Beyond Today

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 #BeyondTodayProducer: 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

The Kurds are an ethnic group living in the north of Syria and in neighbouring Iran, Iraq and Turkey. Since the conflict in Syria started almost nine years ago they’ve been fighting to establish their own state in northern Syria. The US allied with the Kurds to defeat ISIS and supported the Kurdish cause. That was until President Trump announced he was pulling US troops out of Syria leaving the Kurds exposed to the threat of the Turkish army, the Kurds’ political enemy. In this episode we speak to BBC journalists Jiyar Gol and Charlotte Pamment, who have been to Syria to find out what will happen to the Kurds. Presenter: Matthew Price Produced by Heidi Pett Mixed by Weidong Lin and Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields.

It’s hard to escape Amazon at Christmas. Even if you haven’t been using them for last minute shopping you will most likely have interacted with the company in some other way. Amazon Web Services is now the most valuable part of the business, and whether you know it or not, you probably used it. In this episode, we speak to two people who have been tracking Amazon’s relentless growth: Scott Galloway, Professor of Marketing at NYU Stern School of Business, and Alan Selby, a Sunday Mirror journalist who went under-cover and worked at Amazon’s warehouse in Tilbury.Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Katie Gunning, Philly Beaumont Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: John Shields

It was a result not many people predicted: the Conservatives won their largest majority since 1987, and Labour lost seats in its northern heartlands, despite social media suggesting there would be a ‘youthquake’ at the polls. There was also an array of bizarre moments from the TV coverage. So, what exactly happened last night? In this episode BBC 5 Live’s Scott Bryan takes us through the TV highs and lows of the night. We also speak to Marianna Spring and Joey D’Urso from BBC Trending, who tell us how the ‘social media election’ turned out, and The Atlantic’s Tom McTague explains how the Tories flipped the Labour strongholds in Wales and the north of England.Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Philly Beaumont and Seren Jones Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

The mathematician Dr Hannah Fry is on a mission to improve the PR of maths. Hannah presents radio and TV shows on how maths runs the world, how data underpins everything we do, and on Boxing Day she’s giving the prestigious Royal Institution’s Christmas Lecture on the hidden secrets of maths. Hannah has also written a book about the inner workings of algorithms, and she came into the Beyond Today studio to talk the power of maths and how algorithms can help us live better. Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Alicia Burrell and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

This year has seen protests spread across the globe, from Latin America, to Hong Kong and the Middle East. While some have specific political origins within their own countries, others have similar characteristics; people fed up with inequality and corruption. We hear from Stephanie Hegarty, the BBC’s population reporter, about the tactics spreading from one protest to another, and why people are singing Baby Shark in Basra.

It is two days until we go to the polls in what we are often told is a ‘divided Britain’. But, exactly how we are divided has changed. 50 years ago our social class was the biggest indicator of party loyalty, whereas nowadays our age is more likely to determine who gets our vote. That’s according to pollster Sir John Curtice, who came into the Beyond Today studio to tell us why voting trends have changed and how racist and homophobic the nation is in 2019. We also speak to Tosin Adedayo, Jenna Davis and Julie Ogiehor from the political podcast Consensus, about being judged for political views and how they could teach politicians to behave better. We also hear from Shona Craven, columnist and community editor at The National, about the political campaign in Scotland. Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Lucy Hancock and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast and Tom Burchell Editor: John Shields

Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, has been described as the most dangerous city in the world. Many young people from the Somali diaspora who have grown up in countries such as the UK and Canada are now returning to their ancestral home in hopes of bringing positive change, even though there is the threat of violence and terrorism. In this episode we speak to Yasmin about why she decided to relocate to Mogadishu from London, and the BBC’s Africa editor, Mary Harper.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Wahiba Ahmed and Lucy Hancock Mixed by Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

Jia Tolentino is a 31-year-old American writer who is being hailed as the voice of a generation. Her pieces for the New Yorker magazine nail everything from feminism to capitalism and vaping. Jia was born in Texas and brought up in a Southern Baptist community; as a teenager she starred in a reality TV show. Later she spent time working for the US Peace Corps in Kyrgystan. Her recently published collection of essays has become one of the most talked about books of the year. You can listen to Jia reading an abridged version of it on BBC Sounds. Just search for Trick Mirror. We speak to Jia Tolentino in New York about the downsides and delusions of living our lives online, and how it means we are like performers who are forever on stage. Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Alicia Burrell and Katie Gunning Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

President Trump’s been in the UK for the meeting of the world’s biggest military alliance, NATO. NATO’s been struggling recently, partly because Trump doesn’t get along so well with America’s traditional allies and now he’s in a row with his own military chiefs. This is because he’s taken decisions without informing them, like pulling out of Syria. And also because they think he doesn’t care about traditional military standards like army discipline. The latest row involves the trial of decorated Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, who was accused of murdering an Iraqi prisoner. We hear from the BBC’s Whitehouse Correspondent Tara McKelvey about the case find out why Trump has got involved. Presenter: Matthew Price Produced by Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields.

In October, a video went viral after Extinction Rebellion protesters disrupted public transport by protesting on the roof of a train at Canning Town station in east London. The stunt took place during rush hour and the intention was to raise awareness of the climate emergency. But it ended in angry commuters dragging the protesters off the train and the video sparked a debate around climate activism and privilege. This week Swedish activist Greta Thunberg will be joining world leaders in Madrid for the COP25, a UN conference aimed to tackle the climate emergency. In the UK, Extinction Rebellion is continuing with protests around the General Election. But not everyone can afford to prioritise the cause.We spoke to Mahatir Pasha, who filmed the incident at Canning Town, and to Karen Bell, a senior lecturer at the University of the West of England. Karen Bell, author of ‘working-class environmentalism’, spoke about both the positive and negative aspects of XR’s campaign and discussed the class divide in climate activism generally. We also hear from climate activist Fatima-Zahra Ibrahim, who explains why the climate movement isn’t as accessible as we may think.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Seren Jones, Philly Beaumont, Wahiba Ahmed and Hanan Bihi Mixed by Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

The man who killed Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt was a convicted terrorist who had spent eight years in prison. Usman Khan was jailed in 2012 for preparing acts of terrorism. While he was inside he underwent a deradicalisation programme. He was released on licence last December and on Friday he travelled to London to take part in a conference on prisoner rehabilitation. It was there that Jack and Saskia were murdered. We speak to the BBC’s Home Affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani about Usman Khan and to Hanif Qadir, a former jihadist who has worked to de-radicalise extremists. Presenter: Matthew Price Producers; Philly Beaumont, Katie Gunning Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields.

The app best known for short, funny videos that have made it the meme engine of the internet found itself hosting a different kind of viral video. Feroza Aziz, a teenager from New Jersey, posted what looked like a makeup tutorial but was actually trying to raise awareness of the detention of China’s Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province. When she woke up her account was suspended. TikTok says it didn’t censor her content, but as Karishma Vaswani tells us, the company is walking a difficult line trying to keep people happy in both China and the rest of the world. We also hear from Vicky Xu, a researcher who uses TikTok to find out more about Xinjiang.

96 Liverpool FC fans died at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield on 15 April 1989. It remains the worst disaster in British sporting history. The tragedy happened over 30 years ago and many say the trauma of Hillsborough has been passed on to the next generation, those who weren’t even born in 1989.In this episode we speak to the BBC’s North of England correspondent Judith Moritz about what happened at Hillsborough. We also hear from two young women who grew up in Liverpool and have been affected by the disaster; Deanna Matthews, who’s uncle died at Hillsborough, and reporter Layla Wright, who’s been covering the recent trial. Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Alicia Burrell and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

Last Friday a 27-year-old New Zealand man was found guilty of the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane. During the trial questions were raised over how the press covered the case and how the defence was put together. Campaigners say Grace was blamed for her own death and that other assailants are claiming their victims simply enjoyed ‘rough sex.’We speak to BBC producer Simon Atkinson who covered the trial in Auckland and discuss why Grace Millane’s sexual history was brought up in court. We also speak to Alys Harte, a journalist for BBC 5 Live Investigates, about her research into the changing attitudes of women towards gagging, choking, slapping and spitting. The responses raise important questions about unwanted violent sex and consent. We also speak to Anna-Louise Adams who has first-hand experience of choking in the bedroom. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producer: Lucy Hancock Editor: John ShieldsSpecial thanks to: We Cant Consent To This, The High Low.

Instagram has announced that it’s extending a trial where it hides likes from other users. You will still see your own like count, but not that of people you follow. It’s being heralded as a positive thing, and all about improving mental health. Instagram bosses say they want to depressurise the experience, and look after young people. But how far do we trust Facebook, Instagram’s parent company, to do the right thing? What will it mean for all those influencers who rely on likes to impress the brands that pay their wages? We speak to the BBC’s Sophia Smith-Galer, fashion influencer Katherine Ormerod, and Matt Navarra, a social media consultant. Presented by Tina Daheley Producers: Katie Gunning and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Blue Story, a film about two young black boys from different London postcodes who get caught up in rival gangs went on general release on Friday. By Saturday two cinema chains, Vue and Showcase, had pulled the film from all their cinemas. The decision was made after a mass fight broke out at the Star City multiplex, in Birmingham. Six people have been arrested and although Showcase has reversed its decision, there has been a huge backlash with people calling the move racist. We speak to the BBC’s Tolu Adeoye, and Andrew Efah who worked with Rapman. And we also hear from Vic Santoro, one of the actors in Blue Story. Presented by Tina Daheley Producers: Philly Beaumont and Seren Jones Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

There are more than 150 billionaires in the UK, but is that concentration of immense wealth actually a sign of failure? Should anyone ever be worth a sum of money that has nine zeroes in it? For decades nobody seemed to question wealth: it was something to aspire to, and the idea that money would trickle down to the rest of society was widespread. But things seem to be shifting. Mainstream politicians are questioning what, until just a few years ago, was the accepted wisdom that it’s fine to be filthy rich as long as you pay lots of tax along the way and then become a philanthropist.We hear from the BBC’s Business editor Simon Jack, and check in with Kerry Dolan, who’s been helping to compile the Forbes rich list for the last 25 years. And our producer Lucy Hancock went to meet artist Darren Cullen, who runs a museum of neoliberalism.Presented by Matthew Price. Producers: Heidi Pett, Lucy Hancock, Katie Gunning. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields

This was the year that the world’s most famous drag queen, RuPaul, brought his critically-acclaimed TV show to the UK. The series has helped bring British drag queens and topics that affect the LGBT community to a wider audience. But, does appreciation of drag always mean there’s acceptance in society?In this episode we speak to Baby Lame, host of the official Drag Race UK podcast on BBC Sounds, to get the lowdown on life as a drag queen. We also talk to journalist and author Amelia Abraham about what happens when queer culture goes mainstream.You can listen to the Drag Race UK podcast on BBC Sounds, and watch the whole series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK on iPlayer.Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Alicia Burrell and Rory Galloway Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Once more the NHS is at the heart of a general election campaign and politicians on all sides are promising to improve the health service. With more than four million patients on the NHS waiting list and delays in A&E at their worst level since records began, many people believe the health system in struggling. But, what's not as widely talked about is the way the service is dealing with the growing number of people needing treatment for their mental health.In this episode we speak to Ellen Welch, a general practitioner who’s written a book about the history of the NHS and to Catherine Renton, a patient who has been on the NHS waiting list for mental health treatment for 18 months. We also talk to trainee junior doctor Samara Linton about her experiences of working on the front line at a NHS psychiatric unit, and why she thinks it’s not just the public’s mental health that is suffering.If you feel affected after listening to today’s episode, you can get help by going to our website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/Presenter: Matthew Price Produced by Seren Jones Mixed by Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

Plastic surgery has never been cheaper or more accessible. The industry is booming: it’s worth an estimated £19 billion. The results of cosmetic self- improvement are readily available on Instagram, and appear in the breaks of Love Island. More people than ever are considering going under the knife. Despite all the moralising about plastic surgery, it doesn’t seem to put people off seeking it.We speak to Mobeen Azhar who made TV programme where people seeking surgery watch procedures live on screen, and Christine Rosen, an academic who has been charting its cultural rise. They explore why people are seeking it, the dilemmas of normalising of plastic surgery.Presented by Tina Daheley. Editor John Shields.

Three days later and the fallout from Prince Andrew’s BBC interview keeps coming: today university students and a big accountancy firm are distancing themselves from the duke. Prince Andrew appeared on Newsnight to address controversy over his ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But it backfired after critics called the interview a “car crash”. On the same weekend the other royal drama The Crown returned to TV screens after a two year break. In this episode we talk to the royal historian and advisor on the Netflix drama Robert Lacey, who has just published a book to go alongside the series. He tells us about Prince Andrew’s relationship with the Queen and how this all might play out on TV in the future. We also hear from the BBC’s royal correspondent Jonny Dymond Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Heidi Pett and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

There was a story in October you may have missed: a 15-year-old boy from London was stabbed to death after getting off a bus on his way home from school. Baptista Adjei was one of the youngest people to be murdered in the capital this year. In this episode we speak to BBC London’s Greg McKenzie, who’s been reporting on knife crime in 2019, including the death of Jodie Chesney. She was the 17-year-old girl who was fatally stabbed in an east London park in March. Today two teenagers were sentenced to life for her murder. In this episode we look into why we hear about some innocent victims more than others.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

We know that one in four people will suffer from a mental health problem at some point in their life and that anxiety seems to be on the increase. The latest research suggests that rates of psychological distress and illness are especially high among undergraduates. Dr Laurie Santos wanted to do something about it: she’s professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University and 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 Produced by Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

The 2019 general election is in full swing and political parties are relying on digital campaigning more than ever before. Targeted marketing has made a profound change in how political parties can reach you and our compulsion to click, like and share can be used against us in surprising ways. We speak to Kirk J. Torrance, a former digital strategist for the SNP, who worked on their landslide 2015 campaign. The BBC’s Maryam Ahmed has built an algorithm to catch all targeted political advertising on Facebook for this election. And Latika Bourke, reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald, tells us how the Australian election was won with the help of Game of Thrones. Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Jessica Beck Mixed by Lee Wilson Editor: John Shields

Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have been going on for months now. In the past few days the violence has escalated and schools are being closed for safety reasons. The row centres on a fight for national identity. For Hong Kong protestors this is a fight for freedom from influence from mainland China. For the Chinese authorities it is a fight to protect their nation.In this episode, we meet Maggie Watson, a cake maker from Derby who was surprised to witness the ferocity of this row at a cake competition in Birmingham. We speak to Vincent Ni from the BBC’s China desk who explains why this happened and what it tells us about the Chinese psyche. He explores how the scars of the past affect trading relationships with Western mega brands like the NBA, Versace, Dior and Gap and how China is sensitive to foreign interference in its affairs.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Lucy Hancock, Duncan Barber. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Last month in Sodermalm, a gentrified part of Stockholm, an explosion tore through an apartment block. Residents were left shocked and the bomb squad was called out. That night two more explosions happened in two other parts of the city. In fact, since the beginning of 2019 there have been over 100 explosions in Sweden.Right wing commentators have spoken about violence in Sweden before and often say that the stories aren’t being reported on because the media doesn’t want to undermine multiculturalism in a country that’s renowned for being socially liberal.In this episode we speak to Maddy Savage, a journalist living in Stockholm, who tells us what’s behind the rise in the number of explosions. We also talk to Christian Christensen, a journalism professor at Stockholm University, to find out whether Swedish media are covering up the violence. Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Alicia Burrell and Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

On a weekend at the start of March, two murders caused public outcry. Two 17-year-olds were killed in two different attacks in London and Greater Manchester. Politicians said knife crime was out of control and called for urgent action. Last week two teenagers were found guilty of murdering Jodie Chesney, the girl killed in London. For the past few weeks the BBC’s Dan Johnson has been covering the trial of Jodie’s killers at the Old Bailey. In this episode Dan tells us what happened to Jodie in her last moments with her friends in the park, and explains what Jodie's murder says about a world of petty crime and violence where innocent people are caught in the crossfire. Presenter: Matthew Price Produced by Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

In 2013 two young British women were caught trying to smuggle a haul of cocaine worth £1.5m from Lima, in Peru, to Ibiza. Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid were dubbed the Peru Two after a photograph of the pair being arrested at Lima airport went viral. The duo were sentenced for six years in a Peruvian prison on drug trafficking charges, but were released after serving three. Now back in the UK, Melissa is laying low, but Michaella has written a book about her side of the story.In this episode Radio 1 Newsbeat’s Serena Kutchinsky tells Michaella’s story and her desire for a second chance, and BBC Latin America correspondent Will Grant explains how that second chance is perceived in Peru.Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Seren Jones and Duncan Barber Mixed by Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

She’s the most famous transgender woman in the world. Today she’s best known for being part the Kardashian-Jenner dynasty, but at one time she was most famous for being the world’s greatest athlete after winning gold in the decathlon in the 1976 Olympics, competing as Bruce Jenner. In 2015 she transitioned and renamed herself Caitlyn. We may be seeing a lot more of her as it’s rumoured she is this year’s big signing in ITV’s I'm A Celebrity. We speak to Simon Mundie, who presents the BBC Sounds sport podcast Don’t Tell Me the Score. Simon went to meet Caitlyn at her home in Malibu where she told him about the moment she won gold, transitioning and why she’s happier now than ever before. Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Philly Beaumont and Jessica Beck Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Gaming is worth more than all other entertainment combined. At the very top of the industry is a 56 year old Japanese man called Hideo Kojima, a highly respected designer who says his latest game ‘Death Stranding’ is a reaction to what he sees as the selfishness of Donald Trump’s wall and Brexit. The game is designed to make you think carefully about how you interact with others. The industry has proven itself commercially, but can it prove itself culturally? We hear from Radio 1 Newsbeat’s Steffan Powell who has been to Tokyo to see Hideo Kojima at work.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks the Taliban were never out of the news when Britain and the US deployed their armies to destroy al Qaeda and the Taliban, the terrorist group who controlled Afghanistan at the time. But the Taliban were never destroyed; they still control parts of the country and they still carry out attacks against the Afghan government.It’s a custom around Eid for the Afghan government and the Taliban to exchange prisoners as a gesture of goodwill. Normally around 10 prisoners from each side, but this summer President Ghani of Afghanistan made the unprecedented decision to release nearly 900 Taliban prisoners. So, what does that mean for Afghanistan? We speak to BBC journalists Auliya Atrafi and Claire Press who went inside the Taliban wing of Pul-e-Charki, Afghanistan’s largest prison to find out what’s driving these fighters. As peace talks between the US and the Taliban have yet again broken down, we look at why negotiating with terrorists remains part of the plan. Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Lucy Hancock and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

With six weeks to go until the general election we know we’re going to get speeches and policy announcements, but what really makes up our minds? In the past we voted along class lines, but that’s all changing. We speak to Rosie Campbell who is professor of politics at Kings College in London. She’s also Director of The Global Institute for Women’s Leadership and made two Radio 4 programmes on How Voters decide. Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Philly Beaumont, Jessica Beck Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Not so long ago, horoscopes were considered a bit of fun that wasn’t taken too seriously. But in 2019 astrology is booming: there are astrology apps, daily podcasts for each star sign, zodiac-themed clothing and make-up ranges, and lots of viral horoscope memes flooding social media. Trend forecasters price the mystical market at more than $2billion. In this episode we speak to Susan Miller, the world’s most famous astrologer, to find out about the power of star signs and get some predictions for the year ahead. We also talk to The Atlantic’s Julie Beck, who has investigated why the internet supports astrology’s resurgence and why people turn to the stars as a coping mechanism for stress.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Duncan Barber and Alicia Burrell Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields With thanks to Spotify and Parcast’s Daily Horoscope podcast.

Last week 39 people suffocated to death in the back of a lorry in Essex. It was a reminder of a similar case that happened 19 years ago when 58 Chinese nationals were found dead in a lorry in Dover. In fact, the police originally thought that the group in that lorry in Grays last week were from China, until it emerged that they were probably from Vietnam. Police are there now taking DNA samples from families to identify the victims. We know that many Vietnamese people try to get to Britain and are here working to send money back home. We also now know that some pay up to £30,000 to traffickers to get to the UK. The BBC’s South East Asia Correspondent Jonathan Head has been in Vietnam this past week trying to figure out why. Presented by Tina Daheley Producer: Philly Beaumont Mixed by Tom Burchell Editor: John Shields.

Earlier this week top NHS bosses wrote a letter to the Professional Standards Authority expressing serious concerns about homeopathy. They warned of its lack of scientific foundation and anti-science message in an era of misinformation.Homeopathic remedies are proven to be no more effective than a placebo, but for many of its defenders it has real therapeutic effects. In this episode we look at the power of placebo, why so many people swear by it and why its effectiveness is troubling for clinicians. We look at the specific list of health conditions that respond to placebo effects and explore their limitations with science journalist Erik Vance. We also speak to Julia Buckley, whose chronic pain took her on a bizarre journey via a Voodoo demon and a chorus of healing angels. You can read Julia Buckley's whole story in her book 'Heal Me'. Presented by Tina Daheley Producer: Lucy Hancock Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Additional Production: Tom Burchell Editor: John Shields

Jonathan Van Ness is a podcaster, a hairdresser, and host of the Game of Thrones webseries Gay of Thrones. But he’s best known as one of the “Fab Five” on Queer Eye, the incredibly popular Netflix makeover show. He came into talk to us because he’s just written a book. It’s called Over the Top and as well as the fun and bubbly “JVN” that people have come to love, it addresses some very serious, very difficult issues: abuse, addiction and the impact of HIV. In today’s episode we hear about both sides of Jonathan Van Ness.Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Donald Trump announced over the weekend that the fugitive leader of the so-called Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had been killed in a raid in Syria. During the press conference he described the ISIS leader “whimpering and crying and screaming all the way” to the back of a tunnel in his compound, where he detonated a suicide vest as he was surrounded by three of his children. The president also went on to say that “it was just like a movie”, and that this moment is bigger than the death of Osama Bin Laden. Mina al-Lami, Jihadi analyst for BBC monitoring, tells us Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s story. We also hear from BBC North America editor Jon Sopel about why this moment is so important to Donald Trump. Presenter: Matthew Price Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

“Love is not a permanent state of enthusiasm.” These are the words of one of the most famous therapists in the world: Esther Perel. She is internationally renowned for creating and presenting ‘Where Should We Begin’, the ground-breaking podcast about love, sex, intimacy and infidelity. She also has two best-selling books and videos of her TED talks have been viewed tens of millions of times online. This month she launched the third season of her podcast, which focuses on marriage by telling the stories of six couples.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Duncan Barber and Seren Jones Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK and Scotland has the highest suicide rate in Britain. Chris Clements and Calum Mckay have looked into the figures for BBC Scotland's Disclosure programme. They travelled to Lanarkshire, in south-central Scotland, where they both grew up and discovered Motherwell Thistle, an amateur football club scarred by suicide. Since 2017 four people connected to the club have killed themselves. Through the pain of their loss, the club has found a way to celebrate their lives.You can watch BBC Disclosure's "The Lost Boys" on iPlayer.If you are feeling emotionally distressed and would like details of organisations which offer advice and support, go online to bbc.co.uk/actionline or you can call for free, at any time to hear recorded information 0800 066 066.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Facebook helps connect people, but now it’s on a new mission to get people to fall in love. Facebook users in the US — it will be available in Europe next year — can create a dating profile and curate a list of secret crushes from among your friends. The dating industry is massive — estimates say that it will be worth $12 billion a year by 2020 — but Facebook has said its feature will be free. So, why is the social network getting into the business of love? Could it be after even more data about us? In this episode we speak to The Atlantic’s Kaitlyn Tiffany, who was at the official Facebook Dating launch party in New York. She talks about how it works and whether it could be a success. We also speak to developer Ben Berman, who’s created a game called Monster Match to show exactly how dating app algorithms work.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Alicia Burrell, Harriet Noble and Lucy Hancock Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

In a court case that is gripping Asia, a Malaysian wealth fund is accused of robbing the country of $3.5 billion US dollars. It is the world’s biggest white-collar heist involving government corruption at the highest level, an abuse of power and international money laundering. It's also a case that drags in one of the most successful Hollywood movies of all time: The Wolf of Wall Street, a Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio film about corruption and multimillion-dollar theft. Investigators in Malaysia and the United States are still piecing together exactly what happened, and so far no one has been found guilty. We speak to Tom Wright from the Wall Street Journal who has spent years investigating the story and Alex Ritman of The Hollywood Reporter.

Was this the worst Monday morning ever for MPs? They were forced into work over the weekend to vote on the Brexit deal, and they couldn’t even do that properly. Now they’re back trying to hammer it out again. They’ve been doing this for months, stuck because there’s no majority for any agreement on Brexit. That might now be changing, there might now actually be enough MPs who will vote for the deal Boris Johnson agreed with Brussels. Passing a deal to leave, however, is just the first phase of a long process. We speak to Tom McTague, a staff writer for The Atlantic.Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Christopher Wylie is a 30-year-old Canadian data specialist who moved to London a few years back, started working in political campaigns, and then became deeply involved in two of the biggest political events of his lifetime: the Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump. He worked for Cambridge Analytica, the company that was caught harvesting data from millions of Facebook accounts and using it for political advertising purposes. We’d been warned for years it could happen, and it was the first time we saw how data could be used and weaponised to win an election. This is that story. Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Nike spends a lot of money sponsoring and marketing some of the best athletes in the world. It doesn’t just back global superstars like Serena Williams and Cristiano Ronaldo on the field, but off them too. It made the American football player Colin Kaepernick as the face of an advertising campaign after he protested against racial injustice by kneeling during the US national anthem.The events of the last few days don’t fit Nike’s preferred narrative. The firm has shut down the Oregon Project, its elite training programme, after the main coach there, Alberto Salazar, was found guilty of cheating by the US anti-doping agency. Nike says it doesn’t accept Salazar was deliberately cheating and is supporting his appeal against the ban. Matthew Price hears from two people who’ve followed this story from the start. The BBC’s Mark Daly first exposed Salazar in a Panorama investigation four years ago. And Matt Lawton, the chief sports writer for The Times, has been inside Nike’s controversial Oregon Project. Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

A British woman is on trial in Cyprus, where she is accused of causing public mischief by allegedly falsely claiming to have been sexually assaulted at an Ayia Napa hotel in July. The woman has told the court she was raped, but then "forced" to retract her statement by the Cypriot police 10 days later.12 young Israelis were arrested in connection with the allegations but were later released and returned home, where some of them celebrated with champagne at the airport. Tom Bateman and Anna Holligan have been following the story for the BBC.Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields