Break from the past

A series of coups have highlighted France’s often troubled relationships in Africa. We visit Senegal to see what needs fixing.
In the balance

A rugged archipelago in the Baltic has been demilitarised since 1856 but as war rumbles on in Europe, can it retain its peaceful status?
Growth spurt

Though soon to be stripped of its status as a capital city, Jakarta remains the beating heart of Indonesian entrepreneurship.
Charging ahead

With ambitious comparisons to Prada and Porsche, Sweden’s Polestar is counting on good design and four new models to gain traction in the congested EV market.
Sonic wonderlands

From an artists’ haven in rural Oxfordshire to a former cable factory in Czechia, we visit three recording studios around the world that are reimagining the craft of capturing the perfect performance.
Masters of their destiny

As North Macedonia’s cultural scene awaits possible EU funding, the fate of its young creatives hangs in the balance – but that’s not stopping them raising the bar.
Matters of perspective

From a searing look at the travails of North Korean defectors to glimpses of beauty through a German master’s viewfinder, we present the season’s cultural highlights.
In focus

Our pick of the sofas, tables, chairs and accessories that are sure to bring comfort and joy into our workplaces and homes.
Tests of time

Architecture is about more than simply ushering ideas from sketch to skyscraper. It can play a critical role in solving global issues. Here, three renowned practitioners explain their approach and tell us how they strive to build structures that truly last – or don’t.
Down to the letter

Font foundry Sharp Type scours everything from libraries to cemeteries in its mission to create one typeface to rule them all.
Silver surfing

The long legacy of Georg Jensen’s silverware is kept safe in a secret archive to inspire today’s artists.
Light touch

An architect’s plush and playful early modernist home in the Belgian town of Lier received a gentle polish from its new owners. The result is a house that is once again fit for purpose.
Renaissance man

Remo Ruffini, chairman and CEO of Moncler, on bringing the brand back from the brink – and what comes next.
Warm reception

Upcycled cashmere jumpers, duffle coats, denim jackets and an elegant two-piece twill suit engineered for the slopes – with these pieces in your wardrobe, you can keep your temperature (and spirits) up as the leaves come down. Just don’t tell anyone about your indulgent new socks: they’re for your feet only.
Prime time

Above the fray of global economic turmoil, the watch industry’s top echelons have continued to thrive – and evolve.
Fall guy

A seasonal selection of removable layers to keep you at your optimum temperature – and style.

Inventory: Tech corner / Global

On the go

Our technology round-up features a handy battery, new and improved headphones with a personalised profile and a switched-on review of the latest iPhone.

Writer: David Phelan

Bathys headphones
Focal

These headphones from Focal have just had an update. First, there is a new colour: a sandy shade to go with the previous silver and black versions. Then there’s the software improvement: you can now tune the headphones to your particular hearing by using the Mimi hearing test, which creates a listening profile that can boost the sounds and frequencies your ears might not usually hear. Mimi analyses how you respond to background noise to help with this too. Mind you, the noise-cancelling is excellent already.
focal.com

iPhone 15 Pro Max
Apple

Once a year, Apple releases its new smartphones. The latest represents a subtle but significant change. First, the new Pro model has a titanium chassis that clocks in 19g lighter than last year’s model with stainless steel. Second, it includes a new telephoto camera with 5x zoom (the smaller iPhone 15 Pro has a 3x zoom). It also encourages advanced photography by adding extra virtual lenses. By cleverly manipulating images with the main lens, it can provide extra focal lengths to create a more versatile camera experience. You can choose from 13, 1.23 or 1.53 zooms and, if you have a favourite, you can set that as the default option. Whatever the science, it takes rich, faithful and beautiful photographs. Elsewhere, the side switch that turns the phone ringer on and off has been replaced by a button that you can configure to, say, launch the camera or turn on the torch.
apple.com

633 magnetic battery
Anker

However good batteries are on the newest gadgets (and they’re far from perfect), it’s always wise to find a secondary source. The latest magnetic battery from Anker is chunkier than previous models because it packs a lot more punch. There’s enough juice for more than one full charge of an iPhone 15 Pro, for example. It also has a neat kickstand that folds out, handy for positioning the iPhone for Facetime calls. For a faster effect, you can even attach a cable and charge it from that rather than wirelessly.
anker.com

Out and about

The Opener

Locked and loaded

Deep focus

Train gang

Pulling the plug

Affairs

Business

Culture

Design

Break from the past

In the balance

Growth spurt

Charging ahead

Sonic wonderlands

Masters of their destiny

Matters of perspective

In focus

Tests of time

Down to the letter

Silver surfing

Light touch

Renaissance man

Warm reception

Prime time

Fall guy

Brown in town

Turning over a new leaf

Pots of gold

On the go

Back to nature

On the grapevine

In safe hands

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