logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2025
24m 48s

Wheels of justice: the ICC gets Duterte ...

The Economist
About this episode

The International Criminal Court has arrested Rodrigo Duterte, a former president of the Philippines. The case highlights both the strengths and the weaknesses of international justice. We examine the spate of bombings plaguing Sweden—carried out by young people who are in it for the money (8:18). And remembering Athol Fugard, a playwright who spoke truth to power in South Africa’s apartheid era (17:04).


Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Up next
Aug 22
Rule and divide: opposition grows in Syria
Less than nine months after Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled, the honeymoon is over. How is the new regime responding to rising dissent? Introducing Britain’s revolutionary retirees: why pensioners increasingly dominate political protest. And celebrating the life of o ... Show More
23m 38s
Aug 21
Stake and chips: will America take 10% of Intel?
Intel was once synonymous with chip-making, but in recent years it has fallen behind. Now the Trump administration may become its biggest shareholder. A political assassination in Colombia raises fears about a return to violence. And what an annual snail race tells us about rural ... Show More
21m 2s
Aug 20
Trouble in paradise: US plans for Pacific war
With China as its new rival, America is reviving old wartime facilities across the Pacific. Our correspondent visits an abandoned airfield that has been given new life. The outlook for climate technology is surprisingly bright. And why the universe of Hello Kitty keeps expanding. ... Show More
22m 34s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
The dark legacy of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines
While in power, former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte ordered the murder of thousands of people without trial. Journalist Patricia Evangelista chronicles the leader's bloody 'war on drugs' in her memoir "Some People Need Killing." About: On Point is WBUR’s award-winning, d ... Show More
47m 20s
Mar 2025
Stock selloff, farmers, Duterte arrest and Maradona
The U.S. stock market loses $4 trillion in value as President Donald Trump plows ahead on tariffs. Farmers put their plans and investments on hold under his USDA spending freeze. The Philippines’ former President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested at the ICC’s request over his dru ... Show More
12m 13s
Dec 2024
Will the ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant Lead to Justice?
In this episode, we speak to Dr. Nimer Sultany, a law professor at SOAS. We discuss the ICC and the ICJ; what impact these cases will have and whether we should be optimistic about these legal developments. Dr. Sultany speaks with host Diana Buttu about the unprecedented number o ... Show More
17m 15s
Oct 2024
Follow the leader: who will run Hamas?
There is a vacuum at the top of Hamas following the killing of the militant group’s commander in Gaza. Our correspondent tells us about two of the men who could replace him. How black voters may swing the presidential election in Georgia (9:34). And remembering Turkish activist F ... Show More
24m 55s
Feb 2025
Top criminal court condemns US sanctions on officials
The International Criminal Court has said it will continue to provide justice and hope to the victims of atrocities, after Donald Trump signed an order to impose US sanctions on its staff. The court said it stood firmly by its personnel. Mr Trump signed the order during a visit b ... Show More
49m 10s
Apr 2025
What is the International Criminal Court?
The International Criminal Court has been in the spotlight recently after it issued several arrest warrants for both Hamas and Israeli officials involved in the Israel-Gaza war. Following this, US President Donald Trump announced sanctions against the court and Hungary also accus ... Show More
9m 45s
Feb 2025
Leeward: we meet South Korea’s probable president
We meet the opposition leader who is likely to be the next president. Cleaning up the domestic mess after an alleged coup would seem easy compared with his tasks on the international stage. Our correspondent reports on renewed violence in Colombia; again, or still, it is about co ... Show More
25m 4s
Jul 14
Old-school Thai: is another coup coming?
After Thailand’s constitutional court suspended the country’s prime minister, our correspondent explains the need for fresh elections to avoid economic stagnation – and the possibility of the army stepping in. More celebrities are setting up businesses. And what the sea slug can ... Show More
21m 15s
Jun 17
Confused unity: the mood in Iran
A sudden war made Iran’s leaders look unprepared. And many Iranians loathe the regime. But there are no signs yet that internal dissent will shape the conflict. Shortly after Nayib Bukele became El Salvador’s president, he was labelled as the world’s first millennial dictator; no ... Show More
23m 28s
Aug 15
A farewell to arms? Hamas considers its options
Opinions of Hamas are shifting—among its international backers, in Gaza, even within its affiliates’ ranks. If it opts to disarm, what would happen next? A new analysis suggests using a sense of risk to explain markets’ movements might be focusing on the wrong emotion. And our fi ... Show More
24m 28s