What are variants? Where do they come from? Why do they develop and how do they take over?
Currently Delta is the dominant variant in the UK and across much of the world; but now Omicron, first identified in South Africa, looks like it could take over. How does that happen? And what can we do about variants? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Emma Thomson, Professor of infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. 
Dr. Jeff Barrett, Director of the Covid-19 genomics initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
Dr. Charlotte Houldcroft, virologist from the University of Cambridge. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight
Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot
Editor: Richard Vadon

Living in a Variant World

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

News

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss Donald Trump's conviction in the hush money case, examine the cases yet to be heard and ask whether any of this hurts his election chances? Guests: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent
Jack Chin, Professor of Criminal Law at the University of California, Davis
Wendy Schiller, Professor of Political Science at Brown University Production team: Caroline Bayley, Miriam Quayyum, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar

Are Trump's legal cases really a problem for him?

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

Living in a Variant World

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