The functional concrete bungalows hastily built after the Second World War to house the US troops are becoming a popular option for young Japanese looking for more living space.
Hosting the institutions of the EU can be a double-edged sword. But Belgium’s unique federation has plenty to offer on the world stage through its liberal and energetic approach to diplomacy, plus growing influence in the…
Poland remains one of Catholicism’s European bastions, where the religious market is thriving. Trade fair SacroExpo is a kitsch celebration of everything from souped-up confessional boxes to huge church bells – via an…
Paco Ignacio Taibo II is Mexico’s foremost detective novelist, as well as a professor, journalist and political activist. Author of 50 books that have been published in 29 countries, he is best known for his novels featu…
They might not make headlines, but there are numerous border disputes that could spark a crisis at any time (although we hope Canada and the US would avoid war over their quarrel regarding lobster-rich waters). Monocle…
Beirut’s Christian quarter of Ashrafieh has weathered civil war, terrorist assassinations and the recent Hezbollah-Israeli conflict. But today,
the hill-top neighbourhood is once again under threat, this time from devel…
A fast-expanding embassy network and a clever use of its culture mean Brazil is making friends all around the world. Is this just an attempt to secure a seat
on the UN Security Council or an emerging nation trying to…
Why the Chinese premier is eyeing up Reykjavik as an Arctic foothold, and what the Spanish Ministry of Defence's Centre for Gender has to teach the world.
The Japanese garden kickstarting global peace talks, working from home in Barbados and why Russia’s isolation on the world stage is a conscious choice.
Like many sovereign states, the Holy See pursues an active foreign policy, wielding enormous influence on international decision-making. We visit the Vatican’s foreign ministry, where world peace is always on the agenda.
The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration, aka the Peace Palace, houses a crack team striving to resolve international disputes and bring about world peace. It may sound idealistic, but its services are increasingly in…
In an age of ideological division and looming environmental catastrophe, a nation’s ability to ensure its citizens’ safety is more important than ever. Here, we meet some of the people around the world who are working to…
The mighty Habsburg empire helped to shape the cities, sights and stories of much of present-day Europe. We map four cross-continental sites where its impact has been felt most keenly, from the splendour of its Iberian…