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So much of modern-day diplomacy still takes place behind closed doors, away from cameras and prying eyes. So what does this vital role really look like in today's world – and what does it take to do it well? From 2009 to 2014, Cathy Ashton was the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, effectively Europe's foreign policy supremo responsible for coordinating the EU's response to international crises. Arriving in Brussels as a relative novice to international diplomacy, she faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent times in living memory. Decades-old certainties were swept away in days. Hope rose and fell, often in a matter of hours. From the frozen conflict of Ukraine to the Serbia-Kosovo deal, there were challenges, failures and moments of success. She encountered dictators and war criminals, and witnessed the aftermath of natural disasters, military action, and political instability. Working with US politicians and counterparts including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Burns, she negotiated historic settlements, such as the Iran nuclear deal. An ‘honest broker’, she navigated the needs of opposing politicians to chart a path towards collaboration and stability. Now Ashton takes us behind the scenes to show us what worked and what didn't, and how it felt to be in ‘the room where it happened’ . From Serbia to Somalia, Libya to Haiti, she offers essential insight into how modern diplomacy works, examining the tools needed to find our way through the many challenges we face today.

Mars is never far from our news Mars is never far from our news headlines or imaginations: there has never been a better time to acquaint never been a better time to acquaint ourselves with its dramatic history and astonishing present. The history of Mars is drawn not just on its surface, but also down into its broken bedrock and up into its frigid air. Most of all, it stretches back into deep time, where the trackways of the past have been obliterated and there is no discernible trace of where they started from or how they travelled, only where they ended up. From the planet’s formation 4.5 billion years ago, through eras that featured cataclysmic meteor strikes, explosive volcanoes and a vast ocean that spanned the entire upper hemisphere, to the long, frozen ages that saw its atmosphere steadily thinning and leaking away into space, Dr Simon Morden presents a tantalising vision of our nearest neighbour. Piecing together the latest research, data, theories and informed speculation, The Red Planet is as close as we can get to an eye-witness account of this incredible place.

The universe is a beautiful, awe-inspiring place - from glowing nebulae to the sweeping majesty of the Milky Way, from complex cloud patterns on Jupiter to the rippling curtains of aurorae. But many of us struggle to grasp the complex ideas and science behind it all, or to see how it relates to our everyday lives.; In Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe, Professor Andrew Newsam draws on his vast expertise to show us what's going on beyond the limits of our planet, from our solar system to distant galaxies - and what this tells us about our own place in this vast expanse.; Will our explorations of our neighbouring planets reveal life or a new place to settle? What happens inside black holes? Is dark matter real? Would a solar flare have a devastating effect on our planet? Could we do anything to prevent being wiped out by an approaching asteroid? What can observations of stars reveal about our origins - and our future?; A brilliantly vivid and enlightening guide to the incredible phenomena of outer space - and to ourselves.

THE INTERNATIONAL AND NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER All leaders are constrained by geography. Their choices are limited by mountains, rivers, seas and concrete. Yes, to follow world events you need to understand people, ideas and movements - but if you don't know geography, you'll never have the full picture. If you've ever wondered why Putin is so obsessed with Crimea, why the USA was destined to become a global superpower, or why China's power base continues to expand ever outwards, the answers are all here. In ten chapters (covering Russia; China; the USA; Latin America; the Middle East; Africa; India and Pakistan; Europe; Japan and Korea; and the Arctic), using maps, essays and occasionally the personal experiences of the widely travelled author, Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present and future to offer an essential insight into one of the major factors that determines world history. It's time to put the 'geo' back into geopolitics.