Latest news with #AssociatePress
Time Out
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time Out
2000 Meters to Andriivka
While most directors fret over final cuts and spiralling budgets, it's more likely to be exploding mortar shells and buzzing drones that keep Ukrainian filmmaker-reporter Mstyslav Chernov awake at night. Fresh from winning a Best Documentary Oscar for 20 Days in Mariupol, a fly-on-the-shattered-wall depiction of the brutal 2022 siege by Putin's invading army, the insanely brave journalist-filmmaker has picked up his camera and found somewhere even more dangerous to go. That place? A pencil-thin strip of blasted forest just outside the destroyed village of Andriivka in eastern Ukraine. The fields on both sides are sewn with landmines, making the task of capturing the village a forest crawl of hidden Russian bunkers, random shellfire and sudden death. It's a trench-by-trench battle as brutal as Okinawa or the Somme, and Chernov and his Associate Press colleague Alex Babenko are right there with the Ukrainian assault brigade assigned to the task. Its vérité view of combat is intense and confronting. What makes it so impactful is the first-person nature of the footage – suddenly, the tools of modern warfare have become filmmaking tools too. Footage from soldiers' bodycams and aerial photography from reconnaissance drones puts you right in the shoes of the men – sometimes even as they fall, wounded. The result is disorientating, distressing and often surreal. It'd feel like Call of Duty if it wasn't so grimly real. Alex Garland's Warfare suffers by comparison Of course, there's an element of propaganda here – this is a documentary guaranteed to stiffen a nation's resolve and win sympathy overseas. But Chernov's quest for clarity transcends love of country, and there's a sense of pessimism about what lies ahead for his country that makes the tone more melancholy than triumphalist. There's also a note of anger at the patronising tone of the western media in its coverage of the Ukrainian war effort. Audio clips of dismissive European and US news media reports are overlaid on combat footage as the unit's casualties mount up. 2000 Meters to Andriivka does a stunning job of bringing humanity to its combatants – an extraordinarily brave and determined bunch. (Alex Garland's Warfare suffers by comparison with the deeper characterisation yielded by Chernov's footage.) As the men slog towards their objective – 200 metres… 150 metres… 100 metres – there are lulls that give these proud men time to reflect on their fight for homes and families. The enemy is just 'the motherfuckers'. One new recruit asks not to be filmed, because 'I haven't done anything heroic yet'. Taking cover in a foxhole as mortar rounds land nearby, Chernov offers the recruit a roll-up as the man shares his post-war resolutions. He won't live long enough to see them through. A groundbreaking view of the horror and pity of war, I can't remember a cinematic experience quite like it. It's devastating and extraordinary.
Perth Now
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
WATCH: Nuns shock TV viewers with beatbox and dance skills
A pair of Brazilian nuns have gone viral after showcasing their unique beatboxing and dance skills on a catholic TV channel. Appearing on TV Pai Eterno on May 20, a Portuguese-speaking channel, the unassuming catholic servants enjoyed an interview with their two hosts before Sister Marizele began singing. Moments later, she proceeded to flex her vocal range and switched to beatboxing, with the nun's catchy tune prompting Sister Marisa to flaunt her fancy footwork as the pair found their groove. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Dressed modestly in white tops and jackets to match their blue skirts, the performance took viewers off guard and has subsequently made the pair internet sensations. 'That moment was very spontaneous, because with sister Marisa, if you start a beat, she will dance,' Sister Marizele Cassiano told Associate Press in an interview translated to English. 'And I'm used to singing, to beatboxing, so for us it was very simple, spontaneous and at the same time very surprising to see that it went viral even outside Brazil.' Online, fans have been quick to offer their nun puns in support of the performance. One person referred to the pair as a 'Sister Act', while American TV presenter Carson Daly labelled them 'Nun DMC'. 'Not even religious but this is a bop,' another user said. Others found the nuns' unorthodox antics reminiscent of The Sound of Music, with one asking, 'How do you solve a problem like Maria?'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump orders US flags to fly at half-staff to honor Pope Francis
The Brief Trump orders U.S. flags at half-staff to honor Pope Francis after his passing. Announcement made during White House Easter Egg Roll, attended by 40,000 guests. American Egg Board assures egg donations won't strain supply or raise prices. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump signed an executive order to lower flags at federal and state buildings to half-staff in honor of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88. Live updates: Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88 "He was a good man, worked hard," Trump said of the late pope during the White House Easter Egg Roll. "He loved the world, and it's an honor to do that." Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed approximately 40,000 attendees to the annual event, marking the first Easter Egg Roll of his second term. Children participated in activities such as egg rolling and hunting, alongside celebrations promoting next year's 250th anniversary of America's founding. Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, said that the 2,500 dozen eggs donated to the White House were smaller sizes not typically sold by retailers, ensuring no strain on supply or price increases. READ MORE: World leaders mourn the passing of Pope Francis The Source Information in this article comes from the Associate Press and from President Donald Trump.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
AP editor: Battle with Trump about ‘something so much bigger than Gulf of America'
The top editor at the Associate Press says the ongoing dispute with the White House over the wire service's refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the 'Gulf of America' without caveat is 'about something so much bigger' than what a body of water is called. 'This is about freedom of speech and that is a principle, a right that Americans across the political spectrum believe in deeply,' Julie Pace, who has been the AP's executive editor since 2021, said during an appearance on ABC's 'This Week' on Sunday. 'This is about whether the government can control the language that we use, that ordinary people can use, and it's about whether the government can retaliate against you if you don't use the language that they prefer.' Before assuming her current role at the 179-year-old global wire service, Pace, 42, spent four years as the wire's Washington bureau chief — a stint that overlapped with Trump's previous term in the White House. 'We are standing up for that right, not just for the AP, but for all independent news organizations and for the public because we believe, again, that this is a principle, freedom of speech that all Americans, regardless of their political party, should believe in,' Pace said Sunday. Shortly after Trump's Inauguration Day executive order renaming the body of water the 'Gulf of America,' the wire service issued guidance that said it would not update its influential stylebook to reflect the directive and that its reporters 'will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen.' The White House responded by restricting the AP's access to the Oval Office and Air Force One. The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) and individual media outlets had come out in support of the AP. The AP is challenging the White House's actions in court, with a hearing expected later this month. 'We certainly hope that it results in us being allowed back into cover White House events because we're there to be the eyes and ears for Americans and people around the world,' Pace said. The Trump administration announced last week a major change to how it's covered, taking over assignments to the press pool that covers the president. The WHCA blasted the move. 'This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps,' the organization said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
03-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
AP editor: Battle with Trump about ‘something so much bigger than Gulf of America'
The top editor at the Associate Press says the ongoing dispute with the White House over the wire service's refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the 'Gulf of America' without caveat is 'about something so much bigger' than what a body of water is called. 'This is about freedom of speech and that is a principle, a right that Americans across the political spectrum believe in deeply,' Julie Pace, who has been the AP's executive editor since 2021, said during an appearance on ABC's 'This Week' on Sunday. 'This is about whether the government can control the language that we use, that ordinary people can use, and it's about whether the government can retaliate against you if you don't use the language that they prefer.' Before assuming her current role at the 179-year-old global wire service, Pace, 42, spent four years as the wire's Washington bureau chief — a stint that overlapped with Trump's previous term in the White House. 'We are standing up for that right, not just for the AP, but for all independent news organizations and for the public because we believe, again, that this is a principle, freedom of speech that all Americans, regardless of their political party, should believe in,' Pace said Sunday. Shortly after Trump's Inauguration Day executive order renaming the body of water the 'Gulf of America,' the wire service issued guidance that said it would not update its influential stylebook to reflect the directive and that its reporters 'will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen.' The White House responded by restricting the AP's access to the Oval Office and Air Force One. The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) and individual media outlets had come out in support of the AP. The AP is challenging the White House's actions in court, with a hearing expected later this month. 'We certainly hope that it results in us being allowed back into cover White House events because we're there to be the eyes and ears for Americans and people around the world,' Pace said. The Trump administration announced last week a major change to how it's covered, taking over assignments to the press pool that covers the president. The WHCA blasted the move. 'This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps,' the organization said.
