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Hyderabad: Bigg Boss Telugu 8 has entered its final stage, and this week saw the shocking elimination of Yashmi Gowda, a strong contestant many expected to be in the top five. Known for her bold moves and entertaining personality, Yashmi’s journey ended in Week 12, leaving fans surprised. Yashmi was among the five nominees: Yashmi Gowda, Prithviraj Shetty, Nikhil Maliakkal, Prerana Kambum, and Nabeel Afridi. After a tense elimination process, Yashmi and Prithviraj were in the danger zone. In the end, Yashmi was evicted while Prithviraj was saved. Fans are now debating her elimination, calling it unfair. Many questioned how Yashmi, a fan favorite, received fewer votes than others. Yashmi reportedly earned Rs. 2 lakh per week for her time in the Bigg Boss house. Over 12 weeks, this adds up to Rs. 24 lakh. Some sources suggest her pay could have been Rs. 2.5 lakh per week, meaning she might have earned up to Rs. 30 lakh in total. This reality show income is significantly higher than what she earned acting in Telugu serials, where she was paid Rs. 15,000 per day. Yashmi gained fame as a serial actress in Krishna Mukunda Murari. She impressed viewers in Bigg Boss with her gameplay and personality, though some criticized her for emotional decisions and group politics. With Yashmi out, only 10 contestants remain. The competition is heating up as the show nears its grand finale.In 1996, the premium cable channel Home Box Office launched a major advertising campaign promoting the idea that you were getting something special when you signed up for the service: The slogan: “It’s not TV, it’s HBO.” Call that fake news — after all, it WAS TV — but it was a great ad campaign and it’s a tagline that resonates to this day. Cut to 2024, and we’re living in an era where we can say, it’s not TV, it’s Netflix and Apple TV+ and Peacock and Prime Video and Disney+ and Max and AMC+ and YouTube and Tubi and Starz and FX on Hulu and Paramount+ with Showtime — and of course we still have HBO and CBS and NBC and ABC and Fox et al. We have never had so many choices, to the point where it can be overwhelming and create Menu Anxiety. What do I watch! Where do I watch it! How do I watch it! This is one of the reasons why series such as “Friends” and “The Office” and “Seinfeld” continue to perform so well in the perpetual rerun afterlife; while some of the storylines might be dated or even problematic, the humor is still consistent — and when we’re unable to choose something new to watch because it feels like there too many options, we can always default to 22 minutes of comfort viewing. It’s impossible to come close to watching every single new series in any given year, but I try to gobble up as many as I can. Here’s my Top 10 for 2024. 10. ‘How to Die Alone’ (Hulu) Creator, executive producer and headliner Natasha Rothwell leaves an indelible impression with her funny, empathic and grounded work as Mel, a JFK airport employee who has an accidental brush with death and takes that as a sign it’s time to live her life to the fullest. That might sound like the setup of a sugary romcom from the early 2000s, but this is darkly hilarious, sharply written and at times deeply moving character study, with Rothwell meshing seamlessly with the ensemble cast. 9. ‘Masters of the Air’ (Apple TV+) Two series in a row set against the backdrop of flights taking off and landing — and they couldn’t possibly be more different. This World War II drama is a companion to “Band of Brothers” (land) and “The Pacific” (sea), as we take to the skies for an old-fashioned, at times unabashedly corny yet powerful and visually stunning epic about the 100 th Bomb Group. Directed by some of the best filmmakers in TV and in movies today, and featuring a star-studded cast including Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan and Callum Turner, this is a rousing and heroic story, with the some of the most impressive VFX ever seen in a series. 8. ‘Black Doves’ (Netflix) Keira Knightley does some of the best work of her career as a London mother and wife married to the U.K. Defence Secretary, who hasn’t the foggiest inkling his spouse is also a high-level operative for a secret espionage agency known as the Black Doves. Hardly a week goes by without the release of another slick and well-filmed spy series (there’s another one on this list), but “Black Doves” stands out from the crowd, thanks to the great chemistry between Knightley and Ben Whishaw as her best friend who happens to be an assassin, the consistently clever dialogue, and a plot worthy of top-tier Guy Ritchie. 7. ‘A Man on the Inside’ (Netflix) Few actors in the history of television have appeared more comfortable on TV than Ted Danson, who for five decades has been headlining series ranging from great to pretty darn good. In this warmly funny gem from the prolific and gifted Michael Schur (a major contributor to some of the best sitcoms of the century), Danson does Emmy-level work as a widower who infiltrates a retirement community to investigate a possible burglary. It’s an admittedly gimmicky premise that consistently delights in unexpected ways. You want to wrap your arms around every character in this show. 6. ‘The Day of the Jackal” (Peacock) It’s cliché by now to say a TV series looks like a movie but I’ll embrace that cliché when it comes to this latest adaptation of the Frederick Forsyth novel. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne is chillingly good as the legendary assassin known as the Jackal, with Lashana Lynch doing equally impressive work as the weapons-expert British intelligence officer who becomes obsessed with taking him down. 5. ‘Bad Monkey’ (Apple TV+) I’m not sure I had more fun watching any series this year than I did with “Bad Monkey,” with Vince Vaughn in prime Vince Vaughn form as a suspended cop turned restaurant inspector who gets mixed up in all sorts of dangerous hijinks involving a severed body part, an Obeah-practicing woman known as the Dragon Queen (a terrific Jodie Turner-Smith), an ex-girlfriend (Michelle Monaghan) with criminal tendencies, and a capuchin monkey named Driggs who really isn’t such a bad monkey after all. Set in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, this is escapist TV at its finest. 4. ‘Shogun’ (Hulu, Disney+) More than four decades after James Clavell’s 1975 blockbuster novel was adapted in 1980 and became one of the most popular and acclaimed television series of its time, Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks created a gorgeous, visceral, sweeping, next-level masterwork (first seen on FX and Hulu) featuring a mostly Japanese cast, with the dialogue primarily in the Japanese language. This is one of the great historical drama series of our times — a brilliant, stunningly staged epic that immerses us in the culture and politics of 1600 Japan. Winner of 18 Emmys, including outstanding drama series. 3. ‘The Perfect Couple’ (Netflix) Nicole Kidman starred in my No. 4 movie of 2024 with “Babygirl,” and with “The Perfect Couple,” she continues her string of playing women who seem to have it all but are stressed to the limit and are often embroiled in dark or even tragic circumstances. (See also “Big Little Lies,” “The Undoing” and “Expats.”) Kidman is in prime icy form as the matriarch of a wealthy family on Nantucket that is hosting a lavish wedding celebration derailed by an untimely death. One of the many things I loved about this perfectly cast, great-looking, addictively bingeable gem is that it goes through all the lurid paces in a relatively zippy six episodes instead of dragging things out, as is the case with so many limited series dramas. This is a near-perfect slice of glossy entertainment about some wildly imperfect people, most of whom deserve each other. 2. ‘Landman’ (Paramount+) The prolific Tyler Sheridan (“Yellowstone,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Tulsa King”) hits another home run, teaming with journalist-screenwriter Christian Wallace to create a hits-the-ground-running sensation that grabs you from the opening scene and keeps you in its thrall through every turn, even when things get soapy and melodramatic (as they often did on “Yellowstone”). Billy Bob Thornton owns the role of Tommy Norris, a crisis manager for a fictional oil company, while Ali Larter does career-best work as Tommy’s ex-wife Angela, with Jon Hamm and Demi Moore among the top names in the supporting cast. “Landman” is one of those shows where the only time you steal a glance at the time is because you hope there’s another 20 minutes left in this episode, but darn it, 55 minutes have just flown by. 1. ‘The Penguin’ (HBO) As much as I admired Lauren LeFranc’s fantastically grimy, gritty and punishingly effective TV spinoff sequel to the feature film “The Batman” when I reviewed it a few months back, I’m not sure I fully appreciated the full brilliance of this work until I rewatched much of the series and was blown away by its dark, rich, powerful grip. Much of has been made of Michael Marino’s award-worthy makeup work that transformed Colin Farrell into the startling presence that is Oz Cobb, but it’s Farrell’s performance that turned Cobb into one of the most memorably psychotic underworld figure characterss of the 21st century. Cristin Milioti is equally great as Sofia Gigante, the presumed serial killer who takes revenge on her enemies in a shocking set-piece and becomes Cobb’s archrival, as each schemes to take control of Gotham’s rotting underbelly. “The Penguin” springs from the DC Comic Universe, but it felt more like a descendant of “The Sopranos” and DePalma’s “Scarface.” A worthy descendant. It’s not TV, it’s HBO.TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli soldiers raided a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. The war was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: WASHINGTON — A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month. The U.S.-created Famine Early Warning System Network says that’s because to a near-total Israeli blockade of food and other aid in that part of Gaza. The finding, however, appears to have exposed a rift within the Biden administration over the extent of starvation in northern Gaza. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, disputes part of the data used in reaching the conclusion and calls the intensified famine warning “irresponsible.” Northern Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its 14-month war with Hamas militants. UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s foreign minister has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and to condemn the group's Iranian allies for allegedly providing the group with weapons. Gideon Saar said in a letter Tuesday to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council presidency this month, that the Houthis are violating international law and council resolutions. “This Iranian-backed terrorist group continues to endanger Israel’s and other nations’ security, as well as the freedom of maritime navigation, in flagrant violation of international law,” Saar said. “All of this malign activity is done as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to an email asking when the council meeting will be held. The Houthis have said they launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – and on Israel -- with the aim of ending Israel’s devastating air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war in Gaza followed Hamas’ deadly October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military investigation has concluded that the presence of troops inadvertently contributed to the deaths of six hostages killed by their Hamas captors in Gaza. The hostages' bodies were discovered in a tunnel in late August, an event that shook Israel and sparked some of the largest anti-war protests since the war began. The investigation found that the six hostages were killed by multiple gunshots from their captors after surviving for nearly 330 days. The Israeli military’s “ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists’ decision to murder the six hostages,” the report found. According to the investigation, the Israeli military began operating in the area where the hostages were being held in southern Gaza about two weeks before their discovery, under the assumption that the chances of hostages in the area was medium to low. On August 27, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found alone in a tunnel , causing the Israeli military to halt operations for 24 hours to determine if there could be other hostages in the area. The military discovered the opening leading to the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were located on August 30. A pathological report estimated the six hostages were killed on August 29. The six hostages killed were Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin , whose American-Israeli parents became some of the most recognized spokespeople pleading for the hostages’ release, including addressing the Democratic National Convention days before their son’s killing. “The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal,” the Hostages Families Forum said in response to the investigation. “Every passing moment puts the hostages’ lives in immediate danger.” JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.
By Anneke Smith of RNZ Warning: This story discusses details of sexual abuse. A former political figure who sexually abused two teenage boys nearly 30 years ago has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The man, who is not a sitting MP, sexually assaulted two young teenagers he mentored through a sports club in the mid- to late-1990s. He continues to deny any offending after being found guilty of eight charges of indecent assault after a week-long jury trial in the Auckland District Court in August.SATURDAY'S BOWL GAMES
PSNI investigating alleged incident involving Armagh All-Ireland winning squad during US trip
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