The latest shipping forecast

National and international news from BBC Radio 4

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Rev Rose Hudson Wilkin

More than thirty thousand badgers were culled this year, in the government's plan to crack down on bovine TB. Show more

David Attenborough presents the snow bunting. Show more

News and current affairs, including Yesterday in Parliament, Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.

How Joni Mitchell's song 'River', from her iconic 1971 album Blue, continues to inspire people. With Rob Crossan. From 2018. Show more

Why does bad food taste so good? Science sleuths Drs Rutherford and Fry investigate. From December 2018. Show more

An exhibition of samplers at the National Museum of Scotland and the children who stitched them. Harriet Harman. Christmas as a single parent. Award-winning director Susanne Bier. Show more

A tale of likely murder, mysterious cats and ecclesiastical carvings. Starring Mark Gatiss and Michael Bertenshaw. Show more

Aunt and niece debate the importance of women asserting themselves in the workplace. Fi Glover presents. Show more

What is required to create a society based on a shared sense of belonging? Douglas Alexander explores the power of stories and asks why we have run out of tales that bind. Show more

Tim Vine hears life stories of the British public including a mysterious job in a reservoir and a quiz about trifle. From 2016. Show more

1870s: Thatcher has to choose sides - with terrible consequences. Read by Patrick Kennedy and Laurel Lefkow. Show more

More care homes are opening their doors to young children - we find out why. Plus why some people are criticising Chester Zoo's fundraising efforts after a fire at the weekend. Show more

The latest weather forecast.

Mon-Thurs: Analysis of news and current affairs, presented by Sarah Montague. Fri: Analysis of news and current affairs, presented by Mark Mardell.

Iconographer Aidan Hart explains the strange perspectives of the icon. Show more

Helen receives a helping hand and Ruairi attempts to drum up support Show more

By Katherine Jakeways. George reluctantly agrees to dress up as Santa for his grandchildren’s school Christmas fair. Festive comedy drama starring Geoffrey Palmer. Show more

More than 45% of UK households keep a pet. It's estimated that we spend almost £4.5 billion a year on them. Yet research suggests we underestimate what it costs to keep them.

Claudia Hammond explores some common myths in neuroscience. She looks at myths in education, sex and gender, plus how much we can really train our brains. Show more

Laurie Taylor and guests consider how our lives are becoming increasingly ruled by metrics and why we shouldn't always trust the stats. Show more

Amol Rajan is joined by the editor of the Racing Post and the founder of a slow news magazine. Show more

Mother and daughter reflect on the patronising nature of careers advice given to black girls in the past. Fi Glover presents. Show more

PM at 5pm: interviews, context and analysis.

Minister sets out post Brexit immigration system.

Una Stubbs tells Victoria Coren Mitchell about her childhood, motherhood and acting from Summer Holiday to Sherlock. From 2018. Show more

There's a shock for Brian and Roy finds himself caught in the middle Show more

Eileen Atkins looks back at her career including roles in The Crown and Gosford Park; film director and actress Penny Marshall's obituary; Sister Bliss on BBC One's This Is My Song Show more

A tale of likely murder, mysterious cats and ecclesiastical carvings. Starring Mark Gatiss and Michael Bertenshaw. Show more

Young people from Ireland and Northern Ireland gather in the border city of Derry/Londonderry to discuss what Brexit will mean for their lives. Audrey Carville chairs a live debate Show more

Why does bad food taste so good? Science sleuths Drs Rutherford and Fry investigate. From December 2018. Show more

Naomi Alderman's tale is of Lucretius, author of a 2000 year old poem that theorised about atoms and the natural world Show more

How Joni Mitchell's song 'River', from her iconic 1971 album Blue, continues to inspire people. With Rob Crossan. From 2018. Show more

UK will allow people to work and settle in UK based on skills not where they're from Show more

1870s: Thatcher has to choose sides - with terrible consequences. Read by Patrick Kennedy and Laurel Lefkow. Show more

Fast-paced, one-man sketch comedy show from YouTube star, Damien Slash. From the surreal to the satirical. From 2018. Show more

'Operation Christmas' with Pam Ayres and Geoffrey Whitehead. Pam and Gordon can't agree on how to spend Christmas this year. Show more

Sean Curran reports from Westminster, where Jeremy Corybn denies calling Theresa May a 'stupid woman' and the government unveils its post-Brexit immigration policy. Show more

The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.

In his book, the journalist demolishes the cliche that creativity is the sole preserve of the young. Read by Darren Boyd. Show more

The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping

BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.