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Capella Hotels and Resorts is set to make its eagerly awaited entry into Europe in 2027 by transforming a historic complex of former 12th-century convents in Florence, Italy. Where and What • Situated in the heart of Florence on Via San Gallo, the hotel will be within walking distance of both the Piazza della Libertà—marking the northern edge of the city’s historic center—and the iconic Duomo.• The site has previously housed the convents of Sant'Agata, San Clemente, and Santa Lucia di Camporeggi, once home to artistic talents like Arcangela Paladini.• The location has also served as a military hospital in its long history.• The design is being led by prestigious Italian architectural firms RPA and De Vita & Schulze, with interiors crafted by French design house Liaigre.• The project represents the revival of one of Florence’s most culturally significant and historic sites.• “Capella Florence represents a natural evolution of our vision, bringing the Capella experience to a city where culture, history, and artistry are deeply ingrained in everyday life,” said Cristiano Rinaldi, President of Capella Hotel Group. Over tourism forces The Louvre to shut doors What Capella Florence Will Comprise• The luxury hotel will feature 89 keys, including 33 suites, 56 guestrooms, and 10 exclusive residences blending classical and modern design, each with its own private entrance.• Guests will have access to two elegant dining venues—one dedicated to authentic Tuscan cuisine and the other to a sophisticated Japanese sushi omakase experience.• Additional offerings include a rooftop bar, a subterranean speakeasy wine vault, and Capella’s signature Living Room social space.• A standalone Clubhouse will house a 600-square-metre Capella Spa, complete with a hydro pool, fitness center, and wellness café.• The property will also feature an indoor amphitheatre, paying homage to the site's 800-year legacy of cultural and artistic expression. Following the success of its luxury hotels across Asia and the Pacific, Capella Hotels and Resorts is poised to bring its acclaimed hospitality to Europe with Capella Florence, welcoming guests beginning in 2027. Source: NDTV  

No more elephant and monkey acts. No more death-defying motorbike stunts. No more singing or acting on stage. Several hundred spectators still clapped constantly when acrobats with Dongchoon Circus Troupe, South Korea’s last and 100-year-old circus, twirled on a long suspended fabric, juggled clubs on a large, rotating wheel and rode a unicycle on a tightrope under the big top, reports AP. “As I recall the hardship that I’ve gone through, I think I’ve done something significant,” Park Sae-hwan, the head of the circus, said in a recent Associated Press interview. “But I also feel heavy responsibility because if Dongchoon stops, our country’s circus, one genre in our performing arts, will disappear. That’s the problem.” The golden age of circuses Founded in 1925, Dongchoon is Korea's oldest circus. In the golden ages of South Korean circuses in the 1960s when most households still had no TVs, Dongchoon travelled across the country, wowing audiences with then exotic animals like an elephant and a giraffe and a variety of shows including skits, comic talks, singing, dancing and magic shows. At its peak years, it had more than 200 artists, acrobats and other staff, according to Park. Like in many other countries, TVs and movies later syphoned off the audiences of Dongchoon and other circuses in South Korea. Their actors, singers and comedians moved to TV stations, and some became bigger stars. The advent of the internet, video games and professional sports were another blow. South Korean circuses also dropped animal shows that faced protests by animal rights campaigners. Now, Dongchoon is the only circus in South Korea after all its rivals went out of business. How Dongchoon survives Park, who joined Dongchoon in 1963, served as a show host and sometimes sang and acted in the circus's drama programs. He left the circus in 1973 and ran a lucrative supermarket business. In 1978, he returned to the circus industry by taking over Dongchoon, which was put up for sale after devastating typhoon damage. Over tourism forces The Louvre to shut doors Park, now 80, said he worried Dongchoon could disappear into history after seeing newspaper reports that its assets would be split into parts and sold. “I thought Dongchoon must not disappear. When we want to study the roots of our country's dramas, we should look back on the traces of Dongchoon. The same goes for the history of our other shows, traditional music performances and magic shows as well as circuses themselves,” Park said. Heo Jeong Joo, an expert at the All That Heritage Research Institute, also values highly the legacy of Dongchoon, which she said incorporated many traditional performers and artists who operated before its 1925 founding. “Its foundation exceeds 100 years. In a historical perspective, I think it should be designated as an intangible cultural asset,” Heo said. Park said he almost closed the circus in 2009 after his shows drew only 10-20 spectators each for several months during a widespread flu outbreak. It survived after local media reports sympathizing with the plight of Dongchoon prompted many people to flock and fully pack shows for weeks, he said. Dongchoon leaps again at its seaside big top Since 2011, Dongchoon has been performing at a big top at a seaside tourist area in Ansan, just south of Seoul. Its circus workers also frequently travel to other areas for temporary shows. Dongchoon officials said their business is doing relatively well, drawing several hundred spectators on weekdays and up to 2,000 on weekends at Ansan alone. Ansan official Sharon Ham said local tourism has been boosted by Dongchoon's presence. She said Dongchoon shows are popular with both older generations wanting to recall childhood memories of circuses and younger generations seeking something new. “It was a very impressive and meaningful circus,” Sim Chung-yong, a 61-year-old spectator, said after one show last week. “But I also thought about how much big pains and hardships those circus acrobats underwent to perform like this.” Dongchoon officials say they now offer only acrobatic performances and refrain from too-risky acts because many people don't like them any longer. Its all 35 acrobats are now Chinese, as a circus job is generally shunned by more affluent South Koreans who consider it too dangerous and low-paying. Park said he bought land at Ansan where he hopes to build a circus school to nurture South Korean circus artists. Xing Jiangtao, 37, has been working for Dongchoon since 2002 — initially as an acrobat and now as its performance director. He recalled that when he first came to South Korea, he and his Chinese colleagues all worked as assistants to Dongchoon's 50 South Korean acrobats but they've all left one by one. “Now, it's the only circus in South Korea, and I hope we will create good circus performances to show to spectators so that we can help Dongchoon exist for another 100 years," Xing said in fluent Korean.

The Louvre, the most-visited museum in the world, came to a halt on Monday as staff members went on strike, protesting what they described as unmanageable tourist crowds. Thousands of visitors hoping to view iconic works like the Mona Lisa faced long, stagnant lines outside the museum's famous glass pyramid entrance designed by I.M. Pei. The strike began unexpectedly after a routine staff meeting escalated into a walkout. Employees—including security personnel, ticket clerks, and gallery attendants—refused to report to their posts, citing unbearable working conditions due to excessive visitor numbers, which they said were causing significant physical stress and making it increasingly difficult to manage day-to-day operations. Japanese artist Takashi Murakami unveils major exhibit at Cleveland Museum of Art The Louvre Is Breaking Down The recent strike at the Louvre has brought renewed attention to a deepening internal crisis, reflecting concerns previously raised during staff walkouts in 2013 and 2019. However, this time, frustrations among employees appear to have reached a tipping point. The museum, which hosted more than 8.7 million visitors last year, is grappling with several critical issues. These include a lack of adequate rest areas for staff, limited on-site facilities, and an aging infrastructure that is increasingly ill-equipped to meet current demands. Louvre President Laurence des Cars has also raised alarms over the condition of the building itself. In an internal memo cited by The Washington Post, she warned that certain parts of the museum are no longer waterproof, and that extreme temperature fluctuations pose a threat to the priceless artworks. She described the present-day environment for both visitors and staff as “a physical ordeal.” The Opening Of The 'Louvre New Renaissance'The French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced a 10-year plan to fix the Louvre's problems. Macron unveiled a decade-long restoration initiative, the "Louvre New Renaissance," which promises a new entrance for the Mona Lisa - which alone draws around 20,000 visitors per day into the Salle des États, as reported by Associated Press. While the plan promises to address long-term improvements, it does not address the museum's and the staff's immediate needs. The staff called the action hypocritical as Macron promotes new projects, but little is being done to fix the problem at hand. São Paulo celebrates city art museum’s new Renoir exhibit The Louvre employees also don't want to wait years for relief. Workers argue that the state's operating subsidies for the museum have declined by over 20 percent in the last decade, but the number of visitors continues to increase.  One of the most iconic cultural spots is now caught in limbo, struggling to fix a problem that no one has a solution to, according to AP. With inputs from NDTV

Two months after a deadly terror attack disrupted peak tourist season in Pahalgam, visitors are slowly starting to return to the popular hill town in Jammu and Kashmir. On April 22, a group of terrorists attacked Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, killing 25 tourists and one local resident. The incident, widely condemned internationally, heightened tensions between India and Pakistan and brought tourism in the region to a halt. Tourism Struggles After Tragedy April through June is typically Pahalgam’s busiest travel period, drawing thousands seeking respite from the summer heat in other parts of the country. This year, however, the attack led to widespread cancellations and a sharp decline in tourist arrivals. Hotels across the Kashmir Valley reported significant losses, even after offering steep discounts — with some rates slashed by 30 to 60 percent. Now, while visitor numbers remain low, a slow revival in tourism is underway. Local businesses and the hospitality industry hope the renewed interest will help offset earlier losses. Travel Tips: How to Reach and Where to Stay Pahalgam, located amid the Pir Panjal mountain range and bordered by the serene Lidder River, is known for its scenic beauty, including the meadows of Betaab and Aru Valleys. With summer temperatures ranging between 12°C and 25°C, it remains a popular retreat for those escaping the heat. The town is accessible via a 2.5-hour drive from Srinagar Airport, offering picturesque views along the route. If you're planning a trip, here are some of the top accommodations to consider: WelcomHotel Pine n Peak (by ITC Hotels)Located near the Pahalgam Golf Course and surrounded by pine forests, this upscale property features 60 centrally heated rooms, three suites, and three luxury cottages. Interiors are adorned with traditional Kashmiri craftsmanship and pine-themed décor. Dining options include Lolaab, Saahil, and Gulistan. Rate: Starting at Rs 15,000 per night (double occupancy) Royal HilltonCentrally located in Pahalgam, Royal Hillton offers 64 rooms and 8 suites with panoramic views of the Pir Panjal mountains. The wood-finished interiors and expansive windows add to the property’s charm, with the Grand Royal Suites providing a 360-degree view of the valley. Rate: From Rs 7,325 per night Hotel HeevanSet alongside the Lidder River, Hotel Heevan offers a range of rooms including cottages and suites. Featuring wood-paneled interiors reminiscent of Himalayan homes, the hotel includes two dining spaces: café Wilo and restaurant Dilkusha. Rate: Starting at Rs 8,500 per night Radisson Golf ResortIdeal for golf lovers, this resort sits next to Pahalgam’s 18-hole golf course. The property includes 122 rooms, mountain views, gardens, two restaurants, and a tea lounge for guests looking to unwind with traditional Kashmiri kahwa. Rate: From Rs 20,700 per night The Chinar Resort and SpaLocated in a quieter area of Pahalgam, this resort provides unobstructed views of the Himalayas. Guests can choose from Premium Balcony Rooms, Superior Balcony Rooms, or Luxury Suites. A full-service spa is available for post-excursion relaxation. Rate: Starting at Rs 13,570 per night Source NDTV

Melissa Hortman, once a teenager making chili cheese burritos and later a powerful Democratic leader in Minnesota’s deeply divided Legislature, is being remembered for her compassion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to public service following her tragic death. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot early Saturday at their home in suburban Brooklyn Park in what authorities have described as targeted political violence. Their deaths came just hours after attending a major Democratic event in Minneapolis. A lifelong resident of the Minneapolis area, Hortman pursued her higher education at Boston University before returning to Minnesota for law school. She began her career as a volunteer lawyer combating housing discrimination and entered politics in 2004 when she was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. Over the years, she rose to prominence and helped pass significant liberal legislation, including a 2023 initiative providing free lunches to public school students. As House Speaker, she played a pivotal role in breaking a recent budget deadlock after the chamber became evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. Known for her bipartisan negotiations, Hortman cast the decisive vote last week to pass a contentious budget bill, despite Democratic opposition to a provision ending state health coverage for undocumented adult immigrants by 2026. "I know that people will be hurt by that vote," she admitted emotionally, while stressing the need for compromise. Galapagos tortoise turns 135 and celebrates first Father’s Day at Zoo Miami Beyond politics, Hortman was active in community service. She and her family volunteered with Helping Paws, an organization training service dogs for veterans, and she served on the board of a nonprofit that provides car repairs for low-income residents. A photo shared by Helping Paws shows Hortman smiling with Gilbert, a golden retriever trained and adopted by her family. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a close ally, paid tribute to her friend on ABC’s "This Week," calling her “a true leader” and “such a decent person.” U.S. Senator Tina Smith echoed those sentiments, noting the personal loss felt by the political community after seeing Hortman at Friday’s party dinner named after Minnesota icons Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale. In a separate but possibly linked incident, state Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and wounded at their home in nearby Champlin. Both are recovering after surgery. Outside the Minnesota State Capitol, mourners have set up a memorial for Hortman and her husband, leaving flowers, flags, candles, and handwritten notes of gratitude for her service — one simply read, “You changed countless lives.” Before her political rise, Hortman’s résumé included stints as a taco maker, caterer, and auto parts store runner. She earned degrees in philosophy, political science, and law, and later obtained a master’s in public administration from Harvard. Her husband, Mark, held a physics degree and an MBA, and co-founded a consulting firm after a career in the auto parts industry. He also worked with Habitat for Humanity. The couple is survived by their adult son and daughter. “We remember Melissa for her kindness, compassion, and unwavering commitment to making the world better,” Helping Paws wrote in a tribute on social media. Source: With inputs from agency 

The oldest animal at a South Florida zoo marked a major milestone on Sunday, celebrating both his 135th birthday and his first Father’s Day. Goliath, a 517-pound (234-kg) Galapagos tortoise at Zoo Miami, recently became a father for the first time, zoo officials announced. “Goliath is my hero, and I believe he’ll soon inspire many others!” said Zoo Miami spokesperson Ron Magill in a statement. “He shows us that with determination, anything is possible—never give up!” Out of eight eggs laid on January 27, one successfully hatched on June 4. This marks not only Goliath’s first baby, but also the first Galapagos tortoise ever hatched at Zoo Miami. These tortoises, once devastated by human impact and invasive species in the Galapagos Islands, still face modern threats such as climate change and habitat destruction. Records show Goliath hatched on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos sometime between 1885 and 1890. The island chain lies near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of mainland Ecuador. Goliath was brought to the Bronx Zoo in 1929 and relocated to Zoo Miami in 1981. Although he has previously mated with several females, he had never fathered a baby until now. The mother of the hatchling, Sweet Pea, is estimated to be between 85 and 100 years old. Zoo staff report that both tortoise parents are doing well in their exhibit, while the hatchling is healthy and being kept in a separate area. In the wild, hatchlings are not cared for by their parents.

Strange, contorted trees stretch toward a sky so vast it feels unworldly. Bare, jagged cliffs rise from a stark, wind-blasted terrain that seems untouched by time or civilisation. Crystalline waters border bizarre landforms, creating a surreal contrast. Among the world’s many awe-inspiring locations, from Africa’s endless sands to North America’s ancient canyons. Few evoke such profound disbelief as this remote island. Long whispered about in niche travel circles, it now draws increasing global attention. The name? Socotra, locally known as Saqatri. Let’s uncover what's behind this alien-looking island in the Indian Ocean that draws modern explorers. Geography of Socotra Tucked between the Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Sea, Socotra forms the largest island in a six-island archipelago. While it falls under Yemen's political boundary, its proximity to Africa gives it a different geographic rhythm. Just 236 miles south of the Arabian Peninsula, this closeness shapes its distinct character. This remote outpost stands among the most isolated continental landmasses on Earth. It parted ways with the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana millions of years ago. That deep-time isolation shaped its singular environment. Read more: Chongqing, The 3D City: Chinese Megacity Looking Like AI-Generated The island is renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity. Many species found here exist nowhere else on the planet, drawing scientific and ecological interest from across the globe. This exceptional natural wealth earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 2008, marking it as a vital ecological treasure. Unique Landscape and Discrete Demography The distinctiveness of this ancient island lies in its terrain, with Socotra shaped over millennia by time, climate, and isolation. Towering limestone plateaus stretch across the island, rising above arid plains and wind-carved dunes. At the heart of it all, a central mountain range climbs to nearly 5,000 feet. It offers an imposing backdrop to an otherwise barren interior. The terrain breaks into elevations that shift with the landscape. Dry mountains and scattered vegetation tell a stark story of nature’s endurance. This archipelago, over 25 million years old, balances contrasting features- coastal plains brushing against desert stretches, and rocky plateaus giving way to shrub-covered slopes. But what sets Socotra apart is its inimitable biological character. Nearly one-third of its plant species are endemic, including the most iconic locale- the Dragon’s Blood Tree. This umbrella-shaped marvel, known for its crimson resin, casts haunting silhouettes throughout the horizon, lending the landmass its surreal, alien quality. Read more: Wales’s Stream in the Sky: World’s Tallest Navigable Aqueduct Pontcysyllte Despite its remoteness, Socotra is home to a modest community of approximately 60,000 people. The Socotrans speak Soqotri, a pre-Arabic language that survives only here. Their cultural fabric, enriched by centuries of isolation, is preserved through an annual poetry competition.

Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) launched its ‘Animation Short Film Development Workshop’ on Saturday, a pioneering initiative aimed at nurturing new voices in Bangladesh’s animation industry. The inauguration ceremony took place at 6 pm at AFD’s Auditorium Nouvelle Vague, beginning with an introduction to the workshop’s core vision and objectives, with participation from aspiring animators, filmmakers, and cultural enthusiasts. This unique workshop focuses on the development phase of animation film production, guiding selected participants through three foundational pillars: research, writing, and design. It is structured to provide intensive mentorship, equipping participants with the tools to develop strong, production-ready projects and to engage with potential collaborators, producers, and funding bodies both nationally and internationally. Whether participants are interested in fiction, non-fiction, or experimental formats, the workshop’s curriculum is designed to enhance a broad range of creative practices. Through this collaborative space, selected individuals will develop their own short film projects that blend local narratives with global sensibilities. SCO film festival to kick off in China's Chongqing The workshop is coordinated by Sara Hossain, an acclaimed animation filmmaker and writer based in Dhaka. Till June 17, Individuals passionate about animation, storytelling, filmmaking, or video art are encouraged to apply, and further details and the application form are available at www.afdhaka.org.

Often mistaken for scenes from a sci-fi simulation, Chongqing, a Chinese Megacity, stirs curiosity with its dramatic cityscapes. Rarely found on typical tourist routes, this sprawling urban area rises in layers, sparking comparisons to a real-world cyberpunk dream. Its towering structures, elevated highways, and surreal angles give it an almost AI-generated look. Let’s take a closer look at this enigmatic city, uncovering the layers of its futuristic vision. A Rich Urban Profile in Global Tourists’ Blind Spot Tucked in southeast China near the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Chongqing emerges as a staggering urban force. With a population of over 32 million, it holds the title of the world’s largest city by population. Its footprint spans more than 31,800 square miles, comparable in size to an entire European country like Austria. Yet, despite its immense scale and significance, Chongqing remains a hidden gem on the global tourist map. Few international visitors set foot in this colossal city, even though its geography is breathtaking by all means. Towering mountains, steep valleys, and buildings perched along cliffs define its dramatic terrain. As a major economic and transport hub of China, Chongqing defies conventional urban planning. Roads twist through vertical landscapes. Highways loop over rooftops. Entire metro lines cut directly through residential towers. In recent years, these surreal visuals have captivated social media, leaving many to wonder whether this is an AI-generated city. Read more: Wales’s Stream in the Sky: World’s Tallest Navigable Aqueduct Pontcysyllte History from Ancient Roots to Rapid Rise Chongqing’s roots run deep, with a history that spans more than 3,000 years. For much of that time, it remained a modest riverside settlement. But its transformation over the past four decades has been nothing short of extraordinary. Just 40 years ago, Chongqing was still a village in many parts. What now rises as a sprawling megacity has been built almost entirely within the last 30 years. Its rapid vertical expansion is a modern marvel. During the Second World War, the city served as a key base, and traces of that era still linger. Scattered beneath the surface are old wartime bunkers, once shelters from bombing raids. Today, many of them have been creatively repurposed into lively hotpot restaurants and atmospheric underground bars. Multi-layer City Architecture Often described as a city built in three dimensions, Chongqing earns that reputation with striking justification. Its layered urban layout can be disorienting, even for the most seasoned travelers. Visitors regularly emerge from stairwells only to find themselves on rooftops or staring down into deep valleys. Nothing here feels level. Gravity itself seems negotiable. Read more: Smiling Quokka Turned Rottnest Island into a Global Tourist Hotspot Set against the striking meeting point of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, the city clings to a landscape of jagged cliffs and steep mountainsides. Homes rest on bridges. Neighbourhoods stack one atop another. Metro lines cut through skyscrapers as if tunnelling through rock. It’s a vertical maze, engineered with remarkable ambition. The skyline speaks volumes. Chongqing is home to 298 skyscrapers soaring over 100 metres and 26 that breach the 200-metre mark. That places it among the world’s top cities for high-rises and sixth within mainland China. For tourists, this surreal, sky-layered cityscape feels like something out of science fiction. But for many residents, especially those in the lower reaches, living in the shadows is a daily reality. In some corners of Chongqing, sunlight doesn’t pour in. It peeks through momentarily before vanishing behind concrete giants. Read more: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bangladesh

Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys’ visionary and fragile leader whose genius for melody, arrangements and wide-eyed self-expression inspired “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls” and other summertime anthems and made him one of the world’s most influential recording artists, has died at 82. Wilson's family posted news of his death to his website and social media accounts Wednesday. Further details weren't immediately available. Since May 2024, Wilson had been under a court conservatorship to oversee his personal and medical affairs, with Wilson’s longtime representatives, publicist Jean Sievers and manager LeeAnn Hard, in charge. The eldest and last surviving of three musical brothers — Brian played bass, Carl lead guitar and Dennis drums — he and his fellow Beach Boys rose in the 1960s from local California band to national hitmakers to international ambassadors of surf and sun. Wilson himself was celebrated for his gifts and pitied for his demons. He was one of rock’s great Romantics, a tormented man who in his peak years embarked on an ever-steeper path to aural perfection, the one true sound. The Beach Boys rank among the most popular groups of the rock era, with more than 30 singles in the Top 40 and worldwide sales of more than 100 million. The 1966 album “Pet Sounds” was voted No. 2 in a 2003 Rolling Stone list of the best 500 albums, losing out, as Wilson had done before, to the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The Beach Boys, who also featured Wilson cousin Mike Love and childhood friend Al Jardine, were voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Wilson feuded with Love over songwriting credits, but peers otherwise adored him beyond envy, from Elton John and Bruce Springsteen to Katy Perry and Carole King. The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, fantasized about joining the Beach Boys. Paul McCartney cited “Pet Sounds” as a direct inspiration on the Beatles and the ballad “God Only Knows” as among his favorite songs, often bringing him to tears. Wilson moved and fascinated fans and musicians long after he stopped having hits. In his later years, Wilson and a devoted entourage of younger musicians performed “Pet Sounds” and his restored opus, “Smile,” before worshipful crowds in concert halls. Meanwhile, The Go-Go’s, Lindsey Buckingham, Animal Collective and Janelle Monáe were among a wide range of artists who emulated him, whether as a master of crafting pop music or as a pioneer of pulling it apart. An endless summer The Beach Boys’ music was like an ongoing party, with Wilson as host and wallflower. He was a tall, shy man, partially deaf (allegedly because of beatings by his father, Murry Wilson), with a sweet, crooked grin, and he rarely touched a surfboard unless a photographer was around. But out of the lifestyle that he observed and such musical influences as Chuck Berry and the Four Freshmen, he conjured a golden soundscape — sweet melodies, shining harmonies, vignettes of beaches, cars and girls — that resonated across time and climates. Decades after its first release, a Beach Boys song can still conjure instant summer — the wake-up guitar riff that opens “Surfin’ USA”; the melting vocals of “Don’t Worry Baby”; the chants of “fun, fun, fun” or “good, good, GOOD, good vibrations”; the behind-the-wheel chorus “’Round, ’round, get around, I get around.” Beach Boys songs have endured from turntables and transistor radios to boom boxes and iPhones, or any device that could lie on a beach towel or be placed upright in the sand. Frederick Forsyth, author of 'The Day of the Jackal,' dies at 86 The band’s innocent appeal survived the group’s increasingly troubled backstory, whether Brian’s many personal trials, the feuds and lawsuits among band members or the alcoholism of Dennis Wilson, who drowned in 1983. Brian Wilson’s ambition raised the Beach Boys beyond the pleasures of their early hits and into a world transcendent, eccentric and destructive. They seemed to live out every fantasy, and many nightmares, of the California myth they helped create. From the suburbs to the national stage Brian Wilson was born June 20, 1942, two days after McCartney. His musical gifts were soon obvious, and as a boy he was playing piano and teaching his brothers to sing harmony. The Beach Boys started as a neighborhood act, rehearsing in Brian’s bedroom and in the garage of their house in suburban Hawthorne, California. Surf music, mostly instrumental in its early years, was catching on locally: Dennis Wilson, the group’s only real surfer, suggested they cash in. Brian and Love hastily wrote up their first single, “Surfin,’” a minor hit released in 1961. They wanted to call themselves the Pendletones, in honor of a popular flannel shirt they wore in early publicity photos. But when they first saw the pressings for “Surfin,’” they discovered the record label had tagged them “The Beach Boys.” Other decisions were handled by their father, a musician of some frustration who hired himself as manager and holy terror. By mid-decade, Murry Wilson had been displaced and Brian, who had been running the band’s recording sessions almost from the start, was in charge, making the Beach Boys the rare group of the time to work without an outside producer. Their breakthrough came in early 1963 with “Surfin’ USA,” so closely modeled on Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” that Berry successfully sued to get a songwriting credit. It was their first Top 10 hit and a boast to the nation: “If everybody had an ocean / across the USA / then everybody’d be surfin,’ / like Cali-for-nye-ay.” From 1963-66, they were rarely off the charts, hitting No. 1 with “I Get Around” and “Help Me, Rhonda” and narrowly missing with “California Girls” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.” For television appearances, they wore candy-striped shirts and grinned as they mimed their latest hit, with a hot rod or surfboard nearby. Their music echoed private differences. Wilson often contrasted his own bright falsetto with Love’s nasal, deadpan tenor. The extroverted Love was out front on the fast songs, but when it was time for a slow one, Brian took over. “The Warmth of the Sun” was a song of despair and consolation that Wilson alleged — to some skepticism — he wrote the morning after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. “Don’t Worry Baby,” a ballad equally intoxicating and heartbreaking, was a leading man’s confession of doubt and dependence, an early sign of Brian’s crippling anxieties. Stress and exhaustion led to a breakdown in 1964 and his retirement from touring, his place soon filled by Bruce Johnston, who remained with the group for decades. Wilson was an admirer of Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” productions and emulated him on Beach Boys tracks, adding sleigh bells to “Dance, Dance, Dance” or arranging a mini-theme park of guitar, horns, percussion and organ as the overture to “California Girls.” By the mid-1960s, the Beach Boys were being held up as the country’s answer to the Beatles, a friendly game embraced by each group, transporting pop music to the level of “art” and leaving Wilson a broken man. The Beach Boys vs. The Beatles The Beatles opened with “Rubber Soul,” released in late 1965 and their first studio album made without the distractions of movies or touring. It was immediately praised as a major advance, the lyrics far more personal and the music far more subtle and sophisticated than such earlier hits as “She Loves You” and “A Hard Day’s Night.” Wilson would recall getting high and listening to the record for the first time, promising himself he would not only keep up with the British band, but top them. Ways to safeguard yourself from poor air quality resulting from Canada's wildfires Wilson worked for months on what became “Pet Sounds,” and months on the single “Good Vibrations.” He hired an outside lyricist, Tony Asher, and used various studios, with dozens of musicians and instruments ranging from violins to bongos to the harpsichord. The air seemed to cool on some tracks and the mood turn reflective, autumnal. From “I Know There’s an Answer” to “You Still Believe in Me,” many of the songs were ballads, reveries, brushstrokes of melody, culminating in the sonic wonders of “Good Vibrations,” a psychedelic montage that at times sounded as if recorded in outer space. The results were momentous, yet disappointing. “Good Vibrations” was the group’s first million-seller and “Pet Sounds,” which included the hits “Sloop John B” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” awed McCartney, John Lennon and Eric Clapton among others. Widely regarded as a new kind of rock LP, it was more suited to headphones than to the radio, a “concept” album in which individual songs built to a unified experience, so elaborately crafted in the studio that “Pet Sounds” couldn’t be replicated live with the technology of the time. Wilson was likened not just to the Beatles, but to Mozart and George Gershwin, whose “Rhapsody in Blue” had inspired him since childhood. But the album didn’t chart as highly as previous Beach Boys releases and was treated indifferently by the U.S. record label, Capitol. The Beatles, meanwhile, were absorbing lessons from the Beach Boys and teaching some in return. “Revolver” and “Sgt. Pepper,” the Beatles’ next two albums, drew upon the Beach Boys’ vocal tapestries and melodic bass lines and even upon the animal sounds from the title track of “Pet Sounds.” The Beatles’ epic “A Day in the Life” reconfirmed the British band as kings of the pop world and “Sgt. Pepper” as the album to beat. All eyes turned to Wilson and his intended masterpiece — a “teenage symphony to God” he called “Smile.” It was a whimsical cycle of songs on nature and American folklore written with lyricist Van Dyke Parks. The production bordered on method acting; for a song about fire, Wilson wore a fire helmet in the studio. The other Beach Boys were confused, and strained to work with him. A shaken Wilson delayed “Smile,” then canceled it. Remnants, including the songs “Heroes and Villains” and “Wind Chimes” were re-recorded and issued in September 1967 on “Smiley Smile,” dismissed by Carl Wilson as a “bunt instead of a grand slam.” The stripped down “Wild Honey,” released three months later, became a critical favorite but didn’t restore the band’s reputation. The Beach Boys soon descended into an oldies act, out of touch with the radical ’60s, and Wilson withdrew into seclusion. Years of struggle, and late life validation Addicted to drugs and psychologically helpless, sometimes idling in a sandbox he had built in his living room, Wilson didn’t fully produce another Beach Boys record for years. Their biggest hit of the 1970s was a greatest hits album, “Endless Summer,” that also helped reestablish them as popular concert performers. Although well enough in the 21st century to miraculously finish “Smile” and tour and record again, Wilson had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and baffled interviewers with brief and disjointed answers. Among the stranger episodes of Wilson’s life was his relationship with Dr. Eugene Landy, a psychotherapist accused of holding a Svengali-like power over him. A 1991 lawsuit from Wilson’s family blocked Landy from Wilson’s personal and business affairs. His first marriage, to singer Marilyn Rovell, ended in divorce and he became estranged from daughters Carnie and Wendy, who would help form the pop trio Wilson Phillips. His life stabilized in 1995 with his marriage to Melinda Ledbetter, who gave birth to two more daughters, Daria and Delanie. He also reconciled with Carnie and Wendy and they sang together on the 1997 album “The Wilsons.” (Melinda Ledbetter died in 2024.) In 1992, Brian Wilson eventually won a $10 million out-of-court settlement for lost songwriting royalties. But that victory and his 1991 autobiography, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice: My Own Story,” set off other lawsuits that tore apart the musical family. Carl Wilson and other relatives believed the book was essentially Landy’s version of Brian’s life and questioned whether Brian had even read it. Their mother, Audree Wilson, unsuccessfully sued publisher HarperCollins because the book said she passively watched as her husband beat Brian as a child. Love successfully sued Brian Wilson, saying he was unfairly deprived of royalties after contributing lyrics to dozens of songs. He would eventually gain ownership of the band’s name. The Beach Boys still released an occasional hit single: “Kokomo,” made without Wilson, hit No. 1 in 1988. Wilson, meanwhile, released such solo albums as “Brian Wilson” and “Gettin’ In Over My Head,” with cameos by McCartney and Clapton among others. He also completed a pair of albums for the Walt Disney label — a collection of Gershwin songs and music from Disney movies. In 2012, surviving members of the Beach Boys reunited for a 50th anniversary album, which quickly hit the Top 10 before the group again bickered and separated. Wilson won just two competitive Grammys, for the solo instrumental “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow” and for “The Smile Sessions” box set. Otherwise, his honors ranged from a Grammy lifetime achievement prize to a tribute at the Kennedy Center to induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2018, he returned to his old high school in Hawthorne and witnessed the literal rewriting of his past: The principal erased an “F” he had been given in music and awarded him an “A.”