Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Mariana Vieira, Rory Reid and Leaf Arbuthnot.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
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Lithium rush
Argentina is preparing for what it hopes will be a boom in lithium production. Selling licences to mine the mineral, which is a critical ingredient of the batteries that power electric cars and other consumer goods, is a rare bright spot for a country that has endured years of economic and political turmoil. Many in the West are hoping that, along with its South American neighbours, it will offer a counterbalance to China, so far the principal lithium exporter.
First-class error
This week All Nippon Airways announced that it was cancelling scores of first-class tickets it mistakenly sold for a twentieth of the intended price. In some cases, travellers were snapping up $10,000 fares for just $300. The story drew attention to two underlying issues: the rights (or lack of rights) afforded to airline passengers when they buy a ticket – and the value of premium tickets to airlines, many of which could not survive without them.
Feline feelings
The shortlist for the National Cat Awards, announced this week, included Zebby, 2, from Derbyshire, who helps his deaf owner by alerting her to phone calls and knocks at the door. That story followed research published in New Scientist suggested that cats are more attuned to humans than was previously thought. So have we been wrong all along about man’s best friend?
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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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Codeword: December 7, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
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Crossword: December 7, 2025The daily crossword 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?
