Ara City Radio

In Pakistan, cultural and religious taboos have long limited women’s use of motorcycles, but this is changing. Economic challenges, including soaring car prices, have driven a shift toward two-wheelers, offering women greater independence in commuting to schools, jobs, and markets. Programs like Women on Wheels (WOW), run by Lahore’s traffic police, provide free motorcycle training, with over 6,600 women trained so far. For many, riding a motorcycle symbolizes empowerment. A 23-year-old criminology student described it as “breaking a glass ceiling.” To address safety concerns, one woman even designed a shorter abaya tailored for riding, highlighting how women are innovating to support this growing movement. This shift echoes a similar milestone in the 1980s when women fought for the right to drive cars. Now, motorcycles are opening new doors for women, breaking barriers, and redefining mobility in Pakistan.

In a world often overshadowed by news of extinction, there's a spark of hope: scientists have recently discovered new plant and animal species! Among them are two pirate spiders from St. Helena, a remote Atlantic island. These spiders aggressively take over other spiders' webs and inhabit the island's threatened cloud forest. An expedition to Peru's Alto Mayo region revealed 27 new species, including a semi-aquatic mouse with webbed toes, perfectly adapted to its swampy habitat, and a bizarre blob-headed catfish. One standout discovery is the Cao Bang Crocodile Newt, a tiny, shy creature resembling a mix of crocodile, gecko and frog. With a body like a baby crocodile, orange-tipped toes and a frog-like head, this adorable newt measures just 7 cm. While these discoveries inspire awe, they also carry a sobering message. Many of these species are already on the brink of extinction, largely due to habitat destruction driven by human activity. Each discovery is a reminder of the urgent need to protect Earth'

We're continuing with the story about Jules Hoffmann: in the late ’60s, a young technician in the Strasbourg lab caught Hoffmann’s eye. Little did he know, she’d soon become his wife, the mother of his two children, and his most trusted collaborator. Barely married, she went back to university, earning degrees in biochemistry and biology, joining Jules in his quest to unravel the mysteries of insect immunity. Together, they worked under Professor Joly until Jules took over as her thesis advisor. Their shared passion for science fueled discoveries that would later revolutionize our understanding of innate immunity – work that earned him a Nobel Prize. From the lab to Germany’s research institutes, and back to Strasbourg, Jules’s journey was one of relentless curiosity, groundbreaking discoveries, and teamwork—both professional and personal. His story reminds us that behind every great scientist is a partnership built on shared dreams. Find out more at www.bourgmeisterin.com!

Once upon a time, nestled in the quaint countryside of Beaufort, in the mystical eastern realms of Luxembourg, lie not one, but two castles – a duo of historical wonder that will have you saying, "Medieval meets Renaissance? Sign me up!" Find out more at www.bourgmeisterin.com!

Belgrade is set to introduce free public transport for all residents starting 1 January, Mayor Aleksandar Sapic announced. The initiative aims to reduce road congestion in the city of 1.7 million, where traffic jams are a daily struggle. Over the past decade, an additional 250,000 cars have clogged Belgrade’s streets, leaving many residents stuck in hours-long commutes. While free public transport has worked in smaller or wealthier places like Luxembourg or Tallinn, Belgrade faces unique challenges. The city’s ageing bus fleet and limited tram network are already under strain, and the metro system—currently under construction—won’t be operational until 2030 due to repeated delays. Mayor Sapic has promised to modernize the city’s buses, trams, and trolleybuses by 2027, but these upgrades will come with significant costs. Belgrade’s bold move could transform its public transport system, but it remains to be seen whether the infrastructure can handle the anticipated surge in passengers.

The Way of Liberation is a journey through vitrines and windows, an exhibition aiming for access to culture, to be witnessed through the streets of the city centers, exhibiting works of Arab artists - Palestine, Lebanese, Algerian and Sudanese artists. The idea is to give visibility and accessibility to their art work, especially in times in which people from these backgrounds are being silenced.

Brazil has made significant strides in reducing poverty, lifting 8.7 million people out of poverty in just one year, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Between 2022 and 2023, the number of people living in poverty fell from 67.7 million to 59 million, while extreme poverty dropped from 12.6 million to 9.5 million—the lowest figures since records began in 2012. Despite this progress, about 27% of Brazil’s 216 million population still live in poverty. Key to this success is the Bolsa Família program, a social welfare initiative that provides financial aid to low-income families, conditional on their children attending school and being vaccinated. This approach not only offers immediate relief but also breaks the cycle of poverty by promoting education and health. Introduced in 2003, the program has been praised for improving living standards and reducing hunger across Brazil. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has prioritized combating poverty and hunger, bringing the is

The Miss Netherlands beauty pageant has officially come to an end, marking the close of a significant chapter in its history. Last year’s winner, Rikkie Kollé—the first trans woman to hold the title—was the final contestant to wear the iconic silk sash. Kollé used her platform to champion inclusivity, a theme central to the decision to end the contest. Director Monica van Ee explained that empowering women, the pageant’s mission, has grown challenging amid increasing criticism and societal pressure. Unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by social media have further fueled insecurity among women, prompting the need for change. While this marks the end of Miss Netherlands, it’s not the end of the organization’s efforts. A new initiative, Niet Meer Van Deze Tijd (“No Longer of This Time”), will replace the pageant, focusing on empowering women through issues like mental health, diversity, and self-expression rather than traditional beauty ideals. This shift reflects broader efforts to modernize beauty cont

We're continuing with the story about Jules Hoffmann: in the late ’60s, a young technician in the Strasbourg lab caught Hoffmann’s eye. Little did he know, she’d soon become his wife, the mother of his two children, and his most trusted collaborator. Barely married, she went back to university, earning degrees in biochemistry and biology, joining Jules in his quest to unravel the mysteries of insect immunity. Together, they worked under Professor Joly until Jules took over as her thesis advisor. Their shared passion for science fueled discoveries that would later revolutionize our understanding of innate immunity – work that earned him a Nobel Prize. From the lab to Germany’s research institutes, and back to Strasbourg, Jules’s journey was one of relentless curiosity, groundbreaking discoveries, and teamwork—both professional and personal. His story reminds us that behind every great scientist is a partnership built on shared dreams. Find out more at www.bourgmeisterin.com!

In a promising step toward making our roads safer, a groundbreaking AI-powered camera system is currently being tested in Devon and Cornwall, England. Known as Heads-Up, this innovative technology is designed to detect drivers who may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. By identifying behavior consistent with impaired driving, the system enables police to take action before dangerous situations escalate into accidents. So, how does it work? The AI cameras quickly analyze driving patterns to spot any unusual or risky behavior that could indicate impairment. Once flagged, police stationed further along the road are alerted. They can then stop the vehicle, speak with the driver, and carry out roadside tests for alcohol or drugs to confirm whether the driver is under the influence. The potential impact of this technology is significant. Research shows that drivers under the influence of alcohol are six times more likely to cause fatal crashes. By enabling early detection and intervention, Heads-Up could

China has completed a monumental 46-year effort to encircle the Taklamakan Desert with a vast green belt of trees. Stretching over 3,000 kilometers in the Xinjiang region, this initiative is part of the "Three-North Shelterbelt" project, also known as the Great Green Wall, launched in 1978. The goal: combat desertification and protect vital farmland. Over 30 million hectares of trees have been planted, boosting China's forest coverage from 10% in 1949 to more than 25% today. However, critics warn that the harsh desert conditions—rising temperatures, sandstorms, and floods—may threaten the long-term survival of these forests. In response, China's forestry experts spent decades researching resilient tree species that could withstand these challenges. This green-wall effort has inspired similar projects worldwide. In 2007, the African Union launched the Great Green Wall initiative in the Sahel region, aiming to restore 100 million hectares of land across 22 African countries by 2030. The project seeks to impro

Today we're talking about an intrepid biology hero, a Nobel Prize winner from Luxembourg, Jules Hoffmann. Hoffmann grew up in Echternach, exploring the countryside with his dad, a biology professor who shared his love for insects. While most kids collected toys, Jules was busy marveling at bugs – and it turns out, that fascination would lead to something incredible. At Strasbourg university, Jules took a deep dive into insect immunity, trying to solve a mystery: why don’t locusts get infections after organ transplants? His research with mentor Pierre Joly uncovered a unique defense system in bugs that would change how we understand immunity forever. Despite some doubts from his parents about his career choices, Jules stuck to his passion – and years later, it all paid off when he won a Nobel Prize. From a small town in Luxembourg to one of science’s biggest honors, Jules Hoffmann’s story shows that even the smallest creatures can inspire the biggest ideas. Find out more at www.bourgmeisterin.com!

Efforts to restore the Aral Sea region are offering new hope. Once the world’s fourth-largest lake, the Aral Sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, has shrunk dramatically over the past 50 years due to river diversion for irrigation, primarily for cotton farming. This environmental disaster transformed the area into the Aralkum Desert, marked by saline soil, toxic dust storms, and harsher climates. Restoration projects are now taking root—literally. Environmental experts are planting black saxaul trees in the dried seabed as part of the Oasis project. These trees help stabilize the soil, reduce harmful dust, and combat desertification. Additionally, sustainable agriculture initiatives are introducing salt-tolerant crops and researching water-efficient irrigation to support local farming. The efforts aim to create resilient landscapes and raise global awareness about climate restoration. Villages once near the sea are now barren, but with these projects, there’s hope for revitalization. If successfu

The next week doesn't have to be all about Christmas parties, find out where you can see shoegaze gods DIIV, garage punk from Sprints or up and coming indie faves Honeyglaze

Comedian Mari Volar joins Erin for a fun, candid chat about her life, her comedy, and being an immigrant in Europe. Mari spending the last night of her tour "100% C*ntinental", in Luxembourg. In the show, which she has taken across Europe, including to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, she and a group of comedians delve into the immigrant experience. Mari jokes that while she’s a white Estonian with a European passport, she’s still faced her fair share of "what did you just say?" moments, especially when people assume immigrants all fit a certain mould. “I’m an immigrant too, you know!” she quips. Her comedy doesn’t shy away from tough topics, but she insists that humour is the perfect way to tackle societal issues without making things too heavy. On the subject of her comedy journey, Mari admits it all started by accident, which is a theme throughout her life. “My life’s been an accident according to my parents,” she laughs. But now, comedy is her career, and she’s loving every moment of it. Expect big lau

Technology is not just changing the workplace, it's revolutionising it. Kinga, a senior talent attraction and project management specialist in HR, and Christopher, an advisory manager specializing in digital transformation, shared their insights on how tech is transforming everything from recruitment to daily work tasks. Even HR, which people often don’t associate with cutting-edge technology, is being supercharged by AI. Kinga talked about how automation tools help streamline recruitment tasks like sorting through CVs and managing candidate communications. But Kinga stresses that the human touch is still at the heart of HR and needed. It’s all about balancing innovation with personal connection. Then Christopher took us into the future of work with a deep dive into generative AI. Think Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can create content, analyse documents, and even help you prepare for presentations. Kinga shared how she’s been using AI and automation in her personal life too, even using tools like ChatGPT t

Luxembourg is taking a progressive step forward by allowing gay men to donate blood, as confirmed by Health Minister Martine Deprez. This reform aligns with the nationalisation of the country's blood donation service. Historically, bans on donations from gay and bisexual men stemmed from outdated HIV screening limitations during the early AIDS crisis. Today, advanced testing and updated regulations focus on individual sexual behavior rather than orientation. The change comes amid concerns raised by the Luxembourg Red Cross, which reported critically low blood reserves last November. Minister Deprez assured that the necessary regulation is "almost complete," reflecting a growing global shift towards inclusive donation policies. This move not only boosts blood supply but also fosters equality and modernizes public health practices.

The UK will ban junk food ads on TV before 9 pm and online anytime from October 2025. The move targets childhood obesity, aiming to promote healthier diets, reduce healthcare costs, and prevent 20,000 obesity cases annually. Get all the details on today's "What's right with the world".

This year the Voices International Choir based in Luxembourg is celebrating the holiday season by putting on free concerts to raise money for Children's Charities. With 115 people performing as a part of the choir, this has been a big project to pull together. Jij, one of the members came on the Breakfast Show to talk to us about the rehearsal process and what people can expect from the concert. As the last remaining Voices Internaitonal memeber still singing with the choir she has seen it change and grow since 1996. But some songs become favourites and are sung year after year at the concerts, like a Ukrainian Christmas song that will be performed again for the 4th year running. The music is varied and is sung in many different languages making it both fun and challenging. Entry to the concerts are free. You can find out more here: https://www.voicesinternational.lu/

Norway has halted its deep-sea mining plans in the Arctic following pressure from the Socialist Left Party (SV) and growing environmental concerns. The pause affects a controversial initiative to extract metals essential for renewable energy technologies, including copper, cobalt, zinc, and rare earth elements. These resources, crucial for batteries and wind turbines, are located in a 280,000-square-kilometer area between Svalbard and Greenland. Critics, including WWF, warn that mining could devastate fragile marine ecosystems, with risks like sediment plumes, underwater noise, and harm to unique species near hydrothermal vents. Legal challenges are ongoing, and calls for stricter impact studies are growing. Globally, deep-sea mining remains contentious. Countries like China, Russia, and Japan are exploring international waters, with licenses issued by the UN’s International Seabed Authority (ISA). However, large-scale mining hasn’t begun due to incomplete regulations. Amid these debates, 32 countries and