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Annie Awards 2014: Winners Full List

Sonia Pantiss
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Annie Awards 2014: Winners Full List

Annie Awards 2014 full list of winners

Best Animated Feature:
Frozen, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production:
Chipotle Scarecrow, Chipotle Creative Department, Moonbot Studios

Best Animated Short Subject:
Get A Horse!,Walt Disney Animation Studios

Best Animated TV/Broadcast Commercial:
Despicable Me 2, Cinemark
- Universal Pictures

Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children:
Disney Sofia the First
- Disney Television Animation

Best Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Children’s Audience:
Adventure Time, Cartoon Network Studios

Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Futurama,20th Century Fox Television

Best Animated Video Game:
The Last of Us, Naughty Dog

Best Student Film
Wedding Cake, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Viola Baier, Iris Frisch

Animated Effects in an Animated Production:
Jeff Budsberg, Andre Le Blanc, Louis Flores, Jason Mayer, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation

Animated Effects in a Live Action Production:
Michael Balog, Ryan Hopkins, Patrick Conran, Florian Witzel, Pacific Rim, Industrial Light & Magic

Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production:
Kureha Yokoo, Toy Story of Terror!,Pixar Animation Studios

Character Animation in an Animated Feature Production:

The 41st annual Annie Awards
The 41st annual Annie Awards


Jakob Jensen, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation

Character Animation in a Live Action Production:
Jeff Capogreco, Jedrzej Wojtowicz, Kevin Estey, Alessandro Bonora, Gino Acevedo, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Gollum,Weta Digital

Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Paul Rudish, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation

Character Design in an Animated Feature Production:
Carter Goodrich, Takao Noguchi, Shane Prigmore, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation

Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Angus MacLane, Toy Story of Terror!, Pixar Animation Studios

Directing in an Animated Feature Production:
Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios

Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Christopher Willis, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation

Music in an Animated Feature Production:
Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Christophe Beck, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios

Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Angela Sung, William Niu, Christine Bian, Emily Tetri, Frederic Stewart, The Legend of Korra, Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Production Design in an Animated Feature Production:
Michael Giaimo, Lisa Keene, David Womersley, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Daniel Chong, Toy Story of Terror!, Pixar Animation Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production:
Dean Kelly, Monsters University, Pixar Animation Studios

Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Tom Kenny as the voice of Ice King, Adventure Time, Cartoon Network Studios

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production:
Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf, Frozen, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Lewis Morton, Futurama, 20th Century Fox Television

Writing in an Animated Feature Production:
Hayao Miyazaki, The Wind Rises,Studio Ghibli/Touchstone Pictures/The Walt Disney Studios

Editorial in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Illya Owens, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation

Editorial in an Animated Feature Production:
Greg Snyder, Gregory Amundson, Steve Bloom, Monsters University, Pixar Animation Studios

Winsor McCay Award:
Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Spielberg, Phil Tippett

June Foray Award:
Alice Davis

Ub Iwerks Award
Dragonframe

Special Achievement Award
Creative Talent Network (CTN) Animation eXpo

Certificate of Merit
I Know That Voice

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Annie Awards 2014: Big winner Frozen takes five prizes

Sonia Pantiss
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Annie Awards 2014: Big winner Frozen takes five prizes

Frozen was the big winner at the 41st annual Annie Awards, taking five prizes including best animated feature.

The 3D film, which is nominated for two Oscars and won a Golden Globe last month, has taken more than $864 million around the world.

Frozen beat Despicable Me 2, Ernest & Celestine, A Letter to Momo, The Croods, Monsters University and The Wind Rises to win the main prize.

The Annie Awards are Hollywood’s top animation honors for both film and TV.

Frozen‘s other prizes were in the music and production design categories, as well as voice acting for Josh Gad’s Olaf the Snowman and best directing for Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, who also wrote the script.

Frozen was the big winner at the 41st annual Annie Awards, taking five prizes including best animated feature
Frozen was the big winner at the 41st annual Annie Awards, taking five prizes including best animated feature

Pixar won five awards, including two for Monsters University and three for an ABC special called Toy Story of TERROR.

DreamWorks Animation got three awards for its hit film The Croods, in the character animation, character design and animated effects categories.

The International Animated Film Society, which published the full list of winners on its website, also honored several live action films including The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey for character animation and Pacific Rim for animated effects.

Legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki won a writing Annie for The Wind Rises, which he has said will be his last film.

In the TV categories, Fox TV show Futurama won best general-audience animated show, Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time was named best children’s show, while Disney’s Sofia the First was voted best show for pre-school children.

Steven Spielberg was honored for his exceptional contribution to animation, with manga artist and director Katsuhiro Otomo also among several winners of special awards.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death: Stars pay tribute to actor

Lisa.Felice
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Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death: Stars pay tribute to actor

Fellow actors paid tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman after he was found dead at his home in New York on Sunday.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, 46, was found by a friend who called emergency services. He was declared dead at the scene.

A police spokesman said investigators found two small plastic bags and a substance suspected of being heroin.

Robert De Niro was among many stars expressing their sorrow, describing him as “a wonderful actor”.

“I’m very, very saddened by the passing of Phil. He was a wonderful actor. This is one of those times where you say: <<This just shouldn’t be>>,” he said.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is survived by his partner Mimi O’Donnell, and their three children.

Fellow actors paid tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman after he was found dead at his home in New York
Fellow actors paid tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman after he was found dead at his home in New York

Jennifer Lawrence, who starred with Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Hunger Games, described him as “such a incredible actor.”

“You played an excellent Plutarch. So sad,” she wrote.

Julianne Moore, who co-starred with Philip Seymour Hoffman in Boogie Nights, Magnolia and The Big Lebowski, said: “I feel so fortunate to have known and worked with the extraordinary Philip Seymour Hoffman, and am deeply saddened by his passing.”

George Clooney, who appeared alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Ides of March, said: “There are no words… It’s just terrible.”

Director Mike Nichols, who directed Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson’s War and in Death of a Salesman, said: “No words for this. He was too great and we’re too shattered.”

Kevin Costner told the Associated Press: “Philip was a very important actor and really takes his place among the real great actors. It’s a shame.

“Who knows what he would have been able to do? But we’re left with the legacy of the work he’s done and it all speaks for itself,” he added.

Philip Seymour Hoffman had candidly spoken in the past of his struggle against drug addiction, including a 2006 interview in which he told CBS he had at times abused “anything I could get my hands on. I liked it all”.

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Ride Along tops US box office for third consecutive week

Sonia Pantiss
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Ride Along tops US box office for third consecutive week

Ride Along has topped the North American box office for a third consecutive week.

The film, starring Kevin Hart and rapper Ice Cube, took $12.3 million over the Super Bowl weekend, bringing its total domestic haul to $93 million.

Disney animation Frozen climbed back up the chart to two, benefitting from the release of a sing-along version.

The film has now taken more than $360 million in the US over 11 weeks.

Frozen is now the fourth highest-grossing animated release in the US.

Its soundtrack is currently number one in the Billboard 200, while its signature track Let It Go – sung by Idina Menzel – has been nominated for a best song Oscar, with the film itself up for best animated feature.

Ride Along has topped the North American box office for a third consecutive week
Ride Along has topped the North American box office for a third consecutive week

Zac Efron chick flick That Awkward Moment opened at number three earning $9 million.

Animated squirrel comedy The Nut Job fell one place to four, while Mark Wahlberg’s Afghanistan war drama Lone Survivor slipped three places to number five.

The only other entry in the top 10 was Labor Day at seven.

Starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, the drama is an adaption of Joyce Maynard’s novel of the same name about an escaped convict who takes refuge in the home of a depressed single mother.

Next weekend’s release of 3D animation The Lego Movie is expected to knock Ride Along from the top spot.

North American box office Top 5:

1. Ride Along – $12.3 million

2. Frozen – $9.3 million

3. That Awkward Moment – $9 million

4. The Nut Job – $7.6 million

5. Lone Survivor – $7.2 million

Source: Rentrak

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Nelson Mandela will: South Africa’s first black president left $4 million estate

Nancy Clayson
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Nelson Mandela will: South Africa’s first black president left $4 million estate

South Africa’s first black President Nelson Mandela left an estate valued at more than 46 million rand ($4.13 million), a public reading of his will has revealed.

Executor Justice Dikgang Moseneke, summarizing what he said was a 40-page document, said he was “not aware of any contest” to the will.

Close personal staff each get 50,000 rand. Schools Nelson Mandela attended are due to receive 100,000 rand.

Nelson Mandela died in December at the age of 95.

Nelson Mandela left an estate valued at more than 46 million rand
Nelson Mandela left an estate valued at more than 46 million rand

He left behind an estate that includes an upmarket house in Johannesburg, a modest dwelling in his rural Eastern Cape home province and royalties from book sales, including his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom.

Nelson Mandela also left 100,000 rand to each of four other educational institutions, for bursaries and scholarships.

The mood of the Mandela family when the will was read was “charged with emotions but it went well,” said the executor, who added that the Mandela family were “well pleased” by his will.

The family trust will receive 1.5 million rand, plus royalties.

The ANC will also receive some royalties, to be used at the discretion of the party’s executive committee, to spread information about the principles and policies of the ANC, particularly about reconciliation.

There is a 90-day period in which Nelson Mandela will can be contested.

EU corruption at a breathtaking extent

Diane A. Wade
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EU corruption at a breathtaking extent

According to the European Commission, the extent of corruption in Europe is “breathtaking” and it costs the EU economy about 120 billion euros annually.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem is now presenting a full report on the issue.

Writing in Sweden’s Goeteborgs-Posten daily, Cecilia Malmstroem said corruption was eroding trust in democracy and draining resources from the legal economy.

For the report the Commission studied corruption in all 28 EU member states.

“The extent of the problem in Europe is breathtaking, although Sweden is among the countries with the least problems,” Cecilia Malmstroem wrote.

The level of corruption across the EU was eroding trust in democracy and draining resources from the legal economy
The level of corruption across the EU was eroding trust in democracy and draining resources from the legal economy

The Commission says it is the first time it has produced such a report. It also makes recommendations on how to tackle corruption.

National governments, rather than EU institutions, are chiefly responsible for fighting corruption in the EU.

The EU has an anti-fraud agency, OLAF, which focuses on fraud and corruption affecting the EU budget, but it has limited resources. In 2011 its budget was just 23.5 million euros.

Cecilia Malmstroem said that in some countries public procurement procedures were vulnerable to fraud, while in others party financing was the main problem, or municipal bodies were badly affected. And in some countries patients have to pay bribes in order to get adequate medical care, she wrote.

The EU study includes two major opinion polls, which indicated that three-quarters of EU citizens consider corruption to be widespread in their country.

Four out of 10 of the businesses surveyed described corruption as an obstacle to doing business in Europe.

In Sweden, 18% of people surveyed said they knew someone who had received a bribe, compared with a European average of 12%, Cecilia Malmstroem said.

Despite that finding, she said Sweden “is undoubtedly one of the countries with the least problems with corruption, and other EU countries should learn from Sweden’s solutions for dealing with the problem”, pointing to the role of laws on transparency and openness.

Organized crime groups have sophisticated networks across Europe and the EU police agency Europol says there are at least 3,000 of them.

Moscow school shooting: Student detained after killing two people

Nancy Clayson
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Moscow school shooting: Student detained after killing two people

A student has been detained in Moscow after entering a secondary school and taking more than 20 fellow pupils hostage, Russian police say.

The gunman killed one police officer and one biology teacher, police said. Another policeman was shot and injured.

The hostages the gunman took have been released, police said.

The incident, on the outskirts of Moscow, comes as Russia prepares to host the Winter Olympic Games, due to start in Sochi this week.

The gunman is believed to be a pupil at School No. 263 on the northern outskirts of Moscow.

The gunman entered the Moscow secondary school and took more than 20 fellow pupils hostage
The gunman entered the Moscow secondary school and took more than 20 fellow pupils hostage

“The person who took 20 people and a teacher hostage is a student in the upper classes at the same school,” an interior ministry spokesman said on state TV.

“He has been neutralized and all the students have been freed,” he said.

“One policeman was fatally wounded during the operation and died in hospital, and a teacher at School No. 263 was also killed,” he added.

It is not clear how the teacher and the policeman died.

A school official told Russian television that all children and teachers had been evacuated from the school after the incident.

The gunman opened fire on police officers who arrived at the scene, reports say.

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London Critics’ Circle Film Awards 2014: 12 Years a Slave wins most prizes

Sonia Pantiss
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London Critics’ Circle Film Awards 2014: 12 Years a Slave wins most prizes

12 Years a Slave has won the most prizes at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards last night.

It was named film of the year, while Chiwetel Ejiofor won actor of the year, and co-star Lupita Nyong’o won best supporting actress.

British director Steve McQueen said he had “felt so much love for this film in this country”.

The awards took place exactly four weeks before the Oscars in Hollywood.

12 Years a Slave is considered the front-runner for best picture, and it has nine nominations in total, including Steve McQueen for best director.

It also has 10 nominations for the Bafta Film Awards, two weeks away on February 16.

The London Critics’ Circle ceremony, at London’s May Fair Hotel on Sunday, began on a somber note as news broke of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death in New York.

When film critic Jason Solomons opened the awards by paying tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman, guests stood in spontaneous appreciation.

Steve McQueen's film 12 Years A Slave took home film of the year at the Critic' Circle Film Awards
Steve McQueen’s film 12 Years A Slave took home film of the year at the Critic’ Circle Film Awards

Philip Seymour Hoffman won a best supporting actor award at last year’s event for his performance as a cult leader in The Master.

Among the stars on the red carpet were Steve Coogan, Naomie Harris, Andy Serkis, John Hurt and Gary Oldman – who was honoured with the Dilys Powell award for excellence in film.

Cate Blanchett was named actress of the year for her performance in Blue Jasmine and Judi Dench won British actress of the year.

Alfonso Cuaron was named director of the year for his 3D space thriller, Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The film also took the best technical achievement award.

Clio Barnard’s low-budget drama The Selfish Giant, a contemporary English fable about two excluded schoolboys who start working for a dodgy local scrap dealer, was named British film of the year.

Conner Chapman, the teenage star of The Selfish Giant who was plucked from obscurity from his school in Bradford, was named young British performer of the year.

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London Critics’ Circle Film Awards 2014: Winners full list

Sonia Pantiss
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London Critics’ Circle Film Awards 2014: Winners full list

London Critics’ Circle Film Awards 2014 winners in full:

Film of the Year

12 Years a Slave

Foreign-language Film of the Year

Blue Is the Warmest Color

Documentary of the Year

The Act of Killing

British Film of the Year

The Selfish Giant

Director of the Year

Alfonso Cuarón – Gravity

Screenwriter of the Year

Gary Oldman was presented with the Dilys Powell award for excellence in film
Gary Oldman was presented with the Dilys Powell award for excellence in film

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen – Inside Llewyn Davis

Actor of the Year

Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave

Actress of the Year

Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine

Supporting Actor of the Year

Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips

Supporting Actress of the Year

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave

British Actor of the Year

James McAvoy – Filth / Trance / Welcome to the Punch

British Actress of the Year

Judi Dench – Philomena

Young British Performer of the Year

Conner Chapman – The Selfish Giant

Breakthrough British Filmmaker

Jon S. Baird – Filth

Technical Achievement Award

Gravity – Tim Webber, special effects

Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film

Gary Oldman

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Wolfgang Porsche and Ferdinand Piech face $1.8 billion lawsuit

Clyde K. Valle
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Wolfgang Porsche and Ferdinand Piech face $1.8 billion lawsuit

Wolfgang Porsche and his cousin and Porsche board member Ferdinand Piech are being sued by seven hedge funds over its failed takeover bid for Volkswagen.

They are seeking 1.8 billion euros ($2.4 billion) in compensation.

Porsche has been accused of misleading markets in the run-up to its takeover bid for VW in 2008.

Porsche initially dismissed speculation it was seeking to takeover VW, but later revealed that it owned or had positions on almost 74% of VW shares.

Some investors had bet against Volkswagen shares, expecting them to fall in the absence of any firm takeover bid from Porsche.

However, Porsche’s disclosure of an increased holding triggered an unprecedented stock market squeeze on VW shares as investors rushed to buy them to cover their short positions.

Wolfgang Porsche and his cousin Ferdinand Piech are being sued by seven hedge funds over its failed takeover bid for Volkswagen
Wolfgang Porsche and his cousin Ferdinand Piech are being sued by seven hedge funds over its failed takeover bid for Volkswagen

Porsche, which has earlier faced similar cases, has denied any wrongdoing.

“Porsche SE and its supervisory board members will defend themselves with all available legal means,” the carmaker said.

Porsche’s attempt to take over Volkswagen eventually failed as it fell short of acquiring the required 75% stake.

The global financial crisis and the slump in the automotive sector made it difficult for the carmaker to raise enough money to buy the remaining stake.

Nevertheless, it accumulated large amounts of debt in the process and was sued by investors who accused it of misleading them.

In a dramatic turnaround of events, the firms agreed a deal in 2009 under which Volkswagen agreed to take over Porsche.

Volkswagen acquired a 49.9% stake in Porsche in 2009.

In 2012, the firms agreed another deal, under which Volkswagen bought the remaining 50.1% stake in Porsche for 4.46 billion euros plus one VW common share.

Super Bowl XLVIII: Seattle Seahawks beat Denver Broncos with 43-8

Clyde K. Valle
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Super Bowl XLVIII: Seattle Seahawks beat Denver Broncos with 43-8

Super Bowl XLVIII has been dominated by the Seattle Seahawks which thrashed a badly misfiring Denver Broncos 43-8.

Marshawn Lynch’s one-yard touchdown run and Malcolm Smith’s 69-yard interception return helped Seattle into a deserved 22-0 lead at the break.

Percy Harvin returned the second-half kick-off 87 yards for another touchdown to all but end a horribly one-sided affair in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Super Bowl XLVIII has been dominated by the Seattle Seahawks which thrashed a badly misfiring Denver Broncos 43-8
Super Bowl XLVIII has been dominated by the Seattle Seahawks which thrashed a badly misfiring Denver Broncos 43-8

It was the first Super Bowl staged outdoors in a cold-weather state.

Pre-match fears of an 82,500-strong crowd having to endure sub-zero conditions proved groundless, with the temperature at the roofless MetLife Stadium just outside New York hovering around 7C (44F).

The week leading up to biggest annual event in the US sporting calendar was also dominated by talk of whether Denver’s top-rated offence – led by veteran quarterback Peyton Manning – could be contained by Seattle’s number one-ranked defence.

Denver found their answer when they ran into a hard-hitting, rampant Seattle defense hoping to win the club’s first NFL championship title.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman dies of apparent drug overdose

Lisa.Felice
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Philip Seymour Hoffman dies of apparent drug overdose

Police officers revealed that Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead of an apparent heroin overdose with a hypodermic needle still stuck in his arm inside a Greenwich Village apartment on Sunday.

Screenwriter and friend David Bar Katz called 911 around 11:30 a.m. after he and a female friend found Philip Seymour Hoffman in his underwear on a bathroom floor at 35 Bethune St., sources said.

The pair went to check on the actor after he missed an appointment to pick up his three kids from longtime girlfriend Mimi O’Donnell.

Police found five empty glassine envelopes in a garbage can, two more under the bed and one on a table in the apartment, where Philip Seymour Hoffman — who has repeatedly struggled with substance abuse — was living recently.

They also found a charred spoon in the kitchen sink, sources say.

The envelopes were marked “Ace of Spades,” which sources said is a brand of heroin that hasn’t been seen on the streets since around 2008 in Brooklyn.

There was no note, and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death is believed to be accidental.

Philip Seymour Hoffman publicly admitted that he nearly succumbed to substance abuse after graduating from NYU’s drama schoo
Philip Seymour Hoffman publicly admitted that he nearly succumbed to substance abuse after graduating from NYU’s drama schoo

The building is less than three blocks from the three-bedroom, 2-1/2-bath apartment on Jane Street that Philip Seymour Hoffman, 46, and Mimi O’Donnell, a costume designer, bought for $4.4 million in 2008.

In a statement released by his manager, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s family called his death “a tragic and sudden loss”.

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Phil and appreciate the outpouring of love and support we have received from everyone,” the statement said.

“Please keep Phil in your thoughts and prayers.”

The Lionsgate entertainment company — for which Philip Seymour Hoffman co-starred in The Hunger Games franchise — called him “a singular talent and one of the most gifted actors of our generation”.

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s work on The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 was largely complete and he had seven days of shooting left on Part 2, and his death is not expected to affect their scheduled openings in November of this year and November 2015, respectively.

In 2006, Philip Seymour Hoffman publicly admitted that he nearly succumbed to substance abuse after graduating from NYU’s drama school, but got sober in rehab.

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Thailand elections 2014: Protesters block voting in parts of Bangkok and south

Diane A. Wade
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Thailand elections 2014: Protesters block voting in parts of Bangkok and south

Thailand’s general election has been disrupted by protests with voting being halted in parts of Bangkok and the south, but officials say that 89% of polling stations operated normally.

Some six million registered voters were affected by the closures, the Election Commission said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra called the vote to head off weeks of mass protests.

Her party is widely expected to win but legal challenges and a lack of a quorum of MPs may create a political limbo.

Security has been heavy throughout Thailand, with vast areas under a state of emergency.

“The situation overall is calm and we haven’t received any reports of violence this morning,” National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabutr told Reuters.

Security officials said about 130,000 personnel had been deployed across Thailand on Sunday, including 12,000 in Bangkok.

Thailand's general election has been disrupted by protests with voting being halted in parts of Bangkok and the south
Thailand’s general election has been disrupted by protests with voting being halted in parts of Bangkok and the south

There has been little campaigning for the election and it was unclear how many Thais had turned out.

Yingluck Shinawatra, who won the last election in 2011, voted soon after polls opened near her Bangkok home.

Protests prevented voting from taking place in 438 of Bangkok’s 6,671 polling stations, and there was no voting at all in nine southern provinces.

The government said there was no disruption in the north and north-east of the country.

Yingluck Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai party has overwhelming support in these regions, while the south and parts of the capital are strongholds of the opposition Democrat Party, which is boycotting the election.

Demonstrators blocked access to voters at some polling stations in the capital and prevented ballot papers reaching those polling stations.

Some voters expressed frustration when they found their local polling stations blocked.

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High Wycombe sinkhole swallows VW Lupo

Nancy Clayson
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High Wycombe sinkhole swallows VW Lupo

A 30ft deep sinkhole has opened up on the driveway of a house in High Wycombe, UK, and swallowed a car.

Nobody was inside the VW Lupo when the ground on Main Road in Walter’s Ash gave way.

The 30ft deep sinkhole has opened up on the driveway of a house in High Wycombe
The 30ft deep sinkhole has opened up on the driveway of a house in High Wycombe

The vehicle is still at the bottom covered in rubble.

Firefighters said the hole was about 15ft diameter but left the scene after discovering no-one was inside.

Wycombe District Council will now have to decide what steps to take next.

Dylan Farrow open letter renews Woody Allen abuse claim

Sonia Pantiss
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Dylan Farrow open letter renews Woody Allen abuse claim

Dylan Farrow, the adopted daughter of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow, has renewed claims the filmmaker “abused” her as a child in 1992.

In an open letter, Dylan Farrow accuses Woody Allen of molesting her in a “dim, closet-like attic” at the age of seven.

Dylan Farrow, now 28, also criticizes Hollywood’s continued celebration of “a predator [who] brought chaos into our home”.

Woody Allen, now 78, was investigated over the abuse allegations at the time of the incident, but was not charged.

A panel of psychologists, appointed by US prosecutors and the police, concluded that Dylan Farrow had not been molested.

The case caused controversy when a prosecutor later said there had been “probably cause” to charge Woody Allen, but he had chosen not to, in order to protect the child.

The movie director has always maintained his innocence. He has previously accused Mia Farrow of fabricating the claims after their highly publicized break-up in 1992.

Dylan Farrowopens her letter, published on the New York Times website, by asking: “What’s your favorite Woody Allen movie? Before you answer, you should know: when I was seven years old, Woody Allen took me by the hand and led me into a dim, closet-like attic on the second floor of our house.

“He told me to lay on my stomach and play with my brother’s electric train set. Then he s**ually abused me.”

Dylan Farrow accuses Woody Allen of molesting her at the age of seven
Dylan Farrow accuses Woody Allen of molesting her at the age of seven

Dylan Farrow, who now lives in Florida under a different name, said she developed an eating disorder and was self-harming following the incident.

“That he got away with what he did to me haunted me as I grew up,” she writes.

She said she decided to break her silence after two decades, when Woody Allen’s latest film, Blue Jasmine, was nominated for an Oscar last week.

Dylan Farrow explained that Hollywood had made her “torment worse” by turning “a blind eye” to her story.

“Each time I saw my abuser’s face – on a poster, on a t-shirt, on television – I could only hide my panic until I found a place to be alone and fall apart. But this time, I refuse to fall apart,” she says.

Dylan Farrow also takes aim against actors who have appeared in Woody Allen’s movies.

“What if it had been your child, Cate Blanchett? You knew me when I was a little girl, Diane Keaton. Have you forgotten me?”

Last month, Diane Keaton accepted a lifetime achievement award for Woody Allen, who has a reputation for being notoriously reclusive.

Diane Keaton’s move sparked a major debate on social networks. It drew heavy criticism from Woody Allen’s biological son with Mia Farrow, Ronan, who tweeted: “Missed the Woody Allen tribute – did they put the part where a woman publicly confirmed he molested her at age 7 before or after Annie Hall?”

Dylan Farrow’s letter has already sent ripples through Hollywood.

Blue Jasmine star Cate Blanchett responded to the piece saying: “It’s obviously been a long and painful situation for the family and I hope they find some resolution and peace.”

Meanwhile, hosts at the Writers Guild Awards ceremony included references to the scandal in their puns on Saturday night.

Mia Farrow became romantically involved with Woody Allen in the early 1980s. The pair, who never married and kept separate homes, jointly adopted Dylan and her brother, Moses.

Woody Allen and Mia Farrow split in 1992 amid revelations that Allen had an affair with another adopted daughter of the actress, Soon-Yi.

The molestation allegations surfaced shortly after the breakup.

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Costa Rica presidential election 2014: Johnny Araya vs. Jose Maria Villalta

Diane A. Wade
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Costa Rica presidential election 2014: Johnny Araya vs. Jose Maria Villalta

Costa Rica is voting to choose a successor to President Laura Chinchilla.

The governing party’s Johnny Araya, a former mayor of San Jose, is expected to face strong opposition from left-wing candidate Jose Maria Villalta.

Centre-left politician Luis Guillermo Solis is also seen as a contender.

With many voters undecided, pollsters are predicting a tight race. If no candidate wins outright, there will be a run-off on 6 April.

Johnny Araya, who served as the capital’s mayor for more than 20 years, has promised to reduce poverty and attempted to distance himself from the scandal-hit government of President Laura Chinchilla.

Costa Rica is voting to choose a successor to President Laura Chinchilla
Costa Rica is voting to choose a successor to President Laura Chinchilla

Analysts said that Jose Maria Villalta could become the first left-wing president in Costa Rican history. He was the only one of the main candidates not to attend a Sunday Mass.

“I don’t usually go to church. It would be hypocritical of me to go now, just because we are holding elections,” Jose Maria Villalta told reporters.

His opponents accuse him of being a “communist” and planning to legalize abortion.

Another leading contender, right-wing candidate Otto Guevara, promised to rebuild the “social fabric” and lower electricity prices.

Laura Chinchilla became the first female president of Costa Rica in 2010.

Correspondents say Laura Chinchilla’s successor will have to tackle not only the country’s economic woes but a deeply divided Congress.

Voters are electing both a new president and members of Congress.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman found dead in his Manhattan apartment

Lisa.Felice
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Philip Seymour Hoffman found dead in his Manhattan apartment

Philip Seymour Hoffman has been found dead at his home in New York, police say.

The 46-year-old actor was found in his Manhattan apartment after a friend called the emergency services.

The police said the cause of death was an apparent drug overdose.

Philip Seymour Hoffmann made his name in the 1990s in films including Boogie Nights and the Big Lebowski, before winning the best actor Oscar for his 2005 portrayal of writer Truman Capote.

Throughout his career Philip Seymour Hoffman featured in independent films as well as Hollywood blockbusters such as Mission Impossible III.

Philip Seymour Hoffman has been found dead at his home in New York
Philip Seymour Hoffman has been found dead at his home in New York

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s latest role was in the Hunger Games series of films.

As well as films, the actor also starred in Broadway plays and was nominated for two Tony Awards.

Last year Philip Seymour Hoffman told celebrity news website TMZ that he had sought treatment for drug abuse.

He told the website he had used prescription drugs, and briefly heroin, before seeking help.

Philip Seymour Hoffman has over 60 film credits to his name, including Magnolia and The Master with director Paul Thomas Anderson, for which he was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar.

Philip Seymour Hoffman made his debut as a film director in 2010 with the New York-set Jack Goes Boating, in which he also starred.

Dmytro Bulatov leaves Ukraine for medical treatment

Diane A. Wade
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Dmytro Bulatov leaves Ukraine for medical treatment

Ukrainian opposition activist Dmytro Bulatov, who says he was abducted and tortured in Kiev, has left the country for medical treatment.

Dmytro Bulatov has flown to Latvia. It was reported earlier that his final destination was Lithuania.

The protest leader appeared on TV last week with a gash on his face and part of his ear cut off. He said he had been held and beaten for eight days.

Dmytro Bulatov’s case became a new rallying point for protesters, who want President Viktor Yanukovych to resign.

Thousands are currently in Maidan square, a focal point for the protesters.

Viktor Yanukovych has offered a number of concessions and his cabinet quit their jobs.

But the demonstrators, many of whom want to see closer ties with the EU rather than Russia, have not been placated.

Dmytro Bulatov was a leader of a group called Automaidan, made up mainly of drivers who would protect the protest camps and blockade streets.

Dmytro Bulatov says he was abducted and tortured in Kiev
Dmytro Bulatov says he was abducted and tortured in Kiev

He went missing on January 22 and re-emerged eight days later on the outskirts of Kiev.

Dmytro Bulatov told the media he had been “crucified” by his abductors, who he could not identify other than to say they had Russian accents.

Opposition politicians Western diplomats expressed outrage at the incident.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the “deliberate targeting of organizers and participants of peaceful protests”.

On Sunday, opposition leader Vitali Klitschko said European diplomats had helped to arrange medical care outside Ukraine.

“Now everything is done in that regard to finalize everything and give him a possibility to leave abroad for further treatment,” he said.

Dmytro Bulatov left Kiev on Sunday evening on a flight to the Latvian capital Riga.

On Friday, interior ministry investigators turned up at the hospital, apparently with a court order for the detention of Dmytro Bulatov.

But protesters had already arrived and prevented the investigators from questioning him.

Officials have suggested his account of the abduction might have been fabricated.

“The only thing he has is a scratch on one of his cheeks,” Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara told broadcaster al-Jazeera.

“It looks like the alleged story that he was kidnapped and tortured is not absolutely true.”

Ukraine’s foreign ministry later said the comments did not reflect Leonid Kozhara’s “real attitude to the tragic situation”, and said the minister wished Dmytro Bulatov a speed recovery.

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Groundhog Day 2014: Bill de Blasio drops Staten Island Chuck

Nancy Clayson
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Groundhog Day 2014: Bill de Blasio drops Staten Island Chuck

Punxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck were in agreement in their prognostications on this year’s Groundhog Day.

While Punxsutawney Phil tends to get the most attention, Staten Island Chuck stole the show as he squirmed out of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s arms.

Staten Island’s furry prognosticator, Charles G. Hogg, called for six more weeks of cold winter weather on February 2 during a ceremony at the Staten Island Zoo.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, officiating his first Groundhog Day ceremony on Staten Island, said: “This is one of the great events on Staten Island.”

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio at his first Groundhog Day ceremony on Staten Island
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio at his first Groundhog Day ceremony on Staten Island

“Chuck and my predecessor didn’t always get along,” said de Bill de Blasio,

“But I’m hoping we can start a new day,” he added.

Wearing protective gloves, Bill de Blasio lost his grip on Chuck for a moment, as the famous groundhog fell to the floor, drawing gasps from the crowd.

With temperatures nearing the 40s, hundreds of folks crowded around Chuck’s log cabin to see the prediction.

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Groundhog Day 2014: Punxsutawney Phil predicts six weeks of winter

Nancy Clayson
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Groundhog Day 2014: Punxsutawney Phil predicts six weeks of winter

Thousands of people in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, have been celebrating Groundhog Day.

Groundhog Phil is famous for predicting whether or not winter is due to end.

The rodent saw his shadow which means winter will extend well into March according to folklore. Had Phil not seen his shadow, it would have meant spring is around the corner.

Phil’s prediction may depress residents in the eastern US, weary from repeated outbreaks of arctic air.

Thousands of people in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, have been celebrating Groundhog Day
Thousands of people in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, have been celebrating Groundhog Day

Since the Groundhog’s first prediction in 1887, Phil has seen his shadow 100 times and not seen it on just 17 occasions. There are nine missing years in the record, but Phil has issued a forecast without exception.

No one questions Phil’s dedication to prognostication, but his accuracy is an unending source of controversy.

Last Groundhog Day, Phil did not see his shadow, a supposed harbinger of an early spring.  Yet, bitter cold and snow affected the eastern US deep into March.

The prosecuting attorney in Butler County, Ohio went as far as to seek the death penalty for Phil for “misrepresentation of early spring” before a Pennsylvania law firm came to Phil’s defense, claiming the Ohio attorney had no jurisdiction to prosecute the Groundhog.

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El Salvador presidential election 2014: Salvador Sanchez Ceren vs. Norman Quijano

Diane A. Wade
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El Salvador presidential election 2014: Salvador Sanchez Ceren vs. Norman Quijano

El Salvador is voting to elect a new president.

The main rivals are current Vice-President Salvador Sanchez Ceren of the left-wing FMLN party and Norman Quijano of the conservative Arena alliance.

Neither is expected to win outright because a third candidate standing for a new independent party is likely to make a strong showing.

The campaign has been dominated by poverty and crime. El Salvador’s murder rate is among the highest in the world.

Correspondents say there are signs that a recent truce agreed between the two main street gangs is falling apart.

The main rivals are current Vice-President Salvador Sanchez Ceren of the left-wing FMLN party and Norman Quijano of the conservative Arena alliance
The main rivals are current Vice-President Salvador Sanchez Ceren of the left-wing FMLN party and Norman Quijano of the conservative Arena alliance

Salvador Sanchez Ceren, 69, was a rebel commander when the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) was a guerrilla group during the 1980-1992 civil war.

He has promised to tackle crime through education and social programs.

Opinion polls suggest he had a lead over Norman Quijano, who stood down from his position of mayor of San Salvador to stand for president.

Many voters are critical of the 2012 truce with gangs, and Norman Quijano has accused the administration of outgoing President Mauricio Funes of negotiating with criminals. He is advocating tougher policies against drug gangs.

The truce has led to a decrease in El Salvador’s murder rate, but gradually the number of killings is going back up.

Analysts say the vote may hinge on the popularity of the third candidate, former President Antonio Saca who is running for the new Unidad party.

The second round of voting, if needed, is to be held on March 9.

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Conrad Black loses Order of Canada

Nancy Clayson
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Conrad Black loses Order of Canada

Former media tycoon Conrad Black has been stripped of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest honor.

Lord Conrad Black was also removed from the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

He served three years in prison in the US for fraud and obstruction of justice, and was released in 2012.

Lord Black of Crossharbour remains a member of the UK House of Lords. He was awarded the Order of Canada, which recognizes a lifetime of achievement, in 1990.

Conrad Black once controlled Hollinger International, which published the Daily Telegraph and the Chicago Sun-Times
Conrad Black once controlled Hollinger International, which published the Daily Telegraph and the Chicago Sun-Times

In a statement on Friday, the Canadian government said it had accepted a recommendation by the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada to remove Conrad Black as an officer of the order.

The Queen’s Privy Council is a board of prominent Canadians appointed to advise the head of state, the Queen, although for non-ministers it is normally only honorary.

Conrad Black, who was born in Montreal and now lives in Toronto, hosts a Canadian television show.

He once controlled Hollinger International, which published the Daily Telegraph and the Chicago Sun-Times.

In 2007 Conrad Black was found guilty in the US of conspiring with other executives to siphon off millions of dollars from the sale of newspapers as they unwound Hollinger.

Some of those convictions were later overturned, and his sentence shortened to 42 months.

Conrad Black moved back to Canada following his release from a Florida prison in May 2012.

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Prince George and Kate Middleton in Caribbean vacation

Nancy Clayson
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Prince George and Kate Middleton in Caribbean vacation

Prince George is having his first family vacation as he jetted away to the Caribbean with his mother Kate Middleton, Us Weekly reported.

Kate Middleton, 32, and 6-month-old Prince George traveled to the island of Mustique, and have also been joined by her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, brother James, and sister Pippa and her boyfriend Nico Jackson.

Prince George is having his first family vacation as he jetted away to the Caribbean with his mother Kate Middleton
Prince George is having his first family vacation as he jetted away to the Caribbean with his mother Kate Middleton

Prince William joined the group last year at the same villa, but unfortunately couldn’t make it this time around as he has to continue with his Cambridge agricultural management studies.

Kate Middleton and Prince George will be heading home “[by the] end of next week,” a source told Us Weekly.

On February 11, Kate Middleton is expected to attend the National Portrait Gallery gala, her first royal engagement of 2014.

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Stacy Keibler debuts new dark hair at Super Bowl 2014 pre-festivities

Lisa.Felice
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Stacy Keibler debuts new dark hair at Super Bowl 2014 pre-festivities

Stacy Keibler debuted her new look at the Ciroc Presents Bootsy Bellows Super Bowl 2014 pre-festivities at the Liquid Cellar in New York.

The typically-blonde Stacy Keibler, 34, has been gradually darkening her long locks since splitting from George Clooney last July.

Stacy Keibler and Jared Probe at the Ciroc Presents Bootsy Bellows Super Bowl 2014 pre-festivities at the Liquid Cellar in New York
Stacy Keibler and Jared Probe at the Ciroc Presents Bootsy Bellows Super Bowl 2014 pre-festivities at the Liquid Cellar in New York

She went brunette last fall for New York Fashion Week, around the time she started stepping out with 38-year-old tech entrepreneur Jared Pobre.

The latest shade seen on Stacy Keibler – a chocolate color infused with caramel-hued lowlights – is her darkest yet.

Ireland Baldwin shares picture of half-sister baby Carmen

Lisa.Felice
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Ireland Baldwin shares picture of half-sister baby Carmen

Ireland Baldwin shared a photo of herself spending time with her adorable half-sister, baby Carmen.

Ireland Baldwin spending time with her adorable half-sister, baby Carmen
Ireland Baldwin spending time with her adorable half-sister, baby Carmen

“Spending my morning with chubby bunny,” Ireland Baldwin, 18, wrote alongside an Instagram picture of herself cradling the 5-month-old daughter of Hilaria and Alec Baldwin.

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