• The Perplexity AI drama explained in 60 seconds

    An image of a robot using a device against a backdrop of Perplexity AI's logo.
    Perplexity's AI product faced criticism from Forbes and Wired in recent weeks.

    • AI search startup Perplexity was accused of "ripping off" Forbes' work without sufficient attribution.
    • Wired then alleged Perplexity likely used "a secret IP address" to access content not intended for AI.
    • Forbes has threatened to take legal action against Perplexity.

    If you follow AI news, there's a decent chance you've seen Perplexity taking some heat on social media in recent weeks.

    The AI search engine, which can scan the internet in real time to provide answers, is valued at over $1 billion and has received funding from Jeff Bezos and Nvidia.

    Now, it's facing allegations of ripping off publishers' work without proper attribution.

    So what happened?

    Forbes calls out Perplexity

    On June 6, Forbes released an investigative article on former Google CEO Eric Schmidt's AI drone startup. The next day, Perplexity published an AI-generated webpage about the story using its new "Perplexity Pages" feature and sent it to its subscribers.

    John Paczkowski, an executive editor at Forbes, called Perplexity out on X, saying, "It rips off most of our reporting. It cites us, and a few that reblogged us, as sources in the most easily ignored way possible."

    Perplexity's AI-generated webpage didn't prominently cite Forbes, Paczkowski said, and elevated other news coverage of the story in its citations — including an article from Business Insider about the Forbes piece — over Forbes' original reporting.

    Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas thanked Packowski for flagging the issue and said the product "has rough edges" and agreed that sources should be more easily found and visibly highlighted.

    Perplexity then updated the AI-generated webpage to more prominently cite Forbes' work, but an AI-generated Perplexity podcast about the topic still does not mention Forbes in the audio.

    Forbes later released a statement accusing Perplexity of "ripping off" multiple articles from various publications, including CNBC and Bloomberg.

    Perplexity's CEO told the Associated Press that it "never ripped off content from anybody" and that "we are actually more of an aggregator of information."

    Forbes threatens legal action

    Forbes sent a letter to Perplexity's CEO demanding that the startup make changes to its AI-generated article citations and reimburse Forbes for any advertising revenue it generated from the Perplexity Pages based on Forbes' reporting, Axios reported.

    Forbes said "it looks forward to a reply" within 10 days and threatened to reserve "all of its rights to take any action it deems necessary to protect its rights," per Axios.

    Wired investigates Perplexity's web crawling

    On Wednesday, Wired published an investigation into Perplexity that found its AI was "paraphrasing WIRED stories, and at times summarizing stories inaccurately and with minimal attribution."

    Wired also said Perplexity was likely bypassing publishers who indicated via their website code that AI web scraping was off limits. Wired said it discovered a "secret IP address" scraping the content in question that was "almost certainly linked" to Perplexity.

    Srinivas responded to Wired's request for comment with a statement that said, "The questions from WIRED reflect a deep and fundamental misunderstanding of how Perplexity and the Internet work."

    A spokesperson for Perplexity did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment ahead of publication.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Meet Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, CEO of the most valuable company in the world

    Nvidia Jensen Huang
    Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

    • Nvidia cofounder Jensen Huang is now worth $119 billion, according to Bloomberg.
    • His fortune ballooned by $75 billion over the past year and he now helms the world's most valuable company.
    • Huang is now richer than Rob, Jim, or Alice Walton, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

    Nvidia has emerged as one of the main winners of the AI investing craze — and the good times keep rolling for the semiconductor giant.

    One obvious winner anytime the year's hottest stock surges is Nvidia CEO and cofounder Jensen Huang. His net worth jumped by $75 billion over the past year, according to data from Bloomberg, as investors seized on better-than-expected quarterly profit and revenue numbers.

    Huang's personal fortune of $119 billion now puts him 12th on the outlet's Billionaires Index. He's richer than every Walmart heir, including founder Sam Walton's three children Rob, Jim, and Alice.

    Here's everything you need to know about Huang, who rocks a leather jacket everywhere he goes and reportedly got a tattoo of Nvidia's logo once the company's share price hit $100.

    Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is now worth $119 billion.
    Jensen Huang — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during a press conference at The MGM during CES 2018 in Las Vegas on January 7, 2018.
    He's now in charge of the world's most valuable company.

    Most of Huang's wealth comes from his 3.5% stake in the Santa Clara-based chipmaker, according to the company's 2023 annual report.

    The jump in Nvidia stock follows another set of blockbuster quarterly earnings this week as the generative AI boom continues.

    Nvidia is now the most valuable company in the world, with a market capitalization of $3.35 trillion, according to Reuters. The company reached the $3 trillion milestone three decades after its launch in 1993, surpassing Apple, which took nearly five decades to achieve the same valuation.

    He moved to the US as a child.
    Jen-Hsun Huang, CEO of Nvidia Corp., gives a keynote presentation during the GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California. Huang later unveiled the Titan X CPU operating with a GeForce GTX Titan X graphics card during the presentation.
    Jen-Hsun Huang, CEO of Nvidia Corp., gives a keynote presentation during the GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California. Huang later unveiled the Titan X CPU operating with a GeForce GTX Titan X graphics card during the presentation.

    Born as Jen-hsun Huang in Taipei in 1963, Huang spent part of his childhood in Taiwan and Thailand, per Bloomberg. 

    In 1973, Huang's parents sent their children to relatives in the US owing to the social unrest in the Southeast Asian country, before relocating there themselves.

    Huang's aunt and uncle — who were recent migrants to Washington state at the time — accidentally sent Jensen and his brother to Oneida Baptist Institute in Kentucky, which was considered a reform school instead of a prep school, according to Huang's 2002 interview with Wired.

    "And the kids were really tough," Huang told NPR in a 2012 interview. "They all had pocket knives — and when they get in fights, it's not pretty. Kids get hurt."

    Students at the school also had to work, and Huang's duty was to clean the bathrooms. 

    "The ending of the story is I loved the time I was there," Huang told NPR. "We worked really hard — we studied really hard, and the kids were really tough."

    In 2019, he and his wife Lori donated $2 million toward building a female dormitory and classroom building at the school, per the institute's website.

    He loves computer games and studied electrical engineering.
    nvidia jen-hsun huang ceo
    Nvidia CEO and president Jen-Hsun Huang plays with a game using Nvidia's Physx technology for gaming, at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009.

    Huang and his brother eventually moved to Oregon where they rejoined the family.

    During his time as a high schooler in Beaverton, he was a nationally ranked junior table tennis champion, according to a 2017 profile on Oregon State University, or OSU, where Huang attended college.

    Huang also holds a Master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford. 

     

     

    Huang met his wife, Lori Mills, in his freshman year of college.
    Oregon State University
    Jensen attended Oregon State University where he studied electrical engineering.

    The couple have two children, according to OSU's profile

    "I enjoyed computers growing up, but OSU opened up my eyes to the magic behind them," he told the university.

    Huang graduated in 1984 — the "perfect year to graduate," he said at a keynote speech at National Taiwan University's commencement ceremony this year, per Fortune. That was the same year when the first Mac computers were released, bringing forth a new age in personal computing.

    After graduating from OSU, Huang worked at chip companies LSI Logic and Advanced Micro Devices in a variety of roles, according to his bio on Nvidia's website.

    He founded Nvidia in 1993 after leaving LSI Logic.

    Huang founded Nvidia while dining at Denny's.
    Denny's.
    Huang was meeting two friends when he got the idea to start Nvidia.

    Nvidia was founded in 1993 at a Denny's restaurant where he was meeting with two friends, Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, per The Wall Street Journal.

     The trio "wondered whether starting a graphics company would be a good idea," Huang told Stanford University's engineering school in a 2010 interview.

    "We brainstormed and fantasized about what kind of company it would be and the world we could help. It was fun," he told Stanford.

    Denny's was also where Huang part-timed when he was a student, per a 2010 New York Times interview. There, he learned how to be more outgoing.

    "I was a very good student and I was always focused and driven. But I was very introverted. I was incredibly shy," he told The Times. "The one experience that pulled me out of my shell was waiting tables at Denny's. I was horrified by the prospect of having to talk to people."

    Huang is 61, making him years older than Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos when they left day-to-day operations at 52 and 57 years old, respectively.

    There are few signs he plans to slow down.

    "Nothing is more fun to me than to build a once-in-a-generation company with all of my friends here," Huang told Business Insider in 2021 . "I can't imagine wanting to do anything other than that."

    May 24, 2024: This story has been updated to reflect movements in Nvdia's share price and Jensen Huang's net worth.

    Huang is now one of the biggest winners of the AI boom.
    Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
    Huang believes that generative AI has hit a "new tipping point."

    Nvidia has made itself a key player in the AI boom by supplying hardware to major companies, including OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. Demand for the company's hardware has been driven by several factors, including a sophisticated software system that makes its chips simple to use as well as a shortage of AI chips

    Huang now believes we've hit a new threshold in the AI hype cycle. "Accelerated computing and generative AI have hit the tipping point. Demand is surging worldwide across companies, industries, and nations," Huang said in the company's fourth-quarter earnings press release.

     

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • 17 iconic actors who have never been nominated for Academy Awards and what they should’ve won for

    Donald Sutherland
    Donald Sutherland was known for his roles in "The Hunger Games," "Ordinary People," "JFK," and "Klute."

    • Donald Sutherland died in June 2024. He was 88 years old.
    • Although he appeared in dozens of iconic films, he was never nominated for a competitive Oscar.
    • He was in good company. There are many talented actors who have never been nominated.

    Being nominated for an Academy Award is one of the highest honors an actor could receive, and winning one is a whole new level.

    But there are plenty of actors who have never received an Oscar nomination, even though their work has spanned decades, is consistently great, or made hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.

    Donald Sutherland, for example, appeared in numerous Oscar-quality films throughout his career before his death in June 2024. But he only received an honorary Oscar in 2017.

    He's not the only A-lister who was never recognized by the Academy.

    Donald Sutherland, who died in June 2024, won an honorary Academy Award before his death but was never nominated for a competitive award.
    Donald Sutherland
    Donald Sutherland.

    Sutherland died at the age of 88 on June 20, 2024, just a month shy of his 89th birthday. He made his film debut 61 years ago in an uncredited role in the 1963 film "The World Ten Times Over."

    Sutherland went on to appear in dozens of films, giving Oscar-worthy performances in movies like "MASH," "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," "Klute," "JFK," "Ordinary People," "Six Degrees of Separation," "Pride and Prejudice," and any of the "Hunger Games" installments — the list goes on.

    Sutherland was nominated for nine Golden Globes over the course of his career, but never an Oscar, though he was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2017.

    John Goodman was nominated for a Golden Globe for "Barton Fink," and that easily could've netted him an Oscar nomination, too.
    john goodman
    John Goodman.

    Goodman, 72, has been one of our most reliable actors for the last few decades, whether you checked in every week on "Roseanne" or stuck to his big-screen exploits.

    "Barton Fink," the 1991 black comedy about a screenwriter (John Turturro) and his next-door neighbor who sells insurance (Goodman), written by the Coen Brothers, was recognized by the Academy for supporting actor, art direction, and costume design. But Goodman's turn as what you think is Barton's nice neighbor, only to be revealed as something much more sinister, deserved more awards attention.

    Goodman has also been nominated by various critics associations for "The Big Lebowski," "Argo," and most recently "10 Cloverfield Lane," which all feasibly could have earned him a nomination.

    If "Crash" was always going to win best picture, the Academy could've at least nominated Thandiwe Newton.
    Thandiwe Newton in a yellow dress
    Thandiwe Newton.

    "Crash," released in 2004, is one of the most infamous (and perhaps undeserving) best picture winners of all time. The Independent called it an "utterly tone-deaf, cloyingly sentimental ensemble film," as it only engages with racism in the most surface-level way.

    So, why should Newton, 51, have been nominated? Because she plays a young Black woman who is sexually assaulted by a white racist cop played by Matt Dillon — but only Dillon was nominated for an Academy Award, even though most of the emotional burden of the film rests on Newton's shoulders.

    She received many other precursor awards for the film, including a BAFTA, an Empire Award, and multiple other nominations.

    But, if you want to forget "Crash" exists altogether, Newton could've also been nominated for "Beloved," "The Pursuit of Happyness," or even 2022's "God's Country."

    David Oyelowo's snub for "Selma" still stings, 10 years later.
    David Oyelowo at the 2022 Oscars.
    David Oyelowo.

    That Oyelowo, 48, wasn't even nominated for playing Martin Luther King Jr. remains one of the biggest Oscar snubs of all time, as he had been nominated for a Critics' Choice Award, a Golden Globe, an Independent Spirit Award, and a Satellite Award, and won an NAACP Award, for his performance as the activist.

    But Oyelowo has turned in multiple other exemplary performances over the years, including in "The Butler," "Queen of Katwe," and "Middle of Nowhere."

    It takes a lot for a rom-com to be recognized at the Oscars, but at least two of Meg Ryan's rom-com roles are Oscar-worthy.
    Meg Ryan in a black dress
    Meg Ryan.

    "When Harry Met Sally…" is arguably the first modern romantic comedy, and anything that's come after has been in its shadow. Much of its enduring power comes from the sparkling screen presence of Ryan, who plays Sally across a decade of her life, from recent college grad to disillusioned single 30-something New Yorker.

    After she was snubbed for that, Ryan, 62, appeared in "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail," which also depend on Ryan's likability to really work.

    But if rom-coms aren't your speed, she also appeared in "Courage Under Fire," which is classic Oscar-bait, and Ryan's performance could've been recognized.

    Ryan's "When Harry Met Sally…" co-star Billy Crystal has never been nominated either, though he's hosted the show nine times.
    Billy Crystal
    Billy Crystal.

    Crystal is an iconic comedian and actor. He's won five Emmy Awards from dozens of nominations, has a Tony Award, and multiple Grammy and Golden Globe nominations. He's also universally acknowledged as one of the best hosts of the Academy Awards, a role he's had nine times.

    However, he's never been nominated for an Oscar himself. If Meg Ryan deserved an Oscar nomination for "When Harry Met Sally…," so did Crystal, 76.

    Crystal also could've credibly been nominated for "City Slickers" or even "Monsters, Inc." if the Academy recognized comedy and voice-over performances the way they should.

    Daniel Craig is two-for-two on Golden Globe nominations for playing Benoit Blanc, but he still hasn't secured an Oscar nomination.
    Daniel Craig in pink velvet jacket
    Daniel Craig.

    Craig's iconic Southern accent is Oscar-worthy enough, but in "Knives Out" and "Glass Onion" the 56-year-old is basically unrecognizable as the same guy who played James Bond for 15 years. He also pretty much holds both films together as an audience surrogate, peering into the lifestyles of the rich and famous, while simultaneously trying to solve a murder.

    But, Craig arguably could've scored a nod from the Academy for 2006's "Casino Royale" as well, ushering in a new era for 007 and starring in a legitimately terrific film to boot.

    Danny Glover won an honorary humanitarian award from the Academy in 2021, but his acting deserves recognition, too.
    danny glover in 2022
    Danny Glover.

    Realistically, Glover, 77, was never going to win an Oscar for playing Roger Murtaugh in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise, even if he probably deserves it.

    But he's been in so many phenomenal movies over the course of his career, including "Dreamgirls," "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," "Beloved," "To Sleep with Anger," "The Royal Tenenbaums," "Sorry to Bother You," "The Dead Don't Die," and more. We're so lucky to have Glover as a movie star — the Academy should take notice.

    Somehow, Isabella Rossellini has never been nominated for an Oscar.
    Isabella Rossellini in 2015
    Isabella Rossellini.

    If the Oscars created an award for voice acting, perhaps the 72-year-old would've made it a few years ago for her heartbreaking performance as Connie in "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On." But alas, they don't have that category yet.

    But Rossellini should've been celebrated for other roles, like her iconic performance as the mysterious lounge singer Dorothy in "Blue Velvet," or even in the camp classic "Death Becomes Her."

    We'd say Ewan McGregor's biggest snub is for "Trainspotting," though the Scottish actor has proven himself a movie star time and time again.
    ewan mcgregor
    Ewan McGregor.

    McGregor has two Golden Globe movie nominations under his belt, for "Moulin Rouge!" (which also could've been an Oscar-nominated role) and for "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen."

    But we'd say McGregor, 53, deserves the Oscar for bursting onto the scene in 1996 playing heroin addict Mark Renton in "Trainspotting." If "Trainspotting" had been released in 2024, McGregor would've arguably made the cut, but the film was a little too indie, nihilistic, and ahead of its time to get recognized.

    Somehow, Martin Sheen has never been nominated for an Oscar nor did he win an Emmy for "The West Wing."
    Martin Sheen in 2017
    Martin Sheen.

    We'd contend that Sheen, 83, should've been nominated for the Vietnam War epic "Apocalypse Now," for which he was nominated for a BAFTA. Sheen basically carries the movie, as he plays Captain Benjamin Willard, whom the movie follows as he makes his way through Vietnam on a mission.

    He's also great in "The Departed," which is full of A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, Vera Farmiga, and Jack Nicholson. You even could've thrown him a supporting nod for stealing scenes in "Catch Me If You Can," which also stars DiCaprio, alongside Tom Hanks.

    While Sheen's biggest contributions now are on TV, between "The West Wing" and "Grace and Frankie," he's had a successful movie career and deserves recognition.

    Claire Danes provided an Oscar-worthy performance in "Little Women" as Beth.
    claire danes
    Claire Danes.

    Danes, 45, is also predominantly a TV star now after "Homeland," "The Essex Serpent," "Fleishman Is in Trouble," and even "My So-Called Life," but she was turning in solid performances in the '90s on screen, most notably in the 1994 remake of "Little Women" — only Winona Ryder as Jo was recognized by the Academy — and the 1996 Baz Luhrmann adaptation of "Romeo + Juliet."

    Idris Elba deservedly had Oscars buzz for "Beasts of No Nation" in 2015, but his performance didn't make the cut.
    idris elba
    Idris Elba.

    Elba, 51, is a star. He was a star on "The Wire," in "Luther," and even in terrible horror movies like "Prom Night."

    But in 2015, when he starred in "Beasts of No Nation," a film about a young African boy who becomes a child soldier in his country's civil war, it seemed like the Academy should take notice. He was nominated for a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, and a BAFTA, but Oscar voters snubbed him.

    Since then, Elba has continued to generate buzz, for appearances in films like "Molly's Game," "The Harder They Fall," and "Three Thousand Years of Longing," but "Beasts of No Nation" remains his peak.

    We're still upset Pam Grier was snubbed for "Jackie Brown."
    Pam Grier
    Pam Grier.

    Grier has had a decades-long career in Hollywood, first appearing in many blaxploitation films in the '70s before being truly celebrated for her talent in Quentin Tarantino's love letter to blaxploitation in 1997's "Jackie Brown."

    Grier, 75, plays the title character Jackie, a smuggler and flight attendant who is not to be messed with. While she and her costar Samuel L. Jackson were both nominated for Golden Globes, this was before every Tarantino movie was nominated for at least two or three Oscars, and the two were snubbed.

    Like Meg Ryan, Hugh Grant wasn't nominated for any of the three iconic rom-coms he starred in.
    hugh grant
    Hugh Grant.

    "Notting Hill," "About a Boy," and "Four Weddings and a Funeral" are all some of the best examples of romantic comedies ever. But Grant's performances were snubbed by the Academy, whether he played the nerdy (yet sweet) owner of a travel bookstore, a womanizing man-child who bonds with an actual child, or a hopeless romantic who keeps trying to run into a specific woman at various weddings.

    Both "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "About a Boy" were nominated for other Oscars, but Grant was snubbed.

    Grant, 63, also should've been nominated for his iconic performance in "Paddington 2," but we digress.

    It's hard to believe Jim Carrey wasn't nominated for "The Truman Show," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," or "Man on the Moon."
    Jim Carrey attends the 2017 Venice Film Festival.
    Jim Carrey.

    You might be racing to Google to double-check that Carrey, 62, has never been nominated for an Academy Award. You're probably thinking that surely he was nominated for playing Truman Burbank, the unsuspecting reality star who begins thinking his entire life is a lie — he definitely deserved a nomination for that, if not a win.

    But, somehow, it's true. Although Carrey took home back-to-back Golden Globes for "The Truman Show" and the Andy Kaufman biopic "Man on the Moon," he didn't receive a nod from the Academy for either.

    His "Eternal Sunshine" co-star Kate Winslet received an Oscar nomination for the film, but Carrey was once again snubbed.

    Jennifer Lopez should've been nominated for "Hustlers," period.
    jennifer lopez
    Jennifer Lopez.

    Lopez is one of Hollywood's truest triple threats: She can act, sing, and dance. But while she's been nominated for multiple Grammys and danced her way across the stage at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, the 54-year-old has never been nominated for an Academy Award.

    That should've changed with 2019's "Hustlers," in which Lopez plays Ramona, a veteran NYC stripper who begins an operation of ripping off her rich clients by drugging and then stealing from them. She received tons of Oscar buzz, plenty of precursor nominations and wins, including a Golden Globe nomination, but she didn't make the final five that year.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Looking to ‘get rich quick’? Use the Warren Buffett approach instead

    A man wearing only boardshorts stretches back on a deck chair with his arms behind his head and a hat pulled down over his face amid an idyllic beach background.

    Haste makes waste. This old saying perfectly captures the pitfalls of trying to get rich quick.

    Many people are tempted by schemes that promise instant wealth, but these often lead to disappointment and financial loss. They can also be incredibly stressful, prompting impulsive decisions.

    Instead, why not follow the investment strategies of Warren Buffett, one of the world’s most successful investors? Buffett’s strategy is built on a foundation of understanding and steady progress. It is all about patience, discipline, and long-term growth, offering a more reliable path to financial success.

    Back to the basics

    Buffett’s investment philosophy starts with a simple rule: invest in what you understand. He believes that knowing the business and industry inside out helps investors make informed decisions and reduce risks.

    Long-term investing is another cornerstone of Buffett’s strategy. Unlike those looking for quick gains, Buffett focuses on the long-term potential of his investments. He often highlights the importance of patience and the power of compound growth over time.

    Buffett is also a strong advocate for avoiding debt. He warns against using borrowed money to invest, as it can amplify losses and create financial instability.

    Discipline is crucial in Buffett’s approach. He sticks to his principles and avoids making impulsive decisions based on market trends or emotions. Consider his famous quote:

    The stock market is designed to transfer money from the active to the patient.

    ETF investing

    These pieces of advice from Warren Buffett are all great, but do you find the sheer number of stocks on the ASX market too many to consider? Buffett’s best advice for ordinary investors like us is this:

    Consistently buy an S&P 500 low-cost index fund. Keep buying it through thick and thin and especially through thin.

    Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) comprise a collection of stocks or bonds that offer diversification and lower risk. They are ideal for long-term investors who want to follow Buffett’s approach without having to research and select individual stocks.

    With that in mind, let’s consider these two ASX ETFs.

    iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) tracks the S&P 500 index, offering exposure to 500 of the largest US companies, exactly as Buffett has advised us to do. The ETF has a low management fee of 0.04%.

    It boasts a total annual return of 16.32% over the past decade and offers a small distribution yield of 1.2% at its current unit price.

    For Australia-focused investors, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) might be a good choice. This ETF follows the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

    The management fee is 0.07% — somewhat higher than IVV ETF — but below many other ETFs traded on the ASX.

    The fund’s total return over the last 10 years was 7.72% per year. The VAS ETF pays quarterly distributions and yields 3.9% at the current unit price of $96.59.

    The post Looking to ‘get rich quick’? Use the Warren Buffett approach instead appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    Motley Fool contributor Kate Lee has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

    On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had an underwhelming session and slipped into the red. The benchmark index finished a fraction lower at 7,769.4 points.

    Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 futures pointing higher

    The Australian share market looks set to end the week on a positive note despite a relatively poor session on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 8 points or 0.1% higher this morning. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was up 0.8%, but the S&P 500 fell 0.25%, and the NASDAQ was 0.8% lower.

    Oil prices climb

    ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) could have a good finish to the week after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.95% to US$82.34 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.9% to US$85.81 a barrel. Optimism over summer fuel demand continues to boost oil prices.

    Buy Elders shares

    The Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD) share price could be good value according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, its analysts have reaffirmed their buy rating and $9.30 price target on the agribusiness company’s shares. It said: “Improving livestock turnover, the benefits of recent business investment and a stabilisation in agricultural input prices in our view support a recovering earnings growth profile in 2H24e-1H25e.”

    Gold price rises

    ASX 200 gold shares including Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good finish to the week after the gold price stormed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 1.1% to US$2,372.4 an ounce. Rate cut optimism lifted demand for the precious metal.

    Treasury Wine named as a buy

    Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) shares are in the buy zone. That’s the view of analysts at Goldman Sachs, which have reiterated their buy rating with an improved price target of $15.20. In response to its Penfolds update, the broker said: “Whilst stock reaction was muted given FY25 Penfolds EBITS guide ~3.5% below Visible Alpha consensus, we believe that the ~15% CAGR in FY26/27 EBITS excluding any price increase is strong and demonstrates management confidence in execution despite the highly volatile consumer environment. Additionally, we believe that the building blocks of the EBITS growth to FY27 is balanced and of high quality.”

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elders and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 finally has a return date. Here’s what we know, and whether Kevin Costner will be back.

    Kevin Costner has played John Dutton in "Yellowstone" since it began, but there are now questions over his involvement in season five's final run of episodes.
    Kevin Costner has played John Dutton in "Yellowstone" since it began, but there are now questions over his involvement in season five's final run of episodes.

    • "Yellowstone" has been hit by several setbacks, delaying the release of its final episodes.
    • It resumed filming in May and will return to Paramount Network on November 10.
    • There's a question mark over whether Kevin Costner will reprise his role as protagonist John Dutton.

    It's official: "Yellowstone" will be wrapping up its fifth and final season later this year.

    The series, co-created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, centers on John Dutton (Kevin Costner), an aging rancher who spends his life maintaining and protecting his family's land and legacy in the face of myriad threats.

    The first eight episodes of season five began airing on the Paramount Network in late 2022 before the cliffhanger midseason finale dropped on January 1, 2023.

    Since then, fans of the series have been desperately waiting to find out what happens next — but the show has faced setback after setback.

    First, reports of a falling out between Costner and Sheridan suggested the show would be coming to a premature end with what has aired so far because the two couldn't agree on the shooting schedule for new episodes.

    Paramount then announced "Yellowstone" would officially conclude with the second half of the fifth season, which was scheduled to air in the fall of 2023. However, the Hollywood writers' strike that began in May and the actors' strike in July delayed production further.

    On May 20, Paramount announced that "Yellowstone" had begun filming in Montana. And on June 20, the network confirmed that the Dutton family saga will come to a close this year, with the final batch of episodes set to premiere on November 10.

    Here's everything we know about "Yellowstone" season 5, part 2 so far.

    Whether or not Costner will return as John Dutton is still up in the air.
    Kevin Costner as John Dutton in "Yellowstone" season five.
    Kevin Costner as John Dutton in "Yellowstone" season five.

    It seems inconceivable that the final episodes won't feature Costner, given that he is the show's protagonist, but it appears that could be the case if a new contract is not negotiated. 

    Last year, the 69-year-old actor revealed via court documents related to his recent divorce that he is "no longer under contract" for the drama and wasn't expecting to receive any further monetary compensation from the series apart from "back-end contractual participation rights."

    When he later took the stand at a child support hearing, the Oscar winner said that a "long, hard-fought negotiation" about breaking season five into two parts was behind his exit, as it clashed with plans for his four-part Western saga, "Horizon." 

    At the time, he stated his intentions to take the show's producers to court over a pay dispute.

    More recently, Costner has changed tack. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in April, he said he'd "love" to be able to return to the show to wrap things up for his character, but no decisions had yet been made.

    And in June, he said that he would still consider returning.

    "I've always felt that… It might be an interesting moment to come back and finish the mythology of this modern-day family," he told People. "And if that happens, I would step into it if I agreed with how it was being done."

    But the actor told People that "in the very end, I couldn't do it for more than I had already done."

    The Hollywood Reporter reported in June that Costner was still unattached to the new batch of episodes at the time they began filming in May. 

    The rest of the main cast are expected to return.
    The cast of "Yellowstone"
    The cast of "Yellowstone."

    There may be a question mark hovering around Costner's status on the show, but the rest of the cast will likely return. 

    That means audiences can expect to see John's business-minded daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly), his adopted lawyer son Jamie (Wes Bentley), and the youngest and most wayward of the siblings, Kayce (Luke Grimes), all back at the ranch.

    However, Reilly, Grimes, and Cole Hauser, who plays John's right-hand man, have requested significant pay increases to return, per a report from Puck's Matthew Belloni.

    Paramount and 101 Studios are said to have pushed back on the proposed new salaries, which come close to the $1.3 million per episode Costner was paid during the first half of season five. No update has been given about their salary negotiations since February 2024.

    Alongside them, there is also John's new girlfriend, Summer (Piper Perabo), his daughter-in-law Monica (Kelsey Asbille), and his long-standing adversary, Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham).

    Lastly, there's the ragtag group of ranch hands who make the Dutton spread what it is: Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith), Ryan (Ian Bohen), Teeter (Jennifer Landon), and Walker (Ryan Bingham).

    Taylor Sheridan has hinted that "Yellowstone" will end with John Dutton's demise.
    Taylor Sheridan and Kevin Costner.
    "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan (L) and Kevin Costner (R).

    In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the series cocreator hinted that the ending of "Yellowstone" will see Costner's character killed off.

    Sheridan said that the "Field of Dreams" star's decision to leave the show "truncates the closure of his character," but added that the character's fate and the ending of the show had been planned since the early days of "Yellowstone."

    Even before it was revealed that Costner has a "moral death" clause in his "Yellowstone" contract that prevents his character from dying in a way that would be embarrassing, Sheridan made it clear that John wouldn't be meeting his maker in that particular way.

    Sheridan said audiences won't see John die in a conveniently timed car crash, like Patrick Dempsey's character on "Grey's Anatomy," or his own on "Sons of Anarchy."

    "I don't do fuck-you car crashes," the "Wind River" director said of the technique often employed by writers as a way to kill off characters amid behind-the-scenes tension.

    However, there's now a question of whether John's death will have to occur off-screen if Costner does not return to film scenes.

    The second half of season five could be longer than originally announced.
    Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) in "Yellowstone" season five.
    Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) in "Yellowstone" season five.

    While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about the show's final run, Sheridan revealed that the number of episodes is not set in stone and that should it take more than six episodes to conclude the story, that wouldn't be an issue with Paramount bosses.

    "If I think it takes 10 episodes to wrap it up, they'll give me 10," he said. "It'll be as long as it needs to be."

    Kelly Reilly has predicted that her character, Beth, will somehow lose Rip.
    Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) in "Yellowstone" season five.
    Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) in "Yellowstone" season five.

    In a featurette clip that appears on the Blu-ray and DVD release of "Yellowstone" season five, part one, Reilly spoke about where she sees her character's storyline going and cast doubt on Beth and Rip's (Cole Hauser) future together.

    "Beth is haunted by her past. She has a lot of regrets and she has a lot of secrets that he doesn't know," Reilly said. "So there is something that is under the surface that will one day, I'm sure, come, and she's probably certain that she will lose him."

    Reilly added that Beth feels "immense guilt" over the fact that she will never be able to have biological children with Rip, since her adopted brother Jamie (Wes Bentley) accidentally had a doctor give her a hysterectomy as a teenager, leaving her infertile for the rest of her life.

    "She cannot switch that part of herself off," Reilly said, adding that "there's a tremendous sadness in that."

    Reilly predicted that this storyline is "coming home to roost," and that Rip discovering this family secret could have dire consequences for not only Jamie but his and Beth's relationship too.

    Luke Grimes has said his character Kayce will "step up" in the upcoming episodes.
    Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton in "Yellowstone" season five.
    Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton in "Yellowstone" season five.

    As John's last surviving legitimate son, Kayce (Luke Grimes) is the obvious choice to inherit the sprawling cattle ranch. 

    According to Grimes, the fact that John asked Kayce to take over the day-to-day running of Yellowstone in the midseason finale suggests some exciting new developments in the upcoming episodes. 

    "I think this a huge moment for Kayce," Grimes said. "It's his legacy, and I'm honestly really excited about this chapter for Kayce and Monica, because I think we're going to see a whole different side to them."

    "Obviously it's going to put him in a position where he has to take on a lot more than he probably has been comfortable with," he continued. "With what John's got to go do, it's time for Kayce to step up." 

    Costner said John's decision to step into the world of politics will continue to play out in future episodes.
    Kevin Costner as John Dutton in "Yellowstone" season 5.
    Season five of "Yellowstone" saw John Dutton (Kevin Costner) elected governor of Montana.

    Costner also spoke about where the storylines are heading following season five's midseason finale.

    In a Blu-ray and DVD featurette, Costner said that John's decision to step into the world of politics and become governor of Montana "provides a little bit of drama" that will continue to play out in future episodes.

    "He's not a very good politician. He's a one-term politician, admittedly, so that makes him a little bit dicey for people to deal with," Costner said, adding that the career pivot makes sense for his character because John would do anything to preserve his land and his legacy.

    "John has proven time and again that there's nothing he won't do to save the ranch even if that means in the twilight of his life, he takes a miserable job that's going to dominate him for four years," the actor said. "He didn't want it to be that way, but that's the way it was."

    Stars of the show say the conclusion of "Yellowstone" could be bittersweet, but it could also be the "best series finale in history."
    Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton in "Yellowstone."
    Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton in "Yellowstone."

    Reilly predicted how the show will end, but emphasized she doesn't "have any insight into what's going to happen," as Sheridan has not shared scripts with her.

    "The main theme of protecting and sustaining this way of life in this land is the bottom of everything," Reilly said in a behind-the-scenes clip. "So I don't know which way it's going to go, but we're in season five, and who knows what's in store."

    She said of the show's conclusion: "Though it will probably be beautiful and epic, I'm not sure it will be happy."

    Her costar, Ian Bohen, recently echoed this last sentiment while speaking to Entertainment Tonight. Asked about the final run, he said: "The fans are going to get the [best] conclusion that could possibly be written."

    He added: "I don't know that any show has finished this strongly, ever. We're expecting to have the best series finale in history. Overconfident maybe, but I think that's what it's going to be. We thank everyone for their patience. It'll be worth the wait, I promise."

    The remaining episodes of "Yellowstone" will begin airing in November 2024.
    Kelsey Asbille as Monica Long-Dutton in "Yellowstone."
    Kelsey Asbille as Monica Long-Dutton in "Yellowstone."

    Paramount announced that season five, part two of "Yellowstone" will begin airing on November 10 on Paramount Network. 

    The series finale — which is to say, the very last episode ever — could wind up on screens on Super Bowl Sunday, according to one of the show's actors.

    CBS has also acquired the rights to run previous seasons of the Montana-set series and attracted millions more viewers.

    Paramount has also greenlighted two spinoff series, "1994" and "2024," both of which will be produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.

     

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • What every member of the royal family wore to Royal Ascot 2024

    Prince William wearing a morning suit and top hat in a sea of Royal Ascot attendees wearing similar outfits.
    Prince William attends day two of Royal Ascot solo on June 19, 2024.

    • The British royal family is flocking to Ascot for the annual horse-racing competition. 
    • Royal Ascot is a spectacle, not just for the racing but for the fashion display. 
    • King Charles and Queen Camilla subtly coordinated elegant looks, while Prince William opted for a dapper ensemble. 

    For the British elite, Royal Ascot is the pinnacle of the social calendar in the summer.

    The annual five-day horse-racing event, which started on Tuesday this year and is wrapping up on Saturday, is nothing short of a spectacle — not just for the competition itself but for the luxurious and sometimes wild spectator fashion.

    The dress code depends on the type of enclosure Royal Ascot-goers have access to, but a rule of thumb is the more exclusive the area, the more elaborate the outfits are.

    Members of the royal family — who have been attending Royal Ascot since its founding in 1711 — are typically spotted in the royal enclosure, where men sport morning suits, and women accessorize elegant summer dresses with striking fascinators and hats.

    Royals like Prince William, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice have been spotted dressed to the nines at Royal Ascot 2024. Here are all the outfits they wore.

    Charles and Camilla set the style standard on day one of Royal Ascot in subtly coordinating formalwear.
    King Charles III, wearing a gray morning suit with a yellow waistcoat and a black top hat, walks beside Queen Camilla, wearing a royal blue long-sleeved dress with a coordinating hat.
    King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend day one of Royal Ascot on June 18.

    Charles, 75, wore a light-gray morning suit layered over a pale-yellow waistcoat and a striped collared shirt topped off with a black top hat. The king completed his look with a blue tie and pocket square, subtly coordinating with his date, Camilla, 76.

    For her Royal Ascot day one ensemble, Camilla opted for a royal-blue coat and dress by Fiona Clare, accessorized with a brooch, a white clutch, gloves, and, of course, an eye-catching blue summer hat designed by veteran British milliner and go-to hat designer for the royals, Philip Treacy.

    Camilla made a splash the following day when she arrived at the races solo and wearing Dior.
    Queen Camilla wearing a pleated blue dress with white lace detailing.
    Queen Camilla attends day two of Royal Ascot 2024 on June 19, 2024.

    Camilla's day two ensemble consisted of a deep-blue long-sleeved Dior dress with lace detailing down the bodice and a pleated skirt.

    According to WWD, she completed her look with a Dior handbag, a layered blue Philip Treacy hat, and a dazzling diamond-and-turquoise brooch that her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, wore on a royal tour of Malta in 2015.

    Charles opted for a different color palette for his Royal Ascot appearance on Thursday.
    King Charles III wearing a gray morning suit with a powder blue waistcoat and black tophat.
    King Charles III on day three of Royal Ascot on June 20.

    The king paired his traditional gray morning suit with a baby-blue waistcoat, a black-and-white pocket square, and a tiny lilac flower on his lapel.

    As is custom, he paired his look with a black top hat.

    Meanwhile, Camilla opted for an all-white ensemble, complete with an emerald brooch.
    Queen Camilla wearing a white wrap dress with an emerald broach and a coordinating white hat.
    Queen Camilla attends day three of Royal Ascot on June 20, 2024.

    On Thursday, Camilla chose her most summery attire of the week: a white long-sleeved wrap dress and a coordinating white hat with a large floral appliqué.

    She paired her dress with a matching handbag and added a pop of color with the Ladies of India brooch, a piece of emerald-and-diamond jewelry gifted to Queen Mary in the early 1900s, according to the Court Jeweller.

    Wearing a traditional suit and top hat, Prince William was spotted catching up with his mother-in-law, Carole Middleton, on day two of Royal Ascot.
    Prince William, wearing a black morning suit and top hat, walking with Carole Middleton, wearing a powder blue pleated dress with floral detailing.
    Prince William and Carole Middleton attend day two of Royal Ascot on June 19, 2024.

    Following the dress code to a tee, William, 41, arrived in a black morning suit jacket, gray pants, and a black top hat. He paired it with a double-breasted waistcoat layered over a collared shirt and a blue patterned tie.

    Although he arrived without Kate Middleton, who is undergoing cancer treatment but plans to attend several royal engagements throughout the summer, William wasn't alone at the races. Aside from the company of his royal family members, he was photographed smiling and chatting with his in-laws, Michael and Carole Middleton.

    Princess Anne paired a turquoise hat with one of her favorite silk red coats on day one of Royal Ascot.
    Princess Anne wearing an electric blue hat and a red coatdress.
    Princess Anne attends day one of Royal Ascot on June 18, 2024.

    Anne, known for her unique and daring approach to fashion, opted to repurpose one of her favorite outfits for her debut at Royal Ascot 2024.

    According to Hello! Magazine, she wore a botanical-printed cashmere and silk red coat designed by Shibumi. The Princess Royal, 73, accessorized with deep-blue gloves, a gold-chain black handbag, and a quirky turquoise hat.

    The next day, Anne went for a slightly more traditional look but with a much larger hat.
    Princess Anne, wearing a blue skirt and coordinating top, standing next to Zara Tindall.
    Princess Anne and Zara Tindall attend day two of Royal Ascot on June 19, 2024.

    Anne paired a royal-blue midi skirt with a white jacket with blue trim layered over a collared shirt.

    Although her look was tame compared to her outfit on day one, she did accessorize with a sizable blue-and-white hat decorated with floral appliqué.

    Anne arrived in cool lilac and blue tones on day three of Royal Ascot.
    Princess Anne wearing a pale blue coat dress and matching hat.
    Princess Anne attends day three of Royal Ascot on June 20, 2024.

    On Thursday, the Princess Royal opted for another botanical-embroidered summer coat at Royal Ascot. But unlike her day one ensemble, her outfit was designed in cooler blue and light-purple tones.

    Anne accessorized with a trio of pearl necklaces, pearl earrings, and a lilac hat with a floral bouquet made of feathers.

    Princess Eugenie wore a mint-green Diane von Furstenberg look on the first day of Royal Ascot with a saucer-shaped fascinator.
    Princess Eugenie wearing a mint green dress and white fascinator.
    Princess Eugenie attends day one of Royal Ascot on June 18, 2024.

    Eugenie, 34, wore the sustainably made mint-green "Mallery" maxi dress by Diane von Furstenberg, which retails for $478.

    The princess accessorized the sleeveless maxi dress, which features a high neckline and a cinched waist, with emerald drop earrings and a nearly flat light-beige hat by Emily London Headwear, according to Hello! Magazine.

    She returned on day two in an ivory dress by Gabriela Hearst and a pastel-pink hat with a decorative tassel.
    Princess Eugenie wearing a pink dress.
    Princess Eugenie of York attends day two of Royal Ascot on June 19, 2024.

    Eugenie was all smiles on day two of Royal Ascot, wearing a midi dress made from cashmere and silk, designed by Gabriela Hearst. Dubbed the "Amor" knit dress, it retails for $1,550.

    She paired the collared dress with another Emily London Headwear design: a pastel-pink hat completed with a single decorative tassel.

    The same day, Princess Beatrice went all out in a botanical Zimmermann dress, while her mother, Sarah Ferguson, wore a subtle navy and white ensemble.
    Princess Beatrice is wearing a pink and white dress next to her mother, Sarah Ferguson, who is wearing a black skirt and white button-up jacket.
    Princess Beatrice and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, attend day two of Royal Ascot on June 19, 2024.

    Beatrice, 35, arrived at Royal Ascot on day two in an elaborate Zimmermann midi dress, dubbed the "Matchmaker." The botanical-printed dress retails for $1,090.

    The lightweight, long-sleeved gown, made from silk organza, featured a diamanté-decorated belt. The princess paired it with a gold clutch and a pink headband with floral pieces designed by Juliette Millinery, WWD reported.

    Beatrice was photographed alongside her mother, the Duchess of York, who wore a navy skirt with a white buttoned-up Veronica Beard blazer.

    On the first day of Royal Ascot, Zara Tindall's yellow collared gown coordinated with Mike Tindall's boutonnière.
    Zara Tindall posing in a yellow dress alongside her husband Mike Tindall, who is wearing a black and gray morning suit.
    Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall attend day one of Royal Ascot on June 18, 2024.

    The Tindalls took a note from Charles and Camilla's stylebook and opted for subtly coordinating looks on day one of Royal Ascot.

    Zara, 43, arrived in a yellow dress designed by Laura Green. The "Masai" dress features sheer silk sleeves and a dramatic collar and retails for £1,900, or around $2,400.

    Mike, 45, wore a morning suit and accessorized his jacket lapel with a canary yellow rose, a nod toward his wife's look.

    On Wednesday, Zara wore a white midi dress with puff sleeves and a colorful botanical print, while Mike stuck to the men's dress code.
    Mike Tindall is wearing a morning suit and tophat, and Zara Tindall is wearing a white and red floral summer dress.
    Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall attend day two of Royal Ascot 2024 on June 19, 2024.

    Serving up another fashion masterclass for couples attending Royal Ascot, the Tindalls showed up in style on day two of the racing event.

    Zara wore a white midi dress covered in red, pink, and light purple botanical prints. The $1,286 Angelika dress, designed by Anna Mason London, featured puff sleeves and long cuffs. Zara paired it with a light-pink fascinator, white pumps, and a metallic clutch in a similar shade of white.

    Staying loyal to the men's dress code, Mike opted for a black morning suit jacket with gray-striped pants. He added flair to the look with a silk waistcoat, a pink tie, and a pink rose boutonnière.

    Zara kept the showstopping looks coming on day three in a powdery-blue ensemble.
    Zara Tindall wearing a powder blue dress with a coordinating hat.
    Zara Tindall attends day three of Royal Ascot 2024 at Ascot Racecourse on June 20, 2024.

    Her latest look consisted of a Rebecca Vallance baby-blue midi dress with puff sleeves, a knot design around the neckline, and a built-in belt. Zara paired the dress, which was on sale for $367, with light pumps, a silver watch and jewelry, a clutch, and a coordinating fascinator.

    On day two, Prince Edward jazzed up his morning suit with a bright tie while his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, looked chic in a semi-sheer ivory dress covered in daisies.
    Prince Edward, wearing a morning suit, stands next to his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who is wearing a white dress with floral embellishments.
    Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, attend day two of Royal Ascot on June 19, 2024.

    Edward, 60, kept to the dress code, pairing a black morning suit jacket with a collared shirt, a light-yellow waistcoat, and a black tie. He did add a pop of individuality to his look with a bright-yellow tie.

    The prince was accompanied by his wife, Sophie, 59, who wore an ivory dress designed by Suzannah London. The "Keres" dress, which retails at $4,950, features a sheer tulle layer covered in mini daisies over a simple crepe dress. The Duchess of Edinburgh paired it with a wide-brimmed white hat and a coordinating handbag.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • An airline startup that hopes to fly Airbus A380s between New York and London is delaying its launch to 2025

    Global Airlines rendering of A380 in flight.
    Global Airlines hopes to launch commercial operations by 2025, though a year behind schedule.

    • UK startup Global Airlines wants to fly Airbus A380s across the Atlantic but already faces delays.
    • Maintenance, livery, and interior work are ongoing in the company's first superjumbo, 9H-GLOBL.
    • The business model has raised eyebrows due to the A380's inefficiency and high costs.

    UK-based startup Global Airlines, which planned to begin flying Airbus A380s between New York and London as early as summer 2024, is already delaying its launch to 2025.

    A company spokesperson told FlightGlobal that its first aircraft — a double-decker registered as 9H-GLOBL — is still in need of a complete paint job, interior, and required maintenance checks.

    He said the livery is being painted, and the cabin plans are "progressing," while the maintenance work is expected to start in the coming weeks and will put the airline "a step closer toward launching passenger flights next year."

    "[Operations] and maintenance timelines, like for any airline, have led us to reappraise when we'll be operational," the spokesperson said. He noted that 2025 "is the target" date and that the company is "working with various partners to achieve this."

    Global did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Since its launch, Global has touted a luxurious interior for its A380, which is planned to have 471 seats in economy, business, and first class.

    Global has so far acquired one of the four A380s it has set out to operate but has not disclosed a price. The first is an 11-year-old superjumbo previously flown by China Southern Airways.

    It had been sitting in a boneyard in the Mojave Desert from December 2022 until April 2024, when it made its way to Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland for the work needed to enter commercial service.

    "This was meant to be impossible, but what a super-human group of people who have a burning passion to make aviation better," Global found James Asquith said on X after the flight. The 35-year-old is famous for being the youngest person to visit every sovereign country.

    Global's plan is ambitious but questionable

    Asquith's ambitious plan to fly the fuel-hungry A380 across the Atlantic has raised eyebrows due to the quad-engine plane's inefficiency and high operating costs.

    The pandemic accelerated the retirement of superjumbos by airlines like Air France and Thai Airways in favor of more efficient widebodies, and a lack of orders forced Airbus to end production of the A380 in 2021.

    Some carriers, like Qatar Airways and Emirates, have found the A380's sweet spot on very specific high-demand routes in a strong hub-and-spoke network.

    The NYC-London route is extremely competitive, with dozens of flights between the two cities daily.

    Global Airlines' Airbus A380 at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
    Global Airlines' first Airbus A380 at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

    It'll be difficult to attract enough customers to fill an A380 — especially for a new carrier when there are already plenty of established mainline and low-cost options already available.

    Nevertheless, Global remains optimistic. The carrier recently announced a chauffeur service that it hopes will set it apart from the competition.

    "I am hopeful that to-and-from airport transfers, along with some other exciting announcements we have coming up, will persuade even more passengers to fly with Global Airlines," Asquith said in a February press release announcing the special service.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • New Mexico wildfire kills 2, leaves village in ruins

    Wildfires killed two people in New Mexico, burned 20,000 acres, and left widespread destruction in the village of Ruidoso. Then the flash floods came.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • An essential guide to all the Targaryen kids on ‘House of the Dragon’

    left: leo ashton as young aemond targaryen, a teenage boy with messy long blonde hair and a bloody wound over his left eye, bathed in warm light; right: ewan mitchell as adult aemond targaryen, with a scar and eyepatch over his left eye and well-kept blonde hair pulled back
    Leo Ashton and Ewan Mitchell as young and adult versions of Aemond Targaryen in "House of the Dragon."

    • The Targaryens have a confusing at best family tree in "House of the Dragon."
    • Alicent and Rhaenyra's kids grew from toddlers to young adults within the first season. 
    • We put together a guide for all the children, with photos of all the actors who played them.

    "House of the Dragon" is finally back — and so is its wildly expansive Targaryen brood

    By season two, Westeros is coalescing around two potential rules: Aegon II, King Viserys' eldest male descendant, and Rhaenyra, his eldest daughter and chosen heir. By the time Viserys dies, both Aegon II and Rhaenyra have children of their own. Furthermore, some of the Targaryen children are finally coming of age, making them players in the war themselves.

    Still, they're a lot to keep track of. We've put together a guide to all of the children in the Targaryen family with pictures, so you can keep all of those silver-haired (and brown-haired, if your name starts with "J" and ends with "acaerys") kids straight. 

    Warning: Major spoilers for "House of the Dragon" season one, and the season two premiere. 

    Let's start with Jace, the firstborn child of Rhaenyra and heir to the Iron Throne after his mother.
    left: a young jacaerys in house of the dragon, wearing armor and with fluffy brown hair; right: older jacaerys played by harry collett, he has shoulder-length curly hair and is wearing a cloak as he walks through snow
    Jacaerys is starting to become a player in the war by season two of "House of the Dragon."

    His full name is Jacaerys, though everyone calls him "Jace." 

    Jace was born sometime in the 10-year gap between episodes five and six of "House of the Dragon." Though Rhaenyra and her allies insist on publicly claiming that Jace is the son of Laenor Velaryon (Rhaenyra's first husband and future king-consort), his real father is the late Harwin Strong.

    Luke was Rhaenyra's second-born son and heir to the Driftwood Throne.
    Side by side images of a young boy with curly hair, and a teen boy with the same hair.
    Lucerys in "House of the Dragon."

    Lucerys "Luke" Velaryon is another of Rhaenyra's children she had with Harwin Strong, though the realm is meant to believe he is the second son born to Laenor and Rhaenyra.

    Luke was the kid who cut Aemond's eye (we'll get to Aemond and his siblings soon) in episode seven, "Driftmark." In the finale, the pair face off again with their dragons, Vhagar and Arrax. Unfortunately, this time their fight ends badly for Luke.

    Joffrey is the youngest son from Rhaenyra's first marriage (and affair).
    Side by side images of a woman holding a baby and a young boy with dark hair.
    Joffrey as a baby and as a young boy.

    Joffrey was named after the man who was in a secret relationship with Laenor when they were both teenagers. Even though Joffrey (like Jace and Luke) was really Harwin Strong's son, his faux-father chose the name shortly after his birth in episode six.

    Joffrey is bonded to the dragon Tyraxes. 

    Now onto Alicent's children, all fathered by King Viserys. Their oldest child together is Aegon II.
    left: aegon II as a baby with white hair; center: aegon as a teenager with long, white hair and armor; right: tom glynn-carney as aegon in season two, with shoulder length white hair
    Aegon II is Alicent and Viserys' first son.

    Aegon II (also called "Aegon the Elder" in the "Fire and Blood" book by George R.R. Martin) was the first boy born to King Viserys who survived childbirth.

    Aegon the Elder is the son of Queen Alicent, and many lords in the realm of Westeros argued that he should ascend the Iron Throne after Viserys dies, surpassing the named heir: Rhaenyra. After Viserys dies in episode eight, the Green Council crowns Aegon with the conqueror's crown, before word can reach Rhaenyra.

    Aegon II is bonded to the dragon Sunfyre. 

    Alicent and Viserys' second born child is Helaena.
    Three side-by-side images of a baby, a teenage girl, and a young woman.
    Helaena Targaryen as a baby, a young girl, and a young woman.

    Helaena was the first girl born to either Alicent or Rhaenyra. In between episodes, Helaena was married off to her older brother, Aegon the Elder.

    Helaena is bonded to the dragon Dreamfyre. 

    Aegon and Helaena have children of their own — twins named Jaehaerys and Jaehaera.
    A scene from "House of the Dragon" season one, episode nine.
    A scene from "House of the Dragon" season one, episode nine.

    In the ninth episode of "House of the Dragon" season one, we saw a glimpse of the blonde twins when Alicent went into Helaena's room.

    The twins come back into play in the season two premiere after Daemon hires a pair of assassins known as "Blood and Cheese" to kill Aemond. When they're unable to find Aemond, they decide to kill Jaehaerys instead while Helaena runs away with Jaehaera.

    Alicent's youngest child is Aemond, now known as Aemond One-Eye.
    A side by side image of a young boy with white hair, and an older man with an eyepatch.
    Aemond "One Eye" Targaryen as a boy and a young man.

    Aemond was the last of his siblings to claim a dragon, though taking Vhagar for his own cost him an eye after a fight broke out among all the children in season one, episode seven. 

    In season one, episode eight, Aemond is now a confident swordsman and seemingly more capable than his older brother, Aegon the Elder. In the finale, Aemond reveals that under his eyepatch, his eye has turned bright blue, similar to the White Walkers in "Game of Thrones."

    By season two, he — and more importantly, his extremely large dragon — are a big asset for Aegon II's side of the war. 

    Now, onto Daemon's children. He has two daughters with his deceased wife Laena Velaryon, and Baela is the elder.
    Side by side images of a young girl and a young woman with curly white hair.
    Baela Velaryon in "House of the Dragon."

    In episode eight, we see that Baela has been sent to live at Driftmark as a ward, learning the ways of the court from her grandmother (Rhaenys). She was betrothed to Lucerys Velaryon before his death. 

    Baela is a dragonrider, and bonded to the dragon Moondancer.

    Rhaena is Daemon and Laena's younger daughter.
    Side by side images of a young girl and a young woman with long white hair.
    Rhaena Velaryon in "House of the Dragon."

    Daemon and Laena married and had their two children in the intervening 10 years between episodes five and six. By episode eight, Rhaena was happily living with Daemon and her new stepmother, Rhaenyra. She was eventually betrothed to Lucerys Velaryon, prior to his death. 

    Unlike her family members, Rhaena isn't bonded to a dragon. 

    And last but not least, Daemon and Rhaenyra now have children together. Their first trueborn son is also named Aegon.
    A young baby in a dark room.
    Aegon the Younger, son of Rhaenyra and Daemon.

    Aegon was also named after Aegon the Conqueror, adding to some confusion about which Aegon is which.

    Since Aegon III is just a toddler in season one, episode eight, with Aegon II in his 20s, the books refer to him as Aegon the Younger. 

    So Aegon the Elder is Alicent's son with Viserys, and Aegon the Younger is Rhaenyra's son with Daemon (and also Aegon the Elder's half-nephew). 

    In "Fire and Blood," Aegon the Younger is bonded to the dragon Stormcloud. 

    Rhaenyra and Daemon had a second boy they named Viserys.
    A woman with blonde hair holding a baby with blonde hair.
    Rhaenyra holding baby Viserys II.

    Named for Rhaenyra's dad (and Daemon's brother) King Viserys, little Viserys II was introduced in season one, episode eight as an infant. 

     

    Daemon and Rhaenyra were expecting a third child, but Rhaenyra experienced a stillbirth in the season one finale.
    Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy in "House of the Dragon" episode 10
    Daemon and a pregnant Rhaenyra.

    Rhaenyra, who was pregnant with her third child with Daemon at the start of the season finale, tragically went into early labor and delivered a stillborn daughter, named Visenya, after learning about her father's death.

    For more, read our breakdown of the best details you might have missed in the season one finale.

    "House of the Dragon" has yet to introduce a few Targaryen children from "Fire and Blood."
    Olivia Cooke in HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 2
    Olivia Cooke as Alicent in "House of the Dragon" season two.

    In "Fire and Blood," Alicent and Viserys have one other son: Daeron, the youngest of their children. Daeron is bonded to the dragon Tessarion. Daeron has yet to appear in "House of the Dragon."

    Aegon II and Helaena also have a third child in the book: Maelor, a son, who is younger than Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. 

    Read the original article on Business Insider