The Rachman Review

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: CNNTo take part in the audience survey mentioned by Gideon and to be in with the chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones, click here. Click here to find T&Cs for the prize draw.Follow Gideon on X @gideonrachmanFree links to read more on this topic:Republicans are delighted with BidenJoe Biden looks for early Democratic nomination to silence criticsThe US itself could be the biggest loser in this electionSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: BBCFree links to read more on this topic:France and Britain are changing placesThe French left needs to urgently learn the art of compromiseKeir Starmer plans ‘road map’ for UK to hit higher defence spending goalSurvey linkPrize draw terms and conditionsSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: BBCFree links to read more on this topic:Benjamin Netanyahu lays out plans for a summer of conflict‘Smuggled’ food and $64 peppers: Gaza’s grocery stores fight to surviveUS expected to lift ban on sale of offensive weapons to Saudi ArabiaThe Israel-Hamas war — in maps and chartsSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.netFree links to read more on this topic:The folly of the pro-Trump plutocrats The economic consequences of Mr TrumpTrump donors warm to Marco Rubio as running mateSubscribe 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 Simon Panayi.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 TVFree links to read more on this topic:Investors cheer as Cyril Ramaphosa sworn in as South Africa’s presidentRamaphosa re-elected South African president after striking deal with oppositionCan the party that liberated South Africa still hold it together?In charts: 30 years of ANC rule in South AfricaSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 ProvinceFree links to read more on this topic:Jordan Bardella: the far-right TikTok king gunning for France’s premiershipEmmanuel 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 ministerWhy Emmanuel Macron went all in against Marine Le PenSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 KokkonenFree links to read more on this topic:China emerges as one of biggest bilateral lenders to PhilippinesChina hits out at ‘aggressive’ Taiwan for military build-upUS and allies say China is ‘aggressively recruiting’ their fighter pilotsChina accuses US of seeking ‘Asia-Pacific Nato’China’s army tests gun-toting version of robot dogSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 TVHow 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/euwebinarFree links to read more on this topic:Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for second term in trouble over Giorgia Meloni tiesHow the far right is winning over young EuropeansPolice raid European parliament staffer’s office in Russian influence probeRussia plotting sabotage across Europe, intelligence agencies warnSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Subscribe and listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: BBCFree links to read more on this topic:Russia has advanced 10km towards Kharkiv, says UkraineG7 warms to plan for Trump-proofing Ukraine aidNato training soldiers in Ukraine does not escalate war, says Estonian PMStrikes in Russia with US weapons would help Kyiv hold line, says officialSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: PBSFree links to read more on this topic: Joe Biden and Donald Trump battle to prove who can be toughest on ChinaAmerica is pulling up the drawbridgeChinese competition a ‘defining challenge’ for EU companiesVolkswagen warns Brussels against raising tariffs on Chinese electric carsSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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’ItaliaFree links to read more on this topic: Italian journalists strike in dispute with Giorgia Meloni’s rightwing governmentItaly’s far-right leader Matteo Salvini fights for political survivalMeloni’s radical plan: rewriting Italy’s post-fascist constitutionSubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Tamara Kormornick. Sound design is by Breen Turner.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 TVFree links to read more on this topic: Narendra Modi increases anti-Muslim rhetoric in India election campaignHow to understand Modi’s IndiaIndia’s Jekyll and Hyde journeyIndia’s Rahul Gandhi bets on 6,700km trek to stop Narendra Modi’s election juggernautSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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, MSNBCFree links to read more on this topic:Ukraine is the front line of a much larger conflict Greece and Spain under pressure to provide Ukraine with air defence systemsUkraine faces race against time to deploy US fundingMilitary briefing: Russian ‘glide bombs’ pound Ukrainian troops and townsSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Free links to read more on this topic: Ukraine’s air defence struggle highlights risks to IsraelUS and EU prepare fresh sanctions against Iran after Israel attackThe Biden dilemma on IsraelMilitary briefing: Israel’s options to strike IranSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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, 2003Free links to read more on this topic:Russia ‘prepared’ for nuclear war, warns Vladimir PutinIsrael grapples with ‘Eichmann’ dilemma over Hamas attack trialsMexico and Chile ask ICC to investigate Israel-Hamas conflictS Africa accuses Israel of breaking international laws on genocide in GazaSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Free links to read more on this topic: Why good news for Japan may be bad news for hedge fundsJapan relaxes defence export rules to allow sales of new fighter jetUS and Japan plan biggest upgrade to security pact in over 60 yearsMarriage holds key to Japan’s falling birthsThe professor vs the PM: a political funding probe shakes Japan’s governmentSubscribe 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 Simon Panayi.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 TelegraphFree links to read more on this topic:Europe’s leaders have woken up to hard powerEU looks to bypass treaty ban on buying arms to support UkraineWars in Ukraine and Middle East boost orders at German defence supplierDefence CEO calls for European version of Israel’s Iron DomeSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Free links to read more on this topic:China urges Australian caution on ‘third-party’ disruption of relationshipDonald Trump’s betrayal of UkraineDemocracy dies in Trumpian boredomSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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; APFree links to read more on this topic:The gangster named ‘Barbecue’ who controls Haiti’s violent slumsHaiti prime minister to quit as gang violence rocks countryHaiti declares state of emergency after mass jailbreakSubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by Henry Mance. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 NewsUS begins Gaza aid airdrops after Joe Biden rebukes IsraelThe 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 GazaIsrael’s Rafah offensive: a tipping point for US support?Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by Henry Mance. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 indiaFree links to read more on this topic:The squawkus about Aukus is getting louderLeaked Russian military files reveal criteria for nuclear strikeWhite 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 starsSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 WelleFree links to read more on this topic:Ursula von der Leyen calls on EU to subsidise defence productionRussian victories shake global leaders’ faith in Ukraine war prospectsAlexei Navalny, Russian opposition activist, 1976-2024Joe Biden blasts Donald Trump for ‘un-American’ comments about Nato alliesSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: BloombergFree links to read more on this topic:China’s consumers tighten belts even as prices fallChina’s growth enigmaThe looming trade tensions over China’s subsidiesWe shouldn’t call ‘peak China’ just yetSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 GuardianICJ’s Israel judgment seeks to restore rule of law to a brutal conflictHead of UN agency for Palestinians defies Israeli calls to quitA ‘multipolar’ world defies the ‘rules-based’ orderSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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 GuardianFree links to read more on this topic: In praise of mass immigrationGerman far right defeated in regional electionGermany’s top court paves way for financing ban on extremist political partiesSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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, tvpFree links to read more on this topic:EU to sidestep Polish president’s veto to release billions in fundingPoland’s escalating power strugglePoland’s ‘iron broom’ shows that democrats can bite backSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Subscribe and listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 ForumFree links to read more on this topic:Washington puts forward G7 plan to confiscate $300bn in Russian assetsThe west would harm itself with rash seizures of frozen Russian assetsWe must keep fighting Russia with banks as well as tanksFreezing Order — Bill Browder on the trail of dirty Russian moneySubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: ReutersFree links to read more on this topic:US intensifies efforts to prevent Middle East conflagrationSenior Hizbollah and Hamas figures killed as fears grow of regional warThe edge of the abyss looms in the Middle EastSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 CommissionFree links to read more on this topic:Jacques Delors, who drove EU integration, dies at 98How migration is pushing Europe to the rightEU readies €20bn plan B to fund UkraineUkraine and its backers need a credible path to victorySubscribe 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 Simon Panayi.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: CNNFree links to read more on this topic:Americans won’t be terrified into rejecting TrumpTime is of the essence in defending UkraineAmerica’s cultural supremacy and geopolitical weaknessPeace is impossible without resolving the leadership vacuum in Israel and GazaThe US retains the economic advantage in its rivalry with ChinaSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Free links:Countries reach ‘historic’ COP28 deal to transition from fossil fuelsCOP’s love-hate relationship with businessCOP28 president denies using UN climate summit to pitch oil dealsCOP28: The struggle to say ‘fossil fuels’ out loudSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: CNBCFree links to read more on this topic:America and a crumbling global orderMoody’s cuts China’s credit outlook to negativeUS, UK and Australia move to track ‘emerging threats’ in spaceEU must stand up for Taiwan at China summitSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: CNNFree links to read more on this topic:The Nikki Haley wild card for 2024Ron DeSantis leads Donald Trump and Joe Biden in $250mn 2024 election advertising raceBiden can’t spin his way to re-electionDonald Trump would gut Joe Biden’s landmark IRA climate law if electedSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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-JazeeraFree links to read more on this topic:Israel, Oppenheimer and the laws of warThe world must start preparing for peacemaking in the Middle EastIsrael’s government meets as Joe Biden says Hamas hostage deal is closeArab foreign ministers press China to support end to Israel-Hamas fightingSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 NewsFree links to read more on this topic:Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia in maps — latest updatesRussia’s war economy leaves businesses starved of labourUkraine reaches deal with insurers for grain shipmentsDenmark could block Russian oil tankers from reaching marketsSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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; AFPFree links to read more on this topic:Iran’s interests are trumping the Palestinian tragedyFrom the US to Ukraine, the Gaza war will change the world‘Dead man walking’: How Yahya Sinwar deceived Israel for decadesGaza: the history of an embattled territorySubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: PBSFree links to read more on this topic:US pushes allies for more sanctions on HamasChina capitalises on US sanctions in fight to dethrone dollarRussia is increasingly using China’s currency to evade sanctionsQatar’s super-fixer role in Israel-Hamas war brings praise and scrutinySubscribe 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 Simon Panayi.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: BBCFree links to read more on this topic:US signals intention to engage with Niger juntaWhere is the next African coup?Niger is the graveyard of French policy in the SahelEthiopia’s plan to rebuild in the wake of a ‘brutal’ warSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 HouseFree links to read more on this topic:The Israel-Hamas war in maps: latest updatesHumanity must prevail in GazaSupporting Israel and protecting Palestinians are not contradictory policiesIran is positioning itself to benefit from the Israel-Gaza conflictSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 NewsFree links to read more on this topic:The Israel-Hamas conflict in maps‘Nothing is normal any more’: war with Hamas reshapes life in IsraelA bitter blame game will follow Israel’s wartime unityAll involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict should heed the warnings of 1982Subscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Free links to read more on this topic: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 yetWTO warns about fragmentation of global trade into allied blocsSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 24Free links to read more on this topic:Western companies take slow steps towards China ‘de-risking’South American leaders issue ultimatum on EU trade pactUS and China to launch economy and finance working groups to stabilise tiesGlobal trade falls at fastest pace since pandemicModels can mislead us on the impact of global tradeSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 24Free links to read more on this topic:White House embraces ‘Bidenomics’ as it seeks to woo sceptical votersInvestors must realise the pendulum of history is swinging to BidenomicsWhy Joe Biden is the heir to TrumpInside the $220bn American cleantech project boomSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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 ItClip: BBCFree links to read more on this topic:UK SMEs not ready for ‘avalanche’ of Brexit 2.0 rules and taxesLondon and the fight for its future as a fashion hubThe EU’s transformations will reshape its ‘British question’ too EU and UK to unveil €1bn in N Ireland funding to boost reconciliationSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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)Free links to read more on this topic:The US and Iran look for de-escalationRegulating artificial intelligence is a 4D challengeUS seeks to deepen Tokyo-Seoul security links to boost Pacific deterrenceGovernments are waking up to biosecurity risks — but we must act fastSubscribe 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 TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.