The Inquiry

Christmas is a time of year when many families and friends come together for a period of joy, peace and goodwill. The story of the birth of Jesus Christ has been translated into thousands of languages over thousands of years.And while you may hear it differently, the message is the same.From carols to conversations, Christmas reminds us how united we can be. But there’s still one thing that sets us apart and prevents us from truly understanding one another - language.Esperanto, created in the late 1800s, was the most ambitious direct attempt at creating a singular way of speaking. Its struggle to spread beyond a committed community shows us how deeply languages are tied to identity, power and history.This week on The Inquiry we’re asking: Will there ever be a single global language?Contributors: Esther Schor, author Bridge of Words: Esperanto and the Dream of Universal Language, professor of English at Princeton University, United States Patrick Foote, author Immigrant Tongues: Exploring How Languages Moved, Evolved, and Defined Us, YouTuber, United Kingdom Salikoko Mufwene, professor of linguistics at the University of Chicago, United States Celeste Rodriguez-Louro, associate professor, chair of linguistics, director of language lab at the University of Western AustraliaPresenter and Producer: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood(Photo: Earth. Credit: Planet Observer/Getty Images)

In November gunmen seized more than 300 pupils and a dozen teachers from a Catholic school in northern Nigeria. While authorities have rescued around 100 children, many remain missing. Kidnapping has become a recurring reality in many parts of the country, and in late 2025 President Bola Tinubu declared the crisis a national security emergency. He pledged to boost security in remote areas, but rights groups say the true scale of abductions is hidden by widespread underreporting. The sheer number of kidnappings has also drawn international attention. The United States President has spoken of sending troops to assist, and France’s President Emmanuel Macron has offered broader help to tackle insecurity.This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: How can Nigeria stop its kidnap crisis?Contributors Dr Kachi Madreke, politics and international relations scholar, University of Aberdeen, UKDr Jumo Ayandele, clinical assistant professor at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, USJames Barnett, non-resident research fellow at the Centre on Armed GroupsDengiyefa Angalapu, research analyst at the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja, NigeriaPresenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey(Photo: Nigeria demonstration about student kidnapping. Credit: Kola Sulamon/Getty Images)

Changing tastes, climatic conditions, health warnings, economic factors are all creating a perfect storm for the global wine industry. The origins of wine-making date back to around 9,000 years ago, when it was a drink mostly associated with elite society. Since then, it has had a long association with major occasions like weddings and funerals, as the beverage of choice. And it has been integral to different forms of worship and spirituality. Up until the 20th Century it was even considered a healthy tipple. But demand for wine has been steadily declining across the globe. In France, home to some of the world’s most famous brands, the government has now had to step in to support the producers and their vineyards. And there is increasing competition everywhere from both the beer and spirits industry, who are marketing more alcohol-free or low-alcohol options. Is it last orders for the wine industry? We speak to four key experts: Jane Anson, author, wine critic, Bordeaux, France; Roderick Phillips, author, professor of History, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; Stefano Castriota, author, professor of Economics, University of Pisa, Italy; Peter McAtamney, founder of Wine Business Solutions, New South Wales, Australia.Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Sound engineer: Mark Burrows Editor: Tom Bigwood (Photo: A bunch of grapes. Credit: Gabriel Bouys/AFP)

On 10 December 2025, Australia will become the first country in the world to ban under-16s from using social media apps. Children will have their accounts deactivated on most platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, and Facebook.Critics say the ban could push children to unregulated platforms, but prime minister Anthony Albanese argues the new law is to safeguard vulnerable members of society. World leaders are watching with interest.Politicians from the UK, Denmark, Greece and France have all suggested tighter controls could be coming soon. New Zealand’s government wants tougher rules too, and public debates are also beginning in Japan and Indonesia.Will Australia’s social media ban start a global trend? We speak to Terry Flew, professor of digital communication and culture at the University of Sydney, Australia; Sonia Livingstone, professor in the department of media and communications at the London School of Economics, United Kingdom; Lisa Given, professor of information sciences at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia and Jessica Galissaire, senior policy researcher at Interface, FranceProducer/presenter: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Evie Yabsley Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Sound engineer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood(Photo: A child looking at a mobile phone. Credit: David Gray/AFP)

The eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the north after a military coup backed by Greece. Since then, the northern third has been run by a Turkish-Cypriot government. This self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognised as an independent state only by Turkey, while the rest of the world sees it as part of Cyprus. The southern two-thirds of the island is run by an internationally recognised government led by Greek-Cypriots. Whilst the physical division between the two is maintained by a United Nations peacekeeping force. Negotiations aimed at reunification have been attempted over the years and stalled. One of the biggest barriers has been the differences over what a future settlement would look like, with Turkey pushing for a two-state solution and the recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The last formal attempt, supported by the United Nations, was in 2017 and took place in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. And even though informal talks have continued since then, there has been little progress. Key sticking points remain over issues including political equality and what it means between the two communities, issues of governance and security. But in October of this year, a new Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhürman, was elected. He supports federation and is in favour of the resumption of reunification talks. Is Cyprus moving closer to reunification?Contributors: Mete Hatay, Senior Research Consultant, PRIO Cyprus Centre, Oslo, Norway Lefteris Adilinis, Political Analyst, Cyprus Dr. Dorothée Schmid, Director, Middle East Programme, French Institute of International Relations, Paris, France Kathleen Doherty, Former United States Ambassador to Cyprus, USAPresenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Maeve Schaffer Production Management Assistant: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood(Photo: A United Nations worker rides bike through the UN Buffer Zone. Credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)