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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
Why refugee camps don’t work
The refugee camp should be a place of safety – a camp for those seeking refuge. But the reality is very different: from Calais to the borders of Syria refugee camps have become places of despair. We ask if there is a way to make them work?
What is Australia’s role in the world?
It’s a question that the country’s politicians have long grappled with: Australia’s history links it to the UK, it’s language and politics to the US and it’s geography to Asia. Listen to the discussion as Steve Bloomfield is joined by Dr Euan Graham from the Lowy Institute and Karen Middleton,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
2016 in global affairs
What are the biggest events to look forward to in 2016? Monocle’s Steve Bloomfield is joined by guests Isabel Hilton, Quentin Peel and Oscar Guardiola-Rivera to discuss the year ahead in current affairs.
