Category: today’s top story

Greece starts (carefully) removing scultures from the Acropolis to a new museum. “Yesterday’s meticulously choreographed operation will be repeated 153 times during the coming months as an estimated 4,500 antiquities are moved from the Acropolis to the new museum.”

“New York Philharmonic officials were returning yesterday from an exploratory trip to North Korea with glowing reports of concert possibilities in the capital, Pyongyang, but they faced the potentially difficult task of selling the idea to the players… Orchestra management calls the visit purely musical and apolitical, but Korea experts say a concert in Pyongyang by a major American orchestra would be a publicity coup for North Korea.”

Doris Lessing has been awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature. “Lessing is only the 11th woman to win the prize, considered by many to be the world’s highest accolade for writers, since it started in 1901. And she is the second British writer to win in three years, after Harold Pinter was honoured in 2005.” Lessing, who is 87, will receive $1.85m in prize money.

When you hear of an artist or musician receiving a $50,000 grant, you probably imagine him using the money to create more art or music, or to launch some exciting new venture previously beyond the realm of affordability. The truth is more pedestrian – most artists use at least part of the money from grants to pay for basic essentials of life – doctors’ appointments, a new pair of glasses, even house payments.

For weeks, British arts leaders have been fretting about possible government funding cuts in advance of the London Olympics. But it appears now there will be no cuts, but no increases either. “The devil in the details will only become visible in the next few weeks, and the biggest horns, as ever, are on the imp labelled ‘2012 Olympics’. But standing still, with the promise of increases matching inflation, as opposed to sliding back down a slope of solid gains in the last decade, looks like a small, but real, victory.”

“The organising committee for a certain upcoming sporting event has decided it would be “disproportionate” to prosecute the author of a book called Olympic Mind Games for breach of copy-right. But, under no less than two acts of parliament, it could if it wanted to. In claiming copyright on a word, the organisation dedicated to the promotion of the competition to be held two years into the next decade is both following and extending a dangerous trend.”

Four men have been arraigned in a Scottish court in connection with the recovery of a stolen da Vinci masterpiece in Glasgow. “The Madonna with the Yarnwinder was taken from Drumlanrig Castle, in Dumfries and Galloway, in August 2003. Police officers recovered the £30m painting at a solicitors’ office in the centre of Glasgow on Thursday.”

The musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra approved a new 5-year contract late Friday night, ending speculation that they could be on the verge of a strike. Details have yet to be released, but orchestra officials have been quoted calling the deal “fair and generous.” The old contract, which included an initial wage freeze and minimal raises, expired October 1.

“The idea of a visit to North Korea, where the totalitarian government keeps a tight rein on the people and sharply restricts access to the outside world, began with a somewhat vague invitation in August but has taken shape in recent weeks.”