Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Julia O'Driscoll, Julia Macfarlane and Abdulwahab Tahhan.
In this week's episode, we discuss:
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Iceland's strike
Schools, shops, banks and outdoor attractions shut on Tuesday as women in the volcanic island nation, including its female prime minister, went on strike to demand an end to unequal pay and gender-based violence. Iceland has been ranked as the world's most gender-equal country 14 years in a row by the World Economic Forum, so how can the rest of the world catch up? And are mass walkouts the answer?
Spiking
A new Channel 4 documentary follows Daisy Maskell as she is intentionally spiked in a filmed experiment. FOI requests made by the show revealed that spiking incidents reported to the police have increased five-fold in the past five years, but the proportion leading to criminal charges is falling. What's behind this disparity? Should clubs and pubs be taking greater responsibility in cracking down?
Dog maulings
Officials in China have launched a crackdown on stray, unregistered and "oversized" dogs, after a toddler was mauled by a Rottweiler earlier this month. Social media posts showed local authorities breaking into people's houses and forcibly taking away their dogs. It comes as dog attacks are on the rise in the UK and a ban on XL Bullys is being introduced by the government. Is the world falling out of love with dogs?
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Did Cop30 fulfil its promise to Indigenous Brazilians?Today’s Big Question Brazilian president approves 10 new protected territories, following ‘unprecedented’ Indigenous presence at conference, both as delegates and protesters
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The best Christmas theatre shows across the UKThe Week Recommends Tip-top festive ballets, plays and comedies to book up now
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Crossword: November 20, 2025The daily crossword from The Week
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The Week Unwrapped: Can musicians challenge Putin?Podcast Plus who were the ‘human hunters’ of the Bosnian war? And what should happen to captive penguins?
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The Week Unwrapped: Are British rappers the world’s best?Podcast Plus can the Maldives quit smoking? And can whales lead us to immortality?
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The Week Unwrapped: Should we be eating less fat – or more?Podcast Plus who will benefit from the surprise Dutch election result? And how can art improve our health?
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The Week Unwrapped: Will Grace Wales Bonner change Hermès for the better?Podcast Plus will nuclear fusion deliver us from climate change? Is humour the best way to take on Trump?
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The Week Unwrapped: Can bullfighting win over young SpaniardsPodcast Plus, is online fandom inherently unhealthy? And is Putin’s economy running out of gas?
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The Week Unwrapped: Who had the last laugh in Riyadh?Podcast Plus are imported eggs undermining animal welfare? And what can we do about AI deepfakes?
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The Week Unwrapped: Was life sent to Earth by aliens?Podcast Plus why did Nepali voters use a gaming app to pick their next PM? And will a new national park boost the case for Welsh independence?
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The Week Unwrapped: Why is horse-racing going on strike?Podcast Plus, will the South Korean women who worked in state-run brothels set up for US soldiers succeed? And what’s behind a surge in leg-lengthening surgery?
