The Monocle Minute

While it lacks the efficiency of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur’s international connections, Jakarta is growing into a notable aviation player in Southeast Asia. Opening yesterday, the highly anticipated Terminal 3 at its Soekarno-Hatta International Airport will increase capacity by an extra 25 million passengers per year. The sleekly designed €529m terminal will initially serve as the domestic-flights base for Garuda Indonesia, the nation’s highly regarded flag-carrier; it will also relieve a transit hub operating seriously over capacity. This will prove valuable for the nation’s hugely popular but infamous budget airlines, whose various blunders include landing an international flight at a domestic terminal in Jakarta this year. With government plans to form a rapid train link to the centre of traffic-logged Jakarta, we hope this upgrade has opened a more successful chapter for aviation in the region’s most populous nation.

Canada’s latest inscription to Unesco’s list of World Heritage sites may well be chosen by the public. This week environment minister Catherine McKenna announced that nominations will be accepted from residents as the country prepares to submit additional sites for consideration to the UN’s cultural body, to coincide with the 150th anniversary of confederation next year. Canada currently has 18 World Heritage sites, ranging from the landscapes of the Canadian Rockies to the fossilised terrain of Mistaken Point on the southeastern tip of Newfoundland. Maybe Hudson’s Bay Company’s original trading posts or the Trans-Canada Highway, an engineering marvel when it opened in 1962, will be next? Or perhaps Toronto’s Chin Radio station, which gave a voice to immigrants in the 1960s? Whatever it is, Canadians have plenty to choose from.

Web-hosted stations have made venturing into radio easier for both amateurs and start-ups but for aspiring broadcasters in Italy it’s time for old-school analogue to make a charming comeback. Up to now a prerogative of state broadcaster Rai, two-metre band AM frequencies will be offered – free of charge – by the country’s Ministry for Economic Development to any association, co-operative or foundation that would like to set up its own station. With an eye to supporting emerging editorial projects, the applicants’ economic potential will bear less weight (to prevent big FM players from interfering) and everyone from web-radio professionals to student unions have until 30 September to apply. It looks like getting permits for installing antennas needed to transmit the signal will be the only obstacle to the new waves’ smooth flow.

As swimming fans pick a side in the spat between China’s Sun Yang and Australia’s Mack Horton over “drug cheat” insults spread by the latter, other members of the Chinese Olympics team are pulling ahead when it comes to winning global hearts and minds. Backstroke swimmer Fu Yuanhui has become an internet sensation in China – reminiscent of South African Bert Le Clos at the London 2012 Games – for her humble, humorous and self-deprecating reaction to winning a bronze medal in her 100-metre event. Meanwhile, chiselled male teammate Ning Zetao is gaining the kind of international fame normally reserved for members of boy bands as he prepares for his freestyle events tomorrow. Yang and Horton will likely line up again during Saturday’s 1,500-metre final but whoever takes the gold medal home, both sportsmen could use some more training in soft power.

At Bangkok’s Klong Toey Pallet Furniture Market craftsmen make furniture out of wooden pallets from shipping containers. Chatpong Chuenrudeemol of Chat Architects takes Monocle’s Singapore bureau chief Nolan Giles on a tour of the district and explains why he thinks the area’s furniture and shanty buildings comprise a unique, resourceful design vernacular.

The Swiss are infatuated with tunnels and underground shelters and have more of them than any other country in the world. Monocle Films explores their hidden appeal.