SATURDAY 07 MARCH 2026

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjq1rn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72xh)
The colour of science

The Hindu festival of Holi has the Unexpected Elements team delving into the science of colour. First up, forget chicken and egg, we bring you a whole new controversy of which came first: colour or colour vision? Then, we learn how a new development in infrared contact lenses could extend our range of vision and help people with colour blindness.

We’re then joined by marine biologist Roger Hanlon who explains how octopuses are great at changing tones, even though they can’t appreciate the colours that they make. Plus, what’s orange, cream, 5,000 years old and worryingly resistant to most of our common antibiotics? And why does reading on dark mode leave one listener seeing things? All on this week’s Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Chhavi Sachdev
Producers: Imy Harper, with Ella Hubber and Lucy Davies


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjq5hs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xypkj5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4djs5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct715l)
Do Trump and Netanyahu have conflicting end goals on Iran?

For Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the war on Iran is the culmination of a long-standing political ambition. On Sunday, Netanyahu said he was finally doing what he had “hoped to achieve for 40 years – to crush the regime of terror completely.” Polling suggests the war is popular in Israel too.

But it’s a lot more complicated for Donald Trump. He was elected on a promise to end foreign wars, and current polling suggests the war is not supported by most Americans.

We talk to the BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen about whether this war, which Netanyahu says is an opportunity, complements or collides with Donald Trump’s own interests. And ask if Benjamin Netanyahu has everything to gain from this war, and Donald Trump a lot more to lose?

Producers: Lucy Pawle and Sam Chantarasak

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters. U.S. President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they shake hands during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 29, 2025.


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjq97x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xypp89)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4dnj9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct6zkp)
Haris Rauf leads Pakistan players on final Hundred auction list

The list of players for the Hundred auction, the England and Wales' franchise cricket competition has been confirmed. It features 16 players from Pakistan, 14 men and two women. We hear from Dr Gregory Ioanndis, professor of sports law at Sheffield Hallam University.

Alison Mitchell, Aaron Bryans and Charu Sharma all react to New Zealand's stunning performance against South Africa to progress to the T20 World Cup final and we ask what would it mean for the Black Caps if they were to be crowned champions.

Plus, the former England fast bowler Saj Mahmood tells us about his new platform in the UK which is aiming to make the game more affordable to youngsters.

Photo Credit: Pakistan's Haris Rauf celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis during the second one-day international cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on November 14, 2025. (Photo by Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjqf01)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wj9)
Outlook Mixtape: The birds and the bees

Audric de Campeau left a job in marketing to keep bees in Paris. His hives sit on top of some of the most famous landmarks in the French capital. He told Outlook's Saskia Collette in 2017 how he takes the honey made by his bees deep underground into the city's catacombs to produce an alcoholic drink called mead.

When Candida Meyrick adopted a baby Harris hawk her life changed. She was suddenly training a powerful bird of prey and out with it everyday in the Welsh countryside. Falconry – hunting with a bird of prey – requires careful daily handling. But the hawk expanded Candida's world and taught her life lessons she had no idea were coming. This interview was first broadcast in January this year.

Carla Valentine spoke to Outlook's Saskia Collette in 2018 about her experience dating as a mortician. It hasn't always been easy, so she decided to start a dating website for other people also working in the death industry who might find their work a little hard to discuss on a first date.

Salvino Sagone worked as a building surveyor by day and wrote poetry by night, collecting love stories from members of the public. He sat on a chair on the streets of Milan with a placard that read "I listen to love stories for free" and invited passers-by to share their romantic tales with him. He spoke to Outlook in 2018.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: May Cameron

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

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


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct7458)
The invention of the mobility scooter

In 1967, American plumber Al Thieme promised his wife with multiple sclerosis that he would find her an alternative to a wheelchair.

He came up with a battery-powered seat on wheels.

He called it an ‘amigo’ and soon other people wanted one too. In 1968, he founded Amigo Mobility International and started selling his vehicles around the world.

He speaks to Rachel Naylor.

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

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

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

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

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

(Photo: Al Thieme with an early model. Credit: Amigo Mobility International)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjqjr5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72xh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjqnh9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xyq1hp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4f0rp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4m00)
12. The Joining of the Signs

Twelfth Night. The Old Ones gather from across the centuries. The Signs are joined together by a blacksmith with rings of gold and, as the Old Ones bid him farewell, Will is full of anguish as he returns to his own time. Listen on headphones for 3D immersive sound. #TheDarkIsRising

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

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

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

Director: Simon McBurney
Producers: Catherine Bailey and Tim Bell

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


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct6w0b)
US-Israel war with Iran: Do the gulf states have enough interceptor missiles?

On Saturday 28th February, the US and Israel launched a military attack on Iran, targeting the country's missile infrastructure, military sites and leadership.

In response, Iran launched a wave of strikes across the region, including on Israel and the Gulf states.

Iran has a stockpile of ballistic missiles, which it’s firing at neighbouring countries. These countries in turn are using interceptor missiles to try and shoot them down.

But is it clear who will run out of missiles first?

Contributor:

Kelly Grieco, senior fellow at the Stimson Center

Credits:
Presenter: Charlotte McDonald
Series producer: Tom Colls
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound Mix: Tom Brignell
Editor: Richard Vadon


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjqs7f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8mbz5zbyd)
Israel strikes Iran’s regime infrastructure

We discuss the war in Iran as both the US and Israel have intensified their campaign there.

Also, Donald Trump suggested he was interested in what he called a "friendly takeover" of Cuba, saying it was in "a big deal of trouble" and was therefore talking to the United States.

We look to South Sudan where about 180 people were killed when unidentified men launched an attack on a community in the Ruweng area of the north of the country. At least half of those killed were women and children.

Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Elizabeth Braw, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a think-tank in Washington DC and Rob Geist Pinfold, lecturer in defence studies and international security at King's College, London.

(Photo: Smoke rises after an airstrike in central Tehran, Iran, 6 March 2026. Credit: EPA)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjqwzk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8mbz5zgpj)
Lebanon's health ministry says at least 217 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes

The war in Iran continues to dominate the headlines. Two Ghanaian UN peacekeepers are critically wounded in a missile attack on their base in southern Lebanon, as Israeli military continues its strikes across the region.
Also on the programme: The Winter Paralympic Games is now underway in the Italian city of Verona. But several countries, including Ukraine, Finland Poland and the UK boycotted the opening ceremony in protest at the presence of 10 Belarusian and Russian athletes.
And we discuss the prospect of growing food on the moon. Researchers in the US have managed to grow chickpeas in a soil that contains up to three quarters simulated moon dust.
Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Elizabeth Braw, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a think-tank in Washington DC and Rob Geist Pinfold, lecturer in defence studies and international security at King's College, London.

(PHOTO: Israeli airstrike hits Dahieh in southern Beirut, Lebanon, 06 Mar 2026. Credit: EPA)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjr0qp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8mbz5zlfn)
Iran’s President apologises to neighbouring Arab countries that have been attacked

Iran’s President Mahmoud Pezeshkian has apologised to neighbouring Arab countries that have been attacked.
In a video address broadcast on Iranian state media, the country's President Masoud Pezeshkian apologises to neighbouring states and says Tehran will not attack them "unless attacked first".
Also on the programme: A member of Donald Trump's cabinet set foot in Venezuela, pledging there'll be American investment in the mining and rare earth sectors.
And we hear about a new novel from one of Pakistan's most acclaimed novelists, Mohammed Hanif, whose new novel is titled Rebel English Academy. It's about life in a small provincial town in Pakistan in the late 1970s shortly after the execution of the deposed prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. That execution was ordered by Pakistan's military ruler, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

Joining presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Elizabeth Braw, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a think-tank in Washington DC and Rob Geist Pinfold, lecturer in defence studies and international security at King's College, London.

(PHOTO: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjr4gt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct6rp0)
Iranians in London

Five Iranians join host James Reynolds in the Naroon Persian restaurant in central London to share their experiences. In our conversation over dinner, our guests discuss the war, what it’s like to be so far from home, fears for family and friends in Iran and their hopes for the future of the country.

“One of the things we can all relate to is a big sense of survivor’s guilt,” Rahah tells us. “The people you’ve spent all your days with, they’re experiencing that uncertainty and that stress and you’re sat here trying to convince your nervous system that you’re not the one that’s being attacked.”

Many people who have left Iran tend to oppose the regime and it’s difficult to gauge how much support the government has. One Dutch study suggested it’s around 20% of the population and our guests discuss why they decided to leave and what they miss about home.

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producers: Lindsay Brown and Angela Sheeran
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the Outside Source team.

(Photo shows two of our contributors. Credit: BBC)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4fhr6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Americast (w3ct8bz7)
Trump's war with Iran: What we still don't know

Saturday marks one week of the US-Israel war on Iran. In that time, we have heard shifting stories and opposing justifications from the Trump administration on why military action was taken. BBC North America editor Sarah Smith and BBC North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher discuss the changing narratives, and look at the many questions that remain unanswered. This includes, examining what does success look like for America and whether Trump needs Congress to carry on funding the war in the longer term?

Sarah and Anthony speak to Robert Malley, one of the architects of the Iran nuclear deal during Barack Obama’s presidency in 2015. A key US linchpin on Iran policy, Malley was also a special assistant to Bill Clinton for Arab-Israeli affairs. The team ask him what it was like to be in the room with Iranian negotiators during the Obama and Clinton administrations. Plus, he reveals his view on which US president was best placed to achieve the strongest deal with Iran.

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

Presenter: Sarah Smith, BBC North America editor and Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent
Producer: Purvee Pattni, Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve.
Sound engineer: Dafydd Evans.
Editor: Sam Bonham.

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

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

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

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

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


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjr86y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8794)
Turning obstacles into opportunity

When Steve Bate received a life-changing diagnosis he knew there wasn’t much he could do about his condition, but he had total control over what happened next. Making every moment count and taking on his biggest challenges, Bate has gone on to solo climb El Capitan and became a multi-medal Paralympian cyclist for Team GB.

Ramiro Mora Romero, a weightlifter who represented the Refugee Olympic Team at Paris 2024, shares his journey of displacement, determination, and hope on the sport’s biggest stage. Overcoming a lack of access to training facilities and uncertainty over his future to become a champion.

Blind colour commentator and broadcaster Allan Wylie shows how a perceived barrier can become a strength; using knowledge, awareness and passion to provide in-depth insight for the sports he loves. Allan's story proves that commentary is less about seeing the game, and more about feeling it.

Stories that reveal that mindset, courage and community can turn life’s toughest obstacles into triumphs.

(Photo: Ramiro Mora Romero of the Refugee Olympic Team reacts during the Weightlifting Men's 102kg Final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Credit: Lars Baron/Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjrcz2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xyqrzg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4fr7g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct8yvt)
Can Iran hold out against US-Israeli strikes?

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether the Iranian regime will survive, looks at what Israel and the United States are aiming to achieve in their war with Iran, and examines whether Iran’s attacks on countries in the Gulf will change the balance of power in the region.

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


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjrhq6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s9)
Laurent Binet - HHhH

Harriett Gilbert welcomes the French author Laurent Binet to the World Book Club studio to answer your questions about his acclaimed novel HHhH.

The book tells the story of the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, one of the chief architects of the Holocaust, and the daring mission carried out by Czech resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied Prague. At the same time, Binet places himself into the narrative, obsessively questioning how history should be told, where fact ends and fiction begins, and whether a writer ever has the right to blur that line.

Recorded in front of a live audience at The American Library in Paris, Laurent will be answering your questions about blending history and fiction without betraying the truth, why he chose to make himself writing part of the story itself, and how storytelling is an attempt to confront, or make sense of, the darkest moments in history.


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjrmgb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zssm2n1ws0y)
Iran's president apologies for strikes on neighbours

The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has said Iran will stop striking its Arab neighbours as long as no attacks originate from their territory. President Trump has characterised the remark as a surrender in response to relentless US and Israeli attacks.

Also on the programme: President Trump is hosting Latin American leaders for a summit called 'The Shield of The Americas'; and the slow breakdown of one of the world largest icebergs.

(File photo: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran on February 11, 2026. Credit: Iran's Presidential website/WANA)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjrr6g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172ztr1d6tdckx)
Live Sporting Action

On FA Cup fifth round weekend, Lee James will be joined by the former Wolves and England winger Matt Jarvis and the former Brentford and Nottingham Forest manager Mark Warburton to talk about the action, including Wolves against Liverpool, Mansfield Town vs Arsenal and Wrexham against Chelsea.



Mark also tells us about what it takes to start a football club as Sporting Director and Head of Soccer of newly formed Sporting Jacksonville. We’ll also be joined by CEO Steve Livingstone and women’s captain Sophie Jones.



There’s live women’s international football with the Asian Cup, World Cup qualifying in Europe, SheBelieves Cup as well as the final warm up matches in Africa for those competing at the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.



Away from football, Lando Norris begins his Formula One World Championship defence. We’ll be in Melbourne for qualifying of the opening race of the new Formula One season. We’ll hear from the grid’s rookie - Racing Bulls’ Arvind Lindblad – and Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon.



And we’ll also cover the start of the Winter Paralympics, Rugby Union’s Six Nations, Indian Wells tennis and preview the final of the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup.

Photo: A close up of FA Cup trophy displayed before the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Crystal Palace and Millwall at Selhurst Park on March 1, 2025 in London, England. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjs75z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xyrm6c)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4glgc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4m00)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zt2)
The English samurai

In 1977, Michael Jay from England becomes the first foreigner to take part in the Soma Nomaoi which celebrates classical martial arts and military horsemanship.

The Soma wild horse chase in Japan is an annual three day event and dates back to the 10th Century.

Michael participated for 17 years, earning the rank of group commander.

He speaks to Jen Dale about the honour and challenges of taking part.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Picture: Michael Jay in front of Odaka shrine. Credit: Michael Jay)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjsby3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7240)
How will Spain’s migrant amnesty work?

Half a million people are in Spain without official permission.

They come mainly from Colombia, Peru, Honduras, Paraguay, and Argentina. It’s thought that most outstay their work, student, or tourist visas.

An amnesty to grant them legal status to remain and work is due to start within weeks.

It's a very different approach from most other countries in Europe that have been tightening controls on migration.

The prime minister has admitted “Some say we've gone too far, that we're going against the current”.

Opposition parties argue that this policy puts pressure on public services.

This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: “How will Spain’s migrant amnesty work?”


Contributors:
Ismael Gálvez Iniesta, assistant professor, department of applied economics, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain
Donna Cabrera, independent researcher, international migration lecturer, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia
Alana Moceri, international relations professor, IE University, Spain
Joan Monràs, economics professor, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain


Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Daniel Rosney
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: James Bradshaw
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: Pedro Sánchez the Prime Minister of Spain. Credit: NurPhoto / Getty Images)


SAT 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4gq6h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:32 Happy News (w3ct6tzq)
The Happy Pod: My friends made me a new hand

Lois, 14, and her classmates used a 3D printer to create her new hand as part of a school project. Now they want to make prosthetic limbs for other people who need them, using the same method.

Also: We find out how a new drug is transforming the lives of children with a severe form of epilepsy. A trial found it significantly reduced their seizures and also helped with overall development and movement.

We meet two Turkish students using AI to help locate people trapped under rubble after earthquakes. They hope their invention will help rescuers reach survivors more quickly.

Plus the teams working to save seagrass meadows, which are vital in tackling climate change. And the Harajuku dog walking man - who's become famous for leading dozens of small dogs around Tokyo.

Presenter: Holly Gibbs
Music: Iona Hampson

Photo: Nature School


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjsgp7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvq)
The Arts Hour Oscars Special

Nikki Bedi and critic Leila Latif look ahead to the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, while speaking to the following Oscar contenders:

Director Chloe Zhao and actress Jessie Buckley on Hamnet

Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho and actor Wagner Moura on The Secret Agent

Multiple Academy Award winning Greek auteur, Yorgos Lanthimos, on Bugonia

Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania discusses the making of The Voice of Hind Rajab

And Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso talks about creating the look of Train Dreams


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjslfc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zssm2n1xqzz)
Tehran strikes more targets across the Middle East

We hear how a week of war is changing Iran. And the attacks in southern Lebanon's Bekaa valley continue, after Israel warned Lebanon that it will pay a "very ​heavy price" if it does not rein in attacks by Hezbollah.

Also on the programme: Nepal's rapper turned Prime Minister; and the NASA mission that's shown how we can defend ourselves against a speeding asteroid.

(Photo: Smoke rises after an Iranian drone was intercepted over the Bahrain Financial Harbour towers, which houses the Israeli embassy, in Manama, Bahrain Credit: Reuters/Stringer)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjsq5h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xys35w)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4h2fw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 This Is Africa (w3ct72fc)
El Mehdi

El Mehdi is a singer, songwriter and visual artist, born in Morocco and now living in Canada. His music is rooted in pop, but also the traditional Moroccan music he grew up listening to. He’s just released his debut EP Salam. It’s a deeply personal piece of work – he comes out about his sexuality and also explores his Amazigh heritage.


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjstxm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 Not by the Playbook (w3ct8794)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 today]

SUNDAY 08 MARCH 2026

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjsynr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct6rp0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4h9y4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 The Documentary (w3ct93b4)
Forty-eight hours in Isfahan

*** This episode contains scenes of violence and descriptions you may find upsetting ***
Eyewitnesses from a city in Iran describe how armed forces loyal to the Islamic regime killed countless protesters in a lethal crackdown on demonstrations earlier this year. Seen through the eyes of people who were in Isfahan, this programme pieces together a snapshot of events from 8-9 January. That is when huge numbers of people took to the streets to protest decades of oppression and call for an end to the Islamic Republic.

Thousands of people across the country were killed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's armed forces. The regime blamed the bloodshed on what it called rioters and street terrorists backed by the countries enemies. The UN has called for an independent investigation. However, any prospect of clarity about what happened is at risk of being overshadowed by the current conflict engulfing the country. The first waves of US and Israeli military strikes on Iran killed Ali Khamenei. There are reports of hundreds of civilian casualties too on a population that is already paid a heavy human price for standing up to the regime.

(Photo: A protester flashes a victory sign in front of a fire during a demonstration in Shahin Shahr, Isfahan, Iran, on 9 January , 2026. Credit: Nika/Middle East Images/AFP)


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjt2dw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xysgf8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4hfp8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4m00)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 01:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct7zt2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjt650)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xysl5d)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4hkfd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct6vks)
Do collagen supplements really do anything?

Collagen supplements have become increasingly popular over recent years. However, a new review has revealed that although taking collagen may rejuvenate the skin, it won’t stop you from getting wrinkles. Dr Ann Robinson, a family doctor, discusses findings on what collagen is actually doing for your skin.

The world is short of nearly a million midwives, a new report in Women and Birth warns. Daniela Drandić, the Head of Advocacy & Communications at the International Confederation of Midwives, is one of the authors of the study and breaks down the reason for this shortage and what could be done to increase numbers. Plus, we hear from Sarah Namyalo, a midwife in Uganda, who is doing her best to serve her community under difficult working conditions.

A protein derived from a tick could lead to new therapies for conditions such as MS and certain cancers. Known as ‘evasins’, these proteins produced by parasites such as ticks block the inflammatory response and could prevent the immune system from overreacting and develop certain diseases.

Gout is a common type of inflammatory arthritis that causes joint pain and swelling but often goes untreated. Journalist Tony Vinyoh was recently diagnosed and treated for gout, and reports on how the disease is managed and perceived in Cameroon. Plus, scientists have developed the first ever fart measuring underwear, revealing that we break wind almost double the amount previously estimated.

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


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjt9x4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjtfn8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsx)
Iran: the regional fallout

After US-Israeli attacks on Iran, surrounding countries have quickly been drawn into the war following retaliatory strikes by Iran and Hezbollah. Pascale Harter introduces correspondents' analysis and reflection from Turkey, Lebanon, Israel and Germany.

Major cities across Iran have been hit - destroying civilian buildings in Tehran, as well as military sites in Natanz and Isfahan. Many Iranians are now trying to flee the ongoing attacks by crossing into neighbouring countries. James Waterhouse reports from the Turkey-Iran border.

There's a sense of déjà vu for the people of Lebanon who are once again forced to shelter after the militia group Hezbollah launched missiles and drones into Israel to avenge the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei. Israel has hit back at Hezbollah's Lebanese strongholds. Wyre Davies has been in Beirut.

Many of the missiles fired towards Israel failed to penetrate its Iron Dome defence system - but there have still been Israeli casualties. Nine people died after a synagogue in Beit Shemesh was hit, penetrating the bomb shelter beneath it. Hugo Bachega reports from Tel Aviv.

And a renowned restaurant in Berlin which cast itself as a symbol of breaking bread across religious and political divides has just gone out of business. Lucy Ash pulled up a chair as one of its last diners, just as news of another conflict broke.

Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production coordinator: Katie Morrison

(Image: Motorists drive along an expressway as plumes of smoke rise after a strike in Tehran, Iran. Credit: ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4hsxn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct8yvt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjtkdd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xysyds)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4hxns)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct93b4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:32 today]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjtp4j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zw8mbz627vh)
Despite apologies, Tehran launches new attacks on Gulf states

The US and Israel continue striking Iran and Tehran launches new attacks on Gulf states. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised to neighbouring countries and insisted Iran would not target them unless attacked first. We hear from Iran’s Ambassador to the UK, Seyed Ali Mousavi.

We discuss the Gulf states's response with Allison Minor, former envoy for Yemen and director for Arabian Peninsula affairs at the National Security Council in the US, now the director of the Project for Middle East Integration with the Atlantic Council.

And for more than 50 years, singer Annie Caldwell kept faith in her soul and gospel music despite limited success. Now she is gaining international acclaim with her family band, Annie and the Caldwells. Their new album, Can’t Lose My (Soul) - recorded in a Mississippi church - is out on David Byrne’s label, with Sir Elton John among the fans.

Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Rana Rahimpour, an Iranian-British journalist, also a psychedelic therapist and counsellor and Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King's College London and director of the thinktank the UK in a Changing Europe.

(Photo: Smoke rises following an explosion, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, 8 March, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjtswn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zw8mbz62clm)
US and Israel hit oil facilities in overnight strikes in and near the Iranian capital

Israel has escalated its campaign against Iran by bombing oil facilities.

In Italy, the Winter Olympic Games are under way with more than 650 athletes from 50 countries, including Haiti’s first-ever participant, para‑skier and investment banker Ralf Etienne.

And in Washington DC, the National Gallery of Art is seeing a shift in how museums connect with audiences. Alison Luchs, 77, deputy head curator of sculpture and decorative arts, has become an unlikely social‑media sensation, challenging the stereotype of quiet, contemplative museum spaces.

Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Rana Rahimpour, an Iranian-British journalist , also a psychedelic therapist and counsellor and Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King's College London and director of the thinktank the UK in a Changing Europe.

(Photo: Smoke rises following an explosion, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, 8 March, 2026. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjtxms)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zw8mbz62hbr)
Iran continues missile and drone strikes despite President’s apology

Iran has continued firing missiles and drones at its southern neighbours, despite President Masoud Pezeshkian apologising for earlier attacks on Gulf states. Could this signal divisions within Iran’s leadership? We put the question to our chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet.

As the war enters its second week, President Trump says he wants Iran’s unconditional surrender. Former US Iran negotiator Robert Malley told us conflict seemed almost inevitable.

And in the United States, an extraordinary story from rural Howard County, Maryland: a police detective has reunited two siblings after 63 years while investigating their mother’s decades old cold case.

Joining our presenter Julian Worricker to discuss these stories are Rana Rahimpour, an Iranian-British journalist , also a psychedelic therapist and counsellor and Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King's College London and director of the thinktank the UK in a Changing Europe.

(Photo: Smoke rises after an Iranian drone was intercepted in Manama, Bahrain. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjv1cx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4jdn9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zx)
The story of the sandwich

Shattering the myth of its aristocratic origins and exploring some of the boldest creations; Ruth Alexander finds out about the history, culture and family ties wrapped up in the sandwich.

Josh Veasey, co-owner of Rack in North West England talks about his menu’s hits and misses and what it’s like to make a living out of making sandwiches.

The fourth Earl of Sandwich John Montagu is popularly credited with coming up with the idea of putting a tasty filling between two slices of bread; food historian Dr Annie Gray reveals the facts of the matter.

Masterchef Australia finalist and food writer Samira el Khafir talks about some of her favourite Middle Eastern wraps, enduring staples in the region and far beyond.

Ruth discusses the changing fashions for fillings with Barry Enderwick, the California-based creator of the social media channel, Sandwiches of History.

And Ozoz Sokoh, author of Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria, reflects on how the sandwiches of her childhood were shaped by a long history of enslavement and British colonial rule.

Producers: Julia Paul & Lexy O’Connor
Sound engineer: Hal Haines
Editor: Sara Wadeson

(Phoro: A smiling dark haired woman holds up a sandwich with a bite taken out of it. Credit: Farkot Architect/Getty Images)

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


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjv541)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xz0)
Super seagrass

Seagrass meadows are one of the world’s most valuable underwater habitats. As well as providing food and shelter to thousands of species, seagrass is also known for its ability to store carbon and improve water quality, making it a powerful natural solution to tackle the impacts of climate change. But so much of the once thriving plant has disappeared from our planet. We visit North America’s eastern seaboard where scientists are looking at how a technique called ‘assisted gene flow’ is helping seagrass adapt and survive in warming waters. And we travel to a river estuary in northeast England to find out how local people are trying to regrow these lost meadows.

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

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer: Cordelia Hemming
Reporters: Ben Wyatt and Leigh Jones
Sound engineer: Hal Haines
Editor: Jon Bithrey


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4jjdf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70vd)
Inside Russia’s ‘Youth Armies’

The 'Youth Army' is a movement that was founded in January 2016 by the Russian government. In total, more than 1.8 million children in Russia have joined the movement. As of May 2025, more than 120,000 Youth Army graduates served in the Russian army and other security forces. The Youth Army is also actively recruiting Ukrainian children in occupied regions of the country. This began in parts of Ukraine even before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, in places like Crimea and Donbas. The children are taught to sing the Russian national anthem; kiss the Russian flag; dig trenches and handle guns. Zhanna Bezpiatchuk of BBC Ukrainian has been looking into how these youth armies operate in occupied regions of Ukraine.

Simon Bolivar was a nineteenth century soldier and statesman who led six countries - Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Panama - to independence from the Spanish empire and earned himself the title of ‘El Libertador’, the liberator. He left a huge legacy in South America and is still considered by many as a revolutionary hero. Growing up in Venezuela, Juan Alosno of BBC Mundo was very familiar with Bolivar's mythology, because it was taught to him in school. Even as a child, there were a couple of details that just didn't stack up for him.... so he set out to investigate.

This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.

Presented by Faranak Amidi.

Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson


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


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjv8w5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xytnwk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4jn4k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 The Dark Is Rising (w3ct4m00)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct6w0b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjvdm9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct6rp0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4jrwp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcz)
Can Syria’s Kurds save their women’s revolution?

For 14 years, while Syria was divided by civil war, Kurds in the north-east of the country tried to build a new democratic society, with equality for men and women – an inspiration for feminists around the world. But now, the Kurdish autonomous area, Rojava, is coming back under the control of a central government that’s now run by former Islamists.

Reporter Tim Whewell asks whether Rojava’s rare social experiment - including all-women fighting units – will survive? He interviews Kurdish women, including the young co-mayor of one of the area’s main cities, who’s determined to continue her work, and learns about the origins of Rojava’s unusual system. He also talks to a woman who says she and her family witnessed the killing in January this year of unarmed Kurdish men, by fighters supporting the central government. As such allegations multiply, many Kurds are nervous about their future in a united Syria.

Local reporters/producers: Sangar Khaleel, Mustafa al-Ali, Khabat Abbas
Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: A young fighter in the YPJ (Kurdish Women’s Protection Units) Credit: Amjad Kurdo / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjvjcf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zssm2n1zny1)
Iran chooses new supreme leader - but does not name

Iran says it’s chosen a successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed last week in US-Israeli airstrikes – but the name has yet to be revealed. Meanwhile Israel and the US continue to strike Iran, with oil depots hit, and Iran carries out more strikes on its Gulf Arab neighbours: we hear from Kuwait.

Also in the programme: scientists find a mountain range and huge "blue hole" in the deep Caribbean Sea, with life never before seen; and the American gospel musician finally getting recognition after more than fifty years.

(IMAGE: A demonstrator holds an image of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after he was killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes. Tehran, Iran, March 6, 2026 / CREDIT: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjvn3k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct703b)
What's the climate cost of war?

War leaves a visible trail of destruction: lives and families devastated, homes and communities reduced to rubble.

But there is also a climate cost of armed conflict, and it’s an issue that Climate Question listeners have been asking about. So in this show, Host Graihagh Jackson chats to two leading experts about the carbon footprint of battle itself - the jets, the bombs, the supply lines - and the impact of maintaining armies and bases during peacetime. They discuss Gaza and Ukraine, as well as the current US-Israel war with Iran.

Graihagh also finds out if there any ways for the military to reduce their emissions and whether they see climate change as a strategic threat.

GUESTS:
Neta Crawford, Professor of International Relations, University of St Andrews.
Dr. Benjamin Neimark, Associate Professor at Queen Mary, University of London

Got a question or comment? email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Diane Richardson, Grace Braddock
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell and Philip Bull
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown
Editor: Simon Watts


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4k0cy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct6tzq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:32 on Saturday]


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjvrvp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172ztr1d6thd74)
Live Sporting Action

It’s FA Cup fifth round weekend and Sportsworld has commentary from Elland Road as Premier League Leeds United take on Norwich City of the Championship. The former DR Congo captain Gab Zakuani joins Delyth Lloyd to go over all the big talking points from the fifth round.


The Sportsworld team also has reaction from the men’s T20 World Cup Final and the opening race of the new Formula One season. Plus the latest from the Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina, football’s AFC Women’s Asia Cup and tennis’ Indian Wells tournament.

Photo: A close up of FA Cup trophy displayed before the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Crystal Palace and Millwall at Selhurst Park on March 1, 2025 in London, England. (Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjw7v6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xyvmvl)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4km3l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct8yxb)
The women of IS: Part two

What next for the Syrian detention camps and their residents? After the fall of the so-called “caliphate”, tens of thousands of women and children from around the world - followers of the Islamic State group as well as its victims - ended up in a handful of camps in north-eastern Syria. Once run by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, those camps are now in the process of being closed down by the Syrian authorities. This three-part series explores the trauma that led to their prolonged existence and how it might affect their future.

In part two, we examine where governments are drawing the line on repatriation, from Britain’s tough stance to Kazakhstan’s model of success.

Contributors: Mina al-Lami, Jiyar Gol, Barry Marston, Clare Denning, Mohammed Al-Jumaily, Bryn Windsor
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjwclb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72xh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjwhbg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zssm2n20mx2)
Energy infrastructure targeted in Iran strikes

The United States and Israel have continued their bombardment of Iran for a ninth day. Thick plumes of black smoke were seen in the skies above Tehran as the US and Israel struck an oil refinery and depot in the capital. We'll bring you the latest in the war including from the second front in southern Lebanon.

Also in the programme: a high-ranking executive at OpenAI has resigned over the company's deal with the US government; and India has retained the men's T20 cricket World Cup title.

(Picture: Thick plumes of smoke rise above the Shahran oil refinery in Tehran which was hit in US and Israeli strikes on the country. Credit: BEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA/Shutterstock)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjwm2l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlm0xyw02z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4kzbz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70vd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx4wqjwqtq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct703b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzbg4l333)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 Assignment (w3ct6rcz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:32 today]

MONDAY 09 MARCH 2026

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv0pv0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfq23d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8ty2)
How is war being fought in space?

This week Inside Science comes from Space Comm Expo in London, one of the biggest space conferences in the world. Tom Whipple explores the conference with Suzie Imber, Professor of Planetary Science at the University of Leicester.

Tom also speaks to Dr Everett Dolman, Professor of Space Strategy at John Hopkins University in the USA, about the role of space in modern warfare.

Jodie Howlett, who oversees in-orbit manufacturing at the UK Space Agency talks about why the unique physics of space could be the perfect environment in which to manufacture the next generation of medicines.

And Daniela Schmidt, Professor of Earth Sciences at Bristol University tells us why new research shows how we’ve drastically underestimated our measurements of sea level.

To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk, search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University.

Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producer: Kate White, Katie Tomsett, Alex Mansfield and Clare Salisbury
Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
Editor: Martin Smith


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv0tl4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6806lj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfq5vj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct6sxd)
The Life Scientific: Pierre Friedlingstein

The COP30 climate summit is taking place in the Brazilian city of Belém, a gateway to the Amazon rainforest, which continues to face widespread deforestation. We all know that our climate is changing and that we are largely responsible for this, but we can’t tackle the problem unless we understand what’s going on.

One scientist who’s done more than most to rectify this is Professor Pierre Friedlingstein. He’s a prominent climate scientist and Chair in Mathematical Modelling of the Climate System at Exeter University. His models have transformed our understanding of climate change, revealing a complex dynamical system with carbon at its centre, cycling between the atmosphere, oceans and land, to directly influence the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Pierre is actively involved in assessing the state of our climate through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and, as director of the Global Carbon Budget, estimates the remaining amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted before we breach our global climate targets. It’s the ultimate test of effective climate action and the latest annual update will be released at COP.

Pierre explains how we can all play our part to reduce carbon emissions, and he practises what he preaches - he won’t be flying to COP this year so as to minimise his own carbon footprint.


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv0yb8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd680bbn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfq9ln)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6sv4)
What keeps the universe in balance?

CrowdScience listener Ndanusa in Ghana, is gazing up at the stars, and wondering. Big philosophical questions, like… what keeps our universe in balance?

From our perspective here on earth, the universe seems like a vast, harmonious system, perpetuating eternally without change. But Ndanusa knows a thing or two about the stars, and he knows that they use up hydrogen as they burn, and release helium. And he’s wondering, is there something out there which does the opposite? Something that uses up helium, and produces hydrogen, to keep the universe in perfect, chemical equilibrium?

His question makes sense! Here on earth for example, animals use up oxygen and produce carbon dioxide, and plants do the opposite. A perfect cycle of production and consumption which (at least in theory), keeps our planet in perfect balance. Could the same kind of system be in place in the wider expanse of the universe?

His intriguing question leads presenter Alex Lathbridge on a journey into the blackness of deep space, the ancient origins of our universe, and the complex physics of the stars. He pops into the Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory, just outside Accra, where astrophysicist Dr Proven Adzri helps him peer into the earliest few seconds of our universe, and find out what set the stars burning. And at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr Linus Labik talks him through what’s going on at the atomic level. And in the deep blackness of the night, up above the tree canopy of Kakum National Park, he takes a peek at the stars for himself. Local guides Chris and Kwabena explain how much meaning there is behind the stars in the night sky.

Presenter: Alex Lathbridge

Producer: Emily Knight

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Large orange and purple exploding orb - stock photo Credit: Soubrette via Getty Images)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv122d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xz0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfqfbs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct70vd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Sunday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv15tj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd680ktx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfqk2x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct70b4)
How to share a top job

Ella Al-Shamahi talks to women in Switzerland and the UK about how job sharing can boost a career and bring many benefits to both work and home life.

Irenka Krone-Germann is Swiss and has written several books about job-sharing and part-time working. She co-founded the information platform, Go4jobsharing.ch and We Jobshare, an online platform which helps people find a job or topshare partner. Irenka has job partners, both female and male, in several different senior roles.

Charlotte Cherry and Alix Ainsley have been job sharing in the UK for 14 years. They've worked in senior HR roles for a number of different companies including General Electric, Lloyds Banking Group and currently work for Virgin. They've recently set up a consultancy, Daring Two. Charlotte says job sharing has enabled her and Alix to take on much more challenging and fulfilling positions, has accelerated their careers further than working solo part-time would have done, and at the same time to balance time with their families.

Produced by Jane Thurlow

(Image: (L) Charlotte Cherry, courtesy Charlotte Cherry. (R) Irenka Krone-Germann, credit Keren Bisaz.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv19kn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg7zpl7)
Mojtaba Khamenei to become Iran's new supreme leader

Mojtaba Khamenei is seen as a hardliner and shortly after his appointment, Iran fired barrages of missile and drones at targets in Israel and across the Gulf, signalling Tehran's determination to fight on. We look at who he is is at what does it mean now for the war.

The price of a barrel of crude is spiralling in early Asian trade and breaching the one-hundred-dollar mark.

President Zelensky has said Ukrainian drone experts will arrive in the Middle East this week to help Gulf states under attack from Iran.

(Photo: An Iranian man holds a picture of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the Iranian Supreme Leader; Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv1f9s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg7ztbc)
Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father in Iran

"Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me," Trump said earlier this week. And only a few hours ago, he said that, without his approval, whoever takes over is "not going to last long".

Global oil prices have jumped above 110 dollars a barrel and stock markets slumped as the war in Iran escalates and disrupts shipping. The analysis coming up with our business presenter Nick Marsh.

In Lebanon, tens of thousands of people have been displaced as Israel's war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah escalates.

(Photo: A picture of Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is displayed on a screen in Tehran; Credit: Majid Asgaripour/Reuters)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv1k1x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg7zy2h)
New supreme leader chosen in Iran inspite of threats

Energy supply fears rock markets as Mojtaba Khamenei named Iran's new supreme leader.

He's seen as a hardliner... who lost his mother, father and wife in the last few days. We'll hear more about him and the likely message that Tehran is determined to fight on.

Gulf countries are still under attack by Iran. We go to Bahrain where at least 32 people had been injured in a drone attack south of the capital, Manama.

(Photo: A picture of Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is displayed on a screen in Tehran; Credit: Majid Asgaripour/Reuters)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv1nt1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x12)
Samantha Power, former US Ambassador to UN: Closing USAID was soft power suicide

“The destruction of USAID is not only one of the cruellest acts that I've seen in my career, but of course also one of the dumbest.”

Caitriona Perry speaks to Samantha Power, the former American ambassador to the United Nations. She went on to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development until January 2025 when Donald Trump came to power. President Trump later closed USAID down.

She is scathing about his decision, describing it as a “soft power suicide” which will lead to the avoidable deaths of millions of people around the world. Ambassador Power also warns of gridlock in the United Nations, thanks to the use of veto powers by permanent members of the Security Council.

Thank you to Caitriona Perry and Abby Godard for their help in making this programme.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Nigel Casey, the UK ambassador to Russia, and the Colombian President Gustavo Petro. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Caitriona Perry
Producers: Abby Godard and Lucy Sheppard
Editors: Damon Rose and Justine Lang

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

(Image: Samantha Power Credit: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg via Getty Images)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfr12f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rz2)
The book that built the modern economy

250 years ago, on the 9th of March 1776, a book was published that didn’t just explain the economy, it changed it. The Wealth of Nations, written by "the father of economics" Adam Smith, sparked debates that still rage today, shaping everything from global trade to how much you earn.

Rob Young looks at an original copy from 1776, assesses Smith's importance, and speak to economists about the state of Adam Smith's free market today.

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

Presenter: Rob Young
Producer: David Cann

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

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

Recent episodes explore the boom in weight-loss drugs, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.

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

(Picture: A first edition of The Wealth of Nations, in two leather bound volumes, with gold lettering on the spine.)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct747k)
Triumph of the Will: A Nazi propaganda film

In 1934, one of the most controversial propaganda movies ever made - Triumph of the Will – was filmed at the Nazis’ Nuremberg rally.

The two-hour picture was directed by Leni Riefenstahl, once described as Adolf Hitler’s favourite filmmaker.

Over four days, scenes of military marches, speeches, and parades were shot from dramatic angles. Long-focus lenses recorded close-ups of the crowds, and cameras filmed from moving cars.

But, while to some Riefenstahl was an artistic genius, to many others, she glorified a regime that would go on to be responsible for the death of millions. And for portraying a genocidal dictator as a god-like saviour.

Jane Wilkinson has been through the BBC archives to find out more.

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

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

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

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

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

(Photo: Leni Riefenstahl filming in Nuremberg, 1934. Credit: Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv1sk5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6815kk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfr4tk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6sv4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv1x99)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct71x7)
Sweden and the USA's diplomatic freeze and Elvis in the UK

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.

We hear how a speech by Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, in 1972, caused a break down in relations with the USA.

Our guest is an expert in the historic relations between Sweden and the US, Dr Saniya Lee Ghanoui from the University of El Paso in Texas.

Plus, the story of India’s secret first nuclear test in 1974, and Portugal’s worst train crash which killed 150 people.

We also learn about the invention of the mobility scooter in the 1960s and the only time the King of Rock n’ Roll, Elvis, set foot in the UK.

Contributors:

Jan Elliason – former Swedish diplomat.

Dr Saniya Lee Ghanoui – Assistant Professor of history at the University of El Paso.

Dr SK Sikka – former Indian nuclear scientist.

Américo Borges – Portuguese volunteer fire commander.

Al Thieme – the inventor of the mobility scooter.

Anne Murphy – Elvis superfan.

(Photo: Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1972 during the diplomatic freeze with the USA. Credit: Sjöberg Bildbyrå/ullstein bild via Getty Images)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv211f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd681f1t)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfrd9t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct717w)
Spain stands up to Trump

As European leaders have struggled to find a unified response to the US-Israel war in Iran, Pedro Sanchez has stood out as a voice of dissent. He said in a televised address last week: “The position of the government of Spain can be summarised in three words: no to war.”

The Spanish Prime Minister and US President have butted heads on many issues; the war in Gaza, immigration and defence spending among them, but in the past week their relationship got even more fiery, with Donald Trump threatening to cut off all trade with Spain. What makes Sanchez willing to stand up to Trump? And will his gamble be worth it?

Guy Hedgecoe, a reporter for the BBC based in Madrid, joins us to discuss.

Producers: Hannah Moore, Valerio Esposito and Chris Benderev
Executive producer: Bridget Harney
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivers a speech during closing ceremony of the 'Spain, Vanguard in the Green Industry', in Madrid, Spain, 08 September 2025. Credit: Daniel Gonzalez/EPA/Shutterstock.


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv24sk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wr3)
A boy named ‘stand up’ and his battle to take down a statue

Simukai Chigudu was born in 1986, his name means to "stand up", for yourself and for your rights. And it would be a name he lived up to. Simukai grew up in Zimbabwe, in the early days of independence, under Robert Mugabe. He had a colonial-style education which took him to England as a teenager, and eventually to study medicine at Newcastle University. But it was when he went to study for a masters in African Studies at Oxford University that Simukai felt his professional and personal lives collide. A turning point came when he was in a seminar about the use of political imprisonment as a tool for repression and control in Zimbabwe under British rule, the country was then called Rhodesia.

Simukai knew that his grandfather had been killed by the Rhodesian security forces and that his father had fought in the struggle for independence and been imprisoned, but he now started to discover the details of what he’d been through, and they were not easy to hear. Simukai felt deeply uncomfortable about some of the historical artefacts he found at Oxford University, including a statue of Cecil Rhodes whose army had forced Simukai’s ancestors off their land and scarred their lives. He knew it was his turn to “stand up” and he became co-founder of the Oxford Branch of the “Rhodes Must Fall” movement, which campaigned to have the statue at Oxford University removed. He is now Associate Professor of African Politics at Oxford and has written a memoir called Chasing Freedom: Coming of Age at the End of Empire.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: June Christie and Rachel Oakes

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

(Photo: Simukai Chigudu looks straight into the camera, he's wearing large silver framed round glasses and an open-necked pale patterened shirt. Credit: Fisher Studios/D. Fisher)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct747k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv28jp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd681nk2)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfrmt2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct70b4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv2d8t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxc6jvf)
As the price of oil surges, markets tumble

As the US and Israel's war on Iran enters its second week, concerns are rising about surging oil prices.

Crude has jumped above $100 a barrel and stock markets slumped over the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran. What are the effects likely to be?

Also in the programme: We'll profile Iran's new Supreme Leader, the son of the former cleric; we'll hear how the war is affecting daily life in the Gulf state of Qatar; and how the master artists of ancient Egypt may have invented correction fluid.

(Photo shows smoke rising following a strike on the Bapco Oil Refinery on Sitra Island in Bahrain on 9 March 2026. Credit: Reuters)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv2j0y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x12)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfrw9b)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rz2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


MON 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct886w)
Bangladesh rations fuel for private motorists

The US/Israel war with Iran has disrupted global oil supplies. Among countries affected, Bangladesh has begun rationing fuel for private motorists.
A new government has been swept into power in Nepal, six months after Gen Z protests brought down the previous administration. Leanna Byrne hears from Nepal.


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv2ms2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 Outside Source (w1730689p074hx1)
Iran war: How will oil price spikes affect us?

G7 finance ministers have been meeting in crisis session as the world grapples with the economic fallout of the US-Israeli war against Iran. Our international business correspondent answers audience questions on the economic fallout.

Israel says it's carrying out more wide-scale strikes on Iran after Mojtaba Khamenei was named as the new supreme leader. Iran's latest counterstrikes have included a deadly attack on central Israel. We have the latest from BBC Persian. BBC Persian is the Persian language service of BBC News, used by 24 million people around the world - the majority in Iran - despite being blocked and routinely jammed by Iranian authorities.

Winter Paralympics are underway in Italy, and the competition is celebrating its 50th anniversary. We hear from Paralympians about the challenges they face, and how the competion has evolved.

The Turkish opposition leader Ekrem Imamoğlu has gone on trial in Istanbul for corruption, in a case he describes as politically motivated. Our colleague from BBC Turkish explains.

Iraq's World Cup play-off decider later this month should be postponed amid the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran, says the team's head coach Graham Arnold. Our sports reporter has the details.

Presenter: Pria Rai.

(Photo: A worker prepares to fill an underground storage tank at a gas station as oil prices are expected to increase amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, March 9, 2026. Credit: Lisa Marie David/Reuters)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv2rj6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 Outside Source (w1730689p074mn5)
Iranian missiles intercepted over Turkey

Heavy explosions have continued to rock Tehran after Iran named its new supreme leader. Israel's emergency services said a man was killed in central Israel, as Iran continued to hit the region. NATO air defences have shot down a second Iranian ballistic missile to enter Turkey's airspace. We have the latest from our correspondents.

Meanwhile, G7 finance ministers say they're ready to take measures to support the global energy supply, after meeting to discuss the economic turmoil. Our international business correspondent answers audience questions.

Bangladesh has closed all its universities, bringing forward holidays for the Muslim festival of Eid as part of measures to conserve electricity and fuel amid a worsening energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Gulf. Our global affairs reporter explains.

Expert analysis of footage and satellite data have suggested that US strikes hit an area in the Iranian city of Minab where scores of students were killed in a school on the first day of the war. Our colleague from BBC Verify has the details.

In Africa, being overweight has traditionally been seen as a sign of wealth but is the continent experiencing a shift in beauty ideals because of the growing use of weight‑loss drugs? We speak to African fashion writers.

Presenter: Pria Rai.

(Photo: Iranians mourn during funeral ceremonies for victims of the conflict between Iran, Israel and the US, at the Behesht Zahra cemetery in southern Tehran, Iran, 09 March 2026. Credit: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv2w8b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wr3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct747k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv300g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd682d0v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfsc8v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z6f)
2026/03/09 GMT

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


MON 20:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv33rl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct6tsx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfsh0z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct6sxf)
The Life Scientific: Tony Juniper

Tony Juniper is an environmentalist who has worn many hats, over the course of his career. After developing a passion for birds in childhood, his first job saw him working to save endangered parrots - including a successful effort to bring back the Spix's macaw from the edge of extinction. Tony went on to hold leading campaigning roles with some of the world's best known environmental organisations, from Friends of The Earth to the World Wildlife Fund. He also acted as an advisor to King Charles's International Sustainability Unit and co-authored three books with the monarch. Today, Tony has swapped lobbying and campaigning for advising the government, as head of the advisory body Natural England: not without its challenges, but he says they are still outweighed by the positives. Talking to Professor Jim Al-Khalili about his enduring love for nature and hopes for the future, Tony explains his optimism that we can and will recognise the urgent need to protect and restore our planet; and why ultimately, that means saving ourselves.


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv37hq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxc7d2b)
Oil prices appear to stabilise after a surge

G7 finance ministers have said they're ready to take measures to support the global energy supply, after meeting to discuss the economic turmoil caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran. Oil prices eased back below 100 US dollars a barrel, after they indicated this could include the release of strategic reserves. But they're still about 40 percent up since the start of the war, which has halted most exports from the Gulf. Concerns about the impact on the global economy have caused stock markets to fall in America, Europe and Asia.

Also in the programme: Reports that members of Iran's women's football team are seeking refuge in Australia - we'll hear from a former Iranian sportsman who fled the country; and how AI is predicting the risk of serious heart disease from breast cancer screenings.

(File Photo: A maze of crude oil pipes and valves pictured during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas, US. Credit: Reuters/Richard Carson/File Photo)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv3c7v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd682r87)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfsqj7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76v7)
Oil prices ease as Trump says Iran war over “pretty quickly”

President Donald Trump’s announcement comes hours after G7 finance ministers said they were ready to use strategic oil reserves if necessary. Also, Anthropic sues the US government for calling it a risk. And we mark 250 years since the publication of Adam Smith’s iconic economics book, The Wealth of Nations.

(Picture: Motorists queue at a gas station in Skopje, North Macedonia, 09 March 2026. After the Regulatory Commission announced an increase in petrol and diesel prices at gas stations, people rushed to fill the tanks of their vehicles. Credit: Photo by GEORGI LICOVSKI/EPA/Shutterstock)


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv3gzz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x12)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfsv8c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct70b4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 10 MARCH 2026

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv3lr3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct71x7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv3qh7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6833hm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqft2rm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct717w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Monday]


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv3v7c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68377r)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqft6hr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct6rd0)
Ukraine: The War Behind the War

No one wants to do Major Serhiy Laziuk’s job. He travels from house to house in Lviv, western Ukraine, bringing families news of their loved ones at the front who are killed or missing in action. ‘I tell them I have a sealed letter, that I must deliver by hand,’ he says. Then he arrives at the door to break the news. Serhiy has delivered hundreds of notifications, often three or four a day. ‘You never know how people will react. Some stay calm, some become hysterical. Some blame me for the death of their son…’

Small wonder that Ukraine is in a military recruitment crisis, with many men of fighting age asking for exceptions, or hiding in their houses. ‘Mykola’ hasn’t been outside for a year and a half for fear of the draft. He and his wife sent their teenage son out of Ukraine in 2022 at the start of the full scale invasion. Of course they want Ukraine to win the war, they say. But the price of sacrificing father or son is too high. ‘Mykola’ has even cut an opening in his fence so he can watch out for patrols picking up men from the streets.

Assignment, the War Behind the War is presented by Richard Pendry and produced by Monica Whitlock. Dmytro Horyevoy is the producer in Ukraine and Neil Churchill mixed the programme.

The Assignment series editor is Penny Murphy.

(Image: Major Serhiy Laziuk Credit: Richard Pendry/BBC)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv3yzh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wr3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct747k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv42qm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd683gr0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqftg00)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvv)
Graffiti across continents

Mexican graffiti has inspired Kenyan artist Wise Two to use gold leaf on some of his canvases - as well as the primary colours he's known for. He also recalls how street artists in Tunisia and Egypt used graffiti to document the Arab Spring uprising, giving them a voice.


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv46gr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg82lhb)
Trump says the war in Iran will end soon

President Trump said : "I think the war is very complete, pretty much". Global oil prices have fallen in early trading in Asia on Tuesday - they had soared to almost $120 a barrel at one point on Monday.

Five members of the Iranian women's football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia. They've been playing in the Asian Cup. Iranian regime supporters had accused the team of treason after they refused to sing the national anthem.

We'll hear from northern Ethiopia, where fighters are preparing for the possibility of another war.

(Photo: US President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn towards the White House; Credit: Samuel Corum/EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv4b6w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg82q7g)
President Trump says US hasn't 'won enough' yet in Iran

Ten days since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, the conflict's impact has widened significantly, with Iran retaliating, Israel striking Lebanon, and oil prices surging.

Earlier, Trump suggested US operations against Iran could end soon, saying "I think the war is very complete, pretty much".

We'll also hear from a seafarer about the fears of thousands of shipping crews and passengers stranded by the war.

And we'll head to Nepal where a youthful rapper-turned-politician is set to become Prime Minister.

Photo: A view of the Main gate to the Shahran Oil Refinery as smoke still rises; Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv4fz0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg82tzl)
Trump: "The war is very complete, pretty much"

The US president is also threatening Tehran with "death, fire, and fury" if it disrupts shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Global oil prices have fallen in early trading in Asia on Tuesday.

The United States and Israel have continued their bombardment of Iran, with powerful explosions echoing across the capital, Tehran. Iran has continued with its attacks in the Gulf countries. We get the latest from the region.

The price of oil has fallen significantly, as concerns grow for fertiliser prices. We speak to one of the largest world fertilisers companies.

(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Trump National Doral Miami in Miami; Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv4kq4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xz1)
The power of poetry

Can poetry change how we think, feel and act? We’re looking at how poetry is being used in some innovative and unexpected ways. We’ll hear from the Hot Poets - a group who ‘live translate’ at conferences on everything from climate change to coding. They’ve taken part in several UN climate change meetings - listening to complex presentations on science and summarising the information in a poem. They say it helps bring little known - but positive - news about climate science to a wider audience, changing despair into hope.

In Singapore we meet the medical students learning about poetry to help them become more compassionate doctors at the medical school which says medicine - like life - is not black and white. And we find out which member of our BBC team is a spoken word poet and how she is among a growing number of people worldwide to find community and belonging through open mic nights.

Plus we set our listeners a poetry challenge!

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

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producers: Claire Bowes
Researcher: Helena Warwick-Cross
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Hal Haines

With thanks to: Dr Helen Johnson of the School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Brighton

(Image: BBC production co-ordinator Maria Ogundele at HOTEP Healing Through Words poetry open mic night)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqftxzj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s83)
Why are more people suing businesses?

From humble beginnings in England in the 12th century, to landmark civil rights court cases in the US in the 1960s, class actions are now rarely out of the headlines.

They’re a means of bringing together large groups of people – sometimes millions – under the umbrella of a collective claim for damages.

Their popularity has spread from the US back to Europe and beyond, which is becoming a concern for businesses fearful of finding themselves in multi-million-dollar litigation cases. Now, there are growing calls for legislation to curb their rise.

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

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Craig Henderson

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

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

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

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

(Picture: High angle view of lawyers researching at a table in a board room. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74p4)
My father directed Seven Samurai

Akira Kurosawa's film, Seven Samurai, is an epic three-and-a-half hour long black and white film set in 16th century Japan.

It was released in 1954 and was the most expensive Japanese film ever made at the time.

It is widely considered as one of the most influential films in world cinema.

The production had its ups and downs, going over schedule and budget.

Akira Kurosawa's son Hisao was a nine-year-old boy at the time it was made.

He talks to Jen Dale about how his father made the movie and its impact.

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

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

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

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

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

(Photo: A Japanese movie poster for Seven Samurai. Credit: Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv4pg8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6842gn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfv1qn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct6rd0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv4t6d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv4xyj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6849yx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfv96x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71dd)
Are oil prices determining the course of the Iran war?

Oil prices surged to a four-year high on Monday, before dipping after President Trump said the Iran war will end “very soon”. Just days ago, Trump said that he would not stop the war until Iran’s “unconditional surrender”.

Turmoil in the region had led to the near complete shutdown of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran has reportedly said it will not allow “one litre of oil” to be exported from the Gulf if US-Israeli attacks continue.

We speak to BBC economics correspondent Andy Verity about the lessons both the US and Iran might be learning from the oil crises of the 1970s, and ask whether oil could determine how and when the war ends.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: James Shield
Studio manager: Mike Regaard
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: 3D-printed oil pump jacks, Iranian flag, and a rising stock graph appear in this illustration. Credit: Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv51pn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5s)
Just row with it: 139 days at sea, three brothers, one ocean

Brothers Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan Maclean spent much of their childhood on the west coast of Scotland. This is where, as little boys bobbing around on a boat, a seed of an adventure took hold. Once it flowered, it led to the Scottish trio attempting a 9,000 mile crossing of the Pacific Ocean, all the way from Peru to Australia. This had never been attempted by a team before. There were questions about whether it was even possible to pack enough food to sustain three people for the five months that it would take. Lachlan the philosopher would help them through the long nights pondering life's big questions, Jamie the craftsman brought boundless optimism and Ewan became known as the go-go gadget man who could fix anything.

With the planning completed and with 1,000 freeze dried meals on board the three brothers set off. The crossing was to raise money for a water charity in Madagascar but also somehow, in the middle of the world’s largest ocean, they made some new, unlikely friends – the moon became a companion, celebrities sent them words of encouragement and Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers joined them one evening for a virtual dinner. The boys braved 18 hours a day of rowing, battled storms and a rescue operation as Jamie was swept over board.

Jan Vokes was working in a bar in the Welsh village of Cefn Fforest. She had bred show whippets and racing pigeons, but her heart was set on a much bigger challenge – a horse. Racing horses was seen as a millionare's game, but Jan didn't have that kind of money. She roped in the whole community and asked everyone to give her a few pounds a week, to make her horse, Dream, a reality. And just like Jan, Dream defied the odds.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Elena Angelides

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

(Photo: Two images of the Maclean brothers in polaroid frames laid over a background image of the Pacific Ocean. The photo on the left is of the brothers as little boys on the west coast of Scotland. Two of them stand in shallow water in front of a white rowboat, while the third brother playfully clambers on top of the boat. Behind them, their father is onboard, holding an oar into the water to keep the boat still. The photo on the right is a contemporary image of the brothers sitting aboard their boat, the Rose Emily, in the midst of the Pacific Ocean. The eldest brother Jamie sits in the middle, holding the oars, with the youngest Lachlan to the left of him and the middle brother Ewan to the right. The trio smile broadly. Credit: Maclean family handouts)


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74p4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv55fs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd684kg5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfvjq5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv595x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxc9frj)
Pete Hegseth: Today will be the 'most intense' of US strikes on Iran

The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has insisted America's war aims are clear, at a Pentagon press conference. We'll hear from those inside Iran caught up in the bombardment, and from our correspondent, Tom Bateman, who attended that news conference.

Also on the programme: Authorities in the US state of New Mexico have launched a search of a ranch previously owned by the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; and the German carmaker Volkswagen has said it will cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 as its profits fell by over 40 percent in 2025.

(Photo: US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at CENTCOM headquarters in Florida on the 5th of March 2026. Credit:

Cristóbal Herrera/EPA/Shutterstock)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv5dy1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xz1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfvs6f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s83)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


TUE 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct888y)
Energy price shock as US/Israel war on Iran continues

The world's biggest producer of crude oil, the Saudi firm Aramco, has warned of "catastrophic consequences" if the Straits of Hormuz is blocked for an extended period of time. But as war rages in the middle east, and attacks on shipping severely reduce the transportation of oil and gas, Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline has emerged as a critical piece of infrastructure in the global energy system.
The CEO of Maersk speaks about the shipping industry's response to US/Israel war on Iran.
And Leanna Byrne hears from India where a shortage of LPG is causing headaches for the food preparation industry.


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv5jp5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 Outside Source (w1730689p077dt4)
Iran war: Hegseth vows 'most intense day' of US strikes

The US defense secretary Pete Hegseth says Tuesday will see the most intense strikes on Iran since the war began. We are joined by our reporters for the latest from Iran, Israel and Lebanon. We hear from people in Iran and speak in conversation with American veterans who served in previous wars in the Middle East. Our North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher joins with perspective on how difficult politically the war is for President Trump ahead of the US midterms elections.

The world's biggest oil producer has warned of catastrophic consequences if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked to shipping for an extended period. We speak to our North America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury.

Presenter: James Reynolds
(Photo: U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine hold a briefing amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., US, 2 March 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv5nf9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 Outside Source (w1730689p077jk8)
Israeli and US attacks in Iran rock cities and cut power

The US defense secretary says Tuesday's attacks on Iran will be the most intense since the Middle East conflict began last month. Israel continues to launch strikes at the Iranian and Lebanese capitals. We hear from people inside Beirut and Tehran and are joined by our Middle East correspondent John Sudworth and BBC Verify's Shayan Sardarizadeh.

At least five members of the Iranian women's football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia after regime supporters accused the team of treason for refusing to sing the national anthem at the Asian Cup. We speak to our reporter in Australia, Katy Watson.

As the war impacts countries around the world, restaurants and hotels across India have warned of disruption and possible shutdowns as the conflict is restricting the supply of cooking gas. We are joined by our Global Affairs reporter Anbarasan Ethirajan who's in India.

Thousands of authors have published an ‘empty’ book in protest over AI using their work without permission. We speak to some of the writers who signed the protest book.

Presenter: James Reynolds
[Photo: Activists rally at CENTCOM in support of war against Iran as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and United States Central Command's Brad Cooper give an update on the conflict, Tampa, USA, 5 Mar 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock]


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv5s5f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74p4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv5wxk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6858xy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfw85y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zby)
2026/03/10 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 (w172zwx57zv60np)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct6rd0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfwcy2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zq7)
I pretend to be OnlyFans models online

Behind some OnlyFans models making money from chatting to paying subscribers is the unseen human labour people who pretend to be the models and chat on their behalf. We speak to a woman in the Philippines about her jobs as a “chatter’.

Also on the programme, scientists using AI to help advance their research. And the White House has been cutting real footage from the war with Iran with clips from video games. We analyse their strategy.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv64dt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxcb8zf)
Trump warns Iran against mining Strait of Hormuz

The White House press secretary warns that US combat operations in Iran are intensifying while Iran's defence capabilities are in decline.

Also in today's programme: Tehran residents describe intense bombing in the city. With oil prices soaring across the globe we hear from Mark Menezes, CEO of the US Energy Association, who previously served as Deputy Energy Secretary in President Trump's first administration. And we also discuss Iran's world heritage sites under threat from US-Israeli attack.Plus, to mark the 150 years since the first ever telephone call we hear from Marty Cooper, the inventor of mobile phone.

(Picture: A dredger sits anchored as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz. Credit: Reuters/Benoit Tessier)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv684y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd685n5b)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfwmfb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76cj)
What is needed to steady volatile oil markets?

The International Energy Agency is meeting in Paris to discuss the release of strategic oil reserves in a bid to bolster supplies and calm energy markets as the US-Israel war with Iran ends the 11th day. Sam Fenwick hears from the former head of oil industry and markets at IEA, Neil Atkinson.

(Picture: A person pumps gas at a Shell gas station in Alexandria, Virginia, USA, 05 October 2022. Credit: MICHAEL REYNOLDS/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv6cx2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct6xz1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfwr5g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct6vvv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH 2026

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv6hn6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct6zvq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv6mdb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6860dq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfwznq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71dd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Tuesday]


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv6r4g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68644v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfx3dv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct703b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv6vwl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6x5s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74p4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv6zmq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd686cn3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfxbx3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8yw6)
The Darkest Web

4. Undercover

After they rescue Lucy, Greg and Pete discover the dark web community is even bigger than they thought. There are hundreds of websites each sharing different images of different kinds of child sexual abuse. Overwhelmed by what they have found online and the sheer scale of the problem, Greg makes a decision to go undercover. He will go online on the dark web and talk to the paedophiles directly. They have to do everything they can to try to stop the abusers.

This podcast includes some upsetting scenes and discussions of child sexual abuse.

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

Reporter and Presenter: Sam Piranty
Writer and Producer: Annabel Deas
Script advice: Matt Willis
Sound design: Neil Churchill
Composer: Rob Lewis
Executive Producer: Rebecca Henschke
Commissioning Senior Producer: Sarah Green
Commissioning Editor: Jon Manel


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv73cv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg85hdf)
US launches new strikes on Iran and Lebanon

The US military says it's destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for oil exports. The US Central Command posted a video on X that showed several boats being targeted by projectiles and exploding. President Trump has warned Iran against putting mines in the waterway, saying the military consequences for Iran would be at a level never seen before.

Today sees the inauguration of Jose Antonio Kast as the new president of Chile, with the new leader set to become the most right-wing president since the dictator Augusto Pinochet. The election of Kast, whose father joined the Nazi Party in 1940s Germany, has given rise to fears among a host of minority groups. His views on women’s rights have caused particular concern.

The Australian government says one of the members of the visiting women's football team who had claimed asylum in Australia, has changed her mind and decided to return home. In all seven Iranian players and staff applied for humanitarian visas in the country after the team were described as "traitors" by Tehran for refusing to sing the national anthem before a match last week.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy.

(Photo: U.S. Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford conducts flight operations in support of Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran. Credit: Reuters).


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv773z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg85m4k)
US says it's destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels

The US military says it's destroyed sixteen Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for oil exports, after President Trump has warned Iran against putting mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

We speak to the EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jorgensen and discuss the high prices of energy and the general volatility of energy markets at the moment.

We look at events that led to the death of Father Pierre Al-Rai in southern Lebanon. The Maronite cleric had defied an Israeli order to evacuate saying "The only weapons we carry are peace, love, and prayer." A house in his village of Al-Qlayaa was shelled by an Israeli tank and he was injured and killed.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy


(Photo: The Galaxy Globe bulk carrier and the Luojiashan tanker sit anchored as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman. Credit: Benoît Tessier/Reuters).


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv7bw3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg85qwp)
US says it's eliminated" 16 Iranian mine-laying ships

US Central Command says US forces have "eliminated" 16 mine-laying ships, after President Trump warned Iran not to "put out any mines" in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile Iran says it has hit back against Israel and US targets in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq.

We speak to the EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jorgensen and discuss the high prices of energy and the general volatility of energy markets at the moment.

We look at events that led to the death of Father Pierre Al-Rai in southern Lebanon. The Maronite cleric had defied an Israeli order to evacuate saying "The only weapons we carry are peace, love, and prayer." A house in his village of Al-Qlayaa was shelled by an Israeli tank and he was injured and killed.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy.

(Photo: A projectile approaches what U.S. Central Command says is an Iranian naval vessel, during strikes that included attacks on mine-laying vessels, at a location given as near the Strait of Hormuz. Credit: Centcom/Via Reuters).


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv7gm7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7v)
Karim Beguir, co-founder of InstaDeep: People are too gloomy about AI

“People are too gloomy about AI, particularly in the developing world it is seen as a threat, that people are going to be using AI systems, rather than offshoring jobs and the like. That's true, but you could use AI yourself and develop solutions to the challenges you have in your community, in your country, and create unprecedented wealth.”

BBC presenter Ed Butler speaks to Karim Beguir, co-founder and boss of InstaDeep, Africa’s biggest AI firm.

InstaDeep’s technology played a key role during the pandemic, tracking new disease variants to support the development of targeted vaccines. And while he acknowledges artificial intelligence does need control and direction, he believes it has the potential to bring enormous benefit to the developing world.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and political economist Professor Helen Thompson. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Ed Butler
Producer: Hannah Mullane, Niamh McDermott, Lucy Sheppard
Editors: Justine Lang and Damon Rose

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

(Image: Karim Beguir Credit: JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP via Getty Images)


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfxtwm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sdm)
Kidnapping for ransom

We look at the rising threat of kidnap for ransom. In West Africa, it's a growing criminal industry.

But how should any of us respond if or when the worst happens to us and a loved one is taken?

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

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

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

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

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

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

(Picture: Security officers stand guard next to a bus carrying freed worshippers at the Government House in Kaduna on the 5th of February 2026. More than 160 Christian worshippers were initially feared kidnapped during coordinated attacks on three churches in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru area, on the 18th of January. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74rd)
I starred in Pan’s Labyrinth

In 2006, Ivana Baquero starred in Guillermo del Toro’s Spanish-language film Pan’s Labyrinth.

The film tells the story of an 11-year-old girl who meets mythical creatures on a quest to achieve immortality and return to the underworld as a princess.

However, it isn’t your typical fairy tale. Set in 1944, against the backdrop of Franco’s fascist Spain, the film is hard-hitting and at times violent.

Ivana Baquero speaks to Tim O’Callaghan about starring in the film when she was an 11-year-old.

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

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

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

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

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

(Photo: Ivana Baquero at the premiere of Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006. Credit: Reuters/Fred Prouser)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv7lcc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd686zcr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfxymr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct703b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv7q3h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv7tvm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6876w0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfy640)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71gn)
Iran: Is diplomacy dead?

As the US-Israeli strikes on Iran continue and the death toll continues to rise, so too does the war of words.

President Trump has described Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's choice for new supreme leader, as "unacceptable". He has also said he believes the war will be over “pretty quickly”, but it’s not clear how - or when.

Nate Swanson, a former State Department official who spent nearly two decades in the US government working on American policy towards Iran, answers our questions on how the next stage of the conflict is likely to unfold - and whether a negotiated peace with Iran is still an option.

Producers: Chris Benderev, Cat Farnsworth and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Studio managers: James Piper and Mike Regaard.

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: People walk past a banner depicting the Iran's supreme leaders since 1979. The late supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini; the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; and his son, the new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters.


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv7ylr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdp)
Vampires in Lollywood: The 40-year hunt for the desi Dracula

Zinda Laash, or The Living Corpse was Pakistan’s first ever X-rated film, shocking audiences when it was released in 1967. But then it just disappeared. Horror movie buff Omar Ali Khan would spend years searching for a copy. Could he bring the desi Dracula back from the dead? (First broadcast in January 2024)

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Maryam Maruf

The Zinda Laash clips are courtesy of Mondo Macabro / Bubonic Films

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

(Photo: Still from Zinda Laash with actors Nasreen and Rehan. Credit: www.desimovies.biz)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74rd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv82bw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd687gc8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfyfm8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8yw6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv8630)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxcdbnm)
Israel attacks suspected Hezbollah targets in Beirut

Israel has launched more attacks against suspected Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including an apartment building in the capital Beirut. The Hezbollah militia is an ally of Iran.

It comes as the Lebanese health ministry has announced that 570 people have been killed in Lebanon since strikes began on 2nd March as part of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Israel's evacuation orders have driven more than three quarters of a million people from their homes. We'll hear from the Lebanese capital and we'll hear from Dubai and Riyadh about the disruption to energy shipments from the region.

Also in the programme: Russia's campaign of sabotage against Ukraine's European allies; how Britain's old church organs are being dumped, and how some dogs really can sing along to music.

(Photo shows smoke rising after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on 11 March 2026. Credit: Raghed Waked/Reuters)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv89v4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfyp3j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6sdm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


WED 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88c0)
'Largest ever' oil reserve release agreed by 32 countries

The International Energy Agency is proposing the release of emergency oil reserves to calm energy markets. Also, World Business Express finds out why diesel prices are rising faster than petrol/gasoline. And Leanna Byrne looks at February's US inflation data.


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv8fl8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 Outside Source (w1730689p07b9q7)
Three ships hit in the Gulf

Three commercial ships have been hit by projectiles in the Gulf. A Thai-flagged cargo vessel caught fire when it was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz; two other ships were struck off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. We explain why the Strait is so strategically important and hear from former ship captains about what it’s like to transit through it.

The 32 members of the International Energy Agency agree to their largest ever release of oil reserves, in an effort to calm markets. We have the latest from our correspondents in the region.

And we speak to goalkeepers about the pressures of the job, after Tottenham substituted their keeper who had conceded three goals during a Champions League match.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Projectile approaches what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says is an Iranian naval vessel, during strikes that included attacks on mine-laying vessels, at a location given as near the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in this screen grab from video released March 10, 2026. Credit: CENTCOM/REUTERS)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv8kbd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 Outside Source (w1730689p07bfgc)
'Largest ever' oil reserve release agreed

The 32 members of the International Energy Agency agree to their largest ever release of oil reserves, in an effort to calm markets. Our business correspondent explains.

The UN Security Council is meeting to address the escalating situation in the Middle East. We speak to our correspondent there.

Three commercial ships have been damaged by "unknown projectiles" in the Strait of Hormuz. We explain why the Strait is so strategically important and hear from former ship captains about what it’s like to transit through it.

The European Union says there has been a surge in violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since the US and Israel started the war with Iran almost two weeks ago. Our correspondent in Jerusalem has the details.

English language music is losing its stranglehold on the charts. That's according to new data from music streaming giant Spotify. We speak to our music correspondent.

Presenter: James Reynolds.


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv8p2j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74rd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv8stn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6885v1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfz531)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6zf6)
2026/03/11 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 (w172zwx57zv8xks)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct703b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfz8v5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct6vkt)
Using lasers to fight brain cancer

New research from Yale shows that aging doesn’t have to result in mental and physical decline. In fact, they found that nearly half of older adults actually improved in cognitive or physical ability over a 12-year period. Dr Graham Easton, a family doctor, discusses what this can teach us about what we can and can’t control when it comes to aging.

Brain tumours can be notoriously difficult to treat because many therapeutic drugs are not allowed through the blood-brain barrier – an extremely selective system that controls access in and out of the brain. Now, researchers at the University of Southern California have shown that laser-induced tumour heating can open blood-brain barrier, improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy in brain cancer.

Erica Benke reports from Finland, where the Winter Swimming World Cup is underway, looking at why winter swimming is growing in popularity and what researchers say about its real health effects and risks.

A once‑rare form of organ donation is now transforming transplant care in the U.S and other countries, offering hope to thousands on waiting lists. These new techniques are allowing doctors to keep organs in good condition for longer, even after the donor’s heart has stopped beating. Plus, researchers in Hungary are training AI to better identify mosquitos by their sound, with hopes to accurately monitor populations of the deadliest animal on Earth.

Presenter: Laura Foster
Producer: Anna Charalambou
Assistant Producer: Georgia Christie


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv919x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxcf5wj)
Cargo ships struck in the Strait of Hormuz

Three vessels have been hit by 'unknown projectiles' in the Strait of Hormuz, maritime authorities say. We are joined by Dr Harry Broadman, a former US Assistant Trade Representative to discuss how disruption in the shipping channel might affect global supply chains.

Also on today's programme: Chile sees its biggest shift to the hard right in decades with the inauguration of Jose Antonio Kast as president. British organ preservation charity Pipe Up says five pipe organs are sent to a landfill each week. Plus, as Iran says it will not play in the World Cup, we hear from Afshin Ghotbi, who coached both the US and Iranian national football teams.

(Photo: An LPG gas tanker at anchor as traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, in Shinas, Oman. 11 March 2026. Credit: Benoît Tessier/Reuters)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv9521)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd688k2f)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfzjbf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76k6)
Could a $20 billion dollar insurance scheme get more Hormuz ships moving?

A $20 billion push is now on to get tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Middle East tourism suffers as flights are cancelled, and skies remain closed. And how tens of thousands of people are kidnapped for ransom each year.

(Picture: An LPG gas tanker at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Shinas, Oman, March 11, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv98t5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 The Interview (w3ct7x7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfzn2k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 World of Secrets (w3ct8yw6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 12 MARCH 2026

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv9dk9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 World Book Club (w3ct74s9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv9j9f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd688x9t)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqfzwkt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71gn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Wednesday]


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv9n1k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68911y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg009y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct8yxr)
Namibia’s hydrogen superpower dream

A near-pristine desert wilderness on Southern Africa’s remote Atlantic coast in Namibia could host a huge green hydrogen development, raising hope for wealth and desperately needed jobs. Supporters say it could help tackle youth unemployment, which is among the highest in the world.

But there are big questions about what the plan will mean for people and wildlife living nearby. The development would take place next to a national park that is home to rare plants and animals. Conservationists warn it could damage fragile desert habitats and put pressure on the coastal ecosystem.

Johannes Dell travels to the port town of Lüderitz and the surrounding desert to hear from the people who would live with the changes. He meets young Namibians, hoping they will have a part to play in Namibia’s green energy future. Johannes speaks to scientists studying the plants and animals that may be at risk, and officials who believe the project could transform the country’s future.

Producer/presenter: Johannes Dell
Executive producer: Anna Stewart
A CTVC production for BBC World Service

Image: A sign outside the Namibian town of Grasplatz (Credit: Johannes Dell)


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv9rsp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6xdp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74rd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zv9wjt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd6898k6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg07t6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zy)
Giving it all up for food

Ruth Alexander meets three people who gave up well-paid, high-flying careers to start all over again in the world of food.

Nisha Katona left a career as a child protection barrister behind to start Mowgli, a chain of Indian restaurants in the UK, physically building her first restaurants herself.

Judy Joo worked in finance on Wall Street but decided to give it up to go to culinary school. After starting at the bottom in various restaurant kitchens she founded the Korean restaurant chain Seoul Bird, which has outlets in the UK and the US.

Duc Ngo was an engineer who felt he lacked purpose and joy. So he left his job to start a sandwich shop in Helsinki. But it wasn’t easy. He took to Tiktok to document its rise, fall and rebirth as a bistro, The Alley.

So did they all make the right decision and would they change anything? Ruth finds out...

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

Produced by Lexy O'Connor.

Sound Engineer: Annie Gardiner

Image: A smiling woman is behind a cafe door. She is turning the “closed” sign to “open”. Credit MoMo Productions/Getty images.


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvb08y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg88d9j)
Oil prices edge over $100 a barrel

The price of crude oil has risen above one hundred dollars a barrel due to supply concerns linked to the US-Israeli war with ​Iran. Shares prices in several Asian markets have fallen. The oil price rises come despite an announcement by the International Energy Agency that its members will make available four- hundred million barrels of oil and refined products from their reserves. We get a reaction from the US Energy Department.

Meanwhile ship attacks in the Gulf intensify and Israel has launched fresh strikes on Lebanon.

And the world famous chef, Rene Redzepi, has stepped down from Noma the restaurant he co-founded in 2003 amid allegations of past abuse.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy.

(Photo: Tankers sail in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Credit: Reuters).


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvb412)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg88j1n)
Ship attacks in Gulf intensify

Iranian attacks on ships intensify after major countries agree to tap unprecedented emergency reserves to cusion the blow of war. We look at how these attacks are affecting traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and what this is doing to oil prices.

The United Nations Security Council has backed a motion put forward by Gulf nations condemning Iranian missile attacks in the region. We get a reaction to the motion from Tehran.

We look at how the war has spread to Lebanon and the continuing Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

And our America Editor reports on what sort of impact the conflict is having politically as President Trump has been speaking to supporters in Kentucky and Ohio. Many remain skeptical about foreign wars and fearful of its effect on their cost of living.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy.

(Photo: A handout photo made available by the Royal Thai Navy shows the Thaiflagged cargo ship Mayuree Naree on fire after being hit by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz. Credit: via EPA).


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvb7s6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg88mss)
Oil prices edge up as conflict in Iran continues

As the US-Israeli war against Iran continues we look at the economic impact as the ongoing effects of the war puts pressure on the price of crude oil across the international markets.

We hear what sort of impact the conflict is having politically too. President Trump has been speaking to supporters in Kentucky and Ohio, many of who remain sceptical about foreign wars and fearful of its effect on the cost of living.

And we joint our correspondent in China where the Communist Party is set to rubber key political and economic objectives for the year ahead.

Presenters: Rob Young and Anne Soy.

(Photo: A handout photo made available by the Royal Thai Navy shows the Thaiflagged cargo ship Mayuree Naree on fire after being hit by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran. Credit/via EPA).


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvbcjb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7241)
Why is Poland’s economy booming?

In February, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted a social media video celebrating new figures from the International Monetary Fund suggesting that the average person in Poland now has slightly more spending power than the average person in Spain, the European Union’s fourth largest economy.

It’s a symbolic milestone for a country that emerged from communism just over three decades ago and once struggled with hyperinflation and economic upheaval. In 2025, Poland’s economy also passed the trillion-dollar mark, putting it in an elite group of just 20 countries globally.

Investment from across the EU has helped drive growth. But can Poland keep its edge as labour shortages grow and the war in neighbouring Ukraine continues to shape the region?

This week on The Inquiry, Tanya Beckett asks: Why is Poland’s economy booming?

Contributors:
Dr Pawel Bukowski, lecturer in economics at University College London and Polish Academy of Sciences, UK
Iga Magda, associate professor at the Warsaw School of Economics, Poland
Katarzyna Rzentarzewska, chief CEE macro economist at Erste Group Bank AG, Austria
Rafal Benecki, chief economist at ING, Poland

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

(Photo: A high street in Warsaw. Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images)


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg0qsq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s3l)
How is the world feeling the impact of rising oil prices?

Ever since the US and Israel began their war against Iran, economies around the world have been coping with the impacts of energy prices and food security.

South Korea has introduced an energy price cap, universities have closed in Bangladesh and India has been granted access to sanctioned Russian oil to ease pressures.

We hear where is being impacted the most and how quickly, and if this will see the world move away from its reliance on imports.

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

Presenter: Rahul Tandon
Producers: Matt Lines and Sarah Rogers
Additional reporting: Sarah Rogers

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

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

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

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

(Picture: Motorists wait in line to purchase fuel at a petrol station in the Mohammadpur area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, amid concerns over global oil supply disruptions linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct74kq)
How Rang De Basanti inspired a generation

Released on India’s Republic Day in January 2006, the Hindi film Rang De Basanti, exploded onto the cultural landscape.

In its first week, it shattered box office records and inspired thousands of young Indians to pour into the streets, marching for justice.

The movie's message became a rallying cry, sparking conversations about patriotism, political apathy, and the belief that ordinary people can drive extraordinary change.

Reena Stanton-Sharma speaks to screenwriter Kamlesh Pandey, about his passion project which took years to bring to the big screen.

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

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

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

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

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

(Photo: Amir Khan who starred in Rang De Basanti wearing a T-shirt with the film's slogan in 2005. Credit: Sebastian D'souza/AFP via Getty Images)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvbh8g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd689w8v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg0vjv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct8yxr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvbm0l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct7yth)
The Media Show: Who’s shaping American media?

Ros Atkins is in Washington DC speaking to some of the most influential voices in American journalism. Together, they reveal how very different media organisations are covering President Trump’s war with Iran and how they see the US media landscape at this moment.

Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, discusses the magazine’s growth strategy and reflects on ‘Signalgate’ one year on.

Mehdi Hasan, editor-in-chief and CEO of Zeteo, explains how setting up his own media company has given him new editorial freedom.

The Trump administration’s approach to communication is reshaping reporting rhythms in Washington. The BBC’s North America editor Sarah Smith reflects on President Trump’s media strategy.

And the YouTuber Johnny Harris, who specialises in news explainers, takes Ros behind the scenes of his creator-led media company Newpress.


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg0z8z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct8yxc)
The women of IS: Part three

What next for the Syrian detention camps and their residents? After the fall of the so-called “caliphate”, tens of thousands of women and children from around the world - followers of the Islamic State group as well as its victims - ended up in a handful of camps in north-eastern Syria. Once run by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, those camps are now in the process of being closed down by the Syrian authorities. This series explores the trauma that led to the prolonged existence of the camps and what the future might hold for their residents.

In part three, we discuss justice and rehabilitation, as well as where the latest dramatic events leave the story.

Contributors: Mina al-Lami, Barry Marston, Clare Denning, Samia Hosny, Mohammed al-Jumaily, Bryn Windsor
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvbqrq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68b3s3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg1313)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct71b4)
Why is Donald Trump obsessed with the Chagos Islands?

At a recent White House event, President Trump assessed how America’s allies have responded to the US-Israel war in Iran. He praised some, but was angry with others, notably Britain and its prime minister Keir Starmer. His anger with the UK seemed to centre around a British-owned island in the Indian Ocean, which he referred to as “that stupid island”.



The island is one of about 60, known as the Chagos Islands. Tropical, remote, and very mysterious. So mysterious that one person who knows what goes on there said that if you did too, it would give you vertigo.



The BBC’s diplomatic correspondent James Landale joins us to discuss what happens on the Chagos Islands that makes them so important to President Trump. What have they got to do with Iran, and why are they at the centre of an ever-growing diplomatic row?



Producer: Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: File photo of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago and site of a major United States military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Credit: Reuters


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvbvhv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyw)
A riot in a shopping cart: the race that inspired an artist

Murray Siple grew up in an outdoorsy town in Canada surrounded by rugged hills and timberlands. Sport, danger, and risk-taking were part of his life from the beginning, be it extreme sports like snowboarding or skipping school to explore logging towns on dirt bikes. While Murray was in art school he started filming extreme sports like snowboarding which ended up taking him all over the world. Filming put him in many extreme, risky situations; he was in an avalanche, a helicopter crash, and had to be resuscitated after drowning. One night he got into a car with a drunk driver and was in a serious car crash. Murray was paralysed and had to rethink his life going forward. He poured his feelings into new art pieces and found fresh perspectives on the world. One night he heard someone going through his recycling bin; it turned out to be a homeless man looking for bottles to exchange for money. Murray discovered that he was part of a group of men who race shopping carts down the steep hills of North Vancouver at high speed. Suddenly Murray had a whole new group of risk-taking outsiders to film and his injury saw him welcomed into the community with open arms.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Rachel Oakes, Julian Siddle

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

(Photo description: A black and white photo of two men racing shopping carts on a hilly road in Vancouver edged by telegraph poles and forests. A tree-covered mountain looms in the background. The bearded man in the foreground has a trolley full of bottles and is crouched over the trolley at full speed, smiling. The other man is out of focus some way behind. This is a still from the film Carts of Darkness directed by Murray Siple. Credit: Scott Pommier)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct74kq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvbz7z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68bc8c)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg1bjc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvc303)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxch7kq)
Iran’s Supreme Leader issues threat after cargo ship attacks

Iran's new supreme leader vows to keep blocking Strait of Hormuz in his first statement released by the regime after more attacks on cargo ships in the Gulf in the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, causing another spike in oil prices.

Can American naval power keep those shipping lanes open? We'll assess the options and hear what people in America's heartland think about the war.

Also in the programme: Will a new "ethnic unity" law in China lead to more disunity?; and a piece of rock music history goes up for a sale - a rather battered guitar that belonged to Nirvana's Kurt Cobain.

(Photo shows the Thai-flagged cargo ship Mayuree Naree on fire after being hit by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, on 11 March 2026. Credit: Royal Thai Navy)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvc6r7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7241)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg1l0m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6s3l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


THU 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88rd)
Shipping workers all at sea

Oil prices remain volatile as the Strait of Hormuz remains shut to nearly all cargo ships and attacks on tankers and ports around the Persian Gulf intensify. Leanna Byrne speaks to seafarers union Nautilus International to find out what is being done to keep seafarers safe?

We hear from a Pakistani father whose son was working at Kish Port in Iran as bombs began to fall.

World Business Express also heads to Indonesia to hear how Jakarta has responded to the surge in energy prices.


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvcbhc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 Outside Source (w1730689p07f6mb)
Iran's new supreme leader delivers first message

Iranian state television has broadcast a message from the newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The message was read by an announcer and gave no clue as to the state of his health. In the message, he said Iran would avenge the blood of its martyrs, and continue to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which one fifth of the world's oil passes. We speak to our colleague from BBC Persian.

As strikes are being launched across the Middle East, we hear from people in Iran as well as in Iraq about what they are experiencing.

Also, what happens when an athlete makes the decision to defect from their country? An Iranian and an Afghan athletes share their experiences.

Multiple Brazilian women have told a BBC investigation how a deceased modelling agent used competitions and promises of work to recruit young women and girls for sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Our reporter from BBC Brazil explains.

Officials in southern Ethiopia say the number of killed in severe flooding in the Gamo area has risen to 102. Our global affairs has the details.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei addressing the nation, Tehran, Iran Islamic Republic Of - 12 Mar 2026. Credit: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA/Shutterstock)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvcg7h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 Outside Source (w1730689p07fbcg)
Iran's supreme leader vows to keep blocking Strait of Hormuz

A defiant statement attributed to Iran's new Supreme Leader has given no clue to his health but has vowed to keep blocking the crucial oil route, the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, President Trump has said that stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons is more important than controlling oil prices. We speak to our correspondent in Washington.

As strikes are being launched across the Middle East, we hear from people in Iran as well as in Iraq about what they are experiencing.

Israel has told people in a large new area of southern Lebanon to leave immediately as it continues to fight the Iranian backed armed group, Hezbollah. Our correspondent reports on the situation there.

We hear a conversation with chefs about toxic kitchen culture, following the allegations made against the Noma head chef.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Royal Oman Police Coast Guard patrol boat surveys the area as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 12, 2026. Credit: Benoit Tessier/Reuters)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvckzm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct74kq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvcpqr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68c2r4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg2204)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z8p)
2026/03/12 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 (w172zwx57zvctgw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct8yxr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg25r8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8ty3)
Is the Earth warming faster than we expected?

This week new research suggests that in recent years the Earth has been warming faster than we predicted. But scientists are undecided on whether this change is going to be permanent. Laura Wilcox, Professor of Aerosol-Climate Interactions at the University of Reading explains.

Tom Whipple is joined by Kit Yates, Author and Professor of Mathematical Biology and Public Engagement at the University of Bath. They mark the ten year anniversary of a game of ‘Go’ in which a computer programme called AlphaGo beat human Go champion Lee Sodol. Computer scientist at Google DeepMind Thore Graepel was witness to the game and talks about why the event has become a crucial moment in the story of AI.

Kit also brings Tom his pick of the science news.

To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk, search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University.

Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producers: Clare Salisbury and Alex Mansfield
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvcy70)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxcj2sm)
Ambassador says Iran unbowed by Israeli and American attacks

As Iran releases the new supreme leader's first statement, we hear from the country's UN ambassador, Ali Bahreini. We also track the expanding Israeli military assault on Lebanon, and ask how the insurance industry is handling the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a major conduit for global oil supplies.

Also in the programme: British tourist among those arrested in Dubai for having missile photographs on his phone; and a tribute album for the jazz musician Miles Davis on the centenary of his birth.

(Photo: Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei; Credit: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA/Shutterstock)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvd1z4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68cfzj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg2f7j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct75z3)
Can a temporary US shipping rule ease fuel costs?

The US is considering temporarily waiving the Jones Act, a century-old law from 1920 that normally requires all goods shipped between US ports to travel on US-built, owned, and flagged vessels. The waiver would allow foreign ships to move fuel between domestic ports for 30 days to help curb rising costs.

Meanwhile, the war with Iran has already cost the US at least $11.3 billion in its first week, with global energy markets feeling the ripple effects and consumers facing higher prices.

(Picture: An aerial view of Exxon Mobil’s Beaumont oil refinery, which produces and packages Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil, in Beaumont, Texas, U.S., March 18, 2023. REUTERS/Bing Guan/File Photo)


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvd5q8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct7241)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg2jzn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct70zy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 13 MARCH 2026

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvd9gd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct7yth)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg2nqs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Unspun World with John Simpson (w3ct8yvv)
What do people in Iran think about the war?

This week Caroline Hawley, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, explores what life in Iran is like as the war intensifies, analyses what the US objectives are for the war and whether they are obtainable, and examines the possibility of a new war in Ethiopia and its implications for the region.

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


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvdf6j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68ct6x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg2sgx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:32 The Global Story (w3ct71b4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Thursday]


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvdjyn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68cxz1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg2x71)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct6zq7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvdnps)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct6wyw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct74kq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvdsfx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68d5g9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg34q9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vqb)
The naked monks

Why would someone live publicly nude for their faith? In parts of India, Jain monks belonging to the Digambara sect permanently renounce all possessions, including clothes. These monks walk naked for hundreds of miles across India as part of their spiritual journey.

Journalist Rajesh Joshi explores this unique spiritual practice, meeting fully fledged monks and disciples on the path to total nudity. While walking with them across the countryside, Rajesh learns about the danger these monks face, and he speaks to villagers to find out what they think of these naked monks whose numbers have unexpectedly grown in recent years. We also speak to female Jain followers to understand how they feel about the nudity they witness.

Presenter: Rajesh Joshi
Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Executive producer: Sandra Kanthal
A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

Image: Jain monk Pranamya Sagar Ji (Credit: Arham Dhyan Yog)


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvdx61)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg8c96m)
Israel new strikes against Iranian capital

The US says it has hit around six thousand targets in Iran since the conflict began. It says these include dozens of ships, weapons factories and air defence systems. Meanwhile, Israel says it's carrying out a new, wide wave of airstrikes on the Iranian capital, Tehran. Just hours ago, Israeli forces said they'd targeted a site linked to developing nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei broke his silence and pledged to keep blocking the vital oil waterway the Strait of Hormuz, which has been at a near standstill since February 28th. We take a look at just how much disruption has been caused by this conflict.

And we go to the US state of Michigan, where a suspected attacker has been killed at a synagogue in the wider Detroit-area.

Presenters: Rob Young and Catherine Byaruhanga.

(Photo: A family gathers the remaining furniture from an apartment damaged by an airstrike, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran. Credit:
Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters).


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvf0y5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg8cdyr)
US and Israel continue aerial strikes against Iran

The US says it has hit around six thousand targets in Iran since the conflict began almost 2 weeks ago. On Thursday, the US military confirmed a refuelling aircraft went down over western Iraq, while saying neither hostile or friendly fire were to blame, however they didn't mention casualties but said recovery efforts were underway.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has renewed calls for the protection of humanitarian workers in conflict zones. This follows the killing of Lebanese Red Cross volunteer paramedic Youssef Assaf, who died from injuries sustained while responding to an emergency. We speak to the organisation to find out what dangers their staff face.

And the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine says Russian authorities "at the highest level" have deported "thousands" of children from occupied areas of Ukraine and that President Putin is directly involved.

Presenters: Rob Young and Catherine Byaruhanga.

(Photo: Aftermath of a strike in Tehran, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/Reuters).


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvf4p9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zsq4rg8cjpw)
Live news, business and sport from around the world.


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvf8ff)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 The Interview (w3ct8c4k)
Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk: The two sides of war

“We need to get back to something where freedom of navigation and peaceful navigation is restored, and that will depend on some kind of deal between the two sides in that war.”

Jonathan Josephs speaks to Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk the world’s second largest shipping company.

The conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States has led to the closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz. It’s one of the world’s most important shipping routes which before this war, carried about a fifth of global oil supplies. Cargo ships there are being targeted, and seafarers have been killed.

The disruption is halting the transport of vital cargo containers and pushing up energy prices. Countries in the Gulf region like Saudi Arabia, rely heavily on energy exports, and, Asia, where much of it is sold, will be hit hard. Food and fertiliser supplies are also being affected.

It's not just the Strait of Hormuz that's being disrupted. Security threats mean shipping is also avoiding the Red Sea route through the Suez Canal, which because of the sheer volume of cargo traffic, is arguably more important to global trade.

Vincent Clerc says the cost of war will have to be passed on, leading to higher prices for consumers around the world.

Thank you to Jonathan Josephs for his help in making this programme.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Jamie Dimon Chief Executiveof JP Morgan Chase and many others. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Jonathan Josephs
Producer: Clare Williamson
Editor: Damon Rose

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

(Image: Vincent Clerc Credit: BBC)


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg3mpt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rtk)
Starting a jet company against the odds

We meet the founder of one of India’s largest private aviation companies who overcame several life challenges before starting the business.

After doctors initially told her she had months to live, Indian entrepreneur Kanika Tekriwal went on to build JetSetGo, one of the country’s largest private aviation marketplaces. She talks about overcoming illness, sexism and family opposition to launch her company.

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

Presenter: Rahul Tandon
Producers: Amber Mehmood, Ahmed Adan and Niamh McDermott

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

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

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

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

(Picture: Kanika Tekriwal, founder of JetSetGo. Credit: Kanika Tekriwal)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct7459)
Casablanca: Making one of Hollywood’s greatest movies

When Warner Bros assigned twin brothers and screenwriters Julius Epstein and Philip Epstein to adapt a stage play for the big screen in 1942, no one could have predicted the impact it would have.

Casablanca has since become one of the most recognisable and quotable films of all time, firmly embedded in Hollywood history. But what appears effortless on screen was anything but behind the scenes.

The late Leslie Epstein, son and nephew of Julius and Philip respectively, tells Louis Harnett O’Meara about the twins’ hijinks and the challenges involved in the making of an all-time classic. An Ember production.

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo: Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. Credit: United Achieves via Getty Image)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvfd5k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68ds5y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg3rfy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8ty3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvfhxp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct72xj)
Out for blood

With this year’s Oscars on the horizon, and vampire film Sinners nominated for a record-breaking 16 awards, the Unexpected Elements team sinks their teeth into some blood-sucking science.

First, we discover that Vlad the Impaler, the Romanian prince who inspired Dracula, may have not only had blood on his hands, but also in his tears. We also hear about a woman in Guadeloupe with the world’s newest and rarest blood type.

We’re then joined by Dr Naomi Ewald from the UK’s Freshwater Habitats Trust who tells us all about nature’s little bloodsuckers – leeches – and why their use in medicine is not just a practice consigned to the history books.

Also, the gravity-defying gecko of the Gambia, how close are we to producing artificial blood, and the Patagonian dinosaur that looks like a judgemental chicken.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producers: Ella Hubber, with Sophie Ormiston, Lucy Davies and Imy Harper


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvfmnt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68f0p6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg3zy6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct715m)
How the Oscars went international

On Sunday, many of the film industry’s biggest stars will gather in Los Angeles for Hollywood’s biggest night: the 98th annual Academy Awards.

Looming over the celebrations are some major upheavals in Hollywood: big corporate mergers, the incursion of AI, and mass layoffs. And it’s against that backdrop that the Oscars are increasingly nominating films, filmmakers, and actors from elsewhere in the world.

BBC film reporter and critic Tom Brook explains how the Oscars went global, and what it can tell us about the status of American soft power.

Producers: Xandra Ellin and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: Workers make preparations for the 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles Credit: Reuters / Caroline Brehman


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvfrdy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct6wjb)
Outlook Mixtape: Friday the 13th

For a lot of people, when the 13th of a month lands on a Friday, it's a signal to be on high alert. The date carries a reputation for misfortune and dread. Some of that can be traced back to a single iconic figure: Jason Voorhees. He’s the hockey-mask-clad killer at the centre of the Friday the 13th movie franchise. Actor and stuntman Kane Hodder brought the character to life across multiple films, yet his own brush with real-world horror proved just as harrowing. During a fire stunt gone badly wrong, Kane sustained severe burns across half of his body. Remarkably, after recovering, he chose to face the flames again as he told Jo Fidgen in 2020.

British-Nigerian writer Nuzo Onoh struggled during her school years, pushed back against her father, and endured physical punishment throughout her childhood. As an adult, she fell into line, pursuing a career in law. Her father’s death unlocked something in her. Suddenly, stories rooted in Igbo traditions and the eerie memories of her early life began pouring onto the page. When she set out to find a publisher, though, she realized her work existed in a category of its own. Undeterred, she set about creating a home for horror literature through an African lens and ultimately claimed one of the field's highest honours. This story was first broadcast in 2024.

At 13 years old, Marie McCreadie lost her voice entirely. For more than ten years, she was completely unable to speak. Some accused her of faking it while others pointed to darker, supernatural explanations. The real story, however, turned out to be stranger than any of those theories. She shared her experience with Outlook's Andrea Kennedy back in 2019.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Saskia Collette

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

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


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct7459)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvfw52)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68f85g)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg47fg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vqb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvfzx6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxcl4gt)
US-Israeli strikes across Tehran

The massive bombardment of Iran is continuing with explosions heard across Tehran. Iranian state television reported a major blast near where thousands of Iranians are taking part in a Quds Day rally - an annual march in support of Palestinians and opposing Israel. One person is reported to have been killed. There is also growing criticism in Europe of Washington's decision to ease sanctions on Russian oil in a bid to counter rising oil prices caused by the US and Israel's war with Iran.

Also, how the White House is selling its war on social media.

And we look ahead to the Oscars, where international cinema in the spotlight this year.

Plus researchers warn AI toys for children misread emotions and respond inappropriately.


(Photo: Iranians collect their belongings among the rubble of their damaged residential buildings in central Tehran, Iran, 12 March 2026. Credit: EPA)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvg3nb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 The Interview (w3ct8c4k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg4gxq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 Business Daily (w3ct6rtk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:32 today]


FRI 15:50 World Business Express (w3ct88h4)
US eases Russian oil sanctions

The US has loosened sanctions on other countries buying Russian oil we'll be talking about if those measures are enough to keep a lid on energy prices. And the smart toys struggling with toddlers emotions, why researchers are raising concerns on those.

Presenter: Sarah Rogers
Producer: Victoriya Holland
Editor: Stephen Ryan


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvg7dg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 Outside Source (w1730689p07j3jf)
Hegseth says supreme leader 'likely disfigured'

The US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, says America will carry out more strikes on Iran today than on any other day. He also said Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Kamenei, was wounded and likely disfigured. We hear from residents in Iran and speak to our colleagues from BBC Persian.

Some of the most intense fighting in the war has taken place in Lebanon; we hear from aid workers about their experiences on the ground.

European leaders have criticised a decision by the United States to ease sanctions on Russian oil, in an attempt to rein in soaring energy prices caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran. We speak to our correspondent in Ukraine.

We speak to three young women from F1 Academy who aim to compete in F1.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Pete Hegseth in a press conference at US Central Command, Tampa, Usa - 05 Mar 2026. Credit: Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvgc4l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 Outside Source (w1730689p07j78k)
Europe condemns US move to ease Russia oil sanctions

European leaders have criticised a decision by the United States to ease sanctions on Russian oil, in an attempt to rein in soaring energy prices caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran. The European Union says it's deeply concerned. The German chancellor said the decision was wrong whatever the reason. Our business correspondent explains.

With the cost of oil rising, we speak to petrol station owners about what their customers make of the surge in pump prices.

President Donald Trump has hailed the war a major success but he and his administration have offered conflicting statements about what they hope to ultimately achieve. Our reporter has been speaking to Americans across the country.

And young opera fans react to comments by actor Timothée Chalamet, who dismissed ballet and opera as art forms audiences “don’t care about”.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Oil tankers sail along Nakhodka Bay near the port city of Nakhodka, Russia August 12, 2022. Credit: Tatiana Meel/Reuters)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvggwq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct6wjb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct7459)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvglmv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68fzn7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg4yx7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct6z45)
2026/03/13 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 (w172zwx57zvgqcz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC Conversations (w3ct6rp1)
Women and the future of Formula 1

Motor racing is one of the few sports where men and women can – in theory – compete on equal terms. But you wouldn’t think that from looking at almost any race.

Only one in ten drivers in motorsport are women and most compete in karting, the category of racing where professional drivers tend to begin their careers. The last woman to take part in an F1 race was Italy’s Lella Lombardi, and that was 50 years ago.

To increase the pool of female drivers and return women to the top ranks of motor racing, F1 Academy was set up. In our conversation, three F1 Academy drivers – Rachel Robertson, Alba Larsen and Esmee Kosterman – share their experiences of speed, ambition and the sexism they have often faced from boys they have raced against.

“They always tell me ‘Oh it’s not for girls’ and ‘it’s not your sport’ – they make fun of it," says Esmee. “I really love to do this sport, and I don’t care what they think.”

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producer: Isabella Bull
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC World Service Outside Source team.

(Photo: Esmee Kosterman. Credit: F1 Academy Ltd/Parc Ferme)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg52nc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct6sv5)
Can I really manifest the future?

CrowdScience listener Kassy in India wants to know if there’s any science to support the practice of ‘manifesting’ – the idea that you can make your wishes come true just by writing down your goals and sending your dreams out to the universe. Is it just a wacky belief or can it be backed up by research?

Caroline Steel looks at the evidence to see if manifesting works. She talks to researcher Lucas Dixon in Australia, who has found that people who believe in manifesting are more likely to take risky financial decisions or end up bankrupt.

She meets neuroscientist Sabina Brennan in Ireland who argues that psychology has already proven that our thoughts and beliefs shape our reality, through cognitive behavioural therapy for example. So there is evidence to show that some of the techniques in manifesting can work.

Caroline also talks to psychologist Gabriele Oettingen in the US, whose research has demonstrated that just thinking about our wishes actually decreases our energy and makes it less likely that we’ll achieve our goals. She’s come up with her own method for increasing the likelihood of success.

And Caroline tries out a manifesting technique for herself. Can it help her realise her dreams?

Presenter: Caroline Steel

Producer: Jo Glanville

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Enthusiastic brunette girl celebrating- stock photo Credit: Mix and Match Studio / 500px via Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvgv43)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zssmfxclzpq)
Europe alarmed by US plans to ease Russian oil sanctions

European leaders have reacted with alarm to a US plan to ease some oil sanctions on Russia. The intention, in Washington, is to tackle surging energy costs caused by the war in the Middle East, in particular the blockage by Iran of tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 per cent of the world's oil usually transits. With her country at war with Russia, a Ukrainian MP gives us her reaction to this development.

Also on the programme: a look at the current state of Iran’s military capabilities as war continues to rage; how spider’s silk could be used to treat nerve damage in humans; and the bid to restore the resting place of saxophone inventor Adolphe Sax.

(Photo: General view of the Arcelor Mittal plant in Fos-sur-Mer, Southern France, 12th March 2026. Credit: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA/Shutterstock)


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvgyw7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zwlmd68gbwm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg5b4m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct76pq)
Turmoil in the Strait of Hormuz sees oil price surge again

Brent crude, the international benchmark for crude oil, rose to settle at $103 a barrel, ending the day at the highest level in more than three years.

That’s as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to most shipping, choking off one of the world’s most important energy routes. It leaves the oil market facing what analysts say could be the biggest supply disruption in its history, with no clear end in sight. Meanwhile, across Africa, the surge in oil prices triggered by the US Israel war with Iran is rippling across economies. Many countries on the continent import most of their fuel and that could quickly mean higher transport costs, inflation and pressure on local currencies. Leanna Byrne has the latest.

In New York, a bill has been introduced which, if passed, would see New York’s minimum wage rise to the highest in the country. Supporters say it would help workers cope with the soaring cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. But many businesses warn the increase could force them to raise prices or cut jobs.


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zwx57zvh2mc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 The Interview (w3ct8c4k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zwxzpqg5fwr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vqb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]