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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Which bestselling author has become his own ‘pointless celebrity'?
The King's recent 'Harmony Summit' at Highgrove featured a fire pit, the honouring of Mother Earth, conch shells, face paint, feathers, incantations, herbalist refreshments and nods to Christianity. Indigenous people from Amazon tribes were present – as was the King's Amazon film crew recording the event for his forthcoming documentary. It was the first time Charles had been able to bring to life his manifesto for living together, Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World (2010). Alarmingly, historian Max Hastings described it as 'the ravings of a Buddhist mystic'. German comic Henning Wehn complains that the Lioness footballers are not as good as the men, saying: 'The women's Euros. It's good to watch… if you're new to the game. Men had more than 100 years to get the game to the level it's being played at now. It's ridiculous to expect the women's game to do the same in barely any time.' Could Herr Wehn be having a giraffe because his team was knocked out in the semi finals? The German sense of humour is no laughing matter. Helen Mirren, pictured, will be regally accepting belated 80th birthday good wishes at next month's New York premiere of The Thursday Murder Club with co-stars Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley. Guess who won't be there? Writer of the original bestselling 2020 murder mystery, Richard Osman. He's become, apparently, his own 'pointless celebrity'. Contending with the daily challenges of fame since playing expletive-ridden Succession alter ego Logan Roy, actor Brian Cox explains: 'Now everybody knows who I am and they come up and say, 'Can you tell me to f*** off?'. So I say, 'All right, f*** off'. Then they say, 'But we haven't taken a picture'.' Blue-tongued Cox, who clearly relishes effing and blinding, continues to pummel fans with profanities. Tut, tut. If Gyles Brandreth hoped to curry favour by sending a birthday card to Prince George last week, he may have spoilt it by also sending one to Jamaica's PM. Andrew Holness and the heir to the heir share a birthday. Holness famously upstaged William and Kate on their ill-fated 2022 visit to Jamaica by declaring his intention, in their presence, to remove the King as head of state 'in short order'. One wonders why Gyles has been overlooked by the honours bods all these years. US Vice President JD Vance is reportedly renting a Cotswold house in Charlbury, not far from Jeremy Clarkson 's farm in Chadlington. Might they bump into each other? That could be awkward. Clarkson has savaged Vance in print, describing him as a 'bearded God-botherer... I've searched for the right word to describe him and I think it's 't**t''. Should Clarkson's jumbo tractor hove into view, JD's Marine Corps training might prove useful.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kumaon hills gear up for Harela festival with traditional fervour and ecological commitment
1 2 3 Bageshwar: People across the Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand are preparing to celebrate Harela on Wednesday, marking the arrival of the monsoon and the sacred month of Shravan. The festival, reflecting the agricultural and ecological heritage of the state, re-affirms the state's commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable practices. Preparations had commenced nine days ago, with families utilising clean soil to plant seven varieties of grains – including paddy, maize, black soybean (bhatt) and lentils – in earthen pots or bamboo containers. On the tenth day, the sprouted greens, representing abundance and fertility, are harvested, presented to deities and distributed amongst family members and relatives as blessings. "This tradition has continued for centuries. The green shoots are believed to indicate the health of the upcoming harvest. Even twigs planted on this day tend to grow well, which villagers consider a divine sign of nature's favour," said Bhagwat Singh, an elder from Bageshwar. The festival features religious ceremonies, sapling plantations and community gatherings where people receive blessings from elders. Homes display clay idols of Lord Shiva's family, while residents sing folk songs as part of the festivities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 《喵國無雙》萌貓集結，網頁遊戲免下載即開即玩，三國冒險從喵喵培養開始 喵國無雙 立即播放 Undo Highlighting Harela's scientific significance, professor KS Rawat from the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) in Bageshwar, said, "In remote hilly areas without formal agricultural labs, this festival offers a natural way to test soil and seed quality. A healthy Harela crop indicates good seed and fertile soil, while a poor one calls for corrective action." This year's festival focuses on environmental consciousness through initiatives such as "A Tree in Mother's Name" and "Celebrate Harela, Repay Mother Earth". Officials said over two lakh saplings will be planted in public parks, riverbanks, forest areas, school premises, govt offices and residential areas in the Kumaon region. "Harela is not just a religious event," said Bhagwati Devi, a local resident. "It's a time of shared joy, music, and a deep connection with nature and each other."
GMA Network
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Kiss The Bride vinyl honors late Pinoy Jazz icon
Article Inside Page Kiss The Bride vinyl LP release features an eclectic mix of their rearranged originals, which doubles as a timely homage to their former bandmate, friend, and percussionist, Uly Avante. After close to 16 years, more than 40 original songs, and countless live performances, the members of Kiss The Bride are still making beautiful music together. The brainchild of keyboardist/composer Tony Razon, acclaimed fusion guitarist Joey Puyat, and band manager Cecile Rodgers, Kiss the Bride has probably the best survival rate of any Filipino jazz fusion group. Notwithstanding the pandemic that pushed the 'pause' button on live gigs, the band has consistently been doing live performances and recordings since its inception in 2009. Despite a revolving chair of musical personnel over the past years, Kiss The Bride's current lineup includes Cecile Rodgers (synth), Otep Concepcion (drums/percs), Julius Lopez (bass), Stephen Lachica (bass), Fernando Mendoza (drums), Mel Torre and Arla Concepcion (vocals). Defying jazz tradition, the group refuses to be typecast in the 'smooth jazz' mold, fusing their deft improvisational skills over a backdrop of blues, funk, Brazilian, Mediterranean and even pop/RnB influences. Their latest labor of love, a Vinyl LP release featuring an eclectic mix of their rearranged originals, doubles as a timely homage to their former bandmate, friend, and percussionist, Uly Avante, who passed away in May 2017. A consummate session musician whose discography reads like a who's who of the local recording industry, Uly had already honed his chops in various fusion outfits (including Mother Earth, Hourglass and Phase Two) before he became a mainstay of the legendary Circus Band, and eventually became an indispensable ensemble player for the likes of top-caliber jazz performers such as Boy Katindig, Bong Peñera, Tadao Hayashi, Tots Tolentino, Rudy Lozano, among others. Despite his jazz roots, Uly was equally adept playing pop gigs, earning his rep as a first-call session man for some of the country's biggest pop icons such as Gary Valenciano, Regine Velasquez and Zsa Zsa Padilla. Joey and Uly were long-time bandmates, starting from way back during their college years when they figured in many band settings together, and coming full circle as they rekindled their rare musical chemistry in Kiss The Bride. 'Uly added that special spark to the music that we constantly miss in our gigs. That he was a kind, funny, and true friend as well makes him even more irreplaceable. Uly was simply one of a kind,' Joey fondly reminisces. Interestingly, the Kiss The Bride vinyl release (succinctly named 'KTB') is much more than just a repackaged collection. Joey elaborates, 'This endeavor is special as we pay tribute to Uly and his unique talent and expertise in percussion playing. I just felt that he had to be in it! So instead of getting someone else to play his parts, I decided that Uly's previously recorded tracks would be used while updating the other instrumental tracks with fresh solos and tweaked arrangements to give the music a more contemporary feel.' 'Because the music of KTB is based on set patterns overlaid with jazz-influenced improvisation, rearrangements of these tunes were needed to allow for fresh solos that would be different, but similar enough so that Uly's original tracks could be retained in their original recorded form.' The Vinyl LP release holds an even deeper significance as it reflects Joey and Uly's shared passion for records. He adds, 'Because Uly and I were vinyl aficionados since our school days, it was easy to decide that a vinyl release would reflect our common musical passion. From a personal viewpoint, I have always loved the experience afforded by vinyl. The pleasure in the listening experience is heightened when our music is heard in this format--with real floor-standing speakers instead of headphones, earplugs.' Related gallery: Celebrity deaths 2025: Actors, singers we've lost The KTB LP is a self-produced album in collaboration with Backspacer Records and will be on a limited run of 150 copies. Distribution is exclusively done by Backspacer Records via their physical store and through their online website. As part of their promotional efforts for the record, the band embarked on a limited bar tour, which kicked off last July 4 at Tago Jazz (Cubao, Quezon City), and which will have its second leg on July 18 at the 78-45-33 jazz bar in Salcedo Village (Makati City). Looking ahead, Joey remains optimistic for the future of Kiss The Bride and their ever-growing audience. He shares, 'The band has evolved significantly since our early days in 2009 when we were playing purely original music. We feel the reason we are still here today is because we constantly and consciously adapt to the changing tides of music that influence the attitudes and taste of the listening public.' 'Our countless live performances in various venues have given us the opportunity to listen to our audience as much and as eagerly as we invite them into our own musical world.'
New York Post
07-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
Uranus enters Gemini — buckle up for the most chaotic transit of the year
Buckle up, my babies — on Monday, July 7, Uranus, our side-spinning planet of rebellion, liberation, and chaos with a capital C, swaps the placid materialist pastures of Taurus for the wild climes of Gemini. 'This marks a significant astrological shift, moving us from a period of slow, tangible transformation (Taurus) into an era of rapid intellectual and communicative evolution (Gemini),' astrologer and spiritual counselor Letao Wang told The Post. Uranus is known as 'The Great Awakener' for its capacity to agitate and liberate, casting us out and anew. This soul-quaking registers at the precise degree we need to break free from complacency. Considered a generational planet, Uranus spends roughly 7-8 years in each sign. Uranus in Gemini dates 8 Uranus is known as 'The Great Awakener' for its capacity to disrupt, destroy, liberate, and cast us out and anew. alhaitham – In Greek myth, Uranus, born from primeval chaos, is the god of the sky. One half of the first couple, Uranus, was the mate of Gaia, AKA Mother Earth. Uranus was eventually castrated by his child, Cronus, thereby dividing heaven and earth. Uranus has been wheeling, dealing, and upending in the fixed dirt of Taurus since 2018, a period that has seen destabilization in realms related to or ruled by the bull, including the fraught and fragile relationship we have with Mother Earth, financial systems, agriculture, security, and material goods. 'Think cryptocurrency surges, climate activism, and shifts in values around possessions,' said Wang. In Gemini, Uranus takes aim at technology, communication, our relationship to facts and truth, and the exchange of information. 'Gemini thrives on curiosity, adaptability, and connection, so expect breakthroughs in AI, quantum computing, social media, transportation, and education.' The planet teaches us that for change to be initiated and truth to rise, something has to shift or shed — and Uranus is the rattler of cages and the burner of boats. In Gemini, this inciting energy will be expressed in off-the-wall ideas, unusual bonds of friendship, fickle love, and revolutionary rhetoric. Uranus will dip into Gemini between July and November of 2025 before retrograding back into Taurus for one last act before leaving dirt for air in 2026. Uranus will then remain in Gemini until 2033. What happened last time Uranus was in Gemini? Uranus in Gemini history 8 Wang notes that we can expect communication to take a tumble toward the revolutionary, the dicy and the divisive. Keattipoom – The last time Uranus transited Gemini was 1942-1949, a span of years that gave rise to themes of innovation and division. 'During that time period, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer was completed in the US (technological breakthrough); the United Nations was formed (new communication among nations); and the partition of India occurred—sudden changes leading to one country into two (Gemini is a sign of twins),' shared Wang. Interestingly, the United States has been engaged in war, which we could define as the ultimate miscommunication, during three of the last Uranus in Gemini transits: World War II (1941 – 1945), the US Civil War (1861 – 1865), and the American Revolutionary War (1774 – 1782). Here's hoping the restless energy of Uranus in Gemini pushes us toward an unforeseen avenue for conflict resolution rather than a return to the bleak and the bloody status quo. What to expect when Uranus enters Gemini Wang notes that we can expect communication to take a tumble toward the revolutionary, the dicy and the divisive. 'New platforms, decentralized media, or AI-driven language tools may emerge. Misinformation battles could intensify, but so will efforts to democratize knowledge.' According to Wang, as Gemini lords over both tech and intellect, we can expect the cracked cup of the unruly to runneth over. 8 Gemini rules siblings, and as such, Wang foresees erratic and unpredictable dynamics emerging between relatives during this transit. manuta – 'Uranus loves disruption, and Gemini rules gadgets, networks, and transportation. Think quantum computing, drone deliveries, or radical changes in how we travel. Gemini also governs ideas, so unconventional thinking will flourish. Expect debates, paradigm shifts, and a push for mental freedom, though also potential chaos in discourse.' On a more personal level, Gemini rules siblings, and as such, Wang foresees erratic and unpredictable dynamics emerging between relatives during this transit. Remember, folks — if it feels hysterical, it's likely historical. If your family is already erratic and unpredictable, maybe you'll discover new ways to communicate that facilitate real deal healing, the most radical modality of all. Who will be most affected by Uranus in Gemini 8 In addition to the four mutable signs, Wang notes that those with personal planets or angles in late Taurus or early Gemini (0°–10°) may feel immediate shifts in their lives in the remaining months of 2K25. AJI NUR FAJAR – Uranus disrupts the status quo, the complacent, and the inauthentic in our lives, shaking loose whatever we have failed to freely surrender. While we'll all feel the effects of this transit, smelling the smoke and managing the quake, four signs will be altered most acutely. 'Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces—the mutable signs—will feel this transit most intensely, as Uranus tests their adaptability in key areas of life.' In addition to the four mutable signs, Wang notes that those with personal planets or angles in late Taurus or early Gemini (0°–10°) may feel immediate shifts in their lives in the remaining months of 2K25. 8 Daria – Uranus in Gemini raises the radical for Gemini's first house of identity. 'Uranus' influence may spark radical shifts in self-identity and physical well-being, urging them to embrace new ways of expressing their individuality,' said Wang. Let your freak flag fly and your self-care take whatever shape helps you shift. 8 Daria – For Virgo, Uranus' transit through Gemini highlights the need for major shifts regarding career, purpose, and legacy. 'Virgo could experience groundbreaking changes in career and public life, pushing them to innovate, restructure, or even disrupt their professional path.' Keep in mind that we never understand why things fall apart until those cracked pieces come together to form an unfathomable whole. 8 Daria – Uranus in Gemini throws a rebellious wrench in the seventh house of trusted partnerships and contracts of the heart for Sagittarius 'Relationships—especially partnerships and marriage—may undergo unexpected transformations, with some chaos serving as a catalyst for growth.' Buy the ticket, take the ride. 8 Daria – For Pisces folk, Uranus will side spin in their fourth house of home, meaning changes are afoot in both literal domiciles and domestic relationships. 'Pisces may see upheavals in home and family life, possibly prompting a move, a shift in living situations, or even relocation abroad,' shared Wang. However these conveyances materialize for the people of the fish; bear in mind that a true home and a long-awaited second childhood may lie at the end of a very rocky road or along the path least traveled. Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
Irish Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot trainer slapped with fine after sending wrong horse to race
Royal Ascot trainer Charlie Appleby was slapped with a £750 fine after he sent the wrong horse to race at Southwell. The 49-year-old - who is regarded as one of the leading trainers in horse racing - declared Wishful Spirit to run at Southwell in a fillies' novice race on March 14 earlier this year. However, the Englishman made a grave mistake as the horse that was actually present at the racecourse stables was Silent Love, a stablemate of Wishful Spirit. Both horses are three-year-old fillies sired by Dubawi, the retired Thoroughbred racehorse. While Wishful Spirit has yet to run for the trainer, the bay is currently listed to compete next month in Tattersalls July Sale. Silent Love, on the other hand, has already racked up three starts for the stable, including a winning run at Kempton earlier this month as well as two third-placed finishes at Newmarket and Haydock. Appleby - who is employed by Godolphin who are the private stable of the ruling royal family of the Emirate of Dubai - admitted he breached Rule (D)8 which is the duty to check the identity of a horse as part of the Rules of Racing. He accepted the fast-track disciplinary system taking charge of solving the case as the British Horseracing Authority had proposed the trainer pay a penalty of £750. The figure was accepted by Appleby which ranks as the suggested entry point for a fine which ranges from £450 all the way up to £1,500. In the final verdict of the case, the disciplinary panel had come to the conclusion that the mishap had happened due to the failure of the horse's identity being checked against the passport that had been filed. Mistaken identity in the world of horse racing is not as uncommon as some may think with numerous cases having occurred in recent years. In one of the more compelling situations, legendary trainer Aidan O'Brien admitted that there was "no excuse" after his fillies Mother Earth and Snowfall had accidentally carried the other's numbers and riders in what was a major error in the Fillies' Mile in 2020. Two years after, another horse identity controversy ensued after Brian Ellison offered an apology after he withdrew his runner at Bangor after a mix-up occurred when he tried accepting the correct horse in Sworn To Be Free from a pre-training organisation.
