The Monocle Daily

China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are increasingly co-operating militarily. How steadfast is this alliance and should it worry the West? Plus: Germany’s ‘spy revolution’, Karoline Leavitt leaves and the pros and cons of Unesco’s World Heritage List. 

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Ukraine halts strikes on Russia’s tankers as per JD Vance’s request. Then: Donald Trump’s catering van controversy, French journalists go to war with AI and we get down to “Swissness”. 

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Sea Legend shipping company is launching the first regular container service along Russia’s northern Arctic coast. Then: the World Bank helps Lebanon with its digital transformation. And: France says ‘non’ to unsolicited telemarketing calls.

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Rejected by Israel and left out by Oman: is Donald Trump losing influence in the Middle East? Then: plans to change the French parliament spark outrage. And: would you wear air-conditioned clothing?  

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We examine the significance for the region and the world at the announcement of a new Middle East security deal. Then: our weekly quiz, chairs to make the neighbours jealous and ‘What We Learned’.

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Russia, China and the US are teaming up for global law enforcement. Then: the left’s media machine, London’s pigeon war and we settle the debate over packing light versus packing heavy once and for all. 

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As the Democratic Party redefines itself, Tira Shubart and Phil Tinline explore what lessons European centre-left parties are taking from the US. Plus: who is responsible for protecting the lunar environment?

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As Taiwan tests how the public responds to limited internet connectivity, Mark Leonard and Aliona Hlivco look into how to prepare a society to function when it’s suddenly offline. Plus: Brazilian designer Duda Lopes.

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Iran’s foreign ministry is discussing a new Strait of Hormuz shipping route with Oman. Julie Norman and Mark Earls explore Oman’s soft-power influence. Plus: what makes residents spend a weekend in their own city?

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Our weekly quiz dives into Anthony Fauci’s diary and public nuisances in Singapore. Then: as Europeans drive off on their holidays, our Monocle contributors give you their recommendations for the best food, tunes and etiquette while on the road. 

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Inga Thordar and Alexander Görlach on Iceland’s looming EU referendum and why the organisation is popular again. Plus: an aerial-firefighting CEO and shortcuts to a happier summer from our ‘Med, Mountains & More’ newspaper.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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