The Explanation

It's been a week of great consequence for the media. On Monday, Russell Brand was sentenced to over ten years in prison for rape and sexual assault. On Tuesday - in a separate story - ITV News and The Guardian named David Walliams as the celebrity who tried to use an injunction to block the publication of sexual misconduct allegations. Our panel discuss the issues raised: Rosamund Urwin, chief news correspondent at The Sunday Times; Alex Wilson, partner at RPC, and Sarah Ditum, author of Toxic: Women, Fame and The Noughties.
Presenters: Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall
Producer: Lucy Wai
Assistant Producer: Emily Channon
Technical Coordinator: Christopher Brown
Sound: Michael Campbell

On this episode: Sumi Somaskanda, Caitriona Perry and Bernd Debusmann unpack all the big moments from the 2026 US midterms. Voters made their voices heard in a clear message to Trump: they want change. But how will Democrats deliver? And what now for Republicans?
Every weekend, The President’s Path explores the state of US politics in Washington and beyond. We dig into the key issues shaping America and uncover what’s on the minds of those closest to power. You can contact us at: path@bbc.co.uk

Senior Producer: Ellyn Duncan
Editor: James Kraft
Executive Producer: Anna Holford

This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, explores what the last two years of Donald Trump’s presidency might look like, analyses how the political deadlock in Israel could be broken, and looks at the difficulties and opportunities that artificial intelligence presents to science. Producer: Kate Cornell Executive Producer: Benedick Watt Commissioning Editors: Silvia Costeloe and Paul Royall

Protests across Europe led by youth movements have drawn attention to the role of social media in spreading information and misinformation. Largely led by Gen-Z, these protests have included references to films like The Hunger Games and The Avengers, and featured people in costumes taking part in 'aura battles', while memes of the demonstrations are shared online. Researcher Dr Nayana Prakash considers how online platforms, viral videos and AI-generated content are now an inextricable part of protest movements.
After Russian TV sent a camera crew to report on a Welsh independence march, BBC Monitoring’s Russia specialist Francis Scarr examines how Russian state media is reporting on independence movements across the world, and what this coverage reveals about the Kremlin’s portrayal of European instability and decline.
Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Tim Bano
Content Producer: Lucy Wai
Editor: Gavin Poncia
Researcher: Ruth Waites
Sound: Robin Schroder
Technical Coordinator: James Cherry

Could Texas really go blue? Are Democrats at risk in Michigan? A week out from the 2026 US midterms, Sumi Somaskanda and Caitriona Perry look at the key states – and seats – at play in the 2026 US midterms.
Every weekend, The President’s Path explores the state of US politics — in Washington and beyond. We dig into the key issues shaping America and uncover what’s on the minds of those closest to power. You can contact us at: path@bbc.co.uk

Senior producer: Ellyn Duncan
Editor: James Kraft
Executive producer: Anna Holford