Best of Today

By BBC Radio 4

Listen to selected highlights from the Today programme.

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FAQs about Best of Today:

How many episodes does Best of Today have?

The podcast currently has 583 episodes available.

Best of Today episodes:

August 18, 2022 Journalist's killer to be sentenced in US court on Friday
One of the British members of a terror group known as the 'Beatles' linked to so-called Islamic State is to be sentenced in an American court tomorrow. El Shafee Elsheikh was linked to the abduction, torture and beheading of several IS hostages in Syria, including journalists and aid workers.
On the eve of the sentencing, Today's Justin Webb spoke to Diane Foley, whose son James, an American journalist, was murdered by IS in 2014.
(Image: James Foley, Image Credit: AP)
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7min
August 17, 2022 Monkeypox has plateaued but some vaccine shortages possible.
The head of the UK Health Security Agency says there are early signs that the monkeypox outbreak in the UK has plateaued. Speaking to Today’s Mishal Husain, Dame Jenny Harries said cases over the past four weeks had started to steadily decrease, but officials were staying vigilant. However, she added vaccines may run out in some areas for a short period. Officials previously estimated that some 40,000 people in at-risk groups would require the jab, but Harries told Today this may have been an "under-estimate".
(IMAGE CREDIT:REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)
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9min
August 16, 2022 Head of the regulator Ofwat, says water companies need to 'up their game'.
The head of the water regulator, Ofwat, has insisted the watchdog is committed to holding water companies to account.
David Black told this programme he would not hesitate to take enforcement action if providers failed to fix leaks.
He added that some companies needed to 'up their game'.
Water companies have faced mounting anger over failure to keep up with demand during the recent heatwave.
Today’s Mishal Husain spoke to David Black and asked him if the targets set for water companies are tough enough.
(Image, Dried up river bed, Credit, PA/ Andrew Matthews)
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14min
August 15, 2022 Keir Starmer on plans to freeze energy cap
Sir Keir Starmer has said families would "not pay a penny more" on their energy bills this winter under Labour's plans to tackle rising living costs.
The Labour leader claimed his proposals would save the average household £1,000 a year.
The package would be paid for, in part, by a big increase in tax on oil and gas company profits.
But critics said the plan would cost as much as the Covid furlough scheme and was not a long-term solution.
Today’s Martha Kearney spoke to Sir Keir Starmer about the plans.
(Image, Keir Starmer, Credit, Henry Nicholls, Reuters)
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18min
August 15, 2022 One year since Taliban fighters took control of Afghanistan
It is one year since Taliban fighters swept into the Afghan capital Kabul.
Of all the issues which symbolise Taliban rule it is the treatment of Afghan women and girls. The Taliban has said it's trying to find a solution to the issue of girls attending secondary school.
The Today programme’s Lyse Doucet reflects on how life has changed here, especially for women living with rules about where they can’t work, what they must wear…
(Image, Taliban fighters with flag, Reuters, Ali Khara)
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22min
August 13, 2022 Salman Rushdie Attack
It has been 33 years since the fatwa from Iran that meant author, Salman Rushdie, had to go into hiding. In recent years, be began resuming his life but, as we saw in a violent demonstration in New York state yesterday, the threat never went away. Today’s Mishal Husain spoke with crossbench peer and close friend of Salman Rushdie, Baroness Frances D’Souza, who led his defence after the Fatwa in 1989, working with the Human Rights group ‘Article 19’ at the time. Mishal also spoke with writer and close friend, Lisa Appignanesi, who is the former president of English PEN which supports writers at risk and freedom of expression.
(Image: Salman Rushdie court case, Credit: Lewis Whyld)
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2h 4min
August 12, 2022 What is the solution to diminishing water supply?
Why on earth are we in such a mess over water supply?
A new hosepipe ban begins today in some parts of the UK, with some complaining that the bans are an outrage given the level of wastage from the companies but others suggesting that there ought to be wider bans to protect our rivers which they say are dying as we drain them dry. There's also going to be a meeting of the water firms and Natural England and the Environment Agency to discuss declaring a drought in some parts of England -- the National Drought Group as they are known could seize some control over the short term response.
Today's Justin Webb spoke with the chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper, and Labour peer and former chief executive of the Environment Agency, Baroness Barbara Young about the possible short and long term solutions.
(Image: UK drought threat real, Credit: Tolga Akmen)
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18min
August 11, 2022 CEO of Ryanair Group, Michael O’Leary
Michael O’Leary has been Chief Executive of Ryanair since 1994, and was appointed CEO of Ryanair Holdings, Europe’s largest airline group, in 2019.
He’s been speaking to Today’s business presenter Sean Farrington about his unhappiness with post-Brexit Britain, the impact of inflation on his business, and why we’ve probably seen the last of the €10 flight.
(Image, Michael O'Leary; Credit, Getty Images)
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35min
August 10, 2022 The Snowman illustrator Raymond Briggs dies at 88
The author and illustrator of the classic children’s book The Snowman, Raymond Briggs, has died at the age of 88.
The wordless children's picture book published in 1978 has gone on to sell more than 5.5m copies in various formats around the world.
The Snowman was turned into a Bafta TV Award-winning animated TV film in 1982.
Today’s Martha Kearney spoke to author and former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen and Raymond Briggs’ publisher at Penguin Random House Francesca Dow.
(Image, Raymond Briggs, Credit, Alamy)
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7min
August 09, 2022 Chairman of John Lewis Partnership, Dame Sharon White
Dame Sharon White is the Chairman of John Lewis Partnership.
Overseeing a team of 80,000 partners working at branches and offices of supermarket Waitrose and department store John Lewis around the country, White took over the retailer in February 2020.
She talks to Today’s business presenter Sean Farrington about the number of people who have left the labour market since covid and the impact she believes it could have on the economy.
(Image, Dame Sharon White, Credit, John Lewis Partnership)
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39min

FAQs about Best of Today:

How many episodes does Best of Today have?

The podcast currently has 583 episodes available.