The Briefing Room

Machine learning has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. Bigger, more powerful computers can crunch ever more amounts of data, analysing complex information just as accurately, it’s claimed, as the best specialists and at speeds humans can never achieve. With the potential to make a significant difference to healthcare - helping to diagnose disease, summarise patients’ medical notes, even predict health conditions years before any symptoms appear. But how long before the potential benefits become a reality? And what are the possible pitfalls? Join David Aaronovitch and a panel of guests to find out. Guests: Madhumita Murgia, Artificial Intelligence Editor, Financial Times and author of Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI Mihaela van der Schaar, Professor of Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Medicine at Cambridge University Pearse Keane, Consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital and a Professor of Artificial Medical Intelligence at UCL Dr Jessica Morley, Post-doctoral researcher at the Digital Ethics Centre, Yale UniversityPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Sally Abrahams and Rosamund Jones Sound engineers: Dafydd Evans and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

Surveys suggest that at least one in four of us will suffer from anxiety and depression during our lifetimes. The prevalence of these conditions is one of the reasons given for poor school attendance. And it's estimated that these mental health disorders account for 12.5% of all sickness leave in the UK. So what’s caused such an explosion in mental distress and what, if anything, can be done to bring down the numbers? Join David Aaronovitch and a panel of guests to find out.Guests: Professor Jennifer Wild, a consultant clinical psychologist and professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford Dr Jennifer Dykxhoorn, a psychiatric epidemiologist at University College, London Dr Sharon Neufeld from Cambridge University Medical School and Thalia Eley, professor of developmental behavioural genetics at Kings College, LondonPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Rosamund Jones and Sally Abrahams Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

Half the UK population will get cancer during their lifetime - and rates are rising. Each year, around 385,000 people in the UK are diagnosed and around 167,00 lives are lost to the disease. But scientists are developing new therapies, including personalised vaccines and targeted drugs, that attack cancer cells directly and more effectively. It's hoped this pioneering work could lead to better survival rates. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss promising developments in cancer care - to find out how significant they might be. Guests: Professor Charles Swanton, chief clinician at Cancer Research UK and deputy clinical director at the Francis Crick Institute; Dr Olivia Rossanese, Director of the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research; Christian Ottensmeier, Professor of Immuno-Oncology at the University of Liverpool; Professor Alan Melcher, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation TrustPresenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Rosamund Jones and Sally Abrahams Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

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