The Inquiry BBC World Service

Each year, Ukraine exports enough food to feed 400 million people around the world. But the Russian invasion has disrupted vital trade routes, trapping an estimated 25 million tonnes of grain in silos around the port city of Odesa.

The African Union describes the situation as a catastrophic scenario, and the UN Secretary General says the shortages could tip millions of people into food insecurity.

But how reliant is the world on Ukrainian – and Russian – grain? What will a shortfall do to the world’s most vulnerable countries?

On the Inquiry this week, Charmaine Cozier asks, has the war in Ukraine sparked a global food crisis?

Producer: Ravi Naik
Researcher: Chris Blake
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

Not so long ago the music industry was threatened like it had never been before as online piracy tore into the profit margins of record labels the world over. Often hailed as the saviour, Spotify stepped in and offered audiences a new way of enjoying their favourite artists and without the need to illegally download pirated material. Despite this, musical artists are becoming increasingly vocal about how difficult it is to make a living from streaming, all whilst record labels and Spotify are reporting huge profit margins.

This week, Tanya Beckett takes a closer at how online streaming services are affecting the music industry.

Produced by: Chris Blake and Louise Clarke-Rowbotham
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: Craig Boardman
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

There was a time when living to 100 seemed impossible, but not any longer.

Can the process of ageing be slowed or even reversed? Do those who have already lived to 100 hold the secrets that will help us all live longer?

While science tries to find the answers to living a long and healthy life, societies with ageing populations, such as Japan, are finding new ways to help their older population live active and connected lives.

On the Inquiry this week, Charmain Cozier asks, how do we live to 100?

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Produced by: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham and Ravi Naik
Editor: Tara McDermott


(Chocolate 100th Birthday Cake. Credit: Getty images)

Ever since Hollywood entered the Chinese market in the early '90s, the importance of Chinese audiences was apparent. Over recent years the Chinese market has grown in significance to the point of deciding whether a film is ultimately successful or not. Given the countries importance to the overall profitability of Tinsel Town, it is of little surprise that their censors are able to increasingly demand changes to films that threaten the Chinese narrative. Despite this, the recent Sony/Marvel blockbuster Spider-Man did not appear to challenge Chinese values.

Tanya Beckett takes a closer at How China’s increasing influence is affecting the movie-making process in Hollywood.

Producer: Christopher Blake
Editor: Richard Vadon


(Giant billboard screens advertising Spider-man in Hong Kong, China. Dec 2021. Credit: Budrul Chukrut /Getty Images)

The Covid-19 pandemic forced countries all over the world to close entire industries and force the majority of people to stay in their own homes where possible, only leaving for the bare essentials.

Following the arrival of a vaccine economies began to open back up, however, restarting the behemoth-like supply chains was not as simple as first hoped and issues began to occur resulting in empty shelves and price-gouging on certain products. Experts believed it was all par for the course and was merely a transitory period whilst global supply chains regained their flow. Then Russia invaded Ukraine. Then China locked down Shanghai, the world's largest shipping port. Tanya Beckett takes a closer look at how these two developments have changed the outlook on global inflation.

Producer: Christopher Blake
Editor: Richard Vadon

Image: Shoppers at a market in Istanbul (Credit: Diego Cupolo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

After two really difficult years living in the grip of Covid-19, restrictions are winding down and international borders are opening up in countries around the world. Striking the right balance between the needs of a population fed up with lockdowns and scientists warning we’ve only reached the end of the beginning is complicated to get right. While it may feel like the worst of Covid-19 has passed, the disease still poses a real threat to us. We ignore this fact at our peril. So, in this week’s Inquiry Sandra Kanthal will be asking how pandemics really end.

Produced and presented by Sandra Kanthal
Editor: Richard Vadon

Guests:
Dr Margaret Harris, Spokesperson, World Health Organisation
Nicholas Christakis, Professor of Social and Natural Science, Yale University
Aris Katzourakis, Professor of Evolution and Genomics, University of Oxford
Dora Vargha, Professor of History and Medical Humanities, University of Exeter



(Covid face mask lying on the ground. Getty images)