Latest Episode
October 8: Tech Firms Suspended From Hiring Program, Duterte Cleared for Trial
In British courts
Search warrants in the police investigation into former Prince Andrew have been quashed after police acknowledged a legal error. A London-based judge said the error does not end the investigation.
Separately, the BBC has apologised and paid substantial compensation to PinkNews founder Benjamin Cohen and his husband, Anthony James. At the High Court, the broadcaster accepted that its 2024 documentary, PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors, made very serious, false and defamatory allegations of sexual misconduct against them.
In Texas
Texas has executed Jamaal Howard by lethal injection at the state prison in Huntsville. The execution has renewed attention to the national controversy over the drugs used in executions.
In U.S. immigration
The Trump administration has suspended eight technology companies, including Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant and Infosys, from the permanent labor certification process used to hire foreign workers permanently. Vice President JD Vance alleged that companies were abusing visa rules to replace American workers and undercut wages. Officials also announced subpoenas to Harvard, Yale and MIT as part of an investigation into universities’ use of J-1 exchange visas.
At the International Criminal Court
Judges have ruled that Rodrigo Duterte is fit to understand the charges at his trial, which is set to begin in November. His legal team had argued that he suffers from cognitive deficiencies.
In Nepal
Researchers estimate that nearly 300,000 people live in potentially flood-exposed areas of Nepal’s Himalayas, including more than 100,000 downstream of glacial lakes that can suddenly breach. The study found that potentially exposed built-up areas grew by 46 percent between 2016 and 2023 across Nepal and river catchments draining into it. Its satellite-based screening method does not replace detailed flood-hazard mapping.
At Cornell
Cornell University has hired former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to lead an independent review of its response to sexual assault cases, amid fraternity gang rape allegations. Two investigations are underway into a former student’s allegation that she was raped at a fraternity house in 2024.
In the Maduro case
Venezuela’s former president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife face a new U.S. charge over torture allegations. It adds to the existing drug trafficking case against them.
In British energy
E.ON Next has completed its takeover of Ovo Energy after competition regulators cleared the deal. Three suppliers now serve almost three-quarters of households in Great Britain. The takeover went ahead amid concerns that reduced competition could limit customer choice and weaken incentives to lower bills.
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This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.
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