logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
24m 58s

The Saga of Ryanair Flight 4978

The New York Times
About this episode
Last week, when the pilots on a commercial flight headed for Lithuania told passengers they were about to make an unexpected landing in the Belarusian capital of Minsk many were confused — except Roman Protasevich. The 26-year-old dissident journalist and one Belarus’s biggest enemies sensed what was about to happen. How and why did Belarus force down the ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
A Disastrous Day in Court for Trump
<p>A federal judge on Monday tossed out separate criminal charges against the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey and New York’s attorney general, Letitia James.</p><p>The manner in which the judge dismissed the Comey indictment could now lead to a legal fight over whether the ... Show More
22m 47s
Nov 24
The Autism Diagnosis Problem
<p>Once primarily limited to severely disabled people, autism began to be viewed as a spectrum that included children and adults far less impaired. Along the way, the disorder also became an identity, embraced by college graduates and even by some of the world’s most successful p ... Show More
32m 40s
Nov 23
Sunday Special: Wicked, Good?
<p>“Wicked” was one of the biggest movies of 2024. It was culturally ubiquitous, a box office smash and an Oscar nominee for Best Picture. Now, a year later, “Wicked: For Good” arrives in theaters to finish the tale of the complicated friendship between Glinda the Good Witch and ... Show More
51m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2020
Fighting for democracy on the streets of Belarus
Two weeks ago, Alexander Lukashenko claimed to win a sixth term as president of the Republic of Belarus. But after his 26 year rule, many in Belarus have had enough. Since the August 9th election, the country has seen widespread protests which have been met with mass arrests and ... Show More
29m 22s
Nov 2021
Crisis on Europe's doorstep: When migration becomes a weapon
Last week tensions at the border between neighbouring Poland and Belarus escalated as thousands of people, looking to start a new life in the West, were stranded in desperate conditions. Belarus has been accused of 'weaponising' the plight of migrants in a geopolitical standoff b ... Show More
25m 36s
Jun 2021
Belarus: more than a moral dilemma
<p>The decision by Belarus to divert a plane to Minsk to arrest a dissident journalist was intended to send a message to opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko, whose 27 years in office have seen him dubbed Europe’s last dictator. However, the act has renewed international c ... Show More
22m 38s
Oct 2021
What are Vladimir Putin's mercenaries doing in West Africa?
When a cargo plane containing four helicopters and a large consignment of military hardware touched down in the capital of Mali last month, observers raised an eyebrow. The kit was definitely from Russia – but was this the Russian army, or something else?This podcast was brought ... Show More
25m 18s
Jun 2023
Belarusian roulette: a mutiny’s aftermath
<p>Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner Group fighters are said to be welcome in safe-haven Belarus. We ask how Aleksandr Lukashenko, the country’s puppet president, ended up in the role of <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/26/alexander-lukashenko-is-the-clearest-bene ... Show More
23m 55s
Jul 2021
The new Cold War: What really happened in the Black Sea?
Two weeks ago tensions bubbled up in the Black Sea as a British warship, HMS Defender, sailed through Ukrainian waters and encountered Russian forces. What really happened during those 36 minutes? It depends on who you ask… This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of ... Show More
26m 52s
Aug 2023
Brutally Beaten in Chechnya
How one Russian reporter is risking her life for journalism.We catch up with prominent investigative reporter Yelena Milashina who was severely attacked moments after flying in to the Russian republic of Chechnya.We’re also joined by the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford who’s in Poland, whe ... Show More
30m 8s