Director David Leland, known for Band of Brothers and Wish You Were Here, passed away on Christmas Eve at age 82. Pierce Brosnan is among those honoring the late director.
The Elephant House café, known as the 'Harry Potter café', is set to reopen three years after a fire near Edinburgh's George IV Bridge. The popular café, which was located close to the fire's source, is preparing to welcome back customers after a prolonged closure.
Emmy-nominated actor Jonathan Majors has been released from Marvel Studios following his conviction for assaulting his then-girlfriend, British choreographer Grace Jabbari. The New York jury found Majors, 34, guilty of attacking and harassing Jabbari during a dispute in March. In response to the verdict, Marvel announced the termination of their collaboration with the actor, who portrayed the villain Kang the Conqueror in Marvel films, including "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and the Disney+ series "Loki." Facing a potential one-year prison sentence, Majors' downfall is particularly significant given his expected involvement in multiple Marvel projects, including "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty," which Marvel has now rebranded as "Avengers 5."
Analysts are cautioning that the recent attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, orchestrated by Houthi rebels in Yemen, have the potential to drive up the prices of oil and other goods. In response to the attacks, several companies have temporarily halted shipments through the affected route. Maersk, the world's second-largest shipping line, announced its decision to reroute some vessels around Africa's Cape of Good Hope. The severity of the situation has prompted the United States to initiate an international naval operation aimed at safeguarding ships navigating the Red Sea route. Participating countries in this security effort include the UK, Canada, France, Bahrain, Norway, and Spain.
Northern Queensland is grappling with flash floods as tropical cyclone Jasper unleashes extreme weather, depositing a year's worth of rain in some regions. Attempts to evacuate a settlement hit by rising water have been hampered by heavy rain. The Cairns airport runway is flooded, trapping planes, and floodwaters in Ingham feature a 2.8m crocodile. Wujal Wujal's evacuation, with 300 residents, was called off due to adverse conditions.
Zahid Ahmed is expressing strong dissatisfaction with Instagram's alleged censorship. The actor claimed that Instagram removed his post discussing what he referred to as the "real face of terrorism," featuring images of Benjamin Netanyahu, Rishi Sunak, and Joe Biden. Ahmed criticized Instagram for this action, stating, "To hell with you Instagram. Will love to see you burn in hell on judgement day." The deleted post, still available on his public Facebook profile, juxtaposes the mainstream portrayal of terrorists with those in suits who hold influential positions.
The acclaimed comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm, crafted by and starring Larry David, is concluding its 24-year run, with Warner Brothers-Discovery, the owner of HBO, confirming the 12th season as its final installment.
French President Emmanuel Macron's administration is facing a crisis as opposition parties, spanning the far right, far left, and moderates, joined forces to defeat a crucial immigration bill. The rejection occurred on Monday when Members of Parliament (MPs) from diverse political spectrums voted against the proposed legislation. The left argued that the measures were excessively repressive, while the right contended that they lacked sufficient toughness.
Netball Australia (NA) Chief Executive Kelly Ryan has resigned in the aftermath of a recent agreement to resolve a prolonged pay dispute in the Super Netball League. The players in the league had not received payment since their contracts expired in September, causing financial hardship.
Following an incident where a referee was physically assaulted by a club president, Turkish football authorities have taken swift action by suspending all leagues indefinitely. The attack occurred after a top-flight game between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor, where referee Halil Umut Meler was punched to the ground by Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca. The assault took place after Ankaragucu conceded a last-minute equalizer.