This is Beirut - culture

'Animaj' Raises €75 Million to Expand Ai-Driven Animation for Kids

This is Beirut, 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Animation IA Animaj Cartoons Investments Streaming Culture

French startup Animaj, which acquired the popular Spanish children’s animation brand Pocoyo in 2023 and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to produce kids’ content, announced on Wednesday that it has raised €75 million to accelerate its growth. The fundraising round was led by Bpifrance, France’s public investment bank, and HarbourView ...

Paul Marshall’s Rise as Britain’s New Anti-Woke Media Tycoon

This is Beirut, 18/06 15:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Culture London Media Art

Unlike Rupert Murdoch, he is barely known, but the UK has a new right-wing media mogul: Paul Marshall, who has quietly built a powerful empire that reaches millions of Britons. The 65-year-old added to his impressive stable last autumn when he purchased The Spectator magazine, viewed as the bible of Britain's Conservative Party, for £100 million ...

Hellfest 2025 Opens Thursday with Korn, Muse and Linkin Park Headlining

This is Beirut, 18/06 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

France Hellfest Festival Music Culture

Rock giants Muse, Scorpions and Linkin Park, the nu metal of Korn, punk legends the Sex Pistols... The 18th edition of Hellfest, one of Europe’s biggest extreme music festivals, kicks off Thursday in Clisson, western France. The headliner on opening day will be the iconic California-based band Korn, considered one of the pioneers of nu metal ...

'Spectacular' Viking Burial Site Found in Denmark, Filled With Rare Treasures

This is Beirut, 17/06 14:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Denmark Archaeology Viking Burial Sites Discovery Culture

In an accidental find, a 10th -century burial site believed to have belonged to a Viking noble family has been discovered in northern Denmark, packed with a "spectacular" trove of ancient objects, a museum announced Tuesday. The discovery came when pearls, coins, ceramics, and a box containing a gold thread were unearthed during ...

Matthew Perry’s Doctor to Plead Guilty in Overdose Case

This is Beirut, 17/06 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Matthew Perry Actor Series Culture Art US

The main doctor charged in connection with the drug overdose of Friends star Matthew Perry is expected to enter a guilty plea in the coming weeks, the US Justice Department said Monday. Salvador Plasencia "has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal ...

Art Basel 2025 Opens Thursday With Eyes on the Market

This is Beirut, 17/06 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Switzerland Art Basel Painting Sculpture Art Culture

The Art Basel fair will open its doors to the public on Thursday, after two and a half days reserved for collectors. The event will serve as a barometer for the contemporary art market, which has cooled in recent months due to economic and geopolitical uncertainties. Even before the fair officially kicked off, big numbers were already ...

Gucci-Owner Names Ex-renault Chief Luca de Meo as CEO

This is Beirut, 16/06 19:45 - Reading : less than a minute

Gucci Luxury Kering Luca de Meo France Culture

French luxury group Kering announced Monday that it had appointed Luca de Meo, who helped drive automaker Renault out of crisis, its new chief executive as sales at its leading brand Gucci have slumped. The appointment "marks a decisive step in the evolution of Kering's governance and strengthens the Group's leadership as it enters a new phase of ...

Iranian Nobel Laureates, Cannes Winner Urge Halt to Iran-Israel Conflict

This is Beirut, 16/06 17:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Filmmakers Nobel Prize Iran Israel Conflict Culture

Leading Iranian activists and filmmakers on Monday called for an end to hostilities between Iran and Israel, urging Tehran to stop the conflict by halting its enrichment of uranium. "We demand the immediate halt of uranium enrichment by the Islamic Republic, the cessation of military hostilities, an end to attacks on vital infrastructure in ...

'Dragon' Soars to Box Office Top With Real Magic

This is Beirut, 16/06 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Cinema Film Art Culture US Animation

Remakes are all the rage: Dragon, the live-action reimagining of the popular 2010 animated film, had a strong debut with $83.7 million in revenue, topping the North American box office, according to data from industry tracker Exhibitor Relations on Sunday. This family film from Universal and DreamWorks Animation tells the story of a friendship ...

Sober Raves Rise: Coffee, Dance, and Zero Alcohol Vibes in Singapore

This is Beirut, 15/06 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Music Culture Singapore Art Dance

Beneath a disco ball, young people sway to dance tracks and viral TikTok hits. But at this daytime party in Singapore, there’s not a single cocktail or pint in sight—just baristas serving freshly brewed coffee. “People think alcohol gives you a buzz, but caffeine can hit just as hard,” says Aden Low, 21, co-founder of the Beans and Beats ...

Picasso’s Hidden Ceramics Emerge as Auction Highlights

This is Beirut, 14/06 14:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Picasso Geneva Art Culture Auction

A clutch of one-off and hitherto unseen ceramic plates and dishes by Pablo Picasso are going under the hammer in Geneva on June 19. Emblematic motifs from Picasso's artistic universe—pigeons, fish, a goat, a bull, and a bird—adorn the colorful plates and dishes. "It's a truly exceptional collection. The plates and dishes we have here are real ...

France Music Week Showcases Strengths and Struggles of Music Industry

This is Beirut, 14/06 11:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Music Art Culture France French Music Week Emmanuel Macron

The first France Music Week, an international event kicking off Monday in Paris, aims to promote a French music sector praised for its local networks and export successes—but increasingly showing signs of strain. Spearheaded by President Emmanuel Macron, the initiative targets industry professionals with the goal of “putting France on the map ...

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