Affairs
Asia 2026 forecast: Vietnam, Malaysia and China lead the way
Here in Thailand, 2026 promises to begin with a bang. The country’s prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who is currently in charge of a caretaker government, has called early elections even earlier than expected and…
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Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza on surviving Putin’s gulag – and the moment when he thought he would be executed
Poisoned twice and sentenced to the longest term ever handed down to a Russian government opponent, Kara-Murza details his confinement in a Siberian prison and why he returned to fight for his country.
In the darkness of the Bondi Beach massacre, a civilian’s heroism gives Albanese a clear path forward
The Bondi Beach attack was callous and anti-Semitic but the fallout could provide further ugliness yet. The reaction, like the actions of Ahmed al Ahmed, must be brave and unequivocal.
Trump’s new National Security Strategy picks a side. Hint: it’s not Europe’s
The White House has released a new 33-page National Security Strategy that formalises the Trump administration’s foreign policy and should leave no one in doubt, least of all Europe.
Brazil 2026 forecast: Real progress in store as Lula gets set to run again
As 2025 draws to a close, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is riding high. Indeed, the Brazilian president is probably looking ahead to next year – an election year – with relish. In 2025,…
Spain 2026 forecast: You may not agree with Pedro Sánchez but his country continues to take a refreshing stance
One of the things that I get to do as Monocle’s Europe editor at large is compile a mental compendium of how nations on the vieux continent are performing against one another – the…
Fifa’s shamelessness is its superpower – it only has one goal in mind
Football’s governing body, Fifa, is no stranger to fostering ties with problematic world leaders and controversial governments – but the 2026 World Cup might just be its most flagrant fawning to date.
Mipim Asia offers lessons in building better following Hong Kong’s fire tragedy
Every March about 20,000 people head to the French Riviera for the world’s leading property and real-estate trade show, Mipim. But this week, a smaller contingent of 400 or so attendees made its way…
Opinion
Turkic states are investing in soft power but it’s Ankara that seeks to steal the show
4 min read
Will Marco Rubio’s Venezuela strategy get him on the ticket for 2028?
All eyes might still be on JD Vance as Trump’s heir apparent but there’s no guarantee that the current vice-president will lead the Republican ticket in 2028. Recent polling might suggest that Vance is…
