Best of Today

Best of Today

Insight, analysis and expert debate as key policy makers are challenged on the latest news stories.

  • Updated:
    Daily
  • Average duration:
    9 minutes

Subscribe to this podcast and automatically receive the latest episodes.

More help with subscribing

Recent episodes (10)

  • Politicians 'play language game'

    Thu, 9 Jul 09

    Duration:
    6 mins

    Is the language politicians and policy makers use clear or confusing? The Public Administration Committee is today holding a public hearing on how the government uses, and misuses, language. Matthew Parris, Times columnist and former MP, and linguistics expert Professor David Crystal discuss the evidence they will give to the committee.

    Download 3MB (right click & "save target as")

  • News of the World 'bugging' claim

    Thu, 9 Jul 09

    Duration:
    17 mins

    The Guardian newspaper alleges that News International, which owns the News Of The World, has secretly paid more than £1m in out-of-court settlements after its journalists were accused of involvement in phone hacking. Media correspondent Torin Douglas, and Andrew Neil, a veteran of News International and former Editor of the Sunday Times discuss whether phone hacking has become commonplace in modern journalism. Following the allegations, John Prescott called for David Cameron to get rid of his director of communications, Andy Coulson, who was the News of the World editor at the time of the scandal. Political editor Nick Robinson and former home secretary Charles Clarke discuss whether Mr Coulson should be held responsible.

    Download 8MB (right click & "save target as")

  • Nick Clegg - UK 'lacks strategy' in Afghanistan

    Thu, 9 Jul 09

    Duration:
    9 mins

    Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has questioned whether the government has the political will to see through the UK's military campaign in Afghanistan. Correspondent Ian Pannell reports from Afghanistan where he is with US troops fighting in Helmand. Nick Clegg discusses the government's tactics in Afghanistan.

    Download 4MB (right click & "save target as")

  • 'Sceptical' over lab sperm claim

    Wed, 8 Jul 09

    Duration:
    7 mins

    Scientists in Newcastle say they have achieved a world first by creating human sperm in a laboratory. The researchers believe the work could eventually help men with fertility problems to conceive. But other experts question the breakthrough. Professor Karim Nayernia, who has been leading the research at the University of Newcastle, and Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in Andrology at the University of Sheffield, discuss the viability of the research.

    Download 3MB (right click & "save target as")

  • 'Tangible success' in Afghanistan war

    Wed, 8 Jul 09

    Duration:
    9 mins

    UK forces are on a major offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Ian Pannell reports from the front line and Lt Col Nick Richardson discusses troop moral following the deaths of six soldiers in the last week.

    Download 5MB (right click & "save target as")

  • Accounts of Xinjiang violence

    Tue, 7 Jul 09

    Duration:
    8 mins

    Chinese police have arrested more than 1,400 people in connection with rioting in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang region, state media says. The Chinese government has blamed exiled separatists for the unrest. Correspondent Quentin Sommerville reports from pro-government protests in Urumqi. Liu Weimin, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in London, discusses whether there is evidence of outside involvement.

    Download 4MB (right click & "save target as")

  • Social housing discrimination 'is a myth'

    Tue, 7 Jul 09

    Duration:
    13 mins

    Claims that immigrants are given unfair access to social housing have been discounted in a new study. The report, by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), says that immigrants who have moved to the UK in the last five years account for less than 2% of social housing. EHRC director of policy, Andrea Murray and Housing Minister John Healey discuss the report.

    Download 6MB (right click & "save target as")

  • Tower block design questioned

    Mon, 6 Jul 09

    Duration:
    7 mins

    A local politician has called for an investigation into the safety of tower blocks across the country following the death of six people in a fire at a south London high-rise. Jenny Jones, chair of the London Assembly planning and housing committee and Sunand Prasad, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, discuss the concerns about the safety of tower blocks of similar design.

    Download 3MB (right click & "save target as")

  • Cameron promises end to quango 'empire building'

    Mon, 6 Jul 09

    Duration:
    11 mins

    Conservative leader David Cameron is to pledge to reduce the number of unelected quangos in a speech to the Reform think tank. He discusses how a Conservative government would cut the 790 quangos, which currently cost £35bn a year.

    Download 6MB (right click & "save target as")

  • Buzz Aldrin tells of moon landing

    Fri, 3 Jul 09

    Duration:
    7 mins

    Buzz Aldrin was the second man to step foot on the surface of the moon in July 1969. Forty years on from the Apollo 11 mission to the moon we take you back to when President Richard Nixon talks to Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong. And Buzz Aldrin talks about his new book "Magnificent Desolation".

    Download 4MB (right click & "save target as")

Terms of Use

The BBC Podcasts are for your personal non-commercial use only.

All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the BBC Podcasts shall remain the property of the BBC or third parties. You may not edit, alter, adapt or add to the BBC Podcast in any way. The BBC Podcasts are made available by the BBC on an "as is" and "as available" basis and the BBC gives no warranty of any kind in relation to the BBC Podcast. To the maximum extent permitted by law the BBC will not be liable for any loss or damage which you may suffer as a result of or connected to the download or use of the BBC Podcasts.

See the full Standard Licence Terms here.

Play recent episodes

You may also like

View

Analysis
  • Factual > Politics
  • Factual > Science & Nature
  • News

Analysis makes sense of the ideas that change the world. What made Islam political, whether the Government can make us go green, why we think the market in human organs is repugnant are just some of

Mon, 6 Jul 09

28 minutes

View

Americana: inside the USA
  • Factual
  • News

An insider’s guide to the stories shaping the USA today. Every Sunday, at 7.15pm, presenter Matt Frei will be joined in the Washington DC studio by an eclectic panel of guests for a thought

Mon, 6 Jul 09

27 minutes

Genres

Explore the BBC

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.