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National and international news from BBC Radio 4

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Cardinal Vincent Nichols. Show more

Jo Lonsdale visits an ancient Northumberland estate being converted back to how it would have been farmed more than two hundred years ago. Show more

Chris Packham presents the mallard. Show more

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

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the great comedies of world literature in which love and desire in Illyria sit uneasily alongside thwarted dreams and compromise. Show more

Two care-experienced women on breaking through the so-called 'care ceiling'. Show more

The Paiche is a giant freshwater fish that's invading Bolivia's Amazonian rivers. A boon for local fishermen, biologists worry about its impact on local species. Show more

Eartha Kitt was a singer and performer from South Carolina who was as famous for her trademark growl as she was for hits like 'Santa Baby', 'Uksa Dara' and 'Old Fashioned Girl'. Show more

The many variations of Bob Dylan’s life and music told in his own words, combining rare interviews, studio outtakes, archive and musings. Show more

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Forty-five minutes of news, analysis and comment.

Rhianna Pratchett learns about banshees, in her quest to meet mythical creatures and discover what they reveal about us. Show more

Alice finds herself on the spot and Kate has reservations Show more

Two strangers look back on an incident that happened a couple of years ago, just before the world turned upside down. As they do so, they take stock of what's happened since. Show more

Actress and presenter Joanna Lumley makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of ShelterBox. Show more

Chris Power shares some of the highlights of the year on Open Book. Show more

Greg James heads into the BBC archives using stories of the week and listener requests to guide the way. This week: Enid Blyton, Winifred Atwell, talking dogs and traffic news. Show more

Marnie Chesterton and Victoria Gill embark on a science version of the classic Christmas song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ in this festive special. Show more

Afternoon news and current affairs programme, reporting on breaking stories and summing up the day's headlines

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Egypt has confirmed it is going to put forward a new peace plan for the region.

Orinoco's been finding the winter famine particularly tough and an impulsive incident leads to a rescue mission for his best friend Bungo. Performed by Richard E Grant. Show more

Comedian Ken Cheng focuses his analytical observations on school subjects. In the last of the series, Ken takes on science, and grapples with the shortcomings of the subject. Show more

Justin takes a big step and Ed has a controversial suggestion Show more

TV writer and director Sally Wainwright talks to John Wilson about her formative cultural influences. Show more

A US whistle-blower’s shocking claims about UFOs have sparked a new debate on intelligent aliens. The US government has promised to be more open about unexplained sightings. Show more

It is hard to explain Carolyn’s obsession with Dave, but perhaps there are clues in her past – and his – which help make sense of a relationship which lurches from calm to stormy. Show more

Marnie Chesterton and Victoria Gill embark on a science version of the classic Christmas song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ in this festive special. Show more

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the great comedies of world literature in which love and desire in Illyria sit uneasily alongside thwarted dreams and compromise. Show more

In depth reporting, intelligent analysis and breaking news from a global perspective Show more

Saki celebrates Christmas with two gently satiric stories on the giving and receiving of gifts. Show more

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Michael Carter and actor Mathew Baynton to learn about medieval European ghost stories. Show more

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Ell Potter reads the third in this year's BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University. Show more

The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping

BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.