****An exclusive interview with the former President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, His Excellency Dr José Ramos-Horta. The telephone rang once in room number 3404 of New York’s Grand Hyatt. “Alo,” answered a man in a low, deep voice. Silence. Nervous in my bones, I asked, “How should I address you? ‘Your Majesty’… ‘Your...
Union Square in Manhattan breeds political, cultural, and environmental events that often spill over into neighborhoods around the square. For the past six years, in mid-October, the public and historic intersection has hosted rows of white tents with green flags for the city’s largest annual green event, “New Green City.” Low-impact lifestyle Born out of...
In the aftermath of the 1989 Velvet Revolution that liberated Czechoslovakia from a 40-year communist spell, an elitist pair shook hands to a political decision that split the country into two. The “velvet divorce” identified the Czech Republic in the west and Slovakia in the east. The world chose to embrace only one capital: the...
Down the long corridor of the Hôtel Ritz Paris, antique jewels and heavy furs sparkle inside display cases. The most fashionable and posh must endure the temptation walk upon entering the famous bar, where King Alfonso of Spain ordered a Dom Pérignon champagne laced with expensive cognac served with a dozen strawberries. Established American author...
Skyscrapers dress polycentric urban landscapes in tone and meter, such that the real beauty of its skylines is possible only when natural and man-made elements combine in proper order. Designing the aesthetic symbols of economic strength and modernity are often the result of national socioeconomic restructuring: In New York City, President Theodore Roosevelt’s New Deal...
In presenting the 2010 budget for the City of Paris, Mayor Bertrand Delanoe spoke of his desire to turn Paris into a true “eco-capital”. His commitment to sustainable development has earned the French capital second place among the European metropolises in the “green cities” classification. Climate Plan This is largely thanks to the proposed Climate...
As a resident of New York for twenty years, I am concerned about hydrofracking. The New York Times has recently reported that the Department of Environmental Conservation is planning to approve the natural gas extraction drilling method in the state, though no decision has been made. Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat in his second year...
Women find themselves in all sorts of trappings: the silky, smooth comfort of an evening dress; the perfectly board-ironed appeal of a hairdo; and the sensual application of colour to pouting lips. Lately, the most culturally relevant part of a woman’s wardrobe is undoubtedly the stiletto, and it has made its way into bridal gear....
Tufts of paper erode under rows of champagne glasses, yellowing the cloth that has been pinned under wooden table edges with Victorian sterling silver clasps. The glasses tremble slightly as engines throttle on cresting tides. The bay is choked with yachts, each displaying a nimbus of celebrity. From the decks comes a racket of Italian...
A school of dolphins circle a strange beast as it cuts through multiple layers of blue. Sinking deeper into the Gulf of Mexico, sharks begin to gather and follow curiously in its wake. The vessel continues its descent through bands of turquoise and grayish blue, a twilight zone some eight hundred feet deep. The sharks...
André Borschberg strapped himself to a single seat inside his aircraft, which is propelled only by solar energy, and took off from Brussels. He flew silently over Europe for twelve hours before landing safely in Paris in time for the largest international air show. “The Solar Impulse was not built to carry passengers, but to...
On the sixth anniversary of the perfect storm that drowned more than two-thirds of New Orleans, and obliged over a million of its residents to evacuate overnight, gray clouds of smoke veil city blocks. A year ago, nearby marshlands dressed in coats of oil—thanks, BP!—coughed up billowing smoke as a result of a stubborn fire...
A day in the life of one president
Jun 2, 2013
Navigating the Earth
Jun 2, 2013
One day, one color – NYC’s annual extravaganza
Jun 2, 2013
All of the lights—Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval
Mar 17, 2013
Blowing in the wind – Lebanon’s alternative energy future hangs in the balance
Mar 17, 2013
Journey of the asteroids – one company’s plans to mind resources from outer space
Mar 3, 2013
The Colours of Corno
Mar 3, 2013
The five stars of Barbados
Dec 19, 2012
A reflection on revival – all angles of Bratislava
Nov 12, 2012
Epitome of a global Paris
Oct 1, 2012
Man-made elements
Oct 1, 2012
Sunny playground of the ancients – Salvador, Bahia
Oct 1, 2012
Suns and stars – Lebanese making their mark in astronomy
Sep 29, 2012
A Capital Idea – Paris’s mayor is committed to green architecture
Sep 5, 2012
A Dilemma for New York
Sep 5, 2012