The Rachman Review

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.

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 NewsFree links to read more on this topic:Joe Biden makes his big Middle East push: a Saudi Arabia-Israel pactGrand Delusion — America’s imposition on incompatible Middle East realitiesUkraine launches biggest drone attack yet inside Russian 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 Turner.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: BBCFree links to read more on this topic:When democratic spin conceals a descent into dictatorshipRussia files lawsuit against billionaire oligarch Andrey MelnichenkoRussia fires ‘General Armageddon’ in Wagner crackdownVladimir Putin plans meeting on Russian currency controls after rouble’s slideRead a transcript of this episode on FT.comSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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.Free links to read more on this topic:Wagner leader generated $250mn from sanctioned empireUsing crypto for crime is not a bug — it’s an industry featureEcuador gripped by fear after presidential candidate killingNorth Korea and the triads: gangsters, ghost ships and spies | FT FilmSubscribe 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 is by Breen TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Want more? Free links:Corporate Japan back in the hunt for US dealsJapan looks to expand diplomatic corps in overseas charm offensiveTokyo could win ‘not China’ global hub status — but it must want itSubscribe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Want more?Trump and American democracy’s time of trial  Donald Trump indicted for ‘unprecedented’ attempt to overturn US election The cases against Donald Trump  Subscribe to The Rachman review wherever you get your podcasts – please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Lulu Smyth and Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Breen Turner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 regionThe crisis in Sudan calls for a new model of humanitarian aid‘The garden of war’: horseback killers return to DarfurSudan conflict delivers fresh blow to China’s African lending strategySubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by David Pilling. 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 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 PaísMore on this topic:Franco’s ghost fails to scare Spain away from the hard right‘Spain first’: Vox party on brink of sharing powerThe ex-Eta terrorist bringing down Pedro Sánchez in SpainWhy Spain’s election threatens the EU’s climate agendaSubscribe 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.

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 NationsMore on this topic:UAE to set out vision for UN climate summitClimate graphic of the week: Global heat records alarm scientistsExtreme wildfires are here to stay. Can human beings really fight them?'Green nationalism' endangers the global energy transitionSubscribe 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.

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-SPANMore on this topic:How actors are losing their voices to AIWe must avoid the evils of social media with AIEuropean companies sound alarm over draft AI lawAI executives warn its threat to humanity rivals ‘pandemics and nuclear war’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 Simon Panayi. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: BBCMore on this topic:The revolution will now be TelegrammedA huge humiliation’: failed Russian putsch exposes deep flaws in Putin’s regimeUkraine says ‘main event’ in counteroffensive still to comeWagner’s future in Africa in question after Russian mutinySubscribe 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 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-SPANMore on this topic:Rwandan genocide fugitive arrested in South AfricaThere can be no impunity for the crime of aggression against Ukraine‘The garden of war’: horseback killers return to DarfurPol Pot’s prime minister loses appeal against genocide convictionSubscribe 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 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 NewsMore on this topic:Military briefing: Ukrainian troops make early gains against ‘well-prepared’ RussiansGermany’s first-ever security strategy names Russia as ‘greatest threat’ to peaceWestern allies plan to provide long-term security assurances to UkraineMilitary briefing: Russia has most to gain from Ukrainian dam breachSubscribe 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 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, CNAMore on this topic:US pledges to maintain military capacity to defend TaiwanThe Starmer Project: Labour’s surprisingly bold economic agendaUK seeks to revive post-Brexit trade links with Latin AmericaSubscribe 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 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: NBCMore on this topic:Military briefing: Ukraine’s daring ‘shaping operations’ stretch Russian defencesRussia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updatesF-16s might not win Ukraine’s war, but they promise a more equal fightRussia claims it ‘fully liquidated’ pro-Kyiv militias who crossed borderSubscribe 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 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 IndiaMore on this topic:The G7 must accept that it cannot run the worldBBC accused of defaming Indian PM Narendra Modi in Delhi lawsuitThis is the hour of the global southSubscribe 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 Jake FieldingRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 NewsMore on this topic:Xi Jinping’s Taiwan ambitions threaten China’s riseChinese tech entrepreneurs go on global offensiveChina’s raids on foreign firms hurt its own interestsChina’s economic recovery in doubt as industrial output falls shortSubscribe 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 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, PBSMore on this topic:Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updatesUS rejects Kremlin claims it was behind drone attackRussian spy network smuggles sensitive EU tech despite sanctionsChina vows to retaliate against EU sanctions on its companiesIt is now battered Ukraine’s turn for an offensiveSubscribe 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.

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: WSJMore on this topic:Arab world weighs price for Assad’s rehabilitationIran’s president visits Syria as he seeks to bolster Tehran’s sway over allySpy chief’s daughter highlights UN’s tangled relations with Syrian regimeSyria’s state capture: the rising influence of Mrs AssadRussia’s myth-making in Syria was a template for the horrors in UkraineSubscribe 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.

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, CNNRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 NewsMore on this topic:The new Washington consensusLula vows partnership with China to ‘balance world geopolitics’‘Dare to fight’: Xi Jinping unveils China’s new world orderIt is time to cut Russia out of the global financial systemSubscribe 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.

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 TaiwanTea with Xi: Macron gets personal touch as China visit highlights EU differencesThe jilted ally behind Macron’s pensions crisisSubscribe 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 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, SkyMore on this topic:The breaking and making of UkraineSaving Ukraine’s economy: the grain giant fighting for survivalUkraine clinches $15.6bn IMF loanSubscribe 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 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; CNNMore on this topic:‘Like Icarus’: Russian mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin falls foul of Kremlin old guardWagner leader generated $250mn from sanctioned empireWagner Inc: a Russian warlord and his lawyersSubscribe 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 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; BBCRead More on this topic:Exiled son of Iran’s last shah steps up to lead galvanised diasporaSaudi rapprochement with Iran is an exercise in buying timeIran agrees to reinstall IAEA cameras at nuclear facilitiesSubscribe 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.

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; NBCProtests by Israeli reservists raise stakes in battle over judicial changesIlliberal democracy comes to IsraelUS defence secretary cuts short trip to Israel ahead of mass protestsSubscribe 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 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 MexicoThousands protest in Mexico against cuts to electoral watchdogMexico’s former security chief convicted in US of helping cartel smuggle drugsSubscribe 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 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 budgetsElon Musk’s Twitter is ‘stirring up’ digital polarisation, says Bill GatesBill Gates loves trashSubscribe 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.

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: CNNMore 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 BakhmutBehind the Money podcast: ​​The costs of Russia’s invasion of UkraineHow Ukrainian photographers captured a year of conflictRussia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updatesSubscribe 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 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 surveyMore on this topic:A year of war in Ukraine has left Europe’s armouries dryMilitary briefing: Russia prepares Ukraine spring offensiveThe keyboard warriors on Ukraine’s digital front lineRussia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updatesSubscribe 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, 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 surveyVolodymyr Zelenskyy demands ‘wings for freedom’ as UK pledges fighter pilot trainingMilitary briefing: what the west’s shifting red lines mean for UkraineRussia’s budget deficit soars as energy revenues slump by almost halfRussia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updatesSubscribe 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 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 surveyMartin Wolf: in defence of democratic capitalismThe great disruption has only just begunCEOs beware: cost-cutting isn’t the same as growthSubscribe 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.

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.netMore on this topic:Ferdinand Marcos Jr says Taiwan tensions ‘very, very worrisome’ for PhilippinesUS military deepens ties with Japan and Philippines to prepare for China threatChina and Philippines vow to handle maritime tensions with ‘friendly consultations’US vice-president visits Philippine island off contested South China SeaSubscribe 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.