SATURDAY 07 DECEMBER 2024

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn532qqt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct5q2v)
Going home

This week we’re looking at a political agreement that will hand back sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. In the 1970s, the UK removed the entire Chagossian population to make way for a US military base. The islanders have been fighting for their right to return ever since. If deal can be agreed, the islanders are hoping they will have the chance to go home.

And this got us thinking about all things home-related.

First up, we discover the intriguing reasons why you can’t smell your own home, then we take a closer look at our homes and all the creatures that live there, before finding out about the ‘home scars’ created by limpets.

Next we hear from Dr Nadescha Zwerschke, a scientist who spent time on Rothera research station in Antarctica. She reveals how she made this isolated outpost feel like home.

Also, we reveal that global talks to agree a reduction in plastics have collapsed, which could have an impact on all our homes from a pollution perspective.

And finally – a type of pasta that would be no good for your homecooked recipes.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Tristan Ahtone and Godfred Boafo
Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Harrison Lewis and William Hornbrook
Sound engineer: Gavin Wong


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn532vgy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbftvrff3mt)
South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol apologises amid martial law controversy

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has issued an apology following his attempt to declare martial law earlier this week, which sparked widespread political unrest. Calls for his resignation are growing, even within his own party, as an impeachment vote looms.

Syria is on the brink as rebel forces capture more of the country - we'll have the latest.

Plus, Suriname's finance minister discusses how the country plans to avoid the "oil curse" and ensure citizens benefit from its newfound wealth.

Joining Roger Hearing are Jyoti Malhotra, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune in Delhi, and Ralph Silva of the Silva Research Network in Toronto.


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn532z72)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk71w5md)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpsbhg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct5whp)
Australia v India: Cricket’s biggest rivalry?

Australia versus India is a rivalry that has intensified over the years. As the two nations are currently involved in a five Test match series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, we ask, is it now bigger than The Ashes? Alison Mitchell, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma all discuss how this sporting duel has evolved with cricket writer and author Gideon Haigh.

Plus, Melbourne Renegades sealed their first Big Bash title after beating Brisbane Heat in the final. We'll reflect on that historic triumph for the Renegades.

Image: Pat Cummins of Australia and Jasprit Bumrah of India pose with Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar following the coin toss during day one of the First Test match in the series between Australia and India at Perth Stadium on November 22, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5332z6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct699s)
Outlook Mixtape: Old Hollywood and new worlds in treetops

Mary McCall Jr’s film career was devastated by the Red Scare and a scandalous romance. Before she was blacklisted, she was a hit screenwriter who partied with Bette Davis while working as a union organiser and transforming the US film industry.

Dr Meg Lowman is known as an arbonaut, an astronaut of the treetops. Her intense passion for nature at an early age has resulted in a long career studying trees. Being a woman in science has never been easy, something that 'Canopy Meg' wants to see changed.

Vusi Mdoyi dances 'pantsula' which was born in the townships of South Africa. For him it brings joy, but it had never been seen as an art form. Inspired to become a choreographer, he wanted to give this dance global recognition.

Presented by India Rakusen

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

(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5yfk)
India’s 1998 nuclear tests

In May 1998, India conducted five nuclear tests, drawing international condemnation. It was the first time the country had tested nuclear weapons for 24 years. Governments including the USA and Japan imposed economic sanctions on India, while Pakistan promised the tests “would not go unanswered”. Weeks later, Pakistan tested their own nuclear weapons.

In response, the Indian artist, Nalini Malani, created a video installation showing the horrors of nuclear war. It was displayed in Mumbai for 10 days generating heated debate. She recounts her memories to Ben Henderson.

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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Nalini Malani. Credit: Nora Tam/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5336qb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct5q2v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn533bgg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk71wjvs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpspqv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7hmf)
Ghost story

On Easter Monday, 1957, stewards waited near the start of a half-marathon race in Doncaster, in the north of England. They each clutched a photograph of a man who, they had been told, must not be allowed to compete under any circumstances. That man, John Tarrant, was lurking in the crowd in disguise, ready to once more defy those who tried to stop him.

One of Britain's finest long-distance athletes of the late 1950s and 1960s, Tarrant ran multiple world records, but was denied his full share of glory by stubborn authorities who banned him from racing. But he wouldn't let them stop him. He was a dogged and brilliant competitor. A numberless outlaw. They called him the Ghost Runner.

Audio scenes have been re-created.


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct5tr5)
Did one in 10 Greeks die in World War Two?

When World War Two came to Greece, a period of terrible human suffering followed. There was a brutal battle with Italian and then Nazi forces, followed by an occupation in which thousands were executed and a terrible famine swept the nation.

There’s an often repeated number that appears to capture the brutality of this time – that 10% of the Greek population died during the war.

We investigate where this statistic comes from and whether it is true.

Presenter: Charlotte McDonald
Producer: Tom Colls
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound mix: Neil Churchill
Editor: Richard Vadon


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn533g6l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zcxbh4q2q3f)
Syrian rebels make surprise advance

Rebel forces in Syria are reported to have captured the outskirts of the strategically important city of Homs. This puts further pressure on President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, whose future seems even more unclear.

Also on the programme: we speak to a South Korean MP ahead of the Presidential impeachment vote, and; on the week that France looks forward to opening the Notre Dame cathedral again, the country is thrown into a political crisis. We speak to two French MPs.

Joining Paul Henley to discuss all this and more are Zoe Gardner, an independent researcher and campaigner on migration policy joining him in the studio, and Yannis Palaiologos in Athens, journalist with the daily newspaper Kathimerini and Inside Story, an investigative news online publication.

(A rebel fighter gestures, after rebels led by HTS have sought to capitalize on their swift takeover of Aleppo in the north and Hama in west-central Syria by pressing onwards to Homs, in Hama, Syria December 6, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hasano)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn533kyq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zcxbh4q2tvk)
Romania in crises as presidential elections is cancelled

The presidential election in Romania has been postponed following suggestions of foreign influence interfering in the first round of the election. We speak to a former Romanian foreign minister who ran in the first round of the vote, and a journalist who explains why TikTok is also under fire for its role in the election.

Also on the programme: Donald Trump makes an official visit to France for the ceremonial reopening of Notre Dame today. He last visited France in 2017. But this time, his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, is in deep political trouble. And, folk music from the Balkans has been added to Unesco's cultural heritage list, highlighting its role as a unifier in the region.

Paul Henley discusses all this with guests Zoe Gardner, an independent researcher and campaigner on migration policy, and Yannis Palaiologos, journalist with the daily newspaper Kathimerini and Inside Story, an investigative news online publication.


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn533ppv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zcxbh4q2ylp)
South Korean President faces vote of confidence

The South Korean President is facing a vote of confidence by the Korean parliament following his decision to call for martial law earlier this week. He apologised in a televised speech but said he would not stand down.

Also on the programme: the first ever defence chief at the European Commission has been appointed, and; we speak to the woman who became the face of female anger and protests in Italy.

Joining Paul Henley to discuss all this and more are Zoe Gardner, an independent researcher and campaigner on migration policy joining him in the studio, and Yannis Palaiologos in Athens, journalist with the daily newspaper Kathimerini and Inside Story, an investigative news online publication

(Photo: Protesters hold placards calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, 07 December 2024. Photo by HAN MYUNG-GU/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn533tfz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5rcm)
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire

It is coming up to two weeks since a ceasefire was brokered between Israel and Lebanon. Since then there have been reports of minor violations on both sides. As the fragile truce continues, we hear from residents about their experiences, their fears and their hopes for peace. For one Israeli, after 13 months of conflict, some wartime habits are hard to break.

“I still sleep fully dressed,” says Hillel, who lives in Nahariyya just 10km from Lebanon.

“I haven’t switched to pajamas at night for over a year. Just because of the situation - if I have to get up in the middle of the night and get everybody out of the house as quickly as possible, I want to be able to do that fully equipped.”

We also hear from two women who decided to remain in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, throughout the war.

“The ceasefire feels definitely bittersweet,” says Lea. “On one hand, there’s this sense of relief, knowing that for now the bombing has finally stopped. They can finally breathe. On the other hand, it doesn’t erase the trauma that we’ve been living under for the past two months.”

Hosted by Luke Jones, with conversations by Mark Lowen and Krupa Padhy.

A Boffin Media production with producer Sue Nelson in partnership with the BBC OS team, including producers Angela, Sheeran, Laura Cress and Iqra Farooq.

(Photo: Bassel Sabagh, 30, sits as his wife Rim Hamra, 27, looks on at the rubble of a building in which their family had a shop, in the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh, after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, Lebanon, November 28, 2024. Credit: Adnan Abidi/Reuters)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpt5qc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5v1j)
How Gen Z and TikTok are changing the way we speak

Social media is driving language change around the world at a rate never seen before. Plus an icon of the Paris skyline - Notre Dame - re-opens its doors and than man who learned to speak chimp delights our followers on Facebook.


SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3ct5ttr)
Investigating how to build your own virtual self

Listeners assess the documentary Me and My Digital Twin. “A comprehensive synopsis” or “pure nonsense and fantasy”? The presenter responds.

Plus a listener complains The Conflict, a show about learning the lessons of history, fails to do just that with its own timeline for the Middle East.

Presenter: Rajan Datar
Producer: Howard Shannon
A Whistledown production for BBC World Service


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn533y63)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Sportshour (w3ct5qbp)
Nothing 'jammy' about Olympic success

2024 has been a monumental year for Australian Rhydian Cowley. He won bronze alongside team mate Jemima Montag at the Paris Olympics in the inaugural walking mixed team relay.

He was also named the BBC Green Sport Award's World Athlete of the Year using his platform to spark debates about climate change and how it's affecting not only sport but the whole planet. Fuelled by homemade jam and some bird watching, Cowley reveals his unusual combination of passions.

It's fair to say that Irish tennis player Conor Niland could be best described as a journeyman. He never reached the world's top 100 and never progressed beyond the first round of a grand slam. And in the world of professional tennis there are far more like Conor than there are Roger Federer or Serena Williams'. Connor's new book "Racket" tells the story of those players who travel the world in the hope of climbing the rankings, where the prize money barely covers their expenses.

Photo: Rhydian Cowley of Team Australia competes during the Mixed Marathon Race Walk Relay at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Credit: David Ramos/Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5341y7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk71x8bk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wptf6m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 Health Check (w3ct5t9m)
Genetic risk of diabetes in South Asian populations

A new study in Nature has looked at genetic underpinnings that could lead to earlier presentations of Type 2 diabetes in South Asian populations.

Also on the program, we look at an exciting new development in asthma treatment, and how we can detect Alzheimer's soon.

Plus, slap fighting – the sport is growing in popularity, but could it have negative health consequences for participants.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins and Jack Lee


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5345pc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 World Book Club (w3ct5r3x)
Douglas Stuart: Shuggie Bain

The Scottish-American writer Douglas Stuart talks about his Booker Prize winning Shuggie Bain. The powerful, heartbreaking story of a young boy's love for his addict mother, and a mother's chaotic love for her son.

Photo credit: Martyn Pickersgill


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5349fh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zb983dn24xg)
Syrian rebels move towards the capital Damascus

Rebel forces in southern Syria have reportedly captured most of the Deraa region - the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Also on the programme: we hear from South Korea after a tumultuous week in politics there; and the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris is set to welcome visitors once more.

(Image: Rebel fighters pass a tank in Homs countryside, after Syrian rebels pressed their lightning advance in Syria on 7 December 2024. Credit: Reuters/Mahmoud Hasano)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn534f5m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172zbn6717vq92)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld Saturday will have commentary of Premier League champions Manchester City’s trip to Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Joining Lee James on Saturday will be former Premier League defender Sebastien Bassong and former Liverpool and England striker Natasha Dowie. As well as previewing the other 3pm kick offs in the Premier League, the guests will be reacting to the Merseyside Derby which is the early kick off.

Away from the football, Lee will be speaking to former Formula One driver Mark Webber about the 2024 season and the possibility of McLaren clinching their first constructors’ championship in 26 years.

There will be updates from the Test cricket between Australia and India and South Africa and Sri Lanka, the team will be in the Caribbean for Tiger Woods’ tournament the Hero Challenge and preview the MLS Cup final between the five-time winners La Galaxy and the titleless New York Red Bulls.

Image: Josko Gvardiol of Manchester City is challenged by Marc Guehi and Joel Ward of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at Etihad Stadium on December 16, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn534x54)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk71y3kg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5350x8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct7hq0)
Is there such a thing as evil?

In her third Reith Lecture, Dr Gwen Adshead asks if there is such a thing as evil? In a career spanning nearly 40 years the forensic psychiatrist has heard many of her patients ask: “I have done evil things but does that make me evil?”

Ideas about what evil is a complex interplay between the social and the individual. Dr Adshead says that we have often confused 'evil' with mental illness. She argues that in certain circumstances we all have capacity for 'evil' and says we need to find ways to cultivate societal and individual 'goodness'. The programme is recorded at the V&A in Dundee, Scotland, in front of an audience and includes a Q and A after Dr Adshead's lecture.


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5354nd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct5qkg)
Hit Man star Glen Powell

Nikki is in conversation with one of the most original filmmakers in the world, the American director Richard Linklater, and to Hollywood star Glen Powell. They talk about working together on Hit Man and their shared love for their home state of Texas.

And with cultural critic Hannah Strong, they hear from Oscar winning Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh...who reveals how finding out she couldn't become a ballerina set her on the path to Hollywood...

There's music from the Senegalese kora maestro Seckou Keita.

And the writer Iris Yamashita will be talking about her radio drama series Purple Heart Warriors.

(Photo: Actor Glen Powell, 11 July 2024. Credit: Monica Schipper / FilmMagic / Getty Images)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5358dj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zb983dn33wh)
Syrian army withdraw from Homs

The latest reports from Syria say Islamist rebels are closing in on the centre of the city of Homs - as they continue their advance to Damascus. On this programme we will hear from the Syrian opposition as well as the UN envoy Geir Pederson.

Also on the programme: The singer Angelique Kidjo on the re-dedication of the Notre Dame cathedral in Pais.

(Picture: A member of the Syrian opposition stands at an entrance to the Hama governorate on the Damascus-Aleppo International Highway, Syria. Credit: MOHAMMED AL RIFAI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn535d4n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk71yljz)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpvrf1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 This Is Africa (w3ct5y5y)
Thandiswa Mazwai

South Africa’s Thandiswa Mazwai has a distinguished 30-year career in music, first with pioneering kwaito band Bongo Maffin, and then as an award-winning solo artist. In 2004, she released her first solo album, Zabalaza, which reached double platinum status. She won a Kora award for Best African Female and four South African Music Awards. Her sound has embraced everything from traditional Xhosa rhythms and kwaito to hip-hop, R&B, ragga, funk and jazz, and she’s collaborated with the likes of Hugh Masekela, Meshell Ndegeocello, Fatoumata Diawara and DJ Black Coffee.

In May 2024, she released her long-awaited fourth studio album, Sankofa, which was recorded in Dakar, Johannesburg and New York. In this episode, she and DJ Edu have a wide ranging conversation about her new music, about politics and about healing.


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn535hws)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 100 Women (w3ct7hy5)
Byline Afghanistan

Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, eight out of 10 women journalists have stopped working. The few female journalists still working are subject to all kinds of restrictions, including no access to official sources, no travelling without a chaperone, as well as abuses such as harassment and low pay.

Previously, approximately 17 percent of accredited journalists working in Afghanistan were women - so where have they all gone, and what are they doing now? The BBC’s Sana Safi investigates.

PHOTO: Afghan journalists Shabnam Dawran (l) and Zahra Nader (r)


SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpvw55)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:32 Assignment (w3ct5mtr)
France: Trouble on the vine

Low harvests, economic and climate batterings, changing tastes - is French wine in crisis? The French wine harvest has dropped 18% in one year. For some famous French wine-making regions the reduction has been much more. A combination of factors, including climate, finances and changing drinking habits has brought some wine-makers to the brink. Thousands of hectares of vineyards are being pulled up. Others are struggling to survive. For Assignment John Murphy travels to Bordeaux and Languedoc - the world’s biggest wine-making region - to find out what is going on with wine, France’s most symbolic of products.

Producer: Alex Last
Studio Mix: Rod Farquhar
Programme Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Series Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Sebastien Danjou in the vineyards of Domaine Danjou-Banessy in Roussillon, in southern France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Credit: John Murphy/BBC)

SUNDAY 08 DECEMBER 2024

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn535mmx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5rcm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpvzx9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7hmf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 00:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct5wff)
Puerto Rico upsets the USA in Olympic basketball

In 2004, the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico went into their opening basketball game of the Athens Olympics as massive underdogs against the USA.

The Puerto Rican side had lost five consecutive games by double digit points to the USA's star-studded squad in qualifiers and warm ups.

But the unfancied team defied the odds with the performance of a lifetime, led by their own inspirational star, Carlos Arroyo. Robert Nicholson hears his story in this Whistledown production.

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

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

(Photo: Carlos Arroyo of Puerto Rico. Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn535rd1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Inquiry (w3ct5xj9)
Is Europe’s car industry at a crossroads?

The car industry across the European Union employs over thirteen million people, both directly and indirectly, that’s around six percent of the bloc’s workforce. But in recent years, Europe’s manufacturers have been struggling to cope with issues like economic downturns, clean energy requirements and the digital revolution. Some of the oldest, biggest carmakers are considering plant closures and job cuts in order to try and stay afloat.

They are also facing fierce competition in the electric vehicle market from China, who have taken a lead in producing cars that are much more competitively priced and equipped with much more sophisticated technology. China’s own economy has been flagging, so the EU provides it with its largest overseas market in terms of the electric car industry.

But now, in a bid to protect their own car industry, the EU has introduced tariffs on electric cars made in China. These tariffs are set to rise from ten percent up to forty five percent for the next five years. Beijing has condemned them as protectionist and there are concerns that it could spark a trade war between Brussels and Beijing.

So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Is Europe’s car industry at a crossroads?’

Contributors:
Carsten Brzeski, Global Head of Macro Research, ING, Germany
Tu Le, Founder and Managing Director, Sino Auto Insights, United States of America
Beatrix Keim, Director, CAR Centre for Automotive Research, Germany
Stefan Deix, Director, EUCAR, European Council for Automotive R&D, Belgium

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: Matthew Dempsey
Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey

Image Credit: Westend61 via Getty Images


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpw3nf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct69jk)
Javier Milei's first year in power

Argentina's president Javier Milei famously campaigned with a chainsaw, promising he would cut public spending. Has he delivered? Verónica Smink of BBC Mundo will bring us the latest from Buenos Aires. Plus, how thousands of old portrait pictures were found and restored in Uganda, with BBC Africa's Christine Otieno, and the unlikely friendship between a Senegalese man and a baby owl, with Alassane Dia from BBC Afrique.

Produced by Alice Gioia and Hannah Dean.

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


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn535w45)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk71z2jh)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpw7dk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct5t9m)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:32 on Saturday]


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn535zw9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 World Book Club (w3ct5r3x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5363mf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct5sjr)
Sudan and the story of Mama Nour

Pascale Harter introduces insight and analysis from correspondents and reporters in Sudan, South Korea, Germany and Oman.

Lyse Doucet recently gained rare access to Sudan, where she met the remarkable Mama Nour. A steely woman, orphaned in childhood, she now provides refuge for other women and children amid Sudan's ongoing civil war, which the UN has called 'the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world'.

South Korea's president sent shockwaves across the world when he declared martial law earlier this week. Jake Kwon describes the moment the president made his announcement, and the swift, decisive response from both politicians and the South Korean people to stop him in his tracks.

Germany is facing snap elections in February, after the collapse last month of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-way coalition. It will be an unusually chilly election season - usually campaigns are held over the summer. Damien McGuinness has been wondering if the degree of opulence of this year's festive decorations can tell us something about the political mood of the country.

And, we’re in the south of Oman, the Arab world’s oldest independent state. It’s fast becoming a popular tourist destination, luring travellers with its ancient culture and forests, foothills and sand dunes. We meet the women entrepreneurs challenging traditions, as they take visitors trekking into the mountains.

Producer: Sally Abrahams
Production Co-Ordinator: Katie Morrison
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Image: Mama Nour runs a safe house for abused single women and orphans, and has fled along with those in her care. Credit: Joyce Liu/BBC


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpwgwt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct6r7p)
Monitoring Africa

What does it take to track media in Africa where radio is king? Originally set up as the East Africa Unit after the Suez crisis, BBC Monitoring’s Nairobi operation has seen history unfold on the continent over six decades. The team travels to Nairobi to meet the monitors.

Producer: Kriszta Satori
Presenter: Krassi Twigg


SUN 04:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct5wff)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:50 today]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5367ck)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk71zfrw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpwlmy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 100 Women (w3ct7hy5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Saturday]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn536c3p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zcxbh4q5m0j)
Syrian rebels capture Damascus

We dedicate this week’s programme to special coverage of the collapse of the Syrian regime after 54 years of Al-Assad family rule. A coalition of rebel groups has captured the Syrian capital Damascus after they swept most of the country in a swift offensive.

The whereabouts of the former president Bashar al-Assad are unknown. Syrians are celebrating this a victory for their revolution, while some minority groups in the country harbour concerns of what is to come.

Joining Paul Henley to discuss significance and the impact of this historic day are Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, in the US, and Adela Suliman, a breaking news reporter for the Washington Post, here in London.

(Photo: A man waving Syrian revolution flags in Aleppo. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn536gvt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zcxbh4q5qrn)
Al-Assad regime collapses

We dedicate this week’s programme to special coverage of the collapse of the Syrian regime after 54 years of Al-Assad family rule. A coalition of rebel groups has captured the Syrian capital Damascus after they swept most of the country in a swift offensive.

The whereabouts of the former president Bashar al-Assad are unknown. Syrians are celebrating this a victory for their revolution, while some minority groups in the country harbour concerns of what is to come.

Joining Paul Henley to discuss significance and the impact of this historic day are Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, in the US, and Adela Suliman, a breaking news reporter for the Washington Post, here in London.


(Photo: Two women in Qamishli use mobiles to capture a destroyed image of Bashar al-Assad. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn536lly)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zcxbh4q5vhs)
Bashar al-Assad flees Syria as rebels enter capital

We dedicate this week’s programme to special coverage of the collapse of the Syrian regime after 54 years of Al-Assad family rule. A coalition of rebel groups has captured the Syrian capital Damascus after they swept most of the country in a swift offensive.

The whereabouts of the former president Bashar al-Assad are unknown. Syrians are celebrating this a victory for their revolution, while some minority groups in the country harbour concerns of what is to come.

Joining Paul Henley to discuss significance and the impact of this historic day are Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, in the US, and Adela Suliman, a breaking news reporter for the Washington Post, here in London.


(Photo: Syrian rebels on a 4x4 vehicle with a mounted machinegun in Homs. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn536qc2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 Weekend (w172zcxbh4q5z7x)
Syrians celebrate the collapse of Al-Assad regime

We dedicate this week’s programme to special coverage of the collapse of the Syrian regime after 54 years of Al-Assad family rule. A coalition of rebel groups has captured the Syrian capital Damascus after they swept most of the country in a swift offensive.

The whereabouts of the former president Bashar al-Assad are unknown. Syrians are celebrating this a victory for their revolution, while some minority groups in the country harbour concerns of what is to come.

Joining Paul Henley to discuss significance and the impact of this historic day are Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, in the US, and Adela Suliman, a breaking news reporter for the Washington Post, here in London.


(Photo: Syrian woman waving the Syrian revolution flag near the border between lebanon and Syria. Credit: Reuters)


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn536v36)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx0)
Cleaning up India's streets

The world produces about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. A lot of this waste, such as multi-layered plastic packaging and cigarette butts, is hard to recycle. Instead, it fills up landfills and contaminates the environment.

We travel to the Indian city of Pune where eco-social company Recharkha upcycles plastic packaging waste into contemporary products like tote bags, lampshades and table mats. It relies on village women’s handicraft using traditional spinning wheels or charkhas, simultaneously helping tackle rural unemployment.

We also head to another Indian city, Noida, where an organisation works with local women to safely turn millions of cigarette butts into clean fluffy material to be used in stuffed toys - among other products.

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

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer/reporter: Chhavi Sachdev
Sound mix: Andrew Mills/Ardila Syakriah
Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Women who work at the Recharka project, Recharka)


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpx6cl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct69jk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 01:32 today]


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn536yvb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk72057n)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5372lg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct7hq0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5376bl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zb983dn51tk)
Rebel forces in Syria say they have ended Assad's rule

Five decades of authoritarian Assad family rule in Syria have ended with the president fleeing the capital before it fell to rebels without resistance. His former international backer, Russia, says he's left the country.

In this special edition of Newshour focusing on events in Syria, we ask what's next for a country that's been torn apart by civil war forcing millions of people to flee? Will there be an orderly transition of power to the rebels ? Why did the regime collapse so suddenly ? We'll hear from supporters and critics of the Assad government. And from the Red Cross in a chaotic Damascus - what the future is for the hundreds of thousands tortured and detained under Assad's murderous rule.

(Photo: People celebrate after Syrian rebels announced they've ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in Beirut, Lebanon December 8, 2024. Credit: REUTERS/Ahmad Al-Kerdi)


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn537b2q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 Newshour (w172zb983dn55kp)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn537ftv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172zbn6717yqy9)
Live Sporting Action

It’s a busy Sunday in the Premier League, and Sunday Sportsworld has full commentary of the London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

There will also be updates and reaction from the day’s three other games, including Arsenal’s trip to Fulham, while the former Spurs defender Stephen Caulker joins Nishat Ladha to look back over all the weekend’s Premier League action. Italy’s Serie A is the focus on this week’s EuroStars, with Italian football expert Mina Rzouki joining the team for analysis.

There will be the latest from the Test series between Australia and India, New Zealand and England, and South Africa and Sri Lanka. And, as the curtain comes down on another championship-winning season for Max Verstappen, there will be reaction to the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Image: Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea (left) and Mickey van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on May 02, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn537xtc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk72146p)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn5381kh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct5q2v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn53859m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zb983dn60sl)
Russian media : Syria's Assad in Moscow

The Syrian President, Bashar Al Assad, managed to fly out of Damascus for Russia, before rebels led by the Islamist HTS group entered the capital last night. The rebel leader addressed crowds inside the historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital and told Syrians that they can now breathe freely. We hear from our correspondents in Damascus and Moscow and speak to one of what are likely to millions of Syrians forced to live abroad who now wants to go home.

Also on the programme we take a look at a cautious international reaction to the change of leadership, as the United States calls it a moment of risk and uncertainty.

(Photo: President Putin & Former President Assad; Credit: Reuters)


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn53891r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnk721hg2)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpynb4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct69jk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 01:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfgn538dsw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct5wsq)
What do melting glaciers mean for the Himalayas?

Climate change is melting thousands of glaciers in the Himalayas and having a devastating impact on the people who live there. The BBC's Caroline Davies has just been to the Pakistani side of the world's highest mountain range: she tells Graihagh Jackson how villagers are coping, and how they are determined to stay put despite the risks of floods and the disruption to their traditional way of life.

You can watch Caroline's reporting from Pakistan here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00246nx/from-above-melting-glaciers

Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721

Presenter: Graihagh Jackson
Reporter in Pakistan: Caroline Davies
Producers in Pakistan: Fakhir Munir, Usman Zahid, Kamil Dayan Khan
Producers in London: Ellie House and Osman Iqbal
Sound Mix: Rod Farquhar and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg92wpys28)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5v1j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


SUN 23:50 Over to You (w3ct5ttr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:50 on Saturday]

MONDAY 09 DECEMBER 2024

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fddct5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct5sjr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g502r2k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct6r7p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 on Sunday]


MON 00:50 More or Less (w3ct5tr5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fddhk9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc5pym)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g502vtp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct5rnn)
The Life Scientific: Kip Thorne

Kip Thorne is an emeritus professor of theoretical physics at Caltech, the California Institute of Technology, and someone who has had a huge impact on our understanding of Einsteinian gravity. Over the course of his career Kip has broken new ground in the study of black holes, and been an integral parts of the team that recorded gravitational waves for the very first time – earning him a share in the 2017 Nobel Prize for Physics.

He went on to promote physics in films: developing the original idea behind Christopher Nolan’s time-travel epic Interstellar and, since then, advising on scientific elements of various big-screen projects; including, most recently, the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer.

In a special edition of The Life Scientific recorded in front of an audience of London’s Royal Institution, Prof Jim Al-Khalili talks to Kip about his life and career, from his Mormon upbringing in Utah to Hollywood collaborations – all through the lens of his unwavering passion for science.


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fddm9f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc5tpr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g502zkt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct5rj4)
Why am I good at jigsaw puzzles?

For their fans, jigsaw puzzles are a satisfying challenge, a focus, a chance to put everything else aside for a moment and be creative. But for other people they’re a frustrating jumble of random shapes and colours, a pointless task which is best left in the box.

CrowdScience listener Heather is definitely a fan. She loves doing jigsaw puzzles and she wants to know why some people are so good at them. What skills do you need to find a pattern amongst all those shapes and colours? How do our brains, eyes and hands assemble the fragments into the finished article? And why do we enjoy doing them anyway?

Presenter Alex Lathbridge puts together the pieces to answer Heather’s question. He sits down to work on a jigsaw with Sarah Mills, the ten-times UK jigsaw puzzling champion (yes... competitive jigsaw puzzling really is a thing!) As he watches Sarah complete the puzzle at lightning speed he gets a few of her top tips.

So what’s going on in our brains when we’re doing a jigsaw puzzle? How do we recognise and process colour and shape? Prof Mark Mattson from Johns Hopkins University in the USA has the answer. And it’s all to do with a little seahorse-shaped part of the brain called the hippocampus.

Alex also explores the effect of jigsaws on our brains with neuropsychologist Dr Patrick Fissler. He’s carried out research to investigate the benefits of jigsaw puzzles on our brains as we grow older.

Both listener Heather and ten-times-champion Sarah seem to be better at jigsaws than Alex is. So, based on that sample size of three, women are superior puzzlers compared to men! But has anybody actually cast the net wider to see if that’s really the case? Alex talks to Daniela Aguilar from the University of Lethbridge in Canada about her study to investigate exactly that – and she reveals the results.

Heather’s also wondering if any other species enjoy puzzles. And it seems they do! Alex meets Dr Cody McCoy from the University of Chicago to find out about the optimistic, tool-using crows of New Caledonia. From crows to competitive puzzlers, it seems we all relish a challenge!

Presenter: Alex Lathbridge
Producer: Jeremy Grange
Editor: Cathy Edwards
Studio Manager: Bob Nettles
Production Co-ordinator: Ishmael Soriano


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fddr1k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50339y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5v1j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


MON 03:50 Over to You (w3ct5ttr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:50 on Saturday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fddvsp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc6260)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g503722)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct5x0j)
Deep sea explorers

Less than 0.001% of the deep ocean has been explored. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women from South Africa and the US who have dedicated their careers to finding out more about our planet's most uncharted depths.

Dr Katy Croff Bell is an American ocean explorer and deep-sea technologist. She has over 15 years of experience leading ground-breaking oceanographic and archaeological projects. Katy is the founder of the Ocean Discovery League, an organisation dedicated to expanding global access to deep-sea exploration by developing affordable, durable technology for scientists and researchers.

Dr Zoleka Filander is an award-winning South African marine biologist with South Africa’s Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Environment. She leads pioneering expeditions into uncharted marine territories, gathering crucial data to inform conservation strategies. Zoleka is passionate about sharing the deep ocean’s wonders to inspire public respect and a sense of urgency for its preservation.

Produced by Emily Naylor

(Image: (L) Katy Croff Bell courtesy of Katy Croff Bell. (R) Zoleka Filander credit Logan Lambert.)


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fddzjt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztm736d)
Damascus falls to Syrian rebels

There have been celebrations in Syria after long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the country as rebels took the capital Damascus. This is a moment of huge change for a country where many have lived in fear of the brutal Assad dynasty for more than fifty years.

We will hear what is happening there today, amid reports of looting for government buildings, despite calls by the rebels for people to respect state property.

President Biden said the sudden collapse of Assad's government was a 'fundamental act of justice' after decades of repression but cautioned that the takeover by Islamist rebels created a moment of risk and uncertainty.

(Pic: A torn banner depicting the picture of Bashar al-Assad, Damascus, Syria, 08 December 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdf38y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztm76yj)
Syrians celebrate fall of Assad regime

Syrians have woken up to a hopeful - if uncertain - future after rebels seized the capital, Damascus and President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia. We will be bringing you reaction to this momentous event. It's all happened at lightning speed, and later today the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting to discuss what's next for Syria. We will be in Damascus with our correspondents for the latest.

With the fall of the Assad rule came the release of many people who'd been jailed in some of the country's notorious prisons, but there are reports many are still trapped in hidden underground cells. We will be speaking to the White Helmets, the Syrian civil defence group, who say they are investigating.

(Pic: A person holds a Syrian opposition flag in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. December 8, 2024; Credit: Reuters)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdf712)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztm7bpn)
UN Security Council to hold emergency session on Syria

Syrians both inside and outside the country have been celebrating the fall of long-time president Bashar al-Assad’s regime, after rebels seized the capital Damascus and al-Assad fled to Russia where he’s been given asylum. It’s all happened at lightning speed. We’ll be speaking to a Syrian journalist in the country’s third largest city, Homs, which was taken from government forces earlier in the rebel's campaign.

The fall of the al-Assad regime means over a million Syrian refugees in Lebanon and other countries could now return home. We’ll be heading to the Lebanese – Syrian border. We'll also be in the capital, Damascus, with our correspondent for the latest.

(Pic: A person steps over an image of President Bashar al-Assad in Qamishli, Syria December 8, 2024; Credit: Reuters)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdfbs6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztm7gfs)
Ousted Syrian president granted asylum in Russia

In Syria there have been celebrations after president Bashar al-Assad fled the country as rebels took the capital Damascus. It's all happened at lightning speed, and later today the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting to discuss what's next for Syria. We’ll be speaking to our correspondent in Damascus.

This is a moment of huge change for a country where many have lived in fear of the brutal Assad dynasty for more than fifty years. We’ll be hearing from ordinary people and speaking to an aid organisation on the humanitarian needs of the millions of Syrians after thirteen years of civil war

(Pic: Rebel fighters n Damascus, Syria, December 9, 2024: Credit: Reuters)


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g503q1l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5z7g)
Is Donald Trump's comeback bad news for green energy?

Donald Trump's return to the White House has raised big questions about what he'll do to the US' growing green energy sector. On the campaign trail he promised to undo Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest piece of climate legislation in US history. The IRA gives incentives and tax breaks for green industries and has created hundreds of thousands of jobs, many of those in Republican voting states.

President-elect Trump also pledged to end offshore wind "on day one" and reverse emissions rules aimed at increasing the number of electric cars on America's roads.

Will he keep those promises? And what of the influence of Elon Musk, the world's richest man, now in Donald Trump's inner circle? Is he worrying about what a Trump presidency might mean for his car company Tesla and will he be lobbying behind the scenes on behalf of electric vehicles?

We hear what people in those sectors think will happen under Trump 2.0. Can the renewables industry survive or even grow over the next four years?

Produced and presented by Lexy O'Connor

(Image: President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk talk during a UFC event in New York. Credit Chris Unger / Getty Images)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5yhv)
Castro's Cuban revolution attempt

In 1953, Fidel Castro attacked military barracks in the east of Cuba in a bid to revolutionise the country. He failed, but it marked the beginning of his career as a guerrilla fighter.

Michael Voss spoke to one of his comrades, Agustin Diaz Cartaya, in 2010.

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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Fidel Castro (second from right) with comrades during the preparation of the 1953 attack. Credit: FILES-PRENSA LATINA/AFP via Getty Images)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdfgjb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc6nxn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g503tsq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct5rj4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdfl8g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct5n2r)
Women making a mark

In partnership with the BBC 100 Women list, we have a selection of stories about inspiring and influential women from around the world.

Scientist Katalin Karikó, who won the Nobel Prize and helped save millions of lives in the Covid 19 pandemic, Julia Gillard, the former Australian prime minister who took a stand against misogyny in politics, and Indian artist Nalini Malani whose instillation got people thinking about the consequences of nuclear conflict.

We also hear from the founder of Ms Magazine, the feminist campaigner Gloria Steinem who in 1972, co-founded the first magazine in the US which was owned, run and written by women.

And the story of Portugal's "Three Marias" whose book ‘Novas Cartas Portuguesas’, was banned after it was published.

Contributors:

Maria Teresa Horta - one of the "Three Marias".

Dr Katalin Karikó - Nobel Prize winning scientist.

Valeria Perasso - Team leader at the BBC's 100 Women project.

Julia Gillard - Former Australian Prime Minister.

Nalini Malani - Indian artist.

Gloria Steinem - Co-founder of Ms Magazine.

(Photo: Nalini Malani. Credit: Ritesh Uttamchandani/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdfq0l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc6xdx)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50428z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6dm8)
The final hours of the Assad regime

President Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria, ending 50 years of authoritarian rule by his family. Over the weekend, rebels who had already taken Aleppo and Hama began to close in on the city of Homs and set their eyes on the capital Damascus.

As it became clear that Assad had fled, the BBC's Lina Sinjab crossed the border from Lebanon, becoming the first western journalists to report from Damascus as a new era began. She tells Azadeh Moshiri how some Syrians celebrated while others looted the president's former home. And our Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, explains what the future might hold for Syria, now that everything has changed.

The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Richard Moran and Sergi Forcada Freixas

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdftrq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct5nr3)
Unravelling my DNA mystery

Matt Katz is an award-winning investigative journalist based in the US, but when he started looking into his own family history, he faced his most challenging assignment yet. It all started when he took a DNA test to find out more about where his ancestors had hailed from. He knew they were Ashkenazi Jews who'd emigrated to America from Eastern Europe. But when his results came in, they begged a lot of awkward questions.

Matt's made a podcast series about his search. It's called Inconceivable Truth and it's produced by Wavland.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Jo Impey

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

(Photo: Matt Katz and his biological father, Vincent McNally. Credit: Matt Katz)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5yhv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdfyhv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc74x5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g5049s7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct5x0j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdg27z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnycxqy)
What's the future for Syria?

Syrian rebels are working to form a transitional government, a day after they seized Damascus and toppled President Bashar al Assad. Rebel fighters have been securing public buildings in the capital, where joy at the end of 50 years of authoritarian rule is mixed with anxiety about the future. Syrian civil defence workers have deployed to the ousted Assad regime's notorious Saydnaya prison to investigate reports that people are still trapped in cells hidden underground.

(Photo: Syrian Democratic Forces capture al-Hasakah, Al Hasakah, Syria - 08 Dec 2024 AHMED MARDNLI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdg603)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5t0m)
Arab Barghouthi: Will his father shape Palestinians' future?

Stephen Sackur speaks to Arab Barghouthi. His father, Marwan, is serving life for murder in an Israeli jail, but is widely seen by Palestinians as a potential leader who could unify his people. Does his son believe he will ever be free?


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g504k8h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct5zz1)
A new era in Syria: who will rebuild the country?

What will life look like in Syria after Bashar al-Assad's regime gone? And who will rebuild the country and help the economy to grow? We hear from Syrian refugee Hadi Nuri and Ruba Jaradat, Regional Director for Arab States at the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Also, how will the Chinese government help support for their economy next year?

And what will a second Donald Trump presidency mean for America's green energy industry?

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdg9r7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5wh2ytl)
Syria after the fall of Damascus

Syrian rebels say they are working towards forming a transitional government, a day after they captured Damascus and ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

We hear from Syrians inside the country and from exiles who now are planning to return home.

We also visit BBC Arabic and BBC Russian services to find out about the reaction in their regions.

And, our Middle East experts answer audience questions about the developments in Syria.

Presenter: Mark Lowen.

(Photo: An armed rebel stands guard on a street in Damascus, Syria, 09 December 2024. Credit: HASAN BELAL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdgfhc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5wh32kq)
Syrians search for missing inmates

Huge crowds are outside Saydnaya prison in Syria's capital Damascus, following allegations some inmates are being detained in underground cells. We speak to our correspondent in Damascus.

We hear from Syrians inside the country and from exiles who now are planning to return home.

We also visit BBC Turkish and BBC Persian services to find out about the reaction in their regions.

And, our Middle East experts answer audience questions about the developments in Syria.

Presenter: Mark Lowen.

(Photo: Syrians search for detainees at Sednaya prison after rebel takeover of Damascus, Syria - 09 Dec 2024. Credit: MOHAMMED AL RIFAI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdgk7h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct5nr3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5yhv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdgnzm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc7wcy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g505180)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5w4f)
2024/12/09 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 (w172zgfh0fdgsqr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct5sjr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g505504)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct5rnp)
The Life Scientific - Peter Goadsby

Throbbing head, nausea, dizziness, disturbed vision – just some of the disabling symptoms that can strike during a migraine attack. This neurological condition is far more common than you might think, affecting more people than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined.

While medications, to help relieve the symptoms of migraine, have been around for some time, they haven’t worked for everyone. And what happens in the brain during a migraine attack was, until recently, poorly understood.

Peter Goadsby is Professor of Neurology at King's College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and is a true pioneer in the field of migraine.

Over the course of his career, he has unravelled what happens in the brain during a migraine attack and his insights are already benefiting patients - in the form of new medications that can not only treat a migraine, but also prevent it from occurring.

Peter shares this year’s Brain Prize, the world's largest prize for brain research, with three other internationally renowned scientists in the field.


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdgxgw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnydryv)
Emotional scenes as political prisoners released in Syria

Families of Syrian prisoners have been streaming towards the prisons of the Assad regime, where tens of thousands were imprisoned and tortured for years.
The doors have been prised upon - but there are fear many could be trapped in secret underground prisons.
Our reporter is at the infamous Saydayna prison near Damascus, where crowds of relatives are looking for their loved ones.

Also in our programme: what could the future hold for Syria's government? The province of Idlib, which has been run by the country's main rebel group, might hold some clues; and we speak to the family of American journalist Austin Tice who was abducted in Syria twelve years ago.

(Photo: Syrians dig into the ground as they search for relatives they believe were held in secret cells at Sednaya prison, dubbed by Amnesty International as the 'Human Slaughterhouse'. Credit: Shutterstock / Mohammed Al Rifai)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdh170)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc87mb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g505dhd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct6019)
The Syrian economy after Bashar al-Assad

After the fall of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, we look into the challenges the nation will face to rebuild the economy.

China has launched an antitrust investigation into Nvidia, the world’s most valuable maker of computer chips. We find out why.

Baseball player Juan Soto has agreed a $765m deal over 15 years with Major League Baseball's New York Mets, the biggest contract awarded in the the history of sport. We look into the details.


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdh4z4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5t0m)
[Repeat of broadcast at 15:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g505j7j)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct5x0j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER 2024

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdh8q8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct5n2r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdhdgd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfv70qtnm8)
The Syrian economy after Bashar al-Assad

After the fall of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, we look into the challenges the nation will face to rebuild the economy.
China has launched an antitrust investigation into Nvidia, the world’s most valuable maker of computer chips. We find out why.
Baseball player Juan Soto has agreed a $765m deal over 15 years with Major League Baseball's New York Mets, the biggest contract awarded in the the history of sport. We look into the details.
Rahul Tandon discusses these and more business stories with two guests on opposite sides of the world: Sergio Guzman, director of Colombia Risk Analysis in Bogota, and Yoko Ishikura, Professor Emeritusof Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo.


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdhj6j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc8qlv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g505wgx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct5mts)
Mining the Pacific: Future proofing or fool’s gold?

Climate change is intensifying, sea levels are rising and the very existence of low-lying Pacific Islands is under threat. The Cook Islands, though, has a plan to assure their peoples’ future. Enter deep sea mining, harvesting metallic nodules on the bottom of the sea floor for use in things like electric car batteries and mobile phones. Its supporters say it is a climate change ‘solution’- a better alternative to mining on land. And one that could make Cook Islanders very rich indeed. Its detractors worry we are messing with its Moana - or ocean – with no real idea of the impacts. Katy Watson travels to Rarotonga to find out how islanders feel about searching for ‘gold’ on the sea floor.

Producer: Lindle Markwell
Presenter: Katy Watson
Sound engineer: James Beard
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Photo: A protestor blows a conch at the At Sea, Sail Out Rally against deep sea mining in the Cook Islands, September 2024.Credit: Katy Watson)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdhmyn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct5nr3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5yhv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdhrps)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc8z33)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g5063z5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct5tlp)
The rebuilding of Notre Dame de Paris, part two

The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, Our Lady of Paris, is one of France’s most famous landmarks. On 15th April 2019, it was engulfed by flames, but thanks to the bravery of hundreds of firefighters, Notre Dame remained standing. The devastation was, however, immense. The spire collapsed into the nave and the lead roof melted and evaporated. The lattice framework underneath it, made of a thousand oak beams known affectionately as The Forest, turned to charcoal and dust.

Agnès Poirier has been given unique access behind the scenes, and in this second part, she’s allowed inside Notre Dame while building work continues around her. She has access to the newly constructed roof and spire, the bells and into the nave, as careful restoration work takes place. Agnès hears from roofer William Blois about what it means to work on a cathedral like Notre Dame, to restorer of mural painters Diana Castillo, who is bringing some of the chapels back to life, resplendent with their blue ceilings and golden stars, and to sculptor Stéphane Krust, who explains why latex is the best way to clean the chimaera, the stone guardians of the cathedral.

Producer: Andrea Kidd

(Image: Notre Dame. Credit: Chesnot)


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdhwfx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmb03h)
Israel carries out dozens of air strikes across Syria

Within the past hour there have been reports of several loud explosions in the Syrian capital Damascus. It has been reported that Israel is targeting key military installations to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of Islamist fighters. We'll go live to Damascus shortly.

Meanwhile, thousands of Syrians have been gathering outside a notorious prison to search for relatives. Syrian civil defence officials said they had searched for secret cells and basements inside the Saydnaya prison complex but had not found any. We'll report from inside the jail.

Millions of Syrian refugees are hoping to return home since the fall of the Assad regime on Sunday. We'll speak to one man who's making the journey home from Turkey.

And away from Syria, we'll continue our series hearing from this year's BBC 100 Women. Today, the Olympic star Allyson Felix, the most decorated track and field athlete in history.

(Pic: Israeli warplane, 28 December 2022. Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdj061)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmb3vm)
Rebel groups begin transition of power in Syria

Expectations are running high in Syria after the downfall of the Assad regime. We speak to people in Damascus about their views on the Islamist rebels who are now in charge.

With the end of the brutal Assad rule, thousands of refugees have been been planning a return back home but could be finding themselves in limbo. We will be speaking to an MP in Turkey, the country that hosts the most Syrian refugees.

We will also be hearing from the lawyer of Gisèle Pelicot, the seventy-two year old woman whose mass rape orchestrated by her husband shocked France and the world.

(Pic: Rebel fighters pose as they hold a Syrian opposition flag inside the Umayyad Mosque, Syria December 9, 2024; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdj3y5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmb7lr)
Syrian new government to investigate Assad's regime

Syrian main rebel leader says he will announce a list of former officials wanted for torture. Meanwhile, thousands of Syrians have been gathering outside a notorious prison to search for relatives. Syrian civil defence officials said they had searched for secret cells and basements inside the Saydnaya prison complex but had not found any. We'll report from inside the jail.

We'll speak to a man who served time in a Syrian jail under the Bashar al-Assad regime and has written a book about the country's repressive prison system.


And, Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to testify for the first time at his trial on corruption charges.

(Pic: Abu Mohammed al-Golani speaking to supporters inside Ummayad Mosque, December 8, 2024; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdj7p9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx1)
Reducing gun violence

The misuse of guns is a problem for lots of countries across the world. This week we look at projects trying to reduce deaths and injuries.

In the US we visit the company which says it has successfully developed the world’s first ‘smart gun’ which uses facial recognition and fingerprints to identify the gun owner - meaning only they can fire the gun. We also speak to a woman who’s convinced police in the UK to speak to the partners of those being issued gun licences.

And in Jamaica - where most murders involve firearms - we find out how hospital data is being used to reduce the number of attacks using guns - even in the country’s most troubled neighbourhoods.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. 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
Reporters: Claire Bowes, Nick Davies, Anthony Wallace
Producer: Claire Bowes
Sound mix: Andrew Mills
Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Mourners remember those killed in 2024 Apalachee school shooting, US, Getty Images)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g506lyp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5zjh)
Making money from internet outrage

How do online platforms profit from our anger? In this episode, we explore the business of 'rage-baiting' – content designed to provoke outrage and drive engagement.

We hear from creators who thrive on stirring emotions, critics warning of its societal impact, and academics explaining why anger is such a powerful tool online.

From its role in content algorithms, to the dangers it poses offline, we uncover the economics behind the clicks.

(Picture: A man dramatically gestures towards his laptop, conveying surprise. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Megan Lawton
Producer: Sam Gruet


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5ync)
'I organised the Cuban thaw'

On 17 December 2014, United States president Barack Obama and the leader of Cuba, Raúl Castro, announced the normalisation of their countries' relations, ending 54 years of hostility.

The announcement was a shock to most except a few trusted aides who had worked for18 months to make it happen.

Alejandro Castro, Raúl Castro's son, represented the Cuban side, while Ben Rhodes, Obama’s speech writer, was sent by the US.

Ben tells Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty how he and Alejandro found common ground whilst hashing out decades of bad blood.

They eventually flew to Vatican City to officially commit to a new co-operative future.

In 2017, President Donald Trump partially rolled back on the deal, tightening rules affecting travel and on sending funds to the Caribbean island nation.

Ben says: “The US government made a liar out of me. I felt betrayed.”

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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Raúl Castro and Barack Obama. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdjcff)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc9ktr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g506qpt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct5mts)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdjh5k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct5qkg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdjlxp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhc9tb0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g506z62)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6fbv)
Saydnaya Prison: Inside Assad’s ‘human slaughterhouse’

Syria’s notorious Saydnaya prison is one of many that have been liberated as rebels take control of the country. We hear from our correspondent Barbara Plett Usher who has been inside the prison where thousands of opposition supporters are said to have been tortured and executed under the Assad regime. Family members rushed in to see if their relatives were among those released. But will these people find answers in their search? And what will this mean for Syria’s future?

On this episode Azadeh Moshiri is joined by the BBC’s Middle East regional editor Sebastian Usher who compares the collapse of the regime to the start of the civil war, which began in 2011.

The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts and Beth Timmins

Sound engineer: Ben Andrews

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdjqnt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct5p5n)
The Yazidi teenager who documented life after her captivity

In 2014, nine-year-old Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad and her family were kidnapped from Sinjar in northern Iraq by Islamic State militants. Mediha was rescued from IS three years later and reunited with two of her younger brothers. Just a teenager, she became their main caregiver. She also found solace for her own healing in an unexpected place when a filmmaker, Hasan Oswald, gave her a video camera. The camera became her 'best friend', allowing her to tell her story with complete control. Her video diaries are the basis of a documentary film called Mediha.

This episode contains references to sexual violence.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Eric Mugaju

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

(Photo: Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad. Credit: Hasan Oswald)


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5ync)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdjvdy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcb1t8)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g5076pb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct5tlp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdjz52)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnygtn1)
Israel carries out hundreds of airstrikes across Syria

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed it has troops operating in Syrian territory beyond the demilitarized buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It added that its strikes were to prevent weapons falling "into the hands of extremists" as Syria transitions to a post-Assad era. We hear from Damascus and ask how Syria’s new rulers are likely to govern?

Also on the programme: Investigators continue to interrogate Luigi Mangione, the suspect in New York's health insurance boss killing; and Google's new quantum computer chip is hailed as breakthrough technology, but what can it actually do?

(Photo: Abu Mussab al-Halabi, a rebel fighter poses for a photograph after an interview in Presidential Palace, Damascus Credit: Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)


TUE 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdk2x6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g507g5l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct6082)
How will Syria’s economy recover from the war?

The new regime will be trying to rebuild the country and its infrastructure after 14 years of conflict and sanctions

We hear from the IMF in Kenya as their financial partnership is set to end in 2025. But what does it mean for the countries ballooning debt?

And Rupert Murdoch has lost a significant legal battle over his media empire. We hear more from biographer Claire Atkinson


TUE 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdk6nb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5wh5vqp)
Live from Syria

There are signs daily life is gradually returning to normal in the Syrian capital, Damascus, after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad over the weekend. The leader of the main Islamist rebel group that overthrew the president has appointed an interim prime minister, and some civil servants have been asked to go back to work. Our Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet will be presenting the show live from the capital Damascus.

We speak to our correspondent in Israel who's been following the corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He's facing charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery.

In Kenya women are marching in cities across the country to demand an end to gender based violence and femicide. We speak to women who are protesting.

Presenters: Mark Lowen & Lyse Doucet

Photo: People celebrate the overthrow of Syrian President al-Assad, at the Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syria, 09 December 2024.

Credit: BILAL AL HAMMOUD/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdkbdg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5wh5zgt)
Live from Syria

There are signs daily life is gradually returning to normal in the Syrian capital, Damascus, after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad over the weekend. The leader of the main Islamist rebel group that overthrew the president has appointed an interim prime minister, and some civil servants have been asked to go back to work. Our Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet will be presenting the show live from the capital Damascus.

We bring you the latest from the US, where a 26-year-old man has been charged with murder over last week's fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. Luigi Mangione was taken into custody at a McDonald's in the town of Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday after a customer at the fast-food outlet recognised him. We speak to our correspondent there.

And we unpick what happened in the battle for Rupert Murdoch's media empire, which has ended with a Nevada court denying the billionaire's bid to change a family trust and give control to his eldest son.

Presenters: Mark Lowen & Lyse Doucet

Photo: Celebrations in Damascus after rebels capture the city and overthrow al-Assad, Syria - 08 Dec 2024

Credit: MOHAMMED AL RIFAI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdkg4l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct5p5n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5ync)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdkkwq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcbs91)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g507y53)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5w8y)
2024/12/10 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 (w172zgfh0fdkpmv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct5mts)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g5081x7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct5wn7)
Cyber warfare

We speak to cyber security experts about how cyber warfare works – and how it stays out of the headlines. Then we hear about the aerodynamics tech making athletes more streamlined. And we meet the new Indiana Jones, gaming star Troy Baker.

Tell us about the new tech you've tried out in 2024. What gadgets or apps helped you out this year?
Send us an email to techlife@bbc.co.uk or Whatsapp us on +44 330 123 0320.

Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones
Editor: Monica Soriano

(Image: A computer-generated, pixelated image of a globe with a neon blue padlock superimposed on top. Credit: Getty Images.)


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdktcz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnyhnvy)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdky43)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcc4jf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g5089dh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct60bb)
Syria's long path to recovery

While some Syrians return to work after Bashar al-Assad's fall, others try to get out of the country in fear of a government led by the rebels. Also, Luigi Mangioni, the man accused of murdering Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, has been denied bail. And what impact is South Korea's political instability having on its economy?


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdl1w7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g508f4m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct5tlp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER 2024

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdl5mc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct5qkg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdl9ch)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfv70qxkjc)
Syria's long path to recovery

While some Syrians return to work after Bashar al-Assad's fall, others try to get out of the country in fear of a government led by the rebels. Also, Luigi Mangioni, the man accused of murdering Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, has been denied bail. And what South Korea's political instability means for its economy.

Rahul Tandon is joined by Sarah Birke, The Economist’s Bureau Chief for Mexico, Central America and The Caribbean, and Simon Littlewood, president of ACG Global Growth Delivered in Singapore.


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdlf3m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhccmhy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g508sd0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct5wsq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdljvr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct5p5n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5ync)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdlnlw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhccw06)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g5090w8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 Dramas (w3ct7l66)
Purple Heart Warriors

Purple Heart Warriors: 1. Memorial day

In Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, a young American finds himself mysteriously transported back in time and training for combat in World War Two. He’s in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in 1943 and can’t understand why he’s there. Has a bachi, or a curse, been placed on him?

This series is inspired by real events and contains dramatised battle scenes and out-dated racial language.

Cast:

Narrator: Will Sharpe
Ken: Akie Kotabe
Lieutenant/Bus guard/Texan soldier/Reporter: Freddy Elletson
Grandpa Allan/ Mr Yamada: Clyde Kusatsu
Emily: Samantha Dakin
Little Ken: Hudson Roberts.
Mrs Tanaka/Baachan/Shirley/Li: Tamlyn Tomita
Nui Louie/Mr Okimura: Aaron Ikeda
Barry/Captain Kim/Private Sasaki/Radio man: Derek Mio
Shorty: Raiko Gohara
Ohta/Captain Minori: Matt McCooey
Drill Sergeant/General Dahlquist: Martin McDougal
Colonel Pence/Earl Finch/Col Miller: Colin Stinton
Sonny: Kurt Kanazawa
Boxer/Crooner/Pokey: Conrad Lihilihi

Written by Iris Yamashita
Sound design: Richard Gould at Skywalker Sound
Recording and mixing: Leon Chambers
Original music: Josh Sneesby
Consultant: L Stuart Hirai
Dramaturg: James Yeatman
Broadcast assistant: Teresa Milewski
Production co-ordinator: Kate Brook
Associate producers: Tim Bell & Rosa Crompton
Director: Jessica Dromgoole
Producer: Catherine Bailey.
Based on an idea by Simon Pitts

A Catherine Bailey production for the BBC World Service


WED 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdlsc0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmdx0l)
Police in South Korea raid the presidential office

The president and his allies are currently facing insurrection charges, and a travel ban has been slapped on several of them.

Israel says it has destroyed most of Syria's weapons stockpiles to stop them falling into the hands of jihadists.

According to an UN report published today there has been a rise in the detection of human trafficking victims.

(Pic: A protestor wears a face mask of South Korean President; Credit: Reuters)


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdlx34)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmf0rq)
Syrian rebels take control of oil rich Deir Ezzor

The prime minister of Syria's new transitional government has said it is time for people to "enjoy stability and calm" after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. We hear form the co-chairman of the Democratic Union Party, a Kurdish entity.

Police in South Korea have raided the President’s office, as part of an investigation into his failed attempt to impose martial law last week.

(Pic: A person gestures next to a burning picture of President Bashar al-Assad, after rebels seized the capital; Credit: Reuters)


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdm0v8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmf4hv)
'I hope Assad pays the price'

The fall of Assad has lifted the lid on decades of repression in Syria, and much of Deraa was out on the streets on Sunday, giddy with freedom, as rebel fighters took the capital Damascus and Assad fled.

South Korea police raid presidential office over martial law attempt .

And the number of cases of dengue fever in the Americas has almost trebled this year.

(Pic: An abandoned tank is seen on a street near the minaret of the Omari mosque; Credit: Reuters)


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdm4ld)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5szx)
Ian Goldin: Is migration a drag or a driver of progress?

Stephen Sackur speaks to the renowned economist Ian Goldin, who wants to reframe the debate around migration. He’s been a senior official at the World Bank, an economic adviser to Nelson Mandela and he’s now professor of globalisation and development at Oxford University. His latest book, The Shortest History of Migration, illustrates the centrality of movement to the evolution of humanity – from the earliest human travellers leaving East Africa some 300,000 years ago to all of the people seeking sanctuary and prosperity across today's national borders.

Migration is, right now, a hot and contentious topic. Powerful political voices across the world link migration with insecurity, crime and cultural breakdown. Others say migrants bring new ideas and energy and are vital to economic growth. It seems no amount of border security will stop people wanting to move; indeed, global heating and political instability are likely to see the numbers increase. Will migration, and how we deal with it, be the defining issue of this century?


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g509hvs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5zp0)
Keeping the lights on in South Africa

In July, South Africa unveiled a new coalition government, after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party lost its majority in May's elections.

The coalition was welcomed by the business community who said it would ensure economic stability.

So what's happened since? And will any optimism last?

We hear about a reduction in power cuts - also known as loadshedding - and positivity on the stock market, as well as young people who are looking forward to the future.

Produced and presented by Rob Young

(Image: A worker connects a diesel generator to supply power to a sports complex during loadshedding in Frankfort, South Africa, in June 2023)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5yqm)
The Purple Heart Warriors

During World War Two, a Japanese American battalion became one of the most decorated army units in US military history.

The 442nd Regimental Combat Unit earned more than 4,000 Purple Hearts and seven Presidential Unit Citations for extraordinary heroism in battle.

The unit was set up in 1943, just over a year after Japan bombed the US naval base at Pearl Harbour. Following the attack, 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the west coast were sent to internment camps, but many were keen to show their loyalty to the US.

They volunteered to join the 442nd RCT and fight in Europe. Hundreds of recruits came from the camps, while thousands of others were from the Japanese American community in Hawaii.

Among them was 19-year-old Matsuichi Kusatsu. His son Clyde tells Jane Wilkinson about how the unit fought prejudice to prove their loyalty, and a warning, this story includes racist language of the time.

Actor Clyde stars in the BBC World Service drama Purple Heart Warriors. To hear this six-part season search for Dramas, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Matsuichi Kusatsu in 1944. Credit: Family photo)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdm8bj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcdgqv)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g509mlx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct5wsq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdmd2n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 World Book Club (w3ct5r3x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdmhts)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcdq73)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g509w35)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6drs)
As Syrians celebrate, IS watches closely

This episode contains descriptions of violence and sexual violence.

When Bashar al-Assad’s power was challenged in 2014, the Islamic State group filled the vacuum in Syria. Now the Assad regime has fallen, ending 50 years of rule by the family. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group who toppled the president, are now faced with governing a country occupied by various factions.

On today's episode, Azadeh Moshiri speaks to Barry Marston, the head of the BBC's jihadist media team, to ask how much of a threat the Islamic State group is today, and whether this new power vacuum could present them with a new opportunity for their brand of terror?

The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Richard Moran and Eleanor Sly

Sound engineer: Phillip Bull

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdmmkx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct5pdf)
Hay Secretos: How a sweet song caught a child abuser

Recorded by the children’s music group Canticuénticos, the song Hay Secretos has huge social significance in Argentina. Its composer Ruth Hillar deliberately wrote the song so that it could be interpreted in different ways. For some listeners the song is about small, trivial secrets, but for others it brings much darker experiences to mind. The song played a role in a child abuse court case; after hearing Hay Secretos a girl disclosed that she had been abused by a neighbour. Other children then came forward and shared their own stories of abuse by the same man. The song has now been translated and performed in several languages. The reporter is Natalio Cosoy.

Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy are established concert pianists who moved to London from Russia some years ago. Living together during the pandemic they began to play on one piano together, in a style known as 'four hands'. They have international solo careers, but also now perform together in this four-hands style. As an openly gay couple their music is banned in Russia under the country’s strict anti-homosexuality laws.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Julian Siddle

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

(Photo: From the video for Hay Secretos; Credit: Canticuénticos)


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5yqm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdmrb1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcdyqc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50b3lf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 Dramas (w3ct7l66)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdmw25)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnykqk4)
Fighting over oil continues in northern Syria

Syrian rebels have set fire to the tomb of ex-President Bashar al-Assad's father in his former hometown in the western Syrian Latakia province. Meanwhile, shops are reopening and people are returning to work in Damascus as day-to-day life gradually resumes. We look at the impact of returning refugees on the Syrian economy, examine concerns over a precarious security situation with a possible resurgence of Islamic State and in doing so, we hear from Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, and from Damascus itself.

Also on the programme: South Korea deals with the fallout from last week's short-lived period of martial law and one humpback whale appears to have made one of the longest and most unusual migrations ever recorded.

(Photo: A man rides in the open trunk of a car in Aleppo, Syria. Credit: Karam al-Masri/Reuters)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdmzt9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5szx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50bc2p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct60dl)
TUI CEO says next German government needs to attract foreign investment

Sebastian Ebel, says Germany needs to break free from over-regulation and focus on attracting foreign investors.

Food prices in South Africa have risen at their lowest rate in nearly 14 years, keeping the country's inflation below expected levels

And General Motors has announced that it will stop funding the development of the Cruise self-driving taxi.


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdn3kf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5wh8rms)
Tomb of Assad's father set on fire in Syria

Shops have been reopening and people returning to work in Damascus. Life is gradually returning to normal and we'll go live to the capital to get the latest.

Meanwhile in the Western Syrian Latakia province rebel fighters have set fire to gravesite of Hafez al-Assad.

We go to France where we are just over a week away from the verdict in a historic rape trial that has made headlines around the world. 72-year-old Gisele Pelicot's husband Dominique is accused of drugging her and allowing at least 50 men to allegedly rape her over almost a decade.

And we'll look at Saudi Arabia's bid for the 2034 football World Cup

Presenter: Mark Lowen

(Photo: Tomb of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's father which has been was torched in his hometown of Qardaha. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdn79k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5wh8wcx)
Tomb of Assad's father set on fire in Syria

Shops have been reopening and people returning to work in Damascus. Life is gradually returning to normal and we'll go live to the capital to get the latest.
Meanwhile in the Western Syrian Latakia province rebel fighters have set fire to gravesite of Hafez al-Assad.

Tehran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has blamed the United States and Israel for the downfall of the Syrian leader. He also mentioned a third, unnamed country, in an apparent reference to Turkey. We'll look at this story with our reporter from BBC Persian.

And the number of cases of dengue fever in Central and South America has nearly tripled to a record high this year. Deforestation and climate change have been singled out as reasons for this increase.

Presenter: Mark Lowen

(Photo: Tomb of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's father which has been was torched in his hometown of Qardaha. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdnc1p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct5pdf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5yqm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdngst)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcfp64)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50bv26)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5wc6)
2024/12/11 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 (w172zgfh0fdnljy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct5wsq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50bytb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct5t9n)
Expanding the anti-malaria toolkit

Researchers have trailed a revolutionary malaria vaccine that uses the entire malaria parasite and is delivered via the bite of a mosquito, offering a novel way to boost immunity. The next step involves developing an injectable version for broader use.

Also on the program: a mystery illness in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kwango Province; doctors in Brazil raise concerns over dengue spreading through contaminated blood transfusions; and an innovative temporary tattoo that can measure brain activity through hair.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Katie Tomsett and Jack Lee


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdnq92)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnylks1)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdnv16)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcg1fj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50c69l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct60gv)
Syria’s economy and its reliance on drug money

Will the $6 billion trade in the illegal drug captagon that funded the Assad dictatorship be disrupted now he's gone? Also, how a Macy's employee hid $150 million in delivery charges. And, Australian universities worry about plans to drastically cut the number of overseas students.

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdnysb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5szx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50cb1q)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 Dramas (w3ct7l66)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER 2024

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdp2jg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 World Book Club (w3ct5r3x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdp68l)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfv70r0gfg)
Syria’s economy and its reliance on drug money

Will the $6bn trade in the illegal drug captagon that funded the Assad dictatorship be disrupted now he's gone?

As US inflation creeps up, we hear from businesses daring to feel more hopeful about their future prospects

The Macy's employee who hid $150 million in delivery charges.

And why universities in Australia are worried by plans to drastically cut the number of overseas students

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdpb0q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcgjf1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50cp93)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct7hsy)
Ready to transmit

Stephen Coates travels to Tunisia to meet contestants in the International Morse Code championships in Tunisia. For a week, they will face each other off tapping at tiny Morse machines so fast that it sounds almost like a sung language.

The Belarusians are the team to beat. But the Romanians are hot on their heels. And you never know what the Albanians might pull off at the last minute. Or the competitor who has just arrived from Tokyo.

It's a polyglot community. "Yet we all speak the same language," says the organiser Ashraf Chaabane.

Morse was the first instant communication technology. It changed the world almost 200 years ago. Its words are composed of just dots, dashes and spaces, transmitted in electrical pulses of sound or light. It can travel by vibration, touch and even be knitted. Anyone can learn it in just a few weeks. In the age of cell phones and instant messaging, Morse still has a magic.

Producer: Monica Whitlock
A Storyscape production for BBC Radio 4


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdpfrv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct5pdf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5yqm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdpkhz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcgrx9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50cxsc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct5xnv)
Stadium food

Which food do you associate with your favourite sport?

Pie and chips at an English football match, biriyanis at the cricket in Pakistan or grilling meat in the parking lot outside an American football game – there are some tasty traditions which go hand-in-hand with sport across the world.

Ruth Alexander hears how a traditional rice dish can bring two rival nations together over a game of cricket, and how a disappointing sausage roll before a football game led one man on a country-wide quest for better food for fans.

Over a pile of warming chips on a frosty night in South Manchester, Ruth discovers how getting the food right off the pitch might help a team’s fortune improve on the pitch.

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

Presenter: Ruth Alexander

Producer: Hannah Bewley

Additional reporting: Ben Derico

(Image: a box of chips with gravy and curry sauce held beside a football pitch. Credit: BBC)


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdpp83)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmhsxp)
South Korean President vows to stay on

The president and his allies are currently facing investigations on insurrection charges, and a travel ban has been slapped on several of them. In a surprise televised address on Thursday, he said the attempt was a legal decision to "prevent the collapse" of democracy and counter the opposition's "parliamentary dictatorship".

In Syria people are still coming to terms with the new reality after the historic events of the past week as the new Islamist authorities say they'll close the notoriously harsh prisons run by President Assad, as they attempt to bring stability.


(Pic: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers an address to the nation; Credit: Reuters)


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdpt07)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmhxnt)
S Korea's President might face second impeachment

In a surprise televised address on Thursday, President Yoon said the attempt was a legal decision to "prevent the collapse" of democracy and counter the opposition's "parliamentary dictatorship".

The new Islamist authorities in Syria say they'll close the notoriously harsh prisons run by President Assad, as they attempt to bring stability. They also vowed to bring war criminals to justice, and asked other countries to hand suspects over.

(Pic: People watch a TV screen, broadcasting South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivering an address to the nation; Credit: Reuters)


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdpxrc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmj1dy)
S Korea's President vows to 'fight to the end'

Opposition members are set to hold another impeachment vote this weekend and have vowed to hold one every Saturday until Yoon is removed from office.

The leader of the main HTS group, Ahmad al-Sharaa previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, says they plan to close the notoriously harsh prisons run by the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, and dissolve his security forces.

(Pic: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers an address to the nation at the Presidential Office in Seoul; Credit: Reuters)


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdq1hh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct5xjb)
Does Germany need to reinvent itself?

When Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister, Christian Lindner last month, Germany’s ‘traffic light’ government collapsed, an uneasy coalition between parties with differing perspectives and strained relations, the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats.

At the heart of the political dispute lie deeply opposing views about spending plans, and how to fund much needed investment in infrastructure projects such as transport, education, green energy and digital technology, in order to boost Germany’s international competitiveness.

Falling demand both domestically and overseas for manufacturing goods, the pandemic, war in Ukraine and high energy costs have weakened Germany’s economy. So how can Germany reinvigorate its exports and economic growth? On this episode of The Inquiry, we’re asking: Does Germany need to reinvent itself?

Contributors
Michaela Kuefner, Chief Political Editor, DW Deutsche Welle.
Marcel Fratzscher, President, German Institute for Economic Research & Professor of Macroeconomics, Humboldt University.
Julian Hinz, Professor of International Economics, Bielefeld University & Director, Trade Policy Research Group, Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
Monika Schnitzer of Economics & Chairwoman of the German Council of Economic Experts.

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Production: Diane Richardson and Matt Toulson
Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey
Technical Producer: Matthew Dempsey
Editor: Tara McDermott

Image credit - Reuters via BBC Images


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50ddrw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5zcz)
Has graphene lived up to the hype?

It was hailed as a wonder material that would transform industry – and all our lives.

But 20 years on, companies are still racing to commercialise it.

We speak to the people working with graphene and find out what sort of products their developing.

Produced and presented by James Graham

(Image: Graphene slurry, containing graphene and polymer binders, sits in a beaker inside a laboratory at the National Graphene Institute facility, part of the The University of Manchester. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5yl3)
The handover of the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is a short cut between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean and plays a huge role in global shipping.

The United States had rights to the land surrounding it, known as the canal zone, and also controlled the waterway itself.

In 1977, responding to years of Panamanian protest, US President Jimmy Carter and Panama's General Omar Torrijos signed two new treaties, giving full control to Panama.

The handover ceremony took place in December 1999.

Alberto Aleman Zubieta was an administrator of the canal. Twenty-five years on, he tells Gill Kearsley the story of the handover.

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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Panama handover ceremony. Credit: Pedro Ugarte/AFP via Getty Images)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdq57m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhchcmy)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50djj0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct7hsy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdq8zr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct6pmm)
The Media Show: Reporting Syria and reaction to Luigi Mangione

After Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapsed, Syrian media enters a new chapter. Kholoud Helmi, co-founder of the independent paper Enab Baladi, reflects on her publication’s journey from clandestine reporting during Assad’s era to hopes for unfiltered journalism in today’s Syria. Sednaya prison, long shrouded in secrecy, has become a focal point for journalists and families of the missing. Freelance journalist Edmund Bower, reporting for The Times, recounts his access to the site.

The murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has sparked polarising reactions online, including the celebration by some of his alleged killer Luigi Mangione. Mia Sato from The Verge discusses the public’s focus on systemic healthcare failings, while influencer Michael McWhorter notes a striking lack of online detective interest in the case.

Ben Strick, director of investigations at the Centre for Information Resilience, shares the principles of open-source investigations in an advent calendar he has created to highlight his work. He explains how tools like reverse image searches and flight trackers have aided investigative journalism, offering examples from global conflicts to everyday reporting.

Presenters: Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall
Producer: Simon Richardson
Assistant producer: Lucy Wai


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50dn84)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 Happy News (w3ct5sqk)
The Happy Pod: Meet Italy's Tom Cruise and Blake Lively

We bring you the film awards ceremony with a difference. The actors at the Voci Nell'Ombra Festival in Genoa receive awards for their performance dubbing famous stars in Italian. Also, meet Max, the four-legged Mayor of a Californian town and why diplomacy can work better in a sauna.


Presenter: Valerie Sanderson.
Music composer: Iona Hampson

(Photo: Roberto Chevalier receives his award. Credit: Marco Dragonetti/Voci Nell'Ombra Festival)


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdqdqw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhchm46)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50ds08)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6dv1)
The AI models invading our feeds

Is artificial intelligence making social media more dangerous? With online personalities increasingly dictating the way many of us live our lives, we are firmly in the age of the influencer. And with the advent of AI influencers, longstanding concerns about unrealistic beauty standards or unattainable lifestyle goals, are being argued even more strenuously by critics of the industry. But are the feeds of these AI-generated models any less 'real' than the enhanced profiles we have been exposed to for years?

On today's episode, Lucy Hockings is joined by the BBC's cyber correspondent Joe Tidy. He reveals all on his recent trip to meet the creators of one of the world's most successful AI influencers, Aitana...

Producers: Laurie Kalus and Mariana Hernández Carrillo

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdqjh0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct5nyw)
A matter of life and death

When journalist Leo Hornak was just starting out as a rookie reporter, he came across a lead that he thought might make a good story: a leaflet for an organisation that supported assisted dying. He went on to record interviews with Margaret and Emma – not their real names. Margaret was an advocate for assisted dying and Emma was near the end of her life, but wanted to control the time and manner of her death. Leo rapidly realised he was out of his depth and he wasn’t even sure whether he could find a place to broadcast Emma and Margaret’s testimony. So the recordings he made with them sat on his laptop for more than a decade – until reporter Talia Augustidis gave him an idea, and Leo set about trying to lay his unfinished business to rest.
 
Presenter: Talia Augustidis
Producer: Talia Augustidis and Leo Hornak
Executive Producer: Laura Thomas

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

(Photo: Close-up of a dying daisy. Credit: Marie Hickman)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5yl3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdqn74)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhchvmg)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50f0hj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct5xnv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdqrz8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnynmg7)
Syrian activist's funeral held with outpouring of support

A funeral has been held in Damascus for the Syrian activist Mazen al-Hamada, whose tortured body was found in the notorious Sednaya prison after the fall of the Assad regime.

Also on the programme: we hear about the attempts to rid Syria of chemical weapons and narcotics for export; and a week after declaring martial law, the South Korean president says he is defending democracy.

(Photo: Mourners carry the coffin of prominent Syrian activist Mazen al-Hamada in Damascus, Syria, 12 December 2024. Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdqwqd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct5xjb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50f7zs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct603k)
New French PM to be announced

French President Emmanuel Macron was expected to name the new government chief amid the country’s political breakdown, with a view to tackle the country’s economic outlook.



Also, how will Australia’s new plans to introduce a social media company levy encourage tech companies to pay news outlets and publishers for content?



And Donald Trump opened trading at the New York Stock Exchange, as he was named Time’s Person of the Year 2024.


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdr0gj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5whcnjw)
Syrian detainees

Syria's new leaders have vowed to dissolve the Assad regime's security forces, close its prisons and hunt down anyone involved in the torture or killing of detainees. We speak to our correspondent in the capital Damascus. We also hear a conversation with Noor, who was detained for a year in Syria, and with Omar, a former inmate at Saydnaya prison.

A growing number of legislators from the South Korean president's own party say they'll support his impeachment, despite his attempts to hang on to power. We speak to our Asia/Pacific regional editor in the BBC newsroom.

Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to work together to resolve a dispute triggered by Ethiopian plans to build a port on the Gulf of Aden. Our Africa regional editor explains.

Presenter: Mark Lowen.

(Photo: People walk as the search for prisoners at Sednaya prison continues after rebels seized the capital and announced that they have ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Sednaya, Syria, December 11, 2024. Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdr46n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5whcs90)
Bowel cancer cases rising among young adults

New data shows that the number of under-50s being diagnosed with bowel cancer is increasing worldwide. The authors of the study, published in the journal Lancet Oncology, said consumption of junk food, high levels of physical inactivity and the obesity epidemic were likely to be among the factors. We speak to two people in England who have had bowel cancer.

A funeral has been held in Damascus for the Syrian activist Mazen al-Hamada, whose tortured body was found in the notorious Saydnaya prison after the fall of the Assad regime. We hear a conversation with Noor, who was detained for a year in Syria, and with Omar, a former inmate at Saydnaya prison.

We talk about the Iranian singer, Parastoo Ahmadi, who faces legal action over her performance online without hijab.

Presenter: Mark Lowen.

(Photo: Rates of bowel cancer are rising among younger adults, with no clear reason why. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdr7ys)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct5nyw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5yl3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdrcpx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcjl37)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50fqz9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5w6p)
2024/12/12 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 (w172zgfh0fdrhg1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct7hsy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50fvqf)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 Science In Action (w3ct5vdv)
Warming oceans kill millions of birds

Heatwaves in the pacific ocean have had a devastating effect on seabird populations in the north eastern US. Julia Parrish and colleagues publish this week 4 million deaths of Alaskan common murres attributable to rising water temperatures during 2014-16, representing half the population. One idea is that the fish on which the birds feed swim at deeper depths to find cooler temperatures, taking them below the depth the birds can dive. Worse, the reduced population numbers have endured almost ten years later.

Pre-eclampsia affects up to 5 percent of pregnancies across the world. It reduces blood flow through the placenta, endangering mother, and even hindering the development of the foetus. But a promising approach to a possible therapy is described by Kelsey Swingle and colleagues this week. Much like some covid vaccines, by using a sort of lipid nanoparticles to deliver mRNA directly to the placenta in pregnant mice has resulted in healthier outcomes by widening the placental capillaries, allowing blood to flow more normally.

Angie Rasmussen updates Roland on some of the work reported at a conference in Japan this week, pointing more directly to the covid-19 pandemic originating from wild animals at the Wuhan market.

And in two coordinated papers published in the journals Science and Nature this week, scientists have narrowed down the period of time in history that modern humans and neanderthals interbred, leading to nearly everyone outside of sub-Saharan Africa sharing up to 2% of European Neanderthal DNA today. The question remains as to whether it was a benefit or not to the resulting hybrid population. Co-author Manjusha Chintalapati and colleagues describe how not all the neanderthal crossovers went on to survive pre-history to count as our direct ancestors. But one period of time, around 47,000 years ago is stamped on (nearly) all of us.

Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth and Josie Hardy

(Image: Group of common murres on a breeding colony in Alaska. Credit: Sarah Schoen/USGS)


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdrm65)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnypgp4)
Syria: life after prison

After Assad has fallen, there are still many families searching for their loved ones in hospitals and morgues around the country. Tens of thousands of people were imprisoned under Assad's regime. Now that many have been freed, they must learn to survive after the trauma of torture and years of detainment. We speak to a specialist psychologist, working with the survivors of torture. Also on the programme: a breakthrough discovery finds that vaccines could be administered using a topical cream; and British military veterans who were sacked or imprisoned because of their sexuality can now claim compensation, we speak to a veteran who was outed by a British tabloid.

Image: Inside the Sednaya prison in Damascus, Syria Credit: Antonio Pedro Santos, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdrqy9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcjybm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50g36p)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct605t)
Can France’s new Prime Minister grip the economy?

France’s President Emmanuel Macron is fighting to form a new government and pass next year’s budget. But will it calm the country’s economic turmoil?

Meanwhile... a British hedge fund trader is jailed for defrauding Denmark out of over $1 billion. How did he pull off one of the biggest tax scams in history?

Eighteen years after the Peugeot plant in England closed its doors, we look at the lessons it holds for today’s carmakers battling economic pressures and the race to go electric.

And how country singer Noah Kahn and his family helped his local country store to secure its future.

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!


THU 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdrvpf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct5xjb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50g6yt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct5xnv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER 2024

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdrzfk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct6pmm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50gbpy)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Happy News (w3ct5sqk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Thursday]


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fds35p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfv70r3cbk)
Can France’s new Prime Minister grip the economy?

France’s President Emmanuel Macron is fighting to form a new government and pass next year’s budget. But will it calm the country’s economic turmoil?

Meanwhile... a British hedge fund trader is jailed for defrauding Denmark out of over $1 billion. How did he pull off one of the biggest tax scams in history?

Eighteen years after the Peugeot plant in England closed its doors, we look at the lessons it holds for today’s carmakers battling economic pressures and the race to go electric.

And how country singer Noah Kahn and his family helped his local country store to secure its future

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fds6xt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhckfb4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50gl66)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct5wn7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdsbny)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct5nyw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5yl3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdsgf2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhckntd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50gtpg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tg5)
Black Madonnas

Author and broadcaster Chine McDonald has never seen a black representation of the Virgin Mary. She travels to France searching for the origins of these images and their global significance for herself and for other black women.

Black Madonnas are statues or paintings of the Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, where both figures are depicted with dark skin. They can be found both in Catholic and Orthodox countries.

There are thought to be at least 450 of them in the world. The majority are in Europe, and there are more Vierges Noires documented in France than any other country in the world. Most of the icons are more than 1,000 years old and many of them are connected with stories of miracles.

Chine visits the Queen of Peace in the convent church of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Paris, accompanied by expert guide Dr Christena Cleveland. And she travels to Orleans to see the Black Madonna statue: Our Lady of Miracles in the Chapel Notre Dame des Miracles.

She also visits the Wellcome Collection in London to talk with curator Janice Li about their Black Madonna painting of Our Virgin of Guadalupe. And cultural historian, broadcaster and University of Oxford based author Prof Janina Ramirez explains current thinking about the origins and cultural significance of the Black Madonna.

Producer: Rosie Boulton
A Must Try Softer production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Presenter Chine McDonald visiting a Black Madonna statue in Orleans France. Credit: Rosie Boulton)


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdsl56)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmlpts)
Syria talks between US and Turkey

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Turkey. He's there to talk to President Erdogan about Syria's stability, transition and the clashes between Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed rebels.

We have an interview with the head of the western defence alliance NATO - who warns the organisation isn't ready for the threats it will face from Russia and calls for a shift to a wartime mindset.

We talk to the Somali Minister of Information about rising tensions between his country and Ethioipia.

And we hear from South African musician Thandiswa Mazwai.


(U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during their meeting at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Turkey. Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/REUTERS)


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdspxb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmltkx)
Syria's political transition

Less than a week since the downfall of Bashar al-Assad's rule in Syria, the new leaders have said they will suspend parliament and the constitution for three months, saying they are seeking a smooth transition of power

Meanwhile US secretary of State Antony Blinken has been in Turkey holding talks with President Erdogan on establishing stability in Syria, which include continuing clashes in northern Syria between forces backed by the 2 key players

The net is closing in on South Korea's president as members of parliament get ready for a second attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law last week.

(People chant in celebration while holding flags adopted by the Syrian new rulers after their fighters ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria, Credit: Amr Alfiky/REUTERS)


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdstng)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkcztmlyb1)
Nato must switch to wartime mindset

The head of NATO, Mark Rutte, tells the BBC that it's time to "shift to wartime mindset", and has warned military alliance members to spend more to prepare for future threats and conflicts. We'll discuss where these threats may come from with a former NATO ambassador.

JC: Mass demonstrations are being organised in Syria today to take place after noon prayers. The country is celebrating the end of the Assad regime. We'll head to Homs and find out what the mood is like there.

VU: And as well as extraordinary moments of jubilation, Syria is also living in uncertainty. We have a report from our International Editor who reports from a mortuary in the Damascus suburbs.

(Mark Rutte, Secretary General of Nato. Credit BBC)


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdsydl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5sw3)
Terumi Tanaka: Is nuclear war unthinkable?

Stephen Sackur is in Oslo for an exclusive interview with 92-year-old Terumi Tanaka who survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and is receiving the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Japanese survivors’ group Nihon Hidankyo. Eight decades on, is nuclear war unthinkable, or not?


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50h9nz)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5z2y)
Business Daily meets: Fintech founder Upasana Taku

Upasana Taku is the co-founder of an app that changed the way millions of Indians use digital technology to make payments. Mobikwik now has more than a 150 million registered users.

When Upasana set up the business in 2009 with her co-founder Bipin Preet Singh, India was still a cash-dependant society, but having worked for big tech companies in the US, Upasana knew there was a gap in the market.

Devina Gupta asks her about her decision to leave a high-powered job in the US to move back to India to start a fintech company, and how she convinced both investors and her family that it was a smart business move.

Presenter/producer: Devina Gupta

(Photo: Upasana Taku. Credit: Mobikwik)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5yfl)
The birth of reggaeton

Singer and DJ, Leonardo Renato Aulder, got together with friends, including El General, to pioneer a movement in the 1980s which they called “reggae in Spanish”.

It later became known as reggaeton.

Many people think this globally popular music – with its legendary stars like Bad Bunny, Ivy Queen and Daddy Yankee - started in Puerto Rico, but they’re wrong.

Renato, as he’s known, took dancehall music from Jamaica and adapted it to his Spanish speaking Panamanian audience to create a new style of music, which spread in clubs and on the buses.

He tells Jane Chambers how he did it.

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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Renato performing in Costa Rica. Credit: Leonardo Renato Aulder)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdt24q)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcl8k1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50hff3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 Science In Action (w3ct5vdv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdt5wv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct5q2w)
Totally bananas

This week, a banana sold at auction for $6.2 million dollars. Well, not quite… it’s actually a piece of conceptual art and it’s WAY more than just a banana. There’s also some duct tape.

In response to this most bananas of auctions, the Unexpected Elements team are going bananas for bananas!

We investigate the science of slipping on a banana-skin. Is it just ‘cartoon physics’ or are they actually a slip-hazard?

And did you know your breakfast banana might be… radioactive?

Also, can Romanian ethical hackers succeed where the police have failed? We look at the computer sleuths tackling real life missing persons cases.
We find the answer to why toads have evolved such dangerous skins, and yet more bananas, as we look at the pros and cons of the Ethiopian False Banana. Why hasn’t this hardy plant conquered the world?

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Christine Yohannes
Producers: Emily Knight, Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and William Hornbrook
Sound engineer: Searle Whittney


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdt9mz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhclj19)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50hnxc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6dx9)
Life and death activism in Iran

In 2022, mass protests erupted in Iran after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Those protests dissipated after a fierce crackdown. But individual acts of defiance and stories that tell the cost of activism have been making the headlines in recent weeks.

In this episode, Parham Ghobadi tells Azadeh Moshiri about the life of Kianoosh Sanjari, a young man who faced the brunt of government oppression, and took his own life in an apparent final act of defiance against the regime.

Producers: Richard Moran and Alix Pickles

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdtfd3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct699t)
Outlook Mixtape: DNA shock, video diaries, ruby slippers

Matt Katz is an award-winning investigative journalist based in the US, but when he started looking into his own family history, he faced his most challenging assignment yet. It all started when he took a DNA test to find out more about where his ancestors had hailed from. He knew they were Ashkenazi Jews who'd emigrated to America from Eastern Europe. But when his results came in, they begged a lot of awkward questions.

In 2014, nine-year-old Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad and her family were kidnapped from Sinjar in northern Iraq by Islamic State militants. Mediha was rescued from IS three years later and reunited with two of her younger brothers. Just a teenager, she became their main caregiver. She also found solace for her own healing in an unexpected place when a filmmaker, Hasan Oswald, gave her a video camera. The camera became her 'best friend', allowing her to tell her story with complete control. Her video diaries are the basis of a documentary film called Mediha.

And the latest twist in the tale of the most famous shoes in film history, a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. Once stolen and eventually recovered after a massive FBI operation, they have recently been sold for $28 million. This interview was first broadcast in 2023.

Presenter: India Rakusen
Producer: Julian Siddle

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

(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5yfl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdtk47)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhclrjk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50hxdm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tg5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdtnwc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnyrjcb)
Syrians mark the ouster of Bashar al-Assad

Syrians took to the streets in mass demonstrations on the first Friday without al-Assad. We hear from the centre of Damascus.
Also in the programme: The Arakan army deals a big blow to Myanmar’s army; and Chanel has a new creative director.



(Photo: Syrians in Latakia celebrate and wave the new Syrian flag. Credit: Reuters)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdtsmh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5sw3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50j4ww)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct5ztj)
François Bayrou named as France’s new Prime Minister

In a bid to end political instability, President Emmanuel Macron names centrist political ally as France’s prime minister. François Bayrou now has the task of producing a budget that addresses the country's economic challenges, whilst still achieving a majority approval in an increasingly fractious political backdrop. Also, the US offers a reward of up to $5million for information about an alleged remote working scheme funnelling funds to North Korea’s weapons programmes. And how could the fracking industry turn its expertise towards advancements in a renewable energy?


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdtxcm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5whgkfz)
Mass rallies mark end of Assad regime

Jubilant crowds have gathered in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and elsewhere to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule by the Assad family.

President Macron of France has nominated a centrist ally, Francois Bayrou, as prime minister. We get reaction from the French and speak to our correspondent in Paris.

Myanmar's military government has suffered another defeat, losing control of the entire border with Bangladesh for the first time since seizing power nearly four years ago. Our colleague from the BBC Burmese service explains.

LGBT veterans in the UK who were dismissed from the armed forces for being gay will be eligible to receive up to compensation. We speak to two LGBT veterans.

Rwanda's president Paul Kagame says his country is bidding to host a Formula 1 grand prix. We get reaction from Rwanda.

And, we discuss "reverse migration" and hear from three women who moved from the UK and the US back to Ghana with their families.

Presenter: Mark Lowen.

(Photo: People gather to celebrate after fighters of the ruling Syrian body ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Damascus old city, Syria, December 13, 2024. Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdv13r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjf5whgp63)
Celebrations and uncertainty in Syria

We hear from the people in Damascus where celebrations have continued after dark as Syrians across the country mark the end of half a century of authoritarian rule by the Assad family.

While Syria's new Islamist-led rebel rulers have said they will protect religious minorities, many have fled to Lebanon fearing reprisals. We speak to our chief international correspondent in Damascus.

A BBC investigation has found that the British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett is amplifying harmful health misinformation on his top podcast, "Diary of a CEO". We speak to our reporter who has been investigating.

The Game Awards, sometimes called "the Oscars of gaming", took place last night at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles in front of a host of industry icons and talent. Our gaming reporter gives us the highlights.

Presenter: Mark Lowen.

(Photo: People celebrate after fighters of the ruling Syrian body ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Damascus old city, Syria, December 13, 2024. Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdv4vw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct699t)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5yfl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdv8m0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcmh0b)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50jmwd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5w25)
2024/12/13 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 (w172zgfh0fdvdc4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5rcn)
Syrians after the fall of Assad

Syrians have finally got their voices back. After 50 years of living under the cruelty of their President, Bashar al-Assad, they can now speak freely without fear, although some are still cautious. We talk to Syrians across the country, including Ibraheem from Aleppo. He tells host Mark Lowen: “I couldn’t ever think of this moment… this is years and years of fear and hate that has ended.”

Mark also speaks to three women, relieved to see the end of Assad but uncertain about what the future holds for their country. “As Syrian people we all know that we are a little bit afraid of the future and what might happen because it’s totally unknown,” Remy, a dentist in Aleppo, tells us. “But at the same time, I believe that nothing could match the cruelty of the Assad regime.”

Meanwhile, some six million Syrians have been watching events from outside the country, as they live abroad as refugees. Most are in neighbouring countries, including Turkey, while almost one million live in Germany. We bring together Syrians in Germany, Italy and Turkey to discuss their reaction to the downfall of Assad and ask whether they plan to return to their homeland.

BBC producers: Angela Sheeran, Laura Cress and Isabella Bull
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham

An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team.

(Photo: Luna Alhafez in Homs Square. Credit: Luna Alhafez)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50jrmj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct5rj5)
Why does pain sometimes feel good?

It seems bizarre to seek out experiences that are uncomfortable or downright painful. Yet examples abound: it’s common to eat painfully hot chillies, drink bitter coffee, or ‘feel the burn' when exercising - and enjoy it.

CrowdScience listener Sandy is baffled by this seemingly counterintuitive phenomenon, and has asked us to investigate. Presenter Anand Jagatia turns guinea pig as he tests a variety of unpleasant sensations, and unpicks the reasons we’re sometimes attracted to them.

He meets chilli-eating champion Shahina Waseem, who puts Anand’s own attraction to spicy food to the test. Food scientist John Hayes explains how our taste receptors work and why our genes affect the appeal of bitter food. Neuroscientist Soo Ahn Lee describes her research looking at what happens in participants’ brains when they eat chocolate and capsaicin, the chemical that makes chillies hot.

As for the ‘pleasurable pain’ we sometimes experience when exercising, sports doctor Robin Chatterjee reveals the secrets of the ‘runner’s high’, while neuroscientist Siri Leknes explains why the feeling that something’s good for us can make discomfort pleasurable.

Presenter: Anand Jagatia
Producer: Jo Glanville
Editor: Cathy Edwards
Production co-ordinator: Ishmael Soriano
Sound engineer: Sue Maillot

(Image: Young man have bath in ice covered lake in nature and looking up, Czech Republic Credit: CharlieChesvick via Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdvj38)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zb98gnyscl7)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdvmvd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqnxhcmv7q)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50k03s)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct5zws)
First broadcast 13/12/2024 22:32 GMT

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


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfh0fdvrlj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5sw3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9g50k3vx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tg5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]