Affairs
Inside Paris’s secret gardens: how rooftop re-wilding projects are turning the city green
The busy boulevards and architecturally alluring buildings of Paris are, at first glance, unlikely to nourish green spaces - but there are plenty of people determined to bring nature to their city.
Opinion
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Throwing shade: The dark secret of cities that know how to stay cool
It’s Labor Day in the US and many are bidding so long to summer with a long weekend spent outside the city. Reflecting on the past few months, it occurred to me that the…
Dutch coalition collapse leaves politics all at sea as Schoof seeks a new course
As tall ships sailed into Amsterdam, Dutch politics ran aground: the shock resignation of NSC ministers has left prime minister Dick Schoof’s fragile cabinet in crisis and Europe questioning the Netherlands’ reliability.
Belém is not without its charms – but who in their right mind would host COP here?
Belém is perched on the northern coast of Brazil, where the Amazon meets the Atlantic, it is a city of unique customs, colours, flavours and fragrances. Ringed by forest and wide, meandering rivers, this…
Welcome to Poveglia: Venice’s locals-only island
Some cities suffering the consequences of mass tourism have begun concealing and cordoning off small, tucked-away pockets for locals to enjoy without tourists. Amsterdam has its hidden swimming spots shared only via word-of-mouth, and…
How can today’s military recruitment strategies win over a generation that won’t fight?
With global defence forces struggling to fill their ranks, Monocle explores the bold, surprising and sometimes strange tactics being used to recruit Gen Z.
Step inside the Swiss lab where pretend patients find real solutions to hospital design
At Switzerland’s Centre for Design and Health in Nidau, doctors and architects role-play hospital scenarios using full-scale simulations - catching costly design mistakes and creating patient-focused spaces before construction begins.
Can Penn Station be beautiful again, without becoming a political battleground?
Some want to “Make America Beautiful Again” by restoring Penn Station’s original grandeur. Others see that as a political red flag. The fight over a train station reveals deeper divisions.
Ditch the treadmill and take this happiness prescription to extend your life
Swedish professor Fredrik Nyström believes happiness boosts longevity. Can walking a dog or tinkering with a car be healthier than hours at the gym? It’s a controversial theory, but one he champions.
The hidden threat to Europe’s defence is its own broken bridges and red tape
From weak bridges to cross-border delays, Europe’s transport systems are undermining Nato’s ability to defend its eastern flank. The race is on to build a military network that actually works.
In the UAE, flying taxis will soon be a reality
The idea of flying taxis has long hovered somewhere between science fiction and sales fantasy. But in the UAE, at least, plans are not only on the table – they’re in the air.
