The Agenda Podcast

Send a text Of all the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline industry might have had it the hardest. The head of the IATA,  the industry's trade body, has described the pandemic as the gravest crisis aviation has ever faced. Today we talk to Akbar Al Baker, the CEO of Qatar Airways. He explains to Stephen how he thinks the airline industry as a whole will operate in the...

Send a text Today on the podcast we look at how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted the poorest around the world and what those in power can do to address the situation. Economic growth, diversification and sustainable development have all contributed to a fall in the number of people living in poverty over the past 20 years.  That progress could be wiped out in a matter of months as the Internationa...

Send a text The killing of George Floyd in the United States earlier this year, has put the issue of racism and prejudice back in the headlines. There has been an outpouring of rage and protests around the globe, as many tried to come to terms with racism on a personal and an institutional level. Today on the podcast we look at prejudice and why and how human beings discriminate against each other...

Send a text Covid-19 has taken the attention away from one of the most seismic shifts in European politics in recent memory  - Britain’s prolonged withdrawal from the European Union.  Some might think the process was done and dusted on Brexit Day earlier this year, but the truth is that there is still a long way to go in determining what the UK/EU relationship will look like in the future.  Speaki...

Send a text So far, Africa appears to have been spared the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus is certainly spreading more slowly across the continent than elsewhere in the world. On this week’s Agenda Podcast with Stephen Cole we examine exactly why that might be, as well as considering what the economic effect will be on a continent where trade has been increasing and poverty falling for t...

Send a text As the COVID-19 pandemic rolls on, many around the world are still stuck indoors practicing social distancing. And while this may keep us safe from the virus, it can have a tremendous strain on our mental health and wellbeing. Today on the Agenda Podcast, we examine how the coronavirus has affected our hopes, fears and lockdown dreams.   One of the UK's most renowned anthropologis...

Send a text In a bid to avoid filing for bankruptcy, airlines are practically racing to make sure their planes are pandemic-proof. Today on the Agenda Podcast we find out how airlines will function in a post-COVID-19 age.  Our first guest is Toppi Manner, the CEO of Finnish Airline Finnair. I asked him how his airline is charting a course through one of the most difficult periods in the history of...

Send a text On The Agenda Podcast this week, Stephen Cole is joined by China's Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming, to discuss China's position on the world stage in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.  In his interview with Stephen Cole, Ambassador Liu touches on a variety of topics. Ambassador Liu talks about trade, the unrest in Hong Kong and why it is not yet the time for an investig...

Send a text Economists around the world are being kept awake at night by the financial implications of COVID-19. Public debt in emerging markets has surged to levels not seen in 50 years and many countries are having to take on more and more debt in an effort to control the pandemic. Today on the Agenda Podcast we look at  possible solutions. To get a broader understanding of the Covid-19 debt iss...

Send a text If the world is ever to return to anything like normality, experts agree we need to find a vaccine for Covid-19 as soon as possible. In today’s episode of the Agenda Podcast with Stephen Cole we talk to Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccines Institute in Seoul to find out more.  He tells us how a vaccine is created and what we can expect in the search for a Covid-19...

Send a text Artificial intelligence and how we program machines used to belong to the realm of science fiction and men in white lab coats looking at complicated spreadsheets. But now, technology has progressed so far that we have to start contemplating how AI can have a real impact on our lives. What are the dangers of AI and how does it benefit society?  In a special episode of the Agenda Podcast...

Send a text The dating business is estimated to be worth $12 billion worldwide in what is an increasingly competitive market, with more than 300 million active users of the thousands of dating apps out there. Today on the Agenda Podcast we talk to a relationship historian about the potential damage that dating apps could be doing to our relationships. But first we talk to the founder of Eden Black...

Send a text COVID-19 has pulled down shutters of stadiums, postponing – and in some cases cancelling – events around the world. For the Olympics, gold has been put on hold. In this edition of The Agenda Podcast with Stephen Cole we look across the sporting world and speak to some of its biggest players to ask them how they're taking on their toughest opponent yet. First we talk to Sebastian C...

Send a text The human mind is an incredible thing. It allows us to think, speak, perceive and imagine everything from the ordinary to the extraordinary. But what is the difference between the mind and the brain? And can we really train our minds to be better, healthier people? Today on The Agenda Podcast with Stephen Cole we talk to Professor Steven Pinker, a Johnson Family Professor of Psychology...

Send a text This week on the Agenda Podcast with Stephen Cole we look at elections and how how we vote can be as important as who we vote for. To look into electoral systems, and how they work, first we address the issue of vote swapping.  We talk to Tom de Grunwald the founder of SwapmyVote.com about the new phenomenon of vote-swapping and how it influences elections [01.01]. Tom goes into the le...

Send a text Space is the final frontier, but who can afford to go there? As America, China and Europe look to kick-start a new space race - who will be the winners and losers? Where is the real money to be made?  This week on the Agenda Podcast with Stephen Cole try and answer these questions for you.  We talk to space journalist Sarah Cruddas and ask her why she has chosen to build her career aro...

Send a text Today on the Agenda we take a look at what makes us happy.  How do we define happiness? Is trying too hard to be happy – in fact making us miserable? To answer these questions We’re joined on the podcast by Dr. Loretta Breuning, a celebrated author and also the founder of the Inner Mammal Institute – an organisation dedicated to highlighting how our brain chemistry can impact our sense...

Send a text Money might make the world go around, but borrowing by governments and individuals has now reached record levels.  Now, The Agenda looks at the role debt plays in the global economy and in our daily lives. Debt is now an international problem and today on The Agenda, we discuss how we can address it.  We're joined on the podcast by  Dr. Johnna Montgomerie, author of 'Should W...

Send a text Environmental issues have shot to the top of many political agendas around the world. It’s no longer a fringe issue that few are passionate about. Now, looking after the environment has become one of the most talked about issues of our time.  In this  episode we’ll be talking to an expert from the World Wildlife Foundation about the impact of the wildfires that have devastated Australi...

Send a text Opioid addiction is a global epidemic claiming hundreds of thousands of lives around the world. It needs an urgent solution. Who is to blame for the alarming rise in addiction? How did it happen? And what can be done to solve the crisis? Joining The Agenda Podcast with Stephen Cole is Ruth Dreifuss, Former President of Switzerland and now Chair of the Global Commission on Drugs Policy....

Send a text Personal data is big money in the modern world and companies like Facebook and Google are making big money from selling it but the data extracted from us, the consumers, often disappears to places we know very little about.   In this episode we take a look at personal data to determine how what we share in the digital world can have a very impact on our everyday lives.