The Foreign Desk | Monocle
Subscribe | Sign in

Cover art for
A

Affairs / Podcast

The Foreign Desk

​Presented by ​Andrew Mueller, Monocle’s flagship global-affairs show features​ expert guests ​and in-depth analysis of the big issues of the week. Nominated for ‘Best Current Affairs’ show and the ‘Spotlight Award’ in the 2022 British Podcast Awards.

RSS Feed
★

Latest episode

Explainer 447: Why is Israel striking Syria?:

As Syrians celebrate Assad’s fall, Israel is striking targets across the country. Andrew Mueller explains why. 

Play most recent
View in schedule

Latest episodes

EpisodeDateDescriptionDownloadPlay
★11 Dec 2024
7 min

Explainer 447: Why is Israel striking Syria? 

As Syrians celebrate Assad’s fall, Israel is striking targets across the country. Andrew Mueller explains why. 

DownloadPlay
5717 Dec 2024
31 min

The case for indigenous political inclusion 

Against strong resistance, indigenous communities are asserting their right to inclusion in the political systems of their respective nations. Andrew Mueller speaks to Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, the illustrator of ‘When the World Was Soft: Yindjibarndi Creation Stories’, Alex Mankiewicz, and a justice of the Shawnee Tribe Supreme Court and law professor, Kristen Carpenter.

DownloadPlay
★4 Dec 2024
7 min

Explainer 446: The South Korean coup that wasn’t  

As South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol attempts to undo last night’s shock announcement of martial law, Andrew Mueller explains the real reasons behind the attempted coup.

DownloadPlay
57030 Nov 2024
32 min

Taiwan’s China problem 

As Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te embarks on his first international tour, we explore this delicate moment for an island that China still claims as a rogue province. Will China really try to reclaim Taiwan? And how would the island – and its allies – go about its defence? Andrew Mueller speaks with journalist, William Yang, and defence expert, Arthur Ding, in Taipei, plus filmmaker Venessa Hope in London.

DownloadPlay
★27 Nov 2024
6 min

Explainer 445: Are Romania’s election candidates really that surprising?  

As we wait to hear if Romania will annul its first round of elections, Andrew Mueller explains why the shocking result should not be that shocking. 

DownloadPlay
56923 Nov 2024
32 min

Is Europe ready for war? 

This week, households in Sweden received a government pamphlet entitled ‘In Case Of Crisis Or War’, while similar manuals were published across Scandinavia. Some European nations are evidently preparing for war, but are they ready? Andrew Mueller is joined by Monocle’s Gunnar Gronlid to speak with Richard Shirreff, the former Nato Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, former director and CEO of the German Council on Foreign Relations.  

 

DownloadPlay
★20 Nov 2024
6 min

Explainer 444: Why are New Zealand’s Maori protesting?  

Andrew Mueller explains the origin of the controversial bill New Zealand’s Maori are protesting against. 

DownloadPlay
56816 Nov 2024
41 min

Trump’s doctrine: the sequel 

Following Trump’s first cabinet appointments, we consider what his second term might mean for tensions between international powers. Andrew Mueller speaks with Amy Mackinnon, national security reporter for ‘Foreign Policy’; John Herbst, former US ambassador to Ukraine; Stephen Young, former ambassador to China; and Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator.

DownloadPlay
★13 Nov 2024
7 min

Explainer 443: The motives behind Equatorial Guinea’s sex scandal 

African social media has been awash with scandalous videos of Baltasar Ebang Engonga, head of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency, filmed by the man himself, in his own office. Andrew Mueller explains the Shakespearian motives behind the leak and what it could mean for nation’s higher office. 

DownloadPlay
5679 Nov 2024
44 min

Trump returns: what now? 

As the dust settles on what was a shocking election result for some, we ask how Trump’s decisive victory happened and what it means for the US and the world. Andrew Mueller speaks to ‘The Atlantic’ staff writer Tom Nichols, the US’s former deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, Heather Conley, and co-director of the UCL Centre on US Politics, Julie Norman. 

DownloadPlay
★6 Nov 2024
6 min

Explainer 442: The election result making Europe breathe a sigh of relief 

While we take stock of what Trump’s victory means for the world, one country’s election result has had a more reassuring effect, at least for the EU. This week, Moldova reelected president Maia Sandu. Andrew Mueller explains what it means beyond the country’s borders and why it matters. 

DownloadPlay
5662 Nov 2024
45 min

US election counterintuitives 

Trump the peacemaker, Obama the deporter, George W Bush the foreign aider. Ahead of the election, we interrogate the counterintuitive positions candidates have taken against their party’s (and their own) image, once in office. Why do so many US presidents campaign in one direction and govern in another? Andrew Mueller speaks with former USAID administrator Andrew Natsios. Plus: a roundtable with Leslie Vinjamuri of the US and the Americas programme at Chatham House and Charles Hecker of geopolitical risk consultancy, Control Risks. 

DownloadPlay
★30 Oct 2024
7 min

Explainer 441: In celebration of Uruguay’s drama-free election 

As the US braces itself for next week’s anxiety-inducing vote and Georgians reel at their own controversial ballot result, Andrew Mueller explains why Uruguay has enjoyed a sublimely excitement-free election. 

DownloadPlay
56526 Oct 2024
40 min

How the war in Ukraine has reshaped Asian foreign policy 

The war in Ukraine and Russia has affected East Asian foreign policy in more ways than you might expect. We explore North and South Korea's involvement in the conflict with former UK ambassador John Everard, China’s watchful eye with Oriana Skylar Mastro and the pivotal forthcoming elections in Japan with James D Brown. 

DownloadPlay
★23 Oct 2024
6 min

Explainer 440: Why don’t Australians care about King Charles III? 

Andrew Mueller explains why Charles III’s first visit to Australia as king has drawn the support of some, the ire of others and indifference from most.

DownloadPlay

/

sign in to monocle

Forgotten password?

new to monocle?

Subscriptions start from £120.

Subscribe now

Phone

+44 (0) 20 7725 4349
(view hours)

Email

customerservice@monocle.com

Frequently asked questions

Terms and conditions

Loading...

/

15

15

Live
Schedule
Monocle Radio

00:0001:00

  • The Menu655

/
Sign in to your account

Forgotten password?

/
Change your currency