As Parliament has now agreed to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, many members of the ruling Conservative party want to quit the court that tried to block it. It would be yet another costly mistake. Earth’s largest refrigerator, Antarctica, is defrosting. What does this mean for the rest of the world (09:24)? And a tribute to the American journalist held captive by Hizbullah for almost 7 years (17:50).

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Ravaged by a civil war, Sudan could see a nationwide famine by August. With humanitarian aid being blocked on both sides, it is increasingly difficult to get supplies to those who need them the most. How to protect an endangered language (09:01). And, why domestic cats have become an existential threat to Scottish wildcats (14:43).

Additional audio courtesy of the Endangered Language Alliance

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Police clashes with protesters at Columbia University have spilled over into other institutions, raising the question of how to protect free speech on campuses. Given America’s history with students’ anti-war protests going awry, should politicians be worried? Why most British voters now think Brexit was a mistake (we did warn you!) (08:53) And, could new tech protect whales from speeding ships (15:45)?

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The companies behind this wonder of tech are facing allegations of using copyrighted material to build their large language models (LLMs). But will the courts consider it fair use? Why ex-inmates are so likely to die just after they leave prison (10:15). And, the case for booing in sports (16:13). 

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At a time when Russia has been making significant gains, an allocated $61bn of aid for Ukraine will be felt on the battlefield almost instantly. Will it help turn the course of the war? In a world of endless supply chain disruptions, how can businesses shore up against the costs (11:26)? And the appeal of two-month-old stew (18:37).

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A missile has reportedly struck a site in the Islamic Republic. If this is retaliation for Iran’s most recent attacks, then it is a muted response. But is there still a risk of escalation? As India’s election kicks off, a look into why the opposition is likely to have a poor showing (09:07). And, a tribute to the first foreign-born grand champion of sumo (19:15).

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More than 1bn people around the world are obese. That means there should be extraordinary demand for drugs to cure or mitigate the condition. Novo Nordisk is now Europe’s most valuable company and Eli Lilly’s market value has more than doubled. Both make the “miracle” drugs that can help people shed up to a fifth of their body weight. But these drugs promise to do more than boost drug companies’ profits. How will they reshape the economy?

Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Mike Bird and Tom Lee-Devlin. Guests: The Economist’s Georgia Banjo; pharmaceuticals analyst Michael Nedelcovych; and John Cawley, a professor of public policy and economics at Cornell University.

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Governments particularly in the rich world are struggling to get young people in uniform. Will some form of conscription become necessary? In America, how remote working husbands may be liberating their wives (10:19). And, the generational hunting prowess of the killer whale (16:53).

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All over the world, young men are identifying more with the political right, even as women drift more to the left. What is behind the gulf, and how to close it? The seeming drop in crime in Naples is not because the notorious mafia activity has disappeared—it has evolved (10:11). And exploring the history and the present of the flat white (17:08).

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The case for assisted dying is essentially one of individual freedom—and plenty of Britons support a change in the law to permit it. Japan’s Noto peninsula is still reeling from a New Year’s Day earthquake. It could well have been worse, but geography and demography may ultimately limit improvements to earthquake preparedness (10:46). And the pros and cons of corporate uniforms (18:49).

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