On the First Friday of each month, we roll out a bonus episode that’s totally different from what we usually produce.
These bonus episodes are special, unique, and – we hope – round out a fuller, more multifaceted picture of what we think about.
Today, I’m introducing you to a business and economics correspondent from Moscow who I’m honored to call a close friend. Her name is Andrea Palasciano. She’s covered business stories from Paris, Marseilles, Rome and Moscow. She’s fluent in Italian, German, Spanish, French, English and Russian. She’s covered stories ranging from diamond mining in Siberia to sleep deprivation.
She’s close friends with Evan Gershkovich, the 31-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter who’s currently in a Russian prison. Today is his 100th day behind bars.
Andrea and I were both Knight-Bagehot Fellows and bonded during our year of immersing ourselves into deeply understanding how to tell better stories about business and economics. She joins me in this special episode to talk about the stories she’s covered, the sabbatical experience, and why it’s critical to understand how a bond works (!!).
Enjoy!
Timestamps as of July 2023:
06:23: The realities of Russia
08:58: The surprising similarities between the US and Russia
12:57: Seeing Russia’s response to sanctions
11:19: Watching Russia turn into a war economy
18:29: The contrast between the wealth of the country and the working class
19:26: Modern happenings in Moscow
27:22: Crypto, hacking and Silicon Valley
29:27: Day 1 of the Russia-Ukraine war
37:16: The story of Evan Gershkovich
Resources:
Senators Write Letter of Support to Imprisoned Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich – WSJ
Hit By Sanctions, Lada Factory Town Braces for Tough Times – The Moscow Times
Andrea (@afpal) | Instagram
Andrea Palasciano (@AfPalasciano) | Twitter
The Poisoning | Ausha | Podcast
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