Podcast appearances and mentions of damien mcguinness

Since the end of World War Two and Nazi rule, Germany has been hyper-vigilant about keeping right-wing hardliners out of government. For decades, mainstream politicians have shunned parties like the AfD. But now, with a federal election just weeks away and the AfD rising in the polls, a frontrunner in the race for chancellor has accepted the party's support on an immigration bill. It's an unprecedented step. But does it mean the far-right is being normalised? On this episode, Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC's correspondents in Berlin, Damien McGuinness and Jess Parker, about the evolution of the AfD, and how the party's growing popularity challenges the way Germans think about their own politics and history.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Peter Goffin, Laurie Kalus and Mhairi MacKenzieSound engineer: Mike Regaard and Jonny BakerAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

On 23 August 1989, approximately two million people joined hands to form a 690-kilometre human chain across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.It was a key moment in the protests in Eastern Europe that became known as the Singing Revolution.In 2010, Damien McGuinness spoke to MEP Sandra Kalniete, a Latvian organiser of the event. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Estonian nationalist demonstrators taking part in the protest. Credit: Reuters/Dominique Dudouble)

Kate Adie introduces dispatches on Russia, Germany, Hong Kong, India and Sweden.A Russian soldier who once responsible for guarding Russia's nuclear weapons reveals why he fled the army. In a secret meeting, at an undisclosed location, he tells Will Vernon what he makes of President Vladimir Putin's threats towards the West.Earlier this month German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's argumentative three-way governing coalition collapsed, triggering snap elections in February. Damien McGuinness ponders what Berlin's Christmas lights can tell us about the political mood in the country.In Hong Kong, Danny Vincent reports from inside the courtroom where the pro-democracy media mogul, Jimmy Lai, is on trial. Mr Lai is already serving a prison sentence following a separate trial for his involvement in pro-democracy protests in 2019. Since then, China has imposed a sweeping national security law which many fear is being used to dismantle and chill all political opposition.In Rajasthan, in India, there are efforts underway to rewild vast tracts of degraded land back to its natural state. In one area of Jawai, work has been undertaken to create a wildlife corridor for migrating wildlife. Michelle Jana Chan goes on the trail of a local leopard and her young cubs.Every home in Sweden recently received updated advice on what to do in the event of war. This isn't new to Swedes – but the guidance has been updated because of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and ongoing concern that war could escalate across Europe. Miranda Colchester has been gauging public reaction in the Swedish capital.Series producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Chancellor Scholz's three-party coalition government has fallen apart, leaving Germany mired in a period of political instability. Disagreements between the chancellor and his finance minister Christian Lindner had bubbled for months, ultimately leading to the latter's dismissal. That prompted two of Lindner's party colleagues to resign, effectively dismantling the coalition and leaving the chancellor at the head of a minority government.The political turmoil in Berlin comes as Donald Trump's second election victory leaves the world wondering whether American support will be pulled from Ukraine. Germany is the European Union's largest economy, but its manufacturing sector has been struggling, while consumers have been affected by high inflation.The BBC's Berlin correspondent Damien McGuinness and The Guardian's Berlin correspondent Kate Connolly tell host Katya Adler about the roots of this crisis, and discuss how it may have ramifications around Europe and beyond.Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Alix PicklesSound engineers: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson

In November 2003, the people of Georgia ousted veteran president Eduard Shevardnadze. Protestors stormed the parliament building in the capital Tbilisi, holding flowers in their hands.It would become known as the Rose Revolution. In 2011, Nino Zuriashvili, who was one of the protestors, spoke to Damien McGuinness. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: A Georgian woman holding flowers smiles as special forces leave without fighting. Credit: Sergey Supinski/AFP via Getty Images)

Amid the 2015 migrant crisis, when millions of refugees were seeking safety in Europe, Germany's then Chancellor, Angela Merkel, took an extraordinary step to take in more than a million asylum seekers, mostly from the Middle East. She famously declared, “Wir Schaffen Das” - We can do it. Now, almost 10 years on, many from this generation of refugees are living settled lives in Germany and a recent liberalisation in German citizenship law means they are now eligible for citizenship, giving them a vote in where Germany goes from here. But it is a fraught time to become German. The AfD, a far right party harshly opposed to immigration of all kinds, is rising in popularity, especially in the former East. Damien McGuinness meets former refugees now on a path to citizenship, and finds out what this piece of paper means to them.

Kate Adie introduces stories from Russia, Germany, Timor Leste and OmanAt a recent gathering in a gilded hall in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin thanked VIP supporters for his re-election. As he commenced his fifth term in office, he has reminded his voters that the annexation of Crimea is just the beginning of Moscow's ambitions. Steve Rosenberg reflects on how this latest election has emboldened the President but there are voices of opposition willing to take a stand in spite of the consequences.When German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged the country was seeing a paradigm shift, or Zeitenwende, in supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia, he did not foresee how this would divide public opinion over Germany's potential involvement in a military campaign. Damien McGuinness reports on the ongoing political rifts in Berlin.Timor Leste has had a troubled history and faces multiple economic and social challenges including malnutrition and rural poverty. But marine scientists are discovering that Timor Leste lies on a vast migration route for a wide range of ocean wildlife, which some hope could fuel a fledgling tourism industry, reports Michelle Jana Chan.And we're in Oman, where a journey to the medieval capital of Nizwa leads to a conversation about the changes for women in the country, with a female driving instructor. Women have been legally allowed to drive in the country for more than 2 decades, unlike its neighbour Saudi Arabia, and a rise in the number of women in the workplace means more women are getting behind the wheel, says Sara Wheeler.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison

Kate Adie presents stories from Pakistan, Germany, Portugal, Senegal and the United States. Pakistan's government has issued an order for illegal migrants to leave the country by the beginning of November. This includes around 1.7 million Afghans, according to official figures. Among the many caught in the middle are nearly 2,000 Afghans who risked their lives working with or for British armed forces during the war in Afghanistan. They've been promised visas by the British government that would allow them to resettle in the UK, but many now fear they will be forced to return to Afghanistan, to an uncertain future. Caroline Davies has been speaking to them. Recent state elections in Germany showed a clear rise in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD. The results have sent shockwaves across Germany, as Damien McGuinness found out. An ancient farming village in the Portuguese mountains is fighting plans for an open-cast lithium mine on its doorstep. The lithium would be used for electric car batteries, as part of Europe's green energy transition. But local villagers say the mine will damage their environment, and their way of life. As Europe tries to reduce its dependence on China for lithium imports, the outcome of this dispute is being watched closely, as Caroline Bayley reports. In Senegal, many parents send their sons to study and live in Islamic schools called daaras, often because they cannot afford to raise them themselves. While many daaras provide good education and care, some subject their pupils to abuse and neglect, or force them to beg in the streets. Sam Bradpiece travelled to the capital, Dakar to investigate the story. Although Hollywood's writers have recently ended their five-month strike, the actors strike continues. Virtually all Hollywood film and TV production has stalled, and negotiations last week ended without agreement. David Willis has been covering the story. Producer: Viv Jones Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman

Kate Adie introduces stories about Cambodia's outgoing Prime Minister, and from Pakistan, Romania, New Zealand and Germany. Cambodia has suffered more tragedy than most, including civil wars, American bombing, and the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. For the last 38 years, the country has been ruled by one, increasingly autocratic man, Prime Minister Hun Sen. He is now handing power to a new Prime Minister next week – his own son. Jonathan Head has just been to Cambodia, and reflects on Hun Sen's remarkable longevity in office. Three hundred young Pakistani men are still missing, feared drowned, in the Mediterranean after the Greek shipping disaster in June. Why did they want to leave their country, at the mercy of people smugglers? Caroline Davies has been finding out, and asks what the police are doing to stop the human trafficking. She also meets a family whose teenage sons died in the Greek shipwreck. In Romania on the other hand, the economy is booming, and people are moving to it, rather than away from it. That includes many Romanian emigrants who are now returning home, armed with new skills and attracted back by improved salaries. Tessa Dunlop detects a new confidence in the country. She also finds that this new Romanian tiger, has teeth, and claws. New Zealand is trying to eradicate all rats, possums and stoats. These are not native to New Zealand but were brought there by humans in recent centuries. They have been decimating the local wildlife, like flightless and ground-nesting birds that evolved without those predators. Killing all individuals of several species across a whole country is a tall order however. And what about ethical qualms? Henri Astier joins a rat-catching expedition in Wellington to find out more. Culture wars are raging in many countries, about different issues. In Germany, it's sausages, motorway speeds, and grammar. German is a gendered language, with male and female forms of nouns that denote people, like actor/actress. In German however, the -ess applies to everything. Doctoress. Prime Ministeress. But in the plural, the male form is used no matter the gender of the individuals. This makes some feel that women don't count. The answer? Doctor*esses or Prime Minister:esses, using * or : to indicate that a group does or could include both genders. Damien McGuinness carefully wades into the debate. Producer: Arlene Gregorius Editor: Bridget Harney Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar (Image: Outgoing Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Credit: Kith Serey/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Sweden has found a fourth leak on one of two major undersea pipelines which EU leaders believe are the subject of sabotage. Western leaders say the gas leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea earlier this week were "deliberate and irresponsible." The two pipelines running between Russia and Germany aren't operational, but they reportedly contain up to 778-million cubic metres of natural gas, a source of methane. The Danish Energy Agency says the pipelines contained 778-million cubic metres of natural gas in total - the equivalent of 32 percent of Danish annual CO2 emissions. Some experts don't believe the latest leak is a separate attack, as the BBC's Damien McGuinness reports. Corin Dann spoke to Imperial College London's department of chemical engineering research associate Jasmin Cooper.

We go back to 2020 for this week's podcast, a discussion from our friends at Intelligence Squared Germany, who hosted a live debate in Berlin on whether the EU's recently announced 'Green Deal', a plan to deliver both economic growth and carbon neutrality, is really achievable. The debate was held in partnership with The European Council on Foreign Relations and featured Franziska Brantner of the German Green Party taking on climate activist Dr. Tadzio Müller. It was hosted by BBC journalist Damien McGuinness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in London today, meeting British prime minister Boris Johnson. The two leaders are expected to discuss strategies for ending Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels. The BBC’s Damien McGuinness in Berlin explains that, as a large consumer of Russian oil and gas, Germany finds itself in an increasingly tough position. And French voters will vote in the first round of the presidential election this Sunday. In many parts of the country, youth unemployment is a big issue for voters, so the BBC’s Theo Leggett has traveled to France to find out more about the issue.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in London today, meeting British prime minister Boris Johnson. The two leaders are expected to discuss strategies for ending Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels. The BBC’s Damien McGuinness in Berlin explains that, as a large consumer of Russian oil and gas, Germany finds itself in an increasingly tough position. And French voters will vote in the first round of the presidential election this Sunday. In many parts of the country, youth unemployment is a big issue for voters, so the BBC’s Theo Leggett has traveled to France to find out more about the issue.

The pounding of civilian infrastructure by Russian forces has continued this week in cities like Mykolaiv and Mariupol even as peace talks were underway. And Russia's claims it will reduce its military activity in the north and focus more on Ukraine's eastern Donbas region are being treated with scepticism. Orla Guerin is in Kyiv. Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, described the siege of Mariupol as a ‘crime against humanity' this week. Mariupol's mayor has called for the evacuation of the entire city. But the journey away from the city is fraught with danger and a safe passage is far from guaranteed. Hugo Bachega spoke to those that did manage to escape. A few days after the invasion, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz unexpectedly announced a massive boost in military spending. It's arguably one of the most dramatic shifts in German foreign policy since the Second World War. According to polls most Germans support the new policy, but enthusiasm for it is muted. Our correspondent Damien McGuinness is in Berlin. In Sudan, women have been celebrated for leading the revolution that saw former military ruler Omar al-Bashir toppled. But the Generals still have the upper hand. After two years of sharing power with civilian politicians they staged a coup in October and instituted a transitional military council. Sudan's women and men have been protesting daily and at least 90 people have been killed in a crackdown. Catherine Byaruhanga was in Khartoum. Nearly 1.4 million people in Canada are of Ukrainian heritage. Many of them trace their roots to Ukrainian immigrants who came to Canada in the late 19th century. Greg Mercer's heard how they are rallying to the defence of the old country. Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Hugh Levinson

The German Catholic church is one of the most influential and richest in the world. It is at the epicentre of Catholic theology, debates over the future of the church, and the sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic faith all over the world. Revelations over priests accused of child sexual abuse being protected from consequences by church institutions continue to emerge, with a recent bombshell report even linking Pope Benedict with the scandal from his time in Germany. Many are losing confidence in the church's ability to adapt, and are leaving Catholicism for good. Wolfgang Rothe is one of a new generation of Catholic thinkers; he does things from his Parish in Bavaria that for many are still unthinkable. He presides over blessings for same sex couples, gives women the opportunity to preach in his church, and advocates for an end to celibacy for priests. He has also become something of a celebrity on social media, bringing his campaign to a wider audience. He hopes that by keeping up with modern values, the Catholic Church can win back an increasingly disillusioned generation of German worshippers. BBC correspondent Damien McGuinness heads to Munich to meet Wolfgang, exploring what his movement is trying to do, and the immense ructions its causing in the Catholic world, where the church's traditional values are still sacrosanct. As Wolfgang's mission gains momentum, it could tear the whole church in two. Presenter: Damien McGuinness Producer: Robert Nicholson A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

In a blow to the UK's tourist and aviation industries, the CDC has advised US citizens against travel to the country. We hear more from travel expert, Simon Calder. In Germany, catastrophic flooding has left at least 160 people dead and more than 170 others missing; later this week, Angela Merkel is expected to roll out an emergency aid package for those affected. We hear from the BBC's Damien McGuinness in the village of Nuerburg. And we examine the causes of last month's collapse of Champlain Towers South in Florida with Ana Bozovic, a real estate broker and founder of Analytics Miami and Benjamin Schafer, a structural engineer and professor at Johns Hopkins University. Plus, a news agency has been launched in Africa called Bird, which aims to find inspirational human interest and feature stories from across the continent. We find out more from Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter, which has given its backing to the project. And we're joined throughout the programme by two guests on opposite sides of the Pacific, Les Williams, associate professor at The School of Engineering at The University of Virginia and a co-founder of Risk Cooperative, and Lulu Chen, Asia Investing team leader for Bloomberg News in Hong Kong. (Picture of a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787. Picture credit: Robert Smith via Getty Images).

Two airlines are trialling priority lanes at a UK airport for Covid-vaccinated arrivals. British Airways and Virgin are carrying out the trial at London's Heathrow airport, and we find out more about the project from Phil Collings, former head of aviation at East Midlands Airport in the UK. Also in the programme, a report released today by the German government reveals that more than three decades on from reunification, economic output in the former East Germany continues to lag as much as 20% behind that in the West. The BBC's Damien McGuinness tells us more. We have a report from India examining the economic impact of the most recent wave of coronavirus infections on the country's rural economy. Plus, we hear about the social media influencers helping to boost traditional book sales, from Selene Velez, who goes by the tag moongirlreads on TikTok. And we get wider context from Shannon DeVito, director of books at the American retail giant Barnes & Noble.

Although final numbers of the dead and missing have still not been tallied, the collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida may prove to be the most lethal building failure in American history. Although 37 survivors were pulled from the wreckage in the hours soon after the twelve-storey condominium tower fell, there have been very few rescues since. Now there are questions over whether warning signs of damaged concrete in the twelve-storey structure were taken seriously enough when they were reported – and how safe residents might be in other high-rise structures in Miami and beyond. Will Grant spoke to the families of some residents still unaccounted for. The results from France's regional elections seemed to be pointing to many political currents at once. The sitting government was drubbed – some called it an “implosion” for Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron's party La Republique en Marche. Traditional parties on the left and at the centre-right did unexpectedly well. The turnout was dismal – a record low of around 35% . But there was particular disappointment for the hard right Rassemblement National (formerly the Front National) which saw none of its predicted gains materialise in Provence and the south. Fleur McDonald is in one town near Avignon where the party of Marine Le Pen had expected to do well. Eastern Australia is still struggling to contain a cyclical natural plague… of mice. Apart from the danger to human health, the surge also means serious financial losses for Australian farmers - some properties still have thousands of rodents rampaging across their grain stores every night. But the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has just rejected an application from the government of New South Wales to allow the use of one of the most effective poisons available. Steve Evans reports from Canberra. From day to day, citizens of Lebanon watch how their crumbling pound is doing against the dollar, and fret over the cost of basic essentials like food and petrol. Many of them also wonder whether their leaders will manage to form a new Cabinet and a functioning government. Lebanon is now one of the world's diaspora nations, with more citizens living outside the country than within it. Many of them were driven to distrac tion – and then driven out – by the frustration of having to deal with a dysfunctional state. Mo Chreif [went home to investigate the causes of the huge blast which rocked Beirut ten months ago, and uncovered even more than he'd suspected. And following the historic result of the England-Germany game at Wembley, might both countries start reinventing their stereotypes of each other? Damien McGuinness has been thinking it over in Berlin. Producer: Polly Hope

The pandemic’s impact on politics is being picked over in India after a disappointment for the BJP in West Bengal's state election. Mark Tully was born in India in 1935 and reported from across the subcontinent for the BBC for many years - working as the chief of its Delhi bureau for some of that time. He still lives in the city and has recently been shielding at home – and sent us this long view of how Narendra Modi’s government has dealt with this emergency. After a sluggish start – and some concerns about public reluctance - Germany’s vaccination campaign is gathering pace. The government has agreed to lift some restrictions for vaccinated people. But the new social divide between the vaxxed and the un-vaxxed is sparking some awkward new emotions — and some new German words to describe them. Damien McGuinness reports from Berlin. During the last twenty years, a new generation of Afghan girls have grown up aspiring to work outside the home – some even daring to start up their own businesses. But the past year has been tough for them, and there are fears of what increased Taliban influence may mean for their enterprises. Charlie Faulkner met one young woman wondering how long she can stay afloat. The Galapagos Islands off Ecuador are a showcase of marine life in all its variety - but the country's fishing fleets are fuming over plans to extend the limits of environmental protection zones. Dan Collyns examines the delicate balance between saving the fishing industry and protecting the planet. And in the week that France commemorated one of its greatest sons – Napoleon Bonaparte, who died 200 years ago - Julia Buckley gleans some personal insights into the man behind the myth in an unexpectedly intimate museum of his belongings in the Dordogne.

Hundreds of people are living in appalling conditions in Bosnia-Herzegovina, waiting near the border to Croatia, which they see as their path into the EU. Damien McGuinness talks to Peter van der Auweraert, Nadine Biehler and Dušan Reljić about solutions to the humanitarian crisis now, and EU migration long-term. Talk Guests: Peter Van Der Auweraert, is outgoing Western Balkans Coordinator and representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina of the UN Migration Agency, IOM. Nadine Biehler, Associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs SWP, is part of the SWP project “Forced Displacement, Migration, and Development”. Her research interest includes migration and development policy. Dr. Dušan Reljić, Head of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs' Brussels Office. His research interest includes Western Balkans and EU Enlargement Policy. Host: Damien McGuinness, Berlin correspondent for the BBC

Damien McGuinness talks to Alan Makovsky and Ilke Toygür about what a Biden presidency means for EU-Turkey relations. Will it improve that rocky relationship? And what does the US expect from the EU? Alan Makovsky, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Washington D.C., and non-resident fellow at SWP's Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) until December 2020. His research interests include US-Turkey relations. Dr. Ilke Toygür, analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute, Madrid, and non-resident fellow at SWP's Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS). Her research interests include EU-Turkey relations. Host: Damien McGuinness, Berlin correspondent for the BBC

This week's podcast is from our friends at Intelligence Squared Germany who hosted a live debate in Berlin last week on whether the EU's 'Green Deal', a plan to deliver both economic growth and carbon neutrality, is really achievable. The debate was held in partnership with The European Council on Foreign Relations and featured Franziska Brantner of the German Green Party taking on renowned climate activist Dr. Tadzio Müller. It was hosted by BBC journalist Damien McGuinness. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In Lebanon, shock is turning to anger at the authorities and political class at large, after the catastrophic blast in the capital Beirut. It was caused by explosive chemicals stored improperly at the city’s port, and caused much loss of life, thousands of injuries, and damaged large swathes of the city. Lizzie Porter asks what impact this will have on the residents. In South Africa coronavirus infections have surpassed half a million cases. That makes it the fifth worst affected country in the world. The nation had been doing well initially - measures to contain the virus were working. But, then, other problems reared their ugly heads, says Andrew Harding in Johannesburg. Around 20,000 people took to the streets of Berlin last weekend to protest against the anti-coronavirus restrictions, even though few of them remain in force. Most of the demonstrators had been bussed in from elsewhere, and as it turns out, their real agenda had relatively little to do with measures to combat the pandemic, as Damien McGuinness reports. In Iran, Covid-19 carries great social stigma, as Jiyar Gol has learned. Some people claim their relatives died of other illnesses, and others fear that no one will marry their daughters if anyone finds out they ever had Covid-19. The state, too, is less than fully transparent. The real number of cases could be three times that of government reports. According to a recent, yet ineffective campaign, France is the European champion for the abandoning of pets. Never more so than at this time of year, when so many people drive to their holiday destinations that the motorways are congested. Why won't they take their cats or dogs along, asks Chris Bockman in the southwest of the country. Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Arlene Gregorius

This week, Bosnia is marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre – Europe’s worst atrocity since the Second World War. Those who ordered the executions were convicted of genocide. Today Bosnia is deeply divided, impoverished, and governed by politicians who stir up the remaining ethnic enmity. Now young Bosnians are leaving in droves, says Guy De Launey. Turkmenistan is a secretive and authoritarian state, and has not registered a single case of Covid-19. But independent media organisations, based outside the country, say their sources are reporting numerous cases of people falling ill with Covid-like symptoms. Now experts from the World Health Organisation have visited. What did they find, asks Rayhan Demytrie? Tanzania announced that it had defeated the coronavirus last month, but it has not released full data on infections or deaths for many weeks. There was no lockdown, as the president declared that God would protect the country. But the US embassy warned that hospitals were overwhelmed. Where does that leave Tanzanians, like Sammy Awami? Singapore pressed ahead with a general election despite the pandemic last week. The People’s Action Party has ruled for decades and won again, but with a reduced majority. The opposition Worker’s party had its best result to date. Could there be change in the air? Sharanjit Leyl visited a woman in a poorer district. Germany already made the wearing of face-coverings in shops compulsory in April and has been seen to handle the pandemic well. Germans have adapted to having to wear masks quite creatively, with designs ranging from leopard skin to bridal lace and denim. So what style did Damien McGuinness go for in Berlin? Presenter: Kate Adie Producers: Arlene Gregorius and Serena Tarling

Hundreds of foreign nationals are being evacuated from Wuhan, the centre of China's coronavirus outbreak, as more deaths and cases are confirmed. British citizens being flown back to the UK from the city will be put in quarantine for two weeks. Stephen McDonnell was recently in Hubei province where the disease was first identified and is now back in Beijing. He too has been told to stay at home for a fortnight and he reflects on how even the Chinese capital feels eerily deserted. This month, Colombia’s war crimes tribunal, the court which was created as part of the 2016 peace deal between the government and the left wing guerrillas known as the FARC or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, began hearing testimony about the illegal recruitment of children and teenagers. The FARC denies that it ever forced underage soldiers to fight. But the Prosecutor General’s office says the guerrillas recruited more than 5,000 minors during the decades long conflict. Matthew Charles visited one of the worst affected communities in the eastern province of Vaupes . It’s been a year since a dam at a mine in Brazil collapsed, killing 270 people. The dam, near Brumadinho in the province of Minas Gerais was owned by the mining company Vale - and just last week 11 of its employees, including its former President, were charged with murder over the incident. While investigations into how it collapsed and who’s to blame continue, the community next to the iron ore mine is struggling to pick up the pieces. Katy Watson returned to speak to survivors. The Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei has just moved from Germany to the UK. In 2015 he was released from house arrest and to much fanfare arrived in Berlin. Berliners were thrilled to give refuge to such a global star. And Ai Weiwei said he loved Germany. But since then the mutual admiration has faded: Ai Weiwei has given a series of interviews in which he’s said he’s leaving Berlin in part because Germans are rude, racist and authoritarian. In Germany that has sparked outrage and some soul searching. Damien McGuinness wonders whether Germans really are impolite or simply misunderstood. New York's health care system is often accused of being expensive and labyrinthine. Yet a visit to two hospitals in Brooklyn and Manhattan left Laura Trevelyan feeling curiously uplifted, despite the physical pain, and the bureaucracy of US healthcare. On her odyssey through the emergency rooms, she made some new friends while guided by an old one.

Drei Geschichten und ein Gast: Magdalena gerät mitten am Tag in einen Albtraum, der ihr Leben verändert. Damien McGuinness teilt sich seine Kinder mit drei anderen Eltern. Und Gunda Borgeest erklärt, wie wir richtig Ordnung halten. Moderation: Gesa Ufer www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Plus Eins Hören bis: 19.01.2038 04:14 Direkter Link zur Audiodatei

Robert Mugabe has died. How do you sum up such a complex and contradictory figure? Andrew Harding recalls his final encounter with Mr Mugabe and reflects on the perils of living too long. In Germany the far-right populist Alternative für Deutschland is celebrating after doing well in two regional elections. Damien McGuinness has been meeting some of their supporters and says that their electoral success has led to a wider debate about why east Germans have not felt the benefits of unification. Malaria is a constant threat to life in Burkina Faso. A newer threat comes from an Islamist-led insurgency that has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. But the cutting-edge research into tackling mosquitoes continues undisturbed, for now, as Jennifer O'Mahony reports. The Romanian national football team is no great shakes at the moment and is unlikely to qualify for the European Championship finals in 2020. But another game, the origins of which are lost in the mists of time, is gaining popularity. Emma Levine has been to watch it being played in the town of Frasin. In Papua New Guinea it’s estimated that 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, despite the country’s enormous mineral wealth. Charlie Walker says there’s one particular mineral that people are interested in.

We're getting ready for a summer break at Stammtisch in the last episode of the season. But before we roll out those beach towels to reserve a sunny spot in Germany's seventeeth Bundesland, New York Time's Melissa Eddy and Die Zeit's Ferdinand Otto join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner for a look ahead to the rest of the summer. Plus, we have all the usual political gossip from Berlin.

Yet another government crisis has been avoided in Berlin — for now! This week Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by ECFR's Almut Möller and Yahoo News' Jill Petzinger, and they see what the surprise resignation of the Social Democrats' party leader means for Chancellor Angela Merkel's "grand coalition." Not that there's much grand about it these days!

Sweet little lies, or big massive whoppers? Either way, truth is a flexible concept in politics these days. So this week we're talking dodgy facts and fake news. Can Dundar, Nanjira Sambuli and Andreas Kappes join Damien McGuinness and Kate Brady for a special edition of Stammtich, live from the Global Media Forum in Bonn.

As the EU votes for a new parliament we tackle populists. Who are they? How well are they doing? And have we reached peak populism? DW Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner cater to the masses with the ever-popular Emily Schultheis, from the Institute of Current World Affairs, and Berlin Policy Journal’s Bettina Vestring.

Is the Eurovision Song Contest the European Union on a three-drink-minimum? Find out, as this week not only popstars are on the ballot, but so are EU parliamentarians. Stammtisch host Damien McGuinness fires up the confetti canon and goes glam as DW's Michaela Küfner, Jessica Saltz from Euronews and the Economist’s Tom Nuttall talk European voting habits – both musical and political.

It seems German arms are, indeed, the weapon of choice for many countries. So where are they going? What are they being used for? And is Germany really as peace-loving as it makes itself out to be? Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by Jana Puglierin from the German Council on Foreign Relations and DW's Ben Knight for the latest political chatter from Berlin.

Damien McGuinness gets his samba on this week with Thomas Sparrow, William Noah Glucroft, and Carnegie Europe's Judy Dempsey, as we ask: what's behind Germany's sudden interest in Latin America? Is this the start of new foreign policy or is Foreign Minister Heiko Maas just in it for the mezcal? Plus, we have all the usual political chatter from Berlin.

There's just a month to go till the EU heads to the polls. So what's on the German agenda? And do Germans even care? DW Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner hit the campaign trail with The Economist's Tom Nuttall and journalist Emmanuelle Chaze. Plus, we unearth Germany's mysterious love for "Spargelzeit."

With rents sky-rocketing and construction scarce, Germany has found itself in a housing crisis. Is the bubble about to burst? And what does pricey property mean for Angela Merkel's government? Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner go on a heroic house hunt with journalist and Institute of Current World Affairs fellow Emily Schultheis and Zeit Online correspondent Ferdinand Otto.

We've lifted our Brexit ban as we catch up with the latest escapades at the Stammtisch seaside. What role did Germany and Angela Merkel play in the second Brexit extension? Did Germany miss its chance to avoid Brexit? Die Welt correspondent Robin Alexander and Berlin Policy Journal's Bettina Vestring answer all that and more as they join Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner.

Anchors ahoy and welcome aboard! We've packed our trunks and are going transatlantic on this week. Germany has headed to New York to take its seat on the UN Security Council — while Barack Obama has come to Germany. Damien McGuinness and DW's Fabian von der Mark chat US-German relations with former US government advisor Julie Smith and NATO expert Sophia Besch.

Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner get hot and bothered about climate change with Maurice Frank and Zeit Online's Sophia Schirmer on this week's Stammtisch. For weeks, hundreds of thousands of German school kids have been striking from school to call for more action from politicians. But it seems Berlin has side-stepped climate to create a different debate over the demonstrations.

As Angela Merkel's government reaches its first birthday, Stammtisch asks whether it really has the staying power to make it to the 2021 elections. Center of European Reform's Christian Odendahl, New York Time's correspondent Melissa Eddy and Berlin Policy Journal's Bettina Vestring also join host Damien McGuinness with the latest on Brexit and get in the mood for St. Patrick's Day in Germany.

It's International Women's Day! We've kicked off Damien McGuinness and it's all about the Frauenpower on the latest DW Stammtisch. Taking over the reins is Kate Brady as DW chief potilitcal editor Michaela Küfner, Reuters corresponent Andrea Shalal and DW's Linda Vierecke talk all things women and gender equality in Germany.

Book that interrail ticket, get your train timetable, and dig out that retro rucksack, because this week #DWStammtisch is touring Europe (at least from the studio!) Counting down to the EU elections, host Damien McGuinness, DW Chief Political Editor Michaela Kuefner and guests Ulrike Franke and Tobias Buck debate whether Germany is really leading Europe. Or is it lagging behind?

The Stammtisch podcast is sending some love to the Munich Security Conference this week — an event not usually known for its romance. Join host Damien McGuinness, DW correspondent Fabian von der Mark, Sarah Brockmeier from the Global Public Policy Institute and Kristina Lunz of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy to look at peacekeeping and defense in the most romantic way possible.

With the Berlinale Film Festival in town, it's time to put on your gladrags as Stammtisch hands out its own awards. Who will win the coveted "Golden beer" for Best Political Comedy or EU rising star? Fresh from the red carpet, Damien McGuinness is joined by The Economist's Tom Nuttall, DW's Alex Forrest Whiting and ECFR's Almut Moeller.

We're breaking free this week, as Stammtisch looks at Germany's political taboos. The topics that are off-limits, uncomfortable, or just not talked about enough. Free-thinkers Emily Schultheis and Chris Köver join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner.

Don your political party hats as Stammtisch celebrates its first birthday! The Economist's Tom Nuttall and Berlin Policy Journal's Bettina Vestring join hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner to blow out the candles and bring you Germany's biggest political stories of the week.

This month marks 100 years since the murder of socialist revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg. So, on this week's Stammtisch we're asking: why is Luxemburg so important today for left-wing politics? And how is the radical Left in Germany doing anyway? Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by journalist Siobhán Dowling and The Guardian's Kate Connolly.

Since beating her male rivals to become leader of Germany's conservative CDU, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbaur is certainly showing some frauen-power. So who is AKK? And does it, or even should it, matter that Angela Merkel’s successor is another woman? With or without the Chaka Kahn attitude. Die Zeit's Ferdinand Otto and DW political correspondent Kate Brady join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner.

Germany’s president is in Beijing this week, so Stammtisch heads east. How is Germany dealing with China's rise? What are the pros and cons of Chinese tech giants? And where do hire bikes fit into all this? Journalist Didi Kirsten Tatlow and analyst Thorsten Benner join Damien McGuinness and Nina Haase-Trobridge from Berlin.

Yes, things are getting festive in Germany, but don't get carried away with the Glühwein just yet. With the CDU leadership contest just around the corner and international stories for days, there's plenty to keep us busy in political Berlin. FAZ's Johannes Leithaeuser and the Körber Foundation's Liana Fix join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner for the latest political gossip from Germany.

It's budget week in Germany, so we're all about the money. Who's got it. Who's spending it. And who wants more of it. Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined this week by Bloomberg's finance aficionados Sarah Syed and Richard Jones to see what it all means for Europe and the rest of the world.

This week we party with Poland as the country celebrate 100 years since regaining independence. But we also check out its tricky relationship with Berlin and Brussels. Damien McGuinness, Tom Nuttall, Anna Noryskiewicz and Nina Haase get in touch with their slavic souls, and dance the Brexit pain away with some Polish pop.

On the 100th anniversary of the end WWI, Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by Elisabeth von Hammerstein from the Körber Foundation and DW's Christian Trippe to find out where the liberal Western order stands a century on. What are the biggest dangers? And how long can it last?

What at first bore the signs of a Shakespearean tragedy is fast becoming a comedic farce. After taking a beating in Bavaria, one question stands before Chancellor Angela Merkel's government: 'To be, or not to be.' Stammtisch bards Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by Die Zeit political reporter Ferdinand Otto and The New York Time's Melissa Eddy.

The beer's flowing and the lederhosen are on, which can only mean one thing in German politics: Bavaria's state election is here. But as the Greens and far-right AfD climb the polls, the conservatives are slipping. Where did it all go wrong? And what does it mean for Berlin? Find out with Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner, and guests Spiegel International's Charles Hawley and DW's Max Koschyk.

Turkey's President Erdogan is in town and Germany is quite literally rolling out the red carpet. So will Merkel and Erdogan kiss and make up? Or will things turn nasty over nibbles at the state banquet? Join Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner for all this and more political shenanigans in Berlin with guests "Die Welt" Foreign Editor Daniel-Dylan Böhmer and ECFR's Almut Möller.

No, this isn’t a repeat episode, but the new normal in European politics. On the podcast this week: the hills are alive with the sound of Brexit and hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner reveal what the latest political row in Berlin is really about, together with guests Judy Dempsey and Richard Jones.

How should Germany move forward after the political unrests in Chemnitz and how do Journalists have to be a part of that debate? In this week's episode of our Stammtisch podcast host Damien McGuinness is joined by Chief Political Editor Michaela Küfner, Jaafar Abdul Karim of Shabab Talk and Elisabeth Niejahr from Wirtschaftswoche to discuss their role and experiences in last week's events.

Summer's almost over and it's back to school for the Stammtisch team. This week, DW's Elizabeth Schumacher and Spiegel Online's Kristin Haug join hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner to see if German education is up to A* standard - or will it be staying behind after class?

Get out your hankie: this week, Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner bid a fond "Auf Wiedersehen!" to Stammtisch stalwart Jeremy Cliffe as he leaves The Economist's Berlin bureau for Brussels. Also joining us on the Berlin-Brussels extravaganza is ECFR's Almut Moeller to explain what will be keeping the EU busy this autumn.

Germany is indeed feeling hot this summer: With record high temperatures and record low rainfall — Berlin has gone tropical. This week, Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by Climate Analytics' Claire Fyson and the UFU's Tinène Belakhdar to see what Germany's doing - or not doing - in the face of climate change.

The heat wave is showing no sign of letting up in Berlin, so Damien McGuinness heads outdoors on this week's episode with guests Jeremy Cliffe, Emmanuelle Chaze and Julia Berghofer. Are we witnessing the end of the West? Join us for an ice cream as we discuss whether Germany can be the leader of liberal order.

Get out those hot pants. Spruce up that wig. And splash on some glitter. As Pride weekend hits the streets of Berlin, Damien McGuinness talks with Jeremy Cliffe (The Economist), Manuela Kay (L-Mag) and Kaey (Siegessäule) about what Pride parades can and can't do for politics. And just how progressive is Germany when it comes to LGBTQI rights?

Is there a doctor in the house? Germany's healthcare system gets a check-up on this week's podcast as host Damien McGuinness puts on his scrubs with AFP's Deborah Cole, and DW's Kate Brady and Rupert Wiederwald.

Slap on the sunblock, Stammtisch is bringing the British seaside to Berlin as we talk all things Brexit. So, what does Germany have to do with the whole thing anyway? Quite a lot, as it turns out… This week, podcast hosts Damien McGuinness and The Economist's Jeremy Cliffe are joined by guests Jill Petzinger (Quartz) and Almut Möller (ECFR) with your weekly fill of political gossip from Berlin.

After a rocky few weeks over migration policy, have German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer finally reconciled? On this week's podcast, Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by agony aunts The Guardian's Philip Oltermann and The Economist's Jeremy Cliffe to offer some political relationship advice.

What does Turkish President Erdogan's election win mean for Germany? How do German-Turks live today? And why is Michaela's hamster Billy finding stardom in South Korea? This week we shake off our Alman dorkiness and go cool Kreuzberg, as hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner chat all things Turkish with their guests Isil Nergiz and Ali Celikkan.

Kate Adie introduces correspondents' stories. Colin Freeman sees the devastating consequences of IS mines and booby traps, left behind for civilians anxious to return to their homes. Elisabeth Kendall hears how social media have broadened the horizons of Yemeni tribesmen armed to the hilt. British citizens living and working in Germany are worried about what might happen to them once the UK leaves the EU; Damien McGuinness hears how many of them are rushing to town halls to become German. The new Gambian president has vowed to improve his poor nation's economy; Andy Jones argues that tourism - and brightly painted murals - could be part of the answer. And Margaret Bradley sees and hears the destruction trail of a red peril that's invaded Portugal.

Bridget Kendall introduces correspondents' stories. In The Gambia, Alastair Leithead watched the old president and dictator leaving; and as he waits for the new one to arrive, he wonders if the president will be able to tackle the country's problems. In Germany, they are worried about what impact "fake" or "alternative news" could have on their election. Damien McGuinness says there's an unusual international interest in German domestic politics - and all of it is healthy. Karen Allen remembers shivering one cold evening in Africa, during the birth pains of South Sudan. In Myanmar, Jonah Fisher reflects on how Aung San Suu Kyi's government is so quick to dismiss any stories of abuses committed against the minority Rohingya community as "fake news." And Dany Mitzman is with two of the top four-legged students of a special university in northern Italy as they sniff out some of the world's most expensive delicacy.

Kate Adie introduces correspondents' stories. Damien McGuinness is in Berlin where the politicians are frustrated that British politicians don't seem to understand that no means no. Jake Wallis Simons returns to the scene of the terrorist attacks in Paris last year. James Jeffrey is in Addis Ababa, under a state of emergency, where there's confusion about what really is going on but people are partying as hard as ever. Lindsay Johns travels from Harvard to Harlem in a divided America. And Chris Carnegy meets one of the world's most prolific killers, in the South Atlantic. But his targets are mice.

Correspondents'despatches: Gabriel Gatehouse with the medical team who have collected hundreds of Ebola patients from their homes in the Liberian capital, Monrovia; Andrew Hosken on the extraordinary efforts made by the people of Baghdad to clear up amidst a new wave of bombings; once a part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, the city of Trieste now has an independence movement which believes the place would be better off severing its ties to Rome - Tara Isabella Burton's been there to listen to their argument; how can a herd of cows indicate the economic health of a nation? It's a question Damien McGuinness has been addressing in the German capital, Berlin; and three-solid-meals-a-day man James Jeffrey's been getting to know about the extreme fasting traditions of Ethiopia.

Kate Adie introduces Correspondents' stories from around the world. Today Ukrainian journalist Andriy Kulykov wonders why silence is the order of the day with the armed men of Crimea. Peter Day is in industrious South Korea where they are trying to make the place more relaxed. Damien McGuinness visits a mega-brothel in Germany, where prostitution has been legal for over a decade, but he questions if much has really changed. We take a remarkly tourist-free ride down the Nile with Robin Denselow; it's good for him but not so good for Egypt. And Charlotte Ashton discovers why Singapore is at the bottom of the happy pile.

Heroes and villains in Azerbaijan and what they tell us about national identity there. Damien McGuinness reports from the former Soviet republic.

Lyse Doucet's in a Syrian suburb hearing stories about a civil war which is reaching more parts of the country every week. Damien McGuinness finds there are complaints from some Turkish women about the good times which have arrived at a resort town on Georgia's Black Sea coast. Justin Webb wonders whether ludicrous amounts of time and money are being spent trying to woo undecided voters in the US presidential election. Lucy Ash is at a monastery contemplating the growing influence on the Russian state of the Orthodox Church. And while visitors to the Philippines may have great things to say about a fascinating country, Kate McGeown says they rarely mention the food!

Natasha Breed on how the population of Kenya's expanding fast, urban areas are eating up the countryside. And it's proving disastrous and sometimes fatal for the country's wildlife. A weird fungus which grows out of the heads of caterpillars is being harvested in parts of the Himalayas. Craig Jeffrey, who's been investigating, says it's proving a valuable cash crop for some of the mountain villagers. Latvia has the fastest-growing economy in Europe. Damien McGuinness has been to the capital Riga to see how they've made austerity cool. The Nigerian president's been speaking of the importance of family planning. The BBC's Jane Dreaper's been to a part of his country where having seven children is far from unusual. And Anna Horsbrugh Porter is one of the BBC World Service staff who're leaving their headquarters in London, Bush House in the Strand. She's been talking to colleagues about a much-loved broadcasting institution.

Ian Pannell tells us how the story of Robin Hood is proving popular with one of the Syrian rebel groups fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. Will Grant, on the campaign trail ahead of Sunday's election in Mexico, finds himself in what he describes as 'the most dangerous place I've ever been.' Hampi in India may once have been the heart of one of the biggest empires in Asia, but Anthony Denselow says it's increasingly drained of daily life. Damien McGuinness has been learning that pagan traditions emerge from the past - and the forest - when Latvians go out to celebrate midsummer. And Dany Mitzman reveals that at an Italian wedding food is more important than speeches - and confetti isn't something you throw, it's something you eat!

Silvio Berlusconi attends the G20 meeting in Cannes amid mounting alarm in Italy about the country's debt crisis -- Manuela Saragosa's been meeting some Italians who feel Mr.Berlusconi's become a liability and should resign. The G20 meeting is reported to be considering taking Chinese money to help bail out the beleaguered Eurozone. Much of the new Chinese wealth is in the hands of the private sector; Michael Bristow's been having lunch with an industrialist who's one of the country's new super-rich. Tamasin Ford's in Liberia ahead of next week's election runoff and hears concerns about intimidation of the media there. Damien McGuinness, our man in Tbilisi, has been examining the difficulties women in Georgia face in the workplace and in the home while Trish Flanagan has been sampling the wares at the celebrated English Market in the Irish city of Cork.