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 2 of 2
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Andy Burnham delivers secret missile plans on Ukraine’s Independence Day
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…
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Myanmar’s post-coup leadership’s diplomacy tour lands in Bangkok – what does legitimacy look like?
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…
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Can Ukraine’s new defence minister Yevhenii Khmara deliver what Kyiv needs most?
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…
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How do trade routes tip the balance of geopolitical scales?
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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Oman, the inadvertent gate keeper
How has Oman found itself in the firing line of the United States? And what is its motivation to reach a deal with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz? Plus: chef-turned-CEO Hugo Worsley and shoe designer Yuki Matsuda. See…
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Can the US get the Gaza peace plan back on track?
The US pushes to revive its Gaza peace plan as Jared Kushner meets Hamas and Israeli officials. Plus: Anita Riotta previews ‘The Foreign Desk’ and Fernando Augusto Pacheco tells us about ‘Monocle Meets’. See…
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This land is my land: how should countries resolve small territorial disputes?
As Japan slams Putin’s recent visit to the disputed Northern Territories, we discuss what history tells us about how these matters are resolved. Then: the Gulf gears up for EVs and Eurovision proposes major voting…
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Maga without Trump? The future of The Republicans
As two of president Donald Trump’s most fervent former acolytes talk about forming a new party, we assess the future of Maga. Plus: what Ottawa’s nightlife mayor can teach the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for…
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Why South Korea is reluctant to help Ukraine as North Korea boosts Russia’s war effort
Ukraine’s president warns that Pyongyang is increasingly bolstering Putin’s war effort. We ask what the fresh shipments of ground troops and weapons could mean for other Asian powers. See omnystudio.com/listener for…
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South Korea’s defence future: chips and ships
South Korea announces major ambitions for its defence industry. What does Seoul’s focus on American ships and locally produced chips tell us? Then: European retailers are creating communities in the US market. Is this…
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The latest from Bangkok and ‘The Growth Story of the 21st Century’
As a second shooting in less than a week rocks Thailand, we head to Bangkok for the latest. Then: what economic opportunities exist in climate action? Plus: the future of Schengen and the allure of the cinema. See…
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Are European companies outpacing their American peers?
We head to Bangkok first for an update from James Chambers on a tragic school shooting in the city. Then: we dive into corporate earnings to see which sectors are leading the pack. Plus: the CEOs of Bombardier and…
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‘Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography’ and ‘The Global Countdown’
We visit a photography exhibition that takes us through the decades of American city life. Plus: we get the latest on a possible Iran-Oman deal, and Fernando Augusto Pacheco brings us ‘The Global Countdown’. See…
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Revisiting La Rambla and the increasing importance of tree cover
Julia Webster Ayuso reports on the redevelopment of Barcelona’s La Rambla. Then: the increasing demand for tree services and suppliers as Europe grapples with heatwaves. Plus: an update from the first day of Taiwan’s…
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Boeing’s 737 Max 7 finally gets certification from FAA
We explore what it means for Boeing’s Max 7 to finally get off the ground. Plus: Japan’s currency intervention and the latest in hotel design with Monocle’s Nic Monisse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…
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Why is Israeli withdrawal such a key issue for Gaza and Lebanon?
In both the Hamas disarmament deal and upcoming talks with Lebanon in Rome, Israel refuses to withdraw. We discuss what that says about regional dynamics. Then: ‘The Foreign Desk’ explores the “Nerd Reich”; RFK Jr’s…
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Optimism remains as firefighters battle to get France’s wildfires under control
France’s interior minister says optimism remains even as firefighters work to get the blazes in southwestern France under control. Then: we head to Mallorca for the opening of a new Mandarin Oriental. Plus: a…
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What’s next for Peru as it inaugrates its 10th president in a decade
We head to Peru, where Keiko Fujimori has been inaugurated, to explore how she fits into the cast of characters reshaping politics in Latin America. Plus: the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi sets an opening date. See…
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What Japan can teach the world about disaster preparedness?
With Japan in recovery mode after a deadly earthquake, what can its disaster preparedness teach the world? Plus: tributes to late French DJ Kavinsky. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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South Korea battles its ageing population with a foreign workforce
Solutions for South Korea as it becomes the latest country to officially become a “super-aged” society. Plus: why it’s a buoyant time for the luxury cruise market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The UK-Ukraine special relationship
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meets the fifth UK prime minister since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Does he have more value to offer Andy Burnham than the other way around? Plus: Cape Verde’s new soft power.…
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Trump’s ‘Department of Revenge’ and the latest fashion news
We begin live from the West Bank after four people die in the deadliest attack of the year. Then: Donald Trump’s weaponisation of the Department of Justice. Plus: fashion news from Dior, Burberry and more. See…
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Why has Donald Trump signed a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia?
Washington and Riyadh have inked a landmark pact which could allow the Gulf kingdom to develop its own civilian nuclear programme. We look at why the US president is letting Saudi Arabia achieve what it has fought so…
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Ukraine’s president attempts to de-escalate tensions at home
Volodymyr Zelensky replaces his top army chief and appeals to the former defence minister after protests in Ukraine. Plus: Monocle’s head of radio discusses the case for taking a sabbatical. See…
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Farnborough Air Show highlights defence; China patrols the South China Sea
We speak to Lockheed Martin at the Farnborough Air Show about the renewed focus on European defence. Then: how China is patrolling the South China Sea and why the US Coast Guard could get involved. See…
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Lebanon's president visits the White House for landmark discussions
Joseph Aoun meets Marco Rubio ahead of his talks with the US president, Donald Trump. Then: Monocle's view of World Cup soft power, Italy's short-haul flights and how the global demand for luxury fashion brands is…
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World Cup final: The mood in Argentina and Spain, plus half-time show preview
Fernando Augusto Pacheco and Ed Stocker assess the mood ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final. Plus: what to expect from an unusual half-time show featuring Madonna and Shakira. Then: photographer Misan Harriman. See…
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Why is the world viewing China more positively than the US?
We unpack a new survey from PEW Research Center which shows that China is now viewed more positively than the US. Plus: Greener, Cooler, Healthier is a new platform providing nature-based solutions to urban heat. See…
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Western Europe’s last frontier fence falls as Gibraltar joins the border-free Schengen community
In an historic step that follows decades of divisiveness and years of negotiations, Gibraltar joins Europe’s border-free Schengen community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Macron uses his last Bastille Day to unite Europe in show of military strength
As France’s president oversees his last parade, we assess why this year’s celebrations focus on European unity and support for Ukraine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed? US and Iran exchange tit-for-tat strikes
Tehran says it can’t allow Washington to use the Strait of Hormuz to harm Iran’s sovereignty. Plus: why is Volkswagen changing? Then: is Norway the model country for ‘good losers’? And: we chat with Belgian singer…
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Coming out of the cold? Myanmar tries to re-engage with the Asean bloc
Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations prepare for their first talks with Myanmar since the 2021 coup. Plus: we examine how Londoners are living with and adapting to extreme heat. And: how…
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Will an establishment-versus-outsiders rift sink the Democrats’ mid-term hopes?
Are global energy markets engaging in wishful thinking as the conflict in Iran deepens? Then: does the Maine Senate race prove Democrats cannot resolve the rift threatening their mid-term chances? Plus: Klarna’s CMO…
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Damascus rocked by explosions during Macron’s visit to Syria: what comes next?
As the first visit to Syria by an EU leader is marred by explosions, we get the view from France and Damascus. Then: what next for Nato after renewed Trump threats? Plus: business news and Japan’s Yumiko Morioka. See…
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Trouble on the right: Meloni faces Trump at Nato summit while Le Pen awaits her fate
Donald Trump mocks his erstwhile ally Giorgia Meloni, while Marine Le Pen’s presidency is in the hands of a French court ruling. Plus: the US-Belgium controversy settled on the pitch and Haute Couture Week in Paris.…
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Iran mourns Ali Khamenei amid questions over his son’s whereabouts
Funeral processions for Iran’s slain supreme leader culminate in central Iran but his successor is nowhere to be seen. Plus: Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial gets under way; the chief economist of Swedbank; and how…
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Press freedoms in the spotlight on the 250th anniversary of US independence
As Donald Trump prepares to mark America’s birthday, we look at how press freedoms have evolved. Then: why has Moldova’s prime minister resigned? And: we speak to the owners of Paris shirtmaker Charvet. See…
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Kyiv suffers one of the worst nights of the war as Russia strikes back
A day of mourning is declared in Ukraine’s capital after Russian forces launched a large aerial attack. Then: Chanel buys historic gentleman’s shirtmaker Charvet. And: we bring you more musical World Cup fun. See…
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Wins and losses for Donald Trump at the end of the US Supreme Court’s term
US Supreme Court justices rule against Donald Trump on birthright citizenship. Plus: We look at Le Kilt’s offerings with Monocle’s Brenda Tuohy; and speak with H&M at Almedalen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…
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Germany looks to the Global South for a new international order
Germany launches its North-South commission as its aid budget is cut. Plus: UAE launches its first passenger-train service, North Korea’s unlikely economic success and Monocle at Almedalen Week in Sweden. See…
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Protests in Gaza erupt over living conditions in the besieged strip
We examine the future of life in Gaza as Israeli strikes kill three Palestinians. Then: Sweden’s Almedalen week, Paris Fashion Week Men’s and Mexican chef Santiago Lastra. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…
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Quality of Life special: From Tokyo to Oslo
In this special edition of The Briefing we look at some of the top cities in Monocle’s Quality of Life survey. Plus: a look into postcards of the past and a food neighbourhood in the winning city of Tokyo. See…
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Donald Trump and the US Senate battle over Iran ahead of midterm elections
We look at how the Iran war has irked Congress and affected Republicans’ domestic agenda. Then: Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey 2026; MIT Museum acquires IM Pei’s archive; and The Global Countdown World Cup…
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Will Russia’s fuel crisis bring peace to Ukraine?
Russian president Vladimir Putin says Moscow is ready for peace talks with Ukraine after infrastructure strikes lead to a fuel shortage. Then: Grace Charlton takes us front row at Paris Fashion Week Men’s. See…
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Would Britain be better off closer to Europe?
Ten years after Brexit, British voters now see the referendum as a disaster. Then: we look at the newspapers in Brazil and our Quality of Life series takes us to a Viennese bunker. See omnystudio.com/listener for…
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Keir Starmer resigns as UK prime minister
The UK prepares for its seventh head of government in 10 years as Keir Starmer stands down. Plus: Iran and the US hold talks in Switzerland. And: we head to Sydney’s Little Portugal. See omnystudio.com/listener for…
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Colombia’s polarising run-off election and the view from the south
Colombia faces a hugely polarising presidential run-off election. Plus: Singapore beats Switzerland to the top spot in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking; how the US-Iran deal will affect Asia; and French culture…
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Tell it to me Strait: Will the Iran deal repair the global economy?
As US president Donald Trump signs a deal with Iran, we examine the key takeaways and the effects on global markets. Then: Fernando Augusto Pacheco brings us the third World Cup special edition of ‘The Global…
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G7 summit talks critical minerals and Art Basel kicks off in Switzerland
Day two of the G7 summit in France focused on critical minerals and trade. Plus: Monocle’s Sophie Monaghan-Coombs reports from Art Basel. And: the Tokyo Music Hour features Thai musician Notep. See…
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Is Trump ready to turn a corner on the war in Ukraine? Plus: Pitti Uomo
US president Donald Trump says that Russia should make a deal with Ukraine to end the war. Then: the rise of the farther-right. Plus: we head to Florence with Grace Charlton for Pitti Uomo. See omnystudio.com/listener…
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