With the fall of the Soviet Union, the theoretical physicist Armen Sarkissian returned home and became first the Prime Minister and then the President of the newly reformed state of Armenia. In his book, The Small States Club: How Small Smart States Can Save the World, he argues that successful smaller nations have had to learn to be more agile, adaptive and cooperative, compared to the world’s ‘greater’ powers.The world map has changed considerably, especially in the 19th and 20th century, as empires fell apart and smaller nations fought for independence. The Canadian historian Margaret MacMillan looks back at this time, and considers how small states survive during times of conflict. In 2018 she presented the BBC’s Reith Lectures, The Mark of Cain, on the tangled history of war and society. The BBC’s Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet is no stranger to conflict in the world, as she has covered all the major stories across the Middle East and North Africa for the past two decades. But she is also interested in the way small states have been instrumental in mediating world conflicts, and punching above their weight on international issues like the climate crisis.Producer: Katy Hickman

The podcast explores the numbers behind the games we play and how understanding math can give you an edge. It discusses game-playing in the medieval world and the historical authenticity of video game settings. The murder-mystery riddle Murdle is also highlighted, combining Cluedo and Sudoku. The chapter chapters delve into the difficulty of defining a game, the purpose of playing games, and the connection between games and different cultures. It also explores the concept of gamification and the role of games in generating happiness.

Tim Peake, the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station, discusses the human story of space exploration. Topics include the beauty of Earth, the selection process for space missions, living in space, and the impacts of a world without stars on human civilization. The significance of standing stones and the connection between humans and the universe are also explored.

Claude Monet, the Impressionist painter, is discussed in a biography that looks at the man behind the famous artist. The artist Mat Collishaw's latest works draw on evocative imagery from the natural world, including use of AI technology. Jill Walker Rettberg, Professor of Digital Culture, examines how technology is changing the way we see the world.

The award-winning composer Errollyn Wallen offers an insight into what it’s like to write a piece of music. In her memoir, Becoming a Composer, she also looks back on how a girl born in Belize and brought up in Tottenham found herself at home in the world of classical music.Handel was gradually losing his sight in 1751 as he finished what was his last dramatic oratorio Jephtha. The harpsichordist Laurence Cummings conducts a new performance of this biblical tale of faith and sacrifice, at the Royal Opera House (8–24 November; on BBC Radio 3 on 27 January). He explains how Handel’s work has been reinterpreted for today’s audience. Jazz musicians are celebrated for their re-interpretation of classics and improvisation. As the London Jazz festival is in full swing (10-19 November, and on BBC Radio 3), the celebrated jazz singer Emma Smith talks about what happens when the notes on the page are transformed into a performance.Producer: Katy Hickman

The podcast discusses the life and poetry of Chinese poet Du Fu, the presence of Africans in China, the challenges of understanding China's cultural solidarity, investing in China, Chinese immigration policies and the one child policy, and the growing apathy among China's millennial generation.

American singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant discusses her latest album exploring love, illness, and care. Jeffrey Boakye explores the impact of music on historical moments in his book. Michel Faber explores how music affects individuals in his essays. The podcast also discusses the emotional power of music, the overlap of workers' conditions and civil rights, and the evolution of hip hop culture.

Podcast explores the contaminated blood scandal in the UK, where thousands were infected with hepatitis and AIDS. It discusses the significance of Factor 8 as a treatment for hemophilia, ethical considerations in decision-making, risks associated with factor-rate, concealing information from patients, challenges of suing pharmaceutical companies, and the importance of clinical governance and patient safety.

The writer and academic Emma Dabiri encourages unruliness in her latest book, Disobedient Bodies. She puts the origins of western beauty ideals under the spotlight and explores ways to rebel against and subvert the current orthodoxy. The book is accompanied by an exhibition, The Cult of Beauty, at the Wellcome Collection from 26 October 2023 to 28 April 2024. It was in the Wellcome’s archive that the filmmaker Carol Morley came across the works and writings of the artist Audrey Amiss. In her new film, Typist Artist Pirate King, Morley creates an imaginative tribute to an unjustly neglected and misunderstood artist. The norm in the world of medical research has been the male body, but in her latest work the scientist and author Cat Bohannon focuses exclusively on women. In Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 million Years of Human Revolution she looks at everything from birth to death.Producer: Katy Hickman

This programme was set up before the violence broke out in Israel. Tom Sutcliffe will also be joined by the BBC's Diplomatic Correspondent James Landale.The Israeli novelist and psychologist Ayelet Gundar-Goshen describes the shock felt by the attacks on her country. The Editor of the Jewish Chronicle Jake Wallis Simons discusses his book Israelophobia in which he argues that throughout history Jews have been hated for their religion and their race, and now anti-Semitism is focused on their nation-state. The journalist Nathan Thrall has been reporting in Israel and Palestine for many year. His book The Day in the Life of Abed Salama reveals the every day life of Palestinians in one of the most contested places on earth.Producer: Katy Hickman