- 36 minutes 36 secondsRefuelling in southern France: Firefighters make progress but bigger challenges remain
Thomas Waterhouse joins us from Lacanau, where French water bombers are refilling from a nearby lake to fight the fires. Our panel of Ash Bhardwaj and Zoë Grünewald assess the fallout for tourism and politics.
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29 July 2026, 5:53 pm - 35 minutes 9 secondsBroken norms: Are leaders less shy about backing other countries’ candidates?
Antônio Sampaio and Marion Messmer discuss Argentine president Javier Milei’s direct intervention in Brazil’s elections, endorsing Flávio Bolsonaro and calling President Lula a “convict” and “delinquent”. Has it become the norm for politicians to intervene across borders?
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28 July 2026, 5:47 pm - 43 minutes 52 secondsThe conflicts in Ukraine and Iran converge. Plus: What to make of political leaders’ attire?
Regional conflicts in Ukraine and Iran intersect as Kyiv hits a ship from Tehran in the Caspian Sea. Could the wars become global? Then: Can we learn from political leaders’ sartorial decisions – or are we too buttoned up?
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27 July 2026, 5:54 pm - 34 minutes 57 secondsIs controlling the sun the brightest idea?
Tira Shubart and Andrew Mueller discuss the plans to reflect the sun’s rays in a way to capitalise on solar energy. What could possibly go wrong for life on Earth? Plus: a light round-up of the week’s events.
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24 July 2026, 5:56 pm - 40 minutes 57 secondsThe costs of war for the US and who will foot Pakistan’s mediation bill?
Charles Hecker and Patti Cohen on the effects of Yemen’s Houthis on global shipping, how much the Iran war will cost the US, whether Pakistan will get compensated for mediation and how fresh EU sanctions impact Russia.
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23 July 2026, 6:38 pm - 36 minutes 41 secondsThe message that a US deal allowing Saudi nuclear enrichment sends to the world
Hannah Lucinda Smith and Erin O’Halloran assess the global impact of a US agreement to build out Saudi Arabia’s nuclear energy programme. Plus: why Japan’s prime minister was pleased to get five hours of sleep over the weekend. And Guy De Launey reports on a Balkan conspiracy.
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22 July 2026, 5:48 pm - 31 minutes 42 secondsWhat UK prime minister Andy Burnham’s new cabinet tells us and the French far right shuns Elon Musk
Andy Burnham’s cabinet sit down for their first meeting: what can we learn from their early policy positions? Then: why is the French far right bucking the tech-bro trend and shunning Elon Musk? Plus: Chengdu’s West Village.
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21 July 2026, 5:41 pm - 39 minutes 28 secondsAndy Burnham takes charge in the UK – but does changing leaders midterm ever work?
Alex von Tunzelmann and Justin Quirk on the chances of Andy Burnham succeeding where Sir Keir Starmer could not. Plus: Farnborough International Airshow opens and an interview with Jack Watling, author of new book Statecraft.
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20 July 2026, 5:53 pm - 35 minutes 41 secondsVladimir Putin’s approval rating plummets and protests continue in Ukraine
Monocle writer Julia Jenne looks at the consequences of the cabinet reshuffle in Kyiv and why Vladimir Putin’s popularity is dropping in Russia. Then: Andrew Mueller and Robert Bound test each other’s news knowledge in our weekly quiz. And: we hear from Italo disco revivalists Mind Enterprises.
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17 July 2026, 5:48 pm - 38 minutes 40 secondsChange at the top in Ukraine and the 10-year anniversary of Turkey’s failed coup
The Ukrainian president’s decision to dismiss popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has sparked anger. Then: Ten years after a failed coup, what’s next for Turkey? And: China bans chatbots built for companionship.
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16 July 2026, 5:58 pm - 35 minutes 6 secondsWho or what can stop the US-Iran conflict from becoming a forever war?
Iran and the US are back in conflict. Daniella Peled and Ash Bhardwaj discuss who (else) can bring an end to the war with Iran if the IRGC and the Trump administration fail to cease hostilities.
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