Malaysia hosts Thai-Cambodia peace talks as ceasefire holds

Summary

The Globalist Podcast Summary

Episode: Malaysia hosts Thai-Cambodia peace talks as ceasefire holds
Date: August 4, 2025
Host: Georgina Godwin (Monocle Radio)

---

Overview

This episode of The Globalist traverses timely international affairs, beginning with Malaysia’s role in facilitating peace talks between Thailand and Cambodia after a fragile ceasefire, and delving into analysis from former Cambodian politician Sukua Moo. Other segments touch on the ceasefire and international pressure in Gaza, trade tensions between the US and Switzerland, migration policy in the UK, Bangladesh's high-profile war crimes trial, Singapore’s 60th National Day, and evolving subcultures in Sweden. The show closes with a look at the latest on the silver screen.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thailand–Cambodia Ceasefire and Regional Diplomacy

[04:30] Sukua Moo interview

Background and Core Issues ([04:30]–[06:25])

• The Thai-Cambodian border dispute dates back to treaties signed between France and Siam in the early 20th century, leading to longstanding tensions, particularly over culturally significant sites like the Preah Vihear Temple.
• Repeated international arbitration, notably by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1962 and again in 2013, awarded the temple and its surrounding areas to Cambodia, but Thailand has not fully accepted these rulings.

Ceasefire and Prospects for Peace ([06:29]–[09:05])

• Sukua Moo, exiled Cambodian politician and president of the Khmer Movement for Democracy, expresses broad Cambodian support for the ceasefire and hope for enduring peace.
• She highlights the role of Malaysia (as ASEAN chair) in actively pushing for the ceasefire, with the US leveraging tariffs as incentives.
• “None of these two countries can afford a long-lasting war. We want peace.” – Sukua Moo ([07:12])
• Moo stresses respect for international court decisions as foundational for lasting peace and warns that local villagers remain at risk without a durable solution.

2. Gaza Conflict: UN Declarations and Hostage Diplomacy

[09:42] Greg Karlstrom interview

New York Declaration and Hamas’ Response ([09:42]–[12:10])

• The “New York Declaration,” coordinated by France and Saudi Arabia, brought the Arab League together to condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament.
• “[It was] the most sweeping, united condemnation of Hamas that we’ve seen from Arab countries... ever.” – Greg Karlstrom ([10:35])
• Hamas, unsurprisingly, maintains it will only disarm with the establishment of a Palestinian state.

US Diplomacy, Ceasefire Proposals, and Israeli Domestic Politics ([12:10]–[15:13])

• US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposals for a permanent ceasefire still face skepticism, as phased deals have failed before and Israel’s PM Netanyahu remains steadfast.
• Domestic Israeli protests persist, largely by hostage families and former officials, but as Karlstrom notes: “Netanyahu has shrugged that off because his own supporters, his own voters, are not the ones protesting.” ([14:10])

Gaza's Dire Humanitarian Situation ([15:55]–[17:44])

• Tom Odell, MSF’s Gaza medical chief, and Karlstrom describe ongoing severe famine, with only 200 aid trucks entering daily, short of the 500–600 needed.
• Hospitals are incapacitated, making nutritional rehabilitation impossible for malnourished children.

International Leverage ([17:44]–[19:21])

• Recognition of Palestine by Western nations is largely symbolic and, according to Karlstrom, may even preclude more effective pressure (e.g., sanctions or arms embargoes).
• “The only thing that will at this point [change Israel's course] is Donald Trump saying very, very clearly to Benjamin Netanyahu that the war needs to end.” – Greg Karlstrom ([18:53])

3. US–Switzerland Trade Tensions ([21:53]–[23:22])

• The US's new 39% trade tariff on Switzerland, a major investor in the US, is portrayed as a mystifying move even to market experts.
• “Switzerland... is an exemplary model of the ideal trade partner... It’s beyond me why [Trump] would do this.” – James Breeding, Zurich investment banker ([21:53])

4. UK Migrant Policy and Humanitarian Challenges ([23:22]–[25:16])

• The UK pledges £100 million to fight smuggling networks, but new tech and policing are not enough without international cooperation and investment in migrants’ origin countries.
• “If you don’t invest in other countries, you’re far more likely to have those kinds of global trends of mass migration occurring.” – Zoe Grunewald ([25:01])

5. Health, Plastics, and Technology Fears

• Discussion of a Lancet report on the global plastics crisis ([25:35]), with examples from New Zealand on eliminating single-use plastics.
• Warnings about the existential threat from Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), featuring Nobel Prize-winning AI expert Geoffrey Hinton: “The calls are coming from inside the house... this stuff is crazy, it’s getting out of control.” – Zoe Grunewald ([28:56])

6. Europe’s New Migration Flows: Portugal to Switzerland ([30:31]–[32:42])

• Switzerland has overtaken the UK as the top destination for Portuguese expats, with shifting trends and improved Portuguese economic outlooks highlighted by Carlotta Rebelo.

7. Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina's War Crimes Trial ([34:09]–[40:53])

• Former PM Sheikh Hasina is now on trial in absentia for ordering a deadly crackdown on student-led protests.
• India’s refusal to extradite Hasina is straining bilateral ties and fueling public tension.
• The legitimacy of the International Crimes Tribunal is questioned due to its past use for political ends.
• Exclusion of Hasina’s Awami League from upcoming elections could destabilize Bangladesh’s political landscape.
• “It creates more space for the other political parties... but disenfranchising a huge bunch of electorates.” – Redwan Armand ([39:16])

8. Singapore’s 60th Anniversary—Achievements and Challenges ([41:49]–[47:49])

• Adam Hancock provides a concise history: from a small trading outpost to a modern economic powerhouse under Lee Kuan Yew.
• While Singapore celebrates prosperity and efficient governance, questions persist about its lack of freedom:
  • “Freedom of speech, freedom of expression... doesn’t really exist. There’s an unwritten social contract.” – Adam Hancock ([46:08])
• Youth expectations and geopolitical balancing between China and the US are identified as future challenges.

9. Sweden’s Raggare Subculture: American Cars and Rural Life ([49:09]–[53:49])

• Monica Zander Brett explores Sweden’s American-car-obsessed “Raggare” culture, from its 1950s roots to modern-day revival:
  • “The car became a way for many young people to get out of the house... big, flamboyant, lots of chrome.” – Tom Odell ([50:33])
• Despite a decline in the south, new generations join, especially in rural towns—not cities.

10. Cinema Highlights ([54:13]–[58:40])

• Film critic Karen Krasanovich reviews summer releases: Superman, Fantastic Four, and the Naked Gun reboot with Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson as surprising leads.
• Jaws at 50: Spielberg’s classic returns to IMAX screens, accompanied by a new documentary.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sukua Moo on Peace Prospects:
  “First of all, [Thailand] has to respect the decision of the International Court of Justice. It has to start there otherwise the disputes will go on and it's very fragile.” ([08:08])
• Greg Karlstrom on Arab League Declaration:
  “By far the most sweeping, united condemnation of Hamas that we've seen from Arab countries... not just over the past two years, but ever.” ([10:10])
• Zoe Grunewald on AI risks:
  “The calls are coming from inside the house. People who are working on these technologies are saying, ‘whoa, we need to be regulated because this stuff is crazy, it's getting out of control.’” ([28:56])
• Adam Hancock on Singapore’s Social Contract:
  "There's an unwritten social contract... [Singaporeans] get a government that are efficient... but in return they lose a lot of rights people have in other countries." ([46:08])

---

Key Timestamps

• 04:30 – Sukua Moo discusses the Thai-Cambodian conflict and the peace process
• 09:42 – Greg Karlstrom analyzes developments in Gaza and the “New York Declaration”
• 21:53 – US-Switzerland tariff policies with James Breeding
• 23:22 – Zoe Grunewald examines the UK's anti-smuggling policy
• 34:09 – Redwan Armand reports on Sheikh Hasina’s trial in Bangladesh
• 41:49 – Adam Hancock on Singapore’s 60th independence anniversary
• 49:09 – Swedish “Raggare” car culture explored by Monica Zander Brett
• 54:13 – Karen Krasanovich’s summer box office and film recommendations

---

This episode exemplifies The Globalist’s wide-ranging, in-depth approach to the intersecting political, social, and cultural headlines shaping the world today.

Transcript

[Georgina Godwin]

We're proud to support the craft of journalism. UBS brings you the latest news from around the world with the Globalist on Monocle Radio. Be part of an international network that brings together leading insights, research and technology across 24 time zones and 12 key financial hubs. With you at the centre of it all, UBS advice is our craft. You're listening to the Globalist, first broadcast on 4 August 2025 on Monocle Radio. The Globalist in association with U. Hello, this is the Globalist broadcasting to you live from Midori House in London. I'm Georgina Godwin. On the show ahead, there will be further peace talks between Thailand and Cambodia this week. We'll hear from a former Cambodian politician and Nobel Peace Prize nominee who who analyzes the situation and the likely outcome.

[Adam Hancock]

Then we feel that Mr. Witkoff is very much with the families.

[Redwan Armand]

He feels us, he understands us and.

[Adam Hancock]

He said that he's going back to Washington where he will share these stories with the President himself.

[Georgina Godwin]

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has been in Tel Aviv addressing families of hostages. But how seriously can anyone take his assurances that he and the Israeli government will end the war? We'll have a look through the newspapers including coverage of the third 39% trade tariff the US has slapped on Switzerland. The country is still an appealing destination. However we'll hear why some Portuguese citizens have decided they would rather swap the Med for the lakes and the mountains. Singapore is Preparing to celebrate. 60 years of independence will be in the city state to chart its prosperity since 1965. The trial of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has begun in absentia in Bangladesh. She's accused of crimes against humanity. Will examine the political implications for the country then.

[Adam Hancock]

The thing here is that it's new generations coming in all the time. So you see a lot of 20 year old, 25 year olds with their own American cars.

[Georgina Godwin]

We'll hear about the US subculture trend currently sweeping Sweden. And finally, Karen Krasanovich joins us from her latest movie set to bring us up to date with news from the world of cinema. That's all ahead here on the Globalist. Live from London. First a look at what else is happening in the news. Over 60 migrants drowned off Yemen after their boat capsized in rough seas with dozens still missing. In one of the deadliest incidents in recent months. Boeing faces a new Crisis. Says over 3,000 defence workers prepare to strike today after rejecting a pay and pension offer. And a two year girl was found alive in a suitcase on a New Zealand bus prompting child neglect charges against a 27 year old woman. Do stay tuned to Monocle Radio throughout the day for more on those stories. Now, an uneasy ceasefire remains in place between Cambodia and Thailand after armed clashes erupted in the border areas on July 24. The agreement brokered by Malaysia with input from the US and China was signed on July 28. And this week representatives will meet again in Kuala Lumpur to attempt to resolve the century old tension between the two countries. Well, I'm joined now by Sukua Moo, who is president of the Khmer Movement for Democracy. Sukua served as a politician in Cambodia before fleeing into exile under threat of arrest. She was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. Sukhur, it's really lovely to have you with us to fully understand this conflict which has been bubbling for decades. It would be really useful to get the background and context from a Cambodian perspective. Can you tell us more?

[Karen Krasanovich]

Yes.

[Sukua Moo]

Good morning and thank you for having me. The disputes between Cambodia and Thailand goes back to the 11th, 10th or the 11th century. But I want to move forward to the 20th century when between 1904 to 1907 France and Siam or Thailand at the time signed treaties that transferred some of the Khmer of Cambodian provinces that were taken by Thailand back to the French controlled Cambodia. As you know, Cambodia was under the French colonial for 12th century. Now the treaties between the France and Thailand laid the groundwork for disputes especially over sacred and cultural significance sites. And these cultural sites are for sure were built by the Khmer Cambodian kings, e.g. the Previhir Temple. And this is where this dispute really started. Again in 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded Behavihiyas Temple, a sacred temple built by the Khai King to Cambodia. In 2008, tensions reignited after UNESCO listed Preahvahir as a World Heritage Site under Cambodia's nomination. Again in 2013, the International Court of Justice clarified that the area surrounding the temple also belongs to Cambodia. And Thailand until today has not conceded and has not respected the decision of icj. That is the problem today.

[Georgina Godwin]

So what's your take on the current situation?

[Sukua Moo]

I think we are Cambodians all over the world, inside and outside of Cambodia are very pleased to hear the announcement of a cease fire between Cambodia and Thailand. And we will lay the groundwork for lasting peace. Cambodians all over the world, and I've just come back from a big protest in South Korea. All over the world Cambodians are saying one Cambodia, we are united, we want peace and we really do want peace.

[Georgina Godwin]

So what steps need to be taken to achieve lasting peace, I think we.

[Sukua Moo]

Have to first of all look at peace and the whole picture of peace. Okay, at this moment we're talking peace, meaning the end of disputes, the battles between Cambodia and Thailand. And I want to clarify that none of these two countries can afford to have a long lasting war. We want peace. I think what is important to know is that today we have the US that has used the tariffs as incentives to achieve the ceasefire. We're talking about the ceasefire and these negotiations are happening right now in, in Malaysia. And the role of Malaysia is important because Malaysia today is the chair of, of the association of Southeast Asian nations of asean. ASEAN has a core principle which is of non interference. But this is a unique case for of asean Malaysia. Prime Minister Ibrahim take a really active role with the United States to help make the ceasefire last is very significant. However, to make it work it has to go. It has to be between Thailand and Cambodia. And Thailand has first of all has to respect the decision of the International Court of Justice. It has to start there otherwise the disputes will go on and it's very fragile. These areas are very fragile because the border is really, really expose so many villages that can be and are already impacted by these disputes.

[Georgina Godwin]

Sakura, thank you very much indeed. That's Sakura Moo who's president of the Khmer Movement for Democracy there. This is the Globalist. Let's now go to the Middle east for an update on the situation in Gaza and the latest coming out of Israel. I'm joined by Greg Karl Ahlstrom, Middle east correspondent and author of How Long Will Israel Survive the Threat from Within. Greg, I wonder if you could recap what was announced at the UN last week and how significant the so called New York Declaration is.

[Greg Karlstrom]

This was the result of a meeting organized by France and Saudi Arabia. They had been planning for months to organize a conference to talk about not just the war in Gaza but but the two state solution more broadly trying to find an end to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. And there was a lot of focus last week on Western countries recognizing Palestine or committing to recognize Palestine. There was less focus on this declaration which was arguably I think more significant or at least more symbolic which came out from the entirety of the Arab League. Every Arab country along with another of other number of other members at this conference who agreed to condemn Hamas, to condemn the attacks of October 7, to call on Hamas to disarm and to basically suggest that an armed Hamas should have no role in political life or public life in the Palestinian territory. So it was I think by far the Most sort of sweeping, united condemnation of Hamas that we've seen from Arab countries, not just over the past two years, but ever. And the call for Hamas to disarm is something that, you know, you would think a couple of years ago the Israeli government would have been quite happy to see, would have welcomed and would have made a big deal out of.

[Georgina Godwin]

How has Hamas responded over the weekend?

[Greg Karlstrom]

They have predictably insisted that they're not going to disarm unless a Palestinian state is established. And, you know, that has been their position for many years. It hasn't changed. It shows you how stubborn they have been on this issue, how intransigent they have been. I think speaking to both Western and Arab officials over the past two years, there's a growing belief that Hamas is willing to relinquish civil authority in Gaza. It will let someone else administer the territory, govern it day to day. I mean, they don't want to be in charge of Gaza right now because it is utterly destroyed. And so they're happy to dump that problem on the Palestinian Authority or on some other governing body, but no one thinks that they are willing to relinquish their weapons. And so I think their reaction to that declaration, not at all surprising.

[Georgina Godwin]

So the US Special envoy, Steve Vitkoff's been in the region and he told families of hostile hostages being held by Hamas that he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war. Do we know what that is?

[Greg Karlstrom]

Well, we, we don't exactly. I think we need to see what that means in practice. For months now, Witkoff and the whole Trump administration have been pushing for a partial phased ceasefire. There would be an initial 60 day truce, some hostages would be released, and then they were meant to use those 60 days to negotiate a permanent end to the war, very similar to the deal that took effect in January. That six week ceasefire that again was supposed to be one of three phases, was supposed to lead to a permanent end to the fighting that never happened. And a growing number of people, not just in the United States, but in Israel as well, have been critical of the Trump administration for trying that phased approach, because that basically allows Netanyahu to get what he wants, which is to prolong the war. Maybe he'll get some hostages released, but there's no guarantee that he will negotiate in good faith over a permanent ceasefire. So Witkoff saying now it's time to drop the phased approach and look for a permanent end to the war that would release all of the Israeli hostages. So in theory, it's Good that he's saying that that is the right approach. That's something this administration should have done months ago. But let's see how much pressure they're willing to bring to bear on Prime Minister Netanyahu, who still, of course, does not want to end the war.

[Georgina Godwin]

Well, and that's a very fair point. I mean, how much pressure is Israel's government under? I mean, particularly from their own people. This huge gathering yesterday of hostage families, is there any sign that Netanyahu is listening?

[Greg Karlstrom]

Not really, no. Because there is pressure from the Israeli public, but it's not pressure that right now poses any political threat, I think, to his government. We've seen protests for more than a year now, large protests by the families of hostages and their supporters. You know, they've shut down motorways in Tel Aviv. They've staged sit ins outside the Prime Minister's residence. They've been doing this for a long time. Netanyahu has shrugged that off because his own supporters, his own voters, are not the ones protesting. There's been increasing criticism from former politicians, former army chiefs, heads of the Mossad, the Shin Bet, the Israeli security services, almost all of whom now are demanding an end to the war and saying that it's ultimately damaging Israel's strategic interests to continue it. Again, Netanyahu can shrug that off, I think, unless he starts seeing real pressure from his own voters, his own supporters, that might make him think that continuing the war is not in his political interests. I don't think any of this domestic pressure is going to get through.

[Georgina Godwin]

I mean, part of this hostage family demonstration yesterday came after Hamas released a video showing visibly, immediately emaciated hostages. And in fact, we've got a voice from Gaza. It's the medical activities manager in southern Gaza for medicine Sans Frontiere, Dr. Mohammed Fadlal. This is what he says.

[Tom Odell]

It's not enough to let a trickle of some trucks in. From the reports, what has been let through has been far less than what's needed and at a rate that's far slower than what's needed for the people here to benefit from it and to see a difference.

[Georgina Godwin]

What can you tell us about the awful situation within Gaza, this famine?

[Greg Karlstrom]

Basically, he's correct that the amount of aid going in is still insufficient. There are more trucks of aid being cleared by Israel to enter Gaza. The United nations then has to pick those up and deliver them. And that also requires coordination with the Israeli army. But they're letting about 200 trucks a day go into Gaza. That's well short of the 500 to 600 that the United nations says is needed right now. There have been these sporadic airdrops organized by Arab countries. The quantities there are very, very small. The first airdrop last week by Jordan and the United Arab emirates, they drop 25 tons of food, which is less than two trucks worth of food. So not making a big difference given the scale of, of hunger and starvation in Gaza right now. And then you have this Gaza humanitarian foundation, this Israeli, US Backed entity that's been handing out a bit of food in a very chaotic, very dangerous way. But overall the quantities are still not sufficient. And that's only food that we're talking about. When you have people, particularly children, who have been suffering from acute malnutrition, it's not just a matter of feeding them again. They also need to be hospitalized, they need to be monitored in a hospital setting and sort of slowly given nutritious supplements and things to pull them out of being acutely malnourished. And that's simply not possible to do in Gaza right now, given the damage to the healthcare system over the past two years.

[Georgina Godwin]

I mean, Greg, we've had the New York Declaration. There is no doubt that the world sees what's going on in Israel and is appalled by it. What other tools exist to force the country, to force Netanyahu and his government to end this and to allow more aid?

[Greg Karlstrom]

I think the options for Western governments outside of the United States are unfortunately rather limited. But I think by doing these symbolic recognitions of Palestine, as France and the UK and Canada agreed to do last week, my concern with those is that ultimately that may end up being counterproductive. You do that, you tick a box that says, you know, we did something about Israel's war in Gaza and then you don't have to discuss more substantive measures. You know, should Western governments now be talking about sanctions on Israeli politicians, Israeli officials on arms sales to Israel? Those conversations probably aren't going to happen because you've now taken that symbolic step of recognizing Palestine. But I think even if the likes of France, Canada, the UK were to do those things, they wouldn't really sway Israeli policymaking. I think the only thing that will at this point is Donald Trump saying very, very clearly to Benjamin Netanyahu that the war needs to end. Short of that, I don't think Netanyahu is going to feel the sort of pressure that would force him to change course.

[Georgina Godwin]

And how close is the US to saying that? I mean, we've seen hints of it.

[Greg Karlstrom]

We've seen hints of it, but I mean, really, who knows with Trump, he says one thing one day and another thing the next day. You talk to some people in Washington who say Trump is very frustrated with the Gaza war. He thinks this is, you know, overshadowing everything else that he wants to do in the Middle east, be it expanding the Abraham Accords or trying to stabilize post Assad, Syria. All of that is being overshadowed by Gaza. And the president is very frustrated. But then you ask them, well, okay, what is the president going to do about that? And the answer is probably not much. He's not going to take punitive steps. He's not going to take a really hard line on Israel. It's very much like the conversations I was having last year with the Biden administration, which came to the same conclusion that the Israeli prime minister was continuing this war for his own political reasons, but ultimately did nothing about it.

[Georgina Godwin]

Greg, thank you very much indeed. That's Greg Karlstrom there. And do tune in to the latest episode of the Foreign Desk for a deeper dive into the crisis in Gaza and the prospect of a Palestinian state. Still to come on the programme, according to Publico's findings, Switzerland has replaced the UK as the most desirable for Portuguese expats, with over 12,000 choosing to move there in the last year. We'll investigate why residents of Lisbon are now flocking to Lucerne. This is the globalist craft is its own reward. Which is why at UBS we're honoured to work alongside over 50 of today's leading Nobel laureates, each an expert in the art of economic science, bringing you engaging discussions, actionable insights and inspired solutions, all focused around the questions that shape our world today. For a better outlook, find a Nobel perspective. UBS banking is our craft. Just coming up to 8:21 in Zurich, 7:21 here in London. And we'll continue now with today's newspapers. Joining me in the studio is Zoe Grunewald who is the Westminster editor at the lead. Good morning to you, Zoe. Good morning, Zoe. We have been scratching our heads here and really cannot understand the 39% tariffs that the US has slapped on Switzerland. Over the weekend. I had a guest in the studio, James Breeding. He is a Zurich based investment banker. This is what he said.

[Redwan Armand]

It's really crazy because Switzerland is the is an exemplary model of the ideal trade partner. They're ranked number seven in the world in terms of capital investment in the United States among 200 countries.

[Georgina Godwin]

So this is exactly the sort of relationship you should celebrate.

[Redwan Armand]

And it's beyond me that why he.

[Georgina Godwin]

Would do this and beyond most of us to Be honest. Are the papers making much sense of it?

[Zoe Grunewald]

No, I think it's one of those things where it's very difficult to figure out why Trump makes many of the decisions that he does. But this is absolutely right, that this is particularly puzzling because Switzerland, as we say, is one of the world's largest investors in the U.S. the Swiss say it's created 400,000 U.S. jobs. And balancing that trade deficit, the thing that Trump points to as the reason why he often slaps these big tariffs on countries looks almost impossible. You know, the population of Switzerland is small, it's just 9 million. And they don't really want to buy U.S. products. You know, the cars are too big for Alpine roads. You know, the. The idea of the Swiss buying US cheese and chocolate is something that I think we probably raise our eyebrows at. Meanwhile, obviously, Switzerland will sell more. It has pharmaceuticals services, gold jewelry, watches and machines. You know, it makes sense that there would be that imbalance. But for Trump and for his kind of, you know, his MAGA brand, that trade deficit is really at the core of how he is basing his trade and economic policy across the world.

[Georgina Godwin]

Switzerland's a rich country. They can afford it. Let's just tax the hell out of them. Extraordinary stuff. I want to turn now to people smuggling, because in our headlines we've been reporting this horrible tragedy off the coast of Yemen. But of course, these things happen on the English Channel all the time. So the British government's now pledged an extra hundred million pounds to tackle people's smuggling. What's the detail on this?

[Zoe Grunewald]

Yeah, so this 100 million will go to boosting border security and strengthening investigations, which will target kingpins who run these smuggling gang operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. And this will pay for additional National Crime Agency offices as well as new technology and equipment. So they're really hoping this labor government to disrupt the criminal gangs that are selling boat spaces to people, putting people on boats, obviously getting hold of the dinghies and bringing them over to the country. The problem is that obviously these are incredibly sophisticated criminal networks that require international cooperation. You know, they're not just based in one country. They, they go across the world. So, yes, investment in technology to, to find them and disrupt them is important, but ultimately this is also a matter of diplomacy and getting other countries on side to share their intelligence and, and, you know, be ensured that they are actually will be interested in, in disrupting these operations as well. Because at the minute, it is a very kind of UK based problem. Obvious seeing small boats, but to try and get other countries to buy into stopping channel crossings is quite difficult, especially post Brexit.

[Georgina Godwin]

But of course, investment in the countries of origin would also be a very sensible way to do this.

[Zoe Grunewald]

Absolutely. And at the same time, this government have slashed their foreign aid budget as a means of balancing the books and trying to increase defense spending, which a lot of people say is counterproductive, because if you don't invest in other countries, you're far more likely to have those kind of global trends of mass migration occurring.

[Georgina Godwin]

Yeah, let's move on to plastics because there's a review, there's a story in the Lancet, which has been picked up elsewhere, that there's a $1.5 trillion plastics crisis hitting health from infancy to old age.

[Zoe Grunewald]

Yeah. So this is a result of increasing plastic pollution, particularly the rapid increase in the production of single use plastics. So that's things like drinks bottles and fast food containers that aren' recycled and then of course are going back into our, our waterways, going back into our soil and basically causing a public health disaster across the world. And as you said, this was picked up in the Lancet and there is going to be now a negotiation between countries to try and come up with a legally blinding global plastics treaty. But many academics, many experts are saying it's already too late. You know, these microplastics are in our ecosystem now and we have to start mitigating the impact of it as well. Trying to look forward and saying, how do we actually reduce the amount of plastics in our systems?

[Georgina Godwin]

I mentioned James Breeding earlier. He was in the studio over the weekend. He's written this book, what Goliath Can Teach, what David Can Teach Goliath or something. It's about when you look at small countries and see their successes and how that can be rolled out. And he was looking at plastics and saying that New Zealand is one country that's actually well on the way to conquering this. They had a whole supermarket brought in this thing going food in the nude. And it was just, it's a way of sort of making it kind of sexy to sell vegetables that isn't wrapped. Everything kind of single wrapped and getting rid of plastic bags and all the rest of it. I mean, Britain is making an effort with that in terms of single use plastic.

[Zoe Grunewald]

Yeah, we have seen it. I mean, there's already a conversation about how do we reduce plastic. But a lot of the problem is also about recycling and just convincing people that when they do have those plastics that they recycle them properly rather than just bugging Everything in the bin and then obviously getting back into our, into ourselves system that way.

[Georgina Godwin]

Yeah, well, if plastics don't kill us, it appears that AI might.

[Zoe Grunewald]

A cheery set of papers this morning.

[Georgina Godwin]

Yes, experts predict AI will lead to the extinction of humanity possibly within a year.

[Zoe Grunewald]

Yes, it's pretty frightening and I think some people might think it's a bit alarmist, but there are concerns about AI and this is particularly the AGI, which is artificial General Intelligence. This is when AI starts just teaching itself and teaching new systems very, very quickly and it gets to the threshold where it can match human intelligence. Worry is of course that, I mean, there are lots of scenarios unfortunately, that scientists have come up with which could see AI killing us. But this one particularly is that, you know, AI, if we set a challenge, you know, it might start to see humans as just getting in the way of whatever the challenge it has been set is and could, for example, you know, release a bioweapon or something that would, would kill everybody across the world. Or just, you know, anything it will do will just, it will assume that humans are in some way hampering its ability to complete its tasks. And the problem is once start that it's very, very difficult to make it stop. So it is quite frightening when you, it's quite sci fi when you put these, when you put these ideas out there. But you know, people, scientists who have worked on artificial intelligence at Google and other places are saying we do need to start having these questions and thinking about how we can mitigate this because they are very real threats.

[Georgina Godwin]

Well, and so I was sort of reading this thinking, well, who's saying they're going to kill us? And one of them is Geoffrey Hinton. He won the Nobel Prize in physics last year for his work on AI and he's, he's one of the guys going, this is going to happen.

[Zoe Grunewald]

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And the calls are coming from inside the house. People who are working on these technologies are saying, whoa, we need to be regulated because this stuff is crazy, it's getting out of control. But at the same time, if you, especially if you look at the US and China, there is almost this arms race about we need to get the most advanced technology possible and then we'll think about safety later. But of course the people working on are saying by that point it might be too late.

[Georgina Godwin]

Wow. Well, in the face of all of that, let's just eat, drink and be merry. Although if you're Gen Z, apparently you're eating at six o'. Clock.

[Zoe Grunewald]

Yes. So apparently bookings according to OpenTable in the UK, reservations earlier in the evening about 6pm are up and 11% and this, and there's been lots of questions about what this is doing to the restaurant industry and why this has happened happening because post pandemic it seems that we are reshaping the way we out. We are swapping late night food for, for early evenings. A lot of this is down to people living further outside of London so they have to commute. There's also a suggestion that actually younger diners aren't maybe drinking as much as they used to, so they do have earlier dinners. They're taking their health more seriously, they want to get more sleep. But also I think there is something that wasn't really referenced in this piece but you do hear about is actually licensing laws across particularly London where restaurants are forced to close earlier because they don't have license licenses to stay open later and how that is also impacting people going about their, their business and having dinner. But it, but it is interesting. I mean London used to be a place where people were drinking and eating late into the night and now you'd be lucky to find table post 9pm in a lot of parts of the capital.

[Georgina Godwin]

Very true, Zoe, thank you very much indeed. That's Zoe Grunwald there. Westminster editor at the Lead. You're with the Globalist on Monocle Radio. Now here's what else we're keeping an eye on today. More than 60 migrants, mostly Ethiopians, have died after a boat sank off Yemen's southern coast during bad weather. Dozens are still missing, with officials calling it another tragic chapter in the region's deadly migrant route to the Gulf. More than 3,000 Boeing defence workers will strike today after rejecting a pay and pension deal dealing a fresh blow to the troubled planemaker. The walkout affects sites in Missouri and Illinois where military jets like the F15 are built. And a woman in New Zealand has been arrested after a two year old girl was found hidden inside her luggage on a bus. The child was hot but unharmed and police praised the driver for preventing a potentially tragic outcome. This is the Globalist. Stay tuned now for a look behind the headlines. Here's Monocle's executive producer Carlotta Rebelo on why Switzerland is now the main destination for Portuguese expatriates. Portugal no longer occupies the lead spot at the top of the European immigration table. According to the latest data analyzed by the Portuguese daily Publico, the country has moved down to fifth place behind Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Lithuania. This follows Europe, years of it having the highest emigration rate In Europe in 2013, more than 120,000 chose to leave, with the most popular destination being the UK Instead, a growing economy, especially when compared to other Western European nations, seems to be keeping people at home. Portugal posted 0.6% growth in the second quarter of 2025, while the previous year saw a GDP growth of 1.9%. Tastes in destination have also changed. According to Publico's findings, Switzerland has replaced the UK as the most desirable for Portuguese expats, with over 12,000 choosing to move there in the last year, followed by Spain, France and Germany. Monocle readers know the benefits of the Swiss style of life, but also how much Lisbon has improved over the past decade. In 2025, it won our safest street quality of life award. Monocle's executive producer Carlotta Rebello there. And for more from Monocle's editors and our correspondents around the world, do sign up for our free daily newsletter, the monocle [e-mail] minute it's 1232 in Dhaka, 732 here in London. On August 3, Bangladesh began the trial of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for crimes against human Hasina is being held accountable for the deaths of over 1,400 people during student led protests in July last year. She fled to India by helicopter on August 5 last year and remains in that country. Despite Bangladesh's extradition requests, India has not complied. Prosecutors have described Hasina as the nucleus of all crimes and are seeking the maximum penalty. Well, I'm joined now by Redwan Armand who is a journalist based in Dhaka. Redwan, thank you for coming on the show. Can you just bring us up to speed on the Sheikh Hasina trial? What's the latest?

[Redwan Armand]

Thank you George for having me. And yes, as you rightly pointed out that Sheikh Hasina, the ousted Prime Minister of Bangladesh is currently in trial of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal. And you know we have had the first day of witness testimony yesterday which is like August 3rd. So right now where it is test defense is, you know she is being charged with crimes against humanity and mass killings. And also this case centers around the violent crackdown on student led protesters on July and August last year. So and which resulted as many as I think 1400. The UN estimates is the death is 1400 and I think that is also the estimate of the tribunal. And Hasina along with her like senior aides in the administration is accused of order ordering security forces to suppress demonstration with like life ammunition and military equipment. So the prosecution, as you said, like she is the nucleus of all crimes and seeking the maximum penalty. And so that is, they have started the proceedings and one of the major accused was the former police Bangladesh police chief who has pleaded guilty and now is working with the government as a state witness. So this is how it is unfolding. It is very early at this stage right now. But yeah, it looks like the country is moving forward on this trial.

[Georgina Godwin]

The trial's going ahead without her. India isn't agreeing to extradite her. How is that affecting India Bangladesh relations?

[Redwan Armand]

So yes, the trial is proceeding indeed in Essincia because India has turned out down repeated extradition request from Bangladesh. And so, well, the Indian courts may deny extradition if there is a risk of unfair trial or like political persecution, which Hasina's legal team claims. And so he continued to be present in India. And that has definitely put a lot of strain on the diplomatic, on the bilateral relationship with Bangladesh and India, especially with the interim government government of Bangladesh that that India did not really or very upfront about. And so the interim government has also accused India of in quote unquote, double standards. And you know, the public sentiment against India within the Bangladesh is also very rising, especially among like the Islamist factions and also the nationalist factions. So this is like a huge like irritant factor in the diplomatic ties between the to very close neighboring countries. Bangladesh is bordered on the seaside with India and that has huge implication on the border and also more economic and security issues as well.

[Georgina Godwin]

I mean, if she is found guilty, she isn't there. What will that mean practically?

[Redwan Armand]

So this is also another major hurdle in this whole justice and accountability issue issue because, you know, she is in trial in essentia and that is that there is no good precedent that you know, any the justice that came out of such kind of trials were free and fair. So and also like, you know, she is tried in Bangladesh's International Criminal Tribunal, Industrial Crimes Tribunal, which also under Hina regime did also try former Jamaat actors, activists, jamaat leaders for the crimes against humanity, for the war crimes that had took place, allegedly took place in 1971 during Bangladesh's Liberation work. So and now there are huge criticism of that court, that justice was hurried and you know, it was kind of a kangaroo court. So this is kind of the same court. It is now just the sides have changed. The people who are being tried now they are trying the same. So this is definitely a thing that people are very reserved about the outcome of the tribunal and this tribunal that has been formed and the new tribunal is also like not immune from their criticism so there are like very fair share of criticism of this tribunal as well. But the government seems adamant that they would go forward with the trial anyway even on her ascensia and even all the criticism.

[Georgina Godwin]

Her party, the Awami League has seen. As Awami League is barred from elections. What does all this mean then for the political landscape in the run up to the April 2026 vote?

[Redwan Armand]

So within the Awami League's exclusion and that the much debated elections or anticipated elections of next year which might happen even in the early. As early as February as the well the university interim needed had promised April. But then I think the BNP the largest political party now in the exclusion of Awami League they have demanding for early elections. So that might happen like earlier than April as well. But yes with the Awami League is one of the oldest and largest political parties of Bangladesh. So they had a huge vote bank and huge supporters base those none of many of them are not necessarily part of the this alleged crime. So this is definitely it creates more space for the other political parties like our BNP and you know notably the student led party. The new party that came out of this uprising was National Citizens Party, the ncp. So but now the problem is like you know the country is also based very heavily on the UN Finance findings, the UN Human Rights Office findings on the accused accusation of crimes against humanity. But that the same findings also did say that they did not advise banning of a political party which the government, the interim government Bangladesh eventually did. So they did ban the political party and that also is creating a huge the risk of disenfranchising a huge bang bunch of electorates who might have been voted for Awami League if they were on the ballot. But it creates a huge star in the, in the local dynamics that what the how the fight between the new other political parties on those electorates and also the law and order situation and you know, and the risk of violence if their supporters, if AAM League supporters feel like they are feeling disinfecting. So this is quite a different very like fluid situation. And even in the Bangladesh in this particular political landscape.

[Georgina Godwin]

Redouan, thank you very much indeed. That's Redwan Ahmed talking to us from Dakar. And this is the Globalist on Monocle radio. Now it's 1440 in Singapore, 840 in Zurich and Singapore is gearing up for one hell of a party. Next Saturday marks 60 years of independence and the city state intends to celebrate in style. In 1965 Singapore separated from the Federation of Malaysia. And since then it's become one of the world's most prosperous nations, largely down to developing a free market economy under the leader, Lee Kuan Yew. Well, joining me from Singapore is the journalist Adam Hancock. Adam, welcome to the show. I wonder if you could give us a very quick history lesson on Singapore. We know it gained independence from Malaysia 60 years ago, but before that it was ruled by Britain for 140, 44 years.

[Adam Hancock]

Yes, yes, it's, it's got a very interesting history for such a small place. You might have heard of Sir Stamford Raffles. He's seen as the, the first explorer to find Singapore. That's why there's so much in relation to him around the city. The famous Raffles Hotel, of course then it was under British rule. It went under Japanese rule during World War II, but then it was handed back over to Britain. And for large parts of that time it was just a small trading port really, obviously in a very good location, strategically near the Malacca Strait. But it was nothing like it is today. It was handed back to the British, as I mentioned, at the end of World War II. And then there was a number of years where Singapore was quite torn about what exactly was going to happen. And then independence came, fame in 1965. It was signed in the evening. And Lee Kuan Yew, who is the man who was seen as the founding father of Singapore, really, he wrote in his memoirs about lying in bed thinking about the pressure about Singapore becoming an independent nation. One that he was going to have to lead and try to grow and grow it. He did. And really he's the visionary for what Singapore is today. His strong leadership. And he was a very strong leader. Not everyone agrees with his methods of leadership, but it certainly was effective. It turned it from a small trading port into the developed ultra modern city that we've seen today. It was nowhere near as small when, when Singapore became independent as it was when Stanford Raffles first came here. But he still had a heck of a job to do. He focused on the fact that Singapore had no natural resources, so therefore had to be very open to business, had to attract business and foreign investment. He says that air conditioning is one of the greatest inventions of all time because it allowed people to be productive in the heat. You know, we're right on the equator here. It's tropical and steamy all of the time. And he also fought about the way that the country should be ruled. He, he had long term planning and vision and the political system that they have here. It does allow Singapore to be the way it is because there's only one ruling party. They've been in power the whole, whole time that Singapore has been independent. So there's not that kind of churn that we see in other countries where governments are just constantly fighting elections and trying to survive for four or five years. Whereas in Singapore, if the government say they want to do something, they basically have a mandate for 20 years to do it. So there's already plans in place for projects 20, 30 years down the line. So, yeah, that's hopefully gave you a little snapshot of how Singapore went from this very small little port to the city it is today.

[Georgina Godwin]

And tell us about the themes of the celebration on Saturday. Saturday, yeah.

[Adam Hancock]

So the Saturday is National Day. It is an annual event and there is an annual parade. I think this year will be a lot bigger than usual because it is the Diamond Jubilee. And, you know, in Singapore, what is interesting is, is because there aren't really seasons here, it can. Every day kind of feels the same. You know, the weather's always very similar. There's no real passing of time. But one way of defining what time of year it is is when you start hearing the helicopters going over here ahead and the jet planes, because they're out rehearsing for the National Day Parade. This starts months in advance, then as it builds up towards the parade each weekend in the month before they do rehearsals. So on Saturday night, just gone, there was a huge fireworks display where they were practicing the fireworks. The city is covered in flags now, Singapore flags. There's lots of banners out and there's lots of little events as well. So out in the. What they call the heartlands here, which is sort of the neighborhoods outside the main city on the. On the actual National Day, there will be a parade with a huge mixture of vehicles. You'll get military vehicles, tanks. You'll get ambulances, the fire service, and just ordinary people as well who've been invited to be a part of it. So Saturday will be a big party. It will all end with the. The big National Day Parade. There's a lot of things that happen the same every year in that parade. You know, you'll get members of the military parachuting in. The same songs will come out. But I think this year the government have probably allocated a little bit more money, and I would particularly expect that the fireworks display might be quite memorable on Saturday.

[Georgina Godwin]

I don't want to literally rain on your parade, but I wonder if you could tell us about the challenges that you think the country faces. I mean, have Singaporeans traded true freedom and democracy for prosperity.

[Adam Hancock]

Yeah, it's certainly interesting whenever you talk about freedom of speech, freedom of expression here, it doesn't really exist, exist. In all honesty, there's a unwritten social contract between Singaporeans and the government that they, you know, they get a government that are efficient, make things better for them, but in return they lose a lot of the rights that people have in other countries. Many people are happy with it as seen from the elections where the ruling People's Action Party always do very well, whether or not that can continue going forward. You know, the younger generation, they have a different view of the government to the older generation. Their respect kind of needs to be earned now. They didn't live through the big transformation that a lot of Singaporeans saw. Also, social media has opened up discussion in a way that was not the case before because the media is controlled in Singapore by the government. But obviously online it's, it's different and people can access different points of view also as well. Singapore obviously tries to toe the line diplomatically. It tries to be neutral, the, the so called Switzerland of Asia. But that is becoming increasingly difficult as well. You know, the US and China, obviously we need know full well that they are constantly in competition. Singapore tries to be a friend to both. They have very good trade links with China, for example, whereas they have very good military links with the United States. The fear here is that there might be a day in the future if there is a conflict between the two sides that Singapore does have to pick a side. It's almost the worst case scenario for Singapore. So yeah, so I think over the next 50, 60 years it is interesting to see a lot of people say that this kind of political system, it can't really last in a modern world. Maybe it needs the leaders like Lee Kuan Yew rather than the next generation of leaders. Although judging by the most recent election where the ruling party did very well, perhaps it will stick around.

[Georgina Godwin]

Adam, thank you very much indeed. That's Adam Hancock in Singapore there. And this is the Globalist on Monocle Radio. With ubs, you have a truly global partner incorporating new technologies, innovative approaches and unexpected opportunities leading you to insights that help answer the questions that matter. Delivered with passion, care and unmatched expertise. Because it's about rising with the dawn each day knowing that we can do even better. That's what banking is to us. Not just work, but a craft. UBS banking is our craft. Sweden might be thousands of miles from the United States, but for unofficial Raga Ray members, the distance seems smaller Across Sweden. Followers of the Subculture drive American cars and often appear to worship US culture. To ask about the movement's history and how it's changed over the years, Monica Zander Brett spoke to Tom Odell, a professor of ethnology at Lundue University, and to Kjell Gustafsson, an organizer of Sweden's Power Big Meet, one of the largest annual gatherings of American vehicles in the world.

[Monica Zander Brett]

If you're out on the roads in rural Sweden, it probably won't be long until after all the Volvos and European saloons, you come across an American car and it might well be driven by a follower of the raggery subculture, whose unofficial members all over Sweden are a bit like the American greasers, English rockers or antipodean bodgies and witches. They own vintage vehicles. Many play rock n roll and dress up in homage to their mid century heroes. Think jeans and leather jackets. Power Big Meet, in fact, an annual two day event in central Sweden, sees one of the biggest gatherings of American cars anywhere in the world, many with their rag ray drivers in tow. Kjell Gustafsson is an organizer of the event. If you detect a certain twang to his voice, it's because he spent some time in Florida.

[Adam Hancock]

Power Big meet started in 1978. We had been to car shows in the United States for quite a while.

[Greg Karlstrom]

So we thought we'd do something.

[Adam Hancock]

The cars are like 20% and the.

[Greg Karlstrom]

Social, you know, meeting people with the same hobby and way of life, that's 80%.

[Monica Zander Brett]

Gustafsson may have had a stint stateside, but he doesn't know exactly how Many big beaten NDs have also traversed the Atlantic. Perhaps some Raggeri have cultivated their own idea of American culture and adapted it to suit a Swedish setting. Tom Odell came to Sweden a few decades back and is now a professor of ethnology at Lund University.

[Tom Odell]

I mean, in the 1950s, I don't think anyone had been there. They didn't have the money to travel the United States. But what you did have is you had movies, you had popular culture after World War II, America's lost value. And that made it accessible for a lot of young men. They had the ability to start to purchase cars and to work on them. So the car became sort of a way for many young people to get out of the house and to get around. It was big, it was flamboyant, lots of chrome, it was shiny. Ideally you'd have, you know, a two tone paint job. When my father came over, you know, to visit me and he'd see these American Cars, wow, these must be really rich people. And you know, we'd be in working class neighborhoods. I said no, these aren't rich people. But in the United States if you had a 1957 Chevrolet, you were a doctor. It was expensive because you didn't work on the car yourself. But you bought a fixed up car from someone. That's not how it worked here in Sweden. You bought a jalopy and then you spent a couple years working on it, fixing it up, helping each other in order to convert wrecks into gems.

[Adam Hancock]

Kael Gustaf said again, we imported a lot of cars and parts from the states in the 70s when nobody really wanted though, I mean they threw them away. You could get cars for pretty much free and shipping was pretty inexpensive. So we shipped so much stuff and so many cars over. This is on a. Pretty much on a hobby level. It's getting harder now because there's less parts available, but it's there. And if you want to go get some part for your car restoration, you come to Sweden.

[Monica Zander Brett]

Today's Rag ray are often seen merely as a bunch of harm to if quirky enthusiasts. It's a far cry from times gone by when their sometimes violent disposition caused disdain in certain quarters. The loud music of the Pilsner raggery brigade though has created a little renewed consternation. They and Raggeray's old troublemakers have been the inspiration of numerous documentaries, songs and movies over the years. Here's Tom o' Dell again.

[Tom Odell]

I was in the store the other day and saw potato chips called Rony Ragge and they were a comic book pair on Swedish television show in the mid-1990s and I haven't seen them or heard about them since then. So there is something going on out there. Sort of a revitalization of Ragd in new ways.

[Adam Hancock]

Kjel Gustafsson it's not in the main cities like Stockholm or Gothenburg. This is like a local small town, small city deal. A small little town of 800 people might have 150 old American cars there. And, and the thing here is that it's new generations coming in all the time. So you see a lot of 20 year old, 25 year olds with their own American cars.

[Monica Zander Brett]

So there are new American car enthusiasts in Sweden and possibly new raggery not only of the Pilsner variety. But will the movement forever be tied to its rural roots? Don't know.

[Tom Odell]

In the Stockholm you might still find some of the American cars, but I think it's much more of a rural phenomenon than an urban Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Something to do in the wintertime to work on their cars, to adjust them, and then in order to be able to drive them around. The nice days are during the summertime in Sweden. The phenomenon is changing. I mean, I was writing about this in the mid-90s, and since then, down here in southern Sweden, the occurrence of using the American cars seems to be diminishing. And instead you've got young men driving around in older Volvos. How do you even define what a ragare is? Does it have to be with an American car? Or is the phenomenon of basically driving around in cars and having fun, whether.

[Monica Zander Brett]

There'S an official definition or not, and whether if there is, it needs updating? Braggery have been part of Swedish life for a long time, hanging out in a land that, like America, has a sparsely populated interior. To find such a strong subculture in the forests of northern Europe, though, might still take you by surprise.

[Georgina Godwin]

Sanda Brett reporting in Stockholm. Thank you. You're with Monocle Radio.

[Karen Krasanovich]

You.

[Georgina Godwin]

Now it's time to look at what's making headlines on the silver screen. And I'm delighted to say that I'm joined down the line by the film critic Karen Krasanovich. Karen, I'm sorry, your lovely face is not in the studio. Where are you?

[Karen Krasanovich]

I'm on location at a Will Sharp drama. I can't say much more, I'm afraid.

[Georgina Godwin]

Okay, but you're on set somewhere.

[Karen Krasanovich]

I'm actually on location. Yeah. So the old. Yeah, so this is. This is why I'm not there with my lovely face and your lovely face.

[Georgina Godwin]

It's been a great summer for the movies, and the autumn looks good, too. Can you give us some box office news?

[Karen Krasanovich]

Oh, gosh. Well, you know, people keep asking me, which is great about being a critic, should I see Superman? Should I see Fantastic Four? What about Naked Gun? And the great thing is that they're all really good. I mean, and that's really nice that I've been telling people, see Superman, you don't like it, I will buy your ticket. And that has worked. People have seen it, and I'm not out of pocket yet. But Fantastic Four is also. Even though this week, its second week, it has dropped 66% at the domestic, that is the American box office, it's still doing incredibly well. And considering this is often considered a poison chalice because so many iterations of this particular superhero, I suppose, franchise have happened, and they've been pretty terrible. And this one is actually very fresh, very surprising, and it's designed by a previous concept Artist, which is not unusual, but it looks very, very different and you can look at it. And I know I talk about research a lot, but you can see the design of this film is unlike anything you've seen seen before. But it also reminds you of certain other things you've seen before, like perhaps Ario Sarenin. So it is. It is excellent. And. And I would say go and see it, even if it did drop 66% of the box.

[Georgina Godwin]

Now everybody's talking about this pairing of Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson in Naked Gun. Is it only on the screen? Are they an item?

[Karen Krasanovich]

Apparently they are an item. Yes. Yes, they are. And why not? They have a wonderful chemistry on screen and she is actually. She's got amazing comedy chops. I mean, he's quite good, too. It's difficult for a grown man in his 70s to not look great in a short tartan skirt, though. But it's, you know, I mean, even if you didn't see. And I was talking with people who are in their 20s and they're going, I have no idea what this is. I don't know. I don't know Police Squad, I don't know the Naked Gun, but my dad likes them. So this could, this could be a unifying film. It could open up younger people to a kind of humor that previous generations found fascinating. But the real, the real value here is Pamela Anderson. She is hilarious, and not to give you a spoiler alert, but she sings. She gets up on stage and sings a scat jazz song, which is hilarious.

[Georgina Godwin]

Sounds amazing. That's absolutely on my to watch list. As is jaws at 50. 50 years since jaws was made. That's extraordinary.

[Karen Krasanovich]

I know it is. It is extraordinary. And I have to say, I know that there have been a lot of podcasts and programs and shows and documentaries and. And the film is coming back to at least UK screens on 29 August. It's. I've already booked my tickets for Imex. I thought it was 3D Imax, but of course I don't think you can have that. It's just too much. But 50 years? Yeah, you think, wow, it's 3D and it's big, but 50 years and it's still fresh. And you have people that will say, like, 2001, they'll say, oh, I don't want to watch that. That's boring. If you watch it, you will understand why it is now a classic. Now, I don't generally say watch documentaries, but I've watched most of the Jaws documentaries and it's if you are interested at all in seeing Jaws or if you love Jaws, please watch. I think it's on Disney jaws at 50. It's a really good documentary and it will tell you stuff that you didn't know about the production and about Steven Spielberg and about Bruce the shark named after his lawyer. If you think you know everything about Jaws, if you watch this documentary, you will realize that there's a lot to know.

[Georgina Godwin]

Karen Kosanovic, thank you very much indeed indeed. And that's all for today's programme. Thanks to our producers Laura Kramer, Tom Webb and Anita Riota, our researcher Henry King and our studio manager Mariella Bevan. After the headlines, there's more music on the way and I'll be back with the briefing at midday in London. Lots of great music too. Lots of sharp programming. And the Globalist will return at the same time tomorrow. I'm Georgina Godwin. Thank you for listening.