Kinley Salmon, The Economist's Africa correspondent, delves into the recent coup in Niger, examining the motivations behind it and its repercussions for Western foreign policy and regional stability. He discusses Niger's precarious position amidst escalating violence and international pressures. The conversation also touches on the UK’s heated debate over expanding the ultra-low emission zone and its electoral impacts, alongside an intriguing exploration of humanity’s geological footprint as we enter the Anthropocene epoch.