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BBC World Service

The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.

The Inquiry

A new directive strives to narrow the 11% hourly wage gap between men and women in the EU.

Around the world, the gender pay gap has been shrinking as women gain access to higher education and better employment opportunities. Though varied hours, industries and care responsibilities make this inequality a difficult problem to tackle with one universal policy.

Member states have just passed their deadline to implement measures that will hold employers to account for pay disparities in the workplace so will pay transparency solve the persistent gap?

Contributors:
Emma Duchini, assistant professor of economics, University of Essex, UK
Marianne Bertrand, professor of economics, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, US
Adamnesh Bogale, head of gender, African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), Ghana
Marina Tverdostup, economist, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, Austria

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Evie Yabsley
Researcher: Amelia Cox
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: Toby James
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: A woman typing. Credit: BBC)

Can Brussels crack the gender pay gap?

In May 2026, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in western Africa a public health emergency of international concern. Within days, hundreds of cases had been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising fears that the virus could spread further across the region.

Ebola has been causing outbreaks for nearly 50 years, but despite advances in vaccines and treatments, the disease continues to return. But why is it so difficult to treat and contain? 

This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: “Why does Ebola keep coming back?”

Contributors:
Syra Madad, infectious disease epidemiologist at the Harvard Belfer Centre, US
Hypolite Muhindo Mavoko, professor of tropical medicine at the University of Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo
Amanda Rojek associate professor of health emergencies at the University of Oxford, UK
Julienne Anoko, risk communication and community engagement officer at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Kenya

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Matt Toulson
Researcher: Amelia Cox
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical producer: Nicky Edwards
Production management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: Ebola awareness banner in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Glordy Murhabazi/Getty Images)

Why does Ebola keep coming back?

In 2001, Portugal decriminalised the possession and use of all illicit drugs. It was a move designed to mitigate the country’s public health crisis, which at the time meant Portugal had one of the worst rates of overdose deaths in Europe, as well as the highest rate of HIV among drug users. Whilst drugs remained illegal, users did not receive a criminal record but were instead referred to rehabilitation and treatment programmes. It was an approach that proved so successful, that it has remained in place for a quarter of a century. 

But just over 10 years after its introduction, Portugal’s drugs policy started to come under strain as the country’s economic crisis and subsequent austerity measures led to budget cuts for drug services. More recently the rising cost of living has diverted people’s attention from investment in this field. On top of this, the trafficking of cocaine and newer substances into the country along with changing demographics is putting decriminalisation under strain. 

So, on The Inquiry this week, we’re asking ‘Is Portugal’s drugs policy in need of reform?’ 

Contributors:
Joana Teixeira, President of the Board of Directors, Institute for Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (ICAD), Lisbon, Portugal
Luís Mendão, Director General, Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos (GAT), Lisbon, Portugal
António Leitão da Silva, Chief of Police, Braga, Portugal 
Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, California, USA 

Presenter: David Baker 
Producer: Jill Collins
Technical Producer: Toby James 
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: Discarded drug paraphernalia. Credit: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)

Is Portugal’s drugs policy in need of reform?

At the beginning of this year Bulgaria, considered as one of the poorest countries in the European Union, became the latest to officially join the eurozone. Bulgaria’s legal tender since 1881 had been the lev, but since the mid-1990s it had been pegged to other European currencies, first to the German deutschmark and now to the euro. But it remains to be seen if the country’s economic policy can take advantage of the opportunities that joining the single currency can afford, in terms of trade and economic development. 

Monetary unions are not a new concept, some like the Scandinavian monetary union date back to the 19th Century, involving Denmark, Sweden and Norway. It established a fixed exchange rate system based on the gold standard, whilst member countries still had their own currencies before it was gradually dissolved from the outbreak of World War One onwards. 

Today, the biggest monetary union is the eurozone, used by around 358 million people across 21 European Union countries. It has one monetary authority for all the members and a standardised currency and coinage. 

And now the Economic Community of West African States, known as ECOWAS is actively planning a monetary union with a common currency called the eco and pegged to the euro. The ambition is for greater economic sovereignty and regional economic integration. 

But with the US dollar as the world’s dominant global reserve currency, even though it’s not part of a global monetary union, is there an argument for one currency across all borders and if so, what should it be? 

So, on The Inquiry this week we’re asking, ‘What’s the future for monetary unions?’

Contributors:
Assoc Prof Ralitsa Simeonova-Ganeva, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, Bulgaria 
Prof Barry Eichengreen, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Prof Mohamed Ben Omar Ndiaye, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal
Dr Judy Shelton, Senior Fellow, The Independent Institute, California, USA

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producers: Daniel Rosney and Jill Collins 
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood 
Technical producer: Toby James
Production management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: Euro and US dollar banknotes. Credit: BBC/Corbis Royalty Free)

What’s the future for monetary unions?

The Himalayan glaciers are melting more rapidly as global temperatures rise, raising concerns about the future of ecosystems and communities across the Himalayan mountain range. Glaciers store more than two thirds of the world’s freshwater and help regulate global temperatures by reflecting the sun’s rays.

Across South Asia, melting ice is contributing to the formation of unstable glacial lakes and increasing the risks of floods, droughts and avalanches. The Himalayas are a vital source of water for millions of people, supporting agriculture, energy production and livelihoods from tourism.

Experts warn that continued glacier loss could have significant consequences for people living in the region and the mountainous ecosystem, but what can be done to respond to these changes?

Contributors: 
Pasang Yangjee Sherpa, assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada
Pam Pearson, director and founder of the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative, US
Matthias Huss, glaciologist and senior scientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland
Alton Byers, faculty research scientist at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado, US

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Matt Toulson 
Researchers: Evie Yabsley and Amelia Cox
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: Mitch Goodall
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: Trekkers walk to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Credit: Kriangkrai Thitimakorn/Getty Images)

Are the Himalayan glaciers at a tipping point?

The recent election result in Hungary has been seen as a welcome relief within the European Union.

The bloc of 27 nations has, at times, felt frustrated with the country for blocking what the other 26 members have agreed to do, especially regarding financial support for Ukraine.

Now the EU has been able to push through a loan to Ukraine of more than US$100bn, and some observers believe the union’s turbulent years are behind it. 

As it marks 10 years since the United Kingdom voted to leave, and with Montenegro expected to soon join, this week, what is the future of the European Union?’

Contributors:
Dr Monika Sus, professor at the Polish Academy of Sciences and at the Robert Schuman Centre of the European University Institute in Florence, Italy
Michael Geary, professor of European history at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Catherine E. de Vries, author How Europe Survives: The Adaptability and Resilience of a Continent in Peril, vice dean of the school for politics, economics and global affairs at IE University of Madrid, Spain
Dr Andi Hoxhaj, lecturer in law and director of the European law and LLM programme at King's College, London, UK

Presenter: Daniel Rosney
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical Producer: James Bradshaw
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: European Union flags. Credit: Reuters)

What is the future of the European Union?

Global oil markets have been affected by the US Israel war with Iran, leading to higher jet fuel prices and increased attention on supply risks.

But how serious is the situation? While some experts point to tightening supply chains and regional bottlenecks, others say there is no clear evidence so far of immediate shortages.

Even so, the refining and distribution of jet fuel remains a potential vulnerability, as disruption can have notable impacts even when crude oil itself is available. With air travel crucial to trade and tourism, the resilience of fuel supply is a growing concern for economies and travellers. Can alternative suppliers and fuel sources help limit the impact of future disruption?

Contributors: 
Zach Aman, professor of chemical engineering, the University of Western Australia 
Ahmed Mehdi, senior fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and managing director at Renaissance Energy Advisors, UK
Dumebi Oluwole, lead economist at Stears, Nigeria
Li Qiao, professor of aeronautics and astronautics, Purdue University, US

Presenter: Rajan Datar
Producer: Matt Toulson
Researcher: Evie Yabsley
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Technical producer: Mitch Goodall

(Photo: Airline worker attaching fuel pipe to plane to refuel. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Are countries really running out of jet fuel?

The recent Nasa Artemis II crewed mission to the far side of the Moon is a further step towards a long-term return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. The plan is that before the end of the decade there will be a crewed landing and the start of a Moon base. China is among those developing similar plans. Previous missions both crewed and uncrewed have provided evidence of resources that potentially could be of use here on Earth, and support human life on the Moon. 

So, it’s not just the race to the Moon that’s capturing the world’s attention, but also the possible economic benefits that that might bring with it. The Moon’s surface or lunar regolith contains volatiles like hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. There is evidence of minerals such as silicate and oxides and metals like aluminium and titanium, which could be extracted for building materials. And something that is rare on Earth, Helium-3, a potential resource for clean fusion energy. Governments in conjunction with private corporations are already working on the technology to extract these resources. 

Concerns have been raised about the potential damage to the Moon, not only in terms of the depletion of its resources, but in terms of its scientific value and its cultural heritage. Protection ranges from established treaties that prohibit ownership of the moon, to national laws that permit resource extraction. But to date, there is no universally accepted international law in place, which explicitly permits or prohibits lunar mining. 

So, this week on the Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Should we mine the Moon?’

Contributors:
Dr Dylan Mikesell, principal geophysicist, NGI-The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Oslo, Norway 
Dr Justin Holcomb, assistant research professor, Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, USA
Prof Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, director of ETH Space, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland
Dr Tanja Masson-Zwaan, assistant professor and deputy director, International Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University, The Netherlands

Presenter: William Crawley
Producer: Jill Collins 
Editor: Tom Bigwood 
Sound engineer: Nicky Edwards

(Photo: The Moon. Credit: Reuters)

Should we mine the Moon?

Conflict in the Middle East has led to volatility in global oil prices, pushing up fuel costs worldwide. Previous oil shocks prompted some countries to reconsider their reliance on cars, investing in alternatives such as cycling. In some places, this has become part of everyday life, while elsewhere it has proved more contested, reflecting wider political and cultural divides.

Cycling offers benefits for health and the environment, but it is not practical for everyone. For many people, including those in rural areas or with limited mobility, cars remain everyday essentials. 

As oil price volatility continues to affect motorists, questions remain about how far behaviour can change.

With contributions from Meredith Glaser, CEO of Urban Cycling Institution, professor of cycling at Ghent University, Belgium, and a senior lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Levke Sönksen, research associate at the German Institute of Urban Affairs, Germany; Dr Eunhye Enki Yoo, professor of Geography at the University of Buffalo, US and Martin Tillman, independent transport consultant, UAE.

Presenter: Gary O’Donoghue
Producer: Matt Toulson
Sound engineer: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Tom Bigwood

(Photo: Cyclists ride bicycles in Amsterdam. Credit: George Clerk/Getty Images)

Cycling: Is it time to swap four wheels for two?

Broadcasters from The Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Spain and Slovenia are all boycotting May’s Eurovision Song Contest because Israel is participating. 

Sources within Israel’s broadcaster say calls for it to be banned are unjustified, and organisers of the contest insist it must remain politically neutral, describing the event as "a platform for displaying the importance of peace and unity in a divided world".

The boycott has sparked one of the biggest crises in Eurovision’s 70-year history. In several cases, the position to withdraw also reflects wider pressure from politicians and public opinion. How will countries boycotting Eurovision affect the contest?’

Contributors:
Natalija Gorščak, president of the management board of RTV, Slovenia
Dr Bárbara Barreiro León, lecturer in film and visual Culture, University of Aberdeen, UK
Dr Heather Dichter, associate professor of sport history and sport management, De Montfort University, UK
Dr Dean Vuletic, author Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest, Luxembourg

Presenter/Producer: Daniel Rosney
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Sound Engineer: James Bradshaw
Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey

(Photo: Eurovision flags. Credit: Georg Hochmuth/Getty Images)

Can Brussels crack the gender pay gap?

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