Angelina Jolie visited a Kurdish refugee camp in Dohuk, northern Iraq, on Sunday in her capacity as special envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. At the site, which houses thousands of Yazidis and other refugees who have been forced to abandon their homes in Mosul after it was invaded by ISIL militants, the actress met with families living there. Later she called on world leaders to do more to bring an end to the conflict in Syria and Iraq. “‘Too many innocent people are paying the price of the conflict in Syria and spread of extremism,” she said. “The international community has to step up and do more.” – The National staff
Melissa Rivers files lawsuit in mother Joan’s death
The late comedian Joan Rivers's daughter, Melissa Rivers, filed a malpractice lawsuit on Monday against the doctors and clinic where her mother had a routine medical procedure, stopped breathing and later died. "What ultimately guided me was my unwavering belief that no family should ever have to go through what my mother, Cooper [her son] and I have been through," she said. "The level of medical mismanagement, incompetence, disrespect and outrageous behaviour is shocking." Joan Rivers, who crashed the male-dominated realm of late-night talk shows and starred on E! in Fashion Police, died in September at the age of 81. The city's medical examiner found that she died of brain damage due to lack of oxygen after she stopped breathing during an endoscopy at Yorkville Endoscopy days earlier. Her death was classified as a therapeutic complication. – AP
Watson to star in Beauty and the Beast
Emma Watson will play Belle in a live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, Walt Disney Co announced on Monday. Who will play the Beast hasn't been announced yet. In a Facebook message, Watson said that she was a huge fan of the tale while growing up and that her "6-year-old self is on the ceiling". She added: "Time to start some singing lessons!" Watson had long been attached to the project, but it's taken several years for the film to come together. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn director Bill Condon is taking over from the previously attached director, Guillermo del Toro. Production will begin this year. – AP
Cumberbatch says sorry for calling black actors “coloured”
Benedict Cumberbatch says he was an “idiot” to refer to non-white actors as “coloured”. The Academy Award-nominated actor used the word on the PBS talk show Tavis Smiley last week while discussing diversity in the entertainment industry. He said that “as far as coloured actors go”, there were more opportunities in the United States than Britain, “and that’s something that needs to change”. The British anti-racism charity Show Racism the Red Card said it welcomed Cumberbatch’s comments on diversity but felt the term he used was “outdated”. In a statement on Monday, Cumberbatch apologised for his “thoughtless use of inappropriate language”. He said: “I’m devastated to have caused offence by using this outmoded terminology. I offer my sincere apologies. I make no excuse for my being an idiot and know the damage is done.” – AP
