Singapore has felt the wrath of two neighbours already this year. Indonesia banned exports of construction sand claiming it was concerned about environmental damage (perhaps coincidentally, the two countries are also in…
When Turkmenistan’s President Niyazov died in 2006, it was the end of an eccentric personality cult. His successor promised to open the state up but today the gas-rich nation is still an enigma. Foreign journalists are…
It’s an isolated chip off the old Russian bloc that’s surrounded by wealthier EU nations. Its future is anyone’s guess – military outpost or beach resort? But with a dynamic leader and wise investment, Kaliningrad could…
The yachting industry has suffered some knocks and Cannes boat fair was 14 per cent down in attendance this year, but there are signs it’s on course for a recovery. And there’s a new appreciation of old-school and sustai…
Nothing represents the shifting sands of global politics better than the African Union’s gleaming new HQ in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A gift from the Chinese, it’s proof of the Asian giant’s growing clout. But the Germans are…
We meet the studios and artisans installing hand-sculpted furniture, creating art from desert sand and adding a dash of nostalgia to clients’ work and home spaces. From one-off ceramics to industrial design, these firms are…
For a city built almost entirely within the past 40 years, you’d expect tip-top infrastructure and Dubai has happily obliged with a swift network of roads, an efficient metro system and the world’s busiest international…
Braced on Maui’s northern coast, this eco family home stands out as a striking complement to the landscape; an iconic structure both open and resistant to the elements.
Is your country too small? Make it bigger. As nations reclaim record amounts of land from the sea, Monocle reports from Singapore (20 per cent larger than a century ago) and the Netherlands (around 25 per cent reclaimed…
Next to its glittering sister Dubai, Sharjah is often overlooked. But on the art calendar, its boundary-breaking biennial is forcing a rethink of the Arab attitudes to art and the world’s attitude to Arab art. It’s an…