SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2020

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcw9djy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 The Real Story (w3cszcnx)
Covid vaccines: An opportunity for science?

The rapid development of coronavirus vaccines has heightened the hope for a world free of Covid-19. Governments have ordered millions of doses, health care systems are prioritising recipients, and businesses are drawing up post-pandemic plans. But despite these positive signs, many people still feel a sense of unease. One poll suggests nearly a quarter of the world’s population is unwilling to get a coronavirus jab. How much of the scepticism has to do with the record-breaking speed at which the vaccines have been developed? How much can be attributed to a wider ‘anti-vax’ movement that relies on emotion more than it does on facts? What can those promoting the vaccines do to alleviate the fears of those willing to be convinced, but who 'aren’t there yet'? And what opportunities do coronavirus vaccination programmes present when it comes to improving society’s trust in science? Join Ritual Shah and guests as they discuss what's behind the hesitancy of some to accept a Covid-19 vaccination, and what can be done about it.


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcw9j92)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 Business Matters (w172x193hc72rcz)
Black Friday expected to top online sales records

Black Friday started earlier this year as shoppers turned to online services during the pandemic. John Copeland, Vice President for Marketing and Customer Insights at Adobe, lays out the trends they saw this year. The Trump administration intends to scrap longstanding federal protection for US birds, Sarah Greenberger, Vice President of the National Audubon Society, explains why they are opposed to the move. Also in the programme, China will impose trade tariffs of up to 212% on Australian wine. We get industry reaction from Tony Battaglene, chief executive of Australian Grape and Wine. The BBC's Manuela Saragosa reports on how prepping, or survivalism, has gone mainstream.

Peter Ryan, Senior Business Correspondent at ABC in Sydney is our guest.

(Picture credit: Getty Images)


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcw9n16)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172x7bjk90wdgb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172x5q003h009l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3cszhk5)
Buttler on captaincy and the bowler turned delivery driver

The weight is over for Australia and India as their heavyweight series gets underway in Sydney.

England's Jos Buttler talks Twenty20 World Cup, Ashes and his captaincy hopes.

And Paul Van Meekeren, the Dutch fast bowler delivering takeaway food during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Photo: Jos Buttler talks to Eoin Morgan (Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcw9rsb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 The Fifth Floor (w3cszjj1)
The self-styled prophet of Siberia

In September FSB soldiers descended in helicopters on a remote Siberian village to arrest a religious leader, Vissarion. They arrived with guns, but were welcomed by his followers, who don't believe in conflict. BBC Russian journalist Nataliya Zotova travelled to deep into the forests of Krasnoyarsk Territory to meet followers of the Church of the Last Testament and find out more.

Thailand's "CIA" food hawkers
Thailand's pro-democracy protests have sprung up all over Bangkok, but in every location it seems the food hawkers were already set up and ready for business. BBC Thai's Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai set out to crack the mystery of the self-styled "CIA" food hawkers.

‘They messed with the wrong generation’
Peru has been in the headlines for having three presidents in a week. It’s a story of corruption allegations, impeachment and mass protests, with young people saying their generation has had enough of the broken system which their parents put up with. Ana Maria Roura has been making sense of events for BBC Mundo.

Lahore's toxic smog
It's the time of year when many Pakistani rice farmers set fire to their fields to burn stubble. The result is serious air pollution and a public health problem for the authorities. Umer Draz Nangiana of BBC Urdu has been finding out why so many farmers continue to burn their fields.

Image: Vissarion meets with his followers
Credit: Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3cszmvx)
The fight for disabled rights in the UK

The UK government passed the landmark Disability Discrimination Act in November 1995. The legislation made it illegal for employers or service providers to discriminate against disabled people. Campaigners brought London to a standstill in the run up to the passing of the Act. Baroness Jane Campbell was at the forefront of that fight for equality and remembers the time when disabled people seized control of their destiny.

Photo: A disabled woman on her mobility scooter is carried away by four policemen after obstructing the traffic outside the Houses of Parliament. Credit: PA Archive/PA Images


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcw9wjg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 The Real Story (w3cszcnx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwb08l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172x7bjk90wrpq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172x5q003h0cjz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 The Cultural Frontline (w3cszj98)
Tsitsi Dangarembga: Writing Zimbabwe’s Women

This week as part of the BBC World Service’s 100 Women Season we're celebrating the female writers, artists and performers overcoming challenges and making their voices heard.

Shortlisted for the prestigious Booker prize, Tsitsi Dangarembga’s latest novel This Mournable Body reveals late 1990s Zimbabwe through the eyes of her female lead, Tambusai. Tsitsi talks to Tina about exploring the experience of Zimbabwean women through her characters and how she feels about being shortlisted at this point in her writing career.

Chilean female collective Las Tesis speak to our reporter Constanza Hola about their viral protest song The Rapist in Your Path and how it’s inspired women worldwide to speak out against sexual violence.

British Somali poet Hibaq Osman’s writing explores family history and identity with heartfelt honesty. She shares a poem from her first full collection, Where the Memory Was.

Plus: has a film, a book or a song ever changed the way you see the world? South African singer-songwriter Zahara on how she took courage from the film A Walk to Remember.

Presented by Tina Daheley.


(Photo: Tsitsi Dangarembga. Credit: DANIEL ROLAND/AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwb40q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172x7d5fr78h9f)
Iranian nuclear scientist killed

Iran has urged the United Nations to condemn the assassination of its top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and it's pointed the finger at Israel. We explore how the incoming Biden administration's relationship with its traditional ally will shape regional tensions.

Also on the programme: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States has passed thirteen million, with the pandemic still surging from coast to coast; And a new documentary explores Frank Zappa the man, his music, and politics.

(Photo: Blood stains from the shootout that killed the Iranian Scientist; Credit: WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwb7rv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172x7d5fr78m1k)
Iran blames Israel for scientist death

Iran has urged the United Nations to condemn the assassination of its top nuclear scientist, and it's pointed the finger at Israel. We hear from our chief international correspondent about reaction in the Middle East.

Also on the programme: With the violence in Ethiopia's Tigray province showing no signs of abating, the UN appeals for help with the thousands fleeing into Sudan; And what music do you associate with the emotions of a pandemic age? We'll hear from a composer who set his feelings to music.

To talk about these stories and more we are joined by Holly Dagres - she is an Iranian-American Non-Resident fellow at the Atlantic Council international affairs think-tank also the Curator of the current affairs newsletter, The Iranist And the neuroscientist Dr Daniel Glaser, who is an expert in the art of science communication and engagement.

(Photo : Prominent Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh; Credit: REUTERS)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwbchz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172x7d5fr78qsp)
Israel blamed for scientist killing

The Iranian President Hasan Rouhani has blamed Israel for the assassination of a top nuclear scientist -- but says it won't slow down Iran's technical progress. Our chief international correspondent tells us how the news has gone down in the Middle East.

Also on the programme: Can the Inuit way of life survive climate change? We'll hear from one hunter on her fears for the future; And as the footballers union in England creates a task force to look into brain injuries among players, is it time for soccer to ban headers?

To talk about these stories and more we are joined by Holly Dagres - she is an Iranian-American Non-Resident fellow at the Atlantic Council international affairs think-tank And the neuro-scientist Dr Daniel Glaser, who is an expert in the art of science communication and engagement.

(Credit : Car attack that killed Prominent Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh; Photo : WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)


SAT 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172x5q003h0qsc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:32 When Katty Met Carlos (w3ct1c4w)
How has Covid changed America?

Covid-19 has dramatically changed the way we live our lives, exposing fractures in our communities - but what's America's exit plan from the pandemic?

Carlos Watson and Philippa Thomas (standing in for Katty Kay) speak to journalist and author Fareed Zakaria about the dramatic and sudden shift in society this year. What are the lessons we need to learn to cope better in the future?

Carlos and Philippa also explore how President-elect Biden may tackle the pandemic, speaking to Dr Nicole Lurie, a public health expert who was an advisor to Joe Biden during his election campaign. Working under President Obama as assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the United States Department of Health, Dr Lurie planned for public health emergencies like the one we are living through right now. What does she think needs to be done to bring the pandemic under control?

Editor: Penny Murphy
Production team: Luke Radcliff, Maeve McGoran, Iyore Odighizuwa, Jonelle Awomoyi, Pamela Lorence


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwbh83)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct19yx)
Coronavirus: Festive celebrations

The arrival of winter for many countries brings the threat of increased infections as people gather indoors to escape the cold. It’s also a time for celebrating religious festivals and holidays.

Host Nuala McGovern shares conversations with an American family in Indiana about Thanksgiving, and two young women in Gaza relate their experiences of curfew during the pandemic.

In Japan, officials have already warned of a possible third wave of infections. Three people living there discuss why they think cases are rising, the implications for Japanese New Year and whether the Olympics should still go ahead in 2021.

(Photo: Erin, Eden and Carliss Stennett in the US Credit: Erin Stennett)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172x5q003h0vjh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Girl Taken (w3ct0xwc)
Girl Taken

28/11/2020 GMT

Girl Taken is a two year investigation to find a little girl taken from her mother in Iran. In this 11 part series, recorded in real time, Sue Mitchell and Rob Lawrie slowly unravel the mystery of what happened to four year old Bru and set out to reunite mother and daughter after years of being apart.

The series starts when Sue Mitchell came into the story, as a reporter for the BBC covering the refugee crisis in Europe. The little girl had hit the media spotlight when her father, claiming to be a widow fleeing Afghanistan under threat of death from the Taliban, asked Rob Lawrie, a volunteer at the Calais camp, for help. He wanted Rob to smuggle Bru to the UK but this failed. Although the story was extensively covered no one knew Bru’s mother was alive and desperately searching for her.

Through the original BBC coverage the mother, Goli, makes contact with Sue and Rob, telling them her daughter was taken from the family home in Tehran without her knowledge or consent. She’d been to the police in Iran but was told they could not help. She then travelled thousands of miles at the hands of smugglers with Bru’s baby sister, Baran. Sickness forced her to stop in Denmark but authorities and refugee charities there could not find Bru. These recordings cover a series of dramatic turns in the search for the little girl.

The recordings also touch on the plight of other women whose children have been taken from them by abusive husbands. It is still a rare thing to happen, but this investigation exposes shortcomings in the asylum process. Since the recordings aired, officials have discovered other cases where men have come into the United Kingdom with a child to help their asylum claims. These claims have not been fully investigated in the past and there are few safeguards to protect those who have suffered as a result.

The series raises the plight of children living in the Calais Jungle and other overcrowded and unsanitary camps. Through Goli’s story we learn more about the control others had in shaping her life. She’d had an arranged marriage to a cruel and controlling man and lived in a society where she had few rights. When she decided to flee Iran and search for Bru, she encountered many dangers, from smugglers to perilous sea crossings in the dead of night with Bru’s baby sister, Baran, in her arms.

The series gives voice to one woman’s story and in doing so raises issues affecting many others. Goli left the only culture she had known to search the world for her little girl and in doing so changed her outlook completely. On reaching the West she immersed herself in the education she had always wanted. As she began making her own choices she starts to experience possibilities and freedoms she had never before imagined. Goli is hopeful that her story could help other women to challenge the injustice and cruelty she has overcome.


SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3cszf59)
Have news programmes got the tone right on reporting a vaccine?

How the BBC World Service manages listeners' expectations following the recently announced Covid vaccine. Have news programmes got the tone right for those listening in both the developing and developed world?
Plus we get your thoughts on the documentary Barack Obama talks to David Olusoga.

Presenter: Rajan Datar
Producer: Howard Shannon


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwbm07)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Sportshour (w172x3c4dhjvdsy)
Memories of the magical Maradona

Arguably the greatest footballer of all time, Diego Maradona, passed away aged 60 this week after suffering a heart attack.

Maradona won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 – scoring the 'goal of the century' and becoming renowned for his controversial ‘Hand of God’ goal, both of which came against England in the quarter-final of that tournament.

The footballing world has been brought to a standstill with tributes flooding in from across the globe. Argentina announced three days of national mourning and there were huge celebrations of Maradona's life in the capital Buenos Aires and in the Italian city of Naples, where Maradona became a hero for delivering Napoli's only two league titles.

Sportshour explores the legacy that Maradona leaves; bringing you reaction from around the globe to his death from the people he impacted the most.

Director of the acclaimed 2019 Diego Maradona documentary, Asif Kapadia, tells the story of Maradona’s sensational life. He discusses Maradona’s difficult upbringing in poverty, how the 1986 World Cup lifted him to superstardom and how he ended up in the hands of the Mafia in Naples.

Our search for Diego's legacy even takes us to the second tier of Scottish Football, and the Alloa Athletic winger Adam Brown. At the age of 13 and playing for Celtic, Brown had an unforgettable chance encounter with Diego Maradona that involved the Hand of God lifting him into the air.

We also hear from Jon Smith, Maradona's agent during his time at Napoli. Smith tells us there were two people; Diego and Maradona. And he reveals how he managed to help Maradona get special dispensation from the Naples police to skip red traffic lights.

Maradona’s legacy is undoubtedly cemented in football but what about other sports? He was often seen cheering on the Pumas, the Argentina men’s rugby union team. We go to Argentina and speak to rugby journalist Frankie Deges to see how the country has reacted to Maradona’s passing and to discuss the impact he had on the sport.

And Sporting Witness relives the infamous story of that World Cup quarter-final against England in 1986 in Mexico City, with former England striker Gary Lineker telling us what it was like to see the 'Hand of God' and the 'goal of the century' in the flesh.

Photo: Diego Maradona at the 1986 World Cup for Argentina (Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwbqrc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172x7bjk90xh5h)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172x5q003h130r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 The Documentary (w3ct1cs1)
100 Women: The mushroom woman

This is the story of Chido Govera aka The Mushroom Woman. It is a story about her home, Zimbabwe. And it is also a story about mushrooms.

It never should have happened. Chido, an orphan, became the provider in her family aged seven. At 10 she was destined to marry a man 30 years older than her. But a chance encounter led her to discover the almost magical science of mushroom cultivation at a local university, and set her life on a very different course.

Cultivating mushrooms is unlike growing any other vegetable. Micro-organisms in organic matter provide fuel for air-bound silvery thread-like 'mycelium'. These anchor in damp soil and then quickly, tiny mushroom pins appear. Chido was enthralled by the way mushrooms emerge from next to nothing and colonise plant material. It reminded her of her Grandmother, who took Chido foraging for mushrooms in the forest as a child. From humble beginnings, mushrooms grow.

Chido realised she could grow these curious fungi in maize waste. She could feed herself and her family, and make a little money. What if she could teach other orphans to grow and sell edible mushrooms to provide an income? So that is what Chido did.

Today Chido runs a foundation training 1000s of other growers, mainly women and orphans, in Zimbabwe, and across Africa and the world. We hear their stories and discover the mysterious world of fungi.

Presenter: Chido Govera

(Photo: Chido Govera (Centre) Credit: The Future of Hope Foundation)


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwbvhh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 Music Life (w3csz6tv)
Loving and hating the studio with Tune-Yards, Haim, Black Pumas and Chicano Batman

An unbelievable line up this week sees Tune-Yards' Merrill Garbus ask Danielle and Este from Haim, Black Pumas' Eric Burton and Bardo Martinez of Chicano Batman if they consider the audience when writing, the ways in which their creative process has adapted from when they started out, and how they use the music of the past in their work.

Eric Burton - a singer, songwriter, former busker, and one half of Black Pumas - was discovered whilst performing on the streets of Austin, Texas, by a friend of Grammy-winning artist and producer Adrian Quesada. Bardo Martinez is a Los Angeles-based vocalist, keyboardist, and bandleader of Chicano Batman. They have toured with the likes of Jack White, Alabama Shakes and Portugal The Man. And Haim are one of the biggest pop-rock bands of our time. Their latest album, Women in Music Part III, reflects on the strength of their bond, and personal struggles the three sisters have experienced during the writing process, which they have described as “collective therapy”.


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwbz7m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172x2z20xd14w6)
Iran blames Israel for death of nuclear scientist

Iran's president has blamed Israel for the killing of a top nuclear scientist on Friday, saying it would not slow down the country's nuclear programme. Hassan Rouhani also said Iran would retaliate over Mohsen Fakhrizadeh's killing at a time of its choosing.

Also in the programme: the Ethiopian military has reportedly begun shelling Mekelle - the besieged capital of Tigray province where the dissident regional leadership has refused to surrender; and China's ambitious mission to bring back the first rocks from the Moon in decades.

(Photo: Iranian hardline students burn US and Israeli flags during a protest over the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist. Credit: EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwc2zr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172x3ljd1z1mn2)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld brings you full live commentary from the English Premier League as Manchester City host Burnley (1500 kick off GMT). We'll also have reaction from the day's earlier game between Brighton and Liverpool.

We look back on the life and career of one of football's greatest and iconic players of all time, Diego Maradona, after the Argentine sadly passed away this week, aged 60.

We'll also have reaction to the conclusion of rugby union's Autumn Nations Cup group stages as Wales play England, and in the Rugby Championship, we'll reflect on Argentina v New Zealand.

Image:Fans place offerings to late Diego Maradona in front of mural outside Argentinos Juniors' Stadium Diego Maradona on November 26, 2020 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Getty Images).


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwckz8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172x7bjk90ybdd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172x5q003h1y7n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Trending (w3cszvsr)
The truth behind a ‘woke’ Instagram network

It sounds like a dream proposition. A company with a big online following messages you out of the blue, asking you to represent them as a “brand ambassador”.

They promise you a boost in Instagram followers, and a discount on their products. And they even promise to donate large sums to charity.

But take away the rosy filter, and the reality does not look quite so good. New followers aren’t guaranteed. And the products for sale are so vastly overpriced that even with the discount, you’re losing out.

And perhaps most ethically dubious of all, we’ve found a network of accounts making false or dubious claims about charity contributions.

The accounts pledge large chunks of their profits to environmental projects, racial justice, LGBT rights organisations and other progressive causes that many are passionate about. The word “woke” comes to mind.

But we’ve discovered that these accounts often fail when it comes to delivering the profits – and the goods for sale.

Presenter: Reha Kansara
Reporter: Sean Allsop

Picture: Screenshot of a now-deleted account pledging charitable donations.
Picture credit: Instagram/BBC


SAT 18:50 More or Less (w3ct0pyb)
Tracking Covid 19

This year has shown us the importance of good robust data - as Covid-19 spread around the world it was vital to track where it was, how many people it was infecting and where it might go next. On More or Less we’ve spent months reporting on data inaccuracies and vacuums, but what makes for good or indeed bad data?

I’ve been speaking to Amy Maxmen, Senior reporter at the scientific journal ‘Nature’ about which countries are getting data collection right and which aren’t.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Charlotte McDonald


(Medical staff test visitors at a Covid-19 testing station in Seoul, South Korea. Credit: Jung Yeon-Je/Getty Images)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwcpqd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Evidence (w3ct0xk4)
Coronavirus: The Evidence

Pandemic rules: follower or flouter?

Millions of us, across the world, are subject to curfews, stay-at-home orders and lockdowns but what makes us stick to the rules, bend them or ignore them altogether? Claudia Hammond and her expert panel of guests consider the psychology of following the rules.

Leading social psychologists share research which show that higher levels of trust in leadership translates to more pandemic guidance followed. A sense of “We” not “I”, a shared identity, makes a difference too, as well as identification with the whole of humankind, not just your immediate family.

But there is danger too, from a “narrative of blame”, where individuals are demonised if they break the rules. Such an approach, Claudia hears, is corrosive to the all-important sense of shared identity and alienates some groups, while making others complacent.

Also in the programme, what impact can rapid “have you got it” antigen tests which give results in minutes, rather than days, have on the virus?

Claudia hears from the Cameroon in Central, West Africa, one of the first countries in the world to try mass testing using these rapid diagnostic tests. And she talks to scientists at the forefront of evaluating and modelling how their use could affect transmission of the virus, and daily life for all of us, until a vaccine is available.

This month, Claudia’s panel of specialists answers BBC World Service listeners’ questions and includes Professor Michael Mina, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in USA, Dr Margaret Harris, from the World Health Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, Steve Reicher, Professor of Social Psychology at St Andrews University in Scotland, Professor Rolf Van Dick, social psychologist and Vice President of the Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany and Dr Jilian Sacks, senior scientific officer for Pandemic Preparedness for FIND, the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics in Geneva.

The Evidence is produced in association with Wellcome Collection.
Producer: Fiona Hill
Studio engineer: Sarah Hockley
Editor: Deborah Cohen

Picture: COVID-19 Rapid Antigen detection test in New Delhi Metro stations, Credit: EPA/HARISH TYAGI


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwctgj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Conversation (w3ct1cw4)
The Conversation: BBC 100 Women

Celebrating the BBC 100 Women list 2020, Kim Chakanetsa and a panel of inspirational and influential women discuss whether some changes made because of Covid-19 restrictions could be seen as positive. They answer questions about bringing communities together, supporting lonely people and increasing flexibility for more inclusive employment.

Shani Dhanda is an award-winning disability specialist and social entrepreneur from the UK. She founded the Asian Woman Festival and Asian Disability Network. The pandemic has proved that flexible and home working is viable, and she wants to make sure our new online solutions are here to stay so that the world remains accessible to us all.

Karen Dolva has been seeking technological solutions to involuntary loneliness since 2015. A co-founder of No Isolation based in Norway, she’s helped develop a telepresence robot for children with long-term illness, and KOMP, a one-button screen for seniors. With reports from around the world of people feeling increasingly isolated because of Covid restrictions – should tech like this be used more widely?

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, became Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone in 2018 with an inclusive vision of the city's renewal and a three-year plan to "Transform Freetown" and tackle environmental degradation and facilitate the creation of jobs in the tourism sector. #FreetownTheTreeTown was launched this January and already over 450,000 seedlings have been planted to address flooding, soil erosion and water shortages faced by the city. She says we can turn frustration and dissatisfaction into positive change. What can we learn from such an approach post-Covid?

Aditi Mittal is India’s best known female stand-up comedian, who is finding new ways to perform safely and online. She also hosts the Women in Labour podcast, and hopes that the increased time at home for many male workers in India has shone a light on the amount of time required to run a household, something that has always been a big barrier to the female workforce.

Produced by Jane Thurlow and Caitlin Sneddon

Image from left: Aditi Mittal (credit Nanak Bhatia), Shani Dhanda (courtesy Shani Dhanda), Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr (credit TJ Bade) Karen Dolva (credit No Isolation)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwcy6n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172x2z20xd23v7)
Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: Army 'takes regional capital of Mekelle'

The Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed and the Army Chief of Staff, Birhanu Jula, have issued statements claiming that federal government troops are now in total control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray province.

There have been appeals for calm and restraint following the killing of Iran's top nuclear scientist.

And the Roman Catholic Church has installed its first African American Cardinal. Wilton Gregory became the first black Archbishop of Washington only eighteen months ago.

(Photo: Thousands of people have been displaced by the conflict in Tigra. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwd1ys)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172x79q3kf8hym)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:20 Sports News (w172x3flqpbysxg)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172x5q003h2f75)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct1ck2)
The Canadian Uighurs

Experts say China has detained as many as one million Uighurs and Muslims in "re-education" camps in Xinjiang province. Survivors have shared stories of countless alleged abuses including mass surveillance, forced labour and forced sterilization.

Uighur activist Rukiye Turdush said she feels helpless in Canada knowing Uighurs back home are being forced to learn Chinese, renounce their faith and abandon their culture.

"We said never again after World War Two, but it's happening again in the 21st century in China."

In this programme, reporter Idil Mussa meets Canadian Uighurs, like Turdush, to hear their stories. She learns that the Chinese state has tried to stop all contact with their families, how the Canadian Uighur community suffers from a collective guilt knowing their loved ones are suffering and how Toronto has become a hive of activism to raise awareness of their plight.

(Picture: Rukiye Turdush. Credit: Idil Mussa/BBC)


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172x5p5kcwd5px)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 Business Weekly (w3ct0spk)
Will a Covid-19 vaccine rescue the global economy?

On this edition of Business Weekly, we look at the third covid vaccine and ask whether the jabs will be the shot in the arm the global economy needs. We hear the story of a 30-year old man evicted by his parents from the family home after he didn’t pay towards his upkeep. But we also ask what happens when parents rely on their children for money. Plus, we hear from the musicians who want more money when we stream their songs. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

(Image: Scientist holds vaccine equipment, Getty Images)