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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who's Who on the Palace Balcony: Every Royal Family Member at Trooping the Colour 2025
King Charles is ringing in the third Trooping the Colour of his reign with many members of the royal family around him Trooping the Colour has been a staple on the British royal family's annual calendar for generations As with other official events, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not expected as they are no longer full-time working royalsThe royal family is out in full force to celebrate King Charles' official birthday at Trooping the Colour. On June 14, several members of the royal family came together to attend the Household Division's majestic military parade in the heart of London. Trooping the Colour commemorates the monarch's official birthday with an epic procession highlighting their historic links to the armed forces and the event has been a staple on the British royal family's annual calendar for generations. PEOPLE previously confirmed that King Charles, 76, would travel by carriage instead of riding on horseback as his treatment for cancer continues. After the action at Horse Guards Parade, he was joined on the Buckingham Palace balcony by many family members to watch the Royal Air Force flypast soar overhead. Queen Camilla supported her husband the King at Trooping, and Prince William and Kate Middleton attended with their three kids, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, in tow. King Charles' siblings (and Counsellors of State) Princess Anne and Prince Edward were also present at the festive event, with their spouses Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh by their side. The King's cousins Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester and Prince Richard's wife, Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester, also stepped out on the terrace of the royal residence and have supported the King at every Trooping since his accession in September 2022. King Charles' brother Prince Andrew was not expected to partake in the parade from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade for the ceremonial "trooping of the colour" (presentation of regimental flags) or step out on the Buckingham Palace balcony after to watch the flypast by the Royal Air Force. The Duke of York, 64, has not publicly appeared at Trooping the Colour since June 2019, several months before he gave a bombshell interview to BBC Newsnight that has been widely cited as the start of his fall from grace. In it, Queen Elizabeth's second son addressed his alleged friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and took a shock step back from royal duties a few days after the interview aired, amid intense backlash. The Duke of York has denied any wrongdoing. His transition away from a working royal role was made official when Queen Elizabeth stripped him of his military titles and patronages in January 2022 amid Virginia Roberts Giuffre's civil sexual assault lawsuit. An out-of-court settlement was reached that February. The royal cohort on the palace balcony at Trooping the Colour has also been slimmer since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their royal roles in 2020 and moved to the U.S. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! The Duke and Duchess of Sussex last participated in the parade in June 2019 while they were still working royals in an event that fell just a few weeks after the birth of their first child, son Prince Archie, now 6. Trooping the Colour was significantly scaled down 2020 and 2021 amid COVID pandemic and brought back in 2022. That summer, Prince Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, traveled back to the U.K. from their California home to attend a special edition of Trooping the Colour timed to Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, commemorating the 70th anniversary of her record reign. There, they watched the military procession and Royal Air Force display from a room overlooking Horse Guards Parade with other non-working royals. They have not been invited back to participate in the ceremonial parade since. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, 4, have never publicly attended Trooping the Colour, connecting to Prince Harry's recent comments to the BBC that his kids "are going to miss everything" in his home country after he lost a legal appeal to restore his state-funded security there. Read the original article on People
The South African
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
Is AI coming to eat Hollywood's lunch?
I believe it was motivational author William Arthur Ward who once said: 'If your mind can imagine it, or dream it, you can achieve it.' As far as digital filmmaking goes, with the recent release of Google AI's stunning new cinematic video generator, that quote is no longer a far-fetched fantasy. It's now a certain reality. And it could spell doom for Hollywood. In a recent video analysing AI's impact on Hollywood, writer and theater director, Russell Dobular of Due Dissidence said, 'I feel that we're at a moment with AI that is very similar to the moment we faced when the internet was first commercialised.' He reminded us how David Bowie, 'one of the greatest creative geniuses of his generation', saw what the internet was going to be before most people did. Back in December 1999, in an interview with BBC Newsnight , Bowie said: 'I don't think we've even seen the tip of the iceberg. I think the potential of what the internet is going to do to society is unimaginable. We're on the cusp of something exhilarating – and terrifying.' The interviewer (Jeremy Paxman) furtively suggested: 'It's just a tool though, isn't it? 'No, it's not. It's an alien life form', Bowie laughed. Then he said, 'The content is going to be so different to anything that we can envision at the moment, it will crush our ideas of what mediums are all about.' More than two decades ago, I remember reading an article in a cinema mag which predicted that, in the not-too-distant future, some (Japanese, Chinese or South Korean) kid (no sinophobia intended) is going make the next Star Wars, without leaving his mom's house. He's going to shoot greenscreen live-action and record dialogue in his garage or basement, and edit, post, grade, score and audio mix the film on his laptop – complete with CGI, VFX and animations. Well, that lucky kid's window to Wonderworld is now finally officially here. In 2002, producer-director Andrew Niccol released a film starring Al Pacino called Simone (aka S1m0ne ). It's the story of a fading director (Pacino) whose latest film is threatened with closure when his spoilt-brat star walks off the production. Instead of hiring another actress, he uses a new generation CG (computer graphics) programme to digitally create a substitute lead character, Simone (named after the CG programme, Simulation One). As Simone becomes more famous – because the audience thinks she's real – the filmmaker struggles to keep her non-existence a secret from the public. That was 2002. Back then, the concept was still sci-fi fantasy. Exactly 20 years later, it materialised. In 2022, ChatGPT wrote and directed the first AI short film in seven days. Produced by 28 Squared Studios in association with Moon Ventures, the six-minute short is called The Safe Zone . The story is of a world that's crumbling since AI seized control of the planet, where three siblings engage in an intense discussion for a spot in the Safe Zone – which is the only place safe from the machines. Only one of member of the family can be admitted into the Zone, those left behind will perish. Describing the process, producer Richard Juan says: 'We got OpenAI's ChatGPT to write us a full script and direct us in the production. It gave us a full shot list, suggested specific instructions for the director of photography (choice of camera lenses, movements and lighting), recommended wardrobe preferences, and even gave us specific prompts that enabled DALL-E 2 [text-to-image generator] to create a full storyboard. 'The future of filmmaking is changed forever.' In February this year, conservative commentator and documentary filmmaker Matt Walsh ( What is a Woman? Am I Racist? ) interviewed Zachary Levi ( Shazam ) about AI's impact on the film industry and how it affects the future of Hollywood. 'So AI in the film industry…is this where things are heading? Are we heading to a point where they're just going to type in a prompt, generate a movie and throw it out there for the masses? Are we going there – and how do you feel about that?' Walsh asked Levi. 'The short answer is, yes,' Levi answered. 'I've been banging this drum for a long time', he said. I believe that in very short order AI will be so good that it will be indiscernible from human content. You now have technology that allows anyone – Studios or Joe Schmo – to sit at home and work with an AI model to then creatively curate whatever you want; a movie, a TV show, a video game, a song – just by prompt.' 'So I think that we [Hollywood] are all in for some really Dire Straits,' Levi added. At the Google I/O event on 20 May this year, the company announced the release of Veo 3, a new AI video generation model that makes 8-second videos. Bundled into the package are several innovations that separate it from other video generation tools. In addition to photo-realistic video, it also produces audio, dialogue and fully realised soundscapes. It can also maintain consistent characters in different video clips and users can fine-tune camera angles, framing and movement in entirely new ways. Within hours of its release, AI artists and filmmakers were showing off shockingly realistic videos that had many social media users dumbfounded by the results. Since its release, AI filmmakers are already using Veo 3 to create shorts, it's only a matter of time until we see a full-length feature powered by the model. One of the most widely shared short films made with Veo 3 is Influenders , created by director Yonatan Dor, founder of AI visual studio, The Dor Brothers . In the movie, a series of influencers react to camera while an unexplained apocalyptic cataclysm occurs in the background. The video has hundreds of thousands of views across various platforms. Similar shorts featuring man-on-the-street videos have also gone viral. Veo 3 is available to use now with Google's paid AI plans. Users can access the tool in Gemini, Google's AI chatbot, and Flow, their AI filmmaking tool. Donald Trump's sanctions on Hollywood and the US film industry have spurred fear that Hollywood is about to become for the movie industry what Detroit has become for the motor industry. Producers and studios are panicking about tax breaks and productions being lured away to other states, etc. Dobular believes Hollywood is missing the crucial point. 'This is like talking about the shape of the iceberg from the deck of the Titanic right before you're about to hit it,' he said. 'They're completely not getting what is going to wipe out their entire industry. And I have been saying this since they beta tested the first AI module that could generate video from a prompt; this is the end of Hollywood, end of the entertainment industry as we know it.' 'With Google's Veo 3 we're pretty much there right now,' he added. Among the many filmmakers and artists invited to Google's I/O event to play with and demonstrate the new toys, was visionary auteur director, Darren Aronofsky ( Requiem for a Dream, The Whale ). Aronofsky's venture Primordial Soup has been collaborating with Google DeepMind's research team and three filmmakers to produce short films that embrace new technology and storytelling. The director of, among other things, Noah and Black Swan , doesn't see this AI swell as a threat to artists, creativity and auteurs, but as an augmenting benefit. He compared it to many other new advances and developments in cinema that were initially shunned – like sound and colour – and eventually CGI, VFX and digital cameras. Addressing reporters at a press conference after the I/O event, Aronofsky said, ' 'Filmmaking has always been driven by technology. After the Lumiere Brothers and Edison's ground-breaking invention, filmmakers unleashed the hidden storytelling power of cameras. Later technological breakthroughs – sound, colour, VFX – allowed us to tell stories in ways that couldn't be told before.' 'Today is no different. Now is the moment to explore these new tools and shape them for the future of storytelling,' he added. As Dobular points out, 'Aronofsky is right. But what he's not saying, is…with this new technology, you've just eliminated the need for most of the people who would work on a movie.' Pointing out how easily AI generates simple 2 and 3D animation, Dobular asked: 'What do you need an animation studio for? What would you need the people [animators] for? That's the end of animating as a career.' 'This is going to democratise filmmaking in the way that the internet has democratised media, journalism and content creation,' he added. Arguably, we are entering a new film production era where raw talent and innovative storytelling, rather than vast financial backing, could become the primary currency of cinematic success. The next Star Wars might not emerge from a sprawling studio lot but from a quiet room, fueled by a single vision, a powerful laptop, and a suite of groundbreaking AI tools. The magic of filmmaking is no longer confined to the elite; it's being handed to everyone with an idea and the digital keys to unlock it. Sure, like Dobular says; 'Most of the movies made this way are going to be f-ing terrible…but a few of them are going to be genius. And that is going to completely end the industry in its current form – because there is no barrier to entry anymore.' A bigger question or concern should be; if everyone is now a Spielberg, everyone is now a genius filmmaker, with just a few keystrokes…what's so special about that? Put differently, as Quentin Tarantino once said about (his disdain for) digital filmmaking; 'In a world where you can do anything, nothing means anything.' Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Business Times
12-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Here's why Trump's tariffs won't work
[SINGAPORE] US President Donald Trump's tariffs have been widely panned as reckless, short-sighted and self-defeating. Economists called them 'taxes on Americans' rather than the rest of the world – penguin-majority islands included. Many blame those tariffs – imposed under the banner of 'America First' – for worsening the global trade slowdown. But zoom out, and Trump's actions are not so radical. Throughout history, many leaders have believed that security lies in self-sufficiency. From imperial China to Nazi Germany, ancient Rome to modern-day Brexit Britain, the instinct to turn inward runs deep. The logic: Tighten borders, produce everything at home and cut reliance on other nations to shield against risk. Two new books argue that this instinct, while understandable, is exactly what has led great powers to fall. It is not narrow self-interest that builds empires – it is exchange. Civilisations rise not by going it alone, but by embracing openness – even when it is messy or uncertain. The two timely books are Exile Economics: What Happens If Globalisation Fails by Ben Chu, and Peak Human: What We Can Learn From History's Greatest Civilizations by Johan Norberg. Both were published in May 2025 – shortly after Trump waved around a cardboard chart that sent shockwaves through global markets – though their writing predates the latest phase of his trade war. Chu is the British economics editor at BBC Newsnight; Norberg is a Swedish historian and bestselling author. They have observed the same global trends from very different angles – Chu from the world of policy and supply chains, Norberg through the long arc of history. Yet they arrive at a shared conclusion, which serves as a sobering warning about the deepening divide between China and the US, and the risks it poses to global stability and prosperity. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up When empires close themselves off If you had to pick just one of the two books, I recommend Norberg's Peak Human. His grasp of history is sweeping, but he also knows how to keep things light and entertaining – which helps when you are sprinting through centuries of civilisation in a single chapter. The book explores 'golden ages' such as ancient Athens, Song Dynasty China and Renaissance Italy – moments when humanity flourished economically, intellectually and artistically. What these societies had in common, Norberg argues, was openness. They welcomed outsiders, embraced trade and encouraged innovation. But when they turned inward, they stagnated. Peak Human by Johan Norberg is an entertaining guide through the golden ages of human history. PHOTO: ATLANTIC BOOKS In Song China, trade and cultural exchange drove technologies that Europe would not see for centuries. But when paranoia and conservatism took hold, progress ground to a halt. Similarly, Abbasid Baghdad was once a hub of Islamic learning and diversity. That golden era ended with religious orthodoxy and invasions. If Norberg looks to the past to explain why empires thrive or collapse, Chu turns his gaze to the present. He coins the term 'exile economics' to describe a world turning its back on global trade in favour of national self-reliance. The appeal is obvious – who does not want independence, security and control? But the reality, he argues, is that autonomy comes with steep costs. Want food independence? Expect higher prices and less variety. Want to make your own microchips? That is a decades-long, cross-border supply chain you will need to build from scratch. And good luck finding anyone else eager to handle rare earth metals like China does. Ben Chu's Exile Economics explores anti-globalisation sentiment across economies. PHOTO: BASIC BOOKS Chu offers real-world examples to show just how entangled the world is. Global trade is not just about cheap goods, it is about shared resilience and rising living standards. Break that in the name of sovereignty, and you often get more fragility, not less. He even points to history: Nazi Germany's push for self-sufficiency helped fuel its aggressive expansion. Resource nationalism, in other words, is not just inefficient. It is dangerous. Lessons for today Both Peak Human and Exile Economics warn that today's anti-globalisation sentiment threatens to undo decades of progress. It is not trade, immigration or openness that causes modern problems – it is poor governance and weak systems. The solution is not retreat, but reform. Both authors highlight how interdependence, while complex, is more resilient than we give it credit for. Chu notes how supply chains adapted swiftly to pandemic shocks. Norberg reminds us that empires rarely fall because of enemies abroad – they collapse when they close in on themselves. And the effects are already visible. In response to Trump's tariffs, China did not panic – it pivoted. Supermarkets swapped out US beef for cheaper Australian imports, thanks to the China-Australia free trade agreement. Meanwhile, US consumers are expected to pay more for beef – a tariff own-goal. In April 2025, research and consulting firm Ipsos released a poll which found that the US' reputation had sharply declined in 26 out of 29 countries over the previous six months. For the first time in the survey's decade-long history, more respondents viewed China as a more positive influence on world affairs than the US. What these books make clear is that prosperity is fragile. The systems that brought billions out of poverty and spurred innovation did not emerge by accident. They were built on trust, trade and cooperation. Undoing them is easy. Rebuilding them is not. Exile Economics: What Happens If Globalisation Fails by Ben Chu and Peak Human: What We Can Learn From History's Greatest Civilizations by Johan Norberg are available at Kinokuniya
Spectator
03-06-2025
- General
- Spectator
Does the national policing lead understand grooming gangs?
To BBC Newsnight, where DCC Becky Riggs – the national policing lead on child protection and abuse investigations – has hit back at claims by shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick about grooming gangs. Speaking on the programme, Riggs said it was 'not true' that these types of crimes are from predominantly British Pakistani men – despite acknowledging that they are 'overrepresented when you look at their share of the population'. So what is true? Well, Pakistani men are up to five times as likely to be responsible for child sex grooming offences than the general population, according to figures from the Hydrant Programme, which investigates child sex abuse. Around one in 73 Muslim men over 16 have been prosecuted for 'group-localised child sexual exploitation' in Rotherham, research by academics from the universities of Reading and Chichester has revealed. 'All of these issues need tackling,' Riggs added, insisting: 'I'm not here to lessen any of this type of offending in the slightest.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
BBC Newsnight Panellist Slams Claims Jailed Tory Councillor Is Political Prisoner
A BBC Newsnight panellist destroyed claims that a Tory councillor's wife jailed over a tweet she posted during last summer's riots is a political prisoner. Lucy Connolly called for 'mass deportation now' amid false rumours that an illegal immigrant had murdered three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport. 'Set fire to all the fucking hotels full of the bastards for all I care, while you're at it take the treacherous government and all the politicians with them,' Connolly posted on X. 'I feel physically sick knowing what these families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist so be it.' She eventually deleted the post later the same day, but was jailed for 31 months after pleading guilty to inciting racial hatred. Her appeal against the sentence was rejected by the Supreme Court last week, prompting fresh complaints from the likes of Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson. The Reform UK leader said: 'I want to make it absolutely clear: Lucy Connolly should not be in prison.' But on Newsnight, Labour peer Ayesha Hazarika demolished the argument that she had been wrongly jailed. She said: 'If she had just said the despicable, racist things which she had tweeted on a regular basis, that is fine, that is her right. She might hate people like me, a Muslim person like me, the colour of my skin, she might hate that. That is her right. But when she says to go and burn down hotels where people like me, brown skinned people, anyone else might be, that's when she crosses the line. 'You can say your hateful, horrible things, but if you then go, when we are in the middle of a tinderbox situation, where half the country is about the erupt into violence, and you literally incite violence while people are committing acts of violence, I don't understand why people are so confused about this case.' She added: 'The idea that this country is not a free country is completely and utterly ludicrous. That woman was inciting violence. She is free to think her horrible, racist thoughts. That is fine. What she isn't allowed to do is go and incite violence.' "That woman was inciting violence. She is free to think her horrible, horrible, racist thoughts. That is fine. What she isn't allowed to do is go and incite violence." Labour peer Ayesha Hazarika on the Lucy Connolly case. # — BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) May 28, 2025 Tories Ripped Apart In Furious Rant By BBC Newsnight Guest: 'They Have Got To Go' Newsnight Just Marked 75 Years Of The NHS In A Way No One Expected Nigel Farage Admits 'Brexit Has Failed' In Astonishing Newsnight Clash
