Efforts to improve diversity and inclusion must not be sidelined as companies rebuild

With its candidate favourite to win, Law and Justice party was insisting poll should go ahead on May 10

As relations deteriorate over the coronavirus, Washington considers curbing supply chains and investment flows

Brussels sets out tariffs proposals aimed at reducing risk of smuggling into bloc

Plaintiffs plan fresh challenge against central bank’s emergency bond-buying programme

Economic hit of coronavirus risks exacerbating bloc’s divergence, ECB president warns

Europe commemorates Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945

Tomi Kovanen argues that investors and pundits should temper their expectations for the industry in the short term, but increase them for the long term.

Measures to ease lockdown will be costly and difficult in practice, particularly in hospitality trade

Consumers have been looking for something to do as well as something to eat

German media group Axel Springer is seeking to go private with the help of US investor KKR. Katie Martin discusses what both sides stand to gain from the move with Arash Massoudi and Tobias Buck.

Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Arash Massoudi, corporate finance and deals editor, and Tobias Buck, Berlin correspondent.

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The high-street fashion empire of Philip Green is on the rocks. The UK retail tycoon has secured creditor support for a complex three-year overhaul that will involve rent reductions, store closures and a halving of the company’s pension deficit reduction payments. But will this be enough to save the business? Matthew Vincent discusses this question with Jonathan Ford and Jonathan Eley.

Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Matthew Vincent, Lombard editor, Jonathan Ford, City editor, and Jonathan Eley, retail correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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The race for the US Democratic presidential nomination is hotting up with a huge field of 23 candidates all hoping run against Donald Trump in 2020.  Courtney Weaver has focused in on one of the candidates, Kamala Harris, and she talks to Neville Hawcock about how the campaign for the Democratic nomination is shaping up. Read Courtney's article here

Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Neville Hawcock, acting deputy editor, FT Weekend Magazine, and Courtney Weaver, Washington correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Dementia is on the rise, with the numbers affected expected to treble to over 150m in the next 30 years. Clive Cookson discusses the latest treatments with London neurologist Nick Fox, and we hear reports from Edward White and Brooke Fox about initiatives in Taiwan and the US to help improve the lives of sufferers.

This podcast is supported by Home Instead Senior Care, and is part of a wider FT Special Report on Dementia Care found at ft.com/reports/dementia-care

Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Clive Cookson, FT science editor, Professor Nick Fox, director of the Dementia Research Centre at University College London, Edward White, Taiwan correspondent, Brooke Fox, New York reporter, Tang Li-yu, secretary-general of the Taiwan Alzheimer’s Association and Kevin Jameson, head of the Dementia Society of America. Producer: Ruth Lewis Coste

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Apple’s chief designer Jonathan Ive is leaving after more than two decades in which his iconic designs for the Mac, iPod and iPhone turned one of Silicon Valley’s faded giants into the world’s most valuable company.  Janine Gibson discusses what this means for Apple and what Sir Jonathan will do next with Tim Bradshaw and Matthew Garrahan.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Janine Gibson, special projects editor, Matt Garrahan, news editor, and Tim Bradshaw, global technology correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, criticised western liberalism and defended Russia’s role in Syria and Venezuela in an exclusive interview with the FT on the eve of the G20 summit at the weekend. Lionel Barber, FT editor, and Henry Foy, Moscow bureau chief, offer their impressions of the interview in conversation with Katie Martin. Read the interview transcript here

Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Lionel Barber, FT editor, and Henry Foy, Moscow bureau chief. Producer: Fiona Symon

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The murder of a local politician by right wing extremists has shocked Germany and set alarm bells ringing about the rise of neo-Nazi violence in the country. Ben Hall discusses the groups behind the upsurge in political violence and how dangerous they are with Guy Chazan in Berlin

Contrbutors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Ben Hall, Europe editor, and Guy Chazan, Berlin bureau chief. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Hong Kong protests against a proposed extradition law that would allow criminal suspects to be handed over to China are continuing, despite a concession by the Hong Kong chief executive to suspend the proposed law. Naomi Rovnick discusses discusses what’s at stake for China and what the protesters are seeking to achieve, with Tom Mitchell in Beijing and Sue-Lin Wong in Hong Kong.

Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Naomi Rovnick FT Live reporter, Sue-Lin Wong, South China correspondent and Tom Mitchell, Beijing bureau chief. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Greece’s centre-right New Democracy party has returned to power after defeating the far-left party Syriza at the ballot box on a promise of reviving the economy through tax cuts, reduced bureaucracy and more foreign investment.  Katie Martin discusses the new government and the challenges it is facing with Ben Hall and Kerin Hope.

Contributors: Naomi Rovnick, FT Live reporter, Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Ben Hall, Europe editor, and Kerin Hope, Athens correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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How bad is the problem of stress and burnout in corporate life? Lilah Raptopoulos carried out a reader-driven investigation into the topic with James Fontanella-Khan, the FT's corporate deals editor. They reveal their findings in this podcast. Read the story at ft.com/mentalhealth Listen to the Everything Else podcast here

Contributors: Griselda Murray Brown, Commissioning editor, Arts, Lilah Raptopoulos, US head of audience engagement, and James Fontanella-Khan, corporate deals editor. Producer: David Waters

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Ursula von der Leyen was confirmed this week as the new European Commission president. Katie Martin discusses the challenges she faces, not least the Brexit negotiations, with Ben Hall and Mehreen Khan

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Ben Hall, Europe editor and Mehreen Khan, EU correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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David Pilling takes us on a tour of the African ghetto he visited with Bobi Wine, the rap singer turned politician, who has confirmed he will challenge Yoweri Museveni for the presidency of Uganda in 2021.

Contributors: Alec Russell, editor of FT Weekend, and David Pilling, Africa editor. Producer: Fiona Symon. Music clip: Kyarenga by Bobi Wine

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In the past decade, some of India’s largest financial groups have made big investments in luxury property, notably an ambitious Mumbai tower that was supposed to set new standards in urban design. But the economic boom they hoped would spur demand failed to materialise. Jyotsna Singh talks to Benjamin Parkin in Mumbai about what went wrong and the resulting debt crisis that is holding back growth.

Contributors: Jyotsna Singh, Delhi reporter, and Benjamin Parkin, Mumbai correspondent. Proucers: Jyotsna Singh and Fiona Symon

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Many of those who voted to leave the European Union live in deprived towns and cities of the UK and were disillusioned with politics. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation teamed up with a think-tank, UK in a Changing Europe, to find out what policies they would like to see to improve their lives. Andy Bounds discusses the findings with Anand Menon, one of the report's authors. Read Andy's article here

Contributors: Andy Bounds, Enterprise Editor and North of England correspondent, and Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King's College London and director of the UK in a Changing Europe. Producer: Fiona Symon

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The London Stock Exchange group has confirmed that it is in advanced talks to buy Refinitiv in a $27bn deal that would turn it into a global exchanges and data powerhouse. Patrick Jenkins discusses the proposed deal with Arash Massoudi, the FT’s corporate finance and deals editor.

Contributors: Patrick Jenkins, financial editor, Arash Massoudi, corporate finance and deals editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Sterling has taken a beating in the currency markets, falling to a fresh two-year low against the US dollar on Tuesday. Michael Hunter discusses why this has happened and who will be affected with Katie Martin, the FT's capital markets editor.

Contributors: Michael Hunter, markets reporter, and Katie Martin, capital markets editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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What will the world look like when machines are cleverer than we are? Fred Studemann, Literary editor, and John Thornhill, Innovation editor, discuss how different writers have imagined the future in response to the advance of artificial intelligence.

Contributors: Fred Studemann, Literary editor, and John Thornhill, Innovation editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco is making a high stakes investment in India as the world’s largest crude oil exporter seeks to deepen its ties with the fastest growing energy consumer. Tom O’Sullivan discusses the proposed investment, announced by Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, with Benjamin Parkin and Anjli Raval.

Contributors: Tom O’Sullivan, deputy analysis editor, Benjamin Parkin, Mumbai correspondent, and Anjli Raval, senior energy correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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A new book about Koch Industries has shed light on the way this company, led by Charles Koch, shaped modern America. Frederick Studemann, literary editor, discusses Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America with Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, US business editor. Read Andrew’s review here.

Contributors: Frederick Studemann, literary editor, and Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, US business editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Naspers, a publisher once condemned as a mouthpiece of the apartheid regime in South Africa, has quietly become one of the world’s biggest internet investors thanks to a stake in China’s Tencent. On 11 September it will list its global internet assets on the Amsterdam bourse, becoming Europe's biggest consumer internet company overnight. Arash Massoudi discusses how it got there with Joseph Cotterill in Johannesburg.

Contributors: Arash Massoudi, corporate finance and deals editor, and Joseph Cotterill, Southern Africa correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Chinese carmaker Geely is investing in German flying taxi start-up Volocopter. Josh Noble discusses China’s interest in this technology and the future of flying taxis wirh the FT’s motor industry correspondent Peter Campbell and global technology correspondent Tim Bradshaw

Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Peter Campbell, motor industry correspondent, and Tim Bradshaw, global technology correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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We have seen a historic day for British politics as the Supreme Court ruled that Boris Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament for five weeks was unlawful. Siona Jenkins discusses what the ruling means for Brexit, for the prime minister, and for British democracy, with Jane Croft, law courts correspondent, and Neil Buckley, leader writer. 

Contributors: Siona Jenkins, news editor, Jane Croft, law courts correspondent and Neil Buckley, leader writer. Producer: Fiona Symon and Persis Love

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A devastating missile and drone attack on Saudi oil installations last week highlighted the vulnerability of global oil supplies to the threat of regional unrest. The attack was claimed by Houthi rebels fighting Saudi-backed forces in neighbouring Yemen, but Saudi and US officials were quick to point the finger of blame at Iran. Geoff Dyer discusses the repercussions of the attack for the region and the oil market with Andrew England, Middle East editor, and Anjli Raval, senior energy correspondent.

Contributors: Geoff Dyer, analysis editor, Andrew England, Middle East editor, and Anjli Raval, senior energy correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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John Ruskin was a towering figure in the Victorian era: an art critic, social reformer and all round thinker who had a huge influence on British society. After his death he fell out of favour. Yet much of what he wrote about the nature of work and the importance of protecting the environment is relevant today. James Pickford discusses his legacy with Sandra Kemp, an academic who oversees the Ruskin collection at Lancaster University and Andrew Hill, management editor.

The Ruskin: Museum of the Near Future

Contributors: James Pickford, deputy FT Money editor, Sandra Kemp, director of the Lancaster University’s Ruskin Library, and Andrew Hill, management editor. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love

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Thanks to its links to Shakespeare and his players that were until recently a well kept secret, a deprived suburb of Liverpool is to house a new playhouse. Local investors have high hopes that it will woo some of the tourists that flock to Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Andy Bounds went to Prescot to speak to some of the project's supporters.

Contributors: Andy Bounds, Enterprise editor and North of England correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love

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Catalonia erupted this week after a Spanish Supreme Court decision to jail a group of separatist leaders for their part in organising an illegal independence referendum. The regional government attacked the sentences and thousands took to the streets in protest. Katie Martin discusses what happens next, with Daniel Dombey, FT correspondent in Madrid.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, and Daniel Dombey, Madrid correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Last weekend thousands of people took to the streets of Chile in an outburst of anger at a rise in the price of the metro fare. But as Benedict Mander tells Michael Stott, the roots of the unrest go much deeper.

Contributors: Michael Stott, Latin America bureau chief and Benedict Mander, Chile and Argentina correspondent. Producer: Persis Love.

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The FT's Sue-Lin Wong spent several months with members of Hong Kong's youthful pro-democracy movement and their supporters. She tells Andreas Paleit what she learnt about their hopes and fears for the future.

Read Sue-Lin's magazine story here

Contributors: Andreas Paleit, companies desk editor, and Sue-Lin Wong, South China correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Will PSA’s Carlos Tavares prove to be a better merger partner for Fiat Chrysler than Renault and help create the world's fourth-largest carmaker? Katie Martin discusses the terms of the proposed mega merger and the characters behind the deal with Peter Campbell, motor industry correspondent, and David Keohane in Paris.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Peter Campbell, motor industry correspondent, and David Keohane, Paris correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love

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How does Generation Z date? Why are they more politically engaged than the generation before them and what is the digital psyche? Flora Macdonald Johnston asks John Burn-Murdoch, Rebecca Watson and Madison Darbyshire to explain what's driving the next generation.

If you want to read more about the NextGen, click here. For Flora's article, click here. For John's article, click here. For Rebecca's article, click here. For Madison's column, click here.

Contributors: Flora Macdonald Johnston, acting deputy fashion editor, John Burn-Murdoch, data visualisation journalist, Madison Darbyshire, multimedia journalist and Rebecca Watson, assistant arts editor. Producer: Persis Love

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Hundreds of millions of people turn to the web each day to seek answers to medical concerns. But the information they share is far from secret. Madhumita Murgia, the FT's European technology correspondent, has been looking into what happens to the personal health information we share with these websites, and she tells India Ross what she discovered..

Contributors: India Ross, tech creative producer, and Madhumita Murgia, European technology correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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As the UK general election approaches, all parties are stepping up their rhetoric on climate change. What are their manifesto pledges and are they even realistic? Jim Pickard and Nick Butler talk to Leslie Hook about what a new government could spell for the environment and the need for an international approach to tackling the climate crisis.

Contributors: Leslie Hook, environment and clean energy correspondent, Jim Pickard, chief political correspondent and Nick Butler, energy commentator. Producer: Persis Love

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Paul Volcker, who died at the weekend, was one of the most influential monetary policy makers of the 20th century. The FT’s Gillian Tett spoke to the former central banker at his home in New York last year about his views on good government, regulating finance and US China relations. In this podcast, she shares some excerpts from the conversation.

Contributors: Katie Martin, markets editor, and Gillian Tett, chair of the FT editorial board (US). Producers: Fiona Symon and Aimee Keane

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2019 was the year when Saudi Arabia launched a long awaited share offering in state oil company Aramco, when Softbank lost its gloss, when accounting giants tightened their belts and when capitalism went 'woke'. Janine Gibson discusses the corporate year and what it spells for next year with Tom Braithwaite and Brooke Masters.

Contributors: Janine Gibson, editor, special projects, Tom Braithwaite, companies editor, and Brooke Masters, comment and analysis editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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The former boss of Nissan and Renault has performed a stunning vanishing act. Earlier this week, he fled from his house in Tokyo and took a private jet to Lebanon, evading bail conditions, police, prosecutors and private detectives, and avoiding a trial on charges of financial misconduct. How did a man under constant surveillance and with one of the most recognisable faces in the country escape the Japanese authorities? Leo Lewis and Tom Braithwaite discuss the story.

Contributors: Tom Braithwaite, companies editor and Leo Lewis, Tokyo correspondent. Producer: Persis Love. Photo credit: Eric Piermont / AFP

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The US Federal Reserve has begun to consult the public, particularly in poorer parts of the country about monetary policy. As a result, policy wonks at the central bank have begun to reconsider the impact of their decisions on communities far from the centres of power. Brendan Greeley discusses the so-called Fed Listens sessions with Patrick Jenkins.

Contributors: Patrick Jenkins, Deputy Editor and Brendan Greeley, US economics editor. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love. Photo credit: Alex Wong/Getty

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Shares in Elon Musk’s pioneering electric car company Tesla have skyrocketed. Tom Braithwaite discusses whether the company will be able to maintain its current momentum and hold off competition from traditional carmakers with Jamie Powell and Richard Waters.

Contributors: Tom Braithwaite, companies news editor, Jamie Powell, Alphaville reporter, and Richard Waters, West Coast editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Victory for Iran's hardliners in this month’s parliamentary elections has come at the cost of a despondent population suffering under the weight of renewed US sanctions. With the future of the nuclear deal in doubt and isolationist leaders in the ascendant, Andrew England, Middle East editor, and Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Tehran correspondent, discuss what happens next.

Contributors: Andrew England, Middle East editor, and Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Tehran correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Mehrnosh Khalaj.

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As the coronavirus continues to spread, what is the risk that this will push the global economy into recession and what can central bankers and policymakers do to help avoid this? Katie Martin discusses the economic shock caused by the virus with the FT's economics editor Chris Giles.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, and Chris Giles, economics editor. Producers: Fiona Symon and Andrew Georgiades

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Analysts fear government’s timid fiscal response will prolong the pain