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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
Explainer 224: Why Washington’s NFL team is changing its name
After decades of pressure, Washington’s NFL team has decided to ditch its name. As the debate over how the US expresses its history continues, Andrew Mueller explains why the change is finally happening.
Lebanon on the brink
Since October, the Lebanese lira has lost more than 80 per cent of its value. Lebanon’s long-suffering people now face losing their jobs, businesses and savings, as well as shortages of power and basic supplies. Andrew Mueller is joined by Leila Molana-Allen, Lina Khatib and Vicky Pryce for an insight…
Has the Confederacy finally surrendered?
More than 150 years after the US Civil War ended, Mississippi has decided to haul down the state flag that bore the Confederate battle standard. But are we witnessing more than just cosmetic alterations? Is the South really changing? And if so, how? Andrew Mueller speaks to Charles K Ross,…
Explainer 222: Why did Iran issue an arrest warrant for Trump?
This week Iran issued an arrest warrant for Donald Trump over January’s killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani – and asked Interpol for its help in enforcing it. Andrew Mueller looks at what Iran might actually be trying to achieve with such a move.
Has populism been found out?
The pandemic is a populist’s nightmare: a virus makes no ideological distinctions and requires expertise and patience to defeat. In Brazil, at least 50,000 people have died while a populist president blusters – a situation echoed in the US, the UK and elsewhere. Has populism been unmasked? Andrew Mueller is…
Explainer 221: Where is Socotra and who has invaded it?
In an intriguing sub-plot of Yemen’s ghastly civil war, one of the factions allegedly supporting the government has taken control of an island near the Gulf of Aden. Andrew Mueller looks at who has seized Socotra and why.
The Philippines: Rodrigo Duterte goes after the messengers
The conviction of prominent journalist Maria Ressa is yet another worrying sign of the Philippines’ direction under Rodrigo Duterte. Andrew Mueller talks to Sheila Coronel and Richard Heydarian about Duterte’s assault on democratic norms and to Carlo Bonura about the populist president’s so-called independent foreign policy.
Explainer 220: What are Somaliland and Somalia discussing in Djibouti?
As Somalia conducts talks with the unrecognised government of breakaway region Somaliland, Andrew Mueller asks if Somaliland’s time might be coming.
Jeffrey Sachs and the future of globalisation
We talk to leading economist – and advisor to three UN secretary-generals – Jeffrey Sachs about his new book, ‘The Ages Of Globalisation: Geography, Technology and Institutions’, which tracks globalisation through history to the present time. Is this the peak from which globalisation descends? Is this an opportunity to make…
Explainer 219: Why has North Korea stopped talking to South Korea?
As North Korea halts all cross-border communication with the South in a row over propaganda balloons, Andrew Mueller wonders why Pyongyang has chosen this moment to get so angry.
