Andrew Mueller

Very keen on visiting Svalbard one day, suspect novelty of living there would wear off pretty quickly. (For reference, I find winter in *London* something of a grind.)

I once visited Oulu in January, and wondered if some party of ancient Oulu-ans had ever had a bit of a wander south, come back and said "Guys, there are places where it isn't teeth-rattlingly freezing and the sun doesn't set for four months at a stretch," and the others were just "No, this is fine."

Irish neutrality is a weak spot for Europe that Putin could use to his advantage - Monocle It’s possible that Europe narrowly missed its 21st-century Archduke Franz Ferdinand moment last week. As Ukraine’s official Airbus ACJ319 approached...

For Monocle, a gentle suggestion that the Republic of Ireland might want to think about taking its defence slightly more seriously. monocle.com/affairs/iris...

A show of unity between Europe and Ukraine - Monocle The response from the coalition of the willing summit to the ongoing US push for Kyiv to accept concessions and...

Latest Daily on Monocle Radio. @latikambourke.com and @phmarliere.bsky.social on the coalition of the willing, Syria's first year post-Assad, and more. monocle.com/radio/shows/...

"This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper
Thank you for your attention to this matter." #TYFYATTM

"Well I heard Mr Young sing about her
Well I heard old Neil put her down
Well I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don't need him around anyhow
Thank you for your attention to this matter." #TYFYATTM

"General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalisation, come here to this gate. Mr Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall. Thank you for your attention to this matter." #TYFYATTM

". . . father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next. Thank you for your attention to this matter." #TYFYATTM

". . . and gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Thank you for your attention to this matter." #TYFYATTM

". . . that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. Thank you for your attention to this matter." #TYFYATTM

Today's office game: appending the Trumpian exclamation "thank you for your attention to this matter" to incongruous source material. #TYFYATTM

One year on from the toppling of the Assad regime, how far has Syria’s revolution come? - Monocle One year on from the spectacular toppling of the Assad regime, has the Syrian revolution achieved its aims? How well...

Weekday replug for latest Foreign Desk on Monocle Radio. A look at Syria after its first year in more than half a century of not being run by someone called Assad. With @burcuozcelik.bsky.social, @rallaf.bsky.social and Martin Smith of @frontlinepbs.bsky.social. monocle.com/radio/shows/...

Vaguely disappointed Australia didn't send Starc out to open. #Ashes

One year on from the toppling of the Assad regime, how far has Syria’s revolution come? - Monocle One year on from the spectacular toppling of the Assad regime, has the Syrian revolution achieved its aims? How well...

Latest Foreign Desk for Monocle Radio. Syria, one year post-Assad. With Martin Smith of @frontlinepbs.bsky.social, @rallaf.bsky.social and @burcuozcelik.bsky.social. monocle.com/radio/shows/...

"Hapless Ravings From A Cupboard" would be, in all seriousness, a *magnificent* title for a podcast.

Latest Daily on Monocle Radio. Juliet Linley on the Papal tour, Natalie Theodosi on Prada's Versace takeover, @laurakramer.bsky.social on Monocle's Paris Xmas market, a welcome return to our studios by @tedkravitz.bsky.social, and our weekly wrap-up of what we learned. monocle.com/radio/shows/...

"I was clean-shaven when this started." #WorldCupDraw

The NFL take the hint, begin drafting a press release announcing that they're going to start calling it "Trumpball".

Hat off to whoever is writing the picture captions at @theguardian.com.

Anyway, looking forward to hearing from the "keep politics out of sport" harrumphers, sure they'll be along shortly.

Trump calls FIFA Peace Prize a ‘great honor’ at World Cup draw ceremony

Condolences to the other obviously diligently considered contenders for this extremely real and very meaningful award which absolutely definitely has any more gravitas and credibility than a sheriff's badge which fell out of a box of Froot Loops. www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/spo...

The Hundred is not cricket. (I know you know this.)

"I would go to the opera, but there isn't any shot-putting."

I have long been mesmerised by the idea that there is this demographic of people who will only go to a football game if it includes something which isn't a football game.

US Congress roiled by Venezuelan strikes and the latest from the Xi-Macron meeting - Monocle A bipartisan resolution to block US military action against Venezuela without congressional approval and calls for an investigation into self-proclaimed...

Latest Daily on Monocle Radio. @alexvont.bsky.social and Nik Gowing on the day's stuff, we hear from Monocle's team at Design Miami, and a few words for the late, great Steve Cropper. monocle.com/radio/shows/...

Explainer 496: Is Hegseth in deep water?  - Monocle Self-styled US “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth is facing criticism for striking boats off the coast of Venezuela, killing more...

Latest Foreign Desk Explainer on Monocle Radio attempts to establish how much trouble US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth may have bought himself. monocle.com/radio/shows/...

Thanks, and thanks for listening - we appreciate it.

Bonus podcast. Spoke last week at UCL at an event for new predict-the-future platform @cauldronnews.bsky.social. Chat with founder Ojasvi Jalal and (very good) audience Q&A available here. open.spotify.com/episode/0e1D...

In my defence, they at least have collars on them.

I mean, cricket's governing bodies have literally developed at least three other formats of the game to cater for gurgling simpletons who like loud noises, flashing lights and singalongs. Test cricket should have ushers, and a dress code.