Ft World Weekly

A tumultuous week in Zimbabwe culminates in the resignation of President Robert Mugabe, the country's leader of 37 years. Gideon Rachman is joined by Andrew England and David Pilling in Harare.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As President Donald Trump's tour of Asia comes to a close, we ask whether the US stance on the TPP and Nafta agreements bodes ill for the stability of the world trading system. Gideon Rachman is joined by the FT's Martin Sandbu and Shawn Donnan in Washington.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Some of the most powerful figures in Saudi Arabia have been arrested in a new anti-corruption crackdown, while tensions between the gulf kingdom and Iran are being felt across the region. Gideon Rachman is joined by Simeon Kerr and Erika Solomon.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The US president is about to embark on a five-country tour of Asia. With tensions mounting over North Korea, what can we expect?Gideon Rachman is joined by Geoff Dyer and Katrina Manson.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Populist parties are on the rise in Poland, Hungary and now the Czech Republic after the election victory of a party led by Andrej Babiš, who some people label the Czech Donald Trump. Gideon Rachman discusses how serious a challenge this poses for the European Union as a club of like-minded democracies with Neil Buckley and James Shotter.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flawed regional elections in the oil rich but cash strapped country have resulted in a victory for Nicolás Maduro’s socialist party, in spite of the fact that it has presided over perhaps the worst economic meltdown in Latin American history. Ben Hall discusses why the opposition lost and how the international community will react with Gideon Long and Johnpaul Rathbone  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

US-Turkish relations have plunged to a new low following America's decision to suspend issuing any non-immigrant visas to Turks. Gideon Rachman discusses how the rift came about and how serious it is with Daniel Dombey and Mehul Srivastava  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe has called an early vote, but finds himself in a tougher fight than he bargained for after the emergence of a new opposition party led by the charismatic Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike. Gideon Rachman discusses this radical change in Japan's political landscape with Robin Harding and Roger Blitz  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Spanish authorities have pulled out all the stops to try to prevent an independence referendum in Catalonia this weekend which the Madrid government deems illegal. But the Catalan government is determined to press ahead. Ben Hall discusses Spain's political and constitutional crisis with Michael Stothard, FT correspondent in Madrid, and Tony Barber, Europe editor.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Angela Merkel is expected to win a fourth term in office after Sunday's elections in Germany, so what difference will the vote make and why does it matter? Shashank Joshi puts the question to Gideon Rachman and Hans Kundnani during a discussion at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in London.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On Sunday, North Korea tested what is says was a hydrogen bomb, and may be preparing a further missile test. Bryan Harris in Seoul and Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington join Gideon Rachman to discuss the latest escalation of the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What are the human and economic consequences of the hurricane and floods that have devastated Houston, the United States’ fourth-largest city? Gideon Rachman discusses the situation with David J Lynch in Houston and Gregory Meyer in New York.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As Spanish police investigate the origins of last week's terrorist attack on pedestrians in the Las Ramblas tourist district of Barcelona, Daniel Dombey asks Sam Jones and Michael Stothard what we know so far and how such attacks can be prevented.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gideon Rachman discusses what are the chances of success of Donald Trump's bid to rewrite US trading relationships with Canada, Mexico and China, with Shawn Donnan, trade editor and James Kynge, emerging markets editor  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tensions between the US and North Korea are at their highest in years over Pyongyang's accelerating efforts to build a nuclear arsenal capable of hitting America. Ben Hall discusses the options for ending the standoff with Katrina Manson, US diplomatic correspondent, and Lucy Hornby, China correspondent.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Venezuela's new constituent assembly will give President Maduro sweeping powers to rule as he pleases, but few foreign governments will recognise the laws that he and the assembly approve. James Wilson discusses what options are left for his opponents with Gideon Long and John Paul Rathbone  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Poland has angered the Brussels authorities by promoting a series of laws to assert greater government control over the judiciary. James Wilson discusses what the EU's objections are and what it can do to try to bring Poland into line with Arthur Beesley and James Shotter.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The whole Brazilian political class seems to have been caught up in corruption scandals from former president Lula da Silva to the current president Michel Temer. Joe Leahy and John Paul Rathbone discuss the local and regional repercussions with Gideon Rachman  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Revelations of a hitherto secret meeting between Donald Trump's son and a Russian lawyer allegedly connected to the Kremlin have revived the scandal about Russian involvement in the US presidential election. Gideon Rachman discusses the latest twists with Courtney Weaver and Max Seddon.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As rival forces scramble to recapture Isis territory in Syria and Iraq, the likelihood of international confrontation escalates. Gideon Rachman discusses the growing tensions in the region with the FT's Middle east commentator David Gardner and Geoff Dyer, former Washington correspondent  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.