US voters are perceived as being oblivious to the world outside their country. But war, immigration and an increasingly globalised economy mean that foreign affairs will play a bigger part in the 2008 election than they have in any other.

Life expectancy in Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe is 34 for women and 37 for men. Inflation is out of control; food, water and fuel are in short supply and corruption is rife. Elections are planned for March, but no one thinks they will change much

For the past three years, people travelling on the E4 motorway from Helsingborg to Haparanda have been following the construction of Dragon Gate with wonder. Why on earth would someone build a Chinese cultural centre and hotel in the middle of the Swedish woods, complete with massive statues of lions, horses, and the goddess Guan-Yin?

The race for the 2008 Democratic Party candidate is hotting up, with Obama, Clinton and Edwards all battling to secure votes in the primary elections. This year, however, it is their appearance more than ever that is being dissected by an image-obsessed media and public.

Imagine walking into a room bursting with not-yet-released products, from bath oils and bottled water to exercise machines and lipsticks. Now imagine being told to help yourself.

Quick quiz question. Which part of France has the highest birth rate? Paris? Bordeaux? Marseille? The answer lies further south. Some 5,000 miles further south.

The boats are hosed down, the kids are back at school and the holidays are well and truly over in the southern hemisphere, so now New Zealanders are bracing themselves for a year of political blood sport. An election must be held no later than mid-November.

Despite being targeted by a bomb attack in which she lost an arm and leg, political TV journalist May Chidiac, a staunch critic of Syria, remains defiant and is back presenting for the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation.

Sakhalin, in Russia’s far east, is 6,000km from Moscow, yet a short hop from Japan, its former ruler. Marooned from its Asian neighbours during the Soviet era, the region has so far seen little investment from Japanese business or the spoils of its own huge reserves of oil and gas.

The poorest prefecture in Japan, Okinawa, in the far south of the country, is experiencing a renaissance as companies large and small capitalise on its relaxed, affordable lifestyle, great beaches and warm climate. And the city of Naha – population 330,000 – is leading the way.

With highspeed trains stealing more business travellers by the day, Europe’s top rail operator is betting that improved sleeper trains can also take back the night. For a world rediscovering the benefits – and pleasures – of slow food, the next discovery just might be slow trains.

Currently, anyone living in the Russian far east and wanting to fly to the US has to travel three-quarters of the way round the world, across Eurasia and the Atlantic. But a Russian airline is planning to launch the first trans-Pacific route linking Russia and the States this summer.

Swiss retailer Coop has opened a supermarket just outside Zürich for the discerning shopper. Not only is the company promoting provenance and sustainability with its products, but it is also building stores that raise the bar for green architecture. One man is leading the way.

Medica is the world’s largest healthcare trade fair. This year 4,360 companies displayed the latest must-haves for the 21st-century doctor from souped-up ambulances to rather too realistic anatomical models

British microbrand Finisterre has introduced some blue-sea thinking into a global surfwear market that’s worth around €9bn a year. It produces just six high-tech, low-impact garments and when the surf’s up, the team grab their boards and head to the beach.

In a media world dominated by reality TV and celebrity chat shows posing as news, Milena Gabanelli’s ‘Report’ stands out. Since 1997, her investigations have tackled corruption in Italy head on, criticising politicians while other programmes cosy up.

This is the Second World War you never hear about – an ordinary German civilian’s version. Living in liberal Hamburg, Wölff-Monckeberg was neither Nazi or dissident. The touching everyday account of how Hitler’s Third Reich turns her country into a hateful, alien place comes in the form of letters written to her children abroad.

This month we begin a new series looking at the US presidential election through the eyes of foreign correspondents. First is Venezuelan Roselena Ramírez, who heads the Washington DC bureau of TeleSUR, a Venezuelan-controlled television station. The channel was founded in 2005 by President Hugo Chávez and is regarded as his mouthpiece (in May 2007 he closed down Venezuela’s RCTV, for failing to support his government).

Amos Schocken, publisher of Israel’s most influential newspaper, Haaretz, has remained true to his grandfather’s liberal ethos, unafraid to report fairly on Palestinian issues. Its core circulation of 75,000 has recently been boosted by a growing online readership.

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 land).

It has been 60 years since British underwear and T-shirt label Sunspel introduced its two-ply Egyptian cotton boxer shorts to the discerning English gentleman.

Too much old furniture ends up in skips. It’s a fate met even by pieces made from precious woods. But craftsmen are beginning to tap this source of timber. John Harris makes furniture from reclaimed woods and wants to prove that they can be used for stylish pieces. “A lot of furniture made from reclaimed timber is clumpy. It’s great to keep the natural lines but you can add elegance to those lines,” says Harris. See his work in Paris from 24 January to 23 February.

With work ranging from cathedral renovations to university buildings, architect Jim Olson has stayed true to his principle that buildings should be a bridge between nature, culture and people. His family lodge is a labour of love that has taken 50 years to build and is a hymn to simple, understated living.

Sometimes an Apple iPod hi-fi just won’t cut it, especially when you want to fully integrate all your audiovisual output at home or work. Sony’s new DA5300ES is an all-encompassing amplifier that will channel any multimedia source

With the ski season in full flight you’ll have had enough time to detect the chinks in your alpine armour. This month we offer some suggestions on how to beat the freeze and warm up your winter wardrobe in the process.

Often used as lifeboats and by the military, RIBs are tough, sea-worthy and flexible. Spotting their business potential, Thomas Rönnberg set up the first Swedish RIB company, and is now preparing to take his boats to the European market.

Like a fine wine, Santiago, Chile is getting better with age. While many foreigners still associate the nation with Pinochet, that ugly era ended nearly 20 years ago. The spirit of Santiago is embodied in a booming gourmet scene, thriving theatre and a friendly attitude towards foreigners.

Best known for running influential news site the Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington has also written numerous books including biographies of Picasso and Callas. Born in Greece and a Cambridge graduate, she is a knowledgable observer of US politics. She chose Toscana for her last meal.

Rail life story: We love trains and think it’s time that the English-speaking world reacquired a taste for them too.

Every night the TransAsya Express departs from Istanbul heading for Tehran. It takes three days and two nights to reach its destination, time enough for you to leave the European lifestyle of western Turkey far behind. monocle took the train as far as Van in the Kurdish east of the country. This is the story of the people we met: the Ambassador of Car Four, the dancing train conductor, the Iranian author and the wandering Australian family. And the fascination that unites them: living life in the slow lane.