Latest news with #Lehane
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘The highest village in Ireland now has a Cork Rose' – Nancy Lehane to represent Rebels at 2025 Rose of Tralee
Ms Lehane is a proud native of the Duhallow-based village, the highest in Ireland, and the talented musician is about to live out her childhood dream of being the Cork Rose. Some 25 hopefuls took to the stage with an array of musical talents, eloquent poems and mesmerising dance moves in the hopes to woo the judging panel which consisted of the 2012 International Rose of Tralee Nicola Dunne; 2001 Cork Rose Olivia Walsh Murphy and Sales and Marketing Manager at the Rochestown Park Hotel Steve Cox. Ollie Turner was the host on the night and the Galway Bay FM sports presenter – and Fine Gael councillor – has played a part in Rose of Tralee selection nights for almost two decades, as well as being a judge over the past two renditions of the festival. When Mr Turner opened the envelope which revealed Ms Lehane's name he said: 'The highest village in Ireland now has a Cork Rose,' which was met with a huge roar of approval by the crowd. Ms Lehane recently completed her degree in Primary Education in Limerick and currently works at Bob's Restaurant in Kanturk. The Rose of Tralee will not be her first appearance on television as she competed in Ireland's Fittest Family in 2021. The 21-year-old has a keen interest in volunteering at local events, as well as embarking on a life-changing trip to Uganda to work with children. CEO of The Rose of Tralee Anthony O'Gara complimented Cork for celebrations that is 'very difficult' to replicate anywhere else. 'We have Roses from many counties here tonight, but I think they would agree that out of all the events we had this year, this is the biggest and the grandest, and it says so much about the spirit of Cork city and Cork county,' he said. Mr O'Gara went on to say that the Rose of Tralee is about 'celebrating women'. 'The Rose of Tralee is about celebrating women with their families, their communities and their friends because women are being celebrated more – thankfully. 'The Rose of Tralee has led from the front for many years and making sure that women are recognised for being the leaders of our communities,' he said. He added that the 25 women competing for the sash were 'strong enough to come up here and be themselves'. '25 of them will leave the room tonight and none of them will be the lesser and they will all be the better for having got to know the friends they got to know here. 'They will all leave here as proud as they arrived,' he concluded. A total of €3,550 was raised for the chosen charity partner on the night, the Children's Health Foundation. The charity supports sick children and their families in Children's HeaIth Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres in a number of ways, from funding vital life-saving equipment to supporting ground-breaking research. Ms Lehane will represent Cork at the Rose of Tralee International Festival from August 15 to 19.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Taron Egerton Is an Arson Investigator with PTSD in ‘Smoke' Trailer
Where there's 'Smoke,' there's fire. Taron Egerton reunites with his 'Black Bird' creator Dennis Lehane for another Apple TV+ series, this time about an arson investigator who is haunted by the ashes of past cases. The nine-episode crime drama 'Smoke' is inspired by true events as captured in acclaimed 'Firebug' podcast, hosted by Kary Antholis. The official synopsis for the series reads: ''Smoke' follows arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Egerton) who begrudgingly teams up with police detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) as their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions.' More from IndieWire 'White Lotus' Creator Mike White Has a New Gig: Returning to 'Survivor' for Season 50 'Hacks' Renewed for Season 5 at HBO Max Greg Kinnear, John Leguizamo, Anna Chlumsky, Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, and Adina Porter also star. 'Smoke' is created by Lehane, who also serves as writer and executive producer. Egerton executive produces alongside Richard Plepler on behalf of EDEN Productions and Bradley Thomas and Dan Friedkin through Imperative Entertainment, as well as Kari Skogland, Joe Chappelle, and Jane Bartelme. 'Firebug' host Antholis executive produces for Crime Story Media, LLC. Marc Smerling also serves as executive producer for Truth Podcasting Corp. Series directors include Skogland, Chappelle, and Jim McKay. Egerton previously led Lehane's serial killer drama 'Black Bird,' which also was an Apple TV+ series. Egerton told IndieWire that filming the tense show, which co-starred Paul Walter Hauser, was an emotional experience. 'I was in New Orleans for six and a half, seven moments. I didn't see my family. I had just been through a breakup,' he said. 'I was ready to throw myself into this creative experience, and when it was done it was almost like the illusion shattered and my own life came rushing through the cracks again. So I didn't really have much of a choice. … The challenge of the role is he's such a fucking insufferable pig in the first episode. Can I keep him with me for this long?' 'Smoke' premieres on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday, June 27, followed by new episodes every Friday through August 15. Check out the trailer below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie The 55 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now
Mint
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
US aims to keep Chinese navy guessing with new missile system
The Air Force C-130 transport plane dipped down on the sun-baked airfield of this remote island in the northern Philippines, delivering a weapon system designed to give the U.S. an edge in the intensifying superpower standoff in the Pacific. The Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or Nmesis, is an antiship missile launcher mounted on a remote-controlled truck. The dumbbell-shaped islet where it landed lies just 120 miles south of Taiwan. For the Marines, the Nmesis's flight to Batan was a key test in a high-stakes retooling aimed at readying the military's rapid-response force for a war with China in some of the world's most strategic, but increasingly tense, waterways. The prospect of an armed conflict with China—whether over Taiwan, the self-governed democracy Beijing claims as its own, or the contested shipping lanes of the South China Sea—has the U.S. playing catch-up. While American forces were bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan, China built up the world's biggest navy and a formidable arsenal of missiles aimed at making swaths of the Pacific off-limits to its adversaries. The Nmesis—pronounced 'nemesis"—was designed to erode that lead. It takes advantage of natural chokepoints like Batan to raise the cost of access for Chinese warships. Initially built to be launched from ships, the Norway-made Naval Strike Missiles the Nmesis fires can sink vessels some 115 miles away, skimming the water and adjusting their trajectory to follow and hit a moving target. With the Nmesis, Marines can now shoot these high-precision missiles from land, including from remote, mountainous islands like Batan, where launchers are far easier to conceal than on the open water. The main vehicle carrying the missiles is unmanned. Its operators work from a distance, based in two support vehicles that place them outside the line of fire of anyone trying to take out the launchers. The Nmesis' mere presence on strategic islands in the Pacific complicates decision-making for adversaries, who have to weigh the threat it poses for any vessel that may find itself within striking distance, said Col. John Lehane, the commander of the Hawaii-based Marine regiment that deployed the system to Batan late last month as part of an annual exercise. 'Once you put it on the ground, it is there. It can move around. It is hard to find," Lehane said. The Nmesis's antiship capabilities give it an edge over other land-based missile systems, such as the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or Himars, which helped transform the battlefield in Ukraine but has struggled to hit moving targets at sea, Lehane said. Rommel Ong, a former vice commander of the Philippine navy and now a senior research fellow at the Ateneo School of Government in Manila, likened the Nmesis' presence on islands in the Western Pacific islands to a 'shell game." 'You keep the other side guessing and that creates the uncertainty and in a way that creates the deterrent effect," he said. Lehane's 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment was the first Marine unit to take delivery of the new system late last year. The Nmesis is a centerpiece of a broader overhaul of the Marines aimed at making the force more agile, able to swoop into action even after a conflict has already erupted. The Philippines, America's oldest treaty ally in Asia, is a key part of that new push. The government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has given the U.S. military access to more bases, on which it can build facilities, pre-position equipment and refuel and maintain aircraft and vessels. Since the U.S. has no permanent troops based in the Philippines, Washington would have to airlift fighters and weapons to small, hard-to-access islands, under the threat of enemy fire. Extensive drills mean some U.S. troops now rotate through Philippine bases for much of the year. That not only improves coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, but also allows Marines and Air Force pilots to get more familiar with the topography of the Pacific theater. On practice flights and reconnaissance missions, they scope out mountains and other features that could serve as cover. 'We get really low and hide," said Capt. Benjamin Dorsey of the 39th Airlift Squadron, which moved the Nmesis to Batan. Lehane said the successful deployment of the Nmesis should signal to potential adversaries that the Marines' island fighters are ready for combat. 'A lot of folks are still perceiving our unit as experimental and it's absolutely not experimental," he said. 'The most important thing is to get folks accustomed to the fact that where you see 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, you should expect that there are Nmesis with us." Write to Gabriele Steinhauser at
Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Lighten Up: Eurovision and my 'feet of flames' at Bandon Mart
It's over 30 years ago now since 'we' took to the stage with Riverdance. And yes, I said 'we', for Auld Lehane had a major part in it. The dancing, the jigs, the whole lot, I just simply forgot to mention it earlier, due to being tied up with farming. My Riverdance escapade began innocently enough when I was spotted doing some fancy footwork around the calf pens at Bandon Mart. Back then, I worked as a drover. And it was said that I had 'feet of flames', for never had my foot been trodden on by the wayward hoof of a calf or bullock, no matter how many I was hunting, corralling or loading. I had the quickest feet in the west, or at least at Bandon Mart. I was a legend, really. Anyhow, this was soon spotted by a talent scout looking for dancers for Riverdance, who happened to be in the mart one Monday. His name escapes me now, but he was famous at the time. "Lord God almighty, young Lehane!" he exclaimed, one afternoon after the calf sale had finished. "But you have 'feet of flames." I was young at the time, you see, so this was the reason why he called me 'young Lehane' and not 'auld Lehane' as you would know me today. Anyhow, there and then, being badly stuck for a dancer, he asked if I would join the fledgling Riverdance crew, who would soon be performing on the world stage at Eurovision. Didn't want to jeopardise the day job I said I'd think about it, for I had a good steady job in the mart, and didn't want to jeopardise it. Eventually, however, I agreed to give the Riverdance thing a shot and so exchanged my Wellington boots for dancing clogs. And boy, was that some alteration in footwear. For three weeks, and possibly four, I trained with the best dancers in the world and lo and behold, within no time, I was leading the charge. My feet of flames, from my time at the mart, had served me well. And finally, as the big night drew near, I was introduced to the beautiful Jean Butler and given a big flannel shirt to wear. "She will come out first and do a nice slow jig," I was told, "And then you will stomp on like the devil himself." '"No bother," says I. Anyhow, as the big night neared, all the closer, didn't I decide to spend one final day at the mart? For I had the time, and to be honest with you, I needed the money. Riverdance back then was far from the cash cow it is today. I had no money for it, t'was only a diddley-eye class of a thing. So back to the mart I went, and boy was I sorry. I had the worst day imaginable. Everything went wrong. My toes were trod on, my arse was kicked and my face was smacked by a thousand tails. The cattle were a nightmare. I had lost my touch. No longer had I feet of flames, only feet of blisters. When this was discovered, Flatley was drafted in, and the rest, as they say, is history. Sure, what hope would I have had on the dancefloor with Jean Butler when I couldn't even conduct a few bull weanlings around a ring? Anyhow, Flatley went on to become a legendary dancer, and I went on to become the legendary 'auld Lehane'. So in the finish, it was a happy day for the both of us.
Axios
07-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
OpenAI launches global push for democratic AI
OpenAI announced a push to help countries build AI infrastructure and promote AI rooted in democratic, rather than authoritarian, values. Why it matters: Global expansion will be one key to ensuring that OpenAI's massive investments pay off — and the company is arguing that it will help the U.S. counter China's influence, too. How it works: OpenAI chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane said the new "OpenAI for Countries" effort, announced Wednesday, aims to partner with countries or regions to build and operate data centers that would serve up localized versions of ChatGPT for their citizens, with particular focus on healthcare and education. Countries that take part would help fund infrastructure as part of a broadening of the Project Stargate effort that OpenAI announced with Oracle and SoftBank earlier this year. OpenAI will be working closely with the U.S. government, which has export control powers, to determine where OpenAI technology can be deployed. Catch up quick: OpenAI is in the midst of restructuring its business from a "capped-profit" partnership to a public benefit corporation. That process is not done. Bloomberg reported late Monday that Microsoft and OpenAI are still negotiating and regulators have yet to give their blessing. The big picture: OpenAI's announcement comes a day before CEO Sam Altman is set to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee at a hearing on "Winning the AI race." What they're saying: "We have a window here to help create pathways so that a large portion of the world is building on democratic AI at a moment when the world's going to have to choose between democratic AI and autocratic [AI]," Lehane told Axios. The project offers countries local sovereignty over data and the ability to partner with OpenAI on a fund to help seed a "national AI ecosystem" by backing local startups. Between the lines: OpenAI for Countries builds on the notion of "democratic AI" that Sam Altman laid out in a 2024 Washington Post op-ed. It also aims to capitalize on strong demand from other countries to have their own version of Stargate, a sentiment OpenAI heard frequently during this year's AI Action Summit in Paris. The new effort is also designed to align with the Trump Administration's goal of ensuring that the U.S. wins the global battle for AI supremacy versus China. Yes, but: There is plenty of disagreement in the U.S. and globally over what democratic AI means. Zoom in: One of the big questions is just how much OpenAI will be willing to customize ChatGPT, an important factor for countries weighing whether to use U.S. or Chinese AI systems. "This will be AI of, by and for the needs of each particular country," OpenAI said in the blog post announcing OpenAI for Countries. There won't be a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach to the deals, Lehane said. "There'll be some places that maybe want an inference model for a specific purpose." OpenAI's blog includes a reference to preventing AI from being used by governments to "amass control."
