Podcasts about BBC World Service

“Due to geopolitical divides, countries are having second thoughts about non-proliferation or their non-proliferation obligations, in the sense that many countries were relying or are still relying on nuclear umbrellas which they might feel are not so protective as they used to be in the past… Without wishing to exaggerate things, there is a perception that the nuclear factor is back on the table and it is growing in its relevance in terms of decision making, in terms of what nations do.”Rob Young speaks to Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.The IAEA was founded in 1957, and is an autonomous international organisation within the UN system. Its job is to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technology, and to check that nuclear material is not used for military purposes, including nuclear weapons. Grossi, a former Argentinian diplomat, was appointed in 2019 and has steered the IAEA through multiple challenges. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, concerns were raised about the prospect of nuclear weapons being used, but also about Ukraine's nuclear power plants coming under attack.The organisation's resources were stretched further still when the recent Middle East conflict began. The US, along with Israel, have had concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions for many years, and reject the country's claim that their nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.Rafael Grossi is considered a front-runner to become the new Secretary General of the UN which he believes should be accepted more as a keeper of the peace.Thank you to the Newsday team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Russia's nuclear envoy Mikhail Ulyanov, UNICEF chief Catherine Russell, and Artemis 2 astronaut Victor Glover. 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: Rob Young Producers: Sharon Hemans, Farhana Haider, and Ben Cooper Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Rafael Grossi. Credit: Reuters)

Why I don't hate the person who tried to kill me in Norway's worst terror attack from a far-right extremist. Bjorn Ihler speaks to Lives Less Ordinary, the podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Fifteen years ago today, on 22 July 2011, Bjorn Ihler was a 20-year-old performing arts student and a member of the youth division of the Norwegian Labour Party. He participated in the Party's summer camp on Utøya island, about 35km from Norway's capital Oslo, when Norway suffered its worst terror attack in recent history. Anders Breivik was a far-right extremist who launched a bomb attack on government offices in Oslo. Two hours later he attacked the summer camp that Bjorn was attending. 77 people were killed that day – the majority on the island. Bjorn survived and helped save two young boys who were also on Utøya. Just days after the incident Bjorn threw himself into trying to understand how someone could behave this way. Today, Bjorn is an expert in preventing radicalisation and extremism and alongside his wife co-founded the Khalifa Ihler Institute which promotes peace, human rights, and community. Presenter: Jo FidgenFor more extraordinary personal stories, search for Lives Less Ordinary wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

“We all need to be speaking up about it. Not just the survivors. And we put so much burden on the people who've actually suffered the most, the most vulnerable among us.”Naga Munchetty speaks to Amy Wallace, co-author of Virginia Giuffre's memoir Nobody's Girl. Giuffre accused the then Prince Andrew, and late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, of sexual abuse. The former prince, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, told Newsnight in 2019 that he did not remember meeting Giuffre, and he has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Virginia Giuffre's father has also denied all allegations of abuse.The memoir, published six months after Giuffre took her own life, describes her encounters with Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Amy Wallace says she expected to be a ghostwriter in the shadows, but after Giuffre's death, she decided to step forward and speak up for her.If this programme has affected you there are people who can give you support. If you're in the UK search for the BBC's Actionline or befrienders.org Thank you to the team at BBC Radio 5 Live with Naga Munchetty for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with writer Maggie O'Farrell, Sierra Leone's first lady Fatima Bio and head of the World Health Organisation Dr Tedros. 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: Naga Munchetty Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Amy Wallace. Credit: Patricia Shields)

In July 2011 Bjorn Ihler was a 20-year-old performing arts student and a member of the youth division of the Norwegian Labour Party. He participated in the Party's summer camp on Utøya island, about 35km from Norway's capital Oslo, when Norway suffered its worst terror attacks in recent history. Anders Breivik was a far-right extremist who launched a bomb attack on government offices in Oslo. Two hours later he attacked the summer camp that Bjorn was attending. 77 people were killed that day – the majority on the island. Bjorn survived and helped save two young boys who were also on Utøya. Just days after the incident Bjorn threw himself into trying to understand how someone could behave this way; he read Breivik's far-right manifesto, attended the trial and as many court sessions as he could, and spoke to countless former extremists. Today, Bjorn is an expert in preventing radicalisation and extremism and alongside his wife co-founded the Khalifa Ihler Institute which promotes peace, human rights, and community.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: May CameronLives 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

As per usual on a Monday, we are joined by our colleagues at the BBC World Service, Janat Jalil is joined by Mimi Swaby Global Affairs Correspondent. Views and News with Clarence Ford is the mid-morning show on CapeTalk. This 3-hour long programme shares and reflects a broad array of perspectives. It is inspirational, passionate and positive. Host Clarence Ford’s gentle curiosity and dapper demeanour leave listeners feeling motivated and empowered. Known for his love of jazz and golf, Clarrie covers a range of themes including relationships, heritage and philosophy. Popular segments include Barbs’ Wire at 9:30am (Mon-Thurs) and The Naked Scientist at 9:30 on Fridays. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Views & News with Clarence Ford Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 09:00 and 12:00 (SA Time) to Views and News with Clarence Ford broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/erjiQj2 or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/BdpaXRn Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“One of the things that's fascinating about him simply as a historical study is the recognition that shamelessness is a superpower, and he refuses to be shamed in almost any action that he takes. He also realised that he doesn't have to abide by the US system, which is primarily norms and not laws. He is testing them in a way they have never been tested before.” Paddy O'Connell speaks to Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for The New York Times and co-author of Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump. Maggie gives her take on Trump's second administration, from the influence of Elon Musk to his increasingly fraught dealings with world leaders. She also explains her belief Trump's second presidency is fundamentally different from his first, and how he is testing the limits of presidential power. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews coming from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and author Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Paddy O'Connell Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Maggie Haberman. Credit: Getty)

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.This week, we mark 90 years since the start of the Spanish Civil War. Our guest is historian Professor Sir Paul Preston, who explains how the conflict transformed Spain and paved the way for the rise of General Francisco Franco. We hear the story of a young refugee who fled the fighting but later returned home while the war was still under way.We then travel to the Canadian Arctic, where the Inuit fought for greater control over their land and way of life. Their campaign would eventually lead to the creation of Nunavut, Canada's newest and largest territory.We also hear the story behind ‘The Kiss of Life', the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph that captured a life-saving rescue.From Turkey, we hear memories of the failed military coup of July 2016, a night of violence that left hundreds dead. Plus, the story of the Birkin bag, the oversized handbag created in the 1980s that became one of the world's most coveted fashion accessories.And from Sporting Witness, why do thousands of sports fans around the world suddenly stand up, throw their arms into the air and sit down again? We discover the origins of the Mexican wave and how it became a global sporting tradition.Contributors: Professor Sir Paul Preston – historian, author and professor at London School of Economics Paul Quassa- Inuit politician and activist JD Thompson- American lineman in ‘The Kiss of Life' photograph Can Cumhurcu - Mukhtar of Çengelköy, Istanbul Jane Birkin – creator of the Birkin bag in interviews from BBC Archive Krazy George Henderson – creator of the Mexican Wave(Photo: Spanish Civil War in September 1936. Credit: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

Oggy Boytchev is a former BBC journalist with more than three decades of experience reporting from conflict zones across the Middle East, the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Born in 1955, Oggy grew up under the shadow of a family secret. His father had been branded an “enemy of the people” and interned without trial in a remote Bulgarian town, where he spent years under police supervision and forced labour. Even after his release, the family lived under the constant fear of surveillance, informers and political persecution. From secretly listening to the BBC World Service through crackling radio signals to navigating a school system steeped in communist ideology, he shares what it was really like to come of age in one of the Soviet bloc's most tightly controlled societies. Along the way, he reveals the lasting psychological impact of growing up unable to speak freely, the privileges and pitfalls of studying among the children of communist elites, and the shockwaves caused by the 1978 murder of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov in London. This is a remarkable story of resilience, caution and quiet resistance—offering a deeply personal perspective on everyday life in Cold War Bulgaria Oggy's latest novel, 'The Istanbul Connection ', is a gripping, morally complex thriller that explores the blurred lines between ideology and manipulation Enter the book giveaway here https://coldwarconversations.com/giveaway1/ Check outOggy's books here ⁠https://amzn.to/4wyGHjT⁠ Curated episode extras ⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode465/⁠ Help me preserve Cold War history via a simple monthly donation, You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, receive a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank-you, and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we also welcome one-off tips via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONTINUE  THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION o BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Twitter/X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The biggest risk in motion pictures is to not take a risk. You have to be putting it out there and offering people something new, and that's what will get them out of their houses.”Katie Razzall speaks to Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan. The 55-year-old, whose directing credits include Inception, Interstellar and Oppenheimer, is widely considered one of the 21st century's most influential filmmakers.Born in London in 1970, his career began in the mid-1990s, when he would proofread scripts, operate cameras and direct for corporate information films. Barely a decade later, he was chosen to direct Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight trilogy, setting a new standard for how superheroes were portrayed on screen.A string of blockbusters followed, making him one of the highest-grossing directors of all time, and was later knighted in 2024 for his services to film.He's now releasing his latest project, The Odyssey - an ambitious adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek story, starring a Hollywood A-List cast, including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya.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, including episodes with fellow Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, tennis champion Martina Navratilova, and legendary musician Sir Paul McCartney. 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, Alex Stanger and Steven Wright Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Christopher Nolan. Credit: Reuters)

“We were losing about $160 million a year. We burned through our cash and we had to make some changes. I don't mean a financial restructuring. I mean transformation of the business. It's a skill and an art. I asked, ‘What does Kodak do today?' and I couldn't get an answer. And I thought we had to get our identity back. What are our skills? What do we do?”Leanna Byrne speaks to Jim Continenza, chief executive of Kodak, the company that once dominated photography and became one of the world's most recognisable brands.The rise of digital photography helped trigger one of the most dramatic corporate collapses of its era, leading to Kodak filing for bankruptcy in 2012.Jim joined the company's board during the bankruptcy process, after building a career as a turnaround specialist. He had served on more than 30 boards, often stepping in when struggling businesses needed to be reconstructed.He discusses how he helped to give the company a new identity, rebuild itself as an industrial manufacturer and brought the business back from the brink. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews coming from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and author Maggie O'Farrell. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Farhana Haider(Image: Jim Continenza. Credit: Getty)

Miriam Lewin was never much interested in football. Growing up in Buenos Aires, she cared far more about politics than the team her family supported. But in 1978, when Argentina won the World Cup, she found herself among the celebrating fans, hidden in plain sight as a political prisoner.A year earlier, aged 19, Miriam had been abducted by Argentina's military dictatorship and became one of the country's desaparecidos – the "disappeared." Detained in secret and tortured because of her political activism, she was later forced to work for the regime, translating foreign news reports and helping produce propaganda aimed at improving its image abroad. From inside the prison system, she also learned of the dictatorship's notorious "death flights." When Argentina hosted – and won – the World Cup, the military government used the tournament to project an image of national pride and unity. Miriam and other prisoners were taken onto the streets to join the jubilant crowds. Decades later, after becoming a journalist, she helped uncover the regime's crimes and bring former members of the military junta to justice.This interview contains references to suicide and descriptions of torture.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producers: Marcia Veiga and Harry Graham 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

As per usual on a Monday, we are joined by our colleagues at the BBC World Service, Oliver Conway is joined by Joanna Keane - Global Affairs Correspondent. Views and News with Clarence Ford is the mid-morning show on CapeTalk. This 3-hour long programme shares and reflects a broad array of perspectives. It is inspirational, passionate and positive. Host Clarence Ford’s gentle curiosity and dapper demeanour leave listeners feeling motivated and empowered. Known for his love of jazz and golf, Clarrie covers a range of themes including relationships, heritage and philosophy. Popular segments include Barbs’ Wire at 9:30am (Mon-Thurs) and The Naked Scientist at 9:30 on Fridays. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Views & News with Clarence Ford Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 09:00 and 12:00 (SA Time) to Views and News with Clarence Ford broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/erjiQj2 or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/BdpaXRn Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“As there is more drone warfare, more artificial intelligence in the decision making, we're going to have to completely reimagine how we cover [war]”Business presenter Felicity Hannah speaks to Patrick Tiernan, who runs the 337-year-old insurance marketplace, Lloyds of London. He says that autonomous weapons and AI-driven decision-making could change how conflict risk is calculated and insured, because traditional assumptions about how wars escalate may no longer hold. He says the current risk environment is unlike anything in his company's long history, and that a major state-backed cyber-attack remains one of their realistic disaster scenarios.Thank you to the BBC Big Boss team its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, head of the commonwealth games Katie Sadleir and astronaut Victor Glover. 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: Felicity Hannah Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Patrick Tiernan. Credit: Lloyd's)

The Atemoya Custard Apple is a much sought-after fruit grown only in one county in Taiwan. The Taiwanese are justly proud of it. Meanwhile, the Musang King Durian - grown in Malaysia - is also highly prized for its unique flavour as the ‘Hermes of Durians.' Every year, fruit lovers across the region look out for these treats and snap them up where they can, often paying high prices. In recent years, farmers have seen opportunities to raise their income by selling these niche, super-luxury fruits on the Chinese market, but the strategy comes with big risks too. Koh Ewe from the BBC's Singapore Bureau has been tracking the fortunes of these two fruits. A statue of Saint Olga is a much-loved figure in Central Kyiv, Ukraine. So much so, that when Russia invaded Ukraine, the statue was given a flak jacket with the words “she needs armour” written on it. Saint Olga of Kyiv is celebrated by Ukrainians and Russians alike. She's a saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches and her saint's day is celebrated on 11th July. BBC Ukrainian's Irena Taranyuk explores her sometimes violent history.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.Our guest is Mateja Kurir, associate professor at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia and the editor of the book, On Power in Architecture.We start with Jackie Kennedy's 1962 renovation of the United States' White House and the immigrant workers who protested against rent hikes and living conditions in 1970s France. Next, the toxic explosion in a chemical factory in northern Italy in 1975 and South Sudan's celebration of independence in 2011.Plus, the art movement Dada which began 110 years ago and went on to influence Surrealism and punk.Finally, the Wimbledon final of 2008 between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer which some call the greatest tennis match ever played.Contributors: Jackie Kennedy - featured in a CBS TV special in 1962. Mohammed Kherbachi - witness to the foyer strikes of the 1970s. Giuseppe Cassina - former Mayor of Seveso. Malual Bol Kiir - on the time of South Sudan's independence. Richard Huelsenbeck - interviewed in 1959 for the BBC programme, The Meaning of Dada. Rafael Nadal - winner of 22 Grand Slam singles titles.(Photo: The White House in 1962. Credit: Getty Images)

In coastal Japan, Yasuo Takamatsu has spent nearly 15 years diving for the remains of his wife, Yuko, who was swept away in the 2011 tsunami. With on-location recording of Yasuo on his 763rd dive, this Heart and Soul documentary explores his search as an act of devotion shaped by Japanese ideals of grief, memory, and the power of nature. A profound story of love and loss, we reveal how one man's repeated dives became a ritual of remembrance in a land where disaster is part of life.Presenter: Jake Warren Producer:: Leo Danczak Editor:: Macalister Bexon A Message Heard production for BBC World Service

Bonnie Tyler, went from a Welsh council house to topping the international charts with songs like: ”Lost In France”, “Holding out for a Hero” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart”. Born Gaynor Hopkins in South Wales she grew up in a passionately religious family, which is where young Gaynor's first experience of performing came – singing “All Things Bright and Beautiful” at her local chapel. Fellow Welsh musician and broadcaster Mal Pope tells Matthew about her life. Dissident Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee was arrested and held for more than four hundred days by the Chinese authorities. They were investigating the publications sold at his Causeway Bay Bookstore, some of which were critical of the Communist regime on the mainland. He became a symbol of freedom of speech after he revealed his incarceration at a news conference. The journalist and author Emily Feng interviewed him. In 1988 Colonel Abdul Ahad Momand became the first, and so far only, Afghan citizen to travel into space. He was part of the three-person crew that launched from Kazakhstan on board the Soviet Soyuz TM-6 spacecraft. During the trip, Colonel Momand, who was a Muslim, became the first person to read from the Koran on TV while in orbit. General Khyan Zadran was a friend and colleague of Colonel Momand.TV and radio director Kay Patrick was best known for her work on Coronation Street, where she oversaw 250 episodes in 20 years. During that time, she steered some of the show's most memorable storylines including the death of Hayley Cropper, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh - Julie remembers her sensitive and talented director.Presenter: Matthew Bannister Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse EdwardsArchive: BBC One, Top of the Pops, 24/02/1983; BBC Two, On Show, 30/03/2005; BBC World Service, Witness, 22/06/2026; YouTube, Hong Kong Free Press, 21/06/2016; ITV Studios, Coronation Street, Episode 8305, 20/01/2014; Dr Who: Toby Hadoke's Time Travels, 18/09/2023; BBC Four, The Spaceman of Afghanistan, 13/10/2014

“It's a subject that I know I've lived, I've seen up close…That includes watching my father. That includes the relationships that I saw him have.” Presenter Anne Soy speaks to Gugu Zuma-Ncube and Thuli Zuma, executive producers of The Polygamist, one of Netflix's biggest new dramas which takes on the topic of polygamy - the practice of having more than one spouse at the same time. They are also the daughters of former South African president Jacob Zuma - a proud polygamist who is greatly respected by his supporters for upholding his cultural and traditional Zulu beliefs. The Zulu language drama was an instant hit, attracting two million views in the first week and becoming number four on Netflix's top 10 list for non-English series globally. Thank you to the Newsday team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Kenyan businesswoman Jennifer Riria, astronaut Victor Glover, and Hinge dating app CEO Jackie Jantos. 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: Anne Soy Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Thuli Zuma and Gugu Zuma-Ncube. Credit: Stained Glass TV)

“I'm a proud American. I became a citizen in 2021. I feel at home here both in America and actually, in a way I actually have never felt before. I feel like this is where I'm meant to be, and I couldn't be more honoured that people now are putting their faith in me to turn the state around.”Nick Robinson speaks to Steve Hilton, the British-born Republican candidate for governor of California in November's US midterm elections.Once a senior adviser to former UK prime minister David Cameron, Hilton left British politics to build a new life in America. Now endorsed by President Donald Trump, he explains why he believes the Republican Party best represents what he calls “positive populism”.Hilton reflects on his upbringing as the son of Hungarian refugees, the opportunities he says transformed his life, and why he feels a stronger sense of belonging in America than he ever did in Britain.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with former US Secretary of State John Kerry and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nick Robinson Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Steve Hilton. Credit: Reuters)

In 1995, the British band Oasis released one of their biggest hits as a single from their number one album: (What's the Story) Morning Glory?The song Wonderwall was a departure from their usual music, but it has gone on to be one of their most successful songs and was a top 10 hit in 15 countries. It has also become an anthem for the British public and has become a key part of England's 2026 World Cup campaign. Nick Brine was the sound engineer who worked with the band to record the iconic track at Rockfield Studios. He speaks to Tim O'Callaghan.Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories.When you subscribe to Witness History, you'll be taken inside turning points in world affairs from West Africa's fight back against Boko Haram in 2015 to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations.You'll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal's worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.You'll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden's Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles' George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy's show to a sudden end.And if you're curious about inventions, we'll tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created.If you're new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history – all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of BBC World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.(Photo: The Gallagher brothers performing in 1995. Credit: Des Willie/Redferns/Getty Images)

Serena Kutchinsky was 10 years old when her jeweller father Paul unveiled his masterpiece to the world: a giant, golden, diamond-encrusted egg. Paul had recently taken over the family business, the celebrated London jewellers House of Kutchinsky, and wanted to make his mark, commissioning the production of a spectacular jewelled object like no other. The egg was crafted from 15kg of solid gold, decorated with over 20,000 rare pink diamonds, and put on sale for £7m – today's equivalent of around $30m. After it was completed, the egg was finally unveiled to the public at Basel Art Fair in April 1990 before heading on a ‘world tour' to find a buyer. But it soon became apparent that there was a problem: no one wanted to buy it. Paul had gambled his century-old family business on the egg, but within a year of its making the firm had crumbled and Serena's family had fallen apart. The egg itself would be repossessed by the company that had supplied its dazzling pink diamonds. No one in the Kutchinsky family would speak of the egg for years – until decades later, Serena went looking for it. Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Zoe GelberLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected. Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784 You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

“The last thing to come into view was this blue glow, and we could see craters and the surface of the Moon. But the Sun is on the other side, so what was lighting the Moon? It was ‘Earthshine', the light of the Earth reflecting off the near side of the Moon. I don't think our brains are evolved to understand what we were seeing. I called Houston and said, ‘I think we've just gone into sci-fi.'”Paddy O'Connell speaks to Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover, who was part of the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.Glover and his crewmates travelled further from Earth than any humans before them, witnessing sights no one had ever seen before.He explains why humanity may be closer to reaching Mars than many think, and reflects on how travelling into space changed his perspective on life.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Sundar Pichai and Julia Gillard.You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Paddy O'Connell Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Victor Glover. Credit: Josh Valcarcel/NASA)

When Dr. Mahrang Baloch was a teenager, she joined hundreds of families across Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan to search for her father, who had disappeared. Activists and rights groups say thousands of ethnic Baloch people have disappeared over the past two decades, alleging many were detained by security forces, tortured and killed as part of operations against a long-running separatist movement. After three years of being missing, Mahrang's family received a call telling them that her father's body had been found. This led Mahrang herself becoming a campaigner, leading protests and marches demanding information about missing persons in Balochistan. But last year she was arrested and she has now been sentenced to life in prison. Farhat Javed of BBC Urdu tells her story.  As the group stage of the World Cup comes to a close, Cape Verde, a tiny nation off the coast of West Africa, is celebrating a remarkable achievement. It's their first ever time at the tournament, but the Blue Sharks, as their team is known, have made it out of the group stage with a series of strong performances where they have held big teams like Spain and Uruguay to account. Meanwhile, in South Korea, a much more seasoned squad packed with international talent have arrived home in defeat after losing to teams their critics feel they should have beaten. The fallout has been painful. Paul Njie, journalist with BBC West Africa and Jake Kwon, Seoul Correspondent for BBC News, reflect. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Irena Taranyuk. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Jan English from the American Museum and Gardens in Bath in the UK. We start with the moment the remains of a Native American chief were returned to the US, more than a century after his death in England in 1892.Next we head to 1959 when Hawaii was brought into the United States of America as the 50th state with the passing of the Hawaiian Admission Act.And we go back to the 1940s, when a Mexican American launched the US's first radio service in Spanish.We fast forward to the 1980s, when the Statue of Liberty was showing her age and was given a multi-million-dollar facelift.To the story of Rosa Parks who made civil rights history in 1955, when she refused to give up her seat on the bus, despite segregation laws discriminating against black people. This story contains outdated language. Finally, the creative vision behind West Germany's 1990 World Cup shirt which became a design classic and is now one of the most sought-after by kit collectors around the world. Contributors: Mary Black Feather Condon - Chief Long Wolf's great‑granddaughter. John Waihe'e - Former governor of Hawaii. Jan English - American Museum and Gardens Collections and Public Engagement Director. Guillermo Nicolas - Raoul Cortez's grandson. Peter Dessauer - Architect who oversaw the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. Rosa Parks - Civil rights activist. Ina Franzmann - Designer of West Germany's 1990 football shirt.(Photo: The Statue of Liberty surrounded by scaffolding during its restoration. Credit: Terry Disney/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Sean Farrington speaks to Jackie Jantos, CEO of popular mobile dating app Hinge, about finding romance in today's rapidly-changing digital world.Launched back in 2013, US-based Hinge has steadily grown to become one of the world's biggest mobile dating apps. As of 2025, there were 30 million users on the platform looking for romance all over the world - up from half a million just 10 years before.Hinge encouragingly bills itself as the ‘app to be deleted', and unlike many competitor apps, its focus is on creating real interactions - for example, encouraging users to like photos or prompts - rather than quickly swiping left or right.In a crowded industry worth billions of dollars, the app, owned by the American dating giant Match Group, has a difficult balancing act to maintain. It has to innovate to attract new users and make a profit, while also ensuring their users find romance and so do not have to keep using the app.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, including episodes with music icon Chaka Khan, Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark, and entrepreneur Emma Grede. 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: Sean Farrington Producer: Jeevan Nerwan and Ben Cooper Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Jackie Jantos smiles as she looks to the side. She has brown hair and glasses and wears a black jumper. Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

The 2026 Fifa Men's World Cup has the highest proportion ever of players representing countries they were not born in - almost a quarter of all the participating players. Several squads, including those from DR Congo, Morocco and Bosnia & Herzegovina, have a team made up mostly of foreign-born players. Of the 26 players who represented Curaçao, only one was born on the Caribbean island. Fernando Duarte, a reporter with the BBC World Service, explains why more World Cup footballers aren't playing for their birth nations. He also highlights how Morocco, the only African team ever to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup, has successfully recruited players from its diaspora. We also hear from football fans around the world about the foreign-born players representing Cape Verde, Curaçao, Morocco and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams Editor: Verity Wilde

“It had grown to be quite an expensive event. Our members wanted to host the games, and because of the size and the scale of the event that was not possible.”Mani Djazmi speaks to Katie Sadleir, CEO of the Commonwealth Games about how hosting the event had become unaffordable for many Commonwealth countries. This summer's games were to be held in Victoria, Australia, but they withdrew due to expanding costs.Speaking ahead of the Games which now take place in Glasgow, Scotland from the end of July, she talks about the new strategy she launched to make them more sustainable. Despite having fewer sports now, she says the event is still important.Sadleir started her sporting career in artistic swimming, competing in major events such as the 1984 LA Olympics, and the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games soon after. You'll hear about her journey from the water to the boardroom, and then to head of the Commonwealth Games. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with legendary musician Paul McCartney, AI entrepreneur Kate Kallot, and acclaimed writer Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Mani Djazmi Producers: Cordelia Hemming and Farhana Haider Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Katie Sadleir. Credit: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

After an undiagnosed case of pre-eclampsia caused catastrophic brain damage and amnesia, Samina Ali returned home from hospital to begin a long recovery.At 29, she found herself relearning the basics of daily life – how to walk, speak and make sense of the world around her. She could still communicate in Urdu, the language of her childhood partly spent in India, but much of her recent life in California felt unreachable. Her husband was a stranger, and her newborn son Ishmael someone she struggled to recognise. The part of her that had once been a writer also seemed out of reach.In those early months, Samina and Ishmael's lives unfolded in parallel, each navigating the same early milestones in very different ways. At first, she felt disconnected from him, even in competition for care. But over time, as she rebuilt her understanding of the world, a bond began to form – shaped by the fact that they were, in many ways, learning side by side.Gradually, fragments of Samina's memory began to return but the process was uneven and with it came a growing awareness that the life she was returning to no longer felt entirely her own. Her sense of self had shifted, and her relationship with her husband had changed in ways neither of them could undo.Against this backdrop, Samina began working again on the novel she had started during her pregnancy. At first, the words didn't hold together. But soon, writing became central to her recovery – helping her rebuild language and imagination, and slowly re-establish a sense of coherence and confidence.In this second episode, Samina traces her recovery: the return of memory, the changing dynamics within her family, and the challenge of rebuilding a life after profound loss.Samina has written about her experience in her memoir, Pieces You'll Never Get Back.Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Maryam Maruf Editor: Munazza Khan Research: Hetal BapodraLives 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

https://soundcloud.com/rene-de-paula-jr/o-lado-b-do-mito-americano-o The Korean alphabet, called Hangul, is the only major writing system in human history with a known inventor and a documented design rationale — created in 1443 by King Sejong of the Joseon dynasty, who designed each consonant to physically represent the position of the tongue and lips during the corresponding sound, and published a companion document explaining exactly why each letter looked the way it did https://spacedaily.com/d-the-korean-alphabet-called-hangul-is-the-only-major-writing-system-in-human-history-with-a-known-inventor-and-a-documented-design-rationale-created-in-1443-by-king-sejong-of-the-joseon-dyn/ (via Gemini) The 1619 Project https://gemini.google.com/share/4d516767b677?skid=7447f7bb-d070-4cbc-b921-9709684d8d57 America at 250: A View from Britain, with “The Rest Is History” | The New Yorker Radio Hour https://youtu.be/7jFPs7W5_U0?si=RE70xlpSedQpKye1 USA 250: America's Roman Revolution https://pca.st/ggz3po9z USA 250: Building a new Rome https://pca.st/nw0vycjd What do AI agents do when humans aren't watching? – BBC World Service https://youtu.be/bDgRa74DpJE?si=N3Bb0PfUPCgekBTH a app do radinho!!!    http://radinhodepilha.com/radinho  canal do radinho no telegram:   http://t.me/radinhodepilha meu perfil no Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renedepaulajr meu perfil no BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/renedepaula.bsky.social meu twitter http://twitter.com/renedepaula aqui está o link para a caneca no Colab55:  https://www.colab55.com/@rene/mugs/caneca-rarissima  para xs raríssimxs internacionais, aqui está nossa caneca no Zazzle: https://www.zazzle.com/radinhos_anniversary_mug-168129613992374138 minha lojinha no Colab55 (posters, camisetas, adesivos, sacolas):  http://bit.ly/renecolab meu livro novo na lojinha!  blue notes https://www.ko-fi.com/s/550d7d5e22 meu livro solo https://www.ko-fi.com/s/0f990d61c7  o adesivo do radinho!!!   http://bit.ly/rarissimos  minha lojinha no ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/renedepaula/shop muito obrigado pelos cafés!!!  http://ko-fi.com/renedepaula

Waihiga Mwaura speaks to former US Secretary of State John Kerry about why he thinks governments are retreating from efforts to deal with climate change. He spoke to the BBC during this year's Our Ocean Conference, an international forum which Kerry launched in 2014 to help protect the world's oceans.He was the first US special presidential envoy for climate from 2021 to 2024, and since then has continued his work in climate solutions.With other world events in mind, Kerry helped negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran as President Barack Obama's secretary of state and we get his take on the current US-Iran conflict and subsequent peace plan. Thank you to the Focus on Africa team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with one of Africa's youngest billionaires Mohammed Dewji, former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa and Sierra Leone's First Lady Fatima Bio. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Waihiga Mwaura Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: John Kerry smiles and wears a black jacket, white shirt and bow tie. Credit: Reuters)

Fifa has introduced mandatory hydration breaks for this World Cup, essentially splitting the games into four quarters. The mandatory three-minute drinks stoppage at all 104 games has been introduced to help players cope with the stifling heat and humidity levels in Mexico, Canada and the United States. It has been criticised for allowing coaches to make tactical changes while broadcasters can - and many have - opted to cut to lucrative commercial breaks while play is halted.The breaks have also attracted criticism from the likes of the Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk and USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Fifa says the measure "is part of a focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players, drawing upon the experiences of previous tournaments, including the recent FIFA Club World Cup." In a special bonus episode from the More than the Score podcast, the BBC's Lee James is joined in Toronto by CBC's Olympic and sports commentator Matt Cullen, and BBC football tactics correspondent Umir Irfan, to discuss who benefits from a mid-half break in play - players or broadcasters? More than the Score brings you more than the men's football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don't show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

Every World Cup has its stand‑out personalities and talking points. This year, fans have been as delighted by Lionel Messi's performance in the tournament, his sixth World Cup, and by the stand‑out style of DR Congo superfan Lumumba Vea, as they have been sometimes baffled by hydration breaks. But only a handful of moments are remembered throughout the decades. In 1986 in Mexico City, Diego Maradona scored two goals for Argentina in a match against England that will never be forgotten. World Service News editor Lourdes Heredia, it turns out, was there and witnessed what Maradona would go on to call his 'Hand of God' goal. A few weeks ago in Afghanistan, in the western city of Herat, people took to the streets in a rare protest after local Taliban government officials reportedly began arresting women perceived to be “improperly wearing the hijab." Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, women's rights have been restricted more and more. Women are no longer allowed to go to secondary school or university, beauty parlours have been banned, travel restrictions have been put in place dictating how far women can travel from home, and women have been ordered not to speak when out in public. Mahjooba Nowrouzi and Mamoon Durrani of BBC Afghan have been reporting on these protests and looking into Taliban leadership.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Devi Sridhar, Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh in the UK.We start with the birth of an Australian campaign to get people to take care in the sun and Ireland's response to the UK Brexit vote.Next, the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and the Hong Kong bookseller detained for selling material critical of China's leaders.Finally, Brazilian footballer Ronaldo's knee injury in 2000 and the story behind a famous insulting song in Mexico - Rata de dos Patas.Contributors: Professor David Hill - former head of Cancer Council Victoria. Professor Devi Sridhar - Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh. Rory Montgomery - former diplomat, who led Ireland's Brexit negotiating team. Lam Wing-kee - Hong Kong bookseller who was detained for selling material critical of China's leaders. Nilton Petroni - Ronaldo Nazario's former physiotherapist. Manuel Eduardo Toscano - composer of Rata de dos Patas.(Photo: Sid the Seagull, mascot for the Slip Slop Slap campaign. Credit: Cancer Care Victoria)

“I don't want to give any lessons to British people, and it's difficult for us to receive lessons from outside, because nobody is able to give lessons to others... But we also have to take into account what happens around us in Europe, Russia and Ukraine, and outside the world in the Middle East. The world is more and more dangerous, unstable and fragile - and in facing this world, we need to be together.”Katya Adler speaks to Michel Barnier who served as the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, on the 10th anniversary of the highly consequential referendum.On 23 June 2016, the British public went to the polls to decide its future with the European Union. An unusually high number of people voted, and by 52% to 48%, the decision was to leave the bloc.Barnier, then a European Commissioner who had served as a minister in a number of French governments, represented the EU at negotiations to help agree the terms of the UK's departure and future relationship.It was a long, hard process, with the UK seeing three different prime ministers from 10 Downing Street before formally leaving the Union in January 2020.Monsieur Barnier reflects on the UK's decision and how both European and international politics have changed since. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño, and Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv. 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: Katya Adler Producers: Ben Cooper and Kathy Long Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Michel Barnier. Credit: PA.)

“I escaped into my imagination. That is what I did from the earliest time that I can remember. I was writing stories, and when the world was too difficult, I would just make up one of my own and I would spend my time there. That was a power that I developed out of survival instinct, but it's also made it possible for me to spend so much time alone writing books.” Jamie Coomarasamy speaks to Patricia Cornwell, one of the world's best-selling crime writers, whose books have sold more than 120 million copies worldwide. She reflects on a childhood marked by trauma, instability and family mental illness, and the lasting impact those experiences have had on her life. Her imagination became a refuge during difficult years, shaping the stories and characters she would later create. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews coming from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and and author Sir Salman Rushdie. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Jamie Coomarasamy Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Patricia Cornwell. Credit: Getty)

When Samina Ali gave birth to her first child in California in 1999, what should have been a joyful moment quickly turned into a medical emergency.An undiagnosed case of the pregnancy disorder pre-eclampsia led to multiple organ failure, strokes, a brain haemorrhage and grand mal seizure. Within hours of delivering her son, Samina fell into a coma. When she woke five days later, she had no memory of what had happened – or of large parts of her life.She didn't recognise her husband, and she had no idea she had just become a mother.Samina, who grew up between India and the United States, had built a life around language. A budding novelist, she had always turned to writing as a way to navigate a sense of dislocation between cultures. But now her ability to communicate was also affected – her English fractured, her memories gone, her sense of self profoundly altered.As doctors tried to understand the extent of the damage, her newborn son was being treated in intensive care nearby. Meanwhile, her family responded in different ways – placing their faith in both medical treatment and long-held spiritual beliefs.In the first part of her story, Samina describes the events surrounding the birth of her son, the severity of her illness, and what it meant to wake up without recognising her own life. In part two, she begins the long process of recovery – relearning how to live, and reconnecting with the child she could barely recognise.Samina has written about her experience in her memoir, Pieces You'll Never Get Back.Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Maryam Maruf Editor: Munazza Khan Research: Hetal BapodraLives 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

This unique BBC radio programme is aimed at just a few dozen listeners: The team of scientists and support staff isolated at British research stations in the Antarctic midwinter.Hosted by Cerys Matthews, the show features messages from family and friends at home as well as music requests from Antarctica. For decades it has been part of the traditional midwinter celebrations and, since 2020, it's been enjoyed by listeners around the world. Midwinter celebrations at the British research stations include a feast, exchange of presents, watching the 1982 horror film The Thing (where an alien monster terrorises an Antarctic base) and listening - on short wave - to the BBC's Midwinter Broadcast.A Boffin Media Production for BBC World Service

“The most vulnerable are almost always children, because they don't have any ability to change their circumstance. They don't start these wars. They are powerless to stop them, but they suffer so much in these situations.”Nada Tawfik speaks to Catherine Russell, executive director of UNICEF, the United Nations agency responsible for protecting and supporting children.Before taking up the role in 2022, she spent decades in government and diplomacy, including as assistant to President Joe Biden as well as serving in senior roles at the US State Department focused on global women's issues and international development. Now leading UNICEF at a time of unprecedented conflict, displacement and humanitarian need, she talks about the impact of aid cuts and the challenges facing children around the world. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with the World Health Organisation's Hanan Balkhy, former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa and musical icon Sir Paul McCartney. 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: Nada Tawfik Producer(s): Cordelia Hemming, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Catherine Russell. Credit: UNICEF/UN0795033/Deeb)

At the beginning of June a clean-up crew on Mount Everest were clearing abandoned tents and rubbish, when they saw a man in the distance, completely alone, sliding down the mountain towards base camp. The man was Hilary Dawa Sherpa. He had been missing for 6 days and his family, convinced that he had died, had already started doing last rites for him. Nearly every person who climbs Mount Everest depends on a member of the Sherpa community to guide them up the mountain, carry belongings and set up camps. So why was HIlary Dawa Sherpa left behind? Kamal Pariyar of BBC Nepali spoke to Hilary Dawa Sherpa about his miraculous survival. BBC World Service Global Environment correspondent Navin Singh Khadka is also from Nepal and has reported on many issues to do with tourism on Mount Everest. In May, in a town north-western Peru, a group of Catholic priests knelt and publicly asked forgiveness from descendants of the indigenous Tallàn community. The scene, captured on video, shows a group of priests in robes addressing the representatives of the community before stepping down to be among them and kneeling. Isabel Caro from BBC Mundo tells the story of the struggle behind this gesture. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Professor Rachel E. Johnson, Professor of Modern African History at Durham University in the UK.We begin with the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, which became a defining symbol of youth resistance to apartheid. We hear from one of the students who took part in the protest, which was violently suppressed by South African security forces in June 1976.Then we have the harrowing account of an ethnic Georgian poet who fled his home in Abkhazia when the breakaway region was engulfed in war in 1993.We also hear from one of the Greek Cypriot women who, in 1987, marched towards the ceasefire line dividing Cyprus to protest against the island's partition.Next, the scientist who identified Lyme disease in 1976.Plus, the discovery of the remains known as “Mungo Man”, a 42,000‑year‑old skeleton that transformed understanding of Australia's ancient past.And Brazil's heaviest defeat in a World Cup, which happened on home soil in 2014.Contributors: Professor Rachel E. Johnson – Professor of Modern African History, Durham UniversityBongi Mkhabela – Soweto Uprising participantGuram Odisharia – Georgian poet from AbkhaziaNiki Katsaouni – Greek Cypriot peace activistDr Jim Bowler – geologistProf Allen Steere – rheumatologistThomas Müller – German footballer(Photo: Black students protesting against the compulsory teaching of Dutch-based Afrikaans in schools. Credit: Getty)

“Right now, it's like the AI industry has a gas pedal, but it doesn't have a brake pedal in the car. And what we're saying is we want to build that brake pedal so we in the world have an option. In the future, you might say: ‘Let's get all of the benefits we can for, say, biology and medical research, and let's take a pause on AI research, where we can absorb the societal changes.'” Faisal Islam speaks to Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic, one of the companies at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution and the maker of the Claude chatbot. Jack says AI systems are becoming dramatically more capable, changing how work happens even inside Anthropic itself. He argues that artificial intelligence could accelerate scientific discovery, reshape industries and transform economies. But he also warns that increasingly powerful AI systems will require new forms of oversight and control. As these technologies become more capable, he argues that governments and society need mechanisms to slow development if it moves too far, too fast. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Sundar Pichai and Julia Gillard. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Faisal Islam Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose and Justine Lang(Image:Jack Clark. Credit: Getty)

“The state of Lebanon needs to have an exclusivity of arms. And definitely, Hezbollah needs to be disarmed… Disarming a group or a community is not possible by force, it's possible by conviction. You put pressure, but you cannot eliminate a whole society, a whole community. We need to have an exclusivity of arms in the hand of the state, an exclusivity of decision through a political process, pressuring Hezbollah to disarm, but getting also in parallel a full withdrawal of the Israelis from occupied Lebanese territories and a full cessation of hostilities.”Jeremy Bowen speaks to Gebran Bassil, the Lebanese politician who served as the country's Foreign Minister between 2014 and 2020.Mr. Bassil, who is from the country's Maronite Christian ethnic group, leads the right-wing Free Patriotic Movement political party. The party was founded over 30 years ago by the former President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, who is also Bassil's father-in-law.In October 2024, a year after the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October started the current Middle East conflict, the Free Patriotic Movement party announced that it was cutting ties with Hezbollah. Bassil slammed the Iranian-backed militant group for threatening the safety and stability of Lebanon when it launched its own attacks on Israel in support of Hamas.As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues in southern Lebanon, Bassil and his party are part of growing calls for the country to take a new direction. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with the World Health Organisation's Hanan Balkhy; Ali Bahreini, Iranian ambassador to the UN; and Syrian Minister, Hind Kabawat. 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: Jeremy Bowen Producers: Samantha Granville and Ben Cooper Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Gebran Bassil. Credit: Getty)

Juan Catalan was facing the death penalty for a murder he didn't commit. There was one man he thought could save him: US comedian Larry David. On 12 May 2003, Juan attended a baseball game that he would later say saved his life. It was his local team, the LA Dodgers, versus the Atlanta Braves. The game was exciting, but unremarkable for Juan – apart from a television crew that was filming in his section.Three months later, Juan arrived at work only to be surrounded by undercover police and arrested in front of his girlfriend and daughter. It was several hours before Juan found out he had been charged with the murder of a 16-year-old girl called Martha Puebla. It was a crime that carried the death penalty. Juan protested his innocence, and later realised he had been at the baseball game the night of her murder. Perhaps, he thought, he could prove his alibi if he had been caught on camera by that TV production.Eventually, Juan's lawyer Todd Melnik figured out that the show in question was Curb Your Enthusiasm, created by comedian Larry David. The network HBO finally let Todd view the tapes, which contained a direct shot of Juan. But the footage was filmed well before the murder was committed, so Todd had to keep searching for evidence to exonerate Juan. In the end, it was cell tower records that proved Juan could not have killed Martha Puebla.Since his case was dismissed, Juan has gone on to write a memoir called Played and Todd and Juan's relationship has also blossomed into a friendship. They have even attended Dodgers games together.Credits: Curb Your Enthusiasm/Whyaduck Productions in association with HBO Entertainment/Jeff Schaffer and Robert B. WeidePresenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Saskia ColletteLives 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 is more spending in defence and less spending in global health or in public health or health security, which makes us vulnerable...Because the invisible enemy could be more impactful. Imagine, have you ever seen a war in recent memory that killed 20 million people? Why can't we come to our senses?”Justin Webb speaks to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, about the invisible threat of viruses and the rapid spread of a new strain of Ebola.Tedros recently visited the Democratic Republic of Congo where this latest outbreak started. It is particularly challenging because it involves a rare species of Ebola for which there is no vaccine, and the epicentre is in an area affected by conflict. There are also cases in neighbouring Uganda.The WHO General-Director claims governments are focusing too much on defence spending, and he makes an impassioned plea for countries to allocate more money to global health, and to prevent future pandemics.Thank you to the Today team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with with President of the International Rescue Committee David Miliband, Former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa and writer Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Justin Webb Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Credit: Reuters)

Half a century on from Pele's infamous prophecy that an African nation would win the World Cup before the year 2000, could the continent finally deliver its first World Cup in 2026? In a special bonus episode from the More than the Score podcast, the BBC's Lee James is joined by former Democratic Republic of Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani and former Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker to discuss the hopes of the ten African sides competing in the tournament. They discuss the impact Morocco reaching the semi-finals in 2022 has had, the strength of Senegal and give their thoughts on when an African nation could win a World Cup.Senegal's Iliman Ndiaye tells the podcast they're going to the tournament with the aim of winning it and they never fear anyone. Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh tells us it's possible an African team could go one better than Morocco did in 2022 and that he wants to see an African team win the tournament in his lifetime. Plus, we also hear from Ghanian legend Micheal Essien. More than the Score brings you more than the men's football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don't show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

Ebola is a frightening and deadly disease, killing on average one half of people infected and spreading rapidly without containment measures. So how do BBC journalists report from the centre of an epidemic? BBC West Africa journalist Emery Makumeno has been reporting from Kinshasa in DR Congo on the Ebola outbreak; Musa Sangarie, Country Director for Sierra Leone for BBC Media Action, led public information campaigns in Sierra Leone in the 2014-16 Ebola epidemic; Camilla Mota, journalist with BBC News Brasil, has reported on the fall-out from the country's Zika virus outbreak in 2015 and 2016; and Mattias Zibell Garcia, producer at BBC Mundo, reported on the recent Hantavirus outbreak in Ushuaia, Argentina. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. And today, we're celebrating international archives week, set up to highlight the importance of protecting the world's historical records.Our guest is BBC curator Joe Schultz who talks about some of the jewels in the BBC radio collections. We find out why cellist Mstislav Rostropovich was stripped of his Soviet citizenship in 1978. Anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela reveals how he survived prison in South Africa. Plus, Pablo Picasso and his fellow artists enjoy a Surrealist summer in 1930s France. And more on the inspiration behind Anton Chekhov's most famous play, Three Sisters. We hear about the Jordanian king who survived numerous assassination attempts to become one of the Middle East's longest serving leaders. And finally, Pickles the dog: the four-legged hero who found the stolen Jules Rimet trophy ahead of the 1966 World Cup.Contributors:Joe Schultz – BBC curator.Mstislav Rostropovich - virtuoso cellist.Nelson Mandela – former president of South Africa.Eileen Agar – Surrealist artist. Paul Shishkoff – friend of playwright Anton Chekhov.King Hussein of Jordan.Jack Pizzey – TV documentary-maker.Pickles the dog – hero of the 1966 World Cup.David Corbett – dog owner.(Photo: Cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, 1950. Credit: Michael Ward/Getty Images)

“I do live here and now, but I often think about the past. But then again, I think a lot of people do. So I think writers, what are they going to draw on?”Mark Savage speaks to musician Paul McCartney.Born in Liverpool, England, during the Second World War, he found fame as a member of the legendary British band The Beatles in the 1960s, widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in music history.McCartney shared primary singing and songwriting duties with bandmate John Lennon, and along with George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the four-piece became a global pop music sensation with hits such as Twist and Shout, Yesterday and Hey Jude.They remain one of the best-selling musical acts of all time alongside the likes of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.McCartney was knighted for his services to music in 1997, but despite his huge achievements, the 83-year-old seems to be showing no interest in retirement — he's releasing his 19th solo album.The Boys of Dungeon Lane is inspired by his experiences growing up in post-war Liverpool, during which a young McCartney, carrying a guitar and wearing a bowler hat to catch attention, would hitchhike with John Lennon to places as far away as Paris. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Chaka Khan, Pete Townshend and, Paul McCartney's bandmate, Ringo Starr. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Mark Savage Producers: Steven Wright and Ben Cooper Editors: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Paul McCartney. Credit: Getty)

In the 1970s and 80s, a spate of mysterious disappearances were reported along Japan's coast. One of those was 19-year-old nurse Hitomi Soga, who was walking with her mother when they were kidnapped. She was blindfolded and dragged to a boat destined to the world's most secretive state, North Korea. But why was she taken? Hitomi's stay in North Korea would last 24 years and include a forced marriage to America's most well-known defector, Charles Jenkins. The world watched when eventually she returned home, still desperate to uncover the truth about the mother who vanished with her into the darkness.Presenter: Asya Fouks Translation: Nancy Roberts Voiceover: Yoko Gravestock Producer: Edgar MaddicottLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

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