Vlad the un-jailer: the Ivan Golunov case
An investigative journalist’s release may look like a press-freedom win in Russia—but it represents much more than that. Democratic presidential hopefuls have no shortage of transformative ideas, yet Senate arithmetic ensures there’s little hope of realising them. And, we visit a place where malaria rages while a cure literally grows on trees. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
13 Juni 201921min
Once more, with felines: half the world gets online
Half of humanity is now online. What will the second half do when it logs on? The same as the first: friendly chat, personal expression and a lot of cat videos. Despite appearances, racism in America is actually going down; the problem is that America’s politics is increasingly fractured along racial lines. And, why is it that screams are so prevalent in popular culture? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
12 Juni 201921min
Independence say: Hong Kong’s ongoing protests
A proposed change to the judicial system is just the latest sign that mainland China is exerting pressure on Hong Kong’s autonomy. Authorities seem ready to quell further demonstrations. Although solitary confinement is widely condemned, it’s still common in America; we speak with an inmate who’s spent half a lifetime in solitary. And, the sheikhs of Iraq who help resolve disputes—and are available for hire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 Juni 201922min
No way to tweet a friend: Trump’s Mexico tariffs
In the end, President Donald Trump’s tariff threat did what he had hoped: Mexico has pledged to tighten immigration flows. But such weaponisation of tariffs bodes ill for the future. China’s “green Great Wall” of trees—a bid to halt desertification—may be doing more harm than good. And, we meet some of the Filipino sailors who keep the global shipping industry afloat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 Juni 201921min
Tory story: Britain’s next prime minister
Today Theresa May stepped down as leader of the Conservative Party, and would-be replacements are already lining up. There’s little hope that any would be able to arrange an elegant exit from Europe. Also, we take a look at the astonishing range of ailments that could be treated by magic mushrooms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
7 Juni 201921min
Basta! The EU challenges Italy’s finances
European officials have threatened a substantial fine if Italy doesn’t shrink its debt and budget deficit. Whether or not it follows through, markets are already punishing the country. Tens of thousands of refugees have snuck into Canada from America, but as an election looms, the government is rethinking its openness. And, the plague of “presenteeism”: when your work is done, just go home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
6 Juni 201920min
Same as the old boss? Crackdown in Sudan
Nearly two months after staging a coup, military leaders have brutally cracked down on protesters in Sudan. Talks with the opposition have fallen apart—as have hopes for a resurgent Sudanese democracy. We examine the rise in gun violence in Latin America and how much of it can be pinned on American-made weapons. And, a look at the striking effects of a striker: how one footballer’s image is reducing Islamophobia in Liverpool. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 Juni 201920min
Thirty years of forgetting: Tiananmen
On the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square tragedy, our correspondents reflect on a dark and confusing day—and the Chinese government’s efforts to suppress the memory of it. Could such widespread dissent flare up in today’s China? Also, why laws requiring immigrants to speak host-nations’ languages are counter-productive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 Juni 201922min
