In February 2012 - a year after the war in Syria had started - photographer Paul Conroy and Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin smuggled themselves into the war-ravaged Syrian city of Homs. As the first journalists on the scene, they witnessed the targeted attacks perpetrated by the Syrian government on women, children and civilian hospitals.  As they were broadcasting the siege of Homs live to the world, the Syrian regime was using their satellites to locate and target them. The missile...

If you could cheat death, would you? Technology has progressed at a phenomenal rate, allowing us to do things deemed impossible. In this episode, Edwina Stott takes a look at the tech, which could enable us to live forever and asks whether an eternal digital afterlife is something we really want. She speaks with Eugenia Kuyda, founder of Replika, who built a chatbot from her dead friend’s text messages; Professor Michael Graziano, who firmly believes that one day we’ll all upload our brains...

In Everyone Loves Britney, we investigate the complex conservatorship case of Britney Spears. The series looks at her troubled past and what led to her being put under a conservatorship. We question the legality of the processes that took place, and analyse the problems within the probate court system. We speak to people who have been through conservatorships and the attorneys who want to see change. And we ask who stands to benefit from Britney's ongoing conservatorship that has cost her...

In Everyone Loves Britney, we investigate the complex conservatorship case of Britney Spears.The series looks at her troubled past and what led to her being put under a conservatorship. We question the legality of the processes that took place, and analyse the problems within the probate court system. We speak to people who have been through conservatorships and the attorneys who want to see change. And we ask who stands to benefit from Britney's ongoing conservatorship that has cost her...

In Everyone Loves Britney, we investigate the complex conservatorship case of Britney Spears.The series looks at her troubled past and what led to her being put under a conservatorship. We question the legality of the processes that took place, and analyse the problems within the probate court system. We speak to people who have been through conservatorships and the attorneys who want to see change. And we ask who stands to benefit from Britney's ongoing conservatorship that has cost her...

In Everyone Loves Britney, we investigate the complex conservatorship case of Britney Spears.The series looks at her troubled past and what led to her being put under a conservatorship. We question the legality of the processes that took place, and analyse the problems within the probate court system. We speak to people who have been through conservatorships and the attorneys who want to see change. And we ask who stands to benefit from Britney's ongoing conservatorship that has cost her...

The Silk Road was an anonymous marketplace created by Ross Ulbricht on the dark web. Designed with libertarian principles, Ross hinted on his LinkedIn profile what he was working on: “I want to use economic theory as a means to abolish the use of coercion and aggression amongst mankind. Just as slavery has been abolished most everywhere, I believe violence, coercion and all forms of force by one person over another can come to an end. The most widespread and systemic use of force is amongst...

Britney Spears' father has controlled her career and finances since 2008, in a hugely controversial, court-ordered conservatorship. In Everyone Loves Britney, we speak to the people fighting for her freedom as part of the #FreeBritney campaign and take a look at those who have benefited most from her fame and fortune. - - - - - The success of Defiance will be largely down to the support of you, the listener. Below are a number of ways you can help:- Subscribe to the show on your favourite app...

If you could modify your brain, would you? What if an implant or device could make you more efficient, store your memories, or even help you move in ways you are currently unable to? It might seem like a throwaway, theoretical question, but it's one we all may have to consider and potentially, sooner than you'd think. Brain-Computer Interfaces are being developed by gaming companies, social media giants and even the world's richest man, Elon Musk. It's big business, and the possibilities are...

In September 2020, KuCoin, a Singapore based cryptocurrency exchange was hacked for around $285 million of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Exchanges which hold large amounts of cryptocurrency are a constant target for hackers.  Lazarus Group, are a cybercrime group with strong links to North Korea. Over the past decade they have been accused of a number of high profile attacks including the 2014 Sony data breach, the 2016 Bangladesh Bank robbery, the ‘WannaCry’ attack and most recently...

For 28 years, Lebanon's Lira has been pegged to the US Dollar. But 18 months ago, following widespread protests, the government collapsed. Loan defaults and central bank mismanagement saw the Lira devalue and the people of Lebanon could only watch as the value of their savings dropped by the day. Currency controls have meant that getting access to US dollar savings is heavily restricted in Lebanon and converting them into local currency at the bank rate is almost worthless. But a small group...

Last week a group of Redditors from the subreddit r/WallStreetBets took on Wall Street when they collectively bought shares of the struggling video game retailer GameStop. This movement started when it was discovered that approximately 140% of GameStop shares were sold short. With the collective buying power of the millions of subscribers to the WallStreetBets subreddit, they initiated a short squeeze. By driving the price higher, those who had short positions had to buy back the stock to...

Fifty years ago, a war on drugs was launched. Its aim was to irradicate drugs by stopping the supply and punishing use. That war has failed as drug use is more prevalent than ever before. Hundreds of thousands die from overdoses, prisons are clogged with users, and the cost to the economy and society is devastating. But attitudes are changing. Twenty years after Portugal set the global standard by decriminalising the possession of all drugs, Oregan has become the first state in the US to...

With the COVID-19 lockdowns forcing people to stay in their homes and, if possible, not go into the office, businesses have adapted, and remote work has boomed. Remote work tools have been available for years, but companies and individuals have realised that the office is less critical while on lockdown. With workers no longer having to go into the office and restaurants, bars and entertainment either closed or heavily restricted, what is the benefit to living in the city? There has been a...

Following Joe Biden's victory in the Presidential election, Donald Trump and his allies have continually called the election's validity into question and stated that it was fraudulent, with Trump demanding the result be overthrown.  Following the election, surveys have found between 70-80% of Republicans thinking that the result was fraudulent, whilst Democrats have faith in its integrity. Last week, the tensions reached boiling point when a Trump-supporting mob stormed the Capitol building...

America has the highest prison population of anywhere in the world, and young black men have a 50% chance of ending up in jail by the age of 23. Seventy million Americans currently have a criminal record, leading to challenges accessing legal aid, housing, healthcare, voting rights and most importantly, the ability to get a job. Without an income, many fall back into crime and return to jail. The economic and social costs to both society and the individuals is devastating, but with high urban...

In October, Nigerians took to the streets to protest against police brutality in the #EndSARS campaign.  SARS is the Special Anti Robbery Squad is a Nigerian police unit specialising in combating violent crimes ranging from robbery to kidnapping. However, they have been accused of corruption and committing human rights violations including executions, torture, rape and extortion. The movement began in 2017, but October 2020 saw a spike in interest and the protest that began in Nigeria spread...

While division in politics is certainly not new, the Trump era in America has arguably pushed it to an all-time high. News outlets and social media platforms provide a 24/7 source of highly partisan content and elected officials leverage division to grow their support. However, what I've found in making this series is that there isn't any one thing to blame for the growing divide, it's everything.  In the final episode of Chaos, I have asked Chart and Julie to return for a recap on the series...

Social media has infiltrated every part of our lives, especially politics. Social media can quickly push people into echo chambers where highly partisan ideals are championed rather than challenged. We have seen the role that social media has played in elections with companies like Cambridge Analytica exploiting peoples data to profile and target potential voters, but what role does it play in pushing political agenda, spreading misinformation and creating division? - - - - - Show notes and...

We’re in a strange political limbo: Joe Biden is systematically dealing with the transitional process in a composed manner and with full confidence he will be inaugurated on January 20th. However, in the foreground Donald Trump and his allies continue to protest that the election was stolen and Trump has been demanding the result be overturned. Following the election, surveys have found between 70-80% of Republicans think the election results were effected by fraudulent means, whilst...

After dropping to lows of around $4000 when markets went into freefall following the coronavirus outbreak, Bitcoin bounced back to a near to all-time high of around $19,500. So, with the price rallying, what is the bullish case for Bitcoin? Vijay Boyapati highlighted the potential with his article The Bullish Case for Bitcoin, making a case for why it is the hardest form of money and the best store of value.  In this interview, we discuss the originals of the article, why Bitcoin is so...

It’s been over two weeks now since the 2020 Presidential Election, and we are no closer to knowing what the outcome will be. Joe Biden continues to lead his transition team and develop his prospective cabinet, whilst the Trump campaign continues to raise numerous allegations of widespread fraud. Fractures are opening up between Washington politicians and state officials who manage the election processes. News networks are dominated by [artisan viewpoints, with the issue leading to...

Over a week after the 2020 Presidential Election and we are still waiting for agreement on the winner. Following an extended period of uncertainty, when the counting of votes in numerous swing States was still ongoing, on Saturday 7th November, the media declared Joe Biden the winner of the electoral college and the designated President-Elect. World leaders quickly sent congratulatory messages.However, Donald Trump, his campaign, the Republican National Committee, and various prominent...

With the 2020 election upon us, America is deeply divided. The Republican and Democratic parties are at war, fighting this election dirty. With such deep divisions, what role has news, social media and technology played in creating these divisions?