Affairs Report: Drugs, guns and nice sofas - Herat

On millionaires' row in Herat, elaborate palaces are being built by businessmen who have made fortunes from exploiting the needs of the new Afghanistan - or selling heroin.

Affairs Report: Lessons in diplomacy - Baku

To fill its new embassies - 16 so far this year alone - Azerbaijan needs a new generation of officials.

Asia Briefing: Status symbol - Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan's national bank held a competition to come up with a symbol for the tenge, and the winning design was unveiled at a ceremony in late March 2007.

Asia Briefing: Storm in a teacup - China

Gu Degang has been sued for endorsing a weight-loss tea that seems to have no effect.

Africa/Middle East Briefing: Battle of the hubs - Saudi Arabia

The inquiry into the car bomb attack that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri and 21 others has grown into one of the most contentious issues in the Middle East.

Style Leaders: What a spectacle - Zimbabwe

This month in our regular series decoding the power dressing of the political elite we look at Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.

Americas Briefing: Jewel of the north - Canada

Iqaluit, on the southern end of Baffin Island, is one of Canada's fastest-growing communities.

Americas Briefing: Altered states - USA

South Caroline and Massachusetts are two US states with wildly varying prospects.

Americas Briefing: Fresh mints - Bolivia

Bolivian President Evo Morales wants the South American Union of Nations to mint its own currency and suggests calling it Pacha.

Europe Briefing: Putting up the Ritz - Russia

On 1 June, the Ritz-Carlton Moscow will open its doors after months of delay.

Europe Briefing: Youth parliament - Georgia

When Mikheil Saakashvili assumed Georgia's presidency he brought with him a young team, many in their late twenties.

Europe Briefing: Critical biomass - Sweden

Växjö has a programme that would make even Al Gore proud.

Europe Briefing: Wi-Fi first city - Málaga

Málaga, in sleepy Andalucía, is about to become the most Wi-Fied city in the world - for the moment at least.

Oceania Briefing: Dirty secrets - Australia

As Australia grinds through its sixth year of drought, a dry wind of change is blowing across its car culture and providing opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Oceania Briefing: Treasure islands - The Pacific

After years - some would say decades - of neglect, the US is embarking on a diplomatic offensive to highlight the strategic nature of its western flank in the vast Pacific.

Oceania Briefing: Pipe dreams - Australia

Nimbin locals fear their world could go up in smoke, due to acquisitive developers from nearby Byron Bay.

Affairs Report: Missing persons - Soria

Across Europe, villages and towns are being abandoned as people move to the cities - or other richer countries.

Q&A: The Long Game - Moscow

Led by chess master Garry Kasparov, advised by activist Marina Litvinovich, can the Russian opposition call the Kremlin into check?

Business Report: Breaking China - Urumqi

As investors notice the wealth of opportunity and resources in western China, the city of Urumqi is about to take centre stage.

Business Report: Road Wage - USA

Two-thirds of US freight is moved by road and the haulage industry is booming.

Business Briefing: Bombay dreams - India

India's largest airlines are setting their sights on the world's most lucrative travel market - the US.

Business Briefing: Sky-Fi flies again - 36,000 feet

Panasonic Avionics has been working tirelessly to pull together a consortium to get the world's more frequent fliers back on the web.

Business Briefing: Moscow calling - Russia

Russia plans to emulate India's tech boom and turn itself into a highly skilled offshore development centre.

Business Briefing: Wizz kids - Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is open for business and Wizz Air, the region's largest low-cost carrier, is helping boost land and property values.

Brands Explained: Sending out an SAS - Copenhagen

We look at all the companies needed to tend to an aircraft and send it on its way.

Q&A: Top of the flops - São Paulo

Havaianas are the unofficial national shoe of Brazil. Now the makers of the world's finest flip-flops are looking to go global.

Business Report: In the pink - New York

The growth of the Pinkberry yoghurt franchise has been explosive.

Fairplay: Maine event - Portland

Portland's annual Maine Boatbuilders Show attracts an unusual mix of salty dogs, day-tripping families and wealthy customers.

Perfect Company: Let them eat cake - Paris

With three shops in Paris and three in Tokyo, Sadaharu Aoki puts a Japanese twist on classic French pastries.

Culture Report: Korea moves - Seoul

Thanks to its commitment to a lightning-fast wireless future, South Korea has become a laboratory for mixing pop culture with big business.

For the record: Eclectic avenue - Milan

Across the road from a well-known Milanese watering hole, Buscemi Dischi offers patrons the perfect listening post.

Well Stacked: Life support - Tokyo

On Sundays, Tokyo.

Culture Briefing: Just my type - Fonts first in an artful fairytale

'The Serif Fairy': sweet children's story, elegant picture book and subtle typography tutorial for the offspring of pushy art directors everywhere.

Culture Briefing: Crimea Watch - The USSR's Hollywood is reborn

Yalta Film is aiming to put the Crimea firmly back on the film production map.

Culture Briefing: Love New York - The Whitney goes psychedlic

New York's Whitney revisits the explosion in art, music, film and graphic design fostered by the social change of the 1960s.

Culture Briefing: Monocle music - June's foot-tappers translated

Music for June, featuring Keren Ann, Pink Martini, Basia Bulat and Wilco

Culture Briefing: Holiday in Cambodia - Dengue Fever sweeps America

Surf-influenced Cambodian psychedelia inspired the musical backbone of Ethan Holtzman's band, Dengue Fever.

My Working Life: Sets appeal - Shepperton

After studying architecture, Robert Cowper worked his way up from a draughtsman to become an art director on the sets of big-budget films.

Design Report: The inn crowd - Japan

Japan's simple, pared-down ryokan are setting new standards in service and design.

Design Briefing: Good sports - A better class of Swiss gymnasium

A sophisticated new gymnasium at a primary school in Elsau, Switzerland.

Design Briefing: Train of thought - Novel solutions to noise pollution

This family residence in Allgäu, southern Germany, overcomes noise pollution with its smart planning.

Design Briefing: Lessons in living - Fresh start for a Swedish school

These former classrooms in Stockholm have been re-imagined as 21 loft apartments.

Design Briefing: Ginza palace - Bals Tokyo's glamorous new branch is a one-stop design destination

Bals Tokyo is continuing to expand its empire with its latest store launch in Ginza.

Design Briefing: White fantastic - German military trainers are reborn

These 1970s German military trainers are now in production again in Slovakia.

Design Briefing: Swing out - Dusan's luxurious summer jacket

This swing jacket is the height of elegance.

Design Briefing: You can dress the staff - Hakui uniforms are fit for life

Dressing up is always fun - even more so when it involves staff.

Design Briefing: Summer son - Bespoke bliss from Gieves & Hawkes

British label Gieves & Hawkes occupies the most prestigious address in tailoring: No. 1 Savile Row.

Design Briefing: Happy feet - Cause shoes are built for comfort

Masuda Hiroaki launched the shoe label Cause in 1996 and has collaborated with everyone from street label Stüssy to designer Paul Smith.

Design Briefing: Pool resources - Filippa K's beauty on the beach

Filippa K is one of the only serious contenders to rival bikini queen Heidi Klein's sleek designs.

Design Briefing: Isles of light - A classic summer line by Vuitton

Louis Vuitton's spring/summer men's collection combines the sartorial styles of Victorian England and tropical Hawaii.

Design Briefing: Want-it wallet - Needles' sharp money holder

This handsome double-zipped wallet by Needles is made from genuine cordovan horse leather.

Design Report: Salone selectives - Milan

With record numbers attending Milan's Salone Internazionale del Mobile, its reputation as the most important design fair was confirmed again.

Design Report: Second to none - Basel

Once a year, the top watchmakers gather in Basel to reveal their newest creations - and the world comes to buy.

The Firm: Cool operator - Queensland

Shane Williams' simple invention is helping commandos in sun-baked Iraq, burn victims, heart patients and thoroughbred horses.

Men's Fashion: Prêt à reporter - Marseille

Menswear fashion story for issue 04, June 2007

Women's Fashion: The woman in 19A - Narita

Women's fashion story for issue 04, June 2007

Fashion: Stockists, issue 04

Stockists details for issue 04 of Monocle magazine.