Lynne O’Donnell

Lynn O'Donnell, a former Kabul bureau chief for AFP, shares insights on the Taliban's recent internet blackout, explaining the political motives and consequences for everyday life in Afghanistan. Quentin Peel, an expert in international affairs, discusses Trump’s surprising desire to reclaim the Bagram airbase, evaluating its symbolic and strategic implications. The duo also delves into the EU's contentious debate over using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, raising complex legal and political questions.

Lynn O'Donnell, a Foreign Policy columnist and former Kabul bureau chief, teams up with Nomi Bar-Yakov, an expert in diplomacy and geopolitics. They dive into the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, questioning its implications for U.S. political discourse. The duo debates the dangers of divisive rhetoric and violence in politics, particularly for younger generations. They also analyze the strained relations between Israel and Qatar and explore how artificial intelligence could reshape governance, raising essential ethical questions.

Lynn O'Donnell, a columnist for Foreign Policy and former Kabul bureau chief, joins Petri Bertsoff, Monocle's Helsinki correspondent, to explore the absurdity of Donald Trump's Nobel Peace Prize nomination. They discuss the implications of such nominations amidst ongoing global crises. The conversation shifts to the troubling decline of the Ottawa Treaty on landmines and its consequences for Ukraine, along with an unexpected discussion on tourism's effects on local cultures in major cities.

Quentin Peel, a seasoned Monocle radio contributor, joins Lynn O'Donnell, a writer and Afghanistan bureau chief for AP and AFP, to discuss the EU's tough new sanctions on Russia. They dive into the historical context and complexities of these sanctions, questioning if they can indeed pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine. The conversation also touches on the unintended consequences of sanctions, the role of U.S. support for Ukraine, and the intricate balance of international politics in this ongoing crisis.

Join HJ Mai, a journalist focused on US politics, Lynn O'Donnell, an insightful columnist on international affairs, Karen Krasanovich, a film critic, and Simone Bouvier, Monocle’s Paris bureau chief, as they dissect the political fallout from Elon Musk's provocative comments about Trump's new spending bill. They discuss the increasing Republican concerns about the bill's deficit impact, the dire situation for Christian Afghans facing deportation, and the collapse of the Dutch coalition government's implications for European politics.