Show Notes
In the 14th Century, the Black Death wiped out up to half the population of Europe. So, no wonder world leaders, including Donald Trump, are keeping a careful watch on a plague scare in Eastern Russia. One laboratory worker from a plague research facility in Siberia has died, with fears they may have been exposed to pneumonic plague – the most virulent and dangerous form of the disease. A further 200 people were placed in quarantine. With the Covid pandemic still fresh in people’s minds, what is pneumonic plague and how worried should we be about a potential outbreak? Niall Paterson speaks to Sky’s science and medical correspondent Thomas Moore. Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: [email protected]
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PHP. The three little letters few people realised were so vital for most of the websites in the world. But a vulnerability in a piece of programming virtually all of us had never heard of has affected everyone from small businesses to major governments. Millions of cyberattacks have followed in the wake of the problem being made public. But the fact is, your personal information – from email addresses to bank details – was already at risk. AI is increasingly both poacher and gamekeeper – discovering the vulnerability in the first place but also playing a vital role in cybersecurity. So, is it time to rethink our online lives? Gareth Barlow speaks to Sky’s technology correspondent Rowland Manthorpe. Have you got a question for the show? Email us: [email protected]
Winter is coming. So, a decision to finally allow drilling at the controversial Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea should be welcome. Well, not by environmental campaigners – who've accused the government of backtracking on its net zero commitments. And even supporters of North Sea expansion have admitted opening Jackdaw won’t reduce energy bills, even though it could start helping to supply homes within months. Why, then, has Andy Burnham invested so much political capital in giving the go-ahead? Gareth Barlow is joined by Sky’s science and technology editor Tom Clarke and business correspondent Paul Kelso. Have you got a question for the show? Email us: [email protected]
Europe’s leaders are joining the fight for the Far North – but is it already too late? The European Union has announced a new security strategy for the Arctic. Yet Russia and China already appear to have a huge advantage in the region. Moscow is exploring new trade routes through its shadow fleet, and – with Beijing’s help – the race is on to exploit the Arctic’s reserves of rare earth minerals. Will the UK, US and Canada join Europe’s belated response? Or, as the ice melts, is too late to stop a new cold war from heating up? Gareth Barlow speaks to Sky’s military analyst, Robert Clark. There is more exclusive military analysis and content on the new Sky News Defence Insider app. Sky News Defence Insider is a subscription app designed for audiences seeking deeper insight into defence, security and global affairs. Download and subscribe here. Have you got a question for the show? Email us: [email protected] Paid subscription required for full access. UK only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Violent clashes, burning buildings, widespread looting and thousands of arrests. Even for France, the scale of the current protests across the country is extreme. What started off as student demonstrations, highlighting issues like a lack of staff and equipment in schools, has grown into a much bigger movement – which the government admits it’s struggling to contain. But France isn’t the only country where the young are protesting. Students in Albania, Italy, Spain and Portugal have also clashed with authorities. So, what’s caused such a huge disconnect between the state and young people across the continent? Gareth Barlow speaks to French journalist Catherine Guilyardi, who lives in Paris and witnessed the violence over the weekend. Have you got a question for the podcast? Email us: [email protected]
Surely, the first rule of being a press secretary is never to be the story. But it took Donald Trump's newest spokesperson just 14 minutes to put herself very much front and centre. That was how long Katie Zacharia's first - and only - White House briefing lasted. Now, the president has asked her to consider her position less than a week into the job, leaving her little choice but to stand down. Plucked from a role as a TV talking head, Zacharia had been trusted to replace Karoline Leavitt as the president’s press secretary – responsible for relaying the MAGA message to the media. But she was quickly embroiled in controversy – not least for appearing to overstate her credentials as a fully qualified lawyer. Recorded before her departure, Niall Paterson is joined by the chairman of Republicans Overseas UK, Greg Swenson. Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: [email protected]