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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 33: Britain and Iran: friends again?
Earlier this month British Airways resumed the direct route between London and Tehran, a significant step in an ongoing rapprochement between the two countries. We discuss their complicated relationship.
Europe’s left-wing insurgents
Since the global financial crisis of 2008 a wave of left-wing populist parties have sprung up across Europe. But nearly a decade on very few have managed to break through and win elections. Instead their darker, fear-mongering opposites on the right have enjoyed more electoral success and – arguably –…
Explainer 32: What does “Brexit means Brexit” mean?
The UK prime minister says “Brexit means Brexit”. But what does “Brexit means Brexit” mean?
Renzi’s gamble
Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi has called a referendum on his country’s constitution. But while most Italians agree that change is needed, polls suggest that Renzi may lose. Why? The economy is in trouble, corruption remains rampant and Renzi is no longer as popular as he once was. Is this…
Explainer 31: Can Le Pen win?
The Front National may do well in the first round of French elections but they rarely win the second. That means Marine Le Pen can’t win the French presidency, right? Don’t be so sure.
Spotlight on Angola
When José Eduardo Dos Santos first came to power in Angola, Jimmy Carter was president of the US and Leonid Brezhnev was leader of the Soviet Union. Some 37 years later Dos Santos’s grip on power remains as strong as ever. Next year he will once again lead his party,…
Explainer 30: Athletes claiming asylum
For some sportsmen and women from poor countries, the chance to perform abroad isn’t simply about representing their nation. Sometimes it’s about an opportunity to escape.
Ukraine: 25 years of independence
It has not been an easy quarter-century; Ukraine has had to contend with revolutions and counter-revolutions, endemic corruption, unaccountable oligarchs and splits within the country. The Minsk agreement between Ukraine and Russia is under threat, while the government of Petro Poroschenko is hardly inspiring much confidence. So where next for…
Explainer 29: How much trouble is the ANC in?
Since South Africa’s first democratic general election in 1994 the African National Congress has won the majority of votes across the country every single time. But this month something changed – a new phase of democracy may be about to begin.
The fight for Aleppo
This is a divided city: the west is controlled by the Assad government, the east held by rebels. And if either side eventually wins it could have a dramatic effect on the outcome of the entire Syrian war. Monocle’s Steve Bloomfield speaks to Dr Lina Khatib, professor Paul Rogers and…
