Podcasts about BBC World Service

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Mercedes Peñalba- Sotorrío, a senior lecturer in modern European history at Manchester Metropolitan University, England.We start with the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975 ending 36 years of dictatorship over Spain.Then, we use archive to hear how King Juan Carlos reclaimed the Spanish throne in 1975 and led the country to a democracy. This episode was made in collaboration with BBC Archives.We hear from a Social Democrat politician about Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to suspend asylum rules for Syrians fleeing war in 2015.How the Bosnian war ended with the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995.Next, how a substitute fielder ran out the Australian captain in the fourth test of the 2005 Ashes, turning the game in England's favour.Finally, we use archive to hear about cold war diplomacy in the Geneva summit in 1985.Contributors:José Antonio Martínez Soler - a journalist.King Juan Carlos - the former King of Spain (from archive).Aydan Özoğuz - a Social Democrat politician and former minister of state for immigration.Milan Milutinović - a negotiator in the Dayton Peace Accords.Gary Pratt - a fielder in the England cricket team in the 2005 Ashes series.Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev - The former US President and former Soviet leader (from archive).(Image: King Juan Carlos, 1975. Credit: Jacques Pavlovsky/Sygma via Getty images)

‘When it comes to women's lives, things have progressed, maybe not always in a linear way.'Devina Gupta speaks to author and columnist Twinkle Khanna about the lives of women in 21st century India. Khanna's column in the Times of India, Mrs Funnybones, captures the contradictions of being a modern Indian woman — one day praying to a cow, the next filing a tax return. It was turned into a book in 2015 that sold over 100,000 copies in its first year alone.Born into a family of Bollywood royalty, Khanna initially followed her parents Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna into acting. However, despite appearing in dozens of films and receiving accolades for her performances, she considers herself to have been a ‘failed actress'.After a short stint as an interior designer, she turned her hand to writing, and soon realised how much she could make people laugh.As a prominent writer, however, Khanna has faced significant backlash - including for comments challenging both traditional roles within marriage and religious customs that label women impure during menstruation. Her outspoken views on gender norms and marital expectations have led to heated debate on social media, and made her the subject of widespread trolling.So with the follow-up Mrs Funnybones book coming out over a decade later, she's now asking the much larger question: what, if anything, has changed for Indian women in that time. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Devina Gupta Producers: Ben Cooper and Clare Williamson Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Twinkle Khanna: Credit: SUJIT JAISWAL/AFP via Getty Images)

“The current state of the art AI technology is prone to some errors… you have to learn to use these tools for what they are good at, and not blindly trust everything they say.”Faisal Islam speaks to Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google and its holding company Alphabet, about artificial intelligence and its impact on how we live and work. He tells me that we are at an extraordinary moment in technology, with the potential for enormous benefits but also risks. AI should not be blindly trusted, he says, as it is still prone to errors. And it will disrupt society through its impact on jobs, but also on the climate, thanks to its “immense” energy needs. Trillions are being invested in artificial intelligence, raising fears it could create a bubble reminiscent of the dotcom boom in the 1990s. If it were to burst, Sundar Pichai warns no company, not even his, would be immune. Thank you to Faisal Islam and Priya Patel 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. 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: Faisal Islam Producers: Lucy Sheppard and Priya Patel Editor: Justine Lang(Image: Sundar Pichai. Credit: CAMILLE COHEN/AFP via Getty Images)

With COP30 taking place, presenter Qasa Alom looks at how climate is covered on the network. He hears from listeners and speaks to Angus Foster, the BBC News climate and science lead.He explains how climate is prioritised when there are competing stories. The flagship climate programme for the BBC World Service, The Climate Question, launched its first visualised episode in November 2025. Anna Doble, the commissioning editor, talks to Qasa about how visualisation is helping the network reach a younger audience.And finally, Qasa speaks to Richard Kenny, a producer on People Fixing the World, about how the stories they cover help give listeners a “a sense of hope and agency that they can do something”.Presenter: Qasa Alom Producer: Jill Achineku Executive producer: Robert Nicholson A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

‘So-called turmoil or shortcomings in my life? I turn them into power or energy'Best known for playing the serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 thriller ‘The Silence of the Lambs', Sir Anthony's journey to Hollywood stardom started with humble beginnings.Born into a working class family in the Welsh steel town of Port Talbot in 1937, his parents first ran a bakery, and then later a pub. Their strong work ethic was imparted on their son, who, despite struggling socially and educationally in his early years, was determined to make a success of himself. Throwing himself into reading and creative pastimes like music and art, Sir Anthony studied at both the Welsh Royal College of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy for Dramatic Art.His early career saw him working alongside greats including Katharine Hepburn, Lawrence Olivier, Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole across both stage and screen, with his international breakout coming in the 1980 film ‘The Elephant Man', which received multiple Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.It would be another decade before he truly cemented his place as a Hollywood A-lister: playing the infamous serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter, regarded by many critics as one of the greatest film villains of all-time. The role won him the first of his two Oscars, with the second coming for his performance in the 2020 film ‘The Father'.But the 87-year-old's long journey to the very top was not only a professional struggle, but at times a personal struggle too, having also battled alcoholism early on in his career - which he says made him a difficult person to work with.Thank you to the Culture 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. 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, Roxanne Panthaki and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Anthony Hopkins Credit: Darren Arthur/Getty Images for GEA)

The award-winning author who used her strict Mennonite upbringing to tell its unspoken stories.Miriam Toews is one of Canada's most acclaimed novelists, but her journey began far from the literary world. Raised in the conservative Mennonite town of Steinbach, Manitoba, she grew up surrounded by deep faith, strict expectations, and a culture where silence often covered over difficult truths. The town didn't even have a train station to keep it separate from the 'worldy' practices of contemporary society. At home, her devout father Mel's lifelong battle with mental illness and her mother Elvira's rebellious streak created a world of tenderness and tension — one Miriam would later transform into funny and powerful fiction.Miriam reflects on how she became a writer: the restless imagination that sparked during childhood, her early escape from the confines of her community, and the personal losses that shaped novels such as A Complicated Kindness, All My Puny Sorrows, and Women Talking. With success also came the cost of telling stories about identity, family, mental health and faith — stories her community never dare speak aloud.This programme contains references to suicide. If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.orgPresenter: Jo Fidgen Producers: Laura Thomas and Edgar Maddicott Editor: Munazza Khan Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys — spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

I believe in all of humanity, but I think that too little has been done about Palestine.BBC North America Correspondent Nomia Iqbal speaks to Noura Erekat, Palestinian-American human rights attorney and professor at Rutgers University. As well as being a legal scholar she is also an outspoken advocate for justice in Palestine, she went on to become one of the first Palestinian women to address the United Nations Security in October this year where she spoke on the situation of women and girls in GazaNoura Erekat reflects on the global response to the war in Gaza and what international law can and cannot do in times of crisis. We explore what accountability might look like and why, for many Palestinians, the law has so often failed them.She talks about growing up as part of the Palestinian diaspora in the United States and how this has shaped her life. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nomia Iqbal Producer(s): Alex Lederman, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Noura Erekat Credit: Barbara Monteiro)

Our correspondent tonight is Rob Hugh-Jones, who is talking about the debate in Germany over its military buildup, the former prime minister of Bangladesh going on trial, and the complicated marking of 50 years since the death of the former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. 

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is aviation historian Dr Victoria Taylor.We start with an archive interview of American Chuck Yeager who became the first pilot to fly faster than the speed of sound in 1947. Then, a couple who were caught up in the attack on the Bataclan theatre in Paris in November 2015.We hear from a prosecutor in the Nuremberg trials in 1945 after World War Two.France's former finance minister recalls how an economic crisis in the 1970s led to the birth of the G7.Next, how a heated NBA game in 2004 spiralled into one of the most infamous brawls in sports history. Finally, we hear the story of the first ever underwater cabinet meeting in 2009.Contributors:Chuck Yeager - the first pilot to fly faster than the speed of sound.Justine Merton-Scott and Tony Scott - a couple who survived the Bataclan attack in Paris.Benjamin Ferencz - a prosecutor in the Nuremburg trials.Jean-Pierre Fourcade - France's former finance minister.Mark Boyle - radio broadcaster for the NBA's Indiana Pacers.Mohamed Nasheed - former President of the Maldives.(Photo: The first powered take off of Chuck Yeager's supersonic plane in 1947. Credit: Bettmann/Getty)

Matthew Bannister onJames Watson who shared the Nobel Prize for identifying the structure of DNA, but was widely condemned later in life for his racist and sexist views.Pauline Collins, the comic actor who triumphed in the role of Shirley Valentine on stage and screen. The play's director Simon Callow pays tribute.Judith Vidal-Hall, who edited the Index on Censorship magazine and campaigned for freedom of expression around the worldDugald Ross, the crofter and palaeontologist from the Isle of Skye who discovered dinosaur footprints on the island as a schoolboy.Producer: Ed Prendeville Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse G Edwards Editor: Glyn TansleyArchive: Witness History: Discovering the Secrets of DNA, BBC World Service, 25/04/2025; Archive on 4: DNA 60 Years On, BBC Radio 4, 30/10/2016; Interview with James Watson and Francis Crick, The Medical Television Centre, UT Southwestern, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre at Dallas, 16/05/1968; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 22/12/1989; Shirley Valentine, Paramount Pictures, 1989 (Producer: John Dark; Produced & directed by Lewis Gilbert; Written by Willy Russell); Upstairs Downstairs, ITV; Reporting Scotland 1830, BBC One Scotland, 11/06/2014; Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands: Northern Skye – A Land of Giants and Fairies, BBC Two, 26/04/2017; Out of Doors, BBC Radio Scotland, 07/08/2010; Newsnight, BBC Two, 20/02/2002; One Year On: 9/11, BBC One, 11/09/2002

‘I believe so profoundly in the separation of church and state, and in the dangers of theocracy creeping into the corners of a democracy'BBC Music Correspondent Mark Savage speaks to US singer-songwriter, producer and performer Brandi Carlile about the personal and political stories behind her songs.An LGBTQ icon, she sets out her fears about the threat to same-sex marriage in today's United States, and the impact that has had on her own family. And she shares the strain her own sexuality put on her relationship with her mother while growing up in rural America. It was country music, she says, that brought them together.Brandi Carlile has won eleven Grammy awards, been nominated for an Oscar, and worked with Elton John and Joni Mitchell. Now releasing her eighth album, she reveals she went into the studio with no songs prepared, only feelings and nostalgia, resulting in a deeply personal record reflecting on childhood memories, parenthood and politics. Thank you to Mark Savage for his help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, 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: Mark Savage Producer: Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Brandi Carlile Credit: Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Rise of the AfD and the Threat to German Democracy. Judy Dempsey discusses the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, noting it is infiltrating German culture, education, and town halls, predominantly in the East. She warns that the AfD poses a danger to German democracy and the rule of law. The future hinges on whether established parties can isolate the AfD or if the Constitutional Court will intervene to outlaw the party. Dempsey also notes that the BBC scandal involves the highly scrutinized domestic service, distinct from the generally "exemplary" BBC World Service. 1933

The Rise of the AfD and the Threat to German Democracy. Judy Dempsey discusses the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, noting it is infiltrating German culture, education, and town halls, predominantly in the East. She warns that the AfD poses a danger to German democracy and the rule of law. The future hinges on whether established parties can isolate the AfD or if the Constitutional Court will intervene to outlaw the party. Dempsey also notes that the BBC scandal involves the highly scrutinized domestic service, distinct from the generally "exemplary" BBC World Service.

SHOW 11-11-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1933 VON PAPPEN IN BERLIN THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE BBO CONTNUING INTACT. FIRST HOUR 9-915 Economic Slowdown Fears Amid AI Impact and the BBC Scandal. Liz Peek characterizes the US economy as slowing down, with hiring affected by government layoffs and the displacement of tech jobs due to AI adoption. While the consumer remains robust, significant anxiety exists regarding the massive investments in AI and resulting stock market valuations. Peek comments on the BBC scandal, viewing the resignations as acknowledgment that the state-run outlet deliberately spliced footage to portray the US President as exhorting violence, revealing a deep, unfavorable political bias against conservatives. 915-930 Economic Slowdown Fears Amid AI Impact and the BBC Scandal. Liz Peek characterizes the US economy as slowing down, with hiring affected by government layoffs and the displacement of tech jobs due to AI adoption. While the consumer remains robust, significant anxiety exists regarding the massive investments in AI and resulting stock market valuations. Peek comments on the BBC scandal, viewing the resignations as acknowledgment that the state-run outlet deliberately spliced footage to portray the US President as exhorting violence, revealing a deep, unfavorable political bias against conservatives. 930-945 Middle East War Dynamics: Hamas Decimation, Peace Plans, and Hezbollah Rearmament. Jonathan Schanzer addresses the BBC's acknowledgment of breaching editorial guidelines over 1,500 times during the Gaza conflict. He confirms that Hamas has been decimated, operating as a spent, asymmetric urban force. Schanzer details the Trump administration's "Board of Peace" proposal for Gaza, stressing the need for a technocratic authority that excludes both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. He also highlights troubling reports that Hezbollah is rearming with increasing speed, assisted by Iran and, surprisingly, Turkey. 945-1000 Middle East War Dynamics: Hamas Decimation, Peace Plans, and Hezbollah Rearmament. Jonathan Schanzer addresses the BBC's acknowledgment of breaching editorial guidelines over 1,500 times during the Gaza conflict. He confirms that Hamas has been decimated, operating as a spent, asymmetric urban force. Schanzer details the Trump administration's "Board of Peace" proposal for Gaza, stressing the need for a technocratic authority that excludes both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. He also highlights troubling reports that Hezbollah is rearming with increasing speed, assisted by Iran and, surprisingly, Turkey. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 Staffing Challenges and Political Bias: The Gaza Peace Plan and the BBC. Mary Kissel details the challenges facing the State Department and NSC in implementing the Trump administration's urgent Gaza Peace Plan, noting staffing issues are delaying coordination. The plan, featuring an apolitical "Board of Peace," seeks international legitimacy despite the UN's prejudice against Israel. Kissel expresses little surprise regarding the BBC scandal, viewing the deliberate distortion of the President's video remarks as appalling and emblematic of an "embedded bias" against conservatives that is deep and unfixable. 1015-1030 Staffing Challenges and Political Bias: The Gaza Peace Plan and the BBC. Mary Kissel details the challenges facing the State Department and NSC in implementing the Trump administration's urgent Gaza Peace Plan, noting staffing issues are delaying coordination. The plan, featuring an apolitical "Board of Peace," seeks international legitimacy despite the UN's prejudice against Israel. Kissel expresses little surprise regarding the BBC scandal, viewing the deliberate distortion of the President's video remarks as appalling and emblematic of an "embedded bias" against conservatives that is deep and unfixable. 1030-1045 The Rise of the AfD and the Threat to German Democracy. Judy Dempsey discusses the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, noting it is infiltrating German culture, education, and town halls, predominantly in the East. She warns that the AfD poses a danger to German democracy and the rule of law. The future hinges on whether established parties can isolate the AfD or if the Constitutional Court will intervene to outlaw the party. Dempsey also notes that the BBC scandal involves the highly scrutinized domestic service, distinct from the generally "exemplary" BBC World Service. 1045-1100 The Rise of the AfD and the Threat to German Democracy. Judy Dempsey discusses the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, noting it is infiltrating German culture, education, and town halls, predominantly in the East. She warns that the AfD poses a danger to German democracy and the rule of law. The future hinges on whether established parties can isolate the AfD or if the Constitutional Court will intervene to outlaw the party. Dempsey also notes that the BBC scandal involves the highly scrutinized domestic service, distinct from the generally "exemplary" BBC World Service. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 Rare Earths, Global Conflicts, and Reimagining Democracy. Gregory Copley analyzes China's rare earth monopoly, noting it was achieved through low pricing and unsafe practices but is now eroding as global suppliers ramp up production. He reviews current global conflicts, viewing the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford battle group near Venezuela as a test of brinkmanship, and citing Kyiv's admission of losses in Ukraine. Copley also argues that democracy is "dead," advocating for a return to defining the spirit of a social contract rather than relying on mutable laws. 1115-1130 Rare Earths, Global Conflicts, and Reimagining Democracy. Gregory Copley analyzes China's rare earth monopoly, noting it was achieved through low pricing and unsafe practices but is now eroding as global suppliers ramp up production. He reviews current global conflicts, viewing the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford battle group near Venezuela as a test of brinkmanship, and citing Kyiv's admission of losses in Ukraine. Copley also argues that democracy is "dead," advocating for a return to defining the spirit of a social contract rather than relying on mutable laws. 1130-1145 Rare Earths, Global Conflicts, and Reimagining Democracy. Gregory Copley analyzes China's rare earth monopoly, noting it was achieved through low pricing and unsafe practices but is now eroding as global suppliers ramp up production. He reviews current global conflicts, viewing the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford battle group near Venezuela as a test of brinkmanship, and citing Kyiv's admission of losses in Ukraine. Copley also argues that democracy is "dead," advocating for a return to defining the spirit of a social contract rather than relying on mutable laws. 1145-1200 Rare Earths, Global Conflicts, and Reimagining Democracy. Gregory Copley analyzes China's rare earth monopoly, noting it was achieved through low pricing and unsafe practices but is now eroding as global suppliers ramp up production. He reviews current global conflicts, viewing the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford battle group near Venezuela as a test of brinkmanship, and citing Kyiv's admission of losses in Ukraine. Copley also argues that democracy is "dead," advocating for a return to defining the spirit of a social contract rather than relying on mutable laws. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Conservative Politics and Extremism; The Structural Problems of the BBC. Joseph Sternberg argues that mainstream conservatives must accommodate legitimate right-wing concerns (like immigration) to squeeze out extremists, referencing the German CDU/CSU's successful historical tactic against neo-Nazis. He analyzes the widespread BBC scandal, noting its huge cultural influence in the UK, where it is funded by a mandatory license fee. The deliberate editing of the US President's remarks and allegations of tendentious coverage of the Israel/Gaza war point to a deep, structural problem within the organization. 1215-1230 Conservative Politics and Extremism; The Structural Problems of the BBC. Joseph Sternberg argues that mainstream conservatives must accommodate legitimate right-wing concerns (like immigration) to squeeze out extremists, referencing the German CDU/CSU's successful historical tactic against neo-Nazis. He analyzes the widespread BBC scandal, noting its huge cultural influence in the UK, where it is funded by a mandatory license fee. The deliberate editing of the US President's remarks and allegations of tendentious coverage of the Israel/Gaza war point to a deep, structural problem within the organization. 1230-1245 The UN Cybercrime Treaty: A Tool for Digital Authoritarianism. Ivana Stradner warns that the UN cybercrime treaty, drafted by Russia and supported by China, undermines global human rights and free speech. She argues the treaty is mere "window dressing" enabling authoritarian regimes to pursue digital sovereignty—like Russia's "fake news" laws or China's "golden shield" project—to censor dissent. Stradner suggests that allowing Russia and China to regulate cyberspace is comparable to trusting the arsonist to put out the fire, urging the United States not to ratify the treaty. 1245-100 AM The Modern Marine Corps: MEUs, Amphibious Ship Shortages, and the Role in East Asia. Colonel Grant Newsham discusses the Marine Corps, celebrating its 250th birthday and historic legacy at Belleau Wood. Newsham describes the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) as a flexible force of about 2,000 Marines aboard amphibious ships, capable of missions from humanitarian aid to combat. A critical challenge is the Navy's low prioritization of amphibious ships, leading to a deployment shortage. In East Asia, Marines are expected to seize key terrain and use long-range precision weapons to control maritime territory, though prioritizing missile units has reduced overall mission versatility.

The goal of political art is to ask uncomfortable questions. The price was prison.Vitaly Shevchenko speaks to Maria Alyokhina, founding member of the Russian punk activist group Pussy Riot, about the power and the price of protest.Pussy Riot came to the world's attention with its Punk Prayer, an angry anti-Putin anthem performed in a Moscow church. Maria Alyokhina spent two years incarcerated in a penal colony as a result. It was worth it, she says, to show the world what life under President Putin was like. She was freed under an amnesty ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, but her ongoing activism saw her living under surveillance and then house arrest, eventually fleeing Russia in a dramatic escape. Today, she continues to challenge Putin's regime from outside her home country. Thank you to the Ukrainecast team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Vitaly Shevchenko Producer: Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Maria Alyokhina. Credit: INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)

How does Britain's most famous broadcaster recover from a crisis that's reached the very top? In the space of a week, the BBC has lost two of its most senior executives and now faces an extraordinary legal threat from the President of the United States. What began as an editing error in a Panorama documentary has spiralled into a full-blown test of the corporation's credibility — and its future.In this episode of The Capitalist, Marc Sidwell is joined by veteran journalist Robin Lustig, former BBC World Service and Radio 4 presenter, to explore what this storm reveals about the state of public service broadcasting, political polarisation, and the shifting media landscape. Together, they ask whether the BBC can still command trust in a divided Britain — and what must change to restore its authority.Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trapped underground: my 54-hour cave rescue. For George Linnane, an experienced caver from England, being underground is his happy place, somewhere he can feel calm away from the chaos of daily life. But when he and two friends set out for a routine trip in the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system in Wales one Saturday lunchtime in November 2021, they couldn't know it would turn into a nightmare. After a stone bridge gave way underneath him, George fell ten metres onto solid rock and couldn't move. He suffered a broken leg, shattered jaw, a punctured lung and spleen and was drifting in and out of consciousness. When news of his predicament got out, 300 extraordinary volunteers from around the UK mobilised and came to his rescue. Thanks to the quick thinking and skill of his friends and the hundreds of fellow cavers who rushed to his aid, George counts himself very lucky to be alive. His remarkable true story became the longest cave rescue in UK history, taking a mammoth 54 hours to bring him back to the surface. 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: Asya Fouks Producer: Edgar Maddicott   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

Writing fiction in a time of lies. James Coomarasamy speaks to acclaimed author Sir Salman Rushdie as he publishes his first work of fiction since surviving a near-fatal attack in 2022, by a man armed with a knife, who is now serving twenty five years in prison. The Eleventh Hour, his new collection of novellas and short stories explores mortality, farewells and even the afterlife. They feature a rich cast of characters - a musical prodigy in post-Partition Mumbai, a ghost with a secret at a Cambridge college and a young writer caught in a Kafkaesque nightmare in modern-day America.Sir Salman speaks candidly about the threats to free expression, the rise in book bans across the U.S., and the political climate shaped by figures like Donald Trump. He reflects on the pressures facing writers and readers in a time of disinformation and growing censorship.We discuss fiction's power to illuminate truth and why, after everything, he remains committed to the freedom to imagine.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, 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 Coomarasamy Producers: Nigel Doran, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Salman Rushdie Credit: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

BBC World Service reporter Rob Hugh-Jones drops by to take a look at events making international headlines.

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.Our guest is Darja Dankina, who's a palaeontologist from the Natures Research Centre in Vilnius, Lithuania. We start with the discovery of the largest dinosaur ever, uncovered by a shepherd on a ranch in Argentina in 2012. Then, we hear from the daughter of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, who created children's show Thunderbirds in 1965.Plus, the impeachment of US President Clinton in 1999.How an American historical document typed out on a university computer in 1971 played a vital role in the digital revolution of electronic books.Also, Colonel Gaddafi's son being signed to Italy's top football league in 2003.Finally, we use BBC archive to hear how children's book character Miffy was created in 1955. In the programme Dick Bruna reads from Miffy Goes Flying with permission from Mercis Publishing bv.Contributors: Dr Diego Pol - palaeontologist who lead the dig for the Patagotitan. Darja Dankina - palaeontologist from the Natures Research Centre in Vilnius, Lithuania. Dee Anderson - daughter of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Joe Lockhart - Bill Clinton's former press secretary. Greg Newby - Project Gutenberg's CEO and director. Jay Bothroyd and Zeljko Kalac - former Perugia players. Dick Bruna - Dutch author and illustrator.(Photo: The Patagotitan. Credit: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

From the BBC World Service:

From the BBC World Service:

‘There's basically a total failure of governance. Nothing is working. There is very serious political instability that has actually manifested itself in violence all across the country.'James Copnall speaks to senior South Sudanese politician Nhial Deng Nhial, about the political instability that's threatening the future of the world's youngest country.Nhial, who has served in numerous important roles in, including as South Sudan's Foreign Minister, made headlines last month when he openly criticised the country's president, Salva Kiir, going from former ally to a voice of opposition. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of struggle led by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, or SPLM. But just two years into independence, a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and his vice-president Riek Machar led to a civil war in which 400,000 lost their lives. The civil war was brought to an end in 2018 through a peace deal that saw the creation of a unity government that was meant to pave the way for elections in 2022. However, these never happened, and following renewed clashes between the army and opposition forces earlier this year. The United Nations is deeply concerned about a possible return to outright war. Amid these growing tensions in the country, even once-staunch allies of the President are now speaking out - including Nhial Deng Nhial who suspended his membership of the ruling SPLM, and accused the government of corruption, fuelling insecurity and refusing to hold long-delayed elections. President Salva is no stranger to public criticism - but there was a sense of shock that the latest to take aim at South Sudan's leader was Nhial Deng Nhial, a prominent figure in the country, and the party, for decades. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: James Copnall Producer: Ben Cooper Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Nhial Deng Nhial Credit: HANNAH MCNEISH/AFP/GettyImages)

There were periods when I couldn't see any hope or joy.Anna Foster speaks to British cycling champion Sir Bradley Wiggins in a deeply personal interview.The first Briton to win the Tour de France, he collected five Olympic gold medals throughout his career. But his stellar reputation came under attack as he faced allegations of doping. What followed was a descent into drug addiction that was fuelled, he says, by the pain of an absent father and the abuse he suffered at the hands of a coach, all while growing up in the public eye.Today he is a “better version of himself”, supported by close family, clean of drugs for a year and in therapy.Thank you to Anna Foster and Jade Lauriston 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. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Anna Foster Producers: Jade Lauriston and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Bradley Wiggins Credit: Nordin Catic/Getty Images For The Cambridge Union)

Radio 4 and BBC World Service reporter and producer Ellie House makes some really interesting podcasts. Her latest, The Real ‘Yellowstone': a battle for the cowboy way of life, focuses on the proposed sale of public land in Montana and the strange political bedfellows that have resulted. Ellie and Hannah also chat about the introduction of National Service for women in Denmark and the joys of travelling for work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aged 16, coming out of an audition, budding British actor Dan Whitlam was caught up in a fight with a group of boys in London. He was stabbed twice in the back with a screwdriver. The wound pierced and collapsed his lung. The physical scars healed quickly but the mental ones took a lot longer. For years Dan battled with panic attacks and anxiety. He was plagued with worries that his lung had collapsed again, his father became his chaperone as he was afraid to walk the streets alone.Two years later, Dan met his attacker as part of a restorative justice programme, and while he got the apology he needed the panic attacks and fear continued. What helped him was writing about that day. He told the story of the stabbing through poetry and added to it a new narrative, one that painted his attacker in a kinder light. He wanted to humanise him, make him less of a monster and show that there is more than one side to each of us. Dan has gone on to perform this poem hundreds of times and earned himself a huge following for his work as a spoken word artist and musician. He writes primarily for what he calls a lost generation – young adults who grew up in an age of social media, digital natives who are inundated with options, comparisons and aspirations. He also now writes a lot about love.Dan's poetry collection is called I Don't Want To Settle. He will be on tour in Europe and the US in November.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Andrea KennedyLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

‘Fashion has to be more inclusive, it has to speak to people outside the normal demographic'BBC presenter Amol Rajan speaks to Ghanaian-born Edward Enninful, who rose to the pinnacle of fashion in Britain as the editor-in-chief of British Vogue.Enninful has dedicated his career to making fashion representative and relevant to all, ignoring the accepted conventions on which type of models will make magazines and clothes sell. Even before I knew what inclusivity was, he says, I knew something wasn't right. But now Enninful warns fashion is at risk of returning to a narrow definition of beauty, where being thin, European and young is the ideal. In this interview, he sets out an alternative vision of fashion where diversity is welcomed, and the beauty of older women is recognised - inspired by the ‘bodacious' African women dressed by his seamstress mother throughout his childhood.Enninful arrived in London from Ghana as a boy, and was fashion director of the influential i-D magazine by the age of 18. After being appointed editor of British Vogue in 2017, he spent six years at the helm before stepping down. He is now launching a new fashion and media platform EE72.Thank you to the Radical podcast 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. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Amol Rajan Producers: Lucy Sheppard and Grace Reeve Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Edward Enninful Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Tonight he's looking at the United Nations' latest report on global emissions of greenhouse gases, the escalating conflict in Sudan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to the White House.

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Emerante de Pradines's son, Richard Morse, tells us about his mother's life and her commitment to de-demonising vodou culture through her music. Haiti expert Kate Hodgson, from University College Cork in Ireland, expands on the history of the country in the 20th Century. The story of how an Argentinian doctor was inspired to create a new treatment for heart disease and when the death of a Catholic priest sent shockwaves through El Salvador in 1977. Plus, the memories of a survivor of the Srebrenica massacre in 1995, when thousands of Bosnian Muslims were killed by Bosnian Serb Soldiers thirty years ago. The first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup and Orson Welles's famous re-telling of the War of the Worlds, which sparked mass panic in America. Contributors: Richard Morse – son of Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines Lucy Hodgson – lecturer in French at University College Cork in Ireland Dr Julio Palmaz – the inventor of the balloon-expandable stent Gabina Dubon – colleague of Father Rutilio Grande Sister Ana Maria Pineda – theologian and author Hasan Nuhanovic – survivor of the Srebrenica massacre Michelle Payne – 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Archive recordings of Orson Welles, his producer John Houseman and writer Howard Koch (Photo: Orson Welles rehearsing a radio broadcast of H.G. Wells' classic, The War of the Worlds on October 10, 1938. Credit: Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

‘A lot of the fantasy that I have read is unsatisfactory for me because it's not interested in psychology, it's not interested how people think or feel'Katie Razzall speaks to renowned British author Sir Philip Pullman as he publishes his latest, and final book in the series, The Rose Field. He's best-known for writing the award-winning ‘His Dark Materials' - a series of novels beloved by children and adults alike all over the world. The books follow the adventures of the two main characters - Lyra and Will - across a series of parallel universes, where Pullman blends magical storytelling with physics, philosophy and theology.Pullman was a part-time English lecturer when the first instalment in the series was published thirty years ago. Tens of millions of copies have been sold across multiple continents, and the stories have been translated into 40 languages.The commercial and critical success spawned a follow-up series, The Book of Dust, which came out nearly a decade ago. The 79-year-old has now picked up his pen to publish this latest and final instalment.Although loved all over the world, the stories have also attracted controversy for their criticism of religion. Pullman, who once described himself as a ‘Church of England atheist', is outspoken on a number of modern-day issues - such as politics, free speech, and indeed faith - with his views regularly influencing his writing.Thank you to the Culture 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. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Katie Razzall Producers: Ben Cooper and Roxanne Panthaki Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Philip Pullman. Credit: Massimiliano Donati/Awakening/Getty Images)

Matthew Bannister onThe actor Prunella Scales, best known for playing Sybil in the TV comedy Fawlty Towers. Her son Samuel West reflects on her long career and happy marriage to fellow actor Timothy West. Gillian Tindall, the writer who pioneered the technique of exploring history through the portal of a particular house or area. Roger Smith, who co-founded and ran the Great Outdoors Challenge, encouraging thousands to walk across Scotland.Anthony Grey, the novelist and journalist who was held in solitary confinement for over two years by Red Guards during China's Cultural Revolution.Producer: Ed Prendeville Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn TansleyARCHIVE USED: Great Canal Journeys Series 1 Episode 1, Channel 4, 10/03/2014; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 05/06/1992; Suppose I Lose It, BBC Radio 4, 16/05/2016; A Question of Attribution, BBC Two, 20/10/1991; Fawlty Towers: Series 1: The Hotel Inspectors, BBC Two, 10/10/1975; Fawlty Towers: Series 2: The Psychiatrist, BBC Two, 26/02/1979; Fawlty Towers: Series 2: Basil the Rat, BBC Two, 25/10/1979; Fawlty Towers: Series 1: The Builders, BBC Two, 26/09/1975; Fawlty Towers: Series 2: Communication Problems, BBC Two, 19/02/1979; BBC News, BBC Radio 4, 26/11/1968; Anthony Grey To Be Released: Mother Waits, BBC News, 03/10/1963; Anthony Grey Released: Mother Hears News, News, 04/10/1963; Radio Newsreel, BBC World Service, 12/10/1969; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 01/11/1969; Anthony Grey: One Man's Freedom, One Pair of Eyes, BBC Two, 26/06/1971; Return to Peking, BBC Two, 12/12/1988; Voices from a French Village, BBC Radio 4, 29/05/1996; Robert Elms, BBC Radio London, 05/09/2016; Bricks and Mortals, BBC Radio 4, 18/05/2005; The Adventure Show, BBC Two Scotland, 03/08/2008; Scotland Outdoors - A Coast to Coast Backpack Challenge, Beekeeping in Kinross and the Capercaillie of Speyside, BBC Radio Scotland, 24/05/2025;

‘We're living in an era of a massive lowering of trust'Shaun Ley speaks to Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, one of the most visited websites in the world.He talks about how to trust in a digital age, the pressures facing open‑knowledge platforms and his new book The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last, where he shares the lessons that transformed Wikipedia and could transform our relationship with information too.Jimmy Wales co founded Wikipedia in 2001, it was built on the principle that knowledge should be free and created collectively. With over 300 language editions, it's the largest free knowledge resource, relying on donations by online readers. He reflects on how Wikipedia is navigating an era of misinformation, political pressure, and declining public trust in institutions. From accusations of left-leaning bias by conservative voices and scrutiny from authoritarian governments, to the challenge of keeping a global, multilingual platform accurate and inclusive, he explains how Wikipedia's unique open-source model, powered by thousands of volunteer editors, continues to hold the line on transparency and truth. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Shaun Ley Producer: Farhana Haider Researcher: Meaghaen Reid Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Jimmy Wales. Credit: DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)

The inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, on the unique upbringing that inspired a tech revolution. Tim Berners-Lee has well and truly changed the world. For under-35s it's almost impossible to imagine what life might have been like without him. But when he launched the World Wide Web in December 1990, no-one knew the success it would become - and most struggled to understand why the world needed the Web at all. Tim, however, grew up steeped in the knowledge that computers held the key to the future. His parents worked on the Ferranti Mark 1 - the world's first commercial computer - and raised Tim on a diet of science demonstrations and electronic tinkering. His mother Mary Lee was the family's driving force, encouraging an eclectic mix of logical thinking, creative problem-solving, camping trips and a spirit of 'watchful negligence' - all of which gave the introverted young Tim the confidence to think outside the box and find solutions for himself. So when he went to work at CERN in Geneva in his late-20s and saw how computers struggled to talk to one another, he was perfectly placed to imagine and build what would become the World Wide Web.Tim's vision for the Web was built around positivity - where anyone with access to an internet connection could freely share ideas with anyone else. He knew that the key to its success was universality, so he made the decision to give the Web away for free. As a result, Tim Berners-Lee is not a billionaire. But he says that's just the way he likes it, making him free to go for walks and swims in the Serpentine in London without being recognised. It's not all been good news though. In the 35 years since its creation, the Web has been used as a base to build social media and AI empires that Tim says don't always act in our best interests. He fears the addictive effects of social media apps on children's mental health, and has decided to stop using Instagram as he was too often getting hooked on the feed. Tim says that his latest mission is to build a form of pro-human AI as an antidote to systems owned by Big Tech, and aims to help people reclaim control of their personal data so that the Web can, once again, belong to everyone. Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Anna LaceyLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected. Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784 You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

The 1977 murder of Father Rutilio Grande sent shockwaves through El Salvador. The 48-year-old Jesuit priest was an outspoken champion of the poor in the deeply divided central American nation. In the immediate aftermath of his murder, the Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero, took the unprecedented step of holding just one single mass, ordering all other churches in his archdiocese to cancel theirs. Romero also refused to attend any government functions. Father Grande was one of the first priests to be killed by security forces in the years leading up to the bloody Salvadoran civil war. His murder marked a turning point as the church became increasingly involved in promoting social justice, and other priests became more outspoken against the government's repression of dissent. Mike Lanchin has been hearing from Gabina Dubon, who worked with Father Grande in his rural parish, and to theologian and author, SisterAna Maria Pineda. This is a CTVC production for BBC World Service.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina's Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall' speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler's List; and Jacques Derrida, France's ‘rock star' philosopher. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world's oldest languages.(Photo: Father Rutilio Grande. Credit: Camilo Freedman/APHOTOGRAFIA/Getty Images)

‘I am not done. I have lived my entire career a life of service and it's in my bones and there are many ways to serve. I have not decided yet what I will do in the future beyond what I'm doing right now.'Laura Kuenssberg speaks to Kamala Harris about her turbulent 2024 presidential campaign where she ran against Donald Trump. She was thrust into the race just 107 days before the election, after the incumbent President and Democratic Party candidate, Joe Biden, abruptly withdrew following a disastrous debate performance. She has now revealed in a new book the emotional and political turbulence of that whirlwind campaign. She opens up about the sting of electoral defeat, and her candid thoughts on Biden's decision to step aside. When it comes to Donald Trump, she doesn't hold back, calling him a ‘tyrant' and a ‘fascist'. She also shares her vision for the Democratic Party's future - and doesn't rule out running again. Thank you to the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg 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. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Laura Kuenssberg Producers: Melanie Abbott, Ben Cooper and Joseph Cassidy Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Kamala Harris Credit: Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Sonny Roberts' daughter tells us about how her father created the UK's first black-owned music studio - this programme contains outdated and offensive language. Music producer and professor emerita at the School of Oriental and African Studies, Lucy Durán takes us through the history of music studios around the world. How a Macedonian scientist's discovery led to treatments for diabetes and obesity, and the story of the Kenyan ecologist who became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Plus, the mysterious sinking of a British oil tanker in Indonesia in the the 1950s and how the first lottery scratchcard was invented by an American mathematician. As well as the story of the first South American to win the International Surfing Association world title back in 2004. Contributors: Cleon Roberts – daughter of Sonny Roberts. Lucy Duran – music producer and professor at the School of Oriental and African studies at the University of London. Svetlana Mojsov – Macedonian scientist who discovered the hormone called GLP-Joseph McCorry – who was on the San Flaviano oil tanker. Wanjira Mathai – daughter of Wangari Maathai. Sofia Mulanovich – three-time world surfing champion. John Koza – the inventor of the scratchcard. (Photo: Jamaican record producer Sonny Roberts Record Shop in Willesden Junction, London, UK in December 1982. Credit: David Corio/Redferns via Getty)

With both her parents and brothers surfing, it was natural that Peruvian Sofia Mulanovich got into the sport at the age of three. As a teenager she competed in the US Open surfing competition, where she made the quarter-finals. But it was in 2004 when she made history by becoming the first South American woman to win the World Surfing Championship. She tells Rachael Devine about the waves she had to ride to get the world title, and later to be inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame. A Tbone production for BBC World Service.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You'll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women's World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football's biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who've had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.(Photo: Sofia Mulanovich in 2004. Credit: Pierre Tostee/AFP via Getty Images)

Matthew Bannister on The influential Kenyan politician Raila Odinga, who was detained for his pro-democracy campaigns, but went on to be the country's Prime Minister. Bill Colley, who designed and built traditional wooden racing boats.Baroness Rosalind Howells of St Davids, who campaigned for racial equality and supported the family of Stephen Lawrence after his murder.And Sister Marion Irvine, the American nun who took up marathon running in middle age and went on to break many records.Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn TansleyARCHIVE USED: Raila Odinga interview about his struggles in Kamiti, NTV Kenya YouTube channel uploaded 26/01/2020; Raila Odinga state funeral, BBC World Service, 17/10/2025; Raila Odinga profile, Reuters, BBC News Channel, 19/10/2025; Raila Odinga on anti-government protests in Kenya, BBC Africa, 27/03/23; The interview: Leader of the National Super Alliance, Kenya - Raila Odinga, BBC World Service, 07/02/2018; Bill Colley: The Last wooden racing boat builder, Real Time series, BBC News, 05/12/2013; The Boys in the Boat, Official Trailer, Warners Bros. UK and Ireland, Director George Clooney, Warner Bros YouTube Channel, uploaded 18/10/2023; The Boys in the Boat | Bill Colley Featurette, Amazon MGM Studio, YouTube channel, 23/11/2023; Rasalind Howells interview from the New Cross Fire report, Newsnight, BBC News, 15/01/2001; The Powerlist Interviews - Rosalind Howells, Powerful Media, YouTube Upload, 23/05/2018; BBC News report, New Cross Fire, 18/01/1981; BBC Newsroom South East, 1993; BBC Newsroom South East, 08/10/1997; National Theatre War Horse Trailer, Music Comp Adrian Sutton, Production National Theatre, YouTube uploaded 14/01/2016; Sister Marion Irvine interview, Silver Into Gold, Writer and Dir: Lynn Mueller, Publisher: Barr Films, Irwindale, CA, 1986;

Humorous and tender, this BBC World Service documentary takes a long-haul view of the lives of modern truckers in Europe – exploring working-class masculinity on the road, all-nighters, and long journeys from inside a truck driver's cab.Truck drivers are often seen as symbols of freedom and independence. But how free is life on the road today, when the watchful eye of the system is always upon them?One of them is Finnish truck driver Tiia Rajala, who has dreamed of the open road since childhood. As we follow her across Europe, she masters her powerful machine and reflects on the stereotypes surrounding truckers. Sociologist Timo Aho explores what these stereotypes reveal about masculinity, class, and identity.Credits:Produced by Suvi Tuuli Kataja, Elli Salo Script: Elli Salo Sound design and field recording: Suvi Tuuli Kataja Music: Jussi Liukkonen, Roope Mantere Background research: Pinja Korhonen, Roosa Stenroos Thanks to: Jarno Nuutinen, Moving World, Sara Tuomola

‘To isolate Israel or to punish Israel will be the most irresponsible and unacceptable step to boycott Israel, for example. I think it's a huge mistake, because what we need is a dialogue.'Tim Franks speaks to Israeli author David Grossman about the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza as concerns grow over the increasingly fragile ceasefire. Grossman is one of Israel's most prominent writers, and since publishing his first novel over forty years ago, his works have been translated into 36 languages. He's won numerous literary awards over the years, including the Man Booker International Prize in 2017. Many of his works deal with the issues associated with Israel and Palestine.The 71-year-old is also well-known as a peace activist, and has been a vocal, long-standing critic of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - expressing concern over the direction the country is being led in.In an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica in August, Grossman described Israel's actions in Gaza as ‘genocide', lamenting that he had been forced to reach that conclusion by the ongoing military campaign that began following the events of October 7.Thank you to the Newshour 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. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Tim Franks Producers: Ben Cooper and Jack Hunter Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: David Grossman. Credit Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Jack Horner inspired a character in Jurassic Park after the dino discovery of a lifetime.Jack has been fascinated by fossils for as long as he can remember. He spent his childhood digging around in the fossil-rich earth of Montana, as his father was involved in the gravel-extraction business. By the age of eight he was rewarded with his first big treasure – a real piece of dinosaur bone. As Jack's fossil collection grew, so did his passion for palaeontology. But he struggled at school, where severe undiagnosed dyslexia led his teachers and parents to write him off as lazy and spoiled. He pushed on regardless and in 1978 made a life-changing find: the world's first baby-dinosaur skeletons, and evidence that dinosaur parents cared for and raised their young like many modern birds. The discovery made front-page headlines around the world, and led to awards and accolades Jack had never thought possible. It also brought him to the attention of author Michael Crichton, who based a lead character in his hit book, Jurassic Park, on Jack. And when the call came from Stephen Spielberg to come and advise on the movie version, his fame as a dinosaur expert hit a whole new level. Jack was then himself inspired by the movie, and supervised one of his students in extracting DNA from a T. rex. It didn't work – but it led to his current 'Dino Chicken' project, where he is discovering how to bring ancient dinosaur features back to life in modern birds so he can finally have a pet dinosaur of his own.Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Anna Lacey and Lucy DaviesLives 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

‘There are real consequences to our physical and mental health'Katty Kay speaks to Dr Vivek Murthy, former US Surgeon-General about the challenge posed by loneliness and isolation in the modern world. Dr. Murthy, the first person of Indian descent in the post, was appointed during the second Obama administration. He then returned in 2021, serving until the beginning of this year.The Surgeon-General's job is to provide the American public with the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury. They also oversee the country's 6,000 public health professionals who respond to national health threats and public health crises.It was during his second term, under the Biden administration, that Dr. Murthy first started expressing concern about the impact of social media on the mental health and wellbeing of young people. He described the loneliness epidemic of social isolation as a risk to public health akin to smoking and diabetes.In this interview, he examines the scale of the challenge posed by loneliness and how artificial intelligence, or AI, on the one hand is being used to tackle it, but may also be simultaneously adding to the problem. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Katty Kay Producers: Ben Cooper, Aiden Johnson and Ilyas Kirmani Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Indian-based author and podcaster Purba Chakraborty talks about the history of fiction writing.We hear about the rise in popularity of 'Nordic Noir', following the publication of Henning Mankell's crime novels.Then we listen to BBC archive of writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges - regarded as one of the most influential Latin American writers in history.Plus, the trial of two Soviet writers, Yuli Daniel and Andrei Sinyavsky, accused of smuggling their works to the west.Helen Fielding looks back at her weekly newspaper column about a 30-something, single woman in London, which became a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s.The niece of Finnish writer and artist Tove Jansson talks about her iconic Moomin books - which have been published in more than 60 languages.And finally, we hear the personal story of young Nepalese athlete Mira Rai, which shocked the ultra-running world. Contributors: Anneli Høier - literary agent. Jorge Luis Borges - short story writer and poet. Purba Chakraborty - writer and podcaster. Andrei Sinyavsky - Russian writer and Soviet dissident. Alexander Daniel - son of Yuli Daniel, Russian writer and Soviet dissident. Helen Fielding - journalist and writer. Sophia Jansson - niece of Tove Jansson, author and artist. Mira Rai - Nepalese trail runner.(Photo: Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell and a copy of one of his books. Credit: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)

Monic dreams of leaving her home in rural Uganda for a different life. So when a “friend” promises her a job in Dubai, it feels like the chance she's been waiting for. Monic is elated, she is the first of her 11 siblings to travel abroad.  But just a few months later she is dead.  Her family is left searching for answers. What happened in Dubai?  For over two years, investigative journalist Runako Celina has been uncovering what really happened to Mona Kizz - whose real name is Monic Karungi.  She delves into a sinister world behind the glitz and glamour of Dubai, where nothing is as it seems.You can listen to episode 1 right here. To hear more episodes, search for World of Secrets on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Or, if you are in the UK, listen on BBC Sounds. Death in Dubai includes disturbing scenes, including discussion of sexual abuse and suicide.  Some episodes also contain strong language.  It is a BBC Eye investigation, produced in association with Thread Studios, for the BBC World Service. Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the person depicted in it is a model. If you feel distressed by the references in this story, please speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support such as Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org For UK listeners, details of organisations offering information about or support after sexual abuse or with feelings of despair are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

A message from Geoff White on changes you'll see to The Lazarus Heist podcast feed, which will now be called Cyber Hack, from the BBC World Service. From this point on we're giving all series of this podcast the over-arching name of Cyber Hack. But don't worry, series 1 and 2 will remain as The Lazarus Heist, co-hosted by Geoff and Jean Lee. And then we have a new series coming very soon, hosted by the BBC's Joe Tidy and Sarah Rainsford, looking at another alleged major hacking group. You can listen to Cyber Hack, just as before, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

I am worried about the global economySimon Jack, BBC Business Editor speaks to global financial titan Jamie Dimon. He's the Chief Executive and Chairman of JP Morgan Chase, America's largest bank, and one of the biggest banks in the world. He oversees more than $4 trillion of assets, and has the ear of world leaders.He believes we are living in a time of uncertainty, and is concerned about the impact on the global economy. The risk of a serious fall in the US stock market within the next two years is being underestimated, he claims, adding he is far more worried about this than others. But he still puts his faith in the American economy, saying it is the best in the world. And while he says the United States is now a “less reliable” international partner, it is thanks to the actions of President Trump that other NATO members have stepped up their spending on defence. Such investment he believes is essential, in a world more dangerous since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Jamie Dimon has been at the helm of JP Morgan Chase for nearly twenty years. Now he has been tipped as a potential US Treasury Secretary, something he says is not on the cards.Thank you to the Big Boss Interview 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. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Simon Jack Producers: Oliver Smith, Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

Monic dreams of leaving her home in rural Uganda for a different life. So when a “friend” promises her a job in Dubai, it feels like the chance she's been waiting for. Monic is elated, she is the first of her 11 siblings to travel abroad. But just a few months later she is dead. Her family is left searching for answers. What happened in Dubai? A warning that this podcast includes disturbing scenes, including discussion of sexual abuse and suicide. Some episodes also contain strong language. Presented by investigative journalist Runako Celina. Season 9 of World of Secrets, Death in Dubai, is a BBC Eye investigation, produced in association with Thread Studios, for the BBC World Service. Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the person depicted in it is a model. More episodes are available here: https://link.mgln.ai/CBCUncoverWoS

In the chaos of the helicopter evacuation from Saigon in April 1975, Doan Hoàng Curtis' sister was somehow left behind. It would haunt her family for years. Doan was just three years old when her family made it onto one of the last helicopters to leave Saigon as troops from the communist North took over the city and the Vietnam war came to an end. Her father was a major for the South Vietnamese air force and if he'd stayed in Saigon he could have been killed. Leaving Vietnam was an extraordinary moment for the family, but one that would have a deep and lasting impact on them, because somehow, in the turmoil of the evacuation, Doan's 17-year-old half-sister Van was left behind. It would take Van six years and a treacherous journey via Thailand before she could be reunited with her family, who ended up settling in the United States. Doan says the anger and confusion of why her sister was left behind has defined her whole life. Now an award-winning documentary filmmaker living in the US, Doan returned to Vietnam in 2005 with her family - including her sister Van - to make a documentary and confront the past. It's called Oh Saigon: A War in the family.News report of Fall of Saigon came from CBS news.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: June Christie Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

I was 15 years old and I did not know who I wasMadina Maishanu speaks to Malala Yousafzai, the global education activist, about the public life that has defined her, and her search for her own identity. In a deeply personal interview, Malala Yousafzai reveals the legacy of her teenage years - as the spirited girl who took on the Taliban and nearly lost her life, then the Nobel Prize-winning advocate for girls everywhere to go to school. People think they know you, she says, but I did not know who I was. Now, aged 28, she reveals the lasting impact on her mental health and how she's been helped by therapy and by friendship, putting the loneliness of her teens behind her.For Malala Yousafzai, the mission of her life remains ensuring every girl has the right to go to school, a goal that has driven her since she was a child growing up in Pakistan's Swat Valley. Critical of the ruling Taliban, she survived an assassination attempt at their hands before fleeing to England to continue her education, ultimately at Oxford University. Thank you to Madina Maishanu and Yousef Eldin 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. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Madina Maishanu Producers: Yousef Eldin, Lucy Sheppard and Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media(Image: Malala Yousafzai Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for IMDb)

To mark two years of the war in Gaza, our correspondents bring you this special episode of the Global News Podcast from the BBC Bureau in Jerusalem. Jon Donnison is joined by our Gaza correspondent Rushdi Abualouf, our International Editor Jeremy Bowen, and our Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell. They discuss the history of the conflict, their memories of the October 7th attacks, and respond to questions from BBC World Service listeners. As talk of a potential ceasefire brokered by the US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dominates the news agenda, we look back at the impact this war has had on people living in the Gaza Strip and Israel. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk