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, Austri...
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Monocle 24: The Foreign Desk
Presented by Andrew Mueller, this is Monocle 24’s flagship global-affairs show featuring interviews with political leaders and in-depth analysis of the big issues of the day. Featured as a ‘...
Episodes
20 of 148 episodesExplainer 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, domest...
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 i...
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 s...
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...
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 e...
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 r...
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 th...
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...
The geopolitics of going nuclear
Despite its troubled history, nuclear energy is back on the agenda across the globe. Could it be our saviour? And what are the strategic ris...
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 crimi...
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 Mar...
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 terr...
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 Was...
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...
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-a...
Explainer 530: Who even is Russia’s anti-war party?
Russia's Supreme Court has barred the country's only anti-war party from standing in parliamentary "elections". Does the ban reflect an upti...
The Ceuta border crisis: Who’s really threatening Schengen?
The migration crisis in Ceuta sparked a fierce response across Europe. Does it expose a genuine threat to the border-free Schengen zone or a...
Explainer 529: What’s driving Morocco’s Trump highway?
Morocco confirmed this week that it has named a major highway in Western Sahara after US president Donald Trump. But what's the strategy beh...
CTRL + ALT + RIGHT: Has technofascism taken over Silicon Valley?
Thirty years ago, it was assumed that the internet would be an engine of liberal democracy. Now, Silicon Valley's massive wealth is embracin...