Perhaps unfairly lumped in with Russia, India and China, Brazil has natural assets – sunny disposition, carnival attitude – that are peculiarly unquantifiable. And as Monocle’s trip to the country discovered, the next 10…
Jealous of the British-inspired Commonwealth Games and the Jeux de la Francophonie for nations of the former French empire, Portugal has created the Jogos da Lusofonia. In a world of soft power, pole vaulters and sprinters…
The former Brazilian president was a phenomenon before his fall from grace. But with elections approaching, is there one more twist in the tale of Lula?
Montréal’s first woman mayor is using the city’s economic upswing to drive socially minded change. But only months into the job she’s found herself in storms of protest – and deep snow.
We examine Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's image makeover, report on Qatar's investment in the US property market and bring you the view from Bogotá.
Monocle’s annual Soft Power Survey charts the strengths and weaknesses of national brands and the changing landscape of cultural influence. But how do the hard truths of politics affect nations’ softer sides? Read on to…
As an aspiring superpower and regional leader, there’s a lot at stake for Brazil’s command of the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti – especially as the drawdown begins. Monocle spends time embedded with troops in Port-au…
Monocle’s researchers have spent the past months putting the world’s leading cities to the test to find the best places for you to make your base. Last year Copenhagen was the winner of our survey but in 2009 the award goes…
The past year has allowed for time to pause and ponder over many things. When looking ahead, these are the ways our writers believe politics, urban planning, commuting and climate change policy can move on in ways that…