Podcasts about BBC World Service

“Most Venezuelans are thinking about the future: Will things improve? Will deep changes come? Will we reunite as a people with our history, dreams, and hopes?”BBC correspondent Norberto Paredes speaks to Henrique Capriles, a Venezuelan opposition leader, about his vision for a new Venezuela.In the aftermath of President Maduro's capture by the United States, Henrique Capriles is one of the key political voices emerging - an alternative to the high-profile Maria Corina Machado, Nobel-prize winner and vocal supporter of Trump's intervention.Now it is time for Venezuela's opposition to unite, he says, and bring democracy to the country. Henrique Capriles narrowly lost out on the presidency in both 2012 and 2013, before being banned from standing for public office for many years. In 2025, he was elected to the National Assembly.Thank you to the BBC Mundo team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa and President Lula da Silva of Brazil. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Norberto Paredes Producers: Nathalia Passarinho and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Henrique Capriles Credit: REUTERS/Marco Bello)

New research which has just been published in the British Medical Journal, suggests that testing menstrual blood for signs of cervical cancer could be an accurate way of screening for the disease. The BBC's Health Correspondent, Sophie Hutchinson, and Fiona Osgun, Head of Health information at Cancer Research UK join Anita Rani to talk about this new area of research and discuss the options currently open to women. English actor Imogen Poots is back on our screens taking on a challenging role in Kristen Stewart's first feature film, The Chronology of Water. It's a creative adaptation of an acclaimed memoir by American writer Lidia Yuknavitch which centres on her coming to terms with being abused as a child, battling pain and loss, and her ongoing healing journey. Imogen Poots joins Anita in the studio.The Kurdish-led self-administration in the north east of Syria is a territory where for years women have sat at the centre of political life, security and decision-making. But many are worried that the system is now under pressure following a new agreement between Kurdish authorities and the Syrian government, which will integrate the region into the Syrian state being rebuilt after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad in 2024. Anita is joined by Lina Shaikhouni, journalist at the BBC World Service and Dilar Dirik, Kurdish writer and author of The Kurdish Women's Movement: History, Theory, Practice.Paula Varjack talks to Anita about her show Nine Sixteenths. It examines the fallout from the infamous Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake ‘wardrobe malfunction' incident at the 2004 Superbowl and the backlash that almost ruined Jackson's career. The play questions what this says about the demographics of who controls the media, the scrutinising of black women in the public eye and asks if anything has changed?Presenter: Anita Rani Producer : Corinna Jones

“To keep kids away until they're ready, I think that is the monumental circuit breaker move that we need to move to.”Katy Watson speaks to Julie Inman Grant, Australia's eSafety Commissioner about the country's social media ban for under 16s.Brought up in Seattle, North America Julie has spent her career in the technology sector working for Microsoft, Twitter and Adobe in public policy and safety before moving into government. She moved to Australia more than 25 years ago and from 2017 Julie has been working on online safety. In her role as commissioner she's become the target of free speech absolutists like Elon Musk, who've accused of her trying to censor the internet.No stranger to controversy and abuse, she's now the public face of Australia's landmark social media ban for children under 16 which came into force in December.Now countries around the world are considering similar bans as cases of online addiction, self harm and abuse are reportedly on the rise.Thank you to Katy Watson and Dan Soekov for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations and Taiwan's cyber ambassador Audrey Tang. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Katy Watson Producer(s): Dan Soekov, Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Julie Inman Grant Credit: Reuters)

Colm Tóibín is a celebrated Irish writer, but as a child words didn't come easily. Navigating grief as a boy when his father died, he developed a stammer. Instead of talking, Colm watched and listened, collecting stories that wove their way into his novels. He's won a string of awards and been nominated for the prestigious Booker Prize three times. His novel Brooklyn was made into a movie starring Saoirse Ronan and was up for several Oscars. He finds it hilarious that although he was invited to the event he had to be ushered in through a back door – the red carpet is apparently not for novelists. Beyond his writing, Colm was a vocal campaigner for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Ireland. He's also breaking taboos by speaking openly about testicular cancer and highlighting some of the comedy moments from those bleak times. His latest book is called A Long Winter.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Andrea KennedyLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

Today on the program, a trip into the archive and a return to Episode 696⁠, my conversation with Vesna Maric from March 2021. Maric was born in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in 1976. She left Bosnia-Herzegovina at sixteen as part of a convoy of refugees. She went on to work for the BBC World Service and has written for Lonely Planet for over two decades. Vesna is an author of fiction and non-fiction, essays and a variety of journalism. Her memoir, Bluebird, was longlisted for The Orwell Prize. I spoke with Vesna Maric as she was celebrating the publication of her debut novel, The President Shop. Air date: March 10, 2021. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ulys.app/writeabook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to download Ulysses, and use the code OTHERPPL at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription." Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Write a Novel,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the debut audio course from DeepDive. 50+ hours of never-before-heard insight, inspiration, and instruction from dozens of today's most celebrated contemporary authors. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad's email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.We travel back to Chile in 2006 where more than 600,000 schoolchildren are marching through the streets to protest about their schools. The nationwide demonstrations will become known as the "Penguin Revolution".Our guest Dr Laura Tisdall, a historian from Newcastle University, explains why this isn't the first time children have challenged authority.And we examine another protest in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in 1979 which became a seminal moment in the country's transition to democracy.Plus, one of the most defining moments of World War Two – the liberation of Auschwitz, the Nazis' largest death camp in 1945.And the remarkable story of the 5,000-year-old mummy found frozen and perfectly preserved in Europe's Ötzal Alps in 1991. In sport, we explore the inspiring story of how rugby union came to thrive in Syria - despite mass protests and violent government crackdowns during 2011...Finally, we celebrate 100 years since a technological breakthrough that would change the world. The start of television.Contributors:Karina Delfino – one of the leaders of the Penguin Revolution.Dr Laura Tisdall - lecturer in Modern British History, Newcastle University.Yao Chia-wen – protester in the Kaohsiung Incident.General Vasily Petrenko – Soviet army commander who helped liberate Auschwitz. Konrad Spindler – archaeologist.Rainer Henn - forensic pathologist.Mohamad Jarkou – Syrian rugby union player.Iain Logie Baird – grandson of John Logie Baird, the inventor of television.(Photo: High school students in Santiago, 2006. Credit: Claudio Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)

It's hard to be the only woman , I feel lonely sometimes because I'd like to have another woman colleague to talk too.'The BBC's Chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet speaks to Hind Kabawat, Syria's Minister for Social Affairs and Labour. and the only female minister in the transitional government.She was born in India and grew up across the Middle East and Europe. Her life has been shaped by movement, exile and conflict. She studied economics in Damascus, law in Beirut, and later continued her education in the United States.During Syria's war, she worked abroad on diplomacy and legal reform, advising on negotiations and pushing for greater representation of women in public life. After the fall of the Assad regime and the creation of a transitional authority, she returned home to take up public office. In this conversation, she talks about power, responsibility, and what leadership means in a country still reckoning with more than a decade of conflict.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with the Colombian president Gustavo Petro, the Palestinian-American human rights lawyer Noura Erekat and Mexican actor Diego Calva. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Lyse Doucet Producers: Lina Shaikhouni, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Hind Kabavat Credit: Beyza Comert/Anadolu via Getty Images)

‘We're fighting to survive in our home town, in our country, and at the same time we're fighting for our future, for our independence'Nick Robinson speaks to Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, about Ukraine's war with Russia as it approaches its fourth year.Born behind the Iron Curtain in 1971, he's arguably best-known as a former heavyweight boxing world champion who made his name in the ring during the 1990s and 2000s.Having hung up his gloves following a series of injuries, when his native Ukraine endured political upheaval through the Orange Revolution, Vitali's attentions turned to the political arena. Following a short stint in the Ukrainian Parliament, where he aligned with pro-Europeans, Vitali was elected mayor of Ukraine's capital Kyiv in 2014 after heavily campaigning against corruption.But his greatest challenge in politics, and indeed even greater than becoming a world champion boxer, came when Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Thank you to the Political Thinking with Nick Robinson team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Artificial Intelligence pioneer Mustafa Suleyman, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, and fantasy author Sir Philip Pullman. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Nick Robinson Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Ben Cooper Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Vitali Klitschko Credit: Sergei GAPON / AFP via Getty Images)

“Regardless of whether it's Trump or anybody else in the White House, we should expect something quite significant to be going on in terms of the United States' relationship with the rest of the world.”Amol Rajan speaks to Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge University, about a new era of global power play. In this conversation, she traces the roots of the re-birth of US expansionism back to the 19th century, and America's early presidents. She also explains how the dynamics of geopolitics are tied to the control of resources, in particular oil.Professor Thompson is an expert on the history of globalisation who has taught at Britain's Cambridge University for more than 30 years. Her current research looks at the geopolitics of energy, and the long history of this century's global disruptions.Thank you to the Radical team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with the Colombian president Gustavo Petro, New Zealand's former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Amol Rajan Producers: Anna Budd, Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Helen Thompson Credit: Anna Budd/BBC)

The icy-white crust of Arctic permafrost is melting, and increased plant growth is turning the glacial north green. Metals like iron, once locked inside the ice, are leaching into hundreds of Arctic rivers, giving them an orange hue. Vivid changes may catch our eye, yet invisible shifts are also afoot. Microbes locked in the frozen ground since the age of the mammoths can now be revived when they thaw. We're exploring the consequences of changes in permafrost, how AI may help us better understand Greenland ice loss, and get reactions from scientists about the Trump administration's attempt to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), one of the premier climate and weather researcher centers in the world. Guests: Tristan Caro – Postdoctoral Fellow, Geological and Planetary Sciences Division, California Institute of Technology Twila Moon – Glaciologist and deputy lead scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, within the cooperative Institute for Research and Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. Abagael Pruitt – Biochemist and ecosystem ecologist, postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Davis Karina Zikan – Glaciologist and snow hydrologist, PhD candidate at Boise State University Roland Pease – Science writer and broadcaster often heard on the BBC World Service, and former presenter and host of its program Science in Action Alan Sealls – Retired broadcast meteorologist, adjust professor at the University of South Alabama and president of the American Meteorological Society Featuring music by Dewey Dellay and Jun Miyake Big Picture Science is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to inquire about advertising on Big Picture Science. You can get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Willis Chimano is one of Kenya's biggest pop stars. With the boyband Sauti Sol, he's won a string of awards and even danced with President Barack Obama. But behind the success, Chimano had a secret: being gay in a country where gay sex is criminalised and people who identify as LGBT+ can experience violence and harassment. Since his childhood, Chimano had been hiding his sexuality but then in 2018 he was outed. Suddenly his career stood its toughest test as he was caught in a media frenzy and dealing with exposure that threatened to derail his entire life - and his relationship with his conservative family. But Chimano emerged from the storm as role model for LGBT+ people, becoming Kenya's most famous openly gay singer.His memoir is called Heavy is the Crown.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producers: Maryam Maruf and June ChristieLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

‘All they have seen is a 40-year rule that has resulted in high unemployment rates, poor services, and an increased violation of human rights. This young population is yearning to see a different president, a different kind of Uganda.'Catherine Byaruhanga speaks to human rights lawyer and activist Nicholas Opiyo about Ugandan politics, the rule of law, and the impact of 40 years of one leader on the nation.He's taken on multiple cases of national significance, including successfully overturning the country's anti-LGBTQ legislation back in 2014 - although this has since been re-instated, and represented a former rebel commander of the Lord's Resistance Army.Opiyo has also represented Ugandan opposition politician Bobi Wine, who, despite previously being arrested and charged with treason in 2018, challenged the 81-year-old incumbent President Yoweri Museveni in January's disputed elections.These elections were watched from afar by Opiyo, who was recently forced to flee his home country for his own safety, but still continues his human rights work. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Botswana's President Duma Boko, and Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Foreign Minister of Egypt. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Catherine Byaruhanga Producers: Clare Williamson, Ben Cooper and Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Nicholas Opiyo. Credit: Reuters)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.Our guest Sugandhi Jayaraman, lecturer in air transport management at the University of Westminster, discusses the changes in airports over time. We hear about the Irish priest whose dream of air travel in a remote part of West Ireland became a reality. And we travel back to 1943 to one of the most audacious hoaxes of World War Two. Plus the Challenger Shuttle disaster where a member of the public had been chosen to join the experienced astronaut crew.We also commemorate Agatha Christie and we go back to 1979 when Ayatollah Khomeini flew back to Tehran from Paris after being exiled. Contributors:Pearce Concannon - firefighter at Knock airportSugandhi Jayaraman - lecturerRoger Morgan - amateur historianBarbera Morgan - trained alongside the Challenger teamMathew Prichard- Agatha Christie's grandson Mohsen Sazegara - worked for the Ayatollah (Picture: Cabin crew with Monsignor James Horan at Knock Airport. Credit: Independent News And Media/Getty Images)

‘It's so far from your reality because I didn't know anybody and I was an immigrant'Anita Rani speaks to the Beijing-born director Chloé Zhao about her career and her latest film, Hamnet.Zhao made history in 2021 when, at the age of just 39, she became the first woman of colour - and, at the time, only the second woman ever - to win the best director award at the Oscars.Now, just five years after her Oscars triumph for Nomadland, Zhao is making headlines once again as the director of the critically-acclaimed movie Hamnet, a dramatisation about the son of the English playwright William Shakespeare. It won two Golden Globe awards, including one for ‘Best Drama Movie', and has recently been nominated for 8 Academy Awards too.Thank you to the Woman's Hour team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Indian author Twinkle Khanna, former US Vice President Kamala Harris, and Hollywood legend Sir Anthony Hopkins. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Anita Rani Producers: Emma Pearce, Ben Cooper and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Chloé Zhao. Credit: Emma McIntyre/WireImage)

“There are those that believe the power of law should be replaced by the law of power”Anna Foster speaks to Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, about the threat to international law from states acting through power and influence instead, in particular America. Defending the rule of law is necessary, he says, if we are to have a better world.He also sets out the case for reform of the UN Security Council to allow it to remain effective and relevant in the face of increasingly complex global conflicts. Antonio Guterres has been at the head of the United Nations since 2017, and is now entering his final year in office. Thank you to the Today team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, former Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and Mustafa Suleyman, boss of Microsoft AI. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Anna Foster Producer: Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Antonio Guterres. Credit: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Walker, who shares the following field recording of the BBC World Service on 9410 kHz made on September 28, 2025 at 0603 UTC in McGrath, Alaska. Paul notes that this was an exceptionally strong signal to have been received in McGrath, Alaska.

As tensions rise between the US and Europe over Greenland, how are international media reporting the story? Elisabet Svane, political analyst at Politiken in Denmark, and Michael Birnbaum, White House reporter for The Washington Post discuss their approach. Jamie Angus, former head of the BBC World Service, says the BBC should move faster into unblockable technologies to reach people in repressive regimes. He explains why, alongside Evie Aspinall, Director of the British Foreign Policy Group. One month on, how successful is Australia's under 16s social media ban? We hear from Bronte Gossling from the Sydney Morning Herald as the UK government considers a similar move. And we unpack the media storm surrounding Brooklyn Beckham's bombshell Instagram post with Simon Boyle, freelance showbiz journalist and former showbiz editor at The Sun; and Mail on Sunday columnist and former editor of British Vogue Alexandra Shulman.

Our guest this week is Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh, PhD. Dr. Nasserzadeh is an award-winning author, TED speaker, and world-renowned relational expert. She holds a PhD in social psychology and specializes in sexual health and relationships at both macro and micro levels. Dr. Nasserzadeh has served as a senior cultural advisor for governments, UN agencies, academic institutions, and Fortune 500 companies. She has authored multiple articles, books, and book chapters. Her newest book, Love by Design: 6 Ingredients to Build a Lifetime of Love, was the recipient of the Vincent Clark Award from the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists for significant advancement of the field. Using proven research, Dr. Nasserzadeh explains how six essential ingredients – attraction, respect, trust, a shared vision, compassion, and loving behaviors – are needed for any thriving relationship, from the bedroom to the boardroom. These ingredients can be explored with any audience to establish a unified language, shared values, and common aspirations. Dr. Nasserzadeh's work has been featured on NPR, the BBC, ABC, CNN, The New York Times, The Times, CNBC, and USA Today, among others. Dr. Nasserzadeh has been a board member of several professional organizations, including the California Psychological Association, the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), and the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). She is widely recognized as a trailblazer in the field of relational science and has been honored by peers and esteemed institutions alike, including the British Council for her contributions to social impact; Pfizer Inc. with its Innovation of the Year Award during her tenure as global chair of the Customer Insights Council; the BBC World Service for Innovation of the Year for her groundbreaking sexuality education program; and AASECT with its Award for Professional Excellence. Clinically, she is an approved training provider, senior accredited member, and registered supervisor with AASECT, as well as a registered supervisor with the College of Sex and Relationship Therapists in the UK (COSRT). Since moving to California, she is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) and a member of the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT). To learn more about Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh, visit her website, join her online community, and follow her on Instagram. If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our website and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!  

When she was 14, Krystal Evans survived a lethal house fire. Years later, to come to terms with what she'd experienced, she turned it into a stand-up show. The women in Krystal's family have always been funny, she says; her mother was no exception. But as well as being hilarious she also struggled with mental illness, and life in Krystal's childhood was chaotic. With very little money, the family would move from place to place, Krystal would miss months of school and often be left to take care of her younger sister alone. When Krystal was 14, chaos turned to tragedy when a fire engulfed their mobile home in Washington State. Not everyone survived. Krystal buried the experience and tried to move on with her life, but years later, while working as a comedian, she decided to confront her memories of the fire – by turning them into a hit stand-up show: The Hottest Girl at Burn Camp.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producers: Caroline Ferguson and Zoe GelberLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

Nick Robinson speaks to Polish President Karol Nawrocki about Trump, Russia and the future of Europe.A historian and a boxer by background, he was elected in June 2025 with the support of Poland's conservative opposition Law and Justice Party.A social conservative and devout Catholic, he is also an outspoken critic of the European Union and staunch supporter of Donald Trump, believing that the US President is the only person who can stop the threat to Europe from Vladimir Putin's Russia: "Europe for a number of years was involved in not so important things, in ideological issues such as Green Deal for instance, climate policy, migration issues. It was not building its resilience and its security."The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, American singer-songwriter Patti Smith and Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally in France. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Nick Robinson Producers: Oscar Pearson, Kirsty Mackenzie and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Polish President Karol Nawrocki. Credit: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.Our guest is food historian Dr Annie Gray.She discusses the impact of the first modern, fitted kitchen - the Frankfurt Kitchen - on the kitchens of today. It all goes back to 1926 and the reluctant Austrian architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky who said she wanted to be remembered for more than designing a "damned" kitchen. Sorry Margarete.Next is the invention of the board game Cluedo, or Clue in the United States, which stemmed from playing the piano at murder mystery parties in English country houses and hotels in the 1930s.Then, we enter the murky world of computer viruses. The first one to affect personal computers in 1986 became known as 'Brain'.We hear from a survivor of the deadly mudslides which affected Venezuela in December 1999.A Lotus mechanic gives his account of Brazilian racing star Ayrton Senna's first Formula 1 win in 1985.And finally, a glimpse into a period of freedom in Afghanistan from 2005 when a TV musical talent contest called Afghan Star gripped audiences.Contributors:Christine Zwingl - architect.Marcia Lewis - daughter of the creators of Cluedo.Amjad Farooq Alvi - founder of Brain Computers.Leydys Crespo - survivor of Venezuelan mudslides in 1999.Chris Dinnage - Ayrton Senna's mechanic.Jahid Mohseni - the development producer for Afghan Star.(Picture: A 1950s fitted kitchen. Credit: Getty Images)

I do believe US military action is a real threat, and the prospect of removing it depends on the ongoing conversations. The BBC's South America correspondent Ione Wells speaks to Gusatvo Petro, Colombia's first left-wing president about his fears of US military action against his country. Petro, a former guerrilla fighter turned reformist leader, has been in office since 2022, championing social justice, environmental policies and regional diplomacy.He responds to Donald Trump's recent comments suggesting a military operation against Colombia “sounds good” and accusations that Petro himself is a drug trafficker—claims he strongly denies.Petro warns that the United States risks moving from global leadership to isolation through what he calls “imperial-style behaviour,” following the recent seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. He also expresses his belief that Washington needs a fundamental rethink of power and diplomacy.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and author Sir Salman Rushdie. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Ione Wells Producers: Alba Morgade, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.Image Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images

Matthew Bannister on Claudette Colvin the American civil rights campaigner who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, nine months before Rosa Parks' celebrated protest.Ian Balding, the racehorse trainer who saddled many winners for Queen Elizabeth II.Gerry Gable, the anti-fascist activist and co-founder of Searchlight magazine, who wasn't afraid to break the law in his relentless pursuit of the far right.Juliet Robertson, the Scottish educationalist who was a passionate advocate for outdoor teaching. And a tribute to Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir from Don Felder of The Eagles.Interviewee: Brough Scott Interviewee: Andy Bell Interviewee: Don Felder Interviewee: David CameronProducer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jazz George Editor: Glyn TansleyArchive used: Claudette Colvin interview, Outlook, BBC World Service, 23/02/2018; The Epsom Derby, Commentary, BBC One, 02/06/1971; Ian Balding interview, A View from the Boundary, BBC Radio 4, 26/07/2003; Gerry Gable, Witness History, BBC World Service, 12/10/2021; The Light and The Darkness War - documentary, BBC Radio 4, 16/03/1995; Life, Death and the Outdoors with Juliet Robertson, Scotland Outdoors, BBC Radio Scotland, 24/09/2025;

We are in a new era where human rights have been replaced by trade and big businesses and they have almost entirely depleted our ability to show humanity to people on the other side.Lucy Hockings speaks to Baroness Arminka Helic, Member of the House of Lords and campaigner for refugees and victims of war.A former Bosnian refugee, she saw first hand the legacy of conflict-related sexual violence and the importance of ending impunity for rape and assault committed as a weapon of war. She tells of her warm welcome to the UK in 1992 and wants us always to remember the human beings behind the refugee statistics.Baroness Helic talks about the progress in raising awareness of the crimes and her own work in launching the ‘Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative' in 2012. She says that it's really hard for victims to speak out because of the stigma around rape but when they do, their voices need to be heard and the crimes documented.She also speaks about the plight of asylum seekers and the use of starvation in conflict zones like Gaza and Sudan. A Conservative peer, she's keen to take the politics out of immigration and remember our humanity.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Lucy Hockings Producers: Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has also escalated a shadow war against the West. Using cyberattacks, destruction of property, arson, assassinations, and information operations, Russian agents sow chaos and fear, while probing and testing capabilities and responses in the event of a broader full-scale war. In a wide-ranging conversation, host Bakhti Nishanov talks to shadow war and energy expert Benjamin Schmitt about his experiences tracking Russia's sabotage attempts across the globe. They delve into Schmitt's quest to show the world how Russia's actions affect the lives and livelihoods of people throughout the West, a journey that has taken him from Chile to the Arctic to the Baltic Sea and beyond.  Read "Underwater Mayhem: Countering Threats to Energy and Critical Infrastructure Across the NATO Alliance and Beyond," here: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/subsea-sabotage-protecting-energy-infrastructure-from-hostile-aggression/  --- Benjamin L. Schmitt is a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, where he holds a joint academic appointment with the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. He is also a senior fellow and the director of the graduate program at Perry World House. At Penn, Schmitt focuses on the project development and field deployment of the Simons Observatory, a new set of experimental cosmology telescopes and energy support infrastructure under construction at a high-altitude site in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. In his joint role at Penn, he also pursues research and teaching with the Kleinman Center related to European energy security, critical infrastructure protection, export controls policies, and modern sanctions regimes. At Perry World House, Schmitt focuses on national security analysis focused on the transatlantic community and the Indo-Pacific, as well as emerging space security challenges. Previously, Schmitt was a research associate and project development scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, where he supported the technical design, project management, and deployment of novel instrumentation and infrastructure for next-generation experimental cosmology telescopes at the South Pole. For this work, he traveled to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica in early 2020 and received the U.S. Antarctica Service Medal. Schmitt remains an affiliate of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and is also an associate of the Harvard-Ukrainian Research Institute. Schmitt is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is co-founder of the Duke Space Diplomacy Lab, where he is also a fellow of Duke's Rethinking Diplomacy Program. Schmitt is also a senior fellow for Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). Previously, Schmitt served as European energy security advisor at the U.S. Department of State, where he advanced diplomatic engagement vital to the energy and national security interests of the transatlantic community, with a focus on supporting the resilience of NATO's eastern flank and Ukraine in the face of Russian malign energy activities. Schmitt has been an invited lecturer on energy, national security, and science policy at Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, the National Defense University, and more. He also regularly publishes in Foreign Policy, The Daily Beast, Newsweek, The Hill, Atlantic Council, and Harvard International Review. Schmitt regularly provides expert commentary for print, television, and radio, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, NPR's Marketplace, BBC World Service, Slate, Vox, The Sunday Telegraph, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, Bild Zeitung, Handelsblatt, and the Kyiv Post. Schmitt is a past recipient of the Government of Poland's Amicus Poloniae Award, has been honored as "Ukraine's Friend of the Week" by the Kyiv Post, and has received both Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards from the U.S. Department of State. Before entering government, Schmitt served as a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow while pursuing doctoral research in experimental cosmology at the University of Pennsylvania. For this work, Schmitt received both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in experimental physics from the University of Pennsylvania. Schmitt has also previously served as a U.S. Fulbright Research Fellow to the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany. Schmitt is an Eastman School of Music trained classical vocalist with multiple leading operatic roles and solo concert performances on his resume. He is also a member of the United States Golf Association. Schmitt is a proud native of Rochester, New York. He resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. --- This podcast is hosted by Bakhti Nishanov and produced by Alanna Novetsky, in conjunction with the Senate Recording Studio.

How will China respond to a new era of US assertiveness? Could the spectacular events of Trump's second term change President Xi Jinping's calculations about whether to flex China's muscles in Taiwan?All this week, we are teaming up with our sister podcasts to explore how power and influence around the world is shifting. We're exploring who has a sphere of influence and who finds themselves in one.Today we're joined by Mariko Oi, host of Asia Specific from the BBC World Service, and the BBC's China correspondent, Laura Bicker.Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Valerio EspositoExecutive producer: James ShieldMix: Travis EvansSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto: China's President Xi Jinping. Maxim Shemetov/Pool/Reuters

Joanne Briggs had always thought of her dad as a bit of a superhero. But he was hiding a dark secret.She only saw him a couple of times a year during her childhood in the UK, but that was because Professor Michael Briggs was off travelling the world being a very important scientist. Or at least that was the story she grew up to believe. It was only in 1986, when Joanne was 23, that she first got a glimpse of who he really was. The Sunday Times newspaper exposed him as a scientific fraud, leaving his reputation in tatters. Two months later, he was dead. Joanne chose to close the door on this mysterious and destructive period of her life. But 34 years later it unexpectedly reopened, and led her on a journey through multiple lies and deception, towards a better understanding of the man she thought she knew. Joanne Briggs has written a book about her father: The Scientist Who Wasn't There.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Anna LaceyLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

‘Archaeology has this focus on material evidence so it's in a way more democratic, because texts are often written by the powerful and represent their idea of how things should be remembered'Michael Berkeley speaks to Gabriel Zuchtreigel, Director of Pompeii in Southern Italy, one of the world's most important archaeological sites.History, he says, comes alive through archaeology, helping us to appreciate our shared humanity with those who lived thousands of years ago, and providing a more democratic way of learning about the past. Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that erupted and buried Pompeii in ash and pumice, did not distinguish between the wealthy and the poor in its victims. Gabriel Zuchtriegel was appointed Director of Pompeii in 2021, and has since begun a major excavation, and made a number of significant finds. But it is walking around the site at night, emptied of the crowds, that he feels the ancient city come alive. It is as if, he says, the inhabitants only left a few minutes ago.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including with artist Doris Salcedo and author Sir Salman Rushdie. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Michael Berkeley Producers: Clare Walker and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Gabriel Zuchtreigel Credit: Ivan Romano/Getty Images)

Sara Blakely grew up in Florida and dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but after failing the LSAT twice, she pivoted to sales and later entrepreneurship. Frustrated by uncomfortable hosiery, Blakely cut the feet off her tights and sparked an idea that would change fashion. With no formal business training, she cold-called hosiery mills and landed her first big break with Neiman Marcus, then with the Oprah Winfrey show. Spanx went from a scrappy startup to a billion-dollar brand that reshaped celebrity style and became a cultural phenomenon.Journalists Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack trace Sara Blakely's journey from selling fax machines to building Spanx into a global empire. They explore how she leveraged persistence, marketing, and risk-taking to disrupt an industry dominated by men - and what her story reveals about innovation, branding, and entrepreneurship.Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast from the BBC World Service that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are business leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires?To contact the team, email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. This programme contains distressing details.Our guest is Bárbara Fernández Melleda, Assistant Professor in Latin American Studies at the University of Hong Kong.We start with Chilean author Isabel Allende on her debut novel, The House of the Spirits, in 1982 which reflects Chile's 20th century history.Then, we hear the memories of a soldier injured in the Battle of Gallipoli.The recollections of a mother who lost both her daughters in a crowd crush at Hillsborough stadium in 1989 - the UK's worst sporting disaster.How a British artist's unmade bed was nominated for a prestigious art prize in 1999.Next the swimsuit made ahead of the Beijing Olympic games in 2008 that was so good it had to be banned.Finally, we learn about the world's longest running animated TV series that began in 1969.Contributors:Isabel Allende - a Chilean author.Rupert Westmacott - a soldier (from archive).Jenni Hicks - a mother who lost her two daughters in the Hillsborough tragedy.Dame Tracey Emin - an artist.Jason Rance - former head of Speedo's global research and development team.Sunishi Yukimuro - an animated cartoon writer.(Image: Chilean author Isabel Allende. Credit: Felipe Amilibia/AFP via Getty Images)

'As somebody who's deeply techno-optimistic, I invite people to be also healthily afraid and sceptical'BBC presenter Amol Rajan speaks to the British artificial intelligence entrepreneur Mustafa Suleyman, Chief Executive of Microsoft AI.He believes in the enormous potential of AI to be a force for good in the world, changing how we live and work for the better. He's committed to developing a humanist superintelligence, one that always works to serve people and never vice versa. But he remains clear about what he sees as the risks, issuing a warning that without the right ethical safeguards, AI could grow powerful enough to overwhelm humanity.The son of a London taxi-driver and a nurse, he dropped out of Oxford University and by his mid-twenties had co-founded DeepMind, the pioneering artificial intelligence research lab. By the time it was sold to Google four years later in 2014, it was worth a reported $400 million.Thank you to the Today team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Amol Rajan Producers: Kate Collins, Ollie Stone-Lee and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

Matthew Bannister onThe colourful life of artist, fashion editor, sex columnist and bonkbuster author Molly Parkin. Her daughter shares the highs and lows of living with Molly.Kristina Gjerde, the maritime lawyer who fought to protect the high seas.Michael Barton, the BBC executive who oversaw the expansion of English local radioEva Schloss, the holocaust survivor who became Anne Frank's stepsister.Producer: Ed Prendeville Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn TansleyArchive used Breakfast Time, BBC 1, 12/02/1986; Outlook, BBC World Service,27/01/2022; BBC Sound Archive, Murrow, Edward R, CBS Recording, 13/03/1938; BBC Sound Archive, Sinclair W.A.,19/05/1940; Learning about the Past to Make a Better Future, YouTube Upload, Anne Frank Trust UK, 24/03/2021; News – Gulf War special, BBC 1, 20/01/1991; Neighbours Shall Speak, BBC Archives; Archive on 4 : Close to Home - The Story of Local Radio, BBC Radio 4, 12/11/2017; The Time of your life – Molly Parkin, BBC 1, 08/06/1984; Molly Parkin – Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 13/05/2011; The Seven Ages of Man : Molly Parkin, BBC 2, 12/08/1996; Wogan, BBC 1, 03/12/1990; Dr Harriet Harden-Davies' personal recording of Kristina Gjerde, 2024

‘The embassies in our two countries really are the main remaining thread on which our relationship hangs'Steve Rosenberg, the BBC's Russia editor, speaks to Nigel Casey, the UK's ambassador to Russia, about the challenges of working in Moscow on behalf of a government that views President Putin's Russia as a threat to Britain. He believes this job is one of the most challenging - and important - of his career. In a wide ranging conversation, the ambassador describes his life in Moscow over the last two years: a period of heightened tensions between the UK and Russia after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.The number of diplomats in the city has been drastically reduced and, for a British ambassador in Moscow, there are daily challenges to deal with. You're going to hear his experience of being followed wherever he goes in Russia and how, on occasions, his staff face harassment. He sees a key part of his job - defusing potentially dangerous diplomatic misunderstanding with the Russian government. He also reveals the gap between the anti-British rhetoric heard in the country's state media and the genuine curiosity of ordinary Russians towards the UK. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Steve Rosenberg Producers: Ben Tavener, Clare Williamson and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Nigel Casey. Credit: UK Gov)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Walker, who shares the following field recording of the BBC World Service (French Language Service) on 13790 kHz made on Sept 20, 2025 at 1815 UTC in McGrath, Alaska.

Fatima Whitbread grew up in a UK children's home. She found both a mother and a coach in one person – going on to break the javelin world record and become an Olympic medallist. Fatima spent her first 14 years in a series of institutions after being abandoned as a baby. She longed for stability and love, and found both in an unexpected place – on the sports field. Coach Margaret Whitbread spotted her talent early, and when she discovered that the young Fatima was growing up without a family, invited her to spend some time with her own. Holiday visits soon turned into an offer of a permanent home with the Whitbreads, and Fatima was eventually formally adopted by them. Margaret became both her mother and her coach.Fatima had once written to Margaret that her dream was to be ‘the best javelin thrower in the world.' Years later, she made that a reality with a record-breaking throw at the 1986 European Athletics Championships, followed by gold at the World Championships. She is also a two-time Olympic medallist. Today, Fatima Whitbread is using her own experiences to campaign for children in care through her charity, Fatima's UK Campaign.Please be aware, this episode contains references to child sexual abuse.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producers: June Christie & Louise MorrisLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected. Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784 You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

“In Latin America, we have way more than violence, we're more than salsa as our music, or food, or culture. It's a pleasure and a responsibility to share it with the world.”BBC presenter Nikki Bedi speaks to Mexican actor Diego Calva about his life and career. Diego Calva first made waves in independent cinema before landing major roles in hit series like Narcos: Mexico and the award-winning Hollywood epic Babylon, where he starred alongside Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. It was his first American film — and it earned him widespread critical acclaim.Raised in Mexico City by a single mother, he originally set out to be a writer and director before fate intervened. One day, when an actor didn't turn up for a college film he was working on, Diego was asked to step in.Since then he's continued to build an impressive international career and has a starring role in the second series of The Night Manager, the acclaimed television drama based on the book by John le Carré.Diego Calva talks about navigating fame, challenging stereotypes, and the power of telling Latin American stories on the global stage. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nikki Bedi Producer: Farhana Haider Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Diego Calva. Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Professor Barbara Keys, a specialist in US history at Durham University.We start with a celebration of the American Freedom Train, as the US prepares to mark 250 years of independence. Then, the South African railway enthusiast who created one of the most luxurious train services in the world.We hear about the invention of text messaging and how it changed the way we communicate. Plus, 75 years of Radio Free Europe broadcasting news to audiences behind the Iron Curtain.The thousand-year-long musical composition that's due to end in 2999. And our Sporting Witness looks at how a British teenager won a six-month contract to play for Italian champions Inter Milan. Contributors: Lou Nelson - former security guard on the American Freedom Train 1975-76.Rohan Vos - founder and CEO of Rovos Rail.Friedhelm "Fred" Hillebrand - inventor of SMS and text messaging.Arch Puddington - former deputy director Radio Free Europe.Jem Finer - musician and composer of Longplayer.Ben Greenhalgh - Margate player-manager and winner of reality show "Football's Next Star".(Photo: American Freedom Train, 1976. Credit: NARA/DVIDS)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Walker, who shares the following field recordings of the BBC World Service on 9410 kHz made on September 19, 20, and 25, 2025 at 0458 UTC in McGrath, Alaska. Paul notes:The English feed via Ascension to West Africa operates from 05:00 to 07:00 UTC on several days in late September, featuring something rare: the carrier is switched on, followed by a brief silence and then an interval signal. This sequence occurs every time I hear this transmission sign on, but I have noticed it almost nowhere else on BBC World Service shortwave, which usually just “crash starts” and ends abruptly.

When Ijeoma Uchegbu arrived back in the UK as a single mum of three young children she soon found herself living in a homeless shelter; now she is a pioneer in the field of nanoparticles in medicine.Ijeoma Uchegbu has dedicated her career to studying pharmaceutical nanoscience, seeking out ways to carry medicines to parts of the body that are notoriously hard to reach. But as a schoolgirl in the UK her aspirations were to work in a shop and earn enough to go dancing at weekends. It was when her Nigerian father took her back to his home country, aged 13, that she discovered a passion for science and a burning ambition. Ijeoma went to university at 16, married and started a family of her own but when her marriage failed, desperate to do a PhD she moved back to the UK. By now Ijeoma was a single mum-of-three. The family had one suitcase, no coats, and just £500 to start a new life. It was a battle to keep the family afloat, fed, and safe. But Ijeoma is a fighter; soon she had a job in a lab and a home and a few years later she found love again. Ijeoma co-founded a pharmaceutical company with her new husband. They are currently developing eyedrops to treat blindness and a nasal spray to target pain which she hopes will go some way to addressing the opioid crisis. She was given a damehood earlier this year and is a champion of race equality, and it turns out she also has a talent for stand-up comedy.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Andrea KennedyLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected. Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784 You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

2025 on The Interview A special episode of The Interview, featuring three of the most compelling conversations from 2025.The Archbishop of Canterbury is the symbolic leader of the Anglican Communion, a figurehead for more than 85 million people worldwide. Justin Welby stepped down from the role in late 2024 over his handling of abuse in the Church of England. In this interview, his first since his resignation, he tells BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg he is deeply sorry for his failure, and that of the church, to serve the victims and survivors appropriately.Australia's ground-breaking social media ban for under-16s drew the attention of the world when it was enacted in December. Communications Minister Anika Wells is in charge of the policy, and told the BBC's Australia Correspondent Katy Watson that she is trying to save a generation, with seven out of ten Australian young people suffering harm online. Despite opposition from tech giants, she says she is standing firm on the side of parents not platforms. Music legend Stevie Wonder's career spans seven decades and has brought him numerous awards including Grammys, a Golden Globe and an Oscar as well 100 million record sales. Whilst on tour in the summer, the American Ghanaian musician, who has been blind since birth, spoke to BBC presenter Annie Macmanus about his music and his childhood. Thank you to the all the teams across the BBC who have helped us make The Interview throughout 2025. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Ben Cooper Producers: Ben Cooper, Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider, Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine Lang and Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We learn about how Play-Doh evolved from a cleaning product to a childhood favourite and the creation of one of the best-selling board games of all time, Catan. Our guest is the editor of Toy World Magazine, Caroline Tonks, who takes us through the history of toy crazes. We also hear about the invention of the hoverboard, and how the Tamagotchi allowed people to have their own virtual pet. Plus, how the family favourite game, Jenga, was born in 1970s Ghana. And our Sporting Witness looks at how a piece of software revolutionised the game of football through data analysis. Contributors: Peg Roberts – daughter of Kay Zufall Benjamin Teuber – son of Catan inventor Klaus Teuber Caroline Tonks – editor of Toy World Magazine Shane Chen – the inventor of the hoverboard Akihiro Yokoi – the inventor of the Tamgotchi Leslie Scott – the creator of the game Jenga Ramm Mylavaganam – inventor of ProZone(Photo: The Tamagotchi was introduced in 1996 and is one of the best-selling toys in history. Credit: Reuters)

2025 on The Interview A special episode of The Interview, featuring three of the most compelling conversations from 2025. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright's controversial challenge to climate orthodoxy was the subject of his conversation with the BBC's climate editor Justin Rowlatt. Like his boss President Trump, Secretary Wright believes the threat from climate change is exaggerated, and the rush to decarbonisation by renewables has been an expensive mistake. In an interview with BBC presenter Paul Njie, Somalia's president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud defends his efforts to tackle the terrorist insurgency in his country. And he stands firm in the face of demands for independence from the northern region of Somaliland - the unity of Somalia, he says, is sacrosanct. British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out her plans for a radical reform of the UK asylum system in a conversation with the BBC's Nick Robinson. It makes for an uncompromising message for those trying to enter Britain illegally. Thank you to the all the teams across the BBC who have helped us make The Interview throughout 2025. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Lucy Sheppard Producers: Ben Cooper, Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider, Lucy Sheppard Editors: Justine Lang and Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

2025 on The InterviewIn 2025, the BBC launched The Interview, bringing you the best conversations from across the BBC. People shaping our world from all over the world.This special episode for The Documentary features three of the most compelling conversations from The Interview across the year. Senior politicians are held to account by experienced BBC journalists, who also bring a unique and personal insight to the conversation, with a behind-the-scenes take on each encounter that took place.US Energy Secretary Chris Wright's controversial challenge to climate orthodoxy was the subject of his conversation with the BBC's climate editor Justin Rowlatt. Like his boss President Trump, Secretary Wright believes the threat from climate change is exaggerated, and the rush to decarbonisation by renewables has been an expensive mistake. In an interview with BBC presenter Paul Njie, Somalia's president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud defends his efforts to tackle the terrorist insurgency in his country. And he stands firm in the face of demands for independence from the northern region of Somaliland - the unity of Somalia, he says, is sacrosanct. British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out her plans for a radical reform of the UK asylum system in a conversation with the BBC's Nick Robinson. It makes for an uncompromising message for those trying to enter Britain illegally. Thank you to the all the teams across the BBC who have helped us make The Interview throughout 2025. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Lucy Sheppard Producers: Ben Cooper, Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider, Lucy Sheppard Editors: Justine Lang and Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

2025 on The Interview A special episode from The Interview, featuring three of the most compelling conversations from 2025. US President Donald Trump spoke to the BBC's Chief North America correspondent Gary O'Donoghue in July, in a wide-ranging and frank telephone conversation from the Oval Office. President Trump reflects on the assassination attempt that took place a year previously, and also expresses his frustration at the slow pace of attempts to bring peace to Ukraine.British royal Prince Harry was born into one of the world's most famous families, and grew up in the public eye. In May, he lost a final court appeal to reverse the downgrading of security protection for him and his family since stepping down from royal duties. He gave his reaction to BBC correspondent Nada Tawfik in an emotional and deeply personal conversation.The Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai is known worldwide as the spirited girl who took on the Taliban and nearly lost her life, then went on to win the Nobel Prize and advocate for girls everywhere to go to school. But, as she explains to BBC presenter Madina Maishanu, although her public life defined her to the world, she did not know who she was. Thank you to the all the teams across the BBC who have helped us make The Interview throughout 2025. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Farhana Haider Producers: Ben Cooper, Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider, Lucy Sheppard Editors: Justine Lang and Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

There's a tradition among poets to write a poem to put inside the Christmas cards they send. So, the BBC World Service has commissioned one specially from the poet, dramatist and novelist, Michael Symmons Roberts whose Christian faith is important to his identity and work. But his art is not a direct expression of this, and instead he follows the poet Emily Dickinson's instruction to ‘Tell all the truth but tell it slant'.Michael has just become a grandfather, so feels keenly the happiness of the arrival of a cherished child, creating a parallel between his own life and the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus. For In the Studio Julian May follows Michael's creative process as he grapples huge spiritual and personal themes – distilling them to a length which can fit on a Christmas card: a daunting but joyful task.The programme begins with London's Oxford Street, where consumerism triggers preparations a full three months before Christmas - and ends with the sealing of the Christmas cards before they are popped into the post box.

Swedish youth worker Nicolas Lunabba had one strict rule: never get attached to the kids you help. Then 13-year-old Elijah moved in — and turned his mentor's flat into a home.In Malmö, Sweden, where poverty and violence shaped young lives, detachment was Nicolas' survival strategy. Then he met Elijah, an eight year old with a mohawk, a basketball under his arm, and a fearless, sometimes dangerous streak. They bonded over basketball and five years later, Elijah arrived at Nicolas' flat and made a home on his sofa. He borrowed his clothes, asked him to read aloud from a 3,600-page novel, and slowly cracked the emotional armour of a man who had spent years keeping people at arm's length. What began as mentorship became an unconventional and powerful bond that changed both their lives in extraordinary ways. Nicolas has written a memoir, Will You Care If I Die, and a Swedish film of the same name is currently in production.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Tom Harding Assinder Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected. Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784 You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

‘Being born in America, feeling American, but having people treat me like I'm not.'Chi Chi Izundu speaks to Korean American actor Arden Cho, star of the hit Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters, about her life and career. Cho is the voice of Rumi, a leading character who must come to terms with her own identity as part-human, part-demon.It's a duality that resonated powerfully with her, as the daughter of Korean immigrants who struggled for acceptance, and faced racism while growing up in America.Now, Korean culture is increasingly popular worldwide, and she has become a leading role model for Asian American children, the kind she says she lacked when she was young.And despite KPop Demon Hunters being crowned as Netflix's most-watched film ever, Cho warns that Asian-led film projects are still seen as a risk. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Chi Chi Izundu Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Clare Williamson and Rebecca Thorn Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Arden Cho. Credit: Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. We learn about how a Norwegian businessman brought salmon sushi to Japan in the 1980s. Our guest is cookbook author Nancy Singleton Hachisu, who tells us more about the history of sushi in Japan and around the world. We hear about the first opera written for TV in 1950s America and how U.S Marshalls used fake NFL tickets to capture some of Washington DC's most wanted. Plus, how disability rights campaigners in India led to a change in the law in 1995 and when Scotland played hockey in Germany during the cold war. Finally, the story of when Laurel and Hardy spent Christmas at an English country pub. Contributors: Bjørn-Eirik – Norwegian businessman who brought salmon sushi to Japan Nancy Singleton Hachisu – cookbook authorArchive of Gian Carlo Menotti – Italian composer Stacia Hylton – former U.S Marshall Javed Abidi – Indian disability rights campaigner Archive of customers at The Bull Inn – the pub that Laurel and Hardy visited in 1953Valerie Sinclair – member of Scotland's hockey team who played West Germany in 1961 (Photo: Japanese demonstration to Norwegian royal family. Credit: Bjørn-Eirik Olson)

Audrey Tang speaks to BBC Technology editor, Zoe Kleinman about technology, democracy and community. Named one of TIME's “100 Most Influential People in AI”, Audrey Tang was instrumental in shaping Taiwan's acclaimed COVID-19 response and in safeguarding the 2024 elections from foreign cyber interference.A child prodigy, born with a life threatening heart condition, reading, philosophy and the internet were part of her world from an early age. She became involved in Taiwan's sunflower student movement in 2014, laying internet cables so that those occupying government buildings could get their messages out to the people. The exercise was so successful that she was asked to join the government leveraging technology to improve governmental transparency and citizen engagement.Audrey Tang Taiwan's first digital minister and is the world's first openly non-binary cabinet minister. She's on a mission to spread digital diplomacy globally, and in turn protect democracy in her own country of Taiwan. A leading thinker on AI she advises governments and tech companies around the world and is the author of four books.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Zoe Kleinman Producers: Farhana Haider & Clare Williamson Editor: Justine Lang & Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Audrey Tang. Credit: Sean Marc Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos survived betrayal and a tabloid sting.Tulisa was born into a family of musicians in Camden, London, and says music was part of her everyday life. But her childhood was impacted by her mother's severe mental health episodes that would often end up with her being held in psychiatric institutions. After her parents divorced, Tulisa would frequently have to care for her mother by herself. Tulisa escaped into music, and although she was initially determined to become a solo star, she found huge success with the UK group N-Dubz, formed with a cousin and a friend, when she was in her teens. At the age of 22 she became the youngest ever judge on the UK TV talent show The X Factor, but her biggest challenge was working out how to survive in the spotlight. At the peak of her fame an ex-boyfriend released an intimate video of her online, without her consent, and Tulisa had to go to court to have it removed from websites. In 2013 she was also the target of an elaborate undercover newspaper sting that led to her facing jail for drug supply, before the trial collapsed and she was cleared. The experience almost derailed her career, and her life. Tulisa's latest book is called Judgement.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producers: Tommy Dixon and Rebecca VincentThis interview contains reference to suicide. If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.orgLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice