Latest news with #Thorne
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Family fighting deportation to Italy gets another shot at staying in Canada
A dual citizen of Italy and Ethiopia who brought her two Italian children to Canada more than a decade back, using aliases and falsely claiming they were Eritrean citizens subject to religious persecution, has won another chance for her family to stay here. The Refugee Protection Division, which weighs refugee claims in Canada, initially accepted the 2014 claims of Tsegereda Tsegaye Wigebral and her two kids, Nobel and Melody Esayas Fisihatsion, now 19 and 17 respectively. But it nullified their refugee status and rejected their claim in December 2022 after learning their story was fake. That same month, the family was declared inadmissible to Canada. They were ordered deported in August 2023, but applied for a pre-removal risk assessment, their last-ditch bid to stay here. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Last April, a senior immigration officer 'reviewed the applicants' file and held that they were not at risk of persecution, or subject to a danger of torture, and nor did they face a risk to their lives or a cruel or unusual punishment if they were removed to Italy,' according to a recent Federal Court decision out of Ottawa. 'While the applicants had alleged that they faced serious discrimination, social exclusion and abuse there, due to their race, and had alleged that they could not rely on the police or authorities for protection, the officer determined that there was not sufficient evidence before them to substantiate those claims,' wrote Justice Darren Thorne. The officer 'accepted that the applicants may have been subjected to 'less favourable treatment' due to their race, but found they had failed to establish that this rose to the level of persecution,' said Thorne's decision, dated June 25. 'In one of the central findings, the officer noted, in relation to mistreatment in Italy, that the principal applicant had provided 'little to no further elaboration or evidence as to how she came to the conclusion that the Italian authorities would not help her.'' The trouble is, immigration officials had asked the older child, who had turned 18, to file his own application, but the immigration officer handling their case didn't look at what Nobel submitted before making a decision. Thorne said the immigration officer's decision was 'clearly' made without viewing the totality of the family's applications. 'The right to be heard is among the most basic aspects of procedural fairness. When a decision has clearly been made without considering all of the materials submitted by an applicant, this right has been compromised,' said Thorne, who sent the family's case back to a different immigration officer to re-evaluate. A lawyer representing Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, who was fighting for the family's removal, couldn't explain why that happened, although they noted the officer may not have seen Nobel's application. The same lawyer argued Nobel's submissions 'were immaterial, as they contained broadly the same information as had been provided by the principal applicant,' and that the information he provided 'also did not establish that the treatment suffered by the applicants rose to the level of persecution, so it would not have changed the officer's decision, even if it had been considered.' The judge did not find that argument persuasive. 'This supposition is pure speculation, and no evidence was put forth in support of it,' Thorne said. 'It makes little difference whether the officer had missed, disregarded or somehow failed to have personally received the second (pre-removal risk assessment) application. The point is that the decision clearly did not involve consideration of this information from the applicants.' Thorne concluded that the officer either didn't know that there was a second application or 'completely ignored' it. Either way, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had specifically requested the information, so the officer should have addressed why Nobel's application had been disregarded, if indeed it was dismissed purposefully. The judge noted that Nobel's application contained more details about what his family would face in Italy that were relevant, including the racism and discrimination 'that is allowed or encouraged by political leaders in Italy.' 'Such evidence would seem directly pertinent to findings in the decision that the applicants had not provided elaboration or evidence in support of their beliefs that state authorities could not be relied upon for protection,' Thorne wrote. The judge didn't buy the argument that, even if the officer had looked at Nobel's submissions, it 'would not have led to the conclusion that the malign treatment allegedly suffered by the applicants rose to the level of persecution.' 'It is certainly possible that this belief is correct, and that this might well have been the determination of the officer, but it is not the role of this court to speculate on what the findings of the officer would have been, had they considered the information in the second (pre-removal risk assessment) application. It is unknowable what impact this would have had on the decision,' Thorne said. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Filmmaker R.T. Thorne's ‘40 Acres' blends dystopian thrills with family drama
R.T. Thorne built a career directing music videos and episodic television before making his feature debut with his post-apocalyptic thriller '40 Acres.' Its setting on a farm hearkens back to the filmmaker's own youth in Calgary when he spent time on farms and among the fruits and vegetables of his father's produce-supply business. But then Thorne's mother moved him and his brother to Toronto. An immigrant from Trinidad, the racism she experienced in her new country made her determined to give her sons the tools they would need to survive in a world that could be so hostile. Those early lessons and his mother's strength form the basis for '40 Acres.' 'Being a first-generation Canadian in a new world, I had my own ideas of freedom and what I wanted,' Thorne recalled during a visit to the Bay Area where '40 Acres' screened at the SFFilm Festival. 'And I was often telling her, 'You know, Mom, maybe it's not as bad as you think it is.' And my mom's like, 'No, it's bad.'' That mother-son relationship became the core of the film, he said. Danielle Deadwyler stars as Hailey Freeman in Thorne's dystopian tale, the descendant of American slaves who arrived in Canada generations before via the Underground Railroad and established the titular 40-acre farm that is now hers. In this future world, most animals are extinct, and famine is rampant. But Hailey, her Indigenous partner Galen (Michael Greyeyes), and their blended family thrive, thanks to that rarest of commodities, arable land. A military veteran, Hailey has erected strong security measures and trained the children in self-defense against invaders. The family lives peaceably, but when her teenage son Emanuel (Kataem O'Connor) meets a girl while running an errand outside the farm's perimeter, their interaction leads to a confrontation that threatens the family's closely held birthright. 'It's a universal conflict that happens in almost every family. The previous generation tells the younger generation, 'This is how the world is,' and the younger generation goes, 'Well, maybe it could be something else.'' For Deadwyler, who received a BAFTA nomination for her performance in 'Till' as Mamie Till-Mobley, another protective mother but one who couldn't stop the murder of her son Emmett, what attracted her to Thorne and co-writer Glenn Taylor's script was the family story and its action elements. 'I loved a family busting evil's ass,' she said during a recent interview before growing serious. 'The experience of present-day motherhood, and specifically, Black motherhood has a certain temper to it, with regard to the way violence plays out in Black communities from police and authoritarian figures and the way it's playing out in immigrant communities, those things are constant. When thinking about your children stepping foot outside the door for joy and playfulness or just going to freaking school, there is a hard, pulsing fear. 'You heighten that with Hailey's post-apocalyptic world that has people literally trying to come over the fence to kill your family,' she added. 'You do what you have to do in order to survive.' '40 Acres' lays out the risks facing Hailey's family from the beginning, with an encounter with marauding strangers. But building a portrait of daily life amid an idyllic setting was just as important to Thorne. He wanted a kind of Eden, a lush landscape far from any road or hint of civilization, and found it in a real farm in northern Ontario. The location fed into the actors' sense of their characters and their circumstances. 'I drove a tractor!' Deadwyler said. 'You're walking incessantly. You're out amidst the cosmos and the stars. You can see things very clearly and distinctly. It's very different than being in any kind of metropolis. There's a quietude to the experience. There were moose, coyotes and foxes. It just enhances the experience and the understanding of somebody in that world.' For his part, Thorne described Deadwyler as a generational talent, one that enriches every role she takes. When it came to playing Hailey, she balanced the woman's strength and vulnerability along with the physical presence of someone who spent their life in nature. 'Danielle showed up the first day, and she sat down on a log outside while we were preparing,' Thorne said. 'I turned and I looked at her, and she looked like she'd been there for 23 years and had worked the land. She just embodied that.' 'I've never seen this family like Hailey's onscreen,' he added. 'I've never seen a Black and Indigenous family, even though our communities have a lot of shared history. Both cultures survived colonialism and have had to rely on each other, but we've never seen those stories told. I just wanted to see that family's story and see their survival.'
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Dominque Thorne on the physical and mental challenges playing Marvel's 'Ironheart'
NEW YORK – Dominque Thorne admits it's a "bit of a relief" that Disney+'s Marvel series "Ironheart" is seeing the light of day after five years in development (first three episodes now streaming; three final installments due July 1). But the actress, who reprises her role from 2022's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" as the series' title character, is thankful for the time she had to prepare for the project. "I think it was a great chance to really hit the ground running," Thorne, 27, tells USA TODAY of the series' delays, blamed partly on the 2023 Hollywood labor strikes. "'Wakanda Forever' was such a fabulous introduction to the scale, to the process, to the visual effects of it all." There's also a physical aspect to the role of Riri Williams, a 19-year-old genius who studies at MIT and creates an iron suit that rivals Tony Stark's. Thorne says that she learned a lot about what she calls the 52-pound "iron glory" suit from "Wakanda Forever." For "Ironheart," Thorne is working with a physical suit (from the full body armor to scenes where she only wears the helmet) about half of the time; the rest is handled with visual effects. The actress says Marvel was "a lot kinder on me, physically this go around" in regards to the costume. But that didn't mean the series didn't require physicality. She took on a few months of stunt training. "That might have been the highlight of the process for me," she says, admitting it wasn't all fun and games. "I can't even imagine playing these characters (who are not human) because I had all sorts of weird things happen. I had like a bone in my foot that kept getting jammed and (we) would have to shake it back and tape it up." How 'Ironheart' picks up from 'Wakanda Forever' As "Ironheart" begins, Riri finds herself at a crossroads, reckoning her role in the war between the people of Wakanda and the underwater Talokan kingdom. She "goes back home to Chicago to do a bit of reflecting and consider what it means for her to have contributed to something so insane, and what that says about her potential and her capabilities," Thorne says. In the process, Riri struggles with the anxiety of her decisions and how they'll impact those she loves. Thorne admits balancing Williams' mental state with her superhero capabilities was tough. "At the core of everything to me is how she became Ironheart that we have in the comics," Thorne says. Riri's stepdad Gary was a mechanic and his death inspired her pursuit of "iron anything." "It's very difficult to go out and rescue a world when you yourself have your own battles that you haven't yet fought." 'Ironheart' offers up the 'perfect' adversary: The Hood Thorne notes that when Riri returns home, she's in a comfortable setting. But that allows Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos) to catch her off guard. Robbins, who dawns a magical cloak to become The Hood, meets Williams at a time when they have a shared interest in proving their worth to the world and seeking validation from others. The difference is that Robbins isn't as well-intentioned as Riri. "When the show starts, (Williams) has a very clear idea of who she is, how the system works and how she fits into it," Thorne says. "And very quickly she realizes, 'This is not what I was expecting at all.' The Hood is absolutely not anything that Riri is expecting and that almost makes it the perfect challenge." As for working with Ramos, Thorne says that he was "so unserious, which is the best kind of scene partner." "(Ramos is) just so open and receptive and really leans into the fun of it all," she says. "He made it easy to enjoy, for sure."
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How many wins will Auburn earn in 2025? ESPN's Greg McElroy weighs in
An upgraded roster should propel Auburn to a winning season says the former Alabama quarterback. Auburn football finished the 2024 season with a 5-7 record, but was a few plays away from having a completely different season. Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has worked this offseason to upgrade his roster, enhancing several areas, including wide receiver, offensive line, defensive back, and quarterback. Will those upgrades push Auburn into a winning season? One ESPN analyst thinks so. During a recent episode of his Always College Football show, ESPN analyst and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy weighed in on Auburn's projected win total, saying that he "loves" the idea of Auburn turning in a winning product in 2024, starting with Jackson Arnold as a replacement for Payton Thorne at quarterback. McElroy looks for Arnold to overwrite issues that plagued Thorne last season. 'I mean, flat out, there's no denying it, if (Thorne) doesn't turn the ball over against Cal, if the turnovers don't happen against Oklahoma, if they don't start the backup (Hank Brown) against Arkansas, I think it's a very different season for the Auburn Tigers (in 2024),' McElroy said. Outside of roster improvements, McElroy believes that a hot start is vital for the Tigers. A strong win over Baylor to open the season and road wins over Texas A&M and/or Oklahoma will put Auburn at four or five wins before hosting Georgia to begin the October slate, which will carry momentum into the rest of the season. So, what is McElroy's prediction for Auburn's 2025 win total? 'So yes, I think, Auburn absolutely will have a winning season this year. I'd be surprised if it's not eight or nine wins,' McElroy said. Auburn begins the season on Friday, Aug. 29, at Baylor. The Tigers also have a favorable schedule that features home games against Georgia and Alabama, and an SEC slate with five teams that won eight or fewer games last season. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
The South African
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
Robert Downey Jr. shows love for 'Ironheart' star Dominique Thorne
Robert Downey Jr. sent a heartfelt video message in support of Dominique Thorne, the star of the new Marvel series Ironheart . The message was shared during a recent interview on Good Morning America . Thorne and co-star Anthony Ramos are promoting the show ahead of its Disney+ premiere on 24 June. Downey Jr., famously known for his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man, expressed his excitement about seeing Thorne bring the character Riri Williams to life, according to ABC . He said, 'Miss Thorne, I couldn't be happier than to be seeing you bring Riri Williams to life.' His tone mixed warmth with a touch of humour, perfectly capturing the spirit of his iconic character. He also playfully addressed Ramos, who plays Parker Robbins, aka The Hood . 'But the Hood has me nervous. Is the Hood green? Please tell me Mr. Ramos is not replacing me as Doctor Doom via Parker Robbins. Is there something they're not telling me?' This light-hearted jab added a fun moment to the message. Downey Jr. concluded the message by forming a heart with his hands. 'Iron Man loves Ironheart.' Thorne responded in kind, making the same gesture. 'Ironheart loves Iron Man, too.' This exchange symbolised a passing of the torch between two generations of Marvel heroes, resonating deeply with fans and viewers alike. Thorne shared that Downey Jr.'s support has meant a lot to her. She revealed that shortly after filming wrapped in Chicago, she received a phone call from him. 'He has been so sweet, like, through and through. So the support, it means so much. It really does,' she said. With Ironheart debuting soon, local viewers can look forward to seeing a fresh hero inspired by the legacy of Iron Man, a character beloved worldwide. The series promises to add a new chapter to the MCU story, blending innovation with the familiar charm that Robert Downey Jr. helped establish. Ironheart will be available on Disney+ from 24 June. Given the popularity of superhero content in South Africa, the show is expected to attract a strong local following. The heartfelt endorsement from Downey Jr. adds an extra layer of excitement for fans eager to see how the legacy of Iron Man continues through Dominique Thorne's portrayal of Riri Williams. Robert Downey Jr.'s message is a celebration of the enduring spirit of heroism that connects generations. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
