Affairs
Democracy is a disaster online – but in reality it’s still our best option
Winston Churchill once said that ‘Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.’ And in 2026, this assertion is perhaps more relevant than ever. With autocracies on the rise, here’s…
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Has the need for productivity become a barrier to living well?
Time wasn’t always a precious resource to maximise use of – perhaps the ancient Romans had it right.
Five simple ways to seed change in your neighbourhood for greener cities
Though modest patches of urban greenery are often taken for granted, award-winning garden designer Lottie Delamain believes that they can bring together fractured cities and help to restore their resilience.
In the era of faceless phone snatchers, I miss the chutzpah of the old-school con man
These days, scams tend to come via our digital devices. But I like my swindles street side and in person
Though the Iran war has put the world on high alert, the people of the UAE are keeping their cool
After a drive down the highway I’m sitting in my hotel’s courtyard. A cool, late-afternoon breeze is making the palm trees dance. Squawking mynah birds are cruising the decking, in search of food. Meanwhile,…
How Karoline Leavitt became the world’s most famous White House press secretary
Among the long line of presidential press secretaries, a role not usually known for celebrity, few are in a league of their own – and none have captured the world’s attention quite like Leavitt.
Israeli ambassador to the UAE, Yossi Avraham Shelley, on what it will take to end strikes on Lebanon
Israel’s ambassador to the UAE, Yossi Avraham Shelley, joined us on Monocle Radio’s ‘The Briefing’ to discuss the talks between the US, Israel and Lebanon as missile attacks continue.
Is Finland in trouble? Ukraine’s wayward drones expose Europe’s hidden weakness
Ukrainian drones that strayed from their Russian targets and crashed in Finland raise grave concerns for Europe’s defensive readiness. Can the bloc learn its lesson before it’s too late?
For the UAE, culture is what binds its diverse population and gives it hope in times of conflict
Mohamed Khalifa al-Mubarak, the chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, on how culture can help a nation to transcend crisis.
Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule is over – but can Péter Magyar return Hungary to the European centre ground?
Though Hungarians have welcomed the Tisza leader’s decisive victory, questions remain over his populism and Fidesz roots.
‘A ceasefire is not the end – it is only the beginning.’ Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi on the UAE’s response to the Middle East conflict
Amid a fragile ceasefire six weeks into the Iran war, the UAE is prioritising diplomacy and de-escalation. But where do Gulf states go from here?
