Like it or not, the vibrancy of London’s art scene is due in part to the efforts of marketeers, public relations teams and great coffee shops, says the FT’s arts writer,  

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The praise lavished on football’s retiring greats has been wildly overblown, says the FT’s arts writer. Other cultural pursuits are far worthier of grown-ups’ attention  

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It’s loud, insistent, adolescent and playing now at a Mediterranean resort near you. And as the FT’s arts writer finds, there’s no way you’ll ever get the volume turned down  

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Spicing up traditional settings with a dash of contemporary style has become a cultural commonplace. But let’s not pretend it’s anything more than an aesthetic compromise, the FT’s arts writer says  

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A forthcoming season on Channel 4 aims to demystify our sexual behaviour – to be ‘open’ and ‘honest’ about a 'normal part of all our lives'. Good luck with that, says the FT’s arts writer  

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A concert sponsored by insurance company Direct Line aims to help time-challenged audiences snatch some shut-eye – but a wakeful FT arts writer finds that the relationship between art and sleep is not a straightforward one  

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They seem always to be on, but ‘Rules of Engagement’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and their ilk shouldn’t be taken for granted: these immaculately crafted, relentlessly inoffensive series open a window on American society  

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Author Mohsin Hamid reads his short story 'Alien invasion in the G.L.A.C.', commissioned by the Financial Times for the new year.  

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An exhibition of Soviet-era sporting paintings shows how, even in a repressive political climate, artists still made work with real human insight  

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Matthew McConaughey’s career revival provides a neat case study of how an actor can wrest back control of his image. It also tells a broader story about our weakness for a certain kind of Acting.  

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A brush with institutional hauteur in Nice makes the FT’s arts writer long for the determinedly inclusive museums and galleries of the UK  

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A developing theme in new music sees artists navigating the fine line between criticism and complicity - and revelling in the contradictions.  

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The UK’s culture secretary is a ‘Star Trek’ fan who wants the arts to be ‘accessible to everyone’ - while the filmmakers of the defiantly highbrow ‘Life May Be’ remind us that there are merits in other ambitions.  

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By focusing on the personal rather than the political, Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski created a quietly subversive masterpiece, Peter Aspden says  

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As two recent biopics come under fire from those depicted, the FT’s arts editor ponders what compels movie-makers to embellish ‘true stories’  

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Peter Aspden tells the story of 'Misirlou', the swaying Anatolian love song that was reinvented as a 1960s surfers' anthem before gaining a massive audience with Pulp Fiction and sampling by The Black Eyed Peas. Credits: Parker Street Records, JB Production, Universal Music Group  

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Peter Aspden on the 'floating song' recorded by Alan Lomax in 1930s Kentucky that went on to be covered by Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan and, of course, The Animals. Credits: Concord Music Group, Marathon Media International, BMI  

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David Honigmann on why Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Dolly Parton and Saint Etienne have all been drawn to Silver Dagger's cautionary tale of heartache and "wicked loving lies". Credits: Sugar Hill, Saint Etienne, Columbia/Legacy  

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David Cheal explores how Lou Reed got prostitution, transvestism, oral sex and drugs past the BBC commisariat with a group of white English 'coloured girls'. Credits: RCA/Legacy, Spectralite, Sony BMG Music Entertainment  

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Tim Buckley's ode to doomed love has exerted a siren-like attraction for artists including This Mortal Coil, Robert Plant and John Frusciante. David Cheal examines its enduring power. Credit: Rhino, Warner Brothers, Chrome Dreams, 4AD, Virgin EMI, Parlaphone UK, Virgin UK  

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How is music streaming changing the experience of listeners? Are the algorithms that guide us through this new world an adequate replacement for DJs, critics and knowledgable record shop owners? Could endless choice paradoxically be making us more conservative in our tastes? Lorien Kite discusses these questions with Spotify's Will Page and FT pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney.  

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What makes a good Christmas song? Should it be cheesy or serious? And why do millennials love them? 

FT pop writers discuss festive classics old and new - from carols to Mariah Carey, Greg Lake to Phil Spector, Sufjan Stevens to Run-DMC. Plus, which 2017's best Christmas song: Gwen Stefani's 'You Make it Feel Like Christmas' or Sia's 'Santa's Coming for Us'?

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Set against a backdrop of protest and upheaval, the songs released in 1968 represent a turning point in music. FT pop writers David Cheal and Peter Aspden are joined by author Tot Taylor to debate the year's most important songs and artists, from Tyrannosaurus Rex, The Beatles and Pink Floyd to Joni Mitchell and Tim Buckley.

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From the unstoppable rise of hip-hop to the 'millennial whoop', what does today's new music sound like? And how has social media changed the relationship between artists and fans?

Harriet Fitch Little, India Ross and Griselda Murray Brown discuss Drake, Cardi B and DJ Khaled - in particular 'Wild Thoughts' ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller from 2017, which leans heavily on the melody and mood of Santana's 1999 hit 'Maria Maria', the coming-of-age soundtrack for the oldest cohort of millennials. 

Warning: this podcast contains a live 'millennial whoop'.

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Africa’s biggest crude exporter seeks $7bn in emergency funds in face of imminent recession

Millions have used a government website to check their state pension, only to find they have missing years of National Insurance contributions. 

Presenter Claer Barrett and guests discuss what can be done, plus experts debate the future for inheritance tax and whether the cap on high cost credit should be extended. 

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Inheritance tax rules are due for a shake up - FT Money editor Claer Barrett asks whether efforts to simplify the system can ever shake off its claim to be "Britain's most hated tax"? Next, experts discuss whether the IR35 tax rules are flawed or not. And finally, Alan Livsey, the FT's wine buff talks about an investment that is literally liquid - fine wine.

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What's the best bank account for students? Who will give you an interest-free overdraft? And how can you get hold of a student railcard? Lucy Warwick-Ching, FT Money digital editor talks to three experts about how to make the most of your money as a student. Plus we hear how your credit rating as a student can affect your ability to get finance long after you've finished studying. And finally Guy Anker of Moneysavingexpert.com tells us why you shouldn't automatically pay off your student loan if you can afford it. 

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It's financial planning week and this year's theme is retirement planning. As part of the initiative, thousands of certified planners are offering a free hour-long session to people wanting help with setting their financial goals. FT Money deputy editor James Pickford talks to the FT's pensions correspondent about retirement planning. Plus we hear from Jackie Lockie, head of financial planning with the CISI, and Patrick Connolly of Chase de Vere, about how best to plan for retirement.

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The general election and your finances - with a week to go, what changes could the major parties bring in? Presenter Claer Barrett talks to Rachael Griffin, a tax expert at Quilter, about the pledges. Next up on the show if you're self employed, have you got a pension? A third of self-employed women say they are saving nothing into a pension. Blogger Emma Maslin, better known as the Money Whisperer, has lots to say on this topic. And finally - they might say it's vulgar to talk about money, but James Max, our Rich People's Problems columnist is here to explain why he loves cash.

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The well-advised wealthy are worrying that pensions benefits could be cut. FT Money Show presenter Claer Barrett asks the FT's pensions expert for the details. Next up we discuss whether it's better to invest in buy to let or a holiday let? And if you're thinking of buying a new car you might change your mind about how you finance it after you listen to this podcast. 

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Could your stock picking skills beat the market this year? In this week's FT Money Show podcast presenter Claer Barrett talks to FT Markets reporter Robert Smith about the results of our 2019 contest between readers and FT journalists. Plus we give you details of how to enter this year's competition. Next up, January's nearly over but you still have another 11 months to make good on your New Year's resolutions. If you had resolved to get a pay rise or sort out your pension this year, keep listening as help is at hand. 

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Have you been mis-sold pensions advice? FT Money Show presenter Claer Barrett talks to the FT's pensions expert Josephine Cumbo about the suitability of financial advice in relation to retirement planning. Next up on the show we discuss how the new bank overdraft rules could affect you. And finally, does your financial adviser speak your language? FT columnist Moira O'Neill has spoken out against the widespread use of Latin terms in the investment world - should it be allowed to continue ad infinitum?   

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Is time running out for pensions tax relief? Chancellor Sajid Javid is reported to be considering a major shake-up of pensions at the Budget in a months time. The FT's pensions correspondent Josephine Cumbo talks to FT Money editor Claer Barrett about what form this could take. Next up, we debate the value of the Winter Fuel Allowance for wealthy pensioners. And finally, our resident property guru James Pickford on how the next property cycle could turn out. 

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Join our campaign for clear pension charges - FT Money has been exploring the impossibility of comparing the costs of drawdown plans. The FT is calling on the pensions and advise industry to be transparent about charges to help people to shop around. In this week's show, FT Money Show presenter Claer Barrett interviews o the FT's pensions expert about our campaign. Next up, the spread of the coronavirus has given world stock markets a nasty turn - FT Moneys' new investment reporter, Madison Darbyshire, talks about how investors are reacting. And finally, to cheer listeners up a bit - James Max, our Rich People's Problems columnist is here to discuss a burning issue - the government's proposed ban on coal fires. 

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Could Isas overtake pensions as the UK's tax-saving vehicle of choice? The tax benefits of pensions have been steadily eroded over the past decade but at the same time, Isas have been coming into their own. Most people approaching retirement today will rely on a combination of pensions and Isa income. In this week's show, FT Money Show presenter Claer Barrett takes a break from covering the coronavirus and what it means for your money, and interviews the FT's Money Mentor columnist about why investors like Isas so much and how these investments compare to pensions. 

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Claer Barrett explores some of the biggest issues facing small investors with investment columnist Merryn Somerset Webb and Fidelity’s Maike Currie. 

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A self-effacing intellectual who rose to the very centre of power

Secret burials, overflowing hospitals and dead MPs, as president takes refuge in home village

Everything from what you wear to your posture plays a role in how impressions are formed

While you polish your CV, go and clean up your virtual existence too

‘Descours and his team have put ‘Charles Heidsieck’ back in the champagne mainstream’

Vice-president makes suggestion even as number of deaths across the country spikes

Facebook and Google show resilience through the crisis thanks to uptick in ‘direct response’ ads

Entertainment group scraps dividend as executives promise it will weather storm

British TV network unable to provide guidance for the rest of 2020 as outlook is ‘uncertain’

Consumers who use tax preparation services or software could have to wait months for money

Finance minister also says companies cannot pay dividends while receiving government money 

IR35 rules demanding companies check their contractors’ HMRC status are flawed and unfair, say Lords

Deans come out against government plan to cut senior executive courses from workplace training scheme