The Briefing
By 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.
Episodes (12)
The Briefing
Why Poland’s leaders continue to jockey for power
Poland's political system is locked in a deep constitutional standoff between Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrowski, whose opposing ideologies have paralyzed governance. Despite Tusk’s pro-EU, reformist agenda, Nawrowski—backed by the Law an
The Briefing
What’s next in Colombia’s presidential runoff between the left and the far right
Colombia stands at a pivotal crossroads as its presidential election narrows to a dramatic runoff between a left-wing successor to Gustavo Petro and a polarizing right-wing newcomer, Abelardo de la Espriella. The left’s historic first government, marked by amb
The Briefing
Serpentine Pavilion by Lanza Atelier opens in London
The Serpentine Pavilion by Lanza Atelier, unveiled in London’s Hyde Park, is not just a temporary structure but a deliberate architectural statement rooted in vernacular tradition and contextual response. Designed by Mexico City-based architects Ramba, Joy, Is
The Briefing
Why did Germany fail to secure a seat on the UN Security Council?
Germany's bid for a UN Security Council seat ended in a stunning defeat, losing to Austria and Portugal in a tightly contested vote—despite being widely expected to win. The loss has sparked national soul-searching in Berlin, with Foreign Minister Johann Wader
The Briefing
Culture wraps, Konfekt’s new travel special and the Mount Street Neighbourhood Summer Festival
The latest episode of The Briefing dives into the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, where a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal has been rejected by Hezbollah—despite being agreed upon by Lebanon’s government. David Wood of the International Crisi
The Briefing
Israeli and Iranian retaliatory strikes as Trump administration looks on
The Middle East is on the brink of a wider war after Israel and Iran launched retaliatory airstrikes for the first time since their April ceasefire, triggering a crisis that has caught the Trump administration off guard. Despite President Trump’s repeated call
The Briefing
Who’s calling the shots?: Trump and Netanyahu both look to sway the war in Iran
The latest escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict, triggered by Israeli strikes on Beirut and Tehran against U.S. wishes, has exposed a growing rift between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu—two leaders whose personal ambitions and political survival instinc
The Briefing
What’s behind the resurgence in inter-state conflict?
The number of interstate conflicts worldwide has doubled to eight in 2025—the highest level since the end of the Second World War—according to a new report from the Peace Research Institute Oslo. Sirias Rustad, the report’s lead author, explains that these con
The Briefing
2026 Fifa World Cup opens amid fanfare and controversy
The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens amid a storm of geopolitical tension and institutional failure, far from the promised unity of global football. As Mexico hosts South Africa in a raucous kickoff at Estadio Azteca, the tournament’s very foundation is undermined by
The Briefing
Albania’s flamingo protests take off as anger builds over Jared Kushner’s planned resort development
Albania is facing a political crisis ignited by protests over a luxury resort development backed by Jared Kushner, which has become a flashpoint for broader discontent with Prime Minister Eddie Rama's government. The project, planned for the ecologically sensi
The Briefing
Iran and the US reach a peace deal, with the Strait of Hormuz set to reopen
After four months of conflict and global economic strain, Iran and the United States have reached a formal ceasefire agreement, paving the way for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical global shipping route. The deal, finalized in a memorandum of un
The Briefing
Is Trump ready to turn a corner on the war in Ukraine? Plus: Pitti Uomo
Ukraine is entering the G7 summit with unprecedented confidence, leveraging both battlefield resilience and strategic strikes inside Russia—like the recent attack on a Moscow oil refinery just 15 kilometers from the Kremlin—to pressure Putin. As U.S. President
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