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‘Riceboy Sleeps’ sparks frenzy of activity for B.C. writer-director Anthony Shim

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

TORONTO — There’s been nothing tranquil about the B.C.-set immigrant drama “Riceboy Sleeps” since its buzz-laden debut at Toronto International Film Festival last year.After its September premiere, the mother-son film collected a slew of festival awards, including $25,000 prizes at TIFF and the Windsor International Film Festival, the title of best Canadian film at the Vancouver International Film Festival and an audience prize at the Busan International Film Festival. Last week, “Riceboy Sleeps” was declared best Canadian feature by the Toronto Film Critics Association, an annual honour that comes with a $100,000 prize.Now, writer-director Anthony Shim says he’s excited to finally put the family drama before general audiences as the movie opens in theatres March 17.The staggered rollout across Canada includes Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver, with future release plans in Korea, Singapore and the United States.Shim notes the film will test the public’s appetite for cinema n...

Poll suggests most Canadians trust election results, want interference inquiry

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

OTTAWA — New polling suggests the majority of Canadians want the federal government to call an independent inquiry into foreign interference in the last two federal elections, but still feel the country’s electoral system is safe.Market research firm Leger surveyed 1,544 people between March 10 and 12, asking a range of questions about Canada’s electoral system and allegations of foreign interference.The results suggest 71 per cent of Canadians feel the electoral system is safe, while 29 per cent feel it is not.And the majority, 69 per cent of respondents, said they generally trust the results of elections in Canada. One in five said they do not trust the results, and another 11 per cent said they don’t know.The poll cannot be assigned a margin of error because online surveys are not considered truly random samples.Allegations that China meddled in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections have dominated debate on Parliament Hill for weeks, following a series of media re...

Canadians uninterested in King Charles’ coronation, British monarchy, survey suggests

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

MONTREAL — New polling results suggest Canadians are largely indifferent to King Charles, and more than half believe his May 6 coronation is the right time for the country to reconsider its ties with the monarchy.The web survey of 1,544 adults released Tuesday by market research firm Leger indicates many Canadians are greeting the ascension of Charles to the throne with a shrug.Only 12 per cent of respondents said it was good news that Charles is now King, compared to 14 per cent who said it was bad news and 67 per cent who were indifferent.Only 13 per cent of those surveyed said they felt a personal attachment to the monarchy, compared with 81 per cent who didn’t. The survey found the level of attachment to the monarchy has dropped since the days immediately following Queen Elizabeth’s death last September, when 19 per cent said they felt an attachment and 77 per cent said they didn’t. Indifference to Charles has also risen in the same period.A majority of respond...

Key dates in Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 20-year rule of Turkey

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking a third consecutive term in office in elections in May, marks 20 years in power on Tuesday.The 69-year-old, who served as prime minister from 2003-2014 and as president thereafter, started as a reformist who expanded rights and freedoms, allowing his majority-Muslim country to start European Union membership negotiations.He later reversed course, cracking down on dissent, stifling the media and passing measures that eroded democracy.The presidential and parliamentary elections set for May 14 could be Erdogan’s most challenging yet. They will be held amid economic turmoil and high inflation, just three months after a devastating earthquake that killed tens of thousands.Here’s a look at some of the key dates during Erdogan’s rule:March 27, 1994: Erdogan is elected mayor of Istanbul, running on the pro-Islamic Welfare Party ticket.Dec. 12, 1997: Erdogan is convicted of “inciting hatred” for reading a poem that...

Daily horoscope for March 14, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Sagittarius.Happy Birthday for Tuesday, March 14, 2023:You have a fine mind, and you like to be intellectually stimulated. You are a sensitive, caring humanitarian. This year, service to others is your theme, which is why it’s important to take care of yourself. You might enroll in classes or consider a personal makeover. Personalize your home.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★Whoa, Nellie! Today is even tougher than yesterday. People might be pushy, and they might do it in an underhanded way. Unfortunately, you can’t take things at face value. Deceit and confusion are everywhere. Even you feel discouraged. It’s important to know when to do nothing. Tonight: Don’t fight.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★There’s no point in trying to encourage a friend or a member of a group to go along with your plans, especially if they involve finances, third-party funding or getting suppo...

Parliament and Council negotiators agree on new rules to boost energy savings 

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

MEPs and the Swedish Presidency of the Council agreed on new energy saving targets in both primary and final energy consumption in the EU, ITRE.Member states should collectively ensure a reduction of energy consumption of at least 11.7% at EU level by 2030 (compared to the projections of the 2020 Reference Scenario). A robust monitoring and enforcement mechanism will accompany this objective to make sure member states deliver on their national contributions to this binding EU target.MEPs and the Council Presidency also agreed on annual energy savings by member states of 1.5% (on average) until 2030. The annual energy savings will begin with 1.3% in the period until the end of 2025, and will progressively reach 1.9% in the last period up to the end of 2030.The targets should be achieved through measures at local, regional and national levels, in different sectors - e.g. public administration, buildings, businesses, data centres, etc. MEPs insisted that the scheme should in particular...

Miss Manners: I know what my so-called friend did behind my back

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I had a “friend”/co-worker stab me in the back and betray my trust. She has no clue that I know, and she keeps asking/pushing me to go to lunch with her.How do I politely decline so as not to cause friction? I don’t trust her and prefer not to associate with her, but unfortunately I see her regularly.GENTLE READER: Probably any other adviser would tell you to have it out with this person, explaining that you were hurt by her betrayal.Not Miss Manners.At best you would get an apology, which would not necessarily ensure its not happening again. But you might instead get a denial, a justification or a counter-accusation. If she really regretted what she did, she would have found a way to make that clear.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: They billed us for eating dinner in their home Advice | Miss Manners: My mom gives me clothes for her fantasy of my life Advice | Miss Manners: My partner is troubled b...

Steph Curry, Klay Thompson polish old chips on their shoulder against Suns

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson and Steph Curry won’t say they get particularly fired up to play the Phoenix Suns. But cameras and stats say otherwise.It was just four months ago in Phoenix that some feisty words with Devin Booker got Thompson ejected for the first time in his career — something about Thompson having “four rings” to Booker’s zero when when Booker decided to rub a Suns runaway victory in a struggling Thompson’s face.So it didn’t feel coincidental that Thompson erupted for 33 points with eight three-pointers, a handful over Booker’s hands, in the first half of the Warriors’ electrifying win over the Suns.Doesn’t Thompson get any extra juice from sticking a W on a Phoenix Suns team that beat them three times this year?“No,” Thompson said. “I think when you have a hot shooting stretch like that, it tends to let out your emotions and it feels good.”Does Curry feel a little oomph? Came...

Dear Abby: I was appalled to learn how hateful my longtime friend is

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

DEAR ABBY: A dear friend, “Lorraine,” contacted me because her daughter “Gabby” came out to her as bisexual and Lorraine knew I had experience with “this type of thing.” My daughter is bisexual.Lorraine was repulsed by her daughter’s revelation and upset that Gabby expected her to be supportive and wear pride stickers, etc. My friend didn’t understand why she needed to be proud, and she told Gabby that even if she were a murderer she would still love her, and that was all that was important.I’m mortified and unsure how to handle this.We fly my daughter’s flag outside her window. We wear pride gear and celebrate Pride Month with her. I tried explaining to Lorraine that we are supporting our daughter’s courage to come out and be comfortable and proud of who she is. When I said it, Lorraine snorted!Although we have been friends for many years, I never realized she felt this way.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Ab...

Rain, snow arrive in Mass. as daylong nor’easter moves through region

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

Rain and snow have arrived in Massachusetts as a daylong nor’easter moves through the region Tuesday morning. The storm began overnight as snow gradually began to replace rain in many areas, pushing from west to east to communities around Worcester by 6 a.m. Tuesday. While snowing in the west, continuing rain will make for a wet morning commute east of I-495 into Boston on Tuesday. Snow will push across the rest of the state through the morning, moving through the Merrimack Valley before midday and getting into Boston by the early afternoon. Almost all of Massachusetts is expected to be seeing some form of snow before 6 p.m. Tuesday.RELATED: Storm Closings and DelaysWhile likely not seeing intense snowfall rates of 1 or 2 inches per hour, snow will likely be falling steadily in many locations for several hours before winding down after midnight on Wednesday morning. The highest snowfall totals from this round of winter weather are expected in western Massachuse...