Wait, There's More

For about a week, Iran went totally dark. The government shut down the internet after people started protesting over gasoline prices rising and the security-force cracked down. At least 200 people died. Since then, the internet has been partially restored and people have been posting videos of what was happening in the country during that week of being cut off from the rest of the world.

Host Tamara Khandaker talks to journalist Farnaz Fassihi of the New York Times. They discuss what’s fuelling the turmoil, and why the government is cracking down.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leaked documents from inside the Chinese government lay out the country’s policies on the surveillance and mass internment of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in China’s Xinjiang province. For a long time, the Chinese government has denied the existence of these mass detention camps, and then said they were for vocational training. But what these cables reveal feels straight out of a dystopian novel. 

Host Tamara Khandaker speaks with Bethany Allen-Ebrahim, lead reporter for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on the China Cables. They discuss what the leaked documents reveal about the Chinese government’s policies toward Uighurs — and unpack how we got here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. We’re also about two weeks away from the 30th anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre. Thirty years later . . . what have we learned? A group of reporters at Global News have launched a series that looks into that question, called Broken: Canada’s ongoing failure to end violence against women.

Host Tamara Khandaker in joined by Global News journalist Maham Abedi, whose reporting for the series explores the underfunding of women’s shelters. Women’s shelters and transition homes are often the starting point for those fleeing violence. And yet, many are decades old, crumbling from lack of repairs and struggling to finance the life-saving services they provide.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a super eventful week in Washington. The House Democrats just wrapped up five days of public-facing, televised hearings into the impeachment of U.S. President Donald Trump. We’ve seen testimony from career diplomats, people in Trump’s national security circle, and a whole cast of characters.

Host Tamara Khandaker talks to Global’s Washington bureau chief Jackson Proskow. They give you all the highlights, and talk about whether the U.S. is any closer to answering the question if Trump should be impeached.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday, Justin Trudeau unveiled his new cabinet. It contains a few new faces, but a lot of familiar ones, too. And the choices he’s made may tell you what his strategy could be for the next few years. Today’s all about meeting the new cabinet, and trying to make sense of it all.

Host Tamara Khandaker connects with Global’s chief political correspondent David Akin to break it all down.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The constitutional challenge of Dr. Brian Day in British Columbia has placed Canada’s health care system on trail. He began his battle against the province in 2009, arguing that patients have a right to pay for private care if the public system leaves them waiting too long. But B.C. law states that doctors are not allowed to work for the private and public systems at the same time, and that private clinics can’t charge patients more money for services that are also covered by the public health system.

Host Tamara Khandaker chats with Global’s Keith Baldrey, legislative bureau chief based in Victoria, B.C. He takes us through both sides of this case, and how — if the court rules in Brian Day’s favour — this could impact the rest of Canada.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saudi Aramco, the world’s most profitable company and the kingdom’s crown jewel, is about to go public. Since this was first announced a couple of weeks ago, the hype has died down a bit. Aramco’s executives were going to meet with major institutional investors around the world to promote the company ahead of it being listed on the Saudi stock exchange next month. But because interest from foreign investors wasn’t as high as they’d hoped, they’re going to focus on marketing to investors from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Host Tamara Khandaker is joined by Ellen Wald, author of Saudi, Inc.: The Arabian Kingdom's Pursuit of Profit and Power. They discuss the history of Aramco, and why the Saudi government has chosen now to go public.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a rare interview, Prince Andrew sat down with BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis regarding his relationship to Jeffrey Epstein, the late hedge fund manager and registered sex offender. Andrew himself has been accused of having sex with one of Epstein’s victims when she was just 17 years old, something that Buckingham Palace has forcefully denied from the beginning. During the hour-long broadcast on Saturday, Andrew categorically denied having sex with the woman, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, and said he had “no recollection” of ever meeting her. But Andrew’s gamble that the sit-down interview would put the issue to rest was misguided according to commentators — drawing headlines instead, and a public relations disaster.

Host Tamara Khandaker is joined by Patricia Treble, a long-time royal watcher who writes for Maclean’s. They cover all of the key moments of the interview, talk a bit about who Prince Andrew is, and how this is all playing out in the UK.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday night spent scrolling through a seemingly endless list of TV shows and movies . . . sound familiar? The streaming wars have begun, and Canadians have the option to choose between multiple online services for all of their entertainment needs. But when the subscription fees add up, does cord-cutting feel like a cost savings after all?

Host Tamara Khandaker chats with freelance tech and culture writer Navneet Alang. They discuss the new streaming services available in Canada, including Apple TV and Disney Plus. What makes them different, how has the streaming landscape changed since the advent of Netflix, and what does this new level of competition means for the future of how we watch TV.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The protests in Lebanon may have been spurred by a proposed tax on WhatsApp, but it’s become so much more than that. Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned last month in response to the nationwide anti-government movement, as demonstrators continue to call for a complete overhaul of the country’s political system.

Host Tamara Khandaker connects with Julie Tegho Bou and Cyril Bassil in Lebanon, organizers of a human chain across the country in a show of solidarity with anti-government protests. They help explain why people in Lebanon are so angry, how the country got to this point, and what the protesters are asking for.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.