Reggae began in Jamaica in the late 1960s and was named by a 1968 hit

pop & funWikipedia1960s · Jamaica

Reggae began in Jamaica in the late 1960s and was named by a 1968 hit

the gist

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s, and it also refers to the wider popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. The word entered the world in 1968, when Toots and the Maytals released Do the Reggay, the first popular song to use the term, which gave the genre its name and introduced it to global audiences. Reggae builds on earlier Jamaican styles such as ska and rocksteady, with a emphasis on offbeat guitar or keyboard chords and a heavy, slow bass. Its lyrics often address social life, faith and resistance. Reggae is now recognised by UNESCO as a living tradition.

so what

Reggae shows how a local Caribbean sound became a global language of music, with its name and rhythms carried across the world. Its recognition by UNESCO affirms its place as cultural heritage rather than a passing trend.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Illustrative photo · Abby Gillardi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗