Like Cork, Shanghai wears its second-city swagger with pride
While Beijing wrestles with the burdens of being the capital, Shanghai is doubling down on culture, commerce and urban life
Gibraltar enters new era with Spain as border fence is removed
Global Briefing: Treaty between the EU and Britain on territory’s post-Brexit status came into force on Wednesday
Chinese car exports topping one million deepens anxiety in Europe’s automobile industry
VW confirmed that it is considering up to 100,000 job cuts
Why are the US, Russia and African Union beating a path to Mali’s door?
Global Briefing: An alliance of jihadists and separatist rebels is advancing southwards towards Mali’s capital
Trump threat to charge ships in Strait of Hormuz for protection is a gift to Iran
Global Briefing: Trump’s proposed toll would be far higher than the $2m per vessel Tehran demands and will add to the global economic pain
Dispute in South China Sea between China and Philippines shows no signs of easing
Global Briefing: Beijing continues to dismiss a ruling made 10 years ago that dismissed its jurisdiction claims over some islands also claimed by Philippines
Varadkar the star turn as Chinese investors sign up for Great Wall tour at nearly €1,300 each
Former taoiseach to pocket €17,500 for speaking tour, visiting six cities in 10 days
China’s neighbours display complicated reaction to weepy diaspora film Dear You
But for the Chinese this low-budget tearjerker stirs up emotions and memories of those who left for southeast Asia
Trump says Iran ceasefire is ‘over’. But is it?
Global Briefing: Even as the US president described Tehran’s negotiators as ‘scum’, he paid a grudging tribute to their ingenuity
China spooks Pacific neighbours with long-range missile test
Beijing plays down test but is unlikely to give up on expanding its influence across the Pacific region
A crunch Nato summit in Ankara: Breaking up is hard to do
Trump moves raise fears in Europe that the US could abandon Nato altogether
Can Andy Burnham harness nostalgia surrounding England at the World Cup?
Burnham’s upbeat tone and England’s defeat of Mexico echoes 1990s optimism that followed fall of communism in Europe and apartheid
Chinese Communist Party may be set for a dramatic transformation but Xi’s grip on power as strong as ever
Leader signals willingness to move with the times, but removal of term limits leaves Xi well placed to stay in power
The siege of a city in Sudan’s civil war ‘could put 500,000 at risk of atrocities’
Global Briefing: El-Obeid is facing drone attacks from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that have hit civilian targets and public utilities
Putin’s Russia faces fuel shortages amid Ukrainian drone strikes and diplomatic setbacks
Moscow’s scope for exerting hegemonic power is diminished in an increasingly multipolar world order