Surf Life Saving NSW has changed its recommendations for CPR, with a focus on chest compressions instead of mouth-to-mouth.

There's evidence we've covered in the past that paracetamol isn't very effective in back pain. But what about so called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs, the most commonly used in Australia being ibuprofen?

Longstanding pain is a huge problem and doctors are trying to avoid opioids with all their problems, which could explain why a medication called Lyrica - the generic name is pregabalin - is one of the world's highest selling drugs.

Tristan was a kind and gentle 23-year-old surfer from Byron Bay. One night he suffered a drug-induced psychotic episode. And ended up driven to hospital in a small steel cage. Police say it is probably the worst place he could be. Tristan later died in hospital. Mario Christodoulou investigates the series of tragic events that led to Tristan's death that raise questions about how emergency services treat young drug-affected people in New South Wales.

Coronavirus is changing the way the entire human race lives. Emergency workers are scrambling together contingency plans, fearing hospitals could soon be overwhelmed. Scientists are racing to invent a faster, cheaper Covid-19 test kit available for us all. Restaurants are reinventing themselves as delivery services, artists are turning to live-streaming to make a living. This week, the entire Background Briefing team investigates how each of us are finding new ways to get by.

What does it take to prepare for a pandemic? Many hospitals around the world are already overwhelmed by patients infected with COVID-19. Australian doctors and nurses are bracing for something most of them have never faced before. In our country hospitals, resources are already stretched: beds are in short supply and there’s a greater proportion of older people. Preparation will, in many cases, be the difference between life and death.
 ABC National Regional Reporter Jess Davis takes us inside the Wimmera Base Hospital in Horsham, Victoria, as the team tries to prepare for the unimaginable.

Two terrifying incidents involving convicted extremists took place in London last year. The first, the London Bridge attack, left two people dead. Nine weeks later, in Streatham, two passersby were stabbed on the street. Both cases occurred after the perpetrators had failed to be rehabilitated in prison. So how effective are the UK's schemes for de-radicalising offenders? The BBC's File on 4 investigates where it is time for a radical overhaul of the way England treats extremists. For copyright reasons there will be no podcast or streaming of this program.

The coronavirus pandemic is causing pain and suffering the world over, but then there are always those who never let a good crisis go to waste. Some are benefiting from COVID-19 for legitimate reasons: just think of companies that make video conferencing apps, ventilators, or canny investors. But there are also more nefarious players looking to bank a win off the back of coronavirus fear and confusion: scam artists, fraudsters, counterfeiters. This week, Geoff Thompson, Mario Christodoulou, Meghna Bali and Kat Gregory investigate who's winning in these turbulent times and how.

People experiencing homelessness are being moved from the street and shelters into four-star hotels. The radical plan is meant to protect them from the pandemic and it's temporary. But as Hagar Cohen discovers, there are questions about what happens once the virus crisis is over.

PM Morrison says post pandemic it won't be "business as usual " but what should a reform agenda entail? Meanwhile restrictions in some states ease and the population downloads the COVID 19 tracing app. Laura Tingle assesses another viral week in national politics.

After years of funding cuts, many arts organisations will struggle to survive the COVID-19 pandemic without more government support. Playwright David Williamson and arts academic Jo Caust, discuss what needs to happened to ensure the sector survives.

In her new book, HRT, Kathy Lette ponders the choices on offer for a 50 year old facing a diagnosis of terminal cancer. Instead of accepting this quietly, she tells all her friends what she really thinks of them, accuses her husband of having an affair, and takes her two sisters on a cruise for a dose of Husband Replacement Therapy.

Bruce Shapiro discusses the latest on how the USA is managing or mis-managing the COVID-19 crisis.

Who are the Christian nationalists? What do they stand for and how influential are they in American politics?

On the anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, we look at how Australia and America’s colonial gun-toting past converged for many years, and what made Australia taking a completely different path with regard to gun control

Ian Dunt reports on Britain's coronavirus, the 60% approval ratings for Boris Johnson, and more on Prince Harry and Meaghan.

Academic and former Singaporean diplomat Kishore Mahbubani argues that the coronavirus pandemic will accelerate a power-shift, from west to east.

Can we ever capture the diversity of Indonesia? Deborah Cassrels has lived in Bali for more than ten years working as a reporter and has written a memoir about her experiences and the stories she has covered, beyond the perfect tourist destination.

The UN Security Council plans to call for a 90-day 'humanitarian pause' in conflicts worldwide as part of the ongoing struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic. It's hoped that in some of the world's worst conflict zones, this could lay the groundwork for longer term peace agreements.

France has experienced one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe since mid-March. As the country moves towards ‘deconfinement’, we explore how President Macron has handled the political and economic fall-out from Covid-19 and ask what next for the EU?

It was not only the spice trade, science, commerce and the arts that flourished in the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century. Publishing also exploded and an innovation called advertising sustains it and ushers in the modern world.

Tempers flare over when to reopen schools; Eden Monaro By-election, and do we need a debate over future immigration?

Instinctively we believe that everyone's life matters, that we're all important and of equal value but Howard Friedman, in his new book, shows that inequalities abound. 

Crosswords are a daily devotion, an obsession even, for millions. But where did the crossword start, and how did it become a staple of any newspaper worth its salt?

As American heads into another Presidential campaign, there is another allegation of sexual assault, this time against Democrat candidate Joe Biden.

Donald Trump has repeatedly accused the 'deep state' in America of attempting to undermine his presidency. But what is the 'deep state' that Trump is referring to, and does it actually exist?

The Federal Writers' Project, established by President Roosevelt in July 1935 as part of the New Deal, provided jobs for out-of-work writers during the Great Depression. Australian authors Jeff Sparrow and James Bradley discuss whether a similar literary stimulus package could work today.

As Brazil grapples with the largest coronavirus outbreak in Latin America, could the confluence of a public health crisis, a plummeting economy and a growing corruption scandal be the undoing of the country's far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro?

Cuban doctors and nurses have been working in some of the most challenging emergencies around the globe for many years including the Ebola crisis in West Africa and the aftermath of Chernobyl. Now they are working to treat patients with COVID-19 in 22 countries including Italy.

Indicted as a mass murderer in 1945, prominent Nazi Otto von Wachter goes underground. In a revealing and personal account, renowned human rights barrister, Philippe Sands retraces his movements and tells the intimate story of the inter-generational impact of such crimes.

Daniel McCarthy assesses the mood and politics of a country desperate to get back to normal.  

An obscure character from traditional Japanese folklore has become an unlikely unifier in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conservationists are hoping the coronavirus pandemic will force governments to take action against the wildlife trade. But will stricter legislation push wildlife traffickers deeper underground?

Why might the court intervene when a devout Jehovah Witness parent refuses a life-saving blood transfer to their child? What about cultural and traditional beliefs that clash with new ‘norms’ of society? More specific descriptions of what make a family of defines gender for example. Has the law has kept up with the changing society it regulates?

A compelling account of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident . Not only did the fallout contaminate half of Europe it changed the course of history. When the nuclear reactor exploded it set off another explosion that no-one had predicted -the collapse of the Soviet Union.  

Is modern capitalism, itself, a threat to the survival of capitalism? Or will corporations always find a way to monetise misery? Paul Barclay speaks to Yanis Varoufakis and Antony Loewenstein

When you look in the mirror you might see your mothers eyes or your father’s chin. But have you inherited more than these physical characteristics? Beyond a genetic predisposition to illness , can you inherit a tendency to be religious or obese? Are the life experiences of previous generations shaping the way you behave now?  

Mahatma Gandhi lived a life committed to social justice and human rights. In this year's lecture to honour his memory five Australian women talk about their work in indigenous communities, for people with disabilities, refugees , LGBTIQ and campaigns to reduce domestic violence.

Jan Fran campaigns for the power of girls. Why is it that girls are still less likely to work and learn than boys? Why are girls still expected to adapt and keep the peace instead of speaking out? A major factor that empowers girls, is it to give them self-confidence at an early age and to tell them that the world is theirs to conquer.

Writing about 'place' is more than parachuting into an unfamiliar location, meeting a few people, rehashing well-worn clichés, then flying out again. Three writers discuss the places they written about, and how to capture the essence of people and place.

Despite your best efforts do you struggle to get enough sleep or to wake up feeling refreshed ? Tiredness is a common complaint as the working day extends and we do more and more . But getting enough sleep isn’t as simple as it sounds. You might be out of step with your body clock or have a sleep disorder. Three sleep specialists tackle the secrets of sleep.

Many diets fail because your metabolism and brain adapt to different kinds of diets and physical activity. When you cut back your energy in-take, your body starts creating appetite enhancers.

Can the world achieve zero emissions by 2050? We need to put our foot on the accelerator if we’re to meet our Paris target. That’s the view of a former UN climate negotiator who was a key figure in the 2015 Paris Climate Talks. She warns that the time for action is now. And can citizens assemblies produce action on climate change?

The world’s first university was founded in Bologna, Italy in 1088. The university has been an enduring institution. But universities are confronting big challenges - and not just COVID19. The world has changed. So how much do universities need to adapt in response? What is their future?

To fight the Corona virus we’re making the choice to isolate ourselves at home. So it’s going to be a lonely time for some. But loneliness is a problem even when society is firing on all cylinders. Technology gives us more ways to connect so why are we so lonely? How can we build social connections?

Technology is driving immense social and economic change and it's time for governments to step up and actively shape the future. If we simply leave it to the market we risk social dislocation and economic disruption. Former US Ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich says the five trends demanding urgent attention from governments are automation, education, climate change, cyber security and self-governance. And Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz on the price of inequality