BBC

Money Box can exclusively reveal there has been a sharp rise in the number of people applying to have water meters fitted to try to bring their bills down. The data has been shared with this programme by the Consumer Council for Water, the CCW, the which speaks for water consumers in England and Wales. It comes after record April price rises for water with average bills rising more than £120 to over £600 per year.

Cash ISAs appear to have been reprieved - at least for now. Until Friday morning there was widespread speculation that the Chancellor might announce on Tuesday that the amount you could put into a cash ISA would be slashed from £20,000, perhaps to as little as £4000. The idea was that would fit in with government plans to encourage investment by nudging people with £20,000 to spare to use the rest of their tax free ISA allowance to invest in shares instead. However, Money Box understands that won't happen - certainly not on Tuesday when Rachel Reeves gives her annual Mansion House speech to the City of London. We'll look at what that might mean.

And what does a major ruling on a divorce case in the Supreme Court mean for how wealth is split between couples in the future?

Presenter: Paul Lewis

Reporter: Dan Whitworth

Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner

Editor: Jess Quayle

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 12th July 2025)

US President Donald Trump says he'll meet Vladimir Putin in the coming days. Speaking in Washington DC, Trump said any ceasefire deal might involve territorial swaps between Ukraine and Russia. We hear from former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who saw Trump and Putin interact in person during the former's first term in office.

Following the death of the astronaut, Jim Lovell, aged 97, we hear from two people who knew him about what he contributed to space travel.

Also: is it annoying to overuse the word "like"? We hear from author of new book on the subject.

US President Donald Trump is hosting the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House. In 2023 Azerbaijan took full control of the contested area of Nagorno-Karabakh - so what's in a peace deal for both sides, and for the US?

Also on the programme: a former officer in the Israeli military analyses Prime Minister Netanyahu’s plan to fully occupy Gaza City; and could there be a giant gas planet near Earth with moons that could support life?

(Photo: US President Trump delivers remarks, Washington DC, 7th August 2025. Credit: Shaun Thew/EPA/Shutterstock)

Writer: Liz John

Director: Pip Swallow

Editor: Jeremy Howe

Brian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood

Ben Archer…. Ben Norris

David Archer…. Timothy Bentinck

Ruth Archer…. Felicity Finch

Susan Carter…. Charlotte Martin

Justin Elliott…. Simon Williams

Amber Gordon…. Charlotte Jordan

Emma Grundy…. Emerald O’Hanrahan

Will Grundy…. Philip Malloy

Jakob Hakansson…. Paul Venables

Brad Horrobin…. Taylor Uttley

Kate Madikane…. Perdita Avery

Kirsty Miller…. Annabelle Dowler

Lily Pargetter…. Katie Redford

Stella Pryor…. Lucy Speed

Oliver Sterling…. Michael Cochrane

Dane…. Stavros Demetraki

Wealth tax - no brainer or non starter? Catherine Bohart unpicks the arguments raging about the mooted solution to Britain's infamous financial black hole with plenty of silliness thrown in. With Baroness Ayesha Hazarika MBE, Sunil Patel and tax expert Dr Emma Chamberlain OBE.

Written by Catherine Bohart, with Madeleine Brettingham, Tom Neenan and Pravanya Pillay.

Producer: Alison Vernon Smith

Executive Producers: Lyndsay Fenner & Victoria Lloyd

Sound Design: David Thomas

Production Co-ordinator: Katie Sayer

A Mighty Bunny production for BBC Radio 4

A fresh start for what was once Europe’s most ambitious electric battery manufacturer.

We explore why California-based Lyten has stepped in to acquire the bankrupt Swedish firm Northvolt and whether a startup can truly take on China’s dominance in battery technology.

Climate change is threatening the purity of France’s famous mineral waters. The BBC's Hugh Schofield visits the home of Perrier to find out why.

Plus, Africa’s first elected female president, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, argues it’s time for the continent’s vast natural resource wealth to deliver greater benefits at home.

The Zambian government has dismissed claims of dangerous pollution in the Copperbelt mining region, following safety concerns raised by the US embassy. On Wednesday, the US issued a health alert, ordering the immediate withdrawal of its personnel due to concerns of "widespread contamination of water and soil", linked to a spill at the Sino-Metals mine in February. Zambian journalist, Dingindaba Buyoya tells us about the uneasiness the statement by the USA is causing.

Also, as Uganda hosts nearly two million displaced people. Can it cope with the rising numbers?

And the impact of cocoa smuggling on prices for farmers, entrepreneurs and consumers.

Presenter: Charles Gitonga

Producers: Bella Hassan, Yvette Twagiramariya and Stefania Okereke in London with Richard Kagoe and Jewel Kiriungi in Nairobi.

Technical Producer: Gabriel O 'Regan

Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp

Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

The Israeli government's decision to take over Gaza City has prompted criticism from international leaders, including Germany, a long-time ally of Israel and one of its largest arms suppliers. The prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier said his ultimate aim was the occupation of the whole of the Gaza Strip. The security cabinet wants the disarmament of Hamas, the return of all hostages and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration.

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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial plans for a new military push in the Gaza Strip have raised warnings from the army leadership, opposition from hostage families and concerns that more Palestinians will be killed.

We'll hear from a resident of the territory and find out why the Israeli government thinks an intensification of the war will work now.

Also in the programme: We'll hear about fresh allegations against the Australian woman who poisoned three of her relatives; and why some of France's most prestigious mineral water companies are up to their necks in crisis.

(Photo shows Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at a conference in Jerusalem on 27July 2025. Credit: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

A warning this interview will have adult themes and will not be suitable for children