Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Arion McNicoll, Emma Smith and Suchandrika Chakrabarti
In this week's episode, we discuss:
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Blackouts
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden advised Britons earlier this month to stock up on torchers, battery powered radios and candles to prepare for possible power cuts or cyber attacks. The advice appeared to come from out of the blue, but this week Kenya experienced a serious power outage – which may have been sabotage. How likely is an extended nationwide blackout in the UK? How bad it would be ? And how prepared do we all need to be?
Braces
US-based dentistry firm Smile Direct Club has left thousands of British customers out of pocket and with crooked teeth after the company went bankrupt and collapsed. Why was Smile Direct Club so popular? And what can unhappy customers do next?
Bronzes
One of the finest Italian Renaissance bronzes ever made, a miniature of an ancient Greek marble statue of Apollo, has been donated to the nation in lieu of a £10.5 million inheritance tax bill. The Apollo Belvedere, by Antico, will go on display at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. The acquisition, made under the government’s acceptance in lieu (AiL) scheme, will be formally announced by the Arts Council later this month. What is the acceptance-in-lieu scheme? How does it work? And what kind of art can you use to pay your tax bill?
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‘My donation felt like a rejection of the day’s politics’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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Trump wants a weaker dollar but economists aren’t so sureTalking Points A weaker dollar can make imports more expensive but also boost gold
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Political cartoons for February 3Cartoons Tuesday’s political cartoons include empty seats, the worst of the worst of bunnies, and more
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The Week Unwrapped: Why is China clearing out its generals?Podcast Plus, can the Conservatives win back the centre? And what’s gone wrong with Britain’s hearing aids?
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The Week Unwrapped: What can we learn from a tool-wielding cow?Podcast Plus, have we reached ‘peak billionaire’? When should troops disobey their superiors?
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The Week Unwrapped: Will Uganda’s pop-star politician prevail?Podcast Plus, is dodgy data undermining medical research? And what does a new app reveal about Chinese society?
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The Week Unwrapped: Is Elon Musk’s AI tool a platform for abuse?Podcast Plus can Mumsnet predict who will be the next PM? And who is still watching Avatar sequels?
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The Week Unwrapped: What’s the cost of PFAs?Podcast Plus why is George Osborne joining OpenAI? And has universal basic income finally come of age?
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The Week Unwrapped: what’s scuppering Bulgaria’s Euro dream?Podcast Plus has Syria changed, a year on from its revolution? And why are humans (mostly) monogamous?
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The Week Unwrapped: Will drought fuel global violence?Podcast Plus why did Trump pardon a drug-trafficking president? And are romantic comedies in terminal decline?
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The Week Unwrapped: Have pedigree dogs had their day?Podcast Plus what can we learn from Slovenia’s rejection of assisted dying? And can politicians admit their weaknesses?
