From the devastating wars in Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza to Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland and the Panama Canal, what are the places to watch this year? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of our US and America’s programme and Renad Mansour, a senior fellow for our Middle East and North Africa programme. Read our latest: As the UK government seeks greater engagement with China, a clearer strategy is crucial – and long overdue A rapid ceasefire in Ukraine could lead Donald Trump into a Russian trap With Trump’s inauguration, the EU and Turkey must finally get serious about security cooperation Russia’s economic dilemmas give Trump important leverage in negotiations on Ukraine. But will he use it? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Cross-border conflict, evidence, policy and trends (XCEPT) Read the Winter issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

Does Bashar al-Assad’s removal offer a renewed chance for peace in Syria, or is his fall the start of a new phase of conflict in the Middle East? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, former BBC Persia journalist Rana Rahimpour and Haid Haid, a senior consulting fellow for our Middle East and North Africa programme. Read our latest: The fall of Assad has exposed the extent of the damage to Iran’s axis of resistance While international support is crucial, Syrians must lead their country’s political transition How South Korea’s turmoil will reverberate beyond its borders  Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the Winter issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

Join James Landale, BBC’s diplomatic editor, Anand Menon, an expert on UK-Europe relations, and Olivia O’Sullivan, director at Chatham House, as they dissect UK foreign policy under Keir Starmer. They tackle the challenges of the UK's relationship with Europe, the implications of the Chagos Islands sovereignty debate, and how these factors could shape Britain's global standing by 2025. With rising geopolitical tensions, they discuss the necessity for strategic leadership to redefine the UK's role on the world stage.

Europe is contending with a stagnating economy, political dysfunction in Germany and France, and Russia's relentless attacks on Ukraine, all while it looks to the return of Donald Trump. Will the continent's democracies hold together in the face of such challenges? Bronwen Maddox is joined by journalist and historian Timothy Garton Ash, Mujtaba Rahman, Europe Managing Director at the Eurasia Group and Armida van Rij, senior research fellow and the Head of our Europe programme. Read our latest: The break-up of Scholz’s coalition government signals the end of Germany’s old economic model The ceasefire in Lebanon has dealt a huge blow to Iran’s regional strategy Why cyber doomsday warnings do more harm than good Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

The panel discuss whether the COP29 climate summit delivered anything meaningful and what Donald Trump's election means for combating climate change. As the world moves closer to crossing the 1.5 degree threshold, Bronwen Maddox is joined by former BBC journalist Roger Harrabin and Maria Netto, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Society in Brazil. Also with them from COP29 in Baku is Ruth Townend, senior research fellow with our Environment and Society Centre.  More from Roger Harrabin: BBC Radio 4 - The Year We Lost the Climate Read our latest: Closing the climate finance gap Azerbaijan’s climate leadership challenge What is COP29 and why is it important? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

The re-election of Donald Trump has major consequences for America’s relations with China. The panel discuss how the US-China relationship might change under the next president. Guest host Ben Bland is joined by historian and political scientist Professor Rana Mitter, the FT’s US-China correspondent, Demetri Sevastopulo and Dr Yu Jie, a senior research fellow with our Asia-Pacific programme.  Read our latest: Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy will accelerate China’s push for global leadership The Gulf will seek to manage Trump through self-reliance and pragmatism Donald Trump’s policies risk making the US dollar a source of global instability Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

In this discussion, Edward Luce, North America editor at the Financial Times, Gerald Seib, former Washington Bureau Chief at the Wall Street Journal, and Leslie Vinjamuri from Chatham House delve into the implications of Donald Trump's surprising re-election. They analyze shifts in voting demographics and the Republican Party's future, as well as the stark contrast between a strong economy and public discontent. The hosts also examine Trump's foreign policy directions, potential appointments, and the challenges America faces both domestically and globally.

North Korea is sending troops to Russia, but what is Kim Jong Un hoping to get from Vladmir Putin for military assistance against Ukraine? The panel also discuss the role military conscription plays in Israel, South Korea and Ukraine. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Edward Howell, the Korea Foundation fellow at Chatham House, Orysia Lutsevych, the head of our Ukraine Forum and Yossi Mekelberg, a senior consulting fellow with our Middle East and North Africa Programme. Read our latest: As the ruling party claims victory in Georgia’s disputed election, Western condemnation is no longer enough Watch: 2024 US election: What will America choose? Watch: Is the world ready for the next pandemic? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

Join experts Olivia O’Sullivan, Director of the UK in the World program, and David Lubin, a Senior Research Fellow in Global Economy, who discuss how rising national debt is reshaping Western foreign policy. Patrick Wintour offers insights into the delicate balance of UK foreign funding, while Ranil Dissanayake tackles the implications of demographic shifts on global challenges. They explore the complex nature of debt sustainability and its consequences for international aid, emphasizing the urgent need for a coordinated financial strategy amid soaring debts.

Sophie Pedder, Paris Bureau Chief of The Economist, Shahin Vallée, a former advisor to Emmanuel Macron, and Armida van Rij, head of the Europe Programme at Chatham House, dissect France's looming budget crisis. They explore the intricate dynamics of France's fiscal instability, potential political turmoil, and the implications of rising deficits. The discussions illuminate the challenges of coalition governance, the Franco-German trade tensions, and the delicate balance of supporting Ukraine amid financial constraints. It's a candid look at the crossroads of economics and politics in France.