and obtain a special driver’s license.

The occasion was highly unusual — normally, when a dancer is promoted, a brief press release is issued. But this was Copeland,with fame far beyond the insular

. And now she was becoming the first Black female principal in the company’s 75-year history — just days after her New York debut asbrought a refreshingly diverse, packed audience to the Metropolitan Opera House.Now, a decade and many accomplishments later, Copeland is retiring from the company she joined as a teenager.

“It’s been 25 years at ABT, and I think it’s time,” Copeland, 42, told the Associated Press last week ahead of Monday’s official announcement of her move. “It’s time for me to move to the next stage.”The company is planning a splashy farewell on Oct. 22, featuring performances by Copeland — for the first time in five years — and other dancers. There will be speeches and film clips. And Copeland, who’s been heavily involved in the planning, will get a chance to venture one more time onto that balcony in Verona; she’ll dance again in the beautiful “Romeo and Juliet” pas de deux. Honorary chairs for the evening will be Caroline Kennedy and Oprah Winfrey.

A lot has happened in a quarter-century. Copeland, whose success brought new energy to an art form that has always been overwhelmingly white, has authored a number of books, including a memoir and and several works for young people. The second installment of

arrives in September, and more are already planned in a series she calls “a reflection of my journey, showing the range of cultures and types of people that can be a part of the ballet world.”DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The tattoos covering Iranian rapper Tataloo’s face stand out against the gray prison uniform the 37-year-old now wears as he awaits execution, his own rise and fall tracing

Tataloo, whose full name is Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, faces a death sentence after being convicted on charges of “insulting Islamic sanctities.” It’s a far cry from when he once supported a hard-line Iranian presidential candidate.Tataloo’s music became popular among the Islamic Republic’s youth, as it challenged Iran’s theocracy at a time when opposition to the country’s government was splintered and largely leaderless.

The rapper’s lyrics became increasingly political afterand the subsequent wave of nationwide protests. He also appeared in music videos which criticized the authorities.