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NewsBeat

The Odyssey movie causes steep rise in people learning Greek

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The Odyssey movie causes steep rise in people learning Greek

Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey has become a cultural juggernaut, but it’s not just inspiring conversation: since its release, there has been a surge in people learning Greek.

The film is a certified box office smash, exceeding expectations by making more than $640m (£480m) at the global box office after just nine days.

While the film’s historic status as the first film to be fully shot in IMAX has certainly helped those figures, it’s also evidence of the enduring appeal of Homer’s ancient poem, composed almost 3,000 years ago.

According to Google Trends, searches in the UK for “learn Greek” have risen by 5,000 per cent in the last fortnight as anticipation for The Odyssey reached fever pitch.

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'The Odyssey' has seen a surge in people wanting to learn Greek
‘The Odyssey’ has seen a surge in people wanting to learn Greek (Google)

A language trends expert for Preply, Madeline Enos, told The Times: “Homer’s Odyssey was composed in ancient Greek, which differs significantly from the language spoken in Greece today.

“Ancient Greek offers the opportunity to engage more closely with Homer’s original text and the wider classical world, while modern Greek can help people connect with contemporary Greek culture and communicate with speakers today.”

She credited The Odyssey with creating a spark that “can lead to a deeper understanding of Greece’s linguistic and cultural heritage”.

Sales for published copies of The Odyssey have risen by 70 per cent from last year, with 35,000 more copies sold this year in Britain compared with just 5,000 in 2025.

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While many were excited for The Odyssey ahead of release, scholars swiftly directed criticism at Nolan after the unveiling of first-look images and trailers.

They were left frustrated over production details, including costume design and the use of contemporary English language, including the fact that the male characters in the film wore trousers and not skirts, and also the use of the word “dad” over “father”.

The finished film has split these purists down the middle, with some calling them key omissions and others more accepting of Nolan’s artistic licence. Nolan himself told Time that he wrote an alternative ending to Homer’s poem in the film as the original “is so grim and so misogynistic”.

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Christopher Nolan’s film ‘The Odyssey’ has become a huge blockbuster hit
Christopher Nolan’s film ‘The Odyssey’ has become a huge blockbuster hit (Universal Pictures)

“I had to exclude some of that material,” he said. “But I didn’t want to completely take it off the table in terms of what it is saying about men and the way they wage war.”

The film has become one of the Dark Knight trilogy, Interstellar and Oppenheimer filmmaker’s best-reviewed from his entire career. It’s also on course to become his most bankable, beating The Dark Knight Rises (2012), which made $1.085bn (£814m).

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Overnight road closures in Bury town centre starting today

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Overnight road closures in Bury town centre starting today

The closures, which the council says are necessary for essential road resurfacing work, begin on Monday, July 27, and will be in place for five weeks.

Peel Way will be closed overnight from 8pm to 6am during that time, with diversions in place.

Work will be carried out from Jubilee Way to a point 50m east of Harvard Road.

Bury Council has confirmed where the closures and diversions will be in place.Bury Council has confirmed where the closures and diversions will be in place. (Image: Bury Council)

The council has confirmed details of the travel disruption via social media.

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In a post on Facebook, Bury Council said: “Peel Way will be closed overnight (8pm-6am) from Mon, July 27 for five weeks.

“Work will take place overnight from Jubilee Way to a point 50m east of Harvard Road.

“Diversion will follow Jubilee Way, Angouleme Way, Rochdale Road and Derby Way and vice versa.”

Drivers in Bury town centre will therefore have to make adjustments to their journeys during the overnight closure periods.

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‘Wonderful’ bride with ‘biggest heart’ dies just days after getting married

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Daily Record

Much-loved Celine Brazil died less than a week on from her wedding

Tributes have been paid to a ‘wonderful’ bride who died just days after walking down the aisle.

Celine Brazil, died surrounded by family on Thursday, July 23, at St. Francis Hospice in her hometown of Dublin.

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Her death came just days after the mum-of-four tied the knot with her longtime partner Niall. Their wedding was held last weekend, with their friends and family all in attendance to celebrate the happy couple as they said ‘I do’.

Tributes have poured in for Celine following her tragic death, with the grandmother-of-three remembered as “the most beautiful bride with the biggest heart”, reports DublinLive.

Grainger’s Hanlons Corner in Cabra were among those to pay tribute to Celine, with the pub sharing a message on their social media pages which read: “Everyone at Graingers Hanlon’s Corner would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the late Celine Brazil.

“Celine was a wonderful person who always lit up the room whenever she walked into the pub. She was always in great form, full of laughter, kindness, and good humour.

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“She brought smiles to so many faces and it was a genuine pleasure to have known her.

“She will be greatly missed by all of us, but fondly remembered for the warmth, joy, and happiness she brought to everyone around her. Rest in peace, Celine. Thinking of all who loved her at this sad time.”

Another mourner said: “Very heavy heart today. R.I.P Celine Brazil the most beautiful bride with the biggest heart. You’ll be missed so much. Thinking of Niall and her kids.”

While a third said: “RIP Celine Brazil I will never forget you ,you were just loved so much. May you get the best bed in heaven and the biggest dance floor…. I will miss you forever.”

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READ MORE: First pictures of glam Scot charged after £5.7m ketamine haul found in boot of Aussie rental car

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Celine will lie in repose at her home on Sunday, with removal on Tuesday morning to Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sean McDermott Street, arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am. followed by burial in Fingal Cemetery.

As per Celine’s wishes, mourners attending the funeral on Tuesday are asked to please wear bright clothing in her memory.

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Man stranded for a month in Pacific Ocean after sailboat nightmare reveals how he survived

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Man stranded for a month in Pacific Ocean after sailboat nightmare reveals how he survived

A sailor left stranded in the Pacific Ocean for more than a month after a trip to Hawaii turned into a nightmare has revealed how he survived.

Kai Sato set off from Catalina Island off the California coast on June 7, hoping to sail across the Pacific for the first time solo.

But two weeks into his 2,500 mile journey, his boat’s mast snapped. ​When he ran out of gas trying to get back to shore and his phone died, the 39 year-old was left drifting in despair at the mercy of the elements.

“I cried for a whole week, just drifting south, like miserable,” Sato told Hawaii News Now. “I was literally like a sitting duck, just getting taken south by the current going way off course.”

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A sailor adrift on the Pacific Ocean survived eating scraps of food, including oatmeal, squid and fish
A sailor adrift on the Pacific Ocean survived eating scraps of food, including oatmeal, squid and fish (Hawaii News Now)

When all hope seemed lost, Sato told the outlet that he eventually came up with a plan to jerry-rig the sails, using kayak paddles and PVC pipes.

With the patched-up boat it would take him another month to reach the shipping lane between California and Hawaii.

To survive, Sato told Hawaii News Now he ate oatmeal, as well as fish or squid that landed in his vessel.

After running out of drinkable water on July 11, he filled buckets with seawater and placed plastic bags over the top of them to collect the condensation.

“I was just licking that to survive,” Sato told the outlet.

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Kai Sato says that he planned to sail from Catalina Island to Hawaii
Kai Sato says that he planned to sail from Catalina Island to Hawaii (Hawaii News Now)

Finally, last Tuesday, the intrepid adventurer he gained the attention of a Pasha Hawaii ship who rescued him.

The crew threw down and roap and he managed to climb aboard their ship.

“Oh my God, yeah, like ecstatic, you know what I mean?” Sato told Hawaii News Now. “I was like crying and like so happy, and then they got me fruit and water, and yeah, they were so good to me, those guys.”

His generous benefactors gave Sato clothes and food after he was forced to live off scraps for weeks. The Pasha Hawaii crew posed for a picture with their newest member, seen beaming in a phone shared the local news outlet.

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Sato added that he is now staying with a relative, but is planning his next adventure already. Despite the setbacks of his Hawaii trip he plans on sailing next to the Philippines, some 7,500 miles away from Catalina Island.

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Emma Roberts wows in stunning gown as she weds Cody John in Idaho ceremony attended by superstar aunt Julia

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Emma Roberts looked breathtaking in a flowing white bridal gown as she wed Cody John in a fun-filled Idaho ceremony over the weekend

Emma Roberts looked breathtaking in a flowing white bridal gown as she wed Cody John in a fun-filled Idaho ceremony over the weekend.

Roberts, 35, and John, 36, exchanged vows outdoors at the actor’s family estate in Sun Valley on Saturday – with Roberts’ superstar aunt Julia Roberts and her husband Danny Moder in attendance, as well as stars Demi Moore, Kristen Stewart and Sarah Paulson.

In photos obtained by The Daily Mail, the bride, who previously called off an engagement to Evan Peters, wore a custom white gown with asymmetrical sleeves by Monique Lhuillier, as reported by Vogue – and was seen giggling as she exchanged vows with a dapper John.

In a sweet moment, Roberts was walked down the aisle by her son Rhodes, five, who she shares with ex Garrett Hedlund.

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Her father Eric Roberts, 70, who the actress has had a famously complicated relationship with, was not seen on the big day.

Following the ceremony, Roberts slipped into an archival after-party dress by the designer.

And for his part, John was dressed in a brown suit. 

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Emma Roberts looked breathtaking in a flowing white bridal gown as she wed Cody John in a fun-filled Idaho ceremony over the weekend

In a sweet moment, Roberts was walked down the aisle by her son Rhodes, five, who she shares with ex Garrett Hedlund

In a sweet moment, Roberts was walked down the aisle by her son Rhodes, five, who she shares with ex Garrett Hedlund

Roberts' superstar aunt Julia Roberts and her husband Danny Moder were in attendance

Roberts’ superstar aunt Julia Roberts and her husband Danny Moder were in attendance

Oscar-winner Julia, 58, looked stylish in a navy blue polka dot dress, with her hair in an elegant updo for the alfresco ceremony.

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Her husband Moder, 57, looked dapper in a black suit and plum tie. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Roberts’s representatives for further comment. 

American Horror Story star Roberts told Vogue about collaborating with Lhuillier on her gown, ‘I didn’t really know what I wanted.

‘I just knew that I wanted it to feel very vintage-inspired. I’m obsessed with antique books and treasure hunting, and I love collecting old ephemera, so I really wanted that to shine through in the dress.’

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The night before the nuptials, Roberts donned a beautiful white ballgown with layers of tulle to go bar-hopping with her loved ones after the rehearsal dinner.

The star was seen puffing on a cigarette as she chatted ahead of her big day. 

The American Horror Story star announced her engagement in 2024 with an Instagram post.

She flashed her diamond ring in a smiling snapshot with John, quipping in the caption: ‘Putting this here before my mom tells everyone.’ 

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The couple began dating in 2022, and John’s sparse Instagram profile is mostly made up of tributes to Roberts.

Roberts appeared emotional as she walked during the ceremony

Roberts appeared emotional as she walked during the ceremony

The bride wore a custom white gown with asymmetrical sleeves by Monique Lhuillier, as reported by Vogue - and was seen giggling as she exchanged vows with a dapper John

The bride wore a custom white gown with asymmetrical sleeves by Monique Lhuillier, as reported by Vogue – and was seen giggling as she exchanged vows with a dapper John

The happy couple shared a kiss as they officially became husband and wife

The happy couple shared a kiss as they officially became husband and wife 

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Roberts was seen smiling at her guests during the ceremony

Roberts was seen smiling at her guests during the ceremony

Demi Moore was in attendance at the glittering wedding - seen in pink

Demi Moore was in attendance at the glittering wedding – seen in pink 

Julia appeared to be wiping away tears during the nuptials

Julia appeared to be wiping away tears during the nuptials

The bride showed off her stunning gown as she spoke during the ceremony

The bride showed off her stunning gown as she spoke during the ceremony

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The bride looked stunning as she said her vows in front of a picturesque backdrop

The bride looked stunning as she said her vows in front of a picturesque backdrop 

Sarah Paulson and Billie Lourd were also in attendance at the wedding

Sarah Paulson and Billie Lourd were also in attendance at the wedding 

Rhodes matched his mom in a tiny cream suit

Rhodes matched his mom in a tiny cream suit 

The bride and her son looked radiant as they walked down the aisle

The bride and her son looked radiant as they walked down the aisle 

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Roberts kissed her son as she finished walking her down the aisle

Roberts kissed her son as she finished walking her down the aisle 

Roberts looked touched as John read his vows to her

Roberts looked touched as John read his vows to her 

Roberts wore a chic white tulle dress as she enjoyed  a cigarette after her rehearsal dinner on Friday - with the group of family and friends going barhopping

Roberts wore a chic white tulle dress as she enjoyed  a cigarette after her rehearsal dinner on Friday – with the group of family and friends going barhopping

Roberts was clearly in her bridal era as she wowed in a white gown

Roberts was clearly in her bridal era as she wowed in a white gown

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The star looked sensational as she chatted with pals

The star looked sensational as she chatted with pals

A giddy Roberts was seen hugging a pal during the festivities

A giddy Roberts was seen hugging a pal during the festivities

The pair announced their engagement in 2024

The pair announced their engagement in 2024

The blonde beauty and her man confirmed their relationship in August 2022; seen in March 2024

The blonde beauty and her man confirmed their relationship in August 2022; seen in March 2024

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Julia and Emma have a famously close relationship - they are pictured in 2010

Julia and Emma have a famously close relationship – they are pictured in 2010

There was no sign of Roberts' father Eric with whom she has a complicated relationship with - seen as a child with Eric and his wife Eliza

There was no sign of Roberts’ father Eric with whom she has a complicated relationship with – seen as a child with Eric and his wife Eliza

This past February he shared pictures of his then-fiancée and wrote, ‘You make everything magic. Happy birthday, Emma,’ to which she replied in the comments, ‘I love you.’

The now-newlyweds previously confirmed their relationship in August 2022 after they were seen kissing in New York City.

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Days later, the duo made things Instagram official with a photo John posted of them sharing a kiss on a yacht.

The caption read: ‘sweet sweet.’

At the time, a source close to the pair told ET that New York native Roberts was ‘very content with Cody, and they’re enjoying their relationship and time together.

‘Their friends and family are happy for the both of them and think they make a great couple,’ the insider dished.

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Since then, the low-key couple has managed to keep their relationship private. 

Julia and Danny were seen putting on a casual display at a local store before attending the wedding

Julia and Danny were seen putting on a casual display at a local store before attending the wedding 

The couple pictured in 2024

The couple pictured in 2024

She previously romanced her American Horror Story co-star Evan Peters; seen in 2018

She previously romanced her American Horror Story co-star Evan Peters; seen in 2018

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Before striking up her romance with John, Roberts said she didn’t want to date any more actors. 

She told Flaunt: ‘One day the veil was lifted and I didn’t want to date actors anymore. It’s hard, I think, for two actors to be together.’

‘I’m trying to think if I’ve seen it done successfully,’ she pondered before noting her actor father Eric Roberts has been married to Crack Me Up star Eliza Garrett for over 30 years. 

‘Also, the actors I’ve been with border on method actors, and that is something that I think is extremely difficult to be in a relationship with – at least for me, especially the characters that they were playing,’ she told the outlet.

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She and her ex Hedlund were first linked in April 2019, after her quiet spilt from Dahmer star Evan Peters.

Roberts and Peters publicly reunited in May 2026, seven years after they called off their engagement in a contentious split.

The exes stood next to each other onstage to promote the 13th season of American Horror Story.

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Best VPNs to protect your cybersecurity after the UK ban ruled out

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Best VPNs to protect your cybersecurity after the UK ban ruled out

VPNs, or virtual private networks, are a hot topic at the moment, with demand for the cybersecurity tool surging after the Online Safety Act. It’s been one year since the government enforced its under-16 social media policy – and it’s now ruled out plans to restrict VPN usage in the UK.

The Online Safety Act allows Ofcom (the country’s official communications regulator) to enforce extra safety checks on users, in particular, mandatory age checks on anyone looking for adult content. The process involves uploading government-issued ID, such as passports and driving licences, and uploading biometric data or financial information to prove your age and access content.

Naturally, this has led to concerns about handing over sensitive personal data to certain websites, some of which may be quite far down on the scrupulous scale. The new rules aren’t just restricted to adult content sites; dating apps, social media platforms, gaming sites and even forums like Reddit are included too.

The Act aims to transform the UK’s digital landscape and make the country “the safest place in the world to be online.” The primary aim is to protect children from searching for and looking at harmful content – a worry that’s always heightened for parents during the summer holidays.

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An aim everyone can get behind, it does leave adult users, especially the child-free ones, blinking in the new digital dawn, feeling vulnerable. This was only exacerbated when the government began exploring VPN restrictions – and even an outright ban – earlier this year.

Following a surge in VPN downloads, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology launched a public consultation in March which investigated whether children are bypassing age restrictions by using VPN’s. However, the government has now confirmed it will not ban or age-gate VPN services after its findings showed little evidence.

To learn more about the VPN services, what they do and how to install one, Standard Shopping spoke to cybersecurity expert Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.

“VPN stands for virtual private network, and it provides the ability to establish a secure network connection even when you’re using unsafe public Wi-Fi. A VPN will encrypt your online traffic and keep your virtual location hidden.”

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Why should you consider getting a VPN?

“Primarily to protect their privacy and security online, especially when using public Wi-Fi networks, which are often vulnerable to hackers and other malicious actors.

A VPN encrypts the data you send and receive, creating a secure tunnel that shields your information from being intercepted by cybercriminals, internet service providers, or anyone else on the same network, such as in cafes or airports.

This encryption makes it much harder for third parties to spy on your online activities or steal sensitive information, like passwords and credit card details.

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Additionally, a VPN masks your real IP address, adding a layer of anonymity that helps reduce tracking and profiling by websites, advertisers, or network administrators.

Using a VPN also helps bypass internet censorship and can prevent internet throttling imposed by ISPs [internet service providers], ensuring a more open and faster browsing experience.

Overall, a VPN enhances your online safety by securing your connection, especially on unsecured networks, protecting your digital identity, and providing more control over your internet freedom and privacy.”

Which VPN is the most trusted?

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“The most trusted VPNs are those that provide strong encryption standards, such as AES 256-bit encryption, to ensure data security, combined with a strict no-logs policy that guarantees the provider does not store user activity data.

Additional security measures such as malware protection, kill switches, and leak protection are important, as is compatibility across various devices and ease of use on different platforms.

Based on expert reviews and extensive testing in 2025, NordVPN is consistently regarded as the most trusted VPN service due to its robust security features, independently audited no-logs policy, extensive server network, and reliable performance.

Other highly trustworthy VPNs include those offering high privacy standards and strong security practices as well.”

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Are VPNs easy to set up? What are the steps?

“VPNs are generally easy to set up, especially when using popular commercial VPN providers that offer dedicated apps designed for simplicity and quick installation.

The most straightforward method is to choose a reputable VPN service, sign up for an account, then download and install the provider’s app on your device, whether it’s a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

After logging in with your credentials, you typically just need to select a server or rely on the app’s automatic recommendation, and connect with one click or tap.

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This process encrypts your internet traffic and routes it securely through the VPN server, usually within a few minutes, making it suitable even for beginners.”

If you’re looking for a hardworking and trustworthy VPN to enhance your online security, we’ve rounded up the best players below.

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Chelsea FC in shock Danny Welbeck transfer talks as Xabi Alonso targets new striker

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Chelsea FC in shock Danny Welbeck transfer talks as Xabi Alonso targets new striker

Chelsea currently have five strikers in their first-team squad, including Welbeck’s former Brighton team-mate Joao Pedro, their reigning player of the season and last year’s top scorer who is considered by the club to be “untouchable” and not for sale at any price following links to Barcelona earlier this summer.

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France wildfires live: Inferno threatens Bordeaux as tourists told ‘stay away’

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Daily Mirror

Firefighters in Gironde are still struggling to bring the blaze under control.

“The weather conditions are favourable, with less wind. But there are still active fires,” Captain Wilfried Schneider of SDIS 33, the Gironde Fire and Rescue Service, told the AFP news agency.

“The most active of these is between Marcheprime and Pierroton” on the outskirts of the Bordeaux metropolitan area, he said.

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Live wildfire trackers show the fire is around seven miles from the wine city, which has a population of around 850,000.

The image below, shared on Instagram by SDIS 33, shows the blaze ravaging woodland in Saumos, a village around 25 miles west of Bordeaux, last night.

“Another night of intensive work. Determination intact, total commitment. We’re carrying on,” the fire service wrote in the caption.

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‘Body Worlds’ anatomist Gunther von Hagens dies at 81

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‘Body Worlds’ anatomist Gunther von Hagens dies at 81

BERLIN (AP) — Gunther von Hagens, the German anatomist who generated both fascination and revulsion around the globe with his “Body Worlds” exhibits of preserved human corpses, has died. He was 81.

Von Hagens’ family and the Institute for Plastination, which he founded, said he died on Friday. A statement they issued on Monday gave no further details. Von Hagens had announced in 2010 that he was living with Parkinson’s disease.

Von Hagens trod a fine line between science, entertainment and commerce with his touring exhibits, as well as headline-grabbing actions such as a public autopsy.

At the heart of von Hagens’ work was the so-called plastination process — replacing body fluids with liquid plastic that then hardens. That technique, which he started developing in the 1970s, prevented decay, left tissues intact and allowed him to display preserved corpses and their inner organs.

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The resulting exhibition, “Body Worlds,” first went on show in Japan in 1995.

Two years later, the collection of partly skinless corpses went on display in von Hagens’ homeland, overcoming an attempt by local church leaders to block its opening on the grounds that it was disrespectful. Von Hagens said he was helping viewers understand how their bodies work.

The anatomist “is forced in his daily work to reject the taboos and convictions that people have about death and the dead,” von Hagens said of his work.

“I touch here a taboo, which is our body, and nothing is so near as our body is to us,” he said.

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The shows used the corpses of people who agreed to donate their bodies for plastination. Critics argued that von Hagens bordered on sensationalism with his works, which included a corpse riding a plastinated horse, and a pregnant woman with an eight-month-old fetus inside.

Von Hagens “plays with the corpses like a child plays with dolls,” the Rev. Ernst Pulsfort, spiritual rector of Berlin’s Catholic Academy, said when the show first opened in the German capital in 2001. He argued that it catered to a “public lust for sensation.”

During a “Body Worlds” show in London in 2002, the anatomist — wearing, as ever, his trademark black fedora — conducted Britain’s first public autopsy in 170 years before a sellout crowd of hundreds, defying government warnings that it might be illegal.

Von Hagens declared it a “huge success.” The British Medical Association’s head of ethics, Dr. Michael Wilkes, said it was “degrading and disrespectful.”

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The “Body Worlds” exhibits were shown in several American cities after making their U.S. debut in Los Angeles in 2004.

Von Hagens’ “Plastinarium,” where bodies are prepared, opened in the eastern German town of Guben in 2006.

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The anatomist was born Gunther Liebchen on Jan. 10, 1945, in what is now western Poland.

He went to medical school in Jena in East Germany, but increasingly questioned the communist system and made a failed attempt to flee to the West. He was detained before West Germany bought his freedom in 1970, a regular practice at the time.

He continued his medical studies at the University of Luebeck and, in the 1970s, began working at Heidelberg University’s pathology and anatomy institute. He married a former classmate, Cornelia von Hagens, and took her surname.

His second wife, Angelina Whalley, heads his Heidelberg-based Institute for Plastination and curates his exhibitions, and he had three children from his first marriage.

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Monday’s statement said it was von Hagens’ wish that his body be made available for plastination and “his family will respect and carry out this wish.”

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‘America’s saddest murder trial’ for nurse who killed her three young children while in throes of post-partum depression begins, with supportive ex-husband set to testify as first witness: Live updates

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Lindsay Clancy waits for the judge to call a prospective jury member into court in her murder trial where she is charged in the 2023 killing of her three children, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in Plymouth Superior Court in  Plymouth, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

Lindsay Clancy murder trial begins

The murder trial for the Massachusetts woman who strangled her three children, then tried to kill herself begins today.

Lindsay Clancy, 35, is accused of ruthlessly murdering her three children – Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan – back in January 2023.

Although Clancy does not deny killing her children, she has pleaded not guilty and claimed she is not responsible for her actions because she was suffering postpartum psychosis.

Prosecutors are planning to argue the killings were intentional and well planned, not the work of someone who had lost control.

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A jury is set to hear opening statements Monday in Clancy’s murder trial, then her ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, is expected to take the stand.

He is both a witness for the prosecution and the defense.

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Carly Simon, 83, announces Parkinson’s and cancer diagnoses but vows she ‘won’t stop living’

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Carly Simon, 83, announces Parkinson's and cancer diagnoses but vows she 'won't stop living'
Carly Simon has revealed the health struggles that led to her retreating from public life (Picture: Clint Spaulding/Penske Media via Getty Images)

American musician Carly Simon has opened up about her health following years out of the spotlight.

The 83-year-old You’re So Vain singer issued a statement to fans, confirming that she has Parkinson’s disease and was previously diagnosed with a form of cancer.

‘So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease,’ she began in her personal message.

‘It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly. Parkinson’s is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable.

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‘Some days I’m so tired I can’t get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself.’

Simon recalled to People how she first noticed symptoms of Parkinson’s – a disorder of the nervous system that affects movement and worsens over time – when she underwent surgery.

UNITED STATES - JUNE 18: Recording artist Carly Simon stands for a portrait in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, June 18, 2008. Simon's new album is 'This Kind of Love.' (Photo by Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease while also dealing with a form of skin cancer (Picture: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

‘The problems began with arthritis in both knees and one hip. I eventually had all three joints replaced, out with the old and in with delicate bouquets of metal and plastic.

‘After three replacement surgeries, I assumed my difficulty walking was simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process.

‘But my mobility continued to worsen. I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm. Overstuffed furniture became my enemy.

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‘Once seated, I could feel as though I had been swallowed by the chair and might remain there permanently, like a guest who had badly overstayed her welcome.’

Simon said she eventually encountered periods where she could not walk at all without ‘considerable help’.

Her family also recognised that something was not right. After an ‘extensive evaluation’ at the Mayo Clinic, she was diagnosed.

UNITED STATES - JANUARY 01: BOTTOMLINE Photo of Carly SIMON (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)
Simon has not released a full-length album since 2008… but she has a new one on the way (Picture: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)

While there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, she began treatment to manage her symptoms shortly after. Symptoms typically include tremors, muscle stiffness, and slowness of movement.

At the same time, however, she learnt that she had basal cell carcinoma on her face. BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for approximately 70% of all skin cancers.

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While she was able to have the cancer removed, the procedure had a devastating impact.

‘The surgery affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public.’

Simon also survived breast cancer in 1997. She underwent a double mastectomy (surgical removal of both breasts), reconstructive surgery, and chemotherapy.

‘I have always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine,’ she confessed, name-checking the ‘ironic’ lyrics of You’re So Vain and explaining how her health battles only ‘gave [her] inner critic new material’.

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Signs of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s is a progressive condition, but it impacts each person differently.

As explained by Parkinson’s UK, the symptoms you experience, the order they appear, and how they progress will be personal to you. Symptoms can even change by the hour.

The most common symptoms of Parkinson’s are:

  • tremors
  • rigidity (muscle stiffness)
  • slowness of movement

There can also be non-motor symptoms, which include:

  • anxiety and depression
  • sleep problems and insomnia
  • mild memory loss and thinking problems
  • pain

Ultimately, this led to her withdrawing from public life.

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‘If a person is allowed to hibernate during both winter and summer, then I have become an all-season bear.’

Still, she has vowed to keep going, expressing her ‘deep’ gratitude for her children, family, and friends, plus medical professionals, for their support on days when ‘[her] own reserves were not enough’.

She also decided to speak out about her health woes due to the number of people reaching out with ‘genuine concern’, which she has been ‘touched by’.

What’s more, she’s been in the recording studio, with new music on the way.

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‘I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working.’

Titled Comes in Waves and set for release on August 14, it marks her first record release in almost 20 years, her last one being in 2008.

‘The album includes songs and fragments of songs that had been waiting for me, some for years. There were melodies, verses, and ideas written down and tucked away for some unknown future when I would have the time and attention to finish them,’ she shared.

‘Apparently, that future is now.’

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