The Briefing Room
- Épisodes
- 403
- Parution
- hebdomadaire
- Dernier épisode
- 12 Nov 2026
À propos du podcast
David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news
Épisodes 403
How do you get young people off benefits and into work?
Nearly one million young people between the ages of 16 and 24 in the UK are known as NEETS. That means one in eight young people are not currently in education, employment or training. This month the former …
Notes de l’épisode
Nearly one million young people between the ages of 16 and 24 in the UK are known as NEETS. That means one in eight young people are not currently in education, employment or training. This month the former Labour Minister, Alan Milburn will publish a long awaited review into how to get young people off benefits and into work. While the Government may be hoping this will cut the enormous benefits bill, it’s likely to come with a multi-billion pound price tag in terms of offering support programmes to young people and employers. David Aaronovitch asks how we've ended up with so many young people on benefits and what can be done to get them off them again?
Guests:
Eduin Latimer, Senior Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies Lindsay Judge, Research Director at The Resolution Foundation Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of the Learning and Work Institute
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Alex Last and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Sam Dickinson Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
$ 6.3 billion - how the biggest heist happened
They say it’s the biggest crypto currency hack on record. More than 6 billion dollars of digital assets were targetted when hackers attacked Binance - the world’s largest crypto exchange, estimated to have more …
Notes de l’épisode
They say it’s the biggest crypto currency hack on record. More than 6 billion dollars of digital assets were targetted when hackers attacked Binance - the world’s largest crypto exchange, estimated to have more than 300 million users worldwide. About $3 billion of the 6.3 billion dollars was frozen before the attackers could make off with it but the rest has gone. The FBI has blamed a group of hackers linked to North Korea for the theft. The North Koreans say it wasn’t them… But it’s not the first time North Korean hackers have targetted the crypto currency industry. And then just a few days ago supermarket fridges and freezers came under cyber attack across Europe when hackers managed to heat them up. So what’s happening? How worried should we be and what could be next?
Guests:
Joe Tidy, BBC Cyber Correspondent Geoff White, Investigative journalist and author and co-host of the BBC podcast series, The Lazarus Heist. Emily Taylor, CEO of Oxford Information Labs and co-founder of the Global Signal Exchange Ciaran Martin, Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University, former founding Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ (2016 to 2020)
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Alex Last and Kirsteen Knight. Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Lewis Yates
How might the midterms affect US foreign policy?
The foreign policy of the second Trump administration has caused consternation to allies from Denmark to Korea. What had seemed solid and settled in the post-war world has been thrown into turmoil. Until now …
Notes de l’épisode
The foreign policy of the second Trump administration has caused consternation to allies from Denmark to Korea. What had seemed solid and settled in the post-war world has been thrown into turmoil.
Until now the President has enjoyed support from Republican majorities in both Houses of Congress, but next month's midterm elections seem likely to change all that. The Democrats look to be headed for victory. But the question for the rest of the world is what will it mean for us? A tamed president? An enraged president? And how will America’s enemies and allies react?
Guests:
Anthony Zurcher, BBC’s North America correspondent Heather Hurlburt, associate fellow at the US and North America programme at Chatham House Rebecca Lissner, senior fellow for US foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations Lord Peter Ricketts, former diplomat, ambassador and national security advisor.
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Alex Last and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Penny Murphy Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
Has France become ungovernable?
Will the French accept that changes need to be made to fix their ailing economy? Political paralysis and a debt crisis has led to 5 prime ministers in the last two years. Every attempt at fixing the economic …
Notes de l’épisode
Will the French accept that changes need to be made to fix their ailing economy? Political paralysis and a debt crisis has led to 5 prime ministers in the last two years. Every attempt at fixing the economic problems is met with outrage and protest. Saturday 17th October 2026 saw some of the worst protests in years, with peaceful demonstrations over the cost of living and school funding descending into an 'apocalyptic hell'. 500 police officers were injured in the violence, 1,500 shops were damaged and an historic 19th century city hall was burnt to the ground in the mass disorder that ensued. But there are some serious economic issues that must be faced head on. France's borrowing costs have just hit a 26 year high, signalling they are not trusted to manage their growing debt. Public spending in France is higher than in many other European countries and a big part of that bill is pensions. Raising the pension age would save the state much needed money but proposals to do so were met with outrage and put on hold. So, has France become ungovernable?
Guests: Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief, The Economist Victor Mallet, Financial Times, author of Far-Right France: Le Pen, Bardella and the Future of Europe Agnes Poiriet, UK editor, L'Express
Producers: Ben Carter, Phoebe Keane, Kirsteen Knight
How will climate change affect our farms?
Will we still be able to grow enough food as temperatures rise and rainfall becomes more erratic? What changes will farmers need to make to keep feeding the nation? As Radio 4 marks 75 years of the farming …
Notes de l’épisode
Will we still be able to grow enough food as temperatures rise and rainfall becomes more erratic? What changes will farmers need to make to keep feeding the nation? As Radio 4 marks 75 years of the farming drama The Archers, David Aaronovitch examines the future of British farming. Models suggest large parts of the South East of England will no longer be favourable for growing cereals like wheat and even barley, important for things like beer and whiskey. Strawberries may be far too difficult to grow at all. Some areas of the UK may become better for farmers and new crops may grow that we've never been able to grow before, but it presents a huge challenge for farmers who will have to change their entire way of working. What must farmers do to adapt and what do we need to do to ensure we keep the food on our plates?
GUESTS:
Charlie Ireland, a farming consultant at Ceres consultancy, who advises Jeremy Clarkson on Clarkson’s Farm Professor Nicola Cannon, Royal Agricultural University. Neil Ward, Professor of Rural and Regional Development at the University of East Anglia Tom Lancaster, Head of Land, Food and Farming at The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit
Why does the Yemen war matter to the world?
The ceasefire between the Saudi-backed Yemen government and the Houthi rebels is over. As the fighting for control of land and sea intensifies, what are the knock on effects for the rest of the …
Notes de l’épisode
The ceasefire between the Saudi-backed Yemen government and the Houthi rebels is over. As the fighting for control of land and sea intensifies, what are the knock on effects for the rest of the world?
Guests:
Nawal Al-Maghafi, BBC senior international investigations correspondent Baraa Shiban, researcher and political analyst on Yemen and the Gulf at the defence and security thinktank, RUSI Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Arabist & Middle East specialist and also The Mistress of Girton College at the University of Cambridge Frank Gardner, BBC Security Correspondent
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Phoebe Keane and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
Are Gen Z movements reshaping politics?
In May, the Chief Justice of India unwittingly gave a name to a generational protest. He called unemployed young people “cockroaches” and the mass youth movement that had begun in the wake of the sudden …
Notes de l’épisode
In May, the Chief Justice of India unwittingly gave a name to a generational protest. He called unemployed young people “cockroaches” and the mass youth movement that had begun in the wake of the sudden cancellation of a national exam took on the title - the Cockroach Janta party.
But India hasn’t been the only country that has seen Gen Z - people aged between 14 and 29 - engaging in mass protests this year. It’s been happening all over the place, from Serbia to Kenya. Different grievances, different circumstances, but the same generation.
So what are the youth revolting about, and are they winning?
Step inside The Briefing Room and together we’ll find out.
Guests:
Dr Nayana Prakash, research affiliate at the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy at the University of Cambridge. Erica Frantz, associate professor in political science at Michigan State University Matthew Cebul, lead research fellow at the Nonviolent Action Lab at the Harvard Kennedy School
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Emma Close and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Penny Murphy Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Keshia Agyei
How do we prepare for a future water shortage?
Did you step outside this morning and feel something odd on your face or neck? Its called rain. We’ve hardly had any this summer and the result was the declaration this month of drought status across two thirds …
Notes de l’épisode
Did you step outside this morning and feel something odd on your face or neck? Its called rain. We’ve hardly had any this summer and the result was the declaration this month of drought status across two thirds of England and almost all of Wales. The reservoirs are low. And the future looks parched: the government estimates that by 2055, England will face a water shortfall of 5 billion litres a day. To put that in context we currently use 14 billion litres.
Why has this happened and how can we fix it? Other than everyone moving to Scotland.
Step inside The Briefing Room and together we’ll find out.
Guests:
Sir John Armitt, chair of The Public Private Partnership Commission Professor Jim Hall, Professor of Climate and Environmental Risk at Oxford University Dr Heather Smith, Senior Lecturer in Water Governance at Cranfield University
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Bob Howard and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Penny Murphy Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Keshia Agyei
Part 2: How do we reform social care?
Until recently Baroness Louise Casey was going to deliver her huge review of English social care by 2028. Then the PM changed and so did the date. Now the whole shebang is timed for next summer. Last week we …
Notes de l’épisode
Until recently Baroness Louise Casey was going to deliver her huge review of English social care by 2028. Then the PM changed and so did the date. Now the whole shebang is timed for next summer. Last week we looked at what we mean by social care, who gets it, who provides it and who pays for it. And why our current system is deficient.
This week we find out what the alternatives are, how much they’d cost and who’d pay.
Guests:
Thea Stein, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust Simon Bottery, who leads independent charity The King's Fund's work on adult social care Sir Andrew Dilnot, the economist who was asked by the government back in 2010 to chair a commission to find a fair and sustainable way of funding adult social care in England
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Maria Ogundele
Part 1: How do we reform social care?
It’s social care time again. That moment every five years when politicians and civil servants are on the cusp of coming up with a new system to replace the perceived arbitrary and unfair way in which we in the …
Notes de l’épisode
It’s social care time again. That moment every five years when politicians and civil servants are on the cusp of coming up with a new system to replace the perceived arbitrary and unfair way in which we in the UK pay for the care that many adults need to be able to live a decent life.
Right now Baroness Casey, appointed by Keir Starmer to conduct a urgent review into social care in England with the objective of recommending a new plan, has been asked by Andy Burnham to make it even more urgent and recommend it more quickly.
In this first of two episodes looking at what the review is likely to find and its impact on all of us, we’ll look at what we mean by social care, its history and who gets it.
Guests:
Thea Stein, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust Simon Bottery, who leads independent charity The King's Fund's work on adult social care Sir Andrew Dilnot, the economist who was asked by the government back in 2010 to chair a commission to find a fair and sustainable way of funding adult social care in England
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Maria Ogundele
Part 2: How's the government doing on immigration?
According to polls immigration remains near the top - or at the top - of public concerns. And now a new prime minister inherits that popular anxiety. Last week The Briefing Room examined arguably the most …
Notes de l’épisode
According to polls immigration remains near the top - or at the top - of public concerns. And now a new prime minister inherits that popular anxiety. Last week The Briefing Room examined arguably the most visible aspect of the migration question: the small boats, asylum seeking and illegal migration.
This week we look at legal migration, the issue of reliance on overseas workers, changes to indefinite leave to remain and public opinion about migration.
Guests:
Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford and author of What is Immigration Policy for? Dominic Casciani, BBC Home and Legal correspondent Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineers: Duncan Hannant Sound mix: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed, Maria Ogundele
Part 1: How's the government doing on immigration?
New PM, old problems. When Labour took office they vowed to tackle the people smuggling gangs behind the small boats crossings, to reduce net inward migration and to act to replace cheap imported labour with …
Notes de l’épisode
New PM, old problems. When Labour took office they vowed to tackle the people smuggling gangs behind the small boats crossings, to reduce net inward migration and to act to replace cheap imported labour with better paid indigenous workers. Meanwhile Andy Burnham faces polls showing immigration still sitting near the top - if not the top - of public concerns.
But what are the facts here? What does the record show after two years of this government?
This issues here are so big and complicated that we’re devoting two programmes to them. In this - the first one - we’re going to focus purely on small boats, asylum seekers and illegal immigration.
Guests:
Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford and author of What is Immigration Policy for? Dominic Casciani, BBC Home and Legal correspondent.
Production team:
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineers: Duncan Hannant and Andy Garratt Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed, Maria Ogundele
Picture credit: Ben Stansall Via Getty
Will a devolution revolution help boost the economy?
Power to the people! Or, at any rate power to the mayors! As government prepares for yet another new prime minister it is keenly aware that this one has moving power away from the centre to the English regions …
Notes de l’épisode
Power to the people! Or, at any rate power to the mayors! As government prepares for yet another new prime minister it is keenly aware that this one has moving power away from the centre to the English regions as his big idea. His central idea. The argument is that such devolution will lead to more and better economic growth. But how does that actually work? Would you get more growth that way?
Guests:
Jennifer Williams, Northern correspondent at the Financial Times Tony Travers, Professor in Practice in the LSE Department of Government Liam Sides, Associate Director in the Cities and Regions team at Oxford Economics Thomas Pope, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government
Production team
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Nathan Gower and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineers: Sarah Hockley and Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed, Maria Ogundele
Relationship recession: Why are fewer people coupling?
For previous generations, coupling was something only trains did. Then it became a word to describe the business of finding a partner. An important business for the future of the species. But today in the …
Notes de l’épisode
For previous generations, coupling was something only trains did. Then it became a word to describe the business of finding a partner. An important business for the future of the species. But today in the developed world - and even beyond - the data shows that coupling is significantly down. Increasingly, people are just not forming those relationships. There are all kinds of theories out there now about why this is happening, ranging from the intriguing to the improbable. So what do we know about this noncoupling and its implications?
Guests:
Dr Alice Evans, visiting Associate Professor at Stanford and author of the upcoming book The Great Gender Divergence John Burn-Murdoch, columnist and chief data reporter for the Financial Times
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Gareth Jones, Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed, Maria Ogundele
Image credit: Malte Mueller, Getty Images
Iran: If the war is over...who won?
Two weeks ago a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Americans and the Iranians aiming at ending a bomb, missile-and-drone conflict that has lasted four months. Victory has been claimed by …
Notes de l’épisode
Two weeks ago a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Americans and the Iranians aiming at ending a bomb, missile-and-drone conflict that has lasted four months. Victory has been claimed by everyone and on behalf of everyone. So is the US/Israeli/Iranian war effectively over bar the seemingly inevitable bombast? If so did anyone win? On what terms? And where does it leave the rest of us?
Guests:
Shashank Joshi, The Economist’s Washington bureau chief Ali Vaez, Project Director, Iran at the Crisis Group in Washington DC Suzanne Maloney, VP and director of the Foreign Policy programme at the Brookings Institution
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed
Is Russia under pressure from Ukraine?
The war between Russia and Ukraine has shifted closer to Moscow. In the past week Ukraine has sent drones, made by Ukraine, to Moscow. While many were intercepted, 3 people died when an apartment block was hit …
Notes de l’épisode
The war between Russia and Ukraine has shifted closer to Moscow. In the past week Ukraine has sent drones, made by Ukraine, to Moscow. While many were intercepted, 3 people died when an apartment block was hit. For many Russians the war - or special military operation as President Putin calls it - has been far away. But not any longer. At the same time though, Russia continues to hit cities across Ukraine and civilians continue to die. David Aaronovitch and his guests discuss whether Putin is under greater pressure now and whether the trajectory of this conflict has changed with the use of drone-warfare?
Guests: Steve Rosenberg, BBC Russia Editor Christopher Miller, Ukraine Correspondent, The Financial Times Angela Stent, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former US National Intelligence Officer for Russia and Eurasia
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley and Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon
Ten years of The Briefing Room
It's ten years since the Briefing Room was first transmitted in May 2016. And what a decade it's been. To mark the tenth anniversary the programme looks at the biggest changes at home and abroad since that …
Notes de l’épisode
It's ten years since the Briefing Room was first transmitted in May 2016. And what a decade it's been. To mark the tenth anniversary the programme looks at the biggest changes at home and abroad since that momentous day in British broadcasting. We’ve had Brexit, a pandemic, the Gaza war, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Donald Trump - twice. It is hard to remember such a time. So David Aaronovitch's three expert guests will help him answer the question: are we even the same people as we were back then?
Guests: Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs, King’s College London Bronwen Maddox, Director and CEO, Chatham House Meg Russell, Professor of British and Comparative Politics in the Department of Political Science at University College London.
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineers: James Beard and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon
Are we still going to Mars?
A month ago the Artemis II crew landed safely in the Pacific Ocean, completing their historic space mission to the far side of the moon. It’s been several decades since the last human mission to the moon …
Notes de l’épisode
A month ago the Artemis II crew landed safely in the Pacific Ocean, completing their historic space mission to the far side of the moon. It’s been several decades since the last human mission to the moon - although this time there was no landing. However, the 4 astronauts travelled further from earth than any human ever has so far. David Aaronovitch asks his guests whether space exploration is back in fashion and if so what’s next? And are we any closer to a human mission to Mars and what would we hope to achieve there?
Guests: Dr Julia Balm, Research Associate, Freeman Air and Space Institute in the School of Security Studies, King’s College London Professor Andrew Coates, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London Libby Jackson, Head of Space, Science Museum, London
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Production Co-Ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon
Can Europe build digital sovereignty?
Ask Claude a question, Google a query, order from Amazon, chat with mates on WhatsApp, tune in to Youtube. And where ever you do it from, you’ll never be somehow not in America. Because Britain, like Europe is …
Notes de l’épisode
Ask Claude a question, Google a query, order from Amazon, chat with mates on WhatsApp, tune in to Youtube. And where ever you do it from, you’ll never be somehow not in America. Because Britain, like Europe is dependent on US tech and as the AI revolution unfolds, governments are increasingly worried about it.
The new buzz phrase is digital sovereignty. But what does that mean? Is it even feasible? And can the UK and the Europe take back control?
David Aaronovitch talks to:
Stanley Pignal, Europe editor at The Economist Cecilia Rikap, Associate Professor in Economics and Head of Research at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose Seb Johnson, founder of Scaling Europe, a media company focused on European Tech
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon
What's the conflict in Iran doing to the world economy?
It’s almost two months since the United States and Israel went to war with Iran. And in spite of a ceasefire the vital Strait of Hormuz through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas …
Notes de l’épisode
It’s almost two months since the United States and Israel went to war with Iran. And in spite of a ceasefire the vital Strait of Hormuz through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes on tankers, is still effectively closed. The oil price remains high, affecting economies around the world. The most recent assessment from the International Monetary Fund warned that the war could throw the world economy “off course” and a prolongued conflict risked causing a global recession. David Aaronovitch asks what this means for us now and whether an end to the conflict could re-set the world’s economies or have conditions changed for good?
Guests: Joseph Stiglitz, American economist and recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and Professor at Columbia University Duncan Weldon, author and economist Diana Choyleva, economist and founder of Enodo Economics.
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon
Is the triple lock pension guarantee sustainable?
This month retired people saw their state pensions rise by 4.8 per cent. That’s comfortably above the current inflation rate and means that some pensioners have increases this year of as much as £575. That’s …
Notes de l’épisode
This month retired people saw their state pensions rise by 4.8 per cent. That’s comfortably above the current inflation rate and means that some pensioners have increases this year of as much as £575. That’s because of the Triple Lock guarantee which is a formula set 15 years ago and which some economists say is costing the government too much and should be scrapped. But it’s meant that the state pension has risen over recent years, pensioner poverty is far less of a problem and not surprisingly it’s popular with voters. David Aaronovitch asks what exactly is the triple lock, can we still afford it and is there an alternative?
Guests
Carl Emmerson, Partner at London Economics Sophie Hale, Research Director, Resolution Foundation Steve Webb, Partner at LCP and former Pensions Minister in Coalition Government
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Dave O'Neill Editor: Richard Vadon
Will Trump take Cuba?
If you sail 90 miles from Key West in Florida you’ll make landfall on the island of Cuba, run by a regime that America has never liked. And since this is the year of bombs, drones and talk of regime change, the …
Notes de l’épisode
If you sail 90 miles from Key West in Florida you’ll make landfall on the island of Cuba, run by a regime that America has never liked. And since this is the year of bombs, drones and talk of regime change, the island has not escaped close attention.
Donald Trump has talked about taking Cuba but could he? Would he? And And what would that even mean for Cubans and Americans?
Step into the Briefing Room and together we’ll find out.
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill
What's happened to the Gaza peace plan?
The world’s attention is currently fixed on the US-Israel war with Iran and the effect it’s having on the Gulf region and global energy prices. But it was only six months ago that a ceasefire between Israel and …
Notes de l’épisode
The world’s attention is currently fixed on the US-Israel war with Iran and the effect it’s having on the Gulf region and global energy prices. But it was only six months ago that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was agreed and President Trump launched his 20-point peace plan. Since then we’ve heard little about progress beyond the return of Israeli hostages - the first phase of the plan. David Aaronovitch and his guests discuss what's happening to the citizens of Gaza and what has to happen next if the peace plan is to be followed through.
Guests:
Rushdi Abu Alouf, BBC Gaza Correspondent Anshel Pfeffer, Israel Correspondent, The Economist Tahani Mustafa, Lecturer in International Relations, Deptartment of War Studies, King's College, London Aaron David Miller, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower, Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Editor: Richard Vadon
Why is youth unemployment in the UK so high?
It's a tough time for any young person looking for a job at the moment. While overall unemployment is running at just over 5 percent, there’s particular concern about a large group of 16 to 24 year olds …
Notes de l’épisode
It's a tough time for any young person looking for a job at the moment. While overall unemployment is running at just over 5 percent, there’s particular concern about a large group of 16 to 24 year olds - almost a million of them (12.8%) who are not in employment, education or training. And that includes recent graduates in that age bracket. They’re known as NEETS. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss why they're in this situation - is it down to the state of the economy, their own ability to work or that ever present fear - AI?
Guests:
Jack Kennedy, Senior Economist, Indeed Hiring Lab Lindsay Judge, Research Director, The Resolution Foundation Xiaowei Xu, Senior Research Economist, Institute for Fiscal Studies. John Burn-Murdoch, Chief Data Reporter, The Financial Times
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower, Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon
What's the current state of the UK's armed forces?
As contemporary hi-tech wars rage - Russia and Ukraine and the US-Israel war with Iran - The Briefing Room takes a hard look at the UK's armed forces. After telling his allies - including the UK - that he …
Notes de l’épisode
As contemporary hi-tech wars rage - Russia and Ukraine and the US-Israel war with Iran - The Briefing Room takes a hard look at the UK's armed forces. After telling his allies - including the UK - that he didn’t need them, President Trump called for them to help him open up the Strait of Hormuz, which has raised not just the question of should we, but could the UK do this? David Aaronovitch asks when it comes to big military operations what have we got? In this dangerous 21st century what do we need? Can we get it? And what about closer co-operation with other European countries?
Guests: General Sir Richard Barrons, Senior Consulting fellow with the International Security Programme, Chatham House. Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow, Royal United Services Institute Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor, The Economist Ruth Harris, Executive Director for National Security and Data Science, RAND Europe
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower, Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill and James Beard Editor Richard Vadon
Why does the war with Iran threaten the global economy?
It could be that the US-Israel war with Iran ends soon. That was the message from Donald Trump this week. But it may not. The longer the war continues the more collateral damage to the world economy. Mostly …
Notes de l’épisode
It could be that the US-Israel war with Iran ends soon. That was the message from Donald Trump this week. But it may not. The longer the war continues the more collateral damage to the world economy. Mostly because of the impact of energy prices. But why are we all so vulnerable still to events in one small part of the world and one tiny channel, the infamous Strait of Hormuz? David Aaronovitch asks what it tells us about the problems of global energy and oil dependency and what could be done to alleviate them.
Guests: Ben Chu, Policy and Analysis Correspondent, BBC Verify Duncan Weldon, Economist and author Bill Farren-Price, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Gas Research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies Rosemary Kelanic, Director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower and Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon
Why did the US and Israel launch a war with Iran, and what comes next?
It's less than a week since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. And it's already spread across the Gulf region as Iran retaliates. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years, was killed in …
Notes de l’épisode
It's less than a week since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. And it's already spread across the Gulf region as Iran retaliates. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years, was killed in US and Israeli airstrikes on Saturday. The question now is who is in control in Iran and whether the regime in its current form will remain or if this will trigger major change. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how the US-Israel war with Iran started and what comes next.
Guests: Anshel Pfeffer, Israel Correspondent, The Economist Professor Ali Ansari, founding director of the Institute of Iranian Studies at St Andrews University Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at the Royal United Services Institute Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme at Chatham House.
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight and Nathan Gower Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon
Four years of war in Ukraine - when will it end?
It’s four years this week since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. And by this summer the conflict will have gone on for longer than the First World War. Casualties run into the hundreds of thousands. Peace talks …
Notes de l’épisode
It’s four years this week since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. And by this summer the conflict will have gone on for longer than the First World War. Casualties run into the hundreds of thousands. Peace talks brokered by the US have been off and on for the past few months, with President Putin demanding that Ukraine gives Russia full control of the eastern Donbas region, including the part it does not occupy. President Zelensky refuses. Meanwhile, Ukraine has experiened one of its harshest winters as its cities and energy infrastructure have been pounded by Russian drones and missiles. Still both sides fight on in a war which has become dominated by advanced drone technology. David Aaronovitch asks his guests whether anyone is winning and when and how this war might end.
Guests:
Mark Galeotti, head of Mayak Intelligence and author of "Forged in War: a military history of Russia from its beginnings to today." Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute and author of "The Arms of the Future: Technology and Close Combat in the Twenty First Century." Rebecca Lissner, Senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations and lecturer at the Jackson School of Global Affairs, Yale University. Christopher Miller, Chief Ukraine Correspondent, The Financial Times and author of "The war came to us: life and death in Ukraine."
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley and Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon
Should the Government ban social media for young people?
Pressure is building in the UK for a ban on social media use for young people as countries across the world watch Australia, which introduced its own ban for under 16s last December. Meanwhile, the government …
Notes de l’épisode
Pressure is building in the UK for a ban on social media use for young people as countries across the world watch Australia, which introduced its own ban for under 16s last December. Meanwhile, the government here is launching a public consultation on children’s use of social media which will look at a range of options, including a ban. It also said this week that it wants to create new legal powers so it can take action quickly. David Aaronovitch asks what the evidence so far tells us about social media and harm to young people and what else could be done about it short of an outright ban.
Guests: Katy Watson, Sydney Correspondent Luke Tryl, Director More in Common Professor Amy Orben, Programme Leader at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge Professor Sonia Livingstone, Department of Media and Communications, London School of Economics Pete Etchells, Professor of Psychology and Science Communication, Bath Spa University
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley and Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon
Iran - how vulnerable is the regime?
In early January street protests in Iran turned deadly - thousands were killed by Iranian forces. What started as a demonstration about economic conditions had turned into demands for regime change. President …
Notes de l’épisode
In early January street protests in Iran turned deadly - thousands were killed by Iranian forces. What started as a demonstration about economic conditions had turned into demands for regime change. President Trump said he would come to the aid of protesters. But so far he hasn’t. He’s amassed a US armada in the Gulf. And last Friday talks were held in Oman between American and Iranian officials about reducing Iran’s nuclear capacity. There’s been no agreement yet but more talks are expected. David Aaronovitch asks his guests what could happen next ? And how vulnerable the Iranian regime is, both inside the country and to a potential US attack?
Guests: Kasra Naji,Special Correspondent, BBC Persian Arash Azizi, Writer and lecturer, Yale University Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at the Royal United Services Institute Dr Sanam Vakil, Director of the Middle East programme, Chatham House
Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Emma Close Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon
Voici les 40 derniers épisodes sur 403. Les épisodes plus anciens se trouvent dans le flux du podcast.
Podcasts similaires
Plus de podcasts : Actualités
C’est votre podcast ?
Confirmez-le avec une entrée dans votre flux : vous recevez ici un code, vous l’ajoutez comme podcast:txt dans le canal de votre flux, et nous le vérifions. Votre podcast apparaît ensuite comme « vérifié » sur SoundNode.