The Rachman Review

Benjamin Netanyahu emerged from this week’s Israeli elections with a slender lead over his closest rival, Gadi Eisenkot, but his far-right coalition fell short of an overall majority. The prime minister’s performance was better than pre-election polls had predicted, and sets up weeks (or even months) of political gridlock in the country. Host Gideon Rachman speaks to Dahlia Scheindlin, a political analyst and columnist for Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz, about the role Arab parties could play in forming a government, what happens next, and Israel’s drift rightward. Clip: Sky News

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Further reading:

The fear factor giving Benjamin Netanyahu the edge

How Israel’s opposition fell short against Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel's Arabs seek a slice of power

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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A third world war may seem a distant prospect to the general public, but to world leaders, it’s very real. In recent years, In recent years, presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping along with Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte have all alluded to the possibility of a global conflict. International wars are ongoing in Europe and the Middle East, while China’s designs on Taiwan are no secret. Are we sleepwalking into a third world war? Gideon discusses his new book, War is Interested in You with foreign editor Alec Russell. Clip: FT

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Further reading:

Are we sleepwalking into World War III?

Presented by Alec Russell. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Saturday’s missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was the deadliest attack on Saudi Arabia since the US and Israel’s war on Iran began in February. By bringing the conflict to the heart of Saudi Arabia, Houthi rebels are hoping to inflict economic damage on the kingdom, which is in the midst of an ambitious programme to diversify away from oil. How effective has the Houthi campaign been so far? How will Saudi’s allies, including the US, Turkey and Pakistan, react to this danger? And why are the Houthis so hard to defeat? Gideon speaks to Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Clip: BBC News

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Further reading:

Military briefing: Houthis expose limits of Saudi Arabia’s vast arsenal

Houthi assault on Saudi airports strikes at MBS’s economic vision

Houthis attack Saudi Aramco headquarters

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The senior producer was Laurence Knight. Sound design is by Samantha Giovinco and Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Flávio Bolsonaro took a clear lead in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election, and is the favourite to assume power after a run-off against the incumbent, Lula Ignacio da Silva, later this month. Will Flávio, who is the son of imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro, follow his father’s playbook, by cosying up to Trump and slashing environmental regulations – or will he follow a more moderate path? Gideon speaks to Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brazil and fellow with the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, to find out how a Bolsonaro victory would change Brazil. They discuss Brazil’s relations with the US, China, and its Latin American neighbours: and they examine why whoever wins the Brazilian election is unlikely to have a long honeymoon period. Clips: APT

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Further reading:

Brazil’s Bolsonaro dynasty closes in on stunning comeback

Brazil’s Bolsonaro comeback exposes Lula’s weakness

Brazil’s markets surge as investors bet on Flávio Bolsonaro election win

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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High-profile AI safety incidents, as well as warnings from industry figures about AI’s rapid progress, have stoked a new wave of fear about the future of humanity. Artificial intelligence systems are becoming more and more capable. Can we regulate this technology effectively – or is it too late to put the AI genie back in the bottle? Gideon speaks to Toby Ord, senior researcher at Oxford university’s AI Governance Institute, and author of ‘The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity.’

Clip: C-Span

Subscribe to Gideon’s show on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen.

Further reading:

Anthropic warns of ‘existential risks to humanity’ in IPO prospectus

Why the AI race has its creators fearing human extinction

Donald Trump praises tech bosses’ ‘self-regulation’ of AI

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval.

The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa.

Sound design is by Samantha Giovinco and Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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More than three decades after The End of History and the Last Man made Francis Fukuyama one of the world’s best-known political thinkers, he is still correcting misconceptions about what he actually meant. In a wide-ranging conversation with host Gideon Rachman, Fukuyama revisits his original thesis and explores how resentment and the search for recognition are reshaping liberal democracy. They also discuss whether US institutions can withstand Donald Trump’s authoritarian impulses, why Fukuyama remains optimistic about American democracy, China and Russia’s quest for status, and his own intellectual journey away from neoconservatism. Cip: BBC

Free links to read more on this topic:

In the Realm of the Last Man— how the future disappeared from politics

A German election result heard around the world

A spreading war threatens Trump and MBS

Supreme Court rejects Donald Trump’s restrictions on mail-in ballots for midterms

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Breen Turner

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The world is experiencing a record number of conflicts, just as governments retreat from international aid and diplomacy to leave a more politically fragmented international landscape in their wake. That is the view of David Miliband, the former UK foreign secretary and president of the International Rescue Committee, in conversation with host Gideon Rachman. They discuss the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the collapse in humanitarian funding and whether middle powers can ever fill the vacuum left by the US. Clip: Al Jazeera

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Fragile states in Africa and Middle East hit by more than 40% cut in UK direct aid

Life on the frontline against Ebola

How will UK foreign policy change under Ed Miliband?

Donald Trump reboots foreign aid with cash-for-data strategy

Presented by Gideon Rachman. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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War is raging in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan, while tensions are rising between China and Taiwan. What is driving this surge in global conflict, how should we respond and where, if anywhere, are the prospects for peace? Gideon is joined by Sir John Sawers, former head of MI6; Tom Tugendhat, the UK’s new shadow foreign secretary; and Kim Ghattas, FT contributing editor and author of Black Wave. They discuss how today’s conflicts are connected, the risk of further escalation and the importance of ending a war well.

This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by FT Weekend Festival. Clip: CBS News

Free links to read more on this topic:

Trump envoys take Ukraine peace proposal to meeting with Putin

Trump envoys hold talks with Zelenskyy in Kyiv after meeting Putin in Moscow

Russia launches missile strikes against Kyiv as pause in raids ends

Why the US and Iran keep escalating

Lebanon warns of ‘dangerous escalation’ after Israeli strikes

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent is calling for an “economic D-Day” for the Iranian regime while threatening secondary sanctions on countries that do business with the country. Will this be more effective than previous attempts at economic pressure? What impact will this have on US relations with China? And how will energy markets react? Sasha Polakow-Suransky, executive opinion editor, speaks with Emma Ashford, Stimson Center senior fellow and Foreign Policy columnist, about Washington’s latest Iran sanctions push dubbed Operation Economic Outcast. Clip: CBS News

Join us at the FT Weekend Festival on Saturday, September 5 at Kenwood House Gardens in London, and spend the day with FT journalists and leading voices across business, politics, economics, culture and the arts. FT podcast listeners can save 10% off tickets with the code FTPODCAST. Click on this link to find out more.

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US launches further strikes on Iran as conflict flares up

Energy price surge hits bond markets as European gas reaches three-year high

Donald Trump says US will hit Iran ‘hard’ as conflict reignites

Scott Bessent: an economic D-Day is coming for Iran

Scott Bessent threatens Iran’s economic partners with more sanctions

Is China’s ‘wise camel’ the winner from the US-Iran war?

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Presented by Sasha Polakow-Suransky. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The UN is choosing a new secretary-general at a time when it’s struggling to remain relevant. Sidelined in the wars in Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East, and facing a severe funding crisis, the organisation is under growing pressure. This week, guest host Alec Russell speaks to Thant Myint-U, a former UN official, author and the grandson of former UN secretary-general U Thant, about the challenges its new leader will face. Clip: AP Archive

Free links to read more on this topic:

António Guterres on the future of the UN

Superpowers are discovering their limits, says UN chief

The new world order? Every man for himself

Wanted: a leader to rescue the UN

Nuclear watchdog chief pitches ‘leaner’ UN in secretary-general bid

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Join us at the FT Weekend Festival on Saturday, September 5 at Kenwood House Gardens in London and spend the day with FT journalists and leading voices across business, politics, economics, culture and the arts. FT podcast listeners can save 10% off tickets with the code FTPODCAST. Click on this link to find out more.

Follow Alec on X @alecurussell

Presented by Alec Russell. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideon Rachman speaks to historian and author Simon Sebag Montefiore about his new book, The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East. They discuss the forces that shaped the region, from the Ottoman Empire and Ataturk to the ongoing tensions between the US, Israel and Iran. Gideon and Simon examine the region's complexities and interconnectedness and whether lessons from the past can offer a glimpse into the future. CLIP: British Pathé

Join us at the FT Weekend Festival on Saturday, September 5 at Kenwood House Gardens in London and spend the day with FT journalists and leading voices across business, politics, economics, culture and the arts. FT podcast listeners can save 10% off tickets with the code FTPODCAST. Click on this link to find out more.

Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

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Israeli settlers besiege Palestinian homes

The exodus from Israel

Egypt deploys jets to UAE as Iran war strains Arab alliances

Far-right Israeli minister advocates killing ‘30 to 40’ Gazans each night

Israel moves to give police powers in occupied West Bank

Far-right Israeli minister advocates killing ‘30 to 40’ Gazans each night

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideon talks to Vali Nasr, author of Iran’s Grand Strategy and professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Johns Hopkins University, SAIS, about how the balance of power in the Middle East is changing. After six months of on-off hostilities, Nasr argues, Iran’s core aims are unchanged - ending the US threat and securing economic relief. But Iran now looks to have the upper hand and is using its leverage from controlling the Strait of Hormuz to seek ever more far-reaching concessions from the superpower. Clip: CTV

Free links to read more on this topic:

Will failure in Iran reshape how the US fights?

Iran’s supreme leader elevates loyalists as he tightens grip

Trump and the failure of the Fafo doctrine

Brinkmanship in the Strait of Hormuz

Israel’s campaign to make southern Lebanon ‘unliveable’

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner

Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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What began as outrage over a senior judge's comments has become one of the most striking youth protest movements India has seen in years. Gideon talks to Professor Mukulika Banerjee of the London School of Economics about why so many young Indians have taken to the streets, what the "cockroach movement" says about the country's economic and educational pressures, and whether it poses a genuine challenge to Narendra Modi's government.

Clip: BBC

Free links to read more on this topic:

Abhijeet Dipke, the face of India’s victorious ‘cockroach’ protests

India’s ‘Cockroach’ Gen Z has had enough

India should listen to its frustrated youth

Why India’s student protests are different

India’s ‘cockroach’ movement halts protests after minister quits

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen Turner

Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Tariffs, sanctions and chokepoints have become the weapon of choice to punish political rivals - but what happens when these fail? Gideon discusses the impact of geopolitical disputes on global trade with Edward Fishman, author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare. Clip: Al Jazeera

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Trump vows to deliver ‘beating’ to Iran in retaliation for latest attack

Saudi Arabia joins US strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq

Ukraine, Iran and how regional wars go global

Donald Trump rebuilds his tariff wall

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideontalks to Julianne Smith, former US ambassador to Nato about the future of the alliance. There seems to be greater transatlantic agreement on Ukraine, but tensions remain over Europe’s stance on Donald Trump’s war on Iran. So can the alliance survive without the US at the helm? Clip: ANI News

Free links to read more on this topic:

Nato’s carnival of Trumpian caprice

Why the world trusts China more than America

Ukraine’s drone swarms test Moscow air defences

Nato opens its cheque books in bid to keep Trump engaged

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Gideon talks to Simon Kuper, FT columnist and author of World Cup Fever, about what distinguishes this World Cup from previous tournaments. What role has geopolitics played historically in the World Cup and is there any truth to some of the conspiracy theories surrounding this year's events? Clip: ITV Sport

Free links to read more on this topic:

Bellingham brace carries England past Norway into World Cup semi-final

World Cup shows US is ‘golden market’ for football, says Major League Soccer boss

How western Europe became a formidable football factory

Why are China and India so bad at football?

Inside the secretive Fifa committee that suspended the US red card

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Marine Le Pen has run for the French presidency several times before, but her chances of winning next year look better than ever. Gideon talks to the FT's Victor Mallet about the source of her growing popularity and what a far-right government would mean for France and the EU. Clip: The Guardian

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Le Pen revives presidential bid echoing Trump

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen says she will run for president

Marine Le Pen’s massive double gamble on presidency

France’s crowded race to replace Emmanuel Macron

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.

Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The war in Iran triggered a new round of conflict between the Hizbollah militia in Lebanon and the Israeli army. More than 4,000 people have been killed and about a million displaced. Lebanon and Israel signed a peace deal in Washington at the weekend to end the fighting, but without Hizbollah’s participation, can the deal hold? Gideon puts the question to the FT's editor Roula Khalaf and Andrew England, the FT's Middle East editor. Clip: This is Beirut

Free links to read more on this topic:

Lebanon’s deal with Israel sparks backlash

How Hizbollah’s fighters ended up in court

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrive in Doha for talks over US-Iran deal

How Benjamin Netanyahu’s big moment backfired

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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In this special edition of the Rachman Review, Edward Luce, the FT's Washington commentator, talks to Rahm Emanuel, former White House chief of staff for Barack Obama, about where the Democratic party has gone wrong in recent years and how to win back the confidence of middle America. This is an edited version of a discussion that took place at the recent FT Weekend Festival in New York.

Free links to read more on this topic:

Rahm Emanuel says Trump ‘got schooled’ by Iran in bad ceasefire deal

Why young America is trending socialist

Rahm Emanuel and the 2028 ‘ideas primary’

How Benjamin Netanyahu’s big moment backfired

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Presented by Gideon Rachman and Edward Luce. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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What are the repercussions of the Iran war for American power? How will the outcome be viewed by America’s allies and the leadership in Beijing? Gideon discusses these questions with Kevin Rudd, the former prime minister of Australia, Katherine Thompson, who until recently was a senior official in the Pentagon under President Trump, and Philip Gordon, who was national security adviser to vice-president Kamala Harris. This is an edited version of a discussion that took place at the recent FT Weekend Festival in New York. News clip: Fox News

Free links to read more on this topic:

America’s allies look to declare independence from the US

The rise and fall of US hegemony

Nato chief reveals Italy allowed US planes to use bases in Iran war

Trump and Xi will not determine Taiwan’s fate

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.

Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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