Ft News

Spaniards face one of the most divisive national elections in living memory, with two electoral blocs competing to portray each other as an existential threat to Spain’s future. Ben Hall discusses the last days of the campaign with Ian Mount in Madrid.Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Ben Hall, Europe editor and Ian Mount, Madrid reporter. Producer: Fiona Symon. Clip courtesy of Reuters  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The malaria parasite kills nearly half a million every year - most of them children under the age of five. Bed nets, insecticides, and a new vaccines have all shown some potential to curb the disease, but what if it could be virtually wiped out altogether? Some early research using gene editing suggests that this might be a real possibility.  Andrew Jack discusses the findings with Clive Cookson, FT science editor, and Austin Burt, professor of evolutionary genetics at Imperial College and a pioneer in the field.Contributors: John Murray Brown, production editor, Andrew Jack, global education editor, Clive Cookson, science editor, and Austin Burt, professor of evolutionary genetics at London's Imperial College. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Thomas Cook, the nearly 200-year-old UK holiday company, is considering putting itself up for sale after a disastrous year when its market capitalisation tumbled 80 per cent. Katie Martin discusses what’s gone wrong and who the potential buyers might be with Anna Gross and Jonathan Guthrie.Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Anna Gross, companies reporter and Jonathan Guthrie, editor of the FT's Lex column  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The market for facial recognition technology is expected to be worth $9bn by 2022, thanks to rapid improvements in the speed and accuracy of the software. Recent strides in machine learning, using large datasets of images culled from the internet, have made this possible. But how ethical is this and how will it affect our privacy? Neville Hawcock discusses this question with Madhumita Murgia, European technology correspondent.Read Madhu's article hereContributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Neville Hawcock, FT Weekend Magazine acting deputy editor, and Madhumita Murgia, European technology correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

About 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest is located on Brazilian territory. An irreplaceable source of biodiversity and essential global climate regulator, many fear the forest is under threat from a loosening of environmental protections under Brazil's new rightwing President Jair Bolsonaro. Andres Schipani reports from an Amazon village where the Kayapo people have safeguarded the forest for generations. Read Andres's story hereContributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor and Andres Schipani, Brazil correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nearly two years after Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel, his report on the investigation into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign is out. The FT's US managing editor Peter Spiegel and US national editor Edward Luce dig into the key revelations of the report, and what it means for Democrats in 2020. Contributors: Lilah Raptopoulos, community editor; Peter Spiegel, US managing editor; Edward Luce, US national editor. Producer: Marc Filippino.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tepid growth, falling real incomes, high inflation, rising taxes and cuts to social handouts are hitting the living standards of ordinary Russians. Katie Martin speaks to Henry Foy in Moscow about what this means for the regime of Vladimir Putin.Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor and Henry Foy, Moscow bureau chief. Producer: Fiona Symon.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mass protests in Sudan and Algeria have forced two of Africa’s long-established leaders to step down and in both cases economic hardships played a key role. Katie Martin discusses whether the upheavals will lead to real change in the region with David Pilling, Africa editor, and Andrew England, Middle East editor.Contributors: John Murray-Brown, production editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor, David Pilling, Africa editor, and Andrew England, Middle East editor. Producer: Fiona Symon. Clips courtesy of Reuters  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Volodymyr Zelensky, a TV comedy actor, appears to be on course to unseat President Petro Poroshenko in the second round of Ukraine’s presidential elections this weekend. Katie Martin discusses how he got there and what kind of president he would make with Roman Olearchyk.Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor and Roman Olearchyk, Kiev correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon. Clip courtesy of Reuters  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mass protests are set to disrupt London and other cities on Monday over politicians’ failure to tackle climate change. Matthew Green has written about Extinction Rebellion, the group behind the protests, for this week’s FT Weekend Magazine, and he spoke to Neville Hawcock about its origins and aims, along with one of the movement’s leading voices, environmental lawyer Farhana Yamin. Read Matthew's article hereContributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Neville Hawcock, acting deputy editor, FT Weekend Magazine, Matthew Green, journalist and author, and Farhana Yamin, environmental lawyer. Producer: Fiona Symon. Clip courtesy of Reuters.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

EU leaders have agreed to delay Brexit for up to six months, overriding the objections of French President Emmanuel Macron and setting a Halloween deadline for Britain to leave the bloc. Mehreen Khan talks to Alex Barker and Guy Chazan about the Franco-German clash at the heart of the talks.Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Mehreen Khan, EU correspondent, Alex Barker, Brussels bureau chief and Guy Chazan, Berlin bureau chief.  Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

US tech giant Microsoft has worked with a Chinese military-run university on research that could be used for surveillance and censorship. Malcolm Moore talks to Madhumita Murgia about the research collaboration and why it is causing disquiet. Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Malcolm Moore, technology news editor, and Madhumita Murgia, European technology correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Roblox, a California-based online gaming startup - valued at $2.4bn in a fundraising round last year - has taken the US by storm and is now eyeing Europe’s thriving market. Malcolm Moore discusses the rise of cloud gaming with Aliya Ram and Tim Bradshaw.Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Malcolm Moore, technology news editor, Aliya Ram, technology correspondent and Tim Bradshaw, global technology correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A non-invasive technique for electrical stimulation of the brain has been found to produce a striking improvement in the short-term memory of older people, when finely tuned to the individual’s neural characteristics. Naomi Rovnick discusses the research with Clive Cookson, the FT’s science editor.Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Naomi Rovnick, FT Live reporter and Clive Cookson, science editor. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last year’s contest to select a new president of chess’s governing body Fide was the bitterest in the organisation’s history, with accusations of bribery, electoral fraud, embezzlement, and a vast diplomatic influence campaign waged by the Russian state. Sam Jones talks to John Thornhill about the politics of chess. Read Sam's article hereContributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Sam Jones, Investigations correspondent and John Thornhill, Innovation editor. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Imran Khan says he is worried his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi may be stoking animosity against Pakistan to boost his electoral prospects. Stephanie Findlay, our South Asia correspondent, spoke to Mr Khan about the recent tensions with India and she discusses the interview with Jyotsna Singh and Amy Kazmin our South Asia bureau chief.Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Jyotsna Singh, Delhi reporter, Stephanie Findlay, South Asia correspondent and Amy Kazmin, South Asia bureau chief. Producers: Jyotsna Singh and Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ravi Mattu discusses what’s behind China's economic slowdown and why it matters with Martin Wolf, the FT’s chief economics commentator,  and Lucy Hornby, deputy bureau chief in Beijing  Contributors: Ravi Mattu, Asia news editor, Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator and Lucy Hornby, deputy Beijing bureau chief. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After five years of military dictatorship, Thai voters have finally had an opportunity to choose their government, but those hoping for a clear and transparent election will have been disappointed. With the result delayed and turnout figures disputed, there’s a risk that political turmoil could return to south-east Asia’s second-largest economy. Ravi Mattu discusses what happens next with John Reed, South-East Asia correspondent.Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, Ravi Mattu, Asia news editor and John Reed South-East Asia correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The chief executive of Swedbank has been fired by the Swedish bank’s board, paying the price for a rapidly escalating money laundering scandal. She is the second Nordic bank chief to lose their job over bank laundering scandals. Richard Milne tells the FT’s financial editor Patrick Jenkins what we know so far.Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Patrick Jenkins, financial editor, and Richard Milne, Nordics correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Oxford University has been testing out a new poverty-fighting vehicle in Costa Rica that helps companies to identify and tackle hidden poverty in their workforce. This week it launched its first social enterprise spin-out to take the initiative global. Co-founder John Hammock spoke to the FT's Andrew Jack about the scope and aims of the initiative.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.