Author: niyidaram

Catherine O’Hara, the actress whose singular comedic voice helped define modern screen comedy, has died at age 71. Her agency confirmed she passed away Friday at her Los Angeles home following a brief illness. O’Hara rose from Canada’s Second City scene to become one of film and television’s most distinctive performers, creating indelible characters across decades. She brought chaotic elegance to Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice (and later returned for its sequel), and turned a single anguished shout of “Kevin!” into pop culture history as the frantic mother in Home Alone. Her later career reached new heights with her portrayal of…

Burkina Faso has dissolved all political parties and political formations and repealed the laws governing their operation. The decision was announced in a statement by the presidency’s communications directorate after junta leader Ibrahim Traoré presided over a meeting of the council of ministers. Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Émile Zerbo, said the move was deliberate and far-reaching. He said the “great and important decision is part of the re-founding of the state.” According to the presidency, the proliferation of political parties in the country had resulted in political drift, encouraged divisions among citizens, and weakened the nation’s social fabric.…

President Donald Trump has nominated former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, succeeding Jerome Powell when his term ends in May 2026, according to Reuters live updates. Warsh, 55, served on the Fed’s Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011 and is seen as a critic of some of the central bank’s recent policy choices. His nomination marks a potential shift in monetary policy direction and comes after months of speculation and internal debate. Investment markets reacted cautiously to the announcement, with U.S. stock futures sliding ahead of the official naming. Warsh’s…

The Israeli military has privately acknowledged that around 70,000 Palestinians were killed during the war in Gaza, with officials telling Israeli journalists that casualty figures released by Gaza’s health ministry are largely accurate, according to local media. Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted military officials as saying: “We estimate that about 70,000 Gazans were killed in the war, not including the missing.” Public broadcaster Kan 11 attributed the assessment to the Coordinator of Government Affairs in the Territories (COGAT), adding that Israeli authorities are now working to determine how many of the dead were civilians or militants. On Wednesday, Gaza’s Ministry…

The U.S. Department of Justice has released a massive tranche of documents related to the investigation of financier Jeffrey Epstein, fulfilling requirements under the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by Congress. The latest disclosure, presented by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, includes more than 3 million pages of documents, as well as approximately 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, much of it newly made public after an extensive review process. The material was posted online and represents the final planned release under the law. The files were reviewed by hundreds of DOJ attorneys and other personnel to determine what could be…

Legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, is set to make history as the first African artist to receive a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Recording Academy announced that the late “King of Afrobeat” will be honoured at the 2026 Grammy Awards, almost three decades after his death, Channels Television reported. The recognition is coming as a symbolic moment, considering Fela’s long-standing criticism of Western power structures and the global music establishment during his lifetime. The award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 31, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, just a day…

Venezuelan lawmakers have approved sweeping reforms to the country’s oil industry law that significantly loosen decades of state control and open the sector to greater foreign participation. The reform, backed by acting President Delcy Rodríguez and passed unanimously by the National Assembly, is widely seen as a response to pressure from US President Donald Trump and a push to revitalise Venezuela’s long-struggling oil industry. Under the changes, private and foreign companies will gain more operational control over oil production and sales, with increased autonomy to manage projects and resolve disputes through independent arbitration rather than relying solely on Venezuelan courts.…

French lawmakers on Wednesday, January 28, unanimously approved a bill aimed at abolishing the notion of “marital duty,” following pressure from women’s rights groups who argued it undermines sexual consent and enables marital rape. The measure, backed by more than 120 members of the National Assembly, clarifies in the civil code that cohabitation does not create any obligation for spouses to engage in sexual relations. The cross-party bill now heads to the Senate for approval. While France’s civil code outlines four duties of marriage – fidelity, support, assistance and cohabitation – it makes no reference to sexual obligation. However, past…

American singer Chris Brown stepped away from Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday to attend a court hearing in London ahead of his upcoming criminal trial. The Grammy-winning artist is facing charges related to an alleged February 19, 2023 incident in which he is accused of striking London music promoter Abe Diaw over the head with a tequila bottle at the exclusive Tape nightclub in Hanover Square, Mayfair. Brown, 36, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He arrived at court accompanied by his longtime manager Anthony “Ant” Wilson. Brown wore a white jacket with grey trousers and black dress shoes…

Amazon said Wednesday it will eliminate approximately 16,000 roles across the company as part of an organizational overhaul aimed at reducing management layers, increasing ownership, and cutting bureaucracy, while continuing to invest heavily in areas such as artificial intelligence. In a message to employees, Beth Galetti, Amazon’s senior vice president of people experience and technology, said the cuts affect teams still finalizing restructuring efforts first announced in October. Most U.S.-based employees whose positions are eliminated will be given 90 days to seek other roles internally. Those who do not transition will receive severance pay and additional support. Galetti said the…