British food is mocked around the globe — perhaps a little unfairly. — When you think of great food, you might think of fresh sushi, pizza straight from a wood-fired oven, or Texan barbecue. Perhaps you admire France’s extensive network of fine dining establishments, or you love the availability of cheap and convenient street food in Mexico. However, there’s one thing that…

And why you should think twice before making those jokes. — “In America, you call it the ‘alt-right’. In Germany, we call it ‘why grandpapa lives in Argentina now’.” — SNL sketch of Angela Merkel It’s become a pretty firm cliché in popular culture that Latin America is swarming with bitter old men who possess German accents and strong opinions about…

A brief reflection on two men that helped shape modern Italy. — I’ve spent the last few months living in Palermo, a Sicilian city which could diplomatically be described as “a bit rough around the edges”. Ask someone around the world to think of Sicily, and they will probably picture The Godfather — a fantastic film, but understandably not an association that…

Don’t believe the star-spangled hype that the dollar is as good as gold. — If you’re a politically engaged American citizen, or just a US news nerd, you’ve probably heard about the recent squabbles over the US debt ceiling. Since 1960, Congress has raised, extended or revised the debt limit 78 times. The current Republican delegation, influenced by an especially hard-line faction, is refusing…

For the most part, Syria’s back in the region’s good books — notwithstanding a few holdouts. — The Arab Spring of the early 2010s might well be the most significant event of the 21st century so far. The mass protests against corruption and economic failure largely failed to obtain lasting reforms but did manage to ignore several rebellions and civil wars, from Libya to Yemen. The deadliest…

Is this tradition even more outdated than monarchy itself? — In the year 2023, monarchy strikes many as a bizarre institution. 230 years after the French started guillotining their kings, haven’t we learned that only the people should be sovereign? Nevertheless, constitutional monarchy (where the king or queen is basically a figurehead) remains a popular form of government, particularly in…

A decisive blow against Big Tobacco — but perhaps not the model other countries will imitate. — Big Tobacco got a very nasty surprise Christmas present last December: New Zealand announced that those born after 2008 would never be allowed to buy cigarettes or tobacco products. For decades, cigarette companies have been on the back foot in the Western world, as governments have passed laws banning smoking…

At best, tourism is a double-edged sword. Think carefully before swinging it. — Tourists, to put it mildly, are not always the best-behaved people on the planet. …

I think so — but perhaps not a catastrophic one. — The last couple of weeks have served as a reminder that Europe could really use a leader right now. …