Not since the Second World War have the islands of the Pacific been so hotly fought over. This time, however, the battle lines are diplomatic. China, the US and Taiwan are all pitching in but it is Australia that is running local police forces, propping up governments and trying to keep rebel leaders at bay. Now some are asking: is Australia running an accidental empire?

It’s done a good job getting everyday essentials into our homes, hands and driveways but it would like to do so much more. Faced with stiff competition from China, South Korea sees a future for itself as a centre for hi-tech services and tourism. But do its plans to build new cities to rival Hong Kong and Singapore add up?

How to choose yourself a Swedish name and a fishy story from Moscow.

In 1991, impoverished Estonia broke free from the old Soviet Union. Today it is Europe’s fastest-growing economy. No surprise then that the nation has just voted back into power the coalition government which has overseen the extraordinary hi-tech boom. But can it last?

Brazil's biofuel and Argentina's First Lady.

The high life on Harare's millionaires' row.

Australia's economy is all at sea; plus conflict on happy island.

Singapore's wheel of fortune and South Korea's big game plan.

Some 58 per cent of all journeys made in Groningen are on a bicycle. And its 180,000 residents own an amazing 300,000 bikes. The small Dutch city is now seen as a living manifesto for how to get people in the saddle. This is how it became Europe’s two-wheeled capital.

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 dispute over an extradition treaty). Thailand’s junta, losing support at home, accused Singapore of spying and saw red after Singapore’s deputy prime minister met deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Singapore is also cautious of China’s role in the region.

Tangier has a reputation for being a playground for pleasure seekers. But with the opening of a new port this summer, the city is set to become a key business centre. Just a short ferry ride from Europe, staff costs are low and property cheap. That’s why call centres, TV stations and fashion firms are all coming to town. Now you can too.

Making fast food and even faster bucks in the Middle East, plus Russia's new low-cost carrier.

What do you need to run a great ambulance service? In our series looking at the brands that make our lives work, we visited the City of Helsinki Rescue Department to find out. It employs 570 full-time rescue and emergency personnel and, in 2006, carried out almost 37,000 paramedic missions. The department designs and develops much of the equipment it uses in conjunction with leading manufacturers.

Until now, African airlines have been known for their limited routes and terrible safety record. The continent has also lacked a hub. But Titus Naikuni, the visionary CEO of Kenya Airways, is revolutionising the skies.

In our regular series on the world’s more obscure yet inspirational trade fairs, Monocle despatched a team to Rimini to cover Sigep, one of the biggest ice cream trade conventions in the world.

Sixty per cent of Japanese homes have a TOTO Washlet loo that can wash your bottom and even blow-dry it. The makers claim that after using one three times, nothing else will do. Having experienced their warm seats and piped music, we tend to agree. We also admire their dedication to design. And good news: TOTO is now out to win over the European market.

Giant is the world’s largest bicycle firm. And while China claims an ever-greater share of the mass market, Giant continues pushing prices for specialist models ever higher. What’s more, its president plans to turn Taiwan into a cycling heaven.

If you are making a film, a low-budget TV show or a commercial, head to Buenos Aires. Since the Argentinian economic meltdown in 2002, low wages, skilled professionals and excellent production facilities have seen filmmakers flock to the South American capital.

Cheap and chic bicycle advertising, plus Monocle's music recommendations.

Greville Street Bookstore, Melbourne.

Other Music, New York.

Tema, Lisbon.

Verbal, aka Ryu Yong Gi, is half of m-flo, one of Japan’s biggest hip-hop acts. Verbal and his m-flo partner, Taku Takahashi, have been working together on their “m-flo loves…” collaborations with an array of guest artists, including some of the biggest names in J-pop. Their fifth album, Cosmicolor, was released in Japan in March. They’re a Monocle favourite.

The German region of Saxony has shaken off the shackles of communist rule to establish itself as a manufacturing centre for top-of-the-range, quality brands – from cars to clocks to clothing. But can Dresden become as synonymous with luxury shopping as Paris and Milan?

Inspiring ideas from floating houses to bendy benches.

Tomorrowland, Glenroyal, Dagmar: luxury treats from our favourite global brands.

The Milan Furniture Fair, or simply “Salone”, has become one of the biggest industrial design events in the world and brings together brand owners, industrial designers, architects, buyers, the press and clients for five days of intense business – and networking.

Traversing the top of the globe, what we have dubbed the Nippon Nordic alliance, there are a clutch of bike companies quietly tinkering away in their workshops and producing the highest quality two-wheelers in the world. Here we profile five of the finest.

If you drive an hour and a half north of São Paulo and turn off the coast road at Guarujá, you will find the beachfront retreat designed by SP-based architect Isay Weinfeld for an Arab family, who wanted a modernist haven that reflected their Middle Eastern heritage.

Suite treats at the Park Hyatt, Tokyo; plus, the best kids' bikes, Scandinavian clogs and a great hangover cure.

Monocle HQ wouldn’t be the same without an occasional visit from our canine colleagues. So, this month we asked guest editors Bruno, Bertie, Gus, Muffin and Molly to compile a list of the best beds, bowls, biscuits and poop bags from around the world.

Each month, we visit a small-scale, high-quality manufacturer that’s big on provenance. For May, we trotted into Dahlman, a 200-year-old saddlery currently owned by brothers Erik and Frank Hendriksen, direct descendents of an original Dahlman employee.

Once home to immigrants, students and punks, Hamburg’s Schanzen and Karolinen districts are now morphing into a destination of new business start-ups and buzzy bars and shops.

Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson, CEO of the Baugur Group, has created a retail empire spanning Iceland, Scandinavia and the UK. He started with £7,000 equity in Reykjavik 18 years ago. The Baugur Group portfolio investments include House of Fraser, Magasin du Nord and the recently opened SOUK in Stockholm.

With some cities it’s love at first sight, with others it’s third time lucky. In the case of me and Seoul, it’s more of the latter.

To seal the bond between the leaders of Iran and Venezuela, a direct IranAir flight between Tehran and Caracas has launched. But even the residents of Tehran seem to think it’s a flight of fancy. Sit back and enjoy a trip on Air Ahmadinejad.