The Briefing Room

Discussion on South African and Indian elections aftermath, including parties failing to win majorities, implications of results, coalition building, Ramaphosa's popularity, Pala scandal, Modi's BJP facing challenges, and the need for economic solutions.

David Aaronovitch and guests dissect Sudan's ongoing civil war. This conflict is now one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters. How can it be brought to an end?Guests:James Copnall - presenter of Newsday on the BBC World Service and former BBC Sudan correspondentMohanad Hashim - Sudanese journalist working on Newshour on the BBC World ServiceDame Rosalind Marsden - associate fellow of the Africa programme at Chatham House and former UK ambassador to SudanProfessor Alex De Waal - executive director of the World Peace FoundationProduced by: Kirsteen Knight, Caroline Bayley and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon and Richard Fenton-Smith Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Andy Fell Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

David Aaronovitch and guests examine Joe Biden's ceasefire deal and ask whether - despite some positive noises from both sides - Israel and Hamas are interested in making it work. Guests: David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations Anshel Pfeffer, columnist and Israel correspondent at The Economist Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University of London Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in WashingtonProduction team: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: Sarah Hockley

David Aaronovitch and guests assess the fallout from France's EU elections and President Macron's subsequent decision to call parliamentary elections later this month.Guests: Hugh Schofield, BBC Paris Correspondent Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief at The Economist Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director for Europe at Eurasia Group who advise investors on political risk Dr Françoise Boucek, Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for European Research in the School of Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary University of LondonProduction team: Caroline Bayley, Miriam Quayyum, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Sarah Hockley and Rod Farquhar

BBC correspondent and law professors discuss Trump's legal issues, including hush money case, presidential immunity, and potential impact on election chances. Delve into complexities of legal battles, delays, and voter perceptions. Analyze strategies for 2024 election and medical emergency in Bly village.

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

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 EconomicsProduction team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight, Miriam Quayyum and Ben Carter Editors: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Neil Churchill

David Aaronovitch and experts delve into the spread of avian flu H5N1 to cows in the US, discussing risks, mutation pathways to humans, pandemic potential, surveillance in cattle, and the search for Scorpion in a smuggling gang.

Journalist David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts discuss the challenges faced by Thames Water, including regulatory control, financial structures, and sustainability issues in the UK water industry. They explore the impacts of privatization, state ownership, and the need for effective regulation to ensure fair market practices and infrastructure investments.

Democrats and Republicans have promised to solve the border crisis in recent times but they've failed and it remains a huge election issue. How does the problem get resolved?David Aaronovitch talks to:Gustavo Solis, investigative border reporter at KPBS television station in San Diego Doris Meissner is Senior Fellow and Director, U.S. Immigration Policy Program Edward Alden, senior fellow at the Council on Fore­­­ign Relations and author of When the World Closed Its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineers: Neil Churchill