Andrew Mueller
Please turn off the lights
Do cities have a sell-by date? If they no longer feel fresh, should we abandon them? It’s happening in Russia. Perhaps the burghers of New Orleans and Detroit should do the same.
From Sofia, with love
Bulgarian songstress Lili Ivanova became her country’s biggest star under the communists. Today she’s just as famous and is revered as a champion of the nation.
Europe
How Sarkozy wings it in Me and My Motorcade, plus Luxembourg goes to the polls and bar room blues hit the UK.
Oceania
Samoa mounts operation healthcare and the truth about those fit Aussies - they are actually too busy on twitter to play sport.
Asia
The King of Bhutan's dashing way with national dress, Korea's scheme to produce more babies, and Japan's downsized family meals.
Failing states
Europe is home to three nations that should be successes but instead are failing badly. Over the following pages, we look at their problems – from corruption to constitutional meltdown.
Culture
A news kiosk on Pushkin Square in Moscow, and this month's new music, film, art and music.
Architecture
We toast the revamp of Finnish drinks chain Alko, Stockholm's waterfront gets switches on, plus a view to a thrill on Chile's coast.
