Month: June 2020

Ratcheting up fresh pressure, Greece has blasted the British Museum for exhibiting the Parthenon marbles, calling the collection “stolen” treasures and demanding the masterpieces be returned to Athens. The call comes as Greece celebrates the 11th anniversary of the New Acropolis Museum, a four-story, state of the art edifice built to house the ancient treasures and weaken Britain’s claim that it is best able to look after the 2,500-year-old masterpieces. 
 
“Since September 2003 when construction work for the Acropolis Museum began, Greece has systematically demanded the return of the sculptures on display in the British Museum because they are the product of theft,” the country’s culture minister Lina Mendoni said. “The current Greek government – like any Greek government – is not going to stop claiming the stolen sculptures which the British Museum, contrary to any moral principle, continues to hold illegally,” she told the Athens daily Ta Nea. 
 
Depicting figures of ancient Greek mythology, the 75-meter frieze and its 17 statues were sawed off the Parthenon temple and shipped to London by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century, during his tenure as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. 
 
Bankrupted by the venture, the British aristocrat sold them to the British Museum in 1816, where they became a major attraction and began one of the world’s longest running cultural disputes. 
 
Mendoni said “It is sad that one of the world’s largest and most important museums is still governed by outdated, colonialist views.” While successive governments in Britain have opposed calls for the return of the sculptures to Greece, pressure has mounted in recent years with a bandwagon of celebrities and politicians joining the repatriation campaign. 
 
Greece’s center-right government is also stepping up efforts to win back the treasures as the country gears up for its bicentennial independence anniversary next year.A municipal worker wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant outside Acropolis museum as the Parthenon temple is seen in the background in Athens on March 24, 2020.While 50 meters of the 115-block Parthenon frieze is displayed in Athens, eight other museums scattered across Europe house fragments of it, including the Louvre and the British Museum. 
 
Last year, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis secured a key agreement from French President Macron to allow the Louvre to lend a small fragment of the Parthenon in light of those celebrations. 
 
Macron has become the first Western leader to initiate a comprehensive review of colonial looting, repatriating significant collections to Africa – a move traditionally resisted by leading museums in the West, including the British Museum. 
 
A similar loan request was made to the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson but it was quickly knocked down by the British Museum, saying any swap would require Athens to relinquish ownership claims to the prized treasures — a request Greece has emphatically refused. 
 
“Without the supreme symbol of culture, the Parthenon, Western Civilization cannot exist, and this symbol deserves to be reunited with its expatriate sculptures,” Mendoni told a local broadcaster in May. 
 
Government officials have refused to clarify whether Athens has followed up with any alternative proposal to the British Museum. Nor have they said whether Greece would resort to legal action against Britain in a bid to win back the marbles. 
 
“In law, a thief is not allowed to keep his or her ill-gotten gains, no matter how long ago they were taken, or how much he or she may have improved them,” said Geoffrey Robertson, a leading human rights attorney whom the government in Athens recruited in 2014 to consider legal action. 
 
“In the past, a lot of cultural property was wrongfully extracted from places that are now independent states. They want the loot sent back to where it was created and to the people for whom it has most meaning.” 
 
In its pamphlets, the British Museum argues that its free-of-charge entrance attracts millions of visitors every year from around the work, making the ancient Greek masterpieces available to the public within the context of a wide swath of human civilization — a claim Greece insists is now defunct with its $200 million mammoth museum. 
 
An austere building wedged within the chaotic sprawl of a crowded old neighborhood, the new Acropolis museum was initially scheduled to open in time for the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. 
 
But legal fights over the expropriation of some 25 buildings, as well as archaeological findings unearthed at the site, derailed the project by more than 5 years. 
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The popular U.S. race car series NASCAR is investigating what it called Sunday a “heinous act” after a noose was found in the team garage of Bubba Wallace, its only top-level Black driver. Wallace said he was “incredibly saddened” and added that the act is “a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism.” He stressed the need to advocate for a community that is welcoming to everyone, and said those involved in the sport “will not be deterred by the reprehensible actions of those who seek to spread hate.” Wallace drew widespread support from other drivers for his push two weeks ago to get NASCAR to ban the presence of the confederate flag at its races. NASCAR said in a statement it will do everything it can to identify who was responsible for the noose “and eliminate them from our sport.” The incident happened at Talladega Superspeedway in the southern state of Alabama, which was scheduled to host a race Sunday before it was interrupted by rain. Protesters on Saturday and Sunday drove cars and trucks flying the confederate flag on roads near the track. 
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Yohan, a member of K-pop group TST, died last week. He was 28 years old.  “We are sad to relay the most unfortunate, sorrowful news,” wrote TST’s record label, KJ Music Entertainment, in a June 17 release to Allkpop, a U.S.-based Korean pop website. “On June 16, TST member Yohan left this world.”  The cause of his death remains undisclosed. The label shared that they would not reveal the cause of his death to respect his family’s wishes.  “The late Yohan’s family is currently in deep mourning,” the statement read. “The family has pleaded that media articles about Yohan’s passing, such as those making speculations about the cause of his death, be refrained out of respect.”  Yohan’s death is the most recent in a string of young Korean celebrity deaths in the last year, which include singer and actress Sulli, 25, who died by suicide in October 2019, singer Goo Hara, 28, who died by suicide in November 2019, and actor Cha In-ha, 27, whose cause of death was not disclosed.News reports say these cases shed light on the dark side of Korea’s entertainment industry, which includes cyberbullying and lack of mental health support.  Yohan’s sudden death came as a shock for many fans because until recently, he was actively interacting with his followers on social media.  Kim Jeong-hwan, Yohan’s real name, was seen interacting with fans last month on V LIVE, a South Korean video streaming service that allows stars to broadcast live videos and interact with fans.  In a V LIVE video published last month, Yohan introduced the novel Everyone Turns 30 by Chae-won Pyeon to his fans and read an excerpt from the epilogue:“While I don’t desire to be a leading role, has the way I’ve been living my life for the past 30 years been so lousy that I don’t even get to be an extra? Everyone on this stage called life is worthy to get a spotlight, whether as a lead or as an extra.”“To be honest,” Yohan explained, “this part touched me the most. I’ve always carried a similar thought in my mind. Honestly, I have been thinking a lot on this recently and have tried to look back on myself.”Yohan communicated with his fans four times through V LIVE in May.  He also participated in TST’s fourth single “COUNTDOWN” which was released in January.  Fans have been expressing their deep condolences to the late singer online.  TST fan and twitter user @igotcaratinyzen paid respects by buying and naming a star after the late singer.I bought & named a star after our precious #Yohan#TST. I made sure to find a big bright star that’s especially visible in Seoul in June, not that it can’t be seen any other time of the year. I wanted to make sure it was visible in June. #restinpeaceyohan#ripyohan@FS7_officialpic.twitter.com/RJayh8AT4R— 🖤💔Rest In Peace Yohan💔🖤 🐳Mr. Whale Out Soon🐳 (@igotcaratinyzen) June 17, 2020TST fans, also known as “Hanas,” are also streaming their song “Paradise (2018),” noting that Yohan often expressed he wanted this song to become famous.reminder to please watch/stream paradise as it was yohan’s favorite song thank you 💗https://t.co/mZjPifAnNX#SparklingJeonghwan#AlwaysWithTst#YohanIsOurParadisepic.twitter.com/IkZPcW8LNO— summer ♡ bday girl!! (@oddsohn) June 18, 2020Fans of other K-pop groups have also expressed their condolences through social media.  Twitter account @GlobalBlackPink, an international fan page for Korean girl group BLACKPINK, paid their respects by refraining from trending any BLACKPINK hashtags June 17.We wont be trending any hashtags today for giving respect to Top Secret (TST) Yohan’s Death. Our deepest condolences to His family, friends and fans. May he rest in peace🙏— GLOBAL BLACKPINK 💙⁰⁶²⁶ (@GlobalBlackPink) June 16, 2020BTS fan account @btsallure on Twitter also encouraged its followers to stream Paradise.tw// deathHello, if you have time please listen (stream) paradise by tst, Yohan said he always wanted for that song to be famous.Someone so special will never be forgotten, deepest condolences to his family, friends and fans. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/5crNXMHoW1— arri⁷🍯 (@btsallure) June 17, 2020Other Korean celebrities have been expressing their grief on social media.Kiseop Lee, former member of K-pop group U-KISS, commented, “I love you a lot, Yohan … I miss you” on Yohan’s last Instagram post published May 31.  Yohan’s Instagram account has been memorialized.      View this post on Instagram         여행가고 싶다✈A post shared by 김요한 (@yohanee0416) on May 31, 2020 at 2:32am PDTYohan debuted with the group NOM (No Other Man) in 2015 and joined TST (also known as Top Secret) in 2017 as a vocalist after NOM’s disbandment.  TST is most famous for their songs “Mind Control (2017),” “Paradise (2018),” and “Wake Up (2019).”  Surviving members of TST are Ain, Junghoon, K, Yonghyeon and Wooyoung. 
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The family of late rock musician Tom Petty has filed a cease and desist motion after President Trump’s campaign played a song by Petty at a campaign rally.
 
Trump played the song “I won’t back down” at his campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday. Hours later, Petty’s family posted a statement condemning the use of the song on social media.
 
“Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind,” the statement said.
 
The family said Petty wrote the 1989 song “for the underdog, for the common man and for EVERYONE.”
 
“We want to make it clear that we believe everyone is free to vote as they like, think as they like, but the Petty family doesn’t stand for this,” the statement went on.
 
The statement, signed by Petty’s daughters, ex-wife, and wife, said they had issued an official cease and desist notice to what they called a “campaign of hate”.pic.twitter.com/mxToRoHWNn— Tom Petty (@tompetty) June 21, 2020Neil Young, R.E.M., and Rihanna are among a growing list of musicians who have objected to Trump’s use of their music in his political campaigns.
 
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Comedian DL Hughley COVID-19 Positive after Fainting Onstage Comedian D.L. Hughley announced he tested positive for COVID-19 after collapsing onstage during a performance in Nashville, Tennessee. The stand-up comedian, 57, lost consciousness while performing at the Zanies comedy nightclub on Friday night and was hospitalized, news outlets reported. On Saturday, Hughley posted a video on Twitter in which he said he was treated for exhaustion and dehydration afterward. “I also tested positive for COVID-19, which blew me away,” he says in the video. “I was what they call asymptomatic. I didn’t have any symptoms, the classic symptoms.” Hughley plans to quarantine in his Nashville hotel room for 14 days. The remaining two nights of his four-night engagement at Zanies were canceled, according to the club’s online calendar. “Our friend D.L. Hughley had a medical emergency while performing on Friday and was hospitalized overnight. According to his publicist, he was suffering from exhaustion after working & traveling this week,” the club posted on Facebook. “Love ya, D.L. and we’ll look forward to seeing this King of Comedy back in Nashville soon!” Hughley said he still hasn’t exhibited any of the typical symptoms associated with the coronavirus, including shortness of breath and fever. “So, in addition to all the other stuff you have to look out for,” Hughley advises in the video, if you “pass out in the middle of a show, onstage, you probably need to get tested.” In addition to stand-up comedy, Hughley is also an actor, author and radio and television host. He starred in Spike Lee’s 2000 concert film, “The Original Kings of Comedy,” alongside Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac and Cedric the Entertainer. Hughley also produced and starred in “The Hughleys,” which aired on ABC and UPN from 1998 to 2002 and hosted a CNN talk show. He currently hosts the radio show “The D.L. Hughley Show,” which is syndicated in dozens of markets. “Thank you for your prayers and your well wishes — and a few more of them wouldn’t hurt,” Hughley says in the video. 
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