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Animation master Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘The Boy and the Heron’ to open TIFF this year

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

Influential Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s first feature in 10 years will open this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.“The Boy and the Heron” is a hand-drawn film, written and directed by Miyazaki. The coming-of-age movie centres on a boy who loses his mother during the Second World War and embarks on a journey into a magical world.The Studio Ghibli production, which set box office records in Japan earlier this month, is the first Japanese or animated film to fill the high-profile opening-night slot at the festival. The announcement signals a departure from the longtime event that often featured stateside directors and production studios.While current SAG-AFTRA strike rules may prevent Hollywood stars from promoting their work, such rules wouldn’t affect international talents like Miyazaki or the actors in his film. Film festivals have already seen the impact of the labour action — Venicelost its buzzy opener, Luca Guadagnino’s “...

White House rolls out measures aimed at lowering cost of housing, increasing supply

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

The White House is taking steps aimed at increasing the the supply of affordable housing while also bolstering protections for renters. The housing measures announced Thursday include providing communities with $85 million in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reduce barriers to affordable housing, such as zoning restrictions that in some places have become a hurdle to increasing the supply and density of affordable housing. HUD would provide grants upwards of $10 million.“HUD recognizes that communities have unique housing challenges and that’s why the resources announced today are not one-size-fits-all,” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a statement. “Today, we are acting to increase the supply of affordable housing, which is crucial to lowering housing costs. We look forward to continuing this work in partnership with local communities.” The White House also announced that it was forming an inter-agency task force to develop ways to fund efforts to c...

His campaign forced Sinead O’Connor to scrap a 1997 Jerusalem concert. Now he is a Cabinet minister

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Death threats forced Irish pop singer Sinead O’Connor to call off a peace concert in Jerusalem in the summer of 1997. At the time, a young man named Itamar Ben-Gvir took credit for the campaign against her. Today, he is Israel’s national security minister.The transformation of Ben-Gvir from a fringe Israeli extremist trying to take down O’Connor’s coexistence-themed concert to a powerful minster overseeing the Israeli police force reflects the dramatic rise of Israel’s far-right.O’Connor, a spirited singer and frequent source of controversy who rocketed to fame in 1990, died on Wednesday in London. While most people remember the star for her hit cover of Prince’s ballad “Nothing Compares 2 U” or the uproar that followed her ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II on live TV, many Israelis on Thursday recounted an open letter she wrote castigating Ben-Gvir.Incensed after hearing Ben-Gvir, who was then 21, boast in a radio int...

The Angels said they won’t trade Shohei Ohtani, and he celebrated by throwing a 1-hitter

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is staying with the Los Angeles Angels, at least for the rest of the season.The Angels said they have decided not to deal the two-way superstar, a morning after making a significant move that signaled they’re in win-now mode.It was welcome news in the Angels’ clubhouse, and Ohtani celebrated with a gem — he pitched the first complete game of his Major League Baseball career Thursday, spinning a one-hitter in a 6-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers.“We’re going to roll the dice and see what happens,” Angels general manager Perry Minasian told reporters in Detroit before a doubleheader against the Tigers, just days before MLB’s trade deadline.Ohtani will be a free agent this winter. Even though the franchise risks losing the 29-year-old slugger and starting pitcher on the open market — there’s speculation he could fetch $500-600 million — it is motivated to make its first playoff appearance in his six major league seasons.“I love Shoh...

Wildfire in Greece triggers explosions at an ammunition depot and the relocation of fighter jets

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

RHODES, Greece (AP) — A wildfire whipped on by strong winds triggered a series of massive explosions Thursday at an air force ammunition depot in central Greece, while firefighters worked to tame multiple blazes in the country.There were no injuries at the depot, which had been evacuated before the explosions, and by late Thursday the fire was no longer active. The Greek air force said that F-16 fighter jets at a nearby base were moved to another facility as a precaution, but that the base had not been under any immediate threat.Fires have raged across parts of Greece during three successive Mediterranean heat waves in the past two weeks, leaving five people dead, including two firefighting pilots, and triggering a huge weekend evacuation of tourists on the island of Rhodes.The fire in the Volos area of central Greece’s Magnissia region reached the ammunition storage facility about 6 kilometers (4 miles) north of the major military air base in Nea Anchialos. Local media report...

Suffocating heat wave in metro Phoenix starts easing after first major monsoon storm of the season

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — The persistent heat wave that has suffocated Phoenix for most of July was slightly easing Thursday after the first major monsoon storm of the season kicked up dust and high winds and brought the first measurable rainfall in some areas since March. The Wednesday night storm, featuring high winds hitting over 60 mph (96.5 kph), ripped the roofs and awnings off numerous manufactured homes in Mesa. It even lifted the roof of a small one-story apartment building in that Phoenix suburb, pushing the overnight low below 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) for the first time in 16 days. “The heat wave is not over yet,” said Tom Frieders, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix. “It will continue to be hot, but we’re hoping that once we get beyond Saturday it will start to cool off.”The Wednesday night storm brought heavy dust, lightning and rainfall of 0.25 inches (0.63 cm) to 1 inch (2.54 cm) in some locations, according to the Maricopa Cou...

Sammy Yatim’s mother continues fight for justice 10 years after son’s death

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

TORONTO — Ten years after her son was fatally shot on an empty Toronto streetcar, Sammy Yatim’s mother said she’s still fighting for justice.Eighteen-year-old Yatim was shot multiple times by Const. James Forcillo while standing alone holding a small knife on the streetcar on July 27, 2013. Cellphone footage of the shooting posted online set off a wave of public outrage and calls for police reform.On the 10th anniversary of her son’s death, Yatim’s mother said she worries her calls for change in policing and justice for her son are no longer being heard. “I wanted to do something actually to honour my son, but they left me disabled. I feel they disappointed me, the police, the government, the system – they failed,” Sahar Bahadi told The Canadian Press.“I promised Sammy to fight for justice for him. I want to continue that, in spite of all the problems I face. I miss him, I miss him a lot.”Bahadi said her family is still suffering becau...

Small plane crash reported near DeKalb Airport

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

CORTLAND, Ill. — A small plane crash with two people on board crashed near DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport on Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to WGN News. A single-engine Cessna 177 crashed in a field around 12:30 p.m. in the 200 block of W. Lincoln Highway in Cortland. It is unknown if the two people on board, who police say were adult males, suffered severe injuries. Both were transported to Northwestern Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb.According to online records obtained by WGN News, the plane is registered to a flight club out of Evansville, Indiana. SkyCam9 flew above the scene.The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. Cortland police and the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office also responded to the scene.SEE ALSO: Video shows crop dusting plane nearly clipping semi-truck in Northwest IndianaThis is a developing story. Check back for updates.

No Trump indictment expected Thursday: court official

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

Former President Trump is not expected to be indicted on Thursday in connection with the federal investigation probing his efforts to block the transition of power following the 2020 election, according to a court official.The official said no indictments were returned and none were expected for the remainder of the day in D.C.’s federal district court, where the grand jury has been meeting to review evidence in special counsel Jack Smith’s probe.The grand jury did meet on Thursday, and jurors appear to still be inside the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington behind closed doors.It remains unclear when the grand jury would convene again. It has tended to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays.Earlier in the day, Trump’s attorneys met with members of Smith’s office to discuss the investigation. A similar meeting occurred just days before when Trump was indicted in Florida in connection with his handling of classified documents.“My attorneys had a productive meeting wi...

Planning a trip to Europe? You'll need to apply for 'authorization' starting in 2024

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:07 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Starting in 2024, all Americans heading to Europe will have an extra step – and an extra fee – other than booking a flight and hotel. The European Union will soon require incoming foreigners to fill out an online application before they enter popular tourist destinations like France, Italy, Spain and Greece. It's not just Americans – the EU says travelers from 60 visa-exempt countries will need to apply through the ETIAS process. (ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System.) The EU says the new requirement will affect 1.4 billion people from around the world. Time running out to file for $725M Facebook settlement: How to claim your payment It's not exactly a visa, but it is an extra bit of work you'll need to complete before heading out on vacation. Authorization involves an online process and a 7-euro fee (about $7.70 at the current exchange rate). As of July 2023, the ETIAS application portal was not open, so Americans are not cu...