The Briefing

As Donald Trump sows doubt about mail-in voting, Republicans face a dilemma. Then: France roils European bond markets. Plus: Jesper Brodin of the Earthshot prize. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As students, teachers and parents blockade schools across France, we speak to Anita Riotta in Paris. Plus: We review the Chanel show at Paris Fashion Week and speak with Éternel Parisien founder Gilles Rosier. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, calls an early election amid widespread housing protests. Plus: right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro wins the first round of elections in Brazil but fails to secure an outright majority. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to the editor of The Kyiv Independent in London as the war in Ukraine escalates. Plus: Tyler Brûlée on rebranding a failed airline and why China is regulating AI relationships. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Israel’s ambassador to the UAE as details of the diverted Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv continue to emerge. Plus: the business news, how your environment affects your lifespan and this week’s ‘The Global Countdown’ live from Brazil. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We follow the developing story suggesting that a pilot was stabbed on flight FZ103 en route to Israel. Plus: Mineblast tests South Korea’s approach to North Korea and Paris Fashion Week in full swing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Beijing hosts the highest-level Japanese delegation in a year, we consider what this might do to thaw relations. Plus: we’re in Sao Paulo ahead of Brazil’s election and Abu Dhabi as Livex kicks off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France’s National Rally and its allies have secured a record 14 seats in partial Senate elections. Is it a ‘major milestone’? Plus: an apology from Asian Games organisers and a check-in with our team at Paris Fashion Week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did Xi Jinping and Donald Trump’s meeting at the White House go well and what did Europe think? Then: what international force comes after Unifil? Plus: Thailand’s first America’s Got Talent winner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As countries strike out on their own and conflicts abound, does the UN still hold sway? Alex von Tunzelmann reminds us what the organisation is capable of. Then: Monocle’s October style issue hits newsstands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If progress can be made with anything at the UNGA, will it be with Iran and the US? Then: why are Milan Fashion Week parties an important event for sartorial diplomacy? Plus: Zürich’s cultural revolution. And: can AI help us sleep better and longer? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leaders from Canada, Japan, Brazil and more take centre stage at the UN General Assembly today. Are they the new power brokers? Then: we head to Fondazione Prada as Milan Fashion week hits the runway. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As world leaders descend on New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, we discuss the gathering’s relevance. Then: Fresh election setbacks for the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz. And: What do city monuments mean to us?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.