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Student Academy Awards – a launching pad into Hollywood – celebrate 50 years

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Spike Lee already had several big moments with the Oscars by the time he finally won a competitive statuette in 2019.His first came almost 40 years earlier, in 1983, when he was a film student at New York University. Lee submitted his master’s thesis film “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads,” starring Monty Ross, to the Student Academy Awards. And it won.The Student Academy Awards may not be as glitzy or high profile as the Oscars, but in its 50 years it has proven to be a vital launching ground for emerging filmmakers. Inclusion and access may sound like recent buzzwords, but the film academy has been striving to break down barriers to entry for decades.In 1973, then Academy president Walter Mirisch said, prophetically, that they were celebrating the young people who “will be taking our places.” Over the years, student winners have included Pete Docter, Robert Zemeckis, Trey Parker, Patricia Riggen, Bob Saget and Patricia Cardoso.“The legacy of the program is rich,” said Kendr...

Mississippi drops charges in killing of former state lawmaker but says new charges are possible

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi prosecutors have dismissed indictments against a man in the shooting death of a former state lawmaker and the earlier burning of a building, saying they need more time to investigate.The murder and arson charges against Billy Lamar Brooks were dismissed without prejudice, which means a grand jury could consider new charges later, according to a document filed Friday in Yalobusha County Circuit Court.Republican former state Rep. Ashley Henley, 40, was shot to death in June 2021 outside the burned-out mobile home in a rural area where her sister-in-law, Kristina Michelle Jones, was found dead in December 2020.“After reviewing the case for trial, attorneys for the State requested additional time to fully investigate and review this matter,” said the document signed by an assistant district attorney and Circuit Judge Smith Murphey.The document said it is “not possible to estimate the timeframe needed to complete this investigation,” but prosecutors coul...

Police say some 70 bullets fired in North Philadelphia shooting that left 2 dead, 5 wounded

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia police investigation into the shooting of seven men, including two who died, continued Wednesday but authorities said no arrests have been made.Several guns were recovered from the scene and police said at least 70 rounds were fired around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, leaving bullet holes in vehicles and nearby buildings.Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said at the scene on Fairhill Street in North Philadelphia that drugs had also been found, although police are “not really sure of all that has occurred out here.”“This is a block that has had some narcotics activity,” he said. “It’s not a block that we aren’t familiar with.”The two men who died, ages 31 and 38, both had multiple bullet wounds and were pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital around 9 p.m. Tuesday. The other victims, ages 19-30, were being treated for gunshot wounds and considered to be in critical or stable condition, police said Wednesday. Names were not released...

Bridge crossings between Canada-New York closed after vehicle explosion at Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The four international bridges between Canada and Western New York have been closed after a vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing that connects Niagara Falls, Ontario to Niagara Falls, New York.In a social media post, the FBI Buffalo Field Office confirmed it is investigating a “vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge.”“The FBI is coordinating with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in this investigation. As this situation is very fluid, that’s all we can say at this time.”#FBI Buffalo statement on investigation at the Rainbow Bridge: pic.twitter.com/jRaGLL8sU8— FBI Buffalo (@FBIBuffalo) November 22, 2023New York State Governor Kathy Hochul posted on social media that she’s been briefed on the incident which is being “closely monitored.”“State agencies are on site and ready to assist,” she wrote.The CEO of the Buffalo & Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority confirms an explosion w...

Conference organizer aims for $100-billion Indigenous economy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

TORONTO — The organizer of an Indigenous business conference in Toronto says her goal is to establish the undeniable economic power of Indigenous peoples.Carol Anne Hilton, founder and chief executive of the Indigenomics Institute, said Wednesday at the first conference the institute has organized on Bay Street, that for too long Canada has had a story of Indigenous economic exclusion, and it’s time for that to be reversed.She has set a goal that the Indigenous economy should grow to at least $100 billion, about double where it is today, so that Indigenous peoples are equally represented in the Canadian economy.Hilton says there’s still an unacceptable tendency to look at Indigenous peoples as a cost on the system, rather than generative and directly aligned to the economic well-being if Canada itself.She says the increasing size of treaty settlements shows a rising financial recognition of historical injustices of that exclusionary system, pointing to the recent $10-bil...

Maryland hate crime commission member suspended for anti-Israel social media posts

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — Maryland’s attorney general suspended a member of the state’s new commission aimed at addressing hate crimes this week after she posted on social media criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza.Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a news release Tuesday that his office recently learned about the personal social media posts of Zainab Chaudry, director of the Maryland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.The Maryland Commission on Hate Crimes Response and Prevention is required to include a representative of CAIR along with other advocacy organizations. It was created by state lawmakers during the 2023 legislative session and began meeting last month. Brown has the authority to appoint its members as chair of the commission.Brown said Chaudry’s membership has been temporarily suspended after she posted numerous times since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7. He called on other commission members to “exercise great care in their communications and ...

Woman sexually assaulted after meeting up with Markham man from online dating app

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

A man from Markham is facing multiple charges after allegedly confining a woman against her will and sexually assaulting her.York Regional Police said a 45-year-old woman who had recently arrived in Canada reported meeting a man online earlier this month. The woman did not speak English and used an online translation app to communicate with the accused. The man invited her to his apartment in the Markham Road and Denison Street area. Once there, authorities said the victim was confined against her will and sexually assaulted.Police identified a suspect, and on Tuesday, a search warrant was executed at the man’s residence. He was then taken into custody.Ravinder Kumar Shinh, 49, of Markham, was charged with sexual assault, assault and forcible confinement. The accused was held in custody for a bail hearing and appeared in court on Wednesday.Investigators believe there may be other victims who have not yet come forward.

Germany and Italy agree on joint ‘action plan’ including energy, technology, climate protection

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany and Italy agreed Wednesday to work closer together in the fields of energy, technology, climate protection, security and cultural cooperation among other issues.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni signed an “action plan” in Berlin after a meeting of top officials from both countries and the two leaders’ participation earlier in the day in a virtual G20 summit.The action plan will lead to new cooperation projects and create new formats for cooperation, Scholz said, specifically mentioning stronger cooperation in the field of energy to ensure long-term security of supply for gas and hydrogen.Scholz also announced the construction of a new pipeline across the Alps.“We agree that we want to expand our energy cooperation in order to strengthen long-term supply, security and transformation,” the chancellor said.“With a new pipeline across the Alps, we want to increase the security of supply of both our countries,” Scholz added...

Susan Sarandon, Melissa Barrera dropped from Hollywood companies after comments on Israel-Hamas war

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon and “Scream” star Melissa Barrera were each dropped by Hollywood companies after making comments on the Israel-Hamas war that some deemed antisemitic.Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind the upcoming “Scream VII,” acknowledged Barrera’s exit from the horror franchise. “The Mexican-born actress, who starred in “In the Heights” and the two recent “Scream” installments, had posted statements on her Instagram stories calling the war “genocide and ethnic cleansing.” “Gaza,” she wrote, “is currently being treated like a concentration camp.”“Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” Spyglass said in a statement.Representatives for Barrera didn’t return messages Wednesday.Jenna Ortega, who p...

Robbery suspect’s colorful underwear helped police arrest him, authorities say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A pair of multicolored briefs peeking out above a robbery suspect’s low-slung trousers helped police arrest him more than a year later, federal authorities in New York said Wednesday.The robbery happened at a tobacco shop in Queens on Sept. 14, 2022. Three masked men got out of a Mazda and entered the store, according to a complaint filed in federal court last week.Two of the men pointed guns at employees and customers while the third emptied the cash register and grabbed merchandise and employees’ cellphones, the complaint said. The robbers fled in the MazdaSurveillance videos that were disseminated through the media showed the third robber wearing brightly colored briefs with a large letter R in white and the year 1990 in yellow.An anonymous tipster passed along the Instagram handle of the suspect with the colorful underwear, the complaint said. The caller also told police that the robbers had tried to sell their stolen merchandise at another Queens loc...