The Rachman Review

Gideon talks to John Sawers, a former head of MI6, Britain’s secret intelligence agency, about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Is there any prospect of peace in Gaza? And how do the region's most powerful countries see their interests? Clip: BBC

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Benjamin Netanyahu lays out plans for a summer of conflict

‘Smuggled’ food and $64 peppers: Gaza’s grocery stores fight to survive

US expected to lift ban on sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia

The Israel-Hamas war — in maps and charts

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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What would US foreign policy look like under a second Trump presidency? Gideon puts this question to former US state department official Jeremy Shapiro, who talks about the three camps hoping to shape the Republican nominee’s thinking on global affairs. Clip: Inquirer.net

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The folly of the pro-Trump plutocrats 

The economic consequences of Mr Trump

Trump donors warm to Marco Rubio as running mate

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.

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This week South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa took office at the head of the country’s first power-sharing government since the immediate post-apartheid period. Many are hoping this will offer the prospect for economic renewal and bring much needed investment back to the country. Gideon discusses its chance of success with the FT’s Monica Mark and Alec Hogg, editor and publisher of Biznews.com.

Clip: eNCA TV

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Investors cheer as Cyril Ramaphosa sworn in as South Africa’s president

Ramaphosa re-elected South African president after striking deal with opposition

Can the party that liberated South Africa still hold it together?

In charts: 30 years of ANC rule in South Africa

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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After a grim showing for his party in the European elections, President Emmanuel Macron stunned observers by calling snap elections in France. With Marine Le Pen’s National Rally riding high in the polls, could French voters elect a far-right government? Gideon discusses the possible ramifications of Macron’s gamble with Célia Belin, head of the Paris office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Clip: La Province

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Jordan Bardella: the far-right TikTok king gunning for France’s premiership

Emmanuel Macron appeals for rivals to join his fight against ‘extremist fever’

Victory for French far right could trigger Liz Truss-style debt crisis, warns finance minister

Why Emmanuel Macron went all in against Marine Le Pen

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Oriana Skylar Mastro, author of Upstart: How China Became A Great Power. They discuss China’s rapid rise, Beijing’s ambitions on the global stage and how the US will respond.

Clip: Bogdan Kokkonen

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China emerges as one of biggest bilateral lenders to Philippines

China hits out at ‘aggressive’ Taiwan for military build-up

US and allies say China is ‘aggressively recruiting’ their fighter pilots

China accuses US of seeking ‘Asia-Pacific Nato’

China’s army tests gun-toting version of robot dog

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Henry Foy, the FT’s bureau chief in Brussels, about next week’s EU parliamentary elections. Far-right parties are set to win more seats, but how will this translate into their ability to influence policy? Clip: Bruegel TV

How will the European parliamentary elections change the EU? Join Henry Foy and colleagues on June 12 for a subscriber webinar on the election results. 

You can register by going to ft.com/euwebinar

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Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for second term in trouble over Giorgia Meloni ties

How the far right is winning over young Europeans

Police raid European parliament staffer’s office in Russian influence probe

Russia plotting sabotage across Europe, intelligence agencies warn

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Introducing Power for Sale, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. In Untold: Power for Sale, host Valentina Pop and a team of FT correspondents from all over Europe investigate what happened in the Qatargate scandal, where EU lawmakers were accused of accepting payments from Qatar to whitewash its image.

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Gideon discusses the state of Ukraine’s defences with Jack Watling, senior fellow for land warfare at the Royal United Services Institute. Russia’s advantage in ammunition and forces is beginning to show on the battlefield. What would it take to turn things back in Ukraine’s favour? Clip: BBC

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Russia has advanced 10km towards Kharkiv, says Ukraine

G7 warms to plan for Trump-proofing Ukraine aid

Nato training soldiers in Ukraine does not escalate war, says Estonian PM

Strikes in Russia with US weapons would help Kyiv hold line, says official

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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As the US election looms, President Joe Biden has announced huge new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and other green tech goods. Gideon Rachman sits down with Michael Froman, former US trade representative and the president of America's Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss the widening of protectionism in the US and globally, and the dangers this could bring.

Clip: PBS

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Joe Biden and Donald Trump battle to prove who can be toughest on China

America is pulling up the drawbridge

Chinese competition a ‘defining challenge’ for EU companies

Volkswagen warns Brussels against raising tariffs on Chinese electric cars

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Audrey Tinline. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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In a new season of Tech Tonic, longtime FT China reporter Jame Kynge travels around the world to see how China is pushing towards tech supremacy. Will China be able to get an edge in crucial technological areas? What does China’s attempt to leapfrog the west look like on the ground? A 6-part series looking at China’s tech industry.

Presented by James Kynge. Edwin Lane is the senior producer. The producer is Josh Gabert-Doyon. Executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco, with original music from Metaphor Music. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

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With elections for the European parliament a month away, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is emerging as a key figure in European politics. Gideon talks to Amy Kazmin, the FT’s Rome correspondent, about the rise of Meloni, her roots in the Italian far right, her close relationship with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and the great challenges that lie ahead for Italy. Clip: Fratelli d’Italia

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Italian journalists strike in dispute with Giorgia Meloni’s rightwing government

Italy’s far-right leader Matteo Salvini fights for political survival

Meloni’s radical plan: rewriting Italy’s post-fascist constitution

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Tamara Kormornick. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Narendra Modi looks set to win a third term in office thanks to the popularity of his economic policies. But the Indian prime minister has a vision of a Hindu homeland that clashes with the country’s original secular values. Gideon talks to Ravi Agrawal, editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine, about the secret of Modi’s success and what the future holds for India. Clip: Capital TV

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Narendra Modi increases anti-Muslim rhetoric in India election campaign

How to understand Modi’s India

India’s Jekyll and Hyde journey

India’s Rahul Gandhi bets on 6,700km trek to stop Narendra Modi’s election juggernaut

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Outgunned and outmanned, Ukraine has been forced to cede territory to Russia in recent months. Now it has been thrown a lifeline with the latest US military aid package. How much difference will this make and can Ukraine still hope to win the war? Gideon puts these questions to the FT’s Christopher Miller, recently back from the frontline. Clips: Sky News, MSNBC

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Ukraine is the front line of a much larger conflict 

Greece and Spain under pressure to provide Ukraine with air defence systems

Ukraine faces race against time to deploy US funding

Military briefing: Russian ‘glide bombs’ pound Ukrainian troops and towns

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Gideon discusses Iran’s attack on Israel with Emile Hokayem, senior fellow for Middle East security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. What will the leaders of Israel and Iran be thinking about as they ponder their next move? And where does this leave the prospects for a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza? Clip: ABC News

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Ukraine’s air defence struggle highlights risks to Israel

US and EU prepare fresh sanctions against Iran after Israel attack

The Biden dilemma on Israel

Military briefing: Israel’s options to strike Iran

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Gideon discusses the history of international humanitarian law since the first world war with Boyd van Dijk, a historian at Oxford university and author of a recent book, Preparing for War - The Making of the Geneva Conventions. They discuss current efforts to prevent war crimes and hold leaders engaged in conflict to account. Clip: The Fog of War, RadicalMedia and SenArt Films, distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, 2003

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Russia ‘prepared’ for nuclear war, warns Vladimir Putin

Israel grapples with ‘Eichmann’ dilemma over Hamas attack trials

Mexico and Chile ask ICC to investigate Israel-Hamas conflict

S Africa accuses Israel of breaking international laws on genocide in Gaza

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Japan has been celebrating the end of a near 20-year deflationary cycle. But the country’s shrinking population remains a serious cause for concern. Gideon talks to the FT’s Kana Inagaki and Leo Lewis about whether the new mood of optimism about Japan is justified. Clip: BBC

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Why good news for Japan may be bad news for hedge funds

Japan relaxes defence export rules to allow sales of new fighter jet

US and Japan plan biggest upgrade to security pact in over 60 years

Marriage holds key to Japan’s falling births

The professor vs the PM: a political funding probe shakes Japan’s government

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.

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Gideon talks to Bastian Giegerich, chief executive of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, about the state of Europe's defences. The scramble to come to the aid of Ukraine and doubts about future US willingness to contribute have exposed significant vulnerabilities. How quickly can Europe’s armed forces be upgraded to meet the Russian threat? Clips: CBS News; France 24; Daily Telegraph

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Europe’s leaders have woken up to hard power

EU looks to bypass treaty ban on buying arms to support Ukraine

Wars in Ukraine and Middle East boost orders at German defence supplier

Defence CEO calls for European version of Israel’s Iron Dome

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull about the prospect of a second Trump presidency. They discuss why Rupert Murdoch’s ‘anger-tainment’ industry has done less harm to Australia’s democracy than it has in the US, and why the recent referendum on Aboriginal rights in Australia failed.

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China urges Australian caution on ‘third-party’ disruption of relationship

Donald Trump’s betrayal of Ukraine

Democracy dies in Trumpian boredom

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Henry Mance discusses the breakdown of the rule of law in Haiti with Robert Fatton, professor of government and foreign affairs in the Department of Politics at the University of Virginia. How has the past influenced recent events and is there a way out of the nightmare? Clips: The Times and The Sunday Times; AP

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The gangster named ‘Barbecue’ who controls Haiti’s violent slums

Haiti prime minister to quit as gang violence rocks country

Haiti declares state of emergency after mass jailbreak

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Presented by Henry Mance. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Henry Mance, standing in for Gideon, talks to James Shotter, FT correspondent in Jerusalem, about the Israeli political landscape and why the country’s leadership is pursuing such a scorched earth policy in Gaza. Clip: Sky News

US begins Gaza aid airdrops after Joe Biden rebukes Israel

The Israel-Hamas war in maps: latest updates 

Berlin and Paris join outcry over Israel’s role in Gaza aid convoy deaths 

The urgent need to end the catastrophe in Gaza

Israel’s Rafah offensive: a tipping point for US support?

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Presented by Henry Mance. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon Rachman talks to Michael Fullilove, executive director of the Lowy Institute in Sydney, about the differing views he encountered at recent security conferences in India, Europe, the US and Australia. Clip: midday india

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The squawkus about Aukus is getting louder

Leaked Russian military files reveal criteria for nuclear strike

White House decision to not replace Asia tsar stokes concern among US allies 

Asia space race heats up as China, Japan and India reach for the stars

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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How much of a threat would Russia pose to Europe if its invasion of Ukraine was successful? Given recent remarks by the US Republican presidential contender Donald Trump, does Europe have the firepower to defend itself without the aid of the US? Gideon discusses these questions with the writer and historian Anne Applebaum, just back from the 2024 Munich Security Conference. Clip: Deutsche Welle

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Ursula von der Leyen calls on EU to subsidise defence production

Russian victories shake global leaders’ faith in Ukraine war prospects

Alexei Navalny, Russian opposition activist, 1976-2024

Joe Biden blasts Donald Trump for ‘un-American’ comments about Nato allies

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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China’s property crisis and slowing growth rate have raised questions about its future as an economic and military power. Gideon discusses whether it’s time to call ‘peak China’ with Richard McGregor, senior fellow at the Lowy Institute in Sydney. Clip: Bloomberg

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China’s consumers tighten belts even as prices fall

China’s growth enigma

The looming trade tensions over China’s subsidies

We shouldn’t call ‘peak China’ just yet

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Gideon talks to Mark Malloch-Brown, former deputy secretary-general of the UN and president of the Open Society Foundations, about the role of the United Nations. While it sometimes struggles to make an impact on matters of global security, it plays a unique and often unrecognised role in shaping policy on migration, refugees and climate. Clip: The Guardian

ICJ’s Israel judgment seeks to restore rule of law to a brutal conflict

Head of UN agency for Palestinians defies Israeli calls to quit

A ‘multipolar’ world defies the ‘rules-based’ order

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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If you have questions about this year's US presidential election, we have answers.

Swamp Notes is a new podcast from the FT News Briefing. Listen every Saturday morning as our journalists analyse and discuss the latest happenings in US politics. We’ll go beyond the horse race for the White House and offer a global perspective on the election.  

You can subscribe to Swamp Notes here or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Germans have been staging mass protests against the far-right ideology of the AfD party. This followed revelations about a meeting late last year in which the party and its backers discussed the potential for mass deportations of people of foreign origin. Gideon discusses whether this could be a turning point in German politics with international affairs analyst Constanze Stelzenmüller. Clip: The Guardian

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In praise of mass immigration

German far right defeated in regional election

Germany’s top court paves way for financing ban on extremist political parties

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Donald Tusk’s re-election cheered democrats across Europe and paved the way for the biggest change in Poland since the fall of communism. He’s hoping to rebuild the country's institutions and began with a clear-out of state TV that had become a mouthpiece for the previous government. Now he's waging war with the president and constitutional court. Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, discusses Tusk’s first month in office and what lies ahead with Andrzej Bobiński, managing director of Polityka Insight. Clips: CNBC, tvp

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EU to sidestep Polish president’s veto to release billions in funding

Poland’s escalating power struggle

Poland’s ‘iron broom’ shows that democrats can bite back

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Introducing Untold, a new podcast from the special investigations team at the Financial Times. In its first series, The Retreat, host Madison Marriage examines the world of the Goenka network, which promotes a type of intensive meditation known as Vipassana. Thousands of people go on Goenka retreats every year. People rave about them. But some people go to these meditation retreats, and they suffer. They might feel a deep sense of terror, or a break with reality. And on the other side, they’re not themselves anymore. Untold: The Retreat launches Jan. 24.

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Bill Browder tells Gideon the story of his battle against Russian corruption, which took off when his lawyer was murdered in a Russian prison in 2009. The war in Ukraine has turbocharged his campaign. Can he now take it further to persuade western governments to use frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine? Clip: World Economic Forum

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Washington puts forward G7 plan to confiscate $300bn in Russian assets

The west would harm itself with rash seizures of frozen Russian assets

We must keep fighting Russia with banks as well as tanks

Freezing Order — Bill Browder on the trail of dirty Russian money

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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As Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, more and more regional actors are being drawn in, from the Houthis in Yemen, to Isis in Iraq and Syria. Gideon discusses whether a widening regional war can be averted with Kim Ghattas, distinguished fellow at Columbia University's Institute of Global Politics. Clip: Reuters

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US intensifies efforts to prevent Middle East conflagration

Senior Hizbollah and Hamas figures killed as fears grow of regional war

The edge of the abyss looms in the Middle East

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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It's an important year for the European Union, which holds parliamentary elections in June. As geopolitical turbulence continues to test the strength of global alliances, will Europe pursue further integration or start to pull apart? Gideon discusses these questions, and the role played by European Commission presidents, past and present, with Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform in London. Clip: European Commission

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Jacques Delors, who drove EU integration, dies at 98

How migration is pushing Europe to the right

EU readies €20bn plan B to fund Ukraine

Ukraine and its backers need a credible path to victory

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.

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Who will win the US presidential election? Will China continue its rapprochement with the west? What are the prospects for an end to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza? Gideon discusses these and other questions with the FT’s Martin Wolf, Karin von Hippel, director-general of the Royal United Services Institute, and Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group. Clip: CNN

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Americans won’t be terrified into rejecting Trump

Time is of the essence in defending Ukraine

America’s cultural supremacy and geopolitical weakness

Peace is impossible without resolving the leadership vacuum in Israel and Gaza

The US retains the economic advantage in its rivalry with China

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Countries at the COP 28 climate summit in Dubai have reached a deal to transition away from fossil fuels. Gideon speaks to the FT’s Simon Mundy, who’s in Dubai covering the talks, about the agreement. Will it actually help the world reach global net zero emissions by 2050? 

You can raise money for the FT's charity, the Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign, by bidding to have lunch with Gideon or one of his colleagues at top restaurants which are donating meals for an excellent cause. Go to ft.com/appeal to see what's on offer.

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Countries reach ‘historic’ COP28 deal to transition from fossil fuels

COP’s love-hate relationship with business

COP28 president denies using UN climate summit to pitch oil deals

COP28: The struggle to say ‘fossil fuels’ out loud

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon, Persis Love and Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Jake Fielding.

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A recent visit to the US by China’s president Xi Jinping has raised hopes of a bilateral rapprochement. But how stable is this more positive relationship and can a conflict over Taiwan be averted? Gideon discusses these questions with Washington-based China experts Evan Medeiros and Jude Blanchette. Clip: CNBC

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America and a crumbling global order

Moody’s cuts China’s credit outlook to negative

US, UK and Australia move to track ‘emerging threats’ in space

EU must stand up for Taiwan at China summit

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to FT colleague Ed Luce and Susan Glasser of The New Yorker about Donald Trump’s campaign to be the Republican nominee in next year’s US presidential election. Is his success all but assured and, if so, what does this mean for Joe Biden’s chances of re-election? Looking further ahead, what would a second Trump presidency mean for American democracy?Clip: CNN

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The Nikki Haley wild card for 2024

Ron DeSantis leads Donald Trump and Joe Biden in $250mn 2024 election advertising race

Biden can’t spin his way to re-election

Donald Trump would gut Joe Biden’s landmark IRA climate law if elected

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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The war in Gaza has provoked mass demonstrations across the Arab and Muslim world and exposed the policy failings of regional leaders. Gideon discusses regional leaders’ response to the crisis with Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East Programme at Chatham House in London. Is there now sufficient unity to bring about a new plan for Middle East peace? Clips: NBC News, Al-Jazeera

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Israel, Oppenheimer and the laws of war

The world must start preparing for peacemaking in the Middle East

Israel’s government meets as Joe Biden says Hamas hostage deal is close

Arab foreign ministers press China to support end to Israel-Hamas fighting

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Some have described Russia’s war against Ukraine as being at a stalemate. But one side could quickly gain the upper hand. Gideon discusses the strengths and weaknesses of both sides with Jack Watling of the Royal United Services Institute in London. Clips: Deutche Welle; NBC News

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Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia in maps — latest updates

Russia’s war economy leaves businesses starved of labour

Ukraine reaches deal with insurers for grain shipments

Denmark could block Russian oil tankers from reaching markets

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Emile Hokayem, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, about Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. How long is it likely to last and what will be the repercussions for Israel and the wider region? Clips: Channel 4 News; AFP

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Iran’s interests are trumping the Palestinian tragedy

From the US to Ukraine, the Gaza war will change the world

‘Dead man walking’: How Yahya Sinwar deceived Israel for decades

Gaza: the history of an embattled territory

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Wally Adeyemo, US deputy Treasury Secretary, about the power of US financial sanctions to punish autocrats and dictators and curb terrorism. What exactly are these sanctions designed to do and how effective are they? Clip: PBS

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US pushes allies for more sanctions on Hamas

China capitalises on US sanctions in fight to dethrone dollar

Russia is increasingly using China’s currency to evade sanctions

Qatar’s super-fixer role in Israel-Hamas war brings praise and scrutiny

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.

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Gideon talks to Comfort Ero, president of the International Crisis Group, about what’s behind the recent resurgence of military coups in the Sahel region. Clip: BBC

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US signals intention to engage with Niger junta

Where is the next African coup?

Niger is the graveyard of French policy in the Sahel

Ethiopia’s plan to rebuild in the wake of a ‘brutal’ war

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Baroness Catherine Ashton, former high representative of the EU on foreign affairs, about the role of diplomacy in helping to contain the Israel-Gaza conflict. Clip: The White House

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The Israel-Hamas war in maps: latest updates

Humanity must prevail in Gaza

Supporting Israel and protecting Palestinians are not contradictory policies

Iran is positioning itself to benefit from the Israel-Gaza conflict

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to the historian and writer Lawrence Freedman about what led to the catastrophic events of the past week in Israel and what options the Netanyahu government has to respond to Hamas's deadly attack. Clips: 11Alive; NBC News

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The Israel-Hamas conflict in maps

‘Nothing is normal any more’: war with Hamas reshapes life in Israel

A bitter blame game will follow Israel’s wartime unity

All involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict should heed the warnings of 1982

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Will Bidenomics help the US Democrats win another term in office? Will the policies be effective in tackling the climate crisis? Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, thinks not. In the last in our series on Bidenomics, he tells Gideon why offering incentives to private sector businesses is, in his view, a bad strategy.

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John Kerry: Energy transition is the ‘new industrial revolution’

Adam Posen: ‘Russia and North Korea worked hard to be self-sufficient, it has not turned out well for them’

The west shouldn’t give up on ‘gentle commerce’ just yet

WTO warns about fragmentation of global trade into allied blocs

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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In the second of our three-part series, Gideon talks to WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala about the impact of Bidenomics on countries' attitudes to free and open global trade and the WTO's role in protecting this.

Clip: France 24

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Western companies take slow steps towards China ‘de-risking’

South American leaders issue ultimatum on EU trade pact

US and China to launch economy and finance working groups to stabilise ties

Global trade falls at fastest pace since pandemic

Models can mislead us on the impact of global trade

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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In the first of a three-part series on Bidenomics, Gideon talks to Brian Deese, former head of the National Economic Council in the Biden White House. They discuss how big a change of direction this was for the US, what motivated the policy and whether it is working well enough to convince American voters to re-elect Joe Biden next year. Clip: Biden-Harris 24

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White House embraces ‘Bidenomics’ as it seeks to woo sceptical voters

Investors must realise the pendulum of history is swinging to Bidenomics

Why Joe Biden is the heir to Trump

Inside the $220bn American cleantech project boom

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Subscribe now to the FT's Tech Tonic podcast: Some scientists believe that rapid advances in artificial intelligence may also hold the key to decoding animal sounds, allowing us to ‘translate’ them into human language. In a new season of Tech Tonic, FT innovation editor John Thornhill and series producer Persis Love explore how the same technology that powers ChatGPT is being applied to research in animal communication. Could we one day learn to ‘speak whale’ or even chat with bats? And if so, can we trust ourselves to do so responsibly?

Presented by John Thornhill, produced by Persis Love, sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio.

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Opinion polls now suggest that about two-thirds of British people think that Brexit has failed. So was it all a terrible mistake? Gideon talks to FT colleague Peter Foster about his new book, What Went Wrong With Brexit: And What We Can Do About It

Clip: BBC

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UK SMEs not ready for ‘avalanche’ of Brexit 2.0 rules and taxes

London and the fight for its future as a fashion hub

The EU’s transformations will reshape its ‘British question’ too 

EU and UK to unveil €1bn in N Ireland funding to boost reconciliation

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Are our politicians doing enough to protect humanity from the potential risk of a nuclear war, a deadly pandemic or AI without guardrails? Gideon discusses these risks with Jason Matheny, president of the Rand Corporation in California and former director for technology policy on President Joe Biden’s National Security Council.

Clips: YahooFinance; Dr Strangelove, Columbia Pictures (1964)

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The US and Iran look for de-escalation

Regulating artificial intelligence is a 4D challenge

US seeks to deepen Tokyo-Seoul security links to boost Pacific deterrence

Governments are waking up to biosecurity risks — but we must act fast

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, about the strength of bipartisan support for Ukraine and about President Joe Biden’s proposed “grand bargain” that could see Saudi Arabia and Israel normalise diplomatic relations in return for American security guarantees. Clip: CBS News

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Joe Biden makes his big Middle East push: a Saudi Arabia-Israel pact

Grand Delusion — America’s imposition on incompatible Middle East realities

Ukraine launches biggest drone attack yet inside Russian territory

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Gideon talks to political commentator and economist Sergei Guriev about the lessons Russians and the outside world will draw from the apparent killing of Yevgeny Prigozhin. How does this affect the stability of the Russian regime and the outlook for the war in Ukraine? Clip: BBC

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When democratic spin conceals a descent into dictatorship

Russia files lawsuit against billionaire oligarch Andrey Melnichenko

Russia fires ‘General Armageddon’ in Wagner crackdown

Vladimir Putin plans meeting on Russian currency controls after rouble’s slide

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Gideon talks to the FT’s Miles Johnson, author of a new book called Chasing Shadows about the links between international crime and geopolitics. They discuss how wars and the breakdown of democratic accountability have contributed to the ability of criminals to operate across borders and, in some cases, with state backing.

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Wagner leader generated $250mn from sanctioned empire

Using crypto for crime is not a bug — it’s an industry feature

Ecuador gripped by fear after presidential candidate killing

North Korea and the triads: gangsters, ghost ships and spies | FT Film

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Lulu Smyth and Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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China’s assertiveness on the global stage has reinvigorated economic and political ties between the US and Japan. Leo Lewis, the FT’s Asia business editor, discusses what’s changed with Rahm Emanuel, the US ambassador to Japan. 

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Corporate Japan back in the hunt for US deals

Japan looks to expand diplomatic corps in overseas charm offensive

Tokyo could win ‘not China’ global hub status — but it must want it

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts – please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Lulu Smyth and Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Donald Trump was indicted this week on charges related to his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. But the former president is also in the running for the 2024 presidential election and polls suggest he’s likely to win the Republican nomination. Gideon Rachman is joined by Professor Peter Trubowitz, director of the US Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science, to discuss what this all means for Trump’s future and the future of American democracy. 

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Trump and American democracy’s time of trial  

Donald Trump indicted for ‘unprecedented’ attempt to overturn US election 

The cases against Donald Trump  

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Lulu Smyth and Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Breen Turner. 

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The Sudanese people are being held hostage by warring generals in a power struggle that has already lasted 100 days. With no solution in sight, the fighting risks drawing in outside actors like Russia’s Wagner group and destabilising neighbouring countries. David Pilling, the FT’s Africa editor, discusses the state of the conflict and its repercussions for the region with political analysts Kholood Khair and Alan Boswell. Clips: Middle East Eye; VOA; Human Rights Watch; Sky News.

More on this topic:

Sudan’s descent into violence poses new threat to volatile Sahel region

The crisis in Sudan calls for a new model of humanitarian aid

‘The garden of war’: horseback killers return to Darfur

Sudan conflict delivers fresh blow to China’s African lending strategy

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Presented by David Pilling. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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The government of Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez looks set to lose Sunday's elections to the centre-right People's party. But the PP may be unable to form a government without the participation of the hard-right party Vox. Henry Mance, standing in for Gideon Rachman, discusses what this will mean for Spain with the Madrid-based political scientist Pablo Simón. Clips: Deutsche Welle; El País

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Franco’s ghost fails to scare Spain away from the hard right

‘Spain first’: Vox party on brink of sharing power

The ex-Eta terrorist bringing down Pedro Sánchez in Spain

Why Spain’s election threatens the EU’s climate agenda

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Presented by Henry Mance. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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The UAE, host of this year’s UN climate conference, has pushed for a “global stocktake” of progress towards Paris targets, aimed at triggering fresh climate action. But it has also been criticised for its choice of an oil executive, Sultan al-Jaber, as president of the talks. Henry Mance, standing in for Gideon Rachman, talks to Farhana Yamin, British lawyer and climate activist about what we can expect from COP28.

Clips: COP 28, The National News, United Nations

More on this topic:

UAE to set out vision for UN climate summit

Climate graphic of the week: Global heat records alarm scientists

Extreme wildfires are here to stay. Can human beings really fight them?

'Green nationalism' endangers the global energy transition

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Presented by Henry Mance. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Scientists have been sounding the alarm about the potentially catastrophic dangers posed by artificial intelligence. Gideon talks to Anu Bradford, professor at Columbia University and author of a forthcoming book on the global battle to regulate technology about the different approaches being taken in the US, Europe and China. Clips: Amanpour & company; C-SPAN

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How actors are losing their voices to AI

We must avoid the evils of social media with AI

European companies sound alarm over draft AI law

AI executives warn its threat to humanity rivals ‘pandemics and nuclear war’

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.

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Gideon talks to Edward Lucas, author and senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, about the stability of Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia. With his weaknesses exposed by the Prigozhin rebellion, how will rival centres of power respond? Clip: BBC

More on this topic:

The revolution will now be Telegrammed

A huge humiliation’: failed Russian putsch exposes deep flaws in Putin’s regime

Ukraine says ‘main event’ in counteroffensive still to come

Wagner’s future in Africa in question after Russian mutiny

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Indian opposition Congress politician and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor about the concept of the 'responsibility to protect', which allows countries to intervene militarily in order to protect a population from mass murder. This was first mooted by Kofi Annan in the late 1990s after the Rwandan genocide. Can it be applied today, and in what circumstances? Clips: Global News, C-SPAN

More on this topic:

Rwandan genocide fugitive arrested in South Africa

There can be no impunity for the crime of aggression against Ukraine

‘The garden of war’: horseback killers return to Darfur

Pol Pot’s prime minister loses appeal against genocide conviction

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Karin von Hippel, director-general of the UK defence think-tank RUSI, about Ukraine’s counteroffensive and the discussions that are already taking place about a new world order once the fighting is over. Clips: Channel 4 News

More on this topic:

Military briefing: Ukrainian troops make early gains against ‘well-prepared’ Russians

Germany’s first-ever security strategy names Russia as ‘greatest threat’ to peace

Western allies plan to provide long-term security assurances to Ukraine

Military briefing: Russia has most to gain from Ukrainian dam breach

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon meets Britain’s shadow foreign secretary on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, the main forum for discussion of security issues in the Indo-Pacific, in Singapore. They discuss Britain’s relations with China, Ukraine, Brexit and the Commonwealth. Clips: ShanghaiEye, CNA

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US pledges to maintain military capacity to defend Taiwan

The Starmer Project: Labour’s surprisingly bold economic agenda

UK seeks to revive post-Brexit trade links with Latin America

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to the FT’s Chris Miller about the recent upsurge in military operations between Ukraine and Russia. Is this the start of Kyiv’s long-awaited offensive and if so, what would constitute a successful fightback? Clip: NBC

More on this topic:

Military briefing: Ukraine’s daring ‘shaping operations’ stretch Russian defences

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

F-16s might not win Ukraine’s war, but they promise a more equal fight

Russia claims it ‘fully liquidated’ pro-Kyiv militias who crossed border

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to strategist Raja Mohan about India’s rising geopolitical influence. As the countries of the world form alliances to counterbalance the power of China, India is being courted for its support. How is India responding, and what are the prospects that it could one day become a superpower itself? Clips: DD India

More on this topic:

The G7 must accept that it cannot run the world

BBC accused of defaming Indian PM Narendra Modi in Delhi lawsuit

This is the hour of the global south

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Jake Fielding

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Gideon talks to economist Keyu Jin about China’s goal of becoming the world’s biggest economy despite a falling population, the impact of the deterioration in US-China relations, and the way in which the aspirations of its younger generation are shaping policy in Beijing. The podcast was recorded in collaboration with Intelligence Squared. Clips: CGTN; Sky News

More on this topic:

Xi Jinping’s Taiwan ambitions threaten China’s rise

Chinese tech entrepreneurs go on global offensive

China’s raids on foreign firms hurt its own interests

China’s economic recovery in doubt as industrial output falls short

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Gideon talks to Russia expert Fiona Hill about the forthcoming Ukrainian counter-offensive, the state of Russia and the similarities between the leadership styles of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Clips: Daily Telegraph, PBS

More on this topic:

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

US rejects Kremlin claims it was behind drone attack

Russian spy network smuggles sensitive EU tech despite sanctions

China vows to retaliate against EU sanctions on its companies

It is now battered Ukraine’s turn for an offensive

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Leaders in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have decided that they need to work with the regime in Syria to solve problems ranging from the return of refugees to curbing the local drugs trade. Gideon talks to Kim Ghattas about what has motivated this change of strategy and its chance of success in helping restore stability to the region. Clip: WSJ

More on this topic:

Arab world weighs price for Assad’s rehabilitation

Iran’s president visits Syria as he seeks to bolster Tehran’s sway over ally

Spy chief’s daughter highlights UN’s tangled relations with Syrian regime

Syria’s state capture: the rising influence of Mrs Assad

Russia’s myth-making in Syria was a template for the horrors in Ukraine

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been in power for 20 years - and he has every intention of carrying on. But the Turkish leader faces a serious challenge in May’s general election. A change at the top in Turkey could also have profound implications for the wider region. But would Erdoğan accept defeat? Gideon hears from Soner Cagaptay at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy about Erdoğan's psychology, his political following and how a united opposition could finally unseat him.

Clips: Middle East Eye, CNN

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideon talks to the US political theorist John Ikenberry about why the Ukraine war has been both a challenge and a spur for those who want to see liberal democratic values thrive. Clip: Global News

More on this topic:

The new Washington consensus

Lula vows partnership with China to ‘balance world geopolitics’

‘Dare to fight’: Xi Jinping unveils China’s new world order

It is time to cut Russia out of the global financial system

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Emmanuel Macron sparked an international backlash over remarks he made to the press about Taiwan after a visit to China. The French president is also facing growing opposition at home after he pushed through an unpopular policy to raise the retirement age. Gideon talks to Célia Belin of the European Council on Foreign Relations about Macron’s image, his diplomatic gaffes and his struggle to win support for his policies at home. Clips: Sky, Daily Telegraph.

More on this topic:

Macron allies defend his comments on Taiwan

Tea with Xi: Macron gets personal touch as China visit highlights EU differences

The jilted ally behind Macron’s pensions crisis

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Hlib Vyshlinsky, director of Ukraine's Centre for Economic Strategy, about keeping Ukraine's economy alive while the war goes on. Despite a shortage of cash and labour, efforts are under way to try to build a more dynamic and transparent economy when the fighting is over.

Clips: CTV, Sky

More on this topic:

The breaking and making of Ukraine

Saving Ukraine’s economy: the grain giant fighting for survival

Ukraine clinches $15.6bn IMF loan

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to the FT’s Max Seddon and Miles Johnson about Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group and its once secretive leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. They discuss how Prigozhin came to prominence during the fighting around Bakhmut in Ukraine and whether he can hold on to his position of influence with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin. Clips: euronews; NBC; CNN

More on this topic:

‘Like Icarus’: Russian mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin falls foul of Kremlin old guard

Wagner leader generated $250mn from sanctioned empire

Wagner Inc: a Russian warlord and his lawyers

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to the FT’s Middle East editor Andrew England about his recent visit to Iran in the aftermath of some of the worst unrest since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Iran’s reconciliation with Saudi Arabia and its growing trade with Russia may help the regime survive, but relations with the west have plummeted and hopes for a revival of the nuclear deal look bleak.

Clips: Reuters; BBC

Read More on this topic:

Exiled son of Iran’s last shah steps up to lead galvanised diaspora

Saudi rapprochement with Iran is an exercise in buying time

Iran agrees to reinstall IAEA cameras at nuclear facilities

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal tells Gideon why he believes Israel is on course for a full-blown constitutional crisis. The Netanyahu government’s plan to curtail the power of the judiciary, he says, will remove democratic checks and balances that are crucial for the survival of a liberal democracy. Opponents include business, the military and the country's intellectual elite, as well as many middle-class Israelis who will not accept the proposed changes.

Clips: Anadolu Agency; NBC

Protests by Israeli reservists raise stakes in battle over judicial changes

Illiberal democracy comes to Israel

US defence secretary cuts short trip to Israel ahead of mass protests

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to academic and writer Denise Dresser about President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s autocratic tendencies and why she thinks the leader she once voted for is dismantling democracy in Mexico. Clips: France 24, Andrés Manuel López Obrador 

Amlo’s strongman act is weakening Mexico

Thousands protest in Mexico against cuts to electoral watchdog

Mexico’s former security chief convicted in US of helping cartel smuggle drugs

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist talks to Gideon about his efforts to keep global development goals alive amid rising geopolitical tensions. They discuss shrinking aid budgets, climate, technology, China-US tensions and whether Gates remains an optimist about the future.

Bill Gates warns Ukraine war is sapping Europe’s foreign aid budgets

Elon Musk’s Twitter is ‘stirring up’ digital polarisation, says Bill Gates

Bill Gates loves trash

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Christopher Miller moved to the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in 2010 as a volunteer for the US Peace Corps. Now an FT correspondent in Kyiv, he tells Gideon about how the eastern city came to play a central role in the war and how he sees the conflict unfolding in the coming months.

Clips: CNN

More on this topic:

A 12-year journey to the heart of the war in Ukraine

‘Hell. Just hell’: Ukraine and Russia’s war of attrition over Bakhmut

Behind the Money podcast: ​​The costs of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

How Ukrainian photographers captured a year of conflict

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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In the second episode in our special series, Gideon talks to war historian Hein Goemans about what it would take to end the fighting in Ukraine. FT podcast survey

More on this topic:

A year of war in Ukraine has left Europe’s armouries dry

Military briefing: Russia prepares Ukraine spring offensive

The keyboard warriors on Ukraine’s digital front line

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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In the first of a three-part series, Gideon talks to Ukraine MP Lesia Vasylenko about what it was like to wake up in a country at war, how Ukrainians surprised the world with their fightback, and the need for reparations and justice for the victims of Russia’s war crimes.

More on this topic:

FT podcast survey

Volodymyr Zelenskyy demands ‘wings for freedom’ as UK pledges fighter pilot training

Military briefing: what the west’s shifting red lines mean for Ukraine

Russia’s budget deficit soars as energy revenues slump by almost half

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Martin Wolf, the FT’s chief economics commentator, about his new book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism. They discuss why the post-war settlement between democratic governments and their people is no longer fit for purpose and what can be done to restore our faith in it.

More on this topic:

FT podcast survey

Martin Wolf: in defence of democratic capitalism

The great disruption has only just begun

CEOs beware: cost-cutting isn’t the same as growth

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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The Filipino people are paying a heavy price for regional tensions between China and the US, Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr tells Gideon. He explains how he hopes to steer clear of conflict, build up the economy and focus on mitigating the economic damage caused by climate change.

Clips: Inquirer.net

More on this topic:

Ferdinand Marcos Jr says Taiwan tensions ‘very, very worrisome’ for Philippines

US military deepens ties with Japan and Philippines to prepare for China threat

China and Philippines vow to handle maritime tensions with ‘friendly consultations’

US vice-president visits Philippine island off contested South China Sea

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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The war in Ukraine has had dire consequences for millions of people beyond Europe. Gideon talks to David Miliband, IRC president, about why Putin's challenge to the world order must not go unpunished.

Clips: CNN

More on this topic:

Geopolitics threatens to destroy the world Davos made

War in Tigray may have killed 600,000 people, peace mediator says

How the law finally caught up with notorious human trafficker Kidane

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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A small group of Republican party zealots, backed by former president Donald Trump, have forced their way into a position of power in the US Congress. Gideon talks to Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of the National Interest magazine in Washington and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, about what they are seeking to achieve and whether they will end up playing into the hands of President Joe Biden if he seeks re-election.

Clips: ABC, CNN

More on this topic:

Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces tough first week seeking to unify Republicans

Joe Biden’s claim to presidential greatness

The debt ceiling is scarier this time

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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How has Russia changed since Putin embarked on his Ukraine war nearly a year ago? Gideon talks to Angela Stent of Georgetown University about the origins of Russia’s imperialist ambitions, its rupture with Europe and reliance on revived alliances with the global south.

Clips: @Rumoaohepta7; Channel 4 News

More on this topic: 

‘Untrainable’: Russian army faces backlash over conscripts’ death in Ukraine attack

Turning the tide in Russia’s war on Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Jake Fielding

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Gideon Rachman is joined by a panel of colleagues: FT editor Roula Khalaf, Moscow correspondent Max Seddon and US editor Edward Luce. This year was defined by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Will 2023 be any different? Meanwhile, in China, Xi Jinping was confirmed for a third term as the country's leader, with many believing he's now set to rule for life. 

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon and Howie Shannon. The sound engineer was Breen Turner. 

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Qatar’s decision to host the World Cup was mired in controversy from the start but ultimately seems to have paid off, bringing the tiny Gulf emirate new friends and winning over old enemies. Gideon talks to Simeon Kerr, the FT’s Gulf correspondent, about what motivates the emirate to seek to deploy its vast wealth for political ends.

Clips: Qatar Airways; France 24

More on this topic:

Qatar wooed EU lawmakers ahead of football World Cup

How the unlikeliest World Cup ever came to be

Qatar faces the harsh glare of World Cup publicity

Qatar World Cup provides rare source of unity to Arab states

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Australia’s relations with China have taken a dive in recent years, forcing Canberra to reassess regional security and trade ties. Gideon talks to Michael Fullilove, director of the Lowy Institute, Australia’s leading foreign-policy think-tank, about how Australia is adapting to the new reality.

Clips: ABC, ChannelNewsAsia

More on this topic:

Australia, China and the judgment of the Solomons

Australia’s defence dilemma: projecting force or provoking China?

US to ‘deepen’ defence ties with Australia in face of China threat

Australian business hopeful of better ties with China

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Severe lockdowns associated with China’s zero-Covid policy have combined with economic woes to incite the most widespread protests since Tiananmen Square. President Xi Jinping is now under pressure to address this discontent. Gideon discusses what his options are with the FT’s Yuan Yang, who has recently returned to London from Beijing.

Clips: BBC

More on this topic:

Xi’s pandemic triumphalism returns to haunt him

Guangzhou eases restrictions despite worsening Covid outbreak

China’s high youth unemployment stokes student Covid protests

Restless Beijingers rise up against Covid controls

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Italy has become one of the main entry points to the EU for irregular migrants but its new nationalist prime minister Giorgia Meloni has taken a hard line and is demanding Europe do more to help.

Why has Meloni taken such a confrontational approach? Ben’s guest is Nicoletta Pirozzi, head of the EU programme at Italy’s Institute for International Affairs in Rome.

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Presented by Ben Hall. Produced by Fiona Symon and Howie Shannon. The sound engineer was Breen Turner. 

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Brazil joins a group of Latin American countries that have elected leftwing leaders. What kind of change will they bring to the region and its relations with the rest of the world? Michael Stott, the FT’s Latin America editor, discusses these questions with Andrés Velasco, dean of the school of public policy at the London School of Economics and a former finance minister of Chile, and Chris Sabatini, senior fellow for Latin America at Chatham House in London.

Clips: AP, VOA, BBC

More on this topic:

Lula seeks Brazil constitutional change to fund campaign pledges

Amazon destruction woes overshadow Brazil’s farming advances

Chile’s Boric seeks ‘new path forward’ after voters reject constitutional changes

Latin America moves to bring Venezuela’s Maduro in from the cold

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Thomas Wright, director of strategic planning at the National Security Council in the Biden White House, tells Gideon how the war in Ukraine changed US thinking about the need for broader alliances.

Clips: The White House, Channel 4 News

More on this topic:

Xi Jinping’s China and the rise of the ‘global west’

US coal phaseout plan meets divided response at COP27

China and the US remain locked in mutually assured co-operation

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Joe Biden’s Democrats look set to lose control of Congress in this month's elections. But many of the Republicans poised to take office support Donald Trump's claim that the last presidential election was stolen. Gideon discusses his prospects for a return to the White House with journalist Susan Glasser, co-author of The Divider, a history of the Trump presidency.

Clips: CNN, Forbes Breaking News

More on this topic:

Joe Biden fights to revive Democrats one week before midterm elections

This will be the mother of all American midterm elections

Britain and America’s electoral geographies are broken

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Gideon talks to economist Linda Yueh of Oxford university about recent dramatic developments at the Chinese Communist party’s congress in Beijing. They discuss what the growing centralisation in China tells us about how Xi Jinping will handle the private sector, the property crisis and international tensions over Taiwan.

Clips: CGTN; CNA

More on this topic:

China’s limitless presidency means limited diplomacy

China’s growth stutters as exports fail to rescue economy

China’s wealthy activate escape plans as Xi Jinping extends rule

Hit film Return to Dust has vanished from China’s cinemas. Why?

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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There was outrage in Washington over Saudi Arabia’s decision to back Opec output cuts during a global energy crisis. What was the kingdom’s motive for putting its strategic partnership with the US at risk? As a regular visitor to Saudi Arabia, Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London offers his view of the Saudi leader’s calculations and plans for a new global role for the country.

Clips: France 24; CNN; Fox news

More on this topic:

The plight of expat workers at KPMG Saudi Arabia

Joe Biden’s limited room for manoeuvre on Saudi Arabia

The new oil war: Opec moves against the US

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Ukrainian cities have faced an onslaught of missiles from Russia this week in retaliation for the attack on the Kerch bridge that links Russia with occupied Crimea. Russia has threatened to go further and to use tactical nuclear weapons rather than face the defeat of its forces in Ukraine. But would it? Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow for the Carnegie Endowment think-tank, tells Gideon he thinks Putin’s threat is deadly serious.

Clips: BBC

More on this topic:

Putin suggests Nord Stream gas exports to Europe could be restored

Nato allies struggle to secure air defence systems for Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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The death of a young woman detained by Iran’s ‘morality police’ has sparked nationwide protests that the government is struggling to control. Gideon talks to Iranian analyst Sanam Vakil about what the unrest tells us about the weakening authority of the regime that has been in place for the past 40 years.

Clips: BBC, France 24

More on this topic:

How Iranian students are shaping anti regime protests

Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei blames US and Israel for street protests

Mahsa Amini has become a potent symbol for women in Iran

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Jake Fielding

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Europe’s priorities have undergone a massive shift in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Gideon talks to political scientist Ivan Krastev about how central Europe is gaining influence within the EU as a result of the Ukraine war.

Clips: United Nations; France24

More on this topic:

EU to put price cap on Russian oil in new sanctions package

The 90km journey that changed the course of the war in Ukraine

Denmark, Germany and Poland warn of ‘sabotage’ after Nord Stream leaks

Endless frictions with Brussels risk fuelling Euroscepticism in Poland

The EU should press Hungary hard on rule of law

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Britain's new prime minister is facing huge challenges on both the domestic and international stage. Gideon talks to Bronwen Maddox, director of Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, in London about how Liz Truss will deal with the Ukraine war, Brexit and relations with the US and China.

Clips: Royal Family Channel; France 24

More on this topic:

Liz Truss admits UK trade deal with US is not on the agenda

The economic consequences of Liz Truss

Liz Truss to launch UK defence review as she calls for Russian reparations

Britain enters the era of King Charles III

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Ukraine’s rapid recapture of territory in recent days has put Russian forces on the back foot and raised the prospect of an early end to the war. Gideon talks to Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of war studies at King's College in London about the dramatic turnaround and what happens next.

Clips from BBC, Russian state TV

More on this topic

Military briefing - Ukraine offensive ‘dooms’ Russia’s aims for Donbas

Russian army hobbled by shortage of soldiers

Ukraine faces ‘tough fight’ even as Russian forces retreat, says US

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Polls suggest that the largest single party will be the Brothers of Italy - and its leader Giorgia Meloni will therefore be prime minister. That’s causing consternation in some quarters because the party has roots in the fascist-influenced politics of post-war Italy. Gideon’s guest this week is Nathalie Tocci, the director of the Institute for International Affairs, a think-tank based in Rome.

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Presented by Gideon Rachman.

Produced by Howie Shannon. The sound engineer was Breen Turner. 

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Gideon’s guest this week is Ramachandra Guha, who is often hailed as the most distinguished historian of modern India.

He is also a noted critic of the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Presented by Gideon Rachman.

Produced by Fiona Symon and Howie Shannon. The sound engineer was Breen Turner. 

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Six months into the Ukraine war, Gideon talks to Phillips O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, about the balance of forces on each side. With Russian forces bogged down, is a Ukrainian victory now a possibility?

Clips: The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Aspen Institute

More on this topic:

Six months of war in Ukraine: ‘The enemy learned fast’

Join the FT Telegram channel to receive Ukraine coverage alerts

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

The global reach of Alexander Dugin

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Chinese-American academic Minxin Pei about China’s reaction to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. What does it tell us about Xi Jinping’s leadership as he bids for a third term as president?

Clips: The Sun; Daily Telegraph

More on this topic:

Taiwan tensions force multinationals to rethink China risk

China ratchets up pressure on Taiwan after US congressional visit

Taiwan greets Chinese military intimidation with parties rather than panic

Xi Jinping grasps ‘knife’ of internal security to complete grip on power

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to the South African writer and political activist, Songezo Zibi, about the need to build a coalition for change to help restore some of the high hopes that accompanied the end of apartheid.

Clips: SABC, The Sun

More on this topic:

Bain barred from UK state contracts over ‘grave misconduct’ in South Africa

South Africa hopes private sector can help end Eskom power crisis

South Africa’s Ramaphosa under fire after ranch burglary fuels questions over wealth

How three brothers ‘captured’ a country

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Sergio Jaramillo was one of the architects behind Colombia’s landmark peace deal with Marxist guerrilla group Farc. Now, as a senior adviser at the European Institute of Peace, he explains if and how Ukraine and Russia could ever arrive at a ceasefire or peace negotiation. John Paul Rathbone, security and defence correspondent for the Financial Times, talks to Jaramillo about how negotiations are as important a part of military strategy as fighting on the battlefield, and what Europe should do to support Ukraine.

Presented by John Paul Rathbone. Produced by Fiona Symon and Persis Love. Sound design by Breen Turner

Clips: BBC, MSNBC, Associated Press

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Human rights lawyer Cori Crider co-founded Foxglove, a group that fights on behalf of those harmed by the misuse of technology. She talks to the FT’s Madhumita Murgia about why social media companies need to bear more of the cost for the poisonous content they host on their platforms.

Clip: C-SPAN

Want to read more?

A tale of two Facebook whistleblowers

Big Tech makes concessions on EU’s new anti-disinformation code

EU approves groundbreaking rules to police Big Tech platforms

Civil society must be part of the Digital Services Act

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner

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Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been working hard to help open up an export route for Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea. But as he wins plaudits for this key mediating role, his nation is struggling with soaring inflation and a cost of living crisis. Andrew England, standing in for Gideon, talks to Asli Aydıntaşbaş of the European Council on Foreign Relations and Laura Pitel, the FT's Turkey correspondent, about what’s motivating Erdoğan.

Want to read more?

Erdoğan is an infuriating but indispensable ally

Ukraine grain deal and Syria top agenda for Putin’s talks with Iran and Turkey

Fruit becomes a luxury in Erdoğan’s Turkey as inflation threatens re-election bid

Ukraine warns that only lifting Black Sea blockade can avert global food crisis

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner

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Alexander Gabuev, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, tells Gideon why he believes Russia is destined to become a giant Iran of Eurasia. It will remain a significant military power, but one that is increasingly under the sway of China, the main destination for its energy exports.

Clips: DW; Global News

More on this topic:

Iran plans to provide drones to Russia for Ukraine war, says US

Putin warns of ‘catastrophic’ energy crisis if west boosts sanctions

China’s image loses its shine in Europe

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Kersti Kaljulaid, former president of Estonia, about the policy failures that led to the war in Ukraine. A weak response to Russia’s invasion of Georgia and Crimea gave Vladimir Putin the green light. Now the strength of Ukrainian resistance is giving the west another chance to "put its house in order".

Clips: Sky News, AP

More on this topic:

Europe’s new defence bloc: Nordics and Baltics unite in face of Russian threat

Estonia’s PM says country would be ‘wiped from map’ under existing Nato plans

War in Ukraine: will the Baltics become the ‘new West Berlin’?

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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It took years of digging and a lucky break to uncover the fraud at the heart of Wirecard. Gideon talks to Dan McCrum about the strange netherworld of financial speculators, private detectives, bumbling accountants and outright criminals that he encountered along the way.

Clips: Bloomberg, Money Talks

More on this topic:

Why we trust fraudsters

Less work for EY auditors? What about more accountability

Wirecard middleman pleads guilty to hacking

Inside Wirecard

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen

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European leaders have been united in their support for Ukraine against Russia’s aggression. But as costs mount they could face growing calls to compromise with Russia. Gideon talks to Ulrike Franke, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, about how France and Germany in particular are handling the crisis. Clips: Euronews; CNN; France24

More on this topic:

Farewell to Russia and to the Sinatra doctrine

Olaf Scholz says partnership with Putin’s Russia is ‘inconceivable’

Ukraine weighs up impact of EU leaders’ trip to Kyiv

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen

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Gideon talks to the billionaire investor Ray Dalio about the connections he's found between the rise and fall of markets and the rise and fall of nations. 

Clips: CBS, CNBC, BBC

More on this topic:  

Policy errors of the 1970s echo in our times

Fed begins quantitative tightening on unprecedented scale

Top investors split on direction of ‘tempestuous’ China’s markets

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen

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Russia’s global power has rested in large part on its oil and gas reserves. Will Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine and Europe’s decision to seek alternative supplies shrink this power irreparably? Gideon talks to the American expert Dan Yergin about the role played by energy in the Ukraine conflict and its implications for the rest of the world.

Clips: BBC, ABC, Sky News

More on this topic:  

Europe at risk of winter energy rationing, energy watchdog warns

LNG revolution: Germany’s plan to wean itself off Russian gas takes shape

Saudi Arabia is increasing supply — so why is the oil price holding firm?

Trafigura warns oil prices could reach ‘parabolic state’ in threat to economy

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Gideon talks to Venezuelan economist Moisés Naím about the reasons for the collapse of the political centre in Latin America, and about the tactics used by populist politicians to rise to power in the region and beyond.

Clips: Euronews; AP; Al Jazeera; NBC; Andrés Manuel López Obrador channel

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How the Colombia election could change Latin America

Colombia’s Rodolfo Hernández goes from also-ran to the brink of power

Conservative young Brazilians complicate Lula’s path to presidency

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner

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Russia’s blockade of the port of Odesa is preventing Ukraine from exporting vital supplies of grain to a hungry world. A failure to resolve the problem will lead to food price rises and starvation, resulting in more migration and global unrest, according to David Beasley, head of the UN World Food Programme. He talks to Gideon about what needs to be done to avert catastrophe.

Clips: NewsNation, ABC news, CNN

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Military briefing: Ukraine seeks way to break Russia’s Black Sea blockade

Pakistan seeks to renegotiate IMF loan as food prices surge

‘Millions’ at risk of death as Ukraine war hits food supplies, Egypt warns

World’s poorest nations to receive aid amid soaring food prices

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The roots of Ukrainian nationalism go back to the second world war, when one prominent group sided briefly with Hitler against the Soviet Union. Gideon talks to Princeton academic Kim Lane Scheppele about the legacy of this group and whether any remnants of its ideology still have influence over the country’s politics and military.

Clips: NBC, Open Ukraine, Eurovision Song Contest

More on this topic:  

‘Don’t confuse patriotism and Nazism’: Ukraine’s Azov forces face scrutiny

Ukraine says rescue under way for troops at Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Why do some countries stay poor while others find a rapid path towards growth and development? Economist Stefan Dercon thinks it’s all about the willingness of those in power to prioritise development over protecting their own interests. He explains how he came to this view in conversation with the FT’s Africa editor, David Pilling.

Clips: IMF, Africa News

More on this topic:  

Gambling on Development, by Stefan Dercon

The Rachman Review: the rising toll of famine and conflict

Ethiopia is a tragedy for the whole of Africa

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Presented by David Pilling. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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When Russia invaded Ukraine, a group of countries in the global south, including India and South Africa, held back from the chorus of condemnation led by Europe and the US. Gideon discusses why they have adopted a neutral stance with Tanvi Madan of the Brookings Institution and Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, chief executive of the South African Institute of International Affairs.

Clips: Reuters; Republic World

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Nato’s eastern front: will the military build-up make Europe safer?

Indonesia under pressure as it weighs buying Russia’s ‘blood oil’

How Russia’s war in Ukraine upended the breadbasket of Europe

Xi Jinping faces a fateful decision on Ukraine

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Russia raised the spectre of nuclear war this week as it struggles to make headway in Ukraine. How seriously should this threat be taken and can Vladimir Putin rely on his friendship with China’s Xi Jinping? Gideon discusses these questions with US political scientist Graham Allison, author of the classic study of the Cuban missile crisis, ‘Essence of Decision’, and of a book on US-China relations, ‘Destined for War’.

Clips: ABC, Bloomberg

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‘At war with the whole world’: why Putin might be planning a long conflict in Ukraine

Biden, Putin and the danger of Versailles

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps 

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Jasiu Sigsworth

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideon talks to former World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy about the French election and what political trends in France tell us about nationalism and anti-globalist movements around the world.

Clips: France 24

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‘She’s radiant’: what French voters like about Le Pen this time

Patriots vs globalists replaces the left-right divide

French election polls: the race for the presidency

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Jasiu Sigsworth

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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In a country besieged by war, Ukrainian politicians continued to meet in their parliamentary building, despite the clear threat of attack from Russian troops. Ukrainian MP Dmytro Natalukha shares his experiences of keeping parliament running while Kyiv was under siege. As chairman of Ukraine’s economic affairs committee, Natalukha tells how the country’s economy has been ravaged, and how he expects the war will develop over the coming months.

Clips: NBC News, BBC, DW News, CNA

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Persis Love. Sound design by Guldem Masa.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has put in an unexpectedly strong showing and looks set to go head to head with Emmanuel Macron in the second round of France’s presidential election. Gideon talks to the FT’s Anne-Sylvaine Chassany and Bruno Cautrès of Sciences Po about the issues French voters care about and what happens next.

Clips: Reuters, HuffPost, France inter

www.ft.com/rachman-review

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French election polls: the race for the presidency

Rightwing presidential candidates’ immigration ‘obsession’ belies reality of modern France

Emmanuel Macron warns he could lose French election to the far right

France votes: Macron’s frontrunner status conceals deep rifts in society

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Jasiu Sigsworth

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideon talks to Catherine Belton, author of the bestselling book Putin’s People, about who is likely to be influencing the Russian president as he decides whether to step back or press on with the war in Ukraine.

Clips: Reuters, BBC

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Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Turned on the West

Germany and Austria plan for gas rationing over payment stand-off with Russia

War in Ukraine: what explains the calm in global stock markets?

Antigua investigates yacht with possible Abramovich ties

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Jasiu Sigsworth

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Europe has been united by opposition to Putin’s war in Ukraine, but will this new found unity last and will Russia be permanently isolated? Gideon talks to Alexander Stubb, former prime minister of Finland, about how the conflict is reshaping Europe’s alliances with the rest of the world.

Clips: British Pathé

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Nato to discuss extending Jens Stoltenberg’s term as secretary-general

Biden heads for Europe with mission to maintain west’s unity in response to Russia

We should not abandon Russian citizens to a culture of brutality

Putin’s war demands a concerted global economic response

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Ben Hall talks to Rose Gottemoeller, an American diplomat who was deputy secretary-general of Nato from 2016 to 2019, about the kind of deal Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are working towards. Will Ukraine agree to give up its ambitions for Nato membership and pledge neutrality instead? How might the west guarantee its security and could Vladimir Putin tolerate an independent Ukraine?

Clips: Sky News, BBC, NBC

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Ukraine and Russia signal progress in talks

How is Ukraine using western weapons to exploit Russian weaknesses?

Life under occupation: how Ukrainians are resisting Russian rule

Tracking Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps

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Presented by Ben Hall. Produced by Fiona Symon and Persis Love. Sound design by Breen Turner

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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How long can the Ukrainians hold out? Will Vladimir Putin be stuck in a never-ending war and how would Russians tolerate that? Might western powers be dragged in? Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, discusses these questions with John Paul Rathbone, defence and security correspondent, and Henry Foy, European diplomatic correspondent and former Moscow bureau chief. 

Clips: BBC, Nato News

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Ukraine accuses Russia of Mariupol hospital bombing ‘atrocity’

Russia’s techies flee country they fear is ‘flying into an abyss’

War in Ukraine: will the Baltics become the ‘new West Berlin’?

Military briefing: Russian invaders exposed to guerrilla attacks

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Presented by Ben Hall. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Jasiu Sigsworth

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Putin’s war in Ukraine is not going to plan, but it’s as yet unclear how the Russian leader will react to these failures. Gideon talks to strategic expert Lawrence Freedman about what the Russian military can realistically achieve and, in particular, how worried Nato should be about Russia’s decision to put its nuclear weapons on standby.

Clips: BBC, CNN

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Another Stalingrad’: assault on Kharkiv shatters ties that once bound two nations

Air power counts for little in Ukraine war as caution prevails on both sides

West takes Putin’s nuclear weapons threat seriously

Tracking Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Russia has confirmed what western powers had long predicted and invaded Ukraine. On the eve of war, Gideon spoke to Sabine Fischer of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, a Russian specialist recently back from Moscow, and to Polina Ivanova, FT correspondent in Kyiv, about the mood in the two capitals.

Clips: RT, The White House

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EU hits Putin’s defence minister and chief of staff with sanctions

Putin’s denial of Ukrainian statehood carries dark historical echoes

Ukraine prepares to impose state of emergency and calls up reserve troops

Putin’s made-for-TV security debate gives him answers he wants to hear on Ukraine

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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After a week of frenetic diplomacy, the Ukraine crisis has yet to be resolved. But it has had a significant impact on reshaping western alliances. Gideon talks to Charles Grant, head of the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think-tank, about the impact of the Russian threat on US ties with Europe, and on Nato and the EU.

Clips: The White House, Sky News

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Poland prepares for possible influx of refugees fleeing Ukraine

Top finance watchdog urges west to ‘think twice’ about Russia sanctions

Can the Minsk accords help de-escalate Russia-Ukraine tensions?

Ukraine crisis pushes Russia and China into a closer embrace

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Governments and militias around the world, from Ukraine to Ethiopia, have a new and powerful weapon at their disposal: armed drones. Gideon talks to Ulrike Franke of the European Council on Foreign Relations about how this is changing the balance of power and causing growing concern about civilian casualties.

Clips: WSJ, CBS,Sky News

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideon talks to Hungary’s opposition leader Peter Marki-Zay about his chances of overcoming the powerful political machine created by Viktor Orban and his Fidesz party in April's elections.

Clips: Fox News, Reuters

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Russia’s military build-up on its border with Ukraine has set off alarm bells and led to a flurry of transatlantic diplomacy. Gideon talks to Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, about what President Vladimir Putin is seeking to achieve, and whether he can realise these goals without launching an attack on Ukraine.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Diplomacy has so far failed to defuse the crisis in Ukraine and many fear that war is imminent. Gideon discusses the remaining diplomatic possibilities and, if they fail, what a war might look like, with Samuel Charap, a political scientist at the Rand Corporation think-tank in Washington.

Clips: Sky News, CBS News

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideon talks to David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, about the organisation’s 2022 watchlist, which reveals that people in 20 countries, representing 10 per cent of the world’s population, are at risk or in dire need of humanitarian aid, and the situation is getting worse. What has gone wrong and are there any solutions?

Clips: DW, Live Aid, Reuters

IRC’s 2022 Emergency Watchlist

David Miliband’s speech to the Council on Foreign Relations

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/c2a23023-df6b-49ed-af06-149bb0b35237

Three years of demonstrations have proved the Sudanese people’s strong desire for democratic change after decades of military rule. But this week the latest attempt to secure a peaceful transition foundered with the resignation of Abdalla Hamdok, interim prime minister. Gideon Rachman discusses what happens next with London-based journalist Yousra Elbagir and Muzan Alneel, a writer based in Sudan.

Clips: BBC, Euronews, CNN

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/03234d8d-0548-4e84-b7c9-5ed87b2b7a57

For the last podcast of 2021 and to review the year, Gideon Rachman is joined by his FT colleagues Martin Wolf and Gillian Tett.

We’re coming to the end of a tumultuous year, which began with the unprecedented storming of the US capitol by supporters of Donald Trump. And which ends with a pandemic still raging, inflation on the rise and Vladimir Putin threatening to invade Ukraine.

Audio: BBC, ABC News

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/ce91ffd7-0549-4187-8dda-61b20548d2c8

Gideon talks to Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, about the ways in which global powers try to exert influence over others in an interconnected world. Mark Leonard is author of The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity Causes Conflict.

Clips: Reuters, BBC

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/402578f3-6ad6-45f8-8340-cb1e809fe95b

In this special interview, Sir Jeremy Fleming, head of the UK signals intelligence agency GCHQ, talks to FT editor Roula Khalaf and FT correspondent Helen Warrell about cyber threats from China and other state actors, the global competition for data and the "Snowden effect" on spy agencies.

Clips: IISS, NBC

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/34bb8aee-612e-4b2e-ab59-0d11518e1d82

Gideon talks to Kadri Liik, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, about Russia’s military build-up on the Ukraine border and about how policymakers in Nato and the EU are responding.

Clips: Nato News; VOA; BBC

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/c40abc3c-5a4b-4ebe-9f24-82241f2939f5

Gideon talks to former White House official Evan Medeiros about the recent summit between the US and Chinese presidents. Was the relative cordiality of the meeting a sign of reconciliation or are the two powers heading towards a military confrontation?

Clips: The White House, Deutsche Welle

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/f1dbd73c-381c-475b-8b22-fa07abd6d92f

Gideon talks to Simon Mundy, author of Race For Tomorrow, about how he would assess global efforts to tackle climate change in the wake of this month’s gathering of world leaders in Glasgow.

Clips: Bloomberg; NBC; ABC

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/e66fa8b7-7b92-4497-8585-cf43e8cd41fc

Poland’s judicial reforms have put it on a collision course with the EU over human rights and the rule of law. Can the bloc adapt to accommodate its more awkward members or should it take a hard line? Gideon discusses the problem with Catherine De Vries, a professor of political science who specialises in the EU and is based at Bocconi University in Milan.

Clips: BBC, Euronews. European Commission

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/07579093-643e-4300-87c3-3b3e6b36526b

Gideon talks to Leslie Hook, the FT’s environment correspondent, about what to expect from the UN climate change conference in Glasgow. Will determination to give teeth to the Paris accord survive the global energy crisis?

Clips: UN; ITV News; Reuters

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

https://www.ft.com/content/7dd6de54-58d0-4a5f-9c74-d599b513a668

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, finally left office this year. He is now on trial on corruption charges and Israel is ruled by the most diverse coalition in its history. Gideon discusses Israel’s new political landscape with Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute.

Clips: IsraeliPM, Reuters

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Gideon talks to historian Paul Kennedy about how long America’s period as the world’s most powerful nation can last in the face of a rising China.

Clips: British Pathé

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Gideon discusses the strength of America’s political system with Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of the foreign policy magazine The National Interest. Are fears about the Republican party’s commitment to democracy justified, and can Joe Biden win back the support of white, working class America?

Clips: MSNBC, TODAY, CNN

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Joe Biden says "relentless diplomacy" will be at the heart of American foreign policy. But the Aukus pact with Britain and Australia, reached without consulting other allies, angered European leaders, notably France’s Emmanuel Macron. Derek Chollet, counsellor at the state department in Washington, explains the rationale for the deal and why he thinks the diplomatic friction is likely to be shortlived.

CLIPS: The White House, France 24

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Gideon talks to Thomas Wright, director of the Center on the US and Europe at the Brookings Institution, about the aftermath of a global crisis when ‘no-one was home’ on the international leadership side. 

Clips: Global News, NBC News and AP

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Sarah Chayes, a writer and former journalist who worked as a special adviser to the US military leadership in Afghanistan, talks to Martin Sandbu about what will be the legacy of America’s 20-year involvement.

Clips: White House; ITV News; ABC 7 Chicago

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How will Iran’s new president tackle growing disillusionment at home, a potentially hostile regime on its eastern border and negotiations to revive the nuclear deal? Andrew England, the FT’s Middle East editor, discusses what we can expect from Ebrahim Raisi with Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East North Africa programme at Chatham House in London.

Clips: Al Jazeera, BBC, Reuters

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Gideon Rachman talks to Professor Sir David King about the string of environmental disasters across the globe this summer. With the IPCC report this week confirming that climate change is accelerating, Sir King says that it is no longer enough to aim for net zero emissions, we must use technology to repair damage to the polar ice caps.

Clips: BBC, Latin America News Agency (Reuters), Bloomberg

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Gideon Rachman talks to Chloe Cornish, the FT’s Middle East correspondent, on how decades of misgovernance have led to Lebanon’s current political, economic and social crisis. Chloe recounts how the year since the explosion in Beirut, the country’s capital city, has been one of worsening struggle for the Lebanese people.

Chloe’s piece, Lebanon’s year from hell: a diary, can be read here

Clips: AP Archive, Reagan Library

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Pilita Clark talks to Philippe Sands, human rights barrister, professor, author and an expert in international law who recently co-chaired a panel that produced a legal definition of the crime of ‘ecocide’. He says there is growing support for the introduction of a law that could put presidents and chief executives in the dock at the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

Clips: CBS, ABC

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The foreign ministers of India and China have held talks amid an enduring standoff that has opened up new fault lines over Asia’s future. Meanwhile, the US has shown a growing interest in its alliance with India, despite concerns about the Modi government's domestic policies. Gideon Rachman talks to Tanvi Madan, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, about the triangular relationship between India, China and the US.

Review clips: India Today

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Gideon talks to Oliver Stuenkel, a professor of international relations at the Getulio Vargas foundation in São Paulo about Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro. His government’s failure to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and recent corruption allegations have caused Bolsonaro's popularity to sink ahead of next year’s election. But is he already laying the ground for claims that the vote was fraudulent?

Clips: EFE, Reuters

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