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How a COVID lockdown helped make an award-winning winemaker in South Africa

How a COVID lockdown helped make an award-winning winemaker in South Africa 150 150 admin

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Like millions of others, Natasha Jacka went stir-crazy during a COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, until it dawned on her that there might be great opportunity in having nowhere to go.

Jacka used the pandemic and the suspension of her studies at an agricultural college to plant her own vineyard at her family home in South Africa. It was a way to fast forward her dream of becoming a winemaker by bringing it, literally, within reach.

Nothing in the wine world moves too fast, though, and it was four years before the first harvest and vintage.

Jacka’s debut wines from grapevines that she planted, cared for and harvested in the yard of her parents’ sea-facing home in Cape Town — also stomping the grapes herself — were greeted with high praise by critics.

What a relief, she said.

“It could have been so much work and if it doesn’t deliver, you know, then you just feel … I can’t imagine how I’d feel,” Jacka said. “I wasn’t looking at it like, ‘oh this is going to make a fortune,’ or anything like that. This is a labor of love.”

Christian Eedes, the editor of South Africa’s respected online wine review publication winemag.co.za, said that Jacka’s project was “a triumph of hope over good sense,” given how difficult it is to produce fine wine and turn a profit from such a small vineyard.

Jacka squeezed 1,400 vines into two blocks in her parents’ garden, which had at one time been part of a smallholding. One batch to produce a white blend, the other a syrah red wine varietal. That’s a tiny number considering that regular wine farms usually have more than 50,000 vines.

“There’s plenty of space in the world for craft and handmade,” Eedes said. “It’s the opposite of mass produced. It’s made with thought and care, and typically hard to come by.”

The coronavirus pandemic struck at the height of Jacka’s ambition. She was 27 and, tired of working for grumpy chefs, had left a job in the restaurant business to study viticulture at an agricultural college in the winemaking town of Stellenbosch, just outside Cape Town.

She was following her passion and full of zest, she said, when the pandemic reduced her world to the boundaries of her parents’ home in the Cape Town suburb of Noordhoek. Then, one day, she saw potential there.

“I was actually looking out the window and I thought, imagine if there were vines here,” she said. “It was a small spark.”

That was followed by conversations with her family to get their buy-in, and then a large amount of work.

Jacka needed to clear the ground, procure more than 1,000 vines, and plant each one of them with a tall wooden stake to hold them. Her parents helped, though mom Sonia was soon banned from the planting process after putting one vine in upside down.

There were also curious neighbors to reassure and an unexpected challenge to negotiate from a miniature horse called Spirit that the family keeps on the property. Spirit thought the vines were tasty.

“We lost one or two vines,” said Jacka, now age 32. “It was hard to make it horse-proof as well.”

Jacka’s Noordhoek project has been the inspiration for a larger winemaking career. Her Alinea line of wines includes five others that she’s produced from grapes sourced from other parts of the region around Cape Town, which has a rich winemaking tradition.

She’s still looking forward to the next vintage from her vines in Noordhoek, though she continues to play the role of picker, stomper, labeler, sales rep, accountant and delivery truck driver there, she said with a laugh.

Eedes, the wine critic who gave Jacka her first positive reviews, said that he’s still fascinated by the micro-vineyard that grew out of a COVID-19 lockdown.

“She managed to not be bored, like we all were,” Eedes said. “It’s really just an extraordinary undertaking.”

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Neil Shaw contributed to this report.

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‘Toy Story 5’ rakes in the biggest box-office debut of the year with a franchise-best $160 million

‘Toy Story 5’ rakes in the biggest box-office debut of the year with a franchise-best $160 million 150 150 admin

NEW YORK (AP) — “Toy Story” still has a friend in moviegoers.

The fifth installment in the Pixar series debuted with $160 million in domestic ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, easily setting a new franchise record and notching the biggest opening weekend of the year.

Launching 31 years after the original “Toy Story” first landed in theaters, “Toy Story 5” far surpassed the previous series-best debut: $120 million for “Toy Story 4” in 2019. Internationally, it was just as successful, with $152 million in opening-weekend sales, for a worldwide haul of $312 million.

The “Toy Story” franchise is one of the most profitable for The Walt Disney Co. Before “Toy Story 5” launched, the movies had collectively grossed more than $3 billion, while also pulling in billions from merchandising.

Though the series seemed to reach a conclusion with 2010’s “Toy Story 3,” the decision to revive the franchise almost a decade later — while controversial — has been extremely lucrative. “Toy Story 4” exceeded $1 billion in ticket sales, and “Toy Story 5” is all but certain to as well.

Among animated films, only 2018’s “Incredibles 2” had a bigger opening weekend ($182.7 million) than “Toy Story 5.”

Keeping the “Toy Story” movies going has gotten more expensive, though. The fifth movie cost $250 million to make, not including marketing. It returns a voice cast led by Tom Hanks (as Woody), Tim Allen (as Buzz Lightyear) and Joan Cusack (as Jessie).

In the sequel, the toys are pushed aside when Bonnie gets a new tablet. It’s directed by Andrew Stanton, the Pixar veteran who helmed “Finding Nemo” (2003) and “WALL-E” (2008). “Toy Story 5” also features a new song by Taylor Swift, “I Knew It, I Knew You.”

Reviews have been very good and audiences gave “Toy Story 5” an “A” CinemaScore, suggesting it should remain a force in theaters for weeks.

After its chart-topping debut, Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” slipped to second place with $17 million in its second weekend. That’s not the hold that Universal Pictures was hoping for. Dropping 61% from its first weekend suggests “Disclosure Day” might not find the legs Spielberg’s sci-fi thriller needs to break out this summer.

Still, the $115 million budgeted movie, starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor and Colman Domingo, has grossed $160.4 million globally in two weeks. “Disclosure Day” stands a good chance of remaining the top adult-oriented option in theaters in the coming weeks.

“Toy Story 5” faced little competition from newcomers.

A24’s “The Death of Robin Hood,” a violent revisionist approach to the old legend, flopped with $2.6 million on 1,762 screens. The film, starring Hugh Jackman and directed by Michael Sarnoski, was modestly budgeted at $20 million. But after finding mixed reviews, audiences didn’t go for the movie, either. It earned a “C+” CinemaScore.

Neon’s “Leviticus” came out just ahead of “The Death of Robin Hood,” with $2.7 million from 1,076 theaters. Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, the buzzy low-budget horror film is about two teen boys who meet at conversion therapy. It’s a fine start for an indie with a small budget of $3.5 million and good word-of-mouth. But “Leviticus” also faced unusually strong competition in the still-potent horror hits “Obsession” and “Backrooms.”

The top horror choice remained “Obsession,” the microbudget phenomenon by 26-year-old Curry Barker. In its sixth weekend, it nearly equaled its $17 million opening weekend from mid-May. The Focus Features release, which cost less than $1 million to make, added $14.2 million to bring its domestic total to $215.8 million and its global haul to $333.3 million.

With “Toy Story 5” and “Obsession” driving sales, the summer box office is up 15% from the 2025 summer, according to Rentrak. More impressively, summer ticket sales are nearly equal to the 2019 summer at the same point, not accounting for inflation. The summer to date is just 1.9% down from that year.

Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Rentrak, expects that Hollywood is heading for its best summer since before the pandemic. And the success is coming from both expected and unexpected places.

“To me, this is a hybrid summer and this could be the new blueprint for how you build the perfect summer box-office beast,” says Dergarabedian. “You throw in a mix of very eclectic films and not just the usual suspects — the big franchise films, the known brands — but also films like ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ and original films like ‘Disclosure Day.’”

With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:

1. “Toy Story 5,” $160 million.

2. “Disclosure Day,” $17 million.

3. “Obsession,” $14.2 million.

4. “Backrooms,” $7.3 million.

5. “Scary Movie,” $6.7 million.

6. “Masters of the Universe,” $5.6 million.

7. “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” $3.9 million.

8. “Leviticus,” $2.7 million.

9. “The Death of Robin Hood,” $2.6 million.

10. “Michael,” $2.2 million.

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Ukrainian attacks prompt Russian-held Crimea to halt civilian gasoline sales

Ukrainian attacks prompt Russian-held Crimea to halt civilian gasoline sales 150 150 admin

Officials in Russia-occupied Crimea suspended civilian gasoline sales Sunday as Ukraine ramped up attacks on fuel supplies on the Black Sea peninsula.

Gov. Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed head o Crimea, said that overnight Ukrainian strikes killed four people and wounded 28 others. He did not specify the target of the attack.

He later wrote on social media that local gas stations would halt all sales to non-state companies and individuals for an undefined period.

“Fuel will be sold only to government agencies that ensure the functioning and security of the Republic of Crimea,” Aksyonov said. “I ask everyone to remain calm and to only trust official sources of information.”

Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted fuel supplies to Crimea in recent weeks, triggering the worst energy crisis in the region since it was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement Sunday that a Crimean oil depot, as well as an oil transport facility in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region were among the targets. He described the attacks as part of Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions” against Russia’s energy infrastructure.

“Russia understands only strength, and our long-range strength is certainly working for peace,” he wrote.

Russian officials in Krasnodar reported earlier Sunday that a drone strike sparked a fire at a Black Sea oil terminal in the village of Chushka. They said that Ukrainian attacks struck a ferry, killing one person.

The Crimean peninsula has had periodic fuel shortages from Ukrainian strikes before, but the current crisis is the worst since its 2014 annexation.

At the end of May, authorities restricted the sale of gas to 20 liters (5 1/3 gallons) per vehicle owner per week, using prepaid coupons. Those were snapped up immediately following their release on an official messaging app channel, and motorists lined up for hours, waiting to refuel.

Social networks have been abuzz with requests and advice on where to find fuel, and authorities launched a hotline for tourists in the area who have found themselves trapped.

Some motorists bring their own gas from Krasnodar and elsewhere via the Kerch bridge, but they are restricted to carrying 100 liters (about 26 1/2 gallons) per vehicle. Some speculators are selling gas at double the market price.

In a rare public acknowledgment, the Kremlin has recognized the scope of the problem and promised to address the issue quickly.

However, Ukraine’s successes have highlighted its ability to inflict painful damage on Russia and change the course of the conflict while Moscow’s advances recently have ground to a near halt. On June 11, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reached its 1,569th day, surpassing the duration of World War I.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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France restricts public alcohol consumption and outdoor sports as heat wave bakes parts of Europe

France restricts public alcohol consumption and outdoor sports as heat wave bakes parts of Europe 150 150 admin

PARIS (AP) — France is putting emergency services and military forces on wildfire alert, restricting public alcohol consumption and canceling some outdoor sports events to cope with a heat wave unfurling across parts of Europe.

About a third of France is under the national weather service’s heat red alert Sunday and temperatures are high nationwide, expected to reach 40 C (104 F) on Sunday in some areas, in a country where air-conditioning isn’t widespread. The forecast for Monday is even hotter.

The Eiffel Tower and other Paris venues set up misting stations to cool crowds, among a raft of measures announced by national and local authorities to minimize risks.

More than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes over the last four years, and most of the fatalities were preventable, the World Health Organization’s Europe office said this month. More above-average temperatures are expected this summer, which can cause heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.

WHO’s Europe office called for countries and institutions to implement heat plans, such as opening cooling centers, or introducing breaks or flexible shifts that enable workers to stay out of the midday sun.

France’s annual Music Day on Sunday is a particular concern for authorities. The nationwide summer solstice celebration involves thousands of concerts in village squares, rave venues and Paris clubs, bringing communities together and increasingly drawing international visitors.

The government ordered organizers of music day events to limit alcohol use to “preserve emergency services and allow medics to concentrate on taking care of the most vulnerable.”

Authorities are notably worried about people living in the baking streets, and elderly people in nursing homes or isolated in their homes. About 15,000 older people died in a 2003 heat wave that became a reckoning for France.

The government announced Saturday reinforced wildfire readiness and ordered tightened surveillance of water supplies to France’s many nuclear reactors.

Schools will only be closed as a last recourse, the government said, though end-of-year exams held in the afternoons may be delayed until the following morning or otherwise rearranged.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu convened a government heat crisis meeting on Saturday and plans another one on Sunday, in the face of what the national weather service called a “widespread, long-lasting and intense” hot spell.

Lecornu ordered government ministers to plan for better adapting France to heat waves in the future — including “via air conditioning, if necessary.”

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In Taylor Swift’s beach town, every clue becomes a wedding rumor

In Taylor Swift’s beach town, every clue becomes a wedding rumor 150 150 admin

WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) — When a large tent appeared next door to Taylor Swift’s Watch Hill estate this week, it didn’t take long for speculation about the superstar’s impending nuptials to ripple through the affluent New England seaside village — and the internet.

Soon, fans were swapping theories online, photographers were staking out vantage points and residents found themselves fielding questions about a wedding that never was. Or at least, a wedding that seems yet to happen.

The rumors, so far, have proved unfounded. But they offered a glimpse into life in Watch Hill, the Rhode Island beach community in the town of Westerly, close to the Connecticut border, where Swift has owned a home for more than a decade and where curiosity about the singer has become woven into everyday life.

From the nearby lighthouse, visitors craned for a better view of Swift’s mansion, a sprawling white home perched atop a rocky bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Security cameras dotted the property, and a guard called out to visitors who strayed too close.

Wedding planner Nicole Simeral, dressed in black, stood outside the small white chapel across from the massive yellow Ocean House hotel — Swift’s neighbor on the beach — waving along cars and buses that slowed and directing traffic to keep moving.

She watched visitors speculate about a wedding she said she knew wasn’t Swift’s. She’s working a different wedding every weekend in June in that spot. Still, the questions kept coming.

“Is Taylor Swift getting married here? Many, many, many have asked,” Simeral said.

She said there had been “a lot of chitter chatter” as people tried to connect sightings of people who know Swift in local shops to impending nuptials. But she doubted Watch Hill would be practical for a wedding of that scale because of its limited luxury lodging.

The Watch Hill rumors also dovetailed with separate online speculation that Swift and her fiance, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, were planning a celebration at Madison Square Garden, though no details about the pair’s wedding have been released, despite multiple requests for comment to Swift’s spokesperson.

The tent itself, Simeral said, was hardly unusual. “Next weekend, there’ll be another tent just like this.”

For two summers, Westerly Police Department community service officer Nick Quaratella has stood at the entrance to a public path leading to the beach beside Swift’s estate, answering questions from beachgoers and keeping traffic moving.

“They come to the beach, but then they also ask if she’s here or not,” Quaratella said.

He said he can’t help but joke around with some fans.

“I’ll say, ‘Oh, did you hear that she moved?’” he said. “And they’ll say, ‘No.’ And I say, ‘Yeah, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson moved in.’ And they’ll go, ‘Oh, really?’ and then they’ll walk away.”

“That’s pretty funny,” he concluded.

Over the years, he’s seen plenty of unusual reactions. His coworker once spotted a fan on their knees, bowing toward the entrance gate near the property. Visitors have shouted “I love you, Taylor!” from the roadside. One woman convinced her granddaughter he was Swift’s security guard and posed for a photo with him.

Quaratella has fielded a few questions about the supposed wedding, but not as many as he expected.

“At this point, it’s part of my job,” he said. “It makes me smile. It makes me laugh. I have no problem with it. It makes the day go by.”

Down near a strip of beach boutiques, lifelong resident Lauren Nigrelli said the frenzy surrounding the star has eased since Swift first moved into the neighborhood in 2013. Back then, Nigrelli recalled, fans would drive around in circles by her shop playing Swift’s songs.

“Things have definitely calmed down since then,” she said.

Today, Swift’s presence remains a fixture among local businesses in what she described as a “quaint New England coastal community.” Nigrelli, a Realtor who owns the boutiques Tide and Tide Kids, said she began selling apparel emblazoned with “Holiday House,” the nickname associated with Swift’s mansion, after children began coming into the store asking for it. On Saturday, she was also selling a Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce wedding sticker book.

“I think every shop has something related to her,” Nigrelli said.

On the beach below the mansion, Audrey and John Curtis, a married couple from Connecticut who have been vacationing in Westerly for years, settled into beach chairs and debated the wedding rumors.

“We were just looking up at her house,” Audrey Curtis said, pointing toward the mansion. “She’s not getting married here now, though.”

Curtis said she had heard various theories, including speculation that a wedding might be held at Ocean House. But as she thought through the logistics, she became skeptical.

“Then I was thinking about, ‘How would everybody get here?’” she said. “In New York, you’ve got JFK, you’ve got LaGuardia, and she’s got two penthouses in New York that she combined, so I figured they could obviously have more people there.”

Her husband wasn’t so sure.

“They could lie and say it’s happening there, but it’s happening here,” John Curtis said. “When important people do things, they don’t want people to know.”

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Bolivia’s president declares a state of emergency as road blockades choke supplies

Bolivia’s president declares a state of emergency as road blockades choke supplies 150 150 admin

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — President Rodrigo Paz on Saturday declared a state of emergency that gives the military broad power to remove road blockades that have put a stranglehold on fuel and food supplies in Bolivia’s seat of government and other major cities.

A wave of protests over the last five weeks has called for Paz to step down over austerity measures imposed by the government, including the cancellation of fuel subsidies, and other issues. The demonstrations have unleashed violent confrontations between dynamite-wielding demonstrators and riot police, leading to at least 365 arrests and 37 injuries, according to authorities.

At least 17 people have died, most of them linked to a lack of medical care caused by transportation disruptions, according to Bolivia’s ombudsman’s office and human rights organizations.

Barricades erected on key roads have effectively isolated the city of La Paz, triggering fuel and food shortages, paralyzing transportation and preventing patients from reaching hospitals — causing at least seven deaths for lack of medical attention, the government says.

“This is not a state of emergency to restrict people’s lives. It is a state of emergency to give people back their freedom,” the president said in a televised address to the nation.

As businesses closed over the course of the protests, supermarket shelves emptied and hospitals ran out of oxygen, calls from some sectors of society escalated for Paz to restore order through force.

On Friday night, Paz signed an agreement with one of the labor unions, whose leaders called for the blockades to be lifted. But other protesters have demanded that Paz resign and refused to negotiate.

Paz said that the state of emergency is intended to guarantee fuel supplies, which have become increasingly scarce as roadblocks have left tanker trucks stranded.

The decree prohibits “blocking streets, avenues, roads and highways in ways that affect transportation and supplies,” and orders the armed forces to temporarily support the police “in restoring order, reopening roads and protecting the population.” The state of emergency doesn’t limit due process rights or constitutional guarantees and allows people to continue their daily activities, according to the decree.

The state of emergency will last 90 days, but could be lifted earlier if “violence and threats against the population come to an end,” the government said in a statement.

Paz came to power in November, ending almost 20 years of uninterrupted rule by Bolivia’s Movement Toward Socialism party, or MAS, which delivered the country’s worst economic crisis in a generation. A centrist who triumphed over more conservative candidates, Paz promised to resolve chronic fuel shortages and replenish the central bank’s almost-empty coffers, while protecting the social welfare that represented a pillar of MAS’ popularity.

But his austerity measures, most significantly the elimination of long-standing fuel subsidies, have exacerbated biting inflation. His government fixed fuel shortages, but with poor-quality gasoline that damaged thousands of vehicles. Reforms to encourage foreign investment and stimulate economic growth have stalled in Congress.

The highland Indigenous and rural workers’ groups — who long supported MAS but helped vault Paz to power last year — have led the protests, accusing his government of neglecting their needs since entering office.

He faces rising pressure from both Bolivia’s hard-right, which dominates Congress, and long-ruling left. Former President Evo Morales has supported the protests and demanded a new election from his hideout in the coca-growing tropics, where he is evading an arrest warrant on charges related to statutory rape.

The Trump administration has backed Paz, who repaired relations with the U.S. after years of anti-Western hostility in Bolivia under Morales.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Paz to inform him last week that Washington was “ramping up emergency assistance and logistics operations support” to help alleviate shortages caused by the blockades.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth denounced the protests as “attempts to overthrow the legitimate government,” and issued a stark warning to those who he said were “profiting on death and destruction in our hemisphere.”

“The United States is watching,” he wrote on X.

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Isabel Debre reported from Buenos Aires.

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

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The Media Line: CENTCOM Challenges Iranian Claim of Hormuz Closure as Negotiators Head to Switzerland  

The Media Line: CENTCOM Challenges Iranian Claim of Hormuz Closure as Negotiators Head to Switzerland   150 150 admin

CENTCOM Challenges Iranian Claim of Hormuz Closure as Negotiators Head to Switzerland  

The United States and Iran offered conflicting accounts Saturday over the status of the Strait of Hormuz as officials prepared for negotiations in Switzerland on Sunday involving senior representatives from both countries.  

Iran earlier announced that it was closing the strategic waterway and warned commercial vessels to stay away. The move came after fighting continued between Israel and Lebanon despite a declared ceasefire.  

Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported that the naval branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued warnings to ships operating near the strait, cautioning that vessels attempting to pass through could encounter mines or come under attack. Iranian state media also reported reduced maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf following the announcement.  

The US military disputed Iran’s claim that the waterway had been closed.  

“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,” said Capt. Tim Hawkins, a Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson. “Traffic continues to flow, and US forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case.”  

CENTCOM said 55 merchant ships and 17 million barrels of oil passed through the strait on Saturday. The command added: “US forces remain present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect.”  

The dispute over the waterway emerged as diplomatic efforts continued ahead of talks scheduled for Switzerland.  

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that he would travel to Switzerland to serve as a mediator during the discussions. Qatar is also expected to participate.  

The US delegation is set to include Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, and US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. They are scheduled to meet with an Iranian delegation.  

CNN reported that ending the conflict in Lebanon is “the most important item on the Iranian delegation’s agenda” as Iranian representatives prepare for the talks.  

The negotiations are expected to begin on Sunday as both sides continue to publicly differ over developments in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime routes for global energy shipments. 

 

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UK police probe cause of train collision that killed driver and left 9 in critical condition

UK police probe cause of train collision that killed driver and left 9 in critical condition 150 150 admin

LONDON (AP) — Nine people were in critical condition on Saturday after a collision between two passenger trains in central England the night before killed the driver of one of the locomotives, police said.

British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said more than 80 people were treated in hospitals after the crash late Friday afternoon, and 28 remained hospitalized a day later.

Buckingham Palace said King Charles III “is greatly saddened” by the crash. It said “his thoughts and sympathies are with the family of the deceased and with all those injured or affected by such a tragic incident.”

Police and accident investigators are working to understand why a commuter train bound for London’s St. Pancras Station slammed into the back of another train headed for the same destination on Friday afternoon.

Photos and videos posted on social media showed dozens of people, some with bandages but also many who appeared uninjured, standing and sitting among emergency vehicles parked on a road parallel to the train tracks.

Peter Knapp, one of the passengers, described being thrown forward by the impact, then seeing fellow travelers with broken bones and bloody injuries.

“People were crying, screaming. People were so scared and confused,” he said. “I got up and I saw a lot of people who were unable to speak, had broken legs.”

Another passenger, Brett Byatt, told the BBC that only “three to four of us were uninjured in a full carriage.

“Everyone else had either a serious wound that was bleeding profusely, or a situation where they couldn’t stand, or couldn’t move their neck, or I saw a woman’s snapped leg,” he said.

In recent years Britain’s railways have had one of the world’s best safety records. One passenger was killed in a collision between two trains in Wales in October 2024. That was Britain’s first fatal crash involving multiple trains for more than a quarter of a century.

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A founder of Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft killed in a plane crash in western France

A founder of Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft killed in a plane crash in western France 150 150 admin

PARIS (AP) — A founder of global gaming company Ubisoft, maker of Assassin’s Creed, was killed in a plane crash in western France, authorities said Saturday.

The twin-motor Cessna 421 carrying Claude Guillemot and a flight instructor crashed Friday evening near La Baule airport on the Atlantic coast, Mayor Franck Louvrier said in a statement. Both were licensed and experienced pilots. The instructor also was killed, the mayor said. An investigation is underway.

Ubisoft confirmed Guillemot’s death but did not comment further.

The plane crashed in a field just before landing at La Baule-Escoublac Airport, an airport official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named.

Guillemot and four brothers founded Ubisoft in 1986. In addition to the popular Assassin’s Creed franchise, Ubisoft’s games also include Just Dance, and the Rayman and Tom Clancy game franchises.

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Trilateral meeting for USMCA trade deal review scheduled for July 1, CTV News reports

Trilateral meeting for USMCA trade deal review scheduled for July 1, CTV News reports 150 150 admin

OTTAWA, June 20 (Reuters) – Canadian officials will meet their Mexican and U.S. counterparts on July 1 for the first trilateral meeting to review the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade agreement, CTV News reported on Saturday.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil: Editing by Sergio Non)

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