Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Mariana Vieira, Rebekah Evans and Harriet Marsden.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
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Russian rights
Russia is seeking to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) after it was expelled last April following its invasion of Ukraine. In a position paper circulated at the United Nations, Russia claims it aims to prevent the HRC from becoming "an instrument which serves the political will of one group of countries". Diplomats, however, argue Russia is trying to clean up its global image after being accused of human rights abuses in Ukraine and within its border. Why is Russia pursuing council membership now, and what will it mean if it succeeds?
British class
A new British Social Attitudes survey has shown more people are identifying as working class than 40 years ago. While class boundaries in the UK seem to have become more fluid than in years gone by, class has never gone away. What does it actually mean to be working class, and can a person's social class really change?
World expos
The next World Exposition Fair, a six-month showcase of technological and cultural exhibitions by more than 150 countries, held every five years, was due to take place in Japan in 2025. But organisers now say the price of constructing the venue, on a man-made island in Osaka Bay, has risen to ¥230 billion ($1.5 billion) – almost double the initial estimate – due to high inflation and chronic labour shortages. World fairs attract millions of visitors, strengthen bilateral relationships and have, in the past, turbocharged economies. But is the price still worth paying?
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Trump wants to exert control over federal architectureThe Explainer Beyond his ballroom, Trump has several other architectural plans in mind
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6 well-crafted log homesFeature Featuring a floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace in Montana and a Tulikivi stove in New York
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‘The nonviolence resulted from the organizers’ message’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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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?
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The Week Unwrapped: What does Bake Off say about Channel 4?Podcast Plus, why are Scottish drug deaths so stubbornly high? And are women in their 30s too anxious about their eggs?
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The Week Unwrapped: Could robotic dogs help clear landmines?Podcast Plus, what can we learn from a new approach to urban renewal? And how much power rests with political spouses?
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The Week Unwrapped: Is it time for a new world map?Podcast Plus, why is the pope getting flatmates? And why are seagull 'muggings' on the rise?
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The Week Unwrapped: Has Donald Trump secured his Nobel Peace Prize?Podcast Plus, what does the use of North Korean and Indian labour tell us about the Russian war economy? And why have we all gone crazy for pickles?
