A quick run down on how the conflict developed - from attempted coup to war of attrition.

Guest:

This is part of a new mini-series called the The Briefing Room Explainers. They’re short versions of previous episodes of the Briefing Room.

Presenter: David Aaronovitch

A number of studies have shown the amazing weight loss potential of a new group of drugs, known to many by their brand names as Ozempic (which is for diabetes), Wegovy and Mounjaro.

A short history of electric cars in the UK.

The UK government wants to ban the sale of petrol cars by 2030. But how is the move to electric vehicles going?

President Trump wants more tariffs - what are they? And what happened last time he was in office?

Donald Trump says he wants to introduce more tariffs on imports during his second presidency. He’s mentioned targeting imports from countries including Mexico, Canada, China and Demark as well as floating the idea of a universal tariff on all goods coming into the US.

So why does Trump like tariffs so much? What can we realistically expect him to do? And what would the effect be on the rest of us?

Archive clip included from Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Spotify, 25 October 2024.

Guests:

Encouraging everyone to make the change to electric vehicles has been a major part of government green and industrial policy for some time now. The government has announced a consultation on how to speed up the transition to electric cars and fade out the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. The last Government had extended plans to ban of the sale of new petrol cars to 2035. There are targets, there are mandates and there is scepticism about how quickly the transition is really happening.

So, as we enter 2025, what is the state of the country’s move from petrol to electric? How do we compare with other countries and what does it say about the British car industry?

Guests:

Presenter: David Aaronovitch

The Arctic is going through changes to its climate, economics and geo-politics. What does it mean for the region and the rest of the world?

Guests:

Presenter: David Aaronovitch

In his election campaign President Milei set out his chainsaw approach to cutting spending and inflation. A year on, how has his presidency turned out?

David Aaronovitch and guests explore - why was Argentina’s economy in such a bad state when Milei took office, what new measures has President Milei introduced, and how have things turned out so far?

Guests:

Presenter: David Aaronovitch

New weight loss drugs known commercially as Wegovy and Mounjaro have been demonstrated to have a big effect in helping people to lose weight, and have recently been approved for use in obesity treatment in the NHS in England. In total, 4.1 million people would meet the criteria to be eligible to take one of these drugs.

Presenter: David Aaronovitch

In under two weeks Syrian rebels have moved through the country and taken Damascus - bringing to an end 50 years of rule by the Assad family. The country borders Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq, and in which Iran and Russia take the most active of interests.

So why did the government of Bashar Al Assad fall so fast, who are HTS the rebels who toppled him, and what does it mean for the region and the world?

Charles Lister, Senior Fellow and the Director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC.

Presenter: David Aaronovitch