Hello from New York,

Happy International Women’s Day. The holiday is an important one in a historic year for elections that will have vast consequences for gender rights, as wars put the lives of women and girls at disproportionate risk. In the corporate world, things may be moving backwards. The FT reports this week that there have been a handful of high-profile female departures in the top echelons of American finance that remain overwhelmingly male. More on gender equality in the workplace below.

This week was also pivotal for the US presidential election, as Donald Trump all but secured the Republican nomination, following a landslide victory in the Super Tuesday primaries, and President Joe Biden tried to stamp out doubts about his re-election prospects in his State of the Union speech. The FT published great pieces from the 2024 election campaign trail, including an analysis of the six swing states that will decide the presidency and commentary on the tyranny of America’s supreme court. More on that below too.

I hope you enjoy my pick of the week’s stories, plus a few from elsewhere you shouldn’t miss. 

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President Biden’s staunch backing of Israel’s offensive in Gaza is generating sweeping resentment across the Arab world, with young Arabs boycotting US brands and turning down jobs at US companies. One recent survey of 16 countries in the region found that three-quarters of respondents now hold a more negative view of the US since the Gaza war. 

The feverish anger towards Washington among Arabs will have much broader consequences for the west than a loss in support for products, reports Raya Jalabi. As one analyst warned, “now, democracy is on the chopping block, human rights are on the chopping block”.

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Dating apps (sigh) we either love them or hate them. The FT produced a fascinating dive this week into how gay dating app Grindr is positioning itself for a transformation in hopes of shedding its reputation as a “hook-up app.” Its shares have outperformed rivals such as Match and Bumble since its debt restructuring, and the company plans to boost revenue by charging a premium for special travel and networking features.

When a company is in crisis and the risk of failure is high, women are more likely to be appointed to the top job. This theory, known as the glass cliff, has been identified for nearly two decades, but the problem could just be as bad as ever, writes Pilita Clark in an entertaining (and frustrating to read) column that lays bare the unfair gender expectations in the C-suite. Female readers will want to blast out Taylor Swift’s “The Man” after reading.

The pendulum is shifting in favour of labour. From autoworkers to actors to baristas to healthcare workers, it’s been inspiring to see US workers come together and win better rights and protections. The stakes could not be higher as AI and the energy transition transform the way that we work. Randi Weingarten at the American Federation of Teachers puts it succinctly, “a union gives people agency”. Our global business columnist Rana Foroohar sat down with four of the country’s most powerful union bosses this week in a wide-ranging discussion on what’s happened and what’s next for the labour movement.

The US offshore wind sector is in the middle of a painful reset, but brighter days are ahead. High interest rates, inflation and supply chain snarl ups turned flagship plans to build wind turbines off the US east coast uneconomical last year. Now states are rushing to save the nascent industry that’s crucial to Biden’s decarbonisation targets. More from me here.

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Quick hits

OTHER FT STORIES THAT HAVE CAUGHT MY EYE THIS WEEK

• The game of “cat and mouse” is back in Europe as Russia’s spymasters aggressively pursue the west since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago.

• The FT’s data team dived deeper into the Super Tuesday results, showing that despite Donald Trump’s landslide win, there were notable weaknesses.

• Another sign of a historic moment for US labour: Dartmouth’s basketball team voted to become the first US college athlete union, a move that could inspire similar actions at other universities.

• If you appreciated the energy read above, delve into the Big Oil showdown between Exxon and Chevron over a valuable asset off the coast of Guyana.

• People have never watched as much pornography as they do now, but the industry hasn’t received the level of scrutiny as other types of media. Two new books dive into why women need to talk more about porn.

WHAT I’VE BEEN READING ELSEWHERE

1. Journalism is in freefall. These writers aren’t giving up. The recent string of US media lay-offs has been devastating to watch and a threat to the country’s democracy. A new business model is emerging as reporters turn to publications owned and operated by its worker-members. (The Guardian)

2. Alabama embryo opinion is about more than Christian nationalism This is a fascinating take on how the state’s supreme court decision last month underscores the rising political power of the Christian right, with implications far beyond Alabama. (The Atlantic)

3. Gen Z is officially old enough to feel old. Feel old yet? A new trend on TikTok is throwing Gen Z into panic over ageing, but it also puts into question why we obsess so much over getting older. (Vox)

It is nearly four years since the World Health Organization declared a global Covid-19 pandemic, and those of us who could retreated indoors. The memory of lockdown reminded me of Claire Bushey’s essay on loneliness, something that despite the return to normal life, continues to be reported in high numbers globally.

As Bushey noted in 2020, “isolation that preceded the pandemic cannot be lifted with the ease of a stay-at-home order. ​​But the pandemic, in its obvious externality, usefully illustrates how loneliness so often arises from conditions divorced from our personal worth,” conditions including a society that overvalues work and marriage above other relationships.

We always want to hear your thoughts and feedback, so drop me a line at amanda.chu@ft.com or email the team at longstoryshort@ft.com — and have a lovely weekend. 

Amanda
US energy reporter