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Beatles announce their ‘last song’

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More than 50 years after The Beatles broke up, the band have announced the release of their “last song”.

Called Now And Then, it is based on a 1970s demo recording by John Lennon, and was completed last year by Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr.

Sir Paul teased the song in a BBC interview this summer, saying AI technology had been used to “extricate” Lennon’s vocals from an old cassette.

The track will premiere at 14:00 GMT on Thursday, 2 November.

It will also feature on newly-remastered versions of The Beatles’ Red and Blue albums, due on 10 November.

Originally released in 1973, the career-spanning compilations have been described by Rolling Stone magazine as “arguably the most influential greatest hits albums in history”.

Featuring everything from Love Me Do to The Long And Winding Road, the two volumes are essentially divided between the band’s early mop-top days (the Red Album) and their more experimental and expansive late period (the Blue album).

In a press release, the surviving Beatles said completing the song had been a surreal experience.

“There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear,” said Sir Paul. “It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it, it’s a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023 to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s an exciting thing.”

“It was the closest we’ll ever come to having him back in the room so it was very emotional for all of us,” added Starr. “It was like John was there, you know. It’s far out.”

‘Rubbish’ recording

Now And Then was originally written by John Lennon after the Beatles’ split up in 1970, and has circulated as a bootleg for years.

An apologetic love song, it is addressed to an old friend (or lover), to whom Lennon declares: “Now and then, I miss you / Now and then, I want you to return to me”.

After Lennon was fatally shot outside his New York apartment building in December 1980, his widow, Yoko Ono, gave the song to Sir Paul.

It was on a cassette labelled “For Paul” that also contained early versions of Free As A Bird and Real Love – which the remaining Beatles polished up and released as singles in 1995 and 1996, as part of their Anthology project.

The band also attempted to record Now And Then, but the session was quickly abandoned – with guitarist George Harrison saying the quality of Lennon’s recording was “rubbish”.

Sir Paul has wanted to complete the song ever since – and advancements in audio technology have finally made that possible.

The story began with the release of the Beatles’ Get Back documentary in 2021. Director Peter Jackson and his team developed new software that allowed them to “de-mix” mono recordings from the 1970s to isolate individual instruments and vocals.

That same technology was used last year to create a new mix of the band’s album Revolver. Producer Giles Martin told the BBC the software used elements of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to separate overlapping sounds.

“It has to learn what the sound of John Lennon’s guitar is, for instance, and the more information you can give it, the better it becomes,” he said.

That process has now been applied to the original tape of Now And Then, removing tape hiss and electrical mains noise while preserving Lennon’s performance.

Sir Paul and Sir Ringo set about completing the song last year, adding new vocals, drums, bass, guitar and piano; as well as electric and acoustic guitar parts recorded by Harrison in 1995, before his death,

Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin, also added backing vocals from the original recordings of Here, There And Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby and Because, creating an extra layer of nostalgia.

The release of Now And Then will be preceded by a documentary about the making of the song, which will premiere on Wednesday, 1 November.

To tie in with all of this, the BBC has announced a new six-part podcast on the story of the Liverpool-born group.

The first five parts arrived on Thursday, including a recently re-discovered interview from 1964 which has not been heard since.

The final part will come out on 2 November, along with the record, and will include exclusive interviews with Sir Paul and Sir Ringo Starr – the two remaining Beatles – about the new material.

(BBC News)

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Elton John and Dua Lipa seek protection from AI

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Dua Lipa, Sir Elton John, Sir Ian McKellen and Florence Welch are among a list of stars calling on the prime minister to update copyright laws in a way that protects them from artificial intelligence.

A letter signed by more than 400 British musicians, writers and artists, addressed to Sir Keir Starmer, says failing to give that protection would mean them “giving away” their work to tech firms.

Also at risk, they write, is “the UK’s position as a creative powerhouse”.

They want the PM to back an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill that would require developers to be transparent with copyright owners about using their material to train AI models.

A government spokesperson said: “We want our creative industries and AI companies to flourish, which is why we’re consulting on a package of measures that we hope will work for both sectors.

“We’re clear that no changes will be considered unless we are completely satisfied they work for creators,” they added.

Other signatories include author Kazuo Ishiguro, playwright David Hare, singers Kate Bush and Robbie Williams, as well as Coldplay, Tom Stoppard and Richard Curtis.

Sir Paul McCartney, who told the BBC in January he was concerned about AI ripping off artists, has also signed the letter.

“We are wealth creators, we reflect and promote the national stories, we are the innovators of the future, and AI needs us as much as it needs energy and computer skills,” it states.

They say their concerns can be met if the government backs an amendment proposed by Baroness Beeban Kidron ahead of a key vote in the House of Lords on Monday.

Baroness Kidron’s amendment, it says, would “allow both AI developers and creators to develop licensing regimes that will allow for human-created content well into the future.”

Not everyone agrees with the artists’ approach.

Julia Willemyns, co-founder of the Centre for British Progress think tank, said such proposals could hamper the UK and its bid for growth.

The measures would “do nothing to stop foreign firms from using content from the British creative industries,” she told the BBC.

“A restrictive copyright regime would offshore AI development, chill domestic innovation, and directly harm the UK economy,” she said.

However, the letter comes amid mounting concern from artists over the inclusion of their works, and material protected by copyright, in the data used to develop generative AI systems.

These tools, which can produce new content in response to simple text prompts, have become increasingly popular and available to consumers.

But their capabilities have been accompanied by concerns and criticism over their data use and energy demand.

What is AI, how does it work and what are the concerns about it?

In February, artists including Annie Lennox and Damon Albarn released a silent album to protest about the government’s proposed changes to copyright law.

The government carried out a consultation around its proposal to allow developers to be able to use creators’ content on the internet to help develop their models, unless the rights holders elect to “opt out”.

According to The Guardian, ministers were reconsidering the proposal following creator backlash.

Mr Ishiguro pointed the BBC to an earlier statement in which he wrote, “why is it just and fair – why is it sensible – to alter our time-honoured copyright laws to advantage mammoth corporations at the expense of individual writers, musicians, film-makers and artists?”

The Nobel Prize-winning author added that since then the only limited advance was that it now appeared the government had accepted the opt-out proposals were not likely to be workable, He thought a new consultation to find a fairer scheme was possible, though it remained to be seen how meaningful any consultation would be.

“It’s essential that they get this right,” he wrote.

MPs recently rejected a separate amendment tabled by Baroness Kidron that aimed to make AI developers accountable to UK copyright law.

Now, she says transparency obligations for tech firms under the new proposed amendment could support the development of licensing agreements between creators and companies.

“The UK is in a unique position to take its place as a global player in the international AI supply chain, but to grasp that opportunity requires the transparency provided for in my amendments, which are essential to create a vibrant licencing market,” Baroness Kidron said.

In their statement the government said: “It’s vital we take the time to work through the range of responses to our consultation, but equally important that we put in the groundwork now as we consider the next steps.

“That is why we have committed to publishing a report and economic impact assessment – exploring the broad range of issues and options on all sides of the debate.”

(BBC News)

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Restored 4K version of ‘Gehenu Lamai’ to premiere at 2025 Cannes Festival

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‘Gehenu Lamai’, directed by the late Dr. Sumitra Peries, will be screened next week in the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival, which will be held from May 13 to May 24 in Cannes, France, under the Cannes Classics category.

Released in 1978, ‘Gehenu Lamai’ is a Sri Lankan Sinhala teenage drama film directed by Sumitra Peries and produced by her husband, Lester James Peries, for Lester Films.

The restoration of ‘Gehenu Lamai’ was undertaken by the Film Heritage Foundation in association with the Dr. Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation. It was funded by a grant provided by the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and the Embassy of France in India, under the aegis of FISCH (France- India – Sri Lanka Cine Heritage).

Sumitra Peries, the first female filmmaker in Sri Lanka and wife of Dr. Lester James Peries, also served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to France in the 1990s. She was decorated as a Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Government.

Born in 1934, she emerged to stardom in the country with over 10 films to her credit and expertise as a screenwriter, director, producer, and editor.

In a triumph for Sri Lanka’s film heritage, Sumitra Peries’ “Gehenu Lamai” (1978) restored by Film Heritage Foundation in association with the Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation has been selected for a world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2025.

The film has been restored under the aegis of FISCH: France- India – Sri Lanka Cine Heritage – Saving Film Across Borders – a pioneering international collaboration between Film Heritage Foundation, the Embassy of France and the French Institute in India and the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, dedicated to restoring and preserving cinematic heritage.

The selection of “Gehenu Lamai” for the 78th Cannes Film Festival marks the fourth year in a row that Film Heritage Foundation is returning to Cannes Classic, but its first with a Sri Lankan film.

Film Heritage Foundation’s earlier restorations – Aravindan Govindan’s “Thamp”, Aribam Syam Sharma’s “Ishanou” and Shyam Benegal’s “Manthan” had red-carpet world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Recognized as the Outstanding Film of the Year at the 1978 London Film Festival, the debut film of Sumitra Peries – referred to as the Poetess of Sri Lankan Cinema – tells the heartbreaking tale of two young sisters in a Sri Lankan village whose romantic dreams and aspirations are crushed by the class barrier and the conflict between tradition and progress. The poetic black and white imagery beautifully captures the confusion and fragility of adolescent love and yearning coupled with an outstanding performance by a 16 year-old Wasanthi Chathurani as Kusum in her debut role.

(adaderana.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Disney to open theme park in the Middle East

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Walt Disney has announced plans to open its first theme park in the Middle East.

The resort, which will be in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, is a collaboration between Walt Disney and local leisure and entertainment company Miral.

Disney already has six theme parks spanning North America, Europe and Asia. Its most recent opening was in 2016 in Shanghai.

Miral is responsible for the development of Yas Island as a tourist destination and already operates SeaWorld and Warner Bros World where it is developing a Harry Potter-themed park.

In a statement announcing the new facility, Disney said the UAE was located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world’s population, making it a “significant gateway for tourism”.

It added that 120 million passengers travel through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year, making the Emirates the biggest global airline hub in the world.

Disney chief executive Robert Iger described the plans for the new park as a “thrilling” moment for the company and said Disneyland Abu Dhabi would be “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati”.

The 10-sq-mile (25-sq-km) Yas Island is 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai.

Miral’s boss Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi said bringing a Disney theme park resort to the area marked a “milestone in our journey to further advance the island’s position as a global destination for exceptional entertainment and leisure”.

He said the development would “support sustained economic growth in Abu Dhabi and beyond”.

The company’s first theme park, Disneyland, opened in Anaheim, California in 1955. It was followed in 1971 by Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

International expansion began in 1983 with a park in Tokyo; Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, then came Hong Kong in 2005 and, most recently, Shanghai in 2016.

Also on Wednesday, Disney announced better than expected results for the first three months of 2025, with revenue up by 7% to $23.6bn (£17.7bn).

The Disney+ streaming business added 1.4 million customers. Previously Disney had predicted a slight decline in subscribers due to a price increase.

Attendance rose at US parks with visitors spending more and there was also a rise in cruise ship bookings following the launch of the new ship Disney Treasure.

“Despite questions around any macroeconomic uncertainty or the impact of competition, I’m encouraged by the strength and resilience of our business,” said Mr Iger.

Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell said at a time when so many businesses in the US were “worried about the potential impact of tariffs on consumer spending, on household budgets, Disney is feeling confident”.

(BBC News)

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