'The Elite Squad' wins top award at Berlin film fest
The jury grand prize, which comes with a runner-up Silver Bear, goes to Oscar-winning US director Errol Morris' "Standard Operating Procedure".
By HT Correspondent | AP, Berlin
UPDATED ON FEB 17, 2008 03:46 AM IST
Brazilian director Jose Padilha's "Tropa de Elite" ("The Elite Squad,") a movie about police violence, won the top Golden Bear award on Saturday at the annual Berlin film festival.
The jury grand prize, which comes with a runner-up Silver Bear, went to Oscar-winning US director Errol Morris' "Standard Operating Procedure," a documentary on the scandal over prisoner abuse at the US-run Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
Paul Thomas Anderson was named best director for strong Oscar contender "There Will Be Blood," starring Daniel Day-Lewis as an obsessed turn-of-the-century oil man, which had been many critics' favourite to win the top honours.
Anderson, who won the Golden Bear in 2000 for "Magnolia," paid tribute to Day-Lewis as "a terrific actor who makes any director a good director."
"There Will Be Blood" also took an award for outstanding artistic achievement, which went to Jonny Greenwood's musical score.
Sally Hawkins won the best actress prize for her part as a London teacher in British director Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky." Leigh has said the movie is meant to celebrate the power of positive thinking, and Hawkins described it as "extraordinary, beautiful and very special film."
The best actor award went to Reza Naji for playing a long-suffering father in Iranian director Majid Majidi's "The Song of Sparrows." Naji plays Karim, who loses his job on an ostrich farm and then falls into working as a motorcycle taxi driver in Tehran as he struggles to make ends meet.
Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai was credited with the best script for "In Love We Trust," while the prize for an innovative film went to "Lake Tahoe," directed by Fernando Eimbcke of Mexico.
Israel's vaccination of Palestinians holding work permits ramps up
AFP
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 03:33 PM IST
A pilot programme involving 700 Palestinian West Bank residents began on Thursday. The Israeli military branch responsible for civil affairs in Palestinian territories, COGAT, said the main campaign involving an estimated 100,000 Palestinians would begin this week.
French aviation industrialist Olivier Dassault killed in helicopter crash
AP
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 03:02 PM IST
The French national air accident investigation agency, the BEA, said the Airbus AS350 helicopter crashed just after takeoff from a private airfield.
Germany plans aggressive Covid-19 vaccine rollout after slow start
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 02:48 PM IST
In April, May and June, vaccination centers and doctors will have to handle millions of doses every week, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said.
China's carbon market to grow 30-fold by 2030, says Citigroup
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 02:35 PM IST
The market’s physical turnover will rise from about $800 million this year, its first in operation, to around $25 billion by the end of the decade, analysts including Tracy Liao said in a March 8 note.
Hong Kong to vaccinate teachers, cab drivers despite reports of adverse events
Reuters, Hong Kong
UPDATED ON MAR 08, 2021 02:35 PM IST
At least two people have died and several fallen seriously ill after receiving a vaccination by China's Sinovac.
Hong Kong's chief executive ''fully welcomes'' proposed electoral changes
Posted by Harshit Sabarwal | AP
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 02:33 PM IST
Chinese authorities have said the draft decision before China's National People's Congress would mean the largely pro-Beijing committee that elects Hong Kong's leader would also choose a large part of the legislature to ensure that the city is run by “patriots.”
Google to provide $25 million to social enterprises working on women empowerment
PTI
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 02:29 PM IST
The company, which has committed support one million rural women entrepreneurs in India, also stated that its Internet Saathi digital literacy training programme has benefitted over 30 million women across the country.
Suicide, racism and Queen: Revelations from Meghan, Harry's Oprah interview
By hindustantimes.com | Edited by Arpan Rai, New Delhi
UPDATED ON MAR 08, 2021 02:44 PM IST
The interview with Winfrey was the couple’s first since they stepped down from royal duties and the two-hour special included numerous revelations likely to reverberate on both sides of the Atlantic.
British minister says on Meghan interview: 'No place for racism in our society'
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 01:13 PM IST
- Meghan, the wife of Prince Harry, accused Britain's royal family of raising concerns about how dark their son's skin might be and pushing her to the brink of suicide, in a tell-all television interview that will send shockwaves through the monarchy.
Meghan, Harry say UK royals were worried ‘how dark’ their son Archie would be
By Yashwant Raj I Edited by Nadim Siraj
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 01:06 PM IST
In another revelation that underlines the former royal couple’s estranged relationship with Buckingham Palace, Harry and Meghan said they were financially cut off by the UK royal family
Joe Biden’s giant stimulus to easily pass House, say Democrats
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 01:04 PM IST
Progressive House Democrats are already turning their attention to getting their proposals in a second budget reconciliation bill -- which allows for Senate approval by a simple majority.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam 'fully welcomes' proposed electoral changes
AP
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 01:04 PM IST
- Chinese authorities have said the draft decision before China's National People’s Congress would mean the largely pro-Beijing committee that elects Hong Kong’s leader would also choose a large part of the legislature to ensure that the city is run by “patriots.”
Vietnam vaccinates Covid-19 front-liners with its 1st doses
AP
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 12:58 PM IST
- The Southeast Asian nation of 96 million people has a goal to inoculate at least half of the population by the end of the year.
Royal interview unlikely to affect New Zealand
AP, Wellington
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 12:58 PM IST
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was asked by a reporter whether the unflattering picture of the British royal family painted by Harry and Meghan had given her pause about New Zealand's constitutional ties to Britain.
Pope leaves Iraq for Rome after historic whirlwind visit
AP
PUBLISHED ON MAR 08, 2021 12:41 PM IST
As the pope's plane took off, Iraqi President Barham Salih was at hand on the tarmac, waving goodbye.