The Monocle Minute

By now, the content of Mike Waltz and co’s Signal chat discussing US military strikes against the Houthis has been forwarded around the world more times than the inappropriate picture that your neighbour accidentally posted on your street’s Whatsapp group. Besides being proof of the amateurism of Donald Trump’s national security team, it is also the most shocking leak to have occurred in the new government-by-smartphone era. Here in London, we have already had a few years of Whatsapp-related scandals that have revealed, among other depressing things, the extent to which high-level policy is now hashed out by politicians jackknifed over their phone screens.

Perhaps it’s futile to bemoan the encroachment of technology into government decision-making or to make the point that the forum often dictates the quality of a debate: while in-person conversation doesn’t always include deep thought, instant messaging almost never does. But is it naive to expect that those entrusted with the responsibility of directing the world’s most powerful military might be a little more careful with their information? Trump’s first administration did much to erase the sacred distance previously employed by US power in order to govern effectively. It was also leakier than a wicker colander. But the second time around – and I say this in the knowledge that we’re barely more than two months in – his team has felt a lot tighter. Much has been attributed to the presence of certain “responsible people” in the room, such as the White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles.

The reason why this Signal leak hasn’t been as damaging as it might otherwise have been is the accidental presence of a responsible person in the room: The Atlantic’s editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, who was handed the scoop of a lifetime but refused to disclose those elements of the chat, such as the name of a serving CIA officer, that would have put any individuals in harm’s way. European feelings were not so diligently protected. The views of the US secretary of defence, Pete Hegseth, and others towards America’s erstwhile allies were writ large in black, white and flexed-arm emojis. As for what Vlad at the other end of the street will have thought as he swiftly forwarded the messages to Xi nextdoor, one need not stretch their imagination too far to picture a devilish smile being slowly drawn across a heavily Botoxed face. While the US descends further into the realms of satire, the rest of the world, like our leaders, are forced to stare incredulously at our screens.

Alexis Self is Monocle’s foreign editor. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.

If we have learned anything from more than 10 years of making Monocle Radio’s The Urbanist, it’s that dialogue, debate and even a late-night drink can help to stir up the next big ideas for our cities (writes Carlota Rebelo). On Monday night, some 90 people gathered at Ned’s Club in London for a lively chat on the future of urban areas that celebrated how thoughtful design and bold leadership can improve citizens’ quality of life.

Monocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, hosted the evening; he was joined by Muyiwa Oki, the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba), Nic Monisse, our design editor, and me. Muyiwa argued that we shouldn’t focus on building. “Eighty per cent of the buildings that we’ll use in the next 30 to 40 years are already built,” he said, stressing the need for adaptive reuse rather than demolition.

It was a fitting message for the setting – The Ned, a former bank that is now a thriving hotel and members’ club, is an example of urban regeneration well done. The night’s key takeaway? Cities don’t design themselves and bringing people together is what makes them liveable, sustainable and great places to call home. Keep an eye out – we’ll be back at Ned’s Club for more Monocle Mondays soon.

To listen to the whole conversation, recorded live at Ned’s Club in London, tune in to tomorrow’s episode of‘The Urbanist’.

Japan’s impressive shinkansen will soon get even better: the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) has announced a new premium class with semi-private seats for the busy Tokaido line that runs between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka (writes Fiona Wilson). The Green Cars have so far served passengers well as a first-class-equivalent service, with spacious seats and an exclusive food and drink menu. But now a new, as yet unnamed, class has been teased.

From autumn 2026, car 10 of the N700S trains that zip west from the capital will have six highly prized single seats, each with a door to the aisle. These seats recline in a hard shell with a leg rest and luggage storage. There was some speculation in 2024 that they would be completely private but the company has decided against the idea of having a wall between the seats, allowing those travelling in pairs to spin theirs around to face their companions. According to JR Central, the new upper class is a response to “changes of lifestyle and work habits”. The “S” added to the sixth generation of N700 bullet trains stands for “Supreme” – which is apt, since bowling along at 285km/h as a perfectly framed outlook to Mount Fuji slips by is a supreme way to get around.

When I was in Rome during the recent Derby della Capitale, the face-off between the city’s Roma and Lazio football clubs, I was reminded of how stadiums shape cities (writes Stella Roos). Hundreds of new arenas are being built worldwide. When they’re designed as functional parts of the urban fabric, they can truly animate a city. Casablanca is building the Hassan II, a 115,000-capacity stadium that is set to become the world’s largest; in Paris, those bidding for Red Star FC are promising to spruce up the team’s historic Stade Bauer as a spur to economic growth in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Trahan Architects’ $560m (€540m) renovation of the Caesars Superdome has brought investment and energy.

In Santa Giulia, Milan, the first stadium by David Chipperfield Architects will be finished this year. The 16,000-capacity covered arena will host ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics and later serve as a sports and cultural venue. “A stadium has so many technical aspects,” says lead architect Leander Bulst. “Yet it needs to be expressed in a way that people can relate to.” The designs often evoke Roman amphitheatres. Now, as in ancient times, stadiums bring crowds and energy to neighbourhoods. In Rome, I could feel the electric atmosphere of the Derby della Capitale filtering through the city as locals kept score by listening to the roars coming from the stands. A good stadium can be a game-changer.

Martin Bech Holte is an economist and former head of McKinsey Norway. In The Country That Became Too Rich, published in January, he argues that Norway’s famed oil fund is stagnating the economy. The book has become an overnight success, encouraging plenty of political debate ahead of Norway’s general elections in September.

What made you write this book?
Norway is the most opportunity-rich country in the Western world, largely because the previous generation managed our petroleum wealth extraordinarily well. It’s a big inheritance: about €1.7trn divided between some five million people. But inheritance requires discipline and the way that we have managed it over the past decade has made the economy weaker. By Norwegian standards, we’re having the worst decade in 60 years.

You blame this on a fundamental flaw in the fund. Can you explain what this is?
The Petroleum Fund went from almost zero to 20 per cent of the state budget over a 15-year period. There are guidelines but no rules for how that money is spent. The guidelines suggest that the money should be used to invest in a strong mainland economy with incentives to work, save and spend. Instead, it essentially subsidises businesses, gets handed out to special-interest groups and funds extravagant public projects. The general population is passive because there are no budget constraints on all this.

In the book, you praise former prime minister Jens Stoltenberg for having managed the economy well during his time in office. He has recently returned as finance minister. Is this an opportunity for change?
Economic policy is the outcome of a game between voters and politicians. Voters tend to reward short-term policies, which makes the current challenges very hard to fix. Stoltenberg’s return is probably the greatest opportunity to reverse this because of his understanding of economics and his standing among the population. If there’s anyone who can make a change, it will be him.

To listen to the full interview with Holte, tune in to last night’s episode of‘The Monocle Daily’.

We visit a floating office in Rotterdam and meet industrial designer Tej Chauhan in Helsinki. Plus, a preview of some of the design stories in the latest issue of Konfekt magazine.