An already full-tilt movie franchise turns it up a notch in ‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning’

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

An already full-tilt movie franchise turns it up a notch in ‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning’ NEW YORK (AP) — There are, as a rule, only so many places you can go as an action movie after leaving Tom Cruise clinging to the side of an Airbus A400M and flinging him out a cargo plane at 25,000 feet.But in the kinetic, headlong world of “Mission: Impossible,” the pressure to keep upping the ante — like the films’ always-running star — never stops.“Every time we finish a movie, the first thing Tom says to me is: We can do better,” says Christopher McQuarrie.McQuarrie, the writer-director of 2015’s “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” and the 2018 franchise high point, “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” was working with Cruise on “Top Gun: Maverick ” (which McQuarrie wrote) when they started talking about their ambitions for the next iteration of “Mission: Impossible.”Their plan was to make not one but two sequels: Back-to-back blockbusters that would feature even bigger stunts — Cruise envisioned a motorcycle jump-slash-skydive — and a massive train sequence that McQuarrie pined to...

Slokavia defender Milan Skriniar, Spain striker Asensio join PSG on a five-year deal

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

Slokavia defender Milan Skriniar, Spain striker Asensio join PSG on a five-year deal PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain added some firepower to its squad with the arrival Thursday of Marco Asensio and bolstered its defense by signing Milan Skriniar on a five-year deal.PSG announced its first two recruits of the summer a day after unveiling new coach Luis Enrique.Asensio joined on a three-year deal through June 2026, PSG said. The left-footed striker won three Spanish league titles and three Champions Leagues with Real Madrid. He previously worked with Enrique when the Spanish manager was in charge of the national squad.“It’s a privilege to be part of this great club,” said Asensio, who like Skriniar joined on a free transfer “I’m looking forward to joining my new teammates and working with them to achieve some great goals.”PSG has reportedly been very active on the transfer market in recent weeks and is expected to announce further signings. Luis Enrique has pledged to build a competitive team in a bid to challenge for the Champions League title. Out of contract with ...

Trump valet Walt Nauta to be arraigned in classified documents case after earlier delays

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

Trump valet Walt Nauta to be arraigned in classified documents case after earlier delays MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump’s valet faced arraignment Thursday, accused of helping the former president hide classified documents from federal authorities.Walt Nauta smiled at reporters but didn’t say anything as he arrived for the proceedings.Nauta was charged alongside Trump in June in a 38-count indictment alleging the mishandling of classified documents. He was being arraigned before a federal magistrate in Miami, where a not guilty plea was expected. That was to have happened twice before, but he has struggled to retain a lawyer licensed in Florida and one appearance was postponed because of his travel troubles.Ahead of his arraignment, Nauta hired Sasha Dadan, a criminal defense attorney and former public defender whose main law office is in Fort Pierce, where the judge who would be handling the trial is based, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the court appearance.Trump pleaded not guilty during his June 13 arraign...

Child rescued after near-drowning at Oakland Park swimming school

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

Child rescued after near-drowning at Oakland Park swimming school Oakland Park Fire Rescue responded to reports of a near-drowning incident involving a four-year-old boy at a swimming school.Fire rescue arrived at the scene, located at 509 NE 43rd Street, around 10:30 a.m., Thursday.According to officials from Oakland Park Fire Rescue, the child was pulled from the water by a lifeguard. The young boy, who had been spitting up water and struggling to breathe, was immediately attended to by the trained personnel on site.As a precautionary measure, emergency responders decided to rush the child to Broward Health Medical Center. Further details regarding his condition were not immediately available.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

What is Threads? Here’s what you need to know about the potential ‘Twitter Killer’

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

What is Threads? Here’s what you need to know about the potential ‘Twitter Killer’ New York (CNN) — Facebook-parent Meta on Wednesday officially launched its Twitter competitor, Threads, after first confirming its plans for the app just three months ago.Threads is already off to a strong start: 10 million users signed up for the app in the first seven hours after its launch, according to the company, including a large number of brands, celebrities, journalists and many other prominent accounts.The mood on Threads Wednesday night felt a bit like the first day of school, with early adopters rushing to try out the app and write their first posts — and some questioning whether the app could end up being the “Twitter killer.” As of Thursday morning, Threads was the top free app on Apple’s App Store and a top trending topic on Twitter.Threads could pose a serious threat to Twitter, which has faced backlash since Elon Musk took over the platform in October 2022 and has run it with a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach. But Twitter has become particularly vulnerable in...

Tesla seeks seasonal vehicle operators in Miami to collect data on self-driving systems

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

Tesla seeks seasonal vehicle operators in Miami to collect data on self-driving systems MIAMI, Fla. (WSVN) — Tesla has announced its plan to hire drivers for seasonal positions this summer in Miami. The company is seeking individuals who will have the opportunity to drive Tesla cars and gather valuable data on the performance of their self-driving systems.In light of recent scrutiny surrounding Tesla’s self-driving technology, this hiring initiative aims to provide the company with a chance to identify and address any potential issues that may arise.By collecting data from real-world driving scenarios, Tesla hopes to improve the functionality and reliability of its autonomous driving systems.Miami is one of the 14 cities where these job openings are available. As seasonal vehicle operators, candidates will play a crucial role in the ongoing development of Tesla’s autonomous driving technology. The positions offer competitive pay, with hourly rates ranging from $17 to $46.Interested individuals can apply for these positions directly on Tesla’s website.

Severe storms cause plane problems at Kissimmee Gateway Airport

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

Severe storms cause plane problems at Kissimmee Gateway Airport KISSIMMEE, Fla. (WSVN) — Three planes were flipped over at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport on Wednesday afternoon due to severe storms that swept through Central Florida. The powerful gusts of wind proved strong enough to upend the parked planes, causing substantial damage to all three aircraft.Officials from the Kissimmee Gateway Airport said two of the airplanes were not tied down; one was not airworthy and used by an aircraft maintenance school, while the other plane was being used for flight demonstrations. The third aircraft was privately owned and tied down, but its ropes broke free, airport officials said.Despite wind speeds reaching a peak of 60 miles per hour, no injuries were reported during the incident.

Decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine on Biden’s desk

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

Decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine on Biden’s desk A decision on whether to send cluster munitions to Ukraine is on President Joe Biden’s desk, and could be finalized this week, according to two U.S. officials.Biden is expected to approve sending the weapons, one of the officials said. Ukrainian forces are struggling to break through Russia’s front lines during their counteroffensive and officials believe providing the munitions will give Kyiv an edge, as its supplies of conventional weapons dwindle. The officials, as well as a congressional aide with knowledge of the discussions, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that is not yet final.The Biden administration’s views on providing cluster munitions to Ukraine have shifted over the past year. In December, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. had “concerns” about sending the controversial weapons, which are banned by more than 100 countries because unexploded ordnance can end up killing civilians.But the administration has more recen...

Zelenskyy mauls Bulgarian president over his opposition to arming Ukraine

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

Zelenskyy mauls Bulgarian president over his opposition to arming Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy savaged his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev in a bruising televised exchange in Sofia on Thursday, in which he opened up with both barrels against Radev’s opposition to arming Ukraine.The flustered Bulgarian president, visibly taken aback by Zelenskyy’s indignation, asked TV cameras to leave the room in the presidential palace where the meeting was being filmed.Zelenskyy was visiting Bulgaria largely to meet the pro-NATO and pro-EU administration of Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, which has supported arms exports to Ukraine and is also exploring ways to sell civilian nuclear equipment.The meeting with Radev, a former air force chief who is more sympathetic to Russia and equivocal on NATO, went even worse than expected.Gathered on each side of a long wooden table, the khaki-clad Ukrainian delegation sat stony faced, occasionally grimacing and taking notes, opposite Radev’s team as the Bulgarian president explained that there was “no military s...

Putin’s media machine turns on ‘traitor’ Prigozhin

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:18:49 GMT

Putin’s media machine turns on ‘traitor’ Prigozhin From national hero to drug-addled, bewigged zero: the Kremlin’s propaganda machine has turned against Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin.In a sensational report on state-run Rossiya-1’s “60 Minutes” program on Wednesday evening, the Kremlin’s propaganda attack dogs played footage of what they claimed was a raid of Prigozhin’s mansion and offices, showing cash, guns, drugs, a helicopter, multiple (Russian) passports — and a closet full of terrible wigs.“The investigation is continuing,” said pundit Eduard Petrov at the top of the program, referring to the probe into the mutiny led by Prigozhin last month, during which the leader of the Wagner Group of mercenaries marched his men to within 200 kilometers of Moscow in a bid to oust the country’s military leadership. “In reality, no one planned to close this case,” he added.It was an open declaration of war on Prigozhin, and came after Russian President Vladimir Putin and h...