BBC Radio Podcasts from The Briefing Room
Can the UK become an AI superpower?
Can the UK become an AI superpower as the government hopes?
What cards does China hold?
What cards does China hold in the trade war with the US?
What's Trump's tariff hokey cokey all about?
David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the strategy behind Trump's tariff policy.
What's happening in Turkey?
Are we seeing the end of democracy in Turkey?
What is Putin's bottom line?
David Aaronovitch asks what it would take for Putin to agree a peace deal in Ukraine.
What's the government trying to do to the NHS?
What are the government's plans for reforming the NHS?
Why is there a crisis in special educational needs?
Why is there a huge increase in spending on SEND, and why are parents still struggling?
Europe's defence dilemma
Can Europe defend itself without US support?
Explainer: What does Nato do?
We talk through the history of the military alliance
Explainer: A short history of conflict in Ukraine
A quick run down on how it developed
Explainer: How do weight-loss drugs work?
We talk Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro
Explainer: Who made the first electric car?
A short history of electric cars in the UK.
Explainer: What is a Tariff?
President Trump likes tariffs - what are they and what happened last time?
Why does Trump love tariffs?
How new tariffs could affect the world economy during a second Trump presidency.
Is the push for the electric cars in trouble?
The government wants to end the sale of petrol cars by 2030.
Why we need to care about the Arctic
What threats and opportunities does the Arctic face?
Is chainsaw economics working in Argentina?
President Milei is cutting inflation, government spending and regulations.
Will new weight loss drugs save or bankrupt the NHS?
The NHS is set to offer Mounjaro to 3.4m people to tackle obesity.
What’s going on in Syria?
The quick fall of the Assad regime.
Ukraine - what’s next?
Both sides struggle to get the upper hand in the conflict.
Why do we have such overcrowded prisons?
Britain has the highest number of prisoners per head of population in western Europe.
European defence in the new Trump era
What is the future of Nato and European security?
What does the Budget mean for the UK’s economy?
The chancellor attempts to fix the UK’s finances - will she succeed?
How do the Lebanon attacks alter the equation in the Middle East?
David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the recent attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Is Germany in trouble?
Should Germany worry about the far right's success in regional elections in east Germany?
How much trouble is the UK economy in?
Are the UK's finances really as bad as Labour says? And if they are, how do they fix them?
What we know (and don't know) about the new Mpox outbreak
David Aaronovitch and guests talk about how worried we should be about the new MPox strain
Global Tensions 3: Russia and the West
Could the Russia Ukraine war lead to further escalation in the region and further afield?
Global Tensions 2: China, Taiwan and the South China Sea
China sees Taiwan as part of its territory. Taiwan thinks otherwise. Is trouble looming?
Global Tensions 1: The Middle East
What happens if the situation in the Middle East spirals out of control?
Can planning reform really boost economic growth?
Will Labour's pledge to overhaul planning rules deliver the economic growth they want?
Health 3: How far could artificial intelligence transform medicine?
AI technology promises to improve health outcomes. How soon might it be a reality?
Health 2: Why is anxiety and depression increasing in the UK?
Figures show a significant rise in mental health disorders among 16 to 24-year-olds. Why?
Health 1: Advances in cancer research and treatment
Cancer: Are we are experiencing a step change in how we understand and treat the disease?
South African and Indian elections: the aftermath
What's happening in South Africa and India after shock election results?
What's happening in Sudan?
Tens of thousands have been killed and millions have been displaced as fighting rages.
What's the Biden ceasefire plan and will it work?
There's a plan to end the war in Gaza, but do Israel and Hamas want to sign up to it?
What does Macron's gamble mean for France?
France is at a political crossroads but will Macron or Le Pen come out on top?
Are Trump's legal cases really a problem for him?
Donald Trump is 0 for 3 in court and the more serious cases are yet to be heard.
Ukraine: Who's winning the war?
Russia has stepped up its attacks in Ukraine and is putting pressure on Kharkiv.
How much trouble are UK universities in?
Domestic fees haven't risen with inflation and foreign student visas are set to curbed.
Avian flu is evolving but what risk does it pose to us?
Avian flu has killed millions of birds and seals and it's now infecting cows in America
Why is the water industry in so much trouble?
Britain's biggest water suppliers are struggling with sewage, leaks and huge debts.
How does America fix its border crisis?
Who's crossing the US border, why and how does the government tackle it effectively?
Are Britain's missing workers really a problem?
1 in 5 people in the UK are not in paid work, but they're also not looking for a job.
India: Is democracy under threat?
Prime Minister Modi is expected to win a third term, but what does that mean for India?
What does Iran want?
What the short and long term aims of the Iranian regime?
What's happened to Hamas?
What do we know about Hamas after 6 months of war with Israel?
What's the future of the state pension?
David Aaronovitch and guests ask whether the state pension is sustainable in the long term
Election special 3. Uncertain times for the ANC in South Africa
The ANC has been in power for 30 years, but as its popularity wanes, what happens next?
Election special 2. Elections without democracy
In some countries election outcomes are predetermined, so why bother holding them at all?
How is technology changing warfare?
What have we learnt from recent conflicts and how might things change in the wars to come?
Russia: State of the Nation
How tight is Putin's grip on power in Russia?
The synthetic opioids claiming lives in the UK
Deaths from synthetic opioids in the UK are low but it's feared the problem could escalate
The crisis in dentistry: why is it happening and what should we do about it?
Dental decay - the struggle to find an NHS dentist.
What’s the point of Ofsted?
The pros and cons of school inspections.
Is the UK prepared for more floods?
More than six million homes are at risk - are we doing enough?
Why is local government in such trouble?
Bankruptcy, debt, cuts to services - why some councils are struggling
Israel-Gaza: Is it turning into a regional conflict?
From Houthi rebels in the Red Sea to attacks on the Lebanon-Israel border.
Brexit: Could we rejoin the EU even if we wanted to?
Recent polling shows an appetite to rejoin the EU, but is this really a realistic option?
Aliens: Are we closer to finding intelligent life beyond Earth?
A US whistleblower’s shocking claims about UFOs have sparked a new debate on aliens
What’s behind the record homelessness figures?
Recent homelessness figures show an increasing number of people in temporary accommodation
What can the UK learn from other countries about assisted dying?
What is and isn’t allowed in the UK and what could we learn from other countries?
Ukraine: what's the counter-offensive latest?
As Ukraine heads into winter, how has their summer counter-offensive fared?
Net migration: What’s happening in the UK?
As UK net migration hits a record high, what's going on behind the numbers?
Israel-Gaza war: What's going on in the West Bank?
The world’s focus is on Gaza, but what’s happening in the other Palestinian territory?
Israel/Gaza: What happens next?
It's nearly two weeks since the Israel/Hamas war broke out. How will it all end?
What was Hamas thinking?
What was the thinking behind Hamas's attack on Israel and what comes next?
If Trump gets re-elected what does the world do?
How's the world preparing for the possibility of Donald Trump winning the 2024 election?
What a murder in Canada tells us about India's place in the world
How the murder of a Canadian Sikh in British Colombia turned the spotlight on India.
The UK’s financial headache
How will the state of UK public finances shape Tory and Labour election manifestos?
Who do we think we are now?
David Aaronovitch explores Britain's current political demography and asks who we are now.
No concrete plans?
Crumbling concrete has shut some schools but is that just the tip of the iceberg?
What's the problem with Airbnb?
What's the evidence for restricting short-term rental accommodation?
How much trouble is Donald Trump in?
Could Donald Trump's legal cases derail his bid for the White House?
The UK and the European Convention on Human Rights
What is the ECHR, how does it work and what would the ramifications be if the UK left it?
What’s behind the Niger coup?
Coups aren't unusual in Niger or the Sahel region as a whole but what's behind this one?
Is it Saudi's century?
Saudi Arabia is a regional power but can it match its ambition to become a global one?
Can we meet the net zero challenge?
Carbon emissions need to fall to zero by 2050 but can the world achieve that goal?
The China Threat
Is the government failing in its handling of Chinese investment and interests in the UK?
What can schools do about record absences?
Since the pandemic record numbers of children have not returned to regular schooling. Why?
What happened to the Israel/Palestine peace process?
Many have tried to broker peace between Israel and Palestine, but is there any hope left?
Why is Britain getting inflation so wrong?
Halving inflation by the end of the year was meant to be easy. Why is it proving so hard?
Ukraine: the long game
Ukraine's spring offensive has begun. But what can it realistically achieve?
The Online Safety Bill
How successful will the Online Safety Bill be in protecting children from harmful content?
Ukraine: Is it all about to change?
A spring offensive appears imminent but how successful will it be?
Sudan conflict: what led to this?
Sudan is a country that's rarely at peace but what lies behind the current conflict there?
Does Rishi Sunak's maths calculation add up?
David Aaronovitch and guests dissect the Prime Minister's 'maths until 18' plan.
The AI Revolution
How much should we embrace artificial intelligence and how much should we worry about it?
Trump's Legal Woes
How serious are Donald Trump's legal battles and what are the political implications?
The Windsor Framework
Does the proposed deal on Northern Ireland's trading arrangements work for all parties?
Who's Afraid of The Wagner Group?
Are the 'Wagner' mercenaries fighting for Russia in Ukraine becoming a problem for Putin?
Why was the Turkey-Syria earthquake so bad?
More than 40,000 people died in last week's earthquake, but why was it so deadly?
How worried should we be about avian flu?
A new strain of avian flu is killing birds and mammals, but what's the risk to humans?
How do we get over-50s back into work?
The government wants over-50s to re-enter the workforce, but will they come?
How to Fix Britain's Railways
Can our trains be made reliable again?
Britain's Energy Crisis: An Update
Why are fuel and energy prices dropping?
NHS: Are there any quick fixes?
What's the quickest way to tackle the NHS crisis?
Ukraine: How will the war evolve in 2023?
David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how the Ukraine Russia war might evolve in 2023.
Our Ageing World
The global population is rapidly getting older. How do we deal with the impacts?
Can we colonise the Moon?
Nasa plans to set up a lunar base in the next decade. Is that achievable?
Strikes: How can we avoid a return to the 1970s?
As strikes continue across the UK, what's the government's strategy for dealing with them?
House of Lords reform
How would Sir Keir Starmer's plan to scrap the House of Lords work and is it a good idea?
China's winter of discontent
What's behind the protests and dissent against the Chinese leader Xi Jinping?
UK Trade Deals
How is the UK government getting on with negotiating free trade deals around the world?
Could Vladimir Putin use nuclear weapons?
What are the chances of the Russian leader turning the war in Ukraine nuclear?
Public Spending
What does the current economic turmoil mean for government expenditure?
Protests in Iran
What’s behind the current unrest in Iran and should the regime be worried?
Turmoil on the markets
What's just happened to the British economy, and what might come next?
Britain's productivity puzzle
How can we turn the UK into a high-growth economy?
Ukraine: Have we reached a turning point in the war?
Ukraine has retaken swathes of territory - is this a turning point in the war?
Can we keep the lights on this winter?
Could problems with energy supplies from Europe lead to power outages in the UK?
The staffing crisis in the NHS
Why doesn't the NHS have enough staff, and what can be done to fix the problem?
Fighting drought
Can the British water system cope with hotter weather?
The Cost of Living Crisis
What should the government do to help people with their bills this winter?
Scotland's drugs problem
Why does Scotland have the worst record in Europe on drug deaths?
Adapting to a hotter Britain
What does Britain need to do to cope with higher temperatures?
Ukraine: Who is winning?
As the war in Ukraine enters its sixth month, is either side close to victory or collapse?
Covid - how worried should we be this time?
Do need to worry about Coronavirus again?
What's wrong with the NHS, and how do we fix it?
David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the problems with the NHS and how to solve them.
What's happening in Afghanistan?
How are the Taliban dealing with challenges at home, on the border and further afield?
Is the crypto bubble bursting?
Was last week's cryptocurrency crash a blip, or are the problems more fundamental?
What impact will the Northern Ireland election have?
What will Sinn Fein's victory mean for Stormont politics, the protocol and the union?
How has the war in Ukraine changed German politics?
What does Germany's huge shift in foreign policy mean for Germany and the wider world?
What's the impact of the Shanghai lockdown?
What will the social and economic costs be of China's full-scale lockdown of Shanghai?
Will the Rwanda plan work?
David Aaronovitch examines the UK's plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Russia's invasion: what more can the west do to help Ukraine?
One month on since Russia invaded Ukraine what further help can the West provide?
Russia's invasion: what could a peace deal look like?
Talks between Ukraine and Russia have taken place this week but can they lead to peace?
Russia's invasion: what level of support does Putin have at home?
What's the impact in Russia of painful sanctions and a war that's not going to plan?
Russia's invasion: what's the military strategy?
The war in Ukraine is a week old. What have we learned about the way it is being fought?
Russia's invasion: will sanctions work?
Russia is facing international sanctions. What impact will they have?
What do drones mean for the future of warfare?
Drones are transforming the way wars are fought but should we be worried about it?
Will the levelling up plans work?
What does the government's recently published white paper mean for levelling up?
Is the Prime Minister’s Office fit for purpose?
How 10 Downing Street functions is under scrutiny. Can the problems be fixed?
How do we learn to live with Covid?
As Plan B Covid restrictions end how do we transition to a society that lives with Covid?
BBC Funding
With BBC funding under pressure, how might alternatives to the licence fee work?
Inflation
Prices are soaring. Inflation is at a 30 year high. How worried should we be?
Brexit: What Have We Learned?
Weighing up the costs and gains for the UK and Europe a year after Brexit.
Who Do We Think We Are?
David Aaronovitch explores the new political demography of Britain and asks who are we?
Space Wars and Laws
Could space be the next frontier for conflict? And what would it look like?
Ukraine: Could There Be War?
Russian troops are amassed close to the Ukrainian border - what's happening and why?
Afghanistan: What Now? What Next?
From insurgency to government - the challenges for the Taliban and the west.
Living in a Variant World
Where do Covid variants like Omicron come from? And what makes a variant dangerous?
Europe's Covid Surge
As parts of Europe struggle to contain Covid cases we ask what that means for them and us.
China Crisis?
With an energy shortage and growing debts, is China's economy in trouble?
Social Care - What's Changing?
Long neglected by many governments, what do the new proposals for social care mean?
Britain's Dirty Rivers
Sewage, chemicals, micro-plastics - how dirty are Britain's rivers? And what can be done?
Non-Fungible Tokens
What are NFTs? How do you buy and sell them? And how do they help British art and artists?
The UK's Energy Crisis
What lies behind the UK's energy problems, and how can we can stop it happening again?
Vaccine Passports and Booster Jabs
How useful might vaccine passports and booster jabs be over the winter?
Universal Credit: The Challenge Ahead
The Universal Credit £20 weekly uplift ends soon, so how are the poorest best helped now?
The Afghan Refugee Crisis
How will the world deal with Afghan refugees?
HS2: On Track?
How is HS2 progressing and are spiralling costs threatening its completion?
What next for President Biden’s foreign policy?
How will events in Afghanistan shape the future of US foreign policy?
Who's supporting the Taliban?
As the Taliban capture more territory in Afghanistan, who supports them and why?
Taiwan and the Threat to Peace
Could tensions over Taiwan and who it belongs to lead to war?
Where Are All the Workers?
As the economy opens up again, is the UK short of workers?
COP26: Floods, Fire, and the Future
Can COP26 help tackle climate change and save us from droughts, wildfires and floods?
Stepping into the Unknown
As Covid restrictions lift in England but new infections rise, what are the risks?
How Unsettled is EU Status?
As the UK's deadline for applications passes, David Aaronovitch explores EU settled status
The Ransomware Threat
What is ransomware and why is it a growing threat?
Hamas
What does Hamas want?
Hong Kong: Beijing Tightens Its Grip
David Aaronovitch examines what's happening in Hong Kong and where it's going to end.
India's Covid Catastrophe
India was said to have “defeated Covid”. Now thousands are dying daily. What went wrong?
Could Germany Go Green?
Angela Merkel leaves office this year. Might she be replaced by a Green?
Northern Ireland: how fragile is the peace process?
Violence in Northern Ireland: has it exposed the fragility of the peace process?
Global supply chains: is the UK vulnerable?
If global supply chains are interrupted, how will the UK cope?
Covid-19 and the World
An hour-long special asking which countries have fared better during the pandemic and why?
Brexit Business
Two months since Britain signed a trade deal with the EU, is it working well for business?
Out of Lockdown
Cautious but irreversible; the promises and risks of lifting lockdown.
“Turmoil” in the SNP
A senior SNP MP says the party is in turmoil. Why?
GameStop Shock
Chaos on the US markets last week as GameStop’s price rocketed. But what really happened?
The Irish Question
Has Brexit brought the reunification of Ireland any closer?
Putin vs Navalny
Alexei Navalny’s return to Russia has tweaked the tiger’s tail. Why is Mr Putin so afraid?
Covid and the NHS
Infections are rising, hospitals are filling up. Is the NHS coping with the Covid crisis?
America: what just happened?
What do events in Washington mean for America, its institutions and its politics?
Facebook's Monopoly Problem
David Aaronovitch explores the antitrust case against Facebook.
The Climate Crisis: Are We Moving Fast Enough?
China has set a target for net zero CO2, the US will shortly - but is this fast enough?
Living with the Taliban
Could the Taliban return to power in Afghanistan? If so, what would the world do?
Brexit: Is It Oven Ready?
David Aaronovitch and The Briefing Room team explore Britain's readiness for 2021.
How Broke is Britain?
Britain’s borrowing is forecast to hit nearly £400bn this year. Can we afford this?
The President's In Tray
Whoever wins the US presidential election, what awaits the next man in the White House?
Education: A Testing Issue
Should school exams be cancelled across the UK next summer?
Covid-19: Regional Differences
Why are there regional differences in Covid-19 infection rates?
Britain's Immigration Dilemma
What can the government do to control immigration across the English Channel?
Covid-19: are we still following the rules?
To what extent are we following and understanding the guidance designed to keep us safe?
Sweden and the Pandemic
Sweden decided not to lockdown like other countries - was it the right decision?
Covid-19: Six Months On
It's been six months since lockdown was introduced - what have we learned about Covid-19?
Will the US election be free and fair?
Could fraud and voter suppression affect this year's presidential election?
Football and the Pandemic
Coronavirus might put some football clubs out of business, but how important are they?
Brexit: deal or no deal?
Where are we up to with Brexit and what will it mean for you?
Belarus: the end of a dictatorship?
What will come of the protests in Belarus and who will determine the country's future?
Covid-19: the return to school
How should we balance the risks when reopening schools during the coronavirus pandemic?
Scottish Independence: Hope and Fear
What is behind rising support for independence and how could another referendum happen?
How to beat obesity
What’s in the government's plan to help people lose weight and what more could be done?
The UK's place in the world
How can the UK shape foreign policy in response to the threats posed by Russia and China?
What is happening to the Uighurs in China?
China's treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, and how the world is responding.
Can the NHS recover from coronavirus?
What has the pandemic done to healthcare in the UK and will it get back on track?
The Leicester lockdown
How local lockdowns will work, Leicester’s is likely to be the first of many.
Can Britain avoid mass-unemployment?
Creating and protecting jobs in the time of the coronavirus.
China and the Pandemic
How have China's relations with other countries changed since the arrival of the virus?
Coronavirus and the economy
What are the pandemic and lockdown doing to the economy and and what could happen next?
Covid-19 and the Care Sector
Have the mounting deaths exposed cracks in the way we deliver care to the most vulnerable?
Easing the lockdown
Some countries have opened schools and non-food shops. Can the lockdown be eased safely?
The psychological impact of the coronavirus pandemic
What mental hardship are we enduring and, when normality returns, how changed might we be?
The Inequalities of Lockdown
What do we know about the impact of the lockdown on different people and places?
Covid-19: What Next?
How close to a vaccine are we and how important is mass testing?
UK fishing and Brexit
The UK fishing industry will be central to EU trade negotiations, starting soon. Why?
Sinn Féin's rise
Sinn Féin recorded a historic result in the Irish election. Why?
Treating Terror
What can be done to stop another convicted terrorist attacking again?
How to do a trade deal
Bluffs, plays and tariff peaks, the UK enters the free trade world.
How dangerous is the coronavirus?
What lessons do previous pandemics provide about how we should treat the new coronavirus?
Powering Up The North
The government wants an infrastructure revolution in the north. How will it do that?
Iran's Revenge
What power does Iran's Revolutionary Guard wield and what will they do now?
News Review of the Year 2019
"The world has changed, none of us can go back."
How Do We Get Brexit Done?
'Get Brexit Done' led the Tories to election victory - but how will that be achieved?
Middle East Youthquake
Protests have swept through Iran, Iraq and Lebanon - what lies behind the unrest?
Malta: Shady People in a Sunny Place
Why has the premier of the EU's smallest state, and a former British colony, resigned?
General Election Promises: Tax and Spend?
Who are the people who are going to pay for the politicians' promises?
Brexit: a pivotal week?
Where have this week's events in Westminster left the UK's efforts to leave the EU?
Turkey, Syria and the Kurds
How the US withdrawal from northern Syria could reshape the political map of the region.
Climate change and meat: what's the beef?
What difference would it make to climate change if we reduce meat consumption?
Trump, Ukraine and impeachment
What's the Trump impeachment inquiry about?
Britain’s constitutional dilemma: who now runs the country?
Does the constitution need an overhaul - and is it time to have a written constitution?
What are the Risks of Vaping?
Recent deaths in the USA have been linked to e-cigarette use, leading to calls for a ban.
The Battle for Britain
What strategy should the party leaders follow now?
The United Kingdom, Brexit and its History
Can history help us make better sense of the political turmoil we are living through?
Has Narendra Modi changed India?
How has Narendra Modi changed India economically, politically and as a global power?
Could the United States and Iran go to war?
As tensions rise between Iran and the United States, is there a danger of armed conflict?
Should vaccinations be compulsory?
With measles infections on the rise in the UK, should vaccinations be made compulsory?
Does the UK have an opioid problem?
Opioid prescriptions have rocketed in the UK in recent years - how worried should we be?
What drives religious intolerance?
Is religious intolerance on the rise, and if so, what's behind it?
What's in the Mueller report?
What's in the Mueller report - and what are the implications for US politics?
What Next For Europe?
As Britain prepares for departure, what does the future hold for the rest of the EU?
How divided are we?
How has Brexit divided Britain, and what might unify the country?
Britain's Future
Brexit or not, what does Britain's place in the world look like?
Should we worry about Huawei?
Does Chinese telecoms giant Huawei present a threat to national security?
Should we scrap GCSEs?
A senior Tory MP says GCSEs are pointless and they should be abolished. Is he right?
Britain's car-making future under threat
Is car-making in the UK doomed? David Aaronovitch gets a briefing from industry experts.
Why are so many people sleeping rough in Britain?
Why are so many people sleeping rough in Britain, and what can be done about it?
Brexit and Ireland: What's at stake?
How might Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic be affected by Britain leaving the EU?
Is Britain’s political system broken?
Brexit has stretched the parliamentary system to its limits - is it irretrievably broken?
Universal Credit: What's gone wrong and can it be fixed?
How did universal credit come about, and why has its roll-out been delayed?
Climate Change: is time running out?
After the Katowice summit where does the world now stand on climate change?
Brexit: Where Next?
Theresa May has been back in Brussels to meet EU leaders. What's the future of Brexit now?
Les Gilets Jaunes
As Paris braces for another weekend of demonstrations, we ask what's going on in France.
Deal or no deal?
If Parliament rejects Theresa May's Brexit deal does that mean a no-deal Brexit?
A new political direction for Brazil?
Is Brazil taking a more conservative political direction?
How bad is the air we breathe?
Scientists say air pollution harms the quality of our lives, and shortens them too.
Nationalisation - how would it work?
Labour's plans for nationalisation - how would they work?
Another Brexit Referendum?
If there were to be another referendum on Brexit, how and when could it happen?
Can a new political party win?
The Tories are split, Labour is split and some people think it just can’t go on.
What's at stake in the US midterm elections?
Why do November's US midterm elections matter?
Britain's Housing Crisis
Is the failure to build at the core of the housing problem or are other factors at play?
Is Greece out of the woods?
Greece has exited its bailout programme. What does the future hold?
Is Turkey imploding?
The collapse of the Turkish lira has exposed deeper problems. How bad is the situation?
Is the Student Finance System Working?
What's wrong with student finance - and how could the system be made to work better?
Chaos on the railways
Why has there been such disruption on two rail franchises and can we avoid it in future?
Imran Khan and Pakistan: what's going to change?
Imran Khan has claimed victory in Pakistan's election. But what will he be able to change?
What does the UK want from the EU?
The Brexit secretary has been in Brussels - what kind of deal does the UK now want?
Trump vs NATO
Should NATO plan for a future without the United States?
Brexit decision time
As Brexit looms what will future relations between the EU and Britain look like?
Why are the British Armed Forces short of personnel?
How well equipped is Britain today to defend itself both at home and overseas?
Could Italy bring down the European Union?
Why Italy's new government has EU leaders worried.
Macron: One Year On
One year into his presidency, can France's Emmanuel Macron succeed where others failed?
Is the Home Office a problem department?
Why do so many politicians dread the job of Home Secretary?
What is the problem with plastic?
How serious is the problem of plastic waste, and how should it be tackled?
A new Cold War?
Is the world about to see a new Cold War between Russia and the West?
Violent Crime
Why does violent crime seem to be on the rise in some parts of the UK?
Can you win a trade war?
What exactly is a trade war and can you win one?
The EU after Brexit – A special programme together with The Bottom Line
Evan Davis and David Aaronovitch present a programme looking at the EU after Brexit
The Mueller Indictment
What the Mueller indictment tells us about Russian interference in the 2016 US election.
Is ISIS still a threat?
Does so-called Islamic State still pose a threat to Syria and around the world?
Is Your Local Council Going Bust?
How serious is the financial crisis in England's town halls?
Britain, China and the new Silk Road
David Aaronovitch asks what Britain has to gain from China's Belt and Road Initiative.
Syria: who wants what from the conflict?
David Aaronovitch asks what Turkey, Russia, Iran and the US want from the war in Syria.
John Worboys: Understanding the Parole Board
How does the Parole Board decide whether to release offenders on licence?
Would you pay more for the NHS?
In its 70th year the NHS is in a winter crisis again. What will it take to fix it?
Who are the protesters in Iran and what do they want?
How can we best understand the protests in Iran and how will Tehran respond?
Correspondents Look Ahead
The BBC's senior journalists forecast what is likely to happen in 2018.
What Next for the Democrats?
Has the Democratic Party found a new direction since losing the election to Donald Trump?
President Trump's End of Year Report
Has President Trump delivered on his campaign promises?
What's Russia up to?
What do we really know about Russian 'meddling' in Western democracy?
May's Brexit Dilemma
Why Theresa May seems to have fallen foul of her own side in Brexit negotiations.
Saudi Arabia's Radical Crown Prince
Can Saudi Arabia's crown prince radically change the kingdom?
A world without antibiotics?
Drug resistant infections cause 700,000 deaths a year - how can this be averted?
President Xi and the Chinese Dream
Is President Xi Jinping China's most powerful leader since Chairman Mao?
Capitalism in Crisis
Is capitalism broken, and if so, what should replace it?
Could Spain split?
Could the crisis over Catalonia lead to the breakup of Spain?
Is Big Tech Out of Control?
Are big technology companies out of control and now too big to fail?
Why are Myanmar's Rohingya persecuted?
Why are Myanmar's Rohingya persecuted, and who is willing to come to their aid?
What are the consequences of lifting the public sector pay cap?
The public sector pay cap is scrapped - what will it mean for public finances?
What does the EU want from Brexit?
What does the EU want from Brexit, and what would be its bottom line?
The North Korean Missile Threat
Do the United States and its allies have the technology to stop incoming missiles?
The AI Revolution
How will artificial intelligence shape our lives and what should we do to prepare for it?
The Far Right in America
What do the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, tell us about the far-right in America?
Is Venezuela on the brink of collapse?
How did the oil rich state of Venezuela see such a rapid economic decline?
A Great Day at the White House?
It's been a tumultuous week in DC, but how much does the chaos in the West Wing matter?
Why is there still a migrant crisis in Europe?
This year almost 100,000 people have arrived in Italy by boat and 2,000 have died trying
The Crisis in Conservatism
Are Tory divisions temporary or symptomatic of deeper problems?
Where does Labour stand on Brexit?
Labour has crucial role in shaping Brexit since the Tories lost their overall majority
The Cost of Abandoning Austerity
David Aaronovitch explores the arguments for and against raising public spending
Labour's Election Result: A Successful Failure?
The election was supposed to be a disaster for Jeremy Corbyn - but wasn't. Why?
Trump, Russia and the FBI
What to make of the mounting investigations into Donald Trump's campaign.
How Do We Pay for the UK?
The need-to-know facts on where taxes come from and how they're spent
How Does France Work?
David Aaronovitch examines the state, economy and changing people of France
The Problem of North Korea
David Aaronovich explores what to do about a nuclear North Korea.
Snap General Election
What defines British voters today, and how will the vote in June shape Britain?
Should we worry about Turkey?
What does Turkey's referendum mean for the UK's foreign policy?
Can the NHS Survive?
What are the changes needed now to ensure the NHS is sustainable in the future?
Britain's Broken Housing Market
Is building more homes the only answer to fixing the housing market?
Does IS Need a State?
What will happen if the Islamic State loses its state? David Aaronovitch investigates.
Is It Time to Renationalise the Railways?
Public ownership is a popular idea with voters, but would it improve Britain's railways?
Trump and Trade
Can President Trump deliver on his promise to bring back outsourced manufacturing jobs?
Trump and the Economy
Will President Trump's plan to put 'America first' make the USA richer?
India's Bonfire of the Bank Notes
Why did India's prime minister ban the country's most widely-used bank notes?
Drugs in West Yorkshire
How did British-Pakistani gangs come to dominate the drugs trade in Yorkshire?
Aleppo: After the Evacuation
What happened after the buses left eastern Aleppo? David Aaronovitch finds out.
Liberalism's Horrible Year
What is Liberalism? And did it die in 2016 as both left and right wing media claim?
Yemen: A Global Conflict
What are the causes of Yemen's civil war and who is fighting?
The Prison Problem
What are the policies and political decisions which led to the current crisis in prisons?
The Investigatory Powers Act a.k.a The Snoopers' Charter
What powers does the so-called 'Snoopers' Charter' give to the intelligence services?
VIP Sex Abuse Allegations
How did police investigations into VIP sex abuse go astray?
Infrastructure: The Roads to Recovery?
Is building roads and bridges the best way to solve our economic woes?
Black Lives Matter UK
What does Black Lives Matter stand for in the UK? David Aaronovitch finds out.
Europe's Illiberal Democracies
Right-wing ideas once found on the political fringes are becoming increasingly mainstream
Quantitative Easing
Why has the Bank of England started creating new money to buy government debt again?
A Ceasefire in Syria?
Why is it so difficult to find peace in Syria, and what is getting in the way of a deal?
Trump and Putin
Why is Donald Trump accused of being Vladimir Putin's man?
Trotsky, Trotskyism and Trotskyites
Are revolutionary socialists trying to take control of the Labour Party?
Jesse Morton: The Jihadi Who Changed His Mind
A former radical jihadi changed his mind and is now speaking out against extremism.
Milo Yiannopoulos and the Alt-Right
David Aaronovitch speaks to Milo Yiannopoulos about Donald Trump's new political base
Grammar Schools
Grammar schools, social mobility and the Tory party's love of educational selection.
Who are the Special Forces?
How have British Special Forces developed and what are they doing in Syria and Libya now?
Britain's Nuclear Dream
The government has delayed a proposed nuclear power station. What choices lie ahead?
What Do Remainers Feel Now?
More than 16m people voted Remain. How do they feel now that they have lost?
Fethullah Gulen and Turkey's Failed Coup
Turkey's president says the Gulen movement was behind a recent coup attempt - what is it?
The Truth About BHS
BHS was once one of the biggest names on the high street, so why did it go bust?
Why Did People Vote Leave?
Leave voters in Wakefield tell David Aaronovitch why they want to quit the EU.
The Chilcot Report: The Source Who Lied
The story of the intelligence source who lied about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
Immigration: Why Did it Rise?
What are the political decisions and trends which led to record immigration to the UK?
The New IRA
Who are the New IRA - the dissident republicans who pose a substantial threat to Britain?
Anti-Semitism on the Left
David Aaronovitch explores why the Left might have a problem with anti-Semitism.