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What to watch: ‘Crowded Room’ a gripping true-crime story, thanks to Tom Holland

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

Tom Holland scales new acting heights in one of Apple TV+’s most anticipated new series, the 10-part “The Crowded Room,” debuting with three episodes this week.We do a deep dive into the psychological thriller co-starring Amanda Seyfried as well as one of 2023’s best films of the year, “Past Lives.” And there’s a terrific stand-up-and-cheer feature debut from Eva Longoria.Here’s our roundup.“The Crowded Room”: Tom Holland flings himself into any role, from Spider-Man to his latest — as a troubled crime suspect in a gripping Apple TV+ limited series. It’s one of his most demanding roles — requiring a greater level of commitment than what was demanded of him in Apple TV+’s terribly overblown “Cherry.” Thankfully the 10-part “Crowded Room” is worth his considerable talents and versatility. Holland is an actor who makes you want to see his character do well, no matter all the bad stuff happening around him. It is that relatability, and Holland’s fierce commitment to lose himself in his ...

Take a tour of the pink and fab World of Barbie exhibition in California

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

When Barbie goes camping she does it in style, riding out in a customized pink camper van with sweet rims, purple front seats, pink headlights, plus a hammock, her own kitchen and TV.Fans of the famous Mattel doll who attend the recently expanded World of Barbie immersive experience, which will now stay at the Santa Monica Place mall through Sept. 4, can hop inside her van, sit behind the wheel, honk the horn and pretend they’re cruising down Pacific Coast Highway thanks to a famous local car shop.“We got an actual Mattel Barbie camper, we 3D scanned it and then we essentially exploded it into this life-size Barbie camper,” said Lorenzo Strong, vice president of sales and brand partnerships for West Coast Customs, which is famous for customizing cars for musicians, actors and athletes.“This is super wild and off the wall for us because we’re used to building real, actually functional campers and cars and trucks and all that,” he added.Lorenzo Strong, vice president of sales and bran...

Garlic, butter and vampires? It’s scape season in the garden

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

If you’re a home gardener or a frequent shopper at regional farmers markets, there’s no escaping the fact that right now is scape season. I’m talking about those pungent soon-to-be-a-flower on top of the green spike that all garlic pushes up this time of year.I just harvested all of ours a few days ago, and if you want to have the best yield of succulent garlic bulbs in a few weeks, go ahead and cut off the scapes from your garlic plants.Even if you don’t choose to eat the scapes or give them away, go ahead and cut them off because if the scape blossoms into the flower it’ll rob the underground bulb of some of its most delightful properties. I choose to consume the scapes because they’re delicious and loaded with healthful things like plant protein, vitamin C and calcium.According to some research, scapes, like the plant they come from, garlic, can help to control high blood pressure and high cholesterol, while also assisting in preventing heart disease. Reduction in bodily inflamma...

Corrections defends Bernardo’s privacy, as it faces calls to detail transfer reason

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

OTTAWA — The Correctional Service of Canada is defending Paul Bernardo’s privacy rights, as the federal public safety minister says the country is owed an explanation for why he was moved. Marco Mendicino says Canadians deserve to know why the serial rapist and killer was transferred from a maximum-security prison to medium security, given the matter is now public. Fallout from Bernardo’s transfer has been echoing through Parliament Hill, Ontario’s legislature and across different police associations. Bernardo is serving a life sentence for the murder, kidnapping and torture of teenage girlsKristen French and Leslie Mahaffy from the early 1990s. He was also convicted of manslaughter in the death of Tammy Homolka, who died after being drugged and sexually assaulted. Tammy was the 15-year-old sister of Bernardo’s then-wife Karla Homolka, who was released after serving 12 year for her role in the crimes against French and Mahaffy. Bernardo also admitted to sexually as...

Latest Trump indictment levels 37 counts against former president

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

WASHINGTON — A newly unsealed indictment says former U.S. president Donald Trump is facing 37 charges of mishandling national secrets and conspiring to obstruct justice. It’s the second time Trump, already the only U.S. president to be impeached twice, has been indicted by a grand jury in less than three months. The document alleges he stored “scores of boxes” of classified documents in various rooms throughout his Mar-a-Lago sanctuary in Florida, including a ballroom, a bathroom and a shower. He’s accused of showing classified documents to various people at his golf club in New Jersey in 2021, after he left office, and admitting they were secret. The 38-count indictment also charges one of Trump’s aides, Walt Nauda, of concealing false documents and conspiring to obstruct justice. Trump’s legal woes — he was arraigned in March in the hush-money case involving adult film star Stormy Daniels — are the biggest question mark in his effort to secure t...

Extremists attack beachside hotel in Somalia’s capital as al-Shabab claims responsibility

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

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Witnesses and state media in Somalia say extremists have attacked a beachside hotel in the capital, Mogadishu, and security forces are responding at the site.The Somali National News Agency reports that “many civilians” have been rescued as fighting continues Friday night. There is no immediate word on any deaths.Al-Qaida’s East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Somalia-based extremist group is known for carrying out attacks on hotels and other high-profile locations in Mogadishu, usually starting with a suicide bombing.Hassan Abdirahman told The Associated Press that he was in the restaurant at the time. “I heard the sound of gunshots which came from the beach direction and followed by the huge sound of an explosion.” He said that he escaped and saw damaged vehicles along the street.Lido Beach is one of Mogadishu’s most popular areas and is busy on Friday nights as Somalis enjoy the weekend.Omar Faruk, The As...

Colombia government, largest remaining rebel group agree to 6-month cease-fire

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

HAVANA, Cuba (AP) — Colombia’s government and its largest remaining guerrilla group agreed Friday to a six-month cease-fire at talks in Cuba, in the latest attempt to resolve a conflict dating back to the 1960s.The government and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, announced the accord at a ceremony in Havana attended by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, top guerrilla commander Antonio García and Cuban officials. The cease-fire takes effect in phases, goes fully into effect in August and then lasts for six months. “This effort to look for peace is a beacon of hope that conflicts can be resolved politically and diplomatically,” top rebel negotiator Pablo Beltrán said at the ceremony.The talks originally were scheduled to conclude with an official ceremony on Thursday, but were postponed as the parties asked for additional time to work on final details. Petro traveled to the island for the ceremony, saying it could herald an “era of peace” in Colombia.The accord reached Frida...

WestJet to wind down budget airline Swoop, integrate into main operation

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

CALGARY — WestJet says it will wind down its Swoop brand by late October as it integrates the budget carrier’s operations into its main banner.The move comes after ratification of a new collective agreement that brings pilots of both carriers onto a level pay scale.In a phone interview from its Calgary headquarters, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said keeping Swoop separate would make little sense financially given the higher labour costs, but said each WestJet flight will offer a portion of ultra-low-cost tickets.Pilots of WestJet and Swoop secured a 24 per cent hour pay bump over four years under a deal agreed on tentatively last month that narrowly averted a strike.Bargaining came down to the wire, with WestJet cancelling more than 230 flights in preparation for job action before a deal was reached hours ahead of the strike deadline on May 19.Competition for budget airfares has grown in recent years, particularly in Western Canada, as upstarts Flair Airlines and Lynx Ai...

Rights body criticizes Quebec for booting religious group from convention centre

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

Quebec’s human rights commission has criticized the provincial government for blocking a religious gathering at a publicly owned convention centre after a cabinet minister said the event would have promoted anti-abortion views.The commission issued a statement saying it was concerned about the government’s decision and reminding the province about the importance of freedom of expression.As guaranteed under the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, “freedom of expression aims to protect both unpopular and controversial ideas …. It is an essential pillar of a democratic society,” the commission said Thursday.Last week, Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx cancelled an event scheduled for June 23 to July 2 at the Quebec City Convention Centre by British Columbia-based Harvest Ministries International. Proulx explained her decision by stating that the event — called “Prepare the Way” — would promote anti-abortion views, which she said are con...

WestJet, Swoop pilots ratify new agreement with pay increases, other improvements

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

WestJet and Swoop pilots have ratified a new collective agreement after a bargaining process that saw the threat of a strike snarl many Canadians’ long weekend plans last month.The Air Line Pilots Association says the four-year contract includes industry-leading pay increases, job security protections, and major scheduling and quality of life improvements.The association says 87 per cent of the pilots who voted backed the agreement.The airline and its pilots reached a last-minute deal earlier this year, narrowly averting a strike ahead of the May long weekend.However, WestJet and Swoop flights had already been grounded in anticipation of the possible work stoppage, which was averted.The pilots’ association had said the contract issues revolved around pay, job security and scheduling, with pilots earning roughly half of what some of their U.S. counterparts make.The new contract goes into effect July 1, with retroactive pay to Jan. 1. It expires at the end of 2026.“H...