A Carmina Burana street performance becomes a decadent flashmob opera. Produced by MeTube 2, “the love child of opera, Pulp Fiction, and Grumpy Cat.” Discovered in 1803, Carmina Burana is a medieval collection of mostly NSFW poems satirizing the Catholic Church. In 1936, Carl Orff composed songs around 24 of
Song-of-the-year contender Mitski’s “Your Best American Girl” now has a video to match the empowering intensity of WHEN THOSE CHORDS HIT, and then HIT AGAIN, and do they ever. See also: How to play “Your Best American Girl” because you’re going to want to learn
Hyperrealist sculptor Carole Feuerman’s astounding work feels so alive because there’s an unbreakable spirit inside each piece. See more at Artsy and carolefeuerman.com
* Syria peace talks resume in Geneva, with the fate of Assad still a stumbling block. * America's ongoing air wars in the Middle East have depleted our stock of bombs. * Human Rights Watch issues startling report warning of the dangers of “killer robots.” * For poor Americans, geography greatly affects
Richie Jackson is a skateboarding pioneer. In “Death Skateboards” he gives every trick a wacky, unexpected twist. See also: Thrasher’s longstanding editor Jake Phelps is nearly too hardcore in his embodiment of skate culture.
* Following the Panama Papers, EU to require multinational firms to disclose more tax information. * The Panama Papers counterintuitive conspiracy theory: Putin is the mole. * So many Detroiters are seeking concealed pistol permits, classes are booked for two months out. * Analysts say NPR is signing its own death warrant by ignoring
* Government surveillance planes routinely circle over major American cities, but don't fly much on weekends. * The CIA's venture capital arm—who knew?—invests in a skincare start-up that collects users' DNA. * UK spy agency helps prevent leak of the latest Harry Potter. * David Cameron
* There was a 50% uptick in executions worldwide between 2014 and 2015. * Al Qaeda is winning a PR war over ISIS in Yemen by providing social services. * Boko Haram has used women and girls in more than 100 terrorist attacks since 2014. * There are some 4,000 internally displaced people
* Global military spending is on the rise—36% is the US alone, at $596B. * The trials of women and children refugees, who now make up over half the refugee population in Europe. * Report finds "unprecedented" levels of violence and threats against abortion providers in 2015. * Obama's
* Mossack Fonseca, the firm at the center of the Panama Papers, provided financial services to Bashar al-Assad's cousin and financier, whom America has sanctioned. * Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with his brother-in-law and other top officials, linked to Mossack Fonseca. * All mentions of the Panama
