The Conversation Weekly

Israel has never officially confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons and has never signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Instead, even as evidence has emerged about its nuclear capabilities, Israel has maintained a policy of nuclear ambiguity.The origins of this opacity lie in a secret deal forged in a one-on-one meeting between Israeli prime minister, Golda Meir, and the US president, Richard Nixon, at the White House in September 1969.In this episode, we speak to Avner Cohen, professor of non-proliferation studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterrey in the US, about that 1969 deal and why it has endured for more than 50 years. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware with assistance from Katie Flood and Ashlynne McGhee. Sound design and mixing by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Read the full credits for this episode and sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation.

Laurence Hardwick, a Professor of electrochemistry at the University of Liverpool, discusses the urgent need for sustainable battery materials. He explores innovative alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, including sodium and potassium ion technologies. The conversation touches on exciting advancements like biodegradable batteries made from waste materials, as well as the performance comparison with traditional options. Hardwick emphasizes the importance of developing diverse and eco-friendly solutions to meet the growing demand for energy storage in our tech-driven world.

Juan Masullo, an assistant professor in political science, dives into Italy's rich anti-fascist legacy stemming from World War II. He discusses how the grassroots resistance against Mussolini's regime set the stage for enduring anti-fascist sentiments today. Masullo highlights a petition backed by 250,000 signatures to ban fascist propaganda, revealing a strong historical correlation with modern activism. He also explores local memorials that keep the anti-fascist spirit alive among younger generations, against a backdrop of rising far-right movements across Europe.

Join Laura Hood, a Politics editor at The Conversation, and Ana E. Juncos, a European politics professor at the University of Bristol, as they dissect Europe's defense shortcomings. They discuss how Europe's reliance on the U.S. has led to a lack of independent military capabilities and the implications of NATO's new spending commitments. The conversation sheds light on France's defense strategy, the growing support for a common European army, and the pressing need for EU nations to collaborate amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Robert F Kennedy Jr caused controversy in April by promising to find a cause for autism by September. Claims by the new US secretary for health and human services that autism is a “preventable disease” with an environmental cause,  contradict a body of research that suggests autism is caused by a combination of genetic and external factors.The US government announced that to support its new research effort into autism it would build a “data platform” involving data on claims, medical records and consumer wearables.  In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to Amy Gaeta, a  research associate at University of Cambridge in the UK who studies disability surveillance. Gaeta talks us through some of the strategies people are using to avoid potential surveillance, from self-diagnosis, to withholding information or being careful with the language they use to describe themselves. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Sound design and mixing by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Read the full credits for this episode and sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation.

Daniel Bar-Tal, an Emeritus professor at Tel Aviv University and expert on self-censorship, joins Beth Daly, Executive Editor of The Conversation. They dive into the psychology behind why individuals choose silence over expression, particularly under societal and political pressures. Bar-Tal shares insights on the implications of self-censorship in academic settings and its parallels in authoritarian regimes. The discussion reveals how fears of repercussions can stifle authentic discourse, impacting both academia and broader societal norms.

In this discussion, Hollie Booth, a conservation scientist at the University of Oxford, shares insights into shark and ray populations in Indonesia, the world's largest shark-fishing nation. She explores a unique pay-to-release initiative, aimed at incentivizing fishermen to free accidentally caught sharks. While this method shows promise for some species, it also reveals unexpected outcomes, like increased mortality for hammerhead sharks. Booth emphasizes the need for tailored conservation strategies and highlights the complexities behind effective wildlife protection.

Mend Mariwany, a producer for The Conversation Weekly, teams up with Martin Hearson, a research fellow at the Institute of Development Studies specializing in global tax negotiations. They delve into the groundbreaking agreement requiring multinational companies to pay at least 15% in corporate tax. The conversation highlights the challenges of implementing this tax framework and the historical context of global tax governance. They discuss the implications for lower-income countries and the growing influence of the UN in reshaping international tax decision-making.

Mend Mariwany, a producer with a deep insight into global tax systems, teams up with Tarcisio Diniz Magalhaes, a tax law professor at the University of Antwerp, to discuss the pressing need for global tax reform. They explore how multinational corporations exploit loopholes, leading to staggering losses for nations, especially in the developing world. The duo examines the implications of the OECD's proposed global minimum tax, the challenges of tax inequality, and the intricate dynamics shaping tax policies in a rapidly digitizing economy.

Sean Campbell, an independent investigative journalist focused on social justice, joins Topher McDougall, a professor specializing in conflict economics. They discuss the staggering reality that over two-thirds of weapons found at Mexican crime scenes are sourced from the U.S. Their research reveals an estimated 135,000 guns trafficked in 2022 alone. The duo unpacks the challenges faced by American law enforcement in curbing this flow and highlights how lax gun laws in the U.S. escalate cartel violence and impact migration from Mexico.