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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
Total Recall: What happens when diplomatic relations turn sour?
France has recalled its ambassadors to the US and Australia as a response to the new AUKUS deal and Australia’s cancellation of a French submarine contract. But what do such gestures really mean? Do some countries just want to make a scene? How does a diplomatic spat actually work? Andrew…
Why is populism all the rage?
Police have increased security around the US Capitol ahead of a planned pro-Trump rally on 18 September. The expected demonstrations have brought a new wave of concern about the rise of populist anger. What is fuelling this resentment? Is far-left and far-right populism growing in Europe? And what does all…
Nicaragua: How to write yourself into exile
Once a good friend and political ally of Nicaragua’s president Daniel Ortega, novelist Sergio Ramírez finds himself an enemy of the state. Andrew Mueller explains how this plot developed.
Did we win the war on terrorism?
As the US commemorates the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan. How has the threat of terrorism changed in the two decades since the beginning of the War on Terror? Andrew Mueller speaks to Nathan Sales, David Kilcullen and Farah Pandith.
Guinea: back under military rule
Guinea is no stranger to military coups but it had been hoped that the appointment of the country’s first elected leader, President Condé, would mark a new era of democracy. A little more than a decade, and a constitutional amendment, later Condé was ousted. Andrew Mueller explains what we know…
A New Dawn for Zambia?
It was a case of sixth time lucky for Hakainde Hichilema, who has become Zambia’s new president after five unsuccessful attempts. He inherits a troubled economy but his victory has raised hopes for change. How has he triumphed at last? And what effect might he have on aspiring leaders across…
Explainer 281: Are Israel and Palestine really working things out?
Israel’s defence minister and deputy prime minister, Benny Gantz, paid a visit to the West Bank, marking Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas’s first official meeting with a senior Israeli politician in more than a decade. Andrew Mueller explains how this appears to be more than it really is.
Afghanistan’s growing diaspora
US president Joe Biden has vowed to plough ahead with the evacuation of those trying to flee Afghanistan, despite Thursday’s deadly bombing by Islamic State. As tens of thousands move to escape Taliban rule, Afghanistan’s diaspora is about to grow larger. What is the journey out of Kabul like? Will…
Explainer 280: Duterte to stay?
The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has accepted an endorsement from his PDP party to run for vice-president at next year’s elections. Andrew Mueller explains why many see it as a way to cling to power beyond the six-year limit set out by the country’s constitution.
Afghanistan: what went wrong?
Twenty years of American-led intervention in Afghanistan ended in chaos last weekend after the Taliban retook Kabul in the face of minimal resistance. Why did Afghanistan’s expensively trained army melt away so quickly? Where does this leave Afghan civilians? And will this Taliban rule be any different from the previous…
