In many places, 26 December and 1 January are days for quiet recovery from the celebrations the day before. But on the West Indian islands of the Bahamas, they are filled with noise and elaborate costumes as Junkanoo is celebrated, an event which is unique to the islands. Junkanoo is such an intrinsic part of … Continue reading “The Bahamas Celebrate Junkanoo”
Nigeria, the hugely populous West African country, is famous for its contributions to fashion, cinema and literature. It also has a vibrant art scene and an exhibition at the Tate Modern in London offers an overview of 50 years of Modernist art in Nigeria, with artists from the country and around the world. The exhibition … Continue reading “Modern Nigerian Art”
On 10 December, the ban on under 16s accessing social-media platforms in Australia came into force. When the legislation was passed in late 2024, many detractors said it would impossible to make it work. But, despite protests from the platforms, the government went ahead. Ten social media companies identified by the government have put in … Continue reading “Australian Social-media Ban for Teens”
The tongue-in-cheek Knives Out murder-mystery films have been delighting audiences since the eponymous first movie in 2019. In what is becoming a holiday-season tradition, Daniel Craig is back as detective Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man, surrounded by an A-list cast. Can he solve an apparently impossible crime in a church? Benoit Blanc Returns … Continue reading “Wake Up Dead Man: Knives Out 3”
Dans notre série “Your Students Have Talent”, découvrez le travail d’élèves qui ont écrit et joué une pièce comique inspirée par Gangsta Granny de David Walliams. Une classe de 4e option “Européenne” a lu avec joie le Reading Guide Gangsta Granny : enthousiasmées par l’histoire, les élèves ont écrit leur propre mini pièce de théâtre en … Continue reading “Your Students Have Talent! Gangsta Granny on Stage”
In our series “Your Students Have Talent”, check out these amazing diary entries created as an intermediate task by pupils using our Reading Guide Gangsta Granny. The 4e students were studying David Walliams’ humorous novel. After reading the extracts of the first part, where they learned some details about the main protagonist Ben’s life, his … Continue reading “Your Students Have Talent! Dear Diary”
There aren’t many people who publish two memoirs by the time they are 28 years old. But then there aren’t many people who have lived as much as Malala Yousafzai. The youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Malala ran the risk of being a symbol rather than a fully-fledged person. Her second memoir, … Continue reading “Malala Looks Back… and Forward”
The 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth will be celebrated in December 2025. Start the celebrations with a mini-series about Miss Austen, about Jane’s story but focusing on a different Miss Austen. It is centred on Cassandra Austen, author Jane’s only sister and close confidant. And the series speculates on why Cassandra burned most of Jane’s … Continue reading “Meet Miss Austen”
Guillermo del Toro resurrects Mary Shelley’s myth in a gothic and deeply human vision. Premiered at the Venice Film Festival in late summer 2025, Frankenstein marks Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited return to the themes that define his work: monstrosity, compassion, and creation itself. A US–Mexican co-production, the film opened in select theaters on October 17, … Continue reading “Del Toro’s Frankenstein: A Gothic Vision for Netflix”
On 4 November, Zohran Mamdani won the election to be Mayor of New York City at the age of just 34. Although a Democrat following two Democrats may not seem revolutionary, Mamdani, who describes himself as a Socialist, is far from the current line of the party. His youth delighted the many grassroots supporters who … Continue reading “Zohran Mamdani, A New Political Era for NYC”
