FT News Briefing

The cost for companies to circumvent shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is reaching record levels, and the world is bracing for an energy cliff edge this summer as the US-Iran war continues. But the war hasn’t deterred investment firms from betting on the Middle East, and we have an update on the UK’s political turmoil.

Mentioned in this podcast:
Sweeping the strait: the companies gearing up to clear the Gulf of mines
Gulf freight rates jump as shipping companies turn to trucks to move cargo
What life is like on the stranded ships of the Gulf
Iran energy crisis enters new phase as peak summer season looms
Investment firms look beyond Iran war to expand in Middle East
Labour reopens Brexit debate
Is being prime minister now an impossible job?
Political Fix podcast

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Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted by Victoria Craig, and produced by Katya Kumkova and Saffeya Ahmed. Our show was mixed by Alex Higgins. Additional help from Peter Barber. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
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Democrats are looking for a bit of a rebrand after losing the White House and both houses of Congress in 2024. They have an opportunity this November to test out some new types of candidates. In a critical swing district in Pennsylvania, the party establishment has coalesced around a progressive, blue-collar candidate named Bob Brooks. The other frontrunner in the race, Ryan Crosswell, represents a very different vision for winning over swing voters. He’s a former Republican and former federal prosecutor who’s more centrist.

Host Sonja Hutson travels to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to interview the candidates and ask party activists where they fall in the electability debate.

Listen to all episodes of The Bethlehem Project here.
Mentioned in this podcast:
Dousing the DC ‘dumpster fire’: Democrats battle over party’s future

The Bethlehem Project is hosted and produced by Sonja Hutson and edited by Marc Filippino. The show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Lauren Fedor contributed reporting. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Opponents are lining up to potentially challenge UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chinese President Xi Jinping says his country will ‘open wider’ for American tech, and Saudi Arabia is considering a Middle Eastern non-aggression pact with Iran. Plus, what does one city in Pennsylvania tell us about the intersection of US politics and the economy?

Mentioned in this podcast:

Starmer braces for leadership challenge by Burnham
Xi Jinping tells Nvidia, Tesla and Apple CEOs that China will ‘open wider’
Saudi Arabia floats Middle Eastern non-aggression pact with Iran
AI chipmaker Cerebras surges more than 100% in Wall Street debut
The Bethlehem Project: US politics and economics through the lens of one city

Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected]

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Katya Kumkova, Saffeya Ahmed, and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann and Michael Lello. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve yesterday, and the Bank of England is set to water down its rules on stablecoins. Plus, the popularity of Germany’s AfD party is growing after its criticism of the Iran war.

Mentioned in this podcast:
Senate confirms Kevin Warsh to succeed Jay Powell as Fed chair
Bank of England set to water down stablecoin rules after industry pressure
Germany’s far-right AfD sees surge in support after it criticises Donald Trump’s Iran war
How could a Starmer leadership challenge play out?

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted by Sonja Hutson, and produced by Katya Kumkova, Saffeya Ahmed, and Marc Filippino. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK gilt investors are weighing in on who they would like to see replace Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and the fund raising for Blue Owl is running dry. Plus, the US economy is hurting due to high inflation and eBay says no thanks to GameStop’s takeover bid.

Mentioned in this podcast:
Who do gilt investors want to lead Britain?
UK borrowing costs surge as Starmer leadership crisis rattles bond
Fuel, munitions and food: Trump’s Iran war rips across US economy
US inflation jumps to 3.8% as Trump’s Iran war sends petrol prices soaring
Blue Owl retail fundraising evaporates amid private credit concerns
Ebay rejects $56bn GameStop bid as ‘neither credible nor attractive’
Get in touch with us at [email protected]

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Katya Kumkova, Saffeya Ahmed, and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Michael Lello. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.