The Real Story

What might American foreign policy look like under a Donald Trump presidency? Based on his rhetoric during the campaign, the scale of the departure from the status quo will be profound. He promises to upend long-standing relationships with both America's traditional allies and its foes; he says Europe and Asia should pay more for their own security; and his plans to defeat so-called Islamic State...

Across the world we’re seeing the rise of a new kind of popular politics. The old established order is under threat and voters are turning to politicians who offer bold promises for a fresh start. Should we embrace these politicians as charismatic visionaries or deceitful populists manipulating truth in their desire for personal power? Owen Bennett Jones is joined by an expert panel for this speci...

Donald Trump says the US presidential election is rigged. To what extent are his complaints justified and just how do politicians and their supporters manipulate the results of elections in their favour? In this week’s Newshour Extra, Owen Bennett Jones and his guests consider the ways elections around the world can be tampered with and the means by which this these manipulations can be minimised....

South Africa’s universities are being rocked by increasingly violent student protests over tuition fees. The issue has become a flashpoint for a country struggling to provide education, jobs and housing, amid growing political divisions within the ruling ANC party. The president, Jacob Zuma, is facing strong criticism that his government is rife with corruption and mismanagement. Has South Africa...

Is debt essential for economic growth? We look at the economics and morality of debt. Should countries burdened with huge debts be forced to repay them in full? And, if it is fine for an individual to borrow large sums to buy a house, why shouldn’t governments do the same to finance employment schemes or large infrastructure projects? Owen Bennett Jones and his expert panel are in front of a live...

The use of mercenaries in warfare has a very long history, and still very much in evidence today. African governments seeking to push back rebel insurgents often employ mercenaries to carry out the task. From Yemen to Syria, mercenaries are directly involved in combat roles. And defence and training work once carried out by national armies is now often done by private military contractors. In this...

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are seen as the most unpopular candidates to have ever stood for the presidency of the United States. So why is it so difficult for a third party candidate to break through and make a real impact? Owen Bennett Jones and his guests discuss whether the US political system, trumpeted as a shining beacon of democracy across the world, really does give the voter the bes...

Tensions are high in the disputed region of Kashmir. Weeks of protest in the Indian-administered part have left dozens dead and hundreds injured many of them blinded by crowd-control pellets fired by the Indian army. Kashmir has been a dangerous flashpoint between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan for more than six decades. Currently a boundary – the Line of Control – divides the region...

How comfortable would you feel getting into a vehicle driven by a computer? Versions of the driver-less car are now a reality, already on public roads in Singapore and as a taxi service in the city of Pittsburgh in the United States. But can a computer safely navigate complex, unpredictable situations in poor visibility? And can government legislation keep up with the fast-changing pace of technol...

The battle of Stalingrad was arguably the most important strategic battle of the Second World War. The Germans and their allies were eventually defeated by Russian forces after a long, brutal conflict and siege of the city. Aleppo has been described as Syria’s Stalingrad – the country’s largest city, its commercial and trading powerhouse – with rebel held areas under siege by government forces and...

In the UK most payments now made do not involve cash. Rather than handing over notes and coins, most transfers are made electronically. South Korea's central bank has a target of eliminating cash by 2020 and many other countries want to reduce the amount of physical currency in circulation as it is quite costly. So is cash going to be a thing of the past? Owen Bennett Jones and his guests discuss...

There was widespread shock and international condemnation when the Islamic State group destroyed the ancient Syrian site of Palmyra in 2015. But why does preserving heritage matter? Does an exploration of the past always bring unity, or is there a danger that preserving history can fuel divisions? And are we in danger of prioritising culture over human life? Join Owen Bennett Jones for a special e...

This week it was announced that London was getting a new team of specialist police officers to investigate online hate crimes, including abuse on Twitter and Facebook. But how widespread is the problem, and is getting law enforcement involved the best way to tackle it? In this week’s Newshour Extra, join Owen Bennett Jones and his guests as they discuss why the abuse happens, and whether there sho...

Is India’s caste system a discriminatory and divisive anachronism that’s had its day, or does it provide stability and order in a complex society with its roots in ancient traditions? Members of the low-caste Dalit community – once known as ‘untouchables’ – are marching in the state of Gujarat following a spate of recent attacks against them. They say they’ll boycott their designated tasks within...

Zimbabwe’s economy is in severe crisis and President Robert Mugabe’s opponents are growing increasingly bold with widespread public sector strikes and protests on the streets of the capital Harare and other cities. As ever, Mr Mugabe remains defiant, and has recently made it clear he intends to be president of Zimbabwe until he dies. He’s now 92 and has led the country since independence in 1980 s...

“The important thing in life is not to win but to take part, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well”. So said the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, at the end of the 19th Century. How does his noble ideal fit with the modern phenomena of professionalism, doping, individual financial gain, nationalistic pride, huge corporate sponsorship...

This week, Owen Bennett Jones is in Istanbul for a special edition of the programme looking at the aftermath of the failed coup attempt in Turkey. We ask who was really behind the putsch and what will be the impact of President Erdogan’s purge of tens of thousands of people from the armed forces, the judicial system and from academic institutions. With Owen will be a panel of guests from across th...

Is Bangladesh losing control to violent fundamentalists? That’s the question Razia Iqbal and her guests are discussing on this week’s Newshour Extra. In early July Islamist gunmen took hostages in a Dhaka cafe, leaving 20 dead. That’s part of an upsurge of deadly violence across the country that has included the brutal murders of many bloggers, atheists and secular intellectuals. Who is to blame?...

British politics is in turmoil following the EU referendum result, and the American political establishment has been turned upside down by the rise of populist candidates. Is this a sign that democratic institutions are being successfully wrested from the grip of established elites, or that democracy itself is in crisis? Join Owen Bennett Jones and his panel of experts as they discuss whether ther...

Google famously said "don't be evil" in its mission statement. But what does this actually mean in practice? The giants of the internet such as Google, Facebook and Amazon have transformed our world by creating a virtual space within which we express our personal thoughts and satisfy our consumer demands. But in using them, we also reveal huge amounts of information about ourselves. This week, Owe...

What does the UK leaving the EU say about the strength of the organisation going forward? Can it perhaps accomplish more with a reluctant partner gone? Or is the ambition of ever-closer political and economic union doomed? Owen Bennett Jones is in Brussels with a panel of European politicians and experts to reflect on the implications of the UK voting to leave the European Union. On the panel: jou...

This week Owen Bennett Jones and his guests on Newshour Extra explore the reasons behind the shocking level of fan violence at the Euro 2016 football championships in France. English and Russian supporters clashed both on the streets and inside the stadium, there were serious injuries, and tear gas was used by the police the break up the riots. We ask what motivates groups of young men to particip...

What might foreign policy look like under the next president of the United States? This week, Ritula Shah presents the programmes from Washington, asking how President Trump or President Clinton might face up to the big global challenges: multi-dimensional war in Syria; Putin flexing his muscles in Russia; Beijing's territorial claims in the South China. These headaches and more await the next occ...

Will future wars be fought online? Just how much damage can be done by cyber terrorists hacking into to top secret military sites, secure government networks, or perhaps vital public utilities running our power and water supplies? And when does a hack become true cyber-warfare, requiring a military response? Join Owen Bennett Jones in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, as he talks to some of the world...

How has a country so rich in natural resources ended up so poor? That’s the question Owen Bennett Jones and his guests are discussing in this week’s Newshour Extra. Venezuela’s economy is in freefall, the shops are empty of even the most basic commodities, and its people are desperate. For a nation blessed with vast oil wealth, the descent into chaos has been spectacular. President Maduro’s govern...