Podcast appearances and mentions of laura bicker

Kate Adie presents stories from Israel and Gaza, China, Romania, Bolivia and the Vatican City.In Gaza and Israel people have been taking to the streets to demand an end to the war. The protests have taken different forms, and as Paul Adams notes, also involve very different risks.Amid the on-going trade war between China and the US, Laura Bicker speaks to Chinese traders at one of the world's biggest wholesale markets in Yiwu, to find out how Donald Trump's tariffs are affecting business.After election results were annulled in Romania last year, the country faces a rerun this Sunday. The political chaos that followed the Constitutional Court's decision left a sour taste among many voters, finds Tessa Dunlop, who met people from across the political spectrum in Bucharest.The Bolivian city of Potosi was once at the heart of the Spanish empire, thanks to the discovery of a mountain of silver in the 16th Century. Carolyn Lamboley paid a visit to the city, which is now a shell of what it was and met some of the miners who still work in the region.Rome's trattorias and cafes are bustling with cardinals and their supporters as they deliberate the kind of leader they want as their new Pope. Veteran BBC Vatican correspondent, David Willey, has been observing the hushed conversations ahead of the Conclave which gathers in the Vatican on Wednesday.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Today, we look at Birmingham's bin crisis, with new threats it could spread to other cities. Why are striking workers threatening further action? And, could the strike inspire copy-cat action across the nation? Adam and Alex speak to the BBC's Midlands political correspondent Rob Mayor.Also, US Vice-President JD Vance has said there was a “good chance” a trade deal could be reached with the UK. Meanwhile, President Xi has been visiting neighbouring countries with the hope of strengthening ties. Adam is joined by Faisal Islam BBC economic editor and the BBC's China correspondent Laura Bicker who has been speaking to factory workers in China. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://discord.gg/m3YPUGv9New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bit.ly/3ENLcS1 Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren and Julia Webster and Bella Saltiel. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The editor is Sam Bonham.

The challenges and opportunities facing Beijing. China has been recalibrating its economic, political and diplomatic strategies since Donald Trump returned to the White House. From renewing the state's relationship with powerful tech giants to expanding Chinese influence in the developing world, President Xi Jinping is preparing his country for a new international order. On this episode, presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC's China correspondent Laura Bicker. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via Whatsapp on +44 330 123 9480.(Picture: Headshot of China's President Xi Jinping. Credit: Adriano Machado/Reuters)Producers: Peter Goffin and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineers: Mike Regaard and Phil Bull Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

Today, we look at what could be the start of a trade war between the US and China. After postponing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, President Trump has introduced a 10% tax on all goods imports from China. Early this morning Beijing announced it would impose a retaliatory 10% levy, albeit on fewer products. Adam is joined by Laura Bicker, the BBC's China Correspondent and Cindy Yu from the Spectator's Chinese Whispers podcast. Plus, Adam speaks to journalist Ben Westhoff about the fentanyl crisis in America and why President Trump had cited it as the reason behind raising taxes on Mexican, Canadian and Chinese goods. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Anna Harris and Shiler Mahmoudi. The technical producer was Stephen Bailey. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The editor is Sam Bonham.

The fast fashion giant Shein has taken the world by storm and is now worth an estimated $66billion. But have you ever wondered where their clothes come from? The BBC's China correspondent Laura Bicker has been to Panyu, in the city of Guangzhou in China, to find out. She tells us how Shein became so successful, why some people in their factories are working 75 hours a week, and what Shein is doing to try to improve its manufacturing practices.Many people choose fast fashion because of cost. We also speak to fashion blogger 17 year old Onyeka Idiaghe about why she eventually decided to seek alternatives. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Josh Jenkins and Mora Morrison Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

What should politicians do about allegations of poor treatment for workers at Shein's factories in China? Will Keir Starmer back the chancellor amid the UK's economic woes? And is allowing supervised drug use the solution to Scotland's drug death crisis?Giles Whittell is joined by Tortoise's Cat Neilan, Patricia Clarke and Stephen Armstrong as they battle it out to see who can pitch the top story of the day.**Get tickets for our next News Meeting live on Wednesday 29th January here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live/book To read Laura Bicker's BBC investigation into Shein click here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrylgvr77jo To vote for Cat Neilan's episode of the Slow Newcast Frank Hester: Tory Northern Diamond has been shortlisted for Scoop of the Year at the inaugural iNHouse Communication's Political Podcast Awards 2025 https://politicalpodcastawards.co.uk/the-peoples-choice-award/ Guests:Patricia Clarke, reporter at TortoiseCat Neilan, political editor at TortoiseStephen Armstrong, reporter at TortoiseHost: Giles Whittell, deputy editor at TortoiseEmail: newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.comProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Adie presents stories from China, Ukraine, Australia, Panama and Lithuania.Reports of North Korean troops being deployed to join the Russian offensive in Ukraine has compounded fears in Kyiv about its ability to win the war. And it's proving a headache for Beijing too, which is an ally to both Russia and North Korea. Laura Bicker travelled to Fangchuan, where the borders of all three countries meet.In Ukraine, the use of drones has become integral to the war strategy for both sides. But since the Summer, there has been signs that Russia may be deliberately targeting civilians with unmanned drones – killing dozens. Yogita Limaye travelled to Kherson, where locals described the terror they face every day.Youth crime has become a big talking point in Australia, but critics warn tougher punishment may not improve the outcome for locals or young offenders, as Katy Watson heard in Northern Territory.In Panama, the rainy season lasts around eight months of the year, and yet hundreds of thousands of people struggle to access regular running water. Jane Chambers went to meet some people who've come up with their own solution.Lithuania became the last country in Europe to convert to Christianity back in the 1300s. But over the last century, many Lithuanians began exploring their pagan past once more, to build a sense of national identity. Simon Broughton went to one of the country's biggest folk festivals to find out more.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison

Donald Trump will return to the White House in January 2025, after defeating Democrat rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. The win comes just four years after he lost re-election to Joe Biden — and just weeks before his sentencing in his New York criminal trial. We explain the factors behind his historic win and hear from political analysts about how issues like the economy and immigration influenced voters in the crucial swing states that decided the election.One of Trump's campaign promises was to quickly end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and to prioritise America's interest above all others. We hear from the BBC's International Correspondent Lyse Doucet and the BBC's China correspondent Laura Bicker about how international leaders are reacting to the win and what it means for their them. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams, Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

The United States and China have had a turbulent history. In recent years, diplomatic relations between the world's two largest economies reached what many observers described as a new low, and despite some growing signs of stability, the future remains uncertain. So, how might this precarious situation be impacted by the upcoming US election?For the latest episode in this special series, Sumi Somaskanda is joined by the BBC's China correspondent Laura Bicker, and our business correspondent Michelle Fleury. They tackle big issues from trade and the economy, to defence and national security, and consider what victory for either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump could mean for the ongoing Sino-American relationship.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producer: Laurie KalusSound engineers: Stephen Bailey, Hannah Montgomery, and Ben AndrewsAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara WadesonIf you want to hear more from our 'America and...' series, why not listen to the first episode here: https://link.chtbl.com/gqWrGSMT

Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, Germany, China, Tonga and IndiaUkraine suffered several devastating missile attacks this week on the cities of Poltava and Lviv. Despite the more buoyant mood in the country in recent weeks, following Ukraine's incursion into Kursk, it served as a reminder that the threat is ever-present. Nick Beake has been in PoltavaLast weekend, the far right AFD party - won the most votes in a state election in the east German state of Thuringia and came a close second in the state of Saxony. The AfD were especially popular among young voters. Jessica Parker has spoken to some of them in Thuringia.Several cities across China have been devastated by heavy rainfall this year and a super typhoon there this weekend is yet another warning for China's leaders that the country is vulnerable to extreme weather events because the infrastructure in cities cannot cope with such heavy storms. Laura Bicker has been in Zhengzhou where she heard about a possible solution: sponge cities.Last week, leaders from around the Pacific gathered in the small island nation of Tonga to discuss key issues they are facing. The Pacific Islands Forum is the region's biggest meeting of the year – and topping the list of concerns was climate change. But on the agenda, there were plenty of other topics – and controversies - as Katy Watson found out.And finally, the famine in Bengal in the 1940s led to one of the worst losses of civilian life on the allied side during the second world war. Many Indians see this as one of the enduring legacies of empire. Ant Adeane visited one of the survivors that period in his home in West Bengal.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison

Engineers across the globe, from China to East Africa and the US, are turning to a new, nature-based solutions to fight floods, which are becoming more likely in many places because of climate change. They're taking a pickaxe to asphalt and concrete and instead are restoring wetlands, parks and riverbanks, turning our metropolises into so-called ‘sponge cities'. Plants, trees and lakes act just like a sponge, mopping up rainwater instead of letting it pool and eventually flood our homes. Professor Priti Parikh tells Jordan Dunbar how these spongey solutions have many benefits beyond flooding, encouraging biodiversity, helping our mental health and storing the planet warming gas, carbon dioxide. The BBC's China Correspondent, Laura Bicker, meets the man who came up with the concept, Professor Kongjian Yu, and visits Zhengzhou, a sponge city in the making. And Katya Reyna tells Jordan how her NGO is helping low-income communities in Portland in the US to ‘depave' disused car parks, turning them into plant-oases. Got a climate question you'd like answered? Email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Contributors: Priti Parikh, Professor of Infrastructure Engineering and International Development, University College London and a Trustee at the Institution of Civil Engineers Laura Bicker, BBC China Correspondent Professor Kongjian Yu, Professor of Landscape Architecture at Peking University in Beijing Katya Reyna, Co-Director of Depave, in Portland, USAProducers: Graihagh Jackson, Ben Cooper and Joyce Liu Mixing: Tom Brignell and Andy Fell Editor: Simon Watts

Katie Adie presents dispatches from Armenia, India, China, Belgium and the Middle East.The flight of more than 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh last year, after a rapid offensive by Azerbaijan, quickly faded from news headlines. Tim Whewell remembers how the self-declared republic first emerged, as the Soviet Union was in its last throes, and reflects on how nations are born, and re-buried.More than a billion Indians are heading to the polls over the next six weeks to vote in a general election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'digital India' has been a policy priority during his leadership - but to what extent are the less developed parts of the country on board and online? James Coomarasamy visits a village in Karnataka.The Chinese government is focused on green growth, providing subsidies for the manufacture of solar panels and electric vehicles. Yet in some cities, factory workers have been laid off and fear being left behind. Laura Bicker reports from the once bustling manufacturing city of Dongguan.The Royal Museum for Central Africa in Belgium was originally built to showcase artefacts from the country's former colony, Congo. Today, visitors to the museum are encouraged to reflect on the impact of Belgium's colonization, finds Beth Timmins.Reporters always carry some kind of baggage with them when they head off to cover a story. It was on a recent deployment that the BBC's middle east analyst Sebastian Usher suddenly noticed that the often unwanted companion that seemingly always accompanied him on trips abroad… had suddenly gone missing.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison

China has the largest elderly population in the world. Pension and health care systems are struggling to cope at a time when women are having fewer babies. Can the country afford to grow old as its economy slows?Katya speaks with the BBC's China correspondent Laura Bicker about how Beijing plans to tackle this ticking demographic time bomb.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We're keen to hear from you, wherever you are in the world. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell The Global Story. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. #TheGlobalStory The Global Story is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.This episode was made by Alice Aylett Roberts and Richard Moran. The technical producers were Mike Regaard and Matt Hewitt. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Kate Adie presents stories from France, Turkey, Cambodia, Canada and Chile.French farmers have staged nationwide protests this week, blocking roads to vent their anger over falling incomes, rising bureaucracy, and competition from imports. Andrew Harding reflects on how these latest protests are a sign of a broader social and political schism that has been emerging in France.Next week marks a year since Turkey and Syria were hit by a devastating earthquake, which killed more than 60,000 people and displaced millions more. Victoria Craig travelled to Antakya in southern Turkey, one of the worst-hit regions, and spoke to people trying to rebuild their lives while still dealing with the grief of losing loved ones.Brick kiln workers in Cambodia work in some of the hottest and harshest conditions in the world. The factories often use a mix of fabric, plastic and rubber to fuel the kiln fires, which emit toxic fumes and trigger health conditions. Laura Bicker went to visit workers on the outskirts of the capital, Phnom Penh.Louis Harnett O'Meara takes to the road in British Columbia, Canada, to see some of the region's iconic redwoods. He hears how efforts to protect these centuries-old trees, along with the wider biodiversity of the region, are being met with opposition from communities dependent on logging for their livelihoods.In Chilean Patagonia, Kirsty Lang explores a remote region which has been converted into national parkland. encountering sea lions and a lone penguin along the way. It's now one of the world's most protected areas of wilderness, thanks to the work of two American philanthropists.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Rosie Strawbridge

More than one in five people between the ages of 16 and 24 are jobless in China according to the latest government data. But the figure could be even higher.Millions of university graduates are struggling to find high paying jobs. So the government is encouraging them to roll up their sleeves and consider manual work in the countryside instead. But many aren't keen and some are ducking out of the rat race all together, sharing memes of themselves ripping up their degrees. We hear from Joy, who says that out of her class of 32, only around a third have found full-time jobs since graduating in the summer.Laura Bicker, a BBC correspondent based in Beijing, explains what led to this point, and what might happen next. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Mora Morrison and Emily Horler Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

A journey though Cambodia where the Mekong river is feared to be in crisis. Tens of millions of lives depend on the Mekong river for fishing and farming as it travels through China and Southeast Asia. But there are increasing signs that this river with one of the richest ecosystems on earth is being strangled. A cascade of dams, intensifying climate change, and sand dredging have scientists worried. Is this region harnessing the river's power – or are they killing it? For Assignment, Laura Bicker visits communities whose livelihoods rely on the Mekong and meets a new generation trying to breathe life into the dying river. Presenter: Laura Bicker Producer: Lindle Markwell Editor: Penny Murphy Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman (Image: Mi Samai, a fisherman in Chong Khneas, Cambodia. Credit: BBC/Thomas Cristofoletti)

Kate Adie presents stories from Cambodia, Colombia, India, Fiji and Kenya. The Mekong river provides a living for tens of millions of people who live along its banks across five East and South East Asian countries. However, new hydroelectric dams have upended communities which have lived along the river for millennia, with some Cambodian villages flooded to make way for new dam projects. Laura Bicker takes a journey to the heart of the Mekong river system to meet people recently displaced. Four people have been arrested in Colombia in connection with the kidnapping of the father of the Liverpool footballer, Luis Diaz, who was released after two weeks of being held captive. The suspects are said to belong to a gang called Los Primos, with ties to the leftist rebel group, the National Liberation Army or ELN. Will Grant – an ardent Liverpool fan – was in Colombia as the situation unfolded. Delhi's air pollution is a year-round, chronic problem, but the city's toxic smog becomes especially dangerous each winter. This year is no exception and the levels of pollutants in the air have been measuring close to ten times the acceptable limit in recent weeks. Geeta Pandey reports on how her fellow Delhiites are coping. Kava is a psychoactive drink made from the bitter kava plant, and has been enjoyed in by Pacific Islanders for centuries - but in recent years there's been rising international demand for the drink. Mark Stratton travelled to Fiji to see how this is affecting communities there, and to try kava for himself. On Monday, Kenyans were given a special holiday to plant trees as part of the government's ambitious goal to plant 15 billion new trees over the next ten years. Although the national tree planting initiative has proved popular, some have criticised the government for its recent decision to lift a ban on logging, reports Anne Soy. Producer: Viv Jones Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman

From the BBC World Service: Spotify dominates the music streaming landscape, but they’re not about to ban AI-created content. That’s according to its founder and CEO, Daniel Ek, who has been speaking exclusively to the BBC. Additionally, officials in the Philippines have told the BBC that they won’t be daunted by Beijing in a territorial stand-off in the South China Sea, and they have now removed a floating barrier installed by China to block fishing boats. The BBC’s Laura Bicker reports from the island of Palawan.

From the BBC World Service: Spotify dominates the music streaming landscape, but they’re not about to ban AI-created content. That’s according to its founder and CEO, Daniel Ek, who has been speaking exclusively to the BBC. Additionally, officials in the Philippines have told the BBC that they won’t be daunted by Beijing in a territorial stand-off in the South China Sea, and they have now removed a floating barrier installed by China to block fishing boats. The BBC’s Laura Bicker reports from the island of Palawan.

Nearly ninety million people were eligible to vote. The candidates of Nigeria's two dominant parties, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, are facing a challenge from Peter Obi, a former state governor who has used social media to capture the support of young people. Also on the programme, our reporter Laura Bicker is on one of the helicopters bringing aid to Turkey's earth quake zone. And the marrying of Western and Eastern classical music, we hear from the legendary jazz musician John McLaughlan whose band, Shakti, returns with a new album. (Picture: Voters queue in Nigeria Credit: Reuters)

Laura is a Chinese medicine practitioner who specialises in fertility treatment through acupuncture and using herbal remedies as well as a Yoga instructor. She talks us through the science and theory of her practice, the vast differences between Chinese and western medicine and the benefits behind both. As a lover of Yoga from a young age, she discovered how the mind-body benefits work well with her medical practise, but also how the art of Yoga can be beneficial for everyone - as with every exercise, its just about finding the style that works for you!If you would like to speak to us regarding any of the topics today, or suggest a guest please email everybodyfitspodcast@gmail.comFollow Laura on Instagram @laurabickerAmy @aw2wellnessKim @kim.bodyimage.fitness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do Russians make of their country's invasion of Ukraine? It is no easy matter to conduct opinion polls in Russia at the best of times, sampling views from St Petersburg to Siberia. Right now though, Russian people are not free to express their opinions anyway, with a new law in place making it a criminal offence to say anything about the Ukraine conflict which the authorities consider untrue. Jenny Hill is in Moscow, and has been keeping her ear to the ground. Globalisation, the extraordinary interconnectedness of modern life, means that the events in Ukraine are having profound effects in places far from any battle. Kenya, for example, has already been suffering from drought, but this has now been exacerbated by Russia's invasion: because Ukrainian farmers have been kept from their fields, global food prices have risen. Ben Henderson recently travelled to Kenya's far north, and found what looks like a major crisis in the making. 2018 saw South Korea hold a successful Winter Olympics, in which North Korean athletes were also allowed to take part. Later that year, the then US President, Donald Trump met with North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, and attempted to tone down hostilities. Watching these events was the BBC's newly arrived South Korea correspondent, Laura Bicker. Four years later, she is now leaving her post, at a time when relations between South and North are far worse. Yet Laura insists that she is leaving with some sense of optimism. Sports figures famously have short careers, with even the biggest stars having to reinvent themselves in mid-life. Few though have managed it quite so successfully as Imran Khan: already one of Pakistan's greatest ever cricketing heroes, he ended up becoming Prime Minister. However, the world of politics can be as unforgiving as any sport, and this week, Prime Minister Khan was ousted in a Parliamentary vote of no confidence. Secunder Kermani has been following his dramatic fall from favour. Life has not been much fun for performers during the various phases of Covid lockdown, with actors, dancers and even stand-up comedians facing closed down venues. Musicians had a particularly hard time of it, certainly those accustomed to playing before sweaty crowds keen on dancing, something very much forbidden for much of the time. So when the Belgian rock band, Demisec, were offered a gig, they jumped at the chance. The bassist and BBC cameraman Maarten Lernout did not mind that they were being asked to play in a local prison.

Marina Ovsyannikova is an employee of Russia's state Channel One television interrupting the channel's main news programme on Monday night in an extraordinary act of protest against Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. She burst on to the set of the live broadcast of the nightly news on Monday evening, shouting: “Stop the war. No to war.” - holding a handwritten sign to the same effect. The protest was welcomed by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky who mentioned it in his televised address last night.. And within hours of her protest, more than 40,000 people had left comments on the journalist's Facebook page, with many praising her for taking a stand. Professor of International Relations at London School of Economics, Tomila Lankina joins Emma. In 2020, The Woman's Hour Power List celebrated 30 inspiring women whose work is making a significant positive contribution to the environment and the sustainability of our planet. Today, we talk to the Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, who topped that List. Can the UK afford its net zero policies? With the cost of living rising, and the impact of the war in Ukraine, are Britain's plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions too expensive? Joining Caroline to discuss will be engineer and nuclear industry expert, Dame Sue Ion. In true popstar fashion, singer Rihanna announced her pregnancy in January with a New York photoshoot alongside her boyfriend, the rapper ASAP Rocky, wearing a bright pink coat, with layers of gold jewellery and chains resting on her new baby bump. And since that announcement, she's been seen wearing a number of eye-catching outfits. But is there a bump fashion revolution coming? And what could this mean for the everyday pregnant woman? Celebrity stylist Jennifer Michalski-Bray and pregnant content creator Zara Bentley join us. Last week South Korea picked a new president: Yoon Suk-yeol. He is a conservative who defeated his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung. During his campaign he promised to abolish the Ministry for Gender Equality, denying that women face discrimination. South Korea has one of the worst women's rights records in the developed world, although modest gains have been made over the last few years. But that has ignited an anti-feminist backlash among many young men who see feminism as reverse discrimination, taking away their jobs and opportunities. So what does Yoon Suk-yeol's election mean for women? Emma is joined by Laura Bicker, the BBC's Soeul Correspondent and the feminist South-Korean film-maker Youjin Do. Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed he is officially changing his name to incorporate his mother Carmen's surname - Larbalestier. He says that he wants her name to continue on with the Hamilton name, and that he doesn't understand why "when people get married then the woman loses her name." It is understood that he will include it as a middle name rather than a surname. Dr Jane Pilcher, Associate Professor of sociology, Nottingham Trent University discusses what impact a high profile man taking this step could have. Purnima tells the story of a beautiful hand-knitted dress she brought with her to the UK when her family was expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin. The latest in our series Threads. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty Starkey Interviewed Guest: Professor Tomila Lankina Interviewed Guest: Caroline Lucas Interviewed Guest: Dame Sue Ion Interviewed Guest: Jennifer Michalski-Bray Interviewed Guest: Zara Bentley Interviewed Guest: Laura Bickers Interviewed Guest: Youjin Do Interviewed Guest: Dr Jane Pilcher Interviewed Guest: Purnima Shah

Claire Graham talks to the BBC's Correspondent in Seoul, Laura Bicker, to get a better understanding of North Korea, one of the world's most secretive countries.

Claire Graham talks to the BBC's Correspondent in Seoul, Laura Bicker, to get a better understanding of North Korea, one of the world's most secretive countries.

Why's it kicking off in Kazakhstan? Protests over fuel prices have got ugly and the government's cracking down. So what does it mean for this former Soviet country? Newsnight's International Editor, Gabriel Gatehouse, is back to explain.   Henry Dyne hasn't had a great time of late. First, he got Covid and ended up in hospital. Then he got death threats from anti-vaxxers. Henry joins the BBC's Disinformation Reporter, Marianna Spring, to talk Covid conspiracy theories.   South Korea's been showing off its new military gear. Laura Bicker, the BBC's Seoul Correspondent, tells us about her G-force training – and how she just about managed to avoid vomiting over some very expensive equipment.   Today's Newscast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Ben Cooper, Georgia Coan, Rosie Blunt and John Murphy. The studio director was Emma Crowe.

South Korea’s central bank raised its main interest rates this week, which hasn’t happened in three years. Policymakers are concerned about a borrowing binge there, particularly from younger people. The BBC's Laura Bicker helps explain debt in the first industrialized nation. Christopher Low drops in for our discussion about the markets. We also look into how banks can offer a variety of hurdles for adult businesses like the website OnlyFans.

South Korea’s central bank raised its main interest rates this week, which hasn’t happened in three years. Policymakers are concerned about a borrowing binge there, particularly from younger people. The BBC's Laura Bicker helps explain debt in the first industrialized nation. Christopher Low drops in for our discussion about the markets. We also look into how banks can offer a variety of hurdles for adult businesses like the website OnlyFans.

Recent reports from Pyongyang have hinted at an intensified effort to root out foreign fashion, slang and media in North Korea. Its regime has repeatedly punished people who smuggle in DVDs of South Korean TV and film dramas, but the penalties are now even harsher. Laura Bicker reports from Seoul on the risks for North Koreans who try to break their isolation, whether by consuming forbidden culture or even escaping the country themselves. As Joe Biden meets other world leaders at the G7 summit in Cornwall, there are still many Americans who aren't yet convinced he is the legitimate President of the United States. Gabriel Gatehouse has been to Texas, where he attended a QAnon gathering. Press freedom in Pakistan is a touchy issue - and more so now after a string of incidents where reporters have been physically attacked. Secunder Kermani analyses where the 'red lines' lie for broadcast media, and the allegations that the country's security services have been directly pressuring journalists. Turkey's Sea of Marmara is enduring a mucilaginous ordeal - as a slimy, choking layer of so-called "sea snot" smothers its shores. It's a catastrophe for local fishing villages; President Erdogan has launched a clean-up this week. Neyran Elden of the BBC Turkish Service happens to be an experienced scuba diver - so she suited up to go beneath the surface and take a look at the sea bed. What she saw wasn't pretty. Citizens of EU countries in the UK are being strongly encouraged to sort out their residency status before the end of this month. For British citizens living abroad, the experience of getting their own paperwork has varied by country. Luke Tuddenham recently had a surprising brush with bureaucracy in Lower Saxony in Germany. Producer: Polly Hope

The US Senate has approved a $250bn spending plan to boost tech research and production. It's aimed at countering China's growing influence in the sector; Scott Kennedy, the senior advisor and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, gives us more details. Also in the programme, the Nigerian government's ban on the use of Twitter has run into widespread opposition in the country. Nicholas Ibekwe is head of investigations at Premium Times, and explains the background to the dispute. Plus, the BBC's Laura Bicker reports from Thailand on the challenges young people there face in making a living, in the absence of the country's vital tourism sector, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The Tribeca Film Festival has got underway and the organisers hope it will show the world that the city is back in business; Tom Brook from the BBC's Talking Movies brings us a report. And we're joined throughout the programme by financial professional Jessica Khine in Malaysia and markets analyst, Ralph Silva in Toronto. (Picture: A silicon wafer. Picture credit: IBM via Reuters).

The US Senate has approved a $250bn spending plan to boost tech research and production. Aimed at countering China's growing influence in the sector, Mark Montgomery, of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies tells us why he believes the legislation is so important. Also in the programme, the Nigerian government's ban on the use of Twitter has run into widespread opposition in the country. Nicholas Ibekwe is head of investigations at Premium Times, and explains the background to the dispute. Plus, the BBC's Laura Bicker reports from Thailand on the challenges young people there face in making a living, in the absence of the country's vital tourism sector, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

: Laura Bicker reports from a remote corner of Thailand’s border with Myanmar, where villagers’ lives are being disrupted as the Burmese military pursues insurgent groups. Since the generals' takeover in February, hundreds of people have died in Myanmar's cities after mass protests. In rural areas, several rebel militias – most formed by ethnic minorities – which have been resisting the military for decades are renewing their fight. Last weekend the diversion of a Ryanair flight to Minsk in Belarus – though it was meant to be going to Lithuania – caused generalised outrage. After an alleged bomb threat, the plane had to land straight away. But it seems the real target on board was a young critic of the Belarusian government, James Landale analyses the shock felt across Europe as other countries judge how to respond. After Idriss Deby, Chad's longtime head of state, was reportedly killed in battle in April, many hoped his death might offer a chance to hold free and fair elections. Instead Mr Déby’s son, a general, now rules the country. Activists fear that their window for change might soon slam shut. In N'Djamena, Mayeni Jones found those in power don’t always share the priorities of ordinary Chadians. In recent days, several thousand migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish city of Ceuta. It's happened before but the numbers this time were unprecedented. Guy Hedgecoe reflects on the backdrop to this incident and complex history binding Spain and Morocco. As Chileans’ household budgets have grown tighter, they’ve also grown more worried about their country’s once-emblematic pension system. Now a new breed of politician is seizing the limelight by suggesting voters should just go ahead and raid the kitty, says Jane Chambers in Santiago. Producer: Polly Hope

How has one year of lockdown changed our environment in the UK and around the world? Tom Heap is joined by air quality expert, Ally Lewis, psychologist Lorraine Whitmarsh and the BBC's South Korea correspondent, Laura Bicker to find out how we- and the natural world- have been changed by the pandemic. Producer: Maggie Latham

At the height of the Covid-19 outbreak in April, a New Yorker was dying almost every two minutes — more than 800 a day - four times the city’s normal death rate. The pandemic appears to have passed its peak and a gradual reopening is planned after more than 40 days of lockdown. Nick Bryant describes the impact of the virus on the city he loves and on his own family. Ever since Kim Jong-un failed to show up in mid-April for the festivities marking his grandfather's birth the rumour mill has gone into overdrive. The sheer number of theories about the North Korean leader's whereabouts and state of health reflects the dearth of information about how things work inside the Hermit Kingdom says Laura Bicker. As the coronavirus pandemic forces countries everywhere to keep people indoors, those who live with abusive partners are even more vulnerable. In Jordan, social media is providing one outlet for those unable to step outside says Charlie Faulkner. So far Ukraine seems to be weathering the Covid-19 outbreak better than many other parts of Europe. But with an antiquated health system and an economy battered by a six year old conflict with Russian backed separatists in the east, the outlook is far from bright. Ukraine’s best known contemporary novelist , Andrei Kurkov, focuses on people living near the frontline in the war ravaged Donbas region in his latest book, which is called The Grey Bees.

South Korean film Parasite has been named best picture at this year's Oscars, becoming the first non-English language film to take the top prize. It won four awards in total, including best director for Bong Joon-ho. The film is a vicious social satire about two families from different classes in Seoul - one who live in poverty in a semi-basement, and another rich family residing in a large home. We speak to the BBC’s Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker about how South Koreans have reacted to the film’s success. We also hear from Jean Lee – director of the Korea programme at the Woodrow Wilson Center – about how the country is stepping into the limelight as a pop culture powerhouse. Presenter: Matthew Price Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Emma Crowe Editor: Philly Beaumont

South Korea’s playground for the rich and famous has been rocked by a major scandal over the alleged drugging and rape of women and young girls. Police have arrested more than 350 people in connection with claims of sexual abuse and exploitation in Seoul’s Gangnam nightclub district. A BBC investigation spoke to victims who say they were drugged with an undetectable substance before being dragged into nightclub back rooms or alleyways and then raped by one or more men, sometimes while being filmed on mobile phones. We speak to Laura Bicker, the BBC’s correspondent in Seoul about the scandal, and what it could mean for women in South Korea. Producers: Philly Beaumont and Lucy Hancock Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

South Korea is thought to be one of the more progressive countries in Asia, with its technological advancements and dominance in pop music. But the recent introduction of 5G has led to a rise in secret recordings in public areas, including women’s changing rooms and toilets. The BBC’s Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker takes us through the rise of spy cams and how it’s fuelling the global porn industry. This is a re-upload of one of our most popular episodes, first published on 11 April. Producers: Seren Jones and Lucy Hancock Editor: Harriet Noble Mixed by Andrew Mills

South Korea is thought to be one of the more progressive countries in Asia, with its technological advancements and dominance in pop music. But the recent introduction of 5G has led to a rise in secret recordings in public areas, including women’s changing rooms and toilets. The BBC’s Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker takes us through the rise of spy cams and how it’s fuelling the global porn industry. Producers: Seren Jones and Lucy Hancock Editor: Harriet Noble Mixed by Andrew Mills

Laura Bicker has worked for the BBC for 18 years. She is currently the BBC Seoul Correspondent, covering everything from North Korea to women’s rights. She is one of the more well-known foreign correspondents on the peninsula, not only for her excellent news coverage but for her willingness to ask the kinds of questions and dig deeper in a way the local press does not. Connect with Laura on Twitter @BBCLBicker   For bios and show notes please visit www.settlersofseoul.com, and connect with the show on Facebook and Twitter, at Settlers of Seoul.