KQED's Forum

San Francisco has long embraced a philosophy of harm reduction in its drug treatment programs. The goal is to prevent deaths and disease by providing clean syringes, medications that help curb addiction, and other judgment-free treatment support. Studies show that this approach does save lives. But now the city is in the midst of a fentanyl-fueled overdose crisis, with more than 1300 deaths over two years. In response, some officials are questioning the effectiveness of the harm reduction model, calling for other options like abstinence-only treatment programs. We’ll discuss the history, science and politics of drug treatment in San Francisco.Guests:Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Stanford School of MedicineVitka Eisen, president and CEO, HealthRIGHT 360Ahsha Safai, member, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 11Jen Jeffries , former IV drug user currently on methadone. Medication assisted treatment coordinator, San Francisco AIDS Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council Friday U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the "world narrowly averted a nuclear catastrophe" after Russia shelled a nuclear power plant in southeast Ukraine overnight. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack "nuclear terror" and continued to press for a no-fly zone over the country, a request NATO has so far denied. As the Russian invasion extends into its second week, we'll hear the latest developments from the ground and talk about how the global community is responding, and realigning, in support of Ukraine.Guests:Steven Pifer, William Perry fellow, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University; former ambassador to UkraineRichard Ensor, Ukraine correspondent, The Economist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is likely to increase inflation, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Thursday. Inflation was already on the rise in the U.S.: prices rose 7.5 percent in January compared to last year, the highest inflation rate since the early 1980s. The word inflation often invokes the specter of the 1970s, a time of economic crisis, energy shocks, and the fracturing of the post-war social contract. The historical analogy also suggests some courses of action — like cutting government spending and raising interest rates. But are the 2020s, with our pandemic related supply shortages and Great Resignation, so similar to the 1970s? And if not, how should we be thinking about our inflation? We'll be joined by a historian and an economist who will help us think through what rising prices have meant and what they mean today.Guests:Meg Jacobs , senior research scholar in History and Public Affairs, Princeton UniversityJ.W. Mason, economist, Roosevelt Institute; professor of economics, John Jay College at the City University of New York Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1992 Olympic gold medalist and world champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi joined Forum Live on February 25th, KQED’s in person and live-streamed event series, to talk about the scandals plaguing this year’s Olympics, anti-Asian racism and not being seen as fully American as she rose through the figure skating ranks, and her work supporting children’s literacy. We air the conversation as the Winter Paralympics get underway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2020, UC Berkeley scientist Jennifer Doudna, along with French scientist Emanuelle Charpentier, won a Nobel prize for her work on the revolutionary method for editing DNA known as CRISPR. But this week Doudna's lab at UC Berkeley lost its case with the U.S. patent office, stripping it of key patent rights to the tool and anywhere from 100 million to 10 billion dollars in potential licensing revenue, according to experts. We’ll talk about what the ruling means for UC Berkeley and the possible ripple effects within the biotech industry.Guests:Megan Molteni , Science writer, STAT NewsSamantha Zyontz, Research fellow, Intellectual Property and Fellow, Center for Law and Biosciences, Stanford University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the roar of wind against mountains and the slam of waves on the shore to early morning birdsong, the sounds that fill our natural world are not only beautiful, they’re at risk, writes biologist David George Haskell in his new book, “Sounds Wild and Broken.” Haskell describes a global sonic landscape that’s threatened by human-induced habitat destruction and noise pollution and warns that by smothering the earth’s many voices, we’re not only imperiling species but losing our connection to the natural world. But by paying attention to sounds both natural and human-created, we can understand what’s at stake — and mobilize to protect it. Haskell joins to share more about our world’s sonic diversity and guide us in listening to it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the leadup to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, many cybersecurity experts warned that the Kremlin would also wage an all-out information war. After all, Russia is known as a master of information operations, weaponizing social networks, YouTube, and state television to spread propaganda. But as Russian troops continue to advance on the battlefield, Ukraine may be winning the information war. Coming up on Forum, we’ll discuss war in the age of social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war in Ukraine, the economy and the pandemic are the expected centerpieces of President Biden’s State of the Union speech on Tuesday, which comes as Russia’s invasion escalates, triggering a refugee and humanitarian crisis in Europe and unleashing economic shocks around the globe. President Biden's address in the halls of the U.S. Capitol that a little over a year ago was overrun by insurrectionists also comes at a critical time as Democrats work to shore up their slim majority and Republicans work to recapture congressional seats lost in 2020. We’ll talk about Biden’s speech and the milestones that lie ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The price of oil and natural gas has spiked following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the retaliatory sanctions against Russia imposed by the United States, European Union and their allies. Much of Europe is dependent on Russia’s reserves of oil and natural gas, and much of the world relies on Russian metals and agricultural exports from Russia and Ukraine. From rising costs for energy and food, to the risk of cyberattacks on banking systems, to a further squeezing of supply chains, we’ll discuss the possible global economic effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and of the newly imposed sanctions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, Russian forces took aim at the city of Kharkiv, pounding the enclave with rockets on the fifth day of the Ukrainian invasion. Scheduled peace talks between Ukraine and Russia did nothing to stop the fighting; Belarus has entered the fray in support of Russia; Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed his nation on nuclear alert. Images of ferocious resistance by Ukrainian troops and civilians have captured the attention of Western governments which continue to pledge aid in the form of money, weapons and humanitarian assistance. Even Switzerland, a nation with a history of neutrality, has come out against Russian aggression. Meanwhile, the toll of war has been monumental. The UN reports that more than 500,000 Ukrainians, many of them families with children, have fled to western border nations as refugees, and aid agencies warn that the humanitarian crisis shows no sign of abating. As the siege continues, we’ll talk about the hardships Ukrainians are facing, and we’ll also look at the history of Russia’s relationship with Ukraine and what Putin’s endgame might be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices