Podcasts about BBC World Service

We face a special challenge in America.James Naughtie speaks to veteran US politician John Kerry about the state of American politics and his long career at the top of global affairs.As well as standing for president himself as the Democratic candidate in 2004, he served as Secretary of State in the Obama administration and as Joe Biden's climate envoy. Secretary Kerry was at the centre of some of the most significant global crises in recent history from Iraq to Iran and Syria. He still believes one of America's greatest foreign policy mistakes was invading Iraq in 2003 without first seeking formal approval from the US Congress.He is forthright in his views on America today, saying he has never seen anything like what the country is living through. He describes politics as defined by greed and insensitivity, and guided by the lowest aspirations. For his Democratic party to return to power once more, he challenges them to face and address the issues the American people care about, including immigration. Thank you to the Politically 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, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: James Naughtie Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Giles Edwards Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: John Kerry. Credit: Reuters)

Columbia reaches orbit. But astronaut Bob Crippen discovers that the shuttle has been damaged – can he and John Young make it home safely? Parts of the heatshield to protect the shuttle from searing temperatures on re-entry to Earth have fallen off during the journey into space. This new heatshield has never been tested before in orbit. Could more tiles be missing?Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects.13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock.Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.Archive: Nichelle Nichols NASA advertisement, Nasa Archives, 1977 STS-1 Columbia landing sequence, ABC News, CBS News, 1981 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

A corporate high-flyer ended up living in a forest after a spiral of debt, shame and secrecy.After avoiding a mounting debt to his landlord, Australian Mic Whitty's life started to crumble. Instead of facing his responsibilities, he tried to gamble and steal money to better his fortunes. As his mental health deteriorated, wracked by guilt and shame, he was determined to pay everyone back. Then he disappeared from his old life and ended up homeless, living in a forest. Through a stroke of luck, a kind librarian, and a 100-year-old war diary with a bullet hole in it, Mic would emerge from the woods with a new purpose and a shot at redemption. This programme contains references to suicide. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, you can find support at befrienders.orgPresenter: Mobeen Azhar Producers: Edgar Maddicott and Elena AngelidesLives 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 epic space story of a sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever. Told by the Nasa astronauts and team who made it happen. Our multi-award-winning podcast is back, hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. She tells the story of triumph and tragedy - of a dream that revolutionised modern space travel forever.You can listen to the trailer here. To hear episodes, search for 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office.

The epic space story of a sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever. Told by the Nasa astronauts and team who made it happen. Our multi-award-winning podcast is back, hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. She tells the story of triumph and tragedy - of a dream that revolutionised modern space travel forever.You can listen to the trailer here. To hear episodes, search for 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office.

Pippa and Phil talk about what to include and what to leave out of a CV with advice from BBC World Service recruitment expert Amy Evans. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newslettersFIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including ✔️ 6 Minute English ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English Stories They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

BBC World Service reporter Rob Hugh-Jones joins Emile Donovan to take a look at some of the events making international headlines, including reports of starvation in Gaza, Afghan populations leaving Iran, and a border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.

Sarah Rainsford speaks to Belarussian opposition activist Sergei Tikhanovsky about his imprisonment after challenging the country's authoritarian leader, President Lukashenko. He spent five years of solitary confinement in a high security prison in Belarus before being unexpectedly released this year, following a meeting between Lukashenko and an American special envoy.Tikhanovsky had planned to run against the Belarussian leader in the 2020 presidential election, but was detained before the vote.A year later, he was sentenced to serve 18 years in prison, convicted on charges of organising mass protests against President Lukashenko. His trial was condemned as a sham by international observers.Tikhanovsky's wife, Svetlana, stood in for him in the 2020 election. But the day after Lukashenko claimed a disputed victory, she fled to Lithuania with her children fearing for her safety. In her absence, she was convicted by a Belarussian court on charges including high-treason and conspiracy to seize power. Tikhanovsky is now reunited with his family in Lithuania, where he is living in enforced exile following his release from prison.Thank you to Sarah Rainsford, Davide Ghiglione and Franceso Tosto 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: Sarah Rainsford Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Ben Cooper and Arsenii Sokolov Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sergei Tikhanovsky. Credit: Valda Kalnina/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Sidhu Moose Wala was one of the most famous Punjabi rappers in the world. A devout Sikh, he wore a turban and prided himself on his farming roots. But he also rapped about money, power, criminality and guns. Only hours after his death, a man came forward to claim responsibility for his killing, which left people all over the world wondering: why? Ishleen Kaur has been investigating the killing for season 8 of World of Secrets podcast. It took her into a world of music, and gangsters. Season 8 of World of Secrets, The Killing Call, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. To hear more episodes, search for World of Secrets wherever you get your BBC podcasts. 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 Caroline Ferguson and Alice Gioia. This is an EcoAudio certified production. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Are you suffering from Trump fatigue? That is too much of the US president on the BBC? A listener in the US told us last week how he is and it seems many of you agree. We are joined in the studio by head of journalism Simon Peeks to discuss the phenomenon. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Dr Natalia Grincheva, an expert in cultural diplomacy from Lasalle, University of the Arts in Singapore. We start by hearing about when US president Bill Clinton was presented with a saxophone on a 1994 visit to Prague and he and the Czech president Vaclav Havel performed together on stage.Then, India's first female anthropologist, Irawati Karve.Twenty years on, the cousin of John Charles de Menezes, describes the day the unarmed Brazilian man was shot dead by anti-terrorism police in London.Plus, the discovery of the super-strong fibre Kevlar in 1965 which was used in bulletproof vests.And finally, 50 years on from the premiere of the Broadway hit A Chorus Line, an original cast member shares her memories.Contributors:Urmilla Deshpande – granddaughter of Irawati Karve.Patricia da Silva – cousin of Jean Charles de Menezes.Baayork Lee – Connie in A Chorus LinePlus, archive recording of Stephanie Kwolek, and material from the Vaclav Havel Center and the William J Clinton Presidential Library.(Photo: President Bill Clinton accepts a saxophone as a gift from a Belgian delegation in 1994. Credit: Luke Frazza/AFP via Getty Images)

“We were outsiders”Edward Stourton, presenter of BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme, speaks to Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani about her Persian identity and her faith. Bishop Guli is currently the Bishop of Chelmsford, a city in England, but it's also being reported that she's one of the leading candidates to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury - the most senior bishop in the Church of England.Although she is keen not to add to any media speculation, if selected, Bishop Guli would be a remarkable choice. Not only would she be the first woman to hold the position in the Church's long history, but she'd also become the first person of Middle Eastern heritage to hold the position too.Born in Iran, her family came to the UK as refugees after her brother was murdered in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. Thank you to the Sunday 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Edward Stourton Producers: Ben Cooper, Katy Davis and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani. Credit: BBC Radio 4/PA)

Kiana Li, the electronic producer and sound artist known as Gyrofield, creates music that steadfastly refuses simple categorization. Growing up in Hong Kong before relocating to Bristol and eventually Utrecht, she began making music in isolation – alone in her bedroom and sharing tracks online. When their parody track “Out Of My Mind” unexpectedly caught fire in 2019, it marked the beginning of a fascinating artistic evolution that continues to unfold in surprising ways.Our conversation reveals how deeply intertwined Kiana's artistic and personal identities have become. As a self-described "cat-spirited interdisciplinary artist," she discusses how exploring gender fluidity has influenced her approach to creating music that exists beyond conventional boundaries. "What happens when we make identity fluid?" she asks, suggesting that both transness and artistic expression allow people to "possess otherness and turn it into something beautiful."What emerges most powerfully from our discussion is how music has functioned as both survival mechanism and connection point for Gyrofield. Growing up neurodivergent and socially isolated, creating electronic music offered an essential lifeline. Now, as a respected artist with releases on labels like Metalheadz and XL, she's using her platform to explore complex emotions while still creating moments of joy.Follow Gyrofield on Instagram: @gyrofieldListen to Gyrofield's music: Suspension of Belief – Bandcamp Akin / Mother – BandcampIf you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.Huge thanks to Lost and Sound's sponsor –  Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear. Check them out here: Audio-TechnicaBored on the beach? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city's creative underground, via Velocity Press.And if you're curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Send us a textInside Geneva brings you our second summer profile, with international lawyer Dapo Akande.“I'm one of those boring people who actually always wanted to be a lawyer. I'm not sure exactly what the motivation was when I was younger, but I think I was very argumentative as a child. And everyone used to say, ‘You should be a lawyer,'” says Akande.As a child in Nigeria, he also took a keen interest in world affairs.“I was brought up in Nigeria and my parents had the BBC World Service on the whole time when I was growing up. So that engendered in me a big interest in world affairs. And when I saw that there was an area of law that actually dealt with international affairs, I thought, yes, that's the bit I'm interested in.”Once he'd qualified, he assisted on cases at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where he saw how the court peacefully resolved disputes between United Nations member states, including one between his native Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon.“This source of real tension, which had occasionally led to flashpoints and the use of force between those two countries, was resolved on the basis of the judgment by the ICJ. I think that's an amazing achievement and it's made all the more amazing by the fact that we actually don't know much about it. If there had been a war, we'd know all about it.”Now, Akande is a candidate to be a judge on the ICJ – at a time, he believes, when international law is more important than ever.“It's clearly the case that, in far too many cases, international law is disregarded. I think that's true. There are many instances where the law is not followed and you only have to turn on the news to see that. What I do know is that international law is increasingly seen as relevant, and actions today are judged more often by reference to international law than they were in the past.”Join host Imogen Foulkes in conversation with Dapo Akande on Inside Geneva.Get in touch! Email us at insidegeneva@swissinfo.ch Twitter: @ImogenFoulkes and @swissinfo_en Thank you for listening! If you like what we do, please leave a review or subscribe to our newsletter. For more stories on the international Geneva please visit www.swissinfo.ch/Host: Imogen FoulkesProduction assitant: Claire-Marie GermainDistribution: Sara PasinoMarketing: Xin Zhang

The astronauts count down to flying a brand-new spacecraft for the very first time. If they pull it off, they will earn a place in space history.The rocket is built. The astronauts are trained. Mission control is ready. Space Shuttle Columbia is about to attempt the unheard of. A crewed test flight. It's 12 April 1981. The morning of launch for the very first space shuttle mission. The shuttle is sitting on the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. And strapped into their seats on the flight deck of orbiter Columbia are commander John Young and pilot Bob Crippen.Everyone at Nasa has been waiting almost a decade for this day. It's taken an army of designers, engineers, ground crew, flight controllers, and backroom staff to get to this point. To bring this vehicle to life. Will this new machine fly? This episode contains scenes some listeners may find upsetting.Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects.13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock.Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.Archive: Launch of STS-1, BBC, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, 1981 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

Clarence Ford speaks to Pete Ross Broadcast Journalist at BBC World Service. 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/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robin Green is an American writer who has been dizzyingly successful, but she describes herself as a 'clueless girl'. At times, she didn't even realise she could actually write. In the early 1970s when Robin was in her 20s, she had an interview with Rolling Stone magazine's creator and editor Jann Wenner. She initially thought it was for a secretarial role, but instead, he hired her as a writer - and the only woman on the editorial masthead. What followed were Robin's raucous, wild, rock 'n' roll years. She interviewed the likes of David Cassidy, Dennis Hopper and Bobby Kennedy Jr, who she recalls sleeping with on his dorm-room water-bed. After failing to produce a story on him, her time at Rolling Stone ended and Robin began to question her future. It was then that she met the love of her life, an aspiring writer called Mitch. But their relationship fell apart and she spent a decade going from one thing to another.Nearing 40, Robin had an epiphany while watching daytime television and her career as a writer took a dramatic turn. She picked up her pen, and with Mitch, they began writing for the TV show Northern Exposure. They became extraordinarily successful writing partners, winning multiple Emmys, including for their work on The Sopranos - where, once again, Robin was the only woman in the room for most of her time there. When Robin was almost 60, Mitch proposed and now married, they created their own hit show - Blue Bloods.Robin has written a memoir, The Only Girl: My Life and Times on the Masthead of Rolling Stone.Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Sarah KendalLives 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

Europe was free-riding on USNick Robinson speaks to Friedrich Merz, the new German Chancellor, about the future of Europe's defence amid the growing threat posed by Russia. Merz, the leader of the centre-right Christian Democrat party, was elected as Chancellor earlier this year at the second attempt, following chaotic scenes in the German Bundestag that saw him lose the first parliamentary vote. He's been in the UK to sign the first-ever friendship treaty between the two countries - it's a wide-ranging agreement covering everything from migration to energy, and business to defence. Unlike his predecessors who, in the shadow of World War Two, were keen to reassure the world that German military strength was not a priority, Chancellor Merz has decided to invest heavily in defence.He says that a strong army is now essential, thanks to the grave threat Russia poses to European peace and stability - and that Germany must be able to protect itself, and not rely on America.Chancellor Merz also talks about his good relations with US President Donald Trump and the rise of the far right AFD (Alternative für Deutschland) party in his country, which is now the official opposition.Thank you to the Today programme 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nick Robinson Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Ben Cooper and Kirsty McKenzie Sound: Dave O'Neill Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Friedrich Merz. Credit: Reuters)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Dina Esfandiary, Middle East Geo-economics Lead at Bloomberg.We start in 2015 with insider accounts of the Iran nuclear deal and the Greek debt crisis.Then, the 1995 'Turbot War' between Canada and Spain.We hear how international broadcaster Voice of America was born during World War 2. Finally, the rise of Italo disco in the early 1980s.Contributors:Baroness Catherine Ashton - EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Dina Esfandiary - Middle East Geo-economics Lead at Bloomberg. Euclid Tsakalotos - Greece's Finance Minister. Brian Tobin - Canada's Minister for Fisheries and Oceans. Ryan Paris - singer of Dolce Vita.(Photo: Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry in 2015. Credit: Thomas Imo/Photothek via Getty Images)

Why has the BBC brought back a Polish Language Service 20 years after the previous version was scrapped - and how are AI and social media making this one different?Plus, OTY has previously discussed what's termed “news fatigue”, now a listener in the US raises the possibility of “Trump fatigue”.And BBC Sounds is coming to an end this week for those outside the UK, with international users switching to a new BBC app. We hear more listener comments on the change.Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown Production for BBC World Service

“I'm just disappointed in him, but I'm not done with him”The BBC's Chief North America Correspondent, Gary O'Donoghue, speaks to US President Donald Trump in a wide-ranging telephone interview from the Oval Office. The call with the president came just hours after he announced plans to send weapons to Ukraine and warned of severe tariffs on Russia if there was no ceasefire deal within 50 days. Mr. Trump, who celebrated his 79th birthday last month, was inaugurated for a second term in the White House at the start of this year. It's safe to say that the 47th president of the United States has wasted little time in picking up where he left off four years earlier, upending the status quo both at home and abroad.In the conversation, he reflects on the failed attempt on his life at an election campaign rally last July in Butler, Pennsylvania. He also discusses the ongoing war in Ukraine, US immigration policy, and hopes for his legacy.Thank you to Gary O'Donoghue and Iona Hampson 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Gary O'Donoghue Producers: Iona Hampson and Ben Cooper Sound: Dave O'Neill Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: President Trump. Credit: Reuters)

Eli Keszler joins me this week to talk about rethinking sound, space, and what it means to create music in an uncertain world. A lifelong percussionist, Eli's work has often explored the edges of rhythm and texture—dismantling traditional approaches and rebuilding them into something uniquely his own. Eli isn't just a percussionist who produces great albums though. A visual arist and a creative mentor who has collaborated with everyone from Oneohtrix Point Never to Laurel Halo to Skrillex. We talk about how his relationship with the studio has shifted over time, how working in film has expanded his compositional approach, and how speed and density in performance can create a strange kind of stillness. His new self-titled album on LuckyMe marks his eleventh solo release and reflects years of process, reflection, and experimentation.The conversation also opens out into something I‘m currently really interested in asking artists‘ opinions on: how the function of music itself is changing. As digital culture reshapes how we interact, consume, and listen, Eli reflects on the possibility that music might be returning to something more spiritual, more tactile—more connected to personal and communal practice than product. We talk about the idea of a “humanist retreat” from the frictionlessness of tech, and how creative work might serve as a space to resist or reimagine that drift.Listen to Eli Keszler's music:BandcampListen to Eli Keszler (2024):BandcampFollow Eli Keszler on Instagram: @eli_keszlerIf you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen.Lost and Sound is sponsored by Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear. Check them out here: Audio-TechnicaWant to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city's creative underground, via Velocity Press.And if you're curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Can Nasa build the most complex flying machine in space history? The plan is to create a permanent human presence in space. It's Spring 1969 - two months before the launch of Apollo 11 – the first US mission to land humans on the moon. But meanwhile, hidden away from public view, Nasa is thinking the unthinkable. Maverick engineer Dr Max Faget is already a legend within Nasa. He's fascinated by what could be next for human spaceflight. In a backroom, of Building 36 at Johnson Space Center, he invites a handful of engineers to a meeting. One of them is Ivy Hooks, a mathematician and engineer. And one of the first female engineers at Nasa. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects.13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for BBC World Service.Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock.Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.Archive: Richard Nixon launches Nasa's space shuttle programme, CBS News, 1972 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

Artist Kubra Khademi was so enraged by the constant sexual harassment faced by women in Afghanistan that she created a bespoke suit of armour, forged out of metal with exaggerated breasts and buttocks. The idea came from an experience she had many years earlier, as a little girl, walking along a street and encountering a male stranger who would sexually assault her - at the time she wished she was wearing "iron underwear" to protect her. In March 2015 Kubra wore her custom-made armour and decided to walk down Kabul's busiest street. The reaction to her performance was life-changing - she received death threats and was forced to flee her home.Kubra's now living in France where she's a successful artist, recognised for her work celebrating the female body.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Maryam MarufLives 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'm going to be a voice for these childrenChris Page, the BBC's Ireland correspondent speaks to the Irish historian Catherine Corless, who has changed history in her own country.When she began to research a long-closed mother and baby home near where she lived, she encountered local resistance. But her dogged investigation led to the discovery that hundreds of babies and young children were buried in mass, unmarked graves inside a disused sewage tank at the site in Tuam, Ireland.Her work led to the discovery of the scandal of Ireland's historical mother and baby institutions, which housed unmarried mothers and their babies at a time when they were ostracized by Irish society and often their families too. An inquiry launched by the Irish government into the network of homes concluded about nine thousand children died in the eighteen homes investigated.The revelation led to apologies from the Catholic Church in Ireland, the Irish Government, the council which owned the home in Tuam and the religious order which ran the home. The order has also contributed millions of dollars to a compensation scheme, and to the excavation now underway in Tuam.Thank you to Chris Page and Chrissie McGlinchey from the BBC's Ireland bureau 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Chris Page Producers: Lucy Sheppard and Chrissie McGlinchey Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Catherine Corless. Credit: PA)

BBC Trending is the show that investigates stories related to online trends, social media, and viral phenomena. We speak to its editor about a recent edition focussing on North Korea - and a listener asks about the programme's wider editorial remit and why there are not more uplifting news stories? Plus BBC Sounds has finally been given a date for its turn off - we hear your initial thoughts on its replacement.Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

Sidhu Moose Wala explodes onto the Canadian music scene. His sound is a fusion of two worlds - hip-hop with the poetic language of rural Punjab, where he is from. After years of struggle he is making it. But with the spotlight comes a dark side. As his fame grows, so do the threats. This is the hunt for answers in a killing that won't be forgotten. A two-year-long investigation that exposes a tangled web of fame, power and vengeance and uncovers a criminal underworld that reaches far beyond India's borders. Presented by broadcaster and DJ Bobby Friction and investigative journalist Ishleen Kaur. Season 8 of World of Secrets, The Killing Call, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. To hear more episodes, search for World of Secrets wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Archive audio credits: Lovepreet Waraich, Malwa TV, BritAsia TV, MPHONE Canteeni Mandeer, GK Digital, Thakur Media, Capital Extra, Famous Punjab TV, ModernSings, Dheeth.jeha, RealRohitBlogs, Mirror Now, India Today.

From the BBC World Service: 14 countries received a letter from the White House saying a pause on tariffs due to expire Wednesday will now be extended to Aug. 1. Japan and South Korea are among the countries facing a renewed threat of 25% tax on U.S. exports, with other import duties ranging from 30% for South Africa to 40% for Myanmar and Laos. We hear reactions. Plus, a move to ban employer misconduct NDAs in the U.K.

From the BBC World Service: 14 countries received a letter from the White House saying a pause on tariffs due to expire Wednesday will now be extended to Aug. 1. Japan and South Korea are among the countries facing a renewed threat of 25% tax on U.S. exports, with other import duties ranging from 30% for South Africa to 40% for Myanmar and Laos. We hear reactions. Plus, a move to ban employer misconduct NDAs in the U.K.

I pray for peace. Nick Beake speaks to released Israeli hostage Keith Siegel about his experience of captivity in Gaza, of the suffering he says he witnessed at the hands of Hamas and the moment he was released. Mr. Siegel, an American-Israeli, was captured by Hamas fighters in the October 2023 attack that marked the start of the conflict in Gaza. He was one of 251 hostages taken that day, in an assault that killed around 1,200 other people who were mainly civilians. Mr Siegel was released in February after nearly 500 days. His mother passed away while he was still in captivity. You're going to hear his accounts about his time as a hostage. Some listeners may find his descriptions disturbing. He talks about desperate living conditions in Gaza, as well as extreme levels of violence to which he says he and other hostages were subjected. Hamas has said it doesn't abuse anyone in captivity. Mr. Siegel is calling for all 50 remaining hostages to be freed - up to 20 of them are still believed to be alive. Talks on a ceasefire proposal that would include a hostage release deal are ongoing between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's 7 October 2023 attacks. More than 57,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Thank you to Nick Beake, Kyla Herrmannsen and Katie Law 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Nick Beake Producers: Ben Cooper, Kyla Herrmannsen, Katie Law and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.ukand use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Keith Siegel. Credit: Jack Guez/Getty)

What began with nothing more than a four-track recorder, a couple of "crappy mics," and a friendship forged over Erik Satie records at university parties led to the quietly seminal influence Stars Of The Lid have had over ambient, modern composition and drone music over the past four decades. I spoke with Adam Wiltzie – one half of the project (the other, Brian McBride sadly passed away in 2023).Against the backdrop of 1990s Austin – a city dominated by rock and country music – Stars of the Lid emerged with something radically different. Their debut album "Music for Nitrous Oxide" quietly initiated a revolution, pushing against what Adam describes as the prevailing white boy funk and laying groundwork for what would become a seminal force in ambient and modern composition. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary with a remastered release, Wiltzie reflects on those early creative days with the late Brian McBride and the unexpected longevity of their collaborative vision.Wiltzie is so disarmingly unpretentious I almost gulped at one point. "I am definitely my own worst critic and I still love getting bad reviews," he confesses with surprising candor. This willingness to embrace imperfection has fueled a four-decade career spent continually moving forward rather than getting stuck in pursuit of perfection – a lesson valuable for creators in any medium.Most poignantly, Wiltzie shares how Brian McBride's passing inspired this anniversary project, bringing memories of their formative creative partnership back to the surface. The reissue serves not as nostalgic celebration but as a "time capsule" documenting how two university students with minimal equipment created atmospheric soundscapes that seaped their way into the water influencing generations of musicians working at the intersection of ambient, drone, and modern classical composition.Listen to Stars of the Lid's music:BandcampListen to Music for Nitrous Oxide (30-Year Anniversary Remastered): BandcampFollow Adam Wiltzie on Instagram: @adamwiltzieIf you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.Thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-TechnicaIf you're looking for summer read and you've not read it yet, check out my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city's creative underground, via Velocity Press.And if you like tales of punks outwitting the establishment, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

BBC World Service journalist Jonathan Frewin joins Emile Donovan to take a look at some of the events making headlines internationally including Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting with US President Donald Trump, the 90-day pause on Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs that are set to expire this week and Poland setting up controls on its border with fellow EU member Germany.

After being kidnapped, a promise to return to his mother helped Antonio Salazar-Hobson through his darkest hours.Antonio Salazar-Hobson was four years old when he was kidnapped from his Mexican migrant worker family in Arizona by the white couple who lived next door. From Phoenix, he was taken more than 300 miles away to California, where he grew up suffering terrible abuse. Throughout his ordeal, he replayed the memories he had of his family over and again - especially of his beloved mother Petra - and swore to himself that one day he would make it back to her. As a teenager, he sought out other Mexican-American families to hold on to his roots, and threw himself into left-wing activism on behalf of workers like his family back home. There, he met renowned labour union leader Cesar Chavez who encouraged him to study and become a lawyer; it was an encounter which would change the course of his life. After going to college, and finally escaping his abductors, he began to track down the family he'd been stolen from so many years before.This programme contains references to child sexual abuse and suicide.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 UK needs strong international relationships Nick Robinson, presenter of the BBC Today programme and Political Thinking podcast, speaks to Sir Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister, about the importance of maintaining strong international relationships.In an interview recorded to mark Sir Keir's first year in office, he defends the time he's spent developing alliances with other world leaders. His critics claim he's neglected domestic politics, and point to a series of policy u-turns. But Sir Keir tells Nick Robinson that building these relationships is essential to protect the UK's national interest, particularly in a time of global conflict and instability.Challenged over his domestic performance, he concedes he has changed position on some policy decisions but describes himself as a pragmatist who takes a common sense view in the light of changing circumstances.In this conversation, Sir Keir also reflects on the impact on his family of his role as prime minister, and how he likes to relax by playing football.Sir Keir Starmer was elected in 2024 on a substantial majority, returning the Labour party to power after fourteen years. Twelve months on, his party's approval rating has gone down in the polls as it has run into a series of political difficulties. Thank you to the Political Thinking team for helping to produce 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nick Robinson Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Keir Starmer. Credit: Reuters)

The BBC has introduced a paywall for people looking at parts of its website from within the United States. We hear listeners' reactions to being asked to pay for something they previously got for free, whilst others outside the US ask if it sets a precedent for the rest of the world. We are joined from New York by the BBC Studios executive in charge of the project, Rebecca Glashow.Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

Lyse Doucet speaks to Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, about the future of Iran's nuclear programme and its government. The interview took place in the country's capital Tehran after Iran's twelve-day war with Israel. Both sides fired missiles into each other's territories, with hundreds killed as military sites were destroyed and civilian infrastructure badly damaged.Israel first attacked Iran on 13 June, claiming Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon. The conflict ended when the United States bombed three of Iran's nuclear sites.It is worth remembering, before any of the aggression started, talks about the future of Iran's nuclear programme were ongoing with the US. But they were overshadowed by a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency declaring Iran was in breach of its nuclear obligations and questioned why Iran was enriching uranium to such high levels.For now, there's a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Majid Takht-Ravanchi explains why he thinks it will hold and what it will take for diplomacy with the United States to resume in good faith. 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Lyse Doucet Producers: Charlotte Scarr and Ben Cooper Sound: Dave O'Neill Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Majid Takht-Ravanchi. Credit: Safin Hamid/AFP via Getty Images)

If you are so tired of the same patterns sabotaging your dating life and relationships, this episode is for you. Kate has an incredibly powerful conversation with energy medicine woman and healer extraordinaire, Shelly Burton. Shelly has facilitated miraculous physical, emotional, spiritual and mental healings for thousands of people all over the world - and she is specifically masterful at subconscious reprogramming. In this episode, she shares tangible practices and perspectives that will support you to shift and transform how you show up in your dating life - so you can finally attract healthy, expanded love! The Immersion - April 25- May 2, 2026 https://www.theunscriptdwoman.com/the-immersionTo book a Free Call to explore working with Kate - click the link below: https://calendly.com/expanded-love/exploration-call-cloneAbout the Guest:Shelly Burton, with an MPhil in Medical Anthropology from Oxford University and a B.Sc. in Biomedical Science from the University of Guelph, is a renowned energy medicine woman specializing in emotional trauma and sensitivity. After a life-altering concussion, she developed her unique energy medicine systems, integrating hands-on healing, sound therapy, and subconscious mind rewiring. Shelly guides clients worldwide to transform emotional health, harness sensitivity as a superpower, and embody their natural brilliance. Featured on BBC World Service, the Toronto Star, Netflix, and the Huffington Post, she continues to inspire and ignite thriving wellness with compassion and clarity. Serving clients from New York to Los Angeles, and from London to Paris, Shelly Burton continues to guide individuals on their path to profound transformation, with deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve.Links:shellyburton.comempathyheals.me The Meditation Program is here: https://course.empathyheals.me/offers/gRponiMh/checkoutSign up for EH Kids waitlist: https://empathyheals.me/kids-waitlistAbout the Host:Kate Harlow is the founder of The Unscriptd Woman, the creator of The Expanded Love Coaching Method, and host of The New Truth podcast - ranked in the top 1.5% globally. With over 15 years of experience teaching, coaching and facilitating transformational retreats worldwide, Kate has helped hundreds of thousands of women break free from outdated relational patterns, old patriarchal ways of thinking and unspoken rules to live by. Her infallible methods guide women to release the deeply ingrained scripts that keep them stuck- empowering women to step into their highest, most magnetic, and fully expressed selves. Through her coaching, retreats, podcast and upcoming book The Unscriptd Woman, Kate is redefining what it means to be an empowered woman in today's world, showing women how to stop waiting for permission and start creating a life and love that aligns with their deepest truth. Known for her rare ability to see exactly where women are out of alignment with themselves, Kate offers a path back to unwavering self- trust, meaningful joy and true fulfillment. Her work is a revolution - one that liberates women from societal expectations and invites them into a life of radical authenticity, thriving relationships and unshakable self-worth....

Indian music star Sidhu Moose Wala died in a hail of bullets. Who wanted him dead and why? He was one of India's biggest stars — a voice millions followed. Then Sidhu Moose Wala was gunned down. This is the hunt for answers over a murder that won't be forgotten. A two-year long investigation that exposes a tangled web of fame, power and vengeance and uncovers a criminal underworld that reaches far beyond India's borders. Presented by broadcaster and DJ Bobby Friction and investigative journalist Ishleen Kaur. Season 8 of World of Secrets, The Killing Call, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. All five episodes are available now. Search for World of Secrets, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Archive audio credits: BritAsia TV, India Today, Times Now.

While visiting friends in Uruguay, British teacher Tom Michell saw a penguin covered in oil and tar on a beach. Tom cleaned the bird as best he could and then tried to release it. The penguin refused to return to the wild, it just followed Tom around. So he took it home, smuggling the animal across the border into Argentina where he lived and worked at a boarding school. The penguin became a part of his life, and the school's life - with a remarkable influence on everyone who came into contact with it.Later Tom entertained his children, friends and family with tales of the penguin. He put those stories into a bestselling book, The Penguin Lessons, now the subject of a film starring British comedian Steve Coogan.Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.    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. These are stories that stay with you.    Our guests come from every corner of the globe: from Burundi to Beverly Hills, New Zealand to North Korea, Rajasthan to Rio. And their stories can be about anything: tales of survival, humour or resilience. From the mind-blowing account of the Japanese man trapped in his own reality TV show, to the Swedish women rescued from lions by a tin of spam. It's life's wild side, in stereo. Lives Less Ordinary is brought to you by the team behind Outlook, the home of true life storytelling on BBC World Service radio for nearly 60 years.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Hetal BapodraYou can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

Jonathan Josephs speaks to Philippe Kehren, CEO of chemical multinational company Solvay. His firm sits at the forefront of Europe's efforts to diversify its supply of rare earth metals. These elements are essential to much of modern technology, from mobile phones to medical equipment, car batteries and renewable energy.Currently their supply is heavily dependent on China, which mines around 70% of all rare earth metals, and refines around 90%. Solvay aims to play a significant role in reducing this dependence, by increasing European capacity to mine and refine these materials. However, Mr Kehren says the European Union needs to play its part by introducing incentives for customers to buy from European suppliers rather than their cheaper Chinese competitors. 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Jonathan Josephs Producer: Lucy Sheppard Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Philippe Kehren. Credit: Dirk Waem/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty Images)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service, all related to trains and journeys which have helped to shape our world.Our guest Nicky Gardner, travel writer and co-author of Europe by Rail: the Definitive Guide, discusses the origins of train travel. The first story involved the hijacking of a train in 1950s communist Czechoslovakia which was driven across the border into West Germany.We also hear about Senator Robert Kennedy's funeral train in 1960s America, and Italy's "happiness train", which took children from the poverty stricken south to wealthier families in the north.Contributors - Archive interview with Karel Ruml. Frank Mankiewicz - Robert Kennedy's former press secretary, and Rosey Grier, his former bodyguard. Bianca D'Aniello - a passenger on the “happiness train”. June Cutchins - received gifts from the Gratitude Train. Tomas Andreas Elejalde - general manager of the Medellin Metro.(Photo: People stand near railroad tracks as a train carries the body of Robert Kennedy on June 8, 1968. Credit: Steve Northrup/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

To launch like a rocket and land like a plane. The space shuttle: A sci-fi dream that became reality and changed spaceflight forever. Told by the Nasa astronauts, engineers, scientists and support staff who made it happen. Our multi award-winning podcast returns on 14 July 2025 with: 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle. Presented by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. She tells the story of triumph and tragedy, and the human story behind the technology and scientific endeavour. A BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Season 3 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office.

From the BBC World Service podcast Witness History, this is a special episode to mark June as Pride Month. We are looking back at some of the major moments and movements that changed the lives of LGBT+ people and communities, through first-hand accounts. It's history told through the people who were there.

A new era of defence readiness.James Copnall, presenter of the BBC's Newsday speaks to Andrius Kubilius, EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, about the need for Europe to be able to defend itself.In an interview recorded before the Nato summit on 24/25 June 2025, Mr Kubilius, a former Prime Minister of Lithuania, says peace in Europe cannot be taken for granted and that Europe can no longer rely on American military backing. Therefore, defence readiness must be a priority, meaning increased spending commitments from Nato members, and a unified, quick and clear approach across Europe to building defence capabilities. This, he believes, is the only way to deter the threat of further Russian aggression.But some Nato member states may struggle to meet the proposed increased spending target of 3.5% of GDP on defence. A few still haven't met the current goal of 2%, set more than a decade ago. However, other European nations are already boosting spending to 5% including countries living in close proximity to Russia, such as Poland, Estonia and Lithuania. Overall, Europe still only accounts for 30% of Nato's total military spending, a figure that has prompted US President Trump to demand a much greater contribution from European members.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. 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: James Copnall Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Ben Cooper and Owen Clegg Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Andrius Kubilius. Credit: John Thys/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Beimeng Fu and Zhaoyin Feng join the Belt and Road Podcast to talk about durian, a tropical fruit most widely known for its strong and divisive odor. It's also a fruit in very high demand in China; the country consumes 1.5 million tons of durian per year. Beimeng and Zhaoyin talk about how Chinese consumption of the fruit is driving durian plantation expansion across Southeast Asia and what that means for the region.Beimeng Fu is an independent multimedia journalist and filmmaker based in Mexico. She previously worked as senior producer of original video and documentary production at Sixth Tone. Her work has been published by The Washington Post, BuzzFeed News, ABC News, South China Morning Post, among others. She co-publishes Far & Near, a visual newsletter about China from local perspectives.Zhaoyin Feng is an independent journalist and documentary producer, specializing in covering China and its place in the world. She has reported from the U.S., Europe, and Asia for a wide range of international media outlets. She previously worked as a North America correspondent and investigative documentary producer at the BBC World Service, reporting in both English and Chinese in digital, television, and audio formats.Recommendations:Beimeng:Welcome Me to the Kingdom by Mai Nardone (2023)Zhaoyin:Howtown show on Youtube from Adam Cole and Joss FongThe Present Past show on Youtube from JochemErik:Kendrick Lamar & SZA concertMinneapolis Juliet:Podcast episode on Initium where Beimeng and Zhaoyin discuss their research in Chinese (and try listening at 0.75 speed if you need to practice your Mandarin!) Thanks for listening!Follow us on BlueSky @beltandroadpod.blsk.socialThanks for listening! Follow us on BlueSky @beltandroadpod.blsk.social

In Judith Obina Okumu's imagination, Joseph Kony was a monster. As leader of the Lord's Resistance Army he'd fought a decades-long war against the government of Yoweri Museveni – displacing and destroying hundreds of thousands of lives across Northern Uganda in the process. But one day, a visit from a stranger would challenge Judith to face her fears. In her role as assistant private secretary to President Museveni, Judith was introduced to Joseph Kony's mother, Nora Anek. After three years of gaining her trust, Judith asked Nora if she would go to meet her son at his forest hideout and persuade him to engage with peace talks. What Judith didn't know was that the President wanted her to go too. She was convinced it was the last journey she'd ever make. But after 14 days of talks, Judith and Nora helped broker peace in Northern Uganda. Lives Less Ordinary is a weekly podcast from the BBC World Service that seeks out the most incredible true stories from around the world. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.  Each episode, a guest shares their most intimate and defining personal story. Listen for real-life accounts, unbelievable twists, and inspiring journeys, which prove just how extraordinary the human experience can be.Lives Less Ordinary is brought to you by the team behind Outlook, the home of human storytelling on the BBC World Service for nearly 60 years.Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Anna Lacey

“Women are still judged by a different metric than men”Amol Rajan speaks to Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest-ever tennis players, about her life and career. The story of her rise to the top of the game is as remarkable as the number of tournaments she managed to win.Born behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia in 1956, she was 11-years-old when she watched Soviet tanks roll in to the country as Moscow sought to reassert control and quash political reform.Navratilova, who played in her first tennis tournament when she was eight, rose to both national and international prominence in the years that followed.But in 1975, following the Czech government's efforts to control her tennis career, she defected. Aged 18, Navratilova sought asylum in the United States, where she later became an American citizen.During the late 1970s and 1980s she dominated the international tennis circuit, and by the time she retired, she'd won 59 major singles and doubles titles.But throughout her life, Navratilova has generated headlines on the front pages of newspapers, as well as the back.She came out as being gay in 1981, a rare thing for high-profile athletes to do at the time, and quickly became a prominent figure in the gay rights movement. More recently, however, she's found herself at odds with some groups due to her views on transgender athletes.She's also battled cancer on two separate occasions.Thank you to the Amol Rajan Interviews 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, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Amol Rajan Producers: Ben Cooper, Joel Mapp Sound: Dave O'Neill Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Martina Navratilova. Credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty)

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.This programme includes outdated and offensive language.It's 50 years since the original Jaws film was released in cinemas across America. The movie premiered on 20 June 1975. Our guest is Jenny He, senior exhibitions curator at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. She tells us about the history of this blockbuster movie. We also hear from Carl Gottlieb, who co-wrote the screenplay.Also, the story of the women who were forcibly detained in sexual health clinics across East Germany, the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, and the 1964 civil rights swimming protest that ended when acid was poured into the pool.Finally, the horrific account of Polly Sheppard who was a survivor of the Charleston church shooting in South Carolina, USA in 2015.Contributors: Carl Gottlieb - Jaws co-writer. Jenny He - senior exhibitions curator at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Sabine - one of the women forcibly detained and abused in a sexual health clinic in East Germany. Archive of William Norman Ewer - journalist who attended the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Archive of JT Johnson and Mimi Jones -activists in a civil rights swimming protest . Polly Sheppard- survivor of the Charleston Church shooting.This programme contains movie excerpts from the 1975 film which was a Universal Picture, a Zanuck/Brown production and directed by Steven Spielberg. (Photo: Steven Spielberg on the set of the film 'Jaws' in 1975. Credit: Archive Photos/Stringer)

On 28 June 1919, in the Palace of Versailles in Paris the signing of the Treaty of Versailles took place. It was a peace agreement that marked the end of World War One.The terms of the treaty punished Germany for their involvement in starting the war. British journalist, William Norman Ewer attended the signing. He told his story to the BBC World Service in 1967. He recalls the moment of the signing and the treatment of the German delegates in this fascinating account.Produced and presented by Gill Kearsley. 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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Treaty of Versailles is signed by Prime Minister Clemenceau. Credit: Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The BBC World Service Debate considers the rapidly changing international landscape since Donald Trump returned to the White House. The US President says his legacy will be as a peacemaker and unifier. So far he's brought Putin to the negotiating table and made Europe take its security seriously in a way it hasn't for decades. But his methods have horrified critics, who say his shock and awe approach to diplomacy is reckless and chaotic. The President's unpredictability has rocked global alliances. Is Donald Trump making the world safer or more dangerous?In front of a live audience in the BBC's Radio Theatre in London, the BBC's Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, is joined by:KT McFarland, former US Deputy National Security Advisor to President Trump in his first term Brian Wong, Assistant Professor and Fellow at Centre on Contemporary China, University of Hong Kong Mark Lyall Grant, former National Security Adviser to the UK Azadeh Moaveni, journalist, writer and Associate Professor at New York University (Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on June 12, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)