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Choose ‘Trainspotting’: Ewan McGregor and Danny Boyle reflect on the life-changing film
Ewan McGregor, for a fleeting moment after “Trainspotting” came out, felt like a rock star. It wasn’t his first significant project; it wasn’t even his first film with director Danny Boyle. And he was, in his words, fairly arrogant and cocksure at the time. But that kinetic film about four heroin addicts in late-1980s Scotland […]
Putin slams Western sanctions as damaging to the global economy
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia | Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that developing countries have gained an increasingly important role in the global economy, while the share of output by Western countries has shrunk. In a speech to the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin accused the West of undermining the global economy and finances […]
As Ebola spreads in Congo, a radio station tries to stop health misinformation
BUNIA, Congo | The rare Bundibugyo type of Ebola that Congo is battling took locals by surprise after weeks of spreading unnoticed. Hundreds of cases were suspected when Congolese authorities announced the outbreak on May 15, but many dismissed the news as a “Western conspiracy.” At least 63 people have died from 397 confirmed cases, […]
4 years running, Southern Baptists weigh tightening ban on churches with women pastors
When Southern Baptists gather Tuesday in Florida for their annual meeting, they’ll debate for the fourth year in a row whether to formally ban churches with a woman serving in any role resembling that of pastor — not just the top job. One thing they are unlikely to debate is the politics of many Southern […]
Senate blocks extending key surveillance program following backlash over Trump pick to lead intel
WASHINGTON | The Senate blocked an extension early Friday of a key surveillance program used by U.S. intelligence agencies as concerns mounted over President Donald Trump’s selection of federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte to serve as director of national intelligence. Some Republicans joined Democrats in the 47-52 vote against a a procedural motion that […]
A new kind of date makes personal to-do lists a reason to get together with friends
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. | Life tasks like paying bills, canceling subscriptions and answering overdue emails are becoming a reason to socialize for friends, couples, roommates and other people who get together for what’s known as “admin dates.” The low-pressure gatherings taking place in coffee shops, accommodating bars and private homes are intended to turn tedious and […]
Movie Review: Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas hit the right notes in ‘Power Ballad’
Let’s just say that the wedding band has never occupied the most exalted rung of the ladder in music. Playing “September” and “Celebration” is often what’s most required. As one member of the Bride and the Groove, the band at the center of John Carney’s new film, puts it: They’re not rock stars. They’re human […]
What to know about the growing opposition to Trump family-linked resort in Albania
TIRANA, Albania | A massive coastal development project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, is facing growing resistance from protesters in Albania. Police fired water cannon and clashed with protesters on Wednesday in the latest demonstration in the capital, Tirana. The government says the development on the Adriatic coast would […]
A garbage crisis engulfs Havana as fuel shortages stall trash pickup
HAVANA | On a recent afternoon in Cuba, the temperature climbed and anxiety grew among the residents of a Havana street. Their focus was an improvised dump site on the sidewalk with rotting food scraps, torn bags, cardboard and rubble. Swarms of flies and stray cats gathered around the trash whose stench wafted on the […]
Shia LaBeouf gets probation after pleading guilty to punching bargoers during Mardi Gras
NEW ORLEANS | Actor Shia LaBeouf was sentenced to probation Wednesday after pleading guilty to punching three people outside a New Orleans bar during Mardi Gras. LaBeouf must attend an alcohol treatment program under the sentence handed down by an Orleans Parish judge, according to Sarah Chervinsky, an attorney for the actor. LeBeouf, most widely […]