It’s always been difficult to get a book published. But is it especially difficult now if you’re man who writes fiction? That’s the claim being made by some who say female authors are squeezing their male counterparts off the bookshelves. So who decides which books get published?

Just a few years ago the gender gap in book publishing was seen as an issue to address, with many publishing houses focussed on boosting women authors. Has it all gone too far? Are men, especially straight, white men, now being locked out of telling their stories? And what might that mean for society?

Presenter: Adam Fleming

A new law to bolster workers' rights by making it an employer's job to prevent staff being harassed by customers and clients, as well as fellow colleagues, has been criticised by some as an attack on free speech.

An extension of workers' rights, designed to further protect them from harassment on the job, has been criticised as an attack on free speech.

The Employment Rights Bill, first tabled in October 2024, would make it an employer's responsibility to prevent harassment of their staff by customers, clients and members of the public, as well as fellow colleagues.

Some argue the bill, which is not yet law, would effectively outlaw banter - particularly in settings like pubs - and pressure companies to more closely monitor conversations. Others welcome the plans, arguing that workplace harassment is rife and that banter is often used as an excuse for discriminatory and upsetting behaviour.

We go through the proposed changes, look at examples where banter has been used as a defence in court, and explore the origins and evolution of the word itself.

Presenter: Adam Fleming

Government ministers have been trying to promote grit among young people in England as part of proposals to improve young people's mental health and increase school attendance.

Dr Lydia Marshall, head of research at the education consultancy Oxford Measured, tells Adam about the long and winding history

The government has launched a new initiative to help teachers address a crisis in mental health among young people and a sharp drop in school attendance since the pandemic. The Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says she wants schools to teach children greater "grit and resilience" to handle "life's ups and downs".

Is this the promotion of an important life skill or the latest gimmick burdening teachers?

Presenter: Adam Fleming

In the last few weeks Adam has been noticing things popping up on his social media timeline tagged with the word “Yookay”, which is supposed to be a reference to how UK is pronounced in a multicultural London accent. The content is a combination of pictures of streets or public transport and sometimes videos. So what's going on? I spoke to Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan, analyst at the thinktank the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, who researches anti-migrant sentiment online.

As the Prime Minister announced reforms to the UK's immigration system, he warned that without these changes we risk becoming an "island of strangers". This has drawn criticism comparing his remarks to historical examples of inflammatory language on immigration. Others say this comparison is unfair and his comments were part of a sensible conversation about immigration.

Presenter: Adam Fleming

A group of Labour MP's say they're opposed to government plans to cut the benefits paid to disabled people, with a lot of the online debate focusing on PIP - Personal Independence Payments. BBC journalist Emma Tracey presents the BBC's disability and mental health podcast, Access All, she explains what these payments are, how they can be used and who is eligible to claim.

There's a row in the Labour Party about cutting the benefits paid to disabled people. Ministers say they're trying to manage a budget that's ballooning. That's partly because of more claims from the young and from people with mental health conditions. But others say that these payments are lifelines for people with both mental and physical disabilities.

Presenter: Adam Fleming