Beyond Today

It’s a big moment for true crime fans with another documentary out this week. ‘The Case Against Adnan Syed’ is being released in four parts by HBO and Sky. He’s the man who arguably started our addiction for true crime. 340 million people downloaded the original telling of this story on the Serial podcast. Now, his case is being seen on TV. It’s just one of many true crime documentaries being pumped out this year, along with The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann and The Ted Bundy Tapes. Kelly-Leigh Cooper writes for the BBC news website and is a big true crime fan. She visited some of the communities burdened by notorious murders.

Credit to Cassidy Rainforest Gard for use of audio.

Producers: Philly Beaumont, Seren Jones

Since the EU referendum in 2016 the lives of two people have been completely taken over by Brexit. Femi Oluwole had been studying law and had just begun a career in European human rights. Owen Reed was 16 and still at school in 2016. But both these men became political activists and have been campaigning ever since. We spoke to them both about the last two years and discovered that despite being in opposite camps they share some views.

Mixed by Nicolas Raufast

It’s the most widely used LGBTQ app in the world with 27 million global users, but many of the people who use Grindr have a complicated relationship with it. We speak to comedian Jack Rooke and author of ‘Grindr Survivor’ Andrew Londyn about whether Grindr can shake off its reputation and what the future could look like for a gay dating app. With special thanks to George Hicks, Josh Cockcroft, Simon Haupt and Isobel Power Smith for the music. You can hear Jack Rooke's programme 'Telling Tales' available on BBC Sounds from April 9th.

This episode contains strong language and sexually explicit content.

Mixed by Nico Raufast

Two weeks ago Cyclone Idai tore through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, some of the poorest countries in Africa, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless and hundreds dead. Cholera has become a major concern among survivors. But it’s not just a catastrophic natural event, there are human causes behind the misery. BBC reporter Nomsa Maseko and Africa Editor Fegal Keane tell us a story of climate change, global corruption and devastation - but also progress and hope.

Producers: Duncan Barber and Jaja Muhammad.

Trump, Brexit, the far left, the far right, Russia is often accused of interfering with Western democracy. But one Tupac-loving PR guy went beyond politics and masterminded the disruption of an entire global political system. The BBC’s Gabriel Gatehouse introduces us to Vladislav Surkov, the most powerful man you’ve never heard of. This episode contains strong language.

He calls himself a body modification artist, but Brendan McCarthy AKA ‘Dr. Evil’ has just been sentenced to 40 months in prison for grievous bodily harm. He was jailed over tongue splitting, and nipple and ear removal procedures despite having the consent of his clients. We speak to one of his customers Wayne Fitzpatrick and BBC Stories’ Ruth Evans, who had been following the case for two years, about the limits of consent when it comes to our bodies.

Producers: Lucy Hancock and Georgia Coan

Three years ago thirty two people died in three suicide bombings in Brussels. How authorities and civilians responded on that day can help us understand what we should do if we are caught up in a terror attack. Larissa Kennelly from the BBC’s Brussels bureau has been learning those lessons, while BBC producer Piers Scholfield and Benoit Remacker from the Belgian Crisis Centre take us through what happened that day.

Producer: Maria Byrne

Bradford has a tricky relationship with the national media. Big stories that have come out of the city include a bitter election battle over Bradford West, grooming gangs, and Islamic extremism. We joined a BBC project searching for unreported and more positive news from underserved communities across the UK. The first stop was Bradford.

Producers: Seren Jones and Jaja Muhammad

Mixed: Andy Mills

Editor: John Shields

This is an episode about what happened when global tech gurus were invited inside one of the world’s oldest and most conservative institutions. The Catholic church is thinking about the big ethical questions - perhaps in a way many of our governments are not - that are swirling around around tech. So they gathered some of the big players in robotics and AI in Rome, at the Vatican. BBC Click’s Jen Copestake was there to see what happened.

Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber

Mixed by: Andy Mills

Editor: John Shields

Almost half of young women in the UK are considering freezing their eggs, according to a recent survey. It involves harvesting eggs from a woman’s ovaries and keeping them in storage so she might be able to still have a baby even if her fertility declines. But it costs thousands of pounds and currently the success rates are low. Many women either can’t afford it, or don’t want to spend so much on something that might not work. Should the state or employers shoulder the cost? And should we all talk more openly about fertility? The BBC’s Global Health Correspondent Smitha Mundasad and Ali, Molly and Monty join us.

Producer: Harriet Noble