The Foreign Desk

This week Iran’s parliament moved a step closer to impeaching president Hassan Rouhani. Despite his high public ratings, the dire economic situation since the US pulled out of the nuclear deal have led to his colleagues losing faith in his leadership. Andrew Mueller asks if Rouhani is really to blame.

In the final part of our summer series on global leaders, we profile Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. He campaigned on a promise to modernise India – a task not for the faint of heart – but since taking office his lifelong links with hardcore Hindu nationalists have threatened to lead the country down a different path. Andrew Mueller is joined by Somnath Batabyal, Shashank Joshi, Shruti Kapila Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay and Preti Taneja.

Since the UK voted to leave the European Union there have been many attempts to try to stop it from happening. The most recent comes in the form of a donation from the founder of fashion brand Superdry. Andrew Mueller asks if the People’s Vote campaign can be successful – and if it’s even what the people want.

In part three of our summer series on global leaders we profile Cuba’s new president Miguel Díaz-Canel. After almost 60 years, the revolutionary Castro brothers have handed over power. Andrew Mueller – joined by Helen Yaffe, Cristina Escobar and Victor Bulmer Thomas – asks what Díaz-Canel’s plans for the country might be and if he’ll be allowed to implement them.

At the beginning of September, the 18 full-time members of the Pacific Islands Forum will gather on the tiny atoll of Nauru. Our Hong Kong bureau chief James Chambers explains why not everyone is looking forward to attending, and why some aren’t allowed to attend at all.

In part two of our summer series on global leaders we profile UK prime minister Theresa May. The Conservative party leader was handed the poisoned chalice of Brexit little more than two years ago. Andrew Mueller – joined by Terry Stiastny, Andrew Gimson and Meryl Kenny – asks what hope she has of succeeding with Brexit negotiations and whether she can achieve anything else while in power.

Related reading:

– Andrew Gimson: [Gimson’s Prime Ministers](https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1112484/gimson-s-prime-ministers/)

– Meryl Kenny: [From Thatcher to May and beyond](http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526130068/)

– Terry Stiastny: [Conflicts of Interest](https://www.hodder.co.uk/books/detail.page?isbn=9781444794380)

Anyone wanting a glimpse of what might be unfolding in Canadian politics should look to Ontario, which has just elected Doug Ford – brother of the late crack-smoking mayor of Toronto, Rob – as its new premier. In the opening weeks of his time in office Ford laid down the kind of populist agenda that Donald Trump could be proud of. Monocle’s bureau chief in Toronto, Tomos Lewis, has more.

In part one of our summer series on global leaders we profile Israeli prime minister Benjamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu. Soon to be the country’s longest-serving PM, he is also one of its most divisive. We speak to his [biographer](https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/bibi/) Anshel Pfeffer, former Knesset researcher Susan Hattis Rolef and CEO of Bicom James Sorene.

The loosening of media-ownership rules in Australia was meant to protect companies from a changing marketplace. But could it see the disappearance of a trusted newspaper publisher? Karen Middleton of ‘The Saturday Paper’ explains.

As the northern hemisphere gears up for holiday season Andrew Mueller explores the importance of flag-carriers to a country’s brand and asks if they’re managing to keep up with their budget competitors. Featuring Tyler Brûlé, Tristan McAllister and Chatri na Ranong.