BBC

Police in Spain's North African territory of Ceuta fired rubber bullets into the air to control crowds as hundreds of migrants were moved from beaches to the port where a tent city has sprung up. South Korea's president says he will not be sending troops to help the US in its war in Iran - defying growing pressure from the Trump administration. People in Russia are voting in the first parliamentar...

Japan's central bank has raised interest rates to their highest level since 1995, we'll be finding out how one business is feeling and will more rate hikes be the new normal. The Australian government is considering a total ban on smart glasses in its offices and schools over security concerns. And Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé has ended his partnership with Nike after two decades. Presenter: Guy Ki...

In January 2027, Nigeria will be heading to the polls. But there’s one thing still largely missing from the ballot, women. According to Nigerian civil society organisation, policy and legal advocacy centre, Nigeria has one of the lowest rates of women’s political representation in the world. In fact, women make up less than 5% of members of parliament. And currently only 54 women hold positions ac...

Stephen Watson talks to Patrick Mulholland from NIPSA, PBP MLA Gerry Carroll and callers

UN investigators believe the US could have carried out war crimes following attacks on an Iranian school and sports complex. A State Department official said the US did not give credibility to the findings in the report. The UN experts also accused Tehran of violent repression of anti-government protesters. Also: Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, tells the BBC the Russian President, Vladimir Put...

Dalia Mogahed is one of the most prominent Muslim voices in American public life. For three decades, she has researched and defended the experiences of Muslim communities in the United States, advising leaders and challenging misconceptions about Islam, identity and belonging. But after a lifetime speaking for others, Dalia Mogahed is now exploring her own questions of faith and legacy. A cancer d...

Canada's PM Mark Carney is in Europe to discuss an EU-Canada Associate Member deal. President Trump suggests such a deal would be ‘hostile act’. Motorists in Nigeria express fury at the rising cost of petrol and diesel. And thousands of staff at a UK bank are demanding concessions after the company said it wants employees to work from the office more often.

It’s action stations for Lynda, and George waves the white flag.

The UN says climate change is having a serious effect on the global supply of fresh water. Rivers and lakes are drying up while glaciers are retreating according to a new report. Also: South African police have found the body of a ninth murdered woman since July, as concern grows over a string of unexplained deaths near Johannesburg; Canada's prime minister has told the European Parliament he welc...

The European Union has announced plans for a social media ban for young people at the same time that tech bosses have backed restrictions for similar age groups. Luke Wilson hears from a researcher of Digital Child Futures about what makes a successful ban. Plus, as Americans Todd Boehly and Mark Walter sell their stakes in Chelsea, where does this leave the football club?

South Africa has been shaken by a string of unexplained deaths, with nine women found dead in and around Kempton Park, northeast of Johannesburg, over the past two months. South Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence, with women being killed at five times the global average, according to UN Women. The killings have reignited concerns about women's safety and intensifi...

Stephen Watson talks to Stormont's Education Committee chair Nick Mathison and callers

Misha Glenny delves in to the In Our Time archive to select ten episodes for listeners to revisit. His seventh choice is the pioneering scientist Rosalind Franklin (1920 - 1958), first released in February 2018. During her distinguished career, Franklin carried out ground-breaking research into coal and viruses but she is perhaps best remembered for her investigations in the field of DNA. In 1952...

The US central bank has raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years, to try to curb inflation. The Federal Reserve lifted its benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point and suggested it could do so again before the end of the year. In a social media post, President Trump demanded "lower interest rates... and fast." Also: Nepal has sharply revised upwards the number of...

The Federal Reserve has raised rates for the first time since 2023 the bank focuses on inflation fight. Chair Kevin Warsh defied Donald Trump’s calls for lower borrowing costs. 2026 summer wheat exports from Russia and Ukraine will be 60% lower than pre-war average. Attacks on ports and shipping are to blame. Experts tell World Business Report that global wheat prices are likely to rise. One of Ed...

Alan is there for a friend in need, and Fallon is shocked by a controversial move.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has backed a proposal for Canada to become the EU's first "associate member". Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has been seeking closer ties with Europe as relations with the United States deteriorate over trade. Also: Rescuers in Gaza are searching for survivors after a war-damaged building collapsed overnight, killing more than...

As businesses in the US prepare themselves for a potential interest rates hike, Luke Wilson hears from a dairy farmer about how it could impact his bottom line. Plus, as President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen backs a proposal for Canada to become an associate member of the EU we ask, just what could that relationship look like?

More than 2,000 people have fled across the Red Sea into neighbouring Djibouti as fighting in Yemen escalates. The renewed conflict between the Iran-backed Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has also displaced more than 100,000 people inside Yemen. Iran‑aligned Houthi rebels have seized Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast after fierce battles with government forces, tightening their h...

& reaction to the eligibility row between NI and RoI football governing bodies

Katy Watson highlights Australia’s complex, turbulent and evolving relationship with their number one trading partner - China. Having signed a free trade agreement eleven years ago, in recent years there has been a marked shift in relations, with Canberra balancing its security dependence on Washington with its economic reliance on Beijing. From businesses, diplomats and military personnel, Katy W...

We look at three solutions connected to the “three Rs” – reduce, reuse and recycle. The city of Brussels in Belgium is in the process of moving all 40 municipal nurseries over to reusable nappies – and have managed to do it without their staff kicking up a stink! Also energy companies around the world have found ways to encourage customers to reduce their consumption by making it fun, and lastly w...

In recent weeks the US Treasury Secretary has tried to tame the bond markets. But can Scott Bessent succeed where so many before him have failed? Also the luxury brand LVMH appears to be losing some of its shine. Why has the luxury giant lost its appeal and how much is the second-hand market to blame? Elsewhere the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed more than 3,400 p...

Tony attempts to get involved, and Lynda finds herself intrigued.

As fuel prices rise across the world, Luke Wilson hears from an economist in Germany about the impact on the country's industry. Plus, how are costs to borrow money affecting mortgage rates?