FT News in Focus

Brazil’s new finance minister Paulo Guedes brought credibility to the presidential campaign of Jair Bolsonaro, reassuring jittery markets at a time when many worried about the authoritarian instincts of the right-wing former army captain. So, after a month in office, how are things going? The FT’s John Paul Rathbone and Andres Schipani went to meet Mr Guedes to find out.

Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, John Paul Rathbone, Latin America editor and Andres Schipani, Brazil correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban believes he has found a way to ease the country’s severe labour shortage while maintaining a tough anti-immigration policy.  He’s offering tax and other incentives to encourage people to have larger families. But will it work? Katie Martin discusses the move with Neil Buckley and Valerie Hopkins.

Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Valerie Hopkins, South-East Europe correspondent and Neil Buckley, former Eastern Europe editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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A high stakes battle between the head of the world’s largest private equity firm and an Italian media tycoon is raising questions among investors about the ease of doing business in Italy. Josh Noble talks to FT Milan correspondent Rachel Sanderson about the dispute and its protagonists.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Josh Noble, weekend new editor and Rachel Sanderson, Milan correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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A new high-tech pill that could give people with diabetes an alternative to injecting themselves with insulin has been developed by researchers. Naomi Rovnick spoke to Clive Cookson and James Pickford about the breakthrough, which could transform the lives of millions of diabetics all over the world.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Naomi Rovnick, FTLive reporter, Clive Cookson, science editor and James Pickford, deputy editor of FTMoney. Producer: Fiona Symon

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One Chicago-based grain processor Archer Daniels Midland expects the US-China trade war to be resolved, easing the pressure on US soyabean farmers, who have suffered under tariffs imposed on exports to China. Gregory Meyer, US markets reporter, talks to Eric Krupke about what effect the trade war has had on the US soyabean market and where the trouble began.

Contributors: Aimee Keane, US audio editor, Gregory Meyer, US markets reporter. 

Producer: Eric Krupke

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Britain’s outsourcing sector is in trouble, with Interserve just the latest in a string of companies seeking financial restructuring to avert bankruptcy. Josh Noble discusses what’s behind the problems and why the government is refusing to intervene, with Gill Plimmer and Jonathan Ford

Contributors: Naomi Rovnick, FTLive reporter, Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Gill Plimmer, infrastructure correspondent and Jonathan Ford, City editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Nissan’s decision to reverse a promise to build its latest sport utility vehicle, the X-Trail, at its Sunderland plant in the UK has sent shock waves through the industry. Matthew Vincent discusses what’s behind the Japanese car company's decision and the political and economic repercussions of the news with Peter Campbell and Jim Pickard.

Contributors: Siona Jenkins, news editor, Matthew Vincent, Lombard columnist, Peter Campbell, motor industry correspondent and Jim Pickard, chief political correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Volkswagen has been working on its 'Tesla killer' since late 2015 but this is not not an electric car. It is the underlying chassis and the building block for 50 different models of electric car that the German car maker plans to make by 2025. Tim Bradshaw discusses VW's ambition to dominate the electric vehicles market with Patrick McGee in Frankfurt

Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Tim Bradshaw, global technology correspondent and Patrick McGee, Frankfurt correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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The collapse of a dam owned by the Brazilian company Vale ranks among the worst mining disasters in decades, with more than 300 people feared dead. Andres Schipani reports on the aftermath in Brazil and Katie Martin talks to Neil Hume, the FT's natural resources editor, about the wider repercussions for the industry.

Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Andres Schipani, Brazil correspondent and Neil Hume, natural resources editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Researchers in the US have for the first time constructed intelligible synthetic speech using the computer processing of human brain activity, in a significant step towards creating technology that can read people’s thoughts. Madhumita Murgia talks to our science editor Clive Cookson about how they did this.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, Madhumita Murgia, European technology correspondent and Clive Cookson, science editor. Producer: Fiona Symon

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