The equivalent of about $5.50 might be a small price to pay to see one of the world’s most iconic monuments — where the painter Raphael is buried — but the new fee has been accompanied by stumbling blocks. - The New York Times
"If it goes away" as part of a major downtown redevelopment proposed by City Hall, "so too does the prospect of seeing, within county limits, Broadway productions, world-class ballet and premier opera performances, say theater groups who are sounding the alarm about what's at stake." - MSN (The San Diego Union-Tribune)
"Unprecedented queues at the foot of the site ... and unruly scenes at the gateway to the sanctuary have spurred the Greek government to take action. … A time-slot system, fast-lane entry points for organised tourist groups and electronic ticketing are among the steps officials say will alleviate congestion." - The Observer (UK)
Their lawsuits each contain six counts of various types of copyright violations, negligence, unjust enrichment, and unfair competition. The authors are looking for statutory damages, restitution of profits, and more. - The Verge
Winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine tend to reduce their research output after claiming the prestigious honor, according to a new study – suggesting that bagging the prize isn't so desirable for those who want to stay productive and relevant. - Science Alert
"Staff apparently turned up for work at branches on Friday to find notes on windows explaining they were closing down." This leaves Sunderland (yes, the town of Roy Kent's first team) and Wigan suddenly without large cinemas. - BBC
"The union that is in the midst of tense contract negotiations with Hollywood’s major studios published a 42-second video on that showed members wielding staplers and duct tape in the grunt work of making dozens of picket signs." - Variety
"Seeing him mention this is almost anachronistic. The evidence is very clear that whatever may be going on in France, whatever violence is occurring, it certainly is not due to violence in video games." But politicians - even Gen-Xers like Macron - apparently can't stop, won't stop. - NPR
The openly homophobic and transphobic law means that "even if granted parental permission, minors may not have materials available to them." Texas is likely to follow suit, even more harshly. - Book Riot
Rather than an excuse for fans to talk trivia and swap comfort songs, these courses seem to incorporate a measure of academic rigor. For example, the NYU class, taught by a Rolling Stone writer, examined Swift’s career in relation to feminism, race and the music industry. - Los Angeles Times
In Bristol, England, cultural organizations expected to have their upcoming grants from the local government confirmed by the end of last October; now, they're told, they must wait until March of 2024. Warning that the delays mean that they can plan nothing, the arts groups are on the march. - BBC
Museums and archives have lost their collections to bombing, at least one performing arts center has been burned down, and some places whose buildings and collections remain have holes caused by artillery in their roofs and walls — this as the rainy season is coming on. - ARTnews
Change in the leadership, direction, and procedures of the SF Grants for the Arts reduced or eliminated support for dozens of organization, big and small. - San Francisco Classical Voice
It may have been a necessary compromise for a time, but it was never truly proper in terms of justice, stability or general social acceptance. - The New York Times
