China’s military exercises and the businesses making a cautious return to Russia

Nina Dos Santos and Michael Binyon assess the state of the opposition in the US as liberals win a majority in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Also in the programme: how Le Pen’s right-wing allies have been condemning her court verdict and why Germany is bolstering its civil protections. Then: what ended China’s piano craze? Plus: Matt Ridley’s new book on sexual-selection theory, ‘Birds, Sex and Beauty’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isabel Hilton and Quentin Peel assess China’s surprise military exercises aimed at blockading Taiwan, the EU plans to strengthen police powers to tackle foreign threats, LG and Samsung make a return to Russian markets and why The Beatles have stolen the show at CinemaCon. Plus: we look ahead to Watches and Wonders 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elisabeth Braw and Ben Kelly on the guilty verdict in the embezzlement trial of Marine Le Pen, why the White House Correspondents’ Association cancelled plans to feature a comedian and the political backlash over a campaign for a new airport in Kashmir. Then: and why amplified performances are coming to an end on city streets. Plus: ‘Resistance’, an exhibition documenting a century of protest and photography.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the US demands even more from a deal with Ukraine, Monocle’s Julia Lasica and Gunnar Gronlid join Andrew Mueller to discuss. Plus: Radio Free Europe’s future, Art Basel Hong Kong, and why the Kremlin is getting into a spat with Norway about Svalbard. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French president Emmanuel Macron has announced that Ukraine’s European allies, led by France and the United Kingdom, will deploy what he called “reassurance forces” to police any ceasefire. How will Putin and Trump take the news? Plus: is Europe going to pilfer the US’s brightest minds, are we all guilty of “boomerasking” and why is Italy bickering over baby names? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear from ‘The Atlantic’ about what this week has been like in the newsroom since Signal-gate. Our panelists David Brennan and Terry Stiastny discuss the House hearings on the intelligence leak, examine the upcoming US trip to Greenland and look at the future of European security as Spain announces plans to boost defence by summer. Plus: on this day in 1830 the Book of Mormon was published. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the fallout from the US security group-chat leak continues, Burcu Ozcelik and Oscar Guardiola-Riviera join Andrew Mueller to discuss how well the damage control is going. Plus: Ukraine and Russia agree to a ceasefire in the Black Sea, oil prices rise as Donald Trump threatens tariffs for customers of Venezuela and Bali plans to crack down on “naughty” tourists. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the world waits with bated breath about what progress is being made on a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire, Charles Hecker joins Andrew Mueller to discuss. Then: panellists Yossi Mekelberg and Giorgia Scaturro join to discuss the latest on Benjamin Netanyahu’s “endless war”, Italy’s fall-out with Elon Musk and the uproar caused by the ‘balance ta pinte’ movement in France. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We get the latest from Heathrow with Dr Sally Leivesley. Then: we cross from Paris with our bureau chief, Simon Bouvier, and journalist Daphnée Denis, to London with editor Josh Fehnert and Zürich with Désirée Bandli.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re live from our Paris studio with panellists Michele Barbero and Florence Martin-Kessler to discuss the EU’s leaders summit in Brussels, why the pension debate in France will never go away and why King Charles III is losing representation on the Australian five-dollar bill. Plus: who’s happy and who’s jealous in the World Happiness Report 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.