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The Inquiry

The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.

  1. 11月25日

    Is Cyprus moving closer to reunification?

    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 two-thirds of the island is run by an internationally recognised government led by Greek-Cypriots. Whilst the physical division between the two is maintained by a United Nations peacekeeping force. Negotiations aimed at reunification have been attempted over the years and stalled. One of the biggest barriers has been the differences over what a future settlement would look like, with Turkey pushing for a two-state solution and the recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The last formal attempt, supported by the United Nations, was in 2017 and took place in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. And even though informal talks have continued since then, there has been little progress. Key sticking points remain over issues including political equality and what it means between the two communities, issues of governance and security. But in October of this year, a new Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhürman, was elected. He supports federation and is in favour of the resumption of reunification talks. Is Cyprus moving closer to reunification? Contributors: Mete Hatay, Senior Research Consultant, PRIO Cyprus Centre, Oslo, Norway Lefteris Adilinis, Political Analyst, Cyprus Dr. Dorothée Schmid, Director, Middle East Programme, French Institute of International Relations, Paris, France Kathleen Doherty, Former United States Ambassador to Cyprus, USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: A United Nations worker rides bike through the UN Buffer Zone. Credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

    24 分鐘
  2. 11月18日

    Is the new Pope woke?

    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 Francis. Francis, who had put social justice at the heart of his papacy, divided opinion. Some Catholics praised his stance on issues like same-sex blessings, whilst others claimed that he had abandoned tradition for wokeness. Now six months into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV is also coming under similar scrutiny, he’s already been criticized by some Catholics from the Make America Great Again (Maga) movement in the United States for blessing a block of Greenland ice. Whilst on the issue of same-sex blessings, his stated intention is to continue the same course as Pope Francis, that the Church’s teaching is not going to change on this issue. But though he may also be advocating diversity, equity and inclusion, Pope Leo XIV may not necessarily be a carbon copy of his predecessor. As he prepares for his first apostolic visit to Turkey and Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV already appears to be charting a more nuanced path, grounded in pastoral instincts rather than divisive politics. So, on The Inquiry this week we’re asking, ‘Is the new Pope woke?’ Contributors: Dr Massimo Faggioli, Professor in Ecclesiology, Loyola Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Inés San Martín, Vice President of Communications, The Pontifical Mission Societies, New York, USA Christopher White, Author ‘Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of New Papacy’, Associate Director, Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA Elise Ann Allen, Senior Correspondent for Crux, Author ‘Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century’, Rome, Italy Presenter: William Crawley Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in May 2025. Credit: Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images)

    24 分鐘
  3. 11月4日

    Is trouble brewing for the worldwide tea industry?

    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 growing seasons and a higher risk of disease due to climate change. Labour shortages and economic issues are also affecting supply chains, creating uncertainty for producers and consumers. From drone technology helping to monitor remote fields to the extraordinary claim that tea could one day grow on the moon, scientists and growers are exploring bold new solutions. Is trouble brewing for the worldwide tea industry? Contributors Katharine Burnett, Founding Director at the Global Tea Institute for the Study of Tea Culture and Science and Professor of Chinese Art History at the University of California, Davis, based in the United States Cristina Larrea, Director of Agriculture, Food and Sustainability Initiatives at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, based in Canada Harki Sidhu, Consulting Program Coordinator for India at the Rainforest Alliance, based in India Liberal Seburikoko, deputy CEO at Ethical Tea Partnership, based in Rwanda Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Sound engineer: Craig Boardman Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Lady drinking tea. Credit: Redhead pictures/Getty Images)

    24 分鐘
  4. 10月28日

    Is the UN Security Council still relevant?

    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 by members of the UN General Assembly, the body that represents all UN members. And there are five permanent members – the US, the UK, France, China and Russia; it’s these five that have veto power. Now 80 years on, there are growing calls for the council to reflect the world of today, not only in its representation, but in the way it functions. Criticisms of this international body include abuse of the veto power, lack of permanent representation for countries which have seen more than their fair share of conflict and an inability to reach common consensus, including on how to reform the organisation from within. So, on The Inquiry this week we’re asking, ‘Is the UN Security Council still relevant?’ Contributors: Devika Hovell, Prof International Law, London School of Economics, UK Richard Gowan, Director, UN and Multilateral Diplomacy, International Crisis Group, New York, USA Dr Samir Puri, Director, Global Governance and Security Centre, Chatham House, London, UK Mona Ali Khalil, former Senior Legal Officer, UN Office of the Legal Counsel, Co-Editor and Co-Author, ‘Empowering the UN Security Council: Reforms to Address Modern Threats’, Vienna, Austria. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: United Nations Security Council meeting. Credit: Reuters/BBC Images)

    23 分鐘
  5. 10月14日

    Can Gen Z shape a new Nepal?

    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 prosperity have failed to materialise. The country has been subjected to short term coalition governments, resembling a game of musical chairs between certain political parties. And it was Nepal’s Gen Z, who decided to make their frustrations over the lack of opportunities, the social inequality and the existing political system known, with their digitally driven anti-corruption protests. In the aftermath, the protestors gave their approval to a new interim prime minister and demanded new elections, set for March next year. Asia is increasingly witnessing a mood for change amongst its young people, from Indonesia to Sri Lanka and last year’s student-led revolution in Bangladesh. But very few protests of this nature have translated into fundamental social change. And it remains to be seen if the decision by Nepal’s Gen Z, to place their trust in 73-year-old Sushila Karki as the new Interim Prime Minister, reflects their own political maturity. So, on this week’s Inquiry we’re asking, ‘Can Gen Z shape a new Nepal?’ Contributors: Prof Jeevan Sharma, Chair of South Asia and International Development, University of Edinburgh, UK Pranaya Rana, Journalist and Writer, Kalam Weekly, Kathmandu, Nepal Prof Sreeradha Datta, International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana, India Dr Rumela Sen, Lecturer and Faculty Director, Master’s in International Affairs programme, Columbia University, USA Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: Anti government protest in Kathmandu. Credit: Sunil Pradhan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

    23 分鐘

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The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.

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