The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.
This episode explores the unexpected political turmoil in Romania following its November 2023 presidential elections. Against the backdrop of Romania's post-communist transition and lingering societal inequalities, the surprising rise of far-right independent candidate Calin Georgescu, who initially polled below 10%, ...
This Inquiry podcast episode examines the future of NATO, focusing on the impact of President Trump's policies. The discussion features four expert witnesses who analyze Article 5 of the NATO treaty, the role of the US in NATO, European responses to Trump's actions, and Russia's geopolitical goals. A key takeaway is ...
This podcast examines South Africa's new Expropriation Act, which allows for land seizure without compensation under specific circumstances. The discussion traces the history of land inequality in South Africa, from apartheid-era legislation to the current political climate and legal challenges to the new act. Expert...
This BBC World Service Inquiry podcast investigates the surprising rise of Calin Georgescu, a far-right, pro-Russia presidential candidate in Romania. The podcast features interviews with four experts who analyze Georgescu's unexpected success, exploring the historical context of Romania's post-communist transition, t...
This podcast investigates the vulnerabilities of the global undersea cable network, which carries over 95% of internet traffic. The discussion is structured around four parts: the history and physical nature of the cables, the ownership and regulation of the network, the various threats (accidental damage, sabotage, a...
This podcast episode of The Inquiry investigates the International Criminal Court (ICC), examining its function, effectiveness, and challenges. The episode features interviews with experts in international law, discussing the ICC's history, structure (including its independence from the UN), and its successes and fail...
This podcast explores the development and potential market for male contraceptives. The discussion features interviews with experts in andrology, contraceptive development, and market research, covering the biological challenges of creating male birth control pills, the progress of current clinical trials (including a...
This podcast investigates President Trump's claims that China is controlling the Panama Canal and that the US is being unfairly charged for its use. The discussion unfolds in four parts: examining the canal's economic importance to the US, exploring the historical context of US involvement and the transfer of control ...
This podcast investigates the ongoing battle against inflation. It explores the causes of inflation, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, and examines the tools used by central banks to combat it, primarily interest rate hikes. Experts discuss the effectiveness of these measures, high...
This Inquiry podcast episode investigates why China is building the world's largest dam. The interview-based format features experts discussing the dam's massive scale (three times larger than the Three Gorges Dam), remote location in Tibet, and potential for 60 gigawatts of hydropower. Concerns raised include the da...
This news podcast discusses the unexpected and swift takeover of Syria by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a rebel group previously designated a terrorist organization. The podcast explores the fall of the Assad regime, analyzing contributing factors such as regional conflicts (the war in Gaza and the war in Ukraine), the ...
This news podcast investigates the global threat of fake alcohol. The podcast begins by highlighting recent incidents of deaths and illnesses caused by contaminated alcohol in various countries, then introduces expert interviews with an alcohol epidemiologist, a food chemist and toxicologist, an economist specializing...
This BBC Inquiry podcast dives into the exciting world of cancer vaccine development, structured around four key segments. It begins by unpacking cancer biology, then examines how personalized medicine is reshaping cancer treatment. The discussion progresses to how vaccines can retrain the immune system, and finally, i...
In the BBC podcast "The Inquiry," the spotlight is on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s contentious nomination as the US Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Trump. The episode delves into America's obesity crisis, connecting it to the surge of ultra-processed foods and the food industry's impact. It examines K...
This podcast delves into Bhutan's distinctive approach to measuring national progress through Gross National Happiness (GNH), in stark contrast to conventional GDP calculations. GNH emphasizes environmental protection, cultural growth, effective governance, and sustainable economics. However, Bhutan faces hurdles such ...
In this episode of The Inquiry, the focus is on the fragility of undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, sparked by a recent event where two communication cables were cut, potentially by a Chinese vessel acting on Russia's behalf. Experts delve into the geopolitical importance of the Baltic region, the complexities ...
In the latest episode of the BBC World Service Inquiry podcast, the focus is on the political and economic turmoil in Germany. The downfall of the three-way coalition government highlights deep divisions over spending and the country's strict "debt brake" rule, which has impeded vital investments in infrastructure and ...
Europe's car industry is in deep trouble. Rising production costs, intense competition from China—especially in the electric vehicle sector—a slow shift to clean energy, and a weakened consumer market have led to plant closures and job losses. Although the EU has imposed tariffs on Chinese imports to create a fairer en...
Thirteen years into the Syrian civil war, the northern region remains unstable and fragmented, caught between the Assad regime, Turkey, Kurdish-led forces (SDF), and various Islamist groups. While the Assad regime, backed by Russia and Iran, controls much of the country, the north is a complex landscape of competing fa...
This podcast excerpt showcases highlights from three distinct BBC World Service programs. First, "World of Secrets" delves into an international drug smuggling investigation. Next, "The Inquiry" explores Boeing's challenges in recovering from the 737 Max crashes and their aftermath. Finally, "Good Bad Billionaire" offe...
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