NewsNews CommentaryPoliticsGovernmentHistorySociety & CultureEducation

The Foreign Desk

Monocle

Presented by Andrew Mueller, Monocle’s flagship global-affairs show features expert guests and in-depth analysis of the big issues of the week. Nominated for ‘Best Current Affairs’ show and the ‘Spotlight Award’ in the 2022 British Podcast Awards.

Play

Open in

40 episodes
Avg 22 min
English

Episodes 40

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Thursday · 59 min
Powering purpose in New Delhi
Recorded at D’Monde New Delhi in association with Hitachi Energy, CEO Andreas Schierenbeck, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe and Nobel laureate Didier Queloz discuss overcoming resistance and finding fresh perspectives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wednesday · 7 min
Explainer 539: Why are India's 'Cockroaches' on the march again?
We report live from New Delhi, where the Cockroach Janta Party is marching in protest against the government. Is the Indian capital under siege? And is this the beginning of the end for the prime minister, Narendra Modi? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
October 10 · 32 min
Like father, like son: Are the Bolsonaros set to take Brazil or can Lula fight back?
As Brazilians head back to the polls, can Lula win them back? Where did all these Bolsonaros come from? And: the regional implications if Brazil heads to the right. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
October 7 · 6 min
Explainer 538: Are Ethiopia’s enemies uniting?
Rebel groups across Ethiopia are mobilising again. Is this renewed uprising simply unfinished business at home or are regional powers quietly helping to turn up the heat? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
October 3 · 27 min
As war threatens to accelerate across Europe, why are some countries still stuck in neutral?
With a major war raging on the European continent, there are a few countries that would prefer to be excused. We head to Switzerland, Austria and Ireland to examine what neutrality means today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 30 · 6 min
Explainer 537: Javier Milei and the Falklands – here we go again
Javier Milei is rattling Argentina’s old Falklands sabre again. But is this latest legal threat over offshore oil a serious strategy, domestic theatre or merely another chapter in history’s strangest recurring argument? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 26 · 34 min
Rebuilding Lebanon: Where do you even start?
From Israel’s strikes in the south and attempting to disarm Hezbollah, to reinstating services and infrastructure, Lebanon’s government is in a pivotal moment. We hear from three ministers on both the headwinds and hope. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 23 · 6 min
Explainer 536: What leverage would the Houthis’s seizing of Bab al-Mandab give Iran?
The Iran-backed Houthis have launched their largest offensive in years, seizing key ports and islands along the Bab al-Mandab strait. What sway will this give Iran over the global economy and ending the war? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 19 · 32 min
Live from the Arab Media Summit: The UAE’s new role in war and peace
The United Arab Emirates’ pitch has always been: you are safe here. This year, that changed. We go to Dubai to examine how the UAE prepared for conflict and its plans for peace. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 16 · 7 min
Explainer 535: Could Andy Burnham be the UK’s last prime minister?
This week the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a joint memorandum declaring that Westminster’s time is “coming to an end”. But is there a clear path to independence? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 12 · 33 min
The firewall falls: what does the AfD’s breakthrough mean for Europe?
The AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt tweaked a nerve in Germany and across Europe. We examine how it won, its leaders’ plans and the media’s role in the rise of the far right. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 9 · 6 min
Why is Jamaica asking the United Kingdom for $10bn (€8.6bn)?
Explainer 534: Jamaica’s government is seeking legal guidance from King Charles on receiving reparations. What issues lie at the heart of this request? And how is London likely to respond? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 7 · 44 min
Powering purpose in Stavanger
A special episode in association with Hitachi Energy, recorded at ONS 2026 in Stavanger, Norway. Andrew Mueller discusses the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition with Arancha González Laya, Tinne Van der Straeten, Stephen Bull and Steffen Syvertsen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 5 · 31 min
The geopolitics of going nuclear, again
Despite its troubled history, nuclear energy is back on the agenda across the globe. Could it be our saviour? And what are the strategic risks for nations that aren’t keeping up with the energy renaissance? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 2 · 6 min
Explainer 533: Disgraced war criminal or Serbian hero? The diplomatic conundrum of Ratko Mladić’s death
Colonel-General Ratko Mladić died last week in prison in the Netherlands. Serbia has a complicated relationship with the disgraced war criminal, with many calling for a state funeral. What will his legacy be? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 29 · 34 min
Iran: Is the US out of options?
Six months into the US’s war with Iran, is any kind of military victory possible? Or is the Strait of Hormuz the US’s Suez? Rear admiral Mark Montgomery, Bloomberg’s Dina Esfandiary and historian Stephen Wertheim discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 26 · 7 min
Explainer 532: Why is Syria back on Washington’s Christmas card list?
After a warm reception between Donald Trump and President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria has been removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. What stands to be gained for both sides? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 22 · 37 min
After America: Europe’s new security order
As the US retreats from Nato’s “all for one, one for all” clause, Europe is forging new defence ties. Can the West hold together without Washington? Estonia’s defence minister, Hanno Pevkur, joins the debate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 19 · 8 min
Explainer 531: Could Moldova reunite with Romania?
With Moldova vulnerable to Russian pressure and EU membership still years away, could reunification with Romania offer a shortcut to greater security? Andrew Mueller explains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 15 · 32 min
The Democrats’ warring factions: Each have won battles but who will win the war?
The Democrats’ centrist and progressive wings have each claimed victories in the primary cycle. Is the Democratic Party on the verge of re-assembling its circular firing squad? And who will win in November? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Showing 1–20 of 40 episodes