The Inquiry

BBC World Service
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May 7, 2021 • 23min

Is peace under threat in Northern Ireland?

It was on Good Friday, 2nd of April 2021, that rioting erupted in a corner of Northern Ireland’s vibrant capital Belfast. In days, violence spread. It was on a scale that hadn’t been seen for years. With fears of a return to the troubled period of violence from Northern Ireland’s past, Tanya Beckett asks if the fragile peace is under threat.Produced by Beth Sagar-Fenton and Soila Apparicio.'A previous version of this programme gave an incorrect title to Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster this has been corrected.'(Nationalists attack police on Springfield Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, April 08 2021. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
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Apr 29, 2021 • 24min

Covid: What went wrong in India?

Earlier this year, India’s ruling party was declaring victory in the fight against Covid-19. Some two months on, India set a global record for the highest number of cases recorded in a single country.Kavita Puri asks what went wrong.Image: A queue near a vaccination centre in Mumbai, 26 April 2021 (Credit: Divyakant Solanki/EPA)
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Apr 22, 2021 • 24min

Is the legal cannabis business about to go global?

Changes to the laws governing cannabis use are happening around the world. The number of States in the USA legalising cannabis is increasing rapidly. Uruguay and Canada have legalised it already, and Mexico may soon follow suit. Tanya Beckett looks at the different models of legalisation and at what might be holding the global cannabis industry back.
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Apr 15, 2021 • 23min

Is Africa the new power base for the Islamic State group?

Since Islamic State’s hold on Iraq and Syria has weakened in recent years the group has sought to expand into new territories, including Africa.IS insurgents have reportedly killed thousands, including children, and displaced thousands more in Mozambique, Mali, and Somalia, among other territories across the continent. It is believed that IS franchises its brand to local militant groups, providing support, claiming responsibility for deadly attacks, all while spreading its influence in these new territories. Charmaine Cozier asks if Africa is a new power base for the Islamic State group?Producer: Paul Connolly(Al-Shebab fighters, an Islamist insurgent group in Somalia. Credit: Mohamed Abdiwahab/Getty Images)
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Apr 8, 2021 • 23min

Why has Peru had such a bad pandemic?

Peru has suffered one of the highest excess death levels in the world. The government failed to take account of the structure of society and the needs of its people in its response to the pandemic. A culture of corruption and political turmoil are persistent themes that have led to an underfunded health system and a lack of focus how Peruvian people would be able to cope during the dark months of a deadly pandemic. Instead vast numbers of casual workers lost their jobs and started to trek home, taking the virus with them. Also remote communities were cut off by the freeze on transport and unable to get access to vital medical supplies, amid a dwindling supply of oxygen to treat them. We take a look at what lies beneath Peru’s terrible experience during the pandemic.Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Nathan Gower(Peruvians protest at a political rally, March 25, 2021. Credit: Ernesto Benavides/Getty Images)
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Apr 1, 2021 • 24min

How will the concussion issue affect the future of sport?

Concussion is now a powder-keg issue in world sport, as concerns deepen about the potential links to brain disease.The long-term effects of careers spent making and taking heavy tackles are being revealed in ever-increasing detail, but the risks are not exclusive to so-called full contact sports.Some governing bodies have sprung into action, implementing new rules and safety measures. But others turn a blind eye. So, we’re asking – how will the concussion issue affect the future of sport?Presenter: Paul Connolly Producer: Stefania Okereke(Photo: Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker (83) lays on the field after getting a concussion in the second quarter. Credit: Getty Images)
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Mar 25, 2021 • 23min

Are ‘killer robots’ the future of warfare?

Could humans ever trust machines with the power to make life or death decisions on the battlefield? And have we already begun to?Advances in artificial intelligence are slowly creeping into almost every aspect of the world, including warfare. Suzanne Kianpour explores the technology, fears and even potential advantages of developing autonomous weapons.Producers: Nathan Gower and Viv Jones(Mock-up of the IAI Harop Drone, a loitering munition. Credit: Aviation-images.com/Getty Images)
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Mar 18, 2021 • 23min

Why do Italy’s governments keep collapsing?

After the government of Giuseppe Conte collapsed amid an economic and public health crisis, Mario Draghi has formed Italy’s 65th administration in 73 years. So what are the long-term causes of Italy’s political woes, and does Draghi stand any chance of solving them? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Nathan Gower(Giuseppe Conte and Mario Draghi during the traditional handover ceremony in Rome. Photo: Andrew Medichini / Getty Images)
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Mar 11, 2021 • 23min

Is Antifa the threat it’s made out to be?

Vivid and sometimes wild claims about the antifascist group Antifa have been circulating in America. Some say that the group participates in widespread violence, while others have argued that it is a small but justified part of their fight against fascism.Tanya Beckett takes a closer look at what is true and what is exaggeration.Producer: Nathan Gower(Members of Antifa protest at a far right Rally in Portland, Oregon USA. Credit: Diego Diaz/ Getty Images)
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Mar 4, 2021 • 23min

Why did Alexei Navalny return to Russia?

After surviving an assassination attempt, the opposition leader returned to Russia - and was immediately arrested and jailed. What does he have to gain by returning home, and can he still lead an effective campaign from prison? Charmaine Cozier asks what does President Putin have to fear in Alexei Navalny's rising popularity, and could his anti-corruption campaign make a difference at the Russian parliamentary elections in September?(Alexei Navalny at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport upon arrival from Berlin January 17, 2021. Credit: Kirill Kudryatsev /Getty Images)

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