Maduro’s economic rescue plan offers little hope to people struggling to get by 

Iron ore giant in second disaster in 3 years after mud and waste surges through valley

Creditor group says restrictions on trading could be forcing bonds into ‘rogue’ hands

Reimposition of currency controls is admission of defeat by president

Jeremy Corbyn unveils party's ‘most radical’ plans in decades, Tories backtrack on national insurance pledge while pressure on public finances increases

Former prime minister intervenes with warning that both Tories and Labour ‘pose a risk’ to country, Conservative manifesto in the spotlight, Lib Dems change tune with calls to avert Johnson majority, Sterling rallies as Tories extend lead.

Jeremy Corbyn defends party's processes for dealing with racism after Ephraim Mirvis's criticism. Conservatives put opposition to independence at heart of Scottish campaign. Sterling slips as Labour makes inroads on Tories' polling lead.

Jeremy Corbyn unveiled 451 pages of leaked documents, which he claimed show details of trade talks between the UK and US. The Labour leader said the discussions included Washington's demand for providing access to the NHS for American healthcare companies.

Neither Labour nor the Conservatives have offered a "credible prospectus" for government in the election, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said this morning, in a damning assessment that highlighted the gulf between different political visions for Britain.

The Conservatives vowed to bring in a new state aid system to protect British industry after Brexit, as the party finesses its message to Leave voters ahead of election day.

Live coverage of the UK election campaign.

Live coverage of the UK election campaign.

The pound has soared more than 2 per cent in its biggest rise since 2017 after an exit poll has projected a strong victory for Boris Johnson’s Conservative party.

A live blog from FT.com

Tokyo’s Topix dropped 2.5% at the open, taking the benchmark index down more than 30% for the year. The move followed S&P 500 index's collapse of 12 per cent on Monday, marking the biggest one-day fall since the crash of October 1987.

Heavy redemptions during coronavirus-induced sell-off  spark concerns

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

EU has reservations about allowing Britain to link to its carbon cap-and-trade system after Brexit

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

Brexit and coronavirus have prompted drive for improving trade resilience

ECB chief Mario Draghi this week surprised the markets by suggesting that the European central bank could introduce more stimulus to support the global economy. His signal, at an ECB forum in Sintra, Portugal, caused a furious reaction from Donald Trump. Katie Martin discusses the US president’s intervention and the remarks that prompted this with Claire Jones and Chris Giles.

Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Claire Jones, Frankfurt bureau chief and Chris Giles, economics editor. 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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How can we make corporate life female-friendly? Deborah Hargreaves, former FT journalist and founder of the High Pay Centre think tank, spent a year talking to women to research this topic and she came into the studio to discuss her findings with Isabel Berwick and Josh Noble. Read Deborah's report here

Contributors: Naomi Rovnick, Live News reporter, Isabel Berwick, editor of FT work and careers, Deborah Hargreaves, director of the High Pay Centre, and Josh Noble, weekend news editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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US allegations that China is manipulating its currency burst into the open again this week when the renminbi was allowed to fall below seven to the dollar for the first time since 2008. Josh Noble discusses this latest front in the US-China trade dispute and its implications for investors and the global economy with Don Weinland, Beijing financial correspondent, and Michael MacKenzie, senior investment commentator.

Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Don Weinland, Beijing financial correspondent, and Michael MacKenzie, senior investment correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Falling interest rates, weak trading volumes and automation have led to an exceptionally brutal summer for global investment banks, which have shed tens of thousands of jobs, particularly on trading desks. Stephen Morris, European banking correspondent, discusses the bleak outlook for bankers with Robert Armstrong, US financial editor.

Contributors: Stephen Morris, European banking correspondent, and Robert Armstrong, US financial editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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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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An experiment in urban planning backed by the UK’s health service has shown how even small changes can have a big impact on the health of communities. Darren Dodd discusses what’s been learnt so far with some of the project’s backers.

Contributors: Darren Dodd, editor of FT Health, Emily Hough, strategy director for NHS England,

Christian Norris, of PA Consulting and Ellen Halstead of Peabody Housing Association> Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love

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Start-ups and consumer giants are trying to find a solution to the deluge of plastic packaging that ends up in landfill or polluting our oceans. Finding a solution will be far more complex than just recycling more, Leila Abboud and Leslie Hook tell Pilita Clark. Read Leila's article here or listen to Ellen MacArthur talk about the plastics in our oceans here.

Contributors: Pilita Clark, business columnist, Leila Abboud, consumer industries correspondent, and Leslie Hook, environmental correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love.

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India has gone from being known as the world’s fastest growing large-economy to a country in the midst of a sharp economic slowdown. Jyotsna Singh discusses what’s gone wrong and what can be done to revive growth with Amy Kazmin, the FT’s South Asia bureau chief.

Contributors: Jyotsna Singh, Delhi reporter, and Amy Kazmin, South Asia bureau chief. Producers: Jyotsna Singh and Fiona Symon

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Shortly before his departure as FT editor, Lionel Barber was granted a rare interview with Angela Merkel, whose period in office is nearing its end. In conversation with Marc Filippino, Mr Barber offers his thoughts on the German chancellor as she battles to keep the flag of multilateralism flying in an increasingly unilateralist world.

Contributors: Lionel Barber, former FT editor, and Marc Filippino, audio producer. Producers: Marc Filippino and Fiona Symon

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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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The FT News Briefing is a rundown of the global business stories you need to know for the coming day, from the newsroom of the Financial Times. If you enjoy it, subscribe to the FT News Briefing wherever you get your podcasts, or listen at FT.com/newsbriefing. 

Western governments pledged trillions of dollars in stimulus measures to limit the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday. The FT’s global business columnist Rana Foroohar explains what it could mean for Wall Street and Main Street. Plus, Impossible Foods raises $500m in a round that will help the US-plant based burger group to see through the economic upheaval caused by the current crisis, and Joe Biden solidifies his status as the frontrunner to take on Donald Trump in November.

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The FT News Briefing is a rundown of the global business stories you need to know for the coming day, from the newsroom of the Financial Times. If you enjoy it, subscribe to the FT News Briefing wherever you get your podcasts, or listen at FT.com/newsbriefing.

Friday, March 20

Republicans in the US Senate have introduced legislation to inject more than $1tn of fiscal stimulus into the economy as it grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. Sir Paul Tucker, the former deputy governor of the Bank of England and current chair of the Systemic Risk Council, says it’s time for policymakers and bankers to prepare for a wartime setting if conditions deteriorate. Plus, the only US drugmaker that makes a potential treatment for the coronavirus raised the price nearly 100 per cent in January as the outbreak wreaked havoc in China. 

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

Regime claims 8 people died in plot connected to foiled coup attempt launched from Colombia

Donald Trump denies Washington played role in alleged attempt to assassinate Maduro

Venezuela’s president airs video of former US soldier accused of taking part in thwarted plot

US regulator cautions against using chloroquine outside of hospitals or clinical trials

Industry highlights bottlenecks in access to materials that are a possible Covid-19 treatment

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

Fund managers and energy-hungry tech companies bankroll ‘solar-plus-storage’ projects

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

Energy, water and other utility groups keep services going despite lockdowns and cuts

A boom in projects across the Permian Basin comes amid coronavirus fears and a global oil price war 

Suffolk residents cry foul as French group seeks to continue process despite lockdown  

Well-capitalised businesses will have an increased advantage for the next few years

Finding love in a time of corona is tricky, converting activity into paid accounts is harder yet

Investment group that owns US malls pledges to help groups weather coronavirus crisis

The FT analyses the scale of outbreaks and the number of deaths around the world

Interest rate cuts and massive fiscal stimulus are expected to weigh on the greenback