From the BBC World Service:  French President Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen  – the Head of the European Commission – are in Beijing. Will any deals be made on trade and can they convince China to stop their support of Russia? BBC’s Mariko Oi explains. Plus, BBC Correspondent Anna Holligan reports on a court’s decision to overrule a 10% reduction in flights from Netherland’s main airport.

Florida, the nation’s fastest-growing state, is in need of a lot more nurses to accommodate its growing population. One way it’s looking to fight the shortage is by routing more government funding to nursing schools to attract more students. Today, we get data on the number of job openings — we speak with analyst Guy LeBas about what could be in the release. And, there’s a new analysis out that shows the hottest jobs markets in the country are in states along the so-called “Sun Belt,” which includes cities like Austin and Nashville.

Virgin Orbit, the arm of billionaire Richard Branson’s larger company that sought to break into the space industry by launching satellites from airplanes, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. We look at what that means for the Virgin Group, and how it could affect the larger commercial space industry. Plus, we talk to Lee Hawkins, host of American Public Media’s upcoming podcast on the family of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and how their health has been impacted by the struggle for civil rights. 

From the BBC World Service: $2.5 billion — that’s how much the French beauty giant L’Oreal is buying Australian skincare brand Aesop for. It’s L’Oreal’s largest takeover in decades, but why did they want Aesop so much? BBC’s Phil Mercer in Sydney gives us the details. Plus, BBC’s Jane Chambers finds out why there’s an increase in the number of urban cowboys in Uruguay.

One of the main jobs of central banks such as the Federal Reserve is to set interest rate targets, which can have wide-ranging effects on the economy. These days, amid shakiness in the banking industry and persistent inflation, that calculation has gotten harder. We speak with Susan M. Collins, president of the Boston Fed, about how she thinks about the tradeoffs and other considerations that go into rate decisions. And, economist Julia Coronado gives us a taste of what economic stories could move markets this week, including oil anxiety and Friday’s jobs report.

There’s been much talk of monetary policy in the wake of recent bank failures, especially as the Federal Reserve continues its fight against inflation. We have one such important conversation with Susan M. Collins, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, about body’s role in everything from setting interest rates to safeguarding the financial system. And, a look at the implications of OPEC+’s recent announcement that member countries will significantly cut oil production.

From the BBC World Service: With some of the biggest oil producing nations in the Middle East voluntarily cutting output by over one million barrels of oil a day, what will the impact be? The BBC Middle East Business Correspondent Sameer Hashmi is in Dubai finding out. Plus, it’s one of Senegal’s most visited tourist attractions, but the Pink Lake is no longer so pleasing on the eye, the BBC’s Soraya Ali reports from Dakar.

The announcement of criminal charges against Donald Trump by the Manhattan district attorney’s office last night may not have come as a shock to markets, which were notably muted on the news going into Friday. We chat with Christopher Low, chief economist at FHN Financial, about what the reaction has been so far and what could happen going forward. Plus, we look at projections about a key consumer sentiment gauge before data is released this morning. And, the BBC reports on the Japanese government’s move to stop high-tech microchip exports to China.

The Inflation Reduction Act has set out a slew of funding opportunities for government agencies and private companies looking to usher in the green transition. But as of right now, many industries crucial to that effort are facing an acute labor shortage, including trade jobs like electricians. Plus, a look with University of Michigan Professor Erik Gordon at how former president Trump’s indictment could affect markets. Also, the White House has outlined a plan to beef up regulation and oversight of mid-sized banks. And, Amtrak is seeking record funding this year on the heels of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.