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☆ A Vigilant Steve McQueen, a Misguided Maïwenn and Other Cannes Scenes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Manohla Dargis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Presumably Johnny Depp, a heat-seeking target for the armies of paparazzi amassed here, helps explain the movie’s presence. The king is played by a powdered and bewigged Depp, who looks suitably indolent, though perhaps because he’s underused. The king is mainly there to look gaga at Jeanne, which he does a great deal, though it’s a tough call whether Louis lavishes as much attention on Jeanne as Maïwenn does. Among all the close-ups of Jeanne giggling, Maïwenn folds in some palace intrigue and the briefest nod at the terror to come. There’s some comfort that “Jeanne” isn’t contending for the Palme d’Or, which would be an embarrassment, but is being presented out of competition.

☆ Dianne Feinstein can't be recalled and she almost certainly won't be expelled from the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A new report raises even more concerns about Sen. Dianne Feinstein's health. True, Feinstein's health is the topic du jour in Washington. Byrd, Thurmond, and Cochran all faced unflattering stories that virtually mirror what's been written about Feinstein. The last time the Senate actually expelled a member was in 1862 when it booted out 14 senators for supporting the Confederacy. The biggest power Feinstein's colleagues and critics can wield is shame.

[1/2] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Opening ceremony and screening of the film "Jeanne du Barry" Out of competition - Red Carpet arrivals - Cannes, France, May 16, 2023. Gong Li poses. REUTERS/Gonzalo... Read moreCANNES, May 17 (Reuters) - Gong Li, one of China's best actors, told Reuters on Wednesday that Michelle Yeoh's recent success at the Oscars and Golden Globes was particularly encouraging for Asian actors. "Since the beginning of the epidemic to now, in fact, the film industry has not been so vibrant, not like it was before, so her award is also an encouragement," Gong said. "Well, congratulations to her, because I also take it as an encouragement to fellow Asian actors to enter the world."

☆ Johnny Depp emotional after 7 minute standing ovation at Cannes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Johnny Depp was teary eyed after his film’s warm welcome at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. Video shared on social media by Variety shows a visibly moved Depp during a seven minute ovation for his film, “Jeanne du Barry,” in which he stars as the former King of France Louis XV. It was the actor’s first film project since a defamation trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard last summer. A jury found them both liable for defamation in their lawsuits against each other, but awarded significantly more damages to Depp. “The film is a success, and Johnny Depp [as Louis XV] is magnificent in it.”

☆ Johnny Depp on Cannes comeback: I didn't go anywhere
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Photocall for the film "Jeanne du Barry " Out of competition - Cannes, France, May 17, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo FuentesCANNES, May 17 (Reuters) - Johnny Depp pushed back at suggestions he was making a comeback with the Cannes Film Festival's opening movie "Jeanne du Barry" following a high-profile defamation trial a year ago, though he admitted people had "stopped calling" at the time. "I keep wondering about the word comeback, because I didn't go anywhere," Depp said after arriving 45 minutes later than scheduled at the news conference for the film on Wednesday. "Jeanne du Barry," in which Depp plays King Louis XV, received a seven-minute standing ovation at the luxurious Grand Theatre Lumiere, where it premiered on Tuesday evening. No, not at all, I don't feel boycotted because I don't think about it, I don't think about Hollywood," he said.

☆ He makes the best baguette in Paris, but he’s not French
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Oliver Briscoe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Paris CNN —The humble baguette is the epitome of French baking. The perfect loaf, delicately crusty outside, soft and airy inside, is worth the airfare to Paris all on its own. For the contest, bakers are judged specifically on their “baguette de tradition,” a designation that differentiates good-quality loaves from industrially made rivals. Polski is a veteran of the Paris contest, having presided over it for almost a decade. There is not one neighborhood today without fresh bread, Polski says.

☆ Claire Chase Is Changing How People Think of the Flute
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Joshua Barone | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Something unusual happens when people speak about the flutist Claire Chase. They use superlatives that would seem reckless if they weren’t repeated so often. “It’s so difficult to talk about Claire,” the composer Marcos Balter said. “She’s so much more than a virtuoso flutist or a pedagogue. Earlier in May, she played Kaija Saariaho’s concerto “L’Aile du Songe” with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

☆ Johnny Depp marks celebrity comeback with Cannes opening film
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Opening ceremony and screening of the film "Jeanne du Barry" Out of competition - Red Carpet arrivals - Cannes, France, May 16, 2023. Johnny Depp poses. REUTERS/Yara... Read moreCANNES, May 16 (Reuters) - Johnny Depp seemed back in full celebrity mode on Tuesday, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans before the premiere of the Cannes Film Festival's opening film "Jeanne du Barry," which marks the actor's first major role since his high-profile defamation trial. "There are hundreds of film festivals all around the world, but there's only one Cannes," Douglas told the crowd. "Even the casting - some would say stunt casting - of Johnny Depp as the king offers a few early thrills and then mostly yawns," wrote The Hollywood Reporter.

☆ Cannes Film Festival 2023 kicks off with 'all killer, no filler' line-up
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We have 'Indiana Jones,' we've got Martin Scorsese's new film with Leonardo DiCaprio. Festival director Thierry Fremaux pushed back against criticism that Depp was a controversial choice for an opening-night film, telling Variety magazine the actor had not been banned from working. Other jury members include Brie Larson of "Captain Marvel" and Julia Ducournau, one of two women to win the Palme d'Or. Out of competition, Harrison Ford will return as adventurous archaeologist Indiana Jones, 15 years since the last film in the franchise, in the world premiere of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" on Thursday. Festival organizers are concerned the unrest seen during the pension reform protests could also make its way to the festival, said Roxborough.

JOHANNESBURG, May 15 (Reuters) - South Africa's climate policy body on Monday suggested the government could delay retiring its ageing coal-fired power plants to address electricity shortages and said a power crisis had put the country on track to meet its climate goals anyway. The ruling African National Congress has recommended that state power utility Eskom delay the decommissioning of its ageing coal-fired power stations to help minimise rolling electricity outages. "The least-cost approach is to pull the coal plants off when they reach the end of their economic life," said Crispian Olver, executive director of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC). South Africa relies on coal for electricity. South Africa's national target for emissions reductions is 398-510 MtCO2e by 2025, and 350-420 MtCO2e by 2030.

☆ A conservative group just asked a federal court to end the student-loan payment pause immediately — partly because 'some junior associates at major law firms saw their six-figure salaries increase' du
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Conservative nonprofit Mackinac Center asked a federal court to immediately end the student-loan payment pause on Thursday. The ongoing payment pause is currently set to end this summer. In April, the group filed its initial lawsuit against the Education Department to end the pause and prevent a further extension. Additionally, in Thursday's complaint, the group claimed that not every student-loan borrower required the relief the payment pause brought. Nationwide debt relief that fails to distinguish between the two groups provides an unlawful windfall to the latter.

☆ When is Cannes Film Festival 2023 and what can we expect?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/6] The 75th Cannes Film Festival - The Palme d'Or Award - Cannes, France, May 17, 2022. Below are some facts about the Cannes Film Festival and this year's contenders. WHAT IS THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL AND WHY IS IT CELEBRATED? Cannes is the world's biggest film festival, first conceived in 1939 as an alternative to the then-fascist-influenced Venice Film Festival. Other awards include the Grand Prix, jury prize, best director, best actor, best actress, best screenplay and best short film.

☆ Tesla? Caviar? Boots? At These Resorts, Everything’s Included
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Danielle Braff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The all-inclusive resorts are happy to oblige. “Primarily, the difference is in the location, the higher level of accommodations and more personalized guest services — not to mention bragging rights,” said Mr. Fareed, the hospitality consultant. Big-name hotel brands including Marriott and Hyatt are entering the scene with their own ultraluxe all-inclusives. W Hotel (part of Marriott) is planning its all-inclusive Dominican Republic debut in 2025, while Hyatt is opening its new Inclusive Collection portfolio of resorts in Portugal, Mexico and Bulgaria. It follows in the footsteps of the Château de Villiers-le-Mahieu, an upscale all-inclusive estate that opened its doors in 2019 in a wooded park 45 minutes outside Paris.

☆ An Illustrator’s Paris Apartment That Couldn’t Be More Parisian
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Nancy Hass | Ilyes Griyeb | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

PARISIANS ARE OFTEN caricatured as blasé yet, when it comes to their city’s cultural treasures, they can be disarmingly sentimental. New Yorkers may dismiss the Empire State Building as kitsch, but Parisians have an unironic love for the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. There is likewise widespread devotion to the capital’s artisanal past: Many wouldn’t dream, for example, of getting their brass door hardware anywhere but the 19th-century A La Providence on Rue du Faubourg St.-Antoine, or their pencils anywhere but the 136-year-old art supply store Sennelier. Such loyalty to the city’s institutions has a relatively young champion these days: the 38-year-old illustrator Marin Montagut. Raised in Toulouse by antiques dealer parents, he was enamored as a child with images of Paris’s Belle Époque and dreamed of moving to the capital to make art; at 19, he arrived with a single suitcase, a set of watercolors and a few sable brushes.

☆ EU envoy to China hails Xi's call with Ukraine president as positive step
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, May 9 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was a very positive step, the European Union ambassador to China said on Tuesday, while urging greater efforts to achieve peace. Xi's hour-long call with Zelenskiy for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, fulfilled one of Kyiv's long-standing goals, which it had publicly sought for months. "We would like China to go further and help more to reach a just peace, which involves withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine," Jorge Toledo Albinana told a press conference in the Chinese capital. State media had reported that during their call, Xi told Zelenskiy China would send special representatives to Ukraine and hold talks with all parties seeking peace. Borrell reportedly wrote in an opinion piece in the Journal du Dimanche that European navies should patrol the Strait.

☆ Savea ties Super Rugby try-scoring record but Drua stun Canes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

May 6 (Reuters) - Julian Savea crossed twice to equal Israel Folau's Super Rugby record of 60 tries but it was not enough to stop the Fijian Drua adding the Wellington Hurricanes to their list of victims in Suva on Saturday. A noisy crowd at HFC Bank Stadium erupted in delight as replacement back Kemu Valetini kicked two penalties in the last five minutes to give the Drua a 27-24 win, a fourth victory in their second season in Super Rugby Pacific. "The Drua came out to play and they played the whole 80 and put us under a lot of pressure ... Flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi then gave the Hurricanes a 24-14 lead with a converted try under the posts but the Drua would not lie down. Savea, who was playing in his 150th Super Rugby match in his final season with the Hurricanes, was still appreciative of having matched former Wallabies fullback Folau's tally.

SYDNEY, May 2 (Reuters) - Australia's biggest landlords and developers played down concerns about inflated commercial property valuations at a conference on Tuesday, while acknowledging economic uncertainty was making investors and renters more cautious. Premium buildings coupled with signs workers were returning to offices should help protect the portfolio, said chief investment officer Ross Du Vernet. "It doesn't really make a lot of sense," Du Vernet said at the Macquarie Australia Conference in Sydney. Du Vernet declined to provide a price guide. That question was making large leases harder to lock in years ahead of time, Du Vernet said.

Jeremy Selwyn/WPA Pool/Getty Images Camilla stands next to Queen Elizabeth II during a Diamond Jubilee pageant on the River Thames in June 2012. Chris Jackson/Getty Images From left, Camilla, Charles, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend the state opening of Parliament in May 2013. From left are Camilla, Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis, Duchess Catherine, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William. Frank Augstein/WPA Pool/Getty Images In pictures: Britain's Queen Camilla Prev NextShe reportedly met Prince Charles at a polo match in Windsor in 1970 and they became friends. From left are Camilla, Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis, Duchess Catherine, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William.

☆ Most Gulf markets fall as Fed seen hiking rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 1 (Reuters) - Most major stock markets in the Gulf fell in early trade on Monday, dragged lower by expectations the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates, although the Qatari index bucked the trend. The Fed is predicted to raise rates by another 25 basis points this week. The U.S. central bank has raised its policy rate by 475 basis points since March last year from the near-zero level to the current 4.75%-5.00% range. Dubai's main share index (.DFMGI) fell 0.1%, hit by a 1.1% fall in Emirates NBD Bank (ENBD.DU) and a 0.8% decrease in utility firm Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWAA.DU). In Qatar, the index (.QSI) bucked the trend to trade 0.5% higher, with telecoms firm Ooredoo (ORDS.QA) up more than 5%.

☆ This French luxury tour company has planned multi-day around-the-world 'air cruises' using an Airbus A340 with lie-flat seats. Tickets start at $75,000.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Because everything is pre-planned, guests just need to show up — no worrying about where to stay, what to eat, or what to do. Petra in the country of Jordan is a destination on The World Tour Grands Classiques 2023 itinerary. ShutterstockSource: Safrans du Monde

☆ Courtney Dauwalter: The fun-fuelled ultra-marathon star defying science
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Matt Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Most people’s idea of fun wouldn’t involve running for hours on end through brutal, undulating terrain – but ultra-marathon sensation Courtney Dauwalter is no ordinary person. Dauwalter, a four-time ‘Ultra Running Magazine Ultrarunner of the year,’ holds multiple course records for the obscenely long races around the US and abroad. Pizza and pints"There is no right or wrong path to completing a 100 or 200-mile race," says Dauwalter. Joe Amon/Denver Post/Denver PostTrue to character, Dauwalter has a positive and novel method of coping with the unexpected visions. “For me, training, racing and exploring what’s possible with these ultra-races, the really long trail ones, is fun,” Dauwalter says.

☆ Major Gulf markets mixed in early trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 26 (Reuters) - Major stock markets in the Gulf were mixed in early trade on Wednesday amid rising recession fears in the United States, with the Saudi index on course to end five-day winning streak. U.S. Consumer confidence fell to a nine-month low in April, a survey showed, intensifying concerns of a potential recession. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) dropped 0.3%, on course snap a five-session gains, hit by a 1.1% drop in oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE). Dubai's main share index (.DFMGI) retreated 0.6%, weighed down by a 3.2% slide in Emaar Properties PJSC (EMAR.DU). U.S. crude oil stocks fell by about 6.1 million barrels in the week ended April 21, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute (API) figures on Tuesday.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft takeover of Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —The UK antitrust regulator has blocked Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, thwarting one of the tech industry’s biggest deals over concerns it will stifle competition in cloud gaming. “The cloud allows UK gamers to avoid buying expensive gaming consoles and PCs and gives them much more flexibility and choice as to how they play. Allowing Microsoft to take such a strong position in the cloud gaming market just as it begins to grow rapidly would risk undermining the innovation that is crucial to the development of these opportunities,” it added. “Alongside Microsoft, we can and will contest this decision, and we’ve already begun the work to appeal to the UK Competition Appeals Tribunal,” Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement. “Cloud gaming needs a free, competitive market to drive innovation and choice.”The UK cloud gaming market is expected to be worth up to £1 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2026, around 9% of the global market, according to the Competition and Markets Authority.

CNN —Harry Belafonte, the dashing singer, actor and activist who became an indispensable supporter of the civil rights movement, has died, his publicist Ken Sunshine told CNN. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Belafonte, left, plays a school principal in a scene from the film "See How They Run" in 1952. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Belafonte poses with the Emmy Award he won in 1960 for the musical special "Tonight With Belafonte." Fred Sabine/NBCU/Getty Images Belafonte and other recipients of Albert Einstein Commemorative Awards display their medallions after being honored in 1972. He is survived by his wife Pamela, his children Adrienne Belafonte Biesemeyer, Shari Belafonte, Gina Belafonte, David Belafonte, two stepchildren Sarah Frank and Lindsey Frank and eight grandchildren.

☆ South Africa to try to withdraw from ICC again - Ramaphosa
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Carien Du Plessis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responds to a parliamentary debate on his state of the nation address in Cape Town, South Africa, February 16, 2023. Only two days earlier, South Africa's parliament announced that it would abandon a seven-year-long legislative process to pull South Africa out of the ICC's Rome Statute. The process was abandoned because the governing party in December decided that South Africa should rather remain in the ICC and try to effect changes from within, a decision that has now been reversed. The international arrest warrant against Putin was issued after he had already received his invite from South Africa to the BRICS summit in August, and it would oblige South Africa to hand him over to the International Criminal Court in The Hague if he set foot in the country. "He has been invited by President Ramaphosa and Russia has indicated attendance," South Africa's official in charge of the relationship with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries, Anil Sooklal, told Reuters.

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