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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Britain's party leaders have made lavish promises to win favour with voters ahead of next month's election. Chris Giles, FT economics editor, discusses the main parties' pre-election pledges and their likely impact on the economy with Siona Jenkins.

Contributors: Siona Jenkins, editor, UK news, and Chris Giles, economic editor. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love

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Taylor Swift’s anger over the sale of her back catalogue shines a light on the role of investment in today’s music industry. Anna Nicolaou and Jamie Powell tell Alex Barker about Swift’s dispute with her former record label and how investments are changing in the streaming era of music.

Contributors: Alex Barker, global media editor, Anna Nicolaou, US media correspondent and Jamie Powell, Alphaville reporter. Producer: Persis Love

Music credit: Taylor Swift, Shake It Off, Big Machine Records

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Wildlife conservation used to be largely financed by wealthy donors and governments. Now, efforts to attract institutional investors are showing significant potential, as a recent Rhino Bond launched by the Zoological Society of London, the FT’s seasonal appeal partner this year, showed. Oliver Withers, ZSL’s head of conservation finance and Aunnie Patton Power, expert in innovative investing and impact finance talk to John Aglionby about the changing landscape of conservation financing. Visit the FT’s seasonal appeal page to donate here

Contributors: John Aglionby, assistant UK news editor, Oliver Withers, ZSL’s head of conservation finance and Aunnie Patton Power, expert in innovative investing and impact finance. Producer: Fiona Symon. Editor: Breen Turner

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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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Beijing has ordered government offices and public institutions to remove all foreign computer equipment and software within three years as part of its bid for self-reliance in office technology. Malcolm Moore discusses the ramifications for Chinese and US companies and for the global supply chain with the FT’s Yuan Yang in Beijing.

Contributors: Malcolm Moore, technology news editor, and Yuan Yang, Beijing technology correspondent.  Producer: Fiona Symon

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After years of economic pain, Greece is in an upbeat mood. But can the country’s fresh political leadership overcome deep-seated problems holding back growth? Katie Martin discusses this question with Kerin Hope in Athens and Ben Hall, Europe editor.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Kerin Hope, Athens correspondent, and Ben Hall, Europe editor. Producers: Persis Love and Fiona Symon

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Caroline Criado-Perez won the latest Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award with her book Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. She spoke to Andrew Hill, the FT’s management editor, about the consequences for women and for society as a whole of using men as the default model.

Contributors: Andrew Hill, management editor, and Caroline Criado Perez. Producers: Marc Filippino and Fiona Symon

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Questions about the future of fossil fuels are putting new pressure on companies and financial institutions. How are they responding and should they be doing more? Pilita Clark talks to Huw van Steenis, chair of the sustainable finance committee at UBS and a former adviser to Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, and Billy Nauman, reporter for the FT’s Moral Money. 

Contributors: Huw van Steenis, chair of the sustainable finance committee at UBS, Pilita Clark, business columnist and Billy Nauman, reporter and producer, moral money. Producer: Persis Love. Photo credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty

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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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Global warming is set to cause a significant rise in sea levels as the world's polar ice melts. The Netherlands is the best-protected delta in the world, with centuries of experience in holding back the floods. As climate change takes its toll, can Dutch expertise help save the world’s cities that are most at risk? Simon Kuper looked into this question for the FT's weekend magazine and he tells Esther Bintliff what he discovered. Read Simon's magazine article here

Contributors: Simon Kuper, FT columnist, and Esther Bintliff, FT Weekend Magazine deputy editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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K-Pop has never been more popular. However, a recent string of high profile controversies including a rape conviction and two suicides have sullied the image of the Korean cultural export. Edward White talks to Patricia Nilsson about what makes a K-Pop star, why the singers are under so much pressure, and what the industry means to the country’s economy.

Contributors: Edward White, Seoul correspondent and Patricia Nilsson, Media reporter. Producer: Persis Love

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Arab Gulf leaders have been splashing out on sport. Officials in the Gulf states say the investment is part of their effort to diversify oil-dependent economies, but critics accuse them of using sport to deflect attention from poor human rights records. Arash Massoudi discusses the impact of the oil money flowing into football and other sports with Murad Ahmed, sports correspondent, and Andrew England, Middle East editor. Sign up to join Arash and Murad at next month’s FT Business of Football Summit here 

Contributors: Arash Massoudi, corporate finance and deals editor, Murad Ahmed, sports correspondent, and Andrew England, Middle East 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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Antarctica is barely accessible to humans but the ice-covered landmass - and the oceans around it - shelter rich wildlife, including many penguins. It also holds the keys for understanding the future of our planet, which is why scientific research into the isolated continent is stepping up. But as human activity encroaches, do we need to do more to protect Antarctica? Clive Cookson, FT science editor, talks to Leslie Hook, environment correspondent, about her recent trip to the region. Read Leslie's article here

Contributors: Clive Cookson, science editor, and Leslie Hook, environment correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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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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Introducing the FT News Briefing. It 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.

Monday, March 16

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to zero and joined forces with other central banks in a bid to prevent a severe economic downturn caused by the coronavirus outbreak. The FT’s Gillian Tett unpacks the sweeping measures. Plus, the rapid spread of the coronavirus and the ensuing travel restrictions have led to one of the worst months on record for the airport industry, and French industrials group Air Liquide is asking would-be buyers of its hand sanitiser unit to offer a higher sum in the wake of the outbreak. 

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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.

Tuesday, March 17

Governments in all large western economies took drastic measures to limit public movement on Monday in an urgent effort to arrest the spreading coronavirus pandemic while US stocks plunged despite a set of emergency measures laid out by the Federal Reserve on Sunday. Plus, an analysis by the Financial Times finds that the UK and the US have key weaknesses in their healthcare systems which could trigger a collapse if put to the test by the outbreak. 

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

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

Former deputy set to take over as country faces sharpest economic contraction in decades

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

Argentina’s Alberto Fernández signals country is in no state to contemplate new deals

Biggest creditors attack government’s proposal to restructure $65bn of foreign debt

Confidence levels plunge as growing political crisis compounds economic damage from coronavirus

Finance minister tells FT that government has rejected counter-offer from BlackRock-led group of creditors

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

Stimulant given as ‘likely’ reason for lower infections but authorities stress health risks

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

Severin Schwan unapologetic for outspoken criticism of state responses to coronavirus

Scientists co-operate on search for Covid-19 origins despite charges Beijing is withholding data

Boss of clothing retailer deserves a premium; Astra’s eyes on big prize

US-run trial of Gilead coronavirus therapy demonstrates ‘significant positive effect’

Gilead’s potential coronavirus treatment stirs investor hopes but evidence on effectiveness is mixed

Partnership that would prioritise UK could produce 100m doses by year-end if treatment is effective

Research paper published in journal Nature identifies number of alternative treatments

First country to get a vaccine could have an economic as well as a health advantage

Biotech group’s shares have soared this year on hopes drug could be used to treat coronavirus

US-led trial shows positive results in hastening recovery time for coronavirus patients

Investors have bet on Gilead’s remdesivir as solution to coronavirus crisis

Sum far exceeds $8bn fundraising target at upcoming EU-led donors’ conference

As researchers race to develop a coronavirus vaccine, we look at efforts to ensure that the world’s poor are not left behind — and ask whether the pandemic will jolt policymakers into confronting the looming threat from antimicrobial resistance

The world needs to act now to avert the threat from antimicrobial resistance

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

The wide variety of Covid-19 symptoms seen by doctors is confounding the scientific community

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

Policy reversal follows Cameron vow to rid UK of ‘unsightly’ structures