Saving Capitalism • 2017

113:09

Command and Control presents the terrifying, true story of what can happen when the weapons built to protect us threaten to become the very source of our own destruction. Based on The New York Times bestseller by Eric Schlosser the film tells the story of a 1980 accident at a Titan II missile complex in Damascus, Arkansas in minute-by-minute detail through the accounts of Air Force personnel, weapon designers, and first responders who were there, revealing the incredible chain of events that brought America to the brink of nuclear disaster. In so doing, the film explores the great dilemma that the United States has faced since the dawn of the nuclear age: How do you manage weapons of mass destruction without being destroyed by them?

2016 • Economics

59:00

By the early 1950s, a holy trinity of oil, plastics and fertilisers had transformed the planet. But as Professor Iain Stewart reveals, when the oil producing countries demanded a greater share in profits from the Western energy companies, the oil and gas fields of the Middle East became a focus for coup d'états and military conflict.

S1E2 • Planet Oil • Economics

22:43

In the 21st century, China has become a global economic powerhouse. Why was the rest of the world so slow to notice its rise to the top?

S1E3 • History 101 • 2020 • Economics

51:51

In recent years, the Netherlands and Belgium have become major drug trafficking hubs in Europe, with almost 80 percent of the continent's cocaine passing through Rotterdam or Antwerp. This has led to the rise of the "Mocro Mafia," criminal networks of Dutch people of Moroccan origin. These gangs began by trafficking hashish from Morocco but now use the same routes for the more profitable cocaine trade, sourced from Latin American cartels. Consequently, the "Mocro Mafia" has become one of the world's richest criminal organizations, generating an estimated fifty billion euros annually in Antwerp alone—10 percent of Belgium's budget. The violent "Mocro Mafia" gangs have unleashed a reign of terror. They kill lawyers, magistrates, journalists, all without a second thought. They have even threatened government ministers in Belgium and the Netherlands. Anyone who challenges their network is a potential target. The drug money is so pervasive within the economy that, according to some, Belgium and the Netherlands risk becoming narco-states. This threat has been taken very seriously by the authorities and the police. Public anxiety rose even further after the horrifying discovery of a torture chamber in a shipping container used as an 'underworld prison' by the gangs, as well as the murder of journalist Peter de Vries. We investigate the "Mocro Mafia," the new ultra-violent criminal organisation which is shaking Europe.

2022 • Economics

93:44

A look back at key events in TV, film, showbusiness and politics in 1984, a year when Spitting Image and The Young Ones revolutionised comedy and enraged the old guard. Conservative crusaders became hysterical over the horror of video nasties, and an attempt to silence pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood backfired spectacularly. In politics, Margaret Thatcher faced a fierce year-long battle with striking coal miners and the Conservative Party was hit by a deadly terrorist attack in Brighton. Narrated by Jan Leeming and featuring contributions from John Thomson, Cheryl Baker, Steve Nallon, Edwina Currie, Matthew Parris and Martin Bell.

S1E2 • Controversially: That Was the Year that Was • 2023 • Economics

118:03

Information Tensions in the world's largest democracy. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been dogged by accusations over his attitude to the nation's Muslim minority. What's the truth? Chapter 1: Focuses on Indian PM Narendra Modi and the persistent allegations about his attitude towards India's Muslim population that have plagued his premiership. Investigates the truth behind these allegations and explores Modi's backstory and also examines claims about his role in 2002 riots that left over a thousand dead. Chapter 2: Focuses on his government's track record following his re-election in 2019. A series of controversial policies has been accompanied by reports of violent attacks on Muslims by Hindus. Modi and his government reject any suggestion that their policies reflect any prejudice towards Muslims - but these policies have been repeatedly criticised by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International.

2023 • Economics