The Week Unwrapped: Argentinian lithium, airborne rights and cats

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.

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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?