"Um" - is a sound that BBC radio producers often have to remove when they edit interviews. But what are we doing when we say "um" and "ah", and what effect do these sounds have on people listening to us? Michael RosenRadio 4's 'Word of Mouth' host Michel Rosen started his investigation into 'speech disfluency' by speaking to linguist Martin Corley. When Rosen asked if there were any benefits of the pesky "um", Corely was keen to point out its usefulness.

Tomer Yosef of the group Balkan Beat Box has released his first solo album. Host Marco Werman tells us about it.

Linda Gradstein reports on the latest clash between Israelis and Palestinians over Jerusalem's Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the al-Aqsa Mosque.

The answer to today's Geo Quiz about global meat consumption is: China. The country with the biggest population is also the world's biggest producer and consumer of meat overall. But the United States is the highest per capita consumer of meat. Anchor Marco Werman tells us what the chairman of the UN's climate change panel had to say today about meat consumption around the globe.

Spain has the highest jobless rate in Europe. And just how is the government proposing to deal with it? By floating a controversial plan to eliminate visas for foreign workers. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

Our daily geography quiz.

Marco Werman explains why Russian authorities were upset by a local broadcast of the US TV show "South Park."

Anchor Marco Werman speaks with the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus about today's meeting between the presidents of France and Russia. After the meeting, Russia announced it would pull its troops out from parts of Georgia if certain conditions are met.

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield Hayes reports that the tensions that started the conflict between Russia and Georgia are still at a boiling point in South Ossetia.

Anchor Marco Werman speaks with the BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo about a drug scandal that is rocking the world of sumo wrestling. Two Russian sumo wrestlers have been banned from taking part in the sport after testing positive for marijuana use.

Roho (L) and Hakurozan (R) have been banned for life