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The Foreign Desk
Monocle’s global-affairs show with Andrew Mueller. Expert guests, in-depth analysis, and sharp commentary on major geopolitical issues.
Latest Episodes
The difficult diplomacy behind captivity
Prisoner swaps and hostage exchanges are some of the most difficult pieces of diplomacy to pull off – and they require careful negotiation and bring up ethical dilemmas for nations too. This week we explore the difficult diplomacy behind captivity and hear the story of Nigel Brennan, who was kidnapped…
Explainer 3: What would happen if North Korea collapsed?
Once again, tensions between the top brass in Pyongyang and Seoul are high. After North Korea’s decision to carry out a nuclear test and launch a test rocket earlier this year, its neighbour warned Kim Jong-un that he faces regime collapse. And yet, perversely, isn’t that South Korea’s greatest fear?
US election special: Polling
Polls are not always accurate and in the US they are more regular and more detailed than everywhere else. But can polling actually shape a campaign, rather than merely reflect it? In this special edition of ‘The Foreign Desk’ from New York we look at the upcoming US elections and…
Explainer 2: Can an independent win the White House?
It has become a standard part of the US presidential cycle: just as the primaries heat up, the cry goes out for a third-party candidate who can bring together right and left. In 2016 it seems that the mythical third-party uniter will be Michael Bloomberg. But if he confirms his…
How worried should we be about the global economy?
The global economy is in trouble again: Europe is stagnant, China is slowing down and we still haven’t really recovered from 2008. Monocle’s Steve Bloomfield is joined by Tom Keene, the editor at large of ‘Bloomberg News’; investment advisor and fund manager Bob Swarup; and Isabel Hilton, the editor of…
Explainer 1: Britain and the European Union
Is Britain going to leave the EU? In the first episode of the Foreign Desk Explainer, we look at the troubled relationship between Britain and the rest of Europe. The Foreign Desk Explainer is a five-minute nugget of information, analysis and opinion on the world’s biggest news stories.
Germany and the refugees
In her end-of-year message German chancellor Angela Merkel said “thank you” to those who had welcomed the large numbers of refugees to the country over the previous months. However, that same evening a string of sexual assaults took place in Cologne, carried out by Arab and north African men according…
Spain, what next?
Who governs Spain? Elections in December were inconclusive: the old parties lost votes, the new ones won some and no-one came out on top. Spain’s divide will not be easy to fix. Monocle’s Steve Bloomfield is joined by David Alandete, managing editor of ‘El País’, and Pablo Rodriguez Suanzes of…
Should Schengen be saved?
For more than three decades Europe has been enjoying the end of internal borders between nations. But weaker border controls in the newest frontier countries and the influx of refugees has made the Schengen Agreement fragile. As internal borders return to the EU, we ask whether the ideal of a…
Iran vs Saudi Arabia
If there was any doubt that the proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia is one of the greatest threats to peace in the Middle East, the events of the past few days have made it clear. Join Monocle’s Steve Bloomfield as he chairs a discussion between Jane Kinninmont from…
