SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER 2024

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqn0yh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct5q2x)
The science of Santa

As news breaks that archaeologists have found the tomb of St Nick in Turkey, we check in on the North Pole Father Christmas, and fact-check his present giving schedule with advanced level physics and a Gant chart.

Plus, prepare for stories of reindeers high... despite their apparent immunity to their favourite hallucinogenic mushroom treats. And we burrow into Santa’s iconic beard to find any microbial magic that lives there.

And yet more reindeer magic, this time the mysteries of their amazing body clocks, which they seem to be able to switch on and off at will... AND we reveal Rudolf the red nose reindeer’s big secret. You’ll never hear that song in the same way again

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Phillys Mwatee and Camilla Mota
Producers: Emily Knight, Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and William Hornbrook
Sound engineer: Searle Whittney


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqn4pm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfvl91zdvh)
US in last ditch shut down vote

US in last ditch shut down vote, unless congress can agree on a spending plan
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, could be facing a confidence vote after he reshuffled a third of his cabinet today.
And Delhi's pollution levels have once again soared to dangerous levels. But what impact does this smog have on business and workers in the city?


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqn8fr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rpfgv2)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbbmq4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct5whr)
Bowling legends R Ashwin and Tim Southee retire from international cricket

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss two international retirements after both Tim Southee and Ravichandran Ashwin hung up their bowling boots and ask how will they be remembered?

Plus, after Ben Stokes suffers a reoccurrence of his hamstring injury, we look at the life of an international physio and how their workload is increasing. The Stumped team are joined on the show by Gloucestershire physiotherapist Kirk Russell, he was with the England team from 1998 until 2011 and also worked with Delhi in the IPL.

Photo: India's Ravichandran Ashwin (C) celebrates after taking five-wicket haul during the third day of the fifth and last Test cricket match between India and England at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on March 9, 2024. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqnd5w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 Outlook (w3ct699v)
Outlook Mixtape: Snowy dreams and wrestling scenes

Cosmo Lombino is a fashion icon, having dressed Nicole Kidman, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Lana Del Rey. Her chaotic childhood in the 80s was loving, with a deep vein of religion, but cocaine use was common in Cosmo's family. Still her talents and work ethic were undeniable and despite her own drug use, Cosmo opened her shop on Melrose Avenue in LA and started dressing the rich and famous. But when addiction caught up with her, she lost her business and had to fight to get her life and empire back.

Champion wrestler Anthony Robles was always a sporty kid. He was born with one leg but refused a prosthetic as it slowed him down. When he discovered wrestling at high school in America, he saw the chance to compete with the very best. His mother Judy was at every single match and together they tell the story of his extraordinary rise through one of the toughest sports.

As a 16-year-old boy in Togo, Tété-Michel Kpomassie knew he had to escape. It was the late 1950s, and his father had ordered him to train as a priest in a snake cult. But Tété-Michel was terrified of snakes after a close encounter up a coconut tree that had nearly cost him his life. One day, he came across a book about Greenland. He read that there were no reptiles, only ice, and he was intrigued by the Inuit people. So he set out on an eight-year odyssey to reach this mysterious country. (This episode was first broadcast in February 2022)

In 1978, Birgit Hamer was a 21-year-old model visiting Sardinia with her family. On a beautiful summer’s day, she, and her younger brother Dirk were invited on a boat trip with a group of Italian friends. They were headed for the nearby glamorous French island of Cavallo, but what started as a joyful adventure ended in horror. In the middle of the night Birgit awoke to gunshots, she discovered her beloved brother was fatally wounded. The main suspect was Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, the son of the last King of Italy who had been holidaying on Cavallo. He always denied the charges. When Dirk then died from his injuries, Birgit made a promise that would change the course of her life.

Presenter: India Rakusen
Producer: Laura Thomas

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

(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5yfm)
Australian republic referendum

On 6 November 1999, voters in Australia were asked if they wanted to break ties with the British monarchy and become a republic.

The No campaign won with 55% of the vote.

Rachel Naylor speaks to former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was chair of the Australian Republican Movement and leader of the Yes campaign, and Prof David Flint, the national convenor of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy.

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: Monarchists celebrate the referendum result in Sydney. Credit: Torsten Blackwood/AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqnhy0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct5q2x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 today]


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqnmp4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rpfv2g)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbbzyj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7hmh)
The Christmas truce

The deafening roar of shells exploding, a cacophony of bullets whizzing past, the air thick with smoke. This is Belgium, 1914 and life in the trenches for British and German soldiers is the definition of misery. But for one beautiful, spontaneous moment, peace and football replaces the fighting with a Christmas Truce. This is the story of what happened that day in no man's land on the Western Front during World War One.


SAT 05:50 More or Less (w3ct5tr7)
Did Mussolini make the trains run on time?

“Say what you like about Mussolini but he did make the trains run on time.” This phrase is the political equivalent of “every cloud has a silver lining” – but does it have any factual basis?

Mussolini’s dictatorship in Italy was full of atrocities, brutal suppression and propaganda. Did it also create a more efficient railway network?

We speak to Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat about the truth of the claim and why the Mussolini regime wanted us to believe it.


Presenter: Lizzy McNeill
Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Researcher: Esme Winterbotham
Series Producer: Tom Colls
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Master: James Beard
Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison.

Image: Benito Mussolini in his train studying maps. (Photo by ullstein picture/ullstein picture via Getty Images)


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqnrf8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172zcxc6pbn0b3)
US Senate votes to avoid Government shutdown

The United States Congress has passed a bill to fund the government for three months and avoid a shutdown. The Senate comprehensively backed the legislation after two days of political brinksmanship in the House of Representatives, where there were two failed votes.

Also in the programme: American diplomats have been in Syria for the first time since Islamist forces took control of the capital Damascus; and the Canadian Prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has carried out a major reshuffle changing a third of his cabinet.

Joining Gary O'Donoghue to discuss this and more are Dimitar Bechev, lecturer at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, and Olga Oliker, programme director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group.

(File photo: The U.S Capitol building taken on December 19, 2024. Credit: REUTERS/Anna Rose Layden)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqnw5d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172zcxc6pbn427)
Police make arrest in German market attack

Police in Germany have arrested a Saudi national after a car was driven at high speed into shoppers at a crowded Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg on Saturday night. Two people were killed when the vehicle hurtled between market stalls. Dozens were injured, some critically.

Also in the programme: the US House of Representatives has passed a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown with only a few hours to spare; we hear about the search for a Van Gogh painting which hasn't been displayed in public for more than 30 years.

Joining Gary O'Donoghue to discuss this and more are Dimitar Bechev, lecturer at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, and Olga Oliker, programme director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group.

(Picture: Emergency personnel stand next to a damaged car that was allegedly used to drive into a group of people in Magdeburg, Germany. Credit: Axel Schmidt/REUTERS)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqnzxj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172zcxc6pbn7tc)
Saudi national arrested in German market attack

The German city of Magdeburg will hold a memorial service on Saturday for the two people - including a toddler - who were killed when a car was driven at high speed through a crowded Christmas market. The mayor, Simone Borris, said the event would be held at the city's cathedral. Dozens of people were injured, many of them seriously, in what police believe was a deliberate attack. A suspect has been arrested. Police have identified him as a Saudi national who'd been working as a doctor in Germany since 2006.

Also in the programme: The impact of the Gisele Pelicot trial in France; and searching for missing loved ones in Syria, as mass graves indicate tens of thousands may have died in prison.

Joining Gary O'Donoghue to discuss this and more are Dimitar Bechev, lecturer at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, and Olga Oliker, programme director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group.

(Photo: At least two dead and scores injured following vehicle-ramming attack on Christmas market, Magdeburg, Germany - 20 December 2024. Credit: Filip Singer / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqp3nn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5rcp)
Syrian prisoners and their families

It’s been two weeks since the fall of the Assad regime and the horror of the brutal and corrupt system he oversaw has been laid bare. Since the start of the civil war in 2011, it’s estimated that 100,000 people – men, women and children – disappeared without trace into Assad’s prison system.

One of our guests this week, Omar, was 15 years old when he was taken from his home to be starved and tortured in the notorious Saydnaya prison near Damascus. He tells Mark Lowen that he can never forgive his captors.

“I remember my friends who were with me, they died,” he says. “What kind of closure could I have after 14 years? I want to stay angry, and I want to remember every small detail of torture because I want to stay angry at them.”

After rebel forces released prisoners, families across the country have been able to celebrate the return of loved ones. Meanwhile, others try to discover if their loved ones are still alive. Maan in Damascus, whose older brother Muneer was arrested in 2014, and Hiba whose father was arrested in Aleppo in 2011, share their experiences with host Luke Jones.

A warning this episode contains distressing details.

Presenters: Luke Jones and Mark Lowen

BBC producers: Angela Sheeran, Laura Cress and Ben Davis. Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham.

An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team.

(Photo: Noor in the UK Credit: Noor)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbcgy1)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5v1l)
Which country has the best schools in the world?

More than 400,000 of you watch our education episode of The Global Story on YouTube. Plus, the Indian firm turning cigarette butts into fluffy toys, questions are raided over health advice in the Diary of a CEO - and Sharon Stone's near-death experience.


SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3ct5ttt)
Ask the controller

It is our annual Ask the Controller special as we have the boss of BBC World Service English Jon Zilkha in the studio to answer your questions.
How much are budgetary cuts affecting programme quality? What do you like and what concerns do you have about the BBC World Service? And what would you like to hear more of in 2025?

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


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqp7ds)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Sportshour (w3ct5qbr)
Running to freedom and rehabilitation

We come full circle on a story we first covered in 2016 when we visited the exercise yard at San Quentin State prison in California. It houses the highest number of death row inmates in America but also has a sport sporty program designed to rehabilitate those who hope one day to be released. Rahsaan Thomas was one of those to benefit from the scheme. Released in 2023 we catch up with him to see how he is getting on after 23 years behind bars and how he has already continued his sporting life by completing the New York marathon

Team GB Hockey player Tess Howard tells us how after scoring the winning goal at the last Commonwealth Games, and that after it and with her “face and body plastered all over the papers” she "felt ashamed of herself". Knowing that she shouldn't be feeling like that, she set about making a significant change to the kit female athletes are allowed to wear in competition in her sport and women’s sport in general

Those players involved in the tournament will have practiced for many years to refine their technique. But at any time, they could be struck down by “Dartitus”. Think of the ‘yips’ in golf but for darts. It’s a condition that means the player is unable to release the dart at the end of their throwing action, and it can happen to anyone. We speak to one Players Championship Winner and World Championship finalist, a former Women's World number one and a coach conducting a 1000-hour experiment to try and crack what causes and how to resolve “Dartitus”

Photo: The yard at San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, California is occupied by inmates getting their daily exercise in the oldest prison in the state, opened in 1852 (Credit: Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqpc4x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rpgkk7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbcqf9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 The Documentary (w3ct7hyq)
The Watermelons: Myanmar's military moles

***This program contains distressing content. The voices of all active Watermelons have been changed for security reasons***

The Myanmar military is now riddled with soldiers betraying their colleagues. Military green on the outside, rebel red within. They are known as the Watermelons.

BBC Eye goes inside the Watermelons unit to reveal how these spies are helping the armed pro-democracy resistance achieve the unthinkable.

Nearly four years since seizing power in a coup the Myanmar military now only has full control of less than a quarter of the country.

Producer/presenter: Rebecca Henschke
Producer: Jack Aung, Ko Ko Aung, Charlotte Attwood and Kelvin Brown
Sound engineer: David Crackles

(Image: Composite image of a soldier, tanks and protesters. Credit: BBC Eye)


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqpgx1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 The Global Story (w3ct7l62)
BBC Correspondents' Look Ahead to 2025

Azadeh Moshiri talks to some of the BBC’s finest correspondents about what 2025 might have in store.

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.

Producer: Ben Carter

Sound engineer: Ben Andrews

Assistant editors: Sergi Forcada Freixas and Richard Fenton-Smith


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqpln5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172zb98ty8mg44)
German Christmas market attack: Five dead and 200 injured

The suspect is a doctor from Saudi Arabia, living in Germany since 2006. We hear from a local member of the state parliament and a counter-extremism expert in Berlin. Also on the programme: Both houses of the US Congress have voted in favour of a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown; and the wonders of swimming mice, dwarf squirrels, and blob-headed fish.

(Picture: Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany party visits the site of the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg, Germany. Credit: Reuters/Christian Mang)


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqpqd9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172zbn6ykwf0hr)
Live Sporting Action

Lee James presents live commentary of West Ham United against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League. Everton goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and the former Nottingham Forest and Brentford manager Mark Warburton will be with us to preview the game at the London Stadium as well as the other games in the Premier League, including Crystal Palace against Arsenal.

Away from football, Sportsworld will be in Riyadh for build-up to the heavyweight boxing world title rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. We’ll also talk American Football as qualification for the NFL play-offs reaches crunch time and talk about the state of the play in NBA ahead of the Christmas fixtures.

Photo: Alphonse Areola of West Ham United makes a save during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion at London Stadium on January 02, 2024 in London, England. (Credit: West Ham United FC/Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqq6ct)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rphds4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbdkn6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7hmh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct5wfh)
Germany’s first black national footballer

In March 1975, West Germany – the newly crowned world champions – came to London’s Wembley Stadium for a friendly against England.

Among the German squad was a 28-year-old striker who’d already attracted a lot of attention from the British media: not because he’d been hailed as the new Gerd Müller, Germany’s legendary goal scorer, but because of the colour of his skin.

Erwin Kostedde was the son of a white German mother and a black US soldier, and he had been on the receiving end of racism for most of his life – even during what he considered to be the best years of his career, at Kickers Offenbach.

He talks to Kristine Pommert about how racist taunts from supporters and even fellow players affected his game – and how he feels about being a trailblazer for young black players today.

A CTVC production for the BBC World Service.

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.


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqqb3y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct7hq1)
Can we change violent minds?

In her final 2024 BBC Reith lecture, forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead, assesses how we deal with violent offenders and asks is it time for a rethink?

Dr Adshead assesses the effectiveness and impact of therapeutic interventions with offenders in prisons. And she asks if the public needs to change their minds about violent perpetrators.

The programme is recorded in front of an audience in Bergen, Norway, a country which has a long tradition of rehabilitating violent offenders.

(Photo: Dr Gwen Adshead. Credit: Andy Vox)


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqqfw2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct5qkj)
Tyler Perry, and Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao

Nikki has 2 big interviews with 2 of the biggest names of international cinema.

She speaks with American director/writer/actor/playwright/studio boss and modern day renaissance man, Tyler Perry. His latest film The Six Triple Eight, tells the amazing true story of the only division of the US Army made up entirely of women of colour who served in Europe during the Second World War. Perry’s continual sustained success over decades at the top has made him one of the richest people in the entertainment industry but he’s still keen to invest in new talent in front of camera and facilities and crew behind it

And with Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao, Indian film star and director. They talk to Nikki about Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies) their light satirical film about two newly-wed young women who manage to accidentally become separated from their husbands and who have to work out how to get back to them. It is comic but also has important messages about feminism, corruption, independence and – above all – love. It was selected as India’s entry to the Oscars.

(Photo: Tyler Perry at the premiere of "The Six Triple Eight" on 3 December 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Maya Dehlin Spach / WireImage / Getty)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqqkm6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172zb98ty8nf35)
Memorial service for the Germany attack victims

As relatives and officials gather for a memorial service for the victims of the deadly attack on a Christmas market in eastern Germany, we ask what’s known about the Saudi man who has been arrested and what might have motivated him.

Also on the programme: why the US is sanctioning Pakistan's long range missiles; and the ultra-orthodox Jewish sect in Guatemala that has just been raided by the authorities for mistreating women and children.

(Photo: Memorial service after attack at Magdeburg's Christmas market, Germany Credit: FILIP SINGER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqqpcb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rphwrn)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbf1mq)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 This Is Africa (w3ct5y60)
Magic System: The Premier Gaou story

It’s 25 years since Ivorian band Magic System recorded their monster hit Premier Gaou. The song dominated French charts for weeks, and it has remained a favourite in clubs and parties across Africa and beyond ever since. It has frequently been sampled and remixed. Francis Mercier’s 2023 version has been streamed more than 50 million times on Spotify.

Premier Gaou has transformed the lives of the band members of Magic System, but this single song has also had a much wider impact, thanks to the band’s commitment to investing in their community.

This programme tells the story of Premier Gaou, and includes the voices of musicians who love it, recorded at the music festival Magic System have established in Abidjan. We also meet A’Salfo, the lead singer of Magic System, accompanying him to one of the several schools he has built, and hear about his passion for education. One of the first things he did with the proceeds of his music was to put himself through university.

This edition is presented by Ata Ahli Ahebla, and was produced by Ata Ahli Ahebla and Catherine Fellows


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqqt3g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 The Documentary (w3ct7hy6)
Srebrenica’s forgotten refugees

Thirty years after the war in Bosnia, survivors and their descendants find themselves permanently displaced in their own country. BBC reporter Lauren Tavriger visits the Tuzla region where families fleeing atrocities, including the Srebrenica massacre, have been living for decades in makeshift settlements originally designed as temporary. She talks to families about their experience, discovering why traumatised people are still living in a state of internal exile and reports on controversial efforts by the Bosnian authorities to clear camps and rehouse their inhabitants.


SAT 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbf5cv)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:32 Assignment (w3ct5mtt)
Argentina - Milei's Chainsaw

It has been a year since chainsaw-wielding Javier Milei won the Presidency in Argentina. During his campaign, his chainsaw became a symbol of how quickly and drastically he wanted to cut the Argentine state. And he has slashed government budgets and sliced subsidies on power, food and transport. He stopped printing money to try and halt inflation which was running at 211.4% annually when he was sworn in.

How have his actions changed life for ordinary Argentines? Buenos Aires based reporter, Charlotte Pritchard, talks to Argentines about how they're feeling now. From the gauchos at the annual event to show off their herds of horses, to those taking advantage of a scheme to 'whiten' black-market money they have hidden under their mattress - is there hope or despair?

Produced and presented by Charlotte Pritchard
Studio Manager: Donald McDonald
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Argentine gauchos riding their horses and kicking up dust, at the Day of Tradition festival in San Antonio de Areco, Argentina. Credit: Macarena Gagliardi/BBC)

SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER 2024

SUN 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqqxvl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5rcp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:06 on Saturday]


SUN 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbf93z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 00:32 Amazing Sport Stories (w3ct7hmh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 on Saturday]


SUN 00:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct5wfh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqr1lq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:06 The Inquiry (w3ct5xjc)
Can Nato protect the Baltic Sea?

Accusations of sabotage have been made after a Chinese merchant ship cut through two important undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. Eight of the nine states in the Baltic are members of Nato but Russia has access to the sea from St Petersburg and for its Kaliningrad exclave.

With previous incidents of damage to underwater pipelines and cables, there is concern that the security of critical underwater infrastructure is at risk from ‘grey zone’ activities - damaging but deniable incidents below the level of outright war.

David Baker hears how countries’ security is threatened by incidents like these. The pipelines that were cut ran between Finland and Germany and Sweden and Lithuania. He asks who can intervene to protect these assets in the Baltic. Can Nato respond?

Our experts this week are: Elizabeth Braw, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Scowcroft Centre for Strategy and Security, and the author of an upcoming book called The Undersea War; Helga Kalm, director of the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn, Estonia; Marion Messmer, senior research fellow in the International Security Programme at Chatham House; Tormod Heier, professor at the National Defence University College in Oslo, Norway and a former officer in the Norwegian Intelligence Service.

Presenter: David Baker
Producer: Philip Reevell
Researcher: Katie Morgan
Editor: Tara McDermott
Sound engineer: Craig Boardman

Image Credit - Rex/Shutterstock via BBC Images


SUN 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbfdw3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 01:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct69jm)
K-drama craze

K-dramas are taking the world by storm. What's the secret of their success? BBC journalists Faith Oshoko, Julie Yoonnyung Lee and Samantha Haque discuss all things K-drama and offer their recommendations for series to get stuck into during the holiday period. Plus, a day in the life of a woman bee-keeper in Nigeria with Tunde Ososanya from BBC Pidgin.

Produced by Hannah Dean and Alice Gioia.

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


SUN 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqr5bv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rpjcr5)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbfjm7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 02:32 Health Check (w3ct5t9p)
2024 in global health: a review

Claudia Hammond is joined by journalist Andrew Green to check-in on their 2024 health predictions and review just how accurate they were. Together, they explore the stories that we didn’t see coming and the game-changing medical innovations that shaped global health this year. Plus, the unusual Ig Nobel medicine prize, and a healthy dose of competition in the form of the ultimate health fact-off.


SUN 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqr92z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 03:06 The Global Story (w3ct7l62)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


SUN 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqrdv3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct5sjt)
Searching for Syria's missing

Pascale Harter introduces dispatches on Syria, Myanmar, the Russian Orthodox Church and a global Morse code contest held in Tunisia.

The number of Syrians estimated to have been imprisoned, tortured and killed during the Assad dictatorship is staggering - well into the tens of thousands. Following the fall of the regime, families have flocked to the sites of prisons, hospitals and alleged mass graves to look for any trace of their missing relatives. Yogita Limaye heard grief, anger and continued anguish in the voices of those she met at a hospital morgue in Damascus.

They're nicknamed 'watermelons': the green of a military uniform on the outside, but rebel red within. Myanmar's pro-democracy rebel groups have a network of moles like these inside the country's armed forces, passing information on troop movements to their enemies. Rebecca Henschke talked to the wife of one such double agent - and to a former major in Myanmar's army who now works against the regime he used to serve.

Russia's Orthodox Church has its internal dissidents, too - a number of priests who've balked at the increasingly bellicose rhetoric they're expected to preach in support of Moscow's war on Ukraine. Some have been suspended or expelled from the Church - and others have left Russia altogether. Lucy Ash met one who now serves a different Patriarchate in the Netherlands.

Morse code is not just a binary language of dots and dashes. For those who love and practise it, it's a world unto itself - and the language which binds an international friendship group together. Monica Whitlock describes the scene at the world high-speed telegraphy competition recently held in Tunis - where everyone brings their own Morse key, the code flies thick and fast, and contestants build relationships beyond global borders.

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

Image: Syrians attempt to identify their relatives' bodies after fall of Assad regime. Credit: Hasan Belal/Anadolu via Getty Images


SUN 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbfs3h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 04:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct6r7s)
The language of war: Russia

Decoding the Kremlin’s warspeak to understand the power of propaganda as a weapon of war. “Let’s cut dill”, “a pop of cotton”, “meat assault”: expressions the average foreigner might struggle to understand. We analyse Moscow’s military jargon; in part two of this mini-series, we’ll explore Kyiv’s answer to it.

Producer: Kriszta Satori, Vitaly Shevchenko
Presenter: Krassi Twigg


SUN 04:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct5wfh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:50 on Saturday]


SUN 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqrjl7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rpjqzk)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbfwvm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 05:32 The Documentary (w3ct7hy6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:06 on Saturday]


SUN 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqrnbc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 06:06 Weekend (w172zcxc6pbqx76)
Palestinian official says Gaza ceasefire talks '90% complete'

A senior Palestinian official has told the BBC the talks to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas are 90% complete. However, key sticking points still remain including on the continued Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi corridor, a strategically important strip of land in southern Gaza along the border with Egypt.

Also in the programme: US President-elect Donald Trump says will sue a newspaper over a rogue poll published days before November's election; and we hear from a woman who has travelled to every UN-registered nation on earth.

Joining Gary O'Donoghue to discuss this and more are Gaia Vince, British environmental journalist and author, and Fola Aina, an international security and development policy expert affiliated to SOAS at the University of London.

(Picture: Palestinians inspect the site of an airstrike on a house in Gaza City. Credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/REUTERS)


SUN 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqrs2h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 07:06 Weekend (w172zcxc6pbr0zb)
German Christmas market attack suspect remanded

A Saudi man suspected of carrying out a deadly attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg has been remanded in custody. Taleb al-Abdulmohsen is facing multiple charges of murder and attempted murder.

Also on the programme: we speak to a mother who has been on hunger strike for more than 80 days to protest against her son's detention in an Egyptian prison; and why some squirrels are becoming carnivorous.

Joining Gary O'Donoghue to discuss this and more are Gaia Vince, British environmental journalist and author, and Fola Aina, an international security and development policy expert affiliated to SOAS at the University of London.

(Picture: People gather at the official mourning site in front of St. John's Church to pay their respects following a vehicle-ramming attack on the Christmas market. Credit: FILIP SINGER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


SUN 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqrwtm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 08:06 Weekend (w172zcxc6pbr4qg)
Gaza ceasefire talks 90% complete

There's been progress in peace talks between Gaza and Israel according to both Israeli and Hamas sources. Discussions in Qatar's capital, Doha, are 90 per cent complete according to a senior Palestinian official, and a deal could be arranged within days.

Also in the programme: Letters between Countess Mountbatten and the first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, are at the heart of a very current political row in India; and what did our medieval forebears eat at this time of the year?

Joining Gary O'Donoghue to discuss this and more are Gaia Vince, British environmental journalist and author, and Fola Aina, an international security and development policy expert affiliated to SOAS at the University of London.

(Photo: Palestinians look on, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, 22 December 2024. Credit: Reuters/Ramadan Abed)


SUN 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqs0kr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct5sjt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 today]


SUN 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbgcv4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 09:32 The Food Chain (w3ct5xnw)
Has Christmas food gone mad?

Prosecco flavoured crisps? Eggnog chicken? Sticky toffee pudding trifle?

The innovation for novelty Christmas products seems endless, but is there the appetite?

Ruth Alexander lifts the lid on an industry churning out festive food hits, and flops, in the race for Christmas tastebuds.

She visits the Good Housekeeping Institute in London to take part in an opulent dessert testing event, deciding which puddings are the best on the shelves this year.

Eric Nummelin and Mike Vahabi from Hela Spice in Toronto, Canada, reveal the wacky inventions they have come up with for this year, and how inspiration can strike at any time.

A former buyer for a large European supermarket chain talks about how to “win” Christmas with headline-grabbing products, and what happens when shoppers try things once and don’t go back for more.

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

Presenter: Ruth Alexander

Producer: Hannah Bewley

(Image: Colourful Christmas treats and biscuits. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)


SUN 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqs49w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx2)
The cows fighting wildfires

This summer, deadly wildfires raged in countries like Spain, Canada, and Greece. And as the earth warms up, they’re becoming increasingly common and harder to deal with. Today, we will hear about a special herd of cows which are helping to keep some of the flames under control. And we find out how cutting edge space technology could be used to quickly detect forest fires when they break out.

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
Reporter/producer: Craig Langran
Sound mix: Annie Gardiner
Editor: Jon Bithrey


SUN 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbghl8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 10:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct69jm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 01:32 today]


SUN 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqs820)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rpkggb)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbgmbd)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 11:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct6r7s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


SUN 11:50 More or Less (w3ct5tr7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


SUN 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqsct4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 12:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct7hq1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:06 on Saturday]


SUN 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqshk8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 13:06 Newshour (w172zb98ty8qc17)
Could German market attack have been prevented?

The German ambassador to the UK talks to Newshour about the "anger, sorrow, grief" that his country is experiencing following the attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg that killed at least five people and seriously injured dozens - so what warnings did the authorities receive?

Also today: health and civil defence officials in Gaza say a wave of Israeli attacks across the Strip has killed at least twenty-eight people; and the Ugandan-born athlete Deo Kato has arrived in London, having run from Cape Town.

(Photo: People mourn in front of Magdeburg Cathedral following a vehicle-ramming attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, 22 December 2024. Credit: FILIP SINGER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock )


SUN 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqsm9d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:06 The Climate Question (w3ct5wss)
Quiz of the Year 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, join Graihagh Jackson as she hosts The Climate Question’s inaugural Quiz of the Year. Two teams battle it out – with questions, games, and challenges looking back at the past year in climate change. Can you beat them?

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

Presenter: Graihagh Jackson
Competitors: Jordan Dunbar, Dr Rose Mutiso, Jacqui Wakefield, and Dr Akshat Rathi
Producer: Ellie House
Sound Mix: James Beard
Editor: Simon Watts


SUN 14:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbgzks)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 14:32 Happy News (w3ct5sqm)
Happy Pod: The homeless pianist raising money for others

We hear from a man who was filmed playing the piano while homeless and went viral. Now Rhys Wynne Jones is raising money for others and says it has saved his life. Also, a husband shows his love by lighting up the whole street for Christmas and how a cat saved its owner who was lost in snowy mountains for eight days.

(Photo: Rhys Wynne Jones playing the piano in a church)


SUN 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqsr1j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 15:06 Sportsworld (w172zbn6ykwj14z)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld will have full commentary of Liverpool’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur, as well as updates from Chelsea’s match at Everton and the day’s three other games. Former Cameroon defender Sébastien Bassong joins the show to review of all the weekend’s action.

Italy’s Serie A is the focus on this week’s EuroStars, and the team will also look back at the top-two clash in Spain’s La Liga between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. There will also be reaction and analysis from the heavyweight title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, plus we’ll be live at the PDC World Darts Championship in London.

Photo: Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah reacts after failing to score during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on May 5, 2024. (Credit: AFP)


SUN 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqt711)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rplffc)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbhl9f)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 19:32 The Documentary (w3ct7hz2)
Footprints: How did human feet get washed up on the west coast of Canada and the US?

In August 2007, on an island off Canada’s west coast, the remains of a human foot were found washed up on a beach.

Six days later, on another beach 50 miles away, a second foot was found. But, strangely, it does not match the first - they are from different people.

The BBC’s Celia Hatton travels to Vancouver to hear how more than 20 feet have been found in the area since then, and to speak to the investigators and scientists who worked to unravel the mystery of why they started appearing.

(Photo: A discarded trainer shoe washed up on the rocks by the shore. Credit: Dan Welsh)


SUN 20:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqtbs5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 20:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct5q2x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:06 on Saturday]


SUN 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqtgj9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 21:06 Newshour (w172zb98ty8rb08)
Syrian rebel leader says state to control all weapons

Syria's new ruler says he wants all weapons and armed factions to come under state control - and that includes the Syrian Kurds.

Also on the programme: Israel's latest targets in Gaza include an abandoned school housing homeless families and a barely functioning hospital; we hear from a woman who had an online exchange with the Saudi man accused of murder after five people were killed in a car attack at a Christmas market in Germany.

And the Ugandan athlete who's just run from Cape Town to London.


Photo: Syria's rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, Credit: Turkish Foreign Ministry Press Office Handout EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstoc


SUN 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqtl8f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqp8rplsnr)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SUN 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbhyjt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 22:32 The Fifth Floor (w3ct69jm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 01:32 today]


SUN 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfhcpqtq0k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:06 The Climate Question (w3ct5wss)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 today]


SUN 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zgg9tfbj28y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SUN 23:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5v1l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


SUN 23:50 Over to You (w3ct5ttt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:50 on Saturday]

MONDAY 23 DECEMBER 2024

MON 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0yp0v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 00:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct5sjt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmn197)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 00:32 The Global Jigsaw (w3ct6r7s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 on Sunday]


MON 00:50 More or Less (w3ct5tr7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:50 on Saturday]


MON 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0ysrz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 01:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zr059)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmn51c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 01:32 Discovery (w3ct5rnq)
Inside Health: How can we age well?

From the Hay Festival, James and a panel of experts explain what we can all do to help ourselves age well.

We discover what’s going on in our bodies when we age, the difference between biological and chronological age, as well as getting the audience moving for a physical test.

James is joined by gerontologist Sarah Harper from the University of Oxford, biomedical scientist Georgina Ellison-Hughes from King’s College London, and doctor Norman Lazarus to understand how exercise, diet, and mental health all have a part to play in how we age.


MON 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0yxj3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zr3xf)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmn8sh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 02:32 CrowdScience (w3ct5rj6)
Will the Earth ever lose its Moon?

The Moon has always sparked human curiosity. It governs the tides and biological rhythms. It’s inspired myths and stories. It’s inspired us to reach out and explore it. And it's certainly inspired CrowdScience listeners, who have sent us a host of questions about it. And in a special lunar-themed episode we’ve brought together a panel of astronomers and planetary scientists to help answer them.

What would life be like if there was no Moon? Would there even be life? Or what if we had two moons? Are the Moon and Earth equally battered by meteors? What would happen if an asteroid collided with the Moon? And could the Moon ever escape Earth’s gravity?

Anand Jagatia is joined by Prof Sara Russell, Head of the Planetary Materials Group at the Natural History Museum in London; Prof Neil Comins from the University of Maine, author of the book What if the Moon didn’t Exist?; and Prof Katarina Miljkovic from Curtin University in Perth, Australia.

Presenter: Anand Jagatia
Producer: Jeremy Grange
Editor: Cathy Edwards
Production Co-ordinator: Ishmael Soriano
Studio Manager: Andrew Garratt

(Photo: Landscape with the rising of the full moon during the golden hour Credit: Jose A. Bernat Bacete via Getty Images)


MON 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0z187)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 03:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Sunday]


MON 03:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmndjm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 03:32 Pick of the World (w3ct5v1l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:32 on Saturday]


MON 03:50 Over to You (w3ct5ttt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:50 on Saturday]


MON 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0z50c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zrcdp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmnj8r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 04:32 The Conversation (w3ct5x0l)
Women in love with romance

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two writers of romantic fiction about their passion for creating stories that end happily ever after.

Kiru Taye wanted to read stories about Africans falling in love. When she couldn’t find those books, she decided to write the stories herself. The books in her Essien series about millionaire banker brothers are international bestsellers, she also writes about crime gangs and tribal rivalry. Kiru founded the publishing firm Love Africa Press and is a co-founder of Romance Writers of Wonderful Africa, a support organisation for African romance writers.

US writer Nisha Sharma’s books have been included in 'best-of' lists by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, Time Magazine and more. Growing up in a South Asian home she enjoyed the romantic storylines of Bollywood movies and traditional folktales like the epic Rama and Sita. Nisha joined the corporate world but quickly turned to writing Romantic Fiction and Young Adult novels too. Her books feature business mergers and re-imagine Shakespearean comedy with a South Asian twist.


MON 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0z8rh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7sdf2)
Syria's new leader to bring all weapons under state control

Syria's government has welcomed its first visiting Foreign Minister. But is the proimise to disband all militias and control all weapons in the country actually possible?

We'll brief you on the row between Panama's president and US president elect Donald Trump who has threatened to reassert control over the lucrative Panama Canal.

Tens of thousands of Serbians have protested again in Belgrade. They're angry about corruption in the wake of a deadly incident.

How is winter affecting the nearly two million Palestinians in Gaza?

As violence escalates across Sudan, we'll hear from Ahmed, who's been sharing his audio diaries with us.

In South Korea matchmaking is back. With low birth and marriage rates, the government is keep to play speed dating.

And as Christmas looms, the Africa Daily podcast goes to Durban, one of many South African cities with a big homeless population.

(Picture: Ahmed al-Sharaa attending a press conference in Damascus, Syria, 22 December 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


MON 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0zdhm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7sj56)
Syrian refugees dream of returning home

With the downfall of the Assad dynasty, thousands of Syrians planning to return home. Those who sought refuge in Europe are in limbo as their applications have been paused

Tens of thousands of people have protested in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, over a train station accident that killed fifteen people last month.

Panama's president rebukes Donald Trump, after the US president-elect threatened to bring the Panama Canal back under US control. We'll will find out why.

We get the latest on deadly crushes in Nigeria at events offering free food.

German police continue their investigation into the Christmas market attack.

And, Italy's largest medieval mosaics in the Cathedral of Monreale get a facelift.

(Picture: Syrians return home after rebel takeover of Damascus, Masnaa, Lebanon - 11 Dec 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


MON 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0zj7r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7smxb)
Displaced Syrians contemplate a return home

Displaced Syrians are contemplating a return home following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime. We'll speak to the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.

Tens of thousands of people have protested in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, over a train station accident that killed fifteen people last month.


We meet a group of volunteers in Mexico who've been working to help migrants on their way to seek a better life in the United States.


France is to hold a day of national mourning for those killed on Mayotte during Cyclone Chido. One of the island's MPs will join us.


After a third crush in Nigeria, we'll ask what needs to change with a spokesperson for the government.

(Picture: Syrians return home after rebel takeover of Damascus, Masnaa, Lebanon - 11 Dec 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


MON 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0zmzw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 08:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5t0p)
HARDtalk - 2024 Review

HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur looks back on some of the most powerful moments from 2024 in his end of year review.


MON 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmp088)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5zhv)
Have Swiss scientists made a chocolate breakthrough?

Chocolate is very important to Switzerland’s economy: with more than 200,000 metric tonnes produced each year, sales are worth almost $2 billion.

But there are challenges – not just over sustainability, but over exploitation. And the volatile price of cacao.

We meet the researchers who are coming up with solutions – including new, and potentially healthier, types of a favourite indulgence.

And ask: Is this enough to secure the future of chocolate?

Produced and presented by Imogen Foulkes

(Image: A scientist developing a new chocolate product)


MON 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5yhx)
'I created MasterChef'

In 1990, a cookery programme launched on BBC TV that would become a global phenomenon.

Today, MasterChef airs in 70 countries around the world and has an estimated audience of one billion people.

British film director Franc Roddam tells Vicky Farncombe how the idea for MasterChef came to him after he heard Hollywood bigwigs - including Mel Brooks - mocking British food.

He wanted to prove that the UK was a nation of talented home cooks - like his mum who was feted for her stew and dumplings.

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: Franc Roddam. Credit: Getty Images)


MON 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0zrr0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zrz4b)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmp40d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 09:32 CrowdScience (w3ct5rj6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


MON 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz0zwh4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 10:06 The History Hour (w3ct5n2t)
Referendums and cannibalism

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Professor Chandrika Kaul, a specialist on modern British and Imperial history at the University of St Andrews in the UK.

We start by hearing from both sides of Australia's 1999 referendum on becoming a republic.

Then, a survivor recounts the horrific 1972 Andes plane crash and the extraordinary things he had to do to survive.

We hear how the BBC put text on our television screens for the first time.

Plus, a grieving mother recounts the Taliban's horrific 2014 attack on a military school in Pakistan.

Finally, we hear how the communist authorities enforced martial law in Poland over Christmas in 1981.

Contributors:

Malcolm Turnbull - former Australian Prime Minister and leader of republican campaign.
Professor David Flint - leader of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.
Nando Parrado - Andes plane crash survivor.
Angus McIntyre - son of Colin McIntyre, Ceefax's first editor.
Andaleeb Aftab - survivor of Pakistani military school attack.
Maciek Romejko - Polish Solidarity member and activist

(Photo: Malcolm Turnbull, leader of the Australian Republican Movement, 1999. Credit: Torsten Blackwood/AFP via Getty Images)


MON 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz10078)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zs6ml)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmpchn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6dt7)
Divorce: The art of breaking up

Divorce rates have been in decline across the West for decades. Experts put this down to a variety of factors, from fewer marriages to a widening dating pool, but cultural differences mean it is difficult to draw broad conclusions on the trends around splitting up. So how can we judge how attitudes to divorce have changed?

On today's episode Lucy Hockings is joined by divorce mediator and former BBC presenter Joanna Gosling, as well as Marina Adshade, a professor at the University of British Columbia who focusses on the economics of sex and relationships. They interrogate some of the stats on divorce, and discuss how the process of dissolving marriage is portrayed in popular culture.

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.

Producer: Alice Aylett Roberts, Laurie Kalus and Emilia Jansson
Sound engineer: Hannah Montgomery and Phil Bull
Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas
Editor is Richard Fenton-Smith


MON 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz103zd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 12:06 Outlook (w3ct5nr5)
Memory Box: The toy tiger

Outlook's Memory Box is a place to keep treasured objects that connect us to our pasts. Each day our guest will tell us the story of how the item came to be special, even though it might look perfectly ordinary to the rest of us.

This toy tiger 'Tigrou' fits in the palm of your hand and belongs to Amina Anna Sotaeva who grew up on the border of Chechnya. The tiger was a gift from her favourite uncle on her sixth birthday. Not long afterwards he was kidnapped for ransom and, faced with an increasingly lawless situation in Chechnya, the family fled their home for a new life in Paris. Amina took her little tiger with her and it became her most treasured possession. But then, when she was 27 and studying for important law exams, Amina realised with horror that her little tiger had fallen out of the pocket of her bag. She went on a desperate quest across Paris to find him.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Jo Impey

If you have a story for our memory box about an object with great personal significance, please get in touch! Email outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Tigrou, the toy tiger; Credit: Albert Facelly)


MON 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5yhx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz107qj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zsg3v)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmplzx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 13:32 The Conversation (w3ct5x0l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


MON 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz10cgn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 14:06 Newshour (w172zb9966ky6ym)
US envoy tells Syrian leader it wants stability

Iran says it's had no direct contact with the new Islamist leaders of Syria, its one-time close ally. The US, in contrast, sent its top regional diplomat, Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf, to meet the de-facto leader in Damascus, Ahmed al-Sharaa; we hear how the meeting went.

Also in the programme: Nissan and Honda announce merger plans which would create the world's third-largest car-maker; and we hear from the Mexican women celebrated and damned for helping migrants trying to reach the United States.

(IMAGE: A delegation of US diplomats, including US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf (C, in green), leaves a hotel in Damascus, Syria 20 December 2024 / CREDIT: Hasan Belal/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


MON 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz10h6s)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 15:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5t0p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmpvh5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct5zz3)
Honda and Nissan to create world's third biggest carmaker

Sam Fenwick hears from former chief operating officer & long-time executive at Nissan Andy Palmer, as Honda and Nissan announce a plan to merge. It would mean the new, world's third-biggest carmaker, which could also include Mitsubishi, could be in operation by August 2026.

Plus US President-elect Donald Trump has said the fees charged to use the Panama Canal are “ridiculous” and that it should be handed back to the US unless the “rip-off” stops. We ask if those fees have risen and whether Mr. Trump's words are an empty threat.


MON 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz10lyx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf3n818)
German market attack

German police continue to search for answers after a driver in the eastern city of Magdeburg smashed a rented SUV through a crowd of revellers. More than five people were killed and 200 injured. We'll go live to our reporter in the city.

The actress, Blake Lively, has filed a legal complaint against Justin Baldoni - her co-star in the film It Ends With Us - alleging sexual harassment and a campaign to "destroy" her reputation.

And Albania is to ban TikTok for a year as the Prime Minister says the app is inciting violence and bullying.

Presenter: Andrew Peach

(A view of candles left as a tribute near the 'Alter Markt' Christmas market, where a man drove a car into the crowd through an emergency exit route on Friday evening, in Magdeburg, Germany. Credit: Annegret Hilse/Reuters)


MON 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz10qq1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf3ncsd)
New York subway attack

A woman has died after been set on fire on a subway train in Brooklyn. A man has been arrested in connection with the incident, but police are still working to establish a possible motive.

We speak to the BBC's Feras Killani who grew up in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus. It was the defacto capital of the Palestinian diaspora in the Middle East and home to 150 thousand people. He has just returned after leaving in 2013.

And hundreds of Tibetans protesting against a Chinese dam were rounded up in a harsh crackdown earlier this year. Verified footage and sources in touch with the BBC revealed that some were beaten and seriously injured. We speak to someone from our investigation team.

Presenter: Andrew Peach

(Photo: People use the MTA subway system at the Union Square station in New York. Credit: Sarah Yenesel EPA/EFE)


MON 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz10vg5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 18:06 Outlook (w3ct5nr5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


MON 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5yhx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


MON 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz10z69)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zt5lm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmqbgp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5w4h)
2024/12/23 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 (w172zgfhqz112yf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 20:06 From Our Own Correspondent (w3ct5sjt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:06 on Sunday]


MON 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmqg6t)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 20:32 Discovery (w3ct5rnr)
Hay Festival Special

Dr Chris van Tulleken shares stories from the making of his chart-topping podcast, Fed. In conversation with Leyla Kazim, at Hay Festival 2024.

In Fed, Dr Chris van Tulleken, investigated the entangled web of forces that shape what ends up on our plates. And he focused his investigation around one foodstuff in particular. The most widely eaten meat on our planet, a staple of nearly every diet and a global food production phenomenon: the humble chicken, Chris dug into the history of our relationship with this extraordinary animal, to try to get to the truth of why we eat so much of it, and what that means for the birds, for us, and for the planet.

In this lively conversation, recorded live at Hay festival 2024, Chris talks to Leyla Kazim about the hidden stories behind the globalised food networks of today. From industrial-scale farming, to food labelling, to ethical dilemmas, environmental quandaries, and the complexities of the world of fast food. Plus tales from the adventure that ran through the whole series: raising his own tiny flock of broiler chickens, in his back garden.


MON 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz116pk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 21:06 Newshour (w172zb9966kz25j)
Germany's far-right AfD marches in Magdeburg

Germany's far right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has held a rally near the site of the attack on the Christmas market on Friday evening - we'll speak to one of the party's members of parliament.

Also on the programme: President Biden has commuted the death sentences on all but three of the federal prisoners on death row; and we'll look at the history and politics of the Panama Canal as Donald Trump threatens to re-assert control over it.

(Photo: Memorial event and funeral march of AfD party after attack in Magdeburg, Germany - 23 Dec 2024. FILIP SINGER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


MON 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz11bfp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0ztjv0)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


MON 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmqpq2)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct601c)
Honda and Nissan join forces to take on China

Honda and Nissan plan to merge as the two Japanese firms seek to fight back against competition from the Chinese car industry.

Joining forces would create one of the world's biggest car producers alongside Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford.

We look at one of Donald Trump's key economic appointments.

And who is France's new finance minister?


MON 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz11g5t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


MON 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5t0p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


MON 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmqtg6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


MON 23:32 The Conversation (w3ct5x0l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

TUESDAY 24 DECEMBER 2024

TUE 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz11kxy)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 00:06 The History Hour (w3ct5n2t)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Monday]


TUE 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz11pp2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfvykccyty)
Honda and Nissan set to take on China in electronic vehicles amidst merger plans

Honda and Nissan plan to merge as the two Japanese firms seek to fight back against competition from the Chinese car industry.

Joining forces would create one of the world's biggest car producers alongside Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford.

We look at how South Korea's political instability is impacting its economy

And who is France's new finance minister?


TUE 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz11tf6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zv0tj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmr5pl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 02:32 Assignment (w3ct5mtv)
Poland's ghosts, Ukraine's heroes

Ukraine and Poland are neighbours and close allies in today’s conflict with Russia. But the ghosts of victims of an earlier war have returned to divide them. Tens of thousands of Poles were murdered by Ukrainians in Volhynia, in what's now western Ukraine, in 1943. Most of the victims still lie in unmarked graves, and Ukraine has only just lifted a ban on exhuming the bodies.

That followed heavy diplomatic pressure by Poland, about to take over the presidency of the European Union. It threatened to block moves towards Ukrainian integration with the EU unless the ban were lifted.

But Poland’s demand has stirred a controversy inside Ukraine about one of the darkest periods of its history. Ukrainian nationalists who were involved in the massacre - and their leader Stepan Bandera - are regarded by many Ukrainians as heroes.

Reporter Tim Whewell travels through Poland and western Ukraine to try to find out what really happened in 1943, and ask whether Poland and Ukraine can ever lay a fiercely-contested history to rest. And can the record of Ukraine's Second World War nationalists be openly discussed without giving a propaganda victory to Russia, which has tried to use the subject to vilify Ukraine?

Produced and presented by Tim Whewell
Sound mix: Rod Farquhar
Research by Grzegorz Sokół, Taras Shumeiko and Serhiy Solodko
Translation by Eugenia Maresch, Grzegorz Sokół and Serhiy Solodko
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

Wild bird recordings by Izabela Dłużyk
"Lecieli Żurawie" (Cranes Were Flying) sung by Franciszka Bydychaj
"Ave Maria" from "Kres Kresów" oratorium, composer Krzesimir Dębski
"Siadła Hanula Na Posażeńku" (Hanula Sat on her Dowry) sung by Olga Kozieł and Anna Jurkiewicz, of the "Wołyń w Pieśniach" ("Volhynia in Song") project

(Image: Lyudmila Hirska, aged 86, at the ruins of the Catholic church in Kysylyn (formerly known as Kisielin), Ukraine, where Poles were massacred in 1943. Credit: Tim Whewell/BBC)


TUE 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz11y5b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 03:06 Outlook (w3ct5nr5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Monday]


TUE 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5yhx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Monday]


TUE 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz121xg)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zv89s)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmrf5v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 04:32 In the Studio (w3ct5tlr)
International Film School

Mark Reid visits a school in Bulgaria where they are teaching their pupils how to make movies. The school is in a small village called Dermantsi, which is 200 kilometres from the capital Sofia. Mark meets their inspirational teacher, Daniel Simeonov and film-maker Maria Dacheva. She is there to help the children make a short film for a project called Le Cinema Cent Ans De Jeunesse, which has been going for almost 30 years. Children from all around the world take part in this programme, from countries as disparate as Japan, Argentina, the United Kingdom and France. Thousands of films have been made by tens of thousands of students.

At the end of the school year, pupils from around the world gather to watch each other’s films. And to comment upon them. This year they are meeting in Lisbon. The pupils from Dermantsi have to decide which of their films to show there: their film about the local tattoo parlour, the weekly market, the sewing factory, the school bus ride, or a short documentary about their local horse market, which features a dancing horse.

Presenter: Mark Reid
Producer: Stephen Hughes


TUE 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz125nl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7w9b5)
Matt Gaetz spent tens of thousands of dollars on sex and drugs

A damning report on Donald Trump's initial choice to run the US Justice Department has found what it called 'substantial' evidence he paid women for sex, including a seventeen-year-old girl. We'll speak to a former chief ethics lawyer at the White House.

Mozambique's top court has confirmed the victory of the ruling party, Frelimo, in October's disputed election, sparking protests, but has revised down how many votes presidential candidate Daniel Chapo won.

A NASA spacecraft is attempting to make history by making the closest ever approach to the sun.


And, amid hope of a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage release deal, we'll talk to one twenty-three-year-old woman about daily life in the Gaza Strip after more than a year of war.

(Picture: Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. December 22, 2024; Credit: Reuters)


TUE 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz129dq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7wf29)
Mozambique court ruling reignites protests

Mozambique's top court has confirmed the victory of the ruling party candidate in October's disputed election, sparking protests. The main opposition leader says he will continue to fight for what he called the 'electoral truth'.

There are reports of protests in parts of Syria over the burning of a Christmas tree near the city of Hama. This comes as Syria continues to grapple with a new reality following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad. We'll speak to a former prisoner who's gone back to his cell.

Christians in Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, are facing another year of muted Christmas celebrations as events are either scaled back or cancelled due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

Brazilian authorities say workers at China's electric car maker BYD's factory are found to be working under 'slave-like' conditions.

(Picture: Protests in Mozambique following confirmation of Daniel Chapo as president, Maputo - 23 Dec 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


TUE 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz12f4v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7wjtf)
Mozambique court confirms ruling party victory

Mozambique's top court has confirmed the victory of the ruling party candidate in October's disputed election, sparking protests. We'll speak to the country's ambassador to the United States.

We'll hear from a Syrian woman who's just returned home from exile about her expectations of the country's new leaders.

And, amid hope of a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage release deal, we'll talk to one 23-year-old woman about daily life in the Gaza Strip after more than a year of war.

(Picture: The President-elect of Mozambique Daniel Chapo (C) meets members of the public in Maputo, Mozambique, 23 December 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


TUE 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz12jwz)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx3)
Our favourite solutions

Presenter Myra Anubi and the team chat about some of their favourite projects that have been covered on People Fixing The World over the last twelve months.

We’ll be returning to Thailand and the school run by kids; checking in with a family of beavers which are part of an urban rewilding project in the UK and hear more about saving kelp forests in California and healthcare solutions that are really making a difference in Kenya.

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 Bates, Claire Bowes, Craig Langran, William Kremer
Producer: Katie Solleveld
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Sound mix: Gareth Jones

(Image: A festive Myra in the studio, BBC)


TUE 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmrx5c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5zjc)
The wine industry's biggest challenge

Climate change is changing the way winemakers plan, harvest and make their product.

On the Greek island of Santorini we find out how new techniques of vine planting are helping to preserve water amid more frequent drought conditions.

Investors in England have realised areas in the south of country have similar weather conditions to Champagne in France, 30 years ago.

Plus we hear from experts in France and Australia to discover different methods the industry is using, and find out how new businesses are advising the global wine industry to ensure its survival in a changing world.

Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

(Image: A picker throws the collected grapes from the vine in a tank at the Gusbourne Estate, Appledore near Ashford, England on October 28, 2022. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5ynf)
When instant noodles came to India

The arrival of instant noodles in India was a turning point in culinary history.

In 1983, before Maggi 2-Minute Noodles launched, the country’s food culture centred around chapati, lentils and rice and the Indian economy was still a closed market.

Sangeeta Talwar, formerly of Nestle India, tells Surya Elango how instant noodles forever changed the food habits of the country.

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: Maggi 2-Minute Noodles. Credit: Getty Images)


TUE 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz12nn3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zvw1f)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pms0xh)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 09:32 Assignment (w3ct5mtv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz12sd7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 10:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct5qkj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


TUE 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz12x4c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zw3jp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pms8dr)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6fbx)
The undercover rebels in Myanmar's military

A new BBC investigation has found that Myanmar's once-formidable military now controls less than a quarter of the country's territory. The surging resistance movement has been fuelled by young pro-democracy activists who fled to jungle camps following a brutal crackdown by the ruling junta in 2021. As the BBC witnesses the activities of one key militia group up close, we reveal their secret weapon — spies who are bringing down the army from the inside.

On today's episode, Lucy Hockings is joined by BBC Burmese editor Soe Win Than and Rebecca Henschke, one of the journalists behind the investigation. They recount the events which inspired these fighters and explain why, despite their success, victory still feels a long way off.

To listen to the full investigation, search for The Documentary wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

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: Laurie Kalus and Annie Brown

Sound engineers: Ben Andrews and Mike Regaard

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson


TUE 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz130wh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 12:06 Outlook (w3ct5p5q)
Memory Box: The leaf

Leaves fall from trees in their countless millions every autumn. But one leaf – found unexpectedly in the barren grounds of a concentration camp – would become a symbol of hope for the Second World War spy, Odette Hallowes.

After accidentally sending photos of the French coast to the War Office, Odette, a mother of three young girls, was offered a role in the Special Operations Executive (SOE). The SOE was a top secret underground army, helping local resistance movements and conducting espionage and sabotage in enemy-held territories.

Odette arrived in France in November 1942 where she worked undercover. The following year she was captured and after interrogation and torture was sentenced to death and transported to Ravensbrück, a concentration camp for women in northern Germany.

It was in that barren concentration camp that the now malnourished spy picked up a tiny, beautiful green leaf, one that would become a significant lifeline for her. Almost 80 years later, her granddaughter, Sophie Parker was looking through some of Odette’s possessions when she rediscovered that leaf.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Thomas Harding Assinder

If you have a story for our Memory Box about an object with great personal significance, please get in touch! Email outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707


TUE 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5ynf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz134mm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zwc0y)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmshx0)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 13:32 In the Studio (w3ct5tlr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


TUE 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz138cr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 14:06 Newshour (w172zb9966l13vq)
Dire warnings of Sudan famine

A consortium of UN and other agencies says that famine is spreading across the war-ravaged country. The group, known as the IPC - the "Integrated Food Security Phase Classification" - say that five areas in the west and south of Sudan are already in famine. We hear about the details of the report and from one of the agencies working in the city of Nyala in the South.

Also on the programme; we hear from Mozambique's capital Maputo where protests are continuing over disputed presidential election results; and a NASA spacecraft attempts the closest ever approach to the Sun.

(Photo: People queuing for food aid in South Sudan; Credit : Photo by GUY PETERSON/AFP via Getty Images)


TUE 15:00 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmsph7)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 15:02 A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (w3ct7lbc)
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

Held in the candlelit Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, this service marks for many people around the world the beginning of Christmas.
It is based around nine Bible readings which tell the story of the loving purposes of God.
They are interspersed with carols old and new, sung by the world famous Chapel Choir who also lead the congregation in traditional Christmas hymns.


TUE 16:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmsw4d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 16:32 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf3r6ln)
Nasa spacecraft attempting to make history

Nasa's Parker Solar Probe is hoping to make the closest ever approach to the Sun. It promises to revolutionize our understanding of the Sun.

Protests have broken out in Syria over the burning of a Christmas tree. It has prompted calls for the new Islamist authorities to take measures to protect minorities. We'll bring you the latest.

We take a look at the Russian Ukrainian war over the past year and chat to our Kyiv correspondent James Waterhouse. We'll look at Russian advances in the east and what Ukraine hopes for from the west in the coming year.

(Artist’s concept of the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft approaching the sun. Credit:NASA)


TUE 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz13mm4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf3r8ph)
War-hit Sudan sliding into "famine"

We'll look at Sudan where famine has spread to five areas, with 24.6 million people - about half the population - in urgent need of food aid.

We'll look at Nasa's Parker Solar Probe. It's hoping to make the closest ever approach to the Sun. It promises to revolutionize our understanding of the Sun.

We take a look at the Russian Ukrainian war over the past year and chat to our Kyiv correspondent James Waterhouse. We'll look at Russian advances in the east and what Ukraine hopes for from the west in the coming year.

Presenter: Lukwesa Burak

(Photo: A WFP worker stands next to a truck carrying aid from Port Sudan to Sudan Credit: Abubakar Garelnabei/Reuters)


TUE 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz13rc8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 18:06 Outlook (w3ct5p5q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


TUE 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5ynf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


TUE 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz13w3d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zx2hq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmt7cs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5w90)
2024/12/24 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 (w172zgfhqz13zvj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:06 Assignment (w3ct5mtv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


TUE 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmtc3x)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 20:32 Tech Life (w3ct5wn9)
Tech Life's look back at the year

From the innovations that flourished to those that flopped, from providing virtual boyfriends to taking very real jobs, we look back an another fascinating twelve months in tech – and hear from reporters, experts and listeners about which tech most changed your lives in 2024.

(Image: a montage of text message like speech boxes on a background of what looks like code. Copyright: Getty Images).


TUE 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz143ln)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 21:06 Newshour (w172zb9966l1z2m)
Syrian rebel groups agree to merge under defence ministry

Syria's de facto leader has reached an agreement to dissolve and consolidate rebel groups under the defence ministry. Also on the programme, is Israel nearing a hostage deal with Hamas? And, a Nasa spacecraft has made history with the closest-ever approach to the Sun.

(Photo: A child looks on next to a flag adopted by the new Syrian rulers, during a protest against the burning of the Christmas tree in Hama, in Damascus, Syria December 24, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)


TUE 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz147bs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zxfr3)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


TUE 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmtlm5)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct60bd)
Was the Ursa Major part of Russia's so-called dark fleet?

But questions have been asked whether the cargo vessel, which was under US sanctions, was heading for the Syrian coast, on a voyage to recover military supplies left by Russian forces in Syria when Bashar al-Assad fell.
A maritime security and sanctions expert talks to us about how Russia's commercial fleet operates under swingeing sanctions.
Also, World Business Report looks back on a year of strikes by doctors from around the world. We hear from medics in Kenya, India and the UK to find out more about why they felt they had to withdraw their labour.


TUE 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz14c2x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:06 People Fixing The World (w3ct5tx3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


TUE 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmtqc9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


TUE 23:32 In the Studio (w3ct5tlr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2024

WED 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz14gv1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 00:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct5qkj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:06 on Saturday]


WED 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz14ll5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfvykcgvr1)
What's in store for Asian economies in 2025?

Also, we hear from a health academic, who worked with United Healthcare boss Brian Thompson, shot dead in Manhattan three weeks ago, about healthcare in the US. We'll be talking too with doctors from three continents who each had something in common in 2024: they all went out on strike. What are the challenges facing the health sectors in Kenya, India and the UK?
And the Ursa Major, the Russian ship which sunk in the western Mediterranean this week. Where was it going and what was it carrying?


WED 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz14qb9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zxxqm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmv2lp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 02:32 The Climate Question (w3ct5wss)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz14v2f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 03:06 Outlook (w3ct5p5q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Tuesday]


WED 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5ynf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Tuesday]


WED 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz14ytk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zy56w)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmvb2y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 04:32 Dramas (w3ct7l68)
Purple Heart Warriors

Purple Heart Warriors: 3. True Americans

The battalion heads for Europe. The soldiers spend weeks at sea in bunks stacked five high, and none of them believes that Ken is from the future.

Meanwhile, Ken remembers his childhood with his grandfather – a man whose uniform he is now wearing.

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 (w172zgfhqz152kp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7z678)
Two journalists and a police officer killed in Haiti shooting

In Haiti armed men opened fire on medical staff, police officers and journalists during a media conference to announce the reopening of a hospital. At least two journalists and a police officer were killed. We'll get the context.

Famine is spreading to new areas of Sudan. So, what can be done to keep people alive? We'll also hear from the Archbishop of Sudan, reflecting on the war that is dividing his country.

We'll meet the so-called Hardest Geezer, who made the news after running a continent for charity.

And we'll hear from one of Senegal's most prominent female politicians, Aminata Toure, on her rise to prominence.

(Picture: An injured person lies on the ground after armed men opened fire on a group of journalists, Port-au-Prince, Haiti December 24, 2024; Credit: Reuters)


WED 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1569t)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7z9zd)
Armed men open fire on journalists at Haiti hospital reopening

At least three people are shot and killed by gang men in Haiti. The incident happened at the re-opening of the country's biggest public hospital. We'll have the latest from the country besieged by gang violence.

Muted Christmas celebrations in the Middle East. We'll be hearing from Jerusalem and Latakia.


Signed, sealed and delivered - Ukraine's postal company releases a new batch of war stamps showing defiance and resistance against Russia's full-scale invasion.

With the civil war in Sudan in its 20th month, we will hear from the Archbishop of Sudan


Our correspondent reports on muted Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus.


And, we'll take you to the world’s most southerly post office, in Antarctica, and speak to the man in charge who says he's got the coolest job on earth.

(Picture: A journalist injured in an attack is treated at La Paixe hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 24 December 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


WED 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz15b1y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc7zfqj)
Three shot dead as gunmen attack Haiti hospital

In Haiti armed men opened fire on medical staff, police officers and journalists during a media conference to announce the reopening of a hospital. At least two journalists and a police officer were killed.

We’ll find out what Syria’s new administration is doing to reassure the country’s ethnic and religious groups that they will be a non-partisan government.

We'll hear how Mozambique's on-going post-election violence is impacting neighbouring countries. We'll speak to the spokesperson of South Africa's ministry of international relations.

Hong Kong imposes arrest warrants and bounties for six pro-democracy advocates based overseas for allegedly endangering national security. We'll hear from one of the accused activists.

(Picture: An injured person sits on the ground after armed men opened fire on a group of journalists, Port-au-Prince, Haiti December 24; Credit:
Reuters)


WED 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz15ft2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 08:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4p8v)
Ciarán Hinds: Is Northern Ireland a creative powerhouse?

Stephen Sackur interviews Northern Irish actor Ciarán Hinds, whose career took him from the troubled streets of Belfast to an Oscar nomination. Right now, Northern Ireland is a creative powerhouse; why, and will it last?


WED 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmvt2g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5znj)
Shipwrecks: The search for the San José

In the first of our three part series looking at the money behind shipwrecks, we start with what's been called "the most valuable shipwreck in the world".

The San José is a Spanish galleon sunk by the British off the Colombian coast more than 300 years ago.

The treasure onboard is estimated to be worth $18bn, which means plenty of people are looking for it, and trying to lay claim to it.

A salvage company, the Colombians, the Spanish and a Bolivian indigenous community all say the shipwreck and treasure is theirs.

We hear their claims and find out more about this "holy grail of shipwrecks".

Presented and produced by Gideon Long.

(Image: Wagner's action of Cartagena (depicting the moment the San Jose exploded) by Samuel Scott. Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London)


WED 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5yqp)
Chef to five presidents

Cristeta Comerford has cooked for some of the most powerful people in the world. She spent almost three decades as a chef in the White House, serving five presidents from Bill Clinton to Joe Biden.

On 5 August 2005, she made history by becoming the first woman and person of colour to be made executive chef of the White House kitchen.

She speaks to Dan Hardoon about making it to the White House, her most memorable state dinners, and what presidents like to eat.

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: Cristeta Comerford. Credit: Getty Images)


WED 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz15kk6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zyryj)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmvxtl)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 09:32 The Climate Question (w3ct5wss)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz15p9b)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 10:06 The Global Story (w3ct7l62)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


WED 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz15t1g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zz0fs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmw59v)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6drv)
Are you ever too old to have a baby?

In countries across the world women are deciding to delay motherhood. Increased access to education, more career opportunities and less financial stability means that more and more women are having children later in life. But fewer babies now, could mean more economic pressures on the rest of us in the future.

Katya Adler explores this complex topic with the BBC's population correspondent Stephanie Hegarty and Joyce Harper, professor of reproductive science at University College London.

At the moment, we’re sharing some of our most popular episodes from the past twelve months, including this one. All of these episodes and many more are available to watch on the BBC World Service’s YouTube channel. Just search for “The Global Story” on YouTube to find us.

We need you to help us understand and tell The Global Story. Email ideas and thoughts to theglobalstory@bbc.com. You can also message or leave a voice note on WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Beth Timmins and Miriam Quayyum

Sound engineers: Mike Regaard and Hannah Montgomery

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Jonathan Aspinwall


WED 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz15xsl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 12:06 Outlook (w3ct5pdh)
Memory Box: The cardboard piano

Teddy Otieno's love affair with the piano started when he was 13 after and watching videos of Lang Lang on YouTube. He dreamed of learning to play himself but had no access to an instrument, so he sketched out a keyboard on a piece of cardboard instead. Teddy used his cardboard piano to copy the finger patterns of his online heroes, until one day a Kenyan music charity called Ghetto Classics gave him access to a piano for real. He skipped school to practise as often as he could, until a chance encounter with concert pianist Cordelia Williams saw his talent propelled from Nairobi to a UK conservatoire – and then into the final of a reality TV show, where Teddy met the man who started him on his journey.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Julian Siddle and Anna Lacey

If you have a story for our Memory Box about an object with great personal significance, please get in touch! Email outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707


WED 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5yqp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz161jq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zz7y1)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmwdt3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 13:32 Dramas (w3ct7l68)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


WED 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1658v)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 14:06 Newshour (w172zb9966l40rt)
Russia unleashes major missile strikes on Ukraine

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says Russia made a "conscious choice" by launching a major attack on his country's energy infrastructure on Christmas Day.

Ukraine's air force said it had detected 184 missiles and drones, but many were shot down or missed their targets. We speak to an MP in the city of Kharkiv, which was hit by the strikes. Moscow confirmed the attack and said its goal had been achieved.

Also in the programme: we'll hear about a deadly gang attack on a hospital in Haiti; what an Israeli former hostage negotiator makes of the stalled talks between Israel and Hamas; and the Newshour Christmas quiz.

(Photo shows people taking shelter at a metro station in Kyiv, Ukraine during an air raid alert on 25 December 2024. Credit: Thomas Peter/Reuters)


WED 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1690z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 15:06 His Majesty The King's Christmas Message (w3ct7l65)
His Majesty The King's Christmas Message

His Majesty the King's Christmas Message to the Commonwealth


WED 15:13 HARDtalk (w3ct4p8v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmwn9c)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct60dn)
World Business Report

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


WED 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz16ds3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf3v1vg)
Christmas Day attacks in Ukraine

Russia has described attacks in undertook in Ukraine as a success as it launched a major missile and drone attack on the country's energy infrastructure. President Zelensky says Russia made a "conscious choice" to launch attacks on Christmas.

Dozens of people have died after a passenger plane crashed with about 70 people on board in Kazakhstan.

And we hear from people around the world on how going viral changed their lives.

Presenter: Lukwesa Burak

(Photo: Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of an airstrike on a private building in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine. Credit: SERGEY KOZLOV/EPA-EFE)


WED 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz16jj7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf3v5ll)
Russia-Ukraine war

Russia launches major Christmas Day attack on Ukraine's energy system. President Zelensky of Ukraine described action as "inhuman." We'll get the latest from our reporters.

Dozens are feared dead in a plane crash in Kazakhstan. Flames engulfed the front of the aircraft but thirty-two were pulled alive from the rear of the fuselage.

And as Sport around most of the world takes a break for Christmas we look at why we look at why there are still strong fixtures in the United States.

Presenter: Lukwesa Burak

(Photo: People take shelter at a metro station during an air raid alert, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Credit: Thomas Peter/Reuters)


WED 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz16n8c)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 18:06 Outlook (w3ct5pdh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


WED 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5yqp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


WED 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz16s0h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn0zzzdt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmx48w)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5wc8)
Sport Today: Julien Alfred - The Race of My Life

St Lucia's Julien Alfred became a household name in 2024 after storming to gold in the 100-metre final during the Paris Olympic Games. It was the first time St Lucia has ever won an Olympic medal.

In this special edition of Sport Today, she speaks to Lee James about what it took to become an Olympic champion and also having a national day in her honour back home.

Image: Julien Alfred of Team Saint Lucia celebrates winning the gold medal during the Women's 100m Final on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)


WED 20:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz16wrm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 20:06 The Climate Question (w3ct5wss)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:06 on Sunday]


WED 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmx810)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 20:32 Health Check (w3ct5t9q)
One Health in Malawi

Claudia Hammond is in Malawi exploring a movement known as “One Health”: an approach that calls for collaboration between the fields of human, animal, and environmental health, for the benefit of all. And how can this help to prevent disease when people and animals live in close proximity?

We hear how vets and researchers across Malawi are tackling diseases such as rabies, anthrax, and sleeping sickness – and how the sharing of expertise that One Health brings is crucial in their efforts.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Sophie Ormiston


WED 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz170hr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 21:06 Newshour (w172zb9966l4vzq)
Protests have erupted in Syria after a video showed an attack on an Alawite shrine

The new HTS administration said the footage is from earlier this month. Large rallies have been seen in the cities of Tartus and Latakia, strongholds of the deposed president Assad's Alawite minority.

Also on the programme: We hear from locals in Bethlehem, in the Occupied West Bank, who are doubling their efforts to find hope during the Christmas holidays amidst an economic downturn and tensions with Israel; and the Newshour presenters compete in the Christmas quiz.

(Photo: A Syrian opposition flag is seen beside a defaced portrait of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on a wall in Damascus on 14 December 2024. Credit: ANTONIO PEDRO SANTOS/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


WED 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1747w)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn100bn6)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


WED 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmxhj8)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct60dn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 15:32 today]


WED 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz17800)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


WED 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct4p8v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


WED 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmxm8d)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


WED 23:32 Dramas (w3ct7l68)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

THURSDAY 26 DECEMBER 2024

THU 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz17cr4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 00:06 The Global Story (w3ct7l62)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Saturday]


THU 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz17hh8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfvykckrn4)
Myanmar’s Faltering Economy and Boeing's Rocky Year

Joining us live are Fermin Koop, an Argentine freelance journalist specialising in environmental issues and based in Buenos Aires, and Jessica Khine, Head of Asia for Astris Advisory Japan, based in Penang, Malaysia.

We examine Myanmar's faltering economy amidst ongoing unrest, with insights from Professor Sean Turnell, an economic advisor to the imprisoned leader Aung San Suu Kyi. How has the military government’s limited control impacted urban areas?

Boeing has faced a turbulent year with technical problems and costly strikes, yet its shares have risen sharply since November. What’s behind this recovery? Theo Leggett reports.

In Asia, Japan eases visa rules for Chinese visitors, boosting bilateral engagements. Meanwhile, in Argentina, President Millei outlines an ambitious nuclear energy plan to enhance energy security.

We also reflect on the 20th anniversary of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, exploring the immense rebuilding efforts across affected nations with journalist Shoeb Kagda.

Finally, updates on Australia's fire crisis, India’s booming concert economy, and protests in Panama over U.S. threats to the Panama Canal.


THU 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz17m7d)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn100tmq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmxzhs)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 02:32 The Documentary (w3ct7hz4)
The street that tech built

The Italian city of Florence is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. But are new technologies and hyper-tourism changing it forever?

Writer Kamin Mohammadi tells the story of how one road – the Via Di San Niccolo – has changed. Kamin lived there when she first moved to the city 16 years ago, and she has seen the changes first-hand. She speaks to friends who still live on the street, and business owners who have experienced the changes, about whether the character of the city has been forever altered.

But Kamin’s story, like many she knows in Florence, is complicated. The book she wrote about the city’s lifestyle encouraged many of her readers to travel there and experience it for themselves. Many others, from bar owners to cookery writers, similarly depend on tourism. She asks all of them what the city can do to retain the character that residents – and tourists – love.

Image: The skyline of Florence (Credit: Jeff Overs/BBC)


THU 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz17qzj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 03:06 Outlook (w3ct5pdh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Wednesday]


THU 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5yqp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Wednesday]


THU 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz17vqn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn10123z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmy701)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 04:32 The Food Chain (w3ct4v82)
Table talk

What do you and your family chat about at dinner? We eavesdrop on conversations over food all over the world, hearing about poetry, politics, what is on TV and how Morag’s leg is recovering.

Whether you gossip or have more philosophical debates find out how integral good communication is while we are eating, often marking the only point in the day or week when a family gathers together.

We learn why a matchmaker thinks a dinner date might not be such a good idea after all if you want the conversation to flow. And, psychotherapist Philippa Perry tells us how to keep the peace with the family over Sunday lunch.

Presenter: Ruth Alexander
Producer: Hannah Bewley and Rumella Dasgupta

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

(Image: Family and friends sit around the dinner table. Credit: BBC)


THU 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz17zgs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc8234c)
Soldiers killed in Syria in clashes with forces loyal to Assad

Reports say the security forces were ambushed as they tried to arrest a former officer in connection to his role at the notorious Saydnaya prison, close to the capital Damascus. 14 of the soldiers were killed.

Memorial events are being held across the Indian Ocean to commemorate the tsunami twenty years ago which killed more than 226,000 people.

We hear how Christmas has been upended for one Ukrainian woman and her loved ones, separated by the war with Russia.

(Pic: Rebel fighters sit together in Homs countryside; Credit: Reuters)


THU 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1836x)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc826wh)
Syrian rebel-led ministry says personnel killed in an 'ambush'

Reports say the security forces were ambushed near the Mediterranean port of Tartous as they tried to arrest a former officer in connection to his role at the notorious Saydnaya prison, close to the capital Damascus.

Twenty years on - a number of countries around the Indian Ocean are marking and remembering the devastating tsunami that killed more than two-hundred-thousand people. We will hear from people who were there when it happened

An Israeli military investigation has found that its ground operations in southern Gaza are likely to have prompted the Palestinian militant group Hamas to kill six hostages there in August. We will be speaking to a man whose family members remain missing

(Pic: A general view of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria; Credit: Reuters)


THU 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz186z1)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc82bmm)
Authorities in Syria warn those undermining security

Syria's new rebel-led authorities say 14 interior ministry personnel have been killed and 10 injured in an "ambush" by forces loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad in the west of the country. They say the fighting took place near the Mediterranean port of Tartous on Tuesday.

People around the Indian Ocean are remembering -- twenty years on -- the catastrophic tsunami that killed more than two-hundred-thousand people. We hear from a mother who lost her two year old child...

And China approves controversial plans to build what will be the world's largest hydropower dam causing concerns for some environmentalists

(Pic: Armed men stand outside Aleppo International Airport in Aleppo, Syria, 02 December 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


THU 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz18bq5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 08:06 The Inquiry (w3ct5xjd)
Can Bhutan retain its happiness?

The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, sandwiched between China and India, is perhaps best known around the globe for its unconventional measure of national development: Gross National Happiness. The concept was introduced back in 1972 by the fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. It assesses the country’s overall wellbeing on the basis of sustainable and equitable socio-economic development; environmental conservation; preservation and promotion of culture; and good governance.

But the Bhutanese are now finding that their cautious approach to balancing economic growth with the well-being of their citizens, is proving difficult to sustain in light of mounting economic problems. The country which has a population of less than 800,000, is experiencing high levels of youth unemployment and many young people and skilled workers are leaving for countries like Australia and Canada.

To try and counter this brain drain and to attract new investment into the country to help the economy grow, Bhutan has plans to create a ‘Mindfulness City’. This multi-million dollar project is being spearheaded by the current monarch. At its core will be a scaled up, less cautious version of Bhutan’s key concept, which the Bhutanese Prime Minister has called Gross National Happiness 2.0.

So on this week’s Inquiry we’re asking ‘Can Bhutan retain its happiness?’

Contributors:
Dr Ha Vinh Tho, Founder and President, Eurasia Learning Institute for Happiness and Well-Being, Switzerland.

Dr Rishi Gupta, Assistant Director, Asia Society Policy Institute, New Delhi, India

Dr Lhawang Ugyel, Senior Lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Jan Eeckhout, Professor of Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain


Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: James Bradshaw
Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley and Liam Morrey


THU 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmypzk)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5zch)
Shipwrecks: Who owns the sunken treasure?

There are more than three million vessels on the world's sea beds, and plenty of explorers looking for them.

But if they find something valuable, do they get to keep it?

We talk to an arbitration lawyer about the laws governing the sea, and hear from maritime archaeologists about the perils of rummaging around on the ocean floor, disturbing long-sunken wrecks that offer a priceless glimpse into history.

Some say we should leave these ships be, especially when they’re graveyards. Others say we should bring them to the surface, put them in museums to educate people, make money from them and perhaps even sell off some of their treasure.

Produced and presented by Gideon Long

(Image: A diver looks at a shipwreck. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5yl5)
'Kimchi war'

In the run-up to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, in the United States, a row broke out between Japan and South Korea over who would supply the athletes' village with kimchi.

The two countries also took their dispute to the United Nations' Codex Alimentarius, an organisation which sets voluntary standards for food.

Dr Chaelin Park from the World Institute of Kimchi tells Vicky Farncombe how South Koreans were upset because they thought Japan was "attempting to take over" their national dish.

"For Koreans, kimchi is more than just food - it’s part of our cultural identity," she says.

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: Kimchi. Credit: Getty Images)


THU 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz18gg9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn101nvm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmytqp)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 09:32 The Documentary (w3ct7hz4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz18l6f)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 10:06 The Explanation (w3ct6pmp)
The Media Show: Jeans, cars, deodorant

Advertising executive Sir John Hegarty has created campaigns for some of the world's most famous brands including Levi's, Lynx, and Audi. He was a founding partner of Saatchi and Saatchi before co-founding his own firm, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, in 1982. But he believes that advertising today has lost sight of creativity, in its relentless focus on data and targeted advertising. He joins Ros Atkins to discuss his career, his theory of creativity, and the future of his industry.

Presenter: Ros Atkins
Producer: Dan Hardoon


THU 10:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmyygt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 10:32 Happy News (w3ct5sr3)
Happy News

Positive news stories


THU 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz18pyk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn101xbw)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmz26y)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6dv3)
Overtourism: Can travel hotspots cope with the crowds?

2024 is expected to be a record-breaking year for tourism, with more travellers going on holiday than ever before. But hotspots like Venice, Hawaii and Bali are also struggling from overtourism.

Rajan Datar, host of the BBC's Travel Show, has been meeting people who live in some of the world's tourism hotspots and tells Lucy Hockings about the impact huge numbers of visitors are having on communities and the environment.

At the moment, we’re sharing some of our most popular episodes from the past twelve months, including this one. All of these episodes and many more are available to watch on the BBC World Service’s YouTube channel. Just search for “The Global Story” on YouTube to find us.

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, Richard Moran and Eleanor Sly

Sound engineers: Johnny Hall

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson


THU 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz18tpp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 12:06 Outlook (w3ct5nyy)
Memory Box: The medallion

To 12-year-old Ruth Hunduma, it was simply a beautiful gold medallion that her mother had gifted her. As the years rolled on, however, Ruth’s mother Tsehay began gradually revealing more details about the origins of the shimmering trinket. Tsehay said the pendant had been given to her in a particularly difficult time in her life. That was, after the Ethiopian revolution in the 1970s and the bloody period called the “Red Terror” that followed. But it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that Ruth finally got the full story. It began with her mother being abducted and imprisoned for suspected counter-revolutionary activities. Ruth has made a short documentary about it called The Medallion.

From a piece of jewellery to a smartphone, it’s horrifying to see a treasured possession sinking to the bottom of a lake or river. If you’re in California, there’s one man who could help you. His name is Mike Pelley, though he’s better known as Merman Mike. In 2020, Outlook’s Saskia Collette spoke to him about his subaquatic treasure hunts.

Mexican fisherman Marco Lizama owes his life to a food cool box. Back in 2010, he survived five days at sea by gripping onto one. We first broadcast this dramatic tale from Outlook's Clayton Conn in 2018.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Saskia Collette

If you have a story for our memory box about an object with great personal significance, please get in touch! Email outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Ruth Hunduma holding the gold medallion with Nefertiti's face. Credit: Saskia Collette)


THU 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5yl5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz18yft)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn1024v4)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmz9q6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 13:32 The Food Chain (w3ct4v82)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


THU 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1925y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 14:06 Newshour (w172zb9966l6xnx)
Indian Ocean Tsunami: 20 years on

Memorial events have been held across the Indian Ocean to mark 20 years since the tsunami that killed more than 220,000. Also on the programme, China has approved controversial plans to build what will be the world's largest hydropower dam on the Tibetan plateau; and the promise of non-alcoholic wine.

(Photo: People light candles during a memorial for the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami at a tsunami wave-shaped monument erected for the victims of the 2004 tsunami in Ban Nam Khem, a southern fishing village destroyed by the wave, in Phang Nga province, Thailand, December 26, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer)


THU 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz195y2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 15:06 The Inquiry (w3ct5xjd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pmzk6g)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct603m)
First broadcast 26/12/2024 15:32 GMT

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


THU 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz199p6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf3xyrk)
Boxing Day tsunami

Memorial events have been held across the Indian Ocean to mark 20 years since the tsunami that killed more than 220,000 people. The tsunami caused devastation across the region, killing people as far away as East Africa. We'll hear from our reporter on the story and from survivors.

The Russian government has cautioned against promoting "hypotheses" about the cause of the crash of a Russia bound passenger plane that killed 38 people in Kazakhstan this week.

And we discuss what's happened in Europe in the last year with our Europe editor, Katya Adler. She'll tell us about the rise of right-wing parties on the continent and her interview with the former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Presenter: Lukwesa Burak

(Photo: a religious memorial service to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Credit: RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA-EFE)


THU 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz19ffb)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf3y2hp)
Israeli strikes in Yemen

Israel has launched a wave of airstrikes on Houthi militant targets in Yemen, including the international airport in the capital, Sanaa. We'll speak to our reporter in the region.

Syria's new rebel-led authorities say they've launched an operation against militias loyal to the deposed president, Bashar al-Assad in the western province of Tartous.

And we look at the biggest flops and fails by celebrities 2024.

Presenter: Lukwesa Burak

(Smoke rises after Israeli strikes near Sanaa airport, in Sanaa, Yemen. Credit: Khaled Abdullah/Reuters)


THU 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz19k5g)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 18:06 Outlook (w3ct5nyy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


THU 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5yl5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


THU 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz19nxl)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn102w9x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn015z)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5w6r)
2024/12/26 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 (w172zgfhqz19snq)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 20:06 The Documentary (w3ct7hz4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 02:32 today]


THU 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn04y3)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 20:32 Science In Action (w3ct5vdx)
5 Years of Covid (part 1/2)

Sars CoV-2 has been with us for five years. In the first of a 2-part special, Science in Action asks how well was science prepared for it? And are we any better prepared for the next one?


Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Alex Mansfield, with Debbie Kilbride
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


THU 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz19xdv)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 21:06 Newshour (w172zb9966l7rwt)
EU threatens Russian sanctions after alleged cable sabotage

Finnish police have boarded a ship which they believe was operating as part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet. The Lithuanian defence minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, tells Newshour she wants to see additional US sanctions on Russia.

Also on the programme: the new authorities in Syria have carried out an offensive against militias loyal to the deposed president Bashar al-Assad; and the Bald Eagle has been officially named as America's national bird - we speak to a man who campaigned for the recognition.

(Photo: European Union flags fly outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels. Credit: REUTERS/Yves Herman)


THU 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1b14z)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn1037k9)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


THU 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn0dfc)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct605w)
Is Russia really sabotaging undersea cables?

The European Union threatens to impose further sanctions on Russia, as a Moscow-linked cargo ship is blamed for severing an underwater cable in the Baltic Sea. Also, we profile Manmohan Singh, the former prime minister credited with transforming India’s economy. And, how much could climate-risk insurance cost European businesses in the future? Plus, a controversial anti-LGBT bill in Ghana could put western aid to the country at risk.

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 (w172zgfhqz1b4x3)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


THU 23:06 The Inquiry (w3ct5xjd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


THU 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn0j5h)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


THU 23:32 The Food Chain (w3ct4v82)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]

FRIDAY 27 DECEMBER 2024

FRI 00:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1b8n7)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:06 The Explanation (w3ct6pmp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:06 on Thursday]


FRI 00:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn0mxm)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 00:32 Happy News (w3ct5sr3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:32 on Thursday]


FRI 01:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1bddc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 01:06 Business Matters (w172zbfvykcnnk7)
Is Russia really sabotaging undersea cables?

The European Union threatens to impose further sanctions on Russia, as a Moscow-linked cargo ship is blamed for severing an underwater cable in the Baltic Sea. Also, we profile Manmohan Singh, the former prime minister credited with transforming India’s economy. Plus, a controversial anti-LGBT bill in Ghana could put western aid to the country at risk. And why even French winemakers are embracing alcohol-free drinking.

You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.


FRI 02:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1bj4h)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn103qjt)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn0wdw)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 02:32 Tech Life (w3ct5wn9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Tuesday]


FRI 03:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1bmwm)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 03:06 Outlook (w3ct5nyy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 on Thursday]


FRI 03:50 Witness History (w3ct5yl5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 on Thursday]


FRI 04:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1brmr)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn103z12)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 04:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn13x4)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 04:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tg7)
From The Ashes: Notre Dame

In 2019 a devastating fire ripped through the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Locals looked on in disbelief, and millions watched on television around the world, as the iconic wooden spire came crashing down into the flames. Many thought Notre Dame was lost forever, but the 860-year-old Cathedral was not for giving up and over the past four years a team of skilled workers, at a cost of 700 million Euros, have painstakingly reconstructed this medieval masterpiece.
In this Heart and Soul Christmas special, as the doors of Notre Dame reopen, Colm Flynn travels to Paris to meet five people who say the symbolism of this Cathedral's restoration has had a profound impact on their faith. From a young wheelchair user who constructed a wheelchair for Pope Francis from the Cathedral's burnt wood, to the firefighter who saved the sacred chalice from the flames, to the young female footballer involved in the Paris Olympics who is now inspired to see the cathedral's rebirth... and a choir made up of the Cathedral's architects and carpenters singing to give thanks.
At Christmas, a time of joy and hope, the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral stands as a testament of the power of faith, not just for Christians in France, but right around the world.

Presenter/ Producer: Colm Flynn
Executive Producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Chloe Walker
Production Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno


FRI 05:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1bwcw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 05:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc8501g)
Israel warns of further strikes against Houthis

Houthi rebels have been attacking Israel since the first months of the Gaza war, which began in October 2023.

The opposition in South Korea is preparing to try to impeach the country's acting leader -- barely two weeks since the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Authorities in Finland have seized a ship believed to be linked to Russia, because of suspicions that it severed an underwater cable that provides an electricity link between Estonia and Finland, we'll get more from a former Estonian Foreign Minister.

(Pic: Smoke rises from Sana'a airport following Israeli airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


FRI 06:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1c040)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 06:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc853sl)
South Korea’s parliament votes to impeach Prime Minister

Prime Minister Han has blocked the appointment of three judges that parliament had chosen to oversee president's case because of his failed attempt to impose martial law.

Israel has warned the Houthis in Yemen that its action against them has only just begun. This warning from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came after a series of Israeli strikes on Yemen killed at least six people.

Conditions continue to get worse for many Palestinians in the Gaza strip - especially children. The United Nations says one child is killed every hour in the territory.... and in the past week, at least four babies died from hypothermia

(Pic: Acting South Korean President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo delivers an address to the nation; Credit: Reuters)


FRI 07:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1c3w4)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 07:06 Newsday (w172zbkdqc857jq)
Acting S Korean president faces impeachment vote

The vote to impeach the acting president has been prompted by a dispute about the court which will decide whether Mr Yoon is reinstated or dismissed.

Israel warns that it's just getting started with action against the Houthis in Yemen, as the head of the UN, Antonio Guterres, expresses concern about the risk of further escalation. We get the latest on the situation

Also this morning- tributes are being paid to the former prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh, who has died at the age of ninety-two.

(Pic: Officials open the ballot box to count votes for the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol in 14 December 2024; Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)


FRI 08:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1c7m8)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5t4n)
Steven McRae: Should ballet do more for young dancers?

Mishal Husain speaks to Steven McRae, a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in London. He had a meteoric rise to the top, defying serious injuries along the way. At 38, he’s still in the game, beyond the age when most ballet dancers retire. How does he want his profession to change to look after a younger generation?


FRI 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn1lwn)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 08:32 Business Daily (w3ct5z2g)
Shipwrecks: Business Daily meets a treasure hunter

Carl Allen is a multi-millionaire former businessman who ran a trash bag company in the US.

He's now the owner of an island in the Bahamas, a philanthropist and deep-sea treasure hunter, scouring the seabed for sunken Spanish galleons, slave ships and long-lost treasure.

He tells us about his relentless search for one Spanish galleon that’s fired his imagination for the past 40 years. We discuss the ethics of treasure hunting and his belief that the best way to bring up relics from the bottom of the ocean is through PPPs - public-private partnerships.

Produced and presented by Gideon Long

(Image: Carl Allen on a boat with some treasure. Image credit: Brendan Chavez at Allen Exploration)


FRI 08:50 Witness History (w3ct5yfn)
Dinner for One: How an English comedy became a German tradition

Every New Year’s Eve, millions of Germans turn on their TVs to rewatch an old favourite – the comedy Dinner for One.

The black and white sketch is in English and features a British cast but is virtually unknown in the United Kingdom.

The two-hander starts with butler James laying a table for five people for dinner.

Then Miss Sophie arrives. It's her 90th birthday and she wants to celebrate with four friends: Sir Toby, Admiral von Schneider, Mr Pomeroy, and Mr Winterbottom.

The only problem is they’re all dead so James must impersonate the guests – and drink on their behalf – with hilarious results.

The late German entertainer Peter Frankenfeld first saw the show in the theatre during a trip to Blackpool.

He wanted to record it in Germany but Freddie Frinton, who played the butler and owned the copyright to the show, initially refused to take part because of his experiences during World War Two.

Peter’s son Thomas Frankenfeld tells Vicky Farncombe how his father’s own war story, involving snipers and a Nazi surgeon, persuaded Freddie to change his mind.

The programme is now shown on TV every New Year’s Eve in places including Germany, Scandinavia and Switzerland.

“We watch it every year,” says Thomas. “It's really funny. Still after all this time.”

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: Dinner for One. Credit: Getty Images)


FRI 09:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1cccd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn104krq)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn1qms)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 09:32 Science In Action (w3ct5vdx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:32 on Thursday]


FRI 10:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1ch3j)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 10:06 Unexpected Elements (w3ct5q2y)
Festive Trash Talk

December is a time of celebration, family feuds, and now scientific rivalries. It's also one of the most wasteful months of the year, with festivities in full swing across the globe. No wonder the world is overflowing with rubbish—both literal and metaphorical!

Unexpected Elements dives headfirst into the scientific bin to wallow in waste. Could worms be the unexpected heroes of our plastic pollution crisis? How much garbage have we jettisoned into space? And why is part of our very own genome called "junk DNA"?

But it’s not all rubbish, we’re also talking trash. While celebrations can bring people together, spending too much time with loved ones can lead to tense moments. Rafi Kohan shares expert tips on how to outsmart your opponent during a heated board game debate.

And don’t think trash talk is limited to sports fields. The world of science has its share of drama, too. We’ll explore some of history’s most scandalous squabbles with scientists behaving badly.

Come waste an hour with us on Unexpected Elements!

Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Chhavi Sachdev and Candice Bailey
Producers: Harrison Lewis, Imaan Moin, Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, William Hornbrook and Eliane Glaser
Sound engineer: Gavin Wong


FRI 11:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1clvn)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn104t7z)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn1z41)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 11:32 The Global Story (w3ct6dxc)
Lab-grown meat: Why countries are banning it

Lab-grown meat is often touted as the solution to climate-friendly meat production. But in some parts of the world, governments are introducing laws to stop it from being produced. Why are some countries trying to ban it, before it’s even on the shelves?

Host Lucy Hockings speaks with Graihagh Jackson host of The Climate Question programme on the BBC World Service and our Asia business reporter Nick Marsh, about whether cultivated meat is a potential solution to the climate crisis or just a gimmick.

At the moment, we’re sharing some of our most popular episodes from the past twelve months, including this one. All of these episodes and many more are available to watch on the BBC World Service’s YouTube channel. Just search for “The Global Story” on YouTube to find us.

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 engineers: Ben Andrews and Hannah Montgomery

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sam Bonham


FRI 12:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1cqls)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 12:06 Outlook (w3ct699w)
Memory Box: Your stories

Listeners from around the world share the stories of their most treasured objects and place them in Outlook's Memory Box.

By the age of 6, Hilda Bih Muluh from Cameroon was losing the ability to walk. A kind nun made her some 'special shoes' which enabled her to play with other children again. Hilda, who has muscular dystrophy, says the shoes gave her the permission she needed to accept her differences and move into the world with confidence. She's also written a book called The Girl with Special Shoes.

Saab Naseer from the UK would like to place his mum's hand-embroidered top into the Memory Box – he has fond memories of her working away on it while sitting in their front room, and it reminds him of their shared love of embroidery.

Njoki Kariuki lives in Kenya, and her special object is a fossil stone she collected from a bucket-list trip to the Amazon. She has kept the stone on her mantelpiece because it serves as a reminder that she achieved her dream of visiting the Amazon.

And Elaine Arsenault, from Canada, has a wooden box to place in our box – a box that provided the inspiration for a series of children's books she wrote which changed the trajectory of her life.

Samuel Kabaso in Zambia has a treasured object that reminds him of his late father. It's a gaming console that Samuel says brings back happy memories of playing games with his siblings.

And Heather Stewart, in Canada, has a very special set of bagpipes that belonged to her Grandfather. He played them in the D-day landings in WWII, and they are still played today by her brother-in-law.

Presenter: India Rakusen
Producer: Hannah Fisher

If you have a story for our Memory Box about an object with great personal significance, please get in touch! Email outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Embroidery detail on a treasured top. Credit: Saab Naseer)


FRI 12:50 Witness History (w3ct5yfn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 13:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1cvbx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn1051r7)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 13:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn26m9)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 13:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tg7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]


FRI 14:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1cz31)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 14:06 Newshour (w172zb9966l9tl0)
Houthi spokesman on why Israel-Houthi strikes will continue

Amid fears of escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Houthis in Yemen, a Houthi spokesman has told Newshour why he believe airstrikes will continue.

Israel has warned the Houthis in Yemen that its action against them has only just begun. This came after a series of Israeli strikes on Yemen killed at least six people.

Also in the programme: As South Korea gets its third president in less than a fortnight, we'll find out why and assess the damage to the country's economy; and NASA makes history by flying closer to the sun than anyone else.

(Photo shows smoke rising from Sana'a airport following Israeli airstrikes on Sana'a, Yemen on 26 December 2024. Credit: Yahya Arhab/EPA)


FRI 15:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1d2v5)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5t4n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 15:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn2g3k)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 15:32 World Business Report (w3ct5ztl)
The economic legacy of Manmohan Singh

We explore the economic legacy of Manmohan Singh, India’s former Prime Minister, who has died. Mr Singh is credited with liberalising India’s economy.

What will happen to Chinas economy in 2025? We hear from the BBC’s Nick Marsh.

And we celebrate Britain's longest-serving Royal Mail postman, who’s leaving the service after 60 years.


FRI 16:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1d6l9)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 16:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf40vnn)
First food aid reaches Sudan's capital

People living in the south of Khartoum have welcomed the first convoy of food aid since civil war in Sudan broke out in April last year. Fighting has left millions in urgent need of food aid. We bring you the latest developments on the ground and hear the audio diary of a Sudanese man living in the city of Omdurman.

NASA scientists say the Parker Solar Probe is operating normally after flying closer to the Sun than any other spacecraft. It's hoped that data from the craft will help forecast space-weather events. We get reaction from the science community.

We’re looking back at the big issues affecting people around the world in 2024. More than 45 countries this year experienced devastating floods. We hear a conversation with three people whose lives have been impacted by flooding this year.

Presenter: Lukwesa Burak.

(Photo: Aid being delivered in Khartoum. Credit: South Belt Emergency Room)


FRI 17:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1dbbf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 17:06 BBC OS (w172zbjfxf40zds)
Nasa makes history with closest-ever approach to Sun

A Nasa spacecraft has made history by surviving the closest-ever approach to the Sun. Scientists received a signal from the Parker Solar Probe just before midnight EST on Thursday, signalling it was safe and operating normally. We'll hear how significant this fly-by was from a solar physicist.

One of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals has been forcibly evacuated by the Israeli military, according to medics. Dozens of people were reportedly killed in Israeli strikes targeting the area around the healthcare facility overnight, with the WHO describing conditions there as 'appalling'. We hear a doctor in Gaza as well as our correspondent in the Middle East.

South Korea's political crisis has hit new depths, after parliament voted to impeach the acting president - less than two weeks after impeaching his predecessor. We speak to our reporter in Seoul and get reaction from young Koreans living through the uncertainty.

Presenter: Lukwesa Burak.

(Photo: Artist concept of the Parker Solar Probe flying into the Sun's outer atmosphere. Credit: NASA)


FRI 18:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1dg2k)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 18:06 Outlook (w3ct699w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:06 today]


FRI 18:50 Witness History (w3ct5yfn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:50 today]


FRI 19:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1dktp)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn105s70)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 19:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn2y32)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 19:32 Sport Today (w3ct5w27)
2024/12/27 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 (w172zgfhqz1dpkt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct5rcq)
Winning your country’s first Olympic or Paralympic medal

Earlier this year, five countries won Olympics medals for the first time in history.

To end our conversations for 2024, we celebrate three of those athletes from Nepal, Cape Verde and Dominica. We hear about some of the challenges on their journey to sporting greatness.

“I was teaching while I was training for quite a bit,” said Thea LaFond, who won gold in the triple jump for Dominica and had little financial support early on in her athletics career and was often the only person in her event who also had a full-time job.

“I remember one weekend when I was working,” she said. “I took Friday off, left Thursday night from my classroom, and then flew to Finland to compete and was back in classroom on Monday morning.”

We also hear how the athletes’ experiences not only affected their country, but also inspired others.

“Most importantly I believe my success has done more than just put me in the spotlight,” says Nepalese Paralympian Palesha Goverdhan, who was born without a palm on her left hand and won a bronze medal in Taekwondo.

“It has shifted people’s mindsets. It has shown people, especially athletes and persons with disabilities, that anything is possible.”

They are joined by Cape Verde boxer David de Pina, who had to leave his country and family in order to get the right training.

Hosted by Luke Jones.

A Boffin Media production with producer Sue Nelson in partnership with the BBC OS team, including producer Iqra Farooq.

(Photo: David De Pina after winning bronze in Paris. Credit: Cristiano Barbosa)


FRI 20:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn31v6)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 20:32 CrowdScience (w3ct5rj7)
I didn’t know that!

Did you know that flies fly in rectangles, fish hide by lighting themselves up and the moon is lifting the ground underneath your feet? Anand Jagatia quizzes members of the CrowdScience team on the moments from the past year that had them scratching their heads in amazement.

We hear Dr Erica McAlister’s attempts to calculate how many flies have ever existed, and about flies’ mating choreography, courtesy of Prof Jochen Zeil. We learn how to tell a mosquito’s sex thanks to Eggrey Aisha Kambewa and Dr Steve Gowelo.

Astronomer Dr Darren Baskill describes tides not of water but of land; Dr Edie Widder paints a vivid picture of a camouflaged creature of the deep; and we explore starfishes’ five-fold symmetry with Dr Imran Rahman.

Khimlal Gautam, Mountaineer and Chief Survey Officer for the Government of Nepal, tells us of the near-death experience he had when checking the height of Mount Everest.

And finally, axolotl expert Dr Elly Tanaka is astonished at the dedication of CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge to the subject of her research.

Presenter: Anand Jagatia
Producer: Ben Motley
Editor: Cathy Edwards
Production Co-ordinator: Ishmael Soriano
Studio Managers: Donald MacDonald and Giles Aspen

(Photo: Lost in formulas Credit: Cimmerian via Getty Images)


FRI 21:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1dt9y)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 21:06 Newshour (w172zb9966lbnsx)
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.


FRI 22:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1dy22)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:06 The Newsroom (w172zbqpn1064gd)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


FRI 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn39bg)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 22:32 World Business Report (w3ct5zwv)
First broadcast 27/12/2024 22:32 GMT

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


FRI 23:00 BBC News (w172zgfhqz1f1t6)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:06 HARDtalk (w3ct5t4n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:06 today]


FRI 23:30 BBC News Summary (w172zggb5pn3f2l)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


FRI 23:32 Heart and Soul (w3ct5tg7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 04:32 today]