Looking forwards, looking back with our correspondents in Brussels, Paris, Kyiv and Berlin. Plus a special feature-length focus on The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at 25.

The Inside Europe Secret Santa Speed Date Extravaganza! Consenting correspondents have their names drawn out of a hat in pairs. They then have four minutes before the buzzer goes to find out as much as possible about each other as they can. What could possibly go wrong?!

A conversation with the wife of jailed Azerbaijani journalist Farid Mehralizada, another new Prime Minister in France, and Germany’s Chancellor loses a no confidence vote - on purpose. All that, plus an intensely Norwegian concession to Christmas!

Turkey's Syria connection, Finland prepares itself for Russian aggression, a football school in mafia country and Paris’ Notre Dame is back! Later in the show: a Freedom of Expression Special, and the untold stories of the female painters of the Italian renaissance.

The French government collapses, Georgia’s brutal police crackdown, and the UK bill to legalise assisted dying. Then a Justice Special, featuring 'The Future of War Crimes Justice' author Chris Stephen on the ICC, with reports on Sea-Watch's case against the Italian coastguard and a Norwegian miscarriage of justice.

OC-Media website link: https://oc-media.org?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

Poland’s Donald Tusk fills a leadership vacuum, election shock in Romania, and has Ireland cracked the formula for political stability? In the second half: a special post-COP29 climate episode guest-produced by award-winning British environmental journalists Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor and featuring additional reporting by Ashish Sharma.

Azerbaijan’s human rights record, Hamburg's bid to clean up global shipping, Turkey's Acik radio is taken off air, Bulgaria's ill behaved caricaturists, NFL's brain damage problem and Spain's organ transplant success.

Taking a break from the news, we're sharing uplifting stories from our 'Other Europes' series this week: an Italian city granting every newborn citizenship, a British nursery bridging generations, and a young Irish filmmaker shining a light on marginalized voices. Plus, a sneak peek of New York’s “Kafka: Making of an Icon” exhibit. Join us for these stories of hope and resilience across Europe.

Germany’s coalition government collapses, Europe reacts to Trump’s re-election, and in Serbia, a fatal accident feeds unrest over corruption allegations. Also: Spanish floods fallout, Battle of the Scheldt and farewell, Helen Seeney!

Georgia’s disputed election, EU rhetoric vs reality, US overseas ballots in Berlin. Also: Brussels and Ankara have different takes on the US election, VW is in trouble, and Spain is on the frontline of Europe's climate crisis.