The Foreign Desk

Italy is the latest European country whose election has effectively been a referendum on immigration. Concerns about jobs, way of life and struggling public services are important issues. But can a country ever really be full and what can be done to persuade the public that theirs isn’t?

In most of the world’s major economies, hopping on a budget flight is as common as getting on a train or a bus. But in Canada ultra-low-cost air travel is a sector that largely doesn’t exist. Is this about to change? Our Toronto bureau chief Tomos Lewis explains. The full episode of ‘The Foreign Desk’ is back on Saturday. This week we look at the issue of immigration. Be sure to subscribe to get each new episode.

As Italians head to the polls this weekend, Andrew Mueller is joined by Gianni Riotta, Enrico Franceschini and Stephanie Kirchgaessner to discuss what’s at stake for Italy and Europe, and why Silvio Berlusconi is back in the political limelight.

Hong Kong’s legislative council is gearing up for a by-election on 11 March. But with so many key players, some of whom are currently on bail from jail terms, it’s difficult to know who’s who. Our Hong Kong bureau chief James Chambers breaks things down.

The full episode of ‘The Foreign Desk’ is back on Saturday. This week we look at Italy’s upcoming election. Be sure to subscribe to get each new episode.

As the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics draw to a close, Andrew Mueller asks if the cross-border goodwill between North and South Korea can last.

Angola’s recent corruption purge, after a 38-year rule by José Eduardo dos Santos, should have led to even better relations between the country and its former coloniser, Portugal. But, as Monocle’s Carlota Rebelo explains, one trial that should have been simple has had ramifications on both sides.

The full episode of ‘The Foreign Desk’ is back on Saturday – this week looking the legacy of the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Be sure to subscribe to get each new episode.

After Jacob Zuma was eased out of office by his own increasingly embarrassed party, is President Cyril Ramaphosa the right person to rebuild the African National Congress and revive South Africa? Andrew Mueller is joined by Desné Masie, Martin Plaut and former ANC MP Melanie Verwoerd.

Donald Trump announced this week he wants Congress to authorise $200bn (€161bn) to spend on roads, highways, ports and airports. New York bureau chief Ed Stocker asks how US infrastructure got into this mess and if president Trump’s plans are really going to solve the problem.

The full episode of ‘The Foreign Desk’ is back on Saturday: this week we’re looking at South Africa and the ANC after Jacob Zuma. Be sure to subscribe to get each new episode.

In the past week Turkey has returned to war in Syria, using tanks furnished by one Nato ally to fight the allies of another, while allying in turn with Nato’s main rival, Russia. Elsewhere, Turkey – which once aspired to join the EU – has frozen relations with the Netherlands. Does all this add up to a coherent foreign policy? If so, what is it? And how worried should Nato be about the reliability of its second-largest military?

As we head towards the opening of the Winter Olympics, Monocle’s Asia bureau chief asks if combining the North and South Korean women’s hockey team is something to be celebrated or just a sacrifice for political gain.

The full episode of The Foreign Desk is back on Saturday – this week looking at Turkey’s foreign policy – be sure to subscribe to get each new episode.