News roundup and analysis from BBC World Service.

Mark Tully considers the importance of firm foundations -for buildings, for faith, for life. Producer Nigel Acheson Repeated at 11.30pm

Ducks, Decoys, Dave and His Dog. Brett Westwood catches mallard ducks in Gloucestershire. Producer Sheena Duncan

Sri Lanka v England
The Third Test at Colombo. Commentary on the fourth day's play.
Producer Peter Baxter ★Approximate time

With Roger Bolton. Series producer Amanda Hancox

David Gower appeals on behalf of the Bat Conservation Trust. Donations: [address removed] Credit Cards [number removed] Producer Sally Flatman Repeated at 9.26pm

The last in the series for Advent, reflecting on groups of people in the nativity story. 4: The foreigner. Seasonal hymns and readings from St Germans Church, Cardiff, with Father Roy Doxsey and the Cardiff Polyphonic Choir conducted by John Hugh Thomas. Producer the Rev Roy Jenkins

With Alistair Cooke. Repeated from Fnday

Analysis of the week's news with Patrick O'Connell.

Repeated from Fri

Sri Lanka v England
The Third Test at Colombo. Commentary on the fourth day's play.
Producer Peter Baxter ★Approximate time

Omnibus edition.

Omnibus edition.

From the Grand Theatre and Opera House in Leeas. Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Barry Cryer are joined by special guest Jeremy Hardy. With Humphrey Lyttelton in the chair. Repeated from Monday

Andrew Jefford raises a glass to a vintage year tor English sparklingwhite wine. Producer Rebecca Wells Extended repeat tomorrow at 4pm

Weekend With James Cox.
Editor Richard Clark

4: Veteran correspondent Ann Leslie has reported from at least 70 countries during her career, She shares with Emily Buchanan some of the music that recalls those assignments and her Indian childhood. Producer Merilyn Harris

A Christmas edition from Mojacar in Spain where Matthew Biggs , Bunny Guinness and John Cortes are guests of the Dames in Spain. They meet
Betty Ward , who has battled to create a garden in Europe s only desert. Plus a report on gardening in a semi-arid environment. Producer Trevor Taylor

At a Christmas house party in north Wales the guests exchange philosophical flirtations under the eye of Miss Brindle-Mew, determined to marry off her niece and nephew before the festivities are over.

Repeated on Saturday 27 December at 9pm

Mariella Frostrup and guests, including
Hanif Kureshi , Terry Pratchett and Anthony Minghella , discuss the art of adapting novels for the big screen. Producer Erin Riley Repeated on Christmas Day at 7.15pm

Michael Symmons Roberts meets the Irish poet John O'Donohue at his Connemara home, in the bleak yet beautiful landscape that inspires his work in the Christian and Celtic traditions.
Producer Norman Winter Repeated on Sat 27 December at 11.30pm

The enlargement of the European Union next year is one of the boldest steps taken in the history of European unification. David Sells travels to Cyprus, Slovenia and Poland to ask what the old dreams of unity mean in today's volatile world. Repeated from Tuesday

3: The last programme in this series of extraordinary stories from six diverse NHS workers. An art therapist talks about his inspirational work caringfor the elderly, and a psychiatric nurse recalls the case of a woman who had murdered her own baby.
Producer Simon Jacobs Repeated Saturday 27 December 7.45pm

Fi Glover presents her selection of excerpts from BBC radio over the past seven days.
Phone: [number removed] Fax: [number removed] email: [address removed]

Alan and Joe strike a deal.
Repeated tomorrow at 2pm
Soap & Flannel with Alison Graham : page 41

Join Barney Harwood to learn about the history of pantomime. Plus, the fourth episode of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken. Producer Johnny VLeagas

Five stories from cutting-edge writers.
2: Old Dogs, New Tricks by Stella Duffy , read by Marlene Sidaway. Marion Glaister has worked for the same company for 30 years. She is devastated when she is given three months' notice but, always pragmatic, Marion makes sure that her presence will be sorely missed. Producer Elizabeth Allard

Rosie Goldsmith hears how English-language radio stations around the globe explore our final journey, including the moving tale of the Texan prison warden who has witnessed scores of executions. Repeated from Friday

Michael Rosen presents another programme about words and the way we speak. 3: Cats and Dogs Rosen looks at different ways of saying that it's raining and asks what's so bad about Brummie. Repeated from Friday

Repeated from yesterday at 12.04pm

(Repeat from 7.55am)

Playing the Global Game. As the dividing line between foreign and domestic policy disappears, Britain will find it increasingly difficult to pursue narrow, national interests. But are we equipped to cope with the new challenges? With Quentin Peel. Repeated from Thursday

Andrew Rawnsley reports from behind the scenes at Westminster. Including at 10.45 Keeping It in the Family. 3: Life as an MP. JoumalistJulia Langdon talks to Nicholas Soames , Hilary Benn and other MPs who have followed in their parents' political footsteps. Editor John Evans
Keeping It in the Family repeated on Christmas Eve at 8.45pm

Writer and film-maker Roger Deakin and director
Kristine Landon-Smith talk to Sue MacGregor about theirfavourite books. Repeated from Tuesday

Repeated from 6.05am

2: Flamenco. The entrancing story of flamenco is told by author and historian Robin Totton.
Producer Sara Conkey

Sri Lanka v England
Commentary on the fifth and final day's play in the Third Test from Colombo, Sri Lanka.
ProducerPeterBaxter*Approximate time