Gods Of Egypt Director Sorry Over White Cast

Gerard Butler plays a god in the film

Australian film-maker Alex Proyas, who was born in Egypt, has issued a statement acknowledging the controversy sparked by the release of the movie's first trailer two weeks ago.

Proyas said it is clear that casting choices for the film should have been more diverse.

Studio Lionsgate said it is deeply committed to making films that reflect the diversity of their audience and pledged to do better.

Bette Midler was one of those to react to the trailer, tweeting: "Movie, #GodsOfEgypt in which everyone is white? Egyptians, in history and today, have NEVER been white. BRING BACK GEOGRAPHY!! It's Africa!"

The film, which is released in February next year, also stars actor Chadwick Boseman, an African American, and actress Elodie Yung, who is French-Cambodian.

"We recognise that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed," read Lionsgate's statement, first reported by Forbes.

"In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity."

Selma director Ava DuVernay said the apology was an anomaly: "This kind of apology never happens - for something that happens all the time. An unusual occurrence worth noting."

The criticism follows other "whitewashing" controversies involving Ridley Scott's Exodus: Gods And Kings and Aloha starring Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone.

Scott's film, which featured Christian Bale as Moses and Joel Edgerton as Ramses, was criticised last year for its predominantly white cast.

The director brushed off condemnations at the time, blaming the model of financing Hollywood movies for his choices.

He told trade publication Variety that he would not be able to get the film financed by casting "Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such".

"It's always art against economics," Scott told The Associated Press last December.

"As soon as you're at the higher levels of budgeting, you've got to get the film made and the only way to support the film is to have actors who can support the budget."

Hollywood has a long tradition of casting white actors as other ethnicities, but lately the practice is not going unchallenged and is often put under scrutiny as soon as castings are announced, as was the case with Joe Wright's Pan, where Rooney Mara played Tiger Lily.

Can Turkey and Russia resolve their dispute?

They are on opposite sides in the war in Syria, but have largely steered clear of each other.

That all changed on Tuesday, when Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet - which it says entered its air space and was warned repeatedly.

But Russia says its pilots received no warning, and denied straying into Turkish air space.

Relations between the two countries have sharply deteriorated since then.

Russia has now imposed a series of economic sanctionsagainst Turkey.

So, with tension running high, can Moscow and Ankara resolve their dispute? And how will this impact the war in Syria?

EU reaches $3bn deal with Turkey

The European Union has struck a deal with Turkey in Brussels that aims to limit the flow of refugees into the continent.

Leaders from 28 EU members states met with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Sunday, finalising an agreement that offered Ankara $3.2bn, along with closer ties with the EU, in return for handling the refugees from war-torn countries on its territory.

"Our agreement sets out the clear plans for the timely re-establishment of all our shared frontier," said Donald Tusk, the European Council president, after the meeting.

"We will also step up our assistance to Syrian refugees in Turkey through a new refugee facility of 3bn euros [$3.2bn]." 

Tusk also said Turkey's accession process to the EU bloc would be "re-energised".

"But let me stress that we are not rewriting our enlargement policy. The negotiating framework and conclusions remain to apply, including its merit-based nature and the respect for the European values and also on human rights," he said.

"This is a historic day," Davutoglu said after the talks, thanking the leaders for the "fruitful meeting".

He added: "This 3bn euros are not given to Turkey. It's given to Syrian refugees."

Turkey is the major transit point for refugees trying to enter Europe, which are expected to reach 1.5 million people this year alone.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said ahead of the meeting that the EU deal with Turkey would help put the flow of refugees in a legal framework, instead of the current uncontrollable influx.  

"Turkey is hosting well over two million refugees and has received little international support so Turkey has a right to expect the European Union and its member states to help with mastering this task," said Merkel.

"This means that refugees will have better living conditions such as the right to work and the European Union's financial support for schooling."

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel had expressed caution ahead of the meeting.

"I have no intention of agreeing to a blank cheque for Turkey," Michel said.

"Belgium believes Turkey must take its responsibility towards a strategic partnership which is balanced, like border control for example, not just with Europe but also with Syria for example.

"I am expecting clear assurances from Turkey."

The EU will, in December, open the next chapter of negotiations with Turkey in its accession talks with the EU, which have been dragging on since 2005, and prepare further chapters for discussion in the first three months of next year.

Ahead of the meeting, Federica Mogherini, the EU foreign policy chief, said Turkey had to show progress "in basic fundamentals like human rights, media freedom" and "restart the peace process with the Kurdish".

"From today onwards, we will also, I will personally, work on a high-level dialogue with Turkey comprising all the different and sometimes difficult issues we have on the table with them - all of them, none exclusions," she said.

Trump on 9/11 Cheering Claims

Despite a lack of evidence, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump on Sunday kept pushing the claim that he saw cheering from Muslims in New Jersey on September 11, 2001.

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press”, the Republican frontrunner said, “I saw it. So many people saw it … So, why would I take it back? I’m not going to take it back.”

Asked where he witnessed this, Trump replied, "I saw it on television. I saw clips. And so did many other people. And many people saw it in person. I've had hundreds of phone calls to the Trump Organization saying, 'We saw it. It was dancing in the streets.'"

Trump said there were reports of Muslims celebrating the fall of the Twin Towers "all around the world. That has been reported very strongly." On New Jersey, he continued, "Why wouldn't it have taken place? I've had hundreds of people call in and tweet in on Twitter, saying they saw it and I was 100% right." 

While citing the Washington Post for his assertion there were "tailgate parties" following 9/11, Trump conceded, "We're looking for other articles. And we're looking for other clips. And I wouldn't be surprised if we found them…but for some reason, they're not that easy to come by."

On the issue of allowing Syrian refugees into the United States, Trump declared it "has the potential to be one big fat Trojan horse." 

Repeatedly, the businessman has alleged there are plans to allow 200,000 Syrian refugees into the country, while the Administration says that number is actually only 10,000 for next year.

He continued, "I think what he really has in mind is 200,000 people and maybe even more than that coming into our country. And we can't have it. We don't know who these people are. They're undocumented totally." 

In fact, Syrian refugees are referred to the Department of Homeland Security after first being screened by the United Nations. According to the White House, of over 23,000 Syrian refugees referred by the U.N., about 7,000 were interviewed by DHS, and a little over 2,000 have been accepted into the United States.

97-Year-Old Michigan Woman Finally Gets Her High School Diploma

Emily Rose Bennett—The Grand Rapids Press/AP97-year-old Margaret Thome Bekema looks at her high school letter as Catholic Central High School principal Greg Deja, left, and Director of Advancement Beth Banta fix her cap after her honorary graduation at Stonebridge Manor in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Oct. 29, 2015.

A 97-year-old woman on Thursday finally received her high school diploma, 79 years after she was supposed to graduate.

Margaret Thome Bekema, who would have walked with the Catholic Central High School class of 1936 in Grand Rapids, Mich., had to drop out in her junior year to care for her cancer-afflicted mother. She later did clerical work for the armed forces and served as a preschool teacher.

Over the summer, her family contacted the school and shared her story. Upon receiving the honorary diploma at Yorkshire and Stonebridge Manor senior community, she said, tearing up, “I don’t know how to express my thanks… I’m sorry. I’m just plain chicken.”

Saudi firm secures funding for world's tallest building

The tower, which will feature a hotel, apartments and offices, is slated for completion in 2018 [Mace]

The Saudi corporation behind plans for the world's tallest building says it has secured financing to complete the record-breaking project.

Kingdom Holding, chaired by Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, said on Sunday that its affiliate, Jeddah Economic Company, had reached a more than $2bn financing deal with Saudi Arabia's Alinma Investment to finish the Jeddah Tower in the Red Sea city.

Previously dubbed "Kingdom Tower", the 170-storey building is to rise more than a kilometre, surpassing Dubai's Burj Khalifa as the world's highest building.

Costs for the project had previously been estimated at $1.2bn.

"Alinma Bank will finance the fund, to be managed by Alinma Investment, while Jeddah Economic Company will be the master developer of projects that will draw on the fund's credit lines," the company said in a statement.

Jeddah Economic City

The $2.24bn fund will also be used to develop the first phase of Jeddah Economic City, an urban project surrounding the tower in the Obhur area, north of Jeddah, the statement added.

A year ago, Alwaleed bin Talal said that the tower, which will feature a hotel, apartments and offices, was slated for completion in 2018.

At that time, the four-storey foundations of the building were finished and Alwaleed said "now we are on the verge of building a floor every four days".

That pace would have put the skyscraper at around 90 storeys now, but the statement on Sunday said it is "currently at its 26th floor".

Mounib Hammoud, chief executive officer of Jeddah Economic Company, said he expects the project to be finished on time "now that the agreement has been signed and required funds secured".

Pope Francis brings unity message to Central African Republic

After touring Kenya and Uganda, Pope Francis rounds off his Africa trip in the Central African Republic [Siegfried Modola/Reuters]

Pope Francis has called for unity in the Central African Republic (CAR), a country torn by strife between Christians and Muslims, urging its citizens to "avoid the temptation of fear of others".

The 78-year-old Argentine pontiff arrived on Sunday morning in the capital Bangui, the last leg of a six-day African tour taking him also to Kenya and Uganda. 

Unity "is to be lived and built up on the basis of the marvellous diversity of our environment, avoiding the temptation of fear of others, of the unfamiliar, of what is not part of our ethnic group, our political views or our religious confession," he said in a speech before interim President Catherine Samba-Panza and other dignitaries.

The acting president asked for "forgiveness" from Pope Francis over the sectarian violence that has gripped
the country over the past two years and praised the pope for his visit despite security fears.

"Central Africans have inflicted unspeakable suffering on other Central Africans. And for that, the sons and daughters of this country must recognise  their faults and ask for forgiveness... that your blessing will transform into a catalyst for the reconstruction of this country," she said.

Muslim as well as Catholic representatives came to the airport to welcome Francis. 

"The Holy Father has not come to Central Africa for the Catholics, but for Central Africans. It is a good sign of a reconciliation between Muslims and Central Africans," said El Adji Tchakpabrede, a representative of the country's Islamic community.

'Pilgrim of peace'

Describing himself as a "pilgrim of peace," the pontiff said the local Catholic Church would work for reconciliation. 

Francis was expected to use the Popemobile during his visit, despite concern that the local authorities would not be able to guarantee his safety.

Local security forces are backed up by more than 10,000 United Nations peacekeepers and French troops present in the country.

CAR has suffered sectarian violence since mainly Muslim Seleka rebels overthrew president Francois Bozize, a Christian, in March 2013. Thousands have been killed, and about a quarter of the 4.7m-population has been displaced by the conflict. 

There was concern that either side could use the papal visit to break the tense calm and instigate new violence.

Africa is home to an estimated 180m Catholics, and their numbers are growing faster than anywhere else in the world.