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  • Why do people celebrate Bloomsday?

    Why do people celebrate Bloomsday?

    Every June, the cobblestone streets and historic quarters of Dublin transform into a living, breathing tribute to one of the 20th century’s most revolutionary works of literature: James Joyce’s *Ulysses*. That celebration, known globally as Bloomsday, draws literary enthusiasts, casual visitors, and Dublin locals alike each year, all gathering to honor the novel and its iconic everyman protagonist, Leopold Bloom.

    The date of the celebration holds deep meaning: it marks the single day on which the entire plot of *Ulysses* unfolds—June 16, 1904. For Joyce himself, the date also carried personal weight: it was the date of his first romantic outing with his future wife, Nora Barnacle, a private milestone he wove into the core of his masterpiece.

    Today, Bloomsday has grown far beyond a small literary commemoration. Participants don period clothing matching the novel’s early 1900s setting, retrace Leopold Bloom’s exact walking route across Dublin, take part in public readings of the book’s famously dense and lyrical passages, and enjoy traditional Irish food and drink that feature prominently in Joyce’s text. What began as a quiet tribute among a small circle of Joyce’s admirers in the 1920s has evolved into a major cultural event that draws visitors from across the globe to Dublin each year, while smaller celebrations are now held in literary hubs around the world.

    So why does this specific celebration endure, more than a century after the novel was published? For many, Bloomsday is more than a nod to a classic work of literature. It is a celebration of ordinary life: *Ulysses* unfolds over a single, unremarkable day in Bloom’s life, elevating small, everyday moments to the level of high art. The event also celebrates Joyce’s radical reimagining of narrative and the English language, which redefined what the novel could do. For Dublin, it has also become a beloved cultural tradition that ties the city’s present to its literary past, drawing communities together around a shared love of storytelling and Irish cultural heritage.

  • Why do people celebrate Bloomsday?

    Why do people celebrate Bloomsday?

    Every June 16, the bustling city streets of Dublin trade their modern, 21st-century vibe for the charming atmosphere of early 1900s Ireland, all in honor of one of the most celebrated works of 20th-century literature: James Joyce’s *Ulysses*. This beloved annual tradition, known as Bloomsday, invites literary lovers from across Ireland and beyond to step directly into the pages of Joyce’s epic novel, which unfolds across a single 24-hour period in the city. Named for Leopold Bloom, the book’s iconic protagonist, Bloomsday draws fans who lean into the spirit of the occasion with full period immersion.

    Attendees don Edwardian-era attire to match the novel’s 1904 setting: men don crisp three-piece suits and classic bowties, while women adorn themselves with elaborate, flower-draped hats and flowing, bold-hued gowns. The unofficial signature of any Bloomsday enthusiast, however, is a woven straw hat trimmed with colorful ribbons – a detail that makes celebrating fans easy to spot as they traverse the city’s real-life locations that feature in the novel’s plot. From the former Sweny’s Pharmacy (now a beloved independent bookstore) on Lincoln Place to Davy Byrne’s pub on Duke Street – a venue that has operated continuously in the same spot for more than a century – fans retrace Bloom’s journey across Dublin, reciting passages from the book and reenacting famous scenes at every stop.

    For first-time participant Michelle O’Toole, the celebration is equal parts personal creativity and literary tribute. O’Toole crafted her Edwardian-style dress entirely from repurposed household materials: an old curtain she had stored for years formed the base of the garment, while a second net curtain provided the delicate lace trim. She updated a pre-owned hat with fresh floral accents to match her handmade gown and paired the look with a vintage parasol she originally brought to a horse racing event years prior, bringing her young daughter Amelie O’Toole Driuex along for her very first Bloomsday.

    A short distance away, outside the doors of Davy Byrne’s pub, where free straw hats were handed out to new attendees, long-time Joyce fans Jennifer Whelan and Claire Devlin shared their experience working through *Ulysses* over nine months in their local book club. For Devlin, engaging deeply with the novel completely transformed her relationship with her home city: “It changes the whole experience of living in Dublin because now I walk around and I think, oh, ‘Bloom did that there’ and ‘that’s where he ate’. It feels so real, and if you dress up and get really involved in the festivities, it feels even more real.” Whelan echoed the joyful community spirit of the day, noting that she and Devlin had crafted their own event hats, shaping the bases with chicken wire before attaching large, dramatic red and white roses.

    While Bloomsday is now one of Dublin’s most iconic annual cultural events, its origins stretch back almost a century to the years immediately following *Ulysses*’ 1922 publication. The earliest written record of the celebration appears in a 1924 letter from Joyce himself, where he referenced a small group of fans already marking “what they call Bloom’s day”. As Andrew Basquille, a volunteer with the Joyce Tower and Museum in Sandycove, explains, Joyce’s choice to set the entire novel on June 16, 1904, holds deeply personal meaning: that date marked Joyce’s very first romantic date with Nora Barnacle, the woman who would later become his wife.

    This year, Basquille joined participants at Dublin’s historic Glasnevin Cemetery – the final resting place of more than one million people, including Irish revolutionary leaders Michael Collins, Arthur Griffith, and Countess Constance Markievicz – for a traditional reenactment of the novel’s famous funeral scene for fictional character Paddy Dignam, a key early episode that Leopold Bloom attends. For Blaise Reid, a decades-long Joyce fan who took part in the reenactment, *Ulysses* remains a work that rewards lifelong engagement. “I was given *Ulysses* for my 21st birthday and I am now 54 and still working through it,” Reid said. “It’s an incredible read and it’s very complicated in a lot of ways.”

    Across the city, from cemetery reenactments to pub readings to street performances of songs tied to the novel, Bloomsday continues to serve as a joyful bridge between Ireland’s literary legacy and modern Dublin life, bringing together new and long-time Joyce fans to celebrate the work that turned the city’s streets into immortal art.

  • How Japanese girl band XG went from brutal six year training to global pop stars

    How Japanese girl band XG went from brutal six year training to global pop stars

    Before every performance, the seven members of global breakout pop group XG gather in a tight circle, lock hands, and share a pre-show chant that holds far deeper meaning than a simple pep talk. When leader Jurin calls out “Hesono,” the group roars back “Oh” and thrust their arms toward the sky. The phrase draws its roots from the Japanese word heso no o, meaning umbilical cord – a symbol of the inescapable, lifelong connection that has bound the band together since their earliest days.

    “We’re so strongly connected, we’re always thinking the same things,” explains Chisa, the group’s oldest member. The concept came to her in a dream early in the group’s history, where she saw all seven members linked by an umbilical cord, just like a mother and child. “I threw that out as an idea for our identity. People said, ‘That’s so new and interesting’, and that’s how the concept of Hesono-o was born.”

    BBC sat down with the full seven-piece lineup – Maya, Juria, Hinata, Harvey, Cocona, Chisa and Jurin – the morning after their triumphant, rain-drenched debut set at Capital’s Summertime Ball at London’s Wembley Stadium, where they earned a rapturous reception from thousands of British fans. Dressed in bold neon looks punctuated by tufts of faux fur and ornate belt buckles, each member brings a distinct personal style to the group: Cocona wears a necklace emblazoned with “rock star,” while Harvey’s stacked collection of bangles clinks with every step. But for all their individual flair, their synchronized energy and obvious camaraderie are impossible to miss; when answering questions, they huddle to confer before selecting a spokesperson, a small habit that reveals their deep-rooted teamwork.

    That connection was forged over more than a decade, starting when some members were just 11 or 12 years old. In 2016, XG’s members were scouted from thousands of aspiring performers across Japan. Twenty-one finalists were selected to enter an intensive long-term training program, living together in group dorms while training from dawn to dusk in singing, dancing, and multilingual communication.

    The training regimen was notoriously grueling. Behind-the-scenes documentary footage from the trainee era shows coaches scolding young trainees for posting casual dorm photos to social media, telling the teens “You’re never going to earn respect for doing that sort of thing.” Other clips show trainees repeating squats until they grew ill or broke down in tears from exhaustion. “It was the toughest and most difficult experience I’ve ever had,” Maya says of the years of training. “A battle against myself physically and mentally.” Looking back, Chisa describes the entire experience as an act of “pure survival.” It was only when candidates were split into small teams that the group’s signature sisterhood began to form.

    “In a good way, we pushed each other to improve, so each team became really united,” Chisa explains. “From the middle to the later part of our trainee period, we started hanging out more – going out together, travelling, holding little sports days and things like that. We really loved watching movies together,” adds Hinata. “Especially scary movies, because we would all huddle up together under a blanket, being scared together. It was like we were real-life siblings, you know? That feeling is something I really love.”

    After six years of rigorous preparation, the 21-person trainee pool was narrowed down to the final seven-member lineup, and XG made their public debut in 2022 with the single *Tippy Toes*. Built around a minimalist hip-hop beat, the track showcased the group’s seamless ability to shift from razor-sharp rap flows to melodic vocal runs, and its lyrics laid bare their ambitious global goals: “Understand that we didn’t come to play, here to dominate,” Hinata sang.

    They made good on that promise later that same year with *Galz Xypher*, a track that saw the group’s rap line – Jurin, Maya, Harvey, and Cocona – trade verses across three languages over a sample patchwork that draws from Aretha Franklin’s *One Step Ahead* and Rosalía’s *Saoko*. The track became a viral sensation, spawning thousands of reaction videos on TikTok and racking up more than 49 million plays on YouTube to date. Subsequent releases, from the upbeat *Shooting Star* to the bold, confident *Woke Up*, solidified the group’s signature sound: a fusion of futuristic sci-fi aesthetics and the elastic, smooth grooves of 1990s R&B. By 2025, the group had earned a slot on the Coachella lineup, where they were the only Japanese act featured that year. “I still get chills when I watch it back,” Maya says. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna work hard until I can get back on that stage’.”

    As XG’s career skyrocketed, youngest member Cocona underwent a deeply personal public journey. Last December, on their 20th birthday, Cocona came out as transmasculine and non-binary in a heartfelt Instagram post, a move almost unheard of in the tightly controlled traditional world of J-pop and idol music. “I want to share something that’s been in my heart for a long time,” they wrote. “I was born and perceived as female, but that label never represented who I truly am… The hardest thing I’ve ever faced was accepting and embracing myself.”

    From the start, Cocona had the unwavering support of their bandmates. Jurin shot the artistic accompanying photos for the announcement, which included shots of Cocona’s top surgery scars, while Chisa did their makeup. XG’s global fanbase responded with an outpouring of love and acceptance, a reaction Cocona says they are still grateful for. “I was really, really grateful for that,” they say. “I hope through me saying what I did, that other people will feel a sense of hope or light or love. Thinking that way makes me feel like I can keep going and work even harder, so I feel very blessed.”

    In the wake of Cocona’s announcement, the group redefined their own identity as well. Originally, the name XG stood for “Xtraordinary Girls”; now, it stands for “Xtraordinary Genes,” reflecting the group’s core message that “it’s okay to be yourself as you are,” Chisa explains. “Breaking fixed ideas and preconceptions is a big part of our concept,” Jurin agrees.

    That ethos anchors the group’s new album, *The Core*, which sees the seven-piece expanding far beyond the throwback R&B sound of their early EPs to explore a more diverse sonic palette. Lead single *Gala* is built around a Vogue-inspired ballroom beat, while fan-favorite *Hypnotise* draws inspiration from the iconic chunky house piano of CeCe Peniston’s *Finally*. “When we first heard that iconic piano sound, we instantly thought, ‘This has to be our title track’,” Maya says. “It’s not just danceable, it has a kind of dark, mysterious feel, and it makes you picture the city at night.”

    Another standout track, *O.R.B*, pairs wailing distorted guitars with a message of bro solidarity – a choice widely interpreted as a public declaration of support for Cocona. “We told our producer we wanted a band-style rock song,” recalls Chisa. “We never imagined the demo would make it onto the album, but when we listened to it together, it really reminded us of Avril Lavigne and we all felt, ‘This is exactly what we want to do’. It’s a track that expands our musical gravity, our musical universe.”

    This September, British fans will get to experience that expanded universe firsthand when XG plays their first ever UK headline show at Wembley Arena, part of a year-long global tour. Juria says the concerts “will truly embody the album’s title. Our core will be right there on stage.”

    Even as touring and rising fame ramp up the demands on their time, the group has no plans to loosen the umbilical bond that brought them this far. They prioritize intentional downtime together to stay grounded: “Having a clear on/off switch is really important,” says Hinata. “For me, spending downtime with the members really helps me stay balanced.” Hinata relaxes by watching anime, Jurin – a former professional snowboarder – hits the slopes whenever she can, and Harvey hides a secret talent for playing trombone, even carrying her mouthpiece with her on tour. “I haven’t played properly since I was in third grade of junior high, but I do carry around the mouthpiece with me… So I’d love to play trombone with the band one day, just to see if I can still do it,” she laughs. If their rise so far is any indication, that dream probably isn’t far off.

  • James Burrows, legendary director of sitcoms, dies aged 85 – US media

    James Burrows, legendary director of sitcoms, dies aged 85 – US media

    The entertainment world is mourning the loss of one of television comedy’s most transformative figures: James Burrows, the visionary director and co-creator whose work shaped some of the most iconic American sitcoms of all time, has passed away at the age of 85. Multiple U.S. media outlets confirmed the news, with his attorney Tom Hoberman sharing the announcement of Burrows’ death “with great sadness” to CBS News, a domestic partner of the BBC.

    Burrows’ 50-plus year career in television left an indelible mark on the comedy genre. He is most widely celebrated as the co-creator of the hit NBC sitcom *Cheers*, the beloved Boston bar-set comedy that remains a cultural touchstone decades after its original run. Beyond his work on *Cheers*, Burrows amassed an unprecedented professional resume, directing more than 1,000 episodes of dozens of television classics that defined generations of comedy viewing. These credits include legendary series such as *Friends*, *The Big Bang Theory*, and *Will & Grace*, with each production benefiting from his sharp eye for comedic timing and character-driven storytelling.

    A trailblazer in the industry, Burrows’ contributions earned him some of the highest honors in television. He took home 11 Emmy Awards over the course of his career, in addition to five Directors Guild of America Awards, recognizing his consistent excellence and innovation behind the camera.

    In an official statement shared with the U.S. celebrity outlet *People*, Burrows’ family opened up about his life and legacy: “We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James ‘Jimmy’ Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family. For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history. As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.”

    Tributes from across the entertainment industry are expected to pour in in the coming days, as colleagues, protégés, and fans honor the career of a man who redefined what television comedy could be.

  • Dragon Boat Festival links modern China to traditions more than 2,000 years old

    Dragon Boat Festival links modern China to traditions more than 2,000 years old

    Across mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, millions of people gathered Friday to mark the annual Dragon Boat Festival, a millennia-old cultural celebration that blends historic legend, ancient philosophical beliefs, and lively communal competition. What began more than 2,000 years ago as a festival tied to summer solstice rhythms and traditional concepts of health and cosmic balance has grown into one of China’s most vibrant and widely observed cultural holidays, centered on its iconic signature event: competitive dragon boat racing.

    Unlike many modern holidays that have shed much of their original cultural context, the Dragon Boat Festival retains deep roots in Chinese history and folk tradition. Historians note the celebration’s origins stretch back to ancient beliefs surrounding the summer solstice, when shifting seasonal energy created imbalance between yin and yang. Communities developed rituals aimed at restoring harmony, protecting public health, and aligning human activity with the natural world.

    “Of all traditional Chinese festivals, the Dragon Boat Festival stands out as the richest and most diverse in its customs,” explained Liu Xiaofeng, a history professor at Tsinghua University. “Across China’s different regions, local communities built out a wide range of unique traditions, all rooted in core ideas connected to the summer solstice and balancing yin and yang energies.”

    For most around the world, the festival is most closely linked to the legendary story of Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese poet and scholar who, according to centuries-old lore, drowned himself in a river over political injustice more than 2,000 years ago. Out of respect and grief, local residents rushed out onto the water in long boats to search for his body, and threw packets of rice into the river to prevent fish from feeding on his remains. These acts of mourning eventually evolved into the two most iconic Dragon Boat traditions: dragon boat racing and zongzi, the savory sticky rice dumplings still enjoyed by families across the country today.

    This year’s celebrations kicked off with a three-day competitive racing event hosted in Beijing, running through June 21 along the capital’s historic Grand Canal. The tournament features separate men’s, women’s, and mixed-team divisions, with races contested over 100-meter, 200-meter, and 500-meter courses. Dozens of teams from five regions across China — including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, and Guangdong — have traveled to the capital to compete over the holiday weekend.

    On the opening day of the competition, rowers kept perfectly synchronized strokes to the thunderous rhythm of on-board drummers, each long, colorful dragon boat surging forward through the water as crowds of spectators along the banks cheered for their favorite teams. For those who could not attend in person, many gathered at home with family, eating zongzi and watching broadcast coverage of the races.

    “The competition didn’t just help our team build stronger teamwork and spirit,” said Li Maoshan, a competitor who took part in Friday’s opening races. “It also gave all of us a chance to show the values of perseverance and dedication that this tradition has carried for centuries.”

    In Hong Kong, Friday’s races added an extra touch of playful creativity, with some competitors dressing in themed costumes, including a playful cartoon iteration of Ne Zha, a beloved deity from Chinese Taoist tradition.

    This report included contributions from AP video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing and AP reporter Kanis Leung in Hong Kong. Associated Press religion and cultural coverage receives support through a collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The Associated Press is solely responsible for all content in this report.

  • A Miami art exhibit is celebrating Africa’s soccer legacy throughout the World Cup

    A Miami art exhibit is celebrating Africa’s soccer legacy throughout the World Cup

    MIAMI (AP) — Near the entrance of a new Miami art exhibition, a striking photograph captures Brazilian star Vinícius Júnior mid-goal celebration, one fist raised high in triumph. It hangs adjacent to a vivid acrylic work by Tasanee Durrett, depicting a Black woman heading a soccer ball, her dreadlocks floating mid-air. A glass-cased replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy anchors the nearby display space, encircled by an array of photographs, paintings and national flags that weave together the untold stories of generations of African footballers and their soccer dreams.

    This immersive collection, titled *Art and the Beautiful Game: Africa on the World Stage*, is the work of AfriKin, a foundation dedicated to amplifying African and African diaspora art. Curated by Alfonso D. Brooks, a former longtime sound engineer turned arts organizer, the exhibition opened in Miami in advance of the World Cup, drawing together works from more than 50 creators spanning 25 countries. The show traces soccer’s deep embedded role in African history, while honoring the sport’s most globally influential figures — from the late Brazilian legend Pelé to contemporary French star Kylian Mbappé.

    Every one of the 10 African nations qualifying for the World Cup is highlighted and celebrated in the exhibition, with a special tribute reserved for Cape Verde. The tiny island nation off West Africa pulled off one of the tournament’s most surprising upsets in its World Cup debut, securing a historic draw against European powerhouse Spain. AfriKin is scheduled to host an official honorary ceremony for Cape Verde on Saturday evening, ahead of the team’s group stage match against Uruguay.

    As the World Cup draws tens of thousands of global football fans to Miami, Brooks and participating artists set out to create a welcoming communal space where the African diaspora can gather, connect and celebrate its distinct cultural legacy throughout the tournament. “Miami is a huge melting pot,” explained Durrett, a 31-year-old Orlando-based artist and licensed architect. “We have Latin residents, Haitian communities, Caribbean communities, so many different cultural influences. Now that we have this platform and this voice, why not lift that story up?”

    Brooks, who was born in the Dutch Caribbean territory of St. Maarten and relocated to Miami in 2008, developed his love for soccer from its humble grassroots origins across the African continent. He recalls growing up watching young children kick makeshift soccer balls — or any round object they could find — down school hallways, in living rooms, across uneven concrete streets. “This is where you get the term ‘the beautiful game,’” he said. “Because it required nothing but a beautiful spirit.”

    That joyful simplicity runs through the entire exhibition, which offers intimate glimpses into neighborhood pick-up pitches while also highlighting the sport’s unique global power to unite people across differing backgrounds, races and languages.

    Columbus-based artist Bamazi Talle, a native of the West African nation of Togo, explores this unifying theme through paintings of the calabash — a large, woody gourd that holds deep cultural meaning across many African communities. Beyond its practical uses, from serving meals to being hardened into water-carrying vessels, the calabash stands as a cultural symbol of community connection and hospitality. Talle paints the gourds floating against the backdrop of flags of all competing World Cup nations, drawing a parallel between the fruit’s cross-cultural history and the unifying spirit of the global tournament. “Calabash became one thing that united all of us,” Talle said. “And this cup, this World Cup is, I think, this celebration of all of us coming together.”

    Durrett, whose acrylic work greets visitors at the entrance, uses her art to lift up the underrepresented stories of Black women in soccer. She first took up drawing as a therapeutic practice years ago, and has centered her work on highlighting marginalized communities, often creating full canvas pieces in a single continuous line. “I hope that visitors see the unique stories that we as artists are telling,” she said. “And I hope they see themselves reflected in these stories.”

    The exhibition also highlights what Brooks terms “Hidden Africa” — a section focused on European national teams including France, Belgium and England that field numerous players of African heritage, who were either born or developed their football skills in European countries. Through this framing, Brooks aims to highlight the far-reaching connections of the African diaspora across the entire World Cup field, while opening up conversations around identity, immigration, and the complex factors that shape a player’s choice of which nation to represent internationally.

    “I’m not just showing a football and hanging up pretty pictures or highlights of goals,” Brooks emphasized. “We want to tell a real story that people can walk into, engage with, and leave saying ‘Wow, I didn’t know that.’ People need to learn from this exhibition.”

  • Tay Keith, producer who worked with Travis Scott and Drake, found dead

    Tay Keith, producer who worked with Travis Scott and Drake, found dead

    The global hip-hop community is mourning the sudden passing of 29-year-old Grammy-nominated producer Tay Keith, whose innovative work shaped some of the biggest rap hits of the last decade. Born Brytavious Chambers in Memphis, Tennessee, Keith was found unresponsive in his Nashville residence on Wednesday after local police conducted a routine welfare check. Law enforcement officials have confirmed no foul play is suspected in his death, though a formal cause of death has not yet been released to the public. An official autopsy is currently underway to clarify the circumstances of his passing.

    Over his 10-year career, Keith built a reputation as one of the most sought-after producers in the industry, collaborating with A-list hip-hop and pop artists ranging from Drake, Travis Scott and Eminem to Beyoncé, Cardi B and Lil Nas X. He earned his first career Grammy nomination in 2019 for co-producing Travis Scott’s chart-topping hit Sicko Mode, a track that redefined modern trap production and cemented his status as a breakout talent. He picked up a second Grammy nod earlier this year in the Best Rap Song category for his work on Drake and 21 Savage’s 2023 hit Rich Flex.

    Beyond his work with established superstars, Keith was widely recognized for lifting emerging talent into the mainstream spotlight. Most notably, he produced breakout tracks for rising female rapper Sexyy Red, including her viral hit Pound Town and recent single Get It Sexyy, the latter of which was featured on the hit HBO drama Euphoria. He was also celebrated for his distinct Memphis-influenced production style, which blended heavy 808 bass lines and dynamic rhythmic patterns that became a signature of 2010s and 2020s hip-hop.

    Keith’s career path defied common industry wisdom, as he prioritized completing his college education alongside his booming music career. While studying at Middle Tennessee State University, he balanced studio sessions with coursework, eventually graduating with a degree in integrated studies and media management. In a 2020 interview with the university’s alumni magazine, he explained his commitment to finishing his degree: “There wouldn’t be any point for me to come to college if I didn’t want to finish it — I could have just focused 100% on music. By my last week of college, I had my first No. 1 single, so it didn’t make any sense to drop out.”

    In 2023, Keith’s industry impact was formally recognized when he was named to Forbes’ annual 30 Under 30 Music list, honoring the most influential young talent in the industry. Tributes have already begun pouring in from across the hip-hop community: Memphis rapper BlocBoy JB, who has been close with Keith since they were both 14 years old, shared an emotional tribute on Instagram that included a screenshot of their frequent phone conversations, writing: “We talked everyday yeen tell me you was leaving.”

    As the music community processes the news of his unexpected passing, fans and peers alike are celebrating Keith’s outsized contribution to modern hip-hop, which will leave a lasting impact on the genre for years to come.

  • Greece’s Parthenon gets a facelift, revealing a look not seen for 220 years

    Greece’s Parthenon gets a facelift, revealing a look not seen for 220 years

    ATHENS, Greece — For travelers approaching the Acropolis for the first time, a long-lost piece of ancient history is once again visible: the western side of the iconic Parthenon, now whole for the first time in more than two centuries. This milestone in decades-long preservation work was formally presented to the public on Thursday, when conservation experts fitted two custom-carved marble blocks into empty gaps that have marred the temple’s entrance-facing end for generations.

    Standing atop the hill overlooking the Greek capital, the 2,500-year-old architectural masterpiece is the country’s crown jewel of cultural heritage, drawing roughly 4.6 million tourists from across the globe each year. Centuries of conflict, natural weathering, and historical looting have left the structure with widespread damage, including the fragmented outline of its western facade that visitors have encountered since the early 1800s.

    Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni called the newly restored view “truly stunning” during the unveiling. She emphasized that the project achieves far more than simply filling physical gaps in the stone. Beyond structural integrity, the addition of the new marble blocks lets modern visitors experience the full, harmonious proportions and precise geometric symmetry that the Parthenon’s ancient designers intended for its most visible face.

    This latest phase of work was financed through a European Union cultural grant program, and it fits into a far larger, ongoing restoration initiative that first launched at the Acropolis site back in 1975. The decades-long project continues to address cumulative damage and preserve the monument for future generations of visitors.

  • Lil Nas X says he’s ‘feeling better’ after rehab and bipolar diagnosis

    Lil Nas X says he’s ‘feeling better’ after rehab and bipolar diagnosis

    Grammy-winning pop and hip-hop star Lil Nas X has broken his silence to give fans a heartfelt update on his mental health, revealing he has made major progress after months of addiction and mental health treatment following his August 2023 arrest. In a raw, vulnerable three-minute video shared to his Instagram, the 27-year-old artist, born Montero Hill, explained that he recently completed an inpatient rehab program and has returned to his hometown of Atlanta to reconnect with his family. This marks his first extensive public comment on his well-being since the 2023 incident that led to criminal charges.

    Last summer, Hill was arrested after reports of erratic public behavior, during which he was found wandering Los Angeles streets in his underwear. He was ultimately charged with assaulting responding police officers, a charge he entered a not guilty plea for. Earlier this year in April, a Los Angeles judge approved a deferred prosecution deal that allowed Hill to complete a court-supervised mental health diversion program in exchange for eventual dismissal of all charges. The agreement was granted after Hill received an official diagnosis of bipolar disorder, with the judge noting that his behavior during the arrest was completely out of character for the artist.
    Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental health condition defined by extreme shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels, alternating between manic highs and depressive lows. In the video, Hill opened up about delaying his diagnosis for years, explaining that he avoided seeking official care out of fear of judgment from the public and reluctance to start prescription medication. In a mix of humor and sincerity, the artist joked, “I mean, I’m already black and gay, like, damn, God. Gay, bipolar, like I’m living life on extreme hard mode.”

    Setting aside the joke, Hill shared that his time in treatment has led to a dramatic improvement in his mental state. “But on a serious note, I’m doing much better, I’m feeling better, I’m creating freely, and there’s less fear in my heart. I’m just smelling the roses,” he said. Filmed outdoors against a bright, clear blue sky, the video showed Hill appearing healthy and grounded as he read from prepared notes. He admitted to feeling awkward and nervous addressing fans after stepping back from social media for months.

    Hill catapulted to global fame in 2019 with his genre-bending breakout hit *Old Town Road*, which spent a record-breaking 19 weeks atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned him two Grammy Awards. He solidified his stardom with subsequent chart-topping singles including *Montero (Call Me By Your Name)* and *Industry Baby*, works that cemented his status as a groundbreaking queer icon in the music industry and a pioneer at leveraging TikTok’s platform to connect with audiences. In 2023, he received a major career honor when Elton John personally selected him as the opening performer for his iconic headline set on Glastonbury Festival’s Pyramid Stage.

    Near the end of his update, Hill shared that while he is not yet ready to jump back into the full spotlight of global pop stardom, he has been hard at work on new material. “I’ve been doing music for seven years now. I wanted to let you guys know there is new music on the way,” he said. Closing out the message, he turned directly to his loyal fanbase to thank them for their patience and support. “We’ve been through so much together. Thank you guys for holding me down. I love you and all I want to do is continue to try to make you proud and make myself proud.”

    For anyone experiencing the mental health challenges discussed in this story, free and confidential support resources are available via the BBC Action Line.

  • The Ring and Lilo & Stitch actress Daveigh Chase dies aged 35

    The Ring and Lilo & Stitch actress Daveigh Chase dies aged 35

    Beloved character actress Daveigh Chase, whose decades-long career spanned iconic horror roles and beloved Disney animation, has passed away at the age of 35. Her long-time manager and close friend John Ryan Jr. confirmed to BBC News that the actress died at a Los Angeles hospital from sepsis stemming from a recent battle with meningitis. Ryan also shared that Chase had been admitted to the medical facility for treatment of malnourishment in the lead-up to her death.

    Born in Las Vegas, Chase began her entertainment career at the young age of 4, cutting her teeth in local voiceover and theater productions before moving to Hollywood to pursue full-time acting. She landed her first on-screen role at 7, a small guest spot on the hit 1990s sitcom *Sabrina the Teenage Witch* led by Melissa Joan Hart, marking the start of a decades-long career that would see her become a staple of American film and television.

    Chase earned her first major career breakthrough in 2001 with a supporting role in the cult classic psychological drama *Donnie Darko*, playing Samantha Darko, the younger sister of Jake Gyllenhaal’s troubled protagonist. She would reprise this role eight years later in the standalone follow-up *S Darko*.

    In 2002, two career-defining roles cemented Chase’s place in pop culture history. First, she took on the iconic part of Samara Morgan, the vengeful, long-haired ghost at the center of Gore Verbinski’s American remake of the Japanese horror classic *The Ring*. Her haunting portrayal of the character who crawls out of television screens to kill her victims earned her the 2003 MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, a testament to her uncanny ability to bring terrifying characters to life. Speaking to the *Los Angeles Times* shortly after the film’s release, Chase said she relished the chance to play against type. “It is not your typical character. Usually they are looking for a happy-go-lucky kid, but Samara was a pretty interesting character to play. I just kind of took my own voice and put this freaky twist on it,” she explained.

    Later that same year, Chase showcased her range by voicing the lead role of Lilo Pelekai, the adventurous, Elvis-loving young Hawaiian girl at the heart of Disney’s animated hit *Lilo & Stitch*. Her warm, heartfelt performance earned her an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature, and she would go on to reprise the role in multiple franchise spin-offs.

    Throughout her career, Chase amassed an extensive resume of television roles, including single-episode guest spots on hit series *Charmed*, *ER*, and *Touched by an Angel*. She also held a 32-episode recurring role on HBO’s acclaimed drama *Big Love*, playing Rhonda Volmer, a young child bride in the show’s central polygamous community.

    Ryan, who represented Chase for 15 years, remembered her as a talented performer who rejected the glitz and glamour of Hollywood fame. “She was the greatest. She loved cats. She worked with cat rescues with us. She was very to herself,” Ryan said. He added that Chase often spent years at a time retreating to her Las Vegas home and regularly turned down big-budget studio roles in favor of independent projects. “She was not very Hollywood,” he said. “She’d rather eat at Bob’s Big Boy and go home with the cats. She loved acting but wasn’t into the fame scene.” Chase maintained residences in both downtown Los Angeles and Nevada throughout her adult life.

    Chase retired from full-time acting in 2015. Later in her career, she faced well-documented personal and legal challenges, including multiple charges for drug possession and joyriding in a stolen vehicle, according to *The Hollywood Reporter*. Tributes began circulating across social media shortly after news of her passing broke, with fans and industry peers remembering her unforgettable contributions to film and animation.