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.
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 hear about the late architect César Pelli’s final project.
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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 Pacheco brings us his Slovak “Global Countdown”.
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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 Media Summit and look inside the new issue of Konfekt.
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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 Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival.
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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 gain. Plus: Design on display in London, Paris, Venice and Zürich.
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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 supplies? Then: Konfekt’s autumn spa special and Paris Design Week.
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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? Plus: Apple’s new CEO is put to the test.
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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 after his departure. Then: New York Fashion Week kicks off.
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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 presidential run? Then: Portuguese architecture and Lisbon’s Cape Verde ties.
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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. Plus: 2027 travel trends emerge, with long-haul trips and cooler climes prevailing.
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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 Conference under way in Lisbon.
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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 Quality of Life global countdown.
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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 Al-Qaeda and Houthis in Yemen and the start of the Venice Film Festival.
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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 prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s new era of stability.
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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 their offices after the summer break, we look at the runners and riders in this presidential race, and what the latest polls tell us.
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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 amid war and Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference in Lisbon next week.
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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 Countdown.
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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 business. And: Australia bans AI-generated music from its charts.
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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 decision a “historic step”. We look at what the Trump administration’s decision means.
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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” hyperbole shrugged off by markets and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
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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 Baltica brings the Baltics ever closer. Plus: Rob Bound previews ‘Monocle on Culture’.
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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 in post-industrial cities; and a flick through Monocle’s September issue.
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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 Romania merge? Then: Libyan reggae and Lebanese city-pop with Habibi Funk.
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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: chef-turned-CEO Hugo Worsley and shoe designer Yuki Matsuda.
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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 Fernando Augusto Pacheco tells us about ‘Monocle Meets’.
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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 Gulf gears up for EVs and Eurovision proposes major voting changes.
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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 nightlife mayor can teach the world.
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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 weapons could mean for other Asian powers.
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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: European retailers are creating communities in the US market. Is this the future of luxury?
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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 future of Schengen and the allure of the cinema.
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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 are leading the pack. Plus: the CEOs of Bombardier and Qantas.
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‘Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography’ and ‘The Global Countdown’
We visit a photography exhibition that takes us through the decades of American city life. Plus: we get the latest on a possible Iran-Oman deal, and Fernando Augusto Pacheco brings us ‘The Global Countdown’.
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Revisiting La Rambla and the increasing importance of tree cover
Julia Webster Ayuso reports on the redevelopment of Barcelona’s La Rambla. Then: the increasing demand for tree services and suppliers as Europe grapples with heatwaves. Plus: an update from the first day of Taiwan’s annual military drills.
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Boeing’s 737 Max 7 finally gets certification from FAA
We explore what it means for Boeing’s Max 7 to finally get off the ground. Plus: Japan’s currency intervention and the latest in hotel design with Monocle’s Nic Monisse.
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Why is Israeli withdrawal such a key issue for Gaza and Lebanon?
In both the Hamas disarmament deal and upcoming talks with Lebanon in Rome, Israel refuses to withdraw. We discuss what that says about regional dynamics. Then: ‘The Foreign Desk’ explores the “Nerd Reich”; RFK Jr’s new cooking show; and local fashion becomes political.
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Optimism remains as firefighters battle to get France’s wildfires under control
France’s interior minister says optimism remains even as firefighters work to get the blazes in southwestern France under control. Then: we head to Mallorca for the opening of a new Mandarin Oriental. Plus: a conversation with the president of Japanese eyewear brand Globe Specs.
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What’s next for Peru as it inaugrates its 10th president in a decade
We head to Peru, where Keiko Fujimori has been inaugurated, to explore how she fits into the cast of characters reshaping politics in Latin America. Plus: the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi sets an opening date.
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What Japan can teach the world about disaster preparedness?
With Japan in recovery mode after a deadly earthquake, what can its disaster preparedness teach the world? Plus: tributes to late French DJ Kavinsky.
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South Korea battles its ageing population with a foreign workforce
Solutions for South Korea as it becomes the latest country to officially become a “super-aged” society. Plus: why it’s a buoyant time for the luxury cruise market.
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The UK-Ukraine special relationship
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meets the fifth UK prime minister since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Does he have more value to offer Andy Burnham than the other way around? Plus: Cape Verde’s new soft power.
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