The Week Unwrapped podcast: Medals, magazines and mercy killing

Why is France awarding London the Legion d’honneur? And should euthanasia be available to dementia sufferers?

A picture taken on March 30, 2015 in Parois shows the medal of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.AFP PHOTO /JACQUES DEMARTHON(Photo credit should read JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP via Getty Images)
(Image credit: SpaceX)

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.

In this week’s episode, we discuss:

Medals

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Reports are circulating that president Emmanuel Macron intends to bestow France's highest award, the Legion d'honneur, on the city of London, for providing a base to the leader of the French Resistance, Charles de Gaulle during the Second World War. Is it a meaningless gesture, eighty years too late? Or one that could serve to remind both nations of their shared history in a post-Brexit world?

Euthanasia

Belgium and the Netherlands are considering extending their already liberal euthanasia laws to give dementia sufferers the right to die. The move is supported by liberal parties in both countries, as well as the majority-Catholic Flanders region in Belgium. But following some controversial deaths by euthanasia, right-wing parties are calling for a review of existing laws.

#TurnArdern

People across New Zealand have been filming themselves turning over magazines featuring Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on the front cover, posting their videos to social media and hashtagging them #TurnArdern. The protesters complains that the PM should spend more time fixing the country’s problems and less time doing photo shoots. Is Ardern’s star on the wane?

You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get your podcasts. It is produced by Sarah Myles and the music is by Tom Mawby.

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