Scotland’s capital is celebrating its 900th birthday! Edinburgh was one of the five royal burghs founded by King David I in 1124. From a small town in the Middle Ages, it has enlarged to a diverse city of 500,000 people. The contrasting medieval Old Town culminating in the Castle high on a volcanic rock and … Continue reading “Edinburgh at 900”
2024 saw the 60th edition of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award organised by the Natural History Museum in London. Entries come from amateur and professional photographers from around the world and three of the categories are reserved for children and teenagers. The winning photo above is just one of the amazing images captured … Continue reading “Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year”
A new literary prize has been awarded for the first time. The Entente Littéraire prize celebrates books aimed at teenagers and young adults translated from English to be published in French or translated from French and published in English. The prize is championed by the UK’s Queen Camilla and France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron, to … Continue reading “Bilingual Book Prize”
Richard Curtis has perfected the romcom, scripting Love Actually, Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Yesterday and more. His latest film is an animation about Christmas in a small English town, combining three of his own children’s books. That Christmas has Santa, traditions, humour, a variety of families, a pinch of romance and a … Continue reading “Christmas Actually”
Ireland had a general election on 29 November but isn’t expected to have a government until the new year. The government is likely to be another coalition led by the two historical centrist parties Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, with at least one other partner. After the last election in 2020, it took five months … Continue reading “Voting in Ireland”
The Australian Senate has approved new legislation that would ban under-16-year-olds from accessing social-media services by late 2025. The government says that exposure to social media can harm young people but it is not clear exactly how the ban will work. The legislation passed by the Senate is guaranteed to also be passed by the … Continue reading “Australia Bans Social Media for Under-16s”
The Théâtre national de Bretagne is staging Shakespeare’s history play in January. This production by Arthur Nauzyciel, originally created in Boston, whisks the play away from ancient Rome to reset it in 1960s America. The story of a plot to assassinate a leader who is considered too powerful and threatening despotism echoes the many political … Continue reading “Julius Caesar in English in Rennes”
Biopics are quite popular and so are Lego films. What about a Lego biopic then? Pharrell Williams only agreed to a biopic being made about his life if it was a Lego animation. Piece by Piece is the perfect creative way to tell this creative and original artist’s life. Many music stars such as Jay-Z, … Continue reading “Pharrell Williams Lego Biopic”
The This is England short-film festival in Rouen has a specific programme of short films for cycle 4e classes. This year’s selection ponders the roles of young and old in today’s society, offers positive visions of a sustainable future, as well as featuring a beatboxing animated dog. If you sign up for a collège showing, … Continue reading “This is England 2024 films for Cycle 4”
The This is England short-film festival in Rouen has a specific programme of short films for lycée classes. This year’s selection features crime stories, young people forging a place for themselves in a world that isn’t always welcoming, a story of polygamy and a documentary about an inspiring ping-pong club. If you sign up for … Continue reading “This is England 2024 films for Lycée”