The Globalist

Charles Hecker, Alex von Tunzelmann and Chris Cermak assess the US Democratic Party’s historic victory in the midterm elections, and ask how Donald Trump will work with the opposition over his final two years in office.

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Americans vote in the US midterms. We look at what to expect and what’s at stake. Plus: South Korea’s record budget and AI ambitions, and the Port of Long Beach CEO on tariffs and global trade.

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Are authoritarian regimes joining forces? Plus: Russia’s last free newspaper closes; the Texas midterms; South Africa votes; and a Bangladeshi factory that won the Riba International Prize.

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As Italy faces another day of nationwide protests, we examine how today’s mobilisation compares with the demonstrations earlier this month and the potential impact on Giorgia Meloni. Plus: the Bangkok Art Biennale and the Defence in Space 2026 conference. 

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Spain wrestles with the fallout of a major rail disaster and reflects on broader lessons for the industry. Then: our US midterm series heads to Alaska. And: a look at our favourite Halloween films.

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As exit polls fail to identify a winner in Israel’s election, we get the latest from the region. Then: our midterm series in Maine. And: can scientists really make it rain? Plus: we hear from Artsy and Artnet CEO Jeffrey Yin.

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Israelis head to the polls. Can Benjamin Netanyahu stay in power despite mounting criticism over his handling of the October attacks and their aftermath? We examine what’s at stake in this crucial election.

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Brazil’s verdict is in: what changes now? Plus: Oxford Street goes pedestrian, the papers with Nina dos Santos and why Joshua Cooper Ramo thinks that the US and China can’t afford to be enemies.

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Paris prepares for more protests but what should those preparations look like? Then: why will Serbia’s upcoming elections be so consequential for Europe? Plus: Korean speaker wars resume and Monocle’s new ‘Design Directory’. 

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Monocle’s no-nonsense guide to the midterm elections is here. Then: Canada’s prime minister visits Turkey while Oman’s sultan heads to the UK. Plus: the Art Basel and Design Miami Paris editions.

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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meets US representatives in Oslo amid a deepening rift between Kyiv and Washington. Then: police face off with protestors across Europe – is any government getting its response right? 

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Vladimir Putin proposes peace talks with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, leaving Ukraine and Europe out of the picture. What does this mean for peace? Plus: Japan’s evolving security strategy, and unrest in Mauritius.

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As protests rock Europe and beyond, we explore where they might head next. Then: will the Israeli elections have any upsides for Palestine? Plus: Alberta’s referendum, ‘The National’ meets Monocle and Italy’s Utopian Hours. 

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How could this month's Israeli elections affect international relations worldwide? Then: What does Africa stand to from the rise of EV motorbikes? Plus: Utopian Hours in Italy and Why architecture founder Kulapat Yantrasast.

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Hungary revives a newspaper as Turkey cracks down on opposition TV. What’s next for press freedom? Plus: the IMF meets in Bangkok and Lufthansa wins the race for a stake in TAP

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How are wars affecting global shipping routes and trade? We examine the risks to commercial vessels and their crews. And: we continue our series on the global fuel crisis. Plus: a new age of train travel and Frieze London.

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Can diplomacy ease tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis? We examine the prospects for lasting peace and Jordan’s role in regional stability. Plus: the power of protest and whiskey in space.

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How can the Gulf’s aviation industry recover after the attack in Riyadh? Then: we’re in Dubai, Helsinki, Madrid and Toronto to examine fuel crises. Plus: the Paris Motor Show and London and New York’s film festivals.

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Who are the frontrunners for the Nobel Peace Prize? Then: our housing series heads to Milan and the Nordics. Plus: revisiting aviation safety after the Flydubai Flight 1073 incident and Andrew Mueller’s ‘What We Learned’.

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US secretary of state Marco Rubio is in Athens for the Greece-US Strategic Dialogue. What does his visit tell us about Washington’s foreign-policy ambitions? Plus: we continue our series on Europe’s housing crisis in Lisbon and Zürich, before ending on a positive note in Vienna.

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Following Black Tuesday, we ask whether France’s protests point to a deeper national malaise. Then: how Madrid and Amsterdam are tackling the housing crisis. Plus: India’s voter purge and our Entrepreneurs cover.

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Fighting intensifies in Yemen as the government launches a new offensive against the Houthis. We look at what’s behind the escalation and Saudi Arabia’s role. Plus: Spain’s snap election and housing crisis; Thai Airways’ CEO steps down; and Basel’s latest cultural news.

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We’re in São Paulo and Sarajevo for the results of key elections, as well as Taipei for the arrival of F16s and Paris for fashion week. Plus: philosopher Alain de Botton at Livex.

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How can we balance all of our security concerns if terror attacks can come from pilots themselves? Then: space-junk laser hunters. Plus: a divided electorate in Brazil and Bosnia, and our fragrance series continues.

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A flight bound for Tel Aviv averts disaster by diverting to Saudi Arabia. We delve into the fallout. Plus: Youtube co-founder Steve Chen; the editor of ‘Folha de São Paulo’; and why Chanel is designing boat-race trophies.

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Tucker Carlson on trust in journalism and his past support for the Iraq War as the last US troops leave the country. Plus: Livex in Abu Dhabi, Airbus’s debut in freight and Paris Fashion Week.

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Serbia president Aleksandar Vučić is resigning: is he following Vladimir Putin’s playbook? Plus: Livex in Abu Dhabi, World Skills wraps in Shanghai and new London Tube trains with Kirsty Dias of Priestman Goode.  

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We explore the fallout from Switzerland’s referendum on neutrality. Plus: Pakistan and Turkey mull backing Saudi Arabia. Then: our fragrance series and a visit to the world’s sauna capital.

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As the final day of the world’s largest diplomacy event ends, we peek behind the curtain. Then: Syria’s first female police graduates. Plus: Are star wars going to become a reality? And: What’s the talk of Milan Fashion Week?

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We examine how China and Iran are positioning themselves at the UN General Assembly and what their messages reveal about their relationships with Washington. Plus: how weather has impacted Europe’s economy, Berlin’s likely new leftist mayor and the future of rail travel at InnoTrans.

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We examine how world leaders are using their speeches at the UNGA to present their countries on the global stage. Plus: Morocco votes, WorldSkills 2026 opens in Shanghai, the Booker Prize shortlist and the latest album releases.

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We discuss the sticking points ahead of international leaders’ sideline meetings with Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly. Then: the winners of the new European defence dream and the Lucas Museum opens in Los Angeles.

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Donald Trump prepares to meet with Gulf leaders in New York, Russians head to the polls and the Asian Games begin in Japan. Plus: London Fashion Week and what happens to cultural institutions when national leadership changes.

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Europe’s military leaders gather in Prague to talk defence and co-operation. And: We go behind the scenes of the UN secretary-general race. Plus: A recap of the Arab Media Summit, aviation news and What We Learned this week.

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Canada’s prime minister speaks to the European Parliament and the former president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, is jailed for war crimes. Plus: Jaguar Land Rover plans to sell its Defender to Nato and Zürich Design Week begins.

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The UK flexes its diplomatic muscles as Nato chief Mark Rutte arrives in London. Then: We take the temperature of the US midterms and Italy’s electoral reform. Plus: Nordic news, Paris Design Week and the Arab Media Summit.

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Sweden continues to count the votes of a tightly contested election in which its liberal traditions are being tested. Then: The latest news from the air and sea. Plus: What Okinawa’s new governor means for Japan's defence.

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Sweden goes to the polls while New Delhi hosts Brics leaders for a high-profile summit. Then: Art Week in Syria and Berlin, the Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar and a Canadian cartographer on the business of naming things.

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Sweden heads to the polls this weekend. Its centre-right prime minister vows to bring the far right into government but a left-wing coalition has other ideas. Then: why Algeria has cut ties with the UAE and why Brazilian funk is having a K-pop moment.

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A rare mid-term convention puts Dallas – and Donald Trump – into the spotlight. Then: on the ground in Ukraine with Aliona Hlivco and photographer Mark Neville. Plus: life in Ceuta one month after the migrant crisis.

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Poland has signed a defence co-operation deal with Canada as it hosts the largest Eastern European defence fair this week. Plus: How to organise a state funeral in Norway and why Soviet-era music is making a comeback.

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We explore the new trilateral defence drills and the extent of the US involvement. Plus: Undersea drone wars with Verineia Codrean of Euroatlas; the mayors of Lisbon and Maputo; and a look at Biennale Africa.

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US ambassador Mike Huckabee visits the West Bank as settler violence worsens. Then: the EU makes a deal with Greenland, the global view of the end of summer and the Venice film festival continues.

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How Germany’s regional elections pose one of the greatest threats to Freidrich Merz and Germany’s political firewall against the AfD. Plus: why are some Asian airlines able to absorb the new cost of flying?

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Xi is visiting Egypt for the first time in a decade. Why does Cairo matter to Beijing and what does the visit tell us about Egypt’s ability to balance its relationships with China, the US and its regional partners?

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We look at Niger to understand Moscow’s continuing military role in the region. Plus: Hagen’s CEO Tim Schroeder on Danish coffee culture, the art of cartography and Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference in Lisbon.

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Is the Middle East returning to war? We examine renewed US-Iran hostilities, the Gulf response and whether there is still a path back to negotiations.

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Taiwan and Australia battle China for primacy at the Pacific Islands Forum. Plus: Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths on how a key aviation hub has managed to keep flying through conflict and remain confident in its long-term plan.

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Are relations really deteriorating between the two countries or are they simply returning to old patterns? We analyse the situation in Europe’s southeast and look at what is driving the hostility.

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Should Iceland get closer to the EU? We analyse what’s at stake in Saturday’s referendum and what it means for sovereignty and security in the North Atlantic.

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After three drones targeted Leipzig, the question arises: what can Europe’s airports do about it? Plus: New York gallerist Harper Levine at his outpost in Bangkok; Japan’s education model; and remembering Dolly Parton.

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The US slaps harsh new sanctions on Iran as Pakistan tries to kickstart peace talks. Then: Andy Burnham’s first overseas visit as prime minister to Ukraine. And: Canadian news and a preview of Konfekt’s new book.

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What is the future of security in Asia as Japanese lawmakers head to China? Then: Canada’s tariff war with the US, Kazakhstan’s elections, fashion archives from around the world and rentrée littéraire in France.

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The United States and Europe are experiencing rising borrowing costs as markets wise up to unprecedented levels of debt. Plus: Reviewing the start of Brazil’s electoral campaign and how to give your children independence.

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Over the past week, Japan’s prime minister Takaichi has seen the Trump administration sanction Tomoko Akane, a Japanese citizen and head of the International Criminal Court, which Japan still funds. Trump has also limited military drills with South Korea, which are in Japan’s national interest. So how will Takaichi respond?

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Thailand’s prime minister travels to Canberra as Bangkok looks to deepen ties with Australia. Could the relationship offer Thailand a useful alternative to its reliance on China?

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Can Jared Kushner bridge the divide between Hamas and Benjamin Netanyahu? We examine the art of mediation, how negotiators can break the deadlock over disarmament and withdrawal, and what leverage Washington and regional powers have to help secure a deal.

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Why does Switzerland’s immigration rate keep tumbling? Then: outrage in North Korea as the US and South Korea begin joint military drills. And: we look at why specialist bookshops are still essential.

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With war in Europe, should Switzerland take a stricter approach to its neutrality stance? As campaigning starts on the Neutrality Initiative, we discuss how it could impact the Alpine nation’s standing in the world. 

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Amid fears that President Trump might interfere in the looming November ballot, primary votes in Minnesota and Wisconsin have revealed the differences between establishment candidates and more progressive elements in the Democratic Party. 

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Greenland issues a warning after drilling equipment linked to the US was brought ashore without approval. We explore the future of the territory. Plus: on board Bombardier’s Global 8000, the world’s fastest civil aircraft.

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We look at low water levels on the Rhine, South Korea’s Arctic ambitions and what these shifts mean for global trade on the Strait of Hormuz.

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We look at what’s making the capital and largest city of Nova Scotia a boom town for defence industries. Then: should we be worried that AI writing is taking over from human writing? And: could Seoul authorities succeed in creating a city that never sleeps?

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There are no official military or diplomatic links between Kyiv and Taipei but communication is growing, what might they teach the other? Then: Tomos Parry, chef behind Michelin-starred Brat, on bringing his food to the skies. And: we look at our summer newspaper ‘Med, Mountains & More’.

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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky announces multiple drone deals as Russia steps up attacks. Then: South Korea plans a new train to the North. Plus: Myanmar’s club scene, luxury hotel refurbishments and music from Japan. 

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EU interior ministers close ranks behind Spain after the Ceuta migrant crisis. Then: Japan’s latest white paper on defense. Plus: we talk art with CSS singer Luisa Matsushita 

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Zambia heads to the polls as president Hichilema seeks a second term. We examine what’s at stake for one of Africa’s leading copper producers and consider whether the country’s economic turnaround will secure him another term.

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The Middle East is undergoing dramatic change; we explore how this is reshaping global aviation. Then: Friedrich Merz faces trouble; Copenhagen Fashion Week; and Italian-Palestinian popstar Tä ra.

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Our guide to the latest earnings in the luxury sector and what they mean for the global economy. Then: newspapers from Asia, Europe’s busiest travel week, the continued rise of golden visas, and ‘Med, Mountains & More’. 

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Best-selling author Daisy Goodwin recounts the lasting impact of losing a home to a fire, as we check in from Bordeaux. Plus: Has Saudi Arabia officially entered the US-Iran conflict? And: Sweden’s new security architecture.

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We report from Bordeaux, where wildfires continue to rage as firefighters battle to contain the blaze. Plus: the latest on the earthquake in Japan.

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The US president and the Israeli prime minister prepare for talks in Washington. Then: why it’s good to follow Andy Burnham’s example and buy British. Plus: why has a Chinese film about Taiwan been made but never screened? 

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Washington and Tehran have halted their escalation for the moment, we explore the reasons behind it. Then: how effective will new EU sanctions on Russia be? Plus: the rise of dining alone, culture news and a Konfekt preview.

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Large youth protests continue to send shockwaves through India’s political landscape. Then: the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting wraps up. Plus: Farnborough International Airshow, the Monocle Minute on Design newsletter and ‘What We Learned’ this week. 

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We get all the latest news on Day 4 of the Farnborough International Airshow in Hampshire. Then: how Switzerland is helping Kyrgyzstan build drinking water systems. And: we hear about Saint-Étienne’s new “Cité du Design”. 

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UK prime minister Andy Burnham invites the US president to Manchester as he puts the northern city on the map. Then: an update on the Farnborough International Airshow. And: new US tariffs on Canadian goods.

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TheIran-backed Houthis in Yemen declare a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia. Then: Britain’s Armed Forces boost their presence in Estonia. Plus: The Farnborough International Airshow and Sunday shopping in Germany.

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As Britain appoints its seventh leader in 10 years, we explore the effects on domestic and international politics. Then: Farnborough International Airshow and India’s space ambitions take off.

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Ukraine’s president is reshaping his country's political landscape – we discuss why. Then The Odyssey hits screens and why is Trump obsessed with sporting events? 

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With Washington describing the latest peace talks in Rome between Israel and Lebanon as “productive and positive”, we look at where Jerusalem stands in the wider Middle East conflict. Then: why are three publishing houses suing Google? And: we examine the Japanese prime minister’s popularity.

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British counter-terrorism police continue their investigation into the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe. Plus: Iceland gears up for further EU talks. And: we examine the brightest stones at Paris’s High Jewelry Week.

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Have Washington and Tehran reached the limits of what force can accomplish or is risk of a wider regional conflict growing? Plus: A flick through the papers, Southeast Asia news and why chilled red wines are keeping us cool.

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Will producing Patriot missiles be the turning point that Ukraine’s defense needed? Asean members discuss how to engage with Myanmar amid its civil war. Then: the Orient Express returns to connect Trieste, Italy, and Belgrade, Serbia. Plus: we head to Broadway to see the season’s shining stars.

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Fresh off the Nato summit, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney becomes the first Canadian prime minister to visit Saudi Arabia in nearly three decades. What’s Carney’s endgame? Plus: An update on Sudan with Yassmin Abdel-Magied. 

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US president Donald Trump says further negotiations with Tehran would be a waste of time, while Iran claims that Trump’s comments push the region “toward fire”. Then: we look at the fight for control over the Malian town of Anéfis. And: another European resort tells tourists to cover up. 

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A Paris appeals court finds far-right leader Marine Le Pen guilty of embezzlement but shortens her electoral ban. Then: Reform UK's Nigel Farage resigns to trigger a by-election. Plus: the latest from the Nato summit in Ankara. And: tensions flare between Iran and Qatar. 

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Defence spending is top of the agenda as Nato leaders gather in Turkey. Plus: Marine Le Pen waits to find out if she can run for the French presidency. And: We take a closer look at Canada’s new submarine deal. 

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Following a US warning that Russia could target Poland as a provocation against Nato, Warsaw finds itself more central than ever to European security. But as Washington deepens military ties with Poland, the country’s relationship with Ukraine is becoming increasingly strained.

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Chancellor Friedrich Merz unveils Germany’s biggest reform package in years. Is it enough to revive the economy, hold off the far-right and convince businesses to invest again? Plus: can Ukraine’s 40-day operation pressure the Kremlin to end the war?

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Donald Trump has suggested Syria could play a role in confronting Hezbollah in Lebanon. But does Damascus want to get involved? Plus: Portugal resumes train manufacturing and Australia turns to drones to stop shark attacks.

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We discuss frustrations in Venezuela and the role of opposition leader María Corina Machado. Plus: An explosion in Monaco targets a Ukrainian oligarch; and our America 250 series looks at tipping points in US-UK history.

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South Africa braces for shutdown after weeks of anti-migrant unrest. Plus: Nobel Foundation head Hanna Stjärne; planetary defences on Asteroid Day; and Thomas Chatterton Williams on Europe’s air-conditioning plight.

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Thousands are still missing following two huge earthquakes in Venezuela. Then: will Israel ever withdraw from Lebanon, Syria and Gaza? Plus: Rome airport CEO warns of summer chaos, America at 250, and an interview with Robert De Niro on Nobu hotels

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A massive rescue effort begins in Venezuela, where hundreds have died and thousands are missing. Then: Protests in Albania ramp up, Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey 2026, urbanism news and a new Frida Kahlo exhibition.

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Ukraine recovery talks amid a Warsaw-Kyiv diplomatic spat. Then: how to unravel decades of US sanctions on Iran? And: Monocle’s new Quality of Life Survey, and an exclusive new electric vehicle from Portugal’s Amble.

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After landmark EU-Taliban talks, questions remain over Afghan deportations from Europe. Plus: Voters in Bangkok prepare to choose their next governor, a flip through the papers and Romania’s deepening political deadlock.

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Britain marks 10 years of Brexit with fresh political uncertainty as Keir Starmer becomes the sixth prime minister to step down since. Plus: What’s next after US-Iran talks, a flip through the Swiss papers and music news. 

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Colombians have elected a new leader after one of the most divisive and violent campaigns in the country’s recent history. Plus: we examine Pakistan’s new position as a global mediator. And: we look ahead to the release of Monocle’s Quality of Life issue.

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We assess the results of a by-election in the UK that has implications for Britain’s future leadership and its relationship with the EU. Plus: why Kenya is compensating protest victims, design news and an Art Basel round-up.

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