Beyond Today

The post-apocalyptic thriller Bird Box dropped on Netflix just before Christmas with little promotion. But soon it was all over social media, with memes and jokes about its blindfolded cast, and people attempting the “Bird Box challenge” – going about their daily lives with blindfolds on. Netflix tweeted that Bird Box had the best first week ever for a Netflix film, surprising because the network doesn’t usually reveal the number of views it gets. What does Bird Box’s success tell us about the hold that Netflix has over our viewing habits and choices? Radio 1 film critic Ali Plumb explains. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Producers: Harriet Noble and Georgia Coan. Editor: John Shilelds.

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 ShieldsIf 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-healthMixed 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-supportProducers: 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.