Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/a263a468-2f91-490c-896c-a232866afb4e China has told McDonald’s to expand a digital renminbi payments system at restaurants across the country before the Beijing Winter Olympics; and about a quarter of all US infrastructure is at risk of serious flooding, which could hit prices in the $4tn municipal bond market. Plus, the FT’s Sam Jones discusses the scandal that led to the spectacular downfall of former Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz and what could be next for the country.  VOTE: The FT News Briefing has been nominated for the Lovie Awards news & politics podcast category!   https://vote.lovieawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/podcasts/general-series/news-politics Beijing presses McDonald's to expand e-currency system before Olympics https://www.ft.com/content/1f4274f4-b914-4534-89c0-62b9b7763f2b Flooding could leave billions of US municipal debt under water https://www.ft.com/content/da0ac736-7c38-4f93-baaf-e315a51faf22 Rise and fall: the scandal that toppled Austria’s Sebastian Kurz https://www.ft.com/content/fc574b47-195c-4e7f-a442-12b6c8f0c97d WeWork to make belated arrival on stock market after Spac merger https://www.ft.com/content/258121b8-299e-4993-91d9-cb2a18d387f4 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.