Culture news Sony reportedly buys half of Michael Jackson's music catalogue The estimated deal values Michael Jackson's entire catalogue at $1.2 billion (€1.1 billion), which would make it the most valuable transaction in history. 12/02/2024
Culture news How do we 'feel' music? New research suggests it could be universal What kind of music gets your feet tapping? A Finnish study found that people from different cultures reported the same bodily sensations when listening to the same songs. 08/02/2024
Culture news Kevin Spacey to pay just $1 million settlement over ‘House of Cards’ The actor was dropped from the hit show’s final season in 2017 amid accusations of sexual harassment. Now the production company behind ‘House of Cards’ needs his help. 07/02/2024
Culture news John Cage’s 639-year organ performance just changed chords The piece, called “As Slow As Possible” by the late US composer John Cage, won’t finish until the year 2640. The next chord change is in 2 years. 06/02/2024
Culture news Facebook at 20: Is the social media platform really dying? Once a way to keep in touch with college friends, the Franken-platform now has very little resemblance to the Facebook of yesteryear. Can it still claim to be culturally-relevant? 05/02/2024
Culture news The story of the Seine told through things found in Parisian waters Beneath the tourist-packed plaza of Notre Dame Cathedral, an archaeological site tells the story of Paris and its River Seine through objects excavated from its bed and banks. Discover the exhibition “Dans La Seine”. 05/02/2024
Food and Drink Yorkshire Pudding, a flaky British pastry that caught a runaway monkey It took a search party, drones and a host of helpful neighbours to catch an escaped monkey in the Scottish Highlands. But the real hero was Yorkshire Pudding. 02/02/2024
Culture news Jam Master Jay’s murder trial begins in New York, decades after death The hip-hop star was killed in 2002 at his recording studio at age 37. Two men in his inner circle now face trial, accused of murdering him over a failed drug deal. 30/01/2024
Culture news France and Germany to investigate provenance of African cultural items The €2.1 million fund will finance research over three years investigating whether African artefacts in French and German national museums were justly obtained. 30/01/2024
Lifestyle Razors down for Januhairy! Why are we so obsessed with body hair? The viral start-of-year challenge invites women to embrace their natural body hair for a month. But why is body hair - especially on women - still so controversial? 29/01/2024
Culture news Gérard Depardieu assault charge dropped due to statute of limitation The sexual assault complaint by actress Hélène Darras was dismissed by a French court. Depardieu is still fighting a separate rape charge and dozens of accusations of assault. 23/01/2024
Culture news English-learners in UK want teachers to explain Gen Z slang A new study found 71% of the UK's foreign students want teachers to explain English slang they hear on TikTok. Plus, we help break down some English idioms. 22/01/2024
Culture news Italian junior culture minister denies stolen painting accusations Art critic and junior culture minister Vittorio Sgarbi is under investigation for laundering stolen goods, over a painting he owns which was reported stolen in 2013. 16/01/2024
Culture news Jamaican poet Jason Allen-Paisant wins 2023 TS Eliot prize for poetry Jamaican poet Jason Allen-Paisant won the coveted T.S. Eliot Prize for his second collection of poems, ‘Self-Portrait As Othello,’ which reimagines Shakespeare’s hero in a modern landscape. 16/01/2024
Art Madrid museum can keep Nazi-looted art, US appeals court rules US judges ruled that Madrid’s Thyssen-Bornemisza museum is the rightful owner of a priceless Pissarro painting, which was stolen from a Jewish family during the Holocaust. 15/01/2024
Culture news More young people in the US are listening to music in other languages Music lovers in the US, the world’s biggest music streaming market, listened to more music in other languages than English in 2023, according to a new report. 11/01/2024
Culture news Vatican doctrine chief’s book describing orgasms divides Catholics Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez’s 1998 book about mystical-sensual experiences with God describes orgasms in graphic detail. It’s exposing rifts within the Catholic Church. 11/01/2024
Culture news Irish singer Sinead O'Connor died from natural causes, coroner says The singer died in July at age 56, after being found unresponsive at a home in southeast London. 10/01/2024
Culture news ‘Les SEGPA Au Ski’: The French film that’s wreaking havoc in cinemas Several French cinemas have cancelled showings of ‘Les SEGPA Au Ski’ over disruptive behaviour by young moviegoers. But is the film really to blame? 10/01/2024
Design Who is LVMH’s new head of watches Frédéric Arnault? The 29-year-old son of the second-richest man in the world is now head of watches at LVMH. Here’s what to know about Frédéric Arnault. 09/01/2024