Episodes

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Can Africa Cope With Coronavirus?2020040920200418 (R4)How will Africa deal with Covid-19? It began in China then reached the Middle East, Europe and the United States, now Africa is bracing itself for a surge in coronavirus cases. But how will the continent, with its weaker health care systems and often poor populations cope? The picture is not the same everywhere. Some countries and some sections of society may fare better than others, but the worry is that many African countries simply don't have the tools or resources to stand up to this pandemic. Or might there be some lessons learnt from the Ebola outbreak which could help? This is a continent of young people, so demographics could work in their favour, but many of them are already compromised by HIV, malaria and other disease outbreaks.

Tanya Beckett speaks to the director of a hospital in rural Uganda, to the head of the Nigeria's Centre for Disease Control, to the CEO of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and to the former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, about their worries and preparations for Covid-19.

Presenter: Tanya Beckett

Producer: John Murphy

(An African man wearing an alternative mask in Kampala, Uganda April 2020. Credit: Sumy Sadurni/Getty images)

With poorer economies and less developed healthcare, how will Africa deal with Covid-19?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Can We Dismiss Qanon?2019101720200801 (R4)The far right conspiracy theory featuring child molesters and baby eaters may sound far-fetched, but the FBI names Q Anon in a report warning conspiracy theorists pose a growing threat of violence. So can we dismiss Q Anon?

Q releases anonymous internet posts and claims to have a high level of security clearance in the US, signing messages with only ‘Q'. The cryptic posts apparently reveal that Trump is fighting a battle against the deep state and trying to take on an A list paedophile ring. The followers decode the messages and enjoy feeling part of an online community who have ‘insider knowledge'. There's no evidence behind any of it. The worrying thing is, it's not just an online community, some followers have taken real world action, turning up in the desert with guns to hunt for satanic child molesters and a murder suspect has appeared in court with a letter Q written on his palm. Recently, the site Q posts on has been shut down, but our expert witnesses say that doesn't mean we can dismiss Q Anon.

(Trump supporters with Q Anon posters at a 'Make America Great Again' rally in Tampa, Florida, 31 July 2018. Credit: Thomas O'Neill / Getty images.)

The far right conspiracy theory featuring child molestors and baby eaters.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Can We Eradicate Polio?2019122620191228 (R4)Despite heroic efforts to vaccinate against this crippling disease, why does it persist? The fight to eradicate polio is an amazing story: It began with a grassroots movement in the United States and led to a global campaign to wipe out a disease that can cause paralysis and even death. There is no cure, but countless cases have been prevented by an extraordinary campaign to vaccinate every child aged five and under. It's an operation that requires access to some of the poorest and most remote regions of the world.

But polio was supposed to have been eliminated by the year 2000. Nearly two decades later, new cases are still springing up. Why? Neal Razzell examines the challenges and the triumphs in the effort to rid the world of polio.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Can You Reduce Central American Migration?2019080120190803 (R4)Families from the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador now make up the majority of migrants arriving at the US southern border. Many from urban areas are fleeing endemic gang violence, while those from rural regions are affected by droughts and food security issues.

The Mexican government is increasing security along their borders, while the Trump administration has been changing asylum law. Could these measures help to lower the number of people choosing to make the dangerous journey? Or is there another way to make sure migrants don't feel like they need to leave their homes?

(Photo: A Guatamalan mother with her three daughters crossed Mexico to reach the US border city of Juarez-El paso, Texas. Credit: David Peinado/Getty Images)

More and more families from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are travelling to the US

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Coronavirus: What can the world learn from South Korea?2020032620200404 (R4)

After China, South Korea was next in line to be struck by the Coronavirus outbreak. And in the early days the number of cases was going up fast - many of them related to a secretive religious sect. But the country has rapidly managed to get a grip on the outbreak and has kept its mortality rate low. It has done this without an official lockdown. The secret appears to be preparation, widespread testing and acting fast. With the help of four expert witnesses, Kavita Puri investigates what else we can learn from South Korea in its battle against Covid-19.

Presenter: Kavita Puri
Producer: John Murphy

(A couple wearing face masks walk through an alleyway in Seoul on March 24, 2020. Credit: Ed Jones/Getty Images)

Without a lockdown, South Korea has had great success against Covid-19. How?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How can we feed 11 billion people?2019042520190511 (R4)

The world's population is set to grow from 7.7 to 11 billion by the end of this century. The challenge is to produce enough food to feed this number of people. In the 1960s the Green Revolution provided answers to similar problems - but the projected population growth of the future is on a much greater scale than before, and so new measures are required. In east Africa they're working to reduce the amount of food that's lost before it even gets to market - globally this stands at around 30 per cent. In the United States scientists are working to improve the natural process of photosynthesis - to make plants themselves function more efficiently. And in India they're working to preserve genetic diversity - conserving rice varieties that can flourish in salt water or in conditions of drought.

The challenge to produce enough food to feed our growing population

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How can we save our forests?2019092620190928 (R4)

In the afternoon of August 20th this year, the sky over Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo turned dark. The cause of this premature night was the smoke from fires burning thousands of kilometres away in the Amazon rainforest.

The scale of the fires caught the attention of the world, but the Amazon is one story among many. The global community has long worried about deforestation, five years ago nations agreed to work to halve global tree loss by 2020 and end it by 2030. This month, those targets were acknowledged to be missed.

This week we investigate what tactics are being used to preserve forests around the world, and ask if any of them are effective.

image: View of a burnt area of forest in Para state, Brazil, in the Amazon basin. Credit Joao Laet/Getty Images.

This summer fires in the Amazon rainforest caught the world's attention.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How close are we to a vaccine for Covid-19?2020082020200822 (R4)

Researchers around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, with more than 170 candidate vaccines now in development. Most vaccines take years of testing and additional time to produce at scale, but scientists are hoping to develop a coronavirus vaccine at record speed. Several potential vaccines are now in the final phase of testing but it could still be months before we discover if they are safe and can effectively prevent people from being infected.

If a vaccine can be found, there are concerns about how the world will manufacture enough. There may be challenges in storing it at the right temperature and transporting it safely around the world. Plus, rich countries might hoard supplies. Although hopes are high it is entirely possible that a safe and effective vaccine is a long way off, or never discovered. Experts warn that ‘waiting for a vaccine syndrome' could be distracting us from finding other solutions for controlling the spread of Covid-19.

Presenter: Tanya Beckett

(A scientist works on an experimental coronavirus vaccine at a laboratory in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Credit: Juan Mabromata/Getty Images)

The race is on to find a vaccine for Covid-19. How close are we?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How did K-Pop conquer the world?2019051620190525 (R4)

It's a multi-billion dollar industry, with bands selling out stadiums across the world. K-Pop, or Korean Pop has created some of the biggest global music stars. How did bands, singing in Korean come to such prominence? The Korean government has capitalised on the soft power that its music industry has offered. But with the latest scandals involving the rape and abuse of women is there a darker side to it all? And could it tarnish brand Korea?

Photo: BTS performs 'DNA' onstage
Credit: Getty Images/Michael Tran/FilmMagic

Some of the world\u2019s most successful bands are singing in Korean.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How did Trump get into trouble with Ukraine?2020012320200125 (R4)

How did Trump's personality and way of dealing with people lead to a trial in the Senate? The answer involves Trump's long standing belief in conspiracy theories, his transactional way of doing business, the revolving door of staff turnover at the White House and his admiration for Russian president Vladimir Putin.

With Tanya Beckett.

( President Trump departs the White House on the day of the House Impeachment Vote, Washington DC. Photo Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

How did Trump\u2019s personality and way of dealing with people lead to a trial in the Senate?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How Did We Mess up Antibiotics?2016101820190406 (R4)

Warnings about the approaching post-antibiotics apocalypse have been sounding for years. There are now strains of deadly bacteria that are resistant to all antibiotics. This means that doctors are faced with patients who have completely untreatable infections. Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are dying due to antibiotic resistance - and this number is set to rise rapidly. If we carry on like this, scientists predict we will return to a pre-antibiotic era, where organ transplants, chemotherapy and C-sections are impossible.

We have come a long way since 1928, when the famous chance discovery of penicillin led to a golden age in which antibiotics were seen as wonder drugs, heralding in an age of huge medical advances and increased human life spans. But by the 1990s we were running out of new antibiotics and infections were again a killer. How did this happen?

Our expert witnesses are medic and historian, Dr Eric Sidebottom, Dr Scott Podolsky of Harvard Medical School, journalist Maryn McKenna and infectious disease specialist Brad Spellberg.

(Photo: A depiction EHEC bacteria. Credit: HZI/Getty Images)

We are moving towards a world where antibiotics no longer work.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How do we come out of the lockdown?2020042320200425 (R4)

As some nations begin to tentatively lift their lockdowns, Tanya Beckett asks how best this can be done. What lessons, if any, can we learn from past pandemics? How do states make the decision, juggling the increasing demands of economic and social factors against public health concerns, amid worries of a new wave of infections from the disease? And what will our lives look like in a post-lockdown world? We hear from contributors based in France, the United States, South Korea and Denmark - one of the first countries to begin to lift its lockdown.

Reporter Tanya Beckett
Producer Jim Frank

Image: A woman wearing a mask runs through a deserted Central Park in Manhattan, April 16, 2020 during lockdown in New York City, USA (Credit: Johannes Eisele/ Getty Images)

Some nations are beginning to tentatively lift lockdowns. What's the best way to do it?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How is space changing Earth?2019032820190420 (R4)

Many nations have now entered the space race. China first sent a man into space in 2003 and in the last few months made a successful, unmanned, landing on the far side of the moon. This was a world first. India has its own record. A few years ago it launched more satellites into space, in one go, than any other nation. Nigeria is talking about sending an astronaut into space. And Kyrgyzstan is developing its first satellite, built entirely by female engineers. The Inquiry explores what lies behind all this activity. Is the power of national prestige giving way to different goals; education, economic progress and human rights?

Presenter: Kavita Puri
Producer: Rosamund Jones

This programme was originally broadcast on March 28th 2019.

Image Credit: Getty Creative

What motivates the global space race - power, prestige or social progress?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

How soon can we go carbon zero?2019110720200111 (R4)

This month activists all over the world have taken over city centres, demanding urgent action to halt climate change. They say we need to eliminate all carbon emissions by 2025. Most people think that's impossible. But scientists are warning that if we want to stop global warming, we need to cut our CO2 emissions fast. So how soon can the planet achieve carbon zero?

Helen Grady speaks to:

Chukwumerije Okereke, professor in Environment and Development at Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading and director of the Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University (AE-FUNAI), Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi state, Nigeria; Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Director of the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions at Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland; Roger Pielke Junior, Professor at the University of Colorado; Rachel Moncrief, deputy director at the International Council on Clean Transportation

Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton

(Photo: Wind turbines in California USA. Credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

To stop global warming, we need to cut CO2 emissions. So how soon can we go carbon zero?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Is Africa facing another debt crisis?2019100320191005 (R4)

It's been almost 15 years since a successful campaign to erase the crushing debts of Africa's poorest countries. Now, debt levels are again creeping up, thanks in part to a risky mix of easy credit and easy spending. We hear from a former Liberian cabinet minister, a Mozambican anti-corruption campaigner, an expert in Chinese financial flows to the continent and the World Bank's chief economist for Africa.

Presenter: Neal Razzell

(Photo: Protestors call for debt relief in Durban, South Africa. Credit: Rajesh Jantilal/Getty Images)

A risky mix of easy credit and easy spending

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Is Germany OK?2019082220190824 (R4)

It's known for precision and punctuality but Europe's engine is slowing down. Germany's economy relies heavily on selling its products abroad. Famed for luxury cars like Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, exports are nearly half the German economy. So if countries decide they don't want to buy, or can't afford to buy, the things that Germany makes, it's a problem. And that's what's been happening to Germany today. China - the most important market for most German car makers - is slowing down. Much of Europe is struggling and the US is pursuing its own protectionist policies, to get Americans to buy US-made goods.

On top of that, the German car industry is facing tough new EU emissions tests (prompted by the Volkswagen emissions' scandal of 2015), with crippling penalties if they don't comply. So, buffeted by these adverse winds in part self-inflicted, in part beyond its control, the German government is being urged to boost its economy at home - by spending more on roads, bridges and broadband networks. But, as Neal Razzell discovers, despite having plenty of cash in the coffers, events in its past means Germany is reluctant to loosen the purse strings.

Picture: German sports fan / Credit: Getty images

It\u2019s known for precision and punctuality but Europe\u2019s engine is slowing down.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Is Nato obsolete?2019121920191221 (R4)

Donald Trump is threatening to withdraw the US from Nato while the French President Emmanuel Macron has called it `brain dead`. Charmaine Cozier asks if the 70-year-alliance can survive?

She speaks to Jacob Heilbrunn from The National Interest think tank - a right of centre foreign policy think tank based in Washington; Fabrice Pothier - senior defence consulting fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and former Nato policy planning director; Sara Bjerg Moller, assistant professor of international security at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University in the US; Elisabeth Braw, senior research fellow, RUSI's Modern Deterrence project

Producer: Helen Grady

(Photo: President Macron, PM Boris Johnson and Canada's PM Justin Trudeau at the Nato summit reception. Credit: Nato TV/AFP/Getty Images)

With the US and French presidents questioning its future, Nato is in crisis

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Is recycling broken?2020013020200201 (R4)

With countries shutting their doors to foreign recyclable waste and a lack of processing capacity back home, is the recycling system broken?

China used to accept 55% of the world's plastic and paper waste. But it closed its doors in 2018. Initially other countries in South East Asia, like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam took over China's waste processing role. But they too are now sending much of the waste back, arguing it is contaminated and is harming their own environments.

This has created major problems for countries in the West who traditionally relied on others to process their recycling waste. In addition, there's confusion about what households can and cannot put into their recycling bins, along with that lack of recycling capacity back home. So what is the answer to the growing mountains of what was supposed to be recyclable waste? Could Sweden, which has reduced the amount of household waste it sends to landfill to under one per cent, have an answer? It's not one everyone agrees with.

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: John Murphy

(A man picks up plastic waste to be recycled at the Kawatuna landfill in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Photo credit: Basri Marzuki / Getty Images)

Were we wrong to think that recycling was the answer to our waste problem?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Is rock music doomed?2019091920190921 (R4)

Bruce Springsteen is turning 70; rock's gods are getting on. It's not clear who's there with electric guitars to replace them. Younger acts are failing to make hit singles. Veteran rock journalist Mark Coles believes rock music has lost its ability to surprise and innovate. Record label boss Vanessa Higgins describes how the writing of hit songs no longer favours the rock format. Music critic Michael Hann blames the high costs of making rock as part of the reason for its decline. But Chris Woltman, manager of the band Twenty One Pilots, believes bands have adapted rock for a new generation of fans and industry veteran Sat Bisla details how rock is making headway in non-traditional markets like India and Indonesia. With Neal Razzell.

Bruce Springsteen is turning 70; rock\u2019s gods are getting on. Who can replace them?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Is the deep ocean the answer to some of our biggest problems?2019070420190817 (R4)

Our species is facing a whole lot of problems. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise, land based minerals are depleting and there are serious concerns about how warm everything's becoming.

As the population grows these problems are only going to get worse, but what if we could find some of the solutions to our most pressing problems beneath the waves? Scientists have discovered that deep sea sponges could help fight MRSA, your smart phone could be powered by minerals located thousands of metres beneath the sea, and there are even enzymes that could help your washing machine run on a colder cycle, saving both energy and your new cashmere sweater. Is the deep sea the answer to some of our biggest problems? There's a lot of promise, but what are the risks?

Presenter: Ruth Alexander
Producer: Lizzy McNeill

(Photo: Sunset over the sea. Credit: da-kuk/Getty Images)

Humanity has many problems. Does the solution to some lie deep beneath our oceans' waves?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Is time travel possible?2019060620200104 (R4)

Ever wanted to meet your historical heroes or explore the inventions of the future? Travelling in time has long been a dream of writers and filmmakers, but what does science tell us about how possible this would be to achieve in real life?

We explore how physics shows us that time runs at different rates depending on where we are and how we're moving - time goes more slowly for astronauts on the international space station for example. We hear about the very dangerous ways we could possibly exploit this to skip forwards through time and into Earth's future, and we do the maths on wormholes, to see if they offer a possible portal to our past.

What does science tell us about the possibility of travelling in time?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Is vaping safe?2019102420191130 (R4)

After deaths in the US and bans around the world, how risky are e-cigarettes? In some countries, smokeless cigarettes are all the rage. In the UK, doctors say if smokers switch from tobacco to e-cigarettes, it will save lives. But in the US, where the authorities are investigating an outbreak of lung injury linked to vaping, they're advising vapers to consider stopping. In India, Mexico and dozens of other countries, vaping is banned altogether. It's a confused international picture.

Vaping is still relatively new and scientists are still researching how harmful it may be in the long-term. What we do know is that every year, eight million people die worldwide as a consequence of smoking tobacco. What are the potential health risks associated with vaping? We'll find out from our expert witnesses, who include a neuroscientist, a pulmonary critical care doctor and a professor of nicotine and tobacco studies.

(A young woman smoking an electronic cigarette at the vape shop. Credit: Getty images)

After deaths in the US and bans around the world, how risky are e-cigarettes?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Should we ban billionaires?2019121220191214 (R4)

Excluding dictators and royalty, there are around 2,000 people in the world who are billionaires. Some inherit wealth while others might build fortunes through inventions, businesses or investments. Some say individuals holding onto extreme amounts of money is wasteful because it could be diverted to other areas that would benefit more people such as education and healthcare. Others reason than some billionaires should keep what they have because they drive economic growth and inspire others to innovate. Are billionaires the right focus or should attention move to the systems and processes that enable them to make and keep huge amounts of money?

Experts:
Dr Paul Segal
Roxanne Roberts
Caroline Freund
Will Wilkinson

Presenter: Celia Hatton
Producer: Charmaine Cozier
Researcher: Diane Richardson

(Photo: Billionaire Kylie Jenner arrives at the 2019 Met Gala in New York City. Credit: Karwai Tang/Getty Images)

Should extreme wealth and the system that enables billionaires to retain money be curbed?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Should We Rethink the Ban on Child Labour?2018100420190504 (R4)

Most countries in the world have signed up to the idea that no child should work at all under a certain age - but is this the best approach? This week Nicolle, a 17 year old from Peru, has been part of a delegation of child labourers visiting the UN to ask them to rethink their ban on child labour. She's been working since she was 8 years old, and says not only did her family need the money she earned, but working brought her status and respect. Some charities and experts working with child labourers agree that there are safe forms of child work. They say non-hazardous work can allow children to help their families, gain life skills, and even pay for the school uniforms and equipment they need to stay in education. But the UN and other former child labourers disagree, saying an outright ban is the only way to protect children from exploitation. We ask whether it's time to rethink the ban on child labour.

Contributors include:

Benjamin Smith - Senior Officer for Child Labour, International Labour Organization
Jo Boyden - Professor of International Development, Oxford University
Zulema Lopez - former child labourer
Kavita Ratna - Director of Advocacy and Fundraising, Concerned for Working Children

Presenter: Helena Merriman
Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton

Image: Girls collecting firewood in Eritrea, 2004
Credit: Scott Wallace/Getty Images

Most countries have signed up to a ban on child labour \u2013 but is this the best approach?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

What\u2019s gone wrong in Lebanon?2020082720200829 (R4)

The massive explosion that tore through Beirut on August 4th left more than 200 people dead, 6,000 injured, and as many as 300,000 homeless. The explosion was caused by a fire that ignited 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port. When the blast hit, Lebanon was already in the middle of an unprecedented economic and political crisis that has triggered hyperinflation, poverty, and hunger. Many Lebanese feel that the blast was not the cause of catastrophe in Lebanon, but the result of it. Tanya Beckett asks, what's gone wrong in Lebanon?

Producer: Viv Jones

(Lebanese protester waves a national flag amid clashes with security forces in Beirut, August 10 2020. Credit: Joseph Eid/Getty images)

The Beirut blast has laid bare Lebanon\u2019s deepening political and economic crisis.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

What\u2019s next for Sudan?2019050920190518 (R4)

After months of protests, the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir was removed from office on 11th April by a military coup. Initially there were celebrations, but weeks later, with no clear plan for the military to hand over power to a civilian government many in the country are starting to worry whether their victory has been lost. So is the country heading towards democracy or another autocratic regime?

Photo: Sudanese protesters wave national flags near the military headquarters, Khartoum, April 2019.
Credit: ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/Getty Images

President Omar al-Bashir was deposed on 11th April, but protesters still line the streets

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why are people attacking 5G mobile phone masts?2020043020200502 (R4)

Tanya Beckett looks at 5G and examines why it's become the centre of conspiracy theories linking it to the coronavirus and others. What is it about the latest mobile technology which some find so alarming that it drives them to attack and burn down this infrastructure? And what draws people to conspiracy theories - even when all available evidence says they're wrong.

Reporter Tanya Beckett
Producer Jim Frank

Tanya Beckett asks why people are attacking mobile phone masts.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why Are So Many Ethnic Minorities Dying In The Uk And Us?2020050720200509 (R4)In news reports and newspapers, pictures of British healthcare workers who have lost their lives to Covid-19 sit side by side.

And if you look at those faces one thing stands out clearly. Of the 119 cases of NHS deaths more than two thirds are black or an ethnic minority - yet they only make up 20% of the workforce. Figures from the National Health Service in England show a disproportionate number of Covid-19 deaths are amongst these groups. And it's not just in the UK.

In the United States on available data - it's a similar story with African Americans accounting for many more deaths in a community that make up 13% of the population.

So what's going on?

Kavita Puri speaks with:

Dr Kamlesh Khunti, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester

Professor Kathy Rowan, Director of the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre

Dr Consuelo Wilkins, Vice President for Health Equity at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Prof John Watkins, Professor Epidemiology, Cardiff University/Public Health Wales

(Ambulance workers transport patients to St Thomas' Hospital in Westminster, London, UK. Photo credit: Ollie Millington/Getty Images)

Data in both the UK and US suggests they may be at greater risk of catching Covid-19

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why are we having less sex?2019082920190831 (R4)

Porn, smart phones and the ‘slutty transmitter'. Adults in the US have sex on average about 50 times a year, which has dropped by 20 per cent over the last two decades. It's a similar story in the UK, Australia, Germany, Finland and Japan. Could it be down to porn or our smart phones? Or is it actually down to something much harder to switch off? Some of the answers might surprise you.

Picture: A couple in bed using their phones. Credit: Getty Images

Porn, smart phones and the 'slutty transmitter\u2019

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why Do Us Cops Keep Killing Unarmed Black Men?2020060420200607 (R4)Why is George Floyd the latest in a long line of unarmed black men killed by US police? Studies show black men are three times more likely to be killed by police in America than white people.

With Helena Merriman.

(A man speaks into a bullhorn as demonstrators march in Los Angeles, California. 2 June 2020. Brent Stirton/Getty Images)

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why does Donald Trump seem to have such a problem with the truth?2019090520190907 (R4)

Fact-checkers say the President of the United States has made more than 10,000 false or misleading statements since coming to office. Whether it's the size of the crowd at his inauguration, the pay rise offered to the military or where his father was born, Donald Trump often says things that are untrue. And he doesn't rush to correct them, even when they're outright fabrications. Ruth Alexander examines Donald Trump's long record of falsehoods, which stretch back even to his schooldays. And she explores his motives, both political and psychological.

Photo: US President Donald Trump addresses the press in the White House briefing room. Credit: Nicholas Kamm/Getty Images.

Examining some of the many false or misleading claims made by the US President

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why does Ukraine have such a corruption problem?2020011620200118 (R4)

On 25 July 2019, the President of the United States made a phone call to the recently-elected President of Ukraine - congratulating him on his party's election victory. What Donald Trump said in that call to Volodymyr Zelensky has ended up threatening his own presidency, triggering the impeachment of the president. Donald Trump says his interest was in rooting out corruption. Meanwhile Joe Biden's role in Ukraine was to do the same - root out corruption. The Inquiry asks why Ukraine has such a corruption problem.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

(A Ukrainian flag flies in Independence Square in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Photo credit: Pavlo Gonchar/Getty Images)

How did Ukraine\u2019s chequered past lead to the impeachment of president Trump?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why don't we care about Yemen?2019021420190413 (R4)

Three million people in Yemen have been forced from their homes, and the dead are estimated to number many tens of thousands. But, compared to similar conflicts, global attention has been slight. The Inquiry asks why. It explores how the media has told the Yemeni story, and the impact valuable arms sales have had on international pressure - or the lack of it - to bring the conflict to an end. There are other factors too. The conflict in Yemen has created countless refugees, but they have not fled beyond the country's borders. And Yemen's divisive history has created a diaspora community that struggles to speak with one voice. What will it take to shine a brighter light on Yemen?

Presenter: Kavita Puri
Producer: Rosamund Jones

(A woman holds her baby who is suffering from severe malnutrition, in Marib, Yemen, December 2018. Photo Credit: Said Ibicioglu/Getty Images)

Why is the world not focused on the death, destruction and famine in Yemen?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why Has The Kashmir Crisis Lasted So Long?2019041120190427 (R4)In February a bomb blast killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police officers in Kashmir; the worst attack by Pakistani militants in years. Indian military jets were deployed and one was shot down. As concerns over the pilot's fate grew, fears mounted that India and Pakistan might go to war over Kashmir - again. The countries have been at war four times since partition in 1947. And Kashmir, which both countries claim in entirety but each one controls only in part, has been a key factor in the conflicts. But even when there is no war, there is no stable peace in Kashmir. Violent protests and street fighting are commonplace and daily life is made hard in numerous other ways. Unemployment is high, communication blackouts frequent and security fears constant. The Inquiry explores why the crisis has been so difficult to solve and what it might take for a resolution to emerge.

Presenter: Ruth Alexander

Producer: Rosamund Jones

Picture: Displaced Kashmiris take shelter in a government school

Credit: Getty Images

For 70 years India and Pakistan have fought over Kashmir. What has fuelled the violence?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why is it taking so long to develop a Covid-19 vaccine?2020040220200411 (R4)

The race is on for the world's scientists to develop a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine. The Inquiry examines quickly how this can be done and what hurdles need to be overcome to roll out a vaccine in 12-18 months, rather than the many years it would normally take.

Presented by Kavita Puri.

(medical doctor with a vaccine. Credit: Getty images)

The race is on for the world\u2019s scientists to develop an effective Covid-19 vaccine

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why is there a backlash against climate policies?2019112820191207 (R4)

A year ago more than a quarter of a million people took to the streets across France, in what became known as the `gilets jaunes` protests. They began as a reaction to an increase in fuel tax - a tax which was supposed to help the environment, but which the protesters said meant they could no longer afford to drive their cars or get to work.

These were the first high profile demonstrations against policies designed to tackle climate change, but they put a spotlight on a sense of unrest that has spread far beyond France.

So if it is widely accepted that climate change is a real threat, why is there a backlash against climate policies?

Contributors include:

Jacline Mouraud - Original member of the `gilets jaunes`
Matias Turkkila - Editor of the Finns Party
Carol Linnitt - Co-founder of The Narwhal
Simone Tagliapietra - Research Fellow at Bruegel think tank

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producers: Beth Sagar-Fenton & Josephine Casserly

(Yellow Vests (Gilets jaunes) protest in France against a diesel tax increase, justified as an anti-pollution levy. Credit: Xavier Leoty /Getty Images.)

A year on from the \u201cgilets jaunes\u201d protests, are environmental policies in trouble?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Why the race to build a quantum computer?2019091220190914 (R4)

Quantum computers could transform our lives. Based on a branch of Physics that even Einstein found "spooky", the machines are still in their infancy. But governments and corporations are spending billions trying to turn them into workable technology. Neal Razzell finds out why by talking to four experts:

Shohini Ghose, Professor of Physics and Computer Science at Wilfred Laurier University in Canada
Stephanie Wehner, Professor in Quantum Information at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands
Winifried Hensinger, Professor or Quantum Technologies at the University of Sussex
Jonathan Dowling, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Louisiana and author of 'Quantum Technology - The Second Quantum Revolution' and 'Schr怀dinger's Killer App - Race to Build the World's First Quantum Computer'.

Image: Professor Winfried Hensinger with a quantum computer prototype at the University of Sussex. Credit: Ion Quantum Technology Group, University of Sussex, UK.

Corporations are spending billions to turn quantum computers into workable technology.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Will America\u2019s 'Big Tech' firms be reined in?2020081320200815 (R4)

US lawmakers are deciding whether to act against the country's powerful tech giants. Some believe the likes of Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple are stifling competition. The companies have made huge profits during the Covid crisis and critics believe they will use this cash to buy competitors.
With Charmaine Cozier.

Clockwise from top left: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Getty Images

US lawmakers are deciding whether to act against the country\u2019s powerful tech giants.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Will China crack down on Hong Kong?2019072520190810 (R4)

Last month Hong Kong witnessed its largest ever protests, the most violent in decades. A proposed law to allow extradition of criminals to mainland China caused uproar. This bill exposed the cracks in relations between Hong Kong and the Beijing government. The current ‘one country, two systems' arrangement gives the region some autonomy from Beijing. Pro-democracy protesters worry that this is being eroded as the Communist party is trying to bring it further under its influence. Complicating matters is Hong Kong's significant but shrinking economic importance to China.

With this year being the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen square massacre the international community is nervously watching to see how modern China will respond to the civil disobedience on such a large scale.

(Protesters storm the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on June 12, 2019. Photo Credit: Anthony Wallace/Getty images.)

Last month Hong Kong witnessed its largest ever protests. How will China respond?

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

Will the pandemic get worse in the winter?2020080620200808 (R4)

Winter is coming in the northern hemisphere and traditionally it is time for colds and flu.
This has raised fears that coronavirus will surge when the seasons change, possibly leading to a second wave of the disease that is even bigger than the first.
However, predicting what a Covid winter will look like is complex and uncertainty reigns - there are reasons both to be worried and to be reassured.

Contributors:
. Micaela Martinez, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University
. Katherine Wu, a health and science journalist with The New York Times
. Judit Vall, a professor in health and labour economics at the University of Barcelona
. Dominique Moisi, the author of The Geopolitics of Emotion.

(A man walks through a snowfall in Sarajevo, wearing a mask as protection against Covid-19. Credit Mustafa Ozturk / Getty Images)

There are fears that coronavirus will surge as temperatures drop.

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world