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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During Syria's eight year civil war, around half a million Syrians have lost their lives and many more have lost their livelihoods. But a few individuals have made millions by helping the Assad regime. Chloe Cornish has been investigating and she tells Josh Noble about some of Syria's war profiteers.

Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, and Chloe Cornish, Middle East correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love

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Ukraine has found itself at the centre of the US impeachment inquiry, just as new president Volodymyr Zelensky set out to fulfill his election promise to end corruption. Pilita Clark asks Ben Hall, the FT's Europe editor, what it is about Ukraine creates so much trouble in far flung places and whether it could end up harming Donald Trump's chances of re-election.

Contributors: Pilita Clark, business columnist, and Ben Hall, Europe editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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This selection of economics must-reads from the last six months take on capitalism, inequality, trade, AI, the law and more. Martin Wolf tells Frederick Studemann about the books we should all be reading this winter.

Watch a video of the conversation here.

Contributors: Frederick Studemann, literary editor and Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator. Producer: Persis Love



Photo credits: Viking, Penguin Books, The Centre for International Governance Innovation, John Murray Press, Harvard University Press,Harvard University Asia Center, Transworld Publishers Ltd, Princeton University Press 

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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

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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 full impact of the deadly Sars-like virus that has spread across China will take time to assess. But it’s clear there will be significant damage to the region’s economies and perhaps also to the reputation of China’s leaders for failing to tackle the coronavirus early enough to prevent its spread. Andreas Paleit discusses the political and economic impact of the outbreak with Tom Hancock, recently back from Wuhan, James Kynge in Hong Kong and Sue-Lin Wong in Shenzhen.

Contributors: Andreas Paleit, companies desk editor, Tom Hancock, China consumer industries correspondent, Sue-Lin Wong, South China correspondent, and James Kynge, global China editor. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love.

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Growing a beard, praying in public and calling someone overseas. These are some of the 'offences' for which Uighur Muslims have been sent to internment camps in the Xinjiang region of China, according to a leaked document known as the Karakax list. Adrienne Klasa talks to the FT reporters who discovered the document, Christian Shepherd and Laura Pitel. Read the FT story here

Contributors: Adrienne Klasa, creative producer, Christian Shepherd, Beijing correspondent, and Laura Pitel, Turkey correspondent. Producers: Persis Love and Fiona Symon

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EY highlights significance of litigation finance company’s action against Argentine oil group

Even before Covid-19 struck, the country’s debt trajectory was out of control

Federal Trade Commission votes 3-2 to approve tie-up between makers of Botox and Humira

Schemes to look at cutting emissions in sectors such as transport in push to meet 2050 ‘net zero’ target

California utility discloses $5bn pre-tax charge tied to claims

Group says 230 jobs will be lost at Selby site at it looks to beat 2025 fossil fuel deadline

Climate campaigners say measures lack ambition to tackle crisis

One of the first large acquisitions to be agreed since coronavirus pandemic rocked global markets

First signs of severity of coronavirus pandemic on UK energy sector 

Potential cost cuts should not be used as justification for a UK telecoms tie-up

Trump ally Tom Barrack’s investment group in talks with lenders over hotel and nursing home debt

John Malone shows his adroitness in deal between Liberty Global and Telefónica

Steelmaker says more funding needed given scale and length of lockdown disruption

Europe’s largest low-cost airline expects return to 2019 passenger levels to take 2 years

Move in response to drop in prices and demand and honours unofficial pact with Opec

Canadian group makes all-stock proposal public after talks fail to get off ground

Endiama chief wants ‘radical change’ in overhaul of country’s scandal-hit gem industry

S&P 500 records fourth gain in five sessions, despite new leg down for oil prices

Interest rate disparity could add nearly £2,500 per month to the cost of servicing a £5m mortgage 

Almost half of British companies have scrapped payouts in response to coronavirus

Move by UK group will put pressure on other insurers to follow suit 

FT survey estimates that 1 in 10 employers with defined benefit schemes may look to suspend payments

Light touch checks on UK borrowers raise fears of defaults on loans and fraud

American literary and journalistic iconoclast who Norman Mailer said was the hardest working writer of his time

Editor who raised the profile of the Financial Times’ coverage in Japan

Vietnam vet and old-school conservative whose friendships crossed the political aisle

His 19% in 1992 was best result for independent presidential candidate in 80 years

A trailblazer who broke the glass ceiling in Washington

Luxury and beauty bellwethers predict gradual rebound once coronavirus shutdowns end

The technology has significant potential to shake up the construction sector

Activist investor sought to take control of strategy at French group led by Arnaud Lagardère

Combination of O2 and Virgin Media set to transform British telecoms market

O2 and Virgin Media’s £31bn merger is one of the biggest examples of virtual dealmaking during pandemic

Tag Heuer’s digital chief sees connected watches as a point of entry to the mechanical models

Details of historic borrowing plans send government bond yields higher

Lowest five-year fix in UK history

Cardholders will receive 3 per cent cashback on fuel

New current account offers 3 per cent interest and cashback on bills

Smart meter group’s IPO boosts hopes of fundraising uptick after lacklustre 2019

Bank blames low-interest environment and impact of banking regulation

Over 400,000 teenagers will be eligible to claim funds from later this year