A warm cultural shower of a show, featuring: embarrassing friendships, spiritual awakenings, and community pubs! In the second half we invite you to: peak inside a Scottish croft, hang out with some rebellious Italian foodies and meet a young Irish filmmaker for whom representation is a deeply personal mission. Special Guests: Dominic and Katy from The Europeans podcast.

Austrian elections, a pyrrhic victory for the SPD in Brandenburg, France's new government, Oslo Innovation Week. Also: Croatia’s bid to reverse its youth exodus, sun, sea and sustainable tourism, all aboard the newly extended Paris metro, and forbidden sounds: a world first for Spain’s Thyssen-Bornemisza museum.

Visible minorities fear for their safety in Brandenburg, Talking Left, Voting Right report, and Meloni vs. Mussolini - what’s in a name? Then, a youth-themed second half featuring the Finnish Tinder for Good Deeds, 1000 Turkish Youth For Palestine, School smartphone bans and the ever youthful Dolly Parton... or at least her new Prosecco label!

The familiar face of France’s new Prime Minister, Turkey’s naval expansion plans and what they mean for Europe, and a wind-swept trip to patrol the Baltic Defence Line. Also: Schengen under threat, Santorini’s struggle with overtourism, Spain’s Spaghetti Western film-sets, and a German dance collective taking on Parkinson’s Disease.

An AfD special featuring disaster prepping from “Takeover” author Arne Semsrott, analysis from political correspondent Thomas Sparrow and eastern soul searching from poetry slammer Aron Boks. Then: everything from Russian sabotage to the expansion of Luxemburg’s free public transport system, via British smoking bans and a guest appearance from John Biewen, host of the Scene on Radio podcast!

The AfD uses the Solingen knife attack to sow fear on the eve of crucial elections, a new push to identify the bodies of the missing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a worrying new arms race grips the Caucasus. In the second half: tech intrigue and the right to repair ............................................................................... https://t.ly/0WBDQ - Cyrus Farivar's Forbes article ?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

Ukraine's Kursk incursion turns the tables in the war, US enthusiasm for Kamala Harris' campaign spreads to Europe, and Britain releases thousands of prisoners early. Also: Italy's private beaches may be shut this summer, what did Dutch spy chiefs know about Ukraine and the Nord Stream attack? Lukashenko's critics face snooping while reporting from exile and Paris counts down to the Paralympics.

This is a repeat programme, originally broadcast in 2023. There may be time references which are no longer valid. The Russian Feminist Resistance and the Ukrainian frontline, British nonagenarian performer Thelma Ruby, Sasha Talaver on Soviet gender narratives, women challenging Albania's brain drain, UK campaigners against police misogyny and the French woman saving lives from beyond the grave.

Riots, race, and a reckoning…days of violence rock the UK. Ukraine’s will to win at the Olympics. Tthe dangers posed by Russia’s ghost fleet. And could a shorter working week benefit the environment

France steps up security after the rail sabotage, our man in Paris reviews the Olympics' first week, swimming in the polluted Seine river and Turkey wants to cull millions of street dogs. Also: Belarus pardons a German man sentenced to death for terrorism, Italy's anti-abortion law riles rights groups, were the London 2012 Olympics value for money? And how Toledo is drawing crowds this summer.