FT Big Read Podcast
1) Putin's pivot to Africa
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 re...Show More
2) Wells Fargo: repairing a damaged brand
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 va...Show More
3) Data brokers: regulators tackle the 'privacy deathstars'
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 recen...Show More
4) Person of the Year 2018: George Soros
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 beare...Show More
5) The university challenge
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 ...Show More
6) The end of the games console?
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 w...Show More
7) Who will replace Merkel as head of the CDU?
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 underwa...Show More
8) The battle between Modi and India's central bank
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...Show More
9) Why sanctions are failing to isolate Russia
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...Show More
10) The threat of Chinese ‘military-civil fusion’
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 Ric...Show More