The Briefing Room

Ask Claude a question, Google a query, order from Amazon, chat with mates on WhatsApp, tune in to Youtube. And where ever you do it from, you’ll never be somehow not in America. Because Britain, like Europe is dependent on US tech and as the AI revolution unfolds, governments are increasingly worried about it.
The new buzz phrase is digital sovereignty. But what does that mean? Is it even feasible? And can the UK and the Europe take back control?
David Aaronovitch talks to:
Stanley Pignal, Europe editor at The Economist
Cecilia Rikap, Associate Professor in Economics and Head of Research at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose
Seb Johnson, founder of Scaling Europe, a media company focused on European Tech
Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineer: James Beard
Editor: Richard Vadon

It’s almost two months since the United States and Israel went to war with Iran. And in spite of a ceasefire the vital Strait of Hormuz through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes on tankers, is still effectively closed. The oil price remains high, affecting economies around the world. The most recent assessment from the International Monetary Fund warned that the war could throw the world economy “off course” and a prolongued conflict risked causing a global recession. David Aaronovitch asks what this means for us now and whether an end to the conflict could re-set the world’s economies or have conditions changed for good?
Guests:
Joseph Stiglitz, American economist and recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and Professor at Columbia University
Duncan Weldon, author and economist
Diana Choyleva, economist and founder of Enodo Economics.
Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Caroline Bayley, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight
Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
Sound engineer: Neil Churchill
Editor: Richard Vadon

This month retired people saw their state pensions rise by 4.8 per cent. That’s comfortably above the current inflation rate and means that some pensioners have increases this year of as much as £575. That’s because of the Triple Lock guarantee which is a formula set 15 years ago and which some economists say is costing the government too much and should be scrapped. But it’s meant that the state pension has risen over recent years, pensioner poverty is far less of a problem and not surprisingly it’s popular with voters. David Aaronovitch asks what exactly is the triple lock, can we still afford it and is there an alternative?
Guests
Carl Emmerson, Partner at London Economics
Sophie Hale, Research Director, Resolution Foundation
Steve Webb, Partner at LCP and former Pensions Minister in Coalition Government
Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams
Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Dave O'Neill
Editor: Richard Vadon

If you sail 90 miles from Key West in Florida you’ll make landfall on the island of Cuba, run by a regime that America has never liked. And since this is the year of bombs, drones and talk of regime change, the island has not escaped close attention.
Donald Trump has talked about taking Cuba but could he? Would he? And And what would that even mean for Cubans and Americans?
Step into the Briefing Room and together we’ll find out.
Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples
Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill

The world’s attention is currently fixed on the US-Israel war with Iran and the effect it’s having on the Gulf region and global energy prices. But it was only six months ago that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was agreed and President Trump launched his 20-point peace plan. Since then we’ve heard little about progress beyond the return of Israeli hostages - the first phase of the plan. David Aaronovitch and his guests discuss what's happening to the citizens of Gaza and what has to happen next if the peace plan is to be followed through.
Guests:
Rushdi Abu Alouf, BBC Gaza Correspondent
Anshel Pfeffer, Israel Correspondent, The Economist
Tahani Mustafa, Lecturer in International Relations, Deptartment of War Studies, King's College, London
Aaron David Miller, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower, Kirsteen Knight
Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
Sound Engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones
Editor: Richard Vadon