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Iran has threatened shipping in the Persian Gulf and Straits of Hormuz as fighting between the country and the US and Israel escalates. Today, US President Donald Trump says he took the decision to launch a war against Iran because it was the "last, best chance" to stop the country's regime. We devote the entire programme to the conflict, and enlist a panel of experts to guide us through it: Rana Rahimpour is an Iranian-British journalist and former BBC Persian presenter and reporter; Kirsten Fontenrose was senior director for the Gulf at The US National Security Council in the first Trump Administration; and Sir Simon Fraser is a former head of the Foreign Office, now Chair of the British foreign policy institute Chatham House.

Here in the UK, Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK's decision not to join the US-Israeli strikes on Iran was "deliberate", adding his government "does not believe in regime change from the skies". We assess the state of relations between the US and UK.

President Donald Trump says the US continues to carry out "large-scale combat operations" in Iran to eliminate threats posed by the Iranian regime. As explosions thunder across the Iranian capital, we'll hear from a journalist in Tehran.

Also on the programme: the conflict spreading into Lebanon and across the Gulf, and why one Trump-supporting American commentator believes this war of choice was a mistake.

(Photo: President Donald Trump attends a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC. Credit: Reuters)

The COP30 climate summit is taking place in the Brazilian city of Belém, a gateway to the Amazon rainforest, which continues to face widespread deforestation. We all know that our climate is changing and that we are largely responsible for this, but we can’t tackle the problem unless we understand what’s going on.

One scientist who’s done more than most to rectify this is Professor Pierre Friedlingstein. He’s a prominent climate scientist and Chair in Mathematical Modelling of the Climate System at Exeter University. His models have transformed our understanding of climate change, revealing a complex dynamical system with carbon at its centre, cycling between the atmosphere, oceans and land, to directly influence the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Pierre is actively involved in assessing the state of our climate through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and, as director of the Global Carbon Budget, estimates the remaining amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted before we breach our global climate targets. It’s the ultimate test of effective climate action and the latest annual update will be released at COP.

Pierre explains how we can all play our part to reduce carbon emissions, and he practises what he preaches - he won’t be flying to COP this year so as to minimise his own carbon footprint.

George wants to make amends, and Ruairi’s in a state.

Airlines have grounded flights, one of the world’s busiest airports has shut, and oil prices are climbing after strikes in the Middle East. We hear from investors and analysts as they react in real-time to the US-Israel war with Iran. And we find out how the disruption is affecting air passengers and the wider travel industry.

Plus - we learn how the insurance market is responding to fast-moving events as it assesses coverage and war risk premiums.

The US and Israel strike targets across Iran for a third day. The American Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, says Washington's objectives won't be achieved "overnight" - but promised conflict with Iran would not lead to an "endless war". The violence has now spread across the region, as Iran launches its own attacks on several Gulf states. The Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, exchanges strikes with Israel. Israel's President, Isaac Herzog, tells us that the future of the Middle East hinges on Iran losing the war. And our chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, reflects on what might come next.

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As the US-Israel conflict with Iran intensifies, concerns grow over its effects on Africa, including the security and economic impacts. Thousands of Africans working or traveling in Gulf cities like Dubai, UAE, and Doha, Qatar, are already facing disruptions, with some reportedly stranded at airports. Meanwhile, several African countries have called for urgent de-escalation to prevent the crisis from worsening.

At the same time, Ghana has removed Kotoka’s name from its airport, restoring it to Accra International Airport. The government says national monuments should reflect democracy, not coups. The decision has sparked debate among Ghanaians, coming sixty years after a military coup that reshaped the country’s political history.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna

Producer: Ayuba Iliya, Keikantse Shumba and Godwin Asediba

Technical Producer: Jonathan Mwangi

Senior Producers: Bella Twine and Blessing Aderogba

Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

We hear from Lebanon and head to the Persian Gulf to take a look at the impact on oil prices. Israel's Head of State, President Isaac Herzog speaks to the BBC about his perspective on the conflict.

Also on the programme: we hear about the British allied response to the war as Cyprus remains on high alert and Greece sends military vessels and aircraft to help.

(Photo: Aftermath of an Israeli & US strike in Gandhi Hotel Hospital in Tehran Credit: Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency via Reuters)

Sometimes it can feel like no matter how much you practise speaking, you don’t get any better.

In this episode of our new series, Georgie and Hanan talk about what to do when you feel stuck learning English.

With speaking coaches Rhiannon Carter and Barnaby Griffiths.

WATCH – Find Georgie’s videos with tips to improve your speaking here https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/beating_speaking_anxiety/progress-video

TRANSCRIPT – Read along with this podcast and learn useful vocabulary https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/beating_speaking_anxiety/progress-podcast

NEWSLETTER – Sign up to our email newsletter to hear about our latest lessons and programmes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

How would you recommend people remember which double letters are in accommodation? Catherine and Neil talk about spelling words with double letters, such as 'accommodation'.

Want to boost your speaking skills? Try Beating Speaking Anxiety, our series to help fight your fears of speaking English https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/beating_speaking_anxiety

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