Affairs
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Observation
Not everyone is welcome on the beach in Italy. The Russians are discovering that locals, while partial to their cash, find them too gauche for words. A new Cold-Shoulder War has broken out.
Net profit
Since 2000, the Masters Series has been held in Hamburg. Players Carlos Moya and Roger Federer are pictured here in a semi-final match, which Federer won.
Boulder and wiser
Boulder and Fort Collins are breeding grounds for entrepreneurs tapping into the great outdoors. With the Rockies outside, web developers and organic enthusiasts are inspired to scale new peaks.
50 things to improve your life
In search of a new architect, a perfect flat white or a vehicle to whisk you to Berlin? Monocle’s editors have come up with our first annual list of guaranteed life improvements.
The Long Game
Russia's democratisation has stalled under Putin. But an opposition, led by Garry Kasparov and advised by activist Marina Litvinovich, is fighting back. Can they call the Kremlin into check?
Drugs, guns and nice sofas
In Herat, elaborate palaces are being built by businessmen who have made fortunes from post-war opportunities. A mix of foreign influences, the houses have created a new school of design: Narcotecture.
Lessons in Diplomacy
Emerging from years of corruption, oil-rich Azerbaijan is planning a diplomatic campaign to change its image. To fill its new embassies, it needs a new generation of officials trained at its ambassador academy.
Missing Persons
Villages across Europe are being abandoned as people move to cities. Spain knows this problem well: its Soria region has 492 empty villages. Can the country’s ghost towns ever be reborn?
