BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule Saturday 31 January 2026

West and Central Africa Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 00:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 00:06GMT
  
  Unexpected Elements—Are you still with us?
  
  China’s viral app has us contemplating the science of connection. (R)
3. 01:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 01:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
4. 01:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—31/01/2026 01:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
5. 01:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 01:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
6. 01:32GMT
  
  The Global Story—How Palantir became indispensable
  
  The software firm has become the go-to-tool for governments worldwide (R)
7. 02:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 02:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
8. 02:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—31/01/2026 02:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
9. 02:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 02:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
10. 02:32GMT
  
  This Is Africa—Noura Mint Seymali
  
  Noura Mint Seymali is Mauritania’s biggest female star
11. 03:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 03:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
12. 03:06GMT
  
  Outlook—Outlook Mixtape: Master keys
  
  A key to a gothic mystery, classical keys at the Grammys and a locksmith’s keys to love (R)
13. 03:50GMT
  
  What in the World—Is the US going to attack Iran?
  
  And if they do, what could happen next?
14. 04:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 04:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
15. 04:06GMT
  
  Unexpected Elements—Are you still with us?
  
  China’s viral app has us contemplating the science of connection. (R)
16. 05:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 05:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
17. 05:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—31/01/2026 05:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
18. 05:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 05:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
19. 05:32GMT
  
  The Dark Is Rising—7. The Besieging
  
  Fear on Christmas Day. A man freezing in snow (R)
20. 05:50GMT
  
  More or Less—Could Europe use its financial muscle to strong-arm the US?
  
  Europe holds trillions of dollars of US shares and bonds - but can they use them?
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Morning
1. 06:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 06:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 06:06GMT
  
  Weekend—US Justice department releases millions of Jeffrey Epstein files
  
  The documents include hundreds of mentions of Trump
3. 07:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 07:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
4. 07:06GMT
  
  Weekend—United Nations on brink of collapse, Secretary General warns
  
  The US refused to contribute to its regular and peacekeeping budgets
5. 08:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 08:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
6. 08:06GMT
  
  Weekend—Justice department releases three million pages
  
  The release comes six weeks after a deadline mandated in a law signed by Trump
7. 09:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 09:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
8. 09:06GMT
  
  BBC Conversations—ICE in Minnesota
  
  How life has changed since Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived (R)
9. 09:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 09:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
10. 09:32GMT
  
  Americast—Can Trump really save the midterms for the Republicans?
  
  The president kicks off the Republican election campaign in Iowa
11. 10:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 10:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
12. 10:06GMT
  
  Not by the Playbook—Flying the flag
  
  Iranian skier Samaneh Beyrami Baher on competing at her second Winter Olympics
13. 11:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 11:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
14. 11:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—31/01/2026 11:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
15. 11:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 11:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
16. 11:32GMT
  
  Unspun World with John Simpson—Is Europe toughening its stance on Trump?
  
  John Simpson analyses EU-US relations after the row over Greenland (R)
Back to top
Afternoon
1. 12:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 12:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 12:06GMT
  
  Top of the Pops—The Damned and Louis Tomlinson
  
  The latest UK music charts with guests The Damned and Louis Tomlinson
3. 13:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 13:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
4. 13:06GMT
  
  Newshour—At least 200 dead in DR Congo mining collapse, authorities say
  
  Women and children were among those mining coltan - used in smartphones - at the time
5. 14:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 14:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
6. 14:06GMT
  
  Sportsworld—Live Sporting Action
  
  Live sport from around the world with - including the English Premier League
Back to top
Evening
1. 18:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 18:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 18:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—31/01/2026 18:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
3. 18:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 18:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
4. 18:32GMT
  
  This Is Africa—Noura Mint Seymali
  
  Noura Mint Seymali is Mauritania’s biggest female star (R)
5. 19:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 19:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
6. 19:06GMT
  
  BBC Conversations—ICE in Minnesota
  
  How life has changed since Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived (R)
7. 19:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 19:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
8. 19:32GMT
  
  Happy News—The Happy Pod: What makes people instinctively kind?
  
  Lessons in kindness from an expert inspired by a stranger risking his life to save hers
9. 20:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 20:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
10. 20:06GMT
  
  The Arts Hour—Film-maker Akinola Davies Jnr
  
  British Nigerian writer director Akinola Davies Jnr on his film, My Father’s Shadow
11. 21:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 21:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
12. 21:06GMT
  
  Newshour—Doubts over next round of Ukraine peace talks
  
  President Zelensky has suggested planned peace talks on Sunday may be delayed
13. 22:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 22:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
14. 22:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—31/01/2026 22:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
15. 22:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 22:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
16. 22:32GMT
  
  This Is Africa—Noura Mint Seymali
  
  Noura Mint Seymali is Mauritania’s biggest female star (R)
17. 23:00GMT
  
  BBC News—31/01/2026 23:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
18. 23:06GMT
  
  People Fixing The World—Helping prisoners become better parents
  
  An innovative scheme in Scotland is helping dads in prison become better parents (R)
19. 23:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—31/01/2026 23:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
20. 23:32GMT
  
  The Bomb—Kennedy and Khrushchev, 9. Black Saturday
  
  9/10 Soviet anti-aircraft fire brings down a spy plane over Cuba – the crisis spirals (R)
Back to top
Late
1. 00:00GMT
  
  BBC News—01/02/2026 00:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
2. 00:06GMT
  
  BBC Conversations—ICE in Minnesota
  
  How life has changed since Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived (R)
3. 00:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—01/02/2026 00:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
4. 00:32GMT
  
  The Fifth Floor—Archaeology and war
  
  A Russian archaeologist has been imprisoned for his dig in occupied Crimea
5. 01:00GMT
  
  BBC News—01/02/2026 01:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
6. 01:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—01/02/2026 01:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
7. 01:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—01/02/2026 01:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
8. 01:32GMT
  
  The Dark Is Rising—7. The Besieging
  
  Fear on Christmas Day. A man freezing in snow (R)
9. 01:50GMT
  
  Sporting Witness—Playing rugby during Syria’s civil war
  
  How rugby union thrived during Syria's civil war
10. 02:00GMT
  
  BBC News—01/02/2026 02:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
11. 02:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—01/02/2026 02:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
12. 02:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—01/02/2026 02:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
13. 02:32GMT
  
  Health Check—South African coming-of-age initiations
  
  As 48 young men die due to complications from circumcision, what needs to change? (R)
14. 03:00GMT
  
  BBC News—01/02/2026 03:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
15. 03:06GMT
  
  The Documentary—Shepherd's eye in the sky
  
  Bola Mosuro meets the nomadic herders feeding Africa and fighting climate change
16. 04:00GMT
  
  BBC News—01/02/2026 04:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
17. 04:06GMT
  
  From Our Own Correspondent—Myanmar's stage-managed election
  
  The military choreographed every step - and voters were too afraid to speak out
18. 04:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—01/02/2026 04:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
19. 04:32GMT
  
  Unspun World with John Simpson—Is Europe toughening its stance on Trump?
  
  John Simpson analyses EU-US relations after the row over Greenland (R)
20. 05:00GMT
  
  BBC News—01/02/2026 05:01 GMT
  
  The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.
21. 05:06GMT
  
  The Newsroom—01/02/2026 05:06 GMT
  
  The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen
22. 05:30GMT
  
  BBC News Summary—01/02/2026 05:30 GMT
  
  The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.
23. 05:32GMT
  
  The Documentary—Hungary: The alternative to Orban
  
  Can opposition leader Peter Magyar challenge Viktor Orban? (R)

Sunday 1 February 2026

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