Avian flu has devastated poultry farms and wild bird populations around the world and now it's spread to mammals such as mink and seals. Cases in humans have been rare but worryingly fatal in more than half of the recorded incidences.  How worried should we be about the risk of a new global pandemic? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are:  Wendy Barclay, Head of the Department of Infectious Disease and Chair in Influenza Virology at Imperial College London
Dr Wendy Puryear, Molecular virologist, Tufts University 
Prof Ian Brown, Head of Virology at the Animal and Plant Health Agency
Marion Koopmans, Head of the Department of Virology at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Cecilia Armstrong and Ben Carter
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Maria Ogundele
Sound mix: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Richard Vadon

How worried should we be about avian flu?

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news

News

David Aaronovitch and guests assess the latest developments in Ukraine. In 2022, Russia was expected to win the war easily. That didn't happen. But is Russia gaining the upper hand now?  Guests: James Waterhouse, BBC’s Ukraine Correspondent
Polina Ivanova, FT correspondent covering Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia
Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence Studies at Kings College London and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy
Ann Marie Dailey, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and policy researcher at RAND  Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineers: Neil Churchill

Ukraine: Who's winning the war?

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the current financial crisis facing UK universities and ask what can be done about it. Guests: Branwen Jeffreys, BBC Education Editor
Nick Hillman, Director of The Higher Education Policy Institute
Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford and member of the Migration Advisory Committee
Alan Manning, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight, Miriam Quayyum and Ben Carter
Editors: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineers: Neil Churchill

How much trouble are UK universities in?

The H5N1 strain of avian flu isn't new. It was discovered in China in 1996. But in recent years it's started passing from mammal to mammal and it's now rife on cattle farms in the United States. How much should humans worry? David Aaronovitch speaks to: Professor Wendy Barclay, action medical research chair in virology at Imperial College London
Kai Kupferschmidt, science journalist and molecular biologist
Dr Caitlin Rivers, epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Professor Ian Brown, avian virology group at The Pirbright Institute Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter
Editors: Richard Vadon and Emma Rippon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar

Avian flu is evolving but what risk does it pose to us?

David Aaronovitch and guests explore the troubled state of the water industry in the UK. How do companies solve the sewage problem, fix the leaks and reduce the debt mountain? Guests:  Kate Bayliss, research associate in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London
David Hall, visiting professor in the Public Services International Research Unit at the University of Greenwich
Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Energy at the University of Oxford 
Julie Bygraves, public policy analyst and expert on utility finance Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineers: Neil Churchill and Graham Puddifoot

Why is the water industry in so much trouble?

Democrats and Republicans have promised to solve the border crisis in recent times but they've failed and it remains a huge election issue. How does the problem get resolved? David Aaronovitch talks to: Gustavo Solis, investigative border reporter at KPBS television station in San Diego
Doris Meissner is Senior Fellow and Director, U.S. Immigration Policy Program 
Edward Alden, senior fellow at the Council on Fore­­­ign Relations and author of When the World Closed Its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders  Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineers: Neil Churchill

How worried should we be about avian flu?

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