World
‘John Wick’ stars honor late co-star Lance Reddick
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne have been among the many “John Wick: Chapter 4” stars honoring Lance Reddick, their co-star who died unexpectedly final week, on the movie’s Los Angeles premiere.
“We misplaced our brother, and in a very type of very stunning method. I believe we’re all nonetheless in shock. “Life is,” the visibly-shaken Fishburne mentioned, pausing briefly earlier than persevering with, “arduous generally.”
Lots of those that labored on the movie wore blue ribbons to honor Reddick, who was a prolific character actor with outstanding roles in “The Wire,” “Oz” and the “John Wick” movie franchise.
“Simply to be in his gentle and to get an opportunity to work with him, I’ll cherish for the remainder of my life,” Reeves mentioned. “He had such a ardour for his work and his craft. He was gracious. He had a dignity to him and a presence.”
Reddick, 60, died Friday in Los Angeles of pure causes, his publicist Mia Hansen mentioned. No additional particulars have been supplied.
Tributes have poured in for the actor, whose roles made him a beloved and recognizable star of tv and movies. He performed Charon, the multi-skilled Continental Lodge concierge who’s keen on Wick, an murderer performed by Reeves. The newest installment arrives in theaters Friday.
“He’s the goodness of this movie. He was sort of, in some ways, the center of the movie as a result of his character liked John Wick,” Fisburne mentioned.
“You understand, it’s all the time arduous once you lose somebody that you simply love dearly . . . however you’re additionally extremely grateful for the time you had collectively. We have been lucky sufficient to work with Lance because the very starting of the ‘John Wick’ franchise. I imply it’s been virtually 10 years,” director Chad Stahelski mentioned. “I actually want he might be with us tonight, however, you understand, life. However we’re very lucky to have recognized him. And he’s an awesome man, an awesome artist, an awesome human, a pricey good friend.”
Shamier Moore, a newcomer to “Wick” franchise, recalled how Reddick took time to say a form phrase on set.
“I grew up watching Lance Reddick. It’s a bittersweet second as a result of he was undoubtedly certainly one of my heroes rising up as an actor, as a Black actor,” Moore mentioned. And regardless that we didn’t share display screen time collectively on this movie, we shared a while off digital camera and he was salt of the Earth when he first met me.
“He mentioned, ‘Shamier, you’re unimaginable. I like your work man,’ and like, it melted me like a puddle. ”
World
Fact check: How deadly was 2024 for journalists?
An estimated 104 journalists lost their lives in 2024, with Palestine the most dangerous territory.
An estimated 104 journalists were killed worldwide over the past year, according to data shared earlier this month by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
Another report by NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF) puts the figure at 54, but its methodology means it only includes killings that are considered “directly related” to journalists’ professional activity.
Both organisations say that Palestine is the deadliest place on earth for journalists. More than half (55) of the 104 killings reported by IFJ were Palestinian media professionals in Gaza, while a further six were killed in Lebanon.
At least 138 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out on 7 October 2023, making the country one of the “most dangerous in the history of modern journalism, behind Iraq, the Philippines and Mexico,” according to the IFJ.
Reporters without Borders has described the number of killings in Gaza as “an unprecedented bloodbath”.
Israel firmly denies it has intentionally targeted any journalists, but has recognised some that have been killed in its airstrikes on Gaza.
The 104 total killings reported by the IFJ is a slight decrease on the 129 they reported on in 2023, which is considered the bloodiest year for journalists since 1990.
How do other world regions fare?
Asia Pacific is the world’s second most dangerous region for journalists, after the Middle East, according to the IFJ.
It recorded 20 deaths in the region in 2024, of which 70% happened in the southern Asian countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.
The region has seen an “upsurge” in violence, according to the IFJ, with deaths increasing sharply from the 12 recorded in 2023.
Africa was the third most dangerous region for journalists at eight deaths, five of them in war-torn Sudan.
The number of journalists killed in south, central and north America has dropped sharply over the past two years, from 30 in 2022 to six in 2023, and another six in 2024. Mexico, considered to be one of the deadliest places in the world to do journalism, continues to see “threats, intimidation, kidnappings and murders” against journalists, particularly due to reporting on drug trafficking.
Number of journalists behind bars on the rise
According to IFJ estimates on 10 December, there were 520 journalists in prison across the world, considerably more than in 2023 (427) and 2022 (375).
China, including Hong Kong, accounts for most of journalists behind bars, followed by Israel and Myanmar.
The IFJ says the figures show how “fragile” the independent press is and how “risky and dangerous” the profession of journalism has become.
World
Italian state railways plans 1.3 bln euro investment in solar plant
World
Christmas in Puerto Rico is a 45-day celebration with caroling, festive decorations, family feasts and more
Christmas, Navidad in Puerto Rico, extends far beyond Dec. 25.
The island proudly proclaims itself as having the “longest holiday season in the world,” according to the website Discover Puerto Rico.
On average, the holiday festivities in Puerto Rico last about 45 days, per the source, commencing right after Thanksgiving, and stretching all the way through mid-January.
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The holiday season in Puerto Rico is full of rich traditions beloved by families.
One tradition those who visit Puerto Rico will immediately notice during the holiday season is decorations.
In Puerto Rico, decorations are typically put up by Thanksgiving, and kept up until the season concludes in mid-January, with opportune picture moments at every corner.
Parrandas, Christmas caroling, is a holiday staple.
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Carolers choose houses of family and friends to visit, typically starting around 10 p.m., performing aguinaldos (traditional Christmas songs), with not only their voices, but often with instruments as well, according to Discover Puerto Rico.
The group you begin caroling with is likely not the same group you end with.
In Puerto Rico, when carolers visit a house, they’ll often stop inside for conversation, food and drink before moving to the next residence.
Usually, the residences of the house visited will join the group for the next house, according to Discover Puerto Rico.
CHRISTMAS TREES IN GERMANY WERE DECORATED WITH APPLES INSTEAD OF ORNAMENTS IN THE 1600S FOR ‘ADAM AND EVE DAY’
A night of serenading loved ones can last quite a while, often stretching into the early morning hours of the following day, according to the source.
The biggest day of the holiday season in Puerto Rico actually isn’t Christmas, but instead, the night before.
In Puerto Rico, Dec. 24 is Nochebuena. On that day, loved ones gather for the exchange of gifts, caroling and a large feast.
Many families will also attend a midnight Mass on the day, known as Misa de Gallo.
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After Christmas passes, the festivities go on in Puerto Rico.
Another big event in the holiday lineup is Three Kings Day on Jan. 6, a holiday that “commemorates the visit that the Three Wise Men paid to Jesus after his birth,” according to Discover Puerto Rico.
On the eve of the day, children fill up a shoebox with grass to be left for camels to munch on while the Three Kings leave behind gifts for them, according to PuertoRico.com.
For a particularly festive Three Kings Day, Juana Díaz is the place to go, as it hosts the largest celebration in Puerto Rico for the holiday. In Juana Díaz, there is an annual festival and parade in honor of Three Kings Day that brings together over 25,000 people every year, according to Discover Puerto Rico.
Then, eight days later is Octavitas, a post-holiday celebration where families get together and celebrate one last time for the season.
The end of the holiday season is marked with the San Sebastián Street Festival.
This festival, spanning over multiple days, takes place in Old San Juan, and is filled with live music, dancing, shopping and parades.
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