Culture

Magritte painting sells for record $121m at auction

A painting by René Magritte shattered an auction record for the surrealist artist on Tuesday, selling for more than $121m at Christie’s in New York.The seminal 1954 painting had...

Prado show aims to highlight true colours of polychrome sculpture

In a darkened corner of the Prado, not far from an outsized crucifixion and a sculpture of a...

Minecraft enters real world with $110m global theme park deal

The global gaming phenomenon Minecraft is coming to the real world for the first time in a global...

‘Happy hour in reverse’: where dynamic pricing may creep further

Paying a premium for a flight during the school holidays or a cab at peak hours might be...

After decades, tiny 500-year-old royal portrait is identified as Mary Tudor

It’s Mary Tudor – by a nose. Not in a horse race, but from a comparison of portraits...

Queen guitarist Brian May reveals he recently had minor stroke

The Queen guitarist Brian May has revealed he recently had a minor stroke that left him unable to use his left arm.The band’s lead...

The Cure’s Roger O’Donnell reveals ‘rare and aggressive’ blood cancer diagnosis

The Cure keyboardist Roger O’Donnell has revealed he has been diagnosed with “a very rare and aggressive form of lymphoma”.The musician shared his diagnosis...

Harry Potter fans boo as King’s Cross ends back to Hogwarts tradition

Disappointed Harry Potter fans booed after an annual announcement at London King’s Cross railway station did not happen.People gathered at the station hoping to...

MSO says concert pianist who dedicated performance to Palestinian journalists ‘abused his position’

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra appears to have doubled down in a brewing legal battle with the concert pianist Jayson Gillham, whose performance was cancelled after...

It’s the way they sell ’em: standups across UK turn to merchandise for extra cash

Comedian Paddy Young sold caps at last year’s Edinburgh festival fringe emblazoned with his memorable show title: Hungry, Horny, Scared. They were a hit....

Oasis fans frustrated by technical issues in battle to nab reunion show tickets

Did Oasis sell out yesterday? Definitely in Dublin. Maybe in Manchester. It was hard to tell. Fans struggled to buy the million or so tickets...