The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.
The House of Representatives has voted to make daylight saving time permanent in the United States. If the measure is approved by the Senate and becomes law, most Americans would no longer spring forward in March or fall back in November. For more than a century, changing the clocks has been used to make better use of daylight, but the practice has long divided opinion. Supporters of the bill…
New Zealand’s government is making big changes to its education system. The aim is to reverse declining student achievement and give more opportunities to disadvantaged children. The subjects of reading, writing, maths and science form the core of the new curriculum. But there are concerns particularly among the Indigenous community that the Māori language, culture and identity have not been…
Extreme heatwaves are becoming more frequent across the globe, not only in countries used to cooler climates, but also in those already familiar with significantly hotter temperatures. Intense heat can have an impact on the human body, from heat stroke to dehydration to skin damage. Economies can suffer as drought conditions impact farming communities. Built up urban areas can exacerbate the…
Gold has been prized throughout history for its value and its beauty, which has also made it attractive to those prepared to exploit this precious metal for their own ends. The European Union recently banned the purchase, import and transfer of gold from Sudan, one of Africa’s largest gold producers, saying it had become a key source of financing for the country’s civil war. And in other parts of…
Gene therapy has changed what is possible for people living with sickle cell disease. New treatments have shown that the condition can be successfully treated. But the therapy is costly and available to only a small number of patients. Millions of people around the world still rely on early diagnosis and preventative medicines, with access to basic care remaining a challenge in many places,…
Last year Kenya’s President William Ruto established a task force to investigate the escalating cases of gender-based violence including femicide. The task force travelled around the country gathering information and at the beginning of this year published its recommendations, which are now being debated in parliament. One of those recommendations is the legal recognition of femicide as a…
Flesh-eating parasitic flies have been found in the US state of Texas for the first time in decades. Known as the New World Screwworm, officials have now put plans in place to try and contain its spread. The fly feeds off warm-blooded animals, like cattle, dogs and horses, but if detected early enough, with treatment, the animals can make a full recovery. It can also infest humans, but human…
This year, technology has more influence in officiating sports than ever before. At the men's World Cup, the role of virtual assistant referee technology (VAR) has been extended to include two more on-pitch scenarios while in tennis, umpires use electric line calling systems (ELC) to make final decisions. Both bits of kit aim to improve the accuracy. It’s become easier to consider match-defining…
A new directive strives to narrow the 11% hourly wage gap between men and women in the EU. Around the world, the gender pay gap has been shrinking as women gain access to higher education and better employment opportunities. Though varied hours, industries and care responsibilities make this inequality a difficult problem to tackle with one universal policy. Member states have just passed their…
In May 2026, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in western Africa a public health emergency of international concern. Within days, hundreds of cases had been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising fears that the virus could spread further across the region. Ebola has been causing outbreaks for nearly 50 years, but despite advances in vaccines and treatments,…
In 2001, Portugal decriminalised the possession and use of all illicit drugs. It was a move designed to mitigate the country’s public health crisis, which at the time meant Portugal had one of the worst rates of overdose deaths in Europe, as well as the highest rate of HIV among drug users. Whilst drugs remained illegal, users did not receive a criminal record but were instead referred to…
At the beginning of this year Bulgaria, considered as one of the poorest countries in the European Union, became the latest to officially join the eurozone. Bulgaria’s legal tender since 1881 had been the lev, but since the mid-1990s it had been pegged to other European currencies, first to the German deutschmark and now to the euro. But it remains to be seen if the country’s economic policy can…
The Himalayan glaciers are melting more rapidly as global temperatures rise, raising concerns about the future of ecosystems and communities across the Himalayan mountain range. Glaciers store more than two thirds of the world’s freshwater and help regulate global temperatures by reflecting the sun’s rays. Across South Asia, melting ice is contributing to the formation of unstable glacial lakes…
The recent election result in Hungary has been seen as a welcome relief within the European Union. The bloc of 27 nations has, at times, felt frustrated with the country for blocking what the other 26 members have agreed to do, especially regarding financial support for Ukraine. Now the EU has been able to push through a loan to Ukraine of more than US$100bn, and some observers believe the union’s…
Global oil markets have been affected by the US Israel war with Iran, leading to higher jet fuel prices and increased attention on supply risks. But how serious is the situation? While some experts point to tightening supply chains and regional bottlenecks, others say there is no clear evidence so far of immediate shortages. Even so, the refining and distribution of jet fuel remains a potential…
The recent Nasa Artemis II crewed mission to the far side of the Moon is a further step towards a long-term return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. The plan is that before the end of the decade there will be a crewed landing and the start of a Moon base. China is among those developing similar plans. Previous missions both crewed and uncrewed have provided evidence of resources…
Conflict in the Middle East has led to volatility in global oil prices, pushing up fuel costs worldwide. Previous oil shocks prompted some countries to reconsider their reliance on cars, investing in alternatives such as cycling. In some places, this has become part of everyday life, while elsewhere it has proved more contested, reflecting wider political and cultural divides. Cycling offers…
Broadcasters from The Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Spain and Slovenia are all boycotting May’s Eurovision Song Contest because Israel is participating. Sources within Israel’s broadcaster say calls for it to be banned are unjustified, and organisers of the contest insist it must remain politically neutral, describing the event as "a platform for displaying the importance of peace and unity in a…
For the second time in 12 years Glasgow is preparing to host the Commonwealth Games after Australia’s Victoria state pulled out because of increased costs. Victoria’s withdrawal raised questions about whether the 2026 games would go ahead before Glasgow agreed to step in. Staging a sporting mega-event is expensive and governments face increasing scrutiny over public spending. Victoria’s decision…
Ireland has a new permanent government scheme providing regular cash transfers to 2,000 artists. The people who can access it range from circus performers to opera singers. It follows a pilot of more than three years, which is believed to have brought a return on investment to the economy. Big tech backs basic income schemes like this to offset the consequences AI is having on the workforce.…
Cuba is facing one of its most severe humanitarian crises in decades. For years, Cuba relied heavily on oil from Venezuela. Those supplies have largely stopped, contributing to widespread fuel shortages. Electricity blackouts have become increasingly common, disrupting daily life across the country. The United States has blocked fuel shipments to Cuba as part of wider pressure linked to its…
Rewilding, or letting nature take care of itself, can restore stability to damaged ecosystem components which support life on earth, like fungi, bacteria, vegetation, insects and animals. But there's now a wider discussion to discover what it’s capable of on a wider scale. International agreements for reducing the impact of climate change tend to set global targets. However, individual governments…
In February, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted a social media video celebrating new figures from the International Monetary Fund suggesting that the average person in Poland now has slightly more spending power than the average person in Spain, the European Union’s fourth largest economy. It’s a symbolic milestone for a country that emerged from communism just over three decades ago and…
Half a million people are in Spain without official permission. They come mainly from Colombia, Peru, Honduras, Paraguay, and Argentina. It’s thought that most outstay their work, student, or tourist visas. An amnesty to grant them legal status to remain and work is due to start within weeks. It's a very different approach from most other countries in Europe that have been tightening controls on…
Control of critical minerals is becoming a source of geopolitical tension. They are essential to modern technology and industries around the world, and China currently dominates the mining and processing industry. As demand grows, governments in the United States and elsewhere are looking at ways to reduce their reliance on Chinese supply chains. That means investing in new mines and processing…
The 2026 men’s football World Cup will be the biggest ever staged. For the first time, 48 teams will compete, playing more than 100 matches across North America. But the expanded scale comes at a cost. Ticket prices are far higher than at the last World Cup in Qatar. With matches also spread across the US, Mexico and Canada, attending the tournament is becoming unaffordable for many global fans.…
Chennai, São Paulo, Mexico City, Tehran, Cape Town - these cities have all faced the threat of a ‘Zero Day’, or, having no fresh water left in their taps. The UN says we’re entering a ‘water bankruptcy’ era, meaning our water ‘current accounts’ are running empty, while our ‘savings accounts’ - the long term stores of water deep underground - have been depleted, with some beyond repair. So how did…
Bangladesh will hold a national election in February, after years of political turmoil and the ousting of long-time leader Sheikh Hasina. Her rule of more than a decade delivered strong economic growth but was also accompanied by tighter political control and repeated confrontations with protesters. Sheikh Hasina’s party, the Awami League, has been banned. This has brought renewed focus on the…
Boosting, swiping or the five finger discount - many countries around the world are seeing a rise in retail theft. From Japan to the UK, the USA to Germany, retailers are struggling to tackle shoplifting - but the factors fueling this trend are as varied as the people carrying out these crimes. Poverty, opportunism, thrill-seeking - and technology - are some of the factors experts say are to…
Iran has been shaken by protests on a scale not seen since its 1979 revolution. Demonstrations that began in the country’s capital over the state of the economy have spread to multiple cities, with wider calls for political change. The government has called the demonstrations "riots" backed by the nation’s enemies. Thousands have been killed. For some, the scenes bring back memories of the…
In February 2026, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty bilateral between Russia and the United States is set to expire. The aim of the New START agreement was to reduce and limit the number of strategic nuclear warheads, but once this treaty comes to an end it means there will no longer be rules on the cap of these nuclear weapons. The legal provisions in the treaty for a one-time…
Kenya is facing rising public discontent over allegations of political corruption, economic stagnation and a shortage of good quality jobs, particularly for the country’s Gen Z. One of the government’s flagship responses is an ambitious push into digital outsourcing. It argues that call centres, coding work and other IT-enabled services can position the country as a global hub and generate a…
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shattered records, becoming the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, redefining what’s possible and confirming a new era in the business of touring. As streaming transformed how we listen to music, selling records is no longer the financial centrepiece it once was for artists. Instead, exclusivity has been transferred to the live experience. But staging shows on this…
Christmas is a time of year when many families and friends come together for a period of joy, peace and goodwill. The story of the birth of Jesus Christ has been translated into thousands of languages over thousands of years. And while you may hear it differently, the message is the same. From carols to conversations, Christmas reminds us how united we can be. But there’s still one thing that sets…
In November gunmen seized more than 300 pupils and a dozen teachers from a Catholic school in northern Nigeria. While authorities have rescued around 100 children, many remain missing. Kidnapping has become a recurring reality in many parts of the country, and in late 2025 President Bola Tinubu declared the crisis a national security emergency. He pledged to boost security in remote areas, but…
Changing tastes, climatic conditions, health warnings, economic factors are all creating a perfect storm for the global wine industry. The origins of wine-making date back to around 9,000 years ago, when it was a drink mostly associated with elite society. Since then, it has had a long association with major occasions like weddings and funerals, as the beverage of choice. And it has been integral…
On 10 December 2025, Australia will become the first country in the world to ban under-16s from using social media apps. Children will have their accounts deactivated on most platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, and Facebook. Critics say the ban could push children to unregulated platforms, but prime minister Anthony Albanese argues the new law is to safeguard vulnerable members of…
The eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the north after a military coup backed by Greece. Since then, the northern third has been run by a Turkish-Cypriot government. This self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognised as an independent state only by Turkey, while the rest of the world sees it as part of Cyprus. The southern…
Cardinal Robert Prevost made history earlier this year, when he became the first American pontiff to lead the Catholic Church. And when he stepped out onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica as Pope Leo XIV, dressed in traditional papal robes, some conservatives in the church took it as a sign of a symbolic shift away from what they saw as the liberal drift of his predecessor the late Pope…
From floods in Pakistan to droughts in the Horn of Africa, extreme weather events are already forcing millions of people to move. Most are displaced within their own countries but rising temperatures and sea levels could soon push many across national borders. Yet international law offers little protection for those uprooted by the changing climate, and few countries appear ready for the scale of…
Matcha, a long-time popular drink in Japan, has gone global. Major chains now serve it, and coffee start-ups are competing to offer their own photogenic takes on the vivid green drink. But the growing craze exposes bigger problems for the wider tea industry. Tea is a delicate crop, highly sensitive to changing weather conditions. Around the world, farmers are reporting falling yields, altered…
In the aftermath of World War Two, the charter that founded the United Nations was signed, with the aim of preventing a third global conflict. The UN Security Council, one of six organs of the UN, has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It’s made up of 15 member countries, there are 10 rotating non-permanent members who are elected for two-year terms…
Benin has long tried to highlight its role in the transatlantic slave trade through monuments and memorials in the country, in the hope it would attract tourism. Now it has a new plan. It is offering citizenship to descendants of enslaved Africans around the world. US singers Lauryn Hill and Ciara received their citizenship in July. Filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee have also been…
At the beginning of September 2025, within 48 hours, Nepal’s government had been toppled, and more than 70 people had been killed, with many more injured. The trigger for all of this had been a government ban on 26 social media platforms, but the primary reasons ran much deeper. Nepal became a republic in 2008, following a decade long civil war, but since then, the promised stability and…
Donald Trump once dismissed cryptocurrencies as a scam. But since returning to office, his view of them has shifted dramatically. In July, President Trump signed new legislation aimed at integrating crypto into the financial mainstream. Members of the Trump family have launched their own ventures, generating significant profits and boosting the visibility of digital currencies in American…
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection passed on to humans by infected ticks. Symptoms can range from fatigue, joint pain and a circular shaped rash to facial paralysis and heart arrythmia. According to a British Medical Journal (BMJ) global health review, Lyme disease has likely infected about one in 10 people across the globe. Recently, pop star Justin Timberlake went public about contracting the…
The major rivers of the Rio Grande and the Colorado run through both the United States and Mexico and they are the source of a water sharing agreement between the two countries that dates back to 1944. Under the terms of this treaty, Mexico must send 430 million cubic metres of water per year from the Rio Grande to the US, to supply Texas and dozens of cities near the border. Whilst the US sends a…
Deepfakes are videos, picture or audio clips made with artificial intelligence to look real. Although sometimes used for fun, they can also be used to defame or discredit people. Anyone from politicians to celebrities to normal members of the public can become the subject of deepfake imagery. So how can we protect our image from being used maliciously? In Denmark, the government is proposing a new…
In January, the popular Chinese social media app TikTok went offline for its 170 million Americans. The outage marked a turning point in a long-running dispute over data privacy and national security, with US lawmakers concerned about the app’s Chinese ownership. A law passed by Congress required ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its US operations or face a ban. Although ByteDance did…
“There is no longer any debate that space is a war fighting domain,” These were the words of Commander General Stephen Whiting from the US government’s Space Command at a conference earlier this year. China, the US, India and Russia have tested anti-satellite weapons in space, and technology is blurring the lines between civilian and military satellites. But will there be war in space? Joining us…