Culture

The African Man vs. the European Man
ExplainerThe African Man vs. the European Man

Our planet has been home to various species of the Homo genus, with fossil evidence dating back around 2.8 million years. Among these, two species stand out as the closest relatives to modern humans: the European Homo neanderthalensis and the African Homo sapiens. About 660,000 years ago, two branches of the Homo genus diverged from a common ...

Sober Raves Rise: Coffee, Dance, and Zero Alcohol Vibes in Singapore
Sober Raves Rise: Coffee, Dance, and Zero Alcohol Vibes in Singapore

Beneath a disco ball, young people sway to dance tracks and viral TikTok hits. But at this daytime party in Singapore, there’s not a single cocktail or pint in sight—just baristas serving freshly brewed coffee. “People think alcohol gives you a buzz, but caffeine can hit just as hard,” says Aden Low, 21, co-founder of the Beans and Beats ...

Preserving Lady Diana’s Legacy: Her Iconic Wardrobe up for Auction
SpotlightPreserving Lady Diana’s Legacy: Her Iconic Wardrobe up for Auction

On June 26 at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, a piece of history will go to auction. Titled “Princess Diana’s Style: A Royal Collection,” Julien’s Auctions will hold the largest sale ever dedicated to Princess Diana’s personal belongings. More than a display of designer fashion, the auction offers a rare look into the many layers of a life ...

Picasso’s Hidden Ceramics Emerge as Auction Highlights
Picasso’s Hidden Ceramics Emerge as Auction Highlights

A clutch of one-off and hitherto unseen ceramic plates and dishes by Pablo Picasso are going under the hammer in Geneva on June 19. Emblematic motifs from Picasso's artistic universe—pigeons, fish, a goat, a bull, and a bird—adorn the colorful plates and dishes. "It's a truly exceptional collection. The plates and dishes we have here are real ...

France Music Week Showcases Strengths and Struggles of Music Industry
France Music Week Showcases Strengths and Struggles of Music Industry

The first France Music Week, an international event kicking off Monday in Paris, aims to promote a French music sector praised for its local networks and export successes—but increasingly showing signs of strain. Spearheaded by President Emmanuel Macron, the initiative targets industry professionals with the goal of “putting France on the map ...

Fête de la Musique Celebrates 25 Years in Lebanon
Fête de la Musique Celebrates 25 Years in Lebanon

Lebanon celebrates 25 years of Fête de la Musique. The event, organized by Institut français du Liban (IFL), will take place from June 13 to 22 across nine cities nationwide. Artists from Lebanon, France and Morocco will perform in public spaces throughout Beirut, Tripoli, Zahle, Jounieh, Baalbeck, Kobayat, Saida, Deir el Qamar and the Shouf ...

From the Sursock Palace to the J. Paul Getty Museum: The Resurrection of Artemisia Gentileschi’s Lost Masterpiece
SpotlightFrom the Sursock Palace to the J. Paul Getty Museum: The Resurrection of Artemisia Gentileschi’s Lost Masterpiece

On August 4, 2020, at 6:07 PM, a devastating blast tore through the skies of Beirut. The shockwave obliterated the port, destroyed entire neighborhoods, claimed over 230 lives and left a haunting scene of ruin and disbelief. Among the many cultural treasures affected was Sursock Palace, a 19th-century Ottoman villa and historic family residence in ...

Depardieu to Go Before Rome Judge Over Paparazzi Melee
Depardieu to Go Before Rome Judge Over Paparazzi Melee

French cinema icon Gerard Depardieu will appear next week before a judge in Rome accused of assaulting a paparazzi photographer, a lawyer told AFP Thursday. Rino Barillari, the 80-year-old dubbed the "king of paparazzi", alleges Depardieu punched him three times in the face when he tried to photograph him in May last year at Harry's Bar on the ...

Inside Lennon’s Heart: 1962 Letter to Cynthia at Christie’s
Inside Lennon’s Heart: 1962 Letter to Cynthia at Christie’s

A 1962 love letter from John Lennon to his future wife Cynthia, in which he complains about Paul McCartney's snoring, will be sold at Christie's next month, the London auction house said. The 21-year-old Lennon wrote the letter over five nights in April 1962, during the Beatles' residency at the Star-Club in Hamburg. "I love ...

Inside London's V&A Storehouse: A Treasure Trove Unlocked
Inside London's V&A Storehouse: A Treasure Trove Unlocked

Imagine being able to visit a museum and examine up close thousand-year-old pottery, revel alone in jewelry from centuries past, or peer inside a Versace bag. Now London's V&A has launched a revolutionary new exhibition space, where visitors can choose from some 250,000 objects, order something they want to spend time looking at, and have it ...

‘Malika’ and ‘The Last Dismissal:’ Of Swords, Stars, Sisterhood and Rewritten Fairy Tales
Q&A‘Malika’ and ‘The Last Dismissal:’ Of Swords, Stars, Sisterhood and Rewritten Fairy Tales

Produced by Farah Jouni, Malika is a bold cinematic journey that redefines Saudi storytelling. This fantasy short film, directed by Saudi filmmaker Maram Taibah, is a heartfelt exploration of identity, empowerment and family. As a recipient of the AlUla Creates Film Programme, the film has gained international recognition for its compelling ...

Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty of Sexual Assault
Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty of Sexual Assault

Disgraced Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of one sexual assault at his retrial Wednesday and not guilty of another, with jurors still considering a rape charge after hearing graphic testimony from his alleged victims. Weinstein was retried for offenses against two women, Jessica Mann whom he is alleged to have raped, and Miriam ...