The Rachman Review

Is it possible to negotiate with Iran?

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:47:28 GMT

What is it like to negotiate with Iran and what are the key issues that need to be resolved if the war is to end? Has the war permanently reshaped the relationship between the US and Europe? Gideon talks to Baroness Catherine Ashton, who was the EU’s high representative for foreign policy from 2009 until 2014 and played a leading role in negotiations with Iran.

More on this topic:

Armageddon is off . . . for now

US and Iran agree 2-week ceasefire that will open Strait of Hormuz

Has Trump officially united Europe

Trump’s threats to pull out of Nato leave alliance exposed

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Nisha Patel. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Trump says the Iran war may be ending soon: mission accomplished?

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump has said the US military action against Iran may be coming to an end. If so, what would it have achieved and where does this leave the key question of safe passage for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz? Gideon discusses the consequences of the war for the US and its allies with Philip Gordon of the Brookings Institution. Clip: NBC News

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Trump threatened to stop weapons for Ukraine unless Europe joined Hormuz coalition

Shutting Hormuz is a template for China in Taiwan

Iran could emerge from the war stronger and more dangerous

UK to host coalition talks on securing Strait of Hormuz

One battle after another: Netanyahu’s new security doctrine

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Hungary’s pivotal election

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Viktor Orbán has been a thorn in the side of the EU and a favourite of Donald Trump. But his party is now behind in the polls ahead of next month’s Hungarian elections. So could this mark the end of the Orbán era? Gideon discusses this with Zsuzsanna Végh, an analyst at the German Marshall Fund. They also discuss Orbán's close relationship with Russia and hostility to Ukraine. Clip: APT

Free links to read more on this topic:

ECB warns Hungary’s seizure of Ukraine cash risks euro credibility

Hungarian opposition groups quit to make way for Orbán challenger

Kremlin backs covert campaign to keep Viktor Orbán in power

The riches of Viktor Orbán’s home village

How Viktor Orbán’s oligarchs reaped billions in public contracts

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The heavy cost of the war on Iran

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon discusses the Iran war with defence analyst Jack Watling, author of Statecraft - The New Rules of Power in a Divided World. Why did the US fail to foresee the need to protect the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route? What options are there to bring the war to a close?

Clip: NYT

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Iran vows retaliation against energy sites across Gulf after largest gasfield hit

Trump ally warns US economy not strong enough to cope with Iran war

Iran still seen capable of escalating attacks on Gulf’s energy

Israel says it has killed Iran’s top security official

Top US counterterrorism official resigns over war against Iran

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Introducing Untold: Opus Dei

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Introducing Opus Dei, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Antonia Cundy uncovers the cultural and political influence of a controversial Catholic organisation in America. Opus Dei exists to help people get closer to God, but some members say they found other agendas – and unexpected harm – entangled in that spiritual mission. The first episode of Untold: Opus Dei launches March 25.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Formidable US firepower fails to unseat Iran’s regime

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon speaks to Sir Simon Gass, a former UK ambassador to Iran, about why the formidable destructive power of the US and Israel has failed to dislodge the Islamic regime. They discuss how long the war can continue as well as likely outcomes for the US, Iran and the Gulf region. Clip: Middle East Eye

Free links to read more on this topic:

Trump’s Venezuela strategy has failed in Iran

Iranians rethink the price of regime change

Iran official says new supreme leader is ‘fine’ despite absence from view

Drones, lasers and radars: Middle East war spurs hunt for cheaper air defence

Taco on Iran will come too late for Trump

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Iran war risks turning into a battle of endurance

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon discusses the US and Israeli war against Iran with Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. What are the war aims, can they be achieved and where does this leave the future of the region and its relations with Israel? Clips: CBS; CNN

Free links to read more on this topic:

Gulf insurance costs soar 12-fold despite Trump guarantee

Trump has no realistic plan for Iran’s future

Military briefing: how Iran could wage a new ‘tanker war’

The cynical opportunities of ‘Epic Fury’

The influencers leaping to Dubai’s defence

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Boris Johnson: Pressure on Putin is the price of peace

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon discusses the state of peace talks on Ukraine with Boris Johnson at a conference organised by the Yalta European Strategy group in Kyiv. The former UK prime minister offers his view of what needs to be done to bring an end to the conflict: put more pressure on Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Otherwise, we are “setting a course for years more of conflict”. Clip: BBC

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy says war in Ukraine at ‘beginning of the end’

European leaders express solidarity with Ukraine as US hangs back

Ukraine’s economy shows grit amid lasting war damage

Europe re-arms as US slows defence spending

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Chrystia Freeland on how to negotiate with autocrats — and allies

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Chrystia Freeland, former deputy prime minister of Canada, about different approaches to negotiating with the Trump administration. They also discuss the current state of the war in Ukraine, her new role as adviser to President Zelenskyy and how to pressure Russia into ending the conflict. Clip: US Department of State

Free links to read more on this topic:

Why Rubio failed to repair the transatlantic rift

Carney’s new global order needs a huge shift in political will

Russia-Ukraine talks yield ‘some progress’ on ceasefire, says Zelenskyy

Europe’s path to security without the US

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Trump's predatory foreign policy

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to American political scientist Stephen Walt about the phrase ‘predatory hegemon’ that he coined to describe the US administration under Donald Trump. What are the risks and benefits of this policy for the American people, and for those who formerly considered themselves staunch allies? Clip: The White House

Free links to read more on this topic:

A post-Trump restoration is still possible

Why Maga loathes London

Trump and the normalisation of deviance

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Can diplomacy avert a US-Iran war?

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Andrew England, the FT’s Middle East editor, speaks to Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, about Iran’s escalating crisis. Can diplomacy prevent a war between the Trump administration and Tehran? What are the prospects for reform of the increasingly unpopular Islamic regime in Iran? Clips: Channel 4 News; CBS

Free links to read more on this topic:

US and Iran set to meet in Oman as Middle East tensions spiral

‘The game is over’: critics of Iranian regime seize on killings to push for change

Iran’s people stand to lose whether or not talks succeed

Arab and Muslim powers mount last-ditch effort to avert US-Iran conflict

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Presented by Andrew England. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Bill Gates: AI, aid cuts and the fear of speaking out

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Bill Gates tells Gideon that a climate of fear has taken hold in the US business community under the Trump administration: “People are afraid to speak out about being afraid to speak out.” He discusses falling aid budgets, why philanthropy cannot replace government funding, and an ambitious new collaboration with OpenAI to improve access to healthcare in Africa. Gates also reflects on the more destabilising uses of artificial intelligence and his past association with the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Clips: NBC4, Bill Gates

Free links to read more on this topic:

Bill Gates and OpenAI back $50mn AI rollout in African health clinics

Tech titans lined up for Trump’s second inauguration. Now they’re even richer

Bill Gates and Sergey Brin among newly released Epstein photos

Bill Gates warns aid cuts risk big increase in child deaths

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Mark Carney on a world in rupture — and what comes next

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:13:03 GMT

Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, received a standing ovation at the World Economic Forum in Davos after warning that the global order has entered a period of “rupture”. In a post-speech interview with Gideon, Carney reflects on how globalisation went wrong — and on what can still be salvaged through deeper co-operation among countries and institutions that share common values. Interview and clips courtesy of the World Economic Forum

Free links to read more on this topic:

Mark Carney warns of ‘rupture’ to global order as Donald Trump rattles allies

Donald Trump’s ‘wrecking ball’ set to touch down in Davos

Republicans begin to push back against Donald Trump’s pursuit of Greenland

America’s barbarians inside the gates

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Breen Turner and Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Alexander Stubb on Greenland: the good, the bad or the ugly?

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:52:03 GMT

Gideon speaks to Finland’s president about how to resolve the stand-off between Europe and the US over Greenland. Alexander Stubb describes the dispute as the "most difficult issue he has faced since taking office", arguing that discreet “back office” diplomacy, rather than public grandstanding, is the best way forward. He also touches on Ukraine, applauding the transatlantic alliance’s achievements so far but cautioning that the Greenland row is beginning to sap momentum from efforts to advance peace talks.. Clips: DWS; BBC

Free links to read more on this topic:

Greenland is ground zero for Arctic ‘Great Game’

How the Greenland deployment of a few European troops enraged Donald Trump

Trump’s Arctic ambitions torch the most important US asset

Russia knocks out power, heating and water to Ukraine’s freezing capital

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Sudan: inside the world’s worst humanitarian crisis

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Famine, mass killings and the collapse of basic government services have pushed Sudan into what the UN now calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. As regional powers across the Middle East fuel the conflict by backing rival factions, civilians have largely been left to fend for themselves. Gideon speaks to Sudanese political analyst Kholood Khair and Sudan expert Alex de Waal to understand how the country reached this point — and where the country and its people go from here. Clips: Sky News; Africa News

Free links to read more on this topic:

There is already an answer to securing Sudan’s future

US rebukes backers of Sudanese paramilitary force behind ‘horrific’ atrocities

The human cost of a world without rules

How the UAE-Saudi Arabia alliance ruptured

Israel’s Horn of Africa gamble raises tension with Arab and Muslim rivals

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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‘Regime roulette’ in Venezuela: Is Greenland next?

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:13:15 GMT

Now that the Trump administration has fully embraced the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ - a policy claiming the western hemisphere as a US sphere of influence - which country will be next in the line of fire? Gideon discusses this with Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group consultancy, which has just published its top risk report for 2026.

Free links to read more on this topic:

Venezuela and the trouble with the Donroe doctrine

Greenland’s future must be decided by island and Denmark, Starmer warns Trump

Donald Trump’s imperial Venezuela folly will leave America no richer

The gangs, goons and guerrillas running swaths of Venezuela

No, Trump is not a fascist

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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2025: a year of chaos and confusion

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon and guests look back at 2025 as well as forward to the year ahead in an FT Live discussion for the Global Boardroom. Donald Trump set the tone of world politics this year from his tariff wars to his efforts to make peace in the Middle East and Ukraine, while also bombing Iran and threatening Venezuela. In a bid to make sense of the contradictions, Gideon is joined by Leslie Vinjamuri, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Dan Drezner, professor of international politics at the Fletcher school at Tufts university in Boston, and James Crabtree, author of an acclaimed book on Modi's India and a forthcoming book on US-China tensions in the Pacific. Clip: PBS

Free links to read more on this topic:

When business and democracy don’t mix

The AfD’s love-in with Maga

Open source could pop the AI bubble — and soon

China is making trade impossible

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Trump takes aim at South Africa

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump has accused South Africa of carrying out a genocide against its white population. He also says the nation does not deserve to be a member of the G20, which it hosted last month. FT Africa editor David Pilling - standing in for Gideon - puts these allegations to two South Africans, Lawson Naidoo, a civil society activist, and Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, a foreign policy expert. What is the state of race relations in the country and how are South Africans reacting to the allegations? Clip: CNN

Free links to read more on this topic:

South Africa arrests Kenyans working at US-run Afrikaner ‘refugee’ centre

The ‘pampered princess’ accused of trafficking South Africans to Russia

How South Africa’s underworld infiltrated its government

South Africans question future of Black empowerment policies

South Africa’s credit rating upgraded for first time in two decades

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Presented by Devid Pilling. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Europe’s rocky relations with Donald Trump

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:55:13 GMT

Gideon talks to Jens Stoltenberg, Nato's former secretary-general, about Ukraine and Europe's strategic priorities after recent scathing criticism from US president Donald Trump over its failure to end the war: ‘They talk but they don’t produce.’ Clip: Politico

Free links to read more on this topic:

The White House’s rupture with the western alliance

Trump pushes for ‘free economic zone’ in Donbas, says Zelenskyy

Friedrich Merz offers to host Ukraine talks so deal not done ‘above Europe’s head’

Ukraine’s ‘fortress belt’ that Donald Trump wants to trade for peace

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Splits in the Maga movement

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of the National Interest, about the rows over racism, Epstein and Israel that have broken out in Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement. Clips: Tucker Carlson, Right wing watch, Dana Loesch

Free links to read more on this topic:

Marjorie Taylor Greene to resign from Congress after clash with Donald Trump

Trump’s Maga coalition fractures over far-right interview

Maga vs AI: Donald Trump’s Big Tech courtship risks a backlash

Donald Trump’s Maga base split over handling of Jeffrey Epstein files

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The voice of moderate America

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the senior Democrat on the US Senate Committee on foreign relations, about Donald Trump’s foreign policy. Can Congress stop the president from making big concessions to Russia and attempting regime change in Caracas? Clip: ABC News

Free links to read more on this topic:

Ukraine has no choice but to engage with US peace plan

Russia pursues peace deal — on its own terms

Donald Trump’s affordability problem: in charts

What is Venezuela’s ‘Cartel of the Suns’?

Mohammed bin Salman, the autocratic Saudi moderniser trying to escape his past

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Defying death

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Investors are spending billions of dollars on novel ways to extend human life through inventive treatments, therapies, and even manipulating our genes. And increasingly, it seems as though anti-ageing efforts have moved from the super rich to a mass market consumer industry. In this series, we’re covering the past, present and future of the longevity movement. We’ll be looking at where the fixation on longevity is coming from, and trying to understand the practical and ethical issues at the heart of this cutting-edge field of research.

From Silicon Valley fantasies, to Singaporean health spas, to Colombian genetic clinics and beyond, the FT’s Hannah Kuchler and Michael Peel ask whether breakthroughs in science and technology can really help us live longer, and even stop us aging altogether.

Free to read:

US ‘wellness’ industry scents opportunity to go mainstream

The quest to make young blood into a drug

This season of Tech Tonic was produced by Josh Gabert-Doyon. The senior producer is Edwin Lane. Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Fact checking by Simon Greaves, Lucy Baldwin and Tara Cromie. Original music by Metaphor Music. Manuela Saragosa is the FT’s acting co-head of audio.

The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts.

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Europe’s triple shock: Putin, Trump and Xi

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT

The French pioneer of European integration Jean Monnet believed that Europe would be ‘built in crisis’. The war in Ukraine is putting this theory to the test, once again. Gideon discusses with historian Timothy Garton Ash how European leaders are responding to this latest crisis after the brief ‘holiday from history’ that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Clip: ITV

Free links to read more on this topic:

US and Russian officials draft new peace plan for Ukraine

The scramble for Europe is just beginning

Ukraine secures winter gas support from Greece

Poland blames Russia-linked operatives for rail explosion

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The battle for AI supremacy

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman sits down with the FT's innovation editor John Thornhill and Caiwei Chen, China reporter for the MIT Technology Review, to discuss the race between China and the US to become the 21st-century AI superpower. The west is used to hearing about the might of the Silicon Valley giants, US cutting-edge research and chip dominance. But China has a different approach. Will its use of a cheaper and more efficient open AI model allow China to overtake the US with this era-defining technology?

Want more? Join John and the FT’s Chinese technology correspondent Eleanor Olcott in a live Q&A on November 13 at 1pm GMT where they will be answering your questions on the tech battle between Silicon Valley and Beijing.

Submit your question: Will China win the AI race?

And subscribe to a new six part newsletter series - 'The State of AI'. It's a collaboration between the FT and MIT Technology Review where writers from both publications debate the defining questions of the AI era. Sign up here

More on this topic:

The State of AI: is China about to win the race?

China offers tech giants cheap power to boost domestic AI chips

AI pioneers claim human-level general intelligence is already here

The AI race

Who’s right about AI: economists or technologists?

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The Rachman Review is presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Flo Phillips and the sound design is by Simon Panayi.

Clip: Axios

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Donald Trump and autocracy in America

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to historian and author Anne Applebaum about the Trump presidency. The US president is increasingly accused of being a would-be dictator, but is it fair to compare Donald Trump to authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping?

This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by Intelligence Squared that took place in central London last month.

Clips: CBS 60 Minutes

Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

More on this topic:

Trump’s fawning cabinet and the threat to US democracy

The Trump doctrine: don’t rely on America

The Trump Supremacy

Saudi Arabia in talks for US defence pact

How the Trump companies made $1bn from crypto

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Flo Phillips and sound design is by Breen Turner

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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US versus China: a test of strength

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to former US trade representative Michael Froman about Donald Trump’s visit to Asia this week, culminating in a meeting with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Apec summit in South Korea. What does it tell us about US trade priorities in the region and who is best placed to win the contest of strength between the US and China? Clips: NST online; Times Now

Free links to read more on this topic:

Will Trump push south-east Asia towards China?

China calls for ‘extraordinary measures’ to achieve chip breakthroughs

Why China keeps winning the trade war

China doubles down on industrial policy

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Nuclear weapons and the balance of terror

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to the historian and author Serhii Plokhy about how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed our calculations about the risk of nuclear war. They discuss the history of the atom bomb from its first use in 1945 to the risk of a resurgence of proliferation. Clip: Harry S Truman Library

Free links to read more on this topic:

The Nuclear Age by Serhii Plokhy — why nations want the bomb

US offers nuclear energy companies access to weapons-grade plutonium

The covert trip by Iranian nuclear experts to Russia

The old nuclear rules won’t stop proliferation

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Introducing Untold: Toxic Legacy

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Introducing Toxic Legacy, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Laura Hughes uncovers a lead poisoning epidemic across the UK. You might be living with lead and not know it: the toxin is often invisible to the human eye, but wreaks havoc on our bodies once we’re exposed. The first episode of Untold: Toxic Legacy launches October 22.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.

For information on how to live safely with lead, please visit the LEAPP Alliance website.

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Taiwan under threat: how strong are its defences?

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Taipei-based policy analyst J Michael Cole about how the Taiwanese are handling the threat of invasion from Beijing. Clips: APT News; RTI English.

Free links to read more on this topic:

TSMC’s stock market rally is a triumph of need over fear

Taiwan accelerates ‘T-dome’ missile plan against China threat

Taiwan backtracks on chip export curbs to South Africa after China spat

Taiwan becomes largest importer of Russian naphtha

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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What chance for Trump’s Gaza peace plan?

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to former White House official and Middle East expert Philip Gordon about Donald Trump’s plan for a peaceful end to the Gaza conflict. What are the chances that it can succeed and what are the main stumbling blocks? Clip: TRT World

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner join Israel-Hamas talks in Egypt

What remains of Gaza?

Trump goes mainstream on the Middle East

How Donald Trump’s Gaza deal came together

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Jean-Marc Eck and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Mission to Mars

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:14:55 GMT

US President Donald Trump has pledged to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars”, China could send its first crewed mission to Mars within a decade, and Elon Musk wants people to actually settle on Mars, transforming the human race into an interplanetary species.

In a new series of Tech Tonic, the FT’s Peggy Hollinger asks if we’re really about to land, and even live, on the red planet.

Free to read:

Musk’s mission to Mars

Three days with America’s rocket chasers

Tech Tonic is produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The senior producer is Edwin Lane. Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Original music by Metaphor Music. Manuela Saragosa is the FT’s acting co-head of audio.

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David Lammy on the fight for democracy

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon interviews Britain's deputy prime minister David Lammy at the Labour Party conference at a meeting hosted by the Tony Blair Institute. They discuss how the Starmer government, which has had a tough first year in office, can turn things around, as well as the Gaza peace plan, ties with the Trump administration and how to fight 'the politics of grievance'. Clip: Keir Starmer

Free links to read more on this topic:

Starmer urges Labour to launch ‘patriotic’ fight against Reform

How Donald Trump’s Gaza deal came together

Trump goes mainstream on the Middle East

‘Lost the plot’: Tony Blair’s Gaza role prompts incredulity — and some hope

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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How to fix America

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Matt Duss, former adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders and executive vice-president of the Washington-based Center for International Policy. They discuss recent curbs on free speech, former president Joe Biden’s foreign policy mistakes, and how identity politics has been used to distract voters from the ever widening gap between rich and poor. Clips: DRM News; Forbes

Free links to read more on this topic:

Jimmy Kimmel hits out at ‘anti-American’ threats to free speech as show returns

Inside Disney’s decision to bring back Jimmy Kimmel

America’s accelerating exit from itself

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Russia’s drone incursions put Baltics on alert

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to former Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis about Russia’s recent drone incursion into Polish airspace. What message should Europe and Nato take from this? How worried are the Baltic states about a possible expansion of Vladimir Putin’s war aims? And how vulnerable are they to attack? Clips: BBC, BFBS

Free links to read more on this topic:

What is Vladimir Putin’s game plan against Nato’s eastern flank?

Russians lose internet access as Ukrainian drones hit close to home

Baltic states know Russian occupation is never temporary

Moscow holds Ukrainian children at hundreds of sites across Russia

Europe turns to Ukrainian tech for ‘drone wall’ against Russia

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Israel's man without a plan

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to journalist Anshel Pfeffer about Israel’s ‘strongman’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They discuss how his ‘brazen disregard’ for international norms has helped him to cling to power, but also left him at the mercy of more and more extreme forces in Israel. This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by Intelligence Squared that took place in central London earlier this month. Clips: LBC; CNN; BBC

Free links to read more on this topic:

Israel unbound: was Qatar a strike too far?

EU moves to freeze some funding to Israel over war in Gaza

Israeli annexation of the West Bank would be ‘red line’ for UAE

Netanyahu’s disastrous plan to take control of Gaza

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Lea Ypi on parallels between the 1930s and today

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Albanian academic Lea Ypi about her book Indignity. In the book, she describes how living first under the Ottoman empire, then as part of fascist Italy and later in a post-war communist state affected the lives of her grandparents. They discuss possible parallels between the first half of the 20th century and the times we are living in today and ask what lessons can be drawn from this history to avoid making the same mistakes. Clip: AQSHF

Free links to read more on this topic:

Kant and the case for peace

Albania’s ‘old sheriff’ on course to win fourth term as prime minister

Why the EU’s migration dilemma is pushing the bloc further right

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Taiwan’s Trump problem

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 04:00:00 GMT

The longheld US position to defend Taiwan’s independent status in the face of Chinese aggression is looking shaky under the Trump administration, in spite of Taiwanese efforts to court the American president. This week, Gideon talks to analyst and author James Crabtree - former director of the Asia office of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - about why the US now seems more interested in doing a deal with China than showing support for Taiwan. They also discuss the broader implications that this, and other issues, might have for US alliances across the Indo-Pacific region, including relations with South Korea, Japan, Australia and India.

Clips:

Amazon Prime

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More on this topic:

Taiwan raises defence spending by 23% under US pressure to counter China threat

Donald Trump blocks Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te from New York stopover

US cancelled military talks with Taiwan

Trump is the gift that keeps giving to China

The geopolitics of chips: Taiwan’s ‘Silicon Shield’

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner. The executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Trump ‘plays into Putin’s hands’

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon discusses the outcome of the recent Alaska and Washington summits with Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Has Russia emerged as a clear winner? What can be achieved without more pressure on Vladimir Putin? How effective would western security guarantees be to prevent future Russian aggression?

Clip: Sky News

Free links to read more on this topic:

Ukraine talks expose Trump’s dreadful attention to detail

Donald Trump says US could play role ‘by air’ in Ukraine security guarantee

Donald Trump says US to ‘co-ordinate’ Ukraine’s security with Europe

‘Stab in the back’: Kyiv reels as Trump embraces Putin’s terms

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner. The executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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What next for India as Trump-Modi friendship sours?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 04:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration has hit India with 50% tariffs. And just after a short military conflict between India and Pakistan, President Trump played host to Pakistan’s army chief of staff at the White House. Gideon discusses what this means for India and for the region with Tanvi Madan, author of a noted history of the US-India relationship. Clip: WION. Weekend Festival link

Free links to read more on this topic:

Donald Trump tariffs threaten Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ drive

How Pakistan wooed Trump — and rattled India

Narendra Modi tells Indian farmers he will ‘never compromise’ in face of 50% US tariffs

India’s Russian oil conundrum: yield to Donald Trump or face tariff backlash

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Manuela Saragosa.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The cold war guru whose warnings on Russia still stand

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Zbigniew Brzeziński was one of the most influential statesmen of the cold war. But many of the geopolitical problems he wrestled with in Russia, China and the Middle East, have returned with a vengeance. Among his many prescient ideas, ‘Zbig’ as he was known, predicted that American hubris might lead to an ‘alliance of the aggrieved’ between Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. Gideon discusses his life and legacy with FT colleague Ed Luce, who has written an acclaimed biography of the Polish-born strategist. Clip: Voice of America

Free links to read more on this topic:

A new cold war with China won’t help the US

The World of the Cold War — timely reading in an age of US, Russia and China tensions

The last grand strategists: what Brzezinski and Kissinger could teach Trump

King of Kings — the 1979 revolution that changed Iran and the world

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Jean-Marc Eck and the executive producer is Manuela Saragosa.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Can Israel translate power into peace?

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Israel has demonstrated its capacity to strike at its enemies far and wide since the Hamas attacks of October 7 2023. But what will it do with this military dominance? The FT’s Charles Clover puts this question to Palestinian historian Yezid Sayigh. They discuss the weakness and instability of neighbouring Arab states and how the Netanyahu government’s moves to prevent Palestinian statehood represent the biggest threat to peaceful coexistence in the region. Clips: France 24; Channel 4 News

Free links to read more on this topic:

Has Gaza tested the limits of Donald Trump’s support for Benjamin Netanyahu?

UK to recognise Palestinian state unless Israel ends Gaza crisis

Israel’s quiet war in the West Bank

The world is failing the Palestinian people

Gaza: a war without end?

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Presented by Charles Clover. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Our shrinking and ageing world

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Humans have never been healthier or better fed. We’re living longer, but having fewer children - and many countries’ populations are now shrinking. Gideon discusses these trends with demographer Nicholas Eberstadt. Have smartphones played a role in our declining fertility? How will we look after our elderly people? Is migration the answer? Clip: CBC

Free links to read more on this topic:

The fight to revive Europe’s shrinking rural areas

Population undercounting threatens public policy, scientists warn

Japan urged to use gloomier population forecasts after plunge in births

The unspoken truth about the baby bust

Brain ageing is the best predictor of longevity, scientists find

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The war in Gaza - what do Israelis want?

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Israel’s military victories have brought little comfort to Israelis who are focused on the fate of those hostages still in Gaza. Sasha Polakow-Suransky, FT executive opinion editor, talks with Dahlia Scheindlin, Israeli pollster and author of The Crooked Timber of Democracy in Israel: Promise Unfulfilled about what Israelis want. Why has widespread opposition to many of the Netanyahu government’s policies so far failed to translate into political change? And why do Israelis seem unable to sympathise with the plight of the Palestinians who are also caught up in the conflict? Clips: Reuters; France 24

Free links to read more on this topic:

Israel strikes Syrian military headquarters in Damascus

Benjamin Netanyahu’s government teeters as ultra-Orthodox party quits coalition

EU weighs sanctions on Israel as concerns mount over Gaza aid deal

Inside Gaza’s ‘death traps’

Israel’s quiet war in the West Bank

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Presented by Sasha Polakow-Suransky. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Putin steps up summer offensive against Ukraine

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Russia’s attacks on Ukraine are escalating, both on the front lines and across urban centres. Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, talks to military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady about Ukraine’s battle to hold onto territory until a ceasefire can be agreed. Clips: Channel 4; ABC

Free links to read more on this topic:

Russia attacks Ukraine’s draft offices

Russia hits Ukraine with biggest air attack of the war

Nato’s summit cannot disguise Ukraine’s plight

Kyiv’s sleepless nights under fire

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Presented by Ben Hall. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Is the US heading for a debt crisis?

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund and author of a new book: How Countries Go Broke. They discuss the size of the US debt and what history tells us about identifying warning signs. Clip: CBS

Free links to read more on this topic:

Is Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ a political curse for Republicans?

Fears over US debt load and inflation ignite exodus from long-term bonds

Donald Trump’s big, beautiful act of self-harm

The fall in the dollar is not scary

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Too soon to celebrate peace between Iran and Israel?

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 17:54:07 GMT

Gideon discusses whether the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran can hold with Vali Nasr, Professor of Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Can anyone claim victory from the war? Where does this leave the battered regime in Tehran and its nuclear ambitions? And what will the US need to do to ensure that intense fighting doesn’t break out again? Clips: Channel 4 News; BBC

Free links to read more on this topic:

Best summer books of 2025: Politics

How Donald Trump brokered a shaky Israel-Iran ceasefire

Gulf expat bubble punctured by missiles

Where is Iran’s uranium? Search continues for 400kg stockpile

Iran’s supreme leader faces his defining moment

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Israel goes to war with Iran

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 18:18:44 GMT

Israel has launched an aerial bombardment of Iran, with the aim, it says, of ending Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Gideon talks to Philip Gordon, who was national security adviser to former US vice-president Kamala Harris, about how realistic Israel’s aims are, Iran’s capacity to fight back, and whether the US is about to be drawn into another conflict in the Middle East. Clips: Channel 4 News, The Independent

Free links to read more on this topic:

War on Iran is splitting Trump’s Maga movement

Can an American bunker-buster destroy Iran’s nuclear mountain?

Could strikes on Iran cause a nuclear disaster?

Let them kill us’: millions of Iranians refuse to leave Tehran

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Nato’s moment of truth

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Oana Lungescu, Nato's former and longest-serving spokesperson, about what to expect from this month’s summit and what's at stake? Can Europe convince the Trump administration that Russia is a risk they need to take seriously, and will an agreement to increase defence spending be enough to satisfy the US president? Clips: Sky; Channel 4, Aljazeera

Free links to read more on this topic:

Europe, the US and the question of values

Europe confronts Trump’s triple threat on Ukraine, Nato and trade

Europe has a weaker hand than it thinks on Ukraine

Nato defence ministers to discuss path to 5% military spending

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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What drives China’s strongman?

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman and China historian Rana Mitter discuss the evolution of Xi Jinping from internal exile, to party apparatchik, to strongman leader. What motivates Xi and what’s behind his friendship with the Russian leader? This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by Intelligence Squared that took place in central London late last month. Clip: CGTN

Free links to read more on this topic:

Donald Trump says China’s Xi Jinping is ‘hard to make a deal with’

Xi’s history shapes China’s diplomatic strategy

Chinese defence minister set to skip security forum in Singapore

China’s Xi Jinping likens ‘US hegemony’ to ‘fascist forces’ ahead of Vladimir Putin summit

Xi and Putin are the greatest beneficiaries of Trump’s chaos

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Coming soon: The Wolf-Krugman Exchange

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:04:48 GMT

In a special six-part series of The Economics Show, Martin Wolf, the FT’s chief economics commentator, and Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman discuss the economic events reshaping the world in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s election.

Subscribe and listen to this series on The Economics Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Episodes will also be available on the FT’s YouTube channel.

If you’d like to get in touch and ask Martin and Paul a question, please email economics.show@ft.com

Read Martin’s FT column here

Subscribe to Paul’s substack here

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A foreign policy debrief with Jake Sullivan

Thu, 29 May 2025 04:00:00 GMT

President Biden’s time in office was a momentous period in world affairs and American foreign policy. The Taliban returned to rule Afghanistan, Russia invaded Ukraine, and Hamas attacked Israel all on the watch of National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan.

Gideon talks to Sullivan about the Biden legacy and hears how and why events unfolded and what the Trump administration is doing now.

Clips: BBC, CBS, Sky News, The Guardian, Radio Free Europe, CGTN

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More on this topic:

Europe needs to keep up the pressure on Netanyahu

Putin thinks that time is on his side

Former national security adviser Jake Sullivan: ‘The core engines of American power are humming

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Is Trump a threat or an opportunity for the EU?

Thu, 22 May 2025 04:00:00 GMT

The EU is in Donald Trump’s cross hairs. So how should it respond? In this week’s episode, Paschal Donohoe, Ireland’s finance minister and president of the Eurogroup of finance ministers, discusses whether the euro can challenge the dollar. He tells Gideon that European integration should go even further - and makes the case for immigration and a new relationship between the EU and the UK.

Clips: Euronews,PBS Newshour

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More on this topic:

Why the EU beats Trump at the art of the deal

How the UK and EU thrashed out a post-Brexit reset in relations

Donald Trump says US will ‘100%’ strike trade deal with EU

Euro has ‘clear path’ towards greater reserve currency use, says Eurogroup president

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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India and Pakistan: what now?

Thu, 15 May 2025 04:00:00 GMT

After a short but intense clash, a ceasefire is holding between India and Pakistan, but tensions remain high. Both sides claim victory, but the rapid escalation in the conflict bodes ill for future diplomacy between the two countries. Gideon talks to Professor Sushant Singh, lecturer in south Asian Studies at Yale University, about the conflict and what’s at stake if tensions escalate again. Clips: Times of India, Fox News

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More on this topic:

How India and Pakistan pulled back from brink of war

India and Pakistan’s fragile ceasefire holds after alleged breaches

Narendra Modi says India has proved ‘superiority’ over Pakistan in clashes

India and Pakistan: a conflict in the hands of two religious strongmen

Military briefing: India and Pakistan test red lines of nuclear rivalry

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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How can Democrats combat Donald Trump?

Thu, 08 May 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump continues to issue a blizzard of controversial statements and executive orders. His political opponents often seem confused, even stunned. So how should the Democratic party take on the US president? Gideon talks to Senator Andy Kim, a new Democrat from New Jersey, on the merits of different approaches to opposition and what is needed to win back voters.

Clips: KTVU Fox

This is Gavin Newsom

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More on this topic:

Take no comfort from America’s Trump backlash

‘Nadir for the party’: US Democrats edge towards civil war

Lessons from Russia, Turkey and India for Trump’s America

Traders made $100mn from buying Melania Trump memecoin before launch

Trump’s assault on the rule of law: ‘the speed and intent is remarkable’

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Flo Phillips and the sound design is by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Are we any closer to peace in Ukraine?

Thu, 01 May 2025 04:00:00 GMT

US efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine have so far not yielded anything close to a peace deal. Both Russia and Ukraine have objected to some aspects of the Trump administration’s plan. What – if anything – might make a lasting peace possible? Gideon Rachman speaks to Sir Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of war studies at King’s College London, about what each party wants from a peace deal.

Free links to read more on this topic:

Podcast: Future weapons: Ukraine’s army of drone: https://on.ft.com/3GKlW00

US and Ukraine sign natural resources deal https://on.ft.com/4iRd4mY

Steve Witkoff, the Trump loyalist disrupting diplomacy https://on.ft.com/3EKE89q

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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El Salvador’s ‘jailer for hire’

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to the FT’s Michael Stott about Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, whose friendship with Donald Trump has been in the spotlight over his willingness to imprison US deportees, notably Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. Clip: The White House

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Free links to read more on this topic:

Nayib Bukele: the TikTok authoritarian feted across Latin America

El Salvador’s Bukele refuses to repatriate man wrongly deported from US

How El Salvador became a model for the global far right

Trump is halfway to making America a police state

El Salvador offers to swap Venezuelan US deportees for political prisoners

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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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Iran’s nuclear talks could reshape the Middle East

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Nuclear talks between the US and Iran began last weekend in Oman, and are set to continue in the coming weeks. President Trump has warned that if the talks fail the US could take military action against the Islamic republic – an idea that Israel's government is pressing for. What might a new nuclear deal with Iran look like – and how might it change the geopolitical picture in the Middle East? Clip: The Express Tribune

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Free links to read more on this topic:

The false promise of regime change in Iran

US and Iran agree to follow-up talks over nuclear crisis

Is Iran on a collision course with the west?

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The end of globalisation as we know it

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to the economic historian Harold James about the economic and political implications of Donald Trump's tariffs. What are the similarities with the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930? What kind of forces will his decision to smash the global economic order unleash? Clip: CBC

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It falls to Congress to unravel Trump’s reckless tariffs

Trump’s ‘reshoring’ ambitions threatened by tariff chaos

Market turmoil strains bro-sphere’s bromance with Donald Trump

Trump and the mob boss approach to global markets

Markets could get a lot worse — and quickly

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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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China in the age of Trump 2.0

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMT

German businessman Joerg Wuttke has been an observer of China since the 1980s, watching it evolve from backwater to superpower. He talks to Gideon about US-China rivalry and how Europe can find its place as a trading partner to both powers. Clip: CNBC

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China launches large-scale military exercises around Taiwan

China’s Xi Jinping tells top global CEOs to use their influence to defend trade

China is suffering its own ‘China shock’

BASF’s Joerg Wuttke: ‘The essence of China is this warrior’

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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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The making of Vladimir Putin

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Russia experts Catherine Belton and Arkady Ostrovsky about Vladimir Putin’s goals. They discuss his early ambition to restore Russia’s status as a global superpower. And they go on to analyse why, after a quarter of a century in power, Putin may see his best chance yet of achieving that goal - at a cost of hundreds of thousands of Russian lives. This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by Intelligence Squared that took place in central London earlier this month.

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The age of the strongman

Trump, Putin, Xi and the new age of empire

US agrees maritime ceasefire deal with Ukraine and Russia

Ukraine ceasefire: what is Vladimir Putin’s game?

Russia trained officers for attacks on Japan and South Korea

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

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Mexico hopes to stave off Trump tariffs

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Thirty years ago Mexico made a fateful decision to open its economy and engage with the US. Now that decision is being tested by Donald Trump’s tariff threat. Gideon talks to Mexican economist Luis de la Calle about the impact this could have on his country's economy and that of the US. Clips: ABC News; Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo

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How Trump could destroy his own political movement

Half of Mexico’s exports to US risk steep tariffs

Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum is riding high on Donald Trump’s trade war

China delays approval of BYD’s Mexico plant amid fears tech could leak to US

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

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Europe's response to the threat from Trump

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Europe is facing its biggest defence challenge since the second world war. This is compounded by the destabilising impact of US tariffs. So how is it measuring up? Gideon puts this question to Arancha González Laya, dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Science Po and a former foreign minister of Spain. Clip: Emmanuel Macron

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EU retaliates after Donald Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs take effect

Trump is making Europe great again

How Europe can take up America’s mantle

Sweden to expand arms and space capabilities without US

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

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How should Canada react to Trump’s threats?

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Canada’s Liberal party will elect a new leader this weekend and Chrystia Freeland is running to replace Justin Trudeau as prime minister. Donald Trump’s belligerence towards his northern neighbour seems to have restored the party’s popularity ahead of a general election this year. Chrystia tells host Gideon Rachman that Canadians are sticking together and that they have some strong cards to play.

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Gideon Rachman is the chief foreign affairs commentator at the Financial Times. You can find his column here.

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Donald Trump’s tariffs loom suddenly through the fog of trade war

Europe has bought Zelenskyy some time

Donald Trump warns tariffs will cause ‘a little disturbance’ in defiant speech

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

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Ukraine weathers new geopolitical climate

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon tests the mood in Kiev three years after the Russian invasion as the Trump presidency upends previous tenets of international politics. He talks to Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko and Oleksandr Khomiak, director of Drone Space Labs, a defence start-up. Clip: European Commission

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Ukraine agrees minerals deal with US

US drives Ukraine war measure through UN with Russian backing

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s toughest battle begins

Now is the time for Europe really to step up on Ukraine

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

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Mathias Döpfner: Transatlantic alliance in danger

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon dissects US vice-president JD Vance’s incendiary speech at the Munich Security Conference with German businessman Mathias Döpfner. They discuss the state of the transatlantic relationship and how Donald Trump’s actions towards Russia and Ukraine could mark a turning point. They are then joined by FT colleague Laura Pitel to talk about Döpfner’s media empire Axel Springer and the cancellation of federal government subscriptions to the Politico Pro news service. Clip: The White House

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Donald Trump calls Volodymyr Zelenskyy a ‘dictator’ as US rift with Ukraine deepens

Vance’s real warning to Europe

How Europe can defend itself without US help

Europe’s dependence on US tech is a critical weakness

Donald Trump opens the door to Vladimir Putin’s grandest ambitions

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

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US systems unravel under Trump

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at Tufts University in the US, about why it’s no longer possible to trust America and what the rest of the world can expect from the Trump presidency. Clip: CBC

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Tariffs won’t bring back America’s unipolar moment

'Cost and chaos’: Donald Trump’s metal tariffs sweep across corporate America

Trump is giving a green light to corporate corruption abroad

Trump is forcing Europe to a reckoning on Ukraine

Trump, Putin, Xi and the new age of empire

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

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Trump sets his sights on Gaza property deal

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Andrew England, the FT's Middle East editor, about the US president's 'crazy' plan for a takeover of the Gaza Strip. And he talks to Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid about the prospects for his country as it finally returns to peace and stability.

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Middle East and Europe condemn Donald Trump’s plans to take over Gaza

Donald Trump’s Gaza plan resurrects grandiose Middle East playbook

The deceptively negotiable Donald Trump

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

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Bangladesh students win a chance for change

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Muhammad Yunus, interim leader of Bangladesh, who was invited by students to take charge after their revolution last July. He describes the alleged corruption that took hold when Sheikh Hasina was in office and his vision for a better future for the country. Clip: AP

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Bangladesh hires Big Four audit firms to review ‘robbed’ banks

Tycoon threatens international legal action against Bangladesh over ‘destroyed’ investments

Bangladesh’s unlikely revolutionaries: an 84-year-old and some students

Bangladesh requests UK minister’s bank account details in corruption probe

Bangladesh central banker accuses tycoons of ‘robbing banks’ of $17bn with spy agency help

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

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Finland's president on Europe in a Trumpian world

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 05:00:00 GMT

As Donald Trump begins his second term as US president, and Russia presses forward in Ukraine, Gideon Rachman speaks to Finland’s President Alexander Stubb about Europe’s place in the world. They also discuss the risk of strategic irrelevance in Europe, the rise of the far right, Finland’s position in Nato – and whether other European countries need to be a bit more like Finland. Clip: Reuters

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Gideon Rachman is the chief foreign affairs commentator at the Financial Times. You can find his column here.

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‘Will President Trump even notice Europe?’ asks Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Davos agenda turns to dealmaking as Trump takes office

Trump and the contest between two visions of democracy

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

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Does the Trump administration pose an existential threat to Canada?

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Michael Ignatieff, the former leader of Canada’s Liberal party, about how the country will deal with its newly-hostile southern neighbour when it is undergoing a change of leadership at home. They discuss Donald Trump’s threat to raise punitive tariffs on Canadian imports and how to respond to his suggestion that Canada should become the US’s 51st state. Clip: Global News

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Canada warns of ‘tit-for-tat’ tariffs on US if Trump imposes levies

Pierre Poilievre moves closer to realising his populist vision for Canada

Praised abroad, troubled at home: Canada’s political ‘prince’ bows out

Mark Carney considers run to replace Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau

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

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South Korea’s real-life political drama

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 05:00:25 GMT

Gideon talks to the FT's Christian Davies about President Yoon’s thwarted attempt to impose martial law in South Korea. What lies behind the shock move, and what does it tell us about the underlying problems of a country better known for the global success of its entertainment industries? Clip: Washington Post

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South Korea crisis mounts as clock ticks on arrest warrant for president

The resilience of South Korea’s democracy remains in doubt

South Korea’s tumult is a symptom of China-US strife

A hostage situation’: South Korea paralysed in fight against Trump tariffs

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

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What to expect in 2025

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:00:24 GMT

Gideon hosts an end-of-year discussion with Alexander Gabuev of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Jeremy Shapiro of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Karin von Hippel of the Royal United Services Institute. They discuss what we can expect from the incoming Trump presidency, the prospects for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine, and China’s strengthening ties with Russia. Clip: Fox 13 News

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FT Person of the Year: Donald Trump

Putin says Trump’s Ukraine proposals merit attention

Xi Jinping prioritises consumers over chips as concerns over growth mount

AI admin tools pose a threat to national security

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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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Fear and euphoria in Damascus

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 05:00:16 GMT

Gideon talks to FT Middle East correspondent Raya Jalabi about what she found when she drove from Beirut into Damascus shortly after the toppling of President Assad. What signs are there that the rebel group HTS will be able to manage a peaceful transition of power and end the country’s civil war? Clip: AFP

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Netanyahu and Erdoğan compete to be the Middle East’s strongman

Assad dispatched $250mn of Syria’s cash to Moscow

Now Syria can dream of a future again

Justice for the victims of Assad’s atrocities in Syria

How the Assad family built an empire of fear in Syria

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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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Will Trump pull America back from the world?

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 05:00:06 GMT

One of the most important groups of advisers around Donald Trump are the 'restrainers'. They want to radically reduce America’s commitments to global security alliances. Gideon talks to Dan Caldwell, a leading restrainer and military veteran who believes the Iraq war was a 'monstrous crime'. Clip: Face the Nation

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Foreign Affairs article: Trump Must Not Betray “America First”

The tragedy of Iraq, 20 years on

Nato chief warns Donald Trump of ‘dire threat’ to US if Ukraine pushed into bad peace deal

The west should not succumb to cynical regret over Syria

Trump swoops into Paris as Europe prepares for a more transactional relationship

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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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Syria caught up in Lebanon fallout

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 05:00:27 GMT

Gideon talks to FT contributing editor Kim Ghattas about the rebel advances in Syria that have taken place in the wake of Israel’s bombardment of President Bashar al-Assad’s Hizbollah allies in Lebanon. Will Assad’s backers in Iran and Russia hold firm and can the ceasefire agreement in neighbouring Lebanon hold? Clip: Channel 4 News

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Rebel advances in Syria spell danger for Russia’s Middle Eastern ambitions

Inside Aleppo: the Syrian city captured by rebels

Rebel offensive boosts Turkey’s influence in Syria

Assad is sitting tight as Syria burns

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

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Can Britain's ties with the US survive a second Trump presidency?

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:00:31 GMT

Gideon talks to Sir Alex Younger, former head of Britain's secret intelligence service MI6, about the "special relationship" between the US and the UK. They discuss Donald Trump’s choice of Tulsi Gabbard for the role of US director of national intelligence and they also consider what Britain needs to do to secure a role for itself in the world order.

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Keir Starmer to urge G20 leaders to ‘double down’ on Ukraine support

Bill Burns and Richard Moore: Intelligence partnership helps the US and UK stay ahead in an uncertain world

Where Trump could surprise on the upside

Ask Shrimsley: how do I keep a relationship special?

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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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What Elon Musk gains from a friend in the White House

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 05:00:13 GMT

Gideon talks to Sebastian Mallaby, author of a best-selling book on Silicon Valley called The Power Law. They discuss the reason why Elon Musk decided to back Donald Trump for president, what the entrepreneur will bring to the Trump administration, and what Musk's businesses stand to gain. Clip: WFAA TV

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Who’s who in the Musk ‘A-team’ vying to shape Trump 2.0

Elon Musk is an unguided geopolitical missile

Valuations at Elon Musk’s SpaceX and xAI set to soar in new deals

Elon Musk’s gamble on Donald Trump pays off

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

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The ideology behind Xi Jinping’s China

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 05:00:21 GMT

Kevin Rudd, the former Australian prime minister, has made a life-long study of China’s leadership. He tells Gideon how an understanding of Communist ideology helps explain Xi Jinping’s decision to roll back on the market reforms of his predecessor Deng Xiaoping. They are also a crucial guide to what could happen next. Clip: Sky News Australia

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US-China relations will depend on which Trump shows up

US Space Force warns of ‘mind-boggling’ build-up of Chinese capabilities

Why Xi Jinping changed his mind on China’s fiscal stimulus

Sinologist Li Cheng: ‘America is not in the mood to study China’

‘Too boring’: Chinese students are sleeping through propaganda

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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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What will Donald Trump's second term in office look like?

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 05:00:25 GMT

Gideon talks to his colleague Ed Luce and to Susan Glasser of the New Yorker about what to expect from a second Trump presidency. Clip: Fox News

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How Trump won in maps and charts

Trump’s new world order

Elon Musk’s gamble on Donald Trump pays off

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Samantha Giovinco.

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Donald Trump and the autocrats' playbook

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 05:00:22 GMT

Gideon talks to Ivo Daalder, a former American ambassador to Nato and chief executive of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, about the potential threat to US democracy if Donald Trump wins next week’s presidential election. Clip: Politico

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How Trump learnt to love big business

Trump is the man who would be king

America isn’t too worried about fascism

Kamala Harris warns of ‘more chaos’ under Donald Trump and vows ‘different path’

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

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The trauma of life and death in Gaza

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 04:00:22 GMT

Gideon talks to Sigrid Kaag, the UN’s Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, about her efforts to keep hope alive during a humanitarian catastrophe. Clip: United Nations

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Israel ‘starting to implement’ north Gaza starvation plan, say rights groups

Hamas chief’s death opens up choice for Benjamin Netanyahu over Gaza war

US warns Israel humanitarian crisis in Gaza could threaten military aid

Israel, Lebanon and the mirage of a new Middle East

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

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Afghanistan: a country on the edge

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 04:00:31 GMT

After three years of sanctions, women's lives in Afghanistan are highly restricted and hunger is widespread. So if sanctions have failed, is it time for the outside world to change its approach and re-engage with the country's Taliban rulers? Gideon discusses this question with Saad Mohseni, chair of Afghanistan’s largest television station and co-author of a new book Radio Free Afghanistan, and Afghan women's rights activist Fatima Gailani. Clip: CBS News

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Leaving Kabul: what happened when the Taliban returned

Taliban’s closer ties with UAE signal global divide over Afghan regime

How the Taliban’s return made Afghanistan a hub for global jihadis

Singer Elaha Soroor on her anthem for Afghan women

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

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Germany’s ‘deplorable’ divide on the Ukraine war

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 04:00:55 GMT

Gideon talks to Norbert Röttgen, a CDU member of the foreign affairs committee of the German parliament and author of a new book called Democracy and War. Röttgen criticises Chancellor Olaf Scholz for failing to live up to his early pledges of support for Ukraine. He laments the country's 'deplorable' divide on the Ukraine war, but says he is convinced that most Germans recognise that a victory for Russia would be disastrous for Europe. Clips: SPD; Info fur die Welt

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Germany, political extremism and the risks to Ukraine

Victory for the AfD raises difficult questions about east Germany

Germany to launch limited military service in push to be ‘war ready’

Ukraine’s shifting war aims

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

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Israel presses its military advantage

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 04:00:52 GMT

Gideon talks to Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East programme at Chatham House in London, about what Israel and Iran may be planning for their next move as the region slides towards all-out war. Clips: The Telegraph; BBC

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Middle East at war: 12 key moments

Oil prices climb as Iran missile attack prompts supply fears

Israel steps up offensive against Hizbollah as region braces for retaliation

How Israeli spies penetrated Hizbollah

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

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How will Hizbollah respond to Israel’s Lebanon onslaught?

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 04:00:40 GMT

Gideon talks to Kim Ghattas, an FT contributing editor based in Beirut, about Israel’s decision to step up its war against Lebanon’s Hizbollah. How will the militant group and its allies respond, and can the war be contained? Clips: Sky News; The Guardian

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Israel tells troops to prepare for possible ground offensive in Lebanon

Military briefing: Israeli intelligence and air force use ‘victory doctrine’ against Hizbollah

‘Leave your homes now’: Lebanon endures bloodiest day in decades

Its strategy may lie in ruins, but Hizbollah will not admit defeat

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

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Does the UN still matter? With António Guterres

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 04:00:15 GMT

As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, Gideon Rachman speaks to António Guterres, secretary-general of the UN. Guterres explains why he thinks the organisation remains indispensable - as the world struggles to get to grips with an array of daunting global challenges - including war and climate change.

Clip: The Guardian

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World must exit ‘highway to climate hell’, UN boss warns, as records are again broken

China and US push each other on priorities for UN COP29 climate talks

‘Enfeebled’ UN fights for relevance in divided world

Alarm raised on sea level rise and ocean warming as Pacific Islands leaders meet

Nobel winners hit out at removal of fossil fuels from draft UN pact

China and US push each other on priorities for UN COP29 climate talks

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

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Why Russians are still backing Putin

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 04:00:31 GMT

Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region of Russia represented another sign that Vladimir Putin’s invasion is not going to plan. But numerous setbacks, and the sanctions regime imposed by the west, have so far failed to loosen the Russian leader’s grip on power. Gideon discusses why Russians are still backing Putin with Alexander Gabuev of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Clip: Deutsche Welle

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Vladimir Putin visits Mongolia despite international arrest warrant

US accuses China of directly supporting Russia’s ‘war machine’

The Kremlin princelings cementing Putin’s rule

Ukraine’s battle against Russia 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 truth behind QAnon’s lies

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 04:00:37 GMT

Gideon talks to Gabriel Gatehouse about his new book, The Coming Storm: A Journey into the Heart of the Conspiracy Machine. They discuss the US Republican party’s embrace of far-fetched conspiracy theories, and how these are being deployed in the upcoming presidential election. Clip: CNN

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Conspiracy theories are being baked into American politics

A mind-infecting virus: the dark dreams of QAnon

Misinformed about misinformation

America’s election year battle over who polices online disinformation

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

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Japan raises its defences

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 04:00:07 GMT

Gideon talks to Takako Hikotani of the Asia Society Policy Institute about how Japanese attitudes towards security have changed in light of the war in Ukraine and China’s more aggressive stance in the South China Sea. Clips: CNA

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Japan says China’s airspace incursion ‘totally unacceptable’

Never a zealot, Fumio Kishida showed a surprising fearlessness

China rejects Nato accusations of supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine

US and Japan announce ‘most significant’ upgrade to military alliance

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Ukraine wrongfoots Russia in Kursk

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 04:00:48 GMT

Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, discusses Ukraine’s Kursk incursion with Andriy Zagorodnyuk, former defence minister and chair of the Centre for Defence Strategies in Kyiv. What is the strategy behind the move? How could it affect the fighting elsewhere on the frontline and could it prove to be a turning point in the war? Clips: Global News; France 24

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Ukraine wants to create ‘buffer zone’ with Kursk incursion, says Zelenskyy

‘People are horrified’: Moscow turns to reluctant conscripts to defend Kursk

How Ukraine pulled off its biggest gamble: invading Russia

Ukraine’s battle against Russia in maps: latest updates

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Presented by Benn Hall. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Maduro’s humiliating election

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 04:00:07 GMT

Michael Stott, the FT’s Latin America editor, talks to Phil Gunson, a Caracas-based senior analyst for the International Crisis Group and Michael Shifter, former president of the Inter-American Dialogue think-tank in Washington, about the crisis in Venezuela. How long can Maduro cling to power, having so obviously lost the July election. Clips: Channel 4 News, The Economic Times

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How Venezuela’s Maduro is clinging on to power

Venezuela ramps up fear campaign after disputed presidential vote

Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s contested president

Nicolás Maduro blocks access to X amid feud with Elon Musk

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Presented by Michael Stott. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.

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Is the Middle East heading for all-out war?

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 20:31:05 GMT

Two assassinations carried out by Israel, one in Beirut and one in Tehran, have brought threats of retaliation from Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah. Andrew England, the FT’s Middle East editor, discusses whether the latest escalation can be contained with Emile Hokayem, a Middle East expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Clips: AP; CBS

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Netanyahu is prepared to escalate in the Middle East

How all-out war between Israel and its adversaries might play out

Hamas picks Yahya Sinwar as new political leader

Iran will ‘definitely’ retaliate against Israel for killing of Haniyeh, says new president

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Presented by Andrew England. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Can the Olympics cure France’s malaise?

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 04:00:29 GMT

Despite some early setbacks the Paris Olympics is proving a big success. The French have set aside their initial doubts and are enjoying a breather from the disagreements that have torn apart the political classes. Gideon asks Sylvie Kauffmann, editorial director of Le Monde, how long the truce can last. Clips: BBC

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Olympics organisers apologise as risqué ceremony sparks backlash

Inside France’s Olympic medals factory

A bold leap towards a leaner and greener Olympics

Fake Games, cyber threats and disinformation: Russia reacts to sporting isolation

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

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'Kamala Harris could win — and win big'

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 17:46:16 GMT

Gideon Rachman hosts the show from Washington, DC, with his guest Jacob Heilbrunn, the editor of the National Interest magazine. They discuss the state of the US presidential election after Joe Biden’s decision to stand down and endorse his vice-president, Kamala Harris. Heilbrunn makes an unusual prediction: he thinks Harris could win big. Clip: MSNBC

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Read Gideon’s latest column, Trump, Harris and a fear-filled campaign

Read the latest FT report, What are Kamala Harris’s chances against Donald Trump?

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Drama in the US presidential race

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:00:24 GMT

Gideon discusses the latest drama in the US presidential race with his friend and colleague Ed Luce at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. After his narrow escape from an assassination attempt, Donald Trump is looking like a winner. How would he change the US political landscape during a second term and can the Democrats find a strategy that will get them back in the race? Clip: CNN

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Republicans are delighted with Biden

Joe Biden looks for early Democratic nomination to silence critics

The US itself could be the biggest loser in this election

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

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Britain’s role in a changing Europe

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 04:00:49 GMT

How easy will it be for Keir Starmer, Britain’s new prime minister, to reset relations with the EU, and what impact will political disarray in France have on leadership within the bloc? Gideon discusses these questions with Charles Grant, director of the London-based Centre for European Reform think-tank. Clip: BBC

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France and Britain are changing places

The French left needs to urgently learn the art of compromise

Keir Starmer plans ‘road map’ for UK to hit higher defence spending goal

Survey link

Prize draw terms and conditions

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

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Who are the Middle East power brokers?

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 04:00:15 GMT

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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US foreign policy under Trump 2.0

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 04:00:55 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Can South Africa’s national unity government succeed?

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 04:00:06 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Macron's gamble

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 04:00:54 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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China’s great power strategy

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 04:00:51 GMT

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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How much power can far-right parties win in Europe?

Thu, 30 May 2024 04:00:24 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Introducing Untold: Power for Sale

Wed, 29 May 2024 04:00:29 GMT

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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Ukraine war at a tipping point

Thu, 23 May 2024 04:00:16 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Has the US declared economic war on China?

Thu, 16 May 2024 04:00:22 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Coming soon: China, the new tech superpower

Fri, 10 May 2024 17:00:00 GMT

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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Italy and the Giorgia Meloni phenomenon

Thu, 09 May 2024 04:00:42 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Modi’s mission

Thu, 02 May 2024 04:00:01 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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US aid package offers fresh hope to Ukraine

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 04:00:35 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Iran raises the stakes with attack on Israel

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 04:00:29 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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How do you define a war crime?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 04:00:30 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Is Japan at a turning point?

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 04:00:03 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Is Europe battle-ready?

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:00:20 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Malcolm Turnbull on US and Australian politics

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 05:00:30 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Is there a way out of Haiti’s nightmare?

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 05:00:49 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Netanyahu defies the west on Gaza

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 05:00:34 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Global threats: contrasting views in Europe, Asia and the Pacific

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 05:00:09 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Russia’s threat to Europe

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 05:00:08 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Is China’s power on the wane?

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 05:00:09 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Why we need the UN

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 05:00:42 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Introducing: Swamp Notes from The FT News Briefing

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 17:03:56 GMT

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 push back against extremist AfD

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 05:00:46 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The battle for the control of Poland’s institutions

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 05:00:19 GMT

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: The Retreat

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 05:00:51 GMT

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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Putin’s nemesis in the west

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 05:00:54 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Can a wider Middle East war be averted?

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 05:00:51 GMT

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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The future of Europe

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 05:00:16 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The world in 2024

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 05:00:51 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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COP28: is the Dubai deal enough for the climate?

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 05:00:08 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Biden and Xi mend ties

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 05:00:02 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Trump closes in on a second term in office

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:00:08 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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How united are Arab and Muslim leaders on Gaza?

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 05:00:39 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Is the balance tilting towards Russia in Ukraine?

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 05:05:30 GMT

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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Who will run Gaza once the war is over?

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 05:00:12 GMT

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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The global power of the dollar

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 05:00:33 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Coups make a comeback in Africa

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 11:00:46 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Can the Gaza conflict be contained?

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 16:22:16 GMT

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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Israel and Gaza at war

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 10:45:56 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The problem with Bidenomics

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 04:00:07 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Bidenomics and global trade

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:00:06 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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What is Bidenomics and is it working?

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 04:00:21 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Coming soon: Can AI help us speak to animals?

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:00:08 GMT

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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Post-Brexit Britain

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 04:00:54 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The nuclear and biological weapons threat

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 04:00:11 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Biden’s plan for a US-Saudi-Israeli peace deal

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 04:00:30 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The end of Prigozhin

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 13:08:51 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

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Introducing: The Russian Banker

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 04:00:10 GMT

Who is Sergei Leontiev? To the US asylum system, he’s an exiled Russian banker who was persecuted by the state and forced to flee. To Russia, he’s said to be responsible for massive fraud. On The Russian Banker, a new series from the Financial Times, reporters Courtney Weaver and Stefania Palma try to uncover the truth, and find a story that tells us about Russia today and how people in the west build stories about who’s good and who’s bad. The Russian Banker is a special series that will run on the Behind the Money podcast starting Aug. 30. Listen to The Russian Banker by subscribing to the Behind the Money podcast here.

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Sanctions, global terror and the drugs trade

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 04:00:22 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Japan’s role in US-China strategic rivalry

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 04:00:30 GMT

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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Will Donald Trump end up in prison or the White House?

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 04:00:17 GMT

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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Sudan power struggle risks turning into civil war

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 04:00:32 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Spain's lurch to the right

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 04:00:52 GMT

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

More on this topic:

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Will this year’s climate talks be a washout?

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 04:00:37 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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How much should we fear artificial intelligence?

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 04:00:49 GMT

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

More on this topic:

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Has the Wagner revolt fatally undermined Putin?

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 04:00:13 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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When should countries intervene to prevent mass murder?

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 04:00:08 GMT

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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How Ukraine’s fightback could change the world

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 04:00:56 GMT

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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David Lammy on Britain’s place in the world

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 04:00:39 GMT

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

More on this topic:

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Is the Ukraine war reaching a turning point?

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 04:00:17 GMT

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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Modi’s moment in the spotlight

Thu, 25 May 2023 04:00:38 GMT

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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China’s next generation

Thu, 18 May 2023 04:00:13 GMT

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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Putin’s historical magical mystery tour

Thu, 11 May 2023 04:00:42 GMT

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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How far will the rehabilitation of Assad go?

Thu, 04 May 2023 04:00:44 GMT

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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Is Turkey about to see the end of the Erdoğan era?

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 04:00:00 GMT

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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Is there such a thing as a rules-based international order?

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 04:00:46 GMT

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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Macron’s flawed diplomacy in China

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 04:00:08 GMT

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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Ukraine's other battleground: the economy

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 04:00:35 GMT

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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The rise and fall of Yevgeny Prigozhin

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 04:00:12 GMT

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

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Divided Iran makes peace with its neighbours

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:59:05 GMT

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

Israeli democracy at a crossroads

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 05:00:54 GMT

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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Is Mexico slipping into autocracy?

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 05:00:25 GMT

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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Bill Gates on Ukraine’s ‘shock to the system’

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 05:00:34 GMT

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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Ukraine series: the battle for Bakhmut

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 05:00:21 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Ukraine series: how long will the war last?

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 05:00:01 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Ukraine series: life in a war zone

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 05:00:03 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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How to fix our flawed democracies

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 05:00:03 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Philippines caught in the line of fire

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 05:00:41 GMT

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 global battle against impunity

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 05:00:38 GMT

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

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America’s hard right

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 05:00:57 GMT

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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What next for Putin’s Russia?

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 05:00:42 GMT

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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2022 Year In Review

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 05:00:14 GMT

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 soft power play

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 05:00:14 GMT

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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How threatened is Australia by the rise of China?

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 05:00:19 GMT

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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China protests test the limits of Xi Jinping’s authority

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 05:00:45 GMT

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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90,000 migrants arrive in Italian ports

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 05:00:11 GMT

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’s Lula joins leftist leaders pushing for change in Latin America

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 05:00:54 GMT

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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How the Ukraine war reshaped US alliances

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 05:00:57 GMT

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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US midterms: Republicans on the rise

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 05:00:15 GMT

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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Xi consolidates his rule as economic problems mount

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 04:00:43 GMT

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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US-Saudi ties at an all-time low

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 04:00:55 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Russia's nuclear threat

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 04:00:21 GMT

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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Protests show Iran’s social contract is broken

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 04:00:25 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The remaking of Europe

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 04:00:50 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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What next for Global Britain?

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 04:00:03 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Russia faces defeat in Ukraine

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 04:00:32 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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How Italy is facing a crucial election

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 04:00:23 GMT

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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Will India soar or struggle in the coming years?

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 04:00:44 GMT

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.

-Read the latest on https://www.ft.com/world/uk

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Who's winning the war in Ukraine?

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 04:00:14 GMT

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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Would China go to war over Taiwan?

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 04:00:42 GMT

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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Whatever happened to Mandela’s dream for South Africa?

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 04:00:51 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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How to broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 04:00:54 GMT

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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How social media platforms put profits before people

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 04:00:10 GMT

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

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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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Can Turkey help end the Ukraine grain crisis?

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 04:00:11 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Russia’s future: a giant Iran of Eurasia

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:54:20 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Ukraine: a view from the Baltics

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 04:00:57 GMT

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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Introducing: Hot Money

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 04:00:42 GMT

The FT just launched a new podcast on porn, power and profit. When FT reporter Patricia Nilsson started digging into the porn industry, she made a shocking discovery: nobody knew who controlled the biggest porn company in the world. Now, she and her editor, Alex Barker, reveal who is behind it and much more. This eight-part investigative podcast reveals the secret history of the adult business and the billionaires and financial institutions who shape it. Brought to you by the Financial Times and Pushkin. To listen to new episodes, search ‘Hot Money’ wherever you listen.

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Wirecard: the investigation that brought down a German tech giant

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 04:00:14 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Can EU unity on Ukraine hold?

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 04:00:14 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Where money and power collide

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 04:00:04 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Putin’s energy power play

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 04:00:59 GMT

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.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Poverty and inequality drive change in Latin America

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 04:18:12 GMT

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

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Ukraine and the global food emergency

Thu, 26 May 2022 04:00:55 GMT

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

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Ukraine’s nationalists and the Azov battalion

Thu, 19 May 2022 04:00:00 GMT

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 remain poor?

Thu, 12 May 2022 04:00:00 GMT

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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Why the global south won’t take sides on Ukraine

Thu, 05 May 2022 04:00:00 GMT

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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Putin’s nuclear threat and China ‘friendship’

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 04:00:00 GMT

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

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Le Pen, patriots and the anti-globalist movement

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 04:00:00 GMT

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

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“That was frightening as hell”: Ukrainian MP on working in a warzone

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 04:00:00 GMT

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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French presidential election too close to call

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 04:00:00 GMT

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

https://play.acast.com/s/therachmanreview

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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

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Putin and his entourage

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 04:00:00 GMT

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

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How Putin’s war is reshaping Europe’s alliances

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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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What would a Ukraine peace deal look like?

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:43:58 GMT

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

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Where is the Ukraine conflict heading?

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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

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Ukraine failures tarnish Putin’s aura of invincibility

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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 invades Ukraine

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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

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 by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Russia’s Ukraine threat galvanised western alliances

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drone warfare and the battle to control the skies

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 05:00:51 GMT

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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Is the Orban era coming to an end?

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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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The Ukraine crisis: a view from Moscow

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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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What would a Ukraine conflict look like?

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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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The rising toll of famine and conflict

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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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Sudan’s painful struggle for democracy

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 05:00:46 GMT

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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Gideon and his team review 2021

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 05:00:00 GMT

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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The underside of globalisation

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 05:00:00 GMT

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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Cyber power: a moment of reckoning

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 00:01:00 GMT

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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Is Russia on the brink of war with Ukraine?

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 05:00:00 GMT

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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China and the US: competition or conflict?

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 05:00:00 GMT

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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COP26: success or failure?

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 05:00:00 GMT

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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Poland’s challenge to the EU

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 05:00:10 GMT

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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COP26: climate goals at stake in Glasgow

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 05:00:00 GMT

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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Israel’s new political landscape

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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Great power rivals of the 21st century

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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American democracy under pressure

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 04:00:44 GMT

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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Populations on the move

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 04:00:01 GMT

Gideon talks to Parag Khanna, founder and managing partner of FutureMap, a global strategic advisory firm, and author of a new book on mass migration called Move: the forces uprooting us. Clips: PBS, Channel 4 News

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Germany’s traffic light coalition

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Ulrike Franke of the European Council on Foreign Relations about Olaf Scholz’s election win, his Social Democratic party’s likely alliance with the Greens and Free Democrats, and whether this will lead to a change of direction for Germany.

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The Biden administration and the world

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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Trudeau's future on the line in Canada's election

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Darrell Bricker, author of several books on Canadian politics and CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs, about Canada’s upcoming federal election. With the vote opening on September 20th, the two discuss what led to this early election, the campaign debates and whether Canada is on the brink of a major political shift.

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Covid and the end of the post 9/11 era

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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America’s Afghan legacy

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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Peru’s triple crisis

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Years of political instability, the world’s highest coronavirus death rate, and the recent election of leftwing President Pedro Castillo have plunged Peru into crisis. Michael Stott, FT Latin America editor, talks to Oswaldo Molina, executive director of think-tank REDES and head of economics at Lima’s Pacific University, about the origins of this crisis and whether this is part of a wider trend in Latin America.

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Iran under Raisi

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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Can climate damage be repaired?

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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Is Lebanon a failed state?

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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Ecocide: a new weapon in the fight to save the planet

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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India, China and the contested border

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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How much trouble is Bolsonaro in?

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 04:00:00 GMT

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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South Africa’s pivotal moment

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Judith February, South African lawyer and journalist, about the case against former president Jacob Zuma. His refusal to cooperate with an inquiry into corruption during his nine years as president set a crucial test for the country’s democratic institutions. The decision to send him to prison marks a pivotal moment, says February. Clips: Eyewitness News, SABC News

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Can Germany atone for its colonial-era genocide?

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon speaks to Esther Muinjangue, a former chair of the Ovaherero Genocide Foundation, and Franziska Boehme, a professor of political science, about the decades-long journey towards official recognition of Germany’s colonial-era atrocities in Namibia as genocide and why the apology that is now offered is not the reconciliation descendants of some of the victims sought.

Review clips: AFP

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Coming to terms with Putin's Russia

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 04:00:05 GMT

Gideon talks to Fiona Hill of the Brookings Institution about the recent US-Russia summit and what the former presidential adviser sees as the best way to deal with a state 'run by operatives' who don't play by the rules.

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Martin Wolf on G7 opportunities missed

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Martin Wolf, the FT’s chief economics commentator, about the pressing problems requiring international co-operation, and asks him if, in light of the G7 summit, the west is up to the task.

Review clips: The Guardian, WION

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Can Asian prosperity survive US-China rivalry?

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 04:00:00 GMT

South-east Asia has enjoyed a long period of sustained economic growth. But is this endangered by rising tensions between the US and China? Gideon puts this question to James Crabtree, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore.

Clips: CGTN

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Belarus: more than a moral dilemma

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 04:00:00 GMT

The decision by Belarus to divert a plane to Minsk to arrest a dissident journalist was intended to send a message to opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko, whose 27 years in office have seen him dubbed Europe’s last dictator. However, the act has renewed international condemnation and calls for sanctions against the Lukashenko regime. In this episode Gideon talks to Katia Glod, a Belarusian political consultant, about what happens next now that the world is watching Belarus.

Review clips: EU Debates, DW, CBS, CNN

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Washington’s will to find a Middle East solution

Thu, 27 May 2021 04:00:00 GMT

A ceasefire is in place and an 11-day war is over, but that may not move Israelis and Palestinians closer to a two-state solution according to Martin Indyk, of the Council on Foreign Relations. Indyk has experience at the negotiation table as a former US ambassador to Israel and US special envoy during the Israeli-Palenstinan peace talks. In this episode Gideon talks to him about the stance the Biden administration is taking in the Middle East.

Review clips: C-SPAN

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Myanmar on the brink

Thu, 20 May 2021 04:00:00 GMT

The military coup in Myanmar threatens to roll back a decade of democratisation. In the months since the February coup, there have been strikes and protests as well as mass arrests and escalating violence as the junta attempts to quell rebellions. Gideon talks to Thant Myint-U, a Burmese historian and political analyst, about the situation in Myanmar and whether the country risks becoming a failed state.

Review clips: LBJ Presidential Library, AP, Reuters

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A crisis in the Middle East

Thu, 13 May 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Protests in Jerusalem at the beginning of the week have escalated to rocket launches, retaliatory airstrikes and civilian deaths. Gideon talks to Diana Butto, a Palestinian lawyer, and Noga Tarnopolsky, a journalist based in Jerusalem, about the political conditions that have kindled the worst fighting the region has seen in years.

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Why we should all give up meat

Thu, 06 May 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to the FT’s Henry Mance about why he became a vegan. He says it's not just about preserving wildlife and the environment, it’s also about being true to our human values. Henry’s book How to Love Animals: In a Human-Shaped World, was published last month. Review clips: BBC, NPR

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India’s wake up call to the world

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Abraar Karan, a physician at Harvard Medical School and a specialist in global health, about the current surge in coronavirus cases in India and why nationalistic approaches to curbing the pandemic will not help solve a worldwide health crisis

Review Clips: NDTV, India Today, CNBC, US Department of State

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Leaving Afghanistan

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Tom Tugendhat, head of the UK parliament’s foreign affairs committee, about the US decision to finally withdraw from Afghanistan. How will this affect the credibility of the western powers and their ability to conduct successful military interventions abroad?

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Britain's legacy of empire

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Sathnam Sanghera about his book Empireland and the legacy of racism and nostalgia that Britain has yet to come to terms with.

Warning: This episode contains references to racist language.

Clips: Sky News; Conservative party

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Are the US and China entering a Cold War?

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 04:00:00 GMT

The US president has promised that, after four years of retreat from the global stage, “America is back”. Over the past few years, China has continued to expand its economic and political influence and matched its growing clout on the world stage with a bigger military that is flexing its might in the Pacific. In this episode Demetri Sevastopulo, the FT’s US-China correspondent, talks to Michèle Flournoy of the Center for a New American Security, a bipartisan think-tank in Washington, about how the Biden administration might handle Beijing. Flournoy served in the Pentagon during the Clinton and Obama administrations.

Review clips: C-SPAN, CNN, DW, CNBC, The White House, UN

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Britain shifts its military focus

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 04:00:00 GMT

The UK’s defence forces are slimming down and harnessing the power of AI and satellites to meet the emerging threats of the 21st century. Helen Warrell, the FT’s defence and security editor, talks to General Sir Patrick Sanders, head of the UK’s Strategic Command, about the biggest transformation in Britain’s armed forces since the cold war.

Clips: parliamentlive, Forces News

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Europe's Mr Normal

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, talks to Dutch historian Luuk van Middelaar about Mark Rutte’s re-election as prime minister of the Netherlands and his country’s changing role within the EU. Clips: Bloomberg, Reuters

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Spying in the digital age

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Helen Warrell, the FT’s defence and security editor, talks to cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch about the SolarWinds and Microsoft hacks. How extensive was the damage inflicted and how should the west respond to such attacks?

Clips: CBS, CNN, NBC

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Could this year mark a turning point for climate?

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Britain is hosting this year’s UN climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow. Pilita Clark discusses what these summits have achieved over the past three decades and what needs to be done to make the talks a success. Her guest is Richard Kinley, a veteran of the talks who is now president of the Foundation for Global Governance and Sustainability think-tank.

Clips: Joe Biden; United Nations; Bloomberg

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Italy’s make or break moment

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, discusses Italy as former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi takes on the premiership. How Draghi decides to spend up to €200bn in grants and loans from the EU recovery fund will be crucial, not just for Italy, but for the future direction of the EU. Ben’s guest is Enrico Letta, a former Italian prime minister, who is now dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po.

Clips: UKTI; France 24; Channel 4

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Michael Mann on the politics of global warming

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Pilita Clark talks to Michael Mann, distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State university, and one of the world’s best-known climate scientists. They discuss the evolution of the climate change debate, from the war on science to denialism, doomism and the forces of ‘inactivism’.

Clips: Nobel Prize, Euronews, Extinction Rebellion, Fox news

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The world in review

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 05:00:00 GMT

In a special retrospective episode, Gideon Rachman looks at some of his favourite podcast conversations that illuminate the state of geopolitics today, asking whether the pandemic has permanently changed the world.

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Britain’s post-Brexit role as ‘global broker’

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s diplomatic skills will be tested as host of both the G7 and UN COP26 climate change summit this year. Gideon talks to Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think-tank and economist Linda Yueh, currently a visiting professor at the London School of Economics, about Britain’s future role on the world stage. Clips: Parliamentlive, AP

Further reading; LSE Economic Diplomacy Commission

Chatham House: Global Britain, Global Broker

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Navalny’s crusade against the Kremlin

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to journalists Arkady Ostrovsky and Max Seddon in Moscow about why Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny decided to return home after he was poisoned and what his political movement can achieve if its leader is in jail. Max Seddon is the FT’s Moscow correspondent and Arkady Ostrovsky is author of The Invention of Russia, winner of the 2016 Orwell Prize, and a staff journalist for The Economist. Clips: Reuters, RFE/RL Russian Service, Al Jazeera English, “Aquadiskoteka” by Cream Soda

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António Guterres on the United Nations in a fractured world

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 05:00:00 GMT

The pandemic, climate change and peacekeeping are all priorities for the UN in 2021, but these challenges require multilateral solutions at a time when the world's superpowers are drifting further apart. Gideon Rachman talks to António Guterres, secretary-general of the UN, about bridging security and military divides to solve pressing global problems.

Review clips: World Economic Forum

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Germany after Merkel

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Germany’s ruling Christian Democratic Union has chosen Armin Laschet to replace Angela Merkel as party leader ahead of September’s federal elections, paving the way for the end of the Merkel era. Gideon discusses what a post-Merkel Germany will look like with Wolfgang Ischinger, veteran diplomat and chairman of the Munich Security Conference.

Clips: UK Parliament, Welt Nachrichten

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America’s political meltdown

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 05:00:00 GMT

After the storming of the Capitol, can America recover its democratic values? Gideon discusses what the recent lawlessness means for the US and its place in the world with Anne-Marie Slaughter, head of New America, a think-tank.

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David Miliband on the global leadership vacuum

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 05:00:00 GMT

The former British foreign secretary championed the UK to remain in the EU. As head of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband has seen the consequence of a lack of global leadership in helping the world’s vulnerable populations. In this episode, the FT’s Gideon Rachman talks to Mr Miliband about whether a “global Britain” after Brexit and a new US administration might bring a turn towards greater international cooperation.

Review clips: BBC, IRC

Note: this interview was recorded before a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building and interfered with the certification of Joe Biden's presidential victory.

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The best and worst of 2020

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Roula Khalaf, FT editor, and Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator, about the extraordinary events of 2020 - from Covid-19 to the US election and unexpected signs of reconciliation between Israel and Arab Gulf states.

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EU at a turning point

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 05:00:00 GMT

EU leaders are facing showdowns on several fronts this week, with the UK over Brexit, and with Hungary and Poland over the rule of law. Gideon discusses what’s at stake with Professor Catherine De Vries of Bocconi University in Italy.

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Thai students call for change

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon talks to Thai opposition leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and John Reed, the FT’s Bangkok bureau chief, about the student protests that have challenged Thailand’s traditional power structures by demanding constitutional change.

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Ethiopia’s struggle with ethnic nationalism

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 05:00:00 GMT

A country that enjoyed decades of economc growth and stability now risks being torn apart by ethnic divisions. Gideon discusses what’s behind the outbreak of violence with Gabriel Negatu, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington, and David Pilling, the FT’s Africa editor.

Clips: Reuters, Live Aid

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Macron's world

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon discusses the international ambitions, and problems, of the French president with Sylvie Kauffmann, editorial director of Le Monde. Are Emmanuel Macron’s views on European integration and strategic independence winning out? Clips: Reuters

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Biden’s global goals

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Ivo Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, served as US ambassador to Nato during the Obama years. He joins Gideon Rachman to talk about how Joe Biden may seek to rebuild the US’s broken alliances and project a new image to the world. Clips: CBS 60 Minutes; Reuters.

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An American chasm

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 18:17:33 GMT

Americans woke on November 4 to find that the result of their presidential election remained unclear. President Donald Trump’s statements about the integrity of the vote and his plan to dispute the final result at the Supreme Court signalled that the US could face days or weeks of political uncertainty. In this special early edition episode, Gideon talks to Jeremy Shapiro, a former US state department official and the current research director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, about the razor-thin election results so far, why the Democrats did not achieve a ‘blue wave’, and why, even in the event of a Joe Biden presidency, Trumpism is not going to disappear.

Review clips: Reuters

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Susan Glasser on the pandemic election

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 05:00:00 GMT

The columnist has written about life in Trump’s Washington for The New Yorker magazine for almost four years. As voters head to the polls to elect the next US president, Gideon Rachman talks to Glasser about what to expect on November 3 — and after, if there is not a decisive victor and the election ends up in the courts.

Review clips: C-SPAN, CNN, Reuters

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Bringing history back to Burma

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Western nations have tended to regard the recent history of Myanmar, formerly Burma, as a struggle between democracy and dictatorship. But the country’s colonial past and climate change have also played a key role in its complex problems, Burmese historian Thant Myint-U tells Gideon Rachman. Clips: Reuters

Thant’s book, The Hidden History of Burma, is published by Atlantic.

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Why humans wage wars

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to historian Margaret MacMillan about her study of warfare through the ages and why she fears that, while the manner in which we wage war has changed, our propensity to stumble into conflict remains the same. Clips: Reuters

Margaret MacMillan’s book War: How Conflict Shaped Us is published by Random House

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American entanglement in the Middle East

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Philip Gordon, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, is a long-time Washington insider who worked on Middle East policy for the Obama administration and is now an informal adviser to the Biden campaign. In this episode, Gideon Rachman talks to him about the US presidential election and American policy in the Middle East — the subject of his new book, Losing the Long Game. After decades of American engagement in the region, Gordon shares his thoughts on why no recent US president has been able to ignore it.

Review clips: C-SPAN

Read the FT's New Cold War series here: https://www.ft.com/content/4fda1b2c-48f5-42e0-9b87-58816adf2a78

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China’s second world war obsession

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 04:00:00 GMT

China’s authorities have started to celebrate the country’s role in the second world war after long regarding it as a subject best forgotten. Gideon talks to the historian Rana Mitter about what’s behind this revised outlook on such a tormented period in the country’s history.

Rana Mitter’s book China’s Good War is published by Harvard University Press. Clips: Reuters and ‘The Eight Hundred’ official trailer

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Mexico's populist president

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 04:00:00 GMT

When Andrés Manuel López Obrador, also known as Amlo, took office in late 2018 he promised a fourth political transformation of the country. Gideon Rachman talks to Jude Webber, the FT’s Mexico and Central America correspondent, about how Amlo’s plans to end 'neoliberalism' and fight corruption are faring during the coronavirus pandemic.

Review clips: Reuters, PBS News

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German diplomacy tested by multiple crises

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 04:00:00 GMT

From the poisoning of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and pressure to cancel the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia, to the refugee catastrophe in Greece and headaches over Brexit, Germany has no shortage of foreign policy crises to deal with. Gideon Rachman discusses how best to handle them with Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee and a long-shot contender to replace Angela Merkel as leader of the ruling Christian Democrats. Clips: Reuters

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Netanyahu's diplomatic success

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Israel’s new deal to normalise diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates comes without any concessions on the Palestinian peace process. Gideon Rachman talks to Anshel Pfeffer, author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu, about whether this agreement is a political triumph for the Israeli prime minister. They also discuss the lingering questions it leaves about lasting peace.

Review clips: Reuters, CBS

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Putting existential risk on the agenda

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 04:00:00 GMT

What are the biggest threats to the future of human existence on the planet? Not nuclear war or climate change as some might think, but man-made pathogens and thinking machines, the Australian philosopher Toby Ord tells Gideon Rachman. He talks about how he reached this conclusion and what can be done to avert disaster. Clips: Reuters

Toby Ord’s book, The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity, is published by Bloomsbury

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Investigating ‘the doubts’ about the US presidential election

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Rumours about the US presidential election abound: is voting by mail secure, can Donald Trump postpone it, will the United States Postal Service be able to deliver ballots in time. Gideon Rachman sorts through what is fact and what is fiction in a discussion with Judith Kelley, Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, and Edward Luce, the FT’s US national editor.

Review clips: C-SPAN, Democratic National Convention, ABC News, Reuters, Tony Orlando and Dawn - “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” Bell Records (1973)

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What China makes of ‘new cold war’ with US

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman discusses how America’s tech war on China has affected Beijing’s long-held plan to assert its economic and military strength on the global stage with Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute of SOAS at London University.

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The future of Lebanon

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 04:00:00 GMT

The Lebanese have survived civil war, decades of rolling blackouts and even managed the influx of 1.5m Syrian refugees, about a quarter of the country's population. But the explosion in Beirut's port in early August that killed scores of people, left hundreds of thousands homeless and cost billions in property damage, have prompted a more intense reckoning about the decades of corruption and mismanagement by the country’s political elite. Chloe Cornish, the FT’s Middle East correspondent, is in Beirut and tells Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator, about the changes taking place in Lebanon in the aftermath of the blast.

Review clips: Reuters, Associated Press

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Turkey’s assertive foreign policy

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to academic and writer Sinan Ulgen about Turkey’s foreign policy under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, focusing on the controversial decision to turn Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia museum back into a mosque and the rationale behind Turkish military interventions in Syria and Libya.

Clips: Reuters and Anadolu Agency

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US economist William Spriggs on scars of the pandemic

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Many countries agreed that the best way to stem the pandemic was to shut down movement, but the US took a different path than its peers in handling the economic fallout. Instead of being kept on payrolls through furlough schemes, millions of Americans have had to seek jobless benefits. Rana Foroohar, the FT’s global business columnist, is standing in for Gideon Rachman this week. She talks with William Spriggs, a professor of economics at Howard University and chief economist of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, about how the pandemic is changing the labour market, and what happens to monopoly power, big data and faith in the free market in its wake.

Review clips: Reuters

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Is US global leadership still possible?

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 01:29:49 GMT

Donald Trump’s “America First” policy represented a marked shift in how the US engaged with its allies. Now Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden is focusing his campaign in part on restoring US leadership on the world stage through strategic alliances. Gideon Rachman is joined by Schwarzman Senior Fellow for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, Mira Rapp-Hooper, who is author of Shields of the Republic: The Triumph and Peril of America’s Alliances, and Jeremy Shapiro of the European Council on Foreign Relations in a debate about the future of America’s alliances.

*This episode has been updated to include Mira Rapp-Hooper's title.

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Fabulists and the limits of deception

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to FT journalist Michael Peel about the use of false and misleading narratives by world leaders in democracies and dictatorships alike, and how the pandemic may have exposed the limits of doing politics "according to the world as you spin it". Michael’s book The Fabulists is published by Oneworld.

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Putin: a president trapped in power

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Now in power until 2036 after a recent constitutional change, Vladimir Putin is nevertheless facing a difficult future as the Russian economy stagnates and popular unrest grows. Gideon Rachman and Catherine Belton, author and former FT journalist, discuss how the president and a coterie of close aides took over the wealth of the country on the pretext of reasserting Russia's role on the world stage, but now find themselves without a succession plan. Catherine Belton's book, Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took on the West, is published by William Collins.

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Black Lives Matter goes international

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 04:00:00 GMT

In recent weeks people across the world have joined Black Lives Matter protests in response to the police killing of George Floyd in the US. Some activists are uniting under country-specific banners calling for racial equality. Gideon Rachman hosts a panel about the international BLM movement, featuring Dele Olojede, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from Nigeria, Divya Cherian, a professor of south Asian history at Princeton University and the FT’s Africa editor, David Pilling.

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Brazil: a country without a plan

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Brazil this week became the second country after the US to register more than 50,000 deaths from Covid-19. President Bolsonaro’s mis-handling of the pandemic has led to calls for his impeachment and even fears of a military coup. Gideon Rachman discusses what happens next with Oliver Stuenkel, professor at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation in São Paulo.

Sign up to our coronavirus briefing at www.ft.com/rachmanreviewcovid

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India’s twin crises: coronavirus and China

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 04:00:00 GMT

India is facing two crises: coronavirus and China. Despite one of the toughest lockdowns in the world, the country has not been able to bring the pandemic under control. Hospitals in New Delhi are overwhelmed. Now a long-standing border dispute with China has turned deadly, with multiple Indian casualties reported. Gideon Rachman talks to Pratap Bhanu Mehta of Ashoka University about how the Modi government is handling the pandemic and the biggest foreign policy crisis the country has seen in decades.

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For more insight and analysis into how the coronavirus pandemic is changing global markets and geopolitics subscribe to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update. Follow this link to sign up and enjoy a 30-day trial to FT.com: https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/coronavirus?segmentId=5af4021f-9697-677a-32eb-b119977b2770

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Is global oil dominance coming to an end?

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Will the current pandemic hasten the end of the oil era, and if so what impact will this have on the global economy and geopolitics? Gideon Rachman discusses the future of energy with former BP chief executive Lord Browne and the FT's energy editor David Sheppard.

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George Floyd and the politics of protest

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 04:00:00 GMT

The killing of George Floyd by Minnesota police officers sparked protests in cities across the United States and a government crackdown after nights of unrest. Gideon Rachman talks to Omar Wasow, a professor at Princeton University, about how narratives about rights, justice and crime shape our understanding of protest movements.

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You can find more on Dr. Wasow’s research here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/agenda-seeding-how-1960s-black-protests-moved-elites-public-opinion-and-voting/136610C8C040C3D92F041BB2EFC3034C

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A new diplomacy in the Pacific Rim

Thu, 28 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Australia is in the crosshairs of China’s ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus outbreak. Gideon Rachman talks to Michael Fullilove, director of the Lowy Institute, about what the rest of the world can learn from how Australia manages a more aggressive China.

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Merkel’s pandemic moment

Thu, 21 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

A German court’s challenge to the supremacy of EU law has brought Chancellor Angela Merkel back into the limelight after she had been regarded as a spent force. Gideon Rachman talks to Constanze Stelzenmüller of the Brookings Institution about Angela Merkel’s resurgence as a leader for the European project.

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China comes out of lockdown

Thu, 14 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

China was once the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, but now the country is coming out of lockdown. Gideon Rachman talks to FT correspondents Yuan Yang and James Kynge about how quickly China can find a new normal.

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Joseph Nye on presidential morality during the pandemic

Thu, 07 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to American political scientist Joseph Nye about how the moral stances adopted by past US presidents boosted the country's soft power and why Donald Trump is squandering this legacy.

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Coronavirus in Africa

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman discusses how African countries are coping with the pandemic with Donald Kaberuka, a Rwandan economist and former president of the African Development Bank, who has been appointed by the African Union to be one of its four special envoys, mobilising international support for the continent

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Politics and perils of running the WHO

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gro Harlem Brundtland, former WHO chief, talks to Gideon Rachman about how she handled the SARS pandemic, why the world was not prepared for coronavirus and the lessons we need to learn to avert another disaster.

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Francis Fukuyama on coronavirus and the crisis of trust

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to writer Francis Fukuyama about the way different political systems have responded to the pandemic and about the crisis of trust that has undermined some countries’ efforts to tackle the disease.

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Coronavirus and curbs on democratic freedoms

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to journalist and historian Anne Applebaum about the threat to democracy as authoritarian leaders like Viktor Orban in Hungary exploit public willingness to have freedoms curtailed during the coronavirus crisis.

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New York hit by double shock

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to the FT's Gillian Tett about New Yorkers' battle to contain the coronavirus pandemic and the shock to the US financial system that the virus has carried in its wake.

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Life in Europe's coronavirus hotspots

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Foreign affairs columnist Gideon Rachman discusses how the coronavirus epidemic has been handled in Italy and Spain with the local FT correspondents, Miles Johnson in Rome and Daniel Dombey in Madrid. How are citizens reacting to the lockdown and what will be the long-term political and economic impact?

You can listen to The Rachman Review for free on Spotify, soon on Apple Podcasts, Acast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Pandemics in the age of hyperconnectivity

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 05:00:00 GMT

In this week's Rachman Review, Gideon Rachman speaks to Ian Goldin of Oxford University - an economist who has long warned of the dangers of pandemics. Professor Goldin explains his theory of "the butterfly defect" in globalisation - in which a hyper-connected world is vulnerable to global emergencies.

You can listen to The Rachman Review for free on Spotify, soon on Apple Podcasts, Acast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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How Saudi Arabia and Iran's rivalry is unravelling the Middle East

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Why has the Middle East been in turmoil for decades? Author Kim Ghattas argues that the contest for supremacy between the Saudis and the Iranians is key to understanding the region's troubles. In conversation with Gideon Rachman, she explains why the Saudi-Iran dispute is about much more than politics or even religion, and has transformed lives and whole societies across the region.

You can listen to The Rachman Review for free on Spotify, soon on Apple Podcasts, Acast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Human rights under threat from politics

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Andrew Gilmour, former UN assistant secretary-general for human rights about the increase in human rights violations over the past ten years and the UN ambassadors and countries politicising their human rights work.

You can read Andrew Gilmour’s article here.

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How is Modi's ideology shaping Indian society?

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 05:00:00 GMT

The ideology shaping India today is markedly different from the time of its first post-independence prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Narendra Modi and his Bharitaya Janata Party, the BJP, are leading with a Hindu nationalist philosophy, which is sparking protests across the country. Gideon Rachman discusses the ideology and its history with Shruti Kapila, director of studies in history at Corpus Christi college Cambridge.

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Is there a Democrat that can beat Trump?

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 05:00:00 GMT

With the Democratic primaries underway and Super Tuesday on the horizon this week's episode takes a look at the US presidential election. Is there a Democratic frontrunner? Can we predict how the public will vote? How likely is it that Donald Trump will be re-elected?

Gideon Rachman talks to Miriam Estrin, former US state department official and current policy manager at Google, and Jeremy Shapiro, also a former US state department official and currently the head of research for the European Council on Foreign Relations.

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Bolsonaro’s isolationism and deference to Trump

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Celso Amorim, who served as foreign minister under former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, talks to Gideon Rachman about Jair Bolsonaro’s rise to power, his subordination to the US and whether he’ll have a lasting impact on the country.

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The global politics of climate change

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to historian Adam Tooze about his forthcoming book on the origins of the climate crisis and the prospects for international agreement to curb emissions and avert disaster.

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'Let's just get out of there' is not a strategy

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 05:00:00 GMT

General John Allen, head of the Brookings Institution and former Nato forces commander, talks to Gideon Rachman about the importance of clear objectives and staying power in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

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Taiwan treads fine line between democracy and China

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 05:00:00 GMT

In the wake of Tsai Ing-Wen’s re-election as President of Taiwan, Gideon Rachman discusses the Asian island's future ties with China and the rest of the world with Shelley Rigger, a professor at Davidson College in the US and Taiwan expert, Ketty Chen, head of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and Professor Alexander Huang, adviser to the opposition KMT party.

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The dictator and the strongman

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Frank Dikötter, professor of humanities at the University of Hong Kong and author of How to be a dictator, about the cult of personality behind some of the twentieth century’s most renowned dictators and which of today's leaders fall under the same category.

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Africa’s transnational challenges

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Climate change, increased violence in the Sahel, and foreign intervention: Gideon Rachman talks to Comfort Ero, International Crisis Group’s Africa Program Director, about what the African continent faces in 2020.

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Matteo Renzi on the problem with populists

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Italy's former centre-left prime minister Matteo Renzi about the problem with populists, how to solve Europe's migration crisis and his future role in politics.

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Central Europe's backlash against liberal ideas

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Bulgarian academic and writer Ivan Krastev about the rise of populist leaders in central and eastern Europe.

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Tensions at the heart of Europe

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Franziska Brantner, a rising star of Germany's Green party and its spokesperson on European policy, about the tense relationship between France and Germany as discussions on Russia, China and deregulation take centre stage.

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The future of British unity and the EU

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Denis Staunton, London editor for the Irish Times and Tessa Szyszkowitz, author and UK correspondent for Austrian news magazine Profil, about the future of Britain and the EU ahead of a Brexit-focused UK general election.

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Xi Jinping's China

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Minxin Pei of Claremont McKenna College in California and Elizabeth Economy of the Council on foreign relations in New York about the cult of personality around Xi Jinping in China.

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Germany's shifting foreign policy

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Thomas Bagger, chief foreign policy adviser to the German president, talks to Gideon Rachman about the fall of the Berlin Wall and Germany's position in a changing European Union.

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What would a progressive Democratic president look like?

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Elizabeth Warren is the bookmakers' favourite to win the US Democratic party presidential nomination. Gideon Rachman discusses what a Warren presidency would mean for the rest of the world with Tom Wright, US foreign policy analyst at the Brookings Institution.

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Singapore and the US-China trade war

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Writer and former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani talks to Gideon Rachman about the US-China trade war and Singapore's special relationship with both sides of the dispute.

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Nick Clegg on Facebook

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 05:00:31 GMT

The former UK deputy premier talks to Gideon Rachman about his new role at Facebook and regulating big tech

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Trump's China policy

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman talks to Nadia Schadlow, widely regarded as the intellectual architect of Trump's foreign policy

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Trump, Brexit and America's shrinking role

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman discusses the similarities between the Brexit and Trump phenomena and America's shrinking role on the global stage with two London-based US foreign policy analysts. Kori Schake is deputy head of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and Jeremy Shapiro is research director of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

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Putin's Russia

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT

Gideon Rachman goes to Moscow to talk to Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of the journal Russia in Global Affairs and regarded as close to Vladimir Putin. Mr Lukyanov offers some fascinating insights into the Russian president’s drive to re-establish Russia as a global power — and on his curious relationship with Donald Trump.

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Coming soon: Putin's Russia

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 17:51:00 GMT

In this new podcast exclusively for FT subscribers, Gideon Rachman takes you with him on his travels, as he meets the decision-makers and thinkers who are shaping world affairs. Here's a taste of what to expect in our first episode, in which Gideon goes to Moscow to interview Fyodor Lukyanov, a journalist considered close to the Kremlin, about Putin's Russia.

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Introducing The Rachman Review

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 09:29:29 GMT

The Rachman Review is a brand new podcast, produced exclusively for FT Subscribers.

Gideon brings you into the debates and trends shaping global politics, tapping into his network of international contacts. The podcast will come out weekly on Wednesdays, and every episode brings you an in-depth conversation about a big issue in foreign affairs. It launches October 9, and you can sign up now using the subscription links here.

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