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22 May 2025Hay Festival

Every spring, a quiet town in Wales flings open its literary doors and lets the words pour in. Welcome to Hay-on-Wye, where sheep outnumber people, and books outnumber sheep. For over three decades, the Hay Festival has turned this border town into a buzzing hub of stories, ideas and page-turning excitement. What started in 1988 around a kitchen table and a shared love of books, has grown into one of the world"s best-known literary gatherings. Held over 10 days in late May to early June, the festival draws writers, thinkers, poets, politicians, comedians, musicians and curious readers from every corner. Big names like Margaret Atwood, Stephen Fry and Martin Rees have all graced the stage.Desktop Version

A show of prehistoric hands

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17 Mar 2025Happy St Patricks Day!

St Patrick"s Day, celebrated on March 17, honours Ireland"s patron saint and national apostle, Saint Patrick—a fifth-century missionary. A national holiday in Ireland, the festivity is marked by a range of cultural events, parades and traditional music and dance enjoyed across the globe. Interestingly, the first St Patrick"s Day parade wasn"t held in Ireland but in the United States. The earliest celebration was organised by Irish vicar Ricardo Artur in St Augustine, Florida, in 1601.Desktop Version

31 May 2024Gunnerside, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England

In the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the ancient village of Gunnerside is brimming with English charm and history. Picture yourself strolling through its narrow lanes, surrounded by rolling hills, lush pastures and stone cottages, with the roar of the Swale River your only soundtrack. Designated in 1954, the national park is spread across 841 square miles and there are over 1,000 farms in this area. One of the area"s most distinctive features are its dry stone walls; built without any kind of mortar, these walls can last hundreds of years. There are thought to be over 5,000 miles of these walls in the Dales.Desktop Version

28 Jun 2024Stonewall uprising anniversary

Fifty-five years ago today, a movement was born. In the early hours of June 28, 1969, New York City Police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village, USA. At the time, homosexuality was illegal, and raids against LGBTQIA+ establishments were common. However, on that night, the patrons of the Stonewall Inn, fed up with the continued harassment, decided to stand their ground. Violence escalated, leading to clashes between protesters and police. In the following days, there was more rioting as people gathered to protest the raids.Desktop Version

22 Oct 2024Palazzo Zuccari, Rome

At the top of the Spanish Steps in Rome, take a left underneath the imposing Catholic church. Down an unassuming side street, there"s a surprise waiting for you: a house of monsters. Welcome to the Palazzo Zuccari, a 16th-century palace where myths seem to come to life on its façade—grotesque faces swallow up its doors and windows. Federico Zuccari, who built the palace, was well-versed in monsters. His painting of the Last Judgement in Florence Cathedral and his illustrations of Dante"s Inferno are replete with mythical beings.Desktop Version

13 Mar 2024Lake Magadi, Kenya

What an unearthly view! This aerial photograph shows a flamboyance of lesser flamingos against the backdrop of Lake Magadi in Kenya. The lesser flamingo is one of the six species of flamingos and is known for its vibrant pink plumage and distinctive feeding behaviour. These birds prefer to eat near the surface of the water due to the way their beaks are built. They primarily inhabit African soda lakes that have a high carbonate concentration. Lake Magadi is one of the soda lakes that are brimming with cyanobacteria and algae, providing ample nourishment for the flamingos. The spectacle of thousands of these avian wonders congregating at the lake reveals the importance of these unique ecosystems.Desktop Version

An explosive history

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We’re all smiles for World Hippo Day

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9 May 2024Tulips at Emirgan Park in Istanbul, Türkiye

There"s something to be said about the allure of a bed of colourful tulips. Originating from Central Asia, these bulbous plants are beloved worldwide, from the gardens of Mount Vernon to the bustling streets of Istanbul, Türkiye. But tulips are more than just decorative flowers; they are culturally significant, too. They represent love, life, beauty and passion in various traditions. Tulips are often depicted in art as a symbol of rebirth or youth.Desktop Version

Christmas flowers

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6 Aug 2024Molokini crater, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Today we"re in Molokini Crater. This pleasant crescent in the Pacific Ocean lies in the "Alalākeiki Channel between the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kaho"olawe. The islet is all that remains of a volcano that erupted about 230,000 years ago. According to Hawaiian mythology, Pele the fire goddess was in love with a man named Mo"o. The trouble was that Mo"o was in love with another woman. Pele"s revenge was typically violent: she cut her rival in two, her body becoming Molokini, while her head became Pu"u Olai, a cinder cone on Maui.Desktop Version

19 Jun 2025Cinque Torri, Dolomites, Italy

The Five Towers rise majestically in the heart of the Dolomites in the province of Belluno in the Veneto region of Italy. They offer the perfect refuge from the summer heat and crowded beaches. Each tower has its own story to tell of ancient civilisations, adventurous hikers, daring climbers and distant battles. Shaped by time and weather, these Dolomite spires played a strategic role during the First World War, and it is still possible today to explore the trenches and remnants of that conflict-scarred past.Desktop Version

3 Oct 2024National Poetry Day

Today, a lyrical wave sweeps the United Kingdom—it"s National Poetry Day. A tradition since 1994, it unites people from bustling cities to serene lochs in a celebration of verse on the first Thursday of every October. Founded by William Sieghart, this event aims to make poetry more visible and engaging. It"s a day when Prince Charles might recite Seamus Heaney, and train announcement boards become stanzas of TS Eliot and Auden. Everyday spaces transform into stages for the spoken word—a railway station or supermarket might suddenly echo with an epic. This year the special day focuses on the theme of "counting." So today, our image of Loch Morlich in Cairngorms National Park, Scotland provides the perfect backdrop for finding poetic inspiration. Why not let poetry alight upon your day?Desktop Version

Happy Yorkshire Day!

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1 Jun 2024Pride Month

June is Pride Month, commemorating the Stonewall uprising, a series of protests by the LGBTQIA+ community that took place on June 28, 1969, in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in New York City, USA. Various events around the world are held in June to honour and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, their history, achievements and ongoing pursuit for equality. This month, vibrant parades hit the streets and buildings light up in the colours of the rainbow—a symbol of the LGBTQIA+ social movements—in numerous cities to praise freedom for all.Desktop Version

19 Jul 2024A young jaguar on a riverbank, Pantanal, Brazil

Spot the wildlife star in today"s image; it"s the jaguar, the largest cat in the Americas, seen here gracing the Pantanal, Brazil. Jaguars arrived in the Americas some 2 million years ago, migrating from Eurasia through the Bering Strait. Today, they inhabit diverse habitats, from the woodlands of southwestern United States to the rainforests of northern Argentina.Desktop Version

4 Dec 2024Wildlife Conservation Day

It"s Wildlife Conservation Day—an important reminder to celebrate and defend our planet"s incredible biodiversity. Many species face extinction, including African forest elephants, Cross River gorillas, saolas and Yangtze finless porpoises. Since its launch in 2012, this special day has highlighted the illegal wildlife trade and other threats that animals face. It also draws attention to the need for stronger long-term solutions.Desktop Version

14 Dec 2024Christmas Bird Count turns 125

For 125 years, bird enthusiasts across the Western Hemisphere have turned the holiday season into a festive, feathered affair with the Christmas Bird Count. Founded by ornithologist Frank Chapman as an eco-friendly twist on holiday hunting parties, this annual event replaced shotguns with binoculars. Since then, it has become one of the world"s longest-running citizen science projects. Every year from December 14 to January 5, volunteers of all ages and birding skill levels come together to survey designated areas called "circles." Each circle has a 15-mile diameter and participants count every bird they see or hear within it. The result is a colossal snapshot of bird diversity, with data collected from over 2,500 locations each season. It"s a serious effort to track changes in bird populations, providing valuable data for scientists working to protect vulnerable species.Desktop Version

29 Apr 2024Fujian Tulou, China

Let"s step into a world where mainstream housing is so last season! Fujian Tulou, built between the 12th and 20th centuries, are unique rural dwellings of the Hakka community who live in the mountainous southeastern Fujian region of China. The Hakka are a distinct subgroup of the Han Chinese population. These structures are constructed from clay, sandy soil and grey tiles, with bamboo strips serving as the support. When observed from above, these round dwellings present an image of giant tyres or reels lying on their sides, with light walls, dark roofs and spacious interiors.Desktop Version

7 Jun 2024World Oceans Day

Today, let"s embark on a watery adventure as we celebrate World Oceans Day. This day is about honouring and protecting the world"s oceans and serves as a reminder of the critical role oceans play in supporting life on Earth. These gargantuan water bodies, after all, teem with wonders, from the tiniest plankton to the grandest whales like the humpbacks we see here. The oceans also produce almost half of the oxygen on our planet thanks to the photosynthesis of plankton—tiny plants, algae and bacteria. Moreover, they absorb a significant amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping mitigate the impacts of climate change caused by human activities.Desktop Version

8 Apr 2025Paro Tsechu Festival, Bhutan

Get ready for a festival like no other—the Paro Tshechu of Bhutan—where drums echo, prayer flags flutter and masked dancers take centre stage. One of Bhutan"s annual religious festivals, which are known as tshechus, it is a vibrant showcase of Vajrayana Buddhist heritage. The celebration begins on the 10th day of the second lunar month, which typically falls in March or April. This year, the festival kicks off today and concludes on April 12.Desktop Version

19 May 2024Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy

Perched on the rugged cliffs of the Italian Riviera, Vernazza is a village in Cinque Terre, northwestern Italy. Here, ancient buildings stand along the coastline of the Ligurian Sea and life is filled with the hustle and bustle of fishermen. Vernazza got its name from the indigenous wine, "vernaccia," meaning "local" or "ours." One of the best-known monuments in the area is Doria Castle, built in the 15th century as a defensive fortress to protect the village from frequent pirate attacks. Thanks to the construction of the Genoa–La Spezia rail line in the 19th century, the village became more accessible by land. The cobblestone streets and absence of cars make it ideal for walking around. While here, you might want to visit the Chapel of Santa Marta and the Sanctuary of Madonna di Reggio. Did you know that this region inspired the 2021 animated movie "Luca"? Vernazza is not just a place to visit; it"s a piece of paradise reserved for those who seek the soul of Italy in its purest form.Desktop Version

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