
The Briefing
A fast-paced news round-up with expert reporting, business insights, and industry updates on technology, aviation, retail, and media. Anchored from London.
Latest Episodes

How will the US engage with the IMF and World Bank?
We speak with economist Liliana Rojas-Suarez about treasury secretary Scott Bessent and the US’s position on the IMF and World Bank. Plus: Monocle’s The Chiefs conference in Jakarta, the Monocle Design Awards and ‘The Global Countdown’ from Indonesia.

Troubles at Boeing and the international influence on Poland’s election
Boeing sells its Jeppesen unit to Thoma Bravo for $10.6bn (€9.2bn). Then: we join Andrew Tuck at Monocle’s global leadership conference, The Chiefs, in Jakarta, ask how international politics will affect Poland’s presidential election and the EU fines Apple and Meta. Plus: a dispatch from the two-day Nordic Happiness Summit.

Russia proposes bilateral talks with Ukraine
Vladimir Putin has indicated that he could be open to bilateral talks with his Ukrainian counterpart. Also: the annual International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group spring meetings take place and AC Grayling debates wokeism. Plus: we explore the love of short pop songs in our culture news round-up.

News from around the world
A pacy round-up of the day’s main news stories, anchored from London by Chris Cermak.

Is Giorgia Meloni the EU’s ally – or Donald Trump’s?
The Washington trip of Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, marks the first sit-down meeting that Donald Trump has held with a European leader since he launched his trade war. What will she accomplish? Then: we flick through Brazil’s newspapers with Monocle’s Fernando August Pacheco and explore Dubai’s artistic identity.

US, European and Ukrainian leaders meet in Paris; Canada’s election heats up
A previously unannounced meeting is held in Paris between US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and European and Ukrainian leadership. Is a deal on the table? Then: Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, takes to the debate stage and hits out at Trump. Plus: we head to Delphi and Osaka. Then:…

Australia’s party leaders go head to head in television debate
Latika Bourke brings us the latest from the Australian campaign trail as prime minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton face off ahead of the nation’s elections. Then: Japan’s top trade negotiator has travelled to Washington for talks with Trump’s administration and we hear from technology summit Gitex Africa.…

Trump halts federal funding to Harvard University
We get the latest after US university Harvard has its federal funding cut by the Trump administration; what does this mean for the future of the nation’s higher education institutes? Also in the programme, we assess Turkey’s role in Black Sea ceasefire negotiations and dig into business news. Plus: Uzbekistan’s…

Can Donald Trump reach a nuclear deal with Iran?
Holly Dagres on the “positive and constructive” talks between Iran and the US in Oman over the weekend. Also on the programme: Hong Kong’s opposition Democratic Party moves forward with its plans to dissolve and visits to the US from Western Europe plummet. Then: Amah-Rose Abrams brings us the latest…

Istanbul’s mayor expected in court and the UK announces its own version of SNL
We hear from Ruth Michaelson in Istanbul as the city’s jailed mayor is expected to appear in court. Also on the programme: Japan’s largest yakuza crime syndicate pledges to end its decade-long internal feud. Julian Ryall in Tokyo tells us more. Then: Andrew Mueller sits down with senior fellow at…