Latest news with #VIPs
Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Cannes power cut threatens closing ceremony
The Cannes Film Festival has been hit by a major power cut just hours before its star-studded closing ceremony. Towns along the French Riviera were affected by a blackout on Saturday as VIPs flocked to the region. Local media reports suggested that 'malicious acts' may be behind the cut, which caused chaos along a glamorous stretch of coast favoured by Hollywood actors and the mega-rich. Mobile networks, 4G, traffic systems and train lines were all affected, making travel and communication difficult. The headquarters of the festival switched to a backup power supply that organisers hoped would allow the closing ceremony to take place. An official statement from the Cannes Film Festival said: 'A power outage is currently affecting the city of Cannes and surrounding areas. At this stage, the cause of the outage has not yet been identified. Restoration efforts are underway. 'The Palais des Festivals has switched to an independent power supply, allowing all scheduled events and screenings, including the closing ceremony, to proceed as planned and under normal conditions.' The first signs of power trouble were seen ahead of a press conference with The Crown star John O'Connor, when a loud bang was heard in the festival building, before it was plunged into temporary darkness. Power was briefly restored, but shortly after midday the electricity failed and locals struggled to use their mobile phones. Guests of the festival were later seen paying for drinks and ice cream in cash as expensive local restaurants lost the use of card machines. France Info, a radio network, has relayed unconfirmed reports that two 'malicious acts' took place along train lines in the Var region, to the west of Cannes, before the blackout. Cannes bosses hope the reserve power at the Palais des Festivals will be sufficient for final screenings of films enjoying their premiere, and for the closing ceremony.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- The Sun
Google offers secret VIP ‘protection mode' on millions of mobiles for free – it's meant for celebs to avoid being hacked
Sean Keach, Head of Technology and Science Published: Invalid Date, MILLIONS of phone owners can take advantage of a special "protection" mode used by VIPs to avoid being hacked. It's called Advanced Protection and anyone can use it for free – though it's built for celebs, politicians, and other important figures. Protection features were first launched in 2017, but the system has been upgraded in the new Android 16 update. It has special tricks like preventing your phone from being hacked by a physical cable, and using AI to detect scam call and text conversations live as they're happening. The feature activates a long list of hardcore security measures designed to boost your security and dodge scams. "Android 16 enhances and expands the Advanced Protection features that Google first launched in 2017," said Google's Stella Loh. "Making it simple to turn on an array of robust device security features." Stella, who works on the Android team, added: "Whether you're a public figure or just want the best of Android's powerful security features, you can turn on Advanced Protection for peace of mind that you're protected against the most sophisticated threats." WHAT IS GOOGLE'S ADVANCED PROTECTION PROGRAM? Google is the company behind the Android software that powers billions of phones around the world. And there's a special feature called the Advanced Protection. Google says that this serves up its "strongest protections against targeted attacks". "Advanced Protection ensures all of Android's highest security features are enabled and are seamlessly working together to safeguard you against online attacks, harmful apps, and data risks," Google explained. Deepfakes more 'sophisticated' and dangerous than ever as AI expert warns of six upgrades that let them trick your eyes To get all the latest protections, you'll need Android 16. That's currently out in beta version, which you can try for free today. Or you can wait for a full release, which may take several months to turn up on your mobile. Once you've got the latest Android update, go into Settings. 4 HOW TO UPDATE YOUR ANDROID PHONE Get the latest upgrades... Updating your Android phone is extremely important. For a start, it means you'll get fancy new features to make your phone better. But updates often include fixes that can repair security problems – or help you to stay safe from crooks. You can check what software version you have by going into Settings > About Phone > Android Version. And if you want to update, you can just go to Settings > System > Software Update. Note that your Android phone will probably have worse battery life in the days following an update – but it should get better. Picture Credit: Google Then go to Settings > Google > Personal & Device Safety > Advanced Protection > Device Protection. From there, you'll be able to see a list of all of the features that are activated once you toggle the setting on. For instance, there's a Theft Detection Lock that means your phone automatically locks itself if it detects "suspicious activity indicative of theft". Your phone will also lock itself if it goes offline for a prolonged period. ADVANCED PROTECTION – GOOGLE'S WORD ON IT Here's what Google says Advanced Protection serves up... Best-in-class protection, minimal disruption: Advanced Protection gives users the option to equip their devices with Android's most effective security features for proactive defense, with a user-friendly and low-friction experience. Easy activation: Advanced Protection makes security easy and accessible. You don't need to be a security expert to benefit from enhanced security. Defense-in-depth: Once a user turns on Advanced Protection, the system prevents accidental or malicious disablement of the individual security features under the Advanced Protection umbrella. This reflects a "defense-in-depth" strategy, where multiple security layers work together. Seamless security integration with apps: Advanced Protection acts as a single control point that enables important security settings across many of your favorite Google apps, including Chrome, Google Message, and Phone by Google. Advanced Protection will also incorporate third-party applications that choose to integrate in the future. Picture Credit: Google There's a USB Protection that prevents "physical attacks" using your phone's charging port. Safe Browsing modes block dangerous websites for you. And there are special AI-powered scam detection tools for both phone calls and text messages that flag up if you're being swindled in real-time. The feature also blocks you from connecting to outdated 2G phone networks, and won't automatically reconnect to Wi-Fi networks "known to be insecure" either. GOOGLE'S 'GOLDEN RULES' FOR AVOIDING SCAMS Here are the official Google "golden rules #1 – Slow it down Scams are often designed to create a sense of urgency. Take time to ask questions and think it through. #2 – Spot check Do your research to double check the details you are getting. Does what they're telling you make sense? #3 – Stop! Don't send No reputable person or agency will ever demand payment or your personal information on the spot. Some of the features won't arrive until "later this year", according to Google.
RNZ News
16-05-2025
- RNZ News
Ten Kiwi released on the eastern side of Waiheke Island
environment animals 39 minutes ago Popular getaway destination Waiheke island's has just welcomed a group of VIPs, but they're more than just weekend visitors. Ten Kiwi have been released on the eastern side of Waiheke, Te Motuaarairoa, the most isolated side of the island. It's still the first urban Auckland area to have the national icon reintroduced. Save the Kiwi CEO Michelle Impey spoke to Lisa Owen.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Squid Game season three trailer includes shock hated characters' return - but in 'interesting' new form
Netflix fans' prayers have been answered as the Squid Game season three first look trailer included the surprise return of old characters. The teaser, released earlier this week, for the next installment of the Netflix show, sees the so-called VIPs make a comeback on our screens. The South Korean dystopian thriller, first released in 2021 to massive acclaim, sees 456 players in financial difficulty play a series of life-or-death games, with the survivor winning a cash prize. The masked VIP characters were the anonymous wealthy spectators the games were designed for, but they were not seen in the second season. But now they are back for the highly anticipated third season, set for release on Netflix on June 27. Fans were not keen on the VIPs in the first series, with their strange masks and unnatural voice acting - but with the characters seemingly overhauled, they are feeling more open-minded this time round. The VIPs speak English in an otherwise entirely Korean-language TV show - and fans felt show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk did not write the most natural-sounding English dialogue in the first series. It was also felt the show had not been able to cast as high-quality English actors as they might have wanted. Though pop and Korean culture commentator Kayti Burt did note: 'The phenomenon of bad foreign-language acting is not specific to Squid Game, nor is specific to Korea. 'It's logical to assume that any country's entertainment industry would have a harder time casting good actors in a language that is not native to that country, especially when you think about how that pool is further diminished by work visa requirements.' But with the massive success of the show since the VIPs last featured in series one, it is thought among fans that season three might have had better luck recruiting more convincing English talent for the roles. The new VIPs are different from the previous all-male cast, with at least two women in the group. The characters' outfits are also different, with smaller masks and less ornate, gaudy clothes in some cases. The VIPs (pictured in the upcoming third series) speak English in an otherwise entirely Korean-language TV show - and fans felt show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk did not write the most natural-sounding English dialogue in the first series Fans took to Reddit to speculate about how the casting changes will come across on-screen, with one saying: 'Two female VIPs this time. Interesting.' Others added: 'Adding a female VIP was definitely an interesting move. 'I've got a feeling she's going to be way more twisted and vile than the 69 VIP [named for betting on Player 69] from series one'; 'About time a female VIP is present'; 'There are more VIPs than the original series one VIPs'; 'It surprised me that there is a completely new set of them and no one from series one returns. It's like they are aware of the criticism of the original VIPs and decided to replace them.' As to the outfits, one user said: 'These seem to dress more like a wealthy/powerful person would and not the loud, gaudy colours like season one.' The characterisation seemed to be much more genuinely scary and serious than silly this time round, one noted: 'They seem crueller and more serious than the ones in series one.' Another agreed: 'I think they [will] be more serious and mature compared to the goofy guys from series one', while someone replied to them, 'Way more creepy too'. Some Reddit commenters were really positive (pictured) Fans took to Reddit to speculate about how the casting changes will come across on-screen Squid Game fans were left 'sobbing and emotionally destroyed' after Netflix revealed the 'devastating' twist in the season three trailer (pictured Seong Gi-hun as Lee Jung-jae Some were really positive, with one saying, 'They look cool, really cool', and another adding, 'The one with the bird mask looks cool'. But a small number of users were just as sceptical of the VIPs as they were when watching series one, saying: 'They're bald as hell and masks are so small lol, seems funny.' Another simply said: 'Lunatics.' Squid Game fans were left 'sobbing and emotionally destroyed' after Netflix revealed the 'devastating' twist in this same first season three trailer. The first look at the upcoming season - which will premiere on the streaming service on June 27 - was dropped on YouTube earlier this week and it looks like it is definitely not one to miss. Protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) was seen being brought back into their sleeping area in a coffin, to which the remaining players twist a silver button to receive a ball - which appeared to indicate what team they will be in. One heartbreaking scene showed Geum-ja (Kang Ae-sim) and Yong-sik (Yang Dong-geun) with different coloured balls - highlighting that they will be against each other. Right at the end Kim Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri), who was secretly expecting a baby while playing the game, looked straight into the camera with a tear down her face... which was followed by a baby's cry.
