The Briefing Monocle Radio

‘Wall Street Journal’ reporter Evan Gershkovich has appeared behind closed doors today in a Russian court, facing spying allegations that the publication and the US government have sternly rejected. Elsewhere, Volodymyr Zelensky hails the start of EU accession talks for Ukraine, Germany’s new citizens must declare Israel’s right to exist, Assange returns to Australia and, with a month to go, Paris completes final preparations for the Olympics.

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After more than a decade in legal limbo, Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, has agreed to plead guilty to charges of espionage in the US in exchange for his freedom. Also on the programme: why an Israeli Supreme Court ruling that ultra-Orthodox Jews must serve in the IDF could bring down Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Plus: business news, the Japanese state visit to Britain and China’s unique moon rocks.
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What does it mean for Ukraine to formally start accession talks with the European Union? We speak to Ukrainian MP Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze. Plus: a look at the Sahel militants operating in Nigeria, the Argentine president visiting Europe and we hear about the Swiss travel system from Andreas Nef.
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The Netherlands’ longest-serving leader, Mark Rutte, has won the race to become the next head of Nato. But what will the alliance look like under his leadership? Then: Viktor Orbán and Olaf Scholz meet in Berlin to talk about EU co-operation and Slovakia’s parliament approves the abolition of the country’s public broadcaster. Plus: citizens reclaim their cities, turning squares into public living rooms as football takes the continent by storm.
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As campaigning begins to become the governor of Tokyo, we hear from Tomohiko Taniguchi, a former special adviser to the cabinet of Shinzo Abe, on who’s in the lead to run the world’s most populous city. Then: Canada lists Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist group; and we hear from the United Nations deputy high commissioner for refugees, Kelly Clements, on the agency’s work with the likes of Ikea and Uniqlo to employ refugees. Plus: our weekly global countdown takes us to Sri Lanka.
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Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, says a decision on all out-war is near as Hezbollah releases drone footage of sensitive Israeli sites. Then: As Boeing’s CEO faces a grilling before the US Senate, can the company restore quality to recover its reputation?  Plus: the latest business news and a round-up from the Balkans.
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