Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Leaf Arbuthnot, Abdulwahab Tahhan and Harriet Marsden.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
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National service
The think tank Onward has proposed the reintroduction of national service, in a radically different new form. It would be voluntary, for a start, and separate from the military. The stated aim is to “develop skills, improve mental wellbeing, and increase a sense of belonging among Britain’s youth”, but the reaction appears to have reopened a generational divide. Could any form of collective activity help to bridge it?
Bahrain and Israel
On Monday, Israel opened an embassy in Bahrain, marking the culmination of a process that began three years ago with the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two. The agreement was one of a series known as the Abraham Accords, which also normalised relations between Israel and the UAE, Morocco and Sudan. How significant is this step, and will it help pave the way to a deal with Saudi Arabia?
Roman Polanski
When the Venice Film Festival chose to present Roman Polanski’s new film, it sparked widespread backlash. The director is a fugitive from US justice, having fled the country after pleading guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977. The festival’s artistic director justified the decision to include “The Palace”, saying Polanski was “one of the last great masters of European cinema”. But the reviews are in – and the film has bombed. Is Polanski’s career finally cancelled? And can great art excuse bad artists?
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Breaking news: the rise of ‘smash hit’ rage roomsUnder the Radar Paying to vent your anger on furniture is all the rage but experts are sceptical
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Did markets’ ‘Sell America’ trade force Trump to TACO on Greenland?Today’s Big Question Investors navigate a suddenly uncertain global economy
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‘We know how to make our educational system world-class again’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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The Week Unwrapped: Will Uganda’s pop-star politician prevail?Podcast Plus, is dodgy data undermining medical research? And what does a new app reveal about Chinese society?
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The Week Unwrapped: Is Elon Musk’s AI tool a platform for abuse?Podcast Plus can Mumsnet predict who will be the next PM? And who is still watching Avatar sequels?
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The Week Unwrapped: What’s the cost of PFAs?Podcast Plus why is George Osborne joining OpenAI? And has universal basic income finally come of age?
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The Week Unwrapped: what’s scuppering Bulgaria’s Euro dream?Podcast Plus has Syria changed, a year on from its revolution? And why are humans (mostly) monogamous?
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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?
