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The Briefing

Monocle

A pacy round-up of the day’s main news stories, anchored from London by a Monocle editor. The show features informed reporting, prescient business analysis and invaluable industry reports covering everything from technology to aviation and retail to media.

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32 episodes
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Avg 32 min
English

Episodes 32

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Yesterday · 32 min
The death of Norway’s King Harald V and the enduring soft power of monarchy
In light of Harald V’s passing, we explore why monarchy still influences an increasingly divided geopolitical landscape. Then: Dubai airport perseveres amid war and Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference in Lisbon next week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thursday · 32 min
A moment of truth for Volkswagen and Germany’s wider car industry
Volkswagen’s CEO Klaus Blume and unions are clashing over massive job cuts. Plus: New York Mayor Mamdani takes on Fifth Avenue. And: The Global Countdown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wednesday · 32 min
Spain vows to overhaul immigration laws as the Ceuta crisis persists
The Spanish government requests emergency EU funding as the cabinet holds an extraordinary meeting over the Ceuta crisis. Then: how to fail upwards in business. And: Australia bans AI-generated music from its charts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tuesday · 31 min
A ‘path to prosperity’? The US removes Syria from list of state sponsors of terrorism
Washington says that it is recognising Damascus’s positive moves to distance itself from international terrorism. Syria’s foreign minister calls the decision a “historic step”. We look at what the Trump administration’s decision means. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Monday · 33 min
Andy Burnham delivers secret missile plans on Ukraine’s Independence Day
The UK prime minister is in Kyiv on his first foreign trip, boosting Ukrainian missile production and defying Russian threats. Plus: Iran “D-Day” hyperbole shrugged off by markets and the Edinburgh International Book Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 21 · 35 min
Myanmar’s post-coup leadership’s diplomacy tour lands in Bangkok – what does legitimacy look like?
We head to Bangkok as Myanmar’s post-coup leadership arrives for a diplomatic push. What does it mean for a government to gain legitimacy? Then: Rail Baltica brings the Baltics ever closer. Plus: Rob Bound previews ‘Monocle on Culture’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 20 · 38 min
Can Ukraine’s new defence minister Yevhenii Khmara deliver what Kyiv needs most?
As pressure mounts on Zelensky amid calls for elections, what does the scandal mean for Ukraine’s morale? Plus: Can design be a vehicle for development in post-industrial cities; and a flick through Monocle’s September issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 19 · 29 min
How do trade routes tip the balance of geopolitical scales?
China is launching an Arctic Sea route as an alternative to the fraught Middle East shipping lanes. How would this shift global ties? Plus: will Moldova and Romania merge? Then: Libyan reggae and Lebanese city-pop with Habibi Funk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 18 · 32 min
Oman, the inadvertent gate keeper
How has Oman found itself in the firing line of the United States? And what is its motivation to reach a deal with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz? Plus: chef-turned-CEO Hugo Worsley and shoe designer Yuki Matsuda. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 17 · 31 min
Can the US get the Gaza peace plan back on track?
The US pushes to revive its Gaza peace plan as Jared Kushner meets Hamas and Israeli officials. Plus: Anita Riotta previews ‘The Foreign Desk’ and Fernando Augusto Pacheco tells us about ‘Monocle Meets’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 14 · 28 min
This land is my land: how should countries resolve small territorial disputes?
As Japan slams Putin’s recent visit to the disputed Northern Territories, we discuss what history tells us about how these matters are resolved. Then: the Gulf gears up for EVs and Eurovision proposes major voting changes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 13 · 32 min
Maga without Trump? The future of The Republicans
As two of president Donald Trump’s most fervent former acolytes talk about forming a new party, we assess the future of Maga. Plus: what Ottawa’s nightlife mayor can teach the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 12 · 25 min
Why South Korea is reluctant to help Ukraine as North Korea boosts Russia’s war effort
Ukraine’s president warns that Pyongyang is increasingly bolstering Putin’s war effort. We ask what the fresh shipments of ground troops and weapons could mean for other Asian powers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 11 · 31 min
South Korea’s defence future: chips and ships
South Korea announces major ambitions for its defence industry. What does Seoul’s focus on American ships and locally produced chips tell us? Then: European retailers are creating communities in the US market. Is this the future of luxury? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 10 · 32 min
The latest from Bangkok and ‘The Growth Story of the 21st Century’
As a second shooting in less than a week rocks Thailand, we head to Bangkok for the latest. Then: what economic opportunities exist in climate action? Plus: the future of Schengen and the allure of the cinema. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 7 · 31 min
Are European companies outpacing their American peers?
We head to Bangkok first for an update from James Chambers on a tragic school shooting in the city. Then: we dive into corporate earnings to see which sectors are leading the pack. Plus: the CEOs of Bombardier and Qantas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 6 · 32 min
‘Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography’ and ‘The Global Countdown’
We visit a photography exhibition that takes us through the decades of American city life. Plus: we get the latest on a possible Iran-Oman deal, and Fernando Augusto Pacheco brings us ‘The Global Countdown’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 5 · 30 min
Revisiting La Rambla and the increasing importance of tree cover
Julia Webster Ayuso reports on the redevelopment of Barcelona’s La Rambla. Then: the increasing demand for tree services and suppliers as Europe grapples with heatwaves. Plus: an update from the first day of Taiwan’s annual military drills. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 4 · 22 min
Boeing’s 737 Max 7 finally gets certification from FAA
We explore what it means for Boeing’s Max 7 to finally get off the ground. Plus: Japan’s currency intervention and the latest in hotel design with Monocle’s Nic Monisse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 3 · 35 min
Why is Israeli withdrawal such a key issue for Gaza and Lebanon?
In both the Hamas disarmament deal and upcoming talks with Lebanon in Rome, Israel refuses to withdraw. We discuss what that says about regional dynamics. Then: ‘The Foreign Desk’ explores the “Nerd Reich”; RFK Jr’s new cooking show; and local fashion becomes political. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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