International affairs, diplomacy, trade and the forces reshaping countries and cities around the globe.
Rapid urban growth, ageing pipes and changing rainfall are pushing large cities to look beyond distant reservoirs. Recycling, leak repair and rainwater capture are becoming central to urban planning.
Annual climate summits produce dramatic headlines, but most of the real work happens in technical rooms over many months. Here is how the process works and how to judge whether a meeting achieved anything.
In many democracies no single party wins an outright majority. A plain-language guide to how coalitions are negotiated, what goes into a coalition agreement, and why some partnerships endure.
Most of the world trade that arrives by ship passes through a few tight straits and canals. Understanding how they work explains why delays far away can show up on a supermarket receipt.
