Entertainment
‘Rental Family’ director recalls moving to US at 17
Hikari, a Japanese filmmaker, has made a new movie titled Rental Family, which reflects her experience when she moved to the US at the age of 17.
As it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, the director shares, “I came to America when I was 17 for the first time, and I landed in Utah.”
She continues, “That was my first place to learn English. I was the only Asian girl in the entire city, I felt like…. I had to learn English, and I had to learn the culture.”
So, for the movie, Hikari says, she re-imagines her experience by swapping herself with an American in Japanese society.
“So, for me, bringing somebody — American guy — to Tokyo, what does that look like? Because there’s a lot of things that you learn when you’re the only person in the room,” the director notes.
Brendan Fraser, who stars in the movie, recalls discussing the film’s idea with the filmmaker Hikari.
“I learned about her life, about her aspirations, her interests, her unique experience of coming to America, and what that meant about the family that we find, and it not necessarily being the one that we’re born into sometimes,” The Mummy star adds.
He remembers, “I was perplexed and mystified and invigorated in all the best ways possible for meeting Hikari. And then…”
“Hey, I knew this story was unique. It’s something that we need to see on screen,” Brendan concludes. “And correct me if I’m wrong, I think we need to see this movie now more than ever these days.”
The film’s logline reads that an American actor goes to Japan in hopes of securing his big break. After that doesn’t work out, he takes up a job at an agency which hires actors to do stand-in roles for their clients.”
Rental Family bows out in cinemas on Nov 21.
Al Jazeera English’s live broadcast was interrupted by an emergency missile alert following Iran’s retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases in the Middle East.
The media outlet shared the video of the incident on TikTok, which quickly went viral, amassing over 12 million views in just a few hours.
The 42-second video clip shows a guest speaking with anchor Folly Bah Thibault when their conversation suddenly gets interrupted by buzzer alarm sounds.
Folly explained that it was the emergency alert residents in Doha receive on their phones during urgent situations.
She added, “The national emergency alert system has gone off here in Qatar,” and quoted the Qatar Defence Ministry, stating that an Iranian missile had been intercepted.
This comes after Iran retaliated against the U.S.-Israel strikes dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the U.S. and Operation Roaring Lion by Israel.
Iran launched barrages of missiles at the U.S. bases across the Middle East, including in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, and Jordan.
Netizens praised the anchor for keeping her composure in an emergency situation. One user commented, “The interviewer lady is so professional, she’s the best.” Another said, “How is she so calm?”
A third user expressed disbelief, writing, “I cannot believe this is happening. It is terrifying.”
- Petroleum Division notifies new prices.
- Petrol price set at Rs266.17 per litre.
- Diesel raised by Rs5.16 to Rs280.86 per litre.
The federal government increased the price of petrol by Rs8 per litre for the next fortnight, starting from March 1.
In a notification, the Petroleum Division announced that the price of petrol has been increased to Rs266.17 per litre, up from Rs258.17.
Similarly, the price of diesel has been raised by Rs5.16 to Rs280.86 per litre, compared with the previous rate of Rs275.7.
Petrol is mainly used by commuters in small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers. Higher fuel prices significantly impact the budgets of middle and lower-middle class households, who rely on petrol for daily travel.
On the other hand, a significant portion of the transport sector relies on high-speed diesel.
Its price is considered inflationary since it is predominantly used in heavy goods transport vehicles, trucks, buses, trains, and agricultural machinery such as tractors, tube wells, and threshers.
The consumption of high-speed diesel particularly contributes to the increased prices of vegetables and other food items.
The Duke of Edinburgh hosted an elegant luncheon at Lancaster House on February 25, bringing together the foreign ministers of Central Asia in a rare gathering.
The event saw ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan convene under one roof, with HRH at the centre of discussions highlighting the UK’s ongoing engagement with the region.
The luncheon wasn’t also served as an inspiring platform for young Central Asian students, who were given the opportunity to meet the Duke and hear firsthand about the UK’s initiatives in education, cultural exchange, and international collaboration.
Programs such as Chevening, El‑Yurt Umidi, and the Oxford Hub were spotlighted as pillars supporting talent, leadership, and global connections in the region.
Duchess Sophie’s husband engaged warmly with attendees, fielding questions from both ministers and students alike.
Joining HRH were the five Central Asian foreign ministers alongside Lord Alderdice, adding an extra layer of gravitas to a luncheon that blended diplomacy, education, and international friendship.
Al Jazeera broadcast interrupted by emergency missile alert in Qatar
Govt increases petrol price by Rs8 per litre for next fortnight
King Charles’ ‘trusted’ hand hosts Central Asian leaders in London
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