17+ hour, 13+ min ago   (231+ words) The US secretary of state has been focused on easy wins in Latin America, disappearing at the first sign of political turmoil. The recent Venezuelan oil deal, which gives the US access to untapped reserves, is more divisive: it was…...

5+ day, 22+ hour ago   (279+ words) If Germany wants to dodge a powerful, far-right government, it might need to let the AfD dig its own grave. Many historians and those on the left will retort that Adolf Hitler rose to power with the same concept. But…...

1+ week, 17+ hour ago   (310+ words) monocle.com Donald Trump has said that the most beautiful word in the English language is “tariff”. But recent evidence suggests there is another noun with a more lyrical quality that might have supplanted it in his affections: “ballroom”. Barely…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago   (290+ words) Russia has launched its own fleet of Rassvet satellites, which could challenge Ukraine’s use of Starlink for combat. It sounds like the battle sequence from a science fiction film. An enemy is detected by sensors that transmit the information to…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago   (246+ words) Paul Griffiths believes that the Gulf’s extraordinary aviation setback will be temporary. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports – the operator managing both Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC) – remains optimistic. When Monocle sat down with him, he…...

1+ mon, 1+ day ago   (638+ words) Marines are told to get some real muscle, shark-skin technology for subs, China joins the international effort to tackle piracy, and new RPG protection for vehicles. US soldiers and marines are known for working hard on their biceps and six-packs....

2+ week, 1+ day ago   (691+ words) Ratko Mladić’ the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’ is dead – but divisions live on in the Balkans Monocle Serbia’s former president Boris Tadić got it right. Ratko Mladić was a “stain” – and his death in custody in The Hague, where he was…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago   (1677+ words) When governments consider their soft power it’s in a piecemeal manner. Maybe there is a decision to bid for a major sporting event; perhaps there’s a debate to increase funding for museums and art galleries. Even then, soft power and…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago   (552+ words) Mykonos is a famed summer destination for the elite. Today it is smarter than ever, with five-star hotels and berths for grand yachts. But out of sight are other visitors: migrant workers. Today Mykonos remains a predominantly adult destination – a…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago   (759+ words) In 1991, Estonia broke free from the Soviet Union. Now Europe’s fastest-growing economy, its hi-tech boom continues under a re-elected government. But for how long can this extraordinary growth be sustained? If ever a currency could claim to be appropriately named,…...