The Briefing Room

This month exam results are published, and millions of young people will be hoping that they will do well enough to get into their chosen university. But students don't only need good grades to succeed - they also need money. Ever since the expansion of higher education in the late 20th century, the way we pay for universities and their students has been through many changes. But now, the system is broken, critics say: tuition fees and student loans are too expensive, and the whole system is too opaque. This week, the head of one elite university group called for the return of maintenance grants. So what's wrong with student finance, and how can it be made to work better? David Aaronovitch and his guests discuss.

In May, what was billed as the biggest ever overhaul of train timetables led to widespread rail disruption - why has this new timetable caused such rail chaos this summer? Since then, passengers travelling on the services of two rail franchises - Govia Thameslink and Northern - have suffered weeks of cancellations and delays. The overhaul was aimed at improving punctuality and boosting capacity, but what passengers got was hundreds of trains removed from service as the franchises struggled to cope with the planned changes. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has defended his handling of the situation and pointed the finger at the rail industry - but who is really responsible? And can long-suffering passengers trust that the disruption will finally be brought to an end - and not repeated?David Aaronovitch assesses what led to such chaos on the railway and what the disruption says about the state of Britain's railways.CONTRIBUTORSTony Miles, Modern Railways magazine Dieter Helm CBE, Professor of Economic Policy at Oxford University.Lord Adonis, former Transport Secretary and former Chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission.

Imran Khan has claimed victory in Pakistan's election - but what will he be able to change? Khan is better known internationally for his exploits on the cricket field than in the political arena.On the surface his ascent to power represents significant change. Politics in Pakistan has been dominated for decades by two families: one, of Nawaz Sharif, the last man to be elected prime minister, the other, of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter, Benazir. Khan has ties to neither dynasty so appears to break the mould. But there is another constant in Pakistani politics: the army. Most observers agree that Khan owes his success to military support, and many believe he will be able to govern only with military approval. David Aaronovitch assesses the significance of his remarkable result.CONTRIBUTORSAyesha Jalal, professor of history at Tufts University, MassachusettsShahzeb Jillani, senior executive editor, Dunya TVHusain Haqqani, former Pakistan ambassador to the United StatesProf Katharine Adeney, director of the Asia Research Institute at the University of NottinghamProducer: Tim Mansel.

Dominic Raab, the recently appointed Brexit Secretary has been in Brussels this week - his first visit since replacing David Davis, who resigned after the cabinet had apparently agreed on a document that represented a UK proposal for its future relationship with Brussels. The Chequers document was the basis for the White Paper presented by the government last week, but the White Paper was undermined almost immediately by two days of dramatic interventions in parliament. So is what was agreed at Chequers really the basis of the UK's negotiating position? David Aaronovitch discusses this week's political and technical developments.CONTRIBUTORSAdrian Wooldridge, political editor of The Economist and author of the Bagehot columnJill Rutter, former Treasury and Number 10 civil servant and now programme director at the Institute of GovernmentPatrick Smith, Europe editor of the Irish Times

Should NATO plan for a future without the United States? President Trump has long complained that some European members of the organisation have been getting a free ride from the USA after failing to meet their commitment to spend two per cent of their national income on defence.At the NATO meeting on Wednesday he raised the ante, saying he wanted the two per cent to be raised to four per cent. The rhetoric from the White House has raised fears that the Trump administration might consider withdrawing from NATO altogether. David Aaronovitch asks to what extent are European NATO members getting a free ride and could they defend themselves without US support? He assesses the current threat to NATO and asks how the military alliance strengthens its European members and how the United States benefits from membership. CONTRIBUTORSElisabeth Braw, expert on European security at the consultancy Control RisksNick Childs, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic StudiesFilippo Costa Buranelli, School of International Relations at the University of St AndrewsTomas Valasek, former Slovakian permanent representative to NATOHeather Conley, served in the US State Department during the George W. Bush administrationProducers: Tim Mansel, Serena Tarling and Olivia Beazley

What will Britain's relationship with the EU look like after Brexit? On Friday the cabinet meets in Chequers and the Prime Minister needs to unite her ministers to coalesce around a single approach to negotiations with the EU. What might that approach look like? Is the so-called Norway option back on the table? What would that mean and how might it work? ContributorsCatherine Barnard - Professor of European Law at the University of CambridgeLiv Monica Stubholt - partner at Norwegian Law firm Selmer, and an expert on Norway-EU relationsJohn Erik Fossum - Professor at the ARENA Centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo, Peter Spiegel - News editor, Financial Times and former Brussels Bureau chief.

How well equipped is Britain today to defend itself both at home and overseas?Britain's armed forces are struggling to maintain numbers. According to the National Audit Office there is a shortfall of more than 8,000 among military personnel and there is a significant shortage of personnel with skills in critical areas. The Army is at its lowest level since the days it was preparing to confront Napoleon, unable to meet even the reduced requirement of 82,000 regulars. Several reasons are cited: the lack of a current war to act as a recruiting sergeant, a recruitment process that's not working well, discontent within the ranks and a higher number of people leaving the forces than normal. We examine these causes and ask what effect the shortages have both on the battlefield and strategically. Contributors:Mike Martin, former captain in the Royal Yeomanry and author of 'Why We Fight'Anthony King, chair in War Studies at Warwick University and former civilian adviser to General Sir Nick CarterBen Barry, a former British infantry officer and now senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in LondonMandy Hickson, former RAF pilot

Does the new Italian government really pose a danger for the Eurozone and the European Union? There has been much to-ing and fro-ing in Rome this week as the two parties which finished up ahead in Italy's election in March have tried to persuade the president to approve their coalition government. The parties are unlikely populist allies: the anti- establishment Five Star Movement and The League, which started life as a secessionist movement in the north of Italy. Both parties reject economic austerity. They want to lower taxes and raise government debt further. This is causing alarm bells to ring in EU capitals. Were Italy to prove unable or unwilling to cut its budget deficit, the potential for a new crisis in the Eurozone looms. Italy, say some commentators, could drag other countries, such as Spain and Greece, down with it.It is unprecedented in a country that was one of the founder members of the EEC, the EU's forerunner, to have Eurosceptic leaders at the helm. CONTRIBUTORSProfessor John Foot, a historian specialising in Italy at the University of BristolJacopo Iacoboni, author of L'Esperimento, a book about the Five Star MovementCristina Marconi, a journalist on the newspaper Il MessaggeroFerdinando Giugliano, a columnist and leader writer on European economics for Bloomberg OpinionJudy Dempsey, a former Brussels correspondent and now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Europe think tank.Image: Italian lawyer Giuseppe Conte addresses journalists after a meeting with Italy's President Sergio Mattarella on May 23, 2018 Credit: VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images.

One year into his presidency, can Emmanuel Macron succeed in reforming France where his predecessors have failed? The Briefing Room visits Paris to find out what President Macron stands for and whether his reforms are likely to take root. Does En Marche - the political movement which helped President Macron get elected - have what it takes to change the face of French politics. David Aaronovitch is joined by:Pierre Briançon, Chief Economics Correspondent at Politico EuropeAdam Plowright, France correspondent at AFP and author of 'The French Exception'Delphine O, LREM MP at the French National AssemblySophie Pedder, Paris Bureau Chief at The Economist and author of forthcoming biography 'Revolution Française'Bruno Jeanbart, Deputy Managing Director of OpinionWayAlexander Bregman, CEO, InvitlyCharlotte Muller, CEO, LeService.

Why do we get through so many Home Secretaries?It may be one of the great offices of state, but many British politicians regard the job of Home Secretary with dread. As one former holder of the post put it "there grew a view that the Home Office was a graveyard for politicians". After the resignation of its latest incumbent, Amber Rudd, what is it about the Home Office that makes it such a challenging government department to lead?For this week's programme David Aaronovitch is joined by:Michael Cockerell, political documentary makerErica Consterdine, research fellow at the University of Sussex Professor Nick Pearce, director of the Institute for Policy Research at the University of BathJill Rutter, programme director at the Institute for Government Sue Cameron, writer and broadcaster who covers Whitehall.

Some 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year, where it can be lethal to marine life. Governments and businesses have vowed to take action to curb it. But Just how serious is the problem of plastic waste, and what can be done to tackle it? David Aaronovitch is joined by:Susan Freinkel, author of 'Plastic: A Toxic Love Story'Jan Piotrowski, environment correspondent for the EconomistRob Opsomer, researcher, Ellen Macarthur FoundationChris Cheeseman, Professor of Materials Resource Engineering, Imperial College, London Sabine Pahl, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Plymouth.

After the missile strikes by the US, France and Britain on Syria, Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, condemned the attacks and warned that any more would bring chaos to world affairs. With relations between Russia and the West at their lowest ebb for decades, are we about to see the start of a new Cold War? And if so, what should the 'rules of engagement' be? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Gabriel Gatehouse - BBC Correspondent Alexander Baunov - senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center Neil Buckley - Financial Times Eastern Europe editor and former Moscow bureau chiefSir Lawrence Freedman - Emeritus Professor of War Studies at Kings CollegeProfessor Angela Stent - Georgetown University and a former US State Department official.

London's murder rate overtook that of New York in February and March this year, and the violent crime rate seems to be rising in other parts of the UK too. There's much debate about the causes, with suggestions that austerity, gang culture, social media, drugs and family breakdown are all to blame. But what is the reality behind the headlines? David Aaronovitch is joined by expert guests to discuss why violent crime is rising and look at possible remedies. CONTRIBUTORSProfessor Susan McVie - Statistical Criminologist at Edinburgh UniversityDr Victor Olisa - former Chief Superintendent in the Metropolitan PoliceKaryn McCluskey - Chief Executive of Community Justice Scotland. Mark Easton - BBC Home EditorPhil Mackie - BBC Midlands Correspondent.

According to US President Donald Trump "trade wars aren't so bad". Recently his government surprised the world by announcing unexpected big increases in import taxes - or tariffs - on steel and aluminium. Mr Trump believes that this is one way to do something about America's huge trade deficit, which he says stems from the nation being "taken advantage of" by other countries for decades. The US also threatened tariff increases on a huge range of other products, including many from China. The Chinese government responded in kind, raising tariffs on American imports of everything from cars to ginseng. The row has deeply worried many politicians and business leaders across the world: could this be the start of a new trade war? But what exactly is a trade war - and is it possible to win one? And what are the implications for the UK if the dispute between the US and China escalates?CONTRIBUTORSDr Marc-William Palen, historian at the University of Exeter and author of The 'Conspiracy' of Free Trade.Chad Bown, Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington DC and former White House senior economist. Dr Jue Wang is an expert on the Chinese economy based at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and an associate fellow on the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House.Dr Meredith Crowley, lecturer at the University of Cambridge and research fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research

Radio 4’s Bottom Line and Briefing Room will combine in a special hour-long programme examining the economic and political future of the EU once Britain has left. Evan Davis meets Jean-Claude Trichet – former president of the European Central Bank – and is joined by a panel of business leaders from across the EU. David Aaronovitch will look at the politics of the EU and its future direction. France’s President Macron has outlined a vision of a profoundly transformed and more unified EU. But do all the EU’s members support such a vision? And what might a more integrated bloc on its doorstep mean for Britain?Producers: Tim Mansel, Serena Tarling and Lesley McAlpine

Robert Mueller, the Special Counsel appointed to investigate possible Russian links to the Trump campaign in 2016, last week issued formal charges against three companies and thirteen named individuals. They are all Russian. The 37-page indictment provides a wealth of detail on the scale and ambition of the operation, in which ordinary Americans were manipulated into not only promoting their messages online but even organising political rallies. President Trump responded to the indictment by repeating his assertion that he had never colluded with the Russians. It's not clear that those indicted will ever appear in an American courtroom, but if the allegations are true, they represent unprecedented interference in the American political system and raise questions about future vulnerability. CONTRIBUTORSGordon Corera, BBC security correspondent Molly McKew, expert in information warfare specialising in US-Russia relations, New Media FrontierAndrei Soshnikov, BBC MoscowAsha Rangappa, senior lecturer at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University and former FBI special agent, counterintelligence division.

The capture of two Londoners accused of brutal crimes in Syria has again raised questions about the viability of so-called Islamic State. The two men - El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey - face an uncertain future. Britain has stripped them of their citizenship and has said it doesn't want them to come back to the UK to face trial and so it's unclear what will happen to them. Many countries are now grappling with the issue of what to do with the young men and women who return home from Syria. In fact, data shows that relatively few terror attacks that have taken place around the world in recent years have been conducted by returnees from Syria - although the devastating series of attacks in Paris in November 2015 were perpetrated by people who'd been to Syria. Given the defeat of IS on the battlefield, its loss of territory in the Middle East and the loss of the cities of Mosul and Raqqa we assess the continuing threat IS poses. CONTRIBUTORSFiona de Londras, Professor of Global Legal Studies at Birmingham Law SchoolRichard Barrett, former head of counter-terrorism at the British foreign intelligence service MI6Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Senior Research Fellow in Arabic, Pembroke College, University of OxfordCharlie Winter, Senior Research Fellow, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR), King's College, London

Child services in Northampton are under pressure - and it's partly due to where long-distance lorry drivers choose to take a pee. In fact, Northampton County Council as a whole is under huge financial pressure and earlier this week seven MPs from the county called for government commissioners to take over after the council announced that it would not be able to balance its budget by the end of the financial year - leading it to put a block on any new expenditure. In this programme, David Aaronovitch explores the causes of financial pressures on local authorities (including what lorry drivers have to do with it) and how widespread the financial crisis is throughout England.Where have councils had money cut? Which areas have received increased funding? And what does this ultimately mean for the future of local services? CONTRIBUTORSSam Read, Politics Reporter for BBC Radio NorthamptonRob Whiteman, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and AccountancyJennifer Glover of the Local Government Information Unit - a think tank paid for by local authorities Colin Copus, Professor of Local Government at De Montfort University

Theresa May has been in Beijing this week at the head of a large British trade delegation. China is an important partner for Britain, especially given the UK's imminent departure from the EU. In particular, Beijing is keen for Britain to support its huge infrastructure project initially dubbed the New Silk Road, but now more generally known as the Belt and Road Initiative. China is spending unprecedented sums on building physical infrastructure; roads, railways, ports and even whole cities, not only in its own hinterland, but in many neighbouring countries. But to what end and what is the potential cost for these countries? Should Britain get involved? David Aaronovitch hears eye witness accounts of vast construction projects in Central Asia and Pakistan. And he invites the expert witnesses, Professor Steve Tsang from the School of Oriental and African Studies, Dr Yu Jie of the London School of Economics and James Kynge of the Financial Times to explore Britain's relationship with an increasingly powerful China.

As Turkey launches a new offensive over the border into north-east Syria, David Aaronovitch and guests examine what Turkey, Russia, Iran and the US want from the war in Syria. Which country stands to gain the most? And what is President Bashar al-Assad's calculation? Guests include: Suat Kiniklioglu from the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm. Anna Borschchevskaya from the Washington Institute Seyed Ali Alavi from the London School of Oriental and African Studies Steven Heydemann from Smith College in Massachussetts Lina Khatib from Chatham House.

How does the Parole Board decide whether to release offenders on licence? Should it be more open, especially since the decision to release serial sex offender John Worboys?Nick Hardwick, the Chair of the Parole Board for England and Wales wants its workings to be more transparent in order to boost public confidence. And he thinks we can learn from Canada.David Aaronovitch is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the Parole Board amid public anger over the release of a prominent sex offender. He'll hear, among others, from a former inmate and a current Chair of a Parole Board panel, and will ask whether lifting the lid on the organisation's workings might appease its critics.CONTRIBUTORSDanny Shaw, BBC Home Affairs CorrespondentBen Gunn, former prison inmateLucy Gampell, independent member, Parole Board for England and Wales Mary Campbell, retired Director General, Corrections & Criminal Justice, Department of Public Safety Canada.Professor Nicky Padfield , Director, Cambridge Centre for Criminal Justice.

In its 70th year the NHS is in a winter crisis again. Many people working in the NHS argue successive governments have failed to address what is arguably the biggest problem: funding. David Aaronovitch asks if the public would pay more for the NHS. Is there now a case for a hypothecated tax? Can public support for the NHS withstand a tax rise?CONTRIBUTORS:Dan Wellings, Senior Policy Fellow, The King's Fund Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and Economics at the Health Foundation Sally Gainsbury, Senior Policy Advisor, The Nuffield Trust Sir Julian Le Grand, Professor of Public Policy at the London School of Economics Producer: Serena Tarling.

Twenty people have been killed and hundreds arrested after a series of protests in Iran this week - but what's behind these demonstrations? Iran is a strategically important country and so when protests happen, the world takes notice - but who are the protesters and what do they want? And how will the Iranian government and the outside world respond? CONTRIBUTORSRoham Alvandi, Associate Professor of International History at the London School of Economics and Political ScienceBehrang Tajdin and Jiyar Gol, reporters for the BBC Persian ServiceHassan Hakimian, Director of the Middle East Centre at SOAS, University of London. Azedor Moaveni, Iranian writerProducer: Jim Frank

A group of senior BBC journalists forecast what is likely to happen in 2018 in a discussion chaired by Owen Bennett Jones.Last time they got together they were firmly predicting that Marco Rubio would become the Republican presidential candidate - and that Britain was likely to vote to stay in the EU. So, as the saying goes, making predictions is a tricky business - especially about the future. Yet our experts can at least lay out the parameters for what is likely to happen in the spheres of geopolitics, economics and society more widely - and give us essential tips on what and who to look out for in 2018.CONTRIBUTORSCarrie Gracie, BBC China EditorKevin Connolly, BBC Europe CorrespondentYolande Knell, BBC Middle East CorrespondentJames Robbins, BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Naughtie, BBC Special Correspondent

A year on from their shock defeat in the US presidential elections, David Aaronovitch asks how the US Democratic party is responding to Donald Trump's Presidency and assesses some of the challenges which lie ahead. What new policies is the party developing? Who are the potential presidential candidates waiting in the wings? And can the college-educated elite which dominate the party win back support from America's white working class who gravitated towards Donald Trump in such significant numbers? CONTRIBUTORSJon Sopel, the BBC's North America EditorDr Larry Sabato from the University of VirginiaJoan C Williams, author of the White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America

Has President Trump delivered on the promises he made on the campaign trail?This programme cuts through the White House soap opera which has dominated headlines and asks what has the President actually achieved? David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts look back at some of the pre-election pledges made on a broad range of issues such as tax cuts, the economy, immigration, foreign policy and justice to reveal where the president has made progress - and where and why his plans have stalled. CONTRIBUTORSDonald Marron, director of economic policy initiatives at the Urban Institute in Washington DCJoseph Gagnon, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics Leslie Vinjamuri, associate fellow with the US and the Americas Programme at Chatham HouseMarie Price, professor of geography and international affairs at George Washington University and President of the American Geographical SocietyJudge Shira A. Scheindlin, United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (retired).

What do we really know about Russian 'meddling' in Western democracy?David Aaronovitch asks experts on Russia what the Kremlin is trying to achieve by hacking emails and spreading fake news. Guests include the Gordon Corera, the BBC's Security Correspondent, Kimberly Marten, Director of the Program on U.S.-Russia Relations at Columbia University, Andrei Soldatov, a Russian investigative journalist and Anna Nemtsova, Moscow correspondent for The Daily Beast.

The different factions piling Brexit pressure on Theresa May. Following the failure to reach a deal on the first stage of Brexit earlier this week, David Aaronovitch asks experts why Theresa May seems to have fallen foul of her own side. He'll examine the Brexit demands of different groups in Westminster, Brussels, Edinburgh, Belfast and Dublin and ask which of them has the most influence.Joining the discussion are:Katy Balls, Political Correspondent for The SpectatorAdam Fleming, BBC Brussels CorrespondentMark Devenport, BBC Northern Ireland Political EditorSarah Smith, BBC Scotland Editor

Can Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince radically change the kingdom? Mohammed bin Salman is an ambitious new leader who wants to reshape his country's politics, economy and society. But he faces strong opposition both at home and abroad. David Aaronovitch examines his plans and asks whether they'll work. Joining the discussion this week:Nicolas Pelham, Middle East correspondent for The Economist and author of 'Holy Lands, A New Muslim Order'Rasha Qandeel, presenter of BBC Arabic NewsnightSafa al-Ahmad, an award-winning Saudi Arabian journalist .

Drug resistant infections cause 700,000 deaths a year and it's estimated that could rise to 10 million by 2050 unless major action is taken.David Aaronovitch asks how can an antibiotic crisis can be averted?Joining him in The Briefing Room are: Clare Wilson, medical reporter with The New ScientistLaura Piddock, professor of microbiology at Birmingham UniversityJeremy Knox, head of policy on drug-resistant infections at health charity The Wellcome Trust

President Xi Jinping is said to be China's most powerful leader since Chairman Mao Zedong - so what does he want to do with this power?The Chinese Communist Party started its congress this week, held every five years, unveiling a new generation of political leaders. It is also expected that President Xi Jinping will be accorded the rare honour of seeing his own doctrine - Xi Jinping Thought - being enshrined in China's constitution. Where will that Thought take him and his huge, strategically essential country - and how might this affect the rest of the world? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are:Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and president of the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI)Yanmei Xie, a writer on Chinese politicsLord Jim O'Neill, former UK Treasury Minister and chairman of Goldman Sachs

Is capitalism broken, and if so, what should replace it? David Aaronovitch examines whether the free market is failing, and asks how it could be reformed. He speaks to a range of experts and leading economists including:Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal StudiesGillian Tett, US Managing Editor of the Financial TimesHelen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge UniversityMichael Jacobs, co-editor of Rethinking Capitalism.

Could the crisis over Catalonia lead to the break up of Spain? With political rhetoric from both Barcelona and Madrid intensifying, David Aaronovitch asks a range of experts whether an independent Catalan state is now a possibility. He examines what lies behind the Catalan desire for independence and the impact that a split could have on Spain.Joining David in The Briefing Room:Miguel Murado, a Spanish journalistEduardo Mendoza, one of Spain's best-known authorsDr Rebecca Richards, statehood expert and Professor of International Relations at Keele University.

Are big technology companies out of control, as their rapid growth and influence has made them too big to fail? David Aaronovitch asks if companies such as Facebook, Google and Amazon can be reined in and explores a range of issues including innovation, data, privacy, competition and security. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said his company will hand over to US investigators more than 3,000 advertisements bought by groups with links to Russia – and the Washington Post reported that President Obama had previously warned Mr Zuckerberg about the threat of fake news and political disinformation. On this side of the Atlantic, another tech company - Uber – is now in big trouble with Transport For London over its license to operate in the capital, claiming the company was not “fit and proper”, citing major concerns about its approach to reporting criminal offences and carrying out background checks on drivers.Both cases, and a plethora of others, have raised questions about the way big technology firms operate, and while they arguably bring immeasurable benefits to us in our everyday lives, governments have struggled to keep up with what they’re up to. CONTRIBUTORSJamie Bartlett, technology writer and author of Radicals: Outsiders Changing the WorldJonathan Taplin, author of Move Fast and Break ThingsEileen Burbidge, Chair of Tech City UKRana Foroohar, Financial Times columnist and author of Makers and Takers

Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, says she wants to know why 400,000 Muslim Rohingyas have fled into Bangladesh. The UN says what's going on seems "a textbook case of ethnic cleansing". But why are the Rohingyas facing persecution in the first place and why aren't regional powers in Southeast Asia willing to do more to condemn it and stop it? And ultimately, could this violence develop into something bigger and more dangerous? To discuss these issues David Aaronovitch is joined by expert guests including:Professor Penny Green, Director of the International State Crime InitiativeRichard Horsey, a Myanmar Analyst who advises the International Crisis GroupDr Champa Patel, Head of Asia Programme at Chatham HouseDr Lee Jones from Queen Mary University.

The public sector pay cap is being scrapped after five years - what will it mean for public finances?Prison and police officers will be the first to benefit, but unions have condemned the pay rises - which are less than inflation - as "pathetic". But could this extra money in the pocket of public servants help recruitment and retention in the public sector?To explore these issues David Aaronovitch is joined by expert guests including:Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal StudiesDr Amy Ludlow, a prisons expert at Cambridge UniversitySir Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester PoliceJerry Cope, Chair of the NHS Pay Review Body.

As negotiations between the UK and the EU hit choppy waters, the Briefing Room asks what does the EU want from Brexit and what would be its bottom line? David Aaronovitch is joined by expert guests including:Pascal Lamy, former EU Trade Commissioner and Director General of the World Trade OrganisationDaniela Schwarzer, Head of the German Council on Foreign RelationsJacek Rostowski, former Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister of Poland

Do the United States and its allies really have the technology to stop incoming missiles from North Korea?In the week North Korea tested another ballistic missile - this time it flew over northern Japan - David Aaronovich asks what threat does North Korea's missile programme pose? And beyond North Korea, what are the capabilities of ICBMs? And how effective are missile defence systems? Contributors:Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at Kings College LondonJoseph Cirincione author of Nuclear Nightmares: Securing the World Before It Is Too LateDr Patricia Lewis, a former UN official who specialised in non-proliferationDr Laura Grego from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

How will Artificial Intelligence shape our lives, and what should we do now to prepare for it?AI is all around us in our everyday lives. It's used to make decisions about employment, loans, credit cards and even what we read and listen to. So what are the implications of this revolutionary technology?David Aaronovitch hears from experts in the field including:David Baker, contributing editor to Wired magazineCathy O'Neil, former data scientistPippa Malmgren, founder of H RoboticsRegina Barzilay, computer scientist at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AI laboratory

What do the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, tell us about the strength of the far-right in America? What should the government do to combat domestic extremism? In this week's programme David Aaronovitch asks if there is a white nationalist revival in the United States and what that means for the country's politics. CONTRIBUTORS: J.M. Berger, author, analyst and consultant on extremism. Sandy Hausman, WVTF radio. Christian Picciolini, a former neo-Nazi who is now an anti-extremism campaigner. Leonard Zeskind, a researcher of the American far-right and director of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights Asha Rangappa, former special agent, FBI and now lecturer at Yale Law School.

How did the oil rich state of Venezuela see such a rapid economic decline? Poverty is rife, inflation is running at more than 700 per cent and protests are widespread. President Nicolás Maduro is tightening his hold on power following the appointment of a new national assembly, charged with writing a new constitution.In this week's programme David Aaronovitch asks whether former president Hugo Chavez and president Maduro played a role in compounding the crisis and asks if Venezuela might become a failed state. CONTRIBUTORS Dany Bahar, The Brookings InstitutionAndrea Murta, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center of the Atlantic CouncilMiguel Tinker-Salas, Pomona College, CaliforniaKaty Watson, BBCVladimir Hernandez, BBC.

It's been a tumultuous week in Washington - but to what extent does the chaos in Trump's West Wing matter?Anthony 'The Mooch' Scaramucci was gone in 900,000 seconds - but whoever replaces him will be President Trump's third communications director. His press secretary has resigned, he’s fired his acting attorney general, and he’s on his second chief of staff, John Kelly, a retired general who many hope will bring discipline to a leaky White House. By the standards of almost all modern American politics this seems bizarre, if not catastrophic. But then by the standards of almost all modern American politics Donald Trump would not be president. In this week's edition of The Briefing Room David Aaronovitch takes a step back, and tries to find out what the actual consequences of the dramas of Trump’s West Wing might be.CONTRIBUTORSJonny Dymond, BBC CorrespondentAdam Gingrich, worked on Donald Trump's campaign in PennsylvaniaStephan Halper, former foreign policy advisor to Presidents Nixon, Ford and Reagan and now Emeritus Senior Fellow of the Centre of International Studies Leslie Vinjamuri, Associate Fellow of the Americas programme at Chatham HouseAnthony Zurcher, BBC senior North America reporter

This year almost 100,000 people have arrived in Italy by boat - and more than 2,000 have died trying. The Italians say they can’t cope, but it's a problem which has now been going on for years - so why has nobody solved it?In this week's programme David Aaronovitch asks who are the migrants, where are they coming from, how do they get to Europe and what needs to be done to stop more people dying. CONTRIBUTORSJoel Millman, UN's International Organisation for MigrationTuesday Reitano, Global Initiative against Transnational Organised CrimeMattia Toaldo, European Council on Foreign RelationsElizabeth Collett, Migration Policy Institute Europe

Are Tory divisions temporary or symptomatic of deeper problems? Parliament has broken up for the summer, and the last week has seen Conservative cabinet ministers engaging in open warfare. But are the divisions a temporary crisis, or are they symptomatic of deeper problems in the party? David Aaronovitch speaks to a range of experts and goes beyond the future leadership jostling to see what's really causing the current political climate. He hears from a former adviser to David Cameron who says the Tories are facing an existential threat if they can't win over the under 40s. He then hears from a panel of experts on what policies are needed to lure in younger voters. CONTRIBUTORSTim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of LondonLord Andrew Cooper, former director of strategy to David Cameron Laura Gardiner, senior research and policy analyst at the think tank The Resolution FoundationDavid Skelton, director of Renewal – a campaign group to broaden the appeal of the Conservative party to working-class and ethnic minority voters

Labour will play a crucial role in shaping Britain's exit from the EU now the Conservative government has lost its overall majority. The vast majority of Labour MPs backed Remain ahead of the referendum - but most followed party orders to allow Article 50 to be invoked (the mechanism for leaving the EU). On the day the government publishes the Repeal Bill and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn meets the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, David Aaronovitch asks a range of political experts what Labour wants. He'll look back into the party's history to see if that helps explain today's divisions and he'll be briefed on whether Labour's Brexit wishlist is realistic. CONTRIBUTORS Steven Fielding, Professor of Political History at The University of NottinghamCatherine Barnard, Professor of European Union Law, The University of CambridgeDeborah Mattinson, former advisor to Gordon Brown and founder of think tank Britain ThinksProducers: Phoebe Keane and Beth Sagar-Fenton

The chancellor is facing widespread calls for more spending. Should he listen, or stick to his deficit reduction plan?Senior Conservatives are calling for more public spending on things like public sector pay - but Philip Hammond is committed to what he himself calls 'the long slog of austerity'. David Aaronovitch invites a range of experts into The Briefing Room to help him understand the arguments around public spending, and asks if the UK should ditch austerity?Guests include Paul Johnson from the IFS and economists Ann Pettifor and Tim Besley.

The election was supposed to be a disaster for Jeremy Corbyn - but wasn't. How did Labour turn around its fortunes?Despite coming second and falling 64 seats short of an overall majority, the Labour party increased its share of the vote by nearly ten per cent. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are in crisis and the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister is now being seriously contemplated by people who described him as un-electable just eight weeks ago. David Aaronovitch speaks to leading experts in political history, psephology (the study of elections) and media analysis to understand who voted Labour and why. They explore the influence of changing voter demographics, party leadership, Brexit and social media and asks whether we should view Labour's performance as a success or a failure?

There's a compelling story unfolding in Washington. Last week, President Trump fired the director of the FBI, James Comey. It was a contentious move: Comey was investigating ties between Donald Trump's election campaign and Russia. Some are now asking whether the President's job could be at risk.On this week's Briefing Room, David Aaronovitch unpicks the relationship between Trump and the FBI, and asks where the investigation goes from here. If Trump is determined to make the investigation disappear, could he?With the help of a former FBI Special Agent and expert on national security law and a veteran watcher of Capitol Hill, David Aaronovitch steps into the Briefing Room to make sense of the Trump affair.Guests: Paul Wood, BBC World Affairs Correspondent Asha Rangappa, former FBI Special Agent and current Associate Dean at Yale Law School. Niall Stanage, Associate Editor of the American political newspaper, The Hill.Producer: Neal Razzell Research: Sarah Shebbeare.

David Aaronovitch presents the need-to-know facts on where taxes come from and how they're spent.This edition is a politician-free zone, with non-partisan analysis on how we pay for the UK and the prospects for public services in the future.CONTRIBUTORS:Emily Andrews, senior researcher at the Institute for GovernmentHelen Miller, associate director, Institute for Fiscal StudiesBen Page, director, IPSOS-MoriProducer: Neal Razzell Research: Sarah Shebbeare.

For the first time in over half a century, two insurgents, Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, have broken through France's traditional two party system. This week, voters will decide between two utterly different visions of France, Europe and the world. But how did France get here? What do we need to know about its state, its economy and its changing people? David Aaronovitch steps into the Briefing Room for an anatomy of France. Contributors:Jonathan Fenby: Author of The History of Modern France and Director of European Political Analysis at the TSL research company.Catherine Guilyardi: Journalist for Radio France. Jacques Reland: Senior Research Fellow at the Global Policy Institute at London Metropolitan University. Producer: Xavier Zapata