The global scramble for this vital item has exposed the harsh realities of international politics and the limits of the free market. By Samanth Subramanian. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

How the face mask became the world's most coveted commodity

The Audio Long Read podcast is a selection of the Guardian’s long reads, giving you the opportunity to get on with your day while listening to some of the finest journalism the Guardian has to offer, including in-depth writing from around the world on immigration, crime, business, the arts and much more

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

As the author of a book about a pivotal uprising in 18th-century Jamaica, Vincent Brown was enlisted in a campaign to make its leader a national hero. But when he arrived in Jamaica, he started to wonder what he had got himself into. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

A historic revolt, a forgotten hero, an empty plinth: is there a right way to remember slavery?

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: Flordelis grew up in a Rio favela, but rose to fame after adopting more than 50 children, becoming a hugely successful gospel singer and winning a seat in congress. And now she is on trial for murder. By Tom Phillips. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

From the archive: Did Brazil’s evangelical superstar have her husband killed?

Four years on from the start of the pandemic, the drama may have subsided but the lingering effects go on. Are we suffering from political long Covid? By David Runciman. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Rage, waste and corruption: how Covid changed politics

Linguistic diversity on Earth is far more profound and fundamental than previously imagined. But it’s also crumbling fast. By Ross Perlin. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Disappearing tongues: the endangered language crisis

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2020: A drone sighting caused the airport to close for two days in 2018, but despite a lengthy police investigation, no culprit was ever found. So what exactly did people see in the Sussex sky? By Samira Shackle. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

How the face mask became the world's most coveted commodity

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