Affairs
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Americas
We run the rule over Brazilian president Lula's wardrobe, and the US 10-year census gets a marketing makeover - and the ad industry gets all excited.
Ministry of sun
A fast-expanding embassy network and clever use of its culture mean Brazil is making friends globally. Is this a bid for a UN Security Council seat or an attempt to change the world order?
Expo 33: War minus the shooting
The first winter military world games in Valle D'Aosta, Italy, gave armed forces a chance to bond and promote peace through sport. Monocle was there, cheering from the sidelines.
Ready for kick-off
As coaches plot World Cup tactics, so do journalists. Monocle visits Durban and Johannesburg to see how 18,000-plus writers, pundits and photographers will be accommodated in South Africa.
Sunny outlook
The Mojave desert receives more sunlight than anywhere in the US, and plans for it to become a solar-power hub seem spot on. But some locals are casting a shadow over the proposals.
Forest wisdom
Sankara Hotel & Spa is a new eco-friendly island hideaway off the coast of Kyushu, surrounded by ancient forests. It offers detached villas with a blend of Balinese design and Japanese hospitality.
Europe
How a Finnish IT firm is using the heat from its computer servers, how the French are falling in love with barges and why the British government is wondering about the time.
Defence
Beijing and Delhi announce their defence budgets almost simultaneously, Egypt vies to build its own fighter aircraft and Israel unveils its text message air-raid warning system.
Oceania
Lawn bowls undergoes a youth revolution in Australia, and New Zealand finally dumps a confusing traffic law.
Up the tubes
Email made pneumatic tubes seem obsolete, but logistics firm Swisslog saw potential in healthcare. Now, new hospitals use its networks to transport drugs and samples, marking a technological renaissance.
