The Real Story

In October thousands of delegates are expected to arrive in the Russian resort of Sochi for an extraordinary gathering. It will be the first ever conference between Russia and the countries of Africa. President Putin is due to hold meetings with African heads of state to discuss Russia's ties to the continent. Russia is rekindling links with Africa that existed during the Cold War and creating new partnerships with countries which, in the past, had closer ties to the West. Some have already accepted Moscow's military support while others have signed energy and mining deals with Russian companies. So what is Russia's Africa doctrine? Are these budding relationships more about business or diplomacy? What do African nations gain by moving closer to Russia? And, is Moscow trying to join a race that, in fact has already been won by Beijing? Julian Marshall and a panel of expert guests discuss Russia’s future in Africa.

South Africa is one of the richest countries in Africa. Its businesses and investments have been a catalyst for growth on the continent and according to the World Bank, African immigrants have made a positive impact on South Africa’s economy. Yet foreign workers come under regular attack in South Africa. In the most recent spate of violence, hundreds of foreign owned businesses were damaged by protestors who said foreigners were taking their jobs. Several people died. The South African government condemned the attacks; but fell short of calling them xenophobic. Others on the continent aren't so sure. From Ethiopia to Zambia to Nigeria the reaction has been fierce. Artists have cancelled events, radio stations have boycotted South African music and hundreds of Nigerians were repatriated to Lagos. Julian Worricker and a panel of expert guests discuss the latest signs of anti-foreigner intolerance in South Africa. Why are immigrants being targeted in the Rainbow Nation and what impact will the negative reaction have on the country?

Every summer at a mountain resort in Wyoming, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas hosts a symposium of central bankers and academics to discuss the global economy. This year at Jackson Hole, the outgoing Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, grabbed headlines by calling for a new global monetary system to replace the US dollar as the world’s main currency reserve. A new digital currency, he said, based on a basket of currencies and provided by the public sector, could be more stable and sustainable than the dollar in today’s volatile, multi-polar world. But what would such a shift mean? Is this actually an old idea, revived by our digital age? And how could the rise of the private crypto-currencies such as Facebook’s Libra change the way money - and governments - work? Join Chris Morris and our panel on The Real Story this week as we ask: how is money changing, and could different systems be better for people and countries?

The Amazon rainforest is an essential part of maintaining the earth's ecosystem and weather patterns. But this year thousands of fires are ravaging there - the most intense blazes for almost a decade. Brazil's indigenous and environmental groups have raised alarm at the rate of deforestation caused by the fires, many of which are thought to have been started deliberately by farmers and loggers. The G7 group of industrial nations have offered tens of millions of dollars to countries in the region to fight the fires. President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, after initially blaming the environmental groups of overreacting, has deployed soldiers to help fight the blaze. But he has shown little enthusiasm towards the international offer of help, and said that the Amazon was being treated as a colony or no-man's land by countries like France. So what's the best way to decide the future of the Amazon forests? Should they be treated as a world treasure with a global consensus over its preservation? Or, should the Amazon countries have sovereignty over the forests and their natural wealth and have the final say. And what about the rights of the indigenous groups and farmers? Join Paul Henley and a panel of expert guests as they discuss the future of the Amazon.

The on-going protests in Hong Kong and Russia come as Eastern Europe begins to mark the 30th anniversary of one of the most important geopolitical shifts of the 20th century - the collapse of Communism. The 20th century struggle against communist dictatorships lasted decades and claimed thousands of victims but eventually reached its aims. So, what about the protests of the 21st century? We have watched the Green Movement in Iran, then the Arab Spring, revive people’s hopes for democracy - then crush them. Yet today, protesters in Moscow, Khartoum, Hong Kong and elsewhere are still fighting for change. Paul Henley and a panel of expert guests discuss what the latest wave of protesters have learnt from the failures of the Arab uprisings. What are the challenges and advantages for protesters in the age of social media and how have the authorities adjusted to new tactics?

The British Green MP, Caroline Lucas, this week called for an 'emergency cabinet' of women from across the UK’s political spectrum to help prevent Britain from leaving the European Union without a deal. Women, she said, were better placed to deal with 'difficult, intractable problems'. So, is this true? Women have had to fight to gain a place in national politics in countries around the world, and when they make it, their challenges are far from over. Just last week, for example, the Kenyan MP, Zuleika Hassan, was ejected from the national parliament after she brought her baby into the chamber. So how does this compare to some of the other obstacles facing female politicians as they develop their careers? Do women govern differently to men, how does policy change when they're in charge and do women need to join the boys club to get ahead? Julian Worricker and a panel of guests ask - how do women change politics?

In recent years the formula for winning elections has moved away from reaching out to all voters and charting a middle ground. Instead, politicians are promoting wedge issues and activating voters along issues of identity and against the status quo. The polarising nature of this variety of politics was on view this week in the aftermath of the tragic mass shooting in Texas. It was also seen in India, where the Hindu nationalist BJP government rammed through a dramatic policy change on Kashmir without consulting its people, who are mostly Muslims. Similar trends are occurring in Turkey, Philippines and Brazil, where strongman politics has reduced the space needed for healthy dialogue and diminished the rights of minority constituencies. So, when did the politics of compromise fall out of fashion and why? What has been the role of technology in turbo-charging the adversarial tone? And what will it take for the politics of the middle ground to make a comeback? Julian Worricker and a panel of guests discuss whether current trends are part of a historical cycle or the new normal.

In his first speech to the British parliament as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson promised a “radical” overhaul of the British immigration system modelled on an Australian-style points-based system where applicants are judged on the contribution they could make to the economy. Concerns about immigration are said to be one of the main driving factors behind Brexit - with many voters unhappy with the rapid pace of change in their communities. So, what will be the shape of a future British immigration system? Is a points based system the best way to decide who comes to a country - and should the economy take priority over historic links and family ties? Why is the Australian model so often cited? And what does locking out low skilled immigrants do for a society’s ability to function? Join Chris Morris and guests as they tackle these questions.

Boris Johnson has become the prime minister of Britain at a time when the country is facing numerous challenges at home and abroad. His supporters admire him for his colourful politics and quick-witted oratory skills, but he has also been described as untrustworthy and divisive by members of his own party. So what kind of politics can Boris Johnson offer? Join Ritula Shah and guests as they discuss his record as a politician and look ahead to how he might tackle Brexit, Britain’s relationship with the Trump administration, and the tension with Iran in the Middle East.

The Italian government has been calling on European countries to come up with a new plan to absorb migrants reaching its shores via the Mediterranean Sea. A tougher approach to migration was one of the campaign promises of the deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, and after his League party's victory in 2018, Italy banned migrant rescue ships from docking in its ports. The actual number of migrants arriving in Italy by sea has been going down every year since 2016, when the European Union began to train the Libyan and Tunisian coast guard to intercept migrant boats and return them to North Africa. But the UN says migrants are being held in appalling conditions at detention centres in Libya, and the fighting there is endangering their lives. So, is it time for Europe to reconsider its partnership with Libya? Why are European countries failing to agree on a plan to help out Italy? And how much of the concern expressed by Italy are motivated by political reasons? Join Ritula Shah and guests as they discuss Europe's migration standoff.