24 February 2018
Episode 216
30 minutes
As the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics draw to a close, Andrew Mueller asks if the cross-border goodwill between North and South Korea can last.
24 February 2018
Share episode
DownloadWant more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle's email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
The Foreign Desk - latest episodes
Explainer 111: The Summits of the Americas
The meetings wrapped up last weekend – but there was a certain leader noticeably missing from the attendees. Monocle's Toronto bureau chief Tomos Lewis asks if the lack of US involvement has left the door open for others…
The Commonwealth: a members' club worth joining?
As the Commonwealth Games draw to a close, and the Commonwealth heads of government meeting opens, Andrew Mueller asks if it is a happy family of democracies or just the ghost of a past empire. With Kwasi Kwarteng MP,…
Explainer 110: Why has Trump sent troops to the southern border?
Donald Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops to the border with Mexico has provoked a mixed reaction. But, as our New York bureau chief Ed Stocker explains, he’s by no means the first US president to do so.
Who wins in a trade war?
As the tariff spat between the US and China continues, Andrew Mueller asks if winning a trade war is even possible and, out of all the opponents in the world, why has president Trump chosen China?
Explainer 109: What does China’s recent success mean for Taiwan?
Since Chinese president Xi Jinping asserted his power in the Communist party, the country has gone from strength to strength. But what does this mean for Taiwan and are Chinese power plays causing unrest on the island?
Anti-semitism: the eternal lunacy
It would be wrong to describe anti-semitism as resurgent: it never went away. But it has become more voluble – and, in certain circles, more respectable. This episode looks at how the ancient conspiracy theory of furtive…
Explainer 108: Not cricket
As a seemingly small on-field kerfuffle grips his home nation, Andrew Mueller asks why Australia is dropping its bundle over a scratched cricket ball.
Dropping the gun?
For decades US schools have fallen victim to deadly attacks and nothing has changed. However after one of the more recent and most deadly the mood has changed – and it’s the pupils, not the politicians, who are leading the…
Explainer 107: Will Shinzo Abe become Japan’s longest-serving prime minister?
A few months ago it was as though nothing would stop Shinzo Abe from becoming Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, a title he would gain in November 2019. But now there’s a scandal on the front pages and pressure is…
The Russian threat to democracy
This weekend Russians head to the polls in what might be one of the least-contested presidential elections in history. Not content with fixing his own country’s election, Vladimir Putin has been making a habit of influen…
Explainer 106: Why does Bolivia want the world's biggest flag?
This past weekend Bolivians displayed a flag that stretched over 200km. Andrew Mueller explains why this has little to do with an attempt to break the world record for the biggest flag and rather more to do with a longst…
Full up?
Italy is the latest European country whose election has effectively been a referendum on immigration. Concerns about jobs, way of life and struggling public services are important issues. But can a country ever really be…
Explainer 105: Why Canada doesn’t have budget air travel
In most of the world’s major economies, hopping on a budget flight is as common as getting on a train or a bus. But in Canada ultra-low-cost air travel is a sector that largely doesn’t exist. Is this about to change? Our…
Why Italy’s election matters
As Italians head to the polls this weekend, Andrew Mueller is joined by Gianni Riotta, Enrico Franceschini and Stephanie Kirchgaessner to discuss what’s at stake for Italy and Europe, and why Silvio Berlusconi is back in…
Explainer 104: Who’s who in Hong Kong’s by-election?
Hong Kong’s legislative council is gearing up for a by-election on 11 March. But with so many key players, some of whom are currently on bail from jail terms, it’s difficult to know who’s who. Our Hong Kong bureau chief…
