The US Supreme Court has curbed universities’ ability to consider race in admissions, turmoil at the top of Thames Water has left the UK government scrambling to prepare contingency plans, and China has passed a new foreign relations law that deepens President Xi Jinping’s control over the country’s external relations. Plus, the FT’s Raphael Minder explains how Belarus's President Alexander Lukashenko ended up brokering a deal to stop the attempted coup in Russia.

Mentioned in this podcast:

US Supreme Court curbs consideration of race in university admissions

Why Thames Water is under growing strain

China passes foreign relations law to strengthen Xi Jinping’s response to sanctions

Alexander Lukashenko: from Putin’s puppet to Prigozhin’s saviour

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Katie McMurran, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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BSH Brief: March 14, 2021