Beyond Today

The comedian and director Simon Amstell is a familiar face who a lot of us grew up with. He visited the Beyond Today studio to tell us about his semi-autobiographical film ‘Benjamin’ in which the main character is constantly seeking external validation. We also discussed his fear of intimacy, an imaginary gorilla, and veganism.'Benjamin' is in cinemas March 15th.Producer: Duncan Barber. Editor: John Shields. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast.

We are told we are living through historic political times. The Prime Minister has faced unprecedented defeats in the House of Commons yet survives in the job. With two weeks to go to the deadline for leaving the EU, we still don’t know how Brexit will work. So where will we end up? Has politics changed forever? And who can explain the chaos? We speak to the BBC’s Nick Robinson, host of the Talking Politics podcast and Radio 4’s Today programme, and Daniel Kraemer from the BBC’s Political Research Unit.Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producer: Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields

Money. We all want more of it. But apart from securing a bumper pay rise or winning the lottery, probably the most obvious way to maximise our finances is to sensibly look after what we do have. It can be hard though, with financial jargon like ISAs, pension options, and interest rates sometimes feeling impossible to understand. We’ve been collecting your questions about your money and have put them to finance gurus Bola Sol and Laura Whateley. Producers: Harriet Noble and Jaja Muhammad Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Right now Shamima Begum is in a sprawling internment camp in the Syrian desert, stripped of her British citizenship and unable to leave. Buried there is her son Jarrah, who died last week of pneumonia. He was under three weeks old. The BBC’s Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville has interviewed her twice in the past few weeks and spoke to us about what happens to her now, and who’s to blame for the death of her child. Producers: Harriet Noble and Jessica Beck Mixed by: Nicolas Raufast Editor: Philly Beaumont

In 1993, an 18 year old black teenager, Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a racist attack in East London. The police messed up the investigation into his killers. The inquiry that followed led by the judge Sir William Macpherson was one of the most damning documents to emerge about the police – describing it as “institutionally racist”. Twenty years on the barrister and broadcaster Hashi Mohamed has made a documentary about what has happened since for Radio 4. We speak to him about the legacy of Macpherson, about stop and search, and whether the police still have more to do to tackle racism. Producer: Philly Beaumont Mixed by: Nicolas Raufast Edited by: John ShieldsAnd you can get Hashi’s documentary. Macpherson: What happened next - is on BBC Sounds https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003741

In March 2009, an Islamic extremist group called Al-Muhajiroun staged a demonstration as 200 soldiers paraded through the town of Luton after returning from Iraq. The radical Islamists fuelled anger in the local community, and these tensions led to the formation of the English Defence League by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - aka Tommy Robinson. Ten years on, we speak to the people who were there as Luton faced a global media storm and find out how they have been working to beat extremism ever since.Producer: Georgia Coan Editor: Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nico Raufast

It’s often said that we get trapped in online "filter bubbles” or “echo chambers” and that we don't get exposed to information that could challenge or broaden our worldview. It’s a convincing narrative - but is it true? And how do you know if you live in one? BBC Media Editor Amol Rajan has been finding out for a series called Crossing Divides.Producer: Duncan Barber. Editor: John Shields. Mixed by Nico Raufast.

US teenager Ethan Lindenberger has been speaking out against his mother who refused to vaccinate him as a child. Why has the anti-vax movement captured the imagination of so many people despite being detrimental to public health? Whether it’s spreading bad information on social media or seeing dark conspiracies, Joseph Stubbersfield a Cognitive Anthropologist at Durham University and Bob Blaskiewiccz, Professor of Critical Thinking at Stockton Uni explain how bad ideas can thrive. Plus, Dr. Jen Gunter explains how we can all fall into conspiracy traps set by celebrity doctors and ‘alternative’ science.Producers: Seren Jones, Lucy Hancock, Jaja Muhammad. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields.

In the Canadian city of Vancouver a woman named Meng Wanzhou is under house arrest in her $4.2bn mansion. Chief financial officer of the Chinese tech firm Huawei, and the founder’s daughter, she’s accused by the US of bank fraud and violating sanctions against Iran. But as the BBC’s Silicon Valley Reporter Dave Lee tells Beyond Today, her arrest is about more than this: we might look back on it as the opening salvo in the tech cold war. Reporter: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

After two 17-year-olds were killed in separate incidents in London and Greater Manchester at the weekend, we hear from a former gang member who tells our Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw why he’d never leave the house without carrying a knife. We also hear from BBC London reporter Greg Mckenzie who has covered 19 murders in the capital already this year. Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber. Editor: John Shields. Mixed by Nico Raufast.

Michael Jackson is perhaps the biggest pop star there’s ever been. He’s still thought of as a legend, despite years of allegations regarding his relationships with young boys. Jackson was found not guilty at a court case in 2005, but now one of the men who testified in Jackson’s defence in that case has appeared in a documentary to say, alongside another man, that the singer did regularly sexually abuse him. Michael Jackson’s family has rejected the claims and say there is "not one piece of evidence" to back up the allegations. But at a time when we tend to more easily believe victims, might Michael Jackson’s music now be off-limits? “Leaving Neverland” is on Channel 4 next week, and its director Dan Reed talks to us, alongside the BBC’s Peter Bowes, and Scott Bryan from the Must Watch podcast.Producers: Harriet Noble, Duncan Barber and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: John Shields

As tensions mount between India and Pakistan, Matthew Price goes behind the scenes of Qasa Alom’s show on the BBC Asian Network to find out why it is such an emotive subject for different generations of British Asians. He also speaks to World Service presenter Anu Anand, whose family fled Kashmir, about how the conflict continues to impact her identity and that of many others outside South Asia.Producers: Duncan Barber and Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields Mixed by Weidong Lin

What you drive has always said a lot about who you are – and car-making has defined the identity of whole towns and cities in the UK. But this is only partly an episode about cars. It’s also about what the changes in the car industry tell us about the massive disruptions that are happening all over the place, shifts that are changing the way things are made, the jobs we can get, and the way business works – the future essentially. BBC Business Correspondent Joe Miller prepares us for what’s next.Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: John Shields

Yesterday the government announced updates to the 20 year-old sex education curriculum in England. It will now include lessons on sharing private photos and explicit content. We hear from a group of female students on their experiences of sex education and the influence of porn. The discussion is very graphic. We also speak to Sadie Lune and Poppy Sanchez from the Sex School Hub in Berlin, which makes explicit educational videos.Producers: Duncan Barber and Lucy Hancock Editor: John Shields Mixed by Weidong LinWarning: Strong language in this episode.

The Empire actor Jussie Smollett has been all over the media and internet after allegations that he falsely claimed that he was the victim of a hate crime. The 36-year-old is accused of filing a fake police report claiming he was the victim of a homophobic and racist assault. Police say he staged the attack because he was “dissatisfied” with his salary: Smollett maintains he’s innocent. The BBC’s North America correspondent Aleem Maqbool has been in Chicago covering this case and takes us through the timeline of events. And Zac Beauchamp, a senior correspondent with Vox covering the far right, tells us about the wider implications of this so-called hoax hate crime.Producers: Philly Beaumont and Jaja Muhammad Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: Lucy Hancock

Grayson Perry is an award-winning artist and documentary maker who has spent most of his career teasing the establishment. He likes to tackle the big subjects like class, gender and how we deal with death. Perry makes ceramic vases and tapestries, cross-dresses and is now so famous he’s on the national curriculum. We went to see him at his pottery studio in a wealthy part of North London, where he swore about the liberal elite and moaned about well-educated remoaners.Producers: Philly Beaumont and Lucy Hancock Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: Harriet NobleWarning: Strong language in this episode.

Who do you think of when you think about an opiate dealer? Probably not a young woman in China, who dreamed of being an English teacher. This is the story of one woman in her 20s who’s made a career out of sending fentanyl through the post. The BBC’s Danny Vincent takes us to meet the new generation of drug kingpins, who Jeremy Douglas from the UN says are disrupting the drugs market just like Uber did for transport. Producers: Heidi Pett, Lucy Hancock, Georgia Coan and Jaja Muhammad Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: Philly Beaumont This episode discusses drug use. If drug use is a problem for you, support is available here: https://bbc.in/2DZvBvW

It’s the Oscars on Sunday, the pinnacle of awards season. Every year hundreds of films and performances are eligible, so what exactly is it that means some win and others don’t? It’s not enough to just be the best, there are a whole host of other factors that determine who takes home a gong. From prosthetic noses to silly dances and branded pillows, Oscar veteran and BBC Entertainment Correspondent Colin Paterson tells us the secrets to awards season success. Producers: Harriet Noble and Jaja Muhammad Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: Philly Beaumont

Four years ago, at the age of 15, Shamima Begum ran away from home in East London to marry an Islamic State fighter in Syria. Now she’s 19, has just given birth in a refugee camp - and wants to come home. There has been huge interest in the story, but are we missing out on a bigger and more complex picture when it comes to understanding the role of women in IS? In the second of this series on IS we hear from the BBC’s Daniel De Simone about other foiled terrorist plots and the role women played in hatching them. And academics Joana Cooke and Gina Vale tell us what people get wrong about radicalised women.Producers: Lucy Hancock and Georgia Coan Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: Philly Beaumont

When the British teenager Shamima Begum ran away from East London to join IS, the caliphate was at the peak of its powers. It waged war with the West by beheading hostages and carrying out deadly attacks on European soil, while establishing a sophisticated state infrastructure in Syria and Iraq. IS at one point controlled an area the size of Britain. But now, as Shamima Begum waits in a Syrian refugee camp to see if she’ll be allowed home, IS is on the brink of military defeat. Does that mean that the threat is over? In the first of two special episodes, the BBC’s Quentin Sommerville takes us through the rise and fall of IS.Producers: Harriet Noble and Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

This week BBC cameraman Ron Skeans was attacked at a rally for President Donald Trump in Texas. A man in a Make America Great Again hat pushed him over and shouted “F*** the media”. It was a shocking incident for Ron and his colleagues but, given the frequency and ferocity of the President’s criticisms of the mainstream media, perhaps not unexpected. Correspondent Gary O’Donoghue and producer Eleanor Montague were with Ron in El Paso and explain what happened and why it matters. This episode contains swear words throughout.Producers: Harriet Noble and Jaja Muhammad Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

It’s 14 February, in theory the most romantic day of the year, but not so fun if you’re single. Is there a rational way to find love in the era of big data? Justin Rowlatt presents Business Daily on the BBC World Service and has spoken to a multi-millionaire Ed Conard, who says he has the business-like answer. We also hear from Dr Helen Fisher from the Kinsey Institute, who is also the scientific advisor for the dating site Match.com. She tells us about the science behind attraction. Read more about Ed Conard here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47230107 Producers: Philly Beaumont, Duncan Barber, Jaja Muhammed. Editor: John Shields. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast.

This week we heard that we are in the middle of a biodiversity crisis, but are we in a position to save the bugs, and ourselves, from extinction? We hear from biologist Adam Hart and go back to the grandma of environmentalism, Rachel Carson, to find out why we need bugs to survive and what we can do to save them. Thanks to Audible and Recorded Books for allowing us to play Silent Spring.Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producers: Lucy Hancock and Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields

Hungarian women with four or more children won’t have to pay income tax for the rest of their working lives, according to a plan announced by the country’s prime minister Viktor Orban. He says it’s to reverse Hungary’s falling population rate, critics argue it’s a way of controlling immigration. We speak to the BBC’s Nick Thorpe, who lives and works in Budapest with his 5 children. And we also hear from author Thomas Chatterton Williams who is writing a book on racial identity, about what links this Hungarian policy to the global far right.Producers: Philly Beaumont & Georgia Coan Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

The fact that a rich, powerful man had an affair and is getting divorced shouldn’t be of more than passing interest. But with the Amazon boss Jeff Bezos things are a bit different. Not only is there the eye-watering amount of money involved, he’s worth around $130bn, but the story took a remarkable turn last week when he published a blog post revealing he was being blackmailed with dirty photos he’d sent his mistress. If the world’s richest man can’t protect his privacy, what hope is there for the rest of us? The BBC’s Kim Gittleson talks to us about extortion, divorce and “below the belt selfies”. Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

With the trend in anti-Semitism and the growth of far-right politics sweeping through Europe, it’s a worrying time to be Jewish. But young Jews in Germany have found a place to celebrate Jewish culture. Last weekend in Frankfurt, Jews from all over Europe flocked to ‘Jewrovision’ to celebrate their identity in the most joyful way. Lucy Hancock and Amie Liebowitz joined the party.

The impact of social media on our mental health has been creeping into the news headlines. Politicians have been quick to challenge tech companies, calling for better regulation following the suicide of 14 year old, Molly Russell. We talk to Dr Bex Lewis of Manchester Metropolitan University, Dr Cal Newport of Georgetown University and an experimental psychologist from the Oxford Internet Institute, Prof Andrew Przybylski, to find out what effect all that unlimited and unregulated content really does have on our mental health.Producers: Philly Beaumont and Seren Jones Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

How far are you prepared to go to stand up for your beliefs? Two years ago, Ruth Potts and Mel Evans were part of a group that cut through an airport security fence and chained themselves to a Boeing 767. They did it to stop the Home Office deporting 60 people on a flight to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. Along with the 13 other people they did this with, they became known as the Stansted 15 after being found guilty of endangering the safety of an aerodrome. They were sentenced today, following a judicial process that has been hanging over them for almost two years. They tell us whether it’s all been worth it and BBC Home Affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani helps us to decide whether they made a difference.Producer: Duncan Barber. Editor: John Shields. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast.

It’s been called the trial of the century. The Mexican drug kingpin El Chapo has been in court in New York for the past few months accused of smuggling hundreds of tons of narcotics into the United States. The trial has given us the best glimpse yet into life inside one of the world’s biggest drugs gangs - the Sinaloa Cartel named after the state in Mexico where it was founded. If you wrote a Hollywood movie about a notorious drug lord it wouldn’t be far off what we’ve found out about the life of El Chapo through the evidence presented in court. The BBC’s New York reporter Nada Tawfik has been covering the trial since it began. Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by: Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

A mother was convicted last week of mutilating her 3 year old daughter’s genitals. It’s been illegal for more than 30 years, but the women, who can’t be named, is the first person to be convicted of FGM. She’ll be sentenced next month. Anna Collinson and Jessica Furst work for the Victoria Derbyshire programme, they tell us how they got caught up in the story when they received an email about the case. We also hear from Nimco Ali, who is a leading campaigner against FGM. She tells us about her experience and why she believes this case is so important.

In the past few years what we think of as normal has changed completely. Ideas and personalities once considered fringe have become mainstream and extreme attitudes seem more acceptable. So who defines the new normal and what will the consequences be? We speak to Peter Pomerantsev from the London School of Economics, who has made a documentary for Radio 4 on the subject. He’s also the author of "Nothing is True and Everything is Possible". He tells us why politicians and the media need to change and why Russia was ahead of the game. Producer: Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Once a futuristic symbol of all that Venezuela could become, a building called El Helicoide in the country’s capital is now the headquarters of the intelligence services and a prison for political prisoners. We speak to Karenina Velandia, who has been investigating the prison, about the dramatic collapse of the once-wealthy country she grew up in. You can read her report here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-46864864Producer: Heidi Pett

Apple reported falling sales of the iPhone this week. A category-defining product since its launch in 2007, other smartphone makers have largely been playing catch up. The company is blaming a slowdown in China for the fall in revenues, but it also faces serious competition on price and design from China and beyond. Jen Copestake from BBC Click assesses Apple’s dwindling dominance and what that could mean for the company and its customers. Producers: Duncan Barber and Philly Beaumont.

We’ve been hearing a lot about R. Kelly since a documentary came out in the US earlier this month detailing allegations of abuse and sex with underage girls, spanning several decades. These are allegations he denies. We spoke to veteran music reporter Jasmine Dotiwala, documentary maker Joyce Trozzo, and Hollywood music lawyer Dina LaPolt to explore whether things are really going to change in the music industry.

When 15 year old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died after eating a baguette from Pret containing sesame seeds, a campaign to get better food labelling was launched. Now the Government has started a consultation into strengthening current labelling laws to protect allergy sufferers. But are we getting more allergic to food and what scientific research is being done to find out why some people have more extreme reactions than others? The BBC’s health and science correspondent James Gallagher takes us through the biology. Mixed by Weidong Lin, additional mixing by Nicolas Raufast. Producer Jaja Muhammad. Editor John Shields.

Korean culture is increasingly playing a bigger role in our lives: We eat Korean BBQ, watch Korean dramas, and buy Korean cosmetics. But the big drive behind the Korean wave is Korean Pop, better known as K-pop. The country’s music industry is taking the world by storm, penetrating the top music charts in Europe and North America. With the help of journalists, Tamar Herman and Jenna Gibson, and K-pop industry expert Bernie Cho, we ask who made Korea cool? Producers: Georgia Coan and Seren Jones Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Izzy Posen looks and seems like a normal student. But his life before university was far from the norm. He grew up in an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish community in North London, speaking no English and attending an illegal school. This is the story of a man who chose to leave everything he knew behind, and the freedom and anguish that came with that decision. Reporter: Alice Porter Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by: Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

When toddler James Bulger was abducted from a shopping centre in Merseyside in 1993 and murdered by two ten-year-old boys the country was appalled. Now a new short film has been made and nominated for an Oscar. ‘Detainment’ uses the original police interviews with the boys as a basis for the drama. It’s causing a lot of controversy as the family weren’t consulted and now want people to boycott it. We hear about the original trial from Winfred Robinson, who covered the story for the BBC, and Entertainment Correspondent Colin Paterson, who has seen the Oscar-nominated film.Producers: Duncan Barber and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Politics on both sides of the Atlantic feels a bit stuck. The government in the US has been shut down for the longest period in its history and politicians here can’t agree on how to make Brexit work. But there are people challenging existing power structures. Last week we heard from Gina Martin, the 27 year old who has got a law banning upskirting through Parliament. And today we’re talking about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She’s only been in office for a few weeks, but she’s already using her social media superstardom to shape political conversation in the US. WNYC political reporter Brigid Bergin and Jon Ossoff, who ran for Congress in 2017, consider whether AOC is an anomaly or part of a wider movement of change.Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

The third Monday in January is known as Blue Monday as a combination of money worries and winter weather push us to a collective low. Seventy per cent of the country also think things are getting worse, according to a poll from Ipsos Mori. But that’s not actually the case - in many circumstances life has improved. Rachel Schraer from BBC Reality Check and Joey D’Urso, a producer in the BBC political unit, tell us there are many reasons to be cheerful. They should know. They’ve seen the stats.Producers: Philly Beaumont and Lucy Hancock.Editor: John Shields.

Jon Ronson’s new podcast ‘The Last Days of August’ explores the reasons behind the death of the famous porn performer August Ames, who killed herself in 2017. It is a sad story that casts light on an industry of outsiders who support each other under difficult circumstances. We also spoke to Jon about how the internet transformed pornography and what we can all learn from that. He also tells us why porn films have such weird titles and how people react to his distinctive voice.Producer: Duncan BarberEditor: John ShieldsMixed by Nicolas Raufast

Gina Martin is a 27-year-old woman with a full time job. Two years ago a stranger at a festival took a photo up her skirt without her permission. After she discovered there was no law preventing it, she found herself in Parliament, campaigning for politicians change it. This week the upskirting law was officially passed. Gina tells us what it took to win.

The UN say there are as many people with intersex traits in the world as people with red hair. All over the world, children with intersex traits are being operated on to be sex assigned at birth. The BBC’s gender and identity correspondent Megha Mohan has met the people at the forefront of the intersex identity debate including Rosie, a six year-old with ambiguous genitalia, and those leading the way in Kenya. She tells us about sex, its misunderstood relationship with gender and asks who should be making those big decisions about who we are. Producer: Lucy Hancock. Editor: John Shields

As MPs prepare to vote on the Prime Minister’s Brexit plan, we get the view from outside parliament. We speak to protesters on both sides who think that the current situation is getting embarrassing and shows the country in a bad light. We also hear from bemused tourists and speak to the BBC World Service’s Rob Watson on how he is reporting the country’s “biggest political crisis since World War Two”.Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber.Editor: John Shields.Mixed by Nico Raufast.

Andy Murray’s defeat at the Australian Open today might have been his last ever match as a professional tennis player. Even with a very dodgy hip, he showed the fight and determination characteristic of his career to make it a five set thriller. He’s clearly one of Britain’s greatest sports stars, but there’s a lot we can learn from him irrespective of our talent with a tennis racquet. Simon Mundie from the Don’t Tell me the Score podcast explains how we can all be more like Andy Murray. Producers: Harriet Noble and Georgia Coan Mixed by: Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

Nish Kumar has made his career trying to make us laugh about the news. He talks to Matthew Price about what it’s like to be a Remainer on the tour and how he enraged some Leave voters into unplugging his mic.Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Producers: Lucy Hancock and Jaja Muhammad. Editor: John Shields.

The announcement by Jaguar Land Rover that it is cutting 4,500 job has been blamed on falling car sales in China, uncertainty about Brexit and the future of diesel. But what’s the longer term picture when it comes to the car industry? Rapid improvements in electric battery and self-driving technology mean that cars will change enormously in the coming years according to experts. Plus the public floatation of Uber this year is raising big questions about who controls transport in the future and whether we’ll even want to own our own cars. The BBC’s Justin Rowlatt tells us how it could happen. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producers: Seren Jones, Philly Beaumont Editor: John Shields.

Across the country networks of so-called paedophile hunters are working to catch child sex offenders. They pose as boys and girls online, arranging to meet with men and then circulating videos of these “stings” online. Around 150 charges have been brought because of their work, but the naming and shaming extends to innocent families too. Andy Smythe and Catrin Nye from the Victoria Derbyshire Programme tell us the story of a paedophile hunter and the daughter of a man who was caught. Producers: Heidi Pett and Harriet Noble Mixed by: Nico Raufast Editor: John Shields

Now when talk about R Kelly, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey we always focus on victims and alleged abusers… but what about all the people who may have stood by and allowed an abuse of power, something they knew was wrong, to happen? Are we all guilty, and when we do witness abuse, what can we do to stop it? Producers: Philly Beaumont and Lucy Hancock. Contributors: Ione Wells, Jackson Katz and Noor Fadel Editor: John Shields

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