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Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ dances to No. 1 at the box office, eyeing ‘Joker’ film record

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

Movie theaters turned into concert venues this weekend as Swifties brought their dance moves and friendship bracelets to multiplexes across the country. The unparalleled enthusiasm helped propel “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” to a massive, first place debut between $95 million and $97 million in North America, AMC Theatres said Sunday. It’s easily the biggest opening for a concert film of all time, and, not accounting for inflation, has made more than the $73 million “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” earned in 2011. In today’s dollars, that would be around $102 million. And if it comes in on the higher end of projections when totals are released Monday, it could be the biggest October opening ever. The one to beat is “Joker,” which launched to $96.2 million in 2019.A unique experiment in distribution, premium pricing, star power and loose movie theater etiquette—more dancing and shouting than Star Wars premiere—have made it an undeniable hit. Compiled from Swift’s summer shows at Sout...

Myanmar’s military seeks to keep ethnic minority allies on its side with anniversary of cease-fire

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military government hosted representatives from ethnic rebel groups Sunday to mark the eighth anniversary of the signing of a multilateral cease-fire agreement. But the event was boycotted by three of the signatories that oppose the current army-installed regime.The event in the capital Naypyitaw was the first such formal gathering of the military government and ethnic minority leaders since the army seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government on Feb. 1, 2021.Maintaining a cease-fire with as many groups as possible is crucial for the military government, which for more than two years has been faced with nationwide armed resistance from opponents of its 2021 takeover. Those pro-democracy forces have crucial alliances with, or support from, several ethnic rebel groups. The military has launched offensives in the territory long under the control of the ethnic minority groups.In order to shake and divide the anti-military rule alliances, the military...

Man arrested for multiple firearm and drug related charges in downtown Toronto

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

Toronto police have made an arrest in a firearm investigation in the Yonge Street and Dundas Street East area of downtown Toronto.On Saturday, at approximately 10:40 p.m., police were in the area, where allegedly officers were made aware of a male who was in possession of a firearm.Officers located the suspect and placed him under arrest. The suspect was in possession of a loaded Waffenfabrik Mauser firearm with five rounds of ammunition. Subsequent to the arrest, officers also located a quantity of drugs.Tyler Williams-Dennis, 26, of Toronto, was charged with nine different firearms related charges including possession of a loaded regulated firearm, and possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence and registration certificate.Williams-Dennis was also charged with five counts of possession of a scheduled I substance for purpose of trafficking (fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, crystal meth, codeine), possession of proceeds obtained by crime under $...

Russian governor has been reported to police after saying there’s ‘no need’ for the war in Ukraine

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

A Russian governor was accused by critics on Sunday of “discrediting Russia’s armed forces” after telling residents in her region that the country had “no need” for its war in Ukraine.Natalya Komarova, the governor of the Khanty-Mansiysk region and a member of President Vladimir Putin’s governing United Russia party, made the remarks during a meeting with residents in the Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk on Saturday.Critics have called for authorities to launch an investigation into her remarks, but Komarova hasn’t been detained or faced any charges so far.A video of the event posted on social media showed the politician being confronted by the wife of a Russian soldier who said that mobilized men had been poorly equipped for the front line.Komarova told residents that Russia hadn’t been prepared for the invasion of Ukraine.“Are you asking me (why your husband does not have equipment), knowing that I’m the governor and not the minister of defense?”, the 67-year-old said.“...

French soccer federation condemns Nice player Atal for reportedly reposting hate speech against Jews

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

Algeria soccer player Youcef Atal, who plays for French Ligue 1 side Nice, apologized Sunday after reportedly reposting and then deleting a video that called for “a black day for Jews.” French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo said Atal had relayed “appeals for violence.” Diallo said in a statement that he “condemns them with the greatest severity.” “Hate speech will not be allowed,” Diallo said.The federation’s ethics committee is taking over the case, he added.Writing on Instagram, the defender said he understood that his post “shocked several people, which was not my intention.” He apologized.Atal also said he condemns all forms of violence, “no matter where in the world.” French sports newspaper l’Equipe reported that Atal had quickly deleted the video he’d reposted Saturday in which a Palestinian preacher called for “a black day for Jews” and for support of Gaza residents “if they throw the stone.” ___AP soccer: https://apnews.com...

A third-generation Israeli soldier has been missing for over a week. Her family can only wait.

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

Roni Eshel, a 19-year-old Israel Defense Forces soldier, was stationed at a military base near the Gaza border when Hamas attacked last Saturday. Although she didn’t answer her phone when her mother called to check on her that morning, she later texted to say that she was busy but OK.“I love you so much,” Eschel told her mother, Sharon, about three hours after the attack started. Her parents haven’t heard from her since. More than a week later, Eshel’s family is desperate to know happened to their daughter. Her father, Eyal Eshel, describes the wait for news as “hell.”“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to think, actually. Where is she? What is she eating? If it’s cold for her? If it’s hot? I don’t know nothing,” Eyal Eshel said.The IDF hasn’t publicly released any names of hostages. Her father says IDF has told them she is considered missing; he believes she has been kidnapped.“Otherwise, where is she?” he asked.Eshel grew up in a small village north...

Weeks after a grizzly bear bit off his lower jaw, a Montana man is returning home

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

(AP) — A Montana man who was mauled by a grizzly bear that bit off the front of his lower jaw is ready to return home after five weeks in a Utah hospital, a physician and his family said Friday during a news conference.Rudy Noorlander, who answered most questions at the University of Utah hospital by writing on a white board, is looking forward to having a root beer float, reuniting with his Yorkshire terrier Sully, returning to the outdoors and maybe even being able to attend the rivalry football game next month between the Montana Grizzlies and his beloved Montana State Bobcats.“And he's developed a whole new hatred toward the University of Montana,” his daughter Katelynn Noorlander Davis said, referring to the team's mascot.Noorlander can speak briefly, but it hurts “a little,” he said. He will need speech therapy, his surgeon, Dr. Hilary McCrary said. Body found during search for missing Indiana teacher in Puerto Rico Noorlander didn't want to take questions about the attack b...

Arkansas Tech University adds degree for social media content creators, influencers

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (KARK) — A new degree at Arkansas Tech University is teaching students how to control clicks and show out on social media.The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Content Creation degree became available at Arkansas Tech University this semester. Some might think this is about getting millions of followers, but educators said it is more about combining the creative with the business side of social media and might be the most practical degree they are offering in the Mass Communication Department.Dr. David Eshelman is the department head for Communication & Media Studies at ATU and he noted that the education landscape is changing to keep up with the technological revolution."I don't think any of us predicted our entire lives would be contained in our pockets," Eshelman said. The 3 college degrees that will pay you the most — and the 3 that won’t According to Goldman Sachs, as of April 2023, the content creator economy is worth around $250 billion and is expected to r...

Can the Bears sustain the momentum of a streak-breaking win?

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

Maya Akai of SportsZone Chicago joined "9 Good Minutes" this week to talk about the Bears along with the White Sox and Bulls on WGN News Now.CHICAGO - At last the streak is over for the Bears, ending just short of a year after it began.But after 14 consecutive losses, there is still a lot for this team to prove, starting with their ability to get a winning streak going. Like many things for the Bears when it comes to success, it's been a while since they pulled that off.The team has yet to win consecutive games under head coach Matt Eberflus, last winning two in a row under Matt Nagy in Weeks 16 & 17 in 2021. They'll have a decent shot to do so when they host the Vikings on Sunday at Noon at Soldier Field as they face a team that's also 1-4 on the season. They'll roll into Chicago without their best player, wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Yet a win doesn't solve everything for the Bears, who endured a nightmare start to the year...

Vikings safety Lewis Cine inactive against Bears despite no injury designation

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:08 GMT

CHICAGO — Vikings safety Lewis Cine was a full participant in practice this week and did not have an injury designation. That said, Cine was inactive for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.This is the first time Cine has technically been a healthy scratch in his career. He was been working his way back from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss some time.It’s been a bumpy road for Cine ever since the Vikings selected him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He missed most of last season after suffering a compound fracture in his left leg. He then hasn’t been able to gain any traction this season despite entering training camp at full strength.To this point, Cine has not played a single snap on defense for the Vikings this season. He has logged 38 snaps on special teams.The other inactives for the Vikings included pass rusher Andre Carter, tight end Nick Muse, offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji, and defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy.Re...