What happens to diplomatic gifts, female power in Saudi Arabia and India’s bullet-train ambitions – with a bit of help from Japan.

We cover France's Front National’s advance in regional elections, how Singapore is trying to become famous for its arts scene, the modern etiquette of political interviews and an Israel PM’s troubled pet dog.

We discuss Britain and Germany’s decision to join the campaign against Isis and look to Nato as it asks Montenegro to join the alliance. Plus: Yahoo’s identity crisis takes another twist.

Turkey shoots down a Russian fighter jet, the owner of Ali Baba wants to buy ‘South China Morning Post’ and North Korea wants the Unesco heritage status for its kimchi.

Ben Rylan looks back at how last week’s events in Paris were covered by Monocle 24. Plus tecently released Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy discusses why prison can be the perfect incubator for extremism, the UK’s former anti-terror adviser explains why freedom of movement in Europe is effectively over and we visit AFP’s Brussels bureau.

Ben Rylan looks back at the week’s highlights across Monocle 24’s news and analysis shows. The uprising in Ukraine was a clear rejection of closer ties with Russia but just how much pro-European sentiment remains today? We also hear from Australia’s human-rights commissioner during a difficult week for the country’s harsh asylum-seeker policies. Plus: beer brewers unite but is it good news?

We take a closer look at the plane crash in Egypt, a celebration of 15 years of the International Space Station and a debate on who should run ‘The New York Times’.

The best of the week’s current-affairs programmes on Monocle 24 including coverage of the earthquake in Afghanistan, the product-placement of weaponry in films and how to heat a country using volcanoes.

Matt Alagiah looks at the best news and current affairs covered on Monocle 24 this week, including Nato’s organisation of its largest military exercise in more than 10 years. We also get a guide to Justin Trudeau and look at the history of national anthems.

We take a look at modern Shakespeare adaptations, discuss Finland’s grey economy and hear Robert Redford’s cinematic take on journalism.