The kamancheh player Kayhan Kalhor, whose Iranian virtuosity has been complemented by composition studies in America – and whose new work is about to be premiered by Yo-Yo himself – is in Levin’s view a model Silk Road participant.Is there not a danger of snuffing out what’s special in each tradition? Are not some of [...]

Ah, and now here was Alan Kilshaw, emerging not from the room which the press had besieged but from some other direction entirely. The reporters and cameramen descended upon him like a swarm of ants.If you were to judge from TV and newspaper reports this week, it would seem that the Kilshaws were a couple [...]

Better yet, her book received almost indecently good reviews. And although Oscar Wilde taught us one should always have something sensational to read in the train, I suggest reading it in private – failing to stifle giggles and guffaws at her jokes in public is a trifle embarrassing. Good reviews haven’t exactly been in short [...]

Last November he said he felt the chic company had “too many cooks”.In particular, he was said to feel creatively constrained by the parent company, the luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, and its boss, Bernaud Arnault.Last night Givenchy was at pains to stress that the dramatic scrapping of tomorrow’s show had not been [...]

“If there were 10 slopes in the Beijing area, it would not be too many.” There are five already, but Mr Zhao’s is confident in the knowledge that his 1,000-metre slope at Shijinglong, on the slopes of Guanmao mountain, Yanqing County, remains the longest.Mr Zhao credits the two-day weekend, and improving standards of living, for [...]

I shall personally be applying to have some of the glorious traditional art in the collection that has been replaced by this shameful rubbish for my offices in London.”Chris Smith is well known for his interest in modern art and has several fashionable prints hanging in his private office. He has encouraged government patronage of [...]

“We learn that it could be the start of their next financial year before some health authorities get their act together even though they were told to make it an urgent priority. This is simply indefensible.”There was a substantial increase in funding to the NHS in the March budget The Government … indicated to health [...]

Rangers’ Champions’ League destiny is still in their own hands despite a bitter defeat to Sturm Graz in Austria last night But only just. A campaign that started so well is now in danger of collapse. Rangers’ Champions’ League destiny is still in their own hands despite a bitter defeat to Sturm Graz in Austria [...]

“They provide a ready means of getting through traffic on short journeys on busy urban roads and, for that matter, on less busy suburban roads,” he added.The judges had allowed an appeal by the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire against the decision of Harrogate magistrates to acquit a man driving such a scooter while disqualified [...]

The British actors Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Roth play apes, while Perfect Storm star Mark Wahlberg takes the astronaut role made famous by Charlton Heston. But while Heston tended to take a “get your stinking paws off me, you damned, dirty ape” approach to hairy primates, Wahlberg’s character will have an intimate emotional relationship [...]