Mary Robinson, Rose Tremain, Daddy Issues

Mary Robinson, once President of Ireland and now the Chair of The Elders, has been at COP26 in Glasgow all fortnight. She explains why the climate challenge ahead is so emotional.

Rose Tremain's new novel called Lily begins with a baby being abandoned by her mother outside a London park in Victorian London. She’s rescued from prowling wolves by a young police officer and Lily's life as a foundling child begins. It's a story of revenge and, as often with Rose Tremain's work, the setting might be historical but there are contemporary parallels.

Daddy Issues. It's an insult now but it started out as a psychological term to explain the importance of father figures. But what exactly are Daddy Issues, how real are they and what do you do if you think you have them? Katherine Angel, author of ‘Daddy Issues’, and Angharad George-Carey, host of the Daddy Issues podcast joins us.

And today is Single’s Day in China. It's the world’s biggest shopping spree. It's supposed to honour those who are not in a romantic relationship, and sales tempt people to treat themselves. It brings in more money than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. We talk to Nina Yu of Hylink, China’s largest digital advertising agency, about the scale and origins of the event. We also find out about changing attitudes towards being an unmarried or ‘leftover’ woman in China with Dr Ye Liu, a sociologist from King’s College London.