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The Briefing

Monocle
Donald Trump
Ukraine
Iran
United States
Israel
Russia
Japan
Gaza
Venezuela
European Union
France
Lebanon
Germany
China
Sanae Takaichi
NATO
Greenland
Europe
Italy
Hamas

A pacy round-up of the day’s main news stories, anchored from London by a Monocle editor. The show features informed reporting, prescient business analysis and invaluable industry reports covering everything from technology to aviation and retail to media.

PublishesDailyEpisodes134Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsDaily NewsNews

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Latest Episodes

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.

See omnystudio.com/listen... more

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ... more

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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Recent Guests

Inzimam Rashid
Gulf correspondent
Monocle Radio
Episode: Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed? US and Iran exchange tit-for-tat strikes
Karsten Brzezki
Global Head of Macro
ING Research
Episode: Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed? US and Iran exchange tit-for-tat strikes
Lars Bevanger
Oslo correspondent
Monocle
Episode: Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed? US and Iran exchange tit-for-tat strikes
Pat Breen
Chairman and Chief Executive at Gas Strategies
Gas Strategies
Episode: Will an establishment-versus-outsiders rift sink the Democrats’ mid-term hopes?
Natasha Danon
Journalist and former executive director of Syria Direct
Syria Direct / Marseille
Episode: Damascus rocked by explosions during Macron’s visit to Syria: what comes next?
Abdullah Okaeli
Damascus-based journalist for multiple outlets including Al Jazeera English, Wired, Middle East and France 24
Various outlets
Episode: Damascus rocked by explosions during Macron’s visit to Syria: what comes next?
Yumiko Morioka
Japanese pianist and composer
Independent/Metron Records interview
Episode: Damascus rocked by explosions during Macron’s visit to Syria: what comes next?
Nick Luscombe
Host of Tokyo Music Hour on Monocle Radio
Monocle Radio
Episode: Damascus rocked by explosions during Macron’s visit to Syria: what comes next?
Ed Stocker
Europe editor at large, following European political developments
Monocle
Episode: Trouble on the right: Meloni faces Trump at Nato summit while Le Pen awaits her fate

Hosts

Thomas Waterhouse
Host of The Briefing, Monocle Radio/Monocle
Chris Churmack
Host of The Briefing, Monocle Radio/Monocle
Andrew Tuck
Monocle Editor-in-Chief
Julia Jen
Monocle writer; editor and researcher
Tom Webb
News presenter

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 494 ratings
  • Excellent

    Excellent reporting and journalism. Enjoy the hosts sense of humor. I am a big fan of everything Monocle !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PepoPepa69
    United Statesa year ago
  • What BBC radio 4 should be

    Monocle entertains, educates and provides inspiration in a Reithian mix of content. Something that Lord Reith’s own BBC now fails to do.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Our boy Ged
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Smug and Boring

    Yawn

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    lolololol 12334
    United States2 years ago
  • Disappointed

    I have adored Monocle for years, however I have found its neutral, almost pro-Zionist coverage of the genocide in Gaza incredibly disappointing. I listen to The Briefing every morning and feel frustrated most days. I thought Monocle stood for more and wanted to see the world a better place.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Clickalick
    Australia2 years ago
  • Outstayed Welcome

    I was fine with the pithy elitism of this show until it became interspersed with pro-Israeli propaganda regularly. I now find it abhorrent.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Dean Mack
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Great for listeners who want world events explained with real-world context and color.
Some listeners feel occasional bias; overall high-quality journalism with a broad range of guests.
Consistently offers field reporting and timely analysis across politics, economy, and culture.
Polished production and insightful guest questioning keep complex topics accessible.
Engaging, well-researched daily briefings with strong global perspective.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#111
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#232
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#240
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#26
Chile/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#47
Denmark/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#48
India/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Coming out of the cold? Myanmar tries to re-engage with the Asean bloc
Q: Could there actually be an invitation for Myanmar to Manila's meeting?
There's cautious optimism about a possible invitation, but nothing definitive, as ASEAN must balance internal consensus with regional geopolitics.
Coming out of the cold? Myanmar tries to re-engage with the Asean bloc
Q: So how big a deal is this informal gathering for Myanmar and ASEAN?
It's a significant symbolic gesture signaling potential reintegration, but the absence of concrete steps and the ongoing civil war mean real progress remains fragile and uncertain.
Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed? US and Iran exchange tit-for-tat strikes
Q: Can you explain the current status of the Strait of Hormuz and what a potential reopening would require from regional players?
The discussion emphasizes that even if military actions pause, confidence in passage remains low because Iran can threaten targeted vessels; reopening would require credible de-escalation and a sustainable agreement involving Iran and regional actors, not just Western military pressure.
Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed? US and Iran exchange tit-for-tat strikes
Q: Inzi, what happened over the weekend that led to this latest round of tit-for-tat fighting and how did it escalate so quickly?
Rashid explains that after attempts at de-escalation by Qatar and Oman, both sides carried out strikes and retaliations, the Gulf region experienced renewed activity, and Iran warned against shipping routes while U.S. military actions escalated, signaling a pattern of retaliation and counter-retaliation.
Iran mourns Ali Khamenei amid questions over his son’s whereabouts
Q: Why are red flags and phrases of vengeance significant in the crowd?
They indicate a hardline faction within Iran is using the funeral to project strength and to voice hostility toward the West, impacting regional tensions and perceptions of the regime.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Briefing

What is The Briefing about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A fast-paced daily roundup focused on global politics, economics, and culture, with on-the-ground reporting and expert commentary. Episodes often weave geopolitical risk, energy markets, and policy shifts into a single narrative, interspersed with cultural segments, design and fashion beats, and occasional sports/cultural countdowns. Notable strengths include a rotating slate of high-profile guests and on-location reporting from major cities, plus a consistent emphasis on how policy moves ripple through markets, diplomacy, and daily life. This makes it a strong fit for listeners who want concise, informed briefings with both hard analysis and color from the field.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Briefing?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Briefing. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Briefing and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Briefing get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Briefing?

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How many subscribers and views does The Briefing have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Briefing has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Briefing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Briefing:

1. The Monocle Daily
2. The Globalist
3. Monocle on Sunday
4. The Foreign Desk
5. Monocle on Saturday

How many episodes of The Briefing are there?

The Briefing launched 15 years ago and published 134 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Briefing?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Briefing?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Briefing from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Briefing?

Recent guests on The Briefing include:

1. Inzimam Rashid
2. Karsten Brzezki
3. Lars Bevanger
4. Pat Breen
5. Natasha Danon
6. Abdullah Okaeli
7. Yumiko Morioka
8. Nick Luscombe

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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