Actor John Lithgow defended his decision to join the upcoming HBO series based on J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books, despite the author's controversial views on transgender issues. The 80-year-old actor, who is set to play Albus Dumbledore, addressed the criticism surrounding Rowling's outspoken opposition to transgender ideology and her defense of women-only spaces, according to Fox News.
Lithgow insisted that he took the criticism "extremely seriously" and described Rowling's views as "ironic" given the themes of her fantasy series, Fox News reported.
Meanwhile, Rowling's name also appeared on the UK's list of top taxpayers, alongside Harry Styles and Anthony Joshua, according to BBC Business. Fred and Peter Done, founders of Betfred, topped the list with an estimated £400.1 million tax bill over the past year. The list, published by the Sunday Times, also included Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Liverpool's Mo Salah, BBC Business noted.
In other news, emails revealed that US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick planned a visit to Jeffrey Epstein's island with his family in 2012, BBC Business reported. The emails, included in the latest Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), contradicted Lutnick's previous statements about cutting ties with the convicted paedophile in 2005. A Commerce Department spokesperson stated that Lutnick had not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein, according to BBC Business.
Separately, Syria's only female minister, Hind Kabawat, discussed the challenges of rebuilding the country, BBC World reported. Kabawat, the minister for social affairs and labour in the transitional government, emphasized the importance of women's involvement in the process. "On the first day, I asked 'why are there no more women?'" Kabawat said, according to BBC World. She stated she would not remain in the role if she was not free to set her own strategy.
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