Podcast appearances and mentions of alec russell

After winning swaths of rural seats in the general election, Labour's relationship with the countryside has nosedived, amid a row over the government's plan to impose inheritance tax on some farms. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regular Jim Pickard and political correspondent Anna Gross to discuss the changes to agricultural property relief and the wider political fallout. The team also dissects the row over Rachel Reeves' CV edit and scrutinises her past remarks about her career. Plus, FT foreign editor Alec Russell joins to discuss what happens next in the Ukraine war after Kyiv fired US and UK-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time this week. Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Jim @PickardJE, Anna @AnnaSophieGross, Alec @AlecuRussellWant more? Thousands of farmers protest in London against tax changesUkraine fires British Storm Shadow missiles into RussiaRussia fires intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine for first time, Kyiv saysNew book from UK shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves lifts from WikipediaUK government borrowing for October exceeds forecasts at £17.4bnJoin Lucy Fisher, Peter Foster, Stephen Bush and Miranda Green for a Political Fix Live session on December 5, where they will assess Labour's record after five months in office as part of the FT's Global Boardroom online conference. The three-day event features high-level interviews on the big issues of the day and is being held on December 4-6. Register for your free pass at ft.com/tgbRead the FT's Best Politics Books of the Year 2024 list, curated by the FT's chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman.Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter' award. Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Tamara Kormornick. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiadis and Petros Giumpassis. The FT's head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A 21% jump in Special Votes and near trebling of the out-of-country votes provides clear evidence of a surge in interest around Election'24. In this special broadcast, we hear from two Smart Alecs - the Financial Times's foreign editor Alec Russell and his namesake, BizNews editor Alec Hogg. The FT looks at the global relevance while BizNews looks at the math via data drawn from the 2019 and 2021 election to conclude that surprises aplenty are in store when the results are counted.

This week, we talk about the new film ‘Civil War', directed by Alex Garland, which depicts a future US that's divided and decimated. It stars Kirsten Dunst as a veteran photojournalist, who is on a road trip with a ragtag group of colleagues. They're driving through the war-torn north-east to reach the White House before it is stormed by rebel forces. The film has been highly praised as well as highly criticised. What is it trying to say about the state of America? Is it a war film, a political film, or both? The FT's politics columnist Stephen Bush and US executive producer of audio Topher Forhecz join Lilah to discuss.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we're on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify, etc.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Danny Leigh's review of Civil War (he liked it less than we did): https://on.ft.com/4aTzD6P – FT critic Leslie Felperin's interview with Alex Garland: https://on.ft.com/3W03lmt – You can get a free trial of Stephen's political newsletter Inside Politics – which includes a daily cultural recommendation – by clicking here– Stephen Bush on X at @stephenkb.– Listen to our episode ‘How to process the news when it all feels bad', with FT foreign editor Alec Russell. You can find it in our feedMore or Less:– Topher wants to see more interesting landmarks used in films, as in ‘North by Northwest' and ‘John Wick: Chapter 4'– Stephen wants to see no more ‘Ghostbusters' ever. Here's the FT's 2-star review of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire': https://on.ft.com/4aVOEot – Lilah wants fewer menus. She recommends 15 Fox Place in Jersey City, and Osteria 16 in Copenhagen-----The FT Weekend Festival is coming back, and will be in Washington on May 4. Speakers include Nancy Pelosi. To book tickets, go to ft.com/festival-us and use our exclusive discount code: weekendpodcast. Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart—Clips this week are from A24Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FT's foreign editor Alec Russell has been reporting on crises around the world for more than 30 years. He was in Romania during the fall of the Ceaușescu regime, in South Africa for the fall of apartheid, and in 1994 he reported on the genocide in Rwanda. So when we recently felt ourselves losing hope at the news from Gaza and Ukraine, we decided to ask him: is this an especially tough time in history, or does it just feel that way? And what has he learned from being present for so much of history? Today, Alec gives us tips for finding perspective, and tells us where he finds hope. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we're on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify, etc.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Alec's piece commemorating 30 years since Rwanda's genocide is here: https://on.ft.com/3QnQbfx– You may also be interested in Alec Russell's book After Mandela: the Battle for the Soul of South Africa– Alec is on X @AlecuRussell-----The FT Weekend Festival is coming back, and will be in Washington, DC, on May 4! Speakers include Nancy Pelosi, Alec and Lilah! To book tickets, go to ft.com/festival-us and use our exclusive discount code: weekendpodcast. Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump picked plenty of fights with Nato during his time in office. Now, even as war rages in Ukraine, candidate Trump is back at it. But is his aggressive attitude toward Nato resonating with American voters? The FT's Lauren Fedor and Alec Russell join this week's Swamp Notes to discuss.Mentioned in this podcast:Nato needs to prepare for Trump's unilateralism on steroidsDonald Trump says Russia can do what it wants to Nato allies who pay too littleSign up for the FT's Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Ethan Plotkin, Sonja Hutson, Lauren Fedor, and Marc Filippino. Topher Forhecz is the FT's executive producer. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comCREDIT: Comedy Central, Bloomberg Television, Daily Mail Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservatives suffer a double blow, losing two safe seats to Labour, amid growing signs that Rishi Sunak's party is losing votes to the populist Reform UK party. The FT's Lucy Fisher is joined by political editor George Parker and the FT's Rafe Uddin to discuss the by-election results in detail, along with elections guru Professor Sir John Curtice. Plus, Lucy sits down with the FT's foreign editor Alec Russell in a week when foreign secretary David Cameron faced sharp criticism from right-wing US politicians for intervening in the row in Congress over aid for Ukraine. Free links:Tories reel as Labour wins two by-elections and Reform UK gains more than 10% of the voteReform UK voter support highlights threat to Rishi Sunak's right flankKeir Starmer and big business, a love storyUK's ‘technical' recession is politically toxic for Rishi SunakKeir Starmer under growing pressure to overhaul vetting of potential Labour MPsWhy Nato members are sounding the alarm on Russia's aggressive postureSketchy Politics: the rules of the electoral raceFollow Lucy @LOS_Fisher, George @GeorgeWParker, Rafe @rafeuddinClip: Sky NewsSign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's award-winning Inside Politics newsletter.Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Audrey Tinline. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Original music and audio mix by Breen Turner. The FT's head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A majority of OpenAI employees sent a letter demanding that the board reinstate former CEO Sam Altman, Argentina is entering a new era after electing radical libertarian outsider Javier Milei as president, and the US Department of Justice is seeking more than $4bn from Binance to settle a criminal fraud investigation. Plus, the FT's Alec Russell unpacks Indonesian president Joko Widodo's ambitious plan to build a new capital city and turn the country into an economic superpower. Mentioned in this podcast:Majority of OpenAI staff threaten to quit unless Sam Altman is reinstatedInvestors cheer Milei victory in ArgentinaJavier Milei prepares shock therapy to cure Argentina's sickly economyUS DoJ seeks more than $4bn from Binance to settle criminal probeIs Indonesia finally set to become an economic superpower?The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT's executive producer. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show's theme song is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Description: The sell-off in US government debt continued to hit the world's largest bond market on Monday, and Silicon Valley start-ups are wondering whether Arm's listing will reignite the IPO market. Plus, the FT's foreign editor, Alec Russell, explains why a new geopolitical order is emerging. Mentioned in this podcast:US Treasury yields hit 16-year high on fears over interest rate outlookSilicon Valley start-ups revive listing plans as Arm reignites IPO marketThe à la carte world: our new geopolitical orderThe FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Josh Gabert-Doyon, Monique Mulima, Monica Lopez, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Topher Forhecz is the FT's executive producer. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show's theme song is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Easter weekend 1993 Nelson Mandela was engaged in slow-moving power-sharing talks with President F.W. de Klerk when a white supremacist shot Mandela's heir-apparent, Chris Hani, in the hope of igniting an all-out civil war. On this episode of the podcast, acclaimed South African journalist Justice Malala recounts the riveting story of the pivotal nine days that followed Hani's murder and the extraordinary effort of leadership that was needed to avert a crisis that could have developed into a full-scale war. Our host for this conversation is Alec Russell, Foreign Editor of the Financial Times. ... Special event promo - 2 for 1 tickets to Bach vs Beethoven. Claim your discount here: intelligencesquared.com/bachvbeethoven Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we host a writer and an editor in conversation. Booker-winning novelist and poet Ben Okri and outgoing FT Weekend editor Alec Russell meet in the studio on Alec's last day in the role. They reflect on the political power of poetry, what fiction and non-fiction can teach each other, and the vital role of art. Then, we meet one of London's most notorious and prolific graffiti writers. His name is 10 Foot, and his tag is famous, but he's anonymous. Journalist Miles Ellingham spent months with him, and he and Lilah discuss graffiti's role and the question of who owns a city.--------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Links:– Ben Okri's piece, ‘The Famished Road and my quest for the imaginative richness of Africa', from Alec's final edition of FT Weekend: https://on.ft.com/3FqbpUr – Miles Ellingham's profile of graffiti writer 10 Foot: https://on.ft.com/3FyP3Qz – Ben Okri's poem for the FT, ‘Grenfell Tower, June 2017': https://on.ft.com/40bFq2i – Alec is on Twitter at @AlecuRussell. Miles is on twitter @milesellingham–The whole Africa special is here, and free-to-read– Other stories by Ben Okri in the FT: https://www.ft.com/stream/f89dd99d-32d8-35de-95df-6e791313c63f–Miles recommends the classic 1982 documentary, ‘Style Wars': https://youtu.be/7DXD1HBaLX0– He also recommends ‘Jisoe' (2014), which has been described as “the best graffiti film ever made”: https://youtu.be/gp8ZNqaG-dE —-------------Our U.S. edition of the FTWeekend Festival is back! Join Jamie Lee Curtis, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alice Waters, your favourite FT writers, and more on May 20 in Washington, D.C., and online. Register now and save $20 off using promo code weekendpodcast at ft.com/festival-usSpecial offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we speak to legendary chef Eric Ripert on the 50th anniversary of his restaurant Le Bernardin, possibly the most consistently critically beloved restaurant in the world. Keeping a restaurant relevant over time takes work and constant change. More than 30 years in, he tells us what it takes to lead a lasting institution. Then, FT Weekend editor Alec Russell and senior editor Horatia Harrod join Lilah to talk comedy. As comedians navigate artistic expression, respect, and where to draw the line onstage, we explore what makes something funny today.-------Tell us your cultural prediction! You can record a voice message here: https://sayhi.chat/1ckdh-------Want to stay in touch? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.-------Links and mentions from the episode:– Eric has a PBS series called Avec Eric and a delightful video series called Get Toasted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NefJDmTgX08– Eric's three books are the cookbooks Vegetable Simple and the Le Bernardin Cookbook, and the memoir 32 Yolks– Lilah's piece on comedy: https://on.ft.com/3G5WDmJ– Alec is on Twitter @alecurussell. Horatia is on Twitter @horatiaharrod-------Special offers for FT Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial can be found here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam GiovincoRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Queen Elizabeth II has died after a 70-year reign. This weekend, we reflect on her legacy, life and cultural impact with FT Weekend editor Alec Russell. Then, producer Lulu Smyth takes us to meet the people gathered outside Buckingham Palace.-------Links: –Simon Schama, ‘Elizabeth II: an appreciation': https://on.ft.com/3qsNI64–Jo Ellison, ‘The Queen's constancy never went out of style': https://on.ft.com/3qpwOVF -------Special offers for FT Weekend listeners can be found here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast-------Want to stay in touch? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Queen Elizabeth II has died after a 70-year reign. This weekend, we reflect on her legacy, life and cultural impact with FT Weekend editor Alec Russell. Then, producer Lulu Smyth takes us to meet the people gathered outside Buckingham Palace.-------Links: –Simon Schama, ‘Elizabeth II: an appreciation': https://on.ft.com/3qsNI64–Jo Ellison, ‘The Queen's constancy never went out of style': https://on.ft.com/3qpwOVF -------Special offers for FT Weekend listeners can be found here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast-------Want to stay in touch? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was recorded as a live broadcast on 28th February 2022.Elif Shafak, award-winning British-Turkish novelist, joined Alec Russell, Editor of FTWeekend, for a conversation about the future of Turkey, Europe, and the challenges facing democracy today. Recorded four days after Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine, the pair discuss the current state of democracy and rise of authoritarianism across the globe; recent changes in Turkish society and the country's future prospects; the importance of literature and the arts in times of crises; and how Elif's experiences in life have shaped her writing.

Jacob Zuma served as President of South Africa from 2009 until 2018. A hero of the anti-apartheid struggle, Zuma's time in power is remembered for corruption and self-indulgence- the rural complex he built for himself reportedly cost nearly $25 million. My guest today is Alec Russell, former News Editor of the Financial Times, and currently the Editor of FT Weekend (@AlecuRussell on Twitter). Alec spent many years reporting from South Africa, and interviewed Zuma on a number of occasions. We discuss Zuma's role in the anti-apartheid struggle, his disastrous presidency, the evolution of the African National Congress from a protest movement to a party of power, and the complex political legacy of apartheid in modern day South Africa. 

Russia has invaded Ukraine. We begin this episode with a visit from FT Weekend editor Alec Russell, a week after he joined us to discuss his years covering the fall of communism in eastern Europe. How can we make sense of this? Then, we go searching for the Hum, a mysterious noise that has plagued the residents of Halifax, West Yorkshire. It's an uncomfortable, low-frequency sound that has also been heard in towns across the world, from New Mexico to Ontario to Scotland. The FT's Imogen West-Knights tells us that it's mostly heard by middle-aged women. So is it a real noise, an imaginary illness, or both? --------------Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast--------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We are on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------The first US FT Weekend Festival is on Saturday, May 7 in Washington, DC. To attend virtually or in person, buy tickets at http://ft.weekendfestival.com – use the discount code FTFriends2022 for 10% off.--------------Links and mentions from the episode: –Imogen West Knights on the mystery of the hum: https://on.ft.com/3pe43ve –The FT's key coverage on the war in Ukraine is free to read: http://ft.com/freetoread – Here's the piece Alec mentioned, ‘The road to war: how Putin wrote the requiem for peace', by Mary Sarotte: https://on.ft.com/3HqSO8F – Alec's lunch with Lea Ypi: https://on.ft.com/3GHmi1J –Alec is on Twitter at @AlecuRussell, and Imogen is on Twitter @ImogenWK –Rob Armstrong's profile of Larry Gagosian: https://on.ft.com/3ImMiBr --------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing, sound design and sleuthing by Breen Turner. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Russia has invaded Ukraine. We begin this episode with a visit from FT Weekend editor Alec Russell, a week after he joined us to discuss his years covering the fall of communism in eastern Europe. How can we make sense of this? Then, we go searching for the Hum, a mysterious noise that has plagued the residents of Halifax, West Yorkshire. It's an uncomfortable, low-frequency sound that has also been heard in towns across the world, from New Mexico to Ontario to Scotland. The FT's Imogen West-Knights tells us that it's mostly heard by middle-aged women. So is it a real noise, an imaginary illness, or both? --------------Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast--------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------The first US FT Weekend Festival is on Saturday, May 7 in Washington, DC. To attend virtually or in person, buy tickets at http://ft.weekendfestival.com – use the discount code FTFriends2022 for 10% off.--------------Links and mentions from the episode: –Imogen West Knights on the mystery of the hum: https://on.ft.com/3pe43ve –The FT's key coverage on the war in Ukraine is free to read: http://ft.com/freetoread – Here's the piece Alec mentioned, ‘The road to war: how Putin wrote the requiem for peace', by Mary Sarotte: https://on.ft.com/3HqSO8F – Alec's lunch with Lea Ypi: https://on.ft.com/3GHmi1J –Alec is on Twitter at @AlecuRussell, and Imogen is on Twitter @ImogenWK –Rob Armstrong's profile of Larry Gagosian: https://on.ft.com/3ImMiBr --------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing, sound design and sleuthing by Breen Turner. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This weekend, FT Weekend editor Alec Russell brings us to Albania for Lunch with the FT. He sits down with writer Lea Ypi, whose memoir ‘Free' documents her childhood there, both under communism and after its fall. Ypi, a political theorist at the London School of Economics asks: does capitalism make us free? Plus: European tech correspondent Madhumita Murgia explores how science fiction shapes our attitudes towards the future, and how that translates across different cultures. --------------Do you want to read the Financial Times? We have special discounts for listeners here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast--------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Exciting news! Lea Ypi will be speaking at the first FT Weekend Festival to be hosted in the US. To attend (virtually or in person) go to http://ft.weekendfestival.com – with 10% off using the discount code FTFriends2022. It's on Saturday May 7th at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. --------------Links and mentions from the episode: –Alec Russell's Lunch with Lea Ypi: https://on.ft.com/3GHmi1J –FT review of Lea Ypi's memoir Free: https://www.ft.com/content/b5455f0f-33a9-480e-9027-6884cc25faa4 –Madhu on how science fiction shapes our attitudes to the future: https://www.ft.com/content/2f35be37-9da8-4cf6-89b2-8488b36c5a63 –Madhu recommends the book Exhalation by Ted Chiang–Chen Qiufan's latest book is caled AI2041: Ten Visions for ur Future, co-authored with Kai-Fu Lee – This weekend's Lunch with the FT, with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas: https://www.ft.com/content/098ba985-1284-46c6-9abe-f626fa9e47f0– Lunch with the Financial Times, edited by Lionel Barber, a selection of classic lunches: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/309/309448/lunch-with-the-ft/9780241400685.html Alec is on Twitter at @AlecuRussell, and Madhu is at @madhumita29."Long Live Enver Hoxha!" copyright Believe Music and UMPG Publishing. "Astroboy" Copyright Tezuka Productions Co. Clip: AP Archive--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design is by Breen Turner. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This weekend, FT Weekend editor Alec Russell brings us to Albania for Lunch with the FT. He sits down with writer Lea Ypi, whose memoir ‘Free' documents her childhood there, both under communism and after its fall. Ypi, a political theorist at the London School of Economics asks: does capitalism make us free? Plus: European tech correspondent Madhumita Murgia explores how science fiction shapes our attitudes towards the future, and how that translates across different cultures. --------------Do you want to read the Financial Times? We have special discounts for listeners here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast--------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Exciting news! Lea Ypi will be speaking at the first FT Weekend Festival to be hosted in the US. To attend (virtually or in person) go to http://ft.weekendfestival.com – with 10% off using the discount code FTFriends2022. It's on Saturday May 7th at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. --------------Links and mentions from the episode: –Alec Russell's Lunch with Lea Ypi: https://on.ft.com/3GHmi1J –FT review of Lea Ypi's memoir Free: https://www.ft.com/content/b5455f0f-33a9-480e-9027-6884cc25faa4 –Madhu on how science fiction shapes our attitudes to the future: https://www.ft.com/content/2f35be37-9da8-4cf6-89b2-8488b36c5a63 –Madhu recommends the book Exhalation by Ted Chiang–Chen Qiufan's latest book is caled AI2041: Ten Visions for ur Future, co-authored with Kai-Fu Lee – This weekend's Lunch with the FT, with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas: https://www.ft.com/content/098ba985-1284-46c6-9abe-f626fa9e47f0– Lunch with the Financial Times, edited by Lionel Barber, a selection of classic lunches: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/309/309448/lunch-with-the-ft/9780241400685.html Alec is on Twitter at @AlecuRussell, and Madhu is at @madhumita29."Long Live Enver Hoxha!" copyright Believe Music and UMPG Publishing. "Astroboy" Copyright Tezuka Productions Co. Clip: AP Archive--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design is by Breen Turner. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This weekend, we're going behind the scenes of the FT's legendary Books of the Year roundup. Literary editor Frederick Studemann and deputy books editor Laura Battle take us into a secret room in the basement of the FT, where all the books sent in for review are kept behind lock and key. You'll leave this episode with a lot on your reading list, including recommendations from editor Roula Khalaf, FT weekend editor Alec Russell, chief economics commentator Martin Wolf and more.--------------If you want a $1 trial or 50% off a digital subscription, go to http://ft.com/weekendpodcast--------------Want to say hi? Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.--------------We want your cultural predictions, wishes, or questions for 2022! Share them with Lilah and FT Magazine editor Matt Vella by Sunday, December 12. Open your phone's voice memo app, get close to the mic and say your name, location and your thoughts, then email it to ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. You can write to us, too. But you'll sound great on tape, we promise.--------------Links and mentions from the episode: –Roula Khalaf recommends Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe–Pilita Clark recommends The Hydrogen Revolution by Marco Alvira and How to Blow Up a Pipeline by Andreas Malm. Her whole climate list: https://on.ft.com/3DFcYLr –Alec Russell recommends Sentient by Jackie Higgins and Free by Lea Ypi–Edwin Heathcote recommends Public House: A Cultural and Social History of the London Pub. His whole architecture and design list: https://www.ft.com/content/37545da9-7142-408b-a0bb-e458079ebd53 –One of Edwin's favorite books of the past few years is Sandfuture by Justin Beal. Here's his review (free to read): https://www.ft.com/content/91a35024-4e41-4325-81ca-2373321ae4ff –Fred Studemann recommends Notes from Deep Time by Helen Gordon, The Passenger by Ulrich Boschwitz and Just the Plague by Lyudmila Ulitskaya–Laura Battle recommends Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, and the audiobook of Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. Her whole fiction list: https://www.ft.com/content/7a881a03-2462-459e-930c-f526e4e54449 –Martin Wolf's economics list: https://www.ft.com/content/25ca2b59-8047-4f9b-bf99-e7f7c15d8d51 –Explore the whole Books of the Year package: https://www.ft.com/booksof2021Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design is by Breen Turner. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This weekend, we're going behind the scenes of the FT's legendary Books of the Year roundup. Literary editor Frederick Studemann and deputy books editor Laura Battle take us into a secret room in the basement of the FT, where all the books sent in for review are kept behind lock and key. You'll leave this episode with a lot on your reading list, including recommendations from editor Roula Khalaf, FT weekend editor Alec Russell, chief economics commentator Martin Wolf and more.--------------If you want a $1 trial or 50% off a digital subscription, go to http://ft.com/weekendpodcast--------------Want to say hi? Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.--------------We want your cultural predictions, wishes, or questions for 2022! Share them with Lilah and FT Magazine editor Matt Vella by Sunday, December 12. Open your phone's voice memo app, get close to the mic and say your name, location and your thoughts, then email it to ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. You can write to us, too. But you'll sound great on tape, we promise.--------------Links and mentions from the episode: –Roula Khalaf recommends Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe–Pilita Clark recommends The Hydrogen Revolution by Marco Alvira and How to Blow Up a Pipeline by Andreas Malm. Her whole climate list: https://on.ft.com/3DFcYLr –Alec Russell recommends Sentient by Jackie Higgins and Free by Lea Ypi–Edwin Heathcote recommends Public House: A Cultural and Social History of the London Pub. His whole architecture and design list: https://www.ft.com/content/37545da9-7142-408b-a0bb-e458079ebd53 –One of Edwin's favorite books of the past few years is Sandfuture by Justin Beal. Here's his review (free to read): https://www.ft.com/content/91a35024-4e41-4325-81ca-2373321ae4ff –Fred Studemann recommends Notes from Deep Time by Helen Gordon, The Passenger by Ulrich Boschwitz and Just the Plague by Lyudmila Ulitskaya–Laura Battle recommends Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, and the audiobook of Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. Her whole fiction list: https://www.ft.com/content/7a881a03-2462-459e-930c-f526e4e54449 –Martin Wolf's economics list: https://www.ft.com/content/25ca2b59-8047-4f9b-bf99-e7f7c15d8d51 –Explore the whole Books of the Year package: https://www.ft.com/booksof2021Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design is by Breen Turner. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From Lizzo and Fleabag to Greta Thunberg and the Impossible Burger, Lilah and Gris look back at the biggest themes, people and moments of the year. How did we go from talking about 'global warming' to the 'climate crisis'? How has technology opened up the generational divide? And how is culture reflecting the changing conversation around gender, race and representation? Plus: we asked our FT colleagues for their stand-out moments of 2019! Melissa Ingabire takes on the surprising ascendance of country music, via Lil Nas X and Kacey Musgraves. Alec Russell describes meeting the 89-year-old Irish novelist Edna O'Brien. Jo Ellison explains why Karl Lagerfeld's death marked the end of an era in fashion. And Anna Nicolaou argues that 2019 was a great year for movies - thanks, in part, to streaming platforms like Netflix. The episode rounds out with listener recommendations to help you with your holiday gift list.We're taking a short break -- we'll be back in late January 2020! Let us know who we should interview and which subjects we should tackle in our second season. You can get in touch on Twitter @FTCultureCall or by email at culturecall@ft.com. And if you like the show, the kindest gift you could give us is a review on Apple Podcasts.Links from the episode, arranged by theme: Gris's Lunch with the FT with superstar violinist Nicola Benedetti (paywall): https://www.ft.com/content/33ed2b6e-1b3e-11ea-97df-cc63de1d73f4Climate: Greta Thunberg has Lunch with the FT: https://www.ft.com/content/4df1b9e6-34fb-11e9-bd3a-8b2a211d90d5Why renting your wardrobe makes fashion sense: https://www.ft.com/content/f8b1b96c-ffb7-11e9-be59-e49b2a136b8dReview of Eco-Visionaries exhibition at the Royal Academy (paywall): https://www.ft.com/content/25e8d842-1684-11ea-9ee4-11f260415385Technology: Anna Nicolaou on TikTok and how video shaped a generation: https://www.ft.com/content/dd7234e8-fcb9-11e9-98fd-4d6c20050229John Thornhill's review of Shoshana Zuboff's book The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: https://www.ft.com/content/43980f9c-0f5b-11e9-a3aa-118c761d2745Review of Euphoria on HBO: https://www.ft.com/content/bed942be-b2aa-11e9-bec9-fdcab53d6959MeToo and female creators: Rebecca Traister on the toll of MeToo: https://www.thecut.com/2019/09/the-toll-of-me-too.htmlGillian Tett's review of She Said, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey's account of breaking the Weinstein story: https://www.ft.com/content/02b579fc-d480-11e9-a0bd-ab8ec6435630Review of Fleabag series two on BBC/Amazon... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alexei Navalny has been a thorn in the side of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin for a decade, braving persecution and imprisonment and remaining apparently undaunted. Max Seddon met him for lunch in a food court in southeast Moscow and he tells Alec Russell, editor of FT Weekend about the encounter.Contributors: Alec Russell, editor of FT Weekend, and Max Seddon, Moscow correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Roula Khalaf talks to Alec Russell about her meeting with Hatice Cengiz, fiancee of the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who is now campaigning for his killers to be brought to justice. Contributors: Alec Russell, editor of FT Weekend, and Roula Khalaf, deputy editor. Producer: Fiona Symon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The career of Bill Gross, once known as the bond king, came to a rather humiliating end this year. Robin Wigglesworth interviewed him at his country club in Newport Beach and shares his impressions with Alec Russell, FT Weekend editor. Read Robin's interview here Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Alec Russell, Weekend FT editor and Robin Wigglesworth, US markets editor. Producer: Fiona Symon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old girl from Sweden, has transformed the debate on climate with an uncompromising message: all efforts to halt global warming have failed and it’s time to act now. Leslie Hook spent a day with Greta in Stockholm and she tells Alec Russell about her impressions.Read Leslie's article hereContributors: John Murray Brown, production editor, Alec Russell, FT Weekend editor, Leslie Hook, environment correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week: a special episode from the Hay Literary Festival in Cartagena, Colombia. Nobel Prize for Literature and two-time Booker Prize winner JM Coetzee reads a powerful short story from his forthcoming collection — and discusses the troubling dominance of the English language. Later, FT Weekend editor Alec Russell asks Ghanaian-American novelist Yaa Gyasi about writing on slavery in the age of Trump; and polar explorer Erling Kagge advises Alec on where to find silence in the modern world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.