British actor Tom Wilkinson, known for ''The Full Monty'' and ''Michael Clayton'', dies at 75
London (AP): Tom Wilkinson, the Oscar-nominated British actor known for his roles in "The Full Monty", "Michael Clayton" and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", has died, his family said. He was 75.
A statement shared by his agent on behalf of the family said Wilkinson died suddenly at home on Saturday. It didn't provide further details.
Wilkinson was nominated for a best actor Academy Award for his work in 2001's family drama "In The Bedroom" in 2001 and in the best supporting actor category for his role in "Michael Clayton", a 2007 film that starred George Clooney.
He is remembered by many in Britain and beyond for playing former steel mill foreman Gerald Cooper in the 1997 comedy "The Full Monty," about a group of unemployed steel workers who formed an unlikely male stripping act.
Wilkinson appeared in dozens of other movies, including "Batman Begins", "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Valkyrie".
The actor was recognized for his services to drama in 2005 when he was appointed a member of the Order of the British Empire.
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Hamas accepts cease-fire proposal for Gaza, but Israel's stance still uncertain
Jerusalem, May 6: Hamas announced Monday it has accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal, but there was no immediate word from Israel, leaving it uncertain whether a deal had been sealed to bring a halt to the seven-month-long war in Gaza.
It was the first glimmer of hope that a deal might avert further bloodshed. Hours earlier, Israel ordered some 100,000 Palestinians to begin evacuating the southern Gaza town of Rafah, signalling that an attack was imminent. The United States and other key allies of Israel oppose an offensive on Rafah, where around 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half of Gaza's population, are sheltering.
An official familiar with Israeli thinking said Israeli officials were examining the proposal, but the plan approved by Hamas was not the framework Israel proposed.
An American official also said the US was still waiting to learn more about the Hamas position and whether it reflected an agreement to what had already been signed off on by Israel and international negotiators or something else. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as a stance was still being formulated.
Details of the proposal have not been released. Touring the region last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had pressed Hamas to take the deal, and Egyptian officials said it called for a cease-fire of multiple stages starting with a limited hostage release and some Israeli troop pullbacks from Gaza. The two sides would also negotiate a “permanent calm” that would lead to a full hostage release and greater Israeli withdrawal, they said.
