The Week Unwrapped - with Olly Mann - podcast cover

The Week Unwrapped - with Olly Mann

The Week Unwrappedwww.theweek.co.uk
Have you missed the biggest news of the week? Olly Mann and The Week’s writers and editors talk about under-reported stories with long-term consequences

Episodes

403. Fungi, women in prison and Facebook AI

Will fungi get their own kingdom, alongside plants and animals? Do we send too many women to jail? And what is Meta doing with facial recognition? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Holden Frith, Rebekah Evans and Suchandrika Chakrabarti Image credit: Shaiith / Getty Images

Oct 24, 202442 min

402. India vs. Canada, assisted dying and wasted water

What's at stake as Trudeau takes on Modi? How would assisted dying change Britain? And are we running out of water? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Julia Macfarlane, Leaf Arbuthnot and Arion McNicoll Note: this episode includes references to suicide. The Samaritans offer support to people having suicidal thoughts. You can call them free on 116 123. Image credit: Drbouz / Getty Images

Oct 17, 202444 min

401. Pig-butchering, copper and mature recruitment

What can be done about the latest online scam? Could discarded gadgets solve the copper shortage? And will employers hire more over-50s? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Harriet Marsden, Gary Caffell and Catriona Stewart Image credit: SOPA / Getty Images

Oct 10, 202446 min

400. Mexico, the menopause and Megalopolis

What's on the to-do list for Mexico's first female president? Is the menopause an economic issue? And why did Francis Ford Coppola's pet project bomb at the box office? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Harriet Marsden, Elizabeth Carr-Ellis and Emma Smith Note: this episode includes references to suicide. The Samaritans offer support to people having suicidal thoughts. You can call them free on 116 123. Image credit: C...

Oct 03, 202441 min

399. Iran vs Sweden, jabless vaccines and social blocking

Why is Iran sending text messages to Swedes? Should we administer our own vaccines? And what's the latest outrage at  X.com ? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Vincent Moss, Holden Frith and Suchandrika Chakrabarti

Sep 27, 202440 min

398. Ageing Japan, UK debt, and the Mattel Cinematic Universe

What does Japan's ever-growing proportion of pensioners mean for the future? Why is the UK's national debt set to treble? And is Polly Pocket the next Barbie? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Jamie Timson, Abdulwahab Tahhan and Leaf Arbuthnot.

Sep 20, 202443 min

397. The Pope, ketamine and the first trillionaire

What has the Pope been doing in Asia? Why is ketamine addiction on the rise? And who will win the race to a trillion dollars? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Arion McNicoll, Harriet Marsden and Irenie Forshaw Image: Andrew Kutan / AFP / Getty Images

Sep 13, 202445 min

396. Chinese TV, Elle Macpherson and spy whales

Will pay TV win African hearts and minds? How did a former supermodel spark a cancer row? And what can we learn from the death of a cetaceous spy suspect? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Sorcha Bradley, Suchandrika Chakrabarti and Arion McNicoll Photoc: Jie Zhao / Getty Images

Sep 05, 202443 min

395. Telegram, cannabis and boring art

Why has France arrested the head of a social network? Will cannabis ever be legal in Britain? And have government spending cuts led to worse art? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Rebecca Messina, Jamie Timson and Suchandrika Chakrabarti Image: Nadine Rupp / Getty Images...

Aug 29, 202445 min

394. Orangutan diplomacy, floating turbines and EU travel

Are Malaysian apes now working for the palm-oil industry? Will floating wind farms boost green power? And how will new checks affect European holidays? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Mariana Vieira, Jess Hullinger and Leaf Arbuthnot Credit: Anup Shah / Getty Images

Aug 22, 202441 min

393. The Taliban, the grid and judging the judges

What's happened to Afghanistan in three years of Taliban rule? Is the UK energy network about to get an upgrade? And why are sporting judges under so much scrutiny? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Rebecca Messina, Gary Caffell and Emma Smith Photo: Mohsen Karimi / AFP / Getty Images...

Aug 16, 202440 min

392. Undersea threats, tax reform and prisons

Could seaborne sabotage bring down the internet? Will Labour dare to replace the council tax? And how can we help ex-prisoners find a home? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Holden Frith, Julia Macfarlane and Irenie Forshaw. Image: David Oller / Europa Press / Getty Images

Aug 09, 202445 min

​​391. Sepsis, MPs and plastic Olympians

Have we made a breakthrough in the battle against sepsis? Are MPs treating their jobs with due respect? And are some Olympic athletes not all they seem? Arion McNicoll and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Harriet Marsden, Rebekah Evans and Abdulwahab Tahhan. Olly Mann will return next week

Aug 02, 202447 min

Offshore gambling, retirement and Obama's silence

What stopped Barack backing Kamala? Is the world going cold on online casinos? What can we do now to fund life after work? Arion McNicoll and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Rebecca Messina, Suchandrika Chakrabarti and David Runciman. Olly Mann will return in two weeks

Jul 26, 202446 minEp. 390

389. Trump trials, smears and Katy Perry

Are Donald Trump's legal obstacles melting away? Could self-testing replace the cervical smear? And what kind of world is Katy Perry living in? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Holden Frith, Leaf Arbuthnot and Jamie Timson

Jul 19, 202446 min

388. Project 2025, paradise prison and life on Mars

Will Trump follow a conservative plan for a dystopian future? What is happening on the island of Diego Garcia? And how will humans fare on the red planet? Image: Erik McGregor / LightRocket via Getty Images

Jul 12, 202444 min

387. Riots, bird flu and AI emissions

Will unrest in Turkey derail a deal with Syria? How prepared is the world for bird flu? And could AI exacerbate climate change? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Abdulwahab Tahhan, Arion McNicoll and Harriet Marsden Image: Bakr Alkasem/AFP/Getty Images

Jul 05, 202446 min

386. Poisonous planes, toxic tourism and a stressful surprise

How dangerous to our health are aircraft exhaust fumes? Why is Airbnb being banished from Barcelona? And are Ukrainians really less stressed than Brits? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Jess Hullinger, Irenie Forshaw and Holden Frith

Jun 27, 202440 min

385. Political footballers, news aversion and social warning labels

Why are Les Bleus speaking out about the French election? What's making people turn off the news? And should TikTok and Instagram carry health warnings? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Rebekah Evans, Jamie Timson and Abdulwahab Tahhan

Jun 21, 202441 min

384. Fracas at the Festival

The Edinburgh Fringe is the latest cultural event to be drawn into a row around funding from companies linked to Israel and fossil fuels. But where other organisers have severed their ties, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has robustly defended their sponsorship deal with the investment firm Baillie Gifford. Are they right, and is the tide turning against disinvestment? Plus: a vice-presidential plane crash and woeful weather. Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate wha...

Jun 14, 202444 min

383. What happens when a remote tribe goes online?

The Marubo people, who live in the Amazon rainforest, are one of the most isolated societies in the world – and, until recently, it was entirely offline. When Elon Musk's Starlink brought the web to their villages, the impact was profound. Plus: anonymity for sex-crime suspects, and a bad day for French pride Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Harriet Marsden, Emma Smith and Rebecca Messina

Jun 07, 202445 min

382. The battle for Papua New Guinea

A week after a landslide that left hundreds of people dead, the prime minister of Papua New Guinea is facing a vote of no confidence. The outcome will be keenly watched in China, Australia and the US, which are seeking to woo the country's government and solidify their influence in the Pacific.Plus: a helicopter scandal at the MoD and the rebirth of Loaded magazine.Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Mariana Vieira, Harr...

May 30, 202446 min

381. Will South Africa turn its back on the ANC?

Former president Jacob Zuma was this week banned from running as a candidate in South Africa's parliamentary elections, which take place this weekend. Despite that setback, his party could cost the ANC its majority, which it has held since the end of apartheid. Are South Africans finally falling out of love with the party of liberation?Plus: the vanishing internet, and prepping for disaster.Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days....

May 24, 202441 min

380. What has the Pope got to do with climate change?

This week the Vatican is playing host to an international conference on climate change, at which many of the world's mayors and governors will discuss how we can adapt to the challenges of global warming. Could religious leaders help to win over some people who wouldn't listen to politicians? Plus: ultra-long mortgages and Swiftonomics. Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Jessica Hullinger, Guy Anker and Cindy Yu....

May 17, 202448 min

379. Will the US end child marriage?

Each year tens of thousands of children, some as young as 10, are married in a handful of American states, including California, which have no lower age limit for marriage. Most of these weddings involve a young girl marrying a man who is over 18. Will a new campaign bring the practice to an end? Plus: Black maternal health and the price of olive oil. Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Sorcha Bradley, Rebekah Evans and ...

May 09, 202443 min

378. Why is the world running low on blood?

In Britain and beyond, health services are desperately seeking blood donors. But could science help ease the crisis? This week scientists have taken a step closer to being able to convert blood from one type to another, which would allow donations to be used more efficiently and effectively. Plus an immersive D-Day simulation, and analysing a weight-loss faux pas.Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Harriet Marsden, Arion...

May 03, 202451 min

377. What does an Octopus feel?

Scientists are arguing that octopuses – and many other animals – experience consciousness. What does that mean for how humans treat them? Plus the size of the electric car market, and Morocco's controversial football kitOlly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Harriet Marsden, Jessica Hullinger and Emma Smith

Apr 25, 202447 min

#376 Sudan, tackling homelessness and fake news

What is happening in Sudan? Could London really end rough sleeping? And why has Joe Lycett been making up stories? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Mariana Vieira, Rebekah Evans and Jamie Timson

Apr 18, 202444 min

#375 Ultrarunning, menswear and a meaty row

Is the "Hardest Geezer" a high-endurance trendsetter? Will Ted Baker survive? And what's the beef with lab-grown meat? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Harriet Marsden, Leaf Arbuthnot and Holden Frith

Apr 11, 202447 min

#374 Deserted islands, Africa's youngest leader and showering

What's behind a row about an uninhabited rock? How did Bassirou Diomaye Faye get from a Senegalese jail to the presidency – in just two weeks? And how often should we wash? Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Julia O'Driscoll, Arion McNicoll and Suchandrika Chakrabarti

Apr 04, 202438 min
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