Hump day recommendations 11/08/2022

Watch: “Fail Safe.” Imagine a film with a story eerily similar to Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove” … that is definitely not a comedy. “Fail Safe,” starring Henry Fonda and a resolutely unfunny Walter Matthau, directed by the great Sidney Lumet, had the bad luck of hitting the big screen in the same year (1964) as the iconic Strangelove. It’s still worth a look in this new era of nuclear paranoia and hotly contested presidential leadership. — Willis

Watch: The Stranger. When I was studying journalism in Melbourne, Australia, I interviewed a generous couple whose grandson, Daniel Morcombe, was tragically abducted and murdered in 2002 in Queensland. We pored over old letters and family albums, which gave me a sense for all that they’d lost. The story of the undercover police investigation to pin down Daniel’s killer has been turned into The Stranger, a new film streaming on Netflix. The film’s understated Aussie flair makes it that much more impactful. – Gabrielle

Listen: Foreign Desk’s Historical Series. For three weeks, Monocle’s podcast team is exploring big historical events, reporting them as if they were happening today. Rather than seeing with hindsight the significance of the USSR’s launch of Sputnik 1, reporters share only the information that was available at the time. Episode 2 takes us to the streets of Dublin for the 1916 Easter Rising, and this coming weekend Episode 3 heads all the way back to the Sack of Troy, wooden horse and all. — Tracy

Watch: "Becoming Champions." Did you know only eight countries — all from Europe and South America — have won the men's soccer World Cup? Check out this Netflix docu-series to learn more about the players and teams that made history while you count the days to kickoff in Qatar. — Carlos

More from GZERO Media

Activists of All India National Congress burn an effigy of US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi during a protest in Kolkata, India, after the Trump administration announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods, on August 1, 2025.
Samir Jana/Hindustan Times/Sipa USA

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump upped the ante further, announcing he would double India’s tariff rate to 50% later this month. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has so far refused to back down.

Last month, as part of its European Digital Commitments, Microsoft introduced new initiatives to support the development of multilingual AI models and to help safeguard Europe’s cultural heritage. To help close the AI language gap, the company is working with partners across Europe to expand access to multilingual data and to advance open-source models that reflect the region’s linguistic diversity. Microsoft is also launching a new call for proposals to increase digital content for ten underrepresented European languages and is expanding its Culture AI initiative. Building on successful projects in Greece and Italy, the company is partnering with the Ministère de la Culture and Iconem to digitally recreate Notre-Dame. This work aims to ensure that Europe’s iconic landmarks are preserved for future generations through immersive, AI-powered experiences. Read more here.

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba participate in a news conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on February 7, 2025.
CNP/INSTARimages

Eighty years ago this week, the US dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing more than 200,000 people, mostly civilians. It was the first and, so far, only use of nuclear weapons in war.

- YouTube

China has a stranglehold on critical minerals and is dominant in renewable energy technology. Amid US tariff chaos, Beijing is pitching itself as a stable trade partner and trying to drive a wedge between the Western alliance, Fareed Zakaria says on GZERO World.