Hump day recommendations, Jan. 15, 2025

Read: A band of brothers, literally. In the early 1960s, two Dutch-Indonesian kids in Amsterdam boarded a boat bound for the US with their parents, a few suitcases, and an upright piano. They settled in Pasadena, California, and started playing music, first with their dad, who was an alcoholic jazzman, and then with their friends and classmates. They became one of the most spectacular and influential rock bands of all time. Alex Van Halen’s book “Brothers,” is a rollicking and insightful memoir of how he and his late brother Eddie (an absolute god among guitarists), reshaped rock music in the late 1970s (the last days before “video killed the radio star”) but also paid a steep price for it. – Alex

Watch: “Mosul” Set amid the battle to retake the ancient Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic State terrorists who overran it, this masterpiece of war cinema follows Kawa, a young Kurdish police officer recruited to the Nineveh SWAT team, as they attempt to rescue a family from the warlord who enslaved them. The pervasive sense of fear and aggression are masterfully interspersed with emotional sequences displaying the deep toll that decades of war have taken on ordinary Iraqi families, with Kawa’s loss of innocence parallelling his entire generation’s experience. – Matt

Watch and listen:Weapon of Choice.” Christopher Walken is just not like you and me. Don’t believe me? Set aside three minutes and 52 seconds to watch him take inspiration from Fatboy Slim. – Willis

Watch: A heart break. If you’re a fan of Rosalind Eleazar from “Slow Horses,” be sure to check out the “Missing You” series on Netflix. Inspector Kat Donovan is left heartbroken by the murder of her father — and then by the disappearance of her fiancé. Years later, she’s still struggling to move forward as she begins to unravel the truth behind both mysteries. – Tracy

Go see: “Six” on Broadway or on tour. It’s a hilarious, modern take on the fates of the six wives of Henry VIII that turns historical drama into an electrifying girly-pop concert. – Riley

More from GZERO Media

Last week, Microsoft released the 2025 TechSpark Impact Report, which highlights how the company is assisting regions across the US in achieving these goals. Since its launch, TechSpark has obtained over $700 million in community funding, supported more than 65,000 people in developing digital skills, and, thanks to the work of TechSpark Fellows, catalyzed $249M+ in funding and upskilled 34,600 individuals across 46 communities — highlighting the ripple effect of local leadership and innovation. Learn more about this progress in the 2025 report here.

Members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hold a flag in the divided city of Deir al-Zor, Syria December 7, 2024.
REUTERS

¼: The new Syrian government has signed a ceasefire with US-backed Kurdish fighters who control roughly a quarter of Syria’s territory, in a pact that could smooth the re-integration of Kurdish areas into the Syrian state.

A drone view of families of hostages and their supporters protesting ahead of the two-year anniversary of the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, demanding the immediate release of all hostages and the end of the war in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 4, 2025.
REUTERS/Rei Ash

66: A new poll by the Israel Democracy Institute shows 66% of Israelis say it’s time to end the war in Gaza, up 13 points from last October.

Palestinians inspect the destruction after Israeli airstrike hit Bank of Palestine in Gaza Strip Palestinians inspect the destruction after Israeli airstrike hit Bank of Palestine in Gaza Strip on September 24, 2025.
  • IMAGO/APAimages via Reuters Connect

Negotiations are ongoing to end the war in Gaza, with US President Donald Trump urging parties to “move fast” to reach a deal.