Vladimir Milov, former advisor to the late Alexei Navalny, discusses Russia’s sham elections and the state of political dissent in the country. Plus: Moldova gears up for a referendum on EU membership, the Bank of Japan ends an era of negative interest rates and Belgian designer Dries Van Noten steps down from his label. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of dissent in Russia

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We look at the US-built pier off Gaza as it begins delivering aid and what challenges lie ahead. Plus: Taiwan’s legendarily unruly parliament kicks off again as a new president prepares for inauguration and why Hungary’s prime minister is taking the attempted assassination of Slovakia’s prime minister personally. Plus: the new releases hitting screens this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A US-built aid pier in Gaza and tussles in Taiwan’s parliament

We check in on Slovakia prime minister Robert Fico’s condition after shooting and the events that led up to this act of violence. Then: we discuss Russia’s offensive in Ukraine’s strategically important Kharkiv region and examine why a state of emergency has been declared in New Caledonia. Plus: ‘The Global Countdown’ heads to Switzerland. 
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Security in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region and a state of emergency in New Caledonia

Jordan says that it has foiled an Iran-backed plot to stop weapons being smuggled into the kingdom. We have the latest. Plus: as Vladimir Putin says that he backs China’s plan for peace in Ukraine, we ask what this really means. Finally, after a far-right politician in Germany is fined for using a banned Nazi slogan, we ask whether it is a sign of a wider shift. All that, plus a check-in from Cannes Film Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan alleges an Iran-backed plot and the German far-right under the spotlight

Students across Georgia have walked out of classrooms and lecture halls to march against the foreign-agent law that is set to be passed by the country’s parliament. In New York, ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen testifies in the hush-money trial against his former boss. Plus: Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg’s message for the youth of the alliance, the latest business news and what Gucci is up to in London this week.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgian students walk out to protest ‘Russian law’

We hear about the huge protests that have broken out in Georgia over the introduction of a new foreign influence bill, described by critics as the “Russian law”. The bill, which has been rushed through ahead of elections, targets civil-society organisations and independent media that receive foreign funding. Plus, we find out why President Putin has changed his defence minister and opened up a new front in Ukraine; Nordic nations meet to discuss closer economic and security co-operation and we’ll hear about the backstage drama at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of dissent in Russia

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