Skyscrapers, bridges and other landmarks in South Korea’s capital will be lit up in purple Monday as the country begins celebrating the 10th anniversary of K-pop band BTS, whose global popularity is a source of national pride. The lights will provide the backdrop for various social media-driven events marking the 2013 debut of the seven-member…

The new Modern Art gallery at the Denver Art Museum includes two painters from Ghana. VOA’s Scott Stearns gives us a look. …

Best musical: “Kimberly Akimbo”  Best play: “Leopoldstadt”  Best revival of a musical: “Parade”  Best revival of a play: “Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog”  Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical: Victoria Clark, “Kimberly Akimbo”  Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play: Sean Hayes, “Good Night, Oscar”  Best…

The intimate, funny-sad musical “Kimberly Akimbo” nudged aside splashier rivals on Sunday to win the musical crown at the Tony Awards on a night when Broadway flexed its creative muscle amid the Hollywood writers’ strike and made history with laurels for nonbinary actors J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell. “Kimberly Akimbo,” with songs by Jeanine…

It was Miles Morales and the Spider-Verse versus the “Transformers” at the box office this weekend and the bots came out on top. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” the seventh entry in the series, took the No. 1 spot in its first weekend in North American theaters with $60.5 million according to studio estimates Sunday.…

New location? No script? No rehearsal? No sweat.  Welcome to the 2023 Tony Awards, a show with an extra jolt of electricity this time due to the Hollywood writers’ strike.  Unpredictability has been inserted into what is usually an upbeat, safe and chummy night. The strike has left Broadway’s biggest night without a script, in…

In the heart of Maryland, the Frederick Keys baseball team introduced its newest player last week, one unlike any other the team has seen in its 35-year history. Dennis Kasumba, 18-year-old catcher. From Uganda. Kasuma recently turned what seemed like an impossible dream into a reality, making the leap from the rough fields of his…

Vietnam’s booming food scene was awarded its first-ever Michelin stars Tuesday, with four restaurants selected by the prestigious dining guide. Three eateries in Hanoi — Gia, Tam Vi and Hibana by Koki — and one in Ho Chi Minh City — Anan Saigon — were each awarded one Michelin star. Although there were no stars…

Kashmir valley, in the Indian- administered portion of Kashmir, is known for its unique craftsmanship. For centuries, locals learned skills from those who arrived from central Asia following the arrival of Islam in the region. However, among the hundreds of skills, three are in danger of being lost. For VOA, Muheet Ul Islam reports from…

Tens of thousands of people in Thailand celebrated Bangkok Pride with a parade on Sunday. Some Thais say they hope laws will one day allow same-sex marriage in a society that has already changed. Vijitra Duangdee reports from Bangkok. …

Seven people involved in different racist attacks against Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr have been punished by Spain’s State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, the country’s Sports Commission said on Monday. Four men were fined $64,255 and banned from sports venues for two years after hanging a banner reading “Madrid hates…

 PARIS (AP) — France’s beloved abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel has reached a ripe old age. It’s been 1,000 years since the laying of its first stone.  The millennial of the UNESCO World Heritage site and key Normandy tourism magnet is being celebrated until November with exhibits, dance shows and concerts. French President Emmanuel Macron is heading…

Among the thousands of fans in the stands at Europe’s biggest soccer games are a few people operating undercover. Trained volunteer observers listen for racist chants and watch for extremist symbols on banners. “You have to be aware of the environment and fit in without standing out. You have to be discreet,” one observer, who…

The National Building Museum in Washington has launched a new long-term exhibition called Brick City, which re-creates the iconic architecture of cities around the world using Lego bricks. Maxim Moskalkov has the story. Camera: Andrey Degtyarev …

Stretch limousines — once a symbol of the rich and famous — are now rarely seen on the roads and at red carpet events. Karina Bafradzhian investigates why demand for limousines has declined. …

Hollywood’s major studios reached a tentative labor agreement with the union representing film and television directors, likely averting a work stoppage that would have piled pressure on media companies to settle with striking writers.  The Directors Guild of America (DGA) will ask its 19,000 members to approve the three-year contract, which was announced late Saturday…

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” opened in U.S. and Canadian theaters with a massive $120.5 million, more than tripling the debut of the 2018 animated original and showing the kind of movie-to-movie box-office growth that would be the envy of even the mightiest of Hollywood franchises.  Sony Pictures’ “Across the Spider-Verse,” the multi-verse spinning animated Spider-Man…

Kaija Saariaho, who wrote acclaimed works that made her the among the most prominent composers of the 21st century, died Friday. She was 70.  Saariaho died at her apartment in Paris, her family said in a statement posted on her Facebook page. She had been diagnosed in February 2021 with glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable…

In California, members of an under-the-radar, minority religious community are stepping into the public eye to advocate for making the state the first in the nation to outlaw caste bias. They are the Ravidassia — followers of Ravidass, a 14th century Indian guru who preached caste and class equality. There are about 20,000 members of…

The arrest of Byuhar, a popular rapper in Myanmar, has caused widespread alarm among his loved ones and fellow artists. The 38-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Min Oak Myanmar, had strongly criticized the Myanmar junta, calling them “incompetent fools,” on social media because of the worsening power outage situation in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon.…

Female artists examine their lives and cultures in an exhibition featuring art from the Middle East and other areas, now on display in Los Angeles. The exhibition, called “Women Defining Women,” explores the roles of women in traditional societies and modern life. Mike O’Sullivan takes a look. …

Vinicius Junior is an idol to millions for his sublime goalscoring skills for Real Madrid but off the football pitch he has prompted a stark national debate over racism in Spain. The 22-year-old Brazilian player was reduced to tears after, once again, being the target of ugly abuse during a game between his team and…

For the first time since 1937, a Chinese man competed in the main draw of the French Open — and, actually, a total of three did, all playing opening-round matches on Monday. The first of the groundbreaking group in action on the red clay of the Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros was Shang Juncheng,…

For those seeking to live in the most sustainable way, there now is an afterlife too. A Dutch intrepid inventor is now “growing” coffins by putting mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, together with hemp fiber in a special mold that, in a week, turns into what could basically be compared to the looks of…

The Mogadishu Book Fair, an annual literary event that was launched in 2015, took place last week after a three-year break because of the COVID pandemic. The fair, meant to promote reading and Somali culture and heritage by bringing together literary creatives and young people, was held at the National Theatre of Somalia. Mohamed Sheikh…

“The Little Mermaid ” made moviegoers want to be under the sea on Memorial Day weekend. Disney’s live-action remake of its 1989 animated classic easily outswam the competition, bringing in $95.5 million on 4,320 screens in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday. And Disney estimates the film starring Halle Bailey as the titular mermaid…

The chants of “monkey!” at the Spanish soccer stadium echoed across the Atlantic, reaching people on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. That’s where Vinícius Júnior, who is Black, grew up and launched his soccer career. Now, despite his global fame and millions, he was again the target of crude European racism. His city in…

Fantasy adventure “Brahmastra: Part One — Shiva” won a series of prizes as the glitzy International Indian Film Academy Awards show started in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Star songstress Shreya Ghoshal won best female playback singer for her turn in the romance-laced epic, which also took awards for music direction and lyrics. The show, studded…