Friday Focus: The hidden cost of a deal with Iran — and the Pope sounds the alarm on AI

We may be on the cusp of a deal between Iran and the U.S., as both sides appear to be losing interest in keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed. But is this merely a ceasefire extension, with Iran’s nuclear program deferred to future negotiations? If Iran ultimately gives up its enriched uranium, it w…

Munk Debate on Foreign Wars: opening statements

On this special podcast episode, we are sharing the opening statements from the Munk Debate on Foreign Wars, which took place this past Wednesday May 20th in front of a packed crowd at Toronto’s Meridian Hall. Against the backdrop of America’s war with Iran — and after nearly three decades of disa…

Bonus Episode: behind the scenes at The Munk Debate on Foreign Wars

Munk Debates Chair Rudyard Griffiths and Managing Director Ricki Gurwitz pull back the curtain on how they chose the four debaters who took the stage on Wednesday night — and preview the blockbuster debates already in the works for the fall.

Friday Focus: America and Iran inch toward a deal as Trump’s corruption hits new depths

Another strange ping-pong week in America’s conflict with Iran — and irresponsible reporting has given us so many mixed messages. Are we any closer to a deal? And why is Iran so hung up on the issue of nuclear weapons? Also off the negotiating table — much to the dismay of Israel — is one of Washin…

Friday Focus: No winners in the Middle East — and Xi warns Trump against falling into the Thucydides Trap

Tickets to our May 20th Munk Debate on Foreign Wars taking place in Toronto and featuring Mike Pompeo, Victoria Nuland, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, are almost sold out. Visit https://munkdebates.com/debates/foreign-wars-debate/ to purchase tickets. Rudyard and Janice start today’s show by t…

Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: A weakened President needs China's help and a debate over the new Governor General

As the Strait of Hormuz grinds to a halt, gas prices soar, and inflation threatens to spike, Trump arrives at his meeting with Xi Jinping looking wounded and weak. He will be looking for help from China’s dictator, but help never comes for free. What will he concede to Xi? In the second half of th…

Friday Focus: Trump faces pressure from Gulf States, Britain's populist parties get a boost, and Canada's new GG is plucked from the Laurentian elite

Tickets to our May 20th Munk Debate on Foreign Wars taking place in Toronto and featuring Mike Pompeo, Victoria Nuland, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, are now on sale. Visit https://munkdebates.com/debates/foreign-wars-debate/ to purchase tickets.   Trump's pause on escorting ships through th…

Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: America and Iran inch closer to war, Ukraine proves itself worthy of NATO, and Canada moves closer to Europe

The U.S. edges back toward war with Iran just as food and gas prices are poised to surge. Could there be a role for China to play in getting Iran and the U.S. back to the negotiating table? Meanwhile Ukraine is quickly becoming a formidable military power due to battlefield resolve and technologica…

Friday Focus: Iran's window of maximum leverage and a new AI model puts financial systems at risk

The U.S. and Iran are locked in a long-term stalemate over the Strait of Hormuz. With the midterms looming, the Iranians view the next few weeks as the window of maximum leverage. If the strait stays closed into the summer months people will start to feel the pain in a very real way that could tip …

Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Mark Carney's new sovereign wealth fund is a solution in search of a problem down

Mark Carney has proposed a “Canada Strong Fund” which will launch with a C$25 billion endowment focused on domestic infrastructure, part of a broader effort to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States after tariffs have strained the economy. Canadians would also be able to invest their own sav…