The Austrian actor Helmut Berger has died at the age of 78, following a career of dazzling performances in arthouse movies and TV soaps, as well as a private life which delighted gossip columnists. Berger was most famous as the lover of Luchino Visconti, the Italian director who cast him in a trio of films in the 1960s and early '70s: The Damned, in which Berger's character rapes his own mother; Ludwig, about the mad Bavarian king; and Conversation Piece, a portrayal of Visconti's own relationship with the younger man. Berger was also known for “dolce vita” style playboy antics, having a string of famous lovers of both sexes that included everyone from Ursula Andress to Jerry Hall, and both Bianca and Mick Jagger. Berger's later career was marred by breakdowns caused by drug and alcohol issues.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is the Senate's only Black Republican, is entering the 2024 presidential race to see if a more hopeful vision of America’s future can resonate with Republican Party voters. Scott will make a formal announcement on Monday at his alma mater, Charleston Southern University. He is trying to differentiate his platform from former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' grievance-based politics by talking about universal themes of aspiration and common language rather than condescension and a cynical "us vs them" mentality. Scott has already scheduled TV ads to begin airing in early voting states Iowa and New Hampshire. Scott speaks often about his hardscrabble roots and his grandfather's work in the cotton fields of the Deep South and is a firm believer that racism is not a powerful force in society.
The Covid-19 pandemic caused 336.8 million years of life to be lost globally, according to the World Health Organisation's 2021 World Health Statistics report. Each death caused by the virus led to an average loss of more than 22 years of life, equivalent to over five years of life lost every second. The WHO said the pandemic has set back progress on Sustainable Development Goals set in 2015 that had seen notable improvements in population health until 2020. It warned that noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension, obesity and tobacco use now represent nearly three out of every four lives lost annually.
BBC presenter Greg James has warned the public against “trauma dumping” in conversations with strangers, including on celebrity-featured confessional podcasts that share deep, often traumatic information about their lives. Commenting on the trend, James said he had made mistakes in the past, particularly “saying too much” and being “too specific” about his personal life during interviews. He has urged people to think twice about disclosing private information and to consider that the long-term consequences of oversharing can be regrettable.
Retired Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford has received a Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The award was in recognition of his outstanding contribution to film and the premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which was screened at the festival. Ford will be retiring as the swashbuckling archaeologist, saying goodbye to the iconic Indiana Jones character more than 40 years after he first debuted. The gala was one of the most sought-after tickets at Cannes this year, with the film being directed and co-written by James Mangold.
Amnesty International has argued that three Iranian men who were executed on Friday were given “grossly unfair” trials to deter dissent. Majid Kazemi, Saeed Yaqoubi and Saleh Mirhashemi had all been accused of killing two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s Basij volunteer force and a police officer during anti-government protests last year. Each was also convicted without adequate evidence after confessing under torture, according to rights groups. In total, seven people have now been executed with five others still on death row in relation to the protests, during which an estimated 500 people may have died.
Bloorcourt - a neighbourhood in Toronto that used to be infamous for having the worst bar in the town, West Side Bar B.Q. - is now a burgeoning destination for quality restaurants and bars. In a span of 20 years, the area went from being a notorious no-go zone with a bad reputation for safety to hosting some of the best bars and restaurants in the city. Bar owners and restaurateurs in the area attribute the transformation to the opening of trendy places like Banjara, a popular Indian restaurant that opened in 2003, and Chantecler, a French-Canadian restaurant, which opened its doors in 2019. The neighbourhood's resurgence does not rely on gentrification in the usual sense, with little presence of condominiums in the area. The commercial usage largely drives the transition, influenced by businesses that residents "can feel comfortable coming back to."
Eric Idle has denied being involved in John Cleese's forthcoming stage production of Monty Python's Life of Brian, responding to a tweet from British Comedy Guide announcing the production that read: "The stage show version of Monty Python's Life of Brian will be launched in London in 2024, John Cleese has confirmed. He and Idle have made changes – for example, there'll be no crucifixion scene." Idle responded by tweeting, "I have nothing at all to do with this production or adaptation. Apparently, Cleese has cut the song. Of course". News of the adaptation was first reported in the Daily Mail and reports indicate Cleese is working on the project with veteran stage director Caroline Jay Ranger.
The Courage to Come Back Awards dinner, held in Vancouver next month, will celebrate community heroes in five categories: mental health, addiction, physical and medical rehabilitation, and youth. The event is organised by Coast Mental Health, a provider of community-based mental health services, and has raised CAD22m ($15.8m) since its inception 25 years ago. Lorne Segal, chairman of the annual dinner for the past 18 years, said the event provides an opportunity to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, while the stories of the award winners move anyone to tears.
The development of militarized artificial intelligence (AI) is the next international arms race, with politicians "in the loop" as a final decision, according to The New York Times. The paper suggests such militarization of AI will lead to potential conflicts based on flawed algorithms rather than human judgement. A possible international moratorium on AI militarization would solve the issue of unmanned machines controlling and directing military operations, but this outcome seems unlikely, even in the face of pressure from the international campaign to Stop Killer Robots.
The wife of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Akshata Murty, joined the G7 delegation to Japan, marking her first foreign political trip. Murty, who has attracted public attention since her husband took office, has been increasingly visible in public life. The couple's combined wealth is reportedly huge, however, Murty has opted for a wardrobe consisting of designer and high-street fashion brands.
Enuma Okoro writes in the Financial Times about the complicated and delicate relationship between parent and child, and how it changes over a lifetime. She reflects on several works of art that capture different aspects of parenting, from David Hockney’s 1977 double portrait “My Parents” to Shaina McCoy’s painting “Smile II”. Okoro notes how the relationships between parents and children change over time, as the perspective of the child shifts with life experiences. For Okoro, parenting is a process that doesn’t stop, as we continue to learn from the lessons our parents taught us.
Okoro uses painting to highlight the changing aspects of parenting and describes Michael Andrews’ 1978-79 painting “Melanie and Me Swimming” as a metaphor for how we make it through life. The child who may easily be able to stand in shallow water still looks to her father for guidance - a lesson in survival. Parenting can be thought of as an act of continual release, in which we must release our child into an unknown world where we do not have the means or control to protect them. This is true even for adult children who might still need active support or parenting.
Okoro suggests that we are all, in some way, children of someone. She concludes by inviting readers to reflect on the lessons they learnt from their parents and to recognise which of these may be keeping them from life-giving patterns and relationships.
Scientists at the European Congress on Obesity have suggested that those prone to overeating should be treated as if they were suffering from an illness. Despite the UK’s obesity rate soaring to 28% from one percent in 1950 while the number of overweight people exceeds 60%, the word “fat” has effectively been “banned”, according to an article by Amanda Platell in the Daily Mail. Scientists told the conference the heaviest NHS patients cost £1,375 annually, compared to £638 for those with a healthy BMI. Savings of £14bn per year could be made if the UK population was of a healthy weight.
The explosion of incoherent, undisciplined political protests, from the demands of climate extremists to the inanity of the trans lobby has created a remarkably similar sense of unreality, according to Melanie McDonagh in The Spectator. The article argues that this determined egomania — seeking to create anarchic disorder through demonstrations and ultimatums with no engagement with political argument — can be attributed to the collapse of great ideological debates and the growth of a post-rational battle that often leads to cancellation and physical threats.
Lauren Chan, former fashion editor at Glamour and now head of brand partnerships at Universal Standard, has discussed her views on vulnerability, feedback on coming out as a lesbian, and the importance of self-care in an interview with The Globe and Mail. Chan said that her recent experiences have made her "more vulnerable and candid", and said that being an LGBTQ individual made her expect hate and unfollowing on Instagram, although she didn't think it would be as high a number as 1,200 followers lost. Chan has also started therapy once a week and tries to make time for mediation and bodywork.
Environmental writer Amanda Lewis has called for action to protect North America's Champion trees, giant trees of different species recorded by the British Columbia BigTree Registry. Lewis praises their grace and beauty, and the new opportunities created by ecotourism, but says their preservation and that of other trees is being threatened by climate change. Wildfire and logging are seen as two of the main reasons that historic trees that have stood for centuries could be lost forever. Tourists are urged to consider contributing to conservation efforts, especially those that involve hands-on engagement and planting.
A 3D-printed prosthetic arm with "thinking" and "seeing" capabilities could help people replace lost limbs more affordably. The SmartArm, an AI-powered arm, was developed in Toronto, is controlled by Microsoft's Azure AI and its creators say it is the first of its kind to have a built-in camera and machine learning algorithms. Five articulated fingers mounted on a rotatable wrist help it more accurately move and pick up objects. The price of the SmartArm starts at $15,000, but similar limbs with individually moving fingers can cost $60,000 or more. Since it is significantly more affordable, the prosthetic's creators hope it is more accessible to people worldwide.
Richard Madeley has responded to a reader query in which a couple are struggling to keep their wedding guest count within the limits set by their chosen venue. The couple had sent out invitations earlier in the year and had a 100% yes response, so have been left with trying to create an even-handed algorithm that does not offend friends and family but also ensures they can have your dream day at their dream venue. Although the couple had asked for advice on alrogithms, Madeley's response was based around a more personal equation. He urged the couple to consider wether they cared about the special people or special places more. Madeley said it was obvious from their letter that they could not have both but he suggested they find a larger venue to accommodate their guests instead of sacrificing people to accommodate the venue. Ultimately, Madeley's thinking is that friends should matter more than special places.
Actor and former politician Arnold Schwarzenegger's career has spanned five decades; he is an Emmy-award winning, Golden Globe-nominated actor and former governor of California. Schwarzenegger's signature phrase, "I’ll be back," has proven prophetic and threatens to haunt him. At 75, he's still in the limelight, returning to TV with his new Netflix sitcom, Fubar, playing a former spy alongside his daughter. The Economist reports that perhaps his reinvention of self is not for the spectre of unemployment, or as a last-ditch effort to make his final film count, but because it helps Schwarzenegger to be useful and promote his role as an advocate for a greener world who encourages the masses to pursue their passions. Schwarzenegger has stayed relevant, but has also remained true to his roots, which include strong discipline and determination toward his goals. These include reinventing the health and fitness industry by establishing Schwarzenegger's latest venture, Ladder, a wellness company he founded with basketball legend LeBron James. The primary driver of this new health and fitness brand is making sport nutrition more accessible for all people.##
John Cleese has recounted removing a joke from his upcoming theatre adaptation of Monty Python’s The Life of Brian due to concerns it would cause offence. The joke, dealing with a character wishing to be called Loretta, was cut from the stage show after other performers stated it was inappropriate. Cleese, 83, argued that the skit had provided no reason for complaint during the past four decades and stated his confusion over the need to dilute such material. In the UK, the original film was controversial due to perceived mockery of Christianity, resulting in bans by some councils and demonstrations by religious groups. The new production will be overseen by Caroline Jay Ranger and will be the first Pythons performance without an input from Eric Idle, who stated: “I have nothing to do with this production or adaptation”.
