FT Big Read

As Russia’s relations with the west deteriorate Moscow is seeking fresh alliances across Africa say Henry Foy, Nastassia Astrasheuskaya and David Pilling. With Moscow often sidestepping demands for reform or protection of human rights, this is starting to raise concern in western capitals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wells Fargo has lurched from one scandal to another but customers have stayed loyal, say Robert Armstrong and Laura Noonan. Can the bank once seen as the best managed in America recover its premium valuation? Produced by Caroline Grady Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Data brokers face heightened scrutiny in Europe as public opinion shifts on questions of privacy and businesses face tougher data protection legislation, say Aliya Ram and Madhumita Murgia. Will recent operational changes at data brokers be enough to convince regulators? Produced by Caroline Grady Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Financial Times has chosen George Soros as its Person of the Year and here editor Lionel Barber and deputy editor Roula Khalaf explain why the billionaire philanthropist and liberal standard bearer merits the title, particularly in 2018. Presented by Robert Shrimsley and produced by Anna Dedhar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The November sentencing of British academic Matthew Hedges to life in prison for spying caused a rare public spat between the UK and UAE and although he was subsequently pardoned it has led UK and US institutions to reassess their links to oil-rich Gulf states, say Andrew England and Simeon Kerr. Does foreign funding influence research on the region and damage the reputation of institutions or enhance academic ties? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nintendo, Sony’s Playstation, and Microsoft’s Xbox dominate the cut-throat computer game business. But, says Leo Lewis, these console makers look under threat in the era of streaming. Will the cloud win, or can consoles, with higher quality, more complex games, keep their place? Produced by Harry Robertson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In October, Angela Merkel announced she would be stepping down as leader of the Christian Democratic Union, the party she has headed for nearly two decades. The race to succeed her is now well underway, says Guy Chazan. Three candidates have emerged in a battle that will decide whether the party stays its course or turns to the right. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Harry Robertson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Reserve Bank of India is embroiled in an intense political battle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, say Simon Mundy and Henny Sender. The government has long pressured the RBI to do more to boost growth, but a possible economic slowdown has seen Mr Modi ramp up his attacks. Can the RBI’s legally fragile independence hold? Produced by Harry Robertson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the west imposed sanctions to isolate the country economically. But, says Henry Foy, the reality has not matched the rhetoric. Moscow has pivoted towards China and Saudi Arabia and its energy ties with the EU remain strong. Produced by Harry Robertson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Western governments have a new nightmare coming from China, which has decreed that new private sector technologies, such as robotics and AI, must be shared with the military, say Kathrin Hille and Richard Waters. Washington fears Beijing is gaining an advantage in a new arms race. Produced by Harry Robertson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since Britain voted to leave the EU, the Irish “backstop” has become the primary obstacle in the way of a Brexit deal, say Alex Barker and Arthur Beesley. The plan is the result of intense diplomacy by Dublin, but Theresa May faces implacable opposition to it from Brexiters and Arlene Foster’s DUP. Just how did the issue become so important? Produced by Harry Robertson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under the stewardship of its young crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has sought to turn around its oil-dependent economy, say Andrew England and Simeon Kerr. Yet the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has made the task of reshaping the kingdom’s economy by attracting overseas money much harder. Produced by Harry Robertson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next month’s US midterm elections will be some of the most important in a generation, says Demetri Sevastopulo. Should the Democratic party regain a majority in the House of Representatives, they could make life very difficult for President Donald Trump. But conservatives are also fired up for the fight Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The nightmare of robots controlling the human race will not come true, says Richard Waters. The future of AI will see semi-autonomous systems rely on close cooperation with people, uniting machine learning and human judgement. But there are dangers in robots leading humans astray Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since Howard Wilkinson, Danske Bank’s then head of markets in Estonia, blew the whistle on money laundering in 2013, the enormous scale of wrongdoing has emerged, report Richard Milne and Caroline Binham. It has cost chief executive Thomas Borgen his job, and raised grave questions about the bank’s relationships with Russian entities and its regulators Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emerging economic powerhouses like China, India, and Turkey are jockeying for opportunities and influence in sub-Saharan Africa. While many of the continent's leaders see this as a great opportunity to boost growth, others warn of the dangers of increasing foreign domination Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Italian football club will pay some €340m over four seasons for Cristiano Ronaldo, gambling that he will lure fans and deals with sponsors and kitmakers, says Murad Ahmed. But it is a risky strategy. Can it pay off? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Purdue Pharma faces more than 1,000 lawsuits claiming it ignited and fuelled the US opioid crisis, reports David Crow. Prosecutors say the company exaggerated the benefits of its painkiller OxyContin, but through their ownership of Rhodes Pharma, Purdue’s owners also have a far bigger market share than was realised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On August 14, the Morandi bridge in Genoa collapsed, killing at least 43 people. Since then, many Italian politicians have blamed the tragic event on a lack of maintenance, says Hannah Roberts, and linked it to crony capitalism and policies of privatisation. This argument over privatisation is emblematic of a divided Italy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PwC’s mechanical interpretation of the rules failed to produce results representative of Bank of Ireland’s dangerous position leading up to the financial crisis. This, say Jonathan Ford and Madison Marriage, raises questions about auditing judgment, and who the ‘Big Four’ firms really serve. As part of our ‘Auditing in Crisis’ series, they report on the history and future of “true and fair” accounting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Electric cars are the future, and so are the batteries that power them. Yet, these batteries are dependent on cobalt, which has linked the electric vehicle industry to one of the most unstable countries in the world, and to practices like child labour. This, along with the metal’s high cost, has started a race to replace cobalt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

YouTube video bloggers broadcast their lives on the Google-owned platform in the hope of attracting followers, fame, and money, say Hannah Kuchler and Emma Jacobs. They are overwhelmingly young and can build multimillion dollar businesses, but stars are few and even for them, popularity can bring huge stresses and pressures  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three years ago Volkswagen was caught cheating with emission tests, but they were not the only carmaker manipulating the data. Brussels is introducing a more robust regime but the manufacturers are already finding ways of undermining it, says Patrick McGee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country saw a huge surge in investment after the global financial crisis but this has brought huge domestic debt and slower growth. Tom O'Sullivan, the FT's deputy analysis editor, asks Shanghai bureau chief Gabriel Wildau and global China editor James Kynge what impact this is having on daily life. Produced by Anna Dedhar. Image by Dreamstime Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Digital distraction lurks everywhere. Google and Apple have taken steps to address smartphone addiction, but critics say the big tech groups have not regulated enough to cure hardcore addicts, say Tim Bradshaw and Hannah Kuchler. What's the solution to Silicon Valley's struggle between responsibility and revenue? Produced by Molly Mintz  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

India has a quickly growing gross domestic product and emerging middle class that is reaping rewards on foreign companies. Netflix entered India in a blaze of promotion and with a bag full of cash. The streaming service thinks the country is an untapped market, says Kiran Stacey. Will Netflix’s strategy succeed in scoring 100 million subscribers in India? Or will they fail to understand the country’s consumers? Produced by Molly Mintz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin has prompted scrutiny and caused controversy, as have US sanctions against Moscow and a Forbes list of Russian oligarchs republished by the US Treasury. However, the US president’s policies on Russia may become clearer when he meets the Russian leader and attends the Nato summit, says Courtney Weaver. Will Putin play his cards right, or will Trump outplay the strongman? Produced by Molly Mintz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beijing's ‘Made in China 2025’ industrial initiative has made government officials in America worried. The underlying motivation of the Trump administration’s protectionist mood and trade war with China is American anxiety about China’s rapidly growing technological prowess, says Shawn Donnan. Is investment the newest warfare tactic? And if so, how can it be stopped? Produced by Molly Mintz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Theresa May’s moment of truth is coming. In the two years since the Brexit vote, the British cabinet is still negotiating with itself and the EU. With the impending release of a white paper and an important cabinet summit at Chequers, the prime minister is edging towards an agreement that looks like a single market for goods but not services, says FT Political editor George Parker. Is this political madness, or is the UK’s economic future close to being resolved? FT podcasts feedback: Please tell us what you like and don’t like about our shows at ft.com/podcastfeedback and enter our prize draw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears simultaneously powerful and vulnerable ahead of the upcoming June 24 snap elections. The long-time leader of Turkey has used a mixture of both hope and fear to energise voters at a time of great economic uncertainty and amid an ongoing state of emergency, but opinion polls don't guarantee an outright victory in the first round of the presidential contest or a majority in parliament for the Turkish president, says Laura Pitel. FT podcasts feedback: Please tell us what you like and don’t like about our shows at ft.com/podcastfeedback and enter our prize draw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former mayor of Mexico is set to win the country's presidential election on July 1. The politician is pledging to eradicate corruption. But while his supporters think he is a man of integrity and honour, his critics fear he is a danger to the country, says Jude Webber. FT podcasts feedback: Please tell us what you like and don’t like about our shows at ft.com/podcastfeedback and enter our prize draw  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The mines have closed, the jobs have gone and Mansfield in Britain’s East Midlands has turned Conservative. But to have a chance of power Labour’s leader needs the backing of the party’s traditional supporters, says Joshua Chaffin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fifa will decide in June who will host the 2026 football tournament, with a US-led bid the favourite to win. But resentment against Donald Trump is helping Morocco gain support, says Murad Ahmed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antarctica contains vast untapped natural resources. But it is governed only by a treaty system that faces growing geopolitical challenges, say Leslie Hook and Benedict Mander. Many interested parties would like to exploit its riches. How can the continent be protected? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost a year after four Arab states imposed a blockade on Qatar, the Gulf nation is spending hundreds of billions on infrastructure to boost its economy. From Doha, the FT’s Simeon Kerr reports on Qatar’s economic struggles and whether the US is making matters better or worse for its strategic partner. Produced by Joshua Oliver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a plan to extend national health insurance to roughly half a billion of his country's poorest citizens. But critics say the plan will overwhelm the healthcare system and drive costs out of control. The FT's Amy Kazmin report. Produced by Joshua Oliver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the race to develop artificial intelligence technology, American engineers have long had an edge but access to vast amounts of data may prove to be China's secret weapon. Louise Lucas and Richard Waters report on the contest for supremacy in one of this century’s most important technologies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa's new president, faces a slew of challenges from corruption to education and the economy. The FT's David Pilling and Alec Russell are joined by Mmusi Maimane, leader of South Africa's leading opposition party, to discuss the country's future. Produced by Joshua Oliver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thousands of Venezuelans are fleeing disease, violence and economic collapse — creating the worst refugee crisis in recent Latin American history. The FT's Gideon Long and Andres Schipani report from Colombia and Brazil, where communities and humanitarian groups are struggling to cope. Produced by Joshua Oliver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Superstar partners are drawing salaries akin to those of top bankers and sports stars, as upstart firms challenge the traditional seniority-based compensation system. James Fontanella-Khan, Sujeet Indap, and Barney Thompson report. Produced by Joshua Oliver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South-east Asia is one of Facebook's fastest growing markets, but the social media company is under fire over the spread of false news and incitements to violence in the region. The FT's John Reed and Hannah Kuchler report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A major centre for the oil industry, the west-African city is on track to become the world's third largest metropolis within decades. The FT's David Pilling reports on what the rest of Nigeria might learn from Lagos' economic success. Produced by Joshua Oliver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With cyber attacks against businesses on the rise, Oliver Ralph reports on how wary insurance firms are approaching a field that could be a billion dollar growth opportunity or a hundred billion dollar liability. Produced by Joshua Oliver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geely's acquisition of close to 10 per cent of one of Germany's best-known firms has provoked a fierce backlash. Berlin bureau chief Guy Chazan and former Beijing bureau chief James Kynge join Big Read's editor Geoff Dyer to discuss the growing anxiety over China's economic influence in Europe. Produced by Joshua Oliver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Middle East observers say the region's social and economic tensions are creating the conditions for another wave of popular uprisings. Andrew England and Heba Saleh report on governments struggling to retain control in the face of falling oil revenues, rising unemployment, and restive populations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Black Panther's success has demonstrated the commercial potential for movies with more diverse casts and stories. With Sunday's Oscars putting the focus on Hollywood, Shannon Bond and Matthew Garrahan report on a film that has shattered box office records and long-held assumptions.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The dispute between Europe's media barons Silvio Berlusconi and Vincent Bolloré sees their groups Mediaset and Vivendi battle it out in court next week just days before Italy's crucial election. Rachel Sanderson and Harriet Agnew trace the story of how their business relations soured. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Moon Jae-in's move to promote reconciliation with the North has angered young South Koreans and risks creating a rift with the US over how to deal with Pyongyang. Bryan Harris reports from Seoul Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former premier has returned from political oblivion to recast himself as both an elder statesman and an alternative to the populist Five Star Movement. He is likely to play a crucial role after next month’s elections, but for how long?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hedge funds who placed big bets on the collapse of the country’s indebted economy have largely failed in their strategy. Did the investors misread the signs or were they just too early? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Brazil's economy becomes increasingly reliant on food production for export, rural politicians gain outsize influence and illegal Amazon deforestation worsens. Joe Leahy reports Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran rages on in Yemen, a man-made crisis has left millions starving. Famine and uncontrolled outbreaks of disease like cholera due to strangled health services have left surviving residents wondering what their children's future will be. FT reporters Nasser al-Sakkaf and Andrew England report on the origins of the crisis, and the very human cost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public admissions of wrongdoing by some of the country's greatest companies reveal deep problems in Japanese corporate culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Chinese efforts to socialize democracies to their authoritarian regime become more apparent, the debate in the west about how to stop China’s soft power takes a harder edge. Jamie Smyth and Jamal Anderlini report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FT Paris bureau chief Anne-Sylvaine Chassany and Berlin bureau chief Guy Chazan speak with Big Read editor Geoff Dyer about the rising waves of populism across Europe, and the bulwarks that are being built to try and stop them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brussels Bureau chief, Alex Barker, reports on how the history of the British accession to the EU explains the painful Brexit negotiations. As once minister put it, "There, the ghost of failure hung over the talks as it does today." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Science editor Clive Cookson explores the long and difficult journey of scientists attempting to unlock the causes of dementia, and to find a cure for the only leading cause of death that becomes more prevalent each year. Join the FT in our seasonal appeal to raise funds, awareness and understanding of Alzheimer's disease with Alzheimer's Research UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hindu nationalist ruler Narendra Modi's legal protections for cows extend beyond religious law, disrupting Indian dairy markets and threatening agriculture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A historically tolerant, left-wing town in Tuscany elected a fire brand populist mayor. James Politi reports from Italy on the rapid rise of populism driven by a slowing economy and the arrival of refugees from the Middle East and Africa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Researchers are now investigating how efficient electric cars are over their entire life cycle. Their surprising results are a wake up call to regulators. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lab-grown stones are set to disrupt the big miners. Henry Sanderson reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China's President Xi Jinping has been confirmed in power until at least 2022 with a mandate to spread Beijing's influence globally Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The midterm elections are seen as a referendum on President Mauricio Macri's efforts to pull Argentina from the shadow of populism, says Benedict Mander. Investors broadly welcome his plan but there are risks and resistance, Will the country follow his call to face reality? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia's use of the social network to interfere in the US election has raised serious questions over Facebook's model, say Hannah Kuchler and Barney Jopson. Action to try to control fake news and political ads has done little to ease pressure on the company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ride-sharing group has lurched from one management crisis to another this year. But now it faces its biggest challenge: keeping its drivers, says Leslie Hook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The referendum has provoked a constitutional crisis — and forging a new deal will be difficult. Michael Stothard reports from Barcelona Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Merkel's asylum policy allowed more than 1m refugees into the country but trying to absorb so many has caused friction and immigration has been a big issue in the poll campaign, says Guy Chazan. Image: Christof Stache/AFP/Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than $1.8bn has been raised this year by initial coin offerings by developers who want to create a generation of internet platforms that give power to the users not the tech giants, says Richard Waters. But regulators are eyeing the cryptocurrency markets and sceptics see another bubble Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country believes it is leading the world in the field, but scientists feel constrained by regulation and fear government interference, say Leo Lewis and Clive Cookson. Does Japan risk being overtaken by the US or another rival? Image by Dreamstime Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now our mechanical creations can act independently, what happens when AI goes wrong? Where does moral, ethical and legal responsibility for robots lie — with the manufacturers, the programmers, the users or the robots themselves, asks John Thornhill. And who owns their rights? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The jihadis may be in retreat in Syria and Iraq but there is another front in their war: the battle to make as many US dollars as fast as they can, say Erika Solomon and Ahmad Mhidi. And imposing their own currency helps them transfer the funds Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By many measures, stock markets today are overvalued. But calling the peak of the equities bull run is fraught with peril, says Ben McCrum Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The anti-corruption campaigner has built up a surprisingly large popular movement ahead of presidential elections next March, says Kathrin Hille. But he is short on policies and numbers and can appear out of his depth. Does he offer a genuine alternative, asks Kathrin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America is building up a genetic database but there are concerns about the risk of the information leaving the country, says David J Lynch. Genomics is one of the most exciting fields of medical research but it is also the latest area where Chinese investment is raising security fears in the US Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Californian company's CEO is hoping the car being launched this week will be the world's first mass market electric vehicle and stem the marque's losses, says Richard Waters. But there will soon be stiff competition Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beijing hopes that sharing its high speed rail technology will win allies and open markets as it pushes forward with the One Belt, One Road project. But cancelled schemes and poorer countries' struggles with the debt they can bring are hindering China's ambitions. This report by James Kynge, Michael Peel and Ben Bland is narrated by James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Millions of Americans could lose insurance cover if the bill passes but if it fails the uncertainty will undermine the system, says Edward Luce. Even Donald Trump doesn't want to lend his brand to the new measure Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK prime minister's grip on power is fragile, says George Parker. Weakened by the election, vulnerable to rebellion at home and diminished in Europe, can she survive long enough to negotiate the withdrawal from the EU? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty years on the former British colony is deeply divided over its relations with China Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To buy or build the next boss? The changes of regime at General Electric and Uber highlight the shifts we are seeing in how companies choose their senior executives, says Andrew Hill. GE has always meticulously groomed its leaders in house and had John Flannery primed ready to take over when Jeff Immelt stood down. But that model is becoming rare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can remarkable science be turned into mass-market products, asks David Crow. Cell therapies to treat blood cancers offer hope to patients who have exhausted all other possibilities and are likely to get regulatory approval this year. But they are expensive and production is time consuming, says David. The process needs to be streamlined and capacity matched to demand Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has the party ended for high-end housing developers, asks Judith Evans. After a five-year boom, they are feeling the chill as apartments in their gleaming towers stand empty, with many failing to sell despite offered discounts and gifts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rising house prices and stock market values are fuelling fears of an implosion like the one that dogged Tokyo for decades and President Xi Jinping has urged China's leadership to safeguard their country's financial security, say Leo Lewis, Tom Mitchell and Yuan Yang. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Michel Temer has been caught up in the latest bribery probe, centred on JBS, one of the country's biggest multinationals. A series of investigations since 2014 has exposed a system of patronage that is entrenched among the business and political elite but Joe Leahy and Andres Schipani say the culture is proving hard to change Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The run-up to Friday's polls has resounded with arguments over inequality and corruption in the deeply divided Islamic Republic, says Najmeh Bozorgmehr. And there is more at stake than who is to be president. The incumbent Hassan Rouhani or his hardline challenger Ebrahim Raisi could become the next supreme leader, says Najmeh Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The solace that the European establishment is drawing from the election of Emmanuel Macron as French president should not disguise the fact that the political extremes are still gaining ground in Europe - and the centre is still fragmenting. But Gideon Rachman argues that for all the tension around slow eurozone growth, security and migration, European voters have nevertheless demonstrated more resilience and calm than many pundits and politicians anticipated Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Companies and countries that displease Beijing can find state-backed consumer campaigns marshalled against them. James Kynge, the FT's emerging markets editor, asks south China correspondent Ben Bland how effective such sanctions are. You can read the full report on China's 'boycott diplomacy' on www.ft.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The sport has only once been played in the summer Games but some now believe the wider exposure inclusion would give it is necessary for its survival, says Murad Ahmed. First, though, cricket modernisers must convince sceptics in India Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Vix index is known as Wall Street's 'fear gauge' and was once just a measure of market movements. But volatility has itself become a tradable asset and financial engineers have used the index to create high-risk products and strategies that can act as siren calls to unwary investors, says Robin Wigglesworth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chocolate has been a Swiss national industry for almost 200 years but aggressive pricing and a shift to healthier snacks are forcing confectioners like Lindt and Nestlé to adapt, says Ralph Atkins. Focusing on premium brands and fighting the increasingly popular craft chocolatiers on their own territory are just two of the strategies the traditional groups are turning to, Ralph says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since John Elkann inherited the Exor business six years ago he has changed its strategy, diversifying away from the car industry and from its Italian homeland, say Sarah Gordon and Rachel Sanderson. But the relocation of the group's HQ to the Netherlands and heavy investment by the owner of the Fiat and Ferrari brands in the US have been controversial Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supplies of traditionally popular species have become so depleted through overfishing that commercial fleets — especially the Chinese — are trawling further from home, deeper and wider in the oceans, says Lucy Hornby. This has led to clashes as they impinge on local hunting grounds halfway across the world, Lucy says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump’s protectionist rhetoric, tax plans and threatened wall have battered the peso but hopes for an economic bounceback have grown as Mexicans adjust to the volatility, says Jude Webber. Confidence is rising south of the border despite the storm unleashed by the White House, Jude says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marking the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome while Britain tussles with its exit highlights the fractures in unity on the Continent, says Philip Stephens. The global environment is very different now from that of 1957 — but national solutions are not the answer to the problems individual member states face Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The reformist Argentine Francis is encountering opposition from those who claim his zeal threatens Catholic Church unity, says James Politi. The Pope enjoys very high popularity, but his critics are becoming bolder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken the opportunity provided by the failed coup in 2016 to further his societal engineering. And the forthcoming referendum in April could give him power beyond the scope of even the country's founder Ataturk, says Mehul Srivastava Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warren Buffett and 3G were taken aback by the harsh rejection of the takeover offer they had backed but people close to the Anglo-Dutch group say the deal made no financial or strategic sense for them. Arash Massoudi and James Fontanella-Khan tell a tale of miscalculation and culture divide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The scale of remuneration for CEOs has caused anger and triggered debate about the effectiveness of how it's structured and whether it's time to rein in their huge increases, says Patrick Jenkins in his Big Read report for the FT's Runaway Pay series. Here, Christopher Grimes talks to Patrick and John Gapper about how executive pay became so out of proportion to average wages and what changes we are likely to see Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

High hopes that new immunotherapy drugs would prove to have benefits over toxic chemotherapy were dashed by large-scale trials, says David Crow. Pharmaceutical groups are now working on combinations of the immunotherapies and using them with chemo, but some pharma groups have suffered big losses and Wall Street has become sceptical Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The $580bn relationship between Mexico and the US is vulnerable as the new American president picks his targets, say Jude Webber, Shawn Donnan and John Paul Rathbone. But Enrique Peña Nieto does have some negotiating leverage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The blasphemy case against Jakarta's governor and ally of President Widodo could land Basuki Tjahaja Purnama in jail, says Ben Bland. Religious and ethnic tensions are rising in the Muslim-majority country and critics say the backlash against the Chinese minority — to which Purnama belongs — is being stoked by political rivals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former leader in Japan's global corporate expansion and technological innovation has faced humiliation after humiliation from soured investments, nuclear disaster and scandal. And after sell-offs, writedowns and a boardroom clear-out Toshiba's troubles do not appear to be over yet, say Leo Lewis and Kana Inagaki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump's promise to lighten financial services regulation has boosted the big banks' spirits. But Ben McLannahan and Barney Jopson's Big Read report 'What Wall Street wants from Trump' asked how realistic their hopes are. Here, Ben, Brooke Masters and Chris Grimes discuss the chances of the Dodd-Frank regulatory regime being dismantled Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are at the end of both an economic era and a geopolitical one, says Martin Wolf. What lies ahead? Will the post-world-war period led by the US descend into deglobalisation and conflict, or will a new order emerge with non-western powers such as China and India playing a bigger role in stability? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the Tahrir Square popular revolt of 2011 control has only tightened over civil society and the social and economic problems have worsened, says FT deputy editor Roula Khalaf. But President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi believes he can save his country from catastrophe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abe and Putin seek to end the 70-year-old territorial dispute over the Kuril archipelago, report Robin Harding and Kathrin Hille Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Garrahan, the FT's Global Media Editor, looks at how the US presidential election has catapulted the conservative website from the fringes and how it now plans to tap into the wave of populism sweeping European politics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Médecins Sans Frontières, which the Financial Times has chosen as its partner for this year's Seasonal Appeal, is one of the few aid groups to continue working in war zones despite deadly attacks on its facilities. Erika Solomon discovers how the group’s commitment to impartiality helps staff stay on the front lines and in refugee camps in Yemen, Iraq and Syria Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Burgis looks at the case of Thomas Mair, a white supremacist who on November 23 was given a whole life sentence for the murder of his local Labour MP Jo Cox. What drove the loner from Birstall in West Yorkshire to strike just days before the EU referendum? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moscow's willingness to use its nuclear capability to put pressure on the west is raising the spectre of nuclear war 25 years after the world thought the end of the cold war had removed it for good, say Neil Buckley, Sam Jones and Kathrin Hille. Nato is alarmed and Donald Trump's election has brought fresh fears Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some sub-Saharan nations and aid agencies are sceptical of the EU's push to tackle the causes that send so many thousands on the dangerous passage across Libya and the Mediterranean to enter Europe via Italy, say Maggie Fick, James Politi and Duncan Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Republican candidate Donald Trump has a capacity for reinvention after business setbacks, says Gary Silverman. And, whether he gets to the White House or not, he will need his magic after the election to extricate himself from multiple cases of civil litigation and work out the way forward for Trump Inc Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has led the Islamic Republic since 1989. But after the nuclear deal with the US, questions have been raised over whether it is necessary to have a senior cleric in charge, says Najmeh Bozorgmehr. Now reformists and hardliners have begun to position themselves for influence over the future of the country Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tech groups and digital media stars are taking the initiative in challenging terrorist propaganda from groups like Isis, say Madhumita Murgia and Hannah Kuchler. They are using 'counter speech' to fight extremists' propaganda with their own chosen tools of persuasion — such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Google Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A property boom and an influx of new residents have put pressure on the city's affordable rental market, says Guy Chazan. The big fear of officials is that the German capital will see a housing crisis like London's Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A growing number of business advisers are seeking the flexibility and creativity of working for themselves independent of the big brands, says Andrew Hill, the FT's management editor. But the disruptive edge where McKinsey meets Uber has perils as well as attractions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Post-Brexit vote, the UK's new prime minister faces the challenge of negotiating the country's exit from the EU while navigating its biggest political upheaval in a generation, say George Parker, Alex Barker and Kate Allen. With her speeches at the Conservative party conference, she has the chance to assert her authority Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The sunshine state is a key battleground, and it is one that Donald Trump must win to clinch the US presidential election, says Sam Fleming. Victory in the biggest swing state hinges on whether older white voters or the rapidly growing Hispanic population hold more sway Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The burkini bans are not the first time the country has been divided over religious dress, says Anne-Sylvaine Chassany. In 1908 the Catholic soutane was at the centre of a clash as the hijab and niqab are today, highlighting the tension between hardline and liberal secularism, dividing Muslims and threatening national unity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regulators have pushed the banking sector to behave more like the most humdrum utilities in a bid to end the 'too big to fail' culture. Now with valuations and profit levels converging, Patrick Jenkins assesses what the shift means for the sector Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The number of electric cars topped 1 million last year, boosted by government subsidies, and they could make up a quarter of the world’s automobiles by 2040. How will this shift in the auto industry affect oil demand — and price, ask Pilita Clark and Peter Campbell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A dramatic decline in bond yields has added to the pressures of longer lifespans and falling birth rates to create a looming social and political pensions crisis, say John Authers and Robin Wigglesworth. In this report they examine the outlook for retirees. You can also listen to John and Robin discuss the pensions squeeze at podcast.ft.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After years of flat revenues, executives are hunting for new income streams, says Ben McLannahan. Can the Wall Street bank be a friend to the consumer and small businesses? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Midea's €4.5bn purchase of robot maker Kuka was the largest ever Chinese takeover of a German company, and the latest in a string of deals that have made Germany the top target in Europe as Chinese investors seek innovative engineering and technology, says Guy Chazan. But it has raised concerns in Berlin for the country's strategic industries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is a dearth of new business start-ups across much of America, famously the home of capitalist mojo, says Sam Fleming. Domineering incumbents, too much red tape and an unwillingness to risk failing are all blamed for a worrying trend that is hurting productivity and depressing dynamism, Sam reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Xi Jinping, China’s leader since 2012, came from humble beginnings. How has he grown to have such power in such a short time and what does he want to do with it? James Kynge, the FT’s Emerging Markets Editor, talks to Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese politics at King's College, and Tom Mitchell, FT Beijing Bureau Chief. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Online fraud from software masquerading as genuine consumers is forecast to cost marketers up to $7bn this year — but the industry is finding such crime very hard to combat and even to detect, says Robert Cookson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Brexit shock not only sent Italian bank shares sliding and raised doubts over reform of the industry. It also sharpened the conflict between Rome and the EU over state aid rules and put the political survival of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at risk, say Rachel Sanderson, Alex Barker and Claire Jones Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The likes of the US, UK and Switzerland are extending their reach as global policemen to track, recover and return stolen assets. Some groups estimate that as much as $1tn a year is stolen from developing nations. But in the crackdown on kleptocracy, Kara Scannell reports how authorities have faced difficulties in returning illicit assets to citizens Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What will Brexit mean for the City of London? Whatever terms Britain manages to negotiate with the other 27 member states, countries across the EU are eager for a bigger bite of the financial services sector that the City enjoys the lion's share of today, say Financial Editor Patrick Jenkins and FT reporters. The big question is which rivals are likely to benefit most Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Six years after the deal that is still seen as a test case for Beijing's industrial ambitions, the Swedish carmaker is back in profit, say Richard Milne and Christian Shepherd. But there are still challenges for the marque and its Chinese owner as Volvo tries to catch up with its rivals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suntory's $16bn takeover of US spirits maker Beam in 2014 catapulted the Japanese group to number 3 in the global spirits markets. The tie-up was not without its problems, and Kana Inagaki explains how Beam is trying to overcome the differences in the Japanese and American corporate cultures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three decades ago the management consultancy set up a private hedge fund for its partners and alumni in a bid to keep staff tempted by the financial rewards of banking and private equity. But some experts warn of possible conflicts of interest, say Harriet Agnew and Miles Johnson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As bank profits feel the pressure, savers suffer pain and populism is on the rise, criticism of the ECB's loose monetary policy is increasing, say James Shotter and Stefan Wagstyl. With parliamentary elections due next year, the argument over ultra-low interest rates will not go away Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As inequality grows, welfare costs soar and technological disruption escalates, many people are growing warmer to the idea of a guaranteed basic income for everyone, say John Thornhill and Ralph Atkins. Switzerland, which votes on the UBI in June, is not the only country considering a new social model Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump went on the attack when faced with the prospect of competition to his gaming centres from Native American casinos. Regulators found he went too far, says Gary Silverman, but his campaign rhetoric now owes much to his tactics then Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The professional services sector is at a tipping point as tougher regulation forces firms to bid for business and invest big sums in technology, says Harriet Agnew​ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The once-heroic globally recognised embodiment of Japan's economic growth has become a hindrance to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's reforms of the country's labour force, says Leo Lewis. The culture is so entrenched that some critics say it is a 'national disaster', that instead of loyalty, labour and love, corporate welfare needs innovation, a liquid job market and productivity-based pay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Rusbridger was a crusading editor of the newspaper, says John Gapper. But since he retired, questions over the cost of his tenure have grown and they are intensified by his return as the head of the trust that owns the liberal beacon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a €404bn turnover and 792,500 employees last year, the car industry is crucial to Germany and there is a revolving door between government and the industry. But did this lead Angela Merkel's administration to lobby for favourable legislation and turn a blind eye to some of its practices? Guy Chazan reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China’s online services sector is red-hot as customers turn to their smartphones to order services such as taxis, massages and food deliveries. But with an estimated Rmb50BN being spent a year on subsidies as competitors race to win market share, some see parallels with Silicon Valley in 1999 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Growth and prosperity had come to be seen as the hallmark of President Vladimir Putin's reign. But after two years of recession, Kathrin Hille says the social wellbeing that replaced the hardships of the post-Soviet Union era is wearing thin. Sanctions, the falling oil price and an ageing population are all increasing pressures on the economy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is more than a game to the Chinese. President Xi Jinping's plan to create a 'great sports nation' is spurring a tide of investment in foreign star players and stakes in overseas clubs, say Ben Bland and Charles Clover. There are worries, though, over the financial foundations of the country's latest binge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The $3tn debt mountain built up when the global oil and gas industry believed high prices were here to stay threatens further destabilisation, says Ed Crooks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Surging mergers and Y10tn in outbound deals in 2015 are being cited as evidence that the once-mighty interventionist ministry of international trade — reborn as Meti — is reclaiming power, boosted by the Abenomics stimulus project and seeking to compete more effectively with China, say Leo Lewis and Kana Inagaki Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An FT investigation by David Crow and Robin Kwong has found that, despite post-crisis anger at expensive benefits for corporate bosses and their subsequent reining in, S&P 500 company aircraft are still being used for personal trips. Additional reporting by Jennifer Bissell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country's huge, inefficient and indebted state-owned companies are crying out for reform as growth slows. But few believe that Beijing's approach of merging them to create even bigger giants will solve the problem, says Gabriel Wildau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could Europe's great postwar project fall apart? Peter Spiegel and Richard Milne say populist parties on the continent are watching as Euroscepticism becomes mainstream in British political dialogue. Contagion is seen as a risk if the country votes to leave the EU Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The German chancellor must disarm hostility among her partners at the EU summit when she seeks agreement on a deal over the refugee crisis, says Stefan Wagstyl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK newspaper groups are re-evaluating their business model as they seek online revenues to replace lost print sales and new digital ways to promote content - such as Google, Facebook and Apple, says Henry Mance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Donald’s campaign to win the Republican nomination for president has won support from conservative media. But for some in the GOP what is good for broadcasters is bad for the party, says Matthew Garrahan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A battle of the bankers has gone public and may end up in court, drawing attention to the financial industry's hiring and retention practices. Sujeet Indap and James Fontanella-Khan investigate the dispute between Joe Perella and a former colleague who was fired amid allegations of a plot to quit and launch a rival firm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will computers powered by artificial intelligence become the next Warren Buffetts? Robin Wigglesworth reports on the investment groups' race to build a machine that can think, learn, trade and adapt to changing market conditions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The swings on the country's stock exchanges have given investors around the world a tough start to 2016, underlining how central the country is to global markets and bringing calls for more transparency about Beijing's strategy, report Tom Mitchell and Gabriel Wildau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IBM is pinning its hopes on turning a smart machine's box of tricks into practical applications, says Richard Waters. Can it capitalise on the system's promise of bringing an AI revolution to business? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country is only now examining the social price of children left behind by the mass movement triggered by China's transformation from agrarian backwater to digital society, says Patti Waldmeir Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As societies debate whether to encourage philanthropy or to tax wealth for redistribution by government, gestures like Mark Zuckerberg's vow to give away 99% of his Facebook riches grab the attention. So if you have a spare $1bn, how do you go about spending it for the good of others? Let Stephen Foley guide you through the task Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The German Chancellor's 'refugees welcome' message transformed her in the eyes of the world from cautious leader to a bold one with strong convictions, says Stefan Wagstyl. There may be a political price for her to pay and her gambit may fail, but Angela Merkel is reshaping Europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moscow is struggling to prevent the war in Syria from fuelling its homegrown problems of Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus and the radicalisation of young Muslims, says Kathrin Hille. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seventeen years after the Chávez revolution the oil-rich country that suffers 'permanent violation' of civil and human rights is preparing for elections in which the socialist government may lose its majority, says Andres Schipani. Additional reporting by John Paul Rathbone Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The inside story of the measures being taken by Fifa to survive amid US and Swiss corruption probes. The investigations continue as the body’s revenues are hit by scandal and new partners shy away. With many of those hoping to replace Sepp Blatter as president still in denial about the need for change, Malcolm Moore explains how football’s governing body is dealing with this existential threat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A thriving black market in firearms has made Belgium a centre for jihadi operations, with would-be terrorists able to exploit the country's fractured security services and geographical position as a transit country. Christian Oliver and Duncan Robinson report on how officials are scrambling to crack down on the illicit trade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The headline valuations of some private tech companies are being tested by their IPOs, raising fears of an imminent correction, reports Leslie Hook. Numbers such as Uber's $50bn, Airbnb's $24bn and Snapchat's $15bn became symbolic of the huge ambitions of this generation of start-ups. But they are not all they seem Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country is heading for its first polls under a civilian government in over 50 years but the military still has a tight grip. Michael Peel finds enthusiasm and cynicism over the transition to democracy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helen Warrell is the first journalist allowed into a UK jail for over a year due to a clampdown by the MoJ amid budget cuts and staff shortages. She talks about what she found at Rye Hill sex offenders prison where nearly one in five inmates is over 60 and 40 per cent are over 50. Listen to a podcast of the full report on ft.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a surge in historic sex abuse cases puts more elderly men behind bars, Helen Warrell reports from inside Rye Hill sex offenders prison on the strains this is putting on the penal system - both practically and ethically. Is it a penal institution or a care home? Hear more from Helen on ft.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ‘iron lady’ is opening an $11bn mine amid a rout in commodity prices and a slowdown in mining investment that are hurting the Australian economy. She is also fighting her children in the courts over control of Hancock Prospecting and the legacy her father left them, reports Jamie Smyth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Mitchell reports from Xinjiang, a remote and resource-rich region three times the size of France that is key to President Xi Jinping’s Silk Road project. But Beijing’s policies seem only to fan the flames of ethnic unrest in the region Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Employers are carving up white-collar jobs and scattering the pieces into a virtual mass of workers across the world. Will this create a global meritocracy or spark a race to the bottom, asks Sarah o'Connor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latin America's biggest economy is in recession, the political elite is engulfed in a huge corporate scandal and the president faces impeachment in a move that could bring the country to a standstill, reports Joe Leahy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cynthia O'Murchu, Martin Arnold and Gina Chon investigate transactions involving Iran that could put Standard Chartered at risk of further penalties. Nine years after the UK-listed bank paid nearly $1bn to US regulators and law enforcement agencies, the bank seems no closer to ending its legal problems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For its assault on Europe, the taxi start-up Uber followed the aggressive strategy that had worked so well in the US. But, as Murad Ahmed, Jeevan Vasagar and Tim Bradshaw report, it had misjudged the power of regulators and the plan backfired Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pilita Clark reports that although $30bn has been committed or spent on carbon capture schemes to deal with CO2 emissions — the fossil fuel industry's preferred option — the sector has fallen short of expectations, while the International Energy Agency says $4tn would be needed for such projects to meet the world's 2 degree Celsius goal by 2050 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Although the deal agreed with the IMF and creditors fell short of the debt relief Ukrainians wanted, it averted default and gave the war-torn country hope for a fresh start, report Elaine Moore, Roman Olearchyk and Neil Buckley. But its worries are far from over Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany's population is ageing rapidly, making it harder for employers to find enough workers and threatening its position as Europe's largest economy. Angela Merkel's policies are not helping, Stefan Wagstyl reports Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Facing an economic slowdown with its old tools to stimulate growth losing their power, Beijing finally turned to a weapon it had avoided using for more than two decades. Jamil Anderlini investigates why China’s leaders resorted to devaluation of the renminbi, and the risk of a currency war Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Mitchell, Robin Harding and Simon Munday find the differing interpretations of events shown in textbooks and patriotic memorials are central to a new battle between nationalisms in China, Japan and Korea amid rising tensions in the region Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the US Federal Reserve expected to raise interest rates for the first time in a decade, Robin Wigglesworth and Elaine Moore ask if the great bond party is about to end Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the drugs watchdog in the US declares painkiller abuse to be a national epidemic, pharma companies are seeking to develop tamper-resistant pills. David Crow finds this search has led to a surge in the recruitment of drug users to test the new opioids and talks to Brandon, one of the human guinea pigs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alzheimer's affects tens of millions of people around the world and the goal of an effective treatment has been so elusive that it is seen as a 'black hole' for drugs spending. But now Andrew Ward and David Crow find fresh hope of a breakthrough Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FT investigation: Kara Scannell and Gina Chon reveal that although the US tech sector leads the world, the American government's computers are frighteningly vulnerable to hacking attacks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women are Japan's squandered asset, says Leo Lewis. The country has one of the best-educated and most underused female populations in the world. Shinzo Abe is trumpeting legislation that aims to encourage more women into work but critics say sweeping change is needed to create new jobs and boost growth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A damning report from Germany's banking regulator has capped a dreadful period for the bank. Investors say the incoming CEO will need to instigate a management clear-out to restore trust. Martin Arnold, Patrick Jenkins and James Shotter report Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Burgis looks at North Korea's alliance with the Queensway Group, a syndicate of Hong Kong based investors. Such ventures as a taxi fleet with the KKG brand are part of a much larger endeavour by Pyongyang to cut international business deals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Igor Zyuzin's Mechel mining and metals group has debts of over $7bn and state-owned creditors are pursuing it, but amid Russia's economic woes the Kremlin cannot afford to let it collapse, Courtney Weaver and Jack Farchy introduce a corporate Houdini Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Henry Foy, Kathrin Hille and Richard Milne report from the border between the eastern edge of Europe and Russia, where Nato and Moscow have ramped up military exercises in response to perceived violations and divisions over Ukraine. But how much appetite is there for more conflict? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toyota is back at the top of the global auto industry five years after safety lapses savaged its reputation, sales had plunged and losses soared. Kana Inagaki goes to the Japanese carmaker's HQ to assess the reality of the rebound Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Italy is making tentative steps on the road to recovery. Europe's third largest economy reported first quarter growth of 0.3% this month, its best performance in three years. James Politi tests the mood among ordinary Italians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unesco is considering whether to put the Great Barrier Reef - the world’s largest living organism - on its ‘danger’ list, while environmentalists are pitched against Australia’s Big Coal. Jamie Smythe reports Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Farchy explains why we should worry about who will succeed the presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, two septuagenarian strongmen who have ruled their central Asian countries since the break-up of the Soviet Union Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Borzou Daragahi reports from an increasingly polarised Middle East where in Cairo, Ayman Ramzy's confession on a TV chat show that he did not believe in God shattered his life as a teacher, bringing him vilification in the streets and turning him into a prisoner in his own home Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vincent Boland reports from Dublin as Ireland prepares for a referendum on marriage equality. Opinion polls suggest the country is poised to become the first in the world to adopt same-sex marriage through a popular vote. The ballot itself is testament to a more liberal spirit taking hold in a country long dominated by the Catholic Church Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martin Arnold and Patrick Jenkins examine whether HSBC's new strategy can revitalise Europe's biggest bank, a wounded giant under attack from regulators, politicians and investors and overstretched by trying to keep up with rivals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lionel Barber describes how Li Keqiang, China's second most powerful man, told the FT that his country had no desire to create a new world order Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cynthia O'Murchu explains how the arrest of Yves Bouvier casts a harsh light on how art is bought, stored and sold, raising questions over whether the market is vulnerable to manipulation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Crabtree looks at the reality behind the vow of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to double production at Coal India in five years amid a looming energy crisis and an industry marred by inefficiency and corruption and facing rising concern over pollution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Gordon and Arash Massoudi reveal the clash of cultures - and personalities - that threatened the 42bn euro cement merger between Holcim and Lafarge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big US food groups have missed a major shift in the nation's tastes, says Gary Silverman. Brands as famous as Campbell's Soup are now languishing on the back shelves of supermarkets while a more health-conscious millenial generation seeks fresher, more natural foods. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Cameron, prime minister of a Britain that looks to outsiders increasingly like a 'Disunited Kingdom', tells Lionel Barber and George Parker that he deserves five more years to finish the job of confirming the country's status in the world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erika Solomon looks at the mayhem in Syria,where opposition fighters who took up arms four years ago, are now struggling to navigate the war that seems to be addressing every agenda except the one that they care about - ending the Assad regime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having started out in a Madrid theatre just over 12 months ago Podemos has ridden a wave of anti-establishment feeling in Spain to top opinion polls. But can it convert that support in to an election win? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elections in Africa's most populous nation have never been for the faint-hearted. A poll delay raises fears of army meddling but many look to a former general for what they need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe and the world are watching carefully as Ukraine is pulled violently between Russia and the West. In this podcast, Neil Buckley takes a look at the battle for Ukraine, and how the west misread the Russian leader's determination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are prisons serving as recruitment centres for radical Islamists? Tom Burgis reports from Paris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Garrahan and Shannon Bond discuss Amazon's ambitions in the film and television industry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President François Hollande has been praised for his leadership after the terrorist attacks in Paris, but how will France's political scene be affected in the longer term? Anne-Sylvaine Chassany reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aceh in Indonesia was hit hardest by the Indian Ocean Tsunami ten years ago, which left 160,000 people dead as the entire coastal plain was devastated. Aceh was also the destination for one of the biggest reconstruction efforts ever mounted by the international community. Ten years on, Ben Bland, the FT's Jakarta correspondent, went there to look at the results. He tells Shawn Donnan what he found. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Bradshaw explains how the FT chose Apple's 54-year-old chief executive as its Person of the Year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Borzou Daragahi reports on an Egyptian pro-democracy activist, whose despair over the failures of the Arab Spring led him to the battlefields of Iraq. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year, for the first time, the world will eat more fish and seafood from farms than from the wild. But is that a good thing? The FT's Emiko Terazono reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the US deploys more soldiers to Iraq, its original decision to hold off attacking Isis has led to accusations that it opened the way for Iran to cement its position in the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The crash last week of a Virgin Galactic spaceship has renewed attention on Sir Richard Branson's companies. Sarah Gordon, the FT's business editor, takes an in-depth look at the Virgin Group business model. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel has announced it is pushing ahead with controversial plans to expand settlements in east Jerusalem. John Reed takes an in-depth look at what this might mean for the two-state solution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Tobias Buck, Madrid correspondent, about the series of FT articles that investigated the modern trail of Chinese investment, migration and ambition in Europe, and he answers a selection of readers’ questions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chinese businesses are expanding in some of the European countries hit hardest by the crisis. Tobias Buck, the FT's Madrid bureau chief, looks at a thriving community of entrepreneurs in Spain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Borzou Daragahi tells the story of the shambolic and demoralised Iraqi army, and the rush to rebuild it as it fights the jihadi group Isis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of Russia's richest men was placed under house arrest last week on charges of money laundering. Courtney Weaver, the FT's deputy Moscow bureau chief, takes an in-depth look at the strange story behind the arrest, and what it says about Putin's brand of power politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Openness is often seen as a cornerstone of the internet, but as governments act to control more of the online world, that freedom could be under threat. FT reporters investigate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain could be heading for a bitter political crisis as calls for independence from one of its most dynamic and wealthiest regions - Catalonia - come to a head. Tobias Buck, FT Madrid bureau chief, reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China's Yellow River supports one in every 12 people in the country. But as the economy booms, demand for water has grown, forcing the government to find new ways to prevent the river from running dry. Lucy Hornby, the FT's China correspondent, reports from Beijing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once the model for countries across the world desperate to improve education standards, the effectiveness of Sweden’s for-profit schools are being questioned after the country plummeted down the OECD ratings. Helen Warrell reports from Sweden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FT's Tehran correspondent Najmeh Bozorgmehr reports from the Zayandeh Roud, an ancient river in Iran that has dried up amid a wider water crisis in the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two FT journalists report from different sides of the US border, speaking to Hondurans fleeing poverty and violence for a better life in America, and to Texan citizens who witness illegal immigrants - often unaccompanied children - crossing the border. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As sectarian violence in Iraq spreads, many people are beginning to talk about the possibility that the country might be split into Sunni, Shia and Kurdish states. The FT's Borzou Daragahi reports from Baghdad on what that might mean for the country and its people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investors are flocking into Africa's frontier markets. But tapping into such growth brings its own hazards, as Katrina Manson, the FT's East Africa correspondent, reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of Indonesia's elections in July, Ben Bland reports on the remarkable ascent of the frontrunner, Joko Widodo, who has been propelled from the obscurity of provincial politics to the global spotlight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Far from uniting Brazil, the World Cup has in some places exposed growing public antipathy. Many Brazilians are angry at spiralling costs while others blame a police crackdown in the slums for the rise of children working as drug dealers. Samantha Pearson and Joe Leahy report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Secret sanction-evading oil deals were only the start of corruption that thrived under Ahmadi-Nejad. Can the country clean up now President Rouhani is in charge? Najmeh Bozorgmehr, the FT's Tehran correspondent, reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than two and a half years before the 2016 election, the scaffolding to support a Hillary for president campaign is already substantially built. Richard McGregor reports from Washington DC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Young activists in Egypt helped overthrow two presidents. But now, many are so disillusioned with the country's politics that they have decided not to vote in week's presidential election. Heba Saleh, the FT's Cairo correspondent, reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Peter Spiegel, the FT's Brussels bureau chief, about his groundbreaking series of articles on the worst days of the eurozone crisis, and he answers a selection of reader questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of European elections in late May, Kiran Stacey and Jim Pickard take an in-depth look at the rise of the UK Independence Party and its leader Nigel Farage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Long term unemployment can take a huge toll on individuals, but it also carries grave consequences for the overall economy. James Politi, US political correspondent, looks at why levels of long term joblessness remain high in the US, and whether government efforts to tackle the problem are proving effective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are shareholder activists fearless advocates for investors or opportunists chasing a quick buck? Stephen Foley, the FT's US investment correspondent, reports from New York. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty years after almost a million people died in Rwanda, Katrina Manson, the FT's East Africa correspondent, reports from Kigali on the fractures that remain in the country, the efforts of President Paul Kagame's government to rebuild, and future threats to stability. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.