• 11 hours ago
• Radio
• Duration 1:14:30

Before his death, Alexei Navalny was the most visible symbol of the opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia. Now, the opposition is in a precarious state. Matt Galloway speaks with Navalny’s friend and Putin critic Boris Akunin, a celebrated Russian author; and political scientist Jan Matti Dollbaum, co-author of Navalny.

Then, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s career change — from wise-cracking television star to wartime leader — was an unlikely one, to put it mildly. But Time Magazine’s Simon Shuster watched the transformation up close. He tells us more about it in his new book, The Showman.

Also, Emirates Airlines in Dubai is installing a biometric system that lets passengers through airport security just by showing their face. It’s an idea gaining traction around the world, from Germany to China. We hear about the appeal of — and alarm created by — this technology.

And as the 2024 Major League Soccer season kicks off, several controversies — from a referee strike to outraged fans in East Asia — have cast a bit of a cloud over the opening matches. Soccer writer John Molinaro walks us through the issues.