The Rachman Review

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

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

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

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, ReutersIRC’s 2022 Emergency WatchlistDavid Miliband’s speech to the Council on Foreign RelationsRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/c2a23023-df6b-49ed-af06-149bb0b35237Three 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/03234d8d-0548-4e84-b7c9-5ed87b2b7a57For 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/ce91ffd7-0549-4187-8dda-61b20548d2c8Gideon 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/402578f3-6ad6-45f8-8340-cb1e809fe95bIn 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/34bb8aee-612e-4b2e-ab59-0d11518e1d82Gideon 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/c40abc3c-5a4b-4ebe-9f24-82241f2939f5Gideon 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/f1dbd73c-381c-475b-8b22-fa07abd6d92fGideon 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/e66fa8b7-7b92-4497-8585-cf43e8cd41fcPoland’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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/07579093-643e-4300-87c3-3b3e6b36526bGideon 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/7dd6de54-58d0-4a5f-9c74-d599b513a668Benjamin 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 hereClips: AP Archive, Reagan Library Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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