Peoples' News Roundup: Australian writer and TV critic Clive James dies aged 80; British celebrity chef Gary Rhodes dies suddenly at 59

Following is a summary of current people news briefs.

William Ruckelshaus, who resigned in Watergate's 'Saturday Night Massacre,' dies at 87: U.S. media

William Ruckelshaus, picked by Richard Nixon as the first head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and as deputy attorney general before being fired for defying the president in the Watergate scandal, died on Wednesday at the age of 87, U.S. media reported. Ruckelshaus, a moderate Republican highly regarded for his integrity and seen as a white knight by the environmental community, died at his home in Seattle, according to the New York Times, citing his daughter Mary Ruckelshaus.

British satirist and opera director Jonathan Miller dies aged 85

British satirist and director Jonathan Miller, whose career spanned over 50 years from the hit comedy review show "Beyond the Fringe" to directing for some of the world's grandest opera houses, has died aged 85. In a statement released to British media, his family said Miller died "peacefully at home ... following a long battle with Alzheimer's".

'Rise of Skywalker' actor John Boyega: 'I left the script under my bed'

British actor John Boyega said on Wednesday that he left his copy of the closely-guarded script for the new "Star Wars" movie under his bed, and that it ended up for sale on eBay. Boyega, who plays Stormtrooper turned resistance fighter Finn in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," told U.S. television show "Good Morning America" that a cleaner had found the script and put it on the eBay auction site.

British celebrity chef Gary Rhodes dies suddenly at 59

British chef and TV presenter Gary Rhodes has died at the age of 59, prompting tributes from Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Prue Leith to the "rock star of cooking". Known for his spiky brown hair and love of British cuisine, Rhodes was taken ill suddenly during a break in filming for a new series in Dubai, his family said in a statement.

Rare Mozart portrait flies above presale estimate at Paris auction

A rare portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart sold for 4 million euros on Wednesday at Christie's in Paris, rocketing past the auction house's presale estimate of 800,000-1.2 million euros. The artwork, one of four portraits of the Austrian composer painted during his lifetime and still part of a private collection, was painted in 1770. It has been attributed to Italian painter Giambettino Cignaroli.

Love your clothes and pass them on, says Vogue supremo Wintour

Clothes should be cherished, re-worn and even passed on to the next generation, Anna Wintour, the influential editor of Vogue magazine said, calling for more sustainability in the fashion world and less of a throwaway culture. In an interview with Reuters, Wintour, considered one of the most powerful people in fashion, also said the industry was "a little bit late in the game" in pursuing diversity and inclusivity and that, despite the meteoric rise of social media influencers, Vogue would remain a benchmark for fashionistas.

Australian writer and TV critic Clive James dies aged 80

Clive James, an expatriate Australian writer and broadcaster who wrote incisively and often hilariously about television, literature and current affairs, has died aged 80, his agents said on Wednesday. James, a big name in British television and radio in the 1980s, was influential in media circles and won awards for journalism and broadcasting.

Harvey Weinstein loses bid to dismiss sexual assault charges

A New York judge has denied Harvey Weinstein's request to dismiss two predatory sexual assault charges, ahead of the former Hollywood producer's trial in January. The decision released on Wednesday by Justice James Burke of the State Supreme Court in Manhattan is a victory for prosecutors who have charged Weinstein with five sex crimes, including rape.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)