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Republicans lash out at Democrats' claims that Trump intelligence pick Gabbard is 'compromised'SpaDeX Mission: ISRO Aims To Achieve Space Docking Capabilities With Upcoming PSLV-C60 Launch on December 30DALLAS , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (NYSE: AHT) ("Ashford Trust" or the "Company") announced today the conversion of its 226-room Le Pavillon Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana to a Tribute Portfolio property. Marriott's Tribute Portfolio is a growing global family of characterful, independent hotels drawn together by their passion for captivating design and their drive to create vibrant social scenes for guests and locals alike.
NEW DELHI: The finance ministry has told Parliament that the Centre's thrust is on improving the quality of public spending, while strengthening the social security net for the poor and needy. In the statement on deviation from the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act targets, the ministry also said that govt remained committed to pursue the glide path for fiscal consolidation and it will lower fiscal deficit to under 4.5% by next financial year. It said since July, when the regular budget was presented, the global economic environment has become gloomier due to further escalation of conflict. "Given the prevailing global economic and security environment, it is necessary for govt to retain (a) fair degree of flexibility in conducting its fiscal policy so as to be able to respond to any fallout from adverse global events," the ministry said in the nine-page document. Pointing to the numbers on non-debt receipts, fiscal deficit and revenue deficit during the first half of the current financial year, the ministry said the numbers were within the limits prescribed under FRBM rules. While revenue receipts (51.8% of budget estimates) were higher than the five-year moving average, total receipts (43.8%) of the govt were lower. Expenditure was also below the five-year moving average, resulting in the first half fiscal deficit being 29.4% of budget estimate against the five-year moving average of 63.8%. The comment on the quality of expenditure ties in with govt's efforts to focus on higher capex in recent years and cut on wasteful expenditure, besides targeting subsidies better. Even in the next budget, the Centre is expected to retain the emphasis on its spending pattern. Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!Ludhiana: Police has arrested two alleged drug peddlers , including a woman, after 50 grams of heroin was seized from their possession. Accused Pushpak Malhotra and Ritu Malhotra are both from Haibowal area. The crime branch-1 in-charge, inspector Rajesh Kumar, said that acting on a tipoff, police had arrested the duo with the contraband which they were going to deliver to their customers in the city. We also published the following articles recently Drug peddler held with heroin in Pasighat In a swift operation, Pasighat police apprehended a 26-year-old drug peddler, Kadum Tatin, seizing 2.5 grams of heroin worth 3,000. A decoy customer facilitated the arrest, leading to the recovery of cash and a mobile phone. Tatin faces charges under the NDPS Act, and police urge public cooperation in combating drug-related activities in East Siang district. Himachal: Kangra Police arrests notorious drug peddler, associate Kangra police apprehended two drug peddlers, including a notorious dealer linked to eight prior NDPS cases, seizing nearly 12 grams of heroin. Brijesh Kumar, alias Mamu, and Rahul, a known supplier, were caught injecting heroin. Kumar, connected to other drug traffickers, targeted students. Drug peddler nabbed in city with 214g of heroin In a late-night raid in Guwahati's Navagraha Hills, the Assam police STF arrested Sona Miya (40), a suspected drug peddler from Bongaigaon. Police seized 214.81 grams of suspected heroin, Rs 1,06,700 in cash, and a mobile phone. Miya, operating from a rented room, faces charges under the NDPS Act. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
President and Vice President yesterday presented to the National Competitiveness Council (CNC) the initiative “RD 2036 Goal prioritized in the 2024-2028 Government Plan”, at a lunch with businessmen and officials at the National Palace. The plan was presented by the executive director of the CNC, , who explained that its objectives are to achieve the comprehensive development of the country based on the strengthening of production entities, the generation of competitive jobs and the improvement of public services. President Abinader recounted the government’s achievements in education, homicide control, drinking water and other advances in decisive areas. He explained that they have been working for two years and have been followed up so that they can also be fulfilled based on the multi-year budget that the Government has until 2028. He added that the objective of Goal 2036 is to identify all the actions that are sectoral, transversal, intersectoral of the second generation that will promote the axes of integral growth. He said that the Government lowered undernourishment from 8.7 to 4.6, according Regarding the formality of employment, he said that it is one of the most challenging, but work will be done to comply with it with the support of the productive and entrepreneurial sectors. On the other hand, he said that this year the homicide rate per and he was confident that it will be less than 10 in 2028, that these are objectives that can be perfectly achieved. Regarding access to drinking water, President Abinader indicated that in four years it has been increased by 9% to guarantee the improvement in that service. He pointed out that half “of these objectives are achieved with a single work, which is the aqueduct from Santo Domingo through Hatillo, which are 10 cubic meters.” On education, he cited the technical educational centers used by the Dominican Government for the training of young people in different areas such as the Catholic Technical University of Barahona, the ISA University, the Technological Institute of Dajabón, the Loyola Technical Institute and others. Prazmowski detailed each of the objectives of the plan and the new model of productive development: physical and human capital and productivity, private and local investment, foreign direct investment and public infrastructures and what is the depreciation and congestion of capital. He pondered the importance of and what is the depreciation and congestion of capital. On the productivity side, he stated that the social, political and economic climate in the country has allowed enormous progress in institutionality. The businessmen participating in the activity valued the initiative of the plan and pledged to help make it effective, and gave their recommendations to be analyzed by the Government. At the presentation of the plan to the plenary session of the CNC were businessmen Pedro Brache, from Grupo Rica, José Miguel González, from CCN, Frank Ranieri, from Grupo Puntacana, Manuel Estrella, from Acero Estrella, Juan Vicini, from Inicia and Elena Viyella, among others, we recognized businessmen.SAD in Catch-22 situation after Akal Takht directives
Dalyn Wakely scores pair to lead Colts to 3-1 victory over Battalion NORTH BAY, Ont. — Dalyn Wakely scored twice as the Barrie Colts topped the North Bay Battalion 3-1 in Ontario Hockey League play on Sunday. Zach Wigle had the other goal for Barrie. Briir Long replied for North Bay. 67'S 5 PETES 4 PETERBOROUGH, Ont. Canadian Press Dec 29, 2024 6:19 PM Dec 29, 2024 6:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message NORTH BAY, Ont. — Dalyn Wakely scored twice as the Barrie Colts topped the North Bay Battalion 3-1 in Ontario Hockey League play on Sunday. Zach Wigle had the other goal for Barrie. Briir Long replied for North Bay. 67'S 5 PETES 4 PETERBOROUGH, Ont. — Will Gerrior scored the game-winning goal at 19:49 of the third period as the 67's edged the Petes. It was his second goal of the game. Cooper Foster, Henry Mews and Chris Barlas added singles in Ottawa's victory. SPITFIRES 10 GREYHOUNDS 6 SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Cole Davis had a hat trick as the Windsor Spitfires topped the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Liam Greentree scored twice for the Spitfires. RANGERS 3 WOLVES 2 SUDBURY, Ont. — Adrian Misaljevic's overtime winner gave the Rangers a victory over the Wolves. Luke Ellinas and Haeden Ellis scored in regulation for Kitchener. KNIGHTS 4 FIREBIRDS 1 FLINT, Mich. — Noah Aboflan had a goal and an assist as the London Knights downed Flint Firebirds. PJ Fagan II, Henry Brzustewicz and Andoni Fimis also scored for London. SPIRIT 6 ICEDOGS 3 SAGINAW, Mich. — Carson Harmer scored three goals as the Saginaw Spirit defeated the Niagara IceDogs. Calem Mangone added two goals while Ethan Hay tallied once for Saginaw. GENERALS 4 FRONTENACS 2 OSHAWA, Ont. — Luca Marrelli had a goal and an assist as the Oshawa Generals downed the Kingston Frontenacs. Owen Griffin, Lauri Sinivuori and Colby Barlow also scored for Oshawa. This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024. The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National Sports Jake Evans scores for the career-high 5th consecutive game, surging Canadiens beat Lightning 5-2 Dec 29, 2024 6:12 PM Trae Young leads Hawks past Raptors 136-107; Toronto has season-high 31 turnovers Dec 29, 2024 5:52 PM Lounsbury and Mercier score two goals apiece as Wildcats defeat Islanders Dec 29, 2024 5:25 PM Featured FlyerCENTURION: South Africa tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen hung in against relentless fast bowler Mohammad Abbas for a tense two-wicket win in the first test on Sunday to seal the Proteas' place in next year's World Test Championship final . ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Jansen (16 not out) overshadowed Abbas' brilliant figures of 6-54 with a square driven boundary against the fast bowler as South Africa reached 150-8 just after lunch on Day 4 and escaped with a close win in the opener of the two-match series. "Quite an emotional moment for me, good advert for test cricket," said South Africa captain Temba Bavuma , who made 40. "We haven't been ruthless but have found a way to ensure the result was on our side. Lot of joy and happiness on our side, a bit of a rollercoaster, glad that we were able to get the result." Abbas, making a comeback after more than three years in the test wilderness, had knocked back South Africa's tricky chase of 148 runs in a marathon 13-over spell before lunch on Day 4 as the home team limped to 99-8, losing four wickets for three runs. However, Rabada changed gears in an unbroken 51-run stand with Jansen and made an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls with five fours to seal a memorable victory and denied Pakistan its first test win in South Africa in almost 18 years. 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But since then the Proteas have beaten West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to stay on top of the table. "It (WTC final) is a big one, not just for myself but also the team and the coach," Bavuma said. "The way we started our campaign, against India and then New Zealand with a not-so-strong team, and the way we have gone through with our performances, not many gave us a chance." India, Australia and Sri Lanka are the other teams still in contention for next June's WTC final against South Africa at Lord's. Captain Temba Bavuma (40) and Aiden Markram (37) had thwarted Abbas for an hour after South Africa resumed at a wobbly 27-3, still needing 121 for victory. Bavuma's controversial dismissal punctuated a South Africa collapse in the latter half of first session with Abbas grabbing three off his six balls in a sensational home team collapse. Bavuma, who made 40, surprisingly didn't request a television review when replays suggested that Abbas' ball had brushed the batter's pocket and didn't make contact with the inside edge of the bat but the South African skipper walked back to the dressing room. Abbas bowled an unchanged marathon spell of 13 overs, but had to wait as Markram and Bavuma saw off eight overs from the fast bowlers. Resuming at 27-3, Bavuma and Markram showed plenty of patience against Abbas' probing line and length before the fast bowler finally got the breakthrough after the first drinks break. Abbas was rewarded for his brilliant seam bowling when he beat the outside edge of Markram's bat and knocked back the off stump. Bavuma survived a couple of close chances when he successfully overturned an on-field lbw decision against him early in the day and Naseem Shah couldn't hold onto a sharp catch at fine leg as he overstepped the boundary cushion while grabbing the ball over his head. South Africa had controlled the game at 96-4 before Bavuma's dismissal saw Abbas finding the outside edges of David Bedingham (14) and Corbin Bosch's (0) bat off successive deliveries and in between Kyle Verreynne dragged Naseem Shah's delivery back onto his stumps. Abbas found the outside edge of Rabada's bat in his first over after lunch that fell just short of wicketkeeper Rizwan before both tailenders took the team home. "Extremely proud of the efforts, but going forward we need to be ruthless," Pakistan captain Shan Masood said. "We keep making the same mistakes but we have to get over the line, seize moments." The second test begins at Cape Town on Friday. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Washington, Nov 22 (AP) Amazon is investing an additional USD 4 billion in the artificial intelligence startup Anthropic as major technology companies rush to fund generative AI. This will bring Amazon's total investment in Anthropic – which began last year - to USD 8 billion. Anthropic said the Seattle-based tech giant will maintain its position as a minority investor in the startup, which was founded by former leaders of the Microsoft-linked OpenAI. Also Read | France Shocker: Man Rapes Daughter For Years, Offers Her to Strangers For Sex; Sentenced to 20 Years in Jail. Under the deal, Amazon said the San Francisco-based Anthropic will now name Amazon's cloud computing unit, Amazon Web Services, as its “primary training partner”. It will also use two AWS chips to train and deploy its future foundational models, the advanced systems that underpin general-purpose AI services like ChatGPT and Google's Bard chatbot. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Returns to Delhi After Concluding Nigeria, Brazil and Guyana Visit (Watch Video). “We've been impressed by Anthropic's pace of innovation and commitment to responsible development of generative AI, and look forward to deepening our collaboration,” Matt Garman, the AWS CEO, said in a statement included in Amazon's announcement. The relationship between Big Tech companies and AI startups has received scrutiny from regulators in the US and abroad. However, Amazon got some good news in September when Britain's competition watchdog said Anthropic's revenue and its combined market share with Amazon in Britain were not big enough to require an in-depth investigation under the country's merger rules. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Biden promises to bring US journalist Austin Tice home as he calls fall of Assad ‘a moment of historic opportunity for Syria’FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump's pick to lead U.S. intelligence services, is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings, as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump's pick to lead U.S. intelligence services, is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings, as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick to lead U.S. intelligence services, is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings, as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, a veteran of combat missions in Iraq, said she had concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s choice to be director of national intelligence. “I think she’s compromised,” Duckworth said on CNN’s “State of the Union,” citing Gabbard’s 2017 trip to Syria, where she held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Gabbard was a Democratic House member from Hawaii at the time. “The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. And so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check,” Duckworth said. Gabbard, who said last month she is joining the Republican party, has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades. She was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and, according to the Hawaii National Guard, received a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for “participation in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.” Duckworth’s comments drew immediate backlash from Republicans. “For her to say ridiculous and outright dangerous words like that is wrong,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, said on CNN, challenging Duckworth to retract her words. “That’s the most dangerous thing she could say — is that a United States lieutenant colonel in the United States Army is compromised and is an asset of Russia.” In recent days, other Democrats have accused Gabbard without evidence of being a “Russian asset.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has claimed, without offering details, that Gabbard is in Russian President Vladimir “Putin’s pocket.” Mullin and others say the criticism from Democrats is rooted in the fact that Gabbard left their party and has become a Trump ally. Democrats say they worry that Gabbard’s selection as national intelligence chief endangers ties with allies and gives Russia a win. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat just elected to the Senate, said he would not describe Gabbard as a Russian asset, but said she had “very questionable judgment.” “The problem is if our foreign allies don’t trust the head of our intelligence agencies, they’ll stop sharing information with us,” Schiff said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Gabbard in 2022 endorsed one of Russia’s justifications for invading Ukraine: the existence of dozens of U.S.-funded biolabs working on some of the world’s nastiest pathogens. The labs are part of an international effort to control outbreaks and stop bioweapons, but Moscow claimed Ukraine was using them to create deadly bioweapons. Gabbard said she just voiced concerns about protecting the labs. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, said he thought it was “totally ridiculous” that Gabbard was being cast as a Russian asset for having different political views. “It’s insulting. It’s a slur, quite frankly. There’s no evidence that she’s a asset of another country,” he said on NBC. Sen. James Lankford, another Oklahoma Republican, acknowledged having “lots of questions” for Gabbard as the Senate considers her nomination to lead the intelligence services. Lankford said on NBC that he wants to ask Gabbard about her meeting with Assad and some of her past comments about Russia. “We want to know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was. As a member of Congress, we want to get a chance to talk about past comments that she’s made and get them into full context,” Lankford said. Advertisement Advertisement
CHANHASSEN, Minn. , Nov. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpheus Medical, Inc., a private, clinical-stage oncology company pioneering sonodynamic therapy (SDT) for the treatment of solid body cancers, today announced positive results from their Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with recurrent or refractory high-grade gliomas. The company's proprietary therapy demonstrated a strong safety profile and extended median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to historical data. The data were presented by Michael Schulder , MD, at the 2024 Society of Neuro-Oncology (SNO) Annual Meeting. "Glioblastomas are the most common and aggressive primary brain cancer, presenting a devasting diagnosis for patients and their familes," said David Reardon , MD, Clinical Director of the Center for Neuro-Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and member of the Alpheus Medical Scientific Advisory Board. "Current treatment options are limited and often ineffective due to the diffuse spread of the disease across the blood-brain barrier and often across the entire hemisphere, making it universally fatal with a rapid timeline. The early clinical results of Alpheus's therapy are promising, offering hope for this new approach. I look forward to further exploring the potential benefits of their SDT therapy for this patient population who is in critical need of an effective solution." Alpheus Medical's non-invasive SDT treatment, which can be delivered in an outpatient setting, combines low-intensity diffuse ultrasound (LIDU TM ) with oral 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) to target and kill cancer cells across the entire hemisphere without the need for imaging or sedation. Key findings from the study include: "In addition to the strong safety data and early indications of efficacy, Alpheus' non-invasive SDT therapy stands out for its ease of use - a significant improvement over the uncomfortable and often toxic treatments currently available for this rapidly fatal condition," stated Dr. Schulder, Director of the Brain Tumor Center at Northwell Health, and one of the trial's primary investigators. "We look forward to expanding the ability for patients to receive this promising therapy." The Phase 1/2 trial ( NCT05362409 ) is an open-label, multicenter, duration-escalation study evaluating the safety, optimal dose, and efficacy of Alpheus Medical's proprietary SDT platform. Twelve patients were enrolled across three cohorts, with treatment durations escalating to 60, 90, and 120 minutes per monthly session. The company plans to initiate a randomized, controlled trial at multiple centers across the U.S. in 2025. About Alpheus Medical, Inc. Alpheus Medical is a private, clinical-stage oncology company revolutionizing the treatment of solid body cancers with its pioneering sonodynamic therapy (SDT) platform that combines Low-Intensity Diffuse Ultrasound (LIDU TM ) with the sensitizing agent, oral 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). The company's proprietary, non-invasive technology is designed to selectively target and destroy cancer cells in the brain while preserving healthy tissue. Learn more at www.alpheusmedical.com . Media Contact Carla Benigni carla@sprigconsulting.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alpheus-medical-announces-positive-phase-12-trial-results-for-the-treatment-of-recurrent-high-grade-gliomas-302314785.html SOURCE Alpheus MedicalBashar al Assad Is in Moscow, Says Russian State MediaAP: Fishermen Seeks Formation of Welfare Board
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2024 / LQWD Technologies Corp. (TSXV:LQWD)(OTCQB:LQWDF) ("LQWD" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its non-brokered private placement financing of CDN$3,000,000 (the "Private Placement"), which was previously announced on November 15, 2024. Under the Private Placement, the Company issued an aggregate of 2,000,000 units of the Company at a price of CDN$1.50 per unit to raise gross proceeds of CDN$3,000,000. Each unit consists of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant. Each full warrant is exercisable into one common share at an exercise price of CDN$2.00 per share at any time up to 18 months following the closing date of the Private Placement. The shares and warrants from the Private Placement are subject to a 4 month hold period before becoming free trading. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Much of Edward Berger’s gripping papal thriller “Conclave” unfolds in the shadows. Alliances shift and break in dim stairwells, tense accusations fly in dark corridors and secrets are exposed in the lamp-lit privacy of the papal apartment — all in danger of upending the centuries-old process to elect the next pope. So when a shocking revelation (warning: spoilers ahead!) in the film’s final act and an unexpected tragedy cast a harsh new light on the cardinals in the running, it feels like a dizzying release. The more progressive Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) points the finger at traditionalist Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), telling him he should be ashamed of himself. An unflinching Tedesco whips the group into a frenzy with talk of a religious war as former front-runner for the papacy Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) sits back in disgrace and Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) stands frozen in dismay over the proceedings he’s lost control of. Then, Cardinal Benítez (Carlos Diehz) stands up. Poised and calm, he tells the group, “Forgive me, but in these last few days, we have shown ourselves to be small, petty men, concerned only in ourselves, in Rome, in the election, and in power.” Appointed by the late pope “en pectore,” or in secret, Benítez’s very presence is a threat to the careful balance of the conclave. In contrast to his counterparts, he radiates a tranquil energy that serves as an antidote to the petty politics and drama playing out among the top candidates. Though he hasn’t campaigned, and while he was completely unknown to the other cardinals prior to their gathering, by the time Benítez addresses the group, he’s the dark horse of the election. It’s an arresting performance, one made all the more impressive by the fact that it’s Diehz’s feature film debut. At 53 years old, the Vancouver-based actor decided to give acting a try in 2020, appearing in a few short films until booking his breakout role in “Conclave.” Born and raised in Mexico City, he’s worked primarily as an architect (he still works for the same Canadian firm today) for the last 30 years. De Los spoke with Diehz about his unorthodox journey to the screen, the inspiration for his performance as Cardinal Benítez and finding the confidence to be himself. The following interview has been edited for clarity and length. Had you ever thought about pursuing acting before becoming an architect? I’ve always been inclined to the arts since I was a kid — drawing, clay modeling, all that — then, later on, when I realized the people I saw in the movies were performing, they were acting as the characters, I thought maybe I’d like to do that. But I was a very shy kid, a daydreamer. I decided to give acting a try in high school, but the kids in theater were really, really flashy and outgoing, and it was just too much for me. Later, I had a chance to be in a movie as an extra, but when I had the camera in front of me, it was so intimidating. I was given this crazy instruction to stand up and shout all the bad words I knew. I freaked out, and the director said, “OK, never mind. Not you.” They chose someone else. So that was almost my big break. [ Laughs ] Why did you decide to give it another try later in life? Probably four or five years ago, my wife and I became empty nesters, and I wanted to learn to do something new. I didn’t have the time or the money to go back to college, so it needed to be something I could learn on my own. I thought about acting again and decided to give it a go. Then the pandemic hit. Everything was closed, but I found this workshop online and signed up for that. Right off the bat, the coach said, “If you’re doing this just to feel good about yourself or to get a hobby, don’t waste my time and don’t waste your time, because this is the show business . Is not the show charity or the show hobby. Take it seriously.” In the classes, being able to transform into someone else, to channel a different personality, was so much fun that I said, “Yes, this is my new passion. This is what I want.” So after practicing architecture for 30 years — I still am working in architecture — I found this new passion that was so exciting. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like there would be a lot of crossover between architecture and acting, but do you find any similarities in how you approach them? I think there are, because both are creative. In architecture, you are meeting a lot of requirements for the client and for the authorities, and you have to meet certain standards. Acting has similar demands. You have your imagination, you put yourself into the character, but you still have to comply with the vision of the director, the technical requirements, and you have to be part of a team. You put a lot of yourself on the line when you portray a character. You don’t transform entirely into someone else, but you’re channeling them through you. Growing up in Mexico City, were there any actors who stood out to you and shaped you? The golden era of Mexican cinema was very theatrical. I would admire how Pedro Infante could be this humble carpenter [in “Nosotros los Pobres”], and then he could be a motorcycle policeman [in “A.T.M. ¡A toda máquina!”] Being able to take on those roles with the same charisma was very fascinating and attractive to me. Casting director Nina Gold has spoken about the international casting search to find Cardinal Benítez. What do you remember about the initial description of the character? The initial description of him mostly talked about his physicality — that he was a slim, mixed-race guy. My agent thought I was a good fit for it, so she sent out my demo reel, and they invited me to audition. After the first audition, I got the book. I read it twice in the next couple of weeks, so I knew the whole story. And then for the second audition, they gave me the whole script, and I realized it was very faithful to the book, which I was very happy about. When I read the breakdown, I remembered being 19 or 20, and going through my mystical phase. I was lost, and then I found God, and I just wanted to go out and preach the good news to everyone. When you’re a teenager, you want to change the world, right? So when I read the briefing on the character, I thought, “This is who I would have liked to be if I had pursued a life in the church.” It felt like an opportunity to be that person for a bit, and that felt very, very encouraging. The casting process took three months, with several rounds of auditions. What was that experience like? It was really daunting, and there was a lot of self-doubt. I just had to keep trusting the process, and tell myself that they liked me enough to have that first callback, and they liked what they saw enough to invite me back again, and so on. When it came time for the final callback in Rome, I just kept thinking, “Don’t overdo it, just do what you did.” But you’re there with Nina Gold, Edward Berger and the producers. No pressure, right? [ Laughs ] I had to just keep it steady, follow their direction, and find the sweet spot of the emotion and the timing. As an actor, you were about to make your feature debut alongside some legendary performers. But as Father Benítez, your presence had to be grounded, and almost free of any doubts. How did you square those realities? The mindset I had to have was, “I belong here,” even though I was thinking, “Am I going to be able to perform at the level where I can share the screen with these giant actors?” It was a process of building up my self-esteem, and there were a lot of daily affirmations involved. Really, every day, I was saying, “I belong here. I got this role.” Even being in Rome, going to the sets, I had to wake up and do that exercise over and over again, and open myself up to the support and generosity of the other actors. That was unexpected. Not that I thought they would be cold, but they really did help guide me, and that was the best thing of all with this experience. Also, after being an architect for 30 years, you have to face some really, really difficult situations with investors and authorities, and there is no second take. There’s no reset — you just have to be able to deliver. So in that sense, my experience in architecture was actually really helpful here. Did the experience of portraying Cardinal Benítez teach you anything about yourself? Did you connect with the character’s struggles in any way? I think in life, we find ourselves in certain situations where you feel like you don’t belong. Maybe you face rejection, or harassment from other people. You might feel like something’s wrong with you, but you have to build up your character, and find a way to love and accept yourself for who you are. Benítez has achieved that. That’s what gives him the confidence to stand beside these other cardinals and stay loyal to who he is, but also to confront everyone who is missing the point in this exercise of picking the next pope, everyone who’s forgotten the requirements of the robes they’re wearing. That’s the beauty of the character, is his assurance that when he’s on the right path, he won’t back down. Screenwriter Peter Straughan said that one of the things he hoped audiences would take away from the film would be one of Cardinal Benítez’s lines about knowing what it means to exist between certainties. What do you hope audiences leave the film with? That everybody has a choice. We all have free will. I think this movie asks you to question the very nature of your soul, your body, your mind, and how you interact with the world around you. Some of these characters have more flexible morals, some of them choose to stick to the rules, and someone like Benítez decides to embrace his nature. He believes that he was made by God’s will, and he sticks to that. Maybe that’s what makes him more compassionate, more loving, more caring. The movie is about the doubt, the leaps of faith that keep each of them moving forward, and the choices they make to either embrace their nature or turn away from it. Your character has several very moving scenes one-on-one with Ralph Fiennes’ Cardinal Lawrence, but I think one of the best moments in the film is when Cardinal Benítez addresses the rest of the conclave. How did you prepare for that scene? I’ll tell you the difference in inspiration versus execution. The inspiration going into it was [Franco Zeffirelli’s 1977 TV series] “Jesus of Nazareth,” when Jesus goes into the temple and kicks out the merchants, because they’re making a business out of faith. Here, everyone is trying to use the situation that the church is going through to gain support for themselves. But in execution, can you actually imagine being there in front of everyone? [ Laughs ] I had just gone from shooting the scene with Ralph Fiennes out on the patio where we talked about the turtles. That was one on one, but now I was in front of everyone. Ralph, Stanley, John, Sergio — everyone was listening to me. The night before, I really freaked out, and I asked John Lithgow for advice. From day one, he had told me, “I’m going to be your secret coach.” So I went to him and said, “OK, secret coach, I need your help, please.” He invited me over to his apartment to discuss it, and we talked about stage fright. He said, “Stage fright is always there, it’s just about how you manage it. You need to be empowered, and you have to know that when you deliver a speech, you own the scene. You control the pace. You set the tone. You determine your intonation, how you’re going to handle the emotional shifts, everything. Nobody is going to cut you off, or tackle you, or call a direction. They’re going to let you run this whole scene from beginning to end. And once you’re done, you’ll get some direction, you’ll try to incorporate it, and you’ll do it over again. But every single time, you own the scene.” Did that translate on the day of? One of the things that my first coach ever told us is, “Everyone Is cheering for you, because everybody wants you to do your best.” That’s how it felt that day. But still, when we were about to shoot that scene, I had the microphone here [on my chest], and Edward Berger comes close to me, and says, “Are you OK? Do you need anything?” I told him I was fine, and he says, “I can hear your heartbeat.” I had no idea, but I told him, “Well, if the heartbeat is coming through in the sound, maybe it would be a good idea to keep it in the background, because it’s a very heartfelt speech, right?” I have no idea if they used it, but it was fun to know that he could hear it. You and the rest of the cast have been getting rave reviews for your performances, what’s up next for you? There are a few shows of interest that my agent and I are looking at but can’t talk about yet. I just hope that this experience will lead to even more interesting, challenging experiences. That’s all I can hope for at this point. It’s been overwhelming the big reception that this has had, but it’s very encouraging, and I’ll keep running with that. Cat Cardenas is a Latina writer and photographer based in Austin, Texas . Her work has appeared in Rolling Stone, New York Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, GQ and other publications.
( MENAFN - Gulf Times) Registration for the "Al Daou" and "Al Talaa" championships, as part of the 16th edition of the Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2025), will begin this evening at the headquarters of Al Gannas Qatari Society in Katara – the Cultural Village. The festival, held under the patronage of HE sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani and supported by the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (Daam), is scheduled to take place from January 1 to February 1 at Sabkhat Marmi in the Sealine Area. Registration and inspection for the "Al Daou" and "Al Talaa" championships will continue until December 26. Online registration for these events is open until 11pm on December 25. Meanwhile, registration for the "Haddad Al Tahaddi" championship, which started Monday, continues until December 26. However, registration for the Saluki Race has officially closed. Haddad Al Tahaddi Committee chairman Shawqi al-Kaabi said that the second day of registration saw a high turnout, as expected, following strong participation on the first day. He stressed that registration for Haddad Al Tahaddi will continue until Thursday evening in Katara. “We saw registrations from competitors across the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, which is a promising sign of an exciting competition ahead between falcons and homing pigeons on the field,” he said. "The registration witnessed significant and expected turnout for the various races, including the hybrid and Arabian categories,” said Ibrahim Khalil al-Tamimi, a member of the Saluki Race Committee. “We anticipate a thrilling race and wish all participants success,” he added.“The Saluki Race is a vital part of the Marmi Festival, attracting a dedicated audience due to its excitement, challenge, and entertainment." MENAFN23122024000067011011ID1109025650 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.