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A handout photo made available by the Russian Defence Ministry press-service shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, meeting with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov during his visit in Pyongyang, North Korea, Nov. 29. EPA-Yonhap Russia's Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has left Pyongyang after a two-day visit during which he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the North's state media reported Sunday. Belousov and a Russian defense ministry delegation he led departed Pyongyang the previous day via Pyongyang Sunan International Airport after visiting the Liberation Tower and Mangyongdae in the capital earlier in the day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The Russian minister arrived in the North Korean capital on Friday for high-level talks with North Korean military officials, amid deepening military cooperation between the two countries. On Friday, he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who expressed support for Russia's war against Ukraine. The KCNA said that Belousov and his delegation visited the Liberation Tower in Pyongyang's Moranbong area on Saturday, where they laid flowers before departing the North Korean capital. The monument was established in 1946 to honor Russian soldiers who died fighting for North Korea's liberation from the Japanese colonial rule during World War II. The Russian minister also visited Mangyongdae, the birthplace of North Korea founder Kim Il-sung, where he wrote in a guest book his wishes for "welfare and peace" for North Koreans and a "grand victory" for North Korea's efforts to build a powerful nation, according to the KCNA. North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol and Jong Kyong-thaek, director of the military's General Political Bureau, sent the Russian delegation off at the airport, it said. North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military cooperation under a major defense treaty signed in June that calls for providing military assistance "without delay" if either side comes under attack. North Korea deployed thousands of troops to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine, with South Korea and the United States assessing that some of them already entered combat. No mention of an agreement has been made by North Korea in connection with the latest visit by the Russian delegation, but the two sides are expected to have discussed a potential increase in North Korea's arms transfers or troop deployments for Russia and the rewards it would receive from Russia in return. (Yonhap) To remove this article -
Pedro Pascal is gearing up for the release of " Gladiator 2 ." As one of the biggest stars working in films and television today, Pascal has had first-hand experience with some of the world's best directors and filmmakers. He says nothing compares, in terms of scope, to the vision of Ridley Scott and the set of his Roman epic. It's easy to think of the Chilean-born Pascal as a Hollywood fixture. While his face now pervades franchises and epics, his story is that of a working actor, one who got his start with dozens of small credits in TV shows that defined eras, like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "The Good Wife," "Homeland," and more. Pascal's breakout famously came with "Game of Thrones." He appeared in the series' fourth season, at the height of Thrones' dominance over television, a pop culture moment that's been impossible to replicate since. While his role was small in the grand scheme of things, it launched his career. As of this writing, Pascal has been honored with some of the industry’s most prestigious recognitions. Last year, he made history as the Latino with the most Emmy nominations in a single year, receiving nods for his work in "The Last of Us" as lead drama actor, "Saturday Night Live" as guest comedy actor, and "Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World" as narrator. His lead drama actor nomination was groundbreaking, marking the first time in over a decade that a Latino was nominated in the category, the last being Jimmy Smits in 1999 for "NYPD Blue". Pascal also celebrated a career milestone by winning his first Screen Actors Guild Award, a moment that deeply moved him. As the 49 year old actor accepted the award onstage, he reflected on his journey, sharing that he'd been a SAG member since 1999 and was incredibly honored to be rewarded by his fellow actors. Next year, Pascal is starring in "Fantastic Four: First Steps," a film that's expected to launch a new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He's also a key cast member of "Gladiator 2," premiering this Friday. In a recent interview shared with HOLA! by the studio, Pascal opened up about his work with Ridley Scott, one of the world's most emblematic directors, and his friendship with the film's star, Paul Mescal. "Being on the set of a Ridley Scott film is unlike any movie experience I've ever had. And I mean that with complete sincerity" "I've been on incredible sets. I've been on the set of 'Game of Thrones,' I've been on the set of 'Star Wars.' Incredibly large productions. And I've not been on anything like 'Gladiator 2' and I'm not likely to be on anything like 'Gladiator 2.' again." King Charles meets 'Gladiator II' stars, including Pedro Pascal! Pedro Pascal opens up about the 'physical' toll of Gladiator 2; 'More challenging than it's ever been for me.' Pedro Pascal poses with the cast of 'Fantastic Four': First look "It's not done anymore," he says of Scott's approach to working, which relies on old-school filmmaking, filled with tangible objects and real explosions. Scott's sets are made up of large crews that don't rely on the aid of CGI for stunning sights, bombs, and stunt work, many of which abound in "Gladiator 2," a film that takes Roman excess to heart. "Ridley is the kind of director who insists that all the pieces be in place. He has multiple cameras going on at once so that all of the things are there in front of you," explains Pascal. "It is that kind of old school entertainment that does things that can only be done now in cinema" Pascal also described his admiration for his co-star Mescal, who's leading his first massive production after doing some critically acclaimed independent work. "I knew he would be my friend," he said. "And I was just sort of like, waiting. As soon as I got to Morocco, I was like, where's Paul?" "It couldn't have felt more safe and strangely dangerous to have an immediate connection with an actor so that we could beat the shit out of each other as best as possible," he said with a smile. "Audiences can expect to be incredibly entertained by Gladiator 2, like they were with the first movie. It is a powerful ensemble cast" More details about 'Gladiator 2' "Gladiator 2" is one of the most anticipated sequels ever. The original film, released in 2000, stars Russel Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman general who is betrayed and sold as a slave. With no other opportunities, Maximus becomes a gladiator, rising through the ranks of the arena in hopes of avenging the murder of his family. The sequel follows the story of Maximus' son, Lucius, played by Mescal , who becomes a gladiator after his home is invaded and he's taken in as a prisoner of war. Pascal plays General Marcus Acacius, a character that rapidly becomes Lucius' enemy. While Acacius is in many ways one of the film's antagonists, the role, and Pascal's performance, are imbued with layers. "One of my favorite things about the character is his context in terms of one of the original beloved characters of the first movie," explains Pascal. He describes Acacius as part of the "connective tissue" of the "Gladiator" universe. Similarities between Pascal and Marcus Acacius Pascal reflected on the similarities between himself and General Marcus Acacius. "The way that I'm similar to my character is that he's very loyal. And I believe myself to be a very, very loyal person, loyal to my friends and family." In terms of differences, Pascal had a very practical answer. "The difference being that I would never get into an arena with any actor more than 20 years younger than myself," he said with a smile. The physical toll of 'Gladiator 2' Pascal also discussed the preparation he took to be a part of the film, which involved a lot of fight scenes and physical effort. "I prepared for this role by training, mainly," he said. When it comes to character work, he tried to immerse himself in the work of Ridley Scott, something that turned out to be pretty enjoyable. "Instead of studying Roman history, I used it as an excuse to rewatch all of my favorite Ridley Scott movies. And to just let my imagination fill itself with his visual authorship of cinema. And to just kind of unconsciously deliver myself into his vision, be a set piece, and honor the movement of his visuals as best as I could." "It's not very actorly, but more kind of like... I know what instrument I am and make myself the best instrument for him to play." Then, with a laugh, he said "I just think about Ridley making myself a clarinet and Ridley just being like, this is Pedro, my clarinet." Pascal attended the London premiere with his sister, Lux Pascal , with both looking stunning in black outfits. Her companionship was unsurprising given how often he speaks of his family, in particular, of his positive relationship with his siblings. Last year, at the 2023 Oscars, Pascal attended the event with his older sister, the producer Javiera Balmaceda . The two have carved out their names in Hollywood, with her being featured as one of The Hollywood Reporters ' "Most Powerful Women Working on International Television," a title that Pascal proudly shared on his social media. As to how audiences can prepare for "Gladiator 2," Pascal makes it clear that theatergoers are in for an immersive cinematic experience. "Audiences can expect to be incredibly entertained," said Pascal. "It is a powerful ensemble cast led incredibly by Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington and Ridley Scott." "Gladiator 2" premieres in theaters this November 22nd in the US.
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BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Deshawn Purdie threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to O'Mega Blake for the go-ahead score and Charlotte defeated Florida Atlantic 39-27 on Saturday in a game that matched two new interim coaches. Charlotte (4-7, 3-4 American Athletic Conference) fired Biff Poggi on Monday and Tim Brewster took over. FAU (2-9, 0-7) fired Tom Ferman, also on Monday, with Chad Lunsford taking charge. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.With the NBA preparing to expand by two teams, some executives from Western Conference clubs think the NBA might eliminate conferences entirely and seed the playoffs 1-16. That's a dramatic solution to a problem that doesn't really exist. Western Conference executives believe the NBA could eliminate conferences and have the top 16 teams make the playoffs when the league expands to 32 teams, per @WindhorstESPN “Instead of dealing with that thorny competition, West executives told ESPN they believe both issues can... pic.twitter.com/Oe9yVyaRXd The NBA is planning to add two new expansion teams, targeting the 2027-28 season for their move to 32 teams. Las Vegas and Seattle are widely considered the leading candidates, which would create a regional imbalance. One Western Conference team will have to move to the East — we think it should be the Minnesota Timberwolves — to preserve the 16-team conferences. But ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports that some frustrated NBA executives from the West think expansion should push the NBA to rethink the playoffs and seed teams 1-16 based on their records "regardless of geography." That idea has come up in the past but may be gaining momentum this season, as only four Eastern Conference teams have winning records one month into the season. But there's a straightforward reason why disregarding geography for the playoffs is a bad idea: Time zones. Right now, the NBA can guarantee that it has games that fit into two windows for playoff games. The East teams are in one of two time zones, meaning their start times range from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Eastern. There's a natural fit for doubleheaders with games starting at 7-7:30 Pacific. Seeding games 1-16 is going to make playoff scheduling convoluted, as well as adding extra travel for many teams who'd find themselves flying cross-country between first-round games. All to make slight changes to a playoff system that's already working really well. It simply doesn't make a big difference in what teams make the playoffs. In 2014-15, the 45-37 Oklahoma City Thunder would have replaced the 38-44 Brooklyn Nets. In 2015-16, the 42-40 Detroit Pistons would have taken the spot of the 41-41 Houston Rockets. The Denver Nuggets (46-36) would have pushed out the Washington Wizards (43-39) in 2017-18, and the Memphis Grizzlies (34-39) would have aced out the Orlando Magic (33-40) in 2019-20. The NBA expanded the play-in tournament to 10 teams for the 2020-21 season, so in 2021-22, the New York Knicks (37-45) would have replaced the San Antonio Spurs (34-48) and last season, the Houston Rockets (41-41) would have made the play-in over the Atlanta Hawks (36-46). ( via Basketball-Reference ) Those are six changes to the playoff teams in a decade, with four West teams and two East teams benefiting. Three of the benefiting teams didn’t even have winning records. It’s not worth upending the entire structure of the NBA playoffs. The play-in tournament makes things more complicated, but if the NBA truly cared about keeping bad teams out of the postseason, they wouldn't have set up a play-in tournament that gives two-thirds of the league a shot at the playoffs, after an 82-game regular season. Plus, the NBA would lose one of the biggest things that makes the playoffs great: Rivalries. LeBron James has an intense rivalry with the Boston Celtics that stems from facing them in the playoffs seven times. The Celtics have had four intense matchups with the Miami Heat in five years, leading to some very memorable series. Games between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets still mean a lot after they played four playoff series in five seasons from 2015-19, even though no Rockets remain from those rosters. Plus, Western teams only need to finish in 10th place to get a shot in the play-in. It's hard to feel like a team is getting screwed over by the playoff format if they can't finish better than 11th in a group of 15 teams. And who's to say the West remains the superior conference into the future? The NBA is always tempted to tinker, but the playoffs are working fine. Getting rid of conferences makes everything more logistically difficult and confusing for fans — imagine explaining that 1-16 geography-free bracket to a casual basketball watcher, or your grandparent — without much discernable upside. Let's hope the Western executives are simply complaining and blowing off steam because eliminating conferences will also eliminate some fan interest.
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