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ABBA-tars to become virtual dancing queens
Mamma Mia, here we go again – ABBA is alive and back after a 40 year hiatus but in the form of avatars to dazzle fans via a set of virtual concerts
The pop legends will release 10 songs in their album called Abba Voyage, teasing the new hits via a globally streamed press conference.
The first, I Still Have Faith In You, is a piano ballad that pays homage to the friendship formed by the four musicians.
“When Benny played the melody, I just knew it had to be about us,” said Bjorn Ulvaeus, a member of ABBA.
The group split in the early 1980’s and organically ended back in the studio recording together.
“At first it was just two songs, and then we said, ‘Well, maybe we should do a few others,'” said Benny Andersson.
My my! Abba avatars to take the virtual stage
The band’s new songs will be played during the band’s virtual concert, also titled Abba Voyage.
The four musicians will perform in a set of virtual concerts, where avatars of the four band members will play hits like Waterloo and dancing queen.
This virtual experience is set to open next year in a specially-built arena in east London.
The quartet who are now in their 70s, are transported back to the 1970’s.
Almost one thousand people worked to re-create Abba “in their prime” using motion capture technology that scanned “every mannerism and every motion”.
The clones of ABBA will appear in various virtual guises, from their satin-clad 1970s pomp to futuristic Tron-style space suits.
“Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Bjorn got on stage in front of 160 cameras and almost as many VFX geniuses, and they performed every song in this show, to perfection, over five weeks,” Ludvig Andersson, a producer said.
Why London? Bjorn said “London is the the best city to be in when it comes to entertainment, theatre, musicals… We have always felt that the Brits see us as their own.”
“There’s no real need for ABBA to be on TikTok because their music is all over it anyway, but it’s about making sure people connect their music with ABBA the brand, and that will feed back into other areas of the empire,” Sutherland says.
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How Gen Alpha are positioned to shape the future of education
Future of education: how Generation Alpha and engaged parents are shaping schools amid challenges and rapid change
Future of education: how Generation Alpha and engaged parents are shaping schools amid challenges and rapid change
– Future education involves increased parental engagement and adapting to technological changes for younger generations.
– Barriers to involvement include time constraints and poor communication from schools, impacting family-school relationships.
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Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear testing immediately
Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear testing, raising concerns over arms race and global safety
Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear testing, raising concerns over arms race and global safety
– Trump ordered the Pentagon to resume nuclear testing, risking global tensions and retaliation from other nations.
– Proliferation concerns are rising as nuclear states modernise arsenals and the New START Treaty nears expiration.
The potential for worldwide radioactive fallout remains high, even for underground tests. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, signed by 187 states, prohibits such testing, yet the US remains a signatory without ratification, bound not to violate the treaty’s intent.
Nuclear weapon testing, once crucial for understanding weapon effects and military planning, has diminished. Since World War II, nuclear tests have largely focused on developing new designs. Significant environmental and health concerns led to a moratorium on atmospheric testing in the early 1960s and the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963.
Many countries, including the US, stopped explosive testing in the 1990s. Technological advancements allowed nations to develop nuclear weapons without the need for actual explosions.
Proliferation Risks
Nuclear proliferation continues, with all nine nuclear-armed states investing heavily in modernising their arsenals. This raises concerns about lowered thresholds for using such weapons.
Recent conflicts involving nuclear threats have escalated, and the number of nuclear weapons operationally available has begun to rise again. Russia has tested advanced nuclear weapons, while China is rapidly expanding its military capabilities.
The New START Treaty, which confines the nuclear capabilities of the US and Russia, is set to expire soon, with no successor treaty negotiations underway.
The Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight this year, highlighting the heightened dangers facing the world today.
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US–China trade talks are a handshake, not a deal
Trump and Xi unofficially extend tariff truce, with US concessions and Chinese commitments on soybeans, fentanyl, and rare earths.
Trump and Xi unofficially extend tariff truce, with US concessions and Chinese commitments on soybeans, fentanyl, and rare earths.
Presidents Trump and Xi extend their tariff truce in an informal meeting, with US cuts and Chinese promises on soybeans, fentanyl, and rare earths.
Steve Gopalan from SkandaFX cautions this is unofficial and deeper issues between the two super powers remain.
#USChina #TradeTruce #Tariffs #GlobalMarkets #Soybeans #RareEarths #UnofficialDeal #TickerNews
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