David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the recent events in Lebanon. Israel has been widely blamed for a series of pager and walkie-talkie attacks targeting members of Hezbollah. Does this mark the invention of a new kind of warfare and what might the wider consequences be for the region?Guests:Shashank Joshi, The Economist's defence editor Professor Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University of London Ronen Bergman, Israeli investigative journalist for The New York TimesPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Natasha Fernandes and Ben Carter Sound engineers: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the challenges facing Germany. Worries over the economy and immigration have seen the far right AfD party gain support in the former east Germany.Guests:Guy Chazan, Berlin bureau chief at the Financial Times Dr Constanze Stelzenmuller, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings Institution Marcel Fratzscher, President DIW Berlin - German Institute for Economic Research and Professor at Humboldt University Berlin Thiemo Fetzer, Professor of Economics at Warwick and Bonn UniversitiesPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Sound engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

Last month the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, warned that "things would get worse before they got better". The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already said that there's a £22 billion black hole in the government's finances left by the Conservatives. The budget at the end of October, we're told, will be "painful". But just how bad a state is the UK economy really in? And how constrained is the new government by manifesto promises it made not to raise the main taxes on working people?Guests: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Mehreen Khan, Economics editor at The TImes Chris Giles, Economics Commentator at The Financial TImesPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Caroline Bayley and Kirsteen Knight Sound engineers: Sarah Hockley and Gareth Jones Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

The first human cases of MPox were detected in 1970. But a new strain detected in Congo in 2023 has got scientists confused. How worried should we be and are we prepared for it?Dr Jonas Albarnaz, a Research Fellow specialising in pox viruses at The Pirbright Institute Dr Lilith Whittles, lecturer and Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow in the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis Dr Josie Golding, head of epidemiology at The Wellcome Trust Trudie Lang, Professor of Global Health Research at the University of OxfordPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Drew Hyndman Sound engineers: Jonathan Glover and James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the risk of escalation on Russian borders and further afield and explore what form that might take if it were to happen.Guests:Natia Seskuria, founder and executive director of the Regional Institute for Security Studies (RISS), a Tbilisi-based think tank Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute, Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Mark Galeotti, writer on Russian security affairs and director of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Drew Hyndman Sound engineers: James Beard and Nigel Appleton Editor: Richard Vadon

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss China's desire for 'peaceful reunification' with Taiwan. Can it really be done peacefully and what happens if it can't?Guests:Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, BBC Asia correspondent based in Taipei Amanda Hsiao, Crisis Group's Senior Analyst for China Dr Lauren Dickey, Taiwan analyst at the China Power Project at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies Shashank Joshi, defence editor at The EconomistPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Drew Hyndman Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

In the first of three programmes, David Aaronovitch explores the risk of escalation and wider conflict in the Middle East. What would all out war look like and how likely is it?Guests:Shashank Joshi, The Economist's defence editor Professor Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University of London Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security within the International Security department at RUSI.Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Drew Hyndman Sound engineers: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss Labour's plans for planning reform. This week the Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner announced a new National Planning Policy Framework. Will it boost economic growth?Sir John Armitt, Chairman of the UK's National Infrastructure Commission Catriona Riddell is an independent planning consultant and commentator who advises on planning policy Anthony Breach, Associate Director at Centre for Cities Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Sound engineers: Neil Churchill and Rod Farquhar Editor: Penny Murphy

Machine learning has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. Bigger, more powerful computers can crunch ever more amounts of data, analysing complex information just as accurately, it’s claimed, as the best specialists and at speeds humans can never achieve. With the potential to make a significant difference to healthcare - helping to diagnose disease, summarise patients’ medical notes, even predict health conditions years before any symptoms appear. But how long before the potential benefits become a reality? And what are the possible pitfalls? Join David Aaronovitch and a panel of guests to find out. Guests: Madhumita Murgia, Artificial Intelligence Editor, Financial Times and author of Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI Mihaela van der Schaar, Professor of Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Medicine at Cambridge University Pearse Keane, Consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital and a Professor of Artificial Medical Intelligence at UCL Dr Jessica Morley, Post-doctoral researcher at the Digital Ethics Centre, Yale UniversityPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Sally Abrahams and Rosamund Jones Sound engineers: Dafydd Evans and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

Surveys suggest that at least one in four of us will suffer from anxiety and depression during our lifetimes. The prevalence of these conditions is one of the reasons given for poor school attendance. And it's estimated that these mental health disorders account for 12.5% of all sickness leave in the UK. So what’s caused such an explosion in mental distress and what, if anything, can be done to bring down the numbers? Join David Aaronovitch and a panel of guests to find out.Guests: Professor Jennifer Wild, a consultant clinical psychologist and professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford Dr Jennifer Dykxhoorn, a psychiatric epidemiologist at University College, London Dr Sharon Neufeld from Cambridge University Medical School and Thalia Eley, professor of developmental behavioural genetics at Kings College, LondonPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Rosamund Jones and Sally Abrahams Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

Half the UK population will get cancer during their lifetime - and rates are rising. Each year, around 385,000 people in the UK are diagnosed and around 167,00 lives are lost to the disease. But scientists are developing new therapies, including personalised vaccines and targeted drugs, that attack cancer cells directly and more effectively. It's hoped this pioneering work could lead to better survival rates. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss promising developments in cancer care - to find out how significant they might be. Guests: Professor Charles Swanton, chief clinician at Cancer Research UK and deputy clinical director at the Francis Crick Institute; Dr Olivia Rossanese, Director of the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research; Christian Ottensmeier, Professor of Immuno-Oncology at the University of Liverpool; Professor Alan Melcher, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation TrustPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Rosamund Jones and Sally Abrahams Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

2024 is the year of elections and already hundreds of millions of people around the world have been to the polls. A few months ago The Briefing Room looked ahead to elections in South Africa and India. Both have since delivered shocks to their ruling parties which failed to win parliamentary majorities. So why did the main parties in both countries do worse than expected? And what does this mean for the governments they’ve formed and the immediate future of both South Africa and India? Guests:David Everatt, Professor at the Wits School of Governance in Johannesburg Dr Ayesha Omar, British Academy international fellow at SOAS. Rohan Venkat, editor of the “India Inside Out” newsletter Louise Tillin, Professor of Politics in the India Institute at King's College London. Produced by: Kirsteen Knight and Caroline Bayley Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

David Aaronovitch and guests dissect Sudan's ongoing civil war. This conflict is now one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters. How can it be brought to an end?Guests:James Copnall - presenter of Newsday on the BBC World Service and former BBC Sudan correspondent.Mohanad Hashim - Sudanese journalist working on Newshour on the BBC World ServiceDame Rosalind Marsden - associate fellow of the Africa programme at Chatham House and former UK ambassador to Sudan.Professor Alex De Waal - executive director of the World Peace FoundationProduced by: Kirsteen Knight, Caroline Bayley and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon and Richard Fenton-Smith Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Andy Fell Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

David Aaronovitch and guests examine Joe Biden's ceasefire deal and ask whether - despite some positive noises from both sides - Israel and Hamas are interested in making it work. Guests: David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations Anshel Pfeffer, columnist and Israel correspondent at The Economist Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University of London Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in WashingtonProduction team: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: Sarah Hockley

David Aaronovitch and guests assess the fallout from France's EU elections and President Macron's subsequent decision to call parliamentary elections later this month.Guests: Hugh Schofield, BBC Paris Correspondent Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief at The Economist Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director for Europe at Eurasia Group who advise investors on political risk Dr Françoise Boucek, Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for European Research in the School of Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary University of LondonProduction team: Caroline Bayley, Miriam Quayyum, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Sarah Hockley and Rod Farquhar

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss Donald Trump's conviction in the hush money case, examine the cases yet to be heard and ask whether any of this hurts his election chances?Guests:Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent Jack Chin, Professor of Criminal Law at the University of California, Davis Wendy Schiller, Professor of Political Science at Brown UniversityProduction team: Caroline Bayley, Miriam Quayyum, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar

David Aaronovitch and guests assess the latest developments in Ukraine. In 2022, Russia was expected to win the war easily. That didn't happen. But is Russia gaining the upper hand now? Guests:James Waterhouse, BBC’s Ukraine Correspondent Polina Ivanova, FT correspondent covering Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence Studies at Kings College London and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Ann Marie Dailey, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and policy researcher at RAND Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Neil Churchill

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the current financial crisis facing UK universities and ask what can be done about it.Guests:Branwen Jeffreys, BBC Education Editor Nick Hillman, Director of The Higher Education Policy Institute Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford and member of the Migration Advisory Committee Alan Manning, Professor of Economics at the London School of EconomicsProduction team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight, Miriam Quayyum and Ben Carter Editors: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Neil Churchill

The H5N1 strain of avian flu isn't new. It was discovered in China in 1996. But in recent years it's started passing from mammal to mammal and it's now rife on cattle farms in the United States. How much should humans worry?David Aaronovitch speaks to:Professor Wendy Barclay, action medical research chair in virology at Imperial College London Kai Kupferschmidt, science journalist and molecular biologist Dr Caitlin Rivers, epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Professor Ian Brown, avian virology group at The Pirbright InstituteProduction team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editors: Richard Vadon and Emma Rippon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar

David Aaronovitch and guests explore the troubled state of the water industry in the UK. How do companies solve the sewage problem, fix the leaks and reduce the debt mountain?Guests: Kate Bayliss, research associate in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London David Hall, visiting professor in the Public Services International Research Unit at the University of Greenwich Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Energy at the University of Oxford Julie Bygraves, public policy analyst and expert on utility financeProduction team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Neil Churchill and Graham Puddifoot

Democrats and Republicans have promised to solve the border crisis in recent times but they've failed and it remains a huge election issue. How does the problem get resolved?David Aaronovitch talks to:Gustavo Solis, investigative border reporter at KPBS television station in San Diego Doris Meissner is Senior Fellow and Director, U.S. Immigration Policy Program Edward Alden, senior fellow at the Council on Fore­­­ign Relations and author of When the World Closed Its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Neil Churchill

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the reasons why millions of people in the UK aged between 16 and 64 are neither working nor looking for work and what we can do about it. Tony Wilson, Director of the Institute for Employment Studies Sam Avanzo Windett, Deputy Director at the Learning and Work Institute Torsten Bell, Chief Executive at the Resolution FoundationProduction team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: James Beard

David Aaronovitch and guests explore the thinking behind Iran's decision to attack Israel and ask what the short and long term aims of the Iranian regime are. Guests: Shashank Joshi, Defence editor at The Economist Ali Vaez, Iran Project Director at International Crisis Group Dr Roxane Farmanfarmaian, lecturer specialising in the politics of Iran and the Middle East at Cambridge UniversityProduction team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: Neil Churchill

Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to “eliminate” Hamas but after six months of death and destruction in Gaza what do we know about their status?David Aaronovitch talks to: Jennifer Jefferis, Teaching Professor at Georgetown University's Security Studies program and author of Hamas: Terrorism, Governance, and its Future in Middle East Politics.Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.Khalil Shikaki, Director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey ResearchGershon Baskin, Middle East Director, International Communities Organization and a former Israeli negotiator with HamasProduction team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Ibtisam Zein Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar

The state pension system relies on the workers of today paying the pensions of current retirees. But does an aging population and rising costs threaten that model continuing?David Aaronovitch talks to:Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Lewis, financial journalist and presenter of Radio 4’s Money Box programme Claer Barrett, consumer editor at the Financial Times and presenter of the FT's Money Clinic podcast Sir Steve Webb, formerly Minister for Pensions and current partner at Lane Clark & PeacockProduction team: Drew Hyndman, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar

2024 is the year of elections. According to one estimate just under 50% of all the people on earth live in countries where by December 31st there will have been a national vote. To mark this phenomenon we are broadcasting three special programmes. In the third and final programme in this special series we’re focusing on South Africa. It is 30 years since the African National Congress - led back then by Nelson Mandela - first won power. It has had a majority in parliament ever since. But this year it could well be different. If so, does this decline of the ruling party bode well or badly for South Africa? Guests:David Everatt, Professor at the Wits School of Governance in Johannesburg Dr Ayesha Omar, British Academy International Fellow at SOAS Alexander Beresford, Associate Professor in African Politics at Leeds University Professor Cherrel Africa from the University of the Western CapeProduction team: Rosamund Jones and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Hal Haines and Neil Churchill

2024 is the year of elections. According to one estimate just under 50% of all the people on earth live in countries where by December 31st there will have been a national vote. To mark this phenomenon we are broadcasting three special programmes. The first – this one - focuses on the world’s biggest democracy - India - where prime minister Narendra Modi is hoping – perhaps expecting – to win a third term. The party first came to power in 2014 and since then fears about “democratic backsliding” have been growing. David Aaronovitch and guests ask how worried we should be about that.Guests:Yogita Limaye, BBC's South Asia Correspondent Rohan Venkat, editor of “India Inside Out” newsletter Louise Tillin, Professor of Politics in the India Institute at King’s College London Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House. Production team: Rosamund Jones and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Hal Haines and Sarah Hockley

2024 is the year of elections. According to one estimate just under 50% of all the people on earth live in countries where by December 31st there will have been a national vote. To mark this phenomenon we are broadcasting three special programmes. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss why do some countries bother holding elections if the outcomes are pre-determined and they also ask why the public bother voting in them?Guests:Naomi Hossain, Professor of Development Studies at SOAS Katerina Tertychnaya, Associate Professor in Comparative Politics in the Department of Politics & International Relations at the University of Oxford Ben Ansell, Professor of Comparative Democratic Institutions at Nuffield College, University of Oxford Erica Frantz, Associate Professor of Political Science at Michigan State UniversityProduction team: Ellie House, Ajai Singh and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: James Beard

In 1964, pre-historic remains were discovered at Jabal Aṣ-Ṣaḥābah - or Mountain of the Companions - in the Nile Valley near what is now the border of northern Sudan and Egypt. That site contained evidence of the earliest known warfare believed to have taken place around 13,500 years ago. It’s thought that climate change led to that conflict; as crop yields became smaller, more groups had to compete with each other for what food sources were available. Spears and possibly arrows were the high-tech weapons of choice in the Nile Valley. Flash forward to today and it’s AI-enabled drones that have been - literally - levelling the playing field for Ukraine in their battle against Russia. But as technological advancement continues apace what lessons have we learned from recent conflicts and how might things change in the wars yet to begin? Guests: Shashank Joshi, defence editor at The Economist, Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute Dr Emma Salisbury, associate fellow in military innovation at the Council on GeostrategyProduction team: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: Neil Churchill

It is two years since Russia began its costly conflict against Ukraine. How does it fund its war effort, how do sanctions impact that and how tight is Putin's grip on power?Guests: Sarah Rainsford, BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent Maria Shagina, Research Fellow for Economic Sanctions, Standards and Strategy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Isaac Levi, Europe-Russia Policy & Energy Analysis Team Lead at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air Mark Galeotti, Writer on Russian security affairs and director of the consultancy Mayak IntelligenceProduction team: Nick Holland, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

Deaths from synthetic opioids such as nitazenes and fentanyl are low in the UK but there are fears the problem could escalate and that figures don't show the true picture of the situation. David Aaronovitch explores how dangerous these drugs are, why the opioid crisis is so bad in the US, where they come from and why a shortage of heroin in the UK could mean drug cartels switch to supplying these often fatal alternatives.Guests: Rick Treble, Forensic chemist, and advisor to the Government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Dr Caroline Copeland, Director of the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths Alex Steven, Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Kent Sam Quinones, journalist and author of 'Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic'Production team: Nick Holland, Kirsteen Knight and Charlotte McDonald Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Editor: Penny Murphy

This week a great queue of dentistless Bristolians appeared outside a new practice offering NHS treatment. That followed a report on children’s health which specifically referenced the poor and worsening state of their teeth. This week the government announced a package to try and improve things in England. But did it go anything like far enough to solve the problems of too few dentists being willing or able to treat NHS patients? David Aaronovitch is joined by the following experts:Beccy Baird, Senior Fellow, the King’s Fund Ian Mills, Dentist and Associate Professor of Primary Care Dentistry at the Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth Thea Stein, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust Professor Claire Stevens CBE, Spokesperson, British Society of Paediatric DentistryProduction team: Nick Holland, Kirsteen Knight and Charlotte McDonald Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

This week the Education Select Committee said that Ofsted and the Government must rebuild trust and make major changes to school inspections.This follows months of news coverage of the death of Ruth Perry, the headteacher who killed herself following an Ofsted inspection at her primary school. The coroner ruled that it contributed to her death.This week we ask - what’s the point of Ofsted?David is joined by the following experts: Sam Freedman, senior fellow at the Institute for Government John Jerrim, Professor of Education and Social Statistics, at UCL Carole Willis, Chief Executive, National Foundation for Educational Research Colin Diamond, Professor of Educational Leadership, University of BirminghamProduction team: Nick Holland, Kirsteen Knight and Charlotte McDonald Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound: Hal Haines and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

The UK is experiencing more rain and more floods than previously, and because of climate change this is set to get worse. More than 6 million homes are at risk of flooding in the UK. What is the state of the country’s flood defences? Can people get insurance? What can we do to prepare for a wetter future?David Aaronovitch is joined by the following experts: Louise Slater, Professor of Hydroclimatology at the University of Oxford Edmund Penning-Rowsell, Research Associate at Oxford University Centre for the Environment Hannah Cloke, Professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading Steven Forrest, Lecturer in Flood Resilience and Sustainable Transformations, Hull UniversityProduction team: Nick Holland, Kirsteen Knight and Charlotte McDonald Production Co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

It’s been another difficult week for local government. Birmingham City Council announced it needs to make up to 600 redundancies to help balance its books and Middlesbrough Council decided to apply to the Government for £15m of emergency funding to avoid effective bankruptcy. Also this week new figures have been released showing just how much debt some local authorities hold. And it’s a lot. Since 2021 there have been six councils which have declared themselves effectively bankrupt. Given the responsibilities of local government that feels serious for many of us. So what are the financial pressures facing councils and why?David Aaronovitch is joined by the following experts: Aileen Murphie, specialist adviser to the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities select committee and former National Audit Office Director Tony Travers, visiting Professor at the LSE’s Department of Government Kate Ogden, Senior Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies.Production team: Nick Holland, Kirsteen Knight and Charlotte McDonald Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill Sound: Andy Fell Editor: Richard Vadon

As if the conflict in Gaza wasn’t bad enough, the fighting has ignited old and new tensions elsewhere across the region. Since the surprise attack by Hamas on 7th October, clashes on the Lebanon-Israel border have restarted, attacks on US troops stationed in Syria and Iraq have escalated and a group of Houthi armed rebels from Yemen has started firing rockets at cargo ships trying to access the Suez Canal from the Red Sea. So in this week’s programme David Aaronovitch asks how close the war in Gaza is to becoming a wider conflict across the Middle East. David is joined by the following experts: Frank Gardner, BBC’s Security Correspondent. Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Arabist & Middle East specialist and also The Mistress of Girton College at the University of Cambridge. Jane Kinninmont, Policy & Impact Director at the European Leadership Network. Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics at University College Dublin’s Clinton Institute.Production team: Nick Holland, Kirsteen Knight and Charlotte McDonald Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

It’s almost 4 years since the UK left the European Union. Recent polls show a majority of people want to re-join the EU. But is this a realistic option?So in this week’s programme David Aaronovitch asks could we re-join the EU if we wanted? If we did, would it be of any benefit to the UK? And under what terms would the EU have us back?David is joined by the following experts: Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor at Financial Times Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director for Europe at Eurasia Group who advise investors on political risk Jill Rutter a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Government who directed the organisation's work on Brexit Anand Menon, Director of the UK in a Changing Europe Production team: Sophie Eastaugh, Kirsteen Knight and Alex Lewis Production Co-ordinators: Katie Morrison Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard VadonPhoto by ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock (13998647a)

Aliens are back on the radar after a US Congressional hearing in the summer that featured former intelligence officer, David Grusch. The US Air Force veteran was once part of a task force created to look into what used to be called UFOs. Mr Grusch gave evidence that caused a sensation in America, claiming that the US military had, for decades, been in possession of crashed UFOs and 'non-human biologics'. His shocking claims were evidence that, whatever their accuracy, both created and reflected a growing and serious debate - from astrophysicists and astrobiologists to policymakers about what if anything, is out there. Anything alive and anything civilised. So, as 2023 turns into 2024, what is the state of our understanding about whether or not we are alone in space? David Aaronovitch explores the history of UFOs stretching back to the 1940s and discusses whether intelligent life exists beyond Earth. David Aaronovitch talks to: Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, British space scientist and science educator Garrett Graff, Journalist and historian. Author of ‘UFO: The Inside Story of the U.S. Government's Search for Alien Life Here ― and Out There’. Avi Loeb, Astrophysicist and Baird Professor of Science at Harvard University Monica Grady, Professor of Planetary and Space Science at the Open University.Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producer: Sally Abrahams Sound: James Beard and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon Archive Credits: Congressional Hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, 26 July 2023 courtesy of C-Span

Housing charity Shelter’s latest figures show that homelessness has risen rapidly in the last year. In England, 279,400 people are living in temporary accommodation - an increase of 14% - most of whom are families. And the government’s own figures reveal that almost half (47%) of families who are homeless in temporary accommodation have been there for more than two years. Councils have a legal duty to house families and people who are vulnerable if they lose their homes, but the acute shortage of affordable homes means they are having to rely on temporary accommodation for long periods. So what can be done to fix the growing numbers who find themselves homeless?David Aaronovitch is joined by the following expert guests: Christine Whitehead, Housing Economist, London School of Economics Rachelle Earwaker, Senior Economist, Joseph Rowntree Foundation Matthew Wilkins Had of Value for Money, Centre for Homelessness ImpactProduction team: Kirsteen Knight, Alex Lewis and Sophie Eastaugh Production Co-ordinators: Jacqui Johnson and Sophie Hill Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

Euthanasia is illegal in the UK. All attempts to change the law have failed. Other countries have legalised assisted dying and/or euthanasia. In this week’s Briefing Room with David Aaronovitch we find out what their experience has been and what, if anything, the UK could learn from that.Joining David on the programme are:- Imogen Goold, professor of medical law at University of Oxford - Agnes van der Heide, Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam - Thaddeus Pope, Professor, Health Law Institute, Mitchell Hamline School of Law (Minnesota, USA) - Richard Huxtable, professor of medical ethics and law at the University of BristolProduction: Kirsteen Knight and Alex Lewis Production co-ordinators: Jacqui Johnson and Gemma Ashman Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

The start of Ukraine’s counter-offensive against occupying Russian forces was hailed as the breakthrough moment of the war so far. Now six months on, we ask what happened?The Secretary General of NATO has said we should be ‘prepared for bad news’ and the White House has warned that the US is running out of time and money to fund the war. In this week's Briefing Room with David Aaronovitch we find out why things haven’t progressed as hoped and how much Ukraine’s key backers still support the war.Joining David to discuss are: Shashank Joshi - Defence Editor at The Economist Michael Clarke - Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Karin Von Hippel - Director General, Royal United Services Institute Prof. Dr. Daniela Schwarzer - Executive Board member of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, a German foreign policy think tank based in BerlinProduction: Kirsteen Knight and Alex Lewis Production Co-ordinators: Jacqui Johnson and Sophie Hill Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

UK net migration hit a record 745,000 in 2022 according to recently revised figures from the Office for National Statistics.That means the numbers coming to live in the UK were almost three quarters of a million more than those leaving.Reducing the numbers of people entering the country has long been a government priority with famous promises to reduce it to “tens of thousands”. In a post-Brexit era it had been assumed that the figures would naturally decline, but that hasn’t been the case. David Aaronovitch invites you into his briefing room to discover what these numbers mean for the UK.He’s joined by: Jay Lindop, Director, Office for National Statistics, Centre for International Migration Heather Rolfe, Director of Research and Relationships at the think tank British Future. Madeline Sumption, Director of Migration Observatory, University of OxfordProduction: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight, Alex Lewis Production Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson + Sophie Hill Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

In recent weeks, and for obvious reasons, all eyes have been on Gaza. But more Palestinians live in the West Bank, the other Palestinian territory, and the area is critical forany chances of durable peace. Or to an expansion of the violence. So what is happening there right now? What is likely to happen? And does it entail more disaster or hold out the prospect of a settlement? David Aaronovitch talks to Dr Anne Irfan, historian of the modern Middle East at University College London, Dalia Hatuqa, independent journalist specialising in Palestinian-Israeli affairs, Anshel Pfeffer, senior correspondent for Haaretz and Israel correspondent for The Economist, and Dr Louise Kettle, assistant professor of international relations at the University of Nottingham and associate fellow at RUSI. Production: Alex Lewis, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

Who's in the news for all the wrong reasons? David Yelland and Simon Lewis invite you to join them in the world of crisis managers and spin doctors as they watch the week's biggest PR disasters unfold.

Israel and Hamas are at war and there are no signs of a quick resolution. But what would a resolution actually look like and who's actually going to try and negotiate one? David Aaronovitch talks to: Shashank Joshi, Defence editor at The Economist Steven Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic correspondent in Europe for The New York Times Professor Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University of London Production: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

David Aaronovitch and guests talk through the thinking behind Hamas's deadly attack on Israel, discuss what might happen next and ask what all this means politically. Guests: Jennifer Jefferis, Director of Curriculum at the Security Studies Program, in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown Shashank Joshi, Defence editor at The Economist David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations Production: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

David Aaronovitch and guests talk about what a second Trump presidency might mean for America's relationship with the world and discuss what countries are doing to prepare. Guests: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent Inu Manak, fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London Elizabeth Saunders, Professor and Director of the Mortara Center for International Studies Production: Ben Carter, Claire Bowes and Sally Abrahams Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

When a Canadian Sikh was murdereed in British Colombia in June few predicted the diplomatic bust up that ensued. What does this say about India's relationship with the West? David Aaronovitch speaks to: Professor Gurharpal Singh, Emeritus Professor of Sikh and Punjab Studies at SOAS Nadine Yousif, BBC Canada Correspondent, based in Toronto Shruti Kapila, Professor of History & Politics at the University of Cambridge James Crabtree, Executive Director of The International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore and author of The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India's New Gilded Age Production: Ben Carter, Claire Bowes and Ellie House Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon (Image: Sikhs protest for the independence of Khalistan in front of the Indian Consulate in Toronto, Canada, on July 8, 2023. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how Conservative and Labour preparations for the next election will be dictated by the state of the UK's public finances. Guests: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation Production: Ben Carter, Claire Bowes and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

Two years ago we looked at Britain’s political geography and the role of identity and party loyalty. In this special programme in front of a live audience, David Aaronovitch and guests discuss what’s changed since then. David talks to: Paula Surridge, political sociologist from the University of Bristol Rosie Campbell, Professor of Politics at King's College, London Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester Producers: Claire Bowes, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Mix: Graham Puddifoot

More than 100 schools in England have been forced to close or do urgent repairs because they’re built with a potentially crumbling material, reinforced autoclave aerated concrete, known as RAAC. Lightweight and cheap, RAAC was widely used during the post-war building boom of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. But it has a limited shelf-life, which experts have been aware of for the last 30 years. And poor maintenance of buildings has added to the risks of sudden and catastrophic collapse. But are schools just the tip of the iceberg? David Aaronovitch asks how widespread is the risk – and what structural solutions are available for schools, hospitals and other buildings that contain RAAC? David Aaronovitch talks to: Prof Phil Purnell, Professor of Materials and Structures, University of Leeds; Laura McInerney, education journalist, public speaker and co-founder of Teacher Tapp; Adrian Tagg, Associate Professor in Building Surveying at Reading University and a current practising chartered buildings surveyor; Sergio Cavalaro, Professor of Infrastructure Systems at the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University. Production: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Debbie Richford Sound: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon

The number of holiday lets in England rose by 40% between 2018 and 2021. There's been a similar boom across the UK and governments are at varying stages of legislation to regulate the industry and curb the problems associated with these kinds of rentals. Launching England's consultation earlier this year the Secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, said too many people were being "pushed out of cherished towns, cities and villages". Meanwhile a second consultation's being led by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, to create a register of these types of property. So can local tourism and local communities both benefit? And how is this different from second home ownership anywhere? David Aaronovitch hears from: Ffion Jon, Documentary maker James Kinnersly, Sales Director and UK market expert at AirDNA Vicky Spratt, Housing Correspondent at the i paper Dr Nancy Holman, Associate Professor of Urban Planning at London School of Economics Production: Alix Pickles and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

Former US President Donald Trump now faces multiple criminal and civil cases. Which are the most serious, what do they mean for his presidential campaign and could the US constitution prevent him from taking office if he wins the 2024 election? David Aaronovitch speaks to: Sarah Smith, BBC North America Editor Renato Mariotti, Legal Affairs Columnist for POLITICO Magazine, former federal prosecutor and co-host of the “It’s Complicated” podcast Kermit Roosevelt III, professor of constitutional law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law, author of The Nation that Never Was: Reconstructing America’s Story. Production: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Diane Richardson Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Debbie Richford Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

What is the European Convention on Human Rights, how does it impact what the UK government can do and what would the ramifications be if the UK left it? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room: Dr. Ed Bates, Associate Professor, University of Leicester School of Law. Author of The Evolution of the European Convention on Human Rights. Robert Spano, Partner at Gibson Dunn, Former President of the European Court of Human Rights. Dr Joelle Grogan, Head of Research, UK in a Changing Europe. Tom Hickman, Professor of Public Law, University College London. Production: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Diane Richardson Production co-ordinator: Sabine Schereck Sound: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon

Military unrest in Niger isn't an uncommon phenomenon. There have been five coups in the last 50 years. But what's behind the latest one and is a peaceful resolution possible? David Aaronovitch talks to: Paul Melly, Consulting Fellow at Chatham House Africa Programme Gare Amadou, journalist and manager of the newspaper Le Canard Dechaine in Niger Nabila Ramdani, French Algerian journalist Olayinka Ajala, senior lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Leeds Beckett University Produced by: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Alix Pickles Edited by: Penny Murphy Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

With vast financial resources and a new found desire to engage in regional and global diplomacy, Saudi Arabia has got the world's attention. But just how powerful can it become? David Aaronovitch talks to: Frank Gardner, BBC Security Correspondent Quinn Slobodian, Professor of History at Wellesley College and author of Crack-Up Capitalism Simon Chadwick, Professor of sport and geopolitical economy at Skema Business School in Paris Cinzia Bianco, visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations Safa al-Ahmad, Saudi journalist and documentary maker Produced by: Ben Carter, Diane Richardson and Kirsteen Knight Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown and Sophie Hill

As wildfires tear across southern Europe the need for urgent action on climate change becomes ever clearer. Reducing carbon emissions is a global challenge but can we meet it? David Aaronovitch talks to: Attracta Mooney, climate correspondent at the Financial Times Jemma Conner, Research Manager at YouGov Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, Director of Research for Cambridge Zero and Director of the Centre for Cambridge Climate Repair Frederic Hans, climate policy analyst at the NewClimate Institute Produced by: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Claire Bowes Edited by: China Collins Sound Engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

The government needs to radically change its approach to Chinese ambitions in the UK according to a report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee. The report says Chinese investment in the UK has gone unchecked. It warns that allowing China to develop significant stakes in industry and infrastructure was short-sighted and, unless swift action is taken, “China will have a pliable vehicle through which it can export its values”. So just how much interest and influence does China have in the UK? David Aaronovitch talks to: Isabel Hilton, founder China Dialogue Trust Charles Parton, Former UK diplomat and senior research fellow at RUSI Professor Steve Tsang, Director of the SOAS China Institute Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic Editor, The Guardian Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

The pandemic disrupted schooling everywhere. But since then record numbers of children have not returned to regular schooling. Data from the Department for Education show that persistent absence - missing roughly seven days a term - is now at a record high. So is this a blip affecting a Covid cohort or a worrying trend toward a breakdown in the social contract between society and school? David Aaronovitch talks to: Branwen Jeffreys, BBC’s Education Editor Katie Beynon, Statistician at FFT Education Datalab Sam Freedman, Senior fellow at the Institute for Government Emily Hunt, Associate Director Social Mobility and Vulnerable Learners at the Education Institute Policy Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Sam Haque and Claire Bowes Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill.

It's 30 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords. That agreement spurred optimism that peace could be forged between Israel and Palestine. It didn't happen. Will it ever? David Aaronovitch talks to: Yolande Knell, BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent for The Economist Khalil Shikaki, Director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill.

Despite the Prime Minister's pledge to halve inflation by the end of the year it's the Bank of England's job to deliver on that. Why is it struggling and what happens if it fails? Britain's facing an inflation crisis. Core inflation - which measures underlying inflation and disregards food and energy costs - is at its highest since 1992. Earlier this year most economists thought this situation could be avoided - so what's gone wrong? David Aaronovitch and guests discuss what the rest of the world is doing about inflation and why Britain seems to be coming off worse. Guests: Duncan Weldon, economist and author of "Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through" Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times Merryn Somerset Webb, senior columnist for Bloomberg Opinion Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill.

Ukraine's spring offensive has begun. But what can it realistically achieve? What can be done to prevent this becoming a 'forever war'? And in the meantime, how has this regional conflict impacted on global politics. Are we seeing a changed international order, with the rise of China and a new role for Africa and the Global South? David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the long game for Ukraine and its western allies. Guests: Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Karin von Hipple, Director General, Royal United Services Institute Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist Mark Galeotti, Writer on Russian security affairs and director of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence. Produced by: Bethan Ashmead, Claire Bowes and Kirsteen Knight Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford Show less

The Online Safety Bill is a new set of internet laws to protect children and adults. It will place more responsibility on the technology giants to monitor content. Will it succeed? David Aaronovitch talks to: Joshua Rozenberg, legal commentator and presenter of Radio 4’s Law In Action programme Lorna Woods, Professor of Internet Law at the University of Essex Victoria Nash is the Director, an Associate Professor, and Senior Policy Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute Gina Neff is the Executive Director of the Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy at the University of Cambridge Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Recent movements by Ukraine and Russia's military forces suggest that the long awaited spring offensive could start any day. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the implications. Guests: Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia editor at BBC Monitoring Tomila Lankina, Professor of politics and international relations at LSE Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US and the Americas programme at Chatham House Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Penny Murphy Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed, Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the latest events in Sudan. Fighting has been commonplace ever since Sudan gained independence but what's behind the latest violence? Guests: James Copnall - currently presenting Newsday on the BBC World Service and formerly the BBC's Sudan correspondent Mohanad Hashim - Sudanese journalist working on Newshour on the BBC World Service Dame Rosalind Marsden, associate fellow at the Chatham House International Affairs and former UK ambassador to Sudan Professor Alex De Waal, Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation and Research Programme Director with the Conflict Research Programme at LSE Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Penny Murphy Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

Rishi Sunak says the UK has an 'anti maths mindset' and that low levels of numeracy are damaging the economy. Will studying maths until the age of 18 solve the problem? David Aaronovitch talks to: Branwen Jeffreys, the BBC's Education Editor Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Emma Lark, Associate Dean Ambition Institute leading the Master's in Expert Teaching Rob Eastaway, author and director of Maths Inspiration Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

Artificial intelligence is going to change all our lives. There are seemingly limitless opportunities. But as computers get ever more powerful how much cautious do we need to be? David Aaronovitch talks to: Professor Michael Wooldridge, Director of Foundational AI at The Alan Turing Institute Nina Schick, author, entrepreneur and advisor specialising in Generative AI Dr Anders Sandberg, a Senior Research Fellow at The Future of Humanity Institute Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Isobel Gough and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineers: James Beard and Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss Donald Trump's appearance in a New York court this week, his other looming legal cases and what all this means for him politically. Guests:: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent Renato Mariotti, legal affairs columnist for POLITICO magazine, a former federal prosecutor and host of the It’s Complicated podcast Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US and the Americas programme at Chatham House Dr Mitchell Robertson, associate lecturer in US History at University College London Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Isobel Gough and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples

David Aaronovitch and guests take a deep dive into the Windsor Framework. The original protocol was deemed unworkable but does this new deal solve Northern Ireland's trading arrangements? Guests: Peter Foster, FT’s public policy editor & editor of the newsletter “Britain After Brexit” Anand Menon, director at UK in a Changing Europe Sam McBride, Northern Ireland Editor of the Belfast Telegraph & Sunday Independent Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute For Government Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Daniel Gordon and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

The Briefing Room's David Aaronovitch is joined by a team of experts to find out more about the Wagner group, the mysterious private organisation, that's acknowledged by the Russian government to have been supplying soldiers to fight its war in Ukraine. Wagner's leader, Yevgheny Prigozhin, was once known as Vladimir Putin's 'chef'. Soldiers fighting for him won the battle for Soledar - one of few military successes for Russia in Ukraine in recent months. Has his prowess on the battlefield re-invigorated Russia's army - or turned Prigozhin into a potential rival to Putin? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Samantha De Bendern, Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House Joana De Deus Pereira,Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute Europe Marina Miron, Post-doctoral researcher at the Department of War Studies at King’s College London Andras Racz, Senior Research Fellow of the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin Produced by: Daniel Gordon, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: James Beard PHOTO: Graffiti praising soldiers from the Wagner Group (Getty)

The WHO have described last week's Turkey-Syria earthquake as one of Europe's worst natural disasters in the last 100 years. David Aaronovitch finds out why it was so deadly. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Stephen Hicks, Seismologist at University College London Professor Dina D’Ayala, Co-Director of the Earthquake and People Interaction Centre at UCL, and UNESCO Chair on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Engineering. Firdevs Robinson, London-based journalist, broadcaster and commentator specializing on Turkey, the Middle East, Caucasus and Freedom of the Media. Dr Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Dan Gordon and Ben Carter Production Coordinators: Janet Staples and Siobhan Reed Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editors: Richard Vadon and Charlotte McDonald

Avian flu has devastated poultry farms and wild bird populations around the world and now it's spread to mammals such as mink and seals. Cases in humans have been rare but worryingly fatal in more than half of the recorded incidences. How worried should we be about the risk of a new global pandemic? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Wendy Barclay, Head of the Department of Infectious Disease and Chair in Influenza Virology at Imperial College London Dr Wendy Puryear, Molecular virologist, Tufts University Prof Ian Brown, Head of Virology at the Animal and Plant Health Agency Marion Koopmans, Head of the Department of Virology at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Cecilia Armstrong and Ben Carter Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Maria Ogundele Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

The government wants hundreds of thousands of over 50s to return the workforce as Britain mounts an economic recovery. More than half million people in that age bracket have left work since 2019. Will the promise of a 'midlife MOT' encourage people to come back to work? And do employers want them? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Torsten Bell, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation Mike Crowhurst, Director at Public First Tony Wilson, Director Institute for Employment Studies Bee Boileau, a research economist in the retirement, saving and ageing sector at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, James Kirkup, Director of the Social Market Foundation Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Daniel Gordon and Ben Carter Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Sound mix: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

The next round of rail strikes look set to compound long-running problems with Britain's railways. But the problems on the network go far beyond this spate of industrial action. David Aaronvitch asks the experts in The Briefing Room this week the reasons why our rail network has acquired such a reputation for unreliability, and what can be done to put it right. Contributors: Christian Wolmar Mark Smith Jennifer Williams Gareth Dennis Producers: Kirsteen Knight Ben Carter Daniel Gordon Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed Sophie Hill Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon Image: Train timetable board Credit: Martin Pope via Getty

At the end of 2022, with winter approaching, there were warnings right across Europe of an impending energy crisis. There was talk of potential electricity blackouts. But today, in the depths of that same winter, why are energy storage facilities well topped up and prices of oil and gas falling instead? David Aaronovitch finds out from the experts with him in The Briefing Room this week. Contributors: Nathalie Thomas Javier Blas Kate Mulvany Sir Dieter Helm Producers: Kirsteen Knight Ben Carter Daniel Gordon Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon Photo: Vertigo3d/Getty Images

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised 'urgent action' to tackle the NHS crisis. The experts in The Briefing Room with David Aaronovitch this week consider what can be done to tackle problems such as: chronic staff shortages; the thousands of 'bed blockers' and the backlog of people waiting for surgical procedures. Contributors: Annabelle Collins, Senior Correspondent, Health Service Journal Nigel Edwards, Chief Executive, Nuffield Trust Jill Manthorpe, Professor of Social Work at King's College London Mark Pearson, Health Expert, OECD Sally Warren, Director of Policy, King's Fund Producers: Daniel Gordon Rosamund Jones Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts evaluate the current situation in Ukraine and explore how the war might evolve in the remaining winter months and into the Spring. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London Samantha de Bendern, Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor of The Economist Producers: Ben Carter, Dan Gordon and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

For years, the major problem of world demography was thought to be the risk of over-population. Now, it's the fact that the global population is ageing fast. According to the United Nations, the number of people over 65 is set to double between now and 2050, to 1.6 billion people. And, at the same time, the birth rate in most of the world is falling, often sharply. This demographic shift comes with huge social and economic implications. What are they, and what can we do to cope with them? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Stephanie Hegarty, BBC Global Population Correspondent Marco Valerio Lo Prete, Economics Editor at Italian State Broadcaster RAI and author of “Italians: The Unhappy Few” Robert Kelly., Professor of Political Science at Pusan National University, South Korea Camilla Cavendish, Senior Fellow at Harvard University Ian Goldin, Professor of Globalisation and Development at the Oxford Martin School Producers: Simon Watts, Kirsteen Knight and Octavia Woodward Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

The first mission in NASA’s Artemis space programme returned to Earth earlier this month, after a journey of over 1.3 million miles around the Moon and back. Over next few years NASA will launch Artemis missions two and three, with the help of the European and Japanese space agencies, as well as Elon Musk's Space X. The aim is eventually to build a permanent base for scientific - and possibly economic development - on the Moon. Meanwhile, China is pursuing a lunar exploration programme of its own. So why is the Moon back in fashion? And is the world in the grip of a new space race? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Rebecca Morelle, BBC Science Correspondent John Zarnecki, Emeritus Professor of Space Sciences at the Open University Jack Burns, Professor of Astrophysics and Professor of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder Joanne Wheeler, Space Lawyer Bleddyn Bowen, Associate Professor of International Relations, Space Policy/Warfare Expert, University of Leicester Producers: Daniel Gordon, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter. Editor: Simon Watts. Studio Manager: Neil Churchill. Production co-ordinator Sophie Hill. PHOTO CREDIT: The launch of NASA's Artemis 1 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida (Getty Images)

In the 1970s the UK was gripped by double-digit inflation driven by energy price shocks. Inflation was controlled by raising interest rates as a recession raged. And that prompted workers to demand higher wages. Sound familiar? This week and next will see rail workers, ambulance staff, nurses, bus drivers, baggage handlers, highway workers, Border Force, driving examiners and the Royal Mail all striking on various days. As things stand, the prospects of a resolution don’t look promising. So are we heading back to the 70s and another "Winter of Discontent’? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Keith Laybourn, Professor of History at the University of Huddersfield Alex Bryson, Professor of Quantitative Social Science at UCL's Social Research Institute Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Chris Giles, Economics Editor at the Financial Times Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Simon Watts Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

Earlier this week Sir Keir Starmer announced that Labour would abolish the House of Lords in its first term if he is elected prime minister. He’d replace it with a new, elected second chamber. Some Tories were quick to ridicule the idea and even some Labour peers have urged Starmer to focus on more urgent domestic reforms rather than get caught up in a ‘constitutional quagmire’. But how would Starmer's plan work in reality and is it a good idea? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Professor Andrew Blick, Professor of Politics and Contemporary History at Kings College London Meg Russell, Professor of British and Comparative Politics and Director of the Constitution Unit Patrick Diamond, Associate Professor of Public Policy at Queen Mary, University of London Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at The Institute for Government Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Daniel Gordon Editor: Simon Watts Studio manager: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

Chants of ‘Xi Jinping step down’ were heard on the lips of some demonstrators in China last weekend. A rare example of dissent against the Chinese leader. The cause of the protestors fury is pretty clear – nearly three years of the government’s zero-Covid policy has proved too much to bear for many Chinese. The Chinese Communist Party acted quickly by sending police to protest sites and increasing online censorship. But on Tuesday some local health officials began suggesting that they needed to lift lockdowns ‘as quickly as possible’. Will that be enough to prevent further protests in China, and how will Xi Jinping and his government respond to recent events? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: David Rennie, Beijing bureau chief at The Economist Kerry Allen, Chinese media analyst at BBC News Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific programme at Chatham House Professor Steven Tsang, director at SOAS China Institute Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Daniel Gordon Editor: Simon Watts Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross

‘We will now open a new chapter in our national story, striking free trade deals around the world’ said Boris Johnson in December 2020 after the UK struck a deal with the European Union for relations after Brexit. The government say these new deals will help level up the UK, cut red tape, provide better investment opportunities and open new digital markets. But, nearly three years after leaving the EU, what deals have we negotiated, are they providing the benefits we were promised and what challenges lie ahead? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Dharshini David, BBC Global Trade correspondent Sam Lowe, partner at Flint Global, a business advisory service where he runs the trade and market access practice David Henig, Director of the UK Trade Policy Project Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor of the Financial Times Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Daniel Gordon Editor: Simon Watts Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross

The Russians are on the back foot in the war in Ukraine and have just evacuated the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson. The setbacks for Moscow have led to increasing concern in western capitals about the prospect of President Vladimir Putin using a nuclear weapon. But what are the real chances of Russia moving from nuclear threats to nuclear action. And how might the NATO powers respond? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College, London. Matthew Kroenig, Professor of Government at Georgetown University and Acting Director, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council Patricia Lewis, Director of the International Security Programme at Chatham House. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Daniel Gordon and Simon Watts Editor: Penny Murphy Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross Image: Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: Mikhail Svetlov / Getty Images

The volatility on the financial markets is continuing in the wake of the chancellor's announcement of massive tax cuts last month. The government's current plan is to announce full details of how it will fund those cuts and balance the books on October 31st. One of its options is to rein in public spending - the expenditure that goes on healthcare, schools, welfare, infrastructure and much more, So what is the level of public spending right now, how does it compare historically and what would be the impact on our services and benefits of any cuts? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute For Fiscal Studies Soumaya Keynes, UK Economics Editor at The Economist Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at The Institute For Government PHOTO: The chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng (Getty Images)

Since mid-September, women and girls in Iran have been staging demonstrations against the regime. Social media has been full of images of female protestors cutting off their hair and removing their Islamic head-covering in open defiance of the security forces. These protests have their roots in the arrest of a young woman called Mahsa Amini for minor infractions of the Islamic Republic’s dress code and her subsequent death in custody. But there have been several waves of protest since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 - all of which have been successfully repressed. So, this time is it different? Is a regime that’s been in power for decades seriously under threat? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Khosro Kalbasi, Iran analyst at BBC Monitoring. Azadeh Moaveni, Journalist and author of Lipstick Jihad. Eskandar Sadeghi, Lecturer in Contemporary Politics and Modern History of the Middle East at Goldsmith's, University of London Ali Ansari, Professor of History at St Andrews University. Sanam Vakil, Deputy Director of the Middle East programme at Chatham House. PHOTO: Demonstrators in the Iraqi region of Kurdistan holding pictures of Mahsa Amini (Getty Images)

The financial markets have been in turmoil since the chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, unveiled a big package of economic measures last Friday. Traders responded to the prospect of major tax cuts by selling the pound. The Bank of England then had to intervene to protect the UK's pension system. What exactly is causing the financial instability and what might that mean for the British economy over the next few years? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Dharshini David, BBC Economics Correspondent. Toby Nangle, Economics commentator and former asset fund manager. Martin Weale, Professor of Economics at King’s College, London. Chris Giles, Economics Editor of the Financial Times. Stephanie Flanders, Senior Executive Editor for Economics at Bloomberg. Producers: Octavia Woodward, Daniel Gordon and Simon Watts Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross PHOTO: The Bank of England (Getty Images)

This week the new UK government is unveiling its first major package of economic measures. They're aimed at achieving what Prime Minister Liz Truss says is her number one priority: promoting economic growth. Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he shares the same aspiration for Britain. But low growth is an entrenched problem, dating back decades. So why has the UK been performing so badly and what needs to be done to turn us into a high-growth country? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Nicholas Crafts, Professor of Economic History at the University of Sussex Business School. Chris Giles, Economics Editor of The Financial Times. Anna Valero, Senior Policy Fellow at the London School of Economics’ Centre for Economic Performance. Paul Johnson, Director of The Institute For Fiscal Studies Duncan Weldon, Broadcaster and Author of “Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through”. Producers: Paul Connolly, Arlene Gregorius and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross

Ukraine's military has retaken thousands of square kilometres of territory near the north-eastern city of Kharkiv. The Russians are said to have retreated in haste and disarray, but they retaliated by shelling a large power plant, causing blackouts in Kharkiv, the country's second biggest city. Is Ukraine's successful counter-offensive a turning point in the war? Could Ukraine win? Experts say Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, won't countenance defeat, and will escalate instead of retreating or suing for peace. Might Putin launch a tactical nuclear strike? Or use mobilisation or conscription for all-out war? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: - Vitaliy Shevchenko, Russia editor at BBC Monitoring and co-host of the BBC's Ukrainecast podcast - Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy - Samantha de Bendern, Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House - Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London - Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor of The Economist Producers: Paul Connolly, Arlene Gregorius and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross Image credit: Anton Petrus/Getty Images

Soaring household bills have made energy the number one issue facing the government and consumers in Britain. But in addition to the cost, there may be another problem ahead as winter approaches. Experts are increasingly worried about the supply of both electricity and gas from Europe, and how that might affect the power system here. So how worried should we be about energy shortages? And what can the government do to limit their impact? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Kathryn Porter, Energy Analyst at Watt Logic Javier Blas, Energy Columnist at Bloomberg Elisabetta Cornago, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform David Sheppard, Energy Editor at the Financial Times Michael Bradshaw, Professor of Global Energy at the University of Warwick. Producers: Paul Connolly, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: James Beard. Production co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross. PHOTO: An electricity substation in East London (Daniel LEAL / AFP)

The NHS often appears to be in a state of permanent crisis. Recently, there've been headlines about long waiting times for ambulances and the huge backlog for routine surgery. Before that, the Health Service faced a two-year pandemic which may rear its head again this winter. But the NHS also has a big underlying problem. It has tens of thousands of vacancies for doctors, nurses and other medical workers – and that makes all the other pressures on the Health Service even harder to handle. So why does the NHS have a staffing problem? And what can be done to fix it? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Annabelle Collins, Senior Correspondent at Health Service Journal Alison Leary, Professor of Healthcare and Workforce Modelling at London South Bank University Suzie Bailey, Director of Leadership and Organisational Development at The Kings Fund Mark Pearson, Deputy Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at the OECD, Nigel Edwards, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust Producers: Bob Howard, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Tara McDermott. Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar. Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed. PHOTO CREDIT: (Getty Images)

Despite recent heavy rainfall, much of England is experiencing drought conditions. Both rivers and reservoirs are running low, and the water companies have told millions to stop using their hosepipes. Scientists warn that the current difficulties are only a glimpse of the much tougher challenges the UK will face in the future because of climate change. They estimate that there's a one-in-four chance of a drought which is so severe that drinking water has to be restricted. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Sir John Armitt, Chairman of the UK's National Infrastructure Commission Dr Heather Smith, Senior Lecturer in Water Governance at Cranfield University Jean Spencer, Director of The Water Industry Forum Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at Oxford University Producers: Bob Howard, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot. Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross PHOTO CREDIT: A reservoir on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall in August 2022 (Getty Images)

There are growing calls for emergency measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Energy bills are now predicted to be hundreds of pounds higher than was expected just a few weeks ago. The Bank of England has increased interest rates, and warned of the twin threat of inflation and a recession. What policy options does the government have? How can ministers get help to the growing numbers of people forced to choose between heating and eating. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Felicity Hannah, consumer affairs journalist and BBC Moneybox presenter Nicole Sykes, director of Policy and Communications, Pro Bono Economics Nick Eyre, professor of Energy and Climate Change, Oxford University Gemma Tetlow, chief economist, Institute of Government Duncan Weldon, economist and author of Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through

Scotland has the worst figures for drug-related deaths anywhere in Europe. According to National Records for Scotland, 1,330 drug users died in 2021 - a slight improvement, but a death rate per capita which is still 4.8 times higher than England's. Why do so many Scots die from drugs? And what more can be done to prevent it? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: James Cook, BBC Scotland Editor Kirsten Horsburgh, Director of Operations at the Scottish Drugs Forum Andrew McAuley, Glasgow Caledonian University Professor Catriona Matheson, University of Stirling Professor Alex Stevens, University of Kent PHOTO: Campaigning group Faces and Voices of Recovery protesting outside the Scottish Parliament in July 2022. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Last week, temperatures in the UK reached a record-breaking 40.3 degrees centigrade. As Britons sweltered in their homes and offices, railway lines buckled, fires broke out in Greater London and the tarmac on Luton Airport runway began to lift. Climate Change scientists now describe this kind of heat as 'the new normal'. How well is Britain set up to cope with extreme weather events? Do we need to start heat-proofing our houses and infrastructure? And does government need to focus more on adapting to climate change? Joining David Aaronovitch are: Mark Maslin, professor of Climatology at University College London Glenn McGregor, professor of Climatology at Durham University Richard Dawson, professor of Engineering at Newcastle University and member of the UK's Climate Change Committee Kathryn Brown, former head of the Adaption at the UK's Climate Change Committee Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Penny Murphy. Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot. Production co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross.

The war in Ukraine is about to enter its sixth month. The cost of Russia’s invasion has been enormous: millions of refugees; thousands of dead soldiers; thousands more dead civilians; and billions of dollars’ worth of physical damage. It’s the most consequential military conflict for a generation. This week the Briefing Room investigates what’s happening now on the ground and whether either side is close to victory or collapse. Joining David Aaronovitch are: Nina Kuryata, Ukrainian journalist with Tortoise Media Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist Samantha de Bendern, Associate Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College, London Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: Neil Churchill. Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross PHOTO CREDIT: Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images

More than two years after the emergence of Covid, infection levels are high once again. The Office for National Statistics estimates that 2.7 million people, or 1 in 25 of us, have got Coronavirus. There’s concern too about new Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 – mutations which help the virus re-infect our bodies. But how worried should we actually be this time? Are the mutations normal or an alarming new development? And how much of a threat does Coronavirus still face to the NHS? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: James Gallagher, BBC Health and Science Correspondent Gideon Skinner, Head of Politics Research in Public Affairs at Ipsos Miriam Deakin, Director of Policy and Stategy of NHS Providers Meaghan Kall, Epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency Neil Ferguson, Head of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London. Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross

Last year spending on health and social care in the UK hit nearly £200bn. That’s roughly a fifth of total government spending. Yet the perception has been that things have got worse. Have they? If so, how much worse? How do we compare with other similar countries? And what might we do differently? Joining David Aaronovitch in the briefing room are: Siva Anandaciva, Chief Analyst at the King’s Fund Professor Carol Propper, health economist at Imperial College Mark Pearson, Deputy Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at the OECD Dr Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive at The Health Foundation Producers: Octavia Woodward, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill Image: Paramedics unloading a stretcher Credit: Tejas Sandhy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty

Last year the Taliban launched an offensive in Afghanistan that, within a matter of weeks succeeded beyond the West’s wildest nightmares. In August Kabul fell and life changed dramatically for the Afghan people. Since then they’ve faced food shortages, a failing economy and a bombing campaign launched by Afghanistan’s own ISIS, ISIS-K. So is it Taliban 2.0 as some people hoped? How is it dealing with its domestic challenges? And how is it managing its relationships with its neighbours and countries further afield? Joining David in the briefing room are: Secunder Kermani, the BBC’s Pakistan and Afghanistan correspondent Laurel Miller, Director of the International Crisis Group’s Asia Programme, Ashley Jackson, co-director of the Centre for the Study of Armed Groups at the global affairs think tank, ODI Ahmed Rashid, journalist and author based in Pakistan who has studied the Taliban for decades Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill

Last week cryptocurrency suffered it’s ‘black Wednesday’ moment. Investors raced to withdraw their funds and more than $200billion was wiped off the cryptocurrency market. One currency lost 98% of its value. Ironically it was a so-called “stablecoin”, whose value is meant to be pegged to currencies like the dollar, that collapsed. Was this a solitary - but very costly - blip or is the crypto bubble in danger of bursting? Joining David in the briefing room are: Gavin Brown, Associate Professor in Financial Technology at The University of Liverpool Jemima Kelly, columnist at the Financial Times Dominic Frisby, MoneyWeek columnist and author of Bitcoin: The Future of Money? David Shrier, Professor of Practice, AI & Innovation with Imperial College Business School Stephen Diehl, a software engineer and crypto writer. Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill

The election in Northern Ireland saw nationalists, Sinn Fein, win the most votes. Their leader, Michelle O'Neill, becomes first minister. It has been heralded as a historic result. But what will its impact - on Stormont politics, the protocol and the union - end up being? Joining David Aaronovitch in the briefing room are: Enda McClafferty, BBC Northern Ireland's political editor Ann Watt, director of Pivotal, an independent public policy think tank Sam McBride, Northern Ireland editor, Belfast Telegraph & Sunday Independent Etain Tannam, associate professor of international peace studies, Trinity College Dublin Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight & Ben Carter Studio manager: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Vadon

In late February, German chancellor Olaf Scholz described Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a ‘Zeitenwende’ - turning point - sparking the biggest shift in German foreign policy since the Cold War. The highlights included a 100bn euro package to boost the military and meet Nato’s 2 per cent of GDP defence spending obligation, send weapons to Ukraine and end his country’s dependency on Russian energy. A surprisingly bold plan from a man many had thought was - like many of his predecessors - naturally cautious. He drew applause at home and abroad, but two months on there is sense that Scholz is wavering. Can he, and will he, see his plan through? Joining David Aaronovitch in the briefing room are: Sir Paul Lever, former British Ambassador to Germany and author of Berlin Rules: Europe and the German Way Professor Markus Ziener, Helmut Schmidt Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States Daniela Schwarzer, Director of the German Council on Foreign Relations Sophia Besch, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform Producers: Octavia Woodward, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Studio Manager: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

What will the social and economic costs be of China's full-scale lockdown of Shanghai? David Aaronovitch examines the problems with the country's vaccination programme. Joining David in the briefing room are: Robin Brant, BBC Correspondent based in Shanghai Vincent Ni, China Affairs correspondent for The Guardian Professor Nancy Qian, Northwestern University Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House George Magnus, economist and research associate at Oxford University’s China Centre. Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production Co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has unveiled a plan to stop small boat crossings in the English Channel by sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. But will it work? Joining David Aaronovitch in the briefing room are: Mark Easton, BBC's Home Editor Alexander Betts, Professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs at the Refugees Studies Centre Nicolas Rollason, partner and head of Business Immigration at Kingsley Napley Madeleine Sumption, Director of The Migration Observatory Producers: Rosamund Jones, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

It's a month now since Russian forces invaded Ukraine. The west have sanctioned Russia and provided aid packages to Ukraine but what more can it do to help Ukraine win the war? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Gustav Gressel, senior policy fellow with the Wider Europe Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) Berlin office. Dr Sarah Schiffling, International research fellow at the Humanitarian Logistics Institute in Helsinki, Finland and senior lecturer in supply chain management at Liverpool John Moores University. Javier Blas, energy and commodities columnist at Bloomberg and co-author of the 'The World for Sale’. Algirde Pipikaite, cybersecurity and digital transformation policy expert at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight, Octavia Woodward and Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Production Co-ordinators: Iona Hammond and Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have been underway this week. At the same time Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities have come under savage bombardment. If some sort of peace is to be brokered what compromises might be possible and what will be required to get there? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Oleksiy Semeniy, former advisor to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Aglaya Snetkov, author of “Russia's security policy under Putin” and a lecturer at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies in London. Anatol Lieven, senior research fellow on Russia and Europe at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and a visiting professor at King’s College, London. Dr Julie Norman, lecturer in politics and international relations at University College London and co-director of its US politics centre. Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

What's the impact in Russia of painful sanctions and a war that's not going to plan? How is President Putin controlling information and what's required for that to change? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Michael Clarke, Visiting Professor of War Studies at Exeter University and former director, Royal United Services Institute Sergei Guriev, Professor of Economics at Sciences Po in Paris and former Chief Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Dr. Katerina Tertytchnaya, Assistant Professor in Comparative Politics, University College London Izabella Tabarovsky, Senior Program Associate at the Kennan Institute, Wilson Center (US) Dr Maxim Alyukov, fellow Kings College London Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Henderson Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

The war in Ukraine is a week old. What have we learned about the military strength - and tactics - on both sides? And what might that tell us about how the conflict might play out? David Aaronovitch is joined in The Briefing Room by: Vitaliy Shevchenko, Russian editor at BBC Monitoring. Colonel Liam Collins, founding director of the Modern War Institute in New York. Ed Arnold, Research Fellow in European security at RUSI and an ex British Army officer who was posted to NATOs Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in 2014 during the Russian annexation of Crimea. Kataryna Wolczuk, Professor of East European Politics at the University of Birmingham. Bettina Renz, Professor of International Security at the University of Nottingham. Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio manager: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

Russia is facing sanctions from around the world. Can they hit the country hard enough to make it change course and leave Ukraine in peace? In a live episode David Aaronovitch considers how sanctions have worked in other crises, why they are so frequently used and what circumstances are required for them to be successful. He is joined by: Lee Jones, Professor of International Politics at Queen Mary, University of London and author of the book Societies Under Siege: Exploring How International Economic Sanctions (Do Not) Work Tom Keatinge, Director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at RUSI Dr Maria Shagina, Fellow at the Center for Eastern European Studies at the University of Zurich Tyler Kustra, Assistant Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

A few weeks ago a rebel group without an air-force managed to attack a foreign airport 1,000 miles away....from the air using drones. And theoretically what the Yemeni insurgents did in Abu Dhabi is repeatable the world over. Indeed is being repeated. Meanwhile drones are often the weapon of choice for major powers operating a long way from home. So are drones transforming the way conflicts are fought, to what extent is that a bad thing, and what can be done about it? David Aaronovitch talks to: Caroline Kennedy-Pipe, Professor of War Studies at Loughborough University Dr James Rogers, Assistant Professor at the Centre for War Studies in Odense, Denmark Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist Dr Sarah Kreps, Director of the Tech Policy Lab at Cornell University Producers: Rosamund Jones and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot

One of Boris Johnson’s key campaign promises in the run up to the last election was to level up the country. Now the government has published a white paper telling us how it intends to do that. So what are the plans, will they work and do they go far enough? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Jagjit Chadha, Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Jennifer Williams, social affairs editor at the Manchester Evening News Paul Swinney, director of policy and research at the think tank Centre for Cities Tom Forth, founder The Data City Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Studio manager: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

How well 10 Downing Street functions is under scrutiny. Following Sue Gray's report into parties during lockdown, David Aaronovitch explores who does what at the heart of government and asks if the current problems can be fixed. Contributors: Alex Thomas, Institute for Government Professor Andrew, Blick, King's College London Jill Rutter, UK in a Changing Europe Professor Patrick Diamond, Queen Mary University of London Producers: Rosamund Jones, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed, Brenda Brown Editor: Richard Vadon

Plan B Covid restrictions in England have ended and the government says we must learn to live with Covid. But what does that actually mean and how sustainable is that position? In this programme we will ask how our understanding of Covid’s newest variant, Omicron, has evolved since Plan B restrictions were first imposed 7 weeks ago. To what extent might flu provide a model for how we live with Covid? And how will our hospitals cope with the strain as restrictions within wider society are eased? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Azra Ghani, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College, London Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers Lesley Powls, Head of Clinical Site & Emergency Planning, King's College Hospital Emma Thomson, Professor of infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research Linda Bauld, Professor of public health at Edinburgh University Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

With the longer term funding of the BBC under pressure, David Aaronovitch and guests explore the alternatives to the licence fee. How do other nations pay for their public service broadcasters? Contributors: Professor Jean Seaton, University of Westminster Matt Walsh, Head of school of Journalism, Media & Culture, Cardiff University Vilde Sundet, University of Oslo Professor Patrick Barwise, London Business School Claire Enders, Enders Analysis Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Ben Carter, Rosamund Jones Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill, Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

Inflation is at a 30 year high. David Aaronovitch looks back to the 1970s when prices - and wages - soared. Are we returning to those times and how worried should we be? Joining him in The Briefing Room are: Stephanie Flanders, Head of Bloomberg Economics. Merryn Somerset Webb, editor-in-chief, Moneyweek. Torsten Bell, chief executive, The Resolution Foundation. Duncan Weldon, economist and author of "Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through" and "The Value Added Newsletter". Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Ben Henderson and Rosamund Jones Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

It's nearly been a year since Brexit, so what have the costs and gains been so far, what's yet to be sorted out, and how has our relationship with our European neighbours changed? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Maddy Thimont Jack, associate director on the Institute for Government's Brexit team Sam McBride, Northern Ireland editor of the Belfast Telegraph & Sunday Independent Katya Adler, BBC Europe Editor Peter Foster, editor of the Financial Times newsletter 'Britain After Brexit'. Anand Menon, director at UK in a Changing Europe Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight, Ben Carter and Ben Henderson Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

Four recent by-elections in the UK - Airdrie and Schotts, Hartlepool, Amersham and Chesham, and Batley and Spen - tell us four different stories about who we are and what determines who we vote for. So how well do we know who we are and how has that ‘who’ changed over the last thirty years? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: James Kanagasoorium, CEO of Stack Data Strategy Paula Surridge, political sociologist from the University of Bristol Rosie Campbell, Professor of Politics at King's College, London Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester Producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Jasper Corbett Sound Mix: Graham Puddifoot Image: Liverpool by night Credit: Jenna Goodwin / EyeEm / Getty

Could space be the next frontier for conflict? And what would it look like? Recently the astronauts in the International Space Station had to shelter in their escape pods, after Russia destroyed one of its own satellites using a missile and leaving a dangerous trail of debris orbiting the earth. While not a deliberately aggressive act, the destruction of the satellite was an indication of the kind of weaponry that could be used in space. This summer, on the occasion of the official opening of UK Space Command, the head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, warned that any global conflict would “most likely be won or lost in space.” What is the likelihood of a space war, what form would it take and what are the laws that govern activity in space? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Dr Bleddyn Bowen, lecturer in International Relations, University of Leicester Michelle Hanlon, Professor of Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi, United States Alexandra Stickings, Space Strategy Lead at the consultancy Frazer-Nash Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor, The Economist Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: Andy Garratt Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon Image: The International Space Station in orbit Credit: Nasa / EPA

Russian troops are amassed close to the Ukrainian border - could this mean war, or is something else going on? Tensions between Ukraine and Russia aren't new, particularly since the annexation of the Crimea in 2014 and fighting with separatists, backed by Russia, in eastern Ukraine. The West has warned Russia of dire consequences if it invades Ukraine. Russia says it is not planning to and has the right to put its troops anywhere within its territory. So what is going on? What does President Putin want and what can NATO and the West do? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow Correspondent Anton Barbashin, political analyst and editorial director of Riddle Russia Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri, Associate Professor of International Relations, School of Oriental and African Studies, also director of the US Programme at Chatham House Orysia Lutsevych, Research Fellow and manager of the Ukraine Forum, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House Dr Liana Fix, Russia expert, Körber Foundation, Berlin Programme producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight and Chris Flynn Studio mix by James Beard Programme Editor: Richard Vadon Image: Ukranian servicemen on a front line near Svetlodarsk. Credit: EPA/Anatoli Stepanov

From insurgency to government - the challenges for the Taliban and the West. Four months ago the Taliban stunned the world - maybe even themselves - when they entered Kabul and took power in Afghanistan. Since then they have had to move from 20 years of fighting to setting up a central government. That has not proven easy. In the meantime the people of Afghanistan are suffering food shortages and an economic crisis. So what is going on and what might happen next? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room: Secunder Kermani, BBC Pakistan & Afghanistan correspondent Dr. Mike Martin, visiting fellow in the War Studies department, King's College London. Laurel Miller, director of the International Crisis Group’s Asia programme. Ahmed Rashid, journalist and author. Ashley Jackson, co-director of the Centre for the Study of Armed Groups at the global affairs think tank ODI. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon Image: Boy in Balkh camp, Afghanistan 13th November 2021. Credit: Sayed Khodaiberdi Sadat/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

What are variants? Where do they come from? Why do they develop and how do they take over? Currently Delta is the dominant variant in the UK and across much of the world; but now Omicron, first identified in South Africa, looks like it could take over. How does that happen? And what can we do about variants? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Emma Thomson, Professor of infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. Dr. Jeff Barrett, Director of the Covid-19 genomics initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. Dr. Charlotte Houldcroft, virologist from the University of Cambridge. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon

As parts of Europe struggle to contain Covid cases we ask what that means for them and us. The World Health Organisation has warned that another 500,000 people in Europe could die of Covid by March next year unless countries take urgent action to control the spread of the virus. Austria – the country with the lowest vaccination rate in western Europe - has become the first country to legally require people to have the vaccine from next February. The German health minister has said the country is in a national emergency that could result in another national lockdown. There have been riots in the Netherlands in response to new Covid restrictions. So why is the situation so dire, what’s being done about it and what risk does the crisis on the continent pose to the UK? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Dr Louise Blair, Lead analyst in vaccines and covid variants at the health analytics firm, Airfinity. Dr Clemens Auer, Special Envoy for Health for the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection of Austria. He was Austria’s Covid co-ordinator until March. Professor Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Professor Sheena Cruickshank, Immunologist at the University of Manchester. Dr Raghib Ali, Senior Clinical Research Associate, University of Cambridge Producers: Ben Carter, John Murphy and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Studio Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production Co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed

For years China has been perhaps the most important economic engine driving growth around the world. Earlier this year it bounced back from the Covid shutdowns with double-digit growth. Global demand for Chinese-made products has been booming. But this week growth figures have dropped dramatically. The country has been experiencing an energy and property crisis. So, is the bubble bursting? And should we be worried? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Celia Hatton, the BBC's Asia Pacific Editor Dr. Philip Andrews-Speed, Senior Principal Fellow at the Energy Studies Institute of the National University of Singapore George Magnus, Research Associate at the China Centre, Oxford University Tom Orlik, Chief Economist at Bloomberg Economics Dr. Keyu Jin, Associate Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics Producers: John Murphy, Soila Apparicio, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett Image: Chenzhou in China during a blackout Credit: Alamy

For decades the difficult problem of social care - how to fund it, how to provide it - has been kicked into the long grass by government after government. But last month the Prime Minister announced a policy which he said meant no-one would have to sell their house to fund their social care. He also promised more money for social care - though not immediately. A "health and social care levy" is to be created through an increase in National Insurance contributions. So is the problem of social care being fixed? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Alison Holt, BBC Social Affairs Editor Peter Beresford, visiting Professor in the School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia Sally Warren, Director of Social Policy at the King's Fund Jill Manthorpe, Professor of Social Work and Director, NIHR Health & Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King's College London. Producers: John Murphy, Soila Apparicio, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

According to campaigners, Britain has some of the dirtiest rivers in Europe. Sewage, slurry from farms and chemicals are all a problem, too often ending up in our rivers. The parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee estimates that the discharge of raw sewage accounts for 55% of rivers in England and Wales failing to reach good ecological status. Not one river has good chemical status. So what's going wrong and what can be done to fix it? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Olivia Rudgard, Environment Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph Peter Hammond, retired Professor of Computational Biology at University College London Rachel Salvidge, Deputy Editor of ENDS Report Steve Ormerod, Professor of Ecology and Co-Director of the Water Research Institute, Cardiff University Producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight, Soila Apparicio Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Jasper Corbett Photo: Chemical Pollution from Industrial Outfall Pouring into River Mersey UK. Credit: Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

When a collage of digital images was sold in New York earlier this year for £50 million, the art world was convulsed. The reason? The picture couldn't be hung on a wall and was only visible online. What had been bought and sold was the non-fungible token - or NFT - relating to the collage. David Aaronovitch and his guests discover how NFTs work for those who sell and those who buy them and also consider if NFTs are a passing fad or an aspect of our culture that is becoming increasingly common and might lead to the emergence of a future John Constable or Tracy Emin, eventually spreading to and influencing other art forms. Enter the Briefing Room and find out why collectors are investing in NFTs; how easy it is to spot a fake and what you can do about it; and whether non-fungibles will be an enduring part of the artistic - and investment - worlds in the years ahead. Those taking part include: Georgina Adam of The Art Newspaper; investor in NFTs and co-founder and chief executive of the Arts and culture portal Vastari, Bernardine Bröcker Wieder; and the art historian, former art dealer and presenter of the BBC FOUR series, Britain's Lost Masterpieces, Bendor Grosvenor. Producers Simon Coates and Bob Howard Editor Jasper Corbett Image: Visitors to "Machine Hallucinations - Space: Metaverse" by Refik Anadol, which will be auctioned online as an NFT at Sothebys, at the Digital Art Fair, Hong Kong Credit: REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

The Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, has said there is 'no question of the lights going out' this winter as a result of a huge rise in gas prices. But many smaller energy companies are struggling to stay afloat as they are unable to pass on the higher wholesale costs of gas to their customers because of the energy price cap. Labour has accused the government of complacency when it comes to energy supplies. Some Conservatives have warned of a tricky winter ahead. So what lies behind the current problems, and what can be done to stop it happening again? Joining David Aaronovitch are : David Sheppard, Energy Editor at the Financial Times Dr Sharon George, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, University of Keele Michael Bradshaw Professor of Global Energy at the Warwick Business School Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford Producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight, Soila Apparicio Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

Government ministers have been blowing hot and cold about vaccine passports. Now the Westminster government says it is not planning to introduce them to England, though they're being kept as an option should things change. The Welsh government is thinking about them, while Northern Ireland has rejected them for now. In Scotland vaccine passports are coming in on October 1st for nightclubs and large venues. But booster jabs are coming across the UK. The roll-out for over-50s, frontline health workers and vulnerable groups will begin in days. Joining David Aaronovitch to ask if we need vaccine passports and boosters are: Laure Millet, head of the healthcare policy programme at the Institut Montaigne in Paris Melinda Mills, Professor of Demography at the University of Oxford and Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science Azra Ghani, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London Natasha Loder, Health Policy Editor at The Economist Producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight, Soila Apparicio Editor: Jasper Corbett

At the start of the first pandemic lockdown the government announced a £20 uplift for those receiving Universal Credit, the benefit designed to help those of working age with their living costs. It made clear at the time that the extra money was temporary and, in the coming weeks, payments will start to be reduced. But is a cliff-edge drop in the income of more than two-and-a-half million families the right step to be taking? And how best are the UK's poorest to be supported with the country still recovering from the pandemic? David Aaronovitch and his guests evaluate how well Universal Credit has been helping those in and out of work and what the uplift has achieved for families and single person households. Is giving more money to claimants the most effective way of helping them in the post-pandemic economy? Or, with prices rising for household essentials, should the government now be thinking about other measures to help those struggling to make ends meet? How do we help the least well-off while being fair to taxpayers and not subsidising employers paying low wages? Those taking part (in order of appearance): Fran Bennett of the Department for Social Policy & Intervention at Oxford University; Tom Waters, Senior Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies; Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government; and Deven Ghelani, founder of the social policy business, Policy in Practice. Producers Simon Coates, Jim Booth and Kirsteen Knight Editor Jasper Corbett

The Taliban takeover over of Afghanistan has left millions of people internally displaced and hundreds of thousands more hoping to leave the country soon. Where will these Afghan refugees try to go and how will they be received by different countries? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Camille Le Coz, Policy Analyst with Migration Policy Institute. Michael Semple, Professor at the Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen's University Belfast and former UN co-ordinator for the Bamiyan region in Afghanistan. Peter Walsh, researcher in migration at the Migration Observatory. Dominic Casciani, BBC Home and Legal correspondent Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Sharon Hemans Studio Manager: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Iona Hammond Editors: Alison Gee and Jasper Corbett

HS2, a high-speed railway linking up London, the Midlands and the North of England has been in development for more than a decade. It was described by Boris Johnson as the ‘spine’ of a new network to deal with the ‘great musculoskeletal problem of UK transport’. The ‘spine’ is costing an arm and a leg. In 2012 the project was priced at £32.7bn. That was revised to £55bn in 2015. Last year a review by civil engineer Doug Oakervee said the final figure could top £100bn. The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has already warned that Covid has severely damaged public finances and that will likely impact decisions made in the comprehensive spending review taking place this autumn. So how is HS2 progressing and is its completion threatened by its rising costs? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are - Nick Kingsley, Managing Editor of Railway Gazette International Bridget Rosewell, Commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission George Parker, political editor at the Financial Times Tony Travers, Professor in the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Sharon Hemans Editor: Jasper Corbett Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill

‘The likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely,’ said President Joe Biden six weeks ago. This prediction has not aged well. One harrowing scene this week saw some Afghans trying to escape their new reality by clinging to the wheels of a US Air Force plane as it took off from Kabul airport. Some of them fell to their deaths. Amidst growing international condemnation of the United States, President Biden has remained unrepentant about the end of the US mission in Afghanistan, arguing it was never about nation building or creating a unified democracy. It was about preventing a terrorist attack on American homeland. But what impact will events in Afghanistan this week have on the President's future foreign policy decisions? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Alex Ward, National Security reporter at Politico Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US & Americas programme at Chatham House Madiha Afzal, Brookings Institution Prof Michael Clarke, former Director General of RUSI and Professor of Defence Studies at King's College London Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Sharon Hemans Editor: Penny Murphy Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

The Taliban’s relentless march across Afghanistan continues – taking control of provincial capitals, rural districts and the financially lucrative border crossings. As the world watches on with increasing concern US President Biden has told Afghan leaders that it’s their battle to win and that they need to come together and fight for their nation. The female Afghan politician and diplomat Shukria Barakzai warned this week that her country is experiencing a ‘human catastrophe’ and Afghanistan will provide a safe haven for militants, which will cause the world huge problems. There’s also the prospect of a huge refugee crisis. But how are the Taliban succeeding and who’s helping them? David Aaronovitch is joined in The Briefing Room by: Laurel Miller, Director of International Crisis Group’s Asia Programme Ashley Jackson, Co-Director, Centre for the Study of Armed Groups Ahmed Rashid, Pakistani journalist and author Producers: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Sound engineer: James Beard Editor: Penny Murphy

Only a handful of small states officially recognise Taiwan as an independent country, though in many ways this democratic territory has the trappings of an independent nation. But Taiwan's giant neighbour, China, argues that the island is a renegade province that will one day reunify with the mainland - and Beijing reserves the right to use force to accomplish that if need be. In recent years the Chinese have built up their military forces substantially, including many aimed at Taiwan, and the rhetoric from Beijing remains that Taiwan belongs to China. Meanwhile calls within Taiwan for full independence have grown louder. The United States says it is committed to preserving the ambiguous status quo in the region and to opposing any Chinese coercion of the Taiwanese. Japan, too, has recently become more outspoken about supporting the US military forces in any possible conflict over Taiwan. So could the dispute over Taiwan trigger a war? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Margaret Hillenbrand, Associate Professor of modern Chinese culture and literature at the University of Oxford. Dr. Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House. J Michael Cole, Taipei-based Senior Fellow with the Taiwan Studies programme at Nottingham University. Bonnie Glaser, Director of the Asia Programme at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington DC. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight, Jim Frank Sound Mix: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

A supermarket chain is offering £1000 welcoming handshakes to new truck drivers - just one indication of the shortages in the haulage industry. The Road Haulage Association says that there is now a shortfall of 100,000 lorry drivers across the UK and other sectors of the economy are also finding it difficult to find workers, including in hospitality, construction and IT. The pandemic has shaken things up and Brexit has seen thousands of EU workers returning home - but is this a short-term problem or are there deeper structural changes happening? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room: Dougie Rankine, editor of Truck and Driver magazine. Katherine Price, news editor of The Caterer. Tony Hill, Director of the Institute for Employment Studies. Yael Selfin, Chief Economist, KMPG UK. Torsten Bell, Chief Executive at the Resolution Foundation. Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce. Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight. Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

Right across the world unpredictable and extreme weather has led to devastating consequences: homes washed away by floods in Europe and China with hundreds dead; extreme heat and giant wildfires in North America and in Siberia, and we now hear that the Amazon rainforest is emitting more carbon dioxide than it is soaking up. Scientists are clear that man-made climate change is playing a significant role in all this. In November senior representatives from 197 countries plus the European Union are supposed to be gathering for COP26 in Glasgow. Can this gathering - and the pronouncements made there - help save us from extreme climate change? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Alina Averchenkova, Distinguished Fellow from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics. Michael Jacobs, Professor at Sheffield University’s Political Economy Research Institute. Carly McLachlan, Professor of Climate and Energy Policy, Manchester University, and Director of Tyndall Manchester. Dr. James Dyke, Senior Lecturer in Global Systems, University of Exeter. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight. Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett. Image: People wading through flood waters following heavy rains in Zhengzhou in China's central Henan province. Credit: STR/AFP via Getty Images

Some are calling it Freedom Day. Others are much more circumspect. The lifting of Covid restrictions on 19th July in England is, to a certain extent, an experiment. The UK has one of the best vaccination rates in the world and far fewer people are now dying from coronavirus. But it also has one of the fastest rising infection rates. The development of the vaccines so quickly was, undoubtedly, an extraordinary scientific feat. It did also lead some scientists to predict that we would be through this pandemic by now. So why hasn't that happened? And what do we know about the risks involved in lifting restrictions now? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Azra Ghani, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College, London Tom Chivers, Science journalist and author Linda Bauld, Professor of public health at Edinburgh University Thomas Hale, Associate Professor in Public Policy, University of Oxford Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

European Union and European Economic Area citizens living in the UK should have applied for so-called settled status in Britain before July 1st. Over five million people have applied - a significantly higher figure than the British government originally estimated would be eligible. But there are fears that, for various reasons, tens of thousands of people failed to meet the deadline. In theory, this means they could lose their right to work, rent housing, or access certain hospital treatment, and are potentially subject to removal from the country. UK citizens living in EU countries are also having to prove their status. To examine what has happened so far - to EU citizens in the UK and to UK citizens in the EU - and what happens next, David Aaronovitch is joined in the Briefing Room by: Mark Easton, the BBC's Home Affairs Editor Michaela Benson, Professor of Sociology at the University of Lancaster Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Union and Labour Law, Cambridge University. Jill Rutter, former Treasury official and senior fellow at the Institute for Government. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

You might receive an innocuous looking email – it might even look like it’s from your boss – asking you to click on a link. Watch out! It could be the start of a ransomware attack. Over the last year cybersecurity experts say that the number of ransomware attacks has grown exponentially. During the pandemic lockdowns criminal hackers have been able to exploit the vulnerabilities inherent in the increase in homeworking to infiltrate computer systems, shut them down and then demand a ransom to restore services, or even to stop publishing data they’ve stolen. Along with the increased volume of attacks, the level of ransom demands has grown. Using new technology and techniques, this has become a lucrative business for international criminal gangs, with individuals, businesses, schools, hospitals and charities all targeted. Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room to discuss ransomware attacks are: Emily Taylor, CEO of Oxford Information Labs and Editor of Chatham House's Journal of Cyber Policy Sadie Creese, Professor of Cyber Security at the University of Oxford Geoff White, investigative journalist and author and presenter of the BBC’s podcast series, The Lazarus Heist Susan Landau, Bridge Professor of Cyber Security and Policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the School of Engineering, Department of Computer Science, Tufts University Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams and Imogen Serwotka Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett

Gaza is one of the most crowded places on earth. Most of its two million residents live in refugee camps and around half are unemployed. Gaza is governed by Hamas, an organisation that many governments regard as a terrorist group. Hamas extended its control over the whole of Gaza in 2007, after it ousted Fatah, which is now based in the West Bank. Since then Hamas has been involved in a number of conflicts with Israel.. Its military capability has grown over the years. Joining David Aaronovitch to explore who Hamas are and what they want are: Jennifer Jefferis, Teaching Professor at Georgetown University's Security Studies program. She is also author of Hamas: Terrorism, Governance, and its Future in Middle East Politics. Dr Nina Musgrave from the Centre for Defence Studies, Kings College, London. She is the author of a forthcoming book, Hamas and the Arab Uprisings: resistance, allegiance, and the departure from Syria. Fabian Hinz, an independent open source intelligence analyst who specialises in Middle East missiles. Natan Sachs, Director of the Centre for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution, Washington. Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams, Luke Radcliff Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett

Hong Kong has long been at the centre of a tussle between mainland China and the outside world - certainly since the British took it as a colony in 1842. That heralded more than a century of "shame" for the Chinese - but in 1997 the British handed Hong Kong back to China with internationally agreed conditions. The so-called "one country, two systems" principle was meant to last until 2047, but in recent years Beijing has tightened its control over Hong Kong. Major pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 were quashed and, in 2020, the authorities introduced a controversial and wide-ranging National Security Law to Hong Kong. Over recent weeks pro-democracy campaigners have been locked up, troublesome journalists have been censured or fired from their jobs, teachers have been told they will have to explain the benefits of the National Security Law to their pupils. Some argue that this is the end of Hong Kong. So why is Beijing and its supporters in the Hong Kong legislature taking this action now, and where might it end? Joining David Aaronovitch on this week's programme: Hugh Davies, a former diplomat who negotiated the return of Hong Kong Mary Hui, journalist for Quartz Yuen Chan, Senior Lecturer, City University of London Charles Parton, Senior Associate Fellow at Royal United Services Institute Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett

In February India's governing party, the BJP, congratulated itself and its “visionary” leader, the prime minister, Narendra Modi,, for “defeating Covid.” Two months on India is in the midst of what one historian has termed “the gravest crisis the nation has faced since Partition” in 1947. Hundreds of thousands of new infections are reported every day and thousands of deaths. The peak may come in a few weeks. Meanwhile the country is short of hospital beds, oxygen and even wood for the funeral pyres. So what’s gone wrong? And what does India’s plight tell the rest of the world about the trajectory of the pandemic and when it might finally end? Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight, Paul Moss Studio Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel bows out of politics later this year after 16 years at the head of the German government. She seems likely to be replaced by one of two people; the man Merkel’s party, the CDU, has designated as her successor, Armin Laschet; or the relative political novice, Annalena Baerbock, from the Greens, a party with its origins in the environmental movement. Most commentators agree that however the cards fall after the September election the Greens will be in government, whether at the head of a coalition or as its junior partner. David Aaronovitch asks how the Greens have gained ground so dramatically in such a short time and what a Green German government might mean for Britain. Producers: Tim Mansel, Paul Connolly, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett The German flag flying in front of the Reichstag, home of the German parliament (Bundestag), Berlin, Germany. Credit BBC.

There’s been violence on the streets of Northern Ireland in recent days, most of it in Protestant areas. On occasion it spilled over the sectarian divide. The proximate cause appears to be twofold: the refusal of the Northern Ireland prosecution service to bring charges against Sinn Fein members who apparently broke lockdown rules to attend a funeral last summer; and the Northern Ireland Protocol, which under the Brexit deal, means that checks apply to goods travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland. There are other, longer term grievances, in particular a perception that the Good Friday Agreement privileged the Catholic community at the expense of Protestants. Many fingers are now pointing at Westminster where the British government is accused of inactivity and indifference. More protests have been promised. So, how fragile is the peace process? Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight, Paul Moss Editor: Jasper Corbett

When the 400 metre long Ultra Large Container Vessel, Ever Given, got wedged diagonally across the Suez Canal at the end of March, it brought one of the world’s most important trade routes to a standstill for six days. Around ten per cent of global shipping passes through the canal. Shipping itself is responsible for some 90 per cent of global trade. The blockage served to revive worries that global supply chains have become a source of vulnerability for economies that rely on international trade. The immediate effect of the Ever Given accident for the UK may not become clear for several weeks. The Briefing Room asks what longer term vulnerabilities has it exposed and how might these best be mitigated? Presenter: David Aaronovitch Production team: Tim Mansel, Paul Moss and Kirsteen Knight Satellite image shows stranded container ship Ever Given in Suez canal. Egypt March 25th 2021. Credit: Reuters

No crisis has had the global reach and impact of Covid-19. There have been more than 120 million recorded cases of the Coronavirus and 2.7 million people have died and curbs on people’s freedoms have become a familiar part of daily life in many parts of the world. Just over a year since the world started to get to grips with the first global pandemic in more than a century, what can we say about how different countries have dealt it? Which countries have been worst-affected and why? Which public health systems have held up best? Why did test and trace work in some countries but not in others? Around the world governments have propped up their economies accruing eye-watering amounts of debt, but was it money well spent? Where and why has the vaccine roll out been most successful? And what could be the lasting legacy of the pandemic? Contributors: Dr.Thomas Hale, Oxford University Prof. Martin McKee, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Nazmeera Moola, Ninety One, a South African asset management company Dr Monica DeBolle, Peterson Institute for International Economics Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Initiative Rasmus Bech Hansen, founder and CEO of Airfinity Dr. Jennifer Cole, Royal Holloway, University of London Kishore Mahbubani, Asia Research Institute at National University of Singapore Producers: Tim Mansel, Paul Moss, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett

Britain's transition period with the EU ended on December 31st. For the first time since the inception of the single market in 1992, British companies were on the outside. A trade agreement was reached meaning that no tariffs would be paid on imports or exports, but it did mean that trade would no longer be entirely friction free. It’s still early days, but what do we now know about the extent of that friction and its possible consequences? How representative are the frustrations of Cornwall’s daffodil growers who say they can’t find labourers or UK companies that are now setting up production facilities in the EU in order to avoid red tape and its cost? To what extent have difficulties been mitigated by new trade deals that the UK is now free to negotiate. And what’s the view from the EU? With Peter Foster of the Financial Times; Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform; Vandeline von Bredow of The Economist; and Maddy Thimont Jack of the Institute for Government. Producers: Tim Mansel, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Editor Jasper Corbett

The prime minister is due to announce on Monday his plan for lifting the current lockdown in England. He says he wants progress to be cautious but irreversible. And he, like many, is saying that decisions on how and when to lift lockdown need to be driven by data not dates. So what are the risks, for example, in sending primary age children back to school? Of opening pubs? Of opening non-essential shops? To what extent would any of this be possible without the rollout of the vaccination programme? And why is vaccination alone not a magic bullet? With Professor Azra Ghani of Imperial College, London; Professor Stephen Reicher of St. Andrews University; and Dr. Mike Tildesley of Warwick University. Producers: Tim Mansel, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

The prospect of independence for Scotland may never have been brighter for the SNP. Elections to Holyrood are due in May and the party has promised to seek a new referendum on independence if it gains a majority. Yet, at the same time, a prominent SNP MP concluded this week that the “turmoil” within her party was “unprecedented”. Others have talked about the “fight to the death” that’s currently being waged between supporters of the leader, Nicola Sturgeon and supporters of her predecessor, Alex Salmond. The feud has its roots in a government investigation of Mr Salmond in 2018 that led to him being charged with a number of sexual offences. A jury cleared Mr Salmond on all counts in a trial last year. So what’s going on in the SNP? How can it be so apparently popular while being so deeply divided? And how might this affect its chances of realising its ambition of an independent Scotland? With BBC Scotland editor, Sarah Smith,; journalist Dani Garavelli; and Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University, Sir John Curtice. Producers: Tim Mansel, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

There was pandemonium on the US stock market when shares in a chain of video game shops went through the roof. At one point GameStop’s stock, which averaged just seven dollars last year, was valued at more than 480 dollars. The frenzy was fuelled by cheerleaders on Reddit. Investors were being encouraged to buy the stock even as it became clear that they would probably lose most of their investment. There was a mood of rebellion online and clear hostility to millionaire hedge fund managers. Then one of the platforms that offered small investors free access to the market said it would temporarily no longer allow new purchases of GameStop stock. This prompted furious claims of unfairness; accusations that Wall Street had shut out the little guy; that there was one rule for the big investor and another for the amateur. So what did actually happen? Was this truly a battle between the Davids and the Goliaths of the financial world? What will happen next? And why does it matter? Contributors: Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge Sebastian Mallaby, The Council on Foreign Relations and Washington Post Philip Coggan, The Economist Susannah Streeter, Hargreaves Lansdown Producers: Tim Mansel, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

This year marks 100 years since the creation of Northern Ireland, in May 1921. But in the light of Brexit, which has left Northern Ireland inside the EU’s single market and customs union, creating, in effect, a border in the Irish Sea, conversations about the possibility of Irish reunification are getting louder. One opinion poll suggested there is now a slender majority in Northern Ireland in favour of holding what’s known as a “border poll”, a referendum on the reunification of Ireland, within five years. So has Brexit made reunification any more likely? With Margaret O’Callaghan of Queen’s University, Belfast; Alan Renwick of University College London; Sam McBride of The News Letter; and Etain Tannam of Trinity College, Dublin. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Editor: Jasper Corbett Producers: Tim Mansel, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight

Millions of people have been watching a film in the past two days that was released by Alexei Navalny, Russia's leading opposition figure, even as he languished in a Moscow jail. The film, presented by Navalny, accuses the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, of embezzlement on the grandest of scales. Mr. Putin is said to be furious. Last year there was an attempt on Mr. Navalny’s life using the nerve agent, novichok. Fingers were pointed at the Kremlin, which has denied any involvement. Navalny went to Germany for hospital treatment and convalescence. He returned to Russia on Sunday and was arrested on arrival in Moscow. Navalny seems likely to find himself behind bars for several years, but he’s called on his supporters to take to the streets. The Kremlin’s reaction to his return indicates its nervousness. There are parliamentary elections later this year. So what has Vladimir Putin to fear from Alexei Navalny? With: Arkady Ostrovsky, Russia Editor at The Economist; Steve Rosenberg, BBC Moscow Correspondent; Catherine Belton, author of the book, Putin’s People; and Nikolai Petrov, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House. Producers: Tim Mansel, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

More than 80 thousand people in the UK have now died with Covid-19; there are currently more than three million confirmed cases across the country and in the worst affected areas one person in 20 is infected. Even with the whole of the UK now in some form of lockdown, there are more than 35,000 people in hospital with the virus. That is around 50 per cent more than at the peak of the epidemic in the UK last spring. As hospitals reprioritise to deal with Covid cases, patients with other conditions are bearing the brunt, with one London hospital trust announcing it was cancelling some cancer operations. So how is the NHS coping with the Covid crisis? Contributors: Jennifer Dixon of the Health Foundation Nigel Edwards of the Nuffield Trust Siva Anandaciva of the King’s Fund David Salisbury, the former head of immunisation at the Department of Health. Producers: Tim Mansel, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight, May Cameron Editor: Jasper Corbett

The past day has been an extraordinary one in the history of modern America. Firstly, the Democrats secured a majority in both houses of Congress. Secondly, Congress certified Joe Biden’s election victory - although many Republicans challenged the votes of some states. Thirdly, while the political debates were underway, pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and four people died. David Aaronovitch is joined by an expert panel of guests to examine what just happened and what does this mean for the United States, its institutions and its politics. Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and May Cameron Editor: Jasper Corbett

US federal regulators and dozens of state prosecutors are suing Facebook accusing it of illegal actions in buying up rivals and stifling competition. It's one of the biggest antitrusts in US history and is one of several cases being taken against big tech companies. David Aaronovitch explores the case against Facebook and the evolution of antitrust law in the US. What is the basis on which these companies are being held to account, and is this law an outdated tool in confronting tech titans? GUESTS: Gilad Edelman - Political writer at Wired magazine Scott Hemphill - Professor of Law at the University of New York Lina Khan - Associate Professor at Columbia Law School Ariel Ezrachi - Professor of Law at the University of Oxford Producers: Serena Tarling, Viv Jones Editor: Jasper Corbett

While the world’s attention has been distracted by Covid, the climate crisis has continued to pose an existential threat. But there have been significant developments this year, not least the announcement by China that it has set 2060 as the year when it will become carbon neutral. Joe Biden was elected president of the United States with promises to set a carbon neutral target of his own and to spend trillions of dollars on new green jobs and new green infrastructure. The EU, Japan and South Korea have all designated 2050 as the year they will reach net zero emissions. Meanwhile the world continues to get hotter. So is this all too little, too late? Hopefully not, especially, as we’ll hear, given the way that industry and finance are now reorganising. Contributors: Professor Mark Maslin of University College London Byford Tsang of the climate change think tank E3G Pete Ogden, who worked on climate change in the Obama White House and is now at the United Nations Foundation Dr Gabrielle Walker, a writer and consultant to private industry on climate change adaptation. Producers: Tim Mansel, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

The war in Afghanistan has just entered its twentieth year. It has come at an enormous cost, most notably to Afghan civilians, but also to Britain. Nearly 500 British military personnel have lost their lives there since 2001. But now, for the first time the Taliban and the elected Afghan government are involved in direct peace negotiations. The talks in Doha, which have been going on since September, follow an agreement reached earlier this year between the US government and the Taliban. Under that agreement the US promised to withdraw its remaining troops within 14 months and the Taliban said it would cut all ties with terrorist groups, including Al Qaeda. The Taliban’s place at the negotiating table reflects its strength on the ground in Afghanistan as a fighting force; and it implies that it the way is open for a return to government in Kabul. But, given memories of public executions, the exclusion of women from public life, and the banning of music and kite flying, how acceptable will that be to the Afghan people? And how easy will it be for western governments to do business with the Taliban? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Lyse Doucet, the BBC's Chief International Correspondent Orzala Neemat, Director of the Afghan Research and Evaluation Unit, Annie Pforzheimer, a former deputy Head of Mission at the US Embassy in Kabul. Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Editor: Jasper Corbett

With just weeks to go till the Brexit transition period ends, David Aaronovitch and The Briefing Room team explore Britain’s readiness for 2021. What will it mean for you? What have supermarkets, airlines, businesses, ports and the government done to get ready – and will it be enough? Producers: Serena Tarling, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Editor: Jasper Corbett

Thanks to the pandemic, Britain’s borrowing is forecast to hit nearly £400bn this year, and the economy is expected to contract by more than 11 per cent. How can we afford this, and what can the government do to bring public spending under control? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Jagjit Chadha - Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Nicholas Crafts - Professor of Economics and Economic History at the University of Warwick Adam Posen - President of the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) Gemma Tetlow - Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Abigail Adams-Prassl - Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford

Whoever wins the US presidential election, what policy priorities await the next man in the White House? David Aaronovitch, asks what are the domestic priorities for an-coming President Biden or a second term President Trump and how do they go about rebuilding the US economy amid an ongoing Covid pandemic? On the international front, how might America's relationship with the rest of the world change with a new President and will this mean a greater commitment to tackling climate change? If President Trump wins a second term, where will he focus his international agenda? Contributors: James Fallows, National Correspondent, The Atlantic Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and former Chief Economist and Economic Adviser to Vice-President Joe Biden. Leslie Vinjamuri, Director, US & Americas, Chatham House Thomas Hale, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Oxford University Producers: Richard Fenton Smith, Simon Coates, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar Editor: Jasper Corbett

Scotland has cancelled its National 5 school exams next summer - should the rest of the UK follow? On The Briefing Room David Aaronovitch asks if exams should go ahead next year, and can governments ensure assessments are fair? Contributors: Branwen Jeffreys, BBC education editor Prof Anna Vignoles, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge Laura McInerney, former editor of Schools Week Natalie Perera, executive director at the Education Policy Institute Prof Lindsay Paterson, University of Edinburgh. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Bob Howard and Rosamund Jones Editor: Jasper Corbett

As the U.K. introduces more restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19, why are there such marked regional differences in the infection rate? Contributors: Greg Fell, Director of Public Health, Sheffield City Council Wendy Burke, Director of Public Health, North Tyneside Council Dr Susanna Currie, Clinical Director for Cumbria Sexual Health Services at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, Dame Anne Johnson, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London Dr Michael Tildesley, University of Warwick Producers: Rosamund Jones, Bob Howard and Kirsteen Knight. Editor: Jasper Corbett

As the Home Secretary Priti Patel promises to fix a 'broken' asylum system, what measures could the government take to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel? Contributors: Professor Nando Sigona, Department of Social Policy, University of Birmingham Kathleen Newland, co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute Rob McNeil, deputy director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, Producers: Ros Jones, Bob Howard, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

As more restrictions are put in place regarding who we can meet and where we can go, to what extent are we following the rules? Is there any evidence of fatigue among the British public when it comes to adhering to government guidance designed to stop the spread of Covid-19? David Aaronovitch looks at the latest restrictions put in place around the UK and maps our behaviour since lockdown was first introduced back in March. What determines whether someone complies with the guidance or not? Will bigger fines encourage more people to fall in line? And to what extent do we actually understand what is being asked of us? Contributors: Dominic Casciani, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Prof Daisy Fancourt, University College London Prof Jocelyn Raude, EHESP French School of Public Health, Rennes Prof Linda Bauld, the University of Edinburgh Team: Richard Fenton-Smith. Bob Howard & Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Jasper Corbett

Sweden decided not to lockdown like other countries - was it the right decision? David Aaronovitch explores the Swedish experience of the pandemic and reveals that, for a country which didn't officially lockdown, it still introduced significant changes to everyday life, from school closures to social distancing and the cancellation of theatre shows and concerts. He looks at how the country's economy has fared compared to similar countries, and investigates whether claims it is in a better position to generate 'herd immunity' are accurate. Contributors: Maddy Savage, journalist in Stockholm Dr Emma Frans, researcher in medical epidemiology at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Richard Milne, Nordic and Baltic Correspondent at The Financial Times Marcus Buggert, assistant professor at the Centre for Infectious Medicine at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Team: Richard Fenton-Smith, Bob Howard, Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Jasper Corbett

It's been six months since the coronavirus-induced lockdown was introduced across the UK - what have we learned about Covid-19 in that time? David Aaronovitch explores what we now know about the science of the virus, the symptoms it produces, and the policies which have been developed to tackle its spread. Contributors: Ravi Gupta, Professor of Clinical Microbiology, University of Cambridge Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology. King's College London Thomas Hale, Associate Professor in Global Public Policy, University of Oxford Keith Neal, Emeritus Professor in the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, University of Nottingham Team: Richard Fenton-Smith, Kirsteen Knight and Julie Ball. Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Jasper Corbett

Allegations of potential postal voting fraud and voter suppression have raised questions about the fairness of November's US presidential election, but what evidence is there to suggest these fears will be realised and influence the vote? David Aaronovitch explores the prevalence of electoral fraud in America, and in a year when the polls suggest a tight race in several states, he asks what will happen if the election result is contested? Contributors: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America reporter Elaine Kamarck, director of the Center for Effective Public Management, Brookings Institution. Professor Carol Anderson, Emory University, Atlanta Professor Jamal Greene, Columbia University, New York Team: Richard Fenton-Smith, Julie Ball and Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett

Like many other areas of life the pandemic has hit football where it hurts: revenues are down and there’s a danger that some clubs will go out of business. But if that were to happen, does it really matter? The Premier League has become a great British export and it generates billions pounds for the British economy. Beyond its monetary value, it is also something which millions of people enjoy watching and playing - but how important is it in the current crisis? Contributors: Kieran Maguire, Accountancy and finance Lecturer from the University of Liverpool. Alex Culvin, Senior Lecturer in Sports Business from Salford University. Stephan Uesrfeld, Germany correspondent from sports channel ESPN. David Goldblatt , Sociologist and Author. Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy, Cambridge University. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Jim Frank and Ben Carter. Editor: Jasper Corbett

The EU has warned a trade deal with the UK now seems unlikely – is that just posturing to speed up negotiations or is ‘no deal’ now the most likely outcome? And how will Brexit affect you when the transition period ends – from the price of shopping, to pet passports and lorry parks, David Aaronovitch asks the experts: Katya Adler – BBC Europe Editor John Peet - Political and Brexit Editor, The Economist Maddy Thimont Jack - Senior Researcher. The Institute for Government Professor Anand Mennon – Director of the UK in a Changing Europe. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Alex Lewis and Joe Kent Studio manager: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett.

Belarus is gripped by nationwide protests, triggered by what is seen as an unfair election, rigged in favour of the country’s authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko. Violent clashes have led to the arrest of more than 6000 people, with many reporting beatings and torture at the hands of the police. President Lukashenko has told protestors they would have to kill him before there was another election – but are the days numbered for the man described as Europe’s last dictator? Contributors: David Marples, professor of history, University of Alberta Brian Klaas, associate professor in global politics, University College London Olga Dryndova, editor of Belarus-Analysen, University of Bremen Elena Korosteleva, professor of international politics, University of Kent Team: Richard Fenton-Smith, Beth Sagar-Fenton, Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett

This week children start to return to school in Scotland, with the rest of the UK due to reopen schools in September. For most students this is the first time they'll be setting foot inside a school since March - the longest interruption to schooling in living memory. But with the number of coronavirus cases back on the rise, how should we balance the risks of reopening schools, against the risks of keeping them shut? Contributors: Professor Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London. Professor Jonas Ludviggson, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden Russell Viner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health and is a scientific adviser to the government as a member of SAGE Professor Anna Vignoles, University of Cambridge Inès Hassan, researcher at the Global Health Governance Programme at the University of Edinburgh Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Beth Sagar-Fenton and Rosamund Jones Studio manager: Neva Missirian Editor: Hugh Levinson

Recent polls suggest a growing majority of people in Scotland now favour independence, so what’s behind the change since the 2014 referendum when 55% of voters chose to remain in the Union? How likely is another vote considering Boris Johnson has said it’s not going to happen and what issues are likely to dominate campaigning if it does? David Aaronovitch asks the experts: Allan Little reported widely on devolution and the questions around Scottish independence as a BBC special correspondent. Sir John Curtice is a Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University, and Chief Commentator on the What UK Thinks Jess Sargeant is a Senior Researcher at The Institute for Government where she focusses on devolution. Lynsey Bews, is a Political Correspondent for BBC Scotland Alistair Grant is a Political Correspondent for The Herald newspaper. Producers: Kirtseen Knight, Beth Sagar-Fenton and Joe Kent Studio manager: Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon

The government says “tackling obesity is one of the greatest long-term health challenges this country faces” and has published a plan to help people in England lose weight. What’s in it, what’s not, and what more could be done? David Aaronovitch asks the experts: David Buck is a senior fellow at the health think tank The Kings Fund and used to work for The Department of Health Smitha Mundas is a doctor turned journalist and a health reporter for the BBC Susan Jebb is Professor of Diet and Population Health at the University of Oxford, and a member of the Public Health England Obesity Programme. Professor Corinna Hawkes is Director of the Centre for Food Policy at City University and Vice Chair of the London Child Obesity Task force. Producers: Ben Crighton, Kirsteen Knight and Joe Kent Studio Manager: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett.

How can the UK shape its foreign policy in response to threats posed by the likes of Russia and China? And how does that fit with the government’s vision of ‘Global Britain'? David Aaronovitch asks the experts: James Landale: BBC Diplomatic Correspondent Lord Ricketts: former diplomat, ambassador and national security advisor Dr Leslie Vinjamuri: director of the the US & Americas programme at Chatham House Christopher Hill: Emeritus Professor of International Relations at Cambridge University and author of 'The Future of British Foreign Policy: Security and Diplomacy in a World After Brexit' Dr Victoria Honeyman: politics lecturer and specialist in British foreign policy at the University of Leeds. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Simon Coates and Joe Kent. Editor: Jasper Corbett.

The Chinese Communist Party is accused of locking up hundreds of thousands of Uighurs in internment camps. In the Uighurs' homeland in Xinjiang, the state operates a system of mass-surveillance and is accused of human rights abuses against the mainly Muslim minority including forced labour and compulsory birth control. China says the camps are not prisons but schools for ‘thought transformation’ and it continues to deny the abuse of human rights. David Aaronovitch asks leading experts what’s going on in Xinjiang and how is the rest of the world responding: Rian Thum, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham Dr Jo Smith Finley, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies at Newcastle University Josh Chin deputy China Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal Charles Parton Senior Associate Fellow at RUSI Producers: Kirtseen Knight, Beth Sagar Fenton, Joe Kent Studio manger: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett.

The pandemic will impact the way healthcare is delivered for years to come. At the same time as preparing for a possible second wave, the NHS also has to work its way through a backlog of delayed appointments and treatments. Waiting lists could top 10 million people this year. David Aaronvicth asks the experts what Covid-19 has done to healthcare in the UK and how can it recover: Journalist Chris Cook specialises in the public sector and is an editor and partner at Tortoise Media Rachel Schraer is a health reporter for BBC News Dr Jennifer Dixon is the chief executive of the Health Foundation Professor Carol Propper is a health economist at Imperial College London and President of The Royal Economics Society Nigel Edwards is chief executive of the Nuffield Trust an independent health think tank. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Beth Sagar Fenton, Joe Kent Studio manager: Neva Missirian Editor: Jasper Corbett.

In Germany fences have gone up to keep people in their homes and stop the spread of Coronavirus, while some people in Melbourne are being threatened with fines or imprisonment for travelling to other states. Could that happen in the UK? The new lockdown in Leicester is likely to be the first of many, so how should local lockdowns work and when should they be introduced? David Aaronovitch asks the experts: Amy Orton – local democracy reporter at the Leicester Mercury/ Leicestershire Online Dr Nathalie MacDermott – Kings College London Damien McGuinness – the BBC’s Berlin correspondent Alex Thomas – Programme director, The Institute for Government Greg Fell - The Association of Directors of Public Health/ Sheffield City Council Director of Public Health Dr Jilly Gibson-Miller – health psychologist at the University of Sheffield Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Beth Sagar-Fenton, Joe Kent Editor: Jasper Corbett.

The Bank of England says unemployment could approach 10 per cent this year and as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is wound down, many economists are warning it could go even higher. With more than a quarter of the UK workforce already on furlough, what can be done to make sure they have jobs to go back to? David Aaronovitch examines the government’s options and hears who is most vulnerable. Contributors: Melanie Simms, Professor of Work and Employment at the University of Glasgow Laura Gardiner, Research Director at The Resolution Foundation Alan Manning, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics Tony Wilson, Director of the Institute for Employment Studies Producers: Beth Sagar-Fenton, Kirsteen Knight and Joe Kent. Editor: Jasper Corbett.

How have China's relations with other countries changed since the arrival of the virus? The US and China have been facing each other off for years, but increasingly other nations are questioning the benefits that China's growing dominance has brought. David Aaronovitch explores how that is being viewed within China itself. Has trust in the communist regime declined or are nationalistic attitudes strengthening? And what changes might this bring to global power dynamics in the future? Contributors: Professor Niall Ferguson of Stanford University, Rafaello Pantucci from RUSI, Yu Jie from Chatham House, economist and author Dr Linda Yueh and Professor Steve Tsang from SOAS. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams and Rosamund Jones. Editor: Jasper Corbett.

What damage are the pandemic and lockdown doing to the economy and what could happen next? David Aaronovitch explores the economic impact of physical distancing on business, whether our fast expanding national debt is sustainable and the threat posed by declining consumer confidence on our economic recovery. Does history offer a guide as to how and when people should return to work and government support be turned off? And what will our economy look like when the lockdown is eased? Contributors: Faisal Islam, BBC Economics Editor Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality Jeffrey Frankel, Professor of Capital Formation and Growth at Harvard University Professor Jagjit Chadha, Director of The National Institute of Economic and Social Research Stephanie Flanders, senior executive editor at Bloomberg and head of Bloomberg Economics Producers: Luke Radcliff, Sally Abrahams and Rosamund Jones. Editor: Jasper Corbett

Have the mounting deaths exposed cracks in the way we deliver care to some of our most vulnerable people? David Aaronovitch looks at how the system is structured and funded. and why it sometimes struggles to gain the political attention it needs. This is a sector in which people have called for reform has for decades but very little has been delivered. How have other countries care systems coped during the pandemic and what lessons could we learn? Contributors: Alison Holt, BBC Social Affairs Correspondent William Laing, Chairman of Laing Buisson Jill Manthorpe, Professor of Social Work at King's College London Adelina Comas-Herrera, researcher at the London School of Economics Natasha Curry, Acting Deputy Director of Policy, Nuffield Trust Producers: Luke Radcliff, Sally Abrahams and Rosamund Jones Editor: Jasper Corbett

Some countries have opened schools, hairdressers and small non-food shops. David Aaronovitch asks what has guided those tentative first steps and whether the lockdown can be eased safely. What have we learnt about the behaviour and epidemiology of the virus and how might that inform decisions in the UK? He also quizzes experts about how long it could take to end the lockdown fully, and whether some form of social distancing could be in place for many months to come. Contributors: Dr Nathalie MacDermott, Imperial College London Dr Michael Tildesley, Warwick University Prof Hans Joern Kolmos, University of Southern Denmark Prof Martin McKee, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Ngaire Woods, Blavatnik School of Government and Professor of Global Economic Governance at Oxford University Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Darin Graham and Rosamund Jones Editor: Jasper Corbett

What do we know about how we are coping with the pandemic crisis? David Aaronovitch looks at the impact the three month lockdown has had on people in China and asks how different groups in the UK - just three weeks in - are faring. What are the particular difficulties faced by the most vulnerable and those who have been advised to self isolate, maybe for many months, during the pandemic? He asks what strategies can be put in place to reduce mental hardship now and in the coming weeks. And when normality resumes, how changed might we be? Contributors: Dr George Hu, Shanghai United Family Pudong Hospital Helen Westerman, Childline Prof Bobby Duffy, King's College London Prof Stephen Reicher, University of St Andrews Prof Neil Greenberg, King's College London. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Darin Graham and Rosamund Jones. Editor: Jasper Corbett.

What effect is the lockdown having across the country and population? David Aaronovitch examines which jobs have been lost, whose health is more at risk and whose education is most likely to suffer. Is the lockdown likely to increase inequality? And if it does, how might a government reverse that trend once normal life is resumed? Contributors: Professor Angus Deaton from Princeton University, Professor Simon Burgess from Bristol University, Xiaowei Xu from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Paul Swinney from the Centre for Cities and Miatta Fahnbulleh from the New Economics Foundation. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Darin Graham and Rosamund Jones. Editor: Jasper Corbett

Why have some countries run mass-testing operations when others, including the UK, have not? David Aaronovitch examines how South Korea and Germany have approached the coronavirus pandemic and what they have learned from the data they've gathered. He also looks at how the hunt for a vaccine is progressing and who is in the race, as well as the role existing anti-viral drugs might play in reducing the threat posed by Covid-19. Contributors: Professor Devi Sridhar, Chair of Global Public Health, University of Edinburgh Dr Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute Dr Philipp Zanger, Head of the Institute of Hygiene, Infection Control and Prevention at the Rhineland-Palatinate Agency for Consumer and Public Protection Professor Adrian Hill, Director of the Jenner Institute Professor Johan Neyts, virologist, University of Leuven, Belgium. Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Darin Graham & Rosamund Jones Editor: Jasper Corbett

The UK fishing industry will be central to EU trade negotiations, starting soon. David Aaronovitch explores why a sector, which contributes very little to the overall economy, has gained such political and cultural importance. He asks why there is such a mismatch between the kind of fish we catch and the kind of fish we eat. When did cod become so central to our diets? With his guests, he also traces the industry's relationship with the EU down the decades. To what extent did the imposition of EU quotas reduce the amount of fish UK boats catch? And should fishing now expect a 'Brexit bounce'? Contributors: Hazel Curtis, director of Seafish Nick Fisher, fisherman and author John Lichfield, journalist Dr Jill Wakefield, University of Warwick. Dr Bryce Stewart, University of York Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Jordan Dunbar and Rosamund Jones. Editor: Penny Murphy.

Sinn Féin's historic result in the Irish election has the potential to change the face of Irish politics - dominated for the past hundred years by the two main parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. So what lies behind the rise of Sinn Féin? And to what extent has it put its past association with violent republicanism behind it? David Aaronovitch is joined by guests including: Naomi O'Leary correspondent at Politico Europe Brian Feeney, historian and author Professor Roy Foster, professor of history at Oxford University. Dr Margaret O'Callaghan, political analyst at Queens University, Belfast Dr Theresa Reidy, political scientist at University College Cork Producer: Jordan Dunbar Editor: Jasper Corbett -

In recent months convicted terrorists just released from prison have launched knife attacks which have maimed and killed - the latest one on Streatham High Street in South London. Both attackers were shot dead by police officers. David Aaronovitch asks why events like these are happening, and whether we are releasing convicted terrorists too early. The government is promising swift action, but will the proposed changes make us safer? He asks what we know about the success of de-radicalisation programmes in our prisons and whether there are lessons we should be learning from other countries. Contributors: Nazir Afzal, former Chief Prosecutor Andrew Silke, Professor of Terrorism, Risk and Resilience at the Cranfield Forensic Institute Lord David Anderson QC, former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation in the United Kingdom Dominic Casciani, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight, Jordan Dunbar and Tom Wright Editor: Jasper Corbett

For the first time in decades the UK will now negotiate its own trade deals. David Aaronovitch explores our options and likely outcomes. Free trade deals can take years and require hundreds of highly skilled staff in what are described as the biggest games of poker you can play. Former US trade negotiators reveal a world of bluffs, plays and tapped phone calls. How should the UK should play its hand with the US, EU and rest of the world as we exit the European Union? There are losers in every trade deal, how prepared is the UK to cope with that? Contributors: Soumaya Keynes, trade and globalisation editor, The Economist Charles Grant, Centre for European Reform Ron Sorini, Sorini, Samet and Associates Wendy Cutler, Asia Society Policy Institute Roderick Abbot, former senior trade official with the European Commission and trade negotiator Produced by Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Jordan Dunbar Editor: Jasper Corbett

What lessons do previous pandemics provide about how we should treat the new coronavirus? David Aaronovitch tracks the disease's origins in China, explores its spread. He considers how dangerous this virus is and asks how prepared we are for an outbreak in the UK. Contributors: Howard Zhang, editor of the BBC’s China service Dr Nathalie McDermott, Imperial College, London John Oxford, Professor of Virology, Queen Mary’s College, London Dr Josie Golding, Epidemic Preparedness and Response Programme at The Wellcome Trust. Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Jordan Dunbar Editor: Jasper Corbett

The government wants an infrastructure revolution in the north of England. David Aaronovitch looks at whether improving transport networks could reduce economic differences between the north and south. He talks to experts about how the Treasury judges whether a project value for money. And he considers which projects might be the best ones to pursue and whether we have the necessary skills to deliver them. Contributors Geraldine Scott, The Yorkshire Post Alasdair Reisner, Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Dr Marianne Sensier, University of Manchester Tom Forth, Open Data Institute, Leeds Paul Swinney, The Centre for Cities Producers: Rosamund Jones, Jordan Dunbar, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

The killing of General Soleimani by the United States has led to uproar in Iran. Massive crowds have accompanied his coffin through the streets and he is now hailed as a martyr. Retaliation has started with a missile attack against US airbases in Iraq, led by The Revolutionary Guard (IRGC). David Aaronovitch examines the history and political clout of one of the most feared military organisations in the world. The IRGC's sphere of influence spreads deep into Iranian society and abroad too. What role will it play in what happens next and what impact will recent events have on US and Iranian foreign policy? Contributors: Ambassador Barbara Leaf, former US ambassador to the UAE and senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, research fellow at The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Ali Alfoneh, senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute, Washington DC Azadeh Moaveni, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Director of the School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech. Producers: Rosamund Jones, Jordan Dunbar and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

A look back at some of the big stories that hit the headlines in 2019. Jonny Dymond is joined by: Jennifer Williams of the Manchester Evening News Rory Sutherland of the Spectator and Ogilvy Group Helen Lewis of The Atlantic.

'Get Brexit Done' was the slogan that helped lead the Tories to an election victory - but how will that be achieved? It's the pressing task now facing government, but what might Brexit actually look like and how long could it take? David Aaronovitch considers the political and economic pros and cons of the different kinds of trading arrangements the UK and EU might end up with. Are the UK and EU both clear about their priorities and what might cause them to shift? And if we do sort out a trade deal, will Brexit be done or is there more to come? Contributors: Jill Rutter, UK in a Changing Europe Mujtaba Rahman, Eurasia Group David Henig, UK Trade Policy Project Katya Adler, BBC Europe Editor Peter Foster, Europe Editor of the Daily Telegraph Producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Jasper Corbett

A wave of protests are sweeping through Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. Retribution in Iraq and Iran has been swift and savage, and hundreds of young people have been killed - but what lies behind the unrest? David Aaronovitch explores the common themes - unemployment, crony sectarianism, corruption and hopelessness. These were the issues that led countless thousands onto the streets in many middle eastern countries during the Arab Spring ten years ago. What lessons have governments and protesters learnt since then? The young people are hoping for sustained political and economic change this time. What chance is there of that happening? CONTRIBUTORS: Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East Editor Dr Lena Khatib, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House Michael Safi, International Correspondent, The Guardian Pesha Magid, Journalist Lizzie Porter, Journalist Producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Jasper Corbett

The island of Malta is the European Union's smallest state. Yet it is giving Brussels one of its biggest headaches. After the very public blowing up in her car of an investigative journalist in 2017, the slow investigation into her death took a dramatic turn earlier this week with the sudden resignation of the prime minister. Some of his closest associates have also gone. But what are the reasons for this development? Why has Malta become the centre of such attention and scrutiny after centuries of relative obscurity? What do its travails tell us about modern European economies and the rule of law? And why does the European Union seem to struggle at ensuring political accountability among its member states? David Aaronovitch invites us into The Briefing Room to discover the answers. Editor Jasper Corbett

Politicians are busy making big electoral promises. Some of them are to be funded by taxing wealthier people. But will the next chancellor be able to get the money they need from high earners, or will they need to find new ways of funding their ambitions? David Aaronovitch discovers, with his guests, what wealth consists of and who today has the means to contribute more to the UK tax kitty and how they could pay it. How many are there of them? And, importantly, are they the people we think they are? Might we be surprised to discover who qualifies as wealthy? CONTRIBUTORS: Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, an independent think-tank that focuses on the living standards of those people on low and middle incomes. John Whiting, CBE, former tax director of the Office of Tax Simplification Pat Thane, Visiting Professor in History at Birkbeck, University of London and an expert on ageing, the welfare state and pensions Merryn Somerset Webb, editor-in-chief of the personal finance magazine, MoneyWeek, and a columnist for the money section of FT Weekend. Producer Simon Coates Editor Jasper Corbett

MPs voted in favour of the government's Brexit deal but then rejected the PM's plan to fast-track a bill through Parliament to implement it. Opposition to the deal is still strong in some quarters. Northern Ireland’s DUP withdrew its support for because it would lead to a customs border in the Irish Sea. The Scottish and Welsh governments believe it could undermine the powers of their devolved legislatures. So what could this deal mean for the future of the United Kingdom? And what might it mean for the future relationship between the UK and the EU? And could Brexit still be derailed by groups which are implacably opposed to it? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Jill Rutter - Senior Research Fellow, UK in a Changing Europe Rob Ford - Professor of Politics, University of Manchester Sam Lowe - Senior research fellow, Centre for European Reform Alison Young - Professor of Public Law, University of Cambridge Sam McBride - Political editor at The Belfast News Letter Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Jasper Corbett

Donald Trump’s recent announcement that he was withdrawing the remaining US troops in northern Syria sent shockwaves across the security establishment, and caught allies in the region off guard. Turkey moved swiftly to launch an offensive against Kurdish forces across the border. What does President Erdogan want to achieve? And where does this leave the political map of the region and the fight against the Islamic State group? David Aaronovitch speaks to guests about the phone call that started it off and what could happen next. GUESTS Eric Schmitt - senior writer covering terrorism and national security issues for The New York Times and co-author of Counterstrike Dr Amanda Sloat - senior fellow at The Brookings Institution and former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Affairs at the State Department Charles Lister - senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and author of The Syrian Jihad: Al Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Evolution of an Insurgency Lina Khatib - Head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House Seth Frantzman - Middle East affairs analyst for the Jerusalem Post and the author of After Isis: America, Iran and the struggle for the Middle East (September 2019). Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Jasper Corbett

Would cutting back on meat consumption help tackle climate change? What impact would this have on individuals, governments and businesses? Livestock farming accounts for at least 14.5% of all human emissions - with beef making up the highest proportion of this. Meat free burgers are now available at fast food restaurants across the western world; veganism is on the rise, as is flexitarianism - a largely vegetable-based diet supplemented occasionally with meat. But how far can these eating trends help to reduce carbon emissions? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Dr Hannah Richie - Head of Research at Our world in data, University of Oxford Tim Searchinger - Senior Fellow, World Resources Institute and Princeton University Professor Louise Fresco - President of the Wageningen University Laura Wellesley - Research fellow in the Energy, Environment and Resources Department at Chatham House Toby Park - Head of Energy and Sustainability, Behavioural Insights Team Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Jasper Corbett

What's the Trump impeachment inquiry about? The White House is in damage limitation mode following a whistleblower complaint that revealed details about a phone call between President Trump and Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky. The whistleblower expressed an 'urgent concern' that Mr Trump had used his office to pressure a foreign power to damage a political rival and leading Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden. Now the Democrats have launched a formal impeachment inquiry into what went on. Where might this end up and what does it mean for American politics? David Aaronovitch is briefed on the wider context to this story and how the case will likely be built both for and against Donald Trump. He also asks how significant this moment is likely to be in US history? GUESTS: Josh Gerstein, Senior Legal Affairs Contributor, Politico Jonah Fisher, BBC correspondent in Kiev Leslie Vinjamuri, Head of US and Americas programme at Chatham House Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution Amy Jeffress, former federal prosecutor and partner at Arnold and Porter law firm Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Jasper Corbett

The Supreme Court has ruled that Boris Johnson's decision to prorogue Parliament was unlawful, turning a page on the country’s constitution. The Supreme Court president Lady Hale said "the effect on the fundamentals of democracy was extreme." The Prime Minister responded that he "strongly disagrees" with the ruling but will "respect" it. So is British democracy at a crossroads? In an extended edition of the Briefing Room, David Aaronovitch asks who is running Britain and is it now time to have a written constitution. CONTRIBUTORS: Alison Young, Professor of Public Law, University of Cambridge. Philip Norton, Professor of Government, and Director of the Centre for Legislative Studies, University of Hull David Allen Green, contributing editor to the Financial Times and lawyer at Preiskel & Co Michael Keating, Director of the Centre on Constitutional Change at Edinburgh University and Professor of Politics, at the University of Aberdeen. Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit at University College London, Senior Fellow at the UK in a Changing Europe Murray Hunt, Director of the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law Producer: Neil Koenig Editor: Jasper Corbett

Seven recent deaths in America have been linked to the use of electronic cigarettes. The federal government and some states have made moves to ban the use of the products - other countries, such as India, are following. But some experts believe that vaping has a useful role to play in helping people to give up smoking. In this week's programme David Aaronovitch asks why have e-cigarettes become so popular, and what are the risks of using them? CONTRIBUTORS Tom Novotny, Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Diego State University Hannah Kuchler, US Pharma and Biotech Correspondent, The Financial Times Linda Bauld, Professor of Health Policy, the University of Edinburgh Lion Shahab, Associate Professor in Health Psychology, University College London. Producer Neil Koenig Editor Jasper Corbett

It’s been another extraordinary week of politics. Parliament is closed, but a general election is on the horizon. What strategy should the party leaders follow to come out victorious? David Aaronovitch slips into character to seek advice as to how Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn, Jo Swinson, Nigel Farage and Nicola Sturgeon should play the coming weeks and months. Guests: David Cowling, political analyst and expert in voting patterns Rosie Campbell, Professor of Politics at King’s College London Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at Manchester University

In a momentous week for British politics, David Aaronovitch presents a special hour-long edition of The Briefing Room in which he asks whether the United Kingdom's history might help us to understand better the political storms buffeting the country. What has the debate over Brexit done to Britain’s political parties and its parliamentary system, what does Brexit mean for the future of the union, what does it tell us about Britain’s place in the world and what has it revealed about the state of the country and the public’s faith in government as its provider and protector? Joining David Aaronovitch are: Margaret MacMillan, Professor of History at Oxford University Anne Deighton, Emeritus Professor of History at Wolfson College Mary Daly, Emiritus Professor of Modern Irish History at University College Dublin Lord Lexden, the official historian of the Conservative Party Professor Ian McLean, Senior Research Fellow in Politics at Nuffield College Oxford Alwyn Turner, social historian. Producer Neil Koenig Editor Jasper Corbett

It's the world's biggest organised event: 900 million eligible voters across India have been to the polls in the last six weeks after five years of Narendra Modi's BJP government. Narendra Modi's ambition was to project India as a global economic power, clamping down on corruption and burnishing its national security credentials. How far has he achieved this? And to what extent should India's non-Hindus be concerned about Narendra Modi's brand of Hindu nationalism? David Aaronovitch speaks to experts to find out. GUESTS: Dr S Y Quraishi - Former Chief Election Commissioner Soutik Biswas - India correspondent for BBC news online Kunal Sen - Director, Professor of Development Economics, University of Manchester Ambassador Nirupama Rao - India’s foreign secretary 2009-11; former ambassador to the US, China and Sri Lanka James Crabtree - India expert at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore and author of The Billionaire Raj

The British Foreign Secretary has warned of the danger of Iran and the United States stumbling into a war by accident. And the signs are ominous: the US accelerated the deployment of an aircraft carrier and B52 bombers to the Persian Gulf and all non-essential staff are being withdrawn from the US Embassy in Baghdad. US National Security Adviser John Bolton said any attack by Iran on America or its allies would be met with what he called unrelenting force. So what's the risk of a war breaking out? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group Kori Schake of the International Institute for Strategic Studies Aniseh Barissi Tabrizi of the Royal United Services Institute Robert Cooper, former EU diplomat. Barbara Leaf, former US diplomat and State Department official

With measles infections on the rise in the UK, should vaccinations be made compulsory? Measles is an ‘entirely preventable’ disease, says the UN – and for a while the UK and other developed countries had prevented it. But during the first three months of this year, the World Health Organisation reported 112,000 cases of measles. Over the same time last year it was 28,000 In the UK we once again have outbreaks of measles and a falling vaccination rate. David Aaronovitch asks how much this matters and whether, as the Health Secretary has said recently, we should rule nothing out, even including compulsory vaccination. CONTRIBUTORS Gareth Williams, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Bristol and author of Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox Professor Heidi Larson, director of The Vaccine Confidence Project at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Hugh Whittall, director of The Nuffield Council on Bioethics Dr Stephen John, Hatton Lecturer in the Philosophy of Public Health at the University of Cambridge Producers: Richard Fenton-Smith & Serena Tarling Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

Prescriptions for opioid painkillers have increased by 60 per cent in the UK during the last decade, and the number of codeine-related deaths in England and Wales has more than doubled. The government is now planning to put prominent warnings about the dangers of addiction on the packaging of opioid medicines, to protect people from 'the darker side of painkillers' - as Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock put it. This is an effort to avoid the situation in the United States where 130 people die every day from opioid-related drug overdoses, which has prompted President Donald Trump to declare a national health emergency. But are we really on the precipice of our own epidemic? David Aaronovitch asks how the situation got so out of control in the USA and whether the UK should do more to regulate painkillers containing opioids. CONTRIBUTORS Sam Quinones, journalist and author of 'Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic'. Dr Raeford Brown, former chair of the FDA's Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee Dr Luke Mordecai, consultant anaesthetist at University College Hospital, with research focus on opiate use and complex pain Professor Leslie Colvin, chair of pain medicine, University of Dundee Dr Emily Finch, consultant addiction psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust Producers: Serena Tarling & Richard Fenton-Smith Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Details of organisations offering information and support with addiction are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call for free at any time to hear recorded information on 08000 155 947.

Is religious intolerance on the rise, and if so, what is behind it? In Sri Lanka this week, people claiming to be acting out of religious belief killed more than 350 people, mostly of a different faith – in this case Christians. Religious intolerance is a theme which has surfaced in the news with some frequency in recent years – be it the persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar, the Yazidis in Iraq, the Uighurs in China or numerous blasphemy trials in Pakistan. On this week's programme, David Aaronovitch asks whether religious intolerance – be it intolerance of religions, or by religions - is actually on the rise. If so, who is leading this – governments? Nationalist political movements? Or the faithful themselves? CONTRIBUTORS: Alan Keenan, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group Alan Cooperman, Director of Religion research, Pew Research Centre Karen Armstrong, author of The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts Oliver McTernan, founder of the conflict resolution organisation, Forward Thinking Robin Gill, Emeritus Professor of Applied Theology at the University of Kent

The investigation has taken nearly two years, cost tens of millions of dollars, and led to dozens of criminal charges. Now, a redacted version of Robert Mueller’s report into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 US Presidential election is going to be delivered to Congress. This week David Aaronovitch and his guests in the Briefing Room examine what’s in the report, and what does it all mean - especially for Donald Trump and his prospects for winning a second presidential term next year. Contributors: Katie Benner, Justice Department reporter, New York Times Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Head of the US and the Americas Programme, Chatham House Shira Scheindlin, former United States District Judge Larry Sabato, Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia

David Aaronovich examines the likely lasting impact of the UK's decision to quit the European Union - not on Britain but on mainland Europe. The European Union is struggling to reconcile competing views of the economy, of national identity and of ideology. As populist political parties play an increasing role in the governance of member states, some expert Euro-watchers give their views of the divisions and the chances of them being reconciled. Might the EU "widen" its reach to new countries? Or deepen" the binds between member countries? Or is it time to concede that voters across the Continent prefer sovereignty to be exercised within national states. Presenter: David Aaronovich Producer: Sally Abrahams Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Andrew Smith

As the Brexit negotiations rumble on Britain appears more divided than ever. This week David Aaronovitch and his guests ask how deep is that division and what it would take to unify the country? Contributors: Professor Sara Hobolt, London School of Economics Professor Sir John Curtice, University of Strathclyde Margaret MacMillan, emeritus Professor of International History at Oxford University Deborah Mattinson, Founder, BritainThinks Paula Surridge, Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol

With the route of the UK’s departure from the European Union still unclear, this week David Aaronovitch looks at Britain’s place in the world and assesses what lies ahead in the next stage of negotiations with the EU. Joining David in the Briefing Room are: Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University, Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform, Meg Russell, Director of the Constitutional Unit at University College London and Stefanie Bolzen, London Correspondent of German newspaper, Welt. Producer: Jim Frank Editor: Jasper Corbett

The boss of Chinese telecoms giant, Huawei, says his company would never spy on behalf of the Chinese state. But some experts think it would be a mistake for Britain to involve the company in the development of the 5G network. What's the relationship between Huawei and the government in Beijing, is the company a reliable partner and what should Britain do? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Dr Linda Yueh, Economist at the University of Oxford and author of 'The Great Economists'. Wanyuan Song, BBC Journalist Jan-Peter Kleinhans, Project Director IoT-Security at Stiftung Neue Verantwortung Professor Steve Tsang, Director of the China Institute, the School of Oriental and African Studies Charlie Parton, Senior Associate Fellow, Royal United Services Institute Emily Taylor, Editor, Chatham House's Journal of Cyber Policy Dr Tim Stevens, Lecturer in Global Security, King's College London

The Conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee called GCSEs 'pointless' and said they should be abolished. David Aaronovitch asks if it is time for the exam system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to be completely overhauled. GUESTS Sandra Leaton Gray Associate Professor in Education at University College London’s Institute of Education Laura McInerney, former editor of Schools Week and education writer Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Sir Mike Tomlinson, former Chief Inspector for Ofsted Lord Baker, former Education Secretary who brought in GCSEs Peter Mandler, cultural historian at Cambridge University

The Japanese car maker Nissan has announced its next generation of SUVs will be made, not in Sunderland as planned, but in Japan. Jaguar Land Rover has announced big losses and Honda has announced job cuts at its plant in Swindon. David Aaronovitch and guest discuss why the car industry is facing such uncertain times and if it will ever recover. Guests: Professor David Bailey, Aston Business School Dan Coffey, Leeds University Business School Professor Matthias Holweg, Said Business School, Oxford University Catherine Faiers, Operations Director, Autotrader Peter Campbell, Global Motor Industry Correspondent, The Financial Times Ian Henry, Managing Director, AutoAnalysis

New figures show a slight decline in people sleeping rough in England. But since 2010 the trend has been upwards. Why? And what can be done about it? David Aaronovitch talks to guests about the drivers that lead people to sleep rough, and how the UK is dealing with the problem now. GUESTS Risha Lancaster - Co-Founder of Coffee4Craig in Manchester and a volunteer at a night shelter Michael Buchanan - BBC Social Affairs Correspondent Louise Casey - Head of the government's Rough Sleepers Unit from 1999 - 2003 Nicholas Pleace - Director of Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York Jon Sparks - CEO of homeless charity, Crisis

What is at stake for Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic in terms of security, the economy and the politics, as Britain prepares to leave the EU. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss. GUESTS Peter Taylor - BBC journalist who has covered Northern Ireland for nearly five decades. John Campbell - BBC Northern Ireland’s Economics & Business Editor Dr Katy Hayward - Political Sociologist at Queen's University, Belfast Dr Margaret O'Callaghan - Political Analyst at Queen's University, Belfast Dr Etain Tannam - Expert in Irish diplomacy and cross-border co-operation, Trinity College, Dublin

There is little or no consensus in Westminster about what kind of Brexit, if any, MPs want. The government's plan was defeated by a whopping 232 votes. And Labour's vote of confidence in the government was then defeated. Brexit has stretched the British parliamentary system to its limits. David Aaronovitch and guests examine Britain's constitutional crisis and ask if the current political system is irretrievably broken. GUESTS Katy Balls - Deputy Political Editor of The Spectator Sam McBride - Political Editor of The Belfast Newsletter Alison Young - Professor of Public Law at the University of Cambridge Robert Hazell - Professor of Government and the Constitution at University College, London

Work and Pensions Secretary, Amber Rudd, this week announced that the next stage of the Universal Credit roll-out is to be scaled back amid concerns about the controversial new benefits system. So what were the origins of the Universal Credit policy and can its flaws be fixed? CONTRIBUTORS Roy Sainsbury - Professor of Social Policy at the University of York Baroness Philippa Stroud - former government advisor and CEO of the Legatum Institute Kayley Hignell - Head of Policy for Family, Welfare and Work at Citizens Advice Fran Bennett - Senior Research Fellow at the Department for Social Policy and Intervention at Oxford University Torsten Bell - Director of the Resolution Foundation Deven Ghelani - Founder of Policy in Practice

In October, the IPCC, the UN body that reports on climate change, issued a stark warning. It said that if the world wanted to avoid catastrophic environmental damage, we needed to reduce carbon emissions by almost half in the next 12 years. So what needs to be done now if that target is to be reached? What's the position in China, the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide? And how important is the stated intention of President Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement on greenhouse gas emissions? We hear from, among others, Professor Lord Nicholas Stern, the author of the seminal Stern Review in 2006.

Theresa May has been back in Brussels to attend a meeting of EU leaders, a day after surviving a leadership challenge at home. Her mission: to try to extract some form of concession from the other 27 EU member states that might persuade MPs in Westminster to support the withdrawal agreement the UK has concluded with the EU. Few commentators give her much chance of success. It still seems likely that when the deal is finally voted on by Parliament, it will be rejected. So what would happen then? Would the UK be heading for the EU exit door with no-deal? Might there be a vote of confidence that could lead to a general election? Could MPs from both main parties form a temporary government of national unity? Or might the Prime Minister accede to demands for a new referendum? With the historian Peter Hennessy, Jill Rutter of the Institute For Government, Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska of the Centre for European Reform and Meg Russell from University College London.

In France a wave of protests has brought the country to a standstill in recent weeks. The original cause of the anger - the government's plan to raise the rate of tax on diesel - has now disappeared. President Macron responded this week to the mood in the country by withdrawing the tax, due to be introduced next year. The question now is whether that will temper the anger of the Gilets Jaunes, the protesters who take their name from the hi-viz vest that every French driver must carry with them in their vehicle. The protesters form an amorphous movement without leaders and their demands are many and various. President Macron is being criticised as much for his style and tactics as his policy. Where does France go from here? With Sophie Pedder of The Economist, the geographer Christophe Guilluy, the pollster Bruno Jeanbart, the writer Jane Weston-Vauclair and Professor Philippe Marliere of University College London.

Theresa May is urging her MPs to accept the deal she has struck with Brussels on the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The trouble is that few in Westminster believe this is a vote she can win and Brussels has said no further negotiations are possible. With the vote due on December the 11th the Prime Minister has less than two weeks to get MPs to change their minds. If Parliament does reject the deal, does that mean a no-deal in March next year? If not, how can no-deal be avoided. Contributors: Tim Durrant, Senior Researcher at The Institute for Government Alex Barker, Brussels Bureau Chief of The Financial Times Patrick Smyth, Europe Editor of The Irish Times Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit at University College London

Is Brazil embracing a more conservative political future? In the wake of economic crisis, corruption scandals and rising levels of violent crime, Brazilians are shunning the left wing politicians who have run the country for the last two decades in favour of a right wing outsider: Jair Bolsonaro. In the first round of Brazil's presidential election, Bolsonaro won 46 per cent of the vote and appears on the cusp of victory in the second round on 28th October. Having campaigned on an anti-gay, anti-migrant platform, Bolsonaro has built his base on his evangelical roots and clean public image. David Aaronovitch talks to guests about what a Bolsonaro presidency could bring and asks whether the left-leaning Worker's Party (PT) candidate, Fernando Haddad, could still win the second round. CONTRIBUTORS Dr Marukh Doctor - Reader in Political Economy at the Department of Politics at the University of Hull Katy Watson - BBC South America Correspondent Marieke Riethof - Lecturer in Latin American politics at the University of Liverpool Richard Lapper - Associate Fellow at Chatham House and former Latin American editor at the Financial Times

Air pollution is creating big problems. Scientists say it is a leading cause of climate change, which will be the subject of a major report to be released next week by the IPCC, a UN body that is studying the issue. Another problem is damage to health. Scientists believe that air pollution harms the quality of our lives, and shortens them too. So how bad is the air in the UK? And what can be done to improve matters? CONTRIBUTORS Andrew Grieve, Air Quality Analyst at the Environmental Research Group at King's College London Fiona Godlee, Editor, The BMJ Audrey de Nazelle, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Environmental policy, Imperial College Gavin Shaddick, Professor of Data Science and Statistics, University of Exeter

At its annual conference in Liverpool this week, the Labour party set out plans to nationalise a large range of industries that previous governments had sold off. The industries it wants to bring back into public ownership include water, rail, energy and the Royal Mail. But how would Labour’s ideas work? And what would the process be for implementing them? David Aaronovitch and his guests discuss. Contributors: Chris Curtis, senior political researcher, YouGov Dieter Helm, Professor of Energy Policy and a Fellow in Economics at the University of Oxford Dan Neidle, Partner, Clifford Chance Dr Sarah Hendry, Senior Lecturer in law at University of Dundee Karma Loveday, Editor, The Water Report Producer: Neil Koenig

How could a new referendum on Britain's relationship with Europe work? As pressure mounts on Theresa May to seal an agreement on Brexit, there are growing calls for a further referendum on the issue. From across the political spectrum, MPs, trade unions and campaigners are demanding another vote on the terms of the deal, or lack of one. In the Briefing Room, David Aaronovitch examines the mechanics of this hypothetical proposition. What would the procedure be to trigger another referendum and how would it be organised? And is there enough time? Guests: Chris Morris, BBC Reality Check Alan Renwick, deputy director of the Constitution Unit, University College London Professor Catherine Barnard, Senior Fellow at the UK in a Changing Europe Initiative at King’s College London Professor Matt Qvortrup of Coventry University Katya Adler, BBC Europe Editor

The Tories are split, Labour is split and some people think it just can’t go on. Once more there is serious talk about the formation of a new political party. This has been tried before and recent history seems to say that the odds of success are not good. But what about now? Have the prospects changed? What might a new party look like this time? And what chance of success would it have? CONTRIBUTORS Sir Ivor Crewe, political scientist and Master of University College, Oxford David Cowling, political opinion polling specialist and former editor of political research for the BBC Steven Fielding, professor of political history and director of the Centre for British Politics at the University of Nottingham Jane Green, professor of political science at Nuffield College, Oxford, and co-director of the British Election Study

November's midterm elections in the US are the first chance for voters across the country to pass judgement on President Trump's administration since the 2016 election. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs and a third of the Senate. If the Democrats win control of the House, they would not only be in a position to halt President's Trump's legislative agenda; they would also be able, should they wish, to start impeachment proceedings. On The Briefing Room this week David Aaronovitch asks what's at stake in these elections and how the outcome will reshape the American political landscape two years before the next Presidential election in 2020. CONTRIBUTORS Ken Goldstein, professor of politics at the University of San Francisco Elena Schneider, campaign reporter for Politico Elaine Kamarck, senior fellow in the governance studies programme at the Brookings Institution Jeff Lazarus, associate professor of political science at Georgia State University Larry Sabato, founder and director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics

The prime minister, Theresa May bemoaned the state of the housing sector in a speech earlier this year. She said the national housing crisis was one of the biggest barriers to social mobility in Britain today. She acknowledged that property prices have put home ownership out of reach for millions of people. And she pointed the finger at the failure to build enough of the right homes, as she put it, in the right places. But is the failure to build at the core of the problem? Or are other factors at play? Would excluding foreign ownership make a difference, or making more land available on which to build? And are we too obsessed with the idea of owning our own house? This week in The Briefing Room we ask why we can't fix the housing crisis? CONTRIBUTORS Dan Tomlinson, research analyst at The Resolution Foundation think tank Colin Peacock, Radio New Zealand Christine Whitehead, Professor of Housing at the London School of Economics Polly Neate, chief executive of the housing charity Shelter Andrew Whitaker of the Home Builders Federation.

Greece exited its bailout programme last week. It's the culmination of nine years of reliance on huge loans from international finance bodies and stringent budget cuts. Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras, heralded it as a day of liberation. In the course of the country's economic crisis, youth unemployment rose to nearly 50 per cent and 40 per cent of the working age population was left at risk of poverty. Pensions were frozen and public sector salaries slashed. David Aaronovitch speaks to guests about what successive governments have had to do to turn things round and what impact years of austerity have had on the day-to-day life of the Greek people. And although the economic indicators have improved somewhat, how confident can the Greek government be in its future and in its ability to stimulate longer term growth? CONTRIBUTORS Michele Kambas, Athens bureau chief at Thomson Reuters Roman Gerodimos, founder of the Greek Politics Specialist Group Chloe Hadjimatheou, BBC journalist Professor Kevin Featherstone, Director of the Hellenic Observatory at the London School of Economics Producer: Tim Mansel.

This week Turkey's currency plummeted to its lowest level ever against the US dollar. The lira's steady descent this year was accelerated by the imposition of increased tariffs on steel and aluminium by the United States. President Trump, it seems, is personally angered by the continued detention in Turkey of an American pastor, who's been held for nearly two years on suspicion of spying. The currency crisis has focussed attention on Turkey more broadly: on economic difficulties with deep roots, on the leadership of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has accumulated unprecedented power, and on Turkey's troubled relationships with many of its traditional allies. Mr Erdogan says he may now need to look for new friends - a potentially troubling prospect for other NATO members. David Aaronovitch asks how deep is the Turkish crisis? CONTRIBUTORS Soner Çağaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and author of The New Sultan - a biography of President Erdogan. Dr Mina Toksoz, an emerging markets and country risk consultant at the foreign affairs think tank Chatham House Dr. Amanda Sloat, Brookings Institution, Washington DC and former deputy assistant secretary for Southern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Affairs at the US State Department Dr Ziya Meral, a specialist on Turkey and a fellow at the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research

This month exam results are published, and millions of young people will be hoping that they will do well enough to get into their chosen university. But students don't only need good grades to succeed - they also need money. Ever since the expansion of higher education in the late 20th century, the way we pay for universities and their students has been through many changes. But now, the system is broken, critics say: tuition fees and student loans are too expensive, and the whole system is too opaque. This week, the head of one elite university group called for the return of maintenance grants. So what's wrong with student finance, and how can it be made to work better? David Aaronovitch and his guests discuss.

In May, what was billed as the biggest ever overhaul of train timetables led to widespread rail disruption - why has this new timetable caused such rail chaos this summer? Since then, passengers travelling on the services of two rail franchises - Govia Thameslink and Northern - have suffered weeks of cancellations and delays. The overhaul was aimed at improving punctuality and boosting capacity, but what passengers got was hundreds of trains removed from service as the franchises struggled to cope with the planned changes. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has defended his handling of the situation and pointed the finger at the rail industry - but who is really responsible? And can long-suffering passengers trust that the disruption will finally be brought to an end - and not repeated? David Aaronovitch assesses what led to such chaos on the railway and what the disruption says about the state of Britain's railways. CONTRIBUTORS Tony Miles, Modern Railways magazine Dieter Helm CBE, Professor of Economic Policy at Oxford University. Lord Adonis, former Transport Secretary and former Chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission.

Imran Khan has claimed victory in Pakistan's election - but what will he be able to change? Khan is better known internationally for his exploits on the cricket field than in the political arena. On the surface his ascent to power represents significant change. Politics in Pakistan has been dominated for decades by two families: one, of Nawaz Sharif, the last man to be elected prime minister, the other, of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter, Benazir. Khan has ties to neither dynasty so appears to break the mould. But there is another constant in Pakistani politics: the army. Most observers agree that Khan owes his success to military support, and many believe he will be able to govern only with military approval. David Aaronovitch assesses the significance of his remarkable result. CONTRIBUTORS Ayesha Jalal, professor of history at Tufts University, Massachusetts Shahzeb Jillani, senior executive editor, Dunya TV Husain Haqqani, former Pakistan ambassador to the United States Prof Katharine Adeney, director of the Asia Research Institute at the University of Nottingham Producer: Tim Mansel.

Dominic Raab, the recently appointed Brexit Secretary has been in Brussels this week - his first visit since replacing David Davis, who resigned after the cabinet had apparently agreed on a document that represented a UK proposal for its future relationship with Brussels. The Chequers document was the basis for the White Paper presented by the government last week, but the White Paper was undermined almost immediately by two days of dramatic interventions in parliament. So is what was agreed at Chequers really the basis of the UK's negotiating position? David Aaronovitch discusses this week's political and technical developments. CONTRIBUTORS Adrian Wooldridge, political editor of The Economist and author of the Bagehot column Jill Rutter, former Treasury and Number 10 civil servant and now programme director at the Institute of Government Patrick Smith, Europe editor of the Irish Times

Should NATO plan for a future without the United States? President Trump has long complained that some European members of the organisation have been getting a free ride from the USA after failing to meet their commitment to spend two per cent of their national income on defence. At the NATO meeting on Wednesday he raised the ante, saying he wanted the two per cent to be raised to four per cent. The rhetoric from the White House has raised fears that the Trump administration might consider withdrawing from NATO altogether. David Aaronovitch asks to what extent are European NATO members getting a free ride and could they defend themselves without US support? He assesses the current threat to NATO and asks how the military alliance strengthens its European members and how the United States benefits from membership. CONTRIBUTORS Elisabeth Braw, expert on European security at the consultancy Control Risks Nick Childs, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Filippo Costa Buranelli, School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews Tomas Valasek, former Slovakian permanent representative to NATO Heather Conley, served in the US State Department during the George W. Bush administration Producers: Tim Mansel, Serena Tarling and Olivia Beazley

What will Britain's relationship with the EU look like after Brexit? On Friday the cabinet meets in Chequers and the Prime Minister needs to unite her ministers to coalesce around a single approach to negotiations with the EU. What might that approach look like? Is the so-called Norway option back on the table? What would that mean and how might it work? Contributors Catherine Barnard - Professor of European Law at the University of Cambridge Liv Monica Stubholt - partner at Norwegian Law firm Selmer, and an expert on Norway-EU relations John Erik Fossum - Professor at the ARENA Centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo, Peter Spiegel - News editor, Financial Times and former Brussels Bureau chief.

How well equipped is Britain today to defend itself both at home and overseas? Britain's armed forces are struggling to maintain numbers. According to the National Audit Office there is a shortfall of more than 8,000 among military personnel and there is a significant shortage of personnel with skills in critical areas. The Army is at its lowest level since the days it was preparing to confront Napoleon, unable to meet even the reduced requirement of 82,000 regulars. Several reasons are cited: the lack of a current war to act as a recruiting sergeant, a recruitment process that's not working well, discontent within the ranks and a higher number of people leaving the forces than normal. We examine these causes and ask what effect the shortages have both on the battlefield and strategically. Contributors: Mike Martin, former captain in the Royal Yeomanry and author of 'Why We Fight' Anthony King, chair in War Studies at Warwick University and former civilian adviser to General Sir Nick Carter Ben Barry, a former British infantry officer and now senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London Mandy Hickson, former RAF pilot

Does the new Italian government really pose a danger for the Eurozone and the European Union? There has been much to-ing and fro-ing in Rome this week as the two parties which finished up ahead in Italy's election in March have tried to persuade the president to approve their coalition government. The parties are unlikely populist allies: the anti- establishment Five Star Movement and The League, which started life as a secessionist movement in the north of Italy. Both parties reject economic austerity. They want to lower taxes and raise government debt further. This is causing alarm bells to ring in EU capitals. Were Italy to prove unable or unwilling to cut its budget deficit, the potential for a new crisis in the Eurozone looms. Italy, say some commentators, could drag other countries, such as Spain and Greece, down with it. It is unprecedented in a country that was one of the founder members of the EEC, the EU's forerunner, to have Eurosceptic leaders at the helm. CONTRIBUTORS Professor John Foot, a historian specialising in Italy at the University of Bristol Jacopo Iacoboni, author of L'Esperimento, a book about the Five Star Movement Cristina Marconi, a journalist on the newspaper Il Messaggero Ferdinando Giugliano, a columnist and leader writer on European economics for Bloomberg Opinion Judy Dempsey, a former Brussels correspondent and now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Europe think tank. Image: Italian lawyer Giuseppe Conte addresses journalists after a meeting with Italy's President Sergio Mattarella on May 23, 2018 Credit: VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images.

One year into his presidency, can Emmanuel Macron succeed in reforming France where his predecessors have failed? The Briefing Room visits Paris to find out what President Macron stands for and whether his reforms are likely to take root. Does En Marche - the political movement which helped President Macron get elected - have what it takes to change the face of French politics. David Aaronovitch is joined by: Pierre Briançon, Chief Economics Correspondent at Politico Europe Adam Plowright, France correspondent at AFP and author of 'The French Exception' Delphine O, LREM MP at the French National Assembly Sophie Pedder, Paris Bureau Chief at The Economist and author of forthcoming biography 'Revolution Française' Bruno Jeanbart, Deputy Managing Director of OpinionWay Alexander Bregman, CEO, Invitly Charlotte Muller, CEO, LeService.

Why do we get through so many Home Secretaries? It may be one of the great offices of state, but many British politicians regard the job of Home Secretary with dread. As one former holder of the post put it "there grew a view that the Home Office was a graveyard for politicians". After the resignation of its latest incumbent, Amber Rudd, what is it about the Home Office that makes it such a challenging government department to lead? For this week's programme David Aaronovitch is joined by: Michael Cockerell, political documentary maker Erica Consterdine, research fellow at the University of Sussex Professor Nick Pearce, director of the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Bath Jill Rutter, programme director at the Institute for Government Sue Cameron, writer and broadcaster who covers Whitehall.

Some 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year, where it can be lethal to marine life. Governments and businesses have vowed to take action to curb it. But Just how serious is the problem of plastic waste, and what can be done to tackle it? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Susan Freinkel, author of 'Plastic: A Toxic Love Story' Jan Piotrowski, environment correspondent for the Economist Rob Opsomer, researcher, Ellen Macarthur Foundation Chris Cheeseman, Professor of Materials Resource Engineering, Imperial College, London Sabine Pahl, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Plymouth.

After the missile strikes by the US, France and Britain on Syria, Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, condemned the attacks and warned that any more would bring chaos to world affairs. With relations between Russia and the West at their lowest ebb for decades, are we about to see the start of a new Cold War? And if so, what should the 'rules of engagement' be? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Gabriel Gatehouse - BBC Correspondent Alexander Baunov - senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center Neil Buckley - Financial Times Eastern Europe editor and former Moscow bureau chief Sir Lawrence Freedman - Emeritus Professor of War Studies at Kings College Professor Angela Stent - Georgetown University and a former US State Department official.

London's murder rate overtook that of New York in February and March this year, and the violent crime rate seems to be rising in other parts of the UK too. There's much debate about the causes, with suggestions that austerity, gang culture, social media, drugs and family breakdown are all to blame. But what is the reality behind the headlines? David Aaronovitch is joined by expert guests to discuss why violent crime is rising and look at possible remedies. CONTRIBUTORS Professor Susan McVie - Statistical Criminologist at Edinburgh University Dr Victor Olisa - former Chief Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police Karyn McCluskey - Chief Executive of Community Justice Scotland. Mark Easton - BBC Home Editor Phil Mackie - BBC Midlands Correspondent.

According to US President Donald Trump "trade wars aren't so bad". Recently his government surprised the world by announcing unexpected big increases in import taxes - or tariffs - on steel and aluminium. Mr Trump believes that this is one way to do something about America's huge trade deficit, which he says stems from the nation being "taken advantage of" by other countries for decades. The US also threatened tariff increases on a huge range of other products, including many from China. The Chinese government responded in kind, raising tariffs on American imports of everything from cars to ginseng. The row has deeply worried many politicians and business leaders across the world: could this be the start of a new trade war? But what exactly is a trade war - and is it possible to win one? And what are the implications for the UK if the dispute between the US and China escalates? CONTRIBUTORS Dr Marc-William Palen, historian at the University of Exeter and author of The 'Conspiracy' of Free Trade. Chad Bown, Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington DC and former White House senior economist. Dr Jue Wang is an expert on the Chinese economy based at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and an associate fellow on the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House. Dr Meredith Crowley, lecturer at the University of Cambridge and research fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research

Radio 4’s Bottom Line and Briefing Room will combine in a special hour-long programme examining the economic and political future of the EU once Britain has left. Evan Davis meets Jean-Claude Trichet – former president of the European Central Bank – and is joined by a panel of business leaders from across the EU. David Aaronovitch will look at the politics of the EU and its future direction. France’s President Macron has outlined a vision of a profoundly transformed and more unified EU. But do all the EU’s members support such a vision? And what might a more integrated bloc on its doorstep mean for Britain? Producers: Tim Mansel, Serena Tarling and Lesley McAlpine

Robert Mueller, the Special Counsel appointed to investigate possible Russian links to the Trump campaign in 2016, last week issued formal charges against three companies and thirteen named individuals. They are all Russian. The 37-page indictment provides a wealth of detail on the scale and ambition of the operation, in which ordinary Americans were manipulated into not only promoting their messages online but even organising political rallies. President Trump responded to the indictment by repeating his assertion that he had never colluded with the Russians. It's not clear that those indicted will ever appear in an American courtroom, but if the allegations are true, they represent unprecedented interference in the American political system and raise questions about future vulnerability. CONTRIBUTORS Gordon Corera, BBC security correspondent Molly McKew, expert in information warfare specialising in US-Russia relations, New Media Frontier Andrei Soshnikov, BBC Moscow Asha Rangappa, senior lecturer at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University and former FBI special agent, counterintelligence division.

The capture of two Londoners accused of brutal crimes in Syria has again raised questions about the viability of so-called Islamic State. The two men - El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey - face an uncertain future. Britain has stripped them of their citizenship and has said it doesn't want them to come back to the UK to face trial and so it's unclear what will happen to them. Many countries are now grappling with the issue of what to do with the young men and women who return home from Syria. In fact, data shows that relatively few terror attacks that have taken place around the world in recent years have been conducted by returnees from Syria - although the devastating series of attacks in Paris in November 2015 were perpetrated by people who'd been to Syria. Given the defeat of IS on the battlefield, its loss of territory in the Middle East and the loss of the cities of Mosul and Raqqa we assess the continuing threat IS poses. CONTRIBUTORS Fiona de Londras, Professor of Global Legal Studies at Birmingham Law School Richard Barrett, former head of counter-terrorism at the British foreign intelligence service MI6 Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Senior Research Fellow in Arabic, Pembroke College, University of Oxford Charlie Winter, Senior Research Fellow, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR), King's College, London

Child services in Northampton are under pressure - and it's partly due to where long-distance lorry drivers choose to take a pee. In fact, Northampton County Council as a whole is under huge financial pressure and earlier this week seven MPs from the county called for government commissioners to take over after the council announced that it would not be able to balance its budget by the end of the financial year - leading it to put a block on any new expenditure. In this programme, David Aaronovitch explores the causes of financial pressures on local authorities (including what lorry drivers have to do with it) and how widespread the financial crisis is throughout England. Where have councils had money cut? Which areas have received increased funding? And what does this ultimately mean for the future of local services? CONTRIBUTORS Sam Read, Politics Reporter for BBC Radio Northampton Rob Whiteman, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Jennifer Glover of the Local Government Information Unit - a think tank paid for by local authorities Colin Copus, Professor of Local Government at De Montfort University

Theresa May has been in Beijing this week at the head of a large British trade delegation. China is an important partner for Britain, especially given the UK's imminent departure from the EU. In particular, Beijing is keen for Britain to support its huge infrastructure project initially dubbed the New Silk Road, but now more generally known as the Belt and Road Initiative. China is spending unprecedented sums on building physical infrastructure; roads, railways, ports and even whole cities, not only in its own hinterland, but in many neighbouring countries. But to what end and what is the potential cost for these countries? Should Britain get involved? David Aaronovitch hears eye witness accounts of vast construction projects in Central Asia and Pakistan. And he invites the expert witnesses, Professor Steve Tsang from the School of Oriental and African Studies, Dr Yu Jie of the London School of Economics and James Kynge of the Financial Times to explore Britain's relationship with an increasingly powerful China.

As Turkey launches a new offensive over the border into north-east Syria, David Aaronovitch and guests examine what Turkey, Russia, Iran and the US want from the war in Syria. Which country stands to gain the most? And what is President Bashar al-Assad's calculation? Guests include: Suat Kiniklioglu from the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm. Anna Borschchevskaya from the Washington Institute Seyed Ali Alavi from the London School of Oriental and African Studies Steven Heydemann from Smith College in Massachussetts Lina Khatib from Chatham House.

How does the Parole Board decide whether to release offenders on licence? Should it be more open, especially since the decision to release serial sex offender John Worboys? Nick Hardwick, the Chair of the Parole Board for England and Wales wants its workings to be more transparent in order to boost public confidence. And he thinks we can learn from Canada. David Aaronovitch is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the Parole Board amid public anger over the release of a prominent sex offender. He'll hear, among others, from a former inmate and a current Chair of a Parole Board panel, and will ask whether lifting the lid on the organisation's workings might appease its critics. CONTRIBUTORS Danny Shaw, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Ben Gunn, former prison inmate Lucy Gampell, independent member, Parole Board for England and Wales Mary Campbell, retired Director General, Corrections & Criminal Justice, Department of Public Safety Canada. Professor Nicky Padfield , Director, Cambridge Centre for Criminal Justice.

In its 70th year the NHS is in a winter crisis again. Many people working in the NHS argue successive governments have failed to address what is arguably the biggest problem: funding. David Aaronovitch asks if the public would pay more for the NHS. Is there now a case for a hypothecated tax? Can public support for the NHS withstand a tax rise? CONTRIBUTORS: Dan Wellings, Senior Policy Fellow, The King's Fund Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and Economics at the Health Foundation Sally Gainsbury, Senior Policy Advisor, The Nuffield Trust Sir Julian Le Grand, Professor of Public Policy at the London School of Economics Producer: Serena Tarling.

Twenty people have been killed and hundreds arrested after a series of protests in Iran this week - but what's behind these demonstrations? Iran is a strategically important country and so when protests happen, the world takes notice - but who are the protesters and what do they want? And how will the Iranian government and the outside world respond? CONTRIBUTORS Roham Alvandi, Associate Professor of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science Behrang Tajdin and Jiyar Gol, reporters for the BBC Persian Service Hassan Hakimian, Director of the Middle East Centre at SOAS, University of London. Azedor Moaveni, Iranian writer Producer: Jim Frank

A group of senior BBC journalists forecast what is likely to happen in 2018 in a discussion chaired by Owen Bennett Jones. Last time they got together they were firmly predicting that Marco Rubio would become the Republican presidential candidate - and that Britain was likely to vote to stay in the EU. So, as the saying goes, making predictions is a tricky business - especially about the future. Yet our experts can at least lay out the parameters for what is likely to happen in the spheres of geopolitics, economics and society more widely - and give us essential tips on what and who to look out for in 2018. CONTRIBUTORS Carrie Gracie, BBC China Editor Kevin Connolly, BBC Europe Correspondent Yolande Knell, BBC Middle East Correspondent James Robbins, BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Naughtie, BBC Special Correspondent

A year on from their shock defeat in the US presidential elections, David Aaronovitch asks how the US Democratic party is responding to Donald Trump's Presidency and assesses some of the challenges which lie ahead. What new policies is the party developing? Who are the potential presidential candidates waiting in the wings? And can the college-educated elite which dominate the party win back support from America's white working class who gravitated towards Donald Trump in such significant numbers? CONTRIBUTORS Jon Sopel, the BBC's North America Editor Dr Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia Joan C Williams, author of the White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America

Has President Trump delivered on the promises he made on the campaign trail? This programme cuts through the White House soap opera which has dominated headlines and asks what has the President actually achieved? David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts look back at some of the pre-election pledges made on a broad range of issues such as tax cuts, the economy, immigration, foreign policy and justice to reveal where the president has made progress - and where and why his plans have stalled. CONTRIBUTORS Donald Marron, director of economic policy initiatives at the Urban Institute in Washington DC Joseph Gagnon, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics Leslie Vinjamuri, associate fellow with the US and the Americas Programme at Chatham House Marie Price, professor of geography and international affairs at George Washington University and President of the American Geographical Society Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (retired).

What do we really know about Russian 'meddling' in Western democracy? David Aaronovitch asks experts on Russia what the Kremlin is trying to achieve by hacking emails and spreading fake news. Guests include the Gordon Corera, the BBC's Security Correspondent, Kimberly Marten, Director of the Program on U.S.-Russia Relations at Columbia University, Andrei Soldatov, a Russian investigative journalist and Anna Nemtsova, Moscow correspondent for The Daily Beast.

The different factions piling Brexit pressure on Theresa May. Following the failure to reach a deal on the first stage of Brexit earlier this week, David Aaronovitch asks experts why Theresa May seems to have fallen foul of her own side. He'll examine the Brexit demands of different groups in Westminster, Brussels, Edinburgh, Belfast and Dublin and ask which of them has the most influence. Joining the discussion are: Katy Balls, Political Correspondent for The Spectator Adam Fleming, BBC Brussels Correspondent Mark Devenport, BBC Northern Ireland Political Editor Sarah Smith, BBC Scotland Editor

Can Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince radically change the kingdom? Mohammed bin Salman is an ambitious new leader who wants to reshape his country's politics, economy and society. But he faces strong opposition both at home and abroad. David Aaronovitch examines his plans and asks whether they'll work. Joining the discussion this week: Nicolas Pelham, Middle East correspondent for The Economist and author of 'Holy Lands, A New Muslim Order' Rasha Qandeel, presenter of BBC Arabic Newsnight Safa al-Ahmad, an award-winning Saudi Arabian journalist .

Drug resistant infections cause 700,000 deaths a year and it's estimated that could rise to 10 million by 2050 unless major action is taken. David Aaronovitch asks how can an antibiotic crisis can be averted? Joining him in The Briefing Room are: Clare Wilson, medical reporter with The New Scientist Laura Piddock, professor of microbiology at Birmingham University Jeremy Knox, head of policy on drug-resistant infections at health charity The Wellcome Trust

President Xi Jinping is said to be China's most powerful leader since Chairman Mao Zedong - so what does he want to do with this power? The Chinese Communist Party started its congress this week, held every five years, unveiling a new generation of political leaders. It is also expected that President Xi Jinping will be accorded the rare honour of seeing his own doctrine - Xi Jinping Thought - being enshrined in China's constitution. Where will that Thought take him and his huge, strategically essential country - and how might this affect the rest of the world? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and president of the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) Yanmei Xie, a writer on Chinese politics Lord Jim O'Neill, former UK Treasury Minister and chairman of Goldman Sachs

Is capitalism broken, and if so, what should replace it? David Aaronovitch examines whether the free market is failing, and asks how it could be reformed. He speaks to a range of experts and leading economists including: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Gillian Tett, US Managing Editor of the Financial Times Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge University Michael Jacobs, co-editor of Rethinking Capitalism.

Could the crisis over Catalonia lead to the break up of Spain? With political rhetoric from both Barcelona and Madrid intensifying, David Aaronovitch asks a range of experts whether an independent Catalan state is now a possibility. He examines what lies behind the Catalan desire for independence and the impact that a split could have on Spain. Joining David in The Briefing Room: Miguel Murado, a Spanish journalist Eduardo Mendoza, one of Spain's best-known authors Dr Rebecca Richards, statehood expert and Professor of International Relations at Keele University.

Are big technology companies out of control, as their rapid growth and influence has made them too big to fail? David Aaronovitch asks if companies such as Facebook, Google and Amazon can be reined in and explores a range of issues including innovation, data, privacy, competition and security. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said his company will hand over to US investigators more than 3,000 advertisements bought by groups with links to Russia – and the Washington Post reported that President Obama had previously warned Mr Zuckerberg about the threat of fake news and political disinformation. On this side of the Atlantic, another tech company - Uber – is now in big trouble with Transport For London over its license to operate in the capital, claiming the company was not “fit and proper”, citing major concerns about its approach to reporting criminal offences and carrying out background checks on drivers. Both cases, and a plethora of others, have raised questions about the way big technology firms operate, and while they arguably bring immeasurable benefits to us in our everyday lives, governments have struggled to keep up with what they’re up to. CONTRIBUTORS Jamie Bartlett, technology writer and author of Radicals: Outsiders Changing the World Jonathan Taplin, author of Move Fast and Break Things Eileen Burbidge, Chair of Tech City UK Rana Foroohar, Financial Times columnist and author of Makers and Takers

Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, says she wants to know why 400,000 Muslim Rohingyas have fled into Bangladesh. The UN says what's going on seems "a textbook case of ethnic cleansing". But why are the Rohingyas facing persecution in the first place and why aren't regional powers in Southeast Asia willing to do more to condemn it and stop it? And ultimately, could this violence develop into something bigger and more dangerous? To discuss these issues David Aaronovitch is joined by expert guests including: Professor Penny Green, Director of the International State Crime Initiative Richard Horsey, a Myanmar Analyst who advises the International Crisis Group Dr Champa Patel, Head of Asia Programme at Chatham House Dr Lee Jones from Queen Mary University.

The public sector pay cap is being scrapped after five years - what will it mean for public finances? Prison and police officers will be the first to benefit, but unions have condemned the pay rises - which are less than inflation - as "pathetic". But could this extra money in the pocket of public servants help recruitment and retention in the public sector? To explore these issues David Aaronovitch is joined by expert guests including: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Dr Amy Ludlow, a prisons expert at Cambridge University Sir Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Jerry Cope, Chair of the NHS Pay Review Body.

As negotiations between the UK and the EU hit choppy waters, the Briefing Room asks what does the EU want from Brexit and what would be its bottom line? David Aaronovitch is joined by expert guests including: Pascal Lamy, former EU Trade Commissioner and Director General of the World Trade Organisation Daniela Schwarzer, Head of the German Council on Foreign Relations Jacek Rostowski, former Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister of Poland

Do the United States and its allies really have the technology to stop incoming missiles from North Korea? In the week North Korea tested another ballistic missile - this time it flew over northern Japan - David Aaronovich asks what threat does North Korea's missile programme pose? And beyond North Korea, what are the capabilities of ICBMs? And how effective are missile defence systems? Contributors: Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at Kings College London Joseph Cirincione author of Nuclear Nightmares: Securing the World Before It Is Too Late Dr Patricia Lewis, a former UN official who specialised in non-proliferation Dr Laura Grego from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

How will Artificial Intelligence shape our lives, and what should we do now to prepare for it? AI is all around us in our everyday lives. It's used to make decisions about employment, loans, credit cards and even what we read and listen to. So what are the implications of this revolutionary technology? David Aaronovitch hears from experts in the field including: David Baker, contributing editor to Wired magazine Cathy O'Neil, former data scientist Pippa Malmgren, founder of H Robotics Regina Barzilay, computer scientist at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AI laboratory

What do the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, tell us about the strength of the far-right in America? What should the government do to combat domestic extremism? In this week's programme David Aaronovitch asks if there is a white nationalist revival in the United States and what that means for the country's politics. CONTRIBUTORS: J.M. Berger, author, analyst and consultant on extremism. Sandy Hausman, WVTF radio. Christian Picciolini, a former neo-Nazi who is now an anti-extremism campaigner. Leonard Zeskind, a researcher of the American far-right and director of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights Asha Rangappa, former special agent, FBI and now lecturer at Yale Law School.

How did the oil rich state of Venezuela see such a rapid economic decline? Poverty is rife, inflation is running at more than 700 per cent and protests are widespread. President Nicolás Maduro is tightening his hold on power following the appointment of a new national assembly, charged with writing a new constitution. In this week's programme David Aaronovitch asks whether former president Hugo Chavez and president Maduro played a role in compounding the crisis and asks if Venezuela might become a failed state. CONTRIBUTORS Dany Bahar, The Brookings Institution Andrea Murta, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center of the Atlantic Council Miguel Tinker-Salas, Pomona College, California Katy Watson, BBC Vladimir Hernandez, BBC.

It's been a tumultuous week in Washington - but to what extent does the chaos in Trump's West Wing matter? Anthony 'The Mooch' Scaramucci was gone in 900,000 seconds - but whoever replaces him will be President Trump's third communications director. His press secretary has resigned, he’s fired his acting attorney general, and he’s on his second chief of staff, John Kelly, a retired general who many hope will bring discipline to a leaky White House. By the standards of almost all modern American politics this seems bizarre, if not catastrophic. But then by the standards of almost all modern American politics Donald Trump would not be president. In this week's edition of The Briefing Room David Aaronovitch takes a step back, and tries to find out what the actual consequences of the dramas of Trump’s West Wing might be. CONTRIBUTORS Jonny Dymond, BBC Correspondent Adam Gingrich, worked on Donald Trump's campaign in Pennsylvania Stephan Halper, former foreign policy advisor to Presidents Nixon, Ford and Reagan and now Emeritus Senior Fellow of the Centre of International Studies Leslie Vinjamuri, Associate Fellow of the Americas programme at Chatham House Anthony Zurcher, BBC senior North America reporter

This year almost 100,000 people have arrived in Italy by boat - and more than 2,000 have died trying. The Italians say they can’t cope, but it's a problem which has now been going on for years - so why has nobody solved it? In this week's programme David Aaronovitch asks who are the migrants, where are they coming from, how do they get to Europe and what needs to be done to stop more people dying. CONTRIBUTORS Joel Millman, UN's International Organisation for Migration Tuesday Reitano, Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime Mattia Toaldo, European Council on Foreign Relations Elizabeth Collett, Migration Policy Institute Europe

Are Tory divisions temporary or symptomatic of deeper problems? Parliament has broken up for the summer, and the last week has seen Conservative cabinet ministers engaging in open warfare. But are the divisions a temporary crisis, or are they symptomatic of deeper problems in the party? David Aaronovitch speaks to a range of experts and goes beyond the future leadership jostling to see what's really causing the current political climate. He hears from a former adviser to David Cameron who says the Tories are facing an existential threat if they can't win over the under 40s. He then hears from a panel of experts on what policies are needed to lure in younger voters. CONTRIBUTORS Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London Lord Andrew Cooper, former director of strategy to David Cameron Laura Gardiner, senior research and policy analyst at the think tank The Resolution Foundation David Skelton, director of Renewal – a campaign group to broaden the appeal of the Conservative party to working-class and ethnic minority voters

Labour will play a crucial role in shaping Britain's exit from the EU now the Conservative government has lost its overall majority. The vast majority of Labour MPs backed Remain ahead of the referendum - but most followed party orders to allow Article 50 to be invoked (the mechanism for leaving the EU). On the day the government publishes the Repeal Bill and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn meets the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, David Aaronovitch asks a range of political experts what Labour wants. He'll look back into the party's history to see if that helps explain today's divisions and he'll be briefed on whether Labour's Brexit wishlist is realistic. CONTRIBUTORS Steven Fielding, Professor of Political History at The University of Nottingham Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Union Law, The University of Cambridge Deborah Mattinson, former advisor to Gordon Brown and founder of think tank Britain Thinks Producers: Phoebe Keane and Beth Sagar-Fenton

The chancellor is facing widespread calls for more spending. Should he listen, or stick to his deficit reduction plan? Senior Conservatives are calling for more public spending on things like public sector pay - but Philip Hammond is committed to what he himself calls 'the long slog of austerity'. David Aaronovitch invites a range of experts into The Briefing Room to help him understand the arguments around public spending, and asks if the UK should ditch austerity? Guests include Paul Johnson from the IFS and economists Ann Pettifor and Tim Besley.

The election was supposed to be a disaster for Jeremy Corbyn - but wasn't. How did Labour turn around its fortunes? Despite coming second and falling 64 seats short of an overall majority, the Labour party increased its share of the vote by nearly ten per cent. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are in crisis and the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister is now being seriously contemplated by people who described him as un-electable just eight weeks ago. David Aaronovitch speaks to leading experts in political history, psephology (the study of elections) and media analysis to understand who voted Labour and why. They explore the influence of changing voter demographics, party leadership, Brexit and social media and asks whether we should view Labour's performance as a success or a failure?

There's a compelling story unfolding in Washington. Last week, President Trump fired the director of the FBI, James Comey. It was a contentious move: Comey was investigating ties between Donald Trump's election campaign and Russia. Some are now asking whether the President's job could be at risk. On this week's Briefing Room, David Aaronovitch unpicks the relationship between Trump and the FBI, and asks where the investigation goes from here. If Trump is determined to make the investigation disappear, could he? With the help of a former FBI Special Agent and expert on national security law and a veteran watcher of Capitol Hill, David Aaronovitch steps into the Briefing Room to make sense of the Trump affair. Guests: Paul Wood, BBC World Affairs Correspondent Asha Rangappa, former FBI Special Agent and current Associate Dean at Yale Law School. Niall Stanage, Associate Editor of the American political newspaper, The Hill. Producer: Neal Razzell Research: Sarah Shebbeare.

David Aaronovitch presents the need-to-know facts on where taxes come from and how they're spent. This edition is a politician-free zone, with non-partisan analysis on how we pay for the UK and the prospects for public services in the future. CONTRIBUTORS: Emily Andrews, senior researcher at the Institute for Government Helen Miller, associate director, Institute for Fiscal Studies Ben Page, director, IPSOS-Mori Producer: Neal Razzell Research: Sarah Shebbeare.

For the first time in over half a century, two insurgents, Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, have broken through France's traditional two party system. This week, voters will decide between two utterly different visions of France, Europe and the world. But how did France get here? What do we need to know about its state, its economy and its changing people? David Aaronovitch steps into the Briefing Room for an anatomy of France. Contributors: Jonathan Fenby: Author of The History of Modern France and Director of European Political Analysis at the TSL research company. Catherine Guilyardi: Journalist for Radio France. Jacques Reland: Senior Research Fellow at the Global Policy Institute at London Metropolitan University. Producer: Xavier Zapata

The US and North Korea have been flexing their military muscles in recent weeks, testing and deploying new missiles. President Trump has said North Korea is "a big big problem" that he will deal with "strongly". This week he took the extraordinary step of briefing the entire US Senate on American options to deal with the North's nuclear programme, as American troops conducted live-fire exercises near the North Korean border. Senators said the briefing was "sobering". Here, David Aaronovich gets his own briefing, from one of America's top former diplomats in the region and from experts in Beijing and Seoul. CONTRIBUTORS: Daniel Russel: President Obama's Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, now Diplomat-in-Residence at the Asia Society Policy Institute Yanmei Xie: Chinese foreign policy analyst, formerly with the International Crisis Group, now with Gavekal Dragonomics. Jenny Lee: Opened the first western news bureau in North Korea, now with the Wilson Centre in Seoul Producer: Neal Razzell Research: Sarah Shebbeare

What are the political tribes which divide British voters today and how will June's general election shape Britain? Britain voted last year on the question of the EU - and following Theresa May's surprise announcement, we vote again on who should take us out. The nature of the result could define British political life for decades to come - so how will voters decide? And what might the impact of the campaign be on Britain's future outside the European Union? David Aaronovitch speaks to political experts to assess the upcoming campaign and its potential to shape the country Britain becomes. CONTRIBUTORS Lord Peter Hennessy, Professor of Contemporary British History at Queen Mary University of London Peter Kellner, political commentator and veteran pollster Rosie Campbell, Professor of Politics, Birkbeck College, University of London David Runciman, Professor of Politics, University of Cambridge and host of the Talking Politics podcast Producer: China Collins.

What does Turkey's referendum mean for the UK's foreign policy? The UK has long seen Turkey as a bastion of stability in the Middle East: a Muslim-majority democracy, a NATO member and ally against so-called Islamic State; a physical and ideological bridge between east and west; and a fascinating and pleasant place to take our families on holiday. That stability is increasingly in doubt. A series of bloody terror attacks has made many holidaymakers think twice about Turkey. More fundamentally, Turks are in the midst of a bitter referendum campaign that could change how they're ruled. On the face of it, they should be united about Sunday's constitutional referendum. Most agree the current constitution, drafted by on the orders of the military following a coup in 1980, needs change. Yet the two sides have literally been throwing punches. Leading campaigners have been physically attacked; there's been a brawl in parliament. The Yes camp, led by the government, has painted its opponents as terrorists. The No camp say it's a power grab by the increasingly authoritarian president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. "The wrong choices have the potential to deliver catastrophe well beyond Turkey's borders," a UK parliamentary report found recently. "Turkey's democracy and democratic culture are under severe pressure." In this edition, David Aaronovich hears from: Chris Morris, the BBC's long-time Turkey watcher Ziya Meral, Resident Fellow, the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research Firdevs Robinson, Turkish journalist and broadcaster Gulnur Aybet, senior advisor to President Erdogan Producer: Neal Razzell.

What are the changes needed now to ensure the NHS is sustainable in the future? The NHS is facing one of the biggest crises in its history. With an ageing population, the increasing cost of drugs and treatments, and lack of funding for social care, the service is under more pressure than ever and the cracks are already starting to show. So will the system be able to cope in future as the UK's population gets older - and can the NHS survive? David Aaronovitch hears from expert witnesses including Dame Julie Moore, Chief Executive of University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and John Appleby, Chief Economist at the Nuffield Trust. Producer: China Collins.

The government says the housing market is broken and that it's holding the country back. As prices have risen, fewer people are able to get on the housing ladder, and more are now renting privately later into their lives. Many argue we're not building enough new homes. But is that the only problem? David Aaronovitch speaks to a panel of experts to find out and travels to Bristol to see what effect the housing crisis is having on the way people live there. Contributors: Dame Kate Barker, economist and author of a government review on housing supply Lindsay Judge, Senior Research and Policy Analyst at the Resolution Foundation Emma Maier, Editor, Inside Housing Councillor Paul Smith, Labour cabinet member for homes, Bristol City Council Producer: Phil Kemp Researcher: Sam Bright Editor: Innes Bowen.

What will happen if the Islamic State loses its state? The so-called Islamic State is rapidly losing territory, money and fighters in both Iraq and Syria. Iraqi government troops, supported by US and British special forces, have launched an offensive to take back the city of Mosul and an assault on the group's de facto capital city - Raqqa in Syria - is expected by the end of the year. Can the group continue to attract jihadi fighters from around the world and inspire attacks in its name, or will it be permanently weakened by the loss of its 'caliphate'? If so, could other terrorist organisations benefit from the vacuum it leaves behind? David Aaronovitch speaks to a range of experts and asks - can Islamic State be defeated and if so, what happens next? Guests include: Columb Strack, Senior Analyst, Middle East & North Africa at IHS Consulting Charlie Winter, Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR) Hassan Hassan, Senior Fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy and co-author of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Senior Research Fellow in Arabic at the University of Oxford Clint Watts, Robert A. Fox Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Program on the Middle East and former FBI Special Agent Producer: China Collins Research: Serena Tarling.

Bringing Britain's railways back into public ownership is a popular idea with passengers - but would it really make any improvements to service? Renationalisation of the railways is official Labour party policy. Polls suggest a majority of voters favour it too - and that was the case before the recent problems with Southern Rail. With the help of the Conservative former transport minister Michael Portillo, David Aaronovitch explores the history of British railway ownership, asks whether it's possible to make the privatised system work and finds out how a future government might go about bringing the railways back into public ownership. Contributors: Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside and Chair, Transport Select Committee Laurie Macfarlane, Economist, New Economics Foundation Michael Portillo, former Conservative Minister of State for Transport Michael Schabas, railways consultant Christian Wolmar, railways historian and journalist Producer: Phil Kemp Research: Sam Bright.

Can President Trump deliver on his pre-election promise to bring back outsourced manufacturing jobs, and end the 'bad deals' that have outsourced labour to countries like Mexico? This message was particularly powerful in America's Midwest - often referred to as the rust belt - where voters supported him in droves and helped him secure his narrow victory. But how can he deliver on his promise, and what does putting 'America First' mean for the rest of the world - including Britain? In the second part of The Briefing Room's two-part series on Trump's economy, David Aaronovitch explores what the President's trade policies might mean in practice. CONTRIBUTORS David Smith, economics editor for The Sunday Times Arthur Laffer, economist and former advisor to President Ronald Reagan Diane Furchgott-Roth, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and previously worked on Donald Trump’s campaign and transition team Prof Ted Malloch, Henley Business School of the University of Reading Monique Ebell, economist at the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, London Researcher: Samuel Bright Producer: China Collins

Will President Trump's plan to put 'America first' make the USA richer? He's promised a raft of radical economic reforms including a huge cut in tax on businesses, an income tax cut, a massive reduction in regulation, and investment in America's infrastructure. His goal is to get America's economy growing at roughly double its current rate. He also wants to create 25 million new jobs, and put 'America first' in every policy decision. But are these goals achievable and are the measures he's proposing likely to work? David Aaronovitch explores what 'Trumponomics' might mean in practice and asks a range of experts whether his plans for the economy will lead to boom or bust. CONTRIBUTORS Jim Tankersley, Policy and Politics Editor, Vox Arthur Laffer, former advisor to President Ronald Reagan John Kay, visiting Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and fellow of St John's College, Oxford Diana Furchtgott-Roth, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and formerly worked on Donald Trump’s campaign and transition team Researcher: Samuel Bright Producer: China Collins

Why did India's prime minister ban the use of the country's most widely used bank notes? On 8 November, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a stunning announcement. As of midnight that day, all 500 and 1000 rupee notes would no longer be legal tender. The announcement came as a shock not only to the Indian public, but also to businesses, banks and some of Mr Modi's closest advisors. Large queues formed at banks across the country as people tried to exchange their old notes for new ones and businesses came to a grinding halt. Agriculture was one of the sectors that was hardest hit. It was sowing season for India's farmers, many of whom had no means to buy the seeds, so reliant are they on cash transactions. So what was Modi trying to achieve through this shock and awe tactic? Is this a stroke of economic genius or a highly damaging political move? And did the move have the desired effect? David Aaronovitch speaks to a panel of experts to find out. CONTRIBUTORS: Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author of a biography about Narendra Modi, Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times Ila Patnaik, former economic advisor to the Modi government and a professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy Douglas Busvine, Reuters bureau chief in New Delhi Justin Rowlatt, BBC South Asia Correspondent Producer: Phil Kemp Research: Serena Tarling and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Innes Bowen.

How did British-Pakistani gangs come to dominate the drugs trade in Yorkshire? Earlier this month, police shot dead 28-year-old Mohammed Yasser Yaqub on a motorway slip road near Huddersfield. Their target was apparently armed and dangerous – a big time drug dealer, allegedly with a record of using violence to get his way. Yasser Yaqub’s death was followed by protests on the streets of Bradford and in nearby Huddersfield, hundreds turned up to a mosque for his funeral. The drugs business in West Yorkshire is largely controlled by gangs of Pakistani-Muslim heritage, who use their community contacts to aid their criminal operations - but how does such a religiously conservative community contain within it such a dangerous criminal element? David Aaronovitch heads to Dewsbury to find out. CONTRIBUTORS Tony Saggers, Head of Drugs Threat & Intelligence at the National Crime Agency Danny Lockwood, editor of The Dewsbury Press Mo Ali Qasim, who has spent four years doing academic research into Pakistani-origin drug dealers in West Yorkshire Researcher: Samuel Bright Editor: Innes Bowen

What happened after the buses left eastern Aleppo in December? After four and a half years of siege, the residents of eastern Aleppo were evacuated before Christmas. But the evacuees didn't disappear when they left the city and the Syrian Civil war didn't end with the end of the siege. Abdelkafi, an English teacher from Aleppo, relates his experience of leaving Aleppo by bus with his wife and young daughter. He describes days of hardship taking place under the eyes of the West. And as international figures prepare for negotiations in Geneva, David Aaronovitch finds out what the fall of Aleppo means for its citizens, Syria and the Middle East. Joining David in The Briefing Room are: Marianne Gasser, Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Syria Lina Khatib, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House Aron Lund, Fellow of the Century Foundation Producer: Hannah Sander Researchers: Serena Tarling and Kirsteen Knight.

Liberalism died in 2016. This bold statement has been made by both right and left wing media in recent months. But what is liberalism - and can such a broad idea really be that vulnerable? Edmund Fawcett, author of Liberalism: The Life of an Idea, charts the rise and rise of liberalism, from Gladstone's social reformers to the economic liberalism of Margaret Thatcher. Sir Oliver Letwin MP played a key role in the Conservative Party's adoption of more socially liberal policies after 2005. He tells David Aaronovitch about embracing gay marriage, advocating green energy, and emphasising social justice. But is liberalism a luxury of the middle class? Lynsey Hanley discusses the link between social status and social conservatism. She explains why the working class may reject liberal values in defiance of the metropolitan elite. Producer: Hannah Sander Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

Civil war in Yemen has become a full regional conflict, with global implications - but how did it start in the first place? This week the Disasters Emergency Committee launched a major appeal for aid, with Yemeni children dying of malnutrition following 20 months of war. But what are the causes of Yemen's civil war and who is fighting? Is it correct to describe it as a "proxy war" between Saudi Arabia and Iran? David Aaronovitch is joined by two experts with intimate knowledge of Yemen to explain the back-story behind the conflict. CONTRIBUTORS: Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Senior Research Fellow in Arabic at the University of Oxford Safa al-Ahmad, journalist and documentary maker. Producer: Hannah Sander Researchers: Beth Sagar-Fenton & Kirsteen Knight

What are the policies and political decisions which led to the current crisis in prisons? Prison life isn't meant to be easy but it is supposed to be safe and secure. Drugs, violence, self-harm and suicide are all increasing problems. David Aaronovitch examines what's gone wrong and hears stories from inside the prison system. He explores what over-crowding and under-staffing means for prisoners and officers alike who live with it day in, day out. The programme also looks beyond the budget and staff cuts to explore the impact of sentencing changes, institutional leadership, and political opposition to more liberal policies which might ease the pressure in an overcrowded system. And we also discuss the current impact of drugs in prison and ask what role corrupt prison staff might play in the smuggling of contraband. What would it take to bring prisons under control and longer term, how can we stop the next prison crisis and get the system working properly again? CONTRIBUTORS Charles - a former inmate at a London prison, now working with the rehabilitation and education charity Key4Life John Podmore - former Governor of HMP Brixton and HMP Belmarsh; author of Out of Sight Out of Mind: Why Britain's Prisons Are Failing Helen Arnold - Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Suffolk and Visiting Scholar at the Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University Julian McCrae - Deputy Director of the Institute for Government and former Deputy Director of the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (2009) Producer: Matt Bardo Research: Kirsteen Knight & Beth Sagar-Fenton

The Investigatory Powers Act - or Snoopers' Charter to its critics - is a highly controversial new law. On one hand, it clarifies a host of vague laws which were out of date with modern technology - but it also enshrines new powers of digital observation and surveillance, which will be available to the British intelligence services, the police, and a host of government agencies. In this programme, David Aaronovitch explores the specifics of this new law, including the new safeguards which it puts in place, including the new demand for warrants for government 'equipment interference' (or hacking) must now be signed off by a senior judge. He also discusses the new legal requirement for Internet Service Providers to store data about our internet browsing habits and the power for government authorities to demand access to this information. Does the new law mean we are safer? Better safeguarded against surveillance abuses? Susceptible to more government scrutiny? Or all three of these things? CONTRIBUTORS Bella Sankey, Director of Policy at the civil liberties advocacy organisation Liberty David Anderson QC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation for the United Kingdom Sir David Omand, visiting professor at King's College London and former Director of GCHQ Producer: Richard Fenton-Smith Research: Matt Bardo Editor: Innes Bowen

An independent review of police investigations into VIP sex abuse has found 43 police failings - but why did the police drop the ball with so many high-profile cases? The Henriques Review looked into the police investigations of public figures, including former Home Secretary Lord Brittan, retired army chief Lord Bramall and Harvey Proctor, a former Conservative MP. Justice Henriques criticises the police for choosing to believe uncorroborated accusations rather than approaching the investigations with an open mind. Speaking publicly for the first time Lady Diana Brittan tells reporter Alistair Jackson about the allegations made against her husband, the former Conservative minister Leon Brittan and the failure of the police to inform Lord Brittan before he died that no further action would be taken. He digs deeper into Operation Midland and Operation Vincente: police investigations that spanned several years, costing millions in tax-payers' money, and drew in large numbers of police officers. He speaks to people closely involved and finds out why the Metropolitan Police has now issued apologies. David Aaronovitch asks how historical sex abuse investigations should be handled and asks if police preoccupation with historic sexual abuse cases is hampering their ability to investigate more recent crimes. Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Producer: Hannah Sander

Theresa May has promised new trains, faster broadband and improved infrastructure. Critics accused her of adopting Labour Party politics. But is it left-wing to invest in infrastructure? During the Great Depression, John Maynard Keynes encouraged governments to dig holes until the economy was restored. The explosion of building in 1930s America is often seen as Keynes' words in action - but the New Deal was not as straightforward as we may think. The Economist's Soumaya Keynes finds out what really happened. After the 2008 crisis, politicians turned to Keynes' ideas once again. First Ed Miliband, then George Osborne and now Theresa May have pledged to build us out of trouble. How has this idea moved across the political spectrum - and could traffic lights and bridges really solve our economic woes? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Sir John Armitt, President of the Institution of Civil Engineers Michelle Baddeley, Professor of Economics and Finance at University College London Tim Worstall, Senior Fellow at the Adam Smith Institute Researcher: Jordan Dunbar Producer: Hannah Sander.

What does Black Lives Matter stand for in the UK? In the United States it is a protest movement formed in reaction to the killing of black people by police, and now there are BLM chapters in Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and London. The British organisation's most high profile action so far has been a blockade of airports and major roads - but what are the key issues driving the Black Lives Matter campaign in the UK? Joining David Aaronovitch in this edition of The Briefing Room are: Doton Adebayo, journalist and BBC 5 live presenter Stephen Bush, special correspondent at The New Statesman Kiri Kankhwende, political commentator for Media Diversified Researcher: Alex Burton Producer: Joe Kent

Illiberal democracy is gaining traction across Europe - a political philosophy which in part draws support from the far right, championing anti-migrant and anti-EU sentiment. Among the most visible illiberal democrats' is Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban who believes in the idea of nation states that govern in the interests of their indigenous populations, unencumbered by concepts like human rights, civil liberties and internationalism. David Aaronovitch explores how ideas once found on Europe's political fringes are becoming increasingly mainstream. CONTRIBUTORS Daphne Halikiopoulou, Associate Professor at the University of Reading Cas Mudde, Professor at the University of Georgia. Chris Bowlby, BBC journalist and former Prague correspondent Producer: Joe Kent Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Innes Bowen

As part of its response to the Brexit vote, the Bank of England will buy an extra £70 billion of bonds and will create new money to do so. The aim is to stimulate the economy and try to meet the government's 2% inflation target. But will it work? The Bank of England began its programme of quantitative easing back in 2009 following the financial crisis. It began buying bonds, mostly government debt, from pension funds and other investors Before this latest round of QE was announced, the Bank already owned £375 billion of bonds, around a quarter of total outstanding government debt. Its supporters say it has brought down borrowing costs for the government and for other investors and has helped to push up prices. Its detractors say it has caused hardship for savers and has led to pension funds having to compete with the Bank of England for increasingly expensive bonds, which has seen their deficits balloon. In this episode, David Aaronovitch explores how QE works and examines the evidence of its impact so far. Was the Bank of England right to return to the policy following the EU referendum? Will it ever be unwound? Guests: Frances Coppola, financial blogger Stephen Jones, Chief Investment Officer, Kames Capital Toby Nangle, Fund manager, Columbia Threadneedle Producer: Phil Kemp.

Why has it been so difficult to find peace in Syria, and what are the complicating factors which are getting in the way of a deal? In early September the US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced a new agreement to reduce hostilities in Syria - the second attempt this year to initiate a ceasefire in a 5 year long civil war which has so far cost around half a million lives and displaced millions more people. Within a week of the announcement, the US had bombed President Assad's troops - an accident, it says - and Russia was accused of blowing up an aid convoy. The deal looks like it is disintegrating fast. So why has it been so hard to find resolution in Syria? Could it be that international intervention is part of the problem - elongating the war, rather than finding resolution? In this week's programme, David Aaronovitch and guests explore the hugely complex process of negotiating peace in Syria - one which involves multiple international players, hundreds of opposition groups, a jihadi insurgency and an arrogantly defiant Assad regime. What is the missing link in the current negotiations which could sustain the country's progress on the path to peace? CONTRIBUTORS Ambassador Fred Hof, Director of the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Centre for the Middle East and former advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on transition in Syria Charles Lister, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, Washington DC and author of The Syrian Jihad Yasmine Nahlawi, Researcher in International Law at Newcastle University and Advocacy & Policy Coordinator for Rethink Rebuild Society Dr Chris Phillips, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Queen Mary University of London and author of The Battle for Syria Producer: Richard Fenton-Smith Researcher: Alex Burton

It's one of the strangest developments in a very strange election campaign. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, says Donald Trump is "colourful and talented". For his part, the Republican nominee says Putin "is very much a leader ... far more than our president has been a leader." More than flattering words, on specific policy points - such as the civil war in Syria, the influence of NATO in Eastern Europe, and sanctions against Russia imposed over the conflict in Ukraine - Trump and his advisors seem sympathetic if not outright supportive of Putin's foreign policy objectives. Donald Trump's policies are a startling departure from the normally hawkish Republican Party establishment, and Hillary Clinton and the Democrats have wasted no time in painting Trump's Russia links as a threat to national security. Meanwhile, according to reports in the American press, Russian intelligence agencies are actively looking to disrupt the election. The hack of Democratic National Committee emails, whose contents were released in July, is just one noteworthy example. In this edition of the Briefing Room, David Aaronovitch asks is Donald Trump Russia's man, or just anxious to rebuild half-burned bridges? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room this week will be: Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC International Investigations Correspondent Anne Applebaum, columnist for The Washington Post and director of The Transitions Forum, The Legatum Institute Franklin Foer, fellow at the New America think tank and a contributing editor to Slate.com Producer: Michael Wendling Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Innes Bowen.

The Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has warned that his party could be taken over by old Trots - Trotskyist entryists, who have no interest in winning elections but instead see Labour as a vehicle for revolutionary socialism. But what is a Trot, who was Leon Trotsky and what do his followers in Britain actually want? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Prof John Callaghan, Salford University Amy Leather of the Socialist Workers Party Michael Crick author of 'The March of Militant' and a journalist with Channel 4 News Dr Bert Patenaude, Stanford University, author of 'Trotsky: Downfall of a Revolutionary' Producer: Joe Kent Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Innes Bowen.

Jesse Morton was once a radical jihadi involved in the American offshoot of the banned British extremist group Al-Muhajiroun. Al-Muhajiroun's leader, Anjem Choudary, was convicted of inviting others to support the so-called Islamic State, and is awaiting sentencing. And Morton himself crossed the line and was sentenced to 11 1/2 years in prison for making violent threats in America. But while he was locked up, Morton underwent a profound transformation and is now speaking out against Islamic extremism. Morton, who is now free and working at a think tank at George Washington University, talks to David Aaronovitch about how he was seduced by jihadi ideology, how he snared others with radical interpretations of Islamic texts, and eventually how he came to see the errors in his own thinking and is working to repair the damage he caused along the way. CONTRIBUTORS: Jesse Morton Dominic Casciani, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent PRODUCER: Mike Wendling EDITOR: Innes Bowen PHOTO CREDIT: Al Drago/New York Times/Redux/Eyevine

David Aaronovitch speaks to Milo Yiannopoulos about Donald Trump's new political base - the 'alt-right'. It's a mostly young, disparate movement which organises and congregates online, which has little in common with traditional Republicans. However, it's thanks to this new political base that Donald Trump clinched the Republican Party nomination, despite angering a long list of key groups of American voters - but what does the Alt-Right stand for? Its members are tribal and mostly sceptical about religion. They yearn for a strong leader and they loathe political correctness with a passion. Controversially, some leading figures have links to the white supremacist movement - a development which frightens many mainstream Republicans who promised a more inclusive party after Mitt Romney's defeat four years ago. And in an interesting twist, some of the leading voices in the movement come from Britain. In this episode, David Aaronovitch finds out more about the alt-right - who are they, what do they believe, and what role they will play in the Trump campaign and American politics at large. CONTRIBUTORS: Milo Yiannopoulos, senior technology editor, Breitbart News Cathy Young, columnist, Newsday REPORTER: Mike Wendling

Grammar schools are back on the agenda courtesy of Theresa May. Why has the Conservative party's love affair with an almost extinct system of educational selection endured? Step into The Briefing Room with David Aaronovitch to discover the history of the Conservatives' attitude to grammar schools - and the impact the system has on exam performance and social mobility. Contributors: Newsnight's Policy Editor Chris Cook Sir David Bell, former Department of Education Permanent Secretary and now Vice Chancellor of Reading University Social historian David Kynaston Laura McInerney, editor of 'Schools Week' Nick Hillman, former special advisor to David Willetts and now director of the Higher Education Policy Institute. Producers: Matt Booker and Wesley Stephenson Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

When the BBC obtained exclusive pictures of Special Air Service soldiers fighting Islamic State militants in Syria, the Ministry of Defence refused to comment. British Special Forces are now on the ground in Libya as well - although nobody ever voted in favour sending them, and there has never been a debate in Parliament about it. In fact, it's a long-standing cross-party tradition that the government doesn't comment on the operations of the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service, and other Special Forces units. In this edition of The Briefing Room, David Aaronovitch calls on expert researchers and former military offers to trace the development and current activities of Britain's Special Forces. Who are they and how many of them are there? Why, when we talk about military operations, do Special Forces not count as "boots on the ground"? And why are their activities so secret? CONTRIBUTORS: Mark Urban, Newsnight's defence and diplomatic correspondent Robin Horsfall, former SAS member Anthony King, Professor of War Studies, University of Warwick Emily Knowles, Project Manager of the Remote Control Project, Oxford Research Group Dr Jon Moran, Reader in Security, University of Leicester Lt Col Stephen Grenier, author and former US Special Forces officer PRODUCER: Mike Wendling.

Britain faces big decisions when it comes to generating electricity - and ones we will all end up paying for. So what's the right choice? Theresa May surprised many by one of her first acts as prime minister: delaying a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset. She says she wants more time to consider the deal before making a final decision later this year. Hinkley Point C - if it's ever built - would be the first UK nuclear power plant to be constructed in more than 20 years. But the French-built, Chinese-funded project has been beset with delays since Tony Blair first pushed for new nuclear plants in 2005. David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts outline Britain's nuclear dream, find out what went wrong along the way, detail the alternatives and try to answer the question: what should we do next? Guests: Peter Atherton, energy analyst, Cornwall Energy Malcom Grimston visiting senior research fellow, Imperial College London Steven Thomas, professor of energy studies, Greenwich University Lisa Waters, economist, Waters Wye Associates Producers: Joe Kent and Mike Wendling Researchers: Alex Burton and Kirsteen Knight.

There was jubilation among many who were on the winning side of last month's EU referendum. But the vote, more than any in recent memory, laid bare the UK's divisions - not only in demographics but also social attitudes. Many of the 16m people who voted Remain expressed shock, sadness and even grief after the result. Two weeks ago The Briefing Room visited Wakefield in West Yorkshire to find out about those who voted Leave. In this programme, David Aaronovitch takes the opposite tack and visits Lambeth, the south London borough that stretches from the banks of the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament to the Capital's suburban fringes. He talks to long-standing residents and relative newcomers to find out what Remainers feel now. In in area where nearly four-fifths of those who voted backed Remain, is there a still a sense of upset over the result? And having been outvoted in one of the UK's biggest democratic experiments, what do they plan to do now? Interviewees in Lambeth include: Devon Thomas chair of the Brixton Neighbourhood Forum, local Green Party candidate Rashid Nix, Labour Party volunteer Gareth Rhys, Rosamund Urwin of the London Evening Standard, Tom Shahkli general manager of the Brixton Pound project, and Rui Reis, vice chair of the Portuguese cultural and football club in Stockwell. Studio guests: Cordelia Hay of Britain Thinks and Stian Westlake of NESTA. Producer: Mike Wendling Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

Turkey's president put the blame on the Gulen movement for an attempted coup - but what is it? The Briefing Room explores the roots and influence of this transnational Islamic religious and social movement. More than 50,000 people in the military, the judiciary, schools and other state institutions were arrested, sacked or suspended by the Turkish government since the thwarted coup attempt and President Erdoğan pointed the finger of blame at the exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen and his followers. Gulen has denied all involvement - but who is he, and what is his influence? David Aaronovitch talks to experts about the enigmatic movement Fethullah Gulen has inspired and asks how credible his claims of his involvement in the failed uprising are. CONTRIBUTORS Edward Stourton, BBC broadcaster and presenter of Islam Inc, a Radio 4 documentary about the Gulen movement. Firdevs Robinson, London-based journalist and former editor with BBC World Service. Gareth Jenkins, writer and analyst based in Istanbul. Ismail Mesut Sezgin, UK-based Fethullah Gulen supporter. Producers: Phil Kemp and Helen Grady Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

BHS was one of the biggest names on the high street, but it is now in administration and faces an uncertain future. What exactly happened, and who is responsible for its decline? Much of the focus has been on Sir Philip Green who sold the firm a little over a year ago to a little-known group called Retail Acquisitions. BHS had undergone a period of high growth during the first part of Green's 15 years of ownership, but its subsequent decline was accelerated by the economic crisis of 2008, and in recent years it racked up huge losses. Many accuse Sir Philip Green of trying to offload the company to duck its growing pension liabilities - one MP even called him the "unacceptable face of capitalism" - but there have also been suggestions that he's being unfairly tried in the court of public opinion. Green and the owners of Retail Acquisitions will face questions in front of a parliamentary select committee next month. Meanwhile the administrators are entertaining offers for BHS assets. Hanging in the balance are the company's 11,000 employees and more than 20,000 members of the company pension scheme. David Aaronovitch asks what happened to the retailer, and who's responsible for its decline? Producer/Reporter: Michael Wendling Researcher: Alex Burton

Why did so many people in the UK vote to Leave the EU? David Aaronovitch talks to residents in the pro-Leave city of Wakefield and finds out from experts why personal prosperity was a poor indicator of referendum voting intention. Guests include: Stian Westlake, Executive Director of Policy and Research, NEST, and author of 'The Intangible Economy' with Jonathan Haskel Ben Shimshon, BritainThinks, market research and communications consultancy Molly Crockett, Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford. Producer: Joe Kent Researchers: Alex Burton and Kirsteen Knight.

The Chilcot Report revealed that a key source of flawed intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war was a man known as Curveball. How did this obscure figure come to influence Britain's decision to go to war? David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the story of Curveball and what it tells us about why intelligence sometimes fails. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Guests: Peter Taylor, BBC reporter and presenter of "Panorama: The Spies Who Fooled the World"; Stephen Grey, author of The New Spymasters; Valerie Plame, former CIA officer and author of "Fair Game" Producer: Joe Kent.

Immigration to the United Kingdom remains at a near-record high - but what are the political decisions and global trends which led to its rise in the first place? Unprecedented levels of immigration motivated many Leave voters in the EU referendum and in this week's programme David Aaronovitch charts a short history of immigration over the past two decades. Joined by a panel of experts bringing unique insight into the issue, they explore claims that the Labour party wanted to increase immigration to build support, through to the causes of the asylum spike in the early 2000s, and the impact of an expanding European Union. CONTRIBUTORS Ed Owen, Former Special Advisor to Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford David Goodhart, Journalist and commentator, former director of the thinktank Demos Tony Smith, former Director General of the UK Border Force Producer: Richard Fenton-Smith Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

Northern Ireland-related terrorism now represents a “substantial” threat to Great Britain, according to MI5 - the security service. It believes that a terrorist attack is a "strong possibility" in Britain and "highly likely" in Northern Ireland itself. This reflects the continuing threat from dissident republicans. This week David Aaronovitch asks who are the New IRA? Joining him in The Briefing Room: Suzanne Breen - journalist at the Belfast Telegraph Henry McDonald - Ireland correspondent at The Guardian Peter Taylor - the writer and veteran BBC journalist Producer: Joe Kent, Researcher: Alex Burton, Editor: Innes Bowen (Image: Nationalist youths protest in their home town of Lurgan, Northern Ireland. Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty)

Labour activists, councillors, an MP and a former Mayor of London have all been suspended for comments which many regard as anti-Jewish. But why might a left of centre, progressive, pro-minority party have a problem with Anti-Semitism? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room: Professor David Hirsh - the founder of the 'Engage' campaign against anti-Semitism on the Left Owen Jones - journalist and Labour party member Kerry-Anne Mendoza - activist and editor of The Canary. Editor: Innes Bowen, Producer: Joe Kent, Researcher: Kirsteen Knight, Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown