Affairs
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Taking the pulse
Our writers probe the state of globalisation, explore Mexico’s political landscape and share tips for surviving an intense news cycle as they weigh up the issues of the year ahead.
Watch this space
Refurbish, repurpose and revive are the watchwords for 2018. From a former cinema to Balkan bunkers and cat-sized couches, we’ve picked out the projects that are putting innovative thinking to the fore.
Ghosts of the past
Belgium has opened a new embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This soft-power flourish will struggle to repair relations with the old colonial master, with the DRC on a worrying course.
The state of independence
As Catalan sovereignty remains a point of crisis in Spain, we chart the timeline of the chaotic 2017 referendum and what it might mean for other regions seeking to go it alone.
Muddy waters
With millions of tonnes of plastic ending up in our oceans, activists and entrepreneurs are taking action. Here are five plans that prove there may yet be hope for calmer waters ahead.
Talking points
From US midterms to political trouble-makers, we look at the events, nations and people poised to influence and define 2018.
A little respect
Japan’s penchant for knocking down old buildings is taking a back seat in one prefecture, where the modernist architecture could, with the right exposure, help boost tourism.
The show must go on
Amie Ferris-Rotman reporting from Moscow: The Russian capital’s suburban cinemas crumbled with the USSR – but now two brothers are reviving the buildings and reinventing them as community hubs.
Direct current
In this eight-part series with Audi, Monocle discovers the future of urban mobility. We begin by focusing on electric cars and how cities must adapt to accommodate them on our streets.
Gaudí regalvanised
The architecture of Antoni Gaudí has branded this city but until now this masterpiece has been off-limits. As it finally reveals its secrets, it’s caught up in a Catalan identity crisis.
