The Briefing Room Podcast
David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news
Episodes to download
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Who's Afraid of The Wagner Group?
Thu 23 Feb 2023
Are the 'Wagner' mercenaries fighting for Russia in Ukraine becoming a problem for Putin?
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Why was the Turkey-Syria earthquake so bad?
Thu 16 Feb 2023
More than 40,000 people died in last week's earthquake, but why was it so deadly?
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How worried should we be about avian flu?
Thu 9 Feb 2023
A new strain of avian flu is killing birds and mammals, but what's the risk to humans?
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How do we get over-50s back into work?
Thu 2 Feb 2023
The government wants over-50s to re-enter the workforce, but will they come?
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Ukraine: How will the war evolve in 2023?
Thu 5 Jan 2023
David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how the Ukraine Russia war might evolve in 2023.
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Our Ageing World
Thu 29 Dec 2022
The global population is rapidly getting older. How do we deal with the impacts?
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Can we colonise the Moon?
Thu 22 Dec 2022
Nasa plans to set up a lunar base in the next decade. Is that achievable?
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Strikes: How can we avoid a return to the 1970s?
Thu 15 Dec 2022
As strikes continue across the UK, what's the government's strategy for dealing with them?
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House of Lords reform
Thu 8 Dec 2022
How would Sir Keir Starmer's plan to scrap the House of Lords work and is it a good idea?
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China's winter of discontent
Thu 1 Dec 2022
What's behind the protests and dissent against the Chinese leader Xi Jinping?
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UK Trade Deals
Thu 24 Nov 2022
How is the UK government getting on with negotiating free trade deals around the world?
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Could Vladimir Putin use nuclear weapons?
Thu 20 Oct 2022
What are the chances of the Russian leader turning the war in Ukraine nuclear?
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Public Spending
Thu 13 Oct 2022
What does the current economic turmoil mean for government expenditure?
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Protests in Iran
Thu 6 Oct 2022
What鈥檚 behind the current unrest in Iran and should the regime be worried?
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Turmoil on the markets
Thu 29 Sep 2022
What's just happened to the British economy, and what might come next?
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Ukraine: Have we reached a turning point in the war?
Thu 15 Sep 2022
Ukraine has retaken swathes of territory - is this a turning point in the war?
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Can we keep the lights on this winter?
Thu 1 Sep 2022
Could problems with energy supplies from Europe lead to power outages in the UK?
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The staffing crisis in the NHS
Thu 25 Aug 2022
Why doesn't the NHS have enough staff, and what can be done to fix the problem?
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The Cost of Living Crisis
Thu 11 Aug 2022
What should the government do to help people with their bills this winter?
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Scotland's drugs problem
Thu 4 Aug 2022
Why does Scotland have the worst record in Europe on drug deaths?
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Adapting to a hotter Britain
Thu 28 Jul 2022
What does Britain need to do to cope with higher temperatures?
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Ukraine: Who is winning?
Thu 21 Jul 2022
As the war in Ukraine enters its sixth month, is either side close to victory or collapse?
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Covid - how worried should we be this time?
Thu 14 Jul 2022
Do need to worry about Coronavirus again?
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What's wrong with the NHS, and how do we fix it?
Thu 9 Jun 2022
David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the problems with the NHS and how to solve them.
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What's happening in Afghanistan?
Thu 2 Jun 2022
How are the Taliban dealing with challenges at home, on the border and further afield?
