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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.

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Networks:

Monocle

Description:

​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.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Explainer 446: The South Korean coup that wasn’t

12/4/2024
As South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol attempts to undo last night’s shock announcement of martial law, Andrew Mueller explains the real reasons behind the attempted coup. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:07:08

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Taiwan’s China problem

11/30/2024
As Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te embarks on his first international tour, we explore this delicate moment for an island that China still claims as a rogue province. Will China really try to reclaim Taiwan? And how would the island – and its allies – go about its defence? Andrew Mueller speaks with journalist, William Yang, and defence expert, Arthur Ding, in Taipei, plus filmmaker Venessa Hope in London. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:32:57

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Explainer 445: Are Romania’s election candidates really that surprising?

11/27/2024
As we wait to hear if Romania will annul its first round of elections, Andrew Mueller explains why the shocking result should not be that shocking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:06:52

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Is Europe ready for war?

11/23/2024
This week, households in Sweden received a government pamphlet entitled ‘In Case Of Crisis Or War’, while similar manuals were published across Scandinavia. Some European nations are evidently preparing for war, but are they ready? Andrew Mueller is joined by Monocle’s Gunnar Gronlid to speak with Richard Shirreff, the former Nato Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, former director and CEO of the German Council on Foreign Relations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:32:35

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Explainer 444: Why are New Zealand’s Maori protesting?

11/20/2024
Andrew Mueller explains the origin of the controversial bill New Zealand’s Maori are protesting against. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:06:03

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Trump’s doctrine: the sequel

11/16/2024
Following Trump’s first cabinet appointments, we consider what his second term might mean for tensions between international powers. Andrew Mueller speaks with Amy Mackinnon, national security reporter for ‘Foreign Policy’; John Herbst, former US ambassador to Ukraine; Stephen Young, former ambassador to China; and Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:41:12

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Explainer 443: The motives behind Equatorial Guinea’s sex scandal

11/13/2024
African social media has been awash with scandalous videos of Baltasar Ebang Engonga, head of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency, filmed by the man himself, in his own office. Andrew Mueller explains the Shakespearian motives behind the leak and what it could mean for nation’s higher office. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:07:30

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Trump returns: what now?

11/9/2024
As the dust settles on what was a shocking election result for some, we ask how Trump’s decisive victory happened and what it means for the US and the world. Andrew Mueller speaks to ‘The Atlantic’ staff writer Tom Nichols, the US’s former deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, Heather Conley, and co-director of the UCL Centre on US Politics, Julie Norman. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:44:15

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Explainer 442: The election result making Europe breathe a sigh of relief

11/6/2024
While we take stock of what Trump’s victory means for the world, one country’s election result has had a more reassuring effect, at least for the EU. This week, Moldova reelected president Maia Sandu. Andrew Mueller explains what it means beyond the country’s borders and why it matters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:06:26

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US election counterintuitives

11/2/2024
Trump the peacemaker, Obama the deporter, George W Bush the foreign aider. Ahead of the election, we interrogate the counterintuitive positions candidates have taken against their party’s (and their own) image, once in office. Why do so many US presidents campaign in one direction and govern in another? Andrew Mueller speaks with former USAID administrator Andrew Natsios. Plus: a roundtable with Leslie Vinjamuri of the US and the Americas programme at Chatham House and Charles Hecker of geopolitical risk consultancy, Control Risks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:45:43

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Explainer 441: In celebration of Uruguay’s drama-free election

10/30/2024
As the US braces itself for next week’s anxiety-inducing vote and Georgians reel at their own controversial ballot result, Andrew Mueller explains why Uruguay has enjoyed a sublimely excitement-free election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:07:23

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How the war in Ukraine has reshaped Asian foreign policy

10/26/2024
The war in Ukraine and Russia has affected East Asian foreign policy in more ways than you might expect. We explore North and South Korea's involvement in the conflict with former UK ambassador John Everard, China’s watchful eye with Oriana Skylar Mastro and the pivotal forthcoming elections in Japan with James D Brown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:40:46

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Explainer 440: Why don’t Australians care about King Charles III?

10/23/2024
Andrew Mueller explains why Charles III's first visit to Australia as king has drawn the support of some, the ire of others and indifference from most. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:06:36

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Artificial intelligence: Scourge or saviour?

10/19/2024
We explore the effects of artificial intelligence and the governments that are desperately trying to keep up with the technology. Are we all doomed or is there hope for mankind? Andrew Mueller speaks with Slovenia’s president, Natasa Pirc-Musar; Digital Europe director-general Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl; and CEO of Mission Control AI, Ramsay Brown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:38:53

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Explainer 439: Why can’t UNIFIL keep the peace in Lebanon?

10/16/2024
Following attacks by Israeli troops and the discovery of a Hezbollah tunnel close to its base, the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, is under scrutiny. Andrew Mueller explains why this nearly 50-year long deployment has failed to reduce tensions between Israel and Lebanon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:07:26

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Strange borders

10/12/2024
With arbitrary borders and conflicts becoming more fashionable of late, we explore three of the world’s stranger borders: Norway-Russia, Spain-Gibraltar and the Beaufort Sea between the US and Canada. Plus: Jonn Elledge author of ‘A History of The World in 47 Borders: The Stories Behind The Lines On Our Maps’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:38:58

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Explainer 438: Is Russia and Ukraine’s gas deal about to blow?

10/9/2024
Despite many countries backing out of energy deals with Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, some remaining contracts have required Ukraine to maintain the pipeline between Russia and Europe. Andrew Mueller explains how this surreal business arrangement is funding both sides of the conflict, at least for the time being. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:07:03

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Reflections on 7 October and the future

10/5/2024
We look back on Hamas’s brutal attack, Israel’s deadly retaliation and the international community’s hopeless response. One year on, do we have any idea how this ends? Andrew Mueller speaks with Mairav Zonszein in Tel Aviv and Mina Al-Oraibi of ‘The National’ in Abu Dhabi. Plus: a roundtable with two former Israeli ambassadors and advocates of a two-state solution. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:42:46

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Explainer 437: Is Austria ‘Back to the Future’?

10/2/2024
Although they have not achieved a majority, Austria’s Nazi-linked FPÖ party claimed victory after receiving the highest amount of votes at the weekend’s election. Andrew Mueller explains the group’s past and what we may learn for the present. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:08:00

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Where does Hezbollah go from here?

9/28/2024
The Foreign Desk is live in the immediate hours after Israel announced the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Andrew Mueller speaks with David Wood of the International Crisis Group in Beirut, and analysts Lina Khatib and Yossi Mekelberg of Chatham House. Plus: we hear from Hezbollah scholar Aurélie Daher. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:33:04