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The World Food Program will end its main assistance program in Syria in January, affecting millions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — The U.N. World Food Program said Monday it will end in January its main assistance program across war-torn Syria, where over 12 million people lack regular access to sufficient food.WFP in recent years has scaled down its support in Syria and neighboring countries that host millions of Syrians who fled the conflict, now in its 13th year. Humanitarian agencies have struggled to draw the world’s attention back to Syria as they face donor fatigue and shrinking budgets.In July, WFP said it had to cut assistance to almost half of the 5.5 million Syrians it supported in the country due to budget constraints.A month later, the agency slashed cash aid to Syrian refugees in Jordan. In November, it and the U.N. refugee agency said they will reduce the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon receiving cash assistance by a third next year.WFP in its latest statement said the cuts come as food insecurity is “worse than ever before” and that millions will be affected.The agency’s...

In some Czech villages, St Nicholas leads a parade with the devil and grim reaper in tow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

LIDECKO, Czech Republic (AP) — In an eastern corner of the Czech Republic, St. Nicholas leads a procession of followers dressed in grim reaper and devil costumes on a journey through the village of Lidecko.The old pre-Christmas tradition has survived for centuries in just a few villages in the region known as Wallachia.Several groups parade together, going door to door for three days. St. Nicholas presents the children with sweets to soothe them after they see the scary costumes. The devils wear homemade masks made of sheepskin and travel with white, scythe-carrying creatures that represent death.The custom reportedly dates from the pagan era before Christianity, when the masks helped the mountainous region’s inhabitants defend themselves against the demons of winter.St. Nicholas was a Christian bishop in the ancient town of Myra who lived in the 3rd and 4th centuries and was known for his goodness and generosity. He is said to have inspired the creation of Santa Claus.The Ass...

20 years after ‘Sideways,’ Paul Giamatti may finally land his first Oscar nomination

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — When Paul Giamatti made “Sideways” with Alexander Payne, he stayed in a little house in the middle of a large vineyard. At the end of a day of shooting, he would drive home in darkness, with the hills of Napa Valley around him.Giamatti was then a respected character actor, but this was one of his first times as the lead. And he couldn’t believe it.“I remember Alexander saying, ‘You two guys are going to do it,’” recalls Giamatti of himself and Thomas Hayden Church. “And we were like, ‘Seriously?’”In the years since, Giamatti, 56, has remained a leading man, albeit an unlikely one. His ability to carry a movie is now, well, kind of obvious. That goes for indie gems like “Private Life” and “Win Win” or acclaimed series like “John Adams” and “Billions.”But two decades later, “Sideways” remains lodged in Giamatti’s memory. “I remember every second of making it,” he said on a recent afternoon in Manhattan. Wide as his travels have been since – “Hamlet” at Yale...

Book Review: David Mamet screams at clouds in new collection of grievances about Hollywood

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

Just in time for Christmas, when you need a gift for that weird old uncle who is upset that everyone gets a trophy in youth soccer, comes a new David Mamet book.“Everywhere an Oink Oink: An Embittered, Dyspeptic and Accurate Report of Forty Years in Hollywood” is a collection of observations, stories and aphorisms about Hollywood from one of America’s foremost writers and, these days, provocateurs. It is virtually unreadable.This is a book that resembles the idled rantings from a feverish, unsolicited email stuck in your spam folder. There are weird capitalizations, uneasy conclusions and the rat-a-tat of non-sequiturs all held together by bad faith. It’s illustrated by Mamet’s own cartoons, which echo a middle schooler’s sense of humor and maturity.He clearly hates film producers — “Village Idiots” is the nicest of adjectives — but he hates PC culture more. He lambasts “Diversity Porn,” arguing that the logical extension of color-conscious castin...

British research ship crosses paths with world’s largest iceberg as it drifts out of Antarctica

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s polar research ship has crossed paths with the largest iceberg in the world — a “lucky” encounter that enabled scientists to collect seawater samples around the colossal berg as it drifts out of Antarctic waters, the British Antarctic Survey said Monday.The RRS Sir David Attenborough, which is on its way to Antarctica for its first scientific mission, passed the mega iceberg known as the A23a on Friday near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The iceberg — equivalent to three times the size of New York City and more than twice the size of Greater London — had been grounded for more than three decades in the Weddell Sea after it split from the Antarctic’s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986. It began drifting in recent months, and has now moved into the Southern Ocean, helped by wind and ocean currents. Scientists say it is now likely to be swept along into “iceberg alley” — a common route for icebergs to float toward the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia.“It...

Assembly of First Nations to elect new national chief in Ottawa this week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

OTTAWA — The Assembly of First Nations is set to elect a new national chief this week in Ottawa.Six candidates are in the running to secure the top job, including Reginald Bellerose, Craig Makinaw, Sheila North, David Pratt, Dean Sayers and Cindy Woodhouse.The election comes after the dramatic ouster of former national chief RoseAnne Archibald, who was voted out after colleagues accused her of creating a toxic work environment — an allegation she continues to deny.Joanna Bernard was elected as interim national chief and has been representing the group since Archibald’s ouster.Those running to be the next national chief have presented plans to reform the assembly and rebuild trust with communities and leaders.The AFN represents more than 600 First Nations chiefs in Canada, and they or their proxies will elect the next national chief in a special assembly vote expected to take place on Wednesday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2023.The Canadian Press

France’s parliament considers a ban on single-use e-cigarettes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The French parliament is considering a ban on single-use, disposable electronic cigarettes that are popular with teenagers for their sweet flavors and are under scrutiny as a new source of trash.The ban, supported Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau, aims to protect the health of youths and mitigate the environmental impacts of the increasingly popular disposable products known as “puffs.”The National Assembly was expected to vote on the measure Monday night. If passed, it would then move to the Senate and could go into effect by September 2024.Disposable e-cigarettes are small, battery-powered devices that deliver vaporized nicotine with various flavorings. While they do not contain tobacco, many include nicotine, a substance known for its addictive and toxic properties.They differ from reusable vaping devices in that they are not designed to be refilled or recharged. Their small, non-rechargeable lithium batteries often end up in landf...

‘Atmospheric river’ set to hit Metro Vancouver, southern coast of British Columbia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

VANCOUVER — Much of British Columbia’s south coast is bracing for stormy weather as Environment Canada says a “potent and impactful” storm will bring heavy rain to Metro Vancouver.Environment Canada is also warning drivers on the Sea to Sky Highway from Squamish to Whistler to exercise caution due to heavy rains raising the risk of flooding and landslides along the route.The rainfall warning says an atmospheric river is set to make landfall on the province’s southern coast today, bringing as much as 150 millimetres of rain to Western Vancouver Island.Meanwhile, Inland Vancouver Island, the Howe Sound region and parts of Metro Vancouver, including the North Shore, Coquitlam and Maple Ridge, are expecting up to 100 millimetres of rain from the storm.The forecast says the rest of Metro Vancouver could get up to 70 millimetres of rain today before the storm eases on Tuesday morning.Environment Canada also says motorists on the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merr...

Global journalist group says Israel-Hamas conflict is a war beyond compare for media deaths

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — With a journalist or media worker killed every day on average in the Israel-Hamas war, the head of the global organization representing the profession said Monday that it has become a conflict beyond compare.About 60 have been killed since the Oct. 7 start of the war, already close to the same number of journalists killed during the entire Vietnam War half a century ago. Other brutal wars in the Middle East have not come close to the intensity of the current one.“In a war, you know, a classical war, I can say that in Syria, in Iraq, in ex-Yugoslavia, we didn’t see this kind of massacre,” Anthony Bellanger, the general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, told The Associated Press.And since the end of the weeklong cease-fire in Gaza on Friday, the misery has continued, he said: “Unfortunately, we received the bad news this weekend — after the end of this cease-fire — and at least three or four were killed.”Bellanger said they are mourning ar...

Unity Acquisitions snaps up much of toy store Mastermind, 18 stores to close

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:59:21 GMT

TORONTO — Mastermind GP Inc. says it has reached a deal to sell the bulk of its business to Unity Acquisitions Inc.Financial terms of the asset purchase agreement signed by the Toronto toy retailer and Unity owners Joe Mimran, Frank Rocchetti and David Lui were not disclosed.The deal includes the majority of Mastermind Toys store locations and will allow a “significant” portion of employees to continue with the business.The announcement comes as Mastermind has begun telling customers 18 of its stores are due to close as the company continues with the creditor protection process.The stores closing include nine locations in Ontario, four in Alberta, two in New Brunswick and one each in B.C., Nova Scotia and Manitoba.An Ontario court granted Mastermind permission to liquidate the stores last week, saying the sales must be wrapped up by Feb. 29.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2023.The Canadian Press