Podcasts about BBC World Service

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Latest podcast episodes about BBC World Service

ITSPmagazine | Technology. Cybersecurity. Society
The Business of Extortion — Storytelling, Ransomware, and the BBC's Cyber Hack | Geoff White | PODCAST EPISODE | An Analog Brain In A Digital Age — On Location at InfoSecurity Europe 2026 On Location With Sean Martin And Marco Ciappelli

ITSPmagazine | Technology. Cybersecurity. Society

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2026 16:34


There is a moment in every conversation about cybercrime when the criminal stops being a shadow and becomes a person with a desk, a calendar, and a complaint about Monday. That moment is the one that interests me. For years I've been told cybersecurity is a technical problem. Firewalls, patches, acronyms nobody outside the room understands. And it is, partly. But sit with Geoff White for fifteen minutes at InfoSecurity Europe and the technical layer becomes what it always was underneath: people. People who get out of bed, argue with their partners, drink too much vodka after a breakup, and worry about a grandmother in the hospital — while running an extortion racket that, somewhere else, is shutting down the hospital treating someone else's grandmother. Geoff is an investigative journalist and author who has built a career out of refusing to let crime stay abstract. His new BBC series, Cyber Hack — the strand that grew out of The Lazarus Heist — turns its attention to one of the world's biggest ransomware gangs, Conti. And here is the detail that stayed with me: he has read their mail. Three hundred thousand internal messages, leaked, written by the criminals themselves when they assumed no one was watching. A journalist's candy store, as he called it. Also a nightmare — in Russian, thick with slang, mistranslated so often that “Bitcoin” comes out as “cue ball” and money hides behind the word for “grandmothers.” What fascinates me is not the heist. It is the self-portrait. Because the gang does not see a gang. They see a company. They have clients, they say. Customers. Negotiations conducted professionally. Some of them even hand the victim a report afterward — here is how we got in, here is what you should fix — as though extortion were a security audit with an invoice attached. Geoff has a theory I find hard to argue with: extortion is exhausting work for a smart person to do every day, so the brain quietly rewrites the job description. Criminal becomes businessman. The part that knows the truth shrinks. The story they tell themselves takes over. I'm Italian, so of course The Godfather arrived uninvited in the middle of our conversation. It's a business. Nothing personal. We laughed — I get to make that joke and Geoff doesn't — but underneath the laugh is something genuinely unsettling, and it has nothing to do with hackers. It's about all of us. We are all narrating ourselves into the people we'd prefer to be. The ransomware gang simply does it with higher stakes and worse intentions. This is why storytelling isn't decoration on top of cybersecurity. It's the only tool that makes the invisible visible. Geoff's last BBC series landed at number seven on the US charts, a few slots below Joe Rogan, because he tells these stories as stories — with the technical iceberg sitting safely below the waterline. People learn when they aren't being lectured. And we should learn, quickly. The same week I'm laughing about cue balls, Geoff describes cloning his own mother's voice with an AI tool and phoning her. She thought the line was just a little muffled. I told him what I tell my parents: if anything feels strange, hang up and call me directly. A pre-digital instinct, used as armor against a very digital trick. So what do we carry forward, and what do we leave behind? We carry the stories. We leave behind the comfortable idea that any of this is happening somewhere else, to someone else. The new season of Cyber Hack is expected in July. Listen to it — not because it will scare you, though it might, but because it makes a hidden world legible, and legibility is where every defense we have begins. Geoff's books and the show are linked below. And if you'd like more of these conversations, subscribe to the newsletter at marcociappelli.com. Let's keep thinking. — Marco Co-Founder ITSPmagazine & Studio C60 | Creative Director | Branding & Marketing Advisor | Personal Branding Coach | Journalist | Writer | Podcast: An Analog Brain In A Digital Age ⚠️ Beware: Pigs May Fly |

The Documentary Podcast
Finding soldier Tom

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2026 26:28


For more than 80 years, no-one knew what happened to a Soviet prisoner of war who escaped from the Nazis on the Channel Island of Jersey and spent the rest of World War Two hiding from the German occupiers with a local family, the Le Bretons. Known only by his first name, Bokejon, or simply Tom, he was one of about 2,000 Soviet prisoners and forced labourers brought to the island of Jersey to build Nazi fortifications. After liberation, Tom and the other surviving PoWs were sent back to the USSR and the Le Breton family, particularly their daughter Dulcie, always wondered what became of him. That was until BBC teams tracked down his descendants. BBC Russian's Olga Ivshina was one of the journalists who tracked him down. Political violence has been a problem in Kenya for decades now. It is often carried out by gangs of young people, known as 'goons', who are sponsored by politicians to threaten, disrupt and attack rivals. After the general election in 2007 over 1500 people were killed and with another election planned for 2027, there are fears violence could erupt again. Wycliffe Muia of BBC Africa has been looking into these politically sponsored violent gangs and what can be done to stop them.  Traditional fortune telling culture,  known as Saju, is popular in South Korea and has ancient roots. It uses data such as a person's birth year, month, day and hour to determine their future and in South Korea people still sometimes consult it before important life decisions like marriage, or seeking a new job. Now, the practice of Saju is beginning to be combined with AI technology and it's finding a wide audience both online and as a walk-in, more immersive experience. BBC Korean's Yujin Choi went to try it out. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

HARDtalk
Reid Hoffman, tech billionaire: AI job revolution

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2026 22:57


“The change that we're going to see happen with AI does mean that there's going to be some really difficult challenges and times ahead. But the question is, how do we get to both navigating those challenges as humanly and as gracefully as possible, and how do we get to the same kind of benefits of the amplification we got with the Industrial Revolution?“Amol Rajan speaks to tech billionaire Reid Hoffman, about why he thinks artificial intelligence could transform the future of work.Reid Hoffman is best known for co-founding LinkedIn, the largest professional networking platform in the world, and revolutionising the world of work. He wants to do it again with a rapid adoption of AI in the workplace in a way he says is safe and ethical. As one of the world's richest men he also gives his thoughts on tech billionaires and his former relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Thank you to the Radical with Amol Rajan 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 entrepreneur Emma Grede, CEO of Otter.ai Sam Liang, and First Lady of Sierra Leone Fatima Bio. 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 Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Reid Hoffman Credit: Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Outlook
I was forced to rob my own bank, part 2

Outlook

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2026 23:52


Many years after he'd held a gun to her daughter's head Michelle wrote to Robert Ortiz seeking closure, it took him years to write back – and then they met. In 2000, Michelle Renee was at home with her seven-year-old daughter Breea when armed men burst through the door. They held Breea hostage while they took Michelle to the bank where she worked. She was told to remove all the money from the vault or her daughter would die. The gang were later caught and imprisoned but the fallout from that day and the accusations hurled at her during the trial would leave a lasting scar. Ten years after the event Michelle and Breea chose to write one of the gunmen a letter. It was a way of bringing the story to a close, they weren't expecting a response. It took him years but Robert Ortiz did write back – asking did she want to meet? This story is told in two episodes, in episode one Michelle tells the story of the day of the robbery and the impact of the trial when suddenly she stands accused. In episode two we bring in Robert and hear how two people have built a friendship from the most unlikely start.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Thomas Harding Assinder and 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

HARDtalk
Kate Kallot, AI founder: A global digital divide?

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2026 22:59


“Historically, as a region, we've been extracted at two levels. If you look at the AI value chain, a lot of our youth, some who have studied computer science, are left at data labelling roles at the bottom of the value chain, where the least value is created. In a different way, a lot of our data is being extracted for free to train those systems. We want to make sure we don't go into similar models that we had during colonisation.” Leanna Byrne speaks to Kate Kallot, founder of the Kenyan artificial intelligence company Amini, which is building AI infrastructure across Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.She warns that billions of people risk being left out of the artificial intelligence systems shaping modern life, with languages, cultures and knowledge from large parts of the world underrepresented in the technology being built today.Kate argues that AI risks repeating old patterns of global inequality, with poorer countries supplying valuable data while richer nations reap the rewards.She explains why the Global South should help shape the future of AI, rather than simply supply the data behind it.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Sundar Pichai and Julia Gillard. 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: Leanne Byrne Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Farhana Haider and Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Kate Kallot. Credit: Getty)

The Documentary Podcast
Embargo and the Cuban spirit

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2026 26:28


Last week, the American government charged the former Cuban leader, Raúl Castro, with conspiracy to kill US nationals. They accuse him of playing a part in the downing of two planes in 1996, which were flying between Cuba and Florida. This comes after months of the US putting increasing pressure on the country. In January, President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country who supplied oil to the island, resulting in huge energy shortages ever since, with some parts of the country being without power for 22 hours a day. But Cubans have been living under a strict trade embargo for decades, so they are not unfamiliar with such hardships. José Carlos Cueto López of BBC Mundo is from Cuba, and knows exactly what it's like for people living in such challenging circumstances.  The UN says that at least 32 political prisoners have been executed in Iran since February this year. The UN's Human Rights Office has warned that the death penalty is increasingly being used to silence political dissent. Last year, Iran carried out 2,159 executions according to Amnesty International, the highest number since 1981. The Iranian government says that the vast majority are for drugs related offenses or murder. Ghoncheh Habibiazad of BBC Persian has been trying to find out more about the political prisoners who've been executed this year, and she told me about her findings.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

The History Hour
Mexican history: A love song and a gas explosion

The History Hour

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2026 60:14


Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.Our guest is Michelle Meinhart, a reader in musicology and cultural history at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London. We start by hearing about a Mexican song that captivated lovers in World War Two. Then, a marketing strategist recalls how he worked on a Mexican election campaign in 2000 that saw a change of government for the first time in 71 years. We hear how millions of indigenous women in Mexico won the right to vote and stand in elections in 2014. Plus, a woman recalls her family's escape from a deadly gas explosion in Mexico City in 1984. Finally, we find out how Titanic, one of the most successful films in movie history, was made in Mexico in 1997. Contributors: Mariano Rivera Velazquez - son of singer Consuelo Velazquez who wrote Bésame Mucho. Michelle Meinhart - a reader in musicology and cultural history at Trinity Laban Conservatoire. Francisco Ortiz - marketing strategist. Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza - campaigner for indigenous women's rights. Virginia Martínez Tellez - San Juanico resident. Antonio Moreno - sports journalist. Luisa Gomez de Silva - assistant coordinator in the art department for the movie Titanic. (Photo: A welcoming kiss. Credit: Topical press agency/Hulton archive/Getty images)

HARDtalk
Maggie O'Farrell, writer: Identity is complicated

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2026 23:00


“I was born in Coleraine, then I moved to Wales and then I moved to Ireland. It's very complicated and I feel there's a strange sense if you grow up somewhere different from where you were born. That's just true of everyone. If your accent doesn't match your name - as in my case - I think you walk alongside all your life a kind of ghost-self in that there's always a sense of ‘who would I have been if we'd stayed?'”Katie Razzall speaks to acclaimed writer Maggie O'Farrell. The 54-year-old has been a published author for more than 25 years, with her books translated into more than 40 languages.O'Farrell shot to wider international fame following the award-winning screen adaptation of her 2020 novel Hamnet, a story about the son of the English playwright William Shakespeare. She's now publishing Land, her sweeping new tale centred around an Irish map-maker working for the British army at the time of the Great Famine in Ireland in the mid-19th century. Between 1845 and 1852, at least one million people died due to starvation and disease, with a further two million people fleeing Ireland to escape the famine.The book is about colonisation and devastation, set against a backdrop of families left to die of starvation on estates owned by British aristocrats and landowners. Drawing on her own family history during that period, it's O'Farrell's most political work yet - and as she explains, its themes still resonate with the world today. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao, author Sir Salman Rushdie, and comedian Eric Idle. 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: Katie Razzall Producers: Ben Cooper and Roxanne Panthaki Editors: Farhana Haider and Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Maggie O'Farrell. Credit: Getty)

Radical Candor
Gary Gerstle on The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order - S8 | E16

Radical Candor

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 64:00


While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors of the books that have had a big impact on her in the past two years.  In this episode, Kim speaks with Gary Gerstle, best-selling author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order and ten other books. Kim said that after reading this book, she began to feel that when it comes to economic policy, we really have a one-party system. The architect of the New Deal Order was FDR, a Democrat, but its general contractor was Eisenhower, arguably the most progressive of all American presidents. The architect of the Neoliberal order was Reagan, but its general contractor was Clinton. Kim also said that reading this book made her realize that, time and again throughout her career, she thought she was working towards progressive ends, not understanding how neoliberalism had taken hold of the Democratic Party.  Gerstle explains that “the phrase political order is meant to connote a constellation of ideologies, policies, and constituencies that shape American politics in ways that endure beyond the two-, four-, and six-year election cycles. In the last hundred years, America has had two political orders: the New Deal order that arose in the 1930s and 1940s, crested in the 1950s and 1960s, and fell in the 1970s; and the neoliberal order that arose in the 1970s and 1980s, crested in the 1990s and 2000s, and fell in the 2010s At the heart of each of these two political orders stood a distinctive program of political economy. The New Deal order was founded on the conviction that capitalism left to its own devices spelled economic disaster. It had to be managed by a strong central state able to govern the economic system in the public interest. The neoliberal order, by contrast, was grounded in the belief that market forces had to be liberated from government regulatory controls that were stymying growth, innovation, and freedom. The architects of the neoliberal order set out in the 1980s and 1990s to dismantle everything that the New Deal order had built across its forty-year span. Now it, too, is being dismantled.  Alarmingly, there seems to be no coherent policy around whatever it is replacing the Neoliberal order–just a mad grab for wealth, leading to even greater disparities than those that led to the Gilded Age's excesses and to the Great Depression. Guest Background: Gary Gerstle is Paul Mellon Professor of American History Emeritus and Paul Mellon Director of Research at the University of Cambridge. He is the author and editor of more than ten books, including two prizewinners, American Crucible (2017) and Liberty and Coercion (2015). He is a Guardian columnist and has also written for the Atlantic Monthly, the New Statesman, Dissent, The Nation, and Die Zeit, among others. He frequently appears on BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service, ITV 4, Talking Politics, and NPR. CHAPTERS (00:00) Introduction to Radical Sabbatical and Guest (03:03) Understanding Liberalism and Neoliberalism (06:11) The Evolution of Liberalism in America (09:06) The New Deal and Its Impact (12:10) Violence and Wealth Inequality in Capitalism (14:59) The Great Depression and Its Consequences (18:07) Defining Political Order (21:11) The Rise of the Neoliberal Order (24:05) Clinton's Role in Neoliberalism (26:58) The Gorky Automobile Factory and Communism's Appeal (31:19) The Rise of Soviet Communism as a Challenge to Capitalism (36:18) The Treaty of Detroit: Compromise Between Labor and Capital (41:43) Transition to Neoliberalism: The Powell Memo and Its Impact (49:13) Telecom Act of 1996: Deregulation and Its Consequences (54:16) The 2008 Financial Crisis: A Turning Point for Neoliberalism Connect with the Radical Candor team: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

HARDtalk
Aisha Musa, former leader: Can Sudan rebuild?

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2026 22:54


“I feel numb. It feels unreal to me, having been in Sudan all my life. I have never imagined that it will turn into a war field, it looks like a nightmare. At first that it is just days or months or even a year, but it went on and it kept escalating. Even our homes are no longer habitable. One of my sons went back to have a look and he said you wouldn't even find a spoon for your tea.” James Copnall speaks to Aisha Musa, one of the civilian figures who helped lead Sudan after the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in 2019.After popular protests led to Bashir's fall, Sudan's presidency was replaced by a Sovereign Council made up of military and civilian representatives. Aisha Musa was one of only two women appointed to the body, an unprecedented position of influence for a woman in Sudan.But hopes of democratic change collapsed with the outbreak of civil war in 2023 between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.Aisha reflects on working alongside the generals responsible for Sudan's civil war, what it would take to rebuild democracy and her frustration at UK visa restrictions for Sudanese refugees.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Volodymyr Zelensky and António Guterres. 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: James Copnall Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Aisha Musa Credit: Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Outlook
I was forced to rob my own bank, part 1

Outlook

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2026 38:56


In 2000, armed men burst into Michelle Renee's home and held her child hostage while she was forced to rob her own bank. None of them could have predicted what happened next. Michelle Renee was at home with her seven-year-old daughter Breea when armed men burst through the door. They held Breea hostage while they took Michelle to the bank where she worked. She was told to remove all the money from the vault or her daughter would die. The gang were later caught and imprisoned but the fallout from that day and the accusations hurled at her during the trial would leave a lasting scar. Ten years after the event Michelle and Breea chose to write one of the gunmen a letter. It was a way of bringing the story to a close, they weren't expecting a response. It took him years but Robert Ortiz did write back – asking did she want to meet? This story is told in two episodes, in episode one Michelle tells the story of the day of the robbery and the impact of the trial when suddenly she stands accused. In episode two we bring in Robert and hear how two people have built a friendship from the most unlikely start.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Thomas Harding Assinder and 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

HARDtalk
Chaka Khan, singer: Music is a calling

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2026 26:01


“This is a calling. It's bigger than anything in your life as an individual. If you found the thing that you were put on this planet to do, and a lot of people are put on this planet and they don't know, it's such a gift to find it.”Nick Grimshaw and Annie Macmanus speak to global music icon Chaka Khan about her life and career.Born Yvette Marie Stevens in the US city of Chicago in 1953, her big break came at the age of 20 when her band Rufus signed its first record deal. With her powerful vocals and striking stage presence, she quickly caught the public's attention.The band enjoyed commercial and critical success in the years that followed, before Chaka decided to go it alone around a decade later… a decision which transformed her life and career.Worldwide hits such as I'm Every Woman and I Feel For You followed, as well as collaborations with legends like Whitney Houston and Prince, multiple Grammy Awards, and an induction into the Rock ‘n' Roll Hall of Fame.As a new musical telling her story begins its run, the 73-year-old has a lot to reflect on.Thank you to the Sidetracked 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 Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, and artist Tracey Emin. 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. Presenters: Nick Grimshaw and Annie Macmanus Producers: Ben Cooper, Gráinne Morrison and Christine Czerniec Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Chaka Khan. Credit: Getty)

The Documentary Podcast
AI farewells for Russia's dead soldiers

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2026 26:28


'Virtual farewells' have become a trend on Russian social media. AI generated videos, depicting soldiers who have been killed in the war and paid for by their families, are being produced by AI artists. They show fantastical scenes of soldiers ascending to heaven; portrayals of their family members as guardian angels hovering over the front line; or sometimes little boys imagining a heroic future fighting in Putin's war in Ukraine. Liza Fokht of BBC Russian has been following the trend on social media/.  A documentary about deforestation in the West Papua region has attracted criticism from Indonesia's army. Some reports suggest the film Pesta Babi, or Pig Feast, has been banned, but the government insists that any cancelled screenings were the result of 'administrative procedures' and not an official ban. All the same, the controversy around the film seems to have made Indonesians more eager to find ways to watch it. BBC Indonesian's Lesthia Kertopati had a ticket for a screening this weekend. Since the military coup in 2021, both international and domestic tourism in Myanmar has dwindled as insecurity and unpredictability in the country has put people off travelling. Incidents of robbery and kidnapping of tourists have been reported in the ancient city of Bagan, one of the most famous tourist hotspots. Soe Win Tan of BBC Burmese explains why this is happening.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.

The History Hour
Belgium's royal affair and Montenegro gains independence

The History Hour

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2026 60:21


Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. First, the story of the Belgian teenager who exposed a scandal within the country's Royal Family in 1999. Our guest, Professor Kate Williams takes us through some other royal scandals from history. We hear how a group of women set up an underground newspaper in communist Poland and how an E-Coli outbreak caused one of Canada's worst public health emergencies. Plus, how Montenegro achieved independence from Serbia through a 2006 referendum. Our sporting story this week takes us to Eastern Ukraine and the rise of Shakhtar Donetsk. Finally, we delve into the archives to hear about when an Indian diplomat secured a rare meeting with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Contributors: Mario Danneels – teenager who exposed King Albert II of Belgium's secret child Professor Kate Williams – royal historian Helena Luczywo – former editor of Polish underground newspaper Mazovia Weekly Bruce Davidson – resident who experienced Canada's E-Coli outbreak Ivan Vujovic – independence campaigner in Montenegro Darijo Srna – former captain of Shakhtar Donetsk Archive recordings of Krishna Menon – former Indian diplomat (Photo: Queen Paola and King Albert II of Belgium in 1999. Credit: Reuters)

HARDtalk
Jennifer Riria, banking chief: Financial system still excludes women

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2026 23:53


“Most of Africa is rural, and although urbanisation is taking root now, the systems that deliver financial services to women are still eluding them.” Leanna Byrne speaks to microfinance pioneer Dr Jennifer Riria about her life, career, and personal mission to improve the lives of women in some of Africa's poorest communities. Having started life in a poor, rural village in Kenya, Dr Riria worked her way up to develop and run one of the biggest microfinance institutions for women in Africa. Microfinance is a banking service providing small loans and more, to people with low income who might lack access to traditional banking. It's aimed at fostering self-sufficiency, financial education, and entrepreneurship in developing areas. Her focus is not limited to finance. She also draws on her experiences of teaching at university, and consulting for UNICEF, the UN children's aid agency, in order to progress women's development in education and leadership. Thank you to the Business Daily 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 Botswana's president Duma Boko, entrepreneur Emma Grede, and astronaut Jeremy Hansen. 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: Leanna Byrne Producers: Ben Cooper, Ahmed Adan and Amber Mehmood Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Jennifer Riria. Credit: Getty)

HARDtalk
Daniel Noboa, Ecuador President: A war on gangs

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 23:00


“This is a war. We will treat it as a war, and first thing that we want is the war to end. We want peace. We want a better life for our people, especially for our youth.”Caitriona Perry speaks to Ecuador President Daniel Noboa about his hard-line military crackdown on violent criminal gangs, which has involved measures that human rights groups warn could pose a risk to civil liberties.President Noboa, who is one of the world's youngest leaders, has warned about the levels of crime faced in Ecuador. He claims that due to its location between Colombia and Peru, the world's two largest producers of cocaine, it has become a major location for drug-trafficking gangs.He talks about the attempts that have been made on his life, and the threats his family have faced. He calls on the cooperation from other countries to help fight international crime organisations. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Volodymyr Zelensky, Azar Nafisi and Julia Gillard. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Caitriona Perry Producer: Ellyn Duncan, Chloe Ross and Cordelia Hemming Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Daniel Noboa. Credit: Getty)

Outlook
Kangaroo Dundee: I gave it all up to become a ‘kangaroo mum'

Outlook

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2026 40:12


Chris 'Brolga' Barns fell in love with joeys and became a kangaroo 'mum'. He rescues orphaned baby kangaroos, or joeys, carrying them around in a pillowcase to mimic their mum's pouch. While working as a tour guide in the Australian outback, Brolga would always check the pouches of kangaroos killed by cars lying on the side of the road, where often the joeys would still be alive. The plan was to look after them until they could be released back into the wild, but sometimes they had been injured and couldn't outrun dingoes or bush fires. So Brolga gave up his job to create a kangaroo sanctuary for them in Alice Springs, in Australia's red centre. After leading some land and digging for 18 months to build a giant dingo-proof fence, he spent all his money. He ended up living in a tin shack on site, without any electricity or a toilet, sharing his bed with the orphaned joeys he was caring for. But the visitors he had hoped for did not come, and he had no income. Things were looking bleak. Then he starred in a BBC documentary series called Kangaroo Dundee. The title was a play on the hit comedy film Crocodile Dundee, about a man from the outback who wows everyone in the big city. Brolga's TV appearance wowed too - much to his surprise, he received hundreds of emails from female fans, who were unaware that he had a brand-new girlfriend (now his wife). The show guaranteed the Kangaroo Sanctuary's survival, and Brolga was able to dedicate all his time to mothering orphaned joeys. One of his first rescues, an alpha male kangaroo called Roger, became an internet sensation for always trying to attack his 'mum', Brolga, who he now saw as a rival. And recently some of Brolga's joeys starred in a family film called Kangaroo, inspired by his life. Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Vibeke VenemaLives 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

HARDtalk
Fatima Bio, Sierra Leone first lady: speaking up

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2026 23:00


“The person who has always been my uncle, and whenever he comes to the house, I'm running to him. He buys me sweets, this is like my uncle. And then one day they said, oh, this your husband. I'm like, what? At that point I hated myself, I hated my mum because I wanted an adult to fight for me but she just did not have it to fight because she was so scared of my dad.” BBC journalist Megha Mohan speaks to Sierra Leone's first lady, Fatima Bio, about escaping child marriage at the age of 13, rebuilding her life as a refugee in London, and her rise to become one of the country's most outspoken public figures. Since becoming first lady, Bio has transformed the role in Sierra Leone, campaigning publicly on issues including child marriage, sexual violence and period poverty. To supporters, she is a refreshing voice in politics, who speaks up for women and girls, while others say she has overstepped her remit and that she is too vocal and too involved in the running of her husband's party. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, and Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN. 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: Megha Mohan Producers: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose and Justine Lang Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Fatima Bio. Credit: Getty)

The Documentary Podcast
How Belarus silenced its free press

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2026 26:29


Until the end of March this year, BBC News Russian was the only source of independent reporting in Belarus, where journalism has been suppressed. Around two dozen independent journalists are currently behind bars, with many more forced into exile by the government of Alexander Lukashenko. Then, on March 25th, Belarus added the BBC to a list of extremist materials, meaning that it is now an offense for people in Belarus to even like or share BBC content.BBC Russian's Alina Isachenka came into The Fifth Floor studio to explain how the BBC is trying to keep its readers in Belarus safe. Peace talks between Iran and the United States seem to have stopped, at least for now, while the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz remains firmly in place. But there's another unexpected player drawing attention in the region: Pakistan. Somehow, Pakistan has managed to stay on good terms with both Iran, its neighbor, and Iran's regional rival, Saudi Arabia, with whom it has a defense pact. BBC Persian's Mohammad Vaziri has been following Pakistan's balacing act.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.Presented by Faranak Amidi.Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

The History Hour
The first reality game show and a joik performance on Eurovision

The History Hour

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2026 60:41


Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.We start with the launch of Expedition Robinson in Sweden in 1997 and discuss how reality TV began around the world with our guest Misha Kavka, Professor of Cross-Media Culture at the University of Amsterdam.Plus, a Norwegian Sami protest song that made history in 1980, Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission which investigated residential schools and the uncovering a lost burial ground in Brazil in 1996.Also, the 'sporting miracle' of 5,000-to-one outsiders Leicester City FC winning the English Premier League and the discovery of the fossil that revealed the first feathered dinosaur.Contributors: Martin Melin - the first winner of Expedition Robinson. Misha Kavka - Professor of Cross-Media Culture at the University of Amsterdam. Chief Wilton "Willie" Littlechild - former Commissioner with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Philip Currie - palaeontologist who helped identify the first fossil of a feathered dinosaur. Wes Morgan - former captain of Leicester City FC. Inga Haetta - sister of Mattis Haetta, who performed the first joik at Eurovision. (Photo: Group of adults lying by a pool with a film crew giving instructions - stock photo. Credit: Yellow Dog Productions)

HARDtalk
Leopoldo Lopez, Venezuelan opposition leader: I am not bitter

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 23:00


“Our best reply to the regime is that they didn't make us bad people. That we remain focused on our dream of seeing a free Venezuela. I have seen other people become very bitter and angry and resentful. And I think they lose. Because when you become angry you become, in a way, a prisoner of a sentiment that doesn't allow you to go forward.” James Menendez speaks to Leopoldo Lopez, once the most prominent face of Venezuela's opposition, he is now living in exile in Spain. He spent more than a decade attempting to unseat Nicolás Maduro's authoritarian government and was imprisoned for over three years, accused of inciting the 2014 anti-government protests. Following the capture and arrest of Maduro by US forces in January, the country has entered a new and uncertain phase, with Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez now acting as interim leader. Leopoldo Lopez talks to us about the prospect of elections in Venezuela and the personal cost of standing up for political change. 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 and Nobel prize winner Maria Corina Machado, director Chloe Zhao and musical icon Ringo Starr. 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: James Menendez Producer: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Leopoldo Lopez. Credit: Reuters)

HARDtalk
Yurii Tokar: Russia deployed Kenyans to death zone

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 23:00


“Russians collected all Kenyans and did everything for them to go to the front line, to go to the death zone.”Waihiga Mwaura speaks to Yurii Tokar the Ukraine ambassador to Kenya. The Ukrainian claims Russia deliberately deployed many conscripted Kenyans to the front line of the Russia-Ukraine war shortly before the Kenyan foreign minister arrived in Moscow with the intention of stopping recruitment of his countrymen.The Russian embassy in Kenya did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment. It has previously denied any Government involvement in the illegal recruitment of Kenyan citizens. A representative of Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the BBC that "the government is not aware of such allegations and treats them as possible rumours and propaganda.”Thank you to the Focus on Africa 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 John Healey, Nadia Calviño and Volodymyr Zelensky. 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: Waihiga Mwaura Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Yurii Tokar. Credit: Getty Images)

Outlook
I'm a champion boxer, but couldn't tell my mum

Outlook

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2026 40:15


Ramla Ali's family fled Somalia and settled in the UK; she then went from overweight bullied child to champion boxer and model who later brought the sport back to her homeland.Ramla Ali was a baby when her older brother was killed by a stray grenade in the garden of her family home in Mogadishu, Somalia, during the civil war. To keep the rest of their family safe, her parents fled the country via a perilous boat crossing to Kenya, where Ramla almost died. They eventually got to London and Ramla grew up being bullied and becoming overweight. To help build her confidence, her mum signed her up for a gym, which is where Ramla discovered a boxercise class by chance. Soon she was boxing at every available opportunity. Ramla knew her parents wouldn't approve, so she kept it secret, even when she won national titles and was one of the best boxers in the UK. She would go on to bring boxing back to Somalia, where the sport had been banned since 1976, and compete at the Olympic Games as Somalia's first ever boxer. Ramla recently returned from her first trip back to Somalia since she left as a baby, and was met by thousands of fans at the airport. She even received personal thanks from the president for what she achieved for the country. 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.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Emily Naylor   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

HARDtalk
Mikhail Ulyanov: rescuing Iran nuclear talks

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2026 21:54


“It's outrageous because these nuclear plant facilities were certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency as purely peaceful facilities. The inspectors, they spent, there, a lot of time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Iran is the most verifiable country, thousands of inspections. The agency knows everything about what is going on.” BBC journalist Farnaz Ghazizadeh speaks to Mikhail Ivanovich Ulyanov, Russia's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, about the collapse of diplomacy over Iran's nuclear programme and whether negotiations can still be rescued. With decades of experience in disarmament and nuclear negotiations, Ulyanov insists Iran's nuclear programme is already among the most heavily monitored in the world, and argues concerns over the programme have been exaggerated. Now, as conflict in the region intensifies, Russia is offering to act as a mediator. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, and Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN. 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: Farnaz Ghazizadeh Producers: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose and Justine Lang Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Mikhail Ulyanov. Credit: Reuters)

The Documentary Podcast
A 93 year old president gets a deputy

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2026 26:29


At 93, Paul Biya is the oldest head of state in the world. In June he will have been the leader of Cameroon for 44 years and is currently serving his eighth consecutive term. It was announced in April that for the first time in Biya's leadership, the position of vice-president would be created in the country. This new post has drawn attention to the lack of certainty within Cameroon over who will take over from Paul Biya once he is no longer in office. BBC Africa's Paul Njie is from Cameroon himself and has been looking into the story. A Thai drag performer has won the latest series of the television show RuPaul's Drag Race: UK versus The World. Gawdland is the first Thai winner of the all-star series and also the first non-native English speaker to take the title. Her triumph took some by surprise, but for fans of Drag Race, she's seen as a trailblazer for East Asian drag queens. Panisa Aemocha of BBC Thai explains what makes Gawdland such a stand-out performer. Like anyone forced to leave their home country against their will, Russians who've sought asylum abroad face a variety of painful realities. Besides homesickness and the challenges of adapting to a new country, they also cannot safely return home to visit loved ones. For many years, exiled Russians could reunite with Russian family and friends in a wide variety of European and other countries, including the Baltic states. But as the rift between Russia and the rest of Europe deepend in the wake of the war in Ukraine, visa restrictions changed, leaving Russians with only a small handful of countries in which they could meet people from home. Recently, an exiled Russian man in his twenties, Sasha, planned and filmed a unique reunion with Russian friends. BBC Russian's Tatiana Kovtun tells Sasha's story and discusses the online response. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.   Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.   If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

The History Hour
Sir David Attenborough's first Zoo Quest and a WW2 sabotage mission in Norway

The History Hour

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2026 60:50


Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.We start with the broadcaster and naturalist, Sir David Attenborough. To mark his 100th birthday, we go back to the mid 1950s and the television programme that launched his career. Our guest is Dr Paula Kahumbu, a Kenyan conservationist and head of the conservation organisation, Wildlife Direct.Then, the story of a World War Two sabotage plot carried out by a team of Norwegian resistance fighters.We hear about Africa's worst stadium disaster, at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana.Plus, a Spanish nun reflects on the killing of two fellow sisters during the Algerian civil conflict in the 1990s. We also hear how the world's most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex was found in South Dakota, USA, in 1990.Finally, how the Nigerian 4 x 400m relay team were declared Olympic champions, 12 years after the race.Contributors: Sir David Attenborough - naturalist and broadcaster (BBC archive)Dr Paula Kahumbu, CEO of Kenyan conservation organisation, Wildlife DirectGunnar Deinboll Jenssen - nephew of the Norwegian resistance fighter Lieutenant Peter DeinbollHerbert Mensah - former chair of the football club Asante KotokoSister Lourdes Migueles - Spanish nun who chose to stay in Algeria during civil conflictPeter Larson - American commercial fossil collector and researcherEnefiok Udo-Obong - former Nigerian sprinter(Photo: Sir David Attenborough, naturalist and broadcaster, with two ring-tailed lemurs. Credit: Keystone/Getty Images)

Africa Today
Introducing: World of Secrets Searching for Soldier Dad

Africa Today

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2026 34:50


We thought you might enjoy listening to the latest season of the BBC's global investigations podcast World of Secrets: Searching for Soldier Dad. In this first episode of the season, we meet Cathy. Cathy is 10 years old when she starts asking questions. Why don't I have a father? The secret her mum Maggie is forced to reveal changes everything. Years later, when lawyers and a geneticist turn up in their hometown in Kenya to take DNA samples, Maggie hopes they can help her finally learn the truth. In this investigation, we follow as a team of lawyers and a leading geneticist travel to Kenya to help locate the British soldiers who fathered children then vanished. We witness the groundbreaking legal and scientific detective work used to find the missing dads.    What's at stake is more than the reputation of the British army and the UK's post-colonial legacy. The mixed-heritage children have in some cases been ostracised by their communities and denied a chance of British citizenship since birth – something which could transform their lives. Searching for Soldier Dad is a BBC Long Form Audio production for the BBC World Service. Listen to the full series, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Please note, the image being used is for illustrative purposes only and the child depicted is a model. Presenter: Ivana Davidovic Series Producer: Josephine Casserly Sound design: Tom Brignell Executive Producer: Matt Willis Commissioning Senior Producers: Katy Davis and Anne Dixey Commissioning Editor: Jon Manel

HARDtalk
Hanan Balkhy, WHO chief for Sudan and Iran: work continues despite conflicts

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 22:59


“During the recent conflict [in Iran], there was a pause, not a full stop or halt of the functions. Once the airspace opened up again, we reprioritized the delivery of those life-saving kits to the member states, and we came back on track… We still find hope in the communication between the different member states, between the different partners to secure some of these supplies, or keep supply chains alive.” Daniel Dadzie speaks to Hanan Balkhy, the World Health Organisation's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, about navigating the challenges posed by recent conflicts in Sudan and Iran. It's one of six regional WHO offices around the world, covering a total population of nearly 745 million people from Morocco in the west to Pakistan in the east, and as far south as Sudan. The WHO works with governments and local authorities to improve access to basic healthcare and provide support during humanitarian emergencies. Global supply chains were severely disrupted when the conflict in Iran began just over two months ago. Although much of the focus of this disruption has been on oil and trade, crucial medical supplies have also been delayed in reaching where they're needed most. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with entrepreneur Isaac Larian, African politics professor Simukai Chikudu, and campaigner Baroness Arminka Helic. 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: Daniel Dadzie Producers: Ben Cooper and Simon Mbai Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Hanan Balkhy. Credit: Getty)

The Documentary Podcast
13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II: What's next for Nasa's Artemis mission?

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 41:36


Artemis II astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, reflects on the mission, adapting to life back on Earth after journeying to the far side of the Moon, and looks ahead to future Artemis missions. The Canadian astronaut, who first spoke to 13 Minutes from quarantine before launch, answers the burning questions from the team. He describes the moment a hull breach alarm sounded 20 minutes before the Trans Lunar Injection was due to fire. Then we get to the big one – what's next for the Artemis programme? Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service. Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin-Pocock

earth canadian moon nasa artemis hans zimmer artemis ii bbc world service artemis mission jeremy hansen maggie aderin pocock christian lundberg
HARDtalk
Emma Grede, entrepreneur: Success needs trade-offs

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 23:01


“There's this idea that you [can] sail your way to success or have some overnight success or kind of come upon success relatively easily. And that has just never, ever been.”Amol Rajan speaks to entrepreneur and businesswoman Emma Grede about the trade-offs we have to make to get to where we want to be in life.Emma Grede is co-founder of the clothing brand Skims, which she created with her husband Jens and Kim Kardashian. From ordinary beginnings in East London to the forefront of global consumer brands and social influence in LA, Emma Grede argues that focus, trade-offs and relentless effort matter more than comfort if you are to succeed. She says that opportunity still exists, if you're willing to chase it.Thank you to the Radical with Amol Rajan 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 Arlo Parks, Parmy Olson and Chloé Zhao. 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 Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose and Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Emma Grede. Credit: Reuters)

13 Minutes to the Moon
Artemis II: 14. The Learnings

13 Minutes to the Moon

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 41:48


The team are back together. Astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher and Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen, after his historic journey. Jeremy reflects on the mission, adapting to life back on Earth after journeying to the far side of the Moon, and looks ahead to future Artemis missions. The Canadian astronaut, who first spoke to 13 Minutes from quarantine before launch, answers the burning questions from the team. He describes the moment a hull breach alarm sounded 20 minutes before the Trans Lunar Injection was due to fire. Then we get to the big one – what's next for the Artemis programme? Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service. Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith Commissioning team: Jon Manel, Anne Dixey and Katy Davis

Outlook
Strangers to coworkers to friends to...sisters?

Outlook

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 39:43


Cassandra Madison and Julia Tinetti met working at the same bar in their 20s and were struck by how similar they looked. Their adoption records didn't match, but a surprise gift later revealed the extraordinary truth. From the moment they started chatting, Cassandra and Julia quickly realised they had lots in common: both had been adopted as babies, both grew up in Connecticut, and both had tattoos of the Dominican Republic flag. Their physical resemblance and connection was so strong that coworkers and customers joked they must be related, especially as they regularly mistook one for the other. Cassandra and Julia embraced the idea, even referring to themselves as sisters. They went so far as to compare adoption papers – but when the details didn't match, the whole matter was put to bed. Years later, when Cassandra received a genetic test as a Christmas gift, she ended up finding her birth family. In the process, long-held secrets emerged and revelations which pointed back, unexpectedly, to Julia.Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Emily NaylorLives 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

HARDtalk
Sam Liang, Otter.ai CEO: AI captures everything

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2026 22:39


‘The power of AI is that it's able to capture everything, it's able to try to interpret everyone objectively. Human beings are imperfect in terms of their capability to listen and understand. Everyone unconsciously, when they listen, they don't hear everything.' Zoe Kleinman speaks to Sam Liang chief executive and co-founder of artificial intelligence transcription start-up Otter.ai Sam Liang was born in China and moved to the US in 1991. He received a PhD from Stanford University before joining Google, where he led the search engines location services. He co-founded California based Otter.ai in 2016. The start-up has evolved from a voice-to-text transcription service to offer AI-powered recordings of live events, meeting summaries and content searches. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Karim Beguir, boss of Africa's biggest AI firm, the former Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard and musical icon Ringo Starr. 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 Producer: Farhana Haider Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sam Liang. Credit: Bloomberg / Contributor via Getty)

The Documentary Podcast
Mapping Epstein's global connections

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2026 26:29


The personal correspondence, photographs and papers of the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein have been released to the public in stages, beginning in December 2025, after an almost unanimous vote in the US Senate. The released files run to three and a half million documents — emails, letters, photographs, videos, financial records, flight details — all are now open to public scrutiny. Many files remain heavily redacted, but what can be read has already had repercussions globally and revealed Epstein's web of connections to powerful figures around the world. Abdirahim Saeed, BBC Arabic, and Luiz Fernando Toledo, BBC News Brazil, share what they found about the files related to their regions. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.

The History Hour
The world's first perfume archive and Dutch car-free Sundays in the global oil crisis

The History Hour

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 60:49


Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. This week, we hear from a perfumer who in 1990 helped create the world's first perfume archive in Versailles France. Our guest is Dr William Tullett, a Senior Lecturer in History at the University of York and author of Sniff, History of Smells.Then, we hear how in 1991 African journalists created the Windhoek declaration - a set of free press principles. It led to World Press Freedom Day marked annually on 3 May.Next, the global oil crisis of 1973. A former Dutch politician tells us how the Netherlands became the first country in Europe to introduce car-free Sundays.Plus, the philosopher on how his 1972 essay on the Drowning Child thought experiment inspired the Effective Altruism movement.And President Obama's speech writer on how secret negotiations in 2014 improved relations between the US and Cuba.Finally, a Sporting Witness on the Juventus match-fixing scandal in 2006.Contributors:Jean Claude Ellena - perfumerDr Will Tullett - Senior Lecturer in History at the University of York and author of Sniff, History of SmellsWim Meijer - State Secretary for Culture, Recreation and Social Work in the Den Uyl Labour GovernmentPeter Singer - philosopherBen Rhodes - Barack Obama's speech writerPaddy Agnew - journalist(Photo: Perfume bottles. Credit: Walter Zerla via Getty Images)

HARDtalk
Robert Brovdi, Ukraine drone commander: Striking inside Russia

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2026 22:59


“When we only had reconnaissance drones, we learned fast. We began attaching warheads to the drones. Grenades, then homemade munitions that we produced ourselves. We would locate the enemy with the drone and drop them on him. Then FPV drones entered our lives. An FPV drone is a one-way, disposable drone. That was when the way of war began to change” In a rare interview, Sarah Rainsford speaks to Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's drone forces, about the rapid evolution of drone warfare and how it is reshaping Russia's war in Ukraine. Drones are now being used to strike oil facilities and military targets deep inside Russian territory but initially were used just to spot Russian forces. Commander Brovdi was among the first to see their true potential and, as technology advanced, drones began to change everything on the battlefield. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, and Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN. 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: Sarah Rainsford Producers: Osman Iqbal Editor: Farhana Haider Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Robert Brovdi Credit: Oleksii Samsonov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

HARDtalk
SungAh Lee, International Organisation for Migration: Sudan needs us

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2026 23:00


“I saw the damage, the loss. The buildings being destroyed, the infrastructure being completely damaged in that area. And it was sad and heartbreaking.”Waihiga Mwaura speaks to SungAh Lee, from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) about the war in Sudan which has entered its fourth year and has led to one of the worst humanitarian crisis and biggest displacements of people. SungAh Lee recently travelled to Sudan to assess the situation on the ground. She tells us how it felt to return to parts of the country she had spent time in as a child. She explains how current conflicts are changing migration patterns and what impact cuts to government aid budgets are having on people effected by war.Thank you to the Focus on Africa team in 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 head of UNAids Winnie Byanyima, Nigeria's Information Minister Mohammed Idris, and UN chief Antonio Guterres. 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: Waihiga Mwaura Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: SungAh Lee Credit: IOM/ Muse Mohammed)

Outlook
Taught to kill – my childhood under the Khmer Rouge

Outlook

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 49:51


Separated from her family and trained as a child soldier, Loung Ung's unbreakable spirit helped her survive Pol Pot's regime, which killed nearly a quarter of Cambodia's population.In the Chinese tradition of Loung Ung's mother, the element of fire was dangerous in a daughter: too bold, too defiant, too difficult to control. And, according to her, Loung had been born with ‘too much' of it. But when the Khmer Rouge seized power in April 1975, that fire became key to Loung's survival. Between 1975 and 1979, up to 2 million Cambodians died through execution, famine and disease. Forced into the countryside to do hard labour, Loung's family struggled. As their world was torn apart, Loung was told by her mother to run away. Loung would end up as a child soldier, separated from the rest of her siblings. Once the regime fell, she became the only child from the family chosen to go to the USA for a better life. But it was a dangerous journey and Loung would suffer with PTSD for years afterwards. The plan was to reunite the family within a few years, though due to financial constraints that wasn't possible. As an adult, Loung has worked on campaigns addressing violence against women, the use of child soldiers and landmine eradication worldwide and has managed to reunite with her siblings. Her story was eventually made into a film, directed by Angelina Jolie, named after Loung's memoir of the same name: First They Killed My Father. Loung has written two other memoirs: Lucky Child and Lulu in the Sky. Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Emily NaylorLives 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

HARDtalk
Ringo Starr, musician: I never play music alone

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2026 22:58


“If you play piano, bass guitar, saxophone, I don't care - I'll play with you all night. That's how I did it. And I tell all my grandkids - get an event, get a few of your schoolmates together. They're practising and playing by themselves. Get with people!”Regan Morris speaks to musician Ringo Starr about his career. Born in Liverpool, England, during the Second World War in 1940, Ringo, real-name Richard Starkey, found fame as the drummer of the legendary British band The Beatles - widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in music history.After joining John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison in 1962, the four-piece became a global pop music sensation through hits such as ‘She Loves You', ‘Yesterday', ‘Penny Lane', and ‘Hey Jude'. They also released multiple studio albums and starred in five major motion pictures.Although the band split up in 1970, their legacy continues to live on. They remain one of the best-selling musical acts of all time over half a century later. And such was his and the band's cultural impact, that Ringo, one of two surviving members of The Beatles, received a knighthood at Buckingham Palace for his services to music in 2018.But despite achieving seemingly all that can be achieved in a music career, the 85-year-old seems to be showing no interest in retirement — he's just released his third country album, which is his 22nd album as a solo artist. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Stevie Wonder, Patti Smith and Pete Townshend. 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: Regan Morris Producer: Ben Cooper Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Ringo Starr Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

The Documentary Podcast
Inside the Mugabe dynasty

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2026 26:29


Late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe died in 2019, but in the years before and since his death, his three children with his former wife, Grace, consistenly made headlines for all the wrong reasons. In April 2026 Bellarmine Mugabe pled guilty to a firearms offence in South Africa and last year, his brother, Robert Jnr, was convicted on drugs charges. The BBC's Khanyisile Ngcobo has been tracking the public's perception of the Mugabe family in Zimbabwe. In Indonesia, the posts of a woman called Emak Farida, 'Mother Farida', have gone viral on social media. From a remote village in East Kalimantan province, Farida's soothing posts documenting her daily life have found a devoted following amongst a generation of young people who've moved to big cities for work but still yearn for the village life and the family they've left behind. BBC Indonesian's Lesthia Kertopati reports. When war broke out in 2020 between Ethiopia's federal government and the the Tigray region of the country, many women in Tigray joined the armed forces, in part to avoid sexual violence, as reports of women being assaulted by soldiers started to appear. As the regional factions draw closer to war once again, BBC Tigrinya's Hana Zeratsyon has been speaking to female veterans of a war that went on to cost 600,000 lives and hearing about their complex reasons for fighting, their experiences in the army and their return to civilian life. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.   Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.   If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

The History Hour
Cleaning up Chernobyl and Canada's war in the woods

The History Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2026 60:48


Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. On the 40th anniversary of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, we hear from one man involved in the clean-up operation. Our guest is Jordan Dunbar, presenter of the BBC documentary ‘The Last Dance Floor in Chernobyl'. Next, we hear about the worst floods in 50 years that the Mexican state of Tabasco experienced and the race to save thousands of animals in Paraguay and Brazil in 1982. Plus, the unexpected drought in the Danube River in 2011 and when Canada saw their largest ever campaign of civil disobedience in 1993 to save a rainforest. In our episode of Sporting Witness, the tale of the 1981 film ‘Escape to Victory'. Contributors: Yurіy Skaletskyy – former radiological officer in Soviet Union military Jordan Dunbar – BBC presenter Marco Franco – emergency co-ordinator for the Red Cross in Mexico Dario Perez Chena – rescue worker in the Mymba Kuera operation Kristian Yakimov - an ecologist and tourist guide in Bulgaria Tzeporah Berman – environmental activist in Canada (Photo: Chernobyl in the aftermath of the explosion in 1986. Credit: SHONE/GAMMA/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

HARDtalk
Isaac Larian, entrepreneur: Failure is the foundation for success

HARDtalk

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2026 22:56


“One thing I have learned from my childhood til now is that when you fall, you get up, dust yourself off, and do it over and over again. I've had a lot of up and downs in my business life in America. I've had many failures and people only talk about successes, but failures in my mind are the foundation of success.”Rahul Tandon speaks to Iranian-American entrepreneur Isaac Larian.The 72-year-old billionaire is the founder and chief executive of US-based MGA Entertainment, one of the world's largest toy companies. Over the years, he's been involved in several high-profile toy launches, including the ‘Bratz' range of dolls back in 2001.But his success today, regularly appearing on rich lists compiled by the likes of Forbes, is a far cry from his early years growing up Tehran, where his family often struggled to put food on the table in a home without electricity or running water.His father ran a small textile shop that a young Larian would work in, buying and selling stock. And at the age of just 17, Larian took this business experience with him when he bought a one-way ticket to America to seek his fortune.Thank you to the Business Daily 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 AI expert Parmy Olson, Syrian politician Hind Kabawat, and Finland's president Alexander Stubb. 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: Rahul Tandon Producers: Victoriya Holland and Ben Cooper Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Isaac Larian Credit: Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for The Toy Foundation)

The Documentary Podcast
Introducing Searching for Soldier Dad

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2026 3:01


DNA detectives track down the British soldiers who fathered children in Kenya then disappeared, leaving the children and their mothers without support. In the latest season of World of Secrets, we access every stage of this cutting-edge process, we follow as a team of lawyers and a leading geneticist travel to Kenya to help locate the British soldiers who fathered children then vanished. We witness the groundbreaking legal and scientific detective work used to find the missing dads.To hear more, search World of Secrets wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Searching for Soldier Dad is a BBC Long Form Audio production for the BBC World Service. Please note, the image being used is for illustrative purposes only and the child depicted is a model.

Outlook
I was taken as a baby…I didn't know who I was, part 2

Outlook

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2026 39:24


Jackie makes sporting history for Ireland and uncovers the truth about her past.Taken from her mother as a baby and raised in an Irish institution, Jackie McCarthy O'Brien grew up in silence, facing prejudice because of the colour of her skin, and with no real sense of who she was or where she belonged.Jackie shares her story over two episodes of Lives Less Ordinary. In this second part of her story, we hear how Jackie begins to build a life on her own terms. Through sport, she discovers a sense of purpose and belonging, pulling on the green jersey of Ireland and going on to make history as the first mixed-race woman to represent her country in both football and rugby.But even as she achieves this, questions about her past remain. For years, she has believed one version of her story - about her mother, her father, and where she comes from. When she finally learns the truth, it's not what she expected. Instead of anger, she finds something else: understanding, and a deep sense of love. And alongside that, she finds the confidence to live more openly, embracing who she is, and who she loves.This programme contains a reference to suicide. If you've been affected by some of the issues that have come up in Jackie's story, and are suffering distress or despair, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. There are details of help available in many countries at befrienders.orgPresenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Edgar MaddicottLives 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

The Documentary Podcast
Counting the soldiers dying for Russia

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2026 26:29


Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is now in its fifth year and armies on both sides have faced massive losses. Authorities in Ukraine regularly publish the numbers of their soldiers who have been killed, but Russian authorities haven't released official numbers for their dead since 2022. Throughout the war, Olga Ivshina of BBC Russian has been using open-source information to keep track of how many Russian soldiers have been killed and trying to find out more about their lives. At the end of January, six people were caned in public for violating Sharia law in Aceh, Indonesia. Caning is a common punishment for breaking Islamic law in the religiously conservative state, although the practice has drawn criticism from rights groups. Aceh has a unique identity within Indonesia and is the only part of the country to practice Sharia. Astudestra Ajengrastri of BBC Indonesian explains more about Aceh's history and why it chooses to be different from the rest of the country. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presenter: Faranak Amidi. Producer: Laura Thomas and Caroline FergusonPresented by Faranak Amidi. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

13 Minutes to the Moon
Artemis II: 13. Splashdown

13 Minutes to the Moon

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2026 35:41


After 9 days, 1 hour, 32 minutes and 15 seconds and 1.1 million kilometres of travel, the Orion “Integrity” probe splashed down successfully on April 11th at 00:07:32 UTC (GMT). Tim Peake, Maggie Aderin, Kristin Fisher, Rebecca Morelle and the 13 Minutes podcast touches down with this episode. We are also joined by Nasa legend and former shuttle astronaut, Dr Anna Fisher to reflect on the mission. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II will return...But before then, watch Maggie and Tim in BBC Horizon ‘s “Artemis: To the Moon and Back", to see and learn more about the years leading up to this mission.Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service. Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith Commissioning team: Jon Manel, Anne Dixey and Katy Davis

moon nasa hans zimmer artemis ii bbc world service splashdown tim peake bbc horizon christian lundberg utc gmt jon manel
13 Minutes to the Moon
Artemis II: 12. Please return to your seats

13 Minutes to the Moon

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2026 40:10


The Artemis II mission hurtles towards re-entry and splashdown. The 13 Minutes crew run through the schedule that includes 28,864 mph, searing heat, 11 parachutes, and 3.9g forces.Long-time Nasa scientist Dr Phil Metzger talks about the issue of AVCOAT – the ablative coating that will shield the capsule's flat underside. And we also talk about his work at Nasa's “Swamp Works” where much was studied about building structures on the moon for a moonbase.Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing 13minutes@bbc.co.uk. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

nasa seats hans zimmer artemis ii bbc world service martin smith phil metzger swamp works christian lundberg
13 Minutes to the Moon
Artemis II: 11. Science surprises

13 Minutes to the Moon

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2026 42:32


The Artemis II crew are getting ever closer to home and preparing for re-entry. Hosts astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher, who shares the latest updates from the mission. Plus, we answer more of your burning questions. And Dr Kelsey Young, lead science officer and lunar science lead for Artemis II, shares her excitement about the crew's lunar observations so far. She tells us what she's been surprised by, what new science we've already learnt, and how they trained the astronauts to become geologists.You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing 13minutes@bbc.co.uk. Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

13 Minutes to the Moon
Artemis II: 10. How to train your astronaut

13 Minutes to the Moon

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2026 29:07


After all the excitement of the lunar fly-by, the Artemis II crew are taking a breather, and have a long-distance call with the astronauts on board the International Space Station.Besides the Artemis II and ISS crews, there are other humans up in space too. China's Tiangong space station is currently home to three taikonauts. Hosts astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher to discuss China's progress in their lunar program so far.And Artemis II chief training officer Jacki Mahaffey tells Tim, Maggie and Kristin how the crew were trained to expect the unexpected, how astronaut preparation has changed since the Apollo days, and how she feels about the upcoming splashdown. You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing 13minutes@bbc.co.uk. Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

13 Minutes to the Moon
Artemis II: 9. Bye bye, fly-by

13 Minutes to the Moon

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2026 44:50


It's been a busy 24 hours for the Artemis II crew. They have completed a lunar fly-by, surpassed the furthest distance humans have ever travelled from planet Earth, gone through a communications black out period, and witnessed a lunar eclipse. Host space scientist Maggie Aderin is joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher who, like many of us, stayed up to watch the fly-by. And BBC News science editor Rebecca Morelle calls in from Houston to give us the latest from mission control. The first pictures back were published by Nasa just as this episode began recording.And former BBC space correspondent Jonathan Amos joins the “13 minutes community”, giving his perspective on the historic mission and the events of the last 24 hrs.Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing 13minutes@bbc.co.uk. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith