BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East Schedule Saturday 23 May 2026

Europe and the Middle East Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 00:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 00:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—23/05/2026 00:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
3. 00:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—23/05/2026 00:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
4. 00:32GMT
  
  The Global Story—Has the US set the stage for military intervention in Cuba?
  
  Cuba’s former leader faces criminal charges in the US - but what’s the view from Havana? (R)
5. 01:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 01:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
6. 01:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—23/05/2026 01:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
7. 01:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—23/05/2026 01:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
8. 01:32GMT
  
  This Is Africa—XIV and Voila Lulu
  
  Meet XIV from Cabo Verde and young Beninese artist Voila Lulu
9. 02:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 02:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
10. 02:06GMT
  
  Outlook—Outlook Mixtape: Stories from the small print
  
  Three surprising tales spun from the world of advertising (R)
11. 02:50GMT
  
  Witness History—Canada's worst E.coli outbreak
  
  In 2000, contaminated drinking water triggered one of Canada’s worst health disasters (R)
12. 03:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 03:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
13. 03:06GMT
  
  Unexpected Elements—Unexpected enhancements
  
  From cocaine salmon to peptides we look at performance enhancement (R)
14. 04:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 04:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
15. 04:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—23/05/2026 04:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
16. 04:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—23/05/2026 04:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
17. 04:32GMT
  
  Inheritance: Samsung—Samsung, 9. Leverage
  
  9/10 JY Lee steps into the biggest role of his life. Can he navigate business and politics?
18. 04:50GMT
  
  More or Less—Is the ‘loneliness epidemic’ real?
  
  We investigate if loneliness is increasing at epidemic rates
19. 05:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 05:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
20. 05:06GMT
  
  Weekend—DRC says Ebola cases reported across several conflict-hit areas
  
  WHO upgrades risk assessment for current outbreak to ‘very high’
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Morning
1. 06:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 06:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 06:06GMT
  
  Weekend—WHO head says Ebola risk remains ‘low’ globally
  
  Outbreak centred on DR Congo has resulted in 177 suspected deaths
3. 07:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 07:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
4. 07:06GMT
  
  Weekend—At least 90 dead in Chinese coal mine explosion
  
  More than 100 people are said to have been taken to hospital
5. 08:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 08:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
6. 08:06GMT
  
  Top of the Pops—Drake and Karma Effect
  
  Brand new UK album and singles chart, plus reaction to Drake's three-album drop
7. 09:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 09:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
8. 09:06GMT
  
  Not by the Playbook—Dominance
  
  To win is one thing, to dominate quite another
9. 10:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 10:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
10. 10:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—23/05/2026 10:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
11. 10:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—23/05/2026 10:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
12. 10:32GMT
  
  Unspun World with John Simpson—Are US-China relations at a turning point?
  
  John Simpson analyses whether there has been a shift in the US-China relationship (R)
13. 11:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 11:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
14. 11:06GMT
  
  The Documentary—The Sarkozy affair
  
  The story of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s rise and fall
Back to top
Afternoon
1. 12:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 12:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 12:06GMT
  
  Newshour—Reports of another attack on an Ebola treatment centre in the DRC
  
  Reports from DRC say an Ebola treatment centre in Ituri province has been destroyed
3. 13:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 13:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
4. 13:06GMT
  
  Sportsworld—23/05/2026 GMT
  
  Live sport from around the world with news, interviews and analysis.
5. 17:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 17:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
6. 17:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—23/05/2026 17:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
7. 17:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—23/05/2026 17:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
8. 17:32GMT
  
  Americast—Will Trump invade Cuba?
  
  The US charges Cuba’s 94-year-old former president Raul Castro with murder.
Back to top
Evening
1. 18:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 18:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 18:06GMT
  
  The Inquiry—Are the Himalayan glaciers at a tipping point?
  
  Melting Himalayan glaciers are increasing the risk to communities and the ecosystem (R)
3. 18:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—23/05/2026 18:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
4. 18:32GMT
  
  Happy News—The Happy Pod: The art of ageing gracefully
  
  We find out why art is good for you and how you can view world-renowned pieces from home
5. 19:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 19:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
6. 19:06GMT
  
  The Arts Hour—Sandra Oh, star of Killing Eve and Grey’s Anatomy
  
  Killing Eve star Sandra Oh on her UK Theatrical debut
7. 20:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 20:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
8. 20:06GMT
  
  Newshour—Trump: Iran ‘a lot closer’ to agreement
  
  Tehran also signals that progress on a peace deal has been made
9. 21:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 21:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
10. 21:06GMT
  
  Not by the Playbook—Dominance
  
  To win is one thing, to dominate quite another (R)
11. 22:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 22:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
12. 22:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—23/05/2026 22:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
13. 22:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—23/05/2026 22:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
14. 22:32GMT
  
  This Is Africa—XIV and Voila Lulu
  
  Meet XIV from Cabo Verde and young Beninese artist Voila Lulu (R)
15. 23:00GMT
  
  BBC News—23/05/2026 23:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
16. 23:06GMT
  
  BBC Conversations—Life in a volcano danger zone
  
  People who live and work near volcanos talk of the danger and why it's worth it (R)
17. 23:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—23/05/2026 23:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
18. 23:32GMT
  
  The Documentary—When Shiraz calls
  
  Intimate conversations of two Iranian sisters - one in the UK, the other in Iran (R)
Back to top
Late
1. 00:00GMT
  
  BBC News—24/05/2026 00:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 00:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—24/05/2026 00:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
3. 00:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—24/05/2026 00:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
4. 00:32GMT
  
  Inheritance: Samsung—Samsung, 9. Leverage
  
  9/10 JY Lee steps into the biggest role of his life. Can he navigate business and politics? (R)
5. 00:50GMT
  
  Sporting Witness—Shakhtar Donetsk win the UEFA Cup
  
  In 2009, Shakhtar Donetsk was the first club in independent Ukraine to win the UEFA Cup
6. 01:00GMT
  
  BBC News—24/05/2026 01:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
7. 01:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—24/05/2026 01:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
8. 01:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—24/05/2026 01:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
9. 01:32GMT
  
  Health Check—Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo
  
  An outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo is declared a health emergency (R)
10. 02:00GMT
  
  BBC News—24/05/2026 02:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
11. 02:06GMT
  
  The Documentary—The Sarkozy affair
  
  The story of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s rise and fall (R)
12. 03:00GMT
  
  BBC News—24/05/2026 03:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
13. 03:06GMT
  
  From Our Own Correspondent—Sudan: Picking up the pieces in Khartoum
  
  The once-storied, much-loved Sudanese capital shows some signs of recovery from civil war
14. 03:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—24/05/2026 03:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
15. 03:32GMT
  
  Unspun World with John Simpson—Are US-China relations at a turning point?
  
  John Simpson analyses whether there has been a shift in the US-China relationship (R)
16. 04:00GMT
  
  BBC News—24/05/2026 04:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
17. 04:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—24/05/2026 04:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
18. 04:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—24/05/2026 04:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
19. 04:32GMT
  
  The Documentary—When Shiraz calls
  
  Intimate conversations of two Iranian sisters - one in the UK, the other in Iran (R)
20. 05:00GMT
  
  BBC News—24/05/2026 05:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
21. 05:06GMT
  
  Weekend—Trump says Iran deal 'largely negotiated'
  
  Trump says deal will include reopening of the Strait of Hormuz

Sunday 24 May 2026

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