Beyond Today

Best-selling author of The Silk Roads Peter Frankopan opens up an exciting world that hardly any of us have visited, but all should take note of this year. The historian flips around the world map to put Britain at the edge. We hear how Kazakhstan is the new hot spot, why two new billionaires are made a month in China, and where all the stuff that goes into our phones and laptops comes from. Plus his thoughts how we can all start exploring and understanding this new world.

Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producers: Jaja Muhammad and Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields

At Beyond Today we’re determined to be cheerful about 2019. And to help us kick off the year on a positive foot we’ve been talking to Chidera Eggerue, better known as The Slumflower. She created #SaggyBoobsMatter, a body positive campaign asking for acceptance of women’s bodies no matter their shape or size or perkiness. Chidera explains how we can all bring empathy and tolerance to the way we live our lives in 2019.

It’s been a year. Brexit shenanigans, the #metoo movement, Donald Trump being Donald Trump, the World Cup, a royal wedding … a lot has happened. Christmas is a time for food, presents, and end of the year review lists, but here at Beyond Today we’re doing things a little differently. Let us take you behind the scenes of the making of our list, as we each pick our person of the year. And eat mince pies.

Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by: Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Beyond Today producer Georgia Coan’s younger brother Elliot died at the age of 16 after an accident. Georgia was 19 at the time. Five years on they are still coming to terms with what happened. Christmas is always a difficult time of the year for the bereaved, but Georgia’s mum Michaela says her New Years resolution is to talk more and celebrate Elliot’s life. Georgia is coming to terms with her life without Elliot with the help of new friends she made at a sibling bereavement retreat and is feeling optimistic about next year. This is her story.

Mixed by Weidong Lin, additional mixing by Nicolas Raufast Producers: Georgia Coan, Duncan Barber, Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields

If any of the issues in this episode affect you, you can find information that will help on this page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

China is on the up. We’re starting to see Chinese companies and tech, like Huawei phones and the TikTok video app, in our lives in a way that we just weren’t a decade ago. But American security officials have told the BBC that some of this economic progress is based on design and trade secrets China has stolen from other countries. China denies the allegations. Are they right, or is this just another front in the tussle for global dominance between the two superpowers? The BBC’s Security Correspondent Gordon Corera talks to us about spies, secrets and Hollywood screenwriters

Over the past year, the gender pay gap has sparked outrage across the country. But another issue considered more uncomfortable and unspoken about is slowly coming to light: the ethnic minority pay gap. The BBC’s Rianna Croxford has been investigating the ethnic pay gap at the UK’s top universities. We speak to her and discuss the impact of that gap with Olivette Otele, the UK’s first black female history professor.

Correction: this episode contains a reference to the percentage of students graduating with first class degrees by ethnicity. These figures are incorrect. The correct figures are that 53% of black students get a first or a 2:1, compared to two thirds of Asian students and 78% of white students. Apologies.

Producers: Seren Jones and Lucy Hancock. Editor: John Shields

The sentencing of a couple from Banbury for membership of the banned neo-Nazi group National Action raises questions about how much focus police and security services should put on the far right. The couple gave their baby boy the middle name Adolf. We speak to BBC producer Daniel De Simone who has been following the case.

First there was going to be a meaningful vote, and then there wasn’t. Then Theresa May was facing a leadership challenge, and then she wasn’t. And now Europe’s leaders are in Brussels, trying again to make the Brexit deal work. It’s been one of the most eventful weeks in British politics since… the week before. The BBC’s Political Editor managed to find time in her incredibly busy schedule to talk to us about Brexit, journalism, and why she’s looking forward to Christmas.

Next week Tumblr will start blocking pornographic posts. Next year a new law will force porn sites to verify that people watching in the UK are over 18. It’s the first attempt to restrict access to porn online. It’s not yet clear how age verification will work and the social media platforms’ own rules about what is and is not allowed seem to change all the time. US porn star Bonnie Rotten and the UK’s Zara DuRose discuss the issues they face publicising their work, while the BBC’s Thomas Fabbri and Kim Gittleson explain what lies behind the bans. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber Editor: John Shields

Mental health services for children and adults are, understandably, separate entities. When you turn 18 you move from one system to the other, but serious gaps are appearing in support for people during this transition. Huge numbers of young adults are being failed, and today Beyond Today hears from a campaign trying to change that.

If any of the issues in this episode affect you, you can get all the information you need here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1NGvFrTqWChr03LrYlw2Hkk/information-and-support-mental-health

Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producers: Georgia Coan – Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields

Raheem Sterling spoke out this week against the tabloid press for ‘fuelling racism’ with their coverage of his wealth. He sparked a much wider conversation about how much we really support minority success stories on and off the pitch. Tina Daheley speaks to two people either side of the story, Juventus and former England footballer Eniola Aluko and BBC Sport broadcaster Hugh Woozencroft, about the role of the media and how we frame the conversation around black people who make it.

We started the day recording a podcast about the vote set to take place in Parliament tomorrow, where MPs were to decide on whether or not to accept Theresa May’s Brexit deal. And then the vote got postponed, so we had to record another one. Leila Nathoo and Daniel Kraemer from the BBC Westminster newsroom explain why the process has got so chaotic and go through the options MPs need to decide on as the date set for leaving the EU of March 29th next year looms. Unless that gets postponed too.

Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producer: Harriet Noble Editor: John Shields

In February this year, Princess Latifah the 32 year-old daughter of the ruler of Dubai boarded a boat and set sail for India with a plan to start a new life in America. But within days her boat was stormed by Indian commandos - she was captured and presumably returned to Dubai. No one has heard from her since. Matthew Price speaks to her best friend Tiina Jauhiainen, who helped her escape.

As peace talks aimed at ending nearly four years of civil war in Yemen take place, we speak to the BBC’s Orla Guerin about the conflict that started in 2015 and the humanitarian crisis that’s crippling the country. We hear why she’s passionate about the country and believes that we all have responsibility not to forget the war or the people who are suffering there. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producer: Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields

Brexit is in a state of confusion. But one thing the government says it’s sure about is that leaving the EU would allow us to have more of a say over how many people come here and why. Theresa May has promised to reduce net migration, the difference between the number of people coming and going, to the tens of thousands. But how easy will it be to get from a high to a low-migration economy? Colin Campbell and Mark Easton tell us about the many different types of migrants who come to the UK.

Producers: Harriet Noble and Callum May Editor: John Shields

Over the past year the issue of colourism and prejudice against people with a darker skin tone have become a global talking point. A beauty trend that has emerged on social media has supercharged the debate. Blackfishing is when white girls make themselves look like women of colour or racially ambiguous. Tina Daheley speaks to an Instagram Influencer, Alicja, who has been accused of blackfishing, while social historian, Emma Dabiri, explains that the trend may not be that new at all.

Producers: Seren Jones, Philly Beaumont, and Jaja Muhammad. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields.

World leaders are meeting in Poland for the latest round of United Nations-sponsored climate talks. The meeting is the most critical on climate change since the 2015 Paris agreement. Since the US pulled out of that deal the scale of the problem can seem overwhelming – as we hear in this episode the Swedes call it “climate angst” and have some radical solutions to address it. But there are plenty of more practical solutions to tackling climate change much closer to home. We travel to Manchester, which plans to go carbon neutral in the next twenty years.

Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producer: Duncan Barber Editor: John Shields

George Mpanga is a poet, podcaster, and one time rapper with plenty to say about the big news stories of our time from Grenfell to the migrant crisis. He came to the Beyond Today studio to tell us about his journey from a North West London estate to Cambridge University – and beyond. He tells us how the power of stories can bridge the gaps between those two worlds.

Producers: Jaja Muhammad and Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields

If He Jiankui really has created the world’s first genetically modified babies, it marks the beginning of a new and controversial chapter for the human race. It leaves us asking two questions: how did he do it, and are we ready?

As far as the west is concerned, Russia hasn’t been playing by the rules for a while now. Accusations of meddling in the US elections, the Salisbury poison attack, and now seizing Ukrainian ships and sailors. But President Trump has a more complicated relationship with Russia than his predecessors and although he’s said he might cancel a meeting with President Putin over the dispute with Ukraine, there are questions about how close he is to the Russians. Questions that Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller may soon answer as he enters the endgame of his investigation into Russian interference in Donald Trump’s election, and what those close to the now-president knew about it. Vitaliy Shevchenko in Moscow and Tara McKelvey and Anthony Zurcher in Washington prepare us for the upcoming flurry of news headlines.

Producers: Harriet Noble and Georgia Coan Editor: John Shields

Jason Lampkin was told he was going to be the next Michael Owen, and when he signed for Manchester United as a youth player, he wore the world renowned number 7 shirt. But things didn’t quite work out like that. This is a story about and the readjustments we all have to make when our future plans are dashed.

Producers: Seren Jones, Philly Beaumont and Jaja Muhammad. Editor: John Shields

The war in Syria could be the crime of the century. The conflict has been raging for nearly 8 years and, in that time, some estimate that 500,000 people have been killed. The government of President Assad has caused more of these deaths but both sides have committed atrocities which have cost civilian lives. Who should face justice and will some sort of large scale tribunal like the one that followed the war in Yugoslavia ever be held? BBC Monitoring’s Amira Fathalla and Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen try to make some sense of the conflicting narratives of the Syrian war.

Producers: Becky Lipscombe and Harriet Noble.

Michelle Obama is so much more than the wife of the first black president of the United States of America. There’s a lot we already know about her – like her focus on public health, LGBT rights and girls’ education. But there’s still a lot we don’t know, and for the first time she's telling her story in her own words, with her new book "Becoming". We wanted to bring to you a few of our favourite snippets, read by Michelle Obama herself.

Producers: Jaja Muhammad and Harriet Noble

Social media has an ever increasing influence on where we go on holiday and what we do when we get there.

BBC journalist Jordan Dunbar tells us the story of a small country road in Northern Ireland that became a tourist hotspot overnight after featuring on Game of Thrones.

We also hear from author and Radio 4 presenter Timandra Harkness on Vienna’s new marketing campaign that encourages tourists to ditch the hashtag.

Producers: Duncan Barber and Lucy Hancock Editor: John Shields

Big tech firms and Saudi royalty are among the world’s richest people. When a young Saudi prince took power in Riyadh he quickly made friends in Silicon Valley. But then the murder of a US-based journalist threatened to derail his masterplan. We discuss the future of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and our connection to him through Saudi investments with Dharshini David, economist and BBC presenter and Amira Fathalla from BBC Monitoring.

Producers: Philly Beaumont and Georgia Coan Editor John Shields

Concern over Universal Credit has been bubbling away for well over a year now as it's slowly rolled out across the country. The first thing the new Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said about the programme she took over this week is that it "can be better" and that she’ll listen to people’s concerns. John Owen from the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme tells us why it all seems to be going wrong. Producers: Heidi Pett and Georgia Coan Editor: John Shields

Theresa May has had many tough weeks during her premiership, but this week could be the toughest – or even her last. Her ministers are resigning, Parliament is criticising her Brexit deal and members of her own party are writing letters calling for her head, but through all of this she keeps on going. Should we admire her resilience or is this a mess of her own making? When Tina tweeted about this last week she got a huge response, so we asked Joey D’Urso and Ben Wright from the BBC’s Westminster office to weigh in.

Producers: Harriet Noble, Jaja Muhammad Editor : John Shields

Oobah Butler is a writer and professional mischief maker. Last year he made the news for hacking TripAdvisor’s review system by getting his fake restaurant rated number one in London. Whether he's blagging his way into fashion week as a knock off brand designer or sending fake versions of himself on to the BBC, his pranks are often both hugely elaborate and curiously insightful. We got him in to find out why he does it all.

Producers: Lucy Hancock, Jaja Muhammad and Seren Jones

We get inside one of the places where they try to teach pupils kicked out of mainstream school. 50,000 of them are now in what’s called alternative provision. Why are more children being excluded from school and what can be done to support them and the teachers who try to educate them? The BBC’s Noel Titheradge takes us through what he found and Kiran Gill, founder of The Difference, describes some of the solutions for teachers working in alternative provision and pupil referral units.

Producers: Becky Lipscombe, Jaja Muhammad and Philly Beaumont.

This story of a mass murder in the Nigerian city of Jos reveals the devastating impact that fake news can have when it inflames existing tensions. Yemesi Adegoke and Charlie Northcott from the BBC’s Africa Eye talk us through what happened.

Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber.

If the government is going to keep to its Brexit timetable, a divorce deal between Britain and the EU needs to be finalised this week. We’re due to leave at the end of March 2019, so as politicians scrutinise the final details, what do we know about how things will be different after that? Chris Mason and Adam Fleming from Radio 5 Live’s Brexitcast tell us that if all goes to plan we may not notice very much difference at all - to begin with. That is, unless, you own a ferret.

Producers: Harriet Noble and Georgia Coan.

Iceland wanted to use a Greenpeace film about palm oil for its Christmas adverts, but was prevented from running it on TV by rules banning political campaigning. Instead the advert has been shared widely online, a PR bonanza for the supermarket. In a world where consumers want brands to take a stance, but we’re also more aware of the ways we can be manipulated by big companies, who do we believe? Melanie Abbott from You and Yours, Dr Cathrine Jansson-Boyd and Katie Mackay-Sinclair help us figure it out.

Producers: Philly Beaumont, Jaja Muhammad.

Stacey has been presenting current affairs for over a decade. She’s known for her brand of gutsy, compassionate reporting. This week she takes a break from a punishing Strictly schedule to talk to Tina about her on screen style and where it fits into the news. They explore the line between empathy and emotion and why she hesitates to even call herself a journalist.

It is 100 years since the end of World War One. As the generations that fought in the two World Wars fade away, it gets harder to remember the impact of those conflicts. And while most tend to agree that those wars had to be fought, the case for more recent wars, like Iraq and Afghanistan, has been less clear cut. With some young people choosing not to wear a red poppy, are we forgetting the how to remember those who die in service to their country? We hear from a former soldier, who served in Afghanistan, about what the act of remembrance means to him.

This podcast contains discussion of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. You can find support for dealing with PTSD by following this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3CTnhCQD6X0xC6Kw5LVKV3M/ptsd-and-more-support-information-and-support

Producers: Seren Jones, Georgia Coan and Harriet Noble.

He wasn’t on the ballot paper, but Donald Trump still called the mid-term elections a “tremendous success”. Both his Republican Party and the opposing Democrats can find reasons to claim victory as they look ahead to the next big challenge: the fight for the presidency in 2020. Today programme presenter and former Washington correspondent Justin Webb considers Trump, his rivals, and what comes next for America - and the rest of us.

Producers: Harriet Noble and Jaja Muhammad

Should catcalling and leering at women become illegal? Some politicians have been calling for it. The country’s most senior police officers, themselves women, say there are more pressing priorities. They say their efforts should be concentrated on murder, knife and gun crime. But what kind of message does this send to women?

Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber

This week the whole of the US goes to the polls for the first time since Donald Trump became president. President Trump himself is not on the ballot paper, but he says it’s still a referendum on him. It’s also become a referendum on #MeToo, the first electoral test since the women’s rights movement began a year ago. The BBC’s White House Correspondent Tara McKelvey assesses how gender politics is changing in America.

Producers: Lucy Hancock and Harriet Noble.

Every week we're going to spend time discussing big ideas with interesting characters in the world of news. This week Tina Daheley talks to BBC's Media Editor Amol Rajan about class, populism, and the weird nature of his job.

WhatsApp is a great way to stay in touch, but in this week’s election in Brazil it became a political weapon. Juliana Gragnani from BBC News Brasil and Kim Gittleson in New York tell us what that means for the fight against fake news.

Police and politicians have been highlighting how middle-class cocaine use fuels violent crime. But what impact does drug use by the well-off really have? In this episode Matthew Price talks to Araminta, Pieter and Stewart, to hear stories of dinner parties, drug dealers, and the grip that cocaine can exert.

The story of Iraqi model Tara Fares reveals the risks of pushing the boundaries as a high-profile influencer. Mina Al-Lami from BBC Monitoring tells us what happened to her when she crossed that invisible line.

It’s Budget Day and the chancellor has been telling Parliament that austerity is at an end. As he scatters cash around the government, how confident should we be that we really do have enough money now? The BBC’s Evan Davies and Helen Miller from the Institute for Fiscal Studies tell us.

News built to last from the BBC. One big question answered each weekday.

Kevin Spacey made his first court appearance today over allegations of sexual assault. He entered the court surrounded by a media scrum, one that has accompanied the #MeToo movement since it began over a year ago. But the huge attention the campaign has attracted so far hasn’t been matched by criminal convictions or court appearances. As well as the difficulty in prosecuting sexual assault allegations, what added complications come with putting a celebrity on trial? The BBC’s Nada Tawfik, and lawyers Gloria Allred and Kirsty Brimelow QC, consider whether a famous person can get a fair trial.

Producers: Duncan Barber, Harriet Noble and Philly Beaumont Mixed by: Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

Drill music has a reputation for inciting violence and crime. The Metropolitan Police believes the genre is linked to the rise of stabbings and murders across London, and the Met chief Cressida Dick has said social media platforms should be more vigilant of drill content being uploaded online. But many argue that drill is not only a form of expression, but it’s also the reality for many young black men who live in urban areas across the country. With attempts being made to ban the genre, what does this mean for those who socially and financially rely on it? The BBC’s Oliver Newlan explores how an attack on one of the country's biggest drill artists led to a number of deaths in north London, while Professor Forrest Stuart at Stanford University explains why we need to understand drill in order to understand the perspective of young black and brown men living in urban poverty. Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Seren Jones Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

At first coronavirus was just a health story, but now it’s pretty clear employment and the economy are taking a massive hit. Travel bans have led to airlines cutting jobs and the hospitality sector is in trouble as people stay at home.

In this episode we ask what will happen to workers. It’s a global problem so we speak to Harriet and Ray, a freelance couple in New York, as well as documentary director Emily in London. We also speak to Chris Giles, Economics Editor at the Financial Times, about some of the things being done elsewhere to help people who lose work because of the virus.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Kiley Reid’s debut novel shot into the bestsellers list and has been lauded by critics here and in the US. Such A Fun Age follows the lives of babysitter Emira Tucker, a young black woman, and her wealthy, white employer Alix Chamberlin in post-Obama America. Kiley’s book explores race, class and wealth, and how well-meaning wokeness can actually exacerbate those issues.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Alicia Burrell and Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

The world is in the midst of a pandemic. For most people, symptoms of the virus are mild, they might develop a cough and a fever before getting better. This has led many people to compare the new coronavirus to seasonal influenza. But, for a minority of those affected, particularly older people and those with underlying heart or lung conditions, the new coronavirus can cause severe difficulty breathing, and in about 1% of cases, death.

Infectious diseases expert, Dr Nathalie MacDermott tells Matthew Price how seasonal flu compares to pandemics past and present, why Trump’s travel ban won’t work and the lessons she’s learned from the front line of Ebola. We also speak to a British man in isolation in Wuhan, China about his experience of the virus.

Presenter: Matthew Price Produced by Rory Galloway and Lucy Hancock Mixed by Emma Crowe Edited by Philly Beaumont

Most people who transition to another gender do not have second thoughts. In fact de-transitioning is thought to be relatively rare. There are no accurate figures revealing how many people reverse or change their gender, as academic researchers have never studied a large group of transitioning people over a long period of time – but some studies suggest that fewer than 0.5 per cent of trans people choose to return to the gender they were assigned at birth.

Whatever the numbers, we know that more people are telling their stories. Around the world there are trans men and trans women who have decided to de-transition, and it’s often not an easy choice. Others have chosen to re-identify as non-binary or gender-fluid.

We speak two BBC journalists, Linda Pressly and Lucy Proctor, who’ve made a documentary for the World Service called The Detransitioners. They’ve spent the last year talking to people who had transitioned, but then returned to their birth gender.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producer: Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe

Middlesbrough has the highest number of teenage pregnancies in England and Wales. Even though national figures show rates have dropped by nearly 60 percent over the past 10 years, the number of pregnant teens in the north-eastern town rose by 20 percent from 2015 to 2017.

When the average age of a mum in England and Wales is 30 years old, why are there so many teens having babies in Middlesbrough?

We speak to Charley and Robyn, two teenagers who tell us what it’s like to have been fast-tracked to motherhood. And the BBC’s Philippa Goymer tries to makes sense of the growing trend in the area.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producer: Seren Jones Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the 70-year-old billionaire ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates, has been found by the High Court in London to have abducted and forcibly returned two of his daughters to Dubai, and to have conducted a campaign of intimidation against his former wife, Princess Haya.

Princess Haya used to speak of a perfect family life in interviews, but cracks began to appear in 2018 when Sheikha Latifa, one of Sheikh Mohammed's adult daughters with another wife, tried to flee the UAE with the help of a former French spy and a Finnish fitness instructor. A boat carrying them was intercepted at sea off the coast of India and Sheikha Latifa was returned to Dubai. Journalists Vanessa Grigoriadis from Vanity Fair and Haroon Siddique from the Guardian have been following the story.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Rory Galloway Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

It was just before 10 o’clock in the morning on 27th October 2018 when a man armed with a semi-automatic rifle and three pistols opened fire on worshippers at a synagogue in the US state of Pennslyvania. 11 people died that morning at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. It was the deadliest attack on American Jews in US history, and it sent shock waves around the world.

For the writer and New York Times columnist, Bari Weiss it felt personal. She grew up in Pittsburgh and used to go to the Tree of Life. In response to this attack she’s written a book on how to fight anti-Semitism. She argues that such hatred was, until recently, relatively taboo but is now migrating toward the mainstream; amplified by social media and a culture of conspiracy. Anti-Semitism is on the rise across Europe, the US and the Middle East.

We speak to Bari Weiss about where anti-Semitism comes from and how to fight it. The episode includes some offensive language.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Alicia Burrell and Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

There have been mounting allegations over the past few weeks that home secretary Priti Patel has bullied her staff. Last weekend the top civil servant in the Home Office, Sir Philip Rutnam, resigned. He’s heavily criticised Patel, and is suing the government for constructive dismissal. Priti Patel has denied any wrongdoing.

In today’s episode we look into the multiple allegations against the home secretary. Our home affairs correspondent, Danny Shaw, talks about her path to one of the four Great Offices of State, and reporter Rianna Croxford tells the story of a young woman who has accused Priti Patel of bullying. Finally, political correspondent Leila Nathoo explains how these allegations are linked to the wider culture of bullying in politics.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Seren Jones, Rory Galloway and Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Nearly 50 people have died in India following violence around a controversial citizenship law which critics say is anti-Muslim. Photographs, videos and accounts on social media paint a chilling image of what appears to be mostly Hindu mobs beating unarmed Muslim men.

In this episode we speak to BBC journalists Yogita Limaye and Sachin Gogoi to find out what’s fuelling the violence.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Harriet Noble Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

In the same week that Harvey Weinstein was convicted for sexual assaults in New York, Roman Polanski won the award for best director at the Césars, the French equivalent of the Oscars. The actor Adele Haenel, who accused a director of sexually abusing her when she was a child, denounced the decision and walked out of the ceremony. Polanski has been accused of assaulting several women, including a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

France’s #MeToo movement also criticised Polanski’s award, saying that French institutions tend to reward a person’s art over their actions and that the country is slow to listen to women.

In the episode we speak to Anne Elizabeth Moutet who signed a letter saying #MeToo had gone too far. We also speak to journalist Alice Kantor about the generational gap and why she thinks sexism is deep-rooted in French society.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Katie Gunning and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Harriet Noble

In Paris in 2015 world leaders agreed on a binding commitment on climate change. They committed to keeping the increase in global temperatures to just 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Heathrow airport has been planning to expand by building a third runway. But last week environmentalists successfully challenged the third runway on the basis that it couldn’t demonstrate how the expansion of the airport was consistent with the UK government’s commitments on climate change. It’s the first major demonstration of the impact of the Paris climate accord on the UK’s CO2 emissions, and it has huge implications for future infrastructure projects.

What could the ruling mean for the future of the UK economy? We discuss with Mike Berners-Lee, a professor in the environment centre of Lancaster University, and Kingsmill Bond, an energy strategist at the financial think-tank Carbon Tracker. Presenter: Mathew Price Producers: Rory Galloway and Duncan Barber Editor: Harriet Noble Mixed by Emma Crowe

2020 has been quite a year, we're only two months in but have already faced an impending war between the US and Iran, deadly bushfires in Australia, and now coronavirus is spreading across the world.

So, in light of that, we thought it was time to return to an earlier episode to make us all feel better. It’s about self-care and making time for some emotional first aid.

Dr Laurie Santos is professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University. She was so concerned about the anxiety her students experienced she devised a course that would teach them how to be happy. Psychology and the Good Life quickly became the most popular course in the history of Yale and the online version went viral.

Now Laurie Santos has turned her research into a podcast called the Happiness Lab. She gave us her top tips were to ensure lasting happiness.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast and Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

For years there were allegations that Harvey Weinstein had assaulted women. This week he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, including rape, and faces up to 29 years in prison. So, how did the Hollywood titan create his downfall?

The New Yorker’s Ken Auletta has been covering Weinstein since 2002, and tells us how Weinstein became one of the industry’s most influential players and how his power led to his fall from grace. Documentary maker Ursula MacFarlane spent time with many of Weinstein’s victims and explains why putting him behind bars is a new beginning for victims of sexual abuse.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Seren Jones Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Facial recognition technology is increasingly widespread. You might use it to unlock your phone or computer. It’s used in airports around the world and some shops are using the software to catch or deter shoplifters. Now it’s being used by the police in two parts of the UK. The Metropolitan Police is using live facial recognition cameras on London streets and it’s also being used by police in South Wales. The technology means that faces captured by the cameras can be checked in real time against a watch lists of suspects. But creating a face print or facial signature for everyone who passes a camera is controversial. Privacy campaigners say the technology is often inaccurate and infringes on an individual's right to privacy. The police argue that privacy concerns over the cameras are outweighed by the need to protect the public. We speak to the BBC’s home affairs correspondent, Danny Shaw about why the police want to adopt the technology. We also find out how the technology works with Maryam Ahmed, who works in the BBC’s data journalism team and has a PhD in machine learning for image analysis.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Katie Gunning and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

With cases of coronavirus spreading across the world, one word we’re hearing more and more is “pandemic”. If the disease is declared a pandemic it would mean that cases of coronavirus are no longer able to be traced back to the country of origin and fall outside of the control of health authorities. The World Health Organisation doesn’t consider coronavirus to be a pandemic yet, and has stated there is hope that it is controllable despite major outbreaks in Italy and Iran. But that hasn’t stopped people panicking.

In this episode BBC reporter Mark Lowen recounts going to an Italian town that has been blockaded to stop the virus. Virologist Jonathan Ball describes how the virus is caught and how it does and doesn’t affect the body, and the BBC’s health correspondent James Gallagher explains what the word pandemic really means and whether we’re all likely to get the disease.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Rory Galloway and Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Mark Zuckerberg says he wants new rules for social media.

Every year politicians and security experts meet in Munich to discuss how to keep the world safe. This year they invited Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. He told the conference governments need to create new rules for social media platforms to stop the spread of harmful content and disinformation. So why is big tech’s biggest player asking for more regulation?

The BBC’s tech reporter Zoe Kleinman came into the Beyond Today studio to talk what social media regulation might involve, and to Ali Breland, an expert on disinformation.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Alicia Burrell, Katie Gunning and Harriet Noble Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: Philly Beaumont

Billie Eilish is on top of the world right now. The 18-year-old recently swept the board at the Grammys, winning five awards including best new artist and song of the year. She also replaced Taylor Swift as the youngest person ever to win album of the year. She’s just performed at the Brit Awards and has written the theme for the upcoming James Bond film No Time To Die.

She seems to be a rare example of organic streaming success in the music industry, having had her big break after uploading a song on SoundCloud. But if you dig a little deeper there’s more than meets the eye. In this episode David Turner, who writes the weekly streaming newsletter Penny Fractions and works for SoundCloud, says Billie Eilish’s story is one of an industry trying to make a criticised model appear well-functioning. We also speak to the music journalist Paula Mejia about how streaming has changed our relationship with music.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Since Caroline Flack’s death by suicide last weekend, many people have been trying to make sense of it. Yesterday her family released a previously unpublished Instagram post written by Caroline Flack detailing her ‘shame’ and ‘embarrassment’ at the truth being taken out of her hands and used, she wrote, as ‘entertainment’. Some have pointed the finger at the tabloids for her fragile mental state. Others are blaming a ‘toxic’ social media culture.

In this episode, we explore this idea with entertainment journalist Scott Bryan. We also speak to writers Sophie Wilkinson and Lauren O’Neill about the world of celebrity journalism.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find help on the BBC Action line here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/emotional-distress-information-and-support

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Lucy Hancock and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Emma Crowe

Clips: Channel 4, Flicker Productions and ITV Studios, BBC archive.

At the beginning of the year Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s senior adviser, put out an unusual job advertisement. In a blog post he asked for “super-talented weirdos” and “wild-cards”. One of the people he hired was Andrew Sabisky, a twentysomething “superforecaster”. It was later revealed that Sabisky had previously expressed extreme views on race and eugenics. He subsequently resigned.

In this episode we speak to Newsnight’s political editor Nicholas Watt who has been following the Sabisky saga. We also talk to journalist and author Matthew Syed about why hiring “weirdos” can actually be a good idea.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Harriet Noble, Jenny Sneesby and Lucy Hancock Mixed by Emma Crowe

Donald Trump is trying to shore up his evangelical support before November's presidential election. Ramping up his Christian outreach, he's been helping teenagers who say they’re being bullied for their religious beliefs at school. These students have organised “prayer lockers” and are running a nationwide “Pray Anyway” campaign. BBC reporter Tara Mckelvey visited one of them in Kentucky to find out how the teenager's struggle went all the way to the White House.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Seren Jones Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Julia Ebner monitors extremists during her day job as a counter-terrorism expert, where she advises governments and tech companies on how to respond to their activities. Two years ago she decided to go undercover to find out exactly what drives people into these groups. She ended up meeting white supremacists in a Mayfair pub; she befriended female misogynists in America, and she travelled to a Nazi rock festival on the border of Germany and Poland. Julia’s written about her disturbing encounters in a new book ‘Going Dark: The Secret Social Lives of Extremists’ - and came into the Beyond Today studio to tell us all about it.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Duncan Barber and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Insomnia affects about a third of adults in the UK according to the NHS. It also says adults should be getting between 7 and 9 hours sleep a night, but very few of us actually get that. We speak to Samantha Harvey who has written a book called ‘The Shapeless Unease’ about her year of not sleeping. We also speak to Stephanie Romiszewski, a sleep physiologist and director of The Sleepyhead Clinic in Exeter. She came into the Beyond Today Studio to give us her top 5 tips for a good night’s sleep.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

It’s been two years since the Windrush scandal, where at least 164 black British citizens were wrongly deported to countries of their birth or detained in the UK. The scandal has had a lasting impact on the Afro-Caribbean community, with many owed compensation from the government.

The Home Office recently approved a flight from London to Jamaica which was deporting convicted offenders who have been here for most of their lives. Once again, many black Brits say they feel targeted and are being forced to question what it really means to be British.

We spoke to two BBC reporters: Shamaan Freeman-Powell, who’s been following the story from the beginning, and Greg McKenzie, who followed the flight to Jamaica and has spoken to Brits who say they’ve been forced to leave their home. Maria Thomas, a lawyer at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, explains why a last-minute legal challenge stopped some of the detainees from being deported.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Seren Jones and Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Coronavirus has reached 24 counties outside of China, with 8 confirmed cases in the UK. As the disease is spreading so is a lot of information, some of it misleading. The World Health Organisation has warned that "trolls and conspiracy theories" are undermining their response to the virus. We speak to Mike Wendling from BBC Trending and Vitaly Shevchenko, Russian Editor at BBC Monitoring, about the theories being circulated.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producer: Lucy Hanock Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Callie Lewis was just 24 years old when she took her own life. Callie had been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at a young age and had always struggled with chronic depression and suicidal thoughts, but at the end of her life she fell through the cracks of an overstretched mental health system. She sought solace online and ended up on a suicide forum where she was given detailed advice on how to kill herself. Callie’s death comes at a time when many people are struggling to connect with the services they need, and the news that growing numbers of young women are taking their own lives.

In this episode we speak to Ellie Flynn, a reporter for the BBC’s Panorama programme who’s spent the last 16 months getting to know Ellie’s family and friends and trying to unpick what happened in the run up to her death. We also hear from Caroline Herroe, the CEO of a suicide prevention project in Nottingham.

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this episode, help and support can be found on the BBC Action Line website. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/emotional-distress-information-and-support The NHS told us: “Community mental health services for adults are expanding and improving through the NHS Long Term Plan, which is investing almost £1 billion more each year in these services, and is increasing the number of staff working in community-based mental health teams by over 10,000 over the next four years.”

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

South Korean film Parasite has been named best picture at this year's Oscars, becoming the first non-English language film to take the top prize. It won four awards in total, including best director for Bong Joon-ho. The film is a vicious social satire about two families from different classes in Seoul - one who live in poverty in a semi-basement, and another rich family residing in a large home.

We speak to the BBC’s Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker about how South Koreans have reacted to the film’s success. We also hear from Jean Lee – director of the Korea programme at the Woodrow Wilson Center – about how the country is stepping into the limelight as a pop culture powerhouse.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

It was the celebrity scandal that gripped the nation in an era where tabloids ruled the roost and affairs and addiction dominated front pages. Right in the middle of the drama was one of the biggest entertainment TV presenters of the age - Michael Barrymore.

In 2001, when a 31 year old man called Stuart Lubbock was found unconscious in Michael Barrymore’s pool in Essex he was initially believed to have drowned during a party. When a second post-mortem flagged up severe injuries consistent with serious sexual assault, it shocked the country. People close to the TV presenter sold their stories to the press - including Michael Barrymore’s boyfriend.

An inquest into Stuart’s death saw the coroner record an open verdict, but Essex police now suspect foul play and are calling on the eight party guests to cooperate. In 2007 Michael Barrymore was arrested, but later released without charge. 19 years later the case is still unsolved and a new Channel 4 documentary ‘Barrymore: The Body In The Pool’ has shone a light on the story that never went away

We discuss some of the ethical issues raised in the documentary with TV critic Scott Bryan and speak to William Mata who covered the story for the Harlow Star. William spent time with Stuart’s father Terry during his campaign for justice.

Producers: Lucy Hancock and Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe

The president sort of won the Iowa Democratic caucus.

This week was supposed to be when the race to be the candidate to take on Donald Trump in November’s presidential election really got going. But the Iowa Democratic caucus was a mess: a tech failure meant a delay in getting results, and a lot of red faces in the party hoping to unseat the current Commander in Chief. Nearly all the results are in, and it looks like Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders have come out on top. But, in a week that also saw him acquitted in his impeachment trial, did the chaos mean Donald Trump is the real winner? Beyond Today producer Harriet Noble takes us through the Democratic candidates, and Senior North America reporter Anthony Zurcher looks at what it all means for the incumbent president.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Yesterday an inquiry into the harm that breast surgeon Ian Paterson did to his patients finally delivered its results. The inquiry recommended that all of his 11,000 patients should have their treatment reassessed. Paterson, who claimed to be a specialised breast surgeon, performed unnecessary surgeries, misdiagnosed patients with cancer and treated patients incorrectly.

Paterson is already serving a 20 year jail term for 17 counts of wounding with intent, but his victims remain deeply scarred by the damage he inflicted on them.

In this episode we speak to Jade Edginton, a woman who was repeatedly unnecessarily operated on as a teenager for lumps in her breast, and BBC Midlands reporter Kathryn Stanczyszyn who heard the results of the inquiry from the court room.

We also hear from John Hynes, whose wife did not survive Paterson’s horrific malpractice, and Emma Doughty, the head of clinical negligence at Slater and Gordon, the firm that brought the civil case against Paterson. She tells us how he was able to get away with what he did for so long and why this sort of thing could happen again.

You can hear the full Slater and Gordon podcast here

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Lucy Hancock Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Sudesh Amman had been released from prisons days before he stabbed two people in a Islamist-related terror incident in London on February 2. Within minutes of the attack armed police shot him dead. In 2018 Amman was charged with spreading extremist material but was released after serving half of his sentence. Since the attack took place the government has announced emergency legislation will be introduced to end the automatic early release from prison of terror offenders.

In this episode we speak to the BBC’s Daniel De Simone who was at the Old Bailey when Amman was charged in 2018. We also talk to Richard Walton, the Met Police’s former head of counter-terrorism, about how to prevent terror attacks.

Producer: Alicia Burrell Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

On January 13 a bag containing the dismembered limbs of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods was found on a housing estate in Dublin. Keane is believed to have worked for a drugs gang in the coastal town of Drogheda, just north of Dublin, and his murder is thought to be gang-related. Two rival gangs are feuding in Drogheda over turf and the booming cocaine market. These gangs use social media to taunt each other, often with devastating results.

In this episode we speak to Nicola Tallant, investigations editor of the Sunday World, who’s been following the story of Ireland’s gangs. We also talk to Joanne O’Dwyer who works in rehabilitation in Drogheda. She tells us about how the murder has affected the town.

Producers: Alicia Burrell and Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

With more of us becoming more conscious of our health and the environment, vegans and vegetarians look set to make up a quarter of the British population in 2025.

But for those who haven’t completely committed to the cause there’s the national Veganuary campaign. Last year 250,000 people signed up, dedicating themselves to a month of no meat and dairy products for a mixture of health, environmental and ethical reasons. But does the food trend really have an impact on the way we live?

We spoke to Gala Bailey-Barker, a farmer in Sussex, who believes that knowing where your food comes from is more important than the diet you choose. Dale Vince explains why he decided to take over and transform Forest Green Rovers into the world’s first vegan football club. And the BBC’s environment correspondent Matt McGrath explains whether one month of no meat and no dairy can really help save the planet.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Seren Jones and Harriet Noble Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

The country was shocked when 39 people were found suffocated in the back of a lorry on an industrial park in Essex last October. The discovery that the victims were economic migrants sparked a conversation about the scale of human trafficking in the UK. Vietnamese people are among the most trafficked people in Britain and many of those smuggled here end up in modern slavery; working on cannabis farms, in brothels and nail bars.

In this episode we speak to investigative reporter Cat McShane, who introduces us to Ba, a teenager captured, tortured and forced to work in a cannabis farm in the north of England. We also speak to the Guardian’s Amelia Gentleman, who tells us about her experience of going on a police raid of a suspected illegal nail bar.

Producers: Lucy Hancock and Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

This week Huawei was given permission to build parts of the new 5G network in the UK. But, because Huawei is a Chinese company, there’s a lot of concern about it. What if China, which we know spies on its own people, uses Huawei to spy on us? The US has been urging us to reconsider, stressing that it needs to be sure that America’s allies have trusted information networks. Is it to do with the risk of espionage or is there something else going on?

We speak to Garrett Graff, a journalist and author who writes about national security for Wired Magazine. We also hear from Gordon Corera, the BBC’s Security Correspondent, about the company and whether it really poses a threat to our safety.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

A brand-new virus which causes severe lung disease has been detected in China. More than 100 people are known to have died there, and experts believe the death toll will rise. Coronavirus appeared in the city of Wuhan in December and the 11 million-strong population are being advised to stay indoors at all times. A new virus arriving on the scene is always a worry and health officials around the world are on high alert.

In this episode we speak to Xinyan Yu, a journalist from Wuhan. She tells us how people in the city are coping, including her best friend’s mum who was taken ill after visiting the market. We also hear from Dr Josie Golding from the Wellcome Trust, one of the world’s major health research charities. Dr Golding tells us how viruses like the coronavirus spread and how we can prepare for them.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

In her new Netflix series The Goop Lab, Gwyneth Paltrow skates the fine line between wellness, pseudoscience and medicine. From orgasms and mushrooms, to ice baths and mediums, Gwyneth and the team tackle wellness methods that sit just outside the mainstream. While some of the scientific claims in the TV show stand up to closer scrutiny, many scientists and journalists worry about the ones that don’t. But why does it matter how scientific they are, when people say the treatments help them? In this episode Matthew speaks to science producer and host of ‘The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread’ podcast Greg Foot about why, even when it’s working, it matters if Goop doesn’t check out.

Presenter: Matthew Price Produced by Lucy Hancock and Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

“We must reject the perennial prophets of doom”. These were Donald Trump’s words at Davos earlier in the week, dismissing those who warn of the dangers of climate change. We know climate change is real, but Trump doesn’t seem to be listening to the experts who tell him this.

It’s a tendency the author Michael Lewis noticed in Trump the day after he was elected. Lewis wrote the Big Short, a book that was turned into an Oscar-winning film about the financial crisis, and now he’s written about how Trump operates. He came into the Beyond Today studio to talk about how Trump is changing the way government works in the US, what that’s doing to America and what parallels we’re seeing here.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Harriet Noble and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

The trial of Harvey Weinstein started in New York this week. Once upon a time he was a Hollywood giant, then in 2017 allegations he sexually harassed a number of women began to surface. Over 80 women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct, only a few of the complaints have led to criminal charges. For many people Weinstein facing justice symbolises the whole point of the #MeToo movement. But, what happens to #MeToo if Weinstein — who denies the charges — is found not guilty?

In this episode we speak to BBC journalist Nada Tawfik who’s covering the trial, and also to Marisa Carroll, the features editor of New York magazine, about whether #MeToo’s impact equals change.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Alicia Burrell and Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

The psychedelic powers of a traditional Amazonian plant medicine called ayahuasca are attracting more and more tourists. It’s becoming big business in countries such as Peru where backpackers and travellers, as well as rich Silicon Valley types are spending weeks and sometimes thousands of dollars to drink an indigenous cocktail. It makes them vomit and hallucinate, but is said to bring spiritual enlightenment and help with addiction, depression and trauma. But a string of allegations suggests there's a darker side to the ayahuasca scene. In this episode we speak to BBC journalists Simon Maybin and Josephine Casserly who travelled to the Amazon to investigate.

Listen to Simon Maybin and Josephine Casserly's documentary Ayahuasca: Fear and Healing in the Amazon on BBC Sounds.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Katie Gunning Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

It was a pretty grim general election for Labour last year. As a result Jeremy Corbyn announced he would be stepping down. There are now just four MPs in the running to replace him: Jess Phillips dropped out while we were making this episode.

The ultimate task of any leader of the opposition is to get their party back into power. In this episode Bex Bailey, a producer from the BBC’s politics team, profiles the contenders. We also hear from The Times columnist Rachel Sylvester about where Labour got it wrong, and where they could go wrong again.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Blue Monday is supposedly the saddest day of the year. 15 years ago that idea was debunked, yet every year in the UK #bluemonday trends on Twitter and the internet is flooded with deals for holidays, ‘wellness’ deals and products offering to boost our mood.

In this episode we look at the discomfort around brands adopting mental health awareness as part of their marketing strategy with psychiatry researcher Melisa Kose. We unpack the mythical origins of the Blue Monday with the BBC’s head of statistics, Robert Cuffe. We also speak to Carmen Papaluca, from University of Notre Dame in Australia, who has studied how the aspirational aspects of Instagram damage the mental wellbeing of young women she teaches.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Lucy Hancock and Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Sex Education, the delightfully uncensored drama about the life of a sex therapist’s awkward teenage son, has landed on Netflix for its second series. Last season the show racked up 40 million views in the first month after release. Why? Perhaps because it tackles all the topics adults and teenagers alike have been too embarrassed to discuss. From chlamydia in the eye, to excessive masturbation, it isn’t afraid to go there. Its stars, Otis, Eric and Ola, played by Asa Butterfield, Trish Allison and Ncuti Gatwa came into the Beyond Today studio to teach Tina about Vaginismus and tell us why they think Sex Education should be compulsory viewing in schools.

Presented by Tina Daheley Producer: Lucy Hancock Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

After the US killed one of Iran’s senior generals in a drone strike some people were worried we were on the brink of World War 3. Iran threatened revenge, and fired on a US air base in Iraq. But in doing so it made a colossal mistake, downing a commercial aircraft and killing the 176 passengers and crew on board.

The BBC’s Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville, who has just returned from the Al Asad air base in Iraq, and the BBC Persian Service’s Rana Rahimpour join us to explain how Iran’s strike has had consequences they weren’t expecting.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

This year's Oscar nominations have reignited the row about representation in Hollywood. 19 of the 20 acting nominees this year are white - the highest number since the #OscarsSoWhite outcries of 2015 and 2016. No women have been nominated for best director. That means that over the past 10 years, 49 out of the 50 best director nominees have been men. That's despite huge support for Greta Gerwig for her adaptation of Little Women.

Are the Academy Awards changing fast enough? In this episode we speak to Anna Smith, film critic and host of the Girls On Film podcast who tells us why the nominations process is flawed. We also hear from BBC entertainment correspondent Colin Paterson, who has been covering the Oscars for 20 years, to explore why progress seems so slow.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Harriet Noble Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Over the past decade a tension has emerged between Big Tech’s utopian vision of an AI future and the reality that many jobs are being threatened by data-driven automation. Many of us may suspect that artificial intelligence is going to transform the world of work, but exactly how isn’t always clear. The economist Daniel Susskind has written a book called ‘A World Without Work’ which considers how technology is shaping the economy. He spoke to Tina Daheley about how we overestimate our own job skills, the true meaning of work, and what we can all do to can prepare for an unrecognisable job market.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Lucy Hancock and Seren Jones Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

This month Reynhard Sinaga was found guilty of drugging, raping and sexually assaulting 48 men. The judge told the 36-year-old student from Indonesia that he will “never be safe to be released”. Sinaga targeted young men on nights out in Manchester and lured them back to his flat where he would spike their drinks with GHB, a date rape drug, filming the attacks on his phone. Sinaga was offending for over two years before he was caught. Many of his victims were unaware they had been raped until they were contacted by the police.

In this episode we speak to BBC journalist Daniel De Simone, who covered the trials, and Endang Nurdin from the BBC’s Indonesia Service, to hear how the story has been received there. We also talk to forensic toxicologist Simon Elliot about the dangers of GHB.

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support can be found on the BBC Action Line website.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

We know that the NHS is under immense pressure, especially this time of year when it’s at its busiest. But January is also the month of resolutions, often health-focused ones such as giving up booze and getting fit. Even though these easily-adopted behaviours help to keep us away from the doctor, sticking to them can be difficult.

Dr Rangan Chatterjee might have the solution. He is a GP, author of the new book ‘Feel Better in 5’, and he presents the most popular health podcast on iTunes. We got him into the Beyond Today studio to talk stress, libido and gut health.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Rory Galloway and Lucy Hancock Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: Philly Beaumont

Yesterday Prince Harry and Meghan announced they will be stepping back from their roles as senior royals. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their announcement on Instagram, stating that they plan to split their time between the UK and North America and want to become financially independent. Their decision has come as a bit of a shock, not least to the Queen, who apparently wasn’t consulted before their statement was made.

We speak to Jonny Dymond, the BBC’s royal correspondent, who explains whether Harry and Meghan will be able to have their ‘happily ever after’ and, as they put it, “continue to fully support Her Majesty the Queen”.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Duncan Barber and Seren Jones Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

A British teenager has been given a four-month suspended sentence after being found guilty of lying about gang-rape in Cyprus. The 19-year-old was convicted following a trial after recanting a claim that she was raped in a hotel room in July. The woman has said Cypriot police made her falsely confess to lying about the incident at a hotel - something police have denied. Human rights groups and lawyers say she’s been failed by the Cypriot legal system. Some of the men and boys she first accused of raping her have been celebrated back in Israel where they come from. There’s a lot about this case that doesn’t make sense. In this episode BBC reporters Anna Holligan and Tom Bateman pick apart the case to try to find out what led to a sentence that has caused so much hurt and outrage.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Seren Jones Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

Millions of Iranians have flocked to the funeral of their top commander who was killed in a US drone strike at the weekend. The killing of Qasem Soleimani has raised fears of a conflict between the US and Iran and the hashtag World War Three has been trending. We speak to the BBC’s Rana Rahimpour who covers Iran for the Persian Service. We also caught up with the BBC’s Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen in the region who told us about the wider implications. Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Rory Galloway and Philly Beaumont Mixed by: Emma Crowe and Nicolas Raufast Editor: Philly Beaumont.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned that the devastating bushfires raging in the country might go on for months. At least 26 people have died since the fires began in September. Air quality in the capital Canberra was, this weekend, rated the worst in the world.

In this episode Beyond Today producer Heidi Pett tells us the personal cost of the fires in Merimbula, a coastal town in New South Wales. We also speak to climate scientist Michael Mann who explains how a specific climate phenomenon has exacerbated the fires and why America’s leaders have a role to play in Australia’s current plight.

Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Duncan Barber and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: Philly Beaumont

We listen in on the big moments, memes, and the music that defined a decade: from the Arab Spring to Greta via the Olympics. The rise of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the memes they have generated - from Kim Kardashian to #MeToo, via the Peru Two – it’s all in there. Let us know what you think and what we missed #BeyondToday

Producer: Seren Jones Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

In 2000 a relatively unknown man called Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia. While his European and American counterparts have come and gone, Putin has stayed in the Kremlin for the past 20 years.

In this episode we speak to Vitaly Shevchenko from the BBC Russian Monitoring Service to find out how Putin came to power and how he has kept it. We also talk to Maria Korienko and Katherine Zeveleva from the BBC’s bureau in Moscow to find out what life is like for young Russians who have grown up knowing only Putin as the person in charge.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Duncan Barber and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: John Shields

Raheem Sterling is one of the best footballers in the world. But 2019 has proved that he’s even more than that, becoming a key voice in the fight against racism in football. With deals with big brands like Nike and H&M, his reputation is expanding beyond football.

We speak to one of Raheem Sterling’s former coaches, Steve Gallen, who tells us what makes him tick, and to Danny Rogers from PR Week, who explains what Sterling needs to do to make the jump from sporting superstar to global icon.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Harriet Noble and Seren Jones Mixed by Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields