The Briefing

How deep into red states can Democrats go in the midterms? We hear from Ryan Williams in Washington and Kathie Obradovich in Iowa. Plus: a fridge-freezer attack across Europe. And: we meet Ayala Land CEO Meean Dy in Manila.

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Bart de Wever has resigned as Belgium’s debt rises and budget talks collapse. With many centrist European leaders in a similar position, will he be the first of many? Then: we head to Texas for an update on the midterm elections.

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As the UAE and Saudi Arabia forge stronger ties and Oman proposes a regional security pact, we discuss how diplomacy might still bring peace to the Middle East. Then: Canada-EU relations enter a new chapter. Plus: Milan’s new Stadium Generali. And: what’s next for Eurovision? 

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We discuss where Israel and the wider region are heading now that the final votes have been counted in Israel. Then: why are the US midterms capturing the world’s attention? Plus: Monocle in New Delhi and ‘The Global Countdown’. 

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We’re in Madrid with the latest as the death toll of a train collision rises. We discuss what happened and what questions it raises for rail safety. Plus: what next for Israel as no clear winner emerges from the election.

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We’re in Tel Aviv to assess the mood on the ground as millions turn out to vote in an election that could have global repercussions. Then: 50 stories celebrating 50 years of the National Theatre building in London.

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Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office. While supporters celebrate, investor bets on a right-wing victory are upended. Plus: Serbia’s veteran leader Aleksandar Vučić ousted by the student movement

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A new Globsec report argues that Europe won’t be ready to put new defence tech into action fast enough. We explore the solutions. Plus: entrepreneurship in New Delhi and Art Basel adjusts to more civil disruption in Paris. 

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European and Gulf countries sign new deals on defence and energy. We examine the ties forged in crisis. Then: Google’s data centre plans in Finland are put on ice. Plus: ‘The Global Countdown’ heads to Helsinki.

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Russia has announced that it’s releasing detained American Stephen Hubbard. Is this another signal of a warming relationship? Then: Romania forms a government after a 6-month political deadlock.

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As Albertans vote to remain, we look at the lasting impact of the campaign to leave Canada. Then: Volodymyr Zelensky and Steve Witkoff head to Oslo. What shape could talks take?

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We’re in Paris as Emmanuel Macron asks some cities to impose partial curfews after a weekend of riots and looting. But what’s next as his interior minister says that the police “lost control”?

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As Trump rebukes Ukraine’s attacks on a Russian oil refinery, we speak to a former Ukrainian ambassador about how negotiations have changed. Then: the UAE’s changing security landscape and Sumo at the London Film Festival.

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EU leaders gather in Brussels, hoping to find a way forward for the bloc’s next budget. Is there room for manoeuvre? Plus: Giorgia Meloni criticises Donald Trump’s Russia diesel deal and Frieze London opens to the public.

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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meets UK prime minister Andy Burnham as Russia strikes critical infrastructure in Kyiv Plus: the future of fashion retail and why Ford is re-entering rallying.

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We discuss the latest global economic forecast and what it means for financial systems as the IMF warns of ‘resilience under strain’. Plus: commissioning contemporary art and the Paris Auto Show opens to the public.

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Monocle and Hitachi Energy host a series of exclusive events in New Delhi featuring our editors and invited experts. Then: what’s getting everyone revved up at the Paris Motor Show? Plus: The CEO of Dubai Airports explains how the Gulf can make it through an increasingly turbulent period. 

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We’re in Oslo as the Nobel Institute recognises the achievements of the former UN rights chief and ICJ judge who stood up against apartheid. Plus: Anthony Vaccarello leaves Saint Laurent.

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We get the latest from our Gulf correspondent as explosions hit the Saudi capital. Then: Italy prime minister Giorgia Meloni secures final approval for electoral overhaul. And: the latest on protests in Paris.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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We speak to the editor of The Kyiv Independent in London as the war in Ukraine escalates. Plus: Tyler Brûlé on rebranding a failed airline and why China is regulating AI relationships.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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? 

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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.

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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 Emma Nelson is live from our headquarters in the city that has just topped the IMD’s global Smart City Index. Plus: an alliance unfolding between Al-Qaeda and Houthis in Yemen and the start of the Venice Film Festival.

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We head to Istanbul for Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s first-ever Mecca Defence Alliance meeting. Then we’re off to Milan to discuss Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s new era of stability.

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There are seven months to go before the first round of the election that will find a replacement for outgoing leader Emmanuel Macron. As politicians return to their offices after the summer break, we look at the runners and riders in this presidential race, and what the latest polls tell us.

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In light of Harald V’s passing, we explore why monarchy still influences an increasingly divided geopolitical landscape. Then: Dubai airport perseveres amid war and Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference in Lisbon next week.

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Volkswagen’s CEO Klaus Blume and unions are clashing over massive job cuts. Plus: New York Mayor Mamdani takes on Fifth Avenue. And: The Global Countdown.

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The Spanish government requests emergency EU funding as the cabinet holds an extraordinary meeting over the Ceuta crisis. Then: how to fail upwards in business. And: Australia bans AI-generated music from its charts.

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Washington says that it is recognising Damascus’s positive moves to distance itself from international terrorism. Syria’s foreign minister calls the decision a “historic step”. We look at what the Trump administration’s decision means. 

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The UK prime minister is in Kyiv on his first foreign trip, boosting Ukrainian missile production and defying Russian threats. Plus: Iran “D-Day” hyperbole shrugged off by markets and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

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We head to Bangkok as Myanmar’s post-coup leadership arrives for a diplomatic push. What does it mean for a government to gain legitimacy? Then: Rail Baltica brings the Baltics ever closer. Plus: Rob Bound previews ‘Monocle on Culture’.

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As pressure mounts on Zelensky amid calls for elections, what does the scandal mean for Ukraine’s morale? Plus: Can design be a vehicle for development in post-industrial cities; and a flick through Monocle’s September issue.

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China is launching an Arctic Sea route as an alternative to the fraught Middle East shipping lanes. How would this shift global ties? Plus: will Moldova and Romania merge? Then: Libyan reggae and Lebanese city-pop with Habibi Funk.

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How has Oman found itself in the firing line of the United States? And what is its motivation to reach a deal with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz? Plus: chef-turned-CEO Hugo Worsley and shoe designer Yuki Matsuda. 

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The US pushes to revive its Gaza peace plan as Jared Kushner meets Hamas and Israeli officials. Plus: Anita Riotta previews ‘The Foreign Desk’ and Fernando Augusto Pacheco tells us about ‘Monocle Meets’. 

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As Japan slams Putin’s recent visit to the disputed Northern Territories, we discuss what history tells us about how these matters are resolved. Then: the Gulf gears up for EVs and Eurovision proposes major voting changes. 

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As two of president Donald Trump’s most fervent former acolytes talk about forming a new party, we assess the future of Maga. Plus: what Ottawa’s nightlife mayor can teach the world.

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Ukraine’s president warns that Pyongyang is increasingly bolstering Putin’s war effort. We ask what the fresh shipments of ground troops and weapons could mean for other Asian powers. 

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South Korea announces major ambitions for its defence industry. What does Seoul’s focus on American ships and locally produced chips tell us? Then: European retailers are creating communities in the US market. Is this the future of luxury? 

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As a second shooting in less than a week rocks Thailand, we head to Bangkok for the latest. Then: what economic opportunities exist in climate action? Plus: the future of Schengen and the allure of the cinema.

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We head to Bangkok first for an update from James Chambers on a tragic school shooting in the city. Then: we dive into corporate earnings to see which sectors are leading the pack. Plus: the CEOs of Bombardier and Qantas. 

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We visit a photography exhibition that takes us through the decades of American city life. Plus: we get the latest on a possible Iran-Oman deal, and Fernando Augusto Pacheco brings us ‘The Global Countdown’.

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Julia Webster Ayuso reports on the redevelopment of Barcelona’s La Rambla. Then: the increasing demand for tree services and suppliers as Europe grapples with heatwaves. Plus: an update from the first day of Taiwan’s annual military drills.

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We explore what it means for Boeing’s Max 7 to finally get off the ground. Plus: Japan’s currency intervention and the latest in hotel design with Monocle’s Nic Monisse.

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In both the Hamas disarmament deal and upcoming talks with Lebanon in Rome, Israel refuses to withdraw. We discuss what that says about regional dynamics. Then: ‘The Foreign Desk’ explores the “Nerd Reich”; RFK Jr’s new cooking show; and local fashion becomes political. 

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France’s interior minister says optimism remains even as firefighters work to get the blazes in southwestern France under control. Then: we head to Mallorca for the opening of a new Mandarin Oriental. Plus: a conversation with the president of Japanese eyewear brand Globe Specs. 

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We head to Peru, where Keiko Fujimori has been inaugurated, to explore how she fits into the cast of characters reshaping politics in Latin America. Plus: the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi sets an opening date.

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With Japan in recovery mode after a deadly earthquake, what can its disaster preparedness teach the world? Plus: tributes to late French DJ Kavinsky. 

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Solutions for South Korea as it becomes the latest country to officially become a “super-aged” society. Plus: why it’s a buoyant time for the luxury cruise market. 

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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meets the fifth UK prime minister since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Does he have more value to offer Andy Burnham than the other way around? Plus: Cape Verde’s new soft power.

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We begin live from the West Bank after four people die in the deadliest attack of the year. Then: Donald Trump’s weaponisation of the Department of Justice. Plus: fashion news from Dior, Burberry and more.

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Washington and Riyadh have inked a landmark pact which could allow the Gulf kingdom to develop its own civilian nuclear programme. We look at why the US president is letting Saudi Arabia achieve what it has fought so hard to prevent Iran from accomplishing. 

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Volodymyr Zelensky replaces his top army chief and appeals to the former defence minister after protests in Ukraine. Plus: Monocle’s head of radio discusses the case for taking a sabbatical.

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We speak to Lockheed Martin at the Farnborough Air Show about the renewed focus on European defence. Then: how China is patrolling the South China Sea and why the US Coast Guard could get involved.

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Joseph Aoun meets Marco Rubio ahead of his talks with the US president, Donald Trump. Then: Monocle's view of World Cup soft power, Italy's short-haul flights and how the global demand for luxury fashion brands is shifting.

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Fernando Augusto Pacheco and Ed Stocker assess the mood ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final. Plus: what to expect from an unusual half-time show featuring Madonna and Shakira. Then: photographer Misan Harriman.

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We unpack a new survey from PEW Research Center which shows that China is now viewed more positively than the US. Plus: Greener, Cooler, Healthier is a new platform providing nature-based solutions to urban heat. 

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In an historic step that follows decades of divisiveness and years of negotiations, Gibraltar joins Europe’s border-free Schengen community.  

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As France’s president oversees his last parade, we assess why this year’s celebrations focus on European unity and support for Ukraine. 

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Tehran says it can’t allow Washington to use the Strait of Hormuz to harm Iran’s sovereignty. Plus: why is Volkswagen changing? Then: is Norway the model country for ‘good losers’? And: we chat with Belgian singer Angèle.

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Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations prepare for their first talks with Myanmar since the 2021 coup. Plus: we examine how Londoners are living with and adapting to extreme heat. And: how flamenco can improve our communication skills. 

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Are global energy markets engaging in wishful thinking as the conflict in Iran deepens? Then: does the Maine Senate race prove Democrats cannot resolve the rift threatening their mid-term chances? Plus: Klarna’s CMO and ‘The Global Countdown’.

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As the first visit to Syria by an EU leader is marred by explosions, we get the view from France and Damascus. Then: what next for Nato after renewed Trump threats? Plus: business news and Japan’s Yumiko Morioka. 

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Donald Trump mocks his erstwhile ally Giorgia Meloni, while Marine Le Pen’s presidency is in the hands of a French court ruling. Plus: the US-Belgium controversy settled on the pitch and Haute Couture Week in Paris.

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Funeral processions for Iran’s slain supreme leader culminate in central Iran but his successor is nowhere to be seen. Plus: Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial gets under way; the chief economist of Swedbank; and how Bank of America is funding art-conservation projects.

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As Donald Trump prepares to mark America’s birthday, we look at how press freedoms have evolved. Then: why has Moldova’s prime minister resigned? And: we speak to the owners of Paris shirtmaker Charvet. 

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A day of mourning is declared in Ukraine’s capital after Russian forces launched a large aerial attack. Then: Chanel buys historic gentleman’s shirtmaker Charvet. And: we bring you more musical World Cup fun. 

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US Supreme Court justices rule against Donald Trump on birthright citizenship. Plus: We look at Le Kilt’s offerings with Monocle’s Brenda Tuohy; and speak with H&M at Almedalen.

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Germany launches its North-South commission as its aid budget is cut. Plus: UAE launches its first passenger-train service, North Korea’s unlikely economic success and Monocle at Almedalen Week in Sweden. 

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We examine the future of life in Gaza as Israeli strikes kill three Palestinians. Then: Sweden’s Almedalen week, Paris Fashion Week Men’s and Mexican chef Santiago Lastra.

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In this special edition of The Briefing we look at some of the top cities in Monocle’s Quality of Life survey. Plus: a look into postcards of the past and a food neighbourhood in the winning city of Tokyo. 

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We look at how the Iran war has irked Congress and affected Republicans’ domestic agenda. Then: Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey 2026; MIT Museum acquires IM Pei’s archive; and The Global Countdown World Cup tournament.

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Russian president Vladimir Putin says Moscow is ready for peace talks with Ukraine after infrastructure strikes lead to a fuel shortage. Then: Grace Charlton takes us front row at Paris Fashion Week Men’s. 

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Ten years after Brexit, British voters now see the referendum as a disaster. Then: we look at the newspapers in Brazil and our Quality of Life series takes us to a Viennese bunker.

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The UK prepares for its seventh head of government in 10 years as Keir Starmer stands down. Plus: Iran and the US hold talks in Switzerland. And: we head to Sydney’s Little Portugal.

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Colombia faces a hugely polarising presidential run-off election. Plus: Singapore beats Switzerland to the top spot in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking; how the US-Iran deal will affect Asia; and French culture news.

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As US president Donald Trump signs a deal with Iran, we examine the key takeaways and the effects on global markets. Then: Fernando Augusto Pacheco brings us the third World Cup special edition of ‘The Global Countdown’. 

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