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Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University looks at the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with the Department for International Development (DfID) and the reactions from across the political spectrum. He discusses Nick Clegg's work to fix Facebook and boost voter turnout in elections. And he explains why he believes that the word "new" is of such importance post Wave One of Covid-19 in this nation of shopkeepers.

Helal Miah, Investment Research Analyst at The Share Centre, looks at recent news (and how the pandemic has affected business) from Ashtead, Berkeley Group, Boohoo and Kingfisher. Over a somewhat erratic line, he also looks ahead, suggesting what we might expect when we hear from Tesco and Royal Mail.

Steve Caplin, Share Radio's technology editor, asks if scientists in Antarctica have found a parallel universe where time runs backwards. He looks at the robot dog now on sale as well as Lego's Super Mario enabling you to play a "real" game. He turns up his nose at an Age of Odour exhibition about smells and discusses the world's biggest liquid air battery, how you can eavesdrop with a lightbulb, 3D print within the human body, put out fires with a vase and stop legged robots slipping up.

James Cameron-Wilson looks at encouraging news for UK cinemas and explains how BAFTA's awards are changing because of Covid-19. He reviews Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods, out as a Netflix premiere and the documentary You Don't Nomi about the camp classic movie Showgirls. And, with cinemas open in a few countries, he calculates a very unusual world box office chart.

Adam Cox is joined by Stephen Gillen, a reformed London gangster and armed robber, who transformed from a Category A convict imprisoned for 11 years to a serial entrepreneur, peace prize nominee, and filmmaker. Stephen shares how he left behind a life of crime to become a successful businessman, peace ambassador and role model, working with members of the police to promote a message of peace and hope. He explains the shift in his thinking and the resources necessary to turn a life around. Stephen also discusses his new autobiography and the movie of his life, The Monkey Puzzle Tree – and where the name comes from. Find out more: https://stephengillen.com/

In this episode of Policy Matters, hosts Matt Dickson and Franz Buscha talk to Neil Davies, Senior Research Fellow at the MRC Integrated Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol. Neil is a statistical epidemiologist, so Franz and Matt begin by finding out what life has been like for an epidemiologist since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Neil then explains his recent work showing how some of the myriad statistics we’re seeing relating to coronavirus suffer from their survey design, which can generate misleading apparent relationships between COVID-19 risk and individual characteristics, such as smoking. Next, Neil explains the statistical technique known as ‘Mendelian Randomisation’; which uses natural variation in our genes to help understand how health conditions and other individual characteristics impact on health and other social and economic outcomes. Matt, Franz and Neil go on to explore some of Neil’s recent research using this technique, which shows how education and intelligence impact the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, how BMI affects later outcomes, and why continuing longer in school might lead to increased costs at the opticians!

Saving, spending, planning — you've got money questions and we've got answers. Every week host Alison Southwick and personal finance expert Robert Brokamp challenge the conventional wisdom on life's biggest financial issues to reveal what you really need to know to make smart money moves. In this week's show, the team is joined by Motley Fool analyst Alyce Lomax to discuss how to evaluate companies based on their dedication to environmental, social, and corporate governance best practices.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: The market tumbles as the Fed Chairman warns the recovery might take a couple of years; Adobe hits an all-time high on record revenue; Lululemon slips on earnings; Starbucks closes some locations in the U.S. and Canada; Five Below hangs in; Chewy delivers; Grubhub snubs Uber; And Hertz revs up on news that the bankrupt rental car company is attempting to offer a billion dollars in stock. Analysts Ron Gross and Jason Moser discuss those stories and share two stocks on their radar: Fastly and Globus Medical. Plus, Motley Fool CEO Tom Gardner and analyst Abi Malin talk with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban about the future of sports, the future of work, and the value of money.

Stock markets crashing tend to put savers off investing in shares, but there has been a sizeable rise in new investors in Britain during lockdown, reports suggest. That came as savings rates plummeted (again) and people decided to go hunting for a bargain amid the stock market turmoil in March and April. But who are these novice investors and what do you need to think about to get started? On this week's podcast This is Money editor Simon Lambert tells host Georgie Frost what first timers need to know about building an investment portfolio - and gives some tips on easy ways to get started and why British isn't always best for investors. Managers can invest in their own fund or investment trust, but how do you find out if they do - and whether they're buying or selling, and does it matter? Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs backed Marcus Bank has pulled its best buy easy-access savings account – assistant editor Lee Boyce reveals why and how we are set to see rates tumble even further. Should you gamble on taking a European summer holiday in July, August or September and if you are tempted, what do you need to know? Euro 2020 should have been starting today, but at least for sport-starved fans Premier League football returns next week. However, you'll need a major tournament-style wallchart if you plan on catching the action, with Amazon Prime, BBC, BT Sport and Sky Sports all having games on – how do you watch for the cheapest price? And finally, property sales in England have started to edge up but apparently million-pound-plus homes in the country are leading the way. Are buyers really swapping Millionaire's Row for Millionaire's Lane?

Political commentator Mike Indian looks at the response to the Black Lives Matter protests and what it means for the study of history and our attitudes towards contentious figures of the past. He examines the latest government moves to ease lockdown, with schools being delayed returning until September, calls to cut social distancing below two metres and the delays to testing and the track & trace app. He also looks at the furore over minister Robert Jenrick.