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. That seems fantastic - an end to obesity in our time. The problem is can we afford these drugs without bankrupting the NHS? How badly do we need them? But will this work? Should we be more ambitious? Can this help the NHS? Or bankrupt it? Guests: John Wilding, Professor of Medicine at The University of Liverpool. Alfie Slade is Government Affairs Lead at the Obesity Health Alliance Naveed Sattar, Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow. Daniel Susskind, Research Professor in Economics at King's College, London. Dr Ellen Fallows, GP and Vice-President of The British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

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. Lina Khatib, Director of the SOAS Middle East Institute. Chris Phillips, professor of international relations at queen Mary’s university, an associate at Chatham House and author of The Battle for Syria. Shashank Joshi, defence editor at The Economist.Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

North Korean troops are fighting Ukrainians in Russia, while Ukraine has finally been permitted to use US missiles deep into Russian territory. It’s over 1000 days since Vladimir Putin’s full scale invasion of his neighbour and the circle of those involved in the conflict seems to widen. But though the situation changes the central question doesn’t. That question being which side can best stay the bloody course of this war? Ukraine and the West or Russia and its allies? Where do things stand now? Michael Clarke, Visiting Professor in the Department of War Studies, King’s College, London and former Director of the Royal United Services Institute Elina Ribakova, Senior Fellow at Peterson Institute of International Economics in Washington DC Defence Editor of the Economist, Shashank JoshiPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

Our prisons are overcrowded, the Government recently released a group of prisoners early to ease the pressure. Britain seems to incarcerate more people per head of population compared to any other Western European country. Now the Government has announced there is going to be a Review of Sentencing to see what we can do to reduce the number of people in prison.Recently an eight week consultation period began, during which members of the public can send in their thoughts on how to tackle these issues.Why have prisons have become so over-crowded, and what we can do about it?John Podmore, former prison governor and prison inspector and author of Out of Sight Out of Mind: Why Britain's Prisons Are Failing Nicola Padfield, Emeritus Professor of Criminal and Penal Justice, at the University of Cambridge Catherine Heard, Director of the World Prison Research Programme, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research, Birkbeck, University of LondonPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

Heather Conley, a senior advisor at the German Marshall Fund, Elisabeth Braw from the Atlantic Council, and Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist, dive into the uncertainties of European defense post-Trump's victory. They explore NATO's challenges, especially the struggle for fair defense spending among member states. The conversation examines Trump's transactional approach and its impact on Europe’s military readiness, alongside the rising threats from Russia and the need for stronger alliances amid changing geopolitical landscapes.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered the first Labour Budget in 14 years. Naturally there was a flurry of instant responses to individual tax measures, but what about the big picture? Well, more than a week has passed, and the dust is settling. We thought it was time to return to a panel of experts who we spoke to in September. Is this really a once in a generation budget? What will it mean for the government’s finances and services? Will it bring much needed growth? And what might the re-election of Donald Trump mean for the British economy? Guests:Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times Chris Giles, economics commentator at The Financial Times.Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Diane Richardson and Kirsteen Knight Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar and Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the recent events in Lebanon. Israel has been widely blamed for a series of pager and walkie-talkie attacks targeting members of Hezbollah. Does this mark the invention of a new kind of warfare and what might the wider consequences be for the region?Guests:Shashank Joshi, The Economist's defence editor Professor Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University of London Ronen Bergman, Israeli investigative journalist for The New York TimesPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Natasha Fernandes and Ben Carter Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

Join Guy Chazan, the Financial Times' Berlin bureau chief, Dr. Constanze Stelzenmuller from the Brookings Institution, and Marcel Fratzscher, president of DIW Berlin, alongside economist Thiemo Fetzer, as they dive into the turbulent landscape of contemporary German politics. They tackle the alarming rise of the far-right AfD party, dissect the challenges of coalition governance, and explore Germany's economic stagnation amid rising energy costs. Insightful discussions on voter motivations and the implications for future elections add depth to this critical analysis.

Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, joins a compelling discussion on the UK's dire economic state. He tackles the £22 billion deficit and its implications for government accountability and spending. The intricacies of the tax system are scrutinized, from capital gains to tax relief, amidst calls for fairness in contributions. Despite the grim budget forecast, there's a glimmer of cautious optimism as economists weigh potential growth against the backdrop of global challenges. It's a captivating dive into fiscal complexities!

Dr. Jonas Albarnaz, a pox virus expert from The Pirbright Institute, joins Dr. Lilith Whittles, a lecturer focused on infectious disease analysis, Dr. Josie Golding, head of epidemiology at The Wellcome Trust, and Trudie Lang, a global health professor. They dive into the emerging Mpox outbreak, discussing its origins, symptoms, and the challenges of viral mutation. The group highlights the urgent need for research on vaccine distribution and the implications of evolving transmission dynamics as they navigate global health preparedness.