Latest news with #After
Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Children's books review: Thrilling reads from a trio of brilliant Irish authors
After by Pádraig Kenny (Walker Books, €7.99) What, in this age of artificial intelligence, when humanoid robots can interact with us and perform so many complex, decision-making tasks, defines us as human beings? Apart from biological creation, rather than metal or plastic construction, the attributes that differentiate Homo sapiens from the machines of their own design are becoming harder to distinguish. For answers, we might even Google an AI-generated definition of what makes us human, yielding a list of key traits that includes self-awareness, abstract thought, moral sensibilities, and a capacity for empathy. We could also consider the import of After, the post-apocalyptic novel from Limerick-based author Pádraig Kenny, which puts humanity in the spotlight in the context of the collapse of civilisation. In a 'melding of the mechanical with the biological', humans have been implanted with microchips from birth, giving them access to an information and living system called the Hive. However, after the Hive turns on the human race, a 'cataclysmic short circuit' occurs, obliterating both machines and humans, the few people who remain resorting to scavenging for food in order to survive. In this desolate environment, Father and Jen are a family unit, journeying in search of a new place to call home. After by Pádraig Kenny (Walker Books) Father's role is as protector, though his child-rearing methods are straight from the pages of a parenting manual and somehow lack the human touch. Father's application of logic and adherence to rules-based systems give him a calm authority to which many parents might aspire, but it becomes clear that he is not Jen's biological relative, nor indeed human at all. Despite his appearance, he is made largely of metal components, an AI humanoid that has learned a moral code and patterns of caring, empathetic behaviour — and has somehow survived the short-circuit catastrophe. He and Jen seek refuge in a self-sufficient settlement of human survivors, but with machines viewed as the enemy, they could both be in danger if Father's true identity is uncovered. Jen seems to have found her tribe in this settlement, however, and in as much as an AI machine can face a moral dilemma, Father is presented with one when he must choose whether to now relinquish the caring duties he has performed since finding the orphaned Jen as a baby. If an autonomous robot can learn to develop caring sensibilities, it is more than may be said of the man who invented the Hive, his hunger for power leading him to push the boundaries of technological advancement at all costs, overriding any sense of morality or human empathy. A futuristic fantasy that also holds a mirror up to today's world, where the milk of human kindness appears to be running dry, and where it is perhaps not AI technology itself we should fear, but those who would subvert its benefits for nefarious ends. Tales of Darkisle: Conn of the Dead by Dave Rudden, illustrated by Ali Al Amine Conn of the Dead by Dave Rudden (Gill Books, €10.99) Trouble magnet Conn has boundless energy and copious amounts of gruesome stories that he feels compelled to tell, regardless of their unsuitability for the occasion. Tales from Irish mythology are a particular speciality, the more gross details about mucus and bile the better, particularly when he gets into character as the zombie Abhartach, appropriator of body parts and a 'heaving mass of arms and legs and tails and heads — a clot of flesh the size of a house'. The only person who really understands Conn is his aunt Doireann, soon-to-be doctor of Medieval Irish, and the very person who first introduced Conn to these tales. It is Doireann he rings, rather than his long-suffering mother, to collect him from the principal's office after a calamitous incident where he has sabotaged the school play by swinging unbidden onto the stage 'like a flailing human conker' to enact the slaying of the Abhartach. Doireann, unprepared for the sudden arrival of her nephew, scoops him up on her yellow motorbike and whisks him back to her office at the National Folklore Collection at UCD. Sure what could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot, inevitably, when Conn spots a box labelled hazardous. And what's an 11-year-old boy-tornado to do but take a little peek inside? To cut to the chase that ensues when the ancient skull within is revealed; it involves all the horrors that might be expected when an un-dead Abhartach discovers how to use modern technology to its advantage. The first in a series of 'Tales of Darkisle' from Cavan's Dave Rudden, author of Knights of the Borrowed Dark, this serves as a portent of further fiendish spirits to be resurrected from Irish mythology and re-imagined in new contexts. Goo, gore, and ghoulishness galore — bring it on. Solo by Gráinne O'Brien Solo by Gráinne O'Brien (Little Island, €10.99) 'Music is not something that I do. Music is something that I am. It forms the very fabric of who I am as a person. At least…it used to.' Everything in Daisy's world was certain. Practise. Perform. Practise. Pass music exams. Repeat. Not a gifted genius but 'the kind of musician that is built through determination and practise', her life in the year before her Leaving Cert followed a pattern of predictability where she knew the script and was happy to follow it. Winning prizes for playing the recorder, not renowned as the most glamorous of instruments, might get her picture in the local paper but it has little 'social currency' in the school popularity stakes. Which is why Daisy was not the only one surprised when sports-mad David chose her as his girlfriend. Music may have been Daisy's first love but David was her second, and for the month they were together she became so obsessed with him that everything, including music, was cast aside as she helped him follow his dreams at the expense of her own. Now, just after their first sexual experience, David has unceremoniously dumped her. Daisy is so devastated that she can't even celebrate her 18th birthday, and the music that was once the core of her existence now offers no solace. Her parents, who resisted any urge to protest when the boyfriend usurped the place of the music into which so much had been invested, now have their focus turned on Daisy's father's recent cancer diagnosis. Having lost her boyfriend and her love of music, Daisy is also betrayed by her best friend, and as she struggles to regain a sense of direction, the enormity of the changes in her life threatens to overwhelm her. Never part of the cool gang, soloist Daisy feels more alone than ever until a kindred spirit helps her find a new path. Limerick-born bookseller Gráinne O'Brien's verse-form novel digs deep into the uncertainty and self-doubt felt by many on the cusp of adulthood.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The media treads lightly in marking the fifth anniversary of George Floyd's murder
The murder heard around the world marks its fifth anniversary Sunday. On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on the neck of George Floyd and held it there for nearly 90 seconds. The incident was filmed by 17-year-old Darnella Frazier and went viral. Chauvin was eventually found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. The killing ignited international outrage and massive protests during a pandemic that had already rocked the nation. Floyd's death further galvanized the grassroots Black Lives Matter movement, pivoted on a racial reckoning calling for remedies to the troubled history of justice for Black people in America. National news outlets extensively reported on numerous large and small corporations as they frantically scrambled to express solidarity with protesters, pledging reforms to address past shortfalls and improve diversity and equity. While other noteworthy anniversaries of momentous events that have shaped the nation have often inspired documentaries and prime-time specials hosted by top news personalities, many TV news outlets are treating the Floyd anniversary with a more subdued tone. That approach is taking place during another kind of urgent reckoning, propelled by the Trump administration's assault on civil rights, which has been targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs and policies established in the wake of Floyd's murder. Some examinations of the effect of Floyd's death on the nation and the justice system have moved forward. PBS and NewsNation are among venues planning packages reflecting on Floyd's legacy. KMSP Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul has produced "After George Floyd," which examines "what's changed — and what hasn't." The hourlong documentary hosted by KMSP's Symone Woolridge will be streamed on the Fox LiveNOW platform and will be available for Fox-owned-and-operated stations around the country. The report will air locally Friday and Sunday on KTTV Fox 11. Other prominent media are taking more measured tones. Representatives for CBS, NBC and CNN said the outlets were planning some coverage but did not offer specific plans indicating a deeper dive into the incident and its effects. MSNBC, which is shaking up its programming after criticism by Trump for its left-leaning commentaries, did not respond to inquiries about their plans. The Floyd anniversary arrives at the same time that MAGA conservatives and the Trump administration have engaged in relentless attacks on mainstream media outlets that have been critical of the president and his agenda. Fiery debates surrounding so-called wokeness have highlighted programs on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and others. Among the venues that have come under fire is CBS News and "60 Minutes." CBS News and Stations President Wendy McMahon stepped down earlier this week, saying in a note to staff that it was "clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward." It's the latest chapter between the company and its journalists over CBS' handling of Trump's lawsuit against the flagship news program. Read more: Wendy McMahon pushed from her CBS News post amid '60 Minutes' crisis Trump has also taken aim at ABC News, which agreed to pay $15 million to Trump's presidential library to settle a lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos' inaccurate on-air assertion that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. Speculating on the media coverage of the anniversary, Selwyn Jones, who is Floyd's uncle, said in an interview that there are many people who believe "old systemic things" have not changed since his nephew's death. "It's the reason why we still have escalated cases of police brutality and escalated cases of domestic violence," he said. "George's case completely shook up the whole world. It was the most catastrophic thing that people have ever seen, and it woke a lot of people up." Jones, who co-founded the Justice 929 Organization, a charity devoted to promoting civil rights and social change in honor of Floyd, was critical of the media and the justice system. "What I can assure you is that there are more people engaged in the social movement than ever before. Has the media kept up the pace with that? Absolutely not," he said. "Are we seeing drastic changes in the laws? Absolutely not. That's the political climate." Phillip Atiba Solomon, a psychologist and chair of African American Studies at Yale University, said he's skeptical of news coverage that would suggest there's been dramatic change. "I am concerned that there will be a lot of stories making assumptions about what the effects of what happened with George Floyd's death have been," he said. "I would hope that we are a changed country, but I'm not sure what I would point to say that's definitely true." Solomon is co-founder of the Center for Policing Equity, which is labeled as the nation's leading organization focused on eliminating racism in public safety. The organization partnered with Time magazine in early May to produce a special issue featuring interviews and essays examining the continuing struggle for racial justice. Read more: Justice Department moves to cancel police reform settlements reached with Minneapolis and Louisville He feared some media stories about the anniversary might misrepresent the progress of the last five years: "It is not clear to me that there has been a wholesale change in public safety — for sure not nearly as much as the nation was asking for at that time." Much of the Floyd coverage will be locally based. Emily Stone, vice president of digital content for Fox TV stations, called Floyd's death "a national, major and relevant story that was horrible. We know folks will be interested in seeing the coverage from Minneapolis that we are offering from Fox LiveNow. We have the ability to take that perspective from our local station and amplify that to a national audience." Kelly Bishop-Huffman, news director of Fox's KMSP, was the station's assistant news director when the story about Floyd's death broke. "We all felt an overwhelming feeling from the get-go that we were facing an overdue moment on what was going on in our country," Huffman said. "The second I saw that video, I knew this was a line-in-the-sand moment." As for analyzing the current perspective of the killing, Huffman said raising awareness about the country's racial reckoning shouldn't stop. "There is progress in many areas, but maybe not as much as others," she said. "We are trying to remain hyper-focused. You obviously have to look back, but we are concentrated on looking at the now and in looking forward, and that's the concentration of our stories." For Jones, there is no such thing as too little coverage when it comes to Floyd's death. "If I could control all elements, we would be talking about George Floyd every day in the mass media," Jones said. "Unfortunately, that can't happen. But some things have a three-week shelf life. My nephew is going to have one weekend every year where everybody remembers the day that George Floyd changed the world." Here are other planned reports that could appear on national broadcasts in the coming days: ABC News national correspondent Alex Perez, one of the first reporters on the scene after Floyd's death, and who also covered the protests and the aftermath, will file a report from George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. ABC-owned television stations in Texas and North Carolina will sit down with Floyd's loved ones as they reflect on his life and legacy. CBS Minnesota is checking in with the Black community and Minnesotans to see how they are doing and feeling about the anniversary. Reporters will also interview local police, community members and city officials about the stalled plans to create a monument at George Floyd Square. Fred de Sam Lazaro, special correspondent for the PBS News Hour, will report on the status of racial justice and police reforms in Minneapolis, conducting interviews with Floyd's family members and Medaria Arradondo, the Minneapolis police chief at the time of the incident. NewsNation is set to cover a commemorative walk at George Floyd Square on Saturday, with additional reporting during the weekend. "On Balance" anchor Leland Vittert, who covered the 2020 protests, will also offer his perspectives. Sign up for Screen Gab, a free newsletter about the TV and movies everyone's talking about from the L.A. Times. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After, a Spanish creative agency, joins the Dékuple Group
After, a Spanish creative agency, joins the Dékuple Group A new step to further strengthen the Group's footprint in Spain and develop its European leadership Paris, 20 May 2025 (8:00am) - The Dékuple Group, a leader in communication and data marketing in Europe, is announcing its partnership with After, a creative agency located in Barcelona. This merger is part of the Group's international growth strategy. Based on a multi-entrepreneurial model, it aims to strengthen the Group's European presence and expand its expertise in creativity and engagement marketing to better serve large accounts and mid-market clients. A key milestone in Dékuple's international expansion Already present in Spain for more than 20 years through its subsidiary Dékuple Ibéria and since 2024 through its consulting firm Converteo, this integration of the After agency further strengthens Dékuple's foothold in the Iberian market. Following expansions in Germany and the Netherlands over the past six months, this new integration marks another strategic step in the Group's 2030 ambition to become a European leader in communication and data marketing. To achieve this, the Group is building a network of high value-added agencies in Europe, combining local market insight, creativity, data marketing expertise, technology, artificial intelligence, a full funnel approach, and operational excellence. The goal is to deliver a measurable and lasting impact and support clients in their transformation challenges. The Group aims to leverage synergies and complementary expertise, while favoring an agile, multi-entrepreneurial model that is open to the world. Each entity will retain its management and strategic and operational independence, enabling After, Dékuple Iberia and Converteo Spain to pursue their own objectives while taking advantage of the commercial opportunities offered by the Dékuple ecosystem. By combining After's creative strength with the technological and data-driven expertise of Dékuple Iberia and Converteo Spain, the Group affirms its commitment to building an integrated, differentiated and scalable offering, capable of delivering more effective marketing that is deeply rooted in local cultural specificities. The Group's objective is to further support both local and multi-country clients in the Spanish market. A Creative Agency Born to Disrupt Founded in Barcelona in 2007 by Risto Mejide and Marc Ros, the charismatic and media-savvy founding duo, After has become a leading agency with a strong vision for storytelling and advertising innovation. Now led by Marc Ros, After is an independent creative agency , with offices n Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid, and is one of the top three independent agencies in Spain. Recognized for its ability to combine creativity, innovation and responsible commitment, it supports brands in designing powerful, sustainable and distinctive communication strategies. After offers end-to-end services from strategy to execution, covering brand strategy, visual identity, integrated campaigns, social media content, and event activations. Recognized for its ability to combine creativity, innovation, and responsible commitment, the agency places particular emphasis on the social and environmental impact of the solutions it creates. As a long-term partner, After designs bold and effective campaigns for national and international brands, always aligned with each brand's challenges and identity. "We are already established in Portugal and Spain, through our subsidiary Dékuple Iberia, and recently with the subsidiary of our consulting firm Converteo. Spain was the first country in which the Group began its international expansion, and we are deeply committed to continuing to grow our expertise, support our clients, and enhance our brand presence. Our goal is to continue the Group's development in Spain and Europe to meet the transnational needs of our local and global clients in terms of creativity, data, and technology. We are therefore delighted to welcome After and its more than 100 employees into our ecosystem of creative and marketing agencies. This move will enable Dékuple to expand its offering across Europe and offer new creative levers to our clients. At the same time, it will provide After with the opportunity to broaden its service offering to key accounts and compete in international tenders,' explains Bertrand Laurioz, Chairman and CEO of the Dékuple Group. Marc Ros, CEO of After, added: 'This strategic partnership is a natural fit. Our creative and strategic leadership perfectly complements Dékuple's technological and data-driven strengths. Their strong presence in Spain with Dékuple Iberia and Converteo enhances our local roots and opens new synergies. Together, we can offer our clients a unique combination of creativity, technology, data, and marketing performance, while maintaining our independence and entrepreneurial spirit'. Strengthening the Dékuple Group's foothold in Spain The Dékuple Group has been active in Spain for over 20 years through its subsidiary Dékuple Iberia. It supports large companies with effective marketing strategies focused on promotional marketing, local marketing, and also loyalty and incentive programs– all designed to engage customers and employees over the long term through tailor-made platforms. In 2024, the Group reached a new milestone by opening an office in Madrid for its consulting firm Converteo, bringing additional expertise to the Spanish market and further enhancing the Group's synergies. With this majority stake acquisition, After will be consolidated into Dékuple's accounts as of May 1, 2025. The agency generates annual net sales of over €10 million and a gross margin of more than €5 million. About DÉKUPLE DÉKUPLE is a European leader for data marketing and communication. Its expert capabilities combining consulting, creativity, data and technology enable it to support brands with the transformation of their marketing to drive their business performance. The Group designs and implements client acquisition, loyalty and relationship management solutions for its partners and clients across all distribution channels. The Group works with more than 500 brands, from major groups to mid-market firms, in Europe and around the world. Founded in 1972, DÉKUPLE recorded net sales of €218m in 2024. Present in Europe, North America and China, the Group employs more than 1,100 people guided by its core values: a conquering spirit, respect and collaboration. DÉKUPLE is listed on the regulated market Euronext Paris – Compartment C. ISIN: FR0000062978 – ContactsDÉKUPLE Investor Relations & Financial Informationtel: +33 (0)1 41 58 72 03 - FINANCE & COMMUNICATIONCyril Combe - tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 36 - dekuple@ Attachment CP After x Dekuple EN comfi-VDEF2
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
After Op Sindoor: Don't Do Another Simla
After Op Sindoor: Don't Do Another Simla May 15, 2025, 20:39 IST IST If Pakistan wants India to rethink the suspension of Indus Waters Treaty, it must crack down on terror networks and extradite Masood Azhar & Hafiz Saeed In July 1972, India and Pakistan signed the Simla Agreement that paved the way for the return of 93,000 Pak POWs by India. As against pre-talk expectations that India would extract a suitable price from Pakistan for the return of the POWs, India backtracked from its original demand for the resolution of the Kashmir conflict once and for all. In response to a plea made by Pak PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to India's PM Indira Gandhi that he needed more time, with a 'Bharosa Rakhiye' (trust me), India came away from Simla with little that a victor ought to have come away from the negotiating table. Fifty-three years later, Kashmir still remains the raison d'etre of the Pak army's existence and the principal bone of contention between the two countries.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CBS Boss George Cheeks Admits It's A 'Challenging' Time In TV & For Paramount, But That Didn't Impact Its Schedule
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways CBS has been in the news for all sorts of reasons lately, including legal battles with the President of the United States and issues around its news gem 60 Minutes. But all of this disruption has not had any material impact on its 2025/26 schedule, which the network revealed today. More from Deadline CBS President and CEO George Cheeks said it was an 'unprecedented, challenging time for the industry and for our company in particular'. 'What's most important as a leader is how you show up in a difficult time. I think my biggest goal is to make sure that the team feels supported, and that we recognize that we have to focus on what we can control, which is building an amazing schedule like Amy and her team are doing, and just really sort of locking arms and saying, 'We are a team. We're family. We're gonna get through this together',' he said. The former NBCUniversal exec said that the schedule has not been impacted by all of the noise around Paramount. RELATED: As 'After Midnight' Comes To End, CBS Boss George Cheeks Admits Late-Night Is A 'Challenge' 'What's great for us is that in spite of all the disruption, we continue year over year again to have a really strong schedule, and it allows us to make, as Amy said, some really difficult decisions, but to create an optimal schedule. That's what we do, and that was our focus the whole time, the whole process,' he added. CBS owner Paramount is currently waiting on its takeover by Skydance and there are only a handful of days left on FCC's 180-day 'shot clock' for the transaction, an informal timeline for the agency to review mergers. FCC chairman Brendan Carr referenced the timing during a press conference last week. RELATED: Harlan Coben Moves Into Unscripted For The First Time With 'Final Twist' Set At CBS Carr insisted that the regulatory review, which is crucial when transfer of broadcast licenses is involved — like is the case with Paramount as owner of CBS — is not connected to other ongoing Paramount-related matters, including a potential settlement in President Trump's $20 billion lawsuit against CBS over its 60 Minutes Kamala Harris interview. Cheeks' comments come as Skydance paused new spending on 9/12, a new drama series starring and executive produced by Jeremy Strong and written and executive produced by Tobias Lindholm and Frank Pugliese. RELATED: 'Y: Marshals': CBS Orders 'Yellowstone' Sequel Starring Luke Grimes As Kayce Dutton RELATED: As 'After Midnight' Comes To End, CBS Boss George Cheeks Admits Late-Night Is A 'Challenge' Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
