JOHANNESBURG— The historic location in the heart of Cape Town was severely damaged in a huge fire that ravaged South Africa’s parliament building.

Firefighters were called to the Old Assembly area of the building just after 6 a.m. local time on Sunday, according to council member JP Smith, who is in command of security and safety in Cape Town. Several hours later, more than 70 firemen were still battling the incident, and the structure was still on fire.

The minister of public works, Patricia De Lille, said that police had detained a 49-year-old man for interrogation. By entering through a rear window, the guy entered the legislative area, according to South African officials.

According to Cape Town fire and rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse, the fire went from the Old Assembly through into the legislative building’s working areas, including offices and the gymnasium, prompting the roof to fall.

“It is not possible to see whether it’s damaged. We hope it is not because it has so many historical artefacts, but you can’t gain access to it without breaking the doors down and we don’t want to do that. Said Mr. Smith

The dense smoke and fallen ceiling of the National Assembly area, which was constructed in the 1920s, put firemen in danger. The complex is a registered historic property in the heart of Cape Town and serves as the South African government’s primary legislative headquarters.

The Old Assembly suffered extensive damage in a fire that broke out in March of last year, destroying committee rooms, and offices.

Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, described the development as “devastating news.”

“This is devastating, coming as it does a day after our send-off for Archbishop Desmond Tutu,” the president’s office commented. “Waking up to the destruction of Parliament is a terrible setback from what we were basking in yesterday.”

After winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his global battle to remove South Africa’s racist laws, charismatic clergyman Desmond Tutu, who coined the phrase “Rainbow Nation” to represent South Africa’s hope for a multicultural democracy, died on December 26 at the age of 90. On Saturday, a burial service was performed in honor of him.

Ms. De Lille alleged that the sprinklers did not function because the building’s drainage valves had been manually cut off. An inquiry was launched when closed-circuit cams failed to pick up on an intruder.

Support staff employed at the legislative precinct were ordered not to work extra hours during the holiday season due to financial restrictions, according to Themba Gubula, spokeswoman for the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers’ Union. The origin of the blaze has not been determined by South African officials.

In February, the parliament hosts the president’s yearly address on the status of the nation. Mr. Ramaphosa’s speech may require a new location.

A Minister from Ukraine has called out the popular Netflix show Emily in Paris because of its controversial portrayal of a Ukrainian.

Oleksandr Tkachenko, the Minister of Culture of Ukraine has labeled the depiction of a character in the show as “Insulting”. Petra played by Daria Panchenko is the supposed character who is a woman from Keiv in the show.

Petra’s Character

Emily in Paris is a Comedy-Drama Netflix Show that features Emily Cooper played by Lily Collins who goes to Paris for her job as a marketing executive.

Season 2 of the show was released last month and in its fourth episode, we are introduced to the character of Petra who attempts shoplifting while shopping with Emily.

Petra is portrayed as a person who has a poor sense of fashion and she constantly fears being deported.

Tkachenko vented on Telegram: “In Emily in Paris, we have a caricature of a Ukrainian woman that is unacceptable. It is also insulting, is this how Ukrainians will be seen abroad? Who steals, wants to get everything for free, be afraid of deportation? This should not be so.”

Reports from Ukrainian media suggest that the minister sent a letter complaining about the same thing to Netflix. In turn, Tkachenko said that Netflix’s reply to his concern was “quite diplomatic”.

The Reaction of People on Social Media

The reaction of some people was in support of the minister of culture while some were purely criticizing his concern.

#Ukraine complains about stereotyping of Kyiv by Netflix in 'Emily in Paris'. If that were the only case of this American company boilerplating every country, the world would view itself in a much more realistic manner.

— Charles Beale (@Beale7Charles) January 3, 2022

Eugenia Havrylko’s post got shared on the official account of Ukraine, Ukraine.ua that said: “I feel like this cannot be ignored … Being the most successful Netflix show in 2021, knowing your influence on millions of minds and hearts all over the world, there is still a place for such ignorance and intolerance?”

On the other hand, Natalka Yakymovych, A Ukrainian Actor and Film Producer criticized Tkachenko’s complaint and said: “So, in a TV series, negative characters can be anything but Ukrainian? We all would like her to be from Moscow, but you don’t always get what you want.”

Not the First Rodeo

This is not the first time the Golden Globe-nominated show has been called out. In the first season, the show received complaints from French critics who called the show “insulting” toward the French people.

Charles Martin, a critic at Premiere wrote: “In Emily in Paris, we learn that the French are ‘all bad’ (yes, yes), that they are lazy and never arrive at the office before the end of the morning, that they are flirtatious and not really attached to the concept of loyalty, that they are sexist and backward, and of course, that they have a questionable relationship with showering. Yes, no cliche is spared, not even the weakest.”

To this, Darren Star, the creator of the show said that he was “not sorry for looking at Paris through a glamorous lens”.

Do you think the concern of Oleksandr Tkachenko makes sense? Let us know in the comments!

Angela “Angie” Kukawski, a business manager from Los Angeles who worked for Boulevard Management in Woodland Hills, has passed away. She was 55 years old. She was well-known for being the business manager for the Kardashians, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj. On social media, celebrities paid tribute to the late mother-of-five.

Nicki Minaz posted a story on her official instagram account. She wrote ““Hardest working, most reliable, sweetest person you could ever know. You didn’t deserve this, Angela. My heart is breaking for your children. Rest in peace.”

Whereas the Kardashians issued an official statement saying ““Angela was truly the best. She cared about every one of us and made things happen that were impossible. She will be greatly missed and we send our sincere condolences to her family and loved ones during this most difficult time.”

Where and How did Kukawski died?

Police officials said that the death occurred under a mysterious circumstances. The cause of the ex-manager’s death is suspected to be homicide. According to local reports, in Simi Valley, just north of Los Angeles, a woman in her 50s was discovered dead in the trunk of a parked automobile. Kukawski was the woman, according to sources.She was found dead in her car.  Angela was also missing since past one month. Sharp and brutal force injuries to the head are expected to be her cause of death. Strangulation is also a possibility.

You might be wondering, who would do that to her? We do have a possible suspect in this case. According to reports, Angela’s alleged boyfriend Jason Parker is the prime suspect on the murder. The police have arrested Jason already.

Jason Barker, her boyfriend, may have murdered her at their Sherman Oaks home before disposing of her body in Simi Valley. The victim’s body was discovered on the 1500 block of Patricia Ave. According to the case’s online jail records, Barker was arrested on December 23. He was charged with one count of murder with malice and was set to be arraigned on December 28.

According to court records, he was also charged with torturing “with the intent to cause cruel and excessive pain and suffering for the purpose of revenge, extortion, persuasion, and for a sadistic motive, inflict great bodily injury.

More About Angela Kukawski

Kukawski, also known as Angela Castro, and preferred her nickname Angie, was a mother of five who was “liked” in the profession, according to acquaintances. One music industry associate who had worked with her described her as “hard-working” and “straight shooter.” Boulevard specialises in accounting and financial management services for performers, sports, and entrepreneurs, as well as asset management, tax preparation, insurance, and estate and retirement planning, among other services. Kukawski’s clients at Boulevard included Nicki Minaj, rappers Kanye West and Offset, and, for a time, the Kardashians, as well as the estate of Tupac Shakur. Not only the notable celebs with this tragic news of her death, a great number of people have turned to Twitter to express their condolences.

The 2022 edition of the Palm film festival that we all were direly waiting for has been cancelled. The event was cancelled due to the rising coronavirus cases in the United States. The series of cancellation started when the organizers announced last week that they are cancelling the January 6 gala too. Before that the 2021 festival too was cancelled.

The prestigious Film Festival was scheduled to happen on 7th-17th January 2022 in the desert city east of Los Angeles. But due to the high rise in the omicron variant of the Coronavirus the organisers decided to cancel the event.  The official statement from the festival said-

“Based on the current rise of COVID cases, the Palm Springs International Film Society has announced that the Film Festival will not take place this year from January 7-17. This follows the cancellation of the January 6 Film Awards. After thoughtful consideration, the Film Society feels this is the most responsible decision to ensure the safety of our patrons, filmmakers, and staff.”

Regarding the tickets that have already been purchased the organisers further added-“Those who have purchased festival tickets and passes will receive a refund.  For most, the refund will be returned to their original method of payment. At this time Palm Springs ShortFest is scheduled to return June 21-27, 2022.”

“The Film Festival and Film Awards will return to an in-person event in January 2023. The Film Awards will partner with Entertainment Tonight to celebrate this year’s honorees with details to follow. The festival will announce juried award winners from the official selection on January 15 via press release and social media.”

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COVID-19 cases in the United States have reached an all-time high of over 265,000 per day on average, thanks largely to the highly contagious omicron variant. Hundreds of Broadway shows, including “Hamilton,” “The Lion King,” and “Aladdin,” have had to cancel performances in the last two weeks due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, despite vaccine mandates for cast, crew, and audiences.

The Music Man stars Hugh Jackman and his co-star have also tested positive for the deadly virus that led to the cancellation of their shows too.

About the Renown Film Festival

The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF), which began in 1990 and is held in the magnificent Coachella Valley at the base of Mt. San Jacinto in southern California, is a renowned presenter of world cinema. The Festival attracts a smart and diverse audience, including industry professionals, cinema fans from around the country, and international filmmakers.

It is one of North America’s largest film festivals, showcasing new and well-known documentaries and films. There are usually ten days of screenings. The Film Society’s purpose of cultivating emerging filmmaking talent, recognising the great masters of film, and giving viewers with an understanding of world cinema is carried out through the Film Festival and ShortFest.

American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur Dr. Dre has decided to officially end his marriage with his ex-wife Nicole Young. The divorce has been granted but it’s costing the rapper a hefty amount. According to reports Dr. Dre has been directed to pay his wife Young $100 million, The payment will be in 2 installments of $50 million each.

Dre and Young have been married for 26 years now. In July 2021 the couple announced the divorce. This is Nicole’s second separation. The last time Dre and his soon-to-be-ex-wife were spotted together was at a Tom Ford fashion show in February 2020. Nicole was rumoured to be demanding $2 million per month in spousal support in September 2020. However, in October, a judge determined that the rapper did not have to pay $1.5 million in security fees to his ex-wife.

About the Unfortunate Divorce

Dre’s net worth is estimated to be $820 million. Nicole didn’t get half because of a prenuptial agreement that she fought. Dre gets to keep seven of their properties, including a Malibu home, two Calabasas homes, and four properties in the Los Angeles area, including the $100 million Brentwood residence.

Dre also receives complete ownership of his master recordings, trademarks, and stakes in different partnerships and trusts. He also owns all of their Apple stock, including the proceeds from the Beats by Dre transaction. They split a fleet of vehicles, with he getting six and she getting four.

Nicole is responsible for her own legal bills, which are in the millions of dollars. There are also some storage lockers stocked with belongings from their numerous residences. Dre had put the belongings in storage, and she is entitled to keep everything inside that was hers, according to the deal.

She is entitled to keep the jewellery, cash, and bank accounts she possessed throughout the marriage. The agreement eliminates Young’s right to get spousal support, which was a contentious issue during the divorce.

Reason Behind the Couple’s Split

Dre’s alleged affair with Kili Anderson originally surfaced in 2013, with conjecture spreading that the two have a kid together. Since last year, Dr. Dre has been embroiled in a contentious divorce fight with estranged wife Nicole Young, and things appear to have become even uglier.

The relationship between the music entrepreneur and his alleged mistress, Kili Anderson, as well as their rumoured love child, has come to light. Young’s legal team has requested that Jillian Steer, Kili Anderson, and Crystal Rogers, her former partner’s alleged mistresses, be deposed in the divorce proceedings.

Dre’s name appears in a case filed against Anderson and her company Body Bakery for illegally terminating an employee, according to unseen court records obtained in 2019.

Anderson is said to have “been in a relationship with the famous rapper Dr. Dre, with whom she had a child, and as a result, she required all at-will employees to sign a confidentiality agreement that they would not pry into her life and would keep all things they learned about her life private,” according to the papers. The Couple is said to have two children a son and a daughter.

Whenever we think we are over COVID, the virus proves that its here to stay. Amid the rise of its new variant, Omicron, people have started testing positive for the virus across the world. Australian actor Hugh Jackman, too has tested positive for COVID-19 virus.

Wolverine star Hugh Jackman, 53 announced on Tuesday that he has been tested positive for he deadly virus. He shared the news through a video on his official twitter and instagram account. In the video he said that he has mild symptoms like cold and scratchy back. He further wrote” “I just wanted you to hear from me that I tested positive this morning for Covid. Mild symptoms and looking forward to getting back on stage ASAP. Sending love for a happy and healthy new year.” He also mentioned on twitter that he will soon be getting back to the winter garden!

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“The Music Man” stated on Instagram shortly after Mr. Jackman released his video that all performances would be cancelled through Saturday. Tickets can be exchanged or refunded at the point of purchase. On Sunday, performances will continue, and Mr. Jackman will return to the show on January 6th.Before the epidemic shut down Broadway for months, the highly anticipated revival of the iconic musical was set to debut in September 2020. It finally started previews on Monday, December 20, but because to Covid-19 breakout instances, it had to cancel its December 25 performance and December 26 matinée.

After Sutton Foster’s understudy Kathy Voytko substituted in for Foster as Marian Paroo in “The Music Man” on short notice after Foster tested positive, Jackman recently paid respect to understudies on Broadway.

In a video recorded on social media by a member of the audience, Jackman invited the understudies to join him on stage, calling them “the bedrock of Broadway.”
He explained, “I’m emotional because it humbles me.” “Their bravery, intellect, passion, and talent were all displayed. The swings and understudies are the foundation of Broadway.”

More about the Wolverine Actor

Jackman is considered to be an expressive man when it comes to emotion. Recently he also wrote a heartfelt message to his wife on her birthday. Jackman embarked on his first world tour, The Man, in 2019. The Show featured songs from The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack as well as Broadway and Hollywood musical numbers. The 88-show tour travels across North America, Europe, and Oceania started on May 7, 2019, in Glasgow, Scotland, and ended on October 15, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas.

Jackman was named a Companion of the Order of Australia in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours for “eminent contribution to the performing arts as an acclaimed actor and performer, and to the worldwide society, particularly as an advocate for poverty eradication.” TMTMTS tour, starring Hugh Jackman.

He co-starred with Allison Janney in the comedy-drama Bad Education (2019). Jackman and Laura Dern will feature in Florian Zeller’s version of his stage piece The Son, which will be released in April 2021. Apart from a great actor and performer, Jackman is a great philanthropist too therefore lets pray that he gets well soon and return to stage. Because we can’t wait to see him performing.