पडकास्ट
BBC World Service
५९८ एपिसोड · en
The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.
२०२६ जुन ३० · २४ मिनेट
Flesh-eating parasitic flies have been found in the US state of Texas for the first time in decades. Known as the New World Screwworm, officials have now put plans in place to try and contain its spread. The fly feeds off warm-blooded animals, like cattle, dogs and horses, but if detected early enough, with treatment, the animals can make a full recovery. It can also infest humans, but human deaths are rare and it poses no food safety issues. The New World Screwworm is not a new problem; it is considered endemic in South America and some parts of Central America, towards South America. But despite the United States declaring itself screwworm free in the 1960s, the country has since seen several outbreaks. Officials have been tracking this latest case since late 2024. To date, the most widely used method to try and control the spread of the screwworm is the Sterile Insect Technique, whereby millions of flies are hatched and exposed to radiation, before they are released into the wild. And the idea here is that as the females only mate once in a lifetime, any eggs they lay will be unfertilised and will not hatch. There is currently only one facility hatching these flies in operation and there are not enough sterile flies being produced. In addition, there is a concern over a lack of knowledge among new veterinary recruits on how to deal with a problem that many may be experiencing for the first time. So, on The Inquiry this week, we’re asking ‘Can the New World Screwworm be stopped?’ Contributors: Grace VanHoy, veterinarian and professor, UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, California, USA Thomas Rath, author and assistant professor, History Department, University College London, UK Dr Phillip Kaufman, professor and head of department of entomology, Texas A&M University, chair of the Texas A&M AgriLife New World Screwworm Task Force, USA Rui Cardoso Pereira, head of insect pest control section, Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Amelia Cox Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: New World Screwworm poster. Credit: Joel Angel Juarez/Getty Images)
२०२६ जुन २३ · २३ मिनेट
This year, technology has more influence in officiating sports than ever before. At the men's World Cup, the role of virtual assistant referee technology (VAR) has been extended to include two more on-pitch scenarios while in tennis, umpires use electric line calling systems (ELC) to make final decisions. Both bits of kit aim to improve the accuracy. It’s become easier to consider match-defining moments through these tracking and review systems’ specialised cameras. But, this information takes human officials valuable time to analyse. Football fans criticise VAR for this reason, saying it delays match momentum. Top ranking tennis players Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev have also complained as these systems are not yet infallible. If technology is as imperfect as a human referee or umpire and can interrupt the fan experience too, why do elite sports rely on it? We speak to Carlo de Marchis, independent adviser in sports and media technology in Italy; Dr Otto Koblinger, former sports scientist, Munich Technical University, Germany and senior data manager, Saudi Pro League; Professor Odilon Roble, sport philosopher and psychoanalyst, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil and Matt Moore, associate dean, University of Kentucky’s college of social work, US. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Evie Yabsley Researcher: Amelia Cox Sound engineer: Nicky Edwards Production co-ordinator: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: VAR check. Credit: Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
२०२६ जुन १६ · २३ मिनेट
A new directive strives to narrow the 11% hourly wage gap between men and women in the EU. Around the world, the gender pay gap has been shrinking as women gain access to higher education and better employment opportunities. Though varied hours, industries and care responsibilities make this inequality a difficult problem to tackle with one universal policy. Member states have just passed their deadline to implement measures that will hold employers to account for pay disparities in the workplace so will pay transparency solve the persistent gap? Contributors Emma Duchini, assistant professor of economics, University of Essex, UK Marianne Bertrand, professor of economics, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, US Adamnesh Bogale, head of gender, African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), Ghana Marina Tverdostup, economist, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, Austria. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Evie Yabsley Researcher: Amelia Cox Sound engineer: Toby James Editor: Tom Bigwood Production management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: A woman typing)
२०२६ जुन ९ · २५ मिनेट
In May 2026, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in western Africa a public health emergency of international concern. Within days, hundreds of cases had been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising fears that the virus could spread further across the region. Ebola has been causing outbreaks for nearly 50 years, but despite advances in vaccines and treatments, the disease continues to return. But why is it so difficult to treat and contain? Contributors Syra Madad, infectious disease epidemiologist at the Harvard Belfer Centre, US Hypolite Muhindo Mavoko, professor of tropical medicine at the University of Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo Amanda Rojek, associate professor of health emergencies at the University of Oxford, UK Julienne Anoko, risk communication and community engagement officer at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Kenya Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Amelia Cox Technical producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Tom Bigwood Production management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Ebola awareness banner in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Glordy Murhabazi/Getty Images)
२०२६ जुन २ · २३ मिनेट
In 2001, Portugal decriminalised the possession and use of all illicit drugs. It was a move designed to mitigate the country’s public health crisis, which at the time meant Portugal had one of the worst rates of overdose deaths in Europe, as well as the highest rate of HIV among drug users. Whilst drugs remained illegal, users did not receive a criminal record but were instead referred to rehabilitation and treatment programmes. It was an approach that proved so successful, that it has remained in place for a quarter of a century. But just over 10 years after its introduction, Portugal’s drugs policy started to come under strain as the country’s economic crisis and subsequent austerity measures led to budget cuts for drug services. More recently the rising cost of living has diverted people’s attention from investment in this field. On top of this, the trafficking of cocaine and newer substances into the country along with changing demographics is putting decriminalisation under strain. Contributors Joana Teixeira, President of the Board of Directors, Institute for Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (ICAD), Lisbon, Portugal Luís Mendão, Director General, Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos (GAT), Lisbon, Portugal António Leitão da Silva, Chief of Police, Braga, Portugal Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial professor of psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, California, USA. Presenter: David Baker Producer: Jill Collins Technical producer: Toby James Editor: Tom Bigwood Production management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Discarded syringes and drug paraphernalia. Credit: Andy Buchanan/AFP)
२०२६ मे २६ · २३ मिनेट
At the beginning of this year Bulgaria, considered as one of the poorest countries in the European Union, became the latest to officially join the eurozone. Bulgaria’s legal tender since 1881 had been the lev, but since the mid-1990s it had been pegged to other European currencies, first to the German deutschmark and now to the euro. But it remains to be seen if the country’s economic policy can take advantage of the opportunities that joining the single currency can afford, in terms of trade and economic development. Monetary unions are not a new concept, some like the Scandinavian monetary union date back to the 19th Century, involving Denmark, Sweden and Norway. It established a fixed exchange rate system based on the gold standard, whilst member countries still had their own currencies before it was gradually dissolved from the outbreak of World War One onwards. Today, the biggest monetary union is the eurozone, used by around 358 million people across 21 European Union countries. It has one monetary authority for all the members and a standardised currency and coinage. And now the Economic Community of West African States, known as Ecowas is actively planning a monetary union with a common currency called the eco and pegged to the euro. The ambition is for greater economic sovereignty and regional economic integration. But with the US dollar as the world’s dominant global reserve currency, even though it is not part of a global monetary union, is there an argument for one currency across all borders and if so, what should it be? Contributors: Assoc Prof Ralitsa Simeonova-Ganeva, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, Bulgaria Prof Barry Eichengreen, University of California, Berkeley, USA Prof Mohamed Ben Omar Ndiaye, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal Dr Judy Shelton, Senior Fellow, The Independent Institute, California, USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producers: Daniel Rosney and Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Sound engineer: Toby James Editor: Tom Bigwood Production management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Euro and US dollar banknotes)
२०२६ मे १९ · २५ मिनेट
The Himalayan glaciers are melting more rapidly as global temperatures rise, raising concerns about the future of ecosystems and communities across the Himalayan mountain range. Glaciers store more than two thirds of the world’s freshwater and help regulate global temperatures by reflecting the sun’s rays. Across South Asia, melting ice is contributing to the formation of unstable glacial lakes and increasing the risks of floods, droughts and avalanches. The Himalayas are a vital source of water for millions of people, supporting agriculture, energy production and livelihoods from tourism. Experts warn that continued glacier loss could have significant consequences for people living in the region and the mountainous ecosystem, but what can be done to respond to these changes? Contributors: Pasang Yangjee Sherpa, assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada Pam Pearson, director and founder of the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative, US Matthias Huss, glaciologist and senior scientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland Alton Byers, faculty research scientist at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado, US Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researchers: Evie Yabsley and Amelia Cox Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Mitch Goodall Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Trekkers walk to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Credit: Kriangkrai Thitimakorn/Getty Images)
२०२६ मे १२ · २४ मिनेट
The recent election result in Hungary has been seen as a welcome relief within the European Union. The bloc of 27 nations has, at times, felt frustrated with the country for blocking what the other 26 members have agreed to do, especially regarding financial support for Ukraine. Now the EU has been able to push through a loan to Ukraine of more than US$100bn, and some observers believe the union’s turbulent years are behind it. As it marks 10 years since the United Kingdom voted to leave, and with Montenegro expected to soon join, this week, what is the future of the European Union?’ Contributors: Dr Monika Sus, professor at the Polish Academy of Sciences and at the Robert Schuman Centre of the European University Institute in Florence, Italy Michael Geary, professor of European history at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway Catherine E. de Vries, author How Europe Survives: The Adaptability and Resilience of a Continent in Peril, vice dean of the school for politics, economics and global affairs at IE University of Madrid, Spain Dr Andi Hoxhaj, lecturer in law and director of the European law and LLM programme at King's College, London, UK Presenter: Daniel Rosney Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: European Union flags. Credit: Reuters)
२०२६ मे २ · २४ मिनेट
Global oil markets have been affected by the US Israel war with Iran, leading to higher jet fuel prices and increased attention on supply risks. But how serious is the situation? While some experts point to tightening supply chains and regional bottlenecks, others say there is no clear evidence so far of immediate shortages. Even so, the refining and distribution of jet fuel remains a potential vulnerability, as disruption can have notable impacts even when crude oil itself is available. With air travel crucial to trade and tourism, the resilience of fuel supply is a growing concern for economies and travellers. Can alternative suppliers and fuel sources help limit the impact of future disruption? Contributors: Zach Aman, professor of chemical engineering, the University of Western Australia Ahmed Mehdi, senior fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and managing director at Renaissance Energy Advisors, UK Dumebi Oluwole, lead economist at Stears, Nigeria Li Qiao, professor of aeronautics and astronautics, Purdue University, US Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical producer: Mitch Goodall (Photo: Airline worker attaching fuel pipe to plane to refuel. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
२०२६ अप्रिल २८ · २४ मिनेट
The recent Nasa Artemis II crewed mission to the far side of the Moon is a further step towards a long-term return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. The plan is that before the end of the decade there will be a crewed landing and the start of a Moon base. China is among those developing similar plans. Previous missions both crewed and uncrewed have provided evidence of resources that potentially could be of use here on Earth, and support human life on the Moon. So, it’s not just the race to the Moon that’s capturing the world’s attention, but also the possible economic benefits that that might bring with it. The Moon’s surface or lunar regolith contains volatiles like hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. There is evidence of minerals such as silicate and oxides and metals like aluminium and titanium, which could be extracted for building materials. And something that is rare on Earth, Helium-3, a potential resource for clean fusion energy. Governments in conjunction with private corporations are already working on the technology to extract these resources. Concerns have been raised about the potential damage to the Moon, not only in terms of the depletion of its resources, but in terms of its scientific value and its cultural heritage. Protection ranges from established treaties that prohibit ownership of the moon, to national laws that permit resource extraction. But to date, there is no universally accepted international law in place, which explicitly permits or prohibits lunar mining. So, this week on the Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Should we mine the Moon?’ Contributors: Dr Dylan Mikesell, principal geophysicist, NGI-The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Oslo, Norway Dr Justin Holcomb, assistant research professor, Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, USA Prof Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, director of ETH Space, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland Dr Tanja Masson-Zwaan, assistant professor and deputy director, International Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University, The Netherlands Presenter: William Crawley Producer: Jill Collins Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound engineer: Nicky Edwards (Photo: The Moon. Credit: Reuters)
२०२६ अप्रिल २१ · २५ मिनेट
Conflict in the Middle East has led to volatility in global oil prices, pushing up fuel costs worldwide. Previous oil shocks prompted some countries to reconsider their reliance on cars, investing in alternatives such as cycling. In some places, this has become part of everyday life, while elsewhere it has proved more contested, reflecting wider political and cultural divides. Cycling offers benefits for health and the environment, but it is not practical for everyone. For many people, including those in rural areas or with limited mobility, cars remain everyday essentials. As oil price volatility continues to affect motorists, questions remain about how far behaviour can change. With contributions from Meredith Glaser, CEO of Urban Cycling Institution, professor of cycling at Ghent University, Belgium, and a senior lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Levke Sönksen, research associate at the German Institute of Urban Affairs, Germany; Dr Eunhye Enki Yoo, professor of Geography at the University of Buffalo, US and Martin Tillman, independent transport consultant, UAE. Presenter: Gary O’Donoghue Producer: Matt Toulson Sound engineer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Cyclists ride bicycles in Amsterdam. Credit: George Clerk/Getty Images)
२०२६ अप्रिल १४ · २४ मिनेट
Broadcasters from The Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Spain and Slovenia are all boycotting May’s Eurovision Song Contest because Israel is participating. Sources within Israel’s broadcaster say calls for it to be banned are unjustified, and organisers of the contest insist it must remain politically neutral, describing the event as "a platform for displaying the importance of peace and unity in a divided world". The boycott has sparked one of the biggest crises in Eurovision’s 70-year history. In several cases, the position to withdraw also reflects wider pressure from politicians and public opinion. How will countries boycotting Eurovision affect the contest?’ Contributors: Natalija Gorščak, president of the management board of RTV, Slovenia Dr Bárbara Barreiro León, lecturer in film and visual Culture, University of Aberdeen, UK Dr Heather Dichter, associate professor of sport history and sport management, De Montfort University, UK Dr Dean Vuletic, author Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest, Luxembourg Presenter/Producer: Daniel Rosney Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound Engineer: James Bradshaw Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Eurovision flags. Credit: Georg Hochmuth/Getty Images)
२०२६ अप्रिल ७ · २४ मिनेट
For the second time in 12 years Glasgow is preparing to host the Commonwealth Games after Australia’s Victoria state pulled out because of increased costs. Victoria’s withdrawal raised questions about whether the 2026 games would go ahead before Glasgow agreed to step in. Staging a sporting mega-event is expensive and governments face increasing scrutiny over public spending. Victoria’s decision raised wider questions about affordability for potential hosts. At the same time, critics question the Games’ political relevance, given its origins in Britain’s colonial past. The Commonwealth Games Federation says the event can be delivered in a more sustainable way and argues that it brings cultural and economic benefits to host cities, but recent editions have run into significant costs and budget pressures. Our contributors this week are Dr Stuart Whigham, senior lecturer in sport, coaching and physical education at Oxford Brookes University, UK; Dr Matthew McDowell, lecturer in sport policy, management, and international development at the University of Edinburgh, UK; Dr Verity Postlethwaite, lecturer in strategic event management at Loughborough University, UK and Professor Gayle McPherson, associate dean for research at the University of the West of Scotland, and director of legacy and community engagement for Commonwealth Games Scotland, UK. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medals. Credit: Adrian Dennis/Getty Images)
२०२६ मार्च ३१ · २४ मिनेट
Ireland has a new permanent government scheme providing regular cash transfers to 2,000 artists. The people who can access it range from circus performers to opera singers. It follows a pilot of more than three years, which is believed to have brought a return on investment to the economy. Big tech backs basic income schemes like this to offset the consequences AI is having on the workforce. Leading economists believe it could create a dystopian world. Nevertheless, more governments are piloting or planning to introduce schemes like this. Contributors: Dr Jenny Dagg, assistant lecturer, Maynooth University, Ireland Dr Catarina Neves, postdoctoral fellow, Utrecht University, The Netherlands Daron Acemoglu, 2024 Nobel Prize winner in economics, institute professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US Dr Jurgen De Wispelaere, acting chair of the Basic Income Earth Network. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Daniel Rosney Sound engineer: Craig Boardman Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: A customer withdraws euro bills from an ATM in Sofia. Credit: Bloomberg/Getty Images)
२०२६ मार्च २१ · २४ मिनेट
Cuba is facing one of its most severe humanitarian crises in decades. For years, Cuba relied heavily on oil from Venezuela. Those supplies have largely stopped, contributing to widespread fuel shortages. Electricity blackouts have become increasingly common, disrupting daily life across the country. The United States has blocked fuel shipments to Cuba as part of wider pressure linked to its economic and political policies. Meanwhile, the Cuban government has warned it will resist any external interference in its domestic affairs. This weeks panel includes Lillian Guerra, professor of Cuban and Caribbean history at the University of Florida, US; Ricardo Torres, research fellow at American University, US; Christopher Sabatini, senior research fellow for Latin America at Chatham House, UK and Renata Segura, programme director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Crisis Group, US. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Sound engineer: Cameron Ward Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Havana, the capital of Cuba, during a blackout in March 2026. Credit: Yamil Lage/Getty Images)
२०२६ मार्च १७ · २४ मिनेट
Rewilding, or letting nature take care of itself, can restore stability to damaged ecosystem components which support life on earth, like fungi, bacteria, vegetation, insects and animals. But there's now a wider discussion to discover what it’s capable of on a wider scale. International agreements for reducing the impact of climate change tend to set global targets. However, individual governments decide how to work towards meeting those goals at a national level. Some rewilding initiatives improve biodiversity, but it can have negative impacts too. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking ‘How can rewilding help combat climate change?’ Contributors: Carolina Soto-Navarro, head of Wilder Nature at Rewilding Europe Brendan Fisher, professor in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, at University of Vermont, US David Nogues Bravo, professor in biodiversity, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Steve Carver, professor of rewilding and wilderness science, University of Leeds, UK Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producers: Jill Collins and Daniel Rosney Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Galapagos giant tortoise. Credit: Anadolu/Getty Images)
२०२६ मार्च १० · २४ मिनेट
In February, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted a social media video celebrating new figures from the International Monetary Fund suggesting that the average person in Poland now has slightly more spending power than the average person in Spain, the European Union’s fourth largest economy. It’s a symbolic milestone for a country that emerged from communism just over three decades ago and once struggled with hyperinflation and economic upheaval. In 2025, Poland’s economy also passed the trillion-dollar mark, putting it in an elite group of just 20 countries globally. Investment from across the EU has helped drive growth. But can Poland keep its edge as labour shortages grow and the war in neighbouring Ukraine continues to shape the region? This week on The Inquiry, Tanya Beckett asks: Why is Poland’s economy booming? Contributors: Dr Pawel Bukowski, lecturer in economics at University College London and Polish Academy of Sciences, UK Iga Magda, associate professor at the Warsaw School of Economics, Poland Katarzyna Rzentarzewska, chief CEE macro economist at Erste Group Bank AG, Austria Rafal Benecki, chief economist at ING, Poland Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: A high street in Warsaw. Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images)
२०२६ मार्च ३ · २४ मिनेट
Half a million people are in Spain without official permission. They come mainly from Colombia, Peru, Honduras, Paraguay, and Argentina. It’s thought that most outstay their work, student, or tourist visas. An amnesty to grant them legal status to remain and work is due to start within weeks. It's a very different approach from most other countries in Europe that have been tightening controls on migration. The prime minister has admitted “Some say we've gone too far, that we're going against the current”. Opposition parties argue that this policy puts pressure on public services. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: “How will Spain’s migrant amnesty work?” Contributors: Ismael Gálvez Iniesta, assistant professor, department of applied economics, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain Donna Cabrera, independent researcher, international migration lecturer, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia Alana Moceri, international relations professor, IE University, Spain Joan Monràs, economics professor, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Pedro Sánchez the Prime Minister of Spain. Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images)
२०२६ फेब्रुअरी २४ · २४ मिनेट
Control of critical minerals is becoming a source of geopolitical tension. They are essential to modern technology and industries around the world, and China currently dominates the mining and processing industry. As demand grows, governments in the United States and elsewhere are looking at ways to reduce their reliance on Chinese supply chains. That means investing in new mines and processing facilities even though they are expensive and environmentally toxic. Ultimately, the US and EU have a goal of diversifying the control of these lucrative elements. This week on The Inquiry, Tanya Beckett explores whether the rest of the world can catch up with China in the race for rare earths. Contributors: Julie Michelle Klinger, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US Sophia Kalanzakos, global distinguished professor of environmental studies and public policy in the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayan scholars programme at NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE Kalim Siddiqui, international economist, UK Dr Patrick Schröder, senior research fellow in the Environment and Society Centre at Chatham House, UK Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Trucks transporting minded materials. Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal/Getty Images)
२०२६ फेब्रुअरी १७ · २४ मिनेट
The 2026 men’s football World Cup will be the biggest ever staged. For the first time, 48 teams will compete, playing more than 100 matches across North America. But the expanded scale comes at a cost. Ticket prices are far higher than at the last World Cup in Qatar. With matches also spread across the US, Mexico and Canada, attending the tournament is becoming unaffordable for many global fans. FIFA says higher revenues will be reinvested to grow the game worldwide and has released some lower-priced tickets for dedicated supporters, but some fan groups say this isn’t going far enough. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: Is the 2026 World Cup an own goal? Contributors: Dr Christina Philippou, associate professor in sport finance at the University of Portsmouth, UK Dr Victor Matheson, professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, US Dr Johan Rewilak, associate professor of sport management at Loughborough University, UK Miguel Delaney, chief football writer, The Independent newspaper in the UK Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed during the FIFA World Cup 2026. Credit: Pool/Getty Images)
२०२६ फेब्रुअरी १० · २४ मिनेट
Chennai, São Paulo, Mexico City, Tehran, Cape Town - these cities have all faced the threat of a ‘Zero Day’, or, having no fresh water left in their taps. The UN says we’re entering a ‘water bankruptcy’ era, meaning our water ‘current accounts’ are running empty, while our ‘savings accounts’ - the long term stores of water deep underground - have been depleted, with some beyond repair. So how did we get here? From clearing forests for cattle grazing, to thirsty AI data centres, Rajan Datar examines the pressures on our global water supply and looks for solutions. Contributors: Jayshree Vencatesan, Co-founder, Care Earth Trust, India Augusto Getirana, research scientist at NASA's Hydrological Sciences Laboratory, USA Prof Bridget Scanlon, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas, USA Dr Jie-Sheng Tan Soo, Director, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, National University of Singapore Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Phoebe Keane Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey (Photo: Indian women with empty plastic pots protest as they demand drinking water. Credit: Arun Sankar/Getty Images)
२०२६ फेब्रुअरी ३ · २४ मिनेट
Bangladesh will hold a national election in February, after years of political turmoil and the ousting of long-time leader Sheikh Hasina. Her rule of more than a decade delivered strong economic growth but was also accompanied by tighter political control and repeated confrontations with protesters. Sheikh Hasina’s party, the Awami League, has been banned. This has brought renewed focus on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s leader Tarique Rahman, who is the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, as well as several emerging challengers. Following years of unrest, the vote is seen as a test of whether Bangladesh can move towards political stability. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: What does the national election mean for the future of Bangladesh? Contributors: Shaheen Mamun, Executive Director of the Jargoron Foundation, London, UK Zia Chowdhury, journalist, Dhaka, Bangladesh Rounaq Jahan, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka, Bangladesh Constantino Xavier, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, New Delhi, India Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey This programme has been updated since the original broadcast. (Photo: A woman casting her ballot during the 2024 national election in Bangladesh. Credit: Ahmed Salahuddin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
२०२६ जनवरी २७ · २४ मिनेट
Boosting, swiping or the five finger discount - many countries around the world are seeing a rise in retail theft. From Japan to the UK, the USA to Germany, retailers are struggling to tackle shoplifting - but the factors fueling this trend are as varied as the people carrying out these crimes. Poverty, opportunism, thrill-seeking - and technology - are some of the factors experts say are to blame. But a more costly problem is the rise in organised crime, as gangs of thieves strategically target shops and steal to order, turn to online marketplaces to anonymously sell on stolen goods for big profits. Charmaine Cozier reveals how the justice system and surveillance technology are being used to combat this rising crime wave, as The Inquiry asks what’s behind the rise in shoplifting? Contributors: Dr Nicole Bögelein, sociologist at the University of Cologne, Germany Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss, national lead for retail crime at the UK National Police Chiefs Council Tony Sheppard. Vice President of Retail Risk Solutions at Think LP, USA Khris Hamlin, Retail Industry Leaders Association in the USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Phoebe Keane Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey (Photo: A warning sign in Canada. Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images)
२०२६ जनवरी २२ · २४ मिनेट
Iran has been shaken by protests on a scale not seen since its 1979 revolution. Demonstrations that began in the country’s capital over the state of the economy have spread to multiple cities, with wider calls for political change. The government has called the demonstrations "riots" backed by the nation’s enemies. Thousands have been killed. For some, the scenes bring back memories of the uprising that toppled the monarchy more than four decades ago. Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, has emerged as a figure that could challenge the existing order. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Is history repeating itself in Iran?’ Contributors: Naghmeh Sohrabi, modern Middle East historian, director for research at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University, United States Azadeh Kian, author of ‘Rethinking Gender, Ethnicity and Religion in Iran’, emerita professor of sociology and gender studies at the University of Paris Cité, France Sara Bazoobandi, non-resident research fellow at the Institute for Security Policy of Kiel University, Germany Siavash Ardalan, BBC Persia senior reporter, United Kingdom Presenter: Daniel Rosney Producer: Megan Lawton Technical producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Car on fire on a street in Iran. Credit: WANA/Reuters/BBC Images)
२०२६ जनवरी १३ · २४ मिनेट
In February 2026, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty bilateral between Russia and the United States is set to expire. The aim of the New START agreement was to reduce and limit the number of strategic nuclear warheads, but once this treaty comes to an end it means there will no longer be rules on the cap of these nuclear weapons. The legal provisions in the treaty for a one-time five-year extension, were used in 2021. The multilateral Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is still in place, to which 190 countries are signatories. The general idea behind the NPT was for nuclear countries to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons, with the goal of complete disarmament. Whilst those countries without nuclear weapons would commit to not pursuing them. In 1995 the members agreed to extend the treaty indefinitely, but it is not without its challenges. Four nuclear powers sit outside the NPT and there are rifts between the non-nuclear and nuclear states. So, on The Inquiry this week we’re asking, ‘Is nuclear disarmament set to self-destruct?’ Contributors: Hermann Wentker, Professor of Modern History, University of Potsdam and Head of Berlin Research Department, The Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History, Germany Alexandra Bell, President and CEO, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, USA Mike Albertson, arms-control expert, former negotiator on New START arms reduction treaty, USA Nathalie Tocci, Professor of Practice, Johns Hopkins SAIS (School of Advanced International Studies), Italy Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Deck of the nuclear submarine Saphir. Credit: Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
२०२६ जनवरी ६ · २४ मिनेट
Kenya is facing rising public discontent over allegations of political corruption, economic stagnation and a shortage of good quality jobs, particularly for the country’s Gen Z. One of the government’s flagship responses is an ambitious push into digital outsourcing. It argues that call centres, coding work and other IT-enabled services can position the country as a global hub and generate a million new jobs within five years. The model has worked before in countries such as India and the Philippines, but the global landscape is shifting. Advances in artificial intelligence are already transforming the very roles Kenya hopes to attract, raising questions about whether this strategy can deliver long-term employment at scale. Tanya Beckett asks whether Kenya’s vision for digital outsourcing can provide stability and opportunity for the country. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: Can Kenya answer the call for employment? Contributors Joy Kiiru, senior lecturer at the Department of Economics and Development Studies at the University of Nairobi, Kenya Marcus Larsen, professor at the Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark Deepa Mani, faculty member and deputy Dean for academic programmes at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, India Boaz Munga, research consultant at the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, Nairobi, Kenya Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey (Photo: President of Kenya William Ruto. Credit: Luis Tato/Getty Images)
२०२५ डिसेम्बर ३० · २४ मिनेट
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shattered records, becoming the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, redefining what’s possible and confirming a new era in the business of touring. As streaming transformed how we listen to music, selling records is no longer the financial centrepiece it once was for artists. Instead, exclusivity has been transferred to the live experience. But staging shows on this scale requires enormous investment and complex production. At the same time, ticket scarcity fuels extraordinary demand and rising prices, which mean big ticket prices. Tanya Beckett explores how technology, fandom and economics turn modern concert tours into multi-billion-dollar ventures. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: How did music megatours become such a money spinner? Contributors Kevin Kim, Head of Asia at music distribution company Route Note, Seoul, South Korea Serona Elton, professor at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, United States Adam Behr, Reader and Head of Music at Newcastle University, United Kingdom Poppy Reid, music journalist and founder of Curious Media, Sydney, Australia Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producers: Maeve Schaffer and Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Taylor Swift during The Eras Tour. Credit: Erika Goldring/TAS24/Getty Images)
२०२५ डिसेम्बर २३ · २४ मिनेट
Christmas is a time of year when many families and friends come together for a period of joy, peace and goodwill. The story of the birth of Jesus Christ has been translated into thousands of languages over thousands of years. And while you may hear it differently, the message is the same. From carols to conversations, Christmas reminds us how united we can be. But there’s still one thing that sets us apart and prevents us from truly understanding one another - language. Esperanto, created in the late 1800s, was the most ambitious direct attempt at creating a singular way of speaking. Its struggle to spread beyond a committed community shows us how deeply languages are tied to identity, power and history. This week on The Inquiry we’re asking: Will there ever be a single global language? Contributors: Esther Schor, author Bridge of Words: Esperanto and the Dream of Universal Language, professor of English at Princeton University, United States Patrick Foote, author Immigrant Tongues: Exploring How Languages Moved, Evolved, and Defined Us, YouTuber, United Kingdom Salikoko Mufwene, professor of linguistics at the University of Chicago, United States Celeste Rodriguez-Louro, associate professor, chair of linguistics, director of language lab at the University of Western Australia Presenter and Producer: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Earth. Credit: Planet Observer/Getty Images)
२०२५ डिसेम्बर १६ · २४ मिनेट
In November gunmen seized more than 300 pupils and a dozen teachers from a Catholic school in northern Nigeria. While authorities have rescued around 100 children, many remain missing. Kidnapping has become a recurring reality in many parts of the country, and in late 2025 President Bola Tinubu declared the crisis a national security emergency. He pledged to boost security in remote areas, but rights groups say the true scale of abductions is hidden by widespread underreporting. The sheer number of kidnappings has also drawn international attention. The United States President has spoken of sending troops to assist, and France’s President Emmanuel Macron has offered broader help to tackle insecurity. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: How can Nigeria stop its kidnap crisis? Contributors Dr Kachi Madreke, politics and international relations scholar, University of Aberdeen, UK Dr Jumo Ayandele, clinical assistant professor at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, US James Barnett, non-resident research fellow at the Centre on Armed Groups Dengiyefa Angalapu, research analyst at the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja, Nigeria Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey (Photo: Nigeria demonstration about student kidnapping. Credit: Kola Sulamon/Getty Images)
२०२५ डिसेम्बर ९ · २४ मिनेट
Changing tastes, climatic conditions, health warnings, economic factors are all creating a perfect storm for the global wine industry. The origins of wine-making date back to around 9,000 years ago, when it was a drink mostly associated with elite society. Since then, it has had a long association with major occasions like weddings and funerals, as the beverage of choice. And it has been integral to different forms of worship and spirituality. Up until the 20th Century it was even considered a healthy tipple. But demand for wine has been steadily declining across the globe. In France, home to some of the world’s most famous brands, the government has now had to step in to support the producers and their vineyards. And there is increasing competition everywhere from both the beer and spirits industry, who are marketing more alcohol-free or low-alcohol options. Is it last orders for the wine industry? We speak to four key experts: Jane Anson, author, wine critic, Bordeaux, France; Roderick Phillips, author, professor of History, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; Stefano Castriota, author, professor of Economics, University of Pisa, Italy; Peter McAtamney, founder of Wine Business Solutions, New South Wales, Australia. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Sound engineer: Mark Burrows Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: A bunch of grapes. Credit: Gabriel Bouys/AFP)
२०२५ डिसेम्बर २ · २४ मिनेट
On 10 December 2025, Australia will become the first country in the world to ban under-16s from using social media apps. Children will have their accounts deactivated on most platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, and Facebook. Critics say the ban could push children to unregulated platforms, but prime minister Anthony Albanese argues the new law is to safeguard vulnerable members of society. World leaders are watching with interest. Politicians from the UK, Denmark, Greece and France have all suggested tighter controls could be coming soon. New Zealand’s government wants tougher rules too, and public debates are also beginning in Japan and Indonesia. Will Australia’s social media ban start a global trend? We speak to Terry Flew, professor of digital communication and culture at the University of Sydney, Australia; Sonia Livingstone, professor in the department of media and communications at the London School of Economics, United Kingdom; Lisa Given, professor of information sciences at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia and Jessica Galissaire, senior policy researcher at Interface, France Producer/presenter: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Sound engineer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: A child looking at a mobile phone. Credit: David Gray/AFP)
२०२५ नोभेम्बर २५ · २४ मिनेट
The eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the north after a military coup backed by Greece. Since then, the northern third has been run by a Turkish-Cypriot government. This self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognised as an independent state only by Turkey, while the rest of the world sees it as part of Cyprus. The southern two-thirds of the island is run by an internationally recognised government led by Greek-Cypriots. Whilst the physical division between the two is maintained by a United Nations peacekeeping force. Negotiations aimed at reunification have been attempted over the years and stalled. One of the biggest barriers has been the differences over what a future settlement would look like, with Turkey pushing for a two-state solution and the recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The last formal attempt, supported by the United Nations, was in 2017 and took place in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. And even though informal talks have continued since then, there has been little progress. Key sticking points remain over issues including political equality and what it means between the two communities, issues of governance and security. But in October of this year, a new Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhürman, was elected. He supports federation and is in favour of the resumption of reunification talks. Is Cyprus moving closer to reunification? Contributors: Mete Hatay, Senior Research Consultant, PRIO Cyprus Centre, Oslo, Norway Lefteris Adilinis, Political Analyst, Cyprus Dr. Dorothée Schmid, Director, Middle East Programme, French Institute of International Relations, Paris, France Kathleen Doherty, Former United States Ambassador to Cyprus, USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: A United Nations worker rides bike through the UN Buffer Zone. Credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
२०२५ नोभेम्बर १८ · २४ मिनेट
Cardinal Robert Prevost made history earlier this year, when he became the first American pontiff to lead the Catholic Church. And when he stepped out onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica as Pope Leo XIV, dressed in traditional papal robes, some conservatives in the church took it as a sign of a symbolic shift away from what they saw as the liberal drift of his predecessor the late Pope Francis. Francis, who had put social justice at the heart of his papacy, divided opinion. Some Catholics praised his stance on issues like same-sex blessings, whilst others claimed that he had abandoned tradition for wokeness. Now six months into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV is also coming under similar scrutiny, he’s already been criticized by some Catholics from the Make America Great Again (Maga) movement in the United States for blessing a block of Greenland ice. Whilst on the issue of same-sex blessings, his stated intention is to continue the same course as Pope Francis, that the Church’s teaching is not going to change on this issue. But though he may also be advocating diversity, equity and inclusion, Pope Leo XIV may not necessarily be a carbon copy of his predecessor. As he prepares for his first apostolic visit to Turkey and Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV already appears to be charting a more nuanced path, grounded in pastoral instincts rather than divisive politics. So, on The Inquiry this week we’re asking, ‘Is the new Pope woke?’ Contributors: Dr Massimo Faggioli, Professor in Ecclesiology, Loyola Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Inés San Martín, Vice President of Communications, The Pontifical Mission Societies, New York, USA Christopher White, Author ‘Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of New Papacy’, Associate Director, Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA Elise Ann Allen, Senior Correspondent for Crux, Author ‘Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century’, Rome, Italy Presenter: William Crawley Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in May 2025. Credit: Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images)
२०२५ नोभेम्बर ११ · २४ मिनेट
From floods in Pakistan to droughts in the Horn of Africa, extreme weather events are already forcing millions of people to move. Most are displaced within their own countries but rising temperatures and sea levels could soon push many across national borders. Yet international law offers little protection for those uprooted by the changing climate, and few countries appear ready for the scale of movement predicted in coming decades. Charmaine Cozier explores how communities, governments and international systems could respond as the number of people displaced by climate change grows. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: Is the world ready for more climate migration? Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Contributors: Amali Tower, founder and executive director of Climate Refugees Dr Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, Samoan climate journalist and professor of Pacific Island Studies at Portland State University, US Alessio Terzi, professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, UK Gaia Vince, writer, Anthropocene researcher and the author of Nomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval (Photo: Kuakata Sea Beach Patuakhali District, Bangladesh. Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images)
२०२५ नोभेम्बर ४ · २४ मिनेट
Matcha, a long-time popular drink in Japan, has gone global. Major chains now serve it, and coffee start-ups are competing to offer their own photogenic takes on the vivid green drink. But the growing craze exposes bigger problems for the wider tea industry. Tea is a delicate crop, highly sensitive to changing weather conditions. Around the world, farmers are reporting falling yields, altered growing seasons and a higher risk of disease due to climate change. Labour shortages and economic issues are also affecting supply chains, creating uncertainty for producers and consumers. From drone technology helping to monitor remote fields to the extraordinary claim that tea could one day grow on the moon, scientists and growers are exploring bold new solutions. Is trouble brewing for the worldwide tea industry? Contributors Katharine Burnett, Founding Director at the Global Tea Institute for the Study of Tea Culture and Science and Professor of Chinese Art History at the University of California, Davis, based in the United States Cristina Larrea, Director of Agriculture, Food and Sustainability Initiatives at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, based in Canada Harki Sidhu, Consulting Program Coordinator for India at the Rainforest Alliance, based in India Liberal Seburikoko, deputy CEO at Ethical Tea Partnership, based in Rwanda Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Sound engineer: Craig Boardman Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Lady drinking tea. Credit: Redhead pictures/Getty Images)
२०२५ अक्टोबर २८ · २३ मिनेट
In the aftermath of World War Two, the charter that founded the United Nations was signed, with the aim of preventing a third global conflict. The UN Security Council, one of six organs of the UN, has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It’s made up of 15 member countries, there are 10 rotating non-permanent members who are elected for two-year terms by members of the UN General Assembly, the body that represents all UN members. And there are five permanent members – the US, the UK, France, China and Russia; it’s these five that have veto power. Now 80 years on, there are growing calls for the council to reflect the world of today, not only in its representation, but in the way it functions. Criticisms of this international body include abuse of the veto power, lack of permanent representation for countries which have seen more than their fair share of conflict and an inability to reach common consensus, including on how to reform the organisation from within. So, on The Inquiry this week we’re asking, ‘Is the UN Security Council still relevant?’ Contributors: Devika Hovell, Prof International Law, London School of Economics, UK Richard Gowan, Director, UN and Multilateral Diplomacy, International Crisis Group, New York, USA Dr Samir Puri, Director, Global Governance and Security Centre, Chatham House, London, UK Mona Ali Khalil, former Senior Legal Officer, UN Office of the Legal Counsel, Co-Editor and Co-Author, ‘Empowering the UN Security Council: Reforms to Address Modern Threats’, Vienna, Austria. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: United Nations Security Council meeting. Credit: Reuters/BBC Images)
२०२५ अक्टोबर २१ · २३ मिनेट
Benin has long tried to highlight its role in the transatlantic slave trade through monuments and memorials in the country, in the hope it would attract tourism. Now it has a new plan. It is offering citizenship to descendants of enslaved Africans around the world. US singers Lauryn Hill and Ciara received their citizenship in July. Filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee have also been made Benin’s ambassadors to the African-American population in America. The move is an attempt to attract talent and money to its shores and showcase the nation’s culture and traditions to a wider audience. This week on The Inquiry we’re asking: Can Benin win back its diaspora? Contributors: Dr Bayo Holsey, Association Professor, African American Studies and Anthropology at Emory University, United States Ana Lucia Araujo, Professor in the Department of History at Howard University, United States Dr Leonard Wantchekon, Founder and President of the African School of Economics Tonya Lewis Lee, filmmaker and entrepreneur Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Technical producer: Nicky Edwards Production Co-ordinator: Hattie Valentine Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Ciara receiving citizenship of Benin. Credit: Government of Benin)
२०२५ अक्टोबर १४ · २३ मिनेट
At the beginning of September 2025, within 48 hours, Nepal’s government had been toppled, and more than 70 people had been killed, with many more injured. The trigger for all of this had been a government ban on 26 social media platforms, but the primary reasons ran much deeper. Nepal became a republic in 2008, following a decade long civil war, but since then, the promised stability and prosperity have failed to materialise. The country has been subjected to short term coalition governments, resembling a game of musical chairs between certain political parties. And it was Nepal’s Gen Z, who decided to make their frustrations over the lack of opportunities, the social inequality and the existing political system known, with their digitally driven anti-corruption protests. In the aftermath, the protestors gave their approval to a new interim prime minister and demanded new elections, set for March next year. Asia is increasingly witnessing a mood for change amongst its young people, from Indonesia to Sri Lanka and last year’s student-led revolution in Bangladesh. But very few protests of this nature have translated into fundamental social change. And it remains to be seen if the decision by Nepal’s Gen Z, to place their trust in 73-year-old Sushila Karki as the new Interim Prime Minister, reflects their own political maturity. So, on this week’s Inquiry we’re asking, ‘Can Gen Z shape a new Nepal?’ Contributors: Prof Jeevan Sharma, Chair of South Asia and International Development, University of Edinburgh, UK Pranaya Rana, Journalist and Writer, Kalam Weekly, Kathmandu, Nepal Prof Sreeradha Datta, International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana, India Dr Rumela Sen, Lecturer and Faculty Director, Master’s in International Affairs programme, Columbia University, USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Anti government protest in Kathmandu. Credit: Sunil Pradhan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
२०२५ अक्टोबर ७ · २३ मिनेट
Donald Trump once dismissed cryptocurrencies as a scam. But since returning to office, his view of them has shifted dramatically. In July, President Trump signed new legislation aimed at integrating crypto into the financial mainstream. Members of the Trump family have launched their own ventures, generating significant profits and boosting the visibility of digital currencies in American politics. Supporters say this could reassert the dominance of the US dollar in a changing global economy, while critics warn of economic volatility and regulatory gaps. How did crypto go from fringe to front-and-centre in Trump’s economic vision? This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: Is Trump building a crypto economy? Contributors: Molly White, writer for the Citation Needed Newsletter in the US Francine McKenna, Lecturer at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, US Will Grant, BBC's Mexico, Central America and Caribbean correspondent Gillian Tett, Provost of King's College, Cambridge, UK Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producers: Ben Henderson and Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey (Photo: President Donald Trump displays the GENIUS Act on 18 July 2025. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
२०२५ सेप्टेम्बर ३० · २३ मिनेट
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection passed on to humans by infected ticks. Symptoms can range from fatigue, joint pain and a circular shaped rash to facial paralysis and heart arrythmia. According to a British Medical Journal (BMJ) global health review, Lyme disease has likely infected about one in 10 people across the globe. Recently, pop star Justin Timberlake went public about contracting the condition. If treated quickly, most people will recover but there are still issues around diagnosing and treating Lyme disease. And globally, cases are on the rise. In this edition of The Inquiry, Charmaine Cozier explores what's behind the increase and hears about new tests and vaccines currently being developed. Contributors: Dr Sally Mavin, clinical scientist and Director of the Scottish Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Infections Reference Laboratory, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, Scotland Dr Armin Alaedini, Chief Scientific Officer, Global Lyme Alliance Dr Gábor Földvári, research group leader, Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Evolution, Budapest, Hungary Dr Alessandra Luchini, Professor, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producers: Jill Collins and Emma Forde Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Technical producer: Richard Hannaford Production Coordinator: Tammy Snow Editor: Tara McDermott (Photo: Tweezers removing a forest tick from human body. Credit: rbkomar/Getty Images)
२०२५ सेप्टेम्बर २३ · २३ मिनेट
The major rivers of the Rio Grande and the Colorado run through both the United States and Mexico and they are the source of a water sharing agreement between the two countries that dates back to 1944. Under the terms of this treaty, Mexico must send 430 million cubic metres of water per year from the Rio Grande to the US, to supply Texas and dozens of cities near the border. Whilst the US sends a much larger allocation of nearly 1.85 billion cubic metres of water a year, from the Colorado River to supply Mexico’s border cities like Mexicali and Tijuana. But 80 years on, a deepening row over a shortage of water has put the treaty in jeopardy. Mexico is in arrears and has failed to keep up with its water deliveries to the US for much of this century and its unlikely to meet its obligation this year too. Farmers on both sides are struggling to water their crops, whilst the border cities are facing water shortages for both their populations and industries. And pressure on Mexico is mounting with President Trump earlier this year accusing Mexico of ‘stealing’ the water. So this week on The Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Why does Mexico owe the US water?’ Contributors: Stephen Mumme, Emeritus Professor in Political Science, Colorado State University, USA Dr Rosario Sanchez, Senior Research Scientist, Texas Water Resources Institute, USA Susanne Schmeier, Professor in Water Co-operation, Law and Diplomacy, IHE Delft, The Netherlands. Naho Mirumachi, Professor in Environmental Politics, King’s College, London, UK Presenter: Gary O’Donoghue Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaeffer Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Editor: Tom Bigwood {Photo: The Rio Grande River and surrounding land that divides the USA and Mexico. Credit: Daniel Slim/Getty Images)
२०२५ सेप्टेम्बर १६ · २३ मिनेट
Deepfakes are videos, picture or audio clips made with artificial intelligence to look real. Although sometimes used for fun, they can also be used to defame or discredit people. Anyone from politicians to celebrities to normal members of the public can become the subject of deepfake imagery. So how can we protect our image from being used maliciously? In Denmark, the government is proposing a new law which would give people copyright-like protection over their face, voice, and appearance. In this edition of the Inquiry, Tanya Beckett explores how the new law would work and asks how do we strike a balance between Big Tech and AI innovation and the need to protect our identity? Contributors: Gitte Løvgren Larsen, Lawyer and partner, Sirius Advocator, Denmark Dr Alina Trapova, lecturer (Assistant Prof), Intellectual property law, University College London Ignacio Cofone, Professor of Law and Regulation of AI, University of Oxford Mikkel Flyverbom, Professor of Communication and Digital Transformations, Copenhagen Business School Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Emma Forde Researcher: Matt Toulson Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production Coordinator: Tammy Snow Editor: Louise Clarke (Photo: Digital human head. Credit: imaginima/Getty Images)
२०२५ सेप्टेम्बर ९ · २३ मिनेट
In January, the popular Chinese social media app TikTok went offline for its 170 million Americans. The outage marked a turning point in a long-running dispute over data privacy and national security, with US lawmakers concerned about the app’s Chinese ownership. A law passed by Congress required ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its US operations or face a ban. Although ByteDance did not meet the deadline, the newly inaugurated President Trump postponed enforcement, introducing a timeline for a potential sale. That deadline has since been extended multiple times, with the current cutoff now set for 17 September. But with complex negotiations still underway and Beijing reluctant to approve any deal, Trump has signalled he may grant yet another extension leaving the app’s fate in the US uncertain. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: Is it time up for TikTok in the US? Contributors: Alan Rozenshtein, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Dr Joanne Gray, Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures in the Discipline of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney Anupam Chander, Professor of Law and Technology at Georgetown University Isabella Wilkinson, Research Fellow in the Digital Society Initiative at Chatham House Presenter: David Baker Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Louise Clarke Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey (Photo: TikTok message announcing a ban. Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images)
२०२५ सेप्टेम्बर ३ · २३ मिनेट
“There is no longer any debate that space is a war fighting domain,” These were the words of Commander General Stephen Whiting from the US government’s Space Command at a conference earlier this year. China, the US, India and Russia have tested anti-satellite weapons in space, and technology is blurring the lines between civilian and military satellites. But will there be war in space? Joining us to discuss the threat of satellite warfare are: Dr Raji Rajagopalan, a resident senior fellow with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra; Juliana Suess, an associate with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs; Saadia Pekkanen, professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA and Dr Bleddyn Bowen is an associate professor of Astro politics with the Space Research Centre at Durham University in the UK. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Vicky Farncombe Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Technical producer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Tammy Snow Editor: Tara McDermott Image: Getty Images
२०२५ अगस्ट २६ · २३ मिनेट
A far-right party which came to prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic recently showed itself to be a contender to Japan’s centrist political establishment, when it grew from one seat, three years ago to 15 seats in the recent elections. Known as Sanseito, the party is led by Kamiya Sohei, whose YouTube videos spread conspiracy theories about vaccinations. Its political platform is a nationalist ‘Japanese first’ agenda and warns against a ‘silent invasion of foreigners’. Whilst for Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party coalition, the election results were bruising. The LDP lost its majority in the Upper House, having already lost control of the Lower House last year. But its embattled Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, whilst facing calls from within his party to resign, has said he has no plans to quit. Against this backdrop, there’s a growing unease amongst Japanese voters over issues like immigration, over-tourism and the economy and Sanseito are tapping into that. Joining us to discuss Japan's political climate are Kenneth Mori McElwain, professor of Comparative Politics, University of Tokyo, Japan; Dr Fabian Schäfer, chair of Japanese Studies, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany; Jeffrey Hall, author and lecturer, Kanda University of International Studies, Eastern Japan; Dr Kristi Govella, associate professor of Japanese Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, UK. Presenter: William Crawley Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Technical producer: Craig Boardman Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Editor: Tara McDermott Image credit: Reuters via BBC Images
२०२५ अगस्ट १९ · २३ मिनेट
Children in Indonesia are now receiving free school meals — part of a bold new plan by President Prabowo Subianto to tackle malnutrition. Around one in five children in the country are stunted, meaning they are too short for their age. The lunch programme is central to Prabowo’s vision of a “Golden Indonesia” – a prosperous, high-income nation by 2045. But not everyone is happy. To fund this and other populist pledges, the president has reallocated billions in public funds, cutting budgets from ministries including health and education. There have also been reports of food poisoning linked to the programme. Meanwhile, millions of Indonesians are struggling. The International Monetary Fund warns the country's unemployment rate will rise to 5% this year — the highest among the Southeast Asian economies it tracks. On this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking: ‘Can Indonesia afford free lunches?’ Contributors: Dini Widiastuti, Executive Director, Yayasan Plan International Indonesia Julia Lau, Senior Fellow and Coordinator, Indonesia Studies Programme, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore Dr Suman Chakrabarti, Associate Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit, International Food Policy Research Institute, New Delhi, India Bhima Yudhistira, Executive Director, Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), Indonesia Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Vicky Farncombe Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Image Credit: Dimas Rachmatsyah via Getty Images
२०२५ अगस्ट १२ · २३ मिनेट
When the war in Ukraine began back in February 2022, the remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle or drone as its commonly known, was peripheral to the conflict. But three years on, the drone in all its shapes and sizes has taken on a central role in this battle, in the air, on land and at sea, for surveillance, reconnaissance, combat and other purposes. Now drone technology is evolving even further into the area of autonomous weapons. But whilst the drone can offer greater strategic and operational flexibility and a possible reduction in the number of military casualties, there are concerns that the drone, particularly in Ukraine’s case, has prolonged the war. Only last year the United Nations reported that 118 countries now had military drones, along with at least 65 non-state actors. And as an increasing number of countries have begun to manufacture and export their own array of military drones, many are concerned about how drone technology is presenting a big challenge in terms of defensive measures. So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘How are drones changing the landscape of modern warfare? Contributors: James Patton Rogers, Author and Executive Director, Brooks Tech Policy Institute, Cornell University, New York State, USA. Dr Oleksandra Molloy, Senior Lecturer in Aviation, University of New South Wales, Canberra, Australia Stacie Pettyjohn, Director of the Defence Programme, Centre for A New American Security, Washington DC. USA. Dr. Elke Schwarz, Professor of Political Theory, Queen Mary University, London, UK Presenter: Gary O’Donoghue Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Toby James Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Image credit SOPA via Getty Images
२०२५ अगस्ट ५ · २३ मिनेट
In July, a brutal highway hijacking in southern Syria sparked tit-for-tat clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters. During the week-long violence, over a thousand people were killed and more than 125,000 displaced. Syrian government forces and Israel also entered the conflict. The latest hostilities come less than a year after Syrians celebrated the end of dictatorship and the promise of renewal. The resurgence of sectarian violence raises urgent questions about interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s leadership and whether his government can truly unify a fractured nation. What does Syria’s recent conflict tell us about al-Sharaa’s presidency? Contributors: Dr Rim Turkmani, Research Fellow at Director of Syria Conflict Research Programme (CRP); Makram Rabah, Assistant professor of history at the American University of Beirut; Dr Rahaf Aldoughli, Middle East and North African Studies at Lancaster University; Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at the Royal United Services Institute. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Tara McDermott Image credit Reuters via BBC Images
२०२५ जुलाई २५ · २३ मिनेट
What lies behind the clashes on the Thai Cambodian border is a fractured friendship between the two nations. In July both countries strike each other with civilians killed and injured in the crossfire. More than a hundred thousand are evacuated. Thailand warns the clashes could escalate to war. In May a brief gunfire exchange killed a Cambodian soldier. Just over two weeks later surprising details from a recorded private phone conversation went public. On that 17-minute call to Cambodia was Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. It was supposed to defuse the situation - instead it has erupted. Away from the border, there’s been public outrage in Thailand, a major prime ministerial setback, fractured friendships, diplomatic ties downgraded and even more political pressure on a far from robust government. Contributors: · Dr Petra Alderman, Centre manager at the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science Dr Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Professor and senior fellow of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University Dr Vu Lam, Lecturer at the University of New South Wales Dr Pavida Pananond, Professor of International Business and Strategy at Thammasat University’s Business School based in Bangkok Presented by Charmaine Cozier Produced by Daniel Rosney Researched by Evie Yabsley Technical producer Criag Boardman Production Management Assistant Liam Morrey Editor Tara McDermott Image credit: Lillian Suwanrumpha via Getty Images
२०२५ जुलाई २२ · २३ मिनेट
In Chile, a powerful new telescope has just given a taster of what we can expect from it later this year, when it will be used to survey the cosmos over a ten-year period. In one image it revealed vast colourful gas and dust clouds swirling in a star-forming region 9,000 light years from the Earth. Housed in the Vera C Rubin Observatory, which sits on a mountain in the Chilean Andes, the telescope is designed to get giant images of the sky about one hundred times larger and quicker than any other existing telescope can achieve. It contains the world’s most largest digital camera, the size of a large car. When the Legacy Survey of Space and Time begins towards the end of 2025, the camera will film the entire Southern hemisphere night sky for the next decade, every three days, repeating the process over and over. And it will focus on four areas: mapping changes in the skies or transient objects, the formation of the Milky Way, mapping the Solar System and understanding dark matter or how the universe formed. So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking, ‘What will Chile’s latest telescope tell us about the Universe?’ Contributors: Catherine Heymans, Professor of Astrophysics, University of Edinburgh, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, UK Željko Ivezić, Director of Rubin Construction, Professor of Astronomy, University of Washington, USA Dr. Megan Schwamb, Planetary Astronomer, Reader, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland Dr. Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil, Observational Astronomer, Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producers: Louise Clarke and Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Image Credit: Anadolu via Getty Images
२०२५ जुलाई १५ · २३ मिनेट
More and more of the tasks we perform in our daily lives are been guided by artificial intelligence, from searching the internet for answers to relying on satellite navigation in our cars. But studies recently released suggest that our use of AI is having a negative impact on our ability to make informed judgements and decisions. In one recent study from MiT’s Media Lab, a group of people were asked to write several essays. Some of them used AI, others didn’t. Those who used generative AI reportedly became lazier with each subsequent essay. This cognitive offloading, allowing AI to take over from our brains might be less taxing, but there are concerns that if we come to rely on AI, we are in danger of replacing our own critical thinking for a technology that might not always come up with the right answer. However, there are those who argue that AI can be beneficial in helping our cognitive function, that it can be employed to take on the more mundane, repetitive tasks, freeing up headspace to allow us to become more productive. Software education platforms are just one example where AI is been employed to assist teachers in things like knowledge checks and grading, with the claim that it allows them time for more valuable interaction with their students. So is it possible to find a balance where we can we can rely on AI but not to the extent were we lose our mental agility. On this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking "Is AI eroding our critical thinking?’ Contributors: Dr. Daniel Willingham, Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia, USA Dr. Michael Gerlich, Professor of Management, SBS Swiss Business School, Zurich, Switzerland Yvonne Soh, Co-founder and CEO, Noodle Factory, Singapore Sana Khareghani, Professor of Practice in AI, AI Policy Lead for Responsible AI UK Programme, King’s College, London Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Co-ordinator: Tammy Snow Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Image credit: Surasak Suwanmake via Getty Images
२०२५ जुलाई ८ · २३ मिनेट
Brazil’s Zebu cattle, or “supercows” are bred for size, strength, and meat quality. Every year the animals are showcased at ExpoZebu, Brazil’s premier cattle fair. These animals are preened, pampered, and prized, before being sold for millions for their genetic material. Zebu cattle were not always part of Brazil’s landscape. After being imported from India in the late 19th century, farmers found their resilience to heat, pests, and poor pasture made them ideal for Brazil’s expanding cattle frontier. Thanks to decades of selective breeding and low-cost pasture-based farming, Brazil is now the world’s largest beef exporter, and demand is only rising. Despite its economic success and domestic popularity, Brazil’s beef has a significant environmental cost due to its emissions and links to deforestation. However, their genetic material has the potential to be used around the world to make cattle more resilient to climate change. Photo Credit: Carolina Arantes Contributors: Carolina Arantes, Photojournalist, France Dr. Oscar Broughton, Teaching Fellow and historian at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, UK Dr Cassio Brauner, Associate Professor in Beef Cattle Production Systems, Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil Dr Marcos Barozzo, Assistant Professor of Economics, DePaul University, Chicago, US Presenter: David Baker Producer: Louise Clarke Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production co-ordinator: Tammy Snow
२०२५ जुलाई १ · २३ मिनेट
Ahead of last year’s US Presidential elections, Donald Trump was asked if he would defend China against Taiwan, he responded that Taiwan should pay the US for protection from China. Taiwan is a self-governing island, claimed by Beijing and whilst Taiwan is not formally recognised by the US, they do remain the island’s most important security partner. Taiwan manufactures over ninety percent of the world’s most advanced semiconductor chips, which makes some American industries heavily dependent on trade links with the island. But official US policy towards Taiwan is one of ‘strategic ambiguity’. So when the US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth recently warned of China posing an ‘imminent’ threat to Taiwan, whilst at the same time urging Asian countries to boost defence spending and work with the US to deter war, it raised the issue of how far America would be prepared to go to defend Taiwan. China in response accused the US of being the ‘biggest troublemaker’ for regional peace. The US has only just agreed a truce on trade tariffs with China and President Trump’s immediate attention has shifted onto issues in the Middle East, so if Pete Hegseth’s warning is valid, how far up the list is Taiwan in terms of Trump’s foreign policy priorities. This week on the Inquiry we’re asking ‘Does Trump care about Taiwan?’ Contributors: Dr Chun-yi Lee, Associate Professor, School of Politics and International Relations, Director of Taiwan Research Hub, University of Nottingham, UK Christopher S. Chivvis, Senior Fellow and Director, American Statecraft Program, The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington DC, USA Patricia Kim, Scholar on China, The Brookings Institution, Washington DC, USA Raymond Kuo, Inaugural Director, Taiwan Policy Initiative, The Rand Corporation, California, USA Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Co-ordinator: Tammy Snow Image Credit: Taiwanese flags wave at the park decorated by Chang Lao-wang, ahead of Taiwan National Day in Taoyuan, Taiwan, October 5, 2022. REUTERS/Ann Wang
२०२५ जुन २५ · २३ मिनेट
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important energy corridors in the world. It is the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, it serves as the primary maritime route for oil exports from the Gulf. Any disruption to traffic through the strait would have implications for oil markets and regional stability. While some Gulf states have developed pipelines to bypass the strait, the volume of oil transported by sea is far greater, and for many countries, including key Gulf exporters, the waterway is essential to maintaining trade. China is the largest buyer of oil that travels through the strait, making it particularly exposed to any disruption. Iran itself relies on the Strait of Hormuz to sell its oil and any blockage of the route would likely damage Iran’s own economy and could strain relationships with regional neighbours. Despite past threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway has remained open, including during the tanker wars of the 1980s, but any disruption could have a big impact on global oil supplies. Picture Credit: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images Contributors: Camille Lons, Deputy Head of the Paris office of the Council on Foreign relations Elisabeth Braw, Senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Jacob P. Larsen, BIMCO’s Chief Safety & Security Officer Petter Haugen, Partner, Equity Research Shipping, ABG Sundal Collier, Nordic Investment Bank Presenter Charmaine Cozier Producer Louise Clarke Researcher Maeve Schaffer Editor Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Gareth Jones Production Coordinator - Tammy Snow
२०२५ जुन १७ · २३ मिनेट
During a speech to the Spanish parliament earlier this year, the country’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez claimed there’s one thing that would guarantee lasting peace in Europe. His idea is the creation of a new army drawn from the 27 countries whose governments already work together as members of the European Union. The concept isn't a new one - and NATO already exists, the military alliance which includes EU member states and other European countries. But talk of a new military force is reappearing as the continent becomes more vulnerable to threats. Its ally the US is increasingly unreliable and unpredictable too. Other European leaders are also backing the idea This week we’re asking - “Are we closer to a European army?” Contributors: Dick Zandee, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Security and Defence Programme at the Clingendael Institute Dr Ulrike Franke, Senior Policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations Oana Lungescu, Distinguished fellow with the Royal United Services Institute and former NATO spokesperson Prof. Dr. Sven Biscop, Director of the Europe in the World Programme at Egmont. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Toby James Production Coordinator - Tammy Snow (Image Credit: FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP via Getty Images)
२०२५ जुन १० · २३ मिनेट
The creation of a landmark gene editing drug used to treat a baby with a rare genetic mutation which could help transform personalized medicine. Blood tests showed baby KJ had sky-high levels of ammonia, a toxic substance the body usually expels. The root cause was his genes - or more particularly a specific gene mutation. The race was on to try and treat him before his condition took a firm hold. His doctors came up with a radical solution - for the first time ever, they designed and applied a gene-editing drug in record time, specifically for him. Have we seen breakthrough in preventing genetic diseases? With Fyodor Urnov, a professor in the Molecular and Cell Biology Department at the University of California, Virginijus Šikšnys professor at the Life Science Center of Vilnius University, Waseem Qasim from the UCL Institute of Child Health in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and Jennifer Doudna, Professor, University of California, Berkeley and founder of the Innovative Genomics Institute. Presented by Tanya Beckett. Produced by Bob Howard. Researched by Mauve Schaffer Edited by Tara McDermott.
२०२५ जुन ३ · २३ मिनेट
The economic fortunes of the Southern Africa country of Botswana were transformed back in the mid 1960s when shortly after gaining independence from Britain, its first diamond mine was discovered. A partnership with the world’s biggest diamond firm DeBeers ensured Botswana’s diamonds gained global attention and with some of the world’s biggest diamonds been mined in the country, it now ranks just below Russia in terms of its importance in the industry. But post pandemic, the global market has seen a shift in demand for mined diamonds, with consumers in countries like China, who accounted for around thirty percent of global demand, falling away. Another reason for this shift is the emerging popularity of lab grown diamonds. Originally used in industrial machinery, lab diamonds are now been refined for the jewellery market at a fraction of the price of mined diamonds, with the majority of consumer interest coming from the United States. Botswana has been trying to ride this wave with a policy of diversification, to allow it to generate more export revenue. But its new Government, who have only been in power since October last year, are dealing with a large budget deficit not helped by the low level of diamond revenues. It faces a hard task in trying to revive demand for mined diamonds across the global market. So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Are diamonds forever in Botswana?’ Contributors: Dr Gloria Somolekae, Executive Director, BIDPA, Botswana Jessica Warch, Co-founder, Kimai, London Edahn Golan, Diamond Industry Analyst, Israel Dr. Keith Jefferis, Managing Director, Econsult Botswana Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Sound engineer: Craig Boardman Production co-ordinator: Tammy Snow (Photo: Karowe diamond in Botswana. Credit: Lucara Diamond/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
२०२५ मे २७ · २३ मिनेट
Fungal diseases are becoming more common, more dangerous, and more difficult to treat. There’s concern that they may cause the next global pandemic. Rising global temperatures, better survival rates for vulnerable patients, and increased medical interventions contribute to the rise in fungal infections. Access to effective diagnostics and treatment remains limited, with significant disparities between high and low-income countries. Treating fungal infections is becoming more challenging as they build resistance to the drugs used to treat them. New therapies are being developed, including treatments that disrupt fungal DNA replication or interfere with essential proteins, offering some hope for long-term control. Contributors: Adilia Warris, Professor in Paediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Exeter, UK Rita Oladele, Professor of Clinical Microbiology, University of Lagos and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria Arturo Casadevall, Professor and Chair of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, US Michael Bromley, Professor in Fungal Disease, University of Manchester, UK Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production co-ordinator: Tammy Snow (Image: Aspergillus fumigatus, seen under an optical microscope. Credit: BSIP/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
२०२५ मे २० · २३ मिनेट
A domestic rice shortage in Japan has caused supermarket shelves to empty and prices to double. Rice is more than a staple food in Japan—it carries deep cultural, historical and even spiritual significance. The rice crisis highlights broader weaknesses in Japan’s economy. Japan imports over half of its food and has experienced persistent inflation. The country’s economic resilience is being tested by supply chain pressures, demographic shifts, and increased trade tensions. Efforts to address the shortage have focused on auctioning rice reserves, but underlying economic challenges persist. Contributors: • Yi-Chun Ko, Professor, Asian Growth Research Institute, Fukuoka, Japan • Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney, William F. Vilas Research Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison, US • Stefan Angrick, Senior Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Tokyo, Japan • Norihiro Yamaguchi, Lead Economist, Oxford Economics, Tokyo, Japan Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Louise Clarke Researcher: Katie Morgan Editor: Tara McDermott Technical producer: Richard Hannaford Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Photo was supplied by Yukari Sakamoto, author of Food Sake Tokyo
२०२५ मे १३ · २३ मिनेट
“Measles is back, and it’s a wake-up call,” proclaimed one regional director from the World Health Organisation who went on to add, “without high vaccination rates, there is no health security.” Measles is a childhood disease which can be deadly. We’ve been successfully vaccinating against it for decades. So much so that many younger physicians have never seen a child with the disease. But recently, the recorded number of cases has been rising - and this is a global trend. Measles is one of the most contagious viruses known to man. In an unvaccinated population it will spread like wildfire. So what’s behind the rapid rise of measles cases around the world? According to one of our expert witnesses it comes down to three Cs: complacency, convenience and confidence. In this edition of the Inquiry, Sandra Kanthal looks into what’s causing the rise in measles cases around the world and asks how this trend can be reversed. Contributors: Doctor Claudia Cojocaru – Romanian physician and neonatologist Robb Butler - Director of the Division of Communicable Diseases, Environment and Health: World Health Organisation Dr Benjamin Kasstan-Dabush -Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Fatima Cengic, Regional Immunization Specialist, Europe and Central Asia: UNICEF Presenter: Sandra Kanthal Production: Katie Morgan Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: James Beard Editor: Tara McDermott
२०२५ मे ६ · २३ मिनेट
Serbia’s citizens have been protesting for over six months, taking part in demonstrations around the country in reaction to their government’s alleged corruption. Though the country’s president, Aleksandar Vučić, has attempted to appease them, the movement shows no sign of slowing down. Situated in the Western Balkans, Serbia has had a long history of conflict; from the Ottoman Empire to the dissolution of Yugoslavia, but the ongoing civil unrest comes at a crossroads moment for President Vučić. Serbia is awaiting approval to join the European Union yet remains closely tied with the Kremlin. As the Serbian government seeks to solidify its place in the world, protestors continue their calls for transparency and accountability. This week on The Inquiry we ask “Will Serbia’s mass protests unseat the president?” Contributors: Gordana Andric, Executive Editor at Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, Belgrade, Serbia Dr. Andi Hoxhaj OBE, Lecturer in Law and the Director of the European Law LLM pathway programme, King’s College, London Ivana Randelovic, Senior Programme Officer for Europe at Civil Rights Defenders, Belgrade, Serbia Dr. Helena Ivanov, Associate Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, Belgrade, Serbia Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Image credit: Srdjan Stevanovic via Getty Images
२०२५ अप्रिल ३० · २३ मिनेट
Scientists at a bio-technology firm made headlines when they announced the “de-extinction” of the dire wolf, a species of wolf that went extinct on Earth over 10,000 years ago. Colossal Biosciences examined DNA from ancient dire wolf fossils and used it to create wolf puppies with traits of the extinct species. The gene editing technology sparked curiosity around the world, and although the new wolves were not exact replicas of the originals they had similar traits. The development raises serious questions about what de-extinction really means. Mass extinctions have shaped the history of life on Earth, and nature has adapted across the millennia, but with almost half of all species already in decline, including some frogs, how seriously is de-extinction technology being taken? Contributors: Dr. Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer, Colossal Biosciences, California, USA Dr. Daniel Pincheira-Donoso, Associate Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Global Change, Queen's University Belfast, UK Torill Kornfeldt, Science Journalist and author, Sweden Dr. Jay Odenbaugh, Professor of Philosophy, James F. Miller Professor of Humanities, Lewis and Clark College, Oregon, USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Louise Clarke Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey
२०२५ अप्रिल २२ · २३ मिनेट
Earlier this month President Trump announced radical new taxes on foreign imports amounting to what he described as ‘Liberation Day' for the United States. It was a promise he made to American voters during last year’s election campaign but the scale of the tariffs caught many countries by surprise. Global financial markets plunged as investors braced themselves for a shock to the flow of international trade. Faced with prolonged market turmoil, within days the US president paused most of his plans. A to-and-fro between Washington and Beijing has left many world leaders confused who to side with, as many look towards the White House wondering if there is a detailed plan at the heart of these unprecedented few weeks. Contributors: ● Carla Sands, Vice Chair for the Center for Energy and Environment at America First Policy Institute and former US Ambassador to Denmark ● Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security ● Victor Gao, Chair professor at Suzhou University and Vice President at the Center for China and Globalization ● Gillian Tett, Provost of King’s College at Cambridge University and Financial Times columnist Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Katie Morgan and Ben Hughes Sound engineer: Nicky Edwards Production co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Editor: Tara McDermott (Photo: US President Donald Trump holds a chart and delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs at an event entitled Make America Wealthy Again, at the White House, Washington DC, 2 April, 2025. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
२०२५ अप्रिल १५ · २३ मिनेट
For Russia’s President Putin, the return of President Donald Trump to the White House ushered in a new world order. This has created new diplomatic space for Russia, as Trump’s world view seems more closely aligned with Moscow’s ambitions. Support for Ukraine has diminished, peace talks have been floated, and speculation has grown about a lasting ceasefire. While the relationship between Washington and Moscow appears to be warming, recent tensions show how unpredictable diplomacy between the two leaders can be. Putin’s ambition for Russia as an influential superpower remains but with shifting global alliances how much potential leverage does Putin have to reshape the international order? Contributors: • Kadri Liik, Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations • Maria Snegovaya, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies • Ivan Klyszcz, Research Fellow, International Centre for Defence and Security • Mark Galeotti, Director, Mayak Intelligence; Honorary Professor, University College London Presented by Victoria Uwonkunda Produced by Louise Clarke Researched by Katie Morgan Technical producer James Bradshaw Production Co-ordinator Liam Morrey Editor Tara McDermott Image credit GAVRIIL GRIGOROV via Getty Images
२०२५ अप्रिल १ · २३ मिनेट
SpaceX has revolutionised space travel, making reusable rockets a reality and dramatically reducing the cost of reaching orbit. But two high-profile Starship explosions have raised concerns about the company’s approach to innovation and risk. Commercial spaceflight has rapidly expanded, with private companies looking to harness space resources and build new economies beyond Earth. Reusability has been a game-changer, significantly lowering launch costs and enabling more ambitious missions. SpaceX operates with a philosophy of rapid iteration, treating test failures as learning opportunities rather than setbacks. While this approach has led to major breakthroughs, repeated failures raise questions about long-term reliability and safety. Meanwhile, growing competition from other private space firms suggests the industry is no longer dominated by a single player. With rivals gaining ground and technological hurdles ahead, does SpaceX still have the edge in the new space economy? Contributors: Professor Michelle Hanlon, Executive Director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law in the USA Jack Burns, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physics in the USA Dr Ella Atkins is Fred D. Durham Professor and Head of the Kevin T. Crofton Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department at Virginia Tech in the USA David Thomas is Director of the Thunderbird School of Global Management's Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy and Business at Arizona State University. Presenter Charmaine Cozier Producers Vicky Carter and Louise Clarke Researcher: Katie Morgan Editor Tara McDermott Production co-ordinator Liam Morrey Technical producer Matthew Dempsey Image credit: Brandon Bell via Getty Images
२०२५ मार्च २६ · २३ मिनेट
In November, a far right, pro-Russia figure came from almost nowhere to become favourite for the presidency. Calin Georgescu, with no affiliated political party and whose campaign had been largely on social media, won the first round of Presidential elections in Romania. The result sent shockwaves across the continent. But serious allegations surfaced over the legitimacy of Georgescu’s campaign, resulting in Romania’s Constitutional Court annulling the vote and barring Georgescu from standing. After mass demonstrations across the country, it’s clear Romania’s political landscape has been upended. Ahead of the rerun of the vote for president on 4 and 18 May, what will happen now with Romania’s elections? Will the country lean towards a more nationalist future or back the mainstream parties that were previously in power? Contributors: Veronica Anghel, assistant professor at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at The European University Institute, Italy Oana Popescu-Zamfir, director of the GlobalFocus Center, associated expert at Carnegie Europe and associate researcher for the European Council on Foreign Relations, Romania Dr Radu Cinpoes, associate professor of politics and international relations at the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom Costin Ciobanu, political scientist with Aarhus University, Denmark Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Vicky Carter Researcher: Katie Morgan Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Tara McDermott
२०२५ मार्च १८ · २३ मिनेट
European leaders have had cause to rethink their roles within Nato recently, in light of statements coming from the US Government. The Trump administration’s dealings with Russia to try and broker a peace deal in Ukraine, have called into question America’s support for the alliance. But whilst the Trump administration say they are not pulling out of Nato and remain committed to the defence partnership with Europe, they have warned that they will "no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependency". Nato currently asks member states to spend at least 2% on defence, but US President Donald Trump has consistently told European allies to spend much more than that target. The alliance’s famous Article 5 holds that Nato members will come to the defence of an ally which comes under attack and the assumption has always been that the US would continue to be the anchoring power. But now Europe’s leaders are having to consider whether they could potentially go it alone without American military aid. So, do we need a new Nato? This week's experts include John Deni, author and research professor, US Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, USA; Rachel Ellehuus, director-general, The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), London, UK; Toomas Hendricks Ilves, Former President of Estonia, professor at Tartu University; Estonia, Irina Borogan, deputy editor Agentura.ru, non-resident senior fellow, The Centre for European Policy Analysis, London, UK. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Katie Morgan Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples and Liam Morrey (Photo: Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte participates in a bilateral meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance (not pictured) at the Commerzbank in Munich, Germany, 14 February, 2025. Credit: Leah Mills/Reuters)
२०२५ मार्च १३ · २३ मिनेट
At the beginning of this year, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a bill into law which allows for private land to be seized by the government. Known as the Expropriation Act, it’s a power that many democratic governments around the world can exercise – the seizure of private property for public use in return for compensation. But in South Africa’s case, the plan is not to offer compensation, in certain circumstances, such as if land was needed for public use and all other avenues to acquire the land exhausted. And it is this caveat that has provoked strong reactions both domestically and on the international front. Even within the President’s own party, the ANC, there are those who would prefer more consultation before the law can be implemented. Whilst the Democratic Alliance, the second largest party in South Africa’s coalition government, says that it supports legislation addressing land restitution, it does takes issue with the process followed by the country’s parliament to enact the law. It is testing the Act’s constitutionality with legal action. And now President Trump has signed an executive order cutting US financial aid to South Africa, the order claims that this Act would enable the government to seize the agricultural property of ethnic minority Afrikaners without compensation. For his part, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that he’ll be sending envoys to various countries to explain South Africa’s positioning on the Expropriation Act, amongst other recent policy changes. So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking, ‘Can South Africa solve land inequality’? Contributors: Thula Simpson, Author and Associate Professor, Department of Historical and Heritage Studies, University of Pretoria, South Africa Tanveer Jeewa, Junior Lecturer, Constitutional Law, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Dr Ralph Mathekga, Author and Political Analyst, Pretoria, South Africa Christopher Vandome, Senior Research Fellow, Africa Programme, Chatham House, UK and Ph.D. Student in International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Co-Producers: Jill Collins and Bara’atu Ibrahim Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Broadcast Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Image Credit: Shadrack Maseko, whose family has been residing on Meyerskop farm for three generations, looks over a piece of land, in Free State province, South Africa, February 9, 2025. REUTERS/Thando Hlophe
२०२५ मार्च ५ · २३ मिनेट
Undersea cables form the backbone of global communication, with over 95% of global internet traffic relying on hundreds of fibre-optic cables criss-crossing the globe. But recent incidents such as disruption to cables in the Baltic Sea have highlighted concerns over their security and raised the possibility of ‘grey zone warfare’. We examine who owns and runs this vast global network, what happens when things go wrong, and what the future holds for underseas cables. Are they powerful enough to sustain future communications, and what role could quantum technology play in their future? To discuss all this are Lane Burdette, research analyst, TeleGeography, Jovan Kurbali, director of the Diplo Foundation and head of Geneva Internet Platform, Erin L Murphy, senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC and Kristine Berzina, managing director at the German Marshall Fund, Washington DC. Presenter: Gary O'Donoghue Producer: Dan Hardoon and Vicky Carter Researcher: Katie Morgan Production co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tara McDermott (Photo: Employees of Orange Marine work on the installation of the very high speed submarine cable SEA-ME-WE 5, linking Singapore to France, 1 March, 2016. Credit: Boris Horvat/AFP)
२०२५ फेब्रुअरी २५ · २३ मिनेट
The International Criminal Court was founded to prosecute the world’s worst crimes—genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It has secured historic convictions, but its effectiveness is under scrutiny. US opposition has been a long-standing challenge. Donald Trump previously rejected the ICC’s legitimacy, and now, early in his second presidential term, he has imposed sanctions on its top prosecutor. The move echoes past tensions but raises new concerns about the court’s ability to function under external pressure. The ICC also relies on member states to arrest and transfer suspects. A recent case in Italy has highlighted the court’s enforcement difficulties, as Italian authorities deported a Libyan suspect instead of extraditing him to The Hague. Such incidents fuel questions about the ICC’s global authority. Despite its high-profile cases, the court has only secured 11 convictions in 23 years. Its slow trials and high costs have drawn criticism, leading some to question whether reform—or even an alternative—is needed. But with 125 member states still backing its mission, is the ICC an institution the world can afford to lose? Contributors: Dr Viviane Dittrich, Deputy Director of the International Nuremberg Principles Academy in Germany Gerry Simpson, Professor of International Law at the London School of Economics in the UK Rachel Kerr, Professor of War and Society at King's College London in the UK Mark Kirsten, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada Presented by Charmaine Cozier Produced by Louise Clarke and Bara’atu Ibrahim Editor Tara McDermott Technical Producer Toby James Production co-ordinator Liam Morrey Image credit: Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
२०२५ फेब्रुअरी १८ · २३ मिनेट
Women have been using the female contraceptive pill for over 60 years, and many other options have followed. Yet, after decades of research, there is still no male version of a birth control pill. Male options for contraception are limited to the condom, vasectomy or withdrawal. However, clinical trials are underway around the world testing new innovations in male contraception. New options may be less than a decade away but, when they arrive, will people want to take them? In this edition of the Inquiry Sandra Kanthal asks: Are we ready for the new male contraceptives? Contributors: Allan Pacey, Professor of Andrology, University of Manchester Dr Diana Blithe, Chief of the Contraceptive Development Programme, National Institutes of Health Dhananjay Vaidyanathan Rohini, Founder and Partner, Alstonia Impact Logan Nickels, Chief Research Office, Male Contraceptive Initiative Presenter/Producer: Sandra Kanthal Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: James Beard Editor: Tara McDermott
२०२५ फेब्रुअरी ११ · २३ मिनेट
The Panama Canal, a crucial artery for global trade, is at the centre of growing tensions between the United States and China. Donald Trump has claimed that Chinese companies exert undue influence over the waterway, accusing Panama of overcharging US businesses. But does the US still have a legitimate stake in the canal? With Trump demanding action, Panama faces a difficult choice. Could a renegotiation of tolls or a review of Chinese port contracts ease US concerns? Contributors: Will Freeman, Fellow for Latin American studies at the Council on Foreign Relations Andrew Thomas, Academic and Author of The Canal of Panama and Globalisation Dr Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House David Young, President of the Committee for Economic Development Presented by Gary O’Donoghue Produced by Louise Clarke Researched by Katie Morgan Technical producer Matthew Dempsey Production Coordinator Liam Morrey Editor Tara McDermott Image credit: Getty Images via MARTIN BERNETTI
२०२५ फेब्रुअरी ४ · २३ मिनेट
In the decade that followed the Great Financial Crisis, inflation rates remained low and steady, and in some cases even threatened to turn negative, as economies around the world struggled to recover. This era came to an abrupt end in recent years following the double economic shocks of the Covid pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Many central banks and senior policymakers were caught on the back foot as inflation rates soared to levels not seen for nearly half a century in some countries. Although rates have since come down from those highs, they are still proving tricky to completely get under control, causing concern among some observers. We explore what inflation is, where it comes from, what has been happening in recent years and what the outlook might be. Our panel includes Stephen D. King, author and senior economic adviser at HSBC, Vicky Pryce, chief economic adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, Marieke Blom, chief economist and global head of research at ING and Manoj Pradham, author and chief economist at Talking Heads Macroeconomics. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Ben Cooper Researcher: Katie Morgan Sound engineer: Richard Hannaford
२०२५ जनवरी २८ · २३ मिनेट
China has approved the construction of what will become the world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet. Located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river, it could generate three times more energy than the Three Gorges Dam – also built by China - and currently the worlds’ biggest. This Inquiry examines how important hydropower is for China’s economy, whether it will meet its climate goals and whether this new dam is a “safe project that prioritises ecological protection” as China claims. We look at how it’ll be built, and why some in neighbouring countries have concerns. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Vicky Carter Researcher: Katie Morgan Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Tara McDermott Contributors: Brian Eyler, Director of the Energy, Water and Sustainability Programme at the Stimson Center, Washington DC Neeraj Singh Manhas, special advisor for South Asia at the Parley Policy Initiative, South Korea & Subject Matter Expert at the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, HQ IDS, Ministry of Defence, Government of India Prof Mark Zeitoun, Director General of the Geneva Water Hub and professor of Water Diplomacy at the Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland Prof Cecilia Tortajada, Social and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Glasgow, Adjunct senior research fellow Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore Image credit: China News Service via Getty Images
२०२५ जनवरी २१ · २३ मिनेट
In December 2024, the decades-old Assad regime in Syria fell following 13 years of brutal civil war. The Islamist rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, seized power in the capital Damascus, having co-ordinated a lightning offensive along with other opposition forces across the country. This week on The Inquiry, we examine how recent events led to the current situation, who the main players are vying for control, and the many challenges facing both the new government and the Syrian people. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Ben Cooper Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical producer: Toby James Editor: Tara McDermott Contributors: Tim Eaton, Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House Dr Rahaf Aldoughli, Middle East and North African Studies at Lancaster University David Schenker, Director of the Arab politics programme at the Washington Natasha Hall, Middle East programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Image Credit: ABDULAZIZ KETAZ via Getty Images
२०२५ जनवरी १४ · २३ मिनेट
Drinks with toxic ingredients have been linked to deaths and poisonings in Turkey, Laos and India in 2024. Fake alcohol is unrecorded and unregulated alcohol that hasn’t been registered in official statistics for sales, production or trade. The range of unrecorded alcohol includes alcohol smuggled across borders, counterfeit alcohol and homemade brew. This week of The Inquiry we look at how toxic and widespread fake alcohol is. What are the health risks of drinking contaminated alcohol? Bootleg alcohol is big business for criminals, are governments doing enough to combat the illicit alcohol trade? Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Vicky Carter Researcher: Katie Morgan Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical producer: Toby James Editor: Tara McDermott Contributors: Dr. Monica Swahn, alcohol epidemiologist and professor at the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services at Kennesaw State University in the USA, currently based in Uganda. Dr Dirk Lachenmeier, food chemist and toxicologist, director of department of plant-based foods at CVUA Karlsruhe, an official control laboratory, Germany. Piotr Stryszowski, senior economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and head of the Working Party on Countering Illicit Trade (WP-CIT), France. Jeff Hardy, Director General of Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade, USA.
२०२५ जनवरी ७ · २३ मिनेट
Cancer is a disease that will affect 1 in 5 people in our lifetime, and it’s estimated that around 20 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in 2025. But how might a vaccine help in the treatment of cancer? Numerous trials began testing the viability of cancer vaccines in 2024, including one for melanoma and another for lung cancer. With all the promise that these new cancer vaccine trials bring for cancer patients, we explore the different ways in which vaccines could work within the body, and how the time at which future vaccines are administered may vary according to the cancers they are targeting. This week on the Inquiry we’re asking: Are we close to a cancer vaccine? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Katie Morgan Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott Studio Director: Craig Boardman Contributors: Meredith McKean, director of Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research for Sarah Cannon Research Institute at Tennessee Oncology Samra Turajlic, Chief Investigator of translational studies into melanoma and kidney cancer at the Francis Crick Institute and Professor at the Institute of Cancer Research Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, professor in the department of Clinical Cancer Prevention at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Patrick Ott, Clinical Director at Melanoma Disease Center at the Dana-Farber Institute
२०२५ जनवरी २ · २३ मिनेट
Robert F Kennedy Jr, nephew of America's 35th President, John F. Kennedy, has been nominated to be the next US health secretary by President-elect Donald Trump. The post oversees everything from medical research to food safety and public welfare programmes. Kennedy has been the face of “Make America Healthy Again”, a movement dedicated to “public health, sustainable practices and a government that truly serves the people”. This week of The Inquiry, we look at how MAHA wants to tackle chronic disease, in particular obesity. Will RFK carry these ideas into public office? How will food corporations and colleagues in the US Congress react? How feasible is it for the US Health Secretary to shift the dial on healthy eating? Contributors: Bill Dietz, Director of the Stop Obesity Alliance at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., US Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist and former Trump State Department official, US Professor Jerold Mande, CEO of Nourish Science, US Professor Colleen Heflin, Professor of public administration and international affairs at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, US Production Team: Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producers: Vicky Carter and Matt Toulson Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Tara McDermott Photo Credit: Bloomberg via GettyImages
२०२४ डिसेम्बर २४ · २३ मिनेट
The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, sandwiched between China and India, is perhaps best known around the globe for its unconventional measure of national development: Gross National Happiness. The concept was introduced back in 1972 by the fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. It assesses the country’s overall wellbeing on the basis of sustainable and equitable socio-economic development; environmental conservation; preservation and promotion of culture; and good governance. But the Bhutanese are now finding that their cautious approach to balancing economic growth with the well-being of their citizens, is proving difficult to sustain in light of mounting economic problems. The country which has a population of less than 800,000, is experiencing high levels of youth unemployment and many young people and skilled workers are leaving for countries like Australia and Canada. To try and counter this brain drain and to attract new investment into the country to help the economy grow, Bhutan has plans to create a ‘Mindfulness City’. This multi-million dollar project is being spearheaded by the current monarch. At its core will be a scaled up, less cautious version of Bhutan’s key concept, which the Bhutanese Prime Minister has called Gross National Happiness 2.0. So on this week’s Inquiry we’re asking ‘Can Bhutan retain its happiness?’ Contributors: Dr Ha Vinh Tho, Founder and President, Eurasia Learning Institute for Happiness and Well-Being, Switzerland. Dr Rishi Gupta, Assistant Director, Asia Society Policy Institute, New Delhi, India Dr Lhawang Ugyel, Senior Lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Jan Eeckhout, Professor of Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley and Liam Morrey
२०२४ डिसेम्बर १७ · २३ मिनेट
Accusations of sabotage have been made after a Chinese merchant ship cut through two important undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. Eight of the nine states in the Baltic are members of Nato but Russia has access to the sea from St Petersburg and for its Kaliningrad exclave. With previous incidents of damage to underwater pipelines and cables, there is concern that the security of critical underwater infrastructure is at risk from ‘grey zone’ activities - damaging but deniable incidents below the level of outright war. David Baker hears how countries’ security is threatened by incidents like these. The pipelines that were cut ran between Finland and Germany and Sweden and Lithuania. He asks who can intervene to protect these assets in the Baltic. Can Nato respond? Our experts this week are: Elizabeth Braw, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Scowcroft Centre for Strategy and Security, and the author of an upcoming book called The Undersea War; Helga Kalm, director of the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn, Estonia; Marion Messmer, senior research fellow in the International Security Programme at Chatham House; Tormod Heier, professor at the National Defence University College in Oslo, Norway and a former officer in the Norwegian Intelligence Service. Presenter: David Baker Producer: Philip Reevell Researcher: Katie Morgan Editor: Tara McDermott Sound engineer: Craig Boardman Image Credit - Rex/Shutterstock via BBC Images
२०२४ डिसेम्बर १० · २३ मिनेट
When Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister, Christian Lindner last month, Germany’s ‘traffic light’ government collapsed, an uneasy coalition between parties with differing perspectives and strained relations, the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats. At the heart of the political dispute lie deeply opposing views about spending plans, and how to fund much needed investment in infrastructure projects such as transport, education, green energy and digital technology, in order to boost Germany’s international competitiveness. Falling demand both domestically and overseas for manufacturing goods, the pandemic, war in Ukraine and high energy costs have weakened Germany’s economy. So how can Germany reinvigorate its exports and economic growth? On this episode of The Inquiry, we’re asking: Does Germany need to reinvent itself? Contributors Michaela Kuefner, Chief Political Editor, DW Deutsche Welle. Marcel Fratzscher, President, German Institute for Economic Research & Professor of Macroeconomics, Humboldt University. Julian Hinz, Professor of International Economics, Bielefeld University & Director, Trade Policy Research Group, Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Monika Schnitzer of Economics & Chairwoman of the German Council of Economic Experts. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Production: Diane Richardson and Matt Toulson Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: Matthew Dempsey Editor: Tara McDermott Image credit - Reuters via BBC Images
२०२४ डिसेम्बर ३ · २३ मिनेट
The car industry across the European Union employs over thirteen million people, both directly and indirectly, that’s around six percent of the bloc’s workforce. But in recent years, Europe’s manufacturers have been struggling to cope with issues like economic downturns, clean energy requirements and the digital revolution. Some of the oldest, biggest carmakers are considering plant closures and job cuts in order to try and stay afloat. They are also facing fierce competition in the electric vehicle market from China, who have taken a lead in producing cars that are much more competitively priced and equipped with much more sophisticated technology. China’s own economy has been flagging, so the EU provides it with its largest overseas market in terms of the electric car industry. But now, in a bid to protect their own car industry, the EU has introduced tariffs on electric cars made in China. These tariffs are set to rise from ten percent up to forty five percent for the next five years. Beijing has condemned them as protectionist and there are concerns that it could spark a trade war between Brussels and Beijing. So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Is Europe’s car industry at a crossroads?’ Contributors: Carsten Brzeski, Global Head of Macro Research, ING, Germany Tu Le, Founder and Managing Director, Sino Auto Insights, United States of America Beatrix Keim, Director, CAR Centre for Automotive Research, Germany Stefan Deix, Director, EUCAR, European Council for Automotive R&D, Belgium Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Matthew Dempsey Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Image Credit: Westend61 via Getty Images
२०२४ नोभेम्बर २७ · २३ मिनेट
When protests against decades of rule by the Assad family were crushed by Syrian government forces in the spring of 2011, opposition groups took up arms and the country descended into civil war. The conflict drew in Syria’s Kurds, jihadi groups including Islamic State and al-Qaeda, and the international community. 13 years on President Assad controls around two thirds of the country, but northern Syria remains out of the regime's grip and is highly volatile. Internal divisions, international influences and a worsening humanitarian situation may be about to further destabilise the region, with potentially serious consequences for Syria and the world. So, in this episode of The Inquiry, we’re asking ‘What’s the future for Syria’s divided north?’ Contributors Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at the Royal United Services Institute. Charles Lister, Director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs, Middle East Institute. Qutaiba Idlbi, Director of the Syria Initiative at the Atlantic Council. Emma Beals, Senior Advisor at the European Institute of Peace and a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington. Presenter: Emily Wither Production: Diane Richardson and Matt Toulson Broadcast Co-ordinator: Ellie Dover & Liam Morrey Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Image credit - NurPhoto via Getty Images
२०२४ नोभेम्बर २१ · २३ मिनेट
Aerospace giant Boeing has had big problems to overcome since the crashes of two of its 737 Max aircraft. Its situation was compounded this year with another safety scare and a strike losing it billions of dollars. It has a new CEO who has pledged to return the company to its engineering roots and away from cost cutting and in October, Boeing managed to raise 21bn US dollars by issuing new shares in the company. However, catching up on lost production will take time and money and financially the company is nowhere near out of the weeds. Can Boeing regain the trust of regulators, airlines and passengers? Contributors: Richard Aboulafia, AeroDynamic Advisory, a US aerospace consultancy Sharon Turlep, an aviation industry reporter at the Wall Street Journal Christine Negroni, an aviation journalist specialising in safety Scott Hamilton, aviation analyst Presented by David Baker. Produced by Bob Howard. Researched by Matt Toulson. Edited by Tara McDermott. Mixed by David Crackles. Image credit - Kevin Burkholder via Getty Images
२०२४ नोभेम्बर १४ · २३ मिनेट
Earlier this year the global video sharing platform You Tube dominated TV viewership in the United States, knocking Disney off the top spot and leaving major media names like Netflix, Paramount, Amazon and Fox in its wake. In a first for the streaming platform, the time people spent watching YouTube on television accounted for 10.4 percent of total TV in the month of July. In terms of its world reach, the platform is now available in more than one hundred countries and pulls in nearly three billion users every month, the majority of which are between 25 and 34 years old, that’s younger than the core audience for traditional television. Launched in 2005, YouTube has since expanded and diversified, but it’s niche area for dominating the market is still in user generated content and the advertising income it draws in provides the platform with its main source of revenue, leaving the traditional TV market in its wake. So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Is YouTube’s disruption of TV now complete?’ Contributors: Mark Bergen, Reporter with Bloomberg Technology, Author of ‘Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube’s Chaotic Rise to World Domination’, London, UK. Chris Stokel-Walker, Journalist, Author of ‘YouTubers: How YouTube Shook Up TV and Created a New Generation of Stars’, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Rahul Telang, Professor of Information Systems, Carnegie Mellon University, Co-Author of ‘Streaming, Sharing, Stealing: Big Data and the Future of Entertainment’, Pennsylvania, USA Dr. Marlen Komorowski, Professor for European Media Markets, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Senior Research Fellow, Cardiff University, Wales, UK Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Image: Silhouettes of laptop and mobile device users are seen next to a screen projection of the YouTube logo Credit: Reuters/Dado Ruvić
२०२४ नोभेम्बर ४ · २३ मिनेट
The International Space Station will be decommissioned in 2030 and crash down into the Pacific Ocean, ending more than three decades of international cooperation. Launched in the wake of the Cold War, the ISS is seen as a triumph of global diplomacy between the US, Russia and other nations. Its demise will mark the end of an era. Nasa has awarded contracts to commercial companies to develop potential successors to the ISS, and maintain a U.S. presence in low earth orbit. Meanwhile Russia and India have said they plan to launch their own individual stations, and China has already got its own space station, Tiangong. As the era of the International Space Station nears its end, this week on The Inquiry, we’re asking ‘What will happen after the International Space Station?’ Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Operator: Ben Houghton Contributors: Jennifer Levasseur, Museum Curator at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C., US Mark McCaughrean, former Senior Advisor for Science & Exploration at the European Space Agency and astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany Mai'a Cross, Professor of political science at Northeastern University, and director for the Center for International Affairs and World Cultures, Massachusetts, US Wendy Whitman Cobb, Professor of strategy and security studies at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Alabama, US CREDIT: State of the Union address, 1984; Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
२०२४ अक्टोबर २८ · २३ मिनेट
This year wildfires in Canada have caused devastation to the country’s treasured town of Jasper. The wildfires have ravaged the landscape, destroyed communities and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The causes are many, and fires are a natural occurrence. But humans, and the climate, are making them worse. As the number and intensity of fires increase, the methods used to both prevent and fight them may need to change. How can Canada fight its wildfires? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke Researcher: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Editor: Tara McDermott Technical producer: Cameron Ward Contributors: Mike Flannagan, Professor of wildland fire at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia Liz Goldman, World Resources Institute John Keeley, senior research scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey and an adjunct professor at the University of California in Los Angeles Cordy Tymstra, former wildfire science coordinator for the Alberta Wildfire Management Branch (Image: Getty/ Anadolu)
२०२४ अक्टोबर २२ · २३ मिनेट
Ukraine’s President Zelensky recently presented his ‘Victory Plan’ to end the war in Ukraine to both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the two candidates competing to be the next President of the United States of America. President Zelensky’s view is that if his plan is supported by Ukraine’s allies, then the war could be ended by next year. But both US Presidential candidates, whilst in agreement that the war has to stop, have expressed a very different approach to how they would work towards that. And there are concerns from Ukraine that there will be a significant decrease in getting support in the future, regardless of who will be sitting in the White House. The United States is the top donor to Ukraine in terms of military, financial and humanitarian aid, but if their support did wane, it would mean Ukraine would have to become much more reliant on European backing. Whilst Europe has pledged much in terms of military support, it has yet to deliver everything it has promised. And there is the issue of Europe’s political will and financial backing to fulfil its pledge. In light of this President Zelensky is hoping Europe too will be convinced by his ‘Victory Plan’ and perhaps act as an insurance plan to keep the US focus on this war. So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘How might the next US President affect the war in Ukraine?’ Contributors: Mariia Zolkina, Head of Regional Security and Conflict Studies, Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, Kyiv, Ukraine Mary Anne Marsh, Democratic Strategist and Political Analyst, Boston, USA Matthew Kroenig, Vice President and Senior Director, Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Washington DC, USA Matthew Savill, Director of Military Sciences, Royal United Services Institute, London, UK Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Ben Houghton Broadcast Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson (Image: BBC file photo)
२०२४ अक्टोबर १५ · २३ मिनेट
A court room in the US State of Nevada provided the setting for the recent hearing between media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his children, over who will inherit his empire on the 93 year old’s death. The succession battle, worthy of the TV drama Succession, which was partly inspired by the Murdoch dynasty, was played out behind closed doors and it’s unlikely that the decision, when it comes, will be made available to the public. Murdoch’s News Corp owns hundreds of newspapers and media outlets around the world. It includes the right-leaning Fox News in the US, which gave Donald Trump a major platform in the run-up to the 2016 Presidential election, as well as widely read newspapers like the Sun in the UK. Speculation over who is most likely to take control of the multi-billion dollar business currently centres around the eldest son Lachlan Murdoch, the sibling most closely aligned to his father in terms of their vision for the future. But at this point the outcome all depends on whether legally such a takeover can happen. So, on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘What’s the succession plan for Murdoch’s empire?’ Contributors: Walter Marsh, Journalist and Author of Young Rupert: The Making of the Murdoch Empire, South Australia David Folkenflik, Media Correspondent NPR News, Author of Murdoch’s World: The Last of the Old Media Empires, USA Reid Weisbord, Distinguished Professor of Law, Rutgers Law School, Visiting Professor, Columbia University, USA Alice Enders, Chief Economist, Enders Analysis, UK Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producers: Louise Clarke and Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Broadcast Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson (Image: Reuters/Mike Segar)
२०२४ अक्टोबर ९ · २३ मिनेट
With Lebanon, Gaza, and Israel all under fire and a death count running into tens of thousands, the Middle East has never been in a more dangerous position. The United States has been a big diplomatic influence on attempts at peace negotiations in the Middle East. The last major attempt at peace negotiations was in the spring of 2024 when the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited the region to try and broker a ceasefire. But despite the efforts of not just the US, but Egypt, Qatar and Europe, there has been no agreement to cease hostilities. What would bring all the different parties to the negotiating table? And is there any country or organisation credible enough that will be listened to by all parties? This episode of The Inquiry asks: Can anyone broker peace in the Middle East? Contributors: Hugh Lovatt, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations Bilal Y Saab, Head of the US-Middle East Practice and an Advisor in the Scientific and Academic Council of TRENDS Research and Advisory Professor Christopher Phillips, Professor of International Relations at Queen Mary University of London Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow in Middle East security at The Royal United Services Institute Presenter: Victoria Uwonkunda Producer: Louise Clarke Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical producer: James Bradshaw Production support: Jacqui Johnson (Image: Getty/FADEL ITANI)
२०२४ सेप्टेम्बर ३० · २३ मिनेट
In September Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni announced the introduction of special fees for passengers disembarking from cruise ships at Mykonos, Santorini and some other ports. The fees are part of a broader strategy to manage the resurgence of mass tourism post-covid, reducing some of the negative impacts such as pressure on water supplies, waste management and overcrowding, while spreading the economic benefits more fairly across society. Greece is not alone in considering how to alleviate the tensions arising when exceptional numbers of tourists arrive during peak holiday times. Venice has limited the size of tour groups, charging visitors a daily entry fee and the mayor of Barcelona has pledged to eliminate short-term tourist lets in the city within five years, to ease housing pressures. With revenues from international tourism reaching USD 1.8 trillion last year according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, many governments and experts are thinking carefully about how to strike a balance between the economic boost, the tourist experience and the welfare of local communities. Can tourists be enticed away from those Instagram hot spots and what potential solutions could Greece employ to deal with overtourism? Contributors Katerina Kikilia, Head of Tourism Management, University of West Attica, Athens Sandra Carvão, Director of Market Intelligence, Policies, and Competitiveness, UN World Travel Organisation Kumi Kato, Professor in Tourism Studies, Wakayama University, Japan Cevat Tosun, Eisenhower chair and professor of Tourism Studies and management at George Washington University School of Business Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Production: Diane Richardson and Matt Toulson Broadcast Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Toby James (Image: Oia, Thira, Greece / Getty Images: Fernando Vazquez Miras)
२०२४ सेप्टेम्बर २४ · २३ मिनेट
Just over three years ago the Taliban seized Kabul and stormed to power in Afghanistan. They soon declared a new government which is still not recognised by any other country. The Taliban claim they have made improvements to the country. War is over and, they say, there is more peace and security than before they came to power. But millions of people are struggling to survive in the country, there is a restrictive rule of law that is imposed by a very hierarchical government structure and half the population need aid. This week on The Inquiry we’re asking ‘How are the Taliban governing Afghanistan?’ Presenter: Emily Wither Producers: Louise Clarke and Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producers: Nicky Edwards and Cameron Ward Contributors: Dr Weeda Mehran, co-director for Advanced Internationalist studies at Exeter University Graeme Smith, senior analyst for the International Crisis Group Dr Orzala Nemet, research associate at ODI Overseas Development Institute Javid Ahmad, non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images)
२०२४ सेप्टेम्बर १६ · २३ मिनेट
At the beginning of September, the far-right party Alternative for Germany or AfD, won an election in the eastern state of Thuringia. The result marked the far right’s first win, in a state parliament election, since World War Two. In the more populous neighbouring state of Saxony the party came in a close second. Whilst in both states the party has been officially classed as ‘right-wing extremist’, the results nonetheless, signify a sharp rebuke from the voting public towards Germany’s established political forces, including the ruling coalition. The Afd was founded in 2013 as an anti-euro party to challenge the government. It entered the German parliament for the first time in 2017 and now it’s focus has shifted to immigration and Islam. As the country faces federal elections next year, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged mainstream parties to block the AfD from governing in Thuringia by maintaining a so-called firewall against it. But in terms of the voting public, the polls currently suggest the party could also take the most votes in Brandenburg state’s election coming up. So, on this week’s Inquiry we’re asking, Can Germany’s far right win the country? Contributors: Thomas König, Professor Dr. of Political Science, European Politics, University of Mannheim, Germany Dr. Michelle Lynn Kahn, Associate Professor, Modern European History, University of Richmond, VA, USA Christina Zuber, Professor Dr. of German Politics, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Germany Jörn Fleck, Senior Director of the Europe Centre, The Atlantic Council, Washington DC, USA Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Broadcast Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Image Credit: CLEMENS BILAN/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
२०२४ सेप्टेम्बर १० · २३ मिनेट
In August this year, a US court in Washington DC ruled that Google acted illegally to crush its competition and maintain a monopoly on online search and related advertising. This is just one of a number of lawsuits that have been filed against the big tech companies, as US antitrust authorities attempt to strengthen competition in the industry. Now Google is facing another legal case in Virginia, USA, over its advertising technology. Whilst in Europe it has been fined billions in monopoly cases. Google themselves dispute they are a ‘monopolist’ and presented evidence in the US court case in August to show that they face ‘fierce competition from a broad range of competitors’. The court did find Google’s search to be ‘superior’ to its competitors. And Google’s executives say consumers stick with them because they find Google ‘helpful’. Google is everywhere in our online lives and it handles billions of search queries every day, so on this week’s Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Can we trust Google?’ Contributors: David Vise, Pulitzer Prize winning Journalist and Author of ‘The Google Story’, New York, USA Professor Douglas Melamed, Visiting Fellow, Stanford Law School, Washington, DC. USA Jonathan Stray, Senior Scientist, UC Berkeley Center for Human-Compatible AI, California, USA Cristina Caffarra, Independent Expert Economist, Honorary Professor, UCL, London, UK Presenter: David Baker Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Broadcast Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Image Credit: Reuters/Steve Marcus
२०२४ अगस्ट २७ · २३ मिनेट
Hezbollah has both political and military wings both of which are designated by several countries as terror organisations. It emerged several decades ago in Lebanon. Since Israel launched its war in Gaza in the wake of the Hamas attacks of October 7th, it has intensified its military activities along the border between Israel and Lebanon. The persistent question has been what is it trying to achieve? Are the attacks intended as a show of support for the Palestinians in Gaza or an attempt to take advantage of Israel’s diverted military focus? And could this dangerous front lead to an all-out war in the Middle East? This week on the Inquiry we are asking: What does Hezbollah want? Contributors: Aurélie Daher, Associate Professor in political science at the University Paris-Dauphine Lina Khatib, Associate Fellow with the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House Dr Bashir Saade, Lecturer of Politics and Religion at the University of Stirling in Scotland Mehran Kamrava, Professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Gareth Jones Broadcast Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Image: Hezbollah Fighters and Mourners Attend Funeral of Top Commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut / NurPhoto / Contributor via Getty Images
२०२४ अगस्ट २० · २३ मिनेट
In 2018 an historic document known as the ‘Provisional Agreement’ was signed between the Catholic Church and the People’s Republic of China. So far this agreement has been renewed every two years and the expectation is that it will be renewed again this year. The only detail that has been made public is that the Agreement allows the Pope final approval on Bishops appointed by the Chinese authorities, other than that it is cloaked in secrecy. But there have been occasions since its signing where the Communist Party have reneged on this Agreement, approving its own choice of Bishops. There are an estimated 13 million Catholics in China, split between the official Chinese state recognised church and the underground church. And one of the Catholic Church’s most senior members, Cardinal Joseph Zen, the former Bishop of Hong Kong, has in the past, referred to this Provisional Agreement as betrayal of those in the underground church. For the Pope, the Agreement is a pragmatic attempt to unify the church in China and make peace with the state, but the underground church see this Agreement as a sell-out by their spiritual father. So on The Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Is Pope Francis ‘betraying’ China’s Catholics?’ Contributors: Martin Palmer, Theologian and Sinologist, UK Fr. Jeroom Heyndrickx, CICM (Scheut) Missionary, Belgium Samuel Chu, President, Campaign for Hong Kong, USA John Allen, Editor of Crux, Italy Presenter: William Crawley Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Broadcast Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Image Credit: A worshipper waves the flag of China, as Pope Francis leaves the weekly general audience at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images.
२०२४ अगस्ट ९ · २३ मिनेट
Project 2025 is a blueprint for the next conservative president of the US. The think tank behind it, The Heritage Foundation, has published a book, ‘Mandate for Leadership’. It’s an anthology of ideas that suggest sweeping changes to federal government, presidential power and US involvement in global affairs. Mandate for Leadership is a collection of policy ideas, written for any president to use once in office. Previous Republican administrations have implemented many of its action points. Project 2025 is divisive. Many see it as a way to strengthen the US constitution, but others fear it will dismantle it and invest irreversible power in the president. How might Project 2025 shape the US? Presented by Charmaine Cozier Produced by Louise Clarke Researched by Matt Toulson Editor Tara McDermott Technical producer Nicky Edwards Contributors: Don Moynihan, Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University in Washington DC Jeff Anderson, the President of the American Main Street Initiative Beau Breslin, Professor of Political Science at Skidmore College in upstate New York Heather Hurlburt, Associate Fellow at Chatham House (Image credit: AP)
२०२४ अगस्ट ७ · २३ मिनेट
Last year the Canadian province of British Columbia, launched a landmark three-year pilot programme on drug decriminalisation. For a number of years now communities across Canada have been facing their own opioid crisis, as drugs like fentanyl become more easily available. Vancouver in British Columbia, has always been at the forefront of drug policy change, yet it has seen an explosion in overdose deaths due to toxic drugs in recent years. So the city readily adopted the decriminalisation programme as a measure to try and help reduce the death rates. But now just over a year since its implementation, that pilot programme has been scaled back, and it now means that people found with drugs on their person in public places can be arrested again. Can Canada overcome its drug overdose crisis?’ Contributors: Dr. Alexander Caudarella, CEO Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Ottawa, Canada Kennedy Stewart, associate professor, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada Aljona Kurbatova, head of Centre for Health Promotion, National Institute for Health Development, Tallinn, Estonia Gillian Kolla, assistant professor, Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical producer: Richard Hannaford (Photo: Supervised consumption sites in the DTES. Credit: Gary Coronado/Getty Images)
२०२४ जुलाई २९ · २३ मिनेट
Hundreds of monumental human shaped statues are motionless, and exposed to the elements, on Rapa Nui - also known as Easter Island. A name that dates back to 1722, when a Dutch explorer first saw it on Easter Sunday. The statues, or Moai, were there centuries before that and are sacred to the Rapa Nui people. They have also become a world famous tourist attraction and can be found in multiple outdoor locations across the small island. They are heavy and huge - sizes range from 1 to 20 metres tall. Some are upright on platforms, others are toppled over and broken. Over the years, global weather has become more extreme and is having a devastating effect. Can the statues of Easter Island survive climate change? Contributors: Sonia Haoa Cardinali, Archaeologist with the Mata Ki Te Rangi Foundation and coordinator of Easter Island's national monuments, Rapa Nui Roberto Rondanelli, Meteorologist and Climate Scientist at the Department of Geophysics, University of Chile Jo Anne Van Tilburg, Archaeologist and the Director of the Easter Island Statue Project Pilar Vicuña, culture programme officer, Unesco (Santiago de Chile), Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producers: Lorna Reader and Jill Collins Production co-ordinators: Liam Morrey and Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott
२०२४ जुलाई २२ · २३ मिनेट
The South China Sea is a major world shipping route bordered by a number of countries including China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, all of whom have staked claims to various zones in this vast expanse of water. But tensions have grown in recent years between China who claim the majority of the South China Sea for themselves and the Philippines. Lately these tensions have escalated into a series of dangerous encounters as the two countries seek to enforce their right to disputed reefs and outcrops in these contested waters. At the heart of this particular dispute lies a rusting warship, which belongs to the Philippine navy. It has been berthed on a submerged reef, the Second Thomas Shoal, since 1999, an outpost that the Philippine government claim belongs to them. The Sierra Madre is manned by a small Filipino crew who need a continual supply of provisions from the mainland, but the supply ships are encountering increasingly dangerous stand-offs with the Chinese coast guard in the South China Sea. The Chinese claim these encounters are just aimed at blocking an ‘illegal transportation’ of supplies. But there are concerns that this regional dispute could spark a wider conflict between China and the US, who are treaty-bound to come to the defence of the Philippines, should it come under attack. So, on this week’s Inquiry, ‘What can a rusting warship tell us about tensions in the South China Sea?’ Contributors: Dr Hasim Turker, independent researcher, Istanbul, Turkey Professor Steve Tsang, director SOAS China Institute, London Professor Jay Batongbacal, director, Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, U.P. Law Centre, Philippines Gregory Poling, director South East Asia Programme and the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, USA Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Katie Morgan Technical producer: Richard Hannaford Production co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott (Photo: The Philippine ship BRP Sierra Madre in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. Credit: Lisa Marie David/Getty Images)
पछिल्लो १०० एपिसोड देखाइएको।
