soft power
Page 17
Eat and be wary
Across Southeast Asia is a chain of restaurants where doll-like North Korean waitresses sing to diners. Is it a benign culinary business foray or something altogether more sinister?
French revision
Napoleon sold off Louisiana in 1803 but the French government is promoting Gallic culture in the former colonial state, funding a new school and getting Paris headlines on local radio stations.
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?
Rubber soled tiger
Brazil has natural assets – a sunny disposition, a carnival attitude – that are peculiarly unquantifiable. As Monocle discovered, the next 10 years might just be the country's best decade yet.
Wing and a prayer
When Liberia's main airport failed to meet US security standards, it faced global isolation. The solution was to bring in American experts from the TSA to train staff and overhaul operations. Monocle reports.
What a relief
When it comes to disasters, the first few hours are crucial. The better the kit, the greater the chance of saving lives. But is it time for a permanent rapid reaction force?
Air Rescue
Twenty years ago, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was a busy place as the Iron Curtain was pulled back. Today, its signals are still focused on Russia as well as Iran and Afghanistan.
Reel estate
If your town needs a tourism boost, a blockbusting film set on your street is a sure way to bring in punters. Cities are offering big incentives for their moment on screen.
Great Sheikhs
Abu Dhabi is built on oil but the city is morphing into a technology and culture superpower. Who are the visionaries on the ground turning dreams into bricks and mortar?
