Power Play

As negotiators from nearly 200 countries enter the final week of climate talks at COP28 in Dubai, all eyes will be on the big players and who moves first. In this week’s special edition of Power Play from Dubai, host Anne McElvoy talks to one of the most influential figures in the talks — John Kerry, the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate. A close ally of President Joe Biden and veteran of climate negotiations over several decades, the former secretary of state has the ear of this year's controversial host — COP president Sultan Al-Jaber from the UAE. Kerry also has a domestic audience in mind. He tells Power Play: "The subsidies are crazy and we have them still in the United States. President Biden has said we've gotta get rid of these subsidies. But again ... you have to legislate to do that and we've been pretty gridlocked in our country for a period of time." To reflect on the interview and look ahead to the finale of this year's COP, Anne is joined by POLITICO climate and energy reporter Zack Colman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The diplomatic caravan is rolling into Dubai for this year’s COP — the United Nations' round of global climate talks. Scores of world leaders and luminaries — including King Charles and the pope — from nearly 200 countries are due to attend, alongside an estimated 70,000 delegates. What are the chances of a meaningful agreement emerging at COP28? In this week’s edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Mark Carney, the U.N.’s special envoy for climate finance and action. He's banging the financial drum for the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, encouraging CEOs, financiers and leaders to put their money where their mouths are. "Let's see who stands up in the UAE at COP amongst the oil and gas companies and countries and we'll start to judge who's performing and who isn’t," he says as the conference begins. Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s "Power Panel" to reflect on the interview. Zack Colman is a climate and energy reporter at POLITICO in Washington and Rachel Kyte is visiting professor at the Blavatnik school at Oxford University and co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thomas Heatherwick’s designs have become icons in his home city of London, including the eye-catching cauldron at the 2012 Olympic Games and the reimagined Routemaster bus. The British designer's projects have popped up around the world — and not without controversy. In this week’s edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Heatherwick about his mission to change the way our cities and urban areas are built. His new book "Humanise" implores mayors and town planners around the world to replace "boring" buildings, arguing that they damage our health and the environment. Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s "Power Panel" to reflect on the interview. Aitor Hernández-Morales is author of the Living Cities Global Policy Lab at POLITICO Europe, and Jeff Coltin is co-author of POLITICO’s New York Playbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel’s most senior diplomat – Michael Herzog, the ambassador to the U.S. – is in the eye of a diplomatic storm in the country that is Israel’s most vital ally. He insists that a ceasefire "would invite the next war." In this week's edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Ambassador Herzog about Israel's raid on Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital, how long the conflict is likely to last and the U.S.'s discussions with Israel on what happens after the war. Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s “Power Panel” to reflect on the interview. Jamie Dettmer is POLITICO Europe’s opinion editor, who's reporting from Israel, and Alex Ward, POLITICO’s national security reporter in Washington D.C. and anchor of “National Security Daily.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One month after war broke out between Israel and Hamas, the solidarity of European leaders is being tested. Nowhere more so than in Greece, on the EU's southern border, which has traditional ties to Israel and Arab states. On this week’s edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy speaks to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on his concerns about the war in the Middle East, Greece's proximity to the region, and the prospect of increasing humanitarian aid via a sea corridor. They also discuss Greece's economic revival, relations with Turkey, the challenges of dealing with migrant boat crossings and climate change. Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s “Power Panel” to reflect on the interview. Jamie Dettmer is POLITICO Europe's opinion editor, and Matt Kaminski is POLITICO’s editor-at-large in Washington D.C. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over 100 leading figures from the biggest tech companies and governments across the globe have assembled for Britain’s two-day AI Safety summit. The UK hopes the event will galvanize power players into agreeing common aims to regulate the growth of artificial intelligence. In this early edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the risks and opportunities posed by AI, as well as other pressing global issues. Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s "Power Panel" to reflect on the summit, including Steven Overly, host of POLITICO's daily Tech podcast, and Matt Honeycombe-Foster, U.K. news editor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Middle East crisis deepens, how should the West react to a growing sense of unease about the world order? On this week's edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy speaks to Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Europe's leading digital publisher, Axel Springer (POLITICO's parent company). His new book, "Trade Trap," calls for a new approach to free trade between democracies. He believes we are experiencing a "war of systems, and it is truly a battle between democracies and autocracies." Anne is also joined by POLITICO's head of news in Europe, Christian Oliver and Rana Mitter, an expert on U.S.-Asia relations from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The carnage on the streets of Gaza and mounting tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbours presented a bleak and chaotic backdrop for President Biden’s impromptu visit to Tel Aviv. Is this a conflict on the brink of exploding across the region? In this week’s episode of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to David Petraeus, the former director of the CIA and four-star general who led coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has co-authored a new book, "Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine," which draws on the lessons of warfare since 1945. His warnings about the prospect of an Israeli ground offensive will raise alarm bells around the world. Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s “Power Panel” to reflect on the consequences of this week’s events for the U.S., Europe and the wider world. Alex Ward is POLITICO’s national security reporter in Washington, D.C. and Joshua Posaner is POLITICO’s senior defense reporter in Berlin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The horrific events unfolding in Israel have sent shockwaves around the world. As the death toll mounts from Hamas' deadly attacks and Israel's retaliatory strikes on Gaza, how will the ensuing conflict alter the power balance of the Middle East and its alliances? In this week’s episode of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Ron Prosor, Israel's ambassador to Germany. Prosor has also served as the Israeli Ambassador to the UK and Permanent Representative to the UN. She also talks to Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, deputy mayor of Jerusalem, to get insight into the mood in a city at the heart of tensions in the Middle East. Anne is joined by POLITICO’s "Power Panel" to reflect on the consequences of this week's events for the US, Europe and the wider world. Lara Seligman, POLITICO’s defense reporter in Washington DC and Sam Wilkin, policy editor in POLITICO's Brussels newsroom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The crisis in the U.S. House of Representatives is resonating far beyond Washington, not least in Ukraine, where the durability of America's commitment to the war effort has been thrown into doubt after future funding was omitted from its recent stopgap funding deal. Can Ukraine and its allies in Europe go it alone without agreement on further aid from Congress? And is America’s foreign policy shifting away from the days of spreading liberal democracy? In this week’s episode of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Michael Froman, president of the influential Council on Foreign Relations in New York. The Council’s recommendations are heeded in the Oval Office, State Department as well as European capitals — a bellwether for America’s approach to the world. They explore how the U.S. foreign policy establishment is dealing with the war in Ukraine, the rise of protectionism, liberal democracy, China and the prospect of another Trump presidency. Are the days of America acting as the world's policeman over? Anne is joined by POLITICO's "Power Panel" to reflect on the choices facing the Biden administration and the impact in European capitals. This week's panel are Heidi Vogt, POLITICO's national security editor in Washington and Nicholas Vinocur, editor-at-large for POLITICO Europe in Brussels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The exit of the most powerful player at News Corp has made headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. At 92, Rupert Murdoch has decided to step down as executive chairman, making way for his son Lachlan. But will much change, given Rupert Murdoch's reputation for being close to the action? In this week's episode of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Michael Wolff, long-time chronicler of the Murdoch empire and biographer. His latest book, "The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty," is published this week. They discuss what's at stake for News Corp and Fox and what the change at the top will mean for general elections in the U.S. and the U.K. next year. Later, Anne talks to POLITICO’s assembled “Power Panel” to chart their way through a fast-changing media and political landscape. She's joined by Jonathan Martin, POLITICO's senior political reporter in Washington, and Emilio Casalicchio, author of London Playbook PM. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this inaugural episode of POLITICO's new global podcast Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to the man who hopes to be Britain's next prime minister, Keir Starmer. In a wide-ranging interview on global affairs, the Labour leader reveals his concerns about China. He warns that the U.K. needs to “wean itself off” China “when it comes to trade, commerce and technology.” Starmer also tells Anne what he thinks about Donald Trump, Joe Biden, the war in Ukraine and his vision for a "clean energy alliance" around the world. Later, Anne talks to POLITICO's assembled “Power Panel” from New York City, where the annual U.N. General Assembly is underway. As leaders gather on the international stage, Rosa Prince, the editor of London Playbook and Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent in Washington, D.C. share their analysis of Starmer's thinking about the world and what it might mean for transatlantic relations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

POLITICO's new weekly transatlantic podcast Power Play is officially coming to your podcast feed on Thursday, September 21! Hosted by renowned British journalist Anne McElvoy, Power Play takes listeners inside the minds of those who wield power to better understand the choices they face. The show features guests at the top of their fields in government, business, civil society and more — accompanied by the expert analysis of journalists across POLITICO's newsrooms globally, giving listeners the inside take on the most significant issues raised by the guest, as well as the implications. Be sure to sign up to receive email alerts every time a new episode publishes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an exclusive interview for POLITICO's forthcoming podcast Power Play, Richard Moore, chief of the UK's Secret Intelligence Service — MI6 — speaks to Anne McElvoy about how the culture of agencies like MI6 is changing. Recorded in Prague, a city that shaped the outcome of the Cold War, Moore shares revealing insights into MI6's approach to Russia, China and other threats to the West. Britain's chief spy explains why he believes the West needs to commit to a battle for freedom and against authoritarian regimes akin to the Prague Spring of 1968. They share a personal conversation about how their experiences of the Cold War (Moore as a rising star of Western intelligence, McElvoy as co-writer of the memoirs of a Soviet bloc spymaster) shaped their thinking on handling threats today. They also discuss the impact of AI on intelligence work and how the culture of agencies like MI6 is beginning to change. We hope you enjoy this taste of what's to come on POLITICO's Power Play podcast, officially launching in September — bringing you inside the minds of those who wield power. Please be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast app, and you can sign up to receive email alerts every time a new episode publishes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with another episode from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch, Alex Ward and Jakob Hanke Vela reveal the on-the-ground EU-U.S. subsidy spat playing out here in Davos. We analyze European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's speech at the WEF, where she announced the EU's policy response to compete with Washington's subsidy spree. And Alex speaks to U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, who played an instrumental role in passing America's Inflation Reduction Act, which Europeans see as creating competition for their own industries. POLITICO's Ryan Heath sits down with Gary Cohn, former director of America's National Economic Council and now vice chairman of IBM, to discuss the protectionism tensions between Europe and the United States and hear his surprising economic outlook for the coming year Finally, Ryan heads over to the Female Quotient's Equality Lounge® to speak with its founder, Shelley Zalis. She's been helping to bring VIPs into the conversation outside the main WEF stage — even while speaking to this podcast, bringing fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and Alyse Nelson of the Vital Voices Global Partnership into her chat with Ryan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the World Economic Forum gets underway, we dive into the stories everyone is talking about on the Magic Mountain. POLITICO's Jakob Hanke Vela sits down with PwC Global Chairman Bob Moritz to discuss the findings from their global CEO survey — most CEOs are more pessimistic than they've been in over a decade about the economic growth outlook in the next year. Host Suzanne Lynch discusses the future of the World Economic Forum with POLITICO's Ryan Heath. He has spoken to dozens of people about the elusive plans for what happens when WEF Chairman Klaus Schwab, nearly 85 years young, is no longer in charge. Finally, we turn our focus to cryptocurrencies. POLITICO's Erin Banco speaks to Anthony Scaramucci about the crypto industry's efforts to build back trust. And we hear from Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of global policy for Circle, about how companies like Circle view industry regulation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Davos, Switzerland, the POLITICO crew unpacks the big global issues facing businesses, governments and international organizations as top leaders gather for this year's World Economic Forum. Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Ryan Heath, Erin Banco and Alex Ward to debate which issues are likely to dominate over the coming days — everything from recession concerns to climate and crypto. The veterans on our crew reveal their top tips for surviving the dizzying week atop the magic mountain, and Ryan speaks to Richard Edelman, CEO of public relations firm Edelman, about the latest findings from his company's annual Trust Barometer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week at a New York Times event during the U.N. General Assembly, World Bank President David Malpass dodged questions about the science of climate change and said, "I don't even know — I'm not a scientist." On the heels of the controversial comments, POLITICO reporter and Global Insider author Ryan Heath interviewed Malpass to get his perspective on the comments. They also examined the World Bank's approach to funding projects to combat climate change and the challenges facing global development amid concerns of economic recession. Sign up for the free Global Insider newsletter here. Follow Ryan on Twitter @PoliticoRyan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A growing energy crisis, record greenhouse gas concentrations, and increasing extreme weather events, have been hot topics at this year's U.N. General Assembly. Climate action promised by countries worldwide has fallen far short of what's needed to meet the international goal to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. This week The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) held its first meeting of the new Global Leadership Council, a coalition of global public and private sector leaders created to help meet this goal. POLITICO reporter and Global Insider author Ryan Heath spoke with the Council's co-chairs—Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, and Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation—about the Council's role in helping accelerate and scale clean energy transitions, and maintaining momentum in tackling emissions targets. Sign up for the Global Insider newsletter here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been a constant backdrop to the U.N. General Assembly this year. From influencing commodity prices to exacerbating already difficult U.N. Sustainable Development Goals to challenging the rules-based global order and effectiveness of multilateral organizations. Events this week catapulted the conflict back to the forefront as international leaders gathered. Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank, and Urmas Reinsalu, Estonia's foreign minister, come from different perspectives but have clear views on necessary actions to support Ukraine and share a common level of concern. POLITICO Global Insider author, Ryan Heath, visited both men at their offices near the U.N. to learn what they found most concerning and how they viewed their roles in supporting Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.