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are listening to The Briefing, first broadcast on the 21st

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of March 2024 on Monocle Radio. It

1:01

is 2300 in Canberra, 1400 in Kigali, midday here in London

1:04

and 9am in Rio de Janeiro. You're

1:08

listening to Monocle Radio. The Briefing starts now.

1:24

Hello and welcome to The Briefing, live

1:26

from Studio One here at Midori House

1:29

in London. I'm Chris Chermak. Coming up

1:31

on today's program, US Secretary of State

1:33

Antony Blinken is back in the Middle

1:36

East. We'll examine whether there's any progress

1:38

towards a ceasefire in Gaza. After that…

1:41

The tragedy is we know the

1:43

Prime Minister doesn't even believe in the

1:45

Rwanda gimmick. UK opposition

1:47

leader Keir Starmer strikes out at

1:49

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over his

1:51

on-again, off-again plan to send asylum

1:53

seekers to Rwanda. We'll get

1:56

the latest on a long-standing legislative fight over the

1:58

policy and how it could impact the country. the

2:00

country's elections. And then, as

2:02

always with Finland, you know, we do

2:04

like our own music in our own

2:07

language, so it's going to be quite

2:09

different probably to some of the other

2:11

editions. A special extended edition of the

2:13

Global Countdown this week. Fernando Augusto Pacheco

2:16

spoke with our Helsinki correspondent, Petri Burtsov.

2:19

All that and the latest business headlines right here

2:21

on The Briefing with me, Chris Termak. We

2:30

start today's show in the Middle

2:32

East. U.S. Secretary of State Antony

2:34

Blinken is in the region for

2:36

the sixth time since the October

2:38

7th attacks, currently in Cairo for

2:40

talks with Arab officials. Talks

2:42

of a ceasefire in Gaza are once

2:45

again taking place as well, but hopefully

2:47

an actual breakthrough remains, well, pretty slim

2:49

at this point, even as American patience

2:52

with Israel appears to be wearing thin.

2:55

While joining me now is Ruth Michaelson,

2:57

journalist and Middle East correspondent, and also

2:59

on the line is Paul

3:01

Rogers, Open Democracy's international security

3:04

expert. Ruth, let me

3:06

start with you. Antony Blinken was

3:08

in Saudi Arabia yesterday to kick

3:10

off this Middle East trip. What

3:12

came out of that and what do you make of Saudi

3:14

Arabia's role in general in all of this?

3:18

Well, we know that when Blinken was

3:20

in Saudi, this seemed to be an

3:22

opportunity, or he treated it as an

3:24

opportunity to kind of continue with the

3:26

idea that there

3:28

might be a potential peace deal

3:31

between Saudi Arabia and Israel that

3:33

the U.S. has been pushing for for some time. It

3:36

completely, despite of everything

3:38

that's happening on

3:41

the ground in Gaza. We

3:45

know that there

3:47

was some discussion of a ceasefire and

3:51

there was an attempt to essentially

3:53

keep Saudi Arabia on side before

3:56

Blinken heads to Tel Aviv

3:58

for this. for this surprise visit.

4:01

But I mean, it really feels like you

4:04

said it yourself. This is the sixth time that he's

4:06

been in the region since the

4:08

7th of October. And

4:10

it really feels like we're just seeing the

4:13

US doing the same thing over and

4:15

over again with very, very little

4:17

change in the results, if not

4:19

things actively getting worse. Well,

4:22

Paul, on that fact, I

4:24

mean, Anthony Blinken and the US have

4:26

now perhaps slight change, but they

4:28

have made quite clear at this point that

4:30

they are calling for an immediate ceasefire.

4:33

Anthony Blinken said that again yesterday

4:35

in interviews as well. Do we

4:37

imagine that's having any kind of

4:39

effect? I

4:41

don't think so. I mean, the Israeli

4:43

Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, went

4:46

on record very recently saying that

4:49

essentially Israel would go ahead with the

4:51

attack on Rafa and

4:54

even if that caused a rift with the United States.

4:56

I think the reality is that Biden

4:59

is not in a position to or not prepared

5:02

to go the full hog and

5:04

tell the Israelis that the United States will

5:06

withdraw military support. You're in

5:08

the extraordinary position at the moment

5:10

of the US Army having five

5:12

logistic ships starting to work on

5:14

this new port, and the Navy

5:16

sending three large cargo vessels across

5:18

the Atlantic to back that up.

5:20

But at the same time, the

5:23

United States is agreeing to further shipments of

5:25

arms to Israel. So essentially,

5:28

I think for domestic reasons, and maybe

5:30

personal reasons, we are still stuck with the

5:32

position that Biden, or to put it crudely,

5:34

not pull the plug on the war, which

5:36

he's able to do, I think, because the

5:39

Israelis are now so dependent on the United

5:41

States. But the US has

5:44

to accept this. And essentially,

5:46

the Netanyahu government is

5:48

really determined to go on with its

5:50

original plan, even though that's proving very

5:52

difficult. And in fact, Hamas

5:54

is proving extremely difficult to dislodge

5:57

even in the areas that the

5:59

Israelis have. thought they've got under control

6:01

in Gaza. So we are stuck here

6:03

with very little movement unless something changes

6:06

on the American side. Well,

6:08

Ruth, I mean, Paul mentioned

6:10

there that the US might, despite

6:12

its rhetoric, be willing to accept

6:14

this. But Anthony Blinken is in

6:16

Cairo today meeting with more foreign

6:18

ministers from the Arabic region. Are

6:21

they going to accept this? I mean, what

6:23

do we imagine those kind of conversations are

6:26

like for Anthony Blinken at this point? How

6:28

difficult is it to keep Arab nations on

6:30

side here? I

6:32

think it's quite a

6:34

challenge given that there is

6:37

this division between the fact

6:39

that the US

6:41

has, as you say, we've seen

6:43

that as Blinken's visits to the

6:45

region have continued

6:47

since the 7th of October, that there has been

6:49

a shift in the rhetoric that there is more

6:51

talk about

6:54

a ceasefire. But at the same

6:56

time, that the weapons sales are

6:58

continuing, that they are fueling these

7:01

attacks that are happening with these

7:03

weapons sales, and that the

7:06

Biden administration has even, on

7:08

a couple of occasions, bypassed

7:10

congressional approval in order to keep

7:12

the flow of those weapons going

7:15

to the Israelis. And I think

7:17

that that contradiction is

7:20

likely to be very present in the

7:22

conversations that Blinken is having with

7:25

people like Samash-Shukri, the Egyptian

7:27

foreign minister. And

7:29

then there are also the concerns that you will find

7:31

from the Egyptians and from others

7:33

about the spillover of this war.

7:36

The Egyptians are particularly concerned that

7:38

an Israeli offensive in Tarafa will

7:40

push Gazans

7:43

into the northern

7:45

Sinai. And it

7:48

feels as though the US

7:50

doesn't necessarily have a good answer

7:53

for some of these problems, that they're

7:55

trying to keep their allies in the

7:58

region on side, while not necessarily providing

8:00

the same kind of support that we see

8:02

in the US provide to Israel. Paul,

8:05

what do you make of this idea of

8:07

trying to keep Arab leaders on side as

8:09

well? I mean you said there that the

8:12

US is the one that could potentially pull

8:14

the plug on this war and is not

8:16

doing so. Conversely, on the other side, Arab

8:18

leaders have been vocal but

8:20

they haven't necessarily taken much action against

8:23

Israel or really gotten sort of involved

8:26

on the ground in this conflict. Is

8:28

there a danger of some sort of

8:30

escalation here or are they still

8:33

simply dedicated to trying to end

8:35

this conflict? As far as

8:37

the Arab leaders are concerned, I'd agree very

8:39

much with Ruth that essentially they

8:43

really see this in perhaps rather different

8:45

lights because most of the Arab leaders

8:47

are more than prepared to work with

8:49

the Israelis. They deal

8:51

with them fairly routinely now but and

8:53

it's a huge but their own populations

8:55

may be taking a very different attitude. I

8:58

know it's a crude term but if

9:00

you use the term the Arab street, public

9:02

opinion in the Middle East and across

9:04

much of the global south has

9:06

moved very strongly against Israel because of the

9:08

sheer loss of life and we were now

9:11

talking about I think it's now over 32,000

9:13

Palestinians killed and over 75,000 injured in the

9:19

past five and a half months and

9:21

that does not account for probably several

9:23

thousand people who are missing under the

9:25

rubble and that is having a very

9:27

big effect right across the Middle East

9:29

and making the Arab leaderships in several

9:31

countries really very uncomfortable

9:33

about their own situation and

9:36

I think this is one of the reasons why they would

9:38

like to see an end to this and they will

9:40

go part of the way to doing it but

9:43

they're not going to do anything which destabilizing

9:45

things even more than just a present. So

9:48

again we are stuck in a bind.

9:50

The United States for its own reasons the

9:53

Biden administration does not want to move the

9:55

full way but for

9:57

the moment I think we are in something with

9:59

stalemations. All Blinken could do

10:01

is try and keep some channels

10:03

open and moderate things a bit.

10:05

But Netanyahu is determined to take

10:07

this path. He has the

10:09

senior membership of the IDF behind him, even

10:12

though he's not popular in the country as a whole. On

10:15

the issue of doing quote something about Hamas,

10:17

he still has majority popularity in the country.

10:20

That was Ruth Michaelson and Paul Rogers.

10:22

I'm sure we'll have more on Antony

10:24

Blinken's visit as he heads to Israel

10:26

next. Now here's Emma Searle with the

10:28

day's other news headlines. Thanks,

10:30

Chris. Russia has launched

10:33

a missile attack overnight on the Ukrainian

10:35

capital Kyiv, injuring at least 10 people.

10:38

Officials say the attack damaged

10:40

residential buildings and industrial facilities.

10:43

It's the first large assault on the city for

10:45

several weeks. Australia

10:47

and the United Kingdom on Thursday signed

10:49

a new defense and security cooperation agreement.

10:52

The deal will make it easier for their defense

10:54

forces to operate together in each other's countries.

10:57

Meanwhile, Australian media have reported that a

10:59

British company is expected to be named

11:02

as the contractor to build a nuclear

11:04

submarine under the AUKUS agreement. And

11:07

finally, the presidential furniture row takes a

11:09

new turn in Brazil. After

11:11

President Lula da Silva initially accused

11:14

his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, of taking

11:18

261 furniture items with him upon leaving

11:20

office, the Brazilian government has now reported

11:22

that dozens of them have been found.

11:25

Those are the day's headlines. Back to you, Chris. Thanks

11:27

very much, Emma. What a crazy story

11:29

from Brazil. We'll have more on that.

11:32

But time for a news business roundup

11:34

now here on Monocle Radio with Bloomberg's

11:36

Euan Potts, who joins us from Dubai.

11:39

Euan, let's start with interest rates, something

11:41

we've already been discussing this week with

11:43

the Bank of Japan's historic decision. But

11:45

we also have a rate decision from

11:47

the Bank of England. Hello, Chris. Yes,

11:50

the Bank of England has posted to leave interest

11:52

rates at a 16-year high of 5.5%. It

11:55

was widely expected by economists. The

11:58

Chair of the bank says. That is not

12:00

yet so I'm to cut rates. Last time you

12:03

remember that there was a three way split or

12:05

the Bank of England. I mean it's quite unusual.

12:07

some voting to cut, some to hike and some

12:09

to holes with a sign that to members who

12:12

voted for a right boys last time have dicks

12:14

that cool. The vote was eight to hold and

12:16

one because such the first time. Since.

12:19

Late September Two since September Twenty six, one

12:21

that no member the panel. Has. Supported

12:23

an increased. There's been plenty essential action packed

12:25

action this week. As you mentioned, keeping best

12:27

is on their toes. Lots of speculation over

12:29

when it's disgraceful. Finally begin that downwards as

12:32

or from Japan of course which is have

12:34

a special case economists. best guess was that

12:36

this week wouldn't be the right, wouldn't be

12:38

the week. but we saw a any right

12:40

counts from the main central banks past the

12:43

cheeky swiss have snuck in there with the

12:45

first right. can't buy a t ten economy

12:47

in the world They thought they keen just

12:49

right by twenty five basis points a course

12:51

if of senses points. Are moving

12:53

ahead of guy will pay as as

12:56

they try to prevent gains in the

12:58

Swiss francs or the Swiss industry is

13:00

now one point five percent the successor

13:02

by also our unveiling lower forecast for

13:04

inflation. Since I'm in prices, price gains

13:06

will be no higher than one of

13:08

the half the sense. Through

13:10

to Twenty Twenty Sixth. And yes, that

13:12

course we had. the Federal Reserve was

13:14

most important central banks are. They held

13:16

rights as expected, but all eyes were

13:18

really on the Dole plot. The forecast

13:21

aware rates are going to go over

13:23

the next year and that was left

13:25

at dispensation. That will be three right

13:27

counts in the United States. Over the

13:29

course of Twenty Twenty Four, the worries

13:31

among investors at the said shared might

13:33

sound a bit more hawkish this time.

13:35

Inflation has been a little bit bumpy

13:37

over the last few months in the

13:39

Us. And the labor market is

13:41

red hot busts. he didn't really sounds

13:43

to give August's and that really put

13:45

so fuel on the Stock market rally

13:47

or the Sp five hundred. Closing at

13:49

another record high yesterday and stopped making

13:51

big gains in Europe today. Interesting.

13:54

stuff you and i'm stuck on as cheeky

13:56

swiss but let's move on for now ads

13:58

and one other story There's been a big

14:01

investment by the United Arab Emirates in

14:03

Egypt, which is, of course, facing a

14:05

pretty massive economic crisis at the

14:07

moment. What can you tell us? Yeah,

14:10

it certainly is. A story from where I am

14:12

at the moment. The UAE swooped in last month

14:14

to save Egypt's struggling economy with a $35 billion

14:16

deal. And

14:18

according to a Bloomberg source, the Emiratis are

14:20

willing to invest a similar amount in a

14:23

different African nation, where a new

14:25

opportunity to present itself. Now, if

14:27

I asked you, Chris, to take a guess at the

14:29

biggest foreign investors in Africa, you would

14:31

probably say China, or maybe a second

14:33

choice you might say the United States. Well, or

14:35

maybe Russia. Perhaps Russia, indeed.

14:38

Well, it may surprise you, and it did

14:40

surprise me, that in 2022 and in 2023, the answer is, in

14:44

fact, the United Arab Emirates. Last year,

14:46

the UAE pledged $45 billion

14:49

of foreign direct investment in the African

14:51

continent. That topped China's $26 billion.

14:55

China's infrastructure funding, which we've known about

14:57

for many years in Africa, has been

14:59

tapering off, and Western engagement has been

15:01

wavering as well. Well, Abu Dhabi's cash

15:04

flows are really stepping in. They've

15:06

been coupling this with a concerted diplomatic

15:08

push, and it's something that's been mirrored

15:11

to a lesser extent by neighbors in

15:13

Saudi and in Qatar. The investments have

15:15

been focused mainly in renewable energy, logistics,

15:18

technology, real estate, and in

15:20

agriculture. And the Emiratis have also

15:22

been signing free trade deals on the continent of

15:24

Africa as well. Morocco, South Africa,

15:26

and Egypt have all signed up, and Kenya

15:28

was added last month. So lots and lots

15:31

of signs that Arab influence in Africa is

15:33

here to stay for the long term. You

15:36

and Pat, thank you very much for joining

15:38

us. Interesting story there at the end as

15:40

well. You are listening to the briefing on Monocle Radio. Thank

15:52

you. You

16:02

are back with the briefing on

16:04

Monocle Radio. I'm Chris Chirmak. It

16:07

is deja vu all over again here in

16:09

the UK, over the country's plans to send

16:11

asylum seekers to Rwanda. The House of Lords

16:14

yesterday, for a second time, delayed the planned

16:16

legislation by sending a series of changes to

16:18

a version passed by the House of Commons.

16:21

For those of you outside of the UK, this is

16:23

about the only power the House of Lords here has.

16:26

It can delay and make changes to bills,

16:28

but unlike, say, the Senate in the US,

16:31

it is not a co-equal legislative

16:33

body. Well, for more on this,

16:35

Terry Stiesny, the political journalist, author

16:37

and regular Monocle contributor, joins me

16:39

here in the studio. Good afternoon, Terry. Hi,

16:42

Chris. Let's

16:44

first of all, Terry, just remind us

16:46

of what this controversial Rwanda bill involves.

16:49

Well, this bill came about because

16:51

the government's original plans to send

16:53

asylum seekers to Rwanda were found

16:55

to be unlawful in some respects

16:58

by the Supreme Court. So the

17:00

government basically had to promise that

17:02

we say we're going to bring

17:04

in emergency legislation which overcomes the

17:06

objections of the Supreme Court and

17:08

allows these deportations to go ahead.

17:10

And some of the objections were

17:12

that asylum seekers, if they were

17:14

sent to Rwanda, could end up

17:16

being sent on to some other

17:19

country rather than the place they originally came from

17:21

or sent back. So they deemed that

17:23

this wasn't a safe thing to do. And

17:25

as you say, there have been huge numbers of

17:27

hurdles along the way, and these objections by the

17:30

House of Lords is just the latest one for

17:32

a scheme that the government wanted to have up

17:34

and running by the spring. And

17:36

can you put this into context for us

17:38

in terms of legislative fights? I mean, how

17:40

rare is this kind of step from the

17:42

House of Lords, kind of trying to assert

17:44

some measure of authority? It

17:47

happens fairly

17:49

often. What you don't Quite

17:52

so often get is what's known as

17:54

legislative Ping Pong. That's not the official

17:56

name. The official name is Consideration of

17:58

Lords Amendments. The glee that money

18:01

buying things. Long as much better and it

18:03

actually have a most of it still.

18:05

Does it use to consist of literally

18:07

a plug into the old fashioned dress,

18:09

walking between the two chambers with the

18:11

bills bound up in in pink ribbon

18:13

and handing it over from one same

18:15

but to the other as they decided

18:17

in his release of them. antiquated procedure.

18:19

But the point of it is that

18:22

he has to have both houses of

18:24

parliament agree on it and if he

18:26

can't ultimately agree on it's the government's

18:28

legislation will easily fool. and in this

18:30

case you had not only. Labor

18:32

peers but some conservatives. For instance

18:34

I Can Clark is it was

18:36

a former chancellor, leading conservative figure

18:38

and this were called the cost.

18:40

Benson said independents who aren't members

18:42

of any party who are still

18:44

saying no we don't like what

18:46

the government is saying. I'm particularly,

18:48

they're worried about Britain's compliance with

18:50

international law. They worried about the

18:52

weather. This treaty between he can

18:54

Rwanda will be effective hands in

18:56

it and worried about this idea

18:58

that you can just declared Rwanda

19:00

a safe country. And and make that

19:02

so early bird roy thing into a British law

19:05

which they say wealth you call in our wonders

19:07

i daresay country or it isn't and a British

19:09

law has no effect on the way. Or

19:11

in those are pretty big worries. When he,

19:13

when he put it like that is is

19:15

do we imagine there's a version of this

19:17

bill that the House of Lords might agree

19:19

to? Or might this be one of those

19:21

rare cases where the House of Lords actually

19:24

succeeds in completely torpedoing a bill wanted by

19:26

the governor. Well, they've put this off now

19:28

for a couple of weeks. They could have

19:30

tried to force it three before the Easter

19:32

recess. Them sadder than not going to do

19:34

that. It seems likely that the House of

19:36

Lords will compromise at some point, but it

19:38

could be quite dramatically when this happens in

19:40

the past. In Sir Francis in two thousand

19:42

and five under the Labour governments they they

19:44

whistle night they would argue about these things

19:46

all lies and go back and forth until

19:48

ultimately they could agree on something and often

19:50

at ease issues to do with human rights

19:52

particularly because he for a lot of lawyers

19:54

and in the House of Lords of. people

19:57

who are concerned seats uphold the

19:59

constitution But the risk for the government

20:01

is here is that they're going into an

20:04

election, stopping the small boats is something that

20:06

Rishi Sunak has repeatedly said

20:08

that he's going to do. If they look out

20:10

today across the channel, there are hundreds of people

20:13

still trying to cross the channel to Britain. And

20:15

this would be a massive loss. The government cannot

20:17

afford to lose this. So they've got to find

20:19

some way to get the House of Lords to

20:22

agree so that they can then potentially,

20:24

in their view, what they want

20:26

to do is start the deportation

20:28

flights. And that's not going to be able

20:30

to happen for at least several months now. Well,

20:33

Terry, when you mentioned the elections, I mean,

20:35

I'm reminded of these fights that we've been

20:37

speaking a lot on Monica radio about in

20:39

the US about immigration as well, where there's

20:41

also been a complete breakdown, frankly, in

20:44

Congress over what to do about it. But

20:47

I just wonder here, when you look at the

20:49

Tories and what they are doing and their proposals

20:51

on migration, I mean, how popular are they?

20:53

Is this something that they see as

20:56

whatever you want to say about the

20:58

policy itself, an election winner, something that

21:00

they are sort of pushing in that

21:02

vein for ahead of the elections in

21:05

the same way as Republicans are in the US?

21:07

Or is there a different dynamic here? Does Rishi

21:09

Sunak look kind of desperate

21:12

and powerless rather than actually pushing

21:14

something people want? I think it

21:16

is popular with a certain section of

21:18

conservative voters, people who voted conservative in

21:21

2019 under Boris Johnson's leadership, and

21:23

particularly in what they call it

21:25

the red wall seats, which are

21:27

former Labour seats that have more

21:29

recently voted conservative at the last

21:31

election. The kind of voters that

21:33

the conservatives are worried about losing

21:35

to the Reform Party, which

21:37

is Nigel Farage is one of the

21:39

big figures associated with them.

21:42

The trouble is, it's not necessarily a big

21:44

issue for other voters, particularly voters in

21:47

the south of England. If you look

21:49

at the main issues in polling, it's

21:51

consistently the economy, the health service and

21:53

some other issues like crime. Immigration is

21:56

not as big an issue

21:58

for all the voters. the most

22:00

recent poll today literally has

22:02

suggested that the conservatives among all voters are

22:04

currently polling at 19% and labor on 44%.

22:06

You know, falling below 20%, okay, it's only

22:13

one poll, but the conservatives are a good 25

22:16

points behind labor at this point. So, they

22:18

are really worried. Well, just finally on

22:20

that then, if immigration is not the big

22:22

topic as it is maybe in the United

22:25

States, do we imagine then that Rishi Sunak

22:27

is almost regretting this? Is this just something

22:29

that at this point is a kind of

22:31

ballast around him that he can't get rid

22:33

of? I think people think that there is

22:35

an issue that needs to be solved. You

22:37

know, the crossing, the small boat crossings are

22:39

obviously dangerous and unsafe for lots of people.

22:41

And if you look at what labor is

22:43

saying about that, they agree that there is

22:46

an issue to deal with here, but they

22:48

just don't think that the Rwanda plan, which

22:50

is costing a lot of money and involving

22:52

a lot of political time, is

22:54

the way to go about it. So, they

22:56

need to move on this in

22:58

some way, but the question is, it just

23:00

seems to be a fiasco that is going

23:02

on and on and costing the government political

23:05

capital. Terry Stiachny, thank

23:07

you very much for joining us. You are listening

23:09

to the briefing on Monocle Radio. And

23:18

finally, on today's show, I'm quite jealous

23:20

I was not a part of this,

23:23

but our senior correspondent and musical curator,

23:25

Fernando Augusto Pacheco, was stolen away by

23:27

our Helsinki correspondent, Petri Burtzoff, on a

23:29

recent visit to Midori House. This was

23:32

all Petri's idea, I can tell you.

23:34

He clearly has a lot to say

23:36

about Finnish music. And so, without further

23:38

ado, take it away, Fernando. Hello,

23:41

it is time for the Global Countdown,

23:43

but this week is a very special

23:45

one. Well, I have here in studio,

23:47

Petri Burtzoff, our correspondent in Helsinki. Hello,

23:49

Petri, how are you? Fernando,

23:51

I'm really happy to be doing the Global

23:53

Countdown with you, and we can listen to

23:56

some of the most popular music in the

23:58

Finnish charge today. And As always, If

24:00

the Finland you know we do like our own

24:02

music in our own language so it's gonna be

24:04

quite different probably to to some of the other

24:06

dishes. This wouldn't want to talk to you briefly

24:08

because every time I do things in here in

24:11

the global calm down it's rare to there's an

24:13

artist that is not from Finland in the top

24:15

five because you know of course he makes him

24:17

more fun job for me space that would so

24:19

the scenes the do love their own have to

24:22

try it again. As a guess it has something

24:24

to do with being a minority minority language that

24:26

you know when we know that the language we

24:28

need to sort of uphold and. And and listen

24:30

to music in our own language because otherwise

24:33

the language is gonna doesn't disappear. And I

24:35

think that's something that's maybe in English speaking

24:37

countries. you don't have the same sort of

24:39

responsibility that you feel for your own cancer.

24:41

I think that's one of the reasons behind

24:43

behind the popularity of in his music. Plus

24:46

I'm a little be nervous as a because

24:48

I might have been to use some of

24:50

the tracks and if I mispronounced insane to

24:52

correct me there's no problem is a disco

24:54

language stage where it's a difficult language Yes.

24:56

And and I'd be happy to translate some

24:59

of the lyrics. Very. For yes I think

25:01

we should we should go So so let's

25:03

start with that with number five. when it

25:05

we have we have club and as I

25:07

was cut tomatoes was. Emotional

25:25

to add to this and such as of

25:27

hip hop their this kind of a ballot

25:29

right yet is and and got them at

25:31

the Togas basically translates as without looking back

25:34

and it's it's it's I mean he was.

25:36

He was saying that so without looking back

25:38

maybe was meant to be this way you

25:40

you spread your wings and you fly away.

25:42

So I I sense that there's maybe some

25:44

melancholy here. steer as well. But yeah it's

25:46

it's I know sodomy. I know. the music

25:49

video for this is black and white and

25:51

is sort on this a beautiful beautiful be

25:53

it's so I think there's the. Other

25:55

Stephanie maybe some backstory here?

25:57

Wells talking about emotions his

25:59

own. Strike is called my weakness

26:01

or well I want a google translated.

26:03

A good Job is called Six Seventy

26:06

Six or something. a behalf of it's

26:08

by a jury and spot bus or

26:10

less of a listen. Then you tell

26:12

me what you think of the strategic.

26:25

Move. Lump

26:32

sum a production value The have to say

26:35

I mean it's it's a good beat There

26:37

is a good be any an Eco then

26:39

exactly translates as as my weakness as and

26:41

they're singing as they singing has actually to

26:44

a girl saying that you I know I

26:46

finally realized that you are might weakness and

26:48

I'm thinking of your your face are you

26:50

In a way this is us is a

26:52

love song and you know things are. Note:

26:55

may be known as the most romantic people

26:57

but we can be a romantic as well

26:59

sometimes and the hip hop scene incidence quite

27:01

strong. Rise. Yes, heap of an Hour and

27:03

Be is really really big at the moment. most

27:06

a desk last month in the charge is is

27:08

actually hip hop on and and and and Rmb

27:10

and is quite interesting. I mean I'm nineties did

27:12

myself have seen as or in the Nineties and

27:14

I was the time and finish. Hippo was sort

27:16

of. The scene was was born and I remember

27:19

some of the first acts and I would listen

27:21

to them as well. and enough snow I'm still

27:23

have some of the most famous Sam rap artist

27:25

and in in Finland are from Death from the

27:27

Nineties and then like my age has a hero

27:29

for the forty something and still thorough and metics

27:31

exactly exactly. By Us states and. Finish hip

27:34

of this is like easy. Going is a

27:36

of it is the sykes feel feel

27:38

good. Kind of a heap of not

27:40

not very aggressive hip hop. I like

27:42

it's talking about few good I was

27:44

reading about. Our next art is has

27:46

been described as this as the Shining

27:48

Star or finish off for Trap. Love

27:50

it or me and this some the

27:52

begun to hear it. I think it's

27:54

one of my favorite so far. It's

27:56

by a good Zulu and ban Addison's

27:58

code again to nice. The Content:

28:01

Let's have a. Seat.

28:23

In was I to I made a decision

28:25

right now. I will include this truck when

28:27

the Monocle playlist. It's great. Pieces of this

28:29

is an amazing track. This is I. I've

28:31

heard this one before. actually this has been

28:33

in the charts present sometime. I guess. I

28:35

recognize this and yes a Get Sulu S

28:37

is set up and coming is really one

28:39

of a big names said. there's a lot

28:41

of buzz around him and bam as well.

28:43

Who features on this track says she's super

28:45

famous as well. To list the don't in

28:47

from what from our to our and this

28:49

he knows into lyrics Again this was another

28:51

love zone so maybe to see. Maybe it's maybe

28:53

you know maybe it's not only you brazilians and

28:55

the medicine. Maybe it's the scene so I the

28:57

romances here we do we just need music to

28:59

be able to express our opinion will and one

29:01

for you have to say better some oh the

29:03

scenes and over and met a few the also

29:05

frenzy as well I'm at some people saw the

29:08

since can be serious announcing so that area and

29:10

is an easy i mean or the trust that

29:12

we've listened to so far. they like feel good

29:14

and easy easy going tracks I quite pleasant to

29:16

listen to. Have to say it's got me into

29:18

this That's as a one thing that we have

29:20

this reputation of being dislike a heavy metal you

29:22

know my light. Our core music lovers and

29:24

and and that's definitely also true but it's

29:26

still relatively marginal. not everybody listens to. I

29:29

actually had to think I know anybody for

29:31

this spell is is due due to heavy

29:33

metals or it's still kind of friends and

29:35

and I don't like the stereotype of of

29:38

all things being heavy heavy metal lovers I

29:40

agree. let's go to Number to Know which

29:42

was a bit of a mystery. does know

29:45

much about them online but you know when

29:47

to hear your opinion is stupid. and with

29:49

pool with alley. I'm

30:10

going to come across as very old here, Vétré,

30:12

but this is the kind of song that we

30:14

are hearing more and more, this kind of speed

30:16

up versions. I don't know

30:18

exactly the name, but yeah, they look very young.

30:20

I was wondering even if they were brothers, but

30:22

I was not sure. Yeah, Elie and Véput, they're

30:24

young. They look like they're like maximum 15 and

30:28

look like brothers. I don't know much about

30:30

it, but just listen, the lyrics are actually

30:32

quite sad now that I heard the lyrics.

30:35

It's about Elie is the name of the

30:37

girl and she's contemplating on harming herself because

30:39

they're saying like don't do it. I

30:41

just read something about this. I read about the comments

30:43

as well for this video

30:46

and it's basically about young women's,

30:49

young girls' mental health also and

30:51

just sort of speaking up against

30:53

that. So quite an important song

30:55

that young artists are thinking about

30:57

themes like that. I think it's

30:59

a nice thing that this happens. I'm so glad

31:01

you're here to tell me what the lyrics are

31:03

all about. But number one, I

31:05

think it's kind of a favorite of ours. It's

31:08

a really cool song and perhaps she

31:10

might be Finland's biggest pop

31:12

star. Let's have a listen. It's

31:14

the great Mirella with Timante. So

31:43

good.

31:48

This is my vibe. Great

31:50

electropop. Love it. Is

31:53

Mirella big in Finland? She is huge. And she

31:55

sort of came out of nowhere. She's only 18.

31:59

And she's... And she belongs to

32:01

the Swedish-speaking minority. There's a couple of hundred

32:03

thousand of them living in Finland, so Swedish

32:05

is her native language. You can hear, I

32:07

mean, I'm just reading, there's a – Hilsing

32:09

is an about Finland's main daily. They

32:12

did a long feature on her just a couple of days

32:14

ago. And basically she grew up – her

32:17

father is a musician and she's been sort

32:19

of brought up with instruments

32:22

and playing the piano and has quite a classical

32:24

training as well. And she sort

32:26

of – as many Finno-Swedes do, so

32:28

they get their cultural references from Sweden.

32:31

So she's grown up, listened to

32:33

Robin and the Swedish sort of

32:35

electro-pop. And you can hear those

32:37

influences. It's a really feel-good track,

32:39

translates as diamonds. And

32:42

Finno-Swedes have this reputation of

32:44

being very optimistic and happy people.

32:47

And most of their songs are like that. And

32:49

Mirella actually – they're sort

32:51

of the Swedish-speaking minority. Their

32:53

main music competition for

32:55

children is this melody, Grand Prix. And

32:58

she – Mirella won it when she was 15 couple of

33:01

years ago, three years ago. And

33:04

now one sort of shot into fame as a

33:06

result of that. Well, I'll definitely keep an eye

33:08

on Mirella. And you know what? I'll

33:10

be adding this one to the playlist as well.

33:13

It'll be a very useful global countdown. How do

33:15

I say thank you in Finnish, Ian? Guitos.

33:20

Guitos. That was Monocles. Fernando

33:22

Augusto Pacheco and Monocles Helsinki

33:24

correspondent Petri Birdsoft. The global

33:26

countdown will be back in

33:28

its usual format next Thursday.

33:31

And that's all the time we have for this edition of

33:33

The Briefing. It was produced by Paige

33:35

Reynolds, researched by George Ruskin, and our

33:37

studio manager was Lily Austin. The

33:39

Briefing is back tomorrow at the same time.

33:41

I'm Chris Charmach. Goodbye, and thanks for listening.