Shows / The Briefing
The Briefing
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.
Episodes
- The Briefing
Are new elections – or war – more likely than a coalition with Arab parties in Israel?
We discuss where Israel and the wider region are heading now that the final votes have been counted in Israel. Then: why are the US midterms capturing the…
- The Briefing
Spain’s second deadly high-speed train crash in nine months
We’re in Madrid with the latest as the death toll of a train collision rises. We discuss what happened and what questions it raises for rail safety…
- The Briefing
Record high turnout early on in Israeli elections
We’re in Tel Aviv to assess the mood on the ground as millions turn out to vote in an election that could have global repercussions. Then: 50 stories…
- The Briefing
Brazil election: the world and the markets react
Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office. While supporters celebrate, investor bets on a right-wing victory are upended…
- The Briefing
Europe is spending more on defence but is it ready to defend itself?
A new Globsec report argues that Europe won’t be ready to put new defence tech into action fast enough. We explore the solutions. Plus: entrepreneurship…
- The Briefing
British jets for the UAE and Emirati fuel for France: Europe and the Gulf’s new ties
European and Gulf countries sign new deals on defence and energy. We examine the ties forged in crisis. Then: Google’s data centre plans in Finland are…
- The Briefing
Are Moscow and Washington drawing ever closer?
Russia has announced that it’s releasing detained American Stephen Hubbard. Is this another signal of a warming relationship? Then: Romania forms a…
- The Briefing
Alberta votes to remain in Canada
As Albertans vote to remain, we look at the lasting impact of the campaign to leave Canada. Then: Volodymyr Zelensky and Steve Witkoff head to Oslo. What shape…
- The Briefing
The political fallout after widespread protests and riots in France
We’re in Paris as Emmanuel Macron asks some cities to impose partial curfews after a weekend of riots and looting. But what’s next as his interior…
- The Briefing
Donald Trump’s energy ceasefire collapses: What next for the war in Ukraine?
As Trump rebukes Ukraine’s attacks on a Russian oil refinery, we speak to a former Ukrainian ambassador about how negotiations have changed. Then: the…
- The Briefing
EU budget showdown: Is a breakthrough possible?
EU leaders gather in Brussels, hoping to find a way forward for the bloc’s next budget. Is there room for manoeuvre? Plus: Giorgia Meloni criticises…
- The Briefing
Volodymyr Zelensky in the UK after deadly overnight attacks
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meets UK prime minister Andy Burnham as Russia strikes critical infrastructure in Kyiv Plus: the future of fashion…
- The Briefing
IMF global economic forecast: bright spots and warnings
We discuss the latest global economic forecast and what it means for financial systems as the IMF warns of ‘resilience under strain’. Plus…
- The Briefing
Protests in New Delhi: Is Modi now facing an insurmountable political crisis?
Monocle and Hitachi Energy host a series of exclusive events in New Delhi featuring our editors and invited experts. Then: what’s getting everyone revved…
- The Briefing
South African Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay wins the Nobel Peace Prize
We’re in Oslo as the Nobel Institute recognises the achievements of the former UN rights chief and ICJ judge who stood up against apartheid. Plus…
- The Briefing
Houthis claim Riyadh attacks and Italy approves controversial electoral-reform law
We get the latest from our Gulf correspondent as explosions hit the Saudi capital. Then: Italy prime minister Giorgia Meloni secures final approval for…
- The Briefing
Mail-in or early voting? How to get votes in ahead of the US midterm elections
As Donald Trump sows doubt about mail-in voting, Republicans face a dilemma. Then: France roils European bond markets. Plus: Jesper Brodin of the Earthshot…
- The Briefing
France’s day of demonstration
As students, teachers and parents blockade schools across France, we speak to Anita Riotta in Paris. Plus: We review the Chanel show at Paris Fashion Week and…
- The Briefing
Spain calls a snap election and Brazil heads to a runoff
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, calls an early election amid widespread housing protests. Plus: right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro wins the…
- The Briefing
Stories from the Ukraine war and 25 years since the grounding of Swissair
We speak to the editor of The Kyiv Independent in London as the war in Ukraine escalates. Plus: Tyler Brûlé on rebranding a failed airline and why…
- The Briefing
Israel’s ambassador to the UAE on Flydubai
We speak to Israel’s ambassador to the UAE as details of the diverted Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv continue to emerge. Plus: the business news…
- The Briefing
What we know of the diverted Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv
We follow the developing story suggesting that a pilot was stabbed on flight FZ103 en route to Israel. Plus: Mineblast tests South Korea’s approach to…
- The Briefing
Can Japan and China break their diplomatic deadlock?
As Beijing hosts the highest-level Japanese delegation in a year, we consider what this might do to thaw relations. Plus: we’re in Sao Paulo ahead of…
- The Briefing
How much of a boost is France’s far-right surge in Senate elections?
France’s National Rally and its allies have secured a record 14 seats in partial Senate elections. Is it a ‘major milestone’? Plus: an…
- The Briefing
The China-US dinner: Is Europe feeling left out?
Did Xi Jinping and Donald Trump’s meeting at the White House go well and what did Europe think? Then: what international force comes after Unifil? Plus…
- The Briefing
Does the UN still have teeth? Plus: Monocle’s October style issue
As countries strike out on their own and conflicts abound, does the UN still hold sway? Alex von Tunzelmann reminds us what the organisation is capable of…
- The Briefing
‘Greatness or obliteration’: Can the UNGA help Iran and the US secure a deal?
If progress can be made with anything at the UNGA, will it be with Iran and the US? Then: why are Milan Fashion Week parties an important event for sartorial…
- The Briefing
Is UNGA where the middle powers stop talking and start acting?
Leaders from Canada, Japan, Brazil and more take centre stage at the UN General Assembly today. Are they the new power brokers? Then: we head to Fondazione…
- The Briefing
The UN General Assembly convenes against the backdrop of the Iran war
As world leaders descend on New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, we discuss the gathering’s relevance. Then: Fresh election setbacks for the German…
- The Briefing
Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro battle for votes ahead of Brazil’s big election day
Brazilians prepare to head to the polls as the presidential race narrows. Then: we look ahead to Fine Arts Paris and head to the Toronto Film Festival. And: we…
- The Briefing
Catwalks, pop-ups and after-parties: London Fashion Week begins
We hear from the CEO of the British Fashion Council as London Fashion Week begins. Then: we meet the team behind the One London project. And: Fernando Augusto…
- The Briefing
Canada is set to become the EU’s first associate member
Canada is set to become the EU’s first associate member. Then: we look at the crackdown against the LGBTQ+ community in Turkey. Plus: we head to the Arab…
- The Briefing
Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial: what do we know in week 10?
Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial in the Philippines. Then: We check in with Monocle’s team at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai. And: The best of…
- The Briefing
The EU ices out the US with its new Arctic agenda
European leaders carve out a new Arctic agenda without the US at the table. Then: Mark Carney's bid to turn Canada’s political reliability into economic…
- The Briefing
Are markets recognising a renewed threat to global energy supplies?
Oil is more than $100 (€86) a barrel and European diesel prices have hit record highs. Are markets finally recognising a renewed threat to global energy…
- The Briefing
Does the future of the transatlantic relationship lie with Poland and Canada?
Could Poland and Canada’s defence deal mark a new chapter for Western security? Then: can the US Democrats capitalise on their success in the primaries?…
- The Briefing
How to preserve a political legacy: the view from ‘Trumpapalooza’ and Macron’s twilight years
We’re in Dallas as the Republican party begins to grapple with its post-Trump future and then in Paris, where Macron and his MPs strategise for plans…
- The Briefing
Rubio in South America: celebrating the region’s rightward shift and eyeing 2028
US secretary of state Marco Rubio lands in Colombia, lauding the continent’s right-wing swing. Will he leverage his regional influence for a 2028…
- The Briefing
Germany’s far-right wins big: The view from the Bundestag and Brussels
We head to Berlin as Germany’s far-right AFD party eyes a path to power. Then: a global foresight strategist on how businesses can navigate volatility…
- The Briefing
What the biggest restructuring in Volkswagen’s history says about Germany
Could Volkswagen’s restructuring actually be a positive sign that corporate Germany is facing up to reality? Plus: Monocle’s Quality of Life…
- The Briefing
That’s Goethe hurt: Russia’s cultural swipe at Germany following accusations of drone attacks and spying
Russia looks to close Germany’s Goethe-Institut cultural centres. Then: big tech makes Trump’s Lake America official, the latest from Hong Kong and…
- The Briefing
Live from Zürich, which has just topped an index of the world’s smartest cities
Emma Nelson is live from our headquarters in the city that has just topped the IMD’s global Smart City Index. Plus: an alliance unfolding between…
- The Briefing
The Mecca defence pact and Meloni’s record-breaking run
We head to Istanbul for Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s first-ever Mecca Defence Alliance meeting. Then we’re off to Milan to discuss Italian…
- The Briefing
La rentrée politique: France’s presidential hopefuls kick start their campaigns
There are seven months to go before the first round of the election that will find a replacement for outgoing leader Emmanuel Macron. As politicians return to…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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 Briefing
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&rdquo…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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 Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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…
- The Briefing
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 Briefing
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…