The Foreign Desk

Every year the Royal British Legion, a charity that supports members and veterans of the British armed forces, raises money by selling poppies in remembrance of those who have died during service. Andrew Mueller explores how a well-meaning charity fundraiser has become yet another frontline in the 21st century’s culture wars.

Despite being the world’s most powerful country, the US has dozens of vacant ambassadorships in the capitals of some of its most important allies. Does the current administration’s disregard for America’s foreign service signal a shift in global attitudes to diplomacy, when picking up the phone for a direct government-to-government chat has never been easier? Andrew Mueller is joined by John Everard, Chas Freeman and Tiina Intelmann to discuss the importance of diplomatic missions.

Although the group of asylum seekers travelling towards the US from Central America is real, the threat they pose to American citizens is not. With only a few days until the midterm elections, it doesn't take a political scientist to work out why Donald Trump has decided that now is the time to react – by sending more than 5,000 troops to the border with Mexico. Andrew Mueller asks why voters keep buying Trump’s lies.

China does a good job of keeping its Uyghur minority out of international headlines. But, as more stories of huge numbers of Uyghurs incarcerated in detention centres emerge, so do less-than-convincing excuses from Beijing. What do the Uyghurs want that China fears so much? And could this type of persecution spread to China’s other ethnic and religious minorities? Andrew Mueller is joined by Isabel Hilton, Megha Rajagopalan, Gene A Bunin and Dolkun Isa.

In an historic upset, Australia’s governing coalition lost its one-seat parliamentary majority following a by-election in the Sydney electorate of Wentworth. Andrew Mueller explains why this comes as a shock, and asks if Australian conservatism has wandered deep into the ideological weeds.

When news broke earlier this month of the disappearance and alleged murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi the outcry was appropriately loud. But what about the war in Yemen, the human rights abuses, the support for terrorism around the world? These were seen more as inconveniences to global powers that wanted to do business with the House of Saud. Andrew Mueller, Bill Law, Rosemary Hollis and Shadi Hamid ask if, this time, the Saudis have gone too far – and what that could mean.

The US midterms are only a few weeks away but Democrats seem just as concerned about who could go head to head with Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. What’s certain is that local media is enjoying the guessing game. Ed Stocker, our Americas editor at large, asks who – if anyone – has what it takes.

Time is running out to reach a deal on what will happen when the UK leaves the EU in March – but as negotiators get ready for the next set of talks this week, campaigners are calling for another referendum. Can – and should – Brexit be stopped? We’re joined by Crispin Blunt MP, Thomas Cole, Amelia Hadfield and European newsroom editors to find out.

The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, quit this week in what was, to many, a shock announcement. Along with speculation as to why, the question of who will replace her remains unanswered. Andrew Mueller gazes into his crystal ball.

Just over 15 years since the US and UK invaded Iraq with a promise to remove Saddam Hussein and install democracy, the country is still struggling. Internal divisions and external interference aren’t making things any easier – but can a newly agreed government lead Iraq towards a thriving future? Andrew Mueller is joined by Alex MacDonald, Jane Araff, Renad Mansour and Yanar Mohammed.