In a new weekly column about the world of classical music, Tom Service bemoans Hollywood turning pieces into slop through overuse. Plus: Philip Glass withdraws his symphony from the Kennedy CenterBack in 2008, Transport for London came up with...

An exhilarating account of Bowie’s spirituality and the quasi-religious nature of his work, from Space Oddity to BlackstarIt has become a tired cliche among fans to say that everything went wrong in the world after Bowie died in 2016....

Decision expected on Monday or Tuesday, potentially smoothing relations before Keir Starmer’s visit to ChinaWhy Chinese ‘mega embassy’ is not such a worry for British spiesA decision on China’s proposed mega embassy in London is expected on Monday or...

The 2026 World Cup is set to be a polarising event but, even if it will not be the first to be politically contentious, it will expose a growing uneaseFive months out from the World Cup the politics are...

The Lincoln in the Bardo author is back with another metaphysical tale. He discusses Buddhism, partisan politics and the terrifying flight that changed his lifeLike his first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, which won the Booker prize in 2017,...

Approval shortly before Keir Starmer’s trip to Beijing would come despite widespread concern among Labour MPsA vast new Chinese embassy complex in east London is almost certain to be formally approved next week despite renewed worries among Labour MPs...

Tibetan directors, who all live outside Tibet, deliver a quartet of films that explore the pain of separation and migrationThe wrench of exile is the theme of this quartet of short films from Tibetan directors, who themselves all live...

Maggie O’Farrell, Yann Martel and Julian Barnes are among the authors publishing new novels this year The beginning of the books calendar is usually dominated by debuts, but January 2026 sees releases from some of the year’s biggest authors....

The conviction of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong is another hostile act. How can Britain ignore Beijing’s provocations and human rights abuses?The UK pushed hard to secure the release of Jimmy Lai, the newspaper publisher and British citizen who...

Arrested in 2013 on India’s Himalayan border after fleeing Beijing’s ‘genocide’ against Muslims in Xinjiang, the siblings have been imprisoned indefinitely ever since thenOn the evening of 12 June 2013, according to court documents, three “Chinese intruders” were arrested...