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:
Psychedelic medicine
The Week
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Gwyneth Paltrow’s new series, The Goop Lab, is attracting fresh attention to the idea that psychedelic drugs such as LSD and magic mushrooms could be used in the treatment of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain - or, in small doses, to promote creativity and productivity. The evidence for this is patchy, but researchers believe this is an area of medicine worth investigating.
Battle for the Antarctic
This week marks the 200th anniversary of Antarctica’s discovery. It has no government, no indigenous population and is the only continent devoted to peace and science. But amid 21st-century geopolitical tensions, how long can this last? And which nations might break away from a 60-year international consensus to protect the world’s last great wilderness?
The Bristol pound
In the wake of the financial crisis, “local currencies” sprung up across the UK, capitalising on distrust of the financial system and globalisation as a whole. But now, the Bristol pound, long seen as one of the more successful local currencies, is struggling to raise funding to cover its running costs. Is it a failed experiment? And what is the point of these currencies anyway?
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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Democrats push for ICE accountabilityFeature U.S. citizens shot and violently detained by immigration agents testify at Capitol Hill hearing
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The price of sporting gloryFeature The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics kicked off this week. Will Italy regret playing host?
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Fulton County: A dress rehearsal for election theft?Feature Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is Trump's de facto ‘voter fraud’ czar
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Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
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Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
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Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
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China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
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Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
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Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
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Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
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US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
