Ft World Weekly

Gideon Rachman discusses Italy's controversial move to endorse China's Belt and Road Initiative with Miles Johnson and Christian Shepherd  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lawyers, senators, millennials. The field of Democrats vying for the Oval Office two years from now already includes more than a dozen contenders, and promises a record number of women and non-white candidates. Gideon Rachman discusses which of the candidates has the best chance of winning the nomination with Ed Luce and Courtney Weaver  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After decades of calm, Algerians have taken to the streets to rage against the candidacy of the ageing and ailing president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April elections. Gideon Rachman discusses what happens next with Heba Saleh and Andrew England.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pakistan and India are facing their worst conflict in almost half a century after an Indian military jet was shot down over disputed Kashmir territory and an Indian fighter pilot was captured by Pakistani forces. Gideon Rachman discusses what happens next with the FT's Amy Kazmin and Farhan Bukhari  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Now that Isis has been crushed in Syria and Iraq, who has responsibility for what happens to the defeated fighters, some of them European nationals, and their families? Barney Jopson discusses the question with Michael Peel and Chloe Cornish  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Europe's pre-eminent gathering of the Transatlantic foreign policy elite gathers in Munich this week. Traditionally a show of affection between European and US officials, this year's event promises to be more divisive. Ben Hall discusses the rifts that have opened up and how they can be healed with David Bond and Michael Peel   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The EU decision to block a proposed tie up between French and German train companies Alstom and Siemens has angered politicians in Paris and Berlin. They have called for new rules to protect Europe's industry from allegedly unfair competition from countries like China. Ben Hall discusses whether these arguments have any validity with Rochelle Toplensky in Brussels and Guy Chazan in Berlin.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gideon Rachman discusses the implicatons of Donald Trump's tough new stance towards the Maduro regime in Venezuela with Jonathan Wheatley and Gideon Long.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Germany and France signed a new treaty in the border town of Aachen on Tuesday that commits them to deeper co-operation on foreign and defence policy and closer economic integration. But critics say the treaty lacked depth and that President Emmanuel Macron had pushed for much more ambitious goals. Ben Hall discusses what the treaty actually achieved with Victor Mallet in Paris and Tobias Buck in Berlin  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

FT analysis points to huge fraud in the first change of power since Joseph Kabila took over the presidency of the mineral-rich central African nation almost 18 years ago. Gideon Rachman discusses how the Democratic Republic of Congo's election authorities and regional powers will respond to the revelations with Tom Wilson and David Pilling  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

2019 will be momentous for the European Union, with all the top jobs up for grabs, elections in May that will test the strength of populist forces, and Britain's scheduled departure at the end of March. Anne-Sylvaine Chassany discusses how things could play out with Ben Hall, Europe editor, and Alex Barker, Brussels bureau chief.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What impact will the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzho in Canada have on the trade negotiations between the US and China? Gideon Rachman discusses the repercussions with Demetri Sevastopulo Geoff Dyer.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An online protest against a proposed fuel tax rise has morphed into a wide-ranging, mass protest against stagnating wages, a decrease in purchasing power and the French president himself. Gideon Rachman discusses why Emmanuel Macron's reforms have met such resistance and how badly the weekend riots have damaged him with Harriet Agnew and Ben Hall  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As Mexicans await the inauguration of their new president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, at the weekend, rattled investors are watching to see which direction the leftwing maverick takes the country. Gideon Rachman looks at the choices facing Mexico's new leader with Jude Webber, the FT's Mexico correspondent and Katie Martin, the FT's capital markets editor.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Interpol, the global police organisation, has appointed its new chief. Usually a quiet affair, the appointment became headline news when it transpired that the frontrunner was a prominent Russian. Anne-Sylvaine Chassany takes a look at the institution with guests Henry Foy, the FT's Moscow bureau chief and Michael Peel, the FT's diplomatic editor.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gideon Rachman discusses the rising political tensions in the Chinese territory with Ben Bland, Hong Kong correspondent, and Victor Mallet, Asia news editor.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gideon Rachman discusses the implications of the US mid-term election results for the Democrats and Republicans with the FT's Geoff Dyer and James Politi. Will a mood of reconciliation or confrontation prevail?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Angela Merkel is on her way out as the leader of Germany. Her decision to stand down as chair of the Christian Democratic Union sets up a battle for the leadership of the German centre-right. Gideon Rachman discusses the end of the Merkel era and its implications for Europe with the FT's Guy Ghazan and Ben Hall.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anne Sylvaine-Chassany and guests discuss Donald Trump’s threat to withdraw from the so-called Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty, How much of a question mark does this put over what is left of the arms control arrangements that have helped the US and the Soviet Union contain the risk of nuclear confrontation. Contributors: Anne-Sylvaine-Chassany, world news editor, Daniel Dombey, deputy world editor, Henry Foy, Moscow bureau chief and Michael Peel, diplomacy correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Sam Westran  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gideon Rachman discusses the regional and international repercussions of the apparent murder by Saudi agents of an exiled journalist in Turkey with Laura Pitel and Andrew England.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.