The Globalist Podcast (January 16, 2024) – The latest on the Iowa caucuses, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s tour of Africa and the international reaction to another Houthi missile attack.
Plus: the Iceland volcano eruption’s effect on infrastructure and a look through the morning’s papers.
National Geographic (December 18, 2023) – As the rivers of the Okavango Basin pump life into an otherwise dry African region, a team of researchers and local communities, supported by the Okavango Eternal partnership, follow the flow every year to determine how we can preserve these vital water systems.
The Globalist Podcast (December 8, 2023) – Natasha Lindstaedt discusses divisions within Congress after Republican senators blocked billions in new funding for Ukraine.
Also, a flick through the latest issue of Monocle’s seasonal newspaper, ‘Alpino’, the latest TV and film news and a new ski season kicks off in Europe.
The Globalist Podcast (December 7, 2023) – The rise of Islamist extremism in the Sahel region of Africa and Christina Lamb examines widespread reports that rape was used as a tool of terror in the Hamas attacks.
Plus: the latest from Cop 28, the future of luxury travel and Portugal unveils plans for a new Lisbon airport.
0:15 Kiel is Germany’s first zero-waste city –Kiel has put 107 waste-reducing measures in place. They include practical changes, such as ‘pay-to-throw’, a scheme in which households pay a fee for the amount of landfill waste they generate. Other measures include recycling collection ‘islands’ around the city, discounts for shoppers who bring their own containers and banning disposable products at all city events.
1:33 Gender balanced companies outperform others – According to a BlackRock study of 1,250 of the world’s biggest companies. Over the past decade, the companies with the most equal gender balance achieved a 7.7% average annual return on assets (RoA). Those with the highest share of men delivered a 5.6% RoA, while those with the highest share of women returned a 6.1% RoA. The study concluded it was ‘diversity that counts’ rather than the dominance of a single gender.
3:08 US wants to convert empty offices into homes – The government will offer funding and technical support to help cities turn unused workspaces into affordable apartments. US office vacancy rates have hit a 30-year peak as more staff clock in to work remotely. Meanwhile, rents in the country remain at historic highs after a surge during the pandemic converting offices to apartments can be challenging.
4:48 Rwanda and Kenya open borders to other Africans – Rwanda and Kenya have made significant strides in promoting African unity by opening their borders to other Africans, enabling visa-free travel for all citizens of the continent. This move positions Rwanda as the fourth African nation to remove such restrictions, following Benin, The Gambia, and Seychelles. Kenya is set to join them on December 31, 2023.
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Monocle Magazine (November 2023) – The new autumn design issue profiles the best new chairs, tables and accessories available this season, interviews architectural luminaries including Renzo Piano and hits the road in Czechia to meet the makers forging a new gold standard in craft. We also assess France’s waning influence in Africa and unlock the secrets of the world’s safest safes.
The Economist Magazine (October 7, 2023): The latest issue features Governments jettisoning the principles of free markets; Africans losing faith in democracy and how the ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is bad for America and worse for Ukraine….
The Globalist Podcast (October 5, 2023) – What’s on the agenda for Ukraine as leaders from the European Political Community meet.
Also in the program: following Kevin McCarthy’s ejection as House Speaker, Jim Jordan throws his name in the hat. Plus: the latest with papers and why French workers are leading the way when it comes to returning to the office.
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