In Christchurch, New Zealand, seeing a wizard isn't completely out of the ordinary. For decades, the city has had an official wizard.

In Ask Culture it's OK to ask for anything at all, but you gotta realize you might get no for an answer. In Guess Culture, you avoid putting a request into words unless you're pretty sure the answer will be yes.

Several hundred people assembled in London’s Hyde Park in July 2020 to protest rules making face masks mandatory in shops and supermarkets to help control the spread of COVID-19. This was not an isolated event. Similar protests have occurred in many places around the world in reaction to the prospect of “mask mandates” – especially in the United States.

Taylor Swift sold 1.3 million equivalent copies of her new album within 24 hours of its release, according to her label, Republic Records. Swift surprised the world this week with the announcement of her eighth album, Folklore, which appeared on streaming services less than 17 hours later.

From the ‘Imagine’ video onwards, the famous have been treated with ridicule and anger during these fraught times – but is this really the end of a love affair, asks Rachael Sigee.

Some Muslim women believe they must marry a new man before they can return to their first husband.

Let’s watch, shall we, as a woman struggles with one of the most common sources of distress for the modern middle-aged woman: fertility. She’s got good eggs, some of them frozen, but what she needs is sperm, and the body in which that sperm is contained.

They are ‘the founding curves of the Renaissance’. As Yorkshire Museum calls on collections worldwide to display their best behinds to boost attendance after coronavirus, we name our favourites.

As Japan’s population shrinks and ages, rural areas are emptying out. In one childless village, two dozen adults compensate for the absence with the company of hundreds of giant handmade dolls.

Its history is as political as it is delicious. Dive into the history of this not-so-Thai noodle dish that was born of politics and nationalism almost 80 years ago.

Oddballs, schemers and psychopaths: in the course of his long career, John Malkovich has convincingly played them all. But whether this makes him an unusual – or unusually perfect – choice for the role of supreme pontiff in HBO’s The New Pope is something he would rather not consider.

Americans’ interest in spell-casting tends to wax as instability rises and trust in establishment ideas plummets.

It is common for people to scoff at tears as a behaviour and a subject of investigation. Tears are, they say, feminine, self-indulgent and melodramatic. It is not hard to notice, in those beliefs, the patriarchal assumptions about what should be valued and what should be mocked. Writing teachers will instruct students not to show their characters’ sadness through crying, calling it cheap.

Apple is trying really, really hard to always come off as the good guys. According to Rian Johnson, director of Knives Out, Apple won’t let villains use iPhones on-screen. THIS IS SILLY — Smartphones have become as ubiquitous in movies as they are in real life, but apparently there are still limits to how closely we can mirror reality.

Imagine you’re in line at a coffee shop. You order your usual cappuccino and swipe your credit card to pay. Then the cashier swivels a little screen that prompts you for a tip – before the espresso shot is pulled or a drop of milk steamed. Do you tip more, perhaps hoping that it will lead to a better drink? Or less or none at all, peeved at being asked to reward service that hasn’t happened yet? Do you feel pressured into tipping the suggested amounts, which can equate to more than half the price of the drink?

While running today, I noticed something. All of our retail shops are closed. But the construction industry, development of our infrastructure is full steam ahead. Then I thought, in a couple of years, when we look back, what will it all mean? The Coronavirus, social distancing, and non-essential business closures… And I think I’ve put my finger on the pulse.

The North Sentinelese tribe is one of the world's most isolated groups of people out there. Their story is intriguing and this article highlights key points.

How immigration, ingenuity and the American spirit shaped a US fried chicken “war” that’s been simmering for four generations.

What seems like a simple hobby can take you across the world.

Aka, the case against mindfulness when you’re eating dinner