The death of the Queen also meant other changes to the line of succession and titles for other members of the royal family. Prince William, the oldest son of the King, is now the first heir, with his three children behind him by order of age.
Once Charles and Camilla became King and Queen Consort, William and Catherine also automatically assumed the pair’s old duchies, becoming the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.
But in his speech on Friday, the King also formally named William and Catherine as the Prince and Princess of Wales, the traditional title for the heir apparent. It is likely a public investiture ceremony, similar to the one the Queen held for her son in 1969, will follow at some point.
Once Charles became King, the two children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, technically were also elevated in status.
Under royal protocols dating back to 1917, the children and grandchildren of the sovereign are entitled to the titles HRH and prince or princess, meaning Harry and Meghan’s children are now Prince Archie and Princess Lillibet.
In his speech, the King made sure to mention Harry and Meghan, who moved to California after leaving royal life, saying that he wanted to express his love “as they continue to build their lives overseas.”
He also thanked his wife, Camilla, saying he could count on her both personally and as sovereign to fulfill the demands of her new role.
Tokyo says it has conveyed an ‘appropriate message’ to Beijing over vessels’ movements.
Two Chinese aircraft carriers have been seen operating in the Pacific at once for the first time, Japan’s Ministry of Defence has said.
China’s Shandong and four other vessels on Monday sailed within Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
The aircraft carrier conducted landing and takeoff drills involving its fighter jets and helicopters in waters north of the Pacific atoll of Okinotori, the ministry said.
Tokyo’s announcement came a day after Japanese officials said the Liaoning, the older of China’s two operating aircraft carriers, had entered waters near the remote island of Minamitorishima.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tokyo would step up surveillance and had conveyed “an appropriate message” to China, without elaborating.
On Monday, Hayashi, who is Tokyo’s top spokesman, said China’s growing maritime activity appeared to be aimed at bolstering its capability to carry out missions farther from its shores.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Monday defended the aircraft carriers’ movements, describing them as “fully consistent with international law and international practices”.
“Our national defence policy is defensive in nature. We hope Japan will view those activities objectively and rationally,” Lin told a regular news conference.
China is inviting American influencers to join a 10-day, all-expense paid trip through the country this July, as part of Beijing’s efforts to boost people-to-people exchanges and showcase the “real China.”
The initiative, titled “China-Global Youth Influencer Exchange Program,” seeks to enlist young social media influencers with at least 300,000 followers to collaborate with Chinese content creators, according to recruitment posts by Chinese state-affiliated media outlets, including the China Youth Daily.
While relations between China and the U.S. have deteriorated in recent months over issues including geopolitics, technology and trade, the program marks an effort to boost cultural exchanges. Last year, President Xi Jinping had called for more exchanges between Chinese and American universities, after previously announcing a plan to welcome 50,000 American students to China.
Another post in College Daily, a publication particularly targeting Chinese students in North America, specified that applicants for the exchange program based in the U.S., should be active on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X, and should “love Chinese culture” and “have no history of bad behaviors.”
It called on Chinese students overseas to encourage influencers in their circle to apply, and said the successful candidates will get China’s official invite as well as special assistance from the state to process their visas.
The trip intends to take the participants across five Chinese cities—Suzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Handan and Beijing, and will cover China’s e-commerce hubs, the headquarter of companies such as Xiaohongshu Technology Co. and BYD Co.
The influencers will also partake in cultural activities such as Taichi and be able to live-stream their trip to the Great Wall, according to the posts. Working with Chinese social media influencers on ideas, and getting their content promoted by China’s state media will be part of the deal.
Social media content from western influencers traveling through China post-Covid have won praise from the state media for their authentic portrayal of everyday life in the country. In April, American streamer IShowSpeed’s visit to China sparked widespread curiosity among fans about advancements in Chinese technology.
Authorities have tapped social media influencers to check negative information and promote positive contents. In 2023, think-tank Australian Strategic Policy Institute analyzed over 120 foreign influencers, mostly active on Chinese social media, received the state’s help to grow their influence in return for content that praises and spreads Beijing’s narrative.
Sly Stone of Sly And The Family Stone poses in London on 16 July 1973.
Sly Stone, a funk-rock star who led the group Sly and the Family Stone, has died at the age of 82, his family statement.
A statement said he had suffered a “prolongued battle” with the lung disease COPD.
Stone, whose real name was Sylvester Stewart, grew up singing gospel with his siblings, and went on to play the Woodstock music festival in 1969.
On the way, Stone was a San Francisco radio DJ, before he and his band hit the big time with hits including It’s a Family Affair and If You Want Me to Stay.
Stone was a giant of funk music, known for blending psychedelia, funk, rock and soul, his big style and even bigger hair.
Here is a selection of images from his life.
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Before Sly Stone, the young Sylvester Stewart started out as a radio DJ in San Francisco, California.
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Sly formed his eponymous band, Sly and the Family Stone, in the late 60s. Here, they are pictured in concert in 1973 – tambourine, flares and all.
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If You Want Me To Stay was one of the band’s most famous songs, released in 1973 on the album Fresh. The band are pictured recording together that year, with Sly in the middle of the group.
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Sly and The Family Stone frequented television show stages. Here they are in 1974 performing on Soul Train, a hugely successful American music programme.
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It’s a family affair. Several of Sly’s siblings were in the band. His sister Rosie (pictured bottom left) and his brother Freddie (hidden behind Sly’s hair) were key members. Also pictured are Cynthia Robinson (behind Rosie) Larry Graham, Greg Errico and Jerry Martini (from left descending to right).
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Stone married model and actress Kathy Silva (right) on 5 June 1974. Their wedding was far from intimate: tens of thousands of fans packed out the Madison Square Garden stadium in Manhattan to watch the couple tie the knot live on stage. Later, they held their reception in the Waldorf-Astoria, where this shot was taken.
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Stone occasionally played alone during periods of internal strife for the band in the 1970s. Following drug issues, the group later fizzled out.
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In 2006, the artist hit the Grammys stage in Los Angeles. He is remembered by his family as “a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music”.
Grammy-winning artist and producer Timbaland has launched a new AI-focused entertainment venture, called StageZero. The company has launched with its first AI artist, TaTa, according to a press release on Thursday (June 5).
Timbaland said: “She is not an avatar. She is not a character. TaTa is a living, learning, autonomous music artist built with AI. TaTa is the start of something bigger. She’s the first artist of a new generation. A-Pop is the next cultural evolution, and TaTa is its first icon.”
Timbaland co-founded Stage Zero with Rocky Mudaliar, the award-winning producer behind Inmate #1, Bisping, and Breaking Olympia, and Zayd Portillo, an AI music strategist and co-creator of Timbo I-Do.
In addition to co-founding Light Energy Labs, the creator-tech studio behind CamUp!, Portillo also advises Suno on music AI integration.
“She is not an avatar. She is not a character. TaTa is a living, learning, autonomous music artist built with AI.”
Timbaland, Stage Zero
Stage Zero operates separately from Suno despite Timbaland’s strategic advisory role. Suno, the AI music-making platform being sued by the record majors over copyright infringement, formed an official partnership with Timbaland in October 2024, after what it says were “months” of him “being a top user of the platform.”
Stage Zero’s founders toldRolling Stone that the music they create relies on a collaborative process with Suno, where Timbaland uploads conventional demos to the system, allowing Suno to process it and incorporate human-written lyrics.
Timbaland told the news outlet how TaTa’s voice originated from a Suno generation that caught his attention: “It came to a point where I’m like, ‘Yo, this voice, it’s amazing.”
In a statement, Timbaland said: “I’m not just producing tracks anymore. I’m producing systems, stories, and stars from scratch.”
Mudaliar added: “The artists of tomorrow won’t just be human, they’ll be IP, code, and robotics that are fully autonomous. That’s what we’re building at Stage Zero.”
“The artists of tomorrow won’t just be human, they’ll be IP, code, and robotics that are fully autonomous. That’s what we’re building at Stage Zero.”
Rocky Mudaliar, Stage Zero
Timbaland, who has collaborated with artists like Aaliyah, Ludacris, Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé and Madonna, has been vocal about his support for AI music production.
Speaking to Billboardin April, Timbaland said: “The technology of today is perfect for what this is. What used to take me three months only takes me two days. In the beginning, it was like a toy. It was like going to a toy store. You gotta go through gluttony, because you can’t believe that it’s here.”
Timbaland’s partnership with Suno comes as the AI music startup, alongside its rival Udio, are in talks with Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music GroupandWarner Music Groupto license the music giants’ recordings. Reports of the talks come despite the three majors suing Suno and Udio last year for copyright infringement.
Meanwhile, Stage Zero hinted at plans beyond TaTa. “This is just the beginning though. Stage Zero comprises music and so much more to be revealed soon,” the venture said.
Stage Zero marks Timbaland’s latest music industry venture after launching beat marketplace Beatclub in 2021 with his long-term manager Gary Marella. Beatclub attracted investment from Hipgnosis and AnthemEntertainment in 2023 as part of its series A-2 funding round. It then expanded to China last year via a partnership withNetEase Cloud Music.
new video loaded: Israel Intercepts Gaza-Bound Aid Ship
transcript
transcript
Israel Intercepts Gaza-Bound Aid Ship
Footage from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and the Israeli authorities shows what happened when Israel diverted a civilian ship, with Greta Thunberg onboard, that was headed to Gaza.
“Guys, oh, my God.” “Into the water. Throw it over. Calm down, everyone — please, calm down. Yes, everything’s going to be all right. Calm down.” Hey, guys, wait. No.”
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International video coverage from The New York Times.
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Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world
Donald Trump’s administration will send 700 Marines to Los Angeles amid protests against raids on alleged illegal immigrants, deploying more federal troops to California in the face of vigorous opposition from the state’s governor.
The Marines would be sent to protect “federal personnel and federal property”, the US Northern Command said on Monday afternoon.
The move came just hours after California’s Democratic governor Gavin Newsom sued Trump for an earlier decision to deploy National Guard troops to stamp out protests that began at the weekend. The lawsuit, filed on Monday in federal court, called the president’s decision an “unprecedented usurpation of state authority”.
Military forces frequently assist in the US during natural disasters and other incidents, but it is rare that they are deployed to aid in domestic law enforcement, particularly without the support of the state’s governor.
The mobilisation of Marines will intensify the stand-off between the White House and state and local leaders over the use of troops, as Trump and his allies press ahead with their sweeping plans to strengthen the power of the president and deport millions of illegal immigrants.
“We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California. If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated,” Trump said on Monday on his Truth Social platform, defending the deployment of federal troops.
Newsom on Monday accused the president of “creating fear and terror” with the move. “This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic,” he said in a statement.
About 300 members of the California National Guard arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday after Trump transferred control of the military force from state to federal authorities.
Late on Monday, the Trump administration authorised another 2,000 guardsmen to be deployed to Los Angeles, a Pentagon spokesman said, bringing the total of authorised guardsmen to 4,000 despite opposition from Newsom and local leaders.
The Marines were being sent to provide “adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area”, US Northern Command said on Monday. The National Guard troops took up positions on Sunday in downtown LA, where thousands gathered at the weekend to protest and clashes erupted between demonstrators and law enforcement officials.
A US president last deployed a state’s National Guard without being asked by its governor in 1965, when Lyndon Johnson sent troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Selma, Alabama.
Thousands more protesters marched in the streets of downtown Los Angeles for a fourth straight day on Monday, with some holding signs declaring “The Trump fascist regime must go now.”
Alphabet-owned robotaxi operator Waymo said on Monday that it had halted services in Downtown Los Angeles after some of its vehicles were set on fire at the weekend. It has also stopped vehicles from operating in certain parts of San Francisco where protests have taken place.
About 155 people, including six children, were arrested in San Francisco on Sunday, while other protests took place in New York.
The showdown in California, a heavily Democratic state, echoes Trump’s first term, when Newsom took the mantle of leading the “resistance” to his administration. At one point in the war of words between the two men on Monday, Trump endorsed the idea of Tom Homan, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, arresting Newsom.
“I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great,” Trump said as he returned to the White House from Camp David. “Gavin likes the publicity . . . He’s done a terrible job. I like Gavin Newsom, he’s a nice guy, but he’s grossly incompetent, everybody knows that.”
Newsom called Trump’s remarks backing his arrest an “unmistakable step toward authoritarianism”.
The president also claimed the “people that are causing the problem are professional agitators, they’re insurrectionists”.
He later told reporters: “I wouldn’t call it quite an insurrection, but it could have led to an insurrection.”
Newsom said the addition of the National Guard troops had only made the situation worse. “Federalising the California National Guard is an abuse of the president’s authority under the law — and not one we take lightly. We’re asking a court to put a stop to the unlawful, unprecedented order.”
Additional reporting by Myles McCormick in Washington and Rafe Uddin in San Francisco
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From the Hades of Greek mythology to Jules Verne’s hollow earth, the subterranean world has always fascinated humanity. It has been a source of valuable minerals and the scene of powerful volcanic eruptions. Today, the underground also hosts an intricate network of transport routes that alleviate urban traffic congestion and enable rail systems to function without disrupting surface landscapes. Many of these tunnels owe their existence to tunnel boring machines (TBMs)—massive mechanical worms that harness cutting-edge technology to navigate the hostile environments of the subterranean realm.
In this article, you will learn about the following topics:
A tunnel boring machine (TBM) is a specialised machine designed for excavating tunnels. Resembling giant metal worms, they feature a cutting head at the front capable of excavating at speeds exceeding one metre per hour. TBMs enable the efficient excavation of large volumes of material with exceptional precision, minimising surface disruptions and reducing the risks associated with underground construction.
These machines are enormous and complex to operate. For context, the largest TBM measures 120 metres in length, with a cutting head 17 metres in diameter and a weight of approximately 5,000 tonnes.
Main components of a tunnel boring machine
TBMs are intricate and massive, pushing the boundaries of industrial vehicle engineering. Beyond the control systems and the operator’s cabin, these are their key components:
Cutting head. The rotating front section equipped with cutting discs or specialised tools for excavating the ground.
Shield. A metallic structure that protects the machine and its operators while ensuring tunnel stability during excavation.
Propulsion system. Hydraulic jacks that propel the TBM forward as it progresses.
Segmentation frame. Places precast concrete segments (known as linings) to reinforce the tunnel walls as excavation continues.
Debris support and evacuation system. Extracts and transports excavated material, such as rock and soil, out of the tunnel.
5 types of tunnel boring machines (and their game-changing projects)
Since the late 20th century, tunnel boring machines have played a critical role in major underground infrastructure projects worldwide. Over time, various TBM models have been developed to tackle specific challenges. Here are five key types and the iconic projects where they proved their worth.
Earth pressure balance (EPB)
EPBs are ideal for soft, mixed, and sandy soils where maintaining constant pressure is essential to prevent ground collapse. These widely used machines enable precise excavation and stabilise the working face, minimising surface disruption.
Line 6 of the São Paulo subway, Brazil (2021-2025). Two TBMs, each 10.6 metres in diameter and weighing 2,000 tonnes, were equipped with advanced technologies to navigate São Paulo’s challenging urban geology.
Double shield TBMs
Designed for heterogeneous and rocky terrains, double shield TBMs feature two protective shields to ensure safety and precision during excavation.
Follo Line, Norway (2016-2022). The construction of Scandinavia’s longest railway tunnel (20 km) required TBMs tailored to Norway’s geology and equipped with automated geotechnical monitoring systems.
Slurry TBMs (hydroshield TBMs)
Slurry TBMs use a mixture of water and bentonite to stabilise the working face in areas with high water pressure or unstable soils. They are particularly effective for excavating beneath bodies of water.
Port of Miami underwater tunnel, USA (2010–2014). A 12.86-metre-diameter slurry TBM was used to excavate a 1.2 km underwater tunnel.
Single shield TBMs
These TBMs use a single protective shield and are best suited for stable soils. Although less common today, they were indispensable for many historic projects.
M-30 Tunnel, Madrid, Spain (2005-2007). . A TBM with a diameter exceeding 15 metres, a world record at the time, was used to underground a major section of Madrid’s M-30 ring road.
Main Beam TBMs (open type)
Lacking a protective shield, these TBMs are designed for hard, stable rock. They are typically used in projects where additional ground support is unnecessary.
Hallandsås Tunnel, Sweden (1992-2015). Excavation of an 8.7 km railway tunnel through the Hallandsås massif involved a TBM optimised for hard rock.
These examples illustrate how each type of tunnel boring machine is carefully matched to the geological conditions and specific demands of the project, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.
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