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The Inquiry

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

World Service,582 episodes

Episodes

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Can Kenya answer the call for employment?
Can Kenya’s plan for digital outsourcing solve its jobs crisis?
08 Jan 2026,23 mins
How did music megatours become such a money spinner?
How did live music evolve into a billion-dollar business for global stars?
01 Jan 2026,23 mins
Will there ever be a single global language?
There are more than 7100 languages in use around the world but nearly half are endangered
25 Dec 2025,23 mins
How can Nigeria stop its kidnap crisis?
What can be done to bring Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis under control?
18 Dec 2025,23 mins
Is it last orders for the wine industry?
Is there a crisis in the world of wine?
11 Dec 2025,23 mins
Will Australia’s social media ban start a global trend?
World leaders are keenly watching as Australia trials new online rules for under-16s
04 Dec 2025,23 mins
Is Cyprus moving closer to reunification?
Is reunification on the cards for Cyprus?
27 Nov 2025,23 mins
Is the new Pope woke?
Does Pope Leo XIV symbolise a woke papacy?
20 Nov 2025,23 mins
Is the world ready for more climate migration?
Can nations cope with a future of mass climate migration?
13 Nov 2025,23 mins
Is trouble brewing for the worldwide tea industry?
Climate change and supply issues are bringing challenges to the global tea industry
06 Nov 2025,23 mins
Is the UN Security Council still relevant?
Is the United Nations Security Council fit for purpose ?
30 Oct 2025,23 mins
Can Benin win back its diaspora?
How the West African nation plans to lure back descendants of enslaved ancestors.
23 Oct 2025,23 mins
Can Gen Z shape a new Nepal?
Is Nepal ready to embrace a generational call for change?
16 Oct 2025,23 mins
Is Trump building a crypto economy?
Trump is embracing crypto, but is he building a new kind of American economy?
09 Oct 2025,23 mins
Why are more people getting Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is becoming more common. But what’s driving that?
02 Oct 2025,23 mins
Why does Mexico owe the US water?
Why are Mexico and the US in dispute over water?
25 Sep 2025,23 mins
Is it time to copyright your face?
Could copyright law protect ourselves from Deepfakes?
18 Sep 2025,23 mins
Is time up for TikTok in the US?
TikTok’s future in the US hangs in the balance amid national security concerns
11 Sep 2025,23 mins
How much of a threat is satellite warfare?
Countries have been testing anti-satellite weapons in space
04 Sep 2025,23 mins
Is Japan moving to the right?
Sanseito, the party led by Kamiya Sohei with a 'Japanese first' agenda, is gaining ground
28 Aug 2025,23 mins
Can Indonesia afford free lunches?
Is Indonesia’s free schools programme costing too much?
21 Aug 2025,23 mins
How are drones changing the landscape of modern warfare?
What impact are drones having on military strategy?
14 Aug 2025,23 mins
What does Syria’s recent conflict tell us about al-Sharaa’s presidency?
Conflict in Syria exposes cracks in President al-Sharaa’s leadership and political legacy
07 Aug 2025,23 mins
How has one leaked phone call shaken Thai politics?
The Thailand and Cambodian border conflict erupts after two powerful families fall out
31 Jul 2025,23 mins
What will Chile’s latest telescope tell us about the universe?
How will a groundbreaking new telescope inform our understanding of the cosmos?
24 Jul 2025,23 mins
Is AI eroding our critical thinking?
Are we allowing AI to make our brains lazy?
17 Jul 2025,23 mins
Can Brazil’s supercows feed the world?
Are Brazil’s elite cattle the answer to feeding the world?
10 Jul 2025,23 mins
Does Trump care about Taiwan?
How high up is Taiwan on President Trump’s list of priorities ?
03 Jul 2025,23 mins
How crucial is the Strait of Hormuz to global oil supplies?
Threats to the Strait of Hormuz has implications for global trade
26 Jun 2025,23 mins
Are we closer to a European army?
Can Europe be less reliant on US defence capabilities? Is a European army an option?
19 Jun 2025,23 mins