Women win big at San Sebastian Film Festival
SAN SEBASTIAN (Reuters) – Women were the big winners at the final night of the San Sebastian Film Festival on Saturday, which saw American actress Jessica Chastain share the top acting prize with 16-year-old Danish actress Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl. Romanian movie “Blue Moon” took the Golden Shell for best film at the 69th edition of Spain’s biggest film festival. In “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”, two-time Oscar nominee Chastain depicts the rise and fall of Christian televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, a role that is already generating Oscar buzz for the star. Tatiana Huezo won best Latin American film for “Prayers for the Stolen”. The lone male winner in the individual categories was British director Terence Davies, who won best screenplay for his Siegfried Sassoon biopic, “Benediction”.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 09:11 UTC
POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Mrs. Robinson may be headed to Washington
The White House announced Wednesday that it had nominated Robinson to become assistant secretary in the Office of Electricity. She previously headed up Advanced Energy Economy's Wholesale Markets Program, where she worked with state, regional and federal agencies on clean energy. Reopening planMeanwhile, clouds were gathering above Beacon Hill, where the House's State House reopening plan was not going over smoothly with all lawmakers. — State Rep. Maria Robinson, D-Framingham, upon learning that she will be nominated to serve as assistant secretary in the Office of Electricity at the U.S. Department of Energy. Contributors to the Political Notebook this week include Deputy Director of Multimedia Dan O'Brien and the State House News Service.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 09:00 UTC
Still hoppin': Local brewery celebrates five years in business
Before the pandemic, “people would come here not just for great beer, but also to have something to do,” Roth said. The Exhibit ‘A’ brewery on Morton Street is the former headquarters of Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, which now operates from Clinton street less than a mile away. But without making some changes “It wasn’t going to be our brewery, it was just going to be somebody else’s brewery we’re now working in. “The beer creates its own schedule, so we don’t know when the beer is necessarily going to be ready,” Steinberg said. “The beer is great, our facility is great, our location is kind of interesting and cool and we have a great beer garden — but without the people, we would not be celebrating."
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 08:26 UTC
China steps up funding oversight of Evergrande property projects
BEIJING (Reuters) – Several local governments in China have set up special custodian accounts for property projects of its most indebted developer, Evergrande, to protect funds earmarked for housing projects from being diverted, media outlet Caixin said. The special accounts have been set up since late August in at least eight provinces where Evergrande has the most unfinished projects, the Chinese outlet said on Sunday, citing a source close to the developer’s management team. The custodian accounts aim to ensure homebuyers’ payments are used to complete Evergrande’s housing projects, and not diverted elsewhere, such as to creditors, Caixin said. The housing regulator has also set a Sept. 24 deadline for regional offices to report on the funding gaps facing Evergrande’s unfinished projects, Caixin said, but it was not immediately clear if this had been met. By the end of June, Evergrande still had 1,236 projects for sale, it said in a semi-annual report, including those completed and under construction.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 04:30 UTC
Tesla Shanghai to make 300,000 cars Jan-Sept despite chip shortage
BEIJING (Reuters) – Tesla Inc’s Shanghai factory is expected to produce 300,000 cars in the first nine months of the year, capped by a delivery rush in the end of the July-September quarter, despite a global semiconductor shortage, two sources said. The factory makes the electric Model 3 sedans and Model Y sport-utility vehicles for domestic and international markets, including Germany and Japan. Around 240,000 vehicles were shipped from the factory in the first eight months, including many for export, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association. In August, an official in the area where Tesla’s factory is located said it is expected to product 450,000 vehicles this year, including 66,100 for export. (Reporting by Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh; Editing by Dan Grebler and William Mallard)
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 04:30 UTC
Soccer-Guedes double against old club gives Corinthians derby win
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Roger Guedes scored twice against his old club as Corinthians beat Palmeiras 2-1 in a tense Sao Paulo derby in Brazil’s Serie A on Saturday. Guedes volleyed the opening goal after 20 minutes but Gabriel Menino equalised on the stroke of half time when his low shot hit Guedes in a packed penalty box and wrong-footed Corinthians keeper Cassio. The result was Corinthians’ eighth game without defeat and takes them on to 33 points, five points behind Palmeiras, who have a game in hand. Palmeiras are second in the 20-team table and Corinthians are sixth. Atletico Mineiro lead the table with 45 points and play Sao Paulo later on Saturday.
Source:MetroXpress
September 26, 2021 00:11 UTC
Tennis-Tsitsipas sizzles as Team Europe close in on Laver Cup triumph
(Reuters) -Stefanos Tsitsipas won his singles contest before returning to court with Andrey Rublev to triumph in doubles as Team Europe swept all matches on Saturday and are one victory away against Team World to maintain their iron grip on the Laver Cup. Team Europe have won all three editions of the Laver Cup so far and were on the cusp of a fourth after the Bjorn Borg-captained side went ahead 11-1 at the end of second day’s play at Boston’s TD Garden. In Saturday’s first match, world number three Tsitsipas did not leave the court against Nick Kyrgios but required some time to replace a worn-out pair of shoes during a 6-3 6-4 win. Zverev and Rublev will look the settle the fate of the Laver Cup early on Sunday when they team up for the opening doubles match against Shapovalov and American Reilly Opelka. (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai and Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge and William Mallard)
Source:MetroXpress
September 25, 2021 19:52 UTC
Soccer-Liverpool held to 3-3 draw by battling Brentford
BRENTFORD, England (Reuters) -Striker Mohamed Salah scored his 100th Premier League goal for Liverpool but the league leaders were still held to a draw by Brentford as the two sides played out a 3-3 thriller on Saturday. It was to prove a costly miss as Brentford snatched a dramatic equaliser through substitute Yoane Wissa in the 82nd minute. “It’s what we dream for as kids,” Brentford goal-scorer Janelt told Sky Sports. “At 2-1 up we had one or two chances to finish the game off. That’s football sometimes, we’re disappointed with the result but we have to give credit to Brentford,” Liverpool captain Henderson told Sky Sports.
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September 25, 2021 18:40 UTC
Motor racing-Russell’s form shows Williams are not that bad, says Verstappen
(Reuters) – George Russell’s stunning form in qualifying and races this season shows that his Williams car is not as bad as people think, according to Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen. The Briton qualified third for Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix after also starting on the front row alongside Verstappen in a rain-hit and farcical Belgian round at Spa-Francorchamps in August. Once dominant champions in the 1980s and 1990s, Williams have been last in the standings for the past two seasons but have now risen to eighth. McLaren’s Lando Norris, whose car also has a Mercedes engine, starts on pole for the first time. “The team have done an amazing job once again, pitting at the right time and putting the right tyres on.
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September 25, 2021 18:33 UTC
‘Massively grateful’ Daniel Craig bids farewell to James Bond
LONDON (Reuters) – Daniel Craig thought he had wrapped up his tenure as James Bond with “Spectre”, but the actor says his final fifth outing as the British secret agent in “No Time To Die” allowed him to fully complete his 007 journey. I genuinely thought that I was going to … just pack it in,” Craig told Reuters. She’s grounded and she’s from a good background and takes every opportunity she gets and really runs with it. “Cary wanted to explore a bit more Madeleine’s character … In a way, she’s the heartbeat of the film and the relationship with Bond is much more developed,” Seydoux said. After being postponed three times since its original April 2020 slot, “No Time To Die” holds its world premiere on Tuesday in London.
Source:MetroXpress
September 25, 2021 17:37 UTC
Soccer-Fernandes misses last-gasp penalty as Villa stun Man United
Kortney Hause’s 88th-minute header put Villa on course for their first league win over United since 2009, but the defender’s handball gifted United an opportunity to steal a point, only for Fernandes to miss the target. “Bruno is usually very good in those positions and unfortunately he missed this one.”In truth, United got what they deserved. However, the hosts tailed off and really should have gone behind at halftime as Targett and Watkins missed great opportunities. The headlines, however, went to Fernandes, as his miss gave Villa a famous and thoroughly deserved success. “It (a Villa win at Old Trafford) has been a long time coming,” Villa coach Dean Smith said.
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September 25, 2021 14:15 UTC
North Korea says hope is alive for peace, summit with South
North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons has complicated the question of a formal end to the war, which halted with an armistice, rather than a peace treaty, leaving U.S.-led U.N. forces technically still at war with the North. North Korea has sought an end to the war for decades, but the United States has been reluctant to agree, unless it gives up nuclear weapons. In Saturday’s remarks, Kim said she noted with interest the intense discussion in the South over the renewed prospect of a formal declaration. In his own U.N. speech, U.S. President Joe Biden said he wanted “sustained diplomacy” https://www.reuters.com/world/un-biden-will-try-move-past-afghanistan-with-climate-china-focus-2021-09-21 to resolve the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes. North Korea has rejected U.S. overtures on dialogue and the head of the U.N. atomic watchdog said this week its nuclear programme was going “full steam ahead”.
Source:MetroXpress
September 25, 2021 13:33 UTC
Prudential eyes $2.41 billion raising in Hong Kong share sale
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Prudential is seeking to raise $2.41 billion by pricing its stock at HK$143.8 each in its Hong Kong share sale, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. Prudential sold 130.8 million shares, or 5% of its issued share capital in the deal, which was the first follow-on share placement to be open to Hong Kong retail investors. The price guidance given to investors represented a 3% discount to the stock’s closing price in London on Friday. Prudential, the diversified insurance group, said it planned to use most of the funds raised to pay down high-coupon debt within six months. ($1 = 7.7854 Hong Kong dollars)(Reporting by Scott Murdoch; Editing by Sam Holmes)
Source:MetroXpress
September 25, 2021 00:56 UTC
Exclusive-Oil producer Hilcorp eyes purchase of shut Louisiana refinery -sources
The hurricane-damaged refinery remains for sale and its “marketing process is ongoing,” said Phillips 66 spokesperson Bernardo Fallas. In August, Phillips 66 began meeting with potential buyers of the 255,600 barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery in Louisiana, on the state’s southeast coast. The Alliance refinery is one of three along the Gulf Coast that has been offered for sale this year. The other two are LyondellBasell Industries’ 263,776-bpd Houston refinery and Royal Dutch Shell’s shuttered 211,146-bpd Convent, Louisiana, refinery. The Alliance refinery could still have a future in the current energy transition, said John Auers, executive vice president with refinery-consultants Turner, Mason & Company“It’s still a viable refinery,” Auers said.
Source:MetroXpress
September 24, 2021 23:48 UTC
Myanmar will not address world leaders at U.N., Afghanistan will
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun – appointed by Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government – had initially been expected to address the 193-member General Assembly on Monday, the final day of the gathering. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Monday asked to address the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations and nominated the Islamist group’s Doha-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as Afghanistan’s U.N. ambassador. U.N. accreditation issues are dealt with by a nine-member committee, whose members include the United States, China and Russia. It traditionally meets in October or November so a decision would not be made in time that would allow Muttaqi to address the high-level General Assembly meeting this year. Until a decision is made by the credentials committee on both Afghanistan and Myanmar, Isaczai and Kyaw Moe Tun will remain in the seats, according to the General Assembly rules.
Source:MetroXpress
September 24, 2021 22:41 UTC