Culture
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The real story behind miracle Thai cave rescue
Should the story be made into a film? In an extraordinary press conference, the Thai cave boys spoke about their “miracle” rescue. Two movies based on the tale are already in the works.
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Dua Lipa, Beyoncé and the art of music videos
Should music videos count towards the charts? Teeming with social commentary and dynamic self-expression, music videos are having a heyday. For others, they are a big-budget distraction.
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Beyonce: Love is an endless act of forgiveness
Should we forgive cheating? Last week Beyoncé and Jay-Z released their joint album. In it, Beyoncé appears to forgive her husband for his earlier infidelity. Should others follow her lead?
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The modern twists on an ancient sun festival
Should we all celebrate the summer solstice? Pagans descended on Stonehenge this morning to celebrate the longest day of the year. Some think we all could benefit from a little sun worship.
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£350m Banksy rejected from art exhibition
Is Banksy any good? The graffiti artist submitted a piece to a famous London exhibition under a false name. They turned it down. And many others believe this pioneer is on the decline.
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‘Love Island teaches you more than Jane Austen’
Surely not? The TV show is smashing records. Some scorn it as low-grade trash. But others say its stories of relationships, courtship and rejection have more wisdom than the classics.
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Miss America embraces #MeToo revolution
Are beauty pageants sexist? Miss America has scrapped its controversial swimsuit round, and contestants will no longer be judged on their looks. But some say the event must be abolished.
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Obamas herald new era in power of television
Is TV more powerful than politics? Barack and Michelle Obama will produce a raft of new documentaries and TV shows for Netflix — they aim to promote “greater empathy” across the globe.
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Giant of American fiction Philip Roth dies
Do great writers offer great wisdom? Legendary American novelist Philip Roth has died aged 85. Love, death, sex, faith: his era-defining prose left no side of human life unexamined.
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Laurel, Yanny and 2,000 years of philosophy
Is there such a thing as reality? The internet erupted in an ear-splitting debate this week — all thanks to a mysterious recording. Science has since cracked the case, but deeper riddles remain.
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Plague of anxiety and self-harm laid bare
Is opening up about mental illness the best treatment? Several celebrities have courageously spoken about their struggles. But a deep divide remains over the merits of “the talking cure”.
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The hit quiz app taking the world by storm
Is trivia good for us? Valued at $100 million, with millions of daily players, HQ Trivia is the new social quizzing app sensation. Some have even called it the future of television.
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Eurovision faces new call to cut the politics
Is the world’s favourite and most bizarre singing contest becoming too political? Amidst the silliness, this year there are songs inspired by #MeToo, terrorism and the global refugee crisis.
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Selfies, #MeToo and glamorous films at Cannes
Is cinema dead? The world’s most prestigious film festival is underway. This year, Cannes has been rocked by a slew of silly and serious scandals. But the movies themselves are promising...
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‘Android’ Janelle Monáe comes out as pansexual
Do labels matter? For years, singer Janelle Monáe insisted that she “only dates androids”. Now, in an interview with Rolling Stone, she has said that she is pansexual....