Die and Died in a title

[pdh0224]

Dear teacher,

Christopher Reeve, 52, Symbol of Courage, Dies

Q : This is a title of an article, but something is odd to me. Why is a present tense "die" used instead of a past tense "died"?



All the best,

[Alan]

This is an instance of a rhetorical device known as a 'historic present' where, to produce a more graphic or 'immediate' effect, a present tense is used to relate a past event. It is popular with storytellers as well as the standard form for newspaper headlines.