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Tasmanian angel

Hobart, capital of Tasmania, is the nearest inhabited landmass to Antarctica and that’s why scientists flock to the city that is at the frontline of environmental research. Add to this adventurous tourists and food pioneers, and you have a recipe to transform the island’s once bleak fortunes.
Coming home

Thousands of Spaniards lost their citizenship as they fled Spain’s Civil War and Franco. Now Spain is offering its descendents the right to be Spanish. Should other countries who need migrants do more to encourage the diaspora to move home?
Friends in the north

Occupying a strategic post at the tip of North Africa, the Mediterranean capital of Tunisia is a short hop from Sicily. Less well known than its rival Morocco, Tunis is now benefiting from foreign business and finally enjoying its time in the sun.
Track record

Switzerland’s reputation for being the most efficient country in the world is not undeserved: SBB, the state-controlled railways, has a 96 per cent punctuality rate and slick service.
Floating a new idea

Consigned to the history books as a non-viable form of transport and now more commonly seen used by film baddies, the airship is finally being reinvented for the eco generation. British firm Hybrid Air Vehicles is creating a cargo airship that is spacious, fast and green.
Just so hot right now

Next to its glittering sister Dubai, Sharjah is often overlooked. But on the art calendar, its boundary-breaking biennial is forcing a rethink of the Arab attitudes to art and the world’s attitude to Arab art. It’s an optimistic show with brilliant young women as its driving force.
Design for life?

It’s approaching graduation time in design schools around the globe. But are there going to be any jobs for the new talents – and, more controversially, do they deserve them? Monocle asks leading players, ‘Are we creating the designers we need for 2009 and beyond?
Time warp

With sales of timepieces falling by 20 per cent in the first few months of this year, watchmakers are remaining confident by looking to their archives either to relaunch or emphasise classic, sober designs that are long-term investments for customers.
Home brew

A café unchanged since the 1960s has become a great place to indulge in good coffee and the best of Norwegian design.

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Menswear / Global

Mellow yellow

Spring has sprung and it’s time to drag those knees out of hibernation and get friendly with this season’s shorts. If it’s a bit early to bare, might we suggest some lightweight cotton trousers, 1920s-inspired knits and blazers and a pair of moccasins for mooching?