The widening global conflict at the US diverts South Korean missile defences to the Middle East

Summary

The Monocle Daily — Episode Summary

Date: March 11, 2026
Host: Andrew Muller
Guests: Daniella Peled (Institute for War and Peace Reporting), Michael Peel (Financial Times)

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Episode Overview

This episode examines global ripples from the US’s widening conflict in the Middle East, with particular focus on the diversion of South Korean missile defense systems. Other major topics include Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and minor but telling stories from around the world, including pedestrian laws in Taiwan. The conversation is insightful, occasionally wry, and persists in connecting current crises to broader geopolitical patterns and lessons.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Diverting South Korean Missile Defenses

Segment Starts: 04:00

• US redeployment: Reports confirm the US is removing at least one THAAD missile defense system from South Korea, relocating it to the Middle East due to “more urgent” needs amid its assault on Iran.
• South Korean reaction: President Lee Jae Myung registers objections but acknowledges limited leverage against US priorities (“...the reality is that we cannot fully impose our position” [04:00]).
• Implications for alliances:
  • Andrew Muller draws a parallel with Europe’s recent lessons about US dependability: “Is this a further lesson akin to that which has been absorbed by Europe in the last year or so, that the United States is perhaps not the reliable ally we once considered it?” [04:52].
  • Daniella Peled: Highlights finite resources, even for supposedly unlimited US firepower. Various actors in the Middle East are now preoccupied with questions of which side will "run out of arms first," spotlighting the global reach of the conflict ([05:02]).
  • Michael Peel: Notes Europe’s historical complacency and the lack of cohesive strategic direction in the current US administration—“...there’s not even a clear plan in Congress or elsewhere trying to define goals...the goals are contradictory.” [07:05].

Notable Quote:

"No country's resources are limitless. It is quite astonishing, not just that perhaps the Trump administration doesn't have a clear plan, but there's nowhere else in the US System...which is trying to say, we need to have goals here." — Michael Peel [07:05]

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2. Broadening Global Consequences of Middle East Conflict

Segment Starts: 08:07

• On Operation Epic Fury’s progress:
  • Daniella Peled: On shifting, ill-defined war aims—“The other thing about not really defining your war goals is that you can stop at any point you choose and say, okay, we've achieved them.” [08:19]
  • Ambiguity as policy: The lack of explicit objectives allows the US to claim victory regardless of outcome. The conflict's pace is increasingly dictated by events themselves.

Notable Quote:

“You can stop at any point you choose and say, okay, we've achieved them, really.” — Daniella Peled [08:19]

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3. Afghanistan-Pakistan Conflict Ignored Amid Global Distractions

Segment Starts: 11:31

• Rising violence: Cross-border strikes and displacement (at least 115,000 people) have escalated, with little global attention owing to competing crises.
• Taliban’s role:
  • Daniella Peled: Affirms Taliban ties to militant groups and highlights the humanitarian, economic, and strategic chaos afflicting Afghanistan ([12:35]).
  • Michael Peel: Emphasizes the absence of effective international fora to address growing regional instability. "China doesn't want instability in its wider region," but its engagement is minimal ([15:00]).

Notable Quote:

“If we look at it from purely cold headed strategic point of view, [Afghanistan's] a really important nexus for the continent that it lies in.” — Daniella Peled [16:52]

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4. Russia’s Deportation of Ukrainian Children — International Accountability

Segment Starts: 17:30

• UN findings: The UN confirms Russia’s forced deportation of over 20,000 Ukrainian children amounts to crimes against humanity.
• Russian response: Rather than flat denial, Russia argues it "rescued" children, a narrative Daniella Peled challenges with chilling details about reeducation camps and forced adoptions ([18:24]).
• Justice and deterrence:
  • Michael Peel: “The next best thing [to full accountability] is to highlight that this is something that the world cares about and deplores.” ([20:34])
  • The indictment serves vital diplomatic and moral functions even if prosecution is unlikely.

Notable Quotes:

“[There are] about 200,000 alleged war crimes being investigated at the moment. A lot of them much more easier in a way to prosecute even in absentia than the abduction of children.” — Daniella Peled [19:38]

“The more that people are reminded of [Russian war crimes], the better, even if achieving full accountability...is going to be hard.” — Michael Peel [21:18]

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5. International Fighters in Ukraine, Russian Manpower Problems

Segment Starts: 21:37

• Foreign recruitment: Russia’s dependence on foreign recruits (from Central Asia and penal colonies) shows diminishing resources and manpower.
• Ukrainian approach: Captured foreign fighters often prefer not to return to Russia. Under international law, POW status is observed unless war crimes are proven ([22:12]).

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6. Taiwan Tightens Pedestrian Laws

Segment Starts: 23:31

• Policy change: Taiwan updates its crosswalk rules; crossing on a flashing walk signal now incurs a fine.
• Debate on public order:
  • Michael Peel: Critiques enforcement against pedestrians, positing societies prioritize cars and inconveniencing pedestrians ([24:10]).
  • Andrew Muller & Daniella Peled: Share anecdotes highlighting contrasting cultural attitudes towards pedestrian behavior and enforcement in cities like Munich, Tel Aviv, and Lagos ([24:42]–[26:59]).

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7. On This Day: The First English-language Daily Newspaper

Segment Starts: 27:01

• Historical note: Marks the anniversary of The Daily Courant, first published March 11, 1702.
• Commentary: Amusing comparison of early newspaper practices (churnalism, gender bias) with contemporary journalism and news digestion ([27:16]–[32:24]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On military logistics:

  "Even their [the US and Israel’s] resources are finite. I've been talking to lots of our staff and contributors across the Middle East...conversations center on who will run out of arms first." — Daniella Peled [05:02]

• On ambiguous war goals:

  “Not really defining your war goals [means] you can stop at any point you choose and say, okay, we’ve achieved them, really.” — Daniella Peled [08:19]

• On US messaging:

  “Any time I want it to end, it will end.” — US President Trump, quoted by Andrew Muller [09:31]

• On Russia’s “rescue” claims:

  “The children and teenagers are sent to literal reeducation camps...some are simply kidnapped and offered for adoption.” — Daniella Peled [18:24]

• On interconnected conflict:

  “…there is a level to which we are all interconnected and instability in one region...is an important nexus for the continent that it lies in.” — Daniella Peled [16:52]

• On city stereotypes:

  “Few things in this world make me happier than a given city or country living gloriously up to stereotype.” — Andrew Muller [24:42]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |---------|-------------|-----------| | Opening banter & introductions | Museum stories, science research | 01:34–04:00 | | South Korean missile defense redeployment | US allies & finite resources | 04:00–08:07 | | Operation Epic Fury progress & ambiguity | Lessons, war aims, global implications | 08:07–11:31 | | Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict | Overlooked consequences | 11:31–17:30 | | Russia’s deportation of Ukrainian children | UN findings & accountability | 17:30–21:37 | | Foreign fighters in Ukraine/Russian recruitment | Manpower analysis | 21:37–23:31 | | Taiwanese jaywalking crackdown | Law, anecdotes | 23:31–27:01 | | First daily newspaper — "On this day" | Historical reflection, churnalism | 27:01–32:24 |

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Conclusion

This episode offers trenchant analysis of shifting US alliances, the unforeseen global consequences of resource reallocation, and the interconnectedness of contemporary conflicts. It weaves in a broader meditation on accountability, history, and the ironies of everyday governance, all delivered in Monocle’s signature sharp-yet-warm tone.

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to the Monocle Daily, first broadcast on 11 March 2026 on Monaco Radio.

[B]

The United States assault on Iran goes well for Russia, China and North Korea. The Afghanistan Pakistan conflict continues, which seems like something we should be more worried about. And the city taking a firm line on liberties with the walk signal. I'm Andrew Muller. The Monocle Daily starts. Hello and welcome to the Monocle Daily. Coming to you from our studios here at Midori House in London. I'm Andrew Muller. My guests Daniella Peled and Michael Peel will discuss today's big stories. And our on this day historical series remembers the first English language daily newspaper. Stay tuned. All that and more coming up right here on the Monocle Daily. This is the Monocle Daily. I'm Andrew Muller and I'm joined today by Daniella Peled, managing editor of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, and by Michael Peel, science editor at the Financial Times. Hello to you both. Hello, Daniela. As listeners will be wearily aware by now, you have usually joined the show Hot Foot from some obtuse local history museum. Frankly of interest only to the proprietor, a small coterie of dingbats and yourself. Which one is the most recent?

[A]

I have returned to an old favorite.

[B]

Go on.

[A]

Yes, this is the National History Museum of Armenia, of course, in the lovely Yerevan, which boasts in pride of place the oldest shoe in the world.

[B]

The oldest shoe in the world. Outstanding. Did you go all the way to Yerevan just to see the world's oldest shoes? Please say yes, if that's not even the case.

[A]

I mean, you know, it was a factor. I was there for work, but no work can take up so much time that I wouldn't say enjoy the, the pleasures of Yerevan's local history museum.

[B]

You specified the world's oldest shoe. Do that. From that do we infer that the owner of the world's oldest shoe had lost one or perhaps was of the. Of the. The. The one legged tendency?

[A]

Yeah, it's like those trainers. You see a sort of single trailer on the side of the road, but this is a prehistoric version of that. The shoe was still in quite good nick though. It was. It was impressive. Yeah. I didn't try it on.

[B]

Okay, so basically hard recommend on the world's oldest shoe in Yerevan, one of

[A]

the many, many joys of this wonderful, wonderful museum.

[B]

Michael, you have been surveying more up to date developments in Barcelona?

[C]

Well, yes and no. Although I have to say I'm intrigued by the world's oldest shoe. And how old is it?

[A]

And is this 3600 BC. I can carry on, but you'll regret it.

[C]

OK. And is there an international contest for bragging rights as the oldest shoe in the world?

[A]

If there is a Yerevan, that's one.

[C]

Excellent. Well, I've been looking at science old, informing science new. So I was in Barcelona looking at some of the life sciences research going on there, including melding knowledge from acquired from genetic databases and tracking evolutionary trends and using that to infer genetic risks for rare diseases these days. And rare diseases are rare singly, but are common in their totality around the world. And so there's been underinvestment in them over the years in treating them and preventing them. But now maybe evolution and observing the wider world of organisms, looking at risk factors and using those to predict risk factors in humans could give us an advance to treating these diseases and preventing them in a way that we've never had before.

[B]

Well, that's put the world's oldest shoe in perspective, hasn't it? Hasn't it Daniela?

[C]

The shoe's still a winner.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Glad we led with that. We will begin in South Korea and with a demonstration that if the war in the Persian Gulf has not, at the risk of tempting fate etc, become a global conflict, it is having global consequences. To the likely non amusement of South Korea, but the scarcely imaginable delight of North Korea, China and Russia. It is reported that at least one of the Thaad missile defense systems deployed to South Korea by the United States in 2017 is being dismantled, apparently in preparation for reassembly in the Middle east, where the need is somewhat more urgent. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung voiced his objections, but said the reality is that we cannot fully impose our position, a euphemism readily translatable as Donald Trump does not give two hoots what I think. Daniela, is this a further lesson akin to that which has been absorbed by Europe in the last year or so, that the United States is perhaps not the reliable ally we might once have considered it?

[A]

Well, I think it's also an important lesson is that all we think of these incredibly incredible, powerful armies with incredible resources, even their resources are finite. I've been talking to lots of our staff and contacts and contributors across the Middle east, across the region, and to my surprise slightly, conversation centers on who will run out of arms first, which seems an unusual stance to take when talking about the incredibly well resourced American army and the Israeli army. And you know, the Iranians have got a few things up there up their sleeve still, but this is a really it's a perfect illustration of how the impact of this war spread far beyond the borders of the countries directly involved and far beyond the Middle East. Ukraine as well, is already exceptionally worried that its supplies of defensive systems are going to be impacted. I'm sure that, as you said, North Korea is, is encouraged by this sort of lack of all round strategic thinking. I mean, we, we also assume that these very powerful armies are very well resourced and we, and that there is a plan always with the long term, medium, short term, all kinds of strategies, all kinds of options.

[B]

And you'd think, wouldn't you?

[A]

Yes, you would think, but I think we are slightly disillus.

[B]

Michael, the lesson here does go both ways, certainly, as it pertains to Europe in that on the one hand, Europe has learned that the US Is not necessarily the reliable ally at thought, but Europe has also learned that it had maybe been taking the United States for granted. Is it not reasonable to suggest that a country of South Korea's considerable capabilities in this department and South Korea, ironically enough, has in the last few years sold astonishing quantities of kit to European countries who feel they can no longer rely on the United States? South Korea should be able to look after itself, shouldn't it?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, the example in Europe where I covered the European diplomatic beat during Trump's first term and people would always point out to me, look, Trump did not invent these complaints. They'd been going on for at least 20 years before that, back to the 1990s. And yeah, those lessons were just not learned. This is something structural on one level, but also, as Daniela says, I mean, apart from the, you know, the questions about the morality and the politics of this war, just the expenditure of resources on it. And you know, as Daniel said, no country's resources are limitless. And I mean, it is quite astonishing, not just that perhaps the Trump administration doesn't have a clear plan, but there's nowhere else in the US System, in Congress or elsewhere, which is trying to say, well, look, we need to have goals here, we need to have a strategy. And it's just not apparent at the moment. And in as much as it is apparent the goals are contradictory.

[B]

I mean, Daniela, does this development very strongly suggest that to the extent that there ever was a plan to Operation Epic Fury, it is not proceeding according to it?

[A]

Well, listening to some sources of the US Government, it's proceeding extremely well? You can look at it from all different from the Israeli point of view, it's not been a. Looking at it very cynically, it's been Very far from a failure. I think the Israelis are quite surprised by how well it's going for them and how few military and civilian casualties they've, they've sustained. But I think the, the other thing about not really defining your war goals is that you can stop at any point you choose and say, okay, we've achieved them, really. So the idea was originally this was going to be a six week, four to six week venture. Now, apparently it's going so well that it might take less time. I mean, the thing is, I was impressed that, you know, earlier on you said it seemed very, very sort of positive that this isn't a world war yet. You know, this is still a regional war. But, you know, that is changing. The developments are creating their own pace. And even if the war, the active phase of fighting ended tomorrow, the repercussions are extreme and severe.

[B]

Well, despite all that, Michael, President Trump has said today, and not for the first time, and I quote, any time I want it to end, it will end. Which does rather seem to me to be somewhat optimistic vis a vis the chances of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps agreeing to shake hands and say, well, that was fun, let's do it again some other time. Does he not understand that, you know, as the saying goes, the enemy does get a vote, or if we're being incredibly charitable, is this strategic ambiguity, as Daniela suggests? Are they very cunningly not pinning themselves to conditions of victory so they can declare victory whenever they like?

[C]

Well, I mean, there are two levels of that, I think, aren't there? There's what the Trump administration declares and the message it sends to its voters and other Americans. But there's also what's actually happening happening on the ground. And as you say, as people have commented, one of the sort of extraordinary things that's been highlighted by this war is the apparent lack of planning for reactions by both adversaries and allies, which were totally predictable. And that even if the assault from the air stops tomorrow, Iran can do whatever activities it's still capable of doing. It knows, you know, it's now had this experience of having had talks with the US and still being attacked. It's got to test out what happens when it disrupts shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. It's got to test out what happens when it attacks Gulf allies with a frequency and intensity it hasn't before. Gulf allies of the U.S. i mean, so all of those things are things that Iran will learn from and uncertainties that will be there going forward. Even if the active US Campaign stops tomorrow.

[B]

Well, to the Pakistan Afghanistan border and a conflict which would be consuming more attention and generating more anxiety were the world not somewhat preoccupied by events elsewhere? Pakistan and Afghanistan have been exchanging cross border airstrikes, drone incursions and or infantry assaults for a couple of weeks now. Pakistan believes, probably not implausibly, that the Taliban harbours terrorist groups and or ambitions of expanding their caliphate. While the Taliban have generally preferred vainglory holy war to actually governing or anything. The UN believes that in Afghanistan at least 115,000 people have been displaced by the fighting. Worth bearing in mind that the two places to which Afghans have traditionally fled are Pakistan and Iran. Daniela, I can't recall the last time we heard anything resembling good news from Afghanistan. And this is obviously more of the bad stuff, but is it arguable that the seriousness of this conflict so far is partly a function function of the world's attention being consumed elsewhere?

[A]

I mean this particular round of hostilities didn't just start now. There was really a very bad flare up of violence last autumn, but that was also mediated by the Gulf states which have good relations with both Afghanistan

[B]

and also have quite teetering inboxes right now.

[A]

Exactly, exactly. So that's an issue and I think it has been sidelined as this idea, okay, well they were former allies, now they're fighting, they're sort of tit for tat. Pakistan is really quite powerful. Afghanistan is limited by what kind of response it can do. It's already such a mess there, let's look away. But actually it is an enormously important flashpoint. Pakistan is carrying out airstrikes within Afghanistan. The Taliban, I think it's not unreasonable to assume that they are hosting this group. They have close links to them, ethnic links and also from previous militant networks. And as we remember from the early the late 90s, Afghanistan, the Taliban is quite keen when it comes to hosting there.

[B]

Indeed, sort of like, you know, hospitable in that regard.

[A]

Hospitable in that, in that regard. And there, there is no love lost now between the former allies, not least because Pakistan, like Iran, is just ejecting huge amounts of Afghan refugees who are returning to really uncertain fate in Afghanistan, bearing in mind that the other country, another country that Afghanistan shares large border with, is Iran. So if we're talking about the already just absolutely in freefall economy of the country, if there's no certainty of getting goods in and out via Pakistan and similar in Iran, you know, again this is, I would love to come up with some good news for Afghanistan, but this is certainly very Very dark on

[B]

that thought of this being very important. Michael, who is it actually important to though right now outside of Afghanistan and Pakistan? I mean the west fairly decisively gave up on Afghanistan, Afghanistan a few years back. China has taken a bit of an interest in this in that the Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged against the spread of tensions which does sound like the pretty much bare minimum phoned in statement you can possibly make. But right now are there actual good strategic, self interested reasons for anybody else to care about this?

[C]

Well, I mean there are two answers I suppose. Number one, there is the humanitarian reason. People are being killed in large numbers and it's not getting much attention at all. But the point about, well, the wider self interest. Well as Daniela said, I mean the Taliban has a track record of hosting groups which have carried out September 11 attack and others across western countries. And so there's a, there's an extraordinary track record there which needs to be reckoned with. Now the challenge is that this is as Daniela says is getting more and more regional now that Iran is under attack as well and there are just no forums for dealing with this. You have a Security Council that can't deal with anything. It's really, really hard to see what's happening. China, as you say, has some interest in the, that above all else. China doesn't want instability in its wider region in any direction. But its moves have as you said, been relatively modest so far. But it's just really hard not even to see a solution but to see the process that would bring about a solution and the powers that would be brought together and how in order to achieve some kind of solution to this

[B]

should the attitude from other countries who might once have been more interested in this, Daniel, it be to say to China, well if you want it, good luck.

[A]

Well I think it's, I think if we're looking at purely self interest, there are all these conflicts, they seem local, regional, they have knock on effects. I mean Pakistan and India have a certain amount of tension as well.

[B]

They do.

[A]

We were just discussing how South Korea losing its defensive part of its defensive capability can embolden North Korea. We've got to accept that there is a level to which we are all interconnected and instability in one region. And Afghanistan is an important geographically strategic. Let's forget about the enormous humanitarian crisis there and the war against women and girls. If we look at it from purely cold headed strategic point of view, it's a really important nexus for, for the continent that it lies in.

[B]

Well, sticking with what appears to be a theme of conflicts from which our attention has been diverted to Russia and the unsurprising but probably ineffectual conclusion of a United nations investigation into Russia's seizure and deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children, which the UN says amounts to a crime against humanity. The UN are arguably not for the first time in the organization's history, somewhat laggardly. The indictment of President Vladimir Putin issued two years ago next week by the criminal Court specifically puts him on the hook for exactly this. Ukraine estimates the number of children forcibly removed at more than 20,000. Daniela, is it at least interesting with this because Russia's usual policy is just to deny everything. They don't entirely deny this as such. They merely insist that they have removed these children from the field of battle in order to protect them.

[A]

I have been following this since the beginning of the, well previously before the beginning of the full scale conflict. And it is extraordinary what Russia has done. For instance, in occupied territories, they recruited children and teenagers to go to summer camps, leaving their parents with very little option because they're also threatened with taking away their parental responsibility if they didn't send them. And also thinking, well, at least they're out of a comfort zone. The children, teenagers do not return. The children and teenagers are sent to literal re education camps. They're brought up to sort of hate their country. Some are simply kidnapped, kidnapped and offered for adoption. Within Russia I've heard horrible tales of children rejected because they weren't, because they had like special needs. We're talking also about children's homes and you know, orphanages looked after children all across this, this whole territory. So the idea that it's a crime against humanity is, is not surprising. I, I would dispute that it was ineffectual because you know that maybe people aren't so aware of this, but there are huge, huge, huge numbers of justice processes ongoing in Ukraine amid the full scale conflict.

[B]

And this probably doesn't hurt in that endeavour.

[A]

Well, there are about around 200,000 alleged war crimes being investigated at the moment. A lot of them much more easier in a way to prosecute even in absentia than the abduction of children. But this is a serious international crime and part of some elements of Ukrainian diplomacy have also been talking about trying to level crimes, objectives, genocide against Russia. And this certainly fits into their argument because one of the criteria is removing children from a group. And I think this is somewhat of a far fetched possibility since it's vanishingly impossible to get those kind of charges in place. But this is absolutely central to Ukraine's search for accountability when it comes to Russian war crimes.

[B]

Do we think, though, and this is always the big question with such matters, Michael, that there is is the vaguest chance of anybody ever actually ending up in the dock over this?

[C]

Well, it's possible, but as Daniela says, that full accountability is of course best. But the next best thing is to highlight that this is something that has happened and is happening and it is something that the world cares about and deplores and that this is something that it's really important as well for the politics, that this is the kind of ghastly crime that Kremlin apologists have to reckon with when they make arguments like, oh, well, NATO provoked Russia by its expansionism and then it was a defensive measure to invade Ukraine. Well, Russia has been, from everything we can see, and there's a lot of evidence now for this, committing all kinds of war crimes, both in the way it's prosecuted the war and in what it has done to the these children from Ukraine. And so the more that people are reminded of that, the better, even if achieving full accountability for it is going to be hard.

[B]

Daniela, the report also looks into the wretched fates of nationals from 17 other countries who are fighting for Russia, some more willingly than others. Grim though that all is, can we not draw from that a perhaps fairly heartening indication that Russia is not actually winning this thing now in its fifth year of its 72 hour conquest of Ukraine? Because while there are of course foreigners fighting for Ukraine, some of whom I have met, they volunteered.

[A]

Well, define Russia winning. I mean, that's a different matter. The idea is, you know, Russia's Russia, the army and the talk, talk about it, the war in Ukraine as the meat grinder. I mean, the casualties have been incredibly severe. Lack of training, lack of treatment, conditions are awful. And the foreign recruits, many people from Central Asia who were migrants in Russia, who were offered the chance of citizenship and Russian passports if they enlisted, but a lot of them also being told that they were going to go and work in staff canteens rather than being given a gun and sent to the front line. Russia has recruited masses and masses of its own citizens from penal colonies. The North Koreans that were brought in died in huge numbers, huge numbers. So we are having lots and lots of reports of different nationalities who have been recruited and end up in Ukrainian captivity. And by the way, Ukrainians are sort of considering, under international law, if you're a captured combatant, you've got prisoner of war status and you can be exchanged unless you have there's proof that you have Been you have committed war crimes. Lots of these guys don't want to go back to Russia, unsurprisingly.

[B]

Well, to Taiwan, one of the most preternaturally law abiding societies on earth, which is about to become even more so. Taiwan's Ministry of Transport and Communications has warned that pedestrians may no longer take their chances on a flashing walk signal and instead should suppress any urge to start crossing the street, even at a light jog or if phalanxes of motor scooters are bearing down upon you, a headlong sprint. And why, yes, I have myself crossed the road in Taipei. When the little green man starts blinking. The new line is stay where you are on pain of getting stung for 500 Taiwan dollars or about 12 quid, Michael, 12 quid a go. That's actually quite reasonable, isn't it?

[C]

Well, by the standards of some of these finds. But I think, you know, I find these fines on pedestrians quite offensive actually. And it shows the way that societies are run for cars and you know, pedestrians are expected to wait much longer than drivers. You know, if you're at a big crossroads in the city, there might be a dwell time of two or three minutes. Why, if you're, if the light has not changed and you know you have time, why should you not be able to cross? And certainly why should you be fined for.

[B]

See this. This story is timely to me, Daniela, because as recently as a few weeks back and few things in this world make me happier than a given city or country living gloriously up to stereotype while attending the Munich security conference. And you've already guessed where this was going. Me and our producer Anita Riota were on our way out. It was dark, it was cold, it was hosing rain. We were standing by an absolutely deserted street with no traffic in any direction. It said don't walk. But we were just like, come on, what are we doing here? We walked across the street and we got properly yelled at by a local. It was excellent.

[A]

Amazing. In Switzerland they probably performed a citizen's arrest. Really?

[B]

Well, one would hope so. Where are you on this?

[A]

Well, what strikes me is that often in countries that don't seem to in other respects have very strict rules about things, this is something that has particular purchase. I'm thinking about Israel, which doesn't seem to demonstrate a great regard for international law. But domestically it's enforces a very strict walk, don't walk jaywalking policy. Like you can be fined, you can be seized. I don't know if they would this,

[B]

this going back To Michael's earlier point, seems inconsistent with my own observations of Israeli motoring.

[A]

Well, Israeli, Israeli behavior in general, they're not necessarily a very rules based society. Yeah. So this is striking and I think there are probably several PhDs to be written on the psychology of it.

[C]

My own Green man story. Years ago I lived in Lagos. I was the FT correspondent there. And it was at a time when the city had very few traffic lights and one was installed on quite a major road. But the problem was in the early days, the pedestrian signals were not attuned to the car signals. Sometimes when it showed the green man, it was actually showing green the cars as well. So the green man was actually worse than nothing at all. And the green man became a false friend. So there's some deep philosophical point there, I'm sure. But it was fixed in fairly.

[A]

Oh, sadly, I think that would have been quite fun.

[B]

It would have enlivened everybody's commitment.

[C]

He certainly did well.

[B]

On that heartwarming note, Michael Peel and Daniela Pellad, thank you both for joining us. Finally on today's show, our on this day historical series takes a wander down not only memory lane, but Fleet Street

[C]

Daily News, Daily Blues. Pick up a copy anytime you choose.

[B]

We are probably and depressingly an imaginable distance from the printing of the last daily newspaper. The last daily newspaper that is, in the familiar sense of the term. The ink on paper summation of events, big and small, global and local, accompanied by advertising, crosswords, letters to the editor, perchance, a horoscope and columns of opinion by the eminent learned and or palpably direct arranged. We are, however, exactly 324 years today from the printing of the first English language daily newspaper in a premises which would in two important respects lay down the foundations of the newspaper trade. One, it was on Fleet street in London, an address which would become synonymous with British newspaper journalism. Two, it was next to a pub establishments which would become synonymous with British newspaper journalists. It was called the Daily Courant and it was the notion of London printer and bookseller Elizabeth Mallet. The first edition of the Daily Courant rolled off the Press on Monday, March 11, 1702. It consisted of one sheet. On the reverse page were advertisements. On the front page beneath the masthead were one and a half columns of news and a third person mission statement composed by its publisher who in deference to the sensibilities of the time and indeed of the next three centuries or so, decided not to antagonize those who might be inclined to, to mistrust the editorial judgment of a woman.

[A]

Nor will he take upon him to give any comments or conjectures of his own, but will relate only matter of fact, supposing other people to have sense enough to make reflections for themselves.

[B]

Or as Fox News later had it, we report, you decide. It was worth a try. The first Daily Courant was also an unwitting prophet of the modern plague of churnalism, which is to say ripped off and repackaged rewrites of work done by others. Or if we're being more charitable, we might say that Elizabeth Mallet actually and or also invented the News Digest. She was an editor, not a reporter. The stories on her front page were borrowed from, among others, the already established Paris Gazette.

[A]

We have advice from toulon of the fifth instant that the wind having long stood favorable, 22,000 men were already sailed for Italy, that 2,500 more were embarking, and that by the 15th it was hoped they might all get thither.

[B]

And Amsterdam Courant.

[C]

We are taking here all possible precautions for the security of the ecclesiastical state in this present conjuncture and have desired to raise 3,000 men in the cantons of Switzerland. The Pope has appointed the Duke of Berwick to be his lieutenant general, and he is to command 6,000 men on the frontiers of Naples.

[B]

Europe was here in the early stages of the War of the Spanish Succession, in which France had some with the Bourbons, the Dutch Republic and Great Britain with the Habsburgs. It would occupy the Continent's newspapers for another decade or so. Then as now, if it bled, it led. The Daily Courance publisher did not stick with it long, however. After about six weeks, Elizabeth Mallet offloaded her newspaper to another budding publisher, Samuel Buckley, who kept it going until 1735 before folding it into the Daily Gazetteer, which continued until 1797. Buckley would also become in 1711 publisher of the Spectator, which remains a going concern. Mallet appears to have continued in publishing, including the pamphlets she and her late husband, David Mallett were already well known for catering specifically to that readership, entranced by reports of the unsurprisingly lachrymose farewell speeches of criminals mounting the gallows at Tyburn, near what is now Marble Arch. One exemplary report of the demise of one Such wretch concerned 24 year old burglar John Tit, who had been sent before the baying mob who attended such spectacles to dance what was was known as the tyburn jig on May 24, 1700. His life of late was very irregular. Addicted to swearing lewdness and debauchery, for

[C]

which he said he was exceedingly sorrowful

[B]

and that his vices were now detestable in his sight, as before, they seemed pleasant. It is, of course, difficult to credit that British newspaper journalism, as we came to know it, could possibly have grown from the cynical pandering of proprietors to such prurient, salacious and judgmental tendencies among their readers. And that is all for this edition of the Monocle Daily. Thanks to our panelists today, Daniella Peled and Michael Peale. Today's show was produced by Tom Webb and researched by Anneliese Maynard. Our sound engineer was Christy o'. Grady. Amanda Muller here in London. The Daily is back at the same time tomorrow. Thanks for listening.

[C]

It.