Podcast appearances and mentions of Phil Mercer

In Australia, one week on from the attacks in which 15 people were killed, a national day of reflection was held. Phil Mercer, Sydney-based journalist, gives us the latest.

Phil Mercer, BBC Reporter based in Sydney, outlines Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's plans to crack down on hate speech, following Sunday's deadly shooting at Bondi Beach that targeted a Jewish festival.

Phil Mercer, BBC Reporter based in Sydney, has the latest from Australia following the terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney.

At least 12 people have been killed and 29 injured in a terrorist attack targeting a Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australian police have said. We get the latest from Phil Mercer of the BBC.

BBC Correspondent, Phil Mercer reports on the Erin Patterson trial, where she has pleaded Not Guilty to murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives.

Phil Mercer, BBC Correspondent in Australia, reports on the latest events at the trial of Erin Patterson who was charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in 2023 by spiking their beef Wellington lunch with lethal death cap mushrooms.

Phil Mercer, BBC Australia Correspondent

Phil Mercer, Freelance News Correspondent, in Sydney, Australia

Phil Mercer, BBC Australia Correspondent

Phil Mercer, BBC Australia Correspondent // Jonathan Swain, Senior News Correspondent with ITV's ‘Good Morning Britain' // Cathal Mullaney, Broadcaster

BBC's Phil Mercer has been following the story which is believed to be linked to boot-leg alcohol

Phil Mercer, BBC Australia Correspondent and Fiona Jennings, Head of Public Affairs and Policy at the ISPCC

The European Central Bank has announced a cut in its main interest rate from an all-time high of 4% to 3.75%. A Norwegian mining group has confirmed that it's discovered the largest deposit of rare earth minerals in Europe. And Virgin Australia plans to break new ground by allowing dogs and cats to fly in the main cabin on flights. The BBC's Phil Mercer tells us morePhoto by FRIEDEMANN VOGEL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock. European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde addresses a press conference

From the BBC World Service: Doctors in the UK are calling for disposable vapes to be banned. Phil Mercer reports from Sydney where they’re only available on prescription. Plus, a cyber hack has seen tens of thousands of employees’ personal details being leaked across organizations including British Airways and the BBC. And finally, in a major energy breakthrough, a test satellite has transmitted and received wireless power in space for the first time.

From the BBC World Service: Doctors in the UK are calling for disposable vapes to be banned. Phil Mercer reports from Sydney where they’re only available on prescription. Plus, a cyber hack has seen tens of thousands of employees’ personal details being leaked across organizations including British Airways and the BBC. And finally, in a major energy breakthrough, a test satellite has transmitted and received wireless power in space for the first time.

Phil Mercer, BBC News Correspondent in Australia, has the latest on a huge fire at a seven story building in central Sydney.

From the BBC World Service: BMW Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Peter tells us that President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act confirms they’re heading in the right direction as an organization, but it’s infrastructure, not subsidies, that the industry needs. Plus, ex-NFL star JJ Watt explains why he’s investing in an English Soccer team. And finally, BBC’s Sydney reporter Phil Mercer reports from Australia the government has brought 10 days of paid leave to help those suffering domestic abuse.

From the BBC World Service: BMW Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Peter tells us that President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act confirms they’re heading in the right direction as an organization, but it’s infrastructure, not subsidies, that the industry needs. Plus, ex-NFL star JJ Watt explains why he’s investing in an English Soccer team. And finally, BBC’s Sydney reporter Phil Mercer reports from Australia the government has brought 10 days of paid leave to help those suffering domestic abuse.

From the BBC World Service: $2.5 billion — that’s how much the French beauty giant L’Oreal is buying Australian skincare brand Aesop for. It’s L’Oreal’s largest takeover in decades, but why did they want Aesop so much? BBC’s Phil Mercer in Sydney gives us the details. Plus, BBC's Jane Chambers finds out why there’s an increase in the number of urban cowboys in Uruguay.

From the BBC World Service: $2.5 billion — that’s how much the French beauty giant L’Oreal is buying Australian skincare brand Aesop for. It’s L’Oreal’s largest takeover in decades, but why did they want Aesop so much? BBC’s Phil Mercer in Sydney gives us the details. Plus, BBC's Jane Chambers finds out why there’s an increase in the number of urban cowboys in Uruguay.

US employers added 315,000 jobs in August in the latest figures, despite a jump in unemployment. We ask KPMG's chief economist Diane Swonk what this could mean for the country's economy. Australia says it's raising its cap on permanent migration for the first time in a decade to try to attract more workers. So where have all the workers gone? The BBC's Phil Mercer offers some answers. Germany's national airline, Lufthansa, has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights after its pilots went on strike over what they call an inadequate pay offer. Travel journalist Jill Starley-Grainger explains the impacts and arguments of the strike. China's reopening it's border to foreign students for the first time in more than two years. Richard Coward, who runs a business helping international students apply to Chinese Universities, explains the value of it.

Phil Mercer, BBC Australia Correspondent

Phil Mercer of the BBC reports on the torrential rain and heavy winds in Sydney.

Investors are worried about a possible recession after steep Wall Street falls on Wednesday. We have the latest on the financial markets from Michael Hewson of CMC Markets, and explore the prospects for the global economy with Simon Macadam at Capital Economics in London, and Allison Schrager, senior fellow and economist at the Manhattan Institute in New York. Also in the programme, the BBC's Phil Mercer reports from Australia on how the rising cost of living is a central theme in campaigning ahead of this weekend's general election. The BBC's Rahul Tandon examines changing attitudes to defence spending following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Plus, we hear how Joe and Jess Thwaite, from Gloucester in England, found out that they had won $228m on the EuroMillions lottery. Today's edition is presented by Mike Johnson, and produced by Sarah Hawkins and Sara Parry.

As Russia continues its offensive in Ukraine, the US warns China against actively supporting President Putin whilst Turkey, a NATO member, walks a tightrope because of its political and economic ties to Russia. We hear from Turkish lawyer Ali Guden and the BBC's world affairs editor John Simpson in Istanbul. Tamasin Ford reports on the fate of Ukrainian refugees and hears from one Moldovan business owner about how he's adapting to accommodate families and Phil Mercer brings us up to date about moves by Australia's competition watchdog to sue Facebook's owner, Meta, over fake ads for cryptocurrency schemes. (Image: Moments after a rocket attack in Kharkiv; Credit: BBC)

A hundred and thirty people died during the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris. Now, one alleged participant has gone on trial, along with others charged as accomplices. What is it like for families of the victims, and those who were there on the night, to come face to face with those they believe may be partly responsible? Lucy Williamson was watching in court, and sees more at work than just deciding on innocence or guilt. According to Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, Ukrainians and Russians are one people. Yet the French President, Emmanuel Macron has referred to Ukrainians as: “our European brothers.” Observers have sometimes simplified matters, by assuming that those in Ukraine who speak Russian lean towards Moscow, while the Ukrainian speakers see Kiev as their capital, and western Europe as their allies. Whether or not such a neat division was ever valid, Sarah Rainsford has found it seriously wanting now. Given Russia currently has such a tense relationship with the west, the country is keen to improve its links elsewhere, both political and commercial. That could well be helped by a road being built, which aims to carry more Russian freight and other traffic south into neighbouring Georgia. Yet it is being constructed right on top of another, very old road, and also passes through the “Khada Valley,” a spot famous in Georgia for its beauty and wildlife. So when Amelia Stewart visited, she found environmentalists and some locals up in arms about the project. There are some spectators, and there have been the usual triumphs and disappointments of any sporting event. Yet nobody can claim that this year's Beijing Winter Olympics have been anything like a normal contest. China has imposed one of the most severe lockdown of any country in the world, in response to Covid, so those attending have had their experience highly restricted. They include our correspondent, Stephen McDonell, who has been attempting to report from the scene. Australian English is famously expressive, particularly when it comes to its inventive insults. This goes for the political realm as well; indeed, the current Prime Minister has just has a few choice words thrown at him by his own Deputy. However, as Phil Mercer explains, this is nothing new.

The repressive tactics of the Belarusian state have been back in the news this week – and all over the map. The Olympic Games in Tokyo were shaken by sprinter Krystina Timonovskaya's row with her coaches – she ended up seeking asylum in Poland. In Ukraine, the head of a group helping Belarusian emigres was found hanged in a park in Kyiv; his death is still being investigated. In Belarus itself, it's nearly a year since the disputed election of August 2020 - which sparked mass protests over the result. Since then the government of Aleksandr Lukashenko has been going after people who were involved in the demonstrations with every means to hand. This week, one of the main ‘faces' of the protests went on trial. Sarah Rainsford was in Minsk and has been speaking to family and friends of Maria Kolesnikova. In Nigeria, the mass abduction of children has become a tragically recurring kind of news story: eighty taken in one incident, over 120 in another – just in the past few months. But it's not just crime which is destabilising Nigeria right now. There is the continuing insurgency of the jihadist group Boko Haram in the north, and a crop of separatist movements around the country. As Mayeni Jones reports, the insecurity is now touching even people who'd previously managed to shield themselves from the worst: It sounds like the stuff of a military dictatorship: troops will be out on the streets, enforcing a curfew, with people forbidden to leave their homes except on essential business. But this is Sydney, Australia - where yet another lockdown has been enforced, in in an effort to halt a surge in Covid cases. Different parts of this vast country have adopted their own rules – but one thing all parts of Australia share is a reverence for the traditional character of the “larrikin” – a rebellious, anti-establishment type who doesn't take kindly to rules or regulations of any sort. So, Phil Mercer asks, how has a larrikin-loving nation reacted to such draconian measures? Costa Rica gets a lot of good press for its efforts to preserve nature. It's got an extraordinary array of micro-climates and species, and it's a leading voice in international efforts to tackle climate change. So it's also a hotspot for nature tourists – from bird spotters to those who want to wander into a real live rainforest. But not everything about Costa Rica's government is green – and not all its life forms are friendly. Michelle Jana Chan went for a night walk which shed light on all sorts of wonders… and horrors. Producer: Polly Hope

Violence is mounting in South Africa as people protest poverty and unemployment. The unrest was sparked by the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma, but has become more generalised in recent days. Busisiwe Mavuso is chief executive of Business Leadership South Africa, which represents the country's largest employers, and gives us her perspective on recent developments. Also in the programme, property prices in Australia have been rising at their highest levels nationally in 17 years. The BBC's Phil Mercer reports on concerns that almost half of Australian households are struggling with their mortgage payments. Plus, as a gin craze in the US and UK shows no sign of abating, the BBC's Elizabeth Hotson explores where the next global hotspots will be for the drink. (Picture: Looters flee from police in Johannesburg. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

In the latest episode of the Dirty Torque show presented by Bell Powersports UK, Jeffro chats to the Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha boss Lee Webber about their good start to the year and the up and coming date clash with the Michelin MX Nationals and Revo ACU British championship as well as Factory Phil Mercer talking about his AMCA Events exploits...The Dirty Torque show is in association with FXR Racing and Doc Wob Imports

Thousands of Australians are set to be evacuated from their homes as severe flooding in the Sydney area worsens - our correspondent Phil Mercer brings us the latest. Also on the programme; Saudi Arabia's state-run oil giant Aramco posts a huge loss in profits. And we speak to the silversmiths behind some of sport's most iconic trophies.

Australia will appeal China's tariff on its barley at the World Trade Organisation. The BBC's Phil Mercer explains the background to the dispute, and we get context from Brett Hosking, chairman of the Australian trade body, Grain Growers. Also in the programme, the BBC's Ed Butler examines whether the idea of virtual offices could provide an alternative to endless zoom calls. Plus, as coronavirus vaccines are being rolled out around the world, we have a report from India exploring how that country of 1.3bn people is preparing to tackle the challenge of what could be the biggest immunisation programme in history. (Picture: An Australian barley field being harvested. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

This week’s dispatches, introduced by Kate Adie, are: Steve Rosenberg in Belarus reflects on the history he shares with President Lukashenko, recently re-elected in a poll widely regarded as fradulent. It’s based on their separate links with a small town in the countryside. Yet even these didn’t prevent him from being detained by the regime’s police force. Phil Mercer in Sydney considers the strains being placed on Australia’s cohesion as many of its principal states and territories close their borders to each other. From the maintenance of urgent medical care to opportunistic flits across the country, the restrictions are causing hardship and leading to disaffection. A deal has been initialled in Sudan between its transitional government and the main rebel alliance designed to bring peace to the long-troubled North African state. Hailed by outside governments, the agreement has, however, yet to be endorsed by all parties to the Sudanese conflict. Anne Soy reported on widespread protests in the country last year and considers whether this third peace deal will prove more durable than the preceding ones. Five years after a million migrants and putative refugees arrived in Europe, Nick Thorpe in Budapest assesses how the Hungarian government has handled the flow of people since then – and discovers how some of those he met in 2015 seeking to start new lives in Europe have fared. And finally carol singers and Father Christmases appear each summer on a peculiar day in Boston’s calendar – notably not disrupted by Covid-19 this year – when nearly three-quarters of those who rent their homes in the US city move house. Recent arrival there, Alice Hutton, went to meet her new neighbours to find out what it was all about. Producer Simon Coates

BBC's Phil Mercer reports

They believe they are fighting for their way of life, for Hong Kong’s very existence, but the protesters know they can’t really win says Paul Adams. Kate Adie introduces this and other stories from around the world: There is a saying in Russia “If he beats you - he loves you” hears Lucy Ash as she visits a refuge for the survivors of domestic violence in Moscow. “Twisted logic, yes, but it is still part of our mentality.” In Ethiopia, Justin Rowlatt gets stung by killer bees as he examines successful attempts to re-green the region and restore long lost woodlands. In Australia, bushfires burn. While scientists and firefighters agree that climate change is making things worse many leading politicians refuse to listen. Phil Mercer has seen the damage for himself. And Joanne Robertson struggles to get a decent haircut in Paris and asks who is to blame?

This edition includes: After decades mired in international conflict Iraq and Afghanistan continue to reel from the effects of it. Foreign correspondent Simona Foltyn, Jawed Nader, director of British & Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group, and David Pratt, foreign editor of The Herald analyse the prospects for peace and recovery in the region. In our Long Interview, Bill Whiteford speaks to writer Rebecca Stott about growing up among the Exclusive Brethren; Isabel Fraser talks to the academic and writer Bonnie Greer about Aretha Franklin's role in the civil rights movement, and BBC reporter Phil Mercer looks at how Australian farmers are coping with a winter drought.

The supply of emergency food to people in the UK has hit record levels. Kevin Bocquet looks at new initiatives faith based organisations have set up to help those in need. The Met's highly anticipated exhibition Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, opens in New York this week. Vatican vestments and accessories spanning 15 papacies alongside items from some of the biggest designers in the world will be on display. Professor of Art History, Anne Higonnet, talks to William Crawley about what to expect. Rev. Dr. James H. Cone, a central figure in the development of Black liberation theology will be buried in New York on Monday. Prof Robert Beckford of Canterbury Christchurch University talks to William about Cone's legacy. Cardinal George Pell, Australia's most well known religious figure is facing trials on historical sexual assault charges. He has strongly denied any wrong doing. Phil Mercer profiles this controversial Vatican priest. For the last two years the Church of England has thrown its weight behind Thy Kingdom Come , a global prayer movement, which invites Christians around the world to pray between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ. Canon Angela Tilby discusses with the Rev Barry Hill, an advisor to Thy Kingdom Come, how the Church should talk about the Christian faith. The US House of Representatives chaplain, Father Patrick Conroy, has rescinded his resignation after it's claimed the House Speaker Paul Ryan's asked him to step down. William talks to journalist, Sarah Posner about what's going on behind the scenes. And why are direct cremations at which no mourners are present becoming popular? PRODUCERS: Rajeev Gupta Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Series Producer: Amanda Hancox.

This week, Manchester United and the world of football marked the sixtieth anniversary of the Munich Air disaster. The greatest footballer in Kenya’s history – Joe Kadenge became a Manchester United fan after the tragedy and for the first time in his life, he got to watch United play at Old Trafford against Huddersfield. During his visit to Manchester, he attended the Munich memorial service on Tuesday and also popped into the BBC Sport studio where we spoke to him about fulfilling a lifetime ambition of visiting the Theatre of Dreams. Christina Snead has dedicated her whole life to making a difference in sport. Most weekends, you'll find her officiating high-school American football games in her native North Carolina; the first woman to do so. But in 2003 Christina was pregnant with her first child and was enjoying what appeared to be a healthy pregnancy until complications arose while she went into labour. Her son Brandon was in distress and his brain was injured during birth. Even though he survived, he has never recovered enough to live at home, requiring a feeding tube, ventilator and around-the-clock care. Despite Brandon’s health battle, Christina tells us her next aim is make it to the NFL! Mayor Changai is a refugee from South Sudan but is now living in Sydney and is the coach of the Savanah Pride Basketball Club. The programme has stopped loitering and fighting on the streets of Blacktown. Some of his players have earned scholarships to play US college Basketball. The BBC’s Phil Mercer went along to a training session. Taking up running can seem like a scary prospect, especially if you feel out of shape or unfit. NHS Couch to 5K will help you gradually work up towards running 5K in just 9 weeks. On New Year’s Day, we heard presenter Shari Vahl take on the challenge so how is she going at the ½ way stage? The motivational voice on the podcast, Laura, interviews Shari on progress and tips on how to keep motivated. Roald Bradstock is a former athlete, he has twice represented Great Britain at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games but 30 years on, he will be going back to South Korea, this time as an artist. He tells Shari that his lifetime goal was to become an Olympic athlete but his other lifetime dream was to become an Olympic artist. He is part of the IOC’s historic and first ever Olympic Art Project. With all eyes on the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, we look back at one of the iconic moments of the Games which happened on 22nd February, 1980 when the United States stunned the defending champions Soviet Union 4-3 in the men's Ice Hockey competition. Since then, it's been known as the "Miracle On Ice" - Neal Broten was a member of the gold medal winning US team and talks us through that memorable day. Picture - Munich Air Disaster tribute t-shirt (Credit - Getty Images)

This Remembrance Sunday we are looking at the life of the only soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross twice during World War One. He was a doctor, a sportsman and the son of a former Bishop of Liverpool. His name was Noel Chavasse. He's still revered in his home city and Kevin Bocquet has been to Liverpool to hear about the man. In her book 'The Keys and the Kingdom', Catherine Pepinster looks at the relationship between the papacy and the British. Edward asks her how have things changed in the last 25 years. On November 15, the results of Australia's postal ballot on same sex marriage will be announced. Phil Mercer reports from Sydney on how religious groups there are reacting ahead of the results. Satnam Sanghera is the author of 'The Boy with the Topknot'. He talks to Edward about the BBC 1 adaptation, as it dramatises his story of growing up as a second generation Sikh in the UK , not having an arranged marriage and discovering secrets about his family. All week revelations from the 'Paradise Papers' have given an insight into the tax affairs of individuals and institutions. Many of the tax arrangements are legal but are they 'morally criminal' as the Methodist Tax Justice Network claim? Barbara Ridpath, Director of the St Paul's Institute and Laura Taylor, Head of Advocacy at Christian Aid debate. What was the contribution of Muslim soldiers during World War One and why is knowing this important to British Muslims? Hayaan Bhabha, from the All Party Parliamentary Group of British Muslims tells us about new figures he's uncovered and their relevance to Muslims in Britain today. Producers: David Cook Lissa Cook Editor: Amanda Hancox Photo of Noel Chavasse & Doreen the horse courtesy of Liverpool Scottish Museum Trust.

The sounds of protest, popping champagne corks and the piercing shrieks of megabats. Kate Adie introduces correspondents’ stories from around the world. Aleem Maqbool watches a confederate monument fall in America’s south, and wonders what difference statues and symbols really make. In Egypt, activists tell Orla Guerin that while previous leaders may have tried to restrict the space for civil society, President Sisi wants to eliminate it. They claim their strongman leader has been emboldened by Donald Trump who has praised his work - and his shoes. In Australia, Phil Mercer finds that residents of Sydney are not too happy with their new neighbours. Megabats or flying-foxes fly in gothic squadrons, emit a piercing cacophony and leave behind a lingering stench. In the shadow of towering glass and steel skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Rob Crossan has lunch in the traditional Malay village trying to resist the tides of gentrification and modernisation. And Juliet Rix has a drink in France, as she meets the women shaking up the champagne industry. Producer: Joe Kent

Tensions in the Middle East and protests in Russia are not just caused by internal politics and war but also, some say, the stresses of economic decline as the result of cheap oil. While the price of oil has gone up this week in response to the US military's missile attack on a Syrian government airbase, this uptick is likely, many analysts say, to be short-lived. Some experts now believe the price of oil could remain low forever. That's the view of Dieter Helm, an economics professor at the University of Oxford, who has just written a book, entitled Burn Out. Ed Butler asks Professor Helm to lay out the possible effects of a permanently lower oil price.Also in the programme, the BBC's Phil Mercer reports from Australia where renewable energy is on the rise. More homeowners are installing solar power battery systems to guarantee that the lights stay on.(Picture: A Russian LUKOIL oil platform. Credit: MIKHAIL MORDASOV/AFP/Getty Images)

We travel to Hawai'i, The Gambia, France and India-administered Kashmir this week. The programme begins in Australia where the plans of the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, to hold a national plebiscite on the issue of same-sex marriage have run into difficulties. Phil Mercer explains why, although his opponents agree with the premier's objective, they don't support his approach for achieving it. Chris Simpson is in The Gambia, the smallest country on the African mainland. Elections are due in December and the opposition parties agreed only yesterday to field a single candidate against the sitting president. But what are the prospects of the long-serving head of state losing power? Chris Bockman is in Toulouse following the story of a plane and its erstwhile owner. Colonel Gadaffi of Libya, the fifth anniversary of whose death falls next Thursday, hated flying but nevertheless acquired and fitted out in grand style an Airbus A340. But disagreements between the new Libyan authorities and creditors claiming that bills racked up by the former leader have been left unpaid in France mean the plane is parked at Perpignan airport. What will happen next? Kashmir is one of the most militarised regions of the world with India and Pakistan administering parts of it while both claiming all of it. Melissa van der Klugt journeyed to Attari to meet the station superintendent who manages the daily routine of journeys between Delhi and Lahore under the shadow of nuclear weapons held on both sides. And Simon Parker is fascinated by the active volcanoes on Hawai'i, particularly Kilauea. He decides to get up close and personal with the lava-spewing natural wonder – but will his feet be able to endure the trek

Britain's vote to leave the European Union has caused damage to banks and to the wider economy in Italy. Growth forecasts there have been more pessimistic since June 23rd, and investors fear there'll be more defaults on loans. Italian banks are already sitting on a big pile of bad debt - but on Monday the world's oldest bank, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, saw its share price fall to an all time low after the European Central Bank said it had to cut back on the risky loans it holds. Professor Enrico Colombotto of the University of Turin described the scale of the problem faced by Italian banks. The Australian Electoral Commission has begun counting millions of postal and absentee votes today with the election still too close to call. Phil Mercer is watching the long-drawn-out process. The US space agency NASA is no stranger to dramatic count-downs, but right now early on Tuesday they are really holding their breaths. NASA's solar-powered Juno spacecraft is about to reach Jupiter after an almost five-year journey. When it does arrive, it's going to hit the brakes. But if a 35-minute main engine burn doesn't slow the spacecraft so it can be pulled into Jupiter's orbit it will be an epic billion-dollar fail. (Photo credit: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images)

Today I have the pleasure of doing an interview with Jack Du Brul. He is a best selling author of two series The Oregon Files (co-written with Clive Cussler) and Phil Mercer. His most recent book, The Lightining Stones, in the Phil Mercer Series was released in July.

Hungry crocodiles are invading homes in northern Australia looking for the family pet, Phil Mercer has that story; the dangers of a drive through increasingly violent Iraq, Paul Martin; what makes an Indian cinema crowd scream at the screen, Mark Tully; the former gangsters trying to reduce gun crime on the streets of LA, Frank Gardner and the controversy surrounding a new TV show in Denmark which features men in suits talking about naked women, Emma Jane Kirby.