Thousands of patients across London will now have access to urgent dental appointments as the Government begins efforts to rebuild NHS dentistry.

However, leaders in the profession insist ministers should have “fired the starting gun” last summer.

To learn more, we’re joined by Len D’Cruz from the British Dental Association, a practice owner and dentist in Woodford Green, East London. He explains the harrowing situations he has witnessed, including cases of DIY dentistry.

In part two, The London Standard’s food and drink writer, Josh Barrie, visits Forty Hall Vineyard, a hidden gem just a few miles from the heart of the capital.

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Why do Koreans live longer than the rest of us? According to research from Imperial College London, South Korea is on track to lead the world in longevity, with average life expectancy set to exceed 90 years. So what’s their secret? In today’s episode, Nicola Barron is joined by Michelle Jungmin Bang, author of Sun and Ssukgat: The Korean Art of Self-Care, Wellness, and Longevity. Michelle shares insights into the Korean approach to well-being, from the role of tradition and sustainability to the mindful self-care rituals that contribute to a longer, healthier life.

Watch Michelle’s Masterclass

Michelle’s session is available on demand as part of The Bigger Life Festival. Get access at standard.co.uk/masterclasses.

Pre-order Michelle’s book

Sun and Ssukgat is out on 25th February. Pre-order your copy here

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Rachelle Abbott joins The London Standard’s business editor Jonathan Prynn as the rate of UK inflation jumped to 3% in January, in a blow to hopes of early further interest rate cuts. The rise on Wednesday exceeded expectations, with City forecasters predicting inflation to be 2.8%. 

The Conservatives have accused Chancellor Rachel Reeves of being 'out of her depth'. 

So why have we seen such a rise? Who will feel the hit most, what does this mean for interest rates, and when do we expect inflation to fall?

For all the latest news head to standard.co.uk

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Talks today in Saudi Arabia saw the US and Russia discussing a peace deal to end Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Helena Wadia is joined by The London Standard’s Political Editor Nicholas Cecil, to discuss the aims of the talks and what we can expect going forward. The meeting was the first face-to-face discussion between the two countries since the war began in 2022. But who was involved in the peace talks? Crucially, not Ukraine.

In part two, Rachelle Abbott and The London Standard’s Defence Editor, Robert Fox, discuss how a dramatic shift in US policy impacts UK defence spending and military reform.

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London parking fines are set for a price hike. Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced he'll raise penalty charge notices meaning some fines could hit £160. But why the hike? How will the money be used? And where do the fines apply?

Rachelle Abbott's joined by The London Standard's City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall, to break down all you need to know.

In part two, we explore the scents of ancient Egypt. Researchers from University College London and University of Ljubljana have uncovered the smells of nine mummified bodies. Dr Cecilia Bembibre, co-author and lecturer at UCL’s Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources, joins us to explain how they extracted and analysed the ancient aromas.

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In today’s episode, Nicola Barron is joined by Will Storr—an acclaimed journalist, bestselling author, and storytelling guru. Will is widely regarded as one of the leading experts on how stories shape human behaviour, decisions, and relationships.

In his latest book, A Story is a Deal, Will uncovers the hidden psychological contract between storytellers and their audiences. He explains why stories are so powerful, not just for entertainment, but for persuasion and connection. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand how storytelling can change the way people think and act.

He’ll also be hosting a live online masterclass where he’ll share the storytelling techniques that can make your business messaging, presentations, and content stand out.

Don’t miss Will’s Masterclass:

Join Will for The Science of Storytelling for Business and Persuasion on February 20th—the same day A Story is a Deal is released! For more details, head to standard.co.uk/masterclasses.

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Heathrow boss Thomas Woldbye has announced the airport’s multi-billion pound investment to accelerate plans for a controversial new runway that began two decades ago.

The privately-funded plan would see the airfield’s layout reconfigured, Terminals 2 and 5 enlarged, plus increased bus and coach capacity.

The Labour government backed commencement of digging by 2029 to drive economic growth - but major environmental concerns over pollution, noise and quality of life remain, with fresh planning and legal battles on the horizon.

The Standard podcast's Mark Blunden is joined by Paul Beckford, policy director at Hacan (the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise) which represents communities living under the airport’s flight paths.

In part two, University College London professor of neuroscience ​Sonja Hofer discusses with Rachelle Abbott new research showing how the brain beats fear, with hopes the findings can one day support PTSD and anxiety treatments.

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Are you ready for next generation agentic artificial intelligence?

The Standard podcast's Mark Blunden is joined from the AI Action Summit in Paris by Andrew Strait, associate director at the Ada Lovelace Institute and former ethics researcher at Google’s DeepMind AI spin-off.

We look at the self-thinking technology’s latest developments, concerns over replacement of human workers, quantum computing and AI’s impact on our cognitive ability.

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Labour party officials are investigating alleged racist and sexist comments in leaked WhatsApp group chat messages that culminated in the sacking of health minister Andrew Gwynne.

Following the latest messaging-based scandal to hit the authorities, The Standard podcast's Mark Blunden is joined by Maurice Frankel, director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, to discuss the public’s right know.

In part two, World Monuments Fund’s UK chief executive John Darlington tells Rachelle Abbott how heritage campaigners are helping boost their local economies.

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