Affairs
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A decade after designation, has Detroit’s Unesco status brought benefits or is it just branding?
This year, Detroit is celebrating its 10th year as a Unesco City of Design. Has the title truly transformed the former industrial metropolis, or is it only a glossy label covering deeper struggles?
Visionary ‘sponge city’ architect Kongjian Yu dies in Brazil plane crash
The pioneering architect’s death casts new light on his radical vision for greener, flood-resilient cities – ideas he shared with The Urbanist in a 2024 interview.
Trump biographer Michael Wolff on the ‘moron’ president’s ‘incredible incompetence’
Trump’s second act is less a comeback than a test of the US system. This, at least, is the argument advanced by the author who has chronicled Trump’s rise, chaos and survival.
Recognising Palestinian statehood is largely symbolic – but symbols are powerful
Update 22nd September 2025:The UK, Australia and Canada have formally recognised the state of Palestine in a joint move ahead of the UN General Assembly. The decision, which follows similar steps by France and…
US mayors have a chance to keep the White House at bay – but they must be more vocal
The eternal internal conflict of the US is often delineated as between the federal government and the states. “States’ rights” regularly serve as a battle cry for the kind of conservatives – including, up…
Why Asia still prefers emojis over email: A lesson in cross-border communication
In Southeast Asia, emails gather dust while Line buzzes with cute emojis and updates. Global business hinges on tapping into cultural quirks, while apology emails often raise eyebrows.
Trump’s UK state visit: The true cost of glitz and glam diplomacy
Helicopters, motorcades and champagne banquets – Donald Trump’s second UK state visit was diplomacy at its most extravagant. But at what cost – and to whose benefit?
Corporate activism is melting under Trump 2.0. Ben & Jerry’s is the latest casualty
Jerry Greenfield’s exit from Ben & Jerry’s reflects a broader reckoning: socially minded business is struggling to survive in an era where activism is seen as a liability, not a strength.
No politics at the table: The Russian restaurants taking over Dubai
Dubai Hills could easily pass for a suburb of St Petersburg these days. Drive through and you’ll find Russian cafés, Slavic bakeries and restaurants that wouldn’t look out of place on Nevsky Prospect. My…
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.
