’s most successful gig-economy platforms. She discusses the pressures of scaling a multi-million-dollar business, the stress-related illness that left her in hospital, and the decision to eventually sell TaskRabbit to IKEA.
Presenter: Sarah Rogers
Producer: Niamh McDermott
You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
(Picture: Leah Solivan. Credit: Audrey Anne Photography)
WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct988f)
Sweden's summer shutdown
In the summer of 1978, many Swedish workers relished the chance to take longer, paid vacations than ever before.
This was thanks to an update to Sweden’s Annual Leave Act –or Semesterlagen in Swedish – passed the previous year. The law guaranteed all employees four consecutive weeks of vacation, and increased their total annual leave to five weeks, giving them some of the longest paid holidays in the world.
These policies transformed the way Swedes do business. Many factories and offices shut down for an entire month during the summer. Today,Sweden retains its strong reputation for work-life balance, and the annual leave act has given rise to the 'sommar jobb' - short summer jobs that help cover holiday absences.
Former union worker Inga Persson, who was in her late 20s when the law was passed, tells Matilda Welin about the impact it had on her family, who decided to spend their first long, paid uninterrupted vacation in a new campervan. A Bespoken Media production, made by Maddy Savage.
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: Inga Persson. Credit: Inga Persson)
WED 09:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331zk32)
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WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54j9z4b)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnnxcg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct99hs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:06 on Sunday]
WED 10:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331znv6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 10:06 The Documentary (w3ct9bwy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Saturday]
WED 11:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331zslb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jb6ml)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnp4vq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8ml3)
The Global Story
.
WED 12:00 BBC News (w1730nkr331zxbg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8jkx)
Outlook
True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.
WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct988f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
WED 13:00 BBC News (w1730nkr332012l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jbg3v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnpdbz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 13:32 The Documentary (w3ct9bd4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
WED 14:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33204tq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 14:06 Newshour (w1730bn43f40z1s)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
WED 15:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33208kv)
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WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct98h6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnpmv7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct98s7)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:32 today]
WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8dbc)
World Business Express - Finance, economy and business news from BBC journalists around the world. The stories that matter: World Business Express brings you the essentials on the fast-changing global economy. What forces are driving the markets and industry? Hear unique insight from top CEOs, investors, economic thinkers and small business bosses.
From global trade, to oil and food prices and the rise of artificial intelligence, to the corporate crashes and standout entrepreneur start-ups, the BBC World Service brings you trusted reporting. We’ll explain how the top stories impact your own finances.
WED 16:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3320d9z)
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WED 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqq25r)
2026/07/29 15:06 GMT
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WED 17:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3320j23)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqq5xw)
2026/07/29 16:06 GMT
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WED 18:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3320mt7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8jkx)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct988f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
WED 19:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3320rkc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jc5lm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnq3tr)
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WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rry)
2026/07/29 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 (w1730nkr3320w9h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct99hs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:06 on Sunday]
WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnq7kw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct8k2q)
Health Check
Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.
WED 21:00 BBC News (w1730nkr332101m)
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WED 21:06 Newshour (w1730bn43f41t8p)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
WED 22:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33213sr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 22:06 The Interview (w3ct98h6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnqh24)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 22:32 The Documentary (w3ct9bd4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
WED 23:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33217jw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
WED 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jcnl4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnqlt8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
WED 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fw1)
First broadcast 29/07/2026 21:32 GMT
The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.
THURSDAY 30 JULY 2026
THU 00:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3321c90)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 00:06 The Documentary (w3ct9bwy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Saturday]
THU 01:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3321h14)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jcx2d)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnqv9j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8ml3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:32 on Wednesday]
THU 02:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3321ls8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jd0tj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnqz1n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct9ch6)
The battle that changed Ireland
1st July, 1916 is still one of the bloodiest days in the history of war. Nearly 20,000 men from the British Army died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. One of the first examples of industrial warfare, the offensive would go on for over four months and cause over a million casualties on both sides. The documentary uncovers how the battle still affects people and communities; and discovers new insights about Jordan's own family history.
THU 03:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3321qjd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8jkx)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Wednesday]
THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct988f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Wednesday]
THU 04:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3321v8j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jd89s)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnr6jx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct8swb)
The Food Chain
The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.
THU 05:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3321z0n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrn16d)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
THU 06:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33222rs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 06:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrn4yj)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
THU 07:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33226hx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 07:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrn8pn)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
THU 08:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3322b81)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct98pz)
Can we live with extreme heat?
Extreme heatwaves are becoming more frequent across the globe, not only in countries used to cooler climates, but also in those already familiar with significantly hotter temperatures.
Intense heat can have an impact on the human body, from heat stroke to dehydration to skin damage. Economies can suffer as drought conditions impact farming communities. Built up urban areas can exacerbate the temperatures caused by heatwaves. And it can further expose already existing inequalities in society.
There is advice out there on how to protect ourselves. There are tried and tested models of sustainable farming. Some urban spaces are being redesigned to accommodate heat extremes, and some major cities are taking action to address the imbalances caused by extreme heat. But do they all go far enough? On this week’s Inquiry we’re asking, ‘Can we live with extreme heat?’
Contributors:
Prof Ollie Jay, director of Heat and Health Research Centre, University of Sydney, Australia
Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, animal scientist, chairperson of the Council of the National University of Science & Technology, Zimbabwe
Winston Chow, co-chair, IPPC Working Group II, professor of urban climate, Singapore Management University
Diana Liverman, professor of geography, University of Arizona, Tuscon, USA
Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Amelia Cox
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: Cameron Ward
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey
(Photo: Hot summer day in Rome, Italy. Credit: Tiziana Fab/Getty Images)
THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnrpjf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct8glm)
Business Daily
The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.
THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct98bp)
'I organised the first Comic Con'
In 1964, a group of teenage boys organised a convention in New York – it became known as the first official Comic Con.
The idea began after 16-year-old Bernie Bubnis wrote an article in his comic book fanzine. But when no-one else took on the project, he rounded up friends to help.
Together, they booked a venue, arranged a date, sent out letters and posted ads. And for the star attraction, they invited legendary American comic book artist, Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange.
In late July, the doors opened on the first convention, kickstarting what’s become a worldwide cultural phenomenon.
Bernie tells Jane Wilkinson how it happened.
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: Comic Con 1964 badge. Credit: Bernie Bubnis/Art Tripp)
THU 09:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3322g05)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jdw1f)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnrt8k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct9ch6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
THU 10:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3322kr9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct98mq)
The Media Show
Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world.
THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnry0p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 10:32 Good Bad Billionaire (w3ct9bc4)
MrBeast: The business of going viral
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, transformed himself from a teenager obsessing over YouTube's algorithms, into one of the most influential digital entrepreneurs on the planet.
BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow his ascent from making Minecraft videos in his bedroom, to ever-larger challenges, eye-watering cash prizes, and headline-grabbing acts of philanthropy. Is MrBeast a visionary entrepreneur who reinvented entertainment for the internet generation, or has he simply mastered the art of turning clicks into cash?
Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire
THU 11:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3322phf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jf3jp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtns1rt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mfl)
The Global Story
.
THU 12:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3322t7k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8j4c)
Outlook
True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.
THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct98bp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
THU 13:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3322xzp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jfc0y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtns982)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct8swb)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
THU 14:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33231qt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 14:06 Newshour (w1730bn43f43vyw)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
THU 15:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33235gy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct98pz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnsjrb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct8glm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:32 today]
THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d5v)
World Business Express - Finance, economy and business news from BBC journalists around the world. The stories that matter: World Business Express brings you the essentials on the fast-changing global economy. What forces are driving the markets and industry? Hear unique insight from top CEOs, investors, economic thinkers and small business bosses.
From global trade, to oil and food prices and the rise of artificial intelligence, to the corporate crashes and standout entrepreneur start-ups, the BBC World Service brings you trusted reporting. We’ll explain how the top stories impact your own finances.
THU 16:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3323972)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqsz2v)
2026/07/30 15:06 GMT
A vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.
THU 17:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3323dz6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqt2tz)
2026/07/30 16:06 GMT
A vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.
THU 18:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3323jqb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8j4c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct98bp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
THU 19:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3323ngg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jg2hq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnt0qv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rmf)
2026/07/30 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 (w1730nkr3323s6l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct9ch6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
02:32 today]
THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnt4gz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 20:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct977y)
A weekly show exploring science, its mysteries, and the debates it sparks.
THU 21:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3323wyq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 21:06 Newshour (w1730bn43f44q5s)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
THU 22:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33240pv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 22:06 The Inquiry (w3ct98pz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtntcz7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 22:32 The Food Chain (w3ct8swb)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
THU 23:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33244fz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
THU 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jgkh7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnthqc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
THU 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fqj)
First broadcast 30/07/2026 21:32 GMT
The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.
FRIDAY 31 JULY 2026
FRI 00:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3324863)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct98mq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:06 on Thursday]
FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtntmgh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 00:32 Happy News (w3ct8nwq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:32 on Saturday]
FRI 01:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3324cy7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jgszh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtntr6m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct8mfl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:32 on Thursday]
FRI 02:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3324hpc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jgxqm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtntvyr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct8jy6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Tuesday]
FRI 03:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3324mfh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct8j4c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 on Thursday]
FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct98bp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 on Thursday]
FRI 04:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3324r5m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jh56w)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnv3g0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct983x)
Rastafari & I
Silas Gray grew up surrounded by the sounds, colours and iconography of his British Rastafarian father’s faith. As an adult, he began to question the beliefs he once accepted without doubt. Now he travels to Shashamane, Ethiopia - Rastafari’s promised land - to find a way to feel comfortable with the complex legacy he’s inherited from his Dad.
A Reduced Listening Production for BBC World Service.
FRI 05:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3324vxr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 05:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrqy3h)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
FRI 06:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3324znw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 06:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrr1vm)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
FRI 07:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33253f0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 07:06 Newsday (w1730c1ggwrr5lr)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.
FRI 08:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3325754)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 08:06 The Interview (w3ct98kg)
The Interview
Conversations with people shaping our world. The best interviews from the BBC.
FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnvlfj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct8g9l)
Business Daily
The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.
FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct98dy)
The cellist who survived Auschwitz-Birkenau
In 1943, the cellist, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch was sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. She expected to be killed in the gas chambers but survived because she was recruited to play in an orchestra set up by the women prisoners.
In 2015, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch told Simon Watts about her experience and the power of music in the darkest moments in history.
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: Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch. Credit: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
FRI 09:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3325bx8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jhryj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnvq5n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 09:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct977y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:32 on Thursday]
FRI 10:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3325gnd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct8kcr)
Unexpected Elements
The news you know, the science you don’t. Unexpected Elements looks beyond everyday narratives to discover a goldmine of scientific stories and connections from around the globe. From Afronauts, to why we argue, to a deep dive on animal lifespans: see the world in a new way with Unexpected Elements.
FRI 11:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3325ldj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jj0fs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnvynx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct8m92)
The Global Story
.
FRI 12:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3325q4n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct8hpt)
Outlook
True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.
FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct98dy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
FRI 13:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3325tws)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jj7y1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnw655)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct983x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
FRI 14:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3325ymx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 14:06 Newshour (w1730bn43f46rvz)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
FRI 15:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33262d1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 15:06 The Interview (w3ct98kg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnwfnf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct8g9l)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:32 today]
FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct8d1b)
World Business Express - Finance, economy and business news from BBC journalists around the world. The stories that matter: World Business Express brings you the essentials on the fast-changing global economy. What forces are driving the markets and industry? Hear unique insight from top CEOs, investors, economic thinkers and small business bosses.
From global trade, to oil and food prices and the rise of artificial intelligence, to the corporate crashes and standout entrepreneur start-ups, the BBC World Service brings you trusted reporting. We’ll explain how the top stories impact your own finances.
FRI 16:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3326645)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 16:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqwvzy)
2026/07/31 15:06 GMT
A vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.
FRI 17:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33269w9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 17:06 Outside Source (w1730c6h1dqwzr2)
2026/07/31 16:06 GMT
A vibrant account of the day’s events with explanation and reaction from those involved.
FRI 18:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3326fmf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct8hpt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:06 today]
FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct98dy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:50 today]
FRI 19:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3326kck)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jjzdt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnwxmy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct8rgx)
2026/07/31 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 (w1730nkr3326p3p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 20:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct8m3y)
BBC Conversations
How major news stories are affecting the lives of people around the world
FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnx1d2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct8k77)
Is all radiation harmful?
CrowdScience listener Grandwin in Uganda has heard that radiation is all around us, being emitted by anything from the sun to everyday devices like light bulbs and laptops. He’s wondering whether constant exposure to radiation is harmful.
He knows that too much sun gives you cancer, and that infrared light can cause ageing, but what about other forms of radiation? Could Carbon 14, which we use for radio carbon dating, be bad for us? And should we be scared of brazil nuts and bananas?
Presenter Marnie Chesterton fires up her Geiger counter and gets on the case, investigating what radiation actually is and whether Grandwin should be concerned about it.
FRI 21:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3326svt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 21:06 Newshour (w1730bn43f47m2w)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.
FRI 22:00 BBC News (w1730nkr3326xly)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 22:06 The Interview (w3ct98kg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:06 today]
FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnx8wb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 22:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct983x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
04:32 today]
FRI 23:00 BBC News (w1730nkr33271c2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
FRI 23:06 The Newsroom (w1730bqm54jkgdb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w1730nlkjtnxdmg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
FRI 23:32 World Business Report (w3ct8fl0)
First broadcast 31/07/2026 21:32 GMT
The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.