A FIFA World Cup great who 'inspired generations', West German national soccer team captain Franz Beckenbauer, has died aged 78. Beckenbauer helped West Germany win the FIFA World Cup both as player and coach and became one of Germany's most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm. Beckenbauer's passing was announced in a statement from his family on January 8. The former Bayern Munich great, who became affectionately known as the "Kaiser" - or "Emperor" - had struggled with health problems in recent years. Welsh rugby legend JPR Williams has died at the age of 74, after a brief fight with bacterial meningitis. The fullback made 55 appearances for his country and eight with the British & Irish Lions throughout the 1970s. He was regarded as an icon of Welsh rugby during his time, known for his distinctive sideburns, socks, and running style. The British & Irish Lions described Williams as "one of the greatest ever Lions" and "a man who inspired so many". His death was confirmed in a statement from his family on January 9. British actress Glynis Johns, best known for her role as the suffragette wife and mother in the 1964 Disney smash-hit Mary Poppins, died on January 4, 2024. She was 100 years old. Johns' longtime manager Mitch Clem said she died "peacefully" in Los Angeles at an assisted living home, where she's lived for the past several years. Johns' career as a film, TV and stage actor spanned nearly nine decades, after starting out as a teenager in the 1930s. In 1964, she starred alongside Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and David Tomlinson in Mary Poppins. Johns played Mrs Banks, a vibrant and upbeat feminist character who sang "Sister Suffragette" in the Oscar-winning film. "Her light shined very brightly for 100 years," her manager Clem said in his statement. "She had a wit that could stop you in your tracks powered by a heart that loved deeply and purely."

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