Podcasts · News

The Briefing

Monocle

100 episodes

A pacy round-up of the day’s main news stories, anchored from London by a Monocle editor. The show features informed reporting, prescient business analysis and invaluable industry reports covering everything from technology to aviation and retail to media.

Episodes page 1 of 2

  1. Record high turnout early on in Israeli elections

    · 36 min

    We’re in Tel Aviv to assess the mood on the ground as millions turn out to vote in an election that could have global repercussions. Then: 50 stories celebrating 50 years of the National Theatre building in London.…

  2. Brazil election: the world and the markets react

    · 30 min

    Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office. While supporters celebrate, investor bets on a right-wing victory are upended. Plus: Serbia’s veteran leader Aleksandar Vučić ousted by the student…

  3. Europe is spending more on defence but is it ready to defend itself?

    · 32 min

    A new Globsec report argues that Europe won’t be ready to put new defence tech into action fast enough. We explore the solutions. Plus: entrepreneurship in New Delhi and Art Basel adjusts to more civil disruption in…

  4. British jets for the UAE and Emirati fuel for France: Europe and the Gulf’s new ties

    · 35 min

    European and Gulf countries sign new deals on defence and energy. We examine the ties forged in crisis. Then: Google’s data centre plans in Finland are put on ice. Plus: ‘The Global Countdown’ heads to Helsinki. See…

  5. Are Moscow and Washington drawing ever closer?

    · 30 min

    Russia has announced that it’s releasing detained American Stephen Hubbard. Is this another signal of a warming relationship? Then: Romania forms a government after a 6-month political deadlock. See…

  6. Alberta votes to remain in Canada

    · 32 min

    As Albertans vote to remain, we look at the lasting impact of the campaign to leave Canada. Then: Volodymyr Zelensky and Steve Witkoff head to Oslo. What shape could talks take? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

  7. The political fallout after widespread protests and riots in France

    · 30 min

    We’re in Paris as Emmanuel Macron asks some cities to impose partial curfews after a weekend of riots and looting. But what’s next as his interior minister says that the police “lost control”? See…

  8. Donald Trump’s energy ceasefire collapses: What next for the war in Ukraine?

    · 34 min

    As Trump rebukes Ukraine’s attacks on a Russian oil refinery, we speak to a former Ukrainian ambassador about how negotiations have changed. Then: the UAE’s changing security landscape and Sumo at the London Film…

  9. EU budget showdown: Is a breakthrough possible?

    · 36 min

    EU leaders gather in Brussels, hoping to find a way forward for the bloc’s next budget. Is there room for manoeuvre? Plus: Giorgia Meloni criticises Donald Trump’s Russia diesel deal and Frieze London opens to the…

  10. Volodymyr Zelensky in the UK after deadly overnight attacks

    · 31 min

    Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meets UK prime minister Andy Burnham as Russia strikes critical infrastructure in Kyiv Plus: the future of fashion retail and why Ford is re-entering rallying. See…

  11. IMF global economic forecast: bright spots and warnings

    · 39 min

    We discuss the latest global economic forecast and what it means for financial systems as the IMF warns of ‘resilience under strain’. Plus: commissioning contemporary art and the Paris Auto Show opens to the public.…

  12. Protests in New Delhi: Is Modi now facing an insurmountable political crisis?

    · 35 min

    Monocle and Hitachi Energy host a series of exclusive events in New Delhi featuring our editors and invited experts. Then: what’s getting everyone revved up at the Paris Motor Show? Plus: The CEO of Dubai Airports…

  13. South African Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay wins the Nobel Peace Prize

    · 34 min

    We’re in Oslo as the Nobel Institute recognises the achievements of the former UN rights chief and ICJ judge who stood up against apartheid. Plus: Anthony Vaccarello leaves Saint Laurent. See omnystudio.com/listener…

  14. Houthis claim Riyadh attacks and Italy approves controversial electoral-reform law

    · 36 min

    We get the latest from our Gulf correspondent as explosions hit the Saudi capital. Then: Italy prime minister Giorgia Meloni secures final approval for electoral overhaul. And: the latest on protests in Paris. See…

  15. Mail-in or early voting? How to get votes in ahead of the US midterm elections

    · 29 min

    As Donald Trump sows doubt about mail-in voting, Republicans face a dilemma. Then: France roils European bond markets. Plus: Jesper Brodin of the Earthshot prize. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  16. France’s day of demonstration

    · 30 min

    As students, teachers and parents blockade schools across France, we speak to Anita Riotta in Paris. Plus: We review the Chanel show at Paris Fashion Week and speak with Éternel Parisien founder Gilles Rosier. See…

  17. Spain calls a snap election and Brazil heads to a runoff

    · 33 min

    Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, calls an early election amid widespread housing protests. Plus: right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro wins the first round of elections in Brazil but fails to secure an outright majority.…

  18. Stories from the Ukraine war and 25 years since the grounding of Swissair

    · 34 min

    We speak to the editor of The Kyiv Independent in London as the war in Ukraine escalates. Plus: Tyler Brûlé on rebranding a failed airline and why China is regulating AI relationships. See omnystudio.com/listener for…

  19. Israel’s ambassador to the UAE on Flydubai

    · 33 min

    We speak to Israel’s ambassador to the UAE as details of the diverted Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv continue to emerge. Plus: the business news, how your environment affects your lifespan and this week’s ‘The…

  20. What we know of the diverted Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv

    · 32 min

    We follow the developing story suggesting that a pilot was stabbed on flight FZ103 en route to Israel. Plus: Mineblast tests South Korea’s approach to North Korea and Paris Fashion Week in full swing. See…

  21. Can Japan and China break their diplomatic deadlock?

    · 29 min

    As Beijing hosts the highest-level Japanese delegation in a year, we consider what this might do to thaw relations. Plus: we’re in Sao Paulo ahead of Brazil’s election and Abu Dhabi as Livex kicks off. See…

  22. How much of a boost is France’s far-right surge in Senate elections?

    · 30 min

    France’s National Rally and its allies have secured a record 14 seats in partial Senate elections. Is it a ‘major milestone’? Plus: an apology from Asian Games organisers and a check-in with our team at Paris Fashion…

  23. The China-US dinner: Is Europe feeling left out?

    · 29 min

    Did Xi Jinping and Donald Trump’s meeting at the White House go well and what did Europe think? Then: what international force comes after Unifil? Plus: Thailand’s first America’s Got Talent winner. See…

  24. Does the UN still have teeth? Plus: Monocle’s October style issue

    · 36 min

    As countries strike out on their own and conflicts abound, does the UN still hold sway? Alex von Tunzelmann reminds us what the organisation is capable of. Then: Monocle’s October style issue hits newsstands. See…

  25. ‘Greatness or obliteration’: Can the UNGA help Iran and the US secure a deal?

    · 28 min

    If progress can be made with anything at the UNGA, will it be with Iran and the US? Then: why are Milan Fashion Week parties an important event for sartorial diplomacy? Plus: Zürich’s cultural revolution. And: can AI…

  26. Is UNGA where the middle powers stop talking and start acting?

    · 29 min

    Leaders from Canada, Japan, Brazil and more take centre stage at the UN General Assembly today. Are they the new power brokers? Then: we head to Fondazione Prada as Milan Fashion week hits the runway. See…

  27. The UN General Assembly convenes against the backdrop of the Iran war

    · 31 min

    As world leaders descend on New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, we discuss the gathering’s relevance. Then: Fresh election setbacks for the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz. And: What do city monuments mean to…

  28. Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro battle for votes ahead of Brazil’s big election day

    · 29 min

    Brazilians prepare to head to the polls as the presidential race narrows. Then: we look ahead to Fine Arts Paris and head to the Toronto Film Festival. And: we hear about the late architect César Pelli’s final project.…

  29. Catwalks, pop-ups and after-parties: London Fashion Week begins

    · 35 min

    We hear from the CEO of the British Fashion Council as London Fashion Week begins. Then: we meet the team behind the One London project. And: Fernando Augusto Pacheco brings us his Slovak “Global Countdown”. See…

  30. Canada is set to become the EU’s first associate member

    · 27 min

    Canada is set to become the EU’s first associate member. Then: we look at the crackdown against the LGBTQ+ community in Turkey. Plus: we head to the Arab Media Summit and look inside the new issue of Konfekt. See…

  31. Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial: what do we know in week 10?

    · 26 min

    Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial in the Philippines. Then: We check in with Monocle’s team at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai. And: The best of Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. See…

  32. The EU ices out the US with its new Arctic agenda

    · 29 min

    European leaders carve out a new Arctic agenda without the US at the table. Then: Mark Carney's bid to turn Canada’s political reliability into economic gain. Plus: Design on display in London, Paris, Venice and…

  33. Are markets recognising a renewed threat to global energy supplies?

    · 29 min

    Oil is more than $100 (€86) a barrel and European diesel prices have hit record highs. Are markets finally recognising a renewed threat to global energy supplies? Then: Konfekt’s autumn spa special and Paris Design…

  34. Does the future of the transatlantic relationship lie with Poland and Canada?

    · 39 min

    Could Poland and Canada’s defence deal mark a new chapter for Western security? Then: can the US Democrats capitalise on their success in the primaries? Plus: Apple’s new CEO is put to the test. See…

  35. How to preserve a political legacy: the view from ‘Trumpapalooza’ and Macron’s twilight years

    · 31 min

    We’re in Dallas as the Republican party begins to grapple with its post-Trump future and then in Paris, where Macron and his MPs strategise for plans after his departure. Then: New York Fashion Week kicks off. See…

  36. Rubio in South America: celebrating the region’s rightward shift and eyeing 2028

    · 33 min

    US secretary of state Marco Rubio lands in Colombia, lauding the continent’s right-wing swing. Will he leverage his regional influence for a 2028 presidential run? Then: Portuguese architecture and Lisbon’s Cape Verde…

  37. Germany’s far-right wins big: The view from the Bundestag and Brussels

    · 31 min

    We head to Berlin as Germany’s far-right AFD party eyes a path to power. Then: a global foresight strategist on how businesses can navigate volatility. Plus: 2027 travel trends emerge, with long-haul trips and cooler…

  38. What the biggest restructuring in Volkswagen’s history says about Germany

    · 31 min

    Could Volkswagen’s restructuring actually be a positive sign that corporate Germany is facing up to reality? Plus: Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference under way in Lisbon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

  39. That’s Goethe hurt: Russia’s cultural swipe at Germany following accusations of drone attacks and spying

    · 34 min

    Russia looks to close Germany’s Goethe-Institut cultural centres. Then: big tech makes Trump’s Lake America official, the latest from Hong Kong and the Quality of Life global countdown. See omnystudio.com/listener for…

  40. Live from Zürich, which has just topped an index of the world’s smartest cities

    · 28 min

    Emma Nelson is live from our headquarters in the city that has just topped the IMD’s global Smart City Index. Plus: an alliance unfolding between Al-Qaeda and Houthis in Yemen and the start of the Venice Film Festival.…

  41. The Mecca defence pact and Meloni’s record-breaking run

    · 31 min

    We head to Istanbul for Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s first-ever Mecca Defence Alliance meeting. Then we’re off to Milan to discuss Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s new era of stability. See…

  42. La rentrée politique: France’s presidential hopefuls kick start their campaigns

    · 31 min

    There are seven months to go before the first round of the election that will find a replacement for outgoing leader Emmanuel Macron. As politicians return to their offices after the summer break, we look at the…

  43. The death of Norway’s King Harald V and the enduring soft power of monarchy

    · 32 min

    In light of Harald V’s passing, we explore why monarchy still influences an increasingly divided geopolitical landscape. Then: Dubai airport perseveres amid war and Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference in Lisbon next…

  44. A moment of truth for Volkswagen and Germany’s wider car industry

    · 32 min

    Volkswagen’s CEO Klaus Blume and unions are clashing over massive job cuts. Plus: New York Mayor Mamdani takes on Fifth Avenue. And: The Global Countdown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  45. Spain vows to overhaul immigration laws as the Ceuta crisis persists

    · 32 min

    The Spanish government requests emergency EU funding as the cabinet holds an extraordinary meeting over the Ceuta crisis. Then: how to fail upwards in business. And: Australia bans AI-generated music from its charts.…

  46. A ‘path to prosperity’? The US removes Syria from list of state sponsors of terrorism

    · 32 min

    Washington says that it is recognising Damascus’s positive moves to distance itself from international terrorism. Syria’s foreign minister calls the decision a “historic step”. We look at what the Trump…

  47. Andy Burnham delivers secret missile plans on Ukraine’s Independence Day

    · 33 min

    The UK prime minister is in Kyiv on his first foreign trip, boosting Ukrainian missile production and defying Russian threats. Plus: Iran “D-Day” hyperbole shrugged off by markets and the Edinburgh International Book…

  48. Myanmar’s post-coup leadership’s diplomacy tour lands in Bangkok – what does legitimacy look like?

    · 36 min

    We head to Bangkok as Myanmar’s post-coup leadership arrives for a diplomatic push. What does it mean for a government to gain legitimacy? Then: Rail Baltica brings the Baltics ever closer. Plus: Rob Bound previews…

  49. Can Ukraine’s new defence minister Yevhenii Khmara deliver what Kyiv needs most?

    · 39 min

    As pressure mounts on Zelensky amid calls for elections, what does the scandal mean for Ukraine’s morale? Plus: Can design be a vehicle for development in post-industrial cities; and a flick through Monocle’s September…

  50. How do trade routes tip the balance of geopolitical scales?

    · 30 min

    China is launching an Arctic Sea route as an alternative to the fraught Middle East shipping lanes. How would this shift global ties? Plus: will Moldova and Romania merge? Then: Libyan reggae and Lebanese city-pop with…

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