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Japan auteur Kitano’s latest samurai film headed to Cannes

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Takeshi Kitano’s new film, premiering at the Cannes Film Festival next month, is a samurai story without heroes, mercilessly portraying human greed, betrayal and cruelty. Kitano, awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for his “Hana-Bi” in 1997, wanted to make a different kind of period piece in “Kubi,” or “neck,” a reference to traditional Japanese beheadings.“Most samurai films portray famous people and don’t focus on the dirty side of human existence or show how evil people don’t care a hoot about slaughtering regular people,” Kitano told reporters Saturday.The story features a 16th-century feud centered around Oda Nobunaga, a powerful warlord — well known in Japan but not as familiar for overseas audiences. But the Shakespearean intrigues are familiar enough.The spectacular battle scenes evoke Akira Kurosawa classics like “Seven Samurai” and “Kagemusha,” according to Takeshi Natsuno, president of Kadokawa, the production company behind “Kubi.”Kitano, 76,...

Arrest made in animal rights plot to disrupt Grand National

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — A woman was arrested in connection with a plan by animal rights activists to disrupt the Grand National at Aintree racecourse on Saturday.Merseyside Police said the 33-year-old London-area woman was arrested on “suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.”The group Animal Rising had called on protesters to gather outside the racecourse to demand an end to “animal cruelty for entertainment.”The woman was arrested Saturday morning in the Greater Manchester area “in connection with potential co-ordinated disruption activities” at Aintree, police said. Her name was not publicly disclosed.“She is currently in custody where she will be questioned by officers,” the police statement said.Police said they have been working with race organizers ahead of and during the Grand National Festival.“We are aware of some people planning to protest at the event,” a police spokesperson said. “This has been factored into our plans. We respect the right to peaceful protest...

Mediators propose deal in German public sector pay dispute

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A panel mediating between German public sector employers and labor unions put forward a compromise proposal Saturday to avert further strikes over pay.Mediators proposed a raise of 5.5% on top of a fixed 200-euro monthly increase for the millions of people that work in the public sector. The overall increase should result in employees getting at least 340 euros ($378) more every month under the proposal, which would run until December 2024, the panel said. The mediators also recommended a one-off payment of 3,000 euros ($3,331) — with lower sums for trainees — to balance out the inflation workers in Germany and elsewhere have suffered from recently.The non-binding proposal is intended to serve as the basis for further negotiations between employers and unions representing some 2.5 million workers.A 24-hour walkout over pay paralyzed trains, planes and public transit systems in Germany last month.The Associated Press

Starving followers found at Kenyan pastor’s property; 4 die

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Police in coastal Kenya found 15 emaciated parishioners on the property of a church pastor, and four of the people died after the group was rescued and taken to a hospital, authorities said. Police officials said investigators received a tip that dozens of people were starving to death after their pastor told them it was a way to meet Jesus. Most of the followers could not walk or talk when officers found them.The pastor of Good News International Church, Paul Makenzi, surrendered Friday to police in the town of Malindi. Makenzi was arrested and charged last month in the deaths of two children whose parents were members of his church. He pleaded not guilty and was released on bond while proceedings in the case continued. The people who died Friday have not been identified, and their bodies were taken to a morgue in Malindi. Residents had complained to local authorities about the pastor, accusing him of fostering growing cultism in the area. Cults are common in ...

Christian faithful flock to ‘Holy Fire’ under restrictions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Christian worshippers thronged the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Saturday to celebrate the ceremony of the “Holy Fire,” an ancient, mysterious ritual that has sparked tensions this year with the Israeli police.In the annual ceremony that has persisted for over a millennium, a flame — kindled in some miraculous way in the heart of Jesus’ tomb — is used to light the candles of fervent believers in Greek Orthodox communities near and far. Little by little, the darkened church is irradiated by tiny patches of light, which eventually illuminate the whole building as the resurrection of Jesus is proclaimed. Chartered planes then ferry the flickering lanterns to Russia, Greece and beyond with great fanfare. Many trying to get to the church — built on the site where Christian tradition holds that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected — were thrilled to mark the pre-Easter rite in the city where it all started. But for the second consecutive ...

Guitarist Mark Sheehan of Irish band The Script dies at 46

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Ireland’s president has led tributes to Mark Sheehan, guitarist with Irish rock band The Script, after his death at the age of 46.The band said Sheehan died in a hospital on Friday after a brief illness. In a statement, The Script called him a “much loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend.”Formed in Dublin in 2001 by Sheehan, singer Danny O’Donoghue and drummer Glen Power, The Script topped U.K. and Irish charts with its self-titled debut album in 2008. It included the hits “We Cry,” “Breakeven” and “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved,” which reached No. 1 in five countries.The band’s pop-inflected rock sound made it one of Ireland’s biggest bands in the 2010s. The Script went on to have six Top 10 albums in the U.K. and one top three album in the U.S.Irish President Michael D. Higgins praised the band’s “originality and excellence” and sent condolences to Sheehan’s family.“Through their music, Mark and The Script have played an outstanding part in continuing and ...

2 teens shot, 1 fatally, in Bronzeville

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

CHICAGO — Two teenagers were shot, one fatally, by a group of unidentified men in Bronzeville Friday night.According to police, two boys, 15 and 16, were walking on the street near the 3700 block of South Wabash Avenue when a group of five to six men approached and fired shots at them. Police said the 15-year-old sustained a gunshot wound to the left foot and was transported to Comers Hospital in good condition. Driver dies after falling out of Jeep, being struck by 2 vehicles on Dan Ryan Expressway The 16-year-old was shot in the abdomen and transported to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead. There is currently no one in custody and police are investigating the incident.

Forecast: Saturday's storms may bring high winds and hail

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- A storm system is approaching the St. Louis area from the west today. Another day with temperatures climbing into the upper 70s to low 80s. A few showers or even storms will be possible later this morning. Some of these storms could produce some small hail, but the threat is low compared to what’s to come this evening.  St. Louis radar: See a map of current weather here Storms are going to develop ahead of a cold front this afternoon to our west and then merge into a line and race eastward across the St. Louis area Saturday evening into tonight. Timing looks to begin impacting our western counties between 5-6pm and be out of our viewing area by about 11pm. The overall tornado threat with this system is not zero, but lower compared to our last few severe weather events. Today’s severe risk begins as large hail while we see individual supercells develop, then transition to more of a wind threat as the storms merge into a line. Hail could be very large initially, think ...

Prosecutor resigns from Gardner's office citing toxic work environment

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- One of the few prosecutors left handling St. Louis City's most violent crimes abruptly resigned. Natalia Ogurkiewicz was the prosecutor in the Daniel Riley case. He's the man accused in the tragic crash which caused Janae Edmondson to lose both her legs.Ogurkiewicz resigned Friday. Her resignation letter detailed a toxic work environment, an unbearable workload, and a lack of support. Top Story: Witness: Woman pumping gas seriously hurt chasing after stolen purse The departure marks the latest example of chronic staffing issues for Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner. The sudden resignation comes days before a court hearing in Attorney General Andrew Bailey's fight to remove Gardner from office.

Large emergency training exercise in Monroe County, Saturday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:49 GMT

COLUMBIA, Ill. -- Monroe County Emergency Management, and all first responding agencies there will conduct what they call a full-scale training exercise. It is going on from eight until noon.The training will take place in the northwest section of Columbia. They will be at the city park on Evergreen Lane, Columbia Middle School, Sand Bank Road, D-D Road, and Bluff Road.You might hear some loud noises, including pyrotechnics. Police are saying not to worry about the increased number of emergency personnel in these areas.