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The Inquiry

BBC World Service

The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.

news news commentary

All Episodes

24:24

What does this presidential election mean for...

The Inquiry ·

2023/05/11

For the first time in his 20 years in power Erdogan is facing serious pressure - and the choice voters make in this month’s presidential election could define Turkey’s destiny for decades. The impact of February’s devastating earthquake in Turkey is one of the key factors determining how voters will decide on their next president. The Turkish economy is also under pressure with inflation running at 55%. Against that background, a coalition of opposition parties, The Table of Six, are supporting a

24:21

Why is Israel in turmoil?

The Inquiry ·

2023/05/04

Last November Israel elected its most far right government in its 75 year history. Months of protests followed over its plans for reform of the judicial system.Benjamin Netanyahu’s new coalition government is proposing an agenda that goes beyond domestic reforms – and not everyone is happy. As well as domestic protests, some of Israel’s allies are nervous as, with the government’s attention taken up by internal challenges, new alliances are forming in the middle east. This episode of The Inquiry

24:24

Will AI decide America’s next president?

The Inquiry ·

2023/04/27

Next year Americans will go to the polls to choose their next president. For many, the race has already begun. Digital electioneering in US elections has been steadily developing over the last 15 years, but this time around, advancements in artificial intelligence could be a game changer.There have been huge strides in generative AI in the past year. One of the most accessible AI tools now available to the general public is the software known as ChatGPT, which can scour the internet for information,

23:42

Will Europe’s young workers have to pay more for the...

The Inquiry ·

2023/04/20

Recent protests in France oppose plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. The demonstrations stem from a government plan so people would work -and pay into the pension system - for longer. There’s also concern about what that change might mean for those who are many decades away from pension age. France isn’t the only country facing economic efficiency challenges as populations age and leave the labour market. As more people leave Europe’s labour market, will young workers have

24:20

Will we ever run out of cloud storage?

The Inquiry ·

2023/04/13

Recent cloud storage outages have exposed just how the modern world is reliant on remote servers to hold data that runs everything from websites, to digital operating systems and businesses. When cloud storage emerged, it meant that information could be streamed, rather than held in a device’s memory. Vast data centres were built where land was cheap and their owners soon realised that they could sell excess memory space on their servers. They became so-called “hyperscalers” providing cloud

24:11

What is Mohammed bin Salman’s vision for Saudi Arabia?

The Inquiry ·

2023/04/06

Saudi Arabia has entered into a new era of relations with its long time rival, Iran. It’s a deal that has the potential to be very significant for the Middle East region. It’s part of a vision of a new Saudi Arabia spearheaded by its Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. It’s a vision of futuristic cities, a new society, and a move away from an economy reliant on oil, not to mention new deals with ancient rivals in the region. How much of this new vision of Saudi Arabia is achievable and is the man

24:25

Why are Warhol’s Prince works before the US Supreme...

The Inquiry ·

2023/03/30

In 1981, the rock photographer Lynn Goldsmith did a photoshoot with an up-and-coming singer songwriter called Prince. A few years later, he became a superstar, and she licenced one of her photos to Vanity Fair to be used as a reference picture for an illustration.That portrait, known as “Purple Prince” was painted by Andy Warhol.But what Lynn Goldsmith didn’t know, and nor did anyone else, was that Warhol made multiple portraits from her photograph. After Prince died in 2016, Vanity Fair licenced a

23:53

Will Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine?

The Inquiry ·

2023/03/23

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. He is accused of forcibly deporting children from Ukraine to Russia after the invasion last year. The Kremlin does not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC and denies war crimes. But is this a symbolic move and is it realistic that Putin will actually be arrested and stand trial? This week on The Inquiry we’re asking, will Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in

24:10

Why are so many people dying on America’s roads?

The Inquiry ·

2023/03/16

Deaths on American roads are at a 20 year high. More than 46,000 people lost their lives in vehicle collisions last year alone. That’s up a tenth on the year before and the numbers are on a par with those killed by gun violence. Or, the equivalent of a plane crash every day. It’s a tragedy for everyone involved and there’s an untold cost for families, but there’s also a financial cost. It’s estimated that the cost to the economy runs into billions of dollars. Why are America’s roads so

24:13

Can Peru sort out its political problems?

The Inquiry ·

2023/03/09

On the 7th December 2022, President Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve Peru's Congress. His attempted self-coup ended almost as quickly as it began, having been denounced by his own party, the military and the police. He was arrested as he tried to make his way to Mexico, and currently awaits trial.His running mate and vice president, Dina Boluarte, has assumed power in his stead. However, prior to Castillo’s attempt to gain complete control, Boluarte had already been expelled from the party,

24:17

Will there be a united Ireland?

The Inquiry ·

2023/03/02

Just over 100 years ago the island of Ireland was partitioned. It created an independent catholic free state in the South and a majority protestant one in the northeast called Northern Ireland that remained a part of the United Kingdom. For many catholics and nationalists the goal of a united Ireland remains. For most protestants and unionists the division has been key to preserving their British identity. But the demographics are changing in Northern Ireland. The most recent census show

23:59

What is Putin’s plan now for Ukraine?

The Inquiry ·

2023/02/23

It’s a year since President Putin launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia currently holds areas in the South and East of Ukraine including Donetsk and Luhansk but the Ukrainian army, helped militarily by its allies, has regained control over key towns and large swathes of land. Russia is also thought to have lost 20,000 soldiers in the conflict.But it is reinforcing its ranks with hundreds of thousands of new conscripts, and experts suggest Russia may be positioning fighter jets and

24:39

Is everything okay at Facebook?

The Inquiry ·

2023/02/16

The owner of Facebook - Meta - is reinstating Donald Trump’s account after a two-year suspension. The former US president was suspended from Facebook and Instagram after his posts were deemed to have encouraged the Capitol riots in 2021. In a statement Meta's president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said a review found Mr Trump's accounts were no longer a risk to public safety. Donald Trump pointed out that Facebook was in financial trouble and probably needed him back for the money it can

24:13

Can Nigeria’s next president fix its problems?

The Inquiry ·

2023/02/09

On 25 February, Nigerians go to the ballot box to vote for their next president. For the first time in a long time, the Incumbent president will not be contesting the elections – having already served the maximum allowed two terms.Since 2016, the country has spiralled down as inflation has hit over 20% and unemployment rides at around 30% overall, and 60% for the young. Banditry and kidnappings have become lucrative methods of making a living in the country and a pervading sense that this could be

24:25

Can the Taliban tackle Afghanistan’s terror problem?

The Inquiry ·

2023/02/02

Following the exit of US forces in 2021, the Taliban rolled back into power almost immediately. They promised that they had learnt from previous mistakes and did not want to minimalize the role of women. However, little over 18 months later and the Taliban have just announced that women were now banned from the universities and working for NGO’s, just the latest in a succession of repressive policies aimed at women.Furthermore, Afghanistan still has an insurgency problem. The Islamic State of

24:27

Will international support for Ukraine last?

The Inquiry ·

2023/01/26

Since the start of the war, Ukraine has received more than €115 billion in military, financial and humanitarian aid from countries around the world. Now that the pendulum has swung, and the battlefield momentum is with Ukrainian forces, international allies have agreed to ramp up that support, with the US, UK and other major and minor military powers combining to pledge billions in weapons, ammunition and even modern tanks. But can that support go on indefinitely? As some countries run low on

22:59

Are we running out of microchips?

The Inquiry ·

2023/01/19

The world is becoming increasingly dependent on advanced microchips to power its high-end technology, However, they are made by just one company in Taiwan, TSMC, meaning the rest of the world is largely reliant on the country to produce its microchips. This is no accident and is in fact by Taiwanese design. Over three decades ago Taiwan decided to focus its resources on becoming the most advanced producer of microchips. Not only has this been of great profit for Taiwan’s economy its helped with

22:58

Can microbes feed the world?

The Inquiry ·

2023/01/12

A campaign called “ReBoot Food” was launched at the COP27 climate change conference in Egypt, to ask world governments to support a technology called precision fermentation. They claim it’s possible to produce enough food to feed the whole world in an area the size of London. The process uses genetically-engineered microbes to make cheap, high quality fats and proteins, virtually identical to those produced by animal farming. Its proponents say it will free up huge tracts of farmland and could even

24:07

Should other countries adopt Canada's immigration model?

The Inquiry ·

2023/01/05

Canada is just one of a number of countries with an ageing population and shrinking workforce. The second largest in the world in terms of land mass, and with a population of just 36 million, Canada has announced a plan to invite 1.5 million people to migrate there over the next three years. The ambitious target is not without challenge politically, the most prominent is the housing crisis currently being felt in the country.Canada is not alone in needing more people of working age to bolster its

24:05

Who is the true Zulu King?

The Inquiry ·

2022/12/22

Misuzulu ka Zwelithini was officially crowned King of the Zulu Nation in October after the death of his father. King Zwelithini died of Covid complications after ruling for fifty years. It has set off a royal feud as members of the large Zulu royal family contest King Misuzulu’s right to the throne. Succession to the Zulu throne has been beset by violence for over a century. This time, the battle is in the courtroom.In this week’s Inquiry we ask, who is the true Zulu King?Presenter: Audrey

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