Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Harriet Marsden, Jess Hullinger and Emma Smith.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
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Afghan school poisonings
Nearly 90 girls at two schools in Afghanistan were hospitalised after being allegedly poisoned by someone with “a personal grudge”. The incident, which echoes a recent spate of what seem like mass poisonings of schoolgirls in Iran, and a series of events in Afghanistan in the 2000s, has intensified fears about sending girls to school in a country where women’s education after primary level has been banned by the Taliban.
Atmospheric DNA
Researchers discovered that ubiquitous air pollution monitors have a second use: monitoring biodiversity by collecting something called eDNA. This is a potential “game changer” for monitoring and perhaps even preventing the decline of plant and animal species across the world. What are the challenges? And why are some experts worried about how eDNA might threaten our privacy?
LGBTQ+ history
Oxford University has appointed the first permanent fellowship in LGBTQ+ history. Professor Matt Cook will become the first Jonathan Cooper Chair of the History of Sexualities, a role he says will help to end the idea that queer history is a “marginal pursuit” in academia. Does Oxford’s decision symbolise a continued shift towards inclusivity in historic institutions?
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Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashionIn the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
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Crossword: September 13, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
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Sudoku medium: September 13, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
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The Week Unwrapped: Why is horse-racing going on strike?Podcast Plus, will the South Korean women who worked in state-run brothels set up for US soldiers succeed? And what’s behind a surge in leg-lengthening surgery?
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The Week Unwrapped: What does Bake Off say about Channel 4?Podcast Plus, why are Scottish drug deaths so stubbornly high? And are women in their 30s too anxious about their eggs?
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The Week Unwrapped: Could robotic dogs help clear landmines?Podcast Plus, what can we learn from a new approach to urban renewal? And how much power rests with political spouses?
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The Week Unwrapped: Is it time for a new world map?Podcast Plus, why is the pope getting flatmates? And why are seagull 'muggings' on the rise?
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The Week Unwrapped: Has Donald Trump secured his Nobel Peace Prize?Podcast Plus, what does the use of North Korean and Indian labour tell us about the Russian war economy? And why have we all gone crazy for pickles?
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The Week Unwrapped: Why are we watching the ocean floor?Podcast Plus, what can we learn from a football club on the brink? And which jobs will fall to AI first?
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The Week Unwrapped: Could AI replace catwalk models?Podcast Plus, should countries sue each other for climate damage? And what does Grand Theft Auto 6 tell us about the video game industry?
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The Week Unwrapped: Are electric bikes 'invading' London?Podcast Plus, why is Volodymyr Zelenskyy opposing anti-corruption laws? And how will US withdrawal affect Unesco?
