Monocle on Saturday

Russia analyst and author, Stephen Dalziel, joins Georgina Godwin to talk about the week’s news and culture, including Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Iran, the latest on the US election and cocaine in Coca-Cola. Stephen also gave us an insight into his experience translating the late Alexei Navalny’s memoir, ‘Patriot’, as well as meeting his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, in London. Also on the programme: Monocle’s Hannah Lucinda Smith takes us to Minoa bookshop in Istanbul and Monocle’s George Ruskin gives us a tour of the best culinary spots in Taormina, Sicily. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle’s Amy Van Den Berg meets the creative director of the Frankfurt Book Fair to get a read on the mood ahead of the industry’s largest event. Then: the editorial director of Cheerio Publishing, Darren Biabowe Barnes, discusses independent publishing in 2024. Plus: Charles Hecker joins to go through the latest news and culture, including Russian troops in North Korea, the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and a new book on British food. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference in Istanbul, we hear insights from US submarine officer Taylor Sheppard on maximising quality of life underwater. Then: award-winning author, playwright and essayist Kate Mosse joins Vincent McAviney to talk about her research process and the release of the fourth and final part of her Joubert Family Chronicles series, ‘The Map of Bones’. Plus: writer at large for ‘The Nightly’ Latika Bourke looks back at the week’s news including the continuing conflict in the Middle East, Barack Obama’s comments on the US election and art protests.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a week of escalating tensions in the Middle East, Yossi Mekelberg, associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, joins Emma Nelson to reflect on the week’s news from the region. Then: Monocle’s Helsinki correspondent, Petri Burtsoff, tells the story of a restored cultural icon in the city, and we learn about the future of digital art with the CEO of Lumen Studios, Jen Roebuck, and the director of The Lumen Prize, Gillian Varney.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly concluded this week but what did it achieve? What can we expect from Keir Starmer’s meeting with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday? And what is behind the surge in popularity of South Korean skincare in the UK? Georgina Godwin and international broadcast correspondent, Nina dos Santos, discuss this and more of the week’s news and culture. Plus: Monocle’s Gunnar Gronlid attends the opening of the world’s first commercial CO2 capture-and-storage facility in Norway, and we get the latest on The Book Hive, a UK-based independent bookshop and publisher, with the owner, Henry Layte.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tessa Szyszkowitz, a seasoned political correspondent, discusses the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and the geopolitical tensions impacting civilians. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician, highlights the struggle for human rights in Russia and the importance of supporting freed political prisoners. Andrew Hill, a senior business writer for the Financial Times, shares insights on the upcoming 20th Business Book of the Year awards and the criteria that define standout business literature. Plus, explore the intersection of fashion and politics at design festivals.

Author Kate Kruimink joins Georgina Godwin to talk about her award-winning novella ‘Astraea’ and China Moses discusses her music ahead of the London Jazz Festival launch party. Plus: Charles Hecker on British diplomats accused of spying in Russia, soaring coffee prices in Italy and the 2024 Ig Nobel Prize.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the deadly school shooting in Georgia, United States, cultural historian Gavin Plumley and Georgina Godwin look at the judicial process in the country and the political impact of the shooting in an important election year. Across the pond in the UK, Oasis and Ticketmaster have been dominating headlines - Gavin and Georgina reflect on ‘dynamic pricing’, as well as a survey of Britain losing pride in its past and why this is actually encouraging. Plus: Monocle’s Andrew Mueller speaks to the President of Radio Free Europe about the vital work they do to bring uncensored news to countries like Ukraine, Russia, and Afghanistan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why has Brazil banned X, formerly known as Twitter, and how will this ban actually work? Ozempic is in the news again but what’s the newly discovered potential benefit of the drug? And Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland is expected to make gains in two state elections tomorrow – what is the mood on the ground? Author and political journalist Terry Stiastny joins Georgina Godwin for this and more of the week’s news and culture. Plus: with Vinted and Depop encouraging more people than ever to sell their used items online, Bookshop.org has launched a used-book platform called Bookloop that aims to benefit indie bookshops and authors. Bookshop.org’s partnership manager Mark Thornton tells us more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Democratic National Convention ended on Thursday; political analyst Charles Hecker returns to ‘Monocle on Saturday’ to discuss the highlights from the event and flick through the global papers. Plus: Bristol-born street artist Sickboy discusses the link between graffiti and political unrest, and music producer Oscar Osicki talks about translating different genres of music to film scores.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.