Affairs Report: Frozen assets - Iceland

Only a year ago, savers from Europe were pouring money into Icelandic banks, looking to capitalise on high interest rates.

Affairs Report: Dark horizons - Iceland

The collapse of Iceland's banks is sending shock waves through the nation.

Europe Briefing: Low-ki - Finland

Finland's president, Tarja Halonen, must be one of the world's most transport-light leaders.

Europe Briefing: Grey days ahead - Europe

Unemployment may be on the rise in Europe, but with its growing pensioner population and shrinking birth rate, now is not a good time for European countries to close the doors to immigrants.

Europe Briefing: Commercial waste - Ukraine

Ukraine is on a drive to improve its image and bring in visitors.

Europe Briefing: Building bust - Russia

As Russia surfed its oil wave over the past few years, nothing symbolised the country's new found confidence more than Moscow's construction boom.

Europe Briefing: Let there be light - Vatican City

The Vatican has become the latest convert in the battle against climate change.

Asia Briefing: Bamboo route - Cambodia

After decades of civil war, Cambodia's neglected rail network is about to get a complete overhaul.

Europe Briefing: Sharia on fire - Sweden

Sweden now offers a Sharia-compliant pension fund as its Muslim population has soared (it was 1,000 in 1970 - today it's between 250,000 and 400,000).

Asia Briefing: Garden city - Japan

Once the domain of rural backwaters, farming in Japan is undergoing an urban makeover.

Asia Briefing: Seoul food - South Korea

Once the domain of rural backwaters, farming in Japan is undergoing an urban makeover.

Asia Briefing: Wave goodbye - Maldives

Before the century is out, the Maldives could be washed off the map by rising seas.

Americas Briefing: Road to ruin - Costa Rica

Bad drivers of Costa Rica beware.

Americas Briefing: Civil liberties - USA

New York City has hired Danish urban planner Jan Gehl - famous for helping to transform Melbourne, Copenhagen and other cities - to make the streets more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly.

Americas Briefing: View from Washington - USA

Obama promised shortly after his victory to establish the White House's first Office of Urban Policy, but he had already begun to win over US urbanists with his personal real-estate decisions.

Americas Briefing: Team building - Nicaragua

In the aftermath of Nicaragua's hotly disputed municipal elections last November, President Daniel Ortega's problems have ballooned.

Americas Briefing: Latin primer - Latin America

Latin Americans know the region won't be Barack Obama's top priority.

Americas Briefing: What's the beef - Argentina

The era of the great Argentine steak may be coming to an end.

Americas Briefing: Crossing the line - USA

With construction of the US-Mexico border wall in Eagle Pass, Texas (500 out of 670 miles is complete), several landowners are suing the federal government.

Africa/Middle East Briefing: Prince charming - Libya

The son of Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is not only good at creating an image of himself as a westernised prince but has also helped to brush up the image of his country.

Africa/Middle East Briefing: Finger on the pulse - Somaliland

The son of Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is not only good at creating an image of himself as a westernised prince but has also helped to brush up the image of his country.

Africa/Middle East Briefing: She sells sea flip-flops - Kenya

Tens of thousands of flip-flops wash up on Kenya's pristine, white sand beaches every year.

Africa/Middle East Briefing: Wage war - Saudi Arabia

If you are a teacher in Saudi Arabia, one of the richest countries in the world, chances are your salary is miserably low.

Africa/Middle East Briefing: House keeping - Lebanon

Lebanon has announced that it will give the Palestinian Liberation Organization's (PLO) offices in Beirut embassy status.

Africa/Middle East Briefing: Like it or hump it - Dubai

Lebanon has announced that it will give the Palestinian Liberation Organization's (PLO) offices in Beirut embassy status.

Oceania Briefing: Doctors ordered - Solomon Islands

The Pacific Islands are chronically short of health workers and Cuba is increasingly helping to fill the gap.

Oceania Briefing: Mosques à la mode - Australia

Australia's Muslims are getting a mosque to match their open-minded image.

Oceania Briefing: Keeping afloat - Australia

Australia's driest region, South Australia, has become so dry it has had to resort to buying in water from neighbouring regions for the first time.

Oceania Briefing: It's a breeze - New Zealand

Not even warzones are capable of scaring off eco-crazed New Zealanders.

Affairs Report: Conflict managers - Washington

The Iraq war has been big business for US military contractors (AKA mercenaries).

Affairs Report: Wealth and safety - São Paulo

In 1974 residents started moving to AlphaVille, Sao Paulo's first gated community.

Affairs Report: Nukes and hazards - Andrew Davies

Is this the start of a Pacific arms race?

Q&A: New iron lady - Georgia

After last summer's disastrous war against Russia, Georgia's opposition leaders felt that patriotism should come before any attack on their president, Mikheil Saakashvili.

Business Report: Peace and prosperity - Arbil

Arbil in Iraqi Kurdistan has escaped the worst of the war raging across the rest of the country.

Brands Explained: Safe option - USA

New York's JFK terminal 3 is bulking up on security equipment to fight terrorism - and catch people who forgot to throw away their water bottle.

Business Report: What crisis - Global

While bankers on Wall Street continue to sweat and plan new career moves, their colleagues in Beirut are literally counting their good fortunes.

Business Report: What's in store - Japan

While bankers on Wall Street continue to sweat and plan new career moves, their colleagues in Beirut are literally counting their good fortunes.

Business Briefing: Electric dreams - Global

The motor industry may be struggling, but an increasing number of cities around the world are discovering the electric car thanks to California-based Better Place, founded by software entrepreneur Shai Agassi in 2007.

Business Briefing: Permission to land - Germany

Parchim, in Germany's economically depressed state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, hopes for boom times now that its sleepy airport (pictured) has been taken over by Chinese logistics firm LinkGlobal.

Business Briefing: Post modern - India

IndiaIndia Post, that dusty Raj-era touchstone, is getting a makeover.

Business Briefing: Pawn crackers - Rachel Morarjee

One UK industry making a fortune from the credit crunch

Q&A: David Neeleman - Azul

One UK industry making a fortune from the credit crunch

Business Briefing: Bird on the wing - China

Xiangfeng, aka the Flying Phoenix, is the new Chinese regional jet that made its inaugural test flight last November in Shanghai, where its manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), has its assembly plant.

Business Briefing: Historic hotel - Istanbul

Last November saw the opening of the Park Hyatt in Istanbul's smart Nisantasi district. Randy Gerner of Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel in New York was put in charge of designing the interior of the 90-room hotel that's housed in the 1920s Macka Palas.

Culture Report: Box fresh - Pakistan

Nine years ago, TV in Pakistan was decades behind India, with just two - state-run - channels and output that was mainly government propaganda. Today its mix of drag divas and campaigning reporters is challenging the old order.

My Working Life: Going solo - Paris

Frida Hyvönen is a singer-songwriter with an intimate understanding of the grand piano and the great outdoors. Monocle went backstage with the Swedish chanteuse in Paris as she prepared to play songs from her new record, 'Silence is Wild'.

Art Market: Sale 02: London

Auction report.

Art Market: Sale 01: Paris

Auction report.

Q&A: Linda Blumberg

Q&A with Linda Blumberg.

Culture Briefing: Music

Monocle music.

Culture Briefing: Art

Monocle art.

Culture Briefing: Books

Monocle books.

Culture Briefing: Film

Monocle films.

Culture Report: So Farsi, so good

Until now there has not been a dedicated, unbiased Farsi-speaking TV station broadcasting in Iran. That's about to change with the launch of the BBC World Service's Persian TV.

Culture Report: Freedom writer - Indonesia

For our series on media barons we feature Erick Thohir, founder of the Mahaka Media group in Jakarta.

For the record: Single sell - Los Angeles

"One of our main credos from day one was not to give that classic record store attitude to customers - the snooty attitude that says 'I know more than you do'," says Marc Weinstein, co-founder of Hollywood's biggest (and friendliest) music store.

Design Report: Home rescue - Japan

On a visit to the southern Japanese prefecture of Saga, New York restaurateur Mikio Shinagawa was appalled by the destruction of the region's traditional houses. He set about saving and restoring them, and has even managed to sell one to Robert De Niro.

Q&A: Aziza Chaouni

Architect, Extramuro.

Design Briefing: Task master - Shelving for corners or dividing rooms

Paris-based designer Arik Levy has come up with this more sculptural alternative to the traditional bookcase.

Design Briefing: Hover craft - A floating apartment in Beirut

Lebanon's star architect Bernard Khoury has designed this eight-storey apartment block in Beirut.

Design Briefing: Made in: India

India is world famous for its handcrafted silks - but sometimes the complex patterns are too tricky for us. That's why we were pleased to discover Rajboori, a new collection of silks by the American industrial designer, Stephen Burks.

Design Briefing: Building blocks - A 21st-century village

Making its mark on the international architecture scene is Parisian start-up KLNB Architects.

Design Report: Far sighted - Trondheim

Set up nearly four years ago by three engineering graduates, Aptomar is one of the many innovative young start-ups thriving in Trondheim, the tech capital of Norway. The firm's latest maritime navigation equipment is not only state-of-the-art in terms of

Design Briefing: Ruling the waves

British beachwear collaboration.

Design Briefing: Home comforts

Tokyo-based store director Takayuki Minami named his unisex store 1LDK after the Japanese acronym for a studio apartment (1 x living room, dining room and kitchen), creating a home from home for his customers.

Design Briefing: Family footsteps

Hybrid trainers by Be Positive.

Design Briefing: Hundred years wool

Japanese duo's durable knitwear.

Design Briefing: Good jeans

LV knows what makes a man.

Design Briefing: Last straw

Hermès is bringing out these classic espadrilles for next summer.

Design Briefing: Home comforts

Tokyo-based store director Takayuki Minami named his unisex store 1LDK after the Japanese acronym for a studio apartment (1 x living room, dining room and kitchen), creating a home from home for his customers.

Q&A: Franck Cohen

Commercial manager, Thomsen, Paris.

Design Briefing: Scotch house

"We believe quality fabrics and production are not only for our grandfathers" is how 32-year-old Jim Pickles explains the motivation behind his clothing brand D.S.Dundee.

Men's Fashion: Running mate - Tokyo

Monocle advises you not to take the year of the cow too seriously and get moving.

Inventory: Run in top gear - Global

Getting into shape is hard work, so we need all the help we can get.

Residence: House doctor - London

Set among the embassies and doctors' surgeries in Marylebone, London, this petite penthouse pulled in Swiss carpenters along with British and Danish storage solutions to deal with a mass of media and an upside-down layout.

Women's Fashion: Pelican briefs - Tuscany

Monocle checked in to Il Pellicano a few months early to put the season's choicest resort pieces through their paces and settle into the best sun loungers in the Med, if not the world.