• Product Code: UGI155

In the past 50 years the task of keeping the peace in the world has become immeasurably more complex, while the spread of nuclear weapons has made it more vital.

• Product Code: UGI154

It has been recognised since the 19th century that the Arctic region is particularly sensitive to changes in its climate, and that what happens there directly affects the rest of the planet.

• Product Code: UGI153

Since the bitterly disputed elections of March 2008 the eyes of the world have been on Zimbabwe.

• Product Code: UGI152

When US led coalition forces invaded Afghanistan in 2001 in the wake of 9/11 most Western nations at least thought the invasion just.

• Product Code: UGI151

In the past half century the population of the world doubled, but waste multiplied exponentially.

• Product Code: UGI150

Globalisation is nothing new. It began with the Industrial Revolution, was boosted by the expansion of the British Empire, and only paused for the duration of the long European and World War which started in 1914 and ended in 1945.

• Product Code: UGI149

For years now the western powers, the US and Britain in particular, have touted democracy as the cure for the unending conflict in the Middle East.

• Product Code: UGI148

The violent activities of the past 25 years involving terrorists, mostly from the Middle East and professing Islamic ideals, as well as the ongoing carnage in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East, dominate the headlines.

• Product Code: UGI147

When this subject was last visited in 1998, the briefing was called Middle East Stalemate. Not only has there been no progress in the intervening eight years, but recent events have revealed the limits of the Israeli and American power.

• Product Code: UGI146

Some political leaders are at last joining with scientists to say that climate change is the most important issue of our time.