Podcasts about BBC World Service

The BBC World Service is under attack. The global broadcaster reaches an audience of over 500 million listeners across the globe. But budget cuts and the exit of some territories have left the BBC service a shell of its former self.   Alex Andreou is joined in The Bunker by Simon Potter, professor of modern history at Bristol University and author of This is the BBC: Entertaining the Nation, Speaking for Britain, 1922-2022, to find out who benefits from the downfall of the BBC World Service?  “I think it's inescapable to argue that the BBC has always faced hostility throughout its existence” – Simon Potter “Despite the budget cuts the BBC still has the largest audience the across the world it's ever had” – Simon Potter “An independent global BBC is a much more powerful tool than a directly state controlled broadcaster.” – Simon Potter Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio producer: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When part-time fighter Chuck Wepner is given a shot to fight heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in 1975, no one gives him a chance. But his heroism in the ring knocked down all expectations, including those of the champ, and inspired a cinematic saga in the process. He speaks to Ben Wyatt about the build up and the big fight itself. This is a Comuniqé production for the BBC World Service. (Photo: Chuck Wepner takes a swing at Muhammad Ali in the second round of their heavyweight title bout in March 1975. Credit: Getty Images)

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. It's thirty years since the Oslo Accords were signed. This agreement in 1993 aimed to bring about peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. So this week, we're bringing you stories from Israeli and Palestinian history. We hear about attempts at peace - the secret talks behind the Oslo Accords, and President Bill Clinton's failed attempt to end the conflict at Camp David. Plus, one of the most dramatic sieges of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that took place in a church. We also hear from a Palestinian and an Israeli who were there when rioting broke out in 2000, after the Israeli opposition leader, Ariel Sharon, made a visit to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. And finally a hope of peace with the orchestra, made up of young people from both sides of the conflict, which performed a concert in the Palestinian city of Ramallah. Contributors: Mona Juul – Norwegian diplomat who was part of the team that planned and orchestrated the meetings which resulted in the signing of the Oslo Accords. Yolande Knell - Middle East Correspondent for BBC News. Gamal Helal - American diplomatic interpreter and policy adviser. Khaled Zeghari - Palestinian cameraman. Zalman Shoval - former Israeli ambassador to Washington. Carolyn Cole - photojournalist. Father Amjad Sabbara - Franciscan friar. Tyme Khelefi - former violinist with the West-Eastern Divan orchestra. Daniel Cohen - former violinist with the West-Eastern Divan orchestra. (Photo: Israeli soldiers run towards the Church of the Nativity. Credit: Musa Al-Shaer/AFP via Getty Images)

David Harper is a broadcaster from the UK, working with networks like the BBC World Service. In fact, his voice can often be heard reading news live to millions of people around the world. He also covers a wide range of stories for other TV and radio networks in the UK. He has a passion for what he does!But his job can be very demanding and high-pressured at times, and being a freelancer the work can be unstable. But what makes David's situation a bit more difficult, is that he suffers from Bipolar Disorder. He kept his condition a secret for many years, fearing what others would think, and the possibility of losing work as looking unstable. But recently he uploaded a video to X (formerly Twitter) where he talked about his diagnoses and how that affected his life. In this podcast, David tells me about what it's like living with extreme lows, and manic highs, and how it affects his life every day. He also talks openly about the problems bipolar disorder can have on his family and friends, and those closest to him. We discuss the medication he has tried, and what he says eventually worked for him in terms of coping with it.

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We hear from Chilean politician Hermógenes Pérez de Arce, who helped oust President Allende in 1973. We also hear from the widow of folk singer Victor Jara, who was killed during the military coup. Our guest is Dr Camila Vergara, who is a historian and journalist from Chile, and a senior lecturer at the University of Essex Business School in the UK. She tells us more about the aftermath of the Chilean coup, and its lasting impact. Eva Franchell speaks about her friend, the Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh who was murdered in 2003. In the second half of the programme, campaigner Frank Heweston shares his experience on Greenpeace's Arctic voyage to disrupt drilling on a newly built oil rig and we hear from a friend and promoter of Zanzibar's most famous musician, Bi Kidude. Contributors: Camila Vergara - historian and journalist from Chile, and senior lecturer at the University of Essex Business School. Hermógenes Pérez de Arce – Chilean politician. Joan Jara – widow of Victor Jara. Eva Franchell – Anna Lindh's former press secretary and best friend. Maryam Hamdani - friend and promoter of Bi Kidude. (Photo: President Salvador Allende. Credit: Bettman/Getty Images)

In 2015, Japan's Rugby Union team pulled off one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time, when they beat South Africa in their opening match of the World Cup in England. The Brave Blossoms' win over one of the giants of world rugby would have been unimaginable before the team's remarkable transformation under its captain Michael Leitch and head coach Eddie Jones. Michael Leitch spoke to Theo Whyte about the match, and how a last minute decision changed Japanese rugby forever. This is a Whistledown production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Karne Hesketh of Japan scores the winning try during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Japan at the Brighton Community Stadium on September 19th 2015. Credit: Getty Images)

David Edmonds is a British philosopher, and a radio feature maker at the BBC World Service. He studied at Oxford University, has a PhD in philosophy from the Open University and has held fellowships at the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan. Edmonds is the author of Caste Wars: A Philosophy of Discrimination and co-author with John Eidinow of Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers and Bobby Fischer Goes to War: How the Soviets Lost the Most Extraordinary Chess Match of All Time. In this episode we discuss his recently released book Parfit: A Philosopher and His Mission to Save Morality. Book link: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691225234/parfit ---   Become part of the Hermitix community:   Hermitix Twitter - https://twitter.com/Hermitixpodcast  Support Hermitix:   Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/hermitix  Donations: - https://www.paypal.me/hermitixpod  Hermitix Merchandise - http://teespring.com/stores/hermitix-2  Bitcoin Donation Address: 3LAGEKBXEuE2pgc4oubExGTWtrKPuXDDLK   Ethereum Donation Address: 0x31e2a4a31B8563B8d238eC086daE9B75a00D9E74

In 2003, Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh was stabbed to death in a department store in the middle of Stockholm. The 46-year-old member of the ruling Social Democratic party, was tipped as successor to Swedish Prime Minister Göran Person, and an important international career was likely around the corner. Her murder caused national trauma in Sweden. Her press secretary and best friend, Eva Franchell, witnessed the murder. She speaks to Marie Fjellborg. An SMT production for BBC World Service, produced by Anna Iverson. (Photo: Anna Lindh in 2001. Credit: Getty Images)

On 14 September 2013, the Arctic Sunrise - a ship belonging to the environmental group Greenpeace - embarked on an Arctic expedition. Its aim was to disrupt the first day of drilling on a newly built oil rig. This would be the first to drill for Arctic oil - something that had only been made possible in recent years by melting ice in the region. Frank Hewetson, a Greenpeace campaigner, was on board. He tells the story of the protest and arrest of 30 people by the Russian authorities. A Falling Tree production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Sign asking for Frank Hewetson's release. Credit: In Pictures Ltd/Corbis via Getty Images)

In 1977 English batsman Dennis Amiss became the first cricket player in the modern game to wear protective headgear. Derided and taunted by spectators, as well as some players, the pioneering use of head protection revolutionised pitch safety. He speaks to Wayne Wright about the profound effect in had on the sport. This is a Made in Manchester Production for the BBC World Service. (Photo: 10th June 1974: Dennis Amiss in action against India in the first test at Old Trafford. Amiss was later to a wear cricket helmet for protection from 1977. Credit: Getty Images)

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Jean H. Lee, an American journalist who has covered both North and South Korea extensively. Jean is also the co-host of the BBC World Service podcast, The Lazarus Heist. She tells us more about the relationship between the two countries. The programme begins with the historic meeting between North and South Korea's leaders almost 50 years after the Korean War. We hear from Sameh Elbarky who was in Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square on the day the army killed hundreds of protestors following a military coup. In the second half of the programme, British black activists recount how they protested against racism within the local bus company in Bristol in 1963. One of the first Chinese students to arrive in the US in the early 1980s following the Cultural Revolution shares her experience. Finally, how the Mexican island of Guadalupe was saved from being destroyed by hungry goats. Contributors: Jean H. Lee - American journalist and the co-host of the BBC's The Lazarus Heist podcast. Professor Chung-in Moon - South Korean special delegate. Sameh Elbarky - survivor of the Rabaa massacre. Paul Stephenson - spokesperson for the Bristol Bus Boycott. Roy Hackett - Bristol Bus Boycott protestor. Zha Jianying - Chinese American writer. Professor Exequiel Ezcurra - conservationist. (Photo: North and South Korean leaders meet at the summit in 2000. Credit: REUTERS/Pool/Files (NORTH KOREA POLITICS OBITUARY))

Ranč v Austrálii či pobyt v luxusnom kaštieli vo Vinosadoch. Viete, čo majú tieto dve veci spoločné? Ani jednu z nich politici - v tomto prípade Richard Sulík a Robert Fico - neuviedli vo svojom majetkovom priznaní. Môže za to deravý zákon a aj chabá kontrola. Na správne vyplnenie priznania totiž dozerajú samotní politici. Čo všetko politickí lídri v priznaniach zatajujú a prečo je dôležité vedieť, kto má aké majetky? Jana Maťková sa v podcaste Dobré ráno pýtala Xénie Makarovej z Nadácie zastavme korupciu. Zdroje zvukov: SME, Aktuality, Pravda, TV Markíza Odporúčanie: Čoraz častejšie sa stretávame so správami o internetových podvodoch, ktoré sú založené na nadväzovaní intímnych vzťahov. Podvodníci sa vydávajú za niekoho iného a po získaní dôvery lanária zo svojich obetí peniaze. A niektorí sa nachytajú. Novinárka Hannah Ajala si však všimla istý opakujúci sa prvok. Množstvo podvodníkov používa ako svoju identitu fotky tej istej osoby a na internete ju nájdete pod menom Janessa Brazil. Kto to je a existuje vôbec? Podcastová miniséria Love, Janessa od BBC World Service a CBC vás zoberie na vzrušujúcu cestu po hľadaní osoby z fotografií a odhalí vám aj biznis internetových scamerov. Tento podcastový tip som odporúčala aj v našom novom newslettri Podcastové novinky, ktorý môžete začať odoberať na sme.sk/podcastovenovinky – Všetky podcasty denníka SME nájdete na⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ sme.sk/podcasty⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Odoberajte aj denný newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SME.sk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ s najdôležitejšími správami na⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ sme.sk/brifing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Odoberajte mesačný podcastový newsletter nielen o novinkách SME na sme.sk/podcastovenovinky – Ďakujeme, že počúvate podcast Dobré ráno.

On 1st February 2021, a coup d'état began in Myanmar where the National League for democracy was deposed by Myanmar's military. Students studying at the country's higher education institutes were left with a decision: continue their studies under the new regime or walk out. In this documentary - A New Term in Myanmar - more than two years on from the coup, we will hear from five students at Parami University sharing their experiences of studying during the coup. Offering a US style Liberal Arts education, Parami University is one of many institutions offering people another chance to begin, or in some cases, restart their learning. From dealing with electricity blackouts to writing essays about philosophy for teachers who are only ever a tile on a screen and usually on the other side of the world - each student shares how they are using education as both resistance and hope for themselves and their country. Alongside them, we will hear from Parami University staff and academics who explain how education continues during conflict. Names and voices have been changed on some contributors With thanks to Dr Shona Loong, Dr Will Buckingham, Dr Kyaw Moe Tun and students at Parami University Photo credit - Quinn - Student at Parami University Producer: Mollie Davidson A 7digital Production for BBC World Service

International award-winning broadcaster and journalist Charles Fletcher presents The Week in Holyrood from Caledonia Media. The programme covers Scotland's three parliaments in Brussels, Edinburgh and London and brings an insight into the issues that affect us all. Formerly with the BBC World Service, Charles creates and delivers bespoke broadcast training worldwide.

Max Pearson presents a collection of Witness History stories from the BBC World Service, this week we are focusing on Irish history. In 2006, Ireland's economic boom, known as the Celtic Tiger, ended. It meant thousands of people, like Michele Burke, were left devastated as house construction stopped. In 1959, Tralee, in Ireland, hosted a festival to promote the town and build Irish connections around the world. The Rose of Tralee is now one of Ireland's oldest and largest festivals. Veteran RTE broadcaster and author, Joe Duffy, walks us through the significance of the Celtic Tiger. At Easter 1916, a small army of Irish rebels attempted to start a revolution against British rule. They held out for more than a week against a massive British military response, but the insurrection ultimately failed. Also, how electrification lit up rural Ireland for the first time, despite concerns about its potential dangers. And how a group of women fought against a sexist tradition, that prevented them from taking a dip in a popular swimming spot. Contributors: Michelle Burke - lived through the Celtic Tiger boom and bust. Alice O'Sullivan - first Rose of Tralee winner. Joe Duffy - broadcaster and author. Mary Dorcey - poet, writer and women's rights activist. (Photo: Deserted 'ghost estate' in Ireland. Credit: Tim Graham/Getty Images)

From the BBC World Service… Japan has started to release radioactive water from its stricken Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, sparking protests domestically and internationally. India’s moon rover has taken its first steps on the lunar surface a day after the country made history by becoming the first to land near the south pole. How much trouble is China’s economy in? Prices have begun falling, exports are down and youth unemployment has risen above 21%.

From the BBC World Service… Japan has started to release radioactive water from its stricken Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, sparking protests domestically and internationally. India’s moon rover has taken its first steps on the lunar surface a day after the country made history by becoming the first to land near the south pole. How much trouble is China’s economy in? Prices have begun falling, exports are down and youth unemployment has risen above 21%.

For almost 60 years, the British journalist and New York resident, Alistair Cooke, recorded a weekly, 15-minute radio commentary entitled Letter from America. As a teenager, I would listen to it, late at night, on the BBC World Service. Cooke had a beautiful speaking voice and a remarkable way with words, as he painted landscapes of American culture and portraits of America's personalities. Letter from America made me feel well-acquainted with this country long before I arrived here. Cooke, of course, had strong opinions based on his own observations. However, he also had a quality of balance – he was not one to be swept up in the latest national obsession but, rather, spoke of his world in a measured way.

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History stories from the BBC World Service. Journalist Claude Angeli discovered French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing received diamonds from a depraved African emperor, which contributed to him losing the presidential election in 1981. How Bosnia's small Jewish community helped people from all sides of the conflict, during the siege of Sarajevo in the early 1990s. The story of the gang of thieves, who held up a British Royal Mail train on its journey from Glasgow to London in August 1963. Plus Jean-Michel Basquiat, a young black graffiti artist in the 1980s took the New York art world by storm. His paintings were selling for huge sums of money, but he died before the end of the decade. And the rise and fall of self-made businesswoman Brownie Wise, who inspired an army of US housewives to sell Tupperware at parties. Contributors: Journalist Claude Angeli Journalist Pauline Bock Former vice president of the Jewish community Jakob Finci Author Bob Kealing Journalist Reginald Abbiss Patti Astor, friend of Jean-Michel Basquiat (Photo: French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Jean-Bédel Bokassa in Bangui, March 1975. Credit: Getty Images)

Matthew Syed is a former Olympic table tennis player for Great Britain. As Matthew travelled in China, competing against some of the world's greatest players, he realised that ping pong is a game that has played a huge and fascinating role in the rise of a great power, taking us from the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 to the sporting ambitions of the country today. Matthew begins this three-part mini series from Sideways, with the story of the rise and tragic death of Rong Guotuan - an extraordinary player and China's first world champion in any sport. Chairman Mao and Zhou Enlai were keen ping pong players, and in the early years of the PRC the sport was a way of cementing national pride. And where better to showcase a new China and its sporting prowess than at the 1961 Beijing World Table Tennis Championships? But hidden behind the veneer of a newly built stadium and comforts for the visiting teams from all over the world, was a much darker experience for the people of China - an avoidable famine that's estimated by 1961 to have killed at least 36 million. Presented by Matthew Syed Producer: Pippa Smith Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey Script consultation: Dr Olivia Cheung, SOAS, University of London Sound Design and mix: Rob Speight Archival research: Nadia Mehdi With thanks to Zhijie Shao from the BBC World Service and to the International Table Tennis Federation A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

After the collapse of former Yugoslavia, Bosnian Serb forces laid siege to the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, in 1992. More than a quarter of a million people lived under almost constant bombardment and sniper fire for more than four years. Over 10,000 were killed. Hunger and destitution took hold quickly. So, a small Jewish charity stepped in to provide essential food and medicine and evacuate elderly people and children from all sides of the conflict. In peace time, Sarajevo's Jewish community had maintained good relations with Bosnian Muslims, Serbs and Croats. This enabled them to provide a haven of peace for everyone. In this episode, Jacky Rowland hears from Jakob Finci, who was the vice president of the Jewish community at the time. Part of their motivation, he says, was that many Jews in Sarajevo had been sheltered by Bosnian Muslims during the Nazi occupation in the 1940s. This is a CTVC production for the BBC World Service. (Photo: members of the Jewish community being evacuated by bus to Croatia in 1993. Credit: Getty Images)

BBC Singapore relay closed. Jonathan Marks interview with Dr. Graham Mytton, BBC World Service former audience research officer. Japan DX Report from Yukiko Tsuji.

The Nigerian national women's football team were the first African team to reach the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup Tournament in China in 1991. Justice Baidoo speaks to Nkiri Okosieme – who captained the hastily assembled squad – and hears how they overcame opposition to claim their tournament spot. This programme is a Made in Manchester Production for the BBC World Service. (Photo: Nigeria goalkeepr Oyeka Anna Agumanu and Omon-Love Branch try to stop German Heidi Mohr's attack during the group C match on November 17, 1991 at the Jiangmen stadium at first FIFA World Championship for Women's Football. Credit: Getty Images)

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We hear about a prehistoric discovery in India - a nest full of dinosaur eggs found in 1982. Plus, why a Mongolian dinosaur skeleton became the centre of a 2012 court battle in a case known as United States V One Tyrannosaurus Bataar. Our guest, palaeobiologist Neil Gostling reveals how newly-uncovered dinosaurs are named, and tells us which fossilised beast was the first to be christened. José Mujica recounts his journey from young revolutionary in the 1960s and 70s to becoming Uruguay's president in 2009. Plus, we learn more about the deaf children in Nicaragua who invented their own sign language. And find out why a treehouse built beside the Berlin Wall during the Cold War became a symbol of resistance. Contributors: Professor Ashok Sahni - palaeontologist Associate Professor Neil Gostling - palaeobiologist Dr Bolortsetseg Minjin - paleontologist José Mujica - former president of Uruguay Professor Judy Shepard-Kegl - linguist Mehmet Kahlin – son of Osman Kahlin (Photo: Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton, 2016. Credit: Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

Imagine spending six months of every year living in total shade. That's what life is like for residents of the Norwegian town of Rjukan, set so low in a valley that they see no direct sunshine at all from October to March. Marnie Chesterton heads there to hear about an ingenious solution: giant mirrors that beam rays down into the town square, where locals gather to feel the reflected heat. The man behind the project was motivated by a need for winter sun – but how much difference does it really make to our health and happiness? That's the question posed by this week's CrowdScience listener Michael, who has noticed living in the rainy Australian city of Melbourne is taking its toll. Many pensioners claim sunshine relieves achiness as well as conditions like arthritis but one of the biggest scientific studies found temperature has no real impact on reported pain levels, while factors like air pressure and humidity may play a role. When it comes to our mood, it seems that spending time outside is more important than feeling the heat. The optimum temperature for wellbeing is around a cool 19 degrees centigrade, while excessive warm weather has been linked to an increase in violence and crime. You can watch a visualisation of this episode on YouTube: Is the 'sunshine cure' a real thing? - CrowdScience, BBC World Service podcast - YouTube Producer: Marijke Peters Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Editor: Richard Collings Production Coordinator: Jonathan Harris Contributors: Dr Anna Beukenhorst, University of Manchester Professor Oscar Ybarra, University of Illinois Professor Solomon Hsiang, University of California, Berkeley Martin Andersen, artist (Image: Young woman enjoying sunset. Credit: Muriel De Seze/ Getty Images)

In the 1980s, a Turkish worker in Germany, Osman Kahlin, provoked controversy when he turned a patch of disputed land against the Berlin Wall into a makeshift farm. The land was owned by East Germany, but lay on the Western side of the wall due to a quirk in the wall's hurried construction. Kahlin fought a running battle with both East and West German police to keep hold of the land, and kitted it out with a fully functioning treehouse that became a local symbol of resistance to authority. Alex Eccleston speaks to Osman's son, Mehmet. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Osman's treehouse. Credit: Schlemmer/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

To mark the final stages of this year's Tour de Femmes, Marianne Martin talks about winning the first official women's Tour De France in 1984. She rode the 1,080km course in 29 hours, 39 minutes, and two seconds over 18 days – a remarkable feat considering she'd had anaemia earlier in that year. The 1984 men's champion Laurent Fignon won prizes valued at more than $225,000. Marianne Martin was awarded a trophy and $1,000. This is a Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service is presented by Ashley Byrne. (Photo: Marianne Martin with her team mates in Paris after winning the Tour de France in 1984. Credit: Graham Watson)

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Ozoz Sokoh, Nigerian food writer and author of the Kitchen Butterfly food blog, who tells us about the history of West African food. The programme begins with the story of Mr Bigg's, Nigeria's answer to McDonald's. Then, we hear about the 1960 coup against the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, from his grandnephew. In the second half of the programme, a Jewish survivor tells us about the Nazi occupation of Greece from 1941-1944. Two witnesses tell us about Pope John Paul II's ill-fated visit to Nicaragua in 1983. And a Pakistani man recounts how he accidentally created the first personal computer virus in 1986. Contributors: Ozoz Sokoh - Nigerian food writer and author of the Kitchen Butterfly food blog. Emmanuel Osugo - Mr Bigg's employee. Dr Asfa-Wossen Asserate - grandnephew of Haile Selassie. Yeti Mitrani - Jewish survivor of Nazi occupation of Greece. Nancy Frazier O'Brien - Catholic News Service reporter. Carlos Pensque - Nicaraguan protestor. Amjad Farooq Alvi - software developer. (Photo: West African food. Credit: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

It's been 50 years since a popular Nigerian fast food chain which later became known as Mr Bigg's was first launched. The restaurants began as coffee shops in department stores in the 1960s and were later rebranded in 1986. Mr Bigg's currently has more than 170 locations in 40 cities around Nigeria, and there were also restaurants in other African nations at one time. Justice Baidoo spoke to Emmanuel Osugo, one of the pioneers of the chain. A Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service. (Photo: A Mr Bigg's restaurant. Credit: Adebola Familusi)

In 1983 Pope John Paul II visited Nicaragua as part of an eight-day tour of Central America. His trip came at a time of heightened tensions between the ruling Sandinista revolutionaries and the country's Roman Catholic hierarchy. The Pope, a staunch anti-communist, condemned members of the Nicaraguan clergy serving in the left-wing government and was heckled by Sandinista supporters during a large open-air mass in the capital, Managua. Mike Lanchin has been hearing the memories of Nicaraguan Carlos Pensque, who turned out to protest as the Pope passed by, and of former US Catholic News Service reporter, Nancy Frazier O'Brien, who covered the papal visit. A CTVC production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Pope John Paul II. Credit: Bettmann via Getty Images)

Last week saw the publication of the BBC's annual report, which includes the World Service. The World Service Audience is down 12% but we'll be looking into its finer details and asking what it means for you the listener. Do overall audience figures affect the kind of programmes being made? The boss of BBC World Service English, Jon Zilkha, tells us if that will affect the kind of programmes you hear. Plus, listeners say their farewells to a stalwart of World Service news, Razia Iqbal, as she leaves the BBC after 30 years. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

Rob Watson broadcasts weekly to an audience of up to 394 million as the UK correspondent for the BBC World Service.

Rob Watson broadcasts weekly to an audience of up to 394 million as the UK correspondent for the BBC World Service.

Return to the radio broadcasting scene in the mountain country of Bhutan in Asia. Review of World Radio TV Handbook 2023 edition. Review of CCrane Skywave SSB 2 receiver. Interview with Graham Mytton, former head of BBC World Service audience research.

In 1993, the Czech player Jana Novotna threw away a huge lead in the ladies' final at Wimbledon but captured the hearts of tennis fans by breaking down in tears on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent, the tournament's patron. Five years later, Novotna was back on Centre Court and this time she won. She tells her story to Kirsty McQuire. Jana Novotna died of ovarian cancer in 2017. The programme is a Sparklab Production for the BBC World Service and was first broadcast in 2015. (Photo: Czech tennis player Jana Novotna is consoled by the Duchess of Kent after losing the women's singles final at the 1993 Wimbledon Championships, held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, 3 July 1993. Credit: Getty Images)

In The Evidence on the BBC World Service, Claudia Hammond will be exploring the concept of solastalgia; broadly defined as the pain or emotional suffering brought about by environmental change close to your home or cherished place. Made in collaboration with Wellcome Collection, Claudia Hammond and an expert panel examine this relatively new concept, one that might be increasingly heard about as the effects of climate change are felt. Claudia will be hearing stories of solastalgia from communities in Kenya and Indonesia and examining where storytelling fits in with other types of evidence when it comes to health and wellbeing. What kind of impact can personal stories of loss have on policy makers? On stage with Claudia and in front of a live studio audience, are artist Victoria Pratt, Creative Director of Invisible Flock; Daniel Kobei, Director of Ogiek People's Development Program; epidemiologist Dr Elaine Flores from the Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; former prime minister of Australia Julia Gillard and environmental activist Laetania Belai Djandam Produced by: Helena Selby and Geraldine Fitzgerald Studio Engineers: Emma Harth and Duncan Hannant Photo: Man standing in grey climate whilst looking towards bright climate. Credit: Getty Images.

Four-time African Footballer of the Year, Yaya Touré, Africa Cup of Nations winner, Efan Ekoku, and former D.R. Congo captain, Gabriel Zakuani, debate all things African football in a new podcast from the BBC World Service, Match of The Day Africa: Top 10.   In each episode they'll debate a topic, ranging from the best African goalscorers to the continent's biggest World Cup moment, and decide on their top 10 from a shortlist compiled by a panel of African Football experts. Search for ‘Match of the Day Africa: Top 10' wherever you get your podcasts for a new episode every Monday from the 3rd July or head to bbcworldservice.com/africatop10.

Anxiety, anger, and stress are leaving us feeling frazzled.  Today's guest, Dr. Gina Simmons Schneider, helps us understand this state and what she calls Frazzle Brain.  Why it matters:Being under the influence of Frazzle Brain causes us to experience forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, decreased productivity, and irritability.  It can also affect our ability to make decisions and solve problems.What you'll learn:The science of what it is and how it could be affecting you1–2-minute exercises that you can do to counteract it and return to a state of optimal functioningHow to recognize when you are amplifying distress (most of us do this without realizing it)How to easily increase mental agilityHow to increase your feeling of well-being and happinessDr. Gina Simmons Schneider she is a licensed psychotherapist, executive coach, and corporate trainer. She serves as co-director of Schneider Counseling and Corporate Solutions. She is the author of Frazzlebrain: Break Free from Anxiety, Anger, and Stress Using Advanced Discoveries in Neuropsychology. Dr. Gina is a coping skills expert with more than 25 years of experience helping people regulate difficult emotions and conflicts.She has been quoted in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and the San Diego Union-Tribune. Laurence Knight interviewed her for the BBC World Service program, “How to Be Angry.”  In addition, she blogs for Psychology Today and writes the award-winning Manage Anger Daily blog. She has blogged for Forbes and Women in Crime Ink which the Wall Street Journal named a “blog worth reading.”Links & Resources: https://twitter.com/DrGinaSimmons https://www.facebook.com/DrGinaSimmonsSchneider/ https://www.instagram.com/ginasimmonsdoc/ www.frazzlebrain.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginasimmonsphd/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22148245.Gina_Simmons_Schneider  Follow Bobbi at: Sign up for Bobbi's free newsletter, Find Your Forward and receive her free 5-day email course, Find Your Forward Fundamentals here: https://www.bobbikahler.com/newsletterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbikahler/

Matthew Syed is a former Olympic table tennis player for Great Britain. As Matthew travelled in China, competing against some of the world's greatest players, he realised that ping pong is a game that has played a huge and fascinating role in the rise of a great power, taking us from the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 to the sporting ambitions of the country today. Matthew begins this three-part mini series from Sideways, with the story of the rise and tragic death of Rong Guotuan - an extraordinary player and China's first world champion in any sport. Chairman Mao and Zhou Enlai were keen ping pong players, and in the early years of the PRC the sport was a way of cementing national pride. And where better to showcase a new China and its sporting prowess than at the 1961 Beijing World Table Tennis Championships? But hidden behind the veneer of a newly built stadium and comforts for the visiting teams from all over the world, was a much darker experience for the people of China - an avoidable famine that's estimated by 1961 to have killed at least 36 million. Presented by Matthew Syed Producer: Pippa Smith Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey Script consultation: Dr Olivia Cheung, SOAS, University of London Sound Design and mix: Rob Speight Archival research: Nadia Mehdi With thanks to Zhijie Shao from the BBC World Service and to the International Table Tennis Federation A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

Former England international table tennis player, Matthew Syed, continues this three-part mini series from Sideways, with a moment that changed the course of China-US relations - when the hippie American player Glen Cowan met the world's greatest table tennis star Zhuang Zedong. This event would usher in rapprochement between the two nations and lay the groundwork for both Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon's landmark visits to the once isolated China. In China's Ping Pong Power, Matthew explores the vital role played by the little game of ping pong in the rise of this great power, taking us from the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, to the thawing of US-China relations during the Cold War, to Olympic glory and the sporting ambitions of the country today. Presented by Matthew Syed Producer: Katherine Godfrey Series Lead: Pippa Smith Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey Script consultation: Dr Olivia Cheung, SOAS, University of London Sound Design and mix: Rob Speight Archival research: Nadia Mehdi With thanks to Zhijie Shao from the BBC World Service and to the International Table Tennis Federation A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

In the final episode of this mini series from Sideways, former professional ping pong player, Matthew Syed, tells the story of how ping pong fared in a more open China. After Chairman Mao's death in 1976, his successor Deng Xiaoping introduced privatisation, contracting out, and a host of reforms that freed key parts of the economy from central control. At the same time, China's table tennis team were starting to lose their primacy in the game, with challenging new styles of play emerging from Sweden in particular. But alongside more economic freedom and openness, came a relaxation and innovation in Chinese ping pong style which ushered in a glittering new era of Olympic glory for the Chinese national team. From a sport that brought Mao's China such national pride in the early decades of the PRC, and then laid the groundwork for the rapprochement with the United States, ping pong today is no longer the popular sport of young people in China, and the Communist Party has its sights on prestige in other sporting arenas too. As the series draws to a close, Matthew explores the changing nature of Chinese sporting diplomacy and how sport, and table tennis, are still deeply entwined with the country's wider ambitions. Presented by Matthew Syed Producer: Pippa Smith Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey Script consultation: Dr Olivia Cheung, SOAS, University of London Sound Design and mix: Rob Speight Archival research: Nadia Mehdi With thanks to Zhijie Shao from the BBC World Service and to the International Table Tennis Federation A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

Proverbs 2:1-2 I wonder what you treasure most of all. Perhaps it's your car, some jewellery or something precious that a friend gave you. Perhaps you would point to your relationship with your family or a special friend. Whatever it is, you will naturally be inclined to protect this treasure. You will make sure that it doesn't get spoilt, and you will devote attention to thinking about it. Here, the writer of Proverbs encourages us to treasure God's commands. That's interesting language. He is not merely inviting us to listen to these commands, or to love them even, but to treasure them. That is to say, we need to see them as being of supreme value. The challenge we all face is that wisdom isn't the only voice we hear. There are innumerable other voices and many of them are tempting and attractive. When I lived in India, one of the most challenging moments in the day was when I tuned in to hear the news on BBC World Service. It was impossible to get the station precisely tuned in and so, throughout the programme, I would be tweaking the dial. I think that's a very good illustration of life. As we face continual challenges, we need to listen to God's voice through the Bible, sermons, books, friends and many other sources. And when we have heard what we believe to be wisdom, we must tune our lives into it, by seeing how it applies to us practically. The writer of Proverbs does everything he can to convince his readers that wisdom is supremely attractive. He says that “wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honour in her left” (Proverbs 3:15-16). No wonder he encourages us to treasure it before anything else. QUESTION Do you treasure wisdom? If so, in what way? PRAYER Lord God, I thank you for the gift of wisdom. Help me to seek it with all my heart. Amen

In 1986 a car factory worker from the United States was accused of being ‘Ivan the Terrible', a notorious concentration camp guard at Treblinka during the Holocaust. John Demjanjuk was extradited from the United States to Israel. His trial became one of the most high profile cases in Israel's history. He was convicted, then later acquitted and then re-convicted in a German court for having worked in a different camp, Sobibor. Lawyers for the defence, Yoram Sheftel, and prosecution, Eli Gabay, in the Israeli trial tell Dan Hardoon about the process of trying Demjanjuk, and the impact it made on their country's society. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service. (Photo: John Demjanjuk in the Supreme Court of Israel. Credit: David Turnley/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

On 6 July 2003, the first matches of the Homeless World Cup kicked off in Graz, Austria. The idea came from Mel Young and Harald Schmied. Mel talks to Kurt Brookes about the first tournament and how it continues to help change perceptions about homelessness. A Made in Manchester Production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Scotland play Poland in the Homeless World Cup played in Graz, Austria. Credit: Homeless World Cup Foundation)

United States President John F Kennedy gave a speech in Berlin at the height of the Cold War on 26 June 1963. It galvanised the world in support of West Berliners who had been isolated by the construction of the Berlin Wall. Tom Wills speaks to Gisela Morel-Tiemann, who attended the speech as a student. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service. (Photo: John F Kennedy making his speech in Berlin. Credit: Lehnartz/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

A live, off-air, half-hour recording of the BBC World Service special Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast on 21 June 2023 beginning at 21:30 UTC. The broadcast, hosted by Cerys Matthews, featured messages and music for the 37 members of the staff of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) overwintering in Antarctica at the Rothera (Antarctic Peninsula) and King Edward Point and Bird Island (South Georgia) research stations. In addition to personal messages from family and friends, there were interviews with Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of BAS and Nadia Frontier, a marine biologist from BAS and former winterer. The transmitter came on the air with a test tone (1108 Hz plus harmonics) about a minute before the program started. As sometimes happens, the first few words of the introduction were missed.The recording is of the transmission first on a frequency of 12005 kHz but after a few minutes it was switched to 13810 kHz due to interference (QRM) on the former frequency. Both frequencies were from the BBC's Woofferton, England, transmitting station. The sender of the 12005 kHz frequency had a registered power of 300 kW with antenna beam 182 degrees, while that for 13810 kHz was registered as 250 kW with an antenna beam of 180 degrees. The transmission was received on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with a Tecsun AN-03L 7-metre wire antenna outdoors in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada, in AM mode with 2.3 kHz RF filtering. Reception on 13810 kHz was quite good with little noise or fading and very good signal strength. The additional parallel frequency of 7255 kHz from Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates, was not heard.

At the 1976 Olympics, the Japanese gymnast Shun Fujimoto horrified the world by continuing to compete in the team event despite breaking his knee during the floor exercise. Determined not to let down his team-mates, Fujimoto braved almost unbearable pain to achieve good scores on the pommel horse and rings, and help Japan to gold. Shun Fujimoto relives his agony with Ashley Byrne. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production for the BBC World Service and was first broadcast in 2016. (Photo: Shun Fujimoto on the rings. Credit: Colorsport/Shutterstock)

Alan Shepard played golf on the moon in 1971. He became the first and only person to enjoy the sport on the lunar surface. The astronaut golfer's daughter Laura Shepard Churchley was inspired by her father's big journeys and later travelled to space herself, although she didn't pack golf clubs. Tricia Penrose hears Laura's recollections of life with her father and his unique sporting space trip. A Moon Road production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Alan Shepard on the moon. Credit: NASA)

A BBC World Service documentary revealing the untold stories behind Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's journey to the top. In Barcelona, former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina relives his time sharing bunk beds with Arteta at the world-famous La Masia academy, declaring that the boy from the Basque country was “born to be a manager”. Presenter John Bennett travels to Arteta's home town of San Sebastian to meet his childhood coach at a small club, next to a hair salon, that has become an amazing football talent factory. Hear from former teammates at Everton, Arsenal and Rangers, from where Dutch great Ronald de Boer remembers Arteta stepping up aged 21 to score a stoppage-time penalty to snatch the title from Glasgow rivals Celtic: “To take that responsibility, at such a young age, in such an important game and moment of that decisive title race against Celtic was impressive.” And find out why the Welsh city of Newport played such an important part in Arteta's journey into coaching. Arsenal legend Arsène Wenger and former Man City captain Vincent Kompany also feature in this documentary, which paints a picture of a single-minded, intelligent and meticulous man, schooled in the Barcelona style of play, who is now mixing it with the top managers in the game and has got Arsenal fans dreaming of glory once again.

Hollie McKay is a writer, war crimes investigator, and the author of “Only Cry for the Living: Memos from Inside the ISIS Battlefield.” (Jocko Publishing/Di Angelo Publications 2021). She was an investigative and international affairs/war correspondent for Fox News Digital for over fourteen years, where she focused on war, terrorism, and crimes against humanity.Hollie has worked on the frontlines of several major war zones and covered humanitarian and diplomatic crises in Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Burma, Russia, Africa, Latin America, and other areas.Hollie was in Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, where she became one of the few western journalists to stay in the country during and after the government fell to the Taliban. She was then the only American journalist to stay behind for the long haul, witnessing the first four months of the new regime. Hollie was then based in Ukraine to cover the leadup and subsequent invasion by Russian forces. Hollie continued to write and report on Afghanistan for numerous publications, including the New York Post, Empire Media Group, National Review, Liberty Dispatches, National Interest, Deadline Hollywood, The Independent, Dallas Morning News, Skillset Magazine, Recoil Magazine and SmartHer News.Her globally-spanned coverage, in the form of thousands of print articles and essays, has included exclusive and detailed interviews with numerous captured terrorists, as well as high-ranking government, military, and intelligence officials and leaders from all sides.Hollie also provided television and radio coverage for dozens of major outlets, including BBC World Service, NPR, ABC News Australia, Fox News, Sky News, The Ben Shapiro Show and KTLA.Her coffee table book collaboration with combat photographer Jake Simkin is “Afghanistan: The End of the U.S. Footprint and Rise of the Taliban Rule” (DiAngelo Publications).Hollie is also a 40 Under 40 Honoree with the Middle East Policy Council (MEPC) and a 2022 Media Fellow for the Foundation of Defense of Democracies (FDD) honorary board member for EMERGENCY USA, a non-governmental organization that assists victims of conflict worldwide. She was the 2021 recipient of the EMERGENCY honors award for “her commitment and dedication to providing surgical and medical care to people affected by war and poverty.”Hollie serves as the Outreach Director for Burnt Children Relief Foundation (BCRF) to bring severely bomb-burned Syrian children to the U.S. for life-saving treatment.Hollie is based in Washington, D.C.Follow her here.Subscribe to her Substack here.