Monocle on Sunday The stories shaping the week with insights from Norway and Portugal
Apr 5, 2026
Vincent McAviney, news reporter and cultural commentator. Daniella Peled, managing editor specialising in conflict reporting. Lars Bevanger, Oslo correspondent on Norwegian culture and cross-border trends. Tyler Brûlé, editorial director reporting from Lisbon on travel and business. They discuss Gulf travel reopenings and safety perceptions. Rescue narratives and air-defence realities. Nordic shopping, TV-driven tourism and Sami art controversies.
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Gulf Travel Bounced Back Fast
- Travel demand rebounded quickly despite early airport closures in the Gulf, showing people still book holidays and business trips to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
- Tyler Brûlé observed full aircraft and functioning airports after initial closures, driven by long-term investments in regional safety and infrastructure.
Chaos As A Strategic Weapon
- Iran's tactic has been to create dispersed, unpredictable attacks that blur the conflict's geography and magnify fear.
- Vincent McAviney noted small rocket strikes into neighbours can rupture the carefully sold image of Gulf sanctuaries like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Targeted Alerts Shape Safety Perceptions
- Modern air-defence and geo-targeted alert systems limit civilian harm and shape perceptions of safety.
- Tyler Brûlé described localised alerts and rapid interception messages as products of billions invested in defence and communications.