The Leader: The CEO's world tour

>Fear the Americans. Be very afraid of the Japanese. And the Germans and maybe the Chinese, too. Right? Well, not quite...

Affairs Report: Our time has come

There are countries that are simply too big to have one time zone, while others have always been a bit eccentric in their time-keeping. But for some, such as New Zealand, enterprising minds are trying to turn time to their economic advantage.

Affairs Report: Up for the cup

The World Cup is a million different stories in one. As the tournament gets under way this month, Monocle looks at how players, coaches, companies and fans from all over the globe have been getting ready.

Europe Briefing: Russian bear hug

Poland elects a new president on 20 June and whoever gets the job will be leading a country whose international relations could suddenly shift as a result of the aeroplane crash in Russia that killed President Lech Kaczynski.

Europe Briefing: Added pressure

Spain hands over the EU presidency to Belgium this July. But Belgium may have its hands full just running itself after the government collapsed (again!) in April. Let’s hope summer is quiet.

Europe Briefing: Filthy rich

Luxembourg is under pressure from the OECD to clean up its act. Despite having the highest GDP per capita of all 30 member countries, the Luxembourgeois are producing the most CO2.

Europe Briefing: Offside rule

The tiny island of Gozo, off Malta, is staging a football championship for teams from countries that do not exist.

Europe Briefing: Winning sinners

The Vatican has recently been seeking to explain why certain of its flock shouldn't be in jail. But the Orthodox Church in Georgia is inviting prisoners to make the opposite journey.

Asia Briefing: Home comforts

With the country spread across two main land masses – peninsular Malaysia and the northern third of the island of Borneo – Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak's fleet of planes and helicopters is vital.

Asia Briefing: Helping hand

Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation means that even its offers of emergency aid are rejected by countries anxious not to offend its rival, China. But recently Taiwan found a needy friend willing to accept its help.

Asia Briefing: This old town

Part of the Japanese city of Kashiwa is to be redeveloped to create an ideal home for senior citizens. Over the next five years, an area that is home to 5,000 people will be revamped.

Americas Briefing: Unnatural beauty

Beauty has long been among the cultural assets Brazil is most fond of boasting. In the age of Photoshop, however, one federal legislator believes the national obsession with body image has gone to unhealthy extremes.

Americas Briefing: Online addicts

At 70 hours a month, Brazilians now spend more time on the internet than any other nationality.

Americas Briefing: Shopping with Chavez

Venezuela may be in the grips of “21st-century socialism” but that barely registers with the luxury-brand, bag-wielding, BlackBerry-using elite who crowd the country’s malls.

Americas Briefing: Bottling out

As health nuts and the lactose intolerant create a booming market for unpasteurised milk in the US, Massachusetts agriculture officials are leading a crackdown on what they consider dangerous dairy.

Americas Briefing: Taking offence

Mexican ambassador Arturo Sarukhan (below) wanted to show his country was safe – but was the best way by trashing his new home?

Americas Briefing: Road rage

North America's Supercorridor Coalition lobbies for a highway network between the US, Mexico and Canada but some believe it's plotting a North American super-state.

Americas Briefing: View from Washington

Why the Pentagon’s military procurement strategy is a boon for the PR industry.

Africa/Middle East Briefing: What the puck?

Ice hockey has always been the domain of cold, northern countries, such as Finland and Canada. But this year, a new player has appeared in the rink: the United Arab Emirates.

Q&A: Sink or swim

After suffering exile and imprisonment under the previous dictatorship, President Mohamed Nasheed brought democracy to the Maldives in 2008. But can this British-educated leader keep his nation afloat?

Oceania Briefing: Shaken but not stirred

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have caused havoc around the world this year. Yet New Zealand, whose position on the Ring of Fire makes it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, seems oddly unprepared.

Oceania Briefing: Life choices

The Pacific is the only region in the world that has not carried out a death sentence in the past decade, according to Amnesty International.

Oceania Briefing: Outback obesity

Australia: a land of outdoor living and healthy eating? Fat chance, according to a British obesity expert, who says the country has one of the worst diets in the world.

Oceania Briefing: Scrum deal

Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, Fiji’s military leader, has appointed his brother-in-law, who in 2007 was convicted of beating a man to death, as chairman of the Suva Rugby Union.

Oceania Briefing: Money on trees

Melbourne Council has taken the unusual step of placing a monetary value on each of the city's trees in a bid to safeguard their future, and Adelaide (left) is following suit.

Defence Briefing: Welcome to this century

Things move a little slowly at NATO, but the ­organisation has finally noticed that the world has changed over the past 20 years and it is now in the process of clearing a new Alliance Maritime Strategy.

Defence Briefing: Turning corners

The pray-and-spray firing technique beloved of gangsters in Korean cinema may be about to change, now that South Korea's Agency for Defense Development has created a weapon able to aim at targets around corners.

Defence Briefing: Business boom

Arms-producing companies are doing a roaring trade according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s new top 100 listing.

Defence Briefing: App attack

Darpa, the US military’s technology agency, wants to catch up with the smartphone world by building an apps marketplace for its troops.

Defence Briefing: Access granted

Ukraine’s new pro-Russian president couldn’t have been elected at a better time for the Russian Federation Navy (RFN).

Affairs Report: French revision

Napoleon sold off Louisiana in 1803 but the French government is busier than ever promoting Gallic culture in the former colonial state.

National icon: Acting funny

Takeshi Kitano AKA "Beat Takeshi" is a big-league comedian and film director who emerged from working-class roots and rose to fame with his TV programmes and gangster films.

Business Report: 20 to watch

From a Nigerian newspaper to a Swiss software firm, we shine the light on 20 companies whose great ideas and products are about to go global.

Business Report: 20 to watch (part two)

The second part of our list of 20 companies whose great ideas and products are about to go global.

Business Briefing: Soft fruit focus

The energy and ambitions of the Turks are driving them to conquer new territory.

Business Briefing: Walter Massa

Q&A with Walter Massa - winemaker, Italy.

Business Briefing: Welcome break

Flights or no flights, it looks as though things are looking up for New York's hotels.

Business Briefing: Ciao Bialetti

Bialetti is shutting its factory near Milan and moving production to low cost Romania.

Business Report: Going to Zozotown

Zozotown has over two million visitors to its virtual boulevard of shops, populated by the best international fashion brands.

Transport Survey: The future looks fun

Douglas Coupland, Canadian author of 'Generation X', kicks off our Transport Survey with this essay on the future of city travel.

Transport Survey: Moving cities - Global

From bike garages to new generation electric transport, we select the projects and places you need to know about.

Transport Survey: Spoke fest - Taipei

Transport Survey: Flight paths - Global

It's air show season and this year visitors and spectators are expecting to witness a dogfight in the skies.

Transport Survey: The navigator - Bonn

Monocle meets Germany's minister for transport, building and urban development.

Transport Survey: Fast tracks - China

China has the largest high-speed train network in the world.

Transport Survey: Yacht spot - Turkey

Turkey's yacht-building industry has been steadily catching up with Italy's and is now attracting customers from all over Europe and the US.

Culture Report: Stage craft - Global

As the summer festival season approaches we visited the factories of three musical instrument makers.

My Working Life: Puppet state - Nairobi

Art Market: Well hung - Munich

Galerie Zink, Theresienstrasse 122A, Munich.

Art Market: Sale: Pop memorabilia

Popular Culture: Rock and Pop Memorabilia.

Art Market: Exhibition: Warhol

Exhibition: Warhol.

Culture Report: Louise Blouin

Q&A with Louise Blouin.

Culture Briefing: Film

Monocle film.

Culture Briefing: Technology

Super 8-style camera Digital Harinezumi 2.

Culture Briefing: Music

Monocle music.

Culture Briefing: Books

Monocle books.

Culture comment: How do you sell without selling out?

It is a misconception perpetuated by miserable fans that success and artistic integrity are mutually exclusive. Just ask Lou Reed.

Culture Briefing: The people's newsroom - Honolulu

This month eBay founder Pierre Omidyar launches Civil Beat.

Culture Report: Holding it together - Stockholm

Print's future is just fine if you know that feel and fold – and how a paper is fixed together – are key to a satisfying read.

Culture Briefing: Shelf life - São Paulo

Between Moleskine notebooks and special-edition Visionaire art toys sits a universe of English, Spanish and Japanese magazines.

Culture Report: Bay of plenty - Tokyo

Not many buildings are inspired by naughty Japanese schoolboys.

Culture Briefing: Mathias Strömberg

Mathias Strömberg is co-founder of new online design store Swedishness.

Culture Briefing: Touch that dial - Magno wooden radios

Since 2007, Singgih Susilo Kartono, a design graduate from Bandung, has been on a mission to transform his hometown of Kandangan into a thriving small economy.

Culture Briefing: Summer simplicity - Greece

Culture Briefing: New from old - Queensland

A 1930s Queensland residence has been rebuilt by Brisbane firm Riddel Architecture.

Culture Briefing: Risom revival - New York

New York-based design maven Ralph Pucci has reissued a series of Jens Risom pieces from the 1950s and 1960s.

Culture Briefing: In the fold - Berlin

German duo Blasius Osko and Oliver Deichmann recently exhibited a range of new furniture at Helmrinderknecht design gallery in Berlin.

Culture Report: Future starts now - Milan

The Milan Furniture Fair may be over but that's really just the beginning.

Culture Briefing: Casting on - New York

Wool and the Gang's first knitwear shop- cum-studio opened last year in Soho.

Culture Briefing: Boy wonders - Japan

Junya's Man Femme line takes its inspiration from the preppy workwear of the Man collection.

Culture Briefing: Sharp dresser - Japan

United Arrows has given one of its first stores, located in Tokyo's Harajuku, a makeover.

Culture Briefing: Frank Muytjens - USA

An exclusive collaboration between J.Crew men's shop and Japan's Warehouse denim launches this month.

Culture Briefing: Take it easy - Texas

Hamilton has crafted custom shirts in its facility in Houston, Texas, for more than 125 years.

Culture Briefing: Famous Belgians - Antwerp

Belgian shoemaker Elsa has joined forces with Japan's Visvim.

Culture Briefing: Eye for a bargain - New York

Based in Manhattan, Warby Parker offers 27 vintage-inspired acetate glasses frames priced under $100 (€80).

Culture Briefing: Gold standard - Stockholm

Adam Almquist stocks ged products in the setting of a contemporary chalet.

Culture Briefing: Belt up - London

After training with Alexander McQueen, Takaharu Osako set up his own accessories brand in 2009.

Culture Briefing: Hot knots - New York

Part-time filmmaker Alexander Olch began making ties as gifts for the crew on his thesis film while studying at Harvard and went on to launch his eponymous line in autumn 2007.

Culture Briefing: Deep digger - Milan

Antonia Giacinti has three boutiques within arm's reach of each other in Milan's Brera district.

Men's Fashion: Hot Club - São Paulo

Hebraica is a Jewish members' sports club with some of the best facilities in São Paulo.

Design Report: Bombay mix - Alibaug

India's new elite is investing in architecture that eases gently into its surroundings by using local building traditions and even a bit of ancient science.

Women's Fashion: On the sunny side - Lisbon

It's time for the sandals and sunglasses.