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 581 episodes available.

Best of Today episodes:

October 02, 2023 Conservative Party conference: Chancellor says he 'can't answer' on HS2's future
Jeremy Hunt says he 'can't answer' when asked about the future of the HS2 high-speed rail project, which has been recently plagued by rumours that it will be reduced.
Speaking to Today's Nick Robinson at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, the Chancellor said:"I do have to answer the question as to why it costs 10 times more to build high-speed rail in this country as across the Channel in France."
Mr Hunt also spoke about raising the national living wage and getting people back into the workforce.
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15min
October 02, 2023 How can a death go unnoticed in modern society?
Sheila Seleoane was found in her Peckham flat in February 2022 and had to be identified by dental records.
Her neighbours initially made complains to their housing association, Peabody, about a foul stench and maggots in 2019 – but the housing association only made one “proactive attempt” to contact the tenant and cut off her gas.
Miss Seleoane’s last known contact was with her GP in August 2019, and when her body was found, the cause of her death was unascertained due to the advanced state of composition of her body.
But what was she like and who was she? In the second in a series of three, Harry Farley talks to Today’s Justin Webb about loneliness and isolation while living in an urban area.
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9min
September 29, 2023 Amol Rajan Interviews Chief Executive of GB News
Laurence Fox's on-air comments about a female journalist were "way past the limits of acceptance" and should have been properly challenged by host Dan Wootton, the boss of GB News has told Today.
In an interview with Amol Rajan, Angelos Frangopoulos said he was "appalled" by the comments.
Fox and Wootton have been suspended and the channel being investigated by Ofcom, which received 7,300 complaints.
Fox sparked the controversy when he asked what "self-respecting man" would "climb into bed" with Ava Evans.
"They are not in keeping with the values of us as a business and as a media company," Mr Frangopoulos said. He added "Obviously, we took action immediately.
"There is a process that needs to be followed, and we expect that that process will be completed very soon."
Fox said on Thursday he was "sorry for demeaning" Evans, while Wootton apologised and said he should have intervened.
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15min
September 27, 2023 The Today Debate: Drug deaths in Scotland - is decriminalisation the answer?
The Today Debate is about taking an issue and pulling it apart with more time than we could ever have during the morning.
Join Today presenter Mishal Husain, as in front of a live audience in Glasgow, a panel of guests discuss the problem of drug abuse and drug deaths in Scotland. Together they look at different approaches and ask whether decriminalisation is the answer.
The panel includes people with personal experience of addiction and those who have seen loved ones derailed. We will also be joined by people working on the frontline and Police Scotland.
If you need help with any of the issues raised in the programme there's advice and support on the BBC Action Line website https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline
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37min
September 25, 2023 Introducing The Today Podcast
Introducing The Today Podcast. A new weekly podcast from the team behind the UK's most influential radio news programme.
Join Amol, Nick and guests every Thursday as they give their take on the biggest stories of the week, with insights from behind the scenes at Radio 4's Today.
The first episode of The Today Podcast drops on October 5th. Subscribe on BBC Sounds.
Get in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 4346 or email [email protected]
The Today Podcast is presented by Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson. The producers are Tom Smithard and Stephanie Mitcalf. The editors are Jonathan Aspinwall and Louisa Lewis. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.
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4min
September 19, 2023 American prisoners returning from Iran
Five dual nationals jailed for years in Iran and widely regarded as hostages are on their way home to the United States.
The last pieces in a controversial swap mediated by Qatar fell into place when $6bn (£4.8bn) of Iranian funds held in South Korea, paid by the US, reached banks in Doha.
The US also granted clemency to 5 Iranian nationals, who were mainly being held on charges of violating US sanctions.
Today’s Mishal Husain spoke to Elika Ashoori, the daughter of Anoosheh Ashoori who was released earlier this year from Iran alongside Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
She said: “Personally I am happy for the families. But also on a broader level, it’s highly frustrating.
“I do believe that these deals, as long as they’re happening, they’re validating this practice of hostage diplomacy.”
We also hear some expert analysis from the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet.
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8min
September 18, 2023 Russell Brand: Broadcasters launch investigations
Investigations have been launched by the BBC and Channel 4 after comedian and actor Russell Brand was accused of rape and sexual assault.
The allegations were made in a joint investigation by the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4's Dispatches released over the weekend.
Russell Brand has denied the allegations, saying his relationships have been "always consensual" - and appeared at a gig on Saturday night.
Speaking to Today's Mishal Husain, Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, who chairs the Women and Equalities Committee, called the allegations "incredibly shocking and criminal".
Nick Robinson also spoke to former Editor of the Sun David Yelland and Lorraine Heggessey, former BBC One controller, who said that during Brand's time on BBC Radio, there was "an inability to rein him in" after he made inappropriate remarks about a newsreader.
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18min
September 16, 2023 Italy pleas for help with more than 8,000 migrants arriving on Lampedusa
Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini says overcrowded iron boats filled with migrants from Africa arriving on the island of Lampedusa is an ‘act of war’ .
The UN migration agency says around eight and a half thousand people arrived in nearly two hundred boats between Monday and Wednesday this week.
Today’s Nick Robinson speaks to Laurence Hart, Head of Mission in Italy at the International Organisation of Migrants who explains how unusual it is to have this amount of migrants arrive on the island.
Italy's PM Georgia Meloni was elected with a promise to curb illegal migration.
Nick also speaks to Nicola Proccacini, a close ally of Georgia Meloni who chairs the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament.
Image credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
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12min
September 08, 2023 Young Ones reunite for new play
Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer, two of the cast from the 1980s sitcom The Young Ones, have reunited to write a new play.
‘It's Headed Straight Towards Us’ follows two bickering actors and the hapless runner on the film they’re shooting in Iceland, as a volcanic eruption causes their trailer to subside and cuts off the only route of escape.
Today’s Martha Kearney speaks to Adrian and Nigel about the idea behind their new play and their experiences on The Young Ones.
Credit: GettyImages
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8min
September 07, 2023 ‘The rescue boat was too small’
In June a vessel carrying hundreds of migrants sank 50 miles off the Greek coast.
It is thought as many as 600 people drowned as the over-crowded ship sank in the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea.
However questions have been raised about the involvement of the Greek Coast Guard about their involvement in the tragedy.
As part of a Radio 4 documentary, BBC Europe correspondent Nick Beake has been trying to find out more about those who managed to escape death on the fatal voyage.
Today’s Katya Adler spoke to Nick Beake and to Gillian Triggs, Assistant High Commissioner with the UN refugee agency the UNHCR.
(Image, Migrants on board ship, Credit, Hellenic Coast Guard/ Reuters)
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10min

FAQs about Best of Today:

How many episodes does Best of Today have?

The podcast currently has 581 episodes available.