The Foreign Desk

4.4 (142)
POLITICS
UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

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.

3 DAYS AGO

The legacies of US presidents

As US president Joe Biden’s time in office comes to a close, we consider how to assess the legacies of national leaders. What makes a president great? And why do our views change over time? Andrew speaks with the custodians of these legacies – biographers, presidential library directors and historians – to see how these mythologies are created and maintained. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

40 min
5 DAYS AGO

Explainer 449: Is China cutting Taiwan’s cables or are their wires crossed?

Andrew Mueller explains how likely it is that China is cutting Taiwan’s undersea cables and what’s in it for them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7 min
4 JAN

The geopolitical risks of 2025

Andrew Mueller talks to Lithuania’s outgoing foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, and Monocle regulars Latika Bourke, Yossi Mekelberg and Charles Hecker about what to keep an eye on as geopolitical risks rise in 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

36 min
28/12/2024

Elections, conflicts and the rise of the right: a look at 2024

More than one billion people headed to the polls, wars turned into regional crises and right-wing parties found new footholds in 2024. Andrew Mueller speaks with electoral expert Tony Banbury, and Monocle regulars Latika Bourke, Charles Hecker and Yossi Mekelberg take stock of the year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

35 min
21/12/2024

The case for foreign aid

The holidays are a time of giving but wealthy nations have not been in a generous mood. Andrew Mueller explores the case for foreign aid and how to turn the concept into a win-win for both donor and recipient. With Mark Lowcock, Andrew Mitchell and Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

43 min
18/12/2024

Explainer 448: Trudeau in trouble

Following the scathing resignation letter of his finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, Andrew Mueller explains why Canada’s prime minister may be about to lose his job and what Trump has in store if he doesn’t. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6 min
14/12/2024

The spectacular fall of the Assad regime

How did the rebels manage to topple Bashar al-Assad’s regime so quickly? How inclusive will any new government realistically be? Who in the region wins and who loses? Andrew Mueller speaks with Syrian-born writer Rime Allaf, counter-insurgency expert David Kilcullen, Middle East security analyst Burcu Ozcelik and Russia expert Mark Galeotti. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

48 min
11/12/2024

Explainer 447: Why is Israel striking Syria?

As Syrians celebrate Assad’s fall, Israel is striking targets across the country. Andrew Mueller explains why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7 min

See All (103)

Andrew Mueller

Host

4.4

out of 5

142 Ratings

It's actually two shows in one. Both are brilliant

22/05/2022

MBelderson

There’s the bite-sized Explainers: excellent short analyses of a single foreign affairs new event. And then there’s the longer weekly show which digs deeper into an issue and is unrivalled even by the BBC’s many but increasingly gimmicky current affairs programmes. The secret is having a heavyweight journalist, Andrew Mueller, as presenter. The wealth of knowledge and experience he brings to the show is invaluable.
Intersting but not exactly unbiased

22/03/2023

veganman1961

A very interesting approach and informative .But some of the language used didn’t seem unbiased .Is this meant to be his Personal opinion with no attempt at a non biased journalistic Approach?
What it means to be English

24/04/2022

Crimebrook

Terrific show. Always informative engaging and challenging. This pod was particularly good talking about something we tend not to want to address 👍
Eloquently put, informative balance

13/06/2019

dimblebubby

Andrew Mueller is the highlight here. Really enjoy hearing the way he delineates complex problems. It’s not so wry it becomes glib, it’s just right. Keep it up.

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.