Tequila with the bat man

Ian Rankin has been called “the king of crime fiction”. His Inspector Rebus books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, translated into 37 languages. And yet, as he embarks on writing the next in his series, he reveals that “sitting down and actually writing the books is hard… and it's not getting any easier.” Where does he begin and where might the series end? Recorded across Scotland over several months, we follow Ian Rankin as he gets his next novel into shape.

30 Sep 202426min

On October 1st, Claudia Sheinbaum will take office and become Mexico's first female president. What will her presidency look like? With Laura García from BBC Mundo and Luis Fajardo from BBC Monitoring. Produced by Caroline Ferguson and Alice Gioia.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

28 Sep 202426min

The escalating conflict between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel is being described as one of the most intense in recent times. The current fighting has been taking place since October last year with the start of the conflict in Gaza. There have been hundreds of deaths in the past couple of weeks, thousands of injuries and tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. In our conversations, we talk with two doctors in Beirut who treated victims of the exploding pagers and walkie-talkies that targeted Hezbollah operatives. We also bring together people in southern Lebanon, including Zaahra who is reluctant to leave her home despite bombardment by Israeli forces. “It’s our land, it’s where we grew up,” she tells host Luke Jones.

28 Sep 202423min

In Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, queues of people of all faiths visit a Greek Orthodox Church on the first day of each month to make a wish. Emily Wither spoke to devotees who shared their hopes and desires, as they stood patiently in long lines. No one knows exactly how the tradition started, but visitors take a gold key and descend the stairs to the underground Byzantine chapel to visit an ancient spring believed to have miraculous and spiritual powers. Once their wish comes true, they return the key to the church, who pass it on to others wishing for good luck.

27 Sep 202426min

A bonus episode from The Inquiry. Just over three years ago the Taliban seized Kabul and stormed to power in Afghanistan. They soon declared a new government which is still not recognised by any other country. The Taliban claim they have made improvements to the country. War is over and, they say, there is more peace and security than before they came to power. But millions of people are struggling to survive in the country, there is a restrictive rule of law that is imposed by a very hierarchical government structure and half the population need aid. This week on The Inquiry we’re asking ‘How are the Taliban governing Afghanistan?’ The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world. For more episodes just search for The Inquiry wherever you get your BBC Podcasts. Presenter: Emily Wither Producers: Louise Clarke and Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott T echnical Producers: Nicky Edwards and Cameron Ward Contributors: Dr Weeda Mehran, co-director for Advanced Internationalist studies at Exeter University Graeme Smith, senior analyst for the International Crisis Group Dr Orzala Nemet, research associate at ODI Overseas Development Institute Javid Ahmad, non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC

26 Sep 202423min

What do Hollywood legend Leo DiCaprio, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, and English zoologist Jane Goodall have in common? They have all taken to social media to call for the protection of the Masungi Georeserve, a popular ecotourism destination in the Philippines. This comes after the Philippine government proposed scrapping a contract with the reserve that handed it control over 2,700 hectares of land for reforestation purposes. As public debate rages on, BBC Trending has uncovered evidence of an online disinformation campaign targeting the nature reserve’s keepers. But who is the puppet master pulling the strings from the shadows?

25 Sep 202419min

A bonus episode from The Climate Question podcast.BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt travels to Somalia to investigate the links between global warming and the decades-long conflict there. He hears how Somalis are responding by launching businesses and their own renewables industry.For more episodes on the issues facing our planet and how we might combat them, just search for The Climate Question wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Presenter: Justin Rowlatt Producer in Somalia: Stuart Phillips Producers in London: Miho Tanaka, Sara Hegarty Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and David Crackles Editor: Simon Watts

25 Sep 202427min

The US ‘pro-life’ movement has gained ground in recent years, with courts overturning women’s right to an abortion and questioning the legality of IVF fertility treatments. The question at the heart of the debate is when does life begin? ‘Pro-life’ has become synonymous with evangelical Christianity - often considered a powerful voting bloc in America. But how united are Christian preachers? And what does this tell us about the upcoming election? Ellie House reports from the divided churches in the swing state of Michigan.

24 Sep 202426min