Affairs
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Surfing safari
Rwanda’s capital Kigali is fast becoming East Africa’s communications hub. Foreign investment and a culture of anti-corruption are behind the boom. Monocle watches a city log on.
Sun bloc
Albania has a grim past and low income but one major asset outsiders want: its largely undeveloped coastline. For investors, it could be the last chance to buy into Europe’s empty beaches.
Yongkang Park and Daan
Taiwan has been out on a limb, diplomatically, for the past 35 years but that hasn’t stopped its capital Taipei from thriving. It’s a blend of Chinese, Japanese and indigenous influences.
Charm offensive
Tokyo may be peaceful, but its governor is certainly not. In a candid interview, Shintaro Ishihara explains his views on his city’s traffic, its modern appearance and Japan's kamikaze pilots.
Bank of the Nile
Despite Western sanctions over its government's actions, Sudan's capital, Khartoum, is undergoing a huge transformation. With Arab cash and expertise, the city plans to become the Dubai of Africa.
Architecture/Design
Muscular Icelandic gyms, Spain's eat in the White House and an explosive Beirut house.
Future states
Pentagram's Paula Scher rebrands America, arguing that a poor global image demands new symbols, a humbler name and abandoning "enforcing" freedom for something more honest.
Young rebels
Thirteen years after declaring independence from Georgia, the unrecognised state of Abkhazia and its de facto government are determined to put the region on the map, despite having only Russia as an ally.
The heat is on
Canada’s far north was once too inhospitable for most, but global warming is clearing the snows. This has lured speculators after oil and diamonds, creating a strategic nightmare for Ottawa over its sovereignty.
