President Biden visits Texas after a severe winter storm and power outages
President Biden visits areas of Texas after a severe winter storm caused massive power outages across the state.
Police in Kazakhstan detained dozens of opposition supporters on Sunday who took to the streets of major cities denouncing what they called political repression in the oil-rich Central Asian nation. The ruling Nur Otan party has dominated the political scene in the former Soviet republic for almost three decades while opposition movements, sidelined and with no seats in parliament, mostly make themselves heard through public protests. Supporters of two separate opposition groups rallied in different locations in Kazakhstan's biggest city, Almaty, and a few other big cities on Sunday to demand political reforms and the release of people they described as political prisoners.
Vasilevskiy, who blanked Carolina on Wednesday, recorded the 23rd shutout of his career, saving all 45 shots in the two whitewashings. Steven Stamkos and Anthony Cirelli each produced a goal and an assist, and Ondrej Palat, Pat Maroon and Brayden Point scored.
KUCHING, Feb 28 — Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said today that the late reopening of schools in red zones is to meet...
Ten people, including three children, were injured after a fire broke out at a flat in Whampoa on Sunday (28 February) morning.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi group said on Saturday it had thwarted a ballistic missile attack by the Houthis on the Saudi capital Riyadh, and destroyed six armed drones launched towards cities in the kingdom's south. Six drones aimed at targeting "civilians and civilian objects" were launched towards Jazan and Khamis Mushait, the coalition said in a statement carried on Saudi state media. The Iranian-aligned Houthis subsequently said they had deployed a ballistic missile and nine drones at "sensitive targets" in Riyadh and six drones at military sites in Abha and Khamis Mushait.
Thailand started its first vaccinations Sunday with 200 public health officials receiving the Sinovac vaccine from China. Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was given the first shot at a hospital near Bangkok, followed by the deputy health minister and other senior officials. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who attended the vaccination ceremony, said the public should have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, as it has been approved by authorities in Thailand and other countries.
KUCHING, Feb 28 — Julau Member of Parliament Larry Sng today said he left PKR after consulting his constituents over the past few days to become a federal government-friendly Independent. “We...
A trio of gunmen shot and killed a religious cleric, his teenage son and a student on the outskirts of Pakistan's capital Islamabad, police said, amid a rise in militant attacks. Police officer Shahzad Khan said the killing took place in the Bhara Kahu neighborhood when Mufti Ikramur Rehman was heading toward his car with his 13-year-old son and a seminary student late Saturday night. The cleric, his son and the student received multiple gunshot wounds and died at a hospital.
Thousands of people demonstrated in cities across Argentina on Saturday to protest the "VIP vaccinations" scandal that forced the health minister to resign.
The Philippines is due to receive its first batch of COVID-19 vaccine Sunday, among the last in Southeast Asia to secure the critical doses despite having the second-highest number of coronavirus infections and deaths in the hard-hit region. President Rodrigo Duterte and top Cabinet officials will welcome the arrival of 600,000 doses of China-donated vaccine in a ceremony at an air base in the capital that will underscore their relief after weeks of delays, officials said. Aside from the donated vaccine from Sinovac Biotech Ltd., the government has separately ordered 25 million doses from the China-based company.
Dozens were injured on Sunday as Bangladeshi police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at opposition activists to prevent new protests over the death of a writer in jail, police and a party official said.
Fresh protests in Barcelona over the jailing of a Spanish rapper turned violent on Sunday, with ten people arrested for assaulting the cops by nightfall.Trash cans were set on fire, broken glass covered the sidewalks, and police lines formed around crowds.Demonstrations began earlier this month, after rapper Pablo Hasel was arrested and taken to start his nine-month jail sentence.Known for being anti-establishment, Hasel was convicted in 2018 for breaking free speech laws glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty.In tweets and lyrics, he called Spain's former King a mafia boss, likened Spanish judges to Nazis and referenced a Basque separatist group, ETA.On Saturday, some 2,000 people in masks and holding banners marched through Barcelona, calling for his release.Police put up barricades downtown, as businesses and a police van went up in flames.Pressure now mounts on Spain's government to uphold its recent promise to relax free speech laws.
Forty-seven Hong Kong democrats and activists were charged on Sunday with conspiracy to commit subversion, in the largest single crackdown on the democratic opposition under a China-imposed national security law. Sam Cheung, a young activist and a participant in an unofficial primary election last summer, was charged after reporting to a local police station, dressed in a black mask and accompanied by his wife. "Hong Kongers have a really tough time these days," he told reporters before entering the station.
There’s a lot of talk about the secret formula behind delicious Krabby Patties in “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run,” but the real secret formula lies in the creative trust that has managed to create not one, not two, but now three thoroughly entertaining feature-length adaptations of the long-running TV show. In an era when so many 25-page children’s books or eight-minute animated shorts have been bloated beyond proportion on their way to becoming 90-minute movies, Team SpongeBob deserves credit for unlocking the alchemy behind building up and building out a storyline and a set of characters without losing sight of what made the original beloved in the first place. This time around, writer-director Tim Hill steps in, and he’s managed to take the goofy denizens of Bikini Bottom on a road trip that is visually dazzling and almost consistently hilarious, mixing verbal and physical humor, as well as some perfectly chosen cameos, both in-person and among the voice cast. (Celebrity is usually the last refuge of a brainless kid movie, but “Sponge on the Run” offers some examples on how to include them in a clever way.) Watch Video: SpongeBob Squarepants Looks for Gary in 'Sponge on the Run' Trailer - And Finds Keanu Reeves It’s just another day under the sea, with the always-upbeat SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny) hanging out with best pal Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) and putting in a full day’s work at the Krusty Krab, much to the consternation of his irritated neighbor and co-worker Squidward (Rodger Bumpass). The scheming Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) plots once again to steal the Krabby Patty formula from the Krusty Krab’s owner Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), but Plankton’s computer-wife Karen (Jill Talley) points out that the real way to undermine the Krusty Krab is to get SpongeBob out of the way. Plankton nefariously steals SpongeBob’s beloved snail pet Gary and gives it to the vain Poseidon (Matt Berry, “What We Do in the Shadows”), who has eradicated the local snail population by using their slime as part of his skin-care regimen. The distraught SpongeBob and faithful wingman Patrick make their way to the Lost City of Atlantic City to retrieve Gary, getting help along the way from a wise and helpful tumbleweed named Sage (Keanu Reeves, of course). Hill provides enough plot and stakes to get viewers through 91 minutes of TV-sized silliness, but he also wisely never lets either get in the way of the laughs, which are plentiful here. From the outrageous physical permutations of the characters (SpongeBob cleans the kitchen by absorbing mop water and then squirting it out his various pores) to more subtle bits (“Sponge on the Run” has one of the best diegetic-music gags since the orchestra bus in “High Anxiety”), the sponge-and-his-snail narrative never gets in the way of the bit. Also Read: 'SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run' to Debut on Paramount+ at March Launch If there’s one section that drags, it’s when all of SpongeBob’s Bikini Bottom pals — including squirrel Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence) — give flashback-testimonials to how kind and selfless SpongeBob is. The whole segment feels like a backdoor pilot for the upcoming Paramount+ series “Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years,” which follows the adventures of these characters as children. Director of photography Peter Lyons Collister and the team of animators very effectively expand the TV show’s universe by keeping the bright flatness of Bikini Bottom and then contrasting it with the richer palette and more garish lighting of Poseidon’s domain. And Berry’s plummy Poseidon makes for a wonderful addition to the accomplished TV cast, as does Reeves and, in some lovely fleeting appearances, Tiffany Haddish (as an animated Master of Ceremonies), Snoop Dogg, and Danny Trejo. (I laughed every time they played the theme song for Trejo’s character: “El Diablo/El Diablo/El Diablo … very bad man.”) Watch Video: SpongeBob's Jellyfishing Trip Goes Belly Up in 'Kamp Koral' Sneak Peek Tim Hill has had a fascinating career, mostly in kids/family films, from the grating “Hop” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks” to the underrated and delightful “Max Keeble’s Big Move” and “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever.” But as a veteran of SpongeBob’s TV, movie, and even video-game incarnations, he’s found the perfect balance in “Sponge Out of Water,” which is dedicated to SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg, who passed away in 2018. Whatever their age or familiarity level with these characters, this is that rare family film that could actually entertain an entire family. Parents looking to watch something with their children — or just to distract their children for 91 minutes — will do better with this film than, say, the wretched 2021 “Tom & Jerry.” Don’t have kids? It’s a great double-feature with “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.” Either way, this is a testament to why SpongeBob SquarePants and his pals have been so popular for more than two decades. “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run” premieres on Paramount+ and PVOD March 4. Read original story ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run’ Film Review: Third Time’s Still Charming for Big-Screen ‘SquarePants’ At TheWrap
Chinese Super League champions Jiangsu FC have "ceased operations", the club said on Sunday, underlining the financial problems roiling football in the country.
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — The eCurve shopping mall in Petaling Jaya has notified tenants that it will be closing permanently effective March 31, 2021. Tenants were served a notice regarding the...
Dozens of Hong Kong dissidents were charged with subversion on Sunday in the largest use yet by police of Beijing's sweeping new national security law, as authorities seek to cripple the finance hub's democracy movement.
MOH has confirmed the detection of 11 new cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore as of noon on Sunday (28 February).
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — Tebrau voters should send a clear message to their MP, Steven Choong, who abandoned Pakatan Harapan for the ruling Perikatan Nasional today, said Johor Wanita PKR chief...
Barber Mike Brown carefully guides his trimmer as he fights misconceptions about Covid-19 among his African-American customers, who face an outsize risk from the virus but are less likely to get vaccinated.