In this issue’s transport survey we highlight some innovative developments in the car, aviation, bike, yacht and train industries. But in general, travelling is still a chore rather than a pleasure. It’s time operators and policymakers woke up.

The wave of revolutions shaking up the world started in Tunisia. What happens after you’ve dislodged your dictator? Also for our series on the Arab spring, see how Malta is coping as Libya collapses (page 30) and how Turkey is influencing events (page 53).

Monocle meets the Maltese prime minister to talk about how his small country is dealing with the influx of immigrants from North Africa, his views on the Libya conflict and his vision for transforming Malta into a modern European country.

A strengthening economy and new confidence have made Turkey a diplomatic rising star. And as the revolts play out across the Middle East, everyone is paying court and wanting the ear of the country’s ambitious foreign minister.

An ethnic minority debacle in Poland, election watch Portugal and a banknote overhaul in Sweden.

Monocle meets Denmark's ambassador in India, foreign schools flock to China and power problems in Japan.

We examine Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's image makeover, report on Qatar's investment in the US property market and bring you the view from Bogotá.

What Sultan Qaboos of Oman uses to get around, why the African Union is having an identity crisis and how recent unrest has affected stock exchanges

A round-up of news from the Pacific islands, plus the election in Palau and New Zealand's hunt for diplomats.

How Hungarian troops are adapting to Afghanistan and who is buying which weapons from whom.

The regions, sectors, markets and companies to watch, including Australian wool, Venezuelan rum and Palestinian tech entrepreneurs.

A round-up of the best books, films and music.

French radio's success in London, an interview with exiled Moroccan journalist Aboubakr Jamai and auction frenzy in China

French radio's success in London, an interview with exiled Moroccan journalist Aboubakr Jamai and auction frenzy in China

The latest products, players, projects and happenings in the worlds of architecture, homeware, packaging and more.

A new concept store in Tokyo, Sunspel's first line of womenswear and a Q&A with Oliver Peoples' Larry Leight are featured in this month's fashion round-up.

Huge changes have recently taken place in Burma. A glittering new capital now rises from the plains, elections have been held and the military junta formally dissolved. At least, that’s what the army generals would like the international community to believe.

Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen is a celebrity in Norway. A young pin-up for the game, he’s modelled for a denim label and, with his busy social life, is a far cry from the lonely child prodigy stereotype.

Brazil may be the land of soccer and samba, but its status as a superpower is also fast moving beyond the realms of hypothesis into concrete reality. So will global politics soon be moving to a Latin rhythm?

While their politicians dither, Palestinians are developing a vibrant economy and creating a brand for their yet-to-be-created nation. Monocle meets the new generation of optimists.

In Singapore a battle is taking place – a battle to dominate the toast-and-spread market. And with the formula proving ever-popular at home, it’s big business for the leading brands who have their eyes set on the rest of Asia.

Ethio-jazz was the thrilling sound of Ethiopia in the 1960s and ’70s, blending traditional music with funk and soul. James Brown impersonators yelped and pelvic-thrusted their way around stages before a communist dictatorship killed off the genre. Until now, that is.

Innocean, a global advertising agency, understands the importance of a well-designed HQ to impress clients and motivate staff. Monocle takes a look at its recent facelift, which combines Korean tradition and mid-century furniture.

Specialist scents, made by small artisanal producers, are beginning to make a big splash with retailers and consumers alike, as Monocle discovers on a visit to a Milan trade fair for the niche market.

Big-name French pharma was conspicuously absent at this year’s annual Pharmagora fair. But far from fading into obscurity, the Paris show has been looking to Francophone African markets and the lucrative bio-organic sector.

The nine-to-five grind and the daily schlep into our places of work is a routine we love to hate. But the truth is that we’re all secretly rather attached to our offices. And not necessarily for work-related reasons.

While still a schoolgirl, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele was representing her family firm Chopard and visiting clients including Imelda Marcos. With her brother and her parents actively involved, business is full of kindred spirits.

In under four years the Hong Kong International Art Fair has become a key date on dealers’ and buyers’ calendars. Founding director Magnus Renfrew tells us about his work life, and how billionaires and airplanes helped him create a prize show.

Denmark, Sweden and Finland boast institutions devoted to seeking design-led solutions to societal problems. Are they guiding stars for the world to follow?

Brazilian hotelier Rogério Fasano’s latest creation is set among the rocky pampas of Uruguay. And the secret of his success? A creatively inspiring working relationship with designer Isay Weinfeld.

Natural skincare products, a digital radio and an ingenious paper shredder are among Monocle’s most coveted items this month.

Spend a week at Franco Zeffirelli’s former hang-out in Positano, dine amid country-house grandeur in Paris, and uncork a bottle in a Buenos Aires wine hotel – all stop-offs in this month’s Monocle travel round-up.

From running mercy flights for volcano survivors in the 1950s to transporting today’s Portuguese football stars, the Azores’ airline SATA has soared above its island birthplace.

The Alpa has become a cult camera for professionals, thanks to its razor-sharp detail and attractive finish. But it wasn’t always such a success story after the brand disappeared altogether in the 1990s. Monocle talks to the Zürich-based couple who took the bold decision to resurrect it.

A Jewish enclave a century ago, Vienna’s Karmeliterviertel – part of the larger Leopoldstadt – was down and out for much of the postwar period. But thanks to creative energy and smart city planning, the area is booming.

Renowned ceramic artist Edmund de Waal chooses an Italian restaurant in London’s Soho neighbourhood for his ‘last meal’. He’s fascinated by the visual experience of eating and at his alloted restaurant the food comes tapas-style – so he gets to use his hands as well.

Matthew Evans was a successful chef and food critic before giving it all up to move to Hobart and run his own farm. For Evans, it’s all about eating and drinking local produce, which he points out to Monocle on a walk around the Tasmanian capital.

At the height of socialist East Germany’s power, workers from Mozambique and Vietnam came to the GDR thanks to the political ideologies their countries shared. But when the Wall came down, they had to make the decision whether to stay or leave.

While countries focus on developing airport-cities, they should turn to train stations instead. A change in mindset could transform the way we commute and live – says Tyler Brûlé