This week, we talk about ICE in Minneapolis, the killing of Renee Good, and the destruction of a whole lot of what we hold sacred in this country. Is there something to do about all this? And how much of the country do we really think is cheering on what amounts to an invasion of people’s neighborhoods?
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An interesting day at the Supreme Court as the justices discussed two cases involving the issue of transgenderism in girls' sports—with some of the justices pretty badly embarrassing themselves and others punching holes the size of the Marianas Trench in the arguments of the ACLU. Also: the difference between 1960s civil rights protests and what we're seeing now from the left. Give a listen.
Relatives of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was detained last week, told BBC Persian he was due to be executed today. It is unclear whether this has taken place. A representative from the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights also told the BBC that they had never witnessed a case move so quickly.
Also, China has announced a record trade surplus despite the US's tariffs; and we hear from the organiser of Australia's largest free festival, Adelaide Writers' Week, which was called off because of a row over censorship.
(Photo: Undated image of Erfan Soltani. Credit: Hengaw Organization for Human Rights/X)
Somalia has accused the United Arab Emirates of undermining its sovereignty, including allegedly facilitating Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, which Somalia considers part of its territory. In response, Mogadishu has canceled all agreements with the UAE, from ports to defence, raising questions about trade and security.
We then turn to Botswana, following a recent visit by American YouTuber IShowSpeed to the Diamond Trading Centre in Gaborone, where he held a rough diamond and asked if he could buy it. Botswana’s diamonds are a major part of national wealth, but acquiring them in raw form is strictly regulated. We explore what you need to know about these gems.
Presenter: Charles Gitonga
Producers: Ayuba Iliya, Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine
Senior Producer: Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
This feud is little more than two factions within the Federal government fighting over how exactly to use the Fed’s many powers to inflate, exploit, and help fund an ever expanding federal government.
The current Washington tiff between Donald Trump and Jerome Powell is being reframed as Powell heroically defending the Fed’s “independence.” In truth, the Fed has always done the administration’s dirty work and pursued inflation when it might temporarily boost the economy.
The data centers needed to power AI are controversial in many communities. People worry about that extra demand driving up their electricity bills, which are already up almost 7% in a year. In response, Microsoft is pledging to pay extra for electricity to power its data centers and says it’ll work to prevent water resources from being drained by giant server farms. And later, we'll discuss the Trump administration's plan to control Venezuela's oil.
Iran threatens executions. Top level Greenland meeting on tap at the White House. Actor Timothy Busfield denies allegations of child abuse. CBS News Correspondent Steve Kathan has those stories and more on the World News Roundup podcast.
From the BBC World Service: China has announced record export numbers and the largest trade surplus in global history: $1.2 trillion. Despite the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs, China has been able to pivot to other international trading partners, including countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Then, global bond markets are where governments go to raise money to pay for services, but have they become too powerful?