SATURDAY 23 DECEMBER 2023

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk1hlq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 The Climate Question (w3ct68w6)
Climate review of the year

2023 was the hottest year on record. How did the planet cope? And what has the world actually done to tackle climate change?

The BBC’s Graihagh Jackson is joined by a panel of journalists and experts for an annual stocktake of the climate crisis. Under review from the past twelve months are wonky weather patterns, clever energy solutions and tense diplomatic negotiations.

Graihagh Jackson: Presenter of The Climate Question
Najma Mohamed: Head of Nature Based Solutions at the United Nations Environment Programme’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Justin Rowlatt: BBC Climate Editor
Akshat Rathi: Senior Environment Reporter at Bloomberg News

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com



Producer: Nick Holland
Researcher: Octavia Woodward
Editor: Simon Watts
Sound: James Beard, Tom Brignell & Graham Puddifoot


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk1mbv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 Business Matters (w172yzrycy6c4r5)
US threatens sanctions on banks helping Russia

President Joe Biden has signed an executive order expanding the US's ability to impose sanctions against Russia.

The idea is to further isolate Moscow from the global economy by applying sanctions to foreign financial institutions that help Russia's military and defence sectors.

Those banks then won't be allowed access to the US financial system.

(Picture: US President Joe Biden during a news conference with Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraine's president, not pictured, in the Indian Treaty Room on the White House complex, in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Picture Credit: Getty Images).


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk1r2z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tqnwjm1r5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4r3cc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct4tlf)
Jim Maxwell: Celebrating 50 years of Australia's 'Voice of Summer'

Stumped's Jim Maxwell has been a part of ABC for 50 years. He joined the organisation at the age of 22 in 1973 as a trainee and has now commentated on over 300 Test matches. Jim shares how he started his commentary career with Alison Mitchell and Charu Sharma, he also tells us about his favourite moments that he has witnessed and the advice that he would give his younger self.

The team are also joined by former Australia bowler and a player who has shared the commentary box with Jim for many years, Kerry O'Keeffe. Kerry gives us insight into how the pair met, if he has ever known Jim to be tongue-tied and what they get up to both on and off air.

Plus we celebrate another Australian star. Nathan Lyon is the third Australian after Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to take 500 Test wickets and the eighth man in history. Kerry O'Keefe takes us back in time to when he first saw Nathan Lyon bowl and shares some of the secrets to his success.

Photo: Jim Maxwell commentates on ABC Radio during day four of the Test match in the series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 10, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk1vv3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 The Fifth Floor (w3ct4v11)
Myanmar: the world's top opium producer

Poppy cultivation in Myanmar has increased since the military takeover of February 2021, and the country has now overtaken Afghanistan as the main source of the world’s opium. BBC Burmese editor Soe Win Than tells us about farmers, traders and insurgents in Shan State, where most of the crop is grown.

Sri Lanka's X-Press Pearl pollution clean-up
In May 2021, the X-Press Pearl cargo ship caught fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka. Plastics and chemicals from the wreck polluted the marine environment and beaches, killing fish and sea mammals, and destroying fishing livelihoods. But a clean-up operation has been underway, with women from the fishing community paid to clean the beaches, as BBC Sinhala's Roshan Chaturanga found out.

Iran's dance protests
Dancing has long been a form of defiance against the government in Iran. Recently a 70-year-old man from the northern city of Rasht, pictured doing an improvised dance in front of a group of men, had his Instagram account shut down, prompting outrage on social media and a storm of copycat dances. BBC Monitoring journalist Sarbas Nazari has followed the story.

Disappearing memorials to Stalin's victims
To many, Joseph Stalin was the strong leader who brought the Soviet Union to greatness. To others his rule is synonymous with the purges that killed millions. But recently plaques and memorials remembering his victims have started disappearing, while new statues to Stalin are increasing, as BBC Monitoring's Sandro Gvindadze reports.

South Korean toy hospital
Christmas is a time for new toys, but this story is about the love of old ones, specifically the ones so loved they broke. BBC Korean's Hyojung Kim went to a hospital for damaged toys run by retired professors wanting to put their engineering skills to use.

(Photo: Opium poppy seedpods in Shan State, Myanmar. Credit: BBC)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct4x8f)
'The bad boy of Welsh politics'

In the 1960s, the singer Dafydd Iwan started campaigning for the Welsh language to gain official status in Wales.

For years, Dafydd received little support. In January 1969 he decided to up the pressure, defacing a police station sign written in English with paint.

He ended up in prison, but soon young people across the country were picking up paint pots and taking up the cause.

Today, the Welsh language is found in schools, on documents and on police station signs. Dafydd tells Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty about his activism and singing.

(Photo: Dafydd after his release from Cardiff prison. Credit: Central Press/Getty Images)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk1zl7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 The Climate Question (w3ct68w6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk23bc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tqnwjmdzk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4rglr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Kalki Presents: My Indian Life (w3ct4kfy)
Kalki Presents: My Indian Life

Everyone has a secret

Another chance to hear this edition from 2022.

Her job is to “deliver bitter truths in the hope they lead to better lives.” Tanya Puri is a private detective. There was the student who she followed to an unexpected place, the fiance who couldn’t give up his dream and the husband whose affair potentially put his life at risk.
#MyIndianLife


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct5b7g)
Can chocolate be better than salad?

We investigate a nutritional conundrum –can chocolate ever be better for you than salad?

Today we dive in to one of our listener’s family debates and try to find an answer, with the help of nutrition experts Dr David Katz and Professor Bernadette Moore.

Reporter: Paul Connolly
Researcher: Perisha Kudhail
Series Producer: Tom Colls
Sound Engineer: James Beard
Editor: Richard Vadon

(Picture: A pyramid made of chocolate and salad
Credit: Gandee Vasan / Getty Images)


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk272h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172z37mh694gb3)
UN Security Council passes Gaza aid resolution

The United Arab Emirates, which drafted the now adopted UN resolution on the Gaza war, says its main motivation was the impending famine in the Palestinian territory. We'll be hearing from the sponsor of the UN resolution, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the UAE ambassador to the United Nations.

Also in the programme: After years of bitter disagreement between EU countries over migrants, the bloc agrees a new, common approach; and why TV news has become the news in Poland.

Joining Shaun Ley on the programme are: Hugh Lovatt, a senior policy fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Nataliya Vasilyeva, Middle East correspondent for The Telegraph.

Photo: Palestinian children wounded in Israeli strikes wait to receive treatment at Nasser hospital, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip December 2, 2023. (REUTERS/Mohammed Salem)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk2btm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172z37mh694l27)
Israel pounds Gaza as UN Security Council calls for more aid

Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip continued late into the night on Friday, with reports of sustained air strikes and bombardments. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates says that the impending famine in Gaza was the driving force behind its determination to secure the UN Security Council resolution on the conflict, which was finally adopted on Friday. The UAE's envoy, Lana Nusseibeh, told the BBC that the document was robust in setting up mechanisms to increase aid for trapped Palestinians, though she said a ceasefire -- not mentioned in the wording -- was also needed.

Also in the programme: We speak to former Egyptian diplomat about negotiations to reach a new truce; and we hear from a survivor from the 1972 Andes plane crash.

Joining Shaun Ley on the programme are: Hugh Lovatt, a senior policy fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Nataliya Vasilyeva, Middle East correspondent for The Telegraph.

Photo: Palestinians mourn their dead as Israel continues to strike on Gaza, Khan Yunis, December 22 2023 (Credits: HAITHAM IMAD/EPA)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk2gkr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172z37mh694ptc)
The case for confiscating Russia's frozen assets to aid Ukraine

Russia's deputy foreign minister has warned the United States that Moscow could sever diplomatic relations if Washington confiscated frozen Russian assets. Russia said it would confiscate the income from frozen Western assets if the European Union acted on plans to give Ukraine the profits from Russian assets frozen after the invasion of Ukraine. Both the EU and the US are considering using the profits from about three- hundred- billion dollars of frozen Russian central bank reserves. We hear from lawyers making the case from both sides of the argument.

Also in the programme: We hear why, for the first time, Ukraine is celebrating Christmas on the same day as western nations; and we speak from Palestinian space engineer was part of the team that launched a helicopter to Mars, unable to help his elderly parents in Gaza.

Joining Shaun Ley on the programme are: Hugh Lovatt, a senior policy fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Nataliya Vasilyeva, Middle East correspondent for The Telegraph.

Photo: At least two injured in drone attack on residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, December 22 2023 (Credits: OLEG PETRASYUK/EPA)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk2l9w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5b2w)
The Taylor Swift phenomenon

There’s no doubt this has been Taylor Swift’s year. Just 34 years old, the American singer songwriter has been in the music industry for more than half her life. She’s a multi-award winning performer whose diehard fans have helped her break all sorts of records.

Time Magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year is also the most streamed female artist on Spotify and Apple and this week she achieved a record 90 weeks at number 1 on the US Billboard Artist 100 chart.

Swift’s Eras tour, which began in March this year and concludes at the end of 2024, has become the first to gross over $1 billion. Wherever Swift’s concerts land, they bring a big boost in the local economy.

Host James Reynolds hears about Swift’s appeal from those with a professional and personal interest in the singer-songwriter. They include the first full-time Taylor Swift reporter and also the professor who is about to start teaching a ‘Taylor Swift and her World’ course to students at Harvard University.

We also meet fans - or Swifties - from across four continents about why her songs are so special.

“I was in the southern most part of Africa,” says Agape, who is from Cape Town and currently studying in the UK. “But I felt, even in her song lyrics, like she was writing for me or about me.”

(Photo: Taylor Swift attends a premiere for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Los Angeles, California, U.S., October 11, 2023. Credit: Mario Anzuoni/File Photo/Reuters)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4ryl8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5b9q)
Your top picks from around the world in 2023

Pick of the World trio Anna Doble, Beth Ryder and Yanita Georgieva exchange gifts under the tree - from our top science shows via amazing characters to the best-performing videos of 2023.


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk2q20)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Sportshour (w3ct4sb4)
What a year for women's sport!

We hear from some of the athletes that have made 2023 such an exciting and successful year for women’s sport. We’ll hear from the stars of the football and netball world cups and with the Olympics on the horizon we hear from those women posed to make their mark in the next 12 months.

Image: Karla Pretorius (Vice Captain) of South Africa and Phillipa Yarranton of Wales during the Netball World Cup 2023, Pool C match between South Africa and Wales at Cape Town International Convention Centre Court 1 on July 28, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Netball World Cup 2023 via Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk2tt4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tqnwjn4gb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4s62j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Health Check (w3ct4pf1)
When will we have an HIV vaccine?

With the failure of the PrEPVacc trial in Southern and Eastern Africa, HIV researchers are concerned that an HIV vaccine will not be developed before 2030 at the earliest. Claudia Hammond is joined by Matt Fox, Professor of Global Health Epidemiology at Boston University, to discuss the latest news about HIV vaccines, funding and treatment from around the world.

We also hear about Super 5, a home-grown nutritional supplement being made by rural women in Rajasthan, in India, to address the problem of child undernutrition and malnutrition.

Claudia also speaks to Dr Rašads Misirovs to talk about sneezing. In a rare case, a patient of Dr Misirovs in Scotland tore a hole in their windpipe by stifling a sneeze. We learn more about why we sneeze as well as how to prevent injury when doing so.

Claudia and Matt also discuss how deaths from work-related illnesses are increasing, and concerns over the huge increase in calls to poison centres in the US because of accidental overdoses of injected weight-loss drugs.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Jonathan Blackwell


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk2yk8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 The Forum (w3ct4vc7)
The story of throwaway living

The humble plastic bag is actually a marvel of engineering: it is cheap, light, strong, waterproof and it has conquered the world. In countries where plastic bags have been banned, they are still being smuggled in. The environmental pollution and other problems that discarded plastic can cause has made it a focus of passionate debate. But is plastic really the problem or is it our increasing use of disposable and single-use items?

The popularity of disposable products predates the invention of the plastic bag in the 1960s or even the advent of Western consumer society in the aftermath of the Second World War. And in the last three decades, so many new single-use items have been produced that we increasingly cannot imagine our lives without them, and not just in the festive season. So what is the way forward?

Iszi Lawrence talks about all manner of disposable and single-use objects with Jennifer Argo, Professor of Marketing at the School of Business, Alberta University; Mark Miodownik, Professor of Materials & Society at University College London; Katherine Grier, Professor Emerita of History at the University of Delaware and founder of the online Museum of Disposability; space archaeologist Dr. Alice Gorman from Flinders University in Australia and listeners from around the world.

(Photo: Digital image of plastic waste and a city skyline. Credit: Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images)


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk329d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172z09tdyqzqjt)
Gaza UN resolution: Will more aid get through?

Will the UN Security Council resolution passed on Friday mean that more aid will get through to people in Gaza who need it most? We speak to the Deputy Director of the UN World Food Programme, who is predicting famine unless things change.

Also in the programme: the Czech Republic is holding a day of national mourning after the country's worst ever mass shooting; and two days before Christmas, a woman in Alabama with two uteruses announces "our miracle babies were born".

(Photo: A Palestinian mother mourns her child in Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, on Friday. Credit: EPA)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk361j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172z1l442m3j0r)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld will have six Premier League games to discuss, including live commentary of Tottenham Hotspur versus Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from 1500 GMT. The former Newcastle, Tottenham, Wolves and Cameroon defender Sebastien Bassong and the former Liverpool, Villa, Tottenham and USA goalkeeper Brad Friedel join Lee James to discuss the day’s Premier League action.

We’ll also hear a wide-ranging interview with the managing director of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team and seven-time NBA All-Star, Grant Hill, as USA Basketball prepare for the defence of their Olympic title in Paris, where they’re aiming for their fifth consecutive (and 17th overall) gold medal.

Sportsworld will also be live in Riyadh for boxing’s 'Day of Reckoning', as former world champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder headline a huge night of action in Saudi Arabia.

Photo: Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur puts Dwight McNeil of Everton under pressure during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on April 3, 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Credit: AMA/Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk3p11)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tqnwjnzp7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4t19f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Kalki Presents: My Indian Life (w3ct4kfy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct4sjx)
Caster Semenya

Caster Semenya was just 18-years-old when she won gold in the 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

Her victory was controversial because the South African runner was facing questions over her gender. So much so, that she was made to take a gender test on the eve of the final.

The test revealed that the teenager had been born with internal testes and no womb. It meant she had higher levels of testosterone; a hormone that increases muscle mass and strength.

She has been speaking to Matt Pintus after the launch of her memoir, The Race to Be Myself.

(Photo: Caster Semenya at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk3ss5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct68ss)
Our democratic future: The future of prosperity

Can we continue to grow our economies without despoiling the earth? Focusing on the existential threats created by our own innovation, from climate change to out-of-control artificial intelligence, the final lecture asks whether our politics is up to the task of supporting sustainable growth. It concludes by showing that the political lessons of past technological revolutions provide important lessons for today's challenges

The series is delivered by Ben Ansell, professor of Comparative Democratic Institutions at Nuffield College, Oxford University.


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk3xj9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct4vm3)
Director Magnus Martens’ new festive horror comedy

Nikki is in festive mood and is joined by cultural critic Rhianna Dhillon to bring you an hour of radio gold.

Julia Roberts, talks about her new film Leave the World Behind…

Actor Timothee Chalamet and director, Paul King discuss Wonka their prequel to Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s novel…

Director Ridley Scott talks about depicting the life of one of the world’s most famous historical figures in his film, Napoleon there are live festive performances from Swedish super-star Robyn and Harry Styles…

And Nikki chats to Norwegian film director Magnus Martens about his festive horror comedy movie There’s Something in the Barn.

Presenter: Nikki Bedi
Producer: Oliver Jones

(Photo: Kiran Shah as main elf in There's Something in the Barn. Credit: Magnus Martens/74 Entertainment)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk418f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172z09tdyr0phv)
Israel presses its military campaign in Gaza against Hamas

Israel says it has arrested hundreds of suspected Hamas and Islamic Jihad members and has started questioning them. As the country presses on with its military campaign in Gaza, we assess their strategy.

Also in the programme: Christmas comes early in Ukraine as the country distances itself from Russia after the invasion; and 2024 is a year of elections: we’ll have a look ahead with some of our correspondents on what to expect for next year.

(Photo: Internally displaced in the refugee camps in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Credit: EFE).


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk450k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172z2sx74y057g)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:20 Sports News (w172z1k9pc0g6fl)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4tj8y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 Assignment (w3ct4m83)
Ukraine: Building back better

Rebuilding Ukraine after the destruction inflicted by Russia will be a gigantic task. Foreign donors have pledged billions of dollars. But they want reassurances that the money will be properly spent, in a country which still has high levels of corruption. For Assignment Tim Whewell visits Bucha, near the capital Kyiv, site of some of the worst Russian atrocities, to see the beginning of reconstruction. A series of shocking reports by Ukrainian journalists into alleged misuse of rebuilding funds have forced local authorities in the area to explain themselves. But a new state reconstruction agency committed to transparency has now also started work in Bucha. And anti-corruption campaigners believe a new digital accounting and monitoring system they are developing in collaboration with the authorities will help turn Ukraine into a world beacon of openness. The government's slogan is "build back better." But what exactly does that mean? And can it be achieved?

Produced and presented by Tim Whewell
Studio Mix: Neil Churchill
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Memorial to victims of mass killings in Bucha. Credit: BBC/Rostyslav Kubik)


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk48rp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 Music Life (w3ct4mgw)
The melancholy of exile with Siavash Amini, Sarrsew, mHz and Mariam Rezaei

Siavash Amini, Sarrsew, mHz and Mariam Rezaei discuss Tehran’s experimental scene, and how geography and community can affect the creative process.

Based in Tehran, Iranian musician and composer Siavash Amini has worked with the labels Room40, Hallow Ground, Opal Tapes and Umor Rex for the better part of the past 10 years. He’s also collaborated with a wide range of international artists including Rafael Anton Irisarri, 9T Antiope and Zenjungle, and remixed tracks for Carl Craig, Bernard Szajner and the duo Arigt. This year he’s released two albums, Eidolon and Eremos.

Mariam Rezaei is a composer and genre-defying turntablist who’s been honing her own unique style since starting DJing at 15. She previously led experimental arts project TOPH, TUSK FRINGE and TUSK NORTH, and in November 2022 received the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Artists in recognition of her contribution to music composition. She released her album BOWN earlier this year.

Sara Bigdeli Shamloo, aka SarrSew, is a Tehran-born and Paris-based vocalist, lyricist and composer. She’s one half of duo 9T Antiope, and also one half of the aternative/electronic Farsi duo Taraamoon. On top of her collaborative projects and solo releases, she’s also produced creations for theatre and film and is an active performer and actor.

Mo H. Zareei, aka mHz, is an electronic musician, sound artist, and researcher whose artistic practice covers a wide range from electronic compositions to kinetic sound-sculptures and audiovisual installations. After studying in Tehran and California, he now lives in Wellington, New Zealand, where he’s a senior lecturer in composition and sonic arts. He also released the album Proof of Identity earlier this year

SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk4dht)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5b2w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4trs6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 Kalki Presents: My Indian Life (w3ct4kfy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 00:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct4sjx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk4j7y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct4wkk)
A very dark day

In the week of the solstice – the shortest or longest day of the year depending on your latitude - Unexpected Elements brings you tales of darkness and light.

We hear about the dark history of sensory deprivation studies and why up until now, we’ve been in the dark about light’s role in the fairly fundamental process of evaporation.

We’ll be shining a light on the darkest oceans, meeting the fantastical creatures who can turn their bodies into flashlights.

Our Under the Radar story this week also comes from the sea as we discover how fish skin is helping to treat burn victims in Brazil.

We have an Ask the Unexpected question about why we don’t sneeze when we’re asleep, and more of your emails and voicenotes about obscure sports, tunnel living and earworms.

We even find time to wonder why the Brazil nut isn’t called the Bolivia nut.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Camilla Mota and Chhavi Sachdev

Producer: Ben Motley, with Dan Welsh


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk4n02)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tqnwjpyn8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4v08g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct4pf1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk4rr6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 The Forum (w3ct4vc7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk4whb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct4ntz)
Another winter at war for Ukraine

Pascale Harter introduces personal insights, reflections and analysis from BBC correspondents and writers around the world.

James Waterhouse reports from Kyiv on the strategic picture for Ukraine, as foreign backing appears to waver. The Ukrainian military is using up ammunition faster than its Western allies can resupply, giving Vladimir Putin increased confidence that his 'special military operation' will continue to victory. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insists Ukraine will fight on, and that Ukraine's battle is a battle for democracy around the world. But as US funding for the war is held up in Congress, what lies ahead?

Tajikistan was once the poorest republic in the USSR - and after it declared independence and a civil war erupted, poverty and hunger hit even harder, particularly in the Gorno-Badakhshan region in the east. High up in the mountains, Chris Aslan was invited to attend a festival where the Pamiri Ismaili community remember the most desperate days of the war, and pay tribute to the man they credit with saving them from starvation.

And: as the Brazilian saying goes 'Brazil is not for beginners'. But there are great joys to be found when living there and learning its ways. After a decade living in and reporting on South America, Katy Watson reflects on what the continent has taught her, and the great changes she has seen sweeping through its societies. Next stop: Australia.

Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production Co-Ordinator: Gemma Ashman

Picture: Ukraine Army soldiers clear unexploded munitions from areas reclaimed from Russian forces, November 2023. (Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu via Getty Images)


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4v7rq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 The Explanation (w3ct4z76)
What is BRICS?

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa make up what is currently called BRICS, a group of emerging economies which is challenging the Western-dominated order and institutions through its collective power. Its New Development Bank is seen as a rival to the World Bank and IMF. Its political and financial strength looks set to grow, with a soar in applications from other nations to join. Its latest expansion will see the bloc at least double in size in 2024.

But what are its aims? And how does it plan to achieve them?

BBC correspondent Emir Nader talks to Claire Graham about this growing club of nations and its potential influence around the world.


SUN 04:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct4sjx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk507g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tqnwjq9wn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4vchv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct68nq)
Stories from the New Silk Road: Iceland

In 2013 Iceland made history by becoming the first European country to sign a free trade agreement with China. It was aimed at increasing exports from Iceland to China as well as opening up Iceland to cheaper Chinese consumer goods. 

Geothermal energy has meant that Iceland is effectively carbon neutral. Its expertise in this area has led to collaboration with China and its geothermal model is changing China's energy mix. One man behind this collaboration is Sigurdur Atli Jonsson, CEO of Arctic Green Energy. Anna asks him how will geothermal help shape the future needs of China's energy consumption?

Iceland and China have steadily increased their scientific co-operation in the Arctic. In October 2018, the China-Iceland Arctic Science Observatory was officially opened in the city of Karholl, 440 km north of Reykjavík. Set up to monitor climate and environmental change in the Arctic, the observatory is managed by the Polar Research Institute of China and Iceland's Institute of Research Centres. Station manager Halldor Johannsson explains the impact this collaboration has on Iceland. How is information shared with the second biggest economy in the world? And what could this eventually mean in terms of trade and transport across the Arctic region?

Presenter: Anna Holligan
Producer: Peter Shevlin
Editor: Alan Hall
A C60Media production for BBC World Service

(Photo: The aurora borealis or Northern Lights, is seen over Godafoss waterfall, east of Akureyri, northern Iceland. Credit: Mariana Suarez/AFP)


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk53zl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172z37mh697c76)
Biden discusses Gaza with Netanyahu

President Biden has told the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that as Israel continues its military campaign in Gaza, there's a critical need to protect the civilian population, including those supporting aid operations. The White House said that in a phone call between the two men, Mr Biden also stressed the importance of allowing civilians to move safely away from areas where there's fighting. Mr Netanyahu's office said he made it clear that Israel would continue the war until its objectives had been achieved.

Also in the programme: COP 28’s ground breaking deal; and a classic anime comes to the theatre.

Joining Shaun Ley on the programme are; Aowen Jin, a British multidisciplinary artist and social commentator, and Alex Andreou, an actor and broadcaster.

(Photo: US President Joe Biden speaks to reporters. CREDIT: EPA/JULIA NIKHINSON / POOL)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk57qq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172z37mh697gzb)
US shoots down drones in Red Sea

The US Central Command says that a navy destroyer, the USS Laboon, has shot down four drones in the Red Sea, launched from areas of Yemen controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Writing on X, it said that shortly afterwards, a Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged crude oil tanker was hit by a drone but there were no injuries or damage. No injuries or damage were reported in either incident. Earlier, the US Department of Defense accused Iran of launching the drone that damaged an oil tanker off the coast of India on Friday.

Also in the programme: another referendum in Chile; and the origins of a Christmas classic.

Joining Shaun Ley on the programme are; Aowen Jin, a British multidisciplinary artist and social commentator, and Alex Andreou, an actor and broadcaster.

(Photo: People hold Palestinian flags during a protest against the recently announced operation to safeguard trade and to protect ships in the Red Sea, in Yemen. CREDIT: EPA/OSAMAH YAHYA)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk5cgv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172z37mh697lqg)
Israel vows to continue 'difficult' Gaza operation

The Israeli military has vowed to continue its operation in Gaza, but admitted it is "protracted" and "difficult". A spokesman said over the weekend it was expanding its "ground operations in the southern and northern Gaza Strip". Meanwhile, the US said Joe Biden spoke to the Israeli PM and emphasised the "critical need" to protect civilians.

Also in the programme: Christmas deliveries by the Royal Elf Force, and mapping Europe’s smells.

Joining Shaun Ley on the programme are; Aowen Jin, a British multidisciplinary artist and social commentator, and Alex Andreou, an actor and broadcaster.

(Photo: Israeli flags fly next to the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict. CREDIT: REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk5h6z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct4ntz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4vvhc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 Outlook (w3ct4rc2)
The Uruguayan conservationist and the great parrot heist

Juan Villalba-Macías has spent decades trying to protect wildlife. He's gone undercover to scupper million-dollar, animal-trafficking deals. He's also rescued two stolen, baby, blue parrots, the last born in the wild, in the midst of a dictatorship. Juan now lives on the nature reserve he created to try and bring native species back from the brink of extinction.

Film clip from Rio (Carlos Saldanha/ Blue Sky Studios & 20th Century Fox Animation)

Presenter & Producer: Louise Morris
Dubbing by Fede di Lorenzo

Photo: Juan Villalba-Macías and the collared peccaries
Credit: Louise Morris


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk5lz3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 Music Life (w3ct4mgw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Saturday]


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk5qq7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tqnwjr1cf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4w2zm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 The Explanation (w3ct4z76)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct5b7g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk5vgc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct68ss)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk5z6h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172z09tdyr2mfx)
DR Congo election faces fraud allegations

Former provincial governor Moise Katumbi and four other candidates say the recent election in the Democratic Republic of Congo should be annulled - we'll hear from him.

Also in the programme: Israeli and Palestinian friends discuss the shattering events of the past three months; and a member of the rock band The B-52s tells us how they've lasted so long in the music industry.

(Photo: An independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) agent works at the Nyabushongo Institute polling centre. CREDIT: REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi/File Photo)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk62ym)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 Music Life (w3ct4mgw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Saturday]


SUN 15:00 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4wj23)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:02 A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (w3ct68vj)
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

For millions, A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, live from the candlelit Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, marks the beginning of Christmas. The service is based around nine Bible readings which tell the story of the loving purposes of God. They are interspersed with carols old and new, sung by the world-famous Chapel choir who also lead the congregation in traditional Christmas hymns.

A new work has been commissioned for the Christmas Eve service every year since 1983, and this year Cheryl Frances-Hoad has written The Cradle, a setting of an English translation by Robert Graves of an anonymous 17th Century Austrian text.

A number of pieces by 20th Century composers such as Robin Nelson, Matthew Martin, Judith Weir, James MacMillan, Philip Ledger, William Mathias, and Peter Warlock, sit alongside traditional carols in arrangements by David Willcocks and Christopher Robinson. The service also includes the carol All the Stars Looked Down, composed by John Rutter in memory of the former director of Music at King’s, Stephen Cleobury.

Producer: Ben Collingwood

(Photo: The choir of King's College Cambridge conduct a rehearsal of their Christmas Eve service of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, in King's College Chapel. Credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images)


SUN 16:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4wpq8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 16:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5b9q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


SUN 17:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk6g60)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 17:06 Sportsworld (w172z1l442m6s57)
Live Sporting Action

Delyth Lloyd will be testing the sporting knowledge of you and some familiar names from the BBC World Service Sport team in a special Sportsworld quiz.

Will it be Team World Cup’s Maz Farookhi and Katie Smith, Team Sportsworld’s Lee James and John Bennett or Team Warm Up Track’s Ed Harry and Ade Adedoyin who will be crowned the ultimate sporting quiz champions of 2023?

Also, hear the best of The Warm Up Track from 2023 as Ed Harry and Ade Adedoyin are joined by some of the biggest names in the world of athletics – including five of this year’s world champions – for a special edition of the BBC’s athletics podcast.

There will also be news of the Christmas Eve game in the Premier League between Wolves and Chelsea.

Photo: The Sportsworld quiz teams (Credit: BBC)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk6pp8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tqnwjs0bg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4x1yn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 In the Studio (w3ct4yg5)
Ivo van Hove

Ivo van Hove is the most sought-after theatre director in the world. We join him in Paris, London and Amsterdam, where he works on productions that are often maximal - big musicals, operas and dramas such as The Damned - but where he also loves to stage minimal intimate dramas, such as The Glass Menagerie or A Little Life. How does van Hove work? Why are actors of the calibre of James Norton and Isabel Huppert so willing to work with him? And what drives his relentless thirst to bring new experiences to the theatre audience?

(Photo: Ivo van Hove. Credit: Jan Versweyveld)


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk6tfd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct4wkk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 01:06 today]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk6y5j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172z09tdyr3ldy)
Netanyahu: Israel paying 'heavy price' for Gaza war

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, vows to fight on in Gaza after his forces endured one of the worst days of losses of their ground war, while militant group Islamic Jihad joins talks in Cairo. We hear a report from Bethlehem in the West Bank where Christmas has a very different feel this year; and the signs of ongoing diplomatic activity.

Also in the programme: DR Congo election faces fraud allegations; and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe buys a twenty-five per cent stake in Manchester United and taking control of the club's football operations.

(Photo: Christmas installation of a grotto with figures standing amid rubble displayed on Manger Square in Bethlehem. Credit: REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk71xn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172z2sx74y324k)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:20 Sports News (w172z1k9pc0k3bp)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4xf61)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 Outlook (w3ct4rc2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172z2r6wmk75ns)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct5bl3)
Can climate change ever be funny?

Budding comedian (and Climate Question presenter) Jordan Dunbar sets out to discover if humour can help us understand - and cope with - global warming. Jordan gets advice from comics and academics from around the world, and then performs his own climate change routine at a stand-up comedy venue in London.

Presenter and part-time comedian: Jordan Dunbar
Full-time comedians: Dr Jason Leung, Njambi McGrath, Esteban Gast
Comedy history guru: Aaron Sachs, professor of history at Cornell University and author of Stay Cool: Why Dark Comedy Matters in the Fight Against Climate Change

Researcher: Octavia Woodward
Producer: Osman Iqbal
Series producer: Simon Watts
Sound mix: Tom Brignell

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1bc4xjy5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5b9q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]

MONDAY 25 DECEMBER 2023

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvc4p2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct4ntz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg1hyg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 The Explanation (w3ct4z76)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 on Sunday]


MON 00:50 More or Less (w3ct5b7g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvc8f6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14txl2d)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg1mpl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Happy News (w3ct5hvm)
Happy News Review 2023

Our annual review of the happiest stories in the world. We look back on the successful rescue mission from a dangling cable car in Pakistan. Also: the kids who survived forty days lost in the Colombian jungle. And a round-up of good news for animals around the world


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvcd5b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14txptj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg1rfq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct4y54)
2023 Year-End Extravaganza, Part 1

Welcome to Part 1 of CrowdScience’s year-end extravaganza! It’s an extra-festive episode this week. For those who celebrate it, Christmas is the perfect time to pause and look back at the year just gone. Here on CrowdScience we’ve had a great 2023: we answered dozens of listener questions, ranging from climbing plants and ostriches to panic attacks and the weight of the internet.

This week presenter Anand Jagatia magically appears with a Santa’s sack full of special features. We’re catching up with some of our favourite guests from the past year and answering some of the extra questions that we never got the chance to cover.

First up we hear from presenter Tim Clare who we first heard in the episode “Why do some people have panic attacks?” He takes Anand through his new book – it's about board games: why we play them, how they’ve existed throughout history and what he’s learned about himself in the process of writing it.

Then it’s time for a bonus question. The CrowdScience team often get questions about noise pollution. One listener got in touch to ask whether the transition to electric vehicles will reduce this noise. Acoustic scientist Kurt Fristrup and epidemiologist Erica Walker give their perspectives on this question, and how sound and noise can sometimes be very different things. CrowdScience listener Marie - who originally starred in an episode about why she doesn’t have any sense of time - returns. Since the programme she has been speaking to psychologists about her problem and tells Anand what more she’s learnt.

We received another bonus question after a show in 2023 about AI: why can’t artificial intelligence be designed to explain it’s decisions? Producer Phil returns to data scientist Briana Brownell from the original episode to ask her why AI decision making is so very complex.

Finally, as it’s the season for holiday music, we’re asking what makes the genre so distinctive? Composer Jane Watkins - who originally created the sound of a panic attack for a CrowdScience episode - brings in her musical keyboard to demonstrate what makes a Christmas song so specifically ‘a Christmas song’.

It’s all topped-off with the premiere of a happy and heart-warming song performed by the CrowdScience Christmas Choir – a little gift for our loyal listeners.

Presenter: Anand Jagatia
Producer: Phil Sansom
Editor: Richard Collings
Production Co-ordinator: Jonathan Harris
Studio Managers: Tim Heffer and Cath McGhee

Featuring:

Tim Clare, author/poet/podcaster
Dr. Kurt Fristrup, acoustic scientist, Colorado State University
Prof. Erica Walker, RGSS Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health
Marie Bergholtz
Briana Brownell, data scientist
Jane Watkins, composer


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvchxg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct4y0m)
Making landfill less awful

Landfill sites are an icon of our wasteful society and the harm we cause to Planet Earth.

But around the world, people are trying to make these filthy places a little bit better.

We visit the human-built island in Singapore made of burned waste that has become a thriving ecosystem.

And in France, we hear how gas leaking from landfill sites is being collected as a source of energy.

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Reporter/producer: Claire Bowes
Singapore reporter:Tessa Wong
Series Producer: Jon Bithrey
Editor: Bridget Harney
Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk

(Image: Semakau island, Singapore National Environment Agency)


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg1w5v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5b9q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvcmnl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14txy9s)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg1zxz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct4twh)
Women in love with cheese

Kim Chakanetsa meets two women who are revolutionising the dairy industry.

Mausam Narang is the founder and Head Cheesemaker at Eleftheria cheese. She has made history by becoming the first Indian person to win big at the World Cheese Awards in 2021. Before working in the dairy industry, Mausam studied language in Germany and worked in the corporate world for 8 years. It’s during her travels in Europe that Mausam caught the cheese-making bug, and in 2014 she decided to start her own artisan cheese company.

Emma Young a.k.a. The Cheese Explorer is a specialist and consultant and the author of The Cheese Wheel. She has worked in the Cheese industry since 2009 in retail, wholesale, cheesemaking, judging and now as a teacher and consultant to the cheese industry. She is also an International cheese judge and a teacher for the Academy of Cheese and the Guild of Fine Food.

Produced by Alice Gioia

(Image: (L) Mausam Narang. (R) Emma Young, credit Richard Heald Photography.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvcrdq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172z07cg176hc8)
Subdued mood in Bethlehem this Christmas.

It's being described as a ghost town as celebrations have been suspended because of the ongoing war in Gaza and rising violence in the West Bank.

Ukraine is marking the western Christmas day for the first time in over a century as the country further distances itself from the influence of Russia.


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvcw4v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172z07cg176m3d)
Hamas: seventy people killed in airstrike in Gaza

The Hamas run health ministry says an Israeli air strike hit the Al Maghazi refugee camp.

The fighting has also had an impact on traditional Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem in the West Bank. In a show of solidarity with people in Gaza, the Christmas festivities have been cancelled.

And British Billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has secured a chunk of the premier league club Manchester United for $1.3bn, fans are hoping his arrival will bring an upturn in the club's fortunes.....


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvczwz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172z07cg176qvj)
Hamas: seventy people killed in airstrike in Gaza.

The Hamas run health ministry says an Israeli air strike hit the Al Maghazi refugee camp. The fighting has also had an impact on traditional Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem in the West Bank. In a show of solidarity with people in Gaza, the Christmas festivities have been cancelled. And a new exhibition at the Jewish Museum in Berlin looking at the life of Jewish Germans in the former East Germany, the GDR.


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvd3n3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4p7r)
Kwame Kwei-Armah: Are audiences prepared to engage?

Stephen Sackur speaks to Kwame Kwei-Armah, artistic director of the Young Vic theatre in London. His work poses questions about race, identity, equality and justice. In an era of political polarisation, are audiences prepared to engage?


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg2gxh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct4mv7)
Short Stories: The activist short seller

Short selling – the trade where you hope a stock’s value will fall rather than rise. If it does, the trader can win. Big.

That’s led to the growth of what’s called the activist short seller. A trader who comes out to tell the world why a company’s stock should be lower than it is. They’re betting on its failure.

Carson Block from the firm Muddy Waters is one of the most prominent new short sellers – vocal on the news and social media, he explains why the companies he shorts are usually the ones with something to hide.

Producer: Ciaran Tracey
Presenter: Leanna Byrne


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct4xbq)
Inventing Nutella

In 1946, Italian confectioner Pietro Ferrero set out to bring chocolate to the masses. His recipe evolved over the years to become a world-famous product.

Thomas Chatenier from the manufacturer tells Uma Doraiswamy how the chocolate and hazelnut formula spread across the globe.

(Photo: The famous spread. Credit: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvd7d7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14tyk1f)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg2lnm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct4y54)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvdc4c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct4w65)
Tsunamis and Caster Semenya

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week’s Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.

This week, we hear from Lumepa Hald who survived the devastating tsunami that hit Samoa in 2009 but suffered a tragic loss.

Our expert guest, Prof Tiziana Rossetto, looks back at some of the worst tsunamis in history and how they have shaped our landscapes.

Plus we talk to Caster Semenya, the gold medallist who faced questions over her gender at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

There’s also an interview with Peter Greste, one of three Al Jazeera journalists sentenced to seven years in jail in Egypt.

We also look at the mystery surrounding the death of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda with his driver, Manuel Araya.

And finally we talk to singer Dafydd Iwan, the “bad boy of Welsh politics”, who was arrested for defacing an English sign. He wanted official recognition for the Welsh language.

Contributors:
Lumepa Hald – survivor of the tsunami that hit Samoa in 2009.
Tiziana Rossetto - Professor of Earthquake Engineering at University College London, UK.
Caster Semenya – world champion runner who faced questions over her gender.
Peter Greste – journalist sentenced to seven years in prison in Egypt.
Manuel Araya – driver of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
Dafydd Iwan – singer who campaigned for official recognition the Welsh language.

(Photo: Devastation at a beach in Samoa after the 2009 tsunami. Credit: Getty Images)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvdgwh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14tysjp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg2v4w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Conversation (w3ct4twh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvdlmm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct4qh0)
A Family Affair: My dad was Britain's 'most wanted'

Early one morning in 1968, a young Nick Reynolds answered his front door – completely oblivious to the whirlwind about to be unleashed on his family. Most of his childhood had been spent carefree and happy on the warm shores of Mexico with his parents. But, all the while, Nick had been growing up in the shadow of one of the most notorious crimes of the twentieth century.

Presenter: India Rakusen
Producer: Eric Mugaju & Anna Lacey

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

(Photo: Nick & Bruce Reynolds. Credit: Ronnie Biggs)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct4xbq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvdqcr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14tz10y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg32n4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 CrowdScience (w3ct4y54)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvdv3w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172z09ts719hc9)
Hamas: Scores killed in Israeli strike

There are reports from the Hamas-run health ministry that more than 70 people were killed in an explosion at a refugee camp in the centre of Gaza. Hamas claims it was an Israeli air strike. The Israeli military says it's looking into the incident. In his first public statement since Hamas attacked Israel in October, its leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, says the group is facing a “fierce, violent and unprecedented battle.”

Also in the programme: Police in Indian-administered Kashmir say they've launched an investigation into the deaths of three civilians, who were reportedly detained by security forces; and the Newshour presenters compete in a quiz of the year, including a mystery guest.

(Picture: People in Al-Aqsa Hospital after the reported air strike. Credit: AP)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvdyw0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 His Majesty The King's Christmas Message (w3ct68vb)
His Majesty the King's Christmas Message to the Commonwealth


MON 15:12 HARDtalk (w3ct4p7r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg3b4d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zfb)
World Business Report: A round up of 2023 stories

The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvf2m4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jc48r)
Israel-Gaza: Hamas says dozens killed in air strike

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says an Israeli air strike killed at least 70 people in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the centre of the strip. Also, the first public statement from the Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, since the October 7th attacks says the group is facing an unprecedented battle against Israel. We have more from our correspondent.

Doctor Who's Christmas Special airs today starring the Rwanda-born Scottish actor. Ncuti Gatwa. We hear what fans are expecting.

It's been quite a year for Taylor Swift. She is the most-streamed woman on Spotify and Apple music and the highest-grossing female performer ever. She was also named Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2023. We talk to Swifties - or Taylor Swift fans - in four continents about what is so special about the singer and her songs.

A Nicaragua bound plane carrying around three-hundred Indian passengers that was grounded in France over suspected human trafficking concerns has taken off. Our correspondent in Delhi explains.

Presenter: Karnie Sharp.

(Photo: Displaced Palestinians, who fled their houses due to Israeli strikes, shelter in a tent camp, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, December 25, 2023. Credit: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvf6c8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jc80w)
Taylor Swift fans

It's been quite a year for the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. She was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year, she is also the most-streamed woman on Spotify and Apple music and the highest-grossing female performer ever. We hear a conversation with some of her fans, known as Swifties, from across four continents about what is so special about the artist and her songs.

The leading Russian dissident, Alexei Navalny has been found alive and well, after apparently disappearing from the country's prison system. Our Europe regional editor explains.

We also hear about demonstrations in Serbia where police in the capital Belgrade have used tear gas to disperse crowds protesting over alleged fraud in last week's general election.

Orthodox Christians in Ukraine are celebrating Christmas on the 25th of December for the first time. We hear from some of them.

The Chinese capita Beijing is currenty seeing its coldest December since records began in 1951. We hear some messages from people about what's it been like for them.

Presenter: Karnie Sharp.

(Photo: Fans wait in line outside Nilton Santos stadium for the Taylor Swift concert, following the death of a fan due to the heat during the first day concert, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 20, 2023. Credit: Ricardo Moraes/File Photo/Reuters)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvfb3d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct4qh0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct4xbq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvffvj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14tzrhq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg3t3x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 The Documentary (w3ct68wg)
Football and faith

Mani Djazmi presents a special programme as Crystal Palace defender Joel Ward and the former Portsmouth player Linvoy Primus discuss their Christian faith. We also hear from former USA international Jaelene Daniels, whose religious beliefs led her to turn down the chance to continue playing for her country.

Image: Joel Ward playing for Crystal Palace (Credit: Russell Cheyne/Reuters)


MON 20:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvfkln)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct4ntz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg3xw1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct4nph)
What's stopping us from exercising in older age?

Exercise in older age is high on the agenda, but the idea that with age comes bags of time and a desire to ‘get out there’ isn’t true for a lot of us. How do you juggle exercise around caring for partners, grandchildren or staying in work? What if you haven’t exercised for years? What can your body take, and how has it changed with age? James Gallagher hears how octogenarian athlete ‘Irongran’ keeps going, he explores the mental and physical barriers that stop us exercising and he finds out what he might feel like in 40 years as he pulls on an ageing suit.

(Photo: Elderly man going for a run. Credit: Charday Penn / Getty Images)


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvfpbs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71bbl6)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvft2x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172z2sxlf79t9t)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:20 Sports News (w172z1kb1m9rvhy)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg45c9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zfb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 15:32 today]


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvfxv1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4p7r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg493f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct4twh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 26 DECEMBER 2023

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvg1l5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct4w65)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvg5b9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 Business Matters (w172yzryr6hrpqm)
The AI revolution

We explore the impact of the AI revolution on businesses and the world of work.


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvg92f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v0lqm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg4nbt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct68w8)
Rewilding the orphaned elephants

In a remote corner of Northern Kenya, former Samburu warriors continue to rescue orphaned and abandoned baby elephants, even as drought has put on hold plans to release them back into the wild.

Traditionally Samburu warriors are not only charged with protecting their community, but with caring for their livestock. Now they have turned their attention to raising elephants. At Reteti Elephant Sanctuary they rescue baby elephants that have been injured, orphaned or abandoned. They look after them, rehabilitate them and release them back to the wild. It’s transforming the way local communities relate to elephants, in a way that benefits both humans and animals. But drought has meant their rewilding programme has been put on hold until the rains come.

Presenter: Michael Kaloki
Producer: Jo Dwyer
A Loftus Media production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Feeding the baby elephants at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. Credit: Michael Kaloki)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvgdtk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct4qh0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct4xbq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvgjkp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v0v6w)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg4wv2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct4yg6)
Andrea Hernández: Photographing Venezuela

Photographer Andrea Hernández has been travelling around her native Venezuela documenting people and nature for her ongoing project called Mango Season.

Mango season in Venezuela is a time of abundance, when mango fruit is plentiful on the trees. During this time of economic crisis and food scarcity in the country, many people can now be seen roaming the streets looking for these fruits to feed themselves and their families.

Andrea doesn’t want to just take photographs of the hungry, but to dignify the struggle, showing how people are helping to solve this situation and help create a bridge between the people in the photographs and the viewer.

Presenter: Francis Peña
Producer: Andrea Kidd

(Photo: Andrea Hernández. Credit: Courtesy of Juan Velásquez)


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvgn9t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172z07cg179d8c)
Israel to intensify operations in Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel’s military campaign was “not close to being over”. His comments come days after the US secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel should lower the intensity of its strikes.

There have been more protests and more arrests in Serbia as people contest last week’s elections.

And we hear from a woman who has one of the most challenging - and she says, most rewarding - jobs in the world: organising the logistics to move hearts and other organs over sometimes very large distances for operations.


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvgs1y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172z07cg179j0h)
Israel to intensify opeations in Gaza.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his military will intensify operations in Gaza - just days after the United States called for the exact opposite

We get you latest from Mexico where around 7,000 migrants - mainly from South and Central America - have begun an attempt to cross the U.S border from southern Mexico.


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvgwt2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172z07cg179mrm)
Israel to intensify operations in Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel's military campaign in Gaza is "not close to being over". It puts him at odds with the United States that want to see Israel lower the intensity of its strikes.

Extreme weather hits New South Wales and Queensland in Australia with those regions suffering from gales, heavy rainfall and flooding.

A plane carrying hundreds of Indian nationals, who were held for days at an airport in France, has arrived in India.

And more protests in Serbia after municipal elections that the opposition say were manipulated.


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvh0k6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct4y0n)
Fake birds and other stories

This week we have a host of great ideas inspired by solutions we've told you about in 2023.

We find out how scientists are using fake birds to help populations of seabirds to recover. By putting out model birds in restored habitats they trick the real ones into nesting there.

Then we have the heartwarming tale of Theo – a man in his seventies - and Bickel the dog. We look at how dog sharing can deal with loneliness and bring improved health and happiness.

And we uncover an innovative way of dealing with the scourge of Japanese knotweed - by turning it into paper.

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producers: Richard Kenny, Zoe Gelber, Claire Bates
Series Producer: Jon Bithrey
Editor: Bridget Harney
Sound mix: Hal Haines

email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk

(Image: Jessica Vagg with a tern decoy, BBC/Richard Kenny)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg5ctl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct4n48)
Short Stories: The CEO

What’s it like to be on the wrong side of a big short? Former CEO Paul Pittman's company was shorted by an anonymous short seller who made false allegations in order to drive its share price down - way down.

This is the story of how Paul and his firm overcame the short attack that cost them millions: and why it’s not just big companies that stand to lose money from rogue shorters on the markets.

Producer: Ciaran Tracey
Presenter: Leanna Byrne


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct4xh8)
Kiwi: How New Zealand hijacked China's fruit

The kiwi fruit is synonymous with New Zealand in the minds of most European and American shoppers.

But the hairy fruit actually comes from China and was once known as the Chinese gooseberry.

So how did New Zealand hijack a Chinese fruit and turn it into their biggest horticultural export?

Former fruit exporter Don Turner tells Vicky Farncombe how his family named the kiwi fruit in the 1950s and created a global industry.


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvh49b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v1fyj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg5hkq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct68w8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvh81g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct4vm3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvhcsl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v1pfs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg5r1z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 In the Studio (w3ct4yg6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvhhjq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct4qxk)
A Family Affair: Sly and Cynthia, funk royalty

Phunne Stone is the daughter of funk legends Sly Stone and Cynthia Robinson. She’s learned to live with their fame – for good and bad – and find her own voice. Superstars in the sixties and seventies, Sly and the Family Stone were loved around the world for songs like Stand, Dance to the Music and It's A Family Affair, but when the fairytale ended, Phunne found new ways of keeping the family flame alive.

Musician Nabihah Iqbal had just finished work on her second album, in early 2020, when her studio was burgled. The album, which she had not backed up, was gone. As she stood watching the police dust the room for fingerprints, her grandmother phoned from Karachi, telling her that her grandfather was seriously ill in hospital. Grief-stricken, Nabihah got on a plane to Pakistan, not realising the pandemic meant she would not be able to come home for weeks. Confined to house and garden with her grandmother and slowly-recovering grandfather, she began to rebuild. (First broadcast in May 2023.)

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

(Photo: Sly Stone, Freddie Stone, Gregg Errico, Cynthia Robinson. Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Presenters: Asya Fouks and Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Laura Thomas


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct4xh8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvhm8v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v1xy1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg5zk7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 Discovery (w3ct4nph)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Monday]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvhr0z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71dd8d)
Russian warship hit by Ukrainian attack in Crimea

Also in the programme: A black football referee takes charge of an English Premier League match for the first time in 15 years, what’s wrong? ; and as in some regions of the world people live longer than in others, we discuss the secret to a long life.

(Picture: Explosion as Russian warship hit by Ukrainian missile in Crimea. Credit: Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvhvs3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct4y0n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg671h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zqc)
Shipping companies ponder returning to the Red Sea

Maersk, the Danish shipping firm, says it's preparing to resume operations in the Red Sea area; while the German company, Hapag Lloyd, says it will decide on Wednesday whether or not to continue with its routes. Vivienne Nunis hears from Jakob Larsen, Head of Maritime Safety & Security at Bimco - a members' organisation for ship owners and brokers, on what the companies will be considering.

Our reporter Leanna Byrne is in Ireland where she hears from the country's most famous brand, Guinness, how they are trying to boost their productivity levels.

Plus we hear from victims of identity fraud - and find out the steps being taken to combat the growing threat.

Photo by MOHAMED HOSSAM/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock (14270477c)


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvhzj7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jg15v)
Taylor Swift's rise to super-stardom

2023 has been a huge year for Taylor Swift. She's Time Magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year, is the most streamed female artist on Spotify and Apple and last week she achieved a record 90 weeks at number 1 on the US Billboard Artist 100 chart. We speak to experts who discuss her rise to super-stardom.

We hear from Jacob Burns, a project co-ordinator for the charity Medicines Sans Frontiers in Gaza. He's been sending us updates about his daily life from inside a hospital in Gaza.

In Nigeria, armed groups have killed at least 160 people in the central Plateau State, in a series of attacks on villages. We hear from people living there and get the latest from our correspondent.

And Kanye West has posted an apology to the Jewish community on Instagram. It's after he made anti-Semitic remarks in 2022. We find out the latest from our reporter.

Presenter: Sana Safi

(Photo: File photo dated 12/9/2023 of Taylor Swift. Credit: Doug Peters/ PA Wire)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvj38c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jg4xz)
Migrant caravan in Mexico

As thousands of migrants on foot from southern Mexico in an effort to reach the United States border, we speak to those on the caravan. Around 7,000 people mainly from South and Central America, including thousands of children, are estimated to have joined the migrant caravan. Ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit, we get the latest from a journalist there.

We hear from Jacob Burns, a project co-ordinator for the charity Medicines Sans Frontiers in Gaza. He's been sending us updates about his daily life from inside a hospital in Gaza.

There is no doubt that this has been Taylor Swift's year, here on OS we have certainly covered news about the singer-songwriter numerous times. Time Magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year, is the most streamed female artist on Spotify and Apple, and last week she achieved a record 90 weeks at number 1 on the US Billboard Artist 100 chart. We speak to experts about her rise to super-stardom.

Presenter: Sana Safi

(Photo: Migrants travelling in a caravan to reach the U.S. border through Mexico, rest in Huixtla. 25/12/2023 Credit: Jose Torres/Reuters)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvj70h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct4qxk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct4xh8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvjbrm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v2ndt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg6q10)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct4szh)
2023/12/26 GMT

BBC sports correspondents tell the story behind today's top sporting news, with interviews and reports from across the world.


TUE 20:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvjghr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct68w8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg6ts4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct4tqz)
The year that was in tech

Tech Life looks back at another rollercoaster twelve months. From warnings AI might kill us all, to the tech millionaire trying to live forever, we review the biggest stories and our favourite interviews from 2023.


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvjl7w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71f7h9)
Israel says Gaza war will continue for months

The head of the Israeli army, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, says the war in Gaza will continue for months. General Halevi told a news conference that while the IDF was close to dismantling all the Hamas battalions in northern Gaza, arresting or eliminating the group's top leaders would take time.

Also in the programme: UN monitors are reported to have observed a significant increase in Iran's production of highly enriched uranium; and Apple has been banned to sell its latest Apple Watch series in the US after President Joe Biden’s administration declined to veto the ban today.

(Pictures: Smoke rises above Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip following Israeli army shelling. Credit: ATEF SAFADI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvjq00)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172z2sxlf7dq6x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:20 Sports News (w172z1kb1m9vrf1)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg728d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zsm)
Shipping firms look to return Red Sea route after attacks

We explore how Global shipping firms are hoping to return to the Red Sea route after attacks on vessels by Yemen’s Houthis.

We look at the fallout from Argentina's new president, Javier Milei, decision to sign a decree cancelling the contracts of seven thousand public sector workers.

And we reflect on some of the issues which faced Hollywood in 2023.

(Picture; A Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) container ship crosses the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea in Ismailia, Egypt, Credit EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM)


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvjtr4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct4y0n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg760j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct4yg6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2023

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvjyh8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct4vm3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvk27d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 Business Matters (w172yzryr6hvlmq)
Global shipping firms set to resume to Red Sea route after attacks

Danish shipping giant Maersk has said it is preparing to resume shipping operations through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

We explore the fallout from a ban on some of Apple's latest watches in the US .

AND

We examine why Argentina's new president, Javier Milei has decided to sign a decree cancelling the contracts of seven thousand public sector workers.

(Photo: A Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) container ship crosses the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea Credit EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM)


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvk5zj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v3hmq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg7k7x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct5bl3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvk9qn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct4qxk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct4xh8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvkfgs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v3r3z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg7sr5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 The Documentary (w3ct03c2)
Soul Music

River by Joni Mitchell

Stories of Canadian singer Joni Mitchell's River, from her iconic 1971 album Blue. A song about the breakdown of a relationship and of a longing to be elsewhere that has become a melancholy Christmas anthem.

Emotional true stories of what the song means to different people, including comedian Chris Forbes, who lost his father on Christmas Day; Isobel, who fell sick far from home and understands the longing to be elsewhere captured in the song; Laura, who heard the song while pregnant at Christmastime; writer Rob Crossan, who will forever associate the song with his first love; Canadian poet Lorna Crozier who describes the frozen rivers of her and Joni's Saskatchewan childhood; and from Joni Mitchell's biographer David Yaffe.

Image: Joni Mitchell, pictured in 1970 (Credit: Roy Jones/Getty Images)


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvkk6x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17d95g)
Israel-Hamas war: Death toll nears 21000 in Gaza

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says almost 21000 Palestinians have now been killed since the war began in early October.

It has been three and a half months since an earthquake struck Morocco, killing at least 3000 people. Many survivors are frustrated, still without housing.

And the extraordinary story of an African girl’s upbringing in North Korea, one of the world’s most isolated states. Monica Macias reveals what her life has been like in Pyongyang.


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvknz1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17ddxl)
US military steps up Middle East activity

Fighting increases between US forces and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Yemen.

A Gazan describes the ordeal of her family who fled a refugee camp hit by Israeli air strikes on Sunday night.

It's been three and a half months since an earthquake struck Morocco, killing at least three thousand people. Many survivors are frustrated, still without housing.

And the challenges of reintegrating former child soldiers into society in the Central African Republic.


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvksq5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17djnq)
Israel-Hamas war will continue for months, IDF chief warns

The head of the Israeli army has warned that accomplishing his country's goal of destroying Hamas will require 'many more months' of war.

The Palestinian president has described Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip as a catastrophe unprecedented in the history of the Palestinian people.

A Gazan describes the constant loss and fear of her family with some dying from Israeli bombings and others evacuated from their homes many times.

Ukraine says Russia has attacked a railway station in the southern port city of Kherson.

And severe thunderstorms battering Australia's eastern coast have left at least seven people dead.


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvkxg9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4p8k)
2023 in review

Stephen Sackur looks back at some of HARDtalk’s most impactful and thought-provoking interviews of 2023.


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg88qp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct4n8s)
Short Stories: The amateur trader

Short selling has gone mainstream. Inspired by the noisy success of activist short sellers, amateur investors are now trying this highly risky strategy themselves.

They’re aided by a slew of new trading apps making it possible to short a stock or currency in seconds.

Peter Roscoe is a YouTube investing vlogger who’s experienced the highs and lows of short selling.

We also hear from the UK boss of trading app E-Toro – who says shorting has exploded on the platform.

Producer: Ciaran Tracey
Presenter: Leanna Byrne


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct4xkj)
Flavr Savr tomato: The world's first genetically-engineered food

In 1994, biotech company Calgene brought the world's first genetically-modified food to supermarket shelves.

The Flavr Savr tomato kept fresh for 30 days and could be shipped long distances without going off.

Yet the world was wary of this new food, and it took 10 years and $100m of investment to get it to market.

In 2017, the firm's then-CEO Roger Salquist told Claire Bowes about his mission to revolutionise the world's food.

(Photo: Roger Salquist with a crop of Flavr Savrs. Credit: Richard Gilmore)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvl16f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v4bvm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg8dgt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct5bl3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvl4yk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 The Forum (w3ct4vc7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvl8pp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v4lbw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg8mz2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Documentary (w3ct03c2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvldft)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct4r4b)
A Family Affair: A buried photo collection brought our town together

Javier Mazzuca didn't think much of his father's profession as a photographer in the town of Morteros, Argentina. But after his father passed away, Javier began looking through the many boxes of undeveloped negatives he'd inherited. He uncovered a treasure trove of over 300,000 images charting the town's history over four decades. When he posted them online, he had no idea the extraordinary effect it would have on him and his town.

In the early 1990s, Donna Greenwald was a semi-professional singer and young mum. Then her husband had a great idea; to send off a demo tape of her singing the American national anthem to a professional baseball team. What followed was a tour of every major league baseball stadium in the country. It took seven years, and earned her the nickname, 'Anthem Annie'. She spoke to her proud son, Outlook reporter Danny Greenwald, about her mission. (First broadcast in March 2022).

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

Presenter: Clayton Conn
Producer: June Christie
Voice-overs: William Marquez & Laura Plitt
Music: Miguel Simón y su Bandoneón salamanquero

(Photo: Javier Mazzuca with his father's photo negatives. Credit: Irene Barajas)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct4xkj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvlj5y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v4tv4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg8wgb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 Tech Life (w3ct4tqz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvlmy2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71h95h)
Israel expanding ground offensive into central Gaza

The Israeli military is keeping up its offensive across the entire Gaza Strip, nearly three months after the conflict began. In the north, it's again bombarded Jabalia. Israel has also further expanded its ground operation in central and southern Gaza. The United Nations has again voiced concern for the safety of thousands of Palestinians who've gathered in urban refugee camps.

We will hear from an Israeli official and an UNWRA representative. We will so examine how public opinion is evolving, in Israel, as the Gaza war continues.

Also in the programme: Parasite actor, Lee Sun-kyun, found dead in apparent suicide; and we discuss the social and intellectual meaning of playing board games. We include a few tips for winning Monopoly.


(Photo: Israel's military chief said the war with Hams would last "many more months". Credit: REUTERS)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvlrp6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4p8k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg93yl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zvw)
Hapag-Lloyd keeps Red Sea shipping on hold

Shipping companies are weighing the risks of sailing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, following attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen in solidarity with Palestinians. The German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd says it is not yet willing to resume shipping through the route following a meeting of its crisis committee on Wednesday. But the Danish firm Maersk, and the French company CMA-CGM both say their ships will resume passage through the Red Sea in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere, the New York Times says it’s suing Microsoft and Open AI over copyright infringement claims. The newspaper said the tech companies had taken its work and used it for commercial purposes without asking permission.

Presenter: Vivienne Nunis

FILE PHOTO: A forklift carries a shipping container at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen June 24, 2018. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad/File Photo


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvlwfb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jjy2y)
Israeli ground offensive targets central Gaza camps

Israel is expanding its ground offensive into Palestinian refugee camps in central Gaza, as it warns the war with Hamas will last for months. Heavy fighting is also continuing to the south, in the city of Khan Younis. We'll get the latest from our correspondent in the region.

At least 10 people, including a nine-year-old girl, have died in eastern Australia during severe thunderstorms on Christmas and Boxing Day. A climate specialist joins the show to explain how the storms are linked to climate change.

The former manager of Venezuelan rapper Canserbero has confessed to killing him in a video statement released by Venezuela's attorney-general. Our BBC reporter explains the background to the case.

And the BBC's Marianna Spring joins to wrap up a year in challenging online disinformation.

We'll also hear about the life and work of Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, who was found dead in central Seoul.

Presenter: Sana Safi

(Picture: An Israeli tank manoeuvres near the Israel-Gaza border, December 27, 2023. Picture credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvm05g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jk1v2)
South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead at 48

Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, has passed away. Police found the body of the actor, who was 48, in a car near a city park on Wednesday. We'll hear more about his life and work, and the circumstances around his death.

Our correspondent will give the latest on the Israel-Gaza war, as Israeli ground forces begin targeting Palestinian refugee camps in central Gaza.

A Ghanaian woman is attempting to set the record for the longest continuous 'singathon.' We'll hear some of her singing and see how she's holding up on the fourth day. And listeners and a music journalist will join the show to give their opinion on what was the best album of 2023.

We'll also hear from the father of a three-year-old who opened up all their presents, and everybody else's, in the early hours of Christmas morning.

Presenter: Sana Safi

(Picture: Lee Sun-kyun in 2019. Credit: REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvm3xl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct4r4b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct4xkj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvm7nq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v5k9x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg9ly3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct4t1r)
2023/12/27 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 (w172z2r77wvmcdv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct5bl3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg9qp7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct4pf2)
A year in health in review

As 2024 draws ever closer, Claudia Hammond looks back at the medical news, trends and advances which the last twelve months have brought us. She is joined in the studio by BBC health reporter Philippa Roxby and Graham Easton, Professor of Clinical Communication Skills at Queen Mary University in London who debate their favourite health advances of the year.

And Claudia returns to some of the biggest health news stories of the year to ask what happened next? Reuters’ Krishna N. Das gives an update on the contaminated cough syrup scandal in which more than 300 children are known to have died worldwide. And she revisits a story Health Check has been following for more than a decade; the case of disgraced transplant surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, as a new TV series hits Netflix.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Clare Salisbury


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvmh4z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71j4dd)
Israel expanding ground offensive into central Gaza refugee camps

The Israeli military shifts its focus to southern and central parts of the Gaza Strip, as it warns the war with Hamas will last for months.

Also in the programme: A high level US delegation is in Mexico to address the ongoing migration crisis on their shared border; and an increase of sexual violence cases among women who are making this journey.

And we speak to a South Korean psychiatrist after the apparent suicide of South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite.

(Picture: Residents of Al Nusairat and Al Bureij refugee camps begin to evacuate following an Israeli warning of increased military operations in the camps in the Gaza strip. Credit: MOHAMMED SABER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvmlx3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172z2sxlf7hm40)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:20 Sports News (w172z1kb1m9ynb4)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmg9z5h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zy4)
New York Times sues Open AI

US news organisation the New York Times is suing ChatGPT owner OpenAI over claims its copyright was infringed to train the system.

ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) "learn" by analysing a massive amount of data often sourced online.

The lawsuit claims "millions" of articles published by the New York Times were used without its permission to make ChatGPT smarter, and claims the tool is now competing with the newspaper as a trustworthy information source.

Also, in the programme, we will find out if the Red Sea safe for international shipping and will look at efforts around the world to make workers more productive.

(Picture: New York Times headquarters, New York City. Picture credit: Getty Images)


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvmqn7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4p8k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgb2xm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 The Documentary (w3ct03c2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 28 DECEMBER 2023

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvmvdc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 The Forum (w3ct4vc7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvmz4h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 Business Matters (w172yzryr6hyhjt)
New York Times sues Open AI

US news organisation the New York Times is suing ChatGPT owner OpenAI over claims its copyright was infringed to train the system.

ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) "learn" by analysing a massive amount of data often sourced online.

The lawsuit claims "millions" of articles published by the New York Times were used without its permission to make ChatGPT smarter, and claims the tool is now competing with the newspaper as a trustworthy information source.

Also, in the programme, we will find out if the Red Sea safe for international shipping and will look at efforts around the world to make workers more productive.

(Picture: The New York Times newspaper and office building, Manhattan, NYC. Picture credit: Getty Images)


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvn2wm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v6djt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgbg50)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 Assignment (w3ct4m84)
Bolivia’s giant fish intruder

Some people said it was created by Peruvian scientists, that it gorged on the blood of farm animals, that it was a monster. Many myths have grown up in Bolivia around the Paiche, one of the world’s largest scaled freshwater fish which is native to Amazonian rivers of Brazil and Peru and can grow up to four metres long. But after young fish were accidentally released from a Peruvian fish farm, the Paiche has arrived big time in Bolivian rivers.

Every year, it reaches another 40 km of river and is eating all before it, especially smaller native fish stocks including even the deadly piranha. At the same time, the Paiche is proving a boon to many local fisherman who sell it to families and restaurants who are acquiring a taste for it in a land-locked country where meat has always been the favourite form of protein. This gives scientists and the authorities a dilemma. Do they try and control or even eradicate the Paiche from rivers famed for their biodiversity where new species are being identified all the time? Or let its spread continue unabated and provide a useful livelihood for fishermen and a healthy addition to the Bolivian diet? For Assignment, Jane Chambers takes to the rivers of Bolivia


Produced by Bob Howard
Mixed by Rod Farquhar
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Series editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: A fisherman carries a Paiche over his shoulder. Credit: Michael Dantas/AFP via Getty Images)


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvn6mr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct4r4b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct4xkj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvnbcw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v6n12)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgbpn8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct4v7v)
Another year away from home

Ruth Alexander talks to two families displaced by the war in Ukraine, as they reflect on their second year away from home.

They discuss the difficulties of being away from loved ones and the solace home cooking can provide.

Ruth speaks to Natalia Lomonosova, who’d had to flee her home in Kyiv with her teenage daughter and has set up a new life in Berlin, Germany; and she visits Mariya Dmytrenko and her family, who are living with their hosts Brian and Julie Lamb, in Blackburn, England.

If you’d like to contact the programme, please email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

Producer: Beatrice Pickup

(Image: Mariya Dmytrenko and family with their hosts Brian and Julie Lamb. Credit: BBC)


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvng40)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17h62k)
Israeli minister warns of war in Lebanon

Israel has warned that it will take military action to push Lebanese Hezbollah militants away from its northern frontier if cross-border fire does not stop.

Thousands of people have demonstrated in Buenos Aires against the radical economic reforms proposed by the new Argentine president, Javier Milei.

And New York Times sues OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement.


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvnkw4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17h9tp)
Israeli minister warns of war in Lebanon

Israel has warned that it will take military action to push Lebanese Hezbollah militants away from its northern frontier if cross-border fire does not stop.

The President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, says a meeting with senior US officials has resulted in important agreements that benefit both nations.

And turning the tide on deforestation in the Amazon.


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvnpm8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17hfkt)
Israeli minister warns of war in Lebanon

Israel has warned that it will take military action to push Lebanese Hezbollah militants away from its northern frontier if cross-border fire does not stop.

Serbia opposition plans further protests aimed at overturning the results of this month’s election, which they said had been “stolen”.

And a review of Syrian Gulag: Inside Assad’s Prison System.


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvntcd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct4wf0)
What’s going on with sargassum seaweed?

Sargassum seaweed was recorded as far back as the 15th century when Christopher Columbus wrote in his expedition diaries about miles and miles and miles of dense seaweed as he crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

In 2011, a great mass of this seaweed emerged, stretching from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, a phenomenon known as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. Since then it’s been washing up on coastlines in massive amounts, causing a big impact on communities whose economy relies heavily on the tourism industry. As the seaweed decays it releases hydrogen sulphide which has a strong odour of rotten eggs.

Various research projects are looking into ways of containing this seaweed, as no one has found a viable solution on an industrial scale. But whilst it is causing problems onshore, offshore in the deep ocean of the Sargasso Sea, the sargassum provides a unique ecosystem for a variety of marine life including turtles and swordfish.

So, this week on The Inquiry we’re asking, ‘What’s going on with sargassum seaweed?’

Contributors:

Dr. Chuanmin Hu, Professor of Oceanography, University of South Florida College of Marine Science, USA

Dr. David Freestone, Executive Secretary, The Sargasso Sea Commission, Washington DC, USA

Dr. Marie-Louise Felix, Marine Biologist and Lecturer, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, Consultant to the Department of Fisheries, St Lucia

Ajit Subramaniam, Biological Oceanographer, Lamont Research Professor, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, New York, USA

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: George Crafer
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards
Production Co-ordinator: Jordan King

Image: Miami Beach, Florida, North Beach Atlantic Ocean shoreline, large quantity of arriving seaweed sargassum macroalgae, tourist trying to swim. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgc5ms)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct4n8c)
The chocolate village

Peter MacJob visits Eti-Oni village in south-west Nigeria, home to the oldest cocoa plantation in the country. It's king, HRH Oba Dokun Thompson, is on a mission to transform the economy of the community by manufacturing chocolates and selling in some of the finest shops across Europe.

Over 90% of Eti-Oni's inhabitants are cocoa farmers and although the cocoa industry is worth almost $130bn a year the money does not flow back to cocoa farmers. To try and change this King Thompson has partnered with Beech's fine chocolate in Preston in the north-west of England.

Presenter / producer: Peter MacJob
Image: HRH Oba Dokun Thompson; Credit: HRH Oba Dokun Thompson


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct4xf0)
The disputed history of pad Thai

It’s one of the most popular dishes in South East Asian cooking and for many it’s seen as Thailand’s national dish. However, the origins of pad Thai are disputed.

Some believe it was created and taken to the country centuries ago by Chinese immigrants. Others believe it was invented during the rule of military dictator, Plaek Phibunsongkhram, as a way of cementing Thai nationalism in the 1940s.

Thai food writer Chawadee Nualkhair dissects all the theories with Matt Pintus.

(Photo: Pad Thai. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvny3j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v77rq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgc9cx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 Assignment (w3ct4m84)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvp1vn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct4wkl)
The Best of Unexpected Elements

Usually Unexpected Elements looks at the science behind the news, but this week Marnie Chesterton and Caroline Steel are looking back at some of the best bits from our first few months.

We’ve got the best from our team of panellists across the globe, including what’s going on in your brain when you speak more than one language, the horrific mating ritual of the bedbug and the science behind our panellist Camilla’s terrible haircut decision.

We look back at some of the brilliant scientists we’ve spoken to, with subjects as diverse as whale song, how the entire universe was once the size of a marble, why an archaeologist hasn’t run off with all the gold he’s found and how the jewel wasp turn a cockroach into a zombie.

We have ‘Under the Radar’ stories about power outages in South Africa, human ancestors from China, bringing Rhinos back to life in Kenya and how to keep everyone safe from Polar Bears in a place where there’s no phone signal.

We reflect on our attempts to find the Coolest Science in the World, and whether it’s possible to pit a hurricane machine against an alternative to antibiotics.

And it wouldn’t be a ‘best of’ show without a digest of all the fruit chat from throughout the year.

All that plus eating glue for science, our best (or worst?) puns and some singing cows.

Presented by Marnie Chesterton & Caroline Steel
Produced by Ben Motley, with Tom Bonnett


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvp5ls)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v7h7z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgcjw5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Food Chain (w3ct4v7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvp9bx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct4qps)
A Family Affair: Remembering my dancing parents, Fosse and Verdon

Nicole Fosse is the daughter of two American dance superstars – Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. Their legendary collaboration led to huge stage and screen successes like Chicago and Cabaret, and the reinvention of the modern musical. As one of the most influential couples in show business, the Fosse-Verdon relationship was remarkable but, as Nicole recalls, life wasn’t always as smooth as her parents’ celebrated choreography. (First broadcast in August 2020)

Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: Maryam Maruf

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

(Photo: Nicole Fosse with her parents Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon in 1985. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct4xf0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvpf31)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v7qr7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgcscf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 Health Check (w3ct4pf2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Wednesday]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvpjv5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71l62l)
Israel warns Hezbollah over border fighting

More than 200 deaths have been reported in the 24 hours, taking the total casualties in the war to almost 1% of the territory's population. Israel has also warned that it will take military action to push Lebanese Hezbollah militants away from its northern frontier if cross- border fire does not stop.

Also in the programme: The US releases a new package of military aid for Ukraine, but would the cash keep coming? We hear from an American and an Ukrainian; and as electronic dance music has crowned sales charts around the world in 2023, we take a look at its roots with the so-called genre ‘high-energy’.

(Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conference with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz. Credit: Reuters.)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvpnl9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct4wf0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgd0vp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zkv)
Israel-Gaza: The economic impact so far

As airstrikes continue in Gaza, neighbouring Egypt puts forward a proposed framework for ending the violence - with a three-stage plan for a ceasefire.

It comes as fears grow of the Middle East conflict spreading, with Israel warning it will take matters into its own hands if cross border attacks by the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon aren't stopped.

Vivienne Nunis asks what the economic costs have been for Gaza, Israel and the surrounding region.

(Picture: Smoke rises from Al Bureij in the Gaza Strip following Israeli army shelling, as seen from a position near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, 28 December 2023. Credit: ATEF SAFADI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvpsbf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jmv01)
Gaza: 210 people reportedly killed in 24 hours

The Hamas-run health ministry says 210 Gazans were killed in Israeli strikes in the past day. Fighting is continuing across the territory, with the Israeli military saying its troops are in the Daraj and Tuffah neighbourhoods of Gaza City. We'll hear the voices of Gazans who have been displaced and fear for their families, and an aid worker describes the day he's seen in Gaza. We'll also hear from our correspondent with the latest on the Israeli ground offensive.

A woman who conspired to kill her abusive mother in a case that gripped the US has been released early from prison. We'll hear more about the extraordinary case.

The BBC's Tech Editor Zoe Kleinman sits down to recap a turbulent year in tech news.

And after a plane is filmed making a bumpy landing in the UK, we'll hear from listeners about their scariest flights.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Smoke rises in the Gaza Strip following Israeli army shelling. December 28. Credit: ATEF SAFADI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvpx2k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jmyr5)
Nikki Haley concedes Civil War was about slavery

Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, a contender for the Republican presidential nomination, has sought to downplay comments in which she seemed to reject slavery as the cause of the American Civil War. She had told a meeting the conflict had been about how the government was run. Our correspondent explains why Haley's comments have caused so much controversy.

Fighting is continuing across Gaza, with the Israeli military saying its troops are in the Daraj and Tuffah neighbourhoods of Gaza City. We'll hear from people displaced in Gaza about daily life among the violence.

Singer Cher has reportedly filed for a conservatorship of her son Elijah Blue Allman due to his alleged substance abuse and mental health issues.

Mexican villagers who killed 10 members of the notorious Familia Michoacana criminal gang will not be facing any charges after prosecutors ruled they had acted in self-defence. The BBC's Latin America Editor explains just how bad things are for ordinary people in gang territory.

(Picture: Nikki Haley speaks at a campaign town hall on December 14. Credit: REUTERS/Brian Snyder)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvq0tp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct4qps)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct4xf0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvq4kt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v8g70)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgdhv6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct4sx7)
2023/12/28 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 (w172z2r77wvq89y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 Assignment (w3ct4m84)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgdmlb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 Science In Action (w3ct4sdf)
Following in the footsteps of ancient humans

In this special episode of Science in Action, Roland Pease travels to South Africa to gain a deeper understanding of human origins.

Along the way, he speaks to ichnologist Charles Helm and national parks ecologist Mike Fabricius, who take him to a special – and extremely windy – location, where early human footprints are permanently preserved in the rock.

At the University of Cape Town, Roland speaks to Rieneke Weij and Georgina Luti. They are studying the geochemistry of rocks that existed in caves alongside our ancient relatives.

Across the city, in the Iziko South African Museum, Wendy Black and Amy Sephton discuss the ways in which we think about our deep past and how we can decolonise the human story.

Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Ella Hubber
Editor: Martin Smith
Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

(Image: Human fossilized footprint in hardened mud or clay. Credit: Waltkopp/Getty Images)


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvqd22)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71m19h)
Lebanon responds to Israel Hezbollah warning

Lebanon's ambassador to the UK says no country can stand idly by when it is facing provocation and aggression. The Lebanese response comes after Israel warned that it will take military action to push Hezbollah militants away from its northern frontier if cross-border fire does not stop.
Also in the programme: Is it time for Ukraine and its western backers to focus more on consolidating territory rather than forcing all Russian troops out? And from the gay clubs of Chicago to pop charts around the world, we track the enduring influence of Hi-NRG music.

Photo: this picture taken from a position along the border in northern Israel on December 27, 2023 shows smoke billowing in the southern Lebanese village of Marwahin following Israeli bombardment, amid ongoing cross-border tensions as fighting continues between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. (Credit: Jalaa Marey / AFP via Getty Images)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvqht6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172z2sxlf7lj13)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:20 Sports News (w172z1kb1mb1k77)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgdw2l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zn3)
Why is China struggling to attract foreign businesses?

Nearly nine-tenths of all foreign investment in China’s stock market this year has been pulled out, according to an investigation by Financial Times. We look into the reasons.

The major European property developer, Signa, based in Austria, has announced that two of its key divisions were filing for insolvency. We get the latest from Vienna.

And the Turkish government has responded to rising prices by imposing a 49% hike in the country's minimum wage. Will it be enough to cope in an economy with a 62% inflation rate?

(Picture: People walk inside a shopping district in Beijing, China, 09 December 2023. Picture credit: MARK R CRISTINO/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvqmkb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct4wf0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgdztq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct4v7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 29 DECEMBER 2023

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvqr9g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct4wkl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvqw1l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 Business Matters (w172yzryr6j1dfx)
China’s bumpy road to economic recovery

Nearly nine-tenths of all foreign investment in China’s stock market this year has been pulled out, according to an investigation by Financial Times. We look into the reasons.
The major European property developer, Signa, based in Austria, has announced that two of its key divisions were filing for insolvency. We get the latest from Vienna.
And L'Oreal heiress, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, has become the first woman to amass a fortune of $100bn after the company's shares reached a record high.
(Picture: A man buys food in the grocery store, in Shanghai, China, 06 December 2023. Picture credit: ALEX PLAVEVSKI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvqzsq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v99fx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgfc23)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct4tqz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvr3jv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct4qps)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct4xf0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvr78z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14v9jy5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgflkc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct2zvr)
Andrea Bocelli: Faith and music

Andrea Bocelli is a multi-award winning Italian tenor who has sold over 75 million records worldwide. Blind from the age of 12, singing was always his passion but he never could have dreamt his life would turn out as it has. When asked what he puts his sucsess down to, he lists his talents, hard work, and overall his belief and faith in God. A strong Catholic, Bocelli has even performed for three popes at the Vatican, and his faith lead him to establish the Andrea Bocelli Foundation where he helps people in impoverished and disaster-stricken parts of the world. Much of his music has a spiritual air to it, and has sustained Bocelli through the ups and downs of life. This Christmas, Heart & Soul on the BBC World Service will present a special one-on-one interview with Andreea Bocelli, presented by Rome based journalist Colm Flynn. The programme will be recorded in the historic Italian city of Florence and will feature some of Bocelli's much-loved music, as well as the story of his life and faith.


(Photo: Andrea Bocelli. Credit: Colm Flynn/BBC)


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvrc13)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17l2zn)
Trump disqualified from Maine ballot

Maine has become the second US state -- after Colorado -- to ban Donald Trump from running in the Republican presidential primary.

Overnight Israeli air strikes have pounded central and southern Gaza, as troops continue to battle Hamas fighters close to areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians.

And South Africa's great white sharks are changing locations.


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvrgs7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17l6qs)
Maine removes Trump from primary ballot

Maine has become the second US state -- after Colorado -- to ban Donald Trump from running in the Republican presidential primary.

The US has announced a $250m Ukraine military aid package.

And elections around the world in 2024.


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvrljc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172z07cg17lbgx)
Trump blocked from Maine presidential ballot

Maine has become the second US state -- after Colorado -- to ban Donald Trump from running in the Republican presidential primary.

Cities across Ukraine have come under attack from Russian missiles and drones, with air defence systems working intensively.

And abortion rights in Latin America.


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvrq8h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4nzj)
Past notes

A special programme remembering past HARDtalk guests who died in 2023. All of them left an indelible mark on public life and all, in their different ways, relished the opportunity we gave them to discuss their decision-making and motivation.


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgg2jw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct4mzq)
What makes a stadium special?

The development of new sports stadiums and facilities can bring regeneration to deprived areas. They hold a special place in the hearts of sports and live music fans. But have some of the new ones lost their spark?

In this edition of Business Daily, Sam Fenwick asks, what gives a stadium its atmosphere and can it be designed in?

Sam speaks to Christopher Lee, whose architecture practice, Populous, has designed 3000 arenas all over the world. He shares his experience of designing iconic grounds like the Yankee Stadium, Wembley Stadium, and Olympic stadiums in Sydney, London and Sochi.

And we hear from BBC World Service listeners, who tell us what makes their favourite sports grounds so special.

(Picture: Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the third inning at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts. Credit: David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports)

Presented and produced by Sam Fenwick


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct4x8g)
Ken Hom's 'Chinese Cookery'

In 1982, after a two-year global search, the BBC auditioned Ken Hom to be the star of a new Chinese cookery TV series.

In the show, called Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery, he introduced viewers to dishes like dim sum and spicy braised aubergine. He also gave advice on choosing and using a wok.

He tells Josephine McDermott about his sudden rise to celebrity and how he brought Chinese dishes to new audiences.

(Photo: Ken Hom. Credit: Chris Ridley/Radio Times/Getty Images)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvrv0m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14vb4nt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmgg690)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 Science In Action (w3ct4sdf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvryrr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 BBC Correspondents' Look Ahead to 2024 (w3ct68vg)
BBC Correspondents' Look Ahead to 2024

Nuala McGovern asks some of the BBC's top correspondents from around the world to gaze into their crystal balls and predict what 2024 might have in store.

2023 has been dominated by the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel and Gaza and a global cost of living crisis. Next year will see nearly half of the world’s population going to the polls - 40 elections are scheduled to take place next year, in countries including the USA, UK, South Africa, India, Russia and Pakistan.

How will the results of some of those elections shift the geopolitical tectonic plates - and will we see any resolution to those conflicts?

Big questions, but luckily we have some of the BBC's best minds on hand to provide plenty of answers.

Contributors:

Yogita Limaye, BBC South Asia and Afghanistan Correspondent
Lyse Doucet, BBC Chief International Correspondent
Sarah Smith, BBC North America Editor
Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, BBC Asia Correspondent
Mayeni Jones, BBC West Africa Correspondent
Steve Rosenberg, BBC Russia Editor

Producer: Ben Carter
Production Co-ordinator: Ibtisan Zein
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


Image: 2024 in neon on wall. Credit: Jasmin Merdan/Getty Images


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvs2hw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14vbd52)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmggfs8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct2zvr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvs680)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 The Fifth Floor (w3ct4v12)
Stories of hope and joy

BBC language service journalists share stories and experiences that lifted their spirits in a year with more than its fair share of tragic news.

BBC Russian's Nataliya Zotova explains how an imperious seagull named Agamemnon helped her settle in her new home in Riga, after leaving Russia.

BBC Delhi’s Divya Arya tells us about helping an interviewee who had shared her story of surviving domestic violence and living with significant facial burns, to become a guest presenter for BBC Hindi.

BBC Afghan's Aalia Farzan tells us about presenting a schools programme for Afghan children, and being able to return home and see her mother again for the first time since she was forced to leave in 2021.

BBC Brasil’s Joao Fellet shares the story of the Japanese Brazilian farmers in the Amazonian state of Pará, who have switched from mono-cropping to agroforestry, regrowing a forest of sorts and providing a profitable model for land cleared by logging.

And Ethiopian-based journalist Kalkidan Yibeltal shares the experience of travelling to the Simien Mountains in northern Ethiopia and experiencing the therapeutic quiet and stillness of the national park, in a year otherwise devoted to covering conflict.

(Photo: Seagull on windowsill in Riga. Credit: Nataliya Zotova, BBC)


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct4x8g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvsb04)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14vbmnb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmggp8j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Science In Action (w3ct4sdf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvsfr8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71p2zp)
'Massive' Russian strikes hit cities across Ukraine

Powerful explosions have been heard and felt across Ukrainian cities as Russia launched a large-scale coordinated attack on civilian centres overnight.

At least 18 people have been killed and dozens wounded across Ukraine. The country's military says Russia launched a "massive" attack with 158 drones and missiles and its air force says it has "never seen so many locations targeted simultaneously". We'll look at what this tells us about Russia's capabilities and tactics.

Also in the programme: The US state of Maine becomes the second to ban Donald Trump from standing there in next year's election, saying he's violated insurrection rules. And Hamas delegation is in Cairo discussing a new Egyptian proposal to end the conflict, can it work?

Photo shows firefighters working at a heavily damaged shopping mall that was hit by a Russian missile strike in Dnipro, Ukraine on 29 December 2023. Credit: State Emergency Service of Ukraine via Reuters)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvskhd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4nzj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmggxrs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct4z8t)
The difficulties of doing business in Ukraine

Ukraine has been hit by a wave of drone and missile attacks. We'll find out what damage has been done to the country's infrastructure, and what it will mean for the economy.

Google has agreed to settle a $5 billion dollar lawsuit, that claimed the search engine secretly tracked the internet use of millions of people who thought they were browsing privately.

We continue our series assessing productivity in different cities around the world. We're stuck in a traffic jam in Lagos, where people can spend as much as three hours travelling to and from work.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers becomes the first woman to amass a $100 billion dollar fortune. We'll find out how she did it...

Picture: A general view shows a shopping mall heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipro, Ukraine December 29, 2023. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvsp7j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jqqx4)
Russian strikes hit cities across Ukraine

Ukraine has been hit by possibly the worst wave of Russian bombardment since the full-scale invasion, involving more than 158 drones and missiles fired at targets across the country. At least 18 people have been killed. We speak to Ukrainians who were affected by the attacks.

The Manchester City player Jack Grealish’s house in the UK was burgled while he was playing a game on Wednesday. Media reports say a million pounds worth of jewellery and watches were stolen. We hear how robbers target footballers.

We talk to our sports news reporter Alex Capstick about the biggest headlines in sport this year.

The president of Burundi has said homosexuals should be stoned to death in public. We get reaction from Burundians.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a rocket attack on a civilian warehouse in Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine, 29 December 2023. Credit: OLEG PETRASYUK/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvsszn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w172z0w6t0jqvn8)
Thousands flee central Gaza

Thousands of displaced Palestinians are setting up makeshift shelters as they flee the latest advances by Israeli forces in Gaza. Conditions in the south of the territory are reported to be dire as Israel broadens its offensive. We hear from residents in the territory and speak to our correspondent in Jerusalem.

Venezuela has ordered its armed forces to hold military exercises - after the UK decided to send a warship to support neighbouring Guyana. We explain the situation and speak to our colleague with BBC Mundo.

We talk to our sports news reporter Alex Capstick about the biggest headlines in sport this year.

The president of Burundi has said homosexuals should be stoned to death in public. Our colleague from BBC Africa tells us more.

Presenter: James Reynolds

(Photo: Displaced Palestinians, who fled their homes due to Israeli strikes, shelter in a tent camp, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, December 29, 2023. Credit: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvsxqs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 The Fifth Floor (w3ct4v12)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct4x8g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvt1gx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172z2tr14vcc43)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmghdr9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct4srq)
2023/12/29 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 (w172z2r77wvt571)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5b2x)
Adventurers

We have spent the last year here on BBC OS Conversations covering some of the world’s major news stories. As the year draws to a close, however, we thought it would be interesting to hear from three people who have been doing something completely different in 2023 for their perspective on the world.

53-year-old professional explorer from Australia, Geoff Wilson, joined us from Canada. He has just completed the first part of his latest expedition, Project Zero, a two-year journey to promote the concept of “carbon neutral exploring”. So far, the adventure has included crossing perilous crevasses in Patagonia and battling towering waves at sea.

“I was woken up by my son and his mate Geordie who were on watch saying that the boat was surfing down 15, 16 metre waves at about 16 knots,” Geoff tells host, James Reynolds. “It just felt that everything had gone to custard very quickly.”

We bring Geoff together with Kiyonah Mya Buckhalter, a 25-year-old New Yorker. Kiyonah is Muslim, black and blogs as the “Veiled Traveller” on Instagram.

“Travelling the way I do,” she says, “I’ve had to grow my confidence to get people to understand that I do have a warm heart and I am smiling very hard under this veil, even though they may not see it.”

We also hear from 29-year-old Noel Salmon from London. Noel has just completed a seven-month solo cycle of the old Silk Road from Turkey to China, which involved extreme temperatures and exploding inner tubes.

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team.

(Photo: Noel Salmon on his cycle from Turkey to China. Credit: Noel Salmon)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmghjhf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct4y55)
2023 Year End Extravaganza, Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of our year-end extravaganza and the final episode of 2023!

We’ve had a brilliant year hunting down the answers to your science questions - on everything from food and phobias to friction and flying - and in this episode presenter Anand Jagatia is revisiting some of the best stories we covered. We’re bringing you some extra juicy bonus content that we couldn’t fit in to those shows first time round.

Hannah Fisher joins Anand to revisit an episode she produced about the microbiome, the community of tiny organisms living both on and inside us. During that show Hannah took presenter Caroline Steel to a microbiome museum in the Netherlands called Micropia. And one thing from Micropia that never got aired was the kiss-o-meter, a device that measures how many microbes you exchange when you kiss! Micropia curator Jasper Buikx explains the science behind the kiss-o-meter, and then Caroline Steel tries it for herself!

Microbes aren’t just living on and in humans and animals - they’re pretty much everywhere in our environment. And to illustrate this CrowdScience producer Marijke Peters brings Anand a bonus interview with a professional surfer who’s also a bioscientist.

Cliff Kapono undertook a scientific project travelling around the world to take microbiome samples from surfers in different countries. He discovered a fascinating global connection. Surfers are linked together by microbes on their skin that they get from the water around them. Intriguingly, he describes how this might affect our perception of who we are as humans.

Caroline Steel updates us on an interview she did with indigenous Australian astronomer Peter Swanton. Peter appeared on CrowdScience telling an ancient Australian folktale about a man who sacrificed himself to save his brother. The story, which has been handed down through several generations, provides possible evidence for an early observation of a supernova. You can hear that story in the episode “Why is the sun at the centre?”

Today we hear two extra stories that originally got cut from the broadcast due to time constraints. They are beautiful and poignant tales that reveal the depth of indigenous scientific achievement and the extraordinary significance of the night sky.

Presenter: Anand Jagatia
Producer: Phil Sansom
Editor: Richard Collings
Production Co-ordinator: Jonathan Harris
Studio Managers: Tim Heffer and Cath McGee

Featuring:

Jasper Buikx, scientific curator & spokesperson, ARTIS-Micropia
Prof. Cliff Kapono, surfer & molecular bioscientist, School of Ocean Futures at Arizona State University
Peter Swanton, indigenous research associate, Australian National University


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvt8z5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172z09ts71py6l)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvtdq9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172z2sxlf7pdy6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:20 Sports News (w172z1kb1mb4g4b)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmghrzp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct4zc2)
First broadcast 29/12/2023 22:32 GMT

The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172z2r77wvtjgf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4nzj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172z2s1pmghwqt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct2zvr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]