This week, we meet the South African gangs stealing copper to survive. When the journalist Monica Mark moved to Johannesburg, she noticed that copper theft was causing disruptions across the country: power went out, trains were cancelled, and her neighbourhood Whatsapp group was livid. She wanted to find out who was behind it. So she tracked down a man who used to be in a copper gang. His story is a unique look at South Africa's current struggles with high unemployment, vast inequality and a global market willing to turn a blind eye for profit. Don’t forget! Send us your top summer tip: what’s one thing that you’d recommend people do to have the perfect summer? Deadline is Sunday, June 4. Record a message here: http://sayhi.chat/15xxgYou can also email us at [email protected], tweet us @ftweekendpod, or message Lilah on Instagram @lilahrap. --------------Links: – Monica’s magazine piece: https://on.ft.com/43gop8N – Follow Monica on Twitter @nickswicks--------------Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the first bonus episode in our mini-series on food and drink. Every Wednesday, as we inch closer to summer, we'll host a fun conversation with a different expert. Lilah’s first guest is chef and food writer Tamar Adler. Twelve years ago, Tamar wrote the bestselling book An Everlasting Meal, which shared her philosophy that every meal you make can come from the meal before it. She recently expanded it into The Everlasting Meal Cookbook, an encyclopedia for cooking leftovers, with more than 1,500 little recipes. Tamar joins Lilah to talk through making second, third and even fourth meals out of what we have in our kitchens, from leftover pasta to wilting lettuce to an old deli sandwich.--------------Want to stay in touch? We love hearing from you. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.--------------Links:– Tamar’s most recent cookbook is The Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A-Z.– Lilah also recommends her original book, An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace– Tamar’s recent piece for FT Weekend on her dream dinner party: https://on.ft.com/43pTres – Tamar is on Instagram @tamar.e.adler-------------We’re still collecting your top summer tips: what’s one small thing that you’d recommend people do this summer, that would make their summer 90% better? Record a message here: http://sayhi.chat/15xxg  -------------Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------This episode was produced by Zach St Louis. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld joins us to talk about romantic comedies. Curtis is a long-time fan of rom-coms – her most recent novel is, in fact, called Romantic Comedy. She loves love. But she also knows that there’s a difference between how love is portrayed in TV and movies, and what it’s like in real life. Curtis speaks with Lilah about the state of romantic comedies today: how they’ve changed, and where they could go next.Don’t forget! Send us your top summer tip: what’s one thing that you’d recommend people do to have the perfect summer? Record a message here: http://sayhi.chat/15xxg  You can also email us at [email protected], tweet us @ftweekendpod, or message Lilah on Instagram or Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Links: – Curtis’ latest novel is called Romantic Comedy– The FT’s review of Romantic Comedy: https://on.ft.com/3OGt4wC – Curtis’ other novels include Rodham (an alternate history of the life of Hillary Clinton) Prep (set in an American boarding school), Eligible (a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice), and American Wife (a romance based loosely on the life of Barbara Bush)– Follow Curtis on Twitter @csittenfeld Romantic comedies mentioned: – When Harry Met Sally – Say Anything– Notting Hill– Four Weddings and a Funeral– Dirty Dancing– Jerry Maguire– You’ve Got Mail– Ticket to Paradise (starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney)– Rye Lane– Fire Island– Russian Doll– Something’s Gotta Give--------------Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips courtesy of Columbia Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Vestron Pictures / Lionsgate Entertainment. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Shrimsley has written a satirical column for the FT for years, and this week we talk through one where he gives advice to his older self. As it turns out, forecasting who you might become is an exercise in recognising who you are now – and coming to terms with your genuine interests and limitations. Then Lilah speaks with Alice Lascelles, the FT’s drinks contributor, about the rise of non-alcoholic beverages. Turns out, making a cocktail that’s non-alcoholic and good is the ultimate challenge for bartenders. --------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at [email protected] We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Links:– Robert is the FT’s UK chief political commentator and UK editor-at-large. He has two columns, one on UK politics and one in the FT Weekend Magazine– Robert’s ‘Advice to my older self’ column: https://on.ft.com/41GYoy2 – Another column by Robert: ‘What’s with all the farmer’s markets?’: https://on.ft.com/3IgOIU8 – One more column by Robert: ‘Humanity has built AI in its own image, heaven help us’: https://on.ft.com/41QmfLW – Alice’s column on the World Alcohol Free awards: https://on.ft.com/3IgsGAX –Robert is on Twitter at @robertshrimsley. Alice is on Instagram and Twitter @alicelascelles.--------------Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we speak with artist Sheida Soleimani. Soleimani grew up in the American Midwest hearing stories of her parents’ escape from Iran: her father spending years in hiding, her mother imprisoned in solitary confinement. Now, she is using three-dimensional collages to tell their story. And she’s doing it in collaboration with them. --------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at [email protected] We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Links:– Lilah’s profile of Sheida Soleimani, from the FT Weekend Magazine’s recent photography special: https://on.ft.com/3MjCQTB – You can explore Ghostwriter on the Edel Assanti website. It’s on view at their gallery in London until May 13: https://edelassanti.com/exhibitions/115-sheida-soleimani-ghostwriter/ – Sheida Soleimani’s 2021 work Proof: https://dennygallery.com/artists/sheida-soleimani/ – Ghostwriter will be on view at the Denny Gallery in Manhattan in September– Sheida is on Instagram at @sheidajanam--------------Our US edition of the FTWeekend Festival is back! Join Hillary Clinton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alice Waters, your favourite FT writers, and more on May 20 in Washington, DC, and online. Register now and save $20 using the promo code weekendpodcast at ft.com/festival-usSpecial offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.