Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Jamie Timson, Julia O’Driscoll and Suchandrika Chakrabarti.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
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Press freedom in Central and South America
This week El Salvador's leading media organisation El Faro announced it was moving its legal operations to Costa Rica in order to avoid a crackdown on its reporting by President Nayib Bukele. Central American countries have long punched above their weight when it comes to independent media investigations but with a series of strongmen coming to power from Guatemala to Guadalajara press freedoms have not been protected. In an age of social media and citizen journalism do we care as much about the freedom of the press any longer and if not, why not?
Insta links
Social media companies are in flux at the moment, as Twitter continues to shed staff and change the rules for users. Now, Instagram is also making some changes. Its new functionality seems relatively trivial – allowing more than one link in a user’s bio – but the change is likely to have significant consequences for how people use the platform. It could even put some companies out of business.
True crime
The UK was gripped by a week-long manhunt for the violent killer Raoul Moat in July 2010. An ITV dramatisation of the events released this week has been welcomed by one of the victim’s families, while others have warned that the miniseries will bring more trauma. It has re-ignited a debate over whether true crime can ever be ethical.
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Political cartoons for December 7Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include the Trump-tanic, AI Santa, and the search for a moderate Republican
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Trump’s poll collapse: can he stop the slide?Talking Point President who promised to ease cost-of-living has found that US economic woes can’t be solved ‘via executive fiat’
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Sudoku hard: December 7, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
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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?
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The Week Unwrapped: Will US Catholics rebel against the Pope?Podcast Plus what are the ethics of freezing your late partner?
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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?
